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DELHI THE HINDU 18 SPORT THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2019 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Mentally I was ready to open: Rohit Learnt from my fi rst day that you need to compete every ball, says Muthusamy
Special Correspondent need to try and fi nd those lit Visakhapatnam tle gaps and place the ball Rohit Sharma revealed he between those two fi elders had been “prepared” for the and try and rotate the strike last two years to open in a because that is very impor Test for India. tant on a pitch where it’s He said after his unbeaten slower and lower.” hundred — his fourth in Tests and fi rst as an opener — here India connection on Wednesday, “The talk South African debutant and was on for a long time about leftarm spinning allroun me opening the innings. In der Senuran Muthusamy the West Indies they told me said, “Of course, it [debut] is clearly that it’s going to hap very special. pen now. So mentally I was “My forefathers are from ready for it.” the South of India, Tamil Na The graceful righthander du. But it is one of the things, observed, “Opening the bat I am fi rmly South African, a ting in redball cricket is a few generations down the diff erent ball game com line. But yes, no getting away pared to limited overs. You The perfect blend: Mayank Agarwal combined solid from that.” have to train your mind defence with clever strokeplay. * K.R. DEEPAK He added, “I learnt from more than anything else. my fi rst day [in Test cricket] Technically, yes, you have ways look for opportunities. to focus on the basics. Play that you need to compete ev got to look into it, certain as Yes, there will be a lot of ing close to your body, leav ery ball. You need to plug pects of batting. I was clear challenges ahead but I’m not ing the ball. In India, after away and thereby try to take what I wanted to do. There focussing on all of those. It’s the early overs, the ball control.” was no confusion in my pretty important for me to doesn’t swing.” About the pitch here, mind.” stay in the present and think On his unbeaten double Muthusamy said, “It is going Proving his credentials: Rohit Sharma justifi ed the team management’s faith to back him as Test opener. * K.R. DEEPAK Opening the innings in about what I need to do to century opening partner to deteriorate like any wicket Tests was a huge opportuni day. I was very clear in my ship with Mayank Agarwal, in the subcontinent. ty for him, said Rohit. mind.” Rohit said, “Me and Mayank, “ From a lefthander’s per “When you are playing in He added, “The initial pe we always spoke between spective, that’s a part of the Rohit rains runs on opening ternational cricket, you al riod will be tough. You have the overs, about how we game.” debut before Nature takes over Our bowlers need to make adjustments: Pollock S. Dinakar infl uential as they come. years, the pace attack was the 46yearold Pollock said, Visakhapatnam After the fi rst day’s play not lacking in experience. “There are moments in the His determined, unbeaten century puts India in a position of strength; Shaun Pollock’s astonishing on Wednesday, he shared his He said, “Perhaps, the game when you need to cash Mayank proves an able ally; Proteas made to sweat control and seam movement thoughts with The Hindu. conditions are not suiting in. It is vital when you have coupled with his languid and our bowlers here. They have the new ball in your hand, SA IN INDIA Rohit, rightly, was circum ingly struck on the waltz bet on or around the off stump graceful strokeplay made Not lacking experience to think out of the box, apply you got to make it count. spect at the start after Virat ween the straightfi eld and and under the legendary Ra him a true blue allrounder. Pollock said since Vernon all their experience to be ef “Later, you have to get the Kohli elected to bat. Once he squareleg. hul Dravid emerged mental The great South African, Philander, Kagiso Rabada fective in these conditions.” ball to reverse. And you have S. Dinakar found his timing, he was a At the other end, Mayank ly stronger. with 421 Test scalps at 23.11 and Lungi Ngidi had com On the secret to success in to be clever when you bowl Visakhapatnam diff erent proposition. combined a solid defence For South Africa, the lion and 3781 runs at 32.31, was as bined well over the last two India for visiting pacemen, at diff erent batsmen.” There is a maturity about Ro Rabada was squaredri with clever strokeplay. Tem hearted Rabada operated On the manner Rabada hit Sharma these days that ven, and when Philander perament is the lad’s with some speed and ve and Philander operated refl ects a calmness of mind. provided some width