Patel pulls away of IPL mart

Nottinghamshire all-rounder Samit Patel has withdrawn from the Indian Premier League Dutch auction in an effort to further his claim for a place in England's Test side.

Patel's legislatures have held talks with several franchises but he has elected to announce himself engaged ahead of Wednesday's midnight time limit to enter the auction.

"My biggest goal is to play Test cricket and I require scoring a high volume of runs in the Championship to push my case," said Patel.

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Brad Haddin quit T20 internationals

Australia wicket-keeper Brad Haddin has announce his retirement from international Twenty20 cricket.

The 33-year-old Aussie has played 25 games for his country over the straight format, but has now determined to focus on Test and one-day cricket.

"I methodically enjoy Twenty20 cricket and have taken great pride from playing all three forms of the game for Australia," Haddin said in a statement.

“This decision has been made to extend my efficiency in these formats and give me further time to get ready for the demands of ODI and Test cricket. I remain particularly strong-minded to play cricket for Australia and believe this decision will help achieve this.

“I remain dedicated and very eager by my role as captain of the Sydney Sixers in the KFC Big Bash League and also with the Kolkata Night Riders in the Indian Premier League, but look forward to the periods of downtime all through the international season this decision will create,” Haddin added.

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Injury-ridden India appear to shine

A demoralized India would be greatly looking for a win when they take on England in the second match of the ODI series today.

The tourists have been decimating by injury and hard-done by the weather-gods in the opening one-dayer, the world champions will be eager to list their first win against England this summer.

MS Dhoni's men were in a good place to win the first one-day international on Saturday before rain played spoilsport but there was sufficient from the game for India to get involved in its bench strength.

But the match also bring fresh injury concern for India as Sachin Tendulkar, who had a flare-up of an old toe injury and Rohit Sharma, with a cracked index finger, were totally ruled out of the series.

On the positive side, openers Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane caught the eye right away and made England`s pace battery wait for the first get through longer than they have all through the summer. Vinay Kumar, in the little he bowled, also showed good control.

India would be look to add Ravinder Jadeja in the mix in the day-night fixture a cricketer they expect to give his bit in all three departments of the game.

Jadeja is primarily known for his miserly left-arm spin bowling and sharp fielding in the ring. He also showed promise with the bat in the last Indian Premier League (IPL).

Still, he would be a poor man`s Yuvraj Singh in the line-up as his last 10 international matches for India have shaped only 87 runs.

In the present scenario, one can`t be too critical of Mahendra Singh Dhoni`s men as most of their top stars are on the upset list

India presently has a frightful record with injuries as only four of their World Cup winning squad are left standing on their feet Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Munaf Patel.

It is thus difficult to expect them to strike the winning chord and the tag of being world champions isn`t much of a help.

The key for India will be to bat in the same forceful manner as they did at Chester-Le-Street even though batting in cold conditions, especially if it`s under floodlights, could be a difficult task next to the England bowlers.

India clearly has a good pacer in Praveen Kumar in their corner. The right-arm swing bowler is proving a hard customer for England openers.

Both Alastair Cook and Craig Kieswetter have reasons to fret about him, more so since opening slots have been worrying for England in recent times.

The hosts have tried as many as 19 pairs in the last 96 one-day internationals but are still anxious on them. The ideal condition for India would be to bat first in this game.

If they can post a good total, their bowlers could be a handful beneath lights against England batters, more so since the pitch at Rose Bowl would not be as benign as the one in the first game was.

England would be buoy by the return of Graeme Swann. The off-spinner, the best bowler in one-day internationals in the world, is said to have improved from his stomach bug.

Left-arm spinner Samit Patel has to to make way for the senior spinner.

England is also keen to have a look at Ben Stokes at the international level. The young Durham cricketer is said to be a fierce striker of a cricket ball.

He is also a helpful fast bowler but a finger wound would prevent him from bowling in the near future.

England is keen to end the summer on a winning note and could put in a better performance.

They would be hoping the Rose Bowl offers them logical swing which was missing at Chester-Le-Street.

The second one-day international, like the first one, has also drawn huge interest among the fans and is previously a sold-out affair.

Teams


England: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Ben Stokes, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott.

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, Manoj Tiwary, Suresh Raina, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, RP Singh, Vinay Kumar, R Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Parthiv Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Aaron.
Today match will start at 6.30 p.m.

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India rock by Gambhir return to home

Gautam Gambhir will miss India's limited-overs games against England due to concussion.

