DUBAI: India pacer Mohammed Siraj on Wednesday became the number one bowler in the ICC rankings for ODI bowlers, a testament to his rapid rise in international cricket.

Siraj went past New Zealand’s Trent Boult and Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood to become the top-ranked ODI bowler for the very first time.

Not only has Siraj’s form over the last 12 months been imperious, but his effort in the ODI series at home earlier this month against Sri Lanka and New Zealand has shown just how much the right arm has improved in recent times.

India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey challenged Siraj to work on certain aspects of his game last year and the extra training the energetic quick has put in has paid off.

Siraj took nine wickets against Sri Lanka to be the leading wicket-taker for the three-game series and backed that up by claiming a four-wicket haul in the opening match of the recently-completed series against New Zealand.

It means Siraj jumps to the top of the ODI bowler rankings with 729 rating points, albeit narrowly, with his lead at the top over Hazlewood just two rating points higher than the Australian.

India captain Rohit Sharma was full of praise for Siraj when asked about the emerging pacer following the series whitewash over New Zealand.

“He has done really well, he understands what the team is expecting from him,” Rohit said.

“To come and take the new ball, swing the ball, get early wickets. In the middle overs too, he’s got so much skill. The more he plays, the better he gets,” said the skipper.

Fellow India pacer Mohammed Shami has jumped 11 places to 32nd overall on the updated list for ODI bowlers, while there is plenty of movement at the top of the batter rankings following the completion of India’s home series against the Kiwis.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam still enjoys a healthy lead at the top of the ODI batter rankings, but there is now a total of three Indian players inside the top 10 and chasing the highest accolade.

In-form opener Shubman Gill is the eye-catcher as the right-hander jumps a whopping 20 places to sixth overall following a brilliant double hundred and a century against New Zealand at home.

Gill rises in front of veteran Virat Kohli, who slipped to seventh following a quiet series against New Zealand, while Rohit jumped two places to equal eighth after his quickfire hundred against the Kiwis in Indore.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Virat Kohli lit up the dead rubber with an epic 166 not out, his third century in four innings, as India annihilated a clueless Sri Lanka with a record 317-run win in the third ODI to sweep the series here on Sunday.

Skipper Rohit Sharma (42 off 49) and Shubman Gill (116 off 97) shared a fluent 95-run opening partnership before Kohli (166 not out off 110) propelled India to a daunting 390 for five with his 74th international hundred and 46th in the 50-over format.

Sri Lanka succumbed to the high-quality fast bowling of Mohammad Siraj who struck four times inside the 10 overs to shut the door on the opposition. Sri Lanka were all out for a meagre 73 in 22 overs, highlighting the gulf between the two teams.

It is the biggest margin of victory by runs in the history of men’s ODIs.

The night well and truly belonged to ‘King’ Kohli. The 34-year-old, who had ended a nearly three-year wait for an international hundred in the Asia Cup last year, showed that he is back to his best.

Kohli is now only three short of equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries. Kohli’s conversion ratio is remarkable as he got to his 46th ton in 259 innings while Tendulkar had taken 452 innings to get to 49 centuries.

Before Kohli took over, Gill had played some high-quality strokes en route to his second ODI hundred.

With that effort, he repaid the faith of the team management which had picked him to open ahead of Ishan Kishan, who came into the series with a double hundred under his belt.

The 23-run over from Lahiru Kumara in the initial stage of the innings got India going. After Rohit flicked him for a six over deep mid-wicket, Gill collected four straight boundaries off Kumara, three on the offside and one was a leg-side flick off a full toss. Rohit too was looking good at the other end but got out against the run of play while trying one of his signature shots, the front foot pull.

Gill and Kohli then shared a 131-run stand in which they were hardly troubled by the Sri Lankan bowlers.

Kohli began the innings with a flurry of boundaries before accumulating runs with his exemplary running between the wickets. His first of his eight sixes came in the 80s and it was a mishit over long-on, leaving him in a chuckle.

He got to 99 with a boundary which came following a collision with Ashen Bandara and Jeffrey Vandersay, who both were running towards the ball from deep square leg and deep midwicket. Both the fielders were eventually stretchered off the field.

The last 10 overs saw India smashing 116 runs with Kohli going ballistic after his century. It was raining sixes from his bat post the milestone and one over long on had shades of MS Dhoni’s helicopter shot that left Kohli with a big smile. Most of his maximums came in the cow corner region.

