Ajit Wadekar, who taught India to win overseas, dies at 77; India mourns

Ajit Wadekar is one of the only three cricketers who represented India as a captain, coach, and national selector. The other two players are Chandu Borde and Lala Amarnath

Former Indian cricket team captain Ajit Wadekar, who led India to maiden Test series wins in England and West Indies, died at the age of 77, at the Jaslok Hospital in South Mumbai on Wednesday, after suffering prolonged illness.

The aggressive batsman left an indelible mark on Indian cricket despite making a mere 37 Test appearances. He led India to triumphs in England and the West Indies in 1971. Wadekar also served as India's manager in the 1990s when Mohammed Azharuddin was the captain. He later went on to become the chairman of selectors as well.

He is survived by his wife Rekha, two sons, and a daughter.

Ajit Wadekar as Indian cricket captain in 1971

In 1971, Wadekar was appointed the captain of national cricket team after Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi opted out of the West Indies tour. He led the side that included players like youngster Sunil Gavaskar, Farokh Engineer, Gundappa Viswanath and the Indian spin quartet of Bishen Singh Bedi, E A S Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, and Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan.

Under the captaincy of Wadekar, Dilip Sardesai and debutant Sunil Gavaskar excelled with the bat and India went on to beat Sir Garifield Sober's West Indies side to clinch the series 1-0. After a successful Caribbean series, he went to England where his team defeated the home side, inspired by B S Chandrasekhar's 6 for 38, at The Oval, to win the series 1-0. Wadekar also led India to a 2-1 win against England at home in 1972-73.

The end of Wadekar's captaincy was, however, quite cruel. During the 1974 tour of England, he lost the series 3-0, which included the infamous match in which India were bundled out for 42 runs at Lord's cricket ground. Wadekar was sacked after the England tour and shortly after, he announced retirement.

ALSO READ: President Kovind, PM Modi pay tributes to former India captain Ajit Wadekar

Ajit Wadekar records

An aggressive left-handed batsman, Wadekar made his first-class debut in 1958 before making his India debut in 1966. He played 37 Tests in which he scored 2,113 runs at an average of 31.07. His only century, a match-winning 143 at Wellington, came during India's 1967-68 tour of New Zealand, where India won a series away from home for the very first time. He was also India's first ODI captain, although he appeared in just two matches. Apart from his batting skills, Wadekar was also an excellent slip fielder.

Ind vs Eng 3rd ODI: Virat & co will aim for 10th consecutive ODI series win

In the India vs England 3rd ODI in Leeds, Virat Kohli's men will look to plug the middle-order and death-over woes. Catch live action here

India vs England 3rd ODI : In the third One Day International (ODI) of the 3-match series, Virat Kohli-led India will look to plug their loopholes in the field when they take on Eoin Morgan’s England at the Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds on Tuesday. If India win today’s match, it will be the team's 10th successive ODI series victory.

The 3-match series evenly poised

England levelled the three-match series with a convincing 86-run victory at Lord's, after being comprehensively beaten in the opening match at Trent Bridge.

The areas India need to improve in the 3rd ODI

After the first ODI victory, India made a couple of mistakes in the second match. First, the bowlers leaked a few extra runs, which helped England post a challenging total. And then the batsmen failed to rise to the occasion. Apart from Suresh Raina and skipper Virat Kohli, no other batsman could face English bowlers perfectly. Although wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan got good starts, they failed to capitalise on them. Middle-order batsmen Lokesh Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya also failed miserably. Hence, in order to give English bowlers a tough time, India's middle batting line-up needs to click in unison.

In the bowling department, Kuldeep Yadav was the only wicket-taker. He scalped three wickets but gave away 68 runs in his 10 overs. Pacers Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya and debutant Sidharth Kaul proved costly. The bowlers now have to come up with something new to disturb the opponents, as Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow are all in good form.

