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Showing posts from July, 2016

Pakistan cricket great Hanif Mohammad hospitalised

Former Pakistan cricketer Hanif Mohammad, who was diagnosed with lung cancer three years ago, has been hospitalised after a two-week-long struggle with breathing problems and congestion. Reflecting on the news, Hanif's son Shoaib revealed that his father underwent a surgery in London after being diagnosed with cancer, which somehow helped in bringing the disease under control. Pointing out that cancer spreads with time, Shoaib revealed that he had sent the latest biopsy to the doctor in London who observed chemotherapy would not be an effective option for further treatment, the Dawn reported. Shoaib, who is a Pakistan International Airlines employee, said the latest and effective treatment are expensive and, therefore, he would seek the government's help or sports' funds for his father's recovery. 81-year-old Hanif made 55 Test appearances for Pakistan between 1952-53 and 1969-70, having averaged a fine 43.98 including twelve centuries. Hanif's magnificent mome...
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Lord's like bell for Eden Gardens

Kolkata: The iconic Eden Gardens is all set to get a 'bell' like the one that hangs at the hallowed Lord's ground in London, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly said on Saturday. The one at Lord's is located outside the Bowlers' Bar of the pavilion and is rung to signify the imminent start of play. It has become a great honour to be invited to ring it on the morning of a Test match and Ganguly had the privilege of doing it once in 2014. "Yes, we are getting such a bell which will be installed at the Eden Gardens. Every morning it will be rung by a cricketer from either side or ex-players. The bell is being imported and should be in place by September," the former India skipper told reporters. A 'Fan Zone' will also be created where kids can play and spend time with their families starting from the India-New Zealand Test match in September. To bring more corporates in to the Tests, the CAB has also decided to hand them...
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Speed variation rather than spin was key: Ashwin

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who bagged his 18th five-wicket haul of his career, has pointed out that a combination of bounce and speed variations played a key role in ripping apart West Indies batting line-up instead of spin on a damp Sabina Park pitch in the second Test. India's ascendancy over the West Indies continued as they bundled out Jason Holder's team for 196 before making 126 for 1 in their first innings at stumps on day one on Saturday. "A little bit of bounce and speed variation, that was important, I thought. Most of the dismissals were brought about by difference in speeds rather than much of spin, actually. It was initially damp and there was some turn, but after that it flattened out a bit and started going straight. This ball, once it gets older, it becomes easier to bat. There's a lot more time. I think it was more about bounce and speed variation that created the problem," Ashwin told reporters after day one. The 29-year-old premie...
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'All-rounder Ashwin and the four top batsmen'

Way back in the 1980s there were four of the greatest all rounders who have graced the game. Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Ian Botham and Richard Hadlee. They came to the fore primarily as new ball bowlers but over a period of time polished their batting to such a tremendous extent that they won games for their countries with the bat too. An all rounder is one who is capable of getting into the team either as a batsman or as a bowler. Today Ravichandran Ashwin is a player who can get into the Indian team as a batsman even if he was not a bowler and as a bowler even if he couldn’t survive two deliveries as a batsman. The above four were intensely competitive at all times but became even more so if they found that one of them had done well in a game. That would be just the energiser that the other would need to lift his game and perform and show that he too was as good if not better than the one who had performed in the previous game. Their rivalry helped their teams as none of them wanted to t...
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Vijay misses Kingston Test, Rahul to open

Indian opener Murali Vijay will miss the second Test against West Indies due to a thumb injury and will be replaced by Lokesh Rahul, skipper Virat Kohli said ahead of the match that begins at Kingston's Sabina Park later on Saturday. India vs West Indies | Schedule | Scorecard Vijay was hit on the thumb by a Shannon Gabriel delivery in the first test at Antigua, which India won by an innings and 92 runs to go 1-0 up in the four-test series. Rahul has two centuries from five Tests and by partnering Shikhar Dhawan India will retain their right-left combination at the top of the order. "Unfortunately Vijay has to miss out because of injury," Kohli told reporters. "(Rahul's) been in a very good zone. He scored runs in the practice games ... It's more a case of a guy waiting for an opportunity. You can see that with him. "He's batting really well, he wants to make it count. He wants to get big runs. I'm pretty confident of his abilities." ...
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'Indians carrying too many guns for the natives'

