The pressures that go with captaining the Indian cricket team are enormous. And it has just taken it’s toll on ‘The Wall’, Rahul Dravid.

In a move that surprised everybody, Dravid stepped down as Indian captain today from both forms of the game. The move is to enable him to focus on his batting. The BBC quoted him as saying, “I enjoyed the captaincy, I loved it, but it can get tough after a while and some of the enjoyment can go away. So, I thought it was the right time to step aside.”

According to the BCCI “Rahul Dravid met Sharad Pawar (the Indian Board President) at Delhi on September 13 and expressed his desire to step down as the captain of the Indian team and requested that he should not be considered for the job from the ensuing Australia series.”

The 33-year-old Dravid assured that he would extend full co-operation to his successor and contribute as a batsman and senior player, the statement added.

BCCI president Sharad Pawar said he has forwarded Dravid’s resignation to the Board.”

The big question now of course is, who will captain India going forward?

In my mind, the contenders are:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni - the current India 20 20 captain. However he is quite inexperienced in Test Cricket. Wearing the gloves, looking after his batting and undertaking the captaincy would be too large a burden.

The other two options are Sachin Tendulkar and dare I say it, Sourav Ganguly once again. Purely looking at the series coming up, against Pakistan and Australia, either of the two would be the best for the job - if they want to do it.

Sachin’s batting did suffer when he was captain, as did Ganguly’s. However Ganguly has a very good captaincy record.

It will be interesting to see which way the board goes.

Stay tuned for more on this….

Tags: Cricket News, One Day Internationals News, Test Cricket News, India Cricket News

Shane Warne has completed his list of the 50 greatest players. At the very top of his list is Sachin Tendulkar, just ahead of Brian Lara at number 2.

Warne put Tendulkar ahead of Lara, because of his mental toughness. An example that Warne provides refers to Tendulkar’s 248 in Australia in 2003-04. Warne mentions “he (Tendulkar) was worried about getting out cover driving so he decided to cut out the shot. I saw the wagon wheel for his next innings: he scored 248 without a single cover drive.

Like Lara, he has scored runs all over the world. I have seen him run down the pitch and hit Glenn McGrath over the top for six, and I have seen him hit me for six against the spin going around the wicket. I have been lucky to get to know him off the field as well. He is quiet and humble. A great player and a great man”.

Read about the full list in Warne’s column in the Times.

Tags: Cricket News, One Day Internationals News, Test Cricket News, India Cricket News

South Africa won the toss and put Bangladesh in to bat. Opener Tamim Iqbal scored 39. Although they were reduced to 69 for 3, the middle order of Aftab Ahmed and Mohammad Ashraful came good for Bangladesh. Ashraful was terrific scoring 87 off just 83 balls in his inimitable style with 12 boundaries. Aftab scored 35 and then there was a late flurry by Mashrafe Mortaza who was unbeaten on 25 off 16 deliveries with 3 fours and a six.

Bangladesh scored 251 for 8 off their 50 overs. For South Africa Andre Nel took his World Cup best figures for 5 for 45.

The pitch appeared to be getting lower and slower, resembling a pitch from the sub continent when the Proteas went in to bat.

The South Africans lost their wickets at regular intervals and never appeared in the hunt. Particularly after Bangladesh’s trio of left arm spinners Abdur Razzak, Mohammad Rafique and Safiqul Haque got into the game.

By the 27th over, the South Africans were 87 for 5, with Graeme Smith, A B De Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince and Mark Boucher all back in the hut. Herschelle Gibbs came out to bat at number 7 and remained unbeaten on 56.

South Africa were all out for 184 in the 49th over, giving Bangladesh their biggest victory in the World Cup.

Tags: World Cup Cricket 2007, Cricket News, Bangladesh Cricket News, One Day Internationals News, South African Cricket News

“As much as it would seem that Greg is probably better off without all the angst that comes with one of the most demanding jobs in cricket, I doubt he’ll feel completely fulfilled,” the older Chappell wrote in his column in Mumbai tabloid Mid Day on Thursday.

“A perfectionist, even one who has mellowed, is never going to be happy with under-achieving on his expectations.”

Read the full text of Ian Chappell’s comments in his column at the Mumbai based Mid-day paper

Tags: World Cup Cricket 2007, Cricket News, One Day Internationals News, India Cricket News

With this win Sri Lanka are now very close to making the semi finals of the World Cup, while England are probably on their way out. They have to play Australia next and given the current form of the Australians it is hard to see them getting through.

Kevin Pietersen scored 58 for England, chasing down Sri Lanka’s score of 235. He was outfoxed by Muttiah Muralitharan. Jayasuriya and Dilshan further restricted England during the middle overs.

Michael Vaughan’s batting slump continued, getting out cheaply at the top of the order.

A quick-fire seventh-wicket partnership of 87 between Ravi Bopara and Paul Nixon gave England an unexpected chance.

