Even as Lalit Modi is once again raising the prospect of a revolving IPL extravaganza, the Rajasthan Royals appear to have gained another level over the ambitions for the Twenty20 game.
Manoj Badale, co founder and chairman, and Shane Warne, captain and head coach of the Rajasthan Royals, co owned by Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra, announced their brand new venture, Royals 2020, aiming to create a brand of teams around the world.
On the list already is the England county team, Hampshire, that Warne had previously represented. Apparently the Cape Cobras of South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago from the West Indies are also on contract while Victoria Bushrangers are evaluating their options.

The official words of the Royals at Lord’s:
“The Royals 2020 mission is to grow the fan base; grow the commercial platform for all, provide high-class entertainment for the young and families in great grounds; provide opportunities for players to develop their talents and to entertain fans around the world through great events.
The company’s partner selection has been based on records and commitment to Twenty20 Cricket, commitment to player development, potential for a unique in-stadia experience and a cultural and commercial fit with the Royals ethos. There is also potential for knowledge-sharing, talent-sharing and participation in a central revenue pool.
For players, there will be opportunities to increase exposure and awareness within the IPL, and the Indian market more broadly. For younger players, there will clearly be opportunities to play in overseas markets and further develop their games. For our sponsors and partners we create a truly global, but local marketing platform and membership of the world’s first global sporting franchise.”
The Royals’ mission, “”Royals2020 will be a dynamic partnership of leading cricket clubs with the aim of creating the ‘World’s First Global Sporting Franchise’.”

Lalit Modi’s Global Plans for IPL Include Matches in USA and Abroad

Could the MCC Become an IPL Franchisee? They Are not Committing Yet!

British Asian Challenge T20 Full Time: No Match for RR

No Friends Provident Domestic Final At Lord’s?

Lord’s Will Not Undergo Change of Name to Please Sponsor

Modi Tweets: IPL With Pink Balls and Four Substitutes!

Day Night Test Idea Dropped!

New Franchisees in Fray for New Teams in 2011 IPL 4

Twenty20 Founder: “Let Twenty20 be a Curtain Raiser; Don’t Overdo It”

Pak Court Has Orders for Govt; Pak May Not Send Teams for IPL 4, CL T20; Afridi Calms Heat

Modi Announces Bonanza Auction for IPL 4; Change to Foreign Rule; Teams Can Retain Players

Franchisees Plead with Modi for No Major Shuffle/Auction for IPL 4

Player Availability A Concern, Says Shilpa; Ness Hints At Australia

Himachal Gets Two IPL Matches in 2010

Want an IPL Team in 2011 IPL 4 Season? Cough Up $225 and Then Some!

Modi Tweets: IPL With Pink Balls and Four Substitutes!

Four Foreign Player Policy to Stay in IPL, States Modi

Sanjay Dutt Meets Lalit Modi for New IPL Team on Behalf of Devgan

Bollywood Stars Line Up to Buy Out IPL Teams

IPL’s Icon Players: No Longer Iconic

IPL 4 to Have Two New Teams in 2011

It has been in the offing. Earlier Lalit Modi wanted two IPLs. Now he may well achieve that, with a different format.
As part of IPL’s globalization plans, the IPL Commissioner and Chairman is planning to take the IPL, at least in a condensed format to remote cricket playing countries to add to the fan base and increase merchandising of the brand he envisions for the Twenty20 format of the game.
On the top of the list are countries like USA, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Middle East. While South Africa has whetted the appetite to take IPL again to the country, Modi is hoping to raise IPL oriented spin offs to increase IPL’s popularity and business base on a global scale.

Could the MCC Become an IPL Franchisee? They Are not Committing Yet!

British Asian Challenge T20 Full Time: No Match for RR

No Friends Provident Domestic Final At Lord’s?

Lord’s Will Not Undergo Change of Name to Please Sponsor

Modi Tweets: IPL With Pink Balls and Four Substitutes!

Day Night Test Idea Dropped!

