CRIC WORLD

Mohammad Hafeez suspended from bowling in international cricket after action found to be illegal

2014-12-08T13:29:00.005+05:30

Mohammad Hafeez

The International Cricket Council today confirmed that an independent analysis has found the bowling action of Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez to be illegal and, as such, the off-spinner has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect.

The analysis revealed that all his deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations.

Hafeez, who was reported after the first Test match against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi last month, can apply for a re-assessment after he has modified his bowling action in accordance with clause 2.4 of theRegulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions.

The analysis was performed on 24 November by the ICC’s accredited team of Human Movement Specialists using the National Cricket Performance Centre, Loughborough.

Satire: Social Media reacts to Indian team selection for World Cup

2014-12-06T13:23:00.000+05:30

No Country for Old Men?

The probable Indian squad of 30 was announced yesterday sparking off a massive debate on social networking sites and beyond about the selection (or non-selection) of certain players in the preliminary squad.

“Gutted. Sad day for cricket. Most of the World Cup heroes do not find their way into the 30. How is it even possible? In such a short span? Is this the way to treat the seniors in the side? After all the things, they’ve done for us? Really expected at least Kapil Dev to make it to the preliminary squad, if not Sunil Gavaskar,” is what Whatsizneim had to say on the current team selection, adding that Abey Kuruvilla and Debashish Mohanty should have also been included in the squad.

Whatsizneim does have a point here. After all, this will be the first World Cup not featuring either of Sunil Gavaskar or the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

CrassCacaphonix did not mince his words either: “This is all due to Dhoni. He made sure that no seniors made it to the squad. Clear case of having ulterior motives. Apart from being the captain of the Indian Test, ODI, T20 and Chennai Super Kings teams, the vice-president of India Cements, a former stakeholder in Rhiti Sports, he is now also the selector of our team. Even Sanjay Patel has admitted to this. This is absolutely blasphemous. In fact, I’m sure that malnutrition in Africa and the earthquake in Haiti was also Dhoni’s fault. Nothing to do with the weather or the performance of the individuals involved.”

One has to wonder if the laws of interpretation with respect to the BCCI secretary or world hunger were stretched to an extent, but then, nothing can prevail over public sentiment in our country.

“Of course, Zaheer, Yuvraj, Gambhir, Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh should have made the list. So what if they have played 79 matches in the last 4 years combined, lesser than what Raina or Kohli have played individually. After all their combined total is 1 match more than what Ashwin has. I was relaxed and expected them to waltz into the side like it is 2 April 2011 all over again. The fact that they were rarely selected and failed badly when they were was hardly an indicator of the fact that they would be dropped. I thought it was to shield their super powers and new techniques from their opponents, but they’ve actually been dropped,” adds a flabbergasted Mr. Wannabe Numbercruncher.

“It doesn’t really matter that Yuvraj averages below 20 since 2011, or that Zaheer and Harbhajan have played 12 games between them in the last 4 years. Not even the fact that Sehwag and Gambhir average below 25 with the bat in the last two years is of any relevance”, Vitalstatistix does the stats for us.

“Completely shocked by this decision. Comes as a huge, huge surprise. Look at the current team. After all, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, India’s current opening duo average a miserly 50 and 52 in the last couple of years. That really does not make them top class, does it? We should get back the ones in the 20s.”

“Yeah. I had done that”, Vitalstatistix sheepishly replies when asked if he made a Facebook post after Ambati Rayudu’s ton against Sri Lanka on why he should play the World Cup ahead of Rohit.

“I made a nice long post about how Rohit is inconsistent even though he averages over 50 in the last two years and has the record for the highest runs ever scored in a bilateral series. I even called him a flat track bully. Of course, Rayudu had made his century on a flat deck too. But what the hell, it’s only Rohit who is a flat track bully, Rayudu is class. But yeah, after that double century, all of a sudden he was my favourite again. But does that show I’m a fickle minded fan? Absolutely not. I love cricket. Big Fan. Come on Messi!”

Immaplasticfan has the final word to top the charts on this ever growing controversy: “Whaaaat? Yuvraj, Zaheer and other seniors are not in the squad for the World Cup? But they just recently won us the tournament. And who are these Ajinkya Rahanes and Kedar Jadhavs and this bowler with a bandana – Ashoke Dinda? What happened to Harbhajan? And that left-handed bowler. Who was he? Right. Ashish Nehra. What happened to these people? I don’t know much, I’ve hardly watched cricket recently. I am a cricket fan for 3 months every four years, you see. How is Tendulkar playing these days?”

In other news, it is now learnt that a section of fans are extremely happy after being told that the final team selection can be made outside the shortlisted 30.

“No, I did not know this. Then why select the probable list anyway? This is all a well staged drama, I’m sure. All 5 seniors will make the final 15 and Tendulkar will come out of retirement to lead India one last time. Of course, Sanjay Patel saying that it is almost impossible for a player to be selected outside of the 30 is mere fuel for the dramatic fire. Ohh, I’m so looking forward to the World Cup next year. Will even buy an India jersey. Yay! Will be so much of fun.”

First Test between Australia and India postponed to unconfirmed date

2014-11-29T17:06:00.002+05:30

Cricket Australia (CA) have confirmed that the first of the 4-match Test series between Australia and India, scheduled to take place at Brisbane, starting December 4, has been postponed to an unconfirmed date in the aftermath of Phillip Hughes’ tragical death a couple of days ago, after being hit on the head by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match on November 25.

The cricketer’s funeral will take place in Macksville on December 3. CA believes that it will neither be feasible nor fair to begin the Test the very next day of the funeral, and it is understood that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were extremely supportive of the decision when contacted about the issue.

Not right for teams to play first Test – Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting had earlier said that it wouldn’t be right for Australia and India to go ahead and play the first Test, as the players would find it difficult to find the right frame of mind to play a 5-day game.

In his column for News Limited newspapers, Ricky Ponting writes, "It's one thing to say Phillip Hughes would have wanted the four-Test series against India to start as scheduled. It's another for 11 men to take the field at the Gabba a week after their close friend died.”

The former Australian captain added: "It's been such a tragic week for the Hughes family and the cricket community and I can't imagine how anybody can be expected to play Test cricket on Thursday. In fact I don't think it would be right.

"Even if the boys think they can play it would be a miracle if they find the right frame of mind needed for five days of cricket."

Phillip Hughes

Stats: Brendon McCullum breaks world record for fastest double century as captain in Tests

2014-11-29T17:04:00.001+05:30

New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum now holds the record the fastest double century by a captain in Test cricket after he reached the milestone in only 186 deliveries against Pakistan in the ongoing Test match at Sharjah; he broke Michael Clarke’s record of 226-ball double against South Africa at Adelaide in 2012.

It is also the record for the fastest Test double hundred by a Kiwi player ever. Before his dismissal in the same over that he registered his double, he had put on a 297-run partnership with Kane Willamson off 317 balls, which is now the fastest 250-run partnership for any wicket in the longer format of the game.

Brendon McCullum

This is the 33-year-old’s third double hundred as a captain, all coming in the same year; only Brian Lara (5), Sir Don Bradman (4), Graeme Smith (4) and Michael Clarke (4) have more.

Into Day 3 of the third and final Test match between the two sides, the visitors are on 388/2, in reply to Pakistan’s first innings score of 351, at the time of writing this article.

