Jadeja dazzles as India script emphatic win

January 16, 2013

Jadeja

Kochi: India’s wins these days have been as rare as Kochi hosting an international match but when the two coincided, it was bound to create a ripple that would have measured 7.0 on the Richter scale.

In front of an unbelievably noisy crowd, that were said to be around 70,000 with the top tier too opened up for the public, India discovered multiple heroes to find their way back into the five-match one-day series with a comprehensive 127-run win here at the Nehru International stadium on Tuesday. With this win India levelled the two-match old series 1-1, after their narrow nine-run loss in Rajkot.

After posting an impressive 285/6 upon electing to bat first, Indian bowlers came up with a stifling performance to dismiss England for 158 in 36 overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/29), who bowled his entire 10-over spell in one go, gave an early initiative by claiming three crucial wickets – Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan – in a fine show of swing bowling. On a slowing wicket, off-spinner R Ashwin (3/39) and left-armer Ravindra Jadeja (2/12) decisively turned the match in home team’s favour.

The home side’s crushing win was first orchestrated by strong batting by skipper MS Dhoni (72, 66b, 7x4, 2x6) and Jadeja (61, 37b, 8x4, 2x6). When things were seemingly going England’s way after another top-order capitulation, though not quite abject this time, Dhoni and Jadeja combined to bail India out in astonishing fashion.

After the promise of Rajkot, where the hosts got a near-century start, India’s opening blues continued as both Gautam Gambhir and Ajinkya Rahane were done in by similar deliveries but by different bowlers. Jade Dernbach got one to jag back at the poking Gambhir, the ball sneaking in the gap between bat and pad before hitting the top of the off stump. Steven Finn dismissed Rahane with an identical delivery which shaped in a shade late to crash through the right-hander’s defence.

It wasn’t the beginning India were hoping for on a supposedly batting beauty. Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh began the rescue act in right earnest. Guilty of trying too hard in the last few matches, Kohli knuckled down after an inside-edged four at the start. The right-hander didn’t try anything outlandish though Yuvraj once again was in his zone, playing some audacious yet attractive strokes.

The southpaw had added 53 runs for the third wicket with Kohli by the time their association was nipped by umpire Steve Davis who failed to notice that Yuvraj had gloved James Tredwell’s delivery before declaring him lbw.

This was followed by another useful stand (48 off 66b) between Kohli and Suresh Raina before the former threw his wicket away after all the hard work. Dhoni and Raina, as they so often have, began to reconstruct the innings. Raina picked up his second half-century in as many matches but once again fell just when he was expected to kick-on. Despite a 55-run alliance between Raina and Dhoni, India entered their last 10-over stretch with some amount of trepidation, reeling at 177/5.

With Jadeja having tasted success sparingly, it was left to Dhoni again to take India to a fighting total. But Jadeja inflicted equal damage on the stunned English bowlers who leaked 108 runs in the final 10 overs and 82 in the last six alone.

Together, the two batsmen clobbered 96 in just 60 balls. It was, in fact, Jadeja who set the tone for a final flourish taking 14 runs off the 45th over by Tim Bresnan’s replacement Chris Woakes.

Dhoni, then on 38 off 48, brought his signature game to the fore that was marked by steely resolve and brute power. Dhoni afterwards raced to 38 off 18, repeatedly using his helicopter shot to great effect.

The right-hander fell with four balls to go in the innings but Jadeja dispatched Dernbach’s final three balls to the fence, collecting 14 runs and providing the hosts a genuine chance of victory.

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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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News Network
March 4,2020

Sydney, Mar 4: Teenage Indian batting sensation Shafali Verma on Wednesday rose to the top spot in the ICC women's T20 International rankings, riding on her stellar run at the ongoing World Cup here.

The 16-year-old Verma takes over from New Zealand's Suzie Bates, who had been the top batter since October 2018 after wresting the spot from West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor.

