Suresh Raina will captain the side in the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli

Robin Uthappa was recalled to the Indian team on Wednesday (May 28) for the three-match One-Day International series in Bangladesh, beginning in Mirpur on June 15.

In the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli, both of who have been rested keeping in mind the hectic season ahead, Suresh Raina has been named captain of the side.

The 15-man squad wears a vastly different look from the one that visited the same part of the world for the Asia Cup in February-March. Raina, who was dropped for that tournament, and Uthappa lead those making their comebacks.

Uthappa made a case for himself with ten straight 40-plus scores in IPL 7 for Kolkata Knight Riders, on the back of a stellar domestic season.

Others that have made it in to the side are Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Akshar Patel, Parveez Rasool, Wriddhiman Saha, R Vinay Kumar and Mohit Sharma, all of who have been impressive at various stages of the 2014 season of the IPL.

Rested from the Asia Cup squad, apart from Dhoni and Kohli are Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Varun Aaron and Ishwar Pandey.

Squad for ODI series in Bangladesh: Suresh Raina (capt), Robin Uthappa, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ambati Rayudu, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Wriddhiman Saha, Parveez Rasool, Akshar Patel, R Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Stuart Binny, Mohit Sharma, Amit Mishra.

source: http://www.icc-cricket.com / International Cricket Council / Home> News / May 28th, 2014

New Delhi :

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Tuesday announced a cash reward of Rs. 40 lakh for the women’s team that created history by winning the maiden bronze medal in the just concluded Uber Cup.

It was the first podium finish by India in the prestigious biennial event by qualifying for the semifinals where they lost to silver medallists Japan. China defended their title successfully by clinching the gold Saturday.

“The women’s team has made us proud with the way they played last week. The BAI is providing the best facilities to the players to perform on the international stage and the cash prize is just a part of our commitment towards the players,” BAI president Akhilesh Das Gupta said.

The chief architects of India’s performance — captain Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa — will receive cash rewards of Rs.5 lakh each while the remaining amount will be distributed among the other players and staff members.

The BAI also announced a separate Rs.10 lakh reward for chief coach Pullela Gopichand for being honoured with the Padma Bhushan earlier in the year by the Indian government.

Meanwhile, Das Gupta also rubbished reports about the possible appointment of Danish legend Morten Frost as the coach of the Indian team adding that he had full faith in former All-England champion Gopichand.

“Gopichand has been doing a fantastic job as head coach and we have full faith in his abilities to take India ahead on the international scene. The BAI is only looking for a specialised doubles coach which has been a weak link for the country in team events,” said the president.

“However, we haven’t zeroed down on any specific names for the same. Whosoever is appointed, will be working directly under head coach Gopichand.”

source:http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> Badminton / IANS / May 27th, 2014

The resurgence of Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL after a tumultuous start to the Indian leg and an equally abysmal period in the Arab Emirates prior to that has been nothing less than spectacular. With the spinners turning it in their favor and Gautam Gambhir discovering form, it has been a promising comeback from the Knights. One of the foremost reasons behind these 4 consecutive wins has been the consistency of another man who has been striking gold ever since he began to open the batting for the Kolkata franchise.

The current IPL season has been a revelation for Robin Uthappa, who had done very little to impress the selectors in the last 5 years. Now given the opportunity of opening the batting with Gambhir, Uthappa seems determined to flick, cut and drive his way towards the Indian dressing room.

His smart exhibition of intelligent batsmanship and prudent shot selection has impressed all and sundry. His calm demeanor has been evident in the way he has handled pressure. In spite of wickets tumbling at the other end, Uthappa hasn’t compromised with his consistency and has almost always abided by the verified technicalities of the game, thereby offering very sparse chances to the opponents to claim his wicket.

The right-hander from Coorg had been one of the finest exponents of limited aggression during his tenure with the national team. However, as rough patches continued to haunt his career on an alarmingly frequent basis, he found himself ousted from the team in 2008 even before having debuted in Tests.

For the next few years Uthappa lagged behind while the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina consolidated their places in the Indian team. The appetite for returning to the field in national colors persuaded him to hire a personal coach and work on his technique.

He worked on his fitness, embraced various alterations in his initial movements and footwork and ensured a constructive influence of former India batsman Pravin Amre. The latter’s advice revitalized his aggressive approach and aided his renaissance in the domestic circuit.

