Sammy to lead WI on India tour
St John’s (Antigua and Barbuda): All-rounder Darren Sammy will lead the 15-member West Indies cricket team for the upcoming tour of India, starting next month. During the tour, West Indies will play two Test matches from November 6-10 and November 14-18. Apart from the Tests, the series will also feature three One-Day Internationals to be held on November 21, 24 and 27, the venues of which are yet to be announced. Squad: Darren Sammy (captain), Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sheldon Cottrell, Narsingh Deonarine, Kirk Edwards, Chris Gayle, Veersammy Permaul, Kieron Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Shane Shillingford, Chadwick Walton.
Play spinners like MSD: Kirsten
New Delhi: If a bunch of 12 or 13-year-olds get a chance to interact with the most successful coach of the Indian cricket team, it’s a class they would never want to bunk. It was no different for the 100-odd school cricketers who got a chance to attend former India and current Delhi Daredevils chief coach Gary Kirsten’s coaching clinic where he spoke about some of the technical aspects of the game. In the camp organised by the GMR group, Kirsten spoke on various aspects of batting and said when it comes to facing spinners, there are no peers to India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. “Watch M S Dhoni’s batting carefully. How he gets behind the ball when he plays spinners. Apart from stepping out for hitting sixes, he always takes spinners on the backfoot. He always gets low while defending or attacking on backfoot. There are many good players of spin bowling in India but he is one of premier players,” Kirsten told the school cricketers. “Batting is a side-on game and will always remain that. You have to remain side-on in order to hit the balls on both sides of the wicket. At the end of the day, if you are batting, you have to score runs. You have to develop a technique. No point hitting a glorious cover drive or a wristy flick and then get out,” were some of the words of wisdom from Kirsten.
Aaron back after 16 months
Mumbai: Young speedster Varun Aaron, who was out of cricket action for 16 months because of a recurring back problem that needed surgery, has recovered and is fit to resume his career. The 23-year-old, who last played in IPl5 in May 2012 after missing the tour of Australia in December 2011 due to stress reaction in the back, is targeting this season’s Ranji Trophy to ease his way back into the first class game. “It feels great to be back. Post the surgery, I’ve had a very comprehensive build up to my fitness and my bowling and I feel I am bowling at a 100 per cent now,” Aaron said in a statement issued here. The right-arm fast bowler, who made his Test debut against the West Indies here in November 2011, said he is training at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai and is looking forward to play for Jharkhand in the upcoming Ranji season. “I’m currently training with the fitness trainer, Rajnikant, at the MRF Pace Foundation before I join up with my Ranji team. There is less than a month to go before the Ranji Trophy season begins and I am looking forward to bowling at full throttle by then,” he said.
‘IPl has improved fitness in India’
Jaipur: The purists might scoff at it, but renowned physiotherapist John Gloster feels the IPl has helped improve the fitness standard of the Indian cricketers. “Undoubtedly, the general standard of fitness in Indian cricket has improved tremendously and one of the major reasons is IPl,” Gloster said. Gloster, who quit as the Indian Team’s physio in 2008, is currently associated with IPl franchise Rajasthan Royals, which is competing in the ongoing Champions league Twenty20. “Rajasthan Royals is the only team which has a regular Physio. It has helped the players. I have become a central point for many players as I am easily available. They keep talking to me and I have helped many of them extend their careers,” Gloster said. “The most important thing is to communicate with me about your injuries. With more cricket around, the injuries are on the rise but one shouldn’t hide them instead should tell about them honestly so that they could be cured in time. This way you can also avoid serious or chronic injuries,” he said. Gloster said an important having a healthy mind was the key to having fit body. “Mental fatigue is more dangerous than physical injuries which can be cured. It is the drive and passion which can override the physical aspect. If stress is there, the levels of ‘Cortisal’ increases and the threat of injuries also becomes imminent. It is the environment which dictates performance,” said Gloster.
NZ gear up for B’desh spin assault
Dhaka: New Zealand are prepared to face a barrage of spin when they begin their first Test series in Bangladesh in five years next week, hoping their strength in seam bowling will see them through. “We are expecting nothing less than a tough contest,” Black Caps coach Mike Hesson told reporters late Thursday after the tourists arrived for the two-Test series. The last time New Zealand played Tests in Bangladesh in 2008, they won 1-0 following a three-wicket win in Chittagong, which is also the venue of the first match starting on Wednesday. “It was a hard-fought Test where we had to chase over 300 in the last innings, which was a tough ask,” Hesson said. “We know Bangladesh are a tough side and we are not under-estimating them.” The tourists are without injured veteran Daniel Vettori, who scored a match-winning 76 in that game, but Hesson hoped other players will make up for the absence of the inspirational all-rounder. “We will certainly miss Daniel, but it’s up to other players to step up on this tour and fill his void,” the coach said, adding the Brendon McCullum-led side was ready for battle.