Virat Kohli next big thing in Indian cricket: Yuvraj Singh

Indian cricketer, Yuvraj Singh, who recently returned from the United States after receiving treatment for a lung tumour, praised the young Indian vice-captain Virat Kohli, referring to him as the next big thing in the cricketing world.

“Actually I have learnt a lot from him,” he said. “His work ethic is brilliant, his focus is immense. Since the time he has joined the Indian team, I saw his work ethic and wished and wondered why I didn't have that work ethic when I was his age.”

Kohli recently burst into the spotlight after scoring a valiant unbeaten 133 against Sri Lanka at Hobart during the latter stages of the Commonwealth Bank series. Despite India’s dismal performances throughout the tournament, and their subsequent inability to make it to the series finals, Kohli’s powerful knock was successful in vindicating the Men in Blue to a certain extent, after a series of below par performances Down Under.

Impressed by the fiery youngster, the selectors named the 23-year-old vice-captain, despite the presence of several senior players on the squad. However, Kohli managed to justify their decision during the Asia Cup which followed.

Registering scores such as 108 against Sri Lanka, and 66 against Bangladesh, the right-hander peaked during a highly-charged match against Pakistan, scoring a vital match-winning 183 on March 18, leading his side to a highly satisfying victory, despite the fact that they, once again, failed to make it to the finals.

Praised by everyone, from veterans such as Rahul Dravid to teammates like as Rohit Sharma, Kohli also seems to have earned the admiration of Yuvraj, who had earlier tweeted his congratulations to Kohli following his performance against Pakistan.

“… he is a very special player in the making. I hope he goes up the ladder stronger and stronger. I am very happy for his success,” the 30-year-old said in a recent interview.

Yuvraj himself recently returned to India after recovering from a tumour which was located between his lungs, and required him to undergo extensive chemotherapy at the Cancer Research Institute in Boston, USA. Having played his last match for the Men in Blue in November last year, the all-rounder recently expressed the intent to maintain his health and return to the national side as soon as possible.

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Alastair Cook gets married to his childhood girlfriend

England’s ODI skipper and star batsman, Alastair Cook, finally tied the knot with his childhood girlfriend, Alice Hunt, on Saturday, December 31 at the Stewkley Methodist Church, Bedfordshire. The couple got married in the presence of 250 invitees including all notable English cricketers. At the commencement of the wedding ceremony, Cook, along with his wife, departed towards their residence on a tractor. A number of cricket fans accompanied the couple throughout the way, dancing and singing for the star batsman on the most auspicious occasion of his life. Ms Hunt, the daughter of a farmer, has been seeing Cook since school. The couple met first at St Paul’s Choir School, an all girls’ school, where Hunt worked as a chorister.

Cook selected an ideal time for his marriage to Hunt, on the last evening of year 2011. The couple started their new life with the dawn of the New Year. Speaking to the media, minister of the wedding, Jim Gorringe, said, “It went very well. There were 225 invited guests, and quite a few other locals managed to get into the church when they heard about it.” The English spinner, Graeme Swann, tweeted, “Cookie’s wedding list seems full of house and kitchenware rather than things he actually needs. Like a joke book.” Apart from Swann, the other Poms, who attended the ceremony, were Andrew Strauss, Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ian Bell, Matt Prior, Jonathan Trott, Tim Bresnan, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara and Steven Finn. Cooky, the maverick opener, was jubilant to be married and hoped for a happy and successful life with his wife. The Gloucester boy was made captain of the England One Day International team at the end of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. His appointment as an ODI skipper was a part of the England Cricket Board’s three-pronged approach i.e., a separate captain for each of the three formats of the game. The new married couple will not have the luxury of an extended honeymoon as England fly to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to play a bilateral series against Pakistan, starting in Dubai, on January 17th, 2012.

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Captaincy an easy job when everybody is performing, says Misbah-ul-Haq

Pakistan cricket captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, has been enjoying his stint as captain, as he said that it is an easy job for him since every member of the team has been performing well.

Misbah was talking in the after-match ceremony after leading his side to a convincing nine-wicket win in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Dubai.

