AAO KHELEIN

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday quashed charges of conflict of interest levelled against VVS Laxman, insisting that the former batsman was in no such position when the three-member cricket advisory committee was assigned the task of selecting the head coach of India. Reports started surfacing that Laxman held 33,332 shares in Tenvic Sports Education Private Limited, which is owned by former leg-spinner and current head coach Anil Kumble, and was also entitled to a substantial amount of money in the form of incentives, bonus and other benefits at the time of the selection. Kumble was among 57 applicants who applied for the position earlier this month. He was picked by the CAC, comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and Laxman, last week after being included in the shortlist of 21 names. However, the sport's governing body wasted no time in dismissing these reports. "Mr Laxman informed BCCI that he had sold his total shareholding of 5% in Ten...

Ravi Shastri feels that Sourav Ganguly has shown disrespect to the process of selecting the national chief cricket coach by staying out of the interview board when he made his presentation while the latter has hit back questioning why he was not present in person. Both used words that could have been kept out of civil conversations, but each wanted to prove that the other was cheeky. Understandably, Shastri is disappointed at not getting the job after, in his own words, making a decent job of it as India's team director in the "difficult last 18 months". The board's advisory committee of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman, with former board secretary and Madhya Pradesh captain Sanjay Jagdale as convenor, felt that former captain Anil Kumble was better suited for the job than Shastri and others who had applied. In the whole episode, the board has come out in a poor light. It could have avoided the controversy by simply asking Shastri and Ganguly to ...

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Marseille, France: When Cristiano Ronaldo failed to deliver, it fell to an 18-year-old newcomer starting his first game to help Portugal reach the semifinals of the European Championship. Teenager Renato Sanches had a coming-of-age outing for Portugal, scoring with a stunning shot from distance to cancel out Robert Lewandowski's early goal for Poland, and then converting his penalty in Thursday's shootout. At 18 years and 316 days old, Sanches became the youngest player to score in a knockout round at the continental competition, quite a way to return the trust placed in him by coach Fernando Santos on his first start of the tournament. "Things weren't going our way and I called Renato to change something. and we were lucky enough to have him score," Santos said. "He played a great game. He is still growing and has a lot to offer. He will be a better player in the future." Ronaldo's teammates then searched him out in the second half, while their...

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Bengaluru: Rookie Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur, the lone new face for the West Indies Test tour, on Thursday said he wants to test himself by bowling to Test skipper Virat Kohli at the nets. India tour of West Indies - Complete Schedule Thakur, who earned the selectors' nod on the back of a terrific Ranji Trophy performance (41 wickets in the 2015-16 season), said bowling to a batsman of Kohli's calibre will help him identify his weaknesses. "Bowling to good batsmen in the nets is always an advantage as it shows you where you stand, what you need to work on and how you can improve. So, I am looking forward to bowling to Virat Kohli in the nets and test myself," the pacer was quoted as saying by bcci.tv. The 24-year-old, who reached the National Cricket Academy on Wednesday for the preparatory camp prior to the Caribbean tour, admitted he was nervous but also insisted that such situations bring out the best in him. "There is always a bit of nervousness when y...

He has not only earned the tag of being a swashbuckling batsman of the Indian cricket team but also that of a youth icon. Star player Virat Kohli says being a role model for others is a huge responsibility as it can "affect a lot of people". Living under the constant public gaze is not always a smooth ride, and Kohli has often been caught on the wrong-foot -- be it his angry rants or heated conversations on the field. The cricketer, who is rumoured to be in an on-and-off relationship with actress Anushka Sharma, says he "wishes to learn from his mistakes". "Being a role model for the young people is no doubt a great feeling. When people come up and say that they look up to you and they draw inspiration from you, it means a lot personally. But it also carries a huge responsibility as everything I do and say affects a lot of people," Kohli, who has been connecting personally with his fans via his fan club Fanbox, told IANS in an e-mail interview. He says ...

