Survey shows cricketers ready to sacrifice careers for IPL

Melbourne: The Indian Premier League's (IPL) outstanding success is threatening to rock international cricket. A survey shows that more than half the players from the seven Test playing nations are ready to quit other two forms of the game for the huge money on offer in the Twenty20 format.

 

The Federation of International Players' Associations (FICA) surveyed seven of the 10 Test nations, with India, Pakistan and Zimbabwe not being members of FICA. Of the 64 players who responded, including a number of Australians, 33 claimed they were willing to sacrifice the end of their international career for IPL money.

 

The survey also showed that there is a strong call by players for an IPL window, which continues to be resisted by the International Cricket Council (ICC), with 62 of the 64 players polled supporting such a move, reports The Australian

 

In a major challenge to the Test cricket, two thirds believe the massive rewards of the IPL, which can be upwards of $1million a year for a six-week tournament, will one day make the Twenty20 tournament more important than playing for their country.

 

The avalanche of money for the Twenty20 format, which includes millions from Texas billionaire Allen Stanford will force the ICC to have a reality check at its next week's annual executive board meeting in Dubai.

 

Another worrying factor for the ICC, which emerged in the survey, is that out of the 10 Test nations, 86 per cent said they also consider the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) an attractive option, even though ICL players are effectively banned from international cricket.

 

The grind of international cricket is also seen as a reason which would help hasten their premature retirement.

 

FICA chief executive Tim May claimed that with the advent of wealthy Twenty20 competitions, players were no longer simply tied to their countries.

 

"It is evident that today's player is less likely to be loyal to commitments to his home board, as cricket's employment market is freed from the power of governing bodies, who previously enjoyed an inequitable power base by virtue of being the only employer in the market," May said.

 

"Simply, the freeing up of the market and the lifting of the citizenship barriers has resulted in more market-driven values for players, and the players not surprisingly are gravitating to that market."

 

"The players and FICA feel very strongly that to preserve a healthy balance between club or franchise cricket (such as IPL and ICL) and international cricket, that the ICC needs to create a window in its international programming, or risk losing players permanently from the international cricket scene."

 

The survey found that all but one player wanted Test cricket to maintain its elite status, but believed that one-day cricket would suffer significantly in both player and spectator interest as a result of Twenty20.

 

More than half believe that Twenty20 will make one-day cricket less attractive to play and 70 per cent feel Twenty20 will reduce the popularity of one-day cricket for fans.

 

To help raise the profile of Test matches in cricket's fast food age, the players have called for a championship of Test nations to be contested by the leading countries on a regular basis.

 

Source: Indo-Asian News Service

Kumble confident of winning Test series in Sri Lanka

Bangalore: Anil Kumble expressed confidence on winning the Sri Lanka-India Test series commencing from July 23 here on Monday.

 

India's Test team players, who are not part of the Asia cup, attended a weeklong fitness camp at National Cricket Academy under the leadership of skipper Kumble in Bangalore, ahead of the 45-day long tour to the island nation.

 

Kumble while addressing a news conference on the last day of the camp said that the camp was important to work on skills and to get a hit.

“Every Test series is important and we go out there to win the series. So I don't think that any new competition will make us play better or make us more passionate about the game, I don't think so. I think every series, every Test match, we play for India, we go with the same intensity and we ensure that we go out there to win,” Kumble said.

 

The Indian selectors would be meeting on July 8, to pick the team for the Sri Lanka tour.

 

The bilateral series of India-Sri Lanka comprises three Test and five one-day matches.

 

The Indian ODI team is currently in Pakistan for the six-team Asia Cup that began on Tuesday. The other teams participating in Asia Cup are defending champions Sri Lanka, hosts Pakistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates.

 

Source: ANI

Tendulkar named best Asian batsman

Karachi: Sachin Tendulkar spoilt what would have been a clean sweep of titles by Sri Lankan cricketers at the inaugural Asian Cricket Council (ACC) awards ceremony here by being named the continent's best one-day batsman.

 

At a glittering ceremony held at the majestic 19th century Mohatta Palace Saturday night, the Indian players cheered as Tendulkar's name was announced by Rameez Raja. Tendulkar could not attend the function and Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni collected the award on his behalf.

 

But apart from Tendulkar, the evening belonged to Sri Lankan cricketers as three of them walked away with top awards. Kumar Sangakkara bagged the best Asian Test batsman award while his team-mates Muttiah Muralitharan and Farveez Maharoof were adjudged as the best Asian Test and ODI bowlers, respectively.

 

Former India and Pakistan captains Sunil Gavaskar and Imran Khan were also honoured with special awards titled "legendary cricketers" of the neighbouring countries.

Source: Indo-Asian News Service

Ojha confident of excelling in Sri Lanka

Kolkata: Having toured Sri Lanka two years ago with Hyderabad, spinner Pragyan Ojha says he is not new to the conditions at the emerald island and would try his best to utilise the chance to cement his place in the national team.

 

"The conditions are very much similar. I've to control on my flight and vary the pace. Now, I hope to do well and cement my place in the side," said Ojha, terming his selection for Test series against Sri Lanka as an achievement of his career.

 

The 21-year-old promising bowler said he would surely be an evolved bowler at the end of the series, which would expose him to the gruels at the highest level of the game.

