Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev was the greatest pace bowler India has produced, and their greatest fast-bowling allrounder. If he had played at any other time - not when Imran Khan, Ian Botham and Richard Hadlee were contemporaries - he would surely have been recognised as the best allrounder in the world. In any case he did enough to be voted India's Cricketer of the Century during 2002. His greatest feats were to lead India almost jauntily, and by his allround example, to the 1983 World Cup, and to take the world-record aggregate of Test wickets from Hadlee. It was the stamina of the marathon runner that took him finally to 431 wickets and only a yard beyond. He might not have been quite the bowling equal of Imran, Hadlee or Botham at his best, and his strike rate was less than four wickets per Test. But he was still outstanding in his accuracy and ability to swing the ball, usually away from right-handers. And he could hit a ball even more brilliantly than he bowled it, with uncomplicated flair.

Kapil's most memorable knock was an unbeaten 175 in the 1983 World Cup against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells in England, where he rescued India from 17 for five to 266 in 60 overs.

Kapil has claimed 434 Test and 253 One-day wickets in 15 years. He surpassed Richard Hadlee of New Zealand to become the world's highest wicket taker. Walsh of West Indies recently beat him to the world record.
Ever since he broke on the cricketing scene in 1978 as a young fast bowler, Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj has become a household name in Indian cricket. Kapil Dev was the first genuine fast bowler on Indian soil and toiled hard under conditions not very conducive for his type of bowling to become the highest wicket taker in the world.
West Indian war horse Courtney Walsh recently surpassed Kapil's great effort of 434 Test wickets. Though Kapil reached the pinnacle of glory in Test cricket, his high water mark was winning the World Cup in 1983. He was named as the Wisden "Cricketer of the Year" in 1983.
Kapil began his career at Pakistan under the captaincy of Bishen Singh Bedi in 1978. He never looked back, emerging as the strike bowler for India.
Kapil made his Test and Limited Overs International (LOI) debuts in Pakistan during India's tours of 1978-79. Both his debuts were not very impressive in terms of wickets taken.
The tall and well-built Haryana 'Jat' showed that he had the potential to develop into a world-beater. The innings against Zimbabwe during the 1983 World Cup stands out for his ability to win matches single-handedly.
With India tottering at 17 for five, the country's chances of making further progress in the championship looked very bleak. But Kapil scored a marvelous unbeaten 175 (a record which stood for a long time) to take India through to World Cup triumph.

Full name	Kapildev Ramlal Nikhanj
Born	January 6, 1959, Chandigarh
Major teams	India, Haryana, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling style	Right-arm fast-medium

Career statistics
Test debut	Pakistan v India at Faisalabad - Oct 16-21, 1978
Last Test	New Zealand v India at Hamilton - Mar 19-23, 1994
ODI debut	Pakistan v India at Quetta - Oct 1, 1978
Last ODI	India v West Indies at Faridabad - Oct 17, 1994
First-class span	1975/76 - 1993/94
List A span	1977/78 - 1994/95

Irfan Pathan

Irfan Khan Pathan is considered by many, with reason, as the most talented swing and seam bowler to emerge from India since Kapil Dev. When he made his Test debut in Australia in 2003-04, it was with the energy of a 19-year-old, but a composed nous that was striking even for one who had been specifically readied for the purpose via the A-team and age-group channels. His instinct is not merely what to bowl to who and when, but also to keep learning new tricks. Already he possesses perhaps the most potent left-armer's outswinger in the world, is adept at reversing the ball, and enjoys the long spell. Thus equipped, he played a big part in India's one-day and the Test series wins on their revival tour of Pakistan. His batting reserves are expected to yield significant lower-order, perhaps even lower-middle-order, runs in the future.

ICC Emerging Player of the Year 2004

Full name	Irfan Khan Pathan
Born	October 27, 1984, Baroda, Gujarat
Major teams	India, Baroda, Middlesex
Batting style	Left-hand bat
Bowling style	Left-arm medium-fast

Career statistics
Test debut	Australia v India at Adelaide - Dec 12-16, 2003
ODI debut	Australia v India at Melbourne - Jan 9, 2004
First-class span	2000/01 - 2005/06
List A span	2001/02 - 2005/06

Wasim Jaffer

Wasim Jaffer (born February 16, 1978 in Bombay - now Mumbai) is an Indian cricketer, and a prolific scorer in Indian domestic cricket. He is a right-handed batsman and he bowls a right-arm offbreak.

