Yuvraj will not play the first Test: Kumble

NEW DELHI : Yuvraj Singh may have set the shorter version of the game alight to emerge as India’s middle order mainstay but the dashing left-hander would spend the first Test against Pakistan warming the bench with VVS Laxman in action, hinted captain Anil Kumble.

Addressing his first pre-match press conference as India’s Test captain, a forthright Kumble said it was unfortunate but Yuvraj would have to wait before he became a regular in the Test squad.

“It’s tough to leave him out. He is in tremendous form and is a quality player who is important for the side. But I guess he would have to wait a bit before he becomes a regular member of the Test squad.”

“It’s unfortunate but that’s the way it is. He is a great player and Indian batting would revolve around him in the coming years. He is a pillar of the side but I’m afraid he would have to wait a little,” Kumble said.

Yuvraj, so far, has played just 19 Tests, last being the match against West Indies in 2006.

He also dropped hints that left-arm spinner Murali Kartik may sit out on Thursday.

“I guess it would be me and Harbhajan (Singh) but we would finalise the eleven tomorrow.”

Kumble admitted the side was laid low with S Sreesanth and RP Singh ruled out of the tie, prompting the management to fly in Munaf Patel and ask Delhi pacer Ishant Sharma to quit his Ranji duty and stay with the squad.

“It’s unfortunate that both Sree and RP would miss the match but I think injuries are part and parcel of the game. Munaf has done well in the past and has been in good form in domestic cricket as well. Besides, we have asked Ishant to join the squad”, Kumble said.

“Though we would miss them, I think the side has the quality and depth to go out and win the match,” Kumble said.

Kumble, however, was upbeat with Mahendra Singh Dhoni recovering from the ankle injury he had picked up in Jaipur.

“Well, he looks fine and there seems no problem.” The veteran leggie was confident that his stint as the Test captain would start on a positive note on his happy hunting ground at the Ferozshah Kotla.

“Delhi has been nice to me personally and to the whole side as well. I’m looking forward to a great start here,” said Kumble, who scalped all 10 wickets in a Pakistan innings at the same venue in a memorable 1999 Test match.

Asked if having four skippers – Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni – would make his job difficult, Kumble begged to differ.

“I don’t think so. I have been playing with them for the last 18 years. I’m a positive person and I believe I would get inputs from them as well.”

Kumble also revealed getting inputs from Dhoni who has been in charge in the Twenty20 World Cup, followed by the ODI series against Australia and Pakistan.

“I had an interaction with him. Basically I wanted to know what happened in the last three months when I was not part of the side. As the captain and as a senior cricketer, my job is to share inputs and ensure Indian cricket moves on,” he said.

Kumble refused to read much into the pitch and said despite winning the ODI series, India could not afford to underestimate the traditional rivals.

“I would love to take pitch out of the equation. I mean as player, you do take a look. I think it’s a good, sporting track but instead of thinking about the track, we are planning to do well in the match.

“Pakistan is a good unit and we respect our opposition,” he said.

The visitors would rely on run-machine Mohammad Yousuf and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria to do well in the series and Kumble heaped praise on the Pakistani duo.

“Yousuf is a great player, he has been the most prolific of them over the last few years,” he said.

“Danish is an important bowler for them but I think we have quality batsmen to take care of him. I’ve seen him developing and it’s great to see a fellow leg-spinner doing well. I just hope that he does not do well in the next three matches,” Kumble quipped.

A veteran of 118 Test matches, captaincy came to Kumble at the twilight of his career but the leggie apparently has no complaints.

“It’s a challenge and being a positive person, I think whatever happens, happens at the right time. I think this was the right time for me to take up the challenge,” he said.

Asked if life had changed for him after being the captain, Kumble said, “Well, yes, I’m being asked more questions.”

On a serious note, he said, “On the field, nothing really changes. When I have the ball in my hand, all I’m thinking about is how to get a wicket. As captain, I would be pre-occupied with thoughts like when to bring the changes. So on the field, nothing has really changed.”

Chasing pack snaps at Federer’s heels

KUALA LUMPUR – World number one Roger Federer’s claims of invincibility mean nothing to Rafael Nadal and the Spaniard has vowed to hunt down his nemesis in 2008.

After winning the Masters Cup in Shanghai on Sunday, the imperious Federer warned his pursuers not to even try to rule the sport while he is still around. Nadal, soundly beaten by the Swiss in the semi-finals last week, refuses to give up in his pursuit of the top ranking, however.

“I have always tried hard and will continue to try hard,” Nadal told Reuters on Tuesday. “Sure, it is difficult to beat Federer now but if I try my best and work hard, I have a chance to beat him consistently.”

