Indian news round-up

Leg spinner Narendra Hirwani, who has earned a recall into the Indian team for the ensuing India-Australia series, said in Indore that he would not let the selectors down and added that he would give his hundred percent on the field.

Speaking at a function organised by the Indore Divisional Cricket Association (IDCA) at the Nehru stadium in Indore to felicitate Hirwani on his comback, Hirwani said "I don't have words to express my feelings but I will try my level best not to let down the expectations of the national selectors. I will give my hundred per cent."

The function was attended among others by the former India opener Padmashree Mushtaq Ali, joint secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) Subhash Bayas, director general of Armed Police Training College SK Das and divisional secretary Kanwaljeet Singh Khanuja.

Indian opening batsman Shiv Sundar Das said in Cuttack on Friday that he would resume his batting from where he left off against Zimbabwe when he takes on the Australians in the first Test on February 27 in Mumbai.

"I would like to play my natural game and resume from where I left off against the Zimbabweans," the opener said on his strategy to tackle Australian pace spearhead Glenn McGrath and leg spinner Shane Warne. The right-handed batsman hit a ton against Zimbabwe in the second Test at Nagpur.

On facing the fiery McGrath, Das said "I have seen him in action and hope to have prepared well and am ready to accept the challenge of one of the best bowlers in the world." The Orissa Ranji captain also said that coach John Wright had given him the right tips at the Chennai camp.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh in a press release has said that no free passes should be issued for the forthcoming one-day match between India and Australia at the Nehru stadium in Indore on March 31.

Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Friday that Digvijay Singh appealed to the public to purchase tickets for the match and not to seek free entry and added that he would himself buy a ticket for the match.

Apart from that, Digvijay Singh also congratulated a delegation of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) for its successful efforts to organise the match at Indore.

The Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) selection committee has named wicket-keeper batsman Vijay Dahiya as the skipper of the Delhi team for their Ranji Trophy pre-quarterfinal match against Tamil Nadu scheduled to be played from March 10 to 13 in Chennai.

The DDCA senior selection committee members include chairman Chetan Chauhan, coach Surendra Khanna, Sunil Dev and Sunil Khanna

The team: Vijay Dahiya (captain), Akash Chopra, Ashu Dani, Gautam Gambhir, Mithun Manhas, Virendra Sehwag, Pradeep Chawla, Ashish Nehra, Robin Singh (jr), Amit Bhandari, Nikhil Chopra, Sohail Rauf, Harendra Chaudhary, Amit Suman and Rajiv Rathore. Manager: Rajiv Vinayak.