Sunit Jangir

Sunit Jangir

413 Articles

As a Senior Editor at Sacnilk, Sunit Jangir leads our coverage on Indian cinema, box office analytics, and global entertainment trends. Passionate about Cricket, Sunit Jangir is an avid sports lover. He finds inspiration in other people's life stories and try to absorb them. Though introvert by nature, he doesn't feel shy when the topic is cinema and sports, particularly cricket.

Articles Written By Sunit Jangir

Sourav Ganguly thinks Australia's tour will be tougher this time but expects Virat Kohli & Co. to win
2158 days ago
Cricket

Sourav Ganguly thinks Australia's tour will be tougher this time but expects Virat Kohli & Co. to win

Former team India captain and current BCCI president, Sourav Ganguly is hopeful that Virat Kohli & Co. can repeat the 2018 success in Australia when the two most powerful teams will face each other later this year in the highly anticipated Test series. ## When India toured Australia previously in 2018, the Virat Kohli led side created history by winning the Test series down under for the first time. However, Ganguly expects a tougher challenge this time for Team India to repeat the same kind of success as Australia will be boosted by David Warner and Steve Smith's presence who were missing on the previous tour due to their suspensions. ## Speaking to India Today, the BCCI president said, "It is going to be a tough series. It is not going to be what it was two years back. It is going to be a strong Australia but our team is as good. We have the batting, we have the bowling. We just need to bat better. You know the best team overseas bat well. When we were so successful in England, in Australia, in Pakistan we were getting 400-500-600 in Test matches. I said that to Virat as well."## "Because you are Virat Kohli, your standards are high," he pointed out. "When you walk out to play when you walk out with your team, I don't expect you to just play well against Australia, I expect you to win. So you have to live up to the standards. For his captaincy tenure, this will be a milestone series - more than the World Cup". ## Ganguly also revealed that he has been communicating with the Indian skipper Virat Kohli on the need to stay fit with the players not having played since early March due to COVID-19.## "I have been in touch with him, telling him, 'you have got to stay fit. You haven't played cricket for six months, you don't want your fast bowlers to come back and get injured. They have been training, but training and playing cricket is different".## "You have got to make sure your best bowlers are ready for the tour and fit. Whether it's Shami (Mohammad), whether it's (Jasprit) Bumrah, whether it's Ishant (Sharma), whether it's (Hardik) Pandya, they have to be at the top of their match fitness when they land in Australia", he added. ## The India tour of Australia is scheduled to begin from October 11 with 3 T20Is followed by 4 Tests and 3 ODIs. The Border-Gavaskar test series will commence from December 3 and it will end on January 7 before ODIs taking place from January 12. ## Stay tuned...

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Asia Cup 2020 has been cancelled due to COVID-19, says Sourav Ganguly
2162 days ago
Cricket

Asia Cup 2020 has been cancelled due to COVID-19, says Sourav Ganguly

BCCI president and former India captain Sourav Ganguly said that Asia Cup 2020 which was scheduled to take place in Septemeber has been cancelled in the wack of Coronavirus pandemic. ## "Asia Cup has been cancelled," Ganguly said, without elaborating if this was a decision taken by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), in an Instagram chat with Vikrant Gupta.## Pakistan had the hosting rights of this year's Asia Cup but India was not willing to go to Pakistan and hence, it was decided to hold in the United Arab Emirates in September. The BCCI had already stated earlier that they have no problem Pakistan hosting the tournament as long as it was held at a neutral venue. ## "It's difficult to say which will be India's first international series. We've done our preparations but we can't do much till we know the government rules. We are not in a hurry because the health of players is of the utmost importance. We are monitoring things monthly," added BCCI president.## When asked about the possibility of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, Ganguly said, "(If the T20 World Cup gets cancelled) then we will try everything to stage the IPL. It is very important for Indian cricket. We will try to host it in India".## Stay tuned...

