India-West Indies T20Is in Florida could face logistical issues

The plan to conduct a three-match Twenty20 International series between India and West Indies at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida, where a six-day stint of the Caribbean Premier League 2016 is going on, in late August could run into logistical issues pertaining to dates and visa procurement.

The two cricket boards are reportedly eager to have the three fixtures between August 24 and 27, the only four dates when the stadium in Florida will be available.

According to a report on ESPNCricinfo, officials from both the boards are in Florida, holding a series of talks to arrive at a solution. The Indian team's current four-Test assignment in West Indies runs till August 22. The two cricket boards are reportedly eager to have the three fixtures between August 24 and 27, the only four dates when the Florida stadium will be available.

With very little time after the end of the Tests in West Indies, it could be tough for the two teams to get necessary visas on time. The stadium in Florida is also the home ground of Fort Lauderdale Strikers, the football team that plays in North American Soccer League, the second division in league soccer in the United States America. The Strikers' schedule begins from August 31 at home, narrowing the chances of playing the T20I series towards the end of the month.

There will be feasibility issues in September as well, as India's long home season kick-starts with a Test series against New Zealand, from September 22.

Kohli-Kumble partnership starts off on emphatic note

If ever you had to make a statement in your very first game, then this would definitely be it.

A big knock from the captain. A fighting fifty from a player struggling for form. A very successful experiment. Pacers taking wickets. Spinners taking wickets. Fielders holding on to tough chances.

It was the perfect game for Anil Kumble in his first ever game as the coach of the Indian team.

The former India captain was only recently appointed the head coach of the national side. Soon after, the practice sessions were in place, the plans detailed and the players picked. The team spoke highly of their new coach, and he returned the favour. It was the start of an exciting new era for the side, but the actual test was yet to begin.

India had a massive Test season coming up, starting with four Tests in the West Indies - a considerably weakened team, but against whom India had never managed to win more than once in a series.

In Antigua, India showed they meant business. They were here to win of course, and as expected they showcased the gulf in class between the two teams. But what was more important was for the team to win the kind of way they wanted to.

Kumble had mentioned that his main motive as coach will be to ensure that "all areas are covered - skill-wise, fitness-wise, strategy-wise - and prepare them so that they are able to go out there and assess any situation on their own."

With a record innings and 92-run triumph, the team underlined that all the areas were indeed covered.

"If you look at it logically, that's probably the perfect finish which every team looks for," Kohli said after the win on Sunday (July 24). "The seamers usually dominate the first innings when you play away from home. The wicket tires out on day four and five. That's when the spinners come into play. In the first innings, spinners are taking couple of the breakthrough wickets. In the second innings, fast bowlers are doing this for you and then the spinners will open it up again.

"And the batsmen as well," he continued. "We have spoken about one thing, that we have the skill and ability to declare innings more often than not rather than struggling to get to 350 with our lower order. So that's the kind of mindset we need to play with. You know when you start off with five batsmen, obviously you need to take more responsibilities. I think they are all good enough to do that."

While the previous Indian sides were more content with having put in the right process, the Kohli-Kumble partnership has stressed on the results that need to be delivered. 'Learning curve' was something that had been stressed on a lot previously, but the current think-tank believes that the players who come to play for the national team are capable of delivering what is expected of them. That comes as a refreshing and much-needed change.

"As I've said before, we are not at a stage now where we need to come and improve. We should be ready enough in international cricket to start dominating Test matches and win those crucial situations and sessions. That's how we become a better team. If you think we are going to keep learning every series, learning every game, we will never get that hunger and that mindset to win games from difficult situations. We need to challenge ourselves a little bit, which this team has been willing to do and which is a wonderful sign," said Kohli.

But matching expectations could lead to complacency. When you get almost everything you want, it can be the easiest option - to put your feet up, tell everyone how well they've played and look forward to the next stint. But under Kumble and Kohli, things work differently. They want to ensure whatever little that didn't pan out isn't left to chance in the future.

"There was nothing out of the ordinary," Kohli said about how Kumble reacted to the win. "Having played for so long, I think he understands how the players feel about a victory. He congratulated everyone and gave special mention to the guys who made important contributions in the game. Might not be seen too much but those important breakthroughs, important moments are very crucial for the team to win. He understands that very nicely. It's a great start for him.

"It's all about creating good habits. It's very easy to give runs away easily, then you don't realise that you make bad habits along the way. You suddenly find out eventually when there's a very important moment in the game.

"I think a couple or areas with the bat we can improve especially is not losing wickets close to the breaks. Pujara was one, Shikhar was the other, just before tea and then myself soon after lunch on Day 2.See, these are the things, which if we have enough runs on the board and start scoring quickly, you tend to ignore. But I have that it in my mind pretty strongly, because every team will want to challenge you and will want to dry those runs out. So you have to capitalise those important moments so the team can't lose that momentum and start scoring runs again. We've lost wickets in those moments previously. That's one area I still think need to tighten up a little bit more if you want to be in complete control of things in all the sessions that we play. We've done really well in this game, but that's one area we have addressed before and we certainly want to improve on," Kohli added.

