Rohit Sharma, who pulled off an improbable victory for Deccan Chargers against Kolkata Knight Riders Saturday, said his good performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) will boost his confidence ahead of next month's Twenty20 World Cup.
Sharma's unbeaten 32 off 13 balls saw Deccan Chargers romp home with six wickets while chasing 161 in their must-win IPL game.
"Knocks like this would obviously boost my confidence going into the T20 World Cup. There is still some time left for the World Cup. We have some time to prepare it," said Sharma who has struck two half-centuries in the tournament.
Chargers needed 21 off the last over from IPL debutant Mashrafe Mortaza and Sharma kept his composure to hit two sixes and as many fours.
Sharma said he knew that Mortaza was under pressure after being hit for a four in the first ball.
"I knew that 21 runs in one over were not going to be easy. But when he (Mortaza) bowled a no-ball and I got a four, then I knew that it's easily possible because the wicket was good the ball was coming on nicely. If you hit the boundary off the first ball, the pressure is back on the bowler. I thought I must take full advantage," he said.
"Mortaza didn't start off that well and was under pressure. We decided to have a go. We had wickets in hand so that was not a problem."
"I knew that he would bowl right in the blockhole. So there was a certain plan that I decided and it came off very well."
[the artical was orgiginally published at http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200905171751.htm]
Showing posts with label deccan chargers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deccan chargers. Show all posts
Monday, May 18, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Sehwag : "Not easy to take the pressure"
Virender Sehwag was in high spirits after his team snatched an unlikely win against Team Hyderabad on Wednesday. It was extremely relaxing for him to close in towards a semifinal berth and that was evident in what he said.
According to Sehwag, IPL is probably more demanding than international cricket and a win like this helps the team to relax quite a bit. "I feel the pressure in IPL is more than international cricket," the dashing batsman said without mincing any words.
"After a loss in the IPL, there are bound to be meetings with the franchisee owners where you have to explain where you went wrong. That is not at all easy," he explained what an international player in the IPL has to go through.
"It’s better we win more, so that we don’t have to face these meetings," the Team Delhi skipper added. Sehwag hasn’t played quite a few games due to an injury and that has helped him take a few days off. "I had been to the Sun City, relaxed a bit, and of course, bought some diamonds," he said sounding relaxed after the nerve-wracking match against Team Hyderabad.
According to Sehwag, what is helping Team Delhi win despite the tremendous pressure is their balance. "It’s all about the balance. If you see, it’s not just one person who is performing. There have been many players who have won man-of-the-match awards for us and that’s why we’re still on top," Sehwag added.
The 30-year-old however made it clear that the race for the semis was still wide open. "All the teams have talented players and the table is pretty wide open. We’re not taking anything for granted as yet," Sehwag said.
For Team Hyderabad though, it was a crushing defeat and their coach Darren Lehmann was clearly struggling to come to terms with it. "It’s an unfortunate loss. And it’s unpardonable to lose seven wickets for 12 runs," a hurt Lehmann said.
[the article was originally published at http://ipl.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4531841.cms]
According to Sehwag, IPL is probably more demanding than international cricket and a win like this helps the team to relax quite a bit. "I feel the pressure in IPL is more than international cricket," the dashing batsman said without mincing any words.
"After a loss in the IPL, there are bound to be meetings with the franchisee owners where you have to explain where you went wrong. That is not at all easy," he explained what an international player in the IPL has to go through.
"It’s better we win more, so that we don’t have to face these meetings," the Team Delhi skipper added. Sehwag hasn’t played quite a few games due to an injury and that has helped him take a few days off. "I had been to the Sun City, relaxed a bit, and of course, bought some diamonds," he said sounding relaxed after the nerve-wracking match against Team Hyderabad.
According to Sehwag, what is helping Team Delhi win despite the tremendous pressure is their balance. "It’s all about the balance. If you see, it’s not just one person who is performing. There have been many players who have won man-of-the-match awards for us and that’s why we’re still on top," Sehwag added.
The 30-year-old however made it clear that the race for the semis was still wide open. "All the teams have talented players and the table is pretty wide open. We’re not taking anything for granted as yet," Sehwag said.
For Team Hyderabad though, it was a crushing defeat and their coach Darren Lehmann was clearly struggling to come to terms with it. "It’s an unfortunate loss. And it’s unpardonable to lose seven wickets for 12 runs," a hurt Lehmann said.
[the article was originally published at http://ipl.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4531841.cms]
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Mumbai Indians v KXP: Statistical Highlights
Statistical highlights of the Indian Premier League match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab.
- # While chasing, the eight-wicket win is Mumbai Indians` first in the 2009 edition of the IPL.
- a victory over Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians are placed fourth in the points table.
- XI Punjab have lost six matches out of 11 played.
- Sohal (43 off 23 balls) has recorded his highest IPL score, surpassing the 30 off 17 balls against Deccan Chargers at Kimberley on May 9, 2009.
- -Paul Duminy (2/15) has registered his best bowling performance in the IPL, eclipsing the 1 for 15 against Delhi Daredevils at East London on May 8, 2009.
