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With the deadline for direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup on September 30, and with that luxury given only to the top eight teams including hosts England, West Indies who are at No. 9, are in a precarious position

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Mar-2017The new West Indies coach Stuart Law has said his main aim is to make sure the team qualifies directly for the 2019 World Cup.Currently ranked No. 9 by the ICC, West Indies have to improve their position by at least one spot before the September 30 deadline. The top eight ODI sides, including hosts England, on the cut-off date gain automatic entry into the showpiece event while the bottom four will have to go through the rigours of a qualifying competition, where ten contenders fight for only two spots.West Indies’ quest begins with the first of three ODIs at home against England on March 3. Then they take on their nearest competition on the rankings table – Pakistan at No. 8 – in April over three matches, which could prove decisive to which of the two teams end up in the top eight. West Indies also have the cushion of five more 50-over matches against England in the UK before September 30. While winning as much as possible would be the priority of any international cricket team, Law knows it is especially important for his.”The main aim is to qualify for the next World Cup, the 50-over World Cup, so these one-day games are extremely important to us,” he said. “So that’s our main focus really at this stage. I know we have Pakistan coming for T20s, Tests and one-dayers as well but the one-day series probably will take paramount importance.”There is considerable disappointment in West Indies at missing out on the Champions Trophy. They had won the tournament in 2004 but now, for the first time ever, they will not be part of it. Several issues – prominent among them the spat between the WICB and their biggest match-winners – have meant the one-day team, unlike its counterpart in T20s, is rarely at full strength. These concerns, however, are being addressed with the help of Jimmy Adams, the former captain and the new director of cricket in West Indies.”It’s a great little tournament, the Champions Trophy, the mini World Cup and to not be there probably isn’t where you want to be,” Law said. “You want to be in every single one of those tournaments but it is what it is. We’ve just got to make sure we have our heads screwed on for the one-day tournaments we play in upcoming tours and if we can win those, we can get through to qualify for the World Cup. That’s probably the bigger one to worry about.”Law is confident of the men under his charge – “We’ve got power. We’ve got extreme power. Match that with a bit of technique as well, we’re looking pretty good.” – and that helps because he is only into his second month on the job and there are other challenges to navigate as well.”For me, it’s about seeing how it all operates,” Law said “Learning the different cultures from the different islands and how to address people and how to get the best out of the young kids is probably the most important thing for me now. I’m not going to focus on becoming No. 1 in the world at this stage. I’m focusing on building a culture, building a work ethic in the dressing room that will put the little brick in place so that they can become the best they can be.”

Chelsea endured a dismal campaign and are mired in a 12th-placed finish, but that has not stopped the rumour mill linking the prestigious Premier League outfit with Real Madrid prodigy Vinicius Junior.

What's the latest on Vinicius Junior to Chelsea?

That's following reports from Spain late last month, who claim that the Blues – alongside Manchester United and Newcastle United – are interested in luring the Brazilian phenom away from the Spanish capital for a staggering €150m (£129m) fee.

The forward has been one of the central figures behind Real Madrid's success over recent years, and new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino could craft one of football's greatest strike forces by clinching Vinicius.

Madrid signed the 22-year-old from Brazilian outfit Flamengo for £38m in 2018, when he was just 16, but he has dispelled any doubt over his calibre and the feasibility of paying such a sum for a youngster with an ascent to the forefront of the game over the past few seasons.

How good is Vinicius Junior?

Vinicius has steadily ascended to prominence among Europe's very best over the past few years, and over the past two terms has exuded confidence and swagger at a level to reflect his placement as a first-rate member of an illustrious Real Madrid outfit.

Last year, when Los Blancos won both LaLiga and the Champions League under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti, Vinicius plundered 22 goals and 20 assists; this season, with the Copa del Rey gleaned, the £348k-per-week star has scored 23 goals and supplied 21 assists from 55 games.

