Will the England skipper give up his captaincy?

It is being speculated that England skipper Alastair Cook is looking to step down from his captaincy duties in the limited-overs format. After the Ashes whitewash, England have also lost the ongoing One-Day international series against Australia. The seven-wicket loss at Sydney on January 19th meant, they are now 3-0 down in the five-match series, with two more matches to go.

The 29-year-old has been quoted as saying by TheGuardian: ”I think I’m going to have to make a decision on that after you take stock of the next two games. We’ll sit down and talk over a lot of things. I think there will be some changes. I think English cricket needs a little bit of a change as well.”

“The last few months we haven’t played the cricket we are capable of. We have to look at the reasons why.”

“I don’t really want to get dragged into my position. I think it’s been two weeks since someone asked me that question – it’s been a long two weeks.

“We have kept losing games of cricket and I haven’t been able to turn it around.”

Source: http://www.sportskeeda.com/2014/01/19/alastair-cook-to-quit-odi-captaincy/?ref=sportspage-recent-10

In the 36th over bowled by Shami Ahmed during the first ODI against New Zealand today, MS Dhoni caught Ross Taylor behind the stumps. With this catch, he created another record – by successfully reaching the 300 dismissals mark in ODIs. He also became the first Indian wicketkeeper to do so.

Adam Gilchrist of Australia is on top of the list with 472 dismissals in 287 matches. Mark Boucher of South Africa holds the second position with 424 dismissals in 295 matches.

Interestingly, Kumar Sangakkara has also got the same number of dismissals as Boucher – 424. However, he has taken 362 matches to achieve the same.

Since Gilchrist and Boucher have retired and Sangakkara does not regularly keep wickets anymore, Dhoni has a good chance to climb up the list. Although he still needs more than 100 dismissals, but I am sure he will get close. He has been a very good wicketkeeper as well as being the captain. Many times, people ignore his keeping and just focus on his captaincy and batting. But, he has always done well with the gloves.

Source: http://www.sportskeeda.com/2014/01/19/ms-dhoni-first-indian-wicket-keeper-300-dismissals-odis/?ref=sportspage-recent-18

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Source: http://www.sportskeeda.com/2014/01/19/fake-fb-wall-dhoni-and-co-blame-ishant-for-odi-loss-in-nz/?ref=sportspage-recent-4

Let’s look at the five biggest talking points from the match.

1.Winning and Score Prediction (WASP)

WASP

This morning as soon as we switched on our TV sets, we saw WASP plus some percentage written on the score bar. It is a prediction percentage; which is much more detailed and inculcates many factors like pitch, previous records of both teams, the past records on the ground and so on.

Unlike the projected score method, which is just about the batting side’s performance in the present match, the WASP varies with the performance of the bowling team. Sky sport has been using the technique for some time in New Zealand, and it’s a welcome change for the Indian viewers.

It will be interesting to see if this is used for the upcoming series too or it’s just a one off thing. Nonetheless, it’s good. I will still miss my projected scorecard though.

Never mind! Lets WASP!

 2. Partnerships Matter

Ross Taylor (L) of New Zealand congratulates teammate Kane Williamson as he celebrates 50 runs during the first one day international (ODI) cricket match between New Zealand and India at McLean Park in Napier on January 19, 2014.

If we look at the scorecards of the two batting sides, one quite visible difference is the lack of partnerships for India and an opposite tale for the Kiwis. New Zealand didn’t get any big three digit individual score but then they never felt the need of it as the middle order clicked for the team. There was always a partnership going on. Every new batsman took it from where the previous man left.

India, on the other hand, relied heavily on their sheet anchor Virat Kohli.  But, as has been the trend, the middle order failed to deliver outside the subcontinent for what now seems to be the nth time.

As they say, and yes, it’s a cliché but a true one at that – ‘Partnerships win matches’.

3. Corey Anderson is ‘freaking’ good

Corey Anderson of New Zealand bats during the first one day international (ODI) cricket match between New Zealand and India at McLean Park in Napier on January 19, 2014.

Okay, so a fortnight ago he broke Shahid Afridi’s record and heart, by scoring the fastest One-Day international century in 36 balls against the West Indies. The buck didn’t just stop there. He made a fantastic 68, and also took two crucial wickets of Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane to be adjudged as the player of the match.

