We never thought about spin option: Kohli after Perth defeat

Agencies
December 18, 2018

Perth, Dec 18: Skipper Virat Kohli on Tuesday said the thought of having a spinner for the second Test against Australia never crossed his mind as he believed India's four-pronged pace attack would do the job.

India lost the match by 146 runs.

The visitors were outdone by a second successive eight-wicket haul by off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who was adjudged the man-of-the-match, on a pitch that favoured the seamers.

"When we looked at the pitch, we didn't think about the (Ravindra) Jadeja option. We thought four quicks would be enough," said Kohli after India were bowled out for a paltry 140 in their second innings on the fifth and final day.

"Nathan Lyon bowled really well. We never thought about the spin option to be honest."

Asked about his 123-run innings in the first innings, Kohli said: "When you don't win you don't really rank your performances so it's irrelevant because we didn't get the result we wanted.

"I am focused on the next game and I hope I can contribute on a winning note."

The India skipper praised Australia for the win, saying the hosts were relentless in their bowling and also outshone the visitors in batting.

"As a team I think we played well in patches which we can hold onto. Australia played much better than us with the bat. 330 on that pitch we felt was a bit too much. They deserved to win," he said.

"We had the belief we could do it, but they were more relentless and put us in trouble."

Talking about India's bowling performance, Kohli said: "(Our bowlers) are outstanding as a pack, to see them dominate was really good to see and something we want to build on. They are relentless even if they aren't getting wickets which is a great quality."

Asked about his controversial dismissal in the first innings, Kohli: "It was a decision made on the field, it stays there."

Australian skipper Tim Paine was a relieved man after his team won their first Test since the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa had plunged the game into crisis.

"It's probably more a relief at the moment, first Test win has taken a while," Paine said after Australia levelled the four-Test series 1-1.

"Really proud of the players and staff. Good to get a little bit of reward. It was as difficult Test, both have been tough Tests. Two really competitive sides with good fast bowling attack."

Paine said the opening partnership between Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris in the first innings made a lot of difference.

"Day one was a bit of a funny one, we crossed our fingers. Marcus and Aaron, to get us none for 100 was brilliant and probably the difference in the end," he said, referring to their 112-run opening stand.

Usman Khawaja scored a valuable 72 in the second innings after flopping in the opening Test and Paine hoped a big hundred is round the corner for the star batsman.

"Uzzie (Usman Khawaja) has been batting well for a long time. He's in a really good space. If he keeps batting the way he is right now, I am sure some big runs are going to come."

He also praised Lyon for his exploits.

"It's great to have Lyon in our team. Every team would want to have him in their team. You can throw him the ball in any condition, at any end, any time against any team and he loves bowling to the best players in the world."

It was also his Paine's first win as a captain.

"It's a huge honour to captain the Australian side. Now to do it at the MCG for the Boxing Day Test is a special feeling. We all can't wait to get to Melbourne," he said.

Lyon was ecstatic to play a role in Australia's win.

"It's amazing to play a role in a victory, haven't had one in a while. It's fair to say we've been in a drought, so good to break. Was special to wrap the tail up quickly," he said.

"My role probably changed a bit, attacking in Adelaide to a defending on here. But luckily they ran down to the wicket to create a few footholes.

"When you come up against the best players, to compete against Virat and take his wicket was pretty special. Big thanks to my brother, I'm not a very good batter so just trying to play my role."

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Agencies
May 17,2020

New Delhi, May 17: With the highest-ever spike of close to 5,000 cases in the past 24 hours, the COVID-19 count in India has crossed 90,000 on Sunday.

With an increase of 4,987 COVID-19 cases being reported in the last 24 hours, the count has reached 90,927, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The total number of active cases in the country stands at 53,946 today, while 2,872 deaths have been recorded due to the infection so far, with one patient having migrated. 120 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

However, on the positive side, close to 4,000 patients have also been cured and discharged in the past 24 hours, taking the tally of cured patients to 34,108.

With 30,706 confirmed cases, Maharashtra remains the worst-affected by the infection in the country.

It is followed by Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, with 10,988 and 10,585 cases, respectively.
The national capital, with 9,333 cases, is also one of the regions which is badly affected by the infection.

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Agencies
July 20,2020

Vitoria, Jul 20: Lionel Messi won a record seventh top scoring title in the Spanish league after netting twice in Barcelona's 5-0 rout of Alav s in the final round.