It is this level of breakneck brilliance that places him among the very best the game has to offer, with his manager hailing him as "the best in the world" after his outfit dumped Liverpool out of the Champions League this season.

Predominantly a left-winger, he could prove to be the heir to Eden Hazard's throne at Stamford Bridge, with the deft Belgian scoring 110 goals and providing 92 assists from 352 games for the Blues – notably winning two Premier League titles, two Europa Leagues and one FA Cup – before departing for Madrid for a staggering £130m in 2019.

The 21-cap Brazilian phenomenon could most certainly replicate Hazard's feats, ranking among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 9% for rate of assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% progressive carries and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Back in the day, more specifically the 2018/19 campaign, Hazard also ranked highly in these metrics, sitting in the top 2% for rate of assists, and the best 1% for both shot-creating actions and progressive carries compared to positionally similar players in the Premier League.

Praised as the "catalyst" for his club by Daniel Sturridge, Vinicius is still comfortably outside the prime years of his career, and with a move to Chelsea, he could prove his worth on English shores and serve as the focal point for a new era in west London.

Moises Henriques commanded a focused Sydney Sixers to a nine-wicket win over Sydney Thunder in the opening match of BBL 2016-17

The Report by Daniel Brettig20-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSydney Thunder made a sobering start to their defence of the Big Bash League title won last summer, well beaten by a focused Sydney Sixers on the opening night of the tournament at a sold-out Sydney Showgrounds. After the Thunder lost a ruinous 5 for 15 midway through their innings, the Sixers’ captain Moises Henriques combined with Daniel Hughes to drive the Sixers home.Captain in commandHenriques led the Sixers with plenty of panache on the night, shuffling his bowlers expertly and not being spooked by the crushing way the Thunder ended their Powerplay, racing to 64 for 1. Instead he used spin to shift the game’s momentum on a somewhat tacky surface, ensuring the hosts finished some way short of their desired total.He followed up with an innings of common sense and plenty of strength, taking a particular shine to the offerings of his state team-mate, Pat Cummins. As plenty of batsmen the world over can relate, muscling Cummins is no easy task. Henriques’ reward was the top score of the match, and a winning start to the Sixers’ campaign.Bat in blackA technicolour crowd of 21,798 was in good voice throughout, but there were more than a few gasps when Andre Russell walked out brandishing a jet-black bat – a sight not seen since the little-remembered Stanford T20 tournaments in the Caribbean. While the Sixers’ gloveman Haddin noted on the broadcast that the ball bore a few black marks for Russell’s contact, a CA spokesperson confirmed it was all above board.”A player can use a coloured bat subject to CA approval. The bat may be the same colour as the Club’s primary colour, or black. CA retains the right to withdraw approval in its absolute discretion. The umpires can also request a player change the bat if they believe it affects the integrity of the match.”Spin shiftWhen the fifth and sixth overs of the Thunder innings – bowled by Joe Mennie and Doug Bollinger – went for a combined 39 runs, the Sixers seemed to have lost their early control over proceedings. However Henriques refused to panic, instead reverting to Steve O’Keefe’s spin and the slinging action of Sean Abbott. The next two overs cost only seven, and meant Eoin Morgan was spoiling for a boundary when the new Australian citizen Johan Botha entered the attack. First ball and a slow, spinning off break attracted the faintest of touches from Morgan through to Brad Haddin.That wicket led to another tight over, this time costing only three, and Henriques then swung Mennie back into action against batsmen now questioning themselves a fraction. Jason Roy flew through the air at backward point to snaffle a cut shot from the captain Ben Rohrer, a critical wicket given there is no longer a Michael Hussey or Jacques Kallis adding their knowhow to the Thunder line-up. Two balls later Jake Doran also fell, this time lbw, pushing momentum well and truly towards the Sixers.When Russell’s black-bat cameo was ended by a Bollinger short ball, Henriques pulled another clever rein by posting Daniel Hughes at slip for Chris Green, who obliged by edging directly to him. In all the sequence had cost the Thunder 5 for 15 in 23 balls, a period that was always going to leave them within range of the Sixers’ power-hitters.Hunter and huntedFor the first four years of the BBL, the Sixers were Sydney’s dominant team, the Thunder their underachieving western counterparts. Last season turned things on their head, as the Thunder soared to the title while the Sixers did not even reach the semis. An off-season to think about that scenario clearly left an impression on the Sixers, who have stolen an early march, not only their crosstown rivals, but also the competition as a whole.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been linked to a forward ahead of the summer transfer window, as Julen Lopetegui bids to get his side firing.

