Sachin Tendulkar Kerala Blasters have a huge motivator, says assistant coach

September 29, 2015

Mumbai, Sep 29: Ishfaq Ahmed's role at Kerala Blasters will not be limited only to the playing but it is going to double up this season of the Indian Super League (ISL) as he is the assistant coach to Peter Taylor.

sachin

Kerala Blasters finished runners-up last time around and Ishfaq believes they have every chance of lifting the trophy this time around after being unlucky in the finals against Atletico de Kolkata last season.

The Blasters lost 1-0 to Kolkata in the dying moments of the title clash bit Ishfaq says it hasn't hurt the team's morale, which is where it should be. "We have the potential and players to go all the way this season. Players are positive ahead of the season and the dressing room atmosphere is fantastic," the assistant coach told IBNLive.

"The Indian contingent is gelling well with the foreign players and both are helping each other settle in ahead of the new season," Ishfaq said during a telephonic conversation.

The former Pune FC (I-league) midfielder is amongst the players retained by the Kochi-based franchise for the second season and now given the added responsibility.

When asked how are their preparations going ahead of the season that kicks off October 3, he sounded pretty confident and said the pre-season camp went brilliantly and the plan is working fine at the moment. "We are loving every bit of the moment in Trivandrum. Although everyone took time to get used to the food, eventually we have coped with that and enjoying our pre-season training. Everything is going according to the plan and the coaches and players are happy with the proceedings.

"The fitness level is being tested and most of the players are ready for the first game. We we are confident that everyone will be ready before our first game of the tournament," Ishfaq added.

Kerala won just one of their first five matches in the league last season and were expected to be knocked out but the team, co-owned by star Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, fought back and peaked at the right time to make it to the final.

When asked about the influence the legendary batsman has on the team, the midfielder was full of awe and admiration. "It is a huge honour to be around Sachin Tendulkar. He just loves sport and that motivates everyone. He is easily approachable and is ready to share his views.

"Last season, ahead of the final, he was very positive. He said 'just go and enjoy your game and never put yourself under any pressure.' He told us that winning and losing is part of game and that we have to give our 100 per cent out there.

"After we lost the final, he still had a smile on his face and talked to each and every player and consoled them. He is always there to motivate the players and his influence in the dressing room is very very positive," Ishfaq said.

Taylor has been named the manager of the Kerala outfit for the new season. The 62-year-old Taylor, who had coached the England senior team for a match, was at the helm of the England youth team for a long period. He has also coached David Beckham and Ishfaq was all praise for him.

"Some players know him before the ISL, so the understanding is there. He is treating every player the same and his experience will surely help the team in the new season. He's a top-quality coach and we are looking forward to the new season. His man-management is top draw," Ishfaq concluded.

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News Network
June 25,2020

Jun 25: After asserting that the 2011 World Cup final was "sold" by "certain parties" in Sri Lanka to India, the island nation's former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has now called his claim a "suspicion" that he wants investigated.

The Lankan government has ordered an enquiry into the matter and a special Police investigation unit recorded Aluthgamage's statement on Wednesday. He told the team that he was only suspicious of fixing.

"I want my suspicion investigated," Aluthgamage told reporters.

"I gave to the Police, a copy of the complaint I lodged with the International Cricket Council (ICC) on 30 October 2011 regarding the said allegation as then Sports Minister," he said.

Aluthgamage has alleged that his country "sold" the game to India, a claim that was ridiculed by former captains Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who demanded evidence from him.

Set a target of 275, India clinched the trophy thanks to the brilliance of Gautam Gambhir (97) and then skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (91).

"Today I am telling you that we sold the 2011 world cup, I said this when I was the sports minister," Aluthgamage, who was the sports minister at the time, had stated.

Sangakkara, the captain of Sri Lanka at that time, asked him to produce evidence for an anti-corruption probe.

"He needs to take his 'evidence' to the ICC and the Anti corruption and Security Unit so the claims can be investigated thoroughly," he tweeted.

Jayawardene, also a former captain who scored a hundred in that game, ridiculed the charge.

"Is the elections around the corner...like the circus has started...names and evidence?" he asked in a tweet.

Aluthgamage said that in his opinion no players were involved in fixing the result, "but certain parties were."

Both Aluthgamage and the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa were among the invitees at the final played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Following his allegations, Aravinda de Silva, the former great who was the then chairman of selectors, has urged the BCCI to conduct its own investigation.

De Silva has said he is willing to travel to India to take part in such an investigation despite the current COVID-19 threat.

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Agencies
February 7,2020

New Delhi, Feb 7: It was on February 7, 1999, that Anil Kumble became just the second bowler in the history of cricket to take all ten wickets in an innings of a Test match.

He achieved the feat against Pakistan at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, now known as Arun Jaitley cricket stadium in Delhi during the second Test of the two-match series.

India had set Pakistan a target of 420 runs in the match and the visitors got off to a steady start as openers Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar put on 101 runs for the first wicket.

It was then Kumble who came into the attack and wreaked havoc on the Pakistani batting line-up.

The spinner, also known as 'Jumbo' first dismissed Afridi (41) in the 25th over. After the right-handed batter's dismissal, India kept on taking wickets through Kumble and Pakistan was reduced to 128/6 in no time.

Kumble then kept on taking wickets at regular intervals and he got his tenth scalp in the 61st over after dismissing Wasim Akram.

This effort enabled India to register a win by 212 runs, and Kumble became the second bowler after England's Jim Laker to take all ten wickets in a single Test inning.

Kumble finished with the bowling figures of 10-74 from 26.3 overs.

Kumble announced his retirement from international cricket in 2008 and finished with 619 wickets in the longest format of the game.

He has the third-highest number of wickets in Tests, only behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Australia's Shane Warne (708).

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Agencies
January 25,2020

Headingley, Jan 25: England have become the first team in the world to score 500,000 runs in Test cricket. They achieved the feat during the ongoing fourth and final Test against South Africa being played at The Wanderers.

On Friday - the opening day of the Test match -- England captain Joe Root's single through the covers took the Three Lions to a landmark 500,000 run-mark in the longest format of the game. They achieved the feat in their 1022nd Test match.

Australia comes second in the list, with 432,706 runs in 830 Tests. India, meanwhile, are third, with 273,518 runs in 540 Tests, followed by West Indies (270,441 runs in 545 Tests).

In the third Test played at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, England had become the first team to play 500 Test matches on foreign soil. Australia are the second team to play the most away Test with 404 matches they have played so far.

India have played 268 Tests on foreign soil in which they have won 51, lost 113 and 104 have ended in a draw.

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