Suresh Raina's Emotional Supporting Speech Of Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Another World Cup Is Waiting For Him

When you watch your hero practice in front of your eyes, he becomes your role model - Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina, who was dropped from India's One-Day International (ODI) squad for the Australia tour, was in Cuttack to represent Uttar Pradesh in the group stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2015-16. He posed for photographs and signed autographs for the fans, who had thronged the stadium to watch him in action. Later, Raina sat down to chat about his early days, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Test retirement, his love for bats and much more. Excerpts:

Small towns don't get many opportunities to watch international cricketers play live. A lot of fans have come here to watch you in action, to get your autograph and possibly a picture with you. At one point of time, you were on the other side of the boundary. What was your experience like?

In 1998, when I used to live in the Sports Colony in Lucknow, there was an India match in Kanpur and Sachin (Tendulkar) was playing. That time it was difficult for me to reach there. So I became a ball boy over there. For me it was a big deal to look at him. When you see a star on television and then you see him for real, it is a very big deal for all sports fans.

Cricket has an altogether different passion in our country. That is a good way to motivate yourself. When I met Sachin, I felt very nice. When I got a scholarship from Air India, I used to play Times Shield in Mumbai. Sachin used to come and practice there. While you watch your hero practice in front of your eyes, he becomes your role model. You look at how he plays and then when you see your hero live again, you want people to recognise you just like him. You too aspire to play for your country. The kind of activity that players do on the ground serves as a morale booster. It becomes a motivation for kids from smaller towns and villages. At least, it made a huge difference for me. I don't know how other people look at their idols, whether they become happy or they learn something from them.

I remember when we played Times Shield Trophy, Hrishikesh Kanitkar was our captain. In those days, he was a big name. Narendra Hirwani sir, Dilip (Vengsarkar) sir and Pravin Amre sir were also there. Sachin sir had a friend in Customs - Atul Ranade. I was playing a match for his team in which I scored 264. After the match got over, he (Ranade) promised me that he will get me one of Sachin's bats. That time I wondered who is he and why would he give me Sachin's bat? So when he came with Sachin, who had four bats in his hand, I knew that one of them was mine.

That time he told Sachin, 'This kid is from Uttar Pradesh. He's got a scholarship and is playing Times Shield'. Sachin wished me good luck. So that time it was a big deal for me. When you do well and your role model praises you, it's a different turning point of sorts.

Even from UP when (Mohammad) Kaif bhai played and we won Ranji in 2006, it suddenly started going uphill for players from small towns. Dhoni bhai had been playing since 2004. He got the captaincy and since then, many more kids have come up. Be it (Mohammed) Shami, Manoj (Tiwary), VRV (Singh), (Manpreet) Gony or Joginder Sharma. Joginder's father owned a paan shop. Now, Sachin tweeted for the boy who scored 1000 runs (Pranav Dhanawade). That is a motivation for him. He will remember this all his life. It is a big deal for his family and people close to him. When they go to sleep, these little things help kids dream big. And you never know, if you dream big, maybe it can even come true.

Did you eventually get a bat from Sachin?

I did get a Larsons bat signed by Tendulkar. I have 200-250 odd bats. Since the beginning I loved bats. My house was in Muradnagar and the bat factory is one hour away from there. If you ask anyone in the Indian team, everyone is behind my bats. They are our bread and butter.

Do you have a bat museum of sorts?

I've made it like a museum. There are bats from the IPL. Matthew Hayden had given me a mongoose bat. Michael Hussey had given me a bat with which he scored a century in Ashes. The bat broke during the course of the innings. He had signed it for me. (Muttiah) Muralitharan sir had signed a ball for me. I've also kept that. Dhoni had signed a t-shirt for me and gave me before his last Test.

People were constantly asking when Dhoni will retire. It shouldn't happen like that

What transpired before MS Dhoni's Test retirement?

Nobody had a clue (about his retirement). He came up to me and said that 'I have an extra large (jersey). This is Double XL. Keep this.' I got a hint that he was going to do something. So I got it signed and asked him the next morning. It was his last day. He was having his breakfast and not talking to anyone. So I thought something is going to happen in the evening. As soon as the Test match got over, he called everyone and said that he wanted to say something. That time I knew that he was going to retire. It is a difficult time for a player. He slept with his t-shirt on the entire night. Ishant (Sharma), Ash (R Ashwin), Virat (Kohli) and me were all sitting in his room. He said, "After tonight, I'm not going to wear the white jersey."

People were constantly asking when he will retire. It shouldn't happen like that. A sportsman works very hard. He has played for so many years. He was on a tough tour. Log duwayein denge to acha hai (It is good if people pray for your success). Luckily he is a strong character.

Even today, despite numerous achievements, there is a lot of criticism that comes his way...

That is people's thinking. As a captain, you have to take all the responsibility. If you lose, you will be criticised. Even if you win, there are people who will criticise you. When India won a match in Indore, Dhoni had said, 'People are waiting to criticise you'. He doesn't want to say it. But then he realises that the water has flown over the bridge. So it was time to take some water off with a bucket.
Just because he is quiet doesn't mean that people can go on saying whatever they feel like. Only once he retires, people will realise what he has achieved for the country. When a thing is present in the house, people take it for granted. Only when it goes missing do they really understand the importance of it.

