Eng Tour Of Ind 2011: News & Updates

[M@zh@R]

India outplayed us in all departments: Cook

England captain Alastair Cook credited India for their comprehensive 126-run win and said the home team completely outplayed the visitors in the first ODI here on Friday.

After posting a challenging 300 for seven, India shot out England for 174 runs in 36.1 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

"It was an important toss to win. We saw at the end that the ball kept low. But credit to India. They outplayed us in all departments today," Cook said after the match. "We're going to learn from this, and that's the beauty of a five-match series."

India's newest spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin (3/35) and Ravindra Jadeja sizzled in the slow conditions, sharing six wickets between them and Cook said tackling the tweakers will be a challenge for his batsmen in the series.

"We know that (playing spin) is an issue, and that's a skill thing. We're going to work hard on that in the next couple of days," he said.

DHONI MAN-OF-THE-MATCH

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who scored an unbeaten 87 off 70 balls to earn the man-of-the-match award, said it was not easy to bat on the slow Uppal wicket and to add to it ICC's new rule of two new balls from bo0th ends also made life a little 'tricky' for batsmen.

"The new rules made the batting a bit tricky. We batted well, though we lost a few wickets at the wrong time. On wickets like these, if you're batting in the afternoon it can be a bit slow, and at times you have to keep your head down and survive," he said.
Newspaper: Deccan Chronicle, 15th Oct

 

[M@zh@R]

Tried shots that I used to play earlier in my career: Dhoni

After his stellar show in the first ODI against England here, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni termed his unbeaten 87-run knock as one of his ‘precious innings’ and said on Friday he played like he used to do at the start of his career.

"I normally don't believe in rating my performance but yes this innings is a precious innings for me. Over the years, I have played some good knocks and this one is also a valuable one. Once I started batting at No 6, I had remodelled my game. This innings of mine was a very well calculated one," Dhoni said at the post match media interaction after India beat England by 126 runs in the first ODI.

"I tried a lot of aerial shots which I normally don't play nowadays. I was practising a lot of hitting over the cover region. I felt this was the right match to try out and it worked well," he added.

He feels that batting at No 6 is something that shouldn't be entrusted on any junior player as it would be asking too much from him.

"Often on sub-continent tracks, if you send a junior guy, he might not get enough deliveries and get out scoring 10 or 15. Then again on a good strip he may just score around 35 and not get enough time to score big fifty or a 80," Dhoni observed.

"After 15 matches, you will see that particular player's average in the range of 25 to 30. That's why you need to send them up and give them as much opportunities possible. Look how Yuvraj Singh transformed his game batting at that position," he quipped.

Dhoni felt that lack of dew was one factor that helped his bowlers stick to the right lines.

"Yesterday in the evening, I saw there was a fair bit of dew but today fortunately there wasn't any dew. That really helped our cause. Also the dryness in the outfield offered a bit of reverse swing as well," Dhoni explained.

He lauded young Ravindra Jadeja's effort as the all-rounder scored a quick 27 and then grabbed three wickets for 34 runs.

"Jadeja is an important player as he brings in a lot of stability to the side," Dhoni said.
Newspaper: Deccan Chronicle, 15th Oct

 

[M@zh@R]

Captain Cook wants England to show character

Disappointed skipper Cook wants England to show character in the remaining matches.

England predicted all along that their Indian mission to follow up last month's home NatWest Series victory would be hazardous -- and their opening 126-run defeat proved them right. Even so, captain Alastair Cook is confident his team can bounce back from Friday's loss which demonstrated just how tough India are to crack on their home turf.

Cook's opposite number Mahendra Singh Dhoni's unbeaten 87 from only 70 balls effectively took the first one-day international out of England's reach. Dhoni combined with Suresh Raina (61) to devastating effect as India piled on more than 150 runs in the final 15 overs of their innings.

Despite Cook's near run-a-ball 60 in reply, England never got into a challenging position -- and a collapse of five wickets for 23 runs proved terminal. "Of course, we're disappointed -- it's a horrible feeling, losing," Cook said.
Newspaper: Mid Day, 16th Oct

 

[M@zh@R]

India look to put pressure at Kotla

NEW DELHI: This series is just one game old, but the inexperienced hosts have been quick to discover the virtues of the slow choke. England, on the other hand, are still devising ways to avoid painful strangulation on India's drowsy pitches, making Monday's second day-nighter at the Ferozeshah Kotla another affair in which miserly slower bowlers are expect to dominate.

Of course, in a bid to avoid being labelled the archetypal "low, slow" pitch, organisers have left just a smattering of grass on the surface to facilitate better carry and avoid, well, embarrassment. India's players know all too well this is the same Kotla which was banned for serving up a poor pitch, so they cared only for a cursory inspection on match eve. "We know it's always been on the slower side," said local boy Virat Kohli. Though that didn't prevent England's pacemen from diligently trying out the bounce on a side strip.

Here, then, unlike the title of Graeme Swann's new book - The Breaks Are Off - the brakes are well and truly on, though ironically the only Indian bowler to boast a five-for at this venue - Harbhajan Singh - is out of the side. Still, with first ODI heroes R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja at his disposal, MS Dhoni won't be too worried: England have always been hesitant punishers of spin and these two tweakers accounted for six English wickets between them in Hyderabad.