Given below is the list of fastest double centurions in Test cricket:

Player	Country	Balls
Nathan Astle	New Zealand	153
Virender Sehwag	India	168
Virender Sehwag	India	182
Brendon McCullum	New Zealand	186
Virender Sehwag	India	194
Herschelle Gibbs	South Africa	211
Adam Gilchrist	Australia	212
Ian Botham	England	220
Virender Sehwag	India	222

ISL: Delhi Dynamos beat Mumbai City FC 4-1 at home to keep semi-final hopes alive

2014-11-28T22:21:00.004+05:30

Delhi Dynamos put in a great team performance to subdue their opponents

In a must-win match for both sides, Delhi Dynamos emerged triumphant over Mumbai City FC at home with a big win as they ran out 4-1 winners to get themselves back in contention for a semi-final spot.

Four different goal scorers found the back of the net for Delhi as they put in a superb team performance to overcome a Mumbai side struggling with injuries to key players and low on confidence.

Mumbai made three changes from the side that lost to Chennaiyin FC with Andre Moritz chiefly sitting out with injury and replaced by Freddie Ljungberg. Johan Letzelter was missing through suspension and so too Peter Costa. Sushil Kumar Singh got a start and Subhash Singh too made a return to the starting line-up. Nicolas Anelka was missing for a second straight game.

Delhi made one change more than their guests with Stijn Houben, Naoba Singh, Munmun Lugun and Mads Junker coming in for Shouvik Ghosh, Pavel Elias, Souvik Chakraborty and Bruno Herrero.

Both teams started in earnest and Sushil had a chance as early as the 2nd minute as Didika put in a good cross from the left, but the forward could not get any power behind it.

Gustavo Dos Santos went close to scoring on 8 minutes after he engineered a good move to create space by playing a back heel to Henrique Dinis who crossed it back towards the Brazilian. His shot though was blocked by a lunging Syed Rahim Nabi away for a corner.

Gustavo Dos Santos (right) was thorn in Mumbai’s flesh all night

Four minutes later, Delhi went real close again, this time Mads Junker receiving a good ball from Francis Fernandes and peeling off the defenders to slide the ball past Mumbai keeper Subrata Paul. Veteran India man Deepak Mondal however put in a last ditch slide to clear the ball off the line to keep the score level.

Mumbai were looking edgy and unorganized in defence as the hosts fashioned a few more openings with Delhi only failing to score thanks to some last minute interventions and clearances.

Sushil then had another good chance on 25 minutes when Subhash set him up with a lovely cross from the right. He got good power behind his header this time, only to see it go over the bar.

Delhi took the lead on 44 minutes courtesy of a defensive lapse from Mumbai. The ball was switched out wide to the right from where Dinis put in a cross. Manuel Friedrich failed with the first clearance and on the second put it into the path of Hans Mulder who smashed it into the net from just in front of goal.

In the one minute of added time it could have gotten worse for Mumbai as Delhi opened them up with a quick counter through the middle, but Nabi got back in time to put just enough pressure on Junker before he could pull the trigger, allowing Paul to make the save.

Needing more from his team, Peter Reid rang the changes for Mumbai replacing Ljungberg with Javi Fernandez and Subhash with Nadong Bhutia at half-time.

And they did start with more zest, looking to get to the ball quicker. However, it was Delhi who scored a second goal and knocked the stuffing out of their guests a bit. Dos Santos, causing all sorts of trouble for the Mumbai defence, played a lovely through ball to pick out Junker once again and this time the tall forward made no mistake, rolling it past Paul to extend Delhi’s lead.

A glorious goal followed soon for Delhi to make it 3-0; Dos Santos invited Fernandes to make a run down the right, and made a neat little run into the box after playing it to his winger. Nobody picked him up and Dos Santos was left all alone in the s Francis picked him out with a perfect cross and the Brazilian headed it into goal nonchalantly.

Mumbai’s defensive woes continued as they kept giving the ball away easily and were almost made to pay on 67 minutes with Fernandes once again running at the defence and delivering a cross to Junker who went for the spectacular and failed to keep it under control.

India striker Abhishek Yadav was handed his ISL debut as he came on to replace Subhash with 19 minutes to go. Delhi too made a change with Shylo Malswamatulunga replaced by Manish Bhargav.

Dos Santos broke again with fury on 75 minutes after dispossessing Mumbai at the halfway line, leading a three-on-two Delhi break and instead of taking a shot teed Francis up on his right whose shot ruffled the side netting.

The subs for Mumbai were having an impact, both Fernandes and Yadav. And Mumbai did get a goal back on 86 minutes, breaking their four game goal drought, Yadav arriving in the box to tuck away a good cross from Sushil on the left with a left-footed strike.

Abhishek Yadav (left) pulled one back for Mumbai

The goals in the beginning of the half however had done the job and Delhi rounded it off in style with Bhargav netting a goal in injury time to cap things off. Substitute Steven Dias made a lovely run to get around Mumbai’s defence on the right and centred the ball with Paul taken out, Manandeep’s effort was smothered by Paul, but the rebound fell to Bhargav, who smashed it in to become the first Indian goal scorer for the Dynamos.

The Man of the Match expectedly went to Dos Santos. The Brazilian was a livewire throughout the match and caused Friedrich and Pavel Cmovs in the centre of Mumbai’s defence all sorts of problems.

The win takes Delhi to fifth, ahead of NorthEast United FC on goal difference thanks to the emphatic scoreline. For Mumbai, another disappointing away day at the office as they found themselves on the wrong end of a heavy defeat that pushed them to the bottom of the table.

Phillip Hughes's family wants first Test to go ahead: SACA CEO Keith Bradshaw

2014-11-28T21:26:00.003+05:30

Phillip Hughes with his father, Greg, after his first Test match for Australia

Following Phillip Hughes’s tragic death yesterday, there have been doubts regarding the likelihood of the first Test between Australia and India at Brisbane taking place, with the entire cricketing world in a state of mourning after what must surely be the saddest incident to take place on a cricket field ever.

A number of the Australian players were genuinely close to Hughes, and it is going to be extremely hard for them to recover from what has happened and concentrate on cricketing matters once again.

According to South Australia Cricket Association (SACA) CEO Keith Bradshaw, however, the 25-year-old’s own family would not want the Test to be postponed or cancelled.

"In regard to the Test match, (I can) only (speak) in terms of what I've heard, which is that the Hughes family are keen for that to go ahead," he said.

"Obviously that's going to be a question for the players and we must be mindful for the players and respect the players' feelings at this time as they come to try and deal with this tragic loss."

“Phillip was a popular, loved member of the team”

Hughes had moved to South Australia from New South Wales (NSW) a couple of seasons ago, and was an extremely popular member of the team. Speaking to the media at the Adelaide Oval, Bradshaw said that the players were “devastated”, and that focus will now be on ensuring the good health of Hughes’s colleagues and family.

"There really are no words that we can use to express or feeling of loss and hurt at the moment," he said.

"The players are devastated. They are shattered.

"Phillip was a popular, loved member of the team. They are trying as best they can to come to terms with this tragic loss. We are obviously supporting them through that with professional help, and it's an hour-by-hour, day-to-day process at the moment.

"Our attention now turns of course to the care and the love of Phillip's family, but also to our staff, to the players here in South Australia and around the country, the Australian cricket team and of course the New South Wales team."

