Indian Cricket Team Updates

Need to stop the slide: Johan Botha
Need to watch out for a hungry DD: Dinesh Karthik
It is fun to compete hard for Purple Cap: Vinay Kumar
Disappointed with the shot I got out: Stuart Binny #RR
Age is just a number - Michael Hussey #CSK
We were 10-15 runs short: Lakshmipathy Balaji
Sir Vivian Richards joins Daredevils: IPL 2013

Posted: 21 Apr 2013 03:12 AM PDT

Still to open their account in the Pepsi Indian Premier League 2013, the Delhi Daredevils are hoping to turn things around when they take the field on Sunday afternoon against the Mumbai Indians.

After a string a defeats DD have been working towards reversing their fortunes, but losing to the Mumbai Indians in Mumbai earlier this season, will also be at the back of their minds.

Analysing the team's run in the tournament so far, Johan Botha said, "The thing that stands out is the tight situations and the game changing moments we haven't taken yet in the first six games. Hopefully when that comes again, we can take that go from there; take the opportunity."

"You want one of your top four to come good. Every team needs that, and lots of teams would like to have that go their way. Watching the games over the last few days, I think all teams are really struggling to put it down. In the past few IPLs there were really high scores and this year that hasn't happened yet so I think every team is looking to do that better. But the guys are bowling pretty well at the moment but that contributes to the batters struggling a bit," he added.

Looking back on the six losses on the trot, he reflected, "Yes, it hurts. None of us, when we got here wanted this situation, but out of these situations, there are great opportunities for the guys to put a stop to this slide. We are just taking it one game at a time. We can't look and say that we want to win eight or nine out of ten games or whatever it is to get into the play offs. For now, from this situation we just concentrate and focus on one game which, for now is against Mumbai Indians. We respect them and we know they are a really good team. But we hope that in our squad someone will have put up their hand and put a really good performance, a big match performance and pull the other guys with him and that's what we need. We need one or two guys to step up and the other guys will follow. A good example is, last year, Morne (Morkel) bowled very well and Kevin Pietersen batted really well so hopefully there are a couple of guys in our team who can just start it. We just have to start it and get going and take it from there. I am sure then the guys who are left can still contribute with some wins in the tournament."

While further discussing the overall performance of the team and not doing as well as expected he said, "That is a concern, but within the group we have spoken that it is a great opportunity for someone else to take. We have got some really good young Indian players and that is to actually throw them into the deep end and hopefully one or two senior overseas players who can step up and help these young Indian guys put their hand up. Now that will be a great opportunity for all of us to put a stop to the slide and like I said earlier it is going to take one 70 to 80 runs (knock) from any one in 50 or 60 balls to get the group going and I am sure everyone will start firing around him."

Speaking over the absence of Pietersen, who had played a key role in DD's success last season, Botha said, "I wouldn't just point it at one man, we still have some really good players, international and Indian, who haven't just fired yet. KP was the one who put the foot down and took the team forward and others followed him and that's what we are looking for now. Kevin P is one of the best players in the world at the moment and you are not going to replace him, he is too good for that. We are all going to miss him but it is a great opportunity for someone else to step up."

Apart from the batting woes, the bowling attack too has a few areas that they would be looking to improve on. The Daredevils bowling has been milked for runs in the death overs. "Yes that's a concern but if you look at those two games (against CSK and MI). (Michael) Hussey had gotten 50 or 60 and in the MI game there were two guys who got fifty and that is always going to put you under pressure and from a bowling point of view we have spoken about it. We are not quite happy with our death bowling at the moment but we have got some really good quicks and some really experienced players. The guys are doing everything possible to try and correct that. And like I said if we can get couple of our batters in that situation, the last four or five overs, a guy in on forty or 50 or sixty, then the other team is under pressure," he observed.

