Duncan Fletcher blames luck for India’s dismal show against Australia

India’s coach Duncan Fletcher claimed that his side was unlucky against Australia during their first innings in the second Test of the four match series at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. The tourists were bowled out for 191 runs, as none of their batsmen really got going. Skipper MS Dhoni was the top scorer of the innings, contributing an unbeaten 57 runs to the total, but there was not much support for him from the other end. If India go onto lose this match, this will be their sixth consecutive defeat in the longest format of the game on foreign soil. They were whitewashed by England in a four-match series played last year and suffered a 122-run loss against Australia in the ongoing competition.

Due to these poor performances on foreign soil, the critics have slammed the Indian players, especially the experienced ones, who have been unable to deliver results on wickets with assistance for bowlers. Amongst the star studded Indian top-order, Rahul Dravid was the only player who delivered against every opposition in 2011. However, his performances went in vain, as the team continued losing matches against quality sides. Despite all this, Fletcher backed his players, saying, “The mood in the dressing room has been very, very good. They're working very hard at nets, they're putting in the effort, they're trying their best. It's just sometimes in cricket we just need a little bit of good fortune.” The former English coach pointed out the mode of dismissal of the most successful Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, saying that it was extremely unlucky. The veteran batsman attempted to drive a full delivery outside the off-stump, but dragged it onto the stumps. According to Fletcher, “How often would he (Sachin) play on from that width, more often than not he would have put that through the covers for four.... Sometimes it goes against you and sometimes it runs with you.” Last year, when the Men in Blue lost to England, they blamed lack of practice and fitness issues. However, they had all their regular players available for the Australian series and also played a couple of tour games in order to get used to the conditions.

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Records set by me are not going to stay permanently reckons Sachin Tendulkar

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Sachin Tendulkar, the Indian batting maestro, wants to be remembered for not only his stats but for the value he has added to Indian cricket.

The Little Master believes that leaving behind an impression is more important than creating records. Tendulkar reckons that someday a cricketer will come along who’ll go one better, as records set by him are not permanent.

Tendulkar, who is part of the Indian team that is on tour of England, asserts, “For me, it's not about breaking records or creating new ones. It's about adding value to my team. The impression that I leave on people will last forever, I feel. The impression that I leave behind -- to me that is important. If I can motivate young cricketers, that will be a big contribution.”

The 38-year-old batsman advised young cricketers not to chase personal milestones rather focus on developing their game. Tendulkar holds firm that secret to success lies on how much someone enjoys their game.

“Records will be set by me, they might be broken by someone else. They're not going to stay permanently. The secret to any performance is not in chasing records. I think about, 'What is the best way to enjoy the game, and how can I enhance that enjoyment factor??” said Tendulkar.

The batting maestro concludes that he enjoys his cricket and this is the reason behind his success. He opines that in order to improve one’s cricket one should find ways to enhance the enjoyment.

Tendulkar started his cricketing career at the age of 16. And for the past 22-years, he has been an indispensable part of the Indian team. The right-handed batsman has accomplished everything a cricketer would hope for.

The Little Master is highest run getter in both Tests and One-Day Internationals. He has also scored the most number of centuries, 48 in ODI and 51 Tests respectively.

With his current tally of international centuries standing at 99, the fans will be anticipating a big one coming soon from the iconic batsman.

India is scheduled to lock horns against England in a Test match at Lord’s on July 21, 2011. This would be an ample opportunity for Tendulkar to score his 100th century at the home of cricket.

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Will Younis Khan’s absence hurt Pakistan?

Pakistan will be eying a strong show in the two-match Test series against West Indies, starting from Thursday, May 12, 2011.

However, no member in the current team has toured the Caribbean before. Veteran batsman, Younis Khan, who was all set to represent his side in the longest version of the format had to miss the series due to his brothers’ demise. His experience will certainly be missed by the Men in Green and will make their batting more vulnerable.