No grade matches this weekend: Bradshaw

The SACA have also decided to stop all grade matches in South Australia from taking place this weekend.

"There is just so much emotion and distress here at the moment, so grade cricket will not be going ahead this weekend," he added.

"Cricket, everything else is just secondary at the moment to caring for our players, the family, and all those people that have been involved.

"And we'll just do everything we can to care for them and love for them, and make sure that they're as OK as they possibly can be."

Idea D4 Dance Grand Finale Results, Winners Names, Prize, Episode

2014-11-28T17:13:00.000+05:30

Swathi, Ajaz, Ramzan Muhammad, Ashique, Dilsh Prasannan - Idea D4 Dance Grand Finale contestants

Idea D4 Dance is a popular reality show in Mazhavil Manorama channel.

Telecast Time of Idea D4 Dance Grand Finale - 7.00 pm on 29-11-2014. (Keep watching this page tomorrow for live results)

Finalists of 2014 Idea D4 Dance

The names of 5 finalists in Idea D4 Dance program in the Mazhavil Manorama channel are as follows,

Swathi- Ernakulam
Ajaz - Kollam
Ramzan Muhammad- Muvattupuzha
Ashique (Ashiq - Malappuram)
Dilsha Prasannan - Calicut (Kozhikkode)

Malayalam celebrity Shobana will attend this function as special guest.

Live telecast of Idea D4 Dance will be aired in channel and the video clips of this program will be soon updated. (29-11-14)

Anchor of Idea D 4 Dance Grand final is Jewel Mary (actress of Pathemari), Govind Padmasurya.
Idea D4 Dance Judges and

Judges of Idea D4 Dance final are Priya Mani, Neerav Bavlech, Prasanna Master.

Winners of Idea D4 Dance

The names of winners, runnerup's of the reality show Idea D4 Dance are updated as follows,

First prize Winner -

Second prize Winner -

Third prize Winner -

Who will be the winner of Idea D 4 Dance ?

The Grand Finale episode of Idea D4 Dance will be shown on Saturday, 29th November 2014 at night 7 pm.

So stay tuned !!!

'D4 Dance' Show Host Jewel to Star Opposite Mammootty

2014-11-28T17:03:00.002+05:30

Television anchor Jewel who is popular for her show Idea "D4 Dance" in Mazhavil Manorama is set to make her movie debut.

JewelFacebook/ Jewel Mary

The young talent will star opposite Mammootty in his upcoming film "Pathemari", which will be directed by award winning director Salim Ahamed.

Meanwhile, Jewel is very excited to act along with the legendary actor and says this opportunity is something that came to her by luck.

"All I can say is it's all God's blessings. This opportunity was the most unexpected and I can't still believe that I will be sharing screen space with Mammootty. Salim Ahamed sir called me after seeing my anchoring in the D4 Dance show. I was selected after my screen test, and I never expected to be part of a film. Much later, I came to know about my role in the film as Nalini and everything got confirmed so soon in a span of four days," said Jewel to Manorama online

In "Pathemari", Jewel will be seen as Mammootty's wife, Nalini. Mammootty will play the role of Pallikkal Narayanan. The film tells about Narayanan and his friend Moideen, who have spent their majority life in the Gulf. The film will also give an insight into the life, struggles and hardships of Malayalees who have settled in the desert land for a better life.

"Pathemari" also has Sreenivasan, Siddique, Salim Kumar, Joy Mathew and Yavanika Gopalakrishnan in pivotal roles.

Salim and Mammootty have earlier worked together for "Kunjanandante Kada", which was the debut film of Nyla Usha.

The cinematography of "Pathemari" will be handled by Madhu Ambat and Rasool Pookutty will handle the sound recording of the film.

The shooting of "Pathemari" is expected to kick start by October and will be shot in Thrissur, Mumbai and Dubai. The Mammootty starrer will hit theatres in early 2015.

Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW support State Memorial Service for Phillip Hughes

2014-11-28T16:07:00.002+05:30

Flags were flown at half mast at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) yesterday

Melbourne, Nov 28 - Cricket Australia (CA) and Cricket New South Wales (CNSW), on Friday, supported NSW Premier Mike Baird's announcement of a State Memorial Service for Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, who passed away on Thursday after being hit by a cricket ball during a Sheffield Shield match.

"We would like to thank the premier for his decision to grant a State Memorial Service for Phillip and for putting the Hughes family's views first in offering such a service to the family," CA CEO James Sutherland said in a statement.

"As the premier outlined, it will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), giving opportunity for the entire community to pay tribute to the much-loved Australian. The SCG is a place that Phillip cherished so dearly, and it is a ground where Phillip provided cricket fans from around the world with so much joy."

Cricket NSW CEO Andrew Jones also voiced his support for the move.

"It's important for the community to be able to come together as one to remember Phillip and we thank the Premier for continuing his staunch support of cricket in NSW and giving us the ability to host this service here in Sydney," Jones said.

"Phillip made his first class debut at the SCG and we believe this is a fitting way to celebrate his life," Jones said.

The rare and freakish injury which led to Phillip Hughes's death

2014-11-28T11:35:00.000+05:30

Phillip Hughes’s lost his life earlier today after being hit by a bouncer on Tuesday

Australian batsman Phillip Hughes passed away in unfortunate circumstances on Thursday after he was struck on the head by a Sean Abbott bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match on Tuesday.

Explaining what exactly happened after the ball hit him, Cricket Australia (CA) doctor Peter Brukner said that one of the main arteries to his brain was compressed, and this condition can be instantly deadly. The left-hander stood for a second before collapsing face-first onto the pitch.

"Phillip took the blow at the side of the neck and as a result of that blow his vertebral artery, one of the main arteries leading to the brain, was compressed by the ball.That caused the artery to split and for bleeding to go up into the brain. He had a massive bleed into his brain. This is frequently fatal at the time,” Dr Bruknersaid.

"However, Phillip was resuscitated and then managed by, in particular, Dr John Orchard, the Cricket NSW doctor, and paramedical staff, and we were fortunate enough to have Dr Tim Stanley, an intensive care specialist from Newcastle, who was in the crowd and came and helped. They all did an excellent job of keeping Phillip alive and he was able to be transported by ambulance to hospital in reasonable condition," he further added.

Pressure off his brain had to be removed immediately

Hughes was immediately taken to the St. Vincent’s hospital in Sydney and was admitted for surgery. Dr. Tony Grabs, the doctor at the hospital, said that it was essential to release the pressure off Hughes’s brain due to the contracted artery.

"The head injury that he suffered was catastrophic.He arrived well intubated and [had been] resuscitated very well. It was our recognition that the first priority in this situation is to get an urgent CAT scan of the head to determine what we can do. This CAT scan occurred very early and it was recognised early that we had to make an intervention into the brain to actually help get the pressure down in the brain,” Dr. Grabs said.

“What sometimes happens in the brain is, if you put blood around the brain, a small amount, you will start to become a bit drowsy. If you put a lot of blood around the brain, you will become unconscious. Once we had made the diagnosis of blood around the brain, and it's a subarachnoid blood, which is under pressure from the artery, the immediate transfer to theatre was necessary. He went to theatre and had extensive surgery to remove some of the skull around his brain to help allow the brain to expand so it wasn't compressed," he explained.

The surgery lasted for 80 minutes after which the 25-year-old was taken back to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and then into an induced coma. However, all the efforts to save his life went in vain as he was declared dead on Thursday morning.

