Sachin Tendulkar said on Tuesday he did not want to take on the job of India's test captain again at present.
"Tendulkar has conveyed to Sharad Pawar (board president) that he was not in a position to accept the captaincy of the Indian team for the tests," the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) secretary Niranjan Shah said in a statement.
Indian selectors are due to name Rahul Dravid's successor as test captain on Thursday.
Batting great Tendulkar, 34, and one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni were in the frame for the job after Dravid relinquished the post two months ago, saying he wanted to focus on his batting.
"He (Tendulkar) was of the view that presently the Indian team was doing extremely well and the board must think of appointing a younger person as the captain looking at the future of the team," the statement added.
Tendulkar has led India twice before without much success.
"I don't feel right about it at the moment," Tendulkar was quoted as saying by the CNN-IBN news channel.
Selectors, who postponed a decision on the captaincy last month, must now decide whether to hand the test reins to Dhoni, 26, who led a young team to success at the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.
Keeper-batsman Dhoni's leadership abilities were lauded during the home series against Australia which the visitors won 4-2 but he has played in just 20 tests since his debut in December 2005.
Showing posts with label Cricket News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cricket News. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Dravid presses for recall with double ton
After a day India put across a fine show against Pakistan to go one up in the series, former skipper Rahul Dravid made a strong statement in trademark style in the Ranji trophy match against Mumbai on Tuesday.
Dravid made a fine double century giving the selectors food for thought when they get down to pick the squad when India play Pakistan in the second ODI on November 8th.
Carrying on from his overnight score of 77, Dravid got to his 49th first class hundred in the first session. And hours later raised his bat to another feather in his cap.
The 34-year old hit 21 fours and five sixes en route his double ton.
Dravid’s 450-minute knock finally ended when rookie Iqbal Abdulla scalped him for 214.
After failing to make an impression in the first innings on the first day of the match where he could manage a scratchy 40, the classical batsman made a strong comeback.
'The wall' living up to his reputation hit rich form when his side needed him the most after Mumbai had imposed a sizeable first innings lead. Dravid coming to bat at number three showed great resistance against a strong Mumbai bowling line up boasting of Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar.
Karnataka have declared at 397/6, a lead of 255 runs. Mumbai now have to ward off Anil Kumble and Sunil Joshi for two tricky sessions.
Dravid made a fine double century giving the selectors food for thought when they get down to pick the squad when India play Pakistan in the second ODI on November 8th.
Carrying on from his overnight score of 77, Dravid got to his 49th first class hundred in the first session. And hours later raised his bat to another feather in his cap.
The 34-year old hit 21 fours and five sixes en route his double ton.
Dravid’s 450-minute knock finally ended when rookie Iqbal Abdulla scalped him for 214.
After failing to make an impression in the first innings on the first day of the match where he could manage a scratchy 40, the classical batsman made a strong comeback.
'The wall' living up to his reputation hit rich form when his side needed him the most after Mumbai had imposed a sizeable first innings lead. Dravid coming to bat at number three showed great resistance against a strong Mumbai bowling line up boasting of Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar.
Karnataka have declared at 397/6, a lead of 255 runs. Mumbai now have to ward off Anil Kumble and Sunil Joshi for two tricky sessions.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Clark predicts 4-0 whitewash over India
Sydney, October 26:: Australian seamer Stuart Clark has predicted that Australia would blank the visiting Indian cricket team 4-0 in the upcoming Test series.
The lanky fast-medium bowler, thus, carried on the tradition of the great Glenn McGrath who had a habit of making such pre-series predictions.
Clark said Australia would win all the six home Tests to be played this summer, including the two against Sri Lanka.
"It's going to be a great summer with Sri Lanka and India coming out," Clarke said at the series launch here. "And hopefully, the fans can come out and support us and we can bring home 4-0 and 2-0 series wins."
When quizzed further on the prospect of a series whitewash against both India and Sri Lanka, Clark said: "I have just predicted 4-0 and 2-0."
McGrath, who retired after Australia's World Cup triumph in the West Indies earlier this year, used to make stunning pre-series predictions in his 124 Test career.
To the delight of cricket fans, he would also declare who was his "bunny" each series and, more often than not, take their wicket at least once.
Clarke, however, would not single out a bunny, declaring he would target them all.
"Glenn always targeted the batsman but I think I would hold off on that one at this stage of my career," Clark said.
"Any time you play against these guys (India and Sri Lanka) it is going to be a tremendous challenge. I am just going to target them all. Hopefully I can get them all out."
Clark is considered a like-for-like successor for McGrath and prides himself on line and length and using his height to trouble batsman.
But the New South Wales bowler said he wanted to carve his own niche in international cricket.
"You always want to be your own man but we do similar things in the game," Clark said. "I'll just be out there doing my best."
The lanky fast-medium bowler, thus, carried on the tradition of the great Glenn McGrath who had a habit of making such pre-series predictions.
Clark said Australia would win all the six home Tests to be played this summer, including the two against Sri Lanka.
"It's going to be a great summer with Sri Lanka and India coming out," Clarke said at the series launch here. "And hopefully, the fans can come out and support us and we can bring home 4-0 and 2-0 series wins."
When quizzed further on the prospect of a series whitewash against both India and Sri Lanka, Clark said: "I have just predicted 4-0 and 2-0."
McGrath, who retired after Australia's World Cup triumph in the West Indies earlier this year, used to make stunning pre-series predictions in his 124 Test career.
To the delight of cricket fans, he would also declare who was his "bunny" each series and, more often than not, take their wicket at least once.
Clarke, however, would not single out a bunny, declaring he would target them all.
"Glenn always targeted the batsman but I think I would hold off on that one at this stage of my career," Clark said.
"Any time you play against these guys (India and Sri Lanka) it is going to be a tremendous challenge. I am just going to target them all. Hopefully I can get them all out."
Clark is considered a like-for-like successor for McGrath and prides himself on line and length and using his height to trouble batsman.
But the New South Wales bowler said he wanted to carve his own niche in international cricket.
"You always want to be your own man but we do similar things in the game," Clark said. "I'll just be out there doing my best."
India versus Pakistan and the power of a six: an analysis of cricket results
To paraphrase CLR James, “What do they know of
South Asia who do not cricket know?” George Orwell
described sport as war minus the shooting. South Asian
cricket has been dubbed war minus the nuclear missiles.
The result of a sports match can trigger cardiac deaths,1
and contests between India and Pakistan have prompted
shootings, riots, killings, and sudden death. Cricket has
been used as an extension of foreign policy—to instigate
peace or prolong hostilities. However, regional cooperation
will probably increase prosperity, with some
commentators arguing that cricket is an important component
of public health strategies.2
Facing up to the future requires a dispassionate
appraisal of the past. How have India and Pakistan fared
against each other in cricket? To answer this question—
uppermost in the minds of over a billion people in
South Asia and many millions outside—we compared 50
years of test matches and one day matches between
India and Pakistan. One incident galvanised the
emotions of these two nations. In 1986 Pakistan batsman
Javed Miandad scored a dramatic match-winning six off
the last ball in a one day match that his side had looked
like losing until that delivery—a shot heard throughout
South Asia and much of the world. The burning
question since has been what effect Miandad’s six—a reference
point in South Asia to rival John F Kennedy’s
shooting and the winning baseball strike in Don
DeLillo’s Underworld—had on the subsequent performance
of the teams? Could analysis of results before and
after this reference point answer the question, end conjecture,
and allow peace to blossom?
Methods and results
We analysed all 133 matches between 1952 and 2003.
There were 47 test matches and 86 one day matches.
India won five (11%) test matches and 30 (35%) one
day internationals, and Pakistan won nine (19%) and
52 (60%) respectively. The rest were drawn, or
abandoned because of bad weather, crowd trouble,
or assassination. We grouped matches into time
periods 1952-86 (35 test and 17 one day matches) and
1986-2003 (12 test and 69 one day matches) according
to our specified time point—Miandad’s six. We
examined the relation between match results and time
periods by cross tabulation and assessed the strength
of association (Kendall’s rank correlation).
Overall, Pakistan was more likely to win after the hit
(correlation coefficient = 0.17, P = 0.03). Venue
(home, away, or neutral) was not associated with
outcome ( = 0.01, P = 0.82), and neither was winning
the toss ( = 0.06, P = 0.44) or batting first ( = 0.04,
P = 0.55). In the cumulative win chart, the steep upward
slope for one day matches after 1986 highlights the
change in fortunes in Pakistan’s favour (figure).
Comment
Overall, Pakistan has achieved greater success in both
forms of the game. These data suggest that in one day
matches Miandad’s six inspired an improvement in
Pakistan’s performance or a decline in India’s, or both,
but this effect was small in test cricket. Venue, winning
the toss, and batting first were not associated with
outcome. We believe there are no other important
explanations for the observed findings. Both teams have
won oneWorld Cup final and lost one. No other factors
were at play around our reference point that might have
favoured one team over the other, certainly not in terms
of retirements or rule or format changes. Weather
conditions, ground conditions, selection policies, and
match fixes are too innumerable to measure or adjust
for.We believe these data support our hypothesis that a
single shot had an enduring influence. Now India must
have a landmark victory of its own—it may have already.