If paceman Jade Dernbach is to be believed ,though, the new generation of English batsmen are trying to make amends. "Every individual in our team has a different approach to playing spin," he said, "That's what differentiates us from England sides of the past. We don't stick to just playing sweep shots. However, that said, we just didn't play well in general in Hyderabad."

If it's all about taking the pace off the ball, two individuals apparently at loggerheads with each other over a book - Swann and Kevin Pietersen - will be key figures if the anticipated English resistance is to be successful. The attacking Pietersen was unlucky to miss out with the bat in the first game and if offie Swann can give the Indians some taste of their own medicine, it could prove a worthwhile outing. Only MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina, as it were, bailed India out with the bat in Hyderabad.
Newspaper: Times Of India, 17th Oct

 

[M@zh@R]

England will look to hit back strongly

Blame it on the fatigue of watching and discussing the game! The average cricket fan in the country is far from excited about India's on-going one-day series against England.

From the delight of regaining the World Cup to the disenchantment in England, the Indian cricketers and their fans have experienced the extremes in a short span. The joy of watching two Indian teams play the Champions League final was hardly a consolation.

India's thumping victory over England at Hyderabad was just the kind of impetus the fans needed to rekindle their enthusiasm. The impact on the cricket lovers remains to be seen because the customary clamour for complimentary tickets was missing on the eve of the second clash of the series at the Ferozeshah Kotla here.

Slow and low

The slow and low nature of the Kotla pitch means little encouragement for the pace trio spearheaded by Tim Bresnen. Wicket-less and taken for 66 runs in his 10 overs, Bresnen will likely come hard at the Indian top-order to erase the bitter experience of Hyderabad. He will find bowling on the sub-continent's pitches hugely different from home.

Among the spinners, Graeme Swann made an impression in the first game. It was clear that the Indian batsmen were far from comfortable with the variations the off-spinner had in his armoury.

Not much, however, should be read into England's batting display, or the lack of it, the other night. The series has just begun.

Skipper Alastair Cook proved that he is comfortable in these conditions and hence, will always be a threat. Kevin Peitersen, run out early at Hyderabad, and Ravi Bopara, would surely use their IPL-experience to serve the team better.
Newspaper: The Hindu, 17th oct

 

[M@zh@R]

Our strength is spin: Kohli

It is not a secret that on home pitches India relies on its spin bowling to dominate the visiting sides.

After the morale-boosting win in the first One-Day International against England in Hyderabad, M.S. Dhoni and his men will play to their strength in order to salvage some pride against the tourist.

The Indian team was clear with its plan for the second ODI, to be played at the Ferozeshah Kotla here on Monday. “Our strength has been spinners. They know the conditions well.

“They express their skills well and it is an advantage for us,” said middle-order batsman Virat Kohli on the eve of the match.

Reflecting on the Indian players' state of mind following the washout in England recently, Kohli insisted, “We played really well (in England) in the ODI series. But we were unable to cross the line, due to the Duckworth-Lewis method and rains.” he said.

The team remained “calm and confident” as it waited for its time to bounce back.

“Everyone was keen. It was a big margin win (in Hyderabad). A convincing victory gives a lot of confidence,” Kohli said.
Newspaper: The Hindu, 17th Oct

 

[M@zh@R]

Changing weather can dictate course of second ODI at Kotla

The mid-October winter tinge can be dicey for day-night cricket in the capital with the dew factor giving the coin a real toss when India square up to England on Monday in the second of the five match One-day series, already one-up.

India will hope to exploit the conditions better than the v
isitors on a notoriously slow and low Ferozeshah Kotla pitch. The Indians got a kick-start in the series by winning the first game at Hyderabad by a whopping 126 runs in familiar home conditions and the momentum should continue.

The English batsmen were all at sea against the spinning ball and Virat Kohli knows a thing or two about batting at the Kotla as a Delhiite. He predicted the Englishmen will have to battle it out on a slow turner, having struggled at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni knows how important the toss is in these environs. He didn't bat an eyelid in batting first in Hyderabad, but here he may have a tricky decision to take.

Dhoni may be still stick with three fast bowlers and two spinners since it would be difficult for the captain to "manoeuvre three spinners" if the dew dictates the course of play. They are unlikely to make any change to the winning combination.

Kohli, who will be playing his third ODI on his home ground, said the Kotla track has "improved but will still be on the slower side."

Kohli, himself a youngster, knows the importance of the series for newcomers.

"It is an exciting series for India and youngsters have to make the most of the opportunities that comes their way," he said.

For players like Parthiv Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, R. Vinay Kumar and Umesh Yadav, it would be another chance to cement their place in the team ahead of the second selection meeting to pick the squad for the remaining three games.

Dhoni seems to relish leading a bunch of youngsters and he himself set the tone for the series with his brilliant knock in Hyderabad. In the form and the mood he is in, he might even bat up the order to protect his young brood.

Dhoni may not think it a revenge series or the pay-back time, but the Englishmen know that they are at the receiving end straightaway. The mood in the camp was made more sullen by Graeme Swann's observations about team mate Kevin Pietersen's captaincy.
Newspaper: Hindustan Times, 17th Oct

 

[Karthik]

Ind vs england live from 2.30 pm on neo cricket hd and national.

 

[ssparikshya]

england won toss and they will bat 1st

 

[ssparikshya]

1st wicket gone
eng 0/1