Pujara boosts India with comeback ton against NZ

August 24, 2012

PoojaraCheteshwar Pujara celebrated his comeback with a maiden century to help India post 307-5 on opening day of the first Test against New Zealand in Hyderabad on Thursday.

The 24-year-old, who played his last Test in January 2011, cracked a solid 119 not out in India’s first match after the retirement of veterans Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.

India were under pressure at 125-3 after losing experienced Virender Sehwag (47), Gautam Gambhir (22) and Sachin Tendulkar (19), but Pujara and Virat Kohli (58) propped up the innings with a 125-run stand for the fourth wicket. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was unbeaten on 29 at stumps.

Pujara, who replaced Dravid at number three, looked comfortable against both pace and spin during his 226-ball knock which contained one six and 15 fours.

“I am really happy. I wanted to score a hundred in my debut Test but I missed it, so I am really satisfied that I got my maiden hundred now. I knew I could bat at number three and my preparation was up to the mark,” said Pujara.

“I don’t think I can replace Rahul Dravid because he is such a legend. He has scored more than 10,000 runs in both the formats. It’s impossible to replace him. I just wanted to play my natural game.”

Pujara played some aggressive shots after completing his half-century, hitting left-arm paceman Trent Boult for three fours in an over and smashing part-time spinner Kane Williamson over wide long-on for the first six of the match.

Pujara, playing only his fourth Test, reached his hundred with a single to fine-leg off paceman James Franklin, much to the delight of nearly 15,000 spectators.

The 23-year-old Kohli, playing his ninth Test, cracked eight fours in his fourth Test half-century before falling to a poor shot, caught at second slip by Martin Guptill while trying to cut paceman Chris Martin.


He gave a chance on 46 when he edged off-spinner Jeetan Patel, but lone-slip Ross Taylor failed to hold on to it. It went for a four, helping the Indian to reach his half-century.

India lost one more wicket when Suresh Raina, who replaced Laxman in the middle order, was caught behind off Patel after making three.

Boult had Gambhir caught behind and then got a big wicket when he bowled Tendulkar, who was playing his first Test after becoming a member of parliament.


Tendulkar could only add seven more runs to his lunch score of 12 before he was surprised by a Boult delivery that came in sharply. He hit just two fours in his slow 62-ball innings.

The world’s leading scorer in both Tests and one-dayers with an unprecedented 100 international centuries, the 39-year-old Tendulkar was in April nominated to the upper house of parliament, the Rajya Sabha, for his contribution to the nation.

“It was special to get Tendulkar out. It was obviously a prize wicket and it is something I will always remember,” said Boult.

“The game is still balanced. The first hour tomorrow morning will be a big opportunity to go at the batsmen and get a couple of wickets.”

Fast bowler Doug Bracewell was the other wicket-taker, having free-scoring opener Sehwag caught by Guptill at second slip.

New Zealand earlier did not allow India to build a big partnership on a good batting track, removing both the openers in the morning and then dismissing Tendulkar in the afternoon.

India put on 49 for the opening wicket after winning the toss when Boult dismissed Gambhir in the 10th over.

Sehwag cracked nine fours in his brisk 41-ball knock before he fell to a loose shot, caught in the slips while attempting to cut Bracewell.

He was lucky to survive in Bracewell’s previous over when his edge went between wicket-keeper Kruger van Wyk and first-slip Taylor for a four. He hit two more boundaries in the same over.

Score Board

India won toss

India 1st innings

G Gambhir c van Wyk b Boult 22

V Sehwag c Guptill b Bracewell 47

C A Pujara not out 119

S R Tendulkar b Boult 19

V Kohli c Guptill b Martin 58

S K Raina c van Wyk b Patel 3

*†M S Dhoni not out 29

Extras (b 6, lb 3, w 1) 10

Total (5 wickets; 87 overs) 307

To bat: R Ashwin, Z Khan, P P Ojha, U T Yadav

Fall: 1-49, 2-77, 3-125, 4-250, 5-260

Bowling: Martin 18-2-60-1; Boult 16-2-63-2; Bracewell 10.4-1-53-1; Franklin 11.2-0-33-0 (1w); Patel 24-6-58-1; Williamson 7-0-31-0

New Zealand team

M J Guptill, B B McCullum, D R Flynn, *L R P L Taylor, K S Williamson, J E C Franklin, †C FK van Wyk, D A J Bracewell, J S Patel, C S Martin, T A Boult

Umpires: S J Davis (Australia) and I J Gould (England). Match referee: B C Broad (England). Reserve umpire: C Shamsuddin



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News Network
February 9,2020

New Delhi, Feb 9: The Indian Fed Cup team will travel to Dubai for this year's competition as the ITF has named the desert city as the new venue for the matches, to be held from March 3 to 7.

The ITF named the new venue after moving out the matches from then Chinese city of Dongguan due to Coronoavirus threat. The Asia/Oceania Group I matches were originally scheduled to be played from February 4-8.

