Virender Sehwag pin hope on Ravichandran Ashwin

Virender Sehwag has hope that Ravichandran Ashwin, India's best cricketer in the Test series next to the West Indies, will carry on to present well and get more awards in future.

The BCCI had announced Ashwin's name for Dilip Sardesai Award after his series winning presentation next to the Windies.

Appreciating the Indian Cricket Board's choice to award Ashwin with Rs 5 lakh prize money, India's stand-in-skipper Sehwag said Ashwin was going in the right direction.

"It's truly good for him. I am truly happy for Ashwin because he has performed really well. It's good that his presentation is respected by the BCCI," said Sehwag.

"May he get more awards in future? When you get award from the government that's the biggest achievement. Getting a national award like Arjuna or Padma awards is the biggest achievement for a sportsperson.

"I hope in coming years he performs well. I am sure that Ashwin will get those also," he added.


Ashwin picked 22 wickets in his debut Test series, as well scoring a century in three matches against the West Indies and picked up two men of the match awards en route to being adjudge the player of the series.

Read more »

Ricky Ponting: Overhaul 10 years past due

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has back Cricket Australia's new renovate process saying "it was past due for last ten years".

Under force to hold his place in Australia's batting order, 36-year old Ponting said cricket was taking a more qualified track under the new regime led by chairman selectors John Inveracity and existing head coach Mickey Arthur.

Cricket Australia has announce series of sweeping changes in which turning round policy and selection process have come under huge scrutiny.

"I think it's great. I think it's the way the game should have gone a long, long time ago," Ponting told journalists.

"I think the way things have twisted out at the instant is what (former coach) John Buchanan was asking for 10 years ago."

"It's a much more professional move toward. "We've got quality people in and approximately the team and I think, even already now, we're starting to see just a somewhat different feel and a few different results as a result of that," he said.
"I think Australian cricket is absolutely on the right track."

Ponting also backed skipper Michael Clarke's comprehensive role in team selection and the new policy is bound to take Australian cricket to the top spot from the fourth position.

Ponting's thumbs up to the new CA policy comes after the former coach Geoff Lawson sharp criticism of the turning round policy in team selection.

Read more »