Injured MS ruled out of Asia Cup; Kohli to lead

February 21, 2014

Kohli_to_lead_Asia_CupNew Delhi, Feb 21: Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been ruled out of the Asia Cup, which starts next week in Bangladesh, owing to a side strain that he picked up during the second Test in New Zealand. The Indian skipper, who landed in Mumbai along with the rest of the team on Wednesday night, will now undergo a 10-day rehabilitation to recover from a Grade I left side-strain that he suffered while diving to collect a ball in Wellington. Virat Kohli will take over the reins as India fight it out against sub-contintental rivals Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan during the two-week tournament.

“He has informed the BCCI that he has a pain in his side and that he is still unsure whether he can travel to Bangladesh next week. Virat will be leading the side at the Asia Cup,” a BCCI official said.

Sanjay Patel, BCCI secretary, told The Indian Express that Dhoni’s injury wasn’t so serious that he would miss the upcoming World T20 in Bangladesh. “It isn’t serious. He picked up the injury during the third day of the second Test against New Zealand. The team physio submitted his report and then a second physio, the NCA physio, was consulted, and accordingly the decision was taken. He would be available for the World T20,” Patel said.

The enforced break though could very well be a blessing in disguise for the beleagured Indian skipper. His leadership has come under heavy fire of late following the disastrous tour to New Zealand, where Dhoni & Co failed to win a single international match—not to forget his abysmal record away from home over the last few years. At the same time, the 33-year-old has also been playing non-stop cricket for close to seven months. And the two weeks off prior to the World T20, also in Bangladesh, will be an opportunity for the experienced skipper to fight off his fatigue, both physical and mental.

This will also be a chance for Kohli to showcase his captaincy credentials. While many experts have called for the youngster to step in as captain even in Tests, this will be his first major ODI assignment after he had led India to a 5-0 win in a series in Zimbabwe last year.

Kohli surely won’t have it as easy as he did in Zimbabwe, considering the circumstances in which he will be taking over the leadership role. India were thrashed by both New Zealand and South Africa in the one-dayers before the Test matches on those respective tours and his side have more than just pride to play for in Bangladesh.

And what will make matters worse for this rookie captain is the fact that his side, minus Dhoni the finisher, will be taking on the Asian powerhouses in conditions rather suitable for their exploits.

Meanwhile, Dhoni will be replaced behind the stumps by Dinesh Karthik, who recently hit back-to-back centuries in the ongoing Corporate Trophy for India Cements.

‘Can’t afford to fail again’

Sourav Ganguly believes it is only experience that forces MS Dhoni to remain as captain for India’s tour of England and Australia, countries in which they got blanked in Test cricket the last time around, later this year.

“If he fails again, then it’s time to bring a new captain,” Ganguly said. “He has to be bold in taking decisions. He needs to take risks to win. Sometimes, his decisions are negative.”

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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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May 24,2020

Melbourne, May 24: Former Australia captain Mark Taylor does not foresee the T20 World Cup scheduled in October-November going ahead and wants the ICC to take a decision during its Board meeting this week.

Taylor also feels that if IPL takes place during the window the T20 World Cup was to be held, the Australian players are likely to be cleared by their Board to take part in the cash-rich league in India.

The ICC Board meets on May 28 to discuss a host of issues related to COVID-19 pandemic, including a revamped schedule and the fate of the men's T20 World Cup in Australia.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

"My feeling is the World T20 won't go ahead in Australia in October as planned. Is it going to be viable to have a world tournament in October or November? The answer to that is probably no," Taylor, also a former Cricket Australia (CA) director, was quoted as saying by 'Nine Network'.

"It would probably be good (if a decision is made this week). Because then everyone can start planning and we can stop sitting here and saying 'well ifs, buts or maybes'."

CA chief executive Kevin Roberts has said that a call on the fate of the T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held from October 18 to November 15, may potentially not come until August.

Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths

But players and administrators around the world are keen for some certainty and many have predicted that the 16-team event will soon be postponed.

There are reports that the BCCI is eyeing the October window for the IPL though officially it maintained, that it will not consider new dates of the cash-rich league until the T20 World Cup's fate is decided.

Taylor said the CA wants to keep BCCI happy so the Australia players are likely to be cleared for the IPL if it happens in October.

Pat Cummins, who was bought for a record amount of Rs 15.50 crore in last year's IPL auction, is among the Australians keen to take part in this year's competition.

"The Cricket Australia board will want to keep India happy. So they may want to let the players go to India if the IPL goes ahead," Taylor said.

"Because they want India to come here this summer and play, which will be our biggest summer in terms of dollars. That's the sort of discussion going on. No doubt."

Virat Kohli's team is scheduled to arrive in Australia for a Test tour starting November, which will go along way in addressing CA's financial woes triggered by teh COVID-19 pandemic.

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March 5,2020

Mar 5: India reached a maiden women's Twenty20 World Cup final Thursday after their last four clash against England was washed out, sparking calls for the International Cricket Council to include reserve days in future events.

Harmanpreet Kaur's unbeaten side were due to face the 2009 champions at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but the rain began pouring early in the day with barely any let-up.

With a minimum 10 overs per side needed for a result and no break in the weather, the umpires called it off without a ball being bowled.

Normally, five overs per side are needed to constitute a Twenty20 match, but the rules are different for ICC tournaments.

Four-time champions Australia are scheduled to take on South Africa later in the second semi-final, with that match also under threat.

With no reserve day, the highest-ranked teams from the two groups move into the final if play is not possible

That would pit India against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, where organisers are hoping to attract 90,000 plus fans, denying Australia a chance to defend their crown.

A reserve day is allowed for the final and the lack of one for the semis has been criticised by some players, with England captain Heather Knight among those calling for change.

"If both semi-finals are lost it would be a sad time for the tournament," she told reporters ahead of the match. "It's obviously going to be a shame if it does happen and I'm sure there will be a lot of pressure on the ICC to change that."

Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts said he sought clarification from the ICC about adding a reserve day with the Sydney weather looking ominous, but the request was denied.

"We've asked the question and it's not part of the playing conditions and we respect that," he told Melbourne's SEN radio.

"It gives you cause to reflect and think about how you might improve things in the future, but going into a tournament with a given set of playing conditions and rules, I don't think it's time to tinker with the rules."

It is not the way India would have wanted to make the final, but they are deserving of being there having gone through the group phase as the only unbeaten team.

After opening their campaign by upsetting Australia, they beat Bangladesh, New Zealand and then Sri Lanka.

While the entire team played well, teenage batting prodigy Shafali Verma excelled, which saw her elevated to the top of the ICC T20 batting rankings this week aged just 16.

She is only the second Indian after Mithali Raj to reach number one, pushing New Zealand veteran Suzie Bates down to second.

Ranked four in the world, India had made three semi-finals before this year and lost every time, including against England at the last World Cup.

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