Tag: Virat Kohli

Two new IPL teams to be auctioned in May | Cricket News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) will be a 10-team affair from 2022 as the BCCI has decided to auction two new teams in the month of May during the final phase of upcoming edition.
The BCCI top brass including president Sourav Ganguly, secretary Jay Shah on Saturday had a meeting on execution of various policy decisions approved by the IPL Governing Council at the start of the year.
“The 10 team IPL will roll on from next year and the bidding process and finalisation of the new franchises will be completed by the month of May this year,” a senior BCCI source privy to the developments told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“Once the teams are finalised, they can start their operational work which takes considerable time,” the source added.
No Prithvi or Padikkal for ODIs
The Indian ODI team will be announced on Sunday but none of the senior players have opted for any rest for the time being.
“The team is expected to be announced tomorrow. Neither skipper Virat Kohli nor his deputy Rohit Sharma has opted for rest. There aren’t many surprises as we prepare for World T20,” the influential official informed.
He said that both Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal will have to wait for their chance.
“They have done exceedingly well but will have to wait for their turn,” he said.
Women’s team to tour NZ, Australia next year
After a disappointing 2020 when they didn’t have a single international tour, the Indian women’s team ahead of the 50-over World Cup will be touring Australia at the end of the year followed by a short preparatory series in New Zealand before the World Cup.
“Our women’s cricket is as important as our men’s game. We are playing a Test match in England, our first in 6 years and then we have twin tours followed by the World Cup. Our girls have a packed schedule,” the source added.
Vinoo Mankad U19 starts after board exams
The Vinoo Mankad U-19 trophy, the 50-over tournament which will act as a trial tournament for next year’s U19 World Cup will be held in May-June after the class 12 CBSE and state Board exams are completed.
“There are many boys who are in their Board year and we don’t want them to miss out on their exams. The tournament starts in May-June,” the official added.

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I was not expecting to be picked in IPL, so not really disappointed: Adil Rashid | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: England’s seasoned leg-spinner Adil Rashid on Saturday said he was not disappointed to miss out on an IPL contract as he was not expecting to be picked at the first place owing to the large number of tweakers in the league.
Despite his decent performances at the international level in recent years, Rashid has never drawn the attention of IPL franchises, and so was the case in the last auction.
“I wouldn’t say disappointing, obviously there are a lot of spinners out there, India also got their own local spinners, so I wasn’t really expecting my self to be picked,” Rashid said on the eve of the second T20 International against India here.
The 33-year-old added, “It would be nice to get these deals but like I said, with these tournaments, you put your name forward and and hope a teams picks you… that’s how it works with the IPL or any other competitions.”
England’s move to open the bowling with Rashid worked wonders for them in the first T20I as he not only started with a two-run over but came back to dismiss India captain Virat Kohli for a duck, which pushed the hosts on the back foot.
England won the match by eight wickets.
“Bowling with the new ball is new for me now (he did so a decade back for Yorkshire and in Australia), something I have been working on for past couple of days.
“Hope I can carry on with that regardless of the situation, whether it’s first six (overs), middle or back, I am always looking to develop and work hard.
“That’s something I have been doing in the nets, bowling to batsmen with the new ball, in case I am needed, I am really focussed on every part of the game.
Rashid has been concentrating on limited overs cricket since recovering from a shoulder injury. According to him, he is not yet ready for the rigours of Test cricket where one is required to bowl long spells.
“Test cricket or Ashes has not really crossed my mind. There is a world cup and there is a lot of cricket before that, let’s see how it goes. I am focussing on white ball cricket at the moment.”
Alongside hosts India, England will start this year’s T20 World Cup as one of the favourites.
“We fully believe in ourselves, we have to stick to our strengths, keep developing and keep working on our game, and we should stand a chance.”
England lead the five-match T20 series against India 1-0 and the second game is to be played here on Sunday.