- Tendulkar`s unbeaten 41 off 29 balls, is his highest score in his last seven innings in the IPL.
- Bravo (70 not out off 59 balls) has registered his highest score in the IPL, bettering the 64 not out off 53 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders at Kolkata on April 29, 2008. The said innings is his third fifty in the IPL.
- (4-0-9-1) has received his first Man Of Match award in the IPL for his excellent economical figures.
- Indians have posted their fifth victory in the second edition of the IPL. Their eight-wicket win is their first in four matches against Kings XI Punjab.
[the article was originally published at http://cricket.zeenews.com/fullstory.aspx?nid=20196]
Turning up the IPL heat
After three weeks of frantic, non-stop cricket, the battle for semi-final spots in the 2009 Indian Premier League is starting to take shape and Wednesday's key clash between leaders Delhi Daredevils and the Deccan Chargers at Kingsmead (4.30pm) is going to be keenly contested.
After a week's break, it's Durban's turn again to host the IPL circus with Wednesday's match followed by a double-header on Thursday. The final double-header will take place in Durban on Wednesday next week, completing a grand total of 16 matches in Durban - the most held in any of the eight venues.
Victory for the Delhi franchise, who also have a game in hand, would go a long way to confirming their position in the top four but the top of the table is so congested that a win for the Chargers would take them level on points with their opponents.
In such a tightly contested competition only one of the eight franchises, the Kolkata Knight Riders, are out of contention for the semis.
Delhi opener Gautam Gambhir has been deputising, pretty successfully, as the team's captain in the absence of the injured Virender Sehwag. One of the points of interest for another big crowd at today's match is whether big-hitting opener Sehwag will be fit to return and, if he does, who will make way for him?
Up until now Australian David Warner has played the big-hitting role at the top of the order.
Another fascinating development is that Glenn McGrath, who, despite being valued at $350 000, has yet to play a game in this year's tournament - easy money for him although it is no doubt frustrating for the most economical fast bowler in world cricket.
Perhaps the lean, lanky paceman, who retired from international cricket after the 2007 World Cup, is being kept out of the side by his compatriot Dirk Nannes.
Durban fans will again be keen to see the prolific AB de Villiers who has struck 271 runs for his team at an average of 67.75, the best of the tournament.
By contrast the Deccan Chargers have had a topsy-turvy time, winning their first four matches and then losing four of the next five. They will be hoping to continue the form they showed in their last match when they thumped 2008 champions the Rajasthan Royals by 53 runs.
After a sizzling start Herschelle Gibbs has suffered a big slump in form and was dropped for the match against Rajasthan. He hopes to return to action at Kingsmead, one of his favourite run-making grounds.
On Thursday the double-header will feature the Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Chennai Super Kings in the early match, with the 4.30pm clash between the Mumbai Indians and the Rajasthan Royals.
The pitch for all three matches will be the Test strip which provided some high-scoring matches last week. Former Kingsmead groundsman Phil Russell, who is helping with pitch preparation, predicted the surface would be a "belter" although a little slow because of the weekend rain.
[the article was originally published at http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=4&art_id=vn20090513064429456C804418 by Patrick Compton]
After a week's break, it's Durban's turn again to host the IPL circus with Wednesday's match followed by a double-header on Thursday. The final double-header will take place in Durban on Wednesday next week, completing a grand total of 16 matches in Durban - the most held in any of the eight venues.
Victory for the Delhi franchise, who also have a game in hand, would go a long way to confirming their position in the top four but the top of the table is so congested that a win for the Chargers would take them level on points with their opponents.
In such a tightly contested competition only one of the eight franchises, the Kolkata Knight Riders, are out of contention for the semis.
Delhi opener Gautam Gambhir has been deputising, pretty successfully, as the team's captain in the absence of the injured Virender Sehwag. One of the points of interest for another big crowd at today's match is whether big-hitting opener Sehwag will be fit to return and, if he does, who will make way for him?
Up until now Australian David Warner has played the big-hitting role at the top of the order.
Another fascinating development is that Glenn McGrath, who, despite being valued at $350 000, has yet to play a game in this year's tournament - easy money for him although it is no doubt frustrating for the most economical fast bowler in world cricket.
Perhaps the lean, lanky paceman, who retired from international cricket after the 2007 World Cup, is being kept out of the side by his compatriot Dirk Nannes.
Durban fans will again be keen to see the prolific AB de Villiers who has struck 271 runs for his team at an average of 67.75, the best of the tournament.
By contrast the Deccan Chargers have had a topsy-turvy time, winning their first four matches and then losing four of the next five. They will be hoping to continue the form they showed in their last match when they thumped 2008 champions the Rajasthan Royals by 53 runs.
After a sizzling start Herschelle Gibbs has suffered a big slump in form and was dropped for the match against Rajasthan. He hopes to return to action at Kingsmead, one of his favourite run-making grounds.
On Thursday the double-header will feature the Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Chennai Super Kings in the early match, with the 4.30pm clash between the Mumbai Indians and the Rajasthan Royals.
The pitch for all three matches will be the Test strip which provided some high-scoring matches last week. Former Kingsmead groundsman Phil Russell, who is helping with pitch preparation, predicted the surface would be a "belter" although a little slow because of the weekend rain.
