Thursday, February 23, 2012
Nobody available to replace Sachin: Vengsarkar
Mumbai: Former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar on Thursday slammed suggestions in the media and views of another former captain Kapil Dev that Sachin Tendulkar should quit one-day cricket, saying that the master batsman needed no advice on this issue.
"There is no need to advise a legend to hang his boots when he himself, I am sure, will do so when the time is right for him to do so," said Vengsarkar, a former chief selector, in a statement issued here.
Kapil Dev had said on Wednesday that Sachin should have quit after the World Cup victory.
"In my opinion, he should have quit ODI on a high after India won the World Cup....But it's for him to decide," Kapil had said.
Vengsarkar, said that even at the age of 39, Tendulkar was as fit as anyone in the Indian team.
He also said that Indian team's bench strength was poor, and there is none to fill in the boots when great players like Tendulkar leave the scene.
"I really wonder whether India has a player of Sachin's class in its midst at the moment. Our bench strength is not at all that solid whereby we can hope to fill the void left by some great players in time to come," he said.
"Sachin may be nearing 39 years, but I strongly feel that he is as fit and as charged up, if not more, than any of the players playing for India at present. His focus, dedication, and commitment to the team is unparallelled to say the least.
"Sachin's sheer presence can mould the future generation of Indian cricketers....the Mumbai team of yesteryears was strong because we had Test players playing club and inter-office cricket regularly in Mumbai. This helped upcoming, young cricketers immensely," Vengsarkar said.
Australia vs srilanka ODI live 24 feb cb series
Hobart: Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene has told his batsman Lahiru Thirimanne to avoid stepping out too much while backing up for runs in Friday's match against Australia after escaping a controversial run-out chance due to India's generosity.
Thirimanne was 'Mankaded' by offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin after stepping out too far while backing up at the non-striker's end in the previous match against India.
India withdrew the appeal as stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag felt it was against the spirit of the game. Jayawardene though conceded that his batsman was also at fault.
"I have (spoken to him). I think there was a bit of fault in him as well. He's a young lad and I'm sure he'll learn from that. We've spoken, definitely," Jayawardene said.
"I think he can take a start but it's just where he's leaving the crease is probably a bit unfair. He can probably hold himself a bit longer and then take a start, I don't think that's a problem. It's just him understanding exactly what he can do and what he can't do," he said.
Australian captain Michael Clarke said he hopes Thirimanne backs up fairly so that such a situation is not repeated.
"I hope he decides to stay in his crease. I'm glad that nothing has come of it. It's a part of the game I don't like.
I don't like the Mankad rule at all. I don't think you should be able to Mankad," Clarke said.
"But in saying that, if somebody is going to be a long way outside their crease, you would hope that by warning them they would understand that the bowler or the fielding captain has asked the batsman to stay in his crease. If he continues to do that, it is in the rules that you can be out like that.
But I hope we don't have to worry about it," he said.
On whether he would appeal for such a dismissal, Clarke said, "I'll find out when I'm in that position. Hopefully I'm not."
Jayawardene said the challenge heading into the coming matches of the tri-series is to remain consistent performers.
"After the last couple of games we came back strongly into the tournament so the challenge is to try and be consistent, play the way we've been playing, and make sure we handle certain situations better than the opposition," he said.
"We've been quite happy with the progress of the team."
Kapil and most wanted sachins retirement
New Delhi: Reiterating his statements made a few days ago, former Indian allrounder Kapil Dev on Wednesday said that he stands by his comments about Sachin Tendulkar, that the 'little master' should have retired after India won the 2012 World Cup.
Kapil went on to say that Tendulkar should have made way for others at the conclusion of the quadrennial event.
"I am nobody to say when Sachin Tendulkar would retire.
But in my opinion he should have quit ODI on a high after Indian won the World Cup. But that is my opinion. I think I can have my opinion? But it's him only to decide," he said.
"He (Tendulkar) enjoys playing cricket and has achieved so much for the team and for the country. What more we can expect from the little man.
"But if I was in his (Tendulkar's) place I would have said after India won the World Cup that I have achieved so much in cricket for the team and for the country and it's now time for some other player to come in," said the 1983 World Cup-winning captain.
Kapil also said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should step in to sort out the differences between India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virender Sehwag.
"Players have to keep their egos aside while playing for India." The captain should be respected, he has the final word," he said.
Earlier, the controversial rotation policy, which has sparked a heated debate among critics and a speculation of a rift within the team, took a more confusing turn on Tuesday with Sehwag saying he did not know that fielding abilities had anything to do with it.
In an apparent dig at Dhoni, Sehwag said that he or any of the senior players had ever been told that their 'slow fielding' was an issue.
"I did not know what he (Dhoni) said and what's going on in media. He told us he wanted to give chance to youngsters who had come here and play the next World Cup. That's what he told us," the dashing Indian opener said.
SA VS NZ 3rd T20 Highlights
Auckland: Marchant de Lange took two wickets in a final over on Wednesday that conceded only three runs as South Africa blunted New Zealand's run chase to win the third Twenty20 international by three runs and take the series 2-1.
New Zealand started the last over needing seven runs with five wickets in hand to overhaul South Africa's total of 165-7, but failed spectacularly to finish on 162-7 in one of its most embarrassing international defeats.
Even a no-ball by De Lange from the last delivery of the innings couldn't save New Zealand. When he overstepped, the New Zealanders needed a four from the last ball to win the match and series. But Tim Southee, newly at the crease and facing his first ball, played and missed outside off stump.
"When the pressure came on we were found wanting," New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said. "Credit to South Africa, they kept the pressure on us and we didn't respond. Obviously we foundered at the end. That's not the way we want to play cricket. In pressure situations we want to play ruthlessly and to put other teams away, but we didn't do that tonight."
New Zealand had been coasting to victory when Jesse Ryder, recalled to its lineup for the first time since December after overcoming a calf injury, compiled a half-century from 37 balls.
Ryder hit five fours and two sixes after Rob Nicol (33) and Martin Guptill (26) had put on 65 for the first wicket in only six overs.
Brendon McCullum furthered the run chase, scoring 18 from 19 balls to reach 112-3, leaving New Zealand only 53 from the last eight overs.
When Nathan McCullum was out on the second ball of the 16th over, New Zealand was 142-4 and needing 24 runs from 28 balls.