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virat kohli: Virat Kohli’s string of ducks a worry for India | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: India skipper Virat Kohli was on Friday dismissed for a duck for the third time in his last five innings against England.
Kohli, struggling to get off the mark after four balls in the first T20 International, tried to muscle an Adil Rashid leg-spinner over the 30-yard circle only to be caught by Chris Jordan for a five-ball duck.
This followed a duck in India’s only innings in the fourth and final Test in which he was removed by Ben Stokes and a duck in the first innings of the second Test in Chennai. He made a fighting 62 in the second innings of the second Test and 27 in the only innings of the pink-ball Test against England.
“Kohli is obviously a dangerous batter and to see the back of him early so many times is a real bonus. I think it probably might have dampened their camp a little bit,” pace bowler Jofra Archer, who was man-of-the-match in the first T20I, told the media in an interaction.

Virat Kohli (AFP Photo)

Kohli’s dismissal on Friday pushed India into a difficult position, at two wickets down for three runs. It was a position from where they could never recover to post a competitive total.
Asked about his inability to get a big score in the last few innings, Kohli said after Friday’s match, “It is part of the whole journey in international cricket. If we play long enough, we will have ups and downs and you have to accept that as a batsman.”
The 32-year-old India batsman said that he will continue to bat with intent and stick to his plans as a batsman.
“On your day, you will probably end up scoring more. Important thing is to stay true to your intent, to your plans as a batsman. Accept as batsman that as a bowling team, they will come out and [sometimes] execute their plans better than your plans. For me, it has always been about going out there and trying to be as positive as I can,” said Kohli.
Kohli had batted well through the T20I and ODI series in Australia and followed it up with a 74 in the pink-ball Adelaide Test against Australia.

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India vs England 2nd T20I: Virat Kohli’s men look to claw back after disappointing start | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: Left shaken by a bunch of world-class operators, the Indian team’s white-ball stars will be aiming to put up an improved batting effort in the second T20 International against England here on Sunday.
It was India’s first white-ball game in three months and the rustiness of some of the premier shorter format players like KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, and Yuzvendra Chahal’s showed in the first game in which the hosts were clinically outplayed.
One defeat is never the end of the story and no critic can rule this Indian team out of the series on the basis of a singular performance especially because of its zeal to fight.
However, as skipper Virat Kohli talks about players with X-factors doing the job, he would expect Rishabh Pant and Pandya to do a bit more with their explosive hitting, which should not be confined to one audacious reverse scoop (Pant off Jofra Archer) or a falling ramp shot (Pandya off Ben Stokes).

PTI Photo
They are more than capable and will be expected to give a far better account of themselves, trying to play more shots square of the wicket like Shreyas Iyer did during his innings of 67 off 48 balls.
Both Pandya (19 off 21 balls) and Pant (21 off 23 balls) weren’t able to gauge the pace of the track as Archer and Mark Wood bowled fast and straight denying them any width for the cut shot. The extra bounce also didn’t allow them to drive on the up.
“The wicket didn’t allow you to hit the kind of shots you wanted to. Shreyas’ innings was an example of how you could use the depth of the crease, ride the bounce because there was variable bounce at times, and hit the areas square of the wicket which others failed to do.

Shreyas Iyer. (ANI Photo)
“It was just a below-par batting performance and England made us pay for it,” Kohli had summed it up aptly at the end of the match.
The captain’s acknowledgement of Iyer’s performance could well mean that the wait for Suryakumar Yadav might get a tad longer with only one middle-order slot available currently.
However, Kohli’s propensity to change his playing XI at the drop of a hat is well documented.
While giving his team’s oldest member, Shikhar Dhawan, a couple of matches is perfectly understandable but how long does he want to persist with the left-hander, who looked completely out of sorts during his 4 off 12 balls.
Rohit Sharma, as per Kohli, is rested for a couple of matches having played 6 consecutive Test matches along with 14 days of hard quarantine at the start of his Australian sojourn.
But Rohit’s presence is very necessary at the top of the order and even though no one is really talking about it, it’s been long since the Indian skipper has had an impactful T20 performance. He is too good a player to miss out.
The bowling department didn’t have enough runs on board to put up a fight but whether one of the three spinners can make way for a tearaway quick like Navdeep Saini remains to be seen.
Perhaps Yuzvendra Chahal could make way for Rahul Tewatia, who may not be as crafty a leg break bowler but certainly a decent one with good batting prowess.

