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Kohli can match Tendulkar's feats to some extent: Rhodes

MUMBAI: Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes feels that India's middle-order batsman Virat Kohli has the ability to match the extraordinary feats of iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar to some extent.

"Kohli is only 22 but he has already shown his potential with the bat. He has shown that he can be a superstar," Rhodes told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of his new range of nutritional supplements under ESN (Evolution Sports Nutrition).

"His conversion rate from fifties to hundreds in ODIs is amazing. Once he gets a fifty, he is a difficult batsman to dismiss. With regards to the stats and the number of runs scored, he has shown that he can compete with the records of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar in the long run.

"Kohli is expected to play a big role in India's success in the future. He is a fine cricketer and a fine athlete. He is a complete all-rounder," he added.

Kohli has scored 2,496 runs in 66 ODIs at an average of 45.38 with the help of seven centuries and 16 fifties.

The 42-year-old Rhodes also believed that Kohli although does not have an impressive record in Tests, having scored only 76 runs in five innings, had it in him to become a successful player in the longer version of the game too.

"The right-handed batsman has been consistent in IPL, T20s and ODIs because he plays good cricketing shots," said Rhodes.
Newspaper: Times Of India, 19th Oct

 

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Kambli lashes out at Indian Premier League

NEW DELHI: Former India batsman Vinod Kambli lashed out at the Indian Premier League (IPL), saying that the cash-rich event tempts young cricketers to go for the quick buck, when their aim should be to play Test cricket.

Kambli said most of the youngsters have identified IPL as their only source of income in their bid to make fast money and obtain lucrative sponsorship deals.

"Today, the youngsters are looking to play in the IPL. Reason being fast money. One Ranji Trophy match and they are picked up for the Twenty20 tournament. From day one, their aim is to play in the IPL but one should understand that real cricket is Test cricket," said Kambli on Wednesday.

The former cricketer also compared IPL with a famous TV show 'Saas Bahu aur Saazish'.

"IPL is fun, entertainment and offer a short career with a lot of money. It's like 'Saas Bahu aur Saazish' serial," Kambli said at a sidelines of a function.

"It's for the youngsters to decide their priorities. We all know that IPL results in quick money, all the attention and facilities. But youngsters should give preference to the domestic cricket, which is the ideal platform to develop skill and temperament.

"When me and (Sachin) Tendulkar started our careers, there was no IPL. We gave preference to the domestic cricket because our aim was to play in Tests. Now, with IPL, so many matches are being played in two months' time and it's becoming like a serial. One day people would like to see a change," explained Kambli, who recently announced his retirement from first class cricket.
Newspaper: Times of India, 20th Oct

 

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I never retired, says Afridi announcing comeback

Within five months of quitting cricket due to a spat with his Board, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Tuesday announced his availability for the national team following a change of guard in the PCB and claimed that he had never retired.

"I have decided to make myself available for Pakistan again. I had never retired from cricket, I had only said I don't want to play under the previous board setup. Now that a new chairman has taken over I want to play for Pakistan again," Afridi told reporters here.

The all-rounder had quit international cricket in May 2010 after being stripped of the one-day captaincy due to a turbulent tour to the West Indies where he developed differences with then coach Waqar Younis.

"I had never retired I had said that I can't continue to play under a board and team management that I am not comfortable with and who don't respect senior players," Afridi said.
"The board now has a new chairman and the team management has also changed so I think It is time now for me to try to play for my country once again. I still have some years of cricket in me to give to the team," the 31-year-old added.

Waqar stepped down as coach after the last tour to Zimbabwe owing to personal and health reasons while Zaka Ashraf took over as the new chairman of the PCB after the completion of Ijaz Butt's three-year tenure.

