Ravindra Jadeja is the most valued cricketer at the moment: Kapil Dev

July 21, 2013

Ravindra_JadejaKolkata, Jul 21: Legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev on Saturday credited Ravindra Jadeja for the recent success of the Indian cricket team and termed the Saurashtra player the "most valued cricketer" presently.

"Since he (Jadeja) came in, it made so much difference to the team. He is the most valued cricketer at the moment," Kapil said.

Kapil said Jadeja was a great asset to the team with his impressive bowling, batting and sharp fielding.

"In last one year, he has established himself more than an all-rounder. He was the one who lifted the fielding, he not only set the standards he lift the standards.

"Good to see a player of his calibre who can play and win matches with his batting, bowling and on top of that with his fielding. Hats off to him. It's great to have a player of his ability in the team," the 1983 World Cup winning skipper said on the sidelines of Cricket Association of Bengal's annual awards ceremony.

Having seen the youngsters perform during India's successful Champions Trophy campaign, the cricketer-turned-commentator said the gen next did not let anybody feel the absence of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Gautam Gambhir.

"When you did not have the big players who had served the country so well, and you don't miss them that means the next generation has arrived. I am not saying we don't miss the big names anymore but what I'm saying is that the young cricketers are playing so well that we did not miss the big guns," he said.

Talking about 2015 World Cup, Kapil said the youth brigade can successfully defend their title in Australia.

"It's too early to say that how many will be fit enough to play in the tournament. But, yes we have enough young boys who can play the next World Cup and win it and that's important," he said.

Equally effusive in his praise for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kapil said it was tougher than during his time to win the World Cup.

Asked to compare the two victories of 1983 and 2011, Kapil said: "This one. Tomorrow, it will be more difficult. The reason is obvious. Life gets tougher, so in future it would be more tough. It won't be easy. Next generation is always much more harder and tougher."

"Everybody knows that he's done wonderfully well for himself and the team. Yes, he is one of the best captains and we should respect that. When you ask such question, you have a doubt in your mind. I have no doubts, I don't talk about him. He's the best captain at the moment. We should just say that he is the captain," Kapil replied when asked if Dhoni was the all time best.

On Virat Kohli being the future captain, the all-rounder said: "As long Dhoni is there, we should not talk about any other person. If we have a captain, we should respect him. The day selectors think it's time to change then we should talk about it. I will not about Kohli at all."

Kapil said the Indian opening duo of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, who were struggling to make a comeback should not lose hope and work harder.

"If Gambhir or Sehwag think that they cannot come back then they should pack up and go back home and sleep. A sportsman is a fighter and takes up the challenge," he said.

On the contentious DRS use, Kapil said: "Let's not make it more complicated. ICC is doing their job. We cannot make everybody happy. But if we have to accept something, most should be happy."

Doping is the latest to hit Indian cricket and Kapil urged the likes of Pradeep Sangwan, who failed a random dope test in IPL 6, to learn from others' mistakes.

"I don't talk negatives. If the young boys cannot learn from other people's mistakes then it's a sad thing. Whatever happened I don't know. I just want to wish everybody good luck."

On spot-fixing he said: "If you play good cricket, a lot of bad things get hidden. But we don't want to hide anything. We should have clean cricket as this country loves the game more than anything else. It's the only thing that can unite the country."

Kapil further showered praise on Kolkata saying that the passion of the city for cricket matches that of Brazil in football.

"Kolkata is a very joyful city. People of the city are mad, they are crazy, you can put it anyway. Either they can love you or hate you. This city has a charm of its own. It's unmatched and can compare this with the football fervour in Brazil," he said.

The chief guest of the CAB awards ceremony, Kapil further thanked the interim BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya and hailed him as the most sought after cricket administrator in the country.

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News Network
February 29,2020

Feb 29: India were all out for 242 in their first innings following a stunning battling collapse, triggered by paceman Kyle Jamieson on the opening day of the second cricket Test against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, here on Saturday.

India were steady at 194 for five at tea but lost wickets in quick succession after the play resumed. Jamieson returned figures of 14-3-45-5.

Hanuma Vihari top-scored for India with his combative 55 while Prithvi Shaw (54) and Cheteshwar Pujara (54) hit contrasting half-centuries.

Virat Kohli's (3) poor run continued while his deputy Ajikya Rahane (7) also fell cheaply.

India lost last five wickets for 48 runs, of which 26 were contributed by last-wicket pair of Mohammed Shami (16) and Jasprit Bumrah (10).

Brief Scores:

India 1st innings: 242 all out in 63 overs. (H Vihari 55, P Shaw 54, C Pujara 54 batting; Kyle Jamieson 5/45, Tim Southee 2/38, ).