South Asia who do not cricket know?” George Orwell
described sport as war minus the shooting. South Asian
cricket has been dubbed war minus the nuclear missiles.
The result of a sports match can trigger cardiac deaths,1
and contests between India and Pakistan have prompted
shootings, riots, killings, and sudden death. Cricket has
been used as an extension of foreign policy—to instigate
peace or prolong hostilities. However, regional cooperation
will probably increase prosperity, with some
commentators arguing that cricket is an important component
of public health strategies.2
Facing up to the future requires a dispassionate
appraisal of the past. How have India and Pakistan fared
against each other in cricket? To answer this question—
uppermost in the minds of over a billion people in
South Asia and many millions outside—we compared 50
years of test matches and one day matches between
India and Pakistan. One incident galvanised the
emotions of these two nations. In 1986 Pakistan batsman
Javed Miandad scored a dramatic match-winning six off
the last ball in a one day match that his side had looked
like losing until that delivery—a shot heard throughout
South Asia and much of the world. The burning
question since has been what effect Miandad’s six—a reference
point in South Asia to rival John F Kennedy’s
shooting and the winning baseball strike in Don
DeLillo’s Underworld—had on the subsequent performance
of the teams? Could analysis of results before and
after this reference point answer the question, end conjecture,
and allow peace to blossom?
Methods and results
We analysed all 133 matches between 1952 and 2003.
There were 47 test matches and 86 one day matches.
India won five (11%) test matches and 30 (35%) one
day internationals, and Pakistan won nine (19%) and
52 (60%) respectively. The rest were drawn, or
abandoned because of bad weather, crowd trouble,
or assassination. We grouped matches into time
periods 1952-86 (35 test and 17 one day matches) and
1986-2003 (12 test and 69 one day matches) according
to our specified time point—Miandad’s six. We
examined the relation between match results and time
periods by cross tabulation and assessed the strength
of association (Kendall’s rank correlation).
Overall, Pakistan was more likely to win after the hit
(correlation coefficient = 0.17, P = 0.03). Venue
(home, away, or neutral) was not associated with
outcome ( = 0.01, P = 0.82), and neither was winning
the toss ( = 0.06, P = 0.44) or batting first ( = 0.04,
P = 0.55). In the cumulative win chart, the steep upward
slope for one day matches after 1986 highlights the
change in fortunes in Pakistan’s favour (figure).
Comment
Overall, Pakistan has achieved greater success in both
forms of the game. These data suggest that in one day
matches Miandad’s six inspired an improvement in
Pakistan’s performance or a decline in India’s, or both,
but this effect was small in test cricket. Venue, winning
the toss, and batting first were not associated with
outcome. We believe there are no other important
explanations for the observed findings. Both teams have
won oneWorld Cup final and lost one. No other factors
were at play around our reference point that might have
favoured one team over the other, certainly not in terms
of retirements or rule or format changes. Weather
conditions, ground conditions, selection policies, and
match fixes are too innumerable to measure or adjust
for.We believe these data support our hypothesis that a
single shot had an enduring influence. Now India must
have a landmark victory of its own—it may have already.
Cricket: India's passion
Why would a bunch of Indian students drag themselves all the way across Philly
to a friend’s house in the middle of a cold winter night? The answer- to watch a game of
Cricket together! A game of cricket between traditional rivals India and Pakistan can
bring the whole Indian sub-continent to a halt. The morale of a nation rises and drops
with the fortunes of its team on the field. Schools are let off early, classes cancelled and
offices closed as people go home to watch the game. Post game analysis is heated and
emotional. When India wins a match, the celebrations frequently include the lighting of
loud firecrackers on the streets. For a country which spans a vast and varied terrain and a
breathtakingly diverse culture, it may be difficult to imagine many events or activities
which bind the nation together as one. The game of cricket is one such activity where
over a billion people can truly participate in unison by supporting and egging on the
national team.
Children in India play the game almost anywhere they can, including the narrow
alleys of big cities. A piece of wood, a couple of bricks and a tree stump are the most
common things used as stumps. Although the actual game is played with a very hard ball,
tennis or rubber balls are often used in the street variety of the game. Smashed windows
are a frequent part of daily life in any neighborhood where the game is played on the
streets. Most of the game’s biggest stars have started out their careers playing this form of
cricket. One of India’s best batsmen, Sunil Gavaskar, is said to have honed his skills in
the narrow streets of Bombay. With buildings situated close-by on both sides, he was
often forced to hit the ball straight down the street and developed one of the best straight
drives the game has ever seen.
Cricket is played widely all over the world. Australia, New Zealand, England,
South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe are among the other principal cricket playing
nations. Along with the Asian teams of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and most recently
Bangladesh, these nations play “Test” matches at the international levels. A test match is
played over a five-day period with each team allowed to bat for two “innings”. Over the
last two decades, the popularity of one-day cricket (once derided as pajama cricket by the
purists) has exploded. This shorter version of the game is perfect for television audiences.
Every four years, the cricket playing nations come together to play in the World Cup, the
pinnacle of one-day cricket. India won the tournament in 1983, beating the then mighty
West Indies team. The Aussies crowned themselves the World Champions in a fighting
display of temperament and grit in the last World Cup held in England in 1999.
Technology has played a big part in Cricket in recent years. Recent innovations
include stump cameras, small cameras placed in the stumps providing a different view of
the game. Instant television replays are now commonly used to refer close decisions to an
umpire off the field. This takes the pressure off the two umpires on the field. Some of the
teams use computer software to try and find the opposing team’s weakness. Yet, cricket
remains a game where most of the decisions are made on the field. The captain of the
team makes the important strategic decisions on the field and plays a big part in the
game. There are no time-outs, only brief drink breaks and a lunch break. In the five-day
game, players are frequently fielding out on the field for two or three whole days of play.
In India, cricket stars enjoy a fan following that far exceeds that of even the
biggest film stars. India’s favorite poster boy and best cricket player, Sachin Tendulkar, is
revered by his fans and feared by his rivals. Gifted with an incredible talent for batting
and a very cool head, Sachin made his debut for India at the tender age of 16 against
Pakistan. His success in both test and one-day versions of the game since has been
astonishing. Often he has single-handedly taken the opposition apart with a wide range of
shots. Currently, Sachin has 25 centuries (more than 100 runs in a match) in one-day
internationals (ODI’s), a world record. Cricket is one of the few sports where Indian
players have attained world-class status, and stars like Sachin are idolized by many a
young Indian striving to emulate his success.
The passion for the game on the Indian subcontinent is such that stadiums are
often filled to capacity even for the five-day test games. One of the best stadiums in the
world is the Eden Gardens stadium in Calcutta, India. With a capacity of more than
100,000, the atmosphere in the stadium can only be described as electrifying. The noise
levels in the stadium are so high that players can seldom hear their teammates on the
field. Foreign teams that come to India often describe the matches at this stadium as their
most memorable matches. Recently, a number of stadiums have cropped up in countries
like the Emirates and Singapore to cater to the large South Asian population there and are
frequently the venues for international cricket tournaments.
Cricket on the American continent dates back earlier than is widely known. The
history of cricket in the US provides some fascinating facts. In the year 1844, Canada and
the United States of America met in their first international at the St. George's Club in
New York on the site where the New York University Medical Centre is now located.
This match is widely believed to be the first international sporting fixture in the world,
happening over 50 years before the first modern Olympics! In fact, several of the
founding fathers of the US were avid cricketers, among them John Adams. Perhaps the
most interesting piece of history about cricket in the US is the story of how baseball was
evolved from it! The website http://www.cricinfo.org is an excellent resource for
information on cricket. Follow the links to the history of cricket in the US under “Other
countries” playing the game for more information.
The history of cricket at Penn dates back to almost 1864 when Penn played
against Haverford College. Now, a group of South Asian graduate students frequently
play matches during the spring and summer months. The games often involve visiting
teams and players from Temple and Drexel. The Penn Cricket club, revived this year
after a five-year gap, also plays matches regularly against other teams. Cricket lost
ground to baseball at the beginning of this century and still has a long way to go in the
United States. Given its popularity and appeal in other parts of the world though, it may
only be a matter of time before it catches up here as well!
to a friend’s house in the middle of a cold winter night? The answer- to watch a game of
Cricket together! A game of cricket between traditional rivals India and Pakistan can
bring the whole Indian sub-continent to a halt. The morale of a nation rises and drops
with the fortunes of its team on the field. Schools are let off early, classes cancelled and
offices closed as people go home to watch the game. Post game analysis is heated and
emotional. When India wins a match, the celebrations frequently include the lighting of
loud firecrackers on the streets. For a country which spans a vast and varied terrain and a
breathtakingly diverse culture, it may be difficult to imagine many events or activities
which bind the nation together as one. The game of cricket is one such activity where
over a billion people can truly participate in unison by supporting and egging on the
national team.