But New Zealand began to lose its way from that point. Ryder was held scoreless for eight consecutive deliveries by tight South African bowling. He was out for 52, leaving New Zealand on 158-5 and needing eight to win with seven balls remaining.
Nothing from that point went to plan.
De Lange bowled a series of fast, short-pitched deliveries from which a succession of New Zealand batsmen were unable to score. The New Zealanders were bent on hitting boundaries and, as each ball passed without a run being scored, the match tipped in South Africa's favor with De Lange and offspinner Johan Botha maintaining an unrelenting pressure.
Ryder tried to reverse-sweep Botha and was caught by Morne Morkel at fine leg. Nathan McCullum top-edged another contrived shot and was caught by wicketkeeper AB de Villiers from the third ball of De lange's final over. A scoreless Doug Bracewell, hitting out, was caught by Hashim Amla two balls later.
James Franklin faced the prospect of hitting a six from the final ball of the innings to win the match but was reprieved when De Lange overstepped. New Zealand scrambled a single and Southee was left with the strike and a free hit, needing a four to win the match.
De Lange bowled a fast ball wide of off stump and Southee, anchored on the crease and swinging blindly, was unable to make contact.
Botha finished with 2-20 off four overs and De Lange with 2-36. Earlier, Nicol took two wickets, held two catches and effected a run out after New Zealand won the toss and bowled.
Nicol claimed 2-20 from three overs, and took a catch in the deep to dismiss dangerman Richard Levi for 11 when South Africa was 20-1.
Levi scored an unbeaten 117 — the fastest century in Twenty20 internationals, including a world record 13 sixes — to guide South Africa to an eight-wicket win in Sunday's second match after New Zealand had won the first by six wickets.
Nicol also caught Albie Morkel for 10 and completed a brilliant run out off his own bowling to dismiss the innings' top-scorer, JP Duminy, for 38.
Clarke behind ponting sacking
Australian captain Michael has said he was partly responsible for the sacking of former skipper Ricky Ponting from the one-day squad.
Clarke wrote about how difficult the decision had been in a newspaper column on Thursday, while adding that the 37-year-old Ponting remained a "huge part of our test team."
"I'm 100 per cent part of the selection panel - that's part now of the captain's job. We've made this decision as a panel," he said.
"It is tough not having the great Ricky Ponting out there... playing one-day cricket for us but that's the decision we've made."
Clarke replaced Ponting as captain after England completed a 3-1 Ashes series win on Australian soil in January last year, becoming part of the national side's selection panel.
Ponting's axing from the one-day side earlier this week as Australia build for the 2015 World Cup triggered fierce debate in the country.
Without peer in the 50-overs game, Ponting has racked up 13,704 runs in 375 matches at an average of 42, also winning three World Cups in his 17-year career, two as skipper.
After accepting his one-day international career was over, Ponting said he would continue in Test cricket and hoped to play in the 2013 Ashes.
His Test place had also been under pressure at the end of last year but he responded with 544 runs at an average of 108 as hosts Australia whitewashed India 4-0.
Shut Up and play for the country,Put the egos apart play for the country,Dont put the country down in foriegn soil
Stroke the ego of an Indian cricketer these days and smut will roll out. "Seniors are slow in the field," Dhoni says one day. "We're the same for the last 10 years," Sehwag retorts on the other. "Rotating the openers because of their slow fielding." Dhoni clarifies one evening. "Ask Dhoni again. What he told us was to give chance to youngsters," Sehwag snaps on another. India are in Australia to play cricket, but that's the only thing the team isn't doing.
Miss practice, go shopping or for that matter sun-bathe at the Bondi beach. What leisure! But put them in the Gabba heat and all that melts out is a blame game after another loss. We are the World Champions, at least the tag says so!
Losing in sport is a given, but when players begin proving points in front of the mic, then a feud is to be blamed for the loss, not poor form. MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag have opened a can of worms, where both are wrong on some counts and right on some.
The same players who were world beaters until the World Cup have become 'slow' for Dhoni after two overseas debacles. Dhoni's wrong there! The players aren't learning from their mistakes, which is costing the team dearly. Here Dhoni is right! Sehwag's careless dismissals smell of stubborn approach, yet he demands a place in the team. That's wrong! But he can't be dropped for being 'slow'. That’s an acceptable stand!
And where both Dhoni and Sehwag are wrong is letting these differences out of the dressing room. That's where they are hurting the team spirit and the role of coach Duncan Fletcher is questionable.
Staying fit is a player's responsibility, keeping them fit is the physio's and monitoring both is the job of the captain and coach. So when Dhoni says the players are 'slow', does he mean they are unfit? If yes, then the chain is ruptured somewhere. And if Dhoni feels the reflexes of seniors are slow, then he is fighting against nature, as ageing will take its toll.
A word here for the 30-plus lot. True that the stature of this team is because of the Tendulkars and Sehwags, but it's time that they adjust their roles a bit here. They need to be a statesman now and stimulate adrenaline of the younger lot. Honestly, if Tendulkar can choose which series he wants to play, then – with his current age and form – the team can also choose when he should play and when not. And that criteria is not just reserved for Tendulkar, but for every non-performing player, especially those catching up with age.
But one thing that can't wait for Dhoni and Sehwag to shut up or Tendulkar to make a choice is the game itself. Australia seem to have understood it through Ricky Ponting's case. Their focus is more on the game than the stature of a player, which is exactly opposite to what always happens in India. But other than getting over this individualistic approach, the team has to stay united, which is hardly the case with India at present.
Three captains for India ?
Sourav Ganguly, the former captain who played a huge role in leading India from the damning match-fixing controversy at the turn of the millennium, recently expressed his view that India's selectors need to appoint three different captains for the three formats of the game.
Critical of India's current rotational policy for the CB Series in Australia, Ganguly said that the amount of cricket played today was taking its toll on India's cricketers and that one solution would be to identify three different leaders and give them the job.
The multiple-captain theory is nothing new. Australia pioneered this development and teams like South Africa and England followed suite. India too had MS Dhoni captain in limited-overs cricket until Anil Kumble retired. England, in fact, have three different captains for all formats.
