Laxman, Das set the tempo

AHMEDABAD, FEBRUARY 13: After playing second fiddle twice in the tournament, VVS Laxman was again the second highest scorer of the game. T...

AHMEDABAD, FEBRUARY 13: After playing second fiddle twice in the tournament, VVS Laxman was again the second highest scorer of the game. The Sunday crowd at Motera which come to witness the final of the Hero Honda NKP Salve cricket tournament would agree that the India Senior opener8217;s 105 off 86 balls was attention grabbing.

The man who top scored was the other opener SS Das 114, 121b. This opening act meant India Senior scored 320-9 against India A team after Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to bat.

Coming into the match with scores of 53 and 43, Laxman seemed all ready to get over his mid-life crisis. Starting with the Hyderabadi special flick off the legs of Amit Bhandari, he followed it up with a straight as they come carpet drive off the other opening bowler, T Kumaran.

The spinner Murli Karthik was greeted with a perfectly executed inside out six over the extra-cover fence. This trend continued till the 32nd over when Laxman played a tired shot to Ashu Dani on the long on fence off the bowling of Virendra Sehwag. The opening partnership put on 195 runs.

During this partnership, the bowlers had no respite as Das too was giving the selectors, who didn8217;t include him in the Board President8217;s XI squad, second thoughts. His 121-ball innings, which had one six over the mid-wicket fence off Aashish Kapoor, was laced with nine fours.

SCOREBOARD
India Seniors: SS Das c Kumaran b Bhandari 114, VVS Laxman c Dani b Sehwag 105, Rahul Dravid c Kartik b Bangar 35, Vinod Kambli c Dani b Bhandari 11, Robin Singh c Patel b Bhandari 8, Jacob Martin c Dani b Bangar 1, Sameer Dighe c Sehwag b Kumaran 12, Sunil Joshi c Sharath b Kumaran 1, Nikhil Chopra run out 8, Anil Kumble not out 12; Extras b1, lb2, w7, nb2 12
Total for nine wickets in 50 overs 320
Fall of wickets: 1-195, 2-244, 3-274, 4-276, 5-277, 6-296, 7-298, 8-298, 9-308.
Bowling: T Kumaran 9-0-59-2, Amit Bhandari 10-0-53-4, Murli Kartik 8-0-58-0, Sanjay Bangar 10-0-67-1, Ashish Kapoor 4-0-26-0, Virendra Sehwag 7-0-36-1, Niraj Patel 2-0-18-0.

Sandeep Dwivedi

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More