IPl provides platform to bag India berth: Shivam
New Delhi: From watching the IPl as a fan till last year to playing in it this season, life has come full circle for rookie Kings XI Punjab off-spinner Shivam Sharma who believes the tournament provides a platform for bagging India berth. “IPl is a platform from where you can go on and represent India. It was my dream to play in this T20 league. I had gone to see an IPl game with my brother last year and told him about my wish,” Shivam said. Shivam, 20, got Royal Challengers batsman Yuvraj caught at slip to bag his debut wicket in a T20 match and then sent Albie Morkel packing to end with figures of 2 for 26. The youngster said it was all part of a plan. “We planned to attack Yuvraj. He is the kind of player who can demolish any bowling attack if he gets going. So it’s important to get him early. And that’s the reason I did keep a slip for him as advised by our think-tank,” said the former India Under-19 skipper. The off-spinner does not have a ‘doosra’ in his armoury but relies on the carrom ball to surprise batsmen. “I don’t have the doosra, but I do have the carom ball. I bowl the carrom ball a lot in the nets, but (Glenn) Maxwell has decoded my carom ball delivery with his reverse sweeps. So, one learns a lot while bowling to him in the nets, you grow as a T20 bowler,” said Shivam.
Will practice on seaming pitches for England: Pujara
New Delhi: Cheteshwar Pujara does not look like being in the scheme of things as far as Kings XI Punjab’s playing XI is concerned but the gritty Saurashtra batsman has already started to make a mental note about what he intends to do before a tough tour of England come calling. The Test specialist intends to use the time before England tour by preparing some seaming tracks back home in Rajkot and get ready to face the Jimmy Andersons and the Tim Bresnans. “Obviously, you can’t create the conditions like what it is in England but I will prepare some tracks back home and practice on them. I will do that just before the series starts. There’s no point starting well ahead and putting pressure but once IPl gets over, my focus will be on the England series,” Pujara said. Pujara knows only too well that time is running out as far as making it to the core group for the next year’s World Cup is concerned but he wishes to get a look in for the short series in Bangladesh which will help him prove his credentials as a limited overs batsman. “It’s always a dream for any player to play in the World Cup but personally, I can’t comment whether I will be there. But I am very confident that the manner in which I am preparing, I will get some success and hope that in the coming series against Bangladesh, I will get a chance. My Preparation has been fantastic. “In Test matches, I have been doing well and that experience will help me in ODIs too. Because most of the bowlers you play in Tests are playing ODIs also. If I have done reasonably well in Tests, it will help me do well in ODI format also,” he explained.
looking forward to putting up a good score: Anderson
Ahmedabad: Ahead of their match against stronger looking team of Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians’ all-rounder Corey Anderson is hopeful of winning the match and turning things around. “We know that Royals have done well, particularly their bowlers like Pravin Tambe. But, we will do our best to counter their attack,” Anderson said on Sunday on the eve of his team’s match against Rajasthan Royals. The all-rounder from New Zealand is satisfied with bowling line-up of Mumbai. “Our bowling is going good. For batting, one good inning is enough to change the game. We look forward towards putting up a good score,” said Anderson. Mumbai Indians have won just 3 out of 10 matches, putting them 7th in points tally. While Rajasthan now stands 3rd after winning 7 out of 11 matches in this season of IPl. Along with Mumbai, players of RR too practised at the stadium ahead for their match tomorrow. Though Rajasthan is almost sure to be in the Paly-offs, the team is in no mood to take it easy. “Though we are having a comfortable position, we just want to get through by winning this match too. We are not going to do any experiments as far as selection of players goes,” Royals seamer Kane Richardson told reporters.