In response to India’s mammoth total, Sri Lanka never really turned up in the chase.

Siraj had Avishka Fernando caught at widish slip in the second over of the innings. It was a procession thereafter with Siraj running through the top order. Mohammad Shami and Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with a couple of wickets.

Brief scores

India: 390/5 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 166 not out, Shubman Gill 116; Kasun Rajitha 2/81)
Sri Lanka: 73 all out in 22 overs ( Nuwanidu Fernando 19; Mohammed Siraj 4/32 )

Teams

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj.
Sri Lanka: Avishka Fernando, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kusal Mendis(wk), Ashen Bandara, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara.

Representational Image

Guwahati: The Assam government announced a half-day holiday in Kamrup Metropolitan district on Tuesday in view of the India-Sri Lanka ODI match in Guwahati.

All state government offices and educational institutions in the district will be closed at 1 pm, according to a notification issued on Sunday.

“The governor of Assam is pleased to declare half day local holiday on 10th January, 2023 within the Kamrup (Metro) district on the occasion of ODI match between India and Sri Lanka to be held on 10/01/2023 at Barsapara ACA Cricket Stadium, Guwahati,” it said.

Guwahati, which forms the Kamrup Metropolitan district, will host the first game of the three-match ODI series between the two countries.

India captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have already reached the city for the match. Other members of the Indian team and the Sri Lankan team are scheduled to arrive late on Sunday.

The two teams will practice at the stadium on Monday.

NEW DELHI: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant who meet with An Accident  last week, has successfully undergone knee surgery at a Mumbai hospital, according to the BCCI sources.

“Rishabh Pant has successfully undergone knee ligament surgery on Friday. He will be under observation. Further course of action and rehabilitation will be advised by Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala and followed by the BCCI sports science and medicine team,” a BCCI source told PTI.

The surgery took place at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital in Andheri West under the supervision of Dr Pardiwala, the head of the Centre for Sports Medicine, and Director of Arthroscopy & Shoulder Service.

Pant was taken to Mumbai By Air Ambulance from Dehradun since he was not in a position to fly by a commercial airline.

The 25-year-old, who was driving from Delhi to Roorkee to surprise his family members in the early hours of December 30, suffered multiple injuries after his speeding car hit the divider and caught fire.

India cricketer Sanju Samson

Pune: India batter Sanju Samson has been ruled out of the second T20 International against Sri Lanka here on Thursday due to a knee injury.

Samson hurt his knee while fielding in the series opener in Mumbai, which India won by two runs on Tuesday.

He was dismissed cheaply in the India innings.

“Samson has stayed back in Mumbai to get some scans,” said a BCCI source.

Vidarbha wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma has been added to India’s squad in place of Samson. He will be a cover for Ishan Kishan for the next two games.

“Yes, Jitesh is joining the team. He has been rewarded for his performances for Punjab Kings in the IPL,” the source added.

The injury to Samson might provide an opportunity for Rahul Tripathi to make his debut. Consistent IPL performer Tripathi has travelled with the squad for a while but is yet to get a game.

India lead the three-match series 1-0 following their narrow two-run win in the opener.

Rishabh Pant

New Delhi: Star India batter Rishabh Pant will be shifted from Dehradun hospital to a Mumbai hospital where he will undergo extensive treatment for his ligament injuries in the knee and ankle, sources in the BCCI said on Wednesday.

“Rishabh is being shifted to Mumbai for diagnosis and treatment of his ligament injuries and decide upon the further course of action. He is expected to be under the supervision of BCCI-empanelled renowned sports orthopaedic Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala. If there is advice for surgery, a call will be taken if it will happen in the UK or USA,” a senior BCCI on conditions of anonymity.

Pant, 25, survived a horrific car accident when he was driving down from Delhi to his hometown Rourkee but lost control on NH-58 highway and hit the divider.

Pant sustained cuts on his forehead, a severely-bruised back along with injuries in his knee and ankle.

While most injuries are superficial, the worrying factor will be the ankle and knee as he got treated at Max, Dehradun.

However, being a centrally-contracted BCCI cricketer, his injury treatment was the board’s prerogative.