Not for a long time has an Indian team began a series overseas with a win. The one that comes to mind is the Indian team winning the first two Tests in England in 1986 under Kapil Dev. The team almost had a clean sweep but were denied by some dodgy calls at a time when there were no third country umpires and nobody could dare say a word against the old powers even when they were blatantly doing things that suited their interests. India vs West Indies | Schedule | Scorecard Virat Kohli 's team has the chance of a clean sweep in the Caribbean that would in some way assuage the hurt of the brown wash that the Indian team suffered in 1962. The West Indian team has to lift itself up remarkably to push this Indian team. They do have some quality players but it appears from the commentary box as if there is no direction and sense of purpose when they are out there. On the other hand the Indian team looks highly motivated to do well individually and as a group and have by far much bett...
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There's a lot of pressure on us: Samuels

Remarking that he is forced to curb his natural aggression at times because of enormous responsibility as a senior player, West Indies batting mainstay Marlon Samuels has called on his side's young brigade to elevate their performance in order to stage a strong comeback in the ongoing four-Test series against India. India vs West Indies | Schedule   | Scorecard "We have to just encourage the younger players that it's not just the senior players doing the job," Samuels was quoted as saying by the Jamaican Observer. "To be honest, there's a lot of pressure there. I'm not going to tell you there's not a great deal of pressure. "It's not just to stand up and score 50 or a 100. I have to bat through, because I'm batting at four, so I have to dominate but know when to - if we lose a wicket - to tone it down. Sometimes if I'm on the go I like to have a go, but the responsibility is great so I have to change my game." West Indies s...
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Germany's Schweinsteiger ends international career

Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger announced his retirement from international football on Friday, bringing to an end a glittering career that ended in disappointment with a semi-final exit at Euro 2016 in France. "It wasn't to be and I have to accept it," the 31-year-old said in a statement on his verified Twitter account (@BSchweinsteiger). "The historic and emotional high was winning the World Cup in 2014," the Manchester United player added. Schweinsteiger was vice-captain of the national team when Germany edged Argentina in extra-time to claim a fourth World Cup title and took over as captain when his then Bayern Munich team mate Philipp Lahm stood down after the 2014 tournament. His seventh major tournament saw him lead Germany to the last four of the European Championships earlier this month but the 2-0 defeat to hosts France proved to be his 120th and last appearance. His first call-up came as a 19-year-old in June 2004 and a year later, he sc...
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BJP MP and BCCI president Anurag Thakur turns 'Lieutenant', joins Territorial Army

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Himachal Pradesh and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Anurag Thakur was earlier today commissioned into the Territorial Army as a Lieutenant by the Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir S. Suhag. Taking a pledge to serve the nation, he said that when the time arises, he should not be only speaking but he should be ready in his uniform to serve the brave Jawans. Earlier visuals of Anurag Thakur being commissioned into Territorial army in Delhi. http://pic.twitter.com/waVAOiZfgU — ANI (@ANI_news) July 29, 2016 "I think it is a great moment for me and for my entire family. I come from Vir Bhoomi Himachal Pradesh, my grandfather was in Army, and my father raised the issue of OROP. I have always desired and dreamed to become a part of the Indian Army. Today my dream is fulfilled and I feel honoured to be here. And I feel I am more committed towards the country and the Indian Army," Lt. Thakur told ANI here....
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Virat Kohli the best cricketer at the moment: Brett Lee

Mumbai: Australian cricketer Brett Lee, who is currently in India to promote his film "UnIndian", terms India's Test skipper Virat Kohli as the best cricketer at the moment. India vs West Indies | Schedule "I feel Virat is the best cricketer at the moment. Sachin (Tendulkar) is the best batsman and now I feel Virat (Kohli) is tremendous from his work ethic.... his aggression is amazing. People look up to him," Lee told reportere here. The former Australian fast bowler also says that he still loves cricket but getting into acting is the second innings of his life. "I still love cricket. You will always respect the game enough but this is my second innings," he said. via Sify.com http://ift.tt/2agYGmC
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Not too worried about my form: Pujara

India middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has not been among runs off late. However, the Saurashtra batsman is not worried about his form and said that he is happy as long as the team succeeds. "No I am not worried. Overall I have been batting well. Even in the South Africa series, there have been good scores and some good batting on challenging wickets. So at times you have to be realistic and see the contribution without seeing whether I am getting hundreds or big double hundreds. It's always about contributing to the team's success," Pujara said. "At the same time I realised that I played a bad shot in the last Test when I was looking good. I did the hard work in the first session when the ball was moving. Things, though, remain very simple. I always have to contribute and play with responsibility. I have spoken with Anil Kumble too, and he told me a few things about my batting. Most importantly, he told me he was happy with the contributions I have made i...
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Ishant keen to get more wickets in Kingston Test

India pace spearhead Ishant Sharma believes that bowling precise line and length consistently is the key to reap success in the arduous format of Test cricket. India vs West Indies | Schedule "It is important to bowl in right areas consistently when the wicket is not conducive for bowlers. We stuck to our plans and executed them well which gave us the wickets," Ishant told bcci.tv while recalling his side's performance in the opening Test in Antigua. Aiming to put up a much improved show in the second Test starting from Saturday in Kingston, the 27-year-old towering speedster also underlined the significance of having a positive approach before a match. Commenting on the bowling unit's performance in the first Test, Ishant said that his side mounted pressure on the West Indies by bowling short deliveries on slow surface in North Sound. "There wasn't much for fast bowlers on the wicket and therefore we thought of bowling short deliveries as West Indies we...
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Ishant keen to get more wickets in Jamaica Test

India pace spearhead Ishant Sharma believes that bowling precise line and length consistently is the key to reap success in the arduous format of Test cricket. India vs West Indies | Schedule "It is important to bowl in right areas consistently when the wicket is not conducive for bowlers. We stuck to our plans and executed them well which gave us the wickets," Ishant told bcci.tv while recalling his side's performance in the opening Test in Antigua. Aiming to put up a much improved show in the second Test starting from Saturday in Kingston, the 27-year-old towering speedster also underlined the significance of having a positive approach before a match. Commenting on the bowling unit's performance in the first Test, Ishant said that his side mounted pressure on the West Indies by bowling short deliveries on slow surface in North Sound. "There wasn't much for fast bowlers on the wicket and therefore we thought of bowling short deliveries as West Indies we...
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Windies not demoralized, will fight back: Simmons

West Indies head coach Phil Simmons has insisted that his young brigade have the capability to stage a strong comeback in the ongoing four-match Test series against India. India vs West Indies | Schedule West Indies suffered an innings and 92-run defeat against the Virat Kohli-led team inside four days in the opening Test in Antigua and will look to iron out their flaws in the second match at the Sabina Park starting from Saturday. "You can't be demoralised with one Test out of four [because] there are still three Test matches to go," Simmons was quoted as saying by the Jamaican Observer. "We know we didn't play well and I think that is the good thing about it. If we had played well and we got beaten like that, then something [would be] wrong. So, we didn't play well and we just have to make sure that we hit our straps when we are here." The West Indies coach admitted that his side needed to pull up their socks and deliver an all-round performance t...
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'Struggling' Blackwood aims to overturn wretched form

Despite struggling to open his account in four of his last seven Test innings, West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood has said he remains upbeat about reversing his miserable form when his side will take on India in the second match at the Sabina Park from Saturday. India vs West Indies | Schedule The 24-year-old aggressive batsman, whose poor run of form started during last year's tour of Australia, was dismissed for nought in both innings of his team's innings and 92-run defeat in the opening Test against India at North Sound, Antigua. However, Blackwood said he remains optimistic about regaining his form on home soil. "It is always good to be back in Jamaica, and knowing you are going to be playing in front of your home crowd is a good feeling and gives extra confidence. I think I have been a bit too negative, so I think I have to take a different approach to my batting," Blackwood was quoted, as saying by the Jamaican Observer. "I am a positive person an...
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Harbhajan, Geeta blessed with a baby girl