[the article was originally published at http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=4&art_id=vn20090513064429456C804418 by Patrick Compton]
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Chennai Super Kings defeats Deccan Chargers
Splendid top order batting, combined with devastating bowling, helped Chennai Super Kings record its third win on the trot as it outclassed Deccan Chargers by 78 runs in an action-packed Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match here on Monday.
Chennai Super Kings had posted an impressive 178 for three after opting to bat.
Deccan Chargers never recovered after a catastrophic start and was bundled out for 100 in 14.4 overs.
Counterattack
Had there not been a counter-attack by Dwayne Smith (49) and Rohit Sharma (21), Deccan Chargers would have slumped to a more humiliating defeat.
Deccan Chargers had no idea that a disastrous start was waiting for it as its top three batsmen — Adam Gilchirst (0), Herschelle Gibbs (0) and V.V.S. Laxman (0) — went back without bothering the scorer.
From here, Smith and Rohit revived the innings with a dramatic 72-run stroke-filled partnership, but could not finish it off for their side.
Shadab Jakati excelled for Chennai Super Kings, picking up four wickets, but it was the pace duo of Albie Morkel (two for 24) and Sudeep Tyagi (one for 9) who set the platform for an exciting win.
[the article was originally published at http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/06/stories/2009050656371900.htm]
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Jakati shines again for Chennai in IPL cricket
Left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati picked up 4-22 as Chennai Super Kings thumped Deccan Chargers by 78 runs for their third win on the trot in the Indian Premier League on Monday.
Jakati removed top-scorer Dwayne Smith (49) and Rohit Sharma in the space of four balls to help Chennai restrict Deccan to 100 all out in 14.4 overs in a one-sided contest at Buffalo Park here.
The 28-year-old unheralded bowler from Goa had also turned in a match-winning performance in Chennai's win against Delhi Daredevils on Saturday.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni earlier led the batting charge with an unbeaten 58 while tournament's leading run-getter Matthew Hayden slammed a 26-ball 43 to take Chennai to an imposing 178-3.
The win propelled Chennai to the top of the points table while Deccan slumped to their third defeat in a row.
Deccan's chase began on a disastrous note as they lost their explosive openers Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs inside the first two overs.
Albie Morkel snapped up Gilchrist off the first ball of the innings when he trapped the Deccan skipper plumb in front while Suddep Tyagi accounted for Gibbs.
Morkel returned to dismiss Venkatsai Laxman (0) in his next over but was unlucky not to claim Smith whose easy skiers were dropped twice in a row by clumsy Chennai fielders.
Smith, who also survived a crazy mix-up at the crease, briefly sustained Deccan's hopes, putting on 72 runs for the fourth wicket with Sharma (21).
But Deccan's fate was sealed once Smith was trapped leg-before by Jakati. The West Indies' all-rounder slammed five sixes and two fours in his 23-ball knock.
[the article was originally published at http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gda0hEjtKC3zWR6MNQdM-GPL3fxw]
Jakati removed top-scorer Dwayne Smith (49) and Rohit Sharma in the space of four balls to help Chennai restrict Deccan to 100 all out in 14.4 overs in a one-sided contest at Buffalo Park here.
The 28-year-old unheralded bowler from Goa had also turned in a match-winning performance in Chennai's win against Delhi Daredevils on Saturday.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni earlier led the batting charge with an unbeaten 58 while tournament's leading run-getter Matthew Hayden slammed a 26-ball 43 to take Chennai to an imposing 178-3.
The win propelled Chennai to the top of the points table while Deccan slumped to their third defeat in a row.
Deccan's chase began on a disastrous note as they lost their explosive openers Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs inside the first two overs.
Albie Morkel snapped up Gilchrist off the first ball of the innings when he trapped the Deccan skipper plumb in front while Suddep Tyagi accounted for Gibbs.
Morkel returned to dismiss Venkatsai Laxman (0) in his next over but was unlucky not to claim Smith whose easy skiers were dropped twice in a row by clumsy Chennai fielders.
Smith, who also survived a crazy mix-up at the crease, briefly sustained Deccan's hopes, putting on 72 runs for the fourth wicket with Sharma (21).
But Deccan's fate was sealed once Smith was trapped leg-before by Jakati. The West Indies' all-rounder slammed five sixes and two fours in his 23-ball knock.
[the article was originally published at http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gda0hEjtKC3zWR6MNQdM-GPL3fxw]
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Steyn out of IPL for another week
Johannesburg: The Royal Challengers, battling in the IPL (Indian Premier League) here with just one win after five games, will be without pacer Dale Steyn until next weekend as he nurses a broken thumb.
The Royal Challengers will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in the first of a double header in the IPL at Sahara Kingsmead Stadium in Durban Wednesday in an attempt to move from the bottom of the log.
But they will continue to be without Steyn, who failed to appear in the last three Challenger games in the series after suffering the injury during the match at Cape Town last Wednesday in which his side succumbed to the Deccan Chargers.
While the injury was kept a secret until now, informed sources within the South African cricket squad said it was "a blessing in disguise" that Steyn was injured, as two weeks recovery time will allow him a much-needed break.
