India announces squad for t20's and odi

Uncapped Punjab allrounder Gurkeerat Singh has been included in India's ODI squad for the first three matches against South Africa in October, while uncapped Karnataka seamer S Aravindwas picked for the T20 internationals.

The players left out from the full-strength ODI squad that had toured Bangladesh were allrounder Ravindra Jadeja and seamer Dhawal Kulkarni. Gurkeerat, who bowls offspin took Jadeja's spot in the squad while legspinner Amit Mishra came in for Kulkarni.

Gurkeerat, 25, had two impressive outings for India A recently. He had taken 2 for 42 and scored an unbeaten 87 in the tri-series final victory against Australia A in August, and then he made 65 and took 5 for 29 against a Bangladesh A team comprising several international players in the first one-day game in Bangalore.

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"Gurkeerat was picked looking at his all-round capabilities," Sandeep Patil, the chairman of selectors, said. "The demands of the game are such that we need more allrounders."

The selectors, who met in Bangalore on Sunday afternoon, said they had not contemplated any change in the captaincy, with MS Dhoni returning to lead the ODI and T20I squads after Virat Kohli had captained India to a Test series win in Sri Lanka. Dhoni had retired from Test cricket during the tour of Australia last year.

"We have not discussed anything regarding the ODI captaincy," Patil said. "We are very happy the way Dhoni has led. We have total backing for Dhoni during this series."

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami was not included in either squad because he is still undergoing rehabilitation for the knee injury he suffered during the tour of Australia in 2014-15. Shami last played for India during the 2015 World Cup and been sidelined from all competitive cricket since.

India did not pick any of their fastest bowlers - Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron or Ishant Sharma - for the T20 internationals, preferring the medium pace offered by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Aravind, and Stuart Binny.

"We have picked this side looking at the wickets," Patil said. "We have not lost faith in our [fast] bowlers. There is still a lot of time to go to World Twenty20. We did discuss Ishant Sharma also. Not like we have earmarked him only for Tests."

South Africa arrive in India in the last week of September and play three T20Is, five ODIs and four Tests during a tour that ends on December 7.

ODI squad: MS Dhoni (captain), R Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mohit Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Gurkeerat Singh, Amit Mishra

T20I squad: MS Dhoni (captain), R Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mohit Sharma, Rohit Sharma, S Aravind, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra

BCCI president Dalmiya dies

the BCCI president, died on Sunday night at the BM Birla hospital in Kolkata, where he had been admitted after suffering a heart attack on Thursday. He was 75 and had faced concerns around his health since starting his second term as president in March.

Dalmiya had been admitted to hospital after complaining of chest pain on Thursday and had to have an angiography. He was reported to be stable but remained in critical care for the next two days. The hospital statement said his condition had become unstable on Sunday morning and he died at 8.45 pm. Dalmiya's body will be taken to the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) headquarters at Eden Gardens on Monday afternoon for the public to pay their respects.

A long-serving cricket administrator, Dalmiya had since 1979 worked his way from the CAB to president of the ICC and twice headed the BCCI. He is widely credited with being one of two BCCI officials responsible for India's emergence as world cricket's financial powerhouse and the tributes pouring in from across the globe bore witness to the breadth of his relationships.

"As a visionary and a father figure of Indian cricket, Mr. Dalmiya worked towards the development of the game of cricket in India. The cricketing fraternity will miss him dearly," said BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur. "Mr. Dalmiya played a significant part in positioning Indian cricket at the global level and the astute administrator in him, guided Indian cricket to greater heights. His untiring efforts will be remembered for generations to come and his contribution to Indian cricket will remain unparalleled."

He had initially made a name in the construction business, which he took over from his father at the age of 20, and joined the BCCI in 1979. Along with the then BCCI president NKP Salve and IS Bindra, Dalmiya was the force behind bringing the World Cup to India and Pakistan in 1987, the first time the tournament was staged outside England. It was during Dalmiya and Bindra's tenures in the BCCI that the television rights for matches played in India were first sold to private television channels.

After the successful conduct of the 1996 World Cup, Dalmiya was elected ICC president in 1997 and served in the role until 2000, after which he was elected BCCI president for the first time in 2001. In an acrimonious BCCI election in 2004, Dalmiya's casting vote helped his candidate Ranbir Singh Mahendra get elected as president; but a year later, Dalmiya was beaten in a BCCI election for the first time in over two decades, by Sharad Pawar. His opponents at the time went after him - Dalmiya was banned from BCCI meetings, and an FIR was filed against him - but Dalmiya bounced back to win the CAB presidential elections in July 2006.

