THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU Q WEDNESDAY Q DECEMBER 23, 2020 11

Here's what Kohli told team Bradman's 'baggy green' sold for $340,000 NEW DELHI, DEC bilia such as this ends up 22: The "baggy green" cap spending its life on the wall before leaving for India... awarded to late Australian of some boardroom or in cricketing great Don Brad- some basement bar of a NEW DELHI, DEC 22: man on his Test debut in well-heeled sports fanatic," India Virat Kohli left 1928 has been sold to a local Freedman said. "I want as Australian shores on Tues- businessman for many people to enjoy it as day with a message for his A$450,000 (US possible." teammates as they aim to $340,000) after it failed to Bradman, who was bounce back after the deba- sell at auction last week. known as "The Don", is re- cle in the opening Test in Auctioneers had hoped garded as one of Australia's Adelaide. to reach between A$1 mil- greatest captains and his Kohli is heading home for lion-$2 million for the cap, remarkable consistency the birth of his first child which had failed to reach with the bat saw him retire next month with actor wife its reserve price of with a Test average Anushka Sharma. The sec- A$400,000 in the online of 99.94, a mark that has ond Test between Australia auction. not been eclipsed in 72 and India will be held in The sale still surpasses years. Melbourne from December the A$425,000 paid for Earlier this year former 26.Vice-captain Ajinkya Ra- Bradman's baggy green cap spinner Shane Warne, Aus- hane will take over the cap- from his final tour of Eng- tralia's leading Test - taincy for the remaining land in 1948 that was sold taker, sold his prized baggy three Tests. in 2003. statement released by the intended to tour it around green for more than A$1 Sources said that Kohli Australian businessman auction house Pickles that the country. million to aid bushfire re- left for India on Tuesday Peter Freedman said in a he had bought the cap and "All too often, memora- lief efforts. morning after a meeting with his teammates to boost asked the team to keep right-hander. tional Academy, the their morale after the de- showing intent and express "He does not need to official said: "He is being Kohli deserves credit for moralising loss to Australia themselves on the pitch. move from Sydney. He is monitored by the physios in the day-night Adelaide With Rohit Sharma set to safe and is in a bio-secure and he is doing his regular Test. join the squad only after the environment undergoing endurance work in his After being bundled out taking paternity leave: Smith second game, Rahane's role quarantine. While he is room. It is all about keeping for 36 in the second innings - becomes all the more im- alone in his room, the In- fit and ready for action NEW DELHI, DEC 22: miss." - India's lowest Test score, portant in guiding the dian board as well as the when it comes to hitting the Australian batsman Steve Kohli's 74 was the high- the team got a lot of criti- youngsters," the source team management is con- ground running." Smith on Tuesday said Vi- est score by any batsman cism, but skipper Kohli said. stantly in touch with him. If Cricket Australia on Sun- rat Kohli deserves credit for on either side in the first wants the team to move for- Rohit, meanwhile, is there was any emergency or day confirmed that the Syd- prioritising the birth of his innings of the opening ward and focus on the up- quarantining in Sydney and if we felt that he needed to ney Test match between In- child over cricket as 'there day-night Test in Adelaide, coming games. there has been no talks get out of Sydney, we would. dia and Australia remains would have been a lot of while Smith was out for 1. "Kohli has left Australia around moving him from But for now, he is com- on track for now despite a pressure' on the India skip- Smith was also asked today morning. He had a the city after the fresh out- pletely safe there," the offi- fresh COVID-19 cluster in per to stay for the entire du- about legendary Aus- word with the whole unit break of COVID-19 cases. cial told ANI. Sydney. ration of the ongoing four- tralian spinner Shane before leaving and the idea A BCCI official confirmed Asked about the en- The third Test between match Test series. Warne's view that red ball was to boost the confidence that while Rohit will con- durance programme that India and Australia is slated India went down in the is 'pathetic' and pink ball of the boys and keep them tinue his quarantine in Syd- Rohit was handed by the to be played in Sydney from opening Test in Adelaide by should replace it in all positive. He officially ney, the Indian board and physio when he left for Aus- January 7 while the