PCB takes 'strong notice' of India's army caps

The PCB has taken "strong notice" of India's use of army camouflage caps during their third ODI against Australia in Ranchi, urging the ICC to take action against the BCCI.

MS Dhoni, who is an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Indian territorial army, distributed the caps to the team before the toss. The move was initiated as a way to pay tribute to those killed in the terror attack in Pulwama last month. The BCCI had approached the ICC before going ahead with the plan, and the ICC confirmed to ABOCricinfo that permission had been granted as it was part of a charity fundraising effort.

"We have strongly taken up the matter with the ICC," PCB chairman Ehsan Mani told reporters in Karachi. "There is absolutely no misunderstanding in the ICC about our position. We believe that cricket and sports should not be used for politics and we have said this very clearly. Their [India] credibility in the cricketing world has gone down very badly."

"There should not be any ambiguity as we are taking this very strongly. We don't do politics, neither we do we use cricket for politics"

EHSAN MANI

India's captain Virat Kohli had explained at the toss in Ranchi that donning the caps were meant to encourage countrymen to donate to the National Defence Fund to help with the education of the martyrs' dependents.

"This is to pay respect to the martyrs of the Pulwama attack and their families," Kohli said. "All the players have decided to donate their match fees from this particular game to the National Defence Fund. I, as the captain of the team, would urge everyone in the country to do the same, donate how much ever they can to the National Defence Fund and help in the education and well-being of the families and the children of those who lost their lives in the attack. So this is a very special cap and a very special game indeed."

Mani, however, insisted that ICC should take "strong action" against India, especially as there was already precedent for the same.

Moeen Ali, the England allrounder, was banned in 2014 for wearing wristbands bearing the slogans 'Save Gaza' and 'Free Palestine' on the first two days of the third Test against India at The Ageas Bowl. While the ECB had defended Moeen's stance, describing his actions as humanitarian rather than political, match referee David Boon had reminded Moeen of the ICC's clothing and equipment regulations.

Similarly, South African legspinner Imran Tahir was reprimanded by the ICC for his celebrations during a T20I against Sri Lanka in early 2017. After dismissing Asela Gunaratne, Tahir went off on one of his usual celebratory runs before taking off his playing kit and revealing a t-shirt with an image of the late Junaid Jamshed, a Pakistani pop icon and latterly religious preacher who had died in a plane crash.

"You have two examples from the past already, where both Imran Tahir and Moeen Ali were sanctioned for something similar," Mani said. "The ICC had taken strong action against them and we have sought similar action against India. The permission they took was for a different purpose but they acted differently.

"We have been in touch with ICC from day one, sent one letter already and another is being followed up in next 12 hours. There should not be any ambiguity as we are taking this very strongly. We don't do politics, neither we do we use cricket for politics."

Ties between the two boards have deteriorated sharply in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack. The BCCI initially wanted to have Pakistan banned from the World Cup this summer, before deciding to tone that down by asking the ICC to "sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates".

BCCI officials did not bring up the request at a recent ICC board meeting but it was brought up - and turned down - by the ICC head Shashank Manohar.

DRS 'is not consistent at all' - Virat Kohli

Question marks on the accuracy of the Decision Review System (DRS) have now come up in two successive matches in the ongoing India-Australia series, with Virat Kohli making his displeasure public, saying "it's just not consistent at all" following an overturned review for caught-behind of Ashton Turner during a crucial passage of play in the fourth ODI in Mohali on Sunday.

The incident took place in the 44th over of Australia's pursuit of India's 358 for 9, when Turner tried to slash a slow, wide legbreak from Yuzvendra Chahal. Turner lunged to cut a ball from inside the crease to one that spun way. The ball seemed to have connected with the toe-end of Turner's bat. Having collected the ball, Rishabh Pant whipped off the bails and appealed for what initially felt like a stumping. However, he then urged Kohli to take the review even as umpire Anil Chaudhary called it not out, and the decision was referred to third umpire Joel Wilson.

Ultra Edge picked some murmurs even before the ball had passed the bat and once again flickered just after the ball went passed the swinging blade. Wilson duly turned down India's review, something Kohli disagreed with, displaying his displeasure by shaking his head and saying a few words.

At that point, Turner was on 41 with Australia needing a further 66 from 39 balls with five wickets in hand. He went on to hurt India by helping Australia to their highest chase in ODIs, Kohli describing his innings as the "game-changer".

