Indian bowlers didn’t have Plan B: Gavaskar
New Delhi: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar was critical of Indian bowling attack’s inability to get lower-order wickets over the years stating that it’s a “familiar story” of lacking an alternative plan. “It’s a familiar story as it happened in New Zealand also. What I found out was lack of Plan B when Plan A is not working. They seemed to have a plan to bounce Mitchell Johnson but the ball then was 70-odd overs old. Remember, Johnson has a Test hundred and Indians allowed him a (good) start,” Gavaskar said. When asked that similar tactics had worked against Brad Haddin, Gavaskar said, “That’s what I am saying. If the tactics is not working you need to try something different. And there’s where India lacked Plan B. Bowling bouncers at 135 kmph to Johnson as the ball only came upto his waist and not to his shoulders. “The Indian team has been tactically found wanting in New Zealand, South Africa and now over here. The think-tank needs to analyze whether they are only making strategies for the top-6 with no plans for the lower order batsmen. If they are going to concede 500 runs in every innings, questions need to be asked.”
Vengsarkar bats for Decision review system
Mumbai: A slew of howlers by umpires in the ongoing India-Australia cricket Test series Down Under has convinced former captain Dilip Vengsarkar to come out in support of the Decision Review System (DRS), a technology whose use has been consistently opposed by BCCI. “I was also of the view that since it’s not 100 per cent (correct), DRS were not adequate. But the wrong umpiring decisions in this series have convinced me, that we should accept DRS,” he said on the sidelines after releasing “Guts and Glory”, a book authored by Makarand Waingankar, here on Friday.
Ajmal back in action, takes 1/23 for Pak A
lahore: Suspended off-spinner, Saeed Ajmal returned to match action with a remodelled action as he ended with decent figures of 1/23 in six overs in Pakistan A’s 118-run win over touring Kenyan cricket team in a practice game, here on Friday. “I was playing in a match after nearly three months but I felt comfortable bowling with my remodelled action and I didn’t hold myself back,” Ajmal told the media at the Gaddafi stadium in lahore, where the match was played. The off-spinner was suspended by the International Cricket Council for suspect action in September and since then has spent on taking corrective measures working under Saqlain Mushtaq. Ajmal, 37, bowled six overs with a different action but sneaked in a couple of ‘doosras’ during his spell.
Hirwani accused of using abusive language
Indore: Madhya Pradesh Ranji Trophy cricketer Udit Birla on Friday accused former Test cricketer and current chairman of state’s selection committee Narendra Hirwani of using abusive languages over a telephonic conversation regarding his exclusion from the team. Birla, who had played 18 first-class matches had aggregated only 45 runs in three Vijay Hazare Trophy innings for MP and was subsequently dropped by selection committee under Hirwani’s chairmanship. However Birla had filed a written complaint with MPCA regarding Hirwani’s alleged objectionable language and the state association will conduct an inquiry into the matter. “Udit Birla (25), the cricketer, has said in his petition to the MPCA that Hirwani used objectionable language,” MPCA secretary Milind Kanmadikar said. He added,”MPCA is conducting a probe and we have written to Hirwani, asking him to present his version of the incident.”