Sports

New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) BJP chief J.P. Nadda will visit Karnataka's Udupi district on Monday to participate in the district-level booth committee convention and other two programmes.

As per a source, "BJP national president will visit Udupi. He will participate in the district-level booth committee convention at 10 a.m. in Udupi. He will then proceed to participate in a mega vehicle jatha at Byndoor at 2 p.m. and a public meeting at Mullikatte at 2.30 p.m."

"Members from 1,111 booth committees in the district will attend the programme in Udupi, and necessary arrangements for their participation will be made. Welcome preparation will also be done by the members.

"All the workers are instructed to finish off their assigned duties before the programme so that everyone can attend the address by the national president and interact with him," the source added.

In view of the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state, the BJP is organising such meetings to boost the confidence of its party workers.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Australia captain Pat Cummins has won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, here on Friday.

After winning the toss, Cummins said Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc are not featuring in the match, with left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann making his Test debut, becoming the 466th Men's Test cricketer for Australia. He was presented with his cap by right-handed batter Marnus Labuschagne.

Left-handed batter Travis Head comes in for Matthew Renshaw while Kuhnemann comes in for pacer Scott Boland. "The middle looks like there's grass but bare at both ends. Plenty of turn there, will be a good Test. It's got a little bit of a rough. We have to bounce back and everyone is raring to go," added Cummins.

India skipper Rohit Sharma stated middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer comes into the playing eleven in place of Suryakumar Yadav. "The pitch is dry and obviously batting first would have been ideal. But the kind of application we showed last game took the toss factor away and that is what will be required here."

"It's important when you're playing in India, you shouldn't worry about the toss factor too much. That's the chat in the group as well."

The match also marks the 100th Test appearance of top-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who is the 13th Indian cricketer to reach the milestone. "Absolutely, we're all thrilled for him and it's a big occasion and his family is here. Hundred Test matches is not easy but he has stuck to his plan and he has come a long way," added Rohit.

India are currently leading four-match series 1-0, having won the first Test in Nagpur by an innings and 132 runs within three days.

Playing XIs

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj

Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Peter Handscomb, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Pat Cummins (captain), Todd Murphy, Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann

--IANS
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By Niharika Raina
New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS) On the verge of becoming the 13th Indian cricketer to play a hundred Test matches, top-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara reflected on his career till now, saying his knock of 72 on debut was a very important knock in his cricketing career.



Pujara had made his Test debut co-incidentally in the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy match against Australia at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru in October 2010, making 72 in a successful chase of 207 and was promoted ahead of Rahul Dravid, now the head coach of the Indian team.

In that game, he was trapped lbw for four by Mitchell Johnson in the first innings. But in the second innings, Pujara left everyone delighted with his crisp shots against Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter George and Nathan Hauritz on his way to making 72 on a day five pitch, hitting seven fours, while taking 19 ones, ten twos, and playing 52 dot balls.

"Very difficult to name two particular innings. Some of them I can mention here, like the one when I made 72 on debut, I thought that was one of most important knocks in my cricketing career as I was very nervous. If I hadn't scored those runs, maybe I wouldn't have been playing international cricket. So, that innings was very special," he said in the pre-match press conference.

On the nostalgic route, Pujara added, "Moving on, 92 against Australia in 2017 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was one of my favourite innings. Apart from that, my first overseas hundred in South Africa, I got 155 in the second innings. Then, 123 in Adelaide and last Test (in 2021) at the Gabba, where I made 56 and got hit on the body a few times."

Life is indeed coming full circle for Pujara, with his debut and 100th Test match coming against Australia. Against the opponents for Friday's Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Pujara averages 52.77, including five centuries and ten fifties.

"Australia has always been a tough opposition, against whom we had a really great series. England and New Zealand have also been challenging opponents. Our performance against them has been really good as when we are challenged, we know the potential of the team. Players are willing to fight back and take that challenge to fight out and become the number one team in the world."

"They have a good fighting spirit no matter what the situation of the game is. They will always challenge you as an opponent. Whenever I have walked into bat, I never get free runs against Australia. I always have to work really hard to get a way out and get those runs."

"They play as a unit and are always vocal even on the field, so little bit of banter and chat going on. Sometimes it motivates me as I won't try to talk back at them. But the best thing you can do as a cricketer is to make runs and get the bat to do the talking. They have been a challenging opposition and I had good success, but we always enjoy this challenge," he elaborated.

About the bowlers who challenged him in Test cricket, Pujara had quite a few names to mention quickly.

