Shastri mulls moving Kohli to No 4 in WC
NEWDELHI: India coach Ravi Shastri is mulling to send skipper Virat Kohli to bat at No 4 to protect him in bowling-friendly conditions during the World Cup in England. Shastri said Kohli at No 4 can make the batting unit more stronger. “The good thing about this Indian top-three is we can separate them, if conditions and situations demand. Someone like Virat Kohli can go to No 4, and we can put a good No 3 to bring more balance to the batting line-up,” Shastri was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
“That’s flexibility for you, and for big tournaments like the World Cup, you have to be flexible to see what’s the best balance for the side. So we will decide that. “We will assess that on seeing conditions there in England. You don’t want to be 18 for three or 16 for four in a big tournament. I don’t care about bilateral ODIS, but why should I lose my best batsman early in a World Cup match (if the conditions are bowler friendly)?” he further went on to add.
Ambati Rayudu showed his prowess with a match-winning 90 at the Hamilton ODI and Shastri said he can be an option at No 3. “Yes, maybe Rayudu, or someone else, could bat at No 3, and Kohli comes in at No 4. We wouldn’t want to disturb the opening combination. Separating the top-three could make the batting stronger.”
Shastri said Rayudu’s innings eased his worries to an extent and his unorthodox style of batting can be an X-factor for the team.
VIRAT SIMILAR TO IMRAN, SAYS QADIR
KARACHI: Pakistan leg-spin legend Abdul Qadir has said that he sees a lot of similarities between Indian skipper Virat Kohli and former Pakistan captain and the country’s current prime minister, Imran Khan.
“If I look at Virat Kohli as a batsman and captain... I can say he is similar to Imran in the manner that he, like Imran, sets an example by doing something himself and then expects his team to do the same,” Qadir said on a TV show on Tuesday night.
“I wouldn’t compare the two (Kohli, Khan) but, if I look at Kohli, he also has this ability of leading from the front,” he added.“kohli also (like Khan) takes responsibility and performs
Holder is the No 1 ranked allrounder in the world.
West Indies won the second test by 10 wickets in less than three days, for an unassailable 2-0 series lead, but Holder’s subsequent suspension dampened the celebratory mood.
“We will, of course, abide by the ICC ruling, but we have to wonder if such punitive action at a pivotal stage of the series is good for cricket,” Cameron said in a statement.
“What a shame if the series is remembered not for the sparkling play of the reinvigorated West Indies players but for a crippling decision made by a rule that ought to be modified.” Cameron did not specify exactly what modification he favoured, and he is not arguing the letter of the law.
DENLY EYES ASHES BERTH VIA ST LUCIA
LONDON: England opener Joe Denly believes the chance to potentially seal a spot in the Ashes squad to face Australia later this year is the ideal motivation ahead of the third Test against the West Indies starting on Saturday.
The 32-year-old replaced the Keaton Jennings at the top of the order for the second Test at Antigua and made scores of six and 17 on debut in England’s 10-wicket defeat as the tourists went 2-0 down in the three-match series.
The Kent batsman is set to get another opportunity at St Lucia and Denly is treating the match as his Ashes audition. “Playing in an Ashes series is an absolute dream and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about it a little bit,” he told reporters.