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Pant should have kept wickets, feels Azhar
Kolkata, Nov 4 (IANS) Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin feels Rishabh Pant should have kept wickets instead of Dinesh Karthik in the first T20 International against the West Indies here on Sunday as the young stumper needs to improve his glove-work.
“I honestly feel Rishabh Pant should have kept wickets today. When you’re a keeper you got to keep wickets,” Azhar told reporters at the end of the West Indies’ innings.
The tourists were restricted to a paltry 109/8 in 20 overs after skipper Rohit Sharma chose to field first.
Karthik kept wickets as Pant, who is expected to take over the gloves from MS Dhoni when the latter calls it a day, played as a specialist batsman.
Azhar said he was not impressed by the 21-year old’s glovework in England and needs to keep wickets on a regular basis to get better.
“He is a good player. He has done well. The more he keeps wickets, the more he will learn. I think his keeping needs to improve a lot. In England, he batted well but his keeping left a lot to be desired,” added the 55-year old.
Kuldeep Yadav returned superb figures of 3/13 in his four overs on Sunday, also completing 100 wickets in T20 cricket.
Kuldeep has fast emerged as a good bowler. Now he is bowling well and improving everyday. In the years to come he will be a major force,” Azhar said.
Azhar was also full of praise for stand-in captain Rohit Sharma, terming the Mumbai batsman as a “cool” customer who has shown his leadership skills whenever given a chance.
“He is calm and cool. Whenever he is given a chance, he has proved that he is a good captain. In the Asia Cup also, he did really well. He is improving everyday. He is a very cool captain.”
In the absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli who, like in this T20 series, also opted out of the Asia Cup, Rohit led India to the title beating Bangladesh in the final.
Asked about India’s chances in Australia, Azhar reiterated that if Kohli and Co. can bowl and bat well Down Under, they have every chance of winning.
“India has a good chance in Australia. we have good batsmen and bowlers. If we can combine both together and do well, we have a chance,” he said.
Azhar added that the West Indies players lacked intent on Sunday and made too many mistakes.
“Their batting has been very poor. There is no direction. The effort is not there. Sometimes you need to use common sense. I thought they would bat wall today but they played too many shots too often.”
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.