VIRAT KOHLI’S CAPTAINCY MARKS DAWN OF NEW ERA IN INDIAN CRICKET

A middle-old batsman, who can also ball right arm medium pace-is the new test captain of the Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli. Over a period of time, he has done a lot for the Indian cricket team and taken India to greater heights, though not noticed much but still.

After the sudden retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni from test cricket matches, Virat Kohli took the lead and became the new captain of Indian cricket team. But there were many who compared Dhoni and Virat Kohli on many different bases. 

Some said that Dhoni always used the word ‘we’ for his team often. Dhoni made personal decisions only on the field. Off the field, it was always "we". Kohli was being more assertive off the field, even in defeat. Virat Kohli had been a prominent batsman for Team India for long. He slammed a record 140 on the third day of the Sydney Test but his tactics as captain a day earlier, left many confused.

Virat Kohli batted his way into record books yet again with an unbeaten 140 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. With the ton, he became the first cricketer to make three Test centuries in his first three innings as captain. While the Delhi cricketer's excellent form has been a highlight of the series, his captaincy has not impressed the games legends.

Although still early days, Kohli was promoted as permanent Test skipper after MS Dhoni dramatically retired after the third Test at Melbourne, his tactics on the field on Wednesday left many confused. Among them, injured Australia captain Michael Clarke and former cricketer Ian Chappell were the most exasperated.

Virat Kohli has been walking around with a bull's eye around his head. One he has worn proudly. Everything about him has said, "Look at me." His statements, his shots, his send-offs, his fielding, his kisses blown to his Bollywood-star girlfriend and to Mitchell Johnson all state the same.

He has riled the Australians up, he has nearly got out because of that wind-up job, he has dropped a sitter at slip, he is about to become the first No. 4 in the history of the game to score 500 in a series when touring Australia, and he has generally looked and behaved like a man whose time has come. Despite of all this, he is still the most popular and most regarded cricketer among the public, especially the younger crowd.

Though this outspoken and flamboyant batsman has scored three hundreds in series so far, but still wavers a bit when it comes to handling the pressure of leading the side and salvaging some pride in the series.

Posted By: Shreya Saraf, Campus brand ambassador Intern at: http://pickyouropinion.com

MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI WALKS INTO TEST SUNSET

MS Dhoni has retired from Test cricket with immediate effect, following the drawn Test against Australia in Melbourne.Virat Kohli will take over as India captain for the final Test of the series, which India have already lost, in Sydney. He chose to retire from Test Cricket with immediate effect in order to concentrate on ODI and T20 formats.

In recent months Dhoni suffered from fitness issues, missing five ODIs against Sri Lanka in November because of a hand injury, which also sidelined him from the first Test against Australia in Adelaide.

In addition to the pressure of leading India in all three formats, and the Chennai Super Kings franchise, for six years Dhoni has also had to play an extraordinary amount of matches. Since the start of 2008 - taking into account international matches across formats, IPL and Champions League T20 games - Dhoni has played 398 matches, the most for any cricket during this period. Suresh Raina is second with 369 games.

Dhoni did not play the first Test in the current series against Australia because of a thumb injury. In his absence, Virat Kohli led the team and won accolades for his attacking approach. Many former players declared that it was time for Kohli to take over the leadership from Dhoni given that the incumbent had been struggling to present any fresh approach.

Though Dhoni's place in India's Test side has not been under question, his batting form took a dip in 2014 and he averaged only 33 in 17 innings this year. His wicketkeeping has also deteriorated, in particular his ability to move laterally to take testing catches. India's overseas results have also suffered under Dhoni's leadership in recent years. Since 2011, they have won only two out of 22 away Tests and lost 13.

Dhoni, however, is India's most successful captain, having presided over 27 wins in his 60-Test tenure, which began in 2008. His first Test as captain was against South Africa in Kanpur in April that year, because of an injury to regular captain Anil Kumble, and he took over full time after Kumble retired following the Delhi Test against Australia in October. Dhoni led India to the No.1 Test ranking in 2009, a position they enjoyed until the tour of England in 2011.

Dhoni was one of India's greatest Test captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the test rankings, MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of cricket. BCCI, while respecting the decision of MS Dhoni to retire from Test cricket, also thanked him for his enormous contribution to Test cricket and the laurels that he brought to India.