The Challengers though, will want Steyn back as soon as possible as coach Ray Jennings and captain Kevin Pietersen are under pressure to perform.
The encounter with the Kolkata Knight Riders will be the last game for Pietersen in the tournament as he has to return to England for the home series against the West Indies.
South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is widely being touted to take over the Challengers' captaincy.
[the article was originally published at http://sify.com/sports/fullstory.php?a=je3o51cjhad&title=Steyn_out_of_IPL_for_another_week]
Monday, April 27, 2009
Deccan Chargers is the team to beat now
Three matches into the Indian Premier League’s second edition, Deccan Chargers have accomplished what they couldn’t in the whole of last year’s campaign - three wins.
If last year they resembled a cluster of super stars terribly presumptuous of their potential, playing as if the whole concept of team-effort was superfluous, they have displayed considerable efficacy and swagger this time around.
So what exactly catalysed this riposte? Not that the whole side was dispensed off and a bunch of motivated players, humble and unassuming ala Royals’ script, have conjured this turnaround.
The fulcrum had been more or less the same, only that all-rounders Shahid Afridi and Andrew Symonds and Darren Lehman as the coach are missing.
The most noticeable change was their redesigned strip.
Their acquisitions this year - West Indians Fidel Edwards and Dwayne Smith - hardly had any bidders in the transfer market. But both have been quite handy so far. Edwards set the tone for their campaign with his unnerving pace, though errant, against Kolkata Knight Riders. Importantly, he has harmonised canny opening salvos with RP Singh, on whose head rests the Purple Cap with eight wickets.
Though deemed extremely talented, RP couldn’t quite cement his place in the national side. Bursts of waywardness coupled with injury had retarded his progress and he subsequently missed the New Zealand tour.
But in South Africa, RP had been disciplined without compromising on his pace.
While his ability to procure seam movement both ways and hit the deck hard had seldom been scrutinised, his improved yorker makes him an even more effective bowler.
So if Edwards doesn’t get you, RP will. That no opening pair has managed to survive the first two overs against them, underscores their worth.
Equally impressive had been their opening batsmen Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs, both marauding match-winners. Maybe, only Delhi Daredevils’ Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir can be termed equals in terms of ability, but not experience. While Gilchrist was amongst the runs last year as well, Gibbs striking form has made a world of difference to DC. Last year, he squeezed only 167 runs in nine innings, a tally he certainly seems to overhaul in IPL 2 (already has 114 runs).
Making a discernible difference to his side’s fortunes is left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who spun them to a 12- run win over Mumbai Indians, considered a pre-tournament favourite. Besides his slight variations in pace, he has been unhesitant to toss the ball, and thereby extracted sufficient turn to trouble batsmen.
While Rohit Sharma seemed to regain silken touch, Dwayne Smith struck a breezy 35 off 22 against Mumbai to underline his value. If VVS Laxman, Ravi Teja and Y Venugopal Rao, can chip in with runs, Chargers can consolidate on their blustery start to the IPL.
[the article was originally published at http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Deccan+Chargers+the+team+to+beat+now&artid=e7SqpYqVJo0=&SectionID=Aw|qo8JJkxA=&MainSectionID=Aw|qo8JJkxA=&SEO=Fidel+Edwards,+VVS+Laxman,+Dwayne+Smith,+Ravi+Teja&SectionName=||WM0BI9WGM=]
If last year they resembled a cluster of super stars terribly presumptuous of their potential, playing as if the whole concept of team-effort was superfluous, they have displayed considerable efficacy and swagger this time around.
So what exactly catalysed this riposte? Not that the whole side was dispensed off and a bunch of motivated players, humble and unassuming ala Royals’ script, have conjured this turnaround.
The fulcrum had been more or less the same, only that all-rounders Shahid Afridi and Andrew Symonds and Darren Lehman as the coach are missing.
The most noticeable change was their redesigned strip.
Their acquisitions this year - West Indians Fidel Edwards and Dwayne Smith - hardly had any bidders in the transfer market. But both have been quite handy so far. Edwards set the tone for their campaign with his unnerving pace, though errant, against Kolkata Knight Riders. Importantly, he has harmonised canny opening salvos with RP Singh, on whose head rests the Purple Cap with eight wickets.
Though deemed extremely talented, RP couldn’t quite cement his place in the national side. Bursts of waywardness coupled with injury had retarded his progress and he subsequently missed the New Zealand tour.
But in South Africa, RP had been disciplined without compromising on his pace.
While his ability to procure seam movement both ways and hit the deck hard had seldom been scrutinised, his improved yorker makes him an even more effective bowler.
So if Edwards doesn’t get you, RP will. That no opening pair has managed to survive the first two overs against them, underscores their worth.
Equally impressive had been their opening batsmen Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs, both marauding match-winners. Maybe, only Delhi Daredevils’ Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir can be termed equals in terms of ability, but not experience. While Gilchrist was amongst the runs last year as well, Gibbs striking form has made a world of difference to DC. Last year, he squeezed only 167 runs in nine innings, a tally he certainly seems to overhaul in IPL 2 (already has 114 runs).
