Prakash Govindasreenivasan

Ravichandran Ashwin’s batting prowess reaffirms need for multi-dimensional players in modern-day cricket

In modern day cricket, unidimensional players have taken a beating. The impact of the growing need for a cricketer to put in an all-round effort has been adverse on the bowlers. Not many in today’s competitive cricket can get away by just doing the job for their skipper with the ball. To put it in management terms, if you can’t multitask, even above average skill levels may not suffice in retaining your spot in the organisation.

09 November 2013 •2:04 PM

Ravichandran Ashwin can now be termed as a bowling all-rounder

Before the start of the two-match Test series against the West Indies, every iota of Ravichandran Ashwin’s energy would have been spent in devising ways to add eight wickets to his tally and enter the 100-wicket club. However, on Day Two of the first Test at Eden Gardens, Ashwin emerged as an able ally to Rohit Sharma, adding an unbeaten stand of 198 runs for the seventh wicket. On Day Three, he completed his second Test century.

08 November 2013 •10:33 AM

Bangladesh’s impressive show over New Zealand could be a sign of things to come

Often considered as the most dangerous minnows, Bangladesh have yet again showed their ability to challenge a stronger Test playing nation in the longest form of the game and got the better of them in the One-Day International (ODI) series. Prakash Govindasreenivasan looks back at their successful home series against New Zealand and wonders if it is a sign of things to come.

07 November 2013 •4:30 PM

India vs West Indies 2013: Umesh Yadav’s chance to get back into scheme of things

Even as Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) go overboard with their tributes and celebrations for Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell series, it is imperative to note that these two Tests could give fast bowler Umesh Yadav a chance to get back into the scheme of things. Prakash Govindasreenivasan has more.

05 November 2013 •4:18 PM

Indian batsmen face real test in South Africa

If cricket was a mere video game, then the Indian batsmen have been enjoying life at the 'semi-pro’ difficulty level which is bound to continue as India host the West Indies. However, the moment they set foot on South African soil, equations will change, escalating the difficulty two levels higher. Indian batsmen will face the real music only when they take on the famed South African pace battery in the three One-Day Internationals (ODIs).

04 November 2013 •2:34 PM

India vs Australia 2013: Did Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina cross the line by mocking Shane Watson’s injury?

Even as the Indian team registered a 57-run win to clinch the seven-match One-Day International (ODI) series 3-2 against Australia in Bangalore, a couple of on-field antics that could have easily been avoided, will be hard to ignore. In the name of sledging and unsettling the opponent, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina treaded a path they shouldn’t have, when they mocked Shane Watson’s hamstring pull during the latter’s batting. Prakash Govindasreenivasan questions whether the continued success is giving unnecessary liberties to the current 'young brigade’ and if the Indian duo were guilty of crossing the line.

03 November 2013 •10:18 AM

South Africa need to bridge quality gap between Tests and limited-overs cricket

In Tests, the current South African side is perhaps the most feared one. With all areas of the game well-covered, it hardly comes as a surprise that they hold the Test Champions’ mace. However, add colour to their kits and the dominance fades away a little. Prakash Govindasreenivasan talks about South Africa’s need to bridge that gap and show consistency in all forms of the game.

02 November 2013 •2:40 PM

Akram Khan: One of Bangladesh cricket’s earliest heroes

Born on November 1,1968, Mohammad Akram Hussain Khan is a former Bangladesh skipper in the second half of the 1990s who was at the helm when the national side transitioned from being an associate to a full member of the ICC, registered their first ever win in One-Day Internationals (ODI) and qualified for the World Cup 1999. Prakash Govindasreenivasan has more.

01 November 2013 •5:18 PM

Pakistan Cricket Team: A reporter’s nightmare

It must have been a calm, sedate evening for most reporters on October 30 who were covering the South Africa-Pakistan game. While India and Australia were busy in a closely-contested scuffle in a high-scoring match, Pakistan had a straightforward chase ahead of them.

31 October 2013 •6:02 PM

Greg Blewett: Dawn of hope, dusk of despair

Born on October 29, 1971, Greg Scott Blewett was a consistent and reliable top-order Australian batsman in the second-half of 1990s. He also bowled decent medium pace and earned the reputation of a partnership-breaker in Tests. Prakash Govindasreenivasan has more.