Nixon was eventually out for 42 in the penultimate over and England needed three off the last ball.

Bopara was dismissed off the last ball of the match for a gallant 52, leaving Sri Lanka the victors by 2 runs.

Sri Lanka have now joined co-leaders Australia and New Zealand on six points in the Super Eights standings, while England are behind fourth-placed South Africa on two.

Tags: World Cup Cricket 2007, Cricket News, Sri Lanka Cricket, One Day Internationals News, English Cricket News

Glenn McGrath was immaculate as always. McGrath picked up 3 wickets to become the bowler with the highest number of wickets at the World Cup, easing past Wasim Akram’s record.

Bangladesh scored 104 for 6 off their alloted 22 overs with Mashrafe Mortaza unbeaten on 25, Saqibul 25, and captain Habibul Bashar 24.

Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist then came out with a license to thrill and finished off the match by the 14th over itself. Gilchrist hit 59 off 44 balls, with 8 fours and a six. Matthew Hayden was undefeated on 47 off 39 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes, when the mayhem finally stopped.

Bangladesh have had a good world cup - until now, when they ran into a rampaging Australia showing no signs of slowing down.

Read the match report here

Tags: World Cup Cricket 2007, Cricket News, Bangladesh Cricket News, One Day Internationals News, Australian Cricket News

Ian Chappell who is always forthright and not known to mince his words, suggested in his column in the Mumbai based Mid-day news paper that “At the moment he (Sachin Tendulkar) looks like a player trying to eke out a career; build on a glittering array of statistics.

If he really is playing for that reason and not to help win as many matches as he can for India then he is wasting his time and should retire immediately.”

He also said that Sachin’s form was in direct contrast to that of Brian Lara, who was fleet footed and aggressive in his play. Age and injuries have appeared to take a toll on the Indian, whilst the West Indian has continued to play in the natural style that has been his trademark for long.

Read the full text of Chappell’s article here

Chappell’s comments have been slammed by former players in the Indian media.

Former Indian wicketkeeper batsman Chandrakant Pandit said Tendulkar has played the game for long to judge himself and decide on retirement.

“Sachin Tendulkar is good enough to know his ability and approach towards the game. He is an experienced player and knows how long he should carry on playing,” Pandit said.

“With his experience, he knows what is required at that level, he is very much aware. He can judge himself better than anybody else. I don’t think anybody should advice him whether to continue or not,” he added.

Read more about the reactions to Ian Chappell’s comments here.

Tags: World Cup Cricket 2007, Cricket News, One Day Internationals News, Test Cricket News, India Cricket News

However, it wasn’t an entirely convincing display. Winning the toss, England chose to bat scoring 266 for 7 in their 50 overs. The openers Ed Joyce and Michael Vaughan were both dismissed cheaply. Vaughan scoring a sumptous boundary before edging behind.

Vaughan probably needs to consider whether he should open or drop down to number 3.

Paul Collingwood was again the man for England, scoring 90 with three sixes before being run out.
Kevin Pietersen scored 48 and Andrew Flintoff 43, as England powered along to a reasonable, but not necessarily outstanding score.

Ireland scored 218 in reply in 48.1 overs. Andrew Flintoff took 3 wickets and Monty Panesar 2 wickets. Neil O’Brien was the top scorer for Ireland with 63.

So overall a win for England, but not convincing enough.

Read the full match story from the BBC here.

Tags: World Cup Cricket 2007, Cricket News, One Day Internationals News, English Cricket News

With this the West Indies suffered their first defeat of the tournament.

Chasing 323 against a bowling attack that boasts the variety Australia does is a tough ask at the best of times. Fortunately for the West Indians, the dampness caused by the overnight drizzle at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua did nothing to cause exaggerated assistance for the fast bowlers early on.

However, the West Indies had a disastrous start losing 3 for 20 by the 10 over. Brian Lara led the recovery with a typically sparkling 77 and wicket keeper Dinesh Ramdin hit a half century, but it was not enough.

Tags: World Cup Cricket 2007, Cricket News, One Day Internationals News, West Indies Cricket News, Australian Cricket News

The West Indies tasted early success with the wicket of Adam Gilchrist for 7 in the fifth over. Ricky Ponting was soon into his stride, before being run out for 35. Michael Clarke scored 42 and Shane Watson finished off the innings with his powerful hitting, remaining unbeaten on 33.

All the West Indies bowler took a bit of a hammering, with Darren Powell being the most economical at 5.3 runs per over.

The West Indies innings will commence later today, as rain washed out play before their innings could commence.

Australia are in a very strong position.

Shiv Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle and Brian Lara will need to fire in order for the West Indies to come close.

Will they make it? Let’s watch and see later today.

Tags: World Cup Cricket 2007, Cricket News, One Day Internationals News, West Indies Cricket News, Australian Cricket News