Pune's time to take forward steps

Pune Warriors started their campaign in IPL 2012 with an uplifting win against pre-tournament favourites, Mumbai Indians and followed it up with an easy win over Kings XI Punjab. But since then, they have played seven games and won only two, with a hat-trick of losses. Second from the bottom, Warriors still have a chance of qualifying for the play-off stage, but with just six games to go they will need to stay focussed.
Mumbai Indians have had five wins from nine games even though they haven't performed to their potential. Of all their big names, only Lasith Malinga has been consistent while Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh haven't fired. Rohit Sharma is the top-scorer in the line-up but his tournament tally is half that of Ajinkya Rahane's and he has given his wicket away easily in crunch situations. Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik, though, have shown signs of form after an indifferent start to the season. Mumbai Indians have often reiterated the importance of having Tendulkar at the top to provide stability. However, he has scored 94 runs in five games and Sourav Ganguly would hope to keep the pressure on him.

Michael Clarke made an impressive IPL debut in the last game and scored his runs at a good clip with proper cricketing shots, much like Rahane. Clarke's ability should relieve Robin Uthappa of the stabilising role, allowing him to take a more aggressive stance. In their bowling department, Warriors have missed Ashok Dinda as Ashish Nehra has been expensive as a death bowler.


Players to watch
Steven Smith is the second highest run-getter for Warriors this season with 267 runs at a strike rate of 159.88. While several other top run-scorers have faced more than 200 balls, Smith has only faced 167, highlighting that he could have a greater impact if he is given more time in the middle.
Ambati Rayudu has looked in good form in recent games. While his cameo in Mohali won the game for Mumbai Indians from a difficult position, his counter-attacking 62 in Delhi kept the team in hunt after the loss of early wickets. With an inconsistent top order, the responsibility will be again on him.

Stats and trivia
Mumbai Indians' average of 21.58 runs per wicket is the lowest in this IPL. Warriors are third from the top with an average of 27.05.
Mumbai Indians scored 101 against Warriors in their last match, the second-lowest score this season after their 92 all out against Delhi Daredevils.

Read More

IPL 5: CSK batsmen hurting team's title defence

The fifth edition of the Indian Premier League has been a poor one for the defending champions Chennai Super Kings so far, who have performed below par despite having some big players in their ranks. Once touted as favourites to complete the hat-trick of the title, Chennai are fifth in the points table and on current form, it seems difficult for them to qualify for the play-offs.
The biggest worry for CSK has been the form of their batsmen. Murali Vijay has been the poorest of the lot and has been dropped from the team. He was the one of the key members that helped CSK win the last two edition of the IPL and MS Dhoni's team has missed him for sure. Apart from Faf du Plessis, none of the players so far have really shown the mettle and consistency.


But the inclusion of Michael Hussey following Australia's tour of the West Indies is definitely going to strengthen Chennai batting line-up. However, there is very little time for Hussey to settle down as the tournament has already reached its business end and he has to start performing from the word go. Subramaniam Badrinath is another player who has been wasted so far by Chennai team management as he is still struggling to get a fixed spot. At times he has been asked to open the innings while in other matches he has played lower down the order. That for sure is going to hurt any player's confidence.
Another thing that Chennai have been missing is runs from Suresh Raina's bat. Though he has become the first man to reach the 2000-run mark in the IPL, Raina has been poor in the tournament so far. Coming in at No.3, the left-hander has to play a very important role for the team, but so far he has just managed 197 runs at average 21.88 in nine innings and has failed to capitalise on the couple of starts he has go so far.
Dhoni's reluctance to bat higher up the order is also hurting the team's chances. Dhoni needs to bat at No.4 in the order to add some stability and consistency to the batting line-up. Dhoni has played a couple of good innings batting at this spot but the continuous shuffling in the batting order has also worked against them. Allrounders Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja have stood up to their task while bowling and fielding but have not performed with the bat so far.
Surely with six matches to be played, time is running out for Chennai to sort out their batting, and it seems an uphill task for CSK to defend their crown this time around.

Read More

IPL 5: Nervous Punjab hold on to beat Ban

Kings XI Punjab kept their nerves towards the end of their chase to register a four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in an Indian Premier League (IPL) nail-biter at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Chasing 159 to win, the visitors were on their way to an easy win at one time with just 13 runs needed to close out the match, but a flurry of wickets, especially three run-outs, took the match into the last over.
With five runs required in the last over to win, Piyush Chawla smashed Vinay Kumar for a six off the fifth ball to see his team home.


