THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU Q SATURDAY Q MAY 15, 2021 11

Why Hardik Pandya was What is the controversy over Powar's ignored from the Test squad appointment, Raman's exit NEW DELHI, MAY land at home) for that mat- NEW DELHI, MAY 14: "If Raman had a counter- 14: Former India selector ter." Former opener WV Ra- question that if Shafali's Sarandeep Singh has The four standbys picked man's unceremonious fielding is a problem for 50- backed the current commit- for the UK tour are opener ouster from the Indian over , then it is bigger tee's call to ignore Hardik Abhimanyu Easwaran, women's team head coach's problem in T20 format Pandya from the Test squad pacers Avesh Khan, Prasid position has opened a can of where it is more important. and said the all-rounder Krishna and Arzan Nag- worms with both the Madan Then how is she being se- doesn't fit into the playing waswalla. Lal-headed Cricket Advi- lected in T20 format," the XI even in the shorter for- "Priyank Panchal got a sory Committee and Neetu official asked. mats if he can't bowl his hundred for India 'A' in David-led selection panel The selection of leg-spin- quota of overs. New Zealand. You have not coming under the scanner ner C Prathyusha and left After undergoing a back picked him. You have not of BCCI bigwigs. arm seamer Monica Patel surgery in 2019, Hardik has picked Devdutt Padikkal Raman, who successfully has also been questioned as not bowled regularly since who also scored tons of coached the women's team they didn't look ready for his comeback and not being runs. For the left-arm to T20 World Cup final in for various appointments. SA selection? the rigours of international able to offer his all-round pacer's slot, I fail to under- Australia and is widely ac- Someone who is abreast The PTI has confirmed cricket. skills cost him a place in the Sarandeep, a former India Talking about Shaw not stand why Jaydev Unadkat knowledged as one of the with how the eight inter- from multiple sources that Prathyusha gave 60 odd Indian Test squad for the spinner, said. being picked for the UK is being ignored." best Indian coaches, was re- views were conducted said Raman had red-flagged the runs in 8 overs in one of the UK tour. "If Hardik doesn't bowl, it tour, Sarandeep said it is "He picked 67 (a moved by Lal and Naik's that it felt as if Naik had kind of squad that David, games. Sarandeep, whose tenure disturbs the balance of the way too early to sideline a record) in the last Ranji CAC, which reinstated made up her mind that Ra- Arati Vaidya, Renu Mar- "How did Monica get se- ended with the historic tour side hugely. You have to batsman like him. Trophy and a lot of them , who was re- man had to be removed for grate, Mithu Mukherjee and lected over Shikha Pandey?" of Australia earlier this play an extra bowler be- "He has the potential to came on the flat track of moved from the same post just one bad series, despite V Kalpana picked for the is a question that is being year, was also surprised cause of that and someone do what Sehwag did for In- Rajkot," added Sarandeep. in 2018. knowing fully well that se- South Africa series, for asked.Counter points that a rare talent like Prithvi like Surykumar Yadav has dia. You can't sideline him Sarandeep, who works Is Madan Lal's committee lection was not in his hands which teen sensa- against Raman Shaw did not even make the to miss out. As we saw in so early in his career. He for ONGC, is pulling off illegal as per Lodha norms? and it was done by her ex- tion was not While the majority believe standbys for the England the ODI series against Eng- has scored tons of runs in night shifts at the moment, "Maddi paaji (that's how teammate, Neetu David's picked for the ODIs and se- that the stylish southpaw of tour. land and Australia, we can't domestic cricket after being working with the COVID- Madan Lal is addressed in panel. nior pacer Shikha Pandey yesteryears has been hard "The selectors' decision to play with five bowling op- dropped post Australia relief team of his employer. Indian cricket fraternity) "One surprising question was inexplicably dropped. done by, there are a few crit- ignore Hardik for Tests is tions." tour. He has corrected his "It is a massive company. celebrated his 70th birthday that Raman was asked was While both David and Ra- ics who feel that there were understandable. He has not "Then team now has technical flaws also and I am part of the team which on March 20, 2021. The how can he claim credit for man couldn't be contacted some loose ends from his been able bowl regularly af- other all-rounders in Wash- look how he played in the is helping its people all BCCI, in its appeal to women's team reaching T20 for corroboration, it is un- side too. ter his surgery. I feel he has ington Sundar, , IPL." around the country with Supreme Court against final as this is a team that derstood that the BCCI "Some girls complained to bowl 10 overs in ODIs Jaddu is back, Shardul "You have to back a tal- oxygen supplies, arranging