NEW DELHI (TIP): The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team returned to the country here on July 4 aboard a specially-arranged charter flight with scores of fans lining up outside the airport to welcome the players despite a steady drizzle and heavy security deployment that kept them at a distance from their heroes.
Hundreds of supporters, holding placards congratulating their favourites and waving the national flag, braved the weather to welcome the victorious side, which defeated South Africa by seven runs in the final in Bridgetown on Saturday last week.
“We have waited for this moment for the past 13 years. The team has made us proud by winning the World Cup,” a fan, who claimed to have been waiting since 4:30am in the morning said, referring to India’s last World Cup triumph which came back in 2011.
The side was unable to head back home immediately after the title win due to a shutdown forced by hurricane Beryl in Barbados.
They were cocooned in their hotel before the BCCI made arrangements for the special charter flight.
The Air India special charter flight AIC24WC — Air India Champions 24 World Cup — which left Barbados around 4:50am local time on Wednesday arrived in Delhi at 6am (IST) on Thursday after a 16-hour non-stop journey.
The Indian squad, its support staff, the players’ families and some BCCI officials were aboard the flight along with members of the travelling media contingent. Heavy security was deployed to keep the crowd in check at the Indira Gandhi International airport but that did little to dampen the spirits as fans cheered enthusiastically holding up posters of star batter Virat Kohli, skipper Rohit Sharma and outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid. Two buses were stationed outside the T3 Terminal to ferry the players to their hotel, from where they will head to the Prime Minister’s residence at 9am tentatively for a reception.
They trickled out in ones and twos after completing immigration formalities.
Tired but excited, the players acknowledged the waiting fans by waving at them and flashing warm smiles.
Suryakumar Yadav, who took the sensational match-winning catch of David Miller in the final, was the most enthusiastic in responding to the cheering.
Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant saluted the gathered crowd, while pacer Mohammed Siraj blew flying kisses in their direction.
Rohit and Player of the Final Virat Kohli, both of whom retired from T20Is at the end of India’s campaign, were among the last to come out of the VIP exit.
Rohit, who held the coveted trophy in his hands, raised it for the fans to catch a glimpse before boarding the bus.
Kohli gave a thumbs up to acknowledge the support before taking his place in the bus.
In their excitement to see their heroes in person, some fans claimed that they had been waiting outside the airport since last night.
“We have been here since last night. It was very important for us to win this World Cup after losing the ODI World Cup last year,” a group of fans said.
The squad won the country its second T20 world title, ending an 11-year wait for an ICC trophy, on Saturday.
India’s previous ICC title was in 2013 when it won the Champions Trophy under Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
From the airport, Team India reached the ITC Maurya hotel, where they stayed before their meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Notably, Virat, Rohit, Hardik, head coach Rahul Dravid and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Roger Binny were spotted at the hotel.
A special cake featuring the T20 World Cup trophy was cut at the hotel to celebrate the win. Rohit, Virat, Dravid and all-rounder Hardik Pandya were among the stars who took part in the cake-cutting. The cake featured the trophy and some pictures of Indian stars. (PTI)
Tag: Kohli
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PM Modi shares hearty laugh with Rohit, Kohli, Dravid, poses for photos with India’s T20 World Cup champions
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Kohli sniffs at Tendulkar’s record as India slay Bangla Tigers by 7 wickets
Pune (TIP)- The legend of Virat Kohli continued to grow exponentially as he reached within handshaking distance of Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 49 hundreds during India’s walk-in-the-park seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a World Cup game on October 19. Kohli, who plans 50-over chases with a precision of a surgeon, remained unbeaten on 103 off 97 balls as India knocked off the 258-run target with 51 balls remaining. India have now make it four wins out of four games and one more win would virtually put them in semi-finals.
While Kohli hit six fours and four sixes, it was his exemplary running between the wickets in pursuit of his 48th hundred that would be etched in the memory for the longest time.
But credit should also go to Ravindra Jadeja (2/38 in 10 overs) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/41 in 10 overs), who were exemplary covering all bases in absence of Hardik Pandya, who hobbled off the field after twisting his left ankle.
“Sorry for stealing it (the player of the Match award) from Jaddu. I wanted to make a big contribution. Have made fifties in World Cups, wanted to finish it off this time,” Kohli said after the match. While skipper Rohit Sharma (48 off 40 balls) and Shubman Gill (53 off 55 balls) added 88 in just 12.4 overs to set up the chase, it was a cakewalk for Kohli at a venue, with which he shares an intimate relation.