When the Indian team needed a good wicketkeeper-batsman, he emerged. He created a good Test team and handed it over to Virat. Now even in ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals, the day he feels like, he will quit from these formats too. At the end of the day, you need the trust and respect of your teammates. Everyone has money, everyone has dal-chawal to eat. You work hard to get respect inside the dressing room and outside.

Right now, he needs support. If he gets a bit of support, you never know. The next World Cup (World T20) is in India. He won it in 2007 and has won it in 2011 as well. He has also won the Champions Trophy in 2013. For any captain, it is difficult to break Dhoni's record.

How has IPL helped Indian cricket?

Nowadays a lot of kids from small towns get to play in IPL. They get to play for India, earn money and look after their families. They can consult good doctors. There have been players in whose families, members have suffered from cancer and they have been able to afford the medical costs. People don't see that. They just see the glamour. They don't see the hard work that the players put in on the field. Everyone gets their due. No one gets any more or any less.

There is a lot of money with the BCCI. When the board is earning so much, definitely there will be an improvement in the infrastructure. When there are more matches in small towns, cricket certainly improves. I had said it earlier as well that players from every state should come up. When IPL happens, people from far corners of the country come to watch.

IPL has given a lot of exposure to a lot of players, even though it has been a bit controversial. But that is the case with sport everywhere in the world. If you see the positives, cricket has reached out to a lot of small towns, be it Rajkot, Kanpur or Cuttack.

The thing about small towns is that there aren't good enough facilities. So kids get to improve if they get that kind of facilities. BCCI is doing a lot for them. If matches reach these small towns, awareness will increase among the kids. Kids will come from smaller towns to play for India. So many fast bowlers come up from small towns. In IPL, there are so many players people have never seen.
There are players from UP as well like Akshdeep Nath and Prashant Gupta. Kuldeep Yadav got to play for India purely based on his performance in IPL. He hadn't even played a first-class match. They realise that the stage is good and if they perform well, they will directly get to play for India.
Players get exposure. For example, if you are from KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders), you will get to learn from Jacques Kallis, a person from Kings XI Punjab will understand how (Glenn) Maxwell thinks. A player from Mumbai Indians will get to see how Ricky Ponting thinks. When we were in Chennai (Super Kings) we got to know how (Stephen) Fleming thinks.

Each one of them have their own thought process. Look at how well the ODI and T20I squads have shaped up for India. For India as well, we have performed well in limited-overs cricket. We have gone abroad and beaten sides. For Mahi (Dhoni), it helps to build trust and know that a player will do well if he gives him a chance.

How did Dhoni's confidence in you help?

During the 2011 World Cup, I wasn't in the playing XI. Gary (Kirsten) had told me that I will play, but I wasn't picked initially. One day before the quarterfinal (against Australia), Gary came up to me and said that I would play. Dhoni came up to me and said "Jaakar bindaas khelo" (Play freely). I was feeling the pressure of the occasion. I came at a stage when the top order was dismissed. We needed 90-odd runs to win with Yuvi paa (Yuvraj Singh) at the other end. Had I gotten out at that point, my cricket career would've ended. But I didn't think like that. I wanted to win the match and go to the semi-final and play Pakistan in Mohali.

There is a lot of learning in the IPL for younger players

I made a useful contributions in both the semifinal and quarterfinal. Those two knocks that helped India win the World Cup are most memorable.

Does having multiple coaches help a player?

Different players need different coaching methods. For me, I don't like having too many people to coach me. I need to know how my game works, how my mind thinks. All I need is a bit of fine-tuning. Gary used to motivate me, MS tells me to go and play my natural game. Hayden and Hussey were like that. They all think alike.

Does the external pressure of performing stay with you when you go out to bat or are you just thinking about the match situation?

In India, the pressure is too much. God knows how many news channels are there. That isn't the case abroad. So the expectation increases, you become an important player, you bag their trust and then you are expected to deliver in every match. So to win the trust of people takes a long time. It doesn't happen overnight.

Now it has been 10-11 years since I started playing. Pressure used to be there earlier when I started playing for India because No. 6 is such a position that if you fail in two matches, you can be out of the side. If I played higher up the order, I would've averaged 48-50. But when I'm batting down the order, the average of 36-37 builds more pressure. In a sport where there is a lot of money and talent involved, pressure is bound to be there. But at the end of the day, these things shouldn't matter because you are playing to win the match for India. You are not playing for tomorrow. You are playing for the opportunity, you have got to play for today.

When I went to play against Pakistan, the run rate was slow. MS told me to pad up and play. I made a 39-ball 36. Some players score at a good strike-rate. There are all kind of players - Viru paa, Yuvi, MS. They have all performed and been important for the team's cause.

The importance of fielding has gone up considerably since you made your debut. How do you view this change?

Fitness levels have changed. Just by being a good batsman or a good bowler, you cannot get into the team. You need to be a good fielder as well. One dropped catch can turn the match. There are different fielding drills that we have to go through. You have to train well.

Nowadays there are good doctors, trainers and physios with the team. You have to eat and train properly. Ajinkya (Rahane), Rohit (Sharma), Virat, Manish (Pandey) and (Ravindra) Jadeja are all good fielders. No one would've thought earlier that India can be among the top three fielding sides in the world. Everyone says that you need to be a good batting side or a good bowling side, but fielding is also equally important now. That is why we managed to reach the World Cup semifinal.

