Asia Cup 2016: Onus lies on Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma to provide solid platform for India

 

Shikhar and Rohit have found the confidence as a pair for India upfront and that has been the reason for Mahendra Singh Dhoni to find success in the shortest format of the game. Shikhar's transition in form has been a positive factor for India in Australia and against Sri Lanka at home recently.

The left-hander had a miserable time with the bat against South Africa in 2015 and struggled prior to that series too. But since then his approach should be lauded and he seems to make the chances count when he sets out to bat.

Rohit missed out against Sri Lanka apart from the 43 runs in Ranchi and the slow Bangladeshi pitches will test his approach and patience.

With the coveted Asia Cup in Bangaldesh, Dhawan will hope to get India ticking alongside Rohit Sharma who had a dream ODI and T20 series against Australia. With Rohit likely to take his time and look to finish games, the onus lies on Dhawan in setting the attack mode from the very beginning.

The understanding and running between the wickets between the duo has been notable. India will want the two batsmen to continue their surge at the top of the order. India who face Bangladesh in the first game will need to be wary of their bowlers who have made a mark at home. The challenge against Mustafizur Rahman and the likes of Shakib Al Hasan and Taskin Ahmed will test the opening duo.

Shikhar and Rohit's application has provided a cushion to skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and their performances will be the key again in Asia Cup to give India the platform for the rest of the team.

 

 

Shikhar Dhawan on JNU row: Can't speak ill of country you live in; flag should be unfurled at Universities

 

Speaking at a promotional event, the left-hander voiced his opinion in favor of unfurling the 'tiranga' at all 46 central universities.

"My take is simple. It (flag) should be unfurled at the Universities. It (flag) is the pride of the nation. The more the merrier I would say,” he said.

In wake of the recent issues at JNU, the Delhi lad said nobody should speak ill about the country they live in.

“Though you have touched upon a sensitive topic, one should never say anything ill about the country you live in," said the Asia Cup-bound batsman.

A resolution adopted at a meeting chaired by HRD Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday asked the central universities to fly the tricolor "prominently and proudly" on their campuses to signify a "strong India".

The first such flag will be hoisted at JNU.

3rd T20I, India vs Sri Lanka Photos

 

INDIA'S CAPTAIN MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI TOSSES HIS HELMET TO A TEAMMATE DURING THEIR THIRD TWENTY20 CRICKET MATCH AGAINST SRI LANKA, IN VISHAKAPATNAM.

 

MEMBERS OF THE INDIAN CRICKET TEAM CELEBRATE WITH THE WINNING TROPHY AFTER THEIR TWENTY20 CRICKET SERIES WIN AGAINST SRI LANKA, IN VISHAKAPATNAM.

 

MEMBERS OF THE INDIAN CRICKET TEAM CELEBRATE WITH THE WINNING TROPHY AFTER THEIR TWENTY20 CRICKET SERIES WIN AGAINST SRI LANKA, IN VISHAKAPATNAM.

 

INDIAN CRICKETERS SHIKHAR DHAWAN, LEFT, AND AJINKYA RAHANE GREET EACH OTHER TO CELEBRATE THEIR VICTORY AGAINST SRI LANKA IN THE THIRD TWENTY20 CRICKET MATCH, IN VISHAKAPATNAM.

 

INDIA'S RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN CELEBRATES AFTER TAKING THE WICKET OF SRI LANKAN BATSMAN TILLAKARATNE DILSHAN, NOT SEEN, DURING THEIR THIRD TWENTY20 CRICKET MATCH IN VISHAKAPATNAM

 

SRI LANKAN PLAYERS CELEBRATE THE DISMISSAL OF INDIA'S BATSMAN ROHIT SHARMA DURING THEIR THIRD TWENTY20 CRICKET MATCH, IN VISHAKAPATNAM.

IND vs SL, 3rd T20I: Clinical India trounce Sri Lanka by 9 wickets

 

The win also helped India win the three-match series 2-1 and maintain their numero uno position in the ICC Twenty20 ranking. It also meant that Mahendra Singh Dhoni has lead the team to back-to-back Twenty20 series win following their 3-0 success in Australia.

Hero of the match Ravichandran Ashwin produced a dream spell to taking four wickets in a mind-blowing opening spell after MS Dhoni won the toss and invited Sri Lanka to bat first at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.

The 29-year-old spinner, who won the man of the match award, was also adjudged player of the series for his nine wickets.

Today, Ashwin's efforts were ably supported by other pace and spin bowlers. Part-timer Suresh Raina was impressive, chipping in with two wickets, even as Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja produced good spells.

Ashwin thus recorded the best bowling figures for an Indian bowler in T20I. His figures read 4-1-8-4.

Chasing a tricky looking 82, India lost opener Rohit Sharma early, but Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane kept cool and won the match with 37 balls remaining.

The Delhi batsman, who had played a pivotal role in India's series leveling win at Ranchi with maiden T20I fifty, played a gem of innings of 46 runs off 46 deliveries. After bidding his time, the left-handed batsman hit a six and four of successive debutant Asela Gunaratne in the 14th over to wrap up the match and series.

