Kumble’s new innings

NEW DELHI: His perfect 10 at the same venue against the same opponents now cricketing lore, Anil Kumble would renew his tryst with Ferozeshah Kotla when he makes his debut as Indian captain in the first of the three Test matches against Pakistan starting here from Thursday.

Given a choice, Kumble would have loved to roll the 22-yard Kotla strip, pack it in his bag and take it home after he claimed all 10 wickets in Pakistan’s second innings in that unforgettable second Test in 1999.

Since then, Kumble has become one of the most senior players in the dressing room, and when he walks out for the toss with counterpart Shoaib Malik, he would expect the Kotla to be as benign as it was eight years ago.

The beginning, however, has not been auspicious. The bowling attack lost some of its teeth and firepower with the vastly improved RP Singh and highly inflammable S Sreesanth reduced to benchwarmers by injuries.

RP has been in red hot form since the UK tour, while Sreesanth proved he is as much a wicket-taker with the ball as a rabble-rouser with his antics.

Though Munaf Patel and Ishant Sharma have been rushed in as cover, the void would be hard to fill. Till Munaf joined the squad, Kumble had at his disposal two pacers Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan against three spinners Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik and himself.

No harm in Shah Rukh watching cricket matches, says Kapil

JAIPUR : Former Indian captain Kapil Dev on Wednesday defended Shah Rukh Khan’s presence at cricket matches, saying association of a celebrity like him would popularise the game.

Kapil said Shah Rukh was a cricket fan and watched the fifth ODI between India and Pakistan here for his sheer craze about the sport.

“I think like any other cricket buff Shah Rukh took time off to watch a match and there was nothing wrong in it. If the Prime Minister of India comes to watch a match, it is a great thing for cricket,” he said.

“Shah Rukh is known for his movies and acting and if he had a chat on his film, I don’t think it was wrong,” he said.

Kapil said a star like Shah Rukh did not need to use a cricket match to make publicity for his movie.

“Shah Rukh is already a popular personality in the world through his films. Does he need cricket to popularise himself and his work?”

On his favourite film actors, Kapil said, “Dev Anand was my childhood hero. In my younger days I liked Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra and now I like Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh.”

Kapil, however, refused to name his favourite heroines and said, ” Yeh nahin bataoonga, aapko bura lagega (I will not tell that, you may feel bad).”

Yuvraj will not play the first Test: Kumble

NEW DELHI : Yuvraj Singh may have set the shorter version of the game alight to emerge as India’s middle order mainstay but the dashing left-hander would spend the first Test against Pakistan warming the bench with VVS Laxman in action, hinted captain Anil Kumble.

Addressing his first pre-match press conference as India’s Test captain, a forthright Kumble said it was unfortunate but Yuvraj would have to wait before he became a regular in the Test squad.

“It’s tough to leave him out. He is in tremendous form and is a quality player who is important for the side. But I guess he would have to wait a bit before he becomes a regular member of the Test squad.”

“It’s unfortunate but that’s the way it is. He is a great player and Indian batting would revolve around him in the coming years. He is a pillar of the side but I’m afraid he would have to wait a little,” Kumble said.

Yuvraj, so far, has played just 19 Tests, last being the match against West Indies in 2006.

He also dropped hints that left-arm spinner Murali Kartik may sit out on Thursday.

“I guess it would be me and Harbhajan (Singh) but we would finalise the eleven tomorrow.”

Kumble admitted the side was laid low with S Sreesanth and RP Singh ruled out of the tie, prompting the management to fly in Munaf Patel and ask Delhi pacer Ishant Sharma to quit his Ranji duty and stay with the squad.

“It’s unfortunate that both Sree and RP would miss the match but I think injuries are part and parcel of the game. Munaf has done well in the past and has been in good form in domestic cricket as well. Besides, we have asked Ishant to join the squad”, Kumble said.

“Though we would miss them, I think the side has the quality and depth to go out and win the match,” Kumble said.

