Mumbai gets Kulkarni boost for final against Saurashtra

Dhaval Kulkarni is back in the Mumbai squad for the Ranji trophy final against Saurashtra scheduled to start on February 24.

Other than his inclusion, the Mumbai selectors have retained the squad that secured their place for their 45th title clash in Cuttack.

Mumbai’s bid to clinch their 41st Ranji Trophy crown, and the first after two seasons, got a significant boost with the availability of fit-again pacer Dhawal Kulkarni for the final against Saurashtra in Pune.

Kulkarni missed the semifinal against Madhya Pradesh at Cuttack, after picking up an injury during their quarterfinal victory over Jharkhand at Mysuru.

Other than his inclusion, the Mumbai selectors have retained the squad that secured their place for their 45th title clash in Cuttack.

Significantly, when Mumbai clinched their 40th crown, Saurashtra were their opponents in the 2012-13 season.

The five-day final will begin on February 24.

The Mumbai squad:

Aditya Tare (Captain), Abhishek Nayar, Dhaval Kulkarni, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Akhil Herwadkar, Siddhesh Lad, Sufiyan Shaikh, Nikhil Patil (Jr.), Iqbal Abdullah, Shardul Thakur, Balwinder Singh Sandhu (Jr.), Badre Alam, Bhavin Thakkar, Vishal Dabholkar.

Keywords: Ranji trophy 2016, Ranji trophy final, Mumbai versus Saurashtra final match, Dhaval Kulkarni

source: the Hindu

McCullum out for 25 in final test; Australia presses for victory

New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum acknowledges the crowd as he leaves the field for the last time after being dismissed for 25 by Australia’s Josh Hazelwood on the third day of the second test match at Hagley Park Oval in Christchurch on Monday

Australia won the first test and needs only a draw to reclaim the top ranking from India among test-match nations.

Brendon McCullum was out for 25 on Monday in his last international innings as New Zealand slipped toward a series defeat on the third day of the second cricket test against Australia.

After making the fastest century in test history, from 54 balls, to lift New Zealand from 32-3 to 370 in its first innings, McCullum was again called on to play a match-saving role in the 176th and last test innings of his international career.

Kane Williamson, left to hold the New Zealand innings together, was 45 not out, while Corey Anderson was 9.

Australia won the first test at Wellington by an innings and 52 runs and needs only a draw at Hagley Oval to win the two-match series and to reclaim the top ranking from India among test-match nations.

McCullum is retiring after 101 tests, 260 one-dayers and 71 Twenty20 internationals. His final innings lasted all of 36 minutes and was full of the excitement and drama that has been a feature of his long career.

It also reflected the importance Australia placed on McCullum’s wicket.

McCullum needed a few balls to settle in and appraise the threat posed by Pattinson, who was able to get the ball to swing back late at right-handed batsmen. He hit three fours over or wide of the slip cordon and a six, pulled off the front foot, into the crowd beyond the square mid-wicket boundary.

But McCullum was out on next ball, caught by David Warner at short mid-wicket from the bowling of Josh Hazlewood.

New Zealand had previously lost Martin Guptill for 0, Tom Latham for 39 and Henry Nicholls for 2 as Australia’s bowlers dominated the hosts and edged closer to victory.

Earlier, New Zealand paceman Neil Wagner returned career-best figures of 6-106 to try to prevent the visitors from running up a huge first innings lead. He also claimed to vital wicket of Adam Voges for 60, ending his run of three straight centuries in his last three test innings.

Wagner had dismissed Steve Smith for 138 and Joe Burns for 170 late on the second day, which ended with Australia just seven runs behind New Zealand. He used a barrage of short-pitched balls through the first two sessions on Monday to remove Voges, Mitchell Marsh (18), Peter Nevill (13) and Hazlewood (13).

“As a kid growing up you dream of taking a five wicket bag against Australia,” Wagner said. “Probably not the way I took it; you dream of bowling guys out and getting guys out more conventionally. But you do dream of it and it’s a dream that came true for me.”