Butt had sacked Afridi as captain of the one-day team after the former manager Intikhab Alam submitted an adverse report about the all-rounder's behaviour confirming that he had problems with Waqar over selection issues and had twice walked out of team meetings in the one-day series.
Newspaper: The Asian Age, 20th Oct

 

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It's all about handling pressure, says Dhoni

MOHALI: The first two matches of the ongoing series against England were one-sided but the third one at Mohali did manage to test the nerves of both teams. India may have won by a comfortable margin in the end to grab an unassailable 3-0 lead, but skipper MS Dhoni said the final result did not reflect the intensity with which both sides approached the game.

"It got a bit tight in the end. There was pressure on both sides and I'm glad we handled it well and won the match. At the international level there is not much difference between sides as far as talent is concerned. What really matters in the end is how you deal with pressure.

"I wanted to stay till the end because that would have put pressure on the bowler and that it what happened," MS Dhoni said. Indeed, England skipper Alastair Cook accepted the pressure got on to his team in the end.

"The team could not handle pressure. That's what we need to improve on. Even after scoring close to 300 runs we could not win the match. Of course, we missed Stuart Broad and James Anderson but there is not much we can do."

Dhoni said words like 'revenge' were not uppermost in the team's mind. Dhoni said the series was a good chance for youngsters to step up and make their presence felt. Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav, R Vinay Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja have all done well, said the skipper.

"It's a good opportunity for them. Rahane is one of the few openers who can play spin well," he said.
Newspaper: Times Of India, 22 OCt

 

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ICC to launch Twenty20 International rankings next week

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will launch the Twenty20 International team and player rankings in a ceremony in Dubai on October 24.

The first set of the rankings are being released ahead of the India-England Twenty20 Internationals, which will be played in Kolkata on October 27, an ICC statement said.

In the lead up to next year's ICC World Twenty20 2012 in Sri Lanka, at least, 12 Twenty20 Internationals featuring the full members will be played.

In addition to these, some of the matches in next year's ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2012, which will be staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from March 14-25, will also have the Twenty20 International status.
Newspaper: Mid Day, 22 Oct

 

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Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan unchanged in ICC Test rankings

Sachin Tendulkar remained the highest placed Indian batsman at his unchanged fifth position, while injured pacer Zaheer Khan held on to his sixth spot in the bowling chart of the latest ICC Test rankings issued on Sunday.

Rahul Dravid, unchanged at 10th, was the only other Indian batman in the top-10.

Meanwhile, Kumar Sangkkara edged closer to regaining the number-one position in the Rankings for Test batsmen after hitting a match-saving double-century against Pakistan in the first Test at Abu Dhabi, which concluded on Saturday.

Sangakkara, whose 211 also earned him the man of the match award, has gained 29 ratings points for his excellent effort and he is now just 31 points away from reclaiming the number-one position, which is currently held by South Africa's Jacques Kallis.

Sangakkara, who had surged to the top of the batting table in December 2007, had lost the coveted position earlier this year to Tendulkar and Kallis after the two batsmen stroked sparkling centuries in the drawn Test in Cape Town.

The biggest mover in the batting table is Taufeeq Umar, the Pakistan opener, who has gained 17 places after his epic 236 which came off 496 balls. The 30-year-old from Lahore is now in 46th position.
Newspapereccan Chronicle, 24th Oct

 

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Tendulkar had been surprisingly fragile: Chappell

SYDNEY: Former India coach Greg Chappell, in his new book "Fierce Focus", claims batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has occasionally been mentally fragile.

Tendulkar is idolised by millions in India and the cricket world, and is considered the best batsman in the cricket history. But the Australian legend has revealed a different side of cricketer ahead of India's four-Test tour of Australia this summer, Herald Sun reported.

"At one point early in my time with the (Indian) team ... he came and talked to me for about two hours," Chappell wrote in the book.

"He was frustrated with his form and racked with self-doubt. Since he'd come back in Malaysia (in a one-day tournament in 2006), Sachin's mental state had been surprisingly fragile and he came to me for help," Chappell wrote, apparently referring to a period when Tendulkar was struggling for form, besides also having surgery for tennis elbow.

Chappell, who was sacked a few months back as Australia's national selector apparently after a fall out with senior cricketers, suggested that Tendulkar could have been affected by the weight of expectations.

