‘T20 is an old man’s game’
Monday, 28 May 2018
Dhoni delivers, like only Dhoni can
Dhoni delivers, like only Dhoni can
A perfect season, a perfect final and in more ways than one – a journey of redemption for both Chennai and Dhoni. © BCCI
As his delirious teammates sought to out-Bolt Usain and engulf the batsmen in the middle, Mahendra Singh Dhoni sauntered towards the opposition dugout to offer his commiserations. Had you just switched on the telly – unthinkable, right? – and seen his emotionless face, you would have been hard-pressed to figure out if his side had won or lost. The inscrutable mask was in place. It could have been just another night in office; only, it wasn’t.
Ambati Rayudu, one of 11 30-plus members in the Chennai Super Kings squad, had just lashed Carlos Brathwaite to the cover fence, signalling the triumphant culmination of a campaign flawless in its conception and nearly so in its execution. Shane Watson, another of the over-30 brigade, had emphatically fashioned the conquest of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final of Indian Premier League 2018 on Sunday (May 27) night with his second hundred of the campaign, on one leg and loads of fire. The phoenix had risen from the ashes, bouncing back from a two-year hiatus with the most telling of statements. And yet, while his men rejoiced, the leader showed no sign of emotion. Maybe to him, it really was just another night in office.
Success, of course, has many fathers, so it will be commonplace over the next several days for many to claim that they had predicted precisely this fairytale comeback from suspension for the Yellow brigade, by a country mile the most consistent team in IPL history. But four months back, after the mega auction towards the end of January, eyebrows collectively stretched sky-high when Chennai put together a gathering of family and friends, it seemed. Dad’s Army, we screamed. What are you guys doing?
The guys, as it turns out, knew exactly what they were doing. They went for experience and reasonable fitness, not merely youthful exuberance and Olympic-level chiselled bodies and electric speed. They plumped for battle-hardened veterans with nerves of steel. They placed most of their eggs in the basket of composure and poise, indifferent to the much-hyped cliché of T20 cricket being a young man’s game. Everything they did go against conventional wisdom. Then again, what is Dhoni if not unconventional (to us, not him)?
“People talk about numbers, statistics,” Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony, shortly before wrapping his hands around a third IPL trophy and then quickly handing it over to the young turks in his side. “Tonight’s the 27th, my jersey number is 7, and this was our seventh final.” Not quite indifferent to such minute details, our MS, as he sent an entire city into seventh heaven. Thala had delivered, like only Thala can.
No matter the outcome of the final, this had already been a season of plenty for Chennai. Plenty of drama, plenty of emotion, plenty of fight, plenty of love, plenty of spirit, plenty of balance, plenty of Dhoni. Myopic thinking from motivated quarters forced the franchise to shift their base from singaara Chennai to Pune after just one home game. The fans were distraught; they had waited so long to welcome their heroes back, only to be dealt an unkind kind by those to whom the IPL will always remain a target for narrow, self-serving gains. The franchise swung into action, arranging special trains to ferry the CSK faithfuls to their adopted home and making them feel at ease. Scientific studies have shown, largely from a footballing perspective, that home support boosts the performance of a team by 8%, which in effect is almost one additional player. Chennai had their 12th man firmly in their corner, be it in Pune or Bangalore, in Kolkata or Mumbai, in Mohali or Jaipur or New Delhi. Entirely because of Dhoni.
The former Indian skipper came into the tournament with justified question marks over his T20 future. His numbers for Pune Supergiant in the previous edition of the IPL were modest, and for the last year and a half, he was nowhere near the tidal wave that unforgivingly swept everything in front of it. His muscular hitting had abandoned him, forever it appeared, as Dhoni plodded along in international T20s too.
His travails seemed to have spilled over to IPL 2018 when first Mayank Markande, then Kuldeep Yadav and Piyush Chawla, tied him up in knots. Dwayne Bravo and Sam Billings pulled off mini-miracles in those first two games, but the Dhoni whispers gradually began to mushroom.
The whispers were replaced by a crescendo at the PCA Stadium in Mohali as the old No. 7 resurfaced, all fire and brimstone, smoking the ball with such authoritative disdain that you wondered if you hadn’t actually imagined the last year and a half.
