THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU Q SUNDAY Q NOVEMBER 29, 2020 11

With no Plan B in place, India need ICC fines India for slow over-rate their ‘A’ game to save ODI series in first ODI against Australia SYDNEY, NOVEM- positively and that’s why DUBAI, NOVEMBER BER 28: India’s battered you saw everyone go out 28: The Indian team unit will have little there and play with intent,” was fined 20 per cent of its time to regroup and limited Kohli had said after the match fee for maintaining a resources at its disposal in a match. slow over-rate against Aus- desperate bid to perform a The lack of a sixth bowl- tralia in the series opening redemption act and save the ing option will put tremen- first ODI in Sydney. ODI series against a turbo- dous pressure on Bumrah, India took an unprece- charged Australia in the whose erstwhile ODI form dented four hours and six second game here on Sun- has deserted him since he minutes to complete their 50 day. came back from his stress overs during their 66-run It wasn’t just about the injury. loss in the first ODI. margin of defeat — by 66 While he was brilliant in ICC match referee David runs — but the manner in the IPL, just like the New Boon imposed the sanction which the home team ex- Smith — hitting the straps warded with an ODI cap as Zealand series in February, after India was ruled to be posed India’s vacant cup- right away, picked up a the Gujarat slinger looked one over short of the target board of all-rounders that and company will have no side strain during the first pedestrian at best at the after time allowances were will give and option but to pick up the game. Both skipper Finch SCG. An equaliser on Sun- taken into consideration. numerous pieces and give a better ac- and Smith hinted that day will be easier said than “In accordance with Article points to ponder. count of themselves on a Green is in line for an ODI done. 2.22 of the ICC Code of Con- ’s 76-ball- strip that promises to be a debut. Squads: duct for Players and Player 90 was at best a good in- belter. While a five-bowler the- India: Virat Kohli (cap- Support Personnel, which re- nings but just like the It is highly unlikely that ory is certainly hurting In- tain), , lates to minimum over-rate sanction, so there was no the longest 50-over game he minutes over the scheduled Champions Trophy final in India’s combination will dia, some of the shot selec- Shubman Gill, KL Rahul offences, players are fined 20 need for a formal hearing,” had been part of. time and we were something 2017, the sparkling knock change unless both Yuzven- tions at the top of the order (vice- & - per cent of their match fee for the release further stated. “It was the longest 50 overs similar,” Smith said. was never going to help In- dra Chahal and Navdeep left a lot to be desired. keeper), , Man- every over their side fails to On-field umpires Rod in the field I’ve ever had, The Men in Blue lost the dia win the contest. Saini are declared unfit. Especially Shreyas Iyer, ish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, bowl in the allotted time,” the Tucker and Sam Nogajski, that’s for sure. I don’t know opening game by 66 runs and Adding insult to injury The duo collectively con- whose dismissal was an em- , Ravindra ICC said in a statement on TV umpire Paul Reiffel and what to put that down to. Ob- trail hosts Australia 0-1 in the the was Pandya’s frank ad- ceded 172 runs in 20 overs barrassing sight as he Jadeja, , Saturday. fourth umpire Gerard Abood viously, a few people came on three-match series. mission that he is not bowl- between them and the wiry fended awkwardly to a well- , Jasprit “Skipper Virat Kohli levelled the charge. the field in the first innings The second ODI is slated to ing anytime soon and even wrist-spinner did leave the directed bouncer from Josh Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, pleaded guilty to the offence Even after the which took a bit of time and I be played on Sunday in Syd- if he rolls his arm over, it is field after sustaining an on- Hazlewood. , Shardul and accepted the proposed match conceded that it was think they (India) went 45 ney. likely to be in 20-over field injury just after the For Mayank Agarwal too, Thakur, T Natarajan. World Cups. completion of his spell. extra bounce became his Australia: So with no back-up all- Saini, on the other hand, undoing but he is too good (captain), , rounders or a plan B in has back spasms and a player to fail consistently. Steve Smith, Marnus 7th Pakistan cricket team member place, India will have to exe- Thangarasu Natarajan has Skipper Kohli, the man Labuschagne, Glenn cute their plan A perfectly. been inducted in the 50- who is revered by the Aus- Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, That leaves Kohli with over squad as a cover. tralian team, media and (wk), Pat Cum- tests positive for COVID-19 bowlers who can’t bat and a In case they are ruled out, public at large, would love mins, , Adam top-order where none can , with de- to play a signature ODI Zampa, , WELLINGTON, NO- their own rooms which is a bowl. Kohli did bowl an cent batting abilities could knock, glimpses of which , , VEMBER 28: A seventh requirement for that first over