India eye lead in Dhoni’s homeland

January 19, 2013

dhonihomelandRanchi, Jan 19: There was a certain amount of expectancy that Mahendra Singh Dhoni would address the pre-match press conference, what with this match being the maiden international match at his home venue.

Instead, the skipper deputed last-match hero Ravindra Jadeja to do the job. But the scribes covering the third match here were more anxious to find out the status of the Indian skipper after he was hit on his right thumb by bowling coach Joe Dawes’ snorter during Friday’s ‘nets’. Dhoni walked off the field immediately, but it turned out to be a minor scare and he didn’t even need a scan to know the extent of the damage.

Given that this was his first opportunity to play an international game in front of his home crowd, Dhoni would have made all the effort to turn up on Saturday noon. More so because the five-match series is poised delicately with India and England having shared the first two matches.

Both India and England know how crucial Dhoni is to Indian team’s fortunes. Both teams understand the importance of clinching this tie as it will leave the victorious side needing just one win from the next two games to claim the series.

On form Dhoni is India’s most prolific batsman by some distance, having accumulated over 300 runs in the last five ODIs, and in making impact he is their best. With their backs to the wall following the loss in the opening match, India needed certain things to fall in place.

The first hint of it came when Ravindra Jadeja lived up to the tag of all-rounder with a bruising half-century and a two-wicket effort. The new-ball bowlers, especially, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, provided the ideal start while spinners competently exploited the turning conditions.

India would have loved to maintain the same template for the rest of the series but the lack of familiarity of the conditions at this newest venue might force the hosts to change their tried and trusted win-toss-and-bat-first policy. Jadeja made it clear in as many words when he said bowling first on this virgin surface would be the ideal strategy to adopt.

While the emphatic 127-run win did provide some breathing space to the battered Indian side, some concerns remained unresolved and probably will remain unaddressed. Gautam Gambhir’s form at the top of the order continues to be a big worry while Virat Kohli, who was also hit on his hand by Ishant Sharma during practice, isn’t making it any easier for himself.

The right-hander, on a mini-slump, appeared to set things straight in Kochi but threw it all away in a moment of indiscretion. Though the quicker bowlers by and large were impressive in Kochi, Ishant was profligate once again. Consistency, or the lack of it, should be a cause for concern for the Delhi seamer.

England’s bowling, too, came in for severe punishment at the death that wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by the team management. Having done a brilliant job of restricting the Indians to mere 21 runs in the batting Power Play with an assortment of slower ones, yorkers and widish yorkers, England lost it all in the final few overs as Dhoni and Jadeja went hammer and tongs. The bowlers’ profligacy was followed by English batsmen’s age-old problems with the turning ball.

There is, of course, a different look to this English one-day side than the one they fielded in the Test series but at the first hint of a turn, the visiting middle-order cracked under pressure. Skipper Alastair Cook will be mindful of that. Like most teams, England too thrive on the good start and that responsibility lies with Cook who has formed a potent combination at the top with Ian Bell.

Their cheap dismissals in the second ODI set the rot in and Kevin Pietersen’s cameo proved to be too little to alter the course of the game.

England will be smarting under the defeat but India will be determined not to let the visitors spoil Dhoni’s bash in his own backyard.

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News Network
April 30,2020

New Delhi, Apr 30: Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday mourned the demise of veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor, called his death 'unreal and unbelievable' loss.

"This is unreal and unbelievable. Yesterday Irrfan Khan and today Rishi Kapoor ji. It's hard to accept this as a legend passes away today. My condolences to the family and may his soul rest in peace," Kohli tweeted.

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
"It's shocking to hear about the sudden demise of #RishiKapoor ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace," Dhawan tweeted.

Earlier today, actor Amitabh Bachchan confirmed the news of the demise of the 67-year-old Rishi Kapoor. Rishi Kapoor was admitted to the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday.

In September 2019, the veteran actor returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment.

He was last seen in the 2019 film 'The Body' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shobita Sobhita Dhulipala.

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Agencies
January 26,2020

Chennai, Jan 26: Former India cricketer Kapil Dev on Saturday said that it will be a big loss for the Indian side when MS Dhoni decides to hang up his boots.

"I think he has served the country so well and nobody has done it like him. Everyone has to retire sooner or later. He is not playing matches currently. So I don't know when he will come out one day and say -- I have had enough. I think it will be our loss because he is such a fabulous cricketer," Dev told reporters here.

In the recently released BCCI contracts list, Dhoni did not find a place for himself. The former World Cup winning captain Dev said that it is unfortunate that Dhoni was not included in the contract list.

"I feel sorry that they have not included him. 

Tendulkar, Gavaskar had to witness the same. It's not my job and I am not there to give the contract to anyone. It is the job of the cricket board. So, I don't know. You can ask this question to the cricket board. They will be able to answer this question," Dev said.

The 38-year-old Dhoni is currently enjoying some time away from the game. He last played competitive cricket during the 2019 World Cup.

Dhoni had to face criticism for his slow batting approach during India's matches in the tournament. 

Especially in the games against England and New Zealand (semi-final), he had to bear the brunt of netizens, who deemed him as the reason for the Men in Blue's loss.

BCCI released the list of central contract list of players for the period from October 2019 to September 2020.

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Agencies
June 7,2020

Mumbai, Jun 7: The Mumbai airport became home for a 23-year-old Ghanaian footballer for 74 days after he got stranded there due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown that led to cancellation of flights.

The ordeal of Randy Juan Muller reminded people of Tom Hank's character in the Hollywood film "The Terminal", and it ended after Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena, reached out to help him.

Muller has now shifted to a local hotel and is waiting for airlines to resume operations so that he can fly home.

The Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) also provided him all help, including food, and allowed him to use the airport WiFi network to make calls, an official said.

Muller, a Ghana national who used to play for a club in Kerala, was scheduled to fly home by Kenya Airways flight when the lockdown was announced and he found himself stranded at the Mumbai airport.

"He would spend his time at the airport's fancy artificial gardens and somehow buy food from stalls and pass his time with the airport staff. Muller told me the airport staff was very helpful," Yuva Sena office-bearer Rahul Kanal said.

A security officer at the airport gave him mobile phone to call his family back home.

A Twitter user brought Muller's plight to the notice of Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray following which Kanal reached out to the footballer and helped him move into a hotel.

On Saturday, Muller thanked Thackeray and Kanal for their help.

"Thank you Aaditya Thackeray, Rahul Kanal. Thank you very very so much. I appreciate what you have done. Salute," he said.

Kanal in a tweet said when he met Muller at the airport, the latter cried with happiness.

"Have no words to salute his willpower and fight for survival in such circumstances at this age," Kanal said.

An official at the Mumbai International Airport Ltd said the footballer was provided all help.

"All personnel at the airport, including from MIAL and CISF, gave him every possible help during his stay at the airport. Besides food, he was also allowed to use the airport WiFi network to make calls. Airport staff would recharge his phone at their own expense," the official said.

The 2004 film "Terminal" of Steven Spielberg was about a man stranded at a US airport after being denied entry into the country and a military coup back home.

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