Aftab targets revival with Chittagong

Aftab Ahmed

Mohammad Isam15-Jan-2013

Aftab Ahmed made the last of his 16 Test appearances for Bangladesh in 2010•Getty Images

The extent to which a player can go off the radar even in the small world of Bangladesh cricket is personified by Aftab Ahmed, the batsman earmarked for greatness only five years ago but who hasn’t played international cricket since March 2010. Such has been his downturn in fortune, Aftab is merely eyeing a regular place in the Chittagong Kings side in this season’s BPL.”I have to target a place in the playing eleven, this is my first objective,” Aftab said. “If I can make it then I have a plan, which I want to execute. I was a bit shaky in the last BPL but then I thought of shrugging away the shakiness and playing with freedom. I have to do something different otherwise I have no chance of cementing my place.”Between 2004 and 2008, Aftab was one of the most feared strikers of the ball. A free-flowing strokeplayer on the off side, his ability to clear the infield was always breathtaking, though like Mohammad Ashraful he was also susceptible to poor shots. What contributed to his downfall was his lax attitude towards fitness and doing the extra bit in the nets, surprising for a player so dependent on hitting the ball sweetly, and for one of the country’s best fielders inside the circle.And, surprisingly for a cricketer of this day and age, he is candid when he agrees that it has been his lethargy that has kept him out of the limelight for such a long time. “Laziness has got the better of me,” he said. “Even though I try very hard to overcome laziness, even then I have a tough time succeeding. This is the truth, no point lying.”I feel bad sometimes. When I was an established member of the national team, I saw several players making their debut. The same players are now far ahead of me in the pecking order and I am a bit detached from everyone else. So it is normal for me to feel bad.”Aftab was part of the Dhaka Warriors team that took off from the mainstream and joined the Indian Cricket League in 2008. He returned two years later, but was not even half the player he had left as. Those close to him said that his poor work ethic earlier in his career fitted well with the relaxed attitude with which he played in the ICL, eroding his skills further.His plans now centre on domestic cricket, and he has hinted that his career is nearing the end, though he is only 27. “I have no plans as far as making it to the national team is concerned. Whether it is one or two years, I want to enjoy myself before going out from the game,” he said. “Recently, I scored two fifties in the National Cricket League so I want to bow out properly from the domestic circuit before anything else.”What Aftab will enjoy, however, will be playing for Chittagong, his hometown, and in a format he is made for, despite a poor showing in the first BPL with Dhaka Gladiators, when he made just six runs in three innings.”I only got one opportunity last time with Dhaka Gladiators and I did not make full use of it. I was shaky and thought about things too much,” Aftab said. “This hampered my progress. But this time, I am not putting any thoughts in my head. If I get one game, then so be it. I will only enjoy myself.”

ترتيب الدوري السعودي بعد هزيمة اتحاد جدة أمام التعاون

فقد فريق اتحاد جدة 3 نقاط ثمينة في صراعه نحو التتويج بلقب الدوري السعودي هذا الموسم 2023، بعد الخسارة أمام التعاون بهدفين لهدف خلال المباراة التي أقيمت اليوم الأربعاء.

وتواجه اتحاد جدة مع التعاون، في إطار الجولة الـ 25 من عمر بطولة دوري روشن السعودي، وذلك على ملعب الملك عبد الله ببريدة.

وبهذا الفوز، يظل الاتحاد في صدارة الدوري برصيد 59 نقطة، وبفارق 3 نقاط فقط مع النصر صاحب المركز الثاني.

طالع | بالفيديو | ثنائية الرشيدي تهدي التعاون الفوز على اتحاد جدة في الدوري السعودي

بينما فريق التعاون يحتل المركز الخامس بترتيب الدوري برصيد 40 نقطة. أهداف مباراة الاتحاد والتعاون في الدوري السعودي:

  ترتيب الدوري السعودي بعد خسارة اتحاد جدة أمام التعاون:

1- اتحاد جدة في المركز الأول برصيد 59 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

2- النصر في المركز الثاني برصيد 56 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

3- الشباب في المركز الثالث برصيد 53 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

4- الهلال في المركز الرابع برصيد 49 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

5- التعاون في المركز الخامس برصيد 40 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

6- الفتح في المركز السادس برصيد 39 نقطة، 24 مباراة.