"When the team travelled, he would snap on his headphones, not look sideways, and shut it all out. Not even Don Bradman carried expectations like this, and Sachin had been bearing it since 1989," Chappell said in the book.

"He just couldn't get any rest. Once we were talking ... and I said, 'You must have so many friends, it must be hard finding time to keep in touch with all of them'. He looked me in the eye and said, 'Greg, you would have more friends in India than I've got'," Chappell said.

Chappell's views on Tendulkar came barely two months before what could be the Indian maestro's farewell four-Test tour of Australia this summer.
Newspaper:Times Of India,25th Oct

 

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'Kapil forced Sachin change follow-on decision in Test'

At the height of the match-fixing saga a decade ago, the then India coach Kapil Dev had overruled captain Sachin Tendulkar's decision to enforce the follow on against New Zealand in the Ahmedabad Test, former Cricket Board secretary Jaywant Lele has recalled in a new book.

"The subject of match-fixing was riding very high at that time (1999-2000). It was a Test match in Ahmedabad against New Zealand. India had put on a mammoth total of 583 runs in the first innings, against which, the visitors could post only 308. Everyone expected India to impose a follow-on," Lele has written in his autobiography "I was There – Memoirs of a Cricket Administrator".

"Sachin Tendulkar, the captain of the Indian team, went to the opposition captain (Stephen) Fleming, and told him that they had to bat again. He told the umpires that India was imposing a follow-on and told them to show a few balls to our opening bowlers for selection.
Newspaper: Indian Express, 26th Oct

 

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'Who are you?' ICC official asks Ganguly at Eden Gardens

Even in his worst nightmares, Sourav Ganguly would not have seen it coming. It was possibly for the first time in his long cricketing career that the former Indian captain and local boy was stopped from going to the Eden Gardens ground as he did not carry an identity card.

Ganguly, who was doing his maiden commentary assignment at the Eden for the host television broadcaster during the India-England one dayer on Tuesday, was stopped by an anti-corruption unit (ACU) official of the International Cricket Council (ICC) when he was entering the ground for the pitch report before the start of the game.

The ACU official, Dharmender Singh Yadav, asked him "Who are you?" to which a startled Ganguly reportedly replied "I'm Sourav Ganguly, going for the pitch report".

However, Yadav was not impressed and asked for his identity card, which Ganguly was not carrying then as he had left it at the commentary box.

Ganguly had to walk back to the commentary box, get his card and then only Yadav allowed him into the ground.

Ganguly did not make any comment on the incident.

However, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint secretary Biswarup Dey said he had heard that such an incident did take place. "The thing was sorted out. But I will speak to Ganguly," he said.
Newspaper: Deccan Chronicle, 26th Oct

 

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Greg pained at Aussie conservatism

Greg Chappell has accused Australia's top cricketers of being too conservative and defensive as they try to cling on to seven-figure contracts. Chappell fears Australia may never discover another champion like Shane Warne, with players forced towards safe choices to secure their earning power. "I see them getting dulled every day. They're losing their creativity in the bid for security," Chappell writes in his new book, Fierce Focus.


"Australian cricket's success was always built on risk-takers. But the higher up the chain you go now, the more conservative and defensive cricket becomes. b"Conservatism is not going to take us back to the top. In the current full-time professional era, who would take up the risk of bowling the outrageous kind of wrist spin Shane Warne took up, when you can make a good living bowling economical finger spin? "Australian cricket has lived on the back of its champions. That's what we need to find."

Former Australia captain Chappell and outgoing selection chief Andrew Hilditch were heavily criticised for Australia's 1-3 Ashes loss at home last summer but Chappell laid the blame at the feet of experienced leaders like Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke.

"Aside from Mike Hussey, Shane Watson and Brad Haddin, the senior guys in the team were outplayed by their English counterparts. The selectors can't be blamed if it's the top four choices who don't get the job done," he wrote.
Newspaper: Mid Day, 27th Oct