McCullum also had two catches to assist in Australia’s dismissal and bowled four overs, including two maidens, at a cost of three runs.

Keywords: Australia tour of New Zealand, New Zealand versus Australia Test series, New Zealand versus Australia second Test at Christchurch, Brendon McCullum

All you need to know about upcoming T20 World Cup

The top teams in speed cricket are set to clash in the ovals across India from March 8 to April 3 for the title of world T20 champions. Hosts India will be hitting the field after their lacklustre performance in South Africa and a gruelling outing in Australia. The 2016 ICC World Twenty20 will be the sixth edition of the tournament. Here is a look at the previous editions of the championship:

TWENTY20 WORLD CUP

The 2016 ICC World Twenty20 will be the sixth ICC World Twenty20 tournament and is scheduled to be held in India from March 8 to April 3, 2016. The ICC, after its first meeting in Dubai on January 28, 2015, awarded India the rights to host the World Twenty20 championship in 2016. Sri Lanka are the defending champions.

Who are the previous winners?

ICC introduced the championship in 2007. India became the first champion followed by Pakistan (2009), England (2010), West Indies (2012) and Sri Lanka (2014)

The story so far
2007	On September 24, 2007, India became the first Twenty20 champions by defeating its arch-rivals Pakistan in the finals at Wanderers, Johannesburg by 5 runs. Team India was led by M.S. Dhoni. This championship became memorable when Yuvraj Singh hit six sixes in an over off the bowling of England's Stuart Broad.
2009	On June 21, 2009, Pakistan lifted the T20 title by defeating Sri Lanka at Lords. Shahid Afridi impressed with his leg-spin and then produced an effort (54 not out off 40 balls) of substance in the finals.
2010	On May 16, 2010, England lifted its first ICC trophy by defeating its arch-rivals Australia in the finals at Bridgetown.
2012	On October 7, 2012, West Indies defeated Sri Lanka by 36 runs in the finals at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. It was a major ICC title for West Indies after a long hiatus.
2014	On April 6, 2014, Sri Lanka defeated India in the finals to lift the title in Dhaka. It was indeed a fitting farewell for Sangakkara and Jayawardene as it cantered to a six-wicket win. Source: the hindu

Cricket is now a career option for youngsters: Kapil

1983 World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev,

Kapil asked the government to provide the required sports infrastructure and reduce tax on sports goods and equipments.

Former captain Kapil Dev on Monday doffed his hat at the rise of cricket as a career option for youngsters, saying that parents now encourage their children to take up the game to earn a living.

“Now a cricketer can earn Rs. 10 crore for playing 40 days only (in the IPL). It is just fantastic. Cricket is a career option now,” Kapil said during his address at the 7th Global Sports Summit organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi.

“Times have changed and the thought process has changed. Now parents say to their children ‘if you do not want to study you can at least play cricket and become a Sachin Tendulkar or a Rahul Dravid’,” the 1983 cricket World Cup-winning captain said.

Kapil asked the government to provide the required sports infrastructure, including play fields, and reduce tax on sports goods and equipments.

“The corporate has done their part by way of sponsorship and media have done their part by making sports, especially cricket, big. I think the government will have to do its part by giving sports infrastructure if India wants to produce champions,” he said.

“The government will have to provide the sports infrastructure. Reduce the tax on sports goods and equipments. I heard that shooters have issues on importing their equipment and ammunition. The government will have to make it easy to bring in sports goods and equipments by reducing taxes on these,” he said in the presence of Sports Secretary Rajiv Yadav.

He also said that every school in the country should have enough play fields.

“Schools are the places from where talent will come and if there are not enough play fields, how will the country produce world champions. 40 per cent of the premises of all schools should be play fields,” said Kapil.

Responding to Kapil’s plea, Yadav said that because of the limited budgetary allocation for sports, it’s difficult for his ministry to provide all the facilities and it needs help from the corporate sector to build infrastructure.

“The budget allocation for 2015-16 is just Rs. 835 crore, whereas it should be at the range of Rs. 6000 crore. With limited sports budget we cannot give the entire infrastructure and we need a bit of help from the corporate sector,” Yadav said.

