The controversy over the batting track prepared for the fifth ODI between India and South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium, where the visitors hammered the hosts by 214 runs to win the series last month, is yet to die down.
The Wankhede Stadium track being prepared for the ICC World T20 semi final clash between India and the West Indies is unlikely to favour the batsmen to the same extent as it did in the earlier matches here, it has been learnt. "There's an even coating of grass to bind the wicket, but the track would be slower than in earlier games. But it will still be a good T20 wicket," informed sources said on Tuesday ahead of the March 31 clash which is to be witnessed by a packed capacity crowd of 33,000 spectators. The heat in Mumbai has been on the higher side over the last few days with mercury touching the mid-30s, and this factor too is expected to affect the way the track will behave, the sources pointed out. In the last international game played at this venue featuring India, South Africa whipped the hosts by a whopping margin of 214 runs to clinch the ODI series 3-2 on October 25, 2015.
Andy Flower is handing over responsibility for England's one-day and Twenty20 sides, with Ashley Giles named as head coach by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday. Flower will continue as England Team Director and will remain in charge of the Test team but will take a back seat in limited-overs cricket after five years at the helm.
Wankhede curator Sudhir Naik has written a strongly-worded letter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India calling for action against India's Team Director Ravi Shastri and bowling coach Bharat Arun for their abusive behaviour during the fifth and final One-Dayer against South Africa in Mumbai, on Sunday.
A disappointed former team director Ravi Shastri on Tuesday hit out at Sourav Ganguly saying he was 'disrespectful' of the candidate he was interviewing and the job of selecting the coach he was entrusted with.
South Africa Test captain Graeme Smith has signed a three-year contract with Surrey to captain the English county.
The excitement of being in the Asia Cup final might be palpable in the Bangladesh camp but for India, Sunday's summit clash would be just another game in the tournament, says Team Director Ravi Shastri.
Michael Hussey was approached by former India batsman VVS Laxman for the job of Team India head coach, the ex-Australian cricketer has revealed in his latest book.
England cricket team director Andy Flower has made it clear that there is no place for Kevin Pietersen in the national squad until deep and serious issues of trust and respect are sorted out.
England batsman James Taylor has been forced to retire from all forms of cricket with immediate effect after it was discovered that he has a serious heart condition. Taylor had to withdraw from Nottinghamshire fixture against Cambridge University last week with what was believed to be a viral condition, but the club said on Tuesday that scans had revealed that the 26-year-old has ARVC (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy). "Safe to say this has been the toughest week of my life! My world is upside down. But I'm here to stay and I'm battling on! #lifestooshort," tweeted Taylor.
Not too affected by India's surprise loss to Sri Lanka in the first T20, Team Director Ravi Shastri has said the "endeavour" is to try out various combinations by giving everyone opportunities ahead of the big-ticket World Twenty20 next month.
Rediff.com brings how the sportsmen celebrated India's 69th Independence Day.
Ravi Shastri feels he has 'matured immensely' in the last two weeks, a period that saw dramatic developments leading upto his appointment to the high-profile job.
While three of their neighbours -- Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh -- crashed out in the quarter-finals, India remain the only team from the sub-continent to make the last four, and make it in style.
If veteran Sri Lankan allrounder Angelo Mathews is to believed, the key to India's success in the T20 format has been identifying the core group of players and then forming a winning combination with it.
Former India captain and team director Ravi Shastri said Cheteshwar Pujara, who was not picked up by any of the teams for this year's Indian Premier League, deserves to be compensated handsomely as a reward for his consistent contributions to the Test team's success this home season.
India's Team Director Ravi Shastri on Friday said that South Africa are still a formidable side despite the retirement of some big players recently but his side will continue their aggressive brand of cricket in the upcoming series beginning on October 2.
India have played three ODIs at the venue and have won all the three ODIs.
The Working Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India will meet in Dharamsala on June 24 to take stock of matters, including appointment of the Indian team's head coach.