last Test eight during which Tests. handed over the mantle of the team management are tralia, after completing his of the series will go ahead at they also collapsed to their "Personally I'd like to captaincy to Rahane and constantly in touch with rehabilitation at the Na- Brisbane from January 15. lowest Test score. keep red-ball cricket alive. Kohli will head home on I think one series or some- Tuesday for the birth of his thing like that is a good first child next month with nings. That was a pretty my best to your wife.' That amount. We've seen in Smith on how Ashwin got the actor wife Anushka class display against some was about it," Smith said. Adelaide for instance it's Sharma. The next Test is in good bowling on a wicket "I'm sure there would worked exceptionally well, Melbourne from December that was doing a bit," Smith have been a lot of pressure it's a great spectacle. We better of him in Adelaide 26. told reporters. for him to stay but to stand played some really good "Obviously, it's a big loss "I just fist-pumped him up and want to go home for day/night games. NEW DELHI, DEC And play him a little bit for India, not having him for at the end (of first Test) for the birth of his first "But I think overall, I'd 22: Australia batsman better in the next game," the rest of the series. We and said 'Mate safe travels, child, it's a credit for him. like to personally play red Steve Smith explained Smith added. just have to look at the way hope everything goes well It's a milestone that he cer- ball cricket a lot," Smith how India off-spinner Smith said the key to he played in the first in- with the baby, and pass on tainly wouldn't want to said. Ravichandran Ashwin got playing against spinners is the better of him in the adapting to the different opening day-night Test at conditions. Adelaide. "He (Ashwin) tried to EPL: Chelsea thrash West Ham; Ashwin dismissed Smith bowl from round the in his first over, caught in wicket and skid it on. It the slips as the right-han- was a good piece of bowl- der edged the ing. Part of playing any- Burnley beat Wolves which went straight on, on where is adapting," said NEW DELHI, DEC 22: fort from outside the box Day 2 of the first Test. the right-hander. Chelsea striker Tammy which crashed against the Smith, who scored just "I too couldn't bat the Abraham scored a late op- bar. one from 29 balls, ex- wicket and the next one and playing in India is a bit same against spinners in portunist double to secure a But moments later Burn- plained how 'world-class was kind of side spin different, the ball doesn't India as I do here. You 3-0 home win for Chelsea ley had their second when performer' Ashwin set him which skidded off. I didn't spin as much as it spins in gotta adapt, spinners that over West Ham United in Ben Mee rose to head a free- up for the wicket. play as well as I would India. He is a good bowler, do well here are generally the English Premier League kick across the face of goal "I just nicked one that have liked. It was some de- he has played a lot of who get over the top." on Monday after Brazilian and, with Barnes causing didn't spin, unfortunately, cent bowling," Smith said. cricket now. He is a world India and Australia will defender Thiago Silva had havoc in the Wolves de- that happens sometimes. I The Australia's batting class performer." clash in the second Boxing fired them in front with an fence, the ball fell to New thought it was pretty well mainstay also hailed the "I know he got the better Day Test at the Melbourne early header. Zealander Wood who fired bowled, to be honest. The experienced Ashwin as a of me the other day, hope- Cricket Ground, starting The result lifted Chelsea home. two balls prior spun a bit 'world class performer'. fully, I will learn some- from Friday, December to fifth on 25 points from 14 Wood almost had another "Playing in Australia thing and move forward. and got a bit grip of the 26. games, a point behind when he smartly collected fourth-placed Everton, an Ashley Westwood ball while West Ham stayed son Mount corner. assist by N'Golo Kante. and turned his marker but 10th on 21 points after failing The Hammers twice came Ashley Barnes and Chris his shot was saved by goal- NZ vs Pak: Williamson returns, close as Aaron Cresswell Wood were on target as to rack up a third successive keeper Rui Patricio's out- away win. shot across the face of goal Burnley beat Wolverhamp- stretched left leg. It was a welcome victory and Chelsea centre back ton Wanderers 2-1 at Turf Burnley looked more de- for Chelsea after two succes- Kurt Zouma cleared a dan- Moor on Monday to move termined with Westwood Santner retained for Tests gerous raid before Fabian- out of the Premier