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India’s batting needs to fire to tame Pakistan
The Indian team warms up before practice at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday. — PTI
I’ve no doubt India will bounce back: Tendulkar
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Armstrong will remain my hero, says Yuvraj
To win with new rules, we need a genuine all-rounder: Dhoni
J&K, HP, Haryana boys in India A squad
All-rounder Rasool says he’ll make J&K proud
Philander, Petersen crush NZ
Captain Clarke fit for 3rd Test
Van Persie shines again as United march on
Prakash Amritraj ousted
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India’s batting needs to fire to tame Pakistan
Kolkata, January 2 Pakistan pacer Junaid Khan had sucked the life out of Indian batting when his fiery spell of four for 43 in Chennai mopped up the top order and eventually set up a six-wicket victory for his team. None of the top five batsmen could even reach a double digit figure and if it would not have been for skipper M.S. Dhoni’s heroic unbeaten 113, things would have been more embarrassing for the hosts who are trailing the three-match series 0-1. Another defeat on Thursday would mean India’s second series loss in less than a fortnight after England recorded their first Test series win (2-1) on Indian soil in 28 years. With odds heavily stacked against them at Eden Gardens, a struggling India will be under tremendous pressure in the second match to keep the three-match series alive. It remains to be seen how captain Dhoni makes the famed top-order click with both Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir struggling to give a good start to the team. In absence of Sachin
Tendulkar, senior pro Sehwag is yet to take up the challenge and lead the batting from the front. Sehwag had a poor 2012, accumulating 217 from 10 matches. Barring a 96 against Sri Lanka last year, he’s yet to fire since his record-breaking 219 in December 2011. The Sehwag conundrum is hurting India’s cause and the Delhi opener will need to come up with a sizzling innings to give India a dazzling start, something that more often than not translates into a big win. Considering that
Sehwag, who did not play the T20Is, specially figured in India’s ODI scheme of things, his return to form will be the need of the hour. “When the senior player like Sehwag comes into the side, when he is specially picked for the series, he needs a go ahead,” Dhoni said indicating that Sehwag will remain at his slot. Virat Kohli too is going through a mini-slump and it has only added to India’s misery. Barring Yuvraj Singh who had set up India’s
series-levelling T20I win in Ahmedabad with his 36-ball 72, India’s batting has been a picture of inconsistency. — PTI Teams (from) India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c & wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra and Mohammad Shami Ahmed Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wk), Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan, Anwar Ali, Haris Sohail, Imran Farhat, Umar Akmal, Wahab Riaz, Zulfiqar Babar Kohli fit, available
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I’ve no doubt India will bounce back: Tendulkar
Mussoorie, January 2
“Even though I am not part of the team now, my heart is always with the team. I will support the team all the way. And I have no doubt that the team is going to bounce back in the series,” Tendulkar said during his first interaction with the media after his retirement from ODIs. “The team needs good wishes and support from all of us. They need good feedback from everybody so that they can play good cricket,” he said, while also offering the countrymen good wishes in the New Year. “Now 2013 has set in and I would like to wish the people of this country happiness and good health,” he added. Tendulkar, who has been holidaying here with his family, thanked fans for the support he got throughout his long career. “It has been a fantastic journey for the past 23 years and I would like to thank everybody for their support. They have supported me in the ups and downs of my career. It means a lot to me. So, it has been a memorable journey,” he said. Asked about his holidaying here, Tendulkar said, “For the past 23 years, the cricket schedule has been very tight and I could get just a few occasions to spend time with the family. Here I was able to have long walk and appreciate how beautiful the country is and how fabulous the place is.” “I have my privacy here and I thanked the media for this. I played badminton, table tennis, tennis ball cricket also and watched cricket on television," he said when asked how he had spent his time during the holiday. — PTI
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Armstrong will remain my hero, says Yuvraj
Kolkata, January 2
“I’ve read everything that has come out on him. I sent him a New Year message saying that he would always be my hero no matter what the world says. “Coming back from cancer and achieving so much makes him great. He is an idol. You see superheroes in fiction, he’s a real life hero,” Yuvraj, who also survived cancer after undergoing three cycles of chemotherapy, said here. Last year, Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour titles and lost most of his sponsors after the US Anti-Doping Agency said he had led a systematic doping programme. Yuvraj said he always looked up to Sachin Tendulkar as an elder brother and his retirement from ODIs has made him very sad. “Personally, it’s a very sad thing for me that he would not be there in the ODI dressing room. I will personally miss him a lot.” “2011 was an unpredictable year...on one hand, there was the joy of winning the World Cup and on the other hand, being diagnosed with cancer. It was difficult to come out... I’m proud that I’ve done it,” said the Man-of-the-Series of World Cup 2011. — PTI
