IT’S GREAT TO WIN THE $9 MILLION but I just don’t want to lose to him and give him the satisfaction because the bragging rights are what is going to be even “worse than the money,”

SPORTS "I'M SURPRISED THAT I HAVE GOT IT, after many years of being under the scanner for the wrong things," Kohli said in a statement put out by ICC. 16 January 2020 08 MCC in favour of retaining five-day Tests Kohli Named

LONDON: The influential Maryle­ Test should continue to be bone Cricket Club (MCC) has played over five days. thrown its weight behind five-day “MCC has noted the recent as debate swirls over discussion regarding the future of Of ICC's ODI And Test the future of the longest form of Test cricket and the ICC’s desire to the game. debate the introduction of four- The International Cricket day Test cricket to replace the Council (ICC) will in the coming current five-day format in the months discuss a proposal to World Test Championship from Teams Of The Year reduce Tests to four days as part 2023, “ it said in a statement. of structuring the global calendar “The MCC Cricket committee and beyond 2023. MCC World Cricket committee But the latest proposal, part of have recently discussed the issue Press Trust Of India hundred on the way to a career-best the occasion making the best in the an effort to tackle the crowded and although they can see some unbeaten 254 against South Africa business hop, skip and jump with international cricket schedule benefits that four-day Test cricket DUBAI : India skipper and in October last year. It was a break­ his pace, swing and bounce through mainstay was on Wednes­ through year for opener Agarwal, who the season. He scalped 42 in day named captain of the Internation­ smashed two double tons, one 21 ODIs over the last 12 months. al Cricket Council's ODI and Test teams and went beyond the fifty-run mark The ICC's Teams of the Year 2019: of the year, capping off a memorable twice. He hit a career-best score of 243 ODI Team of the Year (in batting season for the world No.1. against Bangladesh in November. order): , Shai Hope, Vi­ Apart from Kohli, there were four Limited overs vice-captain Rohit rat Kohli (captain), Babar Azam, Kane other Indians who were picked in the had a splendid ODI World Cup cam­ Williamson, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler ICC's Test and ODI Teams of the Year. paign, slamming a record five hun­ (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Starc, Trent While the Test team featured dreds and a half century in the United Boult, , Kuldeep double-centurion , Kingdom. Kuldeep, too, enjoyed a Yadav opener Rohit Sharma, speedster Mo­ memorable year as he joined the gold­ Test Team of the Year (in batting or­ hammed Shami and left-arm spinner en list of bowlers with two hat-tricks. der): Mayank Agarwal, Tom Latham, found a place in the The chinaman claimed his second ODI , Virat Kohli ODI side. hat-trick of his career against the West (captain), , Ben Stokes, Kohli enjoyed a tremendous run Indies last month. BJ Watling (wicketkeeper), Pat Cum­ in both the formats in 2019. The In the absence of Indian pace spear­ mins, Mitchell Starc, Neil Wagner, 31-year-old hit his seventh Test double head , Shami rose to Nathan Lyon.