Yadav informed that the Finance Ministry has accepted that sports infrastructure building by corporates will get concessional finance from the government. He said it was a good beginning though short of corporate sector’s demand to give sports the status of an industry.

“We had a meeting with Finance Ministry a few days back and the government has accepted that sports infrastructure building (by the corporate sector) will get concessional finance and this is a good news for the corporates,” he said.

When queried by FICCI sports director Rajpal Singh whether the acceptance by the Finance Ministry would mean that sports will fully be given the status of an industry, Yadav said, “No, it’s not full acceptance. Sports infrastructure building, training academies will be included for concessions but not the competition structure and coaching etc. They are not included for concessions.

“But it is a good beginning. We can start at least with something,” he added.

He said he will take up the issue of provision of state-of-the-art sports facilities at the smart city project of the government.

“You can’t have smart cities without state-of-the-art sports facilities. I will take up the matter with officials of the Urban Development Ministry.

“But you will need at least Rs. 500 crore to build a sports complex in such smart cities while at the district headquarter, the amount could be Rs. 150 crore at least,” said the sports secretary.

Yadav also said that the School Games will be promoted in a big way from the coming 2016-17 financial year.

“We are looking at two tiers of talent grooming. First, from the 2016-17 onwards, we are going to promote School Games in a big way. Another is to revamp competition structure at the university level so as groom the talent identified at the school level.”

Keywords: Kapil Dev, Cricket as career option for younsters, 1983 World Cup winning captain

Source: the hindu

India favourites to win World T20, says Sunil Gavaskar after win in Adelaide

Adelaide, Jan 26: Impressed with India's resounding win in the T20 series-opener against Australia, former captain Sunil Gavaskar feels the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will start as favourites at the upcoming World Twenty20 at home.

Gavaskar backed Arnold's views. "The way the Indian team has played and the way Russell Arnold has said, it looks like they are the favourites. The top of the order, Virat Kohli is in splendid form, Rohit (Sharma) is in great touch as well. "Shikhar (Dhawan) might not have scored enough runs, but I think that's a great sign for the Indian team because when they head back home in familiar conditions, with the ball also helping the spinners, then I think India certainly will be the team to watch out for," Gavaskar told NDTV. "Batting wise they are clicking massively and in bowling they have discovered the right line and length. The Indian team is shaping up well, particularly after the inclusion of Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra and Yuvraj Singh," the cricketer -turned-analyst added. Kohli set up the win with his unbeaten 55-ball 90 that drove India to a challenging 188 for three. Gavaskar was all praise for the star batsman. "He is at the moment from a different planet. He is making it look so simple. The beauty about his batting is the top hand, when needed to play shots on the on-side and the same delivery, same line, same length the bottom hand comes into play and he whips it to mid-wicket, so what does a bowler do. How does any bowler stop a man in such tremendous touch?," he said. The bowlers then made it count with debutant medium-pacer Jasprit Bumrah leading the charge with three wickets. His unconventional slingy action is what Gavaskar opined could be a starting point to trouble the opposition batsmen and advised the senior Indian bowlers to take a cue from the newcomer. "The action is a help. The batsmen will take a little time to get used to the action. But length is good, he is bowling yorkers, he is bowling those fuller length under the bat deliveries, which the other bowlers haven't bowled. "I think that is what that the other experienced bowlers, who have been to Australia keep on making the same mistake over and over again, had done then they would have got results. So my honest advice to these experienced bowlers would be to watch Jasprit Bumrah bowl, see the length he is bowling and that is what you need to do when the batsmen are looking to slog you," he said. Gavaskar praised Ravichandran Ashwin and company for the turnaround. After a lackluster ODI series, the spinners also came into their own with Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya bagging two wickets each. "The difference that you could see is the angles that they were bowling. While they make little bit of adjustment to the length again, where they bowled a much fuller length, which can be driven. That is the little adjustment of foot and a half that you need to make. "Also the line that they bowled, like Ashwin going round the wicket and bowling just a little across toward the off stump and making it difficult for the batsman to connect.They must have thought long and hard about it and you have got to compliment the support staff. The bowling coach, who I am sure would have worked very hard in the last few days to bring Ashwin back to his best," he said. On a day of double delight for Indian cricket, the women's team also gave the fans a perfect Republic Day gift after chasing down a record total to upstage world champions Australia in their T20 opener. "Delightful present that both the teams, women and men's team has given to the fans," said Gavaskar.


 source: one india

Make Kohli captain in all three formats: Prasanna

Pasanna said Dhoni has been found wanting in the ongoing series in Australia with the hosts fancying a 5-0 whitewash.

