Focus on Ranji: Dada to Dinda
Kolkata: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Sunday advised temperamental Bengal pacer Ashoke Dinda to “concentrate” on doing well for the state team in the upcoming Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Railways rather than grumble about not getting a national call-up. “Dinda should concentrate on his performnace now. His immediate task should be to do well in the Ranji quarter-finals. If he performs well, he will again get a call-up in the national team,” Ganguly replied when asked about Dinda’s recent comments that he wants to leave Bengal. The 41-year-old’s suggestion to Dinda was that he should keep patience and wait for his turn. “A player has to pass through various phases of life. But he has to keep patience and carry on”. Ganguly praised Bengal paceman Mohammad Shami’s performance for the national side. The stylish left-hander of yesteryears feels that Indian team would do well in New Zealand and the mistakes made in the last series against South Africa could be cor
Australia grab third place
Dubai: India held on to their second spot even as a resurgent Australia leapfrogged to third in the latest ICC Test rankings after whitewashing England 5-0 in the Ashes series today. Australia’s 281-runs victory over England in the fifth and final Test in Sydney on Sunday has helped them jump two places to third on the table. The 5-0 series win has helped Australia gain 10 ratings points to finish on 111, six ratings points behind second-ranked India, the ICC said in a statement. England, on the other hand, have conceded nine ratings points to end at 107, thereby moving down a place to fourth. South Africa are the clear leader of the table with 133 ratings points. Australia had entered the Ashes series in fifth position on 101 ratings points but after taking a 4-0 lead, it was guaranteed fourth position on the table. Michael Clarke’s side needed to either draw or win the Sydney Test to be able to move up two places to third.
Samson’s family owe it to Dravid
Thiruvananthapuram: The Samson family here owes the phenomenal growth of their cricketer son Sanju to former India captain Rahul Dravid. The Samsons are basking in glory after Sanju smashed a quickfire century in Sharjah Saturday to help India beat Pakistan in the final and win the Under-19 Asia Cup. “It was Dravid sir who gave our son all the motivation to perform in the field and we owe a great deal to him,” said Sanju’s father Samson Viswanath, formerly a constable with Delhi Police. “It was his performance with the Rajasthan Royals that gave him the much needed confidence and it happened because Dravid gave him the space to perform,” added the former constable, who quit his job to mould the future of his two cricketer sons.
PNS/Agencies