ZIMBABWE'S ELTON CHIGUMBURA RESIGNS FROM CAPTAINCY

Zimbabwe captain, Elton Chigumbura, has resigned from his post in order to focus his own form as a batsman.

While talking to the media, the Rhodesian skipper said, “Chigumbura told local newspaper Newsday on Friday that "I have thought long and hard about the job since my return from the World Cup and I have consulted my family and friends about it.”

Chigumbura is of the view that captaincy is a job which requires concentration and responsibility. He said that he could not focus on his batting while leading the side, which is affecting his performances in the game.

The 25-year-old Rhodesian all-rounder became Zimbabwe’s skipper in May 2010, in place of Prosper Utseya. He said that he enjoyed leading the team but his performance is getting weaker with every game, due to the pressure of captaincy.

He expressed that he had to face massive criticism for the team’s weak performance in the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2011. The disappointing performance by the Kenyan team in the tournament caused him serious mental pressure and he decided to resign from the captaincy.

Chigumbura said that his decision has disappointed a few team members, as they think that he should continue with the leadership. However, he added that the team has agreed with his decision of resigning, as they know that it is very hard to concentrate on the game, when one is leading the entire team.

He said, “While some still think I should have stayed on, others agreed with me that I needed to concentrate on my own game and let somebody else lead the team.”

According to reports, Zimbabwe’s opener, Hamilton Masakadza or Brendan Taylor are considered to replace Chigumbura for the captaincy position.

Elton Chigumbura is one of the best all-rounder in the Zimbabwe cricket team. He started his International cricket career in 2004 against Sri Lanka at Bulawayo. In his 128 One Day Internationals, he has scored 2557 runs at an average of 23.89. The right-hander has so far struck 205 fours and 75 sixes. He has scored 13 half centuries, in 128 ODI matches.

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KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS CAPTAIN GAUTAM GAMBHIR SATISFIED WITH WIN OVER DELHI DAREDEVILS

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Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir is completely satisfied to get back on the winning track after his team thrashed Delhi Daredevils in an Indian Premier League game on Thursday.

Put into bat first, the Kolkata team put up a fighting total of 148 runs with the help of Manoj Tiwary’s blistering knock of 61 runs from just 47 balls. In response, the Virender Sehwag-led Delhi side could only manage to reach 131 for 9 in 20 overs.

Enormously delighted to see his team back on the winning ways after three consecutive defeats in the tournament, Gambhir gave full credit to the players for putting in a fantastic effort against his former outfit.

“The guys showed a lot of desperation, we all wanted to win desperately. I never expected so much spin on such a grassy wicket. Everyone contributed in his own way, and if you manage to defend a score of 148 it gives the team a lot of confidence,” Gambhir said.

After his consistently outstanding performance throughout the ICC World Cup 2011, Gambhir became Kolkata’s skipper, replacing Sourav Ganguly who led the Riders in the previous editions of the IPL.

The match on Thursday was Gambhir’s first official outing as skipper against the Daredevils and he was pleased with the win.

Heaping praise on his bowlers for their fabulous show in the game, the captain clarified that the Delhi team is not more than just a chapter of history for him.

“Our bowlers showed what they are made of. My heart and soul is with KKR, I am not a Delhi boy anymore,” the classy Indian batsman added.

Gambhir further admired Tiwary for his match winning performance, saying that he went out to the crease with an intention of playing the entire 20 overs and that is what he did at the end of the day.

Meanwhile, the left-hander claimed that the win has boosted his team’s confidence and hoped that the players would continue with the good work in the upcoming games.

The dejected Daredevils captain Sehwag on the other hand blamed his batsmen for an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Riders.

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DHONI LEADS FIVE INDIANS IN THE TIME'S 100 INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE LIST

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, The ICC World Cup 2011 winning skipper for the Indian cricket team, leads five Indians who are included in the Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential personalities of the world. The list, released on Thursday, shows Dhoni holding the 52th position with Wael Ghonim, a Google executive, at the top of the hundred.

Besides Dhoni, the other four Indians are industrial tycoon and social activists including Mukesh Ambani, V.S Ramachandran, Azim Premji and Aruna Roy. The founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg is ranked six while the WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, holds the 9th position.

Dhoni even tops the American president, Barack Obama. Dhoni is the second Indian captain to bring home the ICC Cricket World Cup title after a gap of 28 years. India won the first World Cup in 1983. India is credited to be the first hosting nation to claim the coveted Trophy in their home ground.

Dhoni led his side marvellously through the tournament as The Men in Blue played with great harmony and passion under his inspirational leadership. His performance in three roles as wicketkeeper, batsman and captain were commendable.