The MRIs of his injured knee and ankle couldn’t be performed as there was extensive swelling and hence the degree of tear is yet to be ascertained.

However, it is understood that any sports-related injury diagnosis and prognosis for a centrally-contracted cricketer will be done by BCCI’s list of doctors and the rehabilitation and recuperation will be managed by the Sports and Medical Science team at NCA led by Dr Nitin Patel.

Mumbai: India prevailed over Sri Lanka by two runs in their first T20 International to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series here on Tuesday.

Sent in to bat, India scored 162 for five at the Wankhede Stadium, reaching the total after being in a spot of bother at one stage of their innings.

In reply, Sri Lanka were all out for 160 in 20 overs with debutant pacer Shivam Mavi (4/20) picking the first two wickets. Skipper Dasun Shanaka top-scored for the visitors with 45 off 27 balls

For India, opener Ishan Kishan made 37 off 29 balls while new T20 captain Hardik Pandya chipped in with 29 in 27 deliveries. Deepak Hooda then blasted 41 off 23 balls while Axar Patel smashed a 20-ball 31.

Brief scores:

India: 162/5 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 37, Deepak Hooda 41 not out, Axar Patel 31 not out)

Sri Lanka: 160 all out in 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 28, Dasun Shanaka 45; Shivam Mavi 4/22).

Indian star pacer Jasprit Bumrah

Mumbai: Star pacer Jasprit Bumrah was on Tuesday added to India’s ODI squad for the three games against Sri Lanka after National Cricket Academy declared him fit for home series beginning January 10.

Bumrah last played for India in September and had also missed the T20 World Cup in Australia due to a back injury.

“The All-India Senior Selection Committee has included pacer Jasprit Bumrah in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming Mastercard 3-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.

“The pacer has undergone rehabilitation and has been declared fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). He will be joining the Team India ODI squad soon,” said the BCCI in a statement.

The first ODI will be played in Guwahati on January 10, second in Kolkata on January 12 and third in Trivandrum on January 15.

With the focus on 50-over cricket in an ODI World Cup year, it is unlikely that Bumrah will feature in the shortest format till the ICC event at home in October-November.

His IPL workload too would be monitored closely by the NCA, as well as other “targeted” India players for the ODI World Cup.

One of the best in the business, Bumrah is vital to India’s chances at the mega event as they look to win the coveted trophy for the second time at home after 2011.

Having made his India debut in 2016, the 29-year-old has represented the country in 30 Tests, 72 ODIs and 60 T20Is.

Experts including the great Michael Holding find Bumrah injury-prone as he generates serious pace with a short-run up.

“My problem with Bumrah, and I mentioned it to him when last time I saw him in England, is how long that body will hold up with that short run and the amount of effort he has to put into in his bowling, it is a human body. It is not a machine,” Holding had said back in 2020.

India’s updated squad for Sri Lanka ODIs: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.

CHENNAI:  2023 has just begun. While most of the world is still soaking in the past year and celebrating entering the new year brimming with hopes and dreams, the Indian cricketing body did not waste any time before getting to work. Such has been the performance of the Indian men in 2022, they had to review it in Mumbai as India saw the first sunrise of 2023.

And in the meeting that was attended by its top brass, captain, head coach, NCA chief and chairman of selectors, the BCCI kicked off 2023 with some key policy decisions with at least two ICC trophies — World Test Championship and a home ODI World Cup — at stake. 

Perhaps the most important decision made is that the National Cricket Academy (NCA) will be working in tandem with the IPL franchisees to keep an eye on certain players. “Keeping in mind the men’s FTP and preparations for ICC CWC 2023, the NCA will work in tandem with the IPL franchisees to monitor the targeted Indian players participating in the IPL 2023,” secretary Jay Shah said in a statement. 

If workload management is one aspect, the board has also decided to reinstate the Yo-Yo test, Dexa (bone scan test) as the eligibility criteria for selection. In 2022, the Indian men’s team was plagued with injuries through the year. Recently skipper Rohit Sharma came out and said they cannot have half-fit players in the team. The BCCI has also decided that “the emerging players” will have to go through the grind in domestic circuit to be eligible for selection.

The 2021-22 season saw the BCCI make personnel changes in their quest for an ICC title. With that not bearing fruit, they have gone one step further, making some policy decisions this time around. Whether it will translate into results this year, one will have to wait and watch.