He and Rahane stitched a undefeated 55-run second wicket partnership to make sure India avoid any slip chasing the target. Rahane made a patient looking 22 off 24 deliveries.

The Delhi batsman was the top scorer with 106 runs at an average of 53. He was the only batsman to cross the 100-run mark.

The lone wicket in India's innings was claimed by Dushmantha Chameera. The 24-year-old paceman had a great series, and was the hero in Sri Lanka's win at Pune. He scalped five wickets in the three series, same as India's old war-horse Ashish Nehra.

Sri Lanka's total of 82 was also their lowest total in this format. Their previous lowest total was 87 against Australia, at Bridgetown in a 2010 World T20 match.

Talking about records, it's India's biggest win in terms of wickets.

After convincing wins over World Champions Sri Lanka and Australia, India will enter the Asia Cup T20 as favourites. The tournament proper starts on February 24 in Bangladesh.

India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd T20I: Dhawan, Ashwin star as clinical hosts hit back to level series 1-1

After losing the first match at Pune, Shikhar Dhawan and Ravinchandran Ashwin played stellar roles to help India register a convincing 69-run win at Ranchi to level the series 1-1.

Chasing India's 196/6, the visitors could managed only 127 from the stipulated 20 overs with the loss of nine wickets.

Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal won the toss and invited India to bat first on a seemingly dry top. Unlike the pitch in Pune, the pitch at JSCA International Stadium Complex was a typical sub-continental one, with limited assist to new ball bowlers.

India started their innings in a confident note with Rohit Sharma hitting the very first delivery of the match for a four over the covers. The Mumbai batsman was, however, soon overshadowed by a brilliant Dhawan.

The Delhi batsmen went onto registered his first fifty of the format. He reached the mini-milestone off just 22 deliveries. His batting efforts earned him the Man of the Match award, eclipsing Thisara Perera's brilliant hat-trick.

He was ably supported by a Rohit, who made 43 off 36 deliveries. Their 75-run opening stand laid the foundation for India to post a good total. Besides the openers, Indian top-order batsmen produced runs even as skipper Dhoni promoted rookie Hardik Pandya ahead of himself and Yuvraj Singh.

Ajinkya Rahane, batting at no.3, contributed with 25 valuable runs off 21 deliveries, while Suresh Raina and Pandya played two superb innings to get India to a good total.

Raina scored 30 off 19 balls, and he took some to time to get into the T20 mood. But it was altogether a different story for Pandya, who scored 27 off 12.

If it was not for Perera's hat-trick, India could have ended up scoring more than 210. The Sri Lankan bowler got the wickets of Raina, Pandya and Yuvraj in the penultimate over to restrict the Indian innings.

Dhoni started the defence with Ashwin opening the bowling. And his tactics showed results with spinner getting the better of Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan in the second ball. Ashwin's superb start was responded by Ashish Nehra, by taking the wicket of Seekkuge Prasanna in the very next over.

From that double-blow, the visitors never recovered with Indian spinners taking over the reigns in the middle overs.

Ashwin returned with an impressive figures of 4-0-14-3, while Nehra was bit expensive for his 3-0-26-2.

Jedeja contained the middle order batsmen, taking two wickets by conceding 24 runs in his four-overs spell.

Skipper Dhoni himself got into act with a super-fast stumping to dismiss rival skipper, who made 31.

Chamara Kapugedera was the top scorer for Sri Lanka with 32 off 27.

But towards the end, youngster Jasprit Bumrah showed his guile once again, taking two wickets to clean up the Lankan tail.

Third and final match of the series will be played at Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

Team India upbeat after warm-up

The WA bowlers kept pegging things back with regular wickets and Rahane's departure once again spelt trouble for the Men in Blue. 

Rohit Sharma and Manish Pandey sparkled with half-centuries but rest of India's batsmen put up a lacklustre performance before the bowlers came good to hand the team a 64-run win over a second string Western Australia XI in the warm-up one-day cricket match on Saturday.

Electing to bat, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side did not have the best of starts, losing two quick wickets but Rohit Sharma (67) and Ajinkya Rahane (41) stitched an 88-run third-wicket partnership to help the visitors put up a respectable score. 

Shikhar Dhawan (4) and Virat Kohli (7), who were top-scorers in the first warm-up T20 game on Friday, failed to get going as they fell to new-ball bowler Drew Porter, who bagged a five-wicket haul. 

The WA bowlers kept pegging things back with regular wickets and Rahane's departure once again spelt trouble for the Men in Blue.

Barring Tests, Shikhar Dhawan, who has had a decent record Down Under will look to provide that opening start to establish a stern foundation. 

Although Virat Kohli failed to shine in the WACA encounter, his performance will prove vital going into the series that gets underway on January 12.  

Post the matches, members of the Indian cricket team were seen signing autographs. Dhawan seen signing a few for his fans.  

Mumbai star cricketer Ajinkya Rahane didn't miss out the opportunity to click a few selfies along with his fans.

Newly-married Rohit Sharma too obliged to his fans signing autographs and T-shirts for his fans.