Cricket, like other global sports, has been suspended since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic but some countries are plotting guidelines for the return of the game as governments start easing lockdown restrictions.
England players returned to individual skill-based training this week with the country hoping to begin their delayed summer of cricket with a test series against West Indies in July.
Pakistan are scheduled to tour England to play three tests in August followed by an equal number of Twenty20 Internationals, with the matches taking place behind closed doors as part of measures to combat COVID-19.
“Bowlers are at a particularly high risk of injury on return to play after a period of enforced time-out,” the world governing body ICC said in its back-to-cricket guidelines released late on Friday.
The ICC advised teams to use larger squads and exercise caution over bowlers’ workloads, saying test cricket would require a minimum of eight to 12 week preparation with the final four-five weeks involving match intensity bowling.
Preparation time of six weeks was recommended for bowlers returning to the shorter 50-over and Twenty20 internationals. The ICC advised its member boards to consider appointing a medical advisor or bio-safety official to help with planning for a safe return to training and competition.
The Dubai-based ICC this week announced a ban on using saliva to shine a cricket ball to try and achieve the fabled ‘reverse swing’. Players and umpires would need to maintain social distancing and cricketers must avoid unnecessary body contact and not hand over items like cap, towels, sunglasses to umpires or team mates, the ICC said.
Calling the ban of saliva a ”great initiative”, former Australian cricketer Brett Lee felt implementing it will be the challenge. Lee said that bowlers have been using saliva to polish the ball since their childhood and hence adapting will not be easy. The former Australian speedster suggested ICC not to be harsh on players using it by mistake.
Apart from affecting the cricketing schedule in a huge manner, the novel COVID-19 pandemic has also possessed a drastic doubt on one aspect of the game, i.e., the customary way of shining the ball with sweat or saliva.
Earlier former Australia paceman and current Sussex coach Jason Gillespie has questioned whether the age-old practice of maintaining a cricket ball, typically achieved with saliva and sweat, can be sustainable once the sport resumes.
Speaking on Star Sports” show Cricket Connected, Brett Lee said: “When you have done something your whole life from 8,9, 10 years of age where you lick your fingers and you put on the ball, it”s very hard to change that overnight too. So, I think there”s going to be a couple of occasions, or there”s going to be some leniency I think from the ICC, where there may be warnings. It”s a great initiative, it’s going to be very hard to implement I think, because cricketers have done this for their whole life.”
The ICC in its statement said: “The ICC Cricket Committee heard from the Chair of the ICC Medical Advisory Committee Dr Peter Harcourt regarding the elevated risk of the transmission of the virus through saliva, and unanimously agreed to recommend that the use of saliva to polish the ball be prohibited.
“The committee also noted the medical advice that it is highly unlikely that the virus can be transmitted through sweat and saw no need to prohibit the use of sweat to polish the ball whilst recommending that enhanced hygiene measures are implemented on and around the playing field.”
Kookaburra Cricket Ball Shine Polish
Australian manufacturer Kookaburra has come up with a polish which will aid the fast bowlers to retain shine on the ball without using their sweat or saliva. It is said that the compound has been derived from existing products used in the footwear industry.
Speaking in an interaction with PA News Agency, Kookaburra Managing Director Brett Elliott opened up on the developments regarding what will be the first-ever such produced used in cricket.
Haris Rauf’s journey as a promising talent started when he was picked up by Lahore Qalandars during trials for their Player Development Program in 2017. Since then, Rauf has played in two editions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and was a star performer for Melbourne Stars in BBL 09 with 20 wickets to his name.
Rauf opens on his fantastic BBL 09 season, the advice received from Dale Steyn, his debt of gratitude for Lahore Qalandars, why he is impressed with Shaheen Shah Afridi’s progress as he looks forward to bowling against the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma at the ICC T20 World Cup.
What was the reason for your excellent performance in BBL 09?
I feel that coach David Hussey and captain Glenn Maxwell’s confidence in my abilities was the key factor in my excellent performances in the BBL where I took 20 wickets in the tournament. Maxwell had extraordinary confidence in my ability to bowl and used me where I was of most use to the team. He went out of his way to support me whilst we were on the field and for my part, I repaid him by bowling to the plan and to the fields he set for me.