The attention to detail can only mean good things for Indian cricket and if the plans and execution can pan out this well, India will very soon be the team they want to be.

India in driver’s seat as West Indies follow on

A dominant India left West Indies staring at a possible innings defeat after they were bundled out for 243 to give the visitors a huge first-innings lead of 323 runs in the first cricket Test here today.
India enforced the follow-on after bowling out West Indies in the final session of day three in 90.2 overs.

At the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the hosts were placed at 21/1 (13 overs) at stumps in their second innings, still trailing by 302 runs after the visitors had finished their first innings at 566/8 declared.
Returning from a one and a half year injury layoff, Mohammad Shami (4-66) had done the damage before tea, and Umesh Yadav (4-41) continued afterwards, as the hosts were bowled out with 13 overs remaining in the day. But that was after Shane Dowrich (57 not out, 10 fours) and skipper Jason Holder (36) put on 69 runs for the 8th wicket.

They looked good in the middle and kept the scoreboard ticking for the duration of their partnership, with the West Indies’ 200-mark coming up in the 81st over and their 50-run stand coming off 80 balls.

The new ball was taken thereafter, with R Ashwin (0-43) starting but he soon gave way to Yadav and Shami. Dowrich meanwhile got to his 2nd Test half-century off 75 balls, even as runs started flowing owing to the hardness of the new ball.

But it didn’t last long as Yadav finally induced an edge off Holder in the 86th over, caught behind by keeper Wriddhiman Saha. It was his sixth dismissal of the innings and he equalled the Indian record held by both Farokh Engineer and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Yadav then bowled Carlos Brathwaite (0) off the very first ball, as the burly batsman shouldered arms to an incoming delivery. Amit Mishra (2-43) then ended the resistance and bowled Shannon Gabriel (2).

Trailing by 323 runs, the West Indies were asked to follow on, and Ishant Sharma (1-3) managed to remove the in-form Kraigg Brathwaite (2) in the very first over, trapping him LBW. Thereafter, Rajendra Chandrika (9 batting) and Darren Bravo (10 batting) successfully negotiated the remaining overs without further loss.

Earlier, post lunch, it was an improved display by the Indian bowlers who looked to change their line and length from the morning. And the change could be seen almost immediately as Shami started proceedings after the break. He kept both Brathwaite (74 runs) and Marlon Samuels (1) guessing, inducing an edge off the latter in the 49th over.

Four deliveries later, it became a double blow, as Jermaine Blackwood (0) was unable to fend off a sharp rising delivery and was caught at gully by Ajinkya Rahane.

Mohammed Shami turns the screw on West Indies

Virat Kohli has spoken about his admiration for Mohammed Shami's bowling abilities a couple of times already. The Indian captain sees Shami as the perfect bowler in Tests, one who can stick to plans and prise out wickets when needed. From the way the ball is release to where it is pitched and to what it does after, Shami's bowling displays, so it seems, have left Kohli in awe.

"He is a gun bowler, the areas he hits is what you need in Test cricket the attacking lengths and he has the ability to get batsmen out at any stage of the game which is very pleasing in test cricket and important for a captain. So, Shami being back in the side obviously gives us a lot of options. The guy can bowl with the new and old ball, reverse swing, he can come round the wicket, use bouncers and use his space well. I think as a fast bowler he is a complete package," Kohli had said of Shami.

On Saturday (July 23), the pacer gave his captain more reasons to be proud of his 'gun' bowler. Shami removed three West Indies batsmen in addition to the one he had already dismissed last evening.

Rajendra Chandrika and Kraigg Brathwaite were dogged during their opening stand, playing cautiously and trying to ensure they gave India no reasons for cheer late in the day. After Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav failed to make an impact, Kohli turned to Shami. And in three overs, the pacer had got Chandrika to edge behind.

The next morning, Shami was not as successful even though he did most things right. Nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo survived quite a few close calls, but was eventually dismissed by Amit Mishra.

When the next partnership between Kraigg and Darren Bravo was starting to flourish, Kohli turned to Shami again. And yet again, Shami delivered. Heimmediatelyswitched to around the wicket when Bravo came on strike. It was the third ball of his new spell, and Shami had Bravo walking back to the pavilion.

Soon after the Lunch break, Shami was into his element. He had Marlon Samuels out cheaply. It was his 50th Test wicket, and he became the joint-fastest Indian pacer (24 Innings) to get there. Shami celebrated that achievement with another superb delivery, getting Jermaine Blackwood out for a duck. It was his fourth wicket of the innings, and the hosts were in complete disarray.

