Uncapped players hog auction limelight

Karn Sharma and Rishi Dhawan top the charts; Karnataka players also snapped up

Cricketers, who sweat it out in domestic cricket but almost inevitably miss the limelight and have to settle for a lesser remuneration package in the Indian Premier League, finally got their due.

The inclusion of uncapped players in the auction-list, a first in the IPL’s seven-year history, helped merit and market-forces determine their real worth and men like Karn Sharma and Rishi Dhawan will readily agree that they got their just reward.

The two topped the charts (for uncapped players) while the auction concluded at the ITC Gardenia Hotel here on Thursday. Karn Sharma earned Rs. 3.75 crore as Sunrisers Hyderabad pipped King’s XI Punjab and bagged the Railways leg-spinner.

Karn’s auction marked a busy morning in which auctioneer Richard Madley found more sales as the teams enriched their Indian component.

More than happy

Having played for Sunrisers in the past, Karn was more than happy to be back with a familiar team-environment. “It’s a great feeling to have been picked at such a high price. I am glad to go back to my team because we have jelled as a unit in the previous season and we will save time on team building.

“It was disappointing to have been left out of the Rest of India team and the World Twenty20 probables, because playing for the country is a different feeling. But now I am looking forward to doing well in the IPL,” said Karn.

Rishi Dhawan too triggered a bidding war as Preity Zinta (King’s XI Punjab) and Rahul Dravid (Rajasthan Royals) kept raising their paddles before the former India captain admitted that his team was out of the race.

The Himachal Pradesh fast bowler — highest wicket-taker (49) in the recent Ranji season — and a useful batsman, went for Rs. 3 crore.

“To be honest, I was very tense when the bidding was on. Now, I am very happy that my efforts this season have paid off. I am sure if I continue to play to my potential the selectors will take note of me.

“There are great players in the Kings XI Punjab team and I am looking forward to playing and at the same time learning from them,” said Dhawan.

Also rewarded for hard-work was Maharashtra’s Kedar Jadhav, who led the Ranji run-chart this year at 1,223. He was picked up by Delhi Daredevils for Rs. 2 crore.

Scaled down expectations

The batsman, however, had to scale down his expectations. “My fine run in the Ranji Trophy where I finished as the top run getter obviously helped. But I did expect to go for a higher price so my price fell below my expectations. But I guess the franchisees didn’t have too much money left.”

The auction also recognised Karnataka’s successful run in the Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup. Players like K.L. Rahul, Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair found respectable numbers in currency though Mumbai Indians got C.M. Gautam at a steal for Rs. 20 lakh!

The auction’s final day wasn’t just about unsung Indian players gaining those extra bucks and belated recognition, it was also about a few comeback stories.

Ross Taylor, who was overlooked on Wednesday, was brought back into the auction-pool and found a buyer at his Rs. 2 crore base price in Delhi Daredevils.

But there was a touch of bewilderment too as Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews, reinstated to the auction list on the insistence of the team-owners, were again ignored!

In all 154 players were sold over the two days and now it is time for the teams to firm up their preparations while also keeping an eye on the IPL’s probable venue that will be determined entirely by the imminent general elections.

Copyright : thehindu.com

New Zealand seal series 4-0 after 87-run win over India in fifth ODI

Press Trust of India | Wellington

New Zealand cricket players celebrate their series' victory over India during the fifth one day International cricket match at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand (AP)

SUMMARY

New Zealand hammered India by 87 runs in the inconsequential fifth and final one-dayer.

A listless Indian cricket team slumped to its worst ODI series defeat in New Zealand, going down 0-4, after the Black Caps hammered them by 87 runs in the inconsequential fifth and final one-dayer.

Going into the match trailing 0-3 in the five-match series, the famed India batting came a cropper once again, bundled out for 216 in 49.4 overs by New Zealand, while chasing 304 at Westpac stadium.

Virat Kohli’s 82 was the only saving grace as the visitors failed to put up a fight against the New Zealand bowlers, led superbly by debutant Matt Henry (4/38).

Earlier, Ross Taylor slammed his second successive hundred to power the hosts to an imposing 303 for five.