or two but that is his- replace Saini and Kuldeep were on display during his , Moises member of the Pakistan three days, until that first tory as far as the skipper is Yadav’s inclusion will be a 21 in the first ODI. Henriques, , cricket team in New test comes back, there was concerned. forced change. For Aus- “From the batting point , Matthew Zealand has tested positive some mingling in the hall- With Australia’s top three tralia, it is possible that of view, we had a chat Wade (wicketkeeper). for COVID-19 and will join ways, chatting, sharing food — captain Aaron Finch, highly-rated all-rounder briefly after the game - all of The match starts at 9:10 other infected teammates in and not wearing masks,” David Warner and Steve Cameron Green will be re- us committed to playing am. quarantine. Bloomfield said. Six members of the 53- A wider outbreak among member squad tested posi- squad members would also tive on Tuesday when the be a serious issue which India missing ‘skill and character’ team arrived in New might put the tour in jeop- Zealand from Pakistan and ardy. Pakistan is due to play began its compulsory 14- New Zealand in three of Dhoni: Michael Holding day stay in managed isola- internationals tion. added: “The remainder of members to train in small and two test matches. ing said in a YouTube chat show knows how to go about the chase." The seventh member the results from the squad’s groups after their third day The first T20 will take 'Holding Nothing Back'. The former pacer added that Dhoni tested positive on Friday day 3 swab testing — apart in isolation has been re- place on December 18 and The 66-year-old further said that In- not only assessed the situation well when players and officials from the six who have al- voked. But will be reviewed the tests are the main fea- dia missed the composure and control but also provided support and insights again were tested on the ready returned a positive later if no further breaches tures of New Zealand’s do- result — are negative.” occur. of Dhoni, who retired from interna- to the person batting alongside him. third day of their isolation mestic summer. People who test positive Players and team man- tional cricket in August this year. "Whoever is batting with him, he is period. On Friday, the health "Dhoni comes in to this Indian bat- always talking with them and helping while in isolation can be agement are required to Under New Zealand ministry said the team’s ting order halfway down and he usu- them. Fantastic batting line-up, but held beyond the usual 14- stay in their rooms for the rules, people in managed conduct had “significantly ally takes control while chasing. India MS Dhoni was a special man in the day period. first three days of the isola- isolation generally are improved” after the warn- have chased so well in the past with run-chase," said Holding. The Pakistan team has al- tion period. tested on the third and 12th ing was issued. MS Dhoni in the team. The former cricketer turned com- ready received a final warn- New Zealand’s director days of the isolation period. “We thank members of "This batting line-up that they have mentator also slammed India's sloppy ing from the health ministry general of health, Dr Ashley The new infection was re- the team for their co-oper- got is still very talented – we saw some display on the field. after players breached pro- Bloomfield, said he took a ported Saturday by New ation with the case investi- NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 28: talented players and fantastic stroke- "India didn't help themselves with Zealand’s ministry of health tocols on their first day in “dim view” of the team’s play. Hardik played a beautiful knock their fielding. The SCG is a big ground isolation. The ministry said failure to obey the regula- gations following the an- West Indies great in its daily update of COVID nouncement of positive but they still need a player like Dhoni. but the boundary rope was still in from cases. closed-circuit television tions which had been Michael Holding feels that despite a cases within the team. Co- Not just his skills but his strength of the extremes of the boundary." “One additional member footage from the team’s clearly spelled out to team star-studded batting line-up, the In- operation and compliance character," he added. Kohli and company dropped at least of the Pakistan cricket Christchurch hotel showed members on their arrival. dian team is missing the "skill and are critical in ensuring New Holding said the Indian team felt four catches, missed a opportu- squad has today tested pos- squad members mingling in Further breaches might character" that the peerless Mahendra Zealand is kept safe from more confident going about run nity apart from several sloppy fielding itive during routine test- corridors and sharing food. lead to the team being ex- Singh Dhoni used to display during COVID-19,” the Ministry chases with Dhoni in the side. efforts. ing,” the Ministry of Health An exemption which pelled from New Zealand. big run chases. said. The Indian team looked completely "They have never been afraid to win "India slipped up on quite a few occa- said in a statement and would have allowed team “Rather than being