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India announce squad for 2019 World Cup

Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli, Hardik, Shami, Kuldeep and Bumrah are enough to win your WC. These are the players that select themselves automatically and deserved. And these 7 players are match winners. Doesn't matter much what other players do, if we are losing WC because these players don't perform, then I will accept defeat. Massive outrage over one or two wrong selections is just pessimism.
 
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Tyler Durden said:
Keep crying! Just because your fav players didn't get selected, doesn't mean India deserves a WC loss! Post CT, they did try Khaleel as the pacer but he did jack in all the opportunities he got! Who are the real talents that were not given enough chances? Pants? He's one glorified tailender hack, period! Keep burning while India move forward with the selected squad by beating every top team that comes it's way like beating some associates! That's how good this squad is! Silly Pants, Shaws and Gills are not doing anything of noteworthy in the local IPL tournament and you sir want them in the WC squad?! :)))
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Last i checked we are playing a 50 over world cup not a t20 one, so how does ipl come into the picture. Next I suppose we should drop pujara in tests he is so bad can't even get into ipl.

The tail end hack has test centuries in England and Australia. Something grandpa failed to get in his entire career.

Shaw has a test century and hasn't been given a chance in Odi's, has a 99 in ipl this season, pant is averaging 30+ at an average of 150+, gill hasn't done much but rarely gets chances up the order, he isn't a lower middle order player. But has played well when given chances.

They haven't done poorly at all, you on the other hand need a visit to your local optician.
 
cricketworm said:
Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli, Hardik, Shami, Kuldeep and Bumrah are enough to win your WC. These are the players that select themselves automatically and deserved. And these 7 players are match winners. Doesn't matter much what other players do, if we are losing WC because these players don't perform, then I will accept defeat. Massive outrage over one or two wrong selections is just pessimism.
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Its the rotten process that elicits outrage.

Not one or two bad selections.

MSK Prasad makes Inzi look good.

:))
 
It is disheartening to see people telling its OK to have 5 or 7 good players in the team! There is reason why cricket is played with 11 players + almost equally good substitutes who are not just passengers but are utilized based on changing conditions & strategies! This is the negative political mentality of the country (Chalta hai nature) Australia and WI in the past were so dominant and won continuous world cups because they had all 11 terrific players and opposition could not see any weak link to exploit!

So what do you mean by telling that let's play with these 7 players! Is the opposition also playing with 7 players? Maybe the opposition might not have their 7 players of the caliber of our 7 players, but that doesn't mean that we can equate 7 players to 11 players! We have seen what happens to teams depending on selected individuals even if they are brilliant (90s Indian team depending on Sachin, Kumble... and the current RCB team!) Teams like England, CSK, etc will demolish such teams which has loopholes/weak links!
 
RamLakhan said:
It is disheartening to see people telling its OK to have 5 or 7 good players in the team! There is reason why cricket is played with 11 players + almost equally good substitutes who are not just passengers but are utilized based on changing conditions & strategies! This is the negative political mentality of the country (Chalta hai nature) Australia and WI in the past were so dominant and won continuous world cups because they had all 11 terrific players and opposition could not see any weak link to exploit!

So what do you mean by telling that let's play with these 7 players! Is the opposition also playing with 7 players? Maybe the opposition might not have their 7 players of the caliber of our 7 players, but that doesn't mean that we can equate 7 players to 11 players! We have seen what happens to teams depending on selected individuals even if they are brilliant (90s Indian team depending on Sachin, Kumble... and the current RCB team!) Teams like England, CSK, etc will demolish such teams which has loopholes/weak links!
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because you will never be satisfied this way. There is no world beater waiting who will change the course of the games. If India is winning the world cup then these already autoselected players will win you WC. If we are losing wc because the failure of these players, then it's a collective team loss, and it's an excuse to say India lost this because India didn't select the proper players.

I do agree that if we had planned it better and infuse Pant to ODI team like we did in test then we may have had settled lower order. But MSD the brain and wicket keeper are needed more than MSD the batsman. We all know how Kohli needs someone like MSD.

All it left now is a question for number 4. India got burned with KL's form, so they invested in Rayudu, who started failing at the wrong time, so next back up plan is an allrounder whom we will need in WC. Jadhav grabbed his chance and Shankar impressed Ravi Shastri. Not Having Firm number 4 is the only India's problem.
 
jagatk said:
Last i checked we are playing a 50 over world cup not a t20 one, so how does ipl come into the picture. Next I suppose we should drop pujara in tests he is so bad can't even get into ipl.

The tail end hack has test centuries in England and Australia. Something grandpa failed to get in his entire career.

Shaw has a test century and hasn't been given a chance in Odi's, has a 99 in ipl this season, pant is averaging 30+ at an average of 150+, gill hasn't done much but rarely gets chances up the order, he isn't a lower middle order player. But has played well when given chances.