Posted By: Shreya Saraf, Campus brand ambassador Intern at: http://pickyouropinion.com

Sarita Devi slapped with one year ban from boxing by AIBA

Sarita Devi had refused to accept her Asian Games bronze medal after a controversial bout in Incheon saying that the judges had been partial in their verdict. Ending months of speculation regarding her career, troubled Indian female boxer L.

Sarita Devi as she was banned for one year and fined Swiss francs 1,000 by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) for refusing to accept her 2014 Asian Games bronze medal.

The world boxing body also handed down two-year bans, ending October 1, 2016 to the 29-year-old boxer's husband Thoiba Singh and coach B.I. Fernandez, and barred her coach Lenin Meitei for one year ending October 1, 2015. Fernandez was also fined Swiss francs 2,000 and Meitei Swiss francs 1,000. The AIBA, however, relieved Indian boxing chief coach G.S. Sandhu from all charges of misdemeanor.

The Disciplinary Commission Chair rules that Laishram Sarita Devi is suspended from any activity at the National, Confederation and International levels for a period of one year starting from the 2014 Asian Games medal ceremony (Oct 1). She will have to pay a fine of Swiss francs 1,000. Devi's suspension will end on October 1, 2015, provided that all fines have been paid and no additional DC rulings have been rendered against her.

Speculation was rife that the apex body of world boxing will impose a life-ban on the former world champion. The Indian government had earnestly appealed for consideration of her humble background and controversy-free image to spare her a career-ending ban. The ban will run till October 1, 2015, providing her an opportunity to represent the country in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Expressing her views on the verdict, Sarita Devi said in a release: "I am hugely relieved and would like to thank the boxing fraternity and Boxing India for helping me sail through these difficult times. I will now be able to participate in the Games and will work harder to bring laurels to the nation."

In Incheon, a day after she lost the 60-kg category semi-final bout to host challenger Jina Park despite dominating the bout, an inconsolable Sarita refused to accept the bronze medal and later handed it over to Park, who left the medal on the podium before making her exit at the Seonhak Gymnasium.

Expressing his opinion on the AIBA verdict, Boxing India (BI) president Sandeep Jajodia said: "AIBA's verdict on Sarita Devi comes as a relief to Boxing India, the boxing fraternity, Sarita's fans and boxing enthusiasts around the world.The one-year ban ending October 2015 can further be reduced on the basis of her good demeanour and hard work.

We will, in the meanwhile, continue to correspond with AIBA to reduce the punishment, thus enabling and motivating Sarita to prepare for her qualifications for Olympics."

Jojodia also said that Sarita, mother of two, will now be relieved of the mental trauma and can focus on boxing wholeheartedly and added: "I wish for Sarita to recover from her wrist injury in this interim period, and advise her to focus on further sharpening her boxing skills and on her fitness to be able to participate in the international events to happen after her suspension gets over."

Posted By: Shreya Saraf, Campus brand ambassador Intern at: http://pickyouropinion.com

HIGHEST EVER 264 RUNS ODI SCORE SMASHED BY ROHIT SHARMA

Rohit Gurunath Sharma an Indian international cricketer, a right-handed batsman and an occasional right-arm off break bowler (with a hat-trick in the Indian Premier League) plays for Mumbai in domestic cricket.

He is the captain of Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. Having started his international career at the age of 20, Sharma quickly came to be pegged by many analysts as a permanent fixture in the Indian cricket team in the next decade. In 2013, he started playing as an opening batsman for the Indian ODI team, and performed consistently.

He scored consecutive centuries in his first two Test matches against the West Indies in November 2013, scoring 177 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on debut, followed by a score of 111 in the next Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

On 13 November 2014, he scored 264 against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, which is the highest individual score in ODIs. Rohit Sharma's individual 264 runs high score in odi cricket, ODI in 10-weeks began with a touch of nerves. He was even kept scoreless in one Angelo Mathews maiden.

By the end of the innings, his batting had become cartoonish. There was no shot he had not played. No part of the ground he had not exploited. No bowler who escaped his brutality. Rohit amassed 45 more runs than any ODI batsman had ever managed in an innings, finishing on 264 from 173 balls when he was finally caught off the last ball of the innings. India, almost incidentally, had moved to 404 for 5, despite having travelled at a run rate of less than six for the first 32 overs.