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Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and others wish MS Dhoni as former India captain turns 39 today
2163 days ago
Cricket

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and others wish MS Dhoni as former India captain turns 39 today

Former team India and one of the most successful captains in white-ball cricket, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has turned 39 today (July 7). Fans and sports stars including team India captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravi Shastri, and others across the country are pouring birthday wishes on the captain cool.## Here is what people have to say on MS Dhoni's birthday -## Happy birthday @msdhoni !May God bless you with good health and happiness in life.Have a great year ahead. pic.twitter.com/pGLRQYGzTh— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 7, 2020 ## Happy b'day Mahi bhai. Wish you good health and happiness always. God bless you 🙏😃 pic.twitter.com/i9zR4Zb5A3— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 7, 2020 ## Cooling off with Mr Cool. Happy birthday @msdhoni. pic.twitter.com/fZQgGGRcD4— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) July 7, 2020 ## Once in a generation, a player comes and a nation connects with him, think of him as a member of their family, kuch bahut apna sa lagta hai. Happy Birthday to a man who is the world ( Dhoni-ya ) for his many admirers. #HappyBirthdayDhoni pic.twitter.com/T9Bj7G32BI— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 7, 2020 ## Happy Birthday Youngster! Have an absolute blast Legend 🙏 #mahendrasinghdhoni #MSDhonibirthday #HBDDhoni #Dhoni pic.twitter.com/B4lzLbPAdt— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) July 7, 2020 ## A small try to make your birthday little more special. My best friend, teammate and captain, Happy Birthday Mahi Bhai @msdhoni Thank You @InsideCricket07 for making it happen. #HappyBirthdayDhoni pic.twitter.com/xfiakfh8Ai— IamKedar (@JadhavKedar) July 7, 2020 ## Happy Birthday @msdhoni sir. Wish you lots of happiness on your special day. Have a great day and an even more successful year ahead! 🙂— Smriti Mandhana (@mandhana_smriti) July 7, 2020 ## One man, countless moments of joy! 🇮🇳🙌Let’s celebrate @msdhoni's birthday by revisiting some of his monstrous sixes! 📽️💪#HappyBirthdayDhoni— BCCI (@BCCI) July 6, 2020 ## Wish you a very happy birthday Dhoni bhai. Have a good one! 😊@msdhoni— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) July 7, 2020 ## Wishing a very Happy Birthday to the Captain cool, @msdhoni.Hope to see you soon on the field with those helicopter shots 😄#HappyBirthdayDhoni pic.twitter.com/VVaWWVSNWu— Kidambi Srikanth (@srikidambi) July 7, 2020 ## Birthday greetings to the legend of the game @msdhoni bhaiya. #MSDhonibirthday #DhoniBirthdayCelebrations pic.twitter.com/TEBko7FfMB— Hima (@HimaDas8) July 7, 2020 ## 🏆 2007 ICC Men's T20 World Cup 🏆 2011 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 🏆 2013 ICC Champions Trophy Happy birthday to one of India's greatest captains of all time, MS Dhoni 🤩 pic.twitter.com/XWRlV63D36— ICC (@ICC) July 7, 2020 ## Stay tuned...

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AB de Villiers says Virat Kohli is more reliable batsman than him; picks his all-time IPL XI
2170 days ago
Cricket

AB de Villiers says Virat Kohli is more reliable batsman than him; picks his all-time IPL XI

Former South Africa captain and one of the best batsmen of all-time, AB de Villiers said that he is a better batsman than Indian captain Virat Kohli when it comes to changing the game quicker. However, he also said that Kohli is a more reliable batsman than him as the later likes to bat deeper in the innings. ## While talking to Harsha Bhogle on a Cricbuzz in Conversation episode on Wednesday, de Villiers said, "We take on different bowlers. I personally like to attack a little earlier, not to show weakness early on. I am earlier to the trigger. I want the bowlers to feel early on that it will be trouble if I’m allowed to bat for 5 overs".## "Virat is a more reliable batsman. He’s the one you want to bat for 15 overs. I am better in a way I could change the game quicker, have an injection that could swing the game. So together we are a nice combo", he added.## Also Read - Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers picked India-South Africa combined ODI XI ## AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli are two of the most successful players in the history of the Indian Premier League. Playing for the Royal Challengers Banglore, the duo has played some of the best knocks and has been involved in many great partnerships in the IPL. They are the only two players with two 200+ partnerships in the T20s.## It is not a secret anymore that Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers shared a great bond of friendship. They have often seen talking about how they enjoy batting with each other and enjoy each other's company. De Villiers also believes that Kohli would belong to the category of great batsmen because of how he raises his game when his team needs him to bail them out. ## Harsha Bhogle also asked him to pick his all-time IPL XI and not to forget to pick himself. De Villiers, while picking his team, named MS Dhoni to lead his all-time best IPL XI and the reason he gave for picking Dhoni as captain that Dhoni is one of the most successful skippers of all time in the white-ball format.## For openers, the star batsman picked Virendra Sehwag and Rohit Sharma while Virat Kohli will be at number 3 followed by himself at number 4. Among the bowlers, he picked Kagiso Rabada and Jasprit Bumrah along Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rashid Khan. ## Here is AB's complete team: Virendra Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, MS Dhoni (C & WC), Ben Stokes, Ravindra Jadeja, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada. ## Stay tuned...