The 23-year-old Anderson is the newest addition to the all-time left handed all-rounder list for Kiwis; that includes the likes of Chris Harris and Jacob Oram. The lad is a treat to watch and has a tremendous temperament.

Take my words! Mr. Anderson is here to stay.

4.Indian Bowling

The inconsistent Ishant

I don’t even remember for how long this has been the talk of the town, but yes bowling has clearly been the weak link of the Indian team.

It’s the inability of keeping it tight during the final overs, that has been causing India a lot of matches in the recent past. Shami and Kumar are good in the initial overs but they still lack the nerve, when it comes to bowling at the death. Ishant Sharma is becoming a butt of jokes again and for obvious reasons.

Ravichandran Ashwin has been largely unsuccessful in his recent outings and the skipper really needs to see into the case. To add to that, Ravindra Jadeja also failed today.

Indian pacers will have to buckle up fast, if they don’t want this series to be humiliating.

5. Virat Kohli – The streak is finally broken!

Virat Kohli of India shows his disappointment after being dismissed during the first One Day International match between New Zealand and India at McLean Park on January 19, 2014 in Napier, New Zealand.

Virat Kohli is awesome. He is hitting centuries like only Sachin Tendulkar did before. The comparisons keep coming, but they can wait. 123 out of 111 balls was an amazing effort. He put his heart into it like he always does.

Alas! His bravado was in vain and India lost. That also means that he can never again be the proud owner of such an unique record – as long as it lasted – ‘India never loses when Kohli scores ton in a chase’.

It’s okay Virat! It’s only natural, happens with everybody! Streaks are made to be broken…keeps the fun alive!

Source: http://www.sportskeeda.com/2014/01/19/new-zealand-vs-india-2014-five-talking-points-of-the-first-odi/5/

Corey Anderson smashed an unbeaten 68 off 40 balls to take New Zealand to 292 for seven after being asked to bat first.

The Indian batting failed to get going and they were bowled out for to 268 in 48.4 overs. Barring Kohli and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (40), the middle-order was found wanting.

Opener ROhit Sharma, who failed miserably in South Africa, looked at sea in foreign conditions once again and was dismissed for three after facing 23 balls.

His partner Shikhar Dhawan (32) fared much better, falling to Anderson in the 19th over.

Both Ajinkya Rahane (7) and Suresh Raina (18) failed to make a real contribution and the visitors found themselves in a spot of bother at 129 for four in 28.2 overs.

Kohli and Dhoni combined well and notched a 95-run stand for the fifth wicket, taking India closer to the target.

With Stuart Binny knocking on the doors, Ravindra Jadeja (0) didn’t do himself any favours with a dismal show with the bat.

Kohli hit a few lusty blows to keep India’s hopes alive but his fall in the 45th over ended all chances of an Indian win.

Some clean hitting by Ravichandran Ashwin (12) and Mohammad Shami(7 not out) managed to take India close but it was never enough.

Earlier, after losing openers Martin Guptill (8) and Jesse Ryder (18) cheaply, Kane Williamson crafted the innings initially, stroking his way to 71 off 88 balls, guiding New Zealand to safety.

Mohammad Shami, on his first tour to New Zealand, bowled brilliantly, removing both openers before dismissing the dangerous Ross Taylor and Nathan McCullum (2).

Williamson, along with former captain Ross Taylor (55), steadied the ship with a patient 121-run stand for the third wicket.

The hosts lost Williamson just before the final powerplay, paving the way for former opener and captain Brendon McCullum (30).

Shami dismissed Taylor early in the powerplay but New Zealand still managed to score 41 off the five overs.

That set the stage for Anderson, who recently displaced Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi as the holder of the record for the fastest hundred in ODIs.

Anderson bludgeoned his way to a half-century in just 30 balls. New Zealand benefited immensely as Anderson and Luke Ronchi (30 off 18 balls) combined well to rack up 50 runs off just five overs.

To their credit, however, India managed to limit the damage by bowling full-length balls well outside the off-stump. The tactic worked in keeping Anderson quiet in the fag end of the innings.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who picked up a solitary wicket, was the most economical of the Indian bowlers but Shami was the pick of the bowlers, taking four wickets for 55 runs in his spell of nine overs.