Rohit's innings was so ludicrous that the first 100 runs, which were hit at a run-a-ball, seemed achingly humdrum in comparison to the 164 that followed. The surge had actually begun before he reached his century, when he plundered 14 runs in four balls, in Nuwan Kulasekara's 30th over. Soon after that, the ball was leaping off the middle of his bat with almost every stroke he offered.

There were many incredible shots, from among his 33 fours and nine sixes, but the most gob smacking was the six off Kulasekara at the end of the 48th over, when he walked across to off stump, took a half volley from about a foot and half away from him and flicked it high over the midwicket boundary. It was the kind of shot, and innings, that seemed in open defiance of physics.

Sri Lanka had played a tour match against Mumbai to warm-up for the series, but little did they know Rohit Sharma was warming-up against them. He hit 145 from 111 in that match - his first competitive game since fracturing a finger in August - and he has now re-embedded himself at the top of the India batting order in the most resounding fashion imaginable.

Another beautifully orchestrated batting Powerplay from India - between the 30th and 34th overs - brought them 67 runs, and was enough to hammer the Sri Lanka bowlers off their rhythm for the rest of the innings. Short, wide deliveries, thigh-high full tosses and rank long hops were presented with alarming regularity, and the fielding was almost as woeful.

Sri Lanka had not expected to begin the series strongly, given their lack of preparation, but in these two disciplines, they have actually worsened significantly through the tour.

By the time Rohit hit Kulasekara down Mahela Jayawardene's throat at long-off, the record for most fours struck in an innings had also tumbled, and Rohit was in possession of half the ODI scores over 200. Kulkarni removed two more from the lower order to finish with 4 for 34, and India completed yet another crushing victory.

Asked if he was tired after his epic knock, a smiling Rohit said, "Not really. I have had a break due to injury and I am not tired at all. I could have continued for another 50 overs." Eden Gardens also holds an emotional place in Rohit's heart as he scored a big hundred on debut at this very venue last year and has now got the highest-ever ODI score.

"It's been a great venue for me as I got my hundred on Test debut at this venue. The crowd were cheering me right through.” said Rohit Sharma.

Posted By: Shreya Saraf, Campus brand ambassador Intern at: http://pickyouropinion.com

INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE 2014: A MISHIT?

After the grand success of Indian Premier League, one of its kind T20 league in India which sees participation from the legends of the game of cricket.

It was time for Indian Super League to take inception and take football as a sport forward in India. In a country where cricket is considered to be a religion it was expectedly very difficult for football to gain prominence.

But with the support of film stars and even cricketers the Indian Super League kick-started on the 12th of October.

With 8 teams participating, namely, Atletico De Kolkata, Chennayin FC, FC Pune City, Mumbai City FC, Northeast United FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Delhi Dynamos FC and FC Goa. All these teams have enthusiastic owners who have a lot of expectations from their teams.

Even though this entire league has severe backings from famous personalities but it has not been able to garner as much support as Indian Premier League did. Football still needs time to become popular in India.

Even though there are certain sections of the country where the sport is extremely popular but the prominence and popularity which it requires is not fully there. And that is why Indian Super League has not been able to garner much of a support and TRPs.

Football as a sport has tremendous fan following in the north east, the east and even the west in Goa and even the southern region where league matches are played.

But apart from these specific regions other places have football enthusiasts and not good football players, which is the primary reason why Indian Super League 2014 has a lot of retired foreign players playing.

But the advantage of these kinds of tournaments is that it gives chance to a lot of young talent to shine and get out of their shells. It opens doors for kids to start playing the wonderful game of football more and even consider the option of making it their professions.

It is indeed very nice to see new sports getting encouragement from all around. Now it is our responsibility to take it seriously and motivate the young kids around us to opt for this sport or any sport they like.

We should even promote the cause of adding sports as a compulsory subject in all schools so that the kids learn the importance of it at an early stage and it helps them career wise too.

But for that to happen, first of all we need to make sure that leagues like Indian Super League garners support so that encouragement follows and mishit turns into a GOAL!

Posted By: Karan Bhatt, Campus brand ambassador Intern at: http://pickyouropinion.com

India won the third ODI match as well as the series

The first ever India vs Sri Lanka cricket test match was played in year 1982, with minnows traveling to neighbors who were an International team for nearly 30 years already. Interestingly, new test entrants pushed experienced Indians to the edge who managed to save the game with 6 wickets in hand.