However, in the sixth season of the IPL the bowlers have been making an impression in the tournament and dominating it. Speaking about the apparent trend, he said, "I am not hundred percent sure it is the wicket. The guys are bowling really well and the fielding standard has been excellent and guys are taking some great catches. There are some good run outs all around the country and that all contributes to building pressure. Bowlers are hanging in there for just a extra little bit and cracking in that pressure and batters have got to make plans at the moment. Guys are getting out but somewhere in the tournament someone is going to break free and scores might lift a bit and hopefully we can be the team to do that."

source: iplt20.com

Need to watch out for a hungry DD: Dinesh Karthik

Posted: 21 Apr 2013 03:06 AM PDT

The Mumbai Indians have already beaten the Delhi Daredevils earlier in the tournament and would like to add two more points to their tally with a win at the Feroz Shah Kotla on April 20.

The Ricky Ponting-led side will face off against a home team that is still seeking to get off the mark.

Speaking about the opposition who will seek to go for the kill, Mumbai Indians' keeper-batsman, Dinesh Karthik said, "On an honest note, I think the Delhi Daredevils are a good team. For us it is not about looking at how they have played, it is important that we look at how we have played.

We have played five games and won three. We have played some good cricket and some ordinary cricket too. So looking at DD and looking at their track record, I am sure that they are a very good team and there is no doubting that, just that they have still not performed to their potential.

And the good thing is that we have a good chance if we play well. We need to watch out as they are a team which is very hungry for their first win, so it works both ways. It is important for us to concentrate on the way we play."

The 27-year old, has been an important cog in the MI line-up and made vital contributions with the bat in the Pepsi Indian Premier League 2013. Speaking about his performances with the willow, Karthik said, "So far my batting has been good and the confidence is good too so it is important I be consistent for my team."

However, it is the opening pair that has not been clicking for the Mumbai Indians but, Karthik does not feel that it is an area of concern given the stature of the openers – Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting. The No 3 bat believes that the veterans will deliver soon.

"Barring a couple of games we haven't got a good start yet, but they are the kind of players we all know can produce results and I am sure they will deliver," he said.

Speaking about batting at No 3 and the opportunities that the position offers him, Karthik elaborated, "As a batsman, the great thing about Mumbai Indians is Anil bhai (Anil Kumble), Ricky (Ponting) and John (Wright) have placed faith and sent me at No 3 and it is important that, if not for anything else, I deliver for those three people. That is what I am looking to do with the bat and T20 is such a format that the openers and the No 3 have the best chance to score runs because they get to play more number of overs. I am very thankful and grateful to MI for that."

"In terms of quantum of runs, you can score a lot more runs if you are opening or batting at No 3, as you go lower down the order you get lesser number of balls (to face) and the strike rate matters a great deal. Having said that, the openers and No 3 have a great responsibility because the whole team and the batting order will depend on them to deliver and the results will go on the way we bat," he added.

Elaborating on his role further, Karthik added, "There is no specific role as such. Depending on the situation I just go out there and see what I need to do. In the last game the wicket was doing a bit so if I played a stupid shot and got out, it didn't make sense so I thought I will play as much as I can and then start playing shots. But I have not been given anything specific to do. All I have been told is to go out there and play my natural game and that is something I am really grateful for."

Asked if there will be changes to the line-up he said that they will only know about it later in the day.

Continuing to discuss his own batting and asked whether with his current form he hopes to don the National jersey soon, he replied, "I am always confident of my batting abilities and I have always felt that I can play for India as a batsman. There is all reason for me to play again in the Indian team as a batsman and I am very confident that I can deliver. I am someone who can field well as well so I have always been confident of my batting abilities and I am very sure that I will deliver for team India when given the opportunity. At the same time the selectors are also aware of the fact that I can field and considering the way the team is doing everything is going well and I am raring to be part of the team again."

Since he is likely to be in the out-field if he turns out for the national team, would he be considering fielding in the outfield for MI as well?