What advice did Dale Steyn give to you during BBL?
Dale Steyn has been my role model ever since I started to play cricket and to be in the same team as him at the BBL was absolutely thrilling. To be told that I was replacing him as he had to return for international duties was shocking as I could never have imagined that I would be good enough to take the place of my role-model. I was very happy to meet him, and I can tell you that he is a wonderful teacher. He gave me tips in the nets and gave me a lot of advice about how to go about my game and what attitude to adopt. In particular, he told me about the aggression that I need to have as a fast-bowler and since then I have tried to adopt that attitude for myself. He also gave me advice about fitness and on the outswinger which I am now working on. He is a great teacher and he still remains my adviser today as I keep on talking to him to ask him for his help as and when I need it.
How do you feel PSL 5 went for you and Lahore Qalandars?
My form in BBL 09 was very encouraging so I wanted to bring in that confidence into PSL 5 and the hope was that I would be able to repeat my efforts in the BBL in PSL as well. It was my dream to help my side win the PSL and to be fair, we had a good momentum going towards the time when the tournament was postponed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. It appeared that we were well on our way towards a berth in the final and once we had reached that stage, we could have been in a position to win the title, but I suppose we will now need to wait for the tournament to resume to prove that to the world.
How impressed are you with the PSL’s status now as a premier T20 tournament?
I feel that the way the tournament attracted packed houses in virtually every game, and the quality of cricket that was witnessed should leave little doubt in anyone’s mind that PSL is indeed a top class T20 tournament. The atmosphere in the stadiums was simply brilliant and we all enjoyed playing in front of our home crowd. What the crowds mean for this tournament became apparent when we had to play some games behind closed doors. It then felt like we were playing in a club game and to me as a player, that was not an enjoyable experience at all.
You bowled at a good pace in BBL 09, but do you feel that with some more work, you can increase your pace further?
The BBL 09 was a special experience for me as I had already been to Sydney before as part of the Lahore Qalandars’ Player Development Program so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect, and how to bowl on those pitches. I knew that the players there were good at playing cut and pull shots, so I bowled wicket to wicket and that was a major reason for my success there. Obviously, speed plays a huge role in every fast-bowlers armoury and our coach Aaqib Javed has worked very hard on that aspect with me. To me, the number that counts for any fast-bowler is the average pace that one can bowl at, and currently my average ranges between 143-146KpH. However, since I have a few months at my disposal due to no cricket being played, I intend to work hard and improve my average pace and aim to regularly hit speeds of around 155 KpH in the future.
Do you feel that you have the ability to become a fast-bowler in the mould of Shoaib Akhtar?
We all know what a great bowler Shoaib Akhtar was and the fact that he worked so hard to generate the pace he could during his playing days. Anyone aspiring to become a bowler like him will need to do the same so I am glad that at the moment, we have a few bowlers who can hit the 140Kph+ mark such as Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Musa Khan, Mohammad Hasnain and myself. With more hard work, all of us can improve further and aspire to serve Pakistan in the same way as Shoaib Akhtar did in the past.
Which batsmen have been the most difficult to bowl to?
As far as the Big Bash is concerned, I was in very good form and felt that not many batsmen could get the better of me but my real challenge came in the PSL, mainly due to the fact that I was injured for most of the tournament. I was lacking in pace and my performance was also affected by the heel injury which didn’t let me operate at my best. It was more about self-preservation during PSL but the one batsman who was the toughest to bowl to was Babar Azam as he managed my bowling really well.
Tell us about the injury that prevented you from playing all games in this year’s PSL.
The injury to my right heel occurred during the first game and the doctors were in favour of a six-week break for me at that point. However, I played in the next game as well and the injury troubled me again. The medical advice then was stricter at that time and the doctors told me to stop playing or risk a stress fracture. I stopped playing from that point and missed the next few games. I felt a bit better after the rest and the team did need my services and the management asked me if I felt fine to play so I played three more games. However, it was clear that I was struggling due to this injury and so my performance was affected. The good news now is that due to the break in cricket, I have had time to recover and do rehabilitation work to be completely fit whenever cricket resumes again.
