Despite the financial difficulties, Rasheed’s father, Shaik Balisha Vali, also a cricket-lover, left no stone unturned for Rasheed’s coaching.
Guntur :
For the first time, a cricketer from Guntur has been chosen to be a part of the Indian Premier League (IPL). As soon as the mini-auction of 405 players concluded in Kerala’s Kochi, the citizens rejoiced and basked in the glory of Shaik Rasheed, who made it to the player pool of Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Born in Guntur on September 24, 2004, Rasheed’s claim to fame was his impressive performance in the Andhra Premiere League 2022. Perhaps, his crucial role in India winning the Under-19 World Cup and as vice-captain of the team caught attention of the CSK franchise.
Currently playing the Ranji Trophy in Tamil Nadu, the 18-year-old has been signed for a base price of Rs 20 lakh.The all-rounder also happens to be an ardent fan of MS Dhoni. Only after the team of 15 cricketers is finalised, will we know whether or not Rasheed will get to play alongside his role model.
Despite the financial difficulties, Rasheed’s father, Shaik Balisha Vali, also a cricket-lover, left no stone unturned for Rasheed’s coaching.“We are so elated that he is living his dream. When I watched him play with such zeal, I decided to support him and send him for professional training. We had no second thoughts. He also worked very hard to reach the position he is at now,” an elated Balisha expressed.
When he accompanied Rasheed for training in Hyderabad, he had to pick up odd jobs to support the family. “My son has admired Dhoni since the time he started playing gully cricket when he was just six years old. Now, getting an opportunity to play alongside him will be his dream come true,” Balisha said.
Dad picks cue, extends support Balisha Vali, was the first to identify his son’s passion. His first cue was when neighbours’ complaints against the young cricketer for shattering their windows with his ‘sixes’ had become the order of the day
Guntur celebrates As soon as news spread, Guntur lit up with joy as friends and relatives burst firecrackers and distributed sweets. Several people, following Rasheed since his nascent stage, expressed happiness and wished him luck.
source:http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Bandhavi Annam / Express News Service / December 26th, 2022
The contribution of Ghulam Ahmed to cricket in Hyderabad and India is extremely difficult to quantify in mere words.
He was a legendary player, inspirational leader, far thinking administrator and a very capable manager. Whichever role he played, he did so with a measure of excellence that was unmatchable. The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said: “Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort and intelligent execution. Choice, not chance, determines our destiny.” The words can be applied most aptly to the life and career of Ghulam Ahmed, one of Indian cricket’s most accomplished off spinners and administrators, whose 100th birth anniversary falls on 4th of July, 2022.
But any person who knows about the family from which Ghulam Ahmed emerged, will not be surprised by the fact that this gentleman cricketer achieved so much in his lifetime.
In a way, this illustrious family can be called the first family of Hyderabad sports. Others who are connected to the Razvi family are Pakistan’s former captain Asif Iqbal, India’s former captain Mohammed Azharuddin and tennis champion Sania Mirza. Since Sania’s husband is an ace Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik, he too is connected to this family by marriage. So that makes it two captains of India, two captains of Pakistan and a tennis Grand Slam winner in doubles and mixed doubles, all belonging to or connected to one family.
Ghulam Ahmed meets the queen
We all know about the famous off spinner’s exploits on the cricket field. But what was he like as a person? Was he a disciplinarian or was he indulgent? Was he a strict parent or a friendly person who could be addressed as Dad? After siasat.com spoke to several persons who knew him well, an interesting picture emerged.
Apparently Ghulam Ahmed was a person whose character and conduct were unblemished. It was his most outstanding trait. He was painstakingly honest and fair in his thought and judgement. If he made a decision, everyone would accept it because they knew his reputation for being impartial and equitable. As a parent he was not the old fashioned taskmaster. Instead he obtained the love, affection and friendship of all his children. As a person he stuck to his principles but did so with a measure of kindness and tact that earned the willing cooperation of his colleagues.
