Virat Kohli vs Ross Taylor: Star batsmen headline India-New Zealand series

Agencies
January 22, 2019

Wellington, Jan 22: Virat Kohli and Ross Taylor will vie to prove they are the world's best one-day international batsman as India and New Zealand clash in the first of five ODIs in Napier on Wednesday.

For both sides, the series is an opportunity to fine-tune planning ahead of the World Cup.

But for Kohli and Taylor -- currently ranked first and third in the world respectively -- it's a more personal battle, with both in electric form and looking to gain a psychological edge.

The McLean Park wicket promises to be a belter, with New Zealand's Tom Latham showing just how ripe the pitch is by smashing 110 off just 60 deliveries, including 10 fours and six sixes, in a domestic Twenty20 match last week.

"I think it's going to be a high-scoring affair," declared New Zealand coach David Stead Tuesday.

"I'll be surprised if it's not. The wicket is hard and bouncy and the outfield is lightning fast as well."

Since the start of last year Taylor has averaged a stunning 92 from 13 innings and became the first New Zealander to score 20 ODI hundreds.

However, his performance has been shaded by an even more phenomenal average of 113 in 17 innings by Kohli, who has 39 ODI hundreds to his name in total.

They go into this series with Taylor fresh from scoring 54, 90 and 137 in the 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka, while Kohli produced innings of three, 104 and 46 in the 2-1 series win against Australia.

But Taylor -- with Latham, Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill to back him up in the runs department -- cautioned against New Zealand focusing too much on Kohli.

"He's a sensational player, the best one-day player going around, easily. It's easy to get caught up in him. You've got two pretty good openers at the top, Sharma and Dhawan, before he gets in."

Rohit Sharma ranks ahead of Taylor at number two in the world, while Shikhar Dhawan is ranked ninth.

Taylor could also have added MS Dhoni to the list of feared Indian batsmen following the veteran's 51, 55 not out and 87 not out to show he was clearly in form during the three matches against Australia.

The last time New Zealand played India at McLean Park was four years ago when Kohli scored 123, but his 111-ball knock was in vain as Williamson (71) and Taylor (55) set up a 24-run win for New Zealand.

And although India have the higher ranking, their history in New Zealand -- where conditions are similar to what they can expect in the upcoming World Cup in England and Wales -- is not so good.

They have only won 10 of 35 matches in New Zealand, with a sole series win nine years ago.

The last time they were in New Zealand, in 2014, they were beaten 4-0.

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News Network
June 2,2020

New Delhi, Jun 2: Manchester United's Paul Pogba on Monday paid tribute to George Floyd, stressing that violent acts of racism can no longer be tolerated and they have to stop.

Pogba took to Instagram to write: "During the past few days I have thought a lot about how to express my feelings about what happened in Minneapolis. I felt anger, pity, hatred, indignation, pain, sadness."

"Sadness for George and for all black people who suffer from racism Every day! Whether in football, at work, at school, Anywhere! This has to stop, once and for all! Not tomorrow or the next day, it has to end today! Violent acts of racism can no longer be tolerated," he added.

Protests erupted in Minneapolis and other US cities on Tuesday after Floyd, an African-American man, died following his arrest by the four officers.

A viral video showed a police officer, Derek Chauvin, pinning 46-year-old Floyd to the ground with his knee on his neck for nearly eight minutes. Floyd died at a local hospital shortly thereafter.

The four police officers were fired. Chauvin was also charged with murder and manslaughter, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.

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zaki ahmed
 - 
Wednesday, 3 Jun 2020

This photograph in the above mentioned article is of Floyd Mayweather Jr , the world welterweight & super heavy weight champion & wrongly menitoned as Pogba .

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Agencies
May 31,2020

London, May 31: "Jacques Kallis, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli," replied umpire Ian Gould when he was asked to name the three best batsmen he loved watching when he was officiating as an umpire.

The former ICC elite umpire said that he was unlucky to not watch Ponting bat as much as he would have liked to.

"Jacques Kallis. I loved watching Jacques. He was a very, very fine player. Sachin. And probably Virat. I was unlucky in some respects. I didn't see the best of Ricky Ponting. He was an outstanding character, outstanding captain, such a proud Australian," ESPNCricinfo quoted Gould as saying.

"But his career was just starting to wane as I came on the scene. But he was incredibly helpful, so I'm disappointed I have to leave him out. Jacques Kallis, I could sit and watch all day, Virat, the same. And Sachin, if you want someone to bat for your life, he was the man," he added.

Gould had retired from the ICC's panel of elite umpires in 2019, after standing in more than 250 international matches over a 13-year career.

Over the years, comparisons between Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar have been growing and many have picked the current Indian skipper to break the records set by Tendulkar.

Tendulkar called time on his career after registering 100 international centuries, while Kohli has 70 centuries across all formats.

While, Kallis played 166 Tests, 328 ODIs and 25 T20Is for South Africa and he is often viewed as the greatest all-rounder the game has seen.

Many pundits of the game find it hard to pick between him and Sir Garfield Sobers.

Across his career, Kallis scored 25,534 runs in his career and he also managed to take 577 wickets.

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News Network
June 25,2020

New Delhi, Jun 25: India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday called the 1983 World Cup win as the 'landscape' changing moment for the game of cricket in the country.

Today, India is celebrating the completion of the 37 years of the maiden World Cup triumph under the leadership of Kapil Dev.

"Today 37 years ago, changed the cricketing landscape in India. Thank you @therealkapildev and team for making the game a career for many of us today. Deeply indebted," Ashwin tweeted.

In 1983, in the finals between India and West Indies, the latter won the toss and opted to bowl first.

The Kapil Dev-led side managed to score just 183 runs as Andy Roberts took three wickets while Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, and Larry Gomes picked up two wickets each.

Defending 183, India did a good job of keeping a check on the Windies run flow, reducing the side to 57/3.

Soon after, the team from the Caribbean was reduced to 76/6 and India was the favourites from there on to win the title.

Mohinder Amarnath took the final wicket of Michael Holding to give India their first-ever World Cup title win.

In the finals, West Indies was bowled out for 140, and as a result, India won the match by 43 runs.

Kapil Dev lifting the trophy at the balcony of Lord's Cricket Ground still remains an image to savour for all the Indian fans.

In the finals, Mohinder Amarnath was chosen as the Man of the Match as he scored 26 runs with the bat and also picked up three wickets with the ball.

India has been the regular participant in the World Cup from its beginning to the latest edition. The first edition was held in 1975 and from there on, it has taken place after a span of every four years.

West Indies won the first two World Cup titles (1975, 1979) and was the runner-up in 1983. India has won the title two times, in 1983 and in 2011.

MS Dhoni captained the 2011 team to win their second title after 28 years. Australia has won the tournament five times (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015).

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