The training I got was not up to the mark: Saina Nehwal on Gopichand

April 17, 2015

Bengaluru, Apr 17: It won't be easy to hold her recently-acquired number one position in the world rankings but ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal says she is confident of a long reign at the top and is prepared to put in the extra effort for it.

"It will be tough maintaining the number one ranking, but people should respect that I have been the first one to reach number one slot," Saina told PTI in an interview.

Saina Nehwal"If everything falls well in line and if I train well, then I am sure I can maintain it for a long time but it is not going to be easy I have to work very very hard. I have to keep in mind everyday I am world number one and have to work as world number one. I will try my best to win as many titles for my country," she said.

Asked who she perceives as a threat to her world number one status, Saina said Li Xuerui is the top contender because the Chinese has good chances to beat her for she has less number of tournaments.

"All are threat to me. Right now, I cannot comment on one person. Li Xuerui is the top contender because she has less number of tournaments compared to others, so she has the chance to go on top again," she said.

Asked whether her former coach P Gopichand called her after becoming world number one, Saina said there has been not much of a conversation with him except during the tournaments.

"Whenever we go to the tournament, we speak there. Otherwise there is not so much of conversation as we do not have that much of time. We work on our training," she said.

"Being my coach for so many years, he tells so many good things and wishes me best but sometimes when you go to a different place, differences do happen. It is not so easy to be the same coach and trainee. He is doing his things now and I am doing mine. Everything is going fine and that is important," she said.

Asked what went wrong with Gopichand as her coach, Saina said their off-court planning was not fructifying on the court as she was losing to best players like China's Li Xuerui.

"I cannot exactly say what happened but the training which I got was not up to the mark. We discussed on my game but whatever we applied on the court did not work out for me. My game required something different, something else," she said.

Saina further said not every coach can read the game properly and may not know how to improve from one stage to another.

"Not every coach can read the game properly. Sometimes, the coach may not know how to improve from one stage to another. Somehow I got stuck at one place, not improving from that zone," Saina said.

Saina credited her latest achievements to her new Bengaluru-based coach Vimal Kumar and lauded him for making her believe that she is world number one material.

"While working with Vimal sir, I came out with results. Otherwise I lost with very close margins to top players. This shows that improvement was happening, but I was still not confident that I will achieve world number one ranking. Vimal sir had belief in me and said if I keep on performing and winning, the ranking will take care of itself, and that's what happened," she said.

"Right now we are working on improving areas which I was weak at and I think, we are doing that very well and that's why the results are coming," she said.

Talking of other issues, Saina reflected on the controversy which erupted after she expressed her displeasure at being ignored for the Padma awards despite fulfilling the criteria. The Hyderabadi, however, asserted that she does not regret being vocal about the issue.

"No, no why should I (regret)? It is okay. I felt at that time that there is something wrong happening, so I spoke about it. Why should I repent it?" she said.

Asked will she be vocal again for Padma award next year, Saina said she would leave it to the government to decide on it.

"Sometimes sportspersons speak emotionally. Next time I will leave it to them to decide. It's done one time, it's done, it's finished. You don't need to speak about it 100 times. Nevertheless, the government supports sportspersons a lot. That's past now. I want to focus on future," she said.

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Agencies
March 26,2020

Karachi, Mar 26: Pakistan's centrally-contracted cricketers will contribute Rs 5 million to the national government's emergency fund to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ehsan Mani on Wednesday said apart from centrally-contracted players contributing Rs 5 million, the employees in the board, up to the senior manager level, will contribute their one day's salary.

Those employed as general managers or on higher posts will give two days' salary to the fund.

"The PCB will collect all these funds and deposit it to the government's coronavirus fund," he said.

Pakistan has recorded more than 1,000 positive cases of the deadly virus, which has claimed more than 19,000 lives all over the world.

"It is the history of the cricket board that we always stand by the government in difficult times," Mani said.

The PCB has already given its high performances centre in Karachi at the national stadium to be used by paramedical staff working at the special coronavirus hospital set up at the expo centre in the in the city.

Mani said though cricket has been disrupted by the virus outbreak but it was far more important for the nation to stand by the government and also take all precautionary steps during the pandemic.

Pakistan's centrally-contracted players are entitled to monthly salaries ranging from Rs 5 to 12 lakh besides match fee and other earnings.

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News Network
February 16,2020

Feb 16: Mayank Agarwal finally found some form going his way and Rishabh Pant mixed caution with his customary aggression as India's warm-up fixture against New Zealand XI ended in a draw in Hamilton on Sunday. The match was called off an hour after lunch with India reaching 252 for four just 48 overs into their second innings. Agarwal, who had gone through a wretched period since the second Test against Bangladesh, retired on 81 off 99 balls with 10 fours and three sixes to his name. To the relief of the Indian team management, Pant played in his customary manner to reach 70 off 65 balls, but also showed discretion when the opposition bowlers were in the midst of a good spell.

