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Fire fight back late with the ball but pay price for timid powerplay and costly early no-ball

ECB Media24-Aug-2025
Joe Root delivered a batting masterclass at Sophia Gardens, hitting his second successive half-century as Trent Rockets snuck past Welsh Fire with a ball to spare to confirm their qualification for the knockout phase.In a frenetic match, David Payne thought he had dismissed Root for a duck, only for the umpire to signal a no-ball after replays showed the bowler had over-stepped. The England run-machine promptly hit the subsequent free-hit for six over long-on and eventually finished unbeaten on 64 from 41 to secure a three-wicket win, keeping his composure in a chaotic finale.Set 151 for victory, the Rockets appeared to be cruising after a 66-run opening stand between Root and Tom Banton (32 from 20) but when Rehan Ahmed fell to Saif Zaib and Max Holden holed out to deep cover off Chris Green, the nerves began to show.Tom Moores went for a big shot and was caught at mid-on to give Green his second and then three wickets fell in the space of seven deliveries as the Fire set alarm bells ringing.The Rockets were left needing 14 from the final set, bowled by Green, but Root, entirely unruffled, belted the spinner’s first delivery for six and then found a boundary through mid-wicket from the second. A single brought Sam Hain on strike, and he crunched the ball through the covers to seize a thrilling victory.The Fire have had a tough season, winning just two of their seven matches, but they had given themselves a fighting chance after Steve Eskinazi’s first half-century of the campaign headlined a competitive total of 150-6.Runs were hard to come by early on as the Rockets seamers bowled tightly, conceding just 47 from the first 45 deliveries. Steve Smith gloved behind for 8 off Sam Cook (2 for 17), who then dismissed Jonny Bairstow, caught at backward-square by Lockie Ferguson for an uncharacteristically scratchy 13-ball 8.Eskinazi (53 from 42) and skipper Tom Abell (48 from 29) picked up the pace in the second half of the innings before falling to consecutive deliveries in the penultimate set – the former run out after a mix up and the latter caught behind off David Willey – and a breezy four-ball 11 from Green took the hosts to 150, but it wasn’t enough to lift them from the bottom of the table.The Rockets, meanwhile, have secured a top-three finish with a game to spare as they aim to repeat their title triumph of 2022. Victory in their home fixture against Birmingham Phoenix on Wednesday could yet see them top the table and progress straight to the Lord’s final if other results go their way.”Way too tense for my liking,” said Joe Root, the Meerkat Match Hero. “They pulled it back, this format is difficult to gauge. The majority of the game, the wicket played fine.”Green’s over, I thought I’ve got to hit a six here. We needed a boundary in the first two balls, I had a good idea of what he was trying to do to protect that long side, and I put a couple away. “

Left-arm seamers will split 14 games between them during Blast group stages

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Mar-2024Nottinghamshire have signed left-arm seamers Ben Lister of New Zealand and Fazalhaq Farooqi of Afghanistan for the T20 Blast group stages this season in the hope that they can replicate Shaheen Shah Afridi’s success for them last summer.Lister has won 13 limited-overs caps for his country but is considered unlikely to feature in their World Cup plans, and will join Notts for the first eight games of the Blast’s group stages this season before he being replaced by Farooqi. And subject to a No-Objection Certificate from the Afghanistan Cricket Board, Farooqi will feature in county cricket for the first time in his career, following the T20 World Cup, where he will spearhead Afghanistan’s seam attack.Shaheen took 22 wickets in his 14 matches for Notts last season, including four in a single over in a defeat to Birmingham Bears. But he will be unavailable for the Blast this summer due to a clash with the T20 World Cup, where he will captain Pakistan, thus leading Notts to turn to two alternatives.Related

