Virat Kohli wants India to maintain high standards after Bangladesh romp

News Network
November 17, 2019

New Delhi, Nov 17: India thrashed Bangladesh inside three days in the opening test to inch closer to their 12th successive home series victory but skipper Virat Kohli is only interested in maintaining high standards and not in flattering numbers.

Table-topping India have now won all six tests since the World Test Championship kicked in, including a 3-0 whitewash against South Africa last month to record their 11th consecutive test series victory at home.

India hardly broke a sweat as they triumphed by an innings and 130 runs to go 1-0 up in the two-test series which culminated with a day-night test in Kolkata from Nov. 22.

Saturday’s win was also the 10th innings victory under Kohli, the most by any Indian captain.

Asked if his team could dominate the game like Australia did in recent past, Kohli said: “The numbers and the records are there for everyone to see, that remains in the books. We haven’t really focused on it.

“Our focus has been on taking Indian cricket higher and higher, to keep the standards up and motivate the next lot of players to come and do the same.

“The motivation has been right, the intent has been right, we just have to push in that direction. We don’t care about numbers at all.”

Kohli was visibly encouraging his team mates on Friday.

Dismissed for a second ball duck, the home captain was seen gesturing from the dressing room to opener Mayank Agarwal to first push for a double century and then a triple hundred.

“I know how much time it took me to get those big hundreds. I know the importance of getting big runs,” said the batting stalwart.

“It’s important as a senior batter to let them know that ‘you need to focus, they need to keep going’.

“I want the guys to not make the mistakes that I made as a youngster, and learn quickly so they can be a world class player very soon.”

Mominul Haque began his tenure as Bangladesh test captain with a resounding defeat and the task would only get tougher in the pink-ball test in Kolkata.

Apart from winning the toss, hardly anything went right for Bangladesh, who could not bowl out India in their only innings and managed totals of 150 and 213 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium.

The 28-year-old found positives in Abu Jayed’s lion-hearted bowling effort and Mushfigur Rahim’s fighting knocks in both innings.

“We take quite a few positives, especially the bowling of Abu Jayed who picked four wickets. In batting, Mushfiqur was superb with the bat in both innings. Liton Das did well too,” he said.

“The top order batsmen faced a challenge a very good bowling unit. We just have to handle the first 15-20 overs.”

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News Network
March 5,2020

Mumbai, Mar 5: Former India spinner Sunil Joshi was on Wednesday named chairman of the national selection panel by the BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), which also picked ex-pacer Harvinder Singh to the five-member group.

The CAC, comprising Madan Lal, R P Singh and Sulakshana Naik, picked the two selectors with Joshi replacing South Zone representative MSK Prasad.

In an unprecedented decision, the BCCI said the CAC will review the panel's performance after one year and make recommendations accordingly.

"The committee recommended Sunil Joshi for the role of chairman of the senior men's selection committee. The CAC will review the candidates after a one-year period and make the recommendations to the BCCI," read a statement from BCCI Secretary Jay Shah.

Harvinder was chosen from central zone and replaces Gagan Khoda in the panel.

The existing members of the selection panel are Jatain Paranjpe, Devang Gandhi and Sarandeep Singh.

"We have picked the best guys for the job," Lal told news agency.

The CAC had shortlisted five candidates for interviews -- Joshi, Harvinder, Venkatesh Prasad, Rajesh Chauhan and L S Sivaramakrishnan -- from a list of 40 applicants.

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News Network
January 31,2020

Wellington, Jan 31: A nervous New Zealand threw it away yet again as a perseverant India prevailed in the Super Over for the second successive time to take a 4-0 lead in the T20 International series on Friday.

Needing just 11 runs off the last two overs with seven wickets in hand, New Zealand dug a hole for themselves yet again, taking the game to a Super Over two nights after doing the same in Hamilton.

New Zealand managed 13 runs in six balls and India got there effortlessly.

KL Rahul smashed 10 runs off the first two balls before he was caught. Then, a fired-up Virat Kohli and Sanju Samson finished the game in style.

Earlier, Manish Pandey proved his value to the team with an unbeaten 50 off 35 balls, taking India to 165 for eight from 88 for six in the 12th over.

India's total wasn't enough considering the batting-friendly conditions but the hosts made life a lot tougher for themselves from a commanding position before succumbing to pressure.

The entertaining knocks from Colin Munro (64 off 47) and Time Seifert went in vain (57 off 39).

Mohammed Shami, who was rested on Friday, had bowled a brilliant 20th over on Wednesday and man of the match Shardul Thakur was up to the task this time, conceding just six runs when the opposition needed seven for victory.

With the series already in the bag, India gave opportunity to Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar and Navdeep Saini for the first time in the five-match series, resting Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja and Shami. However, none of them was able to make an impact in the game.

Chasing 165, New Zealand lost Martin Guptill early. But Munro and Seifert put on 74 runs for the second wicket to put themselves on track.

Munro scored a half-century of 38 deliveries, inclusive of six fours and three sixes. He was out against the run of play as Kohli's direct hit surprisingly found the target after a relay throw from the deep.

It was the turning point as New Zealand lost regular wickets. Yuzvendra Chahal bowled Tom Bruce (0), but Seifert found a partner in Ross Taylor as they pushed the score past 150 in the 18th over.

Seifert scored a half-century off 32 balls, including four fours and three sixes. But the great choke was yet to come again. Needing 18 off 18, the Black Caps lost four wickets in the last over bowled by Thakur.

Taylor holed out of the first ball, while Seifert was run out two balls later. Daryl Mitchell (4) was caught next and Mitchell Santner (2) couldn't steal two runs off the last ball as the sides engaged in a tie-breaker for the second game running.

This was after New Zealand won a fourth consecutive toss and opted to field. Kane Williamson didn't take part in the match owing to a shoulder niggle.

Tim Southee was the stand-in skipper, with the Black Caps making two changes.

Put in to bat, the visitors were struggling at 88-6 at one stage before Pandey's lonesome rescue act took them to a respectable total. KL Rahul contributed 39 runs off 26 balls, inclusive of three sixes and two fours.

Leg spinner Ish Sodhi got into the act and ran through India's batting order. First to go was Shreyas Iyer (1) and then Shivam Dube (12) was caught at mid-wicket.

Sodhi finished with 3-26 while Santner dismissed Sundar for nought as the New Zealand spinners rounded up a good outing with 4-54 in eight overs.

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Agencies
May 9,2020

Tokyo, May 9: As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus pandemic, the organisers of Tokyo Game Show have cancelled 2020 showpiece event.

TGS 2020 was slated to be played from September 24 to September 27 at the Makuhari Messe convention center. However, there now talks going on for holding an online event instead.

According to the Verge, this is the first time that TGS has ever been cancelled since it started in 1996.

TGS 2020 gained more attention because of its status as the last major trade show before the launch of the upcoming next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

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