Posts Tagged ‘Gambhir’

Gambhir is ICC Test Player of the Year

Australia was declared the CEAT International Team of the Year at an award function held in Mumbai on Sunday. The award underscores the domination of Australia in world cricket as the award comes in a year in which they were for the first time seriously challenged in over a decade. Retirement of key players including Shane Warne and Glenn Mc Grath has seriously weakened the Aussie attack, and though the team doesn’t look as invincible as before they are still the world’s leading force in cricket. This was the eighth time that Australia won the Team of the Year Award since its introduction in 1996-97.

India opener Gautam Gambhir bagged a double: Delhi boy Gambhir bagged the ICC Cricketer of the Year award as well as the ICC Test Batsman of the Year award. His opening partner Virender Sehwag was declared the ODI Batsman of the Year. Michael Johnson of Australia was announced as the International Test Bowler of the Year while Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka won the award for the International ODI Bowler of the Year.

Thilan Samaraweera of Sri Lanka was chosen for the award for  the International Spirit of Cricket Award. India’s Erapalli Prasanna was conferred with the CEAT International Lifetime Achievement Award.

Also felicitated was Harbhajan Singh for joining the covted 300 wickets club.

India pile up 417 on Day 1 | India’s highest score in a day

Match: India vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test Match, Score at the end of day 1: India 417/2

India notched up its highest ever score in a single day of test cricket finishing in excess of 400 with just 2 wickets down. Though the highest scorer of the day was Gautam Gambhir who made a fine 167 , it was his opening partner who was the chief architect and responsible for that record. Virender Sehwag scored 131 today - his smallest century ever but his score was not the more important point but the rate at which he scored. He scored at less than run a ball and was especially harsh on Ajantha Mendis and the other two spinners. For the duration of Sehwag’s stay at the crease, India were cruising at a rate of over 5 runs per over!

While Gambhir may not have scored as quickly as Sehwag, his innings was no less elegant or important. It was his 7th century in 9 tests and came at a strike rate of 77.67, very good by the best of test cricket standards. In the first few overs, it was Gambhir who was the more prolific of two and helped calm nerves after Sehwag had been given a reprieve early on. Gambhir’s footwork was confident, and he often came out of his crease to tackle not just the spinners but even the pacers, on a slow Kanpur wicket.

At stumps, Rahul Dravid was batting his usual confident self and closing in on another test hundred. Giving him company was Sachin Tendulkar and with Yuvraj, Laxman and Dhoni to follow, tomorrow a couple of more records may be broken.