After missing the mega opportunity to win the first Test, the Cornered Tigers did not show any lack of effort in the second game. Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka to a small total of 239 before posting a massive score of 403 in the first innings, thanks to a brilliant hundred by Azhar Ali.

Sri Lanka’s problems in the batting department persisted in the second innings, as they gathered just 257 to set a tiny target of 94 for the Men in Green.

Along with his five wicket-haul in the second innings, Saeed Ajmal grabbed eight in the match and scooped the ‘Player of the Match’ award. The Green Shirts perpetuated their good work with the bat in the second innings and overwhelmed the target in 24.1 overs.

Alongside a 1-0 lead in the series, another matter of pride for the Pakistani skipper was that not only his batsmen but also the bowling attack displayed a fantastic show.

Talking to Tony Craig at the match presentation, Misbah said, "Credit to the team, they have been playing good cricket for the last year and a half. Everyone is fulfilling responsibilities and that makes it an easy job for me.”

Misbah’s stats as the leader of the team are phenomenal, as he has led Pakistan to four wins in nine matches under his command.

When asked about his wonderful records as skipper, the 37-year-old shared, “I am happy about that [captaincy record]. Whatever we have played here, we know that this wicket, in the later part of the Test, it turns. But the initiative given by the fast bowlers was the key for us. That gave us the sniff to win this match. Win is always good for the team, and it is reward for the hard work we are putting in."

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Shahid Afridi to retire from One Day International cricket

‘Boom Boom’ Afridi has finally decided to call it a day as far as One Day International Cricket is concerned. He was disheartened by the decision of the Pakistan Cricket Board, when he was removed from ODI Captaincy last week.

Pakistan will play two ODI matches against Ireland later this month and the Captaincy was handed over toMisbah-Ul-Haq. Misbah is also leading the Pakistan side in the ongoing two-match Test series in West Indies.

According to sources, Afridi was disappointed with the decision of the PCB, which came even after he led the team from the front in the past few months.

Pakistan was able to win the series against New Zealand 3-2, gave a real fight in the World Cup, registering themselves in the best four teams of the tournament and finally bagged a series win by 3-2, over the West Indies.

Afridi was the leading wicket taker in the World Cup by grabbing 21 wickets at an excellent average of 12.85 and best figures of 5/16.

Earlier, quite a few ex-cricketers, including Salahuddin Ahmed, Abdul Qadir, Iqbal Qasim and formerChairman PCB Tauqir Zia, lashed out at the current PCB chief, Ijaz Butt, on his decision.

They were all convinced that Afridi is the best choice to lead the team in the shorter versions of the game and has proven it in the recent past.

Ijaz Butt further disgraced Afridi by stating that his place in the team was uncertain and will be subject to his performance.

The former Pakistani skipper had differences with the team coach, Waqar Younis, and brought that news in media, annoying the PCB.

Afridi has represented Pakistan in 325 ODI matches and has scored 6695 runs at an average of 23.49 runs.

He has grabbed 315 wickets at an average of 34.22 runs per wicket with the best of 6 for 38 runs.

Afridi is a dashing all rounder and still holds the record of the fastest century in an ODI, which he scored in just 37 balls, against Sri Lanka at Nairobi.

It will be a sad moment for cricket lovers all around the world and especially in Pakistan if he quits from cricket due to mishandling by the PCB.

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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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KEVIN PIETERSEN WANTS TO RETURN TO CRICKET

The English middle-order batsman, Kevin Pietersen, is aiming to make a comeback in Surrey’s three-day game against Cambridge MCCU next week, after recovering from his hernia Injury.

The right-handed player, Pietersen, has not been playing since his early dropout of the ICC Cricket World Cup, in March this year.

The 30-year-old batsman batted for first time since then, in a practice session with Surrey on Wednesday.

Pietersen is also hoping to make his place in the England squad for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, starting from May 26, 2011.  

He was keen to return to the national squad but he claimed that he was not fully recovered yet. While talking to BBC London 94.9, he stated, "I'm not fully fit yet, I've got to get myself back into the swing of things. I'm targeting the game against Cambridge next week but I've got to do a few fitness tests before that."

It is also expected that the player could also feature in Surrey’s County Championship match with Essex, starting from May 18.