Children in India play the game almost anywhere they can, including the narrow
alleys of big cities. A piece of wood, a couple of bricks and a tree stump are the most
common things used as stumps. Although the actual game is played with a very hard ball,
tennis or rubber balls are often used in the street variety of the game. Smashed windows
are a frequent part of daily life in any neighborhood where the game is played on the
streets. Most of the game’s biggest stars have started out their careers playing this form of
cricket. One of India’s best batsmen, Sunil Gavaskar, is said to have honed his skills in
the narrow streets of Bombay. With buildings situated close-by on both sides, he was
often forced to hit the ball straight down the street and developed one of the best straight
drives the game has ever seen.
Cricket is played widely all over the world. Australia, New Zealand, England,
South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe are among the other principal cricket playing
nations. Along with the Asian teams of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and most recently
Bangladesh, these nations play “Test” matches at the international levels. A test match is
played over a five-day period with each team allowed to bat for two “innings”. Over the
last two decades, the popularity of one-day cricket (once derided as pajama cricket by the
purists) has exploded. This shorter version of the game is perfect for television audiences.
Every four years, the cricket playing nations come together to play in the World Cup, the
pinnacle of one-day cricket. India won the tournament in 1983, beating the then mighty
West Indies team. The Aussies crowned themselves the World Champions in a fighting
display of temperament and grit in the last World Cup held in England in 1999.
Technology has played a big part in Cricket in recent years. Recent innovations
include stump cameras, small cameras placed in the stumps providing a different view of
the game. Instant television replays are now commonly used to refer close decisions to an
umpire off the field. This takes the pressure off the two umpires on the field. Some of the
teams use computer software to try and find the opposing team’s weakness. Yet, cricket
remains a game where most of the decisions are made on the field. The captain of the
team makes the important strategic decisions on the field and plays a big part in the
game. There are no time-outs, only brief drink breaks and a lunch break. In the five-day
game, players are frequently fielding out on the field for two or three whole days of play.
In India, cricket stars enjoy a fan following that far exceeds that of even the
biggest film stars. India’s favorite poster boy and best cricket player, Sachin Tendulkar, is
revered by his fans and feared by his rivals. Gifted with an incredible talent for batting
and a very cool head, Sachin made his debut for India at the tender age of 16 against
Pakistan. His success in both test and one-day versions of the game since has been
astonishing. Often he has single-handedly taken the opposition apart with a wide range of
shots. Currently, Sachin has 25 centuries (more than 100 runs in a match) in one-day
internationals (ODI’s), a world record. Cricket is one of the few sports where Indian
players have attained world-class status, and stars like Sachin are idolized by many a
young Indian striving to emulate his success.
The passion for the game on the Indian subcontinent is such that stadiums are
often filled to capacity even for the five-day test games. One of the best stadiums in the
world is the Eden Gardens stadium in Calcutta, India. With a capacity of more than
100,000, the atmosphere in the stadium can only be described as electrifying. The noise
levels in the stadium are so high that players can seldom hear their teammates on the
field. Foreign teams that come to India often describe the matches at this stadium as their
most memorable matches. Recently, a number of stadiums have cropped up in countries
like the Emirates and Singapore to cater to the large South Asian population there and are
frequently the venues for international cricket tournaments.
Cricket on the American continent dates back earlier than is widely known. The
history of cricket in the US provides some fascinating facts. In the year 1844, Canada and
the United States of America met in their first international at the St. George's Club in
New York on the site where the New York University Medical Centre is now located.
This match is widely believed to be the first international sporting fixture in the world,
happening over 50 years before the first modern Olympics! In fact, several of the
founding fathers of the US were avid cricketers, among them John Adams. Perhaps the
most interesting piece of history about cricket in the US is the story of how baseball was
evolved from it! The website http://www.cricinfo.org is an excellent resource for
information on cricket. Follow the links to the history of cricket in the US under “Other
countries” playing the game for more information.
The history of cricket at Penn dates back to almost 1864 when Penn played
against Haverford College. Now, a group of South Asian graduate students frequently
play matches during the spring and summer months. The games often involve visiting
teams and players from Temple and Drexel. The Penn Cricket club, revived this year
after a five-year gap, also plays matches regularly against other teams. Cricket lost
ground to baseball at the beginning of this century and still has a long way to go in the
United States. Given its popularity and appeal in other parts of the world though, it may
only be a matter of time before it catches up here as well!
Asif pulls out of ODI series
Lahore, Nov. 1: Pakistan were on Thursday dealt a severe blow ahead of their tour to India with top paceman Mohammad Asif, who is nursing an elbow injury, being ruled out of the five one-dayers and even faces the danger of missing the Test series.
Hours before Pakistan embarked on the high-voltage month long tour, Asif pulled out of the ODI series because of a chronic elbow injury but the Pakistan Cricket Board said he might even miss the full tour. "He himself told us he is not 100 per cent fit because of his elbow problem and he wants more time to make a full recovery," Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer of the Board said here.
"We can’t say when he will be fit. He might be fit for the last two one-dayers or he might miss the full tour. His injury is such there is no medication for it and he has just been advised rest and some specific exercises," Naghmi said.
He also said that given the uncertainty over Asif’s elbow problem, no replacement was being announced for him.
"The team physiotherapist has designed a rehabilitation programme for him but his injury is such we can’t give a specific time frame when he will make a complete recovery."
Naghmi said the squad named for the one-day series already included four specialist pacers and couple of allrounders so there was no emergency to name a replacement.
Pakistan will play five one-dayers and three Test matches during the tour with the first game scheduled to be held in Guwahati on November 5.
The bad news does not end here. A source said Pakistan were also facing some issues with the fitness of pacer Umar Gul who has been in good form in recent matches.
Asif said last week in an interview that he needed a week more to recover from his elbow problem and bowl at his best.
The speedster also missed four of the five one-day matches at home against South Africa last month because of the elbow problem which has affected him since last year.
He played in the fourth one-dayer in Multan but went for 64 runs in eight overs.
Hours before Pakistan embarked on the high-voltage month long tour, Asif pulled out of the ODI series because of a chronic elbow injury but the Pakistan Cricket Board said he might even miss the full tour. "He himself told us he is not 100 per cent fit because of his elbow problem and he wants more time to make a full recovery," Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer of the Board said here.
"We can’t say when he will be fit. He might be fit for the last two one-dayers or he might miss the full tour. His injury is such there is no medication for it and he has just been advised rest and some specific exercises," Naghmi said.
He also said that given the uncertainty over Asif’s elbow problem, no replacement was being announced for him.
"The team physiotherapist has designed a rehabilitation programme for him but his injury is such we can’t give a specific time frame when he will make a complete recovery."
Naghmi said the squad named for the one-day series already included four specialist pacers and couple of allrounders so there was no emergency to name a replacement.
Pakistan will play five one-dayers and three Test matches during the tour with the first game scheduled to be held in Guwahati on November 5.
The bad news does not end here. A source said Pakistan were also facing some issues with the fitness of pacer Umar Gul who has been in good form in recent matches.
Asif said last week in an interview that he needed a week more to recover from his elbow problem and bowl at his best.
The speedster also missed four of the five one-day matches at home against South Africa last month because of the elbow problem which has affected him since last year.
He played in the fourth one-dayer in Multan but went for 64 runs in eight overs.
Yuvi is our target: Malik
New Delhi, Nov. 1: Yuvraj Singh’s batting exploits in the recent past have not only helped fashion victories for the Indian team, but also forced the Pakistan team management to sit up and take notice.
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said the flamboyant left-hander was a major threat to them and would be targetted the most in the five-match one-day series beginning Monday.
"Every player is important. Sachin (Tendulkar), Sourav (Ganguly) and (Virender) Sehwag area great players, but the way Yuvraj is playing, he is a major threat to us.
"He will be the key man we will target," said Malik at the team’s first press conference since arrival in the capital on Thursday.
Malik admitted that the hosts were enjoying a consistent run of form, but stopped short of labelling them as favourites.
"India have been doing very well in the past, but for me both teams are on even keel. Yes, they have the home advantage, but we are also aware of the conditions.
"It is better to end as favourites than start as one... as was evident in the one-dayers against the Proteas."
As questions veered towards Shoaib Akhtar’s on and off-field behaviour, coach Geoff Lawson was quick to point out that after a long and forced hiatus, Shoaib was a changed man and eager to shed his ‘bad boy’ image.
"Shoaib is eager to put the past behind. His comeback was excellent. He looks quiet, sensible and he’s even got a nice haircut done. On a more serious note, a good performance from him will do a lot of good for the Pakistan team."