Such incidents occur very, very rarely: CA Doctor

When enquired whether Hughes’s life could’ve been saved had he been taken to the hospital faster, Dr. Brukner said that such issues were more vital only when the patient wasn't undergoing treatment.

"I think ambulance waiting time is really more relevant when the injured or sick person is not being treated. By any standard or observation he was receiving excellent quality treatment from Dr Orchard and Dr Stanley and the paramedics at the ground, and hence arrived at the hospital in excellent condition," he said.

Replying to queries about having a closer look at the way helmets are made in today’s times, Dr. Brukner said that one has to keep in mind that the incident that happened with Hughes was an extraordinarily rare one.

"This was a freakish accident, because it was an injury to the neck that caused haemorrhage in the brain. This condition is incredibly rare. It's called vertebral artery dissection, leading to subarachnoid haemorrhage - that's the medical term for it,” the CA doctor said.

“If you look in the literature there's only about 100 cases ever reported, so this is incredibly rare. Only one previous case ever reported as the result of a cricket ball. So I think it's important to realise that yes, we need to review all our procedures and equipment, but this is an incredibly rare type of injury," he further added.

Phillip Hughes passes away aged 25

2014-11-28T10:05:00.003+05:30

Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes succumbed to his injuries on Thursday. He was 25.

25-year-old Australian batsman Phillip Hughes has passed away after battling for his life for more than 2 days at Sydney’s St. Vincent’s hospital. Hughes was hit on his head by a bouncer while playing in a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG on Tuesday.

Australian team doctor Peter Brukner released a statement on Thursday afternoon.

“It is my sad duty to inform you that a short time ago Phillip Hughes passed away. He never regained consciousness following his injury on Tuesday. He was not in pain before he passed and was surrounded by his family and close friends.

“As a cricket community we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip's family and friends at this incredibly sad time. Cricket Australia kindly asks that the privacy of the Hughes family, players and staff be respected.”

Hughes was batting for South Australia on 63 at SCG when a bouncer by New South Wales all-rounder Sean Abbott hit his head. He collapsed on the pitch and was immediately rushed to St. Vincent’s Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

Since then, he had been in induced coma and was breathing with medical help.

Steve Smith consoles Simon Katich at St Vincent's Hospital after hearing about Phillip Hughes’s death

Australian cricketers comfort each other

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott called it “a very sad day for cricket and a heartbreaking day for his family.”

“What happened has touched millions of Australians,” Abbott said in a statement.

“For a young life to be cut short playing our national game seems a shocking aberration. He was loved, admired and respected by his teammates and by legions of cricket fans. Australians’ thoughts and prayers are with the Hughes family.”

Hughes started his international career in 2009 when at the age of 20, he became the youngest player ever to score two centuries in a Test.

He played 26 Tests and 25 ODIs and one T20I for Australia. He had scored 3 centuries in his Test career and was looking to make a comeback in the squad for the first Test against India in Brisbane.

Analysis of the current woeful situation of Los Angeles Lakers

2014-11-27T21:36:00.003+05:30

The Los Angeles Lakers

The game on Sunday against the Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers are 3-11 so far and are now officially at an all-time franchise low in every way possible. They fell to the Denver Nuggets in overtime on Sunday, a game they should have won given the superior roster.

After the third quarter the Lakers struggled offensively totalling just 19 points in the fourth quarter and the 5 minute overtime period, the same number of points scored in the first quarter. To make matters worse, the team missed many free throws, few of them being clutch ones which could have easily iced the game.

On the other end of the court, the defense showed why they are currently ranked last in the league. They allowed the Nuggets crucial offensive boards off their free throws and uncontested three pointers which they started knocking down after missing many early in the game.

What is going so wrong with the Lakers that they fail to beat a team that is with them below .500? From their roster to the morale of the team to the team management and finally to the head coach everything is going south.

Head coach Byron Scott

Given his history with the Lakers and superstar Bryant, fans breathed a sigh of relief when Byron Scott was appointed as the head. Yet, even to the neutral crowd this seemed like a good move for the franchise after a rough three years under head coaches that the team, fans and management never connected with.

Scott played 11 of his 15 years in the NBA with the Lakers in two installments. The first period was from 1983 to 1993 where he won three championships playing alongside Hall of Famers Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and James Worthy. He later played one year which also happened to be Bryant’s rookie season in the NBA. It was over the course of this lone season that the relationship between Bryant and Scott began.

The head coach-superstar relationship was supposed to be the cornerstone of the team this year instead it has been a huge reason for the low team morale and the lack luster team performance as a whole. Scott has put way too much trust in Bryant alone, playing him close 36 minutes a game so early in the season giving the wrong signal to the rest of the team about how important one man is for the team to win.

Courtesy of NBA TV, we all got an opportunity to get an inside look into the Lakers Training camp at El Segundo. During the team’s traning camp it was observed that there were a lot of running and defensive drills.

When asked about the excessive defensive drills Scott mentioned the importance of defensive principles yet its his team which is at the bottom of the league in defensive efficieny, even worse than the winless Philadelphia 76ers. So despite focusing more on defense rather than offense, the Lakers are struggling on that end of the floor which speaks volumes of Scott and the team’s lack of execution.

Kobe Bryant’s massive contract led to management errors

Blame the Lakers management and not Kobe Bryant’s contract for the not so good contracts given out this summer

Around a year ago, Bryant signed a contract extension with the Lakers that was worth 48 million dollars for the next two years which means he would receive 23.5 million for the ongoing season and 25 million for the next. Whether he was worthy of the massive sum should not be up for debate since public and media opinion doesn’t matter once the contract is inked, the point that matters more is whether Bryant’s contract was the reason for the Lakers’ assembling a sub-par roster for this season.

Heading into this season other than Bryant only Steve Nash and Robert Sacre were the other players whose contracts were guaranteed and in the books for this season. In short the Lakers front office would have a busy summer just to make sure there is a roster assembled come training camp in early October.

Signing Jordan Hill and Nick Young to new contracts made complete sense considering the output both players had given the team in the distastrous last season. Picking extremely talented and versatile Julius Randle with the 7th overall pick in the NBA Draft was a smart choice for the future but every other off-season signing that the Lakers announced including the trade for Jeremy Lin is eligible to be in the Top 10 worst contracts of the league.

Based on the performances so far Roonie Price, Wesley Johnson and Ryan Kelly look like players that the team could have done without for this season and although contending for a title is the aim every year according to the Lakers front office, it was clear they weren’t in Playoff contention this season, let alone being a bonified championship contender therefore going over the salary cap would be a big no no for a year that will not see a lot of returns.

Thus with a big contract like Bryant’s, the team had very little cap space to sign a lot of players which eventually led to the signing of players like Price, Johnson and Kelly for small salaries which the Lakers could afford without paying any taxes. There’s no doubt about the fact that the constraint called the salary cap hampered the roster decisions the Lakers front office made this season.

Severly handicapped roster

In Jordan Hill and Carlos Boozer, the Lakers are at a serious height disadvantage in the frontcourt against any other team in the league.

Their roster is where they are getting hurt the most. The team has no bonified shotblocker or 7-footer which severly handicaps the team in a lot of ways. The absence of shotblockers once again requires the team to focus hugely on team defense which currently they are horrible at.

None of the big men in the roster can post up in the paint and create offense for the team by swinging the ball which means the team needs a system on offense but since the practices and much of the training camp are defensive drills there is no hope there as well.