Do you feel that the T20 format is one that causes more injuries to bowlers than say other formats of the game?
In the T20 format for a bowler, there is definitely a need to put in 100% effort and energy in a very short period of time and so it’s logical that the chances of sustaining an injury are higher than in other formats of the game. Having said that, it’s also true that fast-bowlers are always prone to injuries due to the nature of the job and so injuries can happen at any time during a series or a tournament, and in any format of the game.
Do you think you have a good chance of making it to Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad?
Even at the time that I was playing in the BBL, my mind was focussed on performing well to try and get a spot in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad. Given that the World Cup will be held in Australia, my aim was to perform well in the BBL in the same country to show everyone that I understood the conditions well, and I am pleased that I was able to make a mark in that tournament. This also resulted in my making a debut for Pakistan against Bangladesh and, God Willing, could help me gain a place in the World Cup squad as well.
How inspiring do you think your career progression is for young cricketers in Pakistan?
My progress towards top-class cricket was an unusual one. I never played hard-ball or club cricket until, thanks to the supreme effort by Lahore Qalandars, I was picked by them in their Player Development Program trials in 2017. I for one will always be grateful to Lahore Qalandars for putting their trust in my abilities and giving me a chance to prove myself. I hope that my story will inspire many youngsters to follow their dreams and to never give up on your hopes and ambitions, It will also show them that there is a pathway for them to play for Pakistan as long as they have the right skills, talent and a willingness to work hard to achieve their dreams.
How impressed have you been with the progress of Shaheen Shah Afridi?
Shaheen Shah Afridi and I have been bowling in partnership for almost two years at the PSL and we have a great combination, where we complement each other really well. I have to say that I am yet to see in any form of cricket, the kinds of spells that Shaheen bowled during PSL 5. His never-say-die attitude is one that I have not seen in many others and you can judge that by the fact that he played for Lahore Qalandars and gave his all whilst carrying a painful thumb injury. To me, he is a fighter to the core, and when he steps on to the field, he is willing to give his 100% effort for his team and inspire his fellow teammates to do the same. Whilst I may be older in age, Shaheen is a senior to me as he has played more international games than I have. He is always willing to share his experience with me on the field and even in the outfield.
Do you feel that you are unfairly labelled as a T20 specialist?
It’s totally unfair to think of my skills as only suited for T20 games. The fact is that like any other player, I started off my cricket with one format but that does not mean that I am only focussed on this format. As far as I am concerned, I will play for Pakistan in any format where my services are needed. Yes, I have started off my international career with the T20 format but given the chance, I will prove my mettle in all other formats too, especially in Test cricket.
What batsman would you consider as your main challenge at the ICC World T20 Cup?
This being a World Cup competition, the quality of opposition will be very tough as top players from each country will be playing in it so all batsmen will be difficult to bowl to. But looking at the top T20I players in the world, to be the greatest challenge will come from the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. To do well against such top-quality batsmen will do wonders for my confidence and to be honest, based on my experience in BBL, I should be able to do well in the World Cup if given the chance. It is my nature that I don’t let any batsman dominate me and that is how I did so well in BBL 09 even against such quality batsmen like Steve Smith, as I didn’t allow him to put any pressure on me at all.
Does the prospect of participating in a Pakistan versus India clash in the ICC T20 World Cup excite you?
It’s a given that any Pakistan versus India game comes with its own special pressure and tension. The pressure is equally high on both sides with supporters of each side wanting to win at all costs. For me, any game such as the one between Pakistan and India which has more pressure in it brings out the best in me. I say this based on past experience, where I have performed well when faced with extra pressure, and this match, if I get the chance to play in it, will be no exception for me.
How are you keeping yourself busy during these days when no cricket is possible due to the Coronavirus Pandemic?
This is a very tough time for all and my prayers are for everyone’s safety. For us sportsmen, who are used to staying outdoors, this is a difficult time as we need to stay fit and in shape by mostly staying indoors. We are managing by doing exercises at home and some outdoor activities such as cycling so that we are ready as much as we can be when cricket starts again.
