Tamil News – Australia cricket team needs aggressive approach for 2019 World Cup: Darren Lehmann – Maalaimalar.com

Australia have won only two out of their last 15 ODIs in 2017 and 2018 and coach Darren Lehmann has stressed on the side to fix a core group of players to lead the charge for the 2019 World Cup. Ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup in England and Wales next year, Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann has admitted that his team needs to adapt to a more aggressive approach if they are to retain the global crown. Lehmann said the team was not able to settle upon a fixed core group that will lead the Aussies charge in ODIs for the 2019 World Cup because of the national team’s rotation of players depending on the various formats

“The results are more about execution for us. We had to chop and change a lot of the side depending on what’s happening with the Test arena and going from Test to non-Test and obviously Tests are a focus for us,” Lehmann was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo. “So we haven’t been able to have a settled one day side. I’d like to see us play with a settled side over six months and see what the result is then, see how we play. Lehmann also suggested that skipper Steve Smith and selectors have to be cautious with their selection of players in the buildup to the event. However, the sides improved performance in the ongoing Twenty20 Tri-series gives him hope for a turnaround in the limited-overs format.

“The improved T20 performance gives you food for thought after a long, tough Test series… fresh guys coming in. We’ll sit down at the end of the South African series, but we’ve always got to look forward. World Cup’s coming along pretty quickly, I think there’s about 22 games to go before we play our first game. So we’ll have to settle on a group of players, we think we’ve got a really good group,” Lehmann revealed. Australia, who has qualified for the final, will travel to New Zealand to play their fourth game of the tri-series against the hosts. The Test squad will head west for their four-Test tour of South Africa.

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Tamil News – Early Arrival in South Africa Would Have Made a Lot of Difference: Ravi Shastri – Maalaimalar.com

India coach Ravi Shastri said that his team will not complain about the pitch and the conditions which they have been offered but said that in hindsight, another 10 days of practice would have made a lot of difference. “We are not here to moan about the tracks because like I said at the start of the game both teams play on the same surface. The good thing though is people won’t crib and moan when matches in India get over in two and a half days. Neither will they ask me what kind of track are you playing on. In hindsight, I would say another ten days of practice here would have made a difference. But that’s no excuse. The pitch we play on, it’s the same for both sides and I would rather focus on the 20 wickets we have tae, it will be a good test match.” said Shastri, addressing the media on Monday.

Shastri added that it is something which will be taken care of in the future tours, “Unfortunately, the schedule was such that you had matches. But am sure henceforth in the future when itineraries are made that will be taken into account, there is absolutely no doubt about that. You get there couple of weeks earlier and prepare.” he added.The Indian coach rued his team’s missed opportunities where they let the chance to put South Africa under pressure slip but was hopeful of a good showing in the final Test. “They have had chances in both test matches but they didn’t make the most of it, so when you believe you have a chance to win then you look forward to a test match. when you don’t believe you can win you don’t look forward to a test match, as simple as that.”

Shastri defended the decisions made by the team management, saying the team sticks by the decision it makes. “Chopping and changing overseas is easier. In India, you don’t need to chop and change because you know what the conditions are. Overseas, you go on current form and you go on conditions and you see which player can adapt to certain conditions quicker than the other. What are the overhead conditions for which bowler to play as opposed to what kind of track you will get, where you need a bowler with bounce or you need a bowler with swing. So that’s where the chopping and changing starts”

“That will always be the case. If Ajinkya had played first, and not done well, you would have asked me the same question, why Rohit hasn’t played. Rohit played, he didn’t do well, you are asking me Ajinkya didn’t play. the same would have happened with the fast bowlers. So when you have choices, the team management has discussed what is the best option and they stick by it they go by it.” Shastri added, when asked about the decision to drop Rahane and pick Rohit in the middle order.

He heaped praise on the performance of the bowlers and said that they were many times when his team looked like the no.1 team, “Our bowlers did a great job. I mean no one expected our bowlers to fire the way they did and take 20 wickets so I rather harp on that because for me that’s the biggest positive that has come out of this tour. We are here to live and learn from our mistakes and like I said that is the most positive. Even our top order, we go in with six batsmen, five batsmen and an all-rounder, so it means that responsibility on both sides on the top order is that much more. so you have to gust it out, it wont be easy.” Shastri said.