A lot of teams play football during practice sessions. Why this fad?

That is just for warming-up. I'm against football. I don't like playing football because you can get injured with that. But we play safe. We play three-touch football. If you try to tackle another player, there are chances of someone getting injured. Your ankle could break and you could be out injured for a few weeks.

You had said earlier that you would like to see players emerging from Orissa. What is your view on the current cricketing scene here?

Biplab (Samantaray) has been doing well. He scored a century recently. The selectors are certainly taking note of such performers. If he continues to do well and gets selected in the IPL, maybe he can play for India A or even India.

A few years back when Sahara was the sponsor here, quite a few players from the state had come on to play for the country. Debasis Mohanty, Shib Sundar Das emerged. But since then, no one has come. There was a player who used to play Under-19 with me - Sumit Biswal. He was a very good player. But an unfortunate incident happened and he missed cricket for a year. It is also about a bit of fate as well.

Uttar Pradesh has become one of the strongest domestic sides in the last ten years. What has brought about this change?

There is a hostel there that also has a sports college. Boys are constantly playing matches in Delhi, Nainital, Dehradun and other places. They play 40-over matches as well as day matches. Many players even have jobs in ONGC, HPCL or in Air India. It has all been commercialised.

Do you think Test cricket is dying?

The craze is increasing in T20s. I was watching a Big Bash match. Over 80,000 people had come to the stadium to watch that. There is more entertainment for the crowd in this. In Test matches, if you see crowds aren't coming to the stadiums.

Luckily, it is improving now. When Sachin retired, the crowd reduced. When Dhoni went, the crowd support went further down. Now you have Virat, who is leading the side well. It is good if such players play for India because fans come to watch their heroes. Why else would someone sit under the sun for five days? They too have to earn their livelihood. T20 is better. It starts at 8 pm. You can sit on your dinner table, prepare your dinner have it while watching the match. In case it is boring, you can switch off your television and go to sleep.

Although there are many T20 leagues coming up, Test cricket and ODIs are doing well. ICC is constantly making efforts to make all formats interesting. There is a lot of commercialisation. The game is changing at every level.

Earlier, a bowler had to bowl 30 overs to get two or three wickets. These days, you are playing on turning tracks where players are getting out early. Batsmen are attacking. Matches are becoming result-oriented. With time, it is all changing. The demand is such, so you have to play accordingly. At the end of the day fans need to be entertained, fans should have a smile on their face when they leave the ground - be it Test cricket or limited-overs cricket.

Former Indian Wicketkeeper "Farokh Engineer" Backed Dhoni After Back to Back Series Loss Against South Africa

Don't Write Off Dhoni Yet : Farokh Engineer

Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer on Monday backed under-fire limited overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, saying the time has not yet come to write him off.
 
"Dhoni has done a good job so far. I like him. He reminds me of my younger days. Everyone has his days. He has served the country very well. We shouldn't be too keen on packing him off," said Engineer. "We should allow Dhoni to decide when he wants to finish," said the 77-year-old in a media interaction at the Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club.

Under Dhoni's leadership, India have lost both the T20 and ODI home series against South Africa. India will now be taking on South Africa in a four-match Test series under Virat Kohli's captaincy.

Asked whether it is time to hand over the responsibility to Kohli in the limited overs format as well, Engineer said: "Kohli is a fantastic cricketer and deserves to be captain. But we need to give him time. We also need to persevere the talent we have."

Engineer said it would be interesting to see if Kohli-led Test side could bounce back after back-to-back defeats in limited-over series. "I think the Tests against South Africa will be a test of character. If they come back from these defeats it will show the grit of the team," he said. 

On whether a wicketkeeper should also be a good batsman, he said, "I think that's a wrong theory. He should be a wicket-keeper first. I was a very aggressive player. I would have played a spinner who actually spins the ball (rather than a spinner who is chosen on the basis of his batting)."

Engineer said that he never rated Duncan Fletcher highly as a coach. "Coaches always get the flak. I never really rated Fletcher. Who is he? What has he done? Gary Kirsten did a good job but I have always said Indian manager is better." He said there should not be any space for match fixing in cricket.

"Match fixers should have no room in the game. Ban them. They have let down their teammates and country down. I'm glad Mohammed Aamer got a reprieve but not for the other two (Mohammed Asif and Salman Butt) because they dragged him in this," said the former player.

Engineer also expressed unhappiness over number of spectators going down in the Test cricket. "Two hundred people are watching the England-Pakistan Test. Test isn't like that. It's the pinnacle of cricket. It sets the standards. Any other form is welcome."

The ex-wicketkeeper also congratulated former India skipper Sourav Ganguly on becoming the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president. "Congratulations to Sourav Ganguly on becoming CAB president. We miss Jagmohan Dalmiya," he concluded.

Kohli Masterclass Lifts India To Level Series With 2-2 Against South Africa

India won the match with 35 runs against South Africa - Virat kohli won the MOM award

He had to wait more than eight months for this, but Virat Kohli finally managed to hit top form once again as the right-hander slammed a superlative century to give his side a challenging total in the fourth ODI between India and South Africa at M.A Chidambabram Stadium in Chennai. Kohli hit 138, while Suresh Raina (53) and Ajinkya Rahane (45) chipped in with important knocks as India set South Africa 300 to win the five-match ODI series.