Wolves are the joint-lowest scoring side in the Premier League this campaign, bagging 31 goals in 37 games in a testing term for the Midlands club.

As the summer transfer window beckons, the Spaniard will be aiming to get his team scoring again, as well as balancing expected departures with exciting incomings ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Ahead of the window, a familiar target from last summer, Dario Osoroi, has re-emerged as a potential arrival at Molineux.

What’s the latest on Dario Osorio to Wolves?

Wolves attempted to sign Chilean teenager Dario Osorio in the summer of 2022, however, the youngster remained in South America to continue his development, as per En Cancha.

Fast-forward to this year, and fellow Chilean news outlet La Tercera have reported that the 19-year-old is “still being targeted” by the Midlands outfit.

The Premier League side aren’t the only ones interested in the young forward, with Serie A giants AC Milan chasing his talent.

Who is Dario Osorio?

At just 19-years-old, the winger has attracted valuable interest from Europe while playing in Chile’s Primera Division for Club Universidad de Chile.

The youngster first attracted interest last season, due to his breakthrough in the 2021/22 campaign in which he scored seven goals in 27 senior appearances.

Playing predominantly as a right-winger, the forward is versatile in his positioning in attack, featuring on the opposing flank as well as at a centre-forward in his budding career.

Despite not scoring yet this campaign, the youngster is considered one of the league’s most promising players, as echoed by Chief Scout at Velez Club de Futbol, Lee Scott, who was full of praise for the star.

The expert in talent ID described the teen as having “elements” within his game likened to Arjen Robben, adding that he will “make the jump” to one of Europe’s top five leagues.

Wolves have a squad full of exciting talent, and the potential arrival of the "flamboyant" Osorio – as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig – could only further that. Introducing a hungry young talent is always a positive prospect, especially for those around the squad to challenge and compete with.

Lopetegui’s current forward option in the Chilean’s rivalled position is Pedro Neto, who despite being a “superstar” as described by Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports, has been inconsistent in performance this season, scoring just once.

The introduction of the 19-year-old could ignite a spark in both players to compete for a starting spot in the Spaniard’s set-up, with both boasting similar qualities, competition could only enhance their respective form.

It’s been a stagnant campaign for goals at Molineux, with the Old Gold having netted only 31 in 37 league outings, so introducing attacking reinforcements is essential this summer to improve this area ahead of Lopetegui’s first full season in charge.

There’s little to doubt the talent that Wolves could integrate into their side in Osorio, however only time will tell if the deal will get over the line, with AC Milan also showing interest.

Everton will head to Old Trafford for the early kick-off this afternoon for their Premier League clash with Manchester United, and Sean Dyche will be hoping his team can continue their unbeaten run.

The Toffees haven't lost in their last four league games but remain in a vulnerable position in the fight for survival as they are only outside of the relegation zone by goal difference, so taking points from Erik ten Hag's side will be crucial today.

In terms of injuries, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Andros Townsend remain unavailable for selection, whilst Ruben Vinagre will be subjected to a late fitness test following his return to training this week after having a tight Achilles.

Abdoulaye Doucoure will serve the first of his three-game suspension after picking up a red card at Goodison Park against Tottenham Hotspur following his controversial altercation with England captain Harry Kane.

How could Everton line up vs Manchester United?