Kumble, however, was upbeat with Mahendra Singh Dhoni recovering from the ankle injury he had picked up in Jaipur.

“Well, he looks fine and there seems no problem.” The veteran leggie was confident that his stint as the Test captain would start on a positive note on his happy hunting ground at the Ferozshah Kotla.

“Delhi has been nice to me personally and to the whole side as well. I’m looking forward to a great start here,” said Kumble, who scalped all 10 wickets in a Pakistan innings at the same venue in a memorable 1999 Test match.

Asked if having four skippers – Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni – would make his job difficult, Kumble begged to differ.

“I don’t think so. I have been playing with them for the last 18 years. I’m a positive person and I believe I would get inputs from them as well.”

Kumble also revealed getting inputs from Dhoni who has been in charge in the Twenty20 World Cup, followed by the ODI series against Australia and Pakistan.

“I had an interaction with him. Basically I wanted to know what happened in the last three months when I was not part of the side. As the captain and as a senior cricketer, my job is to share inputs and ensure Indian cricket moves on,” he said.

Kumble refused to read much into the pitch and said despite winning the ODI series, India could not afford to underestimate the traditional rivals.

“I would love to take pitch out of the equation. I mean as player, you do take a look. I think it’s a good, sporting track but instead of thinking about the track, we are planning to do well in the match.

“Pakistan is a good unit and we respect our opposition,” he said.

The visitors would rely on run-machine Mohammad Yousuf and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria to do well in the series and Kumble heaped praise on the Pakistani duo.

“Yousuf is a great player, he has been the most prolific of them over the last few years,” he said.

“Danish is an important bowler for them but I think we have quality batsmen to take care of him. I’ve seen him developing and it’s great to see a fellow leg-spinner doing well. I just hope that he does not do well in the next three matches,” Kumble quipped.

A veteran of 118 Test matches, captaincy came to Kumble at the twilight of his career but the leggie apparently has no complaints.

“It’s a challenge and being a positive person, I think whatever happens, happens at the right time. I think this was the right time for me to take up the challenge,” he said.

Asked if life had changed for him after being the captain, Kumble said, “Well, yes, I’m being asked more questions.”

On a serious note, he said, “On the field, nothing really changes. When I have the ball in my hand, all I’m thinking about is how to get a wicket. As captain, I would be pre-occupied with thoughts like when to bring the changes. So on the field, nothing has really changed.”

Sreesanth, RP ruled out of 1st Test

Sreesanth and RP singh have been ruled out of the first Test against Pakistan beginning on Thursday in Delhi’s Feroze Shah Kotla ground.

Munaf Patel has been called up as a replacement.

Sreesanth has a sore shoulder while RP Singh who did bowl in the nets on Tuesday pulled out as he felt a little uncomfortable.

But the good news is that Mahendra Singh Dhoni is showing signs of improvement after twisting his ankle during the Jaipur ODI.

Dhoni, who has a new tatoo on his right bicep was in fact showing off his right arm at the nets.

He didn’t look in much discomfort as he worked with team physio John Gloster and fielding coach Robin Singh.

A decision on whether or not he will be able to play will be taken as late as possible. Dhoni told NDTV that even though he was in a little pain, he was feeling good.

Battle of leagues shakes up Indian game

MUMBAI, Nov 21 (Reuters) – A battle between a rebel body bankrolled by the controllers of India’s largest listed media firm and the cash-rich Indian cricket board threatens to shake up the game’s biggest global market.

Two rival Twenty20 cricket leagues are preparing to go into action and have been vying to sign up big-name players from around the world. One is financed by Essel Group, which controls media firm Zee Telefilms, the other is organised by the board itself.

Essel are seen as challenging the board’s monopoly of the game in a cricket-obsessed country of 1.1 billion people which has the world’s fastest growing major economy after China. Their Indian Cricket League (ICL) six-team inaugural tournament kicks off on Nov. 30 in Haryana, home of former national team captain and the body’s executive board chairman Kapil Dev.