Nadal faces Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the Malaysian capital on Tuesday in a “Clash of the Titans” exhibition match as part of Malaysia’s year-long party to celebrate the country’s 50th year of independence.

Three-times French Open champion Nadal is in a rare position of leading Federer head-to-head, holding an 8-6 advantage over his rival.

INCREDIBLE FORM

However, six of those victories came on his favoured clay surface and only two on hard courts. At this year’s Masters Series in Hamburg, Nadal lost to Federer for the first time on clay.

World number eight Gasquet is also looking to unseat Federer and said the Swiss star is now ripe to be caught by a new generation of players including himself and Nadal.

“Federer is 26 and yes, he is in incredible form and appears to be unbeatable, but I don’t think he can get much better than he is now,” Gasquet told Reuters.

“I’m only 21, Nadal is also still young and players like us are going to catch up with Federer. We need to work really hard on our games but we can do it.”

Gasquet has one career victory over Federer when they met for the first time, at the 2005 Monaco tournament. However, Federer has won their past six matches, including this year’s Wimbledon semi-final.

Federer is also set to play in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday against former world number one Pete Sampras, who is coming out of retirement for the match.

Sreesanth, RP ruled out of 1st Test

Sreesanth and RP singh have been ruled out of the first Test against Pakistan beginning on Thursday in Delhi’s Feroze Shah Kotla ground.

Munaf Patel has been called up as a replacement.

Sreesanth has a sore shoulder while RP Singh who did bowl in the nets on Tuesday pulled out as he felt a little uncomfortable.

But the good news is that Mahendra Singh Dhoni is showing signs of improvement after twisting his ankle during the Jaipur ODI.

Dhoni, who has a new tatoo on his right bicep was in fact showing off his right arm at the nets.

He didn’t look in much discomfort as he worked with team physio John Gloster and fielding coach Robin Singh.

A decision on whether or not he will be able to play will be taken as late as possible. Dhoni told NDTV that even though he was in a little pain, he was feeling good.

Roddick to lead U.S. in Davis Cup final

NEW YORK (Reuters) – World number six Andy Roddick will lead the United States against 2006 champions Russia in this month’s Davis Cup final, the International Tennis Federation said on Tuesday.

As had been widely expected, Roddick will be joined by world number 13 James Blake and doubles specialists Bob and Mike Bryan for the three-day tie that starts on November 30 in Portland, Oregon.

The Americans, bidding for their first Davis Cup title in 12 years, are pinning their hopes on home advantage with the indoor surface at Memorial Coliseum.

“We love playing on indoor hard,” Blake said. “We’ve had some of our best results there.

“I think for Andy and myself it’s a great situation. We’re feeling really good and we know we’re going to have a raucous crowd on our side.

“I think the Bryans could play on Pluto and still be the favourites,” Blake added in a conference call last week. “We could put it on just about anything and I like their chances.”

The Russians, who beat Argentina for the title last year in Moscow, formally announced their team last week.

They will be represented in Portland by world number four Nikolay Davydenko, Mikhail Youzhny (19), Igor Andreev (33) and Dmitry Tursunov (34).

Team captains Patrick McEnroe of the U.S. and Russian Shamil Tarpischev have the option to substitue a player up to one hour before the start of a match. 

The Americans, hunting their first U.S. Davis Cup triumph since 1995 on clay in Moscow, will be hosting the final for the first time since they beat Switzerland in Fort Worth, Texas in 1992.

Battle of leagues shakes up Indian game

MUMBAI, Nov 21 (Reuters) – A battle between a rebel body bankrolled by the controllers of India’s largest listed media firm and the cash-rich Indian cricket board threatens to shake up the game’s biggest global market.

Two rival Twenty20 cricket leagues are preparing to go into action and have been vying to sign up big-name players from around the world. One is financed by Essel Group, which controls media firm Zee Telefilms, the other is organised by the board itself.

Essel are seen as challenging the board’s monopoly of the game in a cricket-obsessed country of 1.1 billion people which has the world’s fastest growing major economy after China. Their Indian Cricket League (ICL) six-team inaugural tournament kicks off on Nov. 30 in Haryana, home of former national team captain and the body’s executive board chairman Kapil Dev.

In April, the Indian board roll out their multi-million-dollar Indian Premier League (IPL) which has nearly 50 top international players in its line-up and is to be run in a money-spinning franchise manner.

The board will shortly call for tenders for the tournament’s broadcasting rights.

India, where cricketers are feted like pop stars, has the largest global cricket audience and multi-million-dollar sponsorship deals. The IPL has the patronage of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s governing body, and is intended to be part of a soccer-style Champions League, involving teams from several countries.

The high-profile IPL appears to have overshadowed the rebel league in the run-up to their launch. The ICL, however, is undeterred.