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Tamil News – Yuvraj Singh: I see myself playing cricket till 2019- Maalaimalar.com

It has been quite a while since we saw Yuvraj Singh playing for India, as his inconsistent form, followed by repeated failure in the Yo-Yo Test has led to him being in and out of the national side. Nevertheless, Yuvraj feels that despite his recent failures, he continues to draw inspiration and works even harder in order to make a comeback to the national side. Yuvraj is also confident of playing cricket until 2019. He also said that the decisions regarding his career would also be solely decided by him, and no one would have any influence on it. Yuvraj Singh awarded with Ph.D

“I would like to tell that I am failing. I still fail. I failed the last three fitness tests but yesterday I passed my fitness test. After 17 years I am still failing. I am not afraid of failure. I have gone through ups and downs. I have seen defeat and that’s what’s the pillar of success. To be a successful man, to be a successful person in your life, you need failure and you’ve got to be defeated. That will make you a stronger person and it will take you to the next level,” said Yuvraj during the UNICEF campaign of ‘The Power of Sports to Shape the Future of Adolescents’ in Colombo. Yuvraj Singh’s exclusive fitness training in NCA irks senior BCCI officals

“I am still playing. I don’t know what format I am going to play. But I am pushing everyday as hard as I used to, may be harder than before because I am getting older. And I see myself playing cricket till 2019 and obviously take a call after that. So I still believe in myself. As I said I don’t know how many people believe in me but I do believe in myself.”

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Tamil Newspaper – Sri Lanka Coach Says Lakmal Spell the Finest In a Long Time – Maalaimalar.com

Leaving India gasping for breath on the opening day of the first Test, Sri Lanka bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake on Thursday said it is just the beginning and their job is far from over.
Sri Lanka pacer Suranga Lakmal wrecked the high-profile Indian top-order in overcast conditions to leave the hosts reeling at 17/3 on a rain-affected day one of the first Test at Eden Gardens. “We had nothing to lose when we came here so our boys were ready for the challenge,” Ratnayake told at the post- match news conference.

“It was one of the finest I’ve seen for a long time. The wicket was receptive and very helpful. We knew that it would seam but the job is not finished, it only started.” Asked what would be a par score for them, Ratnayake said: “They might say 250, we might say 200. It may differ depending on the teams.”

Lakmal’s sensational spell, in which he struck thrice without conceding a run in six overs, saw him remove opener Lokesh Rahul on the first ball of the match after play began three and a half hours late due to wet conditions. His other two victims were Shikhar Dhawan (8), who dragged one onto his stumps after playing a loose shot in testing conditions, and India captain Virat Kohli (0), who was trapped in front after the ball came in sharply.

“I had a simple advice to keep the ball up to push batsmen back as much as possible. As we pitched up the vulnerability was more. Our tactics in normal wicket would be different and on this wicket it was totally different,” he said referring to the overcast conditions that made the task easier for their seamers. Ratnayake further said Sri Lanka were surprised to see the Eden greentop.”Certainly it was a good toss to win. Hope it might last about one and half days or more. I would think it would last for two days at least. The surface is grassy. It is in recent times a surprise.”

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Tamil Newspaper – I too need rest, I am not a robot: Kohli – Maalaimalar.com

Batting for long in a manner that often seemed unreal, India skipper Virat Kohli today said he too needs rest from the gruelling international schedule since he is “not a robot“. Kohli has played seven Tests, 26 ODIs and 10 T20 internationals in 2017, the most by any player in the Indian team. “Definitely I do need a rest, why don’t I. When I think of the time my body should be rested I will ask for it, why not. I’m not a robot, you can slice my skin and check if I still bleed,” Kohli told reporters on the eve of the first Test against Sri lanka.
The India skipper also played 10 matches at the Indian Premier League‘s 10th season, and had warned about burnout. “This is one thing I don’t think people explain properly. There’s a lot of talk from outside in terms of workload whether a player should be rested or not. For example all cricketers play 40 games a year. Three guys who should get rest their workload are to be managed. Not everyone in the XI would have batted 45 overs or not everyone would have bowled 30 overs in a Test. But the guys who are doing that regularly are the ones who need to be assessed.
His supreme athleticism on the field has rubbed onto other players in the side and they vouched for it. “I don’t think people look at the times spent on the crease, the number of runs, the number of overs, the conditions etc. I don’t think people will go into that analysis. Everyone play same number of games.”For example Pujara will have maximum workload because he spends maximum time at the crease as his game is built that way. You can’t compare that to a counter-attacking batsman because the workload would have been lesser.
“All these things have be taken into consideration purely because of the fact that we have built such a strong core team now of 20-25 players. You don’t want important players breaking down at important times, that’s where the balance needs to be maintained going forward.”He said it is humanly impossible to play all three formats and maintain the same intensity without taking a break. “It’s humanly impossible to maintain same intensity and same level of performance.”

