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www.hrgcricstats.com brings  its netizens some of the interesting  stats relating  to the performance of the finalists of CT 2017. Peruse them 

INDIA BATTING AVERAGES
Player	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
V Kohli	4	4	3	253	96*	253.00	252	100.39	0	3	1	26	4
RG Sharma	4	4	1	304	123*	101.33	347	087.60	1	2	0	29	7
S Dhawan	4	4	0	317	125	79.25	310	102.25	1	2	0	40	4
MS Dhoni	4	1	0	63	63	63.00	52	121.15	0	1	0	7	2
Yuvraj Singh	4	3	1	83	53	41.50	75	110.66	0	1	0	9	2
HH Pandya	4	2	1	29	20*	29.00	11	263.63	0	0	0	0	4
KM Jadhav	4	1	1	25	25*	–	13	192.30	0	0	0	3	1
RA Jadeja	4	1	1	0	0*	–	0	–	0	0	0	0	0
R Ashwin	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
JJ Bumrah	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
B Kumar	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
UT Yadav	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

 

INDIA BOWLING AVERAGES
Player	M	I	O	M	R	W	BBI	Ave	Econ	SR	4	5	Ct	St
JJ Bumrah	4	4	33.0	1	142	4	2/28	35.50	4.30	49.5	0	0	1	0
KM Jadhav	4	2	9.0	0	40	2	2/22	20.00	4.44	27.0	0	0	2	0
B Kumar	4	4	32.3	2	153	6	2/23	25.50	4.70	32.5	0	0	2	0
R Ashwin	2	2	19.0	0	97	1	1/43	97.00	5.10	114.0	0	0	0	0
RA Jadeja	4	4	34.0	0	182	4	2/43	45.50	5.35	51.0	0	0	3	0
UT Yadav	2	2	17.2	1	97	3	3/30	32.33	5.59	34.6	0	0	0	0
V Kohli	4	1	3.0	0	17	0	–	–	5.66	–	0	0	2	0
HH Pandya	4	4	29.0	1	180	3	2/43	60.00	6.20	58.0	0	0	1	0
S Dhawan	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	0
MS Dhoni	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4	0
RG Sharma	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0	0
Yuvraj Singh	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0	0

 

PAKISTAN BATTING AVERAGES
Player	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
Sarfraz Ahmed	4	2	1	76	61*	76.00	95	80.00	0	1	0	7	0
Fakhar Zaman	3	3	0	138	57	46.00	117	117.94	0	2	0	21	2
Babar Azam	4	4	2	87	38*	43.50	126	69.04	0	0	0	8	1
Azhar Ali	4	4	0	169	76	42.25	237	71.30	0	2	0	14	2
Mohammad Amir	3	2	1	37	28*	37.00	59	62.71	0	0	0	1	0
Mohammad Hafeez	4	4	1	91	33	30.33	122	74.59	0	0	0	6	3
Shoaib Malik	4	3	1	42	16*	21.00	43	97.67	0	0	0	6	1
Fahim Ashraf	1	1	0	15	15	15.00	15	100.00	0	0	0	1	1
Ahmed Shehzad	1	1	0	12	12	12.00	22	54.54	0	0	0	1	0
Imad Wasim	4	2	0	4	4	2.00	4	100.00	0	0	1	1	0
Hasan Ali	4	1	0	0	0	0.00	2	0.00	0	0	1	0	0
Shadab Khan	3	1	1	14	14*	–	16	87.50	0	0	0	1	1
Junaid Khan	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Rumman Raees	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Wahab Riaz	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

 

PAKISTAN BOWLING AVERAGES
Player	M	I	O	M	R	W	BBI	Ave	Econ	SR	4	5	Ct	St
Imad Wasim	4	4	30.1	1	135	2	2/20	67.50	4.47	90.5	0	0	0	0
Hasan Ali	4	4	38.0	1	172	10	3/24	17.20	4.52	22.8	0	0	2	0
Shadab Khan	3	3	24.0	0	112	2	1/40	56.00	4.66	72.0	0	0	0	0
Mohammad Hafeez	4	3	23.0	0	108	1	1/51	108.00	4.69	138.0	0	0	3	0
Mohammad Amir	3	3	28.1	1	135	2	2/53	67.50	4.79	84.5	0	0	0	0
Junaid Khan	3	3	27.5	3	135	7	3/40	19.28	4.85	23.8	0	0	0	0
Rumman Raees	1	1	9.0	0	44	2	2/44	22.00	4.88	27.0	0	0	0	0
Shoaib Malik	4	1	2.0	0	10	0	–	–	5.00	–	0	0	1	0
Fahim Ashraf	1	1	6.2	0	37	2	2/37	18.50	5.84	19.0	0	0	1	0
Wahab Riaz	1	1	8.4	0	87	0	–	–	10.03	–	0	0	0	0
Ahmed Shehzad	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0	0
Azhar Ali	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	0
Babar Azam	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3	0
Fakhar Zaman	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	0
Sarfraz Ahmed	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	5	0