Nitin Saini (50), David Hussey (45) and Mandeep Singh (43) played crucial hands in the chase. This was Punjab’s second successive win and now they lie fourth in the standings with five wins in 10 matches, while Bangalore lost their second successive match to be 6th.
Punjab got off to a good start with Mandeep and Shaun Marsh adding 38 off 28 balls. Mandeep did the bulk of the scoring in a 38-run partnership that was ended by Andrew McDonald, who cleaned up Marsh for 8. Mandeep was impressive during his innings before being trapped in front of the stumps by K Appanna. His wicket gave Punjab some hope but Saini and captain Hussey were determined to take the team over the line, especially Saini who showed a lot of nous during his stay. He and Hussey added 73 to take the visitors within 13 runs of victory. But those 13 runs took a lot of getting with Saini falling to Zaheer Khan and the run-outs of Abhishek Nayar, Hussey and Azhar Mahmood.
Earlier, after being put into bat, Bangalore lost Mayank Agarwal early as Aussie Ryan Harris – playing his first match this season - sent his off-stump cartwheeling with only seven runs on the board. Virat Kohli joined Chris Gayle and began a partnership that at one time threatened to take the game away from the visitors. Parvinder Awana and Chawla in particular were at the receiving end as Gayle played some mutilating shots. Both added 119 runs off 83 balls as the team headed for a big total but Punjab’s Pakistani import Mahmood came back to end the West Indian’s innings with a well-aimed bouncer in the 16th over.
Gayle scored 71 off 42 balls with six boundaries and four sixes to take his IPL tally to 407 runs in nine matches this season. One of his sixes travelled 111 metres, an IPL 5 record. Chawla then got in on the act and accounted for Kohli in the next over. The India batsman made 45 off 42 balls and played a perfect foil to Gayle. The twin blow reined in the hosts’ innings. The Mahmood-led Punjab bowling came up trumps yielding just 36 runs in the last five overs. Mahmood, who also has the citizenship of England, sent back McDonald and AB de Villiers in the last over to restrict Bangalore to 158 for 5, which was at least 20 runs fewer.

Read More

IPL 5: Watson's wicket was special: Negi

Jaipur: Young Delhi Daredevils left-arm spinner Pawan Negi, who shot to limelight with a four-wicket haul against Rajasthan Royals in an Indian Premier League match on Tuesday, termed Shane Watson's scalp as the prized one.
The 19-year-old orthodox spinner played a stellar role in Delhi's comprehensive six-wicket win over Rajasthan with impressive figures of 4 for 18 from his four overs.


"I was just trying to stop the flow of runs. It was a good wicket and they (Rajasthan batsmen) played a few bad shots too. The wicket of [Shane] Watson was the prized one because he is such a good player," said Negi who also accounted for the wickets of Ajinkya Rahane, Brad Hodge and Ashok Menaria apart from Watson.
Asked to bowl after six overs with Rajasthan comfortably placed at 56 for no loss, Negi ripped apart the home team's batting line-up to restrict them to a modest 141 for 6.
Asked whether skipper Virender Sehwag gave him any specific instruction before coming on to bowl, Negi said, "He [Sehwag] told me that Rajasthan batsmen play a lot of inside out shots over extra cover. So he asked me to keep balls a bit short so as to not allow them to go for such shots. This worked to perfection."

Read More

IPL 5: Pietersen exits IPL as Clarke makes debut

New Delhi: Delhi Daredevils' Kevin Pietersen flew home on Wednesday after a highly successful stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as Australia captain and Pune Warriors' batsman Michael Clarke made his debut in the Twenty20 tournament.
Pietersen, who left midway through the league to prepare for England's home series against the West Indies, scored 305 runs at an average of 61.00 in his first season with the Delhi Daredevils. He played eight matches for the top-of-the table side, featuring a brilliant innings of 103 not out off 64 balls against the Deccan Chargers on April 19


Pietersen, who had in the past played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, will miss the last six league matches. "Sad day leaving India today," the England star tweeted. "Will be back soon. Special thanks to Delhi Daredevils. And another thank you to the people of India.
Clarke, who had shunned the four previous editions of the cash-rich tournament, signed up with the Pune Warriors this year for an undisclosed amount to play after Australia's recent tour of the West Indies. The Australian skipper shrugged off jetleg after the long journey from the Caribbean to strike 41 off 31 balls on Tuesday night, but could not prevent Pune from suffering a 13-run loss at the hands of bottom-placed Deccan Chargers in Cuttack.
Clarke has six more league games to help Pune, led by former India captain Sourav Ganguly, finish among the top four in the nine-team competition and qualify for the play-offs. Pune, owned by the Sahara group, are currently lying seventh in the table with four wins and six defeats.
"Clarke is a class act and it's great to have him with us," said Ganguly, whose international career featured many fierce, competitive clashes with the Australians.

