Trying to ensure that I stay till the end: Suresh Raina

July 30, 2012

raina

Colombo, July 30: "It's always nice to have runs under your belt at the start of the season," star batsman Suresh Raina said a day after helping India overcome a daunting target in the third ODI against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium.

After getting a half-century in the first game at Hambantota, Raina came to the party once again with a superlative innings and in company of Irfan Pathan helped India cross the finish line under lights on Saturday evening.

Here's the talismanic Indian all-rounder in a tete-a-tete

You have begun the season well...

I was stroking the ball well even during the IPL and despite a rest of almost two months I ensured that I was not rusty. As professional cricketers we have to ensure that we are battle-ready all the time.

Was there any pressure on you going into the series?

Pressure will always be there when you are representing the country. But I am now experienced enough to overcome the nerves and focus only on the job at hand. It was such a relief for the team to put up a big total in our first international game after over four months. There are always questions asked about the fitness and mental preparedness after a long break. But we answered them well. But the second game at Hambantota was a disaster. We lost wickets in a bunch right at the beginning and there was no coming back. It was good that we came back strongly on Saturday night. We will aim to clinch the series in the fourth game on Tuesday.

Was there pressure in the third game when you walked in after India lost three quick wickets?

Of course there was pressure when Irfan bhai joined me in the middle. Had one of us departed early it would have been the end of our chase. But once Irfan started to strike the ball cleanly, it eased a lot of pressure. When that target got close, we kept telling each other not to throw it away. Irfan bhai proved once again that he is more than a handy batsman down the order and he, too, deserves accolades.

Do you now consider yourself a finisher?

Well, sometimes I do get carried away and throw my wicket. But with experience I am ensuring that I stay there till the end. Sometimes it comes off, other times it does not.

In all three matches so far, you have come in after Rohit Sharma's dismissal...

Yes, but as an international batsman, I have to come out to bat under any situation. Sometimes a platform has been laid, on others we have to build one. That's part of our job and that's why international cricket is so challenging."

Are you looking forward to regaining your place in Indian Test team?

My job is to score runs for the country. And I am happy that I have begun the season on a positive note. Right now, my focus is on the current series. For the season ahead I have to remain fit and in form. If I get a chance, I should be ready to fulfill the expectations.



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News Network
May 21,2020

Mumbai, May 21: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has chosen legendary Sachin Tendulkar over current skipper Virat Kohli as a better batsman in the ODI format, considering the changed rules of the game and the Mumbaikar's longevity of career.

Tendulkar, who retired in 2013, played 463 ODIs and amassed 18, 426 runs with 49 hundreds at an average of 44.83.

Kohli, on the other hand, has played 248 ODIs and scored 11, 867 runs with 43 tons at an average of 59.33.

"Sachin Tendulkar, because probably with one white ball and four fielders inside the circle, not five fielders outside, it will be Sachin Tendulkar for me," Gambhir said on Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.

Nowadays, a one-day innings is played with two white balls and with three powerplays.

In the first power play (overs 1-10), two fielders are allowed beyond the 30-yard circle, while in the second powerplay (overs 10-40) four fielders are allowed. In the last powerplay (overs 40-50), five fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.

Gambhir, who was the star performer in 2011 ODI World Cup final which India won, feels that the change in rules has helped batsmen.

"It's difficult because Virat Kohli has done phenomenally well but I think the rules have changed as well, which has helped a lot of new batters," elaborated Gambhir, who played 58 Tests and 147 ODIs.

"The new generation, with 2 new balls, no reverse swing, nothing for the finger spin, five fielders inside for the 50 overs, probably that makes batting much easier.

He said he would also go with Tendulkar, considering his longevity and flow of the ODI cricket format at that time.

"Probably I’ll go with Sachin Tendulkar if we see the longevity and flow of the one-day cricket format.

"Look at how Sachin Tendulkar has played, different rules, that time 230 to 240, was a winning total," Gambhir signed off. 

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Agencies
January 9,2020

Jeddah, Jan 9: Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde criticised the new Supercopa format and said that "football has become a business and as a business it looks for income".

"The bottom line is football has become a business and as a business it looks for income. That's the reason we are all here," Goal.com quoted Valverde as saying ahead of Barca's semi-final against Atletico.

"It's a completely different format to what we're used to. It was always the first title and the opener of the season and to me, that seemed fine," he added.

The Supercopa was traditionally a two-legged affair played between the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey at the beginning of the season, but following last term's one-off meeting between Barca and Sevilla in Tangier, Morocco, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) went ahead with a full revamp.

Instead of just two teams being involved, the Supercopa has been expanded to also include the runners-up from La Liga and the Copa - meaning Barca and Valencia are joined by Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. It is also set to be hosted in Saudi Arabia for the next three editions.

"It's been changed and let's see, it will be judged once it has happened. It's interesting, with four good teams, but from a sporting point of view, I'm not sure," Valverde said.

"We must bear in mind that the football we are involved in is an industry, sources of income are sought and in the same way that there are special connotations in this country, there are also in Morocco, where we played last year," he added.

Barcelona will face Atletico Madrid in the semifinal of the Supercopa at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on January 10.

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News Network
February 11,2020

Mt. Maunganui (New Zealand), Feb 11: KL Rahul struck a combative 112 but New Zealand completed a 3-0 whitewash of India by winning the third ODI by five wickets, here on Tuesday.

Rahul helped India recover from a shaky start to post a challenging 296 for 7 but the Kiwis overhauled the target with 17 balls to spare.

This is the first whitewash that India has suffered in an ODI series in more than a decade.

Sent in to bat, India were down 62 for 3 in the 13th over after the dismissals of Mayank Agarwal (1), captain Virat Kohli (9) and Prithvi Shaw (40) but Rahul got a useful ally in in-form Shreyas Iyer (62) to take India to a competitive total.

Rahul, who hit nine fours and two sixes during his 113-ball innings, and Iyer stitched exactly 100 runs from 18.2 overs for the fourth wicket to revive the Indian innings.

After the end of the promising innings of Iyer, Rahul shared another 107 runs for the fifth wicket with Manish Pandey (42).

The Kiwis were off to a confident start in their chase with Martin Guptill (66) and Henry Nicholls (80) and putting on a 106-run stand. However, wrist spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took three wickets to bring India back in the game.

Colin de Grandhomme (58) and Tom Latham (32), though, took their side past the finish line with an unbeaten 80-run partnership.

Brief Scores:

India: 296 for 7 in 50 overs (KL Rahul 112, Shreyas Iyer 62; Hamish Bennett 4/64).

New Zealand: 300 for 5 in 47.1 overs. (H Nicholls 80, M Guptill 66; Y Chahal 3/47).

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