Having beaten their arch-rival Pakistan in the quarter-final, India won the World Cup 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka in the final game on April 2.

The publishers of the lost describes Dhoni as, “Universally acknowledged as India’s best captain ever. He has also its most likable, exuding both cool confidence and down-to-earth humility.” The magazine further writes, “Dhoni does not just lead a cricket team, he is also Inida’s captain of hope. And he did not just win India the World Cup; he also taught India how to win.”

The 29-year-old Dhoni has had many high points in his seven-year career. He was elevated to captaincy at a very early stage and led India on many occasions with success. With his excellent hold over midwicket, Dhoni possessed sterling batting skills. He is also leading the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season.

With a tag of World Champions, Dhoni has become a marketing goldmine. Many top brands of the world have signed him as their brand ambassador with large amounts of money. He is also a brand ambassador of the Indian Election Commission. Possessing a charming personality, he is as influential on TV screen as on the field of cricket.

The title of the Time magazine is a matter of great honour for Dhoni and of great pride for India that poses to be a rapidly growing economy. After Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Kapil Dev, the Indians have also included MS Dhoni in the list legends whom they love. Indian mothers have even started naming their children after Dhoni. 

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YOUNIS KHAN PLAY CRICKET AFTER BEING DROPPED FROM WEST INDIES TOUR

Pakistan’s former skipper, Younis Khan, has vowed to continue his international cricket career despite being refused a spot from the One-Day series in West Indies.

Breaking his silence for the first time after the ICC World Cup 2011, Younis made it clear that he is not frustrated or upset at being sidelined for the five-match series, starting from April 23, 2011. "No, I am neither angry nor upset. This is part of a professional cricketer`s life. It is now up to the new players picked for the series to perform and prove they can replace the seniors," Younis said.

Although, the former captain had been refraining from interacting with the media since his return from the mega event, there were some rumours circulating that he had demanded money for giving an interview. However, Younis clarified that since stepping down from captaincy, he had decided not to speak much and just enjoy his game.

The former skipper put it in simple words that when he was captain of the side, he used to interact a lot with the media. Since he has left the responsibility, it is not necessary to talk to reporters.

Younis further expressed that it was good to see the media reacting positively after Pakistan’s World Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of arch-rival India. The middle-order batsman, who has 67 Tests and 221 One-Day caps to his credit, explained that the Pakistan team’s captaincy is an extremely difficult job. He admitted that it becomes tough for a captain to survive when groups and cliques within the team stand up against him.

Sharing his experience as captain of the Pakistan side, Younis stated, "When I was captain I remember telling that there was too much pressure on the person who captained Pakistan and this was not fair on him. I had also reminded that if this trend of criticising every decision of the captain or performance of the team continued then there will come a time when no one would like to captain the national team.”

After an ordinary performance in the World Cup, Younis has been dropped from the international squad. The legendary fast bowler, Wasim Akram, along with Pakistan’s limited-over skipper, Shahid Afridi, has already expressed that the veteran Younis Khan should have played with more responsibility during the showpiece event.

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SHAHID AFRIDI A TACTICALLY ASTUTE CAPTAIN OR AN INSPIRATIONAL LEADER

With Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies set to begin today, let us take a look at Shahid Afridi and his role as the captain of the national team. There are aspects of the talismanic captain that still raise questions as to what his strengths and weaknesses are, as a skipper.

After emerging on the world stage and making a name for himself as an aggressive batsman, Afridi’s game has undergone many transformations. Although he was originally selected in the side as leg-spin bowler, he has been followed by fans for his flamboyant batting.

Criticised for his poor shot selection on more than just a few occasions, the player would often find himself as a liability for the side, which resulted in Afridi being dropped for the 1999 World Cup final against Australia.

Afridi, however, transformed his game once again to become one of the most feared spin bowlers in modern day cricket. His 21-wicket haul in the ICC World Cup 2011 was the highest in the tournament, as the all-rounder led his side to the semi-final of the mega event.

Tactician or Leader

As a tactician, the jury on Shahid Afridi is still a mixed bag of critics. His pre-match planning before every game seems to reap the desired results. His ‘plan for the Australians’ in the group stage of the World Cup worked to near perfection, as Pakistan became the first team to beat the defending champions after 13 years.

While his pre-match strategy appears to be sound, his ability to adapt to the constantly changing direction of a cricket match, is still up for debate. Many questions were raised when Afridi opted not to take the batting power-play when Misbah-ul-Haq was at the crease, in the semi-final against India, in Mohali.

The tactic demonstrated a lack of flexibility from the captain in a pressure situation and could be one of his drawbacks as a leader.

Afridi’s nature has never been of a person who relies on tactics, as his batting has demonstrated throughout his career. The Pakistan Captain is known for his passion and enthusiasm, which he puts in while on the field.

