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Fit Again Umesh Yadav Eyeing World Cup Like World Test Championship

Fit again Umesh Yadav eyeing World Cup-like World Test Championship

India pacer Umesh Yadav reiterated the context of the World Test Championship final for single-format players like him.

In an interview with ANI, Umesh echoed the sentiment shared by his Test teammates such as Ishant Sharma, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane that the occasion of the WTC final is as big as a World Cup final and that winning the championship would be a monumental achievement.

"Yes, Ishant Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane are correct. As a player when you are playing Test matches, the WTC is like a World Cup for you. It's very uncertain if we are going to get to play ODIs in the near future. So, as a Test match player, WTC is like a World Cup only. I also think the same. WTC final is different because you reach at that place by defeating a lot of good teams," Umesh said.

Discussing the team environment and the leadership group comprising the head coach Ravi Shastri and captain Virat Kohli, Umesh said that the players have been given the freedom to enjoy the game without feeling the weight of baggage. He also said that the spirit in the team remains high all the time as all of them remain on the same page in terms of aggression and attitude on the field.

"Virat and Ravi bhai have worked really hard. The way Virat has captained and handled the team, the freedom and confidence that the captain and coach have given to the team keep a lot of weightage because as a bowler or a batsman when you can play at your free will and freedom you definitely perform so much better. When the team steps down on the ground, there is a kind of aggression, a feeling of backup and support. All 11 players are in sync with each other. So, coaches and captain deserve the credit for that. The players are very comfortable, there is a team spirit and good environment," said Umesh.

Umesh Yadav missed the latter half of the series against Australia due to a calf injury and would be looking to make a comeback in the playing XI on the upcoming tour of England.

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We are here to beat them: Isuru Udana issues warning to Bangladesh ahead of ODI series

Sri Lankan left-arm Isuru Udana is optimistic about his team’s chances in the upcoming tour of Bangladesh which will comprise of three ODIs. The young Sri Lankan side will compete against a strong Bangladesh side and with several top-notch players missing out, Sri Lanka will have their task cut out. However, Udana is hopeful of a strong performance especially at a time when the burden of expectations is not there. With so many new faces making the cut, it will be an opportunity for the young blokes to come out all guns blazing and prove a point or two. Experienced campaigners like Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews were shown the exit door and it remains to be seen whether it remains their long term plan. While Sri Lanka will be playing without so many of their first-choice players, Bangladesh on the other hand will be bolstered by the return of all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. He had opted out of the New Zealand tour as he was on paternity leave before missing the Test series in Sri Lanka to ply his trade in the Indian Premier League. '"To be honest, Bangladesh has a few superstars in their team (and expected to be carrying the load of expectations) while we have a young side and we have nothing to lose," Udana was quoted by the reporters at the BCB Academy premises on Thursday. "We are here to beat them, so we want to give our best to beat those guys, because in their home, they are very dangerous and we know that,'' he further added. It won’t be an easy task for either team to play in the hit and humid conditions in Dhaka. The severe conditions are bound to affect the cricketers in some way or the other but Udana feels that the Sri Lankans are more equipped and better used to the conditions as the heat and humidity is lot more in the island nation. "I don't think heat and humidity will be a concern because in Sri Lanka, it's hotter than this. We're quite used to the bio-bubble life now. Doing forward, we have to stick to those plans, so I think we are ready because we had a five-six day training camp in Colombo. We also had two good sessions here, so I think all the guys are ready,” Udana said. The left-arm pacer who has been in and around the international circuit for a long time now is expected to lead the bowling attack in the absence of several stalwarts of the team. Udana feels that the onus will be on the youngsters to make their presence felt especially in the absence of some premier players. "About the selection, we can't control those things; we are here to give our best, which we have," he said. "In this game, we all have to take responsibility, because, I can be an experienced bowler, but on a particular day, a young guy can do better than me. So I think we all have to stick together and portray our experiences,'' he said. Having played in the Bangladesh Premier League in the past, Udana will look to seek some of his experiences from that venture. "I have played 3-4 years of BPL (Bangladesh Premier League) here, so I have a bit of experience. On that very day, we have to give our best to beat this team, so that's the plan for us,'' Udana said. He has plied his trade in several T20 tournaments across the world. Udana who was part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore outfit in the IPL said that his experience in the cash-rich league will benefit him in the long run. "First I look at the wicket, and when I notice the wicket is slow and old, so I use that (slower delivery) more. I've had that for years now, so I have the feel now of when I can bowl that,'' Udana signed off.