India's Test opener Murali Vijay on Thursday said his side is up for great 12 months ahead under newly-appointed coach Anil Kumble. Vijay, who believes it is too early to comment on the partnership between Kumble and Test skipper Virat Kohli, asserted that his side would try to turn best in the upcoming months. "I can't see anything ahead of me and talk. A couple of day's time it has been. So, it's very early to give a comment on that. But it's going to be a great 12 months for us, that much I can guarantee you as a team. We are up for it and we want to be the best we can in these coming 12 months," Vijay told the media on the sidelines of the national team's camp in Bangalore. Admitting that his side had a great time with former team director Ravi Shastri, Vijay said India is now looking forward to share some quality time with the new coach. Shastri, who was the team director until the end of the World Twenty20 campaign, was among the frontrunner...

Edinburgh: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is most likely to add two more teams to the main draw of the reinstated World Twenty20 in 2018. Discussions at the associates meeting of the ongoing ICC annual conference in Edinburgh also indicated that representatives of the associate nations on the ICC board may get full voting rights as well. "What I have heard described is that two teams will go through from each first group to create a Super 12," Tim Cutler, the Hong Kong Cricket Association chief executive, was quoted as saying by espncricinfo. "That seems to be the agreed format at the moment. Hopefully that means with two more going through, potentially two more could come into the qualifiers to make 18 but the sound of it at the moment is it's going to be 16 into 12. It's a move in the right direction." In better news for the associates, there is a motion to give their three representatives on the ICC full voting privileges and therefore a voic...

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New Delhi: Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar on Wednesday endorsed the appointment of legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble as the head coach of the Indian cricket team. Manjrekar's comments have come against the backdrop of the ongoing feud between former India skippers Sourav Ganguly and Ravi Shastri after the latter was recently overlooked for the head coach's job. Shastri, the former team director, on Tuesday lashed out at the Bengal stalwart for being "disrespectful" to which Ganguly retaliated by saying he is living in a "fool's world". Manjrekar, however, feels the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and V.V.S. Laxman made the right choice. "More than Sourav, I think Ravi is miffed with the rejection. It's a new experience for him. BCCI have made the better choice as coach," Manjrekar tweeted. Kumble was appointed for a one-year term and his stint with the team begins with the gruelling four-Te...

New Delhi: A 'disappointed' Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday retaliated to Ravi Shastri's barbs at him by saying that the former team director was living in a "fool's world". Shastri lashed out at the former India skipper on Tuesday for skipping his interview for Team India head coach, and accused the former skipper of being 'disrespectful'. Reacting to the attack as "personal", Ganguly, one of the members of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) also comprising Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman and co-ordinator Sanjay Jagdale, said it was a collective decision of the committee to appoint legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble as the head coach. "I am deeply saddened, disappointed. He should have shown a bit more maturity. These comments are very personal," Ganguly told reporters. "If Shastri feels that I am responsible for him not being selected as the head coach, he is living in a fool's world." "It is disappointing be...

Bangalore: Team India's newly appointed chief coach Anil Kumble on Wednesday swept aside the controversy surrounding Ravi Shastri's interview during the selection process saying it's the players who are the most significant part of the system and no one else. Kumble, addressing media on his first day as coach, said neither he nor Shastri or any other official is as important as the players. "I was the first one to call Ravi after chosen as the head coach. He did a wonderful job with the Indian team. And it's not about Ravi or me or anyone else. It's about the players, it's about the team," Kumble said during his first press conference as Team India coach. "From my point of view, we all want Indian team to do well, and perform at its best. We all believe that India team has the potential to dominate all three formats. He was part of this journey and (now) I am part of this journey. That's all what I have to say. He congratulated me and I told...

Montevideo (Uruguay): Uruguay striker Luis Suarez believes that Argentina star and his Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi will reverse his decision to quit international football. Messi called time on his international career in the immediate aftermath of Argentina's defeat to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final. It was the third time in three successive years that Messi and Argentina failed to grab a major trophy, losing to Germany in the 2014 FIFA World Cup followed by Chile in the Copa America final last year. The Barcelona star was left in tears having missed his penalty in the shootout, but several high-profile figures in Argentina, including the nation's president Mauricio Macri and Diego Maradona, have urged the 29-year-old not to go through with his decision. "I'm sure that he will change his mind, but whatever he decides he will still be the best ever. Knowing Leo, I'm sure it was said in a moment of sadness and helplessness," Suarez was quot...

