New Delhi, November 10
Upcoming batsman KL Rahul and leg-spinner Karn Sharma were today named in India's 19-member Test squad for the tour of Australia, starting next month.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will skip the opening Test in Brisbane (December 4 to 8) owing to an injury which he apparently picked up during the truncated West Indies series and had consequently opted out of the subsequent series against Sri Lanka.

“Virat Kohli will lead India in the first Test, starting on December 4 in Brisbane. MS Dhoni has been rested for the first Test as a prophylactic measure to ensure optimum recovery. He will join the team from the second Test onwards, and will lead the team for the rest of the Test series,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement.

Following his recent fine run in the ODIs, Suresh Raina has been given been another chance to resurrect his shaky Test career. Wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha has also found a place in the squad. Ojha, though, will be a part of the side only till Dhoni recovers and returns to lead the side.

With the selectors opting to stick with youngsters, senior players like Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha continue to be on the sidelines.

There were no major surprises in the squad as Rahul's name had been doing the rounds following his consistent performance in domestic cricket. The 22-year-old from Karnataka had piled up 1035 in the last Ranji season, finishing as the second highest run-scorer after Kedar Jadhav. With knocks of 185 and 130 in the recent Duleep Trophy final, the batsman had caught the eye of selection panel headed by Sandeep Patil. He has come in at the expense of Gautam Gambhir, who was the third opener after M Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan in England. The left-hander, however, struggled against James Anderson and Co., and was promptly dropped.

The 27-year-old Karn, a leg-spinner, has already played a Twenty20 International for India, and has been performing well in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He grabbed 11 wickets in 13 matches at an economy rate of 6.60 in the season gone by.

The team has five specialist pacemen — Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Varun Aaron. But worryingly, three of them — Ishant, Varun and Shami — are recovering from injuries. Ishwar Pandey and Pankaj Singh, who were part of the Test squad in England, have been overlooked for the tour. There are three specialist spinners in the squad in R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Karn Sharma.

The batting line-up has a more assured look with Shikhar Dhawan and 
M Vijay picked for opening. Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina along with captain Dhoni make for a strong middle-order.

The Indians are scheduled to play four Test matches during the tour. Apart from Brisbane, Adelaide (December 12 to 16), Melbourne (December 26 to 30) and Sydney (January 3 to 7) will host the other three matches.

The Test matches will be followed by an ODI tri-series with England being the third team. — PTI

Test squad

MS Dhoni (C), Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha, Naman Ojha, R Ashwin, Karn Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron.

New Delhi, November 10
For some time now, the selection of KL Rahul to the Indian side had seemed just a matter of time. If the selectors needed any further assurance about his talent and potential, the Karnataka opener provided it in the Duleep Trophy final where he struck two centuries.

The finesse with which he struck that chanceless 185 and 129 in the Duleep final, the talk of the possibility of boarding the flight to Australia got pretty loud.

The 22-year-old was the second highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy last season with 1033 runs. His prolific run was one of the major reasons behind Karnataka lifting the Ranji Trophy after a gap of 15 years. His scores of 158 against Vidarbha, 133 against Mumbai, 92 against Uttar Pradesh and 131 against Maharashtra in the final stood as testimony to his maturity and insatiable hunger for runs. Besides, he had a pretty successful tour to Australia with India A earlier this year.

That he has the right temperament was proved when he scored an unbeaten 93 under trying conditions to help India Under-23 beat Pakistan Under-23 in the final of the 2013 Asian Council Emerging Teams Cup in Singapore. It seems the selectors’ quest for the third opener has ended with Rahul. “For me, it’s important to score runs. I am batting really well and I would like to keep the momentum going,” said Rahul.

For a rookie batsman, there can't be a tougher challenge than facing Australian quicks in their backyard. But, on the positive side, if he does well, the tour could establish him for a long time in the side.

New Delhi, November 10
N Srinivasan's fate as cricket administrator continues to hang in balance with the Supreme Court today raising a question whether he can be allowed to head the BCCI if his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan is found to be involved in IPL-6 betting and spot-fixing scandal.

A bench headed by Justice T S Thakur, which said that it would open Justice Mukul Mudgal committee report on the scam on November 14, said there will be "no difficulty" if there is nothing against Srinivasan and his relative in the report but what would happen if there are findings against his relative?

Responding to the query, Srinivasan's counsel and senior advocate Kapil Sibal submitted that he should be allowed to return back as head of the BCCI if there is nothing against him and action can be taken against his relative if there is an adverse finding in the report. Sibal said, "I (Srinivasan) will take the report as it is and will not question its findings."

