Nagpur, December 12
A day before the start of the fourth Test, the pale, parched pitch face, kept free of water over the last two days, revealed no mysteries — except that the spinners could prosper more than the pacers.

Four weeks ago, that would have seemed like a dire situation for England, for didn’t they come to India with a rather embarrassing recent record against spinners? Did not, in the last week of January this year, they fail to chase a victory target of 145, slumping to 72 all out against the Pakistani spinners in the Abu Dhabi Test? Wasn’t batting against spinners the demon that haunted their nights?

India skipper MS Dhoni and England captain Alastair Cook have everything to play for in the final Test. — PTI photos

And, finally, hadn’t their best batsman against spin bowling, Kevin Pietersen, driven a nail into the heart of his team by texting against his captain to South African players? All that now seems like the thing of distant past, a bad dream. Now it’s the Indian team -- which has handed the English spinners 27 wickets, while throwing away two in run-outs in the last two defeats — that should quail at the sight of a turner.

Flat track or a rank turner, spin or pace, it appears inconceivable that India could engineer a turnaround that could win them the Nagpur Test. There has been a sort of transplant of the two teams’ strengths and weaknesses; India’s strength, spin bowling, is England’s strength now. India’s strength of batting has been numbed by indecisive footwork, faulty shot selection, and a temperament fit for Twenty20 cricket. They have been, thus, easy meat for the accurate English bowlers, especially Monty Panesar and James Anderson.

A defeat here would complete their humiliation, making it India’s worst performance against a visiting team since the 3-0 whopping Kapil Dev’s team received from the West Indians in 1983. India are caught between the devil and the deep sea; they can’t play pace, they have been unable to play spin.

And despite the flaming they suffered at the hands of Panesar and Graeme Swann in Mumbai, and to a lesser extent in Kolkata, India seem set to opt for another spin-friendly track here.

The Indian squad has three pace bowers: Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda and Parvinder Awana. The first has been ineffective in the only match he’s played in; the other two are yet to play a Test. The three of them put together are not going to outbowl Anderson. Steven Finn, the second paceman who picked up four wickets in Kolkata, could miss the last Test due to a back strain.

Awana and Dinda didn’t not get to bowl much against the top batsmen in the nets today; new man Ravindra Jadeja also didn’t get much batting practice in the nets, while Ajinkya Rahane did. He went into the nets while Virat Kohli batted at the same time on another pitch, after Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Cheteshwar Pujara and Sachin Tendulkar.

It’s dangerous to make predictions on the basis of this sort of evidence; but taken in conjunction with what the pitch looks like, it's likely that India would fill Zaheer Khan’s slot with Chawla, and bring in Rahane for Yuvraj Singh. Dhoni was taciturn when quizzed on the nature of the pitch or the combination he might opt for. “The wicket looks good and it’s quite hard. We’ll have to wait to figure out what sort of team combination we should go in with,” Dhoni said.

England are more sure about their combination, though they’ve been hit by injury trouble. Stuart Broad has been ruled out with a bruised heel, while Finn missed practice today with a back strain. In case Finn isn’t fit, Graham Onions or Tim Bresnan would get in. Captain Alastair Cook has said that he’d go for a win here, and it’s a track which is likely to — on visual evidence, at least — produce a result. India must go all out for a win, even if entails danger of sinking to a 1-3 defeat. 

Squads: 4th test

Nagpur, December 12
In the great game of intrigue that runs through the affairs of Indian cricket, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is playing the role of a disinterested ascetic, a man whose whole being is fiercely focussed on his karma, his actions as the captain of the Indian team.

Dhoni is in the eye of the storm raised by former selector Mohinder Amarnath, who has spoken with greater frankness and — one hopes — honesty than selectors of the BCCI are wont to.

In doing so, Amarnath, who called the selectors a “bunch of jokers” after they dropped him for the last time in 1989, has embarked upon a course that could ensure a violent head-on collision with the most powerful man in Indian and perhaps world cricket —N Srinivasan.

