Indians bit more tolerant: Ganguly veils attack at English-Aussie players

The President of the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly feels that Indian players are mentally more strong and have more capacity to observe the situation than the foreign players, say of England Australia or West Indies. Veiling an attack on those players, the former India captain tried to suggest that there is not much threat to the IPL as is being perceived.

"I feel we Indians are a bit more tolerant than overseas (cricketers). I have played with a lot of Englishmen, Australians, and the West Indians, they just give up on mental health," Ganguly told reporters in Chennai ahead of the first IPL game of the season. Mumbai Indians will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on April 9.

Projecting the Indian players as people who took the bubble scenario in an exemplary manner, the 48-year-old said, "In the last six-seven months, with so much cricket being going on in the bio-bubble, it's so tough. Just going from the hotel room to the ground, handle the pressure and come back to the room and then get back to the ground again, it's an absolutely different life."

The Bengal Tiger then went on to compare the Indian team with respect to the English and Australian sides, one of which cancelled its South Africa tour due to rising Covid-19 cases, while the other had to cancel it mid-way.

"Look at the Australian team, they were supposed to go to South Africa for a Test series after India played there. They refused to go there...," said Ganguly.

Saying that mental training of expecting the worst-case scenario and living with it is the only way forward as far as fighting with Covid-19 mentally is concerned.

"There's this scare of Covid. 'Hope it's not me the next time’. You have to stay positive, you have to train yourself mentally. All of us have to train ourselves mentally so that goodwill happen. It boils down to training,” Ganguly added.

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Warwickshire complete signing of Hanuma Vihari

India’s middle-order batsman Hanuma Vihari has joined English county Warwickshire for the upcoming first-class season. The 27-year-old would most likely be a part of at least three games for the Birmingham based side. "Yes, Vihari will be playing in the English county side for Warwickshire this season. He would play a few games. He is in England now," Sportstar quoted a senior BCCI official as saying. As the contract is still being finalised, the official announcement from the County has not come yet. With Vohari already having left for England, it is most likely that within a day or two the announcement would be made. An integral part of the Indian Test set-up, the Andhra batsman is looking to sharpen his skills ahead of the all-important World Test Championship and a full-fledged tour of England. Vihari, who has scored 624 runs in 12 Tests at an average of 32.84, was last seen in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match between Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. He last international innings is hailed as one of the best fighting knocks by an Indian on foreign soil which came in Sydney where he and Ravichandran Ashwin batted on for more than 400 deliveries to draw a crucial Test match. Vihari got injured in that very game and to gain full fitness and match practice he has decided to pursue a county stint as he was not picked by any franchise in the IPL. "With a curtailed domestic season this time and Vihari being a part of the Test side, he needs match practice. All his other Test colleagues are part of IPL teams, including Cheteshwar (Pujara). Even if it's white-ball games, they will be fit and match-ready," the BCCI source added about Vihari.

IPL 2021: Faf du Plessis sweats it out in the nets ahead of 14th season

Faf du Plessis, one of the most integral members of the Chennai Super Kings outfit was seen sweating it out in the nets ahead of their opening game of IPL game against the Delhi Capitals on 10th April. The whole CSK outfit is currently stationed in Mumbai. Wankhede Stadium will host the first of their five matches in the cash-rich league. The 14th edition of the IPL kicks off on 9th April with the opening match slated to be played between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Chennai Super Kings who failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time last year will look to start afresh and Faf du Plessis will surely play a crucial role if they have turn things around. In a video shared on the official Twitter handle of the Chennai Super Kings, one can see Faf having a chat with chief coach Stephen Fleming and then playing some of his trademark shots in the nets. He looks in full flow and the CSK fans will be hoping that Du Plessis plays a stellar role for the yellow brigade this time around. Du Plessis has been those very few players who have played for a single franchise. He was bought by CSK in the 2011 Auctions and has remained with them since then. He has been a vital cog in the top order and has played quite a few match-winning innings for his franchise.

After Padikkal and Axar Patel, Kiran More tests positive for COVID-19

Former India wicket-keeper and a chairman of selectors Kiran More has tested positive for COVID-19. He is currently the scout of the Mumbai Indians in the IPL besides also being the wicket-keeping consultant. More tested positive on Tuesday and has been isolated from the rest of the Mumbai Indians set-up. He is currently asymptomatic and will undergo the necessary protocol and quarantine procedures for the upcoming two weeks. "Mr. Kiran More is currently asymptomatic and has been isolated. Mumbai Indians and Kiran More have followed all the BCCI health guidelines. The MI medical team will continue to monitor Mr More's health and abide by the BCCI protocols. We would like to remind our fans to be safe and follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviours in these difficult times" - MI said in a statement. The past few weeks have been very challenging in the build-up to the 14th edition of the IPL. Players like Axar Patel, Devdutt Padikkal and Nitish Rana has also tested positive in the recent past. Meanwhile, the extravaganza kicks off on 9th April with the opener slated to be played between the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai. More to follow.....

The Hundred: Sarah Taylor joins Welsh fire, makes comeback after two-year break

Former England Women’s star cricketer Sarah Taylor has decided to make a comeback to competitive cricket as she joined Welsh Fire one of the eight franchise teams of The Hundred Women’s competition. "There has been a real buzz about The Hundred, and especially the women’s competition. We’ve got the best players from around the world involved and the temptation to be part of it was too great to resist,” Taylor was quoted as saying in Wales Cricket Board’s press release. Taylor, 31 had quit all forms of competitive cricket in 2019 citing that anxiety issues plaguing her personally. Back then she had said, “This has been a tough decision but I know it’s the right one, for me and for my health moving forward. I am extremely proud of my career.” Now, excited to play, Sarah wishes that Welsh Fire which play their first game against Northern Superchargers at Headingley, Leeds on July 24 could have a great first season. Commenting on the two times World Cup winner’s comeback to cricket, Beth Barrett-Wild, head of The Hundred Women’s competition said, "Sarah Taylor is a truly extraordinary cricketer, who has made a habit of breaking new ground in the game throughout her career.” “It’s highly appropriate therefore that she will feature in The Hundred this summer – a competition which has the potential to transform women’s cricket,” she added. The London born Taylor is one of the finest wicket-keeper batters to have ever graced women’s cricket. She has the second-highest number of dismissals in both ODIs and T20Is with the joint highest number of stumpings in both formats. In ODIs, she has 51 stumpings, equal to India’s Anju Jain while in T20Is too she has 51 stumpings, equal to Australia’s Alyssa Healy. Overall she has the most number stumpings for any women’s cricketer, all formats combined. The tally sits at 104, way ahead of Healy’s 74. Sarah also has to her kitty, 6533 runs, once again the most for any wicket-keeper batter in women’s game.