some of the reforms, does- was prepared by Ramesh nowadays records all selec- that he will at times switch and four in T20s to be part Thakur can also be an all- ent like Shaw and even plasma for the needy and n't ask for roll-back of age- Powar," the source said. tion meetings. The just-re- himself off during training rounder, he has shown that. someone like Shubman Gill of the playing XI even in finding hospital beds. It is cap of 70 years. So how The line of questioning, moved coach didn't approve sessions. Also some girls felt They all can do the job if (he is in the team but did shorter formats. He can't the least we can do in these come Madan Lal was al- according to the official, was the changes. under-appreciated. Some- Hardik can't bowl." not gets runs against Eng- just play as a batsman," testing times," he added. lowed to sit in CAC meet- clear that the platform was "Do you know what kind one like Rajeshwari Gayak- ing?," a senior member set for Powar to be rein- of logic was given for drop- wad was not even once asked. stated. ping Shikha and Shafali? It praised despite she being While the BCCI has no in- "Even if we presume that is beyond comprehension," a the best bowler during the NZ batsman warms up for tention of using its veto to Ramesh and peeved senior official said. series," a member from the over-rule Lal and Naik, the had problems back then and The selectors said that anti-Raman camp said. board's top officials are un- it wasn't good enough Pandey was unfit because Another allegation able to wrap their heads ground to remove Ramesh, she hasn't worked hard on against Raman is that he India with kitty litter on pitch around as to what led to rec- does two wrongs make a training during lockdown unwittingly gave NEW DELHI, MAY marks."Basically the idea is ommendation of Raman's right," he questioned. and was 'overweight'. gloveswoman Nuzhat Par- 14: New Zealand batsman to get the ball to sort of spit removal. "If you go by the argu- "But when they were ween a debut cap without Devon Conway hopes out of the rough," Conway Sulakshana Naik's role in ment Sulakshana gave dur- asked to prove their point, knowing that she has al- sprinkling kitty litter on told New Zealand broad- CAC meetings ing Raman's 45-minute pre- they couldn't simply do it," ready played both ODIs and practice wickets might help caster Spark Sport after Former India player Su- sentation, by that logic, the official alleged. T20Is for India. him prepare for India's spin throwing some kitty litter lakshana is the younger sis- Ramesh is inheriting a team In the case of Shafali, her "How come a coach forgot bowlers ahead of the ICC on a pitch."It's a bit harder ter of Mumbai Cricket Asso- that Raman prepared," he fielding was questioned and that one of his players have World Test Championship to play, but good practice ... ciation secretary Sanjay countered. put forth as the reason for already played. To be fair to final. It's about finding a game- Naik. She has so far at- Did Raman and Neetu her non-selection in the Neetu, was Raman also do- Conway has been selected plan to combat that and just tended three CAC meetings David have a fall-out during ODI team. ing his homework." for New Zealand's tour of practice how you're going to England, which starts with play in the game." a two-Test series against "When it does roughen Joe Root's side followed by up and the ball does spit Vihari is arranging hospital the inaugural Test Champi- and turn a lot, it's all about onship final against India in being positive." Southampton from June hander, who will bid to off kitty litter might help New Zealand play the 18. make his Test debut on the prepare for the variation of first Test against England in beds for COVID patients The 29-year-old left- tour, hopes playing the ball spin off bowlers' foot- London on June 2. NEW DELHI, MAY ing a Stuart Broad or Olly 14: Crushing the pain bar- Stone in the biting cold rier to save a Test match is English weather, he per- How Bond played a major role by no measure a small feat sonally ensures that he and but for Hanuma Vihari, the his friends vet all the ap- biggest satisfaction these peals for help. days comes from being able "I started as one and now in shaping Bumrah's career to arrange a hospital bed or we have many friends in oxygen cylinders for des- different platforms through NEW DELHI, MAY perate COVID-19 patients my following on social me- 14; India's star pacer through a network of dia. I send them requests I has said friends. get and they do the search. I that former New Zealand The surge in fatalities and chip in if any recommenda- speedster Shane Bond, who cases during the pan- tions are required or to post is currently the bowling demic's second wave has help possible in these diffi- afford or arrange for on social media," Vihari coach of Mumbai Indians, created an unprecedented cult times. It is just the plasma, beds and essential said. has played a major role in health crisis where social start," the 27-year-old said medicine. But