Five months later the BCCI expelled him on charges of embezzling funds from the 1996 World Cup and he was forced to step down as CAB chief. After a long legal battle, he was allowed to contest the CAB elections again and he won the presidency in 2008. For the next five years, Dalmiya stayed in charge at the CAB but his influence was diminished at the BCCI level. In 2013, however, when N Srinivasan stepped aside temporarily from discharging his duties as BCCI president, the board turned to Dalmiya to run its affairs in the interim.

With the influence of Srinivasan waning because of the corruption and spot-fixing scandals in the IPL under his watch and the board mired in legal trouble, Dalmiya was unanimously elected the BCCI president for a second term in March 2015. His health was already a concern by that time, though, and he had to be assisted at several board meetings. The last BCCI meeting Dalmiya attended was a working committee meeting in Kolkata on August 28, which he adjourned sine die because of confusion over whether Srinivasan was eligible to attend.

Rohit Sharma believes he is being unfairly targetted and that he doesn’t get the credit he deserves

Rohit Sharma has launched a scathing attack on his detractors in an exclusive interview with DNA INDIA, The 28-year-old feels that he is always targeted unfairly and said, “I don’t think I am talented” and that “whatever I achieved is because of my hard work.” 

The Mumbai batsman has divided opinions like no other player in recent times, with critics feeling that he has been supported too much in spite of repeated failures. Sharma agreed that there are still areas to improve on his batting, but feels that he is being examined harshly. 

“My numbers in Test and ODI cricket are not as bad as everyone's making them out to be. Those who know their cricket will know what I have done in Test cricket so far is not bad. When I made my Test debut, I averaged more than 60 in first-class cricket. Right now, it's 55. The long rope was given purely on the basis of my domestic performance. It's there for anyone to go and check,” Sharma said. 

“When I started my international career, the problem was inconsistency. When I became consistent, they said he doesn't score centuries. So I scored two double centuries. And then, believe it or not, they said I must improve my strike-rate. Then, I realized it was pointless. From then till date I'm like, never mind (laughs),” he added.

“I have to improve on everything. I am not perfect. Even when I get a century, I prepare harder for the next game. My job is not about over-analysing the game. But I can tell you nobody is perfect.”

Sharma was preferred to Cheteshwar Pujara for the one-off Test against Bangladesh and the first two Tests against Sri Lanka before injuries paved the way for Pujara to return to the team in the third and final Test at Colombo.

The Saurashtra cricketer made the opportunity count, playing a match-winning knock of 145* in the first innings, thus becoming only the fourth Indian to carry his bat through an innings. Adding more credibility to the knock was the fact that he achieved the feat playing as a make-shift opener. 

Question marks remain over whether Sharma will be included for the opening Test against South Africa, with Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay – who missed that Test due to injury – set to return. But Sharma is not too bothered and insists that he is a team player and is ready to bat at any position. 

On the interviewer’s opinion that he may be dropped, Sharma responded angrily: “Let the people who are in charge of the team take that call. You and I will do what is expected of us.”

Sharma has batted at a number of positions during his international career but declared that he doesn‘t have a preference as to where to bat at. 

“That's a good question for you to elicit an interesting headline point but, like I said, it's for the team management to decide. Let me tell you this. For Mumbai Indians, I wanted to open the innings, but we felt that me batting at No. 4 will be good for the team. And we got the results. So putting your team first and understanding your team's needs is most important,” Sharma said. 

I don’t think I’m talented: Rohit Sharma

The Mumbai Indian skipper is regularly talked about as a naturally gifted batsman, but it’s not a view that finds approval from Sharma. 

“Firstly, I don't think that I am talented. This 'talent' talk has messed things up for me. I started my career as a bowler. I was never a batsman. All this natural talent, God's gift and all that that you guys in the media talk and write about is unfair and wrong. I have worked on my batting to get here. I used to bat at No. 8. From there, I made my way up. Ask my coach, Mr Dinesh Lad, and he will tell you that I was an off-spinner. People must think before talking. And speaking of dismissals, that's how a batsman usually gets out — to an incoming ball, caught in the slip cordon, bowled, etc,” Sharma said. 

“Look, there is nothing easy in cricket. Nothing comes to you. People say 'Boss, this guy is gifted and he can do this and he can do that'. But nobody knows what happens behind the scenes. Nobody knows about the hard work that's been put in. Nobody knows what I do to improve my skills and my fitness. Whatever I have achieved is because of my hard work. All these terms like 'lazy elegance' have been coined by you guys.”

“Nothing comes naturally to anybody. Maybe, on TV, it comes across like that. But that's not the right way to judge anyone. One must go deep into the story. One must get to the root of the matter. One must get to the bottom of everything before writing such things. Most reporters who cover cricket don't know I was a bowler. I became a serious batsman during my Under-17 days. I broke the middle finger of my right hand during a 50-over match against the visiting Sri Lankans in 2005. It was difficult for me to grip the ball after that injury. That's how I became a regular batsman,” he added. 