AP Photo
Eoin Morgan, one among the more likeable international captains, has been provided a team that has its bases covered with 12 players plying their trade in the IPL.
Unless something really goes wrong, this England team is a contender to win the T20 World Cup trophy in October this year with way too many powerhouse performers.
Squads:
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Tewatia, Ishan Kishan (reserve wicketkeeper).
England: Eoin Morgan (captain), Joss Buttler, Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, Chris Jordan, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, Jonny Bairstow, Jofra Archer.

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India vs England: England vs India, 1st T20I: England flex T20 muscles by dominating India | Cricket News – Times of India

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All the talk from the Indian camp before the game was how “explosive” they were going to be with the bat. Skipper Virat Kohli even said “lack of depth” in batting had been preventing the top-order batsmen from playing “freely” in T20Is.
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But the actual explosiveness came from England’s fast bowlers on Friday. They pounded the Motera pitch hard and the freedom the Indian batters craved was nowhere to be found.
Jofra Archer (3/23) and Mark Wood (1/20) bowled thunderbolts at 150kph, beating the batsmen and making them jump at the crease. Chris Jordan was an able ally, bowling the heavy ball.

Eoin Morgan’s captaincy too was nothing short of outstanding. Wherever and whichever direction the Indian batsmen hit the ball, there was a fielder either to save runs or take a catch.
England’s on-field brilliance meant India managed to put up just 124/7 on the board. The mediocre target hardly posed a challenge for the English batsmen as they romped home to win by eight wickets with nearly five overs to spare.

Jason Roy (49 off 32b; 4×4, 3×6) and Jos Buttler (28 off 24b; 2×4, 1×6) sealed the deal for England with a 72-run opening partnership. Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow ensured there were no further hiccups.
Earlier, had it not been for Shreyas Iyer’s (67 off 48b; 8×4, 1×6) mature knock, India could have ended up with an ignominious score.
Iyer came to the crease when India were tottering at 20/3, with the top-order of KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli back in the pavilion.

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India vs England: We weren’t aware of what we had to do on that pitch, says Virat Kohli | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: Outgunned by England on a tricky pitch, India skipper Virat Kohli admitted that they were clueless about handling the challenge posed by the conditions in the first T20 international, here on Friday.
Invited to bat, India managed just 124 for seven as the batsmen struggled to cope with the two-paced track at the Motera stadium. England, however, chased the target comfortably, scoring 130 for 2 in 15.3 overs.
Kohli, KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan fell to poor shots, something about which the Indian skipper looked concerned.

“We just weren’t aware of what we had to do on that pitch, lack of execution on our shots and something we have to address,” kohli said after going down by eight wickets.
“Accept your faults, come back with more intent, clarity of areas you want to hit. Wicket didn’t allow you to hit the shots we wanted to.”

Kohli was pleased with the determination shown by Shreyas Iyer, who hit a half-century to help India post a respectable total.
“Shreyas showed how to use the crease and ride the bounce. Below par batting performance and England made us play. We looked to try a few things, but having said that you have to accept the conditions.
“If the pitch allows you to, you can be aggressive from ball one. We didn’t spend enough time assessing, Shreyas did but we had lost too many wickets to get to 150-160.”

Asked if switching from Test format to the shortest format was a reason for India’s struggle, Kohli disagreed.
“That shouldn’t be a factor, take pride in playing good white-ball cricket, won our last few T20 series. These five games before the World Cup, we have to try a few things, but we can’t take anything lightly against England.”
Happy to be on the winning side, England skipper said: “(It was a good game) Particularly in the bowling department, the wicket was better for us than we expected, we didn’t have to go to plan B and C very often, which is always a good sign.”

