Blog Posts by Bikash Singh

Ravindra Jadeja - Show me the money!

We identified him as a special talent - Shane Warne

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Australia overwhelmed India by 65 runs in the opening tri-series international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The tourists were bowled out for 151 - another unimpressive batting performance - chasing 217 under Duckworth-Lewis method.

The contest was reduced to 32-over-per-side following the loss of more than three hours of play due to rain.

Clint McKay celebrates after taking the wicket of Rohit Sharma at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.India got off to a horrific start with both their openers - Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir - back in the pavilion for just 13 runs. Mitchell Starc did the cleaning work for Australia in his first two overs.

However, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma dealt positively with the best of the Australian attack before being undone in a spectacular fashion by Clint McKay - who took two wickets in three balls. The pitch suddenly came to life, runs dried up and boundaries almost disappeared after the twin blow in the 12th over.

Suresh Raina came and left as if he had some unfinished business left in the dressing room.

Akhtar

I wanted to be known, recognised: Akhtar

After kicking the hornet's nest with sensational claims in his autobiography 'Controversially Yours', former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar didn't shy away from raising a new controversy when he said that 'it is beyond his dignity to respond to Sachin's snub.'

How To Sell A Cricket Book

In an interview with NewsX, the pacer took on Pakistan Cricket Board and Wasim Akram once again. He also clarified why Tendulkar was scared of him during the Faisalabad Test.

Sachin"Tendulkar was suffering from tennis elbow during that time and was having difficulty holding his bat (pulling), so we decided to target his head and get him out. We wanted to scare him off with barrage of bouncers. And I felt - that particular day - Sachin was scared, he was uncomfortable against me," Akhtar said.

Shoaib also maintained his stand that Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were not match-winners - atleast when he was around.

The speedster lashed out at PCB chairman Ijaz Butt,

Akhtar

Akhtar: Shooting from the hip.

Shoaib Akhtar is not finished yet. Cricket's perennial problem child, the Rawalpindi Express has launched his autobiography today. Titled Controversially Yours, he takes digs at Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, and also brazenly admits to ball-tampering.

The erstwhile fastest bowler in the world can lay claim to be the only one to dismiss Dravid and Tendulkar with consecutive deliveries — both blazing yorkers — at Eden Gardens in 1999. But despite the two Indians winning several personal contests against him since then, Shoaib still chose to berate them in his book.

He's not the first cricketer to do so. Herschelle Gibbs and Adam Gilchrist recently had been critical of Tendulkar in their books — a technique which instantly stirs up emotions and pumps up sales.

Akhtar claims Dravid and Tendulkar were not match-winners:

"....Vivian Richards, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara and the likes of them are great batsmen who dominated with the bat and were truly

Dravid

Rahul Dravids are not born everyday. They come, adapt and create a summit beyond the reach of lesser mortals. The former Indian captain bids adieu to the 50-over format after the fifth and final One-day match against England in Cardiff today. At 38, Dravid still retains his boyish enthusiasm for the game he loves and has not lost his unquenchable hunger for runs. The good thing for his team and fans though is that will continue to play Test cricket for India.

Akshay Iyer digs out Dravid's best innings in One-Day Internationals.

Speaking to NDTV, Rahul Dravid says in his own mind he had played his last ODI two years back, but added it was nice to be given the opportunity to bring an end to his international career in the shorter formats. Dravid said this though won’t bring any change to his life adding the Indian team has moved on in the shorter formats.

RahulAR Hemant of Y! Cricket while comparing Dravid to the famous Bollywood villain and character artist Pran writes: "There are those

(Note to readers: We will post live match updates, analysis and expert views through the course of the fourth One-dayer between India and England. New updates will appear on top. Please hit the refresh button periodically.)

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Bopara

Ravi Bopara prepares to sweep as MS Dhoni looks on.

Match Tied according to the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Fortune favours the brave they say. England clinched the One-day series with a little help from rain and Ravi Bopara, who contributed with 96 runs. You can say they got lucky with the weather at Chester-le-Street, won all-important tosses in favourable conditions at Southampton and Kennington Oval but today they fought hard.

After blanking India in the Test series, winning the one-off T20, England have now overwhelmed World Champions India in the 50-over format too. They deserved it. For India, well they did not deserve it.

Raina and Dhoni did put up a fight to take India to 280 but with the kind of bowling resources