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Rajasthan Royals

Home grown: Key to Rajasthan’s fortunes are how well their domestic players, such as Swapnil Asnodkar, perform•Associated Press

No other team will be as thankful for the IPL’s return to India as Rajasthan Royals. Back on flat pitches and facing low bounce, the likes of Yusuf Pathan and Swapnil Asnodkar become major weapons again. Then there are the Shanes, Warne for the entire season, and Watson for the later half. Also there is the home crowd that took to this Cinderella XI in the inaugural season. For a while now, Warne has been talking about how the inaugural IPL was the best cricketing time of his life, and how the home support was “amazing”.From March 13 onwards they will be in familiar territory: in India, and underdogs after their lukewarm performance in South Africa. And once again they will want considerable contribution from their Indian players, the cornerstone of their success in 2008. Yusuf, Asnodkar, Munaf Patel, Naman Ojha, Kamran Khan and Siddharth Trivedi – none of them is a superstar, none of them assured of a place in the Indian Twenty20 side. But under Warne, and with the likes of Graeme Smith, Watson, Morne Morkel, and Shaun Tait, they could well form a winning combination again.

The buzz

Warne’s Twitter page has been abuzz. Hardly a day passes when he doesn’t talk about longing for action or say “Go Royals”. Damien Martyn, a new recruit, has started sledging him about baked beans. Despite Shilpa Shetty’s presence, it’s all about Warne there. The fingers are working well on Twitter, but how well is the wrist going with the ball after nearly a year of no competitive cricket?

New faces

Tait, Martyn and Englishman Michael Lumb have almost been handpicked by Warne. Tait has been in red-hot bowling form, but true to Rajasthan fashion, the other two come without many expectations of them. Delhi’s Sumit Narwal and Bengal’s Abhishek Jhunjhunwala are the domestic acquisitions. Of course, there are unknown faces who are not even big names in domestic cricket.

Watch out for

Graeme Smith played the anchor role to Watson’s pyrotechnics in the first season, and was a failure in the second. In 2010, though, Rajasthan will look to him to come back to form, and more importantly be the lead batsman in Watson’s absence for the first half of the season.

Missing in action

Ravindra Jadeja apparently tried to negotiate his own price after his contract ended, and is paying the price by sitting out the whole of the third season. “It’s a shame re Jadeja not being part of the royals at IPL 3.. He is a good player for us. We will miss him!!! Shame,” tweeted Warne.

X factor

Yusuf Pathan can turn matches around quickly. He will be back as one of the main batsmen of the team, as opposed to not quite being sure of his role in the Indian team. Don’t count out a repeat of the first IPL.

Strength

The ability to surprise oppositions, and having two to three solid performers as fallback. Be it Yusuf opening the bowling, be it Asnodkar going bang bang at the top, be it somebody like Kamran with the ball, there is always a Warne to take care if the bowling goes wrong, or a Smith or Watson to control the batting. So Rajasthan, what’s new this time?

Weakness

The batting looks thin till the time Watson joins the team. Yusuf and Asnodkar can be a bit of a lottery, and it would be one pleasant shock if Martyn, at 38, can come and make an impact in their middle order.

Prediction for 2010

Semi-finals, and then who knows?

IPL 2009 – the key figures:

Final position: sixth
Top scorer: Ravindra Jadeja with 295 runs at 26.81 and strike-rate of 110.9
Top wicket-taker: Munaf Patel with 16 wickets at 15.06 and economy-rate of 6.91
Best result: seven-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore
Worst result: 75-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore
Highest team score: 211 v Kings XI Punjab
Lowest team score: 58 v Royal Challengers Bangalore

Match facts

Sunday February 28, 2010
Start time 14.00 (08.00GMT)Two keepers into one: Craig Kieswetter’s form is putting pressure on Matt Prior, but both are likely to play on Sunday•Getty Images