Sharma responds angrily to opinion that he throws his wicket away

Sharma is known to score big centuries, as evident by the two 200s he has scored in ODI cricket. But there have also been instances when he has missed out on a hundred playing, what are perceived as rash shots. The player took strong exception to this view as well, stating that those are down to over-expectations. 

“It's like telling Hulk to kill everybody at any cost. And he manages to do that. But I am not Hulk and there is no way anyone can score a hundred every time they walk out to bat,” Sharma said. “Yes, I admit there have been a couple of chances where I could have got hundreds. I missed out on those chances. When I get out to a particular shot, the media says I have thrown it away. When I hit sixes employing the same shot, the media, and the fans stand up and clap. A shot that gets me out also gets me runs. I am not going to stop playing a particular shot just because X, Y, Z says so.”

“So according to you, any batsman who gets out on 80, 85 or 90 has thrown it away. I worked hard for 79. Are you trying to say I told myself 'OK, chalo, I am bored; I made 79. Let's get out?' Of course I felt bad after getting out. It's common sense.”

Sharma, in fact, feels that he is never given due credit and is simply an easy target for the media.

“I don't want any credit. In any case, you people write what you want (laughs). Journalists hunt for exclusive stuff. Every journalist wants to impress his editor. So they write what they like. People will ask such questions even I when get out to a bowler bowling at 140 kph. That way they will say, 'Oh, he can't play express pace'. And when I get out to a spinner, they will say, 'Oh, he can't play spin'. People want to keep saying something or the other. I am happy that everybody thinks and talks so much about me (laughs),” Sharma said.

BCCI announces 30 probables for South Africa series

The Senior selection Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has listed out a 30-player list for the preparatory camp for the forthcoming Mahatma Gandhi – Nelson Mandela Series between India and South Africa.
    

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan were named in the list of 30 players for the camp which will be held in Bengaluru from 21st of September to 27th of September 2015.

The list comprises of 12 specialist batsmen, three wicketkeepers, one all-rounder and 14 bowlers, including eight fast bowlers and six spinners. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's name was included in the list, and also Mohammad Shami will be making a comeback after the knee injury accident.

Harbhajan Singh has made it to the list, even though his performance in the recently concluded Test series in Sri Lanka wasn't very good, he can be a vital piece in Indian turning conditions.

The series is 72-day long which includes four Tests, five ODIs and three T20s. The players fitness will be one major concern in BCCI's head. 

Following are the names of the players:

MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane,Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Wriddhiman Saha, Naman Ojha, R Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Karun Nair, Suresh Raina, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Pragyan Ojha, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohit Sharma, Karn Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Dhawal Kulkarni, Kedar Jadhav, Manish Pandey.

sangakkara farewell speech

Your excellency, the President of Sri Lanka, the honourable Prime Minister, Members of Parliament, all the well wishers and the invitees, fans, all my friends, my family - who are all here, which is a rare occasion that all of us are together - Virat Kohli and the Indian team, Angelo and my team, I have got so many people to thank here.

I will start off with my school - Trinity College, Kandy. Trinity College gave me a fantastic ground there in Kandy. It was an amazing school to go to. I owe a lot of who I am today to the grounding and foundation I got there. To all my coaches - I had so many because my father used to take me to so many coaches when I was young - a big thank you.

To all my past captains, to Sri Lanka Cricket, to all my team-mates, thank you very much for everything that you've done for me. The support that I received, the inspiration, the drive and the commitment you have shown, not just to the game but also to each other and to me, I value all very, very highly. I am going to miss all that chat we had in the dressing room.

To Charlie and Suthami Austin, thank you very much for managing me. You've become much more than managing, you've become family. I know I haven't thanked you enough in the past but today I'd like to say a huge thank you to Charlie and Suthami for being friends and being my managers and most of all for making me the godfather of your beautiful children.

I didn't have to look far for inspiration (gets emotional). My parents are here. I didn't have to look far. I had amazing siblings. I am blessed with a wonderful family. I was blessed to be born as your children. When I look up at the box, people that I've known for 30 years, friends, family, everyone is here and to see that they love me is great and it will be my greatest achievement.

Lot of people ask me who inspired me and I always say I didn't have to look far for inspiration. I am sorry I don't want to embarrass you too much, but I didn't have to look far from my home for inspiration because I have the most amazing parents that anyone could wish for.

I had amazing siblings and all the support, the love that they showed over the years, whether I played cricket or not, whether I did well or not, the only place I could go and feel safe was home and thank you 'amma' (mother) and 'apachchi' (father). Thank you.