New Franchisees in Fray for New Teams in 2011 IPL 4

Twenty20 Founder: “Let Twenty20 be a Curtain Raiser; Don’t Overdo It”

Pak Court Has Orders for Govt; Pak May Not Send Teams for IPL 4, CL T20; Afridi Calms Heat

Modi Announces Bonanza Auction for IPL 4; Change to Foreign Rule; Teams Can Retain Players

Franchisees Plead with Modi for No Major Shuffle/Auction for IPL 4

Player Availability A Concern, Says Shilpa; Ness Hints At Australia

Himachal Gets Two IPL Matches in 2010

Want an IPL Team in 2011 IPL 4 Season? Cough Up $225 and Then Some!

Modi Tweets: IPL With Pink Balls and Four Substitutes!

Four Foreign Player Policy to Stay in IPL, States Modi

Sanjay Dutt Meets Lalit Modi for New IPL Team on Behalf of Devgan

Bollywood Stars Line Up to Buy Out IPL Teams

IPL’s Icon Players: No Longer Iconic

IPL 4 to Have Two New Teams in 2011

Australian umpire Darrell Hair has not had it easy, but Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi has given Hair a chance to air some of what has been holding him back.
Listen to Hair’s own words, no explanations required.
Some excerpts:
“Cheat is the only word for him. He has cheated before, he has cheated in this instance - he pleaded guilty - and I’m sure he will again. He is no angel.”
Character assassination anyone?
“I remember that incident when he deliberately scratched the pitch when he thought everyone was looking the other way. He thought he would get away with it but he was caught then as well. Unfortunately he has become a highly overrated player as well. His first innings at international level was a great century but he has lived off that and never really lived up to it.”
Everyone does it and Hair has proof.
“Afridi has come out and said every team has done it (ball tampering) but their bowling coach Waqar Younis has been convicted of ball tampering.”

Another Foot in Mouth For Afridi, ICC Red As All Rounder Wants Ball Tampering Legalized

Allan Border Slams Leniency of Punishment for Afridi

Was Afridi Hungry...for Food or Victory? Smith Has a Viewpoint as well

Spectator who Tackled Latif Banned for Life, But with Small Fine

Afridi: “All Teams Do It (Ball Tampering)”

Srinath Says Illegal; Akram Says Pointless

Allan Donald in Favour of Legalizing Ball Tampering

The minty flavour of leather and reverse swing

Coaches Beware: Reeve Fined for Ball Tampering Allegations Against Bopara

Strauss Feels Ball Tampering Allegations “Malicious”; But SA Continue to Complain

Vaughan and Dirt-in-Pocket Atherton Differ on Ball Tampering Issue; Strauss Denies

SA Dropping Ball Tampering Charges against England Bowlers Does not Appeal to AB

Allegations of a Truant Pakistan from Inside and Out

Allegations of Pakistan’s Ball Tampering Resurface

Aus Pak ODI 5: Afridi’s Frustration Vented in Ball Tampering; Banned for 2 T20Is

It was strange to watch Mahendra Singh Dhoni smile. The normally charming smile looked out of place at the post match presentation at the end of the first Test at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. Whether he was merely smiling because he could not cry could be surmised. Certainly there was no anger like Virender Sehwag displayed at the press conference a day earlier.
This is not to suggest or further inflame the Dhoni-Sehwag rift but the Indian captain failed to show the seriousness of the situation.
When he said, “I’d like to think we were outplayed”, it was only the half truth. As has been aptly pointed out by many cricket experts, while Dale Steyn did work his magic, the Indian batsmen contributed to the downfall through their own shot selection, suggesting they were losing patience, and played rash once too often.

Drastic Changes to Indian Team for Second Test in Kolkata Against South Africa

Ind SA T 1 Day 4: SA Seal It in Fine Fashion After Tendulkar’s 46th Test Ton

Curator Unsure of What Orders to Follow for the Kolkata Test Between India and South Africa

Media Latches onto Steyn”Gun” and India’s No. 1 After the SA Show on 3 Days in Succession

Virender Sehwag: Team Angry With the Way We Batted; Didn’t Gary Count On It?

