Ravi Shastri promises to get Suresh Raina back into Indian Test unit

Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri, who at present is the national Team Director said that he would try to get Suresh Raina back into the Test side. Since notching up a hundred on his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2010, Raina has struggled to make his mark in the longer format of the game.

Raina once again gave ample display of his talent by smashing a strokeful century in Chennai Super Kings' victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the final of the Champions League T20 last Saturday.

"The more I see him play, he is brilliant to watch. It will be my endeavour really to do something that will get him back into the Indian Test match team. He is a class act. When he is performing well, he is a treat to watch," Shastri said at a media interaction at the Press Club.

Shastri continued by saying, "Even at times when I see him bat at the nets, when the ball hits the bat, just that sound or sense of timing you know it is something different. Let's hope, fingers crossed."

The Uttar Pradesh player last played a Test match in 2012 in a home series against New Zealand. He has featured in 17 Tests in comparison to 196 ODIs and 44 T20I games he has played for the country.

When asked about players like Kuldeep Yadav coming into the side without much domestic experience, Shastri said that when a young cricketer has burgeoning potential, he should be given a chance to show his mettle.

"When there is talent, when you have something different like with Kuldeep, something special and if the selectors believe that yes, this could be the guy, if nurtured properly, given the right guidance one year or two years down the line will be a match-winner not just in India, but in overseas conditions as well. I am prepared to take that gamble."

The former India captain backed the under-fire Indian coach Duncan Fletcher and said he has a lot of knowledge.

"Absolutely, he is brilliant. He is a seasoned campaigner. He has over 100 Test matches as a coach for various teams. The good thing is that Fletcher and me go a long way back. We know each other. I captained the Under 25 team against Zimbabwe in 1984 when he was the captain of Zimbabwe. He has got a fabulous track record. It is how we use the knowledge that he has in the best possible way and communicate with the players," he concluded.

BCCI warned fast bowler S Sreesanth after he posted a series of tweets concerning the 2008 Slapgate scandal on twitter last Friday. He had been told that if he repeats such a feat again, he will be issued a show cause notice. 

Last week, the Gambhir-Kohli spat attracted attention during the Bangalore v Kolkata match after the duo were seen to be involved in a heated arguement. Gambhir and Kohli charged at each other following the dismissal of the latter and were reprimanded by the BCCI sking them to conduct themselves properly. 

Sreesanth was furious with the media for comparing Gambhir-Kohli spat with Slapgate and expressed his anger via tweets. He went on to make a revelation on twitter calling Harbhajan Singh a backstabber and claiming that the real video of the incident has been kept hidden. He had accused Harbhajan of elbowing him and said that the whole thing was pre-planned. 

Later that day, Justice Sudhir Nanavati who had investigated the case corroborated Sreesanth's claims stating that Sreesanth was attacked without any provocation on his part. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/55127/sreesanth-warned-by-bcci-over-slapgate-issue

Dhawan ruled out of Delhi Test

India's latest batting sensation Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the fourth and final Test against Australia due to a fracture on his left hand. Dhawan will be out of action for six weeks after sustaining the injury while fielding during the third match at Mohali. 

The BCCI said in a statement that Gautam Gambhir, who was omitted from the initial squad for the four-match series due to a prolonged form slump, was included in the team but he too also was unavailable due to jaundice. The selection committee then picked Suresh Raina to join the team. 

"Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the fourth Test against Australia, scheduled to be played at Delhi from 22 March 2013 to 26 March 2013, after sustaining a fracture in his left hand. He will be out of action for six weeks," the BCCI said in a statement. 

"The All India Senior Selection Committee then added Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina to the squad for the fourth Test. However, Gambhir has been diagnosed with jaundice, after undergoing a blood test, earlier on Tuesday. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54801/dhawan-ruled-out-of-delhi-test

CA need to be less formal: Warne

Australia's selectors need to adopt a less formal approach to bring the best out of the players even if it means allowing one or two to sort out their differences behind closed doors, according to Shane Warne. 

Team management have been criticised for disciplining Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson and Usman Khawaja for failing to carry out a 'homework' task set by coach Mickey Arthur on the tour of India. 

Australia were crushed in the first two matches and Watson, Johnson, Pattinson and Khawaja have now been suspended for the third test. 

"If you wind back the clock to the old days it was about going to a pub or locking yourselves in a room with a few beers in a relaxed environment and making it all informal," former leg-spinning great Warne told Britain's Talksport Radio on Tuesday. 