Read More

IPL 5: Smith to replace Johnson at Mumbai Indians

New Delhi: West Indies allrounder Dwayne Smith has signed up with Mumbai Indians as a replacement for Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson and would be joining the IPL team on Thursday. Smith, who had played for Mumbai Indians during the inaugural edition of IPL and represented Deccan Chargers in the next two editions, was roped in after Johnson failed to
recover from a toe injury and was ruled out of IPL 5.


"Mumbai Indians have signed West Indies allrounder Dwayne Smith as replacement for Mitchell Johnson. The Australian fast bowler was ruled out to play IPL by Cricket Australia due to injury," a Mumbai Indians statement said. "Dwayne Smith is expected to join Mumbai Indians team on Thursday, 3rd May 2012," it added.
Johnson, who represented Australia in 47 Tests, 107 ODIs and 28 Twenty20 internationals, had undergone a surgery in his left foot recently.

Read More

Chris Gayle boycotts county contract, will join national team

New Delhi: Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle scrapped his deal with Somerset county and made himself available for the national team and virtually ended his year-long stand-off with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
But Gayle, who is playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB), in a statement said that he is committed to West Indies cricket and told Somerset that he will not be honouring the contract. Gayle told the West Indies selectors that he will be available for the ODI series in England after the IPL.


"I wish to advise that as of today, May 2nd, 2012, I have written to Somerset CC and advised them that I will not be honouring the commitment I made to them when I signed a contract with them for the 2012 Friends Provident Championship. I made it clear to them that my decision was made because of my commitment to West Indies cricket and to West Indies cricket fans, and because: ...I believe that it is time for the WICB to make a decision which will provide a clearer view of my own future," Gayle said.
"I understand that by making this decision, it may place me in a position of considerable risk, since I am foregoing a signed contract, without any guarantees whatsoever, with only the hope that I will be selected to play for the West Indies again. I have now satisfied all of the requests of the WICB and their selection panel, with whom I met via teleconference yesterday, and to whom I reiterated previous assurances given to the Board regarding my availability. So that there is no doubt, I confirmed to the selectors that I was available for West Indies duty in all forms of cricket, immediately following the conclusion of my contractual obligations to my IPL franchise, Bangalore.
"This has been a difficult time, and I wish to sincerely thank everyone who has supported me, my family and friends, and in particular cricket fans worldwide who have continued to show appreciation for me wherever I have played. I look forward once again to put on the maroon, and resuming my international career and my service to West Indies cricket," Gayle said.
Gayle last played for the West Indies during the 2011 World Cup in March before falling out with the WICB after he criticised the chief coach Ottis Gibson during a radio interview in Jamaica.

Read More

IPL 5: KXIP is growing in confidence now, says Hussey

Bangalore: With his side jumping to fourth place with Wednesday's thrilling four-wicket win, Kings XI Punjab skipper David Hussey said that his side is confident now and keen to better in the remaining matches. Punjab almost lost the match from a winning position but Piyush Chawla held his nerves to smash a six off the penultimate ball to steer his side home while chasing 159 against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
"We tried to clutch defeat from the jaws of victory .. but a win is a win. We have confidence now. We need to go back and perform in front of our home crowd," Hussey said. "Momentum is a big part. We did well against Chennai and now we want to do even better when we go to Mohali for the next game," he said.


Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori said that they were some runs short despite some good batting by Chris Gayle (71) and Virat Kohli (45) as they put on 158 for six. "The last five overs of both innings were interesting, lots of wickets lots of pressure. Only scoring 30 runs off our last five overs really hurt us," he said.
"We've got some big games coming up, we need to get back on that roll of winning and make the semis," he added. Azhar Mahmood, who took three wickets including that of Gayle, was adjudged Man-of-the-Match. "Love it, I'm enjoying my cricket. Two big wins. quite pleased with the performance. We just believe in ourselves, we like each other's company, each others' success. Everyone's working hard, it's paying off," he said.

