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Virat Kohli's experience is very important for the team moving forward: Rohit Sharma

With Virat Kohli stepping down as the T20I captain and Rohit Sharma taking over the reign, there have been discussions about Kohli’s role in the side. But new skipper Sharma has lavished praise on Kohli and said that the kind of experience that he has is important for the team. “There is no doubt that the kind of batter Virat Kohli is always, always needed in the squad. To have an average of 50+ in T20 format is crazy and unreal. He has batted and bailed India out so many times from difficult situations. That kind of quality and batsmanship is required and moreover, he is still a leader of the team,” Sharma said while talking to Boria Majumdar. “All those things put together, you don’t want to ignore that kind of stuff. So, his presence in the team is very very important moving forward.” Kohli had stepped down from the post after the completion of the T20 World Cup. The Men in Blue had bowed out of the tournament in the group stage itself. Rohit on the other hand, had a brilliant start to his T20I captaincy after he led India to a clean sweep win against New Zealand in a three-match series at home.

Spin twins Mendis, Embuldeniya blow West Indies away as Sri Lanka sweep series 2-0

Twin five-wicket hauls from Lasith Embuldeniya and Ramesh Mendis swept West Indies away for a mere 132 in the second innings and helped Sri Lanka to enforce a clean sweep in a two-match long Test series. Chasing a tough target of 297 runs, West Indies were already on the brink having lost the top five batsmen before reaching 100 runs. The pair of Jermaine Blackwood and Nkrumah Bonner provided resilience with the bat but could only delay what was inevitable on the final day of the Test match in Galle. Earlier on the first day, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. The top-order comprising of Pathum Nissanka and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne ratified the call with a big century opening partnership. However, their acts were not supported by the middle order and the hosts slipped to 204 all out from 106/0 to lose all the advantage. Veerasammy Permaul and Jomel Warrican were the chief destructors for West Indies as they shared nine wickets between them with the former picking up a five-wicket haul. The story was somewhat similar for the Windies with the bat as the top order putting up a strong performance and guiding the team past the 204-run mark. However, all batsmen including the skipper Kraigg Brathwaite wasted their hard-earned starts and could not make big scores and hence the tourists could manage a lead of only 49 runs. The hosts were up and ready with the second bout of battle as Dhananjaya de Silva produced a wonderful century and along with Nissanka, took Sri Lanka to a big score. They posted 345 in their second innings and Sri Lanka asked West Indies to chase 297 runs in the final innings. Their spinners, however, were too good for the conditions and the West Indies batting lineup and they could not muster any sort of big scores to challenge the hosts. Dhananjaya de Silva was adjudged player of the match for his big hundred in the second innings while Ramesh Mendis was adjudged player of the series for his 18-wicket stint with the ball.

Sunil Narine reveals secrets behind developing his mystery delivery

A true champion would extract opportunities even when he is on the back foot and this is what Sunil Narine did with his bowling. From being called for illegal bowling action in 2020 to being one of the most lethal weapons in Kolkata Knight Riders’ armour, from being asked to make certain tweaks in his action and don a half sleeves shirt instead of full to scalping 16 wickets in 14 matches in the 2021 edition, Narine just turned fortunes for himself. Well, that’s a classic case of how champions work. Talking about his mystery spin, the right-arm bowler revealed how he developed that art and what efforts did it take in the process. “Yeah, it’s something I have been working on for years now. So, it’s not like it’s just yesterday. I have been working on it. I have always asked batsmen what if they see, if they don’t see,” he said in a short film “The Comeback King” that was released on Thursday. “It’s tough knowing that the games are going on and I’m just bowling, I’m just trying to be ready for the committee to look over. My main purpose was to be ready for when that time comes and they clear it that I will be able to go out there and perform,” he added. Former New Zealand coach and KKR head coach lavished praise on Narine and explained how it was next to impossible to negotiate such a delivery. “The interesting thing is, I believe, that he developed this new delivery. His ability to run in with his hand behind his back. People would say we can’t play him. He’s almost too good.” Harbhajan Singh also hailed the way Narine made a comeback and stamped his authority. “You know the champions always come back stronger.”

Cricket was never easy for, had to work for everything: Sunil Narine

West Indies spinner Sunil Narine has opened up about being called for illegal bowling action and how the right-hander coped up with it to make a comeback. “It (being called for illegal bowling action in 2020) was tough! But at the end of the day, cricket was never easy for me. I had to work for everything I have. So, it was just like another stepping stone where I had to dig deep, work hard and come out on top,” Narine said in a short film “The Comeback King” that was released on Thursday. KKR MD and CEO Venky Mysore suggested that Narine had become even more effective after tweaking his bowling action. “The outcome was as rewarding as it could get, Narine continued his wizardry despite all the odds. There are very few, if any, who have had to modify their activities, come back and be as effective. I think he has been more effective.” Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said that it was a difficult phase for the spinner and he has overcome a lot in his career. “It was a difficult phase for him, and he has overcome a lot (in his career). Perhaps, the officials haven’t understood the ramifications of the decisions that they were putting down on paper, it had a significant impact on Sunil,” said McCullum. Narine played an important role in KKR’s decent run in the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier league where they ended as the runners up. The Caribbean cricketer scalped a total of 16 wickets in 14 matches that he played for the franchise in the season during the course.