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Team India will bounce back: Brett Lee
Mumbai: The Indian team might have been pilloried for suffering a 4-0 loss in the Test series against England but Australian pacer Brett Lee on Friday sympathised with Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men by saying he knew how difficult the conditions can be in "Old Blighty".
Asked about the whitewash suffered by Dhoni's men against England, Lee said while India would be hurt by the rout, he was certain the team would bounce back.
"The loss is going to hurt India. But they are very difficult conditions to play with the ball seaming and swinging around, which we found out in the 2005 Ashes series. I am not surprised they (England) are playing very well," he said on the sidelines of a promotional event for apparel firm Alok Group on Friday.
Lee was referring to the 1-2 defeat suffered by the then high-flying team led by Ricky Ponting against the Michael Vaughan-led England after the Aussies had gone 1-0 up by winning the series opener at Lord's.
"England played really well and you would point your fingers at India when they lose 4-0 and India hasn't played the best cricket. But look at the other side of the fence as well and think maybe England has played some very, very good cricket. But I think they (India) will bounce back," he added.
Looking ahead to Team India's visit to Australia later this year for a four-Test rubber followed by a triangular ODI series, Lee said though he is no longer a part of the Test squad, he wanted the rubber to be a competitive one.
"India are visiting Australia later this year and though I am not part of the Test squad I hope Australia do well and it (series) is competitive," said the 34-year-old New South Welshman, who had grabbed 310 wickets from 76 Tests before quitting the longest format of the game.
Lee also gave a big thumb's up to the Argus committee's recommendations to Cricket Australia decision, following a review of their Ashes defeat in 2009 at home, to include the captain and coach as part of the selection panel.
"I'm not an expert to talk about it, but if it's going to improve Australian cricket it's a win-win situation. In other sports the captain-coach play a vital role [in selection]. To me it makes sense. The captain is well qualified person for the job and Michael Clarke and coach can make a direct impact on team selection. It strengthens Australian cricket," said Lee, who quit Test cricket to prolong his international career.
India is currently grappling with injuries with two of its frontline pacers - Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma - out of the team and Lee, who himself had to struggle through out his career against injuries, said fast bowling remained the toughest job in cricket and it was up to the individuals to maintain fitness.
"Fast bowling is the toughest job in cricket. You have to work hard to stay strong and fit. You need to know your body. You need to love it (fast bowling) too. Enjoyment is the most important thing in life. If you do believe in something, then you are going to get a lot better out of it and have fun along the way," said the blond pacer, who has taken 357 wickets from 205 ODIs.
"When you land on your front foot, 15 times of your body weight lands, so a lot of pressure is there (on the foot). It is hard work in hot and gruelling conditions, but it is also a lot of fun. You got be strong and fit and you got to train hard. I wish them all the very best because we love to see fast bowlers around the world," Lee said.
Mumbai: The Indian team might have been pilloried for suffering a 4-0 loss in the Test series against England but Australian pacer Brett Lee on Friday sympathised with Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men by saying he knew how difficult the conditions can be in "Old Blighty".
Asked about the whitewash suffered by Dhoni's men against England, Lee said while India would be hurt by the rout, he was certain the team would bounce back.
"The loss is going to hurt India. But they are very difficult conditions to play with the ball seaming and swinging around, which we found out in the 2005 Ashes series. I am not surprised they (England) are playing very well," he said on the sidelines of a promotional event for apparel firm Alok Group on Friday.
Lee was referring to the 1-2 defeat suffered by the then high-flying team led by Ricky Ponting against the Michael Vaughan-led England after the Aussies had gone 1-0 up by winning the series opener at Lord's.
"England played really well and you would point your fingers at India when they lose 4-0 and India hasn't played the best cricket. But look at the other side of the fence as well and think maybe England has played some very, very good cricket. But I think they (India) will bounce back," he added.
Looking ahead to Team India's visit to Australia later this year for a four-Test rubber followed by a triangular ODI series, Lee said though he is no longer a part of the Test squad, he wanted the rubber to be a competitive one.
"India are visiting Australia later this year and though I am not part of the Test squad I hope Australia do well and it (series) is competitive," said the 34-year-old New South Welshman, who had grabbed 310 wickets from 76 Tests before quitting the longest format of the game.
Lee also gave a big thumb's up to the Argus committee's recommendations to Cricket Australia decision, following a review of their Ashes defeat in 2009 at home, to include the captain and coach as part of the selection panel.
"I'm not an expert to talk about it, but if it's going to improve Australian cricket it's a win-win situation. In other sports the captain-coach play a vital role [in selection]. To me it makes sense. The captain is well qualified person for the job and Michael Clarke and coach can make a direct impact on team selection. It strengthens Australian cricket," said Lee, who quit Test cricket to prolong his international career.