Whether the selectors pay heed to Ganguly's advice is a different matter, but the concept is indeed worth thinking of. India desperately need a re-jig, and the murmurs of a rift in the team are growing stronger with each defeat. Dhoni has said he will reassess his ODI career in 2013, and there is enough doubt over his Test credentials following two overseas Test whitewashes to identify a new leader in the longest formats. With an eye on the future of Indian cricket, we pick out the three probable leaders for all three formats.
Test captain – Gautam Gambhir
Dhoni is struggling after overseeing eight straight overseas Test defeats, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid are ruled out, Virat Kohli is still finding his feet in the five-day format and Virender Sehwag can barely keep his place in the line-up. That leaves just Gambhir.
Sehwag reportedly believes that he "has been denied his due" but on the basis of his leadership he isn't cut out for the job. His handling of India's bowlers in the Adelaide Test was poor, and the way he gave the ball to part-timers in the recent Brisbane ODI was shocking. Currently he cannot even walk into the Test team, and even if he manages to do so, India cannot afford to employ a struggling and unfit captain who is not getting any younger.
Gambhir hasn't been in good form in Tests of late, but he's got the attitude. Having tasted success while captaining India in ODI cricket, he would have an idea of what the job requires. As a senior player, Gambhir can earn the respect of the younger lot as India prepare to say farewell to Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman. He is 30, an age at which batsman are said to grow stronger. He is a fighter, and there are shades of Ganguly in the way he commands himself on the field.
India don't play Test cricket for a while, and this could be the right time to relieve Dhoni. It would be a big leap of faith, but appointing Gambhir as captain for Tests is the way forward.
ODI captain - MS Dhoni
Dhoni is a proven leader, and his success in ODI cricket - as a leader and batsman - merit little criticism. A batting average of 51.44, which crosses 100 in successful chases, nearly 7,000 runs, series wins in Australia, Sri Lanka (four times), New Zealand, and the West Indies and the biggest crown of them all - the World Cup in 2011, ending a 28-year drought for India.
As a batsman alone Dhoni is immense for India in ODI cricket. He is a proven finisher, a batsman capable of building an innings and then teeing off explosively at the end. He played a key role in shaping the Indian team in the aftermath of Greg Chappell's tenure and building a winning unit for the World Cup.
With his Test batting record (career average 37.32) not being up to scratch - he averaged 31.42 in four Tests in England last year and 20.40 against Australia on this tour - and his aura of a shrewd leader being ruthlessly exposed in consecutive four-Test whitewashes overseas, Dhoni has appeared a frail figure. Unable to command his place in the Test team as a batsman, he is best suited to leading India in 50-over cricket where he transforms into a dangerous batsman.
In a word, exhaustion has affected Dhoni's form in Test cricket. Apart from captaining India in all three formats he has had to lead Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and Champions League Twenty20. He needs a break, and relieving him of the Test captaincy could extend his career.
Twenty20 captain - Virat Kohli
The player whom Ray Jennings, coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore, once termed "a very talented kid [who] sometimes thinks he is better than the game,” has matured into a skilled batsman. A stellar 2010 - he was the highest run-scorer in ODIs - was followed by Kohli forcing himself into India's World Cup squad. He began the tournament with a century and finished with by lifting Sachin Tendulkar on his shoulders while giving us the quote of the year.
From the time he made his India debut, on the tour of Sri Lanka in the summer of 2008, Kohli drifted in and out the ODI side until he turned in an outstanding 2010. He was the year's second highest run scorer after South Africa's Hashim Amla, and his form forced the Indian management to play him in every World Cup match.
A former World Cup winner with the India Under-19 team, Kohli's leadership was singled out when he was playing for Delhi as a youngster. The theory that he could be a strong leader was endorsed by Jennings, and in the few matches that Kohli led RCB in IPL 4 he seemed to be at ease in the role. He was a key player for RCB as they made the final; quietly, almost unobtrusively, he tallied over 400 runs this IPL season, with two Man-of-the-Match awards. His efforts were seminal to RCB's success, and though he was completely overshadowed by the big-hitting exploits of Chris Gayle, Kohli's role in the top order set RCB up nicely.
"It feels nice that people think of me that way, but I've not thought too much about what can or will happen,” said Kohli after the World Cup. "It [the captaincy] could happen a few years down the line and I'd be really honoured. But at this age I can't think about it. I've got a lore more to do, and can't think along the lines of such statements.
Having won the inaugural ICC World Twenty20, there are not more Twenty20 mountains left to scale for Dhoni and the 20-over format is the ideal platform to groom his successor. Considering that Kohli has cemented his place in the limited-overs teams and is shaping up to be a crucial Test player, India would do well to gamble on him and give him a chance in Twenty20. After all, it was less than five years ago that they gave the job to an inexperienced Dhoni ahead of a small Twenty20 tournament in South Africa that eventually changed the landscape of Indian cricket.
Monday, February 13, 2012
IND VS SRI 5th ODI HIGHLIGHTS
Adelaide: There was a general consensus after India's uplifting win over Australia on Sunday that despite his heroics in the end, MS Dhoni left it too late for comfort. But the end result - back-to-back wins in the CB series - will spur India on to make it three in a row when they meet Sri Lanka, who are still searching for their first points, here on Tuesday.
Adelaide Oval is the place where India feel at home the most, with the pitch having a true, not exaggerated, bounce that the batsmen perceptibly enjoyed in the successful chase against the hosts over the weekend.
The Sri Lankans have been a tad unfortunate in their two losses so far. They had more than a sniff on both the occasions in Perth but couldn't provide the finishing touch to cross the finish line first. That, in fact, means that India can't take them lightly on any count and instead can expect them to come out attacking.
India have enjoyed success despite a rotation policy where Sachin Tendulkar saw his team beat the Aussies from the sidelines. Tendulkar is certain to make a welcome return on Tuesday but where this rotation could backfire is with players like Gautam Gambhir, who found his touch with a neat 92 against Australia, being asked to make way.
Virender Sehwag continues to scratch around and should keep his place to find form before the business end of the series. And with India keen on giving Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina as much opportunities, the rolling substitution could be Tendulkar for Gambhir as the great man takes another aim at his 100th ton in Don Bradman's hometown.