Kohli was characteristically fluent throughout his entire knock, scoring at close to a run-a-ball against a strong South African attack, but the hallmark of the innings was his ability to rotate strike during the middle overs and launch an offensive after notching up his hundred.

Having opted to bat first on what looked like a good batting wicket, the unchanged India lost their openers in quick succession. Rohit Sharma looked set to continue his pristine run of form, but his innings was cut short when he chipped a ball of his legs straight to short-midwicket. Shikhar Dhawan's horror run took another dive as he top-edged a pull towards Quinton de Kock - the South African keeper diving full length to take the chance and leave India tottering at 35/2.

Rahane, who seems to be batting at a new position every match, came in at no. 4 and shared a vital 104-run stand with the vice-captain. Although, not many boundaries were hit, the duo scored freely and ensured India was always on the ascendancy. Rahane fell against the run of play in the 26th over when he under-edged Dale Steyn to de Kock five runs away from his deserving-fifty.

The end of the alliance brought in Suresh Raina, who was batting at his preferred No. 5 position. The return to his usual position saw Raina flourish. The left-hander took on the pacers and helped the home side quickly overcome their third setback. Kohli, meanwhile, had settled into a nice rhythm and rotated the strike well.

He had quietly made his way into the eighties and then unleashed himself on the spinners. He slammed Aaron Phangiso, who was one of the two replacements in the South African side alongside Chris Morris, for a big six to bring up his 23rd ODI hundred. It was his first three-figure knock in the 50-over format since his hundred against Pakistan in the World Cup.

Raina notched up his fifty in the 44th over, but his stay only lasted for four more deliveries. He was out caught for a 52-ball 53. Much to the crowd's delight, MS Dhoni walked out next with the stage perfect for his pyrotechnics. When he slammed his first ball for four, it looked like more fireworks would follow, but India lost Kohli, Harbhajan Singh (0), Dhoni (15) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0) in quick succession and ended with 299/8 - scoring just the solitary six (Kohli) and no fours in the last five overs.

South African Opening pair gradually increase their run rate to attain the target. In first 9 overs SA were 61/1.

Indian bowlers came back strongly to stop South African attack, but AB De Villiers gave hope to the visitors untill the 45th over.

He has scored 112 from 107 balls and took the game away from Indians at one stage.

AB De Villiers fight his level best with his class century but, Bhuvneshwar Kumar strike at 43rd and 45th over to take 3 wickets to take control of the game.

Indian bowlers bowled well in the death overs to contain South African batsmen. India won the match with 35 runs.

Virat Kohli Won the Man of The Match Award for this match winning class ton against South African's destructive bowling.

Dhoni Keep India Alive With Series Level (1-1) Against South Africa

South African chase of 248 goes off the tracks after 82-run stand between Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy for the third wicket

They said it would be a batting track. It was expected to be a high-scoring game. And it could have been. Only, India was very nearly bundled out for a paltry score after a couple of soft dismissals. Mahendra Singh Dhoni did his best to secure something from the crucial second One-Day International against South Africa, scoring an adrenaline-pumping 86-ball 92 to take India from 124 for 6 to 247 for 9. In the end, it was 22 runs too many for South Africa.
 
It was a stunning effort from the Indian captain and, importantly, at the time of need, his bowlers answered his call, ensuring the knock wouldn’t go in vain. In an exhilarating ending, India pulled off victory at Holkar Stadium on Wednesday (October 14), as South Africa was bowled out for 225. The series was levelled 1-1. 
 
India, having won the toss, started well enough, with Ajinkya Rahane – at No. 3 once again – and Shikhar Dhawan putting on a fine 56 for the second wicket. However, a middle-order collapse meant Dhoni had to bat with the tail to propel India to a decent score. He put on 41 with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and 56 with Harbhajan Singh, shouldering the chase to help take India to a reasonable target, even as Dale Steyn returned to wicket-taking ways with 3 for 49.
 
There was no R Ashwin for India, sidelined with a side strain, and that meant the home side was without its most potent threat and had Harbhajan instead. Mohit Sharma was also included, coming in place of Amit Mishra. But the change that really paid off was that of Axar Patel, in for Stuart Binny.
 
South Africa was coasting along in the middle overs when Axar had JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis dismissed in successive overs. It prompted a middle-order collapse, and India sensed an unlikely victory when AB de Villiers was dismissed with 81 runs still left to score. The tail was nipped out in time to seal a big win that makes for an enthralling remainder of the series.
 
The South Africa chase had started strongly, with Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock flying off the racks to put on a quick 40 for the first wicket, within just seven overs. The stand was broken when Axar deceived Amla with turn and had him stumped. De Kock followed three overs later, holing out off Harbhajan, and it seemed India finally had some cheer coming its way.
 
That, however, was the last bit of success for a while, as du Plessis and Duminy – coming in ahead of de Villiers – put on 82 for the third wicket. The two kept picking up singles and doubles, and it seemed there was a boundary every other over once they settled in, the pacemen struggling to find their ideal lengths.
 
The stand was broken, and Axar was once again in the thick of it. He had Duminy trapped in front as the batsman looked to sweep. In his next over, Axar prompted du Plessis, who had reached 51, to lob at a one that Virat Kohli did well to hold on to at cover. When Bhuvneshwar then had David Miller caught behind in the next over, India began to hope.

