Chennai: Former Australia batsman Michael Hussey on Monday called Mahendra Singh Dhoni the calmest captain and said he would love to have the Chennai Super Kings skipper’s “equanimity at the end of the innings”. After a season with Mumbai Indians, the 39-year-old is set to once again team up with Dhoni in IPl-8 starting Wednesday. “I would like his power. I would love to have his equanimity at the end of the innings. Sometimes, it might look that I have it but I’ll tell you right now that I don’t. MS is just fantastic to bat with at the end of the innings because he is so cool and he has got it all planned out,” Hussey was quoted as saying by IPl website. The left-handed batsman from Australia felt Dhoni is always positive while chasing big targets. “He knows exactly what needs to be done to win the game. In a similar situation, I tend to panic a lot, wanting to get it done with as quickly as possible. He is very methodical in breaking down the target into fractions and playing the situation. “While I sometimes get nervous thinking, ‘Oh we’re falling behind the rate’, he is very positive all the time saying, ‘No need to worry, we are right on target’ — very assured and very confident throughout.” Asked to compare Dhoni, Michael Clarke and Brendon McCullum’s captaincy in the ODI World Cup, Hussey said the Indian was the calmest of the lot. “Dhoni is probably the calmest of the lot. He doesn’t get too flustered and thinks very clearly under pressure. He was backed up magnificently by his bowlers. Sometimes that’s what captaincy comes down to - you look like a good or bad captain depending on how your players respond.”
Don’t violate the 15-degree rule: Muralitharan
New Delhi: With ICC cracking down heavily on spinners with suspect action, Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan feels youngsters should try to bowl deliveries that come naturally to them. Kolkata Knight Riders turned lucky before IPl after ace spinner Sunil Narine was cleared by the BCCI to bowl in the competition. Muralitharan, who has bagged a record 800 Test scalps, had a note of caution for youngsters — to bowl within their limitations. “There is a certain degree of bend allowed and if you can’t spin the ball within that rule, then you simply can’t do it. So if they can’t bowl that delivery but still try do that, then it’s trouble. If you can bowl with a 15 degree bend then it’s fine, if you can’t, just don’t bowl it,” the Sri lankan spin legend said. “Everyone cannot hit shots like Gayle. So similarly while bowling, you can’t imitate what others are doing because you might get into trouble. like batsmen will get out while imitating a Gayle shot. These youngsters watch somebody on TV and then try and imitate it. But that doesn’t work. Something’s come naturally to you. Nobody can bowl a slider as well as Shane Warne can do. Some genius can do that but if you can’t just don’t do it,” he added.
Narine draws attention
Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders’ mystery spinner Sunil Narine was the cynosure of all eyes during their training session here on Monday as the West Indian bowled with his remodelled action under the watchful eyes of coach Trevor Bayliss at the Eden Gardens.
On a day a full-strength KKR camp turned up for practice, Narine spent about half an hour bowling to the likes of Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan. Narine, who was awaiting the BCCI clearance after a retest, missed the first two days of training while on Sunday a thunderstorm robbed him of a bowling practice.
Faulkner backs ponting
Mumbai: True to expectations allrounder James Faulkner on Monday endorsed the view expressed by his Australian compatriot and former captain Ricky Ponting on verbal duels on the cricket field. Mumbai Indians’ head coach Ponting had told reporters on Sunday that verbal duels were part and parcel of the game and Rajasthan Royals’ allrounder Faulkner backed him. “I think no one goes out on the ground to get into a verbal altercation with anyone. It is a part of the game and things happen from time to time and like I said no one sets foot on the ground and tries to upset someone on purpose,” said Faulkner, who won the Man of the Match award in the March 29 World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand. “Cricket has always been played tough and it will continue to be played hard and tough and fair as well,” he added. “Yes, the same. Exactly,” MI captain Rohit Sharma had retorted when asked about on-field verbal duels.