• Home
  • Cricket News
  • I Thought Rohit Would Be Fit When He Played Ipl Kohli Sparks Controversy

I thought Rohit would be fit, when he played IPL: Kohli sparks controversy

The Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has added fuel to the fire in the ongoing Rohit Sharma injury conundrum, saying that he thought Rohit was fit when he played the Indian Premier League Playoffs.

Reacting to the news of both the senior pros Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma might not be available for the upcoming test series which begins with the first Test in Adelaide, Kohli said, "[They] would've been better if they had traveled to Aus with the team and done their rehab.”

The 32-year-old, speaking particularly on Rohit’s injury, looked as baffled as any other Indian fan and said, “I thought Rohit would be fit when he played in IPL.”

Kohli, who has sought paternity leave from the BCCI and will not be available for the Test series post the first match, said that the only information he and the team have is that NCA will further assess Rohit on Dec 11. He termed the situation of the Indian team as per the injuries as having a 'lot of confusion’ without any clarity.

This statement of the captain has come on the eve of the first match of the tour when the Indian team would play Australia in the first ODI of the three-match series at Sydney.

Earlier Rohit said that he had always kept the BCCI in the loop about his injury and its progress and hence he was amused that there was so much confusion about the issue.

Powered by Froala Editor

Discover more
Top Stories
news

Devon Conway looks forward to potential debut by ‘staying in the moment’

Having piled up runs both in the first class and in the Super Smash, the domestic T20 competition of New Zealand, the only thing that Devon Conway, the South Africa born Wellington star was looking forward to was a New Zealand debut. This wish of his is most likely to be fulfilled once the kiwis take on the West Indies in the first-ever T20I of the three-match T20I series in Eden Park, Auckland. Sitting on the cusp of the debut, the 29-year-old said, "It's all very exciting that it's happening. I'm just looking forward to getting out there for a potential debut.” He further said that he is looking forward to the opportunity no doubt, but by still staying in the moment and not thinking too much about it. "To be honest, I don't listen too much about the expectations people have for me. I think about staying in the moment and to focus on the task at hand. Whatever else happens. I try to get away from that sort of thing.” Saying that one never knows as to when an opportunity is going to come, so he prefers to be ready for it and not look too far ahead. “It's been pretty special - being with this group of players, and the environment and culture they have, getting to know them better. That being said, I'm still waiting for the final XI for tomorrow to be announced,” Conway added. There is no doubt that the South Africa-born is looking to cement his place in the team for the T20 World Cup next year and he talked about it in detail as well. "With the T20 World Cup coming up in 2021, it's about working out all the positions and the best XI. And learning to execute your roles, be it in New Zealand conditions, Australian conditions, or Indian conditions,” he said. Conway played against some of the Windies bowlers in a first-class game as part of New Zealand A squad and reckons that the time in the middle against the opposition will boost his confidence. "Having the opportunity to play against some international bowlers was a big boost. Having the time out in the middle, I can take the confidence into the T20s as well, even though it's a different format,” said Conway who scored 46 not out, and 41 in two innings. Speaking on the issue of the Black Lives Matter, Conway, who leads the charts in the current Plunkett Shield with 410 runs to his name in just seven innings at an average of more than 47, said that his captain Tim Southee and the management have briefed the team about the issue and he is excited to be able to support the Caribbean team and the entire community in its struggle. “It was awesome to hear about [how] we can support and get behind them tomorrow. It's a really good initiative that is creating awareness worldwide. Now it's all about backing that decision and supporting it any way we can," he said.

