Gr81

Friday, February 22, 2008

gr8 chance for India in Under 19

How do you rate a team of talented youngsters from a country which eats, sleeps and breathes cricket and considers the game as its religion? With the senior side already basking in glory as ICC World Twenty20 champions, the younger squad wants to continue the winning streak in the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup a feat which they achieved in 2000.

The team has carried on from where it had left off in 2006, when it first beat England in England and then Pakistan in Pakistan. The side undertook a twin tour of New Zealand and Malaysia at the start of 2007 squaring the two-Test series 1-1 and winning the three-match One-Day series 2-1.

They then toured Sri Lanka in July-August 2007, and won a tri-series that involved the hosts and Bangladesh, before comprehensively winning another triangular tournament involving South Africa and Bangladesh in January 2008.

Under the guidance of Dav Whatmore, who coached Sri Lanka to ICC Cricket World Cup glory in 1996 and is the current director of operations at the National Cricket Academy, the side will be strongly fancied to do well at the event.

Virat Kohli, who will captain the side, made 373 runs at an average of 53 in five first-class matches including a top score of 159. He had a strong domestic season, having averaged 72.67 for Delhi in last season's edition of the Cooch Behar Trophy, which is India's premier under-19 domestic competition.

Shreevats Goswami has been in excellent form with the bat, scoring 104 against Bangladesh U/19 and 97 versus South Africa U/19, in the triangular series in Pretoria on the eve of ICC U/19 CWC 2008.

Left-handed batsman Tanmay Srivastava scored 171 runs at an average of 85.50 in Malaysia, and has scored 360 runs from only six games for the senior Uttar Pradesh team in the Ranji Trophy.

Iqbal Abdulla is a left-arm spinner who took 21 wickets for Mumbai in the Cooch Behar Trophy in 2006-07.

Captain Virat Kohli admits that there is huge pressure on the squad. He said: "Hopes are high and the boys have talent. However, all the teams are good and none should be taken lightly. It is a question of which team plays better cricket than the other on the big day."

And with the likes of Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif and Piyush Chawla amongst the stars who have gone onto senior honours after playing at this event, the eyes of India will be on Malaysia to see who will be the stars of the future.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, At Last

Celebrations all around India as
they win the World cup finally after 24 years!!

Mahendra Singh Dhoni - delighted India skipper. (Action Images / Mike Hutchings)

Tuesday September 25, 2007
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni predicted that Twenty20 will catch fire with a vengeance back home following his team's unexpected victory in the first-ever world championships on Monday.

Dhoni, whose side had only ever played one Twenty20 international before the tournament in South Africa, said the public could not fail to be excited by the new format even if the Indian cricket authorities initially appeared luke warm.

"I think it will catch up in India as people love sixes, fours and excitement," said Dhoni whose big-hitting style had already made him an icon back home before his recent elevation to the captaincy.

"Before now, there's not been much Twenty20 but it will catch up and be huge in India," he added after their five-run victory over arch rivals Pakistan in the final.

The two-week tournament has changed the face of limited overs international cricket, with the packed houses and tight finishes in stark contrast to the bloated six-week 50 over World Cup held in the Caribbean earlier in the year.

Dhoni admitted that India's first-round exit in the West Indies had spurred on his young charges this time round, adding that their chances had also been boosted by the lack of expectations placed on them.

"There was a determination among us to do well as we had not done so in the last World Cup. Nothing much was expected of, there was no pressure -- that's why we were victorious."

India's victory was particularly unheralded given the absence of star batsmen such as Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar who all decided to take a rest before punishing home series against Australia and Pakistan.

While Dhoni has been confirmed as captain for 50-over internationals, India are still without a coach five months after Australian Greg Chappell resigned.

Dhoni refused to be drawn on whether a coach was actually needed, laughing: "No comment."

Meanwhile Dhoni's fellow newcomer as an international skipper, Pakistan's Shoaib Malik, admitted he would have a struggle on his hands to get his young charges to adjust to the rigours of five-day Test cricket when they host South Africa in just one week's time in Karachi.

"It's a bit difficult to come to Test cricket after they score bang-bang," Malik told reporters.

"But we are professionals and we will have a meeting and I will tell the guys: 'Please, it's Test cricket'."

Malik said Pakistan had every reason to be proud of their performance in getting to the final of the tournament, regardless of their eventual defeat.

Pakistan have suffered a nightmare last year which has included the death of their coach Bob Woolmer, the resignation of their skipper Inzamam ul-Haq and a drugs scandal.

"It's a great achievement for Pakistan," said Malik. "When we started we were not considered one of the favourites and we have come a long way."