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Tamil Breaking News – Murali Vijay scores century for Tamil Nadu ahead of Sri Lanka series

Murali Vijay is expected to make his comeback for India in the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.Murali Vijay scored a century in Tamil Nadu Ranji Trophy match against Odisha. Vijay is on a comeback trail after a long layoff due to injuries sustained during India’s home Test season. Vijay was the regular opener for India in all 13 matches that they played against New Zealand, England, Bangladesh and Australia. He and Ravichandran Ashwin then sat out the Indian Premier League while Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli joined their respective teams at a later stage. Vijay also could not play in the three-match Test series against Sri Lanka and is now expected to make his return when India host Sri Lanka for another three-match rubber starting on November 16.
Vijay opened the innings for Tamil Nadu along with captain Abhinav Mukund. The latter did not last long but he has since been partnered ably by young Narayan Jagadeesan. Jagadeesan was then dismissed and missed out on a second First Class century by 12 runs. Baba Indrajith and Vijay have since stuck together at the crease. Vijay may have been India’s first choice opener in Test series for some time now but Mukund, Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul all performed well in the Sri Lanka series. Shikhar Dhawan was especially belligerent, slamming 190 off 168 balls in the first Test and 119 in the third.
There have been calls for Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay to be selected as openers for the series against Sri Lanka. He has nine Test centuries and 15 half centuries to his name since he made his debut in 2008.

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Tamil BreakingNews -England must end 31 year Brisbane wait says Anderson – Maalaimalar.com

England fast bowler James Anderson believes his team must end their 31-year winless streak in Brisbane next month against Australia to set a marker for the rest of the Ashes series.
A draw at the Gabba was enough for England to launch a successful Ashes tour of 2010-11, but Anderson wants to go one better to silence the home crowd.
“Both teams have gone through a transitional phase over the last two years,” Anderson, England’s record Test wicket-taker with 506 dismissals, told Sky Sports.
“Both teams have started to show signs of real quality I think but have also been pretty inconsistent, so it is going to be about whoever starts well.
“The Gabba has been a bit of a fortress for Australia, they’ve not lost there since 1988 so coming away from there with a result – whether it is a draw or a win – I think is important to how the series will go.”
Anderson was the leading wicket-taker as England won the Ashes in 2010-11 but has also been on the receiving end of two series whitewashes by Australia.
The 35-year-old believes the pitches in Australia and England in recent years have offered similar challenges.
“I think the same things apply as they do in England,” Anderson said of bowling in Australia.
“The biggest adjustment for me is that it is not going to swing as much, so finding other ways of getting wickets is important for myself.
“Generally though, the pitches are similar to in England. You might get a little bit more bounce and potentially a little bit less grass on them but generally they’re not that much different.”
The first match of the Five-Test series starts in Brisbane on November 23.

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Tamil BreakingNews – Kumar Sangakkara Sri Lanka cricket legend not in favour of four day Tests – Maalaimalar.com

Kumar Sangakkara is against the advent of four-day Tests, even saying that he has started to lose track of changes being introduced in the sport of cricket.Kumar Sangakkara has rejected the idea of four-day Test cricket, with the former Sri Lanka cricket captain stating that he has started to lose track of the many changes that have been introduced in the sport.

“Can you imagine an Ashes series where a Test match only goes four days? To have all of that watered down into four days is a bit of a blow, but I understand the whole importance of commercial viability and the economics of it. There is also tradition and history to consider. There have been so many changes over the last five or six years to cricket, even I am losing track,” Sangakkara told Sportsday Radio, according to Fox Sports.