Full name	Wasim Jaffer
Born	February 16, 1978, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Major teams	India, India A, Indian Board President's XI, Mumbai, West Zone
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling style	Right-arm offbreak

Career statistics
Test debut	India v South Africa at Mumbai - Feb 24-26, 2000
ODI debut	South Africa v India at Durban - Nov 22, 2006
First-class span	1996/97 - 2007
List A span	1996/97 - 2006/07

Rudra Pratap Singh

Rudra Pratap Singh pronunciation (helpinfo) (born 6 December, 1985) is a left arm fast-medium bowler who has represented India in one day cricket and Test cricket.

R.P. Singh first came into contention during the under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2004, when he took eight wickets for a very impressive average of 24.75. He later performed consistently in the Ranji Trophy for Uttar Pradesh and impressive performances saw him earn a place in the ODI side in 2005.

In his third one-day match, Singh got his first man of the match award as he played his part as India restricted Sri Lanka to a modest 196 all out. Swinging the ball on a batting wicket, he took 4 important wickets to rattle Sri Lanka. His bowling figures of 8.5 overs, 2 maidens, 35 runs and 4 wickets announced his arrival on the international stage.

He was selected to make his Test debut in the 2nd Test against Pakistan in Faisalabad, Pakistan in January 2006. He won the man of the match award on his debut after taking 5 wickets in the match.

His 4 wicket-haul in the fourth match of the one-day series against Pakistan in 2006, helped India take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series, and won him the man of the match award. India went on to win the series 4-1. In just 11 ODI matches, he has been awarded the man of the match award 3 times.

He was favoured to S. Sreesanth for the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 due to his superior economy rate. However, he has been unable to maintain his level of performance, and is now no longer in the playing XI for ODIs.

In 2007 it was announced that Singh would be signing for English side Leicestershire as their second overseas signing. He was however unexpectedly recalled to the Indian side following their poor World Cup campaign and only made a handful of appearances.

He was included in the test squad for the tour to England and has performed well.

Full name	Rudra Pratap Singh
Born	December 6, 1985
Major teams	India, India A, India Under-19s, Leicestershire, Rajasthan Cricket Association President's XI, Uttar Pradesh
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling style	Left-arm fast-medium

Career statistics
Test debut	Pakistan v India at Faisalabad - Jan 21-25, 2006
ODI debut	Zimbabwe v India at Harare - Sep 4, 2005
First-class span	2003/04 - 2007
List A span	2004/05 - 2007

Joginder Sharma

Joginder Sharma (born October 23, 1983 in Rohtak, Haryana, India) is an Indian cricketer who has made sporadic appearances for the Indian cricket team. A bowling all rounder, he is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler and captains his state, Haryana. He had often been compared to fellow Haryanan Kapil Dev, India's greatest all rounder, due to his similar aggressive batting style and fast bowling.

Sharma made his first-class debut for Haryana against Madhya Pradesh in the 2002/03 Ranji Trophy, hitting 81 before taking 11/84 to lead Haryana to a 103 run victory. He had made his debut in the limited over domestic arena the season before. Sharma finished his debut season with 24 wickets at 17.41 and 280 runs at 46.66 He followed this with 148 runs at 68.51 and 23 wickets at 23.39 in 2003/04 Ranji season. He was selected for the North Zone team for the Duleep Trophy, and took 6/59 in a match against West Zone during the victorious campaign.

Sharma gained national attention in a match for India A against the national team at Bangalore, when he dismissed Rahul Dravid, V. V. S. Laxman and Yuvraj Singh. He also played for the Rest of India side, which defeated Mumbai in the Irani Trophy.

Having scored two successive centuries, and securing a 14/116 in the 2004/05 Ranji Trophy against Vidarbha, Sharma won his place in the Indian side for the Bangladesh tour. He had limited batting opportunities, scoring 34 in two brief knocks at the end of the innings without being dismissed, but his bowling was uneffective, taking 1/99, and was dropped after playing in that ODI series. He ended the Ranji Trophy with 36 wickets, the second highest at 15.47 and 472 runs at 52. In 2005/06, he topped the Duleep Trophy bowling averages.

