'I should be able to make a mark while playing for India'

Irfan Pathan hates the idea of being another run-of-the-mill cricketer who is just happy about plying his trade day in and day out without making a mark. 

"I look at my career as someone who should be able to make a mark while representing the country rather than being a cricketer who just comes, plays and goes back home. 

"I want to use each and every opportunity that I get to win matches rather than just be another cricketer," Irfan, who has been named as a replacement for R Vinay Kumar, told PTI during an interview.

Fit-again Zaheer targets Lankans

India’s bowling spearhead for the past decade, Zaheer Khan, is no stranger to such physical inconveniences, having broken down in matches and on tours, most famously when he hobbled out of action on the opening day of India’s first Test against England, at Lord’s in 2011. India was blanked in the series, thanks in part to the bowling losing its sole mode of attack and the team resembling a list of the walking wounded.  Although the left-arm fast bowler returned for the tour of Australia later last year, a similar depressing 0-4 rout ensued.

Zaheer was rested from the Asia Cup on grounds of injury and is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore to assess his fitness for the upcoming ODI and Twenty20 trip to the Emerald Isle.
Saying that it was too early for him to start priotritising a particular format, Zaheer, in touching distance of 34, was clear that his focus would unwaveringly be on the 10 Test matches -  two versus New Zealand four apiece against England and Australia -  in the season ahead.

"The next season is a very crucial one. Lots of important series are coming up this season. I am really looking forward to this season because England and Australia are coming. It is a long season so I have to plan it well. I am very excited about playing 10 Test matches this year and I am looking forward to contributing in a big way in whichever capacity I can.”

"Right now, the focus is to build up the bowling fitness. I am happy with the way I am shaping up for the Sri Lanka series. The trainers have chalked out the guideline and how to go about it,” he added. Zaheer admitted there was little one could do once an injury took place; all one could do was take precautions and prevent them from occurring.

"Being a fast bowler and the way my whole career has gone, often marred by injuries, I just want to do all the right things and focus on the processes.The break has been good and I am happy with the way I am going about my bowling. I am focusing on my bowling fitness now as the season is going to be long. Right now the focus will be on the Sri Lanka series."

"Being a fast bowler you cannot escape injuries. When it is going to happen, it varies with different people. But as a fast bowler, you are prone to injuries. And you have to live with that, you have to be patient and you have to do things which are under your control. You have to make sure you take hundred per cent time to recover and that’s what Varun Aaron has done.

"You have to be patient. You should be dedicated to your rehab programme. Importantly, you have to ensure that you are 110 per cent when you are back on the field after an injury."

First Series win for Sri-Lank after Muttiah Muralidharan Retirement

A placid track on the fifth day provided Sri Lanka an ideal chance of pushing for victory by chasing down 270 in the allotted 71 overs, a result that looked a strong possibility after an aggressive start led by Dinesh Chandimal. But his dismissal at the stroke of tea slowed down the innings considerably and, despite a fluent Kumar Sangakkara at one end, Sri Lanka's focus turned to securing their 1-0 lead. The change in approach squeezed the excitement out of the chase, but succeeded in ensuring Pakistan lost a Test series for the first time since that ill-fated tour of England in 2010. It was also Sri Lanka's first Test series win in nine attempts since August 2009, and the first after the retirement of Muttiah Muralidharan.

Irfan replaces injured Vinay Kumar

Irfan Pathan, the India allrounder, will join the squad for the Sri Lanka tour after fast bowler Vinay Kumar was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Vinay will be sidelined for three weeks, and will miss the short limited-overs series that starts on July 21.

All Time Hit Speed Sensation : Brett Lee

Cricket: Arthur salutes 'phenomenal' Boucher

Former South Africa coach Mickey Arthur hailed the "phenomenal" Mark Boucher after the Proteaswicket-keeper was forced into premature international retirement by a freak eye injury.

Boucher had to undergo three hours of surgery after being struck in the left eyeball by a bail on the first day of South Africa's opening match of their tour of England against Somerset at Taunton on Monday.

The incident occurred when a ball from spinner Imran Tahir clean bowled Gemaal Hussain, with Boucher stood up to the stumps and wearing a cap instead of a helmet.

The 35-year-old, a Proteas mainstay for the best part of 15 years, was due to return home after being released from hospital on Tuesday and South Africa captain Graeme Smith, speaking at Taunton, read out a statement on Boucher's behalf that confirmed his international retirement.

"I was really disappointed for him," Arthur, now coaching Australia, told BBC Radio ahead of the fifth one-day international against England at Old Trafford here on Tuesday.

"I know he wanted to come here because he wanted it to be his real swansong as a Test series, so it is really disappointing to end this way for Mark."

Arthur, who worked with Boucher at both domestic and international level, added: "I have lots of memories as his coach, too many memories. I was really close to Mark, I had a special affinity for him, I knew his family very well."

