Kohli first captain to smash 10 tons in a calendar year

News Network
November 26, 2017

India captain Virat Kohli on Sunday notched up his 19th century as India continued to dominate the 2nd Test against Sri Lanka in Nagpur. The stylish right-hander is the first captain to score 10 tons (across formats) in a calendar year. The 29-year-old also has the most centuries by an Indian skipper (12), moving ahead of the legendary Sunil Gavaskar.

Kohli reached his fourth Test hundred in 2017 in just 130 balls when he took a single off Lakmal. He struck ten boundaries in his innings to take the attack to the opposition.

He scored his 51st career hundred in international cricket. He had equaled Sunil Gavaskar's record for most hundreds (11) as an India Test captain in the last Test in Kolkata. He has now has now score four centuries in Tests in 2017. He has managed to score 10 international hundreds (six in ODIs and four in Tests) in the calendar year of 2017. 

The previous best was Ricky Ponting and who Graeme Smith with nine hundreds. The former Australian captain had managed the feat on two occasions in consecutive years, in 2005 and 2006. Graeme Smith did I tin 2005. The Indian captain on th wother hand has scored more hundreds than fifties as captain. He has 22 hundreds as compared to his 16 fifties.

The Indian captain has been on a rampaging run, decimating opposition bowling attacks for fun. He had scored four consecutive double centuries in four successive Test series. He started with a 200 against West Indies and then scored 211 against New Zealand back in  October last year.

But that was just the start of his dominance at home as he continued his form  against England with a 235 against England and then took Bangladesh bowlers to the cleaners for a relatively quick-fire 204.

He stumbled somewhat against Australia in the following Border-Gavaskar Trophy, finishing the series with only 46 runs from three matches. He bounced back again with an unbeaten 103 against Sri Lanka in their back yard.

In the reverse tour from Sri Lanka, the hosts were under the weather in Kolkata. Kohli was dismissed for a duck (his fifth in Test cricket) in the first innings but roared back in the second with a scintillating 104 not out.

The Indian captain, who is the leading run-getter in the ODIs this year, also has six hundreds in the 50-overs format. The 29-year-old also has nine fifties across formats.

In ODI, as Kohli reached his 32nd hundred in the 50-overs format in the first match against New Zealand, surpassing Ricky Ponting in the list of most hundreds. He is only behind the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar who has 49.

Kohli has also equalled Rahul Dravid's record for most 50-plus scores in a calendar year during the ongoing second Test. Dravid, who had 19 scores of 50 or more, achieved the feat 2006.

Dravid had accumulated 2014 runs from 39 matches (12 Tests and 27 ODIs) across all formats 11 years ago. The Wall hit one hundred and eight fifties in ODIs and three tons and seven half-centuries in Tests that year.

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Agencies
June 14,2020

New Delhi, Jun 14: From being a 20-year-old mischievous talented striker to 35-year-old, India captain Sunil Chhetri has seen Indian Football through thick and thin. Coaches, who have nourished the striker with utmost care to yield the best for the team have seen numerous changes from close quarters but one aspect has remained absolutely perpetual, resolute - Chhetri's never-say-die attitude and 'dedication.'

Igor Stimac, current head coach of the Blue Tigers recalled seeing Chhetri during the preparatory camp ahead of the King's Cup 2019 - his maiden assignment with the Blue Tigers.

The Croatian pointed out that despite being the senior-most member of the troop, "Chhetri craved to push maximum to achieve the result after the heartbreak in AFC Asian Cup."

"Dedicated, workaholic and team man -- those are some of the attributes which define Sunil Chhetri. When I first saw him last year, they were back to the National Team camp after a long gap following the AFC Asian Cup. A few boys were new but the fire under his belly probably was more than anyone else. That's the secret of his long career. Congratulations!" All India Football Federation (AIFF) quoted Stimac as saying.

Sukhwinder Singh, while reminiscing the India-Pakistan bilateral series in 2005, revealed that he wasn't sure about the youngster's credibility at all.

"I needed someone who had the trickery, didn't have the fear and had to be quick. Honestly, Sunil wasn't in my mind at all. He wasn't my first option. I had my doubts," Sukhwinder, coach during Chhetri's first national team endeavour, recalled.

He had seen the youngster from close quarters while coaching in JCT FC where Chhetri started blossoming and hogging the limelight. Chhetri, who scored more than 20 goals during his 3-season-long stay in JCT, had already shown signs of performing in the bigger stages which convinced Sukhwinder Singh picking him up for the high-octane bilateral series in Pakistan.

"I haven't seen anyone as dedicated as Sunil. I saw him maturing in JCT and there were flashes of what he could do in the future. I still remember his hunger. In 19 years of my coaching career, I haven't seen anyone as dedicated as Sunil. He remained undaunted and was never willing to shy away from working hard. Shouldering the responsibility for 15 years demands discipline and he keeps it above everything else," Sukhwinder maintained.

According to Stimac, Chhetri is someone who always runs the extra yard, breaks some more sweat during the training session which, in the process encourages the youngsters to emulate him. The entire process aids the cumulative progress of the team and raises the bar.

"I see him as someone who always pushes the bar in the training and never compromises with the regime. He drives the team and he is the character who defines the team. Numerous characters have glorified the Indian Football history and he's definitely one of them who have made his country proud," Stimac said.

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News Network
April 27,2020

Lahore, Apr 27: Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has been banned from all forms of cricket for three years for failing to report spot-fixing offers, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced Monday.

Umar, who turns 30 next month, pleaded guilty to not reporting the fixing offers which led to his provisional suspension on February 20 this year.

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Agencies
May 25,2020

Chandigarh, May 25: Legendary former hockey player Balbir Singh Senior died in a private hospital on Monday, his family said.

He was 96 years old. His condition was critical for nearly a fortnight.

He was undergoing treatment at Fortis Mohali and was in a "semi-comatose condition".

He was hospitalised on May 8 with high fever and breathing trouble. His COVID-19 test came negative.

Balbir was part of the Indian teams that won gold at the 1948 London Olympics, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. His record for most individual goals scored in an Olympic men's hockey final remains unbeaten.

Balbir had set this record when he scored five goals in India's 6-1 win over Netherlands in the gold medal match of the 1952 Games.

He was the head coach of the Indian team for the 1975 men's World Cup, which India won and the 1971 men's World Cup, where India earned a bronze medal. He was also conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri in 1957.

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