out strength. nom, but received little help here, he said, “They beat the And when this happens, the side off , he was put away Mayank, in his fi rst Test from the pitch. outside edge, asked an awful muscles are relaxed, the feet ruthlessly. innings in India, was fortu Philander, a lesser force lot of questions in the fi rst 10 move freely and the focus is Rohit’s batspeed is his nate early on when he at once the ball lost its shine, overs in particular. But they fi erce. strength. When he combines tempted to whip Rabada on was accurate but could not needed to make early in Rohit had a lot riding on this with nifty footwork and ly to see the edge rocket extract deviation after the in roads.” Pollock noted, “Our his innings on the opening a still head, the bowlers are between third slip and gully. itial overs. bowlers need to make ad day of the fi rst Freedom Test up against it in Indian condi But the righthander also Leader of the spin pack, justments. Our last Test was here on Wednesday. tions. essayed some compelling Maharaj, was quicker in FebruaryMarch. You just The teammanagement After 15 innings in 10 Tests strokes. through the air but there was don’t walk into Test cricket had backed him for the Test [both unfi nished] Rohit aver A coverdrive off Rabada not enough bite or turn in and fi nd your length and opener’s slot and he had to ages a Bradmanesque 98.22 screamed for attention. his bowling. Off spinner rhythm.” justify the faith. in India. These fi gures reveal Philander was off driven Piedt, who doesn’t quite get The South African great his dominance in these con with ease and fl uency. An in his body into his action, felt the team could have Resolute Mayank ditions and struggles on fo sideout six off Maharaj over failed to impress. gone with a third paceman. Rohit responded with an un reign soil. covers revealed deftness of Perhaps, South Africa Ngidi, Pollock said, would beaten 115 of sunshine on a His innings was laced with feet and timing. should have included an ad be his preferred third seam day of cloud cover and rain. moments of brilliance. Like Mayank is a vastly diff e ditional paceman in Lungi er. “Nortje has got some Giving him support was a re when Rohit eased Philander rent batsman from what he Ngidi or Anrich Nortje for a skill, some real pace and if solute Mayank Agarwal, bat between short cover, extra was about three years back. third spinner and played to he is harnessed really well, ting on 84. cover and the sweeper, Those were the days when its strength irrespective of he can be a central person India was on a strong 202 stroking the ball gloriously he had a pronounced shuffl e the surface. but he is new to the subcon for no loss shortly before tea through the eye of the nee forward, and this, conse The signs are ominous for tinent. I would go for Ngidi.” at the ACAVDCA Stadium dle. quently, aff ected his ba the visitor. About Rohit Sharma’s fu before a goodly crowd when Given the nature of his lance, the most crucial ingre ture as a Test opener, he not a sharp spell of rain ended game, the bowlers were al dient of batting. SCOREBOARD ed, “Given his Test career, he play for the day. ways in with a chance. His He also had trouble get has always done a brilliant For the beleaguered halfcentury came through a ting on to the back foot. The INDIA — 1ST INNINGS job in India. His biggest chal South Africans, this was a re topedged sweep off debu committed Mayank worked Mayank Agarwal (batting) 84 lenges will come when he prieve. tant leftarm spinner Senu on that, curbed a tendency (183b, 11x4, 2x6), Rohit Sharma has to go overseas..” India’s latest opening Test ran Muthusamy, eluding a to hit balls on the up and was (batting) 115 (174b, 12x4, 5x6); Pollock conceded he mis pair survived a testing early diving squareleg. able to shift his weight to the Extras (lb1, nb2): 3; Total (for sed watching Jasprit Bumrah no loss in 59.1 overs): 202. phase when Kagiso Rabada rear foot. His rather elabo in this series. SOUTH AFRICA BOWLING and Vernon Philander were Growing in confi dence rate backlift also was now Philander 11.12340, Rabada “I would have loved to see a threat. There was some Rohit grew in confi dence; straighter. 