 

India	Parameters	Pakistan
04	Matches Played	04
02 – RG Sharma {123*}, S Dhawan {125}	Centurions	00
02 – RG Sharma {91}. V Kohli {96*}	Nineties	00
11	Fifties	05
03 V Kohli {81*, 76*, 96*}	Captain’s 50s	01 {S Ahmed – 61*}
01 {MS Dhoni 63}	WKs 50s	01 {S Ahmed – 61*}
317 – S Dhawan	Most runs	169 – Azhar Ali
06 by B Kumar	Most wickets	10 by Hasan Ali
04	Most TFPs	01
04	Most HCPs	04
08	Most 50+ Ps	05

Hasan Ali of Pakistan is the only bowler in CT 2017 to capture ten wickets. His performance in four matches is detailed below

HASAN ALI OF PAKISTAN
Player	Team	Mat	Inns	O	M	R	W	BBI	Ave	4	5
Hasan Ali	Pak	4	4	38.0	1	172	10	3/24	17.20	0	0

 

No	Player	O	M	R	W	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	Hasan Ali	10.0	0	70	1	1	v India	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
2	Hasan Ali	8.0	1	24	3	1	v South Africa	Birmingham	07 Jun 2017
3	Hasan Ali	10.0	0	43	3	1	v Sri Lanka	Cardiff	12 Jun 2017
4	Hasan Ali	10.0	0	35	3	1	v England	Cardiff	14 Jun 2017

 

INDIAN BATSMEN – FIFTIES
No	Player	Runs	Mins	BF	4s	6s	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	RG Sharma	91	146	119	7	2	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
2	S Dhawan	68	95	65	6	1	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
3	V Kohli	81*	108	68	6	3	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
4	Yuvraj Singh	53	49	32	8	1	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
5	RG Sharma	78	107	79	6	3	1	v Sri Lanka	The Oval	08 Jun 2017
6	S Dhawan	125	198	128	15	1	1	v Sri Lanka	The Oval	08 Jun 2017
7	MS Dhoni	63	78	52	7	2	1	v Sri Lanka	The Oval	08 Jun 2017
8	S Dhawan	78	130	83	12	1	2	v South Africa	The Oval	11 Jun 2017
9	V Kohli	76*	136	101	7	1	2	v South Africa	The Oval	11 Jun 2017
10	RG Sharma	123*	165	129	15	1	2	v Bangladesh	Birmingham	15 Jun 2017
11	V Kohli	96*	96	78	13	0	2	v Bangladesh	Birmingham	15 Jun 2017

 

INDIAN BATSMEN – FIFTIES
No	Player	Runs	Mins	BF	4s	6s	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	MS Dhoni	63	78	52	7	2	1	v Sri Lanka	The Oval	08 Jun 2017
1	RG Sharma	91	146	119	7	2	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
2	RG Sharma	78	107	79	6	3	1	v Sri Lanka	The Oval	08 Jun 2017
3	RG Sharma	123*	165	129	15	1	2	v Bangladesh	Birmingham	15 Jun 2017
1	S Dhawan	68	95	65	6	1	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
2	S Dhawan	125	198	128	15	1	1	v Sri Lanka	The Oval	08 Jun 2017
3	S Dhawan	78	130	83	12	1	2	v South Africa	The Oval	11 Jun 2017
1	V Kohli	81*	108	68	6	3	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
2	V Kohli	76*	136	101	7	1	2	v South Africa	The Oval	11 Jun 2017
3	V Kohli	96*	96	78	13	0	2	v Bangladesh	Birmingham	15 Jun 2017
1	Yuvraj Singh	53	49	32	8	1	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017

 

INDIA – FIFTY PLUS PARTNERSHIPS
No	Partners	Wkt	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	S Dhawan, RG Sharma	1	136	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
2	V Kohli, RG Sharma	2	56	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
3	V Kohli, Yuvraj Singh	3	93	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
4	S Dhawan, RG Sharma	1	138	1	v Sri Lanka	The Oval	08 Jun 2017
5	S Dhawan, MS Dhoni	4	82	1	v Sri Lanka	The Oval	08 Jun 2017
6	S Dhawan, V Kohli	2	128	2	v South Africa	The Oval	11 Jun 2017
7	S Dhawan, RG Sharma	1	87	2	v Bangladesh	Birmingham	15 Jun 2017
8	V Kohli, RG Sharma	2	178*	2	v Bangladesh	Birmingham	15 Jun 2017

India’s eight 50+ runs stand is a record for most 50+ run stands by a team in CT 2017