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To win with new rules, we need a genuine all-rounder: Dhoni
Kolkata, January 2
He said the new ODI rules, which stipulate five players to remain inside the circle for full 50 overs, have created problems for a side like India who used to rely on part-timers. “We are used to play with part-timers. Now it’s difficult for part-timers to bowl with five players inside the circle. If there’s dew, then you don’t get turns as well. It becomes more difficult,” Dhoni said at the pre-match press conference ahead of the second ODI against Pakistan. “With the new rules, you’ve to assess whether six batsmen are enough or seven. It’s very difficult to play with the part-timers and expect them to bowl 10 overs,” he said. “What we’re looking at is somebody who can fill in the gap — a genuine all-rounder to bring in the balance in the side. Lower order contribution is also very important especially when you’re chasing.” Dhoni, however, said under the new rules the batsmen would stand a chance to score big runs if they are set. “Once five fielders are inside, there is tendency to look for big shots which will often fetch wickets. So it’s important to treat the deliveries as it comes on their merit without looking for a very big score,” he said. “Earlier it was important to get as many runs possible in the three Power Plays. But with the new rules, you’ve five players inside throughout, which means if you’re set then there are very good chances to get good runs. It’s about being in good form and playing as many overs as possible. “In the last game, we saw if you’ve wickets in hand and if your main batsmen are still there, then you can get a lot of runs. You’ll have to keep wickets in hand and treat every ball as it comes without thinking too much ahead.” Dhoni said the team was going through a transition phase after the World Cup and with exposure, its performance would keep on improving. “We’re going through a transition period whether it’s Test or ODIs. Even in ODIs, most of our main bowlers are injured which means we are lacking a bit of experience. They are fresh bowlers, the more they play, the better they get. I am not really worried too much about it. They just need proper exposure,” he said. He, however, conceded that his side was under pressure in the four-match ODI series against Pakistan having lost the first match in Chennai. “It’s an important game for us. We are a bit under pressure because it’s a must-win situation. It’s a short series, you can’t really let the opponents go too fast,” Dhoni said. Pakistani pacers had ripped apart the Indian top order in the six-wicket loss in the first ODI but Dhoni defended his batsmen, saying that they should not be judged on the basis of a one-off performance. “We have batted well in the shorter versions. It was one off game in the last ODI. It would be wrong to judge our batsmen on that basis. We have seen if the top batsmen have failed others have taken up the responsibility well and the bowlers have defended as well. “Of course batting has been a bit of a problem. It’s the right time for all the batsmen to come back among runs,” he said. — PTI
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J&K, HP, Haryana boys in India A squad
Chandigarh, January 2 This is in recognition of their outstanding performances in the Ranji Trophy this year. Notable among them is Parvez Rasool, the 23-year-old all-rounder from Jammu and Kashmir. Off-spinner Rasool has scored 594 runs and taken 33 wickets this season to bolster his claim for the spot. However, he was back in headlines when he masterminded Jammu and Kashmir’s win over Assam in Ranji Trophy. Rishi Dhawan the promising seamer from Himachal Pradesh with his 36 wickets this season, also made it to the team. Haryana’s Mohit Sharma, with 37 wickets from eight matches, was also rewarded. Paras has scored five centuries in eight Ranji matches was among the top three batsmen in the Ranji season this year before his team bowed out of the format. India A squad: Abhinav Mukund (capt.), Murali Vijay, Robin Bist, Kedar Jadhav, Ashok Menaria, Rohit Motwani (wk), Jalaj Saxena, Akshay Darekar, Ishwar Pandey, S. Sreesanth, Rishi Dhawan, Paras Dogra, Mohit Sharma and Parvez Rasool — TNS
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All-rounder Rasool says he’ll make J&K proud
Srinagar, January 2
“It is really humbling and at the same time satisfying as a cricketer. I will work hard and make sure that I make Kashmir proud,” said Rasool. Hopeful of a place in this year’s IPL, he said his selection will be a motivation for young cricketers of the Valley. Rasool is the third cricketer from the state to have achieved the feat. Abdul Qayoom Bagav, a fast bowler from Bijbehara town in south Kashmir, and Surinder Singh Bagal from Jammu division are the other two. “It is a moment of pride for the Kashmir valley, particularly Bijbehara town. Parvez is a hardworking boy and whatever he has achieved is through his sheer hard work and talent,” said Bagav, who now coaches the state Ranji Trophy team. Rasool first came into the limelight in 2009 after he was detained by the police at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore for allegedly carrying explosives in his bag, days before a Champions league match was to be played there. He, however, was given a clean chit a day after his detention and there has been no looking back for him since then. “Whatever happened that day was unfortunate but the incident has made me mentally tougher as a cricketer, if not anything else,” said Rasool. He said all he wanted right now was to focus on cricket and give his best shot. “I want to make Kashmir proud and leave every negative thoughts behind, I’m focusing all my energies on cricket,” he said.