India is currently grappling with injuries with two of its frontline pacers - Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma - out of the team and Lee, who himself had to struggle through out his career against injuries, said fast bowling remained the toughest job in cricket and it was up to the individuals to maintain fitness.
"Fast bowling is the toughest job in cricket. You have to work hard to stay strong and fit. You need to know your body. You need to love it (fast bowling) too. Enjoyment is the most important thing in life. If you do believe in something, then you are going to get a lot better out of it and have fun along the way," said the blond pacer, who has taken 357 wickets from 205 ODIs.
"When you land on your front foot, 15 times of your body weight lands, so a lot of pressure is there (on the foot). It is hard work in hot and gruelling conditions, but it is also a lot of fun. You got be strong and fit and you got to train hard. I wish them all the very best because we love to see fast bowlers around the world," Lee said.
Without Zaheer, India are finished: Prabhakar
Mumbai: Stats reveal over-dependence on pace spearhead Zaheer Khan is hurting MS Dhoni's team, club coach Sudhir Naik and former India pacer Manoj Prabhakar agree.
Though there are numerous reasons for India's whitewash in the four-match Test series against England recently, the over-dependence on pace spearhead Zaheer Khan - forced to miss three Tests due to injury - tops the list.
Zak looked all set to conquer the English batsmen in their own den after getting a brilliant start in the first Test at Lord's where he dismissed skipper Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook in the very first session of play in overcast conditions. However, a hamstring injury soon after, stole the fizz thereafter.
"India lost the England series because Zaheer missed the remainder of the Tests," Prabhakar said, before continuing: "But you cannot afford to rely on one bowler all the time. Zaheer has been winning matches for India on his own for some time now, but he needs support," added Prabhakar, who played 39 Tests for India and has 96 wickets to his name.
Zaheer played a stellar role in India's rise to the No. 1 spot in the Test rankings. The Mumbai pacer almost single-handedly led India to a series win in England in 2007 where his 18 wickets saw him finish as the highest wicket-taker. He took 4-59 and 5-75 in the only win of the series at Trent Bridge.
Then again, India would have struggled to register their second Test series win in New Zealand in 2008-09 had it not been for Zaheer's brilliance in Hamilton. His invaluable contribution - three vital top-order Kiwi wickets.
Zaheer was again the wrecker-in-chief as India whitewashed Australia 2-0 in 2010. His eight-wicket haul put Ricky Ponting's men on the mat at Mohali. Once again, he finished the series at the highest wicket-taker (12).
Then, his whirlwind performance - 3/54, 2/90, 3/62, 7/87 - saw India humiliate Bangladesh in their own backyard in 2009-10.
Zaheer again rose to the occasion when India's No. 1 position was under threat by the South Africans nine months ago. He took six for 93 to help his side win the Kingsmead Test by 87 runs to draw the series 1-1.
Prabhakar said India will struggle to win without Zaheer. "Without Zaheer India are finished. India will struggle now considering Zaheer is not fit anymore. If you play with injuries, this is what will happen," he said.
Zaheer's National Cricket Club coach Sudhir Naik said the pacer should set get his priorities right given his injury problems. "I suggest he only concentrates on Test cricket, play very few ODIs and avoid T20s completely.
India badly need his services in Tests. Our bowling looked toothless without him. When Zaheer's around, he doesn't just bowl but also guides the younger bowlers. And they clearly looked helpless in his absence. This is not a good sign for Indian cricket. Zaheer is not going to be there forever," said Naik, a former Test cricketer and current curator of the Wankhede Stadium.
Naik felt Zaheer, along with most of the members of the World Cup-winning Indian team, should have skipped the IPL that followed a week after the World Cup final. "He should have skipped the IPL this year, since he had put in all his effort into the World Cup. In fact, the whole World Cup-winning team should have skipped the IPL," Naik concluded.
Mumbai: Stats reveal over-dependence on pace spearhead Zaheer Khan is hurting MS Dhoni's team, club coach Sudhir Naik and former India pacer Manoj Prabhakar agree.
Though there are numerous reasons for India's whitewash in the four-match Test series against England recently, the over-dependence on pace spearhead Zaheer Khan - forced to miss three Tests due to injury - tops the list.
Zak looked all set to conquer the English batsmen in their own den after getting a brilliant start in the first Test at Lord's where he dismissed skipper Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook in the very first session of play in overcast conditions. However, a hamstring injury soon after, stole the fizz thereafter.