Making a discernible difference to his side’s fortunes is left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who spun them to a 12- run win over Mumbai Indians, considered a pre-tournament favourite. Besides his slight variations in pace, he has been unhesitant to toss the ball, and thereby extracted sufficient turn to trouble batsmen.
While Rohit Sharma seemed to regain silken touch, Dwayne Smith struck a breezy 35 off 22 against Mumbai to underline his value. If VVS Laxman, Ravi Teja and Y Venugopal Rao, can chip in with runs, Chargers can consolidate on their blustery start to the IPL.
[the article was originally published at http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Deccan+Chargers+the+team+to+beat+now&artid=e7SqpYqVJo0=&SectionID=Aw|qo8JJkxA=&MainSectionID=Aw|qo8JJkxA=&SEO=Fidel+Edwards,+VVS+Laxman,+Dwayne+Smith,+Ravi+Teja&SectionName=||WM0BI9WGM=]
Friday, April 24, 2009
IPL turns the tables
The going up to now in the IPL has been great. This year the points table seems to be absolutely reversed. Deccan Chargers who were at the bottom of the table last year have climbed up the tables and are heading the list with 4 points. Though these are early days the indications for the Deccan Chargers seem to be good.
Rajathan Royal is finding the going a bit tough as they rely too much on Indian players. These Indian players are not familiar with South African pitches.
The less said about Bangalore’s Royal Challengers the better. Delhi and Chennai are doing well as expected. Kolkata seems to have too many lose ends and their internal fights seem to bring them down.
Mumbai Indians with veterans like Sachin Tendulkar and Jayasurya are tipped to be the surprise favorites. Though nothing can be said with confidence, one thing is for sure, and that is a tough fight is on among the best teams in IPL2.
[the article was originally published at http://andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=38505]
Rajathan Royal is finding the going a bit tough as they rely too much on Indian players. These Indian players are not familiar with South African pitches.
The less said about Bangalore’s Royal Challengers the better. Delhi and Chennai are doing well as expected. Kolkata seems to have too many lose ends and their internal fights seem to bring them down.
Mumbai Indians with veterans like Sachin Tendulkar and Jayasurya are tipped to be the surprise favorites. Though nothing can be said with confidence, one thing is for sure, and that is a tough fight is on among the best teams in IPL2.
[the article was originally published at http://andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=38505]
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Laxman will play a huge role says Gilchrist
Cape Town: VVS Laxman's bat might not have done the talking so far but Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist remains unperturbed and said the Hyderabad would bounce back and play a huge role in the upcoming matches.
Laxman, who was the captain in the first edition of the Indian Premier League, scored just 10 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders and five in yesterday's match against Bangalore Challengers but Gilchrist said he was not at all concerned.
"Look I have got no concern there. His innings today showed plenty of intent. He is as keen as anyone else to make sure that he plays his role in this team. It's early days and I have got no doubt that he can play a huge part in us going forward," Gilchrist said.
The former Australian wicketkeeper also lavished praise on his deputy Rohit Sharma and pacer RP Singh, saying the two have donned the role of senior players in the team very well and are leading by example.
"Look Rohit as he did last year in the IPL what a world class player he is. He has been contributing to India in a very solid manner for a few years now. So too, RP. He has come back well from injury, RP. In the months leading up to a few tours for India he was out injured. He has come back really strongly. His work ethic at the moment is just fantastic."
"In fact, all the boys are just working really hard on extra fitness, extra training. So that's really pleasing. That's what we wanted to do, just to lift our tempo a little bit," Gilchrist said.
"So those two guys as senior players though they are young men. They have senior roles in the team. It's nice to see them leading and the other players following," he said.
Tagged as laggards last year, the Chargers have started off with a flier in the second IPL and Gilchrist said they have worked on certain areas to clear the chinks in their Armour.
"There are a number of things that we identified that we needed to fix. I won't go into great detail into them. We have worked hard in certain areas," he said after the 24-run win against Bangalore Royal Challengers yesterday. We have started with a very impressive performance in the first game. We have backed up again here probably not quite convincing. But certainly positive signs so we will just keep training to replicate those things in the next game," he added.
[the article was originally published at http://cricket.expressindia.com/news/laxman-will-play-a-huge-role-gilchrist/450424/]
Laxman, who was the captain in the first edition of the Indian Premier League, scored just 10 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders and five in yesterday's match against Bangalore Challengers but Gilchrist said he was not at all concerned.
"Look I have got no concern there. His innings today showed plenty of intent. He is as keen as anyone else to make sure that he plays his role in this team. It's early days and I have got no doubt that he can play a huge part in us going forward," Gilchrist said.
The former Australian wicketkeeper also lavished praise on his deputy Rohit Sharma and pacer RP Singh, saying the two have donned the role of senior players in the team very well and are leading by example.
"Look Rohit as he did last year in the IPL what a world class player he is. He has been contributing to India in a very solid manner for a few years now. So too, RP. He has come back well from injury, RP. In the months leading up to a few tours for India he was out injured. He has come back really strongly. His work ethic at the moment is just fantastic."