Sharma performed strongly in the 2006/07 Indian domestic season to bring himself into contention for national selection. His batting for North Zone in the Duleep Trophy yielded 421 runs in three matches, and he was subsequently the leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy, taking 39 wickets in seven matches, as well as two ten-wicket hauls and a hat trick. Despite being unable to prevent Haryana from being relegated to the Plate division, he was recalled in January 2007 to the team at the expense of Irfan Pathan for the ODI series against the West Indies. He was selected for the second ODI in Cuttack, but after scoring 1 and failing to take a wicket, Pathan was immediately recalled and Sharma dropped. Sharma was not named in the Indian squad for the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Full name	Joginder Sharma
Born	October 23, 1983, Rohtak
Major teams	India, Haryana, Tripura
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling style	Right-arm fast-medium

Career statistics
Test debut
ODI debut	Bangladesh v India at Chittagong (MAA) - Dec 23, 2004
First-class span	2002/03 - 2006/07
List A span	2001/02 - 2006/07

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Full Name: Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Born: July 7, 1981 in Ranchi, India

Batting Style : Right-handed batsman

Bowling Style : Right-arm medium

Fielding Position: Wicketkeeper

Test Debut : Sri Lanka vs. India at Chennai – December 2-6, 2005

ODI Debut : Bangladesh vs. India at Chittagong – December 23, 2004


Affectionately called ‘Mahi’, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is one of the avant-garde cricketers to have rocked the Indian cricket scenario. Noticeable for his shoulder length hair, Dhoni has become a popular youth icon in India. He has made a big impact in and outside the cricketing world. His power-packed performances, on-field agility, panache for bikes, et al have had fans, especially girls, swooning all over.

Hailing from the state of Jharkhand, Mahendra Singh Dhoni made his debut in the end of 2004 and has now become the skipper of the Team India. An aggressive batsman and secure wicketkeeper, Dhoni has changed the perception of ‘gentleman’s game’. He, along with a few other new-age cricketers, has shown how to give an eye for an eye.

Having played 106 One-day internationals, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has an impressive average of 45.50 and a swashbuckling strike rate of 92. Dhoni has ravaged the reputations of the world’s best bowling attacks with his powerful and daredevil hits. This is the only way he knows of playing cricket

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s moment of reckoning came in a match against Pakistan, where he scored a dazzling 148 runs. He then went on to crack a superb 183 not out against Sri Lanka at Jaipur. These knocks are simply unforgettable for all those who witnessed them. His wicketkeeping has won him accolades of late. Dhoni has displayed exemplary skills when keeping wickets to world-class bowlers.

Chaminda Vaas

Chaminda Vaas

Full Name: Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas

Born: January 27, 1974 in Mattumagala, Sri Lanka

Batting Style : Left-handed batsman

Bowling Style :Left-arm fast-medium

Test Debut : Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka at Kandy – August 26-28, 1994

ODI Debut : India vs. Sri Lanka at Rajkot – February 15, 1994


Chaminda Vaas can easily be the most inconspicuous players in the Sri Lankan cricket team. But, when it comes to new-ball bowling, he is counted amongst the best in the world. Incisive and out of the ordinary, Vaas has scripted numerous victories for his side

Despite being subjected to flat pitches in the subcontinent, Chaminda Vaas has mastered the art of wicket-taking. As a pace bowler, he has been remarkably consistent and rarely out of the national team. During the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in West Indies, he will be instrumental in shaping Lankans’ fortunes

Chaminda Vaas boasts of having a wide array of bowling styles in his repertoire. His off-cutters, reverse-swings, and late in-dippers have deceived the best of batsmen, making him highly credible as the spearhead of Sri Lanka’s bowling attack. After spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, he is the country’s most successful bowler.

Chaminda Vaas is a sincere batsman, chipping in with well-timed 20s at the hour of need. It is this sincerity that makes him one of the key players in Sri Lankan team for World Cup 2007.

Featuring in 290 one-dayers, Chaminda Vaas has taken 370 wickets at an economy rate of 4.20. His credentials in longer version of the game are equally laudable – 313 wickets in 96 Test matches. As a seamer, Vaas is virtually irreplaceable. His contribution and form will stand Sri Lanka in good stead at the ninth edition of World Cup.

Sanath Jayasuriya

Sanath Jayasuriya

Full Name: Sanath Teran Jayasuriya

Born: June 30, 1969 in Matara, Sri Lanka

Batting Style Left-handed batsman

Bowling Style Slow left-arm orthodox

Test Debut New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka at Hamilton – February 22-26, 1991

ODI Debut Australia vs. Sri Lanka at Melbourne – December 26, 1989


The star of Sri Lanka’s victory in 1996 World Cup, Sanath Jayasuriya is undoubtedly one of the world’s best all-rounders of all time. An aggressive batsman who can be dangerous on sub-continental pitches, Jayasuriya is Sri Lanka’s highest Test run-getter.