Karthik said, "It doesn't require for me to field in the IPL to play as a batsman in the Indian team. I think at the moment if you say an Aditya Tare comes in the team and he is part of the eleven, I am sure I will be fielding and have already done that. And I have fielded in the IPL for Kings XI Punjab too. So fielding has never been an issue for me and I am always somebody who is very confident about my fielding ability. I have had a good domestic season as a batsman and I am very sure that given an opportunity for team India I will do the best that I can in any format."

While speaking about the opportunities in the IPL, he also said, "The IPL is a platform where you play the best bowlers. Tomorrow when you are playing against the Delhi Daredevils you are playing Morne Morkel who is a top bowler in the world right now and if you get runs against him it is going to be a great morale booster for you. So every team that you play, you play Sunrisers Hyderabad you play Dale Steyn. So you play against the best bowlers and are always looking forward to doing well. The difference between domestic cricket and IPL is that you get to play overseas fast bowlers who are playing for their country. So if you play against them then you know that you are there and that you are ready to perform for team India as well. But having said that, the pressure is different when you play for the country."

source: iplt20.com

It is fun to compete hard for Purple Cap: Vinay Kumar

Posted: 21 Apr 2013 02:58 AM PDT

In IPL 2013, the Purple Cap is changing heads more frequently than Chris Gayle is despatching the ball into the crowd. There is a difference of mere four wickets between the man at the top and the 10th position on the highest wicket-takers list.

In the gap of a day, the Purple Cap has left the Sunrisers Hyderabad's hat-trick hero, Amit Mishra and has moved to Bangalore to adorn the head of Royal Challengers' Vinay Kumar. In what came as a double bonanza for the Karnataka medium pacer, his ascend to the top of the chart came by way of a match-winning 4-0-18-3 spell, against Rajasthan Royals.

In a chat with iplt20.com after receiving his Man of the Match trophy, Vinay spoke of the excitement that this contest of winning the Purple Cap has brought in among bowlers. He also dwelled into his journey so far in the IPL and how it has contributed to his growth as a bowler.

The purple cap is changing heads so often. Is it fun to have such stiff competition for it?

It is fun. Knowing that you are never too far from the Purple Cap motivates you to try harder to get there. It is changing heads right now but at the end of the tournament, I would like to have it.

RP Singh said today that he was jealous that you have it. He's just three wickets away from you?

It is healthy competition. Without competition there's no fun. We have quite a few bowlers in our team and we all keep competing against each other in a good way for wickets.

Would you rate this as your best performance in IPL 2013 so far?

I will rate the first game, against the Mumbai Indians in which I defended 10 runs in the final over, as my best. They had batsmen like (Ambati) Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik and (Kieron) Pollard batting for them at that time and to have won the match by restricting them was a very good feeling. I will not discount this performance. I bowled really well today. But that was more special because of the match situation.

From a young upcoming bowler, you are soon turning out to be one of RCB's most consistent pacers. To what would you credit this growth?

I have come across many coaches and senior bowlers who have helped me become a better bowler. When I spent some time with the Indian team, people like MS Dhoni and others talked to me about my bowling. All those experiences helped me grow as a bowler.

When you were brought into the RCB team you were emerging as a first-class bowler. What changes has your bowling gone through after so many years of IPL?

The six years of IPL has helped me mature as a bowler, helped me develop the ability to thrive under pressure. Now when I face a pressure situation, I go in with confidence. In IPL if you're not mentally tough you will not survive. You have to be smart, back yourself in crunch situations and keep evolving. In terms of my bowling, I tried the Malinga ball (sling-arm yorker) in the fourth season and got Chris Gayle out with it.

source: iplt20.com

Disappointed with the shot I got out: Stuart Binny #RR

Posted: 21 Apr 2013 02:50 AM PDT

By beating star-studded teams like the Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils this season, Rajasthan Royals have taught us that a team as a whole matters more than the sum of its parts.