India cricketer Harbhajan Singh and his actress wife Geeta Basra were blessed with a baby girl on Wednesday. According to media reports, Harbhajan's mother Avtar Kaur confirmed the news and said that both the mother and the baby were doing fine. The India cricketer was in London where his wife Geeta delivered the baby girl. The couple got married in October 2015 after dating for almost a decade. Harbhajan's wife had moved to London to be with her parents during her term. via Sify.com http://ift.tt/2aMvSmL
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'Kumble's advice to vary pace on slow wicket helped'

Kingston: India's leg-spinner Amit Mishra revealed that head coach Anil Kumble's advice to vary his pace on the slow wicket in the first cricket Test against the West Indies helped him. India vs West Indies | Schedule Mishra took three wickets in both the innings while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed seven wickets as the hosts followed on as India recorded a big win by an innings and 92 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the four match Test series. "I am lucky to be getting to work with Anil bhai. He is a legend. He has told me about the importance of batting for a tailender and how it boosts his confidence when he performs with the bat," Mishra said at a press conference. "He shares his experience with me and tells small things which make a difference in the overall outcome of the game. In the last game the wicket was slow, so he told me to vary my pace." Mishra said that India will look to carry on with their aggressive brand of cricket. "When...
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USA likely to host India-West Indies T20 series in August

Soon after the completion of the four match Test series against West Indies, Team India is likely to play a T20 series against West Indies in Florida. According to a report in ESPNCricinfo , BCCI officials will be meeting with members of the WICB in Florida to discuss the possibility of staging a T20 series at the Central Broward Regional Park in Florida. If everything goes according to plan, the series will be held towards the end of August. The report further stated that WICB officials contacted Duncan Finch, Broward Parks & Recreation Manager to chalk out a plan of hosting a three match T20 series after the conclusion of the Test series. The four match Test series that started in the Caribbean on 21st of July will end on 22nd of August. "We had an email inquiring about late-August availability of the stadium by representatives of the WICB last week. We have August 24 to 27, and they were asking about Sunday, August 28, as well. We would have to cancel a small event to g...
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Caribbean series hopes to crack US market with T20 foray

Chris Gayle and Shane Watson need no introductions in cricket-playing countries but while they are unlikely to become household names in the U.S. anytime soon they could help raise the sport's profile in a Twenty20 series in Florida this week. The games are part of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), a six-week long competition featuring six franchises from around the region. Six games are scheduled over four days at the Broward Stadium in suburban Fort Lauderdale. While cracking the U.S. sporting marketplace is a tough ask for cricket, the Twenty20 format is likely to be the most appealing to potential U.S. fans thanks to explosive batting and a relatively quick game time of around three hours. The owners of the CPL hope eventually to add a couple of North American franchises to the series but right now they are focused more on making sure this week's matches are successful. The Broward Stadium is the only ground in the United States that meets international cricket specifi...
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Uncapped Alzarri Joseph called up for 2nd Test vs India

"There is this young kid Alzarri Joseph who in the last two Caribbean Premier League games pinged the helmet of no less a batsman than AB de Villers and another top batsman and although he may be contracted to play for his franchise team the West Indies Board can surely get him released to play in the Test matches to follow," wrote Sunil Gavaskar in his column,   'How the wheel has turned! Rope in Alzarri Joseph' . Four days later, West Indies have added the 19-year-old fast bowler from Antigua to their squad for the second Test against India. The second Test starts in Jamaica on Saturday. India vs West Indies | Schedule The inclusion of Joseph gives West Indies a genuine pace option that was lacking in their crushing innings loss to India in the opening Test. With his pace Joseph can be an ideal partner to Shannon Gabriel, who was impressive in patches in the first Test. Though he has limited experience at the senior level having played only 12 matches includ...
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Federer to miss Olympics with knee problem

