India exploit Bangladesh's pink chink to lord in Kolkata

News Network
November 23, 2019

Kolkata, Nov 23: Ishant Sharma and his pace colleagues wreaked havoc with the pink ball to put India in charge of their maiden day-night test against Bangladesh at a heaving Eden Gardens on Friday.

Armed with the heavily-lacquered ball, India`s three-pronged pace attack bundled out the tourists for 106 in front of a 60,000-strong crowd which included Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli then smashed fifties as India, 1-0 up heading into the second and final match of the two-test series, finished day one on 174-3, to be course for their 12th consecutive home series victory.

Kohli (59 not out) and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane (23 not out) will return on Saturday hoping to bat Bangladesh out of the second and final test and sweep the series. Bangladesh, who were skittled out inside 31 overs, had to call two concussion substitutes after Liton Das and Nayeem Hasan sustained nasty blows to the helmet.

Earlier, India`s pace trio took less than three hours to rout the tourists after Mominul Haque`s decision to bat backfired. After the lull of the first six overs, Ishant drew first blood, trapping Imrul Kayes lbw en route to an impressive figure of 5-22.

New-ball partner Umesh Yadav (3-29) immediately benefited from a change of ends, dismissing Mominul and Mohammad Mithun in the same over to trigger a spectacular batting collapse.

India captain Virat Kohli had predicted close-in fielders would struggle to catch the harder, faster pink balls but his fears proved unfounded.

Rohit Sharma took a diving one-handed catch to sent back Mominul, Wriddhiman Saha flew to his right to cut short Mahmudullah`s stay and Cheteshwar Pujara dived forward to pouch a low catch to remove Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Opener Shadman Islam topscored for Bangladesh with 29, while Liton retired hurt on 24 after being hit on the helmet by a Mohammed Shami delivery.

Mehidy came on as concussion substitute and Mithun replaced Liton behind the stumps when India came out to bat. Bangladesh needed a second concussion substitute in Taijul Islam after Nayeem also sustained a hit on the helmet by another vicious Shami delivery.

Both Mehidy and Taijul were dropped in the two changes to their playing XI earlier in the day. Indian openers looked at ease against the pink ball but neither Mayank Agarwal (14) nor Rohit Sharma (21) could convert their starts.

Pujara and Kohli helped India eclipse Bangladesh`s paltry total with their 95-run stand.

Pujara made 55 before edging Ebadot Hossain, who unfurled his second salute celebration, but Kohli went on to complete 5,000 runs as test captain.

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News Network
May 30,2020

New Delhi, May 30: Former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand will be finally reaching India late on Saturday after being stuck in Germany for over three months due to the travel restrictions imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Yes.. Anand will be returning today," the chess maestro's wife Aruna told PTI on Saturday morning. Anand, who boarded an Air India flight (AI-120) from Frankfurt on Friday night will reach Bengaluru via Delhi.

He is expected to reach Bengaluru at 1.15 pm. The five-time world champion will undergo 14 days quarantine as per rules laid down by the Karnataka government.

"He will complete quarantine procedures and come to Chennai as per protocol," Aruna Anand said. The flights from Germany are only scheduled to land only in Delhi and Bengaluru.

The chess ace was in Germany to play in the Bundesliga chess league and was to return to India, but was forced to stay put after the COVID-19 outbreak disrupted sporting schedules across the globe, apart from restricting movement.

He was staying near Frankfurt and was doing online commentary for the Candidates tournament which was called off mid-way due to the pandemic and led the Indian team in the Online Nations Cup early this month.

Anand had been in touch with his family in Chennai on a regular basis via video calls and kept himself busy with chess-related work.

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News Network
May 1,2020

Melbourne, May 1: Reclaiming the top spot in Test cricket has brought smiles back on their faces but Australia coach Justin Langer says beating India in their own den remains the ultimate test and their numero uno status will be put to test when they clash with the Virat Kohli-led team.

After a tumultuous transition phase post the ball-tampering scandal, Australia on Friday displaced India as number one side in Test format but Langer is aware that it does not take long for the situation to change.

"We recognise how fluid these rankings are, but at this time it was certainly nice to put a smile on our faces," Langer told Cricket Australia website. "We've got lots of work to do to get to be the team that we want to be, but hopefully over the last couple of years not only have we performed well on the field, but also off the field," Langer added.

The former left-handed opener underlined what he felt will be the ultimate test of character.

"Certainly a goal for us has been the World Test Championship ... but ultimately, we have to beat India in India and we've got to beat them when they come back (to Australia).

"You can only judge yourself as being the best if you beat the best and we've got some really tough opposition to come," Langer put his priorities in place. The team he insists needs to get better as now others will come gunning for them.

"Getting to No.1 is a great thing, but when you're No.1, you're always the hunted," Langer said. "We've been the hunters for a while, now we're the hunted and we need to get better and better."

Langer also hoped that white ball team under Aaron Finch will win the World Cup. "I know how hard it is to win World Cups ... everything has to go right. One day, I'd love to see Aaron Finch with all his mates lift that T20 World Cup above his head."

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Agencies
March 14,2020

Sydney, Mar 14: New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson has been placed under 24-hour isolation amid the fears of coronavirus after he reported a sore throat following the first ODI of the ongoing three-match series against Australia in Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) which the hosts won by 71 runs.

"In accordance with recommended health protocols, Lockie Ferguson has been placed in isolation at the team hotel for the next 24 hours after reporting a sore throat at the end of the first ODI," said New Zealand Cricket in a statement.

"Once the test results are received and diagnosed, his return to the team can be determined," it added.

The first ODI of the Chappell-Hadlee series was played in front of empty stands as the spectators were not allowed to be at SCG as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier, Australian fast bowler, Kane Richardson was also tested for the coronavirus, after suffering from a sore throat on Thursday. That saw him left out of the squad for Friday's game but the test was negative.

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