How England won the 2nd ODI

England, on the other hand, learnt quickly from a poor display in the first match against India, especially against chinaman Yadav, who claimed 6 for 25. Root and skipper Morgan also showed good form with their brilliant knocks of 113 and 53, respectively. Roy and Bairstow also showed signs of regaining their form with disciplined batting throughout their innings.

With a settled top-order, the only worry of the hosts now is their middle and lower order. Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali could not add much to the score after a brilliant start. If the trio clicks in the final match, it would make things very difficult for India. England has improved a lot in the bowling department. Bowlers are hunting in pairs. Pacers Liam Plunkett and David Willey are bowling well, while Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Mark Wood are supporting the duo superbly. Their bowling economy is not above six, which is a good sign for English players, especially when the opponents are chasing.

Will Bhuvneshwar Kumar play the 3rd ODI?

The Indian pace attack lacked penetration in the 2nd ODI, particularly in the death overs. Eighty-two runs were conceded in the final eight overs at Lord's, with Umesh Yadav, Siddarth Kaul and Hardik Pandya conceding 62 among them in six overs. This underlines India's dependence on Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah.

Judging by his exploits on the last two tours -- to Sri Lanka and South Africa -- Kumar is a huge miss for India in this ODI series and there is no official word on his fitness or availability yet. He did bowl in the nets at Lord's before the second ODI and is on the path to recovery. However, it remains to be seen if he will be included in the side for this decider ahead of Kaul or Umesh Yadav. At Pallekele, last August, Kumar had scored a match-winning maiden half-century in Dhoni's company after India were reduced to 131-7 in the 237-run chase. In South Africa, too, Kumar made vital contributions with the bat lower in the order. His continued absence will mean that India have a long tail, putting more responsibility on the top and middle order.

India's middle-order woes

MS Dhoni is over-burdened with a gaping hole at number four. It is considered the most vital position for any successful ODI side, yet India are struggling to find a solution to their revolving door conundrum for some time now. This series has marked the return of K L Rahul at number four since the Lankan tour. Lord's was his first big test. India have Dinesh Karthik and Shreyas Iyer on the bench. The former has been in a fine nick of late, while the latter has two half-centuries in his first six ODIs. Iyer also gave a good account of himself in Port Elizabeth, batting at number five. Despite his slow knock at Lord's, it is nearly inconceivable that the team management will consider favouring Karthik ahead of Dhoni.

Article Source : BS

IPL 2018: Delhi lose at home by 4 runs, KXIP claim top spot on points table

Shreyas Iyer tried his level best to bring it home for Delhi Daredevils, but Kings XI Punjab bowlers were a tad better and made sure they seal the win

In a heartbreaking match, Delhi Daredevils lost the match by four runs, chasing the target for 144 against Kings XI Punjab in the 22nd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2018). Shreyas Iyer took the match to the very last ball but could not see his team through. Kings XI Punjab bowler made sure that wickets keep falling at regular intervals and run flow was controlled. Crucial players failed to perform as Delhi lost three wickets in the powerplay. Rishab Pant was a surprise failure this match. DD lost by 4 runs. KXIP now are on the top of the VIVO IPL points table.

IN PICS: How Kings XI Punjab claim top spot on the points table, as Delhi lose by 4 runs

Glenn Maxwell, Gautam Gambhir disappointed once again and left Delhi reeling at 43-3 in 6 overs with their poor performance.

Delhi Daredevils bowlers bowled their hearts out to keep KXIP batsmen from scoring runs. KXIP made 143-8.

Liam Plunkett, making his comeback in the team, was the pick of the bowlers. He scalped three wickets and kept the run flow in check. KXIP batsmen, without Chris Gayle, looked totally out of touch and failed to hit big shorts and rotate strike. It seemed that the home advantage played well in favour of Delhi Daredevils.

