It's about time Sachin Tendulkar spelt out his plans regarding One-dayers in no uncertain terms, reads an article in Hindustan Times. Citing reasons, the newspaper writes that while the maestro’s decision to decide when he wants to move on, his sporadic appearances in the shorter format over the last two years suggest he isn't too keen to play ODIs. Of the 58 matches played by India since he struck that magical double hundred against South Africa in Gwalior in February, 2010, he has turned out in just 14 matches, nine of them at the World Cup. The gap between the matches played and missed is big enough for anyone to see that unwillingness.
This reluctance could be mainly put down to two reasons -he's either not finding the challenge appealing enough, or his body can't take the rigours of playing ODI cricket at a stretch. On closer scrutiny, both factors appear to be responsible. How he's picked the tournaments also makes one thing clear -it's the love of the game that's driving him on, not the lure of personal records. Had the latter been the case, he wouldn't have let go of so many relatively easier opportunities to get that elusive century, says the article, adding, “He can still defy an ageing body and slowing reflexes for some more time as far as batting is concerned, but it's impossible to match the enthusiasm and agility of the players almost half his age on the field. And that agility these days often separates the winners and the losers, as is obvious from the difference in India's showing in the Tests and the ODIs Down Under.”
An unsung hero is what Hindustan Times writes about Vinay Kumar, who turned 28 on the day of India's victory against Australia in Adelaide on Sunday, has played a pivotal role in lifting the team's performance in the CB Series after a disastrous Test series, adding that it has not only put him atop the wicket-takers' list in the tournament, it has also elevated India to the top of the points table at the halfway stage.
Despite Vinay's consistent efforts with the ball in each of India's four league games both at the start and end of the innings against Australia and Sri Lanka he has hardly been making news. No wonder, MS Dhoni wasn't asked a single question about him during his 18-minute media interaction after Tuesday's tied game. “Vinay is used to working against the odds, from the start of his cricketing sojourn. His early days were spent trying to keep his cricketing passion alive while his father, an auto rickshaw driver in Davangere, struggled to meet the financial ends of his family. Vinay then struggled to cement a place in the Karnataka side and then to make an impression on the national selectors. And when the deserved national call-up finally came in 2010, after tireless showing on the domestic circuit for half a dozen years, it was time for a new struggle to prove himself at the top flight,” says the report.
In Adelaide Oval, Umesh Yadav bowled close to seven balls in and around the 150 kmph mark — including one over 151 — to singularly own the honours board for the fastest times clocked during the game. He averaged 142 during his 60-ball quota. It was perhaps the quickest spell by an Indian bowler, ever. To put things in perspective, Mitchell Starc, Australia quickest during the Adelaide ODI, bowled just one ball at 144.2. A rare performance indeed, writes The Indian Express.
So for the first time in a long time in Indian cricket, the wickets that a fast bowler scalped were side attractions to the real talking point — the ability of a pacer to make the ball whistle at any given stage of the match. A genuine head-hunter, the rarest of Indian traits. It made the game’s Man of the Match gush at the press conference about a less rewarded performance. “Umesh is the find of the tour,” Gambhir said, letting the statement sink in. “He is someone who can bowl 150 consistently. It’s time we return to the opponents what they’ve been making us receive for years and years.”
Coming to IPL, some headway seems to have been made in talks between the Indian cricket board and Sahara India to resolve the crisis arising out of the company threatening to pull its team, Pune Warriors, out of the Indian Premier League. BCCI is believed to have told Sahara it would not object to Warriors fielding five foreign players if other IPL teams do not have any problems, according to a report in The Times Of India.
Pune team owner Sahara has been demanding a slight relaxation in the rules to allow it to play a fifth foreign player to help fill the gap created by the absence of ailing star Yuvraj Singh. Sources in the board said that Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan is also involved in the discussions and is mediating on behalf of the IPL teams. Sources said Khan voluntered to call a meeting of all IPL teams to discuss the issue further.