Vinay Kumar has been a revelation for India, invariably providing breakthroughs whenever Dhoni needs one. The hot property of the IPL has taken six wickets in three games at an average of 22.50. But it will be interesting to see if Dhoni gives Irfan Pathan a match in place of Umesh Yadav or brings in the tried and tested Praveen Kumar back into the XI. For that matter, it won't be a surprise to see Zaheer Khan putting his feet up for the game, making room for Irfan’s much-anticipated return.
If the Adelaide track helped the Indian batting, it could bring the same good news for their subcontinent neighbours. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are still searching for a decent knock, and the 22 yards at Adelaide Oval could provide them that chance.
Sri Lanka have been fairly good with their allrounders like Angelo Mathews in the lower half, but it's the top half that remains dry. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga have failed to provide starts, and with Sangakkara and Jayawardene failing as well, the multi-faceted players are left with too much to do in the end.
Not many changes are expected in the Lankan line-up on Tuesday; however, Thisara Perera's all-round skills could come in handy on the batting-friendly Adelaide Oval. Dhammika Prasad may then be left out to accommodate that change.
It must be heartening for the Indian management to see their team winning with a rotational policy in place, which keeps all the players pretty much warmed up for the business end of the series. It will also be interesting to see if Dhoni continues to use the formula of chasing targets or puts himself and his team to test by defending a target this time if he wins the toss.
IND VS SRI 5th ODI LIVE
Squads:
India: Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, Parthiv Patel (wk), Irfan Pathan, Rahul Sharma, Manoj Tiwary.
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (c), Angelo Mathews, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Upul Tharanga, Dinesh Chandimal, Sachithra Senanayake, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera, Dhammika Prasad, Lahiru Thirumanne, Rangana Herath, Farveez Maharoof, Chanak Welegedara, Thilan Samaraweera.
India: Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, Parthiv Patel (wk), Irfan Pathan, Rahul Sharma, Manoj Tiwary.
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (c), Angelo Mathews, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Upul Tharanga, Dinesh Chandimal, Sachithra Senanayake, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera, Dhammika Prasad, Lahiru Thirumanne, Rangana Herath, Farveez Maharoof, Chanak Welegedara, Thilan Samaraweera.
Gambhir likes the rotation policy
Adelaide: Indian opener Gautam Gambhir says India's memorable four-wicket win over Australia in their one-day international had vindicated the team's controversial rotation policy.
India's decision to rotate openers through the series saw champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar miss the Adelaide match on Sunday, denying him another chance to score his 100th international century.
The decision to rotate players has angered the likes of Indian great Sunil Gavaskar, who believes the best team should always take the field.
However, Tendulkar's absence enabled Gambhir to return to the side to partner Virender Sehwag at the top of the order and he produced a man-of-the-match performance with 92 from 111 balls.
Gambhir said a busy playing schedule meant rotating players was a legitimate part of international cricket, adding that the Indians were blessed with the playing depth to benefit from the tactic.
"The amount of cricket we play it is always important to rotate players and keep them fresh," he said on Sunday.
"Australia rested Mike Hussey as well because they wanted to keep him fresh.
"Now that we have started rotating our players it is a good sign because we know that we've got a lot of playing strength and someone like Rohit (Sharma) or (Suresh) Raina, it gives them an extra opportunity.
"It is important to rotate everyone, there is a long way to go in the series, there are five games left.
"It is a team game and I totally back that rotation policy."
Gambhir praised the emergence of young paceman Umesh Yadav, who picked up two important wickets on Sunday to continue the impressive form he showed during the one-sided Test series.
"Umesh for me is the find of the tour, someone who can clock 150 consistently," he said.
"We can start giving back to the opposition what we have been receiving for years and years.
"Someone who can hit the deck hard, and hit 150-plus consistently, can rattle any batsman in the world.
"He is someone who should play for India for a long time and develop as a world-class bowler."
Sunday, February 5, 2012
IPL Auction Online:Unsold Players to be auctioned online
Bangalore: The Indian Premier League (IPL) will facilitate auctioning of unsold players online to the franchises through open trading from Monday.
"Franchisees which have slots to fill in the foreign quota of 11 players can bid online for the unsold ones from Monday through the open trading session," IPL chief executive Sundar Rajan told reporters here on Saturday after the IPL auction 2012.
Of the 144 players, including eight Indians and 136 foreigners that were put for sale at the mini-auction Saturday, only 25 of them, including six Indians were bought for a collective sum of $11 million by the eight franchisees that participated in the auction.
"Of the 119 unsold players, only two are Indians - star batsman V.V.S. Laxman and pacer V.R.V Singh and the remaining are foreign. Franchisees can inform us which player they want to bid for with due intimation to their counterparts and at what price so that they can fill up the vacancies," Rajan said.
According to the revised rules, each franchise is entitled to have 11 foreign players out of the 33 players they can buy though only four of them are eligible to play in the T20 match.
Of the eight franchisees, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Daredevils XI (DDXI) have completed their quota of 11 foreign players, while Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kings XI Punjab (KP), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Deccan Chargers (DC) have one or two slots to fill with foreign players.
"Though CSK has only 10 foreign players, it has exhausted its purse by snapping up Ravindra Jadeja for a whopping $2 million (Rs.10 crore), while KP, RCB, RR and KKR have one more slot to fill. DC has two slots to bid for," IPL spokesperson said.
Pune Warriors of Sahara Adventure Sports Ltd, which walked out of the open auction, has three slots to fill in under the foreign players quota.
Yuvraj Singh diagnosed with cancer:Treatment under progress
New Delhi: Yuvraj Singh has been diagnosed with the first stage of cancer, according to reports, and is undergoing treatment in the United States.
The left-hander has been in the US since last month, being treated for what was earlier believed to be a tumour in the lungs.
AFP
In October it was revealed that a tumour had been detected in his left lung, though it was said to be non-malignant, which had led to the India all-rounder declaring himself unavailable for the five-match home one-day series against the West Indies and also the Test series in Australia.
Now, though, it seems the tumour is malignant, which is why Yuvraj is undergoing chemotherapy in the Cancer Research Institute in Boston.
However, his physiotherapist Dr Jatin Choudhary assured that the ailment is curable and the batsman would be fit to return to playing cricket in May.
"It is a rare tumour and is cancerous, but it has been detected in stage one itself. Doctors had to decide whether to continue (with) medication or go for chemotherapy, but since parts of the tumour are just above the artery of his heart, there was a danger that while running it could burst. But it is 100 percent curable," Choudhary said.