The young Pakistan captain did his best to assure the media present that he had played enough international cricket to be able to handle the pressures that comes with an Indian tour.
"The atmosphere is electric and players from both teams area charged up. But I’ve done this before, so I know what it is all about. I am not going to take any extra pressure on this tour," he said.
However, Lawson was quick to add that they had a score to settle and would play hard, but fair.
"We had a tie with India in the Twenty20 World Cup group stage and then went on to lose the final. We have a score to settle. We’ll play hard, but within the norms.
"Ultimately it’s all about who handles the pressure better."
The Pakistan team will be seen in action on Friday in a one-day tour game against Delhi.
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said the flamboyant left-hander was a major threat to them and would be targetted the most in the five-match one-day series beginning Monday.
"Every player is important. Sachin (Tendulkar), Sourav (Ganguly) and (Virender) Sehwag area great players, but the way Yuvraj is playing, he is a major threat to us.
"He will be the key man we will target," said Malik at the team’s first press conference since arrival in the capital on Thursday.
Malik admitted that the hosts were enjoying a consistent run of form, but stopped short of labelling them as favourites.
"India have been doing very well in the past, but for me both teams are on even keel. Yes, they have the home advantage, but we are also aware of the conditions.
"It is better to end as favourites than start as one... as was evident in the one-dayers against the Proteas."
As questions veered towards Shoaib Akhtar’s on and off-field behaviour, coach Geoff Lawson was quick to point out that after a long and forced hiatus, Shoaib was a changed man and eager to shed his ‘bad boy’ image.
"Shoaib is eager to put the past behind. His comeback was excellent. He looks quiet, sensible and he’s even got a nice haircut done. On a more serious note, a good performance from him will do a lot of good for the Pakistan team."
The young Pakistan captain did his best to assure the media present that he had played enough international cricket to be able to handle the pressures that comes with an Indian tour.
"The atmosphere is electric and players from both teams area charged up. But I’ve done this before, so I know what it is all about. I am not going to take any extra pressure on this tour," he said.
However, Lawson was quick to add that they had a score to settle and would play hard, but fair.
"We had a tie with India in the Twenty20 World Cup group stage and then went on to lose the final. We have a score to settle. We’ll play hard, but within the norms.
"Ultimately it’s all about who handles the pressure better."
The Pakistan team will be seen in action on Friday in a one-day tour game against Delhi.
BCCI must communicate plans to senior players
When a champion stumbles, you offer a comforting arm on the shoulder, not a thump on the back. It is an indicator of how you value your people.
In the jungle when the lion grows old and slow, he is left alone to be surrounded by the very animals who would hide in his presence. We are, we must be, different because grace is a human trait.
Rahul Dravid is not yet the old lion for he still has his bat, his weapon, that can keep foes away. But he has been treated like one. You could argue that he need be treated no differently from anyone else and that if he doesn't score enough runs he should be left out like anyone else. The problem with that theory is that seeks to treat proven match-winners like young hopefuls.
A Dravid or a Tendulkar or a Kumble has won you matches in the past and, when in form, will win you matches again. The organisation must seek to create an environment that gives these match-winners the best possible opportunity of regaining form.
But to leave him alone, not speak to him, not explain what the plan for him is to be petty. The plan could well be that playing two Ranji Trophy matches is a good opportunity to return to form but that plan must be communicated so that the player knows where he stands. Sadly, I suspect, there is no plan to communicate and it might well be that as a knee jerk reaction to the howls of protest against his exclusion, Dravid will be brought back. That will make everybody insecure.
This absence of a plan makes us go round and round, it creates the illusion of movement but doesn't take us too far. I am sure that, like Dravid, Sourav Ganguly has no idea of what the plan for him is either. If the perception is that Ganguly and Dravid are not pulling their weight in the side then a polite conversation and a firm decision is the way ahead.
But in order to determine whether they are, in fact, not worth a place in the side anymore we must see enough, we must know enough. With Dravid we do not know if this is a bad patch or the beginning of the end in one-day cricket.
All good teams back their players when they are down. It is easy to back a man when he is scoring runs, the strength of a unit is seen when it rallies around someone who isn't. Indian cricket needed to back Dravid, to give him confidence.
I know of a couple of teams and managers where in a quiet meeting, the struggling lead player would be guaranteed the next five games as a show of strength. But implicit in that guarantee would be a reassessment at the end of the five games. All good teams give their best players the best possible chance of success till such time as they are convinced that he can no longer succeed. They don't fool around with them with a couple of games here and one more there for it helps nobody.
You sense, like with Dravid, that there is no plan for a coach or a Test captain either. Dhoni has now been captain for a Twenty20 World Cup and for seven games against Australia. That is not a large number but I am struggling to understand how his performance in another couple of one-day games will allow anyone to make a better assessment of him as a Test captain. I suspect the decision on the Test captain has already been taken, certainly I hope it has, but keeping it secret helps no one.
Holding back information is a very poor way of showing power. I do hope though that we do not have a situation where players are interchanging roles all the time. Players need to know who the leader is.
So too with the coach where the story is starting to wear a bit thin now. We are stumbling along, taking one short term decision after another and finding justification for doing so. Either we say we don't need a coach and that we will accept the results as they come. Or we say we want a coach, the best in the circumstances, and we will try our utmost to find that person.
At the moment we are dragging our heels and suggesting that we are not really bothered either way. Do you, like me, hope that is not true but secretly believe it is?
In the jungle when the lion grows old and slow, he is left alone to be surrounded by the very animals who would hide in his presence. We are, we must be, different because grace is a human trait.
Rahul Dravid is not yet the old lion for he still has his bat, his weapon, that can keep foes away. But he has been treated like one. You could argue that he need be treated no differently from anyone else and that if he doesn't score enough runs he should be left out like anyone else. The problem with that theory is that seeks to treat proven match-winners like young hopefuls.
A Dravid or a Tendulkar or a Kumble has won you matches in the past and, when in form, will win you matches again. The organisation must seek to create an environment that gives these match-winners the best possible opportunity of regaining form.
But to leave him alone, not speak to him, not explain what the plan for him is to be petty. The plan could well be that playing two Ranji Trophy matches is a good opportunity to return to form but that plan must be communicated so that the player knows where he stands. Sadly, I suspect, there is no plan to communicate and it might well be that as a knee jerk reaction to the howls of protest against his exclusion, Dravid will be brought back. That will make everybody insecure.
This absence of a plan makes us go round and round, it creates the illusion of movement but doesn't take us too far. I am sure that, like Dravid, Sourav Ganguly has no idea of what the plan for him is either. If the perception is that Ganguly and Dravid are not pulling their weight in the side then a polite conversation and a firm decision is the way ahead.
But in order to determine whether they are, in fact, not worth a place in the side anymore we must see enough, we must know enough. With Dravid we do not know if this is a bad patch or the beginning of the end in one-day cricket.
All good teams back their players when they are down. It is easy to back a man when he is scoring runs, the strength of a unit is seen when it rallies around someone who isn't. Indian cricket needed to back Dravid, to give him confidence.
I know of a couple of teams and managers where in a quiet meeting, the struggling lead player would be guaranteed the next five games as a show of strength. But implicit in that guarantee would be a reassessment at the end of the five games. All good teams give their best players the best possible chance of success till such time as they are convinced that he can no longer succeed. They don't fool around with them with a couple of games here and one more there for it helps nobody.
You sense, like with Dravid, that there is no plan for a coach or a Test captain either. Dhoni has now been captain for a Twenty20 World Cup and for seven games against Australia. That is not a large number but I am struggling to understand how his performance in another couple of one-day games will allow anyone to make a better assessment of him as a Test captain. I suspect the decision on the Test captain has already been taken, certainly I hope it has, but keeping it secret helps no one.
Holding back information is a very poor way of showing power. I do hope though that we do not have a situation where players are interchanging roles all the time. Players need to know who the leader is.
So too with the coach where the story is starting to wear a bit thin now. We are stumbling along, taking one short term decision after another and finding justification for doing so. Either we say we don't need a coach and that we will accept the results as they come. Or we say we want a coach, the best in the circumstances, and we will try our utmost to find that person.
At the moment we are dragging our heels and suggesting that we are not really bothered either way. Do you, like me, hope that is not true but secretly believe it is?
Sourav gears up for Pak, tennis style
It was a sight the curious media would have loved to lap up. But Sourav Ganguly ensured that his latest drill-a truly jaw-dropping one by any standards-was strictly conducted without prying eyes around, at the Eden Gardens this morning.
Ever since last Monday when Shoiab Akhtar made a rousing comeback to international cricket with a scorching 4 for 43 against South Africa at Lahore, Ganguly has been desperately looking for ways to practice against fiery pace and bounce.
