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    Legendary Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar Come Forward To Help Ashraf Chaudhary Who Once Repaired His Cricket Bat

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    Times of Sports
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    Sachin Tendulkar

    Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has provided financial help to bat-maker Ashraf Chaudhary, who’s currently hospitalized. The latter has gone through a rough time in the coronavirus pandemic after facing a financial crisis due to the loss of business.

    Ashraf Chaudhary is a known name in Mumbai cricketing circles. He was often seen with a cricket kit bag slung around his shoulder, filled with bats and bat-grips, near the Wankhede Stadium’s North Stand dressing room staircase opposite Metro Cinema.

    On and around the month of March, cricket tournaments came to a halt owing to the deadly COVID-19 virus.

    Ashraf has fixed bats of several noted cricketers including Tendulkar, Virat Kohli but fell on hard times due to COVID-19 as both health and business took a beating.

    The veteran has been suffering from pneumonia-related problems and diabetes. In the tough times, he and his family have found it difficult to pay the hospital bills and hence asked for help. Chaudhary’s close friend, Prashant Jethmalani confirmed about Sachin lending his helping hand. He has also been asking other cricketers to come forward and donate.

    Sachin Came Forward To Help:

    “Tendulkar came forward and has spoken to Ashraf Chacha. He has also helped him financially. A major chunk of the finances has been donated by the legendary batsman,” Jethmalani, on Tuesday, August 25, was quoted as saying in Times Now.

    Even international players like Australian Steve Smith, West Indian Chris Gayle, and Kieron Pollard have all hit sixes with bats mended by Ashraf Chacha. The bat maker owns a shop M Ashraf Bro, which is situated at Dhobi Talao in South Mumbai and there have been times when he has repaired bats for free just for his love for the game and the players.

    As far as Chaudhary is concerned, he owns an ancestral shop named M Ashraf Bro in South Mumbai. He has mended bats of a number of cricketers around the world, including that of Steve Smith and Chris Gayle. He has also helped out MS Dhoni and current Indian captain Virat Kohli.

    In the pandemic situation, Sachin has helped out a number of people. The legendary batsman had donated 50 lakhs to the PM Cares Fund, an initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Maharashtra CM’s fund. He had also promised to feed at least 5,000 needy people in the lockdown.

    “It gives us a good chance to evolve our game”, Says Meg Lanning on Postponement Of WT20 WC 2021

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    Times of Sports
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    Why Women's T20 World Cup 2021 postponed

    Australia captain Meg Lanning is confident her side can use the extra time ahead of the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup to up their game.

    The competition had initially been scheduled for early 2021, however has been pushed back a year to permit groups sufficient opportunity to plan in the wake of the continuous worldwide pandemic.

    Addressing Australian radio broadcast 1116 SEN, Lanning was upbeat about the chance to additionally investigate the team’s alternatives ahead of the following global tournament.

    “It gives us a good chance to evolve our game a bit and try a few things,” Lanning said. “We’ve got some new players in the squad as well. We’ll try and work out the best combinations of how we can play our best cricket leading into that 2022 year.”

    Gotten some information about the 18-player crew named for their forthcoming tour to New Zealand, the captain said she was anticipating perceiving how the new players would jump on.

    “Those girls really deserve their opportunity, they bring something different and some really good pace options. We feel we have really good variety within the group, both with pace and spin, so looking forward to welcoming the girls into the squad. It’s great to have new faces, it really brings good energy and keeps everyone on their toes.”

    Lanning also captained Australia at the 2020 T20 World Cup, which they won after beating India in the final in front of a record crowd of 86,174 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. She stressed the importance for women’s cricket to build from the success of that tournament, despite the unfortunate timing of the break-in global cricket.

    “That’s really important for the women’s game to try and build off the World Cup,” she said. “It’s hard to know what the impact of the break will be, but hopefully the momentum hasn’t been halted too much … the New Zealand series is a great chance to get women’s cricket front of mind again, so hopefully everyone jumps on board and we keep building the sport.”