"Personally for me, playing against James Anderson in England. Then facing Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn were quite challenging to face during my first overseas trip. I had some issues and then spoke to Rahul bhai to work on my game. Pat Cummins has been one of the most challenging bowlers to play in Australian conditions."

--IANS

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By Niharika Raina
New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS) On the eve of making his 100th Test appearance in the second match of the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, top-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara revealed his next aim is to help India win a World Test Championship (WTC) final.



After winning the Nagpur Test by an innings and 132 runs, India now need to win two more matches against Australia to clinch a spot in the WTC final, to be played between June 7-11 at The Oval in London, for the second successive time. Australia are currently at top of the WTC standings, with India in second place.

"There is a lot more to achieve. I am definitely satisfied and really excited to play this hundredth Test match. But at the same time, we are playing an important series. So, hopefully, we win this Test match and move on to win another Test match which will ensure we will qualify for the WTC final. My dream is to win a WTC final for the Indian team, which didn't happen in the last final. But hopefully, once we qualify, we move towards that," said a determined Pujara in the pre-match press conference on Thursday.

Since his Test debut in October 2010 which ironically came in the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Pujara has emerged to be a mainstay in India's batting order in the longest format of the game.

As of now, Pujara has played 99 Tests, amassing 7,021 runs while averaging 44.15, including 19 centuries and 34 half-centuries. Friday will see him become the 13th Indian cricketer to join the illustrious club of hundred Test matches.

"When I started playing cricket and then made my (Test) debut, I never thought about playing hundred Test matches. For me, it is always about being in the present and not thinking too far ahead. So, for me, I thought before this series started and that's when I realised that I will be playing my hundredth Test match. In a career, you always go through ups and downs, and you have to fight through those periods."

"For me, I never thought that I will play a hundred Test matches as that wasn't my goal. I have always been a player who wants to do well in every Test match and series. The Hundredth Test match is something which happens through the journey and that is something which you can't aim for. But when you continue playing good cricket, that happens," he added.

Pujara also expressed gratitude to his family, friends and coaches in various stages of his life, especially to his father Arvind, who has been his coach since childhood and will be in attendance on Friday when he takes the field for his 100th Test match.

"It means a lot to me and my family. My father has played a very important role in my cricketing career. He's someone who has coached me since my childhood, so he's very excited and is going to be here tomorrow with my wife, who's been very supportive."

"In a cricketer's life, family support is very important and I am very thankful to my family, friends, to the coaches whom I have worked with over some time and who have played a very important role in my cricketing career."

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS) Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey has brushed off criticism from former Test captain Allan Border on Steve Smith's thumbs-up gesture to Ravindra Jadeja by saying "that's probably what gets Smith pretty focused".

During the second innings of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener in Nagpur, Steve Smith gave Indian all-rounder Jadeja a thumbs up after beating his outside edge.

After the match, while Speaking to Fox Cricket, Border slammed Smith's on-field antics and described the gesture as ridiculous.

"Play with a harder edge. I mean, we're giving blokes the thumbs up when they're beating us outside the off stump. What the hell is going on? That is just ridiculous," Border said on Saturday.

While speaking to the reporters on Tuesday, Carey backed Smith's on-field gesture and said he highly respects the Australian Test great.

"We highly respect Allan Border. I guess among the group, guys do it differently. We come up against these players a lot," Carrey was quoted by Sydney Morning Herald.

"You're probably alluding to the Steve Smith comment more than any but, you know, he's mates with a lot of them. And that's the way he (Smith) plays. He does it in all situations. He plays around with his hands and does all that stuff. And I think that's probably what gets him pretty focused.

"They're obviously strong comments but, as a group, we believe in what we're doing and come the second Test we're ready to put a few learnings into place."

--IANS
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Nagpur, Feb 10 (IANS) Captain Rohit Sharma scored a brilliant unbeaten century, his ninth hundred in Tests and first since September 2021, to help India reach 226/5 against Australia at tea on the second day of the first Test at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium here on Friday.

Sharma, who started the day on 56, waged a grim battle against a strong Australian bowling side, reaching his 100 off 171 balls, hitting 14 fours and two sixes.

With him going strong, India were 226/5 off 80 overs at tea on the second day, leading Australia by 49 runs with five wickets in hand. Rohit was batting on 118 off 207 balls, his 341-minute unfinished vigil at the wicket was studded with 15 boundaries and two sixes. Ravindra Jadeja was keeping him company at tea, batting on 34 off 82 balls.

