4th Test: Ravindra Jadeja falls after fighting knock, India 7 down

March 23, 2013

DhoniNew Delhi, Mar 23(Agencies): India found themselves in a spot of bother as they lost wickets at regular intervals on the second day of the fourth Test against Australia at Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi.

Australian pacer James Pattinson added India's woes as he scalped MS Dhoni to leave tottering at 210/6.

Nathan Lyon was on a roll as he picked up four wickets to lead Australia's fightback on Day 2.

Lyon gave India huge blow by dismissing Sachin Tendulkar to reduce the hosts to 180/5. Tendulkar missed short of a length delivery with his defense and caught plumb in front.

Debutant Ajinkya Rahane failed to grab the chance as he scored 7 runs before went back to the pavilion.

India suffered a massive blow as they lost in-form Murali Vijay after tea. Peter Siddle captured his 150th Test wicket by removing Vijay for 57.

Vijay surprised by the short of a length delivery from Siddle as the ball hit on the gloves and went in the air. Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade took the simple catch to end Vijay's knock.

Vijay continued with his fine form against Australia as his impressive half century and a solid opening stand with Cheteshwar Pujara took India to 135 for two at tea.

India are now 127 runs behind Australia's first innings score of 262.

At the break, Vijay was batting on 54 in company of Sachin Tendulkar, who survived a few anxious moments including a strong leg before appeal to remain unbeaten on 12.

Vijay has faced 114 balls so far hitting eight boundaries in the process.

For Australia, the post-lunch session turned out to be a productive one with Nathan Lyon accounting for both Pujara (52) and Virat Kohli (1).

The makeshift opening stand of Pujara (52) and Vijay yielded 108 runs in 25 overs.

At the beginning of the innings, Pujara played a majestic backfoot cover drive off Pattinson after Vijay opened his account with a streaky boundary past the slip cordon.

Pattinson drifted one onto Pujara's pads and the batsman promptly got his second boundary. Then came the best shot of the morning session as Pujara hit left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson for a straight drive.

The three boundaries gave Pujara confidence to get off the blocks. Vijay also joined forces as he elegantly played Pattinson through the wide mid-on area.

The first five overs of the innings produced 34 runs and it looked as if Vijay and Pujara are in a mood to get 'ready' for the Indian Premier League which is scheduled to start in 10 days time. The 50-run partnership was completed in the 10th over.

The Kotla track, which has already come under much criticism, was slowly turning from bad to worse as a number of deliveries bowled by Johnson from the Old Club House end started keeping low.

If it created a bit of problem for batsmen, the low bounce meant that the edges did not carry to the glovesman Matthew Wade and the fielders stationed in the slip cordon.

Pujara was finally dismissed after completing a well deserved half-century. Facing a Lyon delivery, Pujara played for the turn but the ball went straight to hit the off-stump.

Pujara faced 76 balls and hit five boundaries in the process.

Virat Kohli also did not stay for long as Lyon trapped him plumb-in-front for one.

Around 1:25 pm, Tendulkar walked out amid a standing ovation from the 20,000-odd weekend crowd and got off the mark off the 10th delivery that he faced.

Earlier, Australia folded their first inning on 262 after adding 31 runs to their overnight total of 231 for eight.

Peter Siddle completed his maiden Test fifty but was done in by a straighter from Ravichandran Ashwin who completed his fourth five-wicket haul in the series. Siddle scored 51 off 136 balls with four boundaries.

Ashwin finished with figures of five for 57 in 34 overs. The Australian innings lasted just over 14 overs as Pattinson's (30) dogged resistance ended with Pragyan Ojha getting his 100th Test wicket.

Ojha completed the feat in his 22nd Test, becoming the third fastest Indian to reach the milestone after Erapalli Prasanna (20 Tests) and Anil Kumble (21 Tests).

Aussies caught in a spin again

Aussies_caught

(DHNS)In their victory-less tour of India, the toss had been the only winning factor for the Australians.

For the fourth successive time in the series, they found the spin of coin in their favour, this day through their newly appointed captain Shane Watson. In terms of performance, too, they offered few surprises; the spin bowling once again leaving them dazed in a bundle of shrinking timidity.

As Michael Clarke’s back prevented him to take the field for the first time in his career, Watson completed a rollercoaster week from being dropped in the last Test to becoming a father and then returning to lead Australia as its 44th captain.