After a day of facing speed guns at the CAB's disposal, Ganguly today eventually came out with a surprise drill-merging cricket with lawn tennis. For over half an hour at Eden Gardens this morning, Ganguly was learning to fend off tennis balls, which were not being hurled at him, but actually were unleashed in the form of services-pure tennis style.
The drill, meant to develop the batsman's reflexes - like fending off and ducking darting, jumping deliveries - is the brainchild of the senior Bengal team's coach Bharathi Arun, who doubled up as the bowler, rather the service-man, for Ganguly, who was at the batting end.
Although this technique is new to Indian cricket, it is prevalent in Australia and South Africa.
Unlike practising with wet and heavy tennis balls, coach Arun used light, professional tennis balls, unleashing services at Ganguly, who was 22 yards away, facing the balls darting at him like typical aces in tennis.
Of course, Ganguly did also try out the more conventional version of tennis-ball cricket training, facing wet ones from close range. Coach Arun was his partner again, helping the left-hander out by hurling beamers at him from 12-13 yards.
Earlier in the day, the former India captain went through the paces with the Bengal team at their usual practice session, but it was his tennis-cricket drill later that pointed out how eager the veteran player was to perform against Pakistan.
Ever since last Monday when Shoiab Akhtar made a rousing comeback to international cricket with a scorching 4 for 43 against South Africa at Lahore, Ganguly has been desperately looking for ways to practice against fiery pace and bounce.
After a day of facing speed guns at the CAB's disposal, Ganguly today eventually came out with a surprise drill-merging cricket with lawn tennis. For over half an hour at Eden Gardens this morning, Ganguly was learning to fend off tennis balls, which were not being hurled at him, but actually were unleashed in the form of services-pure tennis style.
The drill, meant to develop the batsman's reflexes - like fending off and ducking darting, jumping deliveries - is the brainchild of the senior Bengal team's coach Bharathi Arun, who doubled up as the bowler, rather the service-man, for Ganguly, who was at the batting end.
Although this technique is new to Indian cricket, it is prevalent in Australia and South Africa.
Unlike practising with wet and heavy tennis balls, coach Arun used light, professional tennis balls, unleashing services at Ganguly, who was 22 yards away, facing the balls darting at him like typical aces in tennis.
Of course, Ganguly did also try out the more conventional version of tennis-ball cricket training, facing wet ones from close range. Coach Arun was his partner again, helping the left-hander out by hurling beamers at him from 12-13 yards.
Earlier in the day, the former India captain went through the paces with the Bengal team at their usual practice session, but it was his tennis-cricket drill later that pointed out how eager the veteran player was to perform against Pakistan.
To eat or not to eat, the menu card's out
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has spelt out a strict diet chart for the Indian cricketers, keeping in mind their fitness concerns for the series against Pakistan.
And Mahendra Singh Dhoni & Co. will have to do without desserts, red meat and deep fried stuff.
No ice-cream, no peanuts, minimum fat content and no deep fried food-that is how the BCCI's menu for the Indian team for the Pakistan series reads. The Indian Express got hold of the diet chart a day before it is supposed to be circulated among Team India members at the preparatory camp in Kolkata.
The BCCI has also laid out a special diet for the players just for training days- mostly fresh fruits and fruit juice.
Some pointers from the diet chart
•NO visible fat/oil in food preparations (Instruction to caterers)
•Minimum fat/oil, ABSOLUTELY NO ghee/vanaspati.
•No butter or mayonnaise
All non-veg items MUST be HALAAL.
•NO mushrooms
•NO red meat
•NO ICE-CREAM.
•NO Indian desserts.
•NO PEANUTS.
Match-day musts
•Tea, coffee and green tea must be available all day
•Fresh fruit
•Assorted dry fruits and nuts (almonds, cashew, Macadamia. NO PEANUTS)Sandwiches and salads
And Mahendra Singh Dhoni & Co. will have to do without desserts, red meat and deep fried stuff.
No ice-cream, no peanuts, minimum fat content and no deep fried food-that is how the BCCI's menu for the Indian team for the Pakistan series reads. The Indian Express got hold of the diet chart a day before it is supposed to be circulated among Team India members at the preparatory camp in Kolkata.
The BCCI has also laid out a special diet for the players just for training days- mostly fresh fruits and fruit juice.
Some pointers from the diet chart
•NO visible fat/oil in food preparations (Instruction to caterers)
•Minimum fat/oil, ABSOLUTELY NO ghee/vanaspati.
•No butter or mayonnaise
All non-veg items MUST be HALAAL.
•NO mushrooms
•NO red meat
•NO ICE-CREAM.
•NO Indian desserts.
•NO PEANUTS.
Match-day musts
•Tea, coffee and green tea must be available all day
•Fresh fruit
•Assorted dry fruits and nuts (almonds, cashew, Macadamia. NO PEANUTS)Sandwiches and salads
Pak to test batting lineup in warm-up
Sitting in the sophisticated new dressing room used only for international matches, the balcony view offers the excitement of walking down the ramp to the crease. It will be the first time the Delhi team will be looking at the centre-wicket from a different angle. The mindset too needs a similar tuning, just for a day, ahead of their domestic season, when they take on fancied Pakistan in a practice match at the Kotla Stadium tomorrow.
The visiting team has shown intentions of having a serious affair Friday morning -- the main side will slog it out on the plush green, the remaining to hit the adjacent nets - and the conditions here are stacked up to their needs.
The pitch is already showing a white glow beneath that tinge of green kept to bind the wicket, indicating an even bounce, and well-tapped to showcase the array of front-foot play likely to be on display.
The Pakistan team is likely to test their frontline batsmen, including the bustling Shahid Afridi for early Diwali greetings to the few thousand expected to witness.
Not that the Delhi team is intimidated, having vowed secretly to do a favour to Team India and hiking their own stock by giving a dose back and create a dent before the Pakistanis board the flight to Guwahati for the first ODI.
Gautam Gambhir, leading the Delhi side for the first time, will hold the attention as much as Aakash Chopra for varied reasons. While a good knock for the left-hand bat will further boost his confidence ahead of the ODI series, Chopra's ability in negotiating the new ball will be keenly observed for the Test series. Mitthun Manhas has been among the runs as much as the promising Virat Kohli and the Delhi batting card with Shikhar Dhawan at No 3, Rajat Bhatia and Punit Bisht looks rock-solid to test the veracity of this touring side.
It will also provide interesting space for the two sides that is pre-dominantly pace-oriented, and will test the ability of either side to land the seam of the white ball to gain some lateral movement.
Pakistan are expected to reserve one of their main pace spearheads -- Shoaib Akhtar or Umar Gul -while Delhi will go with three-pronged pace attack of Amit Bhandari, Pradeep Sangwan and Kuunal Lall, along with a specialist spinner in Chetanya Nanda.
The visiting team has shown intentions of having a serious affair Friday morning -- the main side will slog it out on the plush green, the remaining to hit the adjacent nets - and the conditions here are stacked up to their needs.
The pitch is already showing a white glow beneath that tinge of green kept to bind the wicket, indicating an even bounce, and well-tapped to showcase the array of front-foot play likely to be on display.
The Pakistan team is likely to test their frontline batsmen, including the bustling Shahid Afridi for early Diwali greetings to the few thousand expected to witness.
Not that the Delhi team is intimidated, having vowed secretly to do a favour to Team India and hiking their own stock by giving a dose back and create a dent before the Pakistanis board the flight to Guwahati for the first ODI.
Gautam Gambhir, leading the Delhi side for the first time, will hold the attention as much as Aakash Chopra for varied reasons. While a good knock for the left-hand bat will further boost his confidence ahead of the ODI series, Chopra's ability in negotiating the new ball will be keenly observed for the Test series. Mitthun Manhas has been among the runs as much as the promising Virat Kohli and the Delhi batting card with Shikhar Dhawan at No 3, Rajat Bhatia and Punit Bisht looks rock-solid to test the veracity of this touring side.
It will also provide interesting space for the two sides that is pre-dominantly pace-oriented, and will test the ability of either side to land the seam of the white ball to gain some lateral movement.
Pakistan are expected to reserve one of their main pace spearheads -- Shoaib Akhtar or Umar Gul -while Delhi will go with three-pronged pace attack of Amit Bhandari, Pradeep Sangwan and Kuunal Lall, along with a specialist spinner in Chetanya Nanda.
Kumble predicts challenging series
At 37 years of age, 17 of them spent playing international cricket, Anil Kumble can surely sit back and take things a little easy.
Instead, the lanky leg-spinner is planning his next move, leading the Karnataka Ranji Trophy team, currently in Mumbai, to play their opening match of the domestic season. "They're a young side, quite talented, and we're hoping to get off to a good start," he said of his team.
Kumble is serious about using this opportunity-the first two Ranji matches-to warm-up for the series against Pakistan. The first Test is in Delhi, where he became only the second bowler ever to take ten wickets in an innings; the second in Kolkata, where Kumble's bowling average is among his best and the third is in Bangalore, his home ground.