this is not "Even my wife, sister and shaping his career. media has become an im- in an exclusive interview. enough. I would like to do few of my Andhra team- The Mumbai Indians fast portant tool to seek and Vihari left for England in more service in the future," mates are part of my volun- bowler, who will lead In- give emergency help. early April to play in the said the man, who has 624 teer team. It's so heartening dia's attack in the upcom- A lot of Indian cricketers English county for War- runs in 11 Tests. to see their support," Vihari ing World Test Champi- have been doing their bit, wickshire and is expected to For Vihari, when the dis- said. onship (WTC) final against ranging from making finan- join the Indian team di- tress calls and messages for Talking about India's up- New Zealand, expressed his cial donations to helping rectly in the UK when they help started pouring in, he coming tour of England, Vi- views in a video shared by people procure essential arrive on June 3. wanted to create a network hari said that if he is asked his IPL franchise. medical care. Vihari, like every Indian, of help givers and he found to open at some point dur- "I always try to talk to Vihari, while being in the has been shocked by the ob- that support from common ing the five-Test series, he him even when I am not UK for his county stint, has stacles that COVID-19 pa- people, his own family and is not averse to the idea. here and with the Indian used his Twitter handle to tients and their families Andhra teammates like "I will do anything the team. So, it's been a good amplify appeals for help. have encountered on a daily Prithviraj Yarra. team asks of me," said the journey, and hopefully, He has also created a team basis. The difficulties have "I built my own team. It's man who batted for three every year I keep learning of 100 volunteers, compris- included finding something all about good intentions and half hours with a torn something new and try to ing friends and followers as basic as hospital beds, and people do get inspired hamstring to save the Syd- add new things to my bowl- from across Andhra ney Test against Australia first time in 2015. As a child, ence. He helped me a lot to Bond was a 'tremendous oxygen supplies and essen- and come out to help me. ing." Pradesh, Telangana and earlier this year. I had seen him bowl and open my mind to different thinker of the game and a tial medicines. "I have around 100 peo- "He has played a major Karnataka. "I batted top of the order was always very fascinated things that I could try on the pretty good tactician'. "With the second wave ple on a WhatsApp group as role in that. It's been a great Just like Congress leader most of my career so I'm fa- by how he used to bowl for cricket field. So that was "He has been here for a being so strong, getting a volunteers and it's their relationship so far, and BV Srinivas in New Delhi, miliar to the challenge," New Zealand, and how he very good and that relation- long time, he knows what bed became a difficulty and hard work that we have hopefully, this continues for Vihari's friends and follow- added Vihari. used to operate," the India ship has only gotten better he is doing and he puts in a that is something which is been able to help a few peo- many many years to come," ers have reached people He had opened for India pacer said. each and every year," added lot of work into making sure unthinkable. So, I decided ple. Yes, I am a cricketer, Bumrah said. with plasma, oxygen cylin- in the 2018-19 Test series in Bumrah, who has so far the Gujarat pacer. that the bowlers are well to use my followers as my well known but I am able to He said he was always ders and arranged food and Australia. played 19 Tests, said that Bond, on his part, termed equipped and have got volunteers and help as help because of their untir- fascinated by how Bond hospital beds for patients Vihari knows very well Bond assisted him a lot in Bumrah as the best death enough information to many people as I can," Vi- ing efforts to reach the dis- bowled in his playing days "I don't want to glorify that Washington Sundar broadening his horizon bowler in the world. make some decisions on the hari, who has more than tressed," said Vihari. and tries speaking to the MI myself. I am doing it with grabbed his chances during which in turn helped him Seasoned New Zealand day. Yeah, really enjoy 110,000 followers, said. He started on Twitter but bowling coach even when the intention of helping his injury-forced absence blossom as a cricketer. left-arm pacer Trent Boult working with him," said "My goal is to actually his team has now spread he is on India duty. people at the ground level, but he is keen on focussing "When I met him over also had words of praise for Boult, who has played 71 mainly reach out to those across various platforms to "I met him (Bond) for the who actually need every on his own game. here, it was a good experi- his compatriot, saying that Tests. people who are not able to help and when he is not fac-