INDIA –  CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS
No	Partners	Wkt	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	S Dhawan, V Kohli	2	128	2	v South Africa	The Oval	11 Jun 2017
2	S Dhawan, RG Sharma	1	136	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
3	S Dhawan, RG Sharma	1	138	1	v Sri Lanka	The Oval	08 Jun 2017
4	V Kohli, RG Sharma	2	178*	2	v Bangladesh	Birmingham	15 Jun 2017
INDIA – HALF CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS
2	V Kohli, RG Sharma	2	56	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
5	S Dhawan, MS Dhoni	4	82	1	v Sri Lanka	The Oval	08 Jun 2017
7	S Dhawan, RG Sharma	1	87	2	v Bangladesh	Birmingham	15 Jun 2017
3	V Kohli, Yuvraj Singh	3	93	1	v Pakistan	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017

 

PAKISTAN BATSMEN – FIFTIES IN CT 2017
No	Player	Runs	Mins	BF	4s	6s	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	Azhar Ali	50	85	65	6	0	2	v India	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
2	Fakhar Zaman	50	56	36	8	1	2	v Sri Lanka	Cardiff	12 Jun 2017
3	Sarfraz Ahmed	61*	119	79	5	0	2	v Sri Lanka	Cardiff	12 Jun 2017
4	Azhar Ali	76	129	100	5	1	2	v England	Cardiff	14 Jun 2017
5	Fakhar Zaman	57	89	58	7	1	2	v England	Cardiff	14 Jun 2017

 

PAKISTAN BATSMEN – FIFTIES IN CT 2017
No	Player	Runs	Mins	BF	4s	6s	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	Azhar Ali	50	85	65	6	0	2	v India	Birmingham	04 Jun 2017
4	Azhar Ali	76	129	100	5	1	2	v England	Cardiff	14 Jun 2017
2	Fakhar Zaman	50	56	36	8	1	2	v Sri Lanka	Cardiff	12 Jun 2017
5	Fakhar Zaman	57	89	58	7	1	2	v England	Cardiff	14 Jun 2017
3	Sarfraz Ahmed	61*	119	79	5	0	2	v Sri Lanka	Cardiff	12 Jun 2017

 

PAKISTAN – 50 PLUS RUNS PARTNERSHIPS
No	Partners	Wkt	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez	3	52	2	v South Africa	Birmingham	07 Jun 2017
2	Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman	1	74	2	v Sri Lanka	Cardiff	12 Jun 2017
3	Mohammad Amir, Sarfraz Ahmed	8	75*	2	v Sri Lanka	Cardiff	12 Jun 2017
4	Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman	1	118	2	v England	Cardiff	14 Jun 2017
5	Azhar Ali, Babar Azam	2	55	2	v England	Cardiff	14 Jun 2017

 

PAKISTAN – CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS
No	Partners	Wkt	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman	1	118	2	v England	Cardiff	14 Jun 2017
PAKISTAN – HALF CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS
1	Mohammad Amir, Sarfraz Ahmed	8	75*	2	v Sri Lanka	Cardiff	12 Jun 2017
2	Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez	3	52	2	v South Africa	Birmingham	07 Jun 2017
3	Azhar Ali, Babar Azam	2	55	2	v England	Cardiff	14 Jun 2017
4	Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman	1	74	2	v Sri Lanka	Cardiff	12 Jun 2017

13-2  India’s win-loss record in ICC world events against Pakistan (including the bowl-out win against Pakistan in the 2007 World T20). In ICC ODI tournaments, India are 8-2 ahead, while they are 5-0 up in World T20s. Pakistan’s two wins, though, came in Champions Trophy matches, in 2004 and 2009. Since that 2009 win, though, Pakistan have lost seven in a row. Pakistan still have a substantial 72-52 lead overall in ODIs, but at global events, India have had a distinct advantage.

2-0 India’s record in the finals of global tournaments against Pakistan. The 2007 World T20, in which India sneaked through by five runs in the final, was an ICC event, but there was a non-ICC tournament in 1985 – the World Championship of Cricket – which India won by beating Pakistan by eight wickets in the final. In both these tournaments, India beat Pakistan in the group stages as well.

4  Number of times India have reached the Champions Trophy final, the most for any team. They lost to New Zealand in 2000, shared the trophy with Sri Lanka in 2002, and beat England in the final in 2013. Pakistan have reached the Champions Trophy final for the first time.

34-7 India’s win-loss record in ICC world events since the start of 2011, easily the best among all teams during this period. The next best win-loss ratio is New Zealand’s 21-12. India have won two tournaments during this period – the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy.

India’s batting against Pakistan’s bowling

91.5 India’s batting average in the 2017 Champions Trophy, easily the best among all teams. They have scored 1098 runs in the tournament at a run rate of 6.23, both of which are also the best in the tournament.

31 Wickets for Pakistan, the most by a team in the 2017 Champions Trophy. Their average of 31.77 is second (after Australia), as is their economy rate of 4.99, after South Africa.

Pakistan’s pace and middle-overs edge

23.78 Pakistan’s bowling average in their last three matches, after conceding 319 for 3 against India in their opening game. In their last three matches, they have taken 28 wickets and their economy rate has dropped to 4.46, after they had leaked 6.64 runs per over against India.

