Friday, 30 March 2012

I didn't compromise fitness for IPL' - Clarke

Melbourne: Australian captain Michael Clarke has made it clear that he did not compromise his fitness by opting to sign a lucrative contract with the Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Clarke was reported to have agreed to the deal after being offered a staggering $1 million for six games. The Aussie captain is scheduled to have a three-week break before Australia embark on a tour of England in June and July.

He will have a further eight-week break before Australia play Pakistan in four ODIs and two Twenty20 matches in August, tentatively scheduled to be held in the neutral venue of Sri Lanka.
"Representing Australia always comes first for me. I wouldn't do anything that would physically jeopardise that and I've made that very clear," Clarke said.
"I'll be having a good break this winter. If there was ever a time for me to have a go at playing in the IPL, it's now." Clarke was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.
Previously, Clarke had resisted the riches of the the IPL to focus on national duty. Clarke will replace Yuvraj Singh, who was this month discharged from a US hospital after a third round of chemotherapy for a rare germ cell cancer. He will join fellow Australians Steve Smith and James Hopes at the Pune franchise.

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Indian team did not plan well for England, Australia: Raina

A permanent member of the one-day team, Suresh Raina said he is eager to seal his spot in the Test side as well. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India batsman Suresh Raina on Thursday admitted that poor planning resulted in his team's recent Test series whitewash against England and Australia.

"No excuse when you play at the international level, you have to perform really well against the good opposition. I think we did not plan really well against the Aussies and England. We learnt from those mistake and moved to good cricket," said Raina.

"We have done really well in one-day cricket. Hopefully, we'll improve our cricket in Test matches also. As a team, we have always done well but we have to do well in Test matches especially in abroad.

"We lost eight Test matches in a row. Hopefully, we do well in the abroad series and work really hard in the Test series," Raina told Times Now.

India were whitewashed 0-4 by England in the four-match Test series last year and they finished the entire tour without a single win.

In December, India went to Australia as the second-ranked Test nation and reigning World Cup champions but returned home after a 0-4 drubbing in the Test series and also failed to make it to the finals of the tri-nation ODI series involving Sri Lanka.

A permanent member of the one-day team, Raina said he is eager to seal his spot in the Test side as well.

"I led the team and we won the one-day series in West Indies. I did well there in the Test matches. I am looking forward to play in Test matches as well," he said.

Asked about India's most promising batting talent Virat Kohli, Raina said, "He is a good player. As a finisher, I think he has always showed great character and responsibility.

"Whenever he got the chance he has always delivered. He has been nominated as the vice captain and I think he will do well when he gets the chance to become a captain of the side," he said.

With the fifth IPL starting on April 4, Raina said he is confident of doing well for his side -- defending champions Chennai Super Kings.

"We would be playing in the IPL after one-off T20 game in South Africa. I am looking forward to it and will do well this season."