Younis has played 67 Tests until now and averages 50.60. He is one of the only three players in the Pakistan team to have an average of more than 50. The other two players are Mohammad Yousuf (52.29) and Javed Miandad (52.57). The latter had retired from cricket long ago, but both Yousuf and Younis are still available for selection.

With 17 centuries and 23 half-centuries, Younis has scored more 5617 runs in Test cricket. His record is better than the entire batting line-up of Pakistan, which will take part in the upcoming series.

The stylish right-hander has been terrific over the years for his team, as he batted most of his career as a first-drop. He had to see through the new ball every second match, as Pakistan didn’t produce a consistent opening pair.

Apart from that, Younis plays spinners with complete command, which is the reason behind his strong showings in Test cricket.

The 33-year-old has the highest score of 313 against Sri Lanka and has scored over 130 ten times out of his 17 tons. He also has two centuries against the Windies with a best of 153.

Apart from his brilliant batting skills and cool temperament, Younis is one of the best fielders in Pakistan team. He has taken 74 catches in his Test career until now and often fields in the slip cordon. He is also known to be a team player, a rare breed in Pakistan cricket.

The team will be depending on their skipper, Misbah-ul-Haq, who is the only other batsman with more experience compared to the others. He has featured in 23 Test matches so far and has been able to score runs with consistency. However, the situation will be entirely different compared to the past, as there won’t be any experience in the batting order this time around.

Misbah did a decent job in the One Day International (ODI) series against West Indies, but he will have the added pressure of captaincy on his shoulders. He has a good record until now, not losing a single match in his leadership.

The 36-year-old will have to rely on his youngsters to share the pressure. There are some very promising batsmen in the line-up. Azhar Ali, Umar Akmal and Asad Shafiq have impressed one and all with their performances recently. They will have to be much more mature in the upcoming series in order to do well.

Although it’s a matter of just one player missing from the batting line-up, his significance can’t be ignored. Had Younis been with the team for the Test matches, the Men in Green would have been favourites.

However, things are pretty much even at the moment, with the hosts having the slight advantage of having more experienced batsmen compared to their opponents.

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Zaheer Abbas interested in coaching the Pakistan cricket team

Former Pakistani Test captain, Zaheer Abbas, has shown interest in coaching the national team’s batsmen.

However, the former player said that the decision was up to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and he wasn’t approached by anyone until now.

The board had earlier asked, Javed Miandad, to join as the batting coach of the side, but the former player denied the offer.

Abbas claimed that bowling has not been an issue for the Pakistan. The Asian Bradman questioned, “They only need bowlers to coach them? What about the fielding coach? What about the batting coach? What about the departments which we are [not good] in? We have been producing good fast bowlers, but if you take the example of batsmen, they haven't produced any.”

The legendary player further analysed, “I've been watching them (Pakistan batsmen), but so far they haven't scored and stayed at the wicket for a long time. You can see their potential while playing Test matches and so on. Nowadays, these guys have been playing T20.”

According to Zaheer, the players are required to score centuries in order to justify their selection. He claimed that the team been playing too many limited-over games and should also be featuring in Test matches.

Pakistan is currently touring West Indies for a complete series. They have already played one Twenty20 and five One Day Internationals (ODIs). The team managed to win the ODI series by 3-2.

Former players lashed out at the team for inconsistency against a relatively weaker side. The Caribbean Kings were without some of their key players but still managed to win the last two games, avoiding a whitewash.

This didn’t please former leg-spinner, Abdul Qadir, who asked for some changes in the team. He blamed Pakistan’s captain, Shahid Afridi, for the team’s lackluster show in the Caribbean, saying that the skipper was unable to lead from the front. The veteran all-rounder only managed to score 28 runs and took two wickets in the ODI series.

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Afridi to meet Ijaz Butt over fued with Waqar Younis

Pakistan’s captain, Shahid Afridi, will meet the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ijaz Butt, on his return from the West Indian tour. The two will meet in order to discuss the ongoing dispute between the skipper and the head coach, Waqar Younis.