League sive defeats and Abraham and Brownhill relentless in NEW DELHI, DEC 22: from Dec. 26-30 while the acknowledged there was a ski denied Timo Werner at relegation zone. midfield but, having failed New Zealand have retained second is in Christchurch rallying cry in the dressing the other end in the closing The win against 11th- to take their chances to kill spinner Mitchell Santner in from Jan. 3-7. room before the kick off. stages of the first half. placed Wolves, extends off the game, were forced to their Test squad to face Pak- New Zealand are third in "The boys said we needed But Abraham settled Burnley's unbeaten run to sweat in the final minutes istan in a two-match series the World Test Champi- a performance and that's Chelsea's nerves when he four games and moves them after an 89th minute Fabio despite Ajaz Patel's return to onship rankings behind Aus- what we did today," the 23- made it 2-0 in the 78th up to 16th spot on 13 points Silva penalty gave Wolves fitness, coach has tralia and India. A series year-old told Sky Sports. minute after Werner's and one behind Arsenal hope.Burnley brought on said. sweep would give them a "As a striker, scoring goals scuffed shot from the edge with a game in hand. young midfielder Josh Ben- Santner was last month boost in qualifying for the fi- gives you confidence, my of the penalty area fell Burnley had been strug- son and, before the subsi- brought into the Test squad nal at Lord's next year. team mates created a lot of kindly for the England for- gling for goals, managing tute had even touched the that played West Indies to Pakistan skipper Babar chances and we defended ward, who diverted it into just six in their opening 12 ball, he brought down Silva replace Patel and played in Azam and opener Imam-Ul- well as a team. the net with the slightest of league matches of the sea- in the box and the 18-year- the Twenty20 internationals Haq have been ruled out of "It's something you do in touches. son, and manager Sean Dy- old club-record signing con- against the Caribbean side as the first test due to fractured the park, get in the right ar- With West Ham reeling, che turned to his trusted old verted. well as a game against Pak- thumbs, with Mohammad eas and be ready when the Abraham added the third pairing of Barnes and Wood But the Clarets, who now istan last week. Rizwan taking over the cap- ball lands. It's still early two minutes later when he for the visit of Nuno Espir- have just one defeat in their Stead said selecting Sant- taincy. doors to be looking at the side-footed in a rebound ito Santo's team. last seven, held on for three ner over Patel was the tough- all-rounder as an option for able to have any game-time New Zealand squad: table, we have to just keep from a tight angle after Barnes, who last scored in vital points in what looks set est decision they had to make that number seven position," in the lead-up was also a con- (cap- picking up three points." Christian Pulisic's close- November 2019, put the to be a tight battle at the bot- but settled on Santner as he Stead said. cern for the selectors." tain), , Trent West Ham's Declan Rice range header was parried by Clarets ahead 10 minutes tom end of the table. had a few matches under his "It's really unfortunate for Captain Kane Williamson Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Tom had a goal disallowed for Fabianski. before the break, heading in Barnes, who has had in- belt heading into the series. Ajaz, who has overcome his returns after missing the sec- Latham, Daryl Mitchell, offside before 36-year-old Misfiring Germany inter- at the back post after Charlie jury problems during his "That basically came down calf injury, but the all-round ond Test with West Indies to Henry Nicholls, Mitchell centre back Thiago Silva national Werner missed a Taylor burst to the byline barren spell, justified his re- to the balance of the side and ability of Mitchell Santner is attend the birth of his first Santner, , Ross planted a thumping header chance to make it 4-0 in the and floated in a high cross. call with a typically active with the four-strong pace at- our preferred option for this child. Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ past visiting goalkeeper dying minutes when he rat- Josh Brownhill went close and aggressive performance tack going so nicely, we series." The first Test will be Watling (wicketkeeper), Will Lukasz Fabianski in the tled the crossbar from close for the home side after the and was delighted to have wanted to have a spinning "The fact Ajaz hasn't been played in Mount Maunganui Young. 10th minute as he met a Ma- range after a fine run and break with a well-struck ef- got on the scoresheet.