Indian Cricket Team Updates

Shikhar Dhawan to play against CSK: Srikkanth
CSK’s coach Stephen Fleming seeks more discipline from pacers
I will become a great bowler one day: Iqbal Abdulla #KKR
Dwayne Smith Interview: KKR vs MI

Shikhar Dhawan to play against CSK: Srikkanth

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 01:47 AM PDT

Sunrisers Hyderabad's bowling attack has been one of the success stories of IPL 2013. Powered by Dale Steyn and revved on by Amit Mishra, they have helped the team win five of their first seven matches. Batting, however, has been found wanting, with a solitary 150-plus score to show.

As they gear up for a tough away game, against the Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers have to lift their batting bar to a significant extent. The timing, hence, is perfect for Shikhar Dhawan to enter.

The Delhi batsman who scored a mindboggling 187 on Test debut against Australia, has recovered from his hand injury and will take the field against CSK at the Chepauk, confirmed SRH team mentor, Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

"The good news is that Shikhar Dhawan is back into action and he will be playing his first game of this season tomorrow," Srikkanth said. "That should be a great boost to our batting. We have been a bit behind in our batting but with Dhawan in, we will be reasonably well sorted out."

While admitting the team's batting woes, the former India captain reasoned it with the fact that the side is packed with young Indian domestic players. Naming a few fringe players who have delivered for SRH so far, Srikkanth said the franchise's aim is to promote young blood.

"We have to understand that it is a team that consists of a lot of youngsters and new faces. In the (2013 IPL Player) auction our mindset was to pick the team for the future and promote the youngsters. It has worked so far.

"Look at Hanuma Vihari, an unknown candidate who has already won two man-of-the-match awards. We also have the likes of Ashish Reddy who comes and wins matches in the end, and Akshath Reddy who has done well in a couple of games as well."

A flamboyant opening batsman in his own time, Srikkanth was particularly open in his admiration for the 20-year-old South African opener, Quinton de Kock. In the team replacing Kumar Sangakkara, the wicketkeeper-batsman scored 2 and 0 in the two matched he's played so far. But the team mentor made it clear that the management will give him enough chances to fail.

"He will continue to play," Srikkanth said. "de Kock is a 20-year-old boy who had a brilliant season in South Africa. You've got to give him enough time. He's played just two games and in the last game he got a ball that literally rolled over on the ground. To say that he hasn't performed well after just two games is very unfair. I think Quinton de Kock is a swashbuckling opening batsman and we know he will come good."

While the batting as a unit hasn't clicked so far, it is not a big cause of concern for Srikkanth as long as the team is winning. "As of now we're very happy with what has happened. We may not have got big runs but we have won five matches. At the end of the day it's the number of matches that you're winning is what matters," he said.

For Srikkanth, the most significant factor in SRH's fine form and as a team is their never-give-up attitude. He recalled the team's 11-run win over the Pune Warriors India, defending a low 119.

"The biggest positive for us is the knowledge that we can successfully defend even a small total of 119. That fighting spirit in the team is the biggest plus. We haven't given away a single match for lack of fight. We don't give up."

source: iplt20.com

CSK’s coach Stephen Fleming seeks more discipline from pacers

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 01:35 AM PDT

After a little fumble in the beginning with two home losses, the Chennai Super Kings have brought their IPL 2013 campaign back on track with three wins on the bounce. Now CSK aim to gain a significant leverage of points as they prepare to take on the inspired Sunrisers Hyderabad at home on Thursday.

"We have been playing well, especially in the last game (chasing down 185 against RR)," said CSK's coach Stephen Fleming on the eve of the match. "We were at the top of the table and we know that by winning this game we will get back there and increase the gap in points between us the other teams."

While the wins have been coming, there are areas of concern for the Super Kings to address. Fleming admitted that one of them is death bowling.

"Bowling at the death is a very tough skill to master as there are some big hitters batting then who can put even the good balls away. We do want to get better at that and in fact, at our bowling performance on the whole," he said.