Three matches, three wins for India = series sealed. The Sri Lankans weren’t offered any fight against India as they lost yet another series here. First India restricted them to a decent total today and then chased down without any difficulty. Rahane and Dhawan gave a good start and then Rayudu was run out for 35.

Set a target of 243 runs, India coasted to the win in 44.1 overs, winning with 35 balls to spare. Opener Shikhar Dhawan played a stellar knock and forged useful partnerships with Ajinkya Rahane and Ambati Rayadu to lead India to victory.

Skipper Virat Kohli as a caption good contributed with a solid 53. Earlier, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 242 in 48.2 overs despite veteran batsman Mahela Jayawardene scoring a superb century. Pacer Umesh Yadav wrecked Sri Lanka’s top order to help set up India's triumph.

Man of the Match was Mahela Jayawardene. He was a bit disappointed but happy with the performance overall. He was rather surprised to get this award. He added that India put them into early trouble and after that they just were left to do the repair work and hoped that they come back harder and play for pride in the next two games.

It was indeed a proud moment for India but on the other hand quite a big disappointment for Sri Lanka. The bowling seemed almost entirely devoid of menace past the first 10 overs. The fielding was flatter than the pitches they have played on. The batting sometimes seemed panicked and lethargic. A little rust was expected before the series, but was almost as if Sri Lanka put their best cricket in cryogenic freeze when they visit India.

They had never won an ODI bilateral series in the country, nor a Test. Sri Lanka had hoped to earn small victories on this tour, even if an outright series win seemed far from reach, but so far, they have gleaned only broken spirits and bruised egos.

As for India, even with several second-string players, India hardly broke a sweat. Three batsmen collected hundreds, while bowlers like Ishant Sharma and Akshar Patel made a case for World Cup inclusion. The batting, as usual, was rock-solid in India, but the bowlers remained admirably effective as well.

Beyond the World Cup plans, Virat Kohli  also given a glimpse of the kind of captain he might become. Proactive and instinctive, Kohli's gambles did definitely pay off so far, with the batting-order reshuffles yielding good dividends and bowling changes regularly bringing wickets.

Sri Lanka will have to raise their game substantially to test Kohli and his team. India and Sri Lanka play cricket under similar conditions, spinning, slow and in favour of batsmen most of the time.

Posted By: Shreya Saraf, Campus brand ambassador Intern at: http://pickyouropinion.com

God of cricket writes his autobiography

“Playing It My Way” is the autobiography of former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. It was launched on 5 November 2014 in Mumbai.

The book summarizes Tendulkar's early days, his 24 years of international career and aspects of his life that have not been shared publicly. "I knew that if I agreed to write my story, I would have to be completely honest, as that’s the way I have always played the game and that would mean talking about a number of things I have not addressed in public before.

So here I am, at the end of my final innings, having taken that last walk back to the pavilion, ready to recount as many incidents as I can remember since first picking up a cricket bat as a child in Mumbai thirty-five years ago." - Sachin Tendulkar.

The book launch took place on 5th November 2014 in Mumbai, a group of India's cricketing legends, including Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri, remembered their association with Tendulkar and shared anecdotes from the field and outside it.

Tendulkar was present at the event with his wife Anjali and family members. His long-time teammates Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman are also among the guests.

This book was definitely one of the most awaited sports books and the first copy of the book Playing It My Way has been presented to Sachin's mother Rajni Tendulkar. The second copy was given to Sachin's coach Ramakant Achrekar, by Sara Tendulkar - Sachin's daughter.

Ajit, who introduced Sachin to cricket, said he always discussed Sachin's dismissals and never celebrated his hundreds, fearing his brother might feel he has done enough. "Playing It My Way' is a different sort of innings for me, and was in the making for the last three years.

As with the game, I have been honest and sincere in putting together various aspects of my life, and the book is something I hope readers will enjoy," he said.