New Delhi, December 12
The BCCI today refuted former selector Mohinder Amarnath's accusation that Board President N Srinivasan had blocked a move to sack under-fire skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, insisting that the selectors are "independent".

Amarnath had created a flutter by openly admitting that "certain internal reason" stopped the selection committee from replacing Mahendra Singh Dhoni as Indian captain after eight successive Test defeats in England and Australia.

But BCCI vice-President and Indian Premier League Chairman Rajeev Shukla rebutted the allegations.

"I will not go into what he has said. I don't think this has ever happened. I don't think it is appropriate to give statements like this," Shukla told reporters here. "Whatever one has to say, one can say while participating in the (selection) meeting. Making comments about it, I think it is not appropriate as it creates some kind of perception in the minds of players and fans," he said. "Selectors are independent. They are not under any pressure," he asserted.

Amarnath, while making the allegation, did not divulge the exact reasons for not sacking Dhoni despite India's Test humiliation which has continued at home as well in the ongoing series against England. In a roundabout manner, Amarnath had also admitted that there were external pressures on the selection committee when the topic of Dhoni's removal was broached. "In Indian politics and cricket, it's always the same. There are people who are controlling the game and other people are scared to take a stand," he had stated.

"I believe that Dhoni should be removed as captain from the Tests. He hasn't set the Test stage on fire. A captain's place in the team should be secure and I don't see his place secured in the side.” — PTI 

New Delhi, December 12
Former selector Mohinder Amarnath has openly stated that Mahendra Singh Dhoni needs to be removed from Test captaincy but his former teammate Sunil Gavaskar feels that "time is not opportune as there is no alternative". "There is no alternative to Dhoni. He and Virat Kohli have been tireless on the field. Virat has been exception and Dhoni has also been tireless. He hasn't missed too many opportunities of catching and stumping," Gavaskar said.

Asked about how would one come to know if there is a suitable alternative unless someone is thrown at the deep end of the pool, Gavaskar replied, "Time is not opportune. May be there can be a rethink after Nagpur Test as the series will get over." Gavaskar termed Amarnath's decision to speak out on the selection controversy as "incredibly courageous." "What Jimmy has done is incredibly courageous and there are lessons to be learnt. He had the courage and conviction and was prepared to face the consequences."

About Amarnath's allegations on N Srinivasan blocking Dhoni's removal from captaincy, Gavaskar said,"It has always been the protocol to take final approval from the board. It is nothing out of the ordinary. The practice is also followed by the cricket boards in England and Australia." Gavaskar even gave a reference to the board's constitution drawing a parallel with the Indian constitution.

"Don't we see that the country's President sends a particular recommendation back to Parliament for further discussion. Similarly, the board has a lot of layers. There is a technical committee and it's recommendations are forwarded to the Working Committee and from there it goes to the main board meeting."

Asked about whether Dhoni being the captain of CSK— the franchise that is owned by the board president has been a factor, Gavaskar answered, "It's tough call. We should believe that the BCCI president would certainly have the interest of country's cricket at heart." — PTI

Nagpur, December 12
England captain Alastair Cook today said he has been left pleasantly surprised by the way his team bounced back from the opening loss to win back-to-back Tests against India but insisted that the job is still not over.

Cook hoped that his side will continue the good run in the fourth and final game commencing at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha here tomorrow.

"I am pleasantly surprised by the character shown by the team (after Ahmedabad) in the last two games. I am pleased. We have played good, tough cricket. But we have to continue that," said Cook at the pre-match media conference. England bounced back after the nine-wicket loss in Ahmedabad to win back-to-back Tests in Mumbai and Kolkata, by 10 and seven wickets respectively.

They are heading into the last match 2-1 ahead and with the prospect of returning him with their first series win in India in 28 years. "The last game was a real team effort from everyone. At the beginning of the series we were desperate to win it and we are having an opportunity here to do it," remarked Cook, who has literally led from the front – by scoring 548 runs with three back to back hundreds – in six innings so far.

