Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has once again urged the decision makers to work on the revival of ODIs - the format he feels is getting held back because of lack of balance between the bat and ball. Master Blaster Sachin, who will turn 50 on April 24th, has lamented the lack of advantages for bowlers as the reason for slow-death of One-Dayers.

As quoted by ESPNcricinfo, Sachin, while interacting with a few journalists, said considering all formats are very different, ODI still needs to be worked upon first, just for it longegivity. Sachin added with the ODIs favouring batters too much, this format is not exciting as it used to be.

"I feel all three formats are completely different. Somewhere I do feel [that in the] one-day format, people need to have a look at it closely," Sachin told journalists. "I feel there is an imbalance between the bat and the ball. It is too much in favour of the batters at this point."

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The Indian legend is not a fan of two new balls in ODIs as he feels it kills the chance of reverse swing or the discolouration of the ball - something that used to work in bowler's favour back in the day. Explaining this, Sachin said the batters used top find it hard to pick the ball due to same reasons, which was a challenge in itself.

The former right-handed batter added such little elements are missing from the game, and because of which, the bowlers suffer in the end.&nbsp;

"With two new balls, even in the 25th over, the ball is literally 12 or 13 overs old. There is no such thing as reverse swing, or the discolouration of the ball, or the ball becoming soft. These factors really put a lot of pressure on the bowling side. There were challenges [for batters] where one did not pick the ball because of the discolouration. That was an advantage for a bowler.

"And with field restrictions, we need to balance that out. Give some advantage to the bowlers as well. I find that element missing in ODI cricket right now," Sachin added.

Other than in batting, Sachin achieved some milestones as a bowler too, and feels because of this rule of having five fielders inside the ring between 11-40th over, the spinners, in general, have gone defensive with their lines; as a result, they are unable to create the difference.

"Also, with the introduction of five fielders in the ring… I was speaking to a lot of spinners, and the overall opinion is that 'we cannot change our line'," he said. "If an offspinner is bowling, he is forced to bowl a middle-stump line. Because you either have to have your deep point in the ring or you need to bring in the long-off because on the on side, you have three fielders in the deep and here you can have only one fielder in the deep.

"So they cannot deceive a batter by getting him to play a cover drive. The overall opinion is that 'we have to kind of settle for a defensive line'. I would say that some adjustments need to be made," Sachin suggested.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has once again urged the decision makers to work on the revival of ODIs - the format he feels is getting held back because of lack of balance between the bat and ball.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has once again urged the decision makers to work on the revival of ODIs - the format he feels is getting held back because of lack of balance between the bat and ball. Master Blaster Sachin, who will turn 50 on April 24th, has lamented the lack of advantages for bowlers as the reason for slow-death of One-Dayers. As quoted by ESPNcricinfo, Sachin, while interacting with a few journalists, said considering all formats are very different, ODI still needs to be worked upon first, just for it longegivity. Sachin added with the ODIs favouring batters too much, this format is not exciting as it used to be. "I feel all three formats are completely different. Somewhere I do feel [that in the] one-day format, people need to have a look at it closely," Sachin told journalists. "I feel there is an imbalance between the bat and the ball. It is too much in favour of the batters at this point." ALSO READ: IPL 2023: Frustration mounts for CSK as Ben Stokes suffers another injury setback, set to be out for one week The Indian legend is not a fan of two new balls in ODIs as he feels it kills the chance of reverse swing or the discolouration of the ball - something that used to work in bowler's favour back in the day. Explaining this, Sachin said the batters used top find it hard to pick the ball due to same reasons, which was a challenge in itself. The former right-handed batter added such little elements are missing from the game, and because of which, the bowlers suffer in the end. "With two new balls, even in the 25th over, the ball is literally 12 or 13 overs old. There is no such thing as reverse swing, or the discolouration of the ball, or the ball becoming soft. These factors really put a lot of pressure on the bowling side. There were challenges [for batters] where one did not pick the ball because of the discolouration. That was an advantage for a bowler. "And with field restrictions, we need to balance that out. Give some advantage to the bowlers as well. I find that element missing in ODI cricket right now," Sachin added. Other than in batting, Sachin achieved some milestones as a bowler too, and feels because of this rule of having five fielders inside the ring between 11-40th over, the spinners, in general, have gone defensive with their lines; as a result, they are unable to create the difference. "Also, with the introduction of five fielders in the ring… I was speaking to a lot of spinners, and the overall opinion is that 'we cannot change our line'," he said. "If an offspinner is bowling, he is forced to bowl a middle-stump line. Because you either have to have your deep point in the ring or you need to bring in the long-off because on the on side, you have three fielders in the deep and here you can have only one fielder in the deep. "So they cannot deceive a batter by getting him to play a cover drive. The overall opinion is that 'we have to kind of settle for a defensive line'. I would say that some adjustments need to be made," Sachin suggested.

Sachin Tendulkar explains what's holding back the ODI format, puts forward his suggestion on how to revive it

MS Dhoni is currently involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. He is leading the four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who picked their third win of the season -- after five games -- as they emerged on top of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 24, in Bengaluru, on Monday evening (April 17). It is believed that this is the last IPL season for Dhoni although the 41-year-old has not given any clarity on his future.&nbsp;

Dhoni remains a huge name in world cricket. He retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020, putting an end to his illustrious career with 17,266 runs, 634 catches,&nbsp; 359 sixes, 195 stumpings and having led India to all three major ICC titles. He led India to the 2007 T20 World Cup title but the Men in Blue faced an early exit in the following edition, in England, in 2009. After India's three-run loss to hosts England in their second game of the Super Eight round, at Lord's London, the then skipper Dhoni apologised to the Indian fans for their dismal show.&nbsp;

"We are more disappointed (than you) and we respect the emotions of our fans and the country. We are sorry for whatever happened. We gave our best and we say that with an open heart, we have nothing to hide. But the next Twenty20 world cup is coming again in nine months and we would have an opportunity of proving ourselves," said a dejected Dhoni after India's disappointing loss&nbsp;while addressing the press.

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Talking about the match, India elected to bowl first and restricted England to 153 for 7, who rode on Kevin Pietersen's 46 and Ravi Bopara's 37. In reply, India promoted Ravindra Jadeja over Yuvraj Singh and paid the price for it as the then-inexperienced spin-bowling all-rounder made a scratchy 35-ball 25. From India, Gautam Gambhir, Dhoni, Yuvraj and Yusuf Pathan added runs on the board but it wasn't enough as India managed 150 for 5 in 20 overs.

On his decision to promote Jadeja over Yuvraj, Dhoni said, "Sometimes you don't know what would happen. We thought Jadeja could stabilise the innings as well as go after the bowling. He did try but somehow he always found the fielders. It was unfortunate it didn't work for us. We needed somebody to play percentage cricket at that stage."

"We failed in batting. If the opposition scores 153 and you cannot achieve that on a track like this, I don't think there can be any excuse. You just cannot explain that. We lost simply because we did not bat well. I'm rather happy with the performance of the bowlers," he added.

After the 2009 T20 WC, Dhoni led India in every edition of the marquee event till 2016, taking them to the final in 2014 and the semi-finals two years later at home. Since India's 2007 T20 WC triumph, they are yet to lift the mega title once again.

Meanwhile, Dhoni also led&nbsp;India&nbsp;to the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy during his captaincy tenure.

MS Dhoni is currently involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. He is leading the four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who picked their third win of the season -- after five games -- as they emerged on top of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 24, in Bengaluru, on Monday evening (April 17).

MS Dhoni is currently involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. He is leading the four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who picked their third win of the season -- after five games -- as they emerged on top of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 24, in Bengaluru, on Monday evening (April 17). It is believed that this is the last IPL season for Dhoni although the 41-year-old has not given any clarity on his future. Dhoni remains a huge name in world cricket. He retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020, putting an end to his illustrious career with 17,266 runs, 634 catches, 359 sixes, 195 stumpings and having led India to all three major ICC titles. He led India to the 2007 T20 World Cup title but the Men in Blue faced an early exit in the following edition, in England, in 2009. After India's three-run loss to hosts England in their second game of the Super Eight round, at Lord's London, the then skipper Dhoni apologised to the Indian fans for their dismal show. "We are more disappointed (than you) and we respect the emotions of our fans and the country. We are sorry for whatever happened. We gave our best and we say that with an open heart, we have nothing to hide. But the next Twenty20 world cup is coming again in nine months and we would have an opportunity of proving ourselves," said a dejected Dhoni after India's disappointing loss while addressing the press. Also Read: IPL 2023: Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni reunite, have a laugh together after CSK beat RCB in a thriller - Watch Talking about the match, India elected to bowl first and restricted England to 153 for 7, who rode on Kevin Pietersen's 46 and Ravi Bopara's 37. In reply, India promoted Ravindra Jadeja over Yuvraj Singh and paid the price for it as the then-inexperienced spin-bowling all-rounder made a scratchy 35-ball 25. From India, Gautam Gambhir, Dhoni, Yuvraj and Yusuf Pathan added runs on the board but it wasn't enough as India managed 150 for 5 in 20 overs. On his decision to promote Jadeja over Yuvraj, Dhoni said, "Sometimes you don't know what would happen. We thought Jadeja could stabilise the innings as well as go after the bowling. He did try but somehow he always found the fielders. It was unfortunate it didn't work for us. We needed somebody to play percentage cricket at that stage." "We failed in batting. If the opposition scores 153 and you cannot achieve that on a track like this, I don't think there can be any excuse. You just cannot explain that. We lost simply because we did not bat well. I'm rather happy with the performance of the bowlers," he added. After the 2009 T20 WC, Dhoni led India in every edition of the marquee event till 2016, taking them to the final in 2014 and the semi-finals two years later at home. Since India's 2007 T20 WC triumph, they are yet to lift the mega title once again. Meanwhile, Dhoni also led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy during his captaincy tenure.

THROWBACK: When MS Dhoni apologised to Indian fans after Team India bowed out of 2009 T20 WC

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Saturday, provided the latest medical update on the injured pair of Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer. As per the statement released by the board’s secretary Jay Shah, Bumrah had recently undergone back surgery in New Zealand and following prescribed rest for six weeks, the seamer has resumed training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru on Friday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Saturday, provided the latest medical update on the injured pair of Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer. As per the statement released by the board’s secretary Jay Shah, Bumrah had recently undergone back surgery in New Zealand and following prescribed rest for six weeks, the seamer has resumed training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru on Friday. On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer is also scheduled to have surgery on his lower back next week, and after remaining under the surgeon’s care for approx. two weeks later, he will also reach the NCA and begin his rehab. BCCI’s statement read, Medical Update: Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer “Mr Jasprit Bumrah underwent surgery in New Zealand on his lower back, which was successful, and he remains pain-free. The fast bowler was advised by the specialist to start his rehab six weeks after the surgery and accordingly, Mr Bumrah has commenced his rehab management at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru from Friday. Mr Shreyas Iyer is scheduled to undergo surgery for his lower back issue next week. He will remain under the surgeon’s care for two weeks and will return to the NCA after that for rehabilitation.” ALSO READ: IPL 2023: Went out there with 'I don't care' mentality - Harry Brook opens up on stunning hundred for SRH Meanwhile, pace spearhead Bumrah has been out of action since September last year due to a back issue and has missed all major tournaments, including the 2022 Asia Cup, the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia and the Border-Gavaskar series. While he returned in contention for selection for the home series against Sri Lanka early this year, the reoccurrence of back pain held back his comeback. He also got ruled out of the ongoing IPL 2023 and the 2023 WTC final that follows; moreover, he is unlikely to return to competitive cricket until the 50-over World Cup, scheduled to start in October. Elsewhere, the right-handed batter Shreyas Iyer also missed the home series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and though he returned to the side for two Tests against Australia, he didn’t play any cricket since. As things stand, he is also ruled out of the IPL 2023 and the 2023 WTC final, while his return will depend on his rehab goes.

Jasprit Bumrah resumes rehab in NCA following back surgery, BCCI also provide update on Shreyas Iyer

The secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Jay Shah, hinted the media rights deal for the upcoming cycle (from 2023 to 2027) will be completed by July and will kick off with the ODI series against Australia in September. In the meantime, a short agreement will come in place for the Afghanistan series in June.&nbsp;

"The BCCI Media Rights tender will be on schedule this year (June-July) and will depend on the Afghanistan tour, but more likely, the process will start from the Australia series. The Board will speak to all stakeholders concerned and will come up with an interim decision," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said on Friday, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

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As reported earlier, the BCCI had planned to organise a short ODI series against either Sri Lanka or Afghanistan only to give the Indian team more ODI matches in the World Cup year. However, with a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan now being sealed, at least informally, the board, which is out of a formal media partner following the end of a previous contract with Disney Star in March, will have to seek an interim agreement.&nbsp;

Shah hinted the tendering process would take around one and a half months and that Disney Star, Sony-Zee, Viacom and FanCode are among the front contenders. He&nbsp;also added the board is likely to get in touch with an external agency on a smooth and transparent tendering process to ensure revenue optimisation.

BCCI earlier hired KPMG for the sale of the IPL rights, which got sold for an unbelievable cost of Rs 48,390 crore ($ 6.2 billion) last year.

Currently, the Indian players are involved in the Indian Premier League, following which they will take on Australia in the WTC final, scheduled on June 7th at the Oval. After that, India will host Afghanistan and then will travel to West Indies and Ireland for bilateral tours.

The Men in Blue&nbsp;will then participate&nbsp;in the 2023 Asia Cup and then will host Australia for the ODI series before hosting the 2023 World Cup which is likely to begin on October 5th.&nbsp;

The secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Jay Shah, hinted the media rights deal for the upcoming cycle (from 2023 to 2027) will be completed by July and will kick off with the ODI series against Australia in September.

The secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Jay Shah, hinted the media rights deal for the upcoming cycle (from 2023 to 2027) will be completed by July and will kick off with the ODI series against Australia in September. In the meantime, a short agreement will come in place for the Afghanistan series in June. "The BCCI Media Rights tender will be on schedule this year (June-July) and will depend on the Afghanistan tour, but more likely, the process will start from the Australia series. The Board will speak to all stakeholders concerned and will come up with an interim decision," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said on Friday, as quoted by Cricbuzz. ALSO READ: Million Dollar baby Harry Brook scores maiden hundred of IPL 2023, hits 100* off 55 balls As reported earlier, the BCCI had planned to organise a short ODI series against either Sri Lanka or Afghanistan only to give the Indian team more ODI matches in the World Cup year. However, with a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan now being sealed, at least informally, the board, which is out of a formal media partner following the end of a previous contract with Disney Star in March, will have to seek an interim agreement. Shah hinted the tendering process would take around one and a half months and that Disney Star, Sony-Zee, Viacom and FanCode are among the front contenders. He also added the board is likely to get in touch with an external agency on a smooth and transparent tendering process to ensure revenue optimisation. BCCI earlier hired KPMG for the sale of the IPL rights, which got sold for an unbelievable cost of Rs 48,390 crore ($ 6.2 billion) last year. Currently, the Indian players are involved in the Indian Premier League, following which they will take on Australia in the WTC final, scheduled on June 7th at the Oval. After that, India will host Afghanistan and then will travel to West Indies and Ireland for bilateral tours. The Men in Blue will then participate in the 2023 Asia Cup and then will host Australia for the ODI series before hosting the 2023 World Cup which is likely to begin on October 5th.

Media rights deal for Indian cricket for 2023-2027 cycle could be completed by July, hints Jay Shah

Shubman Gill has been in the form of his life. After slamming a double ton in ODI cricket early this year, Gill scored his second Test hundred during India's home Tests versus Australia and is looking in good touch in IPL 2023 for the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT).

Gill scored a 49-ball 67 -- his second fifty of the season -- in GT's six-wicket win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mohali on Thursday (April 13). While many criticised his poor strike rate in the end overs and his inability to finish the run-chase, the right-hander is surely becoming a run-machine in all formats.&nbsp;

Recently, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja lavished huge praise on Gill as he agreed with the prediction that he could be the next best batsman after Virat Kohli in Indian cricket. On his Youtube channel, Raja said, “He has so much potential, he has so much time. He looks so naturally beautiful when he plays. When he drives, there's a curve on the shot. He has a lot of time to play his strokes. It doesn't matter if he scores on the off side, on side, hook or pull, it's just so beautiful and neat-and-clean. Many predict that he could be the next best batsman after Virat Kohli. He has touch, class, and elegance like Rohit Sharma. And his temperament is quite strong."

Also Read:&nbsp;'<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/show-temperament-like-ms-dhoni-manjrekar-schools-shubman-gill-after-gts-close-win-over-pbks-in-ipl-2023-582444">Show temperament like MS Dhoni": Manjrekar schools Shubman Gill after GT's close win over PBKS in IPL 2023</a>

Ramiz further added, "From Tests, ODIs, and T20Is as well, he has tormented the bowlers. When you see him, it seems the time has stopped. At such a young age, he already has records. Sky is the limit for him."

Gill will be eager to carry on the momentum and also maintain a healthy strike rate in the remainder of IPL 2023 and help Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat defend their title in the ongoing IPL season. The right-hander has become India's regular across formats and is set to open with captain Rohit Sharma in this year's ODI World Cup, at home, in October-November.&nbsp;

Shubman Gill has been in the form of his life. After slamming a double ton in ODI cricket early this year, Gill scored his second Test hundred during India's home Tests versus Australia and is looking in good touch in IPL 2023 for the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT).

Shubman Gill has been in the form of his life. After slamming a double ton in ODI cricket early this year, Gill scored his second Test hundred during India's home Tests versus Australia and is looking in good touch in IPL 2023 for the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT). Gill scored a 49-ball 67 -- his second fifty of the season -- in GT's six-wicket win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mohali on Thursday (April 13). While many criticised his poor strike rate in the end overs and his inability to finish the run-chase, the right-hander is surely becoming a run-machine in all formats. Recently, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja lavished huge praise on Gill as he agreed with the prediction that he could be the next best batsman after Virat Kohli in Indian cricket. On his Youtube channel, Raja said, “He has so much potential, he has so much time. He looks so naturally beautiful when he plays. When he drives, there's a curve on the shot. He has a lot of time to play his strokes. It doesn't matter if he scores on the off side, on side, hook or pull, it's just so beautiful and neat-and-clean. Many predict that he could be the next best batsman after Virat Kohli. He has touch, class, and elegance like Rohit Sharma. And his temperament is quite strong." Also Read: 'Show temperament like MS Dhoni": Manjrekar schools Shubman Gill after GT's close win over PBKS in IPL 2023 Ramiz further added, "From Tests, ODIs, and T20Is as well, he has tormented the bowlers. When you see him, it seems the time has stopped. At such a young age, he already has records. Sky is the limit for him." Gill will be eager to carry on the momentum and also maintain a healthy strike rate in the remainder of IPL 2023 and help Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat defend their title in the ongoing IPL season. The right-hander has become India's regular across formats and is set to open with captain Rohit Sharma in this year's ODI World Cup, at home, in October-November.

'Many predict he could be the next best batsman after Kohli': Raja lauds Gill, reserves huge praise for him

Former West Indian bowling great Ian Bishop feels it’s too late for Jasprit Bumrah to tweak his bowling action in a bid to prolong his career and avoid regular injuries. The India seamer is out of action since September last year and missed all major series including the 2023 Asia Cup, the T20 World Cup in Australia, and the home Border-Gavaskar series.

Following undergoing back surgery in New Zealand lately, Jasprit Bumrah got ruled out of the ongoing IPL 2023 and is unlikely to regain full fitness in less than six months&nbsp;– meaning he will also miss the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia and several bilateral series that will follow.

Speaking on what could make everything alright for Bumrah, Bishop said that given Bumrah’s age, he can’t make significant changes to his bowling action now;&nbsp;instead he has to find his own way of getting back on the track. The lanky seamer, who troubled even the best of batters during his time, gave his example saying he tried changing his bowling, and that messed up everything for him.

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“So Jasprit is going to find his own way. I don't think you can look at changing his action. I tried to do that with mine and messed it up totally. I would personally look at managing what he does. Strengthening the core muscles of the body a lot. He is not 21 or 22,” Bishop told PTI.

Ian added that while he doesn’t expect major changes to happen on Bumrah’s bowling action front, he still hopes to see the premier pacer make a return to competitive cricket soon.

"When you have done what he has done most of his career, it is hard to make a significant change. You can tweak it in some way shape or form but perhaps that is all he would be able to do. Can't wait for him to come back. Love watching him bowl," Bishop added.

Meanwhile, Bumrah’s absence did hamper India’s chances in all those big tournaments as the Men in Blue failed to win any trophy in the past year. Although Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj filled in the boots with some impressive performances, it’s fair to say India missed Jasprit on most occasions.

Also, given cricket’s greatest event – the 50-over World Cup is scheduled later this year in India, the team management will want him to regain complete fitness and be available for selection.

Former West Indian bowling great Ian Bishop feels it’s too late for Jasprit Bumrah to tweak his bowling action in a bid to prolong his career and avoid regular injuries.

Former West Indian bowling great Ian Bishop feels it’s too late for Jasprit Bumrah to tweak his bowling action in a bid to prolong his career and avoid regular injuries. The India seamer is out of action since September last year and missed all major series including the 2023 Asia Cup, the T20 World Cup in Australia, and the home Border-Gavaskar series. Following undergoing back surgery in New Zealand lately, Jasprit Bumrah got ruled out of the ongoing IPL 2023 and is unlikely to regain full fitness in less than six months – meaning he will also miss the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia and several bilateral series that will follow. Speaking on what could make everything alright for Bumrah, Bishop said that given Bumrah’s age, he can’t make significant changes to his bowling action now; instead he has to find his own way of getting back on the track. The lanky seamer, who troubled even the best of batters during his time, gave his example saying he tried changing his bowling, and that messed up everything for him. ALSO READ: PBKS vs GT: Rabada goes past Malinga to become fastest bowler to enter 100-wicket club in IPL “So Jasprit is going to find his own way. I don't think you can look at changing his action. I tried to do that with mine and messed it up totally. I would personally look at managing what he does. Strengthening the core muscles of the body a lot. He is not 21 or 22,” Bishop told PTI. Ian added that while he doesn’t expect major changes to happen on Bumrah’s bowling action front, he still hopes to see the premier pacer make a return to competitive cricket soon. "When you have done what he has done most of his career, it is hard to make a significant change. You can tweak it in some way shape or form but perhaps that is all he would be able to do. Can't wait for him to come back. Love watching him bowl," Bishop added. Meanwhile, Bumrah’s absence did hamper India’s chances in all those big tournaments as the Men in Blue failed to win any trophy in the past year. Although Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj filled in the boots with some impressive performances, it’s fair to say India missed Jasprit on most occasions. Also, given cricket’s greatest event – the 50-over World Cup is scheduled later this year in India, the team management will want him to regain complete fitness and be available for selection.

Ian Bishop fears even a tweak in bowling action won't solve Jasprit Bumrah's injury woes

Match 13 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition went down to the wire, in Ahmedabad on Sunday (April 09). Hosting the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rashid Khan's Gujarat Titans (GT), in absence of regular captain Hardik Pandya, scored 204-4 after opting to bat first but couldn't defend the score as they failed to defend 29 off the last six balls.

Rinku Singh smashed a breathtaking 21-ball 48*, after KKR's Venkatesh Iyer's 43-ball 80 and skipper Nitish Rana's 45 (29), to shatter defending champions GT's hopes. From GT, there were plenty of positives with fifties from Sai Sudharsan (53), Vijay Shankar's 24-ball 63*, laced with 4 fours and 5 sixes at 262.50, and Rashid's hat-trick but it all ended in a losing cause.

Shankar, who scored 56 runs in his first two outings in IPL 2023, is in good form. He started 2019 with some good knocks for India as well, before the 2019 ODI World Cup squad was announced. In another ODI WC year, with the showpiece event to be held in India in October-November, Ravi Shastri opened up on his form.

It is to be noted that Shastri was India's head coach when Shankar was picked, surprisingly ahead of Ambati Rayudu, for the ODI WC in 2019. While speaking on Star Sports, the former cricketer-turned-commentator said, "The fact that Vijay was picked for the World Cup is because he had this kind of talent. And I am glad that he has gone back, worked hard, and not given up. You know he has had some tough times, he has had an operation as well, but he has come back strong."

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Shastri added, "Beautiful hitting today because he is a clean striker of the ball, he has got a wide range of shots and, because of his reach and height, he can hit the ball a long, long way. Great to see. This is the strength of the Gujarat Titans. They have got some power hitters in the back end of the innings. So if they get off to a good start then they are a very dangerous side at the back end of the innings."

Shankar-starrer GT will now face Punjab Kings (PBKS), at the IS Bindra Cricket Stadium, Mohali, on Thursday (April 13).

Match 13 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition went down to the wire, in Ahmedabad on Sunday (April 09). Hosting the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rashid Khan's Gujarat Titans (GT), in absence of regular captain Hardik Pandya, scored 204-4 after opting to bat first but couldn't defend the score as they failed to defend 29 off the last six balls.

Match 13 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition went down to the wire, in Ahmedabad on Sunday (April 09). Hosting the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rashid Khan's Gujarat Titans (GT), in absence of regular captain Hardik Pandya, scored 204-4 after opting to bat first but couldn't defend the score as they failed to defend 29 off the last six balls. Rinku Singh smashed a breathtaking 21-ball 48*, after KKR's Venkatesh Iyer's 43-ball 80 and skipper Nitish Rana's 45 (29), to shatter defending champions GT's hopes. From GT, there were plenty of positives with fifties from Sai Sudharsan (53), Vijay Shankar's 24-ball 63*, laced with 4 fours and 5 sixes at 262.50, and Rashid's hat-trick but it all ended in a losing cause. Shankar, who scored 56 runs in his first two outings in IPL 2023, is in good form. He started 2019 with some good knocks for India as well, before the 2019 ODI World Cup squad was announced. In another ODI WC year, with the showpiece event to be held in India in October-November, Ravi Shastri opened up on his form. It is to be noted that Shastri was India's head coach when Shankar was picked, surprisingly ahead of Ambati Rayudu, for the ODI WC in 2019. While speaking on Star Sports, the former cricketer-turned-commentator said, "The fact that Vijay was picked for the World Cup is because he had this kind of talent. And I am glad that he has gone back, worked hard, and not given up. You know he has had some tough times, he has had an operation as well, but he has come back strong." Also Read: IPL 2023, Match 14, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Lucknow Super Giants - Match preview and result prediction Shastri added, "Beautiful hitting today because he is a clean striker of the ball, he has got a wide range of shots and, because of his reach and height, he can hit the ball a long, long way. Great to see. This is the strength of the Gujarat Titans. They have got some power hitters in the back end of the innings. So if they get off to a good start then they are a very dangerous side at the back end of the innings." Shankar-starrer GT will now face Punjab Kings (PBKS), at the IS Bindra Cricket Stadium, Mohali, on Thursday (April 13).

'He was picked for CWC'19 for this kind of talent': Ravi Shastri lauds GT's in-form batter Vijay Shankar

Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) are off to a flying start in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. PBKS have started off on a winning note, emerging on top in their first two games of the new season under the new captain. Dhawan led the charge with the bat in his side's last outing, versus the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati on Wednesday (April 05), with a fine 56-ball 86* as Punjab beat Sanju Samson &amp; Co. by five runs in a high-scoring thriller.

The 16th edition of the IPL is a vital season for Dhawan. The senior Indian player has been dropped from the ODI side, having lost his T20I place back in late 2021, and needs a memorable run with the bat in IPL 2023 to have any chance of featuring in the Indian squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. After his splendid knock versus RR, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh backed Dhawan and questioned 'why he is not getting a chance in the Indian team'.

'You gave Rohit, Kohli and KL&nbsp;plenty of chances but there is no place for&nbsp;Dhawan'

"Shikhar has also led the Indian side in many tours but suddenly we saw that after the role of Shikhar was over he was sidelined as if he is not needed anymore. I felt bad on seeing this because the treatment for everyone should be the same. He is a big player and has given too much to Indian cricket," Harbhajan&nbsp;shared his views on YouTube.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-dhoni-or-de-villiers-name-your-favourite-cricketer-kohli-wins-hearts-with-epic-reply-watch-580021">IPL 2023: Dhoni or De Villiers -- name your favourite cricketer? Kohli wins hearts with epic reply – WATCH</a>

"You can not treat him like this. He played a good knock of 86 in 56 balls. I will not name anyone here. For instance, let's take Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, or KL Rahul who are big names. You gave them plenty of chances but on the other hand, there is no place for Shikhar Dhawan in the team now. He has always contributed for the team. Then why he is not getting a chance in the Indian team? Talking about fitness, he is as fit as Virat Kohli," Harbhajan further added.

