Individuals can win games but team work can win titles: Rohit Sharma

May 22, 2017

Hyderabad, May 22: Individual brilliance can win a side few games but what is needed to win a tournament is team work, said Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma after his side lifted their third Indian Premier League title.

rohithsharma

Mumbai Indians rode on their bowlers' superb display to eke out a close one-run win over Rising Pune Supergiant in a low-scoring final to win the IPL title Sunday night.

"I feel individual brilliance can win you a few games but what is required to win a championship is team unity and team work. These are the factors which I believe personally is very critical to win a championship," Rohit said in the post-match press conference.

Rohit termed all three title victories as special and said getting the right combination is crucial for a team's success.

"All three titles are special. I personally feel it's how you prepare at the start of the tournament, getting your combinations right. I feel that is the most critical part of winning a tournament," he said.

Rohit praised Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson, who bowled the last over in which Pune needed 11 runs to win, for turning the match in their favour.

"We got some proven match winners in our squad. Mitchell Johnson is a proven customer. He (Johnson) proved again and again playing for Australia and he has done it for Mumbai as well. He has been in that atmosphere before for us. Yes, I could happily rely on him when I needed the most. The last over was very crucial," the Mumbai skipper said.

"It was fantastic to have him throughout the season."

Asked about Mumbai Indians' strategy going into the last over with a set Pune captain Steven Smith at the crease, Rohit said: "There was no specific strategy. We just wanted to make it difficult by not giving him (Smith) pace. What we saw, he was trying to use the pace of bowlers. That's something me and Johnson discussed.

"He (Johnson) was bowling against the wind. So, we wanted Smith to hit into the wind. That will make it difficult for him."

Mumbai Indians made a paltry 129 for eight after electing to bat, and Rohit said they were 30-40 runs short of what would have been a winning score on this pitch here.

"Our target on this wicket was 140 to 160. 160 on this wicket probably would have been a match winning score," he said.

Terming Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah as best death bowlers, Rohit said he always preferred a five-bowler attack.

"Cricket is all about experience. You will always have some experienced and proven match winners and some inexperienced in your squad. I personally felt at the start of the tournament, it's always good to have five bowlers theory," he said.

Rohit also praised Krunal Pandya, who was adjudged man-of-the-match for his vital 47 runs.

Asked if he aspired to become India captain, Rohit gave a diplomatic reply.

"It's thinking too far ahead. I don't think too far ahead. When the opportunity comes, it comes. I will grab it with both hands," he said.

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Agencies
March 15,2020

Chennai, Mar 15: Wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni has left the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) training camp following the postponement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) amidst the coronavirus scare.

The former India skipper had joined the CSK's camp earlier this month in order to practice for the upcoming IPL season.

CSK's official handle tweeted a video of Dhoni and captioned the post as: "It has become your home sir!" Keep whistling, as #Thala Dhoni bids a short adieu to #AnbuDen".

Thirty-eight-year-old Dhoni has been currently enjoying some time away from the game. He last played competitive cricket during the 2019 World Cup.

Dhoni had to face criticism for his slow batting approach during India's matches in the tournament.

Earlier this year, Dhoni did not find a place for himself in the BCCI's centrally contracted players list.

BCCI had released the list of central contract list of players for the period from October 2019 to September 2020.

On Friday, BCCI decided to postpone the IPL until April 15 as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, all the IPL franchises met in Mumbai to discuss as to how to go on with the tournament in the future.

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News Network
March 2,2020

Mar 2: Indian captain Virat Kohli was left frustrated and deflated as New Zealand won the second Test inside three days in Christchurch on Monday to sweep the series.

India started the day at 90 for six and were all out for 124, before New Zealand chased down the required 132 to win for the loss of three wickets in 36 overs.

It ended a disappointing tour for India and Kohli as New Zealand, who won the first Test by 10 wickets early on day four, wrapped up the series with ease.

New Zealand are now unbeaten in their last 13 home Tests, winning nine of them, and in the past decade their record as hosts is played 39, won 20, drawn 13 and lost five.

In the latest series, on traditional New Zealand green wickets, India managed scores of 165, 191, 242 and 124, reflecting the low contributions from Kohli of 2, 19, 3 and 14.

Kohli came to New Zealand as the world's top Test batsman and oozing charm as he described New Zealand as the “nice guys” of cricket.

But during the series he lost his top ranking to Australian Steve Smith and when Kane Williamson went for three in the first innings of the second Test the pressure showed when he gave the New Zealand skipper a very animated send-off.

There was further evidence of frustration when he was caught on camera yelling an obscenity at a group of New Zealand supporters on Sunday.

The end came quickly for India on day three as Tim Southee and Trent Boult tormented the batsmen with their variety of inswing and outswing deliveries targeting both sides of the stumps.

Hanuma Vihari was the first to fall, in Southee's second over, when he turned a legside delivery too fine and was caught by BJ Watling diving to his left.

Five balls later and with no addition to the score, India's other overnight batsman Rishabh Pant was caught behind off a Boult delivery that swung away.

Mohammed Shami was caught for five by Tom Blundell at deep mid-wicket and Jasprit Bumrah was run out when trying to give the strike to Ravindra Jadeja, who was unbeaten on 16.

Boult and Southee signed for most of the dismissals with Boult taking four for 28 and Southee three for 36. The swing pair accounted for 25 of the 40 Indian wickets in the series.

There was enough seam and swing available for India to keep the New Zealand batsmen guessing but Bumrah and Umesh Yadav were unable to apply consistent pressure and Mohammed Shami was troubled by a sore shoulder.

New Zealand coasted through a century opening stand by Tom Latham and Blundell before losing three quick wickets.

Latham notched his 18th half-century and second of the Test before he was caught behind off Yadav for 52, Kane Williamson had a short stay for five, and Blundell went for 55.

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News Network
May 8,2020

New Delhi, May 8: India skipper Virat Kohli believes cricket in empty stadiums is a real possibility in post COVID-19 world and though it is unlikely to have a bearing on the intensity of players, he feels the magic would certainly go missing.

Cricket Boards across the globe are exploring the option of resuming the sport in empty stadiums. There is speculation that fans could be kept away from stadiums in a bid to salvage the T20 World Cup in Australia, which is currently under threat due to the global health crisis.

"It's quite a possible situation, it might happen, I honestly don't know how everyone is going to take that because we all are used to playing in front of so many passionate fans," Kohli said in Star Sports' show 'Cricket Connected'.

"I know it will be played at a very good intensity but that feeling of the crowd connecting with the players and the tension of the game where everyone goes through it in the stadium, those emotions are very difficult to recreate," he added.

Kohli said the many moments which are created because of the passion brought in by fans, would be missing.

"Things will still go on, but I doubt that one will feel that magic happening inside because of the atmosphere that was created.

"We will play sports how it is supposed to be played, but those magical moments will be difficult to come by," he said.

Cricketers such as Ben Stokes, Jason Roy, Jos Buttler and Pat Cummins have backed the idea of playing behind closed doors.

However, legendary Australian Allan Border has said it would defy belief to host a World Cup without spectators.

Another Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and some other cricketers have also expressed similar sentiments.

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