Uncompromising in his strokeplay, Sanath Jayasuriya plays his shots unabashedly, least bothered about a bowler’s reputation. It is this attitude that makes him a delight to watch on the cricket field. Despite being short in stature, Sanath is extremely powerful, as exemplified in his shots all over the ground. However, in due course, the chinks in his batting armor have been exposed; so much so that it has become quite easy to contain him.

Sanath Jayasuriya has lost his Midas touch over the years and is now easily fallible. This is one of the main reasons for his relegation from an opener to a middle order batsman. However, Jayasuriya’s delightful left-arm spin bowling has helped Sri Lanka on many occasions. He has bowled that magic delivery in dire situations, taking Lankans to the threshold of victory.

Sanath Jayasuriya was given the task of captaining Sri Lanka after the sacking of Arjuna Ranatunga. He did not disappoint the selectors, motivating his team to commendable wins, and leading by example. But, he could not sustain the pressures of captaincy for long, and eventually stepped down in April 2003.

Sanath Jayasuriya’s subsequent loss of form made him the most debatable topic in Sri Lankan cricketing circles. He silenced one and all by scoring heavily in 2004, the best of his career.

In 411 one-dayers and 110 Test matches, Sanath Jayasuriya has averages of 32.90 and 40.42 respectively. He also has 39 hundreds to his credit, and is the fourth batsman to join the elite club of batsmen with 10,000-plus runs in ODIs.

Anil Kumble

he most hard working and determined cricketer in the Indian team, Anil Kumble is regarded amongst the world’s topmost leg spinners. Just like former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid, Kumble is a cricketing jewel from the city of Bangalore.

Resilience personified,

Anil Kumble does not identify with the word ‘surrender’. His mantra is to keep going until you turn the odds in your favor. Quite unorthodox in his bowling style, Jumbo (as he is known as) can be very deceptive with his googlies. His success story on Indian soil is almost unbelievable, with the highlight being the ten-wicket haul in a Test match against Pakistan.

Since his debut in 1990, he has been a regular feature of the Indian team. However, the sorriest situation came during the 2003 World Cup– he was included in the playing 15, but did not get a chance to take the field against the world’s biggest teams.

Of late,Anil Kumble has been off and on from the ODI squad, but found himself featured in the Indian World Cup 2007 squad. In all probability, this was his last World Cup, and thus he is glad to leave a mark on international cricket.

At the age of 37, he got the chance to captain Indian Test team against Pakistan at home. He won the series, the first in 27 years. Then he went on to playing a controversial series against Australia.

Kumble has played 271 ODIs, claiming 337 wickets at an economy rate of 4.30. In 125 Tests, he has taken 604 wickets at an economy rate of 2.69. He is amongst the five leading wicket-takers in Test cricket. In the longer version of the game, Anil Kumble is renowned for his dogged persistence as a batsman, who does not buckle down under pressure.

Despite being a milestone man, Anil Kumble has always maintained a low profile. He has always let his game do the talking, even at the time of criticism and adversities. It is this docility that makes him extremely respectable as a cricketer and a person.

Rahul Dravid

Name: Rahul Dravid
DOB: 11th January, 1973
Category: Sports
Country: India

Rightly known as the wall of Indian cricket, is a classic cricketer. Born on 11 January 1973, Indore, Madhya Pradesh. He started playing cricket at an early age of 12. He played for the state in under-15, under-17 & under-19 cricket tournaments.

He made his Ranji debut against Maharashtra on 1991. Started his international cricketing vs Sri Lanka at Singapore, Singer Cup, 1995/96. His test debut was against England at Lord's on Jun 20-24, 1996.

He was named "The Wall". He grew steadily in to a technically sound batsman. He is now one of the best and most valuable cricketer in India. A great team player. Playing even the odd role of wicket keeping.

On his credit he has as an impressive statistics of 7800+ test runs, 8400+ one day runs, 150+ catches.
This suave and dignified player was at last rewarded on Oct 2005 as the captain of Indian cricket team.

Family:
Father - Sharad Dravid,
Mother - Pushpa Dravid,
Wife - Vijeta Pendharkar,
Brother - Vijay Dravid.

Virender Sehwag

Profile of Indian Players

	Name : Virender Sehwag Nationality : Indian Date of Birth : 20 October 1978, Delhi Virender Sehwag is known for his aggressive, dazzling batting style, and does not hesitate to play unorthodox shots.