When Nari Contractor was injured
He hailed from a family wherein the male members had mostly served in the civil services. Ghulam Ahmed himself chose the same path. He was the chairman of the A.P. Public Service Commission and then also the Hyderabad Race Club. He handled sensitive issues with graceful prudence. He had a large group of friends and was well loved and respected by all. Often there would be large gatherings of his friends at his house. The men would play cards and sometimes go out on hunting trips which was a popular pastime among young men of those days.
Ghulam Ahmed studied at the famous Madrasa-E-Aliya and then at Nizam College. In his cricket career, his seniors were the well known brothers S.M. Hussain and S.M. Hadi. The latter was an all round sportsman who excelled at many sports while the former was a member of the Indian cricket team. When he was a raw beginner, he once sought permission to bowl against Hussain. After he was allowed to do so, he bowled the experienced batter with his very first delivery leaving Hussain highly impressed.
Later Ghulam Ahmed grew up and became a very renowned player himself. He grew to be very close to some of the most famous names of those days. They often dropped in at his house. Cricket administrators such as M.A. Chidambaram, M. Chinnaswamy and Kishan Rungta visited him regularly.
The legendary Lala Amarnath, Test cricketers C.D Gopinath, Hemu Adhikary and Polly Umrigar – all these people used to visit his house.
Later, Ghulam Ahmed also served as a cricket administrator both in Hyderabad as well as the BCCI.
Besides serving as the Secretary and Vice President of the BCCI, he was the Chairman of the BCCI selection committee which selected the Indian team that won the World Cup in 1983. He was also given honorary membership of the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
When Ghulam Ahmed passed away after a long and illustrious life, encomiums flowed in from all parts of the world.
This is what The Independent (UK) wrote: “His smooth action enabled him to bowl for long spells while his clever flighting and variations of pace, length and line brought him comparisons with Jim Laker. He made his debut at 17 for Hyderabad but the second world war interrupted his further progress so that he did not appear in Test cricket until 1948 when he was chosen for the third Test against West Indies in Calcutta. He captained India against New Zealand in 1955 and also twice against the West Indies in 1958-59.”
In Shakespeare’s play Caesar, the character of Mark Antony says about his dear departed friend: “Here was a Caesar! When comes such another?” Meaning that Rome will probably never have another outstanding and upright personality like Caesar. The same can be said of Ghulam Ahmed. Like Caesar, Ghulam Ahmed too can never be replaced. His 100th birth anniversary is an occasion to remember with pride and affection, the excellent achievements of the man who was the first cricketer from Hyderabad to lead the nation in the international cricket arena.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Sports / by Abhijit Sen Gupta / July 04th, 2022
Shams Mulani has silenced all his critics with his sterling performance in the Ranji Trophy.
FILE PHOTO: Mumbai bowler Shams Mulani during a Ranji Trophy match at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. – THE HINDU ARCHIVES
He made his First Class debut in 2018-19. He was Mumbai’s highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy the following season.
Still, Shams Mulani ,the all-rounder, has always had to deal with murmurs of primarily being a white-ball bowler. Over the last fortnight, Mulani has silenced all his critics with his sterling performance bowling left-arm spin.
Mulani has picked a whopping 22 wickets in the first two league stages, including three consecutive five-wicket hauls. As a result, he is topping the wicket-takers’ chart in the Ranji Trophy. The southpaw, who is a couple of weeks shy of turning 25, hopes his performance versus Saurashtra and Goa should end the debate about spin-bowling skills in the longer format.
“I think it should because I never felt I was only a white-ball bowler. I feel that I am versatile and I can play all three formats pretty well as a bowler. That’s what I am trying to do,” Mulani told Sportstar on Monday, a day after being adjudged Player of the Match for his 11-wicket haul and a crucial 50 in Mumbai’s second essay.
“The tags are always going to be there, critics are always going to say something, you can’t help it. You just have to do what you do… let the ball and the bat do the talking.”
It was impressive to see Mulani using the width of the crease versus Goa, sensing the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium was offering turn from outside off-stump to right-handers. “I can say it’s a sense of maturity. Being around for a while, I have started reading the conditions better. The key to pick wickets is to assess the conditions, the batters and change your plan accordingly. I am glad it’s coming off,” he said.