In April, the Indian board roll out their multi-million-dollar Indian Premier League (IPL) which has nearly 50 top international players in its line-up and is to be run in a money-spinning franchise manner.

The board will shortly call for tenders for the tournament’s broadcasting rights.

India, where cricketers are feted like pop stars, has the largest global cricket audience and multi-million-dollar sponsorship deals. The IPL has the patronage of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s governing body, and is intended to be part of a soccer-style Champions League, involving teams from several countries.

The high-profile IPL appears to have overshadowed the rebel league in the run-up to their launch. The ICL, however, is undeterred.

“That (IPL) tournament is six months away. There is no meaning in talking about it unless the tournament arrives,” Kapil told Reuters.

The crux of the battle is Zee’s disappointment at not being given Indian telecast rights in 2005 despite being the highest bidder, because the board felt they did not have sufficient cricket broadcasting experience.

Essel Group unveiled the plans for their new league in April when India’s cricketing morale was low following the first-round exit from the one-day World Cup in the Caribbean. Now, however, the Indian team is on a high after winning the Twenty20 World Cup in September and defeating Pakistan 3-2 in a one-day series this month.

The Indian media compared Essel chairman Subhash Chandra to Kerry Packer, the late Australian media magnate who shook the cricket system following a similar confrontation with the Australian board in the 1970s, though on a much larger scale.

The ICL, despite being refused recognition by the board, which also denied it access to affiliated facilities and threatened to ban domestic players joining it, has put together an impressive line-up, tempting players with financial perks and television stardom. 

ICL recruited batting greats Brian Lara of West Indies and Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq and brought in New Zealanders Chris Cairns and Nathan Astle, all recently retired. They also have on board a few ex-internationals from South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and England players such as Vikram Solanki, Chris Read and Paul Nixon who have turned out for their national team in the last year.

The remuneration is layered and the English players are reportedly being paid $150,000 for the six-week stint when the average annual salary in English county cricket is between $80,000 and $100,000, according to media reports.

The IPL boasts three times more prize money and the finest of present-day players from Australia’s Ricky Ponting to India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan.

Sources in the Indian board said that industrialists, English Premier League owners, a Hollywood actor and a Bollywood actor had shown interest in becoming franchise holders.

With pay cheques reportedly twice that of the ICL for centrally contracted players, organisers of the IPL lured Pakistan’s frontline batsman Mohammad Yousuf away from the ICL.

India media speculated that Lara might follow suit.

“The BCCI tried to do everything which could sway away players from joining the ICL,” Ashish Kaul, Essel Group vice president, was quoted as saying in the Indian media. “But the ICL will be a success.”

ICL to have two sessions of Twenty20

Essel Group backed Indian Cricket League (ICL) is planning to have two sessions of the Twenty20 cricket format, the first of which will begin on November 30 to December 16 at Tau Devi Lal stadium in Panchkula near Chandigarh.

Ashish Kaul , Head, Corporate Brand Development, Zee Entertainment Enterprises said that the second session would begin around March-April. “In one year there will be two sessions of Twenty20 cricket before moving on to 50-over matches and eventually test cricket. The second session (tournament) could probably begin in Chandigarh since we are beginning the first from here,” he says.

IL&FS, in an in-principle agreement, will also look into infrastructure management with ICL. This would entail the financial management company to look into building stadiums across the country.

“IL&FS is our partner and we have an in-principle agreement where the company will invest in building stadiums. We will announce a plan shortly in this regard,” Kaul said while adding that the formalities of the agreement are in the process and states across the country are being scouted for erecting stadiums.

Kaul adds that it does not make a difference whether the match is in Chandigarh or Mumbai since today the venue is electronic, also backs his group’s branding campaign says that the Rs 100-crore venture also plans to have R&D centres and training centres for cricket. In addition to this, cricket academies will come up in Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata.