They haven't done poorly at all, you on the other hand need a visit to your local optician.
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You have a habit of contradicting yourself. Read the first line of your first paragraph and then read the first line of your second paragraph. :facepalm:
 
Bhaag Viru Bhaag said:
You have a habit of contradicting yourself. Read the first line of your first paragraph and then read the first line of your second paragraph. :facepalm:
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You really need to stop picking individual sentences and look at the total post.

The first para was about logic of judging 50 over players in t20 format. The next ones were evaluation of these players in ipl who apparently hadn't done well enough yet, unless you actually looked at their performances for the season rather than just last match's scorecard, which then paints completely different picture .

I don't think ipl should have any basis to pick a wc squad but when you want to use it as a stick to beat a player atleast make sure that they have underperformed in the first place.
 
Chaminda Vaas predicts Virat Kohli’s India will reach World Cup 2019 semis

Terming India a well balanced and in-form outfit, former Sri Lanka pacer Chaminda Vaas predicted that Virat Kohli and his men would reach the semi-finals of the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup.

The former left arm bowler was however guarded when talking about his own country’s chances in cricket’s showpiece event to be held in England and Wales from May 30, while mentioning sling-arm pacer Lasith Malinga as a key factor.

“Indian cricket has been dominating in the last two-three years. They have good back-up fast bowlers. They will do wonders. Indian team is very balanced. They will do well. My prediction is, India will definitely reach the semifinals (in the World Cup),” Vaas told reporters here on Tuesday.

Vaas is on a visit to Mumbai to inaugurate a local T20 tournament along with former teammate, left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

Meanwhile, Herath sounded optimistic about Indian spinners doing well in the World Cup.

“They (the Indian spinners) have been playing well, especially (Yuzvendra) Chahal and Kuldeep (Yadav). That’s why they have picked right-arm leg spinner and the chinaman (in the squad) and the other guy also (Ravindra Jadeja)…..and I am sure in the coming World Cup,they will do (give) their best,” said Herath, who has picked 433 Tests wickets.

Hearth also remarked team are usually picking right-arm leg spinners or chinman’s for their wicket-taking ability.

“You may give extra runs but you need kind of wicket-taking options. That’s why they (the teams) pick the right-arm leg-spinner or chinaman (bowlers),” explained Herath, one of the best left-arm spinners of his times.

Herath predicted that there will be a stage in the World Cup where the spinners would come into play. (

“The World Cup will be played all across England. In the later part, there will be some assistance for spinners as well at the same time, you can see some dry pitches as well. I am sure the spinners will get chance at one stage,” he added.

Meanwhile, on Lanka’s chances, Vaas said, “For the last few months, Sri Lanka hasn’t done so well. But if you analyse the combination of the team which we picked for the World Cup, I am pretty sure that the selectors have done the right thing. We have to take it from there and it’s upto the players to get themselves in and play well for the country”.

“There is no doubt that Malinga is one of the best in the world and the best in Sri Lanka. We depend on him as a bowler and he showed his leadership qualities.

“He has given 100 per cent for the team and we have seen, him playing in Mumbai (in IPL) on one day and playing in Sri Lanka (in a domestic event) the next day. It shows the commitment he has, and the commitment he has given to the team and the country. He will be the key for Sri Lanka cricket in the upcoming World Cup,” said Vaas, who has 400 ODI and 355 Test wickets to his credit.

The Sri Lanka selectors have handed over Cup captaincy to Dimuth Karunaratne and Vaas was optimistic that the island nation would stand united behind the new captain and do well in the marquee event.

“Well, it is very difficult to say anything about it because for the past six months we (Sri Lanka) have been selecting captains and the captains havent given anything to the team. We lack in experience and performance in the middle.

“But the selectors and the Sri Lanka cricket have put their trust in Dimuth and given him an opportunity to captain the sid. I’m pretty sure that the team will unite and will do well in the upcoming World Cup,” he hoped.

Vaas also took a dig at the Sri Lankan board saying that the biggest issue was that the selectors are chopped and changed often leading to lack of clear-cut selection policies.

“We have talent and we need to give them opportunity to play longer, rather than giving them one or two games and then pushing them out. Players need some time to perform well.

“In Sri Lanka, the biggest problem is that the selectors keep changing. There is no such thing as selection policies. Once they have a policy, it is easy to build the team. That’s the biggest problem we face. Ultimately the players get caught up and they are suffering. You need to show faith,” Vaas signed off.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...erath-backs-indian-spinners-to-do-well-833757
 
MUMBAI: India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni will not hesitate to take time off before World Cup if his niggling back problem worsens during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), the veteran wicket-keeper/batsman has said.