The senior Indian batter has been replaced by Shubman Gill who has had a remarkable run across formats. Dhawan will still hope for a good IPL season with the bat and pray for a return to the national side for the ODI WC.

Dhawan-led PBKS will now face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad on Sunday evening (April 09) and hope to keep their winning run going in IPL 2023.

Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) are off to a flying start in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. PBKS have started off on a winning note, emerging on top in their first two games of the new season under the new captain.

Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) are off to a flying start in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. PBKS have started off on a winning note, emerging on top in their first two games of the new season under the new captain. Dhawan led the charge with the bat in his side's last outing, versus the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati on Wednesday (April 05), with a fine 56-ball 86* as Punjab beat Sanju Samson & Co. by five runs in a high-scoring thriller. The 16th edition of the IPL is a vital season for Dhawan. The senior Indian player has been dropped from the ODI side, having lost his T20I place back in late 2021, and needs a memorable run with the bat in IPL 2023 to have any chance of featuring in the Indian squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. After his splendid knock versus RR, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh backed Dhawan and questioned 'why he is not getting a chance in the Indian team'. 'You gave Rohit, Kohli and KL plenty of chances but there is no place for Dhawan' "Shikhar has also led the Indian side in many tours but suddenly we saw that after the role of Shikhar was over he was sidelined as if he is not needed anymore. I felt bad on seeing this because the treatment for everyone should be the same. He is a big player and has given too much to Indian cricket," Harbhajan shared his views on YouTube. Also Read: IPL 2023: Dhoni or De Villiers -- name your favourite cricketer? Kohli wins hearts with epic reply – WATCH "You can not treat him like this. He played a good knock of 86 in 56 balls. I will not name anyone here. For instance, let's take Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, or KL Rahul who are big names. You gave them plenty of chances but on the other hand, there is no place for Shikhar Dhawan in the team now. He has always contributed for the team. Then why he is not getting a chance in the Indian team? Talking about fitness, he is as fit as Virat Kohli," Harbhajan further added. The senior Indian batter has been replaced by Shubman Gill who has had a remarkable run across formats. Dhawan will still hope for a good IPL season with the bat and pray for a return to the national side for the ODI WC. Dhawan-led PBKS will now face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad on Sunday evening (April 09) and hope to keep their winning run going in IPL 2023.

'You gave Rohit, Virat & Rahul plenty of chances': Harbhajan Singh questions Indian star player's omission

Indian cricket legends MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami and Suresh Raina received lifetime Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) membership on Wednesday (April 05). It is to be noted that the MCC named as many as 19 new Honorary Life Members with eight Test playing nations represented in the latest cohort. The London-based club, known to make the rules of the game, awards honorary life membership to some of the legends of the sport in men's as well as women's cricket.&nbsp;

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Guy Lavender, Chief Executive &amp; Secretary of MCC, stated, "We are thrilled to be able to announce our newest cohort of Honorary Life Members of MCC, as we prepare for the new international summer. The names that have been announced today are some of the greatest international players of modern times, and we are privileged to now count them as valued Members of our Club.
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"We are also pleased to be able to announce two individuals who have been awarded this honour for their monumental contributions off the pitch."
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-virat-dhoni-raina-or-de-villiers-anil-kumble-names-this-superstar-as-undisputed-goat-of-ipl-576951">Not Virat, Dhoni, Raina or De Villiers! Anil Kumble names THIS superstar as undisputed G.O.A.T. of IPL</a>

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Representing 🇮🇳 
 
👏 Congratulations to these <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BCCI</a> greats, who have been awarded as Honorary Life Members of MCC.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketTwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketTwitter</a>
— Marylebone Cricket Club (@MCCOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/MCCOfficial/status/1643584276783349762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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👏 MCC awards Honorary Life Membership of the Club to some of the world’s finest cricketers. 
 
We can now reveal the names of the latest men and women to have been bestowed with this privilege ⤵️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketTwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketTwitter</a>
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Dhoni, Yuvraj and Raina are regarded as one of the best white-ball players for the senior men's team. The trio were part of India's 2011 ODI World Cup triumph whereas Dhoni and Yuvraj also played a key role in Men in Blue's 2007 T20 World Cup win. In 2013, Dhoni and Raina-starrer India won the 2013 Champions Trophy as well. All these wins came under Dhoni's captaincy.&nbsp;

Although Yuvi and Raina were known for their white-ball heroics, Dhoni also ended with 4,876 runs in Tests at an average of nearly 38, including a double ton. The trio are also known as IPL legends.

Meanwhile, Mithali and Jhulan are the pioneers of women's cricket in the country.&nbsp;While Mithali remains one of the top batters in women's cricket history, Jhulan made the ball talk during her illustrious career for the Women in Blue. Both were part of India's 2005 and 2017 ODI World Cup campaigns where the national side ended second. To date, Mithali is the leading run-getter in women's ODIs whereas Jhulan tops the list for most wickets in the format. Both retired from the game in 2022.

Others on the honoured list: Merissa Aguilleira (West Indies, 2008-2019), Jenny Gunn (England, 2004-2019), Muhammad Hafeez (Pakistan, 2003-2021), Rachael Haynes (Australia, 2009-2022), Laura Marsh (England, 2006-2019), Eoin Morgan (England, 2006-2022), Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh, 2001-2020), Kevin Pietersen (England, 2005-2014), Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand, 2007-2022), Anya Shrubsole (England, 2008-2022), Dale Steyn (South Africa, 2004-2020) and Ross Taylor (New Zealand, 2006-2022)
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Indian cricket legends MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami and Suresh Raina received lifetime Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) membership on Wednesday (April 05).

Indian cricket legends MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami and Suresh Raina received lifetime Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) membership on Wednesday (April 05). It is to be noted that the MCC named as many as 19 new Honorary Life Members with eight Test playing nations represented in the latest cohort. The London-based club, known to make the rules of the game, awards honorary life membership to some of the legends of the sport in men's as well as women's cricket. Guy Lavender, Chief Executive & Secretary of MCC, stated, "We are thrilled to be able to announce our newest cohort of Honorary Life Members of MCC, as we prepare for the new international summer. The names that have been announced today are some of the greatest international players of modern times, and we are privileged to now count them as valued Members of our Club. "We are also pleased to be able to announce two individuals who have been awarded this honour for their monumental contributions off the pitch." Also Read: Not Virat, Dhoni, Raina or De Villiers! Anil Kumble names THIS superstar as undisputed G.O.A.T. of IPL Representing 🇮🇳 👏 Congratulations to these @BCCI greats, who have been awarded as Honorary Life Members of MCC.#CricketTwitter — Marylebone Cricket Club (@MCCOfficial) April 5, 2023 × 👏 MCC awards Honorary Life Membership of the Club to some of the world’s finest cricketers. We can now reveal the names of the latest men and women to have been bestowed with this privilege ⤵️#CricketTwitter — Marylebone Cricket Club (@MCCOfficial) April 5, 2023 × Dhoni, Yuvraj and Raina are regarded as one of the best white-ball players for the senior men's team. The trio were part of India's 2011 ODI World Cup triumph whereas Dhoni and Yuvraj also played a key role in Men in Blue's 2007 T20 World Cup win. In 2013, Dhoni and Raina-starrer India won the 2013 Champions Trophy as well. All these wins came under Dhoni's captaincy. Although Yuvi and Raina were known for their white-ball heroics, Dhoni also ended with 4,876 runs in Tests at an average of nearly 38, including a double ton. The trio are also known as IPL legends. Meanwhile, Mithali and Jhulan are the pioneers of women's cricket in the country. While Mithali remains one of the top batters in women's cricket history, Jhulan made the ball talk during her illustrious career for the Women in Blue. Both were part of India's 2005 and 2017 ODI World Cup campaigns where the national side ended second. To date, Mithali is the leading run-getter in women's ODIs whereas Jhulan tops the list for most wickets in the format. Both retired from the game in 2022. Others on the honoured list: Merissa Aguilleira (West Indies, 2008-2019), Jenny Gunn (England, 2004-2019), Muhammad Hafeez (Pakistan, 2003-2021), Rachael Haynes (Australia, 2009-2022), Laura Marsh (England, 2006-2019), Eoin Morgan (England, 2006-2022), Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh, 2001-2020), Kevin Pietersen (England, 2005-2014), Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand, 2007-2022), Anya Shrubsole (England, 2008-2022), Dale Steyn (South Africa, 2004-2020) and Ross Taylor (New Zealand, 2006-2022)

Indian cricket legends MS Dhoni, Yuvraj, Mithali, Jhulan Goswami, Raina bag MCC life membership

On Sunday (April 02), India celebrated the 12th anniversary of the senior men's cricket team's historic 2011 ODI World Cup triumph. Back in 2011, MS Dhoni-led Team India won the 50-over World Cup after 28 years and became the first nation to win the tournament on home soil. It was Sachin Tendulkar's final CWC and the team gave their all to win the coveted title for the first time after 1983.&nbsp;

Recently,&nbsp;Star Sports conducted&nbsp;a special show recalling the CWC'11 which featured members of the then Indian team such as Virender Sehwag, S Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh and Yusuf Pathan. During the show, Sehwag -- who played a key role in India's campaign with a hundred versus Bangladesh and blistering knocks against South Africa, England and Pakistan -- revealed how Sreesanth complained of not being able to breathe during the tournament finale, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai where Men in Blue faced Kumar Sangakkara's Sri Lanka.

“You didn't even bowl half your quota. You were complaining 'I'm not being able to breathe' just after bowling 2 to 3 overs and went out," said Sehwag. To this, Sreesanth responded, "I did get a heatstroke because I went to the gym earlier that morning as I felt I won't get a chance in the playing XI. Harbhajan told me to stay ready but he was doing this since quarterfinals, so I felt he can make the cut straight into the finals. But Jai Mata Di I got a chance."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-historic-feat-ms-dhoni-becomes-seventh-player-to-enter-5k-run-club-in-mega-event-578694">IPL 2023: HISTORIC FEAT! MS Dhoni becomes seventh player to enter 5k-run club in mega event - Watch</a>

The former Indian opener then revealed the ultimatum given to Sreesanth. he said, "We got him back on the field after saying if you don't bowl now then please don't play cricket ever in the future."

The ex-speedster then recalled Sachin's words and said, "When I was inside the dressing room, Sachin came during the drinks break. He said ‘Sree chupchap andar aaja aur bowl daal. Mahi bula raha hain’. (Dhoni has asked you to return so come back and bowl without saying anything) and I went."

In the CWC'11 final, India took on Sri Lanka as the Islanders opted to bat first. Sl rode on Mahela Jayawardene's 103 to post 274-6 and India were reduced to 31 for 2 before Gautam Gambhir's 97 and Dhoni's 91 took India to 277 for 4 to win by six wickets. Taking about the guests who featuered in Star's show, Sreesanth ended with 8-0-52-0 whereas Sehwag fell for a golden duck in the summit clash. Harbhajan managed to take a wicket whereas Yusuf Pathan was replaced by Suresh Raina in the knockouts of the mega event.

On Sunday (April 02), India celebrated the 12th anniversary of the senior men's cricket team's historic 2011 ODI World Cup triumph. Back in 2011, MS Dhoni-led Team India won the 50-over World Cup after 28 years and became the first nation to win the tournament on home soil.

On Sunday (April 02), India celebrated the 12th anniversary of the senior men's cricket team's historic 2011 ODI World Cup triumph. Back in 2011, MS Dhoni-led Team India won the 50-over World Cup after 28 years and became the first nation to win the tournament on home soil. It was Sachin Tendulkar's final CWC and the team gave their all to win the coveted title for the first time after 1983. Recently, Star Sports conducted a special show recalling the CWC'11 which featured members of the then Indian team such as Virender Sehwag, S Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh and Yusuf Pathan. During the show, Sehwag -- who played a key role in India's campaign with a hundred versus Bangladesh and blistering knocks against South Africa, England and Pakistan -- revealed how Sreesanth complained of not being able to breathe during the tournament finale, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai where Men in Blue faced Kumar Sangakkara's Sri Lanka. “You didn't even bowl half your quota. You were complaining 'I'm not being able to breathe' just after bowling 2 to 3 overs and went out," said Sehwag. To this, Sreesanth responded, "I did get a heatstroke because I went to the gym earlier that morning as I felt I won't get a chance in the playing XI. Harbhajan told me to stay ready but he was doing this since quarterfinals, so I felt he can make the cut straight into the finals. But Jai Mata Di I got a chance." Also Read: IPL 2023: HISTORIC FEAT! MS Dhoni becomes seventh player to enter 5k-run club in mega event - Watch The former Indian opener then revealed the ultimatum given to Sreesanth. he said, "We got him back on the field after saying if you don't bowl now then please don't play cricket ever in the future." The ex-speedster then recalled Sachin's words and said, "When I was inside the dressing room, Sachin came during the drinks break. He said ‘Sree chupchap andar aaja aur bowl daal. Mahi bula raha hain’. (Dhoni has asked you to return so come back and bowl without saying anything) and I went." In the CWC'11 final, India took on Sri Lanka as the Islanders opted to bat first. Sl rode on Mahela Jayawardene's 103 to post 274-6 and India were reduced to 31 for 2 before Gautam Gambhir's 97 and Dhoni's 91 took India to 277 for 4 to win by six wickets. Taking about the guests who featuered in Star's show, Sreesanth ended with 8-0-52-0 whereas Sehwag fell for a golden duck in the summit clash. Harbhajan managed to take a wicket whereas Yusuf Pathan was replaced by Suresh Raina in the knockouts of the mega event.

Just come and bowl, MS Dhoni has asked you to return: S Sreesanth reveals untold tale from CWC'11 final

April 2, 2011 is a day written in golden words in the history of Indian cricket as India lifted their second 50-over World Cup trophy in Mumbai. The then Indian skipper MS Dhoni hit a six to win the final and the shot became one of the iconic moments in Indian cricket.

Dhoni, who now has retired from the game, recalled that iconic shot in a conversation with former Australia batsman Mike Hussey at a recent event by ICC in Mumbai.

