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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Agencies
February 12,2020

Mumbai, Feb 12: Former Indian greats Kapil Dev and Mohammad Azharuddin have been left disappointed by the behaviour of the Under-19 team after the World Cup final where they were involved in an altercation with their Bangladeshi counterparts.

After Bangladesh won the final beating India by three wickets (via DLS) at the Senwes Park on Sunday, the players of the two teams were seen engaging in an exchange of words and even some pushing and shoving on the field.

"I would like to see the board (BCCI) take some strict action against the players to set an example. Cricket is not about abusing the opponent. I am sure there is enough reason for these youngsters to be dealt with firmly by BCCI," Kapil was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

"I welcome aggression, nothing wrong in it. But it has to be controlled aggression. You can't cross the line of decency in the name of being competitive. I would say it was unacceptable that youngsters put up such an obnoxious display on the cricket field," he added.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has sanctioned five players, including three from Bangladesh -- Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain and Rakibul Hasan --and two from India --Akash Singh and Ravi Bishnoi for the scuffle.

Azharuddin also reiterated what Kapil said, insisting that players need to be disciplined.

"I would take action against the errant Under 19 players, but I also want to know what role has the support staff played in educating these youngsters. Act now before it is too late. The players have to be disciplined," Azharuddin said.

Earlier, Bishan Singh Bedi has lashed out at the Priyam Garg-led team, saying their behaviour was disgusting and disgraceful.

"You bat, bowl and field badly�happens, but there's no excuse for behaving badly. The behaviour was disgusting and most disgraceful. The innocence of that age was not visible at all," Bedi told Mid Day.

Bedi, who represented India in 67 Tests and 10 ODIs, said the behaviour of the Bangladesh cricketers is not our problem.

"Look, what Bangladesh do is their problem, what our boys do is our problem. You could see that there was abusive language used," he said.

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News Network
April 13,2020

Apr 13: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir says if IPL is not played this year, it will be difficult for Mahendra Singh Dhoni to make a comeback to the Indian team.

Dhoni last played for India in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in July last year.

Since then he hasn't played any competitive cricket and legends such as Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev have already said that it's getting increasingly difficult for the Jharkhand dasher to make an international return after such a prolonged sabbatical.

He was expected to be seen in action at this year's IPL but the chances of T20 league being played are remote due to the COVID-19.

"If the IPL does not happen this year, then it will become very difficult for MS Dhoni to make a comeback. On what basis can he (Dhoni) be selected since he’s not been playing for the last one or one and a half year," Gambhir said on Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.

The 38-year-old Gambhir picked KL Rahul, who has been keeping in ODIs, as an "apt replacement" for Dhoni.

Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths

"Obviously his (Rahul's) keeping is not as good as Dhoni’s, but if you are looking at T20 cricket, Rahul's a utility player, can keep and bat at No. 3 or 4. If the IPL does not happen, then Dhoni’s chances for a comeback look dim.

"Ultimately, you are representing India, so whoever dishes out the best performance and can win the match for India should play for the team," added Gambhir.

The southpaw also felt that retirement was Dhoni's personal decision.

"As far as his retirement plans go by, that's his personal choice," said Gambhir.

However, his former teammate and test specialist VVS Laxman feels that Dhoni can continue playing IPL.

"Not only this IPL, he (Dhoni) will probably play in the next couple of IPLs, and then we will take a call about his future as a cricketer," Laxman said on the same show.

However, Laxman, a veteran of 134 Tests, said that the new selection committee, chaired by former spinner Sunil Joshi, will have to discuss Dhoni's future with him.

"Dhoni will be very clear, as far as his plans are concerned, I'm sure he must have communicated that with (captain) Virat Kohli, (coach) Ravi Shastri immediately after the 2019 World Cup in England," said Laxman.

"The new selection committee will have to sit down with MS Dhoni and understand his future, as far as Indian cricket is concerned. But MS Dhoni will continue to play for CSK and do well for CSK," said Laxman, who amassed 8,781 Test runs.

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News Network
May 14,2020

May 14: Veteran South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis has proposed a two-week isolation period for players before and after the T20 World Cup as a way to stage the event as per schedule later this year.

Like other sports, cricketing action too has come to a complete halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. The fate of the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia in October-November is shrouded in uncertainty.

Talking to Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, du Plessis said travel was going to be an issue despite Australia being less affected by the deadly contagion.

"I am not sure... reading that travelling is going to be an issue for lot of countries and they are talking about December or January. Even if Australia is not affected like other countries, to get people from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where there is more danger, obviously it's a health risk to them," du Plessis said.

"But you can go in before the tournament (for) two weeks isolation and then play the tournament and afterwards two weeks isolation," said the former captain.

Several countries across the globe, including South Africa, Australia and India, have travel restrictions in place and the veteran Proteas batsman joked travelling by boat is not an option.

"But I don't know when South Africa will open their travel ban because we can't go there like old days on boats," du Plessis said.

In March, South Africa's ODI series against India was called off after the first match in view of the pandemic.

The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 44 lakh people worldwide while causing close to 3 lakh deaths.

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