#1

on for the last two years at Bay Hill, will not make it a

in Allgemein 08.12.2019 04:57
von MJL456 • 2.720 Beiträge

After clinching victory in the third Test, in St Lucia, Indias captain Virat Kohli made a revealing statement. He said that he would continue batting at No. 3, one step up from his usual position in Test cricket. In conversation with Sanjay Manjrekar at the post-match presentation, Kohli said that the reshuffle in the middle order was to accommodate Rohit Sharma at No. 5. Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara, the original No. 3, who has averaged 45.44 since his latest comeback, has been dropped to accommodate Rohit.We understood Rohit needs to be backed at a particular position, Kohli told Manjrekar, who was curious to know if Kohli would bat at his new position going forward. I batted at No. 3, Jinks [Ajinkya Rahane] at No. 4. Rohit is dangerous at No.5. That means I take up the extra responsibility at No. 3. I dont mind that and someone like Ashwin is batting well. And we can play five bowlers.Rohit, Kohli reckoned, had the potential to influence the game with his aggression; the often-used phrase is he can change a Test in a session. So, in St Lucia, it was not only Pujara who had to sit out. Also missing was regular opener M Vijay, who was fit after a hand injury had kept him out of the second Test. The team management retained KL Rahul, Vijays replacement in Kingston, to open with Shikhar Dhawan. The incriminating statistic that possibly explains the common fate of Pujara and Vijay is their strike rates - Pujaras strike rate since his comeback is 43.51 [48.2 overall] and Vijays career strike rate of 46.88.Kohli and Rahane, who had finally found home at No. 5, having lived an itinerant life in the Indian middle order, moved up a slot each. Kohli endured his lowest match aggregate in Tests, but Rahane had a good Test, scoring 35 and an unbeaten 78. Yet India did leave themselves vulnerable at 126 for 5, and were rescued only by a long and slow partnership between R Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha. The extent to which India will go to accommodate Rohit at No. 5 has drawn various reactions from experts.Former India captain Sourav Ganguly disapproves of the decision. Writing in the New Indian Express, Ganguly made a case for both sidelined batsmen. If Murali Vijay is fit, he should be the first-choice opener, Ganguly wrote. I would still advocate for Pujara at three. One has to remember this position is not only about scoring. Many a time, the No. 3 has to wear out the new ball to make life easy for the rest. Rahul and [Shikhar] Dhawan tend to score briskly, but there will be times when someone will have to bear the brunt of the new ball. For that, Pujara should bat at three, followed by Virat and Rahane at four and five.As a captain, Kohli has made his motive clear: dominate the opposition by playing positive, aggressive cricket. And these selections are consistent with that plan. Experts who have followed Kohli closely believe he is a keen captain and if there is a toss-up between two players, he shows a preference for the more attacking one.It is also no secret that Kohli has been a fan of, and has a lot of faith in, Rohit. Despite all his talent and skills, Rohit, the Test batsman, polarises opinion. As many backers as Rohit has within the Indian camp, there are an equal number of - if not more - sceptics outside who do not quite understand the team managements fascination for him. One expert calls it an obsession with Rohit. He has batted at every position in the middle order, from 3 to 6, with most of his runs coming lower down, including centuries in his first two Tests. His performance in Test cricket - an average of 32.62 with just those two centuries to his name - does not match this hype, but perhaps Kohli puts it down to his not getting a string of matches in a row.Still, there are observers asking why a similar amount of patience has not been shown with Pujara, who has shown his mettle in tough situations. Its well known that he scores quick runs after getting himself in. Why not wait for such innings from him, the way they are waiting for Rohit to come good? The team must believe that when Rohit comes good, it will be exceptional, because Kohli is ready to put himself in a position that is not his preferred station. He is still not watertight against the moving new ball, a job the No. 3 often has to do. Many believe Kohli is still fallible outside the off stump, a weakness that was thoroughly exposed on the England tour in 2014.There is a another school of thought, though, which contends that it is not about Rohit or Pujara or individual players. It is about figuring about the best combinations when challenges tougher than a rebuilding West Indies arrive. Former India and Bengal wicketkeeper-batsman Deep Dasgupta is a fan of this experimentation. You cant have someone like Rohit Sharma travelling with the team and not getting a chance, and suddenly he gets a chance and you expect him to score, Dasgupta says. So it is not a bad idea. This was the opportunity the team management had to try things out, to work out what is your best XI.Surendra Bhave , a former national selector, sees a larger good coming out of this move. According to him, Asian teams and players have always had an attachment to particular positions in the batting order. He finds it refreshing that Kohli is breaking that mould, and is himself making the most uncomfortable move. What he is saying, essentially, is you have to be detached from a particular number, Bhave says. There should be flexibility.Bhave agrees with Kohlis point that if India have to win a Test he has to pick the best combination for those conditions and that opposition. Putting out the best combination is the most important thing, Bhave says. And if that means that I have to bat 3 or open, I am willing to do that. That is what he said. I see that as a very positive thing.As long as the openers positions are not shuffled, Bhave does not mind keeping the positions of the rest of the middle order flexible. According to Bhave, a former