“The best feeling was 15-20 minutes (before the winning moment). We didn’t need a lot of runs, the partnership was well-placed, there was a lot of dew. And the stadium started to sing Vande Mataram. That atmosphere I feel is very difficult to recreate – maybe in this [upcoming 2023] World Cup, there is a similar scenario, once the stadium, the fans start contributing. You know, it’s a very difficult (atmosphere) one to replicate. But it can only be replicated if the occasion is similar to that (in 2011) and there are like 40, 50 or 60,000 people who are singing,” said the former skipper.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/another-failure-to-win-a-world-cup-could-end-few-international-careers-gavaskars-stern-warning-to-team-india-578591">Another failure to win a World Cup could end few international careers: Gavaskar's stern warning to Team India</a>

Dhoni also said that for him, the winning moment was 15-20 minutes ago and not that six.

“To me, it was not the winning moment, it was 15-20 minutes ago when emotionally I was very high. And at the same time, I wanted to get done with it. We knew that we would win this from here, and it was very difficult for us to lose. So yes, you know it was more of a sense of satisfaction, job done, let’s move on from here,” he said.

MSD also acknowledged that winning the 2011 World Cup was one of the biggest things in his career as the team won under his captaincy.

“It never gets bigger than that. What I always firmly believe in is to keep your eyes on the target, as simple as possible. Once you have achieved it, that’s the time when you can enjoy it to the fullest. And the moment you start thinking a lot about why you want to win it, you start focusing more on the result. That’s the time you start mounting undue pressure on yourself,” he shared.

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April 2, 2011 is a day written in golden words in the history of Indian cricket as India lifted their second 50-over World Cup trophy in Mumbai. The then Indian skipper MS Dhoni hit a six to win the final and the shot became one of the iconic moments in Indian cricket.

April 2, 2011 is a day written in golden words in the history of Indian cricket as India lifted their second 50-over World Cup trophy in Mumbai. The then Indian skipper MS Dhoni hit a six to win the final and the shot became one of the iconic moments in Indian cricket. Dhoni, who now has retired from the game, recalled that iconic shot in a conversation with former Australia batsman Mike Hussey at a recent event by ICC in Mumbai. “The best feeling was 15-20 minutes (before the winning moment). We didn’t need a lot of runs, the partnership was well-placed, there was a lot of dew. And the stadium started to sing Vande Mataram. That atmosphere I feel is very difficult to recreate – maybe in this [upcoming 2023] World Cup, there is a similar scenario, once the stadium, the fans start contributing. You know, it’s a very difficult (atmosphere) one to replicate. But it can only be replicated if the occasion is similar to that (in 2011) and there are like 40, 50 or 60,000 people who are singing,” said the former skipper. Also Read: Another failure to win a World Cup could end few international careers: Gavaskar's stern warning to Team India Dhoni also said that for him, the winning moment was 15-20 minutes ago and not that six. “To me, it was not the winning moment, it was 15-20 minutes ago when emotionally I was very high. And at the same time, I wanted to get done with it. We knew that we would win this from here, and it was very difficult for us to lose. So yes, you know it was more of a sense of satisfaction, job done, let’s move on from here,” he said. MSD also acknowledged that winning the 2011 World Cup was one of the biggest things in his career as the team won under his captaincy. “It never gets bigger than that. What I always firmly believe in is to keep your eyes on the target, as simple as possible. Once you have achieved it, that’s the time when you can enjoy it to the fullest. And the moment you start thinking a lot about why you want to win it, you start focusing more on the result. That’s the time you start mounting undue pressure on yourself,” he shared. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

It wasn't my winning moment: Dhoni on iconic six which won India 2011 World Cup

Team India players are currently involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. Nonetheless, all the focus is on this year's ODI World Cup (ODI WC), which will be held in India in October-November. India will gear up to face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, soon after IPL 16 in early June, before the 50-over showpiece event kicks off later this year.

It is to be noted that India remains one of the top teams across formats but have not won an ICC title since 2013. Under MS Dhoni, India last won an ICC event during the 2013 Champions Trophy. Since then, they have reached the final of the 2014 T20 World Cup (T20 WC), semi-finals of the 2015 and 2019 ODI WCs and semis of the 2016 and 2022 editions of the T20 WC. In addition, they played the inaugural WTC final where they lost to New Zealand.&nbsp;

Thus, all eyes are on Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. to replicate Dhoni-led India's 2011 batch's ODI WC success later this year. Ahead of the showpiece event, Indian team is preparing and gelling well -- with several positives -- but are dealing with regular injury concerns and questions have also been raised on the frequent rests given to key players. In this regard, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar issued a stern warning to the Men in Blue.

"In a World Cup year any match missed means preparation gets hampered as the balance of the team gets affected. Another failure to win a World Cup will have repercussions that could possibly end a few international careers and that should be a red flag for those talking burnout and missing games for India." Gavaskar recently wrote in his column for Mid-Day

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/one-day-they-call-you-indias-future-next-day-they-say-you-should-drive-an-auto-md-siraj-on-online-trolls-578563">One day they call you India's future, next day they say you should drive an auto: Md Siraj on online trolls</a>

'BCCI needs to look into this concept of rest,&nbsp;a line needs to be drawn'

"I honestly feel that the BCCI needs to look into this concept of rest. All the Grade A cricketers have received very good contracts. They receive payment for every match. Tell me if there is any company whose CEO, or MDs get so much time off? I feel that if Indian cricket is to become more professional, a line needs to be drawn. If you want to be rested, you need to reduce your guarantees. Then you take rest, because you don't want to play. But how can anyone say that I don't want to play for the Indian team. Which is why I do not agree to the concept," Gavaskar has previously stated.

Before&nbsp;IPL 2023, India lost a home ODI series to Australia but still have plenty of 50-over games to play before the commencement of the 50-over World Cup. Will they lift the ODI WC after 12 years? Only time will tell...

Team India players are currently involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. Nonetheless, all the focus is on this year's ODI World Cup (ODI WC), which will be held in India in October-November.

Team India players are currently involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. Nonetheless, all the focus is on this year's ODI World Cup (ODI WC), which will be held in India in October-November. India will gear up to face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, soon after IPL 16 in early June, before the 50-over showpiece event kicks off later this year. It is to be noted that India remains one of the top teams across formats but have not won an ICC title since 2013. Under MS Dhoni, India last won an ICC event during the 2013 Champions Trophy. Since then, they have reached the final of the 2014 T20 World Cup (T20 WC), semi-finals of the 2015 and 2019 ODI WCs and semis of the 2016 and 2022 editions of the T20 WC. In addition, they played the inaugural WTC final where they lost to New Zealand. Thus, all eyes are on Rohit Sharma & Co. to replicate Dhoni-led India's 2011 batch's ODI WC success later this year. Ahead of the showpiece event, Indian team is preparing and gelling well -- with several positives -- but are dealing with regular injury concerns and questions have also been raised on the frequent rests given to key players. In this regard, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar issued a stern warning to the Men in Blue. "In a World Cup year any match missed means preparation gets hampered as the balance of the team gets affected. Another failure to win a World Cup will have repercussions that could possibly end a few international careers and that should be a red flag for those talking burnout and missing games for India." Gavaskar recently wrote in his column for Mid-Day Also Read: One day they call you India's future, next day they say you should drive an auto: Md Siraj on online trolls 'BCCI needs to look into this concept of rest, a line needs to be drawn' "I honestly feel that the BCCI needs to look into this concept of rest. All the Grade A cricketers have received very good contracts. They receive payment for every match. Tell me if there is any company whose CEO, or MDs get so much time off? I feel that if Indian cricket is to become more professional, a line needs to be drawn. If you want to be rested, you need to reduce your guarantees. Then you take rest, because you don't want to play. But how can anyone say that I don't want to play for the Indian team. Which is why I do not agree to the concept," Gavaskar has previously stated. Before IPL 2023, India lost a home ODI series to Australia but still have plenty of 50-over games to play before the commencement of the 50-over World Cup. Will they lift the ODI WC after 12 years? Only time will tell...

Another failure to win a World Cup could end few international careers: Gavaskar's stern warning to Team India

OTD in 2011, MS Dhoni's team India lifted the World Cup after 28 years - RELIVE THOSE MOMENTS!

Former India cricketer Salim Durani passed away aged 88&nbsp;on Sunday in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The stylish cricketer from the 60s was known for hitting huge sixes on demand and for his orthodox left-arm spin. Playing for India, Durani appeared in 29 Tests, scored 1202 runs and picked up 75 wickets.

As per PTI, he used to live in Jamnagar with his brother and had undergone a proximal femoral nail surgery after he broke his thigh bone in a fall in January this year.

The former all-rounder didn’t have records to back the credentials, but for those who had watched him play live knew his potential. An attacking cricketer, Durani was instrumental in helping India win over England during the 1961/61 series, starring with the ball by picking eight and 10 wickets in Calcutta and Madras, respectively.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-mark-woods-fifer-headlines-lsgs-day-in-one-sided-contest-beat-delhi-capitals-by-50-runs-578114">IPL 2023: Mark Wood's fifer headlines LSG's day in one-sided contest, beat Delhi Capitals by 50 runs</a>

While the left-handed batter scored just one century in his Test career, which came against West Indies in 1962, Durani had seven fifty plus totals to his name.&nbsp;

However, he is remembered largely for his heroics during the away 1971 tour of West Indies – where he helped India secure its first Test win against the daunting Caribbean team on their home soil.

During the second Test in Port of Spain, which also happened to be the Test debut for great Sunil Gavaskar, Durani batted at number three, scoring nine and zero in both outings; while in the second innings, Durani accounted for two massive wickets in captain Sir Clive Llyod and Sir Gary Sobers, latter one for zero, in the space of few balls. His spell not only changed the equation for his team, it also saw India creating history.

Having made his Test debut in 1960, Durani played for more than a decade and decided to retire in February 1973 against England at Brabourne Stadium.

Following the news of his passing away, former India World Cup winner and head coach Ravi Shastri tweeted saying:&nbsp;

‘Easily one of the most colourful cricketers of India - Salim Durani.&nbsp; 
Rest in Peace. ॐ शांति 🙏’

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Easily one of the most colourful cricketers of India - Salim Durani. 
 
Rest in Peace. ॐ शांति 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/d5RUST5G9n">pic.twitter.com/d5RUST5G9n</a>
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) <a href="https://twitter.com/RaviShastriOfc/status/1642364520378286080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Former India cricketer Salim Durani passed away aged 88 on Sunday in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The stylish cricketer from the 60s was known for hitting huge sixes on demand and for his orthodox left-arm spin.

Former India cricketer Salim Durani passed away aged 88 on Sunday in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The stylish cricketer from the 60s was known for hitting huge sixes on demand and for his orthodox left-arm spin. Playing for India, Durani appeared in 29 Tests, scored 1202 runs and picked up 75 wickets. As per PTI, he used to live in Jamnagar with his brother and had undergone a proximal femoral nail surgery after he broke his thigh bone in a fall in January this year. The former all-rounder didn’t have records to back the credentials, but for those who had watched him play live knew his potential. An attacking cricketer, Durani was instrumental in helping India win over England during the 1961/61 series, starring with the ball by picking eight and 10 wickets in Calcutta and Madras, respectively. ALSO READ: IPL 2023: Mark Wood's fifer headlines LSG's day in one-sided contest, beat Delhi Capitals by 50 runs While the left-handed batter scored just one century in his Test career, which came against West Indies in 1962, Durani had seven fifty plus totals to his name. However, he is remembered largely for his heroics during the away 1971 tour of West Indies – where he helped India secure its first Test win against the daunting Caribbean team on their home soil. During the second Test in Port of Spain, which also happened to be the Test debut for great Sunil Gavaskar, Durani batted at number three, scoring nine and zero in both outings; while in the second innings, Durani accounted for two massive wickets in captain Sir Clive Llyod and Sir Gary Sobers, latter one for zero, in the space of few balls. His spell not only changed the equation for his team, it also saw India creating history. Having made his Test debut in 1960, Durani played for more than a decade and decided to retire in February 1973 against England at Brabourne Stadium. Following the news of his passing away, former India World Cup winner and head coach Ravi Shastri tweeted saying: ‘Easily one of the most colourful cricketers of India - Salim Durani. Rest in Peace. ॐ शांति 🙏’ Easily one of the most colourful cricketers of India - Salim Durani. Rest in Peace. ॐ शांति 🙏 pic.twitter.com/d5RUST5G9n — Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) April 2, 2023 ×

Salim Durani, former India cricketer, passes away aged 88

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to commence on Friday evening (March 31) in Ahmedabad. The opening game will see the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. The new season is keenly awaited as it will see the superstar cricketers light up the atmosphere as the 2023 edition marks the return of home-and-away format.

Over the years, the IPL has become a huge tournament. It is the most-followed T20 league, which came into existence in 2008 shortly after India's famous 2007 T20 World Cup triumph. The announcement of the league was made before the T20 WC win and since then, it has only grown leaps and bounds.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-from-mumbai-indians-1408-to-gujarat-titans-79-most-sixes-hit-by-existing-teams-in-mega-event-577567">IPL 2023: From Mumbai Indians' 1,408 to Gujarat Titans' 79 - Most sixes hit by existing teams in mega event</a>

The tournament has plenty of things to look forward to. The teams fight it out for the mega title whereas the batters also compete for the Orange Cap (most runs in a season) whereas bowlers lock horns to bag the Purple Cap (with most wickets). In 2007, Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir (22) bagged the Purple Cap for the eventual winners Rajasthan Royals (RR). In 2009, India's RP Singh claimed the elite cap with 23&nbsp;wickets for the Adam Gilchrist-led now-defunct Deccan Chargers.

In 2009 edition, Singh claimed as many as 23 scalps as the Chargers went on to lift the title by beating the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by six runs in the final. The tournament was held in South Africa due to the general elections in India.&nbsp;

Singh was also India's leading wicket-taker in Dhoni-led Men in Blue's famous T20 WC triumph, picking 12 wickets (third overall).

