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Long rope for struggling paceman Ishant Sharma

October 21, 2013

Chandigarh, Oct 21: After India lost the third one-dayer against Australia on Saturday after being in the driver's seat, skipper MS Dhoni vented his frustration at the post-match press conference and said, "The individuals will have to step up. You can't spoon-feed bowlers at the international level." He also added, "I think the last few overs were disappointing, it is an area of concern and it is getting worse."ishant

With 'Captain Cool' fuming, many thought there would be a change in personnel for the final four ODIs in the series, especially in the fast bowling department. The player whose position in the team looked most shaky was Ishant Sharma who was smashed for 30 runs in an over by James Faulkner, a match-turning over.

However, the selection panel has decided to retain the same squad for the rest of the series. The BCCI tweeted an unchanged 15-member squad, which means Ishant may get another chance to redeem himself.

The selection was not a big surprise if one recalls what Dhoni had to say on Saturday. "The bowlers who are waiting in wings, they can wait a bit more. Once somebody goes out of the side, tendency is that they are forgotten, they keep talking about new bowler. I always feel that people who are in the side should be given the rope, does not matter if he is a bowler or a batsman," the Indian captain said. "If it is a selection matter, I will discuss it with the selectors and not at a press conference. If you base everything on one or two games, the whole team will have to be changed. One can't drop a player on the basis of one off day."

However, how long will be the rope? Ishant, who has played 51 Tests and 68 one-dayers so far, has an average of 37.99 in the longer version of the game and 32.36 in ODIs while his economy rate is close to six in ODIs. As far as strike-rate is concerned, the lanky medium-pacer picks a wicket every 69 balls in Tests and takes nearly six overs to scalp a victim in the 50-over version!

While there is no questioning Ishant's talent, his inconsistency and lack of adaptability for an experienced bowler cannot be ignored. While Faulkner batted brilliantly and took the game away from India, Ishant only made it easier for him. Where were the yorkers, the slower ones, the cutters, the variety? Vinay Kumar too hasn't looked the part in the series so far and has proved easy fodder for the Australians.

Says former Indian medium-pacer Chetan Sharma: "Ishant, over the last three years, hasn't set the world on fire. There are several other talented fast bowlers in the country, in fact even in this squad who should be given a chance now. Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma should be given a chance. We need to build a pool of good fast bowlers for the 2015 World Cup," he added.

The other pace options in squad, apart from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Vinay Kumar, are Mohammad Shami and Jaydev Unadkat. Other than the two pacers, Amit Mishra, who was the highest wicket-taker in the five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe with 18 wickets, is also sitting out.

Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain and wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Vinay Kumar, Amit Mishra, Ambati Rayudu, Mohammad Shami, Jaydev Unadkat.

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News Network
March 12,2020

New Delhi, Mar 12: No foreign player will be available for this year's IPL till April 15 due to visa restrictions imposed by the government to contain the novel coronavirus threat, a top BCCI source told PTI on Thursday, casting fresh doubts on the fate of the event.

"The foreign players who play in the IPL come under the Business Visa category. As per the government's directive, they can't come till April 15," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

The government issued fresh advisory with a ban on all existing foreign visas, except a few categories like diplomatic and employment, till April 15 in the wake of new positive cases of novel coronavirus in the country.

India has reported 60 positive cases in the outbreak which has led to over 4,000 deaths globally.

The fate of the IPL itself will be decided on March 14 at the event's Governing Council meeting in Mumbai. "All decisions will be taken by the GC in Mumbai," the source said.

Having the IPL, starting March 29, played in empty stadiums is an option being explored.

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Agencies
August 3,2020

Silverstone, Aug 2: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton on Sunday won his seventh British Grand Prix title after a dramatic last-lap at the Silverstone Circuit.

Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas were at the first and second spot respectively until tyre drama struck.

Second-placed man Bottas was the first to suffer as his tyre deflated on lap 50, resulting in 11th place finish. Hamilton also suffered a similar issue before the final few seconds of the race.

However, with Max Verstappen having opted to pit a few laps from the end to try and claim the fastest lap, Hamilton had enough time in hand to just cross the line first, five seconds ahead of Verstappen and the third-placed Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

McLaren's Carlos Sainz had been set to finish fourth, but his own last lap tyre issue saw him eventually come home P13, allowing Renault's Daniel Ricciardo to claim fourth, following a late pass on the sister McLaren of Lando Norris.

Renault's Esteban Ocon finished sixth, having enjoyed a race-long battle with Lance Stroll's Racing Point, with Pierre Gasly having enjoyed a fine race to finish seventh for AlphaTauri.

Alex Albon finished eighth for Red Bull, having recovered from a lap 1 tussle with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen that saw him fall to last, while Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top 10, Vettel holding off a late charge form the recovering Mercedes of Bottas.

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News Network
April 26,2020

New Delhi, Apr 26: The idea of having a full-fledged women's IPL is in a "progression stage" and a World Cup title for India can actually help in turning that into a reality sooner than later, says former captain Anjum Chopra.

Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian team sailed into the final of the last women's T20 World Cup, but was thrashed by home favourites and defending champions Australia when it mattered the most.

Chopra, one of the country's most decorated women cricketers, said a World Cup title triumph would have brought about a generational shift to the women's game in cricket-mad India.

"Women's IPL in the progression stages. From one game at the start we had four last year in the Women's T20 Challenge, and this time it was supposed to be seven. It has progressed," Chopra said.

"If the women's team had won the World Cup this year, the number of matches would have been more. There is a big difference between winners and runners up."

Chopra had a successful career spanning over 17 years during which she represented India in six World Cups while becoming the first woman cricket to appear in 100 One-day Internationals.

She added, "A victory (in final of last T20 World Cup) would have been a complete generational shift in a much more progressional manner."

Referring to the rapid strides the women's game has made the world over, she praised the International Cricket Council (ICC) for "consciously building it up".

"ICC has bifurcated viewership numbers also very well for Indian audience."

The icing on the cake was a near-packed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the World Cup final between India and Australia, and that was not lost on Chopra, who is now a respected analyst and sportscaster.

"To have 80,000 people watching the final that's commendable. That definitely a boost," said Chopra, who holds the distinction of leading India to their first ever Test series win.

A World Cup triumph and the "mind set would have gone to different level altogether", she believed.

Asked about the chatter around pay disparity in Indian cricket, her simple message was win more to earn more.

"There is already pay parity in Australia. Because both teams have won the World Cups more than any other nations.

"If you start winning, then I am sure things will be different. It's also about how much you are able to generate as a team.

"I would say sky is the limit for them."

With the COVID-19 pandemic bringing sporting activities to a standstill, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the fate of many big events lined up in the near future.

While the IPL has been put on hold indefinitely, the pandemic has thrown the men's T20 World Cup, scheduled for October-November in Australia, into doubt.

"There has been a suggestion that if we are hosting the World Cup in October, then play the IPL as preparation ground for World Cup."

That is only if the situation improves in the coming times.

"It's difficult to see, to gauge where sport will be after this. For sure it is not going to be where it was before. Even if it opens up tomorrow it couldn't be the same.

"Can sports people can get back to work without worry? We don't know when this is going to be under control."

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