Former Indian cricket team captain Rahul Dravid has declined Bangalore University’s honorary doctorate, saying he would rather ‘earn it’ by doing research in sports field.

“Sri Rahul Dravid, while thanking Bangalore University for recognising him for the honorary degree, has conveyed that he would try to earn a doctorate degree by accomplishing some form of academic in research in the field of sports rather than receiving an honorary degree,” BU Vice Chancellor B Thimme Gowda said in a statement.

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Talismanic Mahendra Singh Dhoni stumped every cricket fan when he informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he is stepping down as the skipper of India’s One-Day International (ODI) and T20 International sides, ending a trophy-filled era.

The 35-year-old had already retired from Test cricket in December 2014 but continued to lead the national team in the shorter formats of the game.

Dhoni, who had led India to the International Cricket Council (ICC) World T20 title in 2007, to the World Cup victory in 2011 and lifted the Champions Trophy in 2013 also took India to the zenith of the Test rankings during his tenure. He is the only captain in world cricket to win each of the ICC trophies.

The Ranchi wicketkeeper-batsman will, however, be available for selection for the three ODIs and T20Is against England, starting January 15, the BCCI informed.

“Mahendra Singh Dhoni has informed the BCCI, that he wishes to step down as the captain of the Indian Cricket Team from the One Day Internationals and the T20 Internationals formats of the game,” a statement from the board read.

“He will be available for the selection for the One Day and T20I series against England and the same has been conveyed to the Senior Selection Committee.”

The BCCI’s senior selection committee will meet on Friday to select the team for the limited overs series against England.

Commenting on the development, BCCI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rahul Johri said: “On behalf of every Indian cricket fan and the BCCI, I would like to thank M.S. Dhoni for his outstanding contribution as the captain of the Indian team across all formats.”

“Under his leadership, Indian team has touched new heights and his achievements will remain etched forever in the annals of Indian cricket,” he added.

Dhoni, who had captained India to 110 wins from 199 ODIs and 41 wins from 72 T20Is, made his international debut in 2004.

He immediately stamped his authority at the international stage when he smashed 148 in only his fifth match, against a Pakistan attack that didn’t know what had hit them.

He quickly rose up the ranks in Indian cricket to take the reins of the national T20I side in 2007, before becoming the ODI captain after Rahul Dravid relinquished the post.

He eventually ascended to full-time Test captaincy once the then Indian captain and current India coach Anil Kumble retired.

Dhoni’s biggest triumph was winning the World Cup in 2011, which India won after 28 years owing to his exemplary batting display in the final and calm and methodical leadership, despite the added pressure of playing at home.

He also led the side to the final of the 2014 World T20 in Bangladesh, in which India lost to Sri Lanka. Dhoni successfully led India to the 2015 World Cup semi-final, where they lost to hosts and eventual champions Australia, effectively ending India’s 11-match winning streak in the World Cups.

During the course of the tournament, he also became the first Indian captain and third overall to win 100 ODI matches.

In 2016, Dhoni led India to the Asia Cup T20 title by beating hosts Bangladesh in the final and also guided the side to the semi-finals of the World T20, where hosts India lost to the eventual champions — the West Indies.

He also holds the record for most matches as captain of an international side, with 331 games across formats.

His last series as captain came against New Zealand at home, where he led the Indian side to a 3-2 series win.

Dhoni also led the now-defunct Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise, one of the most successful teams in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL), to win back-to-back titles in the years 2010 and 2011 and also the Champions League T20 in the years 2010 and 2014.

Although the next captain was not announced, Virat Kohli, currently captaining the Test team, is the likely front-runner to replace Dhoni.

Meanwhile, former BCCI president Anurag Thakur hailed Dhoni as “one of the finest leaders”. “Hey @msdhoni yuv been one of the finest leaders of Indian Cricket @BCCI, led the team to great heights & inspired so many across countries!,” Thakur wrote on Twitter.

Thakur was joined by noted cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle and 2012 Olympic bronze medal-winning shooter Gagan Narang in highlighting Dhoni’s achievements as India captain.

Bhogle said: “World T20, World Cup, Champions Trophy, Test No 1, IPL titles, Champions League titles. Everything in the game. #Dhoni.”

Bhogle also commented that this was a selfless move. “Clearly Dhoni thinks the moment has come. Thought he would quit after the Champions Trophy, but this is a selfless move.