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Top five players with the longest one-day international cricket careers
2174 days ago
Cricket

Top five players with the longest one-day international cricket careers

On June 26, 2020, former team India captain Mithali Raj has completed 21 years of her international cricket career. She began her journey with a sublime hundred on debut against Ireland in 1999 and her juggernaut is still going strong even after 21 years. ## Mithali Raj has the longest international career among the women player and only woman with 20+ years of career. But when it comes to an ODI career, Mithali is right up there after the legends Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya. ## Here we are taking you through top 5 players with the longest ODI career whether its men or women:## 1. Sachin Tendulkar (22 years, 91 days) - Sachin Tendulkar does not need any introduction. The man who inspired the current generation to make a career in cricket has the longest runs in the one-day internationals. He started his ODI journey on 15 November 1989 against Pakistan at Jinnah Stadium which lasts long for more than 22 years as his last ODI outing came also against Pakistan at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka. During his long ODI career, the master blaster played 463 ODIs and scored 18426 runs at an average of 44.83. To get those runs, he scored 49 hundred including a double hundred against South Africa and 96 half-centuries. The legendary batsman broke many records in his career and left many to break in which a few are, the highest number of matches, the highest number of runs, most hundred and half-centuries. ## 2. Sanath Jayasuriya (21 years, 184 days) - Arguably one of the greatest batsmen Sri Lanka has ever produced, Sanath Jayasuriya was naturally an attacking batsman who liked to dominate bowlers from the very first ball. The left-hander took the crease for the first time on 26 December 1989, almost a month after Sachin Tendulkar began his ODI journey against Australia at Melbourne which ended on 28 June 2011 against England at Kennington Oval. He played 445 ODIs and scored 13430 runs at an average of 32.13 with 28 hundred and 68 half-centuries. ## 3. Mithali Raj (21 years, 00 days)* - The only current player with more than 21 years of career, Mithali Raj has been one of the greatest woman cricketers in the history of cricket. She started her journey with a sublime hundred on debut against Ireland on 26 June 1999 and still going strong. Mithali was just 16 and a half-year-old when she made her ODI debut which was going to be written in history books. So far, Mithali Raj has played 209 ODIs and has scored 6888 runs at an impressive average of 50.64 with 7 hundred and 53 half-centuries. The former India captain is the only player among the top 10 leading run-getters in women ODIs to have 50+ average. She is also the most capped woman ODI player. Mithali has a real chance to break Sachin's record for the longest ODI career as she is eyeing 2021 world cup and beyond. ## 4. Chris Gayle (20 years, 288 days)* - Naturally an attacking batsman, Chris Gayle has been a revolution in ODI cricket. He may not look technically a good batsman but his hand-eye coordination and ability to hit the ball hard is enough to threaten the bowlers. He made his ODI debut against India on 11 September 1999 at Toronto CSCC and has played 300 ODIs so far in which he has made 10480 runs at an average of 37.70 with 25 hundred and 54 half-centuries. Gayle is one of the two players who has scored a double hundred in the world cup. ## 5. Javed Miandad (20 years, 272 days) - A batting maestro who scripted a few unrealistic victories for Pakistan, Javed Miandad was a synonym of spirit and spunk in the Pakistan cricket. Miandad will forever be remembered for his six off the last ball of Chetan Sharma in the Austral-Asia Cup final in Sharjah in 1986. He made his ODI debut against West Indies on 11 June 1975 at Edgbaston and played 233 ODIs and scored 7381 runs at an average of 41.47 with 8 hundred and 50 half-centuries. His last ODI outing came against India in the 1996 world cup at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Miandad has been hailed as one of the best batsmen Pakistan has ever produced. ## Note - stats as of 26 June 2020.## Stay tuned...

