The series has been dominated by the ball.So India captain Virat Kohli isn't complaining. India have after all, beaten the No.1 Test team. So what if it has come at the cost of sacrificing personal batting milestones? "I don't mind compromising on averages as long as we are winning Test matches. We are not playing for records, we are not playing for numbers or averages. But we haven't applied ourselves properly. It's been two-odd guys every innings and that does not get you to a big total. It was more a case of batsmen making mistakes rather than the ball doing some crazy things out in the middle.Also today, when the (Amla-Du Plesis) partnership was going, he actually held the ball and told me that 'I will get a wicket' and in about three overs he got Hashim out."Kohli said after India's series win.
Saturday, 28 November 2015
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
South Africa-stat is under huge threat.
South Africa have a proud record, they haven't lost an overseas series in nine years and that stat is under huge threat. They lost Vernon Philander on the eve of the Bengaluru Test, Dale Steyn was ruled out with a groin strain and he's not expected to play here either. The loss of star players has hit the team hard, but it is at those times, that the fighting abilities of a team come out. The team is under the pump, the spin friendly pitches haven't done them any favours either and the Indian bowlers seem to have a measure of them. Can Amla and AB conjure up something special?
Sunday, 22 November 2015
Virat praise Wrriddhiman Saha
The glowing praise from his skipper would do a world of good for the 31-year-old, who exactly has not done well with the bat.
"He (Wriddhiman) is still finding his feet in Test cricket and he is already confident of his keeping. He can become more confident of his batting and it will come with the amount of runs he scores and the kind of impact he makes. And be that sort of perfect No 6 or 7 for us. He is someone who can handle pressure situations really well. In the Sydney Test's first innings (35 off 96 balls), he hung in there for long time, played fast bowlers really well."
Kohli went to the extent of saying that Wriddhiman can handle any sort of attack in any conditions.
"He is someone who can handle any conditions and any sort of attack. He has that sort of belief that more confidence has with the bat, he will develop into an important sort of member for this team."
"He (Wriddhiman) is still finding his feet in Test cricket and he is already confident of his keeping. He can become more confident of his batting and it will come with the amount of runs he scores and the kind of impact he makes. And be that sort of perfect No 6 or 7 for us. He is someone who can handle pressure situations really well. In the Sydney Test's first innings (35 off 96 balls), he hung in there for long time, played fast bowlers really well."
Kohli went to the extent of saying that Wriddhiman can handle any sort of attack in any conditions.
"He is someone who can handle any conditions and any sort of attack. He has that sort of belief that more confidence has with the bat, he will develop into an important sort of member for this team."
Saturday, 21 November 2015
Ind vs Pak series in December!
The BCCI has time and again said that the decision to play Pakistan depends on the Indian government, there has been no official statement given by the government so far. There have only been sketchy reports about some BCCI administrators meeting government officials, but nothing beyond that.
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Broadcast rights for the series is another Achilles heel for the series. PCB has a five-year deal with Ten Sports that includes two home series with India while Star is the official broadcaster for BCCI and they won’t allow Ten Sports to broadcast the series.
But UAE has been hosting Pakistan’s home games since the terrorist-attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in 2009.
The ball is now in BCCI’s court and if they don’t want to go and play in the UAE and still want a series with Pakistan in December, then they will have to make their counterparts an offer they can’t refuse.
Shashank Manohar
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Click Here!
Broadcast rights for the series is another Achilles heel for the series. PCB has a five-year deal with Ten Sports that includes two home series with India while Star is the official broadcaster for BCCI and they won’t allow Ten Sports to broadcast the series.
But UAE has been hosting Pakistan’s home games since the terrorist-attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in 2009.
The ball is now in BCCI’s court and if they don’t want to go and play in the UAE and still want a series with Pakistan in December, then they will have to make their counterparts an offer they can’t refuse.