Source: http://www.sportskeeda.com/2014/01/19/kohlis-ton-goes-in-vain-as-india-lose-nz-opener/?ref=sportspage-recent-14

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Source: http://www.sportskeeda.com/2014/01/16/fake-fb-wall-rohit-sharma-trolled-ms-dhoni-rescue/?ref=sportspage-recent-19

We’ve seen some riveting Test cricket in recent times, but overall, the incentives are far too less to make Test cricket competitive

The proposed World Test Championship (WTC) was bound to be a failure. First scheduled to begin in 2013, the tournament was shifted four years ahead after receiving a lukewarm response from sponsors and fans alike.

Despite some of the best Test cricket being played over the last few years, the WTC may finally have received its knockout punch after reports of the ICC mulling over bringing the Champions Trophy back began doing the rounds.

The Champions Trophy, in all practicality, is a pointless tournament where large wads of cash are thrown for the purpose of constructing a large spectacle for very little reason. That the ICC is thinking about bringing the tournament back to replace the unrealised Test Championship is perceptive of a threatening lack of creativity and enterprise with the men in suits.

Changing times and shorter formats

Cricket has often been criticised for not being able to keep up with the changing times. Traditionally, the sport is meant to be taken in slowly, and allowed to marinate within the individual’s consciousness to bring out the true nature of the game. But with commercialization and the industry taking over all aspects of the world, cricket has always needed to expand to attract a wider audience and continuously satiate their needs.

Test cricket has been hurt after the introduction of the T20 game, and more so after the IPL came into the fore. Time indeed is money, and the more we spend it in activities outside of the television box, the more satisfying life turns out to be. Spending five days in front of a television has become the benchmark for defining someone a ‘cricket enthusiast’, when in truth the Test format is what cricket was originally all about.

Where’s the prize in Test cricket?

The culture of a Test series or a One Day series has silently been embedded into the cricketing parts of our mind, and that consequently has formed our perception of the game. Through all the closely fought five-match Test series and even the recent Ashes-like landslide, there is a need to understand that nothing really is at stake.

The cricket rankings, with its complex system of points distribution and general lack of appeal to the viewer, fail to rouse any kind of emotion or thirst of a higher incentive in players. There may well have been a time when victory would have bequeathed honour and pride in those victorious, but today that is not enough. This is where cricket, Test cricket in particular, has fallen behind.

The IPL’s round-robin format instantly appeals to everyone; not only because teams compete over a far lesser time period, but also because the mega-sized incentives that urge players on to snarl and stare at their opponents to win a game capture the attention of the masses in ways cricket has never experienced.

Test cricket is a dying sport. But in no way can we allow it to die. Cricket needs viewers, because cricket needs money. And cricket gets money from its sponsors. But unless there are no viewers, there will be no sponsors. What cricket can offer most are promises. But Test cricket’s promises so far have not been enough to shake the system.

The two-tier Test cricket

The recent debate to form a league of Test teams has piqued the interest of a large segment of the audience. Taking an example from football, the various leagues that are played all over the world have sustained themselves precisely because of this format. Not only that, but the idea of a team being relegated and another promoted adds another dimension of excitement to the game.

To imagine New Zealand and West Indies battling for survival, while India and South Africa try to go one up on each other is a tantalizing prospect. The idea of relegations and promotions, however, isn’t a revolutionary one for cricket. It’s used in the Ranji Trophy, as well as the English County format, and although domestic cricket is not nearly as popular as domestic football, there is a certain tenacity in the game that is enough to excite any sports fan.

In 2011, Lancashire won the County first division by a good eleven points, only to be relegated immediately the year after that. That risk and unpredictability factor triples the aforementioned pride and honour in winning a game apart from setting a set incentive for teams to chase, which definitely brings in the audience in large numbers.

The two-tier system will bring new opportunities for smaller cricketing nations like Afghanistan and Ireland

To add to that, we could have teams like Ireland and Afghanistan, who have made their marks in the limited overs game, rub shoulders with the best sides in the world. There’s a huge amount of incentive for teams from a lower division to win if this format comes into play.