Stokes named ICC player and save on costs, has divided could bring, both committees players and fans, many of whom believe that Test cricket should consider Tests the gold standard. continue to be played over five of the year after landmark 2019 The ICC allowed four-day Tests days.” ture to stop fans from booing Austra­ in 2017 and they have been tried The MCC, founded in 1787 DUBAI: Ben Stokes has been named lia's Steve Smith during a World Cup in one-off games between South and based at its ground Lord’s in the International Cricket Council player match. Africa and Zimbabwe and England London, is the custodian of the of the year, capping an unforgettable Smith was returning to international against Ireland. laws of the game. 2019 for the swashbuckling England all- cricket from a one-year suspension for But they are not allowed in the Federation of International rounder that included a match-winning changing the condition of the ball. ICC Test World Championship, Cric­keters’ Associations executive knock at the World Cup. "I'm surprised that I have got it, after which is currently led by Virat chairman Tony Irish last week Stokes was the unanimous choice many years of being under the scanner Kohli’s India. The MCC Cricket stressed there was ‘currently a lot Rohit wins ICC ODI for the coveted Sir Garfield Sobers tro­ for the wrong things," Kohli said in a Committee and MCC World of negative sentiment’ concerning phy — thanks to his unbeaten 84 in a statement put out by ICC. Cricket Committee both believe the four-day proposal. Cricketer of the Year award dramatic final against New Zealand "That moment was purely under­ in July followed by a brilliant 135 not standing an individual's situation. I don't DUBAI: India's swashbuckling opener Rohit Sharma was on out to win the third Ashes Test against think a guy who is coming out of a situ­ Wednesday named the ICC's '2019 ODI Cricketer of the Year' Australia six weeks later in Leeds. ation like that needs to be taken advan­ for his incredible run of form through the year. Stokes, 28, said it was a huge honour tage of."Kohli was also named captain Indian captain Virat Kohli won the 'Spirit of Cricket' award for any cricketer to receive such an of both the ICC Test and ODI teams of for stopping fans from booing Australia's Steve Smith during award. "To be recognised and be the the year. their World Cup match at the Oval, the ICC said in a statement. person to win that (award) it's pretty and took 22 wickets in 11 Tests. In other major awards, Australia fast England's World Cup-winning all-rounder Ben Stokes got the amazing," he said in a video statement. Indian opener Rohit Sharma was bowler Pat Cummins was named the 'Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy' for Player of the Year. During the voting period, Stokes ag­ named the ODI cricketer of the year Test player of the year and teammate The 32-year-old Rohit had a memorable 2019 when he scored gregated 719 runs and bagged 12 wick­ while captain Virat Kohli bagged the Marnus Labuschagne was declared 10 hundreds across formats, including five in the World Cup. ets in 20 ODIs. He also scored 821 runs Spirit of Cricket award for his ges­ emerging cricketer of the year.

Bushfire smoke hits Australian Open INDONESIA MASTERS again, but rain raises hopes Sindhu advances to Agencies Australian Open organisers pushed afternoon under better but still hazy second round, Saina, ahead with qualifying rounds on conditions. SYDNEY : Bushfire smoke disrupted Tuesday. But dramatic scenes of Rain hopes the Australian Open build-up on players dropping to their knees and Thundery weather then swept Praneeth, Srikanth bow out Wednesday for a second straight day choking, and one retiring due to the in late on Wednesday afternoon, to deepen concerns about the fate of smoke, led to complaints about them bringing heavy rain that forced play Press Trust Of India 13-21 5-21 to Takahashi in a gru­ the year's first tennis Grand Slam, but being forced to stay out on the court. to be cancelled for the day but raised elling 50-minute contest. Concussed Pant not to a cool change late in the day raised With the air still tasting and expectations of clearer air for Thursday. JAKARTA : World champion P V The London Olympics bronze hopes of rain soaking the blazes. Sindhu advanced to the second medallist had reached the quar­ The toxic haze that descended round of the Indonesia Master terfinals of the Malaysia Masters travel with Team India to on Melbourne, where the Australian with a hard-earned victory over last week. Open is due to begin next week, Japan's Aya Ohori but defending World No.12 Srikanth went Rajkot for 2nd ODI drifted down from out-of-control champion Saina Nehwal suffered down to local favourite Shesar Hi­ fires that have endured for months in a shock exit from the Super 500 ren Rhustavito 21-18 12-21 14-21 Press Trust Of India eastern and southern Australia. tournament, here on Wednesday. in a match that lasted one hour Rajkot: Diagnosed with a concussion, -keeper Rishabh Pant will The bushfires, unprecedented It was also curtains for world and three minutes. not travel with the Indian team to Rajkot for the second ODI against in their duration and intensity, championships bronze medallist This was Srikanth's second Australia. have claimed 28 lives while B Sai Praneeth, Kidambi Srikanth consecutive opening-round de­ Pant didn't take the field for the second half of the first ODI in Mumbai raising awareness about the type and Sourabh Verma. feat this season. He had earlier on Tuesday after getting hit on the helmet while batting. He remains of disasters that scientists say the The fifth seed Sindhu clawed also made a first-round exit from under observation. world will increasingly face due to back from a game down to notch the Malaysia Masters. “Rishabh Pant will not be travelling to Rajkot today with other global warming. In Melbourne, a up a 14-21 21-15 21-11 victory Praneeth, who like Srikanth members. He will join the team later,” a BCCI source told PTI. picturesque bayside city famed as over Ohori. had also been ousted in the open­ “Normally 24 hours is the time to keep someone who has suffered one of the most liveable in the world, Sindhu has never lost to the ing round of the Malaysia Mas­ concussion under observation,” he added. the bushfire smoke raised pollution world No.20 Japanese in their 10 ters, lost to the eighth seeded There is still no clarity on whether he will be available for selection levels to "hazardous" at the start of smelling of smoke on Wednesday There were also hopes that the meetings so far. Ohori had lost to Chinese Shi Yu Qi 21-16 18-21 10- or rested in the next game. The 22-year-old was struck on the helmet by the week.Smoke from the Victoria morning, organisers suspended rain would extend to other parts of the Indian last week in the second 21. Sourabh lost 21-17 15-21 10- a Pat Cummins bouncer in the 44th over of India's innings, which also bushfire fills the sky over Melbourne qualifying rounds until 1:00pm southern and eastern Australia where round of the Malaysia Masters. 21 to China's Lu Guang Zu. resulted in his wicket. The injury forced K.L. Rahul to take his position city on January 14, 2020. — AFP (local time) on Wednesday. Racing dozens of fires are still raging out of The 24-year-old will take on Ja­ In the mixed doubles, Pranaav behind the stumps when India came out to field. On Tuesday night, the The bleak conditions continued on Victoria also cancelled two-horse race control and threatening to devastate pan's Sayaka Takahashi, who de­ Jerry Chopra and Sikki Reddy BCCI said in a statement that Pant is under observation and he would be Wednesday, with residents donning meetings on Wednesday. many more rural towns. feated Saina, in the second round. went down in straight games to monitored overnight.Pant made 28 off 33 balls during India's 255 all out face masks while dozens of flights With the pollution levels improving Some bushfire and drought-hit Saina, who won this tour­ the South Korean combination of after being sent in to bat by Australia. While Rahul kept wickets, Manish were cancelled at Melbourne airport slightly, Australian Open organisers areas could see 50-100 millimetres of nament last year before going Ko Sung Hyun and Eom Hye Won Pandey came in as an on-field replacement for Pant. because of poor visibility. restarted play on Wednesday rain, the Bureau of Meteorology said. through a lean patch, lost 21-19 8-21 14-21.