Wickets kept falling for Kings XI, as Yuvraj Singh failed to impress once again. He was not in his best form and failed to move his feet much, eventually giving away his wicket. Nair and Miller stabilised the innings and looked to accelerate as only four overs remaining in the innings and the score nowhere close to par. Delhi bowlers kept it really tight despite dropping two sitters.

Kings Xi Punjab were off to a decent start despite losing two wickets in the powerplay against Delhi Daredevils. Runs kept flowing as Mayank and Nair hit boundaries at regular intervals. However, Avesh Khan took Aaron Finch's wicket, who had a bad outing once again.

Delhi Daredevils innings update: Over by over

Over 1: Ankit Rajpoot to Prithvi Shaw, two successive dot ball. 4 of the 3rd ball and single of the 4th. Rajpoot to Gambhir, wide. Dot ball, away-going delivery, didn't miss the edge by much. Dot ball to finish the over. the ball struck the pad. DRS taken ball pitched outside the leg-stump.

Over 2: Barinder Sran to Shaw, French cut went for four. Another 4 as Show cuts ferociously. Triple of the 3rd ball. Gambhir takes a single off the fourth. Edged the 5th ball for four followed by double of last ball (more)

On display in IPL 2018: The brutal beauty of Mahendra Singh Dhoni

The CSK skipper's knock against KXIP on Sunday night wasn't about answering the brickbats; it was about him and his fans

There are things in sports that genuinely cheer you up. One such is the sight of Mahendra Singh Dhoni swinging through the arc, head down, knees slightly bent, kinetic energy from those baseball-bat-sized arms powering through the ball, and the crowd exploding. It is a thing of brutal beauty. There were many around the world who woke up on Monday morning with that very image still fresh in their minds. The bowler missing, Dhoni pouncing. The ball soaring, the stadium erupting.

In Mohali on Sunday night, a Colosseum-like crowd found itself paying obeisance to a gladiator whose time many thought had come. The willingness to carry on, as admirable as it was, was proving to be too stifling. The performance was no longer backing the obduracy. That still may hold true, but we will leave that for another day.

Instead, this was about celebrating the gifts of a man whose show we have feasted on for 15 years and still cannot seem to feel content. This was about him and his fanatical band of followers, the kind who still look up to him like an eternal demigod. This was about him telling us why he still remains indispensable. This was about him showing us what we have been terribly missing. This, in a boxing sense, was like a seasoned heavyweight fighter absorbing the early blows and then unleashing a savage combination of jabs and hooks to leave his opponent sprawled on the canvas. Well, almost.

The critics have made their peace with Dhoni’s scrappiness. Dhoni is justified in believing that he doesn’t have anything to prove to them, and they don’t bother too much with arraigning him, either. Anyway, this wasn’t about answering the brickbats — Dhoni just doesn’t play his cricket that way. For long, the Indian public has lionised him for his capacity to put on a show, for his mastery that allows him to elevate his game to a whole new level when the chips are down. The performance against Kings XI Punjab was just about the Indian cricket fan. It was Dhoni’s way of thanking thousands of them for sticking by him so loyally, despite his very apparent decline. After all, this is what fandom often triggers; a belief that your heroes can never be spent forces. Acceptance isn’t something that is part of the fan lexicon. And Dhoni on Sunday night competently displayed why it mustn’t be.

This wasn’t so much about Dhoni rolling back the years as it was about him exhibiting what he can do when he’s afforded time at the crease. Dhoni is no longer the furious sprinter of his youth, he is now the canny middle-distance runner who knows exactly when to make his move. He perhaps left it too late in Mohali, but he was clearly hampered — in addition to a back problem — by Ravindra Jadeja’s sluggishness at the other end. Even then, this was a calculated assault that would have culminated in an unlikely win on another day. (more)

Pay gap ensures women cricketers don't receive support men take for granted

On this Women's Day, the incomplete tale of Hamida Banu's life and Dutee Chand's continuing struggle should motivate us to recover, cherish and protect the histories of women in Indian sport.

