Indian Cricket Team Updates

Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s dismissal was his 50 th  lbw dismissal in Test cricket. He became the third batsman with 50 or more lbw dismissals, after Sachin Tendulkar (63) and Graham Gooch (50).  (Also Read :  STR 200th Test Match Report: India vs West Indies – 2nd Test, Day 3 ) Pragyan Ojha (10/89) produced his best performance in a Test, bettering his previous best of 9 for 165 against England at Ahmedabad in 2012-13. Ojha’s figures are the best by an Indian left-arm spinner against West Indies, beating Bishan Singh Bedi’s 8 for 126 at Port-of-Spain in 1975-76. Incidentally, Ojha is the first Indian left-arm spinner to take a 10-wicket match haul since Venkatapathy Raju, who took 11 for 125 against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad in 1993-94. The victory margin of an innings and 126 runs is India’s largest in a Test against West Indies. The previous largest was by an innings and 112 runs also at Wankhede in 2002-03. Overall, it was India’s fourth win by an innings marg...

With a thumping  innings and 26-run victory over West Indies to seal the Test series 2-0, Team India bid farewell to the batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar in the batsman’s 200 th  and final Test, at Wankhede Stadium. When the Little Master, wearing the floppy hat, stepped on the field for one last day at the office, he was welcomed with a thunderous applause on his home ground. (Also Read:  Sachin Tendulkar’s Emotional Farewell Speech: 200th Test ) The cricket fans’ anxiety and their unwillingness to let go was evident as they cheered the West Indies run-making, because it meant that they could watch their icon in action that much longer. Trailing by 270 runs, the visitors resumed their innings on 43 for three on the third day. Chris Gayle smacked Ravichandran Ashwin for three boundaries in the third over of the day and collected a single, while Marlon Samuels too picked a boundary off the last ball to help collect 17 runs from it. But that was the only bright spot...

On a day when wickets fell like nine pins, India were trailing by 25 runs at the end of first day’s play in the second Test against the West Indies, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. By the time stumps were called, Sachin Tendulkar had entertained the crowd with a beautifully compiled 38 not-out; he was batting with Cheteshwar Pujara (34*). (Also Read:  STR 200th Test Stats Highlights: India vs West Indies – 2nd Test, Day 1 ) Although Tendulkar’s fans were a bit disappointed when India captain, MS Dhoni, opted to bowl first, it was business as usual for the teams even as the Little Master took the field for his 200 th  and last Test. Meanwhile, West Indian Shivnarine Chanderpaul wore the national Test cap for the 150 th time. India’s spin twins – Pragyan Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin – ensured that the fans’ disappointment of not seeing their hero bat didn’t last long. They skittled the visitors out for 182 by the end of the second session, thereby creating an opportuni...

Pragyan Ojha got purchase from a wicket that was expected to aid pace as the Mumbai Indians posted their first win of the Karbonn Smart Champions League Twnety20 2013. The left-arm spinner emerged with the most scalps in the game. He rattled Jean Symes’ stumps after being hit over the rope and followed up with the wicket of Sohail Tanvir to keep the Highveld Lions’ run-rate in check. (Also Read:  Mumbai Indians vs Highveld Lions, M11 - Report: CLT20-2013 ) The bowler told clt20.com after the match that he had been working on his length under the tutorship of former India captain and legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble and the guidance of Robin Singh. In a format where every single delivery matters, Ojha explained how he and the MI bowling unit have been working to keep their opponents guessing. (Also Read:  Mumbai Indians vs Highveld Lions, M11 - Stats Highlights: CLT20-2013 ) Excerpts from his interview: Happy to get a win under your belt After the rain an...

Throughout the season, Mumbai Indians’ skipper, Rohit Sharma, has marshaled his troops like a veteran. In just his first full-time leadership role at the top level, the 26-year-old managed the array of world-class bowlers at his disposal with aplomb. This was especially evident when he brought in Pragyan Ojha in the middle overs to decisively tilt the IPL 2013 Final in MI’s favour.    (Also Read:  CSK vs MI - Final Report & Stats: IPL 2013 ) The left-arm spinner repaid his skipper’s faith with the wicket of Albie Morkel, thereby neutralising the potential threat of the South African all-rounder mounting a comeback with the hard-hitting MS Dhoni.  “I think it was a very crucial wicket as these two guys (Morkel and Dhoni) would have made a lot of difference and getting them out at a crunch time was extremely vital,” Ojha said.  (Also See:  IPL 2013 Winner Mumbai Indians Celebrations - Pics ) The spinner credited his captain for such well...

India v Australia, 3rd Test, Day 2, Session 1 Images:

India's No. 1 spinner in Test cricket is hoping to make amends for the defeat to England with a strong showing in the upcoming series. How easy or difficult an opponent is Australia compared to England? There are no easy opponents in international cricket. Australia are a young but very talented side. Any team can topple other on a given day so you cannot afford to be complacent. One needs to perform and put in hard yards on the field to win the matches irrespective of who you are playing against. Australia are a good outfit and I think it'll be an exciting series involving two quality sides. Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey have retired recently. What difference will it make to the outcome of the series? Has the retirement of these two players made things easier for Indian bowlers? Both Ponting and Hussey were very good batsmen and served Australian cricket with distinction but retirement is inevitable and every cricketer has to call it a day at some point. Austral...

After coming out on top on Day 1, the New Zealand batsmen folded quickly on Day 2 of the two-Test series against hosts India. Pragyan Ojha, who added a wicket to his overnight tally of four victims, recorded his third five-for in his 16-match career. Meanwhile, the Indian batsmen, who were initially cornered, came out on top later on in the day. The hosts’ charge was led by Virat Kohli, who was well supported by skipper MS Dhoni, as both batsmen remained unbeaten at stumps. The young Delhi batsman ended the day on 93*, and will be eyeing his second Test hundred on Day 3 of the match. Here are some interesting statistics from a day that eventually went in favour of the Indian batsmen: • Pragyan Ojha (5/99) captured his third five-wicket haul in Test cricket – his first against New Zealand. His previous best figures against New Zealand were four for 107 at Ahmedabad in 2010-11. • After 16 Tests, Ojha’s wicket tally stands at 73 (he can, of course, add to this tally in the second inn...

Highlights of India v New Zealand 2nd Test 1st day in Chinnaswamy stadium, Bangalore. Ross Taylor, Kruger van Wyk and Martin Guptill were the good start for New Zealand while Pragyan Ojha shine for India as Kewis take the honors’ on Day 1 of the 2nd Test match. # Kruger van Wyk (63 not out off 85 balls) has registered his first half-century in Tests. # Doug Bracewell (30 not out) has posted his 2nd highest score in Tests - his highest is 39 v West Indies at North Sound this year. # Martin Guptill has recorded his 2nd fifty vs. India and his 12th in Tests. # Guptill's 53 (79 balls) is his 2nd highest Test score against India - his 1st highest is 85 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, 2010-11. # Brendon McCullum has registered his 11th duck in Test and 1st duck against India. # Pragyan Ojha is the first professional spinner to open the bowling for India in a Test. # Ojha (4/90) has recorded his best bowling figures against NZ. And he took 60 wickets at an average of 28...