Former bowling coach of the Knight Riders tells young captains like Gautam Gambhir must learn from seniors like Rahul Dravid, who know how to manage their aggression.

Sunil Gavaskar had called Kolkata Knight Riders “listless” and their skipper Gautam Gambhir “frustrated.” On Friday, Wasim Akram has slammed the defending champions for their “negative” approach.

With seven defeats in 11 matches, KKR are seventh in the points table with very little chance to make the last-four. Rajasthan Royals are third in the standings (six wins in ten games) and have a good chance to make the top four. Akram writes in his column all credit must go to Rajasthan captain, Rahul Dravid.

Akram has been KKR’s bowling coach till last season. He had been full of praise for Gambhir’s strategies and man management capabilities. But not his time. Gambhir’s on-field brawl with Virat Kohli has seemingly not gone down well with Akram as the former Pakistan speedster says: “Misplaced aggression doesn’t help.”

And then to depict Dravid as a role model, Akram writes: “Dravid has been aggressive throughout, but only with his bat and in his thinking. There lies the difference and young captains need to understand this. They must learn that actions speak louder than words.”

Akram has slammed Kolkata for their “negative” tactics. Saying the defeat against Delhi Daredevils in Raipur on May Day will dampen KKR’s morale, Akram feels “negative” tactics and injuries have hit the team hard.
India name their Champions Trophy squad on Saturday and Gambhir cannot take his place for granted this time around.

Courtesy: NDTV Sports

Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram feels India has an edge over Australia in the upcoming Test series between the two nations, starting on February 22 at Chennai.

“India go in as favourites. This is the most inexperienced Australian team I have seen in my life. Though they are talented, the inexperience in the batting line-up, especially in the middle-order, will offer an advantage to the Indian spinners. Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey are not there. Yes, Michael Clarke is in tremendous form and they have talented left-handers like David Warner and Phil Hughes.

They both hit the ball well, but Test cricket is a different ball game. India’s off-spinners are likely to trouble them even with the new ball. Australia won’t be too comfortable playing on turning wickets. After winning the ODI series against England, India seem to have rediscovered some form. I would say that India have a 70% chance of winning this series,” Akram was quoted as saying by Times of India.

Akram suggested that India have a huge advantage in the batting department.

“If they bat responsibly, they will win this series. Their batsmen need to bat with patience.They must learn from the art of batting for a day-and-a half from Sachin Tendulkar.These youngsters are unable to do that today. You just can’t come out and play your shots. You have to grind it out in the middle.”

Akram was shocked when Gautam Gambhir was excluded from the team.

“A match-winner like Gambhir, when he is going through a lean patch, must be supported by the captain and the selectors. You need to give him confidence. He is just 31 and not 37. Hence, one needn’t look beyond him. Such batsmen need one innings to come back into form and get their footwork going again. He is a world-class player across all formats. You need to play an experienced batsman against Australia. It was a big shock to me that he was dropped.”

The Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach feels reverse swing will be the decisive factor in the series.

“Reverse swing. The SG Test ball reverses a lot.Whoever reverses the ball better, will win the battle. England beat India in the Test series because their seamers were reversing the ball twice as much as their Indian counterparts. In the middle-overs, when a partnership gets going, the fast bowlers need to bring that into play.”

“For India, it would be Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh (key players). For the Aussies, the key men are Michael Clarke and Mitchell Starc.”

Courtesy: CRICKET COUNTRY

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has raised question whether the Indian team has the bench strength to replace opening duo of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag ahead of the England series at home.

“I doubt India have a Plan B to replace them. With Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman retiring, the middle order will be bereft of experience and under the circumstances, dislodging a time-tested combination at the top may not be very prudent,” Akram said.

The former pace legend laid his faith on Gambhir and Sehwag and said home conditions will help the Delhi duo to find its lost touch.

“Starting mid-November, India will have a long international calendar at home. They will play quality teams like England and Australia and hopefully, Pakistan will tour in the winter. I think this will give ample opportunity for men like Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir to regain their form,” Akram told ESPN-STAR Sports.

“Both showed glimpses of their touch in their last Champions League games and it’s senseless to question their ability as international batsmen.

“I don’t think India will experiment much with their opening pair of Gambhir and Sehwag. On Indian wickets, they will exploit the home conditions well,” he added.