news

ECB brings 3 more measures to make English cricket more inclusive, diverse

The process of rooting out racism and discrimination in the English cricket is well on track as the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced three new comprehensive measures under the flagship Inspiring Generations strategic plan. The three new policy measures such as structuring of a new commission for equality in Cricket, a forum for the race in cricket, a new equality code of conduct were approved by the board on 24 November and these will set precedent for the better and new equality, diversity and inclusion Plan over the course of next few months to tackle and weed out any form of racism and inequality in the English Cricket. Independent Commission for Equality in Cricket This commission will be headed by an independent chairman and will comprise of independent members who will help the ECB in the evaluation of inequalities and discrimination of all forms in English cricket. Forum for Race in Cricket The ECB has decided to set up a forum for discussion on race in cricket in order to facilitate itself in listening to people across the game who have had a variety of living and learning experiences. The forum will provide the board with a confidential, safe space to listen and learn from those lived experiences in order to foresee challenges and chart out a plan of action for better development of the game. Equality Code of Conduct The ECB has mandated this new Equality of conduct for all cricket organisations under its jurisdictions and has asked all of them to implement it before the 2021 season. The board has asked its member organisations to treat discriminatory behaviours in their jurisdictions through disciplinary processes set out by this new code of conduct. Shedding light on the Inspiring Generations strategic plan, ECB Chairman, Ian Watmore said that the board aspires to make the game more inclusive and that there are many more efforts underway to achieve that broader goal. He reaffirmed the stance of ECB that all discriminatory behaviour is unacceptable, and that it is fully committed to driving it out of the game. “The primary aim of the ECB’s Inspiring Generations strategy is to make cricket a game for everyone and many actions are well underway and helping to make cricket more diverse and inclusive. While continuing with this work and increasing its impact, we are equally clear that all discriminatory behaviour is unacceptable, and are committed to driving it out of the game through better governance, education, training, role modelling and behavioural change, but also through disciplinary action when necessary. Continuing to listen to the experiences of people, whether positive or negative and engaging with independent expertise will help to inform, strengthen and challenge our thinking and plans as we move forward. Taken together, these steps will ensure that the ECB achieves lasting change,” Watmore said. On the other hand, the ECB CEO, Tom Harrison said that the board has tried to listen to as many people as possible who have had the experience of facing and dealing inequalities and exclusivity and it will carry on the path to make the game even more inclusive and diverse. “This year we have listened to many people from across the game and beyond, to understand where we must be better in making our sport inclusive and diverse, and tackling discrimination. The measures we have announced today, and the broader Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Plan we will launch, build on and accelerate the work we have already done in recent years. We will continue to learn how, as a game, we become more representative of the communities we strive to serve,” Harrison said. Moreover, the ECB will launch its full Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Plan for 2021-24 next year with the objective of making cricket a game for everyone irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, sexuality, social background or disability.

news

Sourav Ganguly's discussion with Cricket Australia last hopes for Rohit, Ishant

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has come in damage control mode after a series of miscommunication regarding the availability of Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma in the upcoming series against Australia starting December 17. The board has said that that the duo were anyway not part of the 18-member squad selected for the series and they knew that Rohit was never going to take the flight to Australia straight from the UAE after finishing the IPL. ”Rohit and Ishant were anyways not part of the squad. An 18-member team was announced for four Tests. We all knew he was never going to fly,” Times of India quoted a bCCI official as saying. If Rohit would have flown to Australia instead of coming back to the National Cricket Academy, he would have spent the quarantine period while healing his hamstring and BCCI was not amused at the right-hander’s decision to come back to India. ”Nobody in the BCCI knows who asked Rohit to head to the NCA. Was it his own decision?”, TOI quoted a bizarre response from a BCCI official. Now, as Rohit has gone to the NCA, as per the norms of the BCCI, it’s the academy’s prerogative to certify fitness of a player before they can make a comeback to the team. Reportedly, Rohit’s fitness will be assessed on December 11 but the BCCI is aware of the challenges that lie ahead of the board and Rohit himself in pursuit of making it into the team for the last leg of the tour such as quarantine protocols where he will be barred from training, ban on international flights. In Ishant’s case, TOI reports that NCA head Rahul Dravid’s letter to the BCCI had made it clear about the required period of rest the tall pacer needed to get back in the groove for the rigorous workload of a Test match. BCCI believes that there is no point ending Ishant in the second week of December as both he and Rohit Sharma will have to be in solitary quarantine which can take away ‘sanity’ from them and it will be too late for them to recover for Test matches. However, news agency ANI has reported that BCCI President Sourav Ganguly is involved in negotiations with his counterpart in Cricket Australia to reach a middle ground that will facilitate the duo an opportunity to train while in quarantine in Australia. This whole series of miscommunication has been termed ‘sad’ by the BCCI but it would be better for the board to come out with a clear picture on the state of players’ fitness and adopt a better communication approach to avoid feeling these strong rumours.