"The doctors decided that he would have to undergo chemotherapy and he travelled to the US on January 26. In the end of March, he will undergo a CT scan and should recover by then. After that it is just some rehabilitation in April, before he is fit to be back on the field in May."
His mother Shabnam Singh could not be reached, while his father and former cricketer Yograj refused comments on the matter.
Earlier, there were some media reports that the 30-year-old had gone to the US for surgery, but on February 1 Yuvraj tweeted: "Haven't done any surgery! I don't no we're does Such news come from I'm just on medication !"
Yuvraj has been troubled by health issues since the World Cup, in which he was named the Player of the Tournament after India's victory, and his condition had apparently worsened during last year's IPL.
Speaking to CNN-IBN just about a month ago, before he was diagnosed with cancer, Yuvraj described his illness, saying, "I had difficulty in breathing and then an X-Ray confirmed a tumour. I was shattered. It was devastating for my family, and I was concerned that my career was over."
Since the IPL, Yuvraj has played just one Test match in England and has been taking ayurvedic medicines to battle the disease.
"After ayurvedic treatment only three cycles of chemotherapy are required. Initially, when the cancer was diagnosed after a biopsy in October-end, doctors feared that the treatment would be six cycles of chemotherapy," Choudhary said.
"Thankfully no surgery is required, he is already a lot better than what he was and can't wait to be back on the cricket field."
Choudhary said the detection of cancer was delayed due to wrong diagnosis by an Indian hospital.
"His first biopsy report was stolen from his car and the second from a hospital, I don't want to name (them), (but they) did not give the correct diagnosis. It was a Russian doctor who detected the cancer and after consultations with doctors in the US, it was decided that Yuvraj would undergo chemotherapy," he said.
"Once he is done with chemo in March, his rehabilitation would be complete by April-end and he would be perfectly fit to play in May," he asserted.
IND VD AUS 1st ODI highlights:Indians continue the lose,Not learning from their mistakes, Players and Fletcher dont have a plan
Australia's mix of youth and experience worked to great effect at the MCG, where the debutant Matthew Wade scored an impressive half-century to set up a 65-run victory over India. The selectors had consciously chosen a squad that blended fresh faces with veterans and while Wade top scored, David Hussey's brisk fifty, a fast 45 from Michael Hussey and a pair of blinding catches from Ricky Ponting were key factors in the win.
The rain-affected clash was reduced to 32 overs a side and Australia pushed their score up to 5 for 216 after a shaky start and the total remained unchanged under Duckworth-Lewis, but it was the sort of target India should have felt was achievable. But two early wickets to Mitchell Starc, followed by a pair of strikes in Clint McKay's first over left India expecting too much of MS Dhoni and the lower order.
In the end, were dismissed for 151 in the 30th over in the first match of the Commonwealth Bank Series. The last wicket came when Praveen Kumar pulled to long-on to give Clint McKay the figures of 4 for 20 after he also had Ravindra Jadeja caught in the deep. Xavier Doherty had picked up Rahul Sharma and Dhoni, who holed out to long-off for 29.
But the highlight in the late stages was Daniel Christian's run-out of R Ashwin, his sliding work in the deep followed by a well-directed throw as the batsmen attempted a third. It was an indication of they way Australia outfielded India, who gave away overthrows and lacked the sharpness they displayed in Friday's T20. It also continued a good debut for Christian, who had also had Suresh Raina caught for 4.
Things didn't start well for India, who had rested Virender Sehwag. In the second over of the chase Sachin Tendulkar, on 2, chased a ball angled across him from Starc and drove in the direction of point, where Ponting dived low and to his right to take a wonderful catch. Starc added a second wicket in his next over when Gautam Gambhir, surprised by extra bounce, edged behind for 5.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma combined for a 51-run stand that featured some classy shots, including a drive from Rohit off Ryan Harris that nearly clear the cover boundary. But McKay's twin strikes ended any realistic hope India had. He had Kohli for 31, another super catch from Ponting at point as a fierce cut flew straight towards his face, and Rohit (21) edged behind two balls later.
From there, it was all Australia. It didn't look like being that way when they trudged off in the rain at 2 for 35 after 11 overs, having been sent in by Dhoni. Despite a few false starts from the groundstaff trying to remove the covers it turned into a long delay as the showers kept returning. And the rain came at the wrong time for Australia, after Wade had just launched Praveen Kumar over long-on for six and then cut him for four more.
Although it took Wade a little while to get set again after the resumption, he soon found his touch and showed he is comfortable at this level. Brad Haddin has been rested for the first three games but it would take a brave selection panel to dump Wade later in the series. He brought up his half-century with a short single dropped into the leg side off his 55th delivery and eventually played on when he tried to pull Rahul Sharma's quicker legspinner.
His 67 left him sixth on the list of highest scores by an Australian ODI debutant, behind Phil Jaques, Shaun Marsh, Kepler Wessels, Mark Cosgrove and Michael Slater. And his 73-run stand with Michael Hussey came at better than eight an over, Hussey the aggressor having been promoted to No.5. Hussey was in fine touch, sweeping boundaries both square and fine, and he raced to 45 from 32 balls before he pulled Vinay Kumar to deep square leg.
Fortunately for Australia, David Hussey scored even quicker than his brother, a pulled six off R Ashwin and a searing drive through extra cover for four off Vinay among his highlights. He also helped Australia take 19 off the final over as confusion spread on the field; the rain delay meant only two bowlers could bowl seven overs, and Rahul Sharma began the over without the umpires realising that he would be the third.
He was allowed to bowl two balls before the mistake was noticed, and Jadeja continued the over to poor effect for India. Hussey brought up his half-century from his 28th delivery with a six over midwicket off Jadeja, and struck another six from the final ball, a free hit thanks to Jadeja's no-ball from the previous delivery. Hussey finished on 61 from 30 balls and Christian was on 17.
It was a strong finish from Australia after their shaky start. A day after he was bought for $1 million by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL auction, Vinay showed his limited-overs talent by getting rid of David Warner and Ponting early. Warner had been tied down and he tried to thump Vinay out of the ground, but the angle from around the wicket allowed the ball to sneak in through the gate to bowl Warner for 6 from 14 balls.