Indian ODI captain M.S. Dhoni and his vice-captain Virat Kohli discussing a strategy during an ODI match against Australia.

Spin great Erapalli Prasanna feels time has come to make Virat Kohli the India captain in all three formats and M.S. Dhoni, whose leadership skills are on the wane, can continue playing as a wicketkeeper-batsman in the limited-overs format.

Though it has already been announced that Dhoni will lead India in the World T20 in March-April, Prasanna wants the decision to be reassessed. India has lost their last three ODI series under Dhoni.

“I think the time has come to make Kohli captain in all three formats. Dhoni is 33-34 now and there has to be a change in captaincy at some point so why not now? He can keep playing as a player. Ultimately, it is Dhoni who will take the call.

If you ask me, let him keep the wickets and give Kohli the charge right away. It is in the team’s interest,” Prasanna told PTI.

Asked whether Dhoni can go on as a player in the team, Prasanna said: “If you look at the overall scenario, he may be a better batsman than Saha but wicket-keeping wise Saha is equally good. Perhaps Dhoni can carry on and you can still expect a 30-40 run innings from him in the slog overs.”

Prasanna said Dhoni has been found wanting in the ongoing series in Australia with the hosts fancying a 5-0 whitewash of India in the fifth ODI in Sydney on Saturday.

“Some of the selection choices have been baffling to be honest. Dropping your number one bowler (R Ashwin) in the last two games was beyond logic. If he was around in the third ODI (at Melbourne), India could have built more pressure with Jadeja bowling well from the other end. Instead, Dhoni took Jadeja off the attack soon after he removed Steve Smith. It was surely questionable,” said the 75-year-old, who took 189 wickets in 49 Tests for India.

He also did not understand the logic behind dropping Manish Pandey after the first two ODIs and picking Gurkeerat Singh Mann and Rishi Dhawan for the following two matches.

“Manish hardly got time to prove himself and then you picked Gurkeerat and Rishi, both pretty mediocre players. If you look at the bench strength, it is nowhere near international standards. If you drop Ashwin and put players like Rishi, you are not expected to win.

“It seems the only way India can win right now is if they get a slow turner,” added Prasanna.

Gurkeerat scored 5 and 8 and failed to pick up a wicket while Rishi too returned wicketless in his outings.

Source: the hindu

Indian women stun Australia

The series now moves to Melbourne for the second game on Friday followed by game three in Sydney on Sunday.

Getty Images

      ON SONG: Player-of-the-Match Harmanpreet Kaur stood out with a 31-ball 46 against Australia in          the women's T20 International at Adelaide on Tuesday.

The Indian women’s cricket team produced a superb allround performance to chase down a record total and upstage World champion Australia by five wickets in the opening Twenty20 International of a three-match series here on Tuesday.

Electing to bowl, the Indians did well to restrict Australia to 140, before romping home in 18.4 overs.

In the process, the Indian women managed to chase down the biggest victory target against the mighty Aussies, who were the odds-on favourites for the match.

The series now moves to Melbourne for the second game on Friday followed by game three in Sydney on Sunday.

The decision to put the Aussies in was proved right early on for India captain Mithali Raj when the home side was reduced to 17 for two.

However, debutant opener Beth Mooney’s run-a-ball 36 followed by an entertaining knock of unbeaten 41 by Alyssa Healy lower down the order helped Australia post 140 for five.

The Aussies were in a spot of bother before Healy’s 15-ball blitzkrieg, which included five 4s and a couple of sixes.