19 Wickets for India in the middle overs (10.1 to 40) in this tournament, the most by any team; Pakistan are next with 18. However, in terms of averages and economy rates, Pakistan are the best bowling team in these overs, conceding only 29.33 runs per wicket and 4.4 runs per over. India have the best strike rate during this phase, but are second in terms of average, and third in economy rates.

Pakistan’s middle-overs bowling has been the biggest area of improvement in this tournament: in the period between the 2015 World Cup and this tournament, they averaged 56.67 runs per wicket in this phase in matches against the top-eight teams, which was the worst among these teams. Wahab Riaz’s absence in the last three matches has probably been a blessing in this aspect of their bowling: in the period between the World Cup and this Champions Trophy, he had figures of 1 for 393 in 80 overs, during the middle phase against the top teams.

17.76 The bowling average for Pakistan’s seamers during the middle overs: they have taken 13 wickets during this phase and conceded only 4.2 runs per over. Indian seamers have taken seven wickets at an average of 41.42 and an economy rate of 5.3. In the first ten overs, though, Pakistan’s seamers have struggled for wickets, taking only two at an average of 76.50. Overall, Pakistan’s pace attack has taken 23 wickets to India’s 16.

PACE ATTACK FOR IND AND PAK IN CT 2017
	First 10 Overs		Middle Overs		Last 10 Overs
Team	Ave	ER	Ave	ER	Ave	ER
Pakistan	76.50	5.10	17.76	4.20	28.25	6.84
India	41.75	4.28	41.42	5.30	26.40	6.23

India’s terrific top three

874 Runs scored by India’s top three batsmen: Shikhar Dhawan has 317, Rohit Sharma 304, and Virat Kohli 253. This is easily the highest tally by the top three of any team in this tournament – England’s 483 is the next highest, while Pakistan’s aggregate is 406. India’s top two wickets have put together four century stands, which is as many as the top two wickets of all other teams have managed in all.

81.4 Percentage of India’s runs, off the bat, scored by Dhawan, Rohit and Kohli. They have faced 85.8% of all deliveries faced by Indian batsmen (909 out of 1060). The other Indian batsmen have faced only 151 balls in all, but have done well in the limited opportunity, scoring 200 runs at a strike rate of 132.45. Pakistan’s top three have scored 59.3 % of their team’s bat runs.

The Kohli and Shoaib Malik factors

5 Man-of-the-Match awards for Kohli in only 17 matches against Pakistan, across formats. Only two Indians – Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar – have won more such awards across formats against Pakistan, while MS Dhoni also has five, but from 45 matches. Kohli averages 96 in wins against them, and 7.20 in defeats.

3 Instances of Junaid Khan having dismissed Kohli in ODIs. Kohli has scored only two runs off him in 22 balls, giving him an average of 0.66, and a strike rate of 9.09.

1649 Shoaib Malik’s ODI aggregate against India, at an average of 48.50, and a strike rate of 89.57. India are clearly his favourite ODI opponents: almost a quarter of his ODI runs, as well as four of his nine hundreds and his highest ODI score, have all come against India. Since January 2000, no Pakistan batsman has scored more ODI runs against India than Shoaib Malik.

S Rajesh is stats editor of ESPNcricinfo. @rajeshstats – Article courtesy – espncricinfo.com

 

Virat Kohli has found a winning formula during the ICC Champions Trophy and must now stick to it in the final to beat Pakistan, says former India skipper Rahul Dravid.

India skipper Virat Kohli should avoid making any changes to the team for the Champions Trophy summit clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday, believes former captain Rahul Dravid.

India will be taking on bitter rivals Pakistan on Sunday in a bid to defend their title. It is the first time the two teams are clashing in the final of an ICC event since the 2007 World T20 tournament.

“I think Virat has to stick to what’s worked well for him. India loves chasing, we saw that today. They have got some really experienced players who have played in big pressure games, they know how to handle these kind of situations and I think this is a tactic that works for them,” Dravid who is an ‘ESPNcricinfo Match Day analyst right now, said.

“People might question why are you only getting 4.8 run average in the first 10 but you know that’s how they like to set up their innings with Rohit and Shikhar, knowing fully well that they have got the power at the back end of the likes of you know, Hardik Pandya, Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Jadeja.”

“So you know they have got some big power that can make up a lot of runs in the end as well, as long as they can keep wickets in hand, they play spin well through the middle as well. So look, I won’t change anything, India’s batting has been exceptional,” he added.

India have done well chasing but if they have to put up a mammoth total in the final then lower-order batsmen Kedar Jadhav and Hardik Pandya might have to play a big role, feels Dravid.

“I think if you get Pakistan chasing in the final, anything above 280, you would be happy. Look if we have the batsmen in hand, and they do play the extra batsman, Kedar Jadhav, at 6 and they have Hardik Pandya at 7 and they have shown that he can be pushed up a little bit,” he said.