Ind SA T 1 Day 3 Hour After Tea: Steyn’s Seven Wreck India; Follow on Enforced; 2 Down

Hashim Amla India South Africa First Test Day 2 A Breeze; Thanks Kallis

Ind SA T 1 Day 3 Hour After Lunch: Hungry South Africa Strike, Sehwag Strikes Back

India South Africa Series Schedule, Itinerary, Squads and Results

Was Dhoni Left No Choice But Saha After Rohit Sharma’s Freak Injury?; Happy With Bowlers

India South Africa First Test: Steyn Has Something for Sehwag

Smith Believes Underdog Status Excites Them; India Have Ranking to Lose

Ind SA Test Watch Out: Smith And Co Look to Disable Dhoni

Second India South Africa ODI in Gwalior, Not Kanpur

The No. 1 Test Team Points Permutations and Combinations on Who will Hold the Mace

Only the Mace for the King!

Moment to Relish in 2009: Mahendra Singh Dhoni Accepts Test Mace for India (in Pictures)

Kirsten Will Stay With Team India, BCCI States Even as South Africa May be Eyeing Him

Smith: India Will Be Tough, But Sighting No.1 Worthy Performances

What are the South Africans Doing In Nagpur?

Smith, van Zyl On Trip to India After Emotional Rollercoaster

Wessels Appointed Selector Cum Batting Consultant; Van Zyl To Be Coach on India Tour

Craig Matthews Speaks Out About Selection Committee Conundrum and What Would Anger Him

Lillee, Lee: India Worthy of No.1; Lee Says No Problem Travelling to India

Arthur’s Resignation, Reasons and Restructing for the CSA Selection Panel

Need to win 2-0 to Stay No.1, India Spring Surprises in Selection for Series against SA

Wessels Feels Bad for Arthur; In Contention Himself; Backs Corrie van Zyl

Yuvraj, Sreesanth Join Injured List of Dravid; Sachin Suffers a Scare

Is Graeme Smith Already Looking at Relinquishing Captaincy?

No Ntini, but Botha for South Africa’s Tour of India

Praise for Morne, Boucher as South Africa Retain Basil D’Olivera Trophy by betaing England

A “Priceless” Present That Greeted Graeme Smith

Dhoni Refutes Chappell’s Allegations with Sangakkara’s Support

Ian Chappell Does not Back India as a “Long Term no.1″ Team

Eric Simons, Not Donald is South Africa’s Next Gift for India’s Bowling Slot

Dhoni Feels Gary’s Running Ragged, Needs a Bowling Coach to Complement

Dhoni Wants No. of Tests and ODI Fixed by the ICC

CSA in a Compressed Tour Deal with BCCI as Clash of Titans Dates Announced

Dhoni: Success Incomparable; India Will Play More Tests

Delhi Will Not Host India South Africa Test: BCCI

Moment to Relish in 2009: Mahendra Singh Dhoni Accepts Test Mace for India (in Pictures)

More People Watched Me Practise, Says Boycott Lamenting Test crowds in South Africa

Mandela’s Touching Gesture for Makhaya Ntini on his 100th Test

Ntini, Smith Would Like to Beat England, And Drop India From the Perch of No.1

SA Follow India’s Lead Against UDRS; New Zealand Go Ahead

Think India Should Be Number One; SA says, Think Again!