When you have a handicapped team the importance of principles becomes that much more important. Heading into a game against any team, the Lakers have a height disadvantage at the center position which means they must box out in order to gain the rebound except that they are ranked 20th in team rebounding helping us understand how bad they are at that.

In the games so far, there seems to be no system on offense so far. A lot of time it’s just Kobe coming up the floor dribbling the ball then posting up and taking a contested jumper. In short there is a lot of me ball and less team ball which explains being ranked 23rd in the league in team assists per game. Unfortunately for the team there is nobody else who can create offense themselves more efficiently than Bryant.

The Lakers have a lot of problems but no solutions and the next couple of seasons are going to be a trying time for all Laker fans.

Barcelona without Lionel Messi: What if he leaves the club?

2014-11-27T21:31:00.004+05:30

You could sense it was a special moment. A band of footballers, clad in stripes that could only be associated with one club, were staring up at the giant screen in the stadium. A very familiar silhouette was dancing through a procession of defenders, leaving them in his wake in a manner that had long since reminded the old timers of one of the game’s untouchable Gods.

All the cameras seemed to be focussed on a particular figure at the front of this gang of very special footballers. Lionel Messi was staring up at the screen with a frankly curious look on his face – as if he couldn’t decide what all the fuss was about. Barcelona’s prodigal son had proceeded to equal, and then break, Telmo Zarra‘s long-standing record of 251 La Liga goals.

But it is almost as if the world is tired of Messi’s exploits. Barcelona – and Messi himself – have been rocked by a number of scandals, both on and off the field. The dark cloud hanging over the Camp Nou has shifted public opinion rather dramatically, with onlookers suggesting that they knew all along that it was all too good to be true.

Even so, to seriously consider Messi’s departure would be quite premature, even as the man himself has issued a statement that was out of character. At this stage, this is a hypothetical exercise – one that is fascinating from a purely footballing perspective.

#1 How will Barcelona shape up without Messi?

Neymar and Luis Suarez – Barcelona’s mainstays?

Even the departure of their lynchpin is unlikely to effect a change in their formation. The 4-3-3 is as much a part of Barcelona’s DNA as anything else. Johan Cruyff’s influence is still very much in the air in La Masia, with teams of all age groups of the famed academy religiously adhering to the formation.

The Messi we see today has reverted to the role of the inverted winger that he excelled during his early days at Barcelona, but also playing in a deeper role as an advanced midfielder. Much like those days, there is a jet-heeled Brazilian to keep him company on the opposite flank – the peerless Ronaldinho has made way for current Brazilian captain Neymar.

Neymar is Messi’s successor

The prodigy has made a remarkable transformation to the European game since joining the Catalans a little over a year ago – slotting in seamlessly into Barcelona’s playing style right from the word go. He has sadly not been given the credit he deserves – Santos’ erstwhile Prima Donna has shown a remarkable level of emotional maturity to understand what it takes to succeed at the very top.

He has taken on the responsibility of the captaining his country in his stride. And he has shown more than just a few signs that he has the ability to take on Messi’s responsibilities in due time. He certainly looks all set to be yet another name in Barcelona’s list of Brazilian heroes.

Luis Suarez is pure quality

The addition of Luis Suarez was seen as a puzzling one last summer – the Uruguayan’s latest indiscretion at the World Cup ought to have made him an outcast. Luis Enrique’s motives were made clearer when he moved Messi deeper to function as the chief playmaker.

Suarez was brought in to share the burden of goal-scoring with Messi. And in the event of the Argentine’s departure, we should see his abilities in front of goal take centre-stage. There has been a prevalent opinion that Suarez has submitted to Messi’s will since his arrival.

It is true that the frightening directness that has characterised Suarez’s game for long now has been sacrificed for a more nuanced, balanced approach. But that may have been a conscious effort on the part of the striker to go out of his way to bed into the way things are done at Barcelona. Remember that the bite marks on Giorgio Chiellini have probably only begun to fade right about now. This is a man who desperately wants to show he belongs with the Catalans.

ISL: NorthEast United FC thrash Chennaiyin FC 3-0, move to fifth spot

2014-11-27T21:28:00.004+05:30

NorthEast United’s Massamba Lo Sambou of celebrates his goal against Chennaiyin FC at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati,

Massamba Sambou’s brace helped rock bottom side NorthEast United FC thrash table toppers Chennaiyin FC 3-0. With tonight’s victory, the John Abraham owned side climbed up to 5th position in the Hero Indian Super League table. NorthEast United performed brilliantly to secure all three points while Chennaiyin thoroughly missed the sting in the attacking zone in the absence of both Elano and John Mendoza.

NorthEast United looked hungry for goals from the start

Chennaiyin started in an attacking 4-3-3 formation where Marco Materazzi fielded Haitian international striker Jean Maurice alongside Jeje Lalpekhlua and Balwant in attack. NorthEast United on the other hand approached the game with their trademark 4-1-3-2. Massamba Sambou started as a center back and Durga Boro accompanied Seminlen Doungel in the strike force.

NorthEast, understandably, looked more desperate to bag all three points. The home team scored the opening goal in just the 10th minute. Boithang Haokip sent in a cross from the right wing which was cleared half-heartedly by Eric Djemba Djemba inside the penalty box. Local boy Durga Boro tapped in the half chance and converted smoothly.

Around the 21st minute mark, centre back Massamba Sambou scored his maiden goal in the Indian Super League with a header from Koke’s corner. Two minutes later Sambou completed his brace with yet another header, this time from Koke’s free-kick.

Eric Djemba Djemba who is predominantly a defensive midfielder never looked comfortable in the centre back position. He struggled to deal with the opponent’s series of attacks. NorthEast United never looked complacent even after a three goal lead and instead continued their attacking football. Chennaiyin, on the other hand, were forced to sit back and play on the counter-attack.

NorthEast United defended well in the second half

Marco Materazzi replaced an ineffective Bruno Pelissari with Cristian Hidalgo, who scored in the last game, with a hope of getting back in the match. Jeje too was replaced by young Indian striker Jayesh Rane. Chennaiyin dominated possession throughout the second half but never created positive goalscoring chances.

Credit must be given to the home team’s defensive composition which prevented Chennaiyin from coming back into the game. Denson Devadas had to be substituted in the 68th minute as the midfielder suffered an injury. This may add to Materazzi’s trouble as the team is already plagued with a series on injuries to key players.

NorthEast United FC climb up to 5th position with 13 points from 11 matches. Chennaiyin maintain their top position. In the first of the game the table toppers looked like mere minnows in front of the rock bottom team. NorthEast United FC combined well and finally found goals just when it was required.

The game also saw Joan Capdevila sent off and he will miss the next game.

We're shocked and saddened at Phillip Hughes's passing away: ICC

2014-11-27T17:45:00.003+05:30

Phillip Hughes

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has offered its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Australia batsman Phillip Hughes who has passed away following an injury he suffered during a first-class match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

ICC Chairman Mr Narayanaswami Srinivasan said: “We are all shocked and saddened with the news of Phillip’s passing. On behalf of the entire cricket community, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to his family and friends.”

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said in Dubai: “He was a naturally gifted player who entertained many with his attacking approach to the game. All those who play, have played or are in any way connected to the game are devastated by the news. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragedy at this difficult time.”