The 46-year-old former Pakistani cricketer also feels Delhi Daredevils have a good chance of claiming the Champions League Twenty20 trophy in South Africa and it would also be a big opportunity for Sehwag to redeem himself.

“While the South Africans, with plenty of home-bred talents, will fancy their chance to win the tournament this time, Delhi will be a strong contender. Delhi have improved with every game and the fact that their top six batsmen are technically accomplished and truly international class will give them a lot of confidence,” he said.

“Although this is T20 cricket, I still believe a batsman must be equipped to play on all conditions to excel. On this front, Delhi are blessed with men like David Warner, Kevin Pietersen, Mahela Jayawardene and Ross Taylor.

“Plus, Sehwag looked good against Perth Scorchers. His 44-ball 52 will give him a lot of self-reliance. And, this is time for Sehwag to prove his critics wrong,” Akram added. (PTI)

Courtesy: CRICKET COUNTRY

Centurion, Oct 13: Kolkata Knight Riders’ bowling coach Wasim Akram, feels out-of-form Gautam Gambhir will play a vital role for KKR in the Champions League T20 ahead of the team’s first Group A match against Delhi Daredevils at Centurion on Saturday.

Akram, who has been associated with the Knight Riders for a while now, feels Indian players especially Gautam Gambhir would like to forget the team’s dismal show at World T20 as they failed to qualify for the semi-final of the mega event that concluded on Oct 7.

“If you take my team, Kolkata Knight Riders, Gautam Gambhir will like to put the disappointments of the ICC World T20 behind him quickly. I hope our skipper can turn it around.

Further Akram backed the out-of-form skipper, as he said Gambhir will regain form after playing a few matches which would boost his confidence.

“Gambhir needs matches to get his confidence back, and my gut feeling is that the responsibility of leading the side will bring the best out of him,” he added.

Though Gambhir has been struggling to play on bouncy tracks adn seamer-friendly pitches, Akram defended the skipper and siad he would play a crucial role for the team in CLT20.

“He will play a vital role for KKR and I back him to do well in spite of seamer-friendly conditions in South Africa,” the legendary fast bowler said.

Talking about the IPL teams playing in Champions League T20 this year, Akram said all the teams will be benefitted as they have some local players who are familiar with South African conditions.
“All four sides – KKR, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians – have South African T20 specialists in their ranks and that will greatly benefit these sides.”

“The local players will share their experience on how to play on those tracks and how the pitches will behave at this time of the year.

Moreover, he said Kolkata Knight Riders’ key player Jacques Kallis, who is from South Africa would definitely help the team mates as he is aware of the conditions.

“For example, a Jacques Kallis will be able to advise his KKR teammates on how to go about setting up a target and what target could prove defendable, etc.

The bowling consultant of KKR though wary of Delhi Daredevils’ batting, felt his team has the right balance to outplay the opponents, ahead of their first match on Saturday which promises to be a cracker of a contest.

Courtesy: THATSCRICKET.COM

Kolkata Knight Riders bowling Coach Wasim Akram on Sunday said that Sunil Narine was a revelation the fifth season of the Indian Premier League.

“He (Narine) has been a revelation. Nobody could read him in this tournament and I don’t think anybody will do it in the next two years. It’s good for KKR.”

Akram was extremely proud talking about the bowlers in KKR.

“My bowlers are the best in the world and we can beat any team with this bowling attack. The variety and the wicket-taking ability are incredible. It’s good to be a part of this team,” he was quoted as saying by iplt20.com.

Akram makes no bones talking about the fact that the change in leadership has resulted in change of fortunes for the team.

“The leadership, the contribution from senior and the foreign players was the key. We’re a family, not a team. We supported each other through thick and thin, and that helped.”

“It was incredible. Credit goes to the captain and his team on the way they have fought throughout the tournament. My voice is gone and I am feeling the same when I did after winning the World Cup for Pakistan. It was worth the wait,” Akram concluded.

Courtesy: CRICKET COUNTRY

The Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach, Wasim Akram, on Monday credited skipper Gautam Gambhir for his side’s successful IPL campaign so far this season.