Including Watson, Australia made five changes to the team that lost the third Test. Brad Haddin replaced Matt Wade, Mitchell Johnson filled in for the injured Mitchell Starc, Xavier Doherty made way for James Pattinson and Glenn Maxwell walked in for Moises Henriques. For India, Ajinkya Rahane's debut in place of Shikhar Dhawan was the only talking point.

For Australia, it brought little reprieve though. The baggy greens ended the day at 231/8 with Peter Siddle (47 batting) and James Pattinson (11 batting) showing the resolve missing from the top order batsmen. Ravichandran Ashwin (4/40) was the most successful bowler for India with Ishant Sharma thrilling with his medium pace with the new ball.

The track at the Kotla could never be the cushion for a side already struggling with confidence. The big cracks even before the start of the match looked menacingly at the visitors. And true to its nature, the wicket remained two-paced throughout. The conditions were not the easiest to bat and Australia’s attempt to score quick runs fell flat. Local boy Ishant Sharma (14-3-35-2) prospered in familiar conditions.

Sharing the new ball with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant, sharp and quick, got result in his first over. David Warner, flashed at the away going delivery to get a thick edge that went sailing to Virat Kohli in the slips for a four-ball duck.

Phil Hughes (45), post his fighting 69 in Mohali, was at his fluent best. Showing excellent footwork and adaptability to the surface, he hit three cracking boundaries in Kumar’s over to race to 21 off 17 balls. His counter-attacking innings was well supported at the other end by Ed Cowan, who was slow but dogged.

But long, drab spells of restrained action soon followed. Ishant was incisive in his first spell and kept up the tempo on his return. One of his deliveries rose viciously to hit the helmet of Hughes, who shrugged it off with a smile. Two deliveries later, the smile changed into frown, as he played on. Australia took lunch at 94/2 and India returned with a certain epiphany.

It was soon time for the spinners to thrive. They did so by taking five wickets in the second session. Cowan’s doughty innings met a soft end when he misread the line of Ashwin’s delivery, to be bowled round his legs for the second time in three Tests.

Watson, on his part, couldn’t follow the elementary. After surviving a heart-stopping stumping chance, he was eventually dismissed in the same fashion. Mathew Wade and Glenn Maxwell followed him in quick time and Mitchell Johnson underlined Australia’s struggle with his dismissal, shouldering arms to Ashwin’s carrom ball.

Like the way in the past matches, the tail continued to wag on the Indian face, first anchored by Steven Smith and later Siddle. Like the past, this match, too, bears strong undercurrents of a mediocre contest. And once again India could smell win on the opening day.

score board

AUSTRALIA (I Innings):

Cowan b Ashwin 38

(135m, 99b, 7x4)

Warner c Kohli b Ishant 0

(6m, 4b)

Hughes b Ishant 45

(82m, 59b, 10x4).

Watson st Dhoni b Jadeja 17

(63m, 56b, 3x4)

Smith c Rahane b Ashwin 46

(152m, 145b, 3x4, 2x6)

Wade c Vijay b Ashwin 2

(7m, 5b)

Maxwell c Ishant b Jadeja 10

(14m, 16b, 1x4, 1x6)

Johnson b Ashwin 3

(24m, 22b)

Siddle (batting) 47

(158m, 125b, 4x4)

Pattinson (batting) 11

(71m, 57b, 1x4)

Extras (B-5, LB-7) 12

Total (for 8 wkts, 98 overs) 231

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Warner), 2-71 (Hughes), 3-106 (Cowan), 4-115 (Watson), 5-117 (Wade), 6-129 (Maxwell), 7-136 (Johnson), 8-189 (Smith).

Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 9-1-43-0, Ishant Sharma 14-3-35-2, Ravichandran Ashwin 30-17-40-4, Pragyan Ojha 23-6-67-0, Ravindra Jadeja 22-6-34-2.

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Agencies
January 23,2020

Aurangabad, Jan 23: An FIR has been registered against three people including former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin for allegedly duping a travel agent, Mohammad Shadab, of more than Rs 20 lakh.

However, Mohammad Azharuddin has refuted allegations and said: "I strongly rubbish the false FIR filed against me in Aurangabad. I am consulting my legal team and would be taking action as necessary."

Azharuddin's personal assistant Mujeeb lives in Augurangabad and has good relations with the travel agency of Shadab.

The travel agent alleged that Mujeeb asked him to book some flight tickets but did not pay the amount.

The police have booked the three under Section 406, 420 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

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Agencies
June 4,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 4: Indian men's hockey team defender Harmanpreet Singh is delighted and honoured to be nominated for the Arjuna Award by Hockey India.