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to commence on Friday evening (March 31) in Ahmedabad. The opening game will see the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to commence on Friday evening (March 31) in Ahmedabad. The opening game will see the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. The new season is keenly awaited as it will see the superstar cricketers light up the atmosphere as the 2023 edition marks the return of home-and-away format. Over the years, the IPL has become a huge tournament. It is the most-followed T20 league, which came into existence in 2008 shortly after India's famous 2007 T20 World Cup triumph. The announcement of the league was made before the T20 WC win and since then, it has only grown leaps and bounds. Also Read: IPL 2023: From Mumbai Indians' 1,408 to Gujarat Titans' 79 - Most sixes hit by existing teams in mega event The tournament has plenty of things to look forward to. The teams fight it out for the mega title whereas the batters also compete for the Orange Cap (most runs in a season) whereas bowlers lock horns to bag the Purple Cap (with most wickets). In 2007, Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir (22) bagged the Purple Cap for the eventual winners Rajasthan Royals (RR). In 2009, India's RP Singh claimed the elite cap with 23 wickets for the Adam Gilchrist-led now-defunct Deccan Chargers. In 2009 edition, Singh claimed as many as 23 scalps as the Chargers went on to lift the title by beating the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by six runs in the final. The tournament was held in South Africa due to the general elections in India. Singh was also India's leading wicket-taker in Dhoni-led Men in Blue's famous T20 WC triumph, picking 12 wickets (third overall).

IPL 2023: Not Zaheer or Kumble! THIS 2007 T20 WC medallist was India's first Purple Cap winner

Former India captain and BCCI boss Sourav Ganguly has backed star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya to make a Test comeback. The newly-appointed interim T20I captain Hardik last played a Test match five years back in 2018 and since then has remained out of contention owing to fitness issues related to back and struggling form. Although Hardik was rumoured to return to the Test setup for the 2023 World Test Championship final earlier, he quashed such talks&nbsp;saying he isn’t ready for the longer format.

Speaking with Times of India (TOI) recently, Ganguly -&nbsp;Delhi Capitals’ serving Director of Cricket, said he still believes Hardik is an asset in Tests, and for his own legacy, he must return. Calling Hardik a special cricketer, Dada, as most fans call Ganguly, said,

“There will be specialists in T20s. There’s Hardik Pandya although I still feel he is an asset in Test cricket also and he should come back to Test cricket because that’s what he will be remembered for. He is a specialist in ODIs and T20Is. But he is a very special cricketer,” Ganguly told TOI.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ban-vs-ire-2nd-t20i-shakib-al-hasan-leapfrogs-tim-southee-to-become-leading-wicket-taker-in-shortest-format-577097">BAN vs IRE 2nd T20I: Shakib Al Hasan leapfrogs Tim Southee to become leading wicket-taker in shortest format</a>

Further backing the Gujarat Titans captain to make it big in the leadership role for India moving forward, Ganguly said the results in the IPL cannot be ignored as it is a tough competition.

"IPL is a good breeding ground. We have seen how well Hardik Pandya has captained in the IPL. That’s one of the reasons he has been captaining India in the shorter formats also. You can’t ignore wins and losses in the IPL because it’s a very tough tournament," Ganguly added.

Meanwhile, sharing his thoughts on money influencing players to pick formats, Ganguly said although he is happy that money has started to flow in sports, he still doesn’t believe that it plays a role for any player to decide which format to play. Ganguly added for every player it’s a dream to play all three formats, and that he is happy to see how hungrier the young guys are.

“I think money has nothing to do with how players play. It’s great that money has come into the sport and that’s how it should be. But I believe the majority of the players want to play all formats as long as they are good. It’s terrific to see how hungry these boys are,” Ganguly added.

As the IPL 2023 is about to begin, Ganguly’s Delhi side will open their campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1st.

Former India captain and BCCI boss Sourav Ganguly has backed star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya to make a Test comeback. The newly-appointed interim T20I captain Hardik last played a Test match five years back in 2018 and since then has remained out of contention owing to fitness issues related to back and struggling form.

Former India captain and BCCI boss Sourav Ganguly has backed star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya to make a Test comeback. The newly-appointed interim T20I captain Hardik last played a Test match five years back in 2018 and since then has remained out of contention owing to fitness issues related to back and struggling form. Although Hardik was rumoured to return to the Test setup for the 2023 World Test Championship final earlier, he quashed such talks saying he isn’t ready for the longer format. Speaking with Times of India (TOI) recently, Ganguly - Delhi Capitals’ serving Director of Cricket, said he still believes Hardik is an asset in Tests, and for his own legacy, he must return. Calling Hardik a special cricketer, Dada, as most fans call Ganguly, said, “There will be specialists in T20s. There’s Hardik Pandya although I still feel he is an asset in Test cricket also and he should come back to Test cricket because that’s what he will be remembered for. He is a specialist in ODIs and T20Is. But he is a very special cricketer,” Ganguly told TOI. ALSO READ: BAN vs IRE 2nd T20I: Shakib Al Hasan leapfrogs Tim Southee to become leading wicket-taker in shortest format Further backing the Gujarat Titans captain to make it big in the leadership role for India moving forward, Ganguly said the results in the IPL cannot be ignored as it is a tough competition. "IPL is a good breeding ground. We have seen how well Hardik Pandya has captained in the IPL. That’s one of the reasons he has been captaining India in the shorter formats also. You can’t ignore wins and losses in the IPL because it’s a very tough tournament," Ganguly added. Meanwhile, sharing his thoughts on money influencing players to pick formats, Ganguly said although he is happy that money has started to flow in sports, he still doesn’t believe that it plays a role for any player to decide which format to play. Ganguly added for every player it’s a dream to play all three formats, and that he is happy to see how hungrier the young guys are. “I think money has nothing to do with how players play. It’s great that money has come into the sport and that’s how it should be. But I believe the majority of the players want to play all formats as long as they are good. It’s terrific to see how hungry these boys are,” Ganguly added. As the IPL 2023 is about to begin, Ganguly’s Delhi side will open their campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1st.

Ex-BCCI President Sourav Ganguly backs star India all-rounder to make a Test comeback, calls him an asset

Rohit Sharma is geaing up for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. In IPL 2022, the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) had a forgettable run where they ended at the bottom in the ten-team tournament. It was the first time that the star-studded MI line-up ended at the bottom in the tournament history. Thus, they will be aiming for a big turnaround in IPL 2023, where they will open their campaign versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 02 in Bengaluru.

Ahead of the IPL 2023 edition, former Indian and MI spinner Pragyan Ojha recalled his first interaction with Rohit. The duo have played a lot of cricket together since the U-15 days and even shared the dressing room for India and the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in the initial years of the IPL, before also playing together in the MI camp. Thus, Ojha recalled his early days with Hitman and revealed that Rohit showed a lot of aggression towards him.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-dont-think-anyone-else-has-mastered-the-finishing-art-rr-star-hails-csk-captain-ms-dhoni-576878">IPL 2023: 'Don't think anyone else has mastered the finishing art' - RR star hails CSK captain MS Dhoni</a>

"When I first met Rohit in the U-15 national camp, everyone said he was a very special player. There, I played against him and took his wicket. Rohit being a typical Bombay guy, didn't speak much but was aggressive when he played. In fact, I was very surprised as to why he was being so aggressive with me when we didn't know each other! But after that our friendship began to grow," Ojha said during the show 'My Time with Rohit' on Jio Cinema.

Rohit has featured in 227 matches in the IPL, scoring 5,879 runs at a strike rate of&nbsp;129.89. In IPL 2022, he had a dismal run where he only managed&nbsp;268 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 120.18. He will aim for a memorable run in IPL 2023 and take the MI franchise to their sixth title.&nbsp;

Complete MI squad for IPL 2023

Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Dewald Brevis, Tilak Varma, Jofra Archer, Tim David, Mohd Arshad Khan, Ramandeep Singh, Hrithik Shokeen, Arjun Tendulkar, Tristan Stubbs, Kumar Kartikeya, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, Duan Jansen, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Raghav Goyal

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Rohit Sharma is geaing up for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. In IPL 2022, the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) had a forgettable run where they ended at the bottom in the ten-team tournament.

Rohit Sharma is geaing up for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition, which kicks off on March 31 in Ahmedabad. In IPL 2022, the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) had a forgettable run where they ended at the bottom in the ten-team tournament. It was the first time that the star-studded MI line-up ended at the bottom in the tournament history. Thus, they will be aiming for a big turnaround in IPL 2023, where they will open their campaign versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 02 in Bengaluru. Ahead of the IPL 2023 edition, former Indian and MI spinner Pragyan Ojha recalled his first interaction with Rohit. The duo have played a lot of cricket together since the U-15 days and even shared the dressing room for India and the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in the initial years of the IPL, before also playing together in the MI camp. Thus, Ojha recalled his early days with Hitman and revealed that Rohit showed a lot of aggression towards him. Also Read: IPL 2023: 'Don't think anyone else has mastered the finishing art' - RR star hails CSK captain MS Dhoni "When I first met Rohit in the U-15 national camp, everyone said he was a very special player. There, I played against him and took his wicket. Rohit being a typical Bombay guy, didn't speak much but was aggressive when he played. In fact, I was very surprised as to why he was being so aggressive with me when we didn't know each other! But after that our friendship began to grow," Ojha said during the show 'My Time with Rohit' on Jio Cinema. Rohit has featured in 227 matches in the IPL, scoring 5,879 runs at a strike rate of 129.89. In IPL 2022, he had a dismal run where he only managed 268 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 120.18. He will aim for a memorable run in IPL 2023 and take the MI franchise to their sixth title. Complete MI squad for IPL 2023 Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Dewald Brevis, Tilak Varma, Jofra Archer, Tim David, Mohd Arshad Khan, Ramandeep Singh, Hrithik Shokeen, Arjun Tendulkar, Tristan Stubbs, Kumar Kartikeya, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, Duan Jansen, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Raghav Goyal WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

'Was surprised to see why he was so aggressive with me': Former India spinner on MI skipper Rohit Sharma

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has always created a stir with his controversial statements. He had called Jasprit Bumrah a 'baby bowler' and openly claimed that Team India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is nowhere close to legendary former cricketer Kapil Dev. Recently, the ex-Pakistani player opened up on his controversial remark on Pandya.

In a conversation with Times of India, Razzaq said, "My earlier statement on Hardik Pandya was taken the wrong way. I didn't mean it. As a cricketer, I just said there is scope for improvement in him (Pandya). I didn't comment on a player who is from India, England, or Australia. I just said things as a cricketer. If Kapil Dev says that he wants to give advice to Abdul Razzaq, I will take this statement positively."

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-simon-doull-aamer-sohail-debate-over-babar-azams-t20i-strike-rate-on-live-tv-during-afg-pak-tie-576243">Watch: Simon Doull, Aamer Sohail debate over Babar Azam's T20I strike rate on live TV during Afg-Pak tie</a>

'That was just a statement as a former all-rounder'

Razzaq further opined, "He can work on a couple of things which according to him are areas of improvement - in terms of foot movement, bat movement, and how to judge a delivery before it is bowled. That was what I meant earlier. That was just a statement as a former all-rounder. People took it the wrong way and criticised me as well."

He added, "Hardik is a complete all-rounder. But no one is perfect. Everyone needs improvement in certain areas. When I was playing, I also lacked certain things. Wasim Akram was the same, Imran Khan was the same, Kapil Dev was the same. But still, we consider them all to be greats of the game."

Hardik was last seen in action during India's home ODIs versus Australia, which Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. lost 2-1. He has represented India in 74 ODIs and 87 T20Is and hasn't played a Test since mid-2018. The 29-year-old will lead the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in the forthcoming IPL 2023 edition, which kicks off on Friday (March 31) in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;

Hardik remains one of India's key players in the run-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has always created a stir with his controversial statements. He had called Jasprit Bumrah a 'baby bowler' and openly claimed that Team India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is nowhere close to legendary former cricketer Kapil Dev.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has always created a stir with his controversial statements. He had called Jasprit Bumrah a 'baby bowler' and openly claimed that Team India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is nowhere close to legendary former cricketer Kapil Dev. Recently, the ex-Pakistani player opened up on his controversial remark on Pandya. In a conversation with Times of India, Razzaq said, "My earlier statement on Hardik Pandya was taken the wrong way. I didn't mean it. As a cricketer, I just said there is scope for improvement in him (Pandya). I didn't comment on a player who is from India, England, or Australia. I just said things as a cricketer. If Kapil Dev says that he wants to give advice to Abdul Razzaq, I will take this statement positively." Also Read: Watch: Simon Doull, Aamer Sohail debate over Babar Azam's T20I strike rate on live TV during Afg-Pak tie 'That was just a statement as a former all-rounder' Razzaq further opined, "He can work on a couple of things which according to him are areas of improvement - in terms of foot movement, bat movement, and how to judge a delivery before it is bowled. That was what I meant earlier. That was just a statement as a former all-rounder. People took it the wrong way and criticised me as well." He added, "Hardik is a complete all-rounder. But no one is perfect. Everyone needs improvement in certain areas. When I was playing, I also lacked certain things. Wasim Akram was the same, Imran Khan was the same, Kapil Dev was the same. But still, we consider them all to be greats of the game." Hardik was last seen in action during India's home ODIs versus Australia, which Rohit Sharma & Co. lost 2-1. He has represented India in 74 ODIs and 87 T20Is and hasn't played a Test since mid-2018. The 29-year-old will lead the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in the forthcoming IPL 2023 edition, which kicks off on Friday (March 31) in Ahmedabad. Hardik remains one of India's key players in the run-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup.

'If Kapil Dev says he wants to...': Abdul Razzaq opens up on his controversial remark on Hardik Pandya

On this day 29 years ago, Indian cricket or rather, the world cricket, changed for good. During the second ODI between India and New Zealand in Auckland on March 27th, 1994, Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin had an issue to deal with as regular opener Navjot Singh Sidhu suffered from a stiff neck and got ruled.