Mulani stressed despite little red-ball cricket in the last two years, it’s his beginning at the Bengal Cricket Academy at Shivaji Park that meant he continued to work hard even while bowling with the red ball.
“Even when the whole focus was on limited overs (he was a Covid-replacement for Axar Patel in IPL 2021’s first half), I make it a point to carry at least one red-ball in my kit-bag all the time,” Mulani said. “That’s the basics. We started off bowling with it as kids and that’s what is going to hold us in good stead in the long-run.”
source: http://www.sportstar.thehindu.com / Sportstar / Home> Domestic / by Amol Karhadkar / Ahmedabad – February 28th, 2022
UAE batsman Aayan Khan plays a shot as Rivaldo Clarke of West Indies keeps during the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Plate semi-final 1 at Queen’s Park Oval on January 28, 2022. Photo: ICC
Sixteen-year-old allrounder’s defiant innings sparks remarkable comeback for Covid-hit side in plate semi-final of Under 19 World Cup.
The country’s leading age-group players produced one of the greatest wins in the history of UAE cricket after their Covid-hit side beat West Indies on home soil in the Under 19 World cup.
Aayan Afzal Khan, the prodigiously talented all rounder who only turned 16 in November, played the defining knock in an extraordinary comeback win in Trinidad.
The side from the Caribbean, who have won the World Cup twice at senior level and the age-group version as recently as 2016, were heavy favourites going into the game.
That assessment appeared well founded when the home side reduced UAE to 26 for four within 11 overs.
That brought Aayan to the crease, promoted in the order by a series of events which had deprived the side of senior players. Front-line spinners Nilansh Keswani and Adithya Shetty were among the absentees, as UAE were hit by separate cases of both Covid and food poisoning.
What followed was little short of “sensational,” to use the words of Mudassar Nazar, the UAE coach.
Aayan’s innings of 93, which included a stand worth 103 with Shival Bawa for the seventh wicket, carried the national team to a total of 224 for nine from their 50 overs.
In reply, the West Indies did not get close. While Aayan – whose left-arm spin might have been crucial in the defence – spent much of the innings off the field because of heat exhaustion, his colleagues thrived.
Jash Giyanani took three for 21, and Dhruv Parashar four for 30. Fittingly, after receiving glucose in a pitchside ambulance, Aayan was able to return to the fray, and picked up the wicket which sealed the 82-run win.
“It feels amazing to have beaten a Test nation, especially West Indies on their home soil,” said Alishan Sharafu, the UAE captain.
“I think the boys believed in themselves. We played as a team and grabbed every opportunity to contribute.
“I am really proud of them, and hopefully we can produce another special performance in the final.”
Matthew Nandu of West Indies is bowled by Jash Giyanani of UAE. Photo: ICC
UAE will now take on the winner of Ireland against Zimbabwe in the plate final on Monday. That leaves them two days to recover from the exertions of the game against West Indies.
“Credit to our support staff for helping out with drinks and support,” Sharafu said of his patched up side.
“We had a few setbacks with some Covid cases and some others unfit, but it was a game of 11 of us against 11 of them. I’m glad we put on a performance to remember and cherish for a long, long time.”
Mudassar, the former Pakistan allrounder, labelled the performance “wonderful” given the circumstances.
“It was an incredible win, especially considering three players were not available due to the virus, including our two frontline spinners,” Mudassar said.
“Both of them [Keswani and Shetty] have huge potential and a great career ahead of them in the game. Given the history of Queens Park Oval for being helpful to spinners, we were fairly confident of beating West Indies provided we could put up a decent total on the board.”
Mudassar lavished praise on Aayan, including for his enthusiasm for getting back on the field after his bout of heat exhaustion and cramp.
“Once promoted in the batting order, Aayan was sensational,” the coach said.
“He guided us through a tough time, then blossomed with Shival Bawa and laid the platform for a historic win.
“Jash gave us a head start with three early wickets. While this was taking place, Aayan was lying in the ambulance van receiving glucose.