“It will be case of pushing one of up through the middle, Jadhav is a very good player against spin we know that, he does take it on. And if you are in that position, I guess you could do that, push Pandya or Jadhav ahead of even Yuvraj and Dhoni and have a crack.”

As for Pakistan, Dravid said experienced cricketers Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez will need to step up if the team has to have any chance against India.

“It’s a fantastic final. I guess Pakistan have something to prove, that they can put up a better performance than they did at the start of the tournament,” Dravid said.

“They are going to need people like Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez, their two most experienced players to really step up if they want to win this game,” he added.

Talking about Pakistan’s bowling, Dravid said: “You know they’ve probably learned from the last time they played India, in that they didn’t take wickets and India hurt them really badly in the last seven or eight overs, so they can’t afford to let that happen again.

“One of the nice things about Hasan Ali is the length that he bowls.He pitches the ball up, he gets people to drive and I think that’s one of the reasons, in these kind of conditions, he takes wickets.”

Article Courtesy – The Hindustan Times

The Cricket Advisory Committee of the BCCI will meet on Friday to review situation in Indian dressing room. Anil Kumble’s days as Indian cricket team coach seem numbered.

There is a strong indication that Anil Kumble’s job as the Indian cricket team’s head coach is on the line.

Although the Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, is keen that the former leg-spinner continue at least till the end of the limited overs series in the West Indies, Kumble may not like to continue.

As per Kumble’s one-year contract with the BCCI, his terms expires at the end of the ICC Champions Trophy but the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, led by Vinod Rai, wants Kumble to continue only if he is keen.

While reports of rift with captain Virat Kohli may not be totally true, Kumble’s presence in the dressing room is not welcomed by senior players, revealed a top BCCI source.

“Yes, players do not want him and there will be a change in coach for sure,” the official said.

The question is when?

“The CAC is really worried about this issue and given the fact that the Caribbean series is upon us, this is not the right time to change the coach. But it will eventually happen,” said the Board official.

LONDON MEETING

The CAC is meeting in London on Friday to find a solution. While the three wise men didn’t want to be hasty in finding the right replacement, Kumble may not want to stay on.

If India can beat Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy at The Oval on Sunday, it will be good occasion for Kumble to end his association with the Indian team.

After all, Kumble has been synonymous with success even though Kohli believes it is a “team game and success is not anybody’s personal”.

Given the clash of personalities, Kumble could well decide not to continue.

KOHLI LOVES BANGAR

Kohli once again spoke highly of batting coach Sanjay Bangar after India battered Bangladesh by nine wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal at Edgbaston on Thursday.

Not only Bangar, Kohli mentioned about Raghu, one man who throws balls to players trying to perfect their strokes for hours during nets.

“Bangar’s inputs have been priceless. If I have become a better batsman, it’s because of Bangar and Raghu,” said Kohli.

The separation with Kumble would have been smoother if Kohli was not involved in this mess, said the BCCI official.

Should Kohli be given the superpowers to even select a coach?

That’s not an ideal scenario for the CAC. That will be setting a bad precedent too.

Given the fact that Ganguly believes in complete powers for the team captain, Kohli may just win the battle.

One thing is for sure, Virender Sehwag is a rank outsider even though the CAC, which has the complete faith of the BCCI, is keen on an Indian head coach.

Soumitra Bose – Article Courtesy – The Hindustan Times

According to Anil Kumble’s one-year contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), his term expires at the end of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 but the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA), led by Vinod Rai, wants him to continue only if he is keen.

There is a strong indication that Anil Kumble’s job as the Indian cricket team’s head coach is on the line.

Although the Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, is keen that the former leg-spinner continues at least till the end of the limited overs series in the West Indies, Kumble may not like to.

As per Kumble’s one-year contract with the BCCI, his term expires at the end of the ICC Champions Trophy but the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, led by Vinod Rai, wants Kumble to continue only if he is keen.

While reports of rift with captain Virat Kohli may not be totally true, Kumble’s presence in the dressing room is not welcomed by senior players, revealed a top BCCI source. “Yes, players do not want him and there will be a change in coach for sure,” the official said. The question is when?

“The CAC is really worried about this issue and given the fact that the Caribbean series is upon us, this is not the right time to change the coach. But it will eventually happen,” said the Board official.

TIGHT LIPPED

The Indian team will travel to the Caribbean on June 20 for the limited-overs series. A decision on who will travel as coach with the team will be taken in the next 48 hours.

No one wanted to confirm. Everyone HT spoke to was tight lipped and that raises suspicion that something is amiss.

If India beat Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday, it will be a good occasion for Kumble to end his association with the Indian team.

KOHLI LOVES BANGAR

Kohli once again spoke highly of batting coach Sanjay Bangar after India battered Bangladesh by nine wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal at Edgbaston on Thursday.

