Retirement of senior players has hurt Australian cricket: Tait

March 30, 2013

TaitJaipur, Mar 30: Former Australia pacer Shaun Tait said that experienced players shouldn’t have hurriedly retired, as they would have enabled a smooth transition for the next generation.

“I feel the likes of Jason Gillespie, Shane Warne, Michael Kasprowicz and Mathew Hayden were the players from whom the younger lot could have learnt and who should have hung for more time,” Tait said during an interaction with the media on Saturday.

“I am not sure but there have been some changes in Australian cricket and at the domestic level too. The youngsters, when inducted into the team learn from their seasoned teammates,” he said.

When asked whether the IPL was losing its global character in the wake of the decision to pull out Sri Lankan players out of Chennai and the few England players being barred by their respective counties, Shaun Tait called it a “shame”.

“It is not in the hands of the players. They have to abide with what the authorities say. The IPL would not lose its global character but it’s a shame that players have to face such situation. It’s the decision taken by others. At the end of the day, IPL is an Indian tournament but a very good one,” he said.

Bowling at slog overs

Questioned on where the Rajasthan Royals’ campaign went haywire last year, he replied, “We were not up to the mark in the death overs during the previous season. I enjoy bowling at the death but plans work out at times and some times, they don’t. I would again enjoy bowling at death.”

Talking about the prospects for this year’s IPL, he said “We hope for a top four finish this time. We have worked on a few grey areas like death bowling and have few more options in attack. The likes of James Faulkner would lend us more bowling strength. We have good relationship and we mix up well and help each other,” said Tait.

Tait has often been labelled as someone who had pace but was erratic. The bowler assured that he is working on that aspect of his game. “I know I was erratic at times but have worked on this. My foot was popping out of the bowling crease, but recently I had improved in the Big Bash and Bangladesh Premier league. I plan to bowl a lot straighter and keep things simple.”

Despite his international career being curtailed by injuries, Tait doesn’t want to compromise on pace.

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May 28,2020

May 28: Former India captain and Kings XI Punjab head coach Anil Kumble is hopeful of the IPL happening this year and is not averse to the idea of conducting the cash-rich event without spectators due to the COVID-19 threat.

It is not official yet but there is speculation that the BCCI wants to hold the IPL in the October window after the tournament was postponed indefinitely earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Yes we are hopeful and optimistic that there is still a possibility (to hold IPL this year) if we can cram in the schedule," Kumble was quoted as saying by Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.

"If we are going to have a stadium without spectators, then probably have 3 or 4 venues; there's still a possibility, we are all optimistic," said the former spinner, who is also the chairman of ICC's Cricket Committee.

Former India batsman VVS Laxman said the stakeholders can stage the league in cities which have multiple stadia to reduce travelling by players.

"Absolutely (there is chance to hold IPL this year), and also make sure that all the stakeholders have a say," he said.

"...you should identify one venue, which probably has 3 or 4 grounds; if at all you find that kind of a venue because travel is again going to be quite challenging," said the former stylish batsman.

"You don't know who's going to be where at the airports, so that I'm sure the franchises and the BCCI will be looking into."

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News Network
May 2,2020

Melbourne, May 2: After becoming the number one side in Test cricket, Australia's head coach Justin Langer has said that his team has won back the respect of the country.

Australia dethroned India from the top spot in Tests and now the Men in Blue are in the third place.

Langer came in as the coach of Australia after the 2018 ball-tampering scandal and it took him some time to get the side back to winning ways.

Ever since the return of David Warner and Steve Smith, Australia went on to become a commendable side and the results reflect that.

"We have got lots of work to do to become the team we want to be. But over the last couple of years, not only have we performed well on the field, we have performed well off it. We have earned some respect back from other teams around the world but also from Australia," Langer said in an official statement.

"When we started on this journey, there had been a lot of talk about Australia wanting to be No. 1 in the world in all three forms of the game.

We took a different approach. Not once did we talk about being No. 1 ranked in the world. We wanted to be No.1 in our values and process. That is what I am most proud of," he added.

In the latest ICC rankings update, that rates all matches played since May 2019 at 100 per cent and those of the previous two years at 50 per cent, Australia (116) have taken over from India as the top-ranked side in the ICC men's Test team rankings with New Zealand (115) remaining in second place.

India is now third with 114 points. With only two points separating them, this is the second closest the top three teams have been since the Test rankings were launched in 2003.

The closest for the top three teams were in January 2016, when India had led Australia and South Africa by a single point.

Australia has also moved to the top spot in the T20I rankings for the first time in the format.

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News Network
May 30,2020

New York, May 30: Cricket superstar Virat Kohli remains the only Indian in the Forbes' list of world's highest-paid athletes with total earnings of USD 26 million, jumping to the 66th spot from 100 in the 2020 standings.

Kohli's earnings from endorsement stand at USD 24 million and USD 2 million from salary/winnings. The 31-year-old is also the only cricketer in the top-100 list.

With earnings of USD 25 million, Kohli was ranked 100th in 2019 and 83rd in 2018 with USD 24 million.

Tennis legend Roger Federer has toped the list for the first time with earnings of USD 106.3 million, rising from fifth place last year.

Football icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are second and third respectively with earnings of USD 105 and USD 104 million.

The others in the top-10 are Neymar (football), LeBron James (basketball), Stephen Curry (basketball), Kevin Durrant (basketball), Tigers Woods (golf), Kirk Cousins (American football) and Carson Wentz (American football).

The athletes' earnings have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which led to suspension of sporting activities all around the world.

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Sunday, 31 May 2020

Saina Nehwal is the only Indian to feature in the world’s 20 most charitable athletes, as per a list compiled by the US based website in Athletes Gone Good. 

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