7- الطائي في المركز السابع برصيد 34 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

8- ضمك  في المركز الثامن برصيد 32 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

9- الاتفاق في المركز التاسع برصيد 30 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

10- أبها في المركز العاشر برصيد 29 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

11- الرائد في المركز الحادي عشر برصيد 29 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

12- الفيحاء في المركز الثاني عشر برصيد 25 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

13- الوحدة في المركز الثالث عشر برصيد 23 نقطة، 24 مباراة.

14- الخليج في المركز الرابع عشر برصيد 23 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

15- العدالة في المركز الخامس عشر برصيد 21 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

16- الباطن في المركز السادس عشر برصيد 15 نقطة، 25 مباراة.

يمكنكم متابعة ترتيب الدوري السعودي محدث باستمرار من هنا.

Milton Cruz tem reunião marcada para próximos dias com Sport

MatériaMais Notícias

Após Milton Mendes não permanecer para próxima temporada, o Sport corre atrás de outro técnico para a campanha de 2019. E já tem nome e sobrenome: Milton Cruz, que já tem reunião marcada para os próximos dias e pode selar acordo entre às partes, porém ainda têm entraves.

O treinador, de 61 anos, confirmou ao LANCE!, que ainda não conversou com a diretoria por causa do curso proporcionado pela CBF, em Teresópolis, na Granja Comary. Por conta disso, a reunião está confirmada para próxima semana, quando o acordo entre Milton Cruz e Sport pode acontecer.

Vale salientar, que o técnico foi procurado por Milton Bivar, candidato à presidência do clube pernambucano. Assim, a ida do comandante também dependeria do resultado das eleições, que ocorrerão na próxima quinzena de dezembro.

Deste modo, a torcida do Leão aguarda ansiosamente por um novo treinador para próxima temporada, quando disputará a Série B, do Campeonato Brasileiro.

Milton Cruz já treinou uma equipe do Nordeste. Na temporada de 2017, desembarcou no Recife para conduzir o Náutico – onde permaneceu por apenas 12 jogos. Logo em seguida, assumiu o Figueirense – onde ficou até o fim desta temporada.

RelacionadasSportDiretor do Sport fala sobre possíveis propostas de Fortaleza e Bahia por RogérioSport12/12/2018SportJogador sub-20, do Sport, é aprovado no vestibular de medicinaSport11/12/2018FigueirenseMarco Antônio se despede do Figueirense e anuncia aposentadoriaFigueirense11/12/2018

Davis hat-trick stuns Barbados

A round-up of the Caribbean T20 matches that took place at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad on January 11