“The research and development centres will come up after three sessions of the tournament. This will be solely for enhancing the technical capabilities of players,” says Kaul who also adds that the first centre may come up in Mumbai which will be eventually followed in all cities also. The training centres will act like camps or schools where players will be able to go back to get into form and improve their play. The cricket academies in turn will act as talent nurturers from where future teams will come.

The matches will be telecast live on Zee Sports in English while the Zee group will leverage its existing corpus of regional channels to give regional feed in other parts of the country.

“Primarily Zee Sports will show the live telecast in English but where people want to hear it in Telugu or Bengali, our regional channels will telecast the regional feed,” Kaul added.

With the focus on giving Indian cricketers a platform to play, women cricket associations have also been in talks with ICL. According to Kaul, the Women Cricket Association of Jharkhand has approached the ICL and proposed to have a full-fledged women’s cricket team.

Meanwhile, ICL ground campaign is taking place in six cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Kolkata. Players from six teams – ‘Mumbai Champs’, ‘Delhi Jets’, ‘Chennai Superstars’, ‘Hyderabad Heroes’, ‘Chandigarh Lions’ and ‘Kolkata Tigers’, visited the respective cities and participated in a host of promotional activities.

Kapill Dev, Executive board chairman, ICL said, “All the teams are geared for the upcoming tournament and practice camps are in full swing. These activities were planned in all the six cities simultaneously for the cricket lovers to meet and interact with their favourite cricketers and share some quality time with them. We are excited to see the support of the masses to their respective teams.”

Dhoni recovers from ankle injury

If first impressions are any indication, things aren’t the same at the Feroz Shah Kotla these days. It’s refreshing to see the revamped stadium – old-style architecture blending with modern practice facilities – and even more heartening to note that you can actually obtain a media pass without running from pillar to post. Heck, the officials at the Delhi District Cricket Association even manage a smile or two these days.

Some things, though, remain the same. Officious police officers still think the turf needs to be guarded with their life and the local association couldn’t call on a set of competent net bowlers for the Indian batsmen, and this two days before an important series opener against Pakistan. A collection of schoolboys – all from local clubs – rolled their arms over and left the Indian team management exasperated halfway through.

The sight of Lalchand Rajput, the manager, and Greg King, the physio, trying to get their lines right was enough to suggest a paucity in bowling options.Yuvraj Singh had a lengthy bowl and Sachin Tendulkar and Venkatesh Prasad gave themselves a good work-over too. Zaheer Khan was the only Indian fast bowler who had a go in the nets with RP Singh and Sreesanth preferring to take a break. Sreesanth, in fact, didn’t attend the session and was recovering from a slight twinge in the left shoulder.

The Dhoni question
The big question last evening surrounded Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Will his ankle hold up for the game? Will Yuvraj get a chance? Will Dinesh Karthik have to keep wicket? On today’s evidence all speculation can be put to rest. He sprinted with an Olympian zeal, comfortably outdoing Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, threw slip catches with fervour, and moved athletically while keeping wicket. His batting was fluent, his tattoo on his right arm resplendent and his superstardom highly conspicuous. Basically it was Dhoni doing what Dhoni does best. Basking in the attention and gearing up for a challenge.

India might still have to answer the Yuvraj conundrum. Has he reached a stage where he is demanding a Test spot? Laxman, who’s stiff back forced him to come in at No. 9 in Hyderabad’s second innings against Punjab recently, has recovered and probably deserves a chance given his scores in England. Sourav Ganguly, arguably India’s best batsman in the England Tests, should walk in too. It probably means another bench-warming exercise for Yuvraj, who, since his last Test in June 2006, hasn’t found a way to break through.

Kumble checks in
Mid-way through the net session, in walked Anil Kumble. It was tough to miss the symbolism – India’s most experienced bowler walking in when the rest of the full-time and part-timers were panting away. It was also difficult to ignore the irony – India’s most unassuming of champions instantly surrounded by television cameras and reporters.

Ahead of him, batting at the nets, were India’s probable No. 3, 4, 5,and 6. Yuvraj, a one-day sensation, was hovering around. Behind him was India’s latest superstar Dhoni. Here he was, 37 years of age, surrounded by the men who dictate television TRPs, the cricketers who attract the most eye-balls.