The left-handed opening batsman has made a slower than expected recovery since knocking his head on The Oval turf while attempt - and failing - to take a catch offered by Kevin Pietersen during the final match of the four-Test npower series.

The 29-year-old bat down the order in both innings during the Test but was still concerned by indistinct vision when he took to the nets on Monday.

A spokesman for the Indian team said: "Gautam Gambhir is flying home to India as soon as possible after he was diagnosed with concussion on Tuesday.

"He went to see a specialist in Manchester who advised Gautam to have complete rest. "It was therefore determined he would be sent home and will miss the incomplete overs series with England."

His nonattendances adds to India’s long wound list and further deplete a batting order already without Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh ahead of Thursday's one-off Twenty20 at Old Trafford.

Earlier on Tuesday, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni exposed he did not expect Gambhir to be passed fit before admitting his absence would be a "big loss".

With star man Sachin Tendulkar retired from from Twenty20 internationals the tourists are set to turn to the more stoic presence of veteran Rahul Dravid for Wednesday's game under the new Old Trafford lights.

It would, extraordinarily, be the 38-year-old's first, and last, Twenty20 international after he announces his limited-overs departure after being selected in the squad.

"Losing Gambhir will be a big loss for us but you can't control injuries," Dhoni said. "Hopefully someone will stand up and take the responsibility." He added: "It looks like Rahul will play.

"You don't want to be a batter light; in this format you want your top seven batsmen. "So Rahul will most probable get a chance."

India's wound crisis has not been consigned to their batsmen only, with quicks Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma also strike down as well as spinner Harbhajan Singh.

The long list of wounded has served to weaken India's performances on a forgettable tour that has seen them already surrender the Test series, and the world's top ranking, to England following a 4-0 whitewash.

That has twisted the focus on the amount of cricket being played. The tourists' best players - most of who are concerned in the Indian Premier League.

While Dhoni believes Indian cricket almost certainly needs to employ the type of rotational policy England have used in recent times - something they did do on the tour of the Caribbean - he thinks the IPL has become the easy answer to explanation away any ills in the national team.

"Whenever anything bad happens in Indian cricket it is put down to the IPL," he said. "Irrespective of the fact we play in April and we lose a series in August. "That's one thing that will always be answerable on IPL."

He added: "I think we'll have to (look at resting players) because the timetable looks quite cramped. "It's significant to give players rest. Someone like a Suresh Raina has been playing all the formats for a long time now.

"It's more to deal with the mental aspect than the physical aspect. A bit of good rest in between also helps keep the injuries away."

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ECB threaten to ban county from CL T20 except paid up front

The England Wales Cricket has in danger to stop its county teams from challenging in this year's Champions League Twenty20 in India unless the organizers of the event, the BCCI pay them the participation fees in go forward, according to a report.

The ECB insist that the two counties -- one out of Lancashire and Leicestershire, and one out of Hampshire and Somerset -- will have to take delivery of the money to cover their costs from the BCCI before travelling to India for the tournament in September, a report in the Daily Telegraph stated.

The ECB's statement came after many of the participate teams in the first two CLT20 tournament have supposed that they have either not established their payment on time or in full.

Somerset and Sussex played in the opening CLT20 in India in 2009, but not a single team from England played in the next tournament, in South Africa in 2010, after an argument between the ECB and the Indian organizers over scheduling.

"The payment was late but was paid ultimately, within about five months, and it was paid in full less about 20 per cent Indian government tax," said Richard Gould, who was Somerset's chief decision-making when they participate in CLT20 in 2009 and is now Surrey's.

The CLT20 is at present chosen a window in ICC's Future Tours Programmed, unlike the Indian Premier League which is regard as a domestic competition.

The third edition of the event kicks off in Hyderabad on September 19 with the qualification matches.

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Sydney Sixers mark Hayden for Big knock

The Brisbane Heat has scored a major coup, signing up past Aussie batsman Matthew Hayden for the initial KFC T20 Big Bash League this summer.

The 39-year-old, who has enjoy great achievement in the Indian Premier League since his international departure in early 2009, will lead the Heat's already strong batting line-up, one that also include New Zealand international Brendon McCullum and Queensland run-machine, James Hopes.

Playing with the Chennai Super Kings in 2008, 2009 and 2010, Hayden was the IPL's leading run-scorer in 2009 with 572 runs at 52 and a strike-rate of 144.81.

He was also a essential player in Chennai's 2010 Champions League T20 and Champions Trophy victories.

Hayden is the 14th player signed by the Heat, one of the eight teams that will play in the Big Bash League that starts on 16 December.

