Daily Excelsior.........sports

Yet another Punjab
cricketer Indian team

CHANDIGARH, Nov 7: The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) has advised 21-year-old all-rounder Vikram Rajiv Singh to perform with a positive mind in his debut one-day international matches in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka. Selected for the next two one-day matches, Vikram Rajiv Singh ........more

BCCI chief says Bindra
playing political game

CHANDIGARH, Nov 7: Joining the raging war of words between two of his predecessors, cricket board president Ranbir Singh Mahendra today accused I S Bindra of playing a "political game" in suggesting Jagmohan Dalmiya ....more

India need to test
youngsters before World
Cup: Chappell

AHMEDABAD, Nov 7: India needed urgently to test the youngsters in the cauldron of cricket pitch or else it would find itself laden with injury-ridden players at the time of World Cup a few ......more

India took flexibility
theory to dangerous terrain

By Arjuna Ranatunga

Three key men did not play for India. Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh have been half of your team in this ....more

J&K Police teams return
blank from Jallandhar

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 7: As compared to last year’s performance when J&K Police hosted the All India Police Games, the Police contingent this time returned empty handed slipping to fourth place in handball and Kabaddi in the recently concluded .......more

Rudheraksh, Arnav
shine in State Swimming
Championship

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 7: Rudheraksh Gupta and Arnav Kamal emerged as most successful swimmers in the sub-junior boys group ......more

Engineers (R&B) XI
wins opening tie in GR Cup

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 7: Engineers (R&B) XI outplayed Eleven Star by two wickets in the opening match of the GR (veteran) Gold Cup ..............more

District Poonch TT
meet begins today

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

POONCH, Nov 7: District Poonch Table Tennis Championship will start tomorrow at 4 pm at Government Boys Higher Secondary ......more

Yet another Punjab cricketer Indian team

Selected for the next two one-day matches, Vikram Rajiv Singh this afternoon left for Rajkot where India and Sri Lanka would play the sixth match of the series on November nine. India are leading 4-1.

On receiving information from the the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI),PCA secretary MP Pandove disclosed that VRV Singh was informed immediately and advised to leave for Rajkot as the Indian team was already on it way by road after playing the fifth ODI in Ahmedabad last night.

Born on September 17, 1984 in Chandigarh, VRV Singh is considered as the fastest bowler in the present lot. He has also been recipient of the Border-Gavaskar scholarship for training in Australia.

Local DAV Senior Secondary School Principal Ravinder Talwar has congratulated VRV Singh on his selection for the last two matches in the India-Lanka ODI series. "Producing world class players is the tradition of DAV School. Cricket icon Kapil Dev Nikhanj, Ashok Malhotra, Chetan Sharma, and Dinesh Mongia are the products of DAV institution," Mr Talwar said.

VRV becomes the fourth Chandigarh fast bowler to don the India colours. He joined Kapil Dev, Yograj Singh and Chetan Sharma. (UNI)

BCCI chief says Bindra playing political game

"Everybody knows that bindra is into this habit. He is only playing a political game and nothing else," Mahendra, a staunch Dalmiya supporter said.

Bindra, who currently heads Punjab Cricket Association, has made a string of accusations against Dalmiya in a recent write-up posted on the PCA website which has ruffled the cricketing circles.

Mahendra said with the board elections due later this month, it was anybody’s guess why Bindra had chosen this time for his outbursts.

The BCCI chief refused to comment when asked if someone could have asked Bindra to make such comments but added that such utterances by a former board president would not do any good to Indian cricket.

He agreed with Dalmiya that Bindra’s remarks would only disrupt Ganguly’s focus as he attempts to make a comeback to the side.

Chairman of selectors Kiran More also refuted Bindra’s charges pertaining to selection matters.

On Bindra’s allegation that four of the five selectors reported to Kolkata for instructions, more told PTI, "let him (Bindra) say whatever he wants to say".

More refused to comment further saying he did not want to get involved in a war of words with the PCA chief. (PTI)

India need to test youngsters before World Cup: Chappell

Chappell saw the five-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in the fifth one-day international at the Sardar Patel Stadium here yesterday in a positive light.

"Look, we need to balance between winning and experimenting ... Had we won with this young side, the benefit for Indian cricket in the next 12-18 months would have been huge," Chappell said.

Having clinched the seven-match series by winning the first four matches, India rested its key players Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh.

The former Australian captain said the inclusion of youngsters — Gautam Gambhir and Rudra Pratap Singh who had been on the bench in the previous matches — was not for the sake of experimenting but was inevitable.