Read More

IPL 5: Can't afford to lose next two games, says Vettori

Bangalore: Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori said that his team fell short by 50 to 60 runs despite Chris Gayle (71) and Virat Kohli (45) putting on 118-run second wicket stand together and laying a solid platform against Kings XI Punjab in their last IPL match.
"We lost momentum in the last five overs of our innings. The way they [Kings XI Punjab] bowled demoralised us and we could not score 50 or 60 runs in the slog overs," Vettori said at the post-match press conference in Bangalore. Vettori said that the team wasted the advantage that Gayle and Kohli provided by taking the RCB to 122 for 1 by the 15th over on a pitch

that was assisting the bowlers initially.

"RCB could have done better by setting 180-run target for the visitors to chase. It was difficult batting first up as the ball was doing a bit initially. Praveen Kumar bowled exceptionally well in his four overs, giving away just eight runs," said the skipper.

The New Zealander also said that the Bangalore have reached a stage where they couldn't afford to lose another match. "We don't want to lose our next two games against Deccan Chargers and Pune Warriors. Losing those will take us to a point of no return. We want to do things we did in the last couple of overs of the Kings XI's innings [effecting three runouts]," he said.

Read More

IPL 5: Injured Sreesanth out for five months

New Delhi: An injured Shanthakumaran Sreesanth will be out of action for five months as he needs two surgeries on his toes. He last played for India in August during the team's tour of England and has featured in only one first-class match.
The fast bowler opted for ayurvedic treatment than going for surgery and had thought earlier of being fit for the CB series in Australia. Late last month, Sreesanth went to the Nation Cricket Academy [NCA] in Bangalore for rehabilitation after initially being part of Rajasthan Royals. Rajasthan team management hoped that he can return to the team after spending a week at the NCA but this season they have to manage without him.

This is the second injury blow for Rajasthan after allrounder Kevin Cooper was ruled out of IPL 5 due to a fractured knee.

Read More

KKR gag on players' media interaction

Kolkata: Ahead of their keenly-awaited IPL clash with the Sourav Ganguly-led Pune Warriors India, the Kolkata Knight Riders management has placed a gag order on their players for interacting with the media. "We have some rules and regulations that we are following," Knight Riders' Bangladeshi recruit Shakib Al Hasan said when contacted.
The team had signed with a PR firm to arrange players' interaction with media, but the agency now says they are helpless as the KKR management has stopped responding to their queries. "We had sent a list of media requests for players' interviews, but the management says that no player is available now or [they are] not getting time. I can't help. I am just waiting for the tournament to get over. I feel we have no role [to play] now," said an official of the PR firm.


Despite inviting sports journalists in a promotional party on Wednesday night, the KKR management did not allow them to interact with its players. As a result, a section of the media boycotted the event as they were denied a possible opportunity to interact with Manoj Tiwary, Laxmipathy Balaji, Eoin Morgan, Brendon McCullum and Ryan ten Doeschate.
After a lot of persuasion by the PR agency, team director Joy Bhattacharya allowed Tiwary to interact, but that too for just two questions. Repeated attempts to take the matter to franchise’s CEO Venky Mysore went in vain.
The excitement and interest for Saturday's clash is palpable, with city's cricket idol, Ganguly, in the visitors’ camp.

Read More

IPL 5: Marauding Delhi up against scratchy Mumbai

The recent form of Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians suggests that the clash between the two IPL heavyweights on Friday will be more than just another round-robin tie. While the former has emerged as a formidable unit in this edition of the tournament, the latter has just about managed to scrape through so far.
Delhi are sitting top of the table and are coming into this match after a resounding eight-wicket win over Pune Warriors India. Their batting and bowling are clicking simultaneously, and it would be hard to deny the fact that the arrival of their 'big ticket' players – Kevin Pietersen, Mahela Jayawardene and Ross Taylor – has given Delhi a big boost. While Pietersen, coming at No. 3, has enthused self-belief in the side with his big-hitting, Jayawardene opening the batting with skipper Virender Sehwag has proved ideal for the team's fortunes. Although New Zealand skipper Taylor has had quiet four matches, one would expect him to join the big-hitting bandwagon sooner rather than later. And the Delhi think-tank must be credited for playing their best batsmen at the top, which has earned them rich dividends.