Mind games have begun ahead of the Asia Cup final played between host Bangladesh and India at Mirpur on Sunday. While India's team director Ravi Shastri has termed it as 'yet another match', Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza called India as clear favourites to relieve pressure from his young side in the title clash. "We all know that Indians are clear favourites in the final. Let there be no debates or discussions on that," Mashrafe said at a packed match-eve press conference. India have been in rampaging form with four convincing wins in the tournament, including the 45-run thumping of Bangladesh in their opening league match. "What we have got is a young team which has won matches playing as a unit. We still don't have a T20 star, who can single-handedly win us a match. Crowd, pitch, conditions, everything will favour us but that can never ensure that we will win the final," Mashrafe clarified. Commenting on Shastri's statement, Mashrafe said that for his team which rarely makes final appearances, it's a "big occasion". "What Ravi Shastri has said is absolutely right. It is another match for them as they are used to hype and big matches. They can take it like 10 other matches. "India has played big finals, won trophies. What is easy for them may not be that easy for us. But we are trying to focus on the game, shut ourselves from the hype and remain and play as normally as possible," the Bangladesh skipper said.
Dhoni's contribution is second to none in Indian cricket, says Ravi Shastri.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Tuesday denied reports that Ravi Shastri has been appointed coach of the Indian cricket team, saying that the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) is still deliberating on the matter.
Former Team Director of the Indian cricket team Ravi Shastri made it clear that had he been the chairman of selectors, he would have thought about making "Virat Kohli the captain in all three formats" and let Mahendra Singh Dhoni "enjoy his game". Asked if he feels that Kohli is ready for leading across all formats, Shastri told India Today channel: "If I am the chairman of selectors, I would be thinking in that fashion, absolutely. It is it time to start thinking. You have to see India has no major event in three years till 2019 World Cup. This is your best chance to think and build." Shastri also made it clear that Dhoni can still contribute as a player. "By no stretch of imagination, you are taking anything away from MS. He can still contribute massively as a player. Time has come to allow him to enjoy himself, enjoy the game. It also depends on how much hungry MS is, how passionate he is, whether the juices are still flowing. It's a Catch-22 situation but you have to take hard decisions."
Team Director Ravi Shastri says India needs the right balance and play proper cricket, like it did in the second Test, to wrap the Sri Lanka series.
Triple defending Olympic wrestling champion Kaori Icho presented a window of hope for her Rio Games rivals after losing her first bout in 13 years on Friday to a 21-year-old Mongolian student.
Nearly ten days after the pitch controversy, Wankhede curator Sudhir Naik withdrew his complaint against Team India Director Ravi Shastri on Sunday.
India's Team Director Ravi Shastri indicated that Ravichandran Ashwin will play in the opening cricket Test against South Africa, saying the off-spinner is "absolutely fine".
Bollywood just needs a reason to party!
Virat Kohli has singled out Ishant Sharma for his efforts in the just-concluded Test series against South Africa, one that the home team won comprehensively.
The International Cricket Council announced on Monday that Jamtha Stadium, Nagpur, has been given an official warning under the ICC Pitch Monitoring Process following the third Test between India and South Africa.
In major embarrassment for the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the International Cricket Council rated the track at the Vidarbha Cricket Association ground in Nagpur, on which the third Test between India and South Africa was played, as "poor", triggering a review of the performance of the pitch under the ICC Pitch Monitoring Process.
Ravi Shastri, Indian cricket's man for all seasons, has returned to the spotlight by grabbing the much-coveted head coach's job.
The spearhead of England's pace attack but off-colour for quite a while now, Stuart Broad's place in the team is under threat for the opening cricket Test against India starting July 21 at the Lord's. Although his name figures in the squad announced for the match but he is facing stiff challenge from seamer Tim Bresnan for a place in the playing XI.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan termed new coach Anil Kumble as a "good reader of player's mind", who has kept each and every player in his scheme of things, not just skipper and team's best batsman Virat Kohli. "With Anil bhai, it is not only Virat or any other big player, but every player is in his scheme of plans. Even the ones who will not be playing regularly in the side. I feel that is a very important thing," Dhawan told mediapersons during an Open Media Session, in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Sourav Ganguly said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India is yet to formally decide on Ravi Shastri's tenure as the Team Director.
India captain Virat Kohli on Thursday made it clear that he will give his views on the new coach only if his opinion is sought by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Australia speed merchant Brett Lee will return to bolster Kolkata Knight Riders' attack ahead of their Indian Premier League match against Rajasthan Royals on Friday.
Virat Kohli is happy that to have got a three-week break from the game post the Australia tour.
India's premier batsman and team's vice-captain Virat Kohli suddenly lost his cool after the training session in Perth on Tuesday as he hurled abuses at a journalist before the side's group league game against West Indies at the WACA.
Explaining the decision to appoint Anil Kumble despite his lack of experience as an international coach, BCCI president Anurag Thakur said the former spinner's record itself is a testimony to his worthiness for the job.
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