But there was still the significant threat of de Villiers. He decided to just keep the scoreboard ticking over, rotating strike with Farhaan Behardien. De Villiers then began playing his shots, with Bhuvneshwar taken for a four and a six.
 
But there was a twist. Mohit was brought back, and de Villiers attempted to send him through the covers with a flat bat. It was in the air and too close to Kohli, and he pulled off a stunning catch, tumbling over as he held on. South Africa was 167 for 6.
 
It was Steyn partnering Behardien now. He swung his bat, hitting a four and a six, but his enterprise proved costly as he miscued one off Umesh. Two overs later, Behardien, the last recognised South African batsman, was caught behind down leg, Harbhajan with the dismissal. Kagiso Rabada swung his bat and smashed a couple of fours, but it was only a matter of time thereafter. Bhuvneshwar, in the 44th over, had both Imran Tahir and Morne Morkel dismissed in three balls to seal a crucial victory.
 
In the first half of the match, Dhawan and Rahane settled down after Rabada cleaned up Rohit Sharma in the second over of the day. They did well to rotate strike and kept the fieldersBUSY, especially when the bowlers erred in their lines and lengths. However, just when it seemed India was in the middle of a good patch, Morkel broke through with Dhawan’s wicket, and India was 59 for 2.
 
Kohli was then run out after a horrendous mix-up with Rahane and it was a key wicket at an important time. Rahane was bowled around his legs in the very next over, his attempted sweep failing to connect with Tahir’s delivery. Suresh Raina followed, caught behind down leg off Morkel, and then Axar was dismissed as well, trapped in front by Steyn.

At 124 for 6, Dhoni had work to do. Bhuvneshwar provided support and they focussed on rotating strike, and keeping things moving. Dhoni hammered away when he could, charging down to Duminy and slogging him over square leg to take India past the 150-run mark. The two had put on a much-needed 41-run stand for the sixth wicket when Tahir bowled Bhuvneshwar.
 
Realising the need to accelerate, Dhoni punished Rabada for two poor deliveries, sending both to the fence. But what really got the scoreboard moving was the subsequent attack on Duminy – 17 runs came off one over – with both Dhoni and Harbhajan hitting huge sixes, the captain completing his half-century off 57 balls in the process.
 
Dhoni then took a couple of fours off Tahir, but the dismissal of Harbhajan – caught behind off Steyn for a run-a-ball 22 – took the sting out of India’s late assault. Unperturbed, Dhoni continued. In the penultimate over against Steyn, he found the fence twice with excellent shot selection, creaming one through the covers, and pulling a short delivery over square leg. The final over, from Rabada, was excellent for the most part, but Dhoni then clobbered a flat six off the last ball, giving the Indian bowlers something to defend.
 
Source: ICC

India Looking To Avoid Whitewash In The Upcoming Match Against South Africa - Eden

South Africa targets clean sweep as T20I series reaches its last stop

There is a sense of poeticism in South Africa becoming the first overseas team to play in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens after the passing away of Jagmohan Dalmiya on September 20. Hoardings paying homage to the game’s revolutionary strongman dotted the roads leading to the stadium ahead of the third and final Twenty20 International on Thursday (October 8). And the visitor would have sensed the mood better than anyone else when it entered the turf for its optional practice session on Wednesday morning.

Though AB de Villiers was missing in action, the sight of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel – both of whom joined the team for the One-Day International series – bowling at the nets revived memories of November 10, 1991 when the Eden hosted South Africa’s first international game on its return to international cricket after 21 years and eight months. Dalmiya’s role to facilitate that series is well documented, and Clive Rice, South Africa’s captain on that tour, was not exaggerating when he said, “I now know how Neil Armstrong felt when he stood on the moon.”

Since that emotional November nearly 24 years back, the two countries have been involved in some epic encounters at the hallowed turf. Sachin Tendulkar’s final over in the 1993 Hero Cup semifinal to successfully defend six runs in the first game under floodlights in India. South Africa’s maiden Test victory on Indian soil in 1996, which was front-ended by centuries from Andrew Hudson and Daryll Cullinan, twin hundreds by Gary Kirsten, and Mohammad Azharuddin’s onslaught on debutant Lance Klusener. Hashim Amla’s two defiant tons going in vain as Harbhajan Singh bowled the home team to a famous series-levelling win with just 16 minutes remaining on the final day to help India retain the No. 1 world ranking in the 2010 Test. These matches are all part of the game's folklore.

South Africa returns to the venue for the first time since that 2010 Test on a bilateral assignment in a much better space in the here and now compared to India. Having wrapped up the series in a match marred by poor crowd behaviour in Cuttack, South Africa did not stretch much in the nets. It did not complain about a 10.30 am practice slot allocated to them by the Cricket Association of Bengal for a night game, and was relaxed in its business. 

Faf du Plessis is one win away from leading South Africa to its clean sweep in a three-match T20I series. But the bigger aim would be to hit the straps before the ODI series starts in Kanpur on October 11, and to experiment with the bench to increase its experience base for the 2016 World T20 in March and April scheduled across eight Indian venues.

