Cricket News Today: Zaheer Khan provides advice to Jasprit Bumrah, Suresh Raina terms MS Dhoni India's best ever captain ahead of IPL and more - 13th February 2020

Hello and welcome to the roundup for all the major narratives that dominated the world of cricket on the 13th of February 2020.

A number of interesting news came to the fore, ranging from Zaheer Khan’s advice to Jasprit Bumrah, post the latter’s wicket-less ODI series in New Zealand to Suresh Raina throwing his weight behind MS Dhoni as India’s best captain ever.

Elsewhere, with the IPL around the corner, Parth Jindal, the Delhi Capitals’ owner, exclaimed surprise at the continued omission of Rishabh Pant whereas Andre Russell also opened up on his injury issues.

Additionally, Sachin Tendulkar took a trip down memory lane to relive the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and maintained that that achievement still accorded him goosebumps.

Here is a look at those stories in further detail.

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#1 Zaheer Khan advises Japrit Bumrah to be more aggressive

B umrah ended the ODI series wicket-less

In the recently concluded ODI series against New Zealand, Jasprit Bumrah remarkably failed to pick up a single scalp, meaning that the Men In Blue suffered and ultimately, ceded the initiative to the Black Caps.

Unsurprisingly, there has been plenty of chatter regarding why that particular situation had come about and on Thursday, former fast bowler, Zaheer Khan offered his take, quipping,

When you build a reputation like how Jasprit Bumrah has built now over the years, you will have to fight this. Bumrah is in a phase where teams are saying ‘even if we get thirty-five runs we are happy with that as long as we are not giving him wickets because then we can attack the other bowlers’.

Zaheer further added,

That is something which Bumrah will have to understand that he has to be extra aggressive in terms of looking to get those wickets because he knows the batsmen are going to be defensive.

Moreover, Zaheer opened up on how Bumrah might have to tweak his approach and go searching for wickets rather than relying on the batsmen’s mistakes, considering they might now be happy to not gift the pacer any wickets and in turn, pile the pressure on him.

Read the full article here: New Zealand vs India 2020: Zaheer Khan wants Bumrah to be more aggressive; explains why he went wicketless in ODI series

#2 Suresh Raina terms MS Dhoni’s as India’s best captain of all time

Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni

With the IPL only a month and a bit away, fans have been waiting with bated breath to catch a glimpse of MS Dhoni, who hasn’t featured on the international stage since that World Cup defeat against New Zealand.

However, the veteran wicket-keeper is set to don the yellow of the Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming edition of the cash-rich league, thereby making several leaps in joy and excitement.

And, it seems that Suresh Raina has also hopped onto the aforementioned bandwagon while terming the CSK skipper as the best captain India have ever produced.

I think we have the best captain who has changed the Indian team like anything. Now we have that same aura in our dressing room.

During his stint as Indian captain, Dhoni boasted an incredible and unparalleled record, which included two World Cup triumphs and a Champions Trophy victory in England in 2013.

Read the full article here: Suresh Raina believes MS Dhoni is the best captain India have ever had

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#3 Delhi Capitals co-owner criticises Indian team management for excluding Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant has fallen down the pecking order

The past few months have seen Rishabh Pant endure an almighty fall from grace as the wicket-keeper ha lost his place in the limited-overs scheme of things to KL Rahul.

More importantly, since suffering a concussion against Australia in the 1st ODI on the 14th of January 2020, the Delhi Capitals batsman hasn’t featured for India, despite the Men In Blue playing 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs against New Zealand, post the home series against the Aussies.

Subsequently, plenty have expressed their surprise at the Indian team management’s decision and Delhi Capitals co-owner, Parth Jindal is the latest to slam to highlight his disappointment at Pant being consistently left out. He tweeted,

And why carry @RishabhPant17 only for him to warm the bench? Surely he would have benefited from playing against New Zealand A or domestic cricket? To see a player as talented as him not play the 5th T20 and now the 3rd ODI makes no sense #Xfactor.

And why carry @RishabhPant17 only for him to warm the bench? Surely he would have benefited from paying against New Zealand A or domestic cricket? To see a player as talented as him not play the 5th T20 and now the 3rd ODI makes no sense #Xfactor

— Parth Jindal (@ParthJindal11) February 11, 2020

India are set to clash swords against the Black Caps in the longest format, with the two-game rubber beginning on the 21st of February. However, with Wriddhiman Saha having wrestled back his spot from Pant over the home season, one can expect the youngster to warm the bench for a longer duration.

Read the full article here: Delhi Capitals co-owner slams Indian team management for excluding Pant from playing XI

#4 Sachin Tendulkar reveals that 2011 World Cup triumph still gives him goosebumps

Sachin Tendulkar

A few weeks ago, the sequence of Sachin Tendulkar being ‘Carried on the Shoulders of a Nation’ was nominated for the greatest Laureus Sporting Moment 2000-2020.

In fact, the likes of Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh have openly urged the fans to vote for the same and ensure that the former Indian batsman is showered with the accolade. Post Yuvraj’s tweet, Sachin took to Twitter to relive the moment, mentioning,

Yuvi, this moment is for Team India and every Indian around the world. The 2011 Cricket World Cup win is etched in my mind like it just happened yesterday. Still get goosebumps thinking about that night.

Additionally, he also replied to Virat’s tweet, wherein he expressed delight at having a friend and teammate like the current Indian skipper.

Read the full article here: Still get goosebumps thinking about 2011 World Cup win, reveals Sachin Tendulkar

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#5 Andre Russell opens up on his injury troubles

Andre Russell

In a startling revelation, Andre Russell opened up on the knee issues that have blighted his career, stating that a lack of advice and intense workout sessions proved detrimental for his knee.

Those who want to be another Russell should never do what happened to me... When I was 23 or 24 I began to get knee pain."

If I had someone tell me: ‘Look, Russ, you should get your knee stronger by keep doing these simple exercises, I would have been pain-free from my knees and hopefully I wouldn’t have to have had surgery. Unfortunately, at 23 you are fearless, and I used to ignore that pain and I always gave it a quick fix by taking pain killers and kept running.

Moreover, he opined that youngsters needed to maintain a balanced training regime, wherein they needed to concentrate equally on all parts of the body, including the lower body. Furthermore, he recalled his youthful days when he forewent strengthening his legs just to make himself more aesthetically appeasing by focussing on his abs and shoulders.

Read the full article here: IPL 2020: KKR all-rounder Andre Russell reflects on knee injury; laments intense workout early on in career