	Batting Style	Right Hand Bat
	Bowling Style	Right Arm Off Break
	Test Debut	India v South Africa at Bloemfontein, 1st Test, 2001/02
	Latest Test	Australia v India at Adelaide, Jan 24-28, 2008
	ODI Debut	India v Pakistan at Mohali, Pepsi Cup, 1998/99
	Latest ODI	Australia v India at Sydney, Feb 24, 2008
	Twenty20 Debut	Leicestershire v Yorkshire at Leicester, Jun 16, 2003
	Last Twenty20	Australia v India at Melbourne, Feb 1, 2008
	Achievements	One-Days Batting - Matches: 183 | Runs: 5312 | Avg: 31.06 | HS: 130 | 100s: 8 | 50s: 25 Bowling - Wkts Taken: 77 | Avg: 41.07 | Econ: 5.25 Tests
		Batting - Matches: 54 | Runs: 4441 | Avg: 50.46 | HS: 309 | 100s: 13 | 50s: 13 Bowling - Wkts Taken: 18 | Avg: 41.61 | Econ: 3.10
		Twenty20 Match
		Batting - Matches: 19 | Runs: 374 | Avg: 22.00 | HS: 68 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 2 Bowling - Wkts Taken: 13 | Avg: 16.30 | Econ: 6.83

Yuvaraj Singh

Profile of Indian Players

	Name : Yuvaraj Singh Nationality : Indian Date of Birth : 12 December 1981, Chandigarh A tall, well-built lad, Yuvraj Singh has undoubtedly added some interesting flavour to the Indian middle-order.

	Batting Style	Left Hand Bat
	Bowling Style	Slow Left Arm Orthodox
	Test Debut	India v new zealand Mohali, 2nd Test, 2003/04.
	Latest Test	Australia v India at Sydney, Jan 2-6, 2008
	ODI Debut	India v Kenya at Nairobi (Gymk), ICC KnockOut, 2000/01.
	Latest ODI	Australia v India at Sydney, Feb 24, 2008
	Twenty20 Debut	Yorkshire v Derbyshire at Leeds, Jun 14, 2003
	Latest Twenty20	India v Australia at Mumbai (BS), Oct 20, 2007
	Achievements	One-Days Batting - Matches: 201| Runs: 5691 | Avg: 36.24 | HS: 139 | 100s: 8 | 50s: 35 Bowling - Wkts Taken: 54 | Avg: 40.98 | Econ: 5.16 Tests
		Batting - Matches: 22 | Runs: 1018 | Avg: 32.83 | HS:169 | 100s: 3 | 50s: 3 Bowling - Wkts Taken: 3 | Avg: 40.33 | Econ: 3.45
		Twenty20 Match
		Batting - Matches: 20 | Runs: 505 | Avg: 28.05| HS: 71 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 4 Bowling - Wkts Taken:10 | Avg:16.70 | Econ: 7.95

Saurav Ganguly

Profile of Indian Players

	Name : Saurav Chandidas Ganguly Nationality : Indian Date of Birth : July 8, 1972, Kolkata Saurav Ganguly, the left-handed middle order ba west bangal tsman from who opens in One-Dayers and also bowls right-handed military medium pace.

	Batting Style	Left Hand Bat
	Bowling Style	Right Arm Medium Fast
	Test Debut	India v England at Lord's, 2nd Test, 1996
	Latest Test	Australia v India at Adelaide, Jan 24-28, 2008
	ODI Debut	India v West Indies at Brisbane, World Series, 1991/92
	Latest ODI	India v Pakistan at Gwalior, Nov 15, 2007
	Twenty20 Debut	Glamorgan v Somerset at Cardiff, Jun 22, 2005
	Last Twenty20	Bengal v munbai at Ahmedabad, Apr 19, 2007
	Achievements	One-Days Batting -Matches: 311 | Runs: 11363 | Avg: 41.02 | HS: 183* |100s: 22 | 50s: 72 Bowling - Wkts Taken: 100 | Avg: 38.49 | Econ: 5.06 Tests Twenty20 Match Batting - Matches: 18 | Runs: 377 | Avg: 23.56 | HS: 73 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 1 Bowling - Wkts Taken: 19 | Avg:20.68 | Econ: 7.93

Sachin Tendulkar (profile)

Profile of Indian Players

	Name : Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar Nationality : Indian Date of Birth : 24 April 1973, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra Sachin Tendulkar established himself as the greatest of all Indian cricketers. He is perhaps the only batsman about whose style the late Sir Don Bradman once said emulated his own.