For India, leg-spinner Poonam Yadav was the top wicket-taker, scalping two for 26 in her four overs.

Veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey and Anuja Patil picked up a wicket each in a consistently tight bowling performance.

In reply, the Indians were not off to the best of starts as skipper and experienced batsman Mithali Raj (4), who opened the innings, was dismissed early.

However, the rest of the top-order batsmen did their job well enough with Player-of-the-Match Harmanpreet Kaur standing out with a 31-ball 46, which was laced with half a dozen fours and a six.

Smriti Mandhana (29) and Veda Krishnamurthy (36) were the other notable contributors in a fine chase.

For Australia, left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen grabbed two wickets for 24 runs in three overs.

After the T20Is, the teams will play a three-match ODI series early next month.

The scores: Australia 140 for five in 20 overs (Beth Mooney 36, Alyssa Healy 41, Poonam Yadav two for 26) lost to India 141 for five in 18.4 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 46, Smriti Mandhana 29, Veda Krishnamurthy 36, Jess Jonassen two for 24).

Source- the hindu

Virat Kohli to James Faulkner: Just go and bowl, I have smashed you enough in my life

Virat Kohli and James Faulkner engaged in a bit of a banter during the third one-dayer at Melbourne.

Australian all-rounder James Faulkner was on Sunday involved in some verbal dual with Indiancricketers, during the third One-Day International (ODI) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Faulkner was first seen chatting with Virat Kohli, who smashed his 24th ODI hundred of the career to help India score 295 for 6 in their allotted 50 overs. Later in the innings, when Indian captain MS Dhoni walked out to bat, Faulkner was seen having a word with him as well. “You’re wasting your energies. No point. I have smashed you enough in my life,” the stump microphone recorded Kohli as saying to Faulkner during the former’s innings. SCORECARD: India vs Australia 2015-16, 3rd ODI at Melbourne

Virat Kohli has had quite a few run-ins with the Australians in the past, most recently during the 2014-15 Test series © Getty Images

Faulkner however, would go on to have the last laugh as he hit the winning runs for Australia, who won the match by three wickets and gained an unassailable 3-0 series lead, with two more games to go. Australia had successfully chased the 300-plus totals in the first two games at Perth and Brisbane as well, with the Indian bowling taking some serious beating in the series so far. India however, have been consistent with the bat so far in the series, with Rohit Sharma (171 not out and 124) and Kohli (117) scoring centuries for the visitors and displaying brilliant form. UPDATES: India vs Australia 2015-16, 3rd ODI at Melbourne

India appeared favourites to pull themselves back in the series after reducing the hosts to 215 for six, before Glenn Maxwell (96 off 83 balls) played one of his finest knocks under pressure to guide his side home and win the ‘Man of the Match’ award.

Source: cricketcountry

Ind vs Aus: We could have pulled one back, especially in Melbourne, says Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri was critical of the inconsistent bowling attack in the last three games against Australia.

India play for pride in the remaining two ODIs against Australia. (Source: AP) 