"I want to get some time in the middle and some fielding overs in my legs. You can't just go out and play in a Test match. It will just be nice to put some whites back on and to think about cricket. If I get some (runs), I get some. If I don't, I don't.”

He also shared that he is eyeing the first Test match against Sri Lanka, “I want to get all that out the way so that I'm ready for the first Test match."

Pietersen’s nomination for Captaincy was avoided by the England management despite his eagerness to take the charge.

Alastair Cook was appointed as the One Day International skipper after Andrew Strauss stepped down while the Twenty20 side was assigned to Stuart Broad.

Pietersen expressed his happiness regarding the English Cricket Board’s (ECB) decision and congratulated the new captains on his Twitter page, "Congrats to Cookie & Broady on the captaincies.. New era for ENG. Youngcaptains for the future.. Exciting times ahead!!"

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Imran Khan asks ICC to adopt new ways to curb match-fixing

Former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan has asked International Cricket Council (ICC) to find innovative ways to curb the evil of match-fixing, as it is extremely hard to detect and prove the offense.
Khan commented on the match-fixing a few days after former Sri Lankan captain Hashan Tillakaratne blew the whistle on corruption in cricket and alleged that Sri Lankan team has been involved in match-fixing since 1992.
The genie of match-fixing came out of the bottle, when the former Lankan skipper claimed to have crucial evidences and threatened to disclose some big names in the near future.
Pakistan’s former captain Rashid Latif also endorsed Tillakaratne’s claim and said that the fixing is a severe issue which needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Latif explained that he was sure that Tillakaratne had evidence to back his claims.
"I have no doubt he has evidence but it all depends on how things go no. If strikes a deal with Sri Lankan authorities than the matter will be brushed under the carpet as in other instances in the past," Latif said.
Analysing the situation, Imran Khan stated that he had no idea about the source of fixing and it was always tough to identify such cases.
"I have no clue whether it happens or not. People can only point it out but it`s very difficult to prove. Special measures are required to deal with the menace,” Khan said.
Khan added, "The ICC should find new ways to control it. There should be a sort of check.”
Meanwhile, Khan made it clear that when the allegations had come up for the first time in Pakistan, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should have taken serious step to control the menace.
ICC has already announced its zero-tolerance policy regarding the corruption in the game. Cricket in Pakistan has already suffered a lot due to fixing issues. Three top Pakistani cricketers, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were charged with lengthy bans after proven guilty earlier this year.
Khan further predicted that if necessary actions are not taken, the situation could get worse with every passing day.

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HASHAN TILLAKARATNE ALLEGES SRI LANKAN CRICKET OF BEING INVOLVED IN MATCH-FIXING

Former Sri Lankan captain, Hashan Tillakaratne, has jolted the cricket fraternity, claiming match-fixing has been a part of cricket in his country. He warned that the team could be in serious trouble in the near future, just like Pakistan who suffered recently in England's spot-fixing scandal.

Taking to the Lankan press, Tillakaratne stated, “I say this with responsibility. It (match-fixing) is just like a relay. I run my lap and hand over the baton to you, you complete your lap and give it to another. This is a network. No one can ever go out of it and no one can come into it. This situation was always there.”

However, the former player didn’t allege the team of fixing in the ICC World Cup 2011. He said, “I am not saying that this match (The world cup final) was fixed. But anyway match fixing is something which has been in this country over a period of time. This has spread like a cancer today.”

According to Tillakaratne, the situation has become much worse compared to the past and the reason behind it was corrupt administrators and politicians, who have remained silent for their own gains.

Tillakaratne claimed of knowing all the people involved in match-fixing and threatened to reveal some big names in the near future. He said that there was still some time to stop Sri Lanka from becoming Pakistan.

Cricket in Pakistan has also suffered a lot in the recent past due to fixing scandals. Three top cricketers, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were proved guilty of spot-fixing in January this year. They were charged with lengthy bans and heavy fines.

There were some other players questioned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over match-fixing, but were able to prove their innocence to the board. Although things appeared to be headed towards the right direction, Pakistan’s former wicketkeeper batsman Zulqarnain Haider claimed the opposite.