Jordan Pickford (GK), Vitaliy Mykolenko (RB), James Tarkowski (CB), Michael Keane (CB), Ben Godfrey (LB), Idrissa Gana Gueye (CDM), James Garner (CM), Amadou Onana (CM), Dwight McNeil (RM), Alex Iwobi (LM), Demarai Gray (ST)

Football FanCast predicts that Dyche will make just two changes to his side that drew with Tottenham earlier this week, maintaining the 4-1-4-1 formation that has been successful for him.

The first change we expect to see is Vitaliy Mykolenko replacing club captain Seamus Coleman on the right side of the back four alongside another otherwise unchanged defensive setup of James Tarkowski, Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey.

The Ukrainian left-back replaced Coleman on the right in the game against Spurs, and within the 17 minutes left to play, he won five duels and five tackles, as well as making three clearances and completing 100% of his long balls – so a much-deserved start could be on the cards to freshen up and take advantage of an opportunity to rotate.

The second and final change we predict Dyche will make is one that the manager will have no choice over, with James Garner replacing Doucoure in the centre of the pitch whilst the midfielder serves his suspension.

The £30k-per-week Man United academy graduate – dubbed a "technician" by Steve Cooper – could be a secret weapon for Everton as he was an understudy to some of the players at Old Trafford, so his potential first-ever league start for the Toffees couldn't come at a better time.

Dyche will be well aware that playing the Red Devils a visit won't be an easy challenge; however, the consistency and confidence his team has shown in the formation deployed gives Everton a great opportunity to cause an upset in Manchester this afternoon.

Jess Jonassen, the Australia Women left-arm spinner, is set to undergo surgery on her left knee later this month. Jonassen had been “managing” an ongoing injury through the 2015-16 season, the team’s physiotherapist Kate Mahoney said, and the surgery has been scheduled for the off season.”Jess is managing an ongoing left-knee injury, which she has been managing this season,” Mahoney said. “She was reviewed by an orthopaedic surgeon after returning from the [team’s] commitments at the Women’s World T20 in India, and will require arthroscopy surgery later this month.”Her rehabilitation and return to play will be more clear after the procedure, but we are hopeful that she will recover in time for the tour of Sri Lanka later this year.”Jonassen, 23, has turned out in 31 ODIs and 46 T20Is for Australia Women, taking 43 wickets at 21.23 and 33 wickets 22.27 in the two formats respectively. She has also played the one Test match, against England Women in 215. In the just-concluded Women’s World T20, where Australia Women finished runners-up, she had picked up just the one wicket in six games.

The BCB has decided to return to the ‘players by choice’ transfer method for the 2015-16 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, which is likely to begin on April 20

Mohammad Isam01-Apr-2016The BCB has decided to return to the “players by choice” transfer method for the 2015-16 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, which is likely to begin on April 20. The lottery-based process was announced by the board’s working committee on Thursday.The BCB had confirmed that the process would not be repeated after it was used for the first time in 2013. However, the board has now made a U-turn, with clubs wanting the return of the process due to exorbitant payment demands from the top players.”The board referred the issue of the Dhaka Premier League to the working committee so we have decided that the lottery for the players by choice will be held on April 10,” Enayet Hossain Sirajj, the chairman of the working committee and a BCB director, said.There had been months of discussion in the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM), which runs the five-storied cricket league in the capital. At the start of this year, it was reported that some senior cricketers had met the BCB president Nazmul Hassan to stave off the players by choice method, which drastically cuts down on their seasonal payment from the clubs.The 12 Premier League clubs will pick their choice of players who will be divided into eight categories – Icon (fixed salary of Tk 30 lakh), A+ (fixed salary of Tk 25 lakh), A (Tk 20 lakh), B+ (Tk 15 lakh), B (Tk 12 lakh), C (Tk 8 lakh), D (Tk 5 lakh) and E (Tk 3.5 lakh) [US$1 = 77 taka, 1 million = 10 lakh].