Big Picture

Given England’s less-than-stunning one-day international record it is an oddity that they are the only nation not to have come a cropper against Bangladesh in any international fixture. They have been tested on occasions, although each time have managed to overpower their opposition. They will expect to do the same again, but may not find it the easiest of tasks against a side becoming more of a threat on home soil and showing some encouraging signs of development.Of course that has been said of Bangladesh before only for them to slip back into bad habits and they do need to support the feeling of improvement with some results. A tour of New Zealand and the seamer-friendly conditions on offer there is hardly the ideal preparation, but conditions in Dhaka won’t provide any surprises for Shakib Al Hasan’s men.In Shakib, Bangladesh have an outstanding cricketer and one of premier allrounders in the world game. He now carries a huge weight of expectation on his shoulders – as does every player in this country – but unlike the team’s previous star name, Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib appears to have the mental strength to cope with the demands.In one-day cricket Bangladesh have enough skill to upset England if the visitors don’t hit the ground running and take the contest seriously. With Andy Flower in charge complacency won’t be an issue, but this isn’t the strongest possible England team and Alastair Cook, the stand-in captain, is under pressure to ensure against any upsets. A defeat in any of the internationals will heap pressure on Andrew Strauss’s decision to skip the tour.England, though, have prepared reasonably well with, as in 2003-04, a focus on fitness along with skills. The two warm-up matches were won with ease as the batsmen, apart from Kevin Pietersen, spent useful time in the middle and the fringe bowlers were given a chance to stake their claim. They have enough to withstand the Bangladesh challenge, but it isn’t the foregone conclusion it has been in the past.

Form guide (last five completed matches)

Bangladesh LLLLL
England WLWLW

Watch out for…

Shakib Al Hasan is Bangladesh’s star man, but their top-order batting also packs quite a punch. Tamim Iqbal can be a destructive batsman on his day, as he showed when crashing India for 151 last month, and the one-day game is made for his flamboyant strokeplay. However, as with most Bangladesh batsmen, it’s about moulding attack with defence and that’s an area Tamim doesn’t always get right. Often Jamie Siddons, the coach, is left exasperated with a soft dismissal but there is immense talent oozing through that flashing blade.For England, boundary-hitting early in the innings remains a problem yet to be solved and Craig Kieswetter is set for his chance to show he’s the answer. It’s been a rapid elevation for a man who wasn’t in the squad a week ago and is now on the verge of an international debut. His form for the England Lions was strong, but it was the 143 in the first warm-up match which has made his case irresistible. However, his call-up has provided a headache over the wicketkeeping position although Matt Prior is unlikely to be dumped from the line-up just yet.

Team news

Mashrafe Mortaza, Bangladesh’s leading pace bowler, may not be risked for the opening match despite coming through the warm-up game against England for the BCB XI following his latest knee injury. Spin is likely to play a key role in their plans as they aim to exploit a traditional weakness of England in one-day cricket. The top order is missing Ashraful, but Shakib and Mahmudullah have both been in productive form of late.Bangladesh (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Zunaed Siddique, 4 Aftab Ahmed, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 8 Mashrafe Mortaza, 9 Abdur Razzaq, 10 Shafiul Islam, 11 Rubel HossainHow quickly England’s one-day plans change. Despite a victorious series in South Africa they are set to have another new opening duo. One change is forced with Cook leading the team in place of Strauss, but Kieswetter’s form has put the cat amongst the pigeons and he will force Jonathan Trott out of the XI. With Prior probably retaining the gloves – for now, at least – the only other major question is one spinner or two.England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Craig Kieswetter, 3 Kevin Pietersen, 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Matt Prior (wk), 7 Luke Wright, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Tim Bresnan, 10 Graeme Swann, 11 Ryan Sidebottom

Pitch and conditions

Cook expects a “fair wicket” with scoring likely to be easier when the ball is hard. Stuart Broad has said he will use plenty of slower balls and cutters, as he did in Sri Lanka in 2007, so it could turn into a battle of attrition. Dew could be issue later in the evening and it was often a problem during the recent tri-series involving India and Sri Lanka.