“I’m not a big fan of four day Tests. I understand the thought process behind it to try and have fans interested and attract them so they don’t have to spend so much time. It’s also an advantage for local TV networks and sponsors.“But at the end of the day Test cricket has always been defined as five days. Records have been established, history has been made over five days,” he added.

Sangakkara said the expansion of T20 cricket, with several countries staging their own tournaments, has broadened the scope for a player to make a future in cricket. “Cricket has changed over the last few years, especially with franchise cricket coming in. Now there is a place for everyone. Not everyone will be able to play Test cricket and not everyone will be able to fit into a one-day or T20 side.”

On the question of whether a player should chose the format he wants to play, Sangakkara said, “I think there is nothing wrong with aspiring to be either. I think it’s completely up to the individual to decide where he wants to play.“Of course we tend to kind of impose on younger cricketers that Test cricket is where they should learn their skill and expect to be proficient.” However, the former cricketer said a player must get an opportunity to play in all three formats. “The beauty of it is that everyone’s talent and ability will allow them to explore where they can get to in each format. I don’t think it sells anymore to force or the other down someone’s throat.

“Of course, being a purist, you might argue with me and say ‘that’s blasphemy’. But to ensure that players have a balanced view of what cricket is they need to be allowed to explore all three formats,” he said.“Test cricket needs to be protected and safeguarded yes, but not just by forcing it down the throats of players, but by informing them and getting them to understand the culture and read about the history. Allow them to fall in love and take their own time to do it. It’s about balance and each individual finding his or her place,” he concluded.

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Online Tamil News – Pakistan bowling attack best in the world Sarfraz

A 4-0 series scoreline against Sri Lanka and consistent performances since the 2017 Champions Trophy are testimony to the fact that the Pakistan bowling attack has grown into one of the best in the world, according to their captain Sarfraz Ahmed. Speaking to the media after his side completed a seven-wicket drubbing of Sri Lanka on Friday, Sarfraz credited the success to the contributions of bowlers like Hasan Ali, who is now ranked No. 1 by the ICC, and a settled core of players for limited-overs cricket.

Pakistan’s recent performances attest to the potency of their attack. Since the opening match of the Champions Trophy against India, where they conceded 319, the highest total they have conceded is 236. Their opponents in this period have included South Africa, England, India and Sri Lanka, and they have beaten them all. In the ongoing series, apart from Hasan, legspinner Shadab Khan  and fast bowler Rumman Raees have also impressed in the opportunities  they have been given, with Shadab even contributing a crucial  half-century in the second ODI. In the matches before his bowling action  was reported as suspect, Mohammad Hafeez was miserly, bowling at an economy rate of 3.30.

“Yes, you can say that,” Sarfraz  said, when asked if he considered his bowling attack the best in the  world. “The way the bowlers have been performing since the Champions  Trophy, we have bowled teams out for 240-230 and then chased them down  well. Here, too, we are bowling well and chasing well. We should praise  the bowlers, especially Hasan Ali, who is improving day by day. He is  now the world No. 1 so I wish he keeps that and does well to win us  matches. Shadab is doing well and so have Usman Khan, Faheem Ashraf,  Rumman Raees and Junaid Khan. The bowlers are doing well and importantly  our bench is getting strong.”

Hasan’s  growth as a bowler this year has provided an immense boost. The  23-year-old is currently the highest wicket-taker of 2017, has the most  five-fors in the year so far (3) and was the Player of the Series at the  Champions Trophy with 13 dismissals. In four matches against Sri Lanka,  he has taken 12 wickets and Sarfraz lauded the bowler’s mindset and his  commitment to self-improvement.“The best thing is that he bowls in an  attacking manner, he tries to take wickets, tries learn with Azhar Mahmood [Pakistan’s bowling coach] and  does his homework, asks other players how to bowl,” he said. “He asks  me and my target is to get wickets through him. He attacks, and with  every wicket, he is getting better and better.”

Sarfraz  felt the team atmosphere was well-balanced, with the selectors picking  good players and the team management aiming to lift the confidence of  the newcomers.“I will first give selectors the credit, they chose good  players and our effort is that, whoever we play, we should give them  confidence and tell them to play like they do in domestic matches. The  best thing is that they are playing with confidence and whoever plays  gives an impact. As far as seniors are concerned, they play their roles.  We have two seniors and they are doing their roles and whenever they  get a chance they motivate the players and contribute in performance.”

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