A tender moment shared between father and daughter right after MS Dhoni delivered a resounding message with Chennai’s third title victory. © BCCI
That epic, 79 not out off 44 with six fours and five sixes, turned Dhoni’s season on its head. Chennai fell just short in a stiff chase, but their talisman was back. The Finisher wasn’t finished, he was setting himself up to finish off games. The mojo rediscovered, Dhoni would go on to finish with 455 runs – behind only Rayudu and Watson from Chennai – at a strike-rate of 150.66. There were 24 fours and 30 sixes from 302 deliveries faced. A gentle smile played on Virat Kohli’s face as Dhoni was taking Royal Challengers Bangalore apart at the Chinnaswamy. Wherever he was watching from, Ravi Shastri would have been a lot more visibly gung-ho.
The legend of CSK stems from the legend of Dhoni. The bond of love and loyalty is mutual. There was greater certainty of Dhoni returning to the franchise at the end of their suspension period than of the sun rising in the east, of night following day following night. Chennai openly pined for Dhoni; only slightly less subtly, Dhoni made his affiliations in the Super Kings v Supergiant faceoff all too clear.
There obviously was a lot more to Chennai than merely their unparalleled head. There was the pressing need to mentally and cricket-wise adapt to expected slow tracks in Chepauk to less predictable surfaces in Pune. There was the absence through injury very early in the season of Kedar Jadhav, with his feisty batting and parallel-to-ground offspin. There was the reconciliation to a few runs conceded on the park because fleet-footedness wasn’t exactly their calling card.
There was Rayudu, finding a fresh lease of life. There was Watson, defying age and critics and unerringly switching on for the big games. There was Suresh Raina, another returning hero who was happy to quietly settle into the slipstream of the Watson-Rayudu-Dhoni pyrotechnics. There was Lungi Ngidi, the towering South African. There was Deepak Chahar, an uncut diamond coming into the event but a lot more polished by the end of it. There were Faf du Plessis and Bravo and Billings, stepping up when it mattered. Shardul Thakur, expensive but with 16 wickets to his name. Ravindra Jadeja, anonymous in the first half but his parsimonious self once May arrived. Harbhajan Singh, less effective than previously and a lot slower than before, but a wily customer nevertheless. Karn Sharma, who dealt the killer blow in the final when he out-winked Kane Williamson, and ended the night with a third straight winner’s medal, each one with a different team.
And then there was Stephen Fleming. Understated, happy to fill in for Dhoni in public spaces and mandatory press dos, and someone the captain trusts implicitly. It’s a relationship that is into its second decade, glued by faith and respect and admiration and honesty. Fleming was a huge success in his own right as New Zealand captain. The head coach and his merry band of support staff focussed on team culture and a vibrant, positive, thriving environment inside the dressing room. That allowed Dhoni to wave his invisible magic wand without compunction out in the middle.
In the aftermath of the victory, as the others let their hair down and danced and drummed and screamed and sang at the Wankhede, Dhoni looked on like the indulgent older brother who has seen it all a million times before. It wasn’t until he was joined by Ziva, his adorable daughter, that the leader forsook form and embraced the moment. The shutterbugs were busy capturing the moment for posterity when Dhoni walked away holding Ziva, mirroring her fascination at the confetti-rain. That singular act when he was caught in his own private world on the most public of platforms bared Dhoni’s soul. Cricket is a part of life, far from life itself. A trophy holds a lot of value, but it also means only that much. There is so much more for which to whistle podu.
Friday, 25 May 2018
Life lessons from Dravid, Indian cricket’s man for all seasons
Life lessons from Dravid, Indian cricket’s man for all seasons
Dravid has spent a large part of the last three years with the cream of India’s Under-19 talent, means the former India skipper is closely connected to modern trends and developments. © ICC
The buzz had been steadily building, for an hour or so. Excited, excitable young lads skitted here and there, casting anxious glances at the elevator door. Proud parents were fighting a losing battle as they tried to mask their emotions. It took quite an effort to get the kids, especially, to forsake the corridor and take their seats as they awaited the arrival of one of India’s most celebrated, storied and idolised cricket sons.
When he did arrive, dressed casually but smartly in an orange tee-shirt and blue jeans, he was mobbed for selfies – the era of the autograph is, of course, well and truly over. Once he entered the private confines of a hall that could hold around 250 but was bursting at the seams with every vantage point taken, spontaneous chants broke out. For a full minute, the audience went “Dravid, Dravid, Dravid, Dravid…” The man at the centre of it all, the one on whom the adulation was being heaped, wore a typically embarrassed smile. He must have wondered what the fuss was all about; he must also have certainly been touched by the outpouring of love and admiration.