135350, Maharaj 234660, Bumrah. I am disappointed seam movement as well and Rabada was pulled and spin Piedt 71430, Muthusamy 5 he is not playing. I have real both Rohit and Mayank were ners Keshav Maharaj and Mentally stronger 0230. ly been impressed by Bum beaten. Dale Piedt were cut or rous Mayank became a lot tighter Toss: India rah.” Pakistan wins Poonam gets her wrong ’uns right Lyles leads an American gold rush DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD series 2-0 DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD eighth in women’s javelin. PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Has been the star performer in the T20I series against South Africa Indians in action P.U. Chitra clocked a per KARACHI sonal best of 4:11.10s while DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD B Men’s shot put, Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD fi nishing eighth in her 1500m SA-WOMEN IN INDIA qualifi cation round, Group fi ve wickets in the third The revised schedule: heats but it was not enough and fi nal ODI on Wednes Agence France-Presse ‘B’ (Tajinderpal Singh B Toor, 11.10 p.m., IST) to fetch her a semifi nal berth. day, taking the threematch P.K. Ajith Kumar Oct. 3: Fourth T20I DOHA SURAT Oct. 4: Fifth T20I The results: Men: 200m: 1. B Men’s 1500m, heats series 20. After Danushka DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Noah Lyles led a triumphant Noah Lyles (USA) 19.83s, 2. Gunathilaka carried Lanka Poonam Yadav was beaming night for the United States on (Jinson Johnson, 1.05 Andre De Grasse (Can) 19.95, 3. to 297 for nine, Fakhar Za when she met reporters on that the players could not a.m.) Alex Quinonez (Ecu) 19.98. Tuesday at the World athlet DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD man (76) and Abid Ali (74) Tuesday night. The legspin hear each other even when ics Championships just hours 800m: 1. Donavan Brazier shone for the host. ner had just won the Player we were sitting close,” she after the sport had been American to win the 800m (USA) 1:42.34, 2. Amel Tuka The scores: Sri Lanka 297 for oftheMatch award in India’s said. rocked by the suspension of World crown. (BIH) 1:43.47, 3. Ferguson Rot nine in 50 overs (Danushka ich (Ken) 1:43.82. Pole vault: 1. 51run victory over South “We have never played in controversial coach Alberto Sam Kendricks came out Gunathilaka 133) lost to Pa Sam Kendricks (USA) 5.97m, 2. Africa, fi nishing with three front of crowds like the ones Salazar. on top in men’s pole vault kistan 299 for fi ve in 48.2 ov for 13 from three overs. here at Surat. They have gi Armand Duplantis (Swe) 5.97, ers (Fakhar Zaman 76, Abid Lyles produced a courage and joined Sergey Bubka in 3. Piotr Lisek (Pol) 5.87. For the second game in a ven us so much love and that Ali 74, Haris Sohail 56). ous performance to win the being the only men to suc row, the 27yearold from Ut has helped us play better.” Women: Javelin: 1. KelseyLee 200m title, whilst Donovan cessfully defend the title. Barber (Aus) 66.56m, 2. Liu tar Pradesh had come close Brazier — who was part of the Shiying (Chn) 65.88, 3. Lyu CoA calls for Delighted, surprised to performing a hattrick, Nike Oregon Project that Sa Annu fi nishes eighth Huihui (Chn) 65.49; 8. Annu picking up two wickets in as South African captain Sune lazar ran — became the fi rst India’s Annu Rani fi nished Rani (Ind) 61.12. BCCI GBM many balls. Luus said her team, too, was delighted to see so many PRESS TRUST OF INDIA In the thick of it fans turning up. “I expected NEW DELHI Poonam, who now has 79 a crowd, but not 20,000 pe The Committee of Admi scalps in T20Is and 63 in ople,” she said. nistrators (CoA) on Wed ODIs, has spearheaded the She admitted that the nesday offi cially called for Indian spin attack in the se team’s poor fi elding, which BCCI’s General Body Meet ries, taking fi ve wickets so saw halfadozen catches be ing (GBM) on October 23 far. She said there was some ing dropped, proved costly. but made it clear that only help for the spinners from “It was just a bad day at of ‘compliant’ members will the pitch. fi ce,” she said. be allowed to attend. “It is a sporting wicket,” “It was not because the she said. “It is assisting the On a string: Poonam’s loop and variations have bamboozled lack of training (due to rain)
Kapil resigns batters as well.” the South Africans. * VIJAY SONEJI nor had it to do with the Kapil Dev has tendered his She, however, sounded noise the crowd was making. resignation from the Crick disappointed that she could not,” she said. my hattrick ball. So I had to One dropped catch led to et Advisory Committee in not complete the hattrick in “As for this game, I had ta bowl accordingly.” another. the wake of Confl ict of In either match. “I had tried ken all my three wickets with She said it felt great to “We usually set high stan terest notice served by Eth hard to get that third wicket googlies, but I didn’t want to play in front of big crowds. dards in fi elding, but not this ics Offi cer D.K. Jain. on both occasions but could give away a boundary with “There was so much noise time unfortunately.” Running to glory: Noah Lyles eases past the fi nish line. * GETTY IMAGES
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