"In fact, all the boys are just working really hard on extra fitness, extra training. So that's really pleasing. That's what we wanted to do, just to lift our tempo a little bit," Gilchrist said.
"So those two guys as senior players though they are young men. They have senior roles in the team. It's nice to see them leading and the other players following," he said.
Tagged as laggards last year, the Chargers have started off with a flier in the second IPL and Gilchrist said they have worked on certain areas to clear the chinks in their Armour.
"There are a number of things that we identified that we needed to fix. I won't go into great detail into them. We have worked hard in certain areas," he said after the 24-run win against Bangalore Royal Challengers yesterday. We have started with a very impressive performance in the first game. We have backed up again here probably not quite convincing. But certainly positive signs so we will just keep training to replicate those things in the next game," he added.
[the article was originally published at http://cricket.expressindia.com/news/laxman-will-play-a-huge-role-gilchrist/450424/]
Monday, April 20, 2009
Kings XI, KKR look to get IPL campaign on track
Thoroughly outplayed in their opening matches, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab will lock horns on Tuesday hoping to haul their Indian Premier League campaign back on track.
Ravaged by injuries that have denied them the services of star players like Shaun Marsh, Brett Lee and S Sreesanth, the Yuvraj Singh-led Kings XI were handed a 10-wicket drubbing by Delhi Daredevils in their rain-truncated opening match on Sunday.
On the same night, Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders were beaten by eight wickets by last year's bottom-placed Hyderabad Deccan Chargers.
"I want this nightmare to end," said Shah Rukh after the thrashing.
Kolkata, it seemed, were yet to recover from the pre-tournament furore over captaincy, at the end of which Sourav Ganguly was replaced by New Zealand's Brendon McCullum at the helm.
McCullum couldn't have asked for a worse start to his stint but remained optimistic about the team bouncing back in the coming matches.
"It is a long tournament and we will bounce back," he insisted.
Kings XI, on the other hand, are trying to cope with the injury blows that have left them severely depleted.
Last season's highest scorer Marsh, along with tearaway pacer Lee, were out of contention even before the tournament and adding to their woes is the non-availability of all-rounder James Hopes, who is on national duty.
Sreesanth too has been left with the job of promoting the team from the sidelines as a back injury keeps him out of on-field action.
Against a balanced Delhi, Kings XI's batting struggled to hold up and bowling was such that Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir took just a little over four overs to get past a 54-run target that was set for six overs in the rain-shortened game.
The Mohali-based team's batting relies heavily on skipper Yuvraj and Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara, both of whom didn't contribute much in the lost match.
Yuvraj, however, remained hopeful of a turnaround.
"We are happy with the start, off course we can take some positive out of it and we have enough games coming up, so looking forward to that," he said.
[the article was originally published at http://www.hindustantimes.com/highpl/storypage.aspx?id=2e3cdbef-06d9-483f-a96a-301b13e8b282&category=Chunk-HT-UI-IPLSectionPage-TopStories]
Ravaged by injuries that have denied them the services of star players like Shaun Marsh, Brett Lee and S Sreesanth, the Yuvraj Singh-led Kings XI were handed a 10-wicket drubbing by Delhi Daredevils in their rain-truncated opening match on Sunday.
On the same night, Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders were beaten by eight wickets by last year's bottom-placed Hyderabad Deccan Chargers.
"I want this nightmare to end," said Shah Rukh after the thrashing.
Kolkata, it seemed, were yet to recover from the pre-tournament furore over captaincy, at the end of which Sourav Ganguly was replaced by New Zealand's Brendon McCullum at the helm.
McCullum couldn't have asked for a worse start to his stint but remained optimistic about the team bouncing back in the coming matches.
"It is a long tournament and we will bounce back," he insisted.
Kings XI, on the other hand, are trying to cope with the injury blows that have left them severely depleted.
Last season's highest scorer Marsh, along with tearaway pacer Lee, were out of contention even before the tournament and adding to their woes is the non-availability of all-rounder James Hopes, who is on national duty.
Sreesanth too has been left with the job of promoting the team from the sidelines as a back injury keeps him out of on-field action.
Against a balanced Delhi, Kings XI's batting struggled to hold up and bowling was such that Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir took just a little over four overs to get past a 54-run target that was set for six overs in the rain-shortened game.
The Mohali-based team's batting relies heavily on skipper Yuvraj and Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara, both of whom didn't contribute much in the lost match.
Yuvraj, however, remained hopeful of a turnaround.
"We are happy with the start, off course we can take some positive out of it and we have enough games coming up, so looking forward to that," he said.
[the article was originally published at http://www.hindustantimes.com/highpl/storypage.aspx?id=2e3cdbef-06d9-483f-a96a-301b13e8b282&category=Chunk-HT-UI-IPLSectionPage-TopStories]
A weekend of the cricket veterans
The South African pitches and conditions will expose the batsmen's limitations in the 2009 IPL. The four games on the weekend underlined the fact that even in T20 format, there is no substitute besides class and experience. It was the veterans who showed the way and set the trend for the competition.