Stats and Trivia

Match facts

November 25-29, 2015
Start time 0930 local (0400GMT)

Big picture

After grey, blustery and mostly cricket-free Bangalore, the teams have moved to the geometric centre of India and the promise of a Test match free of interruptions under clear, cloudless skies. India ended day one of the second Test in a position of great cricketing and psychological strength, but there has been no action in the ten days since. Though the effects of India being 1-0 up cannot have dissipated entirely, there is a blank-slate feeling to the start of the third Test. Let the series begin, again.The portents suggest India are favourites to take an unassailable 2-0 lead. The pitch is dry, the afternoons will be hot, and there are definite signs that India will play three spinners. Most of South Africa’s batsmen are yet to find their feet on this tour. Worse still for the visitors, Dale Steyn, their one bowler capable of neutralising any sort of surface, is almost certain not to feature.South Africa, however, are the No. 1 Test side in the world for a reason. Their batting might not have clicked just yet, as a collective unit, but there is too much quality in their line-up for the situation to become irremediable. AB de Villiers is in the frightening position of being both in form and due for a big one. Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis cannot keep failing in tandem forever. All South Africa need is one big partnership, or two biggish ones, to post their first big total of the series.They can also take heart from their performance in Mohali. The match ended in three days, and India won by a sizeable margin, but South Africa still managed to bowl them out twice, for 201 and 200. If the Nagpur pitch turns out similar to the one in Mohali, it could narrow the quality gap between the spin attacks rather than exaggerating it. India know this phenomenon well. Over the last decade, some of their most significant away wins have come on green pitches that have allowed their seamers to compete on an even footing with pace attacks of greater all-round quality.India’s batsmen, moreover, have spent precious little time in the middle so far. Apart from M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja, none have yet faced 100 balls in the series. If there is any rustiness, South Africa will want to exploit it quickly, particularly if India play only five specialist batsmen.

Form guide

(last five completed games most recent first)
India DWWWL
South Africa DLDDW

In the spotlight

The last time he batted at the VCA Stadium in a Test, Hashim Amla made an unbeaten 253 that set South Africa up for a famous innings win. Amla has struggled so far on this tour, but he has an exceptional record in India – 873 runs at 79.36, with four centuries – and proven ability against spin. A solid contribution from their captain could be just what South Africa needs to spark a revival.The same Test match witnessed the debut of Wriddhiman Saha, who was forced to play as a specialist batsman thanks to an injury crisis in the squad. Having served a long apprenticeship under MS Dhoni, Saha is now India’s first-choice Test wicketkeeper. Though he has contributed a few spunky knocks with the bat in his short career so far, India’s batting line-up still looks a little thin with Saha slotting in at No. 6. He has an excellent first-class record, with nine hundreds and an average of nearly 44, and the confidence of his captain. He needs to translate that into Test cricket to be able to play what is a pivotal role in making India’s five-bowler strategy work.

Team news

India have a squad free of fitness worries, and the one selection call they are likely to have to make is the question of whether or not to play three spinners. With conditions not suited to his medium-pace, India will most likely leave out Stuart Binny, which opens up a slot either for the legspinner Amit Mishra or for an extra batsman in Rohit Sharma. If conditions seem particularly conducive to spin, India could even play both Mishra and Rohit, leaving out Binny and Varun Aaron.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 M Vijay, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Varun Aaron.JP Duminy’s offspin often does the job of supporting South Africa’s main spinner, but if the pitch shows signs of taking turn early, they might just include Simon Harmer or Dane Piedt to bowl alongside Imran Tahir. Dale Steyn’s continuing groin troubles have more or less ruled him out of contention, leaving Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott as the leading candidates to partner Morne Morkel in the seam attack.South Africa (probable): 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Stiaan van Zyl, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Hashim Amla (capt), 5 AB de Villiers, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Dane Vilas (wk), 8 Simon Harmer/Dane Piedt, 9 Kagiso Rabada/Kyle Abbott, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran Tahir.

