Virat Kohli must be innovative in one-off Bangladesh Test

June 14, 2015

New Delhi, Jun 14: Virat Kohli’s third ever Test match as India captain was a rain-affected disaster. In the four days of the Test so far, only 133.4 overs have been bowled in between persistent bouts of rain. On day 5, while there is no probability of there being a result, captain Kohli must use the day to hone his skills, opines Rishad D’Souza.

virat

If there is one enemy of cricket that is more damaging to the game than the authorities of the game themselves, it has to be the shower God! For numerous reasons, cricket is not a sport that can be played under, the otherwise joyous, droplets of heaven-water! And the rain was unrelenting during the first four days of India’s one-off Test against Bangladesh,rendering chances of a result on Day Five only a statistical possibility.

In the 133.4 overs so far, India have batted 103.3 overs to score 462 for six before declaring, while Bangladesh have responded with 111 for three in the remainder of the overs. To obtain a result 17 wickets will have to be taken by India in the day, after getting Bangladesh to follow on. Bangladesh in recent times have shown they are no lame pushovers. Besides, there is some rain forecasted for even on Day 5, so practically it is best to recognise that this Test will end in a tame draw.

India and Bangladesh will both be extremely disappointed with how weather has ruined the cricket for them and are not likely to take Day Five seriously. However, Kohli should view this as a platform for experimentation. He can take the opportunity to try and figure out winning combinations.

Given how tame a draw the Test match is most likely to end in, scrutiny over Kohli’s decisions will be low. Hence he can take the liberty to set unconventional fields, dispense his bowlers overs in unique patterns and get an idea of what approach works (or doesn’t) best for his side, if and when play begins.

Moreover, this approach may inject some life into a Test match that has literally been overshadowed by black clouds. After all, even the audiences will want to view something out of the box, rather than simply sitting through the overs of drag and inconsequence. If Kohli’s approach brings about some exciting results, they will praise and encourage him.

Captains like Brendon McCullum and Michael Clarke have made it clear, that in the present era aggression with a dash of innovation is the mantra to success. Aggression comes naturally to Kohli and he must not miss out on this opportunity to hone and exercise that other facet.

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News Network
April 8,2020

London, Apr 8: England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has raised more than 65,000 pound (USD 80,000) to help fight the coronavirus by auctioning off his World Cup final shirt.

Buttler's shirt, which he wore when completing the last-ball run-out that saw England beat New Zealand at Lord's last year, was sold to raise money for specialist heart and lung centres provided by the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals in London.

Buttler, who earlier in the showpiece match had hit a fifty and batted in the Super Over, put his long-sleeve keeping jersey up for sale on eBay a week ago.

By the time the auction closed on Tuesday, the shirt had attracted 82 bids with the winner paying 65,100 pound.

Buttler, speaking on Monday, said: "It's a very special shirt but I think it takes on extra meaning with it being able to hopefully go to the emergency cause.

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News Network
April 5,2020

New Delhi, April 5: England batsman James Vince lashed out at people for not taking proper measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and said people are going out as if "everything is normal".

"Just seen the pictures of people out and about today as if everything is normal. What selfish people, surely by now they've realised this is serious. Well done to everyone who's doing their bit and staying in," Vince tweeted.

On March 13, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that Europe was now the 'epicentre' of the disease.

The death toll due to the novel coronavirus in the UK has exceeded 4,313 with at least 708 new deaths in the last 24 hours, the largest one-day rise since the start of the outbreak as confirmed by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The total number of cases in the UK as on Saturday is 41,903, a rise of 3,735 cases in the last 24 hours.

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News Network
February 18,2020

Berlin, Feb 18: Sachin Tendulkar being lifted on the shoulders of his teammates after their World Cup triumph at home in 2011 has been voted the Laureus best sporting moment in the last 20 years.

With the backing of Indian cricket fans, Tendulkar got the maximum number of votes to emerge winner on Monday.

Tendulkar, competing in his sixth and last World Cup, finally realised his long-term dream when skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni smacked Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Kulasekara out of the park for a winning six.

The charged-up Indian cricketers rushed to the ground and soon they lifted Tendulkar on their shoulders and made a lap of honour, a moment etched in the minds of the fans.

Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh handed the trophy to Tendulkar after tennis legend Boris Becker announced the winner at a glittering ceremony.

“It's incredible. The feeling of winning the world cup was beyond what words can express. How many times you get an event happening where there are no mixed opinions. Very rarely the entire country celebrates,” Tendulkar said after receiving the trophy.

“And this is a reminder of how powerful a sport is and what magic it does to our lives. Even now when I watch that it has stayed with me.”

Becker then asked Tendulkar to share the emotions he felt at that time and the Indian legend put in perspective how important it was for him to hold that trophy.

“My journey started in 1983 when I was 10 years old. India had won the World Cup. I did not understand the significance and just because everybody was celebrating, I also joined the party.

“But somewhere I knew something special has happened to the country and I wanted to experience it one day and that's how my journey began.”

“It was the proudest moment of my life, holding that trophy which I chased for 22 years but I never lost hope. I was merely lifting that trophy on behalf of my countrymen.”

The 46-year-old Tendulkar, the highest run-getter in the cricket world, said holding the Laureus trophy has also given him great honour.

He also shared the impact the revolutionary South African leader Nelson Mandela had on him. He met him when he was just 19 years old.

“His hardship did not affect his leadership. Out of many messages he left, the most important I felt was that sport has got the power to unite everyone.

"Today, sitting in this room with so many athletes, some of them did not have everything but they made the best of everything they had. I thank them for inspiring youngsters to pick a sport of their choice and chase their dreams. This trophy belongs to all of us, it's not just about me.”

In a tweet on Tuesday, Tendulkar dedicated the award to his country, teammates and fans.

"Thank you all for the overwhelming love and support! I dedicate this @LaureusSport award to India, all my teammates, fans and well wishers in India and across the world who have always supported Indian cricket," he tweeted.

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