	Batting Style	Right Hand Bat
	Bowling Style	Leg Break Googly, Right Arm Off Break, Right Arm Medium.
	Test Debut	India v Pakistan at Karachi, 1st Test, 1989/90.
	Latest Test	Australia v India at Adelaide, Jan 24-28, 2008
	ODI Debut	India v Pakistan at Gujranwala, 2nd ODI, 1989/90
	Latest ODI	Australia v India at Sydney, Feb 24, 2008
	Twenty20 Debut	South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006
	Last Twenty20	Bengal v Mumbai at Ahmedabad, Apr 19, 2007
	Achievements	One-Days Batting - Matches: 414| Runs: 16090 | Avg: 43.84 | HS: 186* | 100s: 41 | 50s: 87 Bowling - Wkts: 154 | Avg: 44.12 | Econ: 5.09 Tests
		Batting - Matches: 146 | Runs: 11782| Avg: 55.57 | HS: 248* | 100s: 39 | 50s: 49 Bowling - Wkts: 42 | Avg: 52.66| Econ: 3.43
		Twenty20 Match
		Batting - Matches: 5 | Runs: 198 | Avg: 39.60 | HS: 69 | 100s: 0| 50s: 2 Bowling - Wkts Taken: 2 | Avg: 32.50 | Econ: 6.84

Ways of Batting

Ways of Batting

The batsman is a member of the batting team who try to hit the ball delivered by the bowler and run between wickets to get as much runs as possible. Shots in batting, range from the square cut, hook, off-drive, pull to the sweep and the leg-glance etc. The different types of shots a batsman can play are as follows:

Block
A defensive shot played with the bat vertical and angled down at the front of the wicket, so as to stop the ball and drop it down quickly on to the pitch in front of the batsman. This is also known as a forward defensive or backward defensive, depending on whether the batsman plays the shot from the front foot or the back foot.

Drive
A shot played with the bat sweeping down through the vertical arc through the line of the ball. A drive can be either a drive, straight drive, off drive, or cover drive, depending on the direction the ball travels.

Cut
A shot played with the bat close to horizontal, which hits the ball somewhere in the arc between cover and gully.

Edge, or Glance
A shot played off the bat at a glancing angle, through the slips area.

Leg Glance
A shot played at a ball aimed glancing angle behind the legs, using the bat so that it goes in the direction of fine leg area.

Pull
A cross-battled shot which pulls the ball around the waist height of the batsman into the square leg side.

Sweep
A cross-battled shot played to a low bouncing ball, usually from a slow bowler, by kneeling on one knee and swinging the bat around in a horizontal arc near the pitch, sweeping it around to the leg side

Hook
A cross-battled shot played to a bouncer at or near the batsman's head and intended to hit the ball high in the air over square leg -sometimes for six runs.

French Cut
An attempt at a cut shot which hits the bottom edge of the bat and goes into the area behind square leg.

Reverse Sweep
A cross-battled shot played to a low bouncing ball, usually from a slow bowler, by kneeling on one knee and swinging the bat around in a horizontal arc near the pitch, but reversing the blade of the bat half-way through the swing and sweeping the ball around to the off side from the leg side.

Umpires and Referee

Two umpires are appointed one on each end (bowlers end and strikers end) to control the game. The umpires shall take positions from where they can easily see any act upon which their decision may be required. The umpire at the strikers end may elect to stand on the off instead of leg side of the pitch. The umpires shall change the ends after each side has had one innings.

Duties of the Umpire :-

The umpire should ensure that the game is conducted and the equipments used is strictly in accordance with the laws. They should make sure that the wickets are properly pitched, whether the ground is fit for the play and whether there is appropriate light for play. Umpires shall make frequent and regular inspections of the condition of the ball. If there is any dispute regarding the use of the ball, the umpire shall change the ball after consultation and the ball must be of similar condition to that in use. An umpire may consult with the other umpire on a point of fact which the latter may have been in a better position to see and shall then given his decision. If the doubt remains after consultation, the decision shall be given in favour of the batsman. All disputes shall be determined by the umpires. The umpires decision is final and he may alter his decision.

Third Umpire :-

The third umpire or the TV umpire as he also known is an off-field umpire who usually gives his decision when the on-field umpires are unsure. The third umpire sits off the field, with a television replay monitor. The field umpire can use his discretion to refer a close decision to the third umpire to refer to dismissal of a batsman, catches or boundaries via a wireless set or a signal light system.