ICC Against Home and Away FTPS; NZ, SA Boards for IPL Window

Change of Heart Now from BCCI: India to Play Tests against South Africa

Ind V SA: No Clash for the Tests’ New No.1’s

Boycott Slams Lack of Test Cricket for the New No.1’s

Desperate measures were deployed after India lost rather embarrassingly to the South Africans in the first Test of the India South Africa series at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur.
The Indian selectors led by Krishnamachari Srikkanth brought about a few expected and a few unexpected changes for the second Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. It became quite apparent with the team announcement, coming as it did at the conclusion of the first Test that the defeat had raised the panic flag in the Indian camp.
Out come the axe and Wriddhiman Saha was given the boot, Dinesh Karthik brought back - why this order was changed and whether Saha is being axed because India needed a specialist batsman does not make sense because Saha is a better wicket keeper than Karthik. So, Karthik is required for a batsman role then, why not pick a specialist batsman?
Suresh Raina has been brought in as also Sreesanth and out go Sudeep Tyagi and Abhimanyu Mithun, two bowlers who did not even get a look in. How these changes are going to make an impact on a match just three days later remains to be seen. The selectors seem to have indulged in knee jerk reaction because Saha was playing when Mahendra Singh Dhoni was playing which means Saha did not even get a chance to prove his wicket keeping skills.
The reason Saha’s selection was criticized because India needed back up batsmen to cover the injuries of Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman and Yuvraj Singh. Now in trying to show some strength in the batting department, the bowlers are being left again vulnerable.

Indian team for the Kolkata Test against South Africa:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay, Dinesh Karthik, V.V.S Laxman, Suresh Raina, Sreesanth, Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Subramaniam Badrinath, Pragyan Ojha,

Ind SA T 1 Day 4: SA Seal It in Fine Fashion After Tendulkar’s 46th Test Ton

Curator Unsure of What Orders to Follow for the Kolkata Test Between India and South Africa

Media Latches onto Steyn”Gun” and India’s No. 1 After the SA Show on 3 Days in Succession

Virender Sehwag: Team Angry With the Way We Batted; Didn’t Gary Count On It?

Ind SA T 1 Day 3 Hour After Tea: Steyn’s Seven Wreck India; Follow on Enforced; 2 Down

Hashim Amla India South Africa First Test Day 2 A Breeze; Thanks Kallis

Ind SA T 1 Day 3 Hour After Lunch: Hungry South Africa Strike, Sehwag Strikes Back

India South Africa Series Schedule, Itinerary, Squads and Results

Was Dhoni Left No Choice But Saha After Rohit Sharma’s Freak Injury?; Happy With Bowlers

India South Africa First Test: Steyn Has Something for Sehwag

Smith Believes Underdog Status Excites Them; India Have Ranking to Lose

Ind SA Test Watch Out: Smith And Co Look to Disable Dhoni

Second India South Africa ODI in Gwalior, Not Kanpur

The No. 1 Test Team Points Permutations and Combinations on Who will Hold the Mace

Only the Mace for the King!

Moment to Relish in 2009: Mahendra Singh Dhoni Accepts Test Mace for India (in Pictures)

Kirsten Will Stay With Team India, BCCI States Even as South Africa May be Eyeing Him

Smith: India Will Be Tough, But Sighting No.1 Worthy Performances

What are the South Africans Doing In Nagpur?

Smith, van Zyl On Trip to India After Emotional Rollercoaster

Wessels Appointed Selector Cum Batting Consultant; Van Zyl To Be Coach on India Tour

Craig Matthews Speaks Out About Selection Committee Conundrum and What Would Anger Him

Lillee, Lee: India Worthy of No.1; Lee Says No Problem Travelling to India

Arthur’s Resignation, Reasons and Restructing for the CSA Selection Panel

Need to win 2-0 to Stay No.1, India Spring Surprises in Selection for Series against SA

Wessels Feels Bad for Arthur; In Contention Himself; Backs Corrie van Zyl

Yuvraj, Sreesanth Join Injured List of Dravid; Sachin Suffers a Scare

Is Graeme Smith Already Looking at Relinquishing Captaincy?

No Ntini, but Botha for South Africa’s Tour of India

Praise for Morne, Boucher as South Africa Retain Basil D’Olivera Trophy by betaing England

A “Priceless” Present That Greeted Graeme Smith

Dhoni Refutes Chappell’s Allegations with Sangakkara’s Support

Ian Chappell Does not Back India as a “Long Term no.1″ Team

Eric Simons, Not Donald is South Africa’s Next Gift for India’s Bowling Slot

Dhoni Feels Gary’s Running Ragged, Needs a Bowling Coach to Complement

Dhoni Wants No. of Tests and ODI Fixed by the ICC

CSA in a Compressed Tour Deal with BCCI as Clash of Titans Dates Announced

Dhoni: Success Incomparable; India Will Play More Tests

Delhi Will Not Host India South Africa Test: BCCI

Moment to Relish in 2009: Mahendra Singh Dhoni Accepts Test Mace for India (in Pictures)

More People Watched Me Practise, Says Boycott Lamenting Test crowds in South Africa

Mandela’s Touching Gesture for Makhaya Ntini on his 100th Test

Ntini, Smith Would Like to Beat England, And Drop India From the Perch of No.1

SA Follow India’s Lead Against UDRS; New Zealand Go Ahead

Think India Should Be Number One; SA says, Think Again!