Posted By: Shreya Saraf, Campus brand ambassador Intern at: http://pickyouropinion.com

Indian Premier League 7, 2014

The Indian Premier League has become well known to all of us since it started in the year 2008 as Season-I tournamentdue to its commercial success throughout the globe.The Twenty20 cricket tournament usually held annually during the summer months of April to June has really gone from strength to strength and is largely viewed as being the 'richest' tournament in world cricket. Indeed the IPL brought glitz and glamour to the sport.According to Ravi Shastri,“IPL auction is the best physio in the world” as he thinks the IPL auction is good at persuading players to get fit.The commencement of the seventh season of the Indian Premier League, abbreviated as IPL 7 or Pepsi IPL 2014 has been held on 16^thApril, 2014 and will continue till 1^stJune, 2014, being hosted by both UAE & India this time. It is currently supervised by BCCI Vice-President Ranjib Biswal, whoserves as the League's Chairman and Commissioner and Sundar Raman is the IPL Chief Operating Officer (COO) since its first season, after he was appointed by former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi in 2008.In total there are eight teams participating this time as Pune Warriors India was terminated. The auction of players for the seventh season of IPL took place on 13^th and 15^thFebruary 2014 in Bangalore. For the second time after 2011, IPL teams were allowed to retain up to 5 players. 7 teams retained at least 2 players from the previous squad. After hosting the first part in the United Arab Emirates, the seventh edition of Indian Premier League will return to India on May 2. Based on security demands for the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections in India, the venues for some matches are shifted outside India.

Unlike the test cricket,which always had been often preferred for its intense confrontation with class play providing the best field for one player to perform, the T20 format is an extremely alluring medium to instant stardom for the young and developing cricketers giving them less time to show their cricketing talent and execute skills. Thereby, the game requires instantaneous and strong decision making process providing the players the right platform to showcase their mettle in international cricket before acquiring expertise in the longer version of the game, i.e., the Test Cricket. One may say T20 may kill the classic and text book skills, the charm to play for one own’s country and the real game spirit, nevertheless, it is quite inventive, innovative with improvisation never dreamtof in orthodox cricket.The belligerent, vigilant, agile and athletic fielders so quick on their feet and the batsmen showing caliber to deliver under pressure  hitting strong, smart and scintillating sixes by surviving on the wicket and win for their team is a real treat and an entertainment to watch for the spectators.This new dimension and dynamics is no doubt may be considered the correct version in the fast world where timeis a precious factor. Although, many say that T20 is ruining the bowler skills, the basic reason maybe that if a bowler have to swing the ball reverse, the ball has to worn or become old. Since T20 cricket is a limited over cricket, the bowler doesn't get a chance to swing it well and thus the batsmen finishes his over driving the full length balls hard enough blowing them high into the air.

There was a time before the onset of IPL, when cricket was sought as a gentleman’s game, played with pride. Recently, the former Indian captain and commentator Sunil Gavaskar stated, “India is a powerhouse in the eyes of the cricketing world, but over the last two years or so,particularly overseas, they have only shown themselves as a powerhouse” — regarding  India's recent failures. Moreover, one certain article reported two years ago that according to Arjuna Ranatunga, the former captain of the Sri Lanka cricket team,“IPL will produce butchers not classic cricketers”. Commenting on the fallout of the IPL on the game of cricket, he said cricketers now prefer to play IPL rather than for their country.

Anyways, it was also reported that the IPL 7 auction was different in many ways with almost all the teams stitching a newsquad altogether. This time marked the judicial spending by the respective franchisees who were smart enough to understand the proper value of the players and the so called big teams like Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) constantly withdrew themselves beyond a certain point during the bidding leading, to teaming up of lesser number of million-dollar players this time. Likewise, this was the first time the uncapped players were being released in the auctions and some Ranji Trophy (2013-14) players right from the top run-scorer to top wicket-taker got their rightful due and was in demand.Some players like Kedar Jadhav, Karun Nair, Lokesh Rahul, etc. who were never explosive by nature and command great value got selected as the franchisees understand that T20s are not just about slam bang but pacing your innings as well. The teams with a strategy like Rajasthan Royals , Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Daredevils went home happy after retaing five players whereas Royal Challengers Bangalore failed to shortlist their strategy and the team they wanted to stitch.Additionally, as we know earlier there used to be franchisee heads who used to make the call with the coaches just making a memento appearance. But this time during the two days of auction, someone like Dravid, Anil Kumble, Sanjay Bangar were critical in the decisions taken and it was visible in the absorbing discussions over every player and before placing every bid. The more the cricketers are involved, the saner the franchisees decisions appeared. Lastly, it was not about packing your team with players but understanding team culture, and hence, almost every franchisee made it clear that they weren't looking to complete the maximum squad strength of 27. In fact they were focusing on having a small but efficient squad which iseasy to manage and better to communicate.

Posted By: Amitava Dutta, brand ambassador "MY VOTE FOR a BETTER INDIA" social initiative by "Pickyouropinion.com".