Finisher Dhoni best suited in lower middle order: Suresh Raina

Agencies
March 6, 2019

Mumbai, Mar 6: Mahendra Singh Dhoni's finishing skills remain unmatched and the former captain will be an asset in India's lower middle order at this year's World Cup, former teammate Suresh Raina said.

The sight of Dhoni depositing Sri Lanka seamer Nuwan Kulasekara into the Wankhede Stadium stands to seal victory in the 2011 World Cup final is etched in the memory of most Indians.

No target was deemed out of reach with the hard-hitting right-hander at the crease but that clean striking and fluid swing of the heavy bat are rare these days and many believe Dhoni is no more the finisher that he was before.

His sharp glovework makes Dhoni India's first choice wicketkeeper in limited-overs cricket but his batting position for the World Cup, when he will be 38, continues to be debated.

"For MS, the ideal position would be number five or six," Raina, who is an integral part of the Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings side in the Indian Premier League, said.

"He is such a keen reader of the game and brings years of experience. When required he can build up an innings and his finishing skills are unmatched."

Dhoni has played 340 ODIs for India and scored more than 10,000 runs at an average of just under 51. His role as a finisher is crucial for India's World Cup campaign with the team's number four batting position still to be sealed.

That has led to suggestions that captain Virat Kohli, also the team's best batsman, should bat a place lower than his usual number three spot.

"I think number three or four should be good (for Kohli)," Raina, a member of India's 2011 World Cup team, said. "If the top order topples quickly, we need someone like Kohli to keep it together."

Raina believes top-ranked England will be a strong contender with their home advantage while India, Australia, West Indies and New Zealand are the other teams to watch out for.

"For me the most balanced team will win the World Cup," the 32-year-old said. "English conditions are helpful for the seamers but in the recent years we have seen spinners also do well.

"Last year when I was playing against Ireland and England, our wrist spinners did really well. Team India is shaping up really well in this regard, a healthy mix of youth and experience.

"And a pace attack that is bowling beautifully in all conditions. No grey areas as such."

Once considered an automatic selection in India's limited-overs sides, Raina played the last of his 226 one-dayers in July, 2018.

An aggressive left-handed batsman and a part-time off-spinner, Raina is also known for his electric fielding and the all-rounder still harbours hopes of making the World Cup squad.

The IPL, which starts later this month, will be his last opportunity to impress the selectors before the World Cup kicks off on May 30.

"I have a mix of activities that I do, I am currently doing a lot of high intensity workouts in the gym, followed by strength and conditioning sessions," the IPL's leading run-scorer said.

"I'm at the nets three-four times a week. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (India's domestic Twenty20 competition) has given me some match practise before the IPL.

"As an Indian player my job is to work hard and hope for the best."

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News Network
May 15,2020

New Delhi, May 15: Former England skipper David Gower feels Sourav Ganguly has the right "political skills" to lead the ICC one day and he has already displayed that as BCCI president, which is a "far tougher job".

The elegant left-hander is very impressed with Ganguly's leadership abilities and believes that he has what it takes to head the global body in the future.

"One thing I have learnt over the years is that if you are going to run BCCI, you need to be many, many things. Having a reputation like he (Ganguly) has is a very good start, but you need to be a very deft politician.

"You need to have control of a million different things," Gower said ahead of "Q20", a unique chat show for the fans presented by 'GloFans'.

Gower reckons being president of the BCCI is the toughest job imaginable in world cricket.

"And of course, you need to be responsible for a game that is followed by, I mean, should we say a billion people here in India," he said.

"We all know about the immense following for cricket in India. So it is indeed a wonderful thing to behold. Sourav has the toughest task imaginable in charge of BCCI, but so far I would say the signs are very good.

"He has listened, given his own opinion and has pulled strings gently," he said.

Political skills are a must in administration and that's where Gower finds his fellow left-hander ticking all the boxes.

"He is a very, very good man and has those political skills. He has the right attitude and can keep things together and will do good job. And if you do a good job as BCCI chief in the future, who knows?

"But I would actually say the more important job, to be honest, is running BCCI. Being head of ICC is an honour, there is a lot that can be done by ICC, but actually look at the rankings, look at where the power is heading up. BCCI is definitely the bigger job," he said.

On the cricketing front, Gower believes World Test Championship has given the format much-needed context.

"The idea of this World Test Championship has come about for one very simple reason that people are worried about the survival of Tests. Back in the seventies, eighties, I don't think we needed context to be fair.