Great to see Jimmy do so well at 38, would love to play for my country for many years: Tim Southee

Taking a leaf out of English great James Anderson’s career book, New Zealand swing master Tim Southee also wants to play for as long as he can for his country. The fast bowler believes that till the time he is performing with the required intensity at the highest level, he is as good as any player and should continue to represent the Blackcaps. “It is great to see guys like Jimmy at 38 being able to bowl as well as he can. It’s a dream to play for your country and I would love to do it for hopefully many more years to come,” Southee said while interacting with the media through a video conference, a clip of which was uploaded by the Blackcaps’ official Twitter handle. The 32-year-old further said that cricketers tend to be bitter these days and gave the example of the English duo of Stuart Broad and Anderson. “Cricketers are now trying to stay fitter and look after themselves better than ever and that’s why a lot of cricketers are able to play for a longer period of time,” Southee said. “These two guys are amazing, I have admired the way they have performed and the longevity of their career. Added to that the amount of wickets they have taken makes their career all the more special,” added the Northern Districts player, who has taken 302 wickets in 77 Tests. Southee is currently with the Kiwi team which is in England for a three-Test assignment that involves a two-match series against the hosts before the all-important Word Test Championship Final against India at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.

Fate of 2021 T20 World Cup to be decided by ICC on June 1

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is going to meet on June 1 and most likely, the top agenda of the meeting will be the decision on hosting arrangements of the 2021 T20 World Cup. Having already lost one T20 World Cup (2020) to Covuid-19, the international governing body is in no mood to postpone this one as well. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which has the hosting rights of the 2021 world event, will have a Special General Meeting on May 29 as well. This meeting has been announced to take a decision on the impending World Cup only. BCCI would come to a conclusion on whether India, ravaged by the second wave of Covid-19, both economically and emotionally because of the number of deaths, could afford to host the October 18 - November 15 tournament. After confirming their decision the board would present its pitch on whether or not it would host the tournament in UAE, the reserve venue that ICC has picked. "The ICC is not unaware of the situation but one cannot speculate on what will be the decision on June 1. One has to wait and see," an ICC source privy to the developments was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. The postponement of IPL has impacted the decision of BCCI being able to host the 16 team tournament in India. Thus it is most likely that the premier International T20 competition would be moved to UAE.

Didn’t receive any request from BCCI on tweaking Test series: ECB

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has quashed all rumours about receiving any request from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding tweaking of the Test series to accommodate the remainder of the Indian Premier League in the September window. "We talk to the BCCI on a regular basis about a wide range of issues especially as we address the challenges of Covid-19, but have had no official request to change dates and are continuing to plan for the five-match Test series as is scheduled," an ECB spokesperson was quoted by Cricbuzz as saying. This clarification was issued late evening on May 20, while the rumours of BCCI’s request were started by the British media earlier in the day. Earlier in the day, a BCCI official told The New Indian Express that both boards were exploring options at the moment and given the extraordinary times the Indian counterpart was hopeful that the ECB will make some adjustments. The report further claimed that the BCCI are ready to compensate for the curtailed series by playing additional limited-overs matches in July. The Test series, a five-match affair is scheduled to begin with the first game in Nottingham on August 4 and would go on till September 14, if the fifth Test in Old Trafford, beginning September 10, runs its full course of time. The IPL was suspended earlier this month on May 4 after a huge rise in Covid -19 cases in the bio-bubble. The BCCI and IPL governing council later informed that the tournament has been postponed and the remainder of it would be completed outside India.