Shashank Manohar
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Ashwin is our go-to man: Virat Kohli
Calling off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin the team’s go-to man ahead of the four-match Test series against South Africa, skipper Virat Kohli on Wednesday said bowlers have always been more crucial than batsmen in cricket’s longer format.
Having lost the T20 and the ODI series, India are looking to turn it around in the four-match Test series, starting tomorrow. Kohli hinted that he would go in with five bowlers in the game.
“...if we have six batsmen and one wicketkeeper then even if you score 500 runs, but are a bowler short, then more often than not there will come a session when you will give away too many runs and will not get a wicket,” Kohli told reporters in the pre-match press conference.
“So, I think the top-five batsmen should take more responsibility of scoring runs. Along with the wicketkeeper, it becomes six batsmen and your all-rounders also contribute,” he said.
Stressing on the role of bowlers, Kohli said getting a result is almost always dependent on the bowlers’ performance in Test matches.
“I certainly believe that a bowler wins you a Test match. Batsmen can hardly get you a Test match from a difficult situation, if you are chasing. More often than not, it’s the bowlers who eventually out you in that position when you have to chase a small total. So bowlers’ role is more important than batsmen in Test matches,” he added.
Ashwin, who missed the last four ODIs after suffering a side strain in the opening ODI in Kanpur, will certainly be India’s trump card on what seems to be a turning PCA wicket and Kohli couldn’t agree more.
“Well for the last two three years, he has been the go to man in Test cricket. He is someone who has done well in conditions that suit the spinners. Even when they suit you, you have to pitch the ball in the right areas and you’ve seen him take five-six wickets consistently in those conditions.
He’s definitely someone who has taken his game to the next level,” the Test captain said.
“He wants to do well when we play away from home as well, which is exciting for any captain. The way he bowled in Sri Lanka proved to everyone that he is among the top two three spinners in the world. He is certainly believing in himself a lot more now that he is that match winner for India. He’s that main bowler. As a captain, I’m delighted that we have a bowler like Ashwin in our team,” he added.
Kohli, who celebrates his 27th birthday on Thursday, said it will be a special day when he takes field in his first home Test as captain.
“It will be an exciting and special for me tomorrow when I take field in my first home game as captain. Secondly it’s my birthday as well so it doubles up the excitement for tomorrow,” said flamboyant batsman.
The Indians were not too happy with the pitch that was prepared for the ODI series-decider in Mumbai with Team Director expressing his displeasure to the Wankhede curator after the match.
Advocating tailor-made tracks for the home side, Kohli said there shouldn’t even be a debate on the matter as every host can have his say on the nature of pitches.
“I think there has been a lot of focus on the pitch (but) whenever we travel abroad, there is no talk of the pitch. It has always been how we will struggle against their bowlers or how our bowlers are going to be hit around the park.
“If we get conditions that we have to tackle when we go play away from home, we are judged on that. We never complain, never crib, we take up the challenge,” he said.
“We certainly don’t believe in looking at these external factors. Whatever is in front of us, we will try and play the best we can and come back as better batsmen and bowlers and keep climbing the ladder in Test cricket and that eventually is our main goal,” he said.
Quizzed on the criticism that he faces about his aggressive attitude, Kohli said he hasn’t changed much barring the fact that he is not too expressive on the field.
“There has been a lot of criticism about a lot of things in my life. I have never cared about these things. Eventually people can write and say what they want to, it’s their freedom of expression, but when I step onto the field I give my 100 per cent every time. And I don’t need to prove that to anyone else. I need to walk out to the field with a clear conscience and be satisfied with my effort today.
“So the only thing that has changed is that I have 40 grey hairs in my beard and that’s the only thing that has changed since I have become Test captain. I am the same person that started playing for India, obviously you do make mistakes and you learn from them along the way.
“It’s not that I find those things very wrong but I thought I was wasting my energies on being too expressive on the field at times which I have started to consume and use it in better places. You only get smarter with age and that I think has happened to me as well. That is not something very unnatural. I have not changed in a big way,” he added.