    Also read: “What a huge shame for both the WBBL and WIPL”: Australian Women Cricketers Slams India’s Decision on WT20

    “I did get anxious sitting at home,” Says Indian Cricketer KL Rahul On COVID-19 Lockdown

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    KL Rahul
    KL Rahul

    Indian batsman KL Rahul has conceded he was “anxious” that a lack of preparing during lockdown would negatively affect his exhibition once cricket returned.

    Talking before he flew out to the UAE for the Indian Premier League, Rahul talked about how the break had been fairly a double-edged blade for him, bearing him an opportunity to rest and recover, yet in addition, causing uneasiness about whether he could save his abilities sharp for when lockdown finished.

    “I did get anxious sitting at home,” Rahul told the Indian Express. “My fear was that I would get lazy, so I trained at home during the day. I made a plan for a day and tried to stick to it. But initially, I didn’t bother as I felt I deserved to be lazy and that I can wake up at whatever time I want to. Even if I didn’t train, it was acceptable for me because my body needed that break after years.”

    KL Rahul

    The opening batsman also admitted to suffering sleepless nights as his mind raced with possibilities of losing his ability to bat through the prolonged break.

    “Once or twice I did have sleepless nights thinking ‘What if once I get back to playing cricket, I am not the same player?’ That was a bit scary but luckily in Bengaluru, we got a few practice sessions and that made me feel good.

    “Couple of nights, I had nightmares. I woke up with the feeling, ‘What if I can’t pick line and length of the ball? What if I become slower? What if I don’t have the same cover drive as before?’ All these question marks were there. And the first session didn’t help: all those fears came true. I batted so badly in that session it was scary. But after three sessions, I started to feel better and it made me happy.”

    Rahul has once in a while been required to take the gloves for India, just as there is some inquiry over how the side can fit all of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, and Rahul into a solid batting line-up, with each of the three want to open the innings. Yet, Rahul has appreciated assuming the requests of whatever job India has given him.

    “I enjoyed whatever challenge was thrown at me for the last seven-eight months. Be it playing a different role or to bat at any position. Whatever the team needs me to do, I will do it.”

    See Photos: KL Rahul Misses Cricketing Action, Shares Emotional Post

    Australian Cricketer Glenn Maxwell Seeks To Fit-in As ODI All-Round On Returning To Australia Team

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    Glenn Maxwell
    Glenn Maxwell

    It is Glenn Maxwell‘s batting – and frequently his fielding – that will snatch the greater part of the headlines, however, he plans to have the option to assume a key job with the ball in the event that he comes back to Australia’s ODI side without precedent for over a year against England one month from now and in the T20I line-up hopes to have the undertaking of completing an inning.

    Maxwell’s last ODI was the World Cup semi-last annihilation against England and his latest international excursion was the second T20I against Sri Lanka last October after which he took a break from the game to deal with his emotional wellness.

    Having had a disappointing World Cup, where he made 177 runs at 22.12, he was ignored for the ODI tour to India in January yet had been reviewed for the trip to South Africa before pulling back when he required elbow medical procedure. His last cricket of any kind was the Big Bash last against the Sydney Sixers on February 8.

     

    It would seem a given that he will come back to the T20I side for the three-match series against England his last innings in the format was a dangerous 62 off 28 balls against Sri Lanka at the Adelaide Oval and the two thumps before that, but back on February 29, were 56 and 113 not out against India.

    There was additionally a solid clue from mentor Justin Langer that there is a middle-order spot for him in the ODI side which explicit notice of D’Arcy Short’s oversight being on the grounds that Maxwell had returned and the reality there was more trust in his bowling.

    The intelligent spot for him would show up No. 5, with the capacity to glide like Jos Buttler accomplishes for England when the circumstance directs, yet Maxwell needs to guarantee he is an overall bundle for the skipper and return to the level that made him Australia’s No. 1 spinner at the 2015 World Cup.

    “I’ve done a lot of work on my bowling in that time away, trying to be that genuine allrounder where I can bowl upwards of six, seven, eight overs a game to really take the load off the quicks and the front-line spinner if we do play one,” Maxwell said from Australia’s short-term base in Derby.

    “To go back to that 2015 year when I was the sole spinner and I was relied heavily upon, to be able to get back that string to my bow where I’m bowling a lot of consistent overs and helping the team out wherever I can.”