Chennai Super Kings skipper Dhoni missed last week’s defeat by Sunrisers Hyder*abad due to a back spasm and the 37-year-old is unwilling to risk a serious injury that could rule him out of the World Cup starting in Engl*and and Wales on May 30.

“It’s holding up, it’s not showing signs of getting worse. With the World Cup coming up, I have to keep in mind that I can’t really get injured,” Dhoni said of his injury after Chennai’s six-wicket victory over Hyderabad on Tuesday. “There’s a bit of stiffness. There was a bit of spasm at the start of the tournament but there’s no spasm as of now. I’m used to playing international cricket with some kind of pain.

“If you wait to be 100 percent before you play a game maybe you’d have to wait five years before you play the next game. It’s something I can afford to do. If it gets worse, I’ll definitely take some time off.”

Dhoni has played 341 One-day Internationals, scoring 10,500 runs at an average of just under 51, and his glovework makes him the first-choice wicketkeeper in the limited-overs format.

India’s 2011 World Cup winning captain has scored over 300 runs in nine ODIs this year, with four half-centuries, including three in a row during the tour of Australia.

The IPL ends on May 12. India begin their World Cup campaign against South Africa in Southampton on June 5.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1478170/dhoni-to-rest-before-world-cup-if-niggle-worsens
 
India's likely playing XI in WC 😃

200
ICC
King
3D
DRS
Cheeky
666
All-Rounder
Chinaman
Swing King
World No.1
 
It's too early but I'm more excited about the 2023 WC squad, if the lads avoid doing a Kambli-
Shaw, Gill, (Pant), Parag, Mavi, Nagarkoti, etc
+
Kohli, KL , Bumrah
+
and ofcourse
Dhoni, Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav
+
throw in a few quicks from Dinda Academy of Fast Bowlers (head band quota)
 
RamLakhan said:
It is disheartening to see people telling its OK to have 5 or 7 good players in the team! There is reason why cricket is played with 11 players + almost equally good substitutes who are not just passengers but are utilized based on changing conditions & strategies! This is the negative political mentality of the country (Chalta hai nature) Australia and WI in the past were so dominant and won continuous world cups because they had all 11 terrific players and opposition could not see any weak link to exploit!

So what do you mean by telling that let's play with these 7 players! Is the opposition also playing with 7 players? Maybe the opposition might not have their 7 players of the caliber of our 7 players, but that doesn't mean that we can equate 7 players to 11 players! We have seen what happens to teams depending on selected individuals even if they are brilliant (90s Indian team depending on Sachin, Kumble... and the current RCB team!) Teams like England, CSK, etc will demolish such teams which has loopholes/weak links!
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Fair point but the squad has been selected so what else can one do apart from look for positives and make the best of what's there.

Like many have said this squad is good enough to get to the semi final and once you are there you are just 2 great performances away from winning the whole thing.

This is still a better squad than the 2015 WC squad when duds like Mohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Rayudu, Axar Patel and Rahane made the 15.
 
Kedar Jadhav, the India all-rounder, sustained a shoulder injury in the field during the IPL 2019 clash between Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab on Sunday, 5 May, and has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.

Jadhav sustained the blow while attempting to stop an overthrow during the Punjab innings, and while he was successful in doing that, he was visibly uncomfortable thereafter. He had to leave the field after the 14th over, as Punjab went on to chase 171. He will undergo scans on Monday.

"Kedar Jadhav's getting an x-ray and a scan tomorrow. I don't think we'll see him again in this tournament for us," said Stephen Fleming, the Chennai coach. "He's in some discomfort. Fingers crossed that it is nothing too serious, but it didn't look that good."

Jadhav is considered a vital cog in the Indian setup, given his versatility with the bat as well as his ability to strangle opposition with his low-arm off-spin. He didn't have a great IPL, scoring just 162 runs from 12 innings. More than his form, however, India will be fretting over his fitness.

Jadhav has a history with injuries. A hamstring tear during the previous IPL ruled him out of virtually the whole tournament, and shortly after recovering from that, he was injured against during India's Asia Cup 2018 campaign.

He is one of four all-rounders in India's 15-man World Cup squad. Should he not regain fitness in time for the World Cup, India might consider calling up the likes of Rishabh Pant and Ambati Rayudu, who narrowly missed out on the squad.

India are set to depart for England on 22 May. The tournament begins on 30 May, and India's first match is against South Africa on 5 June.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1210629
 
If Jadhav misses the WC Dinesh Karthik will probably play as a specialist batsman. *sigh*
 
Karthik is an ok bat in Asia but has done nothing of note recently in odis when playing overseas. In India’s last 3 overseas tours - New Zealand, Australia and England - Karthik hasn’t done anything special. The guy is the ultimate odi journeyman averaging 31 in 15 years of cricket.
 