Born in Macksville, New South Wales, Hughes made his Test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2009 and in only his second Test match, in Durban, he became the youngest cricketer to score two centuries in a Test.

Hughes played 26 Test matches (scoring 1,535 runs, including three centuries), 25 One-Day Internationals (scoring 826 runs, including two centuries) – most recently in the victory over Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in October - and one T20 International.

R.I.P. Phillip Hughes: Day 2 of Pakistan vs New Zealand postponed, India's tour game cancelled

2014-11-27T16:04:00.001+05:30

Phillip Hughes

Following the sad demise of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, day two of the third Test between Pakistan and New Zealand has been postponed by a day. Play was meant to resume with Pakistan on 281 for 3, but following the passing away of Hughes, it was decided by both teams to not take the field on Thursday.

Play was initially suspended for an hour before being called off for the entire day. Proceedings of day two will resume on Friday and the fifth day of the Test will be played on December 1.

Pakistan team manager Moin Khan said that the whole team was shocked after hearing the news of his passing away and found him to be a cheerful guy, when he was with the Australian team last month.

“Both Pakistan and New Zealand decided to suspend the first hour of play. The whole team is shocked and saddened to hear about the death of Phil Hughes.

“He was here for the Australia limited-overs squad and was very cheerful. He was always ready to talk about cricket," the former Pakistan wicket-keeper said.

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said: "Today isn't about cricket, it's about Phil," Hesson said. "Like the rest of the cricketing family, the Blackcaps players and management are devastated to hear about Phil's tragic passing."

India’s tour match cancelled

India’s second tour game, which was due to start tomorrow, meanwhile, has been cancelled. Earlier, there were reports that only the first day has been cancelled but there has now been confirmation from Cricket Australia (CA) that the game won’t take place as a mark of respect to Hughes. There are also doubts as of now about whether the first Test between Australia and India at Brisbane will go ahead as planned.

Australian Cricketer Philip Hughes died

2014-11-27T10:44:00.002+05:30

Cricket Australia has confirmed that Philip Hughes has died as a result of the injuries he sustained when struck by a bouncer on Tuesday..

The Australia team doctor Peter Brukner said inn a statement released on Thursday afternoon ..

"It is my sad duty to inform you that a short time ago Phillip Hughes passed away. He never regained consciousness following his injury on Tuesday. He was not in pain before he passed and was surrounded by his family and close friends.

"As a cricket community we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip's family and friends at this incredibly sad time. Cricket Australia kindly asks that the privacy of the Hughes family, players and staff be respected."

Helmet manufacturers Masuri to look into footage of Phil Hughes injury as he remains in critical condition

2014-11-26T12:48:00.003+05:30

Phil Hughes was struck on the side of his head in a Sheffield Shield match. He remains in critical condition

Australian batsman Phil Hughes is battling for his life as the global cricket community waits for some good news out of St. Vincent’s in Sydney. Hughes was struck by a bouncer on the back of his head in a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG yesterday and remains in critical condition.

Even as prayers are coming in for Hughes, debates have started whether the current cricketing equipment is capable of protecting a batsman’s head. Hughes was wearing a Masuri Original Test helmet when he was hit by the ball on the side of his head.

Now Masuri, a British helmet manufacturing company, have asked for more footage and images of the incident to study the nature of impact, and how to avoid it in future.

Hughes was struck on the part of head which is not well protected by the helmets. Masuri have said that a newer version of helmets – the Vision Series – is available that fares better in protecting the back of the head, but didn’t say whether it would have prevented the Hughes incident or not.

This image released by Masuri shows the difference between the old Masuri model which Phil Hughes was wearing, and the new Vision Series

Could a new version of helmet have prevented the injury?

“Following the injury to Phil Hughes, Masuri is actively seeking as much TV and video footage of the incident as possible, to be able to see more conclusively exactly where the player was hit,” a Masuri spokesperson said.

“Masuri would immediately like to join with the world of cricket in wishing Phil Hughes a full and speedy recovery.

“From the footage and pictures currently available to Masuri, it appears that Phil Hughes was struck by the ball to the rear of the grille and below the back of the shell, missing his Masuri Original Test model helmet.

“This is a vulnerable area of the head and neck that helmets cannot fully protect, while enabling batsmen to have full and proper movement.

“The newly-developed Masuri Vision Series helmet, which supersedes the 2013 helmet worn by Phil Hughes, does afford batsmen extra protection in this region – and still allows comfortable movement.”

Masuri, a company based in Winchester in England, have worked closely in the past with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), International Cricket Council (ICC) and British Standards to develop helmets for better protection of a batsman’s head.

However, much of the focus in helmets lately has been on the front part of the equipment, with the gap between the grille and the peak of the helmet the biggest concern.

Not long ago, in the 4th Test between England and India at Old Trafford, a Varun Aaron delivery sneaked through the gap to hit Stuart Broad who suffered a fractured nose. Broad was wearing an Ayrtek Cricket helmet, who are the other major player in the helmet industry. (Read: Was Broad’s helmet responsible for his nasty injury?)

Stuart Broad had suffered a broken nose in the Old Trafford Test earlier this year

Cricket helmets have come a long way

Cricket helmets have come a long way since first being used by batsmen in 1970s. England batsman Dennis Amiss was one of the first players to wear the protective equipment, commented after the Hughes incident how helmets have come a long way.

Rick McCosker and Tony Greig wearing the old helmets

Mike Brearley weaing a helmet with a visor in 1979

“The early helmets were made of Kevlar which is an impact-proof material, a bit like fibre glass only lighter.

“We also had polycarbonate visors on the first ones. Then we put a peak on them, very much like the Australian trotting hats and we put a wire grille on with an A-shape wire to stop them parting.

“My first one was a motorcycle helmet, the second had a peak on with a wire grille. Then people started adding side pieces.

“We were going from not wearing helmets to a helmet with a grille on and some people struggled to see the ball. But if you concentrate on the ball from the hand you don’t notice the grille.

“The problem with the motorcycle helmets is that they were too heavy and too hot. If you batted for an hour or two you really did have an ache in your neck. Even now those of us who wore those helmets our necks have never been quite the same.”

Michael Clarke and Australian selectors clash before first Test against India

2014-11-26T12:47:00.000+05:30

Michael Clarke

Australian skipper Michael Clarke has ruled himself out of the second warm-up game against India, hours after being asked by the selectors to prove his match fitness in the tour game, reports ESPNcricinfo.

Clarke hopes to be fit for Brisbane Test

The report claims that the 33-year-old is eyeing a grade cricket match for Western Suburbs, that was recently in the news for a bizarre declaration, to prove his fitness before the first Test starting on December 4. It is understood that the right-hander met Australian team Physio Alex Kountouris on Monday, where Clarke claims to have learnt that he can only possibly play on Saturday for his grade team.

"My goal is to try and get myself fit to play whatever game's available. The next game on the table that I am available for, if I can be fit, is grade cricket on Saturday. So ideally if I can tick all the boxes along the way and play on Saturday, get through that. Hopefully, I can make myself available then it is completely up to the selectors to work out what to do.

"My focus is listening to the experts as I've always done. Over the last 10, 12 years I've been playing for Australia I don't think I've ever walked onto a field not being 100 per cent fit to perform. So I would hope with my experience that the selectors, my teammates, Cricket Australia staff respect my opinion there," Clarke said at a promotional appearance.