The outbreak of coronavirus almost pause the whole world in its state and postponed all the events without any further schedule. The most awaited Indian Premier League has been scheduled to begin from March 29 with an opening match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
With speculation of the Indian Premier League taking place this year once the pandemic is over, former Australian skipper Allan Border said feels the T20 World Cup should take precedence over the IPL. The former skipper also said that the IPL is nothing but a money grab.
“(I’m) not happy with that. The world game should take precedence over local competition. So, the World T20, if that can’t go ahead, I don’t think the IPL can go ahead. I would question that decision — it’s just a money grab, isn’t it, that one?” he said in ABC’s Grandstand Cafe radio program.
“The World T20 should take precedence, for sure. The home boards should stop their players going to the IPL if that’s the case,” he added.
Garnering 80 per cent of the global revenue from cricket, Border felt it is not fair that India runs the game. He also felt other cricketing boards should not allow that to happen.
“That would be just shut the gate, you know, India running the game. They’re pretty close to it now, but I suppose if you’re responsible for 80 percent of global (cricket) income, you’re going to have a fair say in what goes on, I get that. But I think the world game can’t allow that to happen. I don’t think you can have India superseding what the international game has in place. That would be going down the wrong path,” he said.
Ian Chappell urge Australian Players to Skip IPL For Domestic Cricket
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell urges Australian players to skip 13th edition of Indian Premier League. After a lot of hurdles BCCI is in an idea to host the IPL later this year, originally BCCI scheduled the cash rich league at the end of March with an opening match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super kings.
After the outbreak of corona virus BCCI postponed IPL 2020 and scatters the dreams of million fans. Finally after the lockdown 4.0 BCCI planned to host the Indian Premier League after September in place of the T20 World Cup. Where former Australian skipper Ian Chappell feels national players should give domestic cricket more importance than the T20 league.
“Well this is coming from someone who’s never been a fan of the board, but the top players are looked after very well by Cricket Australia these days, so I think there’s an obligation there,” the 76-year-old told Wide World of Sports.
“It’s also a chance to stand up and say the cricket world isn’t going to be pushed around by India. I could mount a case more for a peripheral player who doesn’t earn a lot of money in Australia; if the bulk of his income is going to come from the IPL, well that’s something I would have some sympathy for if I was a CA board member. But the top players are well paid, and that argument doesn’t hold any water. Their obligation should be to Australia,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Australian season starts with the Marsh Cup, which will be followed by the Big Bash League. Pat Cummins, who had joined Kolkata Kight Riders for a record price of Rs 15.5 crore, was the biggest pick in the auction. Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, David Warner, and Nathan Coulter-Nile also have IPL contracts.
Some of the biggest names in Australian cricket are slated to represent franchises in the IPL, hence it will be important to see what gets precedence.
Though everyone names Sachin Tendulkar as the “God of Cricket” many don’t know the real reason behind this. The legendary Indian cricketer took up cricket at the age of eleven.
On 14 November 1987, the 14-year-old Tendulkar was selected to represent Bombay in the Ranji Trophy, India’s premier domestic first-class cricket tournament, for the 1987–88 season.
In 1992, at the age of 19, Tendulkar became the first overseas-born player to represent Yorkshire, which prior to Tendulkar joining the team, never selected players even from other English countries.
God of Cricket – Reason to Name Sachin Tendulkar Like This
Making a century or a double century in ODI and Test may look easier to this generation of players. But during Sachin’s young cricketing carrier he played against many legendary bowlers in a tough turf condition.
Sachin Tendulkar always remains calm in the field and usually answers with the bat for the sledging actions from the bowlers. This made him popular as in those times players will get into quarrel whenever they got sledged.
Apart from his attitude and his commitment Sachin Tendulkar creates multiple records in cricket with both bat and ball. These unmatched stats created by Sachin Tendulkar make him the God of Cricket.
Everyone starts to praise Sachin Tendulkar as “God of Cricket” after he started to break all the cricket records and brought waves in cricket books.