On Saturday evening, however, a team that is known to punch above their weight succumbed to a sorry batting collapse and hence, a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore. For RR skipper, Rahul Dravid, an evening that began with an overwhelming welcome from his fellow Bangaloreans, ended on a sour note. (Also Read: RCB vs RR - M27 Report & Stats: IPL 2013)

There was another man in the Royals' line-up for whom it was a homecoming. Stuart Binny, like Dravid, has played all his cricket at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium and is currently the vice-captain of Karnataka's state side, captained by RCB's bowler Vinay Kumar who, incidentally dismissed Binny in the match.

After the heavy loss, Binny spoke to iplt20.com about the disappointment of letting go the opportunity to guide his IPL team to victory on his home ground. The dejection was bigger, given that Binny was batting beautifully on 33 off 20 balls when one wrong shot ended his innings.

RR is a team that has always punched above their weight. But this batting performance was way below par. Can you put a finger on one thing that went wrong?

What we spoke when we went out to bowl was that we will come hard at them. With these low totals you never know because they can get hard to chase at times. We just went out and tried to change the game a bit by getting early wickets. We got two wickets and brought ourselves back into the game.

As a team you are never short of fight. Is that the motto of the Rajasthan Royals?

Yes, we have always played our game like that. We always want to go out there on the park and produce something special. Sometimes – like it happened today – we will have bad days but we keep fighting hard.

A total of 124 was below par on this track. Was shot selection a major issue?

It was. Just when we looked like building a bit of a partnership, we lost a wicket and that kept happening at crucial times. We need to analyse at which stages we are losing wickets and try to avoid that.

The likes of you and Rahul Dravid have played on this ground all your life. You reckon the two of you should've stayed there and taken the team to a decent total?

After the start I got, I thought I will get a big score, but I lost my wicket at a crucial time. Since I had that start and the momentum was with me, I looked to get a kick on from there. This is my home ground; I've played here all my life. I was feeling really good but it just didn't come off.

Were you disappointed with the shot you got out to (A top edge trying to pull a short and wide one from Vinay Kumar)?

Very! In hindsight I should have just looked for a single and tried to take on the other bowlers. Vinay was bowling well and I think I went too hard too soon at him.

How risky is it to have two extremely fast but erratic bowlers in the XI, especially against Gayle, Dilshan and AB?

It is something that if comes off on a day, it will look amazing. We picked Shan Tait especially to get the big guns like Chris Gayle out but it didn't work out for him.

Was not this wicket a bit too slow for a Bangalore track?

It was definitely on the slower side today. I have played a lot of cricket here and the wicket generally tends to be on the faster side. When we went into bat we should have analysed and read the wicket better than we did. Once we got the partnership (between himself and Rahul Dravid) going, we should've realised that this is not a 170-run track. 150 would have been a fighting score.

On a positive note, Shane Watson has started to bowl now, and he also picked up a couple of wickets. How huge is that for the team?

It is big for us. It sets up the balance of our team nicely if Watto can come and bowl three-four overs. It gives us a lot of other options as well. Knowing that he's playing as an all-rounder, you can sneak in an extra spinner if needed.

With the kind of cheers that Rahul Dravid got when he went out for toss, did you guys, for a moment, feel like you were playing a home game?

Rahul bhai is so big and is loved wherever he goes, and especially in Bangalore. The people here just adore him. It was lovely to play here.

RR won the Fairplay Award last year and are the frontrunners this season too. That is inevitable with a captain like Rahul Dravid, isn't it?

Yes. He plays his cricket that way and it rubs off on the other members of the team as well. We are an aggressive team but we don't take it over the top. We only look to play well.

source:: iplt20.com

Age is just a number - Michael Hussey #CSK

Posted: 21 Apr 2013 02:41 AM PDT

Legendary American author, Mark Twain once said, "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind it doesn't matter."

That phrase fits aptly for an Australian who refuses to age and has a heart that still yearns for the game of cricket. Michael Hussey might have called it quits to international cricket, but if you see him bat or field in the IPL with that yellow jersey on, you will never get an impression that he is a cricketer, three years short of 40.