• Alex Hales to miss Notts Blast fixtures after signing LPL deal

• Aaron Hardie withdrawn from Surrey stint to manage workload

“Given the success Shaheen had with us last year, bringing in left-arm seam options again made sense,” Peter Moores, Notts’ head coach, said in a press release. “It creates a different set of challenges for batters. In Ben and Fazalhaq, we have proven wicket-takers who can make an impact on the game in crucial moments, which is what we are after.”Ben is an exciting talent who is establishing himself on the world stage after consistent performances domestically. He’s made a difference in the teams he has played for, and has the potential to do the same with us. Meanwhile, Fazalhaq is a world-class player with experience on the franchise circuit and in international cricket, with a proven ability to bowl at the death. His knowhow under pressure will be important in our group stage run-in.”Notts had finished fourth in the North Group last year and were beaten by eventual champions Somerset in the quarter-finals. They will have a new-look Blast team this year following the departures of Samit Patel (Derbyshire) and Jake Ball (Somerset), with Steven Mullaney expected to feature predominantly for Notts Second XI after taking on a player-coach role.Alex Hales will also be unavailable for the second half of the group stages after signing a lucrative offer to play for Galle Marvels in the Lanka Premier League, while Jack Haynes, Dillon Pennington and Josh Tongue have all joined from Worcestershire. New Zealand’s Will Young will feature in the T20 set-up, and Joe Clarke will take over as T20 captain.

Former India head coach advocates split captaincy to take the load off Rohit Sharma

Shashank Kishore17-Nov-20222:10

Zaheer: Umran Malik adds variety to India’s pace attack

Ravi Shastri believes there’s “no harm” in India exploring the possibility of having a new T20I captain to ease some load off Rohit Sharma, who currently leads them in all three formats.India have Hardik Pandya leading the T20I squad in New Zealand after the selectors rested the senior players following the World Cup in Australia. It’s a job Pandya first did in Ireland earlier in the year, following a successful IPL stint where he led first-timers Gujarat Titans to the title.Related

• Harbhajan wants 'better suited' Nehra to coach India's T20I side

• Hardik Pandya, Shikhar Dhawan to lead India in New Zealand

• Dravid given break for New Zealand tour, Laxman to coach India

• 'Be aggressive but also focus on conditions and situations' – Laxman's mantra for T20Is

“For T20 cricket, there is no harm in having a new captain,” Shastri told select media during an interaction facilitated by Prime Video ahead of the first T20I in Wellington on Friday. “Because the volume of cricket is such, that for one player to play all three formats of the game is never going to be easy. If Rohit is already leading in Tests and ODIs, there is no harm in identifying a new T20I captain and if his name is Hardik Pandya, so be it.”Shastri also backed VVS Laxman’s beliefs that India shouldn’t be averse to picking specialists for the shortest format, even if it means keeping out “certain senior players”.”I think that is the way forward,” Shastri said. “I think VVS is right. They will identify specialists. Going forward, that should be the mantra. Identify and make that Indian side into a terrific fielding side and identify roles for these youngsters who can be fearless and play that kind of cricket without any kind of baggage.”Shastri wasn’t willing to be drawn into comparing the differences he saw in the Indian team when his coaching term ended in November 2021 to the current outfit but was firm in his belief that India should try and emulate England’s white-ball formula that has brought them considerable success since their reboot under Eoin Morgan following a group-stage exit at the 2015 World Cup.

Watch India tour of New Zealand LIVE on Prime Video from Nov 18 to 30

“I wouldn’t like to point out anything, but there’s an opportunity with this team in the future to identify roles for players, identify match-winners, and go pretty much on the template of England,” he said. “They are one team that really caught the bull by the horns after the 2015 World Cup. They sat down and said they are going to identify the best players for that format of the game – whether it’s T20 or 50-over cricket.”Which meant if there were certain senior players who had to sit out, then so be it. They got in youngsters who were fearless, who could adapt to that pattern of the game without having to change their games too much. So it’s a template that can be followed easily; India have got a wealth of resources. And I think it can start from this tour. Because when you look at this team, it’s a fresh, young side. You can identify, you can groom, and you can take this team ahead in two years’ time.”Shastri was also unabashed in his support for tearaway quick Umran Malik who he believes will give the bowling attack much-needed variety in New Zealand, having been included in both the T20I and ODI squads.Malik was called into India’s net bowling contingent at the 2021 T20 World Cup during Shastri’s tenure, and subsequently made his T20I debut under Pandya in Ireland earlier this year.Malik has polarised opinion in Indian cricket. While some believe his raw pace can be an asset, others have pointed to the lack of consistency and the need to nurture his talent by giving him opportunities with India A before transitioning him into the senior team.”He is one of the fastest bowlers in India and you saw what happened in the World Cup where genuine pace rattled opposition, whether it was Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah or Anrich Nortje,” Shastri said. “So, there is no substitute for genuine pace, even if you are defending small totals. So this is an opportunity for Umran. Hopefully, he will learn from this exposure.”