Just like their batting, their bowling too is dependent heavily on the prowess of their foreign recruit Morne Morkel. The South African speedster has troubled all the batsmen in the league so far, picking up 16 wickets and wearing the Purple Cap as a result. And although there are no major contributors apart from Morkel, as far as taking wickets is concerned, Umesh Yadav and Shahbaz Nadeem have supported their South African spearhead well. And the news of Varun Aaron also being fit for the rest of the event will add an extra spark to the Delhi firepower. Aaron's return after a long injury layoff will also force Yadav to put in extra effort. But it's hard to see the hosts making any changes to the side that beat Pune in an away tie.
Mumbai, on the other hand, will enter Friday's contest after beating Kings XI Punjab in a nervy last-over battle. Some audacious batting at the end by Ambati Rayudu and Robin Peterson and some ordinary bowling by Piyush Chawla allowed Mumbai to get the better of a side that had beaten them in the first leg of this season. Mumbai’s batting, although strengthened with the arrival of Sachin Tendulkar, still hasn't performed on the expected lines. Though Rohit Sharma has played two match-winning innings – his 73 not out against Deccan Chargers and 50 against Punjab – the visitors will want their No. 3 batsman to do that on a consistent basis. Kieron Pollard too has been patchy so far this season. In fact, he has contributed more with the ball than bat, taking 11 wickets for the team.
Mumbai's bowling has been looking thin in the absence of Lasith Malinga, who is nursing a back injury. The team will also want Munaf Patel to do the talking with his bowling rather than swearing at his opponents. The medium-pacer went for 44 in his four-over spell against Punjab. And if Harbhajan Singh was not leading the side, he might have found it difficult to maintain his place in the playing eleven. The offspinner has shockingly taken just one wicket in seven matches so far.
Pragyan Ojha may once again find himself out of the line-up as his replacement, left-armer Peterson, can also contribute with the bat lower down the order. RP Singh is bound to get another game after his 1 for 27 in the last game. It also remains to be seen if the team management gives the Australian paceman Clint McKay another chance. But since the wicket at the Feroz Shah Kotla yielded plenty of runs in the last game, Mumbai may want to pack their line-up with players who can contribute both with the bat and ball.
Probable XIs:
Delhi Daredevils: 1 Mahela Jayawardene, 2 Virender Sehwag (capt), 3 Kevin Pietersen, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Naman Ojha, 6 Irfan Pathan, 7 Yogesh Nagar, 8 Morne Morkel, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Shahbaz Nadeem, 11 Pawan Negi
Mumbai Indians: 1 James Franklin, 2 Sachin 3 Tendulkar, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Kieron Pollard, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Ambati Rayudu, 7 Harbhajan Singh (capt), 8 Robin Peterson, 9 RP Singh, 10 Munaf Patel, 11 Clint McKay

Read More

Kumar Sangakkara relieved after Deccan Chargers' first win

Pune: Deccan Chargers’ captain Kumar Sangakkara expressed his satisfaction after his side registered its first win of this year’s IPL when they beat Pune Warriors India by 18 runs on Thursday.
Deccan suffered five consecutive losses before opening their account with one point from the wash out match against Kolkata Knight Riders a few days ago. But despite a victory against Pune, and gaining two points from the match, Deccan are still at the bottom of the points table. "[We are] finally on the board [took full points]. A great effort, especially by Cameron White with the bat," Sangakkara said after the match on Thursday. "We played Rusty [Theron] for a purpose and he was outstanding. And young Ashish Reddy [also] played well," he added praising his players.


Pune’s captain Sourav Ganguly accepted that it’s not the toss but the extra 15-20 runs given by his bowlers proved decisive at the end. "As I said at the toss I would have fielded [anyway], [but] we gave away 15-20 runs extra. We did not have partnerships. Someone [any of the batsmen] needed to carry on [and score big runs]," Ganguly said after his team’s back-to-back losses, first against Delhi Daredevils on April 24 and now against Deccan.
White, who was adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his whirlwind 46-ball 78, hoped that the win would begin a series of good performances. "It's a good feeling to get a win. [We have] been under pressure as a team. Hopefully it's the start of a few wins in a row," he said.