A photo posted by Virat Kohli on twitter Virat Kohli was not satisfied with being an average cricketer and the India test captain says that a desire to reach the next level was his motivation for improved conditioning. India tour of West Indies - Complete Schedule The 27-year-old is widely considered to be the fittest cricketer in the Indian side, complementing his batting with razor-sharp skills in the field. A lean patch with the bat during the 2012 Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament acted as the catalyst for Kohli to make a "lifestyle choice". "Until IPL 2012, I did not focus much on the physical aspect," said Kohli, who tops the world Twenty20 batting rankings and is second on the one-day international list. "I never got into the minute details of fitness, things like what I need to eat from morning to night, how much I need to work out and how much I need to train. "After that IPL, I started listening to my body. I made a lifestyle choic...

Star India batsman Rohit Sharma heaped praised on newly appointed India coach Anil Kumble and said that Kumble is an 'inspiring' figure. Rohit shared the Indian dressing room with Kumble towards the end of latter's career. The India batsman however picked brains from Kumble when the Karnataka stalwart served as a mentor cum coach for Mumbai Indians. "I have two to three years of experience with him at Mumbai Indians and I know the kind of things we spoke about. I was the captain and he was the coach and mentor of the team. I got to learn a lot from him," Rohit said at an event. "I was fortunate enough to play with him during the last months before he retired. I remember in 2008, I was part of the Test squad to Sri Lanka and he was the captain. And he always had this attitude of never giving up, which as a young player is so inspiring. "You have to keep fighting no matter what. If the game is slipping away from your hands, don't give up till the la...

Maria Sharapova's Facebook photo Maria Sharapova is headed to Harvard Business School for a two-week program this summer. The 29-year-old Russian tennis star posted on Facebook and Twitter on Saturday a picture of her seated next to a sign for the school and the message: "'Not sure how this happened but Hey Harvard! Can't wait to start the program!" Her agent Max Eisenbud said Monday that the program involves two classes on campus. Eisenbud wasn't clear what certification, if any, she'd earn from the coursework. A Harvard spokesman didn't comment Monday. Sharapova was handed a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation after she tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January. The substance had been banned at the start of 2016. The five-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1-ranked player has appealed the ban. via Sify.com http://ift.tt/292zXSr

Mumbai: India star batsman and newly-appointed Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane said on Tuesday that the added responsibility of being the deputy to skipper Virat Kohli will bring out the best in him as a player during the Test tour of the West Indies starting next month. India vs West Indies - Complete Schedule "It is a good responsibility as a vice-captain and I love facing challenges and love taking responsibility, so it's not pressure, not added pressure, but I think responsibility will bring best out of me," Rahane told reporters here ahead of India's four-match Test tour to the Caribbean. "I really learnt a lot as a captain in Zimbabwe (from 2015 ODI tour) from my teammates, from opponents, and as a captain you know how to back your players, support your players, whatever happens as a captain, you have to take all the responsibility and I really learnt from that tour," he added. The West Indies tour will start with a two-day practice match from Ju...

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New Delhi: Days after he was overlooked for the Indian cricket team's head coach's job, a "disappointed" Ravi Shastri on Tuesday lashed out at Sourav Ganguly for skipping his interview, and accused the former skipper of being 'disrespectful'. Ask Ganguly what his problem is with me: Shastri Ganguly, one of the members of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) also comprising Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman and co-ordinator Sanjay Jagdale, was entrusted with the responsibility of interviewing the 21 shortlisted candidates for the top job, for which Shastri was one of the front-runners. During Shastri's interview process, Ganguly, who is also the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President, was out for a meeting which miffed the former Mumbai all-rounder. Speaking to a news channel, Shastri said he was disappointed and felt disrespected by Ganguly's behaviour and advised him not to repeat such things in the future. "Nothing surprises me in Ind...

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The BCCI on Tuesday swapped the venues for the second and the third Test matches against New Zealand while the first match will be hosted in Kanpur from September 22. The board had earlier announced Indore's Holkar Stadium as the venue for the second Test from September 30 to October 4 and Kolkata's Eden Gardens for the third and final match from October 8 to 12. But with Durga Puja celebrations clashing with the third Test, the iconic Eden Gardens will host the second Test from September 30 while the third match will be played in Indore from October 8. There were no changes for the other fixtures. Dharamsala will host the first ODI on October 16 and Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla the second on October 19. Mohali will host the third game on October 23 while the fourth and fifth matches will be played at Ranchi and Visakhapatnam on October 26 and 29 respectively. Complete Tour Schedule Match Venue Date 1st Test Green Park Stadium, Kanpur September 2...