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In Pics: Archer, Roy help England steamroll India in T20 series opener

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England’s bowlers did the spadework before opener Jason Roy’s explosive 49 helped secure a comprehensive eight-wicket victory against India in the first Twenty20 International in Ahmedabad on Friday. (ANI Photo)

Opener Jason Roy’s fluent knock ensured that England went about their business calmly.
Morgan was quick to point out the impact Roy has on the team.
“Within the side there’s huge competition, outside the squad, too. Huge support for players who score runs and does well, and when Jason does it gees the boys up.”
Like Kohli, the England captain stressed that there was no Test hangover on players.
“It is a completely different format, very distinct. In big series, like the Ashes, we’ve come out the back and learned from it,” Morgan signed off.

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1st T20I: England thump India by eight wickets in series opener | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: Indian batsmen had little to offer in the face of a regimented English bowling effort on a two-paced track as the hosts received an eight-wicket hammering in the opening Twenty20 International here on Friday.
Indian batsmen struggled to score freely before Shreyas Iyer showed the way with a dogged 67-run knock that took Virat Kohli‘s men to 124 for seven at the the Narendra Modi stadium.
The home team could only manage 124 and in the absence of scoreboard pressure, England overhauled the target with ease in 15.3 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
The Indian batsmen never got the momentum going as England’s pace-heavy attack, led by Mark Wood, used the extra bounce effectively to trouble them.
Match highlights | Scorecard
Most of the Indian batsmen went for flashy shots when placement would have served them well, as Iyer did later in the innings.
The world’s biggest stadium, which has a seating capacity of 1,32,000, played host to 67,000 fans, according to Cricinfo, way more than the 50 per cent capacity that was to be filled for the game in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jason Roy scored a well-calculated 49-run knock while Jonny Bairstow’s big hits showed there were no demons in the pitch as the Indians made it seem after being invited to bat by England skipper Eoin Morgan.
Roy struck the ball clean and hard to form a 72-run opening wicket stand with Jos Buttler (28), ending any hopes that the Indians harboured of getting back in the game.
The luxury of time allowed the England batsmen to play freely. None of the Indian bowlers looked like asking tough questions to the visitors.
Roy was trapped by Washington Sundar but by that time England had put 89 runs on the board. Bairstow (26) and Dawid Malan (24) took the side past the finish line.

Earlier, after India’s top-order was blown away, Iyer gauged the nature of the pitch quickly and adjusted his game accordingly, playing a sensible innings that helped them cross the 100-run mark.
Laced with eight boundaries and a six, and coming off 48 balls, it was Iyer’s best T20 knock. He fell in the last over.
England surprised India by opening the attack with leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who was not only economical but also dismissed Kohli (0) after KL Rahul (1) dragged one back onto his stumps from Jofra Archer (3/23).
Feeling the heat, Shikhar Dhawan, who got the opportunity since Rohit Sharma was rested, attempted to break the shackles with a flashy shot off Wood but completely missed the line to see his timber disturbed.
In-form batsman Rishabh Pant (21) was promoted to number four. He struck the ball clean, which included a reverse-flick off Archer for a six, but the England bowlers kept it tight.

The home team was tottering at 34 for three in eight overs.
Pant and Iyer added 28 runs for the fourth wicket before the former hit one straight to Bairstow off Ben Stokes.
That brought Hardik Pandya to the crease, who true to his style, looked for some big hits but could not do much. The visiting players wore black armbands in memory of former cricketer Joey Benjamin, who died Wednesday.



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Watch: Pant reverse-flicks Archer for six, Pietersen terms it as ‘greatest’ shot ever played | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: Wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant surprised everyone when he reverse-flicked pacer Jofra Archer for a six after India were two down within the first four overs in the opening T20I against England on Friday.
In the fourth over, Pant played a reverse flick against Archer on the fifth ball that went over the keepers’ head for six. The shot left everyone surprised and former England skipper Kevin Pietersen termed it as the “greatest shot ever played in cricket”.