Arthur also recalled the time when Boucher was dropped for the tour of India in 2004.

"We went through a lot of hard times together, a lot of blood, sweat and tears with Bouch.

"I thought he was a fine cricketer a guy you really wanted on your side, a guy that never, ever gave up, fought to the bitter end and that's how I'll always remember him."

Boucher was the first keeper to take 500 Test catches and Arthur was in no doubt of his quality as a gloveman.

"I think he's right up there (with the best wicketkeepers), you have a look at his batting and wicketkeeping stats and they're phenomenal."

In the short term, AB de Villiers, primarily a batsman but who has kept for South Africa, seems set to take over for the first Test at The Oval on July 19.

"They do need to get over it, I'm sure they will. He's going to be missed hugely though," said Arthur.

"I remember the series we (South Africa) won here in 2008, the Test match we won at Edgbaston was on the back of a very good innings by Graeme Smith, but Bouch was there at the end of it.

"I remember him telling me at tea time, he said 'coach if I'm at the wicket, and I will be there, we're going to win the series, we didn't come all the way to lose this'.

"That just typified exactly what he was like. He was always in there, he was always up for a challenge.

"I've been in contact, and it is uncertain for him. Let's just hope that he gets his eyesight back and everything's good."

De Villiers ready for Boucher role

July 12, 2012

AB de Villiers says he is "looking forward to the challenge" of combining his role as a batsman with succeeding Mark Boucher as South Africa's Test wicketkeeper, if he is handed the gloves as expected.

South Africa will begin their attempt to wrest the No. 1 ranking away from England at The Oval next Thursday in what is set to be an emotional first Test after Boucher's enforced retirement from international cricket due to an eye injury sustained whilst standing up to the stumps in a warm-up game at Somerset.

De Villiers has kept in only three of his 74 Tests but became South Africa's first-choice ODI wicketkeeper in 2010 and is now likely to get the job for the Test series against England as well. He will keep wicket in South Africa's three-day match at Kent, although the specialist Thami Tsolekile has also been added to the squad and a final decision is yet to be made.

The unexpected loss of the world's leading wicketkeeper, with a record 555 Test dismissals to his name, has undoubtedly affected South Africa. Boucher was such a part of the fabric of the team that Graeme Smith, South Africa's captain, had to be reminded of his absence during a practice session at Canterbury. However, de Villiers, who regarded Boucher as a mentor, believes that the team can draw strength from the situation.

"He will be in the back of our minds no matter what," de Villiers said. "In our keeping drills today, Smithy even called me Bouch at one stage, and I was like, 'it's me now.' He will be there in the back of our minds but it's more for inspiration as much as anything else. He'll take us a long way to winning this series. It's not a bad thing, as long as you don't get too emotional about it."

"He's been an idol in South African cricket for many years. He's been the rock, the guy with the guts. He's someone who was there when I started off my career, who looked after me, took me under his wing and helped me a lot in my cricket. I probably wouldn't be here without him - it's a big call but it's true.

"They're huge boots to fill, obviously, if not the best. I'm a little bit undercooked when it comes to Test wicketkeeping but I've had a lot of experience, in IPL, T20, ODIs for my country and my keeping has improved a lot over the last few years. It's something I'm looking forward to, if the gloves come my way, in the Test matches. It's something I'll take with both hands."

It could be quite a challenge, as de Villiers is also a key part of South Africa's batting line-up. Greats of the game such as Alec Stewart and Kumar Sangakkara have struggled to combine wicketkeeping duties with consistent runscoring - both averaging significantly less when taking on those extra duties - but de Villiers was sanguine about having to multitask, even suggesting that he might have an easier time of it than in his usual fielding position at point.

"In my experience, I rest a bit more when I keep, I really do," he said. "The only thing I have to look after is my back - that takes quite a bit of stress when I'm keeping. But you don't run a lot as a wicketkeeper. I'm at point and, during a big partnership, I'm running all over that field and I'm really tired after. If anything I might rest a little bit more. I don't think it will influence my batting, maybe I'll go through a bad patch, maybe I'll do even better."

"The captain and coach will have to sit down and take a proper call. I'm keeping in the three-day game, I'm preparing like I'm going to take the gloves in the first Test match and obviously I'm going to prepare like I'm going to bat at five as well. It's not a massive tweak; it's the way you've got to adapt at this level."

While South Africa may worry about increasing the burden on their No. 5, who is ranked the third best Test batsman in the world, de Villiers' record as a keeper in ODIs is worth noting. In 37 matches he has averaged an astonishing 80.36 - scoring eight of his 13 hundreds - compared to 38.81 when playing solely as a batsman. He also seems to thrive when taking on added responsibility, having assumed the ODI captaincy earlier this year while continuing to pile on runs.

Although he described Boucher's injury as a "freakish accident," de Villiers will wear a helmet to stand up to stumps. "I always do," he said. He is not about to change after the horrors of the past week.