Roger Federer has pulled out of the Rio Olympics and will miss the rest of the season, including the U.S. Open, because he needs "more extensive rehabilitation" to prolong his career after knee surgery earlier this year. Last month he described how "one stupid move" sparked a chain of bad luck - which resulted in left knee surgery in February and sitting out the French Open with a back injury - culminating in Tuesday's decision to end his wretched season. "I'm extremely disappointed to announce that I will not be able to represent Switzerland at the Olympic Games in Rio and that I will also miss the remainder of the season," the 17-times grand slam champion said on his Facebook page. "Considering all options after consulting with my doctors and my team, I have made the very difficult decision to call an end to my 2016 season as I need more extensive rehabilitation following my knee surgery earlier this year. "The doctors advised that i...
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Ashwin regains number one spot in Test rankings

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dethroned Pakistan's Yasir Shah to top the International Cricket Council's (ICC) test rankings after his match-winning display against West Indies in the first Test. The 29-year-old picked up figures of 7-83 in the second innings as the visitors cruised to an innings-and-92 runs victory inside four days in Antigua. Leg spinner Yasir, who became the first Pakistani bowler in 20 years to top the test rankings, dropped to fifth after managing just one wicket in the second Test defeat against England at Old Trafford. Ashwin, who also tops the all-rounders ranking, is followed by England's James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who both moved up one place respectively. Joe Root's magnificent 254 in the 330-run victory against Pakistan has helped him move into the second place in the Test rankings for batsmen, behind Australian Steve Smith, who retains top spot. England's Test skipper Alastair Cook, also moved back into the top 10 at ni...
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Senior cricketers should promote Tests: Steve Waugh

Former Australia skipper Steve Waugh on Tuesday said he wants the world's leading cricketers to promote Test cricket first rather than the Twenty20 format of the game. Waugh believes the popularity of T20 and the financial windfall for players that comes with it is affecting the longest format of the game. "We have to hope senior cricketers in each country keep promoting Test cricket," Waugh was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Tuesday. "Australian players still always talk about the Baggy Green cap and playing for their country and the responsibility rests with senior players in every country (to do the same.)" The World Cup winning skipper also used the decline of West Indies as an example of how prioritising T20s can have a negative effect on Test matches. What concerns Waugh is the fact that the West Indies are current World T20 champions but in Tests they are struggling to fight it out against top quality sides. Waugh also said kids who grow up wa...
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Viv Richards' son gifts Kohli a painting of his double ton

Antigua: Mali Richards has joined his father and West Indian legend Vivian Richards in hailing India skipper Virat Kohli, who blasted his maiden double ton to guide the visitors to an innings and 92-run win in the first Test against the hosts here. As a tribute, Mali Richards gifted Kohli a painting that captures a moment from his blistering knock at the Sir Viv Richards stadium in the first Test match here. "We decided to commemorate his maiden double hundred as he registered the milestone here in Antigua. We prepared the entire painting in just one day and came here to present it to him," the junior Richards told bcci.tv after gifting the painting made by him and his artist friend. Viv had earlier hailed Kohli's knock as "classy". The Delhi batsman also became the first Indian captain to score a double hundred away from home in Tests. "I think it was a magnificent hundred. To score a double hundred at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground is a formidable...
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Ashwin back as No.1 Test bowler, Kohli rises to 12th in batting rankings

Dubai: Star Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's match-winning seven-wicket haul in the first Test against the West Indies helped him regain the No.1 spot among bowlers in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings released here on Tuesday. The Chennai born tweaker not only regained the top spot in the bowler rankings but also consolidated his position as the best all-rounder with a knock of 113 in the first innings of the Antigua Test, which India won by an innings and 92 runs at the Sir Viv Richards stadium on Monday. Ashwin has replaced Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who had grabbed the number one ranking for bowlers only last week with a 10-wicket haul in the opening Test against England at Lord's. Yasir, who could take only one wicket in the second Test at Old Trafford, has dropped to fifth place below James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Dale Steyn. The 29-year-old Ashwin has gained five points following his performance in the first Test, while An...
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Kohli targets period of test domination