However, Smriti Mandhana has slipped a couple of rungs to sixth in the latest list.

Verma and England spinner Sophie Ecclestone will go into the semifinals of the event as the top ranked batter and bowler respectively. India will take on England on Thursday.

Verma's explosive batting at the top of the order saw her score 161 runs in four innings, including knocks of 47 and 46 against Sri Lanka and New Zealand. It helped her become only the second India batter after Mithali Raj to top the women's T20I batting rankings, according to an ICC statement.

Ecclestone, who took eight wickets in four matches including a best of three for seven against the West Indies, is the first England bowler to be number one since Anya Shrubsole in April 2016 and the first England spinner at the top since Danni Hazell in August 2015.

Among the Indian bowlers, Poonam Yadav is up four places to eighth after a good run in World Cup.

Some valiant performances from Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu have seen her move from 18th to 14th spot for batters.

England's Nat Sciver is again in the top 10 and captain Heather Knight in the top 15 for the first time.

South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt has advanced 23 places to 44th, while Pakistan's Aliya Riaz has gained 24 places and is 48th while New Zealand's Maddy Green is in the top 100 after advancing 28 slots.

In the bowlers' list, leg-spinners Amelia Kerr of New Zealand (up two places to fourth) and Australia's George Wareham (up nine places to 10th) have made significant gains in the latest rankings update.

Other bowlers to advance include new-ball bowler Diana Baig of Pakistan (up 34 places to 13th), Shashikala Siriwardena of Sri Lanka (up seven places to 14th), Anya Shrubsole of England (up five places to 17th), Dane van Niekerk of South Africa (up 12 places to joint-22nd) and Shikha Pandey of India (up 23 places to joint-22nd).

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine is now the sole number one all-rounder after coming into the tournament as a joint number one along with Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry.

India's Deepti Sharma has advanced nine places to seventh, the first time that she is among the top 10 in the all-rounders' list after also moving up to 53rd among batters.

Australia remain at the top of the T20I team rankings with 290 points and England in second position with 278.

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News Network
May 19,2020

Karachi, May 19: Babar Azam wants to take a leaf out of Imran Khan's aggressive captaincy and besides cricket, he is also brushing up his English to become a "complete leader" like the World Cup-winning all-rounder.

Last week, the star batsman took over the reins of Pakistan's white-ball cricket after being appointed as the ODI skipper.

Azam, who was one of the world's leading batsmen across formats last year and already the T20 skipper, replaced wicket-keeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed as the ODI captain for the 2020-21 season.

"Imran Khan was a very aggressive captain and I want to be like him. It is not an easy job captaining the Pakistan team but I am learning from my seniors and I have also had captaincy experience since my under-19 days," Azam said.

He said that to be a complete captain one must be able to interact comfortably with the media and express oneself properly in front of an audience.

"These days I am also taking English classes besides focussing on my batting," he said on Monday.

The 25-year-old Babar said he was not satisfied with Pakistan's current standing in international cricket.

"I am not happy with where we stand and I want to see this team go up in the rankings."

Babar said captaincy would be a challenge for him but it would not affect his batting.

"It is an honour to lead one's national team so it is not a burden for me at all. In fact, after becoming captain, I have to lead by example and be more responsible in my batting."

Babar hoped the T20 World Cup is held this year in Australia as he wanted to lead his team in the ICC event.

"It would be a disappointment if the event was not held or rescheduled because I am looking forward to playing in the World Cup and doing well in it," he said.

About plans for Pakistan to fly to England in July to play three Tests and three T20 internationals amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Babar said a lot of hard work and planning would be required to make the players feel comfortable and safe.

"Touring England won't be easy. Health and safety of players is of great importance and the tour will only be possible when proper arrangements are in place," he said.

"Both England and Pakistan team fans, along with the cricketers, are missing cricket because of the pandemic."

"We will still try to perform to the best of our ability despite no support from the fans in the stadium," he added.

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