DELHI CAPITALS APPOINT GANGULY AS ADVISOR IN IPL
NEW DELHI: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was on Thursday appointed advisor of Delhi Capitals for the Indian Premier League (IPL). In his new role, Ganguly will work closely with the team’s head coach Ricky Ponting. The Shreyas Iyer-led Delhi Capitals will kick-start their season against Mumbai Indians on March 24 at the Wankhede Stadium. They will play their first home match on March 26, when they take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the Ferozeshah Kotla.
‘Wood can be X-factor for England in World Cup’
DUBAI: Ebony Rainford Brent, a former England women’s cricketer, believes Mark Wood could bring the X-factor to England men’s team in the World Cup. She believes his pace will bring something fresh to the team. “Mark Wood has just put in a fantastic performance in the West Indies and I think that extra pace that he could bring could be vital,” International Cricket Council quoted Brent as saying. “Some of the guys usually operate in the low 80s (mph) and therefore Wood could be useful.”
“There is no doubt that he will be brought in at some point because he is kind of Simon Jones-like and could bring a bit of extra oomph,” Brent added. Wood has breathed new life into England’s bowling unit in both the Test and ODI format, he was sensational in blowing the Windies away with his out-and-out pace in the recently-concluded series. Brent also believes that this is the best chance for England to lift the World Cup as the team has been exceptional in changing its fortunes in the ODI format.
Hit by injuries, former India pacer VRV Singh retires BENGALURU: India pacer VRV Singh, who played five Tests in 2006-07, announced his retirement after a career hampered by injury. The 34-year-old also played two ODIS as part of a new-look Indian pace attack. He was able to take eight wickets in five Tests and went wicket-less in the ODI format. “I kept trying to make a comeback, but if it was not my ankle, it was my back. You cannot fool around with your body. I had surgeries, rehab … After 2014, I did not play for a few years, but I trained and tried to play in 2018. I could not make it, so I started thinking about the future,” ESPN Cricinfo quoted him as saying. “It is not an overnight decision, but once I could not get fit for the 2018-19 season, I thought it made sense to leave. “ NEWDELHI: Shane Warne couldn’t hide his joy after Australia rallied to clinch the fiveODI series 3-2, their first in India in 10 years. The legendary leg-spinner feels this triumph has opened up the debate for World Cup favourites and fancies his country defending the title in England.
HT caught up with the 49-year-old Australian, who is also the brand ambassador of Rajasthan Royals, to discuss the World Cup, IPL, comparisons between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli among other things. Excerpts:
Favourites for the World Cup...
India and England have to be the favourites. They’ve played great cricket over the last 12 months. But Australia have won four out of the last six World Cups. They won the last one in England (in 1999), they love big tournaments. They’ve got (Steve) Smith and (David) Warner coming back who are hungry and determined. They chased down 360 without Smith and Warner. I think Australia will win the World Cup. They’ve finally found their belief that they can win from anywhere. Australia will win the World Cup but India and England go in as favourites.
Australia are peaking and getting act together at the right moment...
Australia’s performance in the last 12 months in all forms has been ordinary, pretty poor. Just in the last month or so, the oneday team has really come together pretty well. When you look at the side there are so many match-winners Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Finch, you got Smith and Warner to come back in, young guys like Ashton Turner. Then you look at the bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc; there are some pretty amazing players in that side. But above all, they’re starting to find that belief again. Australian sides have always believed they can win from anywhere. That is what makes me believe that Australia can win this World Cup because that game on Sunday, they didn’t have a right to win. India should have won that game. And then Australia chased down 360, the biggest total they have ever chased. A young guy (Turner) playing his second game got 80 off 40 (84 off 43). It was amazing. There aren’t many teams who come to India in recent times and beat them in T20s and ODIS! So that’s great form leading up to the World Cup.
Smith and Warner will be reintegrating with the team...
That shouldn’t be a problem. When they got their 12-month suspension, if you had to name the top-5 batsmen in the world at that time, you’d say Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Smith, Warner and probably Kane Williamson. Australia had two of the best five batsmen in the world. It was a huge loss but having them back, their class mixing with Finch, Stoinis, Maxwell, Turner — they all can win the game on their own. Smith and Warner will be hungry, fresh, raring to go, very determined and would want to let their bat do the talking. Look out for them, anyone who thinks Smith and Warner wouldn’t perform, you’re wrong.
Will the IPL help them?
Of course! Where else can they play? Practice matches, nets? They are playing in a proper competition, in the best T20 league in the world, against guys who will play in the World Cup. So it is fantastic preparation leading up to the World Cup, even if it is T20.
The gap between IPL and World
On the Mohali ODI
Cup is small. How will players manage their bodies, fatigue, injuries etc?
Just get away from the game, freshen up, spend time with families, play Xbox, watch movies, play golf, just chill out before World Cup. Every player will have the World Cup at the back of their mind. But the biggest thing right now is the IPL. That’s all they’ll be focussed on. At the end of the IPL there’ll be enough time. They will get together for a week or 10-day camp so there is enough time to concentrate on IPL, finish it, have your break, freshen up and then switch on for the World Cup.
The Royals have failed to emulate their 2008 success...
The Royals have always been the underdogs in IPL. The owners have been clever in their buys. The Chennais, Kolkatas, Mumbais — all the big sides have the big Indian players. This year everyone is tipping the Royals because if you look at the side, the guys they put together — Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Turner, Smith, Jofra Archer, Sanju Samson. There are so many match-winners. The Royals will win this year because their squad is outstanding, the best they’ve had. Anything less than making the playoffs, we all will be disappointed. I’m tipping them to win and Sanju Samson to be the Player of the Tournament.
What is your take on the emergence of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal?
Ashwin is a terrific bowler. He and Jadeja did a good job but Kuldeep and Chahal in that form of the game (limited
They chased down 360 without Smith and Warner. I think Australia will win the World Cup. They believe they can win from anywhere. I’m still tied at whether Viv Richards or Virat is the greatest ODI batsman...but Virat will have the greatest record by the time he finishes.
On his best ODI batsman