Form wise one of Ishant and Khalil deserve to be in the team.
 
Gabbar Singh said:
In place of who though?
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Bhuvaneshwar.

Indian fans expectations from him have always been exaggerated IMO.

Ishant V2 is economical as well as a wicket taking option. Frankly though i'm glad he remains a permanent in the test side which is more important. I don't want one bad over of 50 over cricket have an impact over his test selection.

Khalil also is a wicket taking bowler. He's a thinking bowler and bowls with a lot of passion.
 
India may be packed with fabulous 15 but there are no clear favourites in the upcoming World Cup, which will be wide open due to change in format, stressed former South Africa star Jonty Rhodes.

The 2019 World Cup will be played in Round Robin format, where all 10 teams will play against each other and top four will qualify for the semifinals. Rhodes said the Virat Kohli-led India has balance but it’s not something which other do not have.

“India might have the fab 15 but there are probably six other teams that might call themselves the same. There are some very strong teams in the World Cup and it will depend on the balanced 11 that they chose on the day, depending on the conditions,” Rhodes, still remembered for his exceptional fielding skills, told PTI.

India will open their campaign against South Africa on June 5 at Southampton. “India have got a lot of experience too. Even young players like (Jasprit) Bumrah, is one of the more experienced death bowlers, so from that point of view India will be fancing their chances but there are six other sides, top six.

“And I am not even talking about West Indies, who are ranked seventh. They have started to play decent 50-over cricket again and there is no team that can go into any match of the tournament as favourites. So every game is important, you need those points. The change in format has made it really wide open,” opined Rhodes.

The 1992 World Cup was also played in Round Robin format but in that edition, nine teams had competed with Pakistan emerging champions in England. “I want to see more associate countries play in the World Cup, but as a spectator you are seeing the best players on the world stage and that is going to mean that every game is important,” Rhodes said.

The South African was speaking after conducting a fielding session for Namo Bandra Blasters, who will take part in the second edition of the T20 Mumbai League, at the Bandra-Kurla Complex here. The tournament starts at the Wankhede Stadium from May 14.

For India, all rounder Hardik Pandya will be an important cog in the wheel and Rhodes believes that the Baroda all-rounder will have to quickly adjust to the 50-over format.

“Hardik Pandya’s role is really important because he is coming as a batsman and a bowler and he has got the knack of taking wickets. But the key is that he needs to quickly adjust because in a T20 game you can face seven balls and bowl may be two overs and make a difference.

“But in a fifty over game if you are going to finish a game, you might have to bat from 35 overs, so that is going to be the difference. And he (Hardik) has got the temperament, he backs himself and he just has to know that he has a job to do (and) it’s not about one helicopter shot. It is (about) taking a game through like a Virat Kohli and finishing the match for India,” said Rhodes.

Rhodes, whose run-out of Inzamam Ul Haq in the 1992 World Cup is still remembered, also delivered a motivational speech during the fielding session.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...onty-rhodes/story-OMfSzX0X7ABTOWwTR1w0BJ.html
 
Fab-15! In which world? At best we may have fab-3, namely...

Kohli
Kuldeep
Bumrah

Rohit/Dhawan are good players but haven't been in that great form during past few months, with Rohit having a disappointing IPL as well.
 
MP2011 said:
Fab-15! In which world? At best we may have fab-3, namely...

Kohli
Kuldeep
Bumrah

Rohit/Dhawan are good players but haven't been in that great form during past few months, with Rohit having a disappointing IPL as well.
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Lol at fab 15. :vk2

This is not Australia of 2007. At best it is fab 5 with Kohli, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Rohit and Dhawan.
 
Yes! I can proudly say my national team has fab 11 players to win the WC! Nobody is a passenger in this team and all are match winners, that includes Vijay Shankar too! This is one of the best Indian XI going into the WC tournament in years! Gone are the days when we had Piyush Chawla, Rahane, Akshar Patel and Binny in the WC squads! If each player in the selected squad plays at least one match-defining innings through out the tournament, we are gonna be unstoppable! Can't wait to see India destroy the other contenders as effortlessly as thala's stumping-work!
 
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Cricket World Cup 2019: MS Dhoni gives me the freedom to do my thing - Virat Kohli

India captain Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri have credited the tactical and physical value that MS Dhoni brings to the World Cup-bound team, with Shastri singling out the former skipper’s leadership from behind the stumps as instrumental in the side’s success.

In an interview to the Times of India, Kohli defended Dhoni from criticism of his at-times sluggish batting in ODIs and said his presence allowed him to be the aggressive captain he is.

“Honestly, I think people lack patience. An odd day here, a poor one there, and chatter becomes endless,” said Kohli. “But the fact is that MS Dhoni is among the smartest guys in the game. Behind the stumps, he’s priceless. It gives me the freedom to do my thing. Someone like MS is around with a wealth of experience.”