"With everyone just having a chat, it always leads to something. The more formal you make things, it makes people not want to express themselves. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54720/ca-need-to-be-less-formal-warne

Dhoni was more assertive in Chennai: Gavaskar

Former skipper Sunil Gavaskar said captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become more assertive and added that the faith shown on him by the Board and the selectors will spur him to do better. "If the captain has the confidence of the board and the selectors, it gives him confidence to employ tactics on the field. It's a huge plus. Now that he is doing so well, it will give him even more confidence," Gavaskar said. 

Dhoni stroked a maiden counter-attacking double hundred to lead India to a comfortable eight wicket victory over Australia in the first cricket Test. "He has changed a bit from the England series. He is more assertive. Towards the end of England series in Nagpur, he was trying to be more assertive, showing displeasure at the lack of efforts by the players and we have seen that in Chennai as well," Gavaskar told a news channel. 

The legendary opener also tried to reason what Dhoni meant when he said that he never dreamt about representing India. "He (Dhoni) came from a place where cricket was not the number one sport. That might have given him a thought that he would not play for India," Gavaskar reasoned. Gavaskar felt that being a bit detached from the game has also helped him remain a "secure person". "He is a very secure person within himself. He is a very confident man. If tomorrow, he wasn't playing cricket, I dont think he would be regretting anything. He would say I had my time and I enjoyed it. If you have such kind of an attitude, you tend to put on less pressure," he said. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54560/dhoni-was-more-assertive-in-chennai-gavaskar

India race to 1-0 lead with Chennai victory

India took one hour and 15 minutes on the fifth morning of the first Test against Australia in Chennai to race away to an eight-wicket victory. 

There were some minor hiccups on the course to victory with both openers perishing in the course. While James Pattinson removed Murali Vijay, who could not clear his lofted drive mid-off, Virender Sehwag was done in by Nathan Lyon. However, Sachin Tendulkar, who joined Cheteshwar Pujara at the fall of the second wicket was in no mood to wait and smashed the off-spinner for two consecutive sixes as India inched closer to victory. 

Ravindra Jadeja ended a stubborn last-wicket stand between debutante Moises Henriques and Nathan Lyon as Australia managed to add just nine runs to their overnight score. With Henriques left stranded on 81, 19 runs short of a hundred on debut, India had to chase a mere 50 to go 1-0 up in the four-Test series. 

Pattinson extracted good bounce off the deck and even troubled Vijay in the first over - how Australia wished they had a few more on the board to defend to give the Indians a run for their money. However, with Sehwag finding the fence three times during his innings, the 50-run target never seemed too daunting anyway. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54554/india-race-to-1-0-lead-with-chennai-victory

Gambhir's absence a 'positive' for Australia: Hayden

Gautam Gambhir's exclusion from India's squad for the first two Tests against Australia is a "positive" development for the tourists, feels former cricketer Matthew Hayden. Hayden said Gambhir formed a "potent" opening combination with Virender Sehwag and the left-hander's exclusion will be a welcome relief for the Australian bowlers. 

"The fact that India has dropped Gautam Gambhir is a positive step for Australia," Hayden said about the diminutive left-hander, who struck a century for India A against Australia in a warm-up game on Saturday. 

"He always rallied when playing Australia and that combination of Virender Sehwag and Gambhir was a very potent one ... Gambhir relishes the niggle and returning fire. It was a big surprise they left him out," he was quoted as saying. 

Hayden, who turned out to be a nightmare for the Indian spinners during the 2001 series, came up with a list of dos and don'ts for the touring Australian contingent in order to achieve success on Indian soil. 

He also gave advise to the Australian batsmen on how to tackle the turning ball on Indian pitches. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54460/gambhirs-absence-a-positive-for-australia-hayden

Australia state broadcaster dumps India Tests

Australia's public broadcaster said it will not broadcast or report live from the upcoming Test series in India after deciding not to pay inflated rights fees. 

The ABC said it could not afford the broadcast rights fees demanded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), understood to be much higher for the four-Test series beginning February 22 than previous Australian tours. 

It had still intended to send veteran radio commentator Jim Maxwell, but the BCCI refused him accreditation. 

"It is really disappointing," an ABC spokeswoman told AFP. 

"It will result in it being covered through the news just like a news item but there won't be any feeds, certainly not ball-by-ball coverage." 

As a general rule, ABC covers Australia's Test matches in India, although it did not broadcast the 2010 series as it clashed with the Commonwealth Games. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54400/australia-state-broadcaster-dumps-india-tests

Don't want to waste opportunities: Shikhar Dhawan

Consistency has always been a problem with Shikhar Dhawan since his first-class debut back in 2004 but after his maiden call-up to the Indian Test squad, the Delhi left-hander is determined not to let this chance go abegging. 