Vinay followed up with Ponting who was caught at cover trying to crunch a drive through the gap for 2 from 12 deliveries. After the rain delay the Australians soon lost Michael Clarke, who skied a catch to deep midwicket off the bowling of Rohit Sharma for 10 from 21, and at that stage India were in charge with Australia at 3 for 49.
But through their mix of youth - Wade, Christian, Starc - and experience - the Hussey brothers and Ponting - Australia regained control. John Inverarity's panel could hardly have hoped for better.
IND VD AUS 1st ODI highlights
India Innings
30th over: India 151 all out, lose the match by 65 runs.
AFP
26th over: Dhoni out! Holes out to David Warner at long-off. Doherty gets his second wicket. India 129/9.
Dhoni c Warner b Doherty 29 (38)
24th over: Rahul Sharma and Ravichandra Ashwin also return to the pavilion. It's all but over for India. Xavier Doherty cleans up Rahul to take his first wicket.
Rahul Sharma b Doherty 1 (2)
Daniel Christian runs to his right from third man and his direct throw disturbs the stumps with Ashwin way off the crease.
Ashwin run out 5 (3b)
23th over: Jadeja out,India 118/6. Pulls it really hard but fails to clear the ropes as Michael Hussey takes a brilliant catch at deep mid-wicket.
Jadeja c MEK Hussey b McKay 19 (25)
20th over India 105/5. Need another 112 runs in 12 overs to win the match. MS Dhoni has a big job on his hands! Around 30,000 people in attendance. Great atmosphere!
15th over: Raina out. Attempts a pull off Daniel Christian. It all goes wrong as he finds David Hussey at mid-wicket. India 79/5.
Suresh Raina c DJ Hussey b Christian 4 (9)
12th over Clint McKay removes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in an over. India 67 for four. Rohit is the first to go, edges one short of a length through to the keeper.
Rohit Sharma c †Wade b McKay 21 (21)
Kohli hits it straight to Ponting at shortish backward point.
Kohli c Ponting b McKay 31 (34)
8th over The bowling powerplay has been taken. Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma look confident. A good partnership is the need of the hour. India are 38 for 2.
4th over Gambhir out! Second wicket for Starc. The ball kicks up from back of a length and Gambhir edges to wicket-keeper Matthew Wade. India 15/2.
Gambhir c †Wade b Starc 5 (8)
2nd over Sachin Tendulkar out! Tendulkar hits it straight to Ricky Ponting at point. Mitchell Starc breaks through for Australia.
Tendulkar c Ponting b Starc 2 (6)
1st over: India begin their chase. Ryan Harris opens the bowling for Australia. Sachin Tendular, who is playing his first ODI since the World Cup final in April last year, is yet to open his account. India 4 for no loss.
Australia Innings
32nd over Australia finish on 216/5. David Hussey makes 61 not out, his 7th fifty. He does it in style with a six off Ashwin.
Matthew Wade top-scored for the hosts with a 67 while Vinay Kumar was the pick of Indian bowlers with figures of 3/21.
28th over Australia 170 for 5.
27th over: Michael Hussey out! Kohli takes an easy catch at deep square-leg off the bowling of Vinay Kumar, who claims his third scalp.
Michael Hussey c Kohli b Vinay Kumar 45 (32)
26th over: Australia 156 for 4 in 26 overs. Michael Hussey five runs away form his fifty.
20 over Australia 100 for 3. Wade reaches fifty on debut.
13th over Australia are 43/2. They now need some quick runs considering they have only 32 overs and that they scored only 35 runs out of 11 overs of that.
12:45 p.m. Play resumes after a long rain drama. It's now a 32-overs-a-side contest.
12:20 p.m. The covers are coming off again. Let's hope we have seen the last of the rain. It could now be 32-overs a side contest. Play to resume at 12:45 pm.
11:50 a.m. The rain is back. Now serious doubts linger over the match. Too much rain and no play makes us all dull!
11:36 a.m. The covers are coming off - once again. Let's hope the action begins soon. The MCG's drainage system is excellent and if it does not rain again, play will resume soon, for sure. However, there will be more overs reduced.
11:03 a.m. It has started raining once again. The covers are back on. It's becoming increasingly frustrating.
10:45 a.m. Rain stops. Play will resume shortly. It's now 46-overs a side.
10:15 a.m. It's still raining. Next update at 10:45 a.m.
11th over Australia 35 for 2. Wade smashes Praveen for a six and a four. It has started raining, the players walk off. Next update at 10.15 a.m.
8th over Ricky Ponting out! Plays it straight to Suresh Raina at short extra-cover. Second wicket for Vinay Kumar.
Ponting c Raina b Vinay Kumar 2(12)
6th over: Warner out! Vinay cleans him up bowling from around the wicket, bringing the ball into the left-hander.
Warner b Vinay Kumar 6 (14)
5th over Warner and Wade are having a tough time in the middle. Praveen Kumar and Vinay Kumar are swinging the ball big time. Finally, Australia get their first boundary. Wade hits Praveen through the covers for a four. Australia 15 for no loss.
1st over Praveen Kumar opens the bowling. Australia 3 for no loss.
8:25 a.m. Dhoni wins the toss, India will bowl first. Virender Sehwag has been rested. Daniel Christian and Matthew Wade get a game for Australia. Debut for keeper Wade!
Blustery wind all around at the MCG. Rain has been forecasted. Australia legend Ian Chappell says the pitch is good for batting but may slow down as the game progresses.
8:03 a.m. Good Morning! Welcome to the triangular series opener between India and Australia at the MCG. Bad news for Brett Lee fans: he has been ruled of the series on account of a broken foot. Unfortunate for the pacer who has long been battling several injuries.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
India ,Australia,Srilanka Tri Series 2012: Indians to begin a fresh start tommorrow,Team's morale has lifted, says Raina
Melbourne: The emphatic triumph in the second Twenty20 match against Australia has lifted India's morale and the struggling tourists are now looking forward to the one-day tri-series with renewed enthusiam, said batsman Suresh Raina.
The tri-series, also featuring Sri Lanka, gets underway on Sunday with India taking on Australia.
AP
"The morale has lifted. Every youngster is now looking forward to the one-day series. We have seniors, such as Sachin (Tendulkar) and Zaheer (Khan), who have been here for a month and a half. It would help," Raina said.