Having worked closely with Dhoni, Kohli termed his senior’s focus to the team cause as a huge plus for India.

“My career started under him and few have seen him from so close over the last few years as I have. There’s one thing about MS that’s far more important than anything else – and there’s a lot to him – for him, the team is always above everything else,” said Kohli. “It’s always about the team, no matter what. To top it, look at the experience he brings to the squad and we’re richer with it. Some of his dismissals behind the stumps, just recently too (in IPL 2019), were match-changing.”

“MS and Rohit – both. The way they’ve gone about with their respective roles – as captains (in the IPL) – speaks volumes of what they bring to the table,” he said. “MS in particular has a legacy. So, it augurs so well for this team to have both of them in a leadership role. That’s why, the team management decided to have a strategy pool in place which MS and Rohit are part of along with us.”

Looking at the World Cup, Shastri put faith in the “best” opening pair in ODIs, Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan.

“In the current scenario, Rohit and Shikhar don’t just make for the best opening combination that India can put forward, but they’re easily the best in the world right now,” he said.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...the-freedom-to-do-my-thing-virat-kohli-843943
 
15 years of odis and he averages 31 - yep that’s certainly a lot of experience, experience of repeated failures.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dinesh Karthik’s experience and composure in pressure situations helped him pip young sensation Rishabh Pant to the second wicketkeeper’s spot in India’s World Cup squad, captain Virat Kohli has said.<a href="https://t.co/lXrQw8Rdh4">https://t.co/lXrQw8Rdh4</a></p>— DT Next (@dt_next) <a href="https://twitter.com/dt_next/status/1128596079744708608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Gambhir believes India are a pacer short at the World Cup

India have a three-pronged pace attack for the tournament, featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami, while all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Vijay Shankar offer supporting options. However, with the three frontline pacemen likely to feature in the XI, India lack a back-up option should injury strike one of the three.

"I feel Indian team lacks one more quality fast bowler," Gambhir said. "Bumrah, Shami and Bhuvi need more support. You may argue that India has two fast bowling all-rounders in Hardik and Vijay Shankar, but I am not convinced."

Gambhir, however, endorsed Bumrah, saying he will be India's X-factor in the tournament. Bumrah is the top-ranked bowler in the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Bowler Rankings and is lethal, both as a containing and a wicket-taking option. Bumrah is also potent in the closing stages of the innings, where he is exceedingly hard to put away. Those attributes were visible during the recently-concluded IPL final, where Bumrah gave away just eight runs in his last two overs, including five in the penultimate over of a nail-biting chase.

"The wickets are going to be very flat and it's going to be hot," Gambhir said. "So how Jasprit Bumrah bowls will decide where India reaches, because it's going to be a high-scoring World Cup."

But as an attack overall, Gambhir picked Australia's as the most potent in the tournament. "They have the most well-rounded bowling attack in the tournament," he said. "With Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, David Warner and Steve Smith coming back, they're probably the side to beat. In any ICC tournament, if you beat Australia, you're right up there because they know how to play big matches."

Gambhir also praised the present World Cup format, saying that it eliminates the luck factor. "This will be a well-contested tournament as all the teams play each other," he said. "This format will give us the real world champion, and I think ICC should stick to this format for all future World Cups."

https://www.cricketworldcup.com/news/en/1221247
 
Cricket World Cup 2019: KL Rahul could be India’s No. 4 option at the World Cup: Vengsarkar

Former captain Dilip Vengsarkar feels trying out KL Rahul at No. 4 is an option India can explore in the ICC World Cup 2019 since he has the technique and temperament to succeed in English conditions.

One of Indian cricket’s best chairmen of selectors, the Colonel is confident that Virat Kohli‘s men will have a smooth ride to the semi-finals and can take it from there on.

The number four position has been a bone of contention after Ambati Rayudu failed to make the cut despite being given an extended run in the run up to the tournament.

“We have a settled opening pair in Shikhar (Dhawan) and Rohit (Sharma). Virat Kohli is phenomenal at No 3. I feel that KL Rahul could be an option at No 4. He has the technique and can complement the top three well. I believe No 4 should be a specialist batsman,” Vengsarkar said on Thursday.

Even though the pitches are expected to be flat during the showpiece event, Vengsarkar, who himself played three World Cups (1979, 1983, 1987) with two in England, felt that Rahul’s technique provides him an advantage.

“Since he is a specialist opener, in case of early wickets, he could provide stability. Also, in a long tournament, if required he can open the innings. I feel that he should be a part of playing XI,” Vengsarkar said about Rahul, who finished second in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2019) run-getter’s list with 593.

The 63-year-old Vengsarkar opined that the biggest advantage for India will be their experience of playing a full series in the United Kingdom last year.