Without any prompting at the post-match presentation ceremony, Kohli called the DRS decision contentious, saying it "was a bit of a surprise". "It's becoming more of a talking point every game. It's just not consistent at all, and that was a game-changer moment as well," he said.

"But yeah, that's more of an uncontrollable, but the controllable we had to do right, and we didn't do it right, and the opportunity slipped away," he added, pointing to the many chances the Indians missed on the field.

Kohli's mention of DRS becoming 'a talking point' was likely a reference to the third ODI in Ranchi, where a glaring error in ball-tracking projection came into the spotlight when Australian captain Aaron Finch was given out lbw off left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav.

Kuldeep got a stock ball to straighten and rap the Australia captain on the back pad in the 32nd over, and C Shamshuddin, the on-field umpire, ruled the batsman out lbw. Finch asked for a review, and replays showed the ball pitching on leg stump, when it had actually bounced on middle stump.

While the ball might have still gone on to hit the stumps even if it had pitched on leg stump, it was a noticeable mistake on the part of the ball-tracking technology in use.

ABOCricinfo understands that the technology might have suffered a technical glitch during the Ranchi game, which resulted in it missing the line. Australia's management has not lodged any official complaint with the match officials following the incident.

Having freed-up Dhoni around a 'win-win situation', says Kohli

India's as of late assigned limited overs administrator Virat Kohli has said having MS Dhoni in the gathering without the obligation of activity will be a "win-win situation" for India and himself. In a meeting with the BCCI site the day after he was named captain, Kohli in like manner said he feels "certain" accepting accountability in the shorter courses of action given his cognizance of them, and is "invigorated" to manufacture a gathering for the 2019 World Glass.

"It's a win-win condition for the head coming into still have Dhoni for his suggestion, his information sources and his cricketing mind," he said. "Regardless, what I'm most happy about is that he'll have the ability to play free cricket and pass on what requirements be as the mighty MS Dhoni we knew when he first came into the gathering. As a player, obligation can expel that from you. I trust it's chance he benefits as much as possible from his cricket since he has taken such an incredible measure of weight for the country.

Dhoni wandered down as India officer on Wednesday, taking after a nine-year spell in the part. Kohli had been his durable unfortunate propensity boss.

Kohli said he and Dhoni shared a good relationship, and Dhoni had been preparing him for the piece of captain. "I've learnt an incredible arrangement from him to the extent organization and carrying on. When you think 'Dhoni', the primary concern that rings a chime is 'officer'. For me he's ceaselessly going to be my officer since I started my occupation under him. He will reliably be the individual who guided me, who gave me openings, who gave me sufficient time and space to create as a cricketer, who saved me from getting dropped various a period.

"There's an extensive measure of shared respect between us since he grasps that having been given the open entryway, I have truly locked in on my beguilement and upgraded the mental side of things. We share an amazing cooperation and I couldn't be luckier to have him around for his musings.

"It's something I've been getting ready for in my own head, and MS has been bantering with me too about methods, how to approach conditions, et cetera since he moreover observed that it is so basic to guide me."

Dhoni's spot in the batting demand has been a condition of more broad prudent examination as of late, with some proposing it would be best for him at this later period of his calling to bat up the demand and guide the innings instead of going up against the mental and physical solicitations of finishing entertainments. Kohli, too, said he might need to have Dhoni batting up the demand. "I would love to see him bat higher up than he has been all through the past couple of years and totally benefit as much as possible from his cricket. If MS Dhoni takes advantage of his cricket and plays the way he did in his initia

Kohli said he thought he was better masterminded the confined overs captaincy than he was the time when he expected control in Tests in January 2015; then, Dhoni had surrendered from the longest arrangement part of the way through India's visit to Australia, captaining on Boxing Day however offering over to Kohli for the New Year's Test. By then, Kohli had played 32 Tests. In the blink of an eye, he has 176 ODIs and 45 T20Is behind him.

"I grab beyond any doubt assessing the kind of cricket I've played in the shorter arrangement and what I've learnt from playing in the various conditions in that association. So I'll have the ability to execute plans with more conviction starting off, which wasn't the circumstance when I got the opportunity to be Test boss.

"I was advised a day before that MS is not going to play… and will captain the country; it was extremely stunning for me in light of the way that, in my brain, I was at the same time finding my feet in Test cricket."

Kohli said captaining India at the 2019 World Compartment will be the "best achievement of my life", in the meantime, even while prepare for that opposition, he would not have any longing to reject playing to win in every preoccupation. Winning, he said, would be the best arranging.