Pitch and conditions

Asked about the Nagpur pitch on the eve of the Test, Hashim Amla said it looked like “a good cricket wicket, one that we kind of expect in the subcontinent”. Then he chuckled. Amar Karlekar, the curator, has himself said the pitch would start turning by tea on the first day. Lack of bounce was a concern during the last Test played at this ground, in 2012, but Karlekar is confident there will be no repeat of the bore draw witnessed on that occasion.Nagpur has enjoyed sunny weather and clear skies in the days leading up to the Test. Winter has not set in yet, but the mornings are likely to be cool, before temperatures rise to an afternoon high in the low 30s.

Stats and trivia

• Ajinkya Rahane has played only four Test innings in India so far. His scores in those four innings are 7, 1, 15 and 2.
• Imran Tahir is one wicket short of 50 in Test cricket.
• South Africa won at least one Test on four of their five previous tours to India.

Quotes

“I played only one Test match here, it went well for me. [I showed] lots of patience, something that at that point in time was probably out of my character. It was something that I discovered about myself. I hope the wicket doesn’t play like that in this game because it ended up being a very boring Test match.”
“When I took over the captaincy, one of the ideas was to give me a bit more time, especially when we fielded first, to bat at 4. But you never know. We’re a team in a little bit of transition, with a couple of new faces, so we’re still finding the perfect batting order. So yes, there’s no reason I couldn’t bat at 3 at some stage.”

Greg Chappell, the chairman of Cricket Australia’s youth selectors, is confident that the Australian team will reach the semi-finals of the U-19 World Cup. Chappell believes that the tournament should be seen as a means to develop cricketers for the senior team in the future, rather than as a destination.”We perhaps could have picked some more experienced players that might have given us a better chance to win the World Cup, but not necessarily to develop Australian players for the future. It’s a balancing act, but always the view has got to be of the bigger picture,” Chappell told AAP.”History tells you, if you make junior cricket a destination then it won’t produce many senior players.”Australia have won the event twice, including in 2002 when it was held in New Zealand, and have qualified for the semi-finals in every edition barring 2008. Chappell gave insights into the kind of talent Australia looked to blood in a tournament where teams from India and Pakistan have traditionally done well.”The important thing from a youth selection point of view is that we are picking players who have the potential to go further. They’re on the rise rather than at their peak.”It’s important for us to be competitive and our objective should always be to get to the semi-finals, but if we made [winning the tournament] a priority it would slow down our success.”In terms of making the transition from Under-19 to the senior level, Australia’s cricketers have done very well. Most notably, all but one member from the 2000 Under-19 squad went on to play first-class cricket, while six of them have played international cricket.Four of those – Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson and Nathan Hauritz – are now regulars in the Test side. Shaun Marsh has represented Australia in ODIs while Andrew McDonald earned a baggy green last year.Chappell believes that the success of the 2010 side should not be evaluated at the end of the tournament, and will depend on how the players develop in four to five years time. “This is part of the journey, it’s not a destination.”

