Virat Kohli needs India batsmen to improve for any chance in South Africa

India's captain Virat Kohli knows its his team's batting line-up that need to improve if they are to get anything from the tour of South Africa. (REUTERS)
Updated 09 January 2018
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Virat Kohli needs India batsmen to improve for any chance in South Africa

CAPE TOWN: Almost exactly a decade ago, India went to Perth to try and stop Ricky Ponting’s amazing side extending their winning streak to an unprecedented 17 Tests. For 22 years, no touring side other than West Indies (in their halcyon years) had won at the WACA, and India were faced with a four-man pace attack of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark and Shaun Tait. But with Rahul Dravid (93) and Sachin Tendulkar doing the hard yards in the first innings, and VVS Laxman (79) leading the way in the second, India capitalized on a brilliant bowling performance to win by 72 runs.
It was the same margin that they lost by at Newlands on Monday (January 8), against other four-man pace attack, though South Africa had to do without the injured Dale Steyn in the second innings. Hardik Pandya contributed a sensational 93 in the first innings, but the next highest scores for India in the match were R Ashwin’s 37 and Virat Kohli’s 28 in the second dig. You don’t need a degree in rocket science to figure out why India lost.
Unlike some of his predecessors, Kohli has never hidden behind excuses. He didn’t hesitate to point the finger, even at himself. Lauding the bowlers for taking 20 wickets, he said: “If your batsmen don’t bat well, then it doesn’t matter. If you are not getting close to their total, it doesn’t matter if you have taken 20 wickets or not.
“We needed to bat better than we did. Hardik showed great character in the first innings to get us to that total. We needed if not one big partnership, then every wicket adding 30 to 35 would have done the job for us. We needed to show more character with the bat. There is no question about it.”
Kohli also spoke of intent, and it wasn’t hard to see where he was coming from. As much as Vernon Philander’s devastating spell on the fourth afternoon, it was South Africa’s batting after they slumped to 12 for three on the first morning that underpinned the victory. AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock, Philander and Keshav Maharaj accounted for 228 of the 286 South Africa made. But more importantly, they took just 310 balls to score them.
That Pandya scored at nearly a run a ball to rattle the hosts was telling. Even in the second innings, those that scored at a fast clip, Kohli and Ashwin, looked most at ease. “Credit has to go to their bowlers because they created unrelenting pressure, and it is something that we need to counter,” said Kohli. “Maybe we need to be more positive in the next innings and take their bowlers on and get good runs on the board just like they did when they were put under pressure.”
Whether India have the personnel to do that is another matter. Tendulkar averaged 54.74 away from home, while Dravid wasn’t far behind with 53.03. Laxman, whose 96 was instrumental in the victory in Durban in 2010, averaged 42.49 away from India. Of the specialist batsmen that played in Cape Town, only Kohli and Murali Vijay have more than one Test hundred outside Asia.
Kohli and Ravi Shastri, the coach, are unlikely to reach for the panic button just yet, but Ajinkya Rahane, the vice-captain, and KL Rahul, the reserve opener who struck six half-centuries against a very strong Australian bowling attack on home soil in 2017, will doubtless see their claims scrutinized. Rohit Sharma, who averages 60 runs less an innings away from home, and Shikhar Dhawan are the ones with quicksand beneath their feet.
Not since that Durban win seven years ago, when they took all 20 wickets for 346 runs, have India bowled as well in an away game. That they left Newlands with nothing to show for it will irk Kohli no end. He’ll also know that it’s he and the other batsmen that need to rewrite the script.
Whether Philander and his unrelenting mates will give them even Post-its to scribble on is another matter.


Paul Waring shoots 61 in Abu Dhabi to set 36-hole record on European tour with 19-under par

Updated 08 November 2024
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Paul Waring shoots 61 in Abu Dhabi to set 36-hole record on European tour with 19-under par

  • Waring, who opened with a 64 on Thursday, made nine birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free round at Yas Links
  • Rory McIlroy made a triple bogey on No. 17 in his second successive 67

ABU DHABI: Paul Waring hit the shot of his life to complete a career-low 11-under 61 in the second round of the Abu Dhabi Championship on Friday and establish a five-stroke lead heading into the weekend of the European tour’s first playoff event.
The No. 229-ranked Englishman hit a draw with a 3-wood from about 260 yards to inside 4 feet at No. 18 and tapped in the birdie putt to move to 19-under par for the tournament.
The European tour confirmed to The Associated Press that it is the lowest 36-hole score to par in the tour’s history.
Waring, who opened with a 64 on Thursday, made nine birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free round at Yas Links and set a course record.
First-round leader Tommy Fleetwood of England (68), Johannes Veerman of the United States (67) and Danish players Niklas Norgaard (65) and Thorbjorn Olesen (67) were tied for second place on 14 under.
Rory McIlroy made a triple bogey on No. 17 in his second successive 67 and was nine strokes off the lead.
McIlroy can clinch a sixth Race to Dubai title with a win this week.