Not only Bangar, Kohli mentioned Raghu, one man who throws balls to players trying to perfect their strokes for hours during nets.

“Bangar’s inputs have been priceless. If I have become a better batsman, it’s because of Bangar and Raghu,” said Kohli.

The separation with Kumble would have been smoother if Kohli was not involved in this mess, said the BCCI official.

Should Kohli be given the superpowers to even select a coach? That’s not an ideal scenario for the CAC. That will be setting a bad precedent too. Given the fact that Ganguly believes in complete powers for the team captain, Kohli may just win the battle.

One thing is for sure, Virender Sehwag is a rank outsider even though the CAC, which has the complete faith of the BCCI, is keen on an Indian head coach

Soumitra Bose – Article Courtesy – The Hindustan Times

 

Speaking about what is expected to be a high-voltage second clash, Kohli was nonchalant.

Pakistan’s “magnificent turnaround” has impressed him but India captain Virat Kohli says there is nothing that his side needs to be overtly concerned about ahead of the Champions Trophy final against the arch-foes on Sunday.

India eased past Bangladesh to enter the finals while Pakistan got the better of more fancied England in their semifinal clash.

India have already beaten Pakistan in the ongoing tournament during the preliminary stage.

Speaking about what is expected to be a high-voltage second clash, Kohli was nonchalant.

“What we are going to try to do is repeat the similar sort of cricket that we have played so far, knowing the strengths and weaknesses they have. Obviously, we will have to plan a bit according to that, but I don’t know if there’s much that we need to change as a team,” he said.

“I don’t think we need to look too far away from what we are doing as a group, I think focus on our skills and our abilities and believe in ourselves on that particular day, and we will give ourselves a good chance to go out there and do some good things for the team,” he added.

Asked if India made a statement to their bitter rivals with the nine-wicket triumph over Bangladesh last night, Kohli dismissed the suggestion.

“There are no statements in this game, honestly. On the day you arrive, if you are not feeling well mentally, it doesn’t matter whether you are 100 or whether you had a convincing victory.

“And there will be days, when you score a zero and you feel great on the day as you have won a game of cricket.

That’s how this game goes, and that’s the beauty of this game,” said Kohli when asked if Pakistan will be rattled by India’s performance.

“No one is a winner beforehand, and you can’t predict anything in this game. We have seen some really surprising results, and it’s been amazing for the fans to watch and for the players to be a part of, as well. We just want to enjoy the finals and we deserve to be there,” the skipper had a calm confidence in his tone.

But, he insisted that his team never takes anything for granted.

“We played some really good cricket. We are not going to take anything for granted for sure. It doesn’t matter whether we win by nine wickets, we win by one wicket. We are just going to go there and try to do the same things again and again. Be bowling as a team, and hopefully the results will come,” he added.

He was all praise for Pakistan team’s turnaround in the competition.

“Yeah, I am very impressed. The turnaround has been magnificent. Obviously, if you reach the finals, you have to play some good cricket, and credit to them, they have turned around things for themselves really well.

“They have beaten sides that looked really strong against them, but the belief just showed on the field the way they played together as a team, and you know, regardless of who you play in the finals, it’s always going to be challenging because once you start thinking that it’s a big game, then your mindset changes,” the skipper gave a peek into the mindset of an international team.

Article courtesy – The Hindu

Breaking new ground: India fans will hope Virat Kohli will take his rich vein of form into the final.  Gives credit to batting coach Sanjay Bangar and throw-down specialist Raghavindra

When he pushed Sabbir Rahman to long-off and jogged over for a single, Virat Kohli did not immediately realise what he had accomplished.

A congratulatory message appeared on the big screen a moment later, and a cheer went up all around Edgbaston. Kohli acknowledged it with a half-wave of the bat, gave Rohit Sharma at the other end a thumbs up, and carried on.

As far as milestones go, 8,000 runs in one-day cricket is perhaps not the grandest, but it is yet another endorsement of his abilities that Kohli has got there quicker than anyone else.

Thursday’s knock was flawless and brutal, full of the sort of shots we are now used to seeing: half-volleys driven with ease, gaps picked with inch-perfect precision, and rubbish from part-timers dismissed with contempt.

It was Kohli’s finest effort at this Champions Trophy, although it was slightly overshadowed by Rohit Sharma’s smooth century.

“I was feeling really good,” he said afterwards. “I wanted to give myself some time, 10-15 balls, I always do that. Last time around, we lost an early wicket, so I had to play with a bit more patience.

“Today was an opportunity to express myself. As I got going after 30-35, I grew in confidence and when you’re coming onto the ball and hitting the short ball well, you know you’re playing well.”

The India captain now has scores of 81 n.o., 0, 76 n.o. and 96 n.o. in four innings at the tournament and it seems like he has barely broken sweat.

Perhaps, it is so because of how routine he has made all this seem: a fifty does not stand out anymore. Kohli effectively made the same point last week, defending A.B. de Villiers’ supposed loss of form.