A guide to the ‘players by choice’ process

The clubs will first have to take part in a lottery to determine their calling number in each of the 15 rounds for each of the eight categories. In each round, the club that gets the first draw will have the first choice to pick players. Each round will have a separate lottery.
Just like the process in 2013, once the top-category players are assigned to the clubs, 11 players have to be picked from the next five categories ( A, B+,B,C and D). Each club can recruit a maximum of two players from category A, three from B+, four from B, three from C, four from D and four from E. At least one player should be picked from category E.

From 2013, the board has added the Icon category in addition to each of the previous categories getting an increase. Mashrafe Mortaza, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman, and Imrul Kayes have been slotted in the Icon category. Shakib, however, will miss the bulk of the DPL because of IPL commitments. Categories A+ and C have been given a rise of Tk 3 lakh, while A and B+ have a rise of 5 lakh. Categories D and E have a rise of 2.5 lakh, while Category B has been given an increase of 4 lakh.The board has also increased its grant to all the DPL clubs by around 25 per cent, which means that the Premier League clubs will get approximately Tk 875,000, compared to the Tk 700,000 that they had got last season.The other change that has been announced for this season’s Dhaka Premier League is that clubs can now retain two players from the previous season.”A club will be able to retain two old players, so those selected players will not be included in the lottery,” Jalal Yunus, BCB’s media committee chairman, said.”The CCDM (Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis) will prepare the players’ list for the eight categories. We are yet to finalise the start of the league but most likely it will kick off from April 20. There will be a reserve day for each match as rain may interrupt the league. A club will be able to register an unlimited number of foreign players but can field only one each match.”* April 2, 1530 GMT. The news report was updated to include information regarding the Icon category players

Newcastle United’s shift in momentum since the affluent takeover in 2021 has been nothing short of resounding, with the stellar signings on the transfer front transcending the fortunes on the field.

By and large, the work plied has been shrewdly done; prudent investments to instil a newfound mentality and ensure that European-chasing seasons replace desperate bids to stave off the threat of relegation from the Premier League.

Manager Eddie Howe has done a fine job indeed, and with the Magpies perched admirably in fifth after 24 matches, bolstering the ranks with several first-rate acquisitions could go a long way toward embedding the new era with quality unseen on Tyneside for an age.

As such, rumours attributing interest from Howe and co in Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae must be acted upon, with the South Korean centre-back exceeding expectations at the heart of the high-flying Italian Serie A leaders’ backline.

According to Napoli’s former sporting director Carlo Jacomuzzi (via Area Napoli), the English outfit are keeping tabs on the defender and could make their move in the summer.

The Magpies boast the most formidable defence in the division, having shipped just 17 strikes, but might seek assurance over the calibre of their defensive department, with one eye firmly fixed on a seat in the Champions League over the coming years, and Kim could be the optimum choice to bolster the fold.

Would Kim be a good signing for Newcastle?

Despite only signing for the Partenopei last summer for €18m (£16m) – a replacement for Kalidou Koulibaly, who joined Chelsea for £33m – the 26-year-old has swiftly asserted himself as one of the division’s finest, with his outfit now touting him at £42m, amid interest from several of Europe’s most prominent sides.

Having made 32 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals and registering an assist, Kim has been an  unflappable “rock” as lauded by Serie A expert Matteo Bonetti, who also hailed him as “the most impressive defender in the league.”

17 points clear at the top of the table, Napoli are destined to win the Scudetto this term, basking in glory not gleaned in Naples since 1989/90, the club’s previous league title.

And with the 47-cap colossus ranking among the top 10% of centre-backs for pass completion, top 8% for shot-creating actions, top 17% for progressive passes and top 8% for aerials won per 90, his all-encompassing scope and ball-playing prowess slots him right into the mould of the quintessential top-class defender of modern times.