Shastri though was critical of the inconsistent bowling attack in the last three games. “They will be disappointed, there is no doubt about that because to win a game one or two bowlers can’t do the job. You need to bowl as a unit. The reason why we did well at the World Cup last year was we had all the five bowlers firing. “So when that happens then you have a chance of beating the best side in the world. But there are no excuses for bowling wides, so obviously they will be disappointed and they have to put their best foot forward,” said Shastri. “To apply finishing touch in close games, we need to bowl better and be consistent as a bowling unit. MS Dhoni mentioned in the press conference that there were too many easy boundaries. It’s not that the batsman has to earn it but they are given like freebies. That should be eliminated. Even if you cut that by 60-70 percent, it will become an even tighter game,” he added. If India were outplayed in the first two games, then the visitors did give Australia a hard time in the third match, which they lost by three wickets. Shastri defended his boys’ performance. “There is absolutely no shame in the way they have played despite recent results. Because I know there is only one way to go after this tour of Australia and that’s going up. I know what happened 12 months ago after the Test series and I know where we stand today as far as the Test team is concerned,” said the former India all-rounder. “I see no reason why after this series, I am sure, the bowlers will learn and we can go places. So disappointed yes because lets be fair we could have pulled one back especially in Melbourne. But it didn’t happen and Australia played well,” he added. Shastri stressed on the need to build bench strength and also suggested that BCCI should look into sending an extra squad member on far-away tours. “We need bench strength because this is one of the toughest tours. And I have been to Australia many times. In the last few days we have been through three time zones. And it’s not often you go through that. “You play in Perth, and you get on a flight and reach Brisbane where the time is different. Then to Melbourne where the time is different and all in the matter of six days. Now you consider all that and I think the boys have done extremely well,” he said. “And in the future I would suggest to the BCCI to have some extra players. Instead of just 15 on a tour like this, probably 16 would be advisable. Somewhere close to the subcontinent like in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or the Middle East, 15 is fine. “But here when you travel that far, and suddenly you get injuries, I think it is something I will suggest. We need to have a bench-strength of atleast 7-8 bowlers have to be there all the time and there also there will be specialists for T20s, for ODIs and for Tests,” he added. Shastri also hinted about premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s to the playing XI after missing the action at MCG. “He is a seasoned campaigner and he is one of the best bowlers in the world. He has done fabulously well for us. Conditions demanded that we needed to look at other options and Ashwin’s absolutely fine with that decision. He might play 4th ODI, or in the next game,” said Shastri. “Our strength is spin because if you have experience in this bowling department, it’s in spin. So we went with that experience in the first game and then realised that we need more bases covered. We need that extra option of a bowler. And hence we played Rishi Dhawan and Gurkeerat Mann because it gave you an extra option,” he said, explaining the previous selection decisions. Talking further about an all-rounder’s role, he said, “Ravindra Jadeja has shown that in the Test series. He has matured a lot. He has played crucial innings in the Tests, so there is no reason why he can’t play overseas. But you have to get the opportunity first. Every time he has gone to bat, it’s been the death. “And we have batted so well at the top that the opportunity has not been there for the lower order. But if and when there is a situation, there is the opportunity to chase, it will be the test. And I am sure he will be up for it.” After the ‘play of pride’ for the Men in Blue in the remaining two matches, lies the T20 test in the three-match series to follow, but Shastri isn’t looking that far. “We will still focus on these two games. We want to see if the bowlers learn from what happened in the first three games, and if that happens, it will be the biggest plus irrespective of the result. “It’s a young side and we have had three debutants, and we have been plagued by injuries. It’s an opportunity to learn and in Australia nothing comes easy. It is one of the hardest places to play and you are playing against the world champions. The fact that they are competing, and they have competed right through this one-day series, is itself very good,” said Shastri. Shastri was also quick to respond to a query on the Indian batsmen slowing down near milestones and whether it impacted the team score. “If they were focusing on milestones, Virat Kohli wouldn’t be the fastest to 7000 runs, he could have taken another 100 games. And if that was the case Rohit Sharma would not be having two ODI double-hundreds and a highest score of 264. That’s my answer,” Shastri signed off


Source: Indian express

Captain Kohli’s proud homecoming

From achieving one rare feat to another, Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli seems destined to add new chapters to his glorious ongoing cricketing journey.

After leading the country to its first Test series win over South Africa in over a decade, Kohli is all set to become the third Delhi cricketer to captain the country on his home ground, the Ferozeshah Kotla, during the fourth and final Test of the series between the two teams starting here on Thursday.

When Kohli goes out for the toss at the Kotla, he will become the first Delhi player in 39 years to lead the country in his backyard. Legendary left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi was the last cricketer from the city to have done so, in a Test against England in 1976.

The Tony Greig-led side won that match by an innings and 25 runs, thanks to the efforts of seven for 46 and three for 24 by debutant fast bowler John Lever — who later got embroiled in the Vaseline controversy.

No different

Bedi recalled, “Honestly, I don’t think I was different from the rest. I was just one of them and there was no great excitement of leading India on home ground. Those were different times. There was no hype or glamour. I remember we did not even stay in a five-star hotel. Cricket definitely was much more enjoyable.”

