Ponting dropped from Australian one-day squad

Ricky Ponting's one-day-international career appears to be over after he was dumped from Australia's squad for their next two matches in the tri-series.

All-rounder Shane Watson, skipper Michael Clarke and Ryan Harris will make their returns after recovering from injury.

Selectors have lost patience with Ponting after the 37-year-old's poor form, excluding the former captain from a 13-man squad.

Watson proved his fitness to selectors in NSW's horror loss to Western Australia in Perth. He has not played for Australia since breaking down in South Africa three months ago.

"He is an all-rounder of proven class and the NSP [National Selection Panel] is keen to have him rejoin the squad," Inverarity said.

Harris returns at the expense of left-armer Mitchell Starc.

"Mitchell will benefit greatly from the Tests and the ODIs he has played. His development as a player of the future is most encouraging," Inverarity said.

Selectors also confirmed Matthew Wade had overtaken Brad Haddin as the "preferred ODI wicket-keeper for the Australian ODI team".

Sachin still suffering but India triumphs

So intent has Sachin Tendulkar been on shunning publicity this summer, it would have been fitting had he scored the most eagerly anticipated century of recent times in the lowest key match of India's tour.

But unfortunately for the great batsman, the 6685 fans who braved Perth's sweltering heat and a billion Indians, not even a change of opponent brought Tendulkar closer to his 100th international century last night at the WACA Ground.

Advertisement: Story continues below India won, in farcical fashion by four wickets with 20 balls to spare after two Sri Lankan fielders let a simple skied chance drop between them, but the milestone Tendulkar is chasing remains a millstone.

Expectation grew as Tendulkar reached 48 but luck deserted him when he played seamer Angelo Mathews onto his stumps. He had come tantalisingly close to suffering the same fate when on 26.

Another fine innings by impressive firebrand Virat Kohli swung the game back in India's favour but, on 77, he sacrificed his wicket and suffered muscle cramps chasing a suicidal single. He was run out by Lasith Malinga, who threw down the stumps at the non-striker's end from mid-on.

Kohli suffered the ignominy of being carried off the field by trainers but as humiliating as his exit was, it should not detract from his reputation as one of India's finest young batsmen. His contribution ensured spin-bowling all-rounders Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were left a challenging rather than difficult job to guide India to just their second win of the tour.

The Sri Lankans have room for considerable improvement but that will need to come quickly, particularly with the bat, if they are to have any hope tomorrow of toppling Australia.

The gun trio of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene all made starts but none produced the innings that would have made Ryan Harris, Mitchell Starc and company tremble in their sleep.

Instead, it was the world No. 4's rising wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Chandimal, with a fluent 64 off 81 balls in just his second match in this country, and Mathews's 33 off 28 balls at the death that enabled Sri Lanka to set a reasonably competitive target.

Whitewash for India, Australia wins the series.......

Australia wrapped up a 298-run win over India to sweep the series 4-0 early on the final day of the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
It was India's eighth consecutive away Test loss after a 4-0 series loss in England last year and the Indians have not won a series in Australia in 10 visits.

Australia's dominance over India comes a year after their Ashes series humiliation at home to England and their significant improvement under new skipper Michael Clarke, who replaced Ricky Ponting.

Australia won by 122 runs in Melbourne, an innings and 68 runs in Sydney and an innings and 37 runs in Perth before their final Adelaide annihilation.

Ganguly baffled at Indian surrender in Adelaide

Former captain Sourav Ganguly was baffled at the abject surrender of the Indian batsmen at the batting surface at Adelaide Oval in the fourth and final Test, saying that even good pitches create problems for batsmen low on confidence.Ganguly said life will be harder for Indian batsmen in the final two days of the Test with the pitch likely to deteriorate.
"Another ordinary batting performance from India,
and this time on a good batting surface at the Adelaide Oval. The batting unit has struggled throughout the series but this effort must be really worrying to the players," he said.
Ganguly praised Virat Kohli for his century knock and said this would give the young batsman a lot of confidence.

"Kohli was brilliant and he looks like a very good player. The knocks in Perth must have given him a lot of confidence and this could be just the innings he needed to get his Test career going. I have always believed one needs to get runs overseas as a Test batsman.