Both, Waqar and Shahid, had differences over the playing XI against the Windies and the Pakistani skipper refused to take part in the final two One Day Internationals (ODIs).

According to a source close to the team, “Afridi on the West Indies wanted to give the new players ample chances in the series and insisted they were not on tour for a joyride but Waqar kept on resisting and playing the tried and tested players.”

The source also revealed that Afridi wanted the in-form, Asad Shafiq, to be a part of the team in the final match of the series, but Waqar wanted to give chance to another batsman.

“Afridi wanted to try out new pacer, Sadaf Hussain. Even during the World Cup he was not happy that pace bowler Junaid Khan didn’t get to play a single match in the tournament,” the source added.

Afridi had requested the board to give him rest for the West Indian tour, as he was stressed out by the hectic World Cup schedule. He guided the team to the semi-final of the ICC World Cup 2011, but lost against arch rivals, India.

The veteran all-rounder also wanted to give time to his family, especially his ailing father. However, Afridi was advised by his father to continue representing the team, after which he confirmed his availability to the board.

There were some changes made to the Pakistan team, as some senior players were rested and others were dropped due to bad performance in the World Cup. The team started the series on a low note, losing the only Twenty20 match.

However, the Men in Green bounced back strongly in the 50-over series, winning the first three convincingly. They were comfortably headed for a whitewash but the Caribbean Kings turned things around in the final two ODIs.

Although Pakistan won the series 3-2, the players weren’t pleased with the overall outcome. Both teams will now play a two-match Test series, starting Thursday, May 12, 2011 and Misbah-ul-Haq will take charge of captaincy from Afridi.

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MOHSIN HASAN KHAN COMPLIMENTS CURRENT SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR INTRODUCING YOUNGSTERS

Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB’s) chief selector, Mohsin Hasan Khan, has claimed of being the first one to give plenty of chances to youngsters in the national side. He said that selectors in the past only talked about introducing fresh blood to the team, but the reality was totally opposite.

Talking to the media in Pakistan, stated, “We have already taken this bold step of resting some senior players and sending some new players to the West Indies with the consultation of the captain (Shahid Afridi) and coach (Waqar Younis).”

However, Mohsin wanted the youngsters to make the most of the opportunity and play with responsibility. He said, “I have played Test cricket and I know that if one wants to play cricket for a long time, 30s and 40s are not enough to keep you going. These new players need to learn to convert good starts into big scores.”

The chief selector suggested the new players to follow the foot-steps of legendary cricketers produced by the country. He gave an example of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Javed Miandad and Mohammad Yousuf, who constructed their innings according to the situation of the match, scoring big runs for the team.

Mohsin denied the reports of being a dummy selector, saying that he has always considered merit ahead of anything. The final team has to be approved by the Chairman of the Board (Ijaz Butt) though, due to which the selection committee is widely criticised.

Pakistan cricket team is currently in the Caribbean and have done a good job there. Although the team lost the lone T20 match, they bounced back strongly in the One Day Internationals (ODIs), winning the series.

The Men in Green have gained a lead of 3-0 in the series and will play two more games before a two-match Test series in May. The team has opted for several new players like Hammad Azam, Mohammad Salman and Junaid Khan. However, there are some senior members to assist the youngsters as well like captain Afridi and his deputy Misbah-ul-Haq.

The board has not announced the test-match squad yet and might consider a couple of more senior players for the longest version of the game.

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ICC laments senior Indian players decision to skip West Indies tour

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has lamented rumours that star Indian players, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virendar Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, and, Zaheer Khan would miss their upcoming series against West Indies, as a means to give themselves a rest before their series against Australia and England.