The Indian women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal has been nominated for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award while her compatriots Vandana Katariya, Monika and Harmanpreet Singh have been nominated for the Arjuna Award.

"I was extremely delighted to hear the news. It's an honour to be nominated for the Arjuna Award and I am sure the nomination will motivate me to perform even better in the upcoming years. All of us have received tremendous support from Hockey India over the years and I was extremely happy to know that Rani has been nominated for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Vandana Katariya and Monika have been nominated for the Arjuna Award. They have put up some brilliant performances in the recent past and I would like to extend my congratulations to them," Harmanpreet said.

The 24-year-old dragflick sensation stepped up his role in the team and shouldered the responsibility of vice-captain with aplomb. As a defender-dragflicker, he was instrumental in the team's winning performance in the FIH Series Finals in Odisha. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Test Event, he captained the team to victory in the absence of Manpreet Singh who was rested for the tournament.

Harmanpreet was also part of the Indian team that won the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers against Russia last year. Harmanpreet said that he has been able to perform for the team only because of the support he has received from his teammates.

"I am very happy with the way I have been contributing to the team in the last couple of years. However, I have been able to come up with the goods only because of the way my teammates have supported me. Hockey is a team sport and all of us ensure that we are contributing to the team's cause in some way or the other. If we score a goal, then it's not only the goal scorer, who takes the credit, but the entire team is credited for a particular effort," said the defender.

Harmanpreet added that booking a place in the Tokyo Olympic Games was the biggest achievement for the team in 2019.

"It was simply amazing to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in front of our home crowd last year. I will cherish the memory forever. The balance of our side was fantastic and everyone chipped in to make the tournament a memorable one. Now, we will give everything we can to come up with great results at the Olympics next year. It's our sole target at the moment and all of us are up for the challenge. Hopefully, we will become a much better side once we play our first match in Tokyo," he said.

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News Network
January 22,2020

New Delhi, Jan 22: The pitches in New Zealand have become a lot more batting-friendly over the years, says iconic former batsman Sachin Tendulkar, insisting that India have the “ammunition” to trouble the sprightly hosts during the upcoming series.

Tendulkar, who has been on a record five New Zealand tours since 1990, feels that from seaming tracks during his early trips years, the tracks became high-scoring hard ones during his last tour back in 2009.

“Of late, the Tests in New Zealand have been high scoring and surfaces have changed,” Tendulkar told PTI during an exclusive interview.

India will play five T20 Internationals, three ODIs and two Tests during the tour starting with the shortest format on January 24.

From 2002, when India played ODIs and Tests on green tops, to 2009, when India won only their second Test series in 32 years, Tendulkar has seen it all in New Zealand.

“I remember when we played in 2009, the Hamilton pitch was different compared to other pitches. Other pitches got harder (Wellington and Napier) but not Hamilton. It remained soft.

“But Napier became hard with passage of time (where Gautam Gambhir scored an epic match-saving 12-hour hundred in 2009). So, from my first tour (in 1990 till 2009), I realised pitches got harder with passage of time,” Tendulkar said.

Tendulkar is confident that the Indian bowling attack, spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, has the ammunition to put New Zealand in trouble.

“We have a good bowling attack with quality fast bowlers as well as spinners. I believe we have the ammunition to compete in New Zealand.”

However, in Wellington, Tendulkar wants the team to be well-prepared to counter the breeze factor.

“Wellington, I have played and it makes a huge difference if you are bowling with the wind or against the wind. The batsman needs to be judicious in the choice of which end he wants to attack, it is very important,” he said.

Tendulkar said he would prefer spinners to bowl against the breeze.

“...the seamers bowling against the strong breeze need to be smart. So I would prefer that if there is strong breeze, let the spinner bowl from that end and from the opposite end, the fast bowler bowls with the breeze behind him,” he said.

The maestro is confident that Rohit Sharma's white ball experience will hold him in good stead in the Tests as well, an assignment that has been kept for the last leg of the trip, which begins with five T20 Internationals from January 24.

“The challenge would be to go out and open in different conditions. I think Rohit had opened in New Zealand in ODIs and has been there quite a few times, he knows the conditions well. Eventually, Test cricket is Test cricket,” he said.

“But all depends on surfaces that they provide. If they provide green tops, then it's a challenge.”

There is no Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Deepak Chahar in limited-overs series but Tendulkar is not ready to press the panic button.

“Injuries are part and parcel of the game when you play and push your body to the limits.

“When you play for your country you need to give your best and while you give your best, you can get injured. That's okay,” he concluded.

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