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jan-2013
ScorecardDerone Davis, a 20-year old CCC spinner, stunned Barbados by taking a hat-trick off the first three balls of the chase and bowled his side to their first victory of the Caribbean T20 in four games. Davis, who played the 2012 World Cup for West Indies Under-19, took a career-best 4 for 5 in his third T20 match.For Barbados, it was their second consecutive disappointment in a chase of a low total, having been dismissed for 66 by Guyana. In a chase of 112, Davis had Dwayne Smith and Ryan Hinds caught by Kyle Corbin, before trapping Sharmarh Brooks lbw to complete the hat-trick with the third ball of the innings. From 0 for 3, Barbados slipped to 12 for 5, with Davis picking up his fourth wicket in his second over and Jason Holder getting rid of Justin Brathwaite.Kyle Mayers, who was Davis’ team-mate at the U-19 World Cup, revived Barbados a little, leading them to 51 before he lost his partner Shane Dowrich in the 14th over. The asking-rate was not unmanageable but after Carlos Brathwaite and Mayers fell with the score on 66, the Barbados innings fizzled and ended on 99 for 9.CCC had also had a shaky start to their innings, with Tino Best cutting through the top order to leave them at 13 for 3 in three overs. Wickets fell regularly but Floyd Reifer scored 37 and Ryan Wiggins 28 to prop CCC up to 111 for 8. Best finished with 4 for 19.
Jamaica won the one-over eliminator
ScorecardJamaica fast bowler Krishmar Santokie bowled an outstanding over in the one-over eliminator, conceding only two runs and taking two wickets to set up his side’s victory against Leeward Islands, after the match had ended in a tie.Santokie dismissed Chesney Hughes and Devon Thomas, and Rahkeem Cornwall was able to score only 2 off four deliveries for Leeward Islands. Andre Russell hit the first ball of Jamaica’s chase, off Tonito Willet, for a four to seal victory.It did not seem like the match would end in a tie when Leeward Islands, chasing Jamaica’s 110 for 8, slipped from 49 for 1 to 64 for 5 at the end of the 15th over. The equation boiled down to 36 needed off 18 balls before Thomas and Cornwall turned it on. Cornwall hit three fours – two cuts and a scoop – and Thomas cleared long-off, leaving Leeward Islands needing 13 off the final over, from Russell.Only five runs came off the first four balls, before Cornwall carted Russell over the straight boundary. With two to get off the final delivery, though, Cornwall failed to connect but the batsmen stole a bye to level the scores.Jamaica had looked set for a more substantial score after they chose to bat and reached 62 for 2 in 12 overs. They then lost a set batsman Tamar Lambert for 34 and Andre McCarthy also fell before another run was scored. Both had been dismissed by Cornwall, who finished with 3 for 10. The Leeward Islands bowlers did not allow any acceleration and Jamaica went from 104 for 5 to finish on 110 for 8.

جريليش عن هدف دي بروين أمام ريال مدريد: لا يمكن اختيار لاعب آخر سواه

علّق جاك جريليش، لاعب فريق مانشستر سيتي على نتيجة مباراة الأمس، ضد ريال مدريد في دوري أبطال أوروبا على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”.

واستضاف ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” مباراة الفريقين في إطار منافسات ذهاب نصف نهائي البطولة، حيث تعادلا بهدف لمثله.

وقال جريليش في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “لقد أحببت المباراة، يمكن أن تشعر ببعض الضغط والعصبية، ولكن هذه هي الليالي التي تلعب فيها كرة القدم وتحلم بها، في ملعب ومباراة كهذه، يبدو الأمر وكأنه حلم أصبح حقيقة”.

وأضاف: “لدينا فريق جديد هذا العام، لاعبون مختلفون مقارنة بما كان عليه الأمر قبل عام، لقد تعلمنا الكثير منذ العام الماضي، لدينا توازن مثالي من الخبرة والشباب من الطراز العالمي، لم أشعر أبدًا من قبل بثقة كبيرة عند دخول الملعب بوجود أولئك اللاعبين من حولي”.

وواصل: “كان الأمر صعبًا، كان هناك ضغط مرتفع ضدنا، اللعب ضد كارفاخال؟ لا يمكنني إحصاء عدد الأشخاص الذين أخبروني من قبل أنني لا أعرف كيف سيكون الأمر معه، إنها معركة جيدة، استمتعت بها حقًا، أنا مُتعب، لم أصب بتشنج عضلي من قبل ولكن أشعر بذلك في الساقين”.

وأردف: “لقد رأينا جميعًا مباريات حيث استقبلوا بعض الأهداف ولكن الليلة دافعوا بشكل جيد حقًا، اعتقدت أننا سنسجل فقط من تسديدة على حافة منطقة الجزاء”.

واستكمل: “عندما وصلت الكرة إلى دي بروين، كان الأمر لا يُصدق، نحن نراه كل يوم في التدريبات، ولن تختار أي شخص آخر لتمرر كرة مثل تلك إليه”.