Phillip Hughes has won a recall to the Australian squad and is on standby for Ricky Ponting while Peter Siddle has also been included in the 13-man outfit for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan. Hughes has not played a Test since being dropped after two games in the Ashes series, but the opening batsman has convinced Andrew Hilditch’s panel he is the man to replace Ponting if he does not recover in time from the left elbow problem suffered in Perth.Ponting, who was struck trying to duck a Kemar Roach short ball, hopes to play but the selectors are being cautious after a run of injures. The physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said Ponting, who has been in a hyperbaric chamber to speed up the healing, was having on-going treatment for the problem. “We’ll need to wait until he bats at training later in the week to determine his fitness for the Test,” Kountouris said.Siddle missed the Perth win with a hamstring strain but will play a domestic one-dayer for Victoria on Wednesday to build up his fitness. Clint McKay, who debuted at the WACA, holds his place while Ben Hilfenhaus misses out again following a knee problem that ruled him out of the final two Tests against West Indies.”Ben bowled eight overs in club cricket on Saturday,” Kountouris said. “However, after bowling again at training on Sunday, he reported knee pain once again.” Kountouris predicted Hilfenhaus would need a “more extensive rehabilitation” before he overcame the problem.Hughes scored 122 in the first innings of New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield game on Saturday, but fell for 7 today in an innings that didn’t change the thoughts of the selectors. He has scored 388 runs in nine Shield innings and re-found his form this month following a difficult period when it seemed he was unsure whether to follow his natural instincts or conform.After scoring two centuries in his second Test, Hughes was set for a long stay in the side, but he was removed following troubles with the short ball and Andrew Flintoff in England. Shane Watson came into the team and if Hughes plays at the MCG there is likely to be some serious reshuffling to the order. Some of the options include Hughes, Simon Katich or Michael Clarke batting at three, while Watson could move down to the middle order.Australia squad Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Phillip Hughes, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Marcus North, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle, Clint McKay, Doug Bollinger.

Group A

Scorecard
Dheeraj Jadhav’s first century for his new state side helped Assam to a healthy score at the end of the first day’s play in Guwahati. Amol Muzumdar’s decision to bat against Tripura was vindicated by Jadhav’s innings, which consumed 279 deliveries over 358 minutes, but there was a lack of firepower from the rest of Assam’s batsmen. Amit Sumanta Sinha, batting at No.3 on debut, made 42 and Muzumdar 40, but Timir Chanda’s four wickets gave the visitors some lift. From 244 for 3, Assam slipped to 256 for 7 by stumps.
Scorecard
Each of the six batsmen to walk to the crease on the opening day at Dhandad got a start, and without any of them really imposing themselves Goa finished in a dominant position. Swapnil Asnodkar made a solid 59 at the top, followed by 69 from the captain Sridharan Sriram, before Ajay Ratra collected a breezy 73 from 87 deliveries by the close. Asnodkar and Sriram’s half-centuries laid the platform, aided by a dogged 40 from Reagan Pinto, and allowed Ratra to walk out and sting the Jharkhand attack. Unlike those before him, Ratra will eye a century as Goa attempt to really shut out the opposition.
Scorecard
Rajasthan’s bowlers kept Vidarbha under wraps in Jaipur yet failed to bowl them out on day one. It was a slow day, with no batsman crossing 50 against a tidy bowling attack. Sumit Mathur (20-8-31-2) and Madhur Khatri (23-12-32-1) plugged away manfully and hardly allowed a run, while Vinod Chanawaria netted 2 for 28 from 12 overs. Ravi Jangid found himself needing to shore up the responsibility after Vidarbha’s top order stumbled, and by stumps had stonewalled himself to an unbeaten 45 from 207 deliveries.

Group B

Scorecard
TP Sudhindra’s first substantial contribution on return to Ranji Trophy cricket from the ICL put Madhya Pradesh in an advantageous position by stumps in Indore. Sudhindra, sharing the new ball, took a career-best 5 for 39 from 20 stifling overs of medium pace to help dismiss Jammu & Kashmir out for 171. Sudhindra got the ball rolling in the second over, dismissing Vinayak Mane for 1, and soon had J&K reeling at 33 for 3. His maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket came later when he got Abid Nabi for 20. The best score from J&K was Hardeep Singh’s 41 from the No. 7 spot. In reply, the opener Jalaj Saxena batted for an unbeaten 70 as MP finished day one just 58 runs behind J&K.
Scorecard
Boosted by left-arm seamer Tekkami Atchuti Rao’s career-best haul, Andhra dominated the first day in Anantapur. Haryana captain Sunny Singh opted to bat but laboured 61 deliveries for 9 amid a top-order slump that left the side 30 for 4 after 20.1 overs. Rao struck twice at the top and chipped away when recalled later in the innings and finished with 5 for 43. Sachin Rana’s 57 from 150 deliveries was the best any Haryana batsman could muster. In the 12 overs before stumps, Andhra’s openers stoutly added 17 runs.

