England Tour: Five Cricketers Leave For London

England Tour: Five Cricketers Leave For London

Five Indian cricketers, who were not part of the national side in the just-concluded test series against the West Indies, left for London to participate in the upcoming tour of England in the early hours today. 

Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth, who had all skipped the Caribbean tour due to injuries and health concerns, and Wriddhiman Saha, who was not picked, have been named in the 17-member Test squad for England.

The five cricketers boarded a British Airways flight from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport here.  The other members of the team, barring batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who is already in England, and Virender Sehwag, who is recuperating from a shoulder surgery, will directly travel to the country from the West Indies, where they defeated the home side in an ODI series and a Test rubber during the same tour for the first time.

India will play four Tests, one T-20 and five ODIs in England between July 21 and September 16, beginning with a practice game against Somerset (Taunton—July 15-17).  The four Tests will be held at Lord’s (July 21-25), Trent Bridge (July 29-Aug 2), Edgbaston (Aug 10-14) and Kennington Oval (Aug 18-22).
India had defeated England in a three-Test rubber when it had last toured the country in 2008.

Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt), Gautam Gambhirn (vice Capt), Abhivan Mukund, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V V S Laxman, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Munaf Patel, Wriddhiman Saha, Virender Sehwag

We Could Have Lost While Going For Target, Says Dhoni

We Could Have Lost While Going For Target, Says Dhoni

Team India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday defended the decision not to press for a win in the third and final Test against the West Indies here, saying that his side could have lost the match while going for the target.

India, who had already taken an unbeatable 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series, were 94 for three just before the start of mandatory 15 overs while chasing 180 for a win before Dhoni decided to end the run chase.

"Not disappointed about stopping the run chase. We were risking a series win going after the target. We realised that it was not worth going for it after those wickets, we gave it a go but we are happy with the series win," Dhoni said after the match at the Windsor Park yesterday.

"We did well in this game. West Indies batted well actually, we are not disappointed in any way," he said.

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy said he was a bit surprised that India opted not to press for a win.

"I was a bit surprised that India ended their run chase but we will take it. We are very happy with the draw," he said.

Talking about the pitch and India's team composition, Dhoni said, "We were not sure about the wicket. If we go with a 2-2 combination and the track turns out to be flat, that can be a problem. We knew we had bowlers who could spin the all if it started taking turn, like Raina.

"Harbhajan was getting a bit of spin and bounce and he got valuable wickets, not much help for the fast bowlers, they did well," he said.

Dhoni said the series was a good exposure for youngsters and he felt good to see Ishant Sharma take responsibility.

Ishant, Man-of-the-Series for his 23 wickets, said, "This is my first series where I took the highest wickets. It's kind of an Indian track, slow and flat, but you have to put in the effort as these things are beyond your control. I am pretty confident about myself, looking forward to England."

Man-of-the-Match Shivnarine Chanderpaul said, "The whole series I was getting out in 20s and 30s, very happy to carry on past the three-figure mark. It's at the back of my mind it has been happening for a while now.

"It's always an honour (becoming the most capped Test cricketer for Windies), just shows what hard work can do for you," said Chanderpaul who scored unbeaten 116 in West Indies' second innings to deny India a victory. 

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Harbhajan Bags His 400th Test Wicket

Harbhajan Bags His 400th Test Wicket

Team India's star bowler Harbhajan Singh claimed his 400th Test wicket here on Thursday, 13 years after he made his debut.

Harbhajan became the eleventh bowler in the history of Test cricket to claim 400 wickets.

The Turbanator got his 400th scalp in the form of Carlton Baugh.

Harbhajan pumped his fist in the air, let out a cry and stood still as his teammates ran up to congratulate him.

The giant screen flashed his figures and the sparse crowd at Windsor Park, those sitting in the Indian and West Indies dressing rooms gave the bowler a standing ovation.

Ever since Harbhajan landed in Jamaica for the first Test match of this series, he had been eyeing his 400th as he was seven wickets short.

Bhajji's 400th wicket triggered the West Indies downfall in the first innings as the hosts were bowled out for 204.

Harbhajan got his 400th in his 96th Test.

While he becomes the third highest Indian wicket-taker in Tests after Anil Kumble (619) and Kapil Dev (434), Harbhajan has had to battle his share of criticism reaching here.

Harbhajan thus became the fourth spinner ever to take 400 wickets after Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble.

'Pie-Chucker' Yuvraj Ready For Pietersen

'Pie-Chucker' Yuvraj Ready For Pietersen

India's Yuvraj Singh said on Wednesday he was keen to renew his rivalry with Kevin Pietersen on the upcoming tour of England after being called a "pie-chucker" by the England batsman a few years ago. 

"I know that guy well and I am really keen to throw some more pies at him and others around him," Yuvraj said. 

"And if my pies can contribute and get Pietersen's and some other valuable wickets, I would be really delighted." 

The Indian batsman and left-arm spinner, who returned to the squad for the England tour after recovering from injury, was called a "pie-chucker" by Pietersen during a home Test series in 2008. 

One-day specialist Yuvraj, in and out of the Test squad since making his international debut in 2000, said the tour would be an opportunity for him to cement his place in the team for the longer-format. 

"Test cricket is one area I would like to improve and do well. I want to be a permanent member of the Test side and I know that won't be easy," said Yuvraj, who has so far played 274 one-dayers but only 34 Tests. 

"I will do whatever I can do to strengthen my Test records. The England tour will be one of the biggest challenges in my career but in every challenge there is an opportunity and that's how I would like to see things from here." 

Yuvraj said the four-Test series, starting at Lord's on July 21, would be highly competitive as the Ashes-winning England side would be hard to beat on home soil. 

"England is a very good team and of late they have achieved some tremendous results as a Test side, so beating them at home would be a big task," he said. 

"But we also have a very good and experienced side to combat them. Our overseas record also has improved a lot in the recent times. I am sure this is going to be a very competitive series." 

India named a full-strength squad, with batsmen Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, and pacemen Zaheer Khan and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth returning after missing the ongoing Test series in the West Indies. 

India, who won their last Test series in England in 2007 under Rahul Dravid, will also play five one-day internationals a one-off Twenty20 match during the tour.

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