ICC Against Home and Away FTPS; NZ, SA Boards for IPL Window

Change of Heart Now from BCCI: India to Play Tests against South Africa

Ind V SA: No Clash for the Tests’ New No.1’s

Boycott Slams Lack of Test Cricket for the New No.1’s

Shiv Sena are doing themselves no favours and instead giving Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Karan Johar additional publicity for their movie release for “My Name is Khan”.
Bal Thackeray may ease the pressure to disrupt IPL 3 matches for the sake of the Australian cricketers over the racial attacks on Indians in Australia but his political party is not relenting on the subject on of Bollywood actor, Shah Rukh Khan, speaking in favour of the Pakistan cricketers after the IPL 3 auctions.
Shiv Sena resorted to violence outside malls and multiplex theatres in different suburbs of the city of Mumbai as the advance booking for the yet to be released movie was officially made open. But the government in power is shying away from speaking strongly on the subject.
With no law really threatening to bring down their ideology of “might is right”, Shiv Sena is erroneously taking to put down their family rival, the Raj Thackeray-led MNS, by preempting violence themselves in the name of patriotism.
After this behaviour, if the Shiv Sena does succeed in gaining power, it not only proves that they lack intelligence but that the voting public is also subservient without a mind of their own. In the name of patriotism, injury is being inflicted upon their own with many of the Marathi people involved in the film industry also suffering because of it.
The Pakistan cricket team has personal issues to deal with, but one political party has decided to make cricket its business. Perhaps they have realized politics is not doing it for them. Has cricket become a cheap publicity machine for the party who appears to have nothing better to do for its own people?

See the poster above with an effigy of Shah Rukh Khan with the words “I love the Pakistan cricketers more than I love my country (India).”

Apparently Shiv Sena does not even love Mumbai enough that it does not waste any opportunity to malign its name, causing even international embarrassment, behaving in un-Indian fashion in denying India’s hospitality tradition and throwing spokes in the wheel when India has an opportunity to show India’s big heartedness. They have inadvertently given Australia chance to point fingers at India over the threats when the Australian government should be taking the racial attacks seriously. And they are giving Pakistan a chance to state that India is perpetrating feelings of disharmony. Shiv Sena is in urgent need of damage control; they have been since they attacked India’s icon and Mumbai resident, Sachin Tendulkar.

BCCI’s Sharad Pawar Talks to Shiv Sena on Issue of Australian Cricketers

Shah Rukh Lands, Continues to Maintain His Stand in Midst of Heavy Security

Coming: IPL 3 At a Theatre Near You!

SRK Battle Against Sena over Pakistan Cricketers Intensifies

Pakistan To Have Own IPL Style Twenty20 Show A La Champions League, Thanks to Rashid Latif

Now Azhar Lends Voice for Pakistan Cricketers in IPL 3

Chidambaram Says Security Will Not be A Problem for Australia, Pakistan cricketers

Rewind IPL 2 2009: Modi Refuses to Deal with Players Association over Security Concerns

Ajmal for KKR Captain; Nishaan E Pakistan for SRK, Says Shiv Sena

Aamir Khan Speaks for Pakistan Cricketers

Lillee, Lee: India Worthy of No.1; Lee Says No Problem Travelling to India

Amitabh Bachchan Stands up for Indo-Pak Relations over IPL 3 Auctions

Shiv Sena Retaliates against SRK and His Movie over Empathizing with Pakistan Cricketers

Shiv Sena Threaten to Teach Modi Lesson in Their Language

PCB Revokes NOC for IPL Even as Speculation on Abdul Razzaq Continues

Pak Court Has Orders for Govt; Pak May Not Send Teams for IPL 4, CL T20; Afridi Calms Heat