On this day 29 years ago, Indian cricket or rather, the world cricket, changed for good. During the second ODI between India and New Zealand in Auckland on March 27th, 1994, Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin had an issue to deal with as regular opener Navjot Singh Sidhu suffered from a stiff neck and got ruled. In Sidhu's absence, Azhar needed someone to open, and he then reluctantly approached under-performing Sachin Tendulkar to open alongside all-rounder Ajay Jadeja. On this day in 1994, Sidhu can't play with a stiff neck, and Azhar reluctantly asks Tendulkar to open. Sachin had no ODI centuries in his 5 year career till then, 49 after that brilliant 82 off 49 balls in Auckland. I still remember watching him smash it that early morning pic.twitter.com/sMWv2kLPxo — Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) March 27, 2023 × This move paid dividends as Sachin, who until then didn’t have a hundred to his name in five years since making his ODI debut, scored a quick-fire 82 off 49 balls. Looking composed while playing as an opener for the first time in international cricket, Sachin struck 15 fours and two sixes and helped chase down a moderate total of 143 in just 24 overs. ALSO READ: HATS OFF! WI skipper Rovman Powell saves young kid from serious injury, gets hurt himself - WATCH You can watch the video here – Tendulkar's entry as a Boss#OnThisDay in 1994, @sachin_rt opened for the first time for India in an ODI (due to stiff neck, Sidhu was rested). Tendulkar smashed 82 off 49 balls with 15 fours & a six. The Rest is HIS-Story. 🎥 @Zohaib1981 pic.twitter.com/FS1jHLQvWO — Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) March 27, 2023 × Sachin continued his good run of form in the next game in Wellington, where batting first, he provided a great start, hitting yet another fifty – 63 off 75 balls this time. Meanwhile, in the final One-Dayer in Christchurch, he missed out completing a hat-trick of fifties as he got out on 40 off 26 balls, smashing eight fours. In hindsight, this decision to make Sachin open the innings changed how cricket got played and perceived in times to come. Batting at that spot, Sachin had paired alongside some of the cleanest strikers of cricketing ball like Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Gautam Gambhir and others. Such was his impact at the top order, that he remained an opener for the next almost two decades, smashing records at will. As an opener, Sachin played 344 matches, hitting 15,310 runs at an average of 48.29. He also scored 45 of his 49 ODI hundreds batting at the top in this format. Off all the records he broke as an opener, becoming the first batter to score 200 runs in an ODI game in 2010 against South Africa was among his best. A year later, he scored 482 runs in nine innings (second-highest) during the 2011 World Cup that India won.

#OTD in 1994 a youngster changed Indian cricket forever! WATCH VIDEO

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has blamed the Indian captain Rohit Sharma and the team management for Suryakumar Yadav’s latest slump in ODIs. Against Australia in the recently-concluded series, SKY, as fans often call Surya, attained a bizarre record as he got out on a first-ball duck&nbsp;in all three matches. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaneria said the team should have backed Surya to bat at the number four spot in the final ODI instead of sending him down the order, where unfortunately, he suffered the same fate.

While in the opening two ODIs, Surya batted at number four, where Mitchell Starc trapped him in front in an ideal manner on both occasions, in the third and the deciding One-Dayer, India sent the number one T20I batter at number seven, where left-arm spinner Ashton Agar cleaned him up.

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Slamming the management’s call to demote Surya in the batting order, Kaneria said that move didn’t do any good to his low confidence as the decision-makers should have shown faith in him and sent him earlier instead. Citing the example of the great Virat Kohli, who also got enough backing and, on the back of it, returned to form after an extended dry patch in white-ball cricket, Kaneria said,

"The Indian team management has not shown enough confidence when it comes to Suryakumar Yadav. They should not have changed his position. Even Virat Kohli took some time to come back to form, but his position didn't change. So why with Suryakumar Yadav? The Indian team management is to blame for Suryakumar's golden ducks," said Kaneria.

"It is Rohit Sharma's mistake as well. They demotivated him at a time when his confidence was already shattered. They should have motivated him and allowed him to bat at his position," the former Pakistan spinner added.

Meanwhile, speaking on the same after the final ODI in Chennai on Wednesday, Rohit defended Surya’s latest slump saying he just got three good balls, “He (Suryakumar) played only three balls in the series. I don’t know how much you can look into it. He got three good balls".&nbsp;

Surya and Rohit both will now be seen playing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2023, starting March 31st.

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has blamed the Indian captain Rohit Sharma and the team management for Suryakumar Yadav’s latest slump in ODIs. Against Australia in the recently-concluded series, SKY, as fans often call Surya, attained a bizarre record as he got out on a first-ball duck in all three matches.

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has blamed the Indian captain Rohit Sharma and the team management for Suryakumar Yadav’s latest slump in ODIs. Against Australia in the recently-concluded series, SKY, as fans often call Surya, attained a bizarre record as he got out on a first-ball duck in all three matches. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaneria said the team should have backed Surya to bat at the number four spot in the final ODI instead of sending him down the order, where unfortunately, he suffered the same fate. While in the opening two ODIs, Surya batted at number four, where Mitchell Starc trapped him in front in an ideal manner on both occasions, in the third and the deciding One-Dayer, India sent the number one T20I batter at number seven, where left-arm spinner Ashton Agar cleaned him up. ALSO READ: IPL 2023: I want Rishabh Pant's shirt number to be on caps and shirts of Delhi players: Ricky Ponting Slamming the management’s call to demote Surya in the batting order, Kaneria said that move didn’t do any good to his low confidence as the decision-makers should have shown faith in him and sent him earlier instead. Citing the example of the great Virat Kohli, who also got enough backing and, on the back of it, returned to form after an extended dry patch in white-ball cricket, Kaneria said, "The Indian team management has not shown enough confidence when it comes to Suryakumar Yadav. They should not have changed his position. Even Virat Kohli took some time to come back to form, but his position didn't change. So why with Suryakumar Yadav? The Indian team management is to blame for Suryakumar's golden ducks," said Kaneria. "It is Rohit Sharma's mistake as well. They demotivated him at a time when his confidence was already shattered. They should have motivated him and allowed him to bat at his position," the former Pakistan spinner added. Meanwhile, speaking on the same after the final ODI in Chennai on Wednesday, Rohit defended Surya’s latest slump saying he just got three good balls, “He (Suryakumar) played only three balls in the series. I don’t know how much you can look into it. He got three good balls". Surya and Rohit both will now be seen playing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2023, starting March 31st.

Rohit Sharma, team management to be blamed for Suryakumar Yadav's three ducks vs Australia: Danish Kaneria

World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has downplayed any comparison between Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson, saying this should not happen in the first place. He added if the team management has decided to back someone, that player must get an extended run. These comments have come after Suryakumar held a bizarre record to his name, where he registered three first-ball ducks in as many outings against Australia in the recently-concluded ODI series.

Following his recent failure, Indian fans on social media started raising questions as to why Surya was preferred over Sanju Samson, who in comparison to SKY, has better ODI numbers. He averages 66 in 11 matches, while Surya averages just 24.05 in 23 games.

Meanwhile, in the absence of regular number four Shreyas Iyer, who is out due to a back injury, the management decided to test Surya in the same spot. Having achieved enormous success in the shortest format lately, Suryakumar failed to replicate his form in ODIs. His recent slump further raised tensions for the team management to fill the spot as the home World Cup approaches.

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Speaking on the comparison, Kapil said since Surya has been a regular in the T20I team for over two years now, he deserves to get picked; and even though he attained an unwanted record to his name, SKY should not be discounted, and instead, the management must persist with him.

"A cricketer who has played so well will always get more chances. Don't compare Surya with Sanju Samson, it doesn't seem right. If Sanju goes through a bad phase then you will talk about somebody else. This should not happen. If the team management has decided to back Suryakumar Yadav then he should be given more chances. Yes, people will talk, give their opinion but ultimately it's the management's call," Kapil Dev said during an interaction with ABP news.

While Surya batted at his designated spot (number four) in the first two matches, where he got out trapped in the middle off Mitchell Starc in an almost similar fashion, the management decided to send me as a finisher in the final ODI in Chennai – where Ashton Agar clean bowled him.

Explaining why he was sent lower down the order, Kapil said the change in the batting order is nothing new in ODIs, and that the management must have thought of trying Surya as a finisher, but that didn’t work either.

"It's very easy to talk after the match is finished. Maybe the idea behind sending Suryakumar at No.7 was to give him an opportunity as a finisher. This (shuffling of the batting order) is nothing new in ODIs. This has happened many times before. Yes, at times it can happen that a batter's confidence is dented if he has been dragged down the order. But the onus rests on the player to tell his captain that 'I can handle myself in the top order.' The coach and captain must have decided with particular thinking," India’s World Cup winner added.

Meanwhile, both Suryakumar and Sanju Samson will now compete for their teams in the upcoming edition of the IPL, which starts on March 31st.

World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has downplayed any comparison between Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson, saying this should not happen in the first place. He added if the team management has decided to back someone, that player must get an extended run.

World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has downplayed any comparison between Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson, saying this should not happen in the first place. He added if the team management has decided to back someone, that player must get an extended run. These comments have come after Suryakumar held a bizarre record to his name, where he registered three first-ball ducks in as many outings against Australia in the recently-concluded ODI series. Following his recent failure, Indian fans on social media started raising questions as to why Surya was preferred over Sanju Samson, who in comparison to SKY, has better ODI numbers. He averages 66 in 11 matches, while Surya averages just 24.05 in 23 games. Meanwhile, in the absence of regular number four Shreyas Iyer, who is out due to a back injury, the management decided to test Surya in the same spot. Having achieved enormous success in the shortest format lately, Suryakumar failed to replicate his form in ODIs. His recent slump further raised tensions for the team management to fill the spot as the home World Cup approaches. ALSO READ: IPL 2023: Worries mount for KKR as ace seamer doubtful for opening few games due to hamstring injury Speaking on the comparison, Kapil said since Surya has been a regular in the T20I team for over two years now, he deserves to get picked; and even though he attained an unwanted record to his name, SKY should not be discounted, and instead, the management must persist with him. "A cricketer who has played so well will always get more chances. Don't compare Surya with Sanju Samson, it doesn't seem right. If Sanju goes through a bad phase then you will talk about somebody else. This should not happen. If the team management has decided to back Suryakumar Yadav then he should be given more chances. Yes, people will talk, give their opinion but ultimately it's the management's call," Kapil Dev said during an interaction with ABP news. While Surya batted at his designated spot (number four) in the first two matches, where he got out trapped in the middle off Mitchell Starc in an almost similar fashion, the management decided to send me as a finisher in the final ODI in Chennai – where Ashton Agar clean bowled him. Explaining why he was sent lower down the order, Kapil said the change in the batting order is nothing new in ODIs, and that the management must have thought of trying Surya as a finisher, but that didn’t work either. "It's very easy to talk after the match is finished. Maybe the idea behind sending Suryakumar at No.7 was to give him an opportunity as a finisher. This (shuffling of the batting order) is nothing new in ODIs. This has happened many times before. Yes, at times it can happen that a batter's confidence is dented if he has been dragged down the order. But the onus rests on the player to tell his captain that 'I can handle myself in the top order.' The coach and captain must have decided with particular thinking," India’s World Cup winner added. Meanwhile, both Suryakumar and Sanju Samson will now compete for their teams in the upcoming edition of the IPL, which starts on March 31st.

If management had decided to back him, he must continue: Kapil Dev's brave remarks on SKY-Sanju comparison

In an exclusive interaction, Saba Karim -- the former Indian wicketkeeper and BCCI selector -- spoke at length on the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 edition, predicted the finalists, opined on MS Dhoni's IPL future, and shared his top-four teams for upcoming IPL 2023.

Exclusive: Saba Karim opines on WPL finalists, makes big claim on MS Dhoni's IPL future

The Indian cricket team is hands down one of the best teams across formats, but they still haven’t won an ICC trophy in a decade, having last won under MS Dhoni in the 2013 – Champions Trophy.

The Indian cricket team is hands down one of the best teams across formats, but they still haven’t won an ICC trophy in a decade, having last won under MS Dhoni in the 2013 – Champions Trophy. Though they came close to winning titles on several occasions in the past, they fell short of releasing their dream every time. Given India now chase two ICC titles in the 2023 – World Test Championship final against Australia and the home World Cup later, former India coach Ravi Shastri feels India is closer to winning an ICC trophy and has asked fans to keep patience. Citing examples of the great Sachin Tendulkar and Lionel Messi – both of whom are best in their respective fields, Shastri said even it took them more than four World Cups to finally lift one. While Sachin won a World Cup trophy in his sixth attempt, Messi claimed the top prize in world football aged 35. ALSO READ: WATCH: Mitchell Perry grabs the 'catch of the summer' in Sheffield Shield final Other than MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma led India in the ICC tournaments across formats but haven’t been able to win an ICC trophy. Shastri, under whom India reached the semis of the 2019 World Cup in England, said once India break the barrier of winning the knockout games in ICC events, they will win trophies for fun. “I think India are due. They have been consistent - they reached finals, and semi-finals regularly. Look at Sachin Tendulkar. He had to play six World Cups to win one ICC trophy. 6 World Cups mean 24 years. And in his last World Cup, he won. Look at Lionel Messi. Classic example that is. I mean how long he has been playing? And when he started winning, he won the Copa America, and the World Cup and scored in the final as well. So you have to wait. It will rain,” Shastri told Sports Yaari, as quoted by Hindustan Times. Following winning the marquee 2023 Border-Gavaskar series, India qualified for the finals of the WTC, scheduled to take place on June 7th at the Oval in London. There they will face Australia for the coveted trophy. Last time, India also reached the finals but lost to New Zealand by eight wickets.

Sachin, Messi waited long for World Cup title, so be patient, India's chance will come, feels Ravi Shastri

Australia beat India by 21 runs on Wednesday in Chennai to claim the three-match ODI series 2-1 and the number one spot in the ICC ODI rankings. This win also accounted for Australia ending India’s four-year-long ODI series winning streak at home in this format. Ironically, it was Australia only that last beat them in an ODI series (3-2) at home in 2019. As things stand, with 113 rating points, Australia is the new number-one ODI team in the world.

At the start of this year, firstly India beat Sri Lanka 3-0 and then thumped New Zealand with the same margin in the following series to take the number one spot from England in ODIs. A month and a half later, they returned to the second spot.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, an injury-hit Australian team&nbsp;was without two of their premier seamers in regular captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, while their star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell was also benched for this game. As this&nbsp;series was tied at 1-1 with Australia making a comeback after a massive ten-wicket win in the previous match in Vizag, Chennai played as the decider that turned out to be a heartbreak for the Indian fans.&nbsp;

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Australia won the toss and elected to bat. They brought in fit-now David Warner, who surprisingly didn’t open as Australia persisted with the successful opening combination of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. The pair flourished as they stitched a 68-run stand for the first wicket before Hardik Pandya struck three wickets to pull India back into the game.

While Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav kept picking wickets at regular intervals, resistance from the lower order ensured Australia reach 269 in the first innings.&nbsp;

Unlike how it started in the previous two games, India’s innings this time was right on the track as Shubman Gill and captain Rohit Sharma slammed Mitchell Starc to all parts of the ground. While Australia’s premier seamer didn’t provide his team with the breakthrough, Sean Abbot got rid of Rohit initially.&nbsp;

A couple of overs later, Adam Zampa trapped Shubman Gill in the front. Virat Kohli and India’s first-match hero KL then steadied the ship with a 69-run partnership before two quick wickets hurt India’s momentum. It was about the time before Ashton Agar struck gold, removing Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav on successive deliveries to put the hosts under further pressure.