Nepalese legspinner awaiting clearance to play for Oval Invincibles

Matt Roller19-Jul-2021
Sandeep Lamichhane is a doubt for the opening games of the Hundred due to visa issues.Lamichhane, the Nepalese legspinner, is due to play for Oval Invincibles in the competition on a £60,000 deal but his availability is now uncertain. He had also been due to play for Worcestershire in the Vitality Blast earlier in the summer but was forced to pull out of his deal shortly before the tournament after delays in his visa’s approval.Lamichhane’s agent confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he has arrived in the UK and that Monday was the ninth day of a mandatory 10-day quarantine period he spent in a government-approved hotel, but that despite being allowed into the country on a Tier 5 visa, he is not permitted to play in the Hundred as things stand.”At the moment, we’re unsure,” Sam Billings, the Invincibles’ men’s captain, said. “I obviously heard that today and fingers crossed he can get here. It’s been a difficult time for a lot of players with the various restrictions and things around the world. Hopefully that can get resolved [because] he’s a special talent. If not, back to the drawing board.”At this stage, the Invincibles are expected to field only two of their permitted three overseas players in their opening game against Manchester Originals on Thursday night, with Colin Ingram and Sunil Narine both in London and available for selection.ESPNcricinfo understands that Tabraiz Shamsi, the South African left-arm wristspinner who is No. 1 in the ICC’s T20I bowling rankings, has been lined up as a potential replacement in the event that Lamichhane is ruled out of the tournament altogether.

Conversations are ongoing about how to help staff who face an uncertain future

Daniel Brettig22-Apr-2020Stood down staff at Cricket Australia may find themselves working at Woolworths after the chief executive Kevin Roberts approached the supermarket giant and cricket sponsor about temporary work opportunities amid the coronavirus pandemic.Roberts, who has maintained there is a united front in cricket about cash-saving decisions including mass staff stand downs on 80% pay cuts until at least July, dug in further on his chosen approach on Wednesday morning, also revealing that a home international season played without crowds could cost CA up to A$50 million in revenue. CA is not currently eligible for the federal government’s JobKeeper support programme having lost no major revenue streams from cancelled matches.CA’s state association owners compelled CA to back down on their original proposal to shave 45% from annual grants and the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) – no stranger to conflict with the governing body in Roberts’ time – are understood to be planning how to build elements of their fixed revenue percentage model into any revenue fluctuations next summer. Roberts, though, has continued to defend his chosen tack, even asserting on Wednesday that he has “vast majority” support for CA management’s remedies.ALSO READ: Cricket Australia mulls five India Tests behind closed doors“I wrote to Brad Banducci the CEO of Woolworths given that Woolworths is among organisations that need more staff at the moment,” Roberts told SEN Radio. “Our people and culture team are also working with other organisations who are in the habit of placing people in organisations and industries that have a temporary need for more people.”So we’re doing those things proactively and people are at the centre of everything we do, and as much as we hate making those sorts of decisions we had to make last week, the other side of that coin is certainly that we’re supporting our people and looking for even temporary opportunities for them to be involved and earning income elsewhere when their income is reduced from cricket.”Stand downs until July are likely to be followed by redundancies and other cuts even if a full international season is played, due to setbacks such as the potential loss of revenue from matches needing to be played in empty stadiums. “Our revenue from ticket sales you could put a ring around A$40-50 million depending on the season,” Roberts said. “So that is significant obviously, and something that goes into our planning.”Asked about how he reached the decision to stand down all but a handful of staff on only 20% of their usual salaries while executives remain on 80% of their usual base rates of pay, Roberts said that it had simply been a matter of judging how much work was able to be done while placing the business on hold and paying employees accordingly. Roberts faced direct questioning from his staff on this very issue on Tuesday, which he has said will save A$3 million from the bottom line of an organisation with annual revenue of about A$200 million from broadcast rights alone.In its most recent annual report, CA listed executive pay – covering that of Roberts, his executive team and the chairman Earl Eddings – as totalling A$6.6 million, up from A$5.6 million for 2017-18. That salary bill has been shaved by some 20% amid the current suite of measures, while all but a few lesser paid staff have lost 80% of their wages.”It’s what activities are being paused and what’s the skeleton staff we require for the activities that continue and that leads you to a temporary solution, which is the national coaches being part-time through this period,” Roberts said. “It’s something we need to continue managing sensitively no doubt, and we are doing that, which is why we’re communicating with our people every second day, and our people can ask me any question on a live stream every second day.In response to questions about reservations raised by state associations, the ACA and staff about the way CA has approached its cost-saving and planning measures around coronavirus, Roberts declared that “unity doesn’t attract eyeballs in the media”, and suggested that he “absolutely” had enough support to drive his chosen changes through.”We know that you won’t have 100% of people and 100% of stakeholders happy at any particular time. But the reality is that the vast majority of our people, our members, our stakeholders are very comfortable with how we’re working through this. I think it’s just the reality of the situation versus what is sometimes reported, given that stories of harmony don’t necessarily sell. We’re working through things in an open and really orderly way with all of those organisations. It’s all about focusing on, in cricket parlance, the next ball.”

