Injured Mohammed Shami ruled out of Asia Cup, Bhuvneshwar Kumar named replacement

 

The Indian board also released a statement, which read: "The BCCI medical team confirms that Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of Asia Cup, 2016. The decision has been taken to give him more time to recover from the Grade II injury to his left hamstring."

Shami, 25, has failed to fully recover from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the limited-overs series in Australia last month.

But he was nonetheless named in the Indian squad for both the Asia Cup and ICC World Twenty20. And this latest development has put his chances of playing in the marquee ICC event in a doubt.

Earlier, senior selection committee chairman Sandeep Patil had expressed his confidence in the bowler's return to fitness. He even claimed that "Shami had started bowling".

The group stage of Asia Cup starts on February 24 with India taking on hosts Bangladesh in Mirpur.

The World T20 will be held in India, starting March 8.

 

Indian Premier League has got its share of bad name​: Mahendra Singh Dhoni​

 

"Lodha Commission has not given me the report. So you have to ask the BCCI (about what they plan to do," said Dhoni here today.IPL and controversies go hand in hand but Dhoni defended the cash-rich league.

"Yes, it (IPL) has got its share of bad name but you have to look at the positives as well. It is a platform where you can identify the players on the domestic circuit, gauge their performance throughout the season. It is also about how the young players handle pressure, you see youngsters embracing it. I think that is fantastic for Indian cricket. 

"Yes, money is a big factor. People talk about cricketers getting a lot of money. Yes, a lot of cricketers are getting a lot of money but at the same time, thousands and thousands of them are not."

Sanjiv Goenka, owner of new IPL franchise Pune Supergiants, sharing the dais with Dhoni, was also asked about his thoughts on brand IPL taking a hit.

"I have been asked this before. I am not going to comment about the past. We take it as it comes. We are not thinking beyond two years. An opportunity came to be associated with IPL for two years and we took it," said Goenka.

Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions have replaced the suspended Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals for the coming two seasons.

Sri Lanka Cricket hosting Indo-Pak series purely on goodwill

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is gearing up to host the marquee India versus Pakistan series "purely on goodwill" and "not for any other benefits", said its Interim Committee's secretary Prakash Schaffter.

New Delhi: The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is gearing up to host the marquee India versus Pakistan series "purely on goodwill" and "not for any other benefits", said its Interim Committee's secretary Prakash Schaffter.

"Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has decided to play the hosts for the Indo-Pak series as any good and co-operative neighbour would do. If we are hosting this series, it is an act of goodwill gesture towards our neighbours and not for any kind of financial benefits from this series," Schaffter said.

Asked if there could be any financial benefits since the marquee series has a lot of economic viability, Schaffter replied,"This is an Indo-Pak series. Even if you are talking about any revenue benefits, it would not be anything substantial for us. We are just facilitators."

"As I have said that the idea of hosting the series has got nothing to do with financial benefits. There are a lot of other avenues through which we can garner revenue and we certainly don't need this series for that."

Schaffter made it clear that venues and other details can only be discussed once the announcement of the series is made officially.

"As far as I am given to understand, we have not received anything in writing from the Pakistan Cricket Board. I suppose it will only happen after the series is officially announced.

Once that is done, it will be appropriate on our behalf to speak about the other relevant details concerning the series," the Interim Committee's secretary said.

Asked about the weather conditions during the last part of December, Schaffter said,"Well it's expected that monsoon showers would not be heavy at that time. But when it comes to weather predictions, your guess is as good as mine."

According to sources, Khettarama (R Premadasa Stadium) and Pallekele (Kandy) are the two venues expected to host the series which in all likelihood may be confined to three ODIs and two T20 Internationals.

The BCCI has already written to their Union Home Ministry seeking clearance for the series to go-ahead in the island nation.

Similarly, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan has said that they are waiting for prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to be back in the country as he is the person authorized to give a green light.

The official announcement is expected to be made on Friday, November 27 in Dubai at the ICC headquarters and it will be done by chairman of the PCB 'Task Force' Giles Clarke.

The series was cleared late last week when BCCI president Shashank Manohar met Khan and senior PCB official Najam Sethi at the ICC headquarters in presence of Clarke where Sri Lanka turned out to be a mutually acceptable venue.

Pitch row: Wankhede curator Sudhir Naik says awaiting MCA reply to letter

Sudhir Naik also said he had not been informed by anyone, before the conclusion of the fourth ODI at Chennai on October 22, of the type of track that was desired by the home team for the series decider on October 25. 

Mumbai: The controversy over the batting track prepared for the fifth ODI between India and South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium, where the visitors hammered the hosts by 214 runs to win the series last month, is yet to die down.

Pitch curator Sudhir Naik, who has accused Indian team Director Ravi Shastri of abusing him during the game after the Proteas ran up a record-high score of 438, said on Thursday he was awaiting a reply to his official written complaint lodged with match-hosting body Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

"I had informed Dilip Vengsarkar (MCA Vice-President), Prof Ratnakar Shetty (BCCI General Manager, Game Development) and Pawar saheb (MCA President Sharad Pawar) about Shastri's abuse directed at me immediately and was told to put in the complaint through a letter. I have done so and am awaiting a reply," Naik told reporters at the Wankhede Stadium.

MCA, meanwhile, has asked ex-India captain Vengsarkar to probe the matter by speaking to Naik and Shastri, both former Test cricketers and his one-time teammates in the Mumbai Ranji team.

Naik, in his letter, had asked MCA to reprimand both Shastri and Indian team's bowling coach Bharat Arun, who had allegedly fired his assistant Ramesh Mamhunkar on the same matter.

Acknowledging that MCA had no powers to reprimand Shastri or Arun, Naik said one option before him was to approach BCCI directly on the matter, but he wanted to go through proper channel.

"I know I can directly approach the BCCI, but I want to place the issue first with the MCA, who had hired me to do the job," he said.

Naik also said he had not been informed by anyone, before the conclusion of the fourth ODI at Chennai on October 22, of the type of track that was desired by the home team for the series decider on October 25. The visitors won the five-match series 3-2. 

"Dr PV Shetty (MCA Joint Secretary) got a phone call on the 22nd night from the team management and informed us the next day morning about the team's wishes. But by that stage the wicket had already been prepared. It was too late in the day to make it into a slow turner," insisted the ex-Test opener.

Asked about the alleged abuse hurled at him by Shastri, Naik said he was standing on the ground level and the former India all-rounder was on the balcony above in front of the team's dressing room - after South Africa had run up the massive total - and twice complimented him about the track, saying, "Great wicket, Sudhir".

"After I said thank you both times, he suddenly turned around and, with one hand on the door handle of the dressing room and with his back half turned towards me, abused me (in Marathi) and then fled inside. It was good that he ran inside, as otherwise I would have also retorted," he said.

Meanwhile, PV Shetty informed the MCA Managing Committee, which met on Thursday, that Shastri was not available to be talked to on this issue till the end of the four-Test series between India and South Africa that commenced at Mohali today.