The Indian captain survived some close calls, including a DRS review on an lbw appeal and a few appeals. But he played some glorious shots, a few of his boundaries and the two sixes, This was Rohit's second hundred at Nagpur, his birth place, as the 35-year-old had scored 102 against Sri Lanka at the VCA Stadium in 2017.

Rohit and Jadeja have stitched together crucial 61 runs for their unfinished sixth wicket partnership that took India beyond Australia's first innings score of 177.

However, the hosts lost two key wickets in this session, Virat Kohli was out on the first ball after lunch, while Suryakumar Yadav plodded around for 20 deliveries in his debut Test before being bowled by Nathan Lyon, playing all over a flighted delivery that went straight.

Kohli's wicket was the key one for Australia as he and Sharma could have taken the match away from them. But soon on resumption after lunch, Kohli tried to flick at a loose delivery bowled by Tod Murphy and handed a thick edge to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

Yadav swept Murphy for four off the second delivery he faced. However, he did not read Lyon's delivery and was cleaned up.

Debutant Todd Murphy is the best Australan bowler on the day with figures of 4-59.

India will be hoping to build their lead in the last session of the day with Australia are likely to take the new ball and hope to restrict the lead to as few as possible.


Brief scores:

At Tea, Day 2: Australia 177 v India 226/5 in 80 overs (Rohit Sharma batting 118, Ravindra Jadeja batting 34, Ashwin 23; Todd Murphy 4-59). India lead by 49 runs.

--IANS

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Nagpur, Feb 10 (IANS) India captain Rohit Sharma ended an over two-year drought by scoring the ninth Test hundred of his Test career against Australia here on Friday.

Rohit, who scored his eighth century against England at The Oval in September 2021 had failed to reach the three-figure mark in Tests since then.

On Friday on the second day of the first Test of the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at the VCA Stadium here, Rohit scored a brilliant hundred, reaching the three-figures in 171 balls, hitting 14 fours and two sixes.

The 35-year-old, who is born in Bansod, near Nagpur, started aggressively on Thursday morning, completing the first fifty of his century in 66 deliveries. His second fifty was sedate and more measured as and came off 105 deliveries.

He had earlier in January scored his first ODI century in nearly three years against New Zealand at Indore.

But the Test century will taste sweeter for India's captain as it came in difficult conditions on a pitch on which the ball is spinning and keeping low.

Rohit had scored his maiden century in Test cricket way back more than nine years back in November 2013 against the West Indies at the Eden Garden, a majestic 177.

He had scored his first double-century against South Africa in October 2019, a superb 212 at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) India captain Harmanpreet Kaur is extremely excited to see the Women's Premier League (WPL) come to life, pointing out that Indian cricket will get a huge amount of talent from the competition.

"We have been waiting for this moment for a long time and finally the time has come. I am looking forward to that. We are going to get a huge amount of talent from this tournament. Domestic players are going to get to play with and against overseas players in a lot of matches. That's something we are looking forward to seeing," Harmanpreet was quoted as saying by JioCinema.

Harmanpreet is the first Indian cricketer to play 100 T20Is and is renowned around the world for her clean-hitting abilities. She is also the first Indian woman to score a century in T20Is during the 2018 ICC Women's T20 World Cup and led the country to runners-up finish in the 2020 edition of the tournament and is going to lead India in the 2022 Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa.

On February 13 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, a total of 409 cricketers, including Harmanpreet, are all set to go under the hammer at the WPL Player Auction. Out of 409 players, 246 are Indians and 163 are overseas players of which 8 players are from associate nations.

The total number of capped players are 202, uncapped players are 199 and 8 are from associate nations. A maximum of 90 slots are available with the five teams, with 30 being slotted for overseas players.

Asked about the impact the tournament is likely to have, Harmanpreet reflected on her time playing franchise T20 leagues like the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) in Australia. "It helps players build confidence. When I was playing in Australia, that gave me a lot of confidence to do well in international cricket."

"Now, the WPL is going to play the same role for Indian domestic players. Whenever we share the dressing room with overseas players, it is always very special for all of us. That is something all domestic players are looking forward to."

Harmanpreet named herself, Deepti Sharma, and Smriti Mandhana as the Indian players to watch out for. She also said Sophie Devine, Ashleigh Gardner, and Alyssa Healy will be the international players to keep a track of during the tournament.

Despite the stiff competition, she is hoping to take home the title of leading run-getter in the tournament. "I have been working hard for this for a very long time. This is the moment. I just can't wait for this tournament to start. If I get the maximum runs, that will be a big moment in my life."