"Test cricket was very much more obviously the most important format and if there was anything to be judged by, it was the performances in Test matches both as an individual and as a team.

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News Network
February 12,2020

Mount Maunganui, Feb 12: India captain Virat Kohli on Tuesday berated his bowlers for their mediocre performance as he tried to explain the team's first ODI series whitewash in over three decades, saying that the visitors lacked composure all through.

The five-wicket defeat here meant that India lost the series 0-3 to an injury-plagued New Zealand that had been deflated by a 0-5 whitewash of its own in the T20 format just last week. It was India's first whitewash in 31 years in an ODI series in which all matches have been played.

"The games were not as bad as the scoreline suggests. It boils down to those chances that we didn't grab. I don't think it was not enough to win games in international cricket," Kohli said in the post-match presentation.

"With the ball, we were not able to make breakthroughs, we were not at all good on the field. We haven't played so badly but when you don't grab those chances, you don't deserve to win," he added.

"Batsmen coming back from tough situations was a positive sign for us, but the way we fielded and bowled, the composure wasn't enough to win games," he asserted.

The ineffectiveness of Indian bowlers can be gauged from the fact that the team's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah finished the series without a wicket and the attack couldn't dismiss the complete rival line-up even once.

Kohli lauded New Zealand for bouncing back after the T20 hammering.

"New Zealand played with lot more intensity. We didn't deserve to win because we did not show enough composure," he said.

The batting mainstay is looking forward to the Test series, which begins on February 21, to make amends for the disappointment.

"I think because of the Test Championship, every match has that more importance. We have a really balanced Test team and we feel we can win the series here, but we need to step on to the park with the right kind of mindset," he said.

His opposite number Kane Williamson, who missed the first two games due to injury, was lavish in his praise for the home team's grit.

"An outstanding performance, very clinical. India put us under pressure, but the way the guys fought back with the ball and kept them to a par total. The cricket in the second half was outstanding to see," he said referring to the side's effortless chase of a 297-run target.

"We know how good they (India) are at all formats but for us the clarity about the roles the guys had was the most important thing. Outstanding effort against a brilliant India side," he added.

Player of the Match Henry Nicholls, who scored 80 on Tuesday, said his team benefitted from good batting starts during the series.

"To come back and win 3-0 after the T20Is is nice. The way (Martin) Guptill played today allowed us to get ahead. We got a 100-run stand, but we were fortunate enough to get good starts this series," he said.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Hampshire, Jul 31: David Willey's maiden five-wicket haul guided England to a six-wicket victory over Ireland in the first ODI here on Friday.

With this win, the hosts have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.

Chasing a small target of 173 runs, England got off to a bad start as opener Jonny Bairstow was given LBW in the third over, bowled by Andy McBrine. Jason Roy was then joined by James Vince and the duo added 22 runs on the board before the former was dismissed.

Craig Young then got hold of Vince, who was caught behind after scoring 25 runs. Sam Billings and Tom Banton then took the charge of the chase but the latter too was caught behind which ended his 11-run innings.

Banton's dismissal brought skipper Eoin Morgan on the field. Billings and Morgan played stunning innings and kept scoring boundaries. Morgan struck a scintillating six on the last bowl of the 28th over to take England over the line. Morgan scored 36 runs while Billings played a knock of 67 runs.

Earlier, after being asked to bat first, Ireland witnessed a poor start as Paul Stirling was dismissed in the very first over of the innings, bowled by Willey. Andy Balbirnie then joined Gareth Delany but Willey struck again in his next over, removing Balbirnie.

Delany then played furiously and smashed three consecutive boundaries to Saqib Mahmood in the fourth over. However, the fall of wickets did not stop as England took three wickets in quick succession. Mahmood bowled Harry Tector while Delany and Lorcan Tucker were sent back to the pavilion by Willey.

Kevin O'Brien and Curtis Campher then took the charge and played cautiously, taking their struggling side over the 50-run mark. Adil Rashid got hold of O'Brien (22) in the 22nd over before Simranjit Singh was run out in the same over.

Andy McBrine was the next batsman and he played brilliantly along with Campher, who went on to complete his half-century. Both formed a 66-run partnership before McBrine (40) was dismissed by Tom Curran.

Campher remained unbeaten on 59 but failed to find a partner as England bundled out Ireland on 172 runs.

The second ODI between both teams will be played on Saturday.

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