Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Finisher Dhoni best suited in lower middle order - Raina

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's finishing skills remain unmatched and the former captain will be an asset in India's lower middle order at this year's World Cup, former team mate Suresh Raina told Reuters.

The sight of Dhoni depositing Sri Lanka seamer Nuwan Kulasekara into the Wankhede Stadium stands to seal victory in the 2011 World Cup final is etched in the memory of most Indians.


No target was deemed out of reach with the hard-hitting right-hander at the crease but that clean striking and fluid swing of the heavy bat are rare these days and many believe Dhoni is no more the finisher that he was before.

His sharp glovework makes Dhoni India's first choice wicketkeeper in limited-overs cricket but his batting position for the World Cup, when he will be 38, continues to be debated.

"For MS, the ideal position would be number five or six," Raina, who is an integral part of the Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings side in the Indian Premier League, said in an interview.

"He is such a keen reader of the game and brings years of experience. When required he can build up an innings and his finishing skills are unmatched."

Dhoni has played 340 ODIs for India and scored more than 10,000 runs at an average of just under 51. His role as a finisher is crucial for India's World Cup campaign with the team's number four batting position still to be sealed.

That has led to suggestions that captain Virat Kohli, also the team's best batsman, should bat a place lower than his usual number three spot.

"I think number three or four should be good (for Kohli)," Raina, a member of India's 2011 World Cup team, said. "If the top order topples quickly, we need someone like Kohli to keep it together."

Raina believes top-ranked England will be a strong contender with their home advantage while India, Australia, West Indies and New Zealand are the other teams to watch out for.

"For me the most balanced team will win the World Cup," the 32-year-old said. "English conditions are helpful for the seamers but in the recent years we have seen spinners also do well.

"Last year when I was playing against Ireland and England, our wrist spinners did really well. Team India is shaping up really well in this regard, a healthy mix of youth and experience.

"And a pace attack that is bowling beautifully in all conditions. No grey areas as such."

Once considered an automatic selection in India's limited-overs sides, Raina played the last of his 226 one-dayers in July, 2018.

An aggressive left-handed batsman and a part-time off-spinner, Raina is also known for his electric fielding and the all-rounder still harbours hopes of making the World Cup squad.

The IPL, which starts later this month, will be his last opportunity to impress the selectors before the World Cup kicks off on May 30.

"I have a mix of activities that I do, I am currently doing a lot of high intensity workouts in the gym, followed by strength and conditioning sessions," the IPL's leading run-scorer said.

"I'm at the nets three-four times a week. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (India's domestic Twenty20 competition) has given me some match practise before the IPL.

"As an Indian player my job is to work hard and hope for the best."

More For You

JLR-Getty
A logo is pictured outside a Jaguar Land Rover new car show room in Tonbridge, south east England. (Photo: Getty Images)

Jaguar Land Rover says no customer data stolen in cyber breach

JAGUAR LAND ROVER (JLR) said on Friday it is working "at pace" to resolve a cyber incident that has severely affected its retail and production activities. Factory staff have been told to stay at home until at least early next week.

The company disclosed the breach on Tuesday, the latest in a series of cyber and ransomware attacks against businesses globally. Companies such as Marks & Spencer and Co-op have also been hit by breaches in recent years.

Keep ReadingShow less
India vs Pakistan

India's Hardik Pandya celebrates with teammates after he took a wicket during the ICC men's Twenty20 World Cup 2024 group match against Pakistan on June 9, 2024. (Photo: Getty Images)

First India-Pakistan match since conflict headlines Asia Cup

Highlights:

  • India and Pakistan to meet for the first time since May’s conflict
  • Asia Cup begins Tuesday in the UAE as preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup
  • Harbhajan Singh opposes the fixture, citing tensions between the nations
  • India are defending champions and lead Pakistan 10-3 in T20 internationals

INDIA and Pakistan will meet for the first time in cricket since their military conflict in May when they face each other in the Asia Cup starting Tuesday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Zubir Ahmed

Ahmed takes up the role of parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Department of Health and Social Care. (Photo: X/@zubirahmed)

Seema Malhotra and Zubir Ahmed take new posts in junior minister reshuffle

SEEMA MALHOTRA and Dr Zubir Ahmed have been appointed to new ministerial roles as part of Keir Starmer’s reshuffle, which followed Angela Rayner’s resignation as housing secretary and deputy prime minister.

Ahmed takes up the role of parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Department of Health and Social Care.

Keep ReadingShow less
​London Underground

London Underground services will not resume before 8am on Friday September 12. (Photo: Getty Images)

Tube strike begins as RMT stages five-day walkout over pay

Highlights:

  • First London Underground strike since March 2023 begins
  • RMT members stage five-day walkout after pay talks collapse
  • Union demands 32-hour week; TfL offers 3.4 per cent rise
  • Elizabeth line and Overground to run but face heavy demand

THE FIRST London Underground strike since March 2023 has begun, with a five-day walkout over pay and conditions.

Keep ReadingShow less
Onam 2025: 5 celebrity Onam celebrations that got the looks just right

Onam 2025: 5 celebrity fits that nailed the Onam mood

Onam 2025: 5 celebrity Onam celebrations that got the looks just right

Highlights:

  • Mohanlal kept it timeless in a crisp mundu and shirt
  • Prithviraj & Supriya Menon looked like the perfect festive album shot
  • Malavika Mohanan brought in a twist with her kasavu saree with traditional jewellery
  • Malaika Arora embraced Kerala’s spirit with a kasavu saree, temple jewellery, and a warm Sadhya
  • R. Madhavan & Sarita Birje showed coordinated elegance in mundu and saree

Festivals tell their own stories. Sometimes it’s not in the captions, not even in the feasts, but in the clothes, the smiles, and the way people carry tradition without trying too hard. Onam this year gave us just that: celebrities, often dripping in designer labels, strip it back to something pure, elegant, and powerfully rooted.

Here’s who absolutely nailed the Onam vibe.

Keep ReadingShow less