With Bayern Munich phenom Matthijs de Ligt listed as the most comparable player to the Napoli ace, as per FBref, Howe could welcome his own version of the Dutch dynamo to the fold at St. James’ Park.

De Ligt signed for Juventus for roughly €75m (£68m) in 2019, when he was still only 19-years-old, before switching for German giants Bayern last summer for £68m.

With the respective centre-backs both possessing an innate ball-playing aptitude and an astute intellect on the pitch, the Magpies would make an auspicious move indeed if they were to prise Kim away from Naples.

The 23-year-old Bavarian ranks among the top 8% of positional peers for pass completion and 9% for aerials won himself, and given the striking similarities between his approach and the South Korean’s, the Magpies simply must swoop.

Heralded as an “iron barrel” by prodigious team-mate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Kim would be the perfect signing for Newcastle, who only a little over one year ago faced the daunting embrace of the drop, but with an illustrious new chapter tantalising its arrival, Howe must continue the ascension and sign the titan.

He would inject the iron-clad grip needed to cement United’s defensive line with steely and unwavering resolve.

India’s IPL stars have been exposed at the World Twenty20 again. Apart from technical shortcomings, it suggests a shocking lack of respect for the international game and its challenges

Sidharth Monga12-May-2010It was almost farcical. A group of nervous West Indies players was actually hoping an underprepared, lethargic Indian side would keep them alive in the tournament by beating Sri Lanka. As India went about conceding 33 runs in the last two overs – admittedly they didn’t have any interest left in the tournament – the IPL final came to mind.Kieron Pollard seemed like he was pulling off a heist against Chennai Super Kings when MS Dhoni came up with the move of a genius. He placed a mid-off almost behind the umpire, and a long-off almost behind him. The bowler was asked to bowl full and straight, and err, if he had to, on the fuller side. Lo, Pollard was out, caught at the very straight mid-off. Later Dhoni explained how he had not pulled a rabbit out of the hat, and how it had been a rehearsed move, which had worked against such big hitters as Matthew Hayden in the . Yes, Indian cricketers have time to prepare and play warm-up games for the IPL, but not for major international events like the World Twenty20.How impotent India’s batsmen must feel. They knew exactly where they would be hit, they had enough time – about a year – to prepare for it, yet they reacted to balls headed for the ribcage and upwards almost as if it was a hitherto unknown underhand tactic. And there was no devil in the Kensington Oval track either: it just offered pace and true bounce. No sideways movement, no unplayable swing.Unlike Dhoni with his genius move in the IPL final, not many in the batting line-up can be said to have worked endlessly in the nets, at camps, during warm-up matches, to try and eliminate the weakness that was pointed out to them a year ago, by the likes of Luke Wright among others. Between the really important cricket, a number of needless ODI series and tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, (both outside their FTP commitments and both involving the BCCI’s unconditional allies in cricket politics), the IPL (demanding schedule, travel, inane media work, mandatory late-night parties), and the false confidence that the flat pitches and hyperbole during the IPL tend to create, who has the time to think about bouncers? If they had had the time, at least some improvement would have shown. They actually seemed more clueless this time around.For two editions of the World Twenty20 running, India haven’t won a Super Eights game. But it is the manner of the defeats, almost identical to the ones produced any time this line-up bats on a bouncy track, that will hurt them more. To be fair to them, there is hardly any time in Twenty20s to duck under a few bouncers and try to wear the bowlers down. There is a reason, though, why such tactics are not tried against the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Shane Watson, Kevin Pietersen, et al. The bowlers know those