"I am keyed up about being a part of the Heat and the first-ever Big Bash League, and I will be doing my utmost to make the Heat an achievement both on and off the field," said Hayden.

"I'm looking forward to receiving back into top form and working with Darren (Lehmann) and the Brisbane players. December can't come soon sufficient," an excited Hayden said.

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Indian batting resolve be there tested

Indian cricket has come a long way. Certainly the rush of the last few summers has caused a few headaches but cricket is lucky to have India as its driving force. Amongst major playing nations, only Sri Lanka has better half as much.

However, India has cause to worry about its prospects. Over the next few months the quality of Indian batsman ship will be examine and the new making needs to prove it can counter lifting deliveries as capably as their elders.

India's rise in the last 15 years has in no small part been due to the ability of senior batsmen to master back foot play. Now that go forward is in peril. Whereas the old guard of necessity learnt to play back, their successor can make millions by bashing away off the front peg.

India visits Australia this winter and within a few months group will know whether the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a breeding ground of brilliance or a promoter of charlatans. Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trot have risen on the back of old shaped technique and attitudes. Can the new Indians match them?

Lacking guts

Indian batting needs to keep its imagination. Not so long ago, and with few exceptions, Indian batsmen were incompetent against great pace and seam movement and were easily crushed by assorted English miners and antipodean roughnecks.

England once claims four Indians off the first 14 balls of a Test match. Forgetting about the Ghurkhas, and applying a caricature, observers finished that Indian batsmen lacked fortitude.

In fact many of those players lacked experience and sometimes leadership. As George Headley was obliged to play under useless West Indian pale skins so Indian teams were for an unconscionable period led by Maharajahs unburdened with cricketing knowledge or skill.

Not that the batting order was strong or knowledgeable sufficient to flourish in hostile conditions. Indian batsmen were raise on passive pitches. Expert against spin, they were found wanting next to cutters and rib ticklers.

Now they place up on fiery track in Perth and on damp decks in Leeds.
Of course, a strange generation of batsmen has emerge, one of the finest any country has produced. No nation can forecast such riches, let alone depend on it.

All a community can do is to organize itself so that talent is paying attention, recognized and knowledgeable. After that it's up to the player. Additionally the present seniors were lucky with their timing. Cricket has enter its second age of high scoring.

Helmets have summary the threat posed by fast bowlers, pitches have lost their spirit and, in India, faster tracks and more recurrent tours have forced the issue.

Scaling new heights

So Indian batting has scaled new heights. It is an impressive line-up. Sachin Tendulkar's 100th hundred for his country is eagerly awaited.

How easily that phrase “100th hundred” trips off the tongue, concealing a mind-boggling feat requiring unexpected skill and stamina!

Rahul Dravid is a remarkably durable and talented first drop. Alas! Virender Sehwag is upset, a serious loss to any team for he can control from the outset.

He is a master cast as a maverick. Still V.V.S. Laxman is approximately, continually fretting until the crisis comes.

Sourav Ganguly has reserved but Gautam Gambhir has risen, and formed a potent opening partnership.

What about their replacements? Is Indian batting in safe hands? Can the new group play off both feet?

Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and company have the capability, but are their education complete?

Can they build an innings? If not they will wither in the sun of separation, fall at the fence of high hope. Nothing lasts forever, not even Tendulkar, Laxman and Dravid.

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Mumbai Indians Won by 4 wickets

Mumbai Indians 148 for 6 (Blizzard 51, Tendulkar 36, Kallis 2-18, Shakib 2-24) strike Kolkata Knight Riders 147 for 7 (ten Doeschate 70*, Munaf 3-27) by four wickets

Harbhajan Singh broken a last-over six as Mumbai Indians post a four-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.

Mumbai required seven runs in the final over to attain a 148-run goal, but New Zealander James Franklin take a single of the first ball off Bangladesh spinner Shakib Al Hasan previous to Harbhajan shattered the next for a six.

Franklin made a winning 29 off 25 balls; while Harbhajan contribute a five-ball 11 not out. Mumbai will now conflict with Royal challenger Bangalore on Friday, the winners of their match conference Chennai Super Kings in the final. Kolkata curved out of the Twenty20 event.

Mumbai were strongly placed following an 81-run place for the opening wicket between Australian Aiden Blizzards (51) and captain Sachin Tendulkar (36) before losing their way.

Blizzard, who strike two sixes and seven fours in his 30-ball knock, reach his half-century with a six off Australian pace man Brett Lee previous to being fixed in the deep while attempting another big shot off the next delivery.