“He made a big effort to get back on the field. By then we were racing towards victory. Hats off to these youngsters.”
source: http://www.thenationalnews.com / The National / Home> Sport> Cricket / by Paul Radley / January 29th, 2022
Malik, who bowled the fastest ball yet of IPL 2021, started with tennis-ball cricket
SRH’s Umran Malik celebrates his first IPL wicket in the match against RCB | IPL Twitter
It is no easy task to trouble Glenn Maxwell when he gets into the mood to hit bowlers around the park. The big Aussie was getting warmed up for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, but fast bowler Umran Malik was proving to be a thorn in his side.
With Maxwell and Devdutt Padikkal steadily building a partnership, Malik threw a spanner into RCB’s run-chase with three excellent overs, making the target of 142 seem like a long way off.
In the ninth over, the speedster bowled three consecutive balls that crossed the 150kmph mark. The third of those was clocked at 153kmph, making it the fastest delivery of this year’s tournament.
He conceded just five runs off that over, returning in the 11th to part with a measly four runs.
In the first over of that spell—the seventh over of the RCB innings—Malik took the wicket of Srikar Bharat and gave away just one run.
Malik had successfully taken the sting out of the RCB onslaught in the crucial middle overs, despite other bowlers like Siddharth Kaul, Rashid Khan and Jason Holder getting hit for boundaries.
Sunrisers won the game by four runs, and both captains would heap praises on the 21-year-old bowler from Jammu and Kashmir.
RH skipper Kane Williamson counted him as one of the positives of a largely disappointing season for his team.
“Umran certainly is special,” said Williamson. “We’ve seen him in the nets for a couple of seasons. [It is a] special opportunity for him and it’s not surprising to see him come and do well. [He has] been a really valuable addition to the side.”
RCB captain Virat Kohli noted that it was important to track Malik’s progress from here.
“This tournament throws up talent every year. Good to see a guy bowling at 150 clicks. It is important to understand the progress of individuals from here on,” Kohli said in the post-match presentation.
“The pool of fast bowlers being strong is always a good sign for Indian cricket and whenever you see talent like this, you are going to have your eyes on them and make sure you maximise their potential.”
After the game, Malik would request Kohli to autograph his jersey, the Indian captain gladly obliging.
Humble beginnings
Malik made his IPL debut against Kolkata Knight Riders on October 3, in which he bowled a 151kmph delivery, which was the fastest by an Indian in the tournament this year. He would only better that, twice, in the ninth over against RCB.
Malik is the son of a vegetable vendor in Jammu. His father told a news channel after his IPL debut that it was no ordinary achievement for their family, because of their financial status.
He was a net bowler for the Sunrisers for two years until getting his big break this week, owing to the absence of T. Natarajan who is down with Covid-19.
Malik would bowl nervously to the likes of David Warner and Kane Williamson in the SRH nets, he told the IPL’s official website.
“I prayed to god that let me bowl well to them. I thought if I have to beat them I have to hit the right length. I kept beating them and I learned from that, I kept bowling on that same length. That made a big difference,” said Malik.
Like Natarajan, Malik entered the sport as a tennis-ball cricketer. He credits this experience for his yorkers and raw pace.
In 2018, when he attended a trial for J&K U-19 players, he saw shoes with spikes for the first time. He had arrived for the trials in jogging shoes and would borrow the spikes from a friend.
The selectors took note of his abilities and he would make it to the U-19 one-day team. He would then participate in the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali tournaments before being roped in by SRH as a net bowler.
There are comparisons being drawn of Malik’s action with that of legendary Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis.
Former Indian skipper Kris Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel that his “rhythmic” run-up reminded him of Younis.
“His run-up, his action everything resembles a bit of Waqar Younis’s style. He has a very good rhythmic run-up and he is able to bowl at a good pace,” said Srikkanth.
Indian coaches and strength and conditioning trainers will be keeping an eye out for the young speedster to prolong his career and keep him from injuries that commonly plague bowlers with such pace.
The hype around such fast bowlers often leads to unreal expectations and eventually disappointment if they fall by the wayside. But should Malik maintain consistency, he would prove useful for the Indian team with his raw pace and excellent line and length.