"I can't blame anyone for not being able to cement my place in the India squad when I was touring West Indies last year. I wasn't consistent enough and that's why couldn't play more than five ODIs. I guess, it's all in the mind and I am not going to let this opportunity go," the 27-year-old said. 

Dhawan has played five ODIs scoring 69 runs with a half-century that came in the West Indies. 

"No excuses for not delivering but pitches in West Indies were extremely slow and the ball wasn't coming onto the bat. I should have scored more runs," Dhawan, who has scored 5679 runs in 81 first-class matches, said. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54394/dont-want-to-waste-opportunities-shikhar-dhawan

Gambhir dropped, Dhawan picked for Australia Tests

Gautam Gambhir was dropped for the first two Test matches against Australia while Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay were named in the 15-man Indian squad. 

Apart from Dhawan, who received his maiden Test call-up, Uttar Pradesh seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was rewarded for his good showing in the recent limited over games against Pakistan and England with a place in the Indian Test team for the first time. 

Gambhir, who was left out after a string of poor performances, will now captain the India A side in the 3-day practice match against Australia on February 16. 

Virender Sehwag, who has been given an extended run, might play in the middle order in case India decide to open with Vijay and Dhawan while Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja will also be vying for a place in the middle order. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54388/gambhir-dropped-dhawan-picked-for-australia-tests

Praveen abuses opposition player

Indian paceman Praveen Kumar found himself in a fresh controversy after he reportedly abused an opposition player during a match of the BCCI's Corporate Trophy.

The incident happened after Praveen bowled a short-pitched delivery at Ajitesh Argal during the match between ONGC and Income Tax on Monday.

When Argal, who represented Income Tax team, checked with the umpire whether it was a no ball an angry Praveen started abusing the batsman prompting the on-field umpires to report the incident to match referee Dhananjay Singh.

It was learnt that the match referee has described Praveen as "mentally unfit" in his report to the BCCI.

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54364/praveen-abuses-opposition-player

Pacers will have a big role in India: Siddle

Australia's pacer Peter Siddle feels that their pace attack will have a huge role in the tour of India, despite the pitches known to be favorable for spinners. India's famed batting line up struggled against England's spinners in the recent Test series but Siddle felt that each team should stick to its own strengths and not copy the others. 

"The best way of attacking India is with whatever your best line-up is. The way we've won Test matches for years now has been with our pace and I think that is going to play a big role," he said. 

However, he also added that Nathan Lyon, Australia's lead spinner, will be a very important part of the attack. 

"But Nathan (Lyon) is going to play a big role at the other end, and his game is going to flourish even more with the pressure we build at our end. Combined, we'll do well and definitely be able to take 20 wickets. We're strong, we've got a good set of quicks going over and we've got good back-up for Nathan over there with spin," he said. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54363/pacers-will-have-a-big-role-in-india-siddle

Injured Zaheer to miss Irani Cup

Zaheer Khan was omitted from the Mumbai squad for the Irani Cup clash against Rest of India slated to begin from the 6th of February at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai due to a calf injury he sustained at the beginning of the month. "Zaheer is not yet fit and it seems he would need at least three weeks to regain fitness," quoted Mumbai Cricket Association's secretary Nitin Dalal. The injury casts a shadow on Zaheer's availability for the initial part of the Test series against Australia, which gets underway from the 22nd of February at Chennai.

Meanwhile, Mumbai have drafted in Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma in the squad in place of Nikhil Patil Jr. amd Sushant Marathe for the Irani Cup.

Mumbai squad: Ajit Agarkar(captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Jaffer, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dhaval Kulkarni, Kaustubh Pawar, Abhishek Nayar, Hiken Shah, Aditya Tare, Ankit Chavan, Javed Khan, Shardul Thakur and Vishal Dabholkar.

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54274/injured-zaheer-to-miss-irani-cup

Dhoni named in India Cements squad

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been named in the India Cements squad for the BCCI Corporate Trophy which will be played from February 1-8. Interestingly, Dhoni had asked for a break and was not named in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup, which will be played from February 6 to 10. 

Dhoni's name is the last in the list of players, and it is not clear yet whether he will take part in the tournament. 

India Cements are the owners of IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings of which Dhoni has been the captain since 2008 and incidentally BCCI president N Srinivasan is the MD cum vice-chairman of the company. 

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54268/dhoni-named-in-india-cements-squad

Cricket teaches you to be humble: Dravid

It's not very often that cricket, considered to be a religion in India, and literature come together on the same platform, but when it happens it's bound to create magic and that is exactly what happened once Rahul Dravid took to the stage in the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival.