 

Also read: Yuvraj, Pathan dropped; Rohit, Ojha in Test squad

 

"Bowling to Sachin (Tendulkar) is a challenge. I've bowled to him in the past, it was a great experience. I'm sure, I'll be an improved bowler after the Sri Lanka tour."

 

Ojha had made Ranji debut for Hyderabad in the 2004-05 semi-final against Railways at the Karnail Singh Stadium in Delhi, where he scalped seven wickets in a lost cause.

 

Following a bountiful Ranji season (2006-07) - 29 wickets off six matches - Ojha then got his first India A break - in Zimbabwe tour (on debut he got four wickets).

 

But it was the next tour (Kenya), where the left-arm spinner caught the eyes. With 11 wickets (including a five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka A) in the triangular tournament (also involving Kenya), Ojha was at his best.

 

It was his good show for the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) that ensured that he makes the ODI cut for the tri-series in Bangladesh and then the Asia Cup.

 

His father Pramod Ojha's happiness knew no bounds. "Now, I can't tell you how much happy am I. I'm proud that I'm Pragyan's father," he said.

Sourav hopes to do well in Sri Lanka series

Kolkata: Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly who celebrated his 36th birthday on Tuesday hoped to do well in the Sri Lanka series.

 

"There was no special wish for my birthday ... Also, there's no special celebration ... Just that I'm looking forward to the Lanka series," he told reporters here.

 

With the national selectors retaining him in the 16-member squad for the three-Test series in Sri Lanka starting later this month, Ganguly felt that there was no reason to be excited to see his name on the team roster.

 

"I was always there in the squad; so there's no need to get excited. I'll look to give my 100 per cent and do well in the Sri Lanka series," he said.

 

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) presented him a bouquet.

 

"I had about one-month's rest, it was reinvigorating. I don't have any fitness problem; I'm resuming my practice from today. A few jogs and stretch-outs will help me come into shape," said Ganguly, who could not attend the seven-day conditioning camp from June 24 for Test specialists as he was busy with his father's heart treatment in London.

 

"He (father Chandidas Ganguly) is still not well...I'm a bit worried about him. However, he's recovering," Ganguly, who returned from London on Sunday, said.

 

Ganguly welcomed the inclusion of uncapped players Rohit Sharma and Pragyan Ojha for the series against Sri Lanka.

 

Refusing to comment on the selection, Ganguly said he was yet to see the XVI.

 

"But I'm happy for the youngsters (Rohit Sharma and Pragyan Ojha). They are doing pretty well... We hope to do well in Sri Lanka."

Dhoni's message: Let's change cricket in India

"Desh badla, bhesh badlo (The nation's changed, now change your deportment)", says Indian one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in one of his latest advertisements. And now, he may as well add: "Ab cricket badlo (Now, let's change cricket)".

 

Instead of resorting to doublespeak, Dhoni has put his mouth where his money is. Within days of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajiv Shukla saying that tired players can inform the board and opt to rest, Dhoni has done just that.

 

Like parents need to keep a check on kids running amuck in a candy store, the board needs to take care of its players. Instead of asking them to take a decision to opt out of tours, they probably need to cut down on cricket and preserve the charm of the game.

 

I don't even remember who played whom last week, let alone last month. And the list of injured players is such that it may as well lead the board to even float a tender for an official hospital.

 

Dhoni has for some time been indicating that there is a lot of cricket with little rest and recently when he chose to articulate it in public, the BCCI - or at least its most vocal Shukla - reacted fairly strongly. Dhoni, in his typical way, has answered back in style.

 

That's something not many Indian cricketers - barring Sachin Tendulkar - have ever done in the past decade and a half. Many players have confided in private that they are scared of opting out of a series simply because of the danger of players coming in their place doing well and cementing their place in the side. Of course, there's that little matter of a few extra million rupees in the bank.

 

Sceptics might say players from here on will tend to preserve themselves for the lucrative shorter versions of the game. Remember, Dhoni was not fully fit after the strenuous Australia tour and yet he played in all three Tests against South Africa, leading the side to victory in the last Test to square the series in the absence of an injured skipper Anil Kumble.

 

Sceptics may also say Dhoni could well have opted out of the Bangladesh tri-series or the Asia Cup. But wouldn't that have looked ridiculous coming on the back of the backbreaking Indian Premier League, where Dhoni earned a whopping $1.5 million? Also remember he is a successful captain in both one-day and Twenty20 cricket.

 

Dhoni has often indicated that he is building a team for the 2011 World Cup but he also understands the importance and intrinsic value of Test cricket. His decision to skip the Sri Lanka tour is a pragmatic one, keeping in view his long career ahead.

 

The last year and a half have seen him play no less than 14 Test matches, four times that number - 56 - of one-dayers and about 25-odd Twenty20 matches. That really is an awful lot of cricket - nearly 150 days - and as many days of travelling in about 540 days.

 

Dhoni's decision may indeed be path breaking - like much else that he has done - and is a clear message to the administrators that they are indeed pushing the players beyond their physical limits. So what if they are professionals - they are human too.

 

Players are moving around like zombies; they are carrying injuries or are on the verge of breaking down. Look at the fast bowlers - all of them look tired but still want to carry on. And if their injuries are discovered, the media pans them and out they go. Who knows they may not even get back into the team.

 

Yes, Dhoni has the stature and the guts to take such a decision, but will others be able to do the same? Unlikely.

 

Source: Indo-Asian News Service