“Trying to think like #Dhoni. Kohli most likely 2019 World Cup captain, so best that he leads in the Champions Trophy so best he starts now.”

–IANS

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India’s World Cup winning coach Gary Kirsten threw his weight behind current limited overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, saying removing the stumper from the helm could invite trouble for the team in the shorter formats of the game.

“You are not going to get an answer out of me. You replace M.S. Dhoni at your peril, because the one experience I have had is that all great leaders have great performances till the end of their careers,” Kirsten said at a promotional event here on Tuesday.

Kirsten said that if one is willing to let Dhoni go, one never knows if India misses out on some potential match-winning performances in 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup in England.

“So, if you (are) willing to let M.S. Dhoni go when there might potentially be a great World Cup performance left in him if he goes to the (2019) World Cup, which I am not sure if he is (taking part in) or not, you take the risk of doing that,” the former South Africa opener said.

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Terming Dhoni as a “great player”, Kirsten poured cold water on his critics, saying those doubting his ability are making a mistake.

“I think that is the question I get asked the most everytime I come to India. My answer hasn’t changed in three years. That he (Dhoni) is definitely the best leader I have ever worked with. And his record for Indian cricket over the last nine-ten years speaks for itself,” said the South African when asked about the debate surrounding Dhoni’s future.

“There is no debating in my opinion that he is up there with India’s greatest captains and certainly has produced the trophies for India in his time,” added Kirsten who was India’s coach when Dhoni and company lifted the World Cup in 2011.

According to Kirsten, Dhoni’s record in limited overs cricket spoke for itself.

“You just have to look at his ODI batting record as well, As a finisher, it’s unsurpassed in the world in terms of the position he bats in. So, if anyone is doubting his ability, I think they would be making a great mistake.

“He is a great player and all great players would continue to produce fantastic performances through their career. It’s exciting to see him doing well and having success with the Indian team. I enjoyed working with him and it was a great experience for me,” he added.

Kirsten feels it should be left to the Ranchi star to decide on his future.

“There comes a time in every player when he is got to consider for himself whether he should be in the team or it’s time to move. We will leave the decision up to him,” he said.

To a query whether Dhoni should consistently bat higher up the order as he did in the recently concluded ODI series against New Zealand when he batted at No.4, Kirsten said he was capable of batting in a lot many positions.

“That discussion is going on for eight years. He does (have) an ODI batting average of over 50. He can bat in lot of different positions.

“When I was with the Indian team, I encouraged rotational batting order, where we batted according to the situation rather than this is your batting position today. M S was brilliant at that, he didn’t mind where he batted.”

“I always liked him to come in when we needed 100 runs to win because there was no one better (than him) in the world (who) could have won a game from that position, speaking from my experience. But he often liked to get up little bit earlier, so that he can have more time at the wicket and help himself to a hundred. M.S. Dhoni could pretty much bat anywhere in the batting order,” Kirsten explained further.

Kirsten also hailed the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to use the Decision Review System (DRS) in the upcoming Test series against England after having consistently opposing it in the past.

“If they (BCCI) are going to try it, its brilliant. It is a great technology, and it’s got better and better. It will be great for every Test playing country to use the technology”.

IANS

India was bowled out for 318 runs in the opening session of Day Two of the first Test against New Zealand. The Men in Blue scored 27 runs in seven overs to get past the 300-run mark in their historic 500th Test. Resuming the day on 291, Ravindra Jadeja scored unbeaten 42 from 44 balls with seven boundaries and a six, putting on an invaluable stand of 41 runs for the final wicket with Umesh Yadav, who survived 15 balls before gloving a short ball from pacer Wagner to the wicket-keeper BJ Watling for nine runs.

For New Zealand, spinner Santner and pacer Trent Boult claimed three wickets each, while Wagner bagged a couple and Ish Sodhi and Craig got one wicket apiece. India will now look up to their spinners — Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja — to keep the home team’s unbeaten streak at Green Park intact.

Brief score at lunch:

India 318 (Vijay 65, Pujara 62, Jadeja 42(not out), Boult 3-67, Santner 3-94) against New Zealand 71/1  (Guptil 21, Latham 25(not out), Williamson 21(not out)

Ajinkya Rahane is a class act. A monk-like calmness might hide his steely resolve. That is manifested in many of his knocks. Rahane’s unbeaten 108 off 237 balls in the second Test match against the West Indies is one such and the Mumbai batsman will take pride in it.