“I actually empathize with him,” he had said. “I go through this a lot as well. You set [really high] standards for yourself and then [when you don’t meet them], people get shocked.”

It was de Villiers’ record Kohli smashed against Bangladesh, getting to 8,000 in 175 innings, seven fewer than his good friend needed.

It was not that long ago that Kohli was going through a bit of a trough — by his standards, of course. The Australia Test series was a disappointment and the IPL — in comparison to his colossal deeds the year before — was only middling.

He arrived in London having led India through a long home season of cricket without much of a break, when his Champions Trophy began against an unpleasant backdrop, with reports of discord between skipper and coach.

And yet Kohli’s batting this last fortnight has been thoroughly dominant; the runs have not stopped flowing.

“I’m really enjoying the way I’m batting,” he said on Thursday. “For me the number of runs do not matter at this stage. I’m really enjoying the process. It gives me joy that whatever I’m practising and how I prepared after the IPL is paying off in this tournament.

“I’m pretty happy getting the team across the line. It doesn’t matter if it’s three figures or two or even one.”

Some credit for his success had to go to Sanjay Bangar, India’s batting coach, and Raghavindra, the team’s throw-down specialist from the NCA, he pointed out.

“On a personal level, I can say that whatever improvements I’ve had in my batting over the last two years is because of these two. Their input is priceless, they have taken my batting to another level.”

Today, only two active players have more ODI runs: Yuvraj Singh (8,622) and M.S. Dhoni (9,338). And Kohli has seven years on both of them. He will carry on, scoring more runs, breaking new ground, defining a new normal.

Indian fans will hope Sunday is no exception.

Shreedutta Chidananda – Article courtesy – The Hindu

When we’re good we’re very good, but when we’re bad we’re very poor, says Pakistan bowling coach

Azhar Mahmood says he’s not one for statistics, but he knows some numbers rather well. Pakistan’s head-to-head record against India in ODIs is 72-52, he pointed out at the Oval on Friday.

However, Pakistan has never beaten India in the ICC World Cup, and both of its wins in the Champions Trophy (in 2004 and 2009) came in pool matches.

It was time, the former Pakistan all-rounder and current bowling coach felt, to end India’s dominance in ICC events.

“Overall, if you see our record, we’ve beaten India quite often. Definitely, they have had an upper hand in ICC tournaments, but now things have changed and this is the time for us to change the script,” he said.

It wouldn’t be a shock if Pakistan beat India, he stated.

“We’re playing good cricket. It won’t be a shock. We were No. 8 when we came here and no one gave us credit. At the start, someone asked me who would be in the final, and I said Pakistan. Because I believe in my boys and if the boys can believe that, we can go and win this one.”

Pakistan did not want to be known as an unpredictable side, Mahmood insisted.

“We played against England last year, they got 440 against us but we beat them in Cardiff with good planning and the way the bowlers executed our plans. That’s why we’re so unpredictable and that’s why we have a lot of following.

“Because if we play good cricket we can beat any team. When we’re good we’re very good but when we’re bad we’re very poor. We want to change that — me and Mickey Arthur and all the coaching staff, we want to bring those things together.”

It would mean a lot to Pakistan to defeat India and win a trophy, Mahmood said.

“India refused to play against us; we’re playing now on a bigger stage. It’s like the Ashes; it’s bigger than the Ashes. We haven’t been playing cricket at home; this is an ICC event and we’re ranked No. 8.

“Two months back we were fighting to qualify for the World Cup and now if we win this one, it will be a great boost for us. It will be a good gift for the nation for Eid.”

Amir may play

He said, Mohammad Amir had recovered from the back spasms that kept him out of the semifinal against England and was fit to play on Sunday.

“He bowled today. He had no problem whatsoever. Back spasms take two days anyway. We’ll definitely go with Amir, but we don’t mind, if Amir is not playing, then we have Rumman Raees.

“Raees is a quality bowler as well and he showed in the semifinal that he can do the job for us.”

Hasan Ali had shaken off a calf niggle, Mahmood added. “He’s one of the best bowlers Pakistan have right now. He’s a wicket-taker, and the reason for our wins is that he comes in the middle period and takes wickets.

“We have an attacking option now with the old ball and new,” he said.

Shreedutta Chidananda – Article Courtesy – The Hindu

The skipper speaks about the game-changing decision to bring in Kedar Jadhav

Captain Virat Kohli on Friday said that the game-changing decision to bring in Kedar Jadhav was jointly taken by him and former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Jadhav dismissed set batsmen Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim after their 121—run stand to get India back on track in the second semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy here. India won the match by nine wickets.

Kohli said that he wanted to restrict and wickets from Kedar were bonuses.

“Wickets were honestly a bonus as Hardik went for a few in his first three. So we wanted to give him a bit of a break and cover up overs through Kedar and with one left-handed batsmen (Tamim), we knew that he had the ability to get in two, three, dot balls to the left-hander every over. But it ended up changing the whole game for us,” an elated Kohli said after the match.