وأكد: “في ملعب الاتحاد نشعر أنه لا يمكن إيقافنا هناك، لقد جئنا إلى هنا لمحاولة الفوز، لكن هذا يظهر شخصيتنا عندما نسجل هدفًا في مكان مثل هذا، في النهاية أعتقد أنها كانت نتيجة عادلة، لقد أتيحت لهم فرصهم، وكان لدينا القليل”.

واختتم: “تلقيت رسالة نصية من والدتي قبل المباراة تقول إن هذه هي الليالي التي حلمت بها كطفل، كان الجميع في العالم يشاهدون اللقاء، أحيانًا تضغط على نفسك وتشعر بالتوتر جراء ذلك”.

Gabigol minimiza encontro com VP do Fla: 'Nem falamos de futebol'

MatériaMais Notícias

O encontro entre Gabriel Barbosa, o Gabigol, e Marcos Braz, VP de futebol do Flamengo, na noite de quarta-feira, no Rio de Janeiro, não passou de uma mera casualidade, afirmou o atacante que defendeu o Santos em 2018. Na chegada ao Maracanã, onde disputará a 15ª edição do Jogo Das Estrelas, de Zico, o atleta negou qualquer acerto com o Rubro-Negro e diz que se apresenta a Inter de Milão, da Itália, em janeiro.

– Foi casual (o encontro). Levei minha mãe ao shopping para conhecer, tinha acabado de chegar (ao Rio de Janeiro). Fomos comprar algumas coisas. Nos encontramos, a gente sentou, conversou e nos conheceu – afirmou o atacante, antes de comentar o teor da conversa que teve com Marcos Braz:

– Como disse, foi algo natural. Tínhamos um amigo em comum. Nem falamos de futebol direito. Não teve nada a ver com o Flamengo – finalizou.

Apesar das palavras do atacante, o Flamengo tem, sim, interesse na vinda de Gabigol em 2019. A negociação está encaminhada, apurou a reportagem do LANCE!. Há uma semana, contudo, Marcos Braz avaliou a situação como “dificílima”, uma vez que o clube italiano fez um grande investimento no jogador há duas temporadas e o mesmo ainda não conseguiu mostrar bom futebol na Europa – antes de ser emprestado ao Santos – clube que o revelou – em 2018, Gabigol atuou no Benfica, de Portugal, onde não teve sequência e acabou dispensado.

RelacionadasFlamengoÉverton Ribeiro projeta títulos e vive expectativa por Abel: ‘É paizão’Flamengo27/12/2018FlamengoFlamengo e CSA se acertam por empréstimo de Matheus SavioFlamengo27/12/2018Atlético MineiroGalo anuncia o zagueiro Réver como reforço para 2019Atlético Mineiro27/12/2018

Ainda no Maracanã, Gabriel Barbosa ressaltou o carinho que tem pela Inter de Milão e seus torcedores, além de dizer que irá se apresentar ao clube italiano em janeiro.

– Sei que tenho que me apresentar no dia 7 de janeiro e lá vamos conversar. Eles sabem do carinho que tenho pela cidade e torcedores, que me receberam muito bem – disse Gabigol, antes de responder o que deseja para a próxima temporada:

– Quero ser feliz, jogar, ter sequência e ajudar meus companheiros.

Robin Peterson looks for his place

In a team heavily dependent on quick bowlers, which plays regularly in seam-friendly conditions, Robin Peterson hasn’t had much of the limelight

Firdose Moonda11-Feb-2013

In a team heavily dependent on pace, Robin Peterson has had a marginal role to play so far in Tests•Associated Press