Rajasthan Royals Coach Stunned by Proceedings against Pakistan in IPL 3 Auctions

Chidambaram Slams IPL On Auctions, IPL 2 and Pakistan Cricketers; Border Fins Support

Winning Under-19 Match was Tit-for-Tat for India

Shah Rukh Khan Admits, There is a Problem , Feels Pakistan Players were Not Handled Well

Imran Khan, Kapil Dev See “IPL” At Fault for Auction Fiasco

India- Pakistan Will Slug It Out On the Field in the Under19 WC Qtr Finals!

ICC May Receive Official Complaint about the IPL Snub of Pakistan Cricketers

Chidambaram’s Proposal for IPL Postponement: Afraid of a Backlash?

Chidambaram At it Again; Takes Dig at IPL Organizers!

India always needed a Houdini trick to get out of this mess. For a while Sachin Tendulkar allowed Indian fans to believe the trick was doable, before South Africa resumed order and handed India a defeat by an innings and six runs in the first Test of the India South Africa series at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur.

From two down for sixty-six overnight, the fourth day’s play saw some gumption from the Indians but one man in particular dominated the better part of the headlines for the team. Sachin Tendulkar scored his 46th Test ton but it was not going to be enough to prevent an international embarrassment on a pitch that did not assist or favour one team over another.
The seventy-two run partnership between Murali Vijay and Tendulkar was broken when Vijay for dismissed for thirty-two runs by Paul Harris who persisted with the off stump line. The next partnership was the seventy runs for the fifth wicket in which the Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, tried to change the script as Tendulkar climbed another rung in the statistics column.
But nothing was going to be enough unless a miracle was in the offing. Even Tendulkar perished uncharacteristically to a sweep shot off Harris upon reaching his century to really signal the beginning of the end at at 192 for five.
Wriddhiman Saha held on a second time round, forging consecutive half century partnership with Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan to delay the inevitable. At one point, it looked like India would make South Africa bat for a second time in the match with three wickets in hand but the size of the target was far from promising.
But South Africa were merely awaiting the final fall. They had put in all the hard work, stuck to their guns, and kept relentlessly applying the pressure as a combined bowling force, complemented well by Morne Morkel and Wayne Parnell. Dale Steyn joined Harris for the three wicket lauding as India fell six runs short of watching the visitors bat again, all out for 319.

Curator Unsure of What Orders to Follow for the Kolkata Test Between India and South Africa

Media Latches onto Steyn”Gun” and India’s No. 1 After the SA Show on 3 Days in Succession

Virender Sehwag: Team Angry With the Way We Batted; Didn’t Gary Count On It?

Ind SA T 1 Day 3 Hour After Tea: Steyn’s Seven Wreck India; Follow on Enforced; 2 Down

Hashim Amla India South Africa First Test Day 2 A Breeze; Thanks Kallis

Ind SA T 1 Day 3 Hour After Lunch: Hungry South Africa Strike, Sehwag Strikes Back

India South Africa Series Schedule, Itinerary, Squads and Results

Was Dhoni Left No Choice But Saha After Rohit Sharma’s Freak Injury?; Happy With Bowlers

India South Africa First Test: Steyn Has Something for Sehwag

Smith Believes Underdog Status Excites Them; India Have Ranking to Lose

Ind SA Test Watch Out: Smith And Co Look to Disable Dhoni

Second India South Africa ODI in Gwalior, Not Kanpur

The No. 1 Test Team Points Permutations and Combinations on Who will Hold the Mace

Only the Mace for the King!

Moment to Relish in 2009: Mahendra Singh Dhoni Accepts Test Mace for India (in Pictures)

Kirsten Will Stay With Team India, BCCI States Even as South Africa May be Eyeing Him

Smith: India Will Be Tough, But Sighting No.1 Worthy Performances

What are the South Africans Doing In Nagpur?