Munaf Patel previous played a key role in restrict Kolkata despite an imposing 70 not out by Netherlands' Ryan ten Doeschate as he took two wickets in his opening two overs, including that of South African Jacques Kallis.

Kolkata were stressed at 20-4 in the opening six overs after organism put in to bat before ten Doeschate led the revival with a 60-run stand for the fifth wicket with Yusuf Pathan (26).


Ten Doeschate, who split three sixes and six fours in his 49-ball knock, then added 41 for the sixth wicket with Shakib (26) to help his team post a spirited total.

Paceman Patel strike with his fourth release when he had Kallis (seven) caught by Tendulkar, who took a superb low catch at mid-off. He got another wicket in his next over when he detached Shreevats Goswani.

Harbhajan got a big wicket when he bowled Captain Gautam Gambhir (four) before seamer Dhawal Kulkarni attentive Manoj Tiwary lbw to put Kolkata under pressure.

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Vettori: Gayle did the circle

The player who twisted belongings approximately for the team is the in-form Chris Gayle, said Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Daniel Vettori.

Bangalore thrashes defensive champions Chennai Super Kings to take the top place with 19 points in the Indian Premier League.

Gayle shattered an unbeaten 70 to pave the way for his side's simple win and also claim the Orange Cap with a tally of 511 runs from nine games.

"Gayle has been in charge for the circle. He has been outstanding. Our fielding and bowling has been good as well, particularly Zaheer. With Dilshan leaving we had to try out a few things. The entire department is responsibility well, and even Aravind and Mithun did well," Vettori said.

The West Indies batsman said he is enjoy the boiling form in this season of the IPL. "This has been one of the best runs I have ever had, in terms of constancy. The team has been wonderful, the fans as well. All the hold has been huge. You need to have the courage to go out there to obtain the job done; it is God's gift so I am grateful. Teams are going to come with new strategy at us. We were chase a low total, one of us had to be there till the ending," Gayle said.

Chennai captain MS Dhoni blamed top-order failure for the defeat. "If you are 4-5 down in the start, it is always hard to catch up in this format. We tried to get a honest total on the board in the end," he said.

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Modi says Srinivasan serving Chennai

Sacked Indian Premier League officer Lalit Modi has once yet again accuse the BCCI secretary N Srinivasan of departing out of his way to favor his franchise Chennai.

Modi said the Chennai Super Kings are such a good side that they can succeed the IPL without Srinivasan prop them up.

"It's a disappointment Srinivasan is resorting to all that. Chennai are a powerful team and can win exclusive of any such help," Modi wrote on Twitter.

Modi, who in his respond to the IPL chargesheet last year had accused Srinivasan of picking and choose umpires for Chennai team's matches, said the president-elect of the Board of Control for Cricket in India is brazenly supporting the side.

"Not indirectly, but very directly. Fixing the auction umpires and now pitches. Just give the damn crown to the Super Kings, Modi had tweeted.

Modi also touch upon the IPL's falling TRP ratings, achievement an all-time low in the fourth edition.

"Just learnt that the ratings for IPL have reached an average of 3.84, which is the lowly it has ever achieved. Sorry to hear the same."

Australian fable and Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne, who was fine US$ 50,000 by the IPL, said the Twenty20 league is not the similar without Modi.

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Chennai Super Kings won by 12 Runs

Chennai Super Kings 152 for 5 (Saha 46, Hussey 32) hit Kochi Tuskers Kerala 141 for 5 (Hodge 51*, McCullum 33) by 12 runs

Chennai Super Kings gunshot back to the top of the Indian Premier League table with an 11-run be successful over Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

Batting first at home, Chennai necessary a middle-order recover act from Michael Hussey (32 off 37 balls) and Wriddhiman Saha (46 off 33 balls) to get to a warfare 152 for five.

The Tuskers also required digging deep, but in spite of Brendon McCullum's 33 off 37 balls and Brad Hodge's forceful 51 from 42, they were limited to 141 for five to undergo their eighth loss of the season.

Having won the toss, Murali Vijay's removal from office for 16 in the third over gave Suresh Raina and Hussey the possibility to build Chennai's platform.

Raina's rush off a luxurious Shantha Sreesanth was finished on 19 by the pace man before Subramaniam Badrinath was wedged off Hodge for 13.

Hussey brave a lethargic run-rate and some taut spin bowling to thread jointly a 37-run stand with Saha.