"Just getting some answers concerning the World Glass gives me goosebumps. I trust it's a wonderful stage in Indian cricket where the youths have an opportunity to come in and seal their spots for that immense occasion. The central goal is to recognize players who can play in different positions and can work around the batsmen who've been highlighting in the ODI set up for a long time, meanwhile giving them plenteous time to prepare for those gigantic events and not surge them into any sorts of plans that they can't execute.

"[But] there is an extensive measure of time to make a special effort. Our basic target is to win every entertainment that we play - not thinking little of this methodology, saying it doesn't have any kind of effect if we win or lose redirections. I don't infer that will make assurance.

"When you're put under weight, that situation is exorbitantly overwhelming for some individuals and you haven't the foggiest around a leave arrange. In any case, in the occasion that you're encountering those conditions and know how to win from different conditions, it makes a state of mind for tremendous rivalries, for vital turning points, for enormous resistances and that is the thing that you start requiring for. So I trust it's a moderate method where the rule indicate will be win amusements and give people the vision and mental quality, and the ability to counter conditions and return and win redirections."

Being in control, Kohli said, has enhanced him a cricketer general. "Commitment has reliably been helpful for my beguilement, as in there's no space for absence of concern. In the IPL, when I'm captain [of Famous Challengers Bangalore], it's basic for me dispose of my wicket after 60-70, yet the reason I push on is that I comprehend as officer I need to set a delineation, attempt before I can ask the same from others. That is something I've by and large had trust in.

"It enhances me a player, it enhances me a man, it makes me grasp the delight progressively and it makes me essentially more revolved around the redirection - appreciate the minute inconspicuous components that win or lose you the beguilement. It works impeccably for me."l years, then the gathering is in an extraordinarily solid space."

Kohli double leaves WI long way from safety

'Ashwin at No.6 not an answer for all conditions yet' - Manjrekar

Virat Kohli proceeded with his proficient and fiery aggregation of races to raise his lady top notch twofold hundred, setting up India's affirmation on 566, their joint fourth-most astounding score against West Indies. Elevated to No. 6, R Ashwin delighted in some fortunes in the main hour of the day preceding walking around his third hundred against West Indies, taking his normal against them to 64.67. Given 16 overs, the Indian bowlers attempted frantically for a leap forward, and succeeded under 10 minutes before the end of play on the second day.

That India could proclaim with over a hour to stumps was down to Kohli's scoring rate. Although Kohli went at 4.2 an over and Amit Mishra and the tail swung their bats pushing for an affirmation, whatever remains of the side oversaw 282 keeps running in 101.5 overs. Kohli's purpose - helped, most likely, by a level pitch and tiring bowlers - thwarted West Indies' arrangement essentially from ball one: bowl protectively and guarantee your stacked-up batting line-up has less time to survive. Aside from Shannon Gabriel, the bowlers - there was stand out other pro in the side - did not effectively search for wickets and rather depended on disappointing batsmen. In any case, Kohli, who turned into India's first chief to score an away twofold, went out on a limb and made the bowlers dish to him, since he was driving the wide ones as well.

Gabriel, however, ought to have had his second wicket right off the bat the 2nd day. West Indies' wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich had sat tight for 423 overs more than three Tests for his first open door at a release. At the point when Gabriel created the outside edge from Ashwin, his excitement to praise prompted a sitter being grassed. Ashwin was on 43 then. West Indies still figured out how to keep him calm - at one point he went 40 balls for four runs - yet Kohli, who continued the day on 143 not out, continued finding a path around the protective lines.

Similar to the case on the very beginning, Gabriel rocked the bowling alley a short burst with the new ball, and Carlos Brathwaite caught up with a spell that tried the batsmen's understanding by knocking down some pins an arrangement of stumps outside off. The strategy had kept India's top request calm in the primary session of the match, however Kohli didn't sit tight for a really long time before going out on a limb, executing it so well that it didn't resemble a danger. Kohli has his own specific manner of picking what balls to drive. Every conveyance of Brathwaite's initial three overs was knocked down some pins to Kohli, who endeavored to score off one and only, the broadest of the parcel. It wasn't a half-volley either, yet Kohli drove wonderfully on the up, and got a limit to break any weight the joining of spots makes.

Spread driving, of course, remained the component of Kohli's innings. When he gave the treatment to Devendra Bishoo in the 105th over, the limit took him past his past best of 169 and raised his 50th gone through the spreads. An indication of how well he batted came when, in the 113th over, he played maybe the main ungraceful shot of his innings, a half-clear over the line to profound midwicket. As it turned out, he had picked the uncommon wrongful from Bishoo, and was really playing with the twist.