Read More

IPL 5: Gayle wants to be an allrounder for RCB

Mumbai: Having smashed the bowlers around with impunity in the Indian Premier League (IPL), West Indian batting powerhouse Chris Gayle is ready to roll his arm over as well and chip in for Royal Challengers Bangalore. "I want to play my part with both bat and bowl. I am ready for the chance whenever the captain asks me," he told PTI.
While Gayle has amassed 250 runs, the highest for the Bangalore franchise, in seven games, he has bowled only a few overs and gone wicket-less. The former Windies skipper, who has a top score of 87 this IPL season and a strike rate of plus 150, is happy with his display so far and hoped he can continue to perform well for the remainder of the tournament.


"It is good to get some runs at the start. Hopefully can continue and capitalise on the start and try and make the best use of it. You want to start good and have runs under the belt. You don't want to leave it too late. It is going to be a key as well going into the tournament. As a player you want to start well and have some confidence. It is a situation where you get a start but you don't want to settle for it and want to keep going."
About the number of last ball or last over results in this season, Gayle said the credit should go to the bowlers of various teams. "Sometimes you need to give credit to the bowler as well. Bowlers try to restrict the batsmen and then the last one or two overs can change the game. But it also depends on the number of wickets you have. Guys bowl well and you have to appreciate that," he observed.
Gayle said that it has been a very close tournament so far with only Deccan Chargers without a victory under their belt.
"Honestly it is going to be tough (to predict about teams finishing in the top 4 and qualify for the play-offs) as all the teams are playing well. Deccan are the only team who haven't won a game yet. Later on things might be difficult for all the teams. It is a situation where everyone is neck and neck."

Read More

Kevin Pietersen terms Sachin Tendulkar the greatest ever

Noida: England and Delhi Daredevils’ batsman Kevin Pietersen believes that Sachin Tendulkar is the "greatest ever" to have played the game of cricket. "Sachin is a magnificent player. He is the greatest player ever played [the game], he said on the sidelines of an event.
Pietersen, along with Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene, has added stability to Delhi’s batting and has been in a good form ever since he joined the team after playing a series with England in Sri Lanka. When asked about the team’s strategy for their game against Mumbai Indians on Friday, the right-hander, said it’s hard to predict the outcome of a T20 game and getting two points against Mumbai will be their top priority. “In Twenty20, anything can happen. It's hard to predict the result and we will try to win two points [against Mumbai]," he said.


The South African-born English cricketer, who scored a whirlwind century (103 not out) in his third match for Delhi against Deccan Chargers, said while growing up, though he saw a number of good batsmen play, he didn’t copy anyone of them. "I don't follow anybody. I grew up in South Africa and loved watching Jonty Rhodes and Hansie Cronje. Other than that I liked Mark Waugh [batting]. There are a few people I enjoy watching them play but I can't be somebody else."
When asked to compare playing at the Lord’s and Feroz Shah Kotla, Pietersen said, "Lord's is a traditional, English [ground]. There are knowledgeable people [there]. At Kotla it is intense [and] loud. I have a lot of respect for the crowd here. It's louder than any other [venue]."

Read More

IPL 5: Yuvraj Singh visits Pune dug-out

Pune: Yuvraj Singh, who is recovering from a rare germ cell cancer between his lungs, Thursday met his Pune Warriors India team-mates and was seen in good spirits, enjoying his side's IPL match against Deccan Chargers here. Yuvraj, who returned to the country earlier this month after treatment in the United States for more than two months, was seen waving to the crowd at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium and talking to his team-mates.
He hugged Robin Uthappa and Murali Kartik before having a chat with team owner Subrata Roy's son Seemanto Roy. Yuvraj said he was feeling better and aiming to return to cricket in two or three months. "I'm starting to feel better, eating a lot of organic food. Doesn't taste good but I have to eat it. I'm starting to walk more. I can't say a time. Maybe two or three months. Depends on my body. Hopefully I'll come back fast," Yuvraj said just before the match.