Though Hardik Pandya did play an anchor role later on, he too lost his wicket soon after, as Adam Zampa added two to his name, almost ending India’s hope of winning the series and safeguarding their number one spot. Australia wrapped India on 248 and won the game by 21 runs.&nbsp;

Australia beat India by 21 runs on Wednesday in Chennai to claim the three-match ODI series 2-1 and the number one spot in the ICC ODI rankings. This win also accounted for Australia ending India’s four-year-long ODI series winning streak at home in this format.

Australia beat India by 21 runs on Wednesday in Chennai to claim the three-match ODI series 2-1 and the number one spot in the ICC ODI rankings. This win also accounted for Australia ending India’s four-year-long ODI series winning streak at home in this format. Ironically, it was Australia only that last beat them in an ODI series (3-2) at home in 2019. As things stand, with 113 rating points, Australia is the new number-one ODI team in the world. At the start of this year, firstly India beat Sri Lanka 3-0 and then thumped New Zealand with the same margin in the following series to take the number one spot from England in ODIs. A month and a half later, they returned to the second spot. Meanwhile, an injury-hit Australian team was without two of their premier seamers in regular captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, while their star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell was also benched for this game. As this series was tied at 1-1 with Australia making a comeback after a massive ten-wicket win in the previous match in Vizag, Chennai played as the decider that turned out to be a heartbreak for the Indian fans. ALSO READ: IND vs AUS 3rd ODI: Steve Smith's Australia dismantle Team India for first home series defeat in four years Australia won the toss and elected to bat. They brought in fit-now David Warner, who surprisingly didn’t open as Australia persisted with the successful opening combination of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. The pair flourished as they stitched a 68-run stand for the first wicket before Hardik Pandya struck three wickets to pull India back into the game. While Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav kept picking wickets at regular intervals, resistance from the lower order ensured Australia reach 269 in the first innings. Unlike how it started in the previous two games, India’s innings this time was right on the track as Shubman Gill and captain Rohit Sharma slammed Mitchell Starc to all parts of the ground. While Australia’s premier seamer didn’t provide his team with the breakthrough, Sean Abbot got rid of Rohit initially. A couple of overs later, Adam Zampa trapped Shubman Gill in the front. Virat Kohli and India’s first-match hero KL then steadied the ship with a 69-run partnership before two quick wickets hurt India’s momentum. It was about the time before Ashton Agar struck gold, removing Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav on successive deliveries to put the hosts under further pressure. Though Hardik Pandya did play an anchor role later on, he too lost his wicket soon after, as Adam Zampa added two to his name, almost ending India’s hope of winning the series and safeguarding their number one spot. Australia wrapped India on 248 and won the game by 21 runs.

IND vs AUS: Australia attain number one spot in ODIs after 2-1 series win over India

India's all-format captain Rohit Sharma said its up to the IPL franchises now to takecare of World Cup-bound players workload management. Following the Chennai ODI against Australia, all players will now wear their respective IPL kits as the 16th edition of the cash-rich league begins on March 31st.&nbsp;

Concerned about the crunch window of mere two weeks between the IPL 2023 final and the 2023 WTC final, Rohit said the board and the team management has already informed about the same to all the franchises, and now the ball is in their court.

"It's all up to the franchise now. Franchises own them now. We've given them some indications or some kind of border line kind of things to teams. But at the end of the day, it's up to the franchises and most importantly it's the players. They have to take care of their own body. They are all adults. So, they have to look after their body and adjust if they feel like it's getting a little too much, they can always talk about it and have a break in 1-2 games. I doubt that'll happen but," Rohit said after the end of the third ODI against Australia in Chennai as quoted by Cricbuzz.

These words have come on the back of the latest concerns regarding certain players who have missed extended amount of cricket due to&nbsp;injuries. While star seamer Jasprit Bumrah is out since September last year due to the back injury and is expected to spend more time on sidelines, middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has also suffered the similar injury, and is ruled out for indefinite time. Just to put salt to injuries, keeper-batter Rishabh Pant is also not around – having suffered injuries in the road accident late last year.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-former-legend-advises-bizarre-record-holder-in-odis-suryakumar-yadav-following-latest-slump-574913">IND vs AUS: Former legend advises 'bizarre record-holder in ODIs' Suryakumar Yadav following latest slump</a>

With all these absentees, India has missed out on several chances of playing their best XI in important matches.&nbsp;

"Look it is concerning because if the players are not available it is concerning. And we are missing players who are actually Playing XI players. They regularly play in the playing XI. Honestly, everyone is trying their best to get everyone on the park. We've been focussing a lot on management of the players a lot.&nbsp;

“Which is why you keep seeing, we have to rest certain players at certain points of time. From our side we could do our best in terms of handling them. I mean, I'm not a specialist to tell you why the recurring injuries are happening. Of course, the medical team of ours is definitely looking into all of this and making sure, that come the World Cup we've got our best 15 players ready," Rohit added.&nbsp;

Initially, the board had also informed after discussing with the captain and the head coach, around 17-18 players are short-listed for the 50-over World Cup later this year; the franchises are made aware of the same and that they are now responsible for those players workload management.

The 16th season of IPL 2023 begins on March 31st.

India's all-format captain Rohit Sharma said its up to the IPL franchises now to takecare of World Cup-bound players workload management. Following the Chennai ODI against Australia, all players will now wear their respective IPL kits as the 16th edition of the cash-rich league begins on March 31st.

India's all-format captain Rohit Sharma said its up to the IPL franchises now to takecare of World Cup-bound players workload management. Following the Chennai ODI against Australia, all players will now wear their respective IPL kits as the 16th edition of the cash-rich league begins on March 31st. Concerned about the crunch window of mere two weeks between the IPL 2023 final and the 2023 WTC final, Rohit said the board and the team management has already informed about the same to all the franchises, and now the ball is in their court. "It's all up to the franchise now. Franchises own them now. We've given them some indications or some kind of border line kind of things to teams. But at the end of the day, it's up to the franchises and most importantly it's the players. They have to take care of their own body. They are all adults. So, they have to look after their body and adjust if they feel like it's getting a little too much, they can always talk about it and have a break in 1-2 games. I doubt that'll happen but," Rohit said after the end of the third ODI against Australia in Chennai as quoted by Cricbuzz. These words have come on the back of the latest concerns regarding certain players who have missed extended amount of cricket due to injuries. While star seamer Jasprit Bumrah is out since September last year due to the back injury and is expected to spend more time on sidelines, middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has also suffered the similar injury, and is ruled out for indefinite time. Just to put salt to injuries, keeper-batter Rishabh Pant is also not around – having suffered injuries in the road accident late last year. ALSO READ: IND vs AUS: Former legend advises 'bizarre record-holder in ODIs' Suryakumar Yadav following latest slump With all these absentees, India has missed out on several chances of playing their best XI in important matches. "Look it is concerning because if the players are not available it is concerning. And we are missing players who are actually Playing XI players. They regularly play in the playing XI. Honestly, everyone is trying their best to get everyone on the park. We've been focussing a lot on management of the players a lot. “Which is why you keep seeing, we have to rest certain players at certain points of time. From our side we could do our best in terms of handling them. I mean, I'm not a specialist to tell you why the recurring injuries are happening. Of course, the medical team of ours is definitely looking into all of this and making sure, that come the World Cup we've got our best 15 players ready," Rohit added. Initially, the board had also informed after discussing with the captain and the head coach, around 17-18 players are short-listed for the 50-over World Cup later this year; the franchises are made aware of the same and that they are now responsible for those players workload management. The 16th season of IPL 2023 begins on March 31st.

IPL franchises are the owners now, they will take the call - Rohit Sharma on players workload management

Ahead of the third and final ODI between India and Australia, in Chennai on Wednesday (March 22), Team India's head coach Rahul Dravid spilled the beans on the side's preparations for the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. Dravid revealed that the team management has already shortlisted 17-18 players for the showpiece event.

In a pre-match presser, Dravid told in Chennai, "Probably not going to get too many more games in our conditions. We had the opportunity to play in these conditions which is great. Yeah, coming out of the IPL to a large extent we are pretty clear about the kind of squad and the players we want. We have narrowed it down to 17-18 players."

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'Within the squad we will like to keep the options. Overall,&nbsp;we are pretty much in good space'

Dravid further opined, "We have some guys who are recovering from injuries and will come into the frame based on their recovery. All in all, we are pretty much in good space. We are able to give those who we have zeroed in on as many playing opportunities.

"There are a couple of different combinations that we would like to try. It is a big tournament, a long tournament in India, we want to have that flexibility in our squad. some times four fast bowlers, sometimes three spinners. Within the squad we will like to keep the options. just to ensure that we have covered all our bases for all conditions," he added.

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Rohit Sharma-led India are preparing hard for the marquee event but have several injury concerns. The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant are out of action due to injuries. With a lot of cricket to be played in the run-up to the ODI World Cup, in the form of IPL 2023, ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and Asia Cup 2023, the team management will hope for players to remain fresh and free from injuries. This will be India's biggest challenge heading into the ICC event at home.

As per reports, the ODI World Cup is set to kick off in India on October 05 and the final will be held in Ahmedabad on November 19. At present, India face Australia in the three-match ODI series finale, in Chennai, on Wednesday (March 22) with the series levelled at 1-1.
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Ahead of the third and final ODI between India and Australia, in Chennai on Wednesday (March 22), Team India's head coach Rahul Dravid spilled the beans on the side's preparations for the 2023 ODI World Cup at home.

Ahead of the third and final ODI between India and Australia, in Chennai on Wednesday (March 22), Team India's head coach Rahul Dravid spilled the beans on the side's preparations for the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. Dravid revealed that the team management has already shortlisted 17-18 players for the showpiece event. In a pre-match presser, Dravid told in Chennai, "Probably not going to get too many more games in our conditions. We had the opportunity to play in these conditions which is great. Yeah, coming out of the IPL to a large extent we are pretty clear about the kind of squad and the players we want. We have narrowed it down to 17-18 players." 'Within the squad we will like to keep the options. Overall, we are pretty much in good space' Dravid further opined, "We have some guys who are recovering from injuries and will come into the frame based on their recovery. All in all, we are pretty much in good space. We are able to give those who we have zeroed in on as many playing opportunities. "There are a couple of different combinations that we would like to try. It is a big tournament, a long tournament in India, we want to have that flexibility in our squad. some times four fast bowlers, sometimes three spinners. Within the squad we will like to keep the options. just to ensure that we have covered all our bases for all conditions," he added. Also Read: ODI World Cup likely to kick off on October 5, final on November 19 in Ahmedabad: Report Rohit Sharma-led India are preparing hard for the marquee event but have several injury concerns. The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant are out of action due to injuries. With a lot of cricket to be played in the run-up to the ODI World Cup, in the form of IPL 2023, ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and Asia Cup 2023, the team management will hope for players to remain fresh and free from injuries. This will be India's biggest challenge heading into the ICC event at home. As per reports, the ODI World Cup is set to kick off in India on October 05 and the final will be held in Ahmedabad on November 19. At present, India face Australia in the three-match ODI series finale, in Chennai, on Wednesday (March 22) with the series levelled at 1-1.

'We have...': Rahul Dravid provides big update on India's 2023 World Cup preparations

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition is keenly awaited. Every team is preparing hard for the marquee event which will be held in India entirely. As per a report, the 50-over marquee tournament is set to kick off in early October and will end by mid-November.&nbsp;

As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, the 2023 ODI WC will commence on&nbsp;October 05 whereas the finale will be held on November 19 at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. The same report also suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the host of the ten-team tournament, has finalised as many as a dozen venues for the showpiece event.

Apart from Ahmedabad, the shortlisted cities are&nbsp;Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Rajkot, and Mumbai. It is to be noted that the tournament will be held in the round-robin stage, just like the 2019 edition, and will&nbsp;consist of&nbsp;48 matches including three knockouts across a 46-day period.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/big-blow-to-team-india-shreyas-iyer-to-undergo-surgery-likely-to-skip-ipl-2023-wtc-final-and-odi-wc-574544">Big blow to Team India! Shreyas Iyer to undergo surgery, likely to skip IPL 2023, WTC final and ODI WC</a>

Why the delay from BCCI?

The BCCI has not specified venues for any games as of now, nor the two or three cities where the&nbsp;warm-up encounters will take place. It is learned that the delay in finalising the venues has been due to the threat posed by the monsoon season receding at different points across the nation.&nbsp;

The International Cricket Council (ICC) usually&nbsp;shares the World Cup schedules, at least, a year in the run-up to the event. However, much to the surprise of cricket fans worldwide, it hasn't been the case this time around. The wait has been prolonged as the Indian cricket board is&nbsp;yet to&nbsp;get the necessary clearance from the&nbsp;government.

The BCCI needs to get a tax exemption for hosting the mega&nbsp;tournament, and also acquire visa clearance for Team Pakistan. The Asian giants have not played a bilateral series in India since early 2013 and their last visit to their neighbouring country was during the 2016 T20 World Cup in India.

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition is keenly awaited. Every team is preparing hard for the marquee event which will be held in India entirely. As per a report, the 50-over marquee tournament is set to kick off in early October and will end by mid-November.

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition is keenly awaited. Every team is preparing hard for the marquee event which will be held in India entirely. As per a report, the 50-over marquee tournament is set to kick off in early October and will end by mid-November. As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, the 2023 ODI WC will commence on October 05 whereas the finale will be held on November 19 at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. The same report also suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the host of the ten-team tournament, has finalised as many as a dozen venues for the showpiece event. Apart from Ahmedabad, the shortlisted cities are Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Rajkot, and Mumbai. It is to be noted that the tournament will be held in the round-robin stage, just like the 2019 edition, and will consist of 48 matches including three knockouts across a 46-day period. Also Read: Big blow to Team India! Shreyas Iyer to undergo surgery, likely to skip IPL 2023, WTC final and ODI WC Why the delay from BCCI? The BCCI has not specified venues for any games as of now, nor the two or three cities where the warm-up encounters will take place. It is learned that the delay in finalising the venues has been due to the threat posed by the monsoon season receding at different points across the nation. The International Cricket Council (ICC) usually shares the World Cup schedules, at least, a year in the run-up to the event. However, much to the surprise of cricket fans worldwide, it hasn't been the case this time around. The wait has been prolonged as the Indian cricket board is yet to get the necessary clearance from the government. The BCCI needs to get a tax exemption for hosting the mega tournament, and also acquire visa clearance for Team Pakistan. The Asian giants have not played a bilateral series in India since early 2013 and their last visit to their neighbouring country was during the 2016 T20 World Cup in India.

