Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Captaincy decision will be taken by BCCI: MS Dhoni on making Virat Kohli skipper in all formats


Ahead of Team India's tour to Zimbabwe, limited-overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni addressed the media on Tuesday.
During the short sojourn, India are slated to play three ODIs and three T20Is.
Sandeep Patil-led selection committee has picked a young team, with the intention of testing the bench strength on the tour, which will kickstart from June 11.
Though, Zimbabwe are considered minnows, Dhoni feels that it's going to be a different experience for him while leading a less inexperienced side.
“It will be a different experience. I will be playing with many players for the first time,” Dhoni was quoted as saying by ANI.
Mahi believes his biggest challenge would be slot placing in the batting order.
“Zimbabwe can be challenging at times, our challenge will be slot placing in the batting order,” added Dhoni.
When asked about BCCI's Hindi language criteria for the next coach, Dhoni tried to elaborate the idea behind it: “Hindi can be a criteria but not the only criteria. Language is not a concern, a coach should understand our culture.”
While answering a tricky question of giving Virat Kohli the captaincy in all 3 formats, Captain Cool put the ball in BCCI's court by saying: “I enjoy my game, captaincy decision will be taken by BCCI.”  

Monday, June 6, 2016

WATCH: Yuvraj Singh loses cool, storms off over Virat Kohli captaincy question

 India's Test skipper Virat Kohli on Friday hosted a charity dinner in association with Smile Foundation to raise funds for empowerment of underprivileged children.
Superstars cricketers, Bollywood celebrities and industry bigwigs attended the function, which catered to a great cause.
Before the start of the event however, a minor incident featuring India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh went unnoticed.
The star left-hander lost his cool when asked about the prospects of Virat Kohli taking over full-time captaincy of the Indian team.
"I'm here to talk about the event. I'm not here to talk about cricket. Okay? Thank you," said Yuvi as he stormed off without taking any further questions.

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Sanjay Bangar appointed as India's head coach for Zimbabwe tour by BCCI


The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Sanjay Bangar as India's head coach for the team's tour to Zimbabwe.
Bangar, a former India and Railways all-rounder, had worked as an assistant coach under former team director Ravi Shastri. He will be joined by Abhay Sharma as India's fielding coach for the tour. His has worked with the India Under-19 and A teams.
BCCI had entrusted the task of finding India's new coach to the Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising former India players Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman.
Surprisingly, Ganguly said last Sunday that it will take another couple of months to find a suitable candidate for the high-profile position.
And many expected that the team will be without a full-time coach during the Zimbabwe tour, which begins June 11.
"Mr. Sanjay Bangar has been appointed as the Head Coach of the Indian cricket team for the forthcoming tour to Zimbabwe, which commences on the 8th of June comprising 3 One-Day International matches and 3 T20 International matches to be played in Harare," BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke said in a statement.
But, Bharat Arun and R Sridhar's names did not figure in the support staff for the upcoming tour.
Arun was employed for a while as the senior team's bowling coach. Abhay will replace Sridhar as the fielding coach. He has been working as the India U-19 fielding coach under Rahul Dravid.
The board statement further read, "The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Mr. Koka Ramesh, a former cricketer and Zonal Secretary of the Andhra Cricket Association, as the Administrative Manager of the Indian team for the tour to Zimbabwe."
India play three T20s and three ODIs in Zimbabwe. The selectors had named a largely inexperienced squad for the tour, which will be led by MS Dhoni.
Post the short tour of Zimbabwe, India travel to the West Indies for a four-match Test series in July-August.

For India's coaching job: BCCI looking for candidate who can meet these 9 criteria

The Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) on Wednesday posted an advertisement seeking a suitable candidate for India's coaching job.
The post has been left vacant ever since Ravi Shastri's contract came to an end after ICC World Twenty20.
1. Should have successfully coached a cricket team of any of the member countries of the ICC, at the first class or at the International level.
2. It is preferred that the candidate should be qualified through a certification/assessment program conducted by any of the full member countries and currently possess such a valid certification.
3. Should be able to prepare and present a coaching plan elaborating the approach for ‘Team India’ to attain leadership position in all formats of the game.
4. Demonstrate methods/tools to effectively measure individual player performance and present metrics to the Board, which will in turn measure the performance of the team, on a consistent and timely basis.
5. Demonstrate an understanding and ability of employing a multi disciplinary approach that will include sports psychology and sports medicine, and effectively manage the work load of the players, thereby enhancing their contribution to the cause of the team.
6. Communication skills befitting the coach of an International team are mandatory along with the ability to effectively convey the right messages and must demonstrate proficiency in English. It is desirable to communicate in Hindi and other regional Indian languages.
7. Should be well versed with the latest technologies/trends in sports software and ability to utilise the same, which will assist in analysing/ improving the performance of the player and the team.
8. Mandatory that the candidate should have an impeccable personal record, devoid of any past or current disputes, with any of the member boards of the ICC or its affiliates.
9. Demonstrate plans and ability to contribute to the NCA Cricket Development Programmes and forecasting/planning to develop the next generation cricketer and agree to make themselves available for the NCA, as and when they are not with the team.
The Indian board has asked the eligible candidates to send their applications on or before the 10th of June 2016 at Coachappointment@bcci.tv