He walked up towards the nets, placed his kit-bag, turned back towards the region where Dhoni was practising his wicketkeeping, took a few catches, returned to the nets, picked up the ball, and plugged away. The first ball hurried VVS Laxman, rapped him on the pads and forced him to let out a smile. Many things change in Indian cricket but Kumble’s intensity, ever since his Old Trafford debut in 1990, has remained a constant.

Shoaib perfectly fit, claims Pakistan physio

New Delhi: Shoaib Akhtar may not have looked his menacing best in the just-concluded one-day series but the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ is fit, insists Pakistan cricket team trainer David Dwyer.

Dwyer laughed off suggestions that Shoaib was yet to regain his peak fitness and said there should not be any doubt with the speedster. “Maybe he does not look the same person but still he is bowling and bowling consistently at 150 kph.

I think he is in great shape,” Dwyer said after Pakistan team’s practice session at the Ferozeshah Kotla here ahead of the first Test against India that gets underway on November 22.

Dwyer, however, was candid enough to admit that it took lot of effort to keep Shoaib in shipshape. “Oh yes, it takes hell lot of effort to make him fit. We have looked at his history of injuries and so far he looks good. You have to consider that a lot of force goes through his body and it’s same with other pacers as well. ‘’

“In that respect (Glenn) McGrath was the ideal pacer. He worked so hard on his fitness. I can’t really remember the last injury he picked up,” he said.

Shoaib has often been seen sniffing inhaler during the one-day series but Dwyer said it had nothing to do with any breathing problem. “Yes, he sniffs it to clear his lung. It’s just a medication, nothing else,” he said.

Dwyer also claimed that Akhtar was physically good enough to survive the wear and tear of a full tour. “If you ask about fitness, I don’t see any reason to use him sparingly. He is bowling as fast as ever and working hard on his fitness.

And the more he works on it, the better he gets. So that’s not a worry,” said Dwyer, who is actually an Australian rugby trainer roped in by the Pakistan Cricket Board to improve the fitness and fielding standards of the side.

Shahrukh disappointed at BCCI’s comments

Shahrukh Khan found himself in the centre of a controversy after a senior Cricket Board official alluded that cricket matches were being used by stars to promote films but the superstar hit back saying he does not have to depend on other’s platforms to push his films.

Khan said he was sad and disappointed over the remarks by Ratnakar Shetty that stars using the platform of cricket for promoting films is “slightly debatable” in the wake of his latest film “Om Shanti Om” coming up for discussion during a chat with TV commentator Rameez Raja at the recent Jaipur ODI cricket match between India and Pakistan.

Shetty however said film stars were welcome to watch cricket matches.

BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla said the Cricket Board has no objection to Khan or any other film personality coming to watch international cricket matches involving the national side.

A visibly hurt Khan said in Mumbai that “God has given me enough and I don’t crave publicity.”

“I went to watch the match for the love of sport. It is not in my nature to promote my films in others’ platforms,” he said.

“I don’t think it can be so strange that just because I am popular, I can’t take my children to watch a spectator sport without creating some kind of ill will or ill thought in the mind of people. I am very disappointed,” Khan added.

Khan wrly said “Maybe I will just send the children next time and tell them not say they are my children.”

Khan said he is not going to watch cricket matches in future if it has not gone well with the BCCI.

He also said that he had gone to watch the Jaipur watch for the love of the sport.

“My kids are fans of Sachin, Dhoni and Sourav,” he added.

Khan said his latest film came up during the Jaipur match proceedings when Rameez Raja said he and his family would like to watch it.

So, it will be strange if film actors do not talk about films, he added.

Rajiv Shukla’s statement comes in the wake of a media report which quoted a BCCI source saying the board officials are unhappy with King Khan as he is using cricket to promote his movies knowing that this is a “much bigger platform” than a private television station.