"It's going to be a challenging series. Cricket, more than anything else, will be the talking factor," he said. And former Team India captain Rahul Dravid, now 'rested' from the national team, is also in the Karnataka squad.
He, however, refused to make any comments today, preferring to let his bat do the talking for him in the next few days. "It is nice to have him (Dravid) in the team though I still think he would've been better in the Indian team," Kumble said.
Instead, the lanky leg-spinner is planning his next move, leading the Karnataka Ranji Trophy team, currently in Mumbai, to play their opening match of the domestic season. "They're a young side, quite talented, and we're hoping to get off to a good start," he said of his team.
Kumble is serious about using this opportunity-the first two Ranji matches-to warm-up for the series against Pakistan. The first Test is in Delhi, where he became only the second bowler ever to take ten wickets in an innings; the second in Kolkata, where Kumble's bowling average is among his best and the third is in Bangalore, his home ground.
"It's going to be a challenging series. Cricket, more than anything else, will be the talking factor," he said. And former Team India captain Rahul Dravid, now 'rested' from the national team, is also in the Karnataka squad.
He, however, refused to make any comments today, preferring to let his bat do the talking for him in the next few days. "It is nice to have him (Dravid) in the team though I still think he would've been better in the Indian team," Kumble said.
What India will be up against
SHOAIB MALIK (Captain)
Right hand middle order batsman and off break bowler
Debut against West Indies at Sharjah on October 14, 1999
Played 145 ODIs (23 against India) Led Pakistan in 8 ODIs, winning four and losing four
YOUNIS KHAN (Vice-captain)
Right hand middle order batsman and leg break bowler
Debut against Sri Lanka at Karachi on February 13, 2000
Played 156 ODIs (22 against India) Captained Pakistan in 6 ODIs, winning two and losing four.
ABDUR REHMAN
Left hand tail end batsman and slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
Debut against West Indies at Rawalpindi on December 5. Played 9 ODIs.
FAWAD ALAM
Left hand lower order batsman and slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
Debut one ODI, against Sri Lanka at Abu Dhabi on May 22, 2007
RAO IFTIKHAR ANJUM
Debut against Zimbabwe at Multan on September 30,2004.
Right hand tail end batsman and right arm medium pace bowler. Played 35 ODIs (5 against India)
IMRAN NAZIR
Right hand opening batsman and leg break bowler.
Debut against Sri Lanka at Visakhapatnam on March 27,1999. Played 73 ODIs (5 against India)
KAMRAN AKMAL
Right hand middle/lower order batsman and wicket-keeper. Debut against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on November 23,2002. Played 73 ODIs (14 against India)
MISBAH-UL HAQ
Right hand middle order batsman and leg break bowler. Debut against New Zealand at Lahore on April 27, 2002. Played 17 ODIs.
MOHAMMED YOUSUF
Right hand middle order batsman and off-break bowler.
Debut against Zimbabwe at Harare on March 28,1998. Played 247 ODIs (34 against India) Led Pakistan in 4 ODIs, won two and lost two.
SALMAN BUTT
Left hand opening batsman and right arm off-break bowler. Debut against the West Indies at Southampton on September 22, 2004. Played 36 ODIs (11 against India)
SHAHID AFRIDI
Right hand opening/middle order batsman and leg break bowler. Debut against Kenya at Nairobi on October 2, 1996. Played 245 ODIs (53 against India)
SHOAIB AKHTAR
Right hand tail-end batsman and right arm fast bowler. Debut against Zimbabwe at Harare on March 28,1998. Played 134 ODIs (23 against India).
SOHAIL TANVIR
Left hand tail end batsman and left arm medium pace bowler. Debut against South Africa at Lahore on October 18, 2007. Played four ODIs.
UMAR GUL
Right hand batsman, right arm medium pace bowler. Debut against Zimbabwe at Sharjah on April 3,2003. Played 34 ODIs (3 against India)
YASIR HAMEED
Right hand opening/middle order batsman, off break bowler and wicket-keeper.
Debut against New Zealand at Dambullah on May 20,2003 Played 55 ODIs (8 against India)
Right hand middle order batsman and off break bowler
Debut against West Indies at Sharjah on October 14, 1999
Played 145 ODIs (23 against India) Led Pakistan in 8 ODIs, winning four and losing four
YOUNIS KHAN (Vice-captain)
Right hand middle order batsman and leg break bowler
Debut against Sri Lanka at Karachi on February 13, 2000
Played 156 ODIs (22 against India) Captained Pakistan in 6 ODIs, winning two and losing four.
ABDUR REHMAN
Left hand tail end batsman and slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
Debut against West Indies at Rawalpindi on December 5. Played 9 ODIs.
FAWAD ALAM
Left hand lower order batsman and slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
Debut one ODI, against Sri Lanka at Abu Dhabi on May 22, 2007
RAO IFTIKHAR ANJUM
Debut against Zimbabwe at Multan on September 30,2004.
Right hand tail end batsman and right arm medium pace bowler. Played 35 ODIs (5 against India)
IMRAN NAZIR
Right hand opening batsman and leg break bowler.
Debut against Sri Lanka at Visakhapatnam on March 27,1999. Played 73 ODIs (5 against India)
KAMRAN AKMAL
Right hand middle/lower order batsman and wicket-keeper. Debut against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on November 23,2002. Played 73 ODIs (14 against India)
MISBAH-UL HAQ
Right hand middle order batsman and leg break bowler. Debut against New Zealand at Lahore on April 27, 2002. Played 17 ODIs.
MOHAMMED YOUSUF
Right hand middle order batsman and off-break bowler.
Debut against Zimbabwe at Harare on March 28,1998. Played 247 ODIs (34 against India) Led Pakistan in 4 ODIs, won two and lost two.
SALMAN BUTT
Left hand opening batsman and right arm off-break bowler. Debut against the West Indies at Southampton on September 22, 2004. Played 36 ODIs (11 against India)
SHAHID AFRIDI
Right hand opening/middle order batsman and leg break bowler. Debut against Kenya at Nairobi on October 2, 1996. Played 245 ODIs (53 against India)
SHOAIB AKHTAR
Right hand tail-end batsman and right arm fast bowler. Debut against Zimbabwe at Harare on March 28,1998. Played 134 ODIs (23 against India).
SOHAIL TANVIR
Left hand tail end batsman and left arm medium pace bowler. Debut against South Africa at Lahore on October 18, 2007. Played four ODIs.
UMAR GUL
Right hand batsman, right arm medium pace bowler. Debut against Zimbabwe at Sharjah on April 3,2003. Played 34 ODIs (3 against India)
YASIR HAMEED
Right hand opening/middle order batsman, off break bowler and wicket-keeper.
Debut against New Zealand at Dambullah on May 20,2003 Played 55 ODIs (8 against India)
Md Asif pulls out, but skipper Malik has other plans ready
Together they make a good pair. Shoaib Malik's straight face and characteristically low-key talk comes out in neat contrast to Geoff Lawson's expressive face behind those stylish glasses. The captain talks about ek team, about haar and jeet; the coach talks about revenge, and sees how the canvas would look five weeks hence.
The Pakistan team arrived Thursday evening sans one man who could have made a major difference to their theories. But Mohammad Asif's (picture below) last-minute pullout, not having recovered from his elbow injury, and Shoaib Akhtar's latest resurgence has kept the visiting team tantalisingly on par.
"At the moment, we have four very good pacers in our ranks. Shoaib Akhtar is back and Umar Gul was outstanding in the Twenty20 World Cup. Rao Iftikar was the highest wicket-taker in the recent series, and we also have Sohail Tanveer. Of course you need a pacer of Asif's calibre and we are expecting him to join the side soon after completing his rehab," says Lawson, adding: "We had lost the final of the Twenty20 World Cup against India, so we have some scores to settle."
Malik played the conventional shots, spoke about handling the pressure and the seniors in his side well, about devising strategies for specific individuals and picking the dangermen, while Lawson spoke about sensible haircuts as a case in point in describing individuals. "Akhtar looks really sensible in his new haircut, I must say, and I hope he remains that way with the ball in his hand too. We know if we can handle this guy nicely, he can be a powerful force in this series," he says, cutting into speculations about handling the highly colourful life of the pacer on and off-field.
This Indian team has MS Dhoni to match up with his new hairdo to make an impact but Malik, while appreciating the potential of big bats, picked Yuvraj Singh and RP Singh for special focus.
"If current form is anything to go by, the biggest danger comes from Yuvraj, and RP has improved drastically and is looking like an extraordinary bowler. His line and length has improved. But we do have plans to disturb his rhythm," says Malik.
Plans, that Lawson insists don't figure verbal mumblings like the India-Australia series. "In the recent series against South Africa, we played hard cricket and still there was not a single bad word. If this series is played in the same spirit, this series too can give some enjoyable cricket to offer," he says.