    Maxwell bowled in eight of Australia’s World Cup matches – twice finishing his full portion of 10 overs – however, went wicketless and has just taken five ODI scalps since 2016. On the tour to India in January and the last ODI before cricket halted, against New Zealand in March, Australia has utilized Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar pair yet are as yet attempting to work out the best parity for their ODI side.

    “I certainly haven’t played a lot of one-day cricket recently. I’m just looking forward to getting back out there in the colours and performing as well as I can in whatever role I’m given,” Maxwell said. “I’m confident in the skills work that I’ve done in the off-season and I’m ready to go.”

    There is more clarity on the role Maxwell will before in the T20Is with him having used the time in lockdown training to talk through tactics with captain Aaron Finch.

    “[I’ve been] really working with Aaron Finch and the coaching staff with my role in the side and committing to that 100 percent every time,” he said. “It’s going to be more of a finishing role this time.”

    Australia have won nine of their last 11 T20Is to move to No. 1 in the rankings yet since the ODI World Cup semi-final their one-day form has faltered again with two successes from seven matches prior this year.

    Also read: “I was angry at myself for not being able to produce at all this World Cup” : Glenn Maxwell

    Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar States the Difference Between Dhoni And Virat Kohli’s Captaincy

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    Times of Sports
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    Difference Between Dhoni And Virat Kohli's Captaincy

    Virat Kohli has shown more faith in fast bowlers than his predecessor MS Dhoni, feels former India pacer Ajit Agarkar. Agarkar said that Dhoni had more faith in slow spinners during his tenure as India skipper, and that is not the case with Kohli.

    “The major difference I see is that MS Dhoni used to depend a lot on the spin bowlers to make his strategies. Virat Kohli, in a slight deviation, has shown more faith in fast bowlers,” Agarkar said during a chat on Star Sports Cricket Connected.

    Agarkar believes because of this reason India has done better in overseas Tests under Kohli’s leadership. “Because of that when India plays overseas Test matches, it has made a lot of difference to the results. The performance has been better and we have been able to compete for more. Probably this was a stark difference because both had a different way of leading, but both got a lot of success,” he further said.

    “Virat Kohli has been a captain for such a long time in all formats and we can see how good the results have been. The methods might be different but if you show faith in your players, then you get good results as a captain,” Agarkar added.

    Watch Ajit Agarkar Interaction in Cricket Connected show:

    Legendary cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Mike Hussey, Micheal Vaughn, and many others said that Dhoni is a good captain. But Dhoni himself told India will win more matches in Kohli’s captaincy than it won in his captaincy. So far, Dhoni is the best captain for India and also in the history of cricket.

    Kohli-led India travels to Australia this winter and will look to win the series like they did last time, but this time with David Warner and Steve Smith back in the scheme of things for the hosts, it will be a difficult task for the visitors.

    Meanwhile, both Kohli and Dhoni will be leading their respective franchises in the upcoming season of the IPL in UAE, which starts from September 19.

    Dhoni’s Achievements as Captain:

    • 2007- ICC WORLD T20 IN SOUTH AFRICA
    • 2008 – CB SERIES IN AUSTRALIA
    • 2009 – TEST CHAMPIONSHIP MACE
    • 2010 – IPL TROPHY
    • 2011 – CL T20
    • 2011- 50 OVER ICC CWC
    • 2011 – IPL TROPHY
    • 2013 – CHAMPIONS TROPHY IN ENGLAND
    • 2016 – ASIA CUP
    • 2018 – IPL TROPHY

    Dhoni vs Kohli in ODI Format as Captain:

    Player Span Mat Won Lost Tied NR %
    MS Dhoni 2007-2018 200 110 74 5 11 59.52
    Virat Kohli 2013-2020 89 62 24 1 2 71.83

     

    England’s James Anderson Become First Fast Bowler to Take 600 Test Wickets

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    Times of Sports
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    James Anderson becomes first fast bowler to take 600 wickets in Test match

    England paceman James Anderson became the first fast bowler to reach 600 wickets in Test cricket before the third and final Test against Pakistan finished as a draw, leaving the home side to celebrate a second series victory of the pandemic-disrupted summer.