The 25-year-old left the team during a series against the Proteas in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and revealed later that some players were still involved in wrong doings. He didn’t take any names back then in London, but later blamed Kamran Akmal of having links with bookie

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RUDOLPH AMBITIOUS TO REPRESENT SOUTH AFRICA AGAIN

The famous South African batsman, Jacques Andries Rudolph, is anxious to represent his country again in International cricket. Jacques was born on 4^th May, 1981, in Springs, Transvaal, South Africa. A left handed batsman and an occasional leg break googly bowler, Rudolph is a good player to have in the South African squad.

Jacques first appeared for the Proteas against India in a One Day International (ODI) match on 13^th April, 2003, in Dhaka and made his Test debut against Bangladesh on 24^th April, 2003, in Chittagong. He appeared in the only T20 against Australia on 9^th January, 2006, in Brisbane.

He has played 35 Test matches, scored 2028 runs at a healthy average of 36.21 runs and his best innings is an unbeaten 222 runs. He has five centuries and eight fifties to his name in his Test career.

Rudolph has an impressive ODI record as well. He has taken part in 45 ODIs’, scored 1174 runs at an average of 35.57 runs and he scored 81 runs in his best innings. He has seven fifties to his name in his ODI career.

Rudolph has recently finished the first domestic season in South Africa on a high note after taking part in the County Cricket in England.

He achieved the distinction of the highest scorer in the Super Sport Series and held the second spot of scoring the highest runs for the Titans in the MTN40. He also led the franchise with his leadership qualities, being praised all over the cricket fraternity, and he seemed to be a changed person.

"Looking back over the last nine or 10 years, I've learnt a lot", Rudolph told ESPNcricinfo. "There were a lot of character building things that happened in my career and I'm in a good space at the moment".

He played his last ODI against Australia in February 2006 and last Test against Sri Lanka in August 2006 for the Proteas. Thereafter, his career diminished and he looked like giving up International cricket when he joined Yorkshire for four years and then opted out of the South African national cricket team.

He matured his game by inducting himself in County cricket which gave him a boost and capacious confidence, thus, encouraging him to join the National side again that currently seems to be depleted after being thrown out of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in the quarterfinal against New Zealand on 25^th March, 2011. The team was labeled as “Chokers” once again in light of their disastrous World Cup campaign.

Rudolph reacted by commenting, “We do carry this tag of chokers", when assessing what went wrong at the ICC event. "Some people think it's fair, others think it's unfair. I think, to a degree, that it's unfair. But, in pressure situations, we just haven't been able to go through".

Rudolph anticipates being back in the South African side soon and will enable them to come out of the pressure with positive results in prestigious games with his ability to lead them from the front in future, provided they have faith in his leadership qualities.

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South Africa batsman Jacques Rudolph eyeing a comeback to international cricket

South African batsman Jacques Rudolph has claimed to be ready for an International comeback, after showing some strong performances in the domestic season. He last played for the national-side back in 2006, but has been unable to impress the selectors since then. The stylish left-hander has represented his team in 35 Test matches, 45 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and just one T20 game.
The 29-year-old stated, “Looking back over the last nine or 10 years, I've learnt a lot. There were a lot of character building things that happened in my career and I'm in a good space at the moment. My first priority is to try and get back into the team and to establish myself in all three forms of the game.”
Rudolph doesn’t have good memories of the last matches he played for his team in any format of the game. The last international game he played for his country was a Test match against Sri Lanka, in August 2006. However, he was unable to make an impression back then, scoring a total of 28 runs in both his innings. The Proteas lost that match by just one wicket in the end.
South Africa were also on the losing side in the last ODI and T20, which featured Rudolph. The promising left-hander would want to change this history and contribute to his team’s success in the future, especially in difficult circumstances. He performed well under pressure situations in the domestic events, both as a player and a leader of the Titans.
Commenting on his team’s inability to perform in pressure situations, Rudolph stated, “We do carry this tag of chokers. Some people think it's fair, others think it's unfair. I think, to a degree, that it's unfair. But, in pressure situations, we just haven't been able to go through.”
Like many other South Africans, Rudolph was also disappointed over his team’s failure to live up to the expectations in the ICC World Cup 2011. The Proteas had a very strong start to the tournament, ending up at the top of their pool. However, they were unable to go through the knockout stages, losing their quarter-final match against a weaker New Zealand side.