Rahul Dravid has never fancied himself as a hero. Unlike some of his contemporaries and many of his successors, he has remained remarkably grounded, refusing almost consciously to take himself more seriously than he should. He has no inflated sense of self-importance, and if he does have an ego, it has been suppressed in some deep, small corner, never to see the light of day. The slight awkwardness of the earlier days when the spotlight was so unforgivingly trained on him – like his peers that formed the Golden Generation of Indian cricket – has made way for a level of comfort and acceptance that is a natural progression. As he picked his way past the raucous mass of teenagers and made his way to the front through the narrow aisle, Dravid was at ease with himself. At peace with himself. Aware of the impact of his presence, but hardly allowing himself to be swept away by the tidal wave of feel-good and hero-worship.
Dravid was the chief guest at a unique prize-distribution function that brought wildlife conservation and cricket together on the same platform. The brainchild of Joseph Hoover, an old friend and a former colleague, the Tiger Cup uses the sport as a vehicle to raise awareness in impressionable minds of the pressing need to protect the majestic tiger, as much for ecological balance as for anything else. Each year for the last seven years, a forest guard has been recognised and rewarded for his commitment to wildlife and forest protection.
A wildlife enthusiast like many cricketers, Dravid had the cozy gathering eating out of his hands with a masterclass narrative that both kids and parents lapped up. That he is himself a father of two young lads yet to hit their teens, and has spent a large part of the last three years with the cream of India’s Under-19 talent, means the former India skipper is closely connected to modern trends and developments. When he spoke of how his cricket-playing sons, Samit and Anvay, wore the Tiger Cup cap with pride even at home, several parents nodded knowingly, while the boys themselves grinned sheepishly, feeling an instant connect with Rahul Dravid’s children. Almost intuitively, Dravid touched the right chords, talking to as an equal rather than talking down to the packed hall.
Right at the get-go, Dravid stuck a cautionary note. “In all these years since India started playing international cricket,” he pointed out, “less than 600 players have represented the country. Less than 600. Of the millions that play the sport, and that aspire to become a superstar. I am not trying to discourage or demoralise anyone, all I am doing is being realistic, and asking everyone here to be realistic. The odds are very daunting; if even one kid in this room goes on to play for India, all of us can be very proud.”
Obviously, he was leading up to something, characteristically carefully building his innings. “It is important to play the sport for the right reasons,” he went on. “Of course one has to be ambitious, but we must not lose sight of why we started playing cricket. Being selected for India is the ultimate honour, but sport teaches us a lot of other things – bonding, camaraderie, team spirit, looking out for each other, knowing right from wrong.
“If the only reason for playing the sport is to represent the country, and if that doesn’t happen, then we might start feeling bitter at a very early age. That will be sad, if the game that you loved so much contributed to making you a bitter person. That’s why I repeatedly stress that it is essential to keep the larger picture in mind.”
Switching tracks only marginally, Dravid’s next focus was education. “No matter how much you throw yourself into sport, you cannot afford to ignore education. The shelf-life of every sportsperson is limited, no matter how talented and successful. Education prepares you for life’s various challenges, as well as for a life after sport,” he reasoned, then stressed the need for versatility. “You must participate in a lot of other sports. I have had the privilege of working with the best Under-19 players in India for a few years now, and they all have other interests too. Yes, focus on cricket, but don’t restrict yourself to cricket. Sachin Tendulkar was an excellent table tennis player, Sourav Ganguly was a very good footballer. I used to play a lot of hockey in school. I see lots of young boys and girls here, I urge you to try your hand at other disciplines too.”
During his formative years, Dravid was fortunate to have supportive but undemanding parents. Leaning on his experiences, he urged the fathers and the mothers to allow their children to blossom by themselves, not expect them to live out their own dreams. “I have heard of kids going to two or three different camps a day – practice at one camp in the morning, go to another in the afternoon, a third one in the evening. At 13 and 14, you must allow them to enjoy themselves. There will come a time when they must practice long hours, but that is not now. Do you want your child to be a superstar at 16 and 18, and then burn out by the time they reach their 20s?”
This was all gold dust. I am not sure what the kids and their moms and dads expected when they arrived at the Karnataka State Billiards Association for the event. Maybe a shake of the famous Dravid right hand, maybe the unavoidable if intrusive selfie. They might not have bargained for 15 minutes of wisdom and erudition from a man who has been there, and done it all. Dravid didn’t let out any state secrets, he merely reiterated the most fundamental elements. But then again, that has always been Dravid, hasn’t it? Steeped in basics, grounded in reality. Hopefully, the kids also took home several learnings, not merely medals, certificates and photographs with Indian cricket’s man for all seasons.