"India lost the England series because Zaheer missed the remainder of the Tests," Prabhakar said, before continuing: "But you cannot afford to rely on one bowler all the time. Zaheer has been winning matches for India on his own for some time now, but he needs support," added Prabhakar, who played 39 Tests for India and has 96 wickets to his name.
Zaheer played a stellar role in India's rise to the No. 1 spot in the Test rankings. The Mumbai pacer almost single-handedly led India to a series win in England in 2007 where his 18 wickets saw him finish as the highest wicket-taker. He took 4-59 and 5-75 in the only win of the series at Trent Bridge.
Then again, India would have struggled to register their second Test series win in New Zealand in 2008-09 had it not been for Zaheer's brilliance in Hamilton. His invaluable contribution - three vital top-order Kiwi wickets.
Zaheer was again the wrecker-in-chief as India whitewashed Australia 2-0 in 2010. His eight-wicket haul put Ricky Ponting's men on the mat at Mohali. Once again, he finished the series at the highest wicket-taker (12).
Then, his whirlwind performance - 3/54, 2/90, 3/62, 7/87 - saw India humiliate Bangladesh in their own backyard in 2009-10.
Zaheer again rose to the occasion when India's No. 1 position was under threat by the South Africans nine months ago. He took six for 93 to help his side win the Kingsmead Test by 87 runs to draw the series 1-1.
Prabhakar said India will struggle to win without Zaheer. "Without Zaheer India are finished. India will struggle now considering Zaheer is not fit anymore. If you play with injuries, this is what will happen," he said.
Zaheer's National Cricket Club coach Sudhir Naik said the pacer should set get his priorities right given his injury problems. "I suggest he only concentrates on Test cricket, play very few ODIs and avoid T20s completely.
India badly need his services in Tests. Our bowling looked toothless without him. When Zaheer's around, he doesn't just bowl but also guides the younger bowlers. And they clearly looked helpless in his absence. This is not a good sign for Indian cricket. Zaheer is not going to be there forever," said Naik, a former Test cricketer and current curator of the Wankhede Stadium.
Naik felt Zaheer, along with most of the members of the World Cup-winning Indian team, should have skipped the IPL that followed a week after the World Cup final. "He should have skipped the IPL this year, since he had put in all his effort into the World Cup. In fact, the whole World Cup-winning team should have skipped the IPL," Naik concluded.
'Sore hands behind Dhoni's poor glove work"
Leicester: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni could be suffering from "sore hands" causing his wicketkeeping to deteriorate on the present England tour, is the verdict of former England wicketkeeper Paul Nixon.
Nixon, who last night retired after powering his Leicestershire team to domestic Twenty20 title triumph, has also been an England 'keeper in the past and is the one who helped Dhoni out with his keeping when he first came on tour to these shores in 2007.
"It looks like he has sore hands. He's too proud a guy to show it but he has sore hands. Otherwise, he is very aggressive and sure in his catching but (on this tour) he's been giving a lot," Nixon said this morning.
"It's like being in the boxing ring. If your hands are tied, you can't throw a punch."
Since Dhoni is not in the best of physical shape, Nixon believes he hasn't been doing those things consistently well enough which he passed it on him on the last tour.
"As a wicketkeeper, while you are behind the stumps, your chin should be lower to your knees. Your shoulders should be square and level. He hasn't been doing it."
"If you are not very square (in shoulders), you could end up doing a lot of twisting and there would be more catching errors. Your arms should be at your chin height. He's not doing it as consistently in this series."
Nixon said the only way to get rid of soreness in your hands is to give it a good rest - an opportunity Dhoni hasn't had for a very long time now.
"It (the soreness) isn't going to go away without rest.
Sometimes, we are keen an artificial rubber-band kind of strip on fingers but then you lose feel of the ball. It's cumbersome on hands."
Nixon picks out two youngsters to watch out for in the Twenty20 match between his team Leicestershire and Indians on Monday.
"Joshua Cobb was in my arms 10 hours after he was born. A couple of years ago he made his debut for us. He is tremendous against new ball and in Powerplays. James Taylor is another.
"He is short in stature. In my 24 years of first class cricket, he's the best young kid I have come seen through."
Nixon waxed more eloquent about Taylor.
"He knows his options, he runs it around, can hit the ball out of the park and has the same hunger as Dravid. He might have won yesterday but he's in the nets this morning."
"He averages 50 in most formats and has the maturity of a 35-year-old. He can finish a game, hit the ball out of park.
His father has been a jockey and he's similarly tough," he concluded. Nixon played 19 ODIs for England, all in one year in 2007.