Messi ended with 25 goals, four more than Karim Benzema, who did not score in Real Madrid's 2-2 draw at Legan s.

Messi is the first player to finish as the league's top scorer in seven different seasons. He reached the milestone despite missing games because of an injury early in the season. The Argentine's 25 goals came in 33 matches.

Messi was tied with Telmo Zarra with six scoring titles. He has also now equaled Hugo Sanchez's feat of four straight top-scorer trophies.

"Individual achievements are always secondary," Messi said on Sunday.

"I wished it could have come along with the league title."

This is also the third successive season that Messi finished with the most assists 21 in the league.

Ansu Fati, Luis Su rez and Nelson Semedo also scored Sunday for Barcelona, which had already secured second place behind Madrid.

Fati opened the scoring in the 24th minute, Messi added to the lead 10 minutes later and Su rez closed the first-half scoring in the 44th. Semedo got on the board in the 57th and Messi in the 75th to help Barcelona rebound from a 2-1 home loss to Osasuna.

"Today things were different," Messi said.

"The team showed better attitude and commitment. It was an important step forward for us ahead of what's left in the season."

Barcelona now turns its focus to its Aug. 8 home game against Napoli in the round of 16 of the Champions League. The first leg, played before the break, ended 1-1.

Barcelona coach Quique Seti n finished under pressure after the team relinquished a two-point lead over Madrid when the league resumed following the pandemic break. It was four points back before Madrid's match at Legan s.

Barcelona defender Cl ment Lenglet had to be substituted early in the second half because of an apparent muscle injury.

Alav s, sitting in 15th, had already done enough to stay up.

BAR A "B" TEAM

American winger Konrad de la Fuente scored twice as Barcelona's "B" team beat Valladolid B to keep alive its hopes of reaching the second division next season. The victory put Barcelona in the second round of the promotion playoffs.

The 19-year-old De la Fuente, who recently had his contract with Barcelona extended through the 2021-22 season, scored in each half.

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Agencies
June 20,2020

New Delhi, Jun 20: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there are no foreign incursions into India, China has once again claimed that Galwan valley of Ladakh union territory is located on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

In an official statement on the step-by-step account of the Galwan face-off where 20 Indian soldiers were killed, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian has said the Galwan valley is located on the Chinese side of the LAC in the west section of the China-India boundary.

"For many years, the Chinese border troops have been patrolling and on duty in this region," Zhao said alleging that since April this year, the Indian border troops have unilaterally and continuously built roads, bridges and other facilities at the LAC in the Galwan Valley.

China has lodged representations and protests on multiple occasions but India has gone even further to cross the LAC and make provocations, Zhao said.

By the early morning of May 6, the Indian border troops, who had crossed the LAC by night and trespassed into China's territory, built fortification and barricades, which impeded the patrol of Chinese border troops, Zhao said adding that they deliberately made provocations in an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo of control and management.

The Chinese border troops, he said, were "forced to take necessary measures to respond to the situation on the ground and strengthen management and control in the border areas."

In order to ease the situation, China and India have stayed in close communication through military and diplomatic channels, he said. "In response to the strong demand of the Chinese side, India agreed to withdraw the personnel who crossed the LAC and demolish the facilities, and so they did.

On June 6, the border troops of both countries held a commander-level meeting and reached consensus on easing the situation. The Indian side, he said, promised that they would not cross the estuary of the Galwan river to patrol and build facilities and the two sides would discuss and decide phased withdrawal of troops through the meetings between commanders on the ground.

"Shockingly, on the evening of June 15, India's front-line troops, in violation of the agreement reached at the commander-level meeting, once again crossed the Line of Actual Control for deliberate provocation when the situation in the Galwan Valley was already easing, and even violently attacked the Chinese officers and soldiers who went there for negotiation, thus triggering fierce physical conflicts and causing casualties."

"The adventurous acts of the Indian army have seriously undermined the stability of the border areas, threatened the lives of Chinese personnel, violated the agreements reached between the two countries on the border issue, and breached the basic norms governing international relations," the spokesperson said.

Beijing, he said, hopes that India will work with China, follow faithfully the important consensus reached between the two leaders, abide by the agreements reached between the two governments, and strengthen communication and coordination on properly managing the current situation through diplomatic and military channels, and jointly uphold peace and stability in the border areas.

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