Dilip Vengsarkar is lying over Virat Kohli selection, says former BCCI boss N Srinivasan

Agencies
March 10, 2018

Chennai, Mar 10: Former BCCI president N Srinivasan on Friday rejected Dilip Vengsarkar's claims that he was responsible for the ex-India captain's removal as chairman of selectors, calling the charge "completely false, motivated and without any basis".

Vengsarkar had claimed that he lost his job as chairman of selectors for picking Virat Kohli over Tamil Nadu's domestic heavyweight S Badrinath in 2008, courtesy of then BCCI treasurer Srinivasan.

"On whose behalf he is talking. What is his motive. Whatever it is, it is not fact. When a cricketer talks like this it is not good. His remark that I interfered in his not continuing is not a fact all. What is the point in saying it now," Srinivasan told reporters here.

"I didn't interfere in selection matters. What is the interference he is talking about?" Srinivasan questioned.

"It has been brought to my attention through certain media reports that Dilip Vengsarkar, former Indian national cricketer has made some statements regarding me to the effect that his tenure as chairman of BCCI National Selection Committee was cut short by me because I did not agree with a particular decision of his in 2008," he further said.

Srinivasan said he did not have any animosity towards Vengsarkar and added the Mumbai player had been a beneficiary of schemes initiated by him.

"I have no animosity towards Dilip Vengsarkar, who himself was a beneficiary of the schemes initiated by me. India Cements in 1994, contributed Rs one lakh for his benefit match."

Srinivasan did not lose time in reminding Vengsarkar about once helping him out with a benefit match at a time when there was no pension scheme in place for former cricketers.

"I have respected him as a cricketer and we treated him as a national hero. I am sorry that he talks like this," Srinivasan said of the former India batsman, who was nicknamed the 'Colonel.'

He also denied the allegation by Vengsarkar that one player had been dropped in favour of another player, who was selected in the Indian squad on the tour to Sri Lanka in 2008.

"The allegation that one player was dropped in favour of another player who was selected for the Indian squad on the tour to Sri Lanka in 2008 which is the decision that allegedly resulted in his removal itself is not even borne out by the events in 2008 as both the players mentioned by Dilip Vengsarkar ultimately represented India in the squad in Sri Lanka," the former Board president said.

The former BCCI and Tamil Nadu president also said Vengsarkar lost his post as selection committee chairman in 2008 as he chose to continue as vice-president of Mumbai Cricket Association.

"At the AGM of BCCI in 2008, the reappointment of the selection committees and various other committees was taken up, as was the norm. At this time, Vengsarkar chose to continue as vice-president of Mumbai Cricket Association and hence could not be considered to the post in any of the selection committees," he pointed out.

Srinivasan also criticised the former India Test cricketer for trying to create some controversy now by suggesting he was behind his removal as chief selector.

"Now he is trying to create some controversy by suggesting that I was behind his removal when I was the treasurer of BCCI. This is totally unwarranted and defies logic. Vengsarkar continued to be the vice-president of Mumbai Cricket Association until 2010 and again in 2014," he added.

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News Network
June 6,2020

Mumbai, Jun 6: Reminiscing about his 'special knock' of 208 runs from 153 balls, Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma revealed why his wife Ritika had got emotional after he smashed his third double century in ODIs.

Rohit narrated the incident during his appearance in Episode 2 of the 'Open nets with Mayank'.

The batsman, who was accompanied by Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank on the show, said his wife thought that he had twisted his hand while diving for the 196th run during the innings.

"As you can see my wife got emotional there, this day was special as it was my anniversary. Probably the best gift I could give it to her while I am on the field, it was quite emotional though," said Rohit during the candid chat.

"When I came from the ground, I just asked her why did you (Ritika) cry? So she told me that she thought I (Rohit) twisted my hand when I dived for my 196th run and that was a little worrying factor for her, she got little emotional of because of that I guess," Rohit added.

In the match, the 32-year-old scored 208 runs with 13 fours and 12 sixes against Sri Lanka at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.

This enabled India to post a score of 392/4 in the allotted fifty overs.

India then went on to win the match by 141 runs.

"To be honest I was going pretty slow, I never thought I will get to a double hundred but once you cross 125, I feel it gets easier for you because bowlers are under pressure. Unless you make a mistake I don't think you can get out," said Rohit.

Rohit has scored two double hundreds against Sri Lanka and one against Australia in ODIs. The right-handed batsman is the only cricketer to make three double hundreds in ODI history.

Rohit, Shikhar, and Mayank would have been in action for Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, and Kings XI Punjab respectively, had the Indian Premier League (IPL) commenced from March 29. However, the tournament was suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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News Network
June 3,2020

Colorado, Jun 3: Formula One boss Chase Carey has said that races will go ahead even if a driver tests positive for coronavirus.

His remarks come as organisers revealed a revised 2020 calendar and the schedule for the first eight races was put in the public domain.

"An individual having been found with a positive infection will not lead to a cancellation of a race. We encourage teams to have procedures in place so if an individual has to be put in quarantine, we have the ability to quarantine them at a hotel and to replace that individual," the official website of Formula One quoted Carey as saying.

"Some things we'd have to talk through and work through. The array of 'what ifs' are too wide to play out every one of them, but a team not being able to race would not cancel the race. I do not think I could sit here and lay out the consequences," he said.

Carey added the organisers will be having the necessary procedures in place so that the race does not get cancelled if a driver ends up testing positive for coronavirus.

"But we will have a procedure in place that finding infection will not lead to a cancellation. If a driver has an infection, teams have reserve drivers available," Carey said.

"We would not be going forward if we were not highly confident we have necessary procedures and expertise and capabilities to provide a safe environment and manage whatever issues arrive," he added.

The Formula One 2020 season will be beginning with the Austrian Grand Prix in July.

F1 currently expects the opening races to be closed events but hopes that fans will be able to attend again when it is safe to do so.

The season will kick off with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring on July 5, followed a week later by a second race on the same track.

The Hungarian Grand Prix will follow a week after that, before a break. There will be then two back to back races at Silverstone, followed by the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

The Belgian Grand Prix will follow that, with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza a week later on September 6.

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News Network
May 8,2020

Karachi, May 8: A cricket museum based in India has bought a bat auctioned by Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali to raise funds for the needy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Azhar had put two of his precious belongings -- the bat he used to score 302 runs against the West Indies in a Test in 2016 and the jersey he wore during the 2017 Champions Trophy final win over India -- on an online auction to raise funds for the people affected by the deadly disease.

Both the bat and jersey were signed by members of the Pakistan team.

Azhar announced on social media that he had kept a base price of one million each for the bat and jersey and they had sold for 2.2 million.

He confirmed that Blades of Glory Cricket Museum based in Pune bought the bat by making a winning offer of Rs. 1 million for the bat.

Azhar said that the auction of the shirt also generated a lot of interest and Kash Villani, a Pakistani based in California, came up with the highest bid of Rs. 1.1 million for the shirt before the conclusion of the auction.

Another Pakistani based in New Jersey, Jamal Khan also donated Rs. 100,000 for the cause.

"I put two of my closest belongings on auction with base price of 1 million PKR each to support people suffering due to ongoing crisis. Auction starts now and will close on 11:59 PM 05 May, 2020," Azhar had tweeted.

Ali became the first international player to score a test triple century in Day/Night Test when he scored an unbeaten 302 against the West Indies team in UAE in 2016.

"The shirt is from 2017 Champions Trophy which we won, it has the signature of all the players which were present in the squad," Ali said in a video posted on Twitter.

"Both these things are close to my heart but if it can be used in the difficult times for the benefit of the people I will more than happy."

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