On the kind of pitch where bowlers have really struggled, Shami was prospering. No wonder Kohli is all praise for him. As he demonstrated today, Shami understands how to alter his plans according to the pitch. He plugged away outside the off-stump and reaped rewards. He hit the nagging length consistently and made it hard for batsmen to score. And when the pitch did offer some help, he ensured it was in the kind of area to trouble the batsmen.

Shami's abilities to do just this was also noted by the Indian captain.

"Shami is obviously a really skillful guy, we all know that. He has a lot of ability with the ball, the way he bowls, the way the ball is released, where he pitches the ball - it is more or less perfect for Test cricket. The lines and the lengths he bowls are always attacking, no matter what the wicket is. And the best thing about him is that if it is seaming and it is swinging, he will bowl you the conventional lines and lengths but if it is reverse-swinging, he knows exactly where to bring in the ball from. He has a great sense and a feel of how to get batsmen out," Kohli had said in Bengaluru before the team's departure.

Umesh Yadav, who picked up four wickets on Day 3, speaking about Shami at the post-day press conference, waxed lyrical about his pace partner. He said there was no need for him to "light a lamp in the dark" as far as Shami is concerned.

"He is a natural bowler. He is a smart bowler and he has inswing, outswing, a good bouncer. He is a complete bowler and I don't think there is a need to even compliment him. He is a very talented bowler," Umesh said.

Much of the showers of praise for Shami have come from even before he bowled his first ball in Antigua. Now with the kind of performance he put in on Saturday, it is only bound to increase.

The Indian team is excited, and understandably, about having a fit Shami back in the side, and he's starting to show why.

Virat Kohli double and Ashwin ton India on top in Antigua

Virat Kohli fell shortly after scoring his first ever double hundred as the Indian Test skipper was dismissed by Gabriel first ball after Lunch. Batting on 200, Kohli was bowled by the seamer. It was the skipper’s session as he, along with Ashwin, piled on the runs in the opening session of the day’s play. The duo swelled the total to 404/4 from the overnight total of 302/4.

West Indies looked a tired lot with the ball as they failed to create chances with the new ball in the morning session. The shoulders were dropping as the Indian pair continued to pile on the runs, at a very brisk pace in Antigua. While the focus remained on Kohli, Ashwin quietly went about doing business as he scored a crucial fifty, and then a hundred, in the process. He also shared a record 168-run fifth-wicket stand with the skipper at this venue. Celebrations were in plenty as one and all raised from their seats to applaud Kohli’s effort. Kumble was out with his camera while Viv Richards was all smiles from the stands. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar too was very pleased from the commentary box. After declaring at 566/8, India reduced hosts to 31/1 at stumps.

West Indies, in reply to India's 566/8 (decl), end the day's play at 31/1. Mohammed Shami picked the only hosts wicket to fall on the day.

With maiden double hundred Virat Kohli joins league of extraordinary gentlemen

Run-machine Virat Kohli reached yet another career-milestone in the Antigua Test on Friday when he slammed his first double hundred in international cricket.

India skipper Virat Kohli reached a significant career milestone on Friday as he scored his maiden double century in Test cricket during Day 2 of the first Test against West Indies at Antigua. In the process he broke Mohammad Azharuddin's 26-year-old record to become the first Indian captain to score a double hundred overseas. Azhar's 192 against New Zealand in Auckland in 1990 was the previous best by an Indian captain outside the country.

Kohli's previous highest score in Tests was 169 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2014. The right-hander is in the form of his life at present and is leading India for the first time in a Test series in the Caribbean. Notably, Kohli had made his Test debut in the West Indies five years back but had failed to make a mark then, averaging just 15.20 in five innings.

Kohli got to the milestone in 281 balls, looked upwards to thank the almighty and raised his bat towards the Indian dressing room. He got to the mark with the help of 24 boundaries and at a strike rate of 71.

Kohli, however, paid the price for a brief period of lapse of concentration. The skipper played on a delivery from Shannon Gabriel right after the lunch break to walk back without adding anything to his score. Kohli had hit 24 boundaries in his gutsy innings. Ashwin carried on from where Kohli left and helped India declare on 566/8 after which Mohammed Shami drew first blood to reduce West Indies to 31/1 at stumps on Day 1.
The 27-year-old has put India in the driver's seat in the first Test, thanks to his magnificent knock. Kohli also completed 3000 runsin Test cricket during his knock on the first day.

Kohli has been a part of two century stands during his innings and received good support from his teammates in the middle. He first stitched a 105-run partnership with opener Shikhar Dhawan (84) for the third wicket and then added 168-runs with all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin (64 not out) for the fifth wicket.

Kohli, who made his international debut in an ODI against Sri Lanka at Dambulla in 2008, is now eighth in the list of most international runs scored by an Indian cricketer. He has amassed 7212 runs in 171 ODIs and 1641 runs in 43 T20 matches, along with over 3000 runs in Test cricket.