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the Cricket Association of Bihar on whose plea the apex court had ordered probe against Srinivasan and 12 other capped cricketers in the scandal, submitted that the BCCI chief had tried to cover up the role of his son-in-law and he should not be allowed to contest the BCCI elections. Salve said the committee report should be made public but it was opposed by Sibal saying that in the interest of the game the entire report be not made public.

Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, appearing for the Mudgal committee, submitted that the 35-page report does not name any player and they are referred as numbers whose key is there in a separate report.

The bench adjourned the case for November 14 when it will go through the report.

The bench also turned down the plea of BCCI, seeking direction to stay the proceedings at Bombay High Court which is to decide validity of amendments in the rules allowing Srinivasan to contest the election for the post of the BCCI president. — PTI

New delhi, November 10
In-form batsman Shikhar Dhawan and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja have been rested, while Wriddhiman has been dropped from the squad for the last two ODIs aginst Sri Lanka in the ongoing series. Rohit Sharma made a comeback in place of Dhawan, while Robin Uthappa also returned to the side at the expense of Saha.

Abu dhabi, November 10
Ahmed Shehzad hit a career-best 176 while Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq struck unbeaten centuries before Pakistan declared their first innings on 566 for three wickets in the first Test against New Zealand on Monday.

In a lop-sided contest between bat and ball at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Azhar Ali's 87 was the lowest score by a top-five Pakistani batsman while the bottom half of their batting order did not get a chance to bat.

Shehzad, who had added 178 runs with Mohammad Hafeez to give Pakistan a flying start on Sunday, raised 169 for the second wicket with Azhar to put his team on top.

Younis (100 not out) hit his fourth century in five innings while Misbah (102 not out) struck his third successive Test hundred in a 193-run unbroken partnership. Openers Brendon McCullum (nine) and Tom Latham (five) survived seven overs to guide New Zealand to 15 at stumps on Day Two, with the team still needing 352 more runs just to avoid the follow-on.

Brief scores: Pakistan 566/3 dec (Shehzad 176, Hafeez 96, Azhar 87, Younis 100*, Misbah 102*); New Zealand 15 for 0 trail — Reuters

Sydney, November 10
Legendary cricket commentator Richie Benaud revealed today that he is battling skin cancer and is undergoing radiation therapy. The 84-year-old former Australian cricket captain made his illness public at the Nine Network's launch for its Australian summer cricket coverage.

Benaud, an admired figure in Australian cricket, urged people to take precautions to protect themselves from the sun. "I recommend to everyone they wear protection on their heads," he said. "Eighty-four-year-olds don't seem to mend as well as they used to. “When I was a kid, we never ever wore a cap. I wish I had. You live and learn as you go along,” he added. Benaud attended the Nine Network launch at the Sydney Cricket Ground with the broadcast team, including former cricketers Bill Lawry, Ian Chappell, Mark Nicholas, Brett Lee and Shane Warne. Benaud, who has worked in the commentary box since retiring from Test cricket in 1964, suffered chest and shoulder injuries during a car crash in Sydney late last year. It prevented him calling a single ball during the Ashes series against England last southern summer, and he has only just returned to work with the television network. Famed for his bowl haircut, beige jackets and engaging commentary, Benaud made his broadcasting debut on BBC Radio in 1960, moved across to BBC Television three years later, and became a full-time cricket journalist and commentator when his playing career ended. He hung up the microphone for British television following the 2005 Ashes series, and has been working for Nine since 1977. — Agencies

London, November 10
Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka returned to form with a 58-minute 6-1 6-1 thrashing of Tomas Berdych at the ATP World Tour Finals on Monday.

The world number four has been stuck in a rut since losing in the US Open quarter-finals, winning only one tour match since, but the Swiss looked back to his best as he opened proceedings in Group A at the O2 Arena.

“I didn’t expect to win that easy, for sure,” Wawrinka, who made the semifinals here last year on his tournament debut, said. “But I was ready to play well. I had a great week of preparation. Today, the start of the match was really important. That changed it completely.”

He came within a point of winning the opening set 6-0 but was thwarted by a Berdych ace. His opponent could not turn the tide, however, and Wawrinka wrapped up victory before the hour mark.

New Delhi, November 10
India’s champion woman golfer, Sharmila Nicollet, has set her sights on qualifying for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Golf makes a return to the Games after a gap of 112 years and Sharmila is keen to represent the country at the biggest sporting spectacle on earth.