Sandeep Patil: BCCI's chief selector wants to become India's next coach

The BCCI's chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil has probably become the first big name to submit his application for the post of Indian cricket coach.
“Yes, I have applied for Indian team coach job,” Sandeep Patil told The Indian Express.
Patil, who has coaching experience thanks to stints with Kenyan national team and various age-group Indian teams, took over as chairman of selectors in September 2012, and his four-year term is about to end.
He will be one of the many candidates in contention for the top job. The report also claimed that selector Vikram Rathour, Pravin Amre, Lalchand Rajput and Hrishikesh Kanitkar are all set to apply for the post.
Even Ravi Shashtri, whose tenure as team director ended recently, is likely to submit his application sooner than later.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

PCB confident of getting Mohammad Amir's visa for England tour


Pakistan Cricket Board is confident that tainted left-arm pacer Mohammad Aamir will soon be issued a visa to play in the series against England in the United Kingdom this summer.
A top official of the Board today said that all the homework done to secure a visa for Aamir should bear fruit by next week.
"We see no reason for Aamir not to get a visa because we have been in touch with the England and Wales Cricket Board and the UK authorities and we were told that while Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif would not be welcome to tour England the case is different for Aamir," he said.
He said the PCB had prepared a separate case for Aamir while sending his documents for the visa to the UK High Commission in Islamabad.
Along with former captain Salman Butt and fellow pacer Muhammad Asif, Aamir was found guilty of spot-fixing by the ICC and later by a crown court in London during Pakistan's tour to England in 2010.
Aamir made his international comeback in January in New Zealand after serving a five-year ban.
UK visa laws state that a foreign individual's visa application will be denied for up to 10 years if the individual has served a jail sentence of one year to four years within the UK.
The official said that ECB's top officials had been very cooperative in the matter.
"Aamir was not technically deported from the UK like Butt and Asif in the spot-fixing case," he added.
The official said the Board only decided to apply for a visa for Aamir after legal consultations. He said if Aamir got the visa he would undergo a special course to prepare him for the long tour starting in late June.
"He will be given a full briefing on what to expect in England and how to avoid controversies in the media or on the field," the official said.
The official confirmed that the move to appoint Englishman Brian Murgatroyd as the media manager with the Pakistan team for the tour had not been successful.
"We are now looking at other options as we know how important it will be to properly interact with the media and avoid controversies or scandals on the tour," he added.

It's a good thing that Mohammed Amir is back playing, says ICC chief David Richardson

International Cricket Council chief executive David Richardson expects Pakistan quick bowler Mohammad Amir to tour England next month, saying the former spot-fixer`s return is a "good thing" for the sport.
Amir, 24, featured in two one-day internationals against New Zealand in January and the Pakistan Cricket Board have approached their English counterparts for help in securing a visa for the talented left-armer.
He was given a six-month prison sentence, of which he served half in a UK young offenders` institute, on charges of conspiracy to accept corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat at gambling after bowling deliberate no-balls during the Lord`s Test in August 2010.
The same spot-fixing scandal also saw fellow paceman Mohammad Asif and then Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt given jail sentences by an English court and bans by the ICC.
Although now cleared to play again by the ICC, Amir`s criminal conviction could see him denied an entry visa to Britain for Pakistan`s tour of England, where they will play four Tests -- the first at Lord`s -- five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 between July and September.
"I always think you get handed out your punishment, you serve it and then who are we to say `never again?`," Richardson told AFP in an interview at The Oval in south London on Wednesday following the launch of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy one-day tournament.
"He (Amir) has certainly shown a willingness to make sure he sets an example now by asking younger players to learn from his mistakes.
"Certainly, I think it`s a good thing that he`s back playing," the 56-year-old added.
"I`d be surprised if he (Amir) doesn`t end up coming (to England)."If Amir does make the tour, he could be bowling to England captain Alastair Cook.
This week saw the 31-year-old Cook become the youngest player to score 10,000 Test runs when he reached the landmark in a series-clinching win over Sri Lanka at the Riverside.
Cook`s method of patient accumulation is at odds with the modern-day trend for big-hitting exemplified by the likes of West Indies` Chris Gayle, Australia`s David Warner and recently-retired former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum.
But Richardson said left-handed opener Cook`s approach was none the worse for that.
"I like the fact he`s not in the Gayle, Warner or McCullum mould," explained Richardson.
"He`s a more traditional opening batsman, as we`ve known them to be."
The former South Africa wicket-keeper added: "It`s a good example to young cricketers that you don`t have to hit every second ball out of the park to be successful."
But while Test cricket remains well-regarded in England and Australia, it is struggling to maintain interest elsewhere in the world, with some players opting to take part in lucrative domestic Twenty20 events instead.
The ICC cricket committee, who are meeting at Lord`s this week, are looking at introducing two divisions into Test cricket as a way of reviving interest.
More day/night Tests, following the success of the Australia-New Zealand clash at the Adelaide Oval in November, are also on the agenda.
However, any changes will have to be approved by the full ICC board.
Richardson cited a renewed understanding by Test nations to provide fixtures with "context" if the "primacy of international cricket is going to be sustained well into the future".
He added: "If we want to make sure the best players are playing international cricket, we have to make sure that our members are in a position to reward and incentivise their players to play all formats.
"That boils down to a funding model that provides the members with the means to do just that.
"The board is looking at the funding model of the ICC, hopefully making teams less reliant on (lucrative) Indian tours and creating a model that not only allows their players to earn a lot of money playing in domestic T20 leagues, but also to play for their country and be well rewarded."
As for day/night Tests, Richardson said: "I think they are very good for the game.
"It would make sense to play cricket at times when people can afford to go and watch."
AFP