According to reports, many senior players of the Indian cricket team have requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to grant them permission to skip the West Indies tournament starting on June 4, 2011. This tour includes three Tests and five One Day Internationals (ODIs) and one Twenty20 game

The players added that they have been playing two months consecutively. First it was the ICC World Cup 2011, which concluded with the victory of Men in Blue. Currently it is the Indian Premier League (IPL).

There was only a six day gap between the World Cup and the IPL, which has exhausted the players. Hence they need a break from such a hectic schedule because they cannot afford to play another series after the end of IPL Twenty20 league on May 28, 2011.

Although Indian players have submitted their request to the BCCI, the ICC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Haroon Lorgat has said that it would be harmful for Indian cricketers to skip the Windies tour.

Lorgat stated, “I think it affects the brand of cricket. Everybody wants to see a full strength side. Same applies to the IPL and any of the FTP (Future Tour Program) commitments. Because of the volume of cricket, every individual player has to be managed”.

While talking to the media, Lorgat said that the permission can be granted to a couple of players who need rest. However, all the crucial cricketers appealing for a skip from the tour would not be appropriate, he added.

Lorgat said, “One or two stars, asking for a rest is okay. If five or six stars do not want to go to West Indies, then I think, it's not an appropriate fulfilment of what has been committed to the FTP".

The ICC boss Haroon Lorgat said that the ICC Future Tours Programme does not take into account the domestic events of any country and the Indian Premier League is no exception.

He said that it is possible that in future, other boards ask for similar favours if the ICC grants a designated space to the IPL. He said that although the BCCI had not requested such a window, the cricket's governing body was not going to accommodate it if it asked.

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SRI LANKA’S MAHELA JAYAWARDENE SUPPORTS LASITH MALINGA’S DECISION TO QUIT TEST CRICKET

Sri Lanka’s middle-order batsman Mehela Jayawardene has come out in support of fellow teammate Lasith Malinga's decision to quit Test cricket.

Earlier this week the pacer Malinga announced that he will not be playing in the longest version of the game.

Jayawardene while talking on the matter, stated that the phenomenal pacer took the right decision and it will help him prolong his cricket career.

“In order to extend his career he has to quit test cricket. In fact his target is the next world cup in 2015 and by bidding adieu to tests he has prolonged his career in shorter version of the game.” Jayawardene said.

According to insiders, Malinga has been carrying a knee injury and in order to save himself from doing more damage to his knee, the slingy pacer decided to bid farewell to five-day cricket.

Jayawardene reiterated that in today’s cricket the pacers have to face the brunt of hectic schedules which shortens their cricket career.

Malinga is currently the number one strike bowler for Sri Lanka and the Lankans will want him to play for as long as he can, for which it is imperative for Malinga to cut down his workload.

Earlier there were rumours in the media that Malinga had taken the decision to retire from Test cricket after he was criticized by certain sections in Sri Lanka Cricket, alleging that the player had opted to play the IPL (Indian Premier League) instead of representing the country.

However, Jayawardene brushed aside such rumours and insisted that the bowler had only taken the decision keeping his future in front of him.

The former vice-captain said that Malinga was prone to injury and during his time of captaincy he always had to calculate the amount of workload on the bowler to make sure that he would remain fit nonetheless, even after such a cautious approach he suffered prolonged injuries in the past.

“He had worked hard and made a fine comeback and is performing brilliantly. He has realised that he can't sustain that huge work load and perhaps has prolonged his career. I am very happy for him," said the Kochi Tuskers Kerala skipper, Jayawardene.

Slinga Malinga as he is knick-named sometimes made his test debut for Sri Lanka in July 1, 2004 against Australia, while in the same month he played his first ever One Day International for his home side against the United Arab Emirates.

So far in 30 Test games he has taken 101 wickets while in one-days he has played 77 games and taken 114 wickets.

Malinga has been equally devastating in the shortest version of the game, the Twenty20, where he has played in 29 games taking 35 wickets.

Considering his current form, he will surely be an asset for Sri Lanka in the next world cup which is scheduled to be played in New Zealand and Australia in 2015. 

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