Long way to go to become one of India's greatest captains: Kohli

Agencies

September 29, 2017

Bengaluru, Sept 29: While Kohli expressed his pleasure accepted legend Sunil Gavaskar's compliment that the current Indian skipper would go down as "one of India's greatest cricket captains.", Kohli stated the jounre to being great in long.

"It feels good to get appreciation; it is a decent compliment. But it is a long way to go," Kohli said, after Australia outclassed India in the fourth ODI match, at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium here.

Gavaskar, on Tuesday, had made an interesting prediction when he said that Kohli would go down as one of India's greatest cricket captains.

Gavaskar highlighted the contribution of the 28-year-old in cultivating a culture in the team that was "rooted in physical fitness and ruthlessness."

Meanwhile, post-match, Kohli, while admitting that Australia was better on the day criticised his batting line-up and backed his bowlers saying, "It wasn't a great batting performance from us".

"We got a good opening partnership but we needed one big partnership after that as well. From that point of view, it wasn't a great batting performance from us. That can happen. People have off days. Umesh [Yadav] and [Mohammed[ Shami bowled well. Spinners won't have good days always. Australia was really good today," Kohli said.

"With the bat, their (Australia) intent was really good. They pulled things back nicely in the field. We didn't play so bad, but they were better on the day. Their bowling in the end was quite good. They got breakthroughs at the right time and that stopped our momentum," he added.

Earlier, the hosts had taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. But, after losing three consecutive matches to India, Australia finally managed to end the drought and scored a win in the fourth ODI defeating India by 21 runs.

The team in blue had a monstrous target of 335 runs to chase here at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, but it could manage only 313 for 8 at the end of 50 overs.

India will take on Australia in the fifth and final ODI at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Sunday.

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Lewis Hamilton wins record 7th British Grand Prix

Agencies

August 3,2020

Silverstone, Aug 2: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton on Sunday won his seventh British Grand Prix title after a dramatic last-lap at the Silverstone Circuit.

Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas were at the first and second spot respectively until tyre drama struck.

Second-placed man Bottas was the first to suffer as his tyre deflated on lap 50, resulting in 11th place finish. Hamilton also suffered a similar issue before the final few seconds of the race.

However, with Max Verstappen having opted to pit a few laps from the end to try and claim the fastest lap, Hamilton had enough time in hand to just cross the line first, five seconds ahead of Verstappen and the third-placed Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

McLaren's Carlos Sainz had been set to finish fourth, but his own last lap tyre issue saw him eventually come home P13, allowing Renault's Daniel Ricciardo to claim fourth, following a late pass on the sister McLaren of Lando Norris.

Renault's Esteban Ocon finished sixth, having enjoyed a race-long battle with Lance Stroll's Racing Point, with Pierre Gasly having enjoyed a fine race to finish seventh for AlphaTauri.

Alex Albon finished eighth for Red Bull, having recovered from a lap 1 tussle with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen that saw him fall to last, while Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top 10, Vettel holding off a late charge form the recovering Mercedes of Bottas.

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CSA pays tribute to former spinner Ismail 'Baboo' Ebrahim

News Network

July 18,2020

Johannesburg, Jul 18: Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Saturday mourned the demise of former spinner Ismail 'Baboo' Ebrahim who died in Durban at the age of 73.

"Baboo was one of the outstanding South African spin bowlers of the 1960s and 1970s who would undoubtedly have played as many Test matches for his country as the 48 first-class games to which he was limited," CSA said in a statement.

In those matches, he took 179 wickets at an average of 21.33 with an economy rate of 2.12 including 8 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket hauls.

The left-arm spinner only had one opportunity on the international stage when he played for a SA Invitation XI against the International Wanderers at Kingsmead in 1976.

"At the age of 29, he was in his prime and took a match-winning 6/66 in the second innings, his victims including international captains, Greg Chappell of Australia and Mike Denness of England. It was a clear indication of what he could have achieved on grounds around the world at the highest level had he been given the opportunity. He was a master of flight and spin and had a good arm ball to back it up," the statement read.

His ability to perform at this level had become apparent much earlier when he went to watch the Australians at practice before their Test match against South Africa in 1970.

He persuaded the Australians to let him bowl to them and made an immediate impression, bowling experienced Test batsman Ian Redpath and impressing the likes of Ian Chappell and Ashley Mallett, the latter being Australia's leading spinner of the 1970s.

He had one season for Radcliffe in the Lancashire Central League when he took 62 wickets at 14.62 apiece.

Baboo finally got his chance to represent his country in Masters events in one of which he dismissed both Sir Vivian Richards and Gordon Greenidge.

"Baboo Ebrahim was one of the countless number of outstanding cricketers who was denied the opportunity to display his talents to the world and live his cricketing dreams," said CSA Acting Chief Executive, Dr Jacques Faul.

"On behalf of the CSA Family I extend our deepest sympathy to his family, friends and cricketing colleagues," he added.

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Virat Kohli only Indian again in Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes

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May 30,2020

New York, May 30: Cricket superstar Virat Kohli remains the only Indian in the Forbes' list of world's highest-paid athletes with total earnings of USD 26 million, jumping to the 66th spot from 100 in the 2020 standings.

Kohli's earnings from endorsement stand at USD 24 million and USD 2 million from salary/winnings. The 31-year-old is also the only cricketer in the top-100 list.

With earnings of USD 25 million, Kohli was ranked 100th in 2019 and 83rd in 2018 with USD 24 million.

Tennis legend Roger Federer has toped the list for the first time with earnings of USD 106.3 million, rising from fifth place last year.

Football icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are second and third respectively with earnings of USD 105 and USD 104 million.

The others in the top-10 are Neymar (football), LeBron James (basketball), Stephen Curry (basketball), Kevin Durrant (basketball), Tigers Woods (golf), Kirk Cousins (American football) and Carson Wentz (American football).

The athletes' earnings have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which led to suspension of sporting activities all around the world.

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Saina Nehwal is the only Indian to feature in the world’s 20 most charitable athletes, as per a list compiled by the US based website in Athletes Gone Good.