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Cape Town, January 2
Fast bowler Vernon Philander took five wickets as the Proteas dismissed the Black Caps in just 19.2 overs, the eighth-shortest completed innings in test cricket, but they lost captain Graeme Smith in the last over before lunch. Resuming on three for one, Petersen and Amla set about steadying the innings. Amla continued his dazzling strokeplay, racing to his half-century from just 55 deliveries.The stand ended 15 minutes before tea as Amla was trapped lbw for 66. That brought Jacques Kallis to the wicket and the veteran all-rounder received a rousing reception from the home crowd needing just 20 runs to reach 13,000 runs in Test cricket. — Reuters Score board Guptill c de Villiers b Philander 1 McCullum b Philander 7 Williamson lbw b Philander 13 Brownlie c Smith b Philander 0 Flynn c & b Steyn 8 Watling c de Villiers b Philander 0 Franklin c Smith b Morkel 1 Bracewell b Steyn 2 Patel c Amla b Morkel 5 Boult c de Villiers b Morkel 1 Martin not out 0 Extras: (lb 6, nb 1) 7 Total: (all out; 19.2 overs) 45 Bowling: Steyn 7.2-2-18-2, Philander 6-3-7-5, Morkel 6-2-14-3 South Africa 1st innings
Smith lbw b Bracewell 1 Petersen batting 102 Amla lbw b Franklin 66 Kallis c Watling b Boult 60 de Villiers batting 19 Extras: (b 1, nb 1) 2 Total (3 wkts; 61 overs) 251 Bowling: Boult 13-0-53-1, Bracewell 17-2-77-1, Martin 11-2-37-0, Franklin 9-1-23-1, Patel 13-1-59-0 |
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Captain Clarke fit for 3rd Test
Sydney, January 2 Clarke has been struggling with a hamstring injury but took a full part in training today before springing a surprise with the team selection for the match, in which the hosts can wrap up a 3-0 series sweep. With the nation debating which of the fast bowlers would be dropped, the selectors decided to include Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle and Jackson Bird in a four-pronged attack. “I’m fit and playing and we’re going with four fast bowlers,” Clarke told a news conference. “There’s a fair bit of grass on the wicket... Bringing Mitchell Starc back in obviously helps our attack with the form he’s in, and Mitchell Johnson’s batting, he’s batting as well as an all rounder now.” — Reuters Team: Michael Clarke (captain), David Warner, Ed Cowan, Phil Hughes, Mike Hussey, Matthew Wade, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird, Nathan Lyon.
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Van Persie shines again as United march on
London, January 2 Mancini’s Manchester City did their job by winning 3-0 at home to Stoke City but the Premier League champions remain seven points behind rivals United following Van Persie’s masterclass, with Tottenham Hotspur up to third after a 3-1 victory over Reading. Dutchman Van Persie was pinpointed by Mancini in the pre-match buildup as the reason why United may snatch back their title and the former Arsenal hotshot continued 2013 where he left off in 2012, curling in a beauty just before the break. A late tap-in took Van Persie’s total to 16 league goals this season as the leaders powered on to 52 points from 21 games, their best tally at this stage in six years. Arch poacher Javier Hernandez, who had one effort ruled out for offside, gave United the lead at lowly north west rivals Wigan when he slotted the ball in after Patrice Evra’s effort was saved in the 35th minute. The Mexican then grabbed his second after 63 minutes to underline his abilities as an able deputy to the injured Wayne Rooney. “Wigan are a difficult team to play against, particularly at their own ground, so 4-0 is a good result for us,” United manager Alex Ferguson said. “The game started slowly but once we got the first goal we were away and we were happy to go in at halftime 2-0 up,” added Ferguson. “Javier Hernandez is a goal-scorer, a real penalty box player. Van Persie’s ability is exceptional and his first goal was magnificent - we expected him to be a major player and add something to us and that is exactly what he has done.” The New Year brought a rare goal for City defender Pablo Zabaleta before in-form Edin Dzeko doubled the lead after the break to show Mancini that his strikers are still top class despite the failure to sign Van Persie from Arsenal in August. Sergio Aguero, who later limped off, squeezed in a penalty to make it 3-0 after Steven N’zonzi had clipped the heels of David Silva - possibly outside the area.— Reuters
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Chennai, January 2 Playing his fifth match today as he played three in the qualifiers, Amritraj lost the gruelling battle after two hours and 29 minutes. Amritraj made a good comeback in the opening set after dropping his serve in the very first game as he took a 5-3 lead after two breaks. Eventually, the set was stretched to the tie-breaker and Soeda, a semi finalist here last year, won it comfortably, conceding just two points to him. Prakash cameback strong in the second set, raising his game by several notches. — PTI
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Wrecked by Pakistani seamers in their opening ODI match, India’s under-fire cricketers will have to pull themselves up against the archrivals when they clash in a must-win second
one-dayer here on Thursday with the form of their top-order batsmen a concern.
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