Test cricket is an intelligent game that requires intelligent execution, not only on the field, but off it as well. So far, there has been a depressing lack of ideas and initiative taken by the ICC to revive the oldest format of the game and give it the status it deserves.

This proposed change would hopefully usher in an entirely new structure to the game and create completely new windows for the average cricket viewer to assess the game.

With extra points attached to things like making the opponents follow-on, or scoring 300 or more runs in a single day, the intensity of the game will increase and introduce to us the revolution Test cricket has long been waiting for.

Source: http://www.sportskeeda.com/2014/01/16/revolution-test-cricket-two-tier-format/?ref=sportspage-recent-17

Asia Cup

The live television broadcasting rights for the 2014 Asia Cup cricket tournament has been acquired by Star India.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has prematurely terminated the US$ 50 million deal that it had with Nimbus Sports, a year ahead of its scheduled end. The 50-over competition featuring India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and debutants Afghanistan, which is scheduled to be held in Bangladesh from 25th February to 8th March will be screened live in India on Star Sports channels.

11 matches will be played across the length of the tournament, whose broadcasting deal has been agreed with the News Corp-owned company. Although the financial details of the deals haven’t been made public, following the issue of tender an agreement was reached at an executive board meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka on the 4th of January.

Star which already boasts the global rights to major cricketing events of the International Cricket Council competitions until 2017  along-with the Indian rights to games played by India, England and Australia has captured another major cricketing event under their belt.

source: http://www.sportskeeda.com/2014/01/16/star-india-bags-broadcasting-rights-of-asia-cup/?ref=sportspage-recent-15

Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara, after having a good series in South Africa, which helped him to get to the 5th rank in the ICC Test Rankings recently, has admitted that in his earlier days in gym, he was bit lazy.

“I am really satisfied with my performance over the last one to one-and-a-half years. I have worked hard on my game. I have also worked hard on my fitness over the last 4-6 months after the surgery. I am paying a lot of attention to fitness. I was a bit lazy in my gym sessions earlier,” said Pujara at a media conference in Mumbai organised by his employers, Indian Oil Corporation.

“Improved fitness helps one to concentrate more when batting. I want to keep improving as a cricketer,” said the 25-year-old batsman, Cheteshwar Pujara.

“I am not allowed (by Cricket Board’s contract) to talk about past or future tours,” he said.

“I was an Under-19 cricketer when I joined Indian Oil. I have played a lot of Times Shield matches for IOL and I have learnt a lot from people like (former India opener) Wasim Jaffer (who was present) and others,” he said.

“Mental toughness is very important at the highest level of the game and I am working hard on this aspect,” he said.

In the upcoming New Zealand tour too, Pujara is only included in the Test squad. I personally feel that, it’s time up to give some opportunity to Pujara in the ODI squad of Indian cricket team.

Source: http://www.sportskeeda.com/2014/01/16/cheteshwar-pujara-admits-that-he-was-lazy-in-gym-early-in-career/?ref=sportspage-recent-13

An injury-free Varun Aaron would be a delight to Team India

India hasn’t been known to produce top-notch pace bowlers for as long as the game of cricket is known. Yes, there are the odd aberrations in the form of Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Kapil Dev and virtually, that’s it. However, not in keeping with this reputation that India has developed over the years, there has been a steady inflow of good quality quickies coming up the ranks, through excellent showing in the Ranji trophy and other domestic tournaments.

Strangely so, there is a dearth of good spin bowlers in the country at the moment, even as the number of talented pace bowlers continue to escalate. Part of the credit must go the BCCI for putting up strict guidelines in place and also a better rewarding mechanism. This has forced the domestic sides to go for outright victories by developing result-oriented pitches conducive to the quick men.

As India prepares to retain the World Cup in 2015, scheduled to take place in Australia and New Zealand, the concentration of the selectors has persistently been on testing out the various quick bowling options. The pitches Down Under have historically assisted the pace bowlers more than the spinners.

Moreover, what India badly craves for, is to have the luxury of bowlers who can bat, that too not just a bit but decent enough. It has infact become an evident necessity in the modern day context. Hence, considering that such a big tournament is at stake, and the future of Indian cricket in context, let’s check out a few of the highly gifted pace bowlers competing against one another to assert their contention for a place in the national side.

