India Winning Start for Asian Cup -2014

After flounder in South Africa and New Zealand, India returned to their relieve zone the slow, low wickets of Asia. A match with the Asia Cup Series hosts was just the confidence-boosting workout India needed after being routed in South Africa and New Zealand. India Captain Kohli led the plan with a near-perfect 139 while adding a match-winning 213 runs for the 3rd wicket with Ajinkya Rahane (73), as India chase down 280 with an over to spare.

The score was set up by Mushfiqur Rahim’s excellent 117 and his 133-run stand with the wicket keeping opener Anamul Haque, who made a stroke-filled 77 taking the attack to India’s bowlers.

CAPTAIN’S Rocks

the pitch at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium was as slow, low. There was no turn, no seam movement, just a hint of swing that irregularly caused deliveries to move sharply, but enough to considerably trouble batsmen.

Mohammad Shami (4 for 50) produced edges off the bat that flew through vacancies in the slips. Bangladesh could easily have been 50-5 had India grabbed those chances. Yet, Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar ensured a miserly start (36-1 in 10 overs) that you no longer associate with Indian bowlers. It helped that the opponent posed a lesser challenge.

Despite these theatrics, Anamul Haque went after Ashwin and Aaron in a fast ride to 50 runs. Aaron had a terrible day. Welcomed to the crease with 2 boundaries, he continued to bleed runs through the day. Anamul swung him for 2 sixes over long-on. Mushfiqur then hit the shot of the day – an easy pick-up over midwicket for six in an over that went for 19.

Aaron followed that six with a beamer to the Bangladesh captain who took it completely on the ribs. It was Aaron’s second waist-high full-toss of the day and he had to be taken off. Just to round off a bad day, Aaron hurt himself going for the catch that dismissed Ziaur Rahman.

Anamul slowed down after his fifty while Mushfiqur started to speed up. Their 133-run stand was full of clean hits: down the ground, through the covers, over the leg-side arc. But it always gave the feeling it wasn’t going to be enough.

Bangladesh-279/7(50)

M Rahim (C, †)-117(113)

A Haque -77(106)

India-283/4(49)

V Kohli (C)-136(122)

A Rahane -73(83)

India Won the Match by Six Wickets

Men of the match-Virat Kohli (India)

Gavaskar tells Dhoni take a break

NEW DELHI: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has called for the present captain MS Dhoni to take a break from helming the side in all 3 formats and named the young batsmen Virat Kohli as a likely replacement.

It's still early days as far as 2015 World Cup is worried but I think that a break in captaincy will do wonder for MS.Dhoni. I am not saying that it has to happen during the middle of a series but may be after the Australia series or later part of 2013. We need to have a look at that, Gavaskar said.

The break might be an unpaid one or an enforced break. But he needs time to reflect on his game and come back in a better way. I am very impressed in the manner he remnants cool and unlike other skipper doesn't clap and all but a little break won't be bad. Captain India is a high freedom but the demands and pressures that come with it are incredible, he added.

Gavaskar went a step further, likening the 24-year-old Kohli to the deceased Mansur Ali Khan – India’s youngest Test captain at 21 – saying the Delhi batsman could bring the flair of Tiger Pated in his captaincy.

I could be wrong but Virat Kohli might bring the flair of Tiger Pated in his captaincy. If he knows that he will be appointed for long term, he has the dynamism, the aggression, panache and class. I like all about him apart from his mouthing abuses when he reaches a highlight. I don't want him to change something else as he can bring a lot of dynamism.

Asked if Dhoni was good enough to justify a place on the team as only a player, Gavaskar answered, Why not? He can be part of the team for the next couple of years as he is a match-winner.

The veteran Indian opener was of the opinion that an Indian should coach the national team, now that Duncan Fletcher's contract was unlikely to be changed after the Australia series. He also hinted that the man in the hot seat should be a former cricketer with vast experience.

I would like it to be an Indian coach or somebody who is like Gary Kirsten. Kirsten had scored lots of runs in ODI and Tests and bring along a sure work ethic as he had done it all. If you have a winner cricketer, he can help you get better.