All eyes on Harbhajan Singh as cricketers gather for training camp at Eden Gardens

June 6, 2015

Kolkata, Jun 6: All eyes would be on off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who is making a comeback after two years, as the Indian Test cricketers will assemble at the Eden Gardens for a training camp ahead of their short tour to Bangladesh.

Harbhajan-Singh-001The most successful Indian offspinner, who last played a Test versus Australia in Hyderabad in 2013, has been recalled for the one-off Test in Bangladesh from June 10-14 replacing left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja.

The Indian Test cricketers led by Virat Kohli flew in batches today as the Test team also would assemble after the series in Australia earlier in January.

With Harbhajan back in fold and India already having the regular offie in Ravichandran Ashwin, it would be interesting to see whether Kohli go for a two off-spinner line-up for the Test at Fatullah in the outskirts of Dhaka.

No seniors were rested for the Test as Kohli, who has been made Test skipper after the retirement of MS Dhoni from the longer format, will be seen at the helm with team director Ravi Shastri who has been retained for the upcoming tour.

Middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, who was playing for Yorkshire in the County Championship in England, will also return for the series and look to capitalise on the conditions in Bangladesh.

Local lad Wriddhiman Saha is also set to take over regular duties behind the stumps after Dhoni's retirement, while there was also a call-up for Karn Sharma.

The fitness camp and training was originally scheduled in the morning but because of the high heat it has been postponed to 3.30pm, said a CAB official.

"The cricketers will now have a gym and pool session at the team hotel in the morning," he added.

The team will have another camp at the Eden Gardens on Sunday followed by a pre-departure news conference before the team departure at 7.45 am on Monday.

The city is also scheduled to host the three iconic former cricketers, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, the newly inducted members of the cricket advisory committee which is slated to meet for the first time tomorrow at BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya's residence.

The committee is expected to play a role in finalising the next India coach and also set road map for the team.

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News Network
January 8,2020

Indore, Jan 8: Skipper Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 30 as India beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second Twenty20 international in Indore on Tuesday.

The hosts rode a 71-run opening stand between KL Rahul, who hit 45, and Shikhar Dhawan, who made 32, to chase down their target of 143 in 17.3 overs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after the first match was rained off.

Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took the wickets of the Indian openers but Shreyas Iyer, who scored 34 before falling to paceman Lahiru Kumara, and Kohli, who hit the winning six, got the team home.

The third match is on Friday in Pune.

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Agencies
June 7,2020

Mumbai, Jun 7: The Mumbai airport became home for a 23-year-old Ghanaian footballer for 74 days after he got stranded there due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown that led to cancellation of flights.

The ordeal of Randy Juan Muller reminded people of Tom Hank's character in the Hollywood film "The Terminal", and it ended after Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena, reached out to help him.

Muller has now shifted to a local hotel and is waiting for airlines to resume operations so that he can fly home.

The Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) also provided him all help, including food, and allowed him to use the airport WiFi network to make calls, an official said.

Muller, a Ghana national who used to play for a club in Kerala, was scheduled to fly home by Kenya Airways flight when the lockdown was announced and he found himself stranded at the Mumbai airport.

"He would spend his time at the airport's fancy artificial gardens and somehow buy food from stalls and pass his time with the airport staff. Muller told me the airport staff was very helpful," Yuva Sena office-bearer Rahul Kanal said.

A security officer at the airport gave him mobile phone to call his family back home.

A Twitter user brought Muller's plight to the notice of Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray following which Kanal reached out to the footballer and helped him move into a hotel.

On Saturday, Muller thanked Thackeray and Kanal for their help.

"Thank you Aaditya Thackeray, Rahul Kanal. Thank you very very so much. I appreciate what you have done. Salute," he said.

Kanal in a tweet said when he met Muller at the airport, the latter cried with happiness.

"Have no words to salute his willpower and fight for survival in such circumstances at this age," Kanal said.

An official at the Mumbai International Airport Ltd said the footballer was provided all help.

"All personnel at the airport, including from MIAL and CISF, gave him every possible help during his stay at the airport. Besides food, he was also allowed to use the airport WiFi network to make calls. Airport staff would recharge his phone at their own expense," the official said.

The 2004 film "Terminal" of Steven Spielberg was about a man stranded at a US airport after being denied entry into the country and a military coup back home.

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News Network
January 29,2020

Hamilton, Jan 29: India defeated New Zealand in the third T20 International via Super Over to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series here on Wednesday.

India posted a competitive 179 for five at Seddon Park after being sent into bat. Opener Rohit Sharma top scored for India with a 65-run knock while skipper Virat Kohli contributed 38 runs in team's total.

Later, skipper Kane Williamson smashed a 48-ball 95 but New Zealand faltered in the final over to take the match into the Super Over.

Needing nine runs of the last over, New Zealand lost Williamson and Ross Taylor to finish at 179 for six and tie the match.

In the Super Over, New Zealand scored 17, a target which India overwhelmed in the final ball with Rohit smashing Tim Southee for two consecutive sixes.

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