Indian news round-up

Ajay Sharma fails to keep appointment with Madhavan: Former Indian Test player and one of the accused in the CBI report on match-fixing, Ajay Sharma on Tuesday refused to appear before the BCCI's one man enquiry commission, K Madhavan, on the ground that a copy of the report had not been delivered to him.

Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that Sharma did not keep his appointment with Madhavan as he was still awaiting a copy of the CBI report. Quoting the former CBI joint director, AFP said ``Ajay informed me he would not be coming to see me because he had not received the report,'' and added ``It is in the players' interest to see me, they can clarify anything they wish to.''

Madhavan flew into Delhi especially to meet Ajay Sharma after the latter skipped the first round of interrogations in Chennai. Three others named in the report, Ajay Jadeja, Manoj Prabhakar and Nayan Mongia met Madhavan in Chennai over the weekend. Board sources also confirmed to PTI on Tuesday that Mohd Azharuddin expressed his willingness to meet Madhavan in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Wednesday that the former Rajasthan Ranji team captain Arjun Naidu died in Udaipur on Thursday. Quoting Rajasthan Cricket Association sources the agency said that Naidu passed away after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

The agency added that the 75-year-old Naidu was admitted to a hospital five days ago after suffering from high fever. Naidu had been working as the chief coach at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala before taking up the job of the Rajasthan team coach and also the selector of the state Ranji team.

Though Naidu started out playing for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy, he shifted to Holkar in 1950 and was a member of the teams that lifted the Ranji Trophy in 1951-52 and 1952-53. Naidu also represented India in an unofficial Test in 1953 against the visiting Silver Jubilee Overseas Cricketers (SJOC) team.

The Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) in an official press release on Tuesday announced the list of 22 probables for the forthcoming Under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy. Vidarbha are slated to take on Rajasthan in their first match at Udaipur from November 23 to 25.

The probables: Ali Akbar Arif, Fazi Fazal, Mohd. Hashim, Pravin Landge, Sohil Bhengade, Abhishek Nath, Ravinder Natkar, Azhar Shaikh, Pushkar Mengal, Gaurav Tikks, Virat Mishra, Shalabh Shrivastava, Vikarant Gonnade, Piyul Wanjari, Avinash Wati, Akshay Pol, Prashant Saloikor, Abhinav Somalwar, Amit Bhomble, Shahabuddin Quazi, Swapinla Ambulkar, Swapinal Deshpande.

The two member BCCI pitches committee comprising G Kasturirangan and Dhiraj Parsana have given the green signal to the Ferozeshah Kotla ground which is to host the first India-Zimbabwe Test from November 18 to 22.

After a two day surveillance of the pitch, Kasturirangan told Press Trust of India (PTI) that ``the pitch is in superb condition. Other facilities are also fine.'' and added that the committee has left it to the Indian team management and the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) to decide what type of wicket they would like to make. He said `` We don't want to give any opinion on the kind of wicket. We have left it to the local association.''

The Kotla ground is to play host for a Test after a gap of 21 months. India won their last encounter here against Pakistan after leg-spinner Anil Kumble made history by taking all 10 wickets in the second innings.