Eventually, the God of cricket Sachin Tendulkar also called as “Master Blaster”, and “Little Master”. Legend himself Brian Lara termed Sachin Tendulkar as “Bradman of modern era”
The “God of cricket” Sachin Tendulkar bags numerous records under his name which still stands a dream for many leading cricketers. We have listed some of the records of him:
Records of God of Cricket – Sachin Tendulkar
ODI Records – Centuries
Sachin Tendulkar
The highest number of centuries (49) and fifties (96)
Most centuries in a calendar year (9 in 1998)
The first person to score a double century
Maximum 150+ run-scores
The highest number of the Man of the Match awards (62)
Most Man of the Series awards (15)
Test Records
Sachin Tendulkar scored 51 centuries in test match
The highest number of centuries (51)
Leading run-scorer (11,953)
Joint-fastest cricketer to reach 10,000 runs in Test cricket with Brian Lara
1000+ Test runs in a calendar years (6 times – 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010)
Only player in the world to have scored 5 Test centuries before turning 20
Interesting Facts
At the 1987 World Cup, Tendulkar served as the ball boy. India was playing against England then.
Sachin Tendulkar actively involves himself in philanthropic activities. He sponsors underprivileged children through the NGO Apnalaya. He operates this NGO along with his mother-in-law.
Tendulkar’s autobiography “Playing It My Way” broke all records to become an instant bestseller. There are several books on his inspiring life. Also, Sachin: A Billion Dreams, his Biopic made it big in Bollywood.
In April 2012, Sachin Tendulkar became a Rajya Sabha member after being nominated by the President. He donated the salary and allowances he earned as a Rajya Sabha MP in six years to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
Sachin Tendulkar was a devout disciple of guru Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi. He cancelled his birthday celebrations after his guru’s death.
Awards
Arjuna Award – 1994
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award – 1997
Padma Shri – 1999
Maharashtra Bhushan Award – 2001
Padma Vibhushan – 2008
Bharat Ratna – 2013
“Most Influential People in the World” – Time 100 List
Peter Michael Roebuck (6 March 1956 – 12 November 2011) was an English cricketer with consistent county performer with over 25,000 runs, and “one of the better English openers of the 1980s. He quotes that
“On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt at one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing a century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This genius can stop time in India!”
Time magazine’s quote on Sachin Tendulkar in 2011
“When Sachin Tendulkar travelled to Pakistan to face one of the finest bowling attacks ever assembled in cricket, Michael Schumacher was yet to race a F1 car, Lance Armstrong had never been to the Tour de France, Diego Maradona was still the captain of a world champion Argentina team, Pete Sampras had never won a Grand Slam.
When Tendulkar embarked on a glorious career taming Imran and company, Roger Federer was a name unheard of; Lionel Messi was in his nappies, Usain Bolt was an unknown kid in the Jamaican backwaters. The Berlin Wall was still intact, USSR was one big, big country, Dr Manmohan Singh was yet to “open” the Nehruvian economy.
It seems while Time was having his toll on every individual on the face of this planet, he excused one man. Time stands frozen in front of Sachin Tendulkar. We have had champions, we have had legends, but we have never had another Sachin Tendulkar and we never will.”
BBC
“Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don’t know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their television sets and switch off their lives- BBC Sports, on Sachin Tendulkar.”
Sir Donald Bradman
“I saw him (Sachin) playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I feel that this player is playing much the same as I used to play, and she looked at him on television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two…his compactness, technique, stroke production… it all seemed to gel”
Matthew Hayden
“I have seen God, he bats at no. 4 for India”
Hashim Amla
“Nothing bad can happen to us if we’re on a plane in India with Sachin Tendulkar on it”
Andy Flower
“There are two kinds of batsmen in the world. One, Sachin Tendulkar. Two, all the others”
Brian Lara
“The only batsman I would love to see by paying for the tickets and sitting in the stand just to watch him is none other than Sachin Tendulkar” and “Sachin is a genius. I’m a mere mortal”
Mark Taylor
“We did not lose to a team called India, we lost to a man called Sachin (after the two famous innings in Sharjah in 1998)”
A placard at the Sydney Cricket Ground
“Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching”
Dennis Lillee
“If I’ve to bowl to Sachin, I’ll bowl with my helmet on. He hits the ball so hard”
Andrew Flintoff
“When you bowl at him you are not just trying to get him out, you are trying to impress him. ‘I want him to walk off thinking ‘that Flintoff, he’s all right isn’t he? I feel privileged to have played against him”
Abdul Qadir
Qadir recalled how a teenaged Tendulkar took on the challenge of the Pakistan bowlers and even hit him for four sixes in a 30-over exhibition match in Peshawar.