Always cheering up his team mates, fielding with a lot of agility and sprinting away between the wickets like a twenty year-old are quite some of the characteristics that are very synonymous with Mike Hussey. On Saturday night amidst a sea of purple at the Eden Gardens, Hussey laid a perfect platform for his side, scoring a patient 51 ball 40 in CSK's run chase of 120.

The conditions were tough, scoring was difficult and it required someone with Hussey's temperament to guide the chase successfully. In this exclusive chat with IPLT20.com, Hussey the veteran speaks about CSK's successful run chase and Ravindra Jadeja.

Below are excerpts from the interview.

Two run outs, a lot of catches; the fielding has to be one of the highlights of the game isn't it?

Oh absolutely. Not just in this game, but I think the fielding standards across the whole competition have really improved over the last couple of years. This year in particular there seems to be a lot of great catches and good run outs. It has indeed got better.

Was there any pressure to chase a low score like 120?

I think there was pressure all the way through, because it was a difficult surface to bat on. It was almost a case of if you play properly, try and work the ones and twos, it can be very difficult to score; but if you try and tee off it might just work. But obviously you needed one person to try and bat through the innings and have the other guy try and hit around.

What was the thought behind R Ashwin opening the innings?

I think Ashwin's role was to try and get us off to a quick start, look to take advantage of the first six overs and he had a license to tee off. He hit a couple of good boundaries and got us off to a good start. But, as it can happen in T20 cricket, you can get out anytime.

Considering low scores in this tournament have been defended successfully, what was your approach to the run chase?

I think the bowlers are becoming a lot smarter, so the scores over the whole competition have been a little bit lower than normal. Kolkata is always a tough place to play, the pitch is always slow and low with less bounce and we knew even 120 or 130 could be a defendable total here. They have showed that in the past defending low scores successfully, but thankfully for some late hitting from "Sir" Jadeja (smiles), he got us over the line again.

How does Ravindra Jadeja react to all the jokes being cracked around by his team mates?

Jadeja takes the humor in good stead. The secret to Jadeja's success is that he is a great fun guy. He is good around the dressing room, feeling comfortable and has some good friends from the team. When you feel comfortable and relaxed off the field, it gives you a lot more chance to go out there and play your best cricket. Hopefully he can continue his form for the rest of the tournament.

How difficult is it to pick the KKR mystery spin twins (Narine and Senanayake)?

Look, you can pick both of them, but it is too difficult to play them. They are world class bowlers and they know where they are landing the ball and the surface is sort of helpful for them as well. It is very difficult to play them there and they have been a key to KKR's success.

Did you feel the match could slip away when you were out in the 17th over?

I guess it was easier when I got out. I was struggling to hit the ball very far and thankfully Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo finished the job for us. We have got a lot of power hitters in our line-up and we always have it in the back of our mind that they could get us home.

How is it that Michael Hussey never seems to age?

(Laughs) I just enjoy the game; I want to be involved in the game throughout. I love the game and try to give it my best for the side I represent. I am not a big hitter like the others I guess, so I have to be able to run fast between the wickets to convert those ones into twos. The conditions out there (Eden Gardens) were quite pleasant, it wasn't that hot; the outfield was beautiful and it was a pleasure to be playing out there.

source: iplt20.com

We were 10-15 runs short: Lakshmipathy Balaji

Posted: 21 Apr 2013 02:32 AM PDT

You would be one disappointed KKR fan had you been there at the packed Eden Gardens on Saturday. Imagine a fan, with his KKR headband on, waving a KKR flag expecting one crazy game of cricket between two power houses in the tournament!

Sadly the fans had to return back home only with memories of their side's suicidal collapse after a good start and a sense of satisfaction that KKR fought well. (Aso Read: KKR vs CSK - M26 Report & Stats: IPL 2013)

Yes, KKR did manage to pull things back and looked full of intent while defending a modest 120, but it was the men in yellow who finished the game off in their favour, courtesy yet another Ravindra Jadeja cameo registering a four-wicket win. Lakshmipathy Balaji who got a well set Michael Hussey out in the seventeenth over and brought back hopes in the KKR dug out felt, the team made little errors in the game that cost them the match.