Harmanpreet also made a passionate plea to the fans to support the tournament by watching it avidly and coming out to the stadiums in huge numbers in Mumbai. "This is something we have been waiting for a long time. I want viewers to come and watch and support women's cricket, as this is a very big moment for all supporters and all women cricketers."

"Whoever is getting a chance, support them. Whoever is not getting one, just wait for your opportunity because this is never going to stop from now on. This is a bigger step and everyone should contribute and everyone should feel happy. Just come and support us, because every time you support us, we feel motivated. We all will be waiting for you guys at the stadium."

--IANS

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Nagpur, Feb 10 (IANS) Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he would forgive left-handed batter Matthew Renshaw for being out for a golden duck in the visitors first innings in the ongoing Nagpur Test.

Renshaw made a golden duck after falling lbw to Ravindra Jadeja's left-arm spin immediately after the spinner, who would eventually take a five-fer, sent back Marnus Labuschagne to the dressing room as Australia made just 177 in the first innings.

"That was a part of the puzzle that I was talking about as to why I thought Travis might have missed out in this Test match. I know the reason that the Australian selectors have picked Matt Renshaw is they believe he's a very good player of spin bowling."

"It's one thing to be known and identified as a good spin-bowling player when you're playing in Australia. But when you get to India and you're coming up against such foreign conditions - even today, you know, it's day one of a Test match and you're seeing conditions that most of our guys probably have never witnessed before on the first day of a game."

"That's when you start to work out who the really good quality players of spin are. I know he was out first ball today. I'll forgive him for that," said Ponting in an episode of the ICC Review Show.

Talking about Peter Handscomb, playing in his first Test match since 2019 and making a hard-fought 31 while batting at number six instead of the left-handed Travis Head, Ponting remarked the right-handed batter's inclusion was a "horses for courses" selection by Australia.

"He's had a couple of really good years of (domestic) Sheffield Shield cricket. He's captain of Victoria. I think he might've been the leading run-scorer in the Shield competition last year. He started this year really well."

"So, he's done everything he can to get back into the Australian squad. But the one thing that's been in his favour is the fact that this series is in India. If this series had been in England or in South Africa, for instance, then I don't think Handscomb would've got picked."

--IANS

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Dhaka, Feb 5 (IANS) After a fabulous start to their campaign in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-20 Women's Championship, India were held to a goalless draw at the Mustafa Kamal Stadium here on Sunday.

Bangladesh goalkeeper Rupna Chakma was the star of the day for her team as she pulled off some good saves to keep the hosts safe.

The Young Tigresses now have four points from two matches, and will next play Nepal at the same venue on Tuesday.

It was a close contest from the opening exchanges, with India creating more chances despite a deluge of midfield traffic. Sumati Kumari had the chance to get the lead early on in the 7th minute when she was played through by Nitu Linda, but Bangladesh keeper Rupna Chakma pulled off a great save.

Chakma was again called into action around the quarter-hour mark when Sunita Munda flicked a Shubhangi Singh cross with her head. Shubhangi was accurate with her set pieces and thought she had helped India take the lead on the half-hour mark when Kajol tapped her delivery in, but the referee had deemed the delivery to have gone out of play before curling in.

Bangladesh had a rare attempt when Shaheda let one fly from long range with minutes left for the halftime whistle, but it landed on the roof of the net.

India head coach Maymol Rocky played her hand at halftime itself, bringing on Neha in place of Sumati Kumari. The midfield scrum thickened in the second half, but Kajol managed to get a shot on target from a long-range free-kick, which was duly saved by Chakma, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) informed in a story on its website.

The Bangladesh custodian was at it again a few minutes later when Neha surged into the box from the left flank and looked to fizz in a dangerous cross to Apurna Narzary, but Chakma plucked it out of the air. That was the last piece of the action for Narzary, who was soon replaced by Lynda Kom Serto.

Neha had the golden opportunity of the second half when Munda picked her out from the right, but the ball took an awkward bounce off the artificial turf and went out of play. Anita Kumari, Tania Kanti, and Babina Lisham were soon introduced into the fray with the clock ticking down, but the two sides remained locked till the end.

Baniba had one final chance in added time as Anita cut it back for her from a dangerous position, but the former's shot was blocked, and the referee soon brought an end to the game.

Reflecting on the match after the final whistle, India head coach Rocky said, "The result definitely matters, but the girls played well. We actually missed a few very good chances which we were sure could have led to goals. They were either spectacularly saved by their keeper, or maybe hit outside the frame. Game-wise though, the girls were up to the task today and played well. We are looking forward to the next one."

--IANS

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