“I had a sense of affection for Sachin because he was a kid and he played very well,” Quadir said in the second session called ‘Spin is King’ at the Salaam Cricket 2018 held at the Hotel Address Boulevard in Dubai on Monday.
“Actually what happened was it was a one-day game and at the end of the day because of the rain, there was a huge crowd which had gathered, so the organisers decided to make it a 30-overs per side game,” Qadir recalled.
“India won the toss and elected to bat. Out came Kris Srikkanth and Sachin Tendulkar. When I came in to bowl Srikkanth was on strike. I bowled a maiden to Srikkanth.
“After the over I went to Sachin and said, “this is not a one-day international match so you should try and hit me for a six in the next over. And if you succeed you will become a star”. He didn’t say anything to me but the next over he hit me for three sixes,” Qadir recalled.
Tendulkar scored 53 runs off 18 balls in the match including an over in which he scored 27 runs (6, 4, 0, 6, 6, 6) off Qadir.
“I was fielding in the covers when Tendulkar came out to bat in his debut Test at Karachi. I still remember Waqar Younis was in peak form at that time. Tendulkar tried to drive Waqar through the covers off his very first ball in Test cricket but was beaten all ends up. But I walked to captain Imran Khan and told him ‘this kid looks very good’ and Imran agreed with me.”
Yuvraj Singh has opened up on his time with the IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab saying he didn’t have a good experience of playing for them and wanted to leave them.
Yuvraj, fresh from his exploits at the 2007 ICC World T20 in South Africa, was one of the five cricketers to be given the status of ‘icon players’ for the inaugural season of IPL. After a superb first season where he led KXIP to the semi-finals as captain, he left the franchise in 2011 for the newly introduced Pune Warriors India.
“One place I wanted to run away was KXIP,” Yuvraj said on YouTube channel Sportscreen. “Every time I wanted a player, they did not give me. It was amazing when I left they had bought the same players. I was just like captain for the sake of it. I loved playing for Punjab but wanted to get away from that franchise.”
Yuvraj went on to play for PWI, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils, Sunrisers Hyderabad and finally Mumbai Indians. He won IPL titles with SRH and MI before announcing his international retirement in 2018.
The two-time world cup winner rued the fact he wasn’t given a lengthy run for a single franchise. “I never got the opportunity to play for one franchise for like 3-4 years. So guys like Virat (Kohli), (MS) Dhoni, Rohit (Sharma) they have played for one franchise for so many years. You have a base. I could not really settle,” he said.
Yuvraj also touched upon the disappointment of losing the 2016 ICC World T20 final to Sri Lanka where he struggled to score 11 off 21 deliveries.
“I take full responsibility for that final loss. I couldn’t hit the ball. But then the Lankans bowled very well,” he recalled.
“Even the other batsmen struggled but fans and media made me the villain. There were stones thrown on my house in Chandigarh. When I came home, I saw my India cap and the bat I hit 6 sixes with and realised my time is done,” he added.
Wasim Akram Has His Doubts Over Virat Kohli Breaking Sachin Tendulkar's Records
Predicting India skipper Virat Kohli is a modern-day great and will go places, former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram felt it is unfair to compare the former with Sachin Tendulkar. Yet, Akram said that he felt Kohli will not be able to break the ”many records” held by Tendulkar.
“I’m a straight shooter; I say what I feel. I can’t compare them both but I think, Virat Kohli will go places and he will break so many records. Can he break Sachin”s record? I doubt it. He has far too many records. He”s getting there but there”s still time,” Akram told former India opener, Aakash Chopra, on his YouTube show ”AakashVani”.
Hailing Kohli as a great player, Akram felt both the cricketers are different from each other. He said while Kohli is aggressive, Tendulkar is the exact opposite – he is calm.
