THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU Q SUNDAY Q AUGUST 15, 2021 11

How opener Rahul used Test Ponting says IPL ideal preparation axing as 'fuel' for comeback... for Aussies for T20 WC , AUG NEW DELHI, AUG 15: legend Ricky 14: Being dropped from Ponting has backed Aus- the Test team two years ago tralian players to feature in did hurt him, but India the rescheduled Indian opener K L Rahul says he Premier League in the used that as "fuel" to make a UAE, saying it would be an strong comeback in the on- ideal preparation ahead of going tour of England. T20 World Cup in October. The 29-year-old, who The IPL will squeeze its scored a fine 129 in India's remaining 76 games be- first innings total of 364 in tween September 19 and the second Test against October 15 while the T20 England at Lord’s, said he World Cup will be held just did not carry the baggage of after that from October 17 the past. He also does not to November 14. Both tour- want to throw away the op- naments will be held in the portunity to cement his UAE. place in the side. "Those guys that haven't "Getting dropped from played for three or four Test was disappointing; it months now, they need to did hurt, but I had nobody get back into the groove of to blame but myself. I just made during the two years overnight. When I was do- coaches always wanted me playing high-quality really tough to get over secure bubbles. depth in Australian . waited for my opportunity. in Test wilderness, he said ing practice in these two to do well in Tests," said cricket against the best there," Cummins said in a Riley Meredith, Dan The Australian side The way it came to me, I he has overcome his earlier years, sitting and watching Rahul in the video up- players in the world," vlog on his YouTube chan- Christian, Moises Hen- crashed to their lowest- think it was meant to be. I mindset of always going for other guys play. loaded by the BCCI. Ponting was quoted by nel."We'll see how it plays riques, , ever T20I total of 62 just enjoyed my batting. runs. "The process remains the While praising Rahul's cricket.com.au as telling out but at this stage it , against Bangladesh in Getting a hundred at Lord's "Before I got dropped, I same how batsmen get knock, Rohit said: "It is Australia Test Tim might be a bit too hard, but and Josh Philippe were all Dhaka a few days ago. makes it more special. played in different condi- runs and build innings. I something I have never Paine in a conversation on with the World Cup part of the side that toured "... whether it was a lack "I do not carry the bag- tions; in South Africa, Eng- am glad it has helped me." seen before; that level of SEN radio. straight after that, I'm hop- the Caribbean and of confidence or a lack of gage, but it is the fuel. You land, Australia and though He said is composure and calmness "No doubt it's their best ing to be good to go for Bangladesh, and all hold skill or a lack of game need that hurt, because I was touring these coun- something very close to his and that kind of reassur- preparation to be in those that." IPL deals. awareness in the condi- that has pushed me an ex- tries for the first time, there heart and he has always ance when you are batting exact conditions, playing in Australia captain Aaron Marsh and Philippe had tions. Just the lack of tra mile to work harder. I were a lot of takeaways. I wanted to do well in the especially in these type of probably the strongest do- Finch this week had opted out of the first stage know-how and skill in have got the opportunity realised my mind was very format. conditions. mestic T20 tournament in surgery on his right knee to of the IPL tournament that those conditions brought now and I don't want to cluttered; I felt like I had "It is very special. Not be- "It was a great partner- the world," said Ponting, repair cartilage damage he was held in India. us undone again. throw it away," said Rahul two shots for every ball. I cause it was a 100 at Lord's. ship for us as a team. Our who will head to Dubai as suffered in the West Indies. Nathan Coulter-Nile, "It's been the Achilles in a conversation with his was always thinking runs, That adds to the excite- goal is to make sure we get head coach of IPL side While the surgery was a and Ben Cut- heel for Australian cricket opening partner, Rohit runs and runs. ment and joy. I have grown the win on the board. . success, he faces a 10-week ting -- none of whom are in for as long as I can remem- Sharma. "This time I was telling up wanting to be a Test You have certainly brought Fast bowler Pat Cum- recovery period, which will Australia's plans or hold ber. It just goes to show the Before the England tour, myself just play the ball cricketer. something in your game," mins, who skipped the leave him sidelined right state contracts -- are the depth around Australian Rahul last played in a Test and not go searching for "The generation where I said Rohit, who con- West Indies and up until Australia's open- other Australians with IPL cricket right now is not in August 2019, against the runs. It's a conscious effort grew in, my father loves tributed a fine 83 to India's Bangladesh tours to spend ing match of the Super 12 contracts. where it needs to be. West Indies in Kingston. for me. It did not happen Test cricket and my total. the time with his pregnant stage of the World Cup. Australia's T20 side, "The T20 World Cup is Asked what changes he fiancé, is not expected to Finch has previously said which did not have a host not far away (but) with return to the IPL with his he believed a return to the of first-choice players, suf- everyone fit and healthy in first child due in the mid- IPL would be "hard to jus- fered 1-4 series defeats the UAE, I still think the Ex India U-19 skipper Chand dle of the rescheduled tour- tify" for players who had against West Indies and Australian team can push nament. skipped the winter tours Bangladesh recently, and really hard to win that title "For the second half of citing the fatigue and toll of Ponting said the results un- that's eluded us," Ponting signs for T20 league in USA this season it's going to be hotel quarantines and bio- derlined the current lack of said. NEW DELHI, AUG reer by being part of the 14: Former India U-19 long-term growth of Amer- Soccer: Lewandowski rescues World Cup-winning cap- ican cricket and the launch tain Unmukt Chand has of ," signed a deal with Silicon said Chand. Valley Strikers for the 2021 "I'm excited to have the Bayern in draw at Gladbach season of the