According to the new set of contracts, the likes of Karun Nair and Jayant Yadav are set to earn a retainer amount of Rs 1 crore for the next year – double of what skipper Mithali Raj will make for leading the women’s team, despite neither of the men having represented India for about a year now. It is not about who brings in more money; rather, the exaggerated gap only ensures women cricketers in India cannot hope to receive the kind of support the men take for granted. On this Women’s Day, the incomplete tale of Hamida Banu’s life and Dutee Chand’s continuing struggle should motivate us to recover, cherish and protect the histories of women in Indian sport. Only then can we expect to afford the respect our female athletes deserve, argues this sports writer.

In Anthony Quinn’s breezy novel, Half of the Human Race, a suffragette falls in love with a cricketer only to discover the politics he espouses is at odds with her beliefs. Eventually, through a series of woeful events, he comes to reassess his world-view and appreciate the struggle which made and remade his love Sito in costruzione was the struggle for women’s suffrage which led to the establishment of Women’s Day, although the day has come to occupy a broader movement now. As the call for gender equity gathers a wider footprint in mainstream culture, it was a worthy reminder by the BCCI on Wednesday that its employees will not be treated at par anytime soon.

According to the new set of contracts, the likes of Karun Nair and Jayant Yadav are set to earn a retainer amount of Rs 1 crore for the next year – double of what skipper Mithali Raj will make for leading the women’s team, despite neither of the men having represented India for about a year now. It is not about who brings in more money; rather, the exaggerated gap only ensures women cricketers in India cannot hope to receive the kind of support the men take for granted.Of course, it used to be worse. Diana Edulji—now a member of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) overseeing the BCCI’s administration—and her teammates were asked to pay Rs 10,000 each for participation in the 1982 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, despite women’s cricket in India attracting huge crowds in the 1970s.

While gains have been made, it is rather unfair for a team which finished runner-up at last year’s World Cup to not be appraised fairly.The cricketers aside, there have been other women have given Indian sport much to cheer about in recent months. Even as the hurdles continue to spring up as if they have a life of their own, the country’s female athletes are setting standards not touched ever before.

While P. V. Sindhu breaks newer ground in badminton, lesser lights have enchanted in no less measure. In 2017, 19-year-old Aditi Ashok delivered a stellar campaign on the elite Ladies’ Professional Golf Tour (LPGA). The Bengaluru-teenager has given ample proof to show that she belongs among the best.Young stars seem to be leading the way lately. It was only earlier this week that 16-year-old Manu Bhaker grabbed headlines when she reigned champion in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the World Cup in Mexico, becoming the third-youngest shooter ever to win gold at that level.

Kohli snatches ICC top spot from A B de Villiers, surpasses Sachin's points

Kohli scored 263 runs in the series and has reached 889 points, which is the best ever by an India batsman

Indian captain Virat Kohli on Monday returned to the top of the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen after logging career-high rating points, going past the iconic Sachin Tendulkar in the process.

Kohli has moved back to the top within 10 days of losing it to South Africa batsman AB de Villiers after the rankings were updated following India's 2-1 home series win over against New Zealand.

The 28-year-old Delhi batsman, who scored 263 runs in the series, has reached 889 points, which is the best ever by an India batsman.

"The previous highest points tally of 887 was managed by Sachin Tendulkar in 1998 and by Kohli earlier this year," the ICC said in a statement.

India opener Rohit Sharma's 174 runs in the series has seen him reach a career-high rating of 799 points, even though he remains in seventh position.

Former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has risen one place to 11th in the latest rankings.