Ravindra Jadeja then detached him and home captain MS Dhoni (nine) previous to Saha and Albie Morkel (13 not out) helped Chennai pick up 32 valuable runs from the last three overs.

In reply, Kochi lumber their way to 29 in five overs after stand-in captain Parthiv Patel fell economically, and they were two down with Gnaneswara Rao's (19) exit to Dwayne Bravo.

McCullum had stand his ground, and teamed up with Hodge for a 38-run partnership, but was bowled attempt a slog off Shadab Jakati with 70 still necessary off 37 balls.

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Scorching Gilchrist conquer Bangalore

20 overs Kings XI Punjab 232 for 2 (Gilchrist 106, Marsh 79*) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 121 (Chawla 4-17) by 111 runs

Adam Gilchrist's second IPL century reserved Kings XI Punjab in the chase for a play-off spot with a loud 111-run succeed over table-toppers Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dharamsala on Tuesday. Batting first, Punjab captain Gilchrist (106 off 55 balls) and Shaun Marsh (79 off 49) jagged the highest partnership in the history of the 20-over game, combine for 206 to help accumulate a total of 232 for two.

Bangalore were then bowled out for a stingy 121, with Ryan Harris' three for 28 and Piyush Chawla's four for 17 engineering a collapse that saw the Royal Challengers' seven-match winning line come to an finish in the 17th over.

Winning the toss, Gilchrist and Marsh took full advantage of a exhausted Bangalore attack as the 50 partnership came off just 31 deliveries. The duo frequently smashed both spin and speed to the boundary, with Gilchrist beating seven sixes en way to a 25-ball half-century.

Marsh then send Johan van der Wath for three sixes and three boundaries in the 15th over, before Gilchrist was at last wedged off the last but one ball of the innings. Bangalore's woes sustained as danger man Chris Gayle fell in the second over to Harris, having unsuccessful to score off seven balls, follow rapidly by the exit of Virat Kohli (11) and Saurabh Tiwary (six).

AB de Villiers (34) and Mohammad Kaif (15) attempt a save act with a 29-run place but were forever well behind the necessary rate as Kaif was confused by Chawla, who also bowled Arun Karthik (six). Bangalore wanted a near-impossible 149 off seven overs, as De Villiers' useless innings was broken by Chawla and the leg-spinner then had Van der Wath attentive lbw, send-off Harris and Shalabh Srivastava the job of rounding up the tail.

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Fleming suspicious of law of averages

Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming is wary about the information that law of averages strength just catch up with the defensive champions in the Indian Premier League.

Chennai sit attractive on the points table in the second mark with 16 points and Fleming is aiming to finish league actions on a high. "We want to do something in a different way. Any team needs to be one or two on points table," Fleming said.

"If it does not happen, the third and fourth place teams contain to play extra games perhaps one before the final and one tougher one, which are a bit harder. Certainly we desire to be one of the top two teams at the end of the league stage and give a just right run for the final. The next two games are vital for us in the opposition," the coach said.

Chennai have reserved a clean line up at home, charming all the six matches in their garden and Fleming said they would look to uphold the winning impetus. "We have been working hard for winning our home matches. At the same time, we do not take it for granted and surely it is no dissimilar on Wednesday. We have taken few days off and one more win on our home ground is significant for the competition."

"We can come to an end off the period without behind at home," he said. Apart from the home benefit, Chennai bowlers have won quite a few matches for the team besides the by now strong batting line up.

"I think there is pride in both. The bowlers are arrogant that our batsmen have performed this year. The batsmen are self-important that when they had not performed well, the bowlers have come and done the job for the team. We are mainly a batting side. But our bowling this year has turn out to be very smart. We got better during the middle of this event. I am arrogant of the way my team has been playing," he said.

"Dhoni as a captain is a huge example in the last pair of matches," he said. Fleming said that star West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, combination the team after the half-way mark in the opposition, has established in quite nicely in the role of an all-rounder."

"He has built-in well sufficient. We wanted to give Bravo a game at Chepauk and he did well with the ball in the last game. He gives deepness to the batting and bring all round display," he added.

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Fleming amazed by Chennai's game

Chennai Super Kings' coach Stephen Fleming on Tuesday said that he was astonished to see his team amongst the top four in the Indian Premier League standings. "The team that wins on Wednesday will get the top four, or top-five spot. It's extraordinary for us; usually scrap around in the middle period. We'll be difficult to get a game here and there. But this position can adjust very quickly; we've got to uphold the standard," Fleming said on the eve of their match next to Rajasthan Royals.