ODI World Cup likely to kick off on October 5, final on November 19 in Ahmedabad: Report

Team India has dealt with several injury concerns of late. While Jasprit Bumrah remains out of action since last September, Rishabh Pant is recovering from his horrific car accident. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer complained of back issues during the fourth and final Test between India and Australia, in Ahmedabad, and is now likely to miss IPL 2023, ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, and ODI World Cup.

As per a report in India Today, sources have confirmed that Iyer has been advised of surgery in his third meeting with a Mumbai-based doctor. Thus, the middle-order batter&nbsp;is expected to remain out of action for at least five months; ruling him out of IPL 2023 edition,&nbsp;WTC finale in early June, and possibly skipping the ODI WC at home as well.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-king-virat-kohli-to-ms-dhonis-protege-rishabh-pant-most-runs-in-an-ipl-season-574365">From KING Virat Kohli to MS Dhoni's protégé, Rishabh Pant: Most runs in an IPL season</a>

The 28-year-old Iyer&nbsp;will be touch and go for the 2023 ODI WC. However, it will be highly unlikely that the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team management might consider the talented batter without playing him in the run-up to the showpiece event in the subcontinent.

Iyer was out of action due to injury concerns in the run-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup and even though he was included as a reserve, he didn't get a game. He didn't feature in a single game for Team India in the 2022 edition as well. Hence, if he is likely to miss the WTC final and the forthcoming 50-over WC, it will really be&nbsp;unfortunate for the youngster.

Moreover, the KKR franchise will also have to search for a new captain and batter as a replacement for Iyer. IPL 2023&nbsp;kicks off in less than ten days; on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

Team India has dealt with several injury concerns of late. While Jasprit Bumrah remains out of action since last September, Rishabh Pant is recovering from his horrific car accident.

Team India has dealt with several injury concerns of late. While Jasprit Bumrah remains out of action since last September, Rishabh Pant is recovering from his horrific car accident. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer complained of back issues during the fourth and final Test between India and Australia, in Ahmedabad, and is now likely to miss IPL 2023, ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, and ODI World Cup. As per a report in India Today, sources have confirmed that Iyer has been advised of surgery in his third meeting with a Mumbai-based doctor. Thus, the middle-order batter is expected to remain out of action for at least five months; ruling him out of IPL 2023 edition, WTC finale in early June, and possibly skipping the ODI WC at home as well. Also Read: From KING Virat Kohli to MS Dhoni's protégé, Rishabh Pant: Most runs in an IPL season The 28-year-old Iyer will be touch and go for the 2023 ODI WC. However, it will be highly unlikely that the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team management might consider the talented batter without playing him in the run-up to the showpiece event in the subcontinent. Iyer was out of action due to injury concerns in the run-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup and even though he was included as a reserve, he didn't get a game. He didn't feature in a single game for Team India in the 2022 edition as well. Hence, if he is likely to miss the WTC final and the forthcoming 50-over WC, it will really be unfortunate for the youngster. Moreover, the KKR franchise will also have to search for a new captain and batter as a replacement for Iyer. IPL 2023 kicks off in less than ten days; on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

Big blow to Team India! Shreyas Iyer to undergo surgery, likely to skip IPL 2023, WTC final and ODI WC

With the three-match ODI series levelled at 1-1, India and Australia have locked horns in the series finale at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Wednesday (March 22). Opting to bat first, Steve Smith-led Australia were off to a flying start courtesy of in-form openers Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh before Hardik Pandya's three quick strikes brought India back into the game.

Hardik removed Australia's top three and could have got rid of Head a bit earlier as well had Shubman Gill not dropped a catch off the all-rounder's bowling. The incident took place in the 11th over when Head pulled a short-pitched delivery towards deep square leg with Gill stationed at the position. He went for the catch and timed his dive but could not hold on to the ball (his third drop of the series) and it went to the boundary as well. Gill's efforts didn't please captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Hardik. Here's how the duo reacted:

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashwin-lauds-kl-rahul-for-doing-very-difficult-role-with-ease-compares-him-with-ms-dhoni-yuvraj-singh-574649">Ashwin lauds KL Rahul for 'doing very difficult role with ease', compares him with MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh</a>

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To Gill's relief, Head fell in the same over as Kuldeeo Yadav took a sharp catch at the deep. Hardik also removed well-set Marsh (47) and accounted for stand-in captain Smith's wicket 0 (3). Gill later redeemed himself with a catch of Marcus Stoinis, who was looking dangerous at 25 (26).

Australia will hope to post anything over 265-270 to challenge Team India at the Chepauk stadium. The series is interestingly poised at 1-1 after Australia won the second and penultimate game&nbsp;by ten wickets. The home side won the series opener, in Mumbai, by five wickets.

With the three-match ODI series levelled at 1-1, India and Australia have locked horns in the series finale at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Wednesday (March 22).

With the three-match ODI series levelled at 1-1, India and Australia have locked horns in the series finale at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Wednesday (March 22). Opting to bat first, Steve Smith-led Australia were off to a flying start courtesy of in-form openers Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh before Hardik Pandya's three quick strikes brought India back into the game. Hardik removed Australia's top three and could have got rid of Head a bit earlier as well had Shubman Gill not dropped a catch off the all-rounder's bowling. The incident took place in the 11th over when Head pulled a short-pitched delivery towards deep square leg with Gill stationed at the position. He went for the catch and timed his dive but could not hold on to the ball (his third drop of the series) and it went to the boundary as well. Gill's efforts didn't please captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Hardik. Here's how the duo reacted: Also Read: Ashwin lauds KL Rahul for 'doing very difficult role with ease', compares him with MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh pic.twitter.com/W9saXsTI8j — Guess Karo (@KuchNahiUkhada) March 22, 2023 × To Gill's relief, Head fell in the same over as Kuldeeo Yadav took a sharp catch at the deep. Hardik also removed well-set Marsh (47) and accounted for stand-in captain Smith's wicket 0 (3). Gill later redeemed himself with a catch of Marcus Stoinis, who was looking dangerous at 25 (26). Australia will hope to post anything over 265-270 to challenge Team India at the Chepauk stadium. The series is interestingly poised at 1-1 after Australia won the second and penultimate game by ten wickets. The home side won the series opener, in Mumbai, by five wickets.

WATCH: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya unimpressed as Shubman Gill drops a catch in Ind-Aus Chennai ODI

The Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team is gearing up for the third and final ODI versus Australia, in Chennai, with the series levelled at 1-1. India will be eager to win the ODI series with the 50-over World Cup set to be held in India, which will be Dravid's last assignment as the head coach after taking over from Ravi Shastri in late 2021.

Before Dravid, Shastri coached India from mid-2017 till early November 2021. Prior to Shastri, it was Anil Kumble -- former Indian spinner and captain -- who coached India for a year. Under him, India beat New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, and Australia at home and reached the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy where Men in Blue lost to Pakistan.

When Kumble's initial one-year contract was about to end, there were rumours of a rift between then captain Virat Kohli and him. Thus, the search for a new coach began during Kumble's tenure end and not many know that former Indian opener Virender Sehwag had also applied for the top job.

"I wouldn’t have applied if Virat Kohli and then BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary hadn’t approached me. We had a meeting, and he (Choudhary) told me that things weren’t working out between Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble we want you to take the coaching position. He told me that Kumble’s contract will expire after the Champions Trophy in 2017 and then you can travel to West Indies with the team", Sehwag&nbsp;revealed while speaking on&nbsp;News18 India Chaupal.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virender-sehwag-names-indian-star-who-comes-close-to-his-style-of-batting-shares-an-advice-for-him-573887">Virender Sehwag names Indian star who comes close to his style of batting, shares an advice for him</a>

During the same interaction, Sehwag was asked if he has any regrets about not captaining Team India. To this, he said, "Not at all, I’m happy with what I achieved. Coming from a small family of farmers from Najafgarh I got the opportunity to play for India, got so much love and appreciation from fans and even if I would have captained Team India I would have gotten the same respect.”

Sehwag had a stellar run in international cricket, amassing&nbsp;8,586, 8,273, and 394 runs in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is respectively.

The Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team is gearing up for the third and final ODI versus Australia, in Chennai, with the series levelled at 1-1. India will be eager to win the ODI series with the 50-over World Cup set to be held in India, which will be Dravid's last assignment as the head coach after taking over from Ravi Shastri in late 2021.

The Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team is gearing up for the third and final ODI versus Australia, in Chennai, with the series levelled at 1-1. India will be eager to win the ODI series with the 50-over World Cup set to be held in India, which will be Dravid's last assignment as the head coach after taking over from Ravi Shastri in late 2021. Before Dravid, Shastri coached India from mid-2017 till early November 2021. Prior to Shastri, it was Anil Kumble -- former Indian spinner and captain -- who coached India for a year. Under him, India beat New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, and Australia at home and reached the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy where Men in Blue lost to Pakistan. When Kumble's initial one-year contract was about to end, there were rumours of a rift between then captain Virat Kohli and him. Thus, the search for a new coach began during Kumble's tenure end and not many know that former Indian opener Virender Sehwag had also applied for the top job. "I wouldn’t have applied if Virat Kohli and then BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary hadn’t approached me. We had a meeting, and he (Choudhary) told me that things weren’t working out between Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble we want you to take the coaching position. He told me that Kumble’s contract will expire after the Champions Trophy in 2017 and then you can travel to West Indies with the team", Sehwag revealed while speaking on News18 India Chaupal. Also read: Virender Sehwag names Indian star who comes close to his style of batting, shares an advice for him During the same interaction, Sehwag was asked if he has any regrets about not captaining Team India. To this, he said, "Not at all, I’m happy with what I achieved. Coming from a small family of farmers from Najafgarh I got the opportunity to play for India, got so much love and appreciation from fans and even if I would have captained Team India I would have gotten the same respect.” Sehwag had a stellar run in international cricket, amassing 8,586, 8,273, and 394 runs in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is respectively.

Wouldn’t have applied if Virat Kohli had not approached me: Sehwag recalls being offered India coach job

Former India coach Ravi Shastri has come out in support of current coach Rahul Dravid and said that things take time. Shastri made the comments while reflecting on Dravid's tenure so far. Dravid had taken over from Shastri after the latter spent nearly four and a half years as the head coach of India men's cricket team.

Talking to media outlet Sports Tak, Shastri said, "It takes time. It took me time and it's going to take him time too. But Rahul has an advantage that he was at the NCA, he was with the A team as well and now he's here too. He is experienced with the contemporary cricketer players and with the system. Give him time."

Shastri was also asked about India's lack of trophies, to which the former coach gave a cheeky reply, saying that public memory is short in India.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shahid-afridi-urges-india-to-tour-pakistan-for-2023-asia-cup-says-security-is-not-a-concern-anymore-574027">Shahid Afridi urges India to tour Pakistan for 2023 Asia Cup, says security is not a concern anymore</a>

"In our country, public memory is short. If you have to win, you have to win. During my tenure, we won two Asia Cups, but no one remembers. Has anyone mentioned Asia Cup? We've won it twice. And no one talks about it. But when we lose in Asia Cup, then the tournament comes into the picture. Why? That's why I'm saying, the effort should always be there," he said.

"Everyone wants to win but what's important is to put your best foot forward. And see what happens. Sometimes you don't play your best cricket and still you'll win the game but you're going to have to be extremely lucky for that to win a World Cup. Very few teams win a World Cup by not playing well on that day. Very rare," he further added.

Notably, India have won just one ICC trophy after their 2011 ICC World Cup win - the 2013 Champions Trophy. India, however, have played in the semifinals of 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup editions and lost the final of 2017 Champion Trophy to Pakistan.

In T20Is, after winning the inaugural ICC T20I World Cup in 2007, India lost in the final of 2014 and were a semifinalist in 2016 and 2022 editions. India also reached the final of inaugural ICC World Test Championship in 2021 but lost of New Zealand.

The Men in Blue, however, will have another shot at the ODI World Cup which is scheduled to be played in India later this year. Before that, they'll also face Australia in their second consecutive WTC Final in June in England.

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Former India coach Ravi Shastri has come out in support of current coach Rahul Dravid and said that things take time. Shastri made the comments while reflecting on Dravid's tenure so far.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri has come out in support of current coach Rahul Dravid and said that things take time. Shastri made the comments while reflecting on Dravid's tenure so far. Dravid had taken over from Shastri after the latter spent nearly four and a half years as the head coach of India men's cricket team. Talking to media outlet Sports Tak, Shastri said, "It takes time. It took me time and it's going to take him time too. But Rahul has an advantage that he was at the NCA, he was with the A team as well and now he's here too. He is experienced with the contemporary cricketer players and with the system. Give him time." Shastri was also asked about India's lack of trophies, to which the former coach gave a cheeky reply, saying that public memory is short in India. Also Read: Shahid Afridi urges India to tour Pakistan for 2023 Asia Cup, says security is not a concern anymore "In our country, public memory is short. If you have to win, you have to win. During my tenure, we won two Asia Cups, but no one remembers. Has anyone mentioned Asia Cup? We've won it twice. And no one talks about it. But when we lose in Asia Cup, then the tournament comes into the picture. Why? That's why I'm saying, the effort should always be there," he said. "Everyone wants to win but what's important is to put your best foot forward. And see what happens. Sometimes you don't play your best cricket and still you'll win the game but you're going to have to be extremely lucky for that to win a World Cup. Very few teams win a World Cup by not playing well on that day. Very rare," he further added. Notably, India have won just one ICC trophy after their 2011 ICC World Cup win - the 2013 Champions Trophy. India, however, have played in the semifinals of 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup editions and lost the final of 2017 Champion Trophy to Pakistan. In T20Is, after winning the inaugural ICC T20I World Cup in 2007, India lost in the final of 2014 and were a semifinalist in 2016 and 2022 editions. India also reached the final of inaugural ICC World Test Championship in 2021 but lost of New Zealand. The Men in Blue, however, will have another shot at the ODI World Cup which is scheduled to be played in India later this year. Before that, they'll also face Australia in their second consecutive WTC Final in June in England. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ravi Shastri backs Rahul Dravid to come through as coach, gives CHEEKY reply on India's lack of trophies