During the Ranji Trophy, he managed to accumulate 374 runs in five matches regardless of recurring hamstring injuries as his state team went on to win the title. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he remained uniformly fluent while scoring 536 runs in eight matches and steering Karnataka to a historic domestic double.

He appears to have carried that form into the IPL as he continues to score effortlessly, flicking and driving on both the flanks even on slow and low wickets like Cuttack. In 11 matches so far, Uthappa has already garnered 422 runs at a remarkable average of 38.36 and is the leading run-scorer in the tournament behind Glenn Maxwell and Dwayne Smith. He has scored three half-centuries in the current season with the highest of 80 off 52 balls against Mumbai Indians and certainly looks well set for more.

Initially, KKR had opted for the tried-and-tested combination of Jacques Kallis and Gautam Gambhir at the top, thereby relegating Uthappa to the middle and lower middle order. However, a succession of pathetic performances by the apparently shallow batting order urged the Knights to assess their resources, the consequence of which promoted Uthappa to the top order.

The meticulously calculated maneuver earned rich dividends as the Gambhir-Uthappa pair put on four consecutive 50-run stands that allowed KKR back into the reckoning for a spot in the play-offs. Even when Gambhir failed to light the sparks, Uthappa continued to hold up the other end time and again.

An unruffled disposition and a penchant for scoring off the leg finds him ideally suited for the opener’s slot. Wristy surgical drives may elude him, but Uthappa’s precision and technical excellence makes him an artist of the finest caliber. While his masterful execution makes cricket look simple and elegant, it’s his temperament that defines his game.

It may appear premature to conclude, but Robin Uthappa may well be on route to script a mesmerizing comeback in national colors. With opening woes continuing to haunt the Indian team, Uthappa may be the man to offer the selectors much-needed respite. What remains to be seen is whether the timing of his peaking has been as immaculate and rewarding as that of his on-field strokes.

source: http://www.sportskeeda.com / SportsKeeda / Home> Opinion> Cricket> IPL / Ishan Sen – Cricket Analyst (Senior Correspondent) / May 19th, 2014

Kolkata Knight Riders’ Robin Uthappa starred as Mumbai Indians’ hopes of defending their Indian Premier League title received another blow.

With only four matches remaining, Mumbai languish second from bottom in the table, four points adrift of the top-four spot that would see them qualify for the play-offs and a chance to retain the crown they won 12 months ago.

Occupying that fourth spot are their opponents on Wednesday, who were grateful to a sublime 80 from opening batsman Uthappa as they eased to a victory target of 142 with six wickets and eight balls to spare.

After winning the toss in Cuttack, Kolkata skipper Gautam Gambhir opted to field and he was rewarded early on when Chidhambaram Gautam was caught at cover off the bowling of Morne Morkel (2-35) for eight in the third over.

Lendl Simmons (12) followed soon afterwards, bowled after aiming an ugly swipe at Shakib Al Hasan.

The Bangladeshi went on to record figures of 1-21 from his four overs as he and spin partner Sunil Narine kept the Mumbai total in check.

Narine was even more economical, taking 1-18 from his four, including the prize scalp of Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma.

Rohit, badly dropped at long on by Yusuf Pathan when on 11, played patiently for his 51 from 45 balls, before attempting an unorthodox paddle shot against the West Indian and seeing the ball crash into his stumps.

Uthappa and Gambhir got the reply off to a strong start, looking untroubled in reaching a stand of 50 before the skipper chopped a Harbhajan Singh delivery onto his stumps to depart for 14.

Harbhajan also accounted for Manish Pandey (14) in the same manner on his way to taking 2-22, but by then the hosts were looking in control at 96-2 with almost six overs remaining and Uthappa well-set on 64.

In the next over, the wicketkeeper-batsman took the game further away from Mumbai, driving Simmons for consecutive sixes over the off side, before the West Indian had the final say, cleaning up Uthappa as he looked for another expansive stroke.

It did little to disrupt Kolkata’s charge to victory, Pathan pulling Lasith Malinga (1-30) to the fence to finish 20 not out and seal a comfortable win for the Knight Riders, while Mumbai’s hopes of play-off qualification are looking increasingly in danger.

source: http://www.sportal.co.nz / Sportal / Home> Cricket / by Sportal / May 15th, 2014