“The Olympic Games is my main target right now, but for that, I have to go through the qualification process. I had represented India at the Doha Asian Games in 2006, so I know how it feels to play for the country. I am definitely aiming for a medal at the Games,” Sharmila told The Tribune.

Sharmila will have to improve her rankings if she has to make the cut for Rio as the 23-year-old professional golfer from Bangalore has played in just six tournaments so far in 2014. She is currently placed 8th in the Indian Order of Merit, but is ranked 855 in the IGF table.

“I need to work on my world rankings and that’s what the Olympic qualification is based on. My immediate aim is to improve my rankings in the coming year. I need to play in a lot more international tournaments. The idea would be to play in smaller events, so that I can have better results. At the same time, I have to look for bigger events in the Ladies European Tour. That’s the plan leading up to the Rio Games,” she said.

Sharmila would next be seen in action at the Indian Open to be played at the Delhi Golf Club from Dec 4-6.

New Delhi, November 10
The yet to take-off Champions Tennis League (CTL) suffered a major setback today when World No.10 David Ferrer pulled out of the event owing to “health issues”.

Had he played for the Punjab Marshalls franchise, Ferrer would have been the highest-ranked men’s player in the League beginning November 17.

Speaking on his pull out, the Spaniard said: “I am sorry to tell my fans in India and in Punjab that I will not be able to play the Champions Tennis League in India.

“Over the last six weeks, my tournament schedule has been hectic and because of the many games I’ve played, a serious inflammation in the lower back has appeared. This prevents me from being able to compete at 100 percent. This injury will not allow me to perform to the best of my ability as I feel pain in my back and I need 10 to 15 days to recover,” he said.

CTL founder and former player Vijay Amritraj expressed sadness at Ferrer’s withdrawal.

“This is a sad day for the Champions Tennis League. David Ferrer is a great player and to not have him come and play for his team, the Punjab Marshalls, is a big blow to both the Marshalls as well as to us at CTL,” said Amritraj.

“His injury is hopefully a minor one, but we wish him a speedy recovery. Obviously the challenge is to now find someone who will be a suitable replacement for David, who will bring charisma and personality along with world class tennis skills to the Punjab Marshalls.” — PTI

Ludhiana, November 10
United Singhs overwhelmed Yo Yo Tigers 63-49 in their World Kabaddi League match here today. With this win, United Singhs moved into second position with 22 points from 18 games, while the losers with just nine points after 17 matches are placed at the bottom.

For United Singhs, Shafiq Butt started the match with a successful raid. And from there on, led by Shafiq and Navpreet Kumar, United were on the offensive.

In the first quarter, United built on the fine start provided by Shafiq and Navpreet who earned four and three points respectively. Yo Yo Tigers’ raiders, Gursewak Singh and Manjobanjit made an impact with three successful raids each. But the United Singhs defence was far better as they raced to a 19-12 lead.

They consolidated the lead in the second quarter with stoppers, Sandeep Singh Sandhu and Baljit Singh Jeeti fetching three and two points respectively. Yo Yo Tigers toiled hard to reduce the margin but were unable to keep up. In the fourth quarter, Sandhu was again in the thick of all the action. He excelled with useful stops and was backed by good raids that gave the Tigers no chance to catch up.

The second match, between California Eagles and Lahore Lions, was abandoned due to an incident of indiscipline. The technical committee has decided to ban the Lions coach Imran Ali Butt for one match, while the Eagles coach Harpreet Singh Baba and co-owner Rana Tut have been banned for two matches each. California Eagles team management has also been fined Rs 50000 for indiscipline before and during the match.

Ludhiana, November 10
World Kabaddi League today announced three more anti-doping rule violations reported by a WADA accredited laboratory.

In a press note issued today, the organizers of this mega event said that players, Lakhvinder Singh, Virender and Angrej Singh Punia, committed anti-doping rule violations and served notices in compliance with Article 8 of the World Anti-Doping Code. The trio did not turn up for the hearing and waived their right to appear and defend.

The doping control sample of Lakhvinder was reported for adverse analytical finding for Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS), while the samples of Virender and Angrej Singh Punia for stimulants. The WKL will share the information with the relevant organizations and WADA. — TNS

New Delhi, November 10
A look at India’s medal tally in multi-sports events down the years and one would think the country has little sporting talent. But, the reality is that there is plenty of talent, especially in rural and backward areas, waiting to be discovered.

Few get noticed and most wither away because they receive little encouragement and training support.

Shubham Jaglan, the nine-year-old golf prodigy from Haryana, is a shining example of what one can achieve with the right attention at the right time.