The debonair Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was the other Delhi player to have captained India at the historic ground.

Pataudi, who played domestic cricket for the capital city from 1960 to 1964, led the country in a drawn Test against England in 1964.

Interestingly, Pataudi’s highest Test score (203 not out) had come in that match in 1964. But he did not rate his knock high. He wrote in Tiger’s Tale , “I got 200-odd in the fourth Test at Delhi, which wasn’t a great innings, although the records show it as the highest ever against England by an Indian.

The first 90-odd runs were helpful because they came at a time when India was trying to save the match, whereas the remainder had no bearing on the result, which was another draw.” It must rank as the most self-deprecating appraisal indeed.

Pataudi went on to captain India at the Kotla in two more Tests — against New Zealand (1965) and Australia (1969) — which the host won by an identical margin of seven wickets each. However, by that time Pataudi had switched his allegiance to Hyderabad.

For 27-year-old Kohli, the South Africa series has to be a memorable one.

With India taking a 2-0 lead in the third Test in Nagpur, Kohli had the rare privilege of ending up on the winning side in his first home series as captain.

This was his second consecutive series win since taking over from M.S. Dhoni in the fourth and final Test against Australia in Sydney in January; the earlier deed came in Sri Lanka when India fought back after losing the first Test.

So far, India has ensured victory in four of the nine Tests led by Kohli, drawing three and losing two — a good success rate.

Wearing the India blazer at the Kotla will certainly be a proud moment for captain Kohli. He made his first-class debut at Kotla in 2006-07 against Tamil Nadu.

Incidentally, Kohli’s India teammate M. Vijay’s first-class debut had come in the same match, which Delhi won. They can take a pleasant peep into the past as they prepare for the Test.

Source: The Hindu

Arjun impressed the selectors by scoring a century and picking four wickets in Payyade Trophy

Arjun Tendulkar, son of Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, has been selected for the Mumbai Under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy team following an all-round showing in the Mumbai Cricket Association's Under-16 Payyade Trophy.

After scoring a century and taking four wickets in the trial tournament, Arjun was on Thursday named in the 15-strong  squad.

   IMAGE: Arjun Tendulkar bowls during England's nets session. Photograph: Philip Brown /Reuters

Arjun, who represented Mumbai's Under-14 side in the West Zone leg matches of the BCCI tournament, smashed an impressive century (106 off 156 balls) for his side, Sunil Gavaskar XI.

On Day Two, the promising all-rounder shone with his left-arm medium pace and took four wickets for 73 runs against Rohit Sharma XI.

He then went on to score 40 runs in the second innings.

The Payyade Trophy serves as a selection trial for Under-16 cricketers in Mumbai.

With no less than super dad available to give batting tips, Arjun has received bowling advice from Pakistan great Wasim Akram.

He was also seen in the nets with the England national side.

Source : Rediff

Coincidence: First-ever day-night ODI, Test played on same date - November 27

Adelaide, Nov 27: It's a sheer coincidence that both first-ever day-night One Day International and maiden Test under floodlights happened on November 27. All you need to know about day-night Test; Scorecard of day-night Test Today (November 27 Friday), history was made at the Adelaide Oval as Australia and New Zealand played the first-ever day-night Test. (Indian part of historic Test)

In 138 years of Test cricket there was never a five-day game played in day-night format. But it changed today. Pink balls are being used, going away from the tradition of red ball for Tests. In what has turned out to be a coincidence, the first-ever ODI under lights was also played on the same date - November 27. That historic match took place at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in 1979. 

Australia and West Indies were involved in that contest. Australia have become part of history on both occasions. They have now featured in both maiden day-night ODI and 

Test matches and hosted too. In the first-ever day-night ODI, Australia won by 5 wickets. Australian skipper Greg Chappell hit the first-ever half century in a floodlight ODI game. West Indies was led by Clive Lloyd in that landmark match. 

Today's day-night Test saw, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum winning the toss and opting to bat first.


Source : One India