men can hook them for sixes; the Indians’ only scoring shot to well-directed bouncers has been the top edge over the keeper’s head. Their team-mate Virender Sehwag is a perfect man to learn from; bowlers have tried bowling short at him but don’t quite like being upper-cut for six or getting whipped away for four.Suresh Raina has reiterated that if he’s not allowed to plonk the front foot down, all those heaved sixes and slog-sweeps become top edges that go nowhere: against Australia he nearly played on with an edge that could have hit a low-flying aircraft. On a slow and low St Lucia pitch against Sri Lanka, he was back in form, crackling away to a good-looking 63. M Vijay, who had come across as a more solid batsman, doesn’t attack the short ball. Although Gautam Gambhir did most things right, his wrists didn’t drop in time, something he will now have to contend with in the longest version of the game too. Yuvraj Singh managed to keep the pull shots down, but his head kept falling away. After a couple of short ones – not nasty ones mind you – Rohit Sharma stopped moving his feet completely and kept edging slower deliveries floated outside off.India’s fielding standards were below average, and of the quality on display during the IPL•AFPNeither does Yusuf Pathan enjoy the captain’s confidence to bat before the game is almost over, nor has he shown the aptitude to translate his daredevilry from the IPL (“greatest innings” and all that) to the international level. Dhoni felt he needed to pick an extra batsman in back-to-back Twenty20 internationals, going with just three bowlers, much like he invariably did in the IPL, where he picked one of Manpreet Gony, Joginder Sharma, L Balaji or Sudeep Tyagi as a specialist bowler.The bouncers actually did the team a favour. They hid that the captain seemed to have no confidence in the specialist bowlers picked by the selectors (R Vinay Kumar was finally played after Praveen Kumar had returned home, Umesh Yadav was found to have travelled with the wrong visa, and Zaheer Khan had a niggle). That the captain was not only defensive, he was stubborn too. That Gambhir ran between the wickets in a manner that Ravi Shastri called pathetic – and it takes a lot to get Shastri to utter a negative word on air. (Nor does Gambhir usually convert threes into twos.) It hid that India’s fielding continued to match IPL standards – minus the crazy catches pulled off by the likes of David Hussey.It turns out there is a far wider gap between the quality of cricket in IPL and internationals than the Indian team lets on. Their coach is slightly old-fashioned and saner. For last year’s embarrassment, Gary Kirsten blamed IPL fatigue and the sudden shift from that substandard cricket to top-quality international stuff, without sugar-coating his words. He also spoke about how his team had handed Australia their worst Test-series defeat in recent times, and that it followed a gruelling camp was not a coincidence. Only a board as deafened by the sound of money as India’s could have not listened to the man. This time he may as well ask for subtitles.The IPL tragics often cite India’s No. 1 ranking in Tests to make themselves believe the cricket can’t be so bad. Therein lies the major flaw: Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman are too established and too good to let a hit-and-giggle league effect their techniques or work ethic. And it’s because of them, not the IPL stars, that India are No. 1 in Tests.Dhoni admits his side is tired. He says that’s the reality of being an India cricketer. He admits most of his line-up can’t attack the well-directed bouncer. He says his spinners bowled flat and his seamers kept bowling the same pace. He says his side didn’t play to its potential, but he finds nothing wrong in either the IPL or the scheduling. Yet clearer signs of either a tired or unprepared side could not have been cited.While defending the IPL and the scheduling, Dhoni said, “Players need to be smart because IPL is not only about cricket. You have to respect your body, and if you don’t do that, the IPL is draining.” The team and the board will do well to add international cricket to the to-respect list.

Greg Chappell, acknowledged thinker though he may be, has little to show for as coach