Press Trust Of India you've to switch numbers as well." "We handled those first 10-15 overs The senior player said it was complete­ very nicely. We lost four wickets in a go, MUMBAI : Regular India opener Shikhar ly the captain's decision to drop himself that is where the game changed for us, Dhawan says he is ready to bat anywhere down at No.4 from his usual No.3 slot. then we were behind and then we were after skipper Virat Kohli's move to drop "See that is a captain's choice, KL is bat­ trying to cover it, so that is where we himself down at No. 4 to accommodate ting well, he did well in the last series and went wrong," said Dhawan, who made 74 him and K L Rahul backfired in the first he played really well and he played well off 91 balls, said. DHAWAN SAYS ODI against Australia. today. Australia pulled things back to bowl In­ The visitors crushed India by 10 wick­ "I feel it is the captain's choice where dia out for 255 and Warner (128 ) ets in the first of the three-match series, he wants to play and he has done amaz­ and Finch (110) then did the rest. READY TO BAT chasing down a 256-run target with plen­ ing at No. 3, maybe I feel, he will think India lost five quick wickets after Dha­ ty to spare here on Tuesday. about it to go at number three again," he wan and K L Rahul (47) added 121 for the "If they ask me to bat at No.3, of course said.After the game, Kohli said he might second wicket. ANYWHERE I'll do it. Anything for my country, for have to rethink his plans going into the "K L (Rahul) got out. That time we sure," Dhawan said after the game in second and third ODIs. planned to accelerate and those four which K L Rahul came in at the critical Dhawan blamed the loss of four wick­ wickets we lost, that's where we lost position. ets in the middle overs for the mauling. the momentum. We were targeting "You have to be mentally strong, all David Warner and Aaron Finch 300 runs but we ended up scoring less the boys are mentally strong, that's why slammed unbeaten tons to power runs. In bowling, we could not take they've been playing international cricket the visitors to a convincing win at the early wickets. They outplayed us," and it's part of the journey, sometimes Wankhede Stadium. admitted Dhawan.