India, on the other hand, has a different set of issues to tackle. Having been exposed in back-to-back matches, victory in a dead rubber would be a confidence booster. Ideally, India would like to achieve that its success on the back of town bench, as it would help it take another step towards finding the right composition in the game’s shortest format.

If the order in which the batsmen batted in the nets is any indication, Stuart Binny and Ajinkya Rahane, who along with Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh were among the first to bat, should get a look-in.

While Shikhar Dhawan needs runs under his belt, India could rest Rohit Sharma and open the innings with Rahane instead. Binny might replace either Ambati Rayudu or Axar Patel. And R Ashwin could be rested to give Amit Mishra a fair chance at proving himself yet again in coloured clothing after he ended among the most successful bowlers during India’s appearance in the final of the ICC World T20 2014.

In spin-friendly conditions at the Eden, where the ball is expected to keep low, Binny could be tried out at No. 6 instead of Rayudu. That would allow Mahendra Singh Dhoni to form a bowling attack consisting of three spinners, two frontline seamers, Binny and Raina.

Also, to have six regular batsmen in a 20-over game instead of one allrounder, who could be given the license to hit from the start, is a bit of a luxury. Binny has the ability to play big shots without having to get his eye in, and it is a skill that India needs desperately. Lack of consistency, however, has been Binny’s problem in the limited opportunities he has got across the three formats. He would know better than anyone else that if the chance comes on the morrow, he can ill-afford to squander it.

Binny aside, a thrilling contest would be a fitting end to the first-leg of the Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela series and an ideal way to pay respect to the man who played a big role in bringing the two countries together on the international cricket map.

Teams (from):

India: MS Dhoni (capt, wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane, Stuart Binny, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Amit Mishra, Harbhajan Singh, Ambati Rayudu, Rohit Sharma, S Arvind.

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, David Miller, Chris Morris Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir, Kyle Abbott, Marchant de Lange, Eddie Leie, Albie Morkel, Quinton de Kock, Khaya Zondo.

Source: ICC

Must Win Game For Team India To Alive In this Series Against Dominant South Africa

Both batting and bowling at the death dog host as dominant South Africa looks to seal T20I series

The rarity of international cricket in Cuttack means every time there is a match at the Barabati Stadium, the otherwise sleepy Silver City decks itself up for the occasion. 
 
The buzz is unmistakable. The chef of the hotel where the teams are staying in Bhubaneswar has made headlines for preparing local Odiya cuisine for the Indian team, and everyone fromDahi Bara Alu Dum ­– a local delicacy – vendors to policemen employed as part of the three-layered security protocol are leaving no stone unturned to be a part of the action. Close to 5000 people turned up at Gallery 6 to watch India and South Africa hone their skills on Sunday, and there was no shortage of pleas for tickets for the second Twenty20 International match on Monday (October 5).
 
The excitement is further confirmation of the role fans play in the successful running of the cricket jamboree in this country, and Axar Patel will be eager to draw some positive energy out of it.
 
Patel found out during the first T20I in Dharamsala, where JP Duminy hit him for three consecutive sixes in a momentum-shifting 22-run over, that no amount of Indian Premier League games can make up for lack of international experience. Patel’s case is symptomatic of the Indian team, which has played the least number of T20Is among Test nations barring Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
 
The Board for Control of Cricket in India has tried to address the anomaly by organising a plethora of matches between the ongoing three-match series and the 2016 World T20 at home in March and April. And, one of the key agendas for the team management building up to the mega event would be to get the balance right, a factor that was exposed in the seven-wicket loss in Dharamsala.
 
That India managed just 41 runs in the last five overs despite being comfortably placed after Rohit Sharma’s fluent century had a touch of déjà vu to it. An identical problem had hampered its chances in the 2014 World T20 final against Sri Lanka, when India made just 19 runs in the last four overs batting first.
 
As well as Chris Morris, Kyle Abbott, Marchant de Lange and Kagiso Rabada bowled in the death overs, the absence of the right personnel stalled India’s progress. Suresh Raina captures the shortcoming best. The highest run-getter in the history of IPL where he has scored most of his runs for Chennai Super Kings from No.3, Raina’s unfamiliarity as a finisher in the shortest format has meant a vital cog is missing from the line-up.
 
The first from India to record a century across three formats and 39 short of  becoming the second Indian, after Virat Kohli, to make 1000 T20I runs, the last time Raina scored 35 or more in an innings at a strike-rate above 145 for India was in December 2012. With dew set to play a major role and the threat of rain looming large, the form of Raina and other middle-order batsmen – ever so critical when the No. 7 and No. 8 batsmen are yet to display their hitting wherewithal – in the end overs will be crucial to India’s chances of levelling the series.

Apart from R Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India’s thin bowling resources also needs attention. Considering South Africa’s limitations against quality spin bowling, either Amit Mishra or Harbhajan Singh – the two most successful spinners in IPL history – could add depth. Mishra’s fine record as a legspinner in familiar conditions make him an ideal ally for Ashwin, but the lack of firepower in India’s lower middle order may mean Patel gets another go on a pitch that is expected to be batsman-friendly.
 
South Africa is brimming with confidence after its comeback from Rohit’s onslaught. The win to start the series, during which it ticked almost all boxes, yet again justifies its reputation as one of the better touring sides in world cricket.
 
It had a light practice session, with some of the players honing their hitting skills on the match square, and Farhaan Behardien explained in the press conference later how they have prepared to tackle India’s spin strength.
 