Hyderabad favourites, but we’ve got home advantage: Streak
Hyderabad favourites, but we’ve got home advantage: Streak
“Russell is a match-winner with the bat and with the ball, so we are very fortunate as it gives us balance.” – Heath Streak. © BCCI
Heath Streak talks a good talk. The former Zimbabwe captain, recently sacked as the head coach of the country’s national team, has every reason to be delighted with the stirring campaign Kolkata Knight Riders have mounted. Four wins on the trot have put the two-time former champions in prime position to make the final, Sunrisers Hyderabad looming as their opponents in Qualifier 2 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday (May 25).
Hyderabad, who have lost four on the bounce after stacking up nine wins in their first 11 matches, have a formidable bowling attack and nearly defended 139 against Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 1. Streak acknowledged the opposition bowling group’s expertise, but refused to talk them up.
“You don’t play cricket on paper,” the Kolkata bowling coach said on Thursday evening. “They are a very strong side with good players – they wouldn’t have finished at the top of the table if they weren’t. But we’re coming good at the right time. The balance, form — those are all important factors in cricket. At the end of the day, you can only play one ball at a time, whether you’re facing it or bowling. We’re really trying to focus on not the names we are playing against. We know they’re a good side and we know they’re probably favourites – but we’ve also got the home advantage and home support, which has been unbelievable.”
Streak laid the credit for Kolkata’s revival after an iffy middle at the doorstep of a rejuvenated bowling attack. “I’ve been really pleased, especially with our bowlers, how they’ve put it together,” he insisted. “If we are honest with ourselves, we were probably a little bit disjointed and under-par in the bowling department early on. The batting came to our rescue. So very good to go in with that confidence of having four wins.
“Prasidh (Krishna, the tall paceman) has been outstanding. He’s brought in a new dimension, not just with his pace but his height. For me, the most pleasing thing to see is how much of a thinking cricketer he is. He’s really been smart, he’s using his options and variations well, he’s using the double-bluffs and not allowing the batsman to look at the field and know what ball’s coming next. But of course, even with all of that, you still have to execute your skill, which he’s done and I think his confidence is growing and he’s been fantastic. Yesterday (in the Eliminator against Rajasthan Royals), the 18th over was world-class. It reminded me of guys like Jasprit Bumrah, who came on the scene doing exactly what he (Prasidh) has. He’s really making a name of himself this IPL and he’s just another one of those names that IPL has unearthed and really brought to the fore.”
Kolkata have a mix of the old and the new, and the two have come together almost seamlessly in the last few games. “We’ve got a good mix of youth and experience,” Streak agreed. “Obviously, having the likes of Sunil Narine in the spin department, Kuldeep (Yadav) is an emerging player in the Indian side and very confident at the moment. And then we’ve got the youngsters like (Shivam) Mavi and Prasidh who have a point to prove and want to stake a claim going forward. It’s been an enjoyable blend, and the guys are really hungry to succeed. Obviously we had the big blow of Mitchell Starc not being able to come, and it’s hard to replace someone of that calibre. But I think the guys have stood up brilliantly. If you look at our bowlers, there’s no one who’s the same, which is really nice and has also been an added plus for us.
On Dinesh Karthik the captain:“You have seen how professional he is, he has that never-say-die attitude. He demands that fight and that never-give-up attitude which has been really good. He is passionate. You can see by every boundary and every run we concede, you can see him thinking — the passion that he brings and the support that he gives to the bowlers and the energy. It is his first stint in the IPL as captain, so he also wants to make an impression and he is starting to find his feet and understand the players and what gets the best out of each and every individual player because everyone is an individual in their own right. DK’s been fantastic and hopefully he can continue that for another two games.”
“It is well documented that the teams for whom the domestic Indian players perform well are generally also the ones that perform consistently. The franchise took a position to invest in some young guys. For me, the rewarding this is that guys like Shubman (Gill) and Mavi are probably playing beyond their years in terms of experience that they are showing. If you consider Shubman Gill’s innings last night, he didn’t look as if he was perplexed by the situation. He came in at a very tough time. He was very controlled, very composed and he has done that a few times for us. For a 19, 20-year-old to do that… Shivam Mavi as well has come in. He hasn’t been intimidated, he has bowled some serious deliveries to get rid of some top players. He is going to grow. To know that you have got a youngster like that for the next couple of years is brilliant. Prasidh is a touch older than those guys and he has a bit more experience at the domestic level but he has really stepped up and he has used that experience brilliantly. I have been very happy. And of course obviously our spin trio has been consistently good and that’s a huge advantage for us. It’s brought us back into many games.”