news

NZ vs PAK: Pakistan squad handed final warning after six test COVID-19 positive

As many as six members of the Pakistan senior men’s touring part have tested positive for the coronavirus infection upon landing in New Zealand. While four of these cases are new to be reported, the other two have been termed ‘historic’ in a New Zealand Cricket’s release. “NZC was made aware today that six members of the Pakistan touring squad, currently in managed isolation in Christchurch, have tested positive for COVID-19. Two of these six results have been deemed ‘historical, four have been confirmed as new,” New Zealand Cricket said in its release. Health officials in New Zealand are in no mood to unravel coronavirus situation in the country after eradicating the virus from their shores and they have taken full cognisance of the breaching of the coronavirus rules and have issued a ‘final warning’ to the touring side to stick to rules in order to keep the country and staff safe from Covid-19. They have also mandated that each member will be subjected to stringent quarantine in their designated rooms while also going through four rounds of Covid-19 tests. "The team as a whole has been issued with a final warning. It is a privilege to come to New Zealand to play sport, but in return, teams must stick to the rules that are designed to keep COVID-19 out of our communities and keep our staff safe," said top health official Ashley Bloomfield. New Zealand health ministry has said that it has observed team members dishonouring protocols on CCTV despite a series of ‘clear, consistent and detailed communication of expected behaviours.’ As per the provisions of the coronavirus containment protocols in the country, Pakistan players and all members of the touring contingent had to go through four rounds of Covid-19 testing before starting their training period. These cases have emerged in the first round of testing conducted immediately after arrival in the country and therefore the team has been barred from training while under isolation which was exempted before the current development. Persons who tested positive will be shifted to a separate facility in Christchurch. This means that, in line with the protocols governing the squad’s entry into New Zealand, the six members of the squad will be moved to the quarantine arm of the managed isolation facility. As a consequence, the Pakistan team’s exemption to train while in managed isolation has been put on hold until investigations have been completed,” NZC appraised. Reportedly, all members of the Pakistan team including the support staff were allowed to board the plane to New Zealand only after four rounds of negative results from Covid-19 testing. As a result of the process, opener Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the tour after developing symptoms. Additionally, NZC also said that they got the notice of some members of the touring party having breached the coronavirus related containment protocols. NZC said that they will hold discussions with the Pakistan team to make them aware of the requirement of isolation and subsequent restrictions in the wake of Covid-19. “NZC has also been made aware that some members of the Pakistan team had contravened protocols on the first day of managed isolation. We will be having discussions with the tourists to assist them in understanding the requirements,” the board said in its release. Pakistan and New Zealand are set to play a three-match T20 series starting December 18 followed by a two-match Test series starting December 26. Pakistan senior men’s team is also accompanied by Pakistan A team which will play two four-day games on the tour starting December 10 and December 17. “NZC was made aware today that six members of the Pakistan touring squad, currently in managed isolation in Christchurch, have tested positive for COVID-19. Two of these six results have been deemed ‘historical, four have been confirmed as new,” New Zealand Cricket said in its release. As per the provisions of the coronavirus containment protocols in the country, Pakistan players and all members of the touring contingent had to go through four rounds of Covid-19 testing before starting their training period. These cases have emerged in the first round of testing conducted immediately after arrival in the country and therefore the team has been barred from training while under isolation which was exempted before the current development. Persons who tested positive will be shifted to a separate facility in Christchurch. This means that, in line with the protocols governing the squad’s entry into New Zealand, the six members of the squad will be moved to the quarantine arm of the managed isolation facility. As a consequence, the Pakistan team’s exemption to train while in managed isolation has been put on hold until investigations have been completed,” NZC appraised. Reportedly, all members of the Pakistan team including the support staff were allowed to board the plane to New Zealand only after four rounds of negative results from Covid-19 testing. As a result of the process, opener Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the tour after developing symptoms. Additionally, NZC also said that they got the notice of some members of the touring party having breached the coronavirus related containment protocols. NZC said that they will hold discussions with the Pakistan team to make them aware of the requirement of isolation and subsequent restrictions in the wake of Covid-19. “NZC has also been made aware that some members of the Pakistan team had contravened protocols on the first day of managed isolation. We will be having discussions with the tourists to assist them in understanding the requirements,” the board said in its release. Pakistan and New Zealand are set to play a three-match T20 series starting December 18 followed by a two-match Test series starting December 26. Pakistan senior men’s team is also accompanied by Pakistan A team which will play two four-day games on the tour starting December 10 and December 17.