One of the finest ever batsmen produced by India, Rahul Dravid closed a celebrated international career with more than 25,000 runs. Speaking on the sidelines of the Literature Fest, Dravid said that the game teaches one to be humble. "Cricket teaches you to be humble. You fail more than you succeed in the game," Dravid told a packed audience at the Diggi Palace on Saturday.

Source :- http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54240/cricket-teaches-you-to-be-humble-dravid

We can turn things around: James Tredwell

England can still stage a turnaround in the one-day series against India despite being on the backfoot, according to spinner James Tredwell who said the team will go into the must-win game trying to draw inspiration from their first game which the visitors won comfortably.

"Obviously, the two defeats are in the back of our minds but I think if you look forward to the result too quickly, then you take your eye off the process.

"I guess we are just going into the game trying to execute our skills as best as we can and if we do that and perform like we did in the first game, there is every chance we can turn them over," Tredwell said at the pre-match press conference here on Tuesday.

"We have a point to prove, absolutely. We spoke about it. It can be quite easy in this part of the world that if you get on a bad trot, you can let your heads drop and we can't allow that to creep in," he said.

Tredwell said the team played well in the first game in Rajkot and will draw positives from that match rather than think about the poor performances.

Pujara, Rohit will not be released for Ranji final: BCCI

Saurashtra's Cheteshwar Pujara and Mumbai's Rohit Sharma will not be released by the Indian team management for the Ranji Trophy final between the two teams, starting January 26, at the Wankhede Stadium.

Amidst reports that the two key batsmen from either side will be released, a senior BCCI office-bearer categorically denied any such development.

"Neither among the trio of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma will be released for the Ranji Trophy final. They will be with the Indian team for the fourth and fifth One-dayers at Mohali and Dharamsala, respectively," a senior BCCI official clarified to the PTI on Monday.

"We have never released players for domestic matches during a one-day series. It is only during Test series that we follow the rule of releasing at least three reserve players so that they can get serious match time," the official stated.

Pacers may get assistance in cold Mohali conditions

With cold conditions persisting in the northern region for the past several days, fast bowlers are likely to get assistance in the last two ODIs between India and England at Mohali and Dharamsala. It rained heavily in Mohali and other parts of Punjab in the last few days and though the weather has been dry since yesterday, the temperature has dropped slightly and there is chill in the air.

The officials at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), which is hosting the January 23 ODI in Mohali, were working with all modern equipments at their disposal to give finishing touches to the ground after the heavy downpour. Both the teams, who arrived here today by an afternoon flight, will have their practice sessions tomorrow starting with England in the afternoon followed by the Indians in the evening. A PCA official said they are hoping the weather remains clear, but also seem confident of preparing the ground in case there are further rains.

"We have the best drainage system and modern equipment at our disposal to dry out things in minimum possible time in case of more rains. But we hope that weather holds good and there is plenty of sunshine during the next three days," the official said.

Jadeja is a perfect bowling all-rounder: Dhoni

Ravindra Jadeja's exploits with the bat and the ball have received praise from the Indian skipper, MS Dhoni, who has hailed the southpaw's recent performances and termed him as the perfect bowling all-rounder. Dhoni went onto add that Jadeja was the answer to the elusive bowling all-rounder India had been looking for for quite a while now and the only other option they had in the recent past was Irfan Pathan.

"Jadeja is definitely someone who is giving us that balance. In that way, Jadeja is the perfect person to have. We have been struggling with the bowling all-rounder. Irfan is the only one that we have got. Before the new rules were introduced, we used to rely on Yuvraj Singh Images and other part timers to get over with the 10 overs. But with the new rule, Yuvi will need a bit more time to settle down as a bowler," stated Dhoni.

However the Indian captain did not want to put undue batting pressure on Jadeja and expected the Indian top order to perform. "He can bat a bit, but at the same time, we don't want to expose him too much right now. The top-order needs to perform and he bats at No 7 for us. We have seen glimpses of him and he can really take on the bowlers. It does not matter if you're a quickie or a spinner," said Dhoni.

Indian team retained for last 2 ODIs

The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced that it has decided to not alter the Indian team for the final 2 ODIs against England. The Indians made a strong comeback in the series after a narrow loss in the first ODI by winning the next 2 ODIs by handsome margins and the Indian board stuck to the winning combination.

The 4th and the 5th ODIs will be held at Mohali and Dharamshala respectively.

Team for 4th and 5th ODI: MS Dhoni(c/wk), Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, B Kumar, Ashoke Dinda, Shami Ahmed.