First things first. Veteran spinner Anil Kumble is the right man for the job of Team India coach. He has a whopping 956 international wickets. He was Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1996 and made it to the ICC Hall of Fame in 2015. Kumble was a methodical and process oriented captain for Team India. He was President of Karnataka State Cricket Association and Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee. Kumble has been known more for his work rather than controversies. He has the respect of both captains MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Nobody doubts his dedication and his image of bowling against the West Indies with a broken bandaged jaw and picking up legendary Brian Lara’s still evokes admiration. However BCCI President Anurag Thakur instead of welcoming the appointment curiously told everyone that Rahul Dravid was his first choice and not Kumble. That’s not a good way to start such a partnership. Moreover, surprisingly, Kumble has been hired for just one-year as if he is on some sort of tria...

Medium pacer Mohammed Shami, who earned a recall to the Test side for the upcoming tour to the West Indies next month, on Tuesday said it is more important to focus on line and length as the Caribbean conditions are now similar to the subcontinent. "I have played there earlier and I haven't found them (the wickets) to be that different. They are almost similar to India. Yes, in earlier times we would hear that the wicket is bouncy and all that but now the wickets are similar to those in Asia," Shami was quoted as saying by bcci.tv. "So there is no need to be excited as a fast bowler that you will get bounce and carry. According to me it is important to focus on line and length." The Bengal pacer was sidelined for almost a year after undergoing a knee surgery. He was in the squad for the ICC World T20 but did not play any matches. A few days back Shami was involved in India's first pink-ball game at the Eden Gardens. Speaking about his experience with the...

After hosting two IPL matches recently, the Green Park stadium in Kanpur will now host a Test match between India and New Zealand, an official said on Tuesday. The match would be the first Test match between the two sides in the forthcoming series and would be played in Kanpur from September 22-26. Indian Premier League (IPL) Commissioner and secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) Rajeev Shukla who recently visited the Green Park stadium to review the preparations for the match, also informed that a T20 format match between England and India will also be played in Kanpur in February 2017. However, the dates are yet to be decided. With T20s, one-day and IPL matches becoming more popular formats with cricket fans, the UPCA is making special arrangements to attract spectators. A modern pavilion is under construction at the stadium and is likely to be completed soon. A BCCI release stated that the Test series will be followed by five One-Day Internationals (ODI) at ...

Former Team India Director Ravi Shastri is clearly disappointed after he was trumped by Anil Kumble who became Team India's head coach. Shastri was the front-runner to become the coach of the national team until Anil Kumble threw his hat into the ring. The Cricket Advisory Committee recommended Kumble's name for the position of head coach and the BCCI gave a cold shoulder to Shastri who guided the young Indian team for a period of 18 months. Interestingly, Sourav Ganguly, member of the Cricket Advisory Committee was not present while Shastri gave his interview and that has raised eyebrows. When asked if there was any differences between Ganguly and him, Shastri speaking to TOI said, "All I can say is that Ganguly wasn't there when I was interviewed and you should ask what problem Ganguly has with me instead of asking me." Ganguly was absent while Shastri presented his case and the former India skipper had informed the BCCI regarding his absence. But, it seems G...

Iceland pulled off one of the biggest shocks in European Championship history when they stunned abject England 2-1 on Monday, leading Roy Hodgson to quit and sending the tiny nation into a quarter-final against hosts France. Although the soccer pedigrees of the two countries could not be more different, Iceland looked the better team in just about every aspect of the game and fully deserved to extend their dream run on their first tournament appearance. After falling behind to a fourth-minute Wayne Rooney penalty they levelled almost immediately through Ragnar Sigurdsson and struck again in the 18th with a shot by Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. A ponderous England never looked remotely capable of finding a way back into the game and even at the end when they were reduced to launching long balls into the box, Iceland dealt with everything comfortably. “It feels fantastic to come here as an underdog and perform in this way," said Iceland joint-coach Lars Lagerback, who also claimed two wi...

