Paes set to return to India’s Davis Cup squad after 1 year
New Delhi: Leander Paes is set to return to the Indian Davis Cup squad since April 2018 after making himself available for the upcoming tie against Pakistan when country’s top players and non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi have refused to travel to the neighbouring nation, citing security concerns. The All India Tennis Association (AITA) recently began the visa process for its players even as they are insistent on a neutral venue. While the national federation is awaiting a final response from the world governing body ITF on the venue for the November 29-30 tie, it has already sent names of the players and support staff for securing visa. AITA secretary general Hironmoy Chatterjee told PTI that Paes has confirmed his availability for the tie in Islamabad. (PTI)
Bumrah, Mandhana win cricketer of the year awards
Bengaluru: Premier speedster Jasprit Bumrah and batswoman Smriti Mandhana are the two Indian names among the five winners of the prestigious Wisden India Almanack Cricketer of the Year award which was announced on Friday. The other winners from Asia are Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman, Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne and Afghanistan Rashid Khan. The seventh edition of the annual cricket publication for 2019 and 2020 also features Mayank Agarwal for his stellar domestic run leading to a successful Test call-up. Mandhana is the third woman to be named ‘Cricketer of the Year’, after Mithali Raj and Deepti Sharma. Stalwarts Gundappa Viswanath and Lala Amarnath are inducted into the Wisden India Hall of Fame. Cricket Country: The Untold History of the First All India Team by Prashant Kidambi has been adjudged the Wisden India Book of the Year. The Almanack reviewer described it as “a tribute to the game’s Indianness” that “superbly describes and analyses the tour (Indians in England 1911) and the politics that led up to it”. (PTI)
Bangladesh train for India tour
Dhaka: Members of the Bangladesh cricket team joined a training camp for next month’s tour of India on Friday, formally ending their strike for better pay and benefits. The players called off their strike late on Wednesday as the Bangladesh Cricket Board accepted most of their demands, including a 50 percent pay hike for first-class players, expansion of national pay contracts and a share in BCB’s revenue. Announced by national Test and Twenty20 captain Shakib Al Hasan, the strike had cast doubt on Bangladesh’s tour of India featuring three Twenty20 internationals and two Tests. Shakib had to skip the opening training session due to illness but other players joined the session. (PTI)