"Kohli is sort of player who goes on to make big scores once he gets in and this is a good sign for a batsman. He has scored eight ODI hundreds but this one at Adelaide Oval will be cherished by him for a long time. What also makes it special is that he has made the runs as wickets kept falling at regular intervals," Ganguly wrote in his column in 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

Tendulkar back in ODI squad

Sachin Tendulkar has been picked in India's limited-overs squad for the first time since the World Cup. He will stay on after the Test series in Australia for the one-day tri-series that also features Sri Lanka. Praveen Kumar, the India medium-pacer who missed the Tests due to a fractured rib, is also a part of the 17-man squad for the limited-over leg of the series. India will play two Twenty20 internationals in Australia followed by the ODI tri-series, which will be played from February 5 - March 8.
Yuvraj Singh's time away from cricket continues as he has not yet fully recovered from the non-malignant lung tumour that has kept him out of the team since the home ODIs against West Indies.
Team: MS Dhoni (capt and wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Manoj Tiwary, Parthiv Patel (wk), Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, Irfan Pathan, R Vinay Kumar, Praveen Kumar, Rahul Sharma, R Ashwin

Tendulkar back in ODI squad

Sachin Tendulkar has been picked in India's limited-overs squad for the first time since the World Cup. He will stay on after the Test series in Australia for the one-day tri-series that also features Sri Lanka. Praveen Kumar, the India medium-pacer who missed the Tests due to a fractured rib, is also a part of the 17-man squad for the limited-over leg of the series. India will play two Twenty20 internationals in Australia followed by the ODI tri-series, which will be played from February 5 - March 8.
Yuvraj Singh's time away from cricket continues as he has not yet fully recovered from the non-malignant lung tumour that has kept him out of the team since the home ODIs against West Indies.
Team: MS Dhoni (capt and wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Manoj Tiwary, Parthiv Patel (wk), Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, Irfan Pathan, R Vinay Kumar, Praveen Kumar, Rahul Sharma, R Ashwin

India facing the Starc reality of a new disaster

Young Australian paceman Mitchell Starc said he wouldn't be losing any sleep over Sachin Tendulkar's controversial dismissal on the second day of the third Test in Perth on Saturday.

Tendulkar was trapped leg-before-wicket by the tall left-armer for eight in India's second innings and showed his frustration as his bid for his 100th international century was again stymied.

The 38-year-old was clearly unhappy when Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar gave him out, believing the ball was heading down the leg-side.

Tendulkar could be seen watching the replay in the team dressing room just minutes after leaving the field, but he might not have liked what he saw, with television technology suggesting the ball was going on to hit leg-stump.

David Warner of Australia cuts during day two of the Third Test match between Australia and India at WACA on January 14, 2012 in Perth, Australia.
In the end they survived into today, the third day of the third Test, but whether they are still alive is highly debatable.

Firstpost Indian team breaks quicker than anyone in the world

Haddin said the Australian team had discussed the mental frailty of Indian players during the second Test in Sydney last week, which the hosts won by an innings and 68 runs.

Michael Clarke celebrates his triple-hundred

After Michael Clarke declared with his score on 329 and Australia's lead at 468, India had nearly an hour to bat before the tea break, by which time they were 1 for 53.

Gautam Gambhir had started strongly, striking seven boundaries in his unbeaten 39 and Rahul Dravid was on 7 as India reduced the deficit to 415, but they had lost Sehwag for 4 early in the innings. Sehwag flashed hard at a wide delivery from Ben Hilfenhaus and was well caught at point by David Warner, who moved high and to his left with impressive speed to take a sharp catch.

Ponting's ton, Clarke's double demoralise India

Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting have prior form in shattering Indian spirits at the SCG. Four years ago, they conspired to steal victory during a mad quarter hour late on the fifth day, when Clarke was handed the ball by the captain Ponting and took three wickets in an over. This year, they tortured India more slowly, with a partnership that lasted the best part of six hours and all but ensured Australia could not lose the Test.
The Sydney crowd had already witnessed the exceptional, from Clarke and Ponting. By stumps, Clarke was unbeaten on 251, having batted through the day, and it was not out of the question that he could become the first man to score a Test triple-century at the SCG. Michael Hussey had chipped in with 55 not out and Australia's lead had ballooned to 291, with six wickets in hand.
Of course, since Kolkata in 2001, nothing has ever been truly certain in Tests between these two countries. But the drought-breaking century from Ponting - his first in nearly two years - and Clarke's maiden Test double-hundred steered Australia into the kind of position from which it would take a Kolkata-like comeback to rescue India. They would need something very, very special.