Cricket Australia contradict Clarke

However, later on Monday, Cricket Australia released a statement which, among other things, directly contradicted the skipper’s words.

"CA's position has not changed since our announcement of the Test squad. That is, Michael is to continue undergoing daily treatment for his injured hamstring as well as his ongoing back condition, with the aim of increasing his running over the coming days. He is the Australian captain and one of the best batsmen in the world. We obviously want to do all we can to ensure he recovers from his injury with the aim of getting him ready to play for Australia as soon as possible.

"Should he be in a position to really progress his running in the coming days, our desire is that he plays for the CA XI in the two-day tour match against India at the Adelaide Oval this Friday. Accordingly, a final decision on his fitness has not yet been determined and he has not yet been ruled out of the tour match by the CA medical team.

"Should Michael play the tour match and recover well, the selectors have said he will take his place in the Test side. If he is not able to get up for the CA XI game, and given his history with this recurring injury, he will be ruled out of any cricket this week and the First Test and our focus will shift to getting him fit to play the second Test in Adelaide commencing on Friday 12 December."

Interestingly, the tour game is scheduled for November 27 and 28 (Friday and Saturday), whereas Clarke’s grade game will resume on Saturday.

Kohli's debut as test captain down under

2014-11-25T10:15:00.003+05:30

Virat Kohli will be leading India down under

A lot is being talked about the much awaited tour of India down under. The series will start with the Test matches, followed by the ODIs and as soon as the series gets over, the big one, 2015 world cup will begin. Will the young boys cope with the bouncy tracks, hostile conditions and tough competition or buckle and stutter like they did against England?

It’s going to be a long stay in Australia for the Indians and the key to their success will be how soon they begin to feel at home. If form is anything to go by, then the Aussies are not going to make this a cake walk. After winning the series against South Africa and gaining the number 1 spot in the ODI rankings, Michael Clarke and his men look in no mood to play it easy. The Indians too, after victories at home against the West Indians and Sri Lankans, are high on confidence but to emerge on the winning side against the Aussies on their home turf is no child's play. They will have to raise their game by a lot of notches.

The first test match at Brisbane will set the tone of the series and in more ways than one. With Virat Kohli at the helm for India and the uncertainty of Clarke leading in this particular game, the manner of play and captaincy will be different than usual at both ends. Going into the series a zealous Kohli has promised a lot of aggression and positivity. “Mental preparation is more important" is what he was quoted saying.

Will temperamental Kohli be an able replacement for Dhoni?

Virat’s thoughts do seem to be moving in the right direction but will his young boys translate belief into performance? Kohli has been Dhoni's deputy for a long time now and has surely learned tricks from the captain’s book. He will definitely try to incorporate Mahendra Singh Dhoni's strategies in his moves and maneuvers, but his natural aggressive self is bound to come forth while out their on the field.

This might actually benefit India as it’ll raise their aggression levels to match that of the Aussies. A different approach, a new thought process will augur well for the Indians. Whether he can channel this and guide his boys, only time will tell. The Aussies will also play with a new-look side. Inclusion of Josh Hazelwood after his promising performance against the proteas got him a spot in the team. Completely new, he is likely to pose problems for the formidable Indian batting line up.

Although the absence of stalwarts such as Mitchell Starc and Maxwell has presented new talent an opportunity to don the baggy green cap, their experience would have proved a handful in difficult situations. The W power of Watson and Warner at the opening is likely to determine the course of the Australian innings, especially if Clarke does not come along the fitness levels in the practice match.

The practice match gave hope, but Australia will be ready for India

The Indian bowlers have started off in a decent fashion by wrapping up the Australia A innings for 219 but when it comes down to the grind a lot will depend on how Kohli leads his boys. His captaincy, his batting, his ability to absorb pressure and reaction to it will also be tested. If he passes with flying colours, Indian fans can expect a good show, otherwise it will be tough for Dhoni to pull it back from the second test.

Apart from his leadership, Dhoni’s wicket keeping skills will also be dearly missed. Without a doubt he is an excellent keeper and Wriddhiman Saha has some extra ordinary shoes to fill. 5 wickets behind the stumps in the practice match has been a good start to the season and for India to do well, he must carry this good form in the first test match.

Neither team has a good record in test matches in the recent past, but the odds are still stacked in favour of the home team. Experts and legends believe likewise and to prove one and all wrong is going to require some exceptional good cricket from the Indians.

Top 10 Test run-scorers for India in Australia

2014-11-25T10:14:00.002+05:30

Sachin Tendulkar

Getting runs in foreign conditions is always a difficult task and it gets tougher when the country is Australia. For Indian batsmen who might have never experienced such fast wickets and bounce before, it gets even more tricky.

Yet, some Indian batsmen have adapted well to the challenges and have accumulated valuable runs. Modern-day greats like Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid have excelled in Australia.

Even in the past, Sunil Gavaskar and Mohinder Amarnath have mastered the testing surfaces, triumphing against pace and bounce.

As one would expect, Tendulkar leads the Indian run-scorers list in Australia with 1809 runs under his belt at 53.20 per dismissal. The little master has blasted six centuries and seven fifties in the country, easily the best record for an Indian batsman down under.

Among the current lot, stand-in captain Virat Kohli, with an aggregate of 300 runs in 8 innings heads the list.

Player	Matches	Innings	Runs	Average	Highest	100s/50s
Sachin Tendulkar	20	38	1809	53.20	241*	6/7
VVS Laxman	15	29	1236	44.14	178	4/4
Rahul Dravid	15	30	1143	43.96	233	1/6
Virender Sehwag	10	20	948	47.40	195	2/4
Sunil Gavaskar	11	19	920	51.11	172	5/1
Dilip Vengsarkar	16	28	746	28.69	78	0/4
Sourav Ganguly	11	20	696	34.80	144	1/4
Gundappa Viswanath	8	15	686	45.73	114	1/5
Mohinder Amarnath	8	13	668	55.66	138	2/3
Chetan Chauhan	7	13	478	36.76	97	0/3

Top 10 Test wicket-takers for India in Australia

2014-11-25T10:12:00.003+05:30

Kapil Dev

While it can be argued that Australia is a dream place to be for a fast bowler, Indians have not enjoyed notable success barring a few names down under.

Not surprisingly, Kapil Dev leads the Indian wicket-takers list with 51 scalps in 21 innings, conceding 24.58 runs per dismissal. The all-rounder has registered five 5-wicket hauls in the country.

The second place goes to the leg-spinner Anil Kumble. Utilizing the bounce on the wicket, the leggie has captured 49 wickets. However, an average of 37.73 is not that impressive.

Members of the spin quartet – Bishan Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna and Bhagwath Chandrasekhar take the next three places with 35, 31 and 29 wickets, respectively. Ajit Agarkar, who bowled a match-winning spell of 6/41 in the famous Adelaide Test of 2003, comes 6th on the list.

Javagal Srinath, considered to be one of the best pacers produced by the Asian side, comes 10th with a poor average of 50.70 and a forgettable strike rate of 98.1. People who saw the Mysore Express perform down under would definitely say that he was unlucky, having put in some good spells of fast bowling.