Robin Peterson was feeling restless. While most of Test team-mates took a break after their victory over Pakistan at the Wanderers, he and his namesake Alviro, chose to play for their franchises in the final round of the first-class competition.For Alviro, it may have been important to contribute in what was set up as a championship decider for a team desperate for silverware (which they did not win) but for Robin it was more a case of itchy feet. “I wanted to play for the Cobras,” he said. “It’s no fun sometimes being the spinner in South Africa and you go through periods of play where you don’t even bowl.”In a team where winning has been the theme of the summer and the culture is as strong as it has ever been, it would seem unusual that the enjoyment isn’t evenly spread. But Peterson can be forgiven. Although he has leapfrogged Imran Tahir as the first-choice spinner for the Test team, like Tahir, his opportunities to contribute have been minimal.Since his six wickets against Australia in Perth, Peterson has spent two innings as a spectator – against New Zealand in the New Year’s Test and against Pakistan in Johannesburg. Only Jacques Kallis, whose workloads are being managed, bowled fewer overs than Peterson in Cape Town against New Zealand and Peterson bowled the least number of deliveries of all the bowlers in Johannesburg.On surfaces that have something for the quicks and with a pace attack as potent as the current South African one, Peterson understands that he is “surplus to requirements,” and, for the most part, accepts it. “It can be frustrating but you have to realise you are part of a team. The team comes first.”It’s magnificent to watch Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Jacques perform the way they do with the ball. I know my time will come so I just have to hang in there and be patient and keep working hard. It’s the best bowling attack I’ve ever played with and it’s something special to be part of. I have a front row seat to awesome performances.”To the average cricket fan, that would sound ideal. But Peterson is not a fan, he is a paid professional and he is starting to realise how trying that can be when the chosen vocation in South Africa is spin. Having flirted with the idea of a wicket-taking spinner in Tahir, South Africa’s Test strategy has resorted back to a holding tweaker in the Paul Harris mould.Peterson is learning how to adjust to that. “In South Africa, you need to realise that there is a certain role you’ve got to perform, whether it’s to keep it tight and give the seamers a bit of a break if there’s no spin or if there is a bit on offer, to try make a breakthrough when the seamers can’t. I’d love to play on turning wickets every weekend, but that’s not the case in South Africa and you’ve got to adapt.”Newlands is the most spinner-friendly surface Peterson will come across but it is not the subcontinent. In the last 14 months, it has been the scene of two of the three first innings scores of under 50 in the country. The last spinner to prosper there was Harbhajan Singh who took 7 for 120 in January 2011 but in recent times, it has had more for Philander than Peterson.He is not expecting that to change too much. “It would seem to be that the seamers do a lot of the damage but in saying that it’s probably the only surface that we are going to play against Pakistan on where a spinner could come into his own so hopefully I get an opportunity. I think there will be a little bit on offer if the weather stays good.”South Africa also want to be careful not to prepare a pitch that will deteriorate too much because of the threat of Saeed Ajmal. “It would be foolish to do that,” Peterson said. “He was their No. 1 Test bowler last year and you don’t want to give him something that assists him.”That probably means that Peterson won’t get any help from the pitch either so he may have to look for other ways to get in the game. His batting is thought to be another reason he trumps Tahir in selection terms but, like his bowling, that too has waned since Perth. There he scored 31 runs but since then has only managed 5, 8 and a duck.”I was disappointed with the way I got out in Johannesburg,” he said, remembering leaving a straight one from Mohammed Hafeez. “If the opportunity comes I’m going to go out there and show I’m a lot better than that.”He hopes to do the same with ball in hand which is why he opted for an extra match instead of a week off. However, Peterson bowled only 15 overs against the Knights. He took 2 for 33 in a first-innings workout of 13 overs and bowled just two in the second innings while the seamers did the bulk of the work. Business as usual then for Peterson.

كابيلو يوجه نصيحة إلى أنشيلوتي بعد هزيمة ريال مدريد: هذه هي فرصتك

وجه أحد أساطير التدريب في الكرة الإيطالية، فابيو كابيلو، نصيحة لمواطنه ومدرب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد، كارلو أنشيلوتي، بعد السقوط المدوي أمام مانشستر سيتي في نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وتجرع ريال مدريد مرارة الهزيمة القوية برباعية نظيفة يوم أمس الأربعاء، على ملعب “الاتحاد” بمدينة مانشستر وودع المسابقة القارية بعد أن كان بطلًا لها في الموسم الماضي.

