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DELHI THE HINDU 18 SPORT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2019 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE India cuts a dashing figure on the world Test stage, thanks to Kohli Brains trust’s focus on the importance of workload management pays dividends

The dazzlers: Team India has made ‘Playing to win every Test’ its magic mantra.* K.R. DEEPAK CRICKET IN ’19 the effort put in. excellent rapport between demands intense training The team also gained from “We are now playing to the selectors and the team and this was evident in the the consistency of Mayank Vijay Lokapally win every Test. The players management. way we played in 2019. We Agarwal, Kohli, Ajinkya Ra­ NEW DELHI have realised that only per­ ought to have won the Syd­ hane and Rohit Sharma in Virat Kohli’s figure looms formance and nothing else is The No. 4 slot ney Test (at the beginning of Tests and K.L. Rahul in ODIs. large in the Indian dressing going to take them forward. The struggle for the No. 4 slot the year) but rain took away Rohit was the performer room. His consistency and There is no place for reputa­ in ODIs was settled with the last day’s play. of the year, amassing 2,442 exacting fitness regime kept tion. This is a different team Shreyas excelling in the new “In all other matches, In­ runs across all three formats the team war­ready through from what you have known role. Shreyas was seen as the dia played dominating crick­ — three centuries in Tests the year. in the past. The fitness levels best batsman by the team et. Critics said it was a se­ and seven in ODIs establish­ and the commitment have management to adapt to the cond­string South Africa that ing him as the batsman to Team to beat created a terrific work cul­ challenge. we beat, but the same team fear. India, as asserted by coach ture in the team,” Shastri told So was Dube, who went hurt England,” asserted He has to be battle­ready Ravi Shastri, played some The Hindu. through rigorous strength Shastri. even though he has been “fantastic” cricket to justify The India­A pipeline has training for six months in the rested for the T20I series its new­found reputation as delivered results with some run­up to his international Amazing pace against Sri Lanka with selectors, physios and the “We had a wonderful 2020 with Tests in New Zea­ the combination to “beat.” decisions taken in the back­ debut. The workload management strengthening coach Nick strengthening coaches World Cup but for those 15 land and Australia and the India’s performance in ground cementing the faith The workload manage­ meant the Test fast bowling Webb putting him through a functioned. painful minutes. There was T20 World Cup. Tests — seven wins in eight of the players in the National ment is a complex process unit — Mohammed Shami (33 punishing training block. Each player was moni­ little to complain even “We are ready for all chal­ matches — highlighted the fo­ selectors. but aims at keeping players wickets), Ishant Sharma (25 The year 2019 was marked tored closely and it reflected though I would say we have lenges. There is some out­ cus on the importance of Shreyas Iyer making a fresh. wkts) and Umesh Yadav (23) by key Indian players main­ in the approach of the team to push ourselves in the T20 standing talent waiting to workload management that strong comeback in ODIs and “There is not a player who — was at peak fitness for crit­ taining top fitness due to the — unbeaten run in Tests; 19 format,” noted Shastri. conquer the world of crick­ has propelled the team into a Shivam Dube gaining the tag can be found wanting in any ical matches. “They were professionalism seen in the wins in 28 ODIs and nine in As Shastri insisted, the et,” the India coach conclud­ zone of perfect returns for of an all­rounder prove the format. International cricket amazing,” said Shastri. way the team management, 16 T20s. team was focused on a taxing ed. Short added to Kohli and Bumrah in Wisden’s Too early to Man City eases past Sheffield Aussie squad say: Ganguly T20I team of the decade on four­day Defending champion back to within 14 points of Liverpool PREMIER LEAGUE