But Kohli didn’t wish to take all the credit.

“Yeah, when moves like this pay off, I won’t take the whole credit. Obviously, I asked MS, as well, and we both decided that Kedar is a good option at the moment, and he bowled really well. Credit to him.

“Kedar doesn’t bowl much in the nets, but he is a smart cricketer. He knows where the batsmen get troubled, and if you can think like a batter when you are bowling, it’s obviously a bit of an advantage to any bowler. So I think that today he executed plans perfectly.”

For his new ball bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kohli was effusive in his praise.

“Well, they were outstanding. Especially, the last two games they have been terrific initially and in the later stages, as well, their wicket-taking ability is something that the opposition is aware of.

“So they are always careful going hard against these two guys, and yeah, their length after the Sri Lanka game has been impeccable. It’s been consistent, line close to the batsmen, always there with an opportunity to get a wicket, as I mentioned.

“Even in conditions, which are not offering too much, bowling such lines that we can produce wicket-taking opportunities,” said Kohli.

Article Courtesy – The Hindu

 

India-Pakistan matches are among the most watched events in sport – What’s the big deal about this final?   The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is one of the most intense in all of sport. There is a history of conflict between the two countries, and the cricket rivalry, which stems from the political one, has its own eventful past. With cricket being the most popular sport in both nations, when India and Pakistan play each other in important games, the television audience is often close to one billion – 988 million viewers were estimated to have watched their clash in the 2011 World Cup semi-final.

So what, where, and when is it?  India and Pakistan will meet in the final of the Champions Trophy, a major global cricket tournament, on Sunday, June 18. The match is being played at The Oval cricket ground in London and will begin at 10:30 local time (9:30 GMT, 15:00 Indian Standard Time and 15:30 Pakistan Standard Time).

Is this a rare event?   This is the first major final between India and Pakistan since 2007, when India beat Pakistan in the World T20 tournament. The hype around this game is also magnified by a paucity of matches between the two teams in the past 10 years, a result of political tensions.

What is the origin of the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry?  Before 1947, the regions now known as India and Pakistan were both part of British India. When British rule in India ended, two separate countries – India and Pakistan – were created principally along religious lines, and many people were killed as millions moved home in an attempt to live in the country where they would be part of the religious majority. Since then, India and Pakistan have fought four official wars and have been involved in other conflicts.

So the cricket rivalry is an extension of the political conflict?  While political tension was certainly the origin of the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry, it has, over the years, forged a history of its own. There have been several periods during which the teams have been evenly matched, leading to hard-fought matches, close series and exciting moments.

What is the attitude of the fans towards each other?  While there are India and Pakistan fans who feel animosity towards the other team, there are many who have tremendous respect for the opposition. This is evidenced by the popularity of several Pakistan cricketers in India, and Indian cricketers in Pakistan. Some might even say that at times cricket has helped people from both countries transcend the political climate, communicate with each other, and appreciate the many cultural similarities they share. Cricket tournaments have sometimes been thought of as part of the attempts by the countries to make peace with each other.

Part of the history of this rivalry are many tales of people treating those coming from across the border for a cricket series with warmth and hospitality, incidents of fans applauding opposition players at stadiums and of players making respectful gestures to their rivals. Recently, for example, when the famous Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi retired, the entire India team signed a T-shirt and sent it to him as a gift.

Who has the upper hand historically? While in recent times India have been the stronger team, historically Pakistan still have the edge. In one-day cricket, which is the format being played in the Champions Trophy, Pakistan have won 72 matches to India’s 52. In the late 1980s, Pakistan dominated India, and while the sides were more evenly matched in the 1990s and early 2000s, Pakistan still won more games. Since 2007, there has been a shift in momentum towards India.

So who are the favourites for this game? India start as favourites, because they have been one of the most successful teams over the past seven years in cricket. Pakistan were underdogs in this tournament and have surprised people by making the final. Also, India have a 13-2 record against Pakistan in global tournaments. They beat Pakistan by a big margin earlier in this Champions Trophy.

Is the Champions Trophy an important tournament? While the premier tournament in one-day cricket is the World Cup, the Champions Trophy is the second most prestigious because it features the top eight teams in the world. It is held every four years; this is the eighth edition.

What is special about the venue for the final? The Oval cricket ground is where the first Test match in England was played, in 1880. The final being in London also means that many Indians and Pakistanis who live there will attend the game.

Who are the players to watch in the final?  Virat Kohli, the captain of India, is considered by most to be the best batsman in one-day cricket. He is also, arguably, the most famous cricketer in the world – he has 15.8 million followers on Twitter. Pakistan does not have many established stars, but there are exciting young talents. Hasan Ali, a 23-year-old fast bowler, has been one of the players of this tournament.

Article Courtesy – espncricinfo.com