Smith, van Zyl On Trip to India After Emotional Rollercoaster

Wessels Appointed Selector Cum Batting Consultant; Van Zyl To Be Coach on India Tour

Craig Matthews Speaks Out About Selection Committee Conundrum and What Would Anger Him

Lillee, Lee: India Worthy of No.1; Lee Says No Problem Travelling to India

Arthur’s Resignation, Reasons and Restructing for the CSA Selection Panel

Need to win 2-0 to Stay No.1, India Spring Surprises in Selection for Series against SA

Wessels Feels Bad for Arthur; In Contention Himself; Backs Corrie van Zyl

Yuvraj, Sreesanth Join Injured List of Dravid; Sachin Suffers a Scare

Is Graeme Smith Already Looking at Relinquishing Captaincy?

No Ntini, but Botha for South Africa’s Tour of India

Praise for Morne, Boucher as South Africa Retain Basil D’Olivera Trophy by betaing England

A “Priceless” Present That Greeted Graeme Smith

Dhoni Refutes Chappell’s Allegations with Sangakkara’s Support

Ian Chappell Does not Back India as a “Long Term no.1″ Team

Eric Simons, Not Donald is South Africa’s Next Gift for India’s Bowling Slot

Dhoni Feels Gary’s Running Ragged, Needs a Bowling Coach to Complement

Dhoni Wants No. of Tests and ODI Fixed by the ICC

CSA in a Compressed Tour Deal with BCCI as Clash of Titans Dates Announced

Dhoni: Success Incomparable; India Will Play More Tests

Delhi Will Not Host India South Africa Test: BCCI

Moment to Relish in 2009: Mahendra Singh Dhoni Accepts Test Mace for India (in Pictures)

More People Watched Me Practise, Says Boycott Lamenting Test crowds in South Africa

Mandela’s Touching Gesture for Makhaya Ntini on his 100th Test

Ntini, Smith Would Like to Beat England, And Drop India From the Perch of No.1

SA Follow India’s Lead Against UDRS; New Zealand Go Ahead

Think India Should Be Number One; SA says, Think Again!

ICC Against Home and Away FTPS; NZ, SA Boards for IPL Window

Change of Heart Now from BCCI: India to Play Tests against South Africa

Ind V SA: No Clash for the Tests’ New No.1’s

Boycott Slams Lack of Test Cricket for the New No.1’s

Even as the reality is dawning that India are under performing on a supposed “lifeless” pitch at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur in the first, the curator for the second Test of the India South Africa series is in a dilemma.
Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) curator Prabir Mukherjee reportedly received orders from a top BCCI official that the pitch at the Eden Gardens venue in Kolkata be made to suit spin.
The problem for him? Perhaps in light of Daljit Singh being fired from the pitches committee following the fiasco at the Ferozeshah Kotla in New Delhi over an unfit pitch during the fifth ODI between India and Sri Lanka, the curator wants a written notice, making this official.
Besides, there is the matter of the time constraint given that the Tests are virtually back to back.

Media Latches onto Steyn”Gun” and India’s No. 1 After the SA Show on 3 Days in Succession

Virender Sehwag: Team Angry With the Way We Batted; Didn’t Gary Count On It?

Ind SA T 1 Day 3 Hour After Tea: Steyn’s Seven Wreck India; Follow on Enforced; 2 Down

Hashim Amla India South Africa First Test Day 2 A Breeze; Thanks Kallis

Ind SA T 1 Day 3 Hour After Lunch: Hungry South Africa Strike, Sehwag Strikes Back

India South Africa Series Schedule, Itinerary, Squads and Results

Was Dhoni Left No Choice But Saha After Rohit Sharma’s Freak Injury?; Happy With Bowlers

India South Africa First Test: Steyn Has Something for Sehwag

Smith Believes Underdog Status Excites Them; India Have Ranking to Lose

Ind SA Test Watch Out: Smith And Co Look to Disable Dhoni

Second India South Africa ODI in Gwalior, Not Kanpur

The No. 1 Test Team Points Permutations and Combinations on Who will Hold the Mace

Only the Mace for the King!