اقرأ أيضًا | برناردو سيلفا: أردت تعويض أدائي السيء أمام ريال مدريد.. وسنحاول الفوز أمام إنتر القوي

وتحدث كابيلو عن مستقبل أنشيلوتي مع ريال مدريد في تصريحات نقلتها شبكة “سكاي سبورتس”، وقال: “يا لها من نتيجة ثقيلة للغاية بالنسبة لهم”.

وتابع: “الآن ربما يفكر في العرض المقدم لتدريب البرازيل، أرى أنه ربما في هذه اللحظة يجب أن يؤخذ في الاعتبار لأن اليوم هناك فرق أقوى في أوروبا”.

وأتم تصريحاته: “إذا كنت تريد أن تنتهي مسيرتك بنجاح مثل الفوز ببطولة كأس العالم، فهذه هي فرصتك”.

Em menos de uma semana, Neguete chega e deixa o Juventude

MatériaMais Notícias

Três dias. Foi esse o tempo que o zagueiro Neguete pode ser considerado atleta e ex-atleta do Juventude nessa janela de transferências, já que o defensor está prestes a assinar um vínculo com o Persija Jacarta, da Indonésia.

Na última terça-feira (9), o jogador assinou um pré-contrato com a equipe gaúcha e chegou a dar uma entrevista coletiva de apresentação oficial dizendo palavras onde já projetava a temporada do Papo com bons olhos pelo conhecimento do técnico Picoli de seu trabalho.

-Estou muito feliz de vestir essa camisa, sabendo da grandeza do clube e da torcida. Espero ter muito sucesso aqui, especialmente nesta Série C. Trabalhei com o Picoli na Ferroviária, então a adaptação fica mais tranquila.

RelacionadasJuventudeMudando estilo, Juventude divulga uniformes do clube em 2019Juventude12/12/2018JuventudeCom carta ao Juventude, lateral Pará fecha ciclo no clubeJuventude07/12/2018JuventudeElenco do Juventude já tem cinco caras novas para 2019Juventude06/12/2018

Contudo, o atleta de 28 anos de idade exerceu uma das cláusulas constantes no acordo para a inexistência de multa visando em transferências para o exterior e, em breve, viajará ao continente asiático para fazer os exames e assinar com o time indonésio.

Os valores da transação não foram revelados, mas foi possível apurar que a questão salarial pesou bastante na decisão onde a quantia de apenas um mês na Ásia seria o equivalente a quase toda a temporada no Ju.

India have found a settled combination – Dhoni

India have found what their captain MS Dhoni calls a “settled batting and bowling combination” for the remainder of the three Tests in the series against Australia