Having lost the T20 and the ODI series, India are looking to turn it around in the four-match Test series, starting tomorrow. Kohli hinted that he would go in with five bowlers in the game.
“...if we have six batsmen and one wicketkeeper then even if you score 500 runs, but are a bowler short, then more often than not there will come a session when you will give away too many runs and will not get a wicket,” Kohli told reporters in the pre-match press conference.
“So, I think the top-five batsmen should take more responsibility of scoring runs. Along with the wicketkeeper, it becomes six batsmen and your all-rounders also contribute,” he said.
Stressing on the role of bowlers, Kohli said getting a result is almost always dependent on the bowlers’ performance in Test matches.
“I certainly believe that a bowler wins you a Test match. Batsmen can hardly get you a Test match from a difficult situation, if you are chasing. More often than not, it’s the bowlers who eventually out you in that position when you have to chase a small total. So bowlers’ role is more important than batsmen in Test matches,” he added.
Ashwin, who missed the last four ODIs after suffering a side strain in the opening ODI in Kanpur, will certainly be India’s trump card on what seems to be a turning PCA wicket and Kohli couldn’t agree more.
“Well for the last two three years, he has been the go to man in Test cricket. He is someone who has done well in conditions that suit the spinners. Even when they suit you, you have to pitch the ball in the right areas and you’ve seen him take five-six wickets consistently in those conditions.
He’s definitely someone who has taken his game to the next level,” the Test captain said.
“He wants to do well when we play away from home as well, which is exciting for any captain. The way he bowled in Sri Lanka proved to everyone that he is among the top two three spinners in the world. He is certainly believing in himself a lot more now that he is that match winner for India. He’s that main bowler. As a captain, I’m delighted that we have a bowler like Ashwin in our team,” he added.
Kohli, who celebrates his 27th birthday on Thursday, said it will be a special day when he takes field in his first home Test as captain.
“It will be an exciting and special for me tomorrow when I take field in my first home game as captain. Secondly it’s my birthday as well so it doubles up the excitement for tomorrow,” said flamboyant batsman.
The Indians were not too happy with the pitch that was prepared for the ODI series-decider in Mumbai with Team Director expressing his displeasure to the Wankhede curator after the match.
Advocating tailor-made tracks for the home side, Kohli said there shouldn’t even be a debate on the matter as every host can have his say on the nature of pitches.
“I think there has been a lot of focus on the pitch (but) whenever we travel abroad, there is no talk of the pitch. It has always been how we will struggle against their bowlers or how our bowlers are going to be hit around the park.
“If we get conditions that we have to tackle when we go play away from home, we are judged on that. We never complain, never crib, we take up the challenge,” he said.
“We certainly don’t believe in looking at these external factors. Whatever is in front of us, we will try and play the best we can and come back as better batsmen and bowlers and keep climbing the ladder in Test cricket and that eventually is our main goal,” he said.
Quizzed on the criticism that he faces about his aggressive attitude, Kohli said he hasn’t changed much barring the fact that he is not too expressive on the field.
“There has been a lot of criticism about a lot of things in my life. I have never cared about these things. Eventually people can write and say what they want to, it’s their freedom of expression, but when I step onto the field I give my 100 per cent every time. And I don’t need to prove that to anyone else. I need to walk out to the field with a clear conscience and be satisfied with my effort today.
“So the only thing that has changed is that I have 40 grey hairs in my beard and that’s the only thing that has changed since I have become Test captain. I am the same person that started playing for India, obviously you do make mistakes and you learn from them along the way.
“It’s not that I find those things very wrong but I thought I was wasting my energies on being too expressive on the field at times which I have started to consume and use it in better places. You only get smarter with age and that I think has happened to me as well. That is not something very unnatural. I have not changed in a big way,” he added.