The third umpire looks at various TV replays from different angles and comes to a conclusion by pressing the appropriate signal. A red light indicates that the batsman is out and a green one otherwise. In the event that the TV umpire too is unable to get a clear picture, the benefit of the doubt again goes to the batsman. Over the years, the TV umpire has been asked to assist in dismissals such as run-outs, stumped, caught and hit-wicket.
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Signals used by the Umpire

Boundary :

By waving the arm from side to side

Boundary for six :


By raising both arms above the head

Bye :


By raising an open hand above the head

Dead ball :


By crossing and re-crossing the wrists below the waist

No ball :


By extending one arm horizontally

Short run :


By bending the arm upwards and by touching the nearer shoulder with the tips of the fingers

Out :


By raising the index finger above the head. If not out, the umpire shall call not out

Leg bye :


By touching a raised knee with the hand

Wide :


By extending both arms horizontally

Dead Ball

The umpire shall call and signal dead ball when

*

a serious injury to a player or an umpire occurs
*

in a case of unfair play
*

the bowler drops the ball accidentally before the delivery or the ball does not leave his hand
*

the striker is not ready to receive the ball and makes no attempt to play it and before the delivery
*

one or both bails fall from the striker's wicket

Match Referee

A Match referee is an official who administrates a Professional cricket match, by watching the game from outside the field. The referee makes no decisions of relevance to the outcome of the game, but he has the power to fine players and/or teams for unethical play. In professional games, these penalties are monetary fines and/or suspension from subsequent matches.

Ways of Bowling

A bowler is a member of the fielding side who runs up to the wickets and throws the ball to the batsman, with a full arm, trying to hit the wicket to get the batsman out. There are different ways of Bowling. They are;

Swing and Swerve

The ball can be made to swing in the air, either away from the batsman or into him. If there is a lot of humidity, the ball will swing more appreciably than on a dry sunny day. The amount of wind and its direction will also have a certain effect on the swinging of the ball

Away Swing Grip

The seam should point to the batsman and the shiny side of the ball faces the on side.

In Swerve Grip

Here the shiny side should face the opposite direction (off side) with the seam pointing very slightly in the direction of fine leg. To bowl on in swerve, the right hand must go slightly past the vertical position and towards the leg in an arc which will take the hand past the right leg.

Off Spin

The off spin bowler aims to pitch the ball on the off side and bring it back into the wicket. The off break is spun in a clockwise direction from left to right, the ball being held between the first two fingers, the two other being curled slightly over the ball, with the thumb on the opposite side. The main finger is dug into one side of the seam and the second finger far away enough to exert some pressure on the first finger. Each bowler should find the correct distance between the first and the second fingers according to the size of his hand. Do not force the ball between the fingers or use a grip which does not feel comfortable. The ball can be held with the fingers round the seam or across, provided the top joint of the first finger can get some pull on the ball.

The right arm should be taken right back, making a full sweep. As the arm comes over, the right wrist is cocked, the palm will now be facing upwards and the thumb pointing to the off. The action should finish in exactly the same way as the basic action, although, if care is taken not to go too far, the left foot may be placed slightly towards the left side to enable a little more drag to be put on the body. This is transmitted to the arm and eventually, through the first finger, to the ball.

Leg Breaks

The leg break is spun with the fingers over the ball and in most of the cases the ball is given in the direction of the spin. The leg break, bowled with fingers over the ball and in a somewhat downward motion, penetrates the surface of the wicket and turns quickly. It is stock ball. A young bowler interested in leg breaks, should concentrate on the basic bowling action, particularly the high arm and follow through past the left leg, spinning the ball and bowling a length.

Grip

The ball is held in the first three fingers, which are spaced comfortably apart. The top joint of the third finger which is under ball, takes most of the pressure of the thumb which has very little part in spinning the ball and naturally rests on the seam. The ball should be kept quite firmly. The wrist is bent to almost ninety degrees and the back of the hand is uppermost. On delivery the ball is spun off the third finger by the synchronization of the action plus the flicking and twisting of the wrist in an anti-clockwise direction. For better spin, the right arm should be fully extended, with a large goal of swing. The back of the right hand must be uppermost throughout the swing, as this will ensure a leg break bowling.

Top Spin

It is a difficult bowling. Right arm straight above your head and wrist bent. Ball is to be held like leg-break. Twist the arm slightly until the seam of the ball points straight down the wicket.
Delivery : The arm is turned until the hand, if held upright, is sideways on to the batsman. If the ball is held in the same way with the wrist bent to ninety degrees, the seam of the ball will not be pointing straight down the pitch to the batsman. The wrist is flicked straight and the right arm pushed through towards the batsman and the follow through should take the right hand to the left knee.