“In England, the weather can be fickle and that can have an effect on the performance. Adaptability will always be the key. But to Indian team’s advantage, they played in England during the same time last year. We have had an exposure to those conditions and that’s good thing. We should try and use it to our advantage,” said the member of the victorious 1983 World Cup team.

The veteran of 116 Tests and 129 ODIs is also not worried about Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav‘s dip in form during the Australia series.

“I am sure both Chahal and Kuldeep must have worked on their game as to what went wrong against Australia. Once they get there, they must carefully assess the conditions and accordingly devise the strategy,” he said.

As far as the semi-final line-up is concerned, Vengsarkar named India, hosts England and defending champions Australia as the favourites to reach the last four stage. “At this moment I can’t predict about the fourth team. Yes India, England and Australia have the team to go all the way,” he added.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...o-4-option-at-the-world-cup-vengsarkar-844607
 
Kedar Jadhav Declared Fit For World Cup 2019

All-rounder Kedar Jadhav has been declared fit for the World Cup 2019, brushing aside all the speculations hovering around his availability for the marquee tournament. Kedar Jadhav had hurt his left shoulder while fielding during Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019 match against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). The injury saw him being ruled out from the remainder of the IPL 2019, which came as a precautionary measure from the Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI).

Jadhav's recovery will be an added boost for India as he can contribute crucial runs in the middle order and bowl through the middle overs, picking up crucial wickets.

According to reports, Team India will board the flight to London for the World Cup 2019 on May 22, ahead of their warm-up match against New Zealand on 25th.

Jadhav didn't bowl a lot in IPL unlike he does for India and it has been learnt that his dodgy hamstring is one of the reasons for that as an aggravation could have affected his World Cup chances.

He hurt his shoulder while diving near the boundary ropes to save an overthrow in the 14th over bowled by Dwayne Bravo who failed to collect the throw from Ravindra Jadeja.

Jadhav was seen wincing in pain after the dive and walked over the boundary ropes to be attended to by CSK physio Tommy Simsek. He did not take field for the rest of the innings with Murali Vijay coming in as the substitute.

https://sports.ndtv.com/world-cup-2019/kedar-jadhav-declared-fit-for-world-cup-2019-2039554
 
NEW DELHI: With the World Cup less than a fortnight away, the Indian team has found a unique way of preparing for the tournament. The cricketers have been asked to take a break from cricket and relax before leaving for the high-octane tournament.

TOI has learnt that the selected players have been asked to have a good time before they assemble on May 21 in Mumbai before taking the flight to London on May 22. “The players have been told that they can take a break from training after the IPL. They can rest, have fun with their close ones and come back in a good frame of mind,” a source close to the team management told TOI.

While Rohit Sharma has made his family vacation in Maldives public on social media, it has been learnt that Yuzvendra Chahal is relaxing in Goa and captain Virat Kohli is in Prague. Most players will be back at their homes by May 19.

“The support staff of the Indian team initiated this move. There were talks of having a short camp before the team leaves. But it will be very unfair on the players to get into the grind immediately after a gruelling tournament like the IPL. So, it was decided that the players rather go on a break, ideally a short vacation, so that they feel good about themselves. We can’t risk any burnout,” the source said.
TOI understands that there was some concern about the preparation for the World Cup with most teams playing international matches or holding camps.

England and Pakistan are currently playing a bilateral ODI series, while Bangladesh and West Indies played an ODI tri-series with Ireland in Ireland to get accustomed to the conditions in UK. Even Australia and New Zealand played a few friendly matches earlier this month to get their teams together and get used to the 50-over format. South Africa’s camp at home began in early May while Afghanistan are holding a camp in South Africa.

All of India’s options became tough to implement with the IPL being held so close to the World Cup. Even the much talked-about fitness test (yo-yo) will not be conducted.

“Holding a fitness test after 10 days of IPL doesn’t make sense. It is basically an endurance test. You have to be fresh to take the test. That’s why it generally happens at the start of a season or a long break. IPL takes a lot out of your body with the frequent travel and games in such hot conditions,” the source said.

The centrally-contracted players have been provided with GPS-wearable devices. Connected with the Athlete Monitoring System (AMS), every player can be monitored.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...rld-cup-players-told/articleshow/69382752.cms
 
Virat Kohli says CWC19 will be the 'most challenging' World Cup

Ten teams will fight to lift the coveted 50-over trophy, with each team set to play all the other teams once, giving them a total of nine games. The top four will advance to the semi-finals, thus ensuring that the most consistent teams are rewarded.

"[It's] certainly the most challenging World Cup, considering the format. Also, if you look at all the teams, they are really close," Kohli told the press, ahead of the team's departure for England on Tuesday, 21 May.