It's been one of the most special privileges of my life to play in front of the Sri Lankan people and Sri Lankan fans. I'm especially thankful to your love and support. My innings has ended. I won't play international cricket again. But I'll come with you Khettarama, to Galle, to Tamil Union, and to SSC to watch the young cricketers play.

To Virat and his team, thank you most of all for the wonderful cricket that you've played. I can't ask for anything more than tough cricket when I'm leaving and you guys over the years have been our toughest opponents.

We've planned to beat you, we have at times and at other times we have failed, but thank you so much for putting in that effort. It doesn't matter whether we lost today, we will try to beat you again in the next game, but thank you for the toughness, thank you for giving no quarter, and thank you for really making it a privilege of mine to play against you.

And to Angelo and the team… Angie you've got an amazing team, you've got an amazing future and I just hope you will work hard and enjoy this sport, this sport we only play for a short times. It comes and goes, but don't be afraid. Take pride in what you do, don't be afraid to lose when you are searching for a win, and keep Sri Lanka and the flag flying high.

Thank you.

Fluent Rahul, Kohli put India in command

Lokesh Rahul's fluent unbeaten essay and Virat Kohli's brisk 78 helped India seize the initiative in the second session of the Colombo Test. Rahul, who played a key role in reviving the Indian innings after two early wickets, continued his stay at the wicket as India reached 206/3 at tea on Day 1. While Kohli's dominating knock, off 107 balls, included eight fours and a six, Rahul displayed a much calmer demeanour, remaining unbeaten on 98 at the break. The duo added 164 runs for the third wicket.

The hard surface at the P Sara Oval eased up after lunch, allowing the two settled Indian batsmen to seize control. Kohli wasted no time in getting past his first milestone of the match - fifty off just 63 balls - as the ball started to come onto the bat nicely. The quickest bowler at Angelo Mathews' disposal, Dushmanta Chameera tried to create chances by digging the ball short regularly but it hardly troubled the two batters in the middle. Kohli's form and intention looked ominous, as he punished even the rare good delivery, while Rahul too grew in confidence and reached his half-century with a booming straight drive.

Mathews turned to his heroes of the Galle Test - Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal - for a crucial breakthrough but the lack of assistance from the wicket made it easy for the Indian batsmen to score runs off them. Kohli attacked the insipid bowling and looked set for his fifth century as Test skipper in as many games until a sensational one-handed diving catch from Mathews at first slip off Herath, sent the Indian captain packing for 78, against the run of play. 

Rohit Sharma walked out in his new batting position at number five as Sri Lanka hoped to cause a few more in-roads before. Rohit displayed good eye while defending early on and took on Herath, hitting him for a four and a six, in the penultimate over before tea. Rahul looked a bit edgy after reaching the 90s and finished the session, two runs short of his second Test ton.

Kohli shouldn't curb his aggression: Dravid

  

Virat Kohli's plan to spend quality time in the middle before the Sri Lanka tour was cut short by Australia 'A', with the Test skipper getting out early in both innings. India 'A' coach Rahul Dravid, though, says there is no cause for worry. "Virat had not played for over a month before coming here. I think he has spent a good amount of time in the middle. Virat is very keen to perform and is working hard at the nets," Dravid said.

"He can only work with the team he has got and focus on getting the best out of them. Sometimes things will not go well and sometimes it will. It was great for him to come in and play a game here. The time he spent here will do him a world of good. He is keen, excited and looking forward towards doing well," Dravid added.

The former India captain also said that Virat should not look to curb his aggressive intent as captain. "You need to be who you are. The beauty of this game is that it allows different people to succeed. Most people who succeed over a period of time are aggressive. They show it differently. Some are more expressive and some are not. Virat is expressive by nature and he should not curb this approach," said Dravid.

On Cheteshwar Pujara's declining form, Dravid said, "I don't think there are any major issues with his batting. He needs a bit of confidence. Batting for some time in the middle will help him. Hopefully, he will get a chance to score runs in the practice match before the Test series against Sri Lanka and that will help him to get going," said Dravid.

India A were outplayed by Australians in familiar conditions but Dravid said national team's bench strength was not a worry. "I wouldn't say it is a worry. We will have ups and downs but there is some exciting talent too. You can't judge them based on every single game. We will lose the odd game. Winning and losing an 'A' series is not the end of the world. You are actually preparing them for the international level. That is the goal.

"I have been quite happy to see some spin talent. Ojha (Pragyan) came back and bowled well. Shreyas Gopal has potential. Jayant Yadav is an exciting talent. There is Axar (Patel) and Karn (Sharma). So there is a group that is coming through. So it is not as it bleak as it seems. Same with batting. They can learn from this game and play better against South Africa," said Dravid referring to the series against South Africa A."