(With inputs from PTI)
source: http://www.theweek.in / The Week / Home / by the Web Desk / October 07th, 2021
Faiz Fazal justified his selection to the Indian ODI team with an unbeaten fifty against a hapless Zimbabwean side in Harare. On Wednesday, the Vidarbha cricketer earned his first cap from Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Faiz Fazal on Wednesday became only the third cricketer from Vidarbha to represent India when he replaced Karun Nair for the third and final One-Day International against Zimbabwe in Harare. He justified his selection by scoring an unbeaten 55 as India coasted to a 10-wicket win to sweep the series 3-0 .
Only Prashant Vaidya and Umesh Yadav are the other two from Vidarbha to have played for the Indian cricket team. Both Vaidya and Yadav are pace bowlers.
The 30-year-old Fazal had almost lost hope of getting selected for India but was surprised when he was picked for the tour of Zimbabwe last month. This was purely on the basis of his fine domestic performance.
The Nagpur-born Faiz fazal scored a century playing for Rest of India against Mumbai in the Irani Trophy in March. In January, he scored a century in the Deodhar Trophy final playing for India A vs India B.
On Wednesday, the left-handed opening batsman realised his dream when he was handed the India cap by none other than skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni .
Though the result of the match in inconsequentioal, Fazal can make an impact with his performance ahead of the three-match Twenty20 International series which starts on Saturday.
Fazal, who has 79 first class matches under his belt, has been through the domestic grind for close to a decade now, and was playing league cricket in England when he got selected. He was part of the Rajasthan Royals squad for four seasons before he was left out in 2012. He scored 183 runs in 11 innings for the Royals.
“This is a massive surprise for me,” Fazal told ESPNcricinfo after he was picked for the Zimbabwe tour.
“For two years before this, I kept looking up to see if I was picked every time a squad was announced. But I was disappointed each time.
“I’ve tried to consciously steer away from thoughts about selection, so to receive this news early morning from India is a big surprise, but I’m happy. It’s funny how when you stop expecting something you have always chased, things start to happen.”
The Nagpur-born has 5341 runs in first class at an average of 40.15 with 11 centuries and a highest score of 200 not out. He can roll his arm over too with some medium pace bowling and also has one four-wicket haul in his domestic career.
source: http://www.sports.ndtv.com / NDTV Sports / Home> Cricket> News / by Sandip Sikdar / June 15th, 2016
Rasool’s heart swells with pride when Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah tweets about him. If nothing, it motivates the star all-rounder.
Of late, Rasool has been trying to add a few more weapons in his armoury. A meeting with Harbhajan Singh helped him learn the “seedha”. Spinners love to turn the ball, but they often employ the ‘straighter one’. Rasool is happy he has learned it from the master. “Bhajji bhai taught me how to bowl a ‘seedha’ during the recent Irani Trophy game. Now, it’s up to me to master it,” he told dna on Saturday.
Harbhajan has rattled batsmen the world over with his straight ones. In fact, the delivery is often considered the most dangerous weapon of an off-spinner. “Bhajji bhai demonstrated the foot position along with the grip. I’ve been trying hard to master this delivery during practice sessions,” said Rasool, who is the first player from Kashmir to have made the Indian squad and played the IPL.
But Rasool is completely against the idea of changing his bowling action. In other words, he won’t do an R Ashwin! “Variations are important, but sticking to the basics is the key to success. I would not compromise with my action at any point. At the same time, I would like to have a few more variations up my sleeve,” he said.
Rasool, who is leading J&K in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, is enjoying that “extra attention”. “It’s obvious that I get more attention, especially from people from my state. And why not?” asks Rasool, adding, “It makes me even more determined to do well and become the first cricketer from my state to play for India. Insha’Allah (God-willing), I will be able to justify this faith.”