This is Rahane’s third Test century in his last four innings. Batting at the difficult position of number 5, mostly with the tail-enders, is tough. But Rahane, who mostly bats at number 3 in the domestic circuit, has thrived at the difficult number 5 position. Rahane’s latest century came studded with 13 fours and three sixes.

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Out of his seventh Test tons, five have come away from home. In the last 8 consecutive Test series, Rahane has made at least one score of 90 or more.

KL Rahul scores a magnificent 158 in the second Test match against West Indies. This is the Indian openers third hundred in his sixth Test match. All of the Karnataka batsman’s tons have come away from home.

Rahul becomes the second Indian player to convert their first three Test fifties into hundreds after Mohammad Azharuddin, who had scored three 100s in his first 3 Test matches.

The Indian opener also becomes the third Indian player who’s scored their first three or more Test centuries all away from home. Rahul has scored centuries in Australia, Sri Lanka and now in West Indies.

At stumps on Day 2 of the second Test match, Team India was at an commanding position (385/5), leading the hosts by 162 runs.

India vs West Indies 2nd Test Highlights

A brisk 75 ball off 114 by KL Rahul and Ravichandran Ashwin’s 18th five-wicket haul put India in a commanding position after the first day of the second Test match against the West Indies.

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Electing to bat first, the host could manage 196 all out. This is the West Indies’ shortest fist innings score against India after electing to bat first. Indian pacers Ishant Sharma and Mohd Shami took two wickets each.

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Rahul got an opportunity to be in the playing XI, after Murali Vijay had to sit out due to an injury. The reserve Test opened capitalised the opportunity with both hands. His 75 not out came in 114 balls and studded with ten boundaries. His 50 came off in only 58 balls. At stumps on day one, India had reached 126 for 1 with Cheteshwar Pujara batting on 18 along side Rahul.

Ravichandran Ashwin wrecked havoc on the West Indies. His 7-wicket haul in the second innings gave India an innings and 92 run victory over the hosts. After Virat Kohli’s double hundred it was the turn of Ashwin to turn the hero for India. After scoring a century in India’s first innings, the India all rounder took 7 wickets for 83 runs.

Ashwin is the third player to score a ton and take a 7-wicket haul in the same Test. With this, Ashwin emulated England’s former all rounder Ian Botham, who had also scored a ton and taken a 5-wicket haul in same Test twice. Ashwin’s bowling figure of 7/83 in the second innings is the best by Indian bowler in West Indies. Ashwin’s 17 five-wicket hauls in 33 Tests so far Most by a spinner.  Ashwin won his 5th Man of the Match Award in Tests. India’s innings-and-92-run win against WI, is the biggest Test victory outside Asia.

Virat Kohli’s brilliant century gave India a solid start in the first Test of their West Indies tour. India scored a mammoth 302 for 4 wickets on the first opening day of the first Test match at Antigua. Virat Kohli’s scored an unbeaten 143 off 197 balls, his first century against the West Indies.

The Indian captain made his Test debut in West Indies in 2011 but averaged just 15.20 in five innings. In a record-breaking effort Kohli crossed the 3000-run mark in his 42nd Test.

In Test match cricket, Kohli has hit 12 tons and 12 fifties so far. The hundred against the WI is Kohli’s fifth as Test captain. Kohli has scored tons in Australia and Sri Lanka while as captain. It has taken Kohli only 20 innings to score his last 1000 runs. This superb run of form for Kohli continues after an unprecedented 973 runs, including four centuries in the 9th edition of IPL. Kohli is the third Indian captain to score a century in West Indies after Kapil Dev and Rahul Dravid. And this is what one of the greatest cricketer Viv Richards had to say about after Virat’s ton. “When he last toured West Indies, he was a rookie. But now he has grown into a man. That was a marvellous ton.

Ranveer Singh faux pas; wishes Indian cricket team for Rio Olympics

Asked to give a message to the Rio bound Olympic team, Ranveer Singh started on the wrong foot – wishing luck to the Indian cricket team, who are in West Indies for a Test match tour. The actor landed in Mumbai after a three month long shooting schedule in Paris. Ranveer was shooting for the Yash Raj’s upcoming film ‘Befikre’. Although it was 4.30 in the morning when Ranveer came out of airport, he was greeted by a big media gathering and highly charged Ranveer was full of emotion and answered questions; on the many kissing scenes with Vani Kapoor in Befikre and also on wedding rumours with Deepika Padukone.