Besides the tie in the third ODI in Auckland, India had suffered defeats in Napier and Hamilton (twice) and today’s defeat continued their disastrous overseas performance as they had lost the ODI series against South Africa before coming here.

India had lost 2-5 to New Zealand in a seven-match ODI series in 2002-03. The last time the Indians failed to win even a single match in New Zealand was in 1975-76 and 1980-81, losing 0-2 in both the two-match series.

Put into bat, Taylor (102) shared a 152-run partnership with Kane Williamson (88), who scored his fifth consecutive half-century, for the third wicket to rescue New Zealand from a precarious 41-2 at one stage.

Taylor’s 106-ball innings was studded with 10 hits to the fence and one six, while Williamson blasted eight fours and one six in his 91-ball innings here.

For India, Varun Aaron (2-60) was the most successful bowler, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-48) and Mohammed Shami (1-61) provided decent support. Virat Kohli took the only other wicket to fall, while the spinners, R Ashwin (0-37) and Ravindra Jadeja (0-54) went wicket-less.

Chasing 304 runs for their first win on the tour, the Men in Blue got off to a disastrously slow start as they needed six overs to get to a double-digit score, losing a wicket in the interim.

Rohit Sharma (4) was the first to go, giving slip-catching practice to Taylor in the 5th over bowled by Kyle Mills (2-35).

Shikhar Dhawan (9), coming back into the eleven after spending the last match on sidelines, also looked uncomfortable as Henry finally get rid off him, taking this first international wicket.

The young pacer wounded up the left-handed batsman in the 10th over of the innings, before inducing an edge which was safely pouched in the slips.

Four over later, with the score at 30/2, Ajinkya Rahane (2) missed a straight delivery from Henry, trying to play it off his legs and was out plumb LBW.

India were staring at another massive defeat even as Kohli put up some resistance and finally he found some support in Ambati Rayudu. The latter took his time getting set, hitting two fours off the 40 balls he faced, but he couldn’t get past 20 runs.

Looking to hit Henry over square on the off-side, Rayudu stepped out and made room only to hit it straight to Williamson.

This was a serious blow for India, as the two batsmen had added 48 runs 64 balls, at a decent run-rate of 4.5 per over.

Yet again, India were left relying on Dhoni and Kohli and the duo tried hard, putting up 67

Copyright : indianexpress.com

Virat Kohli sparkles with ton but India humbled by New Zealand in Napier ODI

Agency: PTI

Virat Kohli - IANS

Virat Kohli's exhilarating hundred went in vain as New Zealand staged a dramatic turnaround to pull off a thrilling 24-run win in the first cricket one-dayer against India to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series here today.

Set a formidable target of 293, India seemed on track for a facile win with Kohli (123 off 110 balls) anchoring the chase with his 18th ODI century before pacer Mitchell McClenaghan's three-wicket burst 11 balls changed the complexion of the game completely.

From a comfortable 224 for five, the Indians were all out for 268 in 48.4 overs with McClenaghan being the wrecker-in-chief with a match haul of 4/68.

Earlier, electing to bowl after winning the toss, India's inconsistent bowling effort helped New Zealand pile up 292 for seven.

For the Kiwis, apart McClenaghan, Corey Anderson shone bright with an all-round effort, scoring 68 runs off 40 deliveries before knocking off two wickets in his 10 overs of medium pace bowling.

Tim Southee (1-43 in 9.4 overs) and Adam Milne (1-40 in 7.3 overs) gave Anderson good support, even as the latter walked off mid-way in the 41st over with a side-strain.

After being put in to bat, half-centuries from Anderson, Kane Williamson (71) and Ross Taylor (55) helped the hosts reach 292/7 in their allotted 50 overs.

However, the brightest star of the match ended up in the losing side.

Kohli, who scored his a first hundred in a losing cause while chasing, found no support from other batsmen, none of who managed to reach even the 50-run mark.

Openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan started with great caution. Southee bowled two maiden overs first up as the batsmen took time settling down.

In fact, the first wicket came before the first boundary in this innings, as Rohit failed to rotate the strike and came under pressure to score, holing out to Southee off a short ball from McClenaghan in the sixth over. He scored only 3 runs off 23 balls.

Kohli came to the crease and got off the mark with a signature cover drive, the first four for India on the 29th ball of the innings.