"I wanted to go and take guard today but I was happy to hit a few balls and see my team-mates. I am happy to see my friends and of course the crowd. It's nice to be back among my team-mates and friends. It's special today," he said.
Yuvraj, who captained Pune Warriors India last season, thanked the fans, friends and well wishers for supporting him in his hour of crisis. "It was hard for me to digest when I was diagnosed. But that's the way life is. I've fought a tough battle, it's been gruelling for me and my family. I've had a lot of support, a lot of love. If you have your family's support it helps. I had support from the nation," an emotional Yuvraj said.
"At the moment I'm fine, hopefully I can return soon. Chemotherapy is tough on the body, but I was positive. I want to thank the fans, friends and the BCCI for their support," he added. Asked about the chances of Pune Warriors India's in the tournament, Yuvraj said, "The team is playing well. Dada [Sourav Ganguly] is leading the team well. The younger players are doing well. You never know we can go to the final." Pune skipper Ganguly, meanwhile, was happy that Yuvraj came here to boost the morale of the team. "It's good to see him, he's in the dug out."

Read More

IPL 5: Bhajji's wicket drought does not worry Pollock

New Delhi: Mumbai Indians bowling coach and mentor Shaun Pollock on Thursday said that there is nothing to worry about captain Harbhajan Singh's extended lean patch with the ball. The Mumbai skipper has so far got only one wicket from seven Indian Premier League games, but Pollock feels it's just a matter of time before the senior offspinner strikes form.
"Harbhajan sets very high standards for himself and his performance hasn't been that bad. Obviously, he hasn't got a lot wickets but that is not something we are worried about," Pollock said here ahead of Mumbai Indians match against Delhi Daredevils here on Friday.


Asked whether Harbhajan was bowling a bit flat considering a bowlers limitations in Twenty20 cricket, Pollock tried to put things into perspective. "It depends on what situation you are bowling and to whom you are bowling. There are times when he is coming to bowl with two set batsmen at the crease. It is difficult to throw the ball up in these situations as to when you are bowling to a new batsmen," the former South African captain said.
"But there is no doubt about the fact that he has played a lot of cricket here and knows the conditions very well." Asked about Lasith Malinga, who has just joined the squad after a brief lay-off due to back injury, Pollock said, "Lasith knows his body best. He will understand how he feels after bowling on Thursday. He will take a call on his availability for Friday's match."
Robin Peterson, who changed the complexion of the match against Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday with his innovative switch-hits, bowled only one over in the last game, but Pollock defended the decision. "It was decided that Peterson will come into bowl at later stages, but then something happened in the previous over which forced the skipper to change the decision. Hopefully, he will bowl more in the coming matches," he said.
Pollock feels there is no reason why the Mumbai outfit can't repeat their terrific performance against Punjab again. "Obviously, this kind of performance boost the confidence and also help gain momentum and self belief." Asked about the Indian government's decision to nominate Sachin Tendulkar for the Upper House, Rajya Sabha, Pollock said in zest, "I don't know anything about Parliament. For me MP means 'My Player'."

Read More

IPL 5: Nadeem nervy ahead of contest with Sachin

New Delhi: It's not everyday that a domestic cricketer gets an opportunity to bowl to a legend like Sachin Tendulkar in a competitive match and talented Jharkhand left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem is the first one to admit that there is a lot of pressure on him. Nadeem, who has been a surprise package for the Delhi Daredevils having bowled at an economy rate of less than six runs per over in the seven matches, "I have bowled against Sachin paaji in the nets during IPL 3 but I will be bowling against him for the first time in a competitive game. Of course there is additional pressure but I know that I have to perform well," Nadeem told PTI Bhasha.
Asked if he had some strategy planned for Tendulkar, Nadeem went on the defensive. "Can anyone succeed by just having a particular strategy against a batsman of his calibre? My only job will be to perform to the best of my abilities." The Jharkhand lad idolises Daniel Vettori and wants to get tips from the New Zealander on how to get better as a bowler. "Vettori is my idol. I grew up watching him. I could not get chance to meet him but I would love to seek some tips from the great bowler," the 23-year-old from Bokaro, said.


Nadeem feels that Delhi Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag has been an inspiration and his constant encouragement has helped him evolve as a bowler. "Everyone knows Virubhai's calibre as a batsman. As a captain, he is inspirational and always motivates youngsters."
Son of a policeman, Nadeem's interest in sport grew watching youngsters train at the big ground near his house. Having played for India U-19, Nadeem also played club cricket for Kolkata's first division club Town AC. He harboured aspirations to play for Bengal (in Ranji Elite division) but was pipped by another outstation boy Iresh Saxena from Faridabad. That prompted his return to Jharkhand and play for them in the Plate League. But with Mahendra Singh Dhoni and to some extent Saurabh Tiwary's example right in front of him, the slightly built left-arm spinner could aim at bigger glories. "Dhoni has taught us, the small-town boys, that one must dare to dream. From Ranchi, he not only captained India but also created new milestones," he signed off.