If Rohit rattled the Bangladeshis with an all-out attack, Kohli bled them with thousand cuts, running those twos in the 90s with effortless ease, another testimony to his fitness.
Earlier, as has been the case with each of India’s opponents in the World Cup so far, scoring runs against arguably the best bowling attack in the competition proved a big ask for Bangladesh too, who managed a modest 256/8 on a batting-friendly surface.
In fact, Bangladesh squandered a terrific start which had them placed formidably at 90 for no loss after 14 overs, but India’s bowling once again came to fore on a featherbed here.
India lost Pandya as early as in the ninth over, when he tried to stop a straight drive off Litton Das’ bat with his right foot and fell on the ground. Pandya received initial treatment on the field but as he began moving to his bowling mark, it became clear he would not continue and left the field subsequently.
With all options at his perusal, the fact that Rohit Sharma chose Virat Kohli to complete the injured Pandya’s over — with India still in search of first breakthrough — showed how assured India are with their bowling attack in this competition.
Kuldeep Yadav provided the first breakthrough and Ravindra Jadeja the second, as it was India all the way with Bangladesh going at under five runs per over after a robust beginning.
In fact, Jadeja’s was the standout performance with the all-rounder producing a measly 10-0-38-2 and a superb diving catch to dismiss Mushfiqur Rahim.
But the initial exchanges belonged to the young Tanzid Hasan, who struck a dazzling maiden fifty scoring 51 off 43 balls (5x4s, 3x6s). Litton Das made 82-ball 66 (7x4s), whereas Rahim’s 38 and a late charge from Mahmudullah (46, 36 balls, 3x4s, 3x6s) brought the Tigers their runs.
With no assistance from the surface, the task to make early inroads with the new ball appeared challenging even though Jasprit Bumrah (2/41) found some movement in the air.
After a watchful start Das took on Mohammed Siraj (2/60) in the sixth over, hitting two fours to get a move on and Tanzid pulled Bumrah over fine leg for the first six of the innings in the next. The Bangladesh openers immediately pressed on the scoring rate as 53 runs came off the last five overs in the powerplay. Source: PTI -
ICC Test Rankings; Kohli down to fifth as Root moves up to third after Chennai double century
Dubai (TIP): India skipper Virat Kohli was on Wednesday, February 10, pushed to the fifth spot by his English counterpart Joe Root, who rose two rungs to third in the latest ICC Test rankings for batsmen, even as Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin moved up in the bowlers’ chart. Kohli, who had scores of 11 and 72 in the opening Test against England, has 852 points and down one spot in the latest chart issued on Wednesday.
Veteran spinner Ashwin and pacer Bumrah have jumped a rung each to be seventh and eighth respectively.
Root, who helped his team to a memorable 227-run victory in Chennai that kept England in contention for the ICC World Test Championship final, has reached 883 rating points.
It is his highest position since September2017 after a fabulous run in the sub-continent saw him accumulate 684 runs in three Tests, two of which were in Sri Lanka.
Ahead of Kohli for the first time since November 2017, Root is now 36 points behind top-ranked Kane Williamson and trails Steve Smith by only eight points. With Marnus Labuschagne also in the mix, competition for the top five slots is intense with all of them above 850 rating points.
For India, Rishabh Pant’s knock of 91 in the first innings has helped him become the first full-time wicketkeeper from his country to reach 700 rating points as he retained the 13th position among batsmen.
Opener Shubman Gill progressed seven places to 40th position while all-rounder Washington Sundar is 81st after moving up two slots. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem too has gained two places to reach 85th position among bowlers.
Opener Dom Sibley is another England batsman to gain in the latest rankings update, his knocks of 87 and 16 helping him rise 11 places to 35th, while their players also made the way up in the bowling rankings presently led by Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins.
Formerly top-ranked James Anderson is up to third from sixth and only four points behind compatriot Stuart Broad, a fellow-member of the 500-wicket club.
Anderson is at his highest ranking since the start of the ICC World Test Championship while spinners Jack Leach and Dominic Bess are both at career-best rating points, moving up to 37th and 41st positions, respectively.