Rasool was recently snapped up by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 95 lakh and he is eagerly waiting to make his mark in the IPL. “Like any other player, I, too, was excited on the day of the auction but I could not watch it because I had a flight to catch. It was only when I landed in Bangalore for the Irani Cup tie that I realised I had been bought. I received a lot of congratulatory messages,” Rasool informed. In fact, his smile said it all.
source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Sport / by Chander Shekhar Luthra / Place:New Delhi, Agency:DNA / Sunday – March 02nd, 2014
Middle-order batsman Mohammad Kaif on Saturday said the ICC U19 World Cup , which started on Friday in the UAE, is a good platform for the budding cricketers.
“We also came through under-19. We won the World Cup in Sri Lanka . Virat Kohli was captain of under-19 team that won the World Cup (later). Unmukt Chand too. It is a good platform for youngsters to show their talent. Then they get the opportunity in Ranji to show their talent,” said Kaif, who is here to play for Air India in the BCCI Corporate Trophy tournament that starts tomorrow.
Kaif, who led the U-19 team that also included Yuvraj Singh to the Junior World Cup title triumph in 2000, said the tournament was also a good base for the youngsters to start their international career.
“It is a good base and a good opportunity for youngsters. But I think they should also be given opportunity for 2-3 years in Ranji to see how they are improving. Playing for one or two years in the Ranji after under-19 is good for their maturity,” he said.
The 33-year-old, who is known for his sharp fielding, gave a few tips at the BKC ground to under-15 Mumbai players, Prithvi Shaw and Arjun Tendulkar.
“I told them go low and take the start and told them about the hand position. I told them to keep their hands a little wide for the catch,” he said.
Kaif, who has played 13 Tests and 125 ODIs, was impressed with Shaw’s batting and fielding.
“I saw him batting in the nets. This is the first time I am seeing him. Pravin Amre sir (AI coach) told me he had scored 500 runs in one match and is very talented. He was fielding well.”
Arjun, son of veteran Sachin Tendulkar, also caught Kaif’s attention with his left arm bowling.
“I faced Arjun in the nets. He bowls well. His release from the seam is quite good. He is not like his father and bowls lefty. Sachin paaji was a right-arm batsman and right-arm bowler. But he used to throw left-handed sometimes when he was in the mood,” the UP player said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> Cricket> Series & Tournament / by PTI / February 15th, 2014
Former India star Abbas Ali Baig, who was in the city on Saturday to receive a Lifetime Achievement award from Rotary Club of Madras East, is disappointed the way the Indians are faring in the ongoing series in New Zealand.
The former all-rounder, who played 10 Test matches from 1959-69 and forged a famous friendship with the late MAK Pataudi and ML Jaisimha, is unhappy with the application showed by the batsmen, the skipper’s selection of spinners although he thinks the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli have it in them to turn the corner. It’s on these two that Baig is pinning hopes for the future.
“I think along with Pujara, Kohli is the best man for the job. Kohli to me is the biggest asset that Indian cricket has. He can change the complexion of the game single-handedly. So if he puts his head down and spends time in the middle, it will of great help to the team,” said Baid, who was known for his classy right-handed stroke-play.
“I think Pujara will be the key man. He has a penchant for big scores, possesses a good technique and also has the ability to play a wide range of shots. Pujara will have a big role to play,” said Baig, who scored a century on Test debut against England in Manchester in 1959.
On the other hand, Baig agreed with former New Zealand skipper Martin Crowe that India should have fielded off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin instead of left-armer Ravindra Jadeja.
“I agree with Crowe, an off-spinner would have been a better choice when you have a couple of left-handers in the opposition. Ashwin was down a bit in the ODIs and I guess that’s why he was not picked.”
Baig was not very hopeful of India’s chances of saving the first Test in Auckland, although he said there is a chance if they can build partnerships. They still have a lot of runs to score. Overall, the performance has been disappointing. It will be interesting to see how they approach the game. Yes, they need big partnerships.”
Skipper MS Dhoni is an excellent finisher but has not been able to play that role in the ODI series. Is his match-winning ability on the wane? “He is still capable of saving the side and play a long innings as he has done in past. In the last two or three games he has not been able to live up to that expectation.”
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cricket> News / by Ashok Venugopal / ENS – Chennai / February 09th, 2014