Varun Aaron

This tearaway quickie from Jharkhand made his debut for India back in 2011 against England in home conditions and impressed one and all with his raw pace and accuracy. He got the bowl to move off the deck superbly on placid, helpless wickets in the month of October. In one of the Ranji games, he clocked at 153 kilometers an hour.

I would rate him a much better bowler than the other speedster, Umesh Yadav, who’s equally talented but is too wayward and erring at times. What separates the two, by a fair margin is the accuracy in line and length. Hence, Aaron could be expected to be much more effective than Yadav, specially in limited overs cricket.

He recently returned from a long injury layoff to book his place straight into the national side touring New Zealand. His impetuous pace and probing line was good enough to harass the classy Mumbai’s batting lineup in one of the encounters, this Ranji season. The Indian team management has got to utilise him smartly so that he can remain fit for long and pay rich dividends to Team India.

Imtiaz Ahmed

Imtiaz is yet another upcoming swing bowler hailing from the state of Uttar Pradesh. He has 87 scalps (at 28.29) attested to his name in 26 FC games. In fact, he was the leading wicket taker for the UP side in the 2012-13 Ranji Trophy season. His ability to hit the deck hard is bound to keep India in good stead, particularly in the fast and bouncy pitches of Australia and South Africa. He is 28 years old. Moreover, he’s a pinch hitter too, low down the order. Thus, it’s quite imperative that the national selectors don’t overlook the performances of this talented bowler like they have with the ageing Rajasthani pacer, Pankaj Singh.

Rishi Dhawan

Dhawan, apart from Stuart Binny, could be the answer to India’s quest for a genuine fast bowling all-rounder. He picked up 49 wickets this Ranji season, and continues to lead the wicket-takers chart even as his side, Himachal Pradesh, crashed out in the group stage of the tournament. Not just that, he has also smashed quick-fire half centuries on multiple occasions to get his side home. Given his stellar show in the current Ranji Trophy season, it turned out to be a bit of a surprise when he didn’t find a place in the Indian team touring New Zealand. Nevertheless, the stats back the fact that he is a value addition to any side and must be tested out in quick time at the international level.

Mohit Sharma

This Harayana lad impressed one and all in the sixth season of the IPL, picking up 20 wickets, playing for Chennai Super Kings. What makes his efforts even more significant is that he bowled most of his overs in the power play with the fielding restrictions in place. He can make the ball talk – the manifestation of which was well presented in the 4th ODI of the Zimbabwe tour – where he made the ball talk on a cold surface and notched up man of the match figures off 2/26 off 10 overs. He did fail in the lone opportunity in the Protean tour, but more of exposure will certainly sharpen up this clever customer.

Dhawal Kulkarni

Kulkarni is an experienced campaigner for the Ranji heavyweights, Mumbai, even at 25. He received his maiden Test call up as early as in 2009 for the New Zealand tour only to not find vacancy in the playing eleven. He has picked up an impressive 114 wickets in 34 first class games. Add to that, his batting average of just a tad below 30 and you’re talking of a very handy cricketer. He has been with Mumbai Indians since the inception of IPL and has delivered the goods quietly, whenever he’s got the opportunity.

Ishwar Pandey

Ishwar Pandey rose through the ranks to be selected in the side touring New Zealand, credit to his hard grind in the domestic circuit. This tall, lanky pacer has accounted for 131 wickets in 31 FC games at a very healthy average of 24.43. He, obviously being tall, is a hit-the-deck kind of a bowler, and his speeds range around the mid-130′s. Also, he can smoke a few way back in the stands, coming down the order.

Lalchand Rajpoot, the coach of India A side that toured South Africa earlier in the year, termed him as one of the finds of the tour, and rightly so given his good performances on amazingly flat decks. This Madhya Pradesh lad can be an ideal replacement to the consistently faltering Ishaant Sharma, given his height, of course, and more importantly, impeccable accuracy. He has been hailed for his ability to hit the good length spot constantly. The fans expect the same from him, given he gets a chance in the Kiwi land.

Source: http://www.sportskeeda.com/2014/01/16/rising-quickies-in-ranji-setup/?ref=sportspage-recent-11