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The interesting and unheard facts about Team India's 1983 World Cup campaign
2175 days ago
Cricket

The interesting and unheard facts about Team India's 1983 World Cup campaign

The year 1983 was a pathbreaking year for the Indian cricket when Kapil Dev's boys pave the way for the next generation to take up the sport. The 1983 World Cup was just the third edition of the tournament. The first two World Cups were won by the mighty West Indies and was aiming to make the hat-trick. ## India truly dominated the tournament winning 6 out of 8 matches including the final at the Lord's. India had only 183 runs to defend to win the title which at the halfway stage was looking very difficult but the inspired bowling performances had not only helped India to defend the target but also helped to win by a fair margin of 43-runs. 28 years later, the MS Dhoni brigade repeated history, as Captain Cool launched the winning six into the Wankhede stands. ## The interesting thing about the 1983 and 2011 World Cup is that we know everything that was there to know about the 2011 World Cup but it was not the same with the 1983 World Cup. There were a lot of things that went unheard about the tournament as the information was not so easily available in 1983. ## Here are top 10 of the interesting and unheard facts about the Indian team that won the tournament in 1983 - ## 1. When the Indian team was leaving for England to play the World Cup, they were without a coach, doctor and even a physiotherapist.## 2. In the absence of a designated coach, it was Mohinder Amarnath who shouldered the responsibilities. Along with Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar, he decided the batting and bowling order of the team.## 3. Kapil Dev scored a brilliant 175 against Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, the match wasn’t recorded as the BBC was on a strike that day.## 4. Talking about the betting going into the World Cup finale, India’s odds were placed at 66:1. Tells you a lot about the dominant position India was in during the tournament.## 5. When Sir Vivian Richards was tearing apart the Indian attack in the final, Madan Lal went up to Kapil Dev and said to him, 'You give me the ball. I have earlier dismissed Vivian Richards and I can do it again'. And the rest, as they say, is history.## 6. Sandeep Patil had broken his ribs two weeks before the tournament but still, he traveled to England and played fearlessly in the tournament.## 7. During those days, a player was paid around Rs.12,500 for every match. But after the World Cup win, the BCCI announced a prize of Rs.2 lakh for the entire team. However, Sunil Gavaskar refused to accept the money. ## 8. When the news of India’s victory reached veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar, she organized a music concert for the Indian cricket team. The money received from this concert was distributed among the 14 Indian players, with each player getting Rs.1 lakh.## 9. Before the tournament, Wisden Cricketer Monthly editor David Frith had written that he will eat his words if India wins the Cup. After a reader pointed it out, Firth literally ate his own article and published a picture of it in his magazine. ## 10. Before the 1983 World Cup, India had won only one match in the previous two World Cups (1975, 1979). ## Stay tuned...

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Sreesanth eying on IPL return; turns to noted NBA coach Tim Grover for guidance
2177 days ago
Cricket

Sreesanth eying on IPL return; turns to noted NBA coach Tim Grover for guidance

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth is eying on the Indian Premier League season 2021 as he will be available to play the professional career again after completing his 7-year ban in September 2020. The 37-year old Kerala speedster has already begun practicing with the Kerala U-23 and Ranji players. ## The pacer has turned to renowned NBA coach Tim Grover, who has worked with the legendary superstars like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant to resorting his guidance to remain mentally fit. He stated that his day begins with Grover's online mental conditioning classes before turning up for an extended indoor nets session in Ernakulam. ## "Grover was one of the biggest names in the NBA. I attend Grover's online sessions from 5.30 am to 8.30 am thrice a week. In the afternoon, I train from 1.30 pm to 6 pm at the indoor nets in Ernakulam with a lot of Kerala U-23 players and Ranji Trophy players like Sachin Baby," Sreesanth told PTI. ## "I am bowling three hours for six days a week. First two hours with the red ball and final hour with the white ball. So, I guess around 12 overs I am bowling every day to build stamina," he added. ## Sreesanth was one of the most promising pacers of India. It was only in 2013 when he was being charged for alleged involvement in spot-fixing during the 6th of IPL which led to his life ban by BCCI only to chopped down to seven years on the advice of the Supreme Court of India. ## During the time of his ban, he has always tried to prove that he was not involved in the fixing saga. Now, the Kerala pacer believes that he can prove people wrong who accused him of spot-fixing by returning in the IPL 2021. ## When he was asked about his chances of an IPL return, he said, "I will put my name for sure (at the auctions) if I am performing well, which I think I will. There are teams that will be interested and I have always told myself that I will again play IPL. That's where I was thrown out and I will make sure I am back on that platform, win matches".## "The only place through which I can give an answer (to the corruption charges) is through IPL even if I play for India. I want to face the fear and that's the only way to live life," he said. ## "Most of my fear was about what people would say when I play my next cricket match. I am sure all those people will realize what I went through and who are behind it. Everything will come out sooner or later. I will make sure that I have that much performance to get picked".## Stay tuned...

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Father's Day 2020: Virat Kohli has a heartfelt request to everyone on the occasion of Father's Day
2179 days ago
Cricket

Father's Day 2020: Virat Kohli has a heartfelt request to everyone on the occasion of Father's Day

Today the world is celebrating Father's Day as a mark of respect to their respective father for their sacrifice and contribution to one's life. People are posting pictures with their fathers and sharing heartfelt notes to pay tribute on this occasion. ## Team India captain Virat Kohli, however, took to Twitter and urged people to be grateful for the love of their father. Sharing a childhood picture of himself with his Dad, Kohli wrote, ## "This father's day, I urge you all to be grateful for the love of your father but always look for your own path to move forward in life. You'll never have to look behind because they're always watching over you wether they're physically there or not. Happy father's day."## This father's day, I urge you all to be grateful for the love of your father but always look for your own path to move forward in life. You'll never have to look behind because they're always watching over you wether they're physically there or not. Happy father's day 😊💛 pic.twitter.com/q7pCR3KGSy— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 21, 2020 ## FYI, Virat Kohli's father died on 18 December 2006 due to a stroke. Remembring his father, Kohli once had said in an interview, "I've seen a lot in life. My father was my biggest support. He was the one who drove me to practice every day. I miss his presence sometimes."## Stay tuned...

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Top 5 fielders with the most number of catches in the IPL history
2181 days ago
Cricket

Top 5 fielders with the most number of catches in the IPL history

Fielding used to be one of the most underrated things in world cricket. But ever since T20 cricket has introduced, the fielding standards have gone to a different level all-together. Nowadays, the fitness level of the players has no match and the fielders are capable of pulling the superman efforts in the fields. ## There is a phrase 'catches win matches' which is perhaps more relevant these days than ever before. Fielders are always on their toes and do not hesitate to make acrobatic efforts to convert half-chances into full. The Indian Premier League is being one of the best T20 tournaments in the world has only raised the standard of the fielding where we have seen some stupendous fielding and catching efforts over the years. ## Here, we are bringing you the top five fielders with the most number of catches in the history of the IPL. let's have a look (list does not include wicket-keepers) - ## 1. Suresh Raina (102 catches) - The key player for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, Suresh Raina is one of the best fielders India has ever produced and helmed amongst the best in the world. Perfectly suited for the shortest format, Raina is getting better with age. Leaving the spectators in owe with his stupendous skills in the field, he has taken some of the great catches for his franchise Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Lions over the years. With 102 catches in 193 matches, Raina has taken the highest number of catches and sitting comfortably at the number one position. Known as Mr. IPL for his all-round ability, the 33-year old is the second on the list of players with most runs in the IPL with 5368 runs.## 2. AB de Villiers (84 catches) - AB de Villiers over the years has proved that he is not only a great batsman but also a fielder who has changed the course of the game with his superhuman efforts in the fields. He is one of the few players whose fitness is next level. With 84 catches in 154 matches for Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the South African is at number 2 among the top fielders in the IPL. He is one player the current generation looks up to him as an idol. AB with his incredible fielding and catching has shown the world how important fielding is in cricket. ## 3. Rohit Sharma (83 catches) - Not termed as one of the best fielders in the world, but one can trust his safe pair of hands when he is on the field. A very elegant batsman and pleasing to watch, Rohit Sharma has shone many times that he too can grab catches out of nowhere. With 83 catches in 188 outings Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians, the Mumbai Indians' captain is in top three among the highest catch takers in the tournament history. Often termed 'lazy' while batting, Rohit is improving catching skills and getting better in the field with each passing day. Talking about his captaincy, he is the most successful captain in the IPL with 4 titles to his name for Mumbai Indians. He is also one of the most successful batsmen and is on number among the leading run-getters. ## 4. Kieron Pollard (82 catches) - A typical current West Indian player who believes in hitting the ball long at the same time remain on top when it comes to fielding. Kieron Pollard might have had off days with bat and ball but when he is on the field, he hardly had disappointed his team. From stopping the unstoppable to pulling off one-handed screamers at the boundary rope, Pollard has been one of the most impressive catchers in the history of the IPL. The 6 feet 4 inches tall has taken 82 catches in 148 matches for Mumbai Indians. With his power-hitting and part-time bowling skills with an incredible athleticism in the field, Pollard has been a vital player for Mumbai Indians over the years. It will be very hard to replicate some of his catches even for the best amongst the best. ## 5. Dwayne Bravo (74 catches) - One of MS Dhoni's trusted players in the IPL, Dwayne Bravo has never left a chance to entertain the fans with his smirky dance moves along with taking some of the breathtaking catches at the boundary line. Very much similar to Pollard, Bravo has made some of the most difficult catches look effortlessly easy. With 74 catches in 134 matches, the 36-year old Trinidadian is on the fifth place among the players with most catches in the IPL. A very effective batsman lower down the order and one of the leading wicket-takers in the T20 cricket, Bravo has been a valuable asset for every team he has played. ## Stay tuned...

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I was lucky to have the team's support in battling mental illness: Mohammed Shami
2182 days ago
Cricket

I was lucky to have the team's support in battling mental illness: Mohammed Shami

One of team India's leading pacers Mohammed Shami has had his share of ups and downs in his career in which he went through a life-threatening knee injury and the domestic violence allegations that have not only affected his personal life but he also went into depression and had suicidal thoughts. However, even after all this, he has always been able to bounce back and doing great things for Indian cricket. ## Now, the 29-years old opens up about the importance of mental health awareness, support from his family and teammates, the COVID-19 effect on his village, and bowling with Jasprit Bumrah in an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times. ## Excerpts:## How have you coped with absolutely no cricket in the last three months?## Well, I have been staying at my home in Sahaspur village in Amroha the entire time. I have constructed a small academy where I have been training. My younger brother Mohammed Kaif, who is also a fast bowler like me and plays in the Bengal U-23 team, also trains with me. I have taken the fitness schedules from the team physio and doing everything I can to attain fitness standards international cricket demands. I have been lucky that way that I had my own ground to keep myself fit.## You recently mentioned contemplating suicide when you were going through a difficult phase in your domestic life. Can you take us through that phase? How did you deal with it?## Depression is a problem that needs attention. It was unfortunate to see such a brilliant actor like Sushant Singh Rajput lose his life. He was a friend and I wish I could talk to him had I known about his mental condition. In my case, my family pulled me out of that low phase. They took care of me and made me realize that I needed to fight back. There were times I felt suicidal but my family ensured I was never alone. Someone or the other would always be around, talking to me. Spirituality also helps you seek answers. Talking to your close ones or counseling is the best way out.## How difficult is it to deal with mental demons while performing at the top level? How did the team support you during that phase?## Mental pressure definitely interferes with your physical wellbeing. At the same time, if you seek help from others and talk about it, you can get rid of such issues off the field. I was lucky to have the team’s support staff along with Virat Kohli and other players backing me. We are like a family. My teammates always insisted I vent my anger and frustration out on the field. I am happy that phase is over.## Tell us about your village. How has the pandemic affected it?## Around 5000 people live here. And they were struggling to make a living during the lockdown. My family and I tried to help them as much as we could. We have been providing food to the poor. I think that’s the least humanity we can show in these troubled times. My grandfather (Mohammed Anis) and my father (Mohammed Taufeeq) have a legacy in this village. Our family has always served the people.## How has it been bowling alongside Jasprit Bumrah in different formats?## I am lucky to have Bumrah bowling from the other end. His accuracy and pace are just spot on. We talk a lot off the field and on the field too. We understand each other’s strengths and adjust well according to the conditions. Bowling alongside him actually works quite well for me. When the batsmen are trying to negate his pace, I come into the bowl and surprise them with my swing. Bumrah is a tremendous bowler and I learn a lot from him.## Irrespective of the format, you almost always raise your game when needed. How do you do that?## The aim is to keep calm and just focus on bowling a correct line and length. When you do so and not take extra pressure, results come automatically. Test cricket is the most challenging. When you take wickets on the fourth or the fifth day for your team, the feeling is amazing.## India will play a Test series in Australia in December. How are you planning for it?## I don’t plan much for the future. I had a great Test series against Australia back in 2018-19. I enjoy bowling on Australian pitches and putting pressure on the batsmen. We will have to see what kind of pitches are prepared and then plan accordingly.## Stay tuned...

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I had a madness of being ahead of Muralitharan one day: Ravichandran Ashwin
2183 days ago
Cricket

I had a madness of being ahead of Muralitharan one day: Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the finest off-spinners India has ever produced. His willingness to learn different things and look ahead of the game makes him a stand out performer. However, things were not the same at the beginning of his career. He had to work hard in the first-class cricket before he was picked by MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League in 2008 that changed his life forever. ## However, before becoming MS Dhoni's go-to man, the captain cool had a little idea about the then Ravichandran Ashwin who was looking to make his impact on the big stars like Matthew Hayden or Michael Hussey and the captain MS Dhoni himself. ## Talking to Harsha Bhogle in the episode of Cricbuzz in Conversation, Ashwin said, "The first thought that entered my head was that I will show these people who I am."## "I don't know if it's bullish or if its arrogance. People can talk and relate it to so many things but that's just the way I was. If I bowled to Hayden in the nets, I wanted him to play me and go back and think, how am I going to play this guy in the nets the next day. That's the impact I wanted to leave. Nobody was giving me a chance in hell to say ok Ashwin will play alongside Muralitharan or ahead of Muralitharan," he added. ## At the time when the great Muthiah Muralitharan was at his peak and was the first choice spinner of CSK, Ashwin used to thought that he could go ahead of Murli, such madness he had back then. ## "Murali is one of the greatest bowlers to have walked this planet. I thought I'll get there ahead of him one day, it was a madness of my head. Surely it was also a madness of the process I'd put myself through."## It might have seemed madness at that time, but Ravichandran Ashwin has somehow proved himself by becoming one of the leading wicket-takers in the world today, also equalling Muralitharan's feat of becoming the joint-fastest to take 350 wickets in just 66 Tests. ## Stay tuned...

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Virat Kohli shouldn't compare his level of intensity with other players, says Gautam Gambhir
2185 days ago
Cricket

Virat Kohli shouldn't compare his level of intensity with other players, says Gautam Gambhir

Former team India opener Gautam Gambhir has said on Monday (June 15) that Virat Kohli may have scored so many runs and have broken many records but as a leader, Kohli has a lot to achieve. ## While speaking to Star Sports’ Cricket Connected, Gautam Gambhir said, "You can keep scoring your own runs. There are people like Brian Lara who’s got so many runs. People like Jacques Kallis who have won nothing, Virat Kohli, at the moment, has won nothing to be honest, as a leader.”## “He has a lot to achieve. He can keep scoring his own runs. But for me, in a team sport, till the time you don’t win those big trophies, you will never be considered... probably you will never fulfill your entire career,” Gambhir further said.## Gambhir also said that there are players in the team who can never match Kohli's intensity as a player. He advised Kohli that he should not compare his intensity with the other players to bring out the best of them. ## “He’s different from the rest. Probably a lot of other people might not have the same ability that Virat Kohli has. As a leader, the most important quality which he needs to have is to start taking players as they are. Don’t compare them, or don’t compare their intensity to his intensity. Because every individual is different.”## “Mohammed Shami can never be Jasprit Bumrah. Or Ishant Sharma can never be Jasprit Bumrah. Or KL Rahul can never be Virat Kohli. For that matter, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, all these guys probably can never match to Virat Kohli’s intensity, and talent as well,” Gambhir said.## “But how to get the best out of them, and figuring out those situations will help him, and prepare him the best for the world titles, and that is only when they can actually win it,” he added.## Virat Kohli's record as captain is quite impressive but he yet to win an ICC trophy. He led India in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy where India lost in the final to Pakistan while in the ODI World Cup 2019, India reached in the semi-final only to lose against New Zealand. Besides, Kohli is yet to win the IPL title as well despite his exceptional record as a batsman.## Stay tuned...

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