With the pacers going for runs in the final overs, a case arises for off-spinner, R Ashwin, one of CSK's most consistent performers and disciplined bowlers to bowl an over in the end. Fleming, however, said he would rather prefer the pacers doing their job in the power-play and end overs so that Ashwin can be used as an attacking option.

"Ashwin is the go-to guy for the captain and he's proven time and time again that he's the guy to get the breakthrough. I would love him to bowl in the middle and pick wickets so the onus goes on our opening bowlers.

"I think we've leaked too many runs in the first six overs consistently over the tournament and so Ashwin has had to come in a bit earlier. But the ideal formula would be for him to come and build after the pacers have got early wickets. That allows Ashwin to attack. If we bring him on to defend the runs, we won't be able to get as much out of him," the coach explained.

Another concern for CSK is the lack of runs from Murali Vijay's bat. But Fleming said the opener is not in bad shape and will be persisted with.

"Around the same time in the tournament last year we dropped Vijay as he was not doing too well. But this time he is doing all the right things. It's just not happening out there in the middle. So, this season we will back him for a while longer. We know that when he comes good, he's real good," Fleming said.

source: iplt20.com

Acknowledging the few shortcomings of the team, the CSK coach said the important thing is one department putting their hands up when the other fails. In the end it's about ending up on the winning side.

"We've had games where the bowlers have done well and those where the batsmen have; we haven't put in a complete performance yet.

"There's always something to be worried about but if we win and get past the line especially in tight games, that's more important for me. It's about showing character rather than being in form all the time. It's too much to ask off your team to be at its best in every game. If we do enough to win games and get through to the final, that will be great," Fleming said.

I will become a great bowler one day: Iqbal Abdulla #KKR

Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:48 PM PDT

It was an off day for the Kolkata Knight Riders as their bowlers were blown away by Dwayne Smith, handing them a five wicket defeat at home. Sunil Narine was the only bowler who looked like taking wickets and indeed ended up with three in his bag.

For 23-year old Iqbal Abdulla who was playing his first game this year in the IPL, things did not quite go the way he would have liked it to. (Also Read: KKR vs MI - M33 Report & Stats: IPL 2013)

But Abdulla is a man full of belief and self confidence, who looks to gain as much as possible from his team-mate and mystery spinner Sunil Narine. In this interaction with IPLT20.com, Iqbal speaks about his team's loss against Mumbai Indians, bowling in the nets to Jacques Kallis, Gautam Gambhir and about the belief that he would one day be a great bowler.

Your first game this season; are you sad that you couldn't make it count?

I had a good start. And we knew it was crucial to get quick wickets at the beginning. Sachin Sir also got out, but I guess Dwayne Smith played some good shots to get his side off to a flying start.

In your opinion, was 160 defendable, especially with the kind of batting lineup Mumbai Indians possess?

See, we play as a unit and as bowlers it is our responsibility to defend whatever total is on the board. We were playing at home and we always had the confidence in our bowling. 160 was defendable on this wicket. It is just that we did not pick wickets at regular intervals.

Do you feel the wicket was easier to bat on in the second innings?

The way the Mumbai Indians batsmen played it definitely looked like the wicket was getting better. Kieron Pollard played a crucial innings after Smith's dismissal, but it was Harbhajan Singh's six in the last over of the match that sealed the game for them.

There would have been a lot of pressure on Rajat Bhatia to bowl that last over. What was the team talk at that time?

Rajat Bhatia had bowled well in the innings and we felt he was ideal to bowl the last over. He even got the wicket of Pollard off the very first ball of the last over and we felt we were in the game at that time. Unfortunately for us, Bhajji hit the ball for a six and we lost the game. Such things happen, but we need to come back stronger in the next game.

But Dwayne scored the maximum runs off you in the run chase. What went wrong?

I feel it was Dwayne Smith's day today. I had bowled the second over of the match wherein Smith could score only one off me. There was even a small chance off the third ball that could have got him out; luckily he was saved just by an inch. I guess had we got that wicket, it would have been a different result.