India excelled in the field during the eight-wicket triumph last night and Raina, one of the foremost young fielders in Indian cricket, said the key is to show confidence in the field.
"You should expect each and every ball coming your way. Only then you can dive right and left and take brilliant catches, that's the key for me," said Raina.
"If you are fielding in a big ground, it's a challenge to you. Last 7-8 years, personally to me have been good," said Raina.
"Yesterday was amazing. We fielded very well as a unit."
"If you look at the circle, Jadeja, Virat, Rohit and me in the circle were sharp. Then Gauti (Gambhir) took a brilliant catch in the outfield. If you can do it well in the nets, you can do it in the match as well."
India effected no less than four run-outs in the game on Friday, besides a smart stumping effected by Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps.
"The last couple of months have been good. Trevor Penny (fielding coach) has been doing circle training for us. He cuts catches to us and we have to take catches left and right.
"He makes us work for 45 minutes at least a day and our technique has been very good. The key, as I said, is to expect ball all the time."
Raina took two catches in the first game and effected a run-out from the deep in the second but as a batsman he still has to silence the critics on his ability - particularly against short and rising deliveries.
"I practiced in Mumbai before coming over with Praveen Amre. I worked on my wrist position to tackle the short ball.
It's coming on nicely, I'm looking to bring the pull down. I played a few games and was hitting the ball well. I also had good 6-7 sessions here in Australia," he said.
"When you are batting at number 6-7, it's not easy.
"Sometimes you don't get many overs and at other times you are batting with tailenders. I hope whatever I can contribute will be good for the team."
"I have played 136 one-day internationals for the country and done well. Sometimes those 20-25 runs don't look big but they are vital for the team. If I get a chance up the order, I know I can do well at 3-4 positions. There are certain players who can't do well at the lower order. Somebody has to take responsibility and I'm always up for it," he added.
Raina said having a few senior players is working to the team's advantage.
"I learn from seniors, men like Yuvraj and Dhoni. There are new rules in cricket now, the new powerplay, I have to play shots and run swiftly. Fortuantely, there are youngsters who can run swiftly between the wickets with me."
Raina took pains to emphasise that he is not as bad against short-pitched bowling as he's made out to be.
"I have been working on it. I am playing short stuff good. Once I was out to a short ball in England and the talk started. I did well in England, New Zealand and in the West Indies."
"I have improved over the years. There are not many wickets in India which prepare you well. But you look to bat at cemented wickets with wet ball to improve your technique.
"Seniors, such as Sachin have been good with their advice. Hopefully, it would reflect in the coming one-day series."
Raina agreed there was some frustration at team not doing well consistently abroad in the last year or so but stressed it never affected the team spirit.
"We were not clicking as a unit. If batting was good, then bowling wasn't good, if bowling was good then fielding was failing us. We fielded well in England but rain didn't help us in bowling.
"But when you are losing, you need to keep the process intact. The good thing was the bonding, even in defeats. There was a little frustration but the intensity was up and we kept motivating each other. We kept enjoying every moment."
"It's a long series and we would look to keep good focus and discipline," he said.
Sachin Tendulkar is back in the fold and Raina said it was an extra motivation for the young boys to live up to the master's expectations.
"He was here in the last Commonwealth series as well, he almost hit a back-to-back hundred in the last series. He would bring in new intensity, he is a senior and expects big things from us."
The left-hander believes the win would be an important boost for the team ahead of the one-day series.
"If you look at yesterday's game, Praveen is coming back after a injury and yet bowled well. Vinay is good with his variations. When you take early wickets with the new ball, it always helps. Gautam batted with immense responsibility. If there were 30-40 extra runs, we would have chased it down as well," he said.
"If you look at the bench, we have Zaheer, Irfan and Umesh. They are ready to go We have a good unit and hopefully we would do well in the ODIs."
Raina said it was unfair to say that Dhoni has started looking better in ODIs than what he was during the Test series.
"He always accepts challenge on a cricket field. He is looking different because the team is very new, everyone is young, fielding is good, intensity is good and there is a positive vibe."
India ,Australia,Srilanka Tri Series 2012: Aussies are the favourites says Clarke
Melbourne: Australia captain Michael Clarke on Saturday declared his team as the favourite to win the ODI tri-series but conceded that it will have to produce its best to nail down world champions India in the opening game on Sunday.
The series features Sri Lanka as the third team.
"We have to play at our best to beat both these teams. They were both in the final of most recent World Cup. We're the number one one-day team in the world so I'd like to think we are favourites," Clarke said on Saturday ahead of the opening match.
India, blanked 0-4 in the Test series, finally got something to cheer about when they won the second Twenty20 match against Australia here last night. Clarke praised the effort put in by the beleaguered team.
"India is a very good team...the way they fielded last night is how you need to field in cricket. Fielding is a big part of our game and I certainly wasn't surprised by how they fielded. They are a very good outfit, there are some really good athletes in that team.
"That's the game. Unfortunately, you can't win every single game."
Clarke said if people were excited about the one-day series, there were enough reasons for it.
"When you're playing two very good opposition teams, Sri Lanka and India, if I was a fan, I would love to get out there and watch it so I'm expecting people to continue to turn out.
"It's probably going to be a little bit harder for the Melbourne people tomorrow considering they have just played a Twenty20 last night. People have got only so much money so a lot of families can't afford in one weekend to go and watch two big games.
"We'll wait and see. If any city is going to turn out, it's Melbourne though. They're very supportive of Australian cricket and of sport," he said.
There were 62,000-plus crowd at the MCG to see India beat Australia by eight wickets in the second Twenty20 here last night.
Despite the continuous failures of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and batsman Shaun Marsh, now omitted for ODIs, Clarke continued to support their credentials, insisting they could force their way back into the team.
"The team has been picked for the first three games so I think the selectors will talk before they select the team for the next group of matches.
"Hads (Haddin) just need to get back to scoring runs and keeping well. There's been a lot of talk about it, I don't think Brad's that bothered by it. He knows what he has to do, put numbers on the board and I'm sure he will get another opportunity."
"As for Shaun (Marsh), It will be no doubt good for him to go out and try and score some runs. I've said for some time he's a wonderful player and he needs to be scoring runs in all forms of the game. I'm pretty confident Shaun will turn that around.