India need to dominate test matches and players cannot be content with just looking to improve, captain Virat Kohli said after the tourists thrashed West Indies by an innings and 92 runs in the first test in Antigua on Saturday. The margin of the victory, secured within four days, was India's largest outside Asia and gave the side a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. "We are not at a stage now where we need to come and improve," Kohli, who scored his first double hundred during the test, told reporters. "We should be ready enough in international cricket to start dominating test matches and win those crucial situations and sessions. That's how we become a better team. "If you think we are going to keep learning every series, learning every game, we will never get that hunger and that mindset to win games from difficult situations. "We need to challenge ourselves a little bit, which this team has been willing to do and which is a wonderful sign...
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I always value myself as an all-rounder: Ashwin

Antigua: It was Ravichandran Ashwin's efforts with both the bat and ball which helped India secure their biggest win outside the sub-continent and the Chennai spinner said he values himself as an all-rounder. India on Sunday beat the West Indies in the first Test by an innings and 92 runs, with Ashwin picking up figures of 7/83. Earlier, while batting in the first innings he had scored a brilliant 113 off 253 deliveries. "I always value myself as an all-rounder," Ashwin told bcci.tv. "Not like I don't look at myself that way. Batting at six, there is always that many opportunities to score a hundred than when you are batting at eight. So, I have started off well on that note. Batting at No.6, I have managed a five-for as well. I just hope I can go from strength to strength from here." The 29-year-old, who was awarded the man-of-the-match, said it was captain Virat Kohli who sent him to bat at No.6 ahead of wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha. "...
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Pawar to quit as MCA chief, cricket administrator

Bowing to a recent Supreme Court order, Mumbai Cricket Association President Sharad Pawar on Sunday announced his decision to quit the post within six months. The 75-year-old Pawar -- ranked amongst the finest cricket administrators in the world and having earlier headed BCCI and the ICC -- said he honoured the apex court verdict putting an upper age limit of 70 for cricket administrators. "I respect the judiciary and shall happily retire from cricket administration. During my tenure in BCCI and MCA, many things were accomplished in support of cricket. I shall retire as a happy person," Pawar told media persons here after an MCA meeting. However, he said the MCA would need around six months to implement the SC orders, and set in motion the process to revise its constitution in tune with the judgement "We discussed the recommendations of the former Chief Justice R.M. Lodha Committee, the Supreme Court verdict and unanimously approved all the recommendations," Pawa...
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We want to make winning a habit: Kohli

India Test skipper Virat Kohli feels that winning matches is "contagious" and that it is a "good habit". India registered a thumping win against West Indies by an innings and 92 runs in the first Test and Kohli said that his side is willing to create winning a habit to become the best Test team in the world. "We want to create winning habits, good habits. And you know, winning is contagious. If we learn to win Test matches, then we'll learn how to win Tests everywhere. We will learn how to play in different situations and we will know exactly what to do when a certain situation is going a certain way," Kohli said. "We want to be consistent side, we need to set ourselves goals and look to execute that rather than looking at the opposition which I think this team is willing to do. That for me is a very pleasing thing as a captain and for the team as well. Everyone understands the way we want to play on the field - where we need to bat, how we need...
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'How the wheel has turned! Rope in Alzarri Joseph'

India's bowlers came up with a superlative performance bowling the West Indies out for 243 runs to complement what Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Dhawan had done with the bat. The pitch at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium is a good one to bat on but for those bowlers who are prepared to bend their backs there is some bounce that can be found to trouble the batsmen. That's what Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav did as they used the short ball to good effect to rattle the West Indian batsmen. How the wheel has turned! There was a time when the West Indian pacers would blast the opposition batsmen out with sheer pace but now it's their batsmen who are doing the backward shuffle. Sure those were also the days when the bouncer was not restricted to just two in an over so the intimidation factor was always there but now to find that West Indians who should be at home playing pace and especially the short ball floundering against it was a surprise to say the least. What was even m...
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Pawar to quit as MCA chief, cricket administrator in 6 months