The 45-year-old former left-arm Pakistan pacer lavished praise on the Gambhir for his individual form with the bat as well as his captaincy tactics, as the Knight Riders finished the round robin league stage of the ongoing 2012 IPL second on the standings, trailing table topping Delhi Daredevils by just one point.

“Gautam Gambhir has been the main reason for our success,” the former Pakistan skipper wrote in his article for a sports website, ahead of his team’s crunch game against Delhi daredevils on Tuesday.

“He has been an inspirational leader and handled the side well. His attitude has rubbed on to the players and his bowling changes have been brilliant. Gambhir has been a classic example of how a captain should be,” he added further.

After struggling in the initial three editions of the lucrative Indian Premier League, under former skipper Sourav Ganguly, KKR emerged as one of the big teams under Gambhir’s apt leadership. After finishing last season among the top four, the Knight Riders remained among the top three teams this season.

Expressing satisfaction over Knight Riders’ performance so far in the tournament, the KKR bowling mentor termed West Indian off-spin import Sunil Narine as the ‘trump card’ for the season.

“West Indian spinner Sunil Narine has been KKR’s trump card for the season,” said the legendary left-arm pace bowler, also known as the ‘Sultan of Swing’. “Narine continues to be a mystery to many a batsman. Even the experienced Sachin Tendulkar failed to pick his deliveries,” he added further.

The former Pakistan skipper also lavished praise on the experienced overseas duo of Jacques Kallis (South Africa) and Brendon McCullum (New Zealand), saying that their presence has been invaluable.

Wasim Akram, the veteran pace bowler, called the variety in KKR’s bowling unit as their strength. “The variety in the bowling department also makes Kolkata a cut above the rest,” said the former Pakistan pacer, who played 104 Tests and 356 ODIs for his country during an international career spanning 18 years.

Courtesy: BETTOR.COM

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram feels the appointment of Virat Kohli as India’s vice-captain for the Asia Cup will “hurt” senior players such as Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.

Kohli was on Wednesday named M S Dhoni’s deputy for the upcoming tournament, to be held in Bangladesh and Akram feels senior players won’t be happy as they were eyeing captaincy.

“It is a tough job to be India’s vice-captain. I feel senior players like Sehwag and Gambhir will not be happy with this. Kohli has showed his true potential on this Australian tour and emerged as a candidate for vice-captaincy.

“The Indian selectors are probably thinking about the 2015 World Cup and if Dhoni is unfit before that, Kohli would be the right man to replace him. But, this will definitely leave Sehwag and Gambhir hurt as they were waiting for captaincy,” Akram was quoted as saying by a website.

Akram had recently stated that Kohli needed “at least five years more” to become the Indian cricket team’s leader.

Even as Kohli was made vice-captaincy after his heroic knock against Sri Lanka in the CB series, Sehwag was ‘rested’, according to selection committee chairman Kris Srikkanth.

“Maybe the Indian selectors are not bold enough to drop a player like Sehwag. I do not think this is the right attitude. Until and unless you drop someone, how will the hunger to do well and make it back into the team be visible in a player?

“The concept of ‘resting’ an out-of-form player never made sense to me and it baffles me again. A player plays or he is dropped, it’s simple,” Akram said.

The legendary pacer said that Sachin Tendulkar should look to score his 100th international century during the Asia Cup and then quit the 50-over format.

“There is pressure and stress on Sachin to get that milestone. If he can score this hundred in Asia Cup and get the monkey off his back, then he must look to quit ODIs and concentrate only on Tests,” Akram said.

“He should then play Test cricket in a relaxed manner. This will also give chance to younger players to build the team ahead of the 2015 World Cup.”

As far as Ashok Dinda’s selection was concerned, Akram was pleased.

“He runs in and I like his attacking attitude as a fast bowler. I think justice is done that his domestic performance has brought him back into the team. He took wickets for Bengal in one-dayers and he showcases the firepower that Bengalis are known for.”

Akram did not back the Indian selectors’ decision to rest promising pacer Umesh Yadav.

“Perhaps the selectors are looking to develop him into a Test bowler like Ishant Sharma. But this is not right decision as you cannot expect a 24-year-old like Umesh to be tired after one series. You need to play a genuine pacer to win games, in both Test and ODIs, more so when you tour abroad.”