"Certainly at home, we don't take no matter which for decided. We've had four wins so far. We've had snippets in each one of those and the last one was a real piece. That just keeps remind us how well we have to play and give respect to your adversary. We won't be taking our foot off the pedal for the rest of the tournament." he added

with the ball rotating in the last few games, Fleming was asked how much of a threat Shane Warne would be. "There hasn't been excessive turn. If you see Deccan's last game, they could've got 160. There wasn't extreme turn. There were stages in the game where it looks like there was some big turn. It tends to flight now, the last couple of games.

"Positively from a fielding point of view, we could've done more."

Assessing his opponent, Fleming said, "They've got an all-round alternative in Shane Watson and then with Warne and Botha, they have a couple of good spinners. It's going to be an interesting match-up; the teams are a bit similar in the bowling subdivision. But we are expecting our top order, which is yet once more in good form, get a score on the board or chase a total down."

"Conditions are still firm to rate; it could be a 180-plus or 170. We expect the circumstances to be comparable to the one we played in, but we're unmoving very wary," he added.

The previous New Zealand captain said he was not astonished by Botha's performance.

"I am not amazed at all by Botha. He's been a good activist for South Africa. He's captain their T20 side. I'm not taken aback by his batting, I've seen quite a lot of it over the years and he's a good participant. He's a handy bowler, so he's a good gaining for Shane."

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Sehwag hail Fletcher appointment

Virender Sehwag reckon the BCCI did the right thing by appoint Duncan Fletcher India coach almost immediately after Gary Kirsten's departure. Sehwag reckon this will give the Zimbabwean sufficient time to settle down with the side.

"It's good for India. It's a good thing that the BCCI has found a substitute in quick time. It will noticeably help the players and the new coach to settle down early. He (Fletcher) will get sufficient time to do some home-work before our series next to England starts," Sehwag said.

Fletcher, a former England coach who guided them to the excellent 2005 Ashes victory, will not be able to join the Indians during next month's tour of the West Indies due to personal reasons but would be there when Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men tour England later this year.

The former Zimbabwe captain's meeting has evoked mixed reaction with some former greats including Sunil Gavaskar insist that an Indian would have been a better choice. Asked whether he has had any communication with Fletcher, Sehwag just said, "No, I don't know him."

Sehwag's breach partner Gautam Gambhir, on the other hand, is not even thinking about the new coach right now as he is entirely focussed on his role as Kolkata Knight Riders skipper in the continuing Indian Premier League.

"Right now, my attentiveness and focus is totally on the IPL. I am not thoughts about all these things. I will only think about all this once the IPL ends," he said.

As Kirsten's successor, Fletcher has huge prospect to live upto as the friendly South African left after captivating India to their first ICC Cricket World Cup title in 28 years besides being at the helm during some of the most unforgettable overseas triumph of the team.

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KKR coach: We are eye top-four stain

Kolkata Knight Riders' coach Dav Whatmore on Wednesday said that his main task at the direct is to take his team to the top four in the Indian Premier League.

KKR will be distressed to get their IPL campaign back on track when they take on Delhi Daredevils at the Ferozeshah Kotla here on Thursday, but the coach said he was not too concerned about his team's two back-to-back losses.

"We do not want to read too much into the circumstances right now. This is such a format where you win a couple and lose a couple. At the end of it, making it to the top four will matter," Whatmore said on the eve of the match on Wednesday.

While Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Virat Kohli term the Kotla wicket as the best he has ever played on, Delhi captain Virender Sehwag affirmed that the track was not to his liking.

Whatmore, however, said that the wicket looks good. "It looks to be a good wicket. Watch the last two matches and it look as if it help faster bowlers."
On whether it will be attractive to see Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir most important their respective teams in the IPL next to each other, Whatmore said some "good competition is on cards".

"They know each other's game very well. They will share the secrets with their respective teams to their advantage. Viru is a much appreciated player, Gautam is also very good. There is good contest on cards," said Whatmore.

Insisting that apart from Mumbai Indians, all the other teams have been not in agreement in the contest, Whatmore said, "I would suggest that you do not look at the table and go into the match, rather you should win a few and then look at the table.

"At this point of time, way onward is to win as many matches as likely," he said. Asked if batting all-rounder Rajat Bhatia was a weak link in the Kolkata outfit, Whatmore said it was unjust to single him out.

"I believe it is unjust to single out Rajat because I don't think he has got honest enough opportunities where he could have made a difference. He is as precious a player as others," explain Whatmore.

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