'Responsibility is on players to manage IPL workload'

Agencies
March 14, 2019

New Delhi, Mar 14: The Indian players will have to smartly manage their workload during the upcoming IPL since it will be their responsibility to stay fit and fresh for the ICC World Cup, says skipper Virat Kohli.

The upcoming edition of the popular Indian Premier League (IPL) will begin on March 23 and culminate days before the World Cup, starting on May 30.

Many cricket boards have been cautious in releasing their players for their respective IPL franchisees, putting national duty above league commitments.

Kohli said it's not that he is asking the Indian players not to be committed to their IPL teams but to be smart and aware during the course of the tournament.

"All the workload will be monitored and given a window, the guys can afford to rest. The World Cup comes every four years and we play IPL every year," said Kohli after India lost the decisive fifth ODI by 35 runs on Wednesday to concede the series 2-3 to Australia.

"Not to say we won't be committed to the IPL but we've got to be smart. We have to work in balance and take smart decisions.

"The responsibility and the onus is on the player. No one will be forced to do something. Eventually no one wants to miss the World Cup and cost the team good balance," added Kohli.

On Wednesday, India lost its first ODI series since 2015 and will go into the World Cup after losing three straight matches but Kohli said it was not something that is bothering the team management.

"None of the guys in the change room are panicking. The support staff is not feeling down after this defeat because we knew things we wanted to do in these last three games," Kohli said.

"To be honest, it doesn't feel like something off has happened because we have been playing such good cricket. The other team has really been more passionate and more energetic than us in the pressure moments. They've grabbed the crucial moments in the game better than us. They deserve to win."

Kohli asserted that India is pretty sure about its playing XI, going into the showpiece ICC event.

"As a side, combination wise, we are pretty sorted. Maximum one change, you'll get to see in the World Cup. As a side, we're balanced," he said.

"Hardik Pandya will come back to the team. With him, there's batting depth, and bowling option opens up. We know where we have to go as a combination. The XI is clear in our head. We just have to take better decisions in pressure situations to go far in the World Cup."

Asked if too much experimentation cost India the series after taking 2-0 lead, Kohli replied in the negative.

"Whoever gets a chance to play, we expect that guy to take responsibility and pressure. And hence you expose these guys to pressure situations where a series is on the line and you expect someone to step up. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't," the India skipper said.

"But unless you try, you wouldn't know. So, that's exactly what we wanted to do in these games. From that point of view, you can analyse. I cannot breakdown who we expect to take the pressure in the World Cup. Unless the squad is announced, I cannot reveal.

"Being on the road for so many months does take a toll on you as a team. I'm not saying that's an excuse because you're expected to do that and be motivated to win every game you're playing for the country," he said.

Kohli said he was proud of India's achievements in the "hectic" season and would like his players to enjoy the IPL now.

"From that point of view, I think all of us just deserve to go to the IPL and just enjoy these two months," he said.

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News Network
February 10,2020

Potchefstroom, Feb 9: Bangladesh clinched their maiden ICC U-19 World Cup title after beating favourites India by three wickets in the summit clash here on Sunday.

Set a revised target of 170 after a brief rain interruption, Bangladesh won the match with 23 balls to spare.

Sent in to bat, India's batting wilted under pressure as a superb Bangladesh bowling attack shot the defending champions out for a paltry 177 in 47.2 overs.

Yasashvi Jaiswal (88 off 121 balls) was once again a standout performer but not for once did he look like dominating the Bangladesh bowling unit whose new ball bowlers Shoriful Islam (2/31 in 10 overs) and Tanzim Hasan Shakib (2/28 in 8.2 overs) literally stifled the Indians for runs.

The third seamer Avishek Das (3/40 in 9 overs) was the most successful bowler in terms of figures but it was Shoriful's first spell with channelised aggression that put the Indians on the back-foot from the onset.

After a short rain break towards the end, the target was revised to 170 from 46 runs but Bangladesh reached 170 for 7 in 42.1 overs to win the match.

Opener Parvez Hossain Emon top-scored for Bangladesh with a 79-ball 47 while captain and wicketkeeper Akbar Ali was not out on 43 from 77 deliveries.

For the India U-19 side, Ravi Bishnoi was the most successful bowler with figures of 4/30 while Sushant Mishra had 2/25.

India thus missed out on a record fifth title in their seventh final appearance.

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Agencies
January 19,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 19: Opening batsman Rohit Sharma on Sunday became the third-fastest batsman to register 9,000 runs in the 50-over format.

He achieved the feat in the ongoing third ODI against Australia here at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Only Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers have achieved the feat faster than Rohit.

Sharma brought up the milestone in the first over of the Indian innings as he clipped Mitchell Starc away for a single.

With this, the right-handed batsman has become just the sixth Indian to achieve the milestone.

Apart from Sharma, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and Sachin Tendulkar have more than 9,000 runs in the 50-over format.

Overall, 20 batsmen have more than 9,000 ODI runs to their name.

In the match between India and Australia, the former won the toss and elected to bat first.

Steve Smith played a knock of 131 runs to propel Australia to 286/9 in the allotted fifty overs.

 

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Agencies
January 5,2020

Mumbai, Jan 5: All-rounder Irfan Pathan on Saturday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, ending an injury-ridden career that prevented him from realising his true potential.

The 35-year-old's retirement was on expected lines, considering he last played a competitive game in February 2019 during the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy for Jammu and Kashmir.

He did not even put himself in the IPL auction pool, last month.

The left-arm seamer's bowling was like a breath of fresh air when he made his India debut against Australia at the Adelaide Oval in 2003.

He never had express pace but his natural ability to swing the ball into the right-handers got him instant success, also drawing comparisons with the great Kapil Dev.

It seemed India had found the all-rounder they were looking for since Kapil left the scene. Pathan, who last played for India in October 2012, featured in 29 Tests (1105 runs and 100 wickets), 120 ODIs (1544 runs and 173 wickets) and 24 T20 Internationals (172 runs and 28 wickets).

He was part of the victorious Indian team at the 2007 World Twenty20 and was the man-of-the-match in the final against Pakistan.

One of his best performances came on the tour of Pakistan in 2006 when he became the second Indian after Harbhajan Singh to take a Test hat-trick, removing Salman Butt, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yusuf during the Karachi game.

He also played a big role in India winning a Test match against Australia on a tough Perth wicket, which offered steep bounce.

Injuries and lack of form troubled him thereafter and his ability to swing the ball deteriorated.

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