“The BCCI has no objection if any film star watches any of the matches involving the national team,” Shukla said.

“We do not think the players get distracted by the film stars or any other spectator,” he added.

Off-late Shahrukh has been appearing in matches involving the Indian team. He was there to cheer the team in the final of the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.

He also went to see the Twenty20 match against Australia in Mumbai, where Deepika Padukone, his co-star in his recent movie ‘Om Shanti Om’ was also present.

He was present in the last ODI against Pakistan in Jaipur as well and talked about his new movie in the commentary box.

He wanted to see the Kanpur ODI as well, but the local authorities vetoed the move saying it would be difficult for them to arrange for security and control the crowd.

Yousuf, Tendulkar, Yuvraj rise in ODI rankings

Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf and India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh have improved their positions in the latest LG ICC ODI rankings for batsmen following their outstanding performances in the just-concluded series in India.

Yousuf, who finished as the leading run-getter in the series with 283 runs, climbs two places to be sixth in the LG ICC Players Rankings for ODI batsmen. He has jumped 12 places in the last two series against South Africa and India, including a rise of 10 places following a successful series against Graeme Smith’s side when he scored 286 runs.

Tendulkar may continue to break a billion hearts with his new habit of not converting 90s to add to his collection of 41 centuries, but the consolation for his fan club is another rise in the listings.

The Indian batting legend, who has been dismissed in the nervous 90s six times this year – including twice against Pakistan – was the third leading run-getter with 259 runs and climbs two places to eighth position.

Tendulkar’s series aggregate means he ends the calendar year with 1,425 ODI runs from 33 matches, including 911 runs in the last three series, against England, Australia and Pakistan. Form like that has seen his ranking improve from 21st to eighth and only Matthew Hayden (1,555 runs from 29 matches) has scored more ODI runs in 2007.

Yuvraj’s Player of the Series performance, with 272 runs in the five matches against Pakistan – 58, 34, 77, 53 not out and 50 – has also seen him climb the listings up six places to 11th position.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni retains his 18th position while his Pakistani counterpart Shoaib Malik improves one place to share 24th spot with former India skipper Rahul Dravid, who did not appear in the series.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting tops the batting list and is part of an impressive 1-2-3 for the world champions as he is followed by Andrew Symonds and Hayden, the latter the winner of the ODI Player of the Year award at the ICC Awards in September.

Among the bowlers, there is no representation from India and Pakistan in the top 20 places with Shahid Afridi dropping out of that group, down nine places to 24th spot. The leg-spinner shares his new position with teammate Iftikhar Anjum, who has achieved a career-best rating, and India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who rises six places.

India’s fast bowlers Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan take a dive in the bowlers’ rankings but Pakistan’s pace duo of Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul have improved their positions, perhaps a good omen for the visitors ahead of the three-match Test series that begins in New Delhi on Thursday.

Zaheer has slipped to 27th spot, down two places, while Pathan drops three places to 39th position. Akhtar climbs 10 places to 31st after finishing as the second leading wicket-taker in the series with seven victims. Gul is rewarded for his five wickets with a rise of seven places to 36th.

Shaun Pollock of South Africa heads the list, clear of New Zealand’s Shane Bond, Nathan Bracken of Australia and the Sri Lanka duo of left-armer Chaminda Vaas and talismanic spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

Pollock also tops the all-rounders’ list from Chris Gayle of the West Indies and Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya.

India’s 3-2 success is enough to lift it into fourth position in the team Championship. Pakistan, which occupied that fourth spot ahead of the series, now drops to sixth place, overtaken not only by India but also by Sri Lanka.

Team rankings as of Nov 20 after India-Pakistan series:

Rank Team Rating

1 Australia 128

2 South Africa 123

3 New Zealand 114

4 India 110

5 Sri Lanka 108

6 Pakistan 107

7 England 107

8 West Indies 102

9 Bangladesh 48

10 Ireland 28

11 Zimbabwe 17

12 Kenya 0