majority of Friday’s 3­2 de­ smash into the roof of the M.S. Dhoni doesn’t find a place in the side led by Finch Tests feat at Molineux with 10 net seven minutes after the Agence France-Presse men. break. Press Trust of India Press Trust of India Manchester de Bruyne then rounded London KOLKATA Manchester City shrugged Goal ruled out off another excellent display India skipper Virat Kohli and BCCI President Sourav off a tight turnaround from Fatigue seemed to get the by scoring the second him­ pace spearhead Jasprit Bum­ Ganguly on Monday said defeat at Wolves to beat Shef­ better of City in the first half self with a fine finish eight rah were the only two In­ it’s “too early” to comment field United 2­0 on Sunday as the Blades enjoyed the minutes from time to inflict dians who found a place in on the International Crick­ thanks to second­half strikes better of the chances and Sheffield ’s first defeat away Wisden’s T20 International et Council’s proposal to from Sergio Aguero and Ke­ had a Lys Mousset goal ruled from home for nearly a year team of the decade, which make four­day Tests man­ vin de Bruyne. out after a VAR review for and bring City back to within D'Arcy Short. * GETTY IMAGES didn’t feature M.S. Dhoni. datory as part of the World City boss Pep Guardiola offside. 14 points of runaway leader Australia’s limited­overs Test Championship from had lambasted the schedul­ However, the greater indi­ Liverpool. Agence France-Presse captain Aaron Finch was 2023. “First we will have to ing that saw the English vidual quality at Guardiola’s The result: Manchester City 2 Melbourne named captain of the team, see the proposal, let it champions kick off less than disposal decided the game as (Aguero 52, de Bruyne 82) bt D’Arcy Short was on Mon­ which has two more Austra­ come and then we will see. 48 hours after playing the de Bruyne teed up Aguero to Sheffield United 0. day added to the Australian lian in Shane Watson and It’s too early to say. Can’t squad for its upcoming Glenn Maxwell, two England comment just like this,” one­day tour of India, with cricketers — Jos Buttler and said Ganguly. all­rounder Sean Abbott si­ David Willey, two Afghanis­ The ICC’s cricket com­ delined for up to a month tan all­rounders — Moham­ mittee will formally consid­ with a side strain. mad Nabi and Rashid Khan, er trimming Tests to four The three­match tour and New Zealand’s Colin Just recognition: Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli’s heroics for days from five for the 2023­ gets under way on January Munro and Sri Lanka’s La­ India have fetched them a place on the elite list. 2031 cycle. 14 in Mumbai and National sith Malinga. * FILE PHOTO: K. MURALI KUMAR The ICC wanting to stage selector Trevor Hohns said On Kohli, Wisden said: more global events, BCCI’s all­rounder Short deserved “While Kohli’s record in runs, was also included in “Bumrah’s overall econo­ demands for an expanded his chance. Abbott picked domestic T20 cricket is Wisden’s Test and ODI teams my rate of 6.71 is the second bilateral calendar, prolifer­ up the injury playing for patchy, the same cannot be of the decade, besides being best in the world among ation of T20 leagues Sydney Sixers in the Big said of T20Is. Kohli’s average named in Wisden’s list of five quick bowlers, behind Dale around the world and cost Bash League on Friday. of 53 was the best in the de­ cricketers of the decade Steyn,” Wisden said about of hosting a five­day game The squad: Aaron Finch cade, and while his consis­ which also features Steve Bumrah. are some factors contribut­ (Capt.), Ashton Agar, Alex Ca­ tency compromises his Smith, Dale Steyn, A.B. de ing to the need for a four­ rey, Pat Cummins, Peter Wisden’s T20I team of the de- strike­rate slightly, he is still Villiers and Ellyse Perry. day game. Handscomb, Josh Hazle­ cade: Aaron Finch (Capt.), Colin wood, Marnus Labuschagne, able to score at a good rate, Bumrah found a place in Munro, Virat Kohli, Shane Wat­ Four­day Tests have Kane Richardson, D’Arcy even if not exceptional. the bowling unit due to his son, Glenn Maxwell, Jos But­ been played between En­ Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Kohli, who ranks third in superb economy rate and tler, Mohammad Nabi, David gland and Ireland in 2019 Starc, Ashton Turner, David the list of leading run­scor­ reputation for being a relia­ Willey, Rashid Khan, Jasprit and South Africa and Zim­ Warner and Adam Zampa. ers of all time with 21,444 ble death bowler. Bumrah and Lasith Malinga. babwe in 2017. On target: Sergio Aguero scores Manchester City’s first goal against Sheffield United.* REUTERS