opportunity to play for the Cricket (MLC) in USA. Strikers in Minor League NEW DELHI, AUG The 28-year-old, who an- Cricket starting this week- 14: Champions Bayern nounced his retirement end and help grow the Munich had to work their from all forms of cricket on sport locally in the Bay way back from a goal down Friday, will make his debut Area, where I have already in their Bundesliga season for the Strikers against the seen impressive passion for opener on Friday as they Socal Lashings at the Mor- the game of cricket,” he earned a 1-1 draw at Borus- gan Hill Outdoor Sports added. sia Moenchengladbach Complex in a Toyota Minor The Toyota Minor thanks to last season's top League Cricket Champi- League Cricket Champi- scorer Robert onship on Saturday. onship is a national Lewandowski. Chand has relocated to cricket competi- The Bayern forward, who the San Francisco Bay Area tion for 27 city-based teams scored an all-time league and signed a multi-year from across the United record 41 goals last season, agreement with Major States, launched this sum- but was repeatedly denied League Cricket to support mer. More than 200 games by Gladbach keeper Yann the development of the toring the next generation site. will take place at 26 venues, Sommer, volleyed in from game in the of American cricketers, ac- "I'm delighted to take the featuring more than 400 a corner to level in the by playing with and men- cording to the league's web- next step in my cricket ca- players. 42nd minute after Alas- sane Plea had put the hosts lowed in the 60,000-ca- protested for a penalty af- session failing to produce in front in the 10th. pacity and firing up the ter the challenges by Bay- chances at the other end. The Bavarians were also home team, Herrmann ern's Upamecano. Mauro Arambarri twice Rahul 'frustrated' at missing lucky not to concede a should have finished a "You could see there was rattled the woodwork for penalty after Marcus Thu- quick break himself a little contact," said Gladbach Getafe in the second half as ram twice went down in the later, instead of miscuing a coach Adi Huetter. the visitors piled the pres- out on bigger hundred at Lord's box after contact with pass for Lars Stindl. "But it makes no sense sure in search of an Dayot Upamecano. With Bayern's backline complaining now. A equaliser, but Valencia NEW DELHI, AUG "It was a game that was repeatedly caught out of penalty was not given." held on with some rugged 14: India opener K L Rahul exciting for fans. Obviously position or losing posses- Ten-man Valencia beat defending in the closing could add just two runs to you cannot be satisfied sion, Plea did not miss Getafe in LaLiga season stages. his overnight total of 127 with a draw," said new Bay- when he latched on to a opener Real Madrid visit Alaves before being dismissed on ern coach Julian Nagels- well-timed through ball A coolly taken penalty by in Saturday's standout fix- Day 2 of the second Test mann, whose team is hunt- from Stindl in the 10th midfielder Carlos Soler ture while Barcelona start against England, at Lord's, ing a 10th straight league minute to rifle past keeper gave 10-man Valencia a 1- life without Lionel Messi at on Friday. crown. Manuel Neuer. 0 win over Getafe after the home to Real Sociedad on Opener K L Rahul was "It was a bit wild, a bit too Bayern upped the tempo home side had defender Sunday and champions “frustrated” at missing out open but both teams had and Lewandowski twice Hugo Guillamon sent off in Atletico Madrid get their ti- on a bigger hundred and good phases. came close to levelling but their LaLiga season opener tle defence underway at taking India to a stronger "We did not start well both times Sommer was in on Friday. Celta Vigo. total in the second Test and lost possession too of- position to deny the striker. After Guillamon was Moffi penalty gives Lori- against England at the hal- ten. We did it better and Lewandowski, however, shown a straight red card ent 1-0 win over Monaco lowed Lord's, on Friday. were really strong in the fi- moved quickly to beat his in the fourth minute for a Monaco stretched their He could add only two nal 20 minutes of the first marker three minutes from studs-up challenge on winless Ligue 1 start to two runs to his overnight score when I am set and get out. volley." Rahul said the plan for half when we scored." halftime to volley in the Getafe midfielder Nemanja games after a first-half of 127 before walking back The morning today was The match was evenly India would be to pick up There was, however, no equaliser, and he came Maksimovic, Soler sent vis- penalty from Terem Moffi to the dressing room amid crucial and I was just plan- poised after the second some early on Sat- time for Nagelsmann and close adding a second early iting goalkeeper David So- gave Lorient a 1-0 win over huge applause. ning to add 70-80 runs in day's play with England urday and take the upper the champions, who had in the second half but was ria the wrong way in the the principality side on Fri- Having played a fine the morning session. I was reaching 119 for 3 at close hand in the match. won none of their four pre- denied by yet another su- 11th minute. day. knock on Day 1, Rahul was feeling good, I was set," the after batting for 45 overs. "It's too early to predict. season warmup matches, perb Sommer save. Valencia always looked Moffi converted the 31st- out to a soft dismissal, as stylish Karnataka right- Earlier, they bowled In- We are taking things as it to settle in, with Gladbach Gladbach's Marcus Thu- dangerous on the break in minute spot kick after he he drove straight to the hander said, at the press dia out for 364 in the first comes. Our plan will be to instantly pressing high and ram also should have done the first half and Soria de- was hauled down by Ismail cover fielder off the day's conference after the sec- innings. take some wickets tomor- Patrick Herrmann firing better when he failed to nied them a second when Jakobs shortly after Sofi- second , bowled by ond day's play. Root was batting on 48, row. We have planned for narrowly wide in the fourth connect with the ball in he blocked Denis Chery- ane Diop skied his shot Ollie Robinson. "I am frustrated; I with Jonny Bairstow on 6 every batsman and we will minute. front of goal late in the shev's shot in the 36th over bar from a good posi- "I always get frustrated missed out on a juicy half for company. stick to our plans." With 23,000 fans al- game. He then twice minute, with Getafe's pos- tion at the other end.