The ‘Little Tiger’ of the Delhi Golf Club (DGC) has won 120 tournaments till date. Shubham — India’s No.1 golfer in his age (‘D’) category — could have ended up becoming a grappler, coming from a family of wrestlers. He had, in fact, started off as a grappler, sweating it out in an akhara.

Jagpal, his father, had a dairy business back then. No one knew of golf in his village until Kapoor Singh, an NRI who lives in the US, opened a golf academy there.

“My grandfather took me to the academy when I was five. There were 10-15 kids to start with, but the academy closed after two months. I continued learning golfing techniques from Youtube videos shared by Kapoor sir,” Shubham told The Tribune.

Jagpal was totally against Shubham taking up the sport because he was worried about the expenses. But Shubham’s skills impressed Kapoor so much that he urged Jagpal let him play.

“My father would not allow me to join golf because our family has a rich tradition in wrestling. One day he came to pick me up from the academy, that’s when Kapoor sir convinced my father,” he said.

Realising his son’s potential, Jagpal shut his family dairy business and shifted to New Delhi. In the beginning Shubham struggled, but, luckily, he found a mentor in Nonita Qureshi, India’s former No.1 golfer and an Arjuna awardee.

Apart from his parents, a lot of credit also goes to the Golf Foundation. They funded his training, equipment and sponsored his trip to the US.

Shubham had a great run last year in the US, where he picked up a number of trophies, including World Junior Golf Championship in Las Vegas and came second at the Kids’ Golf Championship at Pine Hurst, North Carolina.

So, does he want to be like Tiger Woods? “No I want to be like Jack Nicklaus. I want to break his record of the most number of major wins (18) and become the world No.1 one day,” said the sixth grade student of Laxman Public School in Hauz Khas.

Sao Paulo, November 10
Force India co-owner Vijay Mallya has rejected speculation about his Formula One team’s finances, saying they will be racing for years to come. Speaking at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where only nine teams competed on Sunday, Mallya said Force India would not be following Marussia and Caterham onto the sporting scrapheap.

“All this speculation I think needs to stop,” the liquor baron said. “It’s not doing anybody any good...the bottom line is we’re OK.”

Mallya said the team’s 2015 car was almost ready. Asked whether Force India would be definitely racing in 2015 and beyond, he replied: “Of course. Absolutely.”

Since last month’s Russian Grand Prix, Marussia have folded and Caterham gone into administration. Force India, Lotus and Sauber, whose finances have also caused concern, want a more equal distribution of the sport’s revenues. — Reuters

BRIEFLY

Punjab govt to reward medal winners today
Chandigarh: The Punjab government will honour its state athletes who have brought laurels to the nation by winning medals at the Incheon Asian Games and Glasgow Commonwealth games. Rs 4.29 crore would be distributed as prize money amongst the 28 players from various disciplines. Thirteen Asiad winners would be awarded with prize money of Rs 2.79 crore, out of which gold medallist would get prize of Rs 26 lakh whereas silver medallist Rs 16 lakh and bronze winner Rs 11 lakh. Besides, 15 players who have won medals in Glasgow would be awarded with cash prize of Rs 1.50 crore, out of which Rs 16 lakh would be given to the gold medallists, Rs 11 lakh for silver and Rs 6 lakh for bronze.

Kaneria urges ICC to study his case
Karachi: Pakistan's Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, who is serving a life ban for spot fixing, has sought ICC's help, urging the international body to investigate the actions of ECB, PCB and former Essex player Mervyn Westfield in his case. Kaneria said that he has written to the ICC chief executive David Richardson, and has sent certain documents. “I have sent them certain documents for their attention which highlights a lot of issues in my case. I have asked the ICC to take positive steps to retain the integrity of cricket and its member boards by investigating the actions of the ECB, PCB and Westfield,” said Kaneria.

Hockey India announces first ever annual awards
New Delhi: In a first for Indian hockey, the national federation today decided to have the ‘Hockey India Annual Awards’ wherein the top players in the men and women’s categories will walk away with a prize money of Rs 25 lakh each.

Pardeep Sahu takes ‘perfect-10’ in Kanga league
Mumbai: Bhiwani player Pardeep Sahu grabbed a 'perfect 10,' for Payyade CC against MIG Cricket Club on their home turf in an 'A' Division game of the Kanga League. The 29-year-old leg-spinner Sahu recorded figures of 29-1-102-10 even as Payyade escaped to a draw 197/8 after restricting MIG to 251. — Agencies