Nathan Hauritz is almost doing it all for Australia. He exceeded expectations during the Ashes, has become the essential offspinner in the one-day arena, coped with Sachin Tendulkar in full flight and helped win the Champions League Twenty20 for New South Wales with one brave flighted ball to Kieron Pollard.Those experiences have turned Hauritz from a figure of fun into a respected operator and the only thing he needs to polish his resume is a consistent run in the Test side. Prior to England he was picked because there was no one else, but since then he has been chosen because the side needs him. The only omissions were Leeds, when the pitch was green and Australia won in three days, and The Oval. How the selectors and team management misread the surface in south London and ruled out a spinner ranks alongside Clarrie Grimmett missing the 1938 England tour as one of Australian cricket’s greatest slow-bowling mysteries.Hauritz had carried a sore heel through the series and it had deteriorated slightly, but there was “no way in the world it would have stopped me bowling”. Instead Australia went with four quicks, Marcus North delivered 44 overs of part-timers, Graeme Swann, England’s specialist, took eight wickets and the hosts regained the urn.Being overlooked for that game ensures Hauritz will play at the Gabba on Thursday because the selectors won’t want to put themselves through the doubt and pain of relying on an all-pace attack. It would be no surprise if the outlook lasted all summer.”It would be good,” Hauritz said. “I’m in control of that, to play back-to-back Tests. If I bowl well in this one, the next one comes up.” His cricket journey has taught him not to look far ahead, but his improvement is winning him many admirers.Ricky Ponting is much more comfortable with Hauritz in his line-up and wants him to grab the spinning role for this series and beyond. “I’ve been really impressed with how he’s gone about his cricket over the last 12 months almost, his performances in the early Test matches of the Ashes series were very good,” he said. “They probably exceeded some of our expectations on the way we thought he could bowl, so that was a real positive.”His one-day cricket has been outstanding, he’s always been a very good one-day bowler anyway, and we want to keep developing him as a Test bowler. He’ll get a good opportunity to do that over the next few days.”Shane Warne judges players on how they develop and is pleased with the direction Hauritz is moving, calling him “the star of the Ashes series”. “When he first started playing for Australia to now he has improved, so I think he’s doing a pretty good job and I think he’ll bowl well out here during the Test. It’s a really nice place to bowl spin in Test matches.”Hauritz isn’t as glowing in his appraisal of the surface and wants to remind supporters how some of his predecessors have gone. “The hardest thing that the public forgets is we have had Murali and Harbhajan over here and they’re the two best [offspinners] in the world for me,” he said. “Those guys have hardly done anything at all on Australian wickets. The Gabba can be a tough place to bowl, the bounce is so true, it doesn’t move off, and the batsmen basically wait on you all day.”If there is a little bit of turn he will be happier and will be able to aim more easily for catches to the slips and close-in fielders. The West Indies line-up also includes a lengthy list of left-handers, including the captain Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Brendan Nash. Hauritz is excited by the prospect of bowling to them but remains grounded. “It’s definitely a lot better to bowl to a lot of left-handers than consistently to right-handers,” he said. “It’s just cricket.”

Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan fast bowler, who is hoping to play his first Test in more than two years later this month has vowed to make up for lost time due to several drug-related controversies. Asif, 26, has been named in Pakistan’s squad for the three-Test series against New Zealand, which starts November 24.”I have not played in New Zealand but have heard a lot about the pitches and conditions there and hopefully if I can get a chance I will make an impact,” Asif said. “The key is to focus on just cricket and try to make up for lost time.”He has already made his limited-overs comeback during the ICC Champions Trophy after a year-long suspension for testing positive for the banned substance nandrolone. He showed off his ability in his first game on return by grabbing two wickets as Pakistan nearly scripted a sensational turnaround against Australia.Originally named in the one-day side and Twenty20s to take on New Zealand in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, he was left out since he is banned from entering the UAE after being stopped with a small quantity of opium at Dubai airport last year (criminal charges were not pressed).Asif is tuning up for his Test return by playing Pakistan’s domestic first-class tournament, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he has taken 23 wickets in five matches. “The good thing is that I have been playing regularly in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches,” he said. “That has helped me find my rhythm and form and get my confidence back. There is nothing better for a bowler then to bowl in the longer version of the game.”