“It is good that India have unearthed a quickie in Umesh who will be kept in the mix for the future. However, I am disappointed with Varun Aaron. It seems he is never fit. Hope Umesh and Aaron don’t end up like RP Singh and Munaf Patel.

About Zaheer Khan, Akram said the left-arm seamer should consider his future in the shorter format.

“I think it is time for him to consider his future in the shorter format. He did exceptionally well in the four Tests against Australia but his body is not supporting him in ODIs. As for his selection, you can pick and choose which games you want to play on tour and which you do not wish too. If you are picked, then you must play all games.

“Again, I think India do not know how to make long-lasting fast bowlers. I remember Imran Khan used to toil with us by making us bowl continuously for a long time. For Zaheer, he must choose his format now.

Akram was also delighted to see Yusuf Pathan returning to the squad.

“Yusuf Pathan is 29 years now and I still don’t know why he was not picked for so many games. Here is a hitter who is feared by most attacks in the world and he was dropped for a long time. I feel if India are looking at the 2015 World Cup then Yusuf Pathan must definitely remain in the scheme of things.”

Courtesy: Times of India

It was predicted that Virender Sehwag will not be appearing in the first two test matches against England due to an injury in his shoulder. But according to the former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram his inclusion could prove to be beneficial for the Indian side and the decision to include Sehwag for the England tour is a smart one taken by the selectors.

The England tour is two months long and Sehwag will be going along with the 17-member test squad. But his injury to the shoulder will prevent him to play the first two test matches. The first test match will be at Lord’s (July 21-25) and the second test match will be played at Trent Bridge (July 29- August 2).

Akram went to say that “Even though Sehwag will not be appearing in the first two tests, the fact is that he will still have a good chance of getting used to the conditions in England. He will have a very good opportunity to recover fully and practice during the net sessions”.

“Practicing on the net will prove to be very useful to Sehwag as he will be in a very good form when he recovers, and the idea and decision taken by the Indian selectors is a smart one” Wasim explained. But Wasim Akram was equally sure that the absence of a very experienced and dangerous batsman will be to the benefits of the England side.

Wasim said “Sehwag’s absence in the first two matches as a top order batsman will prove to be a serious disadvantage for the Indian side. I really don’t think that apart from Sehwag there is another batsman of his caliber currently in the world of cricket”.

“Plus Sehwag has been successful in forging a formidable opening combination with his follow team mate and batsman Gautam Gambhir over the years. They have a knack of taking quick singles due to the high understanding they share apart from destroying the bowling side by hitting fours. They have been successful in scoring run in the toughest of conditions as well”.

Sehwag, 32, has scored 527 runs playing 11 test matches against England with an average of 31. Akram feels that besides the stats Sehwag can be a destructive player and can cause some damage to the morale of the England side.

Courtesy: Times of India
Reported by: Ifrah Waqar and Shahmir Khan
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The joy of winning a World Cup is sweeping across India and why not? With three Asian teams in the last four, I think the entire sub-continent should be happy with India ‘s victory. Pakistan and Sri Lanka too did very well in this championship and should be proud of themselves.

There can be only one winner and India deserved to be the champions. According to me, the biggest match of the World Cup was the semifinal at Mohali. There can’t be a bigger battle than a clash between India and Pakistan . India were in full control of the high-voltage semifinal and the way they handled the pressure, no one was going to stop them in the final. I am not surprised that Sri Lanka were simply blown away.

I have all along said India were the favorites. Except for a few hiccups along the way, India were consistent throughout. India ‘s average bowling attack was well covered up by the all-round team effort as the batsmen and fielders rose to the occasion when required. The final was a case in point. The Indians fielded like tigers and a bowler gets a massive boost when his mates chase every ball to stop runs.

The fact that Kumar Sangakkara said Sri Lanka needed at least 350-370 runs to beat India underlines the solidity of India ‘s batting. I had written in my preview Virender Sehwag was due for a big one, but the way the Indian top order came good having lost Sehwag and Tendulkar cheaply, was just amazing.

Gautam Gambhir and young Virat Kohli played crucial knocks under pressure and this is a lesson for batsmen like Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shahzad in Pakistan . But, if there was one man who took the game by the scruff of its neck, it was Mahendra Singh Dhoni. His decision to bat at No. 5 was not only wise, but it also spoke about his mindset as a captain.