Mumbai: Bowing to a recent Supreme Court order, Mumbai Cricket Association President Sharad Pawar on Sunday announced his decision to quit the post within six months. The 75-year-old Pawar -- ranked amongst the finest cricket administrators in the world and having earlier headed BCCI and the ICC -- said he honoured the apex court verdict putting an upper age limit of 70 for cricket administrators. "I respect the judiciary and shall happily retire from cricket administration. During my tenure in BCCI and MCA, many things were accomplished in support of cricket. I shall retire as a happy person," Pawar told media persons here after an MCA meeting. However, he said the MCA would need around six months to implement the SC orders, and set in motion the process to revise its constitution in tune with the judgement "We discussed the recommendations of the former Chief Justice R.M. Lodha Committee, the Supreme Court verdict and unanimously approved all the recommendations,...
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Chris Woakes is CEAT International Cricketer of week

Even as this is being written, England have made a strong comeback in the second Test match at Old Trafford. They would have been pretty confident of beating Pakistan after their earlier performance against the Sri Lankans but the Pakistanis had a much more varied attack and that took England by surprise. As has happened innumerable times in the past when teams focus their energies and planning a strategy against one player who they feel is a threat to them, it is some other player who comes up with a match winning performance and that is what happened in the first Test at Lords. There was huge hype about Mohammad Amir making a comeback to Test cricket at the venue where he had been found guilty of bowling a no ball deliberately. For that offence he served some time in jail too but his repentance and serving of the five year ban helped him make a comeback. He also bowled well in the first class game before the tour started so clearly England saw him as the danger man and focussed on hi...
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'Plan was to frustrate WI batsmen with maiden overs'

After putting India in a commanding position, fast bowler Umesh Yadav has said it was the plan of the team to bowl as many maidens as possible and frustrate the West Indian batsmen in the opening Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. India vs West Indies | Scorecard | Schedule West Indies were bundled out on 243 in their first innings and were asked to follow on after India declared innings on 566-8. Besides Kraigg Braithwaite (74) and Shane Dowrich (57), none of the Caribbean batsmen was able to counter India's bowling attack for long and managed to contribute much in their side's innings. "It is all about the planning. Before the game, we just planned that whenever we will go to the field, we will try to bowl only maiden overs. So, the plan was to see how many maiden overs we can bowl to frustrate the batsmen by not giving them easy runs and boundaries. We stuck to the plan and got the results," Yadav said at the post-match press conference. Whi...
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Pakistan can't beat Root as England take control

Joe Root's masterful 254 and three early wickets for Chris Woakes put England in a commanding position on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan at Old Trafford on Saturday. ENG v PAK - Scorecard Root, who batted for more than 10 hours, struck 27 fours in his highest Test score to lead the hosts to 589 for eight declared and Pakistan's top order crumbled as they limped to 57 for four at the close. England, 1-0 down in the series, resumed in the morning on 314 for four and nightwatchman Woakes dominated the early strike, peppering the boundary with crisp drives and cuts. Root went past 150 for the fifth time in his test career but he did offer one chance that was spilled by Younus Khan at slip off leg-spinner Yasir Shah. Woakes continued his fine run of form, hitting eight fours and a six on the way to his second test half-century before he poked a return catch to Shah and departed for 58. Ben Stokes, returning to the side after injury, made a fluent 34, includi...
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Kohli is the paradigm shift in cricket: Arun Lal

Kolkata: Former cricketer Arun Lal lauded Test skipper Virat Kohli saying he has triggered a paradigm shift in cricket and raised the bar for budding cricketers. India vs West Indies - Complete Coverage Kohli has been in terrific form of late. He scored four centuries in the recently held Indian Premier League (IPL) and then followed it up with a double ton in the first innings of the first Test against the West Indies, which is presently underway at Antigua. "Virat Kohli is the paradigm shift. He has taken the bar, the level up for every budding cricketer. He is a game changer, like Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly," Lal told reporters here on Saturday at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) annual awards ceremony where he was the Chief Guest. "It is a great honour for me to come here as the Chief Guest," he said. Lal, who was instrumental in Bengal winning the Ranji trophy in the 1989-1990 season also said that there is no substitute for ...
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Promotion to No.6 boosted my confidence: Ashwin