30 October 2013 •11:35 PM

Australia 2.0: Young and silent performers replace intimidating superstars

George Bailey’s Australia is a squad full of young, silent performers. Gone are the days when a spin wizard in Shane Warne and a disciplined, accurate fast bowler in Glenn McGrath, a quick, lethal pacer in Brett Lee and an in-your-face skipper in Ricky Ponting, who were all over their opposition irrespective of the situation in a match. It’s time Australia brace themselves as a team capable of carrying out a calmer demeanour and still reach the highs of the previous era. Prakash Govindasreenivasan has more.

29 October 2013 •12:25 PM

Glenn Maxwell: The ‘million dollar baby’ starting to look worth the money

Australia’s 25-year-old Glenn James Maxwell wouldn’t have even imagined what was about to come his way at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions in 2013. Till that point in time, Maxwell was taking baby steps in his international career. He got a half-century in only his second One-Day International (ODI) in 2012 and found himself on the plane to Sri Lanka for the ICC World T20 2012

27 October 2013 •4:09 PM

Russel Arnold: A hard-working utility player in the Sri Lankan ranks

The Sri Lankan ODI specialist.

25 October 2013 •6:25 PM

India tour of South Africa 2013 may not live up to the initial hype

Not long ago, India’s tour of South Africa 2013 was the most anticipated series. The idea of watching Sachin Tendulkar negotiate fiery spells from Dale Steyn gave fans a reason to smile and look forward to what most call 'the real cricket.’ All of a sudden, the series now looks a pale version of what it could have been. Tendulkar has decided to call time ahead of the tour and the prolonged discussions between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) have led to a shorter schedule. Prakash Govindasreenivasan argues why the series will not be as exciting as it could have been.

23 October 2013 •2:20 PM

Sri Lanka beat West Indies to win the 1995 Singer Champions Trophy in Sharjah

On October 20, 1995, Sri Lanka registered a comfortable 50-run victory over the West Indies to win the Singer Champions Trophy 1995. On a day when nothing was going right for Richie Richardson’s West Indies, Sri Lanka’s top three batsmen and Muttiah Muralitharan took their team to a commanding win. Prakash Govindasreenivasan has more.

20 October 2013 •2:46 PM

Sachin Tendulkar retirement: A farewell like never before

As Sachin Tendulkar gears up to take the field for the final two Tests of his 24-year long career, a majority of fans in the country will start running helter-skelter to get their hands on tickets. The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) big wigs will take the best seats in the house, veteran cricketers will make their presence felt with heartfelt tributes and interesting anecdotes and thousands will occupy the stands in the hope to experience the epilogue of Tendulkar’s well-documented and vastly celebrated international career.

19 October 2013 •9:03 AM

Rohit Sharma’s roller coaster India career inching towards stability

When American musician and Television presenter Pete Waterman said that "Everybody likes a roller coaster ride," he probably did not keep in mind the agony of an average cricket fan, especially those group of people who tend to put their faith behind a certain Rohit Sharma.

17 October 2013 •8:25 AM

When the Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis show was witnessed for the first time in Test cricket in 1990

On October 15, 1990, Pakistan registered a massive innings and 43-run victory over New Zealand in the first of the three-match Test series at Karachi. Pakistan’s celebrated pace duo of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis proved why they can be devastating together for the first time. Prakash Govindasreenivasan has more.

15 October 2013 •2:57 PM

India vs Australia 2013: Best plays from 1st ODI at Pune

George Bailey’s Australia fired the first salvo in the seven-match series against India with a 72-win over the hosts at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. Prakash Govindasreenivasan lists down five of the best plays from the game.

14 October 2013 •8:25 AM

All-round Australia register 72-run win over India in 1st ODI

George Bailey's Australia fired the opening salvo in the seven-match One-Day International (ODI) series against India with 72-run win over India in the first game at Pune. With an all-round performance, the visitors took a 1-0 lead over the hosts.

13 October 2013 •9:02 PM

News By Prakash Govindasreenivasan