But Cook, who made his debut in this Orange City eight years ago but at the old VCA Stadium where he hit a half century and an unbeaten ton, insisted that it was important to focus on the job at hand and not at what can happen later. "Everyone knows how important this game is. As a player you have to focus on the job at hand and keep emotions out," he said. Cook insisted that the cornered Indian outfit will come out hard in the series finale. "They will be desperate not to let the home record broken," he said referring to the fact that India have not lost a home Test rubber in 8 years. — PTI

New Delhi, December 12
Parvinder Awana has always striven hard to get his dues, and the call up to the Indian Test team came after he claimed 140 wickets in first class cricket, including 24 in the current Ranji season.

Whether he will be in the playing eleven or not against England in the fourth Test, starting in Nagpur tomorrow, Awana is elated that he has finally made it into the Test team. “Feels very good. It has been my dream, like every cricketer’s, to play for the country”, Awana told The Tribune in a telephonic interview from Nagpur.

He said his USP has been his aggression, and his ability to bowl long spells at top speed, without flagging. “I bowl aggressively, and that’s my strength”, he stated simply. His aim is to match his idol Brett Lee, the Australian speedster, and bowl like him with the same kind of intensity and speed, to rattle the opponents. Awana is a strike bowler who can purchase wicket in any kind of Indian strip. “Speed is my forte. I try to put in my best, without bothering much about the kind of wicket on offer. The purpose is to make the most of the available condition”, he stated.

He said he had averaged four wickets per innings in the Ranji Trophy this season, and he can bowl 15-20 overs continuously, generating a speed of 130-140kms. “And he can bowl one or two balls in an over which are virtually unplayable”, noted cricket coach Maninder Singh, who had first spotted Awana’s potential and groomed him at the National Stadium Coaching Centre of the SAI in Delhi.

Awana said he owed a huge gratitude to Adam Gilchrist for giving him a break in the IPL-V, which opened him the doors of opportunity, which he thought would never come his way. For, what he could not achieve by scalping 57 first class wickets, he attained by picking 17 for KXIP. The IPL haul had put him at the seventh place among the top wicket-takers last year, paving the way for his selection to the India A team.

New Delhi, December 12
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is unhappy with Gautam Gambhir's "attitude and on-field ethics" and has lodged a complaint to the BCCI against the left-hander, a media report claimed.

Dhoni feels that Gambhir puts his interest above the team and has become too self-centred. The Indian captain has gone to the extent of lodging a complaint to the BCCI tagging the opener's approach as "selfish" and "hurtful to the team", 'cricketnext' website reported, quoting an Indian player who pleaded anonymity.

"Of late Gambhir has gone into a shell and focusing on just to save his place in the team. His prolonged poor form has resulted in low self-esteem and he's cut off from other issues pertaining to the team," the player was quoted as saying.

"But what irked Dhoni was Gambhir playing for himself and not for the team. It was evident in the way Gambhir batted in the second innings of the Mumbai Test that he was more interested in carrying his bat by remaining not out, rather than shielding the tailenders and scoring quick runs. "...Every run was crucial but Gambhir chose to be a mute spectator. The whole world saw that and everyone was taken aback. The effort to contribute to the team wasn't there. Look how well R Ashwin batted in the Kolkata Test and he isn't a specialist batsman.” — PTI 

The 6-foot, 7-inch tall fast bowler had gone for a scan and it showed he has a disc strain in lower back, according to official team sources. A final decision on the availability of pacer Steven Finn, who did not train with the team on Wednesday, will be taken on Thursday morning, the sources added ahead of the match. — Agencies

When your most experienced batsman hasn't scored a Test century in almost two years, questions are bound to rise. "It finally boils down to your own assessment as Ponting did. The question is who will bell the cat? Who will pop the question?
— Wasim Akram

Bathinda, December 12
Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Till your good is better and your better is the best. This, in essence, summed up the high quality show put up by the Pakistanis as they kept on bettering their performance with every passing minute to knock the day lights out of the hapless Canadians 53-27 in the first men’s semi final of the world kabaddi cup. The match, which never rose to the level of an intense contest, was played at the Multipurpose sports stadium which blushed with the radiance of hundreds of light bulbs.Dark clouds hung like a thick canopy over the venue in the evening giving the jitters to the organisers who kept their fingers crossed lest Mother Nature burst out in all its fury to play spoilsport. By the time the proceedings were done with, all the fervent prayers of the organisers had been answered.