With Cuttack’s altitude much lesser than Dharamsala and the ground slightly bigger, strike rotation will play a major role in humid conditions. South Africa will once again be dependent on AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla to set a strong foundation, and India will expect Rohit to produce an encore. 
 
As for Cuttack’s cricket-hungry fans, a close contest without any interference from the weather would do just fine.
 
Teams (from):

India: MS Dhoni (capt, wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, S Arvind, Amit Mishra, Harbhajan Singh, Stuart Binny.

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, David Miller, Chris Morris Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir, Kyle Abbott, Marchant de Lange, Eddie Leie, Albie Morkel, Quinton de Kock, Khaya Zondo.

Source: ICC

MS Dhoni Likely To Bat At The Top Orders

         India captain believes he will have to bat in a position that doesn’t hamper team dynamics

India captain MS Dhoni feels the team is in a good place. The team is back after a successful Test series in Sri Lanka, they have had a good break from cricket and everyone are fit and raring to go for the South Africa series. “We got some time off and that is the reason we were able to get a fitness camp in Bengaluru and a few days here before the start of the series,” Dhoni said on the eve of the 1st T20I against South Africa in Dharamsala. “It is good to get a bit of time off and then get together as a team. You can put in a lot of effort, work on the basics and work on specifics. It feels good; everyone is fit, well rested and prepared; which is a good sign. Hopefully it will be a good series.”

Ahead of the first T20I, MS Dhoni has quite a bit of thinking to do. He needs to figure out his batting and bowling combinations and then the batting order. This Indian batting line-up is packed with batsmen who are used to playing at the top of the order for their respective IPL teams and love to express themselves. Dhoni on his part made it clear that he would love to bat up, but that comes with its own set of problems. “I would love to bat at the top order but we have to see the composition of the side and who is best suited to bat at what position. If you see our T20 side, most of our players are top order batsmen when it comes to them playing in the IPL. When it comes to T20I they bat at different positions. 

“For example Rohit Sharma opens the batting for India, Ajinkya Rahane was batting in the middle order but opens in the IPL. A lot of these things are there and we have to see which individual is best at what position and depending on that I will decide on what position I have to bat. Most of our batsmen love to bat at the top of the order, but somebody has to bat in the middle and late middle order so that they can get that many deliveries and can be more expressive.” 

Dhoni also made it clear that Suresh Raina could not be labelled as finisher in the current Indian setup. “I don’t think Raina can be considered as a finisher if you talk about the IPL. Raina is someone who has batted throughout at No.3 in T20s. We have promoted him at the top order in the past and he did really well. But, if he bats at No.3, then Virat Kohli will have to bat down the order. We have to figure out what is best for the team because we know when it comes to the talent aspect, all the individuals are well talented but we have to place them at strategic positions so that it is good for the whole team.” 

Talking about permutations and combinations, Dhoni also elaborated on the thought process behind picking his bowlers. “Yes, we have four spinners as of now in the team and we have a few part timers, but at the same time we have three proper fast bowlers and a seaming all-rounder in the side,” Dhoni began to explain. “A lot depends on the conditions. For example we feel we may get a bit more dew here (in Dharamsala) than some of the other places. If that is the case then we pick a side according to that. Depending on such conditions, we will decide whether to go with three spinners or three fast bowlers. 

“At the same time we have to decide whether we want a leg spinner, an off-spinner or a left-arm spinner if we can experiment with that. Usually when we play with two spinners, one of them has to be a better batsman. We have to weigh all these things up and then go for the best combination on that particular track. Having everybody in the team helps us.” 

Talking about the conditions and the toss playing a factor in Dharamsala, Dhoni said, “It is high altitude and the air here is thin. You can compare this venue to Johannesburg. When you hit the ball, it travels much faster and has a bit of bounce. If there is a lot of dew then the toss could be vital. But since the game is starting in the evening at 7 and you are going to start getting dew, it could be possible that the dew effect will be the same during both the innings. We will wait and watch and when we get a feedback from the grounds men about the dew today, we will decide.”  

Source: BCCI

India Have A Champion Leader Dhoni Says - Ravi Shastri

          Team India Director puts complete faith in the ‘legend’ to lead India to victory over SA

Ravi Shastri has been with Team India as the Director since over a year now. He joined them when the wounds of Test series defeat in England last year were green. He saw them fight in Australia and put up stunning performance in the World Cup to make the semi-finals. He also watched them learn from their mistakes and pull off a historic Test series win in Sri Lanka.

Now, his first assignment after the extension of his tenure is the home series against South Africa, starting from the T20Is and ODIs, followed by four Test matches. And the Team India Director is ever so excited about the challenge.

“Every assignment for me has been a big one for the last one year. You take it one series at a time,” Shastri said on the sidelines of Team India’s camp in Bengaluru. “There is no small series in world cricket today. It’s just the teams that change. The work ethics, what you put into place to win a game, all that has to be done in the same way that you do with any other team. Nothing changes.

“I treat it as a challenge. It is a responsibility which I have never backed away from, in anything I have done in life. This is no exception. It is a brilliant young team. You have seen their performances over the last year. I don’t have to say much. You can judge [for yourself]. They have done well in all formats of the game and the endeavour will be to keep that consistency going till we are in charge,” Shastri said.