    Less than two hours of cricket were played on a rain-affected day five, with England taking just two of the eight wickets needed to win the match at the Rose Bowl after Pakistan resumed on 2-100 and trailing by 210 runs.

    The big consolation was Anderson took one of them, removing Pakistan captain Azhar Ali to join retired spinners Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble in the “600 club” in Tests.

    Muralitharan (800), Warne (708) and Kumble (619) remain above Anderson on the all-time list of wicket-takers.

    “It feels amazing,” said Anderson, a 38-year-old seamer who was playing in his 156th Test.

    “I just absolutely love it. There is no better feeling for me than putting the boots on and doing what I love doing.”

    The paceman was the first English bowler to 500 Test wickets a year earlier when he bowled West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite – who also became Stuart Broad’s 500th Test wicket earlier this summer.

    James Anderson’s Stats Over a Period of Time

    Matches Wickets Average 5WI
    2003 – 2009 44 148 34.85 7
    2010 – 2013 47 192 27.34 8
    2014 Onwards 65 259 21.78 13

    Stat Before Picking His 600th Wicket in Test Match

    Stats of Fast Bowlers To Took Most Wickets in Test After Turning 30 Years:

    Matches Wickets
    C Walsh 81 341
    J Anderson 85 331
    G McGrath 65 287
    R Hadlee 51 276
    A Donald 47 216

    Most Wickets By a Pacer in Test After Turning 30 Years

    Anderson’s Milestone Wickets

    1. Mark Vermeulen, Zimbabwe
    50. MS Dhoni, India
    100. Jacques Kallis, South Africa
    150. Graeme Smith, South Africa
    200. Peter Siddle, Australia
    250. Lahiru Thirimanne, Sri Lanka
    300. Peter Fulton, New Zealand
    350. Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka
    400. Martin Guptill, New Zealand
    500. Kraigg Brathwaite, West Indies
    600: Azhar Ali, Pakistan

    Anderson reached the milestone in his 156th Test match, over 17 years after he took his first wicket by bowling Zimbabwe batsman Mark Vermeulen on his Test debut at Lord’s in May 2003.

    Top 10 Highest Wicket Takers of All Time:

    Player Mat Inns Wkts Ave SR 5 10
    M Muralitharan (ICC/SL) 133 230 800 22.72 55 67 22
    SK Warne (AUS) 145 273 708 25.41 57.4 37 10
    A Kumble (INDIA) 132 236 619 29.65 65.9 35 8
    JM Anderson (ENG) 156* 291 600 26.76 56.2 29 3
    GD McGrath (AUS) 124 243 563 21.64 51.9 29 3
    CA Walsh (WI) 132 242 519 24.44 57.8 22 3
    SCJ Broad (ENG) 143* 263 514 27.64 56.3 18 3
    DW Steyn (SA) 93 171 439 22.95 42.3 26 5
    N Kapil Dev (INDIA) 131 227 434 29.64 63.9 23 2
    R Herath (SL) 93 170 433 28.07 60 34 9

     

    Also read: England Pacer James Anderson Denies Retirement Rumours

    Aakash Chopra Recalls Hilarious Story Involving Ganguly, Laxman and Sachin During the 2007 Cape Town Test

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    Times of Sports
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    Reason for sachin tendulkar delay in 2007 Cape Town Test among India and South Africa

    Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra on Tuesday reviewed an entertaining episode that occurred during the 2007 Cape Town Test among India and South Africa. Everybody recollects the Test for the big turning point in the second innings when Sachin Tendulkar was late to come out to bat, which prompted South Africa captain Graeme Smith griping to umpire Daryl Harper.

    Umpire Harper persuaded Smith to not appeal as the deferral was not intentional and happened because of an unanticipated specialized issue. Tendulkar, because of a physical issue, was off the field for sometime the earlier day during South Africa’s innings and needed to hold up a proportional measure of time to come back to bat.

    But, while everybody recalls this moment, and it turned into a gigantic argument of the match at that point, Chopra shed light on what was going on inside the changing room.

    “It is said that work is worship and for cricketers work is playing, so that becomes our worship. If not for anyone else, for VVS Laxman cricket was no less than worship. And before any prayer, taking a bath is essential.

    Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra on Tuesday recalled a funny incident that took place during the 2007 Cape Town Test between India and South Africa. Everyone remembers the Test for the big moment in 2nd innings when Sachin Tendulkar was late to come out to bat, which led to South Africa captain Graeme Smith complaining to umpire Daryl Harper.

    Umpire Harper convinced Smith to not appeal as the delay was not deliberate and occurred due to an unforeseen technical issue. Tendulkar, due to an injury, was off the field for some time the previous day during South Africa’s innings and had to wait an equivalent amount of time to return to bat.

    But while everyone remembers this moment, and it became a huge talking point of the match at the time, Chopra shed light on what was happening inside the dressing room.

    “It is said that work is worship and for cricketers work is playing, so that becomes our worship. If not for anyone else, for VVS Laxman cricket was no less than worship. And before any prayer, taking a bath is essential.

    “So VVS picked up his towel and went into the dressing room shower. We were playing South Africa in the picturesque ground of Cape Town. The situation in the Indian dressing room had turned bad with Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer already back in the pavilion,” Chopra said in the latest video uploaded on his Facebook page.

    “Sachin Tendulkar, who was ready for his batting, picked up his bat and went into the field. But the fourth umpire told Sachin that he could not bat at the time because Sachin had been out of the ground on the third day for some time based on which he could have batted only after another 5 mins.

    “Now with VVS taking bath, Dada was the only person left to go the middle. Sourav Ganguly, who was not ready at all for his batting. So someone was giving Dada his shirt, someone his trouser and another person getting his bat. And two players were making him wear his pads,” Laxman further said.

    “In between all this hurry, finally Dada was made to enter the field. And Laxman was coming out smiling from the shower. VVS Bhai, your batting came and went as well without you going onto the pitch. Something like that might have happened for the first time in cricketing history.

    “VVS Laxman might have definitely got a scolding later because Sourav does not like such things at all. But then no one can scold VVS, that is also an interesting thing,” Chopra signed off.

    Former India Opener Wasim Jaffer Suggest “THIS” For The BCCI Regards Players Playing Foreign Leagues

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    Times of Sports
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    Wasim Jaffer on players playing in foreign leagues

    Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has numerous records to his name in the local circuit. In any case, his commitment isn’t simply limited to batting, as he drove Vidarbha to twin Ranji Trophy titles as well, a group that wasn’t known for its cricketing inheritance.

    In an interaction on Sports Tiger’s hotshot ‘off the Field’ facilitated by Vedant Sharma, Jaffer said that the players who are not centrally contracted, ought to be permitted to play in leagues overseas.

    “It completely makes sense to me. If you are not one of the centrally contracted players then one should be allowed. The board can minimize and reduce it to one or two leagues in which the players can participate but not letting any Indian player play anything other than IPL is a bit strict in my opinion,” Jaffer said.

    Jaffer also talked about the time when he was about to make a comeback on the international scene, if not for Shikhar Dhawan’s inclusion at the top of the order. “In 2012-13, I was very close to getting selected when Shikhar Dhawan got selected. So, I came very close a couple of times but somehow I missed the bus.” He also added, “The selectors are the best people who can answer that but I definitely kept knocking the door.”

    “I wasn’t that consistent. If I was, I would have played more than 100 Test matches. I was not that consistent at the international level that is why I got dropped. I am famous for my first-class career more than the international cricket that I have played.”

    Talking about the domestic structure in India, he said, “Our domestic structure as compared to the other countries isn’t bad, to be honest. We just need a little bit more continuity as every year we keep on changing the structure.”

    He further added, “I feel the season should start in October with the Ranji Trophy. It should be ideally followed by the Irani Trophy and after that, a T20 tournament like Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy can be put in place as it is the time when the auction happens. A number of franchise people can see the tournament and scout new talent. Finally, finish the season with Vijay Hazare Trophy.”

    “I feel we can get away with Duleep Trophy and it’s about time that we don’t play Duleep Trophy and use that one and a half months to give the players a little more break.”