"Guys have been picked on performance. They have performed either for their state or Australia. They've been given an opportunity and in the back of your mind you do need to continue to look forward but it's important especially against these two teams that we play our best cricket and concentrate on what's in front of us."
Clarke said he was in no position to advice how to spread the Twenty20 games across the country especially now that he is not part of set up.
"Obviously I'm not involved in the Twenty20s. So if there is more Twenty20 cricket, then I wouldn't be required. I'll get a longer break after the Test series.
"It's been the same for a while now in T20 cricket. I think it has probably had a fair amount of success domestically whether that be IPL, Champions League or Big Bash, so I'm not sure what they're going to do internationally, to be honest."
India ,Australia,Srilanka Tri Series 2012
India will have a lot to prove when they take on Australia in the tri-series opener at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Though they will be upbeat following their 8-wicket win over the Kangaroos in the second T20 on Friday, the world champions can't really afford to get their hopes up considering what has transpired in recent times.
They need more than a T20 win to bring positivity among the players and fans and to erase the ignominy of eight consecutive Test losses.
The Melbourne deck is undoubtedly one of the most sporting tracks in Australia and going by Friday's T20, one can confidently say that it will favour both batsmen and bowlers.
It's still not clear whether the same pitch will be used on Sunday but that should be of no concern as all the pitches at the MCG are of the same nature, more or less.
Sachin Tendulkar will be keen as mustard to reach the historic ton. Everyone has been waiting in disappointment since the World Cup final in April last year to see the milestone but with so many ODIs coming his way over the next one month, the chances of the sought-after ton have never been greater.
With Ravindra Jadeja promising a lot following his Man-of-the-Match performance in the second T20, Ravichandran Ashwin, who played in India's last ODI against West Indies last year in December, is now certain to miss out. Rightly so, as Jadeja bring everything into the game: economical bowling, feisty batting and vibrant fielding. Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar and one of Vinay Kumar and Umesh Yadav will complete the bowling make-up. The unfortunate Irfan Pathan will have to sit out again.
No prizes for guessing when it comes to batting. Tendulkar will take his place at the top alongside Virender Sehwag. They will be followed by Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and last not least captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni himself, who must be eyeing a good show in the format that many call his forte.
As far as Australia are concerned, it will be difficult to decide on the combination because of an influx of youngsters in recent times. But a couple of changes are surely on the cards.
With out-of-form Brad Haddin cut dead by the selectors for the series, Matthew Wade will take up the wicket-keeping duties. He has strengthened his case all the more following good performances in the T20 series.
Ryan Harris is sure to take his place back in the playing XI after an encouraging return in the last two Tests against India following a long injury lay-off .
When all is said and done, one would admit without any delay that this format is the Indian players' best bet to restore their good name. Not for nothing, they are the world champions. In the last 10 ODIs, they have won nine and that's a profound statistic. Even if they don't play like world champions, they will improve on their Test performance not a little.
And don't forget they won the triangular series the last time here in 2008 when they were clearly notches above England and the hosts. Sri Lanka are the third team this time and they are no pushovers, as everyone knows. But sometimes recalling glorious moments from the past do your confidence a lot of good. Let's hope it turns out to be the case for Team India.
IND VD AUS 1st ODI live streaming
Squads:
Australia: Michael Clarke (captain), David Warner, Ricky Ponting, Peter Forrest, Daniel Christian, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Matthew Wade, Brett Lee, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Starc, Xavier Doherty, Clint McKay, Mitchell Marsh
India: MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Manoj Tiwary, Rahul Sharma, Parthiv Patel, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan
Australia: Michael Clarke (captain), David Warner, Ricky Ponting, Peter Forrest, Daniel Christian, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Matthew Wade, Brett Lee, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Starc, Xavier Doherty, Clint McKay, Mitchell Marsh
India: MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Manoj Tiwary, Rahul Sharma, Parthiv Patel, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan
Latest ICC ODI rankings -Kohli 3rd, Dhoni 5th
Dubai: Virat Kohli was the highest-placed batsman at third followed by Mahendra Singh Dhoni at fifth but there was no Indian in the bowling top-10 of the latest ICC one-day rankings issued on Saturday.
Kohli, who showed good form in the Test series against Australia when he ended up as his side's leading run-getter with 300 runs, trails South Africa's ODI captain AB De Villiers (at second place) by 45 ratings points while Hashim Amla sits on top, another 26 rating points ahead.
Amla and de Villiers will feature in the three-match ODI series in New Zealand from February 25 to March 3. The other batsmen in the India-Australia-Sri Lanka tri-series inside the top-10 include Kumar Sangakkara (seventh), Mike Hussey (eighth) and Michael Clarke (ninth).
And depending on how these batsmen perform in the series starting from Sunday, there could be changes in the top-half of the batting chart.
In the rankings for ODI bowlers, Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga is the highest-ranked bowler in the series in 10th position.
Ravindra Jadeja and Brett Lee of Australia are the highest-ranked bowlers of their sides in 13th and 15th positions, respectively.
Meanwhile, shuffling of the pack could be on the cards in the team Championship table when three of the four top ranked sides go head to head in the three-nation tournament.
Incidentally, the tri-series format returns to Australia for the first time in four years, with the same three sides participating as in its last edition in 2008.
Number-one ranked and four-time former world champions Australia sit pretty on 130 ratings points, leading second-ranked current world champions India by 14 ratings points with fourth-ranked 1996 world champion Sri Lanka another five ratings points behind, the ICC said.
And as the rankings system is weighted to reflect this difference, Sri Lanka could earn significant number of points if it is successful in the series. In contrast, Australia and India can lose points if they don't win bulk of their matches.
If Australia beat India in the opener, they will earn one ratings point while India will drop one point. However, if the result is reversed, then Australia will lose two ratings points whereas India will gain one ratings point.
Similarly, if India lose to Australia and then to Sri Lanka, Australia will rise to 131 ratings points and Sri Lanka will move to 113 ratings points whereas India will slip to third position at 115 ratings points.
On the other hand, if India manage to win all their matches, they could go up on the table.
With a maximum of 15 matches to be played in the series with each side guaranteed at least eight matches, there will be regular changes on the table with the final shape emerging after March 8 when the series ends.
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