Monday, 2 November 2015
When Virat Kohli touched curator’s feet
This genuine warmth between the Indian team management and the pitch in-charge at the start of the Test series is refreshing.
Written by Sandeep Dwivedi | Mohali |
Published on:November 3, 2015 1:01 am
Comments (0)
India captain Virat Kohli and curator Daljit Singh walk back after inspecting the pitch at the PCA Stadium. (Express Photo by: Kamleshwar Singh)
The veteran curator and the aging pitch wait for Virat Kohli in the middle of the cloudy Mohali stadium. The first thing Kohli does after walking on the central square is to touch the 73-year-old Daljit Singh’s feet. In his more than 20 years association with the Mohali ground, Daljit has nurtured the 23-year-old pitch and seen the 26-year-old from Delhi grow from a talented junior to the country’s Test captain. He indulgently pats Kohli, acknowledging the young man’s intuitive act of reverence.
This genuine warmth between the Indian team management and the pitch in-charge at the start of the Test series is refreshing. The Mumbai bitterness hasn’t travelled to Mohali. The end of the 5th ODI at Wankhede was ugly. Team director Ravi Shastri and Wankhede curator Sudhir Naik know each other since their playing days, that is easily longer than the Daljit-Kohli association. But South Africa’s 438, series loss and the prickly pitch issue triggered a fight between the two of Mumbai’s famous khadoos. It also exposed the communication gap between cricket’s two important stake-holders. Looking at the long and cordial chat between Team India’s support staff (minus Shastri), Kohli and Daljit, it seems the lines have been restored.
Related
India vs Australia Mohali Test: M S Dhoni and co check
Green carpet welcome
A pitch for change
It was expected. Daljit has been an old hand at this game. He knows the routine well. This isn’t the first time he is being chased by reporters or is surrounded by players and coaches. He knows what to speak, even when to speak. Today is the day to be silent. The famous Daljit Singh tour of the pitch for reporters takes place on match eve. He is known to be curator who never refuses what the players demand but eventually does what’s within rules. He has reputation. Since the lone loss in the opening Test in 1994, India has played 10 Tests here and never lost. The PCA plaque of the ground’s five-wicket hauls has names of Srinath, Harbhajan, Kumble, Balaji, Mishra and Zaheer. Daljit’s pitches aren’t rank turners. The names of pacers on the honour board prove this.
A dry wicket
Maybe, the South Africans aren’t aware of this. The touring team’s senior member Faf de Plessis was there at the ground early. He spoke about how the Indians are putting a bit of pressure on the groundsman to give them a slow track. “It looks drier than a pitch normally looks. We are expecting the worst, we expecting big spin on day one,” he was to say.
From the look of the turf — it is greenish yellow — and the history of the ground; Faf’s first day turn fears seem unfounded. MP Pandove, Punjab Cricket Association secretary, another permanent fixture at this venue puts a counter question: “Why should it turn from day one?” He explains: “It’s going to be a sporting wicket. It will have the freshness on day one, will be good for batting the next two days, and then break up on the last two.”
Daljit isn’t giving his verdict. He is behind the sightscreen eating and sharing freshly cut fruits. He calls it his lunch. The sun is setting; it’s been a busy day for the old but extremely fit curator who is on a gluten free diet. The coming days will be more hectic. Daljit has a tough job. The septuagenarian has to ensure that the two 20-somethings get along.
Written by Sandeep Dwivedi | Mohali |
Published on:November 3, 2015 1:01 am
Comments (0)
India captain Virat Kohli and curator Daljit Singh walk back after inspecting the pitch at the PCA Stadium. (Express Photo by: Kamleshwar Singh)
The veteran curator and the aging pitch wait for Virat Kohli in the middle of the cloudy Mohali stadium. The first thing Kohli does after walking on the central square is to touch the 73-year-old Daljit Singh’s feet. In his more than 20 years association with the Mohali ground, Daljit has nurtured the 23-year-old pitch and seen the 26-year-old from Delhi grow from a talented junior to the country’s Test captain. He indulgently pats Kohli, acknowledging the young man’s intuitive act of reverence.