"Even someone like Afghanistan have made so much progress since 2015. Every game, we will have to play to the best of our potential."

India will face South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan in their first four games of the tournament. Kohli said the the quality of opposition left no room for complacency.

“The good thing is that there’s a decent gap between every game. Players won’t be burnt out. We’ll always have time to regroup. We have four tough games straight up, and that will set the tone for us. We don’t have any room for complacency, and that’s why it’s the World Cup. You have to arrive on the day match-ready. This is the challenge.”

Two years ago in England, India lost the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final to Pakistan. However, in 50-over World Cups, India are undefeated against their arch-rivals. Kohli played down the clash, and insisted their preparations for Pakistan "won’t be any different".

"If we keep focusing individually on every team, we won’t be able to focus on our campaign," he said. "Preparations won’t be any different, we have to just focus on our quality and intensity, irrespective of the opposition."

India will begin their World Cup campaign against South Africa in Southampton on 5 June.

https://www.cricketworldcup.com/news/en/1224106
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Touchdown London <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/mWihuGrnjw">pic.twitter.com/mWihuGrnjw</a></p>— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1131178032729862144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Former skipper Nasser Hussain believes England have put together arguably their best squad in the history of ODI cricket for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2019 which is scheduled to take place between May 30 to July 14.

Recently, England demolished Pakistan 4-0 in the five-match series (first ODI was washed out) and much of the plaudits were handed to their batsmen, who continue to set the benchmark in ODIs with their destructive batting abilities. ((Complete coverage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019))

‘The Three Lions’ smashed more than 300 in four matches (373/3, 359/4, 341/7, 351/9) and simply out batted their Asian rivals in the series. Hussain feels this current England unit will create fear in the opposition camp because of the number of quality players in their ranks.

“If I was captaining against this England team, I would be fearful because so many of these players can destroy you,” Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.

“It must be like playing against the great Australia side of old, where we would sometimes get them five down but then Adam Gilchrist would come along and take the game away from you. With England’s one-day side, you can get them five down and you still might have Stokes and Moeen to contend with,” he added.

Hussain also pointed towards the main difference between the two teams favourite for the title — England and India. Hosts England are billed as heavy favourites for couple of reasons — they are playing on home soil and also their consistent form over the last few years in 50-over format of the game.


As for India, talismanic skipper Virat Kohli and former World Cup winning skipper MS Dhoni make them one of the most feared teams going into the showpiece event.

“The one difference between the two top-ranked sides is England have that batting depth which India don’t really have, as their bowling attack doesn’t bat nearly as well,” wrote the former England skipper.

“England’s attack can be a little vulnerable but in Archer, and Mark Wood off his longer run-up, they now have those two bowlers with extra pace they have lacked on their rise to the top of the one-day world.”

The first match of the tournament will be played between England and South Africa at the Oval on May 30. While India play their opener against the same opposition on June 5. While both teams will collide in their group stage match on June 30 in Birmingham.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...gland-india/story-I77E71JzeFa6NgvBFdC9mJ.html
 
Gabbar Singh said:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Touchdown London <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/mWihuGrnjw">pic.twitter.com/mWihuGrnjw</a></p>— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1131178032729862144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Click to expand...

Can someone please tell these guys to unbutton the bottom suit button!
 
“Brain” of his cricket team, MS Dhoni will be India’s trump card at the World Cup because of his vast experience, reckons former Pakistan skipper Zaheer Abbas.

India grabbed the Twenty20 World Cup under Dhoni’s leadership in 2007 apart from winning the ODI World Cup in 2011. The team also won the Asia Cup twice (2010 and 2016) under Dhoni and the Champions Trophy in 2013.

His lightening skills behind the stumps are still intact but his image of world’ best finisher took a hit, recently.

However, Abbas said at a big event like World Cup, Dhoni’s experience will count a lot.

“India has a genius called Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the team. He is the brain of cricket in the team. He understands the game so well and has experience of leading India in two WC wins. His experience will be vital for captain and coach and he can be their trump card,” Abbas said.

“Also, it is the first WC under Virat Kohli’s captaincy and he would be eager to prove his mettle as a captain,” he felt.

Abbas also said the pitches in England will suit strong Indian batting line-up where 400 or 450 runs in an innings could be a possibility.

“We have seen that in the recently-concluded Pakisan–England series, that over 300 runs were scored and chased. Now in World Cup, 450 runs could be a possibility as there is no grass on the wickets and bowlers will get little help from the conditions,” said the stylish batsman who was called Asian Bradman during his playing days.

“In such scenario, India will benefit as they have one of the strongest batting line ups. English wickets are now batsmen’s paradise,” he said.

There has been a lot of talks about who should bat at no 4 for India but Abbas said there should not be many changes in the top order.