"You can’t get that experience unless you let them (the youngsters) make mistakes. We must be prepared to take that risk, so that we give ourselves a chance of winning the World Cup 2007.

"We have no choice. It is not a matter of whether will we or won’t we, we have to do it. Otherwise we will wake up one day and find ourselves surrounded by players with injuries and worn out.

"The energy the guys showed on the field, I don’t know if there had been a better fielding effort from the Indian team before," he said.

Chappell also had a word of praise for Virender Sehwag for his captaincy when Dravid was off the field receiving treatment for cramps and a hamstring strain during the most part of Lankan innings.

"Sehwag did well in the circumstances. He attacked when he had to attack and defended when he had to. We knew that we needed over 300 runs to put them under pressure but the team did well to push them to the extent they did," he said.

Skipper Rahul Dravid also echoed the coach and said it was not often that a team gets three inconsequential matches try out the youngsters.

"It was a chance to look at the younger players we have. We had won the series already, and it is not often that we get such opportunities.

"Now that we have them, we have to make use of them. It will strengthen the squad in the long term."

Dravid said his going off the field was a precautionary measure and there was no major injury worry.

"I felt a lot of cramps, and a bit of (hamstring) strain as well. Touchwood! I did not want to take any risk," the skipper said. (PTI)

India took flexibility theory to dangerous terrain

By Arjuna Ranatunga

Three key men did not play for India. Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh have been half of your team in this series. It took the flexibility theory to dangerous terrain. To aim for eleven faceless men in team is alright but it was akin to pushing an automobile onto the road without gas. Besides, to us it appeared you were cocky.

On paper, India can defend these changes. Gautam Ghambir had a terrific century, Rudra Pratap Singh kicked up bounce on a docile surface with his high-arm action and Sreesanth is naturally accurate. But how do you measure psychology in sport? I believe Indians went into the game thinking only a 300-plus total could save them.

They were aware this was their lightest bowling attack in years and batsmen needed to cover up for them. It led to mad scramble of the final overs. Batsmen were rushed and you lost out on 20-25 extra runs.

As for Sri Lanka, they have now seen an opening. Batsmen, but for Sanath Jayasuriya, have found their feet. It could have a critical bearing when they return for Tests.

They surely want to go with a 4-3 scoreline. It’s possible since India, I believe, would not abandon its experiments. If they do, they would look confused and weak. Besides, what do you tell these young men for resting them in the next match?

Gambhir for instance just cannot be put on the bench. When ushered into the party, he made sure he did not go unnoticed. He’s explosive but that’s besides the point. He knew the selectors could drop him to include Kaif for the final two games. He saw the booty and made a fistful of it. He would now get the final two games may be it’s Virender Sehwag who can handle his one-day blues from the sidelines.

Ironically, India was still better than Sri Lanka in one respect and it was because of these youngsters. I have never seen a better Indian fielding side than the one we witnessed in Ahmedabad.

Just count the number of times your boys hit the stumps. Suresh Raina was just not swooping on the ball for effect he was also gathering it clean and throwing precise.

I know the difference for I have seen some really, really average Indian fielding sides. For sometime you had Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja, then Robin Singh. Last few years, Yuvraj Singh and Kaif have spanned the entire spectrum of your fielding prowess. Now you have this generation next.

I have also never seen a more disciplined Indian bowling attack than the one seen in this series. If Ajit Agarkar, with a reputation of being profligate, can be precise you need to doff your hat.

Both Sreesanth and RP Singh gave nothing away. They did not experiment and bowled on one side of the wicket. They tried to exert pressure from both ends and that’s what bowling combinations should always strive for in this wonderful game. Cricket can be simple in its nuances but like all things simple, it doesn’t come easy.

It’s also time we start speaking for Rahul Dravid for the genial Indian skipper is modest to a fault. He gets less attention than say a Kevin Pieterson or a Brian Lara only because in the eye of the media, he is less flamboyant. But his has been a shining presence in the game and we need to acknowledge it everytime he scores a hundred like this one.

Such men are remarkable, who after a decade of cricket, do not lose even an ounce of passion. He has a maniac devotion to his craft but nearly always approaches it with humility. He has to be an inspiration in dressing room as he must be to thousands who flock Indian maidans.

Sri Lanka now need a Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vaas and Muthiah Muralitharan to leave an impact on the Indians. It would come handy in tests next month. They are world class competitors and their countless fans back home are hoping their prayers are answered. It would also restore the imbalance between the two sides. India has let the cat out of the bag and I suspect it hasn’t been a very bright move.

It sure is going to provide a stirring finish to the series. (PTI)