West Indies batsman Kyle Mayers, whose scores of 40 and 210 not out helped script an epic win in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong, has entered the rankings in 70th position with 448 rating points.
It is the best by a West Indian batsman on debut and the second-best ever on debut after RE Foster, who was on 449 rating points back in 1903 after scoring 287 on debut for England against Australia in Sydney.
Others to gain for the West Indies include captain Kraigg Brathwaite (up eight places to 53rd) among batsmen and the spin pair of Jomel Warrican (up 14 places to 62nd) and Rahkeem Cornwall (up six places to 65th).
For Bangladesh, captain Mominul Haque’s 10th Test century has lifted him eight places to 33rd. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has gained four slots to reach 30th position among batsmen while off-spinner Mehidy Hasan has progressed from 28th to 24th position.
Pakistan completing a 2-0 sweep over South Africa is followed with good news from the rankings perspective as well, especially with regard to fast bowling.
Player of the series Mohammad Rizwan has attained a career-best 16th place after scores of 26 and 115 helped him make a leap of 19 places in the list.
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‘Kohli is still the main man’: Hussain on Rahane impact ahead of Chennai Test
Ahead of the start of the Test series between India and England, there has been a lot of talk on how Ajinkya Rahane’s leadership in Australia could actually put Virat Kohli under pressure, as he was away when Rahane inspired the team to a comeback 2-1 win. Rahane himself has said that he would be happy to take the backseat now that Kohli is back in charge of the team and Kohli in his pre-match press conference elaborated on the relationship of trust he shares with Rahane and also lauded his deputy for leading the side with responsibility in Australia.
Former England captain and cricket commentator Nasser Hussain wrote on the emergence of Rahane as a possible candidate as India’s Test captain in future in his column in Daily Mail.
Hussain though mentioned that Kohli remains the man in charge for India and a good start to the series against England for the hosts will enhance Kohli’s stature again.
“Virat Kohli is still the main man, make no mistake. He is still that god-like figure in India, let alone Indian cricket, and he will be very much in charge for Friday’s first Test against England.
“All the 2-1 win over Australia did was give India another option as captain if things do not go according to plan, because Ajinkya Rahane did exceptionally well taking charge of the last three Tests while Kohli was on paternity leave.
“That was one of the greatest wins in India’s history and Rahane, with his calm captaincy style, would have taken a lot of credit. So that might add a bit of pressure to the returning Kohli,” Hussain wrote in his column.
The former England captain though gave credit to Kohli for his role in creating a winning mentality in the Indian team, which he said was evident even when Kohli was away on paternity leave while the team battled in Australia.
“A lot of Kohli’s passion was there in his absence in Australia. India would not be bullied. They would not be beaten by that first Test humiliation and they would not stand down when one of their players, Mohammed Siraj, was racially abused in Sydney.
“Just because Kohli wasn’t captain at the time, it doesn’t mean the culture he has created was missing. He more than anyone is responsible for the modern India attitude on the field to match their power off it. They have a swagger,” Hussain wrote.
He opined that the emergence of Rahane as a candidate for captaincy gives England a chance to create some flutter in the Indian camp by starting well in the Test series as that will put Kohli under pressure.
“What I would say is something that was unthinkable just a couple of months ago — Kohli one day being replaced as captain is a possibility now. And if the first Test in Chennai doesn’t go well for India — and that’s a massive ‘if’ — the whole country will be asking whether Rahane should have stayed in charge.
“That’s why England must start well. If India bully them in this first Test and go 1-0 up, everything will be forgotten and Kohli will be the king again.
“But if Joe Root can put some doubt in India minds, then this series could suddenly become very interesting,” Kohli said.
Axar Patel ruled out
India all-rounder Axar Patel has been ruled out of the first Test against England with a knee injury, the (BCCI) said on Friday ahead of the toss. As per the BCCI release, the left-arm spinner complained of pain in his left knee during a training session on Thursday.
“Axar Patel has been ruled out of the first Paytm Test against England. The all-rounder complained of pain in his left knee during Team India’s optional training session on Thursday. He is being monitored by the BCCI Medical Team and while his detailed reports are awaited, he will not be available for selection for the opening match,” the BCCI said in a statement. In place of the 27-year-old cricketer, the Indian cricket board added spinners Shahbaz Nadeem and Rahul Chahar to the Indian Test squad.