Malik knows a lot about India's pitches, about 300-plus scores, and the glitz of cricket in recent times; for Lawson it's been a visit after a really long time and is measuring up to the decibels. Different in line and reasoning; but together they will stand up for baptism by fire.
The Pakistan team arrived Thursday evening sans one man who could have made a major difference to their theories. But Mohammad Asif's (picture below) last-minute pullout, not having recovered from his elbow injury, and Shoaib Akhtar's latest resurgence has kept the visiting team tantalisingly on par.
"At the moment, we have four very good pacers in our ranks. Shoaib Akhtar is back and Umar Gul was outstanding in the Twenty20 World Cup. Rao Iftikar was the highest wicket-taker in the recent series, and we also have Sohail Tanveer. Of course you need a pacer of Asif's calibre and we are expecting him to join the side soon after completing his rehab," says Lawson, adding: "We had lost the final of the Twenty20 World Cup against India, so we have some scores to settle."
Malik played the conventional shots, spoke about handling the pressure and the seniors in his side well, about devising strategies for specific individuals and picking the dangermen, while Lawson spoke about sensible haircuts as a case in point in describing individuals. "Akhtar looks really sensible in his new haircut, I must say, and I hope he remains that way with the ball in his hand too. We know if we can handle this guy nicely, he can be a powerful force in this series," he says, cutting into speculations about handling the highly colourful life of the pacer on and off-field.
This Indian team has MS Dhoni to match up with his new hairdo to make an impact but Malik, while appreciating the potential of big bats, picked Yuvraj Singh and RP Singh for special focus.
"If current form is anything to go by, the biggest danger comes from Yuvraj, and RP has improved drastically and is looking like an extraordinary bowler. His line and length has improved. But we do have plans to disturb his rhythm," says Malik.
Plans, that Lawson insists don't figure verbal mumblings like the India-Australia series. "In the recent series against South Africa, we played hard cricket and still there was not a single bad word. If this series is played in the same spirit, this series too can give some enjoyable cricket to offer," he says.
Malik knows a lot about India's pitches, about 300-plus scores, and the glitz of cricket in recent times; for Lawson it's been a visit after a really long time and is measuring up to the decibels. Different in line and reasoning; but together they will stand up for baptism by fire.
Tumultuous welcome for Pakistan team in Capital
You need not go to a stadium to hear Indian cricket fans voice their support for the home side. A stand at the arrival gate of the Indira Gandhi International Airport this afternoon would have served the same purpose as the Pakistanis trooped out.
"India, India", chanted the fans, greeting the 15-member tourists' squad at the airport, here on their month and-a-half long tour.
It was a trifle strange. Standing at the arrival gates for a brief moment it seemed as if one was waiting to greet the team in Lahore or Karachi. Security was heavy, the sound deafening, and people were present in hundreds.
They had their posters held up high and the Pakistani flags waving-these were children form the Pakistani Embassy here, accompanied by officials-some holding their notepads hoping that someone in wearing a green blazer would oblige them with an autograph.
The team arrived at 4.30pm, and after a small welcome reception at the airport-the whole thing must have taken just half an hour-they moved towards their team bus and were escorted to the team hotel by two pilot cars, 40 minutes after they had landed.
Though the arrival was uneventful, with no major incidents, the moment the team came out of the gates, the decibel level of the crowds trebled, sending the press photographers and the public present there into a frenzy.
There were wires and ropes around the team bus that was guarded by over two-dozen guards, but not even Delhi's finest could stop the people from crossing these 'barriers' to get near to the bus for a glimpse of their stars.
Chaos was averted, though, with the players having boarded the bus quickly.
Members of the DDCA were there to greet the players, but they were in such a hurry to get into the bus that captain Shoaib Malik took the bouquet in his stride.
It was as strong a welcome as was expected for a high profile tour.
Pakistan play their first one-day international in Guwahati on November 5
"India, India", chanted the fans, greeting the 15-member tourists' squad at the airport, here on their month and-a-half long tour.
It was a trifle strange. Standing at the arrival gates for a brief moment it seemed as if one was waiting to greet the team in Lahore or Karachi. Security was heavy, the sound deafening, and people were present in hundreds.
They had their posters held up high and the Pakistani flags waving-these were children form the Pakistani Embassy here, accompanied by officials-some holding their notepads hoping that someone in wearing a green blazer would oblige them with an autograph.
The team arrived at 4.30pm, and after a small welcome reception at the airport-the whole thing must have taken just half an hour-they moved towards their team bus and were escorted to the team hotel by two pilot cars, 40 minutes after they had landed.
Though the arrival was uneventful, with no major incidents, the moment the team came out of the gates, the decibel level of the crowds trebled, sending the press photographers and the public present there into a frenzy.
There were wires and ropes around the team bus that was guarded by over two-dozen guards, but not even Delhi's finest could stop the people from crossing these 'barriers' to get near to the bus for a glimpse of their stars.
Chaos was averted, though, with the players having boarded the bus quickly.
Members of the DDCA were there to greet the players, but they were in such a hurry to get into the bus that captain Shoaib Malik took the bouquet in his stride.
It was as strong a welcome as was expected for a high profile tour.
Pakistan play their first one-day international in Guwahati on November 5
Pakistan want no acrimony in India series
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Pakistan cricket coach Geoff Lawson said on Thursday he hoped the series against rivals India starting next week would be played without the acrimony that marred the home team's recent one-dayers against Australia.
Pakistan's team landed in Delhi on Thursday for the fourth bilateral series between the rival countries in the last four years amid tight security.
Skipper Shoaib Malik and Lawson said they were ready for the usual tension and wanted to avenge the Twenty20 World Cup loss.
"I think it is bigger than the Ashes," Lawson told a news conference, referring to the renowned Test series between England and Australia. "It is a national rivalry and a little more than a cricket game.
"We tied a Twenty20 (league) game and lost in the final," he said. "We've got a few scores to settle."
The clash follows India's 4-2 defeat by Australia in their one-day series last month which was marred by verbal clashes between rival players on and off the pitch and racial taunts from the stands aimed at Andrew Symonds.
INCIDENT-FREE CONTEST
Lawson hoped it would be as incident-free as the home series against South Africa which ended on Monday with the visitors clinching the test and one-day series.
"We just played a series against South Africa -- very hard, tough, non-compromising cricket," he said. "But there was not one bad word said between the teams.
"The series was played in a very fine spirit, as cricket should be. I hope this series is played in exactly the same style.
"We've got a captain who likes his players to behave properly on the field," he said. "I'm pretty sure MS Dhoni likes his players to do the same."
Malik said the teams were evenly matched despite Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif being sidelined with an elbow injury.
Pakistan play a warm-up one-day game on Friday against the Delhi Ranji team. The five-match one-day series starts on Monday and will be followed by three tests.
The teams have toured each other's country annually since 2004 when India went on a full tour of Pakistan after a 14-year break due to political tensions between the two neighbours.
Pakistan's team landed in Delhi on Thursday for the fourth bilateral series between the rival countries in the last four years amid tight security.
Skipper Shoaib Malik and Lawson said they were ready for the usual tension and wanted to avenge the Twenty20 World Cup loss.
"I think it is bigger than the Ashes," Lawson told a news conference, referring to the renowned Test series between England and Australia. "It is a national rivalry and a little more than a cricket game.
"We tied a Twenty20 (league) game and lost in the final," he said. "We've got a few scores to settle."
The clash follows India's 4-2 defeat by Australia in their one-day series last month which was marred by verbal clashes between rival players on and off the pitch and racial taunts from the stands aimed at Andrew Symonds.
INCIDENT-FREE CONTEST
Lawson hoped it would be as incident-free as the home series against South Africa which ended on Monday with the visitors clinching the test and one-day series.
"We just played a series against South Africa -- very hard, tough, non-compromising cricket," he said. "But there was not one bad word said between the teams.
"The series was played in a very fine spirit, as cricket should be. I hope this series is played in exactly the same style.
"We've got a captain who likes his players to behave properly on the field," he said. "I'm pretty sure MS Dhoni likes his players to do the same."
Malik said the teams were evenly matched despite Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif being sidelined with an elbow injury.
Pakistan play a warm-up one-day game on Friday against the Delhi Ranji team. The five-match one-day series starts on Monday and will be followed by three tests.
The teams have toured each other's country annually since 2004 when India went on a full tour of Pakistan after a 14-year break due to political tensions between the two neighbours.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Mumbai pick Abdulla for Kulkarni
Mumbai have picked Iqbal Abdulla, the 17-year-old left-arm spinner, and dropped the experienced Nilesh Kulkarni from their squad for the first two matches of the Ranji Trophy.
Chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar explained the rationale behind choosing Abdulla. "Iqbal has done well in the age-group tournaments recently," he said. "Besides, he is an allrounder and is young. He also has a good temperament."