Commentary by Rahul Bhattacharya26-Sep-2005

Look where we’re stuck now. Sourav Ganguly, cornered, fighting, armed with supporting evidence and affidavits, will respond point by point to the contents of the most read email in the history of cricket. The review committee which meets tomorrow (why must Jagmohan Dalmiya be on it?) will have before it sets of claims and counter claims to negotiate, and no power save that of an advisory body. It will emerge that both parties have told some truths or what they believe to be the truth and both parties will have told some half-lies. Inevitably the issue will be politicised.Eventually one man must have to make way. That man ought to be Ganguly; yet the irony is that, thanks to a calculated leak by the board, in being accused he now has his greatest chance of redemption.A few points. It needs mentioning here that Greg Chappell, acknowledged thinker though he may be, has little to show for as coach. He took over South Australia in 1998-99, much like he did India, a messiah, in charge of a team that had tailed off after a high. The expectation in the state then was that he would do a Malcolm Blight, the Aussie Rules Hall of Famer who had just coached a mediocre Adelaide Crows outfit to a pair of premierships in his first two years. Quite to the contrary, Chappell’s five years saw SA finishing fourth (out of six), fourth, last, fourth and fourth.One SA journalist says that Chappell `helped develop several poor performers into handy ones but found it difficult to communicate well with the lesser players. His major battles came with the state’s administrators and the conservative culture of SA. The relationship ended with both parties thinking they could have got more out of each other.’ Another SA observer thought Chappell overly theoretical, unable perhaps to connect with the team, and half-jokingly described his tenure as `reign of terror’. Whatever, that South Australia won a championship under Chappell, as was mentioned in a few news reports in India either shows the sheer sloppiness of journalists or else indicates how enamoured they were of him.And the press Chappell got in India was so fabulous that it immediately made one wary. Chappell does like the press, and he does talk a good game. He sought out the Indian media and wooed them with a presentation of his vision for Indian cricket on the last tour to Australia; barely a day has gone by in his tenure so far that an exclusive interview is not granted. Far more worrying is the number of journalists who routinely receive detail and opinion, plenty of it in writing, that really ought to remain inside, unless the idea in the first place is to spread the word.Is it unreasonable to harbour mild scepticism of Chappell? Leave aside Ganguly, the noises emerging from a significant section of the team indicate that he has not been able to hit home with them. By introducing the coloured hats of Mr de Bono he can come across to players as much a bullshit artist as enlightened guru; by expressing displeasure over players whistling or singing, as some have claimed, he risks being seen as an unbearable bore rather than a hard taskmaster. There is no telling yet if the Chappell way will work simply because there is no evidence of it.Chappell’s first objective of making India look beyond Ganguly is not just fair but necessary; yet reading his own account of trying to destabilise the captain before the Test match makes you wonder. He saw a moment which he tried to exploit, to finish off Ganguly. But what were the percentages here? What odds that Ganguly would indeed stand down on the eve of a Test match against Zimbabwe when he’s trying to save his career?Has Chappell been able to foster an atmosphere of positivity? Looking back at his early days, when he was presented with an England team that had scraped bottom, Duncan Fletcher said, “The first thing I say is that you win as many games in the changing room as you do out in the field.” It is worth analysing – and it is the more profitable area for the review committee to concentrate on for it is the younger members and not Ganguly who are important now to India – how much of this has been the wailing of slackers and how much of it is down simply to ineffective coaching. If the dissidents, and several of them have been pulled up for attitude before, are using this standoff as an opportunity to pave an easy path then they are not worth a moment of indulgence.The big worry for Indian cricket has become that a player rebellion against Chappell will take its final form in the reappointment of Ganguly. That Ganguly must be replaced as captain ought to be non-negotiable, email or no email. It is a decision that would have ideally been taken four months ago. The details remain open to dispute, but not much in Chappell’s email has surprised the majority of journalists.And there is a point in that. Much of the Chappell `vision’ is something any half-astute observer could tell you. Chappell’s job is that of execution. Has he the ability to? Crucially, is the system prepared to allow him to? These are questions which will only be answered over time but they must be raised.Despite the scepticism offered here, my personal opinion is that Chappell must be given the latitude and the duration to work things his way, to toughen up the side as is his brief. Ganguly, due respect and all, has nothing really to offer the future of Indian cricket. With Chappell we will not know unless we let him have his shot. Unpleasant as it may be, Indian cricket must brace itself and make the leap. We could come to owe him. It may help if Chappell, committed to holding up an unforgiving mirror to the team, can also hold it up to himself and consider his management of men. Perhaps he could start by dropping the MBE.