Model Arshi Khan strips for Team India and Shahid Afridi! Shares A-rated video

Indian model Arshi Khan has been in the news lately for revealing that she had an affair with Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi, and that he had fathered her child. Afridi, a married man with four daughters, has obviously denied the charges. There was apparently even a ‘fatwa’ issued against Arshi Khan for her controversial claim. But Afridi is now under another controversy after losing the India vs Pakistan match in the World T20 series match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on March 19. Afridi will apparently be sacked by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Afridi’s loss aside, Arshi Khan continues to pursue him. An explicit video has gone viral, allegedly shared by Arshi, where she strips happily for her so-called boyfriend Afridi. What’s more, Arshi has ‘gifted’ her striptease video to the Indian cricket team as well. Arshi dedicates the video to India’s victory over Pakistan, but her heart is still pining for Afridi! She had even said before the India vs Pakistan World T20 match that she will strip entirely if her alleged boyfriend where to hit a century. (Century in T20?)
“My Topless Strip Tease Music Video BOOM BOOM for Shahid Afridi & India win Almost Nu’de,” Arshi is believed to have said on her Facebook page, although we couldn’t find it. (ALSO SEE: India vs Pakistan T20 match: Amitabh Bachchan sang national anthem incorrectly, alleges filmmaker)
Take a look at the video here of Shahid Afridi’s alleged girlfriend Arshi Khan stripping for the camera! (Viewer discretion is advised)

For India's coaching job: BCCI looking for candidate who can meet these 9 criteria

 The Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) on Wednesday posted an advertisement seeking a suitable candidate for India's coaching job.
The post has been left vacant ever since Ravi Shastri's contract came to an end after ICC World Twenty20.
1. Should have successfully coached a cricket team of any of the member countries of the ICC, at the first class or at the International level.
2. It is preferred that the candidate should be qualified through a certification/assessment program conducted by any of the full member countries and currently possess such a valid certification.
3. Should be able to prepare and present a coaching plan elaborating the approach for ‘Team India’ to attain leadership position in all formats of the game.
4. Demonstrate methods/tools to effectively measure individual player performance and present metrics to the Board, which will in turn measure the performance of the team, on a consistent and timely basis.
5. Demonstrate an understanding and ability of employing a multi disciplinary approach that will include sports psychology and sports medicine, and effectively manage the work load of the players, thereby enhancing their contribution to the cause of the team.
6. Communication skills befitting the coach of an International team are mandatory along with the ability to effectively convey the right messages and must demonstrate proficiency in English. It is desirable to communicate in Hindi and other regional Indian languages.
7. Should be well versed with the latest technologies/trends in sports software and ability to utilise the same, which will assist in analysing/ improving the performance of the player and the team.
8. Mandatory that the candidate should have an impeccable personal record, devoid of any past or current disputes, with any of the member boards of the ICC or its affiliates.
9. Demonstrate plans and ability to contribute to the NCA Cricket Development Programmes and forecasting/planning to develop the next generation cricketer and agree to make themselves available for the NCA, as and when they are not with the team.
The Indian board has asked the eligible candidates to send their applications on or before the 10th of June 2016 at Coachappointment@bcci.tv