Since MS Dhoni’s Test retirement last year, midway through the Australian tour, Virat Kohli has been leading the Test team with gusto. With Dhoni returning to the helm of the team for the limited overs leg of the South Africa series, Shastri sees no reason why having two captains will disrupt the continuity of the team.

“No problem at all. You are talking of a seasoned campaigner, a legend, one of the all-time greats of world cricket and not just Indian cricket,” he said of Dhoni. “So he takes over a job that he has been doing so well for a long time. Nothing new. Everything falls into place automatically.

“For the team there will be no difference. They played under him in the World Cup. They played under him in Bangladesh. So what’s different now? They are playing under a champion.”

Dhoni hinted recently that from now on he will bat at No. 4 regularly in the ODIs, and he has complete support of the Team Director.

“Don’t you think it is about time? He has done the dirty work for the last donkeys years. Give him the chance to enjoy himself,” Shastri said. “You are talking of probably one of the greatest captains and players to have played the game. I am not talking about India, I am talking world cricket. Check his record, what his achievements are in the shorter format of the game. I don’t think anyone will come close to him. As far as the decision is concerned, don’t worry about MS. He will decide on the day.”

The series against South Africa is the most challenging assignment for Team India in their long home season ahead. Shastri knows they will be a tough opponent to face but is confident his team can match up to their level and get the better of them.

“You have got to respect the fact they are the No. 1 team in the world. We know what we are up against. They are a stiff opposition. They play well in overseas conditions, better than any other side in world cricket. They travel better than any other team, and their record shows that. We know what we are up against, the respect is there, but we won’t take any backwards steps.”

Source: BCCI

K L Rahul's Funniest Interview - Find Interesting Thing About MS Dhoni and Brad Haddin

KL Rahul was braced to cop a earful from the likes of Haddin on his Test debut © Getty

KL Rahul is one of Indian cricket's hottest properties at the moment. A horror debut Test against Australia followed by a scintillating maiden hundred in his next Test saw him become one of the most talked about cricketers in India and abroad. He went on to further underline his potential with a hundred against Sri Lanka recently. The opener, who was with his Karnataka Premier League (KPL) team, Hubli Tigers, spoke exclusively to cricbuzz about his life outside cricket, his favourite movie and the sledging incident involving Brad Haddin among others. 

Describe KL Rahul outside cricket

Off the field, I don't think about cricket or sport much. I'm looking to enjoy my life. I have always felt like there is life after the game. And I don't want to be 45 years old and regret that 'I didn't do this or I didn't do that.' I'm an adventurist, I like to go out. I am disciplined when I have games, but if I don't have a game or during an off season, I go out with friends, go to different places, travelling, do something fun. I have always been sporty. I always loved doing something sporty. Play different games, enjoy my time with my friends. I play lot of football, I play tennis, any game that is not cricket when I'm in the off season.

If you had to choose one cricketer to bat for your life, who would that be and why?

At this point, I think it would be AB de Villiers. For me, he is the most complete cricketer, most complete batsman. Whatever the team wants him to do, we've seen him doing everything. If you want a 10-ball fifty, he'll go and get you a 10-ball fifty; if you want him to play one whole day and save you a Test match, he will do that. He'll keep wickets, he'll field in slips, he'll do everything the team wants. I'm a great admirer of AB de Villiers.

He has been an inspiration to me. I was lucky enough to play a year alongside him. We all know that he is a wonderful cricketer. He is also a wonderful human being. He was always there to help us youngsters. He knew that we had skill but we were little nervous when we went out there. He sensed that and so he would come up to us and spend time with us off the field. Give us a few pointers. Not just me, Karun [Nair], Mayank [Agarwal], and all of us (benefited) when we were in the team (with AB de Villiers). We admire him for that.

If a movie were to be made of you, who will you prefer to play your role and why?

The movie called Goal - Living the dream, I want something like that (if a movie were to be made of me). Ranbir Kapoor would probably play the role. And I would also say Christian Bale, I love Christian Bale. Batman is my favourite movie.

Which cricket game would you have loved to be part of and why?

India-Sri Lanka World Cup final. A World Cup final is an ultimate dream and we won it. To see the emotion on the faces (of the Indian players) like Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag - the guys who played for 15-odd years. To see them tear up after winning, it shows ho

w much a World Cup means and how big it is in a cricket player's career. So, I'd want to be part of that game, I want to win a World Cup for the country.

Your funniest moment on a cricket field or in the dressing room

It was the first day of my Test career. I debuted in MCG and I was fielding that day. It was the 89th over, it was the last over of the day and [Mohammed] Shami was bowling to [Brad] Haddin. He had him in a bit of a problem, hit him on his elbow and chest and he was struggling a little bit. I was at short-leg and I said something to Brad Haddin as he went off. He got offended - he said a few things and I said a few things. On the way back, he said 'be careful, [Mitchell] Johnson might break your head tomorrow. You are still young.' I said something back to him.

In the dressing room, when we were showering, MS [Dhoni] asked me 'KL did you say something to him?' I said 'Yeah. I said something.' Dhoni then replied 'Okay. That's fine. It'll be better if you can plug in some cotton in your ears when you go to bat, because you are going to get a lot.' The way he said it was very funny.

Your thoughts on sledging

Sledging is never funny, especially when it comes from an Aussie.