“Holy smokes! Pant has just played the greatest shot that’s ever been played in cricket. Reverse sweeping/lifting Archer with a brand new white ball at 90mph for 6,” Pietersen tweeted.

Interestingly, Pant had played a similar shot in the fourth and final Test against England where he had reverse flicked James Anderson for a six on his way to a match-winning ton.

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh hailed the “absolutely fearless” shot by Pant.
“This is the new generation !! Absolutely fearless ! Reverse sweep or shot I don’t know what to call it ! But @RishabhPant17 hats off to you to hit a fast bowler like that ! Game on !!” Yuvraj tweeted.

Earlier, England won the toss and opted to field first against India in the opening T20I of the five-match series here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday. In a surprise move, India skipper Virat Kohli announced that Rohit Sharma has been rested in the first few games.



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India vs England T20Is: England’s top 6 stronger than India’s, visitors the favourites to win series, says Monty Panesar | Cricket News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: Team India are brimming with confidence. After winning the Test series against England 3-1, Kohli’s men are set to kick off their five-match T20I campaign against the English, starting today at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. All five matches of the series are scheduled to be played at the same venue.
India and England have faced off 14 times overall in T20Is. The head to head is split right down the middle, with both teams winning seven matches each.
India captain Virat Kohli is the most-successful batsman in the India vs England rivalry in T20Is. The Indian run-machine has 346 runs in 12 matches, at an average of 31.45, including one half-century. England skipper Eoin Morgan is second on the list with 314 runs in 11 matches at an average of 31.40.
In the bowling department, Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal tops the wicket taking charts in India and England T20I clashes. Chahal has so far taken 9 wickets in 6 matches, including one five-wicket haul.
With India set to kick start the five-match T20I series, Timesofindia.com caught up with former England spinner Monty Panesar to talk about the series favourites, the key clashes, England’s Test performance, Rishabh Pant‘s spectacular show in Tests and much more…
Excerpts…
After the Test series defeat, do you think England can turn things around and win the T20I series? Their T20 squad is very different in complexion to their Test squad….
England are the World No. 1 team in T20Is. The best part is that more than half of the team has played in the IPL. So, they know the conditions well. England are favourites to win the series. The only concern is their middle order and how they deal Yuzvendra Chahal, the leg-spinner, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar. The series will be dominated by spinners. It is a different format. England will bounce back strongly.

Who according to you will be the key players for India and England?
It will be England batsmen vs Indian spinners. England top’s six can take the game away from India. England’s top six is stronger than India’s top six. They have Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, and Ben Stokes. For India, Chahal, the leg-spinner will be crucial for India. He is a clever bowler and has got variations. He is the one who can stop the England batsmen. His four overs will be critical. If India wants to win, it depends on how Chahal’s four overs go. Chahal needs to bowl well if India have to win the T20I series.

Yuzvendra Chahal (BCCI Photo)
If you have to pick three key player battles in the T20I series, which will they be?
I would pick Kohli vs Morgan. That will be the all-captains clash. Second, David Malan vs Shikhar Dhawan. This will be an interesting combination. Because Malan is number one in the world. It will be great to see how he bats in these conditions and it will be interesting to watch. The third will be Moeen Ali or Adil Rashid vs Chahal.

What went wrong for England in the Test series?
I think it was because of the introduction of crowds, England couldn’t cope with the pressure and the noise. They did really well against Sri Lanka and performed very well. England won the matches when Joe Root scored big runs. So, what ends up happening is when Joe Root doesn’t score big runs, the team doesn’t know how to win on a turning pitch. England are totally dependent on Joe Root in Tests. That’s something that Joe Root and the team and the management need to sit down and think about. ‘If I’m not going to score runs, who else is going to score runs?’ Root should think this. They need to work on how to play spinners. Johnny Bairstow was a key player and he didn’t really perform.