Read More

IPL 5: Delhi aware of Tendulkar threat, says Simmons

New Delhi: Delhi Daredevils coach Eric Simmons Thursday said his team was aware of the threat posed by the return of Sachin Tendulkar from injury as they get ready to host Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League match here on Friday. "Sachin [Tendulkar] is back, that makes a difference. They [Mumbai] are coming off a good win," Simmons told reporters here.
Tendulkar missed action after getting hit on his finger in the opening game on April 4 and returned to the opening slot against Kings XI Punjab Wednesday. Simmons said Delhi would look to take the positives from their big win in the first-leg match against the Harbhajan Singh-led side. "Good win against them last time. We will take the positives from that game."


Delhi thrashed Mumbai Indians by seven wickets after bowling them out for 92 at the Wankhede Stadium on April 17. While Delhi are expecting a tough encounter, Simmons said winning matches from the jaws of defeat test a team. "It's good to win from losing position, it's always good to win from tough situations."
Delhi could not train on Thursday due to bad weather. "Today was an optional practice. Ideally, we would have loved to have a few hits," the coach said. From skipper Virender Sehwag to New Zealander Ross Taylor, the hosts' batting is loaded with world-class strokemakers. Asked if there is a tendency to get complacent at times, especially with the presence of stars such as Kevin Pietersen and Mahela Jayawardene in the line-up, Simmons said, "We have three very experienced overseas players. They are all very experienced and know their roles."
He lauded the bowlers for their consistent showings. Talking about the tweakers, the South African said, "Four important aspects for spinners are loop, turn, bounce and drift." Simmons was delighted to see Sehwag scoring runs consistently and also praised promising youngster Pawan Negi. "Viru has played some exceptional knocks and Negi is a very talented player," Simmons, who prefers to keep the opposition guessing as far as his team's strategies are concerned, said.

Read More

IPL 5: Harbhajan Singh falling apart as Mumbai Indians skipper

Mumbai Indians have been playing far below their potential in this IPL season. Apply cricketing logic to it, and you will get reasons aplenty for their indifferent show. But the change they made just before the commencement of their IPL 5 campaign could have a lot to do with Mumbai's topsy-turvy ride.
Sachin Tendulkar handed over the Mumbai Indians captaincy to Harbhajan Singh before the tournament opener against Chennai Super Kings. And it won't be wrong to admit that after his successful Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) sojourn last season, the Turbantor - who has just one wicket in seven matches this season - has so far failed miserably as a player and been an average captain.


India's top spinner 12 months back has looked a spent force ever since India's debacle in England. And when the Ranji Trophy rigours failed to get the best out of him, he had everything to play for in the IPL. Considering that captaincy brought the best out of him in Mumbai's CLT20 triumph, Sachin's decision to step down must have been to give Harbhajan the best chance to make an India comeback.
Historically in the IPL, there have been instances where inspiring captaincy has taken the team forward. The best that comes to mind is former Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist, who guided Deccan to the title in 2009 after they had finished last in the league's inaugural edition. And this year, it looks like the turn of Indian stalwarts Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, who are proving inspirational as the skippers of Pune Warriors India and Rajasthan Royals respectively.
One has to stop short of putting Harbhajan in that category despite a CLT20 trophy in his kitty, because where Ganguly, Gilchrist and Dravid have led from the front, Harbhajan's personal performance for Mumbai Indians has been up and down. Plus, Harbhajan's handling of the team is poles apart from how Tendulkar did the job in the previous four editions. His act of forcing the on-field umpire to ask for a review and inability to keep Munaf Patel's unnecessary aggression in check have shown Harbhajan in bad light as a captain.
At the same time, Harbhajan is a lucky captain as well, as he leads a team brimming with talent and players with the ability to win matches single-handedly. Tendulkar, Kieron Pollard, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Lasith Malinga are names that need to introduction. And even when Harbhajan has failed to deliver as the team's leading spin option, these names have stepped up to hide their captain's mediocre performance.
But there is still time left for the Mumbai skipper to get his train back on track. The league is just at its midway stage, and a back-in-form Harbhajan will not only strengthen the team but also give Mumbai a more confident skipper, who in turn will brighten his chances of a return to the Indian team.

Read More