    Also read: Domestic Legend Wasim Jaffer Appointed As Uttarakhand Head Coach

    National Anti-Doping Agency Plans To Setup Five Dope Control Stations For IPL 2020 in the UAE

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    Times of Sports
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    National Anti-Doping Agency on IPL 2020

    After BCCI’s announcement of hosting IPL in UAE National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has finalised its program for the IPL 2020. The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League has been scheduled to begin from September 19 with its final match on November 10.

    The report further suggests that the NADA will setup five Dope Control Stations in the UAE – one each in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Also, the other two at designated training venues – ICC Academy in Dubai and Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

    NADA director-general, Navin Agarwal, informed that “the dope control officers have been asked to conduct in competition testing only at playing venues. 50 samples of cricketers will be collected during the tournament. Also, apart from urine samples, some blood samples might be collected too and leading Indian stars could be tested, like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni”.

    There will be three teams traveling to the UAE, in separate batches. “The first batch will leave in the first week of September. Before their departure, all team members will be tested for Covid-19. Upon their arrival in the UAE, they will be tested again.”

    Virat Kohli’s Team Meet:

    Earlier, RCB skipper Virat Kohli had stressed that One mistake from any player could spoil the entire Indian Premier League. In a video posted by the franchise’s twitter handle, Kohli is seen stressing to his teammates on the need to respect and secure the bio-security bubble created to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    “We’ve done quite well to get to Dubai safe and sound firstly. We’ve followed what’s been told to us and I would expect everyone to be on the same page in terms of securing the bubble at all times and making sure that nothing is compromised because one mistake from any of us could literally spoil the whole tournament and none of us want to do that.”

    KKR CEO Venky Mysore Reveals How They Roped Gautam Gambhir in 2011 IPL Auction

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    Times of Sports
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    Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir was roped by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2011 and was made the skipper of the team. Under his initiative, KKR’s fortunes changed and he drove the franchise to two title wins in 2012 and 2014. The former left-handed batsman drove the team splendidly is still observed as one of the best skippers in the historical backdrop of IPL.

    Speaking on the latest episode of ‘The RK Show’ uploaded on Youtube, KKR CEO Venky Mysore revealed how the franchise went on to buy Gambhir.

    “Obviously, I didn’t know Gautam Gambhir at all, before we picked him. There were a lot of unforgettable moments in KKR’s history as far as I am concerned. The first auction that I was going to in 2011, we had made our plans. With me, one of the things I always drive is that we are not always fixated on one plan. We have plan A, plan B, Plan C because that is the capricious nature of the auctions.

    2011 IPL Auction Was my First Auction Ever:

    “I thought we were very well prepared but still we were quite nervous. It was my first auction, and I was sitting there. The owners took a call that this is your baby, your project, you run it, your plan, you go and execute. That has been the thing with KKR ever since I have been involved.

    “Jay and Juhi – they come and sit at the table. But they don’t get involved with making any decisions at the table. We brief them completely, we have discussions and they have their own ideas. Ultimately, they say it is your call. You guys have thought it through more than we can,” Mysore explained.

    “I was sitting there, and I was hoping, and I was saying my prayers and my heart was beating. I was seeing the most familiar faces of other teams and their ownerships and they were all occupying their respective tables. Then I was saying to myself, this is like a warm-up… like a batsman takes a few knock-downs when they come to bat. So, I was thinking to let a few names come to the auctions that we are not interested in and see what happens.

    “Lo and behold, the first name in 2011 auctions Gautam Gambhir – the very first name that came in. It was unbelievable. We were quite determined. We had budgets and circuit break-up pricing in our strategies.

    “My instinct said that it was the right thing to do. Even though it exceeded our circuit break-up because the Kochi team was equally motivated. There was a dog-fight for that. The rest is history,” Mysore signed off.

    After Gambhir left the franchise in 2018, Dinesh Karthik was selected as the skipper of KKR. This year, Karthik will once again drive his team in the UAE as KKR hopes to win their third title.

    Watch KKR CEO and MD Venky Mysore Talks in The RK Show:

    See Photos: IPL Franchise Kolkata Knight Riders Releases Photos of Their Team Room In Abu Dhabi

    Reason Why the IPL 2020 Schedule Isn’t Ready Yet With Less Than a Month To Go

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    Times of Sports
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    why the IPL 2020 schedule not yet announced

    The IPL 2020 is in the last phases of planning before September 19 when the tournament will commence in UAE. The franchise are in UAE, anyway, the schedule isn’t out yet as the BCCI takes care of a couple of potential issues.