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London: Batting icon Sachin Tendulkar is the lone Indian to find a place in former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum's list of all-time cricketing XI with West Indian legend Vivian Richards as the captain. McCullum's team comprises four Australians in Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne and Mitchell Johnson, three West Indians in Vivian Richards, Brian Lara and Chris Gayle, two Kiwis in Tim Southee and Trent Boult, Tendulkar and South Africa's Jacques Kallis. The Kiwi great, who broke the record for fastest Test ton in his final match, opted for Gayle and Tendulkar to open the batting with former Australia skipper Ponting at first drop. "I wanted someone destructive at the top of the order. Chris Gayle -- there ain't much better than that," McCullum was quoted as saying by lords.org. "Obviously Sachin can bat for days. Ponting is another man with phenomenal statistics, he takes the game on and even if you lose two early wickets, he's st...

Factbox on Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi, who said he was quitting international soccer after Sunday's loss on penalties to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final and failing again to lift a major trophy with his national team. Born June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. Early Career * Joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000 and shone in the youth ranks before then-coach Frank Rijkaard gave him his senior debut at the age of 16 in a friendly against Porto in 2003. * Made his La Liga debut in October 2004 and scored his first La Liga goal the following May in a match against Albacete at the Nou Camp. * Scored six goals in 17 appearances in 2005-06 as Barca won La Liga for the second year in a row but did not feature in their 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final. *Messi played a key role as Barca claimed six trophies in the calendar year of 2009 including the Champions League, La Liga, the King's Cup and the Club World Cup. * Won the fir...

One of the greatest footballers of all times, Argentina’s Lionel Messi on Monday announced retirement from international football. Messi announced retirement after Argentina lost the Copa America final to Chile. Argentina lost to Chile 4-2 on penalties after playing a goalless 120 minutes. It was all the more upsetting as Messi missed the goal while taking the first penalty. This is a difficult moment. Tough to make analysis. I thought about it in the locker room and think national team career is over for me. This is not for me," Messi said. Earlier. Chile upset favourites Argentina with a penalty shootout victory in the Copa America final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday to retain their title in the world's oldest continental soccer competition. Chile earned themselves bragging rights as South America's dominant team as they beat heavyweights Argentina 4-2 on penalties for a second straight year. Lionel Messi missed from the spot in the shootout, cutting a dejected figur...

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Former Australian great Greg Chappell has welcomed the appointment of Anil Kumble as the head coach of the Indian cricket team and said the 'inspired choice' will take the side to new heights with a 'courageous' skipper Virat Kohli. Kumble, who was among the shortlisted 21 candidates for the post, was named as the head coach for next one year after being interviewed by the cricket advisory committee comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman. Chappell, who had endured a tumultuous period during his charge as Indian coach between 2005 and 2007, believes Kumble's partnership with captain Virat Kohli will serve India well. "The greatest asset that Kumble has is that he has a captain who has a robust self-belief, is courageous and who will lead by example in all areas," Chappell was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. Chappell further praised Kumble in his column for The Hindu , that Kumble did everything possible to contribute well for his...

Former Australian great Greg Chappell has welcomed the appointment of Anil Kumble as the head coach of the Indian cricket team and said the 'inspired choice' will take the side to new heights with a 'courageous' skipper Virat Kohli. Kumble, who was among the shortlisted 21 candidates for the post, was named as the head coach for next one year after being interviewed by the cricket advisory committee comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman. Chappell, who had endured a tumultuous period during his charge as Indian coach between 2005 and 2007, believes Kumble's partnership with captain Virat Kohli will serve India well. "The greatest asset that Kumble has is that he has a captain who has a robust self-belief, is courageous and who will lead by example in all areas," Chappell was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. Chappell further praised Kumble, saying that he had never blown his own trumpet and did everything possible to contribute we...

India's young guns kept their cool as they defended a small total that they had posted in the deciding one-dayer. Picking the right combination did the trick again as the IPL experienced bowlers bowled a terrific last couple of overs to deny Zimbabwe a series win. For full member teams it's vital that they don't get overconfident and lose to associate member teams for those teams are only waiting to tell the world that one swallow makes a summer when it's evident that the clouds are still hovering over their cricket. So Sri Lanka's thrashing and that's the only word to describe it will have hopefully silenced all those from Ireland who are clamouring for a full membership status. Most, if not all the Ireland players play in the English County Championships and so come together only for an international and don't necessarily play in the Irish domestic game. They believe that just because they are playing county cricket they will be good at the international l...