Moment to Relish in 2009: Mahendra Singh Dhoni Accepts Test Mace for India (in Pictures)

Kirsten Will Stay With Team India, BCCI States Even as South Africa May be Eyeing Him

Smith: India Will Be Tough, But Sighting No.1 Worthy Performances

What are the South Africans Doing In Nagpur?

Smith, van Zyl On Trip to India After Emotional Rollercoaster

Wessels Appointed Selector Cum Batting Consultant; Van Zyl To Be Coach on India Tour

Craig Matthews Speaks Out About Selection Committee Conundrum and What Would Anger Him

Lillee, Lee: India Worthy of No.1; Lee Says No Problem Travelling to India

Arthur’s Resignation, Reasons and Restructing for the CSA Selection Panel

Need to win 2-0 to Stay No.1, India Spring Surprises in Selection for Series against SA

Wessels Feels Bad for Arthur; In Contention Himself; Backs Corrie van Zyl

Yuvraj, Sreesanth Join Injured List of Dravid; Sachin Suffers a Scare

Is Graeme Smith Already Looking at Relinquishing Captaincy?

No Ntini, but Botha for South Africa’s Tour of India

Praise for Morne, Boucher as South Africa Retain Basil D’Olivera Trophy by betaing England

A “Priceless” Present That Greeted Graeme Smith

Dhoni Refutes Chappell’s Allegations with Sangakkara’s Support

Ian Chappell Does not Back India as a “Long Term no.1″ Team

Eric Simons, Not Donald is South Africa’s Next Gift for India’s Bowling Slot

Dhoni Feels Gary’s Running Ragged, Needs a Bowling Coach to Complement

Dhoni Wants No. of Tests and ODI Fixed by the ICC

CSA in a Compressed Tour Deal with BCCI as Clash of Titans Dates Announced

Dhoni: Success Incomparable; India Will Play More Tests

Delhi Will Not Host India South Africa Test: BCCI

Moment to Relish in 2009: Mahendra Singh Dhoni Accepts Test Mace for India (in Pictures)

More People Watched Me Practise, Says Boycott Lamenting Test crowds in South Africa

Mandela’s Touching Gesture for Makhaya Ntini on his 100th Test

Ntini, Smith Would Like to Beat England, And Drop India From the Perch of No.1

SA Follow India’s Lead Against UDRS; New Zealand Go Ahead

Think India Should Be Number One; SA says, Think Again!

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All India needed was one batting collapse and their no.1 Test team tag has collapsed around them, already in the Indian media.
The disaster brought on by the seven wicket man, Dale Steyn or should we now say Steyn “Gun”, gave a whole new angle to the first Test of the India South Africa Test series at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur.
Amongst the many things being questioned are India’s sustainability to hold onto the top spot in the ICC Test rankings. While South Africa had a larger win list the year 2008 to build towards wresting the no.1 tag, there has been a general feeling that India had done a lot but not quite enough to take the no. 1 yet.
Now with the bowlers and the batsmen showing up below par, the electronic media is already speculating that India did not deserve to be here in the first place. However, what cannot be denied is that the points system that decided Australia and South Africa has also decided India deserve to be at the top.
Whether they continue to remain there will depend heavily on how well India bounce back and if South Africa have learnt anything from their home series against England when the opposition fought back from hopeless situations to draw twice in the four Test series.

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A day earlier, the Indian coach, Gary Kirsten, defended his “luckless” bowlers by stating that India had a new day of batting to look forward to. That was at the second day’s play of the first Test of the India South Africa Test series at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur.
Although India finished the final hour of the third day’s play without losing any further wickets to finish on 66/2, there is no denying that this was possibly the worst India could have done against a world class bowler on a pitch generally commissioned to be lifeless when the South Africans were batted.
Defying the coach’s words, after the bowlers, it was the turn of the batsmen to disappoint. Apart from Sehwag’s own century in the first innings and his downfall in the second innings on being enforced with the follow on, Sehwag spoke to reporters about the anger and indignation within the team at their own personal disappointment over the way they applied themselves to the task despite the pitch holding no demons.
But that will still not stop the media and the crowd jumping on the “flop” wagon.

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