Gambhir has shown his credentials: Kumble

June 17, 2012

Kumble_Appreciates_Gautham

Former captain Anil Kumble on Saturday hailed Gautam Gambhir's success as a captain in the IPL and said it's good that Indian cricket has "somebody else" apart from Mahendra Singh Dhoni to lead from the front.

Talking to reporters during a promotional programme here, Kumble, however, said that Dhoni was doing well as a Test captain save the eight defeats against England and Australia in the team's last two tours.

"He (Gambhir) has showed his credentials. He has the ability. It's nice to have somebody else in the team who has showed his ability, led from the front and batted well," Kumble said referring to Gambhir's stint with the triumphant Kolkata Knight Riders.

"It augurs well for Indian cricket. But Test captaincy is different from T20. Apart from the eight Tests, Dhoni has done well in the past. I consider this as a leadership group, which is a core group in the team," Kumble said.

The former spinner said that it was frustrating to see the once world number 1 team losing eight Tests in a row.

"Defeat can be acceptable when you know that the opposition is dominating, but not when you are a No 1 side. The last time, we were dealt with such a blow was in 2000 Australia series that we had lost 0-3."

However, he hoped that those defeats would serve as a wake-up call ahead of India's upcoming engagements.

"To see that happen again, was very difficult to digest. Hope this serves as a wake up-call and kick-start a process. Hope they do well in the coming months."

Kumble also spoke about Chris Gayle and his exploits for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

"He is just amazing. Please don't remind me of bowling to him. In Bangalore before Gayle came in, only three or four sixes were hit out of the park (M Chinnaswamy). But after he came in (to RCB) every season he dispatches at least three out of the stadium.

"The cricket has changed these days with more and more flat wicket. I'm really glad that he is with us at RCB."

Asked whether the art of legspin is dying with more and more teams boasting of off-spinners, Kumble said the pitches these days are not favourable for tweakers.

"Nowadays, all wickets are similar. To encourage spinners, you have to give them the suitable conditions."

But he added that every team boasted of a world class spinner, which is an encouraging sign.

About the number 3 Test slot left vacant by his state-mate Rahul Dravid's retirement, Kumble said there were quite a few capable players waiting in the wings.

"Virat Kohli is doing well and so is Cheteshwar Pujara. There is also Suresh Raina for the slot. We will have to wait and see, though it's difficult to get to a level where Dravid was."

Asked to pick his favourites for the upcoming World T20 in Sri Lanka in September, Kumble said: "It's difficult to predict in a World Twenty20. All teams have chances in a format of T20. There are England who are the defending champions, West Indies too have good attacking cricketers. All teams have chances."

About Sourav Ganguly's decision to continue playing despite having retired from international cricket in 2008, Kumble said: "I'm no one to say whether Sourav Ganguly should play or not. I took a call four years ago as I felt the need to give opportunity to the youngsters. When I left, I felt that Dhoni had it in him to lead the side."

Kumble said his comeback series against South Africa, where he bagged his first five-for in 1992, was the turning point in his career.

"I was firm on my belief. I made a comeback (after two years) in South Africa where I took my first five-wicket haul. There I realised that I could make a difference.

Kumble said he was fortunate to be part of an Indian team that had world class batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag.

"I am happy that I only bowled at them at the nets."

The Bangalorean picked Australian Steve Waugh, West Indian Brian Lara and South African Jacques Kallis as the three who challenged him the most.

"Lara would look to attack, while Waugh would negate your bowling and wait for the loose delivery. Kallis, on the other hand, would bore you to bowl a loosener. He is so technically sound that you would always cherish taking his prized scalp."

Kumble noted that his engineering degree helped him in becoming a better spinner.

"I knew I was not a turner of the ball. The engineering that I learnt helped me in cricket. Especially with the turns, trajectories of the deliveries. I had to analyse my bowling, worked on my angles and variations (with the speed).

"I was not as talented as Shane Warne or Muttiah Muralidaran who could turn the ball even on a stage like this. I had to be analytical. At times, you have to let go your egos. I had to look at the videos of the batsmen who were dominant. Then I would see what the bowlers would do to contain them... It helped."

Talking on the sidelines of an education fair, Kumble urged the students to make a firm choice about their career and be happy with it.

Recalling his days as a mechanical engineering student, Kumble said: "I would be a bad example. But I was firm on becoming a cricketer, who could make a difference to Indian cricket.

"I did not want to be an 'also-played-for-India' cricketer, but somebody who could contribute to the Indian team. I was firm on my choice," he said about the time when he was dropped after debuting as a 19-year-old in the Test against England in Manchester in August 1990.

"My elder brother (Dinesh) was an engineer so the choice was obvious. During our days, it used to be either engineering or medical. I'm happy that I opted for engineering as I feel I would not have become a cricketer had I opted for medical."




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News Network
January 29,2020

Hamilton, Jan 29: India defeated New Zealand in the third T20 International via Super Over to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series here on Wednesday.

India posted a competitive 179 for five at Seddon Park after being sent into bat. Opener Rohit Sharma top scored for India with a 65-run knock while skipper Virat Kohli contributed 38 runs in team's total.

Later, skipper Kane Williamson smashed a 48-ball 95 but New Zealand faltered in the final over to take the match into the Super Over.

Needing nine runs of the last over, New Zealand lost Williamson and Ross Taylor to finish at 179 for six and tie the match.

In the Super Over, New Zealand scored 17, a target which India overwhelmed in the final ball with Rohit smashing Tim Southee for two consecutive sixes.

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News Network
February 19,2020

New Delhi, Feb 19: An Indian wrestler whose family story was immortalised by Bollywood is hoping to create a blockbuster of her own by becoming her country's first world champion in the high-octane sport of mixed martial arts.

Ritu Phogat, who initially followed her father and two elder sisters into wrestling, is now charting a new path after making an explosive MMA debut in November.

Phogat's father Mahavir, and her sisters Geeta and Babita were the subject of 2016 movie "Dangal", telling the story of the wrestling coach who raised his daughters to become Commonwealth champions.

But Ritu, 25, is forging a different career. After winning her first MMA fight in less than three minutes, she will face China's Wu Chiao Chen at this month's ONE Championship fight night in Singapore, which will be held behind closed doors because of the coronavirus.

The youngest Phogat daughter is trading an attempt at an Olympic medal to tackle MMA, but she said she was attracted by the lure of making history in her new sport.

"I got a chance to train with the best in Singapore and there was no looking back," she told AFP during a promotional event in New Delhi.

"There was the 2020 Olympic Games but I thought that I would do well in mixed martial arts. I have come with an aim of becoming the first girl from India to become a world champion in mixed martial art."

The nimble but strongly built Phogat said wrestlers were a good fit for the fast-growing contact sport, which is yet to take off in India.

"Top seven champions in mixed martial arts are wrestlers, so I believe that wrestlers have an edge in this sport with their ability to take down the opponent," she said.

"It is all a matter of skill. You just have to practise hard. I think MMA is not much different from wrestling in terms of preparation.

"One has to take risks to do something new and as an athlete I am ready to embrace every challenge."

She added: "Without the support of my father and sisters I would not have been where I am. My father always taught me to be far-sighted, hard-working and with strong resolve. Three traits will take you a long way."

Phogat won 48kg gold at the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championship and followed it up with a silver in the under-23 world championships the next year.

"She used to watch a lot MMA and one day told me that I will win a gold in this game. So we all backed her and the result is there for everyone to see," he said.

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News Network
March 5,2020

Mumbai, Mar 5: Former India spinner Sunil Joshi was on Wednesday named chairman of the national selection panel by the BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), which also picked ex-pacer Harvinder Singh to the five-member group.

The CAC, comprising Madan Lal, R P Singh and Sulakshana Naik, picked the two selectors with Joshi replacing South Zone representative MSK Prasad.

In an unprecedented decision, the BCCI said the CAC will review the panel's performance after one year and make recommendations accordingly.

"The committee recommended Sunil Joshi for the role of chairman of the senior men's selection committee. The CAC will review the candidates after a one-year period and make the recommendations to the BCCI," read a statement from BCCI Secretary Jay Shah.

Harvinder was chosen from central zone and replaces Gagan Khoda in the panel.

The existing members of the selection panel are Jatain Paranjpe, Devang Gandhi and Sarandeep Singh.

"We have picked the best guys for the job," Lal told news agency.

The CAC had shortlisted five candidates for interviews -- Joshi, Harvinder, Venkatesh Prasad, Rajesh Chauhan and L S Sivaramakrishnan -- from a list of 40 applicants.

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