Balaji also took pride in the way his team fought right till the very end and believed the side will come back stronger. Here are excerpts from the chat with IPLT20.com after the game.

Did you feel 120 was a defendable total on that wicket?

I think in T20s you need to have a good score to defend. When you are batting first, you should make sure that the side gets a comfortable score after assessing the wicket. Had we got fifteen runs more on the board the outcome of the match could have been different. But, having said that it was our job to defend whatever we had on the board.

The team was scoring at close to nine an over at the end of five overs. It was a shocking slide after that?

We made very basic errors today. Our basics weren't strong enough to hold the game till the end on the batting front. A couple of crucial important partnerships would have definitely changed the course of the match, but unfortunately we did not have partnerships after the good start we got from Gautam Gambhir and Yusuf Pathan. Every 15-20 run partnerships are important and that is where we fell short and let it slip away. We will go back and analyse what we did wrong and comeback hard in the next game.

What was the team talk while walking out to defend the low total?

We had to make sure we did not give them the easy singles and build pressure on them all the time; which is what we did. We kept it tight till the 16th over and we thought the match was in our favour. They got the big shots out towards the end and luckily for them it worked. We had to believe in ourselves and we kept fighting till the very end, which was very important. It was great to see the boys diving around; showing a lot of hunger and commitment to defend a low total.

Was it a plan to bowl out Sachithra Senanayake in the first half of the match?

Senanayake has been doing really well for us over the last two matches. We thought it was best for him to bowl in the first phase of the match. He executed his plans, but unfortunately could take only one wicket. He definitely built pressure on CSK and that is what took the match till the last over.

Did Ravindra Jadeja take the game away from KKR?

I feel it is a team sport. Not one individual can take the game away from you. I feel Michael Hussey's innings was an important one as he kept the scoreboard ticking even though he was losing out on partners at the other end. Then Jadeja came and finished the game well. I feel we were a little behind the finish line.

What are the positives you take from this game?

I think we did not give any easy runs in the first fifteen overs and we take it as a big positive. CSK had to earn every run and it wasn't easy for them to score runs off us. We were looking more intense in the first half of our bowling, but maybe we were not good enough to execute our plan towards the end. There is a good fighting spirit in this dressing room and definitely that should help the team's cause in the games to come.

source: iplt20.com

Sir Vivian Richards joins Daredevils: IPL 2013

Posted: 21 Apr 2013 02:22 AM PDT

Sir Vivian Richards, the original Master Blaster and one of the most intimidating batsmen in cricket's history, joined the Delhi Daredevils in an ambassadorial and advisory role on Friday.

"I am looking forward to working with the Delhi Daredevils this season," Sir Viv said after his maiden interaction with the team. "I know the team has many players of proven quality and others who have immense talent and hunger to succeed at this level and higher. It will be a great experience for me to be their sounding board and inspire them to deliver quality performances."

GMR Sports Chairman Kiran K Grandhi said the decision to rope in Sir Viv was in keeping with the policy to give the squad the best support it can possibly get. "As owners of the Delhi Daredevils, we have always got together the best support staff. I'm sure our fans will also be very excited that Sir Viv is with the squad."

GMR Sports Pvt Ltd Head (Cricket) and Delhi Daredevils Team Mentor TA Sekar said the squad will have the opportunity to be inspired by Sir Viv. "There are a number of youngsters in the squad who can make the most of the opportunity to interact with Sir Viv and evolve as cricketers. He was keen to be with the team at the start of the season but he had prior commitments and could join us only now.

"One of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Century and rated by many, including Sir Ian Botham and Shane Warne, as the best batsman they ever saw, he set amazing standards for himself with the bat and on the field in his playing days," Sekar said. "It is our pleasure and privilege to welcome Sir Viv."

source: iplt20.com

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