The aggressive batsman’s strength has been his ability to unite the team and get them all working for the same cause. Afridi backed his spirit, with match winning performances to inspire his side. His three four-wicket hauls in the World Cup, along with a five-wicket one helped his team to make it to the final four of the tournament.

Afridi leading the side gives the team a sense of togetherness, which had not been seen in the squad for ages. The skipper is always seen talking to his players, keeping them calm in tight situations, which is crucial to keep the game under control.

Although he may not be the best when it comes to the technical aspect of the role of captaincy, the fact remains that Shahid Afridi is more of an inspirational figure the side can look to, in times of need.

The success of Pakistan in the World Cup is proof that his approach is not to be taken lightly and the West Indies need to be wary when they face his side in the upcoming series to begin today.

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Shahid Afridi terms Wasim Akram, Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq as his top skippers

Pakistan’s limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi has termed former cricketers Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Wasim Akram as his top three skippers during his 15-year career.
He further termed late Bob Woolmer as the best coach he has ever played with.
“I enjoyed my cricket a lot under the captaincy of Wasim bhai. Moin bhai was also a tough cricketer and a fighting captain. Inzi bhai was good too. So these would be my top-three, the captains under whom I enjoyed my cricket a lot,” Afridi said.
Describing Woolmer as the “best coach” he ever had, Afridi heaped praise on the Englishman for his outstanding ability to motivate players even in the worst of times. The captain added that Woolmer helped him a lot in boosting his confidence.
“Bob Woolmer has to be the best coach. His coaching style was great, so when a player wasn't performing, Woolmer would sit with the player, chat with him informally, all this to ensure one's spirits didn't fall and the player wouldn't get demoralized,” added the 31-year-old captain.
The flamboyant all-rounder considered Woolmer’s era of coaching as the highlight of his cricketing career.
Afridi is the most senior player in the current Pakistan side with 320 One Day International caps. A true match-winner, Afridi is a mesmerising hitter but his inconsistency with the bat caused him to be in and out of the team over the years.
An aggressive all-rounder, Afridi was introduced to the international stage as a 16-year-old leg-spinner. He shot into prominence by hitting the fastest ODI century in his very first innings as a batsman. He also holds the record for hitting the most number of sixes in 50-over cricket. In bowling, he has taken over 300 wickets.
Afridi further revealed that he was enjoying his time as the skipper of the side. After his ICC World Cup 2011 mistakes, which cost Pakistan a chance to play in the final of the tournament, Afridi has vowed to make amends by putting up an improved performance against West Indies in the upcoming series.

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Kapil Dev lauds Mahendra Singh Dhoni for leadership skills

Former Indian captain, Kapil Dev, is of the view that Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the present Indian skipper has some amazing qualities in his leadership.
Kapil Dev admired Dhoni for his audacious and fearless attitude, whenever he is playing in a game.
He exclaimed, “It is very difficult to speak about my qualities but I think Dhoni's approach to the game is very simple and straight. The one quality that I admire about him is his willingness to take risks”.
While attending an awards ceremony in Dubai, Kapil said that he loves Dhoni’s passion for cricket and the way he creates magic in the ground. He added that Dhoni has the audacity to take risks for the team.
Kapil Dev is one of the most energetic and finest players of the Indian cricket team. He led the team in 1983 and also won the title of World Champions by winning the World Cup in 1983.
He started his international cricket career in 1978 against Pakistan. He is still regarded as one of the most finest and remarkable all-rounders in Indian cricket history. In his exuberant 225 One Day Internationals (ODI), he has scored 3783 runs at an average of 23.75 and in bowling took 253 wickets in ODIs at an average of 27.45.
The 52-year old veteran cricketer praised the current Indian skipper for his outstanding leadership and performance in the recently ended ICC World Cup 2011. He congratulated and conveyed his heartiest wishes to all the members of the team, at the award ceremony in U.A.E
Kapil stated, “When you take risks and things don't go your way, you can be heavily criticised by the media. One ball or a decision can change the life of a sportsmen but it is the people, who have the courage to do it that comes out victorious”.
The present Indian captain, MS Dhoni, has risen up the ranks in a very short period of time. He started his ODI cricket in 2004 against Bangladesh at Chittagong. He has played in a total of 186 One Days and has scored 6049 runs at an average of 48.78. He has so far scored seven centuries and 38 fifties.
His extraordinary efforts and dynamic leadership has led the Indian team win the coveted trophy of the World Cup 2011. His strategies and management as a captain has always proved useful for the team. Even in the recently concluded World Cup, he maintained the consistency and momentum of the team and performed remarkably in the entire tournament.

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