Dhoni, not the most beautiful batsman in the world, used his batting skills to telling effect. He not only grafted runs, he kept the pressure on Gambhir to run quick singles and convert singles into twos. Dhoni’s calmness in the middle was something to note. The situation never got the better of him. That’s the hallmark of a good captain. This is what I saw in Imran Khan, a man who soaked pressure and kept things simple in complex situations. Dhoni is not far away from Imran.

The latest ICC rankings are out and India are still No. 2 in the ODI list. Australia may lead the table with a seven-point cushion over India , but that’s all for the record books. According to me, India today is what Australia used to be three years ago: a great team with positive attitude and a hunger to excel every time they go out in the middle.

While I am happy that Australia ‘s monopoly has been shattered, I will still not say this is the start of Asian domination in world cricket. The more India , Pakistan and Sri Lanka win overseas, the belief will get stronger. All three teams are capable to play on quick and bouncy tracks and although this is too early to predict, at least two among India , Pakistan and Sri Lanka will surely make the semifinals of the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand !

India certainly owe a big thank you to Gary Kirsten. The South African has been a calming influence on the team and if the young guns like Yuvraj, Kohli and Gambhir lifted the coach on their shoulders, it was to tell Kirsten that he was loved and respected in the dressing room. The advantage of having a foreign coach is now clear: no politicking in the dressing room, cricket is the only goal.

Before I conclude, let me salute two of the greatest in the game: Sachin and Murali. The Sri Lankan office has bid farewell at the right juncture of his life. He has proved what cricket gives you when you try your best. We will miss him. For Sachin, sky is the limit. So good luck, Little Master!

Courtesy: www.espnstar.com

This cricket calendar can be really strenuous. It’s only been a week the World Cup fever has ended and the Indian Premier League is upon us. Playing professional cricket these days is not only a test of your body but the mind as well. I am sure most of our modern cricketers know how to strike a balance.

The Indian players will be surely tired after their World Cup win. All the accolades and public appearances can be tiring but playing cricket and performing consistently will always be central. After their Cup success, all the Indian players will be hungry to do well in the IPL and live up to their reputation. This will ensure the T20 league produces quality cricket. An IPL win is equally important.

Obviously as their bowling consultant, I want Kolkata Knight Riders to do well this season. On paper, our team is good and we have an excellent leader in Gautam Gambhir. I feel the Delhi lad is a very humble guy, leads from the front and has got a good cricketing brain. He has to play a great role this year for us.

We will surely benefit from the experience of South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis. He, according to me, is the No.1 all-rounder in the history of cricket. England middle-order batsman Eoin Morgan is also very handy in this format.

Young players like Manoj Tiwari and Netherlands star Ryan ten Doeschate are also a big plus. I will be keenly watching the Dutchman as his all-round abilities during the ICC Cricket World Cup excited me. Brett Lee and Shakib Al-Hasan will not be there for a couple of games, but are prized catches for us. The side looks good and the dressing room is very calm as they all want to do well. Things are moving in the right direction. It’s a long tournament so we should stick together as a team. Teamwork will be crucial.

Having said that, definitely we are going to miss Sourav Ganguly but I believe it’s time for him to move on. The owners wanted a new team as the side was unchanged for three years. But obviously Dada will be with us all the way. It’s his team and his city. He is a good friend of mine and we will miss him, for sure.

Trying to assess all the other teams in the tournament is a near-impossible task. If cricket is a funny game, then T20 is funnier. It is very difficult to predict in the shortest format which is the best side. Teams like Kochi and Pune are new arrivals, so you can’t really take them for granted.

It is also very difficult to predict the favourites for this 51-day long competition but I think the team that gels well will do well. KKR have a number of all-rounders and our batting depth is till No.9 so that’s a combination that I feel might work. But at the end of the day the team that plays well as a unit will do well and every team is dangerous on a particular day.

In T20 cricket, even the average players look good. In this format your weaknesses do not get highlighted as much as they do in ODIs and Test cricket. You can’t plan much in the middle of a match. Before you try and make something happen the match is over. Team players should support each other especially when things are not working in your favour. So, keep your cool, enjoy the game and let the fans have fun too.

Courtesy: www.espnstar.com