The best moments over the weekend matches were Dravid's six, Sachin's shot over cover, Vetteori's spell and Warne's guile that mocked at the batsmen. Never mind that Warne's Rajasthan Royals lost, but in those four overs, he provided salvation from the boring sixes and boundaries, the same was for Kumble and Vettori. Of course, there was the slinging Malinga making a statement for the quick bowlers, but frankly this IPL is likely to show a lot of surprises.
The point is that if you take a simplistic perspective of cricket as it being just a sport and there is more to life, then you might enjoy the offerings, though it is only in between the commercials on the television. Most people i know have strong reservations over the break after 10 overs, for it takes away the momentum and continuity. The organizers can justify the gimmick saying they would like to earn as much as they spend.
Watching the likes of Sachin and Dravid was indeed a pleasure. While a big innings from Sachin is always to be expected in any format, Dravid was revelation to those who believed that he is a misfit for T20 cricket.
Dravid was intent on making a strong statement to his detractors as this was so evident in his celebration on reaching 50. It is a pity that Dravid would soon be flying back home to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.
The other two veterans who batted, Kumble could barely hide his blushes after the performance.
All the eight teams were not prepared for the very English conditions in Cape Town with all the rain and the moisture, and hence the pronounced movement off the deck. There was something for the spinners too.
Of the eight teams on the weekend,Royal Challengers, Mumbai Indians and the Deccan Chargers were the most improved lot whereas these same teams were at the receiving end last year.
[credit : http://sify.com/sports/cricket/ipl/iplfullstory.php?a=jeuoeNdhfeg&title=Weekend_of_the_veterans&cid=14602148]
The best moments over the weekend matches were Dravid's six, Sachin's shot over cover, Vetteori's spell and Warne's guile that mocked at the batsmen. Never mind that Warne's Rajasthan Royals lost, but in those four overs, he provided salvation from the boring sixes and boundaries, the same was for Kumble and Vettori. Of course, there was the slinging Malinga making a statement for the quick bowlers, but frankly this IPL is likely to show a lot of surprises.
The point is that if you take a simplistic perspective of cricket as it being just a sport and there is more to life, then you might enjoy the offerings, though it is only in between the commercials on the television. Most people i know have strong reservations over the break after 10 overs, for it takes away the momentum and continuity. The organizers can justify the gimmick saying they would like to earn as much as they spend.
Watching the likes of Sachin and Dravid was indeed a pleasure. While a big innings from Sachin is always to be expected in any format, Dravid was revelation to those who believed that he is a misfit for T20 cricket.
Dravid was intent on making a strong statement to his detractors as this was so evident in his celebration on reaching 50. It is a pity that Dravid would soon be flying back home to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.
The other two veterans who batted, Kumble could barely hide his blushes after the performance.
All the eight teams were not prepared for the very English conditions in Cape Town with all the rain and the moisture, and hence the pronounced movement off the deck. There was something for the spinners too.
Of the eight teams on the weekend,Royal Challengers, Mumbai Indians and the Deccan Chargers were the most improved lot whereas these same teams were at the receiving end last year.
[credit : http://sify.com/sports/cricket/ipl/iplfullstory.php?a=jeuoeNdhfeg&title=Weekend_of_the_veterans&cid=14602148]
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Rajasthan’s royal skipper - Shane Warne
As good as he was with the ball in hand in crunch situations, it was as a captain that Shane Warne turned out to be a game-turner. By far, he was the most perspicacious of the eight IPL captains in the league’s inaugural year. He is, arguably, the best captain Australia never had; or, to be precise, the best captain it chose not to have, writes Nirmal Shekar.
After it was all over, after a team that was written off at the start of the tournament had scripted a fairytale finish worthy of blue-blooded cricketing royalty, when you looked back on it all, the irony was inescapable.
Last year’s inaugural Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament was a stage made-to-order for strapping young twenty-somethings with over-sized adrenal glands — men such as Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma, to name only two.
What chance of triumph and glory would the merciless actuarial table of T20 cricket have given an ageing troubadour looking forward to his 39th birthday in a competition as frenzied and skill-flattening as the Indian Premier League?
These questions seem obvious until, of course, you come up with the protagonist’s name. Then, suddenly, the pieces fall in place magically and all illogic disappears like morning dew on a clear summer day.
For, rules that apply to ordinary mortals, even the ones that apply to the good and the great, don’t hold good in the case of Shane Warne.
Aged 38, well past his prime and after having retired from international cricket, you’d have thought Warne might have been an expensive misfit in a T20 championship. Yet, this was the man who turned out to be the single most influential figure in the hugely successful first year of the League.
It was a bit like a reluctant Jose Carreras descending on a Hard Rock concert stage and stealing a march over Kid Rock, Metallica and Oasis.
As good as he was with the ball in hand in crunch situations, it was as a captain that Warne turned out to be a game-turner. He is, arguably, the best captain Australia never had; or, to be precise, the best captain it chose not to have.
By far the most perspicacious of the eight IPL captains in the league’s inaugural year, Warne revelled in his role even as his under-rated team, Rajastan Royals, written off as the weakest side in the competition a week into the event, surprised everyone with a string of high-quality performances leading up to a dramatic last-ball victory over Chennai Super Kings in the final.