    “The first week of the IPL could possibly see the England and Australian players missing, because post the conclusion of the white-ball series in England, the players will land in the UAE only around September 17 or 18 following which a week’s quarantine will come into effect.”

    As indicated by a report, the deferral is because of the ongoing pandemic. The BCCI is searching for the most ideal way to keep the planning “dynamic”.

    “So there is a possibility that matches in those first three or four days can be allotted to teams not majorly dependent on players flying over from the UK,” the report quoted a source.

    IPL 2020 to host by UAE

    Compulsory quarantine for 14 days 

    There is the possibility of a player from any team testing positive which will mean, the said player will have to go into quarantine for 14 days along with teammates – or those sharing the same bio bubble – go into quarantine for the six-day mandatory period and once again go through the three mandatory PCR tests.

    “If that happens, can that team play on those six days? Possibly not. But the tournament will go on, so it’s necessary to work on the possibility of keeping a schedule flexible enough where matches can be brought forward and delayed, as and when necessary,” they added.

    Importance of Second Week of the Tournament:

    The second week of the IPL is considered very important for the tournament every year primarily from the viewpoint of keeping viewers glued.

    IPL 2020 updates

    “A thorough build-up to the IPL every year often results in the first week of the tournament being a hit and obviously getting lapped up by the viewers. The second week becomes important because the emphasis then is to ensure the same kind of enthusiasm remains because from the third week onwards, teams are already starting to battle for the playoffs and the points table becomes a talking point. So, structuring the second week of the tournament while keeping flexibility in mind is necessary,” BCCI sources said.

    Expected Date:

    The organisers are expecting the schedule to be released sometime this week, after which the match-officials, television crews, commentators, and analysts will start planning their trip.

    “The first schedule was prepared early this year keeping the March-April-May window in mind, but now with the change in destination and the months, there’s an effort to try and schedule as many double-headers from the second week of October onwards so that the afternoon matches are played in better temperatures,” say those in the know.

    Also read: BCCI Finalize IPL 2020 Schedule With Finals on November 10 Including 10 Doubleheader And Much More Changes

    RR Wicket-Keeper Batsman Robin Uthappa Answers To a Fan Question Him About Returning to Indian Squad

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    Times of Sports
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    will Robin Uthappa make comeback to Indian squad

    Indian wicket-keeper batsman Robin Uthappa says that dream of making a comeback into the Indian team is still “very much alive”. Additionally, he states that he is preparing with full effort to show what he is worthy of in the upcoming IPL.

    The 34 years old was drafted by Rajasthan Royals (RR) for the IPL 2020 which is scheduled to start from September 16. Robin Uthappa became the first Indian capped player to be sold at the IPL 2020 auction with Rajasthan Royals acquiring him for Rs 3 crore.

    Uthappa Answering a Fan’s Question:

    Earlier the IPL franchise, on Twitter, shared an audio clip of Uthappa answering a fan`s question. “Do you believe that a strong IPL season could bring you back in the reckoning for Team India?” the question read.

    Replying to the question, Uthappa said, “I certainly believe that if we have a really good season in the IPL, wonderful things can happen for me and even bring me back into the reckoning for the Indian team. I am someone who has always been positive as a human being and I always look for silver linings even in negative situations.”

    “For me and the kind of person that I am, my convictions are very strong. God willing, I will be able to represent my country again and bring laurels to it. I hope that happens. Anyone who is playing competitive cricket hopes to play for the country and bring laurels to the country. So that dream is very much still alive,” Uthappa, who last played for India in 2015, added.

    Rajasthan Royals Full Squad:

    Sanju Samson, Ankit Rajpoot, Rahul Tewatia, Robin Uthappa, Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Aaron, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mayank Markande, Kartik Tyagi, Anuj Rawat, David Miller, Oshane Thomas, Shashank Singh, Mahipal Lomror, Manan Vohra, Riyan Parag, Shreyas Gopal, Aniruddha Joshi, Akash Singh.

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