Taking a cue from sporting folklore, it is neither the good player nor the better one that seizes the moment. In sport it is only the great player that captures the moment and leaves an indelible stamp for himself in his adopted sport. TV-the accumulated memory of our times which can be viewed by progeny- will also play and replay his pyrotechnics time and again. And today greatness was bestowed on Pakistani raider Lala Obaidullah as he repeatedly drove a wedge in the rival defense. This championship is serving yet another purpose for several players. It is providing the players an arena in which truly world class sportspersons can assert themselves in the ring, marked with white lines which fade into oblivion for a top class raider like Obaidullah when he is on the prowl. In part, a predominantly rural sport like kabaddi is a battle against anonymity. The role of such a game can never be understood except with what is in the mind of a player. Otherwise, as the more snobbish of the pseudo intellectuals living in metropolitan cities often point out, the sport is merely an unholy mixture of entertainment and the ego. Like a raider’s ego which is surely to be bruised when he is trapped by a stopper.

The security apparatus, put in place by SSP Ravcharan Brar, was so tight that had a fly inadvertently made its way to the venue it would have been squashed left, right and centre by the vigilant cops. Many kept away from the proceedings fearing the unyielding security personal who shook every bag, opened every lap top that entered the venue and frisked every man, woman and child. Earlier, Malaysian women entered the final beating their Danish counterparts 41-25. 

Hobart, December 12
Allrounder Shane Watson has welcomed his shift to No. 4 spot in Australia's Test batting order, saying it will allow him to make greater contributions with bat and ball.

Watson will drop from No.3 to No.4 for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Hobart's Bellerive Oval starting on Friday in a reshuffle prompted by the retirement of Ricky Ponting and the recall of opener Phil Hughes. Hughes will bat at No. 3.

Watson said on Wednesday that a move down the order is a chance to score more freely.

"Batting slightly lower, the ball is slightly older - the wicket's had a little bit more sun on it," he said.

"I might have a little bit more freedom to be able to score, to be able to hit through the lines."

Watson said the move was also a positive for his bowling, saying his previous duties at No. 3 would have been in captain Michael Clarke's mind when he was asked to bowl just nine of the 111.5 overs against South Africa in Australia's heavy third Test loss at Perth this month.

"Batting at four gives Michael (Clarke) a few more options to be able to bowl (me) toward the latter stages of an opposition's batting innings and not have to worry about me being as fresh as I can going into our batting innings, (as) if I'm opening or batting three," Watson explained.

"It (the move to No.4) just means that he's able to have the freedom to be able to use me when he wants a lot more." — Agencies

New Delhi, December 12
The re-election and constitutional amendments that would get the provisional suspension on the Indian Boxing Federation lifted have been left in a limbo as the world body is refusing to correspond with the new set of office-bearers, insisting on dealing with the old guard.

Suspended for "possible manipulation" of the elections that were held in September, the AIBA has asked IABF to hold a re-election and amend its constitution to make it compliant with the AIBA Statute.

Given that it has suspended the new IABF, which was elected in September, the AIBA has shunned the office-bearers and has not responded to their mails, seeking clarifications on the constitutional amendments and the proposed re-elections.

Sources say that the AIBA has been insisting on dealing with old IABF, which had Abhay Chautala as President and Brig. P K Muralidharan Raja as Secretary General as it has suspended the new federation. The AIBA is only responding to the mails sent by Brig. Raja. — PTI

Wellington, December 12
Chris Moller, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chairman, issued a public apology to Ross Taylor, the former New Zealand captain, acknowledging that the issue of Taylor’s axing as the captain could have been handled better. A weakened New Zealand is preparing to depart for SA without Taylor, who opted to sit out after being replaced by Brendon McCullum.— Agencies