At $400,000, Warne was by far the best value-for-money player in the competition. But then, the virtues that the great Aussie brings to the field can hardly be represented purely in dollar terms.
There is no putative algorithm for successful leadership, especially in sport, an area of activity that makes room for a wide array of personalities at the top. However, Warne surely possesses a rare mix of attributes that turned him into a genius as a captain. A natural risk taker who backs his instincts, Warne was a hugely inspirational figure, standing on whose shoulders the Royals scaled regal heights.
As in life, in sport too, the best of leaders make things happen instead of waiting for things to happen. And there was no captain quite as pro-active as Warne in the IPL last year.
“Genius is not replicable. Inspiration, though, is contagious and multi-form,” wrote the late David Foster Wallace in Play.
If indeed genius were contagious, everyday reality would be a much more life-enhancing for a lot of us average blokes. But life does offer, from time to time, the illusion that another man’s genius can rub off on us. This is especially so in a cooperative venture like team sport.
Eons before modern civilisation, hundreds of thousands of years before management gurus came up with their mantras and business schools started flourishing, successful alpha males led hunter-gatherer bands through persuasion rather than coercion with ‘collaborative decision-making’ being the norm.
Even in pre-historic times, surely, there is unlikely to have been one successful brand of leadership. For, human personality differences are not exactly a modern phenomenon.
But goal-directed cooperation in the context of modern professional team sports has made way for a fascinating variety of helmsmen, not the least in cricket where the quality of leadership matters so much more than in a sport such as football or hockey. From the imperious Douglas Jardine down to the Socratically wise Mike Brearley and from an awe-inspiring Don Bradman down to a lovable larrikin such as Warne, the game has been able to fit in a range of personalities in leadership roles.
“Broken marriages, conflicts of loyalty, the problems of everyday life fall away as one faces up to (Jeff) Thomson,” wrote Brearley.
Thommo’s lethal pace apart, an English captain may have had to deal with quite a number of other vexing issues in that era. If this is true of almost all captains at all times then the brash new age of Twenty20 cricket — which has robbed on-field decision makers of valuable time — has come to favour the instinctive leaders.
Then again, apart from the speed and quality of Warne’s on-field decision-making, it was what the Aussie genius brought to the Rajasthan Royals’ dressing room that may have made a huge difference in the end.
“You can divide leadership into two aspects,” Brearley said in an interview to The Times (London) a few years ago. “One is telling, ordering even, having a clear idea of what you want and getting people to do it. You might call those masculine qualities.
“And there are the more feminine qualities you might call receptivity. This is consulting people, finding out what they think, their feelings, whether they have different ideas you can learn from.”
Ask any Rajasthan Royals player and he would be willing to swear that Warne blended those two aspects of leadership wonderfully well.
If a leader, as Napoleon said, “is a dealer in hope” then Warne brought hope in lorry loads to the Royals’ camp.
“Some people had branded us underdogs but we had self-belief,” said the charismatic Australian spinner midway through the 2008 tournament.
It was a rare brand of self-belief — instilled in them by their heroic captain — that saw young players such as Ravindra Jadeja, Siddarth Trivedi and Swapnil Asnodkar come up consistently with nerveless displays on the big stage.
“The best part about the IPL is, as well as having four or five different cultures in your team, unearthing some of the young Indian players,” Warne told BBC Sport after last year’s final.
If Warne enjoyed the process of uncovering new talent, then there is little doubt that every one of those young Indians simply adores the great man and will always cherish the days they played alongside one of the game’s greats.
Looking back, it is a bit of an irony that all this celebration of Warne’s imaginative leadership and his ability to inspire youngsters and help them raise their levels should have come after his retirement from the international game.
For, Warne did lead Australia in 11 One-Day Internationals in the late 1990s when Steve Waugh was injured and his team won 10 of those matches. And he might have gone on to lead his country in many more matches but for what the Australian Cricket Board described as “a catalogue of reckless conduct.”
It is a ‘catalogue’ that the Royals’ management is unlikely to take into account as the great man and his boys set out to defend their title in South Africa. For Warne — flawed, sinning, warts and all — may well be irreplaceable.
[credit : http://www.sportstaronnet.com/stories/20090418500700400.htm]
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Priyanka to root for KKR in IPL II
Amethi, Apr 14 (PTI) Her busy campaign schedule for the general elections notwithstanding, Congress' star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi will cheer for Shahrukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders in the second Indian Premier League starting April 18 in South Africa.
"I guess so, yes," Priyanka said when asked whether she would support Kolkata Knight Riders during the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament that was shifted out of India owing to a clash of dates with elections.
Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Hyderabad-based team Deccan Chargers in their opening match in Cape Town on April 19.
"Yes," she told NDTV when asked whether she backed the team because it is owned by Shahrukh Khan.
Priyanka, her husband Robert and brother Rahul Gandhi had attended Kolkata Knight Riders match during the inaugural edition of IPL last year.
Incidentally, Kolkata Knight Riders play a match on April 23 when elections are scheduled to be held in Amethi, a constituency represented by Rahul Gandhi.
[credit : http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/B0D0B4C6781A424065257598003FA1AD?OpenDocument]
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