Slot not surprised by flying start at Liverpool

Updated 08 November 2024
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Slot not surprised by flying start at Liverpool

  • Slot appeared to have a tough ask to follow Jurgen Klopp
  • The Dutch coach has won 14 and drawn one of his 16 matches in charge

Liverpool: Arne Slot said he is not shocked by a stunning start to life in charge of Liverpool as the Reds have stormed to the top of the Premier League and Champions League.
The Dutch coach has won 14 and drawn one of his 16 matches in charge in all competitions as the holders have also progressed to the League Cup quarter-finals.
Slot appeared to have a tough ask to follow Jurgen Klopp.
But he has built on the solid foundations left by the German after Liverpool finished third in the Premier League behind Manchester City and Arsenal last season.
“Surprise isn’t the right word I’d use because I knew the quality of our team. But quality is one thing, to be consistent is a second thing,” said Slot at his pre-match press conference ahead of hosting Aston Villa on Saturday.
“From the moment I started working with them I saw how much energy they put in on a daily basis and that is I think the reason you can be consistent.”
Liverpool were inspired by the power of the Anfield crowd to come from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 last weekend to move two points ahead of City at the top of the Premier League.
A similar atmosphere helped blow Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen away 4-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Slot is keen to keep his players’ feet on the ground but is happy for the fans to get excited about the possibility of just a second league title in 35 years.
“If the end result of them being excited is to bring the atmosphere of the second half against Brighton and the whole game against Leverkusen, I am hoping they will keep being excited because that atmosphere helped us a lot,” added the former Feyenoord boss.
Diogo Jota remains sidelined but should return after November’s international break.


Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar

Updated 08 November 2024
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Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar

  • Asif defeated Iran’s Ali Ghareghozlou 5-3 to clinch the title for 3rd time
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif promises to set up world-class facilities for sportsmen

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has congratulated Pakistani cueist Muhammad Asif for winning the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Snooker Championship in Qatar for the third time, Pakistani state-run media reported on Thursday.
Asif defeated Iran’s Ali Ghareghozlou 5-3 to clinch the title in a thrilling final on Nov. 6. He outclassed Ali 5-3: 70-25, 7-87(84), 82(56)-8, 106(106)-08, 82-12, 43-91(58), 0-118 and 93(80)-4.
“Asif made the entire nation proud by winning the international championship for the third time,” PM Sharif was quoted as saying by the Radio Pakistan broadcaster. “The talented youth of Pakistan are highlighting the country’s name in the fields of sports.”
The IBSF, founded in 1971, is the governing body for billiards and snooker worldwide. It represents 85 member countries and is recognized by the World Confederation of Billiard Sports and the International Olympic Committee.
Asif, 42, first won the IBSF World Snooker Championship in 2012 and went on to win it again in 2019. His victory ties him with India’s Pankaj Advani who has also won the World Snooker Championship thrice.
The Pakistan prime minister said Asif’s family and coach also deserved recognition, adding that providing quality facilities to Pakistani players was top priority of his government.
“The government is making all possible efforts to provide international standard facilities to the players,” he added.
 


Raphinha’s evolution into a more versatile scorer is a big part of Flick’s great start at Barcelona

Updated 08 November 2024
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Raphinha’s evolution into a more versatile scorer is a big part of Flick’s great start at Barcelona

BARCELONA: Raphinha knew he would have a hard time getting off Barcelona’s bench with the soccer world enthralled by teen phenom Lamine Yamal and the club eyeing to sign another hot prospect in the attack.

Instead of pouting, he evolved.

While the entire Barcelona team improved under new coach Hansi Flick, no player has made such a leap forward this season as Raphinha.

His 12 goals and team-leading 10 assists across all competitions are a big part of why Barcelona is playing its best soccer since the exit of Lionel Messi more than three years ago.

But if one player looked to be on the out when the season started, it was the Brazil forward.

Raphinha seemed destined to become a second-choice right-side winger after 17-year-old Yamal helped Spain win the European Championship in dazzling style. To make matters worse, the club was heavily linked to a possible transfer bid to pry Spain left-side winger Nico Williams away from Athletic Bilbao.

That move never materialized for Williams, but Raphinha was still left with either playing in a new position or being a backup to Yamal.

And when Flick gave him the chance to have a new role, he made the most of it.


England gives call-up to more new faces in final squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over

Updated 08 November 2024
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England gives call-up to more new faces in final squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over

LONDON: Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall were called up to the England squad for the first time on Thursday as interim coach Lee Carsley made his final selection before Thomas Tuchel takes charge.

Tuchel does not start until January after being hired to lead the national team’s bid to win the 2026 World Cup.

Carsley will oversee England’s final Nations League games against Greece and Ireland and has continued to look toward a new generation of players, having already handed debuts to Angel Gomes, Morgan Gibbs-White and Noni Madueke since taking over on a temporary basis from Gareth Southgate in August.

Carsley said had not discussed his selection with Tuchel.

“He hasn’t had any influence on the squad selection. I’ve spoken to him by text, but it’s literally congratulations,” he said. “I think he’s highly respectful of the job that not only myself, but the staff are doing.

“We’ve been left to it, like we always have.”

England plays Greece in Athens on Nov. 14 and Ireland at Wembley on Nov. 17.

Carsley will resume his role as England Under-21 coach after those games.