Category: SPORTS

Injured India opener Smriti Mandhana has lost her number one status after being toppled by New Zealand’s Amy Satterthwaite in the batting chart of the latest ICC ODI rankings. Mandhana, who has 755 points, slipped to the number two spot after she missed India’s recently concluded ODI series against South Africa due to injury. The 23-year-old suffered a fracture in her right toe after being struck by a ball during a net session before the start of the ODI series against South Africa which India won 3-0. Among others batters,…

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The new BCCI president-elect Sourav Ganguly on Monday said “it’s a great opportunity for him to do something good” as he is taking over the reigns of the board at a time when its image has got a serious beating.Ganguly pipped Brijesh Patel in a see-saw battle and is expected to be the only presidential nominee.”Obviously, it’s a great feeling as I have played for the country and captained the country. And I am taking over at a time when BCCI has not been in greatest of position for the…

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Sounding a warning to the rivals, India captain Virat Kohli on Sunday said they will not “take their feet off the gas” and will aim for a whitewash when the third and final Test against South Africa begins in Ranchi.India beat South Africa by an innings and 137 runs in the second Test to seal the series, having won the series-opener in Visakhapatnam. “Looking at the larger picture of the Test championship, every game has value, whether it is at home or away, that is the format. So, we’re not…

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Pakistan’s head coach Misbah-ul-Haq says the humiliating 0-3 hammering in a T20 series against a second-string Sri Lanka has opened his eyes to the fact that there is something seriously wrong with the country’s cricket system. Misbah, who has faced criticism since becoming the first man in Pakistan cricket to hold two top posts of head coach as well as chief selector, also rued the lack of talent at domestic level.”This series has been an eye-opener for us and everyone else. These same players have been around for a while…

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Steve Smith and David Warner completed their return from the wilderness Tuesday when Australia recalled them to a 14-man Twenty20 squad to play Sri Lanka and Pakistan with a firm eye on next year’s World Cup.The star batsmen were both banned for a year for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal but have returned to Australia’s Test, one-day and now Twenty20 sides.”We are delighted to welcome Steve Smith and David Warner back into the T20 international fold,” chief selector Trevor Hohns said.”Steve is a world-class batsman in all formats, while…

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World number one Novak Djokovic on Friday put on a stunning show of supremacy at the Japan Open with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Lucas Pouille of France.The Serb more than overwhelmed his opponent in the quarterfinal match, showering Pouille with a barrage of powerful, precision shots to deep, wide corners mixed with delicate drop shots. “I am not a machine. But I did play like one today,” he said after their 50-minute contest.”This was one of the best matches I played this year. Very, very pleased with the way…

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South African spinners did not bowl badly and it was just sheer brilliance of Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal that has taken the game away from the visitors, lead Proteas tweaker Keshav Maharaj said in Vizag on Thursday. Left-arm spinner Maharaj (3/189 in 55 overs) bowled his heart out but did not get the support from the other end in Dane Piedt (107/1 in 19 overs) or debutant Senuran Muthusamy (63/1 in 15 lovers), who did take the prized wicket of Virat Kohli. “I wouldn’t say they bowled poorly. I personally judge if someone…

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Rohit Sharma made a dream start as a Test opener, scoring an unbeaten 115 off 174 balls to take India to a commanding 202 for no loss at tea on day one of the series opener against South Africa here on Wednesday.While South African bowlers did trouble the Indian batsmen on a few occasions in the first session, they seemed toothless in the afternoon session where Rohit and Mayank Agarwal (84 not out off 183) scored at a brisk rate.Rohit, who got to his fifty before lunch, shifted gears and…

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A change in technique after being asked to open had a negative impact on his performance during his playing days and no wonder VVS Laxman wants Rohit Sharma to stick to his natural game in his new role during the South Africa Test series.Laxman was one of the earlier examples in Indian cricket, who was forced to open the innings between 1996-98 despite being a specialist middle-order batsman, a role he never felt comfortable with.”The biggest advantage that Rohit has is his experience, which I didn’t have. I opened in…

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Former captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar believes that time has come for Indian cricket to “look beyond Mahendra Singh Dhoni” and invest in youth going into next year’s World T20 in Australia. However, there has been a raging debate on the options available as Rishabh Pant has not been able to grab his opportunities. But he remains Gavaskar’s “top-choice” going into the marquee event next year. Asked if Dhoni should be picked for the Bangladesh tour, Gavaskar replied in the negative. “No, we need to look beyond. Mahendra Singh…

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