Indian Cricket Team Updates

India Squad unchanged for Tri-Series in West Indies 2013
Vijay Zol to lead India Under-19 in Australia Tri-Series
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's coach Sanjay Rastogi says Knowing his limitations has been key to Bhuvi's success
MS Dhoni urges high-flying India to stay grounded: ICC Champions Trophy-2013
Images: India v Pakistan - ICC Champions Trophy 2013

India Squad unchanged for Tri-Series in West Indies 2013

Posted: 17 Jun 2013 02:58 AM PDT

The BCCI has announced the 15-member squad for India's tour to the West Indies that follows the ICC Champions Trophy. The squad remains unchanged to the one that is participating in the 8-nation tournament.

The tri-series, also involving Sri Lanka, will be held between June 28 and July 11 in the Carribean.

Squad: MS Dhoni, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Irfan Pathan, Amit Mishra, Vinay Kumar

source: ndtv.com

Vijay Zol to lead India Under-19 in Australia Tri-Series

Posted: 17 Jun 2013 02:47 AM PDT

Maharashtra's Vijay Zol has been named captain of the Indian junior team that will compete in a tri-series to be played in Australia in June-July.

Sanju Samson, who played for Rajasthan Royals in IPL-6, was appointed as Zol's deputy in the 15-member squad for the tournament.

Zol is the only member from this squad who was part of the Under-19 World Cup team that triumphed last year under Unmukt Chand's captaincy.

"The All India Junior Selection Committee met in Bengaluru earlier today, to pick the squad for the tri-series in Australia, to be played in June-July 2013," BCCI's secretary Sanjay patel said in a statement.

Vijay Zol (Captain)	Maharashtra CA
Sanju Viswanadh (Vice -Captain)	Kerala CA
Shreyas Iyer	Mumbai CA
Akhil Herwadkar	Mumbai CA
Deepak Hooda	Baroda CA
Mohammad Saif	UPCA
Sarfaraz Khan	Mumbai CA
Ricky Bhui	Andhra CA
Abhimanyu Lamba	Rajasthan CA
Rishi Arothe	Baroda CA
Atul Singh	Mumbai CA
C.V. Milind	Hyderabad CA
Aamir Gani	CAB
Kuldeep Yadav	UPCA
Ankush Bains ( Wicket Keeper)

source: ndtv.com

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's coach Sanjay Rastogi says Knowing his limitations has been key to Bhuvi's success

Posted: 16 Jun 2013 10:49 PM PDT

Bhuvneshwar-Kumar-ICC-Champions-Trophy-2013

Being aware about his limitations as a bowler has been key to Bhuvneshwar Kumar's success at the international level, feels his childhood coach Sanjay Rastogi. (Also Read: Bhuvneshwar Kumar enjoying bowling in English conditions)

"Bhuvi knows his limitations as a bowler and never tries to cross those. Consistency makes his bowling more lethal. He will get better with the experience and can spearhead Indian pace attack with this consistency," Rastogi told PTI Bhasha on Sunday. (Also Read: India vs Pakistan: ICC Champions Trophy 2013 - Report )

Kumar snapped two for 19 during his man-of-the-match performance against Pakistan yesterday but what made him stand out among the pace trio was the length which he bowled. (Also Read: India vs Pakistan: ICC Champions Trophy 2013 - Statistical Highlights)

"This is his first England tour. He was expecting to get the ball to swing in English conditions but as he himself has said that he is not swinging as much as he had thought. So he shifted his focus on line and length immediately. He is hitting the three-quarter length and compelling the batsmen to make mistakes," he said.

Rastogi also termed skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's support as a vital factor in his smooth transition to international cricket. (Also See: Images: India v Pakistan - ICC Champions Trophy 2013)

"Bhuvi always says that Dhoni is very cool and never let any of his players to take any sort of pressure. If batsman strucks a boundary on any ball, he comes and says that your ball was good but batsman was better this time. This encourages any bowler to do better," he revealed.

Rastogi claimed that glitz and glamour associated with IPL hasn't changed his ward despite having played in five editions of the cash-rich league.

"He is crazy about cricket and is not in any social networking sites. He rarely goes to parties and doesn't really watch TV in his room. He only loves playing video games," his coach said.

source: ndtv.com

MS Dhoni urges high-flying India to stay grounded: ICC Champions Trophy-2013

Posted: 16 Jun 2013 10:42 PM PDT

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has told his match-winning young team to remain focused as it approached the business end of the Champions Trophy. (Also Read: India vs Pakistan: ICC Champions Trophy 2013 - Report )

The reigning World Cup champions have enjoyed a remarkable campaign in the eight-nation tournament so far, becoming the only team to enter the semi-finals with an all-win record. (Also Read: India vs Pakistan: ICC Champions Trophy 2013 - Statistical Highlights)

But Dhoni knowns all the good work will mean nothing if his team slips up in Thursday's second semi-final in Cardiff against a still unknown opponent from the wide-open group A. (Also Read: Bhuvneshwar Kumar enjoying bowling in English conditions)

"There are, hopefully, still two more matches to go and we must play with the same intensity that we have shown so far," the Indian captain said. (Also See: Images: India v Pakistan - ICC Champions Trophy 2013)

It has been a formidable display by the tournament's youngest team in which Dhoni is the oldest member of the side at 31 and reserve spinner Amit Mishra is the only other player aged 30.

Former Test batsman Sandeep Patil's selection panel has been so ruthless in axing non-performers that the current squad has only three players -- Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli -- who played in the World Cup final two years ago.

Dhoni says the induction of young blood has made his team the "top fielding side in world cricket," a praise rarely associated with Indian sides in the past.

The build-up to the tournament was overshadowed by a spot-fixing scandal in the Indian Premier League that led to the arrest of three players, including Test fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth.

At least two IPL franchise owners were being investigated for betting and the powerful cricket board president Narayanswamy Srinivasan was forced to step aside over his son-in-law's links to illegal bookmakers.

Dhoni himself was facing a conflict of interest issue after it was revealed that he had a stake in a management company that represented several national players like Raina and RavindraJadeja.

But the young side rallied around their unflappable captain to put on a winning performance that impressed former players and fans alike.

"This is the team of the future," India's former World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev told AFP. "They are playing fearless cricket. Easily the best side in the tournament so far."

Starting the Champions Trophy as rank outsiders despite being the top-ranked one-day side, India began with a 26-run win over South Africa in Cardiff before routing the West Indies by eight wickets.

Then on Saturday, they registered their first success over arch-rivals Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, winning a rain-marred encounter at Edgbaston by eight wickets.

Hard-hitting opener Shikhar Dhawan, who anchored India's power-packed batting display with two centuries and a 48, is the tournament's leading scorer so far with 264 runs.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja is the top wicket-taker with nine scalps, with good support from seam bowlers Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.

Kumar, whose 2-19 from eight overs against Pakistan earned him the man-of-the-match award, credited his success to the backing he received from Dhoni and the team management.

"He is a calm captain which really helps you prepare for a game," Kumar said of his captain. "He tells us to forget previous games and focus on the next one. He takes the pressure off."

source: ndtv.com

Images: India v Pakistan - ICC Champions Trophy 2013

Posted: 16 Jun 2013 10:19 PM PDT

Images: 10th Match, Group B: India v Pakistan at Edgbaston, 15 Jun 2013