“He (Virat) is a modern great. Compared to Sachin, two different players altogether,” said Akram who has had many memorable duels with the Little Master and has watched Kohli grow as a batsman from close. He’s (Kohli) very aggressive, as a person, as a batsman — positive aggression. Sachin was calm and yet aggressive; different body language. So as a bowler you read that as well,” Akram said.
“Sachin knew that if I would try and sledge him, he would get even more determined. This is my take and I might be wrong. If I am to sledge Kohli, he will lose his temper. So, when a batsman gets angry, perhaps he will attack you and that is when you have the maximum chances of getting him out,” he opined.
Former Australia pacer Brett Lee revealed how Sachin Tendulkar would often get the better of legendary spinner Shane Warne despite the bowler’s best attempts to remove him from the crease. Lee said that Tendulkar would sometimes be “playing cat and mouse” with Warne and that not a lot of batsmen could do that with the leg-spinner.
Rohit Sharma & Suresh Raina feel MS Dhoni should return
Rohit Sharma, India’s ODI & T20I vice-captain, on Tuesday, expressed his wish of seeing middle-order batsman Suresh Raina back in the national colours. He also expressed hopes of seeing former captain MS Dhoni again in international cricket.
Rohit Sharma was interacting with Raina in an Instagram live session when the pair spoke on a variety of topics ranging from the latter’s injury to MS Dhoni’s return to international cricket.
Rohit revealed about the conversations within the squad that Raina deserved a place in the national team considering his all-rounder skills and experience.
“I know it is very tough to be out of the team after playing for so many years. We used to talk that we should have Raina in the team in some way. You have the experience and ability with bowling and fielding.
“I feel that we have seen you play for such a long time, somewhere I feel that somehow or the other you should be back in the team. But then we will see, we make do with what we have in our hands,” Rohit Sharma told Raina in the live session.
Chennai Super Kings batsman Suresh Raina further said that he too remains hopeful of making a national comeback.
“I had an injury and a surgery which was a big reason why I lost my place. I still have a lot of cricket left in me. Selection is not in our hands, performances are. I have always enjoyed my cricket and the big players always backed us when we were young. So that is what we need, someone to support us and show the way.”
Speaking on Dhoni’s return, Raina said that the 38-year-old was batting well during the practice sessions that CSK held before the Coronavirus pandemic.
“I saw him and he was batting so well, he is fit. Only he knows what he is planning but as far as his skills go he was good. Now that the lockdown is here, I don’t really know what his plans are. He has a lot of cricket in him and he was batting so well there,” Raina revealed.
“If that is the case, he should play. I hope he starts playing again,” Rohit said.
“Yes but only he knows, whenever he becomes available people should ask him what his plans are,” Raina added.
"Sachin Tendulkar Was Toying With Shane Warne": Brett Lee
Former Australia pacer Brett Lee revealed how Sachin Tendulkar would often get the better of legendary spinner Shane Warne despite the bowler’s best attempts to remove him from the crease. Lee said that Tendulkar would sometimes be “playing cat and mouse” with Warne and that not a lot of batsmen could do that with the leg-spinner.
The former fast bowler, who played 76 Tests and 221 ODIs for Australia, said Tendulkar read all of Warne’s variations that would leave most batsmen bamboozled.
“He used to advance down the wicket a few times and invited Warne to bowl a fraction too short. Sometimes, he would wait patiently on the back foot and play those beautiful shots,” Lee said on Star Sports’ show ‘Cricket Connected’.
“It was almost like he was playing cat and mouse with Warne and not many batsmen can play cat and mouse with Shane Warne because he’s so talented,” Lee said.
“But on days, Sachin Tendulkar was toying with Warne and that does not happen often,” Lee remarked.
Lee went on to praise the legendary batsman.
“The way Sachin used to read bowlers out of their hand, the different technique he used to play different balls was pure class,” he said.
“There were times when Warne would try and get the trajectory a bit different through the air and sometimes, he would try and get a few balls to drop. Every time he would try the subtle variations, there was only Sachin who would pick them up,” he said.
“Warne would bamboozle other batsmen around the world, but Sachin would watch the hand much better than most of the other batsmen,” he said. “Warne hated it, he would come back and say that he tried everything to get Sachin out, but he couldn’t.” Lee also spoke about how he felt when he first faced Tendulkar in a Test match.