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THE HINDU CROSSWORD 12820 (set by Gussalufz) SUDOKU FAITH Log on to crossword.thehindu.com for more puzzles 11 Observe the storm (6) 4 Evil seen rising in communities 12 Harsh step, heartlessly taken abroad (4) Divinely ordained upon reflection (8) 5 A dominant edge in the right kind of 17? (10) When Bhishma lay on his arrow bed, he told Arjuna ab out 14 A legend still followed by one? the 1000 names of Vishnu. These 1000 names constitute the 6 Extraordinary service winning (4) Vishnu Sahasranama. Vishnu Sahasranama transcends phi­ essential match points (8) 15 Salary covers accidental illness losophical differences, said V.S. Karunakarachariar in a dis­ without any problems (10) 7 You said, "In love...," twirling course. It has commentaries by Sankara Bhagavadpada, Pa­ a piece of a flower (5) 18 Crying aloud: feel no shame rasara Bhatta and Satyasanda Teertha. So, whether it is the (10) 8 When coming back finally, Advaitic school or Visishtadvaitic school or the Dvaita Moon vehicle manoeuvre or 19 Anger, perhaps without an school of philosophy, the Vishnu Sahasaranama was co nsi­ attempt? (7) end? (4) dered important enough for all three to write commentaries 13 Bacteria developed on all on it. PrasthAna traya refers to the three most important 22 Dancing is sin? Dad rejects! (8) meals (10) works of Vedanta — Upanishads, Brahma Sutra and Bhag a­ 24 Gussalufz is back, oddly 16 Pub had stock for the vad Gita. Bhagavadpada wrote commentaries for these brandishing one rhythmic line Reverend, right? (9) works, and also for Vishnu Sahasranamam. of verse (6) 17 Figure resulting from How he came to write this commentary is interesting. He 26 Still, egalitarianism is partly indefinite integral (8) asked his disciple Padmapada to fetch a manuscript from prohibited by law (7) the manuscript collection, and he also said Padmapada had 18 Broken dud embraced by the to pick something randomly, with his eyes closed. Th e ma­ 27 Data discovered with a fresh upper class? That's a non­ nuscript that turned up was the chapter titled Vishnu Sahas­ X­ray provides peace of mind starter for one rejecting ranama, in the Anusasana Parva of the Mahabharata. Bhaga­ (7) technology (7) Solution to puzzle 12819 Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku vadpada asked Padmapada to repeat the process, this time 28 Absolve old lover (a judge!) (9) 20 Scramble eggs; never cook red ■ ACROSS also with his eyes closed. The second time also, it wa s the 29 Go through valued gifts yams; preheat tavas... (top Vishnu Sahsaranama that came up. Padmapada tried a third 1 Partial blockade at harbour tips) (7) regularly (5) time, with the same result. ending (5) 21 A large handkerchief with a ■ DOWN Another version says that Padmapada tried for a fourth 4 Superb, finally I have our set hole in the middle showing a time, and that a godly looking little girl, picked a manuscript working! (9) 1 Extremely dreary and awful fruit (6) for Padmapada. And the manuscript selected by her too line of rulers (7) 9 Fools nation, initiates trade 23 Burst from colossal volcano turned out to be the Vishnu Sahasranama. When Bhagav a­ wars, intimidates truth­ 2 Pure gold, at that time, traded (5) pada came to know about this, he felt it was Goddess Par­ tellers, silences leaders (7) in coins, initially (9) 25 Built a puzzle that requires vathi Herself who had asked him to go ahead with a com­ 10 Order some upma when in bad 3 Husband takes the lead from replacing the last letter with mentary on Vishnu Sahasranama. Taking it as a divine sign temper (7) wife in bulk, stature (6) a bit of devilry (4) he wrote a commentary for the Vishnu Sahasranama.

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