Sharda Ugra26-Feb-2013MS Dhoni has said India have found a “settled batting and bowling combination” for the remaining three Tests in the series against Australia. It is every indicator that India will go ahead with playing five bowlers, including Ravindra Jadeja as the third spinner, for the remainder of the Test series.Under Dhoni, India have rarely gone in with five bowlers, even if including an allrounder, but the last two Tests – against England in Nagpur and Australia in Chennai – have been different. Dhoni said that playing at home had made the five-bowler choice “a big plan”. Due to the conditions at work, he said, they can perfect the combination at home.Playing overseas with Dhoni as the sixth batsman makes the batting look “weak.” At home, though, including Jadeja in XI has worked, Dhoni said. “With three Tests to come this looks like a very settled batting and bowling combination.”The three spinners put into use on the way to India’s eight-wicket win over Australia in Chennai did not include left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who had taken 20 wickets in the last series against England. The closer the Hyderabad pitch resembles the one in Chennai, the greater the chances of Ojha sitting out of a match on his home ground. Jadeja, who bowls left-arm spin and has far greater batting credentials than Ojha, Dhoni said, had made it into the team as a third spinning option.The choice of Jadeja over Ojha, Dhoni said, had worked for two reasons. Offspinners R Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh had been brought in because Australia had four left-hand batsmen in their top six. “They had lots of left-handers and we assumed the wicket will turn and often it is said the away-going spinner is quite difficult to play,” Dhoni said. The inclusion of Jadeja came about due to his batting abilities over Ojha’s and because he could “bowl long spells and can be conservative in that he can bowl tight”.”That was one of the reasons we said let’s go with two offspinners and one left-arm with Jadeja doing the job.”Jadeja’s presence in the XI, Dhoni said, had automatically meant the captain would come in to bat at No.6, one spot up from his otherwise established slot at No. 7. “Till Jadeja is playing I will have to bat at No. 6 and till he gets comfortable and used to international Test cricket,” Dhoni said. “If he really starts to do really well according to the amount of talent he has, we will think about it [where Jadeja should bat] later.”Dhoni’s elevation to the No.6 spot for the second Test in succession produced his maiden Test double-century, 224 scored at a strike rate of over 84. He was run out in the Nagpur Test for 99. The two innings are different due to the demands of the game, but his approach to batting has stayed the same.”This game was evenly poised and Nathan (Lyon) was bowling well,” Dhoni said. “It was important that you get rid of that extra catching fielder that is around you. So that if you misread a flighted delivery or you go back to a ball that is pitched slightly up, you don’t have that one extra catching fielder to take that inside edge or that bad pat. And it worked well.”Dhoni said the rest of the batting line-up too had played its role even though neither Cheteshwar Pujara got to 50 nor Sachin Tendulkar hundred. “They played for a considerable period of time and the humidity over here, we all know Chennai gets quite humid and bowlers get quiet tired… we were able to bat for more than four sessions, so overall it was a very good effort both by the bowlers and the batsmen.”India’s two medium-pacers in the Chennai Test, Ishant Sharma and debutant Bhuvneshwar Kumar, may have bowled between them only 33 of India’s 226 overs in the Test but have given their team, Dhoni said, the options and variety it needed, which as good as ruled out the idea of packing another spinner in Ojha in the XI in Hyderabad. “You have to be sure the wicket will turn,” Dhoni said. “On the first day most of us assumed it will be a turning track. There will be plenty for the spinners. But we saw it was a decent wicket. That’s why you want to be prepared in a situation where you think this is what may happen, but it goes the other way around.”Dhoni said Bhuvneshwar’s ability with the bat had given India another lower-order option and that the extra spinner would have made it difficult to juggle him around the other three. “You can’t make three or four spinners bowl the exact number of overs,” Dhoni said. “You don’t see the number of overs bowled by them before you make a bowling change, you see who looks effective and make a bowling change.”MS Dhoni could likely retain the winning combination for the upcoming games•BCCI

If there was an element of the Indian batting that appeared weak in Chennai it was the opening combination of Virender Sehwag and M Vijay, but Dhoni said he would wait before drawing conclusions. “You need to give them a fair amount of time,” he said. “So let’s hope for the best… Let’s continue with him (Vijay) and give him some time and that comfort of saying he is wanted over here.”When asked whether the memory of the Nagpur 99 had played on his mind, Dhoni said, “I’ve got five 90s so it doesn’t weigh any more – I personally believe it’s the top six batsmen who worry about the 100s. I’ve never thought a lot about hundreds.”Dhoni said he was asked by Dilip Vengsarkar after he had scored 92 at The Oval whether he would have done something different with reference to his dismissal. “I said no, I would bat the same way if I get a chance to hit, I’ll hit. So nothing much has changed… what’s your speciality remains your speciality.”This has been the shakiest period in Dhoni’s captaincy following a home series defeat to England and he said he dealt with the pressure by not reading the newspapers or watching television. “It’s not like I don’t read newspapers,” he said. “But third page from the behind is the sports page, so you try to get rid of it. Because otherwise you don’t know what’s happening in India.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus