Tendulkar not finished yet, feels Manjrekar

Sachin Tendulkar’s vulnerability against full-length deliveries in the New Zealand series may have raised a few eyebrows, but Sanjay Manjrekar, a former Test batsman and Tendulkar’s teammate, feels the days of batting maestro at the highest level are not yet over.

“To me, the way Tendulkar got out in his three innings against New Zealand does not suggest by any stretch of the imagination that he is finished as an international batsman,” he said.

“I will stand by what I’ve said all along about Tendulkar — that his run-making at the international level will stop only when he stops playing. Until then, he may not dominate as he used to but he will still be a good enough batsman to get runs at the highest level, and to add value to the Indian team, especially in Test cricket,” he told cricinfo.

Tendulkar, 39, was clean bowled three times out of three in the just-concluded two Test-series between India and New Zealand, triggering a spate of negative comments. Even Manjrekar and Sunil Gavaskar, who were doing television commentary when Tendulkar was bowled in the first innings of the second Test, questioned his lack of foot movement.

Now, Manjrekar says Tendulkar still adds value to the batting line-up and must be part of the team in the four-Test series against England at home.

Also a Mumbaikar like Tendukar, Manjrekar argued that the maestro was not the first one to have struggled with full-length deliveries.

“I have seen with great players as they age that it’s the full delivery that seems to bother them more than short ones. Short balls land on the pitch well before full- length ones do, so their mystery is revealed to the batsman earlier,” he pointed out.

“Watching a ball from the point of release to almost right under your eyes is not easy to do. Great batsmen do it as a matter of habit, but with age they have to remind themselves to keep doing it right through their innings.”

Manjrekar felt that Tendulkar was aware of the difficulties an ageing batsman has to face and he will soon find an answer to it.

Dhoni leaves curators fuming

Bangalore: Although India wrapped up the second Test against New Zealand in four days, the Chinnaswamy Stadium wicket got rave reviews from former cricketers sitting in the commentators' box.

The sporting wicket, which had some moisture throughout due to overcast conditions and lack ofsunshine, set up an exciting Test match that swayed either way throughout.

But despite coming on top of the see-saw battle, India skipper MS Dhoni wasn't exactly happy with the wicket, or for that matter the one at Hyderabad where the Kiwis found themselves in a spin.


"One definite area where we would like ourselves is playing on tracks that turn. That's something we didn't get in the series," Dhoni said after helping wrap up victory.

By saying this, he seems to set an agenda for the biggest contests that lie ahead, against England and Australia, and the kind of wickets he would like to pin down the rivals.

After all, India were thumped 0-4 by both sides on seamer-friendly tracks.


Demand justified
Former India all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar saw nothing wrong with Dhoni's demand. "He is a shrewd captain. He knows his strength, which is spin, so, why not? He is justified in asking for such tracks."

It should be noted that spinners took 31 of the 40 wickets in this short series and a couple of Kiwi players contradicted Dhoni saying that the Hyderabad pitch did afford a lot of turn. Bangalore helped seamers and Tim Southee grabbed seven-wickets in the first innings, but R Ashwin was also delighted that the pitch afforded bounce and made him more effective.

Angry lot
However, Dhoni's comments have left one important lot unhappy - the curators.

"The wicket, especially the one in Bangalore, was praised by everyone. He (Dhoni) is probably asking for a rank turner, and we can't give it," said a senior curator.

"The ICC will dock us, the match referee or the opposition team will send a note to ICC. You know what happened in Delhi (in last year's Test against West Indies). I think Dhoni should be happy they beat New Zealand in four days."

The wicket is the host association's prerogative, and the president of the Karnataka association is spin legend Anil Kumble. Ahead of this season, a lot of talk was around how India should replay Australia and England.

Dhoni wants to make it really tough for them. Even Gautam Gambhir had pitched in for a tit-for-tat policy.

The curator, however, says, "They didn't give bad wickets in Australia or England. It was the failure of our batting. Some like the one in Sydney were completely flat and had very little for the bowlers."

The picture will be clear when England take guard for the first Test in Ahmedabad in mid-November.

Rustiness not reflexes cause for dip in Tendulkar's form

Mumbai: From 2008 to April 2011, when the ball was pitched full and the drives were flowing, any error in line was met with a fierce cut or an elegant flick. It was a period when Sachin Tendulkar was at his best.

It was only natural that he was expected to carry on in the same vein when he returned from a break after the World Cup win at home. He had raced away to 99 hundreds then. When he didn't get runs in a flood, it was blamed on the pressure of the 100th hundred.

For those who had thought the floodgates would open after he finally got to the mark in March this year, they have been surprised that it hasn't.

After all, the Kiwis should have been easy meat for the man with 100 hundreds.

Returns of 19, 17 and 27 have been a puzzle. At 39, scrutiny is inevitable as everyone is looking for signs of ageing, especially when he remains the only player of his era who is still playing at the top level.

However, it is early to jump to the conclusion that his meagre return of 67 runs in three innings is about slowing reflexes. To give him the benefit of doubt, the manner of his three dismissals looked a case of technical issues caused by rustiness which can happen at the start of the season. Most of the players in the India versus New Zealand series came with a series behind them (the Kiwis versus the West Indies and the Men in Blue vs Sri Lanka), Tendulkar was playing after the Indian Premier League, which meant an almost three-month gap.

In every innings, a batsman, like a tennis player, subconsciously ends up making small changes in his game like grip, back-lift, which can be ironed out as you spend more time in the middle.

Tendulkar is guilty of committing the same mistake twice. Last season too he went straight into the England series without any match time under his belt and he did the same this season.

Hence, it's his next four innings against England which should provide a clear indication of the cause, whether the poor return is due to ageing or rustiness.

Tricky situation
It's a tricky situation for Tendulkar. At his age, he has to get the balance right and the amount of load he can put on his body. At the same time, he will need to spend enough time in the middle to get into rhythm and be at the top of his game.

In preparing for the season-opening series, he had intense training sessions for a month at the Mumbai Cricket Association's indoor academy at Bandra and the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.

But he will vouch that to get into the right frame of mind, the bowling machines and net practice cannot replicate the experience of facing a bowler with a slip cordon in place.

It's where you get the shot selection right.

Rustiness again will be the challenge before his next assignment. Except the Champions League Twenty20, he hardly gets to play any cricket before the England series in mid-November.

At 39, age is a factor, and from a great player he's been reduced to a good player. He will not dominate a pace attack like he did against Australia at Perth or South Africa at Newlands in the 1990s. But he could be an effective contributor with the bat while adding value to the dressing room by helping the team tide over the transition phase.'

Pujara, Kohli fill void left by India greats

Mumbai: Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli's exploits with the bat in the two-Test series sweep of New Zealand will encourage India to believe they have pinpointed the right men to help carry the team through a tricky transitional period.

The series was the first for India since the retirements of batting stalwarts Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, and represented the earliest test of a situation that had been lurking on the horizon for quite some time.

The 24-year-old Pujara replaced Dravid at the number three spot in the Indian batting line-up and displayed a temperament as cool as his predecessor when he hit 159 in the opening match in Hyderabad, his first Test since January 2011.

On Monday in Bangalore, the right-hander showed fine technique and a steely nerve during his innings of 48 which helped set up India's successful run chase of 261 in the second Test.

The 23-year-old Kohli, man of the match in Bangalore, walked in to bat in the second innings with India under a bit of pressure and the match evenly poised. It was almost an identical situation to the first innings when Kohli had to rescue the hosts from a spot of bother with his second Test hundred.

The first innings centurion once again shut New Zealand out with a mature, unbeaten knock of 51 which convinced Dravid that Kohli was now India's leading batsman.

"Virat has been fantastic. On current form, he is the best batsman in the Indian team. He has really grabbed the opportunities provided," Dravid said while speaking as a guest commentator for the broadcasters.


India will host higher-ranked England and Australia for eight Tests later this season and the series against New Zealand was seen as a prelude to the tougher tasks ahead.

While those matches will be the acid test for Kohli and Pujara, the early signs bode well for the two batsmen.

"Virat played really well in this Test match because we needed someone to soak up the pressure," India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said after the match.

"He was the guy who did that in both the innings. Pujara was good in this innings as well as in the last test also. So it is a continuous learning process and they are shaping up well. It is a big positive for us."

Number Six

India's biggest concern remains over the number six position in the batting order.

While limited-overs regular Suresh Raina enjoys Dhoni's confidence, he failed to cement his place with two failures in the three innings he batted against New Zealand.

The left-hander scored a battling 55 in the first innings in Bangalore but his wild swat to get bowled for a duck against off-spinner Jeetan Patel in the second will not go down well with his critics.

"These are the men we have to fight the war with because you have put in a lot of time and effort on these players," Dhoni said, hinting he was willing to stick with Raina little longer.

"It's not that in just one or two games you see players who will always perform. I think these are the individuals who will be featuring in the test matches. They have to take up a little more responsibility as the season progresses and hopefully they will come right."

Swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag has in recent times not ruled out the idea of batting in the middle order, another option for India to plug the hole at the number six spot.

Ajinkya Rahane, who has tons of runs in domestic cricket, could fill in for Sehwag at the top of the order with left-hander Gautam Gambhir.

Gambhir, who has not scored a fifty in his last seven innings in tests, looked in fine touch in the second innings in Bangalore before he poked at an away-going deliver, a shot which has been his bane in the recent past.

End of the road for Sachin?

It looked as if it was waiting to happen. A rare sight which is fast becoming a common one — stumps all over the place and Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar walking back amid the ruins.

Since the time Sachin took guard on Monday, with India at a precarious 83 for two chasing 261, New Zealand knew what exactly they needed to do to get rid of the world’s best batsman.

The plan was set — attack the stumps, and Sachin’s defence would be breached. Twice in the series, the master blaster had been bowled through the gate.

A hat-trick followed in the second innings of the Bangalore Test. Fast bowler Tim Southee crashed through Sachin’s defence and was fittingly rewarded with the prized wicket. Not one to let emotions get the better of him, it was uncharacteristic of Sachin to lift his bat in rage with the intention of almost smashing it to the ground.

On his way back to the pavilion though, he pulled himself back and shook his head.

Sachin faced 34 balls and hit five fours for his 27, but all the while New Zealand bowlers kept the ball up to him, making him play every delivery.

They waited patiently for Sachin’s defence to fall apart. After 78 minutes of battle in the middle, Sachin caved in, setting tongues wagging it is time for him to retire.


Senior cricketers have also started suggesting that Sachin should call it a day. Captain of the 1983 World Cup winning team Kapil Dev said: “From what we have seen in the last three months, he (Sachin) should have announced his retirement after the World Cup ( 2011) or even earlier.

It's important to know that every cricketer has his time. Having served India for 22-23 years, there surely is no greater cricketer than him. But he should have announced his decision to retire from the shorter format soon after the World Cup.” Sunil Gavaskar and Sanjay Manjrekar wondered whether age has made Sachin slow on his feet after he was clean bowled in the first innings of the Hyderabad Test. When his stumps were shattered for the third consecutive time on Monday, Abbas Ali Baig felt Sachin was perhaps overconfident.

Ajit Wadekar, also a former coach of the Indian team, said it was wrong shot- selection that caused his dismissals. “He seems to be going through a bad patch,” Wadekar added.

So what ails Sachin’s batting? Is it the fact he has not scored a Test century in 24 innings, spanning more than a year? Or is there something wrong with his technique? Or is it, if someone dare ask, a mental thing? Fact is that Sachin’s last century came in January 2011, against South Africa in Cape Town, and since then he has got out twice in 90s and once in 80s.

And he has hasn’t scored a half century in the last seven innings.

Sachin has ruled out retirement as of now. Even if he is thinking about his future, he hasn’t shared it with the media so far.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly felt the little master’s presence was justified in the team. “Sachin knows when he has to retire. He is just going through a lean patch as he is playing after quite some time. There is no dip in his ability. He cannot be judged in just three innings. And he is obstructing no youngsters’ entry into the team,” he said.

If the captain’s words make any difference to a player’s performance, Sachin has every reason to believe Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Backing the senior- most player in the team, the India captain said: “The good thing is that whenever people talk about Tendulkar’s form, he comes up with a brilliant performance and I’m waiting for that. I don’t really get worried about that.”

Clarke says Australia proud of win over Pakistan

Captain Michael Clarke on Tuesday praised a professional Australia on foiling Pakistan's bid to win a limited over series, saying the players were really proud of their performance.

Australia edged out Pakistan by three wickets in a hard-fought third and final match here early Tuesday, preventing their rivals from winning a limited over series for the first time in ten years.

Australia won the first match here by four wickets before Pakistan levelled the series with a seven wicket win in Abu Dhabi.

The victory meant Australia, who had fallen to world number four in one-day rankings, bounced back after their 4-0 thumping by England in a one-day series in July.

"The feeling around the group is great, especially after losing 4-0 to England," said Clarke. "The guys should be really proud of this series. It was a tough victory against a very good one-day team."

Australia successfully chased down a challenging 245-run target on the back of contrasting half-centuries from Michael Hussey (65) and Glenn Maxwell (56 not out), overcoming a serious threat from off-spinner Saeed Ajmal who took 3-37.

Australia not only combatted the spin well but also the sapping heat and perturbing humidity during all three matches, with the temperature rising to 35-plus even though the start to the matches had been delayed to 6:00 pm in the evening.

"We worked really hard before coming on this series. We were up in Darwin as a team and worked hard against spin bowling. We found conditions so different to what we tried to prepare for up in Darwin, especially in the heat.

"I've never played in heat like this, in humidity like this. The most pleasing thing is the whole series was won by the whole team, it wasn't one individual player."

Clarke said the team combination was important.

"As captain of this team and the Test team it's important for me to have a mix of youth and experience. I think that showed. You saw Maxwell, who is young and hasn't played too much cricket go out and play his natural game."

For Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq it was a third one-day series loss, after going down to England and Sri Lanka.

"I think we have to improve in every department of the game, especially we have to find the right combination of fast bowling and also we have to improve our batting and fielding," said Misbah.

Pakistan dropped as many as four catches and a stumping, the most costly of which was Maxwell when dropped by Azhar Ali off paceman Junaid Khan on 34.

Pakistan also wasted good starts in batting in the first and third matches.

"At important stages of the game we collapsed in batting and we have to make good use of batting power-plays," said Misbah, who will not be part of the Twenty20 squad.

Pakistan and Australia play three Twenty20 matches -- all in Dubai -- on September 5, 7 and 10.

'Ageing' Martin still 'rallying point' for young Kiwi pace attack, says captain Taylor

Wellington: New Zealand captain Ross Taylor has said veteran fast bowler Chris Martin, who has led the Kiwi pace attack for almost a decade, still has an important part to play in their current set up despite a number of young quicks making their mark.

The Black Caps suffered yet another defeat in the longer version after losing to India in the second and final Test match of the series at Bangalore.

The five-wicket beating nonetheless, saw them put in an improved effort following a horror show at Hyderabad, where the team lost out by an innings margin.

The renewed fight was built on the back of strong bowling contributions from a trio of young pacers in Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell.

Excited by the future of New Zealand cricket, Taylor still sees Martin as an important member of the side and one who could help youngsters take advantage of his experience and knowledge of the game.

"With young fast bowlers, they need someone to learn off. There are going to be times in the next few months when Chris will play and there will be times when he might not play at all," Stuff.nz.com quoted Taylor, as saying.

"He's obviously a very experienced person and he's willing to give his time. He knows where he stands in the team, he's still got a part to play," he added.

Virat was superb with the bat: Dhoni

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni praised Virat Kohli for showing "excellent temperament" during their tricky yet successful run-chase against New Zealand in the second Test in Bangalore.

"Virat was superb with the bat. There are two ways to tackle the pressure. Either you fight through it or you just soak in it, and I believe Virat really batted well. He showed excellent temperament," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

India were in trouble after losing three quick wickets, but Kohli and Dhoni put on a good partnership and stayed till the end to see the team through. Speaking about the pitch and the conditions, Dhoni said it felt like the Indians were playomg at Napier.

"It seemed as if we were not playing in Bangalore but in Napier. Ashwin and Ojha combined well and they were ably supported by Zaheer and Umesh. There was something for the bowlers in the pitch. The New Zealanders got a bit more purchase from the wicket but our spinners were brilliant," Dhoni stated.

Man of the match Kohli, said the situation when he came out to bat was a tricky one. "It was a tricky situation when I went out to bat. Me and MS decided that we would target 10 runs at a time and it worked for us."

Asked about the areas of batting that he has worked on, Kohli replied, "I needed to be more patient and it worked. There was more turn (on offer) today and it was a great wicket."

Ravichandran Ashwin was named the Man-of-the-Series for his haul of 18 wickets from the two Tests. He conceded that it was a difficult job to get wickets on the track that was on offer in Bangalore but felt that variation in pace did the trick for him.

"This pitch was a bit more challenging. I tried to alter the pace on the third day; it was a bit more docile. I enjoy bounce, that's one of the important ingredients I require from a pitch," Ashwin said.

He was also appreciative of Pragyan Ojha who complimented him well through out the matches. "I have always maintained the he is a very good bowler. We share a long association. We have been together for around 16-17 years and Ojha really, he compliments me well. I am happy that he got a five-for in the first innings," he said.

New Zealand captain Ross Taylor hailed his team for putting up a good fight in the second Test after facing an innings defeat in the first Test at Hyderabad. "We had our chances. The boys really showed great character to come back from a terrible Test in Hyderabad."

He added that the Kiwis had a good chance of winning the match when India lost a few quick wickets and gave credit to Kholi and Dhoni for they way they rescued the home team out of trouble.

"They lost five wickets for 50 runs in the first innings and once we got three quick wickets during the second innings we believed we were in with a chance. But the way Kohli and Dhoni batted was outstanding," he said.

Taylor was happy with the Bangalore pitch, saying it offered a bit for everyone. "You can't ask for more in a Test pitch. It had a bit of bounce and also spun towards the later half of the Test."

The Kiwi skipper was all praise for pacer Tim Southee, who took a career-best 7/64 in the first innings. and said played to certain standards which they maintained to an extent.

"We came with some standards to maintain, which we did in patches. We have learned a lot from this series and hopefully we can comeback a better team," Taylor said.

Dravid lavishes praise on Kohli

Former captain Rahul Dravid showered praise on second Test hero, Virat Kohli, saying on current form he is the best Indian batsman. Dravid added that he has been following Kohli for a long time and that his talent and ability was never under question.

"Virat has been fantastic. On current form, he is the best batsman in the Indian team. He has really grabbed the opportunities provided," said Dravid.

"I have been following his career since his U-19 days. As he was a part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore set-up, I have seen him closely. His talent was never questioned but he had some issues regarding mental discipline," he added.

"When you watch a young player first, you would like to see him again after a period of three or six months. You would like to find out whether he has worked on his mistakes or not. That gives you an idea as to what they are learning."

The former India skipper added that Kohli has learnt from his mistakes and that has made him a much better player.

"But I am glad he has learnt from his mistakes and has come up as an improved batsman. He earlier had issues about short-pitched stuff but he has now improved a lot," the veteran of 164 Tests stated.

Dravid named Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Manoj Tiwary as players who have the ability to make it to the Test grade.

"Rahane is a very talented batsman. His first few years with Mumbai Indians were tough as they had a strong batting line-up but he came to Royals knowing well that he would get chances and he made full use of those chances.

"At the end of the day, it's the playing time that is important for young players. You can learn a few things sharing the dressing room but you actually learn the bigger things when you are there in the middle."

Kohli, Dhoni save the day

BANGALORE: India's old failings surfaced momentarily, but were quelled in time as they pulled off their fifth-highest Test match pursuit to beat New Zealand by five wickets here, on Monday. Set a target of 261, the home side suffered from a clutch of quick dismissals, twice over, and were tottering on 166-5 before Virat Kohli (51*) and skipper MS Dhoni (48*) sealed things with a timely, unbeaten 96-run stand.

The 2-0 series win was hard achieved, especially after New Zealand had removed the cream of the batting order following following a racy start by the Indian openers. Virender Sehwag (38) and Gautam Gambhir (34) started with a rollicking 77-run stand and after their dismissals, Cheteshwar Pujara (48) and Sachin Tendulkar (27) tided over a testing period before lunch to steady the boat with a partnership of 69 runs.

A few overs after the early tea break - necessitated by a drizzle - both Tendulkar and Pujara were dismissed, and Suresh Raina's horrendous departure meant that India were half the side down, still 95 adrift. But Kohli and Dhoni saved the day with their purposeful association, garnering a much-needed series win ahead of a long home season.

Kohli, who scored his second Test century in the first essay, interspersed his circumspection with some gorgeous cover drives off the Kiwi seamers. As the target approached, Kohli went ballistic, creaming three boundaries off Tim Southee to bring up his fifty. Dhoni was, well, his customary practical self, shovelling for runs when they didn't come in any other way. With five needed, Dhoni ended things the way everybody's come to expect of him - with a six bludgeoned off Jeetan Patel.

Kohli (103 & 51*) was named Man of the Match, while R. Ashwin (18 wickets) was declared Man of the Series.

Sehwag-Gambhir come good

India had cleaned up New Zealand for the addition of just 17 runs - a lead of 261 - in the morning and began hastily through Sehwag, who put faith again in his innate instinct to attack, and Gambhir. Trent Boult and Tim Southee shared the new ball, and India stole a boundary in each of the first eight overs. Gambhir started the rampage and even outscored Sehwag 32 to 15. The southpaw had struggled with his footwork of late, but was particular severe on Boult in his first spell.

He launched assertively into half-volleys and dropped back to slash marginally short ones. A brace of boundaries off Bracewell gave Gambhir-Sehwag their first 50 partnership in 12 innings. Then Sehwag took over. He smacked three fours in a Bracewell over, including a spanking straight drive, and when Jeetan Patel came on with his off-spin, thwacked a six over long-off.

Another four off Patel - a vicious slash past point - was to be Sehwag's last hurrah. On the next ball, he charged wildly down the wicket, missed the line, and was bowled for 38, leaving India at 77-1, requiring 184 more to win.

Sehwag's dismissal subdued Gambhir. The Delhi opener was on 33 off 38 balls when he lost his partner, After that, he added just one in 20 balls, as Boult returned for a markedly improved second spell. Gambhir had played chancily at the ball shaping away, and it was one such Boult delivery that finally consumed him following a wild slash - caught by Ross Taylor at first slip.

The Kiwis tightened things in the last half-hour of the first session, conceding just 11 in the last 8 overs. Pujara and Tendulkar endured a testing session to the break. Boult had bowled Tendulkar in the first Test and this time too posed serious questions to the master, who survived a close leg-before call minutes before lunch. From the other end, Bracewell beat Pujara's outside edge, and India went into the break at 88 for two, needing 173 more for a win.

Pujara consolidates

Pujara's preferred method of tackling the short ball was gloriously displayed immediately after resumption. Boult and Bracewell were either banging it in short or lobbing juicy half-volleys, and Pujara was adept at handling both. He took a brace of fours each off Boult and Bracewell- hooking, pulling, slashing - and reducing the target to under 150.

First innings hero Tim Southee was introduced shortly. He didn't give too many, nor did he threaten. Tendulkar got going with a four pushed through cover off Bracewell, his first boundary, and paddled Patel from outside off to the fine leg fence. On the next ball, Patel had the maestro squared up at the crease, as the ball fell harmlessly in the vacant silly point region.

Tendulkar then turned back the clock with successive boundaries punched through the off-side off Southee, and later in the same over - when more width was provided - Pujara followed suit through cover. The target had been rapidly pulled back to 114 when a drizzle comes down, the Pujara-Tendulkar pair having added 64 to wrest back the initiative.

Kiwis strike, Sachin bowled again

New Zealand hit back with three key wickets in the final session, after the rain delay. In the second over since resumption, Tendulkar gained a streaky four between slip and gully off Southee, but the bowler struck on the next ball, scrambling the seam, getting one to shape in, and flattening the great man's middle stump after grazing the pad.

This was Tendulkar's third bowled dismissal in as many innings this series and, with scores of 19, 17 and 27, outcries for his superannuation are sure to rise again. Six runs later, Pujara fell to Patel and some stunning catching by Daniel Flynn, who ran hastily back from short-leg and held on to the ball through a dive.

Before a salvage act could be put in place, Suresh Raina, having played 10 balls for no score, was the fifth man out when he was bowled attempting a horrible hoick against Patel. Half the side gone, and 95 to win, and the perfect men for the job - Kohli and skipper MS Dhoni - out in the middle.

Kohli got off the mark off the 16th ball he faced, with a boundary off Boult, and was composed throughout the duration of his stay, despite Southee trying his best to get into the batsman's hair. Dhoni played and missed, and then missed some more, before finally driving Boult through cover for his first boundary and top-edging Patel all the way for six over long leg. The two increased their pace frenetically as the target approached and eventually took India home.

NZ cleaned up

Earlier, New Zealand resumed on a lead of 244 and added 17 to it before the last wicket fell. India had to wait five overs for success, and it came in the form of a questionable decision.

Patel, who had struck spirited boundaries off Zaheer and Umesh to take the lead north of 250, was adjuded caught behind off the left-arm paceman when there appeared to be a sizeable gap between bat and ball. But umpire Ian Gould apparently thought otherwise and raised his finger after some serious thought.

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batsman Kruger van Wyk, who had been struck on the arm by Umesh Yadav on Sunday, was ruled out of the match. Brendon McCullum kept wicket in his stead, while BJ Watling replaced van Wyk in the field. India were thus set a target of 261, which was chased down and recorded as the highest successful chase in Tests in Bangalore.

I like playing under pressure: Kohli

Bangalore: Virat Kohli rues that a lapse in concentration cut short his innings on Sunday, but nevertheless he is happy to have scored a century.

Speaking at a media conference at the end of the third day’s play, Kohli, who scored 103, revealed that he likes playing under pressure.

The following are excerpts

Feelings on getting a century

It’s always satisfying to get a hundred in Tests. Getting my maiden Test hundred in Adelaide against Australia earlier this year was also special… I think what makes the experience (of scoring a hundred) all the more satisfying is that when you’re being tested as a batsman, when your patience and technique are being tested, it always pleases you if you get a hundred.

If he regrets his dismissal

It was a bit unfortunate that I could not make it a big one... That was the only delivery in my innings when I didn’t look at the bowler’s hand… (Tim) Southee bowled cross-seam and I played for the away moving one. There was a lapse in my concentration. But it’s a lesson for me… Hopefully, when I cross that 100 mark next time, I will not lose my concentration.


The difference between batting at No.3 (in ODIs) and No.5 (in Tests)

It’s very different… The mindset that you need is different, if you’re batting in the top three… You’re ready to go in and be a part of the action. Batting in the middle-order is different. You might be in at the 10th over or you might come in at 200 for three. You might remain padded up for long hours, so you need to concentrate for long hours even before going in to bat.

On whether he has brought about a change in technique

Yes I have... In the first Test, I played too many attacking shots because we hadn’t played any practice match and we were playing a Test after seven months. Personally, I thought it was difficult to adapt suddenly. And then we batted first too. Unless you have played some practice games, you seem to be in a hurry at times. So, I worked on that aspect before this game.

Failure of the Indian top-order

I like playing under pressure … It is under the pressure situations when you have the opportunity to score more runs because the bowler attacks you more. The field is always open. Since the bowler attacks your stumps, it becomes easy for you to strike the ball.

Whether the scale is tilted towards India after the third day’s play

We didn’t start the day well… But now that we look back on the day, after taking nine wickets, we’d like to think that the scale is certainly tilted in our favour, because there are still two more days to go. Today, what would have played in their minds was that they have to score a big total or else we would have it easy. I think they could not handle this pressure. Tomorrow [Monday], our first target will be to wrap the New Zealand innings. Then, we will have a lot of time to chase down the score.

On what would be the key on Monday

I think patience will be key... When you have a lot of time, you don’t have to think about the target. You need to play calmly.

On how the wicket will behave on the fourth day

I don’t think that the wicket has anything in it… Their seam bowlers have bowled well. I think the freshness of the wicket that stays for about an hour at the start is the only factor that we have to deal with if we dismiss them early. The important thing is we have to apply ourselves and show character.

The crowd support

It’s very important for cricketers to have people cheering you. It could help you in situations where things are not going in your favour… If the crowd’s behind you, things could turn around pretty quickly.

Tendulkar slow on feet, says Gavaskar

Bangalore: Is age finally catching up with Sachin Tendulkar? Twice in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand, Tendulkar was caught on the crease, and his stumps were rattled.

When he was bowled through the gate for a second time on Saturday, there were quite a few voices in the commentary box that felt the master batsman’s footwork was to be blamed.

Sunil Gavaskar and Sanjay Manjrekar, who were on air when Tendulkar was dismissed by paceman Doug Bracewell, felt that the master batsman is not taking a big enough stride and is getting stuck on the crease.

To Bracewell’s credit, he pitched the ball up despite being hit for a four down the ground off the previous ball. On that occasion, Tendulkar showed the full face of the bat to an over- pitched delivery.

Bracewell altered the length a bit in the next delivery and Tendulkar tried to play it across the line through midwicket, as the ball swung back and found its way through the gap between bat and pad.

“He is not taking that big stride forward,” remarked Gavaskar.

Manjerakar agreed with the observation even as the two discussed how Virat Kohli, who is going through a purple patch, has been showing exemplary foot movement.

Inadvertently, Tendulkar scored a half-century he would have loved to avoid.

It was the 50th time that cricket’s most decorated batsman was castled.

However, former Test wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani felt that it was not proper to criticise Tendulkar.

However, a veteran radio commentator felt that Tendulkar’s reflexes were slowing down.

“Age is probably telling on him. It seems he is not as quick to play his shots as earlier,” he told Mail Today.

There is no questioning the fact that Tendulkar, who now has a Test run-tally of 15,506 runs, has played right through his career under immense pressure of expectations from his legion of fans. He has enthralled them on innumerable occasions, but has also disappointed them at times.

Tendulkar has found the going tough since the high of the World Cup. In 13 Tests which included the disastrous trips to England and Australia, Tendulkar has scored 814 runs at an average of 35.39, a far cry from his career average of 55.18.

There has not been a single Test century from the master’s blade since January 2011.

In 10 ODIs that Tendulkar has played since the World Cup, he has scored 315 runs at an average of 31.5. There was a long wait of a year before he completed his century of centuries against lowly Bangladesh in Mirpur.

Tendulkar has cut down on his ODI appearances and has been focusing on Tests. He maintains that he is still enjoying his cricket and would continue to play as long as he feels motivated. His longevity has been such that he seen almost two generations of players retire before his eyes.

Even Bracewell’s uncle, John, a former New Zealand off- spinner, dismissed Tendulkar in a Test way back in 1990.

I’m getting better by the day: Raina

Bangalore: Suresh Raina believes that the key to India’s success lies in doing well in the first session on the third day of the second Test.

“I think the there wouldn’t be a big change in the pitch tomorrow (Sunday). So, it will be important that Virat (Kohli) and (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni carry on their good work tomorrow (Sunday) morning… They need to make sure that they have to see off the new ball. If they can manage to do that, we could have a big total at our hands. Getting a competitive total is very crucial to our fortunes.”

Raina scored a half-century in Tests after a year. Asked whether there was any pressure on him to do well, he said: “I didn’t do well in England last year and I didn’t get a chance to play until the first Test against New Zealand. During that period, I played a lot of domestic matches and performed well. Now, that I’m back into the Test team, I’m seeing this as an opportunity to score as many runs and cement my place in the side. I would like to become a permanent member of the Test side, I think I’m getting better by the day,” he said.

Raina went to bat with the score on 80 for four. Partnering Virat Kohli, he put on 99 runs for the fifth wicket stand. Asked about their strategy, he said: “I went in the middle with a positive frame of mind. Whenever I got the ball in my area I made sure to hit it… I tried to do a (Ross) Taylor… He really went after our bowling the other day… So I wanted to follow the same style."

“We looked to play positively and decided to play the balls according to their merit… At that time, Tim Southee and Trent Boult were bowling well and getting reverse swing. So, it was important to hang in there.”

The duo scored a lot of runs off spinner Jeetan Patel. Raina said there was no conscious plan to attack him. “Virat asked me to stay calm and play my natural game… He felt that if we hit him too much, Ross might replace him. At the same time, he told me to keep the scoreboard ticking.”

Raina said it was disappointing to get out in the same manner for the second time in the series. “It’s unfortunate for me to get out twice in the same manner, I’m very disappointed.”

Raina rallies India in New Zealand Test

Suresh Raina led India's recovery with an impressive half-century on the second day of the second and final Test against New Zealand in Bangalore on Saturday.

The left-hander hit one six and eight fours in his unbeaten 51 as India reached 168-4 in their first innings at tea in reply to New Zealand's 365. He was on 48 when stumped off a no-ball from off-spinner Jeetan Patel.

India were struggling at 80-4 before Raina and Virat Kohli (33 not out) put on 88 for the unfinished fifth-wicket stand to steady the innings. Kohli has so far hit one six and four boundaries in his 67-ball knock.

New Zealand's fast bowlers troubled the Indian batsmen in overcast conditions, with Tim Southee taking two wickets in the morning and Doug Bracewell striking twice after lunch.

Southee removed opener Gautam Gambhir (two) and Cheteshwar Pujara (nine) in his sharp opening spell, while Bracewell dismissed Virender Sehwag (43) and Sachin Tendulkar (17) in his successive overs.

Gambhir, dropped on one by Brendon McCullum in the slips off paceman Trent Boult, failed to make the most of the chance as he was bowled offering no stroke to a delivery that came in.

Pujara, who scored a solid 159 in the last Test, was caught by Boult at long leg while hooking.

Opener Sehwag fell immediately after hitting Bracewell for a four in the opening over of the afternoon session, caught by Daniel Flynn. He cracked eight fours in his 60-ball knock.

Bracewell then got a big wicket in his next over when he bowled Tendulkar to put more pressure on the hosts, who are leading 1-0 in the two-match series after victory by an innings and 115 runs in the first Test.

Raina counter-attacked to ease the pressure, hitting Bracewell for three successive fours and then smashing Southee for two boundaries in an over. He also struck the first six of the innings, off Patel.

India's left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha earlier finished with 5-99, his third haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings, as New Zealand added 37 runs in 8.4 overs to their overnight total of 328-6.

Fast bowler Zaheer Khan was the first to strike when he had Kruger van Wyk (71) caught by Raina in the slips.

The New Zealand wicket-keeper added just eight runs to his overnight score of 63. He cracked nine fours in his maiden Test half-century and added 99 runs for the seventh wicket with Bracewell (43).

Bracewell, who was unbeaten on 30 on Friday, was run out after scoring 13 runs in the morning while Patel was caught by Gambhir at third man off seamer Umesh Yadav.

Ojha ended the innings when he trapped Southee (14) leg-before.

Zaheer finished with 2-83, while Yadav and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin each took one wicket.

Laxman happy with his decision to retire

Bangalore: A fortnight after suddenly deciding to retire, V.V.S.Laxman looked absolutely relaxed on landing here on Friday, ahead of Sunday’s felicitation by the Anil Kumble-headed Karnataka State Cricket Association.

“I’m happy... I’m comfortable with the decision I’ve taken,” Laxman, always the gentleman, told The Telegraph.

Wife Sailaja nodded, adding: “I’m very happy... I’m saying it because, now, I see him very happy... From what I can make out, he’s not missing cricket.”

They’ve been married for eight years.

Laxman did want to watch either the third or the fourth (and final, as it turned out) day’s play of the first Test, in hometown Hyderabad, but couldn’t.

“We’d set out on the third day, but it began to rain rather heavily... Then, the next day, both children (son Sarvajit and daughter Achintya) fell ill... For the first time, they found me at home when they weren’t well and I didn’t want them to feel bad,” Laxman explained.

If it’s not on Saturday, Laxman will definitely be at the Chinnaswamy on Sunday, the third day of the second and final India versus New Zealand Test.

India did a good job with the ball: Ojha

New Zealand came up with a good performance with the bat and thanks to Ross Taylor's aggressive hundred and Kruger van Wyk's solid fifty, were comfortably placed at 328/6 at stumps on Day 1 of the second Test in Bangalore. But left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha felt that the Indians did a good job by picking up 6 wickets on a pitch that was not much of a help to the bowlers.

"Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin and myself supported each other well to pick wickets. Getting six wickets on a pitch which did not help bowlers is a good boost to the bowlers' confidence," Ojha told reporters at the end of the day's play.

Martin Guptill was put down early by Virat Kohli off Zaheer Khan and the opener went on to score a half-cetury. Ojha said had the catch been taken, it would have been a different story.

"Zak [Zaheer] bowled superbly in his first spell. There was one catch dropped, and if that had been taken then it would have been a different story as at that time the pitch was doing a bit."

Ojha, who picked up four of the six wickets to fall, said he was not surprised when Dhoni asked him to bowl the first over of the match. "I was told before the toss that I will be bowling the first over and I was ready for it. There was some moisture on the wicket in the morning and Dhoni decided to use it to India's advantage by asking me to open the attack."

New Zealand opener Guptill mentioned that the visitors will be looking to score in excess of 400 on Day 2 and put the pressure on India.

"The contest from here on would be interesting if my team put 400-450 on the board and pick a few wickets early on because there is a bit of swing and seam on this wicket. If we do that it will be great," he said.

Guptill said the team came out with a positive frame of mind and that worked well for his side. "Ross (Taylor) showed some excellent footwork. We got some interesting balls early on but we were able to get over it. We got enough boundaries that took the load off us," he said.

Offence is the best defence, says NZ captain Taylor

REUTERS - Attacking the Indian spinners is the best possible way to survive against them, according to New Zealand captain Ross Taylor.

The visitors lost by an innings and 115 runs in the first test in Hyderabad with the Indian spin duo of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha sharing 18 of the 20 wickets.

New Zealand were bundled out for 159 and 164 in their first and second innings respectively and need to tackle the spinners better if they are to avoid a whitewash in the two-test series.

"It's never easy when you lose a test by over an innings," Taylor told reporters on the eve of the final test in Bangalore.

"We need to forget about it as quickly as possible, talk amongst the group and find ways of playing Ashwin and Ojha.

"We have to be brave and courageous and attack them and hopefully put pressure back on them.

"And when we attack them, there hopefully won't be many men around the bat."

Ashwin picked up 12 wickets while Ojha bagged six as the match finished within four days in Hyderabad.

But Taylor ruled out making any hasty changes for the second test.

"We gave them faith in the first game and we're going to give them a go in the next game as well," Taylor said.

"We didn't play as well as we would have liked, but this is another opportunity to show how good we are as a team."

Taylor's counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni will just try to stick to the tried and tested formula that worked perfectly for them in Hyderabad.

"We don't need to be overconfident... and whatever we did right in the first test, we have to repeat everything and try to stick to the basics and keep things simple," Dhoni said.

This is the first test series for India post the retirements of batting stalwarts Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman and the hosts chose Cheteshwar Pujara and Suresh Raina to fill the vacant spots in the batting order.

While Pujara scored his maiden test hundred, Raina, who averages under 29 in the 16 tests he has played so far, could score only three.
Dhoni threw his weight behind left-handed batsman, who is an integral part of India's one-day side.

"He has played just one game after Laxman has retired, so we have to give a fair amount of time to every individual who becomes the part of the side," Dhoni said.

Rain threat looms large over Bangalore Test

As on Wednesday, rain, and not New Zealand, looked the biggest threat to prevent India from winning the two-Test series 2-0.

Almost throughout the day, it rained intermittently — it has been raining here for the last few days, and the forecast is not encouraging either: the weatherman says showers and thunderstorms are likely in the next few days.

Before and between the showers over the M Chinnasawamy Stadium on Wednesday afternoon and evening, the Indian and New Zealand teams got just enough time to eke out practice sessions.

New Zealand, trailing 0-1 in the series, had a session in the morning when Daniel Vettori, who has been ruled out of the Test series with a shoulder injury, also turned his arm over, though gingerly.

Although the turf at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), housed within the stadium, was damp, the Indian team had a long practice session in the afternoon, with Sachin Tendulkar having two stints, both as diligently as ever.

The pitch should not be affected as it was extensively covered. The damp weather may play a role in influencing the teams’ combinations.

It is expected that spinners would again rule the roost, but if the weather remains like this the two captains — Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ross Taylor — may be forced to re-think about their XIs.

On Wednesday, players worked on their bodies and bats. While Tendulkar, watched by a few young NCA trainees from close quarters, polished a few shots all alone in the nets after a long and proper stint against teammates Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma, Gautam Gambhir got his back massaged by the physiotherapist.

Tendulkar’s long stint also seemed to have made Anil Kumble, former captain and now president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, who probably wanted to meet him. After his first stint, the maestro went to the empty net where he made someone throw balls from less than 22 yards. Soon people gathered at the back of the nets to see the 39-year-old veteran prepare diligently for his 190th Test match.

Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored his maiden Test century in the first Test, too was as serious as Tendulkar. Before and after his stint, the new No. 3 batsman chatted with coach Duncan Fletcher and his seniors – all along looking as studious as Rahul Dravid used to be at the net practice.

Like his consistent scores, Pujara, who is seen as an ideal replacement for the Bangalore-based Dravid, has been the scourge of bowlers using the same prolific blade of his for a while.

"The weight of my bat is around 1170-1180 gms. Though I am not too sure about the exact weight, it is around that. I have not changed the weight for a couple of years,” Pujara told Mail Today.

The Indian team’s practice session had some familiar guests. Leg-spinners Amit Mishra and Rahul Sharma, who are at the NCA at the moment, joined the lone leg-spinner in the Indian team, Piyush Chawla, at the nets.

Spin, of course, remains the flavour of the series, with R Ashwin terminating the Kiwis’ flight with a career-best 12-wicket haul in the first Test in Hyderabad that India won by an innings and 115 runs to go 1-0 up in the series.

On the other side of the fence, New Zealand are now realising how important Vettori is for them to be competitive at the international level.

Even though the left-arm spinner is expected to play only two Twenty20 Internationals after the Tests, he is clearly guiding the younger players in the team with his vast experience of playing on helpful Indian pitches.

Apart from bowling for New Zealand he has also represented Delhi Daredevils and Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League. And he would know the M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch like the back of his hand as it is the home of the Royal Challengers.

Captain Cook surprised by speed of Test ascent

He might have been the heir apparent for more than a year but Alastair Cook insisted he'd been taken aback by his elevation to the England Test captaincy following Andrew Strauss's retirement on Wednesday.

Cook insisted he had no idea his Test match opening partner was considering not just giving up the captaincy but quitting all cricket, until told on Tuesday of his fellow left-hander's decision.

Asked if his elevation to the job he'd long been tipped to inherit had come earlier than expected Cook, who replaced Strauss as England's one-day captain following the latter's one-day retirement after last year's World Cup, replied: "Yes I think it has. It's been a bit of a strange 24 hours for me personally."

"I'm incredibly proud to be sitting here now as captain of England," said the 27-year-old Essex batsman, who scored a century on his Test debut against India in Nagpur in 2006.

"It's a huge honour for me. I'm very excited about the challenge."

Strauss was one of England's most successful Test captains winning 24 of his 50 matches in charge and leading the side to home and away Ashes series wins.

The Middlesex batsman, who took charge in 2009, also guided England to the top of the world Test rankings -- a position they lost to South Africa after the Proteas completed a 51-run win in Strauss's 100th, and as it turned out, last Test at Lord's earlier his month.

"Obviously I've got huge boots to fill following Straussy," said Cook. "He's done an incredible job. Speaking for the players, it was a sad dressing room when we found out.

"I think that speaks volumes for Straussy and what he has done for the side."

If England had an obvious replacement for Strauss as a captain, the question of Cook's opening partner when England play their first Test under their new skipper in India in November is far from clear-cut.

"You take people for granted don't you?," said Cook, who deputised as England Test skipper when Strauss was rested from the 2010 tour of Bangladesh.

"Andrew's played 100 Test matches and scored 7,000 runs. It feels like all my England career I've walked out to bat with him. That's a huge hole to fill and that's a huge compliment to Andrew Strauss."

Cook, who saw England's run of 10 straight wins in completed one-dayers end with Tuesday's 80-run defeat by South Africa in Southampton on Tuesday, added: "We've got India away and we've got two Ashes series in the next 18 months.

"We have got a lot of cricket to play and hopefully I can do a good job."

The closing weeks of Strauss's time as England captain were overshadowed by the controversy surrounding his predecessor Kevin Pietersen, undoubtedly the most talented of England's current batsmen.

Pietersen has been in England exile since the drawn second Test against his native South Africa, despite a brilliant 149 in Leeds, after it was revealed he'd sent "provocative texts" to Proteas players, some of which were alleged to be critical of Strauss.

England have still to get to the bottom of what the messages actually said and so Pietersen remains barred from international duty.

But if he does not return soon, England could find themselves in India with a decidedly coltish-looking top order.

"I've been on the outside for a lot of the saga," said Cook, set to lead England in the third one-dayer at The Oval on Friday. "The issue hasn't changed. Clearly I'll get involved over the coming weeks.

Strauss, asked what advice he had for his successor, replied: "My advice to Alastair is to really savour and enjoy captaining your country and throw yourself into it with everything you've got.

"Manage your time carefully because it is an all-encompassing job at times and have no regrets. I have every confidence that's what Alastair will do. I'm absolutely certain, with the type of person he is, that he will do a great job."

Cricket: India aim to wrap it up with spin trick

A buoyant India will bank on their spin twins to sweep the short series against struggling New Zealand when the second and final Test starts in Bangalore on Friday.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took 12 wickets and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha six as India underlined their supremacy on home soil by winning the first Test in Hyderabad by an innings and 115 runs.

Ross Taylor's Black Caps collapsed twice against the spin duo, managing just 159 in the first innings and 164 in the second, with only Kane Williamson (52) scoring a half-century in the match for the out-played tourists.

Ashwin and Ojha, both 25, also played major roles in India's victory in the last home Test series, against the West Indies in November 2011, sharing 42 wickets in three matches.

India broke little sweat in Hyderabad, their first Test after the retirement of batting veterans Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, as the batsmen posted 438 in the first innings before their spinners took over.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's home team will be hot favourites to start the new season with a 2-0 series win, following their dismal show in the past 12 months when they lost eight successive overseas Tests in England and Australia.

India expect Ashwin and Ojha to continue their excellent form and build on the early success in the busy home season, which also features four Test matches each against England and Australia.

"We had a tough last year, but it happens with every team," said Ashwin. "We have put that behind. Hopefully, we can continue and have a great season. There are still nine more Tests to go this season."

Ashwin credited his success to Ojha's steady bowling at the other end.

"Ojha is someone who I have played with since I was 16 and we have always enjoyed each other's company," he said. "We bowl well together because we build pressure very well."

Cheteshwar Pujara's form ahead of tougher assignments against England and Australia also augurs well for India, who are looking for Dravid's replacement at the vital number-three position.

Pujara, 24, impressed with his temperament and technique in only his fourth Test, as he hit a maiden Test century (159) in Hyderabad to help his side post a big total.

But middle-order batsman Suresh Raina, who replaced Laxman, needs to deliver in Bangalore after contributing just three in the last match.

New Zealand will hope for a much improved performance from their batsmen against spin if they are to avoid a second successive Test series defeat. They lost both Tests in the West Indies before this tour.

Only Williamson and opener Brendon McCullum offered any resistance in the second innings at Hyderabad, allowing India to win comfortably with a day to spare.

The Black Caps will also be keen to put in a better bowling performance in what will be their bowling coach Damien Wright's last Test.
Wright, an Australian who was only appointed in July last year, announced Tuesday he would quit after next month's World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka for family reasons.

It was a further blow to the tourists, who have lost four of their seven Tests this year, with just one win and two draws.