“I was 22 years when I got my first opportunity to play against the Little Master,” he said.
“I nicked him off and I thought I’m done. I didn’t care about the Test match since I was so happy to get Sachin Tendulkar out,” Lee revealed.
Tendulkar holds an impressive record against Australia. In 39 Tests, he scored 3630 runs against them while he amassed 3077 runs in 71 ODIs against the team from Down Under.
1983 World Cup winning team have joined hands with Delhi Police to promote “teamwork and discipline” in India’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic
Members of the 1983 World Cup winning team have joined hands with Delhi Police to promote “teamwork and discipline” in India’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cricketers will be urging people to follow the government guidelines via Delhi Police, which will be promoting its initiative on Twitter with #1983 HeroesWithDelhiPolice.
“Nobody gave us a chance when we went to play our first match in 1983. But we made impossible possible,” Madan Lal, member of 83 WC winner team told PTI Bhasha.
“This battle against Corona pandemic is big and we must show the same discipline and team work. Everyone should perform to let the team India win the battle,” he added.
The man behind this initiative, Atul Kumar Thakur DCP (South Delhi), has said that there is a lot to learn from the 1983 squad.
“1983 WC was an event when the team overcame all the adversities and it was the single sporting event that united the sporting scene of the whole country. People said that it was very difficult for India to win the cup but defying all odds every member of the team chipped in,” Thakur told PTI .
“Be it Kapil Dev’s famous knock against Zimbabwe or Mohinder Amarnath’s performance in final or the no 11 batsman Balwinder Sandhu’s 22 runs partnership with Syed Kirmani at the crucial juncture. It was complete team effort,” he said.
“In the fight against Corona also we need same kind of team work where everyone from medical workers, police, government, citizens have to perform. One weaker link could cause a defeat in this battle,” he added.
Thakur said most of the members of the 1983 batch have agreed to join this initiative including Amarnath, Sandhu, Lal, Dilip Vengasarkar.
“Little master Sunil Gavaskar is likely to support while Kapil paaji and Kris Shrikant have sent us the video ,” said Thakur adding that they are also trying to rope in the 2011 World Cup-winning team for a similar initiative.
In his video message on Delhi Police’s Twitter handle, Vengsarkar said that battles are won with hardwork and commitment .
“As you all know that in 1983 WC final India was all out at 183 but the team fought hard and showed a lot of discipline and commitment. We won the trophy at the end. We are going through a bad time at present and we must show the same discipline,” he said
He urged people to follow lockdown rules and remain indoors.
Amarnath , Man of the Match against West Indies in the final, made a heartfelt appeal to the people of Delhi.
“Delhi Police is working hard and staying away from their families to keep us safe. We should follow the guidelines for the sake of our, our families and Delhi’s safety. It is the need of the hour to get rid of this pandemic,” he said.
New Zealand Should Have Been Joint World Cup Winners: Gautam Gambhir
Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir reckons New Zealand deserved the tag being ODI world champions and should have been declared joint winners alongside England last year. New Zealand finished fourth in the league stage and then beat favourites India in a semi-final that was stretched over two days due to inclement weather.
In a dramatic final at Lord’s in 2019, England beat New Zealand on boundary counts after the two sides ended on level terms despite a Super Over.
That finish triggered a raging debate over the logic of choosing winner based on boundary leading to a radical change. Now, there’s provision for multiple Super Overs till the time one side emerges clear winner.
It was the second straight occasion that New Zealand finished as runners-up after losing to Australia in the summit clash in 2015.
“There should have been joint World Cup winners last time around,” Gambhir told Star Sports’ Cricket Connected. “They (New Zealand) should have gotten that tag of being World Champions, but it was unfortunate.”
Gambhir praised the Kane Williamson-led outfit for the consistency in ODIs and felt that they have been competitive in every condition.
“If you see their overall record, they have been very consistent,” he said. “For the last one World Cup, and the World Cup before that, they were the runners-up and they have been very consistent. I think they have been very competitive in every condition they have played. We don’t give them enough credit.”
Currently, New Zealand are ranked third in ODIs behind India at second and world champion England at the top.