The spin trio of Narine, Kuldeep and Piyush Chawla will have their work cut out against Kane Williamson, the Hyderabad captain and the leading run-getter in the IPL so far. “Kane’s played well at the moment. Sometimes people forget to just bowl good balls at him,” Streak, himself a leading quick bowler in his pomp, said. “He’s one of those players who respects good balls. So it’s about not being intimidated and go away from the plan. He’s like any other good player, but if you bowl enough in the right area you will create chances. At the moment he’s picking length and line really well, so your margins for error are very tight. But our bowlers are executing their skills a bit better. I still feel that in the first 10 overs we can improve, and I think if we can do that in tomorrow’s game while continuing what we’ve been doing in the middle and back end, we can really put them under pressure.”
One of Kolkata’s standout performers has been Andre Russell. The big Jamaican has smashed 313 bruising runs at a strike-rate of 190.85, but also held his own with the ball, working up serious pace on his way to 13 wickets at an acceptable economy of 9.39 for an attacking wicket-taker. “We’ve seen Andre, he has come out and changed the game for us a few times, example that game against Kings (XI Punjab) where he came in and on a pretty good wicket in Indore and on a pretty small ground he turned the game around.
“Andre is like that,” Streak remarked. “There might be days where he might be a little bit expensive but he is also a match-winner, with the bat and with the ball, and that is priceless. To have someone who in their own right could make the side in one department but he is a match-winner with the bat and with the ball, so we are very fortunate, it gives us balance. It gives us the opportunity to be able to have an extra bowler, one extra batter for the skipper to be able to use, so we are very lucky to have someone of his caliber.”
Kolkata have a line-up of heavy-hitters, but they also bat deep and therefore can tide over early collapses, like they did against Rajasthan when they lost their top three inside the Power Play. “That’s something that you have to have and you have to have power at the back-end, not just at the top,” Streak said. “The other night was a good example when CSK pulled off that win (against Hyderabad). Often, if you get to needing 10 runs an over, you still need guys with the ability to clear the rope, that’s been a massive advantage for us. But I also think that for us, one of the good things is that we haven’t tapered off in the middle in terms of our scoring rate.
“We have been consistent throughout the innings. We don’t taper off so much from overs seven to fourteen. We continue to score at a consistent scoring rate. That makes a difference and luckily we have got a good balance of power hitters. The likes of Lynns, Uthappas and Russells and also your more conventional players like (Nitish) Rana, DK (Dinesh Karthik), Shubman Gill and obviously of late we have brought in Javon Searles. Although at No. 8 he doesn’t get to face a lot of balls, he gives the top seven a bit of a cushion knowing that they have got guys behind and that if you need someone who can come in and if you need a 20 off 10 ball type innings, he can do that and often that does happen in T20 cricket.”
Thursday, 24 May 2018
AB’s era-defining career
AB’s era-defining career
AB de Villiers left an indelible mark on the game, and one day after the announcement of his retirement from the international game, the sheer extent of the impact he made became apparent. For a second day in succession, on Thursday (May 24), glowing tributes poured in for the South African legend.
Congrats to @ABdeVilliers17 on an era defining career. A wonderful advert for how glorious athleticism and cricketing skill can be at their highest levels. And More importantly a good man, humble and gentle. Good luck with all you do.
Straight up, icon of the game! Farewell Abbas. @ABdeVilliers17 is definitely high amongst the#GOAT. Who’s your favorite, batter/player of all time ?
Congrats to @ABdeVilliers17 for a career that changed the way the game was played. Inspiration to so many and an example of a true champion. Privilege to have played with you Abbas. #ABDevilliers #Legend
Well done @ABdeVilliers17 on a fantastic career, one of my favourite players to watch go about their skill. Wish you every success with you and your family.
Well done on such an incredible career @ABdeVilliers17You’re a true gentleman of the game and it was such a pleasure to play against you.wishing you all the best in stage two of your life!
@ABdeVilliers17 Congrats bro. The next stage will be as great as the last. What a player and what a bloke.
Congratulations to @ABdeVilliers17 on a stellar international career. Amazing player and great man. Was always glad I didn’t have to bowl to him! All the best for your next chapter.