The list for bowlers continues to be led by Pakistan pace bowler Hasan Ali while India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has reached a career-best third after finishing with six wickets in the series against New Zealand. (more)

'Sachin: A Billion Dreams': Informative, inspirational (IANS Review, Rating: ***)

Film: "Sachin: A Billion Dreams"; Director: James Erskine; Cast: Sachin Tendulkar, Anjali Tendulkar, Ajit Tendulkar, Sara Tendulkar, Mayuresh Pem, Mayur More; Rating: ***

"Sachin: A Billion Dreams" is a biopic that gives a holistic view of Sachin Tendulkar's life, who is revered as "the God" of cricket by his fans.

Structurally, the film is designed as a documentary. While the film encapsulates the life of the master blaster right from his birth till date, it also gives an insight into the socio-economic situation of the country, making it feel like heavy-duty stuff.

Also Read : Want my children to be judged as individuals: Sachin Tendulkar

This may not be the first documentary on Tendulkar, but probably it is the only one endorsed by him. So, you have him as the narrator sharing his personal moments along with his views and fears in a sincere and heartfelt manner.

While the film tells us of his growth as a cricketer which is common knowledge, it also reveals his personal life bringing to the fore his close-knit family and friends. How he got the name Sachin, how he met his wife, got married and how he spends his free moments, are a few of the interesting nuggets shared. So apart from Sachin you actually get to see his family and friends. Read more

IPL 10 eliminator: KKR beats Hyderabad by 7 wickets, will face MI next

As Duckworth-Lewis method came into play, KKR had to chase 48 in six overs

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir led from the front to knock defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a seven-wicket win and made to Qualifier 2 in a rain-interrupted eliminator clash at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Thursday.

KKR will take on Mumbai Indians on Friday at the same venue.

Chasing 48 to win in six overs after rain and wet outfield ate up a large chunk of playing time, forcing Duckworth-Lewis method to come into play, Gambhir steadied the ship after KKR were 12/3 at one stage with an unbeaten 19-ball 32.

Ishank Jaggi, playing his first match, was not out on five.

Read more : Vivo V5s: An iPhone lookalike that justifies its 'selfie king' label

At the start, Chris Lynn was on the money right away, smacking Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six in the first ball he faced.

But the second ball saw the destructive Australian get out after replays showed Lynn had edged to wicketkeeper Naman OJha off a Bhuveshwar near-yorker.

Yusuf Pathan, promoted up the order to score at a brisk pace, lasted just one delivery before he was run out. Robin Uthappa did not last long too, holing out to Shikhar Dhawan at deep mid wicket off Chris Jordan's bowling.

Earlier, KKR rode on a superlative show by their bowlers to restrict Sunrisers Hyderabad to 128/7 in 20 overs. Read more

Chhattisgarh HC bats for IPL matches

The Chhattisgarh High Court (HC) has rejected pleas challenging the hosting of Indian Premier League (IPL)cricket matches in the state on the ground that it was reeling under serious drought.

The court has, however, put the condition that the event organisers, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Chhattisgarh State Cricket Association (CSCA), should arrange water for the matches including free drinking water to spectators. Neither the state government nor its agency would provide water for the event.

A five-member committee has been constituted to ensure that the court's order is implemented.Read more.

Virat Kohli shouldn't be compared to Sachin Tendulkar: Virender Sehwag

Former India batsman Virender Sehwag said on Wednesday it is unfair to compare batting legend Sachin Tendulkar with current run-machine Virat Kohli.

India Test skipper Kohli has been in sublime form over the past couple of months for his national side as well as his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The Delhi-born batsman after winning the Man of the Tournament award in the recent World Twenty20, has smashed two centuries in the ongoing ninth edition of the cash-rich IPL tournament and is the leading run-getter with 561 runs.

"No one should compare two individuals. People used to compare me with Tendulkar, me with Viv Richards, that's not fair. The era is not same. I don't think we should compare Virat Kohli with Tendulkar," Sehwag said here at the announcement of the final winner of the 92.7 Big FM Big Catch contest.

Sehwag, who is currently the mentor for IPL team Kings XI Punjab, also hailed Kohli as the most dangerous batsman at present.Read More.