“That (IPL) tournament is six months away. There is no meaning in talking about it unless the tournament arrives,” Kapil told Reuters.

The crux of the battle is Zee’s disappointment at not being given Indian telecast rights in 2005 despite being the highest bidder, because the board felt they did not have sufficient cricket broadcasting experience.

Essel Group unveiled the plans for their new league in April when India’s cricketing morale was low following the first-round exit from the one-day World Cup in the Caribbean. Now, however, the Indian team is on a high after winning the Twenty20 World Cup in September and defeating Pakistan 3-2 in a one-day series this month.

The Indian media compared Essel chairman Subhash Chandra to Kerry Packer, the late Australian media magnate who shook the cricket system following a similar confrontation with the Australian board in the 1970s, though on a much larger scale.

The ICL, despite being refused recognition by the board, which also denied it access to affiliated facilities and threatened to ban domestic players joining it, has put together an impressive line-up, tempting players with financial perks and television stardom. 

ICL recruited batting greats Brian Lara of West Indies and Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq and brought in New Zealanders Chris Cairns and Nathan Astle, all recently retired. They also have on board a few ex-internationals from South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and England players such as Vikram Solanki, Chris Read and Paul Nixon who have turned out for their national team in the last year.

The remuneration is layered and the English players are reportedly being paid $150,000 for the six-week stint when the average annual salary in English county cricket is between $80,000 and $100,000, according to media reports.

The IPL boasts three times more prize money and the finest of present-day players from Australia’s Ricky Ponting to India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan.

Sources in the Indian board said that industrialists, English Premier League owners, a Hollywood actor and a Bollywood actor had shown interest in becoming franchise holders.

With pay cheques reportedly twice that of the ICL for centrally contracted players, organisers of the IPL lured Pakistan’s frontline batsman Mohammad Yousuf away from the ICL.

India media speculated that Lara might follow suit.

“The BCCI tried to do everything which could sway away players from joining the ICL,” Ashish Kaul, Essel Group vice president, was quoted as saying in the Indian media. “But the ICL will be a success.”

ICL to have two sessions of Twenty20

Essel Group backed Indian Cricket League (ICL) is planning to have two sessions of the Twenty20 cricket format, the first of which will begin on November 30 to December 16 at Tau Devi Lal stadium in Panchkula near Chandigarh.

Ashish Kaul , Head, Corporate Brand Development, Zee Entertainment Enterprises said that the second session would begin around March-April. “In one year there will be two sessions of Twenty20 cricket before moving on to 50-over matches and eventually test cricket. The second session (tournament) could probably begin in Chandigarh since we are beginning the first from here,” he says.

IL&FS, in an in-principle agreement, will also look into infrastructure management with ICL. This would entail the financial management company to look into building stadiums across the country.

“IL&FS is our partner and we have an in-principle agreement where the company will invest in building stadiums. We will announce a plan shortly in this regard,” Kaul said while adding that the formalities of the agreement are in the process and states across the country are being scouted for erecting stadiums.

Kaul adds that it does not make a difference whether the match is in Chandigarh or Mumbai since today the venue is electronic, also backs his group’s branding campaign says that the Rs 100-crore venture also plans to have R&D centres and training centres for cricket. In addition to this, cricket academies will come up in Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata.

“The research and development centres will come up after three sessions of the tournament. This will be solely for enhancing the technical capabilities of players,” says Kaul who also adds that the first centre may come up in Mumbai which will be eventually followed in all cities also. The training centres will act like camps or schools where players will be able to go back to get into form and improve their play. The cricket academies in turn will act as talent nurturers from where future teams will come.

The matches will be telecast live on Zee Sports in English while the Zee group will leverage its existing corpus of regional channels to give regional feed in other parts of the country.

“Primarily Zee Sports will show the live telecast in English but where people want to hear it in Telugu or Bengali, our regional channels will telecast the regional feed,” Kaul added.

With the focus on giving Indian cricketers a platform to play, women cricket associations have also been in talks with ICL. According to Kaul, the Women Cricket Association of Jharkhand has approached the ICL and proposed to have a full-fledged women’s cricket team.

Meanwhile, ICL ground campaign is taking place in six cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Kolkata. Players from six teams – ‘Mumbai Champs’, ‘Delhi Jets’, ‘Chennai Superstars’, ‘Hyderabad Heroes’, ‘Chandigarh Lions’ and ‘Kolkata Tigers’, visited the respective cities and participated in a host of promotional activities.

Kapill Dev, Executive board chairman, ICL said, “All the teams are geared for the upcoming tournament and practice camps are in full swing. These activities were planned in all the six cities simultaneously for the cricket lovers to meet and interact with their favourite cricketers and share some quality time with them. We are excited to see the support of the masses to their respective teams.”