Googly

It is an off break with a leg break action. The grip of the ball is like leg break, with the wrist turned down to ninety degrees. The arm is turned in an anti-clockwise direction with the back of the hand now pointing towards the batsman. As the wrist is flicked straight, the ball will come out of the back of the hand and generally in an upward direction, but will not hit the pitch quiet so hard and will plop rather than turn or bounce over the third finger. There is no need to alter the action. Do not drop the left shoulder or point the left foot.

Off Cutters Grip

The ball is held with the seam pointing in the direction of fine leg. The first two fingers are placed almost together diagonally across the seam, with the finger tops dug in behind the seam on the off side.
Delivery : The wrist is cocked and as the ball is bowled the straight fingers cut down across it in a clockwise direction. The right hand should finish the delivery by going well past the left side. The palm of he hand should face the off side.

Captaincy Records in Test Matches

Name	Tests	First Match	Last Match	Won	Lost	Drawn
Nayudu, C K	4	25/06/1932	10/02/1934	-	3 (75.00%)	1 (25.00%)
Vizianagram, Mah	3	27/06/1936	15/08/1936	-	2 (66.67%)	1 (33.33%)
Nawab of Pataudi Sr	3	22/06/1946	17/08/1946	-	1 (33.33%)	2 (66.67%)
Amarnath, L	15	28/11/1947	12/12/1952	2 (13.33%)	6 (40.00%)	7 (46.67%)
Hazare, V S	14	02/11/1951	28/03/1953	1 (7.14%)	5 (35.71%)	8 (57.14%)
Mankad, M H	6	01/01/1955	21/01/1959	-	1 (16.67%)	5 (83.33%)
Ghulam Ahmed	3	19/11/1955	31/12/1958	-	2 (66.67%)	1 (33.33%)
Umrigar, P R	8	02/12/1955	28/11/1958	2 (25.00%)	2 (25.00%)	4 (50.00%)
Adhikari, H R	1	06/02/1959	06/02/1959	-	-	1 (100.00%)
Gaekwad, D K	4	04/06/1959	20/08/1959	-	4 (100.00%)	-
Roy, P	1	18/06/1959	18/06/1959	-	1 (100.00%)	-
Ramchand, G S	5	12/12/1959	23/01/1960	1 (20.00%)	2 (40.00%)	2 (40.00%)
Contractor, N J	12	02/12/1960	07/03/1962	2 (16.67%)	2 (16.67%)	8 (66.67%)
Nawab of Pataudi Jr	40	23/03/1962	23/01/1975	9 (22.50%)	19 (47.50%)	12 (30.00%)
Borde, C G	1	23/12/1967	23/12/1967	-	1 (100.00%)	-
Wadekar, A L	16	18/02/1971	04/07/1974	4 (25.00%)	4 (25.00%)	8 (50.00%)
Venkataraghavan, S	5	11/12/1974	30/08/1979	-	2 (40.00%)	3 (60.00%)
Gavaskar, S M	47	24/01/1976	31/01/1985	9 (19.15%)	8 (17.02%)	30 (63.83%)
Bedi, B S	22	05/02/1976	14/11/1978	6 (27.27%)	11 (50.00%)	5 (22.73%)
Viswanath, G R	2	29/01/1980	15/02/1980	-	1 (50.00%)	1 (50.00%)
Kapil Dev	33	23/02/1983	13/03/1987	4 (11.76%)	7 (20.59%)	22 (64.71%)
Vengsarkar, D B	10	25/11/1987	28/04/1989	2 (20.00%)	5 (50.00%)	3 (30.00%)
Shastri, R J	1	11/01/1988	11/01/1988	1 (100.0%)	-	-
Srikkanth, K	4	15/11/1989	09/12/1989	-	-	4 (100.00%)
Azharuddin, M	47	02/02/1990	24/02/1999	14 (29.79%)	14 (29.79%)	19 (40.43%)
Tendulkar, S R	25	10/10/1996	02/03/2000	4 (16.00%)	9 (36.00%)	12 (48.00%)
Ganguly, S C	49	10/11/2000	20/09/2005	21 (42.86%)	13 (26.53%)	15 (30.61%)
Dravid, R	17	16/10/2003	30/06/2006	5 (29.41%)	4 (23.53%)	8 (47.06%)
Sehwag, V	1	18/12/2005	18/12/2005	1 (100.00%)	-	-