in out of sorts as a unit in the opening the toss and insert the opposition be- sions, with balls going over the field- ODI against Australia. cause they know what MS Dhoni is ca- ers' heads and not going for sixes. After a listless bowling display that pable of and their batting is capable There's no way you should be that far of." within the boundary. If Hardik is unfit, where is the re- helped the home side reach 374 for 6, the Men in Blue crumbled under pres- Dhoni's calmness was a big factor in "In any ground, it's a basic principle sure, slumping to a 66-run defeat. run-chases. that you should not be that far in that "It was always going to be difficult "We never see Dhoni panicking at the ball can go over your head and placement, asks Gambhir for India to chase that down. One any stage while India are chasing. He land within the boundary. If it goes thing India will struggle with is the usually paces that chase so well be- over your head, it should be six and NEW DELHI, NO- in the XI, the problem you loss of Mahendra Singh Dhoni," Hold- cause he knows his ability and he that is just basic," he added. VEMBER 28: Former In- are facing now you will be dia opener Gautam Gamb- facing then. There is no one hir feels Virat Kohli's team in the top six who can actu- We were poor in field, says upset Kohli will keep facing the problem ally give you a couple of of imbalance till it finds a overs," he said. SYDNEY, NOVEMBER 28: In- overs. It was a disappointing part. If catches: “Also, lapses in the field were suitable replacement for a While Marcus Stoinis and dia captain Virat Kohli questioned his you don’t take your chances against a also a reason why we couldn’t capi- half-fit Hardik Pandya as are already team’s body language after the crush- top-quality opposition they’ll hurt you talise on any kind of momentum, the his nearest competitor Vijay in the playing XI as pace ing defeat to Australia. He also said and that is what happened today,” pressure that we created in early part of Shankar is not of same and spin bowling all- Hardik Pandya not being fit to bowl is Kohli said. the innings.” level. rounders respectively, Aus- affecting the side’s balance, which was Kohli rued that Pandya is not yet to “(We) got enough time to prepare. Pandya is currently play- tralia have a number of clear from the way he ran out of bowl- fit to bowl. “We have to find out a way Don’t think there can be any excuses,” ing as a specialist batsman back-up men with multiple ing options. to get a few overs from part-timers. he said, referring to being quarantined and is not sure when he skill-sets, including rookie “Everyone needs to show the intent Unfortunately, someone like Hardik after reaching Australia and not play- would be fully fit to bowl in Cameron Green, who is set in the entire 50 overs. Probably, we is not ready to bowl yet, we have to ac- ing a practice match. ODI cricket. to make his international played 50 overs after a long time that cept that, we don’t really have all- Talking about the batting unit, Kohli India lost to Australia by debut. Hardik is not fit (to bowl), talking Gambhir said. could have an affect,” he said. India round options as such right now,” he said: “I think we gave ourselves the 66 runs in a high-scoring "And if you see the Aus- where is your sixth bowling According to Gambhir, last played an international match in said. “That is an area to be looked at, best chance. Hardik’s innings was the series opener in which the tralian side, there is Moises option," Gambhir was this is the kind of problem March (a Test against New Zealand it is a big part in any team’s balance… best example of that. As a batting unit visitors missed a sixth bowl- Henrqiues, who can give quoted as saying by ESPN which can't be sorted even that ended on March 2), and their last Someone like Marcus (Stoinis), we committed nicely to positive ing option. you couple of overs, there is Cricinfo. if an opener of Rohit ODI was on February 11 against the (Glenn) Maxwell bowling a few overs cricket and we are going to do that in Asked if there is a prob- Sean Abbott who is bowling "It's only Vijay Shankar Sharma's calibre comes same team. “But having said that, we for Australia helped.” the future as well.” lem of balance, the hero of all-rounder. They have that I can think of but does back. have played so much ODI cricket that it Kohli said his bowlers couldn’t pick Steve Smith, the Man of the Match, two World Cup triumphs Daniel Sams who can both he have the same impact "You can talk (about) is not something we don’t know how regularly. “The key to winning said : “I have been searching for some- couldn't agree more. bowl and bat. batting at No. 5 or 6? Can he putting in Manish to do.” games is picking up wickets, that is thing for a couple of months now. "Big time and this has "From Indian point of give you 7 or 8 overs? I have Pandey…even if and when “I think the body language in the something we were not able to do,” he About three days ago something just been happening what – view, if Hardik is unfit my doubts," the straight- comes back field wasn’t great after around 25 said, and referred also to the dropped clicked. since the last World Cup. If where is the replacement?"