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Malinga grateful to IPL for his cricket comeback

The charismatic Sri Lankan fast bowler, Lasith Malinga, felt disappointed by his country’ s board when he was not looked after well and did not get treatment after his knee injury, which could have finished his career.

Malinga claims that it was only because of the Indian Premier League (IPL) he was able to come back to the cricket fields again.

He sustained an injury in early 2008, which kept him out of the game, and, he was unable to play for Sri Lanka until August, 2009 and he pretended that could have been the end of his career.

He appeared in the IPL in 2009, got back his confidence by gaining rhythm and was able to grab 18 wickets representing Mumbai Indians. His performance brought him back in the limelight and he was selected to represent his country again.

"Because of the IPL I got a chance to come back to the national team", he said at a media conference in Colombo. "After the injury nobody looked after me and I was not offered a contract. The 2008 interim committee did not care for my well-being. But thanks to the IPL I didn't lose anything but I improved my cricket a lot. I'm saddened the way I was treated but not disappointed".

Malinga has announced his retirement from Test cricket and will be concentrating on the shorter versions of the game for IPL and his country. Earlier, Sri Lanka’s cricket board had asked all their players participating in the IPL to report back in preparation with the forthcoming tour of England.

Quite a few players left back as Malinga continued playing in IPL and informed the Board that he will be available for One Day Internationals (ODI) and T20 matches.

He reiterated that he was fit enough to play Test cricket but it will take a long time to recover if he suffers an injury again, while it is easy to recover if he gets an injury in an ODI or T20 match.

"My doctors in Australia had said that mine was a rare type of injury and that I would not be able to play again. But thanks to President Mahinda Rajapaksa's private physician, Dr Eliyantha White, who treated me, I was able to play for the national team again.

Malinga responded to undue criticism going on in the news that he was declining to play for Sri Lanka, as there was more money involved in IPL. He stressed that the retirement from Test has nothing to do with money, as he wants to concentrate on shorter phases of cricket and don’t want to grab an injury again, which can put him away from the game forever.

He has taken 101 wickets in Test cricket, 127 in ODIs and 35 in T20 cricket, while representing his country and he is only the third player to pocket 100 wickets for Sri Lanka in Test cricket after Muttiah Muralitharan (800) wickets and Chaminda Vaas, who has grabbed 355 wickets.

Malinga commented that it was a matter of great honour to play for his country and he anticipates a dedicated performance in the 2012 T20 World Cup and the ICC World Cup 2015.

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Khawaja Hussain Sayed blames PCB for degradation of cricket in Pakistan

Pakistan historian, Khawaja Hussain Sayed believes that the current and past PCB managements should be held accountable for the decaying state of cricket in the country. Pakistan cricket has suffered the brunt of wrong decisions made by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“Twenty years ago, nobody can criticise Pakistan team in Sharjah but the present management brought the Pakistan team at a stage where they are only on receiving ends,” Khawaja Hussain Sayed claimed, before prophesying that cricket will suffer the fate of hockey if effective policies were not enforced.

He was disappointed at Pakistan’s defeat against India in the ICC World Cup 2011 and condemned the government for bestowing honour upon the players after such a crucial loss.

India stormed into the World Cup finals after handing Pakistan a 29-run defeat in the semi-final clash at Mohali.

“PCB and government honouring players despite the semi-final loss against arch-rivals India which is a very shameful thing while the players are busy in minting money and left country’s interest behind,” he criticized.

Meanwhile, cricket analyst Chaudhary Javed Elahi claimed that Pakistan team can never forget the honour they received from Sri Lanka during the World Cup 2011. He was grateful to the Sri Lankan government and nation for their hospitable treatment towards the Men in Green.

He urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to organize a reception dinner in honour of the Sri Lankan Consul General to return the favour.

According to Javed Elahi, a change of faces in the cricket board will not prove advantageous for the squad’s performance. A revolutionized system is however, imperative for the betterment of players and development of the sport.

Javed Elahi criticized Shahid Afridi as the skipper of the Pakistan team, saying that he lacks the leadership abilities. Rendering him an incapable captain, Javed added that Afridi cannot make timely on-field decisions when the situation of the match changes.