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New Delhi: Former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar was named batting coach of the Indian team that will travel to the West Indies for a four-match Test series next month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Saturday. India tour of West Indies - Complete Schedule The BCCI also retained former domestic cricketer Abhay Sharma as the fielding coach of the side, which will be headed by head coach Anil Kumble. Bangar was the interim head coach of the Indian team that recently won the One-Day International (ODI) and T20 International series in Zimbabwe while Sharma served as the fielding coach. "In consultation with Anil Kumble, head coach, Indian cricket team, the BCCI has appointed the following assistant coaches for the India tour of West Indies -- assistant coach (batting) Sanjay Bangar, assistant coach (fielding) Abhay Sharma," board secretary Ajay Shirke said in a statement. The BCCI on Thursday appointed former India skipper Kumble as the head c...

New Delhi: Promising wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha was on Saturday named skipper of the India A squad for the two four-day matches against Australia A and the quadrangular series involving South Africa A, Australia A and Cricket Australia's National Performance Squad (NPS). The senior selection committee, which met earlier in the day, picked as many as nine players out of 15 from the victorious squad which recently mauled Zimbabwe both in the One-Day International (ODI) and T20 International series. The Rahul Dravid-coached side will play both the four-day ties against the hosts at the Allan Border field in Brisbane from September 8 to 11 and 15 to 18 while the Harrup Park will host the finals of the one-day leg of the tournament at Mackay. The quadrangular series kicks off with South Africa A taking on NPS on August 13 at Tony Ireland stadium in Townsville, while India A will open its campaign against Australia A on August 14 at the same venue. India A will then take on the...

Former BCCI president N. Srinivasan was on Saturday re-elected unanimously as the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) chief at the 86th Annual General Meeting here. This is the 15th consecutive time that he has been elected as the chief of the state cricket body. Srinivasan has been heading the TNCA since 2002-03 when he ended former BCCI President AC Muthiah's reign. He has been in the line of fire ever since the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal which rocked Indian cricket. The 71-year-old was forced to step aside as BCCI chief after his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was found to be involved in betting by a Supreme Court-appointed inquiry committee. via Sify.com http://ift.tt/28VkKHX

Forty years ago this week Antonin Panenka settled the first European championship penalty shootout, patenting the nonchalant dink over a committed keeper, as Czechoslovakia beat West Germany 5-3 after a 2-2 draw. Since 1976, a further 14 Euro matches have been decided by shoot-outs, two in each of the last three tournaments. With this year's expanded format featuring 15 one-off games compared to seven since 1996, it is a near-certainty that a nation's joy or despair and an individual player's career will be defined by 10 shots from 12 yards. Like many other aspects of top-level sport, some players, and some nationalities, seem to thrive under the ultimate test of nerve and technique under pressure. And others melt. After their win in 1976, Czechoslovakia and then the Czech Republic, took part in two more Euro shoot-outs, winning both, and have yet to miss a single attempt. The Germans obviously learnt from that experience and quickly became the masters, subsequently win...

Birmingham: Openers Alex Hales and Jason Roy put on an unbeaten and record-breaking 256-run partnership to take England to a thumping 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second one-day international on Friday. Full Scorecard Both made centuries, with Hales 133 not out and Roy 112 not out as England stormed past Sri Lanka's 254-7 in 34.1 overs at Edgbaston. The convincing win took England into a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after the first game was tied. Finishing on 256-0, Hales and Roy put together the highest partnership for England in ODIs and the fifth highest opening stand by any team in a 50-over international. The unbeaten 256-run opening partnership is England's best against Sri Lanka, surpassing the 252-run stand between Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly at Colombo in 1998. The duo decimated Sri Lanka's bowling attack, with Hales hitting 10 fours and six sixes, while Roy added seven fours and four sixes. "Hales and I just wanted to get off to a go...