Player	Matches	Innings	Wickets	Average	Strike Rate	BBI	BBM	5W
Kapil Dev	11	21	51	24.58	61.5	8/106	8/109	5
Anil Kumble	10	18	49	37.73	65.3	8/141	12/279	4
Bishan Singh Bedi	7	14	35	27.51	68.3	5/55	10/194	3
Erapalli Prasanna	8	15	31	31.12	82.6	6/104	8/218	2
Bhagwath Chandrasekhar	7	13	29	30.27	67.4	6/52	12/104	3
Ajit Agarkar	7	13	27	35.07	58.4	6/41	8/160	1
Zaheer Khan	7	11	25	35.08	58.0	5/95	7/130	1
Shivlal Yadav	5	9	23	28.13	76.9	5/99	8/118	1
Karsan Ghavri	6	11	21	30.52	57.8	5/107	7/138	1
Javagal Srinath	8	15	20	50.70	98.1	4/130	4/175	0

Current 15-degree limit too harsh on bowlers, says Saeed Ajmal

2014-11-23T15:05:00.004+05:30

Saeed Ajmal

Saeed Ajmal is targeting a return to the Pakistan team in time for the 2015 ICC World Cup after expressing satisfaction on the remedial work he has done on his bowling action in recent weeks. Ajmal, who was banned from bowling in international cricket in September, underwent unofficial tests on his remodelled bowling action earlier this month at the ICC-accredited testing centre in Loughborough.

After the assessment, biomechanist Dr Mark King stated that there has been significant improvement in the off-spinner’s action, even though his elbow flex is not within the permissble 15-degree limit at the moment.

"I'm very pleased with the assessment of Dr. King," Ajmal said, in an interview with Pakpassion.net. "It was very heartening to hear what he had to say. I was expecting a reduction to about 30 degrees but to see that some deliveries are down to 20 degrees is fantastic and positive news for me.

"Also, what is really encouraging is that most of my deliveries are now within the 15 degree limit. The ICC's rules of course stipulate that all deliveries have to be under 15 degrees and I'm very confident that I will achieve that target with the help of [former Pakistan offspinner] Saqlain Mushtaq and all the other individuals who are helping me and guiding me."

Ajmal added that the doosra is the only delivery for which his elbow straightening exceeds the permissible limit, and that he is working hard to rectify it.

"I'm working hard on adjusting the doosra to ensure that it is also under 15 degrees and I'm confident that I will manage to do that."

Asked whether the 15-degree limit was too harsh on bowlers, Ajmal said: “"I think 99% of bowlers these days would fail the 15 degree test for at least one or more of their deliveries. I also think that the technology being used in match situations to assess bowling actions is too strict. I think they should use the normal television cameras to assess our bowling actions, but instead what is being used are cameras that can virtually see the blood running though our bodies."

Confident of World Cup return

With the World Cup just a couple of months away, there has been concern among the well-wishers of Pakistan cricket about whether Ajmal will make it to the tournament. The 37-year old, however, is extremely confident.

"All this effort with Saqlain Mushtaq and the work at Lahore and Loughborough is with the World Cup in mind and I'm hopeful and confident that my bowling action will be cleared ahead of this showpiece event," he said.

"However, if I don't make the World Cup then my prayers and well-wishes will be with my Pakistani team mates. If I'm not there in Australia and New Zealand my support will be with the Pakistan team and I'll be cheering them on loudly."

Cheteshwar Pujara takes advice from Rahul Dravid ahead of Australia Tests

2014-11-23T15:04:00.000+05:30

Cheteshwar Pujara struggled during the recent England Test series

With India’s Test series against Australia starting in Brisbane next week, the incumbent No.3 Cheteshwar Pujara has been taking tips from batting great Rahul Dravid on how to succeed on Australian soil.

While Pujara has had a fantastic start to his Test career, having scored 1,872 runs from 24 Tests at an average just below 50, the recent series against England where he managed just 222 runs from 5 Tests at an average of 22.20 with a highest score of 55 was a huge disappointment.

"I have spoken to Rahul Dravid about the conditions in Australia. Someone of his caliber and experience will always point out those minor issues, which otherwise may get missed. His approach towards the game is exemplary," Pujara said.

Although the 26-year old’s issues in England would have led to doubts creeping into his mind about his own ability, he shouldn’t be overly worried considering that he has scored runs away from home in the past. On the tour of South Africa last year, he amassed 280 runs from 2 Tests at an average of 70, including a highest score of 153 at Johannesburg.

Leading up to the Australian tour, which will be Pujara’s first ever to the country, he has said that he is focusing on keeping things simple rather than worry about the menace of Mitchell Johnson & co.

"I want to keep things simple and concentrate on what I need to do to score runs rather than think about the opposition's bowlers. Overall as a batsman, I need to be sure of which areas I can score runs and which deliveries I need to leave alone. That is going to be my focus instead of the bowler I am facing," he said.

The Saurashtra batsman also added that the experience he has gained of playing in tough overseas conditions over the past 12 months will serve him well during the series.

"Playing abroad is always a new challenge, the conditions are completely different to what they are in India. The experience of having played Test cricket over the last one year in places like South Africa, New Zealand and England is definitely an advantage while preparing for a tough tour like Australia. As a player, these conditions present a different challenge.

Over a period of time when you play in different countries, it allows one to work out the deficiencies that may have developed in your technique. We are reaching Australia a couple of weeks before the first Test. That should help us adjust to the conditions better."

"It's a matter of common sense": On relationship with Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli urges public to respect personal space

2014-11-21T15:59:00.001+05:30

Virat Kohli at the launch of his clothing line on Thursday

Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli has been the talk of the town regarding this relationship with Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, and the Delhi lad has called the public to use ‘common sense’ and respect the duo’s privacy.

The actress was spotted with the 26-year-old in New Zealand earlier this year, when the Indian team was on tour there. Kohli had a horrendous time in the tour to England and her presence there during that time raised several questions about wives and girlfriends accompanying cricketers on tours.

Anushka’s presence in the stands during Kohli’s recent knock against Sri Lanka also created a lot of buzz around the social media.

Speaking at the launch of his new clothing line ‘Wrogn’, the Delhi batsman said that neither of them wants to hide anything but didn't want the topic to become an issue of national debate.

"It is out in the open (Jo hai sabke saamne hai abhi). We are not hiding anything, we are not trying to hide anything. I don't want to hide anything. But if you get repeatedly asked on the same thing and if it is made a matter of debate then both the individuals don't feel it is right”. he said.

He added that it is quite clear already that the two are going out and people shouldn't be so eager to know more about them anymore.

"If you are seen together somewhere and still people ask 'is it confirmed?', then it is a matter of common sense. If you know then why ask the same question, that is our basic logic behind it. It is not something wrong apparently for people that we are doing”. Kohli said.

“We will not personally like to speak about it because it is something very personal for us and that should be respected by the media and everyone else as well”. he added.

Kohli backs Sarita Devi

Joining several others in support of boxer Sarita Devi, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain said what Ms. Devi had done wasn’t against the rules.

"I know about the incident. I think sportsmen need the support of its association and I personally don't think her decision is against modern rules. She felt something and took that decision that could have been solved in a different way. I don't know what happened there, what I have seen from outside this is my idea”. he said.

He also said that launching a clothing line of his own was something that he always wanted to do.

"Really glad and happy that I am able to do something that I always wanted to do. This idea of launching own clothing line came and we were thinking of names. One thing that people associated with me in first look or first instance is being wrong. They picture me as someone who is wrong and eventually that becomes right after certain point of time. So that was the whole plan and then we decided to spell wrong in a wrong way”. he said.