Govt changes criteria for Bharat Ratna; now open for all

The new rules, providing for eligibility of persons excelling in fields other than art, literature, science and public service for Bharat Ratna, were notified on November 16, Sports Minister Ajay Maken told reporters in New Delhi.

“I wrote a letter to Home Minister on April 15. The Prime Minister and Home Minister have very kindly agreed now to change the norm.

“Instead of the fields of art, literature, science and public services, now on November 16, Government has notified that for performance of highest order in any field of human endeavour Bharat Ratna could be awarded,” Mr. Maken said outside Parliament House.

He said the decision has paved the way for any sportsperson to get Bharat Ratna award.

The move comes amid clamour for conferring of Bharat Ratna on Tendulkar for his outstanding contribution to cricket.

“For me as a sports minister this is one of the biggest days of Indian sport and next biggest day I think will be the day when any sportsperson is named as an awardee of Bharat Ratna,” Mr. Maken said.

Reacting to a question on conferring of the highest civilian order on Tendulkar and legendary Hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, the Minister said the two names from the sports category that struck in his mind is “the wizard of hockey Major Dhyan Chand and our run machine Sachin Tendulkar.” “Both of them I think should be the top contender but there are many other contenders for Bharat Ratna award if it is given to a sportsperson. Ultimately, the decision has to be taken by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister takes the decision and recommend it to the President,” he said.

Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid lose a place each in ICC Test rankings

DUBAI: India's middle-order mainstays, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, and pace spearhead, Zaheer Khan, lost a place each in the latest ICC Test rankings released on Tuesday.


While Tendulkar dropped to seventh from sixth, Dravid was ninth. Zaheer was placed sixth in the latest rankings for bowlers.

As far as overall is concerned, a 2-0 result in South Africa's favour in the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka could see them leapfrog India into the second position.

The teams ranking on the Championship table will largely depend on how the upcoming Australia-India Test series pans out.

However, if Sri Lanka manage to beat South Africa by a 1-0 margin or better, it might put them ahead of Australia in fourth position.

In the batting chart, Pakistan's Younis Khan has moved up 11 places to claim fifth position behind Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, South Africa's Jacques Kallis and England duo, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell.

The bowlers list is headed by South Africa's Dale Steyn with England's James Anderson second and Morne Morkel of South Africa third.

ODI Team for West Indies tour of India

Virender Sehwag was named captain of the Indian team for the five-match One-day International series against the West Indies starting on November 29 after Mahendra Singh Dhoni opted for a break ahead of a long Australian summer.
Senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar was also rested, while the selectors, who met in Mumbai on Friday, left out Yuvraj Singh and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh due to poor fitness and form, respectively.

According to a selector, Dhoni has been given a break “as he needs to be fresh” for the three-month-long Australia tour. The decision means Sehwag, who last led India in a one-dayer in 2009, will be back at the helm.

The move comes as a mild surprise since it was his opening partner Gautam Gambhir who was seen as Dhoni’s successor in the long run. The Delhi left-hander had even been appointed as captain of a new-look Indian team for the ODI series in the Caribbean earlier this year before he pulled out due to a shoulder injury.

According to a selector, the committee opted for Sehwag as he had been Dhoni’s long-time deputy.

Meanwhile, Yuvraj was omitted due to the recurrence of a lung infection that had seen him skipping the Caribbean tour as well. Harbhajan’s name, it is learnt, was not even discussed during the meeting.

Medium pacers Praveen Kumar and R Vinay Kumar made an expected return to the ODI fold to complete a four-man seam attack along with Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron. In the spin department, however, Pragyan Ojha was ignored despite a strong performance in the ongoing Test series. Leg-spinner Rahul Sharma retained his place, but seamers Sreenath Aravind and Abhimanyu Mitthun were left out.

