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Home , Abhimanyu Easwaran, Hardik Pandya, Harmanpreet Kaur, Ishan Kishan, Ishan Porel, Mansi Joshi

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DELHI THE HINDU 18 SPORT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2019 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE — oozing class and chutzpah Opener makes a treat to watch and has forged a great understanding with Dhawan and Rahul

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD WI IN INDIA DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Y.B. Sarangi Rohit in numbers CUTTACK B In 2019, he has totalled With his effortless batting, 1490 runs in 27 ODI innings Rohit Sharma offers at an average of 57.30. lovers a sit­back­and­enjoy B Rohit is the highest ­ show. His performance is ea­ getter ahead of sy on the eye, yet high on (1377). effectiveness. B This includes seven In 2019, he performed hundreds and six fifties in plenty of such shows. Espe­ the last 12 months. cially in the 50­over format, B where he gathered 1490 runs Rohit has scored the most number of boundary shots in 27 innings at an average of — 146 fours and 36 sixes — 57.30 and end up as the high­ this year. est run­getter ahead of cap­ tain Virat Kohli (1377). B In just 10 innings this year, “Personally I have enjoyed Rohit and Rahul have batting, but there is no way I scored 923 runs, including five stands, at a am stopping,” said Rohit whopping average of 92.30. Sharma, the Man­of­the­Se­ DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD ries in India’s 2­1 win over West Indies, during the post­ ciation against the Windies. match presentation at the Their combined average is Barabati Stadium here on unmatched by a mile and the Sunday night. the thrashing of the leather far behind on number of viable rapport with the ta­ two, in their prime, promise This demonstrates how ball a trend in T20 cricket, fours. lented K.L. Rahul. The result to make rapid strides on the Rohit relishes his moment in Rohit, the boy next door, “I understand my batting is for everyone to see. all­time list of successful the middle. It has helped him sends the white ball flying to really well. I want to play In just 10 innings this year, opening partners. score seven hundreds and the boundary without much within my limits. Knowing Rohit and Rahul have deve­ Rohit, who went past Sri six fifties in the last 12 toil. the game plan you want to loped a special bond which Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya’s months. Rohit, who closed the year execute is very important,” has yielded 923 runs, includ­ 22­year­old record of scoring with a 63­ball 63 and contri­ said the 32­year­old, provid­ ing five century stands, at a the most runs by an opener Boy next door buted significantly in India’s ing an insight into his unclut­ whopping average of 92.30. in international cricket dur­ At a time when hunks have big run chase in the third and tered mind and mature They have defied the popular ing his knock here, wants to replaced common men as final ODI here, has scored thinking. theory of left­right combina­ replicate his white­ball crick­ heroes in Indian movies, Ro­ the most number of boun­ The other important facet tion with sheer class. et success in red­ball match­ hit, with his lazy elegance, is dary shots — 146 fours and 36 of Rohit’s batting is making es too. like a superstar from a by­ sixes — this year. his partner feel good in his Rapid strides He has already shown gone era who has found ac­ Only has hit company. After his fine run Rohit and Rahul’s 227­run signs of it after being promot­ ceptance and appeal even to­ more sixes — 41 — while Aa­ with opening partner and stand in Visakhapatnam has ed as an opener in Tests and day. While batsmen with ron Finch has the same num­ good friend Shikhar Dha­ already established itself as is eagerly looking forward to On song: While other burly batsmen prefer to bludgeon the bowlers, Rohit Sharma is all touch bulging muscles have made ber. Nevertheless, they are wan, Rohit has forged an en­ the best Indian opening asso­ achieving greater glory. and timing without compromising on the scoring rate. * K.R. DEEPAK Bumrah and Dhawan back in Indian squad ‘Pant has to improve his keeping’ Rohit and Shami rested for the T20Is against Sri Lanka Prasad moots guidance under a specialist coach like More Special Correspondent Sanju Samson will Vijay Lokapally same breath as (Wriddhi­ NEW DELHI <> New Delhi be the back-up man) Saha or M.S. (Dhoni). and Shikhar opener in the T20I M.S.K. Prasad wants Rishabh Please remember Pant did Dhawan have been picked to series Pant to work with a specialist not play much of domestic the Indian teams, for the ­keeping coach and cricket before he got into the M.S.K. Prasad Internationals former Test stumper Kiran Indian team like say Parthiv against Sri Lanka and the are out of the reckoning on More is willing to offer his (Patel) or (Dinesh) Karthik. One­Day Internationals account of injuries. services. Had he played a good three­ against Australia, to be “Deepak, who did well in Chief selector Prasad rates four seasons of hard grind in played in January. the Vijay Hazare Trophy, ag­ Pant as a special talent. “He domestic cricket he would However, in­form opener gravated his back injury in has done well and we have not have faced some of these and vice­captain Rohit Shar­ the second ODI in Visakha­ seen glimpses of some good issues.” ma and patnam,” said Prasad. batting recently. He batted Would Pant find a place have been rested for the On the availability of all­ exceptionally well in Tests Under scrutiny: , who has had a rash of purely as a batsman? “Possi­ three­match series against rounder , the (in England and Australia). wicketkeeping gaffes, needs to up his game. * R. RAGU ble. But then it would de­ Sri Lanka, beginning on Ja­ chief selector said they Pant is a work in progress pend on what kind of combi­ nuary 5. would test him in the third and I would suggest he can “Any time. I will be too hap­ some guidance. Putting pres­ nation the team wants. It Bumrah, who had suf­ week of January for a possi­ benefit if he gets to work py to work with Pant. I did sure is not going to help at would also mean that Pant fered a stress fracture, is re­ ble chance to figure in the with More. There is no pro­ work with him for two days all. I must tell you he is men­ would need to develop as a portedly fit enough to test series against New Zealand blem with Pant’s batting but (last year) but then I would tally very strong.” fielder in some specialist po­ his recovery in Gujarat’s from January 24. he surely needs to work on need to spend more time As Prasad pointed out, sition. It is not easy. Look at forthcoming Ranji Trophy Shardul Thakur, Navdeep his wicketkeeper. As a wick­ with him. A ten­day stint “The desire to work on his K.L. (Rahul) finding it tough match. Saini, who will be the 16th etkeeper he has to be good one­on­one with Pant would wicketkeeping has to come to get a place in the Test According to selection member for the ODI series enough to command his be a good idea to start with. from within. We are studying team. Pant is being guided. I committee chairman M.S.K. against Australia, and Kha­ place,” Prasad told The He has a fantastic cricket his work and are all ready to keep talking to him. He has Prasad, “Sanju Samson will lia, we have all three open­ K.L. Rahul.” leel Ahmed will continue to Hindu. sense and there are a few help him. Ideally he needs to lost weight and is working be the back­up opener in the ers in the team — Shikhar Seamers Bhuvneshwar be in the scheme of things When asked if he would technical things to be sorted improve in certain areas. It is hard on his keeping skills. T20 series. Against Austra­ Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Kumar and Deepak Chahar for the season. help Pant, More responded, out. He is young and needs not fair to talk of Pant in the We will back him.” Dhoni’s 15 years in India colours Harmanpreet, Smriti and