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A force to be reckoned with at home, India's Test side have struggled away from the subcontinent in recent years and new skipper Anil Kumble has put top priority on building a team that can travel with confidence. Also Read: Anil Kumble appointed India head coach for one year Kumble, India's most successful bowler, was given a one-year term as head coach on Thursday with the country's cricket board (BCCI) putting their faith in the 45-year-old despite his lack of coaching experience. The BCCI received 57 applications for the job, which were then made available to an advisory panel that included former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly and former batsman VVS Laxman -- all of whom have played with Kumble. Kumble's coaching experience has been limited to being a mentor to the Mumbai and Bangalore teams in the Indian Premier League T20 tournament, and he said his first job interview was a "nerve-racking" experience. "It was very different becau...

Dharmasala: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) working committee on Friday decided to replace the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament with a new domestic league in the country. Apart from appointing former India skipper Anil Kumble as the head coach of the national team for an one-year term on Thursday, the board's first annual four-day conclave, which concluded with the all-powerful working committee on Friday announced a couple of key decisions. Among the few crucial decisions, the board decided to do away with the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy and instead play a new inter-zonal T20 league. "First, all state teams will play an inter zonal league in their respective zones. And then all five zones selecting a zonal side to play an Inter Zonal League," BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke said in a statement. The working committee also approved the suggestions of the junior committee that an under-19 cricketer can represent India only once in the International Cricket Counc...

Dharamsala: The BCCI on Friday gave the thumbs up to the women team's cricketers to participate in foreign T20 leagues, paving the way for all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur's debut in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) in Australia. After the working committee meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India here, President Anurag Thakur confirmed that the 27-year-old has been signed by defending champions Sydney Thunder franchise in the WBBL. According to reports, three franchises were in the race to sign the aggressive middle-order batswoman before Sydney Thunder sealed the deal. It is the first official signing since the BCCI gave the green signal for women cricketers agreed to issue the required no-objection certificate (NoC). Harmanpreet, who blasted a 31-ball 46 to guide India to a historic win against Australia at the Adelaide Oval earlier this year, scored 89 runs and took seven wickets in four outings in the ICC women's World T20. via Sify.com http://ift...

If not for Anil Kumble, Ravi Shastri would have got the role that he badly wanted. Shastri, who lost out to his former colleague in the race to be Team India's chief coach, opened up in an interview to Wisden India . "I'm not surprised," said Shastri. "I'd say disappointed. It's like planting a tree and then cutting it down just as it's beginning to bear fruit. We'd done the hard work overseas, and now, after the upcoming tour of the West Indies, we have a lengthy home season, where we could have really turned the screws. But it's not to be, and that's life," Shastri told wisdenindia.com Shastri added that Kumble called him immediately after receiving the news. "Anil called me as soon as the appointment was made. I told him that he has a fantastic bunch of boys to work with, and I'm sure he'll take them to greater heights. He asked me if he could talk to me further, and I said any time. I wish him only the very best....

The BCCI has announced that it will host a shortened version of the IPL outside India every September, starting this year. BCCI president Anurag Thakur branding it as the 'mini IPL' or 'IPL overseas' said that the final dates and format will be announced soon. "In the month of September, the BCCI is willing to host a mini IPL or IPL overseas with all the eight teams participating," Thakur said. "It will be a shorter format, not home and away matches but a lesser number of matches; in a two-week window we would be able to complete it," the Board President declared. Terming it as an annual affair, Thakur said, "We have to speak to the franchises, broadcasters and look at the revenue model. Many countries are willing to host. We have to look at the various time zone (and decide) where we can take it. It will be an annual affair." Earlier, the IPL governing council had set a proposal of launching a mini IPL in September. The idea was discus...

A force to be reckoned with at home, India's test side have struggled away from the subcontinent in recent years and new skipper Anil Kumble has put top priority on building a team that can travel with confidence. Also Read: Anil Kumble appointed India head coach for one year Kumble, India's most successful bowler, was given a one-year term as head coach on Thursday with the country's cricket board (BCCI) putting their faith in the 45-year-old despite his lack of coaching experience. The BCCI received 57 applications for the job, which were then made available to an advisory panel that included former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly and former batsman VVS Laxman -- all of whom have played with Kumble. Kumble's coaching experience has been limited to being a mentor to the Mumbai and Bangalore teams in the Indian Premier League T20 tournament, and he said his first job interview was a "nerve-racking" experience. "It was very different becau...