No Test twofold is simple, yet in the last over before lunch, Kohli walked around one of the more inescapable ones with a simple single off a short off break. Kohli hadn't generally played the punch off the back foot on this moderate track in any case, maybe searching for considerably faster runs, he attempted that after lunch and wound up playing Gabriel onto his stumps. Truce took after. West Indies did a reversal to knocking down some pins protectively with guarded fields, with spinners on at both finishes, which enhanced their over rate. Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha didn't look excessively objected in a 71-run association that took 24.4 overs.

Moderate pitch, defenders in front, no pace to work with, and West Indies at long last had a calm half session. Ashwin didn't look in any rush, Saha attempted to break the tedium, succeeding on a few events before getting puzzled. Dowrich at long last had a lady Test release. In general, however, West Indies declined to assault, which could have gambled giving India scoring opportunities, and India didn't appear to be excessively disturbed with the moderate going.

Seven minutes before tea, with a back-foot punch through midwicket, Ashwin raised his hundred, helping one to remember the shot of the day, a back-foot punch through mid-on for four. Mishra's endeavor at the flip side - his fourth half-century fell off just 68 balls - gave India the push they required. Tired personalities and bodies dropped three gets; the time appeared to be a good fit for a presentation.

In the overs that took after, Kohli attempted a considerable measure of assaulting choices: three slips and a chasm, an additional crevasse and truly full out swingers, short leg and in reverse short leg for short-pitched rocking the bowling alley, and his trump card R Ashwin. Rajendra Chandrika, who had prior gloved an Ishant Sharma bouncer over the manager, at long last succumbed in the fifteenth over, edging Shami through to the attendant.

ABOC Cricinfo

Would Not Ever Ask Players To Do What I Cannot - Kohli

       'Incredible to see Kohli's force and longing to score enormous runs'

Since assuming control over the reins as Test chief, Virat Kohli has reliably supported a five-bowler technique, flagging an outcome orientated attitude and a readiness to put more noteworthy obligation on the main five batsmen. On the initial two days of the continuous Antigua Test, Kohli indicated what it intended to shoulder that obligation by shoring up a line-up that had wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha recorded at No. 6 with his lady top notch twofold hundred.

"Playing five batsmen is a touch of an additional weight on the batsmen yet that is the thing that we need to respond to as a call," Kohli told bcci.tv, after his 200 drove India to 566 for 8 in the primary innings against West Indies. "The batsmen chose to assume up the liability. As chief, I could never request that the players do what I can't do myself first."

On a slow pitch, the onus on the batsmen was to score, as well as to score sufficiently quick to give the bowlers time to take 20 wickets. Kohli was the stand out to take up this double obligation. He stayed in and scored huge, while likewise showing a positive, occupied methodology that was absent in a significant number of his associates. He completed with a strike rate of 70.

"I supported myself to be certain, upheld myself to score rapidly in light of the fact that I knew whether we needed to bowl the resistance out, we require enough time for the bowlers to be new again furthermore have softens up between," Kohli said. "I had special in the conversion room that I am going to go out there, be certain and show plan, and the runs began running."

Kohli the same discoursed the disparities stuck between his outlook in the changing area and in the center, and said he was "stable" maximum while batting. "When you are in the change room, you're interfacing with individuals, you become acquainted with what individuals are stating and what individuals near you anticipate from you. I think those are the things that give load.

"When I go out to bat, I am independent from anyone else and my batting accomplice. Individuals don't comprehend that I am really at a great deal of peace when I am batting alone out there in light of the fact that I don't need to interface with an excessive number of individuals and don't need to listen to their desires or recognize what they require of me. I can truly ponder myself, comprehend what my contemplations and state of mind are and after that work on those things. That is the reason I generally lean toward being out there in the center than becoming more acquainted with these things from individuals."

Kohli's 200 was likewise the main twofold century by an India commander far from home, five years after he made his Test debut in the Caribbean.

"I made my presentation here and it wasn't an essential arrangement for me. Returning here and getting a twofold hundred gives me a considerable measure of fulfillment, absolutely due to the way that I have missed a few major scores previously. I know I can get enormous hundreds. This is my first twofold hundred in top notch matches when all is said in done, so this is something I generally needed to do and I am feeling truly thankful today that I could cross the imprint."