Praveen replaces Zaheer
Mumbai: Mumbai Indians have roped in Uttar Pradesh pacer Praveen Kumar as their replacement for the injured Zaheer Khan. Kumar remained unsold at the player auction held earlier this year. Zaheer Khan had been ruled out of the tournament after suffering a severe side strain after bowling just three deliveries of his final over in Mumbai’s game against Kings XI Punjab on May 3. Zaheer had strained his left latissmus dorsi muscle and did not play in the next game against Royal Challengers Bangalore before being ruled out of the remainder of the IPl-7 by medical opinion.
‘Switching in Eng difficult’
New Delhi: India will embark on a redemption tour to England just after the ongoing IPl and Cheteshwar Pujara, who is expected to be the team’s batting mainstay, feels it will be a tall ask for the visitors’ to switch to Test cricket mode from Twenty20 format. “It won’t be easy at all,” Pujara, who is playing for Kings XI Punjab in this year’s IPl, told PTI from Cuttack on Thursday. “But the good thing is that we have two practice games before the five Tests. We will try to make the most of it. We will obviously have some plans to tackle the conditions,” he said of the tour which is starting with a warm-up against leicestershire on June 26.
‘I’ve matured as Test batsman’
Mumbai: Australian batsman Steven Smith, who is playing for Rajasthan Royals in this season’s IPl, feels he has matured as a Test batsman but is also eager to regain his spot in his country’s limited overs team. “When I first started playing I played as a spinner and then when I got the opportunity as a batsman I was not quite ready either. To come back a couple of years later with a bit more experience and few more big runs has benefited me a lot,” the 24-year-old Smith said. “Over the last couple of years it’s been a big development. I have been trying to get my batting right in all three forms of the game. I think I proved myself a little bit in Test cricket and I will work myself into ODIs and T20, it’s not too far away,” he said.
learning mantra for success
New Delhi: It has been a breakthrough season for Ajinkya Rahane as 2013-14 has seen him cement his spot in India’s Test side but the talented Rajasthan Royals batsman wants to “keep his feet” grounded and says every day is a “learning experience” for him. “I really learnt a lot from last year. My performance in last year’s IPl gave me immense confidence to take on world-class bowlers. Obviously those two tours (of South Africa and New Zealand) were important for my career and I am glad that I really did well,” Rahane said.
Anderson hopes for play-offs
Mumbai: With MI getting back to winning ways with two back-to-back victories at home, all-rounder Corey Anderson feels the defending IPl champions have soaked up the early pressure and are on track again. “I guess there was lot more pressure being champions as well last year to come out and dominate again. We’re on track at the moment and if we can keep it going and get to the play-offs and then take it from there, then we will be doing well,” Anderson told reporters on Thursday.
KKR-MI TIE SHIFTED TO CUTTACK
Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders first home match in the seventh edition of IPl versus defending champions Mumbai Indians on May 14 has been shifted to Cuttack due to the inability of the police authorities to deploy adequate force for the match ahead of the election results on May 16. The Kolkata Police said it would be difficult to provide security for the match slotted two days after the last and Kolkata phase of the lok Sabha polls and two days prior to the counting which will be held at the adjoining Netaji Indoor Stadium.