"The event will be held in the week following the ATP Dubai tournament at the same venue, and will see six nations China P.R., Chinese Taipei, India, Indonesia, Korea Rep. and Uzbekistan - compete for a place in the Fed Cup Play-offs in April," an ITF release said.

The six teams will vie for two spots in Fed Cup Play-offs.

"Being in Dubai makes no difference. But the dates give enough time to Sania for her recovery. Doubles is an important point. Ankita is playing well. The other team members will also get some tournament to play under their belt," India's Fed Cup captain Vishal Uppal told news agency.

Sania's participation was under doubt due to a calf injury she aggravated during the Australian Open, where she pulled out of the mixed doubles before retiring mid-way into her women's doubles opening round match.

"I think we have a good chance but we will have to be at our best and fight hard for every point, every game, every set, every match," Uppal added.

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News Network
May 6,2020

May 6: They have similar impact on their teams but Virat Kohli is driven by sheer passion to subdue the rivals while Steve Smith just enjoys batting, says Australia opener David Warner.

India skipper Kohli and top Australian batsman Smith are arguably the top two cricketers of the current era. They achieve new milestones consistently, invoking debates, who is better between them.

"Virat's passion and drive to score runs is different to what Steve's would be," Warner said while speaking to Harsha Bhogle on 'Cricbuzz in Conversation'.

"Steve is going out there for a hit in the middle, that's how he sees things. He's hitting them out in the middle, he's having fun, he's enjoying himself, just does not want to get out."

Warner feels, while Kohli is batting he is aware that if he sticks around the middle his team will be on top of the proceedings.

"Virat obviously doesn't want to get out but he knows if he spends a certain amount of time out there, he's going to score plenty of runs at a rapid rate. He's going to get on top of you. That allows the guys coming in, especially in the Indian team you've got a lot of players who can be flamboyant as well."

The Australian opener added that both men are mentally strong and a good knock by them boosts the morale of the entire team.

"When it comes to cricket, they both have got the mental strength, the mental capacity to score runs. They both love spending time in the middle.

"They stabilise, they boost morale - if they score runs, everyone else's moral is up. If they are out cheaply you almost sense that on the field that everyone is (down on morale and thinking) 'now we all have to step up'. It's a very bizarre situation," he added.

Asked about the similarities between himself and Kohli, who are both live wires on the field, Warner said the passion to do better than the opponent keeps him going.

"I can't speak for Virat, obviously, but it's almost like we got this thing in us when we go (out to the middle) we need to prove people wrong, prove someone wrong."

"If you're in that contest, and if I'm going at him for example, you're thinking, 'Alright, I'm going to score more runs than him, I'm going to take a quick single on him'. You are trying to better that person in that game. That's where the passion comes from."

Warner also explained how he breaks down a match into smaller competitions.

"Obviously you want to win the game but you almost break it down to: If I can score more runs than Virat, or if Pujara scores more runs than Steve Smith, you have these little contests and that's how you try to narrow the game in the sense that if we do these little things, we can be ahead of the game or we can be behind the game.

"The passion is driven by...I know my sense - one, the will to win and two, wanting to do better than that person in the opposition," said Warner.

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Agencies
January 9,2020

Atlanta, Jan 9: Top tennis stars like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams will be playing an exhibition match to raise funds for Australia's bushfire relief.

Apart from these three, Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas have also confirmed their availability for the match, CNN reported.

The match will be played on January 15 at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena. The Australian Open Rally for Relief will be donating the proceedings from the ticket sales to the bushfire relief efforts.

Tennis star Maria Sharapova had also announced on Wednesday that she had left 10 signed pairs of her tennis shoes in her Brisbane hotel that members of the public could buy with a donation to the Australian Red Cross.

"Brisbane, I have signed ten pairs of my tennis shoes, left them at the @BrisbaneTennis
desk at the Westin Hotel, alongside a donation envelope for fire rescue efforts.They're yours to keep,we just ask you to donate AUD 300 a pair. All money going directly to Red Cross," Sharapova tweeted.

Earlier, former Australian spinner Shane Warne on Monday had announced to auction his Baggy Green cap to raise funds for victims of devastating bushfires in Australia.

Taking to Twitter, Warne made the announcement and posted a statement.

"The horrific bushfires in Australia have left us all in disbelief. The impact these devastating fires are having on so many people is unthinkable and has touched us all. Lives have been lost, homes have been destroyed and over 500 million animals have died too," Warne wrote.

"Everyone is in this together and we continue to find ways to contribute and help on a daily basis. This has led me to auction my beloved baggy green cap (350) that I wore throughout my Test career," he added.

Warne joined a growing list of cricketers to raise money for the bushfire victims. Australian players Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell and D'Arcy Short have already announced that they will donate AUD 250 each for every six they hit in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) to support bushfire victims.

Athletes from other sports too joined the movement as tennis stars Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic decided to donate 25,000 dollars each for Australia's bushfire relief fund.

Wildfires have been raging across Australia for months, killing 23 people, burning about 6 million hectares (23,000 square miles) of bushland and killing a billion animals.

Naval and air rescue operations were launched on Friday as mass evacuations of towns at risk of being engulfed by flames got underway.b

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