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News Network
May 7,2020

Melbourne, May 7: Australia opener Joe Burns is eyeing the Tests against India should they take place later this year, to stabilise his stop-start international career, saying "you want to play in and do well in" in this kind of series.

India is scheduled to play four Tests in Australia in December-January, a series which is currently in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed over 2.5 lakh lives across the world.

"They are obviously world class team. I think the two teams going at each other will be very exciting to watch and players playing against each other as well," Burns told reporters in a video conference on Thursday.

"You look at the world ranking, they were number one and now we have got to number one, so I know that series will be anticipated by everyone and as a player this is a sort of series you want to play in and do well in."

With the coronavirus also threatening the T20 World Cup, Cricket Australia is under financial stress and has gone on a cost-cutting drive, which included standing down 80 per cent of its staff at 20 per cent salary.

There are also speculations that the Sheffield Shield for 2020-21 would be curtailed to cut costs.

Burns, however, hoped it won't be tinkered with.

"I love the fact we have a really strong first-class system. The 10 games, where you play everyone twice," Burns, who was struck down by a fatigue illness after an indifferent season, said.

"It leads to world-class players coming into Test teams. You don't want to see that get changed.

"Obviously it is unique circumstances at the moment and There's a lot of things to work through ... the players' association is consulted on those things."

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News Network
January 6,2020

Sydney, Jan 6: Nathan Lyon captured five for 50 and 10 match wickets as Australia crushed New Zealand by 279 runs on Monday, capping a golden domestic summer as they swept the three-Test series.

The off-spinner led the powerful Australian bowling attack to dismiss the Kiwis for 136 and seal another heavy win over the Black Caps after similar victories in Perth and Melbourne.

Australia have been unbeatable this season, winning all five Tests at home -- two against Pakistan and three against New Zealand -- after retaining the Ashes by drawing the series 2-2 in England.

"It's been a great summer for the Australian Test side," Lyon said.

"It's pretty special to be part of it, we have been impressive, pretty clinical, the batters have done well and given us bowlers plenty of time."

Australia declared their second innings at 217 for two with David Warner scoring an unbeaten century, leaving the Black Caps with a revised 416-run target in the fourth innings on a wearing Sydney Cricket Ground pitch.

But the Kiwis buckled under the pressure of Australia's superior bowling attack with Mitchell Starc taking three for 25 to support the wiles of spinner Lyon.

"They were clinical in all areas and after the first match they put us under pressure session after session," said skipper Kane Williamson, who missed the Test with a virus.

New Zealand were reeling early at 27-4 and never recovered after Starc and Lyon took two wickets each in the middle session to put the skids under the tourists.

Starc removed both openers, Tom Latham and Tom Blundell, in the first five overs. Blundell fell to a stunning catch by a diving Lyon at point for two and stand-in skipper Latham lost a review for leg before wicket.

Jeet Raval was out in a review to the faintest of edges on 'Snicko' in Lyon's first over for 12.

First-innings top-scorer Glenn Phillips went for a duck after technology detected a faint outside edge to wicketkeeper Paine off Lyon.

Taylor's Kiwi record

Ross Taylor became the leading all-time Kiwi batsman, going past Stephen Fleming (7,172) before he was bowled by Pat Cummins for 22 to take his Test aggregate to 7,174.

Big-hitting Colin de Grandhomme smacked Lyon for six to bring up his fifty but went next ball hoicking to Joe Burns at deep mid-wicket for 52.

Todd Astle was out to a superb diving catch by James Pattinson in the outfield for 17.

Starc yorked William Somerville's middle stump for seven and BJ Watling was the last to fall, caught at backward square leg by Pat Cummins for 19.

Earlier, Warner completed his 24th Test century and remained unbeaten when skipper Paine declared upon the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne.

"You know you're capable of doing so," Warner said, when asked about how he had bounced back from his disastrous Ashes campaign in England last year.

"I was in the nets hitting the ball well and had the skipper backing me. To be able to play with freedom helped me. It's all paying off."

Labuschagne, who was dropped on four in a regulation caught-and-bowled chance by leg-spinner Astle, was caught at long on off Matt Henry for 59 -- his seventh score over 50 in eight innings this domestic summer.

Labuschagne finished the home five-Test season with a stunning aggregate of 896 runs, made up of his 215 in the first innings, three other centuries and three half-centuries in eight innings.

There was drama late in the Australian innings when Warner was given an official warning by umpire Aleem Dar for running down the middle of the pitch in scampering a single.

It resulted in five penalty runs being added to New Zealand's first innings total meaning their target was revised down from 421 to 416.

The Test was played against the backdrop of one of Australia's most devastating bushfire seasons with at least 24 people losing their lives in blazes raging across the country, including on the outskirts of Sydney.

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