Took the team to the pinnacle of glory in all formats Veda to lead teams

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA India­B: (Capt.), (wk), R. , Smriti Kalpana (wk), V.R. Vanitha, Je­ Mandhana and Veda Krish­ mimah Rodrigues, , namurthy will lead India­A, , Pooja Vastra­ kar, , Renuka B and C teams in the wo­ Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Sushri Di­ men’s T20 Challenger Tro­ byadarshini, T.P. Kanwar, and phy to be played at Cuttack . from January 4 to 11. India­C: The squads: India­A: Harman­ (Capt.), (wk), preet Kaur (Capt.), Taniya Bha­ (wk), Yastika tia (wk), Shivali Shinde (wk), Bhatiya, D. Hemalatha, Har­ Jasia Akhtar, Priya Puniya, leen Deol, Manali Dakshini, , Devika Vaidya, Jincy George, Arundhati Red­ , , Megh­ dy, Monica Patel, Vrushali Bha­ na Singh, Komal Jhanjhad, gat, , Ta­ Meenu Mani, , and nushree Sarkar, and Madhuri Bharati Fulmali. Mehta.

Living legend: Mahendra Singh Dhoni has brought joy to the Indian fans with his exploits Shaw in India-A squad as a player and captain. * AFP Press Trust of India (wk), Shivam Dube, Shahbaz New Delhi Nadeem, , San­ The in­form Prithvi Shaw on deep Warrier, Avesh Khan, Monday took another step Mohd. Siraj, , and towards an India comeback . after being named in the ‘A’ For second four­day game: squad for the tour of New Hanuma Vihari (Capt.) Prithvi Zealand. Shaw, , Shub­ man Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Press Trust of India most impactful Indian six to help the ‘Men in Blue’ The India­A squads: Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman NEW DELHI cricketers with 17,266 runs lift the coveted trophy. For two tour matches and Saha (wk), K.S. Bharat (wk), Two­time World Cup­win­ across all formats for India. Under Dhoni, India trans­ three one­day games: Shub­ Shivam Dube, R. Ashwin, Shah­ ning former India captain The 38­year­old wicket­ formed into one of the most man Gill (Capt.), Prithvi Shaw, baz Nadeem, Sandeep Warrier, Mahendra Singh Dhoni on keeper has turned up for the successful limited­overs Mayank Agarwal, Ruturaj Gaik­ Avesh Khan, Mohd. Siraj, and Monday completed 15 years country in 350 ODIs, 90 sides in world cricket and he wad, , Sanju Ishan Porel. in international cricket, a Tests and 98 T20 Interna­ is the only Indian captain to Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), The schedule: milestone that has come at a tionals while affecting a stag­ have won all the three major Hardik Pandya, , Axar Patel, Rahul Chahar, San­ time when he is on a sabbat­ gering 829 dismissals behind ICC trophies — World Twen­ Tour games: Jan. 17 & 19, deep Warrier, Ishan Porel, Kha­ Lincoln. ical from the game. the stumps. ty20 in 2007, ICC World Cup leel Ahmed, and Mohd. Siraj. One­dayers: Jan. 22 (Lincoln), The dasher from Ranchi, His career is studded with in 2011 and Champions Tro­ For first four­day game: Hanu­ Jan. 24 & 26 (Christchurch). who made his debut against several milestones including phy in 2013. ma Vihari (Capt.), Prithvi Shaw, Bangladesh under Sourav leading India to victory in He also led Team India to Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Pan­ Four­day matches: Jan. 30­ Ganguly’s captaincy in the 2011 World Cup where the No.1 spot in ICC rankings chal, , Feb. 2 (Christchurch) and Feb. 2004, has been one of the he finished the final with a in both Tests and ODIs. , K.S. Bharat 7 to 10 (Lincoln).

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