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 13,2020

Feb 13: Veteran India batsman Suresh Raina feels Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the best captain India ever had.

Raina and Dhoni play for the same IPL franchise -- the Chennai Super Kings --, which is also led by the latter.

"I think we have the best captain who has changed the Indian team like anything. Now we have that same aura in our dressing room," Raina said on 'The Super Kings show' on Star Sports Tamil.

The 38-year-old Dhoni has retired from Test cricket but his future in the limited overs formats is a subject of intense speculation.

The two-time World Cup-winning former captain took a break from cricket after India's exit from the 2019 World Cup in England. He is set to be back in action at the IPL, where he will captain the CSK, starting March 23.

With three restricted stands at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai finally being reopened, Raina urged the fans to fill the venue in every CSK home game.

"We have all the seats available. Hopefully, we'll have more fans now so that there is it will be more energy on the field," the 33-year-old Raina, a former India batsman, said.

Raina, who last played for India in 2018, also expressed his excitement about the prospect of playing with CSK's latest acquisitions.

"This year we have a lot of new talent in our team. Piyush (Chawla) is there, then we have Hazelwood, Sam Curran, Sai Kishore from Tamil Nadu, he has been bowling really well for them. So, I think we have a lot of mixture of youngsters and seniors."

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News Network
May 9,2020

May 9: Filipina weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz noticed live-streamed concerts were collecting money for coronavirus relief and was struck by inspiration: why not raise funds with an online workout?

Since then the Olympic silver-medallist -- and strong contender for her country's first Games gold -- has made enough money to buy food packs for hundreds of hard-hit families in the Philippines.

Diaz has done it all from Malaysia, where she was training to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics when much of the world locked down against the virus in March.

"I thought (distribution) would be impossible because I'm not physically present," Diaz, 29, told news agency.

"It's a good thing that I have trusted friends and trusted family members who understand why we need to do a fundraising."

That circle of supporters has handed out the packages, which include vegetables, eggs and rice, to more than 400 families.

The food was bought with donations from about 50 people who joined sessions that lasted up to three hours, and gave them a rare chance to train with an elite athlete.

Diaz rose to fame in 2016 after snagging a surprise silver in the 53 kilogramme category in Rio, becoming the Philippines' first female Olympic medallist and ending the nation's 20-year medal drought at the Games.

Two years later, she won gold at the Asian Games in Indonesia.

However, her quest to qualify for Tokyo is on hold ahead of the Games' rescheduled opening in July 2021.

"I thought all the hard work would soon be over... then it was extended," she said. "But I'm still thankful I can still continue with (the training) I need to do."

Still, the lockdown broke her daily training regimen, keeping her away from weights for 14 days for the first time in her career.

"I felt like I was losing my mind already. I've been carrying the barbell for 18 years and all of a sudden it's gone. Those were the kinds of anxiety that I felt," she said.

But she got access to some equipment, and with her coach's urging, got back to work. She was relieved to find her strength was still there.

Instead of a Tokyo berth, the past months have been about a different kind of accomplishment for Diaz: helping her countrymen get through the coronavirus crisis.

Rosemelyn Francisco's family in Zamboanga City, Diaz's home town, is one of the first to get help from the athlete's initiative, and is deeply grateful.

Her family was not wealthy to begin with, and the pandemic has cost her husband his construction job.

"The food she donated has all everything we need, including eggs," said Francisco, 27.

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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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