This genuine warmth between the Indian team management and the pitch in-charge at the start of the Test series is refreshing. The Mumbai bitterness hasn’t travelled to Mohali. The end of the 5th ODI at Wankhede was ugly. Team director Ravi Shastri and Wankhede curator Sudhir Naik know each other since their playing days, that is easily longer than the Daljit-Kohli association. But South Africa’s 438, series loss and the prickly pitch issue triggered a fight between the two of Mumbai’s famous khadoos. It also exposed the communication gap between cricket’s two important stake-holders. Looking at the long and cordial chat between Team India’s support staff (minus Shastri), Kohli and Daljit, it seems the lines have been restored.
Related
India vs Australia Mohali Test: M S Dhoni and co check
Green carpet welcome
A pitch for change
It was expected. Daljit has been an old hand at this game. He knows the routine well. This isn’t the first time he is being chased by reporters or is surrounded by players and coaches. He knows what to speak, even when to speak. Today is the day to be silent. The famous Daljit Singh tour of the pitch for reporters takes place on match eve. He is known to be curator who never refuses what the players demand but eventually does what’s within rules. He has reputation. Since the lone loss in the opening Test in 1994, India has played 10 Tests here and never lost. The PCA plaque of the ground’s five-wicket hauls has names of Srinath, Harbhajan, Kumble, Balaji, Mishra and Zaheer. Daljit’s pitches aren’t rank turners. The names of pacers on the honour board prove this.
A dry wicket
Maybe, the South Africans aren’t aware of this. The touring team’s senior member Faf de Plessis was there at the ground early. He spoke about how the Indians are putting a bit of pressure on the groundsman to give them a slow track. “It looks drier than a pitch normally looks. We are expecting the worst, we expecting big spin on day one,” he was to say.
From the look of the turf — it is greenish yellow — and the history of the ground; Faf’s first day turn fears seem unfounded. MP Pandove, Punjab Cricket Association secretary, another permanent fixture at this venue puts a counter question: “Why should it turn from day one?” He explains: “It’s going to be a sporting wicket. It will have the freshness on day one, will be good for batting the next two days, and then break up on the last two.”
Daljit isn’t giving his verdict. He is behind the sightscreen eating and sharing freshly cut fruits. He calls it his lunch. The sun is setting; it’s been a busy day for the old but extremely fit curator who is on a gluten free diet. The coming days will be more hectic. Daljit has a tough job. The septuagenarian has to ensure that the two 20-somethings get along.
Virat Kohli congratulates newly-wed Harbhajan Singh, Geeta Basra
India Test captain Virat Kohli wished off-spinner Harbhajan Singh as the latter recently got married to long-time girlfriend Geeta Basra a couple of days ago in Jalandhar.
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Harbhajan Singh, girlfriend Geeta Basra set to tie the knot on October 29, claims report
“What a lovely get together Harbhajan Singh paji, God bless you & Geeta Basra always. Congratulations to both of you. Rab rakha!” read the caption of a picture that Kohli posted on Facebook where he was seen along with the India spinner.
Harbhajan threw a reception party in the national capital on Saturday and a slew of VIPs and VVIPs were invited.
Related
Harbhajan Singh ties knot with Geeta Basra, Sachin Tendulkar marks presence with wife Anjali
Geeta Basra to wear red and gold lehenga on wedding, Harbhajan Singh opts for simple classic look
Harbhajan Singh, girlfriend Geeta Basra set to tie the knot on October 29, claims report
“What a lovely get together Harbhajan Singh paji, God bless you & Geeta Basra always. Congratulations to both of you. Rab rakha!” read the caption of a picture that Kohli posted on Facebook where he was seen along with the India spinner.
Harbhajan threw a reception party in the national capital on Saturday and a slew of VIPs and VVIPs were invited.
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