The selection committee meets again on Saturday to pick the squad for the four-Test series against Australia.

ODI Squad against West Indies:

Virender Sehwag (Captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Parthiv Patel, R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, and Rahul Sharma

Rahul Dravid gets the 'Polly Umrigar Award for 2010-11

Indian batsman Rahul Dravid will be bestowed the 'Polly Umrigar Award for India's best cricketer of 2010-11' season during the BCCI's annual awards ceremony to be held on December 10 in Chennai.

The 38-year-old Dravid, who scored 1258 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 53 this season, pulled off six hundreds during the year.

Dravid was the star of India's disastrous tour of England earlier this year, which cost India the top spot in the ICC Test rankings after they were whitewashed 0-4. Only Dravid stood up and hit up three centuries as rest ofthe Indian batting tumbled.

The Bangalorean will be honoured with a trophy and prize of Rs 5 lakh.

India women's team captain Jhulan Goswami will also be honoured at the annual awards. The pacer will be awarded the 'M A Chidambaram Best Woman Cricketer of 2010-11' trophy for claiming 21 wickets in eight matches, including a five-for.

The Col. C K Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award will be bestowed on former captain and coach Ajit Wadekar.

BCCI Awards for 2010-11 season:

* Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award: Ajit Wadekar
* Polly Umrigar Award: Rahul Dravid
* Madhavrao Scindia Award (Highest Scorer in the Ranji Trophy 2010-11): S Badrinath (922 runs at a rate of 131.71 in nine matches, inclusive of four centuries and three half centuries).
* Madhavrao Scindia Award (Highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy 2010-11): Bhargav Bhatt (47 wickets at an average of 21.57 in nine matches, inclusive of four 5WI and one 10WM).
* MA Chidambaram Trophy (Best Under-16 cricketer of 2010-11): Vijay Zol (858 runs at an average of 85.8 in seven matches, inclusive of four centuries and two half-centuries).
* MA Chidambaram Trophy (Best Under-19 cricketer of 2010-11): Avi Barot (971 runs at an average of 88.27 in seven matches, inclusive of four centuries and three half-centuries).
* MA Chidambaram Trophy (Best Under-22 cricketer of 2010-11): Suryakumar Yadav (721 runs at an average of 80.11 in seven matches, inclusive of two centuries and four half centuries).
* MA Chidambaram Trophy (Best woman cricketer of 2010-11): Jhulan Goswami (21 wickets at an average of 7.62 in eight matches, inclusive of one 5WI).
* MA Chidambaram Trophy (Best woman cricketer (junior) of 2010-11): Mona Meshram (623 runs at an average of 103.83 in eight matches, inclusive of one century and five half centuries).

Hyderabad keeper Ibrahim Khaleel stumps the world record Khaleel

Wicketkeeper Ibrahim Khaleel set a world record by affecting 14 dismissals (11 catches and 3 stumpings) in Hyderabad’s an innings and 78-run win over Assam in a Ranji Trophymatch at Guwahati on 20th November - Sunday.

Ibrahim Khaleel snapped seven victims in the second innings to add to an equal number in the first and rewrote a 15-year-old mark for any form of cricket. Zimbab-we’s Wayne Robert James had held the record with 13 (11 catches, 2 stumpings) victims for Matabeleland against Mashonaland Cou-ntry Districts in their dom-estic first classmatch in the 1995-96 season. James had also scored 99 and 99 not out in the two innings. Khaleel hit an unbeaten 37 in the only chance he got to bat in the landmarkmatch.

The Test record for a wicketkeeper stands at 11 dismissals, held by English-man Robert Charles (better known as Jack) Russell ag-ainst South Africa in 1995. Nayan Mongia and Mahe-ndra Singh Dhoni are joint holders of India’s Test best, with 8 dismissals each.

Samarjith Nath of Assam had held the Indian overall rec-ord with 11 victims against Tripura in a 2001-02 Ranji Trophy match in Guwaha-ti. Ironically, that was Nath’s only first class game.

Khaleel was unaware of the record until after the match.