Vengsarkar, however, said that Kulkarni still has a chance to return to the side. "Nilesh has been a fantastic servant of Mumbai cricket for almost a decade. And we haven't written him off."
Kulkarni, whose ten-wicket haul against Gujarat in the Ranji league stage last year rescued a floundering campaign, had been left out of the final in controversial circumstances. He was also not part of the Mumbai squad for the Mohammad Nissar Trophy or the Irani Trophy either.
The squad has four changes from the side that played the Irani Trophy earlier this month: Ramesh Powar has returned to the side and wicketkeeper Vinayak Samant has recovered after undergoing a knee surgery. Legspinner Bhavesh Patel and left-arm batsman Anoop Revandkar are the newcomers.
Amol Muzumdar and Pravin Amre have retained their respective positions as captain and coach of the side.
Squad Amol Muzumdar (capt), Ajit Agarkar (vice-capt), Wasim Jaffer, Sahil Kukreja, Ajinkya Rahane, Prashant Naik, Hiken Shah, Abhishek Nayar, Ramesh Powar, Vinayak Samant (wk), Aavishkar Salvi, Rajesh Verma, Iqbal Abdulla, Anoop Revandkar, Bhavesh Patel Coach: Pravin Amre
Chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar explained the rationale behind choosing Abdulla. "Iqbal has done well in the age-group tournaments recently," he said. "Besides, he is an allrounder and is young. He also has a good temperament."
Vengsarkar, however, said that Kulkarni still has a chance to return to the side. "Nilesh has been a fantastic servant of Mumbai cricket for almost a decade. And we haven't written him off."
Kulkarni, whose ten-wicket haul against Gujarat in the Ranji league stage last year rescued a floundering campaign, had been left out of the final in controversial circumstances. He was also not part of the Mumbai squad for the Mohammad Nissar Trophy or the Irani Trophy either.
The squad has four changes from the side that played the Irani Trophy earlier this month: Ramesh Powar has returned to the side and wicketkeeper Vinayak Samant has recovered after undergoing a knee surgery. Legspinner Bhavesh Patel and left-arm batsman Anoop Revandkar are the newcomers.
Amol Muzumdar and Pravin Amre have retained their respective positions as captain and coach of the side.
Squad Amol Muzumdar (capt), Ajit Agarkar (vice-capt), Wasim Jaffer, Sahil Kukreja, Ajinkya Rahane, Prashant Naik, Hiken Shah, Abhishek Nayar, Ramesh Powar, Vinayak Samant (wk), Aavishkar Salvi, Rajesh Verma, Iqbal Abdulla, Anoop Revandkar, Bhavesh Patel Coach: Pravin Amre
Parsana battles to keep dew at bay
The winter chill has set in in Ahmedabad. There's a nip in the air and it gets slightly foggy as the sun dips behind the Sabarmati. What it means for the Challenger Trophy tournament, which starts on Thursday, is that dew will play a crucial role in the games, all of which are day-night contests. Dhiraj Parsana, the chief curator at the ground, warns that the period between 7pm and 8pm is the danger hour when the dew is likely to set in, and perhaps have a bearing on the result.
The Motera stadium has been Parsana's nursery from 1982, when the ground came into existence. At 60, Parsana, a former Gujarat left-arm medium-pacer who played a couple of Tests in the late 1970s, retains the same kind of enthusiasm today as he did when the late Polly Umrigar recommended him to the Gujarat Cricket Association for the groundsman's job 25 years ago. Parsana, who is a consultant on the BCCI curators committee, is of the firm belief that dew "will be a factor", but he is doing his utmost to ensure that the moisture doesn't rise up too much.
The process starts five to six days before the match. "First, we start by cutting the grass low on the outfield. If the height of the grass is high the dew sets on it, so we cut the grass to a height of between two to four millimetres." His caution: cut it too fine and the fielders will have bruised bones and dirty laundry.
The second important factor is not to leave the ground damp immediately before the match. "We don't water the ground for a day and a half before the game. So, I will water the ground today [Wednesday] around mid-day, and the next time I will water the outfield will be on Thursday evening after the game."
His other important task is to ensure that the pitch is good for one-day cricket, and remains fair to both teams over the entire duration of the match. He explains his perfect formula: "Maintain around two inches of hardness immediately below the top surface, and below that at least four inches of moisture is needed to help keep the shine on the surface and bind it."
The Motera stadium has been Parsana's nursery from 1982, when the ground came into existence. At 60, Parsana, a former Gujarat left-arm medium-pacer who played a couple of Tests in the late 1970s, retains the same kind of enthusiasm today as he did when the late Polly Umrigar recommended him to the Gujarat Cricket Association for the groundsman's job 25 years ago. Parsana, who is a consultant on the BCCI curators committee, is of the firm belief that dew "will be a factor", but he is doing his utmost to ensure that the moisture doesn't rise up too much.
The process starts five to six days before the match. "First, we start by cutting the grass low on the outfield. If the height of the grass is high the dew sets on it, so we cut the grass to a height of between two to four millimetres." His caution: cut it too fine and the fielders will have bruised bones and dirty laundry.
The second important factor is not to leave the ground damp immediately before the match. "We don't water the ground for a day and a half before the game. So, I will water the ground today [Wednesday] around mid-day, and the next time I will water the outfield will be on Thursday evening after the game."
His other important task is to ensure that the pitch is good for one-day cricket, and remains fair to both teams over the entire duration of the match. He explains his perfect formula: "Maintain around two inches of hardness immediately below the top surface, and below that at least four inches of moisture is needed to help keep the shine on the surface and bind it."
Dharmani to lead young Punjab side
Veteran wicketkeeper Pankaj Dharmani will lead an inexperienced Punjab team in the Ranji Trophy this season. The team will be coached by Gursharan Singh, who played one Test for India and also led Punjab to the Ranji title in 1992-93.
The team, left depleted after seven of their players had defected to the Indian Cricket League (ICL), features five uncapped players and three who have played less than 10 first-class games. They have also recalled Ankur Kakkar and Chandan Madan, who last played in 2005.
The fast-bowling department looks strong with Gagandeep Singh and VRV Singh to be joined by the 18-year-old Amanpreet Singh, who took four Mumbai wickets on debut last season. Uncapped legspinner Sarabjit Ladda and the 6'4" seamer Manpreet Gony are already highly talked about.
In the batting department, Dharmani and Ravneet Ricky, who have been their mainstay over the years, will have all the more responsibility in the absence of Dinesh Mongia and Reetinder Sodhi. Young batsmen Sumit Sharma, the 19-year-old who has played for India Under-19, and Ravi Inder Rajji, who is leading Punjab in the CK Nayudu Trophy, might be the ones to watch out for. Karan Goel, the highest run-getter in the domestic Twenty20, will look to carry that form into first-class cricket.
Gursharan has spent 14 days with the team at a preparatory camp, after which they spurned the list of 30 probables to 17. Although Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh have been named in the 17, it is unlikely they will play many matches for Punjab.
Squad for the first match: Pankaj Dharmani (capt/wk), Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Karan Goel, Ravneet Ricky, Ravi Inder Rajji, Uday Kaul, Ankur Kakkar, Chandan Madan, Gagandeep Singh, Amanpreet Singh, VRV Singh, Sarabjit Ladda, Manpreet Gony, Sunny Sohal, Sumit Sharma, Varun Khanna
The team, left depleted after seven of their players had defected to the Indian Cricket League (ICL), features five uncapped players and three who have played less than 10 first-class games. They have also recalled Ankur Kakkar and Chandan Madan, who last played in 2005.
The fast-bowling department looks strong with Gagandeep Singh and VRV Singh to be joined by the 18-year-old Amanpreet Singh, who took four Mumbai wickets on debut last season. Uncapped legspinner Sarabjit Ladda and the 6'4" seamer Manpreet Gony are already highly talked about.
In the batting department, Dharmani and Ravneet Ricky, who have been their mainstay over the years, will have all the more responsibility in the absence of Dinesh Mongia and Reetinder Sodhi. Young batsmen Sumit Sharma, the 19-year-old who has played for India Under-19, and Ravi Inder Rajji, who is leading Punjab in the CK Nayudu Trophy, might be the ones to watch out for. Karan Goel, the highest run-getter in the domestic Twenty20, will look to carry that form into first-class cricket.
Gursharan has spent 14 days with the team at a preparatory camp, after which they spurned the list of 30 probables to 17. Although Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh have been named in the 17, it is unlikely they will play many matches for Punjab.
Squad for the first match: Pankaj Dharmani (capt/wk), Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Karan Goel, Ravneet Ricky, Ravi Inder Rajji, Uday Kaul, Ankur Kakkar, Chandan Madan, Gagandeep Singh, Amanpreet Singh, VRV Singh, Sarabjit Ladda, Manpreet Gony, Sunny Sohal, Sumit Sharma, Varun Khanna
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