He concluded that the Pakistan cricket fans want to see the game back in Pakistan, urging PCB management to chalk out important strategies and take crucial steps to improve the state of cricket in Pakistan.

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MICHAEL YARDY SET TO RETURN TO COMPETITIVE CRICKET

English spinner, Michael Yardy, who had to leave the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup 2011 due to depression, has recovered completely and is set to resume cricket while playing for his county, Sussex.

The all-rounder, who left before England’s quarter-final loss to Sri Lanka in the recently ended World Cup, has performed in a practice match yesterday. Yardy looked consistent during the training session of the English team.

Head Coach of the English Cricket Team, Robinson-c74734' title='Mark Robinson'>Mark Robinson has also confirmed that Yardy has recovered his battle over depression and has returned to the cricket field in complete momentum. He added that the 30-year-old English country club captain can now play first class cricket, as he has regained his lost form.

Robinson said that Yardy would return to competitive cricket in their next week's clash against Hampshire in the County Championship.

The Head Coach added, “He is going well. Every week he has practiced more. The first time he came in once and last week he came in three times and this week he was in every day, including Saturday, and so he is getting close.”

Robinson is of the view that Yardy has been working hard in the practice sessions and his inclusion in the English squad would be finalized after the training sessions end.

The Head Coach claimed that Yardy is one of the finest players in English cricket and his addition in the team would be fruitful for the team’s success in future matches.

He stated, “But it is just like anybody being injured. You have to give them time to heal properly and what you don't want to do is rush them back so that they have a recurrence of the injury. It's the same for Yards. So we have just got to keep talking to him and keep giving him time. He is increasing his workload.”

The English camp expressed their content on Yardy’s participation in the training sessions. They are hopeful that he would be given a chance to perform in the upcoming tournament, along with the rest of the team.

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KUMAR SANGAKKARA, MAHELA JAYAWARDENE BACK LASITH MALINGA’S DECISION TO QUIT TEST CRICKET

Former Sri Lanka skippers Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have endorsed paceman Lasith Malinga’s decision of retiring from Test cricket due to a worsening knee condition.

Malinga, who is playing in the Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians these days, announced his retirement from Test cricket on Friday, April 22, 2011 and vowed to pay complete attention to just One Day International and Twenty20 cricket.

The injury-prone pacer had recently withdrawn his name from Sri Lanka’s upcoming tour to England as well. However, after being questioned by the Sri Lanka Cricket about his participation in the lucrative IPL, Malinga made the sudden move to bid adieu to the longest format of the game.

The fast bowler has been blamed for preferring to play club cricket over country. The slinging action bowler, however, clarified that he announced his retirement from Tests in a bid to prolong his career in the shorter version of the game.

Along with 127 wickets in 84 ODIs at an average of 26.84, the 27-year-old paceman has picked up 101 wickets in 30 Tests since making his debut against Australia in 2004.

Malinga claimed that although he had plans to quit Test cricket, the timing of his retirement made the situation awkward.

The former Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara has stated that Malinga’s decision was in team’s interest while Mahela Jayawardene considered that it was the right call from the pacer from a personal point of view.

“While I was captain we tried to manage him as carefully and sensitively as possible during the past couple of years,” Sangakkara said.

“The truth is that Lasith is our best fast bowler in limited-overs cricket right now. If we forced him to play Tests we would be running the risk of losing him completely,” the Lankan wicket-keeper batsman added.

Sangakkara further said that Malinga’s presence in Sri Lanka’s ODI and Twenty20 set-up is a huge blessing. Considering Malinga as a team-man, Sangakkara further rubbished all allegations that the fast bowler quit Test cricket in order to extend his participation in the ongoing IPL.

Ensuring his full support to the fast bowler, Sangakkara made it clear that it is his injury problem which forced him to leave Test cricket.

Meanwhile, Jayawardene described that with a severe knee injury, it is pointless to risk Malinga for five-day cricket.

“If he breaks down then it will be bad for Sri Lanka. Some people have criticised the decision, arguing that he is being selfish. This short-sighted argument is very unfair given that he clearly has a chronic knee problem,” Jayawardene said.

The classy right-hander further explained that if Malinga had kept playing Tests despite injury, it could have put a full stop on his cricketing career altogether.

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