Sehwag raises questions by skipping net session again

September 29, 2012

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Colombo, September 29: The Indian team's way of handling senior opener Virender Sehwag and the player's own attitude in this ongoing World Twenty20 is certain to raise questions whether all is well in the Indian camp.

On the eve of the high-voltage match against arch-rivals Pakistan, Sehwag was again seen skipping the entire net session although he did participate in a football game.

While skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli also did not bat during the hour and half net session having played Friday's match, it was inexplicable to watch Sehwag relax and enjoy a chit-chat with other team members when serious questions are being raised about his form and commitment in the shortest format.

During the afternoon training session, the Indians enjoyed their game of soccer for close to 75 minutes - a lengthier session by their standards. Sehwag was goalkeeper of one team and played the entire duration.

Finally, when the net session started, it was again Irfan Pathan who was all padded up and had the first hit in one of the two nets.

The fact that Pathan, who scored 31 off 30 balls against Australia, batted first in the batting session is seen as an indication that he may again open against Pakistan.

Skipper Dhoni has always had a penchant of bowling 'wrong one' to Indian media and it won't be a surprise if Sehwag walks alongside Gautam Gambhir against Pakistan as Irfan Pathan's technique was not good enough for handling a crafty bowler like Umar Gul.

However one expected Sehwag to have a decent hit at the nets when likes of Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Gambhir all looked serious during the session.

Sehwag was seen present in a melee chatting in a relaxed manner with Dhoni and Kohli. While Dhoni and Kohli had a reason not to bat, Sehwag, if he is fit (as claimed by team management) had no reason not to bat at all.

World T20's over the years have not been a happy experience for the 'Nawab of Najafgarh'. Even during India's victorious campaign in the 2007 edition, Sehwag missed the final giving Yusuf Pathan a chance to make his international debut.

During 2009 edition in England, there was a huge controversy as to whether the opener had carried an injury into the tournament which led to skipper Dhoni marching in with the entire team to read out a press statement.

In the 2010 edition in West Indies, Sehwag missed the entire tournament with an injury as India went in with Murali Vijay.

The 2012 edition is also turning out to be an unhappy one for him and it only depends on Sehwag to change the current script.

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News Network
January 14,2020

Sydney, Jan 14: Retired South African big-hitter AB de Villiers on Tuesday said efforts are on to ensure his comeback in the national team for the T20 World Cup in Australia, a plan in which his IPL form will play a crucial role.

Speaking to Cricket Australia's official website 'cricket.com.au', the 35-year-old swashbuckler said he would love to be back two years after calling it quits internationally. He is currently in Australia to play in the Big Bash League.

"I would love to. I've been talking to 'Bouch' (new South Africa coach Mark Boucher), (new director of cricket) Graeme Smith and (captain) Faf (du Plessis) back home, we're all keen to make it happen," he said.

"It's a long way away still, and plenty can happen – there's the IPL coming up, I've still got to be in form at that time. So I'm thinking of throwing my name in the hat and hoping that everything will work out," he added.

De Villiers, nonetheless, is keeping a check on his expectations.

"It's not a guarantee, once again. I don't want to disappoint myself or other people, so for now I'm just going to try and keep a low profile, try and play the best possible cricket that I can and then see what happens towards the end of the year," he said.

"There are a lot of players (involved with CSA) who I used to play with. Guys who understand the game, leaders of the team for many years" he said of the present dispensation.

"So it's much easier to communicate than what it used to be in the past. They understand what players go through – especially players that have played for 15 years internationally.

"It doesn't mean that everything is going to be sunshine and roses, but it's definitely a lot easier and it feels comfortable, the language that's being used and just the feel that everyone has at the moment in South Africa about the cricket," he added.

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News Network
April 7,2020

London, Apr 7: Bowling coach Waqar Younis feels that it was the absence of pacers Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir which saw Pakistan getting whitewashed during Australia tour last year.

Amir and Riaz had quit the red-ball format ahead of the matches against Australia in 2019.

"Just before the Australia series, they ditched us and we had the only choice to pick youngsters.

We were the new management and decided to go on with taking in the younger lot and groom them. ESPNcricinfo quoted Younis as saying.

Pakistan was not able to win a single match in Australia as they got defeated both in T20Is and Test series.

"It's not like we have lost a lot, but yes they left us at the wrong time. But anyway, we don't have any grudge against them," Younis added.

"We cannot control players' choice on what they want to play, but then there should be a mechanism so we all are on board. "It's not like I am saying we could have won in Australia but we could have done better than what we have done," he opined.

Amir gave up the red ball format in July in order to manage his workload and extend his white-ball career for Pakistan as well as in T20 leagues around the world, while Riaz took an "indefinite break" from Test cricket in September last year.

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News Network
July 16,2020

Kolkata, Jul 16: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday went into home quarantine after his elder brother and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint secretary Snehasish Ganguly tested positive for Covid-19.

Snehasish, a former Bengal first-class player, has been admitted to the Belle Vue hospital in Kolkata after his COVID report came positive.

"He was suffering from fever for the last few days and his test report came positive today. He's been admitted to Belle Vue Hospital," a CAB official said.

"The reports arrived late in the evening. As per health protocols, even Sourav will have to be in home quarantine for a stipulated period," a source close to the BCCI President added.

Snehasish had shifted to their ancestral house, where Sourav is based, in Behala after his wife and in-laws at his Mominpur residence tested positive for the dreaded virus.

The former India captain was, however, unavailable for a comment on the development.

Recently, during an interview to India Today, Sourav had spoken about how life around him has changed, making people more vulnerable.

"My brother visits our factories everyday and he is more at risk," the former batting star had said

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