Was bowling difficult, especially after the rain before the start of the match?

Because of the rain, the ball was getting wet just a bit and it was difficult to grip the ball. Apart from Sunil Narine, I guess Senanayake and myself could not extract as much spin from the wicket.

How is it bowling with Sunil Narine. Has he shared any tips with you?

I am working a lot in nets to get more variations in my bowling. I have been working closely with Sunil Narine and I hope I get success from his advices in the matches to come. Whenever Narine bowls in the nets, I try to read what he is doing and where he is pitching the ball. It is a natural gift that Narine has so many variations. Obviously I will not become a great bowler immediately but I am trying my best to grasp as much as possible.

Have Gambhir and Kallis given you special advice on spin bowling from batsmen's point of view?

I enjoy bowling at the nets and bowl according to match situations. I try to implement them in the games as well. I do get a lot of tips from Jacques Kallis and Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir speaks to me a lot and the only message he gave me was; the day you read the batsmen, you will become a great bowler at that time. I have the belief in myself that I will become a great bowler one day.

source: iplt20.com

Dwayne Smith Interview: KKR vs MI

Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:32 PM PDT

He talks the way he bats. Simple and to the point. No half measures, no holds barred; Dwayne Smith made batting look easy at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Boundaries and sixes flew off his bat with the same kind of swiftness off that of an arrow released from an archer's bow. (Also Read: KKR vs MI - M33 Report & Stats: IPL 2013)

None of the KKR bowlers except Sunil Narine were able to curtail Smith who pummeled the ball to different parts of the ground with utter disdain. Mind you, he was playing only his third game this year in the IPL.

A match winning half century and Smith was a man full of confidence, with the only regret that he could not finish the game. In this exclusive chat with IPLT20.com, Smith speaks about his approach to T20s and his fearless style of stroke play.

Just your third game this season, you seemed to have enjoyed your knock today?

Yes I thoroughly relished my stay at the crease. We came here with three wins and three losses and we really needed to get a win under our belt and build some momentum from here. It is good to get a win and I really enjoyed myself today.

What was the message given to you in the dressing room when you walked out to chase 160?

(Laughs) Nothing at all. I think my message to myself was to go there and believe in myself, get in and do what I want; because I knew they won't be able to stop me that easy. I am the kind of guy who believes in doing what I know best. Today I just thought, I had to give my team a good start and I did it.

Opening the batting with Sachin Tendulkar, did he give you advices in the middle?

I have opened with Sachin before as well. He has always been encouraging me and has been a very good team player. He gives advices that help me in the end. I am glad to be opening with a guy like him.

You developed a liking towards Iqbal Abdulla scoring 31 off 19 against him. Was it a plan to target him, considering Sunil Narine and Sachithra Senanayake were more challenging to play?

I did not target any bowler. My plan was to get as much as possible from any bowler bowling to me, apart from Sunil Narine, because he was the one who was taking the wickets for them. Eventually I gave away my wicket to him which was disappointing. I should have batted on and tried to get the side home.

But obviously, you had a better idea of Narine, since you both play for West Indies.

I have not faced Narine in the nets much when we played together for West Indies. It is just that I had the confidence today that I would do well against any bowler. I just backed myself to do the job for the team and I am glad we ended up on the winning side.

Chris Gayle is in monstrous form. Keiron Pollard is one of the mainstays for MI and now you have got going. What is with West Indies and the big hitters?

I think it is just the way we play our cricket. We are fearless and it is good to see that the West Indians are doing well in this IPL and I hope that we continue to do it till the end of the tournament.

How difficult is it to sit out for a few matches and then perform well when you are asked to?

It is nothing new to me. I have been accustomed to it. I just keep myself motivated and stay positive all the time. My plan is to become more consistent with my scores and get Mumbai Indians winning games. I want to score a lot of runs and help the side win the competition.

source: iplt20.com

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