‘It’s not in our nature to give up without fight’

March 9, 2013

clarke

New Delhi, Mar 9: Visiting skipper Michael Clarke today vowed to make a strong comeback in the remaining two Tests, despite abject surrender in the first two games.

Trailing by 0-2, Clarke warned India of a possible turnaround in the last two matches in Mohali (Mar 14-18) and Delhi (Mar 22-26).

"It is not in our nature to give up without a fight. We have every chance of making a comeback and levelling the series 2-2. We feel if we win one we can win two," an optimistic Clarke said about his team's chances.

"We have to win the next two Tests to level the series and that is our main focus. But obviously it is going to be tough as India are playing really good cricket at the moment."

After losing the opening Test in Chennai by eight wickets, the visitors slumped to another morale-crushing defeat when India humiliated them by an innings and 35 runs in the second Test in Hyderabad.

And the Australian skipper was modest in admitting that India were by far the better side on display in the opening two Tests.

"No excuses for the defeats. We were outplayed in all facets of the game -- batting, bowling and fielding. The credit must go to India. But we need to improve as team," Clarke said during a function announcing Spartan Sports Goods' association with capital's Hyatt Regency hotel.

"We have learnt from our mistakes in the first two games, and I feel we still have plenty of time to correct our flaws before the next game," he insisted.

Clarke admitted that the touring Australia squad lacks experience when it comes to playing in tough Indian conditions.

"Only four players of the current team has experience of playing Test matches in India," he said.

"The conditions are tough and demading in India. The culture, food, pitches, weather everyhting is different, but I guess that is the beauty of cricket.

"It is lot easier to play in your own backyard but that's what international cricket is all about," Clarke added.

Clarke refused to poke his nose into Virender Sehwag's axing from the Indian squad for the remaining Tests, but said the veteran opener has a lot of cricket still left in him to make a comeback into the national side.

"To be honest, I am not too much focussed on the Indian team. That's upto the Indian selectors and the team management," he said when asked about Sehwag.

"Virender has been a fantastic player for India in all three formats of the game. And I am confident, that he will be back.

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News Network
April 30,2020

New Delhi, Apr 30: Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday mourned the demise of veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor, called his death 'unreal and unbelievable' loss.

"This is unreal and unbelievable. Yesterday Irrfan Khan and today Rishi Kapoor ji. It's hard to accept this as a legend passes away today. My condolences to the family and may his soul rest in peace," Kohli tweeted.

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
"It's shocking to hear about the sudden demise of #RishiKapoor ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace," Dhawan tweeted.

Earlier today, actor Amitabh Bachchan confirmed the news of the demise of the 67-year-old Rishi Kapoor. Rishi Kapoor was admitted to the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday.

In September 2019, the veteran actor returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment.

He was last seen in the 2019 film 'The Body' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shobita Sobhita Dhulipala.

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News Network
July 2,2020

Jul 2: Cricket Australia has decided to not use the Dukes ball from this summer's Sheffield Shield, having used it alongside Kookaburra for four seasons.

CA has confirmed that the Kookaburra ball will be used for the entire 2020-21 first-class season.

Australia has been using Dukes ball since the 2016-17 season in Shield matches with an aim to help its cricketers prepare for the hostile English conditions.

CA's Head of Cricket Operations, Peter Roach, said the decision to axe the Dukes was the right call. "The introduction of the Dukes ball has been a worthwhile exercise, particularly in the lead up to overseas Ashes series where the Dukes is used so well by our English opponents," Roach said.

"We have been happy with how the ball has performed when used in Australian conditions over the past four seasons. We do, however, feel that reverting to one ball for 2020-21 will provide the consistent examination of our players over a full season that CA and the states are presently seeking. The Kookaburra is the ball used for international cricket in Australia and many parts of the world and we see benefits this season of maximising our use of it," he added.

Roach said the ineffectiveness of spinners in first-class cricket in recent times played a role in CA's decision to do away with the Dukes. "We have noted that spin bowlers in the Sheffield Shield have been playing less of a role in recent seasons, most notably in games when the Dukes ball is in use. We need spinners bowling in first-class cricket and we need our batters facing spin. We hope that the change to one ball will have a positive benefit here," he said.

The CA official, however, didn't rule out the possibility of re-introducing it later.

"We see a definite opportunity to reintroduce the Dukes ball at some stage in the future."

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News Network
June 20,2020

Dhaka, Jun 20: Former Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza on Saturday tested positive for coronavirus.

The skipper had gone for a coronavirus Test last week, and now his reports have come back as positive, ESPNCricinfo reported.

As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, it is not known how Mortaza contracted the virus.

Mashrafe, also a member of the parliament from Narail 2 constituency, had stepped down as the ODI captain of the country in March this year.

Covid-19 cases have crossed 1,00,000 mark in Bangladesh and the government is now planning area-wise lockdown.

Bangladesh was slated to face Sri Lanka in July in a three-Test series and the side would have later hosted New Zealand in August, but both series look unlikely now.

The Asia Cup, scheduled for September, is also uncertain due to the coronavirus.

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