All the best @ABdeVilliers17 on ur new chapter.What a player,what a man!Truly an honour to have watched & fortunate to have been in ur team
Congrats @ABdeVilliers17 for an international career that people only ever dream of. One of my favourite players to play against and most certainly one of my most favourite team mates I have ever played with. You will be missed mate. #respect
Just seen that @ABdeVilliers17 retired. Congrats on an unreal career buddy!Life gets better now with family and friends!
Congrats on an awesome career @ABdeVilliers17 Enjoy retirement and the extra time with your family. Was a pleasure watching you as a youngster and then becoming one of the best in the world.
It’s always sad to bid farewell to such a a classy player! @ABdeVilliers17 cricket will surely miss a legend like you, u have been a source of inspiration for many young guns out there. Best for luck for all ur future endeavours
Congratulations on a wonderful career @ABdeVilliers17! One of the all time greats... Enjoy some well earned family time mate!
I’ve made a big decision today pic.twitter.com/In0jyquPOK
Congrats on an outstanding career. You deserve all the accolades but most importantly, time now to enjoy with your family and friends. Always the toughest to play against
Most definitely a G.O.A.T in my book. Truly an honour to have shared some memorable moments on and off the field with you champion. Congrats on an outstanding international career. Wishing you all the best in the next chapter my friend. Good well Braampie @abdevilliers17 #GOAT
Respect to a class act@ABdeVilliers17
I’ve made a big decision today pic.twitter.com/In0jyquPOK
all the best @ABdeVilliers17 - love watching you play and an SA side taking the field without you just won’t be the same. #Mr360 #GOAT
The most complete modern day cricketer and an epic smasher of the cricket ball. Congrats on your fantastic International Cricket career, you will be missed truly @ABdeVilliers17
Ed Joyce, a champion in his own right, decided to call it a day too.
NEWS: Ireland cricket legend Ed Joyce (@edjoyce24) has announced his retirement from cricket today. He will take up a new role overseeing leadership development and as a batting coach in the Irish performance system. Read more:
Congrats @edjoyce24! What a great servant to @Irelandcricket. All the best in the new role. Get that shoulder warmed up! #slinger #TDs #juice
Congrats @edjoyce24 on a wonderful career. One of the best championship batters I ever seen & been fortunate to play with. Thank you for protecting me from that new hard seaming swinging new ball for so many years. Loved our time on and off the field together. Enjoy retirement x
The World Cup dream will remain unfulfilled for de Villiers, but he’ll still be targetting that IPL title. Ask Virat Kohli, who has promised to come back hard.
I really believe in the concept of, "you either win or you learn". We fought hard and gave it our all but one thing is for sure, next season we definitely will bounce back stronger than ever with our learnings from this season.
In some rather disheartening news for the Indian skipper though, he was ruled out of his county stint with Surrey.
In the meantime, Kolkata advanced to Qualifier 2 in the Indian Premier League 2018.
Huuuuge character shown by the @KKRiders boys tonight. T20 cricket is a funny game and momentum can swing at any stage! See you Friday night again at Eden GardensWell done lads
But from the shadows of the IPL, Test cricket is re-emerging to claim its place in the sun.
The 1st Test of the summer is always an exciting time. Good luck to all involved. Looking forward to watching #ENGvPAK
Not much has changed for England though.
Start of the Test summer .. Lovely to be back .. Nothing has changed .. England 43 for 3 .. #OnOn
There was some time for some inter-rival fraternising.
Couple of decent @englandcricket wicketkeeper-batsman, and some fairly quick @TheRealPCB bowlers paying a visit to the @bbc5live box at @HomeOfCricket. #EngvsPak
It’s a special day for Kevin Pietersen, as his little one takes the cricket field for the first time.
The fitness challenge is really making waves. When Kohli sent him an invite, the Indian Prime Minister got on board too.
Challenge accepted, Virat! I will be sharing my own #FitnessChallenge video soon. @imVkohli #HumFitTohIndiaFit
Suresh Raina has taken it up as well.
This is pure motivation sir @Ra_THORe. Fitness is the way of life & I hope everyone starts putting an effort in the right direction. I accept your challenge & further nominate honourable minister Mr @JPNadda, @harbhajan_singh & @sonamakapoor #HumFitTohIndiaFit #fitnesschallange
Finally, it’s been a tough two months for the Warners, but in a heart-warming image, they were enjoying family time.
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