There were four sixes -- two each off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi and off-spinner Henry Cooper. While Sodhi was hit down the ground, Cooper was dispatched over extra cover on a couple of occasions.

He didn't curb his aggression though; there were times when he was ready defend against the spinners and also leave some of the deliveries that the Kiwi pacers bowled.

Even though Pant is easily the better batsman compared to his senior Wriddhiman Saha, the innings might have come too late in the day considering that the latter is a better keeper and possibly a more responsible batsman in pressure situations.

The biggest positive to have emerged from the second innings is Agarwal's poor run coming to an end.

The Seddon Park track easing out was definitely a factor but Agarwal's footwork was more assured as he played some glorious on-drives and pull-shots off fast bowlers.

Before this game, Agarwal had played 10 competitive games including first-class, ODIs and List A matches and couldn't cross the 40-run mark in 11 completed innings.

He even bagged a pair against New Zealand A in an unofficial Test match. Once he had got his form back, he didn't come out to bat after lunch giving Saha an opportunity to score an unbeaten 30, his runs coming mostly against non-regular bowlers.

The Agarwal-Pant pair added 100 runs in 14.3 overs and it also helped that part-timers like Cooper was introduced into the action. In the morning, Prithvi Shaw (39 off 31 balls) was bowled through the gate by Daryl Mitchell as the batsman left a gaping hole between his bat and pad.

Shaw, though, seemed to have done enough during his brisk 72-run stand with Agarwal, which could put an end to the debate around the opening slot even though the tracks in Wellington and Christchurch could be a test of technique for the flamboyant Mumbaikar.

It was a match that Shubman Gill would perhaps like to forget in a hurry as he was dismissed cheaply for the second time in a row. He scored 8 before Daryl Mitchell trapped him leg before.

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News Network
January 31,2020

Wellington, Jan 31: A nervous New Zealand threw it away yet again as a perseverant India prevailed in the Super Over for the second successive time to take a 4-0 lead in the T20 International series on Friday.

Needing just 11 runs off the last two overs with seven wickets in hand, New Zealand dug a hole for themselves yet again, taking the game to a Super Over two nights after doing the same in Hamilton.

New Zealand managed 13 runs in six balls and India got there effortlessly.

KL Rahul smashed 10 runs off the first two balls before he was caught. Then, a fired-up Virat Kohli and Sanju Samson finished the game in style.

Earlier, Manish Pandey proved his value to the team with an unbeaten 50 off 35 balls, taking India to 165 for eight from 88 for six in the 12th over.

India's total wasn't enough considering the batting-friendly conditions but the hosts made life a lot tougher for themselves from a commanding position before succumbing to pressure.

The entertaining knocks from Colin Munro (64 off 47) and Time Seifert went in vain (57 off 39).

Mohammed Shami, who was rested on Friday, had bowled a brilliant 20th over on Wednesday and man of the match Shardul Thakur was up to the task this time, conceding just six runs when the opposition needed seven for victory.

With the series already in the bag, India gave opportunity to Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar and Navdeep Saini for the first time in the five-match series, resting Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja and Shami. However, none of them was able to make an impact in the game.

Chasing 165, New Zealand lost Martin Guptill early. But Munro and Seifert put on 74 runs for the second wicket to put themselves on track.

Munro scored a half-century of 38 deliveries, inclusive of six fours and three sixes. He was out against the run of play as Kohli's direct hit surprisingly found the target after a relay throw from the deep.

It was the turning point as New Zealand lost regular wickets. Yuzvendra Chahal bowled Tom Bruce (0), but Seifert found a partner in Ross Taylor as they pushed the score past 150 in the 18th over.

Seifert scored a half-century off 32 balls, including four fours and three sixes. But the great choke was yet to come again. Needing 18 off 18, the Black Caps lost four wickets in the last over bowled by Thakur.

Taylor holed out of the first ball, while Seifert was run out two balls later. Daryl Mitchell (4) was caught next and Mitchell Santner (2) couldn't steal two runs off the last ball as the sides engaged in a tie-breaker for the second game running.

This was after New Zealand won a fourth consecutive toss and opted to field. Kane Williamson didn't take part in the match owing to a shoulder niggle.

Tim Southee was the stand-in skipper, with the Black Caps making two changes.

Put in to bat, the visitors were struggling at 88-6 at one stage before Pandey's lonesome rescue act took them to a respectable total. KL Rahul contributed 39 runs off 26 balls, inclusive of three sixes and two fours.

Leg spinner Ish Sodhi got into the act and ran through India's batting order. First to go was Shreyas Iyer (1) and then Shivam Dube (12) was caught at mid-wicket.

Sodhi finished with 3-26 while Santner dismissed Sundar for nought as the New Zealand spinners rounded up a good outing with 4-54 in eight overs.

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