“It is purely captain’s decision but my view is that top four batting order shouldn’t be changed frequently. You can make changes in the lower middle order but not at the top,” said the veteran who has played 78 Tests and 62 ODIs for Pakistan between 1969 to 1985.

Pakistan, Australia, England and New Zealand are the top contenders for the semifinals apart from India, according to Abbas.

“Fitness will be the key in this WC given the format and the weather in England. I think that the fittest teams will reach the last four.” When asked about Pakistan team which has seen some last moment changes in the final squad, Abbas said that this is the “best possible combination”.

“They should now forget the loss against England and focus on World Cup. They must improve their fielding ,” said the veteran.

Pakistan could not win a single WC match against India so far. Can the team break this jinx this time? “Record is with India but Pakistan can beat any team on their day . It will depend on who handles the pressure well. It will be the match of the tournament for sure, no matter who wins.” India and Pakistan will lock horns on June 16 in Manchester.

“For me, Indo-Pak cricket rivalry is much much bigger than Ashes and like every cricket fan, I am eager to see that match,” he said.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...-trump-card/story-ToJh0vwdWGFwdOKxktEf4N.html
 
India will be unlucky if it doesn't reach World Cup semis, says Mudassar Nazar

Former Pakistan all-rounder Mudassar Nazar feels India will be ‘unlucky’ if it fails to reach the semifinals in the World Cup — which gets underway in England next week.

“They have all the bases covered. They have got top-class batsmen who can bat deep down the order. They have the best batsman in the world (Virat Kohli) as its captain. The fast bowlers are quick and they have a couple of spin bowlers as well. It has all the thing, so India will be unlucky if it doesn’t reach the knockout stage,” Nazar told Sportstar on Thursday.

The former cricketer, who is now the head of Pakistan Cricket Board Academy, however, admits that anything could happen in the last-four stage.

“In the knock out stage, anything can happen. In 2017 Champions Trophy, it lost to Pakistan in the final despite being the favourite. So, one bad day can hurt teams. But with nine matches in the league stage, India should sail,” he said.

Ahead of the World Cup, Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar has made it clear that depending solely on Kohli could hurt India’s chances in the tournament. But Nazar doesn’t think that way. “Look at your two opening batsmen (Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan), they are top class. When Sharma gets going, he outscores anyone. The middle-order needs to (stick around) and then there is (MS) Dhoni. He comes with so much experience. So, their batting looks quite formidable,” Nazar, who featured in 76 Tests and 122 ODIs for Pakistan, said.

While he is confident about India’s chances, Nazar also feels that Pakistan has all the potential to make it big in this edition of the World Cup. With Mohammed Amir and Wahab Riaz joining the squad, Nazar sees it as a ‘positive’.

“It is a very positive sign. There is Wahab Riaz and Shadab on top of that. All three coming in to side (will help). The pitches so far have been very placid, so I feel Shadab is going to be very useful with his leg-spin. He can be brought in when you need to pick wickets. Aamir can open the bowling and pick a few wickets and Riaz can bowl when the ball starts reversing and also at the death. So, this was something missing in the Pakistan team when they played ODIs against England.”

“Pakistan batsmen posted huge totals, but they lost the games. So, it was important to get out of the hole and Pakistan has done that by making a few changes in the squad.”

Excited about pace sensation Hasnain

As the team gears up, the focus is on the side’s young pace sensation Mohammad Hasnain — who can clock 150kmph — and having mentored the young gun at the academy, Nazar is excited about his future. His has been a rapid rise. Hasnain played club cricketer at 12, and was named in the Pakistan U-19 side at the age of 17. A year later, he created storm in the Pakistan Super League, featuring for Quetta Gladiators. And now, he is set to play his first World Cup.

However, he suffered an injury last year, which saw him missing out on the U-19 World Cup. But even, then the PCB backed him in the rehabilitation process and ensured that he was back in action again.

“He bowls quick and has variation. He hurt his ankle during the U-19 days, but he never lost hope. And then he came back strong in the Pakistan Super League. I hope he grows stronger and bowls faster and of course become a better bowler. He still has a lot to do on his run-up,” Nazar said.

As Pakistan fans dream of bringing the Cup home — the last time it won the title was in 1992 — Nazar hopes the Sarfraz Ahmed-led team recreates magic in the English conditions. After all, it has been a long wait for another World Cup title!

https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cric...ctations-mohammad-hasnain/article27227226.ece
 
Rohit Sharma has the perfect Dad bod. He is trying to compete with his friend Malinga.
 
Mudassar Nazar is either making stuff up as he goes along or is just being polite.

“They have got top-class batsmen who can bat deep down the order. ”

India’s middle order is fragile and lower order dire. Only Sri Lanka have a worse lower order/tail in terms of performance since the last World Cup.
 
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