VVS Laxman, the Indian Test batsman, has returned from a successful county stint raring to go for the home series against Sri Lanka starting November. Laxman has said that he was pleased with his county form after not being scheduled to play competitive cricket from May to October.Laxman struck a super run of form during the English summer where he topped Lancashire’s first-class run tally with 857 runs in 11 matches at an average of 65.92, including four centuries. “At this point of my career, there is nothing like proving a point or two. My county performances show that I can play in any format and under any conditions,” he said on return to India. “All that I can say is that given the chance, I will be ready to perform for my country as I did for Lancashire.”Laxman also did well in the other two formats for Lancashire. In three Twenty20 Cup matches he was the top run-getter with 159 at 79.50. In four innings during the Pro40, he made 80 runs at 26.66. In the one Friends Provident Trophy game he played, Laxman made 54. Asked as to whether he was up for a return to one-day internationals, like Rahul Dravid, Laxman said: “It is for the national selectors to decide about my selection, for they are the best judges. I have nothing more to prove and I am really pleased with my performance for Lancashire this season.”Laxman, 34, was pleased to have been active for three months in England, after being apprehensive about the gap between the end of the IPL and the Indian domestic season, which began this week. “I can say that I stayed in touch with the game and stayed in the right frame of mind,” he said. “Playing in different places and in different conditions in various formats was really a wonderful experience and it was a great feeling to be part of the Lancashire dressing room atmosphere. I am ready for any challenge now.”Since playing their last Test in April, India are scheduled to host Sri Lanka for three Tests in India. That number, according to Laxman, was insufficient. “From a personal point of view, it is really disappointing that India will play only three Tests this year,” he said. “I hope the board will look into this issue seriously and do something.”Despite India’s poor form in the ICC Champions Trophy, Laxman backed MS Dhoni’s captaincy. “I enjoyed playing under him. I believe that both Dhoni and Gary Kirsten form a great combination. Let us not forget that Dhoni did determine the results of quite a few important matches in recent times.”

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has stressed on the importance of building partnerships to help overcome their batting troubles. The New Zealand batsmen had a torrid time during the recently-concluded Compaq Cup in Sri Lanka and were bowled out for 119 and 155 in their two matches. They also managed only 173 against Sri Lanka A in a one-day warm-up match before the tri-series.”The lack of consistency in the batting is a worry and there may be a lack of competition for places,” Vettori said. “But the batsmen all have pretty good stats, Grant Elliott and Martin Guptill are averaging nearly 50, and Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum have had great seasons in the past. We just need to put it together as a team.”Vettori said the pressure would be on the top-order to put together strong stands if they were to lift the Champions Trophy for a second time, having won in 2000-01. “The team that steps up with partnerships will be the team to win the tournament,” he said. “We haven’t been doing that of late, particularly in Sri Lanka and across all formats of the game. Partnerships will win this tournament.”He warned that the team could find conditions in South Africa similar to those in which they struggled in Sri Lanka. “Both our coach [Andy Moles] and assistant coach [Mark O’Donnell] have extensive experience with domestic teams here and there’s been a lot of talk about the early-season pitches being slow,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see what we get.”Vettori believed the current pace attack, which includes ICL returnees Shane Bond and Daryl Tuffey, was in good shape and would play a key role.”Shane Bond played all the games in Sri Lanka and, although Daryl Tuffey played just one, the experience they bring is great and they both have very good records,” Vettori said. “There’s a lot of competition in the seam bowling department and any good team has that.”New Zealand are in Group B of the Champions Trophy along with England, Sri Lanka and hosts South Africa. They begin their campaign against South Africa in Centurion on September 24.