Source: Cricnext
Leicester: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni could be suffering from "sore hands" causing his wicketkeeping to deteriorate on the present England tour, is the verdict of former England wicketkeeper Paul Nixon.
Nixon, who last night retired after powering his Leicestershire team to domestic Twenty20 title triumph, has also been an England 'keeper in the past and is the one who helped Dhoni out with his keeping when he first came on tour to these shores in 2007.
"It looks like he has sore hands. He's too proud a guy to show it but he has sore hands. Otherwise, he is very aggressive and sure in his catching but (on this tour) he's been giving a lot," Nixon said this morning.
"It's like being in the boxing ring. If your hands are tied, you can't throw a punch."
Since Dhoni is not in the best of physical shape, Nixon believes he hasn't been doing those things consistently well enough which he passed it on him on the last tour.
"As a wicketkeeper, while you are behind the stumps, your chin should be lower to your knees. Your shoulders should be square and level. He hasn't been doing it."
"If you are not very square (in shoulders), you could end up doing a lot of twisting and there would be more catching errors. Your arms should be at your chin height. He's not doing it as consistently in this series."
Nixon said the only way to get rid of soreness in your hands is to give it a good rest - an opportunity Dhoni hasn't had for a very long time now.
"It (the soreness) isn't going to go away without rest.
Sometimes, we are keen an artificial rubber-band kind of strip on fingers but then you lose feel of the ball. It's cumbersome on hands."
Nixon picks out two youngsters to watch out for in the Twenty20 match between his team Leicestershire and Indians on Monday.
"Joshua Cobb was in my arms 10 hours after he was born. A couple of years ago he made his debut for us. He is tremendous against new ball and in Powerplays. James Taylor is another.
"He is short in stature. In my 24 years of first class cricket, he's the best young kid I have come seen through."
Nixon waxed more eloquent about Taylor.
"He knows his options, he runs it around, can hit the ball out of the park and has the same hunger as Dravid. He might have won yesterday but he's in the nets this morning."
"He averages 50 in most formats and has the maturity of a 35-year-old. He can finish a game, hit the ball out of park.
His father has been a jockey and he's similarly tough," he concluded. Nixon played 19 ODIs for England, all in one year in 2007.
Source: Cricnext
Media barred from India's practice session
Leicester: The bomb scare was in Kent but the Indian cricket team, preparing for the practice Twenty20 match against Leicestershire on Monday, took precautions here and barred the media from its training session.
Manager Shivlal Yadav said it was due to the "bomb scare" which gripped the city of Canterbury in the match against Kent two days ago.
But what it had got to do with the practice session at Leicester took some convincing.
The liaison officer of the team though said, "the coach (Duncan Fletcher) has asked me and the security personnels to keep media off the practice session" - an assertion which was confirmed by more than one security personnel guarding the gates of the nets.
The assembled media was agitated for the interest now centres around how the defending world champions fare in the one-day matches after a 0-4 whitewash in the Test series.
There is considerable concern on how Gautam Gambhir, suffering from blurred vision, is shaping up for the one-dayers and whether newcomers - Ajinkya Rahane and Varun Aaron - could be in with a chance to find a place in the playing XI.
Yadav informed that Gambhir indeed had nets this morning though it was largely restricted to throwdowns from bowling coach Eric Simmons.
It was also revealed by one of the players, returning to pavilion, that both Rahane and Aaron had stints at the nets.
All this media could gather only by word of mouth as there was no visual or recording opportunity available for them.
Source:Cricnext
Leicester: The bomb scare was in Kent but the Indian cricket team, preparing for the practice Twenty20 match against Leicestershire on Monday, took precautions here and barred the media from its training session.
Manager Shivlal Yadav said it was due to the "bomb scare" which gripped the city of Canterbury in the match against Kent two days ago.
But what it had got to do with the practice session at Leicester took some convincing.
The liaison officer of the team though said, "the coach (Duncan Fletcher) has asked me and the security personnels to keep media off the practice session" - an assertion which was confirmed by more than one security personnel guarding the gates of the nets.
The assembled media was agitated for the interest now centres around how the defending world champions fare in the one-day matches after a 0-4 whitewash in the Test series.
There is considerable concern on how Gautam Gambhir, suffering from blurred vision, is shaping up for the one-dayers and whether newcomers - Ajinkya Rahane and Varun Aaron - could be in with a chance to find a place in the playing XI.
Yadav informed that Gambhir indeed had nets this morning though it was largely restricted to throwdowns from bowling coach Eric Simmons.
It was also revealed by one of the players, returning to pavilion, that both Rahane and Aaron had stints at the nets.
All this media could gather only by word of mouth as there was no visual or recording opportunity available for them.
Source:Cricnext