Antigua: Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who scored his career's third century on day two of the first Test against the West Indies, thanked Test skipper Virat Kohli and new coach Anil Kumble for promoting him to No.6 ahead of stumper Wriddhiman Saha. India vs West Indies | Scorecard | Schedule Ashwin, who hit a 253-ball 113 along with Kohli's (200) maiden double ton to guide India to a mammoth 566-8 declared on Friday, said it was his long time desire to bat in the top seven, which got the backing of Kohli and Kumble. "I've always wanted to bat in the top seven for the Indian team, which is a long-time goal that I have to try to strive to get better at," Ashwin, who forged a 168-run stand for the fifth wicket with Kohli, said after the second day's play at the Sir Viv Richards stadium here. "I need to thank (Anil) Kumble and Virat for having the confidence in me to be pushed at number six. There have been times in the past when I've pl...
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Kohli's double ton a classy knock: Viv Richards

Antigua: West Indian legend Vivian Richards has hailed Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli's maiden double century on day two of the first Test against the hosts as a "classy" knock. India vs West Indies | Scorecard | Schedule "I think it was a magnificent hundred. To score a double hundred at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground is a formidable task in terms of what he has achieved," Richards told the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) website on Friday. "I remember when I met him at the hotel (before the Test series) I did say good luck, but I didn't believe he would take it this far in terms of achieving a double. As a batsman myself, it was very pleasing to see and even though it was against the West Indies, I do appreciate seeing class and his was a classy knock," he added. Richards said he thoroughly enjoyed the Delhi batsman's effort with the willow. Kohli scored 200 from 283 deliveries to guide India to a commanding 566/...
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Promotion to No.6 boosted my confidence: Ashhwin

Antigua: Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who scored his career's third century on day two of the first Test against the West Indies, thanked Test skipper Virat Kohli and new coach Anil Kumble for promoting him to No.6 ahead of stumper Wriddhiman Saha. India vs West Indies | Scorecard | Schedule Ashwin, who hit a 253-ball 113 along with Kohli's (200) maiden double ton to guide India to a mammoth 566-8 declared on Friday, said it was his long time desire to bat in the top seven, which got the backing of Kohli and Kumble. "I've always wanted to bat in the top seven for the Indian team, which is a long-time goal that I have to try to strive to get better at," Ashwin, who forged a 168-run stand for the fifth wicket with Kohli, said after the second day's play at the Sir Viv Richards stadium here. "I need to thank (Anil) Kumble and Virat for having the confidence in me to be pushed at number six. There have been times in the past when I've pl...
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Cricketer Shadab Jakati joins political party in Goa

Panaji: Left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati, who is one of the two cricketers from Goa to have played in the Indian Premier League (IPL), on Saturday joined a regional political outfit in the poll-bound state. Announcing his decision on Twitter, Jakati said he he plans to bring the ethos of the "gentleman's game" to the field of politics. "Cricket is my life! Now it's time to take Goa Forward n make politics a gentleman's game," said Jakati, who played under limited overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the now-banned Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise. Sources in the new regional political outfit 'Goa Forward', which has signed the Vasco-based Jakati said that the spinner could be fielded as a candidate from the Dabolim legislative assembly constituency in South Goa, which located close to Jakati's home. It is however, not yet clear whether Jakati will quit playing for his current franchise Gujarat Lions after taking the political plunge. ...
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'Ashwin promoted up the order has played his role well'

Skipper Virat Kohli's brilliant hundred on Day 1 ensured India got themselves up after a sluggish start. On a pitch that had no hidden dangers the Indians seemed so lethargic in the pre-lunch session that it was hard to comprehend that it's a team that goes by the word aggression. There was simply none of that as both Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara batted as if the pitch was going to explode any moment. Fortunately Dhawan came to life just before the lunch interval and played some sparkling shots to get the board moving. Jason Holder would struggle to find a place as an opening bowler in most teams of the world but here he is the captain of the West Indies team. Shannon Gabriel has a bit of pace about him but after a couple of overs became pretty predictable. Royston Chase, the off spinner is steady at best. Devendra Bishoo was the one to watch out for. He bowled a fine line and was accurate most of the time. He was brought on only after lunch by skipper Holder and even a...
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