India exploit Bangladesh's pink chink to lord in Kolkata

News Network
November 23, 2019

Kolkata, Nov 23: Ishant Sharma and his pace colleagues wreaked havoc with the pink ball to put India in charge of their maiden day-night test against Bangladesh at a heaving Eden Gardens on Friday.

Armed with the heavily-lacquered ball, India`s three-pronged pace attack bundled out the tourists for 106 in front of a 60,000-strong crowd which included Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli then smashed fifties as India, 1-0 up heading into the second and final match of the two-test series, finished day one on 174-3, to be course for their 12th consecutive home series victory.

Kohli (59 not out) and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane (23 not out) will return on Saturday hoping to bat Bangladesh out of the second and final test and sweep the series. Bangladesh, who were skittled out inside 31 overs, had to call two concussion substitutes after Liton Das and Nayeem Hasan sustained nasty blows to the helmet.

Earlier, India`s pace trio took less than three hours to rout the tourists after Mominul Haque`s decision to bat backfired. After the lull of the first six overs, Ishant drew first blood, trapping Imrul Kayes lbw en route to an impressive figure of 5-22.

New-ball partner Umesh Yadav (3-29) immediately benefited from a change of ends, dismissing Mominul and Mohammad Mithun in the same over to trigger a spectacular batting collapse.

India captain Virat Kohli had predicted close-in fielders would struggle to catch the harder, faster pink balls but his fears proved unfounded.

Rohit Sharma took a diving one-handed catch to sent back Mominul, Wriddhiman Saha flew to his right to cut short Mahmudullah`s stay and Cheteshwar Pujara dived forward to pouch a low catch to remove Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Opener Shadman Islam topscored for Bangladesh with 29, while Liton retired hurt on 24 after being hit on the helmet by a Mohammed Shami delivery.

Mehidy came on as concussion substitute and Mithun replaced Liton behind the stumps when India came out to bat. Bangladesh needed a second concussion substitute in Taijul Islam after Nayeem also sustained a hit on the helmet by another vicious Shami delivery.

Both Mehidy and Taijul were dropped in the two changes to their playing XI earlier in the day. Indian openers looked at ease against the pink ball but neither Mayank Agarwal (14) nor Rohit Sharma (21) could convert their starts.

Pujara and Kohli helped India eclipse Bangladesh`s paltry total with their 95-run stand.

Pujara made 55 before edging Ebadot Hossain, who unfurled his second salute celebration, but Kohli went on to complete 5,000 runs as test captain.

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News Network
June 12,2020

New Delhi, Jun 12: The BCCI on Friday called off Indian cricket team's short tour of Zimbabwe in August due to the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The announcement was on expected lines after Sri Lanka Cricket announced on Thursday that India's limited overs tour in June-July was postponed indefinitely.

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced that the Indian Cricket Team will not travel to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe owing to the current threat of COVID-19," BCCI secetary Jay Shah said in a statement.

"Team India was originally scheduled to travel to the island nation from 24th June 2020 for three ODIs and as many T20Is and to Zimbabwe for a series comprising three ODIs starting 22nd August 2020," Shah added.

The Indian team is yet to resume training and the camp is unlikely to take place before July. The players will take around six weeks to be match-ready.

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News Network
May 6,2020

New Delhi, May 6: He has flattered to deceive on umpteen occasions but highly-rated wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson says he has learnt to accept his failures in pursuit of the calm demeanour that former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni possesses.

The 25-year-old from Kerala has always been talked about by the likes of Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir but it hasn't translated into international success with only four T20 Internationals in his kitty in the last five years.

"I have learnt to understand and focus more on my strengths and (be more) accepting (of) the failures. I try to contribute to the team's cause and try to take the team over the line. I am learning to focus and control my emotions while batting like MS Dhoni," Samson said during a podcast organised by Rajasthan Royals.

He recently made a comeback in India's T20 side and it was a worthy experience for him.

"It was great to be a part of the Indian team again. To be a part of one of the best teams in the world, surrounded by players like Virat bhai and Rohit bhai, it was a fantastic experience," Samson said.

In one of the games in New Zealand, Samson was sent to bat in the Super Over, something which made him feel wanted in the Indian set-up.

"It was a great feeling to be trusted by the players such as Virat bhai and Rohit bhai to go out there and bat in the crucial moments. It's a great feeling when the team and the players consider you to be a match winner."

On a lighter note, Samson revealed that he refers to Steve Smith as "chachu" (uncle) after Brad Hodge once started calling him by that name.

"I share a very good relationship with 'Chachu' Steve Smith. He is one of the best brains in world cricket and we all enjoy a lot playing under him."

Asked what's the back story of the nickname, Samson said: "It started with Brad Hodge, he used to call Smith 'Chachu', then when Hodgy left, I started calling Smith 'Chachu'. In return Smith also started calling me 'Chachu'. We both really enjoy and continue calling each other that."

While Dhoni is his idol, he also loves watching Jos Buttler in Royals and makes notes on how the star Englishman prepares for games.

"I observe Jos especially given he too is a wicketkeeper-batsman. He's always working on his skills and his game and never sits idle.

"He's either working on his keeping, batting in the nets or running around the park. I love to observe and know how he thinks and prepares as a keeper before a game.

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Agencies
August 2,2020

New Delhi, Aug 2: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Sunday said the Women's IPL or the Challenger series, as it is better known, is "very much on", ending speculation about the parent body not having a plan for Harmanpreet Kaur and her team.

The men's IPL will be held between September 19 and November 8 or 10 (final date yet to be locked in) in the UAE due to the surge in Covid-19 cases in India. The women's IPL will also be fit in to the schedule, according to the BCCI chief.

"I can confirm to you that the women's IPL is very much on and we do have a plan in place for the national team also," Ganguly told PTI ahead of the IPL Governing Council meeting later on Sunday.

The BCCI president, who is awaiting a Supreme Court verdict on waiver of the cooling-off period to continue in the position, did not divulge details but another senior official privy to the development said that women's Challenger will be held during the last phase of IPL like last year.

"The women's Challenger series is likely to be held between November 1-10 and there could be a camp before that," the source said.

The former India captain also said that the centrally contracted women players will have a camp which has been delayed due to the prevailing situation in the country.

"We couldn't have exposed any of our cricketers -- be it male or female to health risk. It would have been dangerous," Ganguly said.

"The NCA also remained shut because of Covid-19. But we have a plan in place and we will have a camp for women, I can tell you that," he added.

The BCCI's cricket operations team is chalking up a schedule where Indian women are likely to have two full-fledged white-ball series against South Africa and the West Indies before playing the ODI World Cup in New Zealand. 

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