Reuters Photo
India will now face New Zealand in the World Test Championship final. Who according to you are the favourites to win the inaugural WTC title?
Both the teams are strong and have done really well in Tests. It will depend on the pitch conditions. If it’s a turning wicket, then obviously India. There is no doubt about that. If it is flat and seaming, then New Zealand have got a chance.
Will defeat against India have any impact on the England team in how they play in the Ashes you think?
England have players who score runs and turn the game on its head. Playing spin is that weakness right now and they should work on it. What is this shot selection? What is the game plan against bowlers? This will be assessed against New Zealand when they come to England. If the same problems happen in England, then I think there’s quite a big issue. There is no harm in going to the basics. I think there is a need for the syllabus in level four and level three coaching, the way they teach to play spin. If Joe Root can bat like a subcontinent batsman, why can’t the others? That’s what I think they need to discuss. I think that that’s a problem.
I think the way we are taught to play spin, needs to be the way how subcontinent batsmen are taught, how the Indian batsmen (are taught) in India and that needs to be the part of the coaching (manual).
Axar and Ashwin dismantled the England line up single-handedly. Your take on that…
Axar is a great bowler, but in helpful conditions. He is a skillful bowler and takes wickets on turning pitches. Ashwin has done well in both home and overseas conditions. They were given a platform and they made full use of it with their skills, mind, and experience.

Axar Patel and R Ashwin (BCCI Photo)
How difficult will it be for Axar to retain his place in the Test team once Ravindra Jadeja returns?
Jadeja does well away from India. So, there’s no doubt about that. I think they should keep a close watch on Axar’s performance. Jadeja is a way better option with the bat. Patel may be a better spinner at home and on turning pitches. India can consider Axar at home and when they travel overseas, Jadeja should come in.
How would you rate Rishabh Pant’s performance in the Test series vs England? Is he doing enough to fill Dhoni’s shoes?

Rishabh Pant (BCCI Photo)
I wouldn’t say he’s Dhoni level, I would say he’s more Gilchrist. I think he’s more a Gilchrist type of cricketer. Major tournaments like T20 World Cup and then 50-over World Cup are coming up. So, we need to see how he performs. If India win the World Cup and Rishabh plays a huge part in that, then compare him with Dhoni. The coming time and tournaments are huge for Rishabh Pant. He will be tested.

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India vs England: India a very difficult side to beat in India, says Eoin Morgan | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: England could get an idea of where they stand heading into this year’s World Cup at the end of their limited overs engagements against formidable India, captain Eoin Morgan said on Thursday.
Hosts India and England will be engaged in a T20 series, starting here on Friday, and that will be followed by a three-game ODI rubber.
“It is going to be from our point of view a learning process, going through what positions we might find ourselves in seven month’s time at the World Cup, with a perfect case scenario that we are playing against one of the best sides in the world, in their backyard and we know they are very difficult to beat,” Morgan said.

He was addressing a pre-match press conference here.
Morgan said the Virat Kohli-led India are a very difficult side to beat in their backyard and the limited overs matches will be a challenge for his team.

“I do, I probably replicate the answer. India are the team to beat given we are playing them away from home. They are a very difficult side to beat in India,” Morgan said ahead of the series opener at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
“Given that the World Cup is here, I do think they will enter the World Cup as favourites, so this is going to be a great test for us and a great challenge and throughout the whole tour and not just for T20s,” added the 34-year-old Dublin-born batsman.

According to the captain, all his players are fit and available for selection. And that includes pacer Jofra Archer, too.
“Yeah, everybody is fit to play and Jofra is available for the series,” he said.
Morgan, however, refused to speak about the team composition.

“No, I am not giving you a head’s up,” quipped the English skipper when asked about the opening combination.
He was also asked about Archer’s workload management and Morgan said the 25-year-old pacer will be rested before the T20 World Cup.
“I think it’s with the three-format players that we have, they are a handful of guys. They are managed really well, you look back at the backend of December and also January, Jofra had off and there would be different pockets throughout.

“… After the IPL, towards summer and before the World Cup, where Jofra will be rested and will be really well looked after both physically and mentally,” Morgan signed off.
The upcoming T20 World Cup will be held in India later this year.

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