Maharashtra opener and captain, in first-class cricket batsmen have moved up and down the order regularly to bat at whichever position is vacant in the national team. Hence, he says, there is no point being too harsh about India now shuffling their middle order.As much as he backs Kohlis plan, Bhave says it will not work without conviction. You have to remain consistent with it, Bhave says. And the reason behind changing the batting order should never be other than for the teams cause. It is a step forward.Dasgupta is impressed with Kohlis selfless move up the order. You are talking about a different mentality here, Dasgupta says. You are pushing yourself in terms of extending your boundaries, try and get out of your comfort zone. And the best way to do it as a captain yourself. Not just talking in the dressing room, but actually going out there and doing it.Such a move, Dasgupta says, sends a signal to rest of the team saying, Keep an open mind, I am there with you, I am backing you to the hilt, let us try out a few things, let us not be stuck in our cocoon and be comfortable where we are. NMD For Sale . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. NMD Outlet . - The Oakland Raiders re-signed offensive lineman Khalif Barnes on Friday. https://www.cheapnmdoutlet.com/ .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. NMD On Sale .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. NMD Sale . "We have always prided ourselves on the way we play defence. Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen.Jason Day will take a two-shot lead into the weekend of the Arnold Palmer Invitational as Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose surged into contention on day two at Bay Hill. Leaderboard Arnold Palmer Invitational Day made the most of perfect scoring conditions early on as he fired a flawless 65 to claim the early clubhouse lead on 13 under, and he enjoyed a five-stroke advantage as the later starters hit the course.But Stenson trimmed Days lead to two as he covered the inward nine in just 31 to return a superb 66, a score matched by Rose in the group behind as the Englishman went bogey-free. Rory McIlroy avoided a weekend off as he bounced back from his opening 75 with an encouraging 67 which lifted him to two under, although he has 11 shots to make up on the leader. Day holds a two shot lead going into weekend Day started at the 10th and followed a pair of pars with a neat pitch to inside three feet at the long 12th to set up his first birdie of the round, and he added another at 16 after narrowly missing an 18-foot putt for eagle.Day then rolled in a huge 35-footer for birdie at the 17th, and he picked up another shot at the third, where his 91-yard approach almost spun into the cup for an eagle-two.The world No 2 carded another birdie at five and he got up and down from a greenside bunker for another gain at the next, and he capped a superb days work in thrilling style as he drained another birdie putt from just inside 40 feet on the ninth green. Day had been five clear earlier in the day It was great. I felt like I couldnt do anything wrong out there, said Day, whose halfway score was just one outside the tournament 36-hole record. I was driving it nice and driving it really long. I had several shots to hit a lot of greens and I putted fantastic.To hole 125 feet of putts was fantastic and the putts on nine and 17 definitely helped that along. But I was very, very pleased. My goal was to try and stay patient but still aggressive and it worked out over the last two days.Stenson emerged as Days closest challenger as the Swede recovered from an early blemish at the second with birdies at the sixth and eighth, and he also birdied every other hole on the back nine - closing in stylee with a 20-foot putt for a three at the tough 18th.ddddddddddddRose opened with three pars before getting up and running with three consecutive birdies from the fourth, and excellent pitched to the 10th and 12th set up further gains for the world No 8. Justin Rose during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill He two-putted for his sixth birdie of the round at the long 16th and parred safely in to close on 10 under, while his compatriot Paul Casey is three shots further back as he continued his encouraging recent form with a 69, although he took the gloss off an excellent inward nine with a bogey at the last.The Englishman dropped a shot at the first after pulling his drive into the rough on the left, but he responded with a 15-foot putt for birdie at the third before getting up and down for another at the long fourth.Casey took another step back at the ninth when he missed a four-footer for par after bunkering his approach, but he reeled off three birdies in four holes after the turn and two-putted from distance for another at 16. Paul Casey made four birdies on the back nine, but a bogey at 18 left him on seven under But a blocked drive and a pulled second cost him a shot at the last as he slipped to seven under, while South Korean veteran KJ Choi (70), Jason Kokrak (68) and David Hearn (67) were all a shot further adrift in the clubhouse.But Matt Every, champion for the last two years at Bay Hill, will not make it a three-peat as he missed the cut after a disappointing 74 which included a triple-bogey seven at the 11th - his second hole of the day.Every finished on one over, a shot outside the cut mark, while Luke Donald will also have the weekend off after an erratic 75, closing with a double-bogey six at the last when he put his second shot into water.Meanwhile, Saturdays third round will start much earlier than scheduled due to the threat of electrical storms that are forecast to hit the Orlando area in the evening. The players will go out in three-balls in a two-tee start, with Day, Stenson and Rose teeing off at 1:30pm GMT.Live coverage of the third day at Bay Hill will now begin at 1pm on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Also See: Bay Hill leaderboard First round highlights Golfers top 3s WATCH: Dangers of social media ' ' '

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