Tragedy for former England captain as Ruth passes away from rare form of lung cancer

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Dec-2018The wife of Andrew Strauss, England’s former captain and managing director, has died aged 46 following a battle with lung cancer.”It is with great sadness and immense grief that we have to announce that Ruth passed away today as a result of her rare lung cancer,” read a statement from Strauss, issued by the ECB on behalf of his family. “Sam, Luca and I will miss her terribly.”Anyone who has met Ruth will know how loving, caring and passionately protective she was of her family and it gives us huge comfort that she was in Australia, the land of her birth, surrounded by those who love her, in her final moments.”Strauss met his wife Ruth (nee McDonald) in 1998-99 while playing grade cricket in Sydney, and the pair married in 2003, shortly before he broke into the England reckoning for the first time.Writing in his autobiography, Driving Ambition, Strauss recalled how their relationship began on a night out in the Beefsteak and Bourbon in Sydney, and how Ruth – a professional theatre actress – provided him with the sort of grounding that he lacked at that early stage of his career.”She was a little older than me, much more worldly and most of all great company,” Strauss wrote.”Being an actress, she had plenty of days when she wasn’t doing much. We explored Sydney, sunbathed constantly on beaches up and down the eastern suburbs, ate loads of ice cream and watched movies and talked in the evenings.”In 2009, after England’s victory in the Ashes in his first year as Test captain, Strauss credited Ruth’s steadying influence as the pressure of the series intensified, particularly after Australia squared the rubber with one match to go after an innings win at Headingley.Though Ruth continued her acting career for a time in London, she willingly stepped back to look after the family as Strauss’s England career blossomed and the demands on his time increased.However, the roles were reversed this year as Strauss, who flew home early from last winter’s Ashes when his wife’s illness intensified, took indefinite leave from his role as England team director in May. His former England team-mate Ashley Giles took up the post on a permanent basis earlier this month.”[Ruth] has brought up my two boys mainly single-handedly, and has always been there to support me,” Strauss added in his autobiography. “She is truly a remarkable woman.””We would like to send our heartfelt thanks to those that have helped with her treatment over the last 12 months, in particular the wonderful team at University College Hospital in London,” Strauss added in his statement.”Ruth desperately wanted to help those affected by this terrible disease and we will be launching a foundation in due course to raise much needed funds to aid research and also to offer support to patients and their families.”Tributes poured in from the cricket world after the news was announced, with many recalling Ruth’s warm and generous personality.”Life just isn’t fair,” Michael Vaughan wrote on Twitter, while Hayley Trescothick – wife of Strauss’s former opening partner Marcus – wrote: “Absolutely heartbroken to hear the passing of Ruth Strauss. She was such a kind, thoughtful and wonderful lady. My heart goes out to Andrew, Sam and Luca.”Kevin Pietersen, who fell out with Strauss towards the end of his England career, put aside their past differences with his own tribute on Twitter.”I’m absolutely gutted for the Strauss family,” he wrote. “Ruth was kind, generous & only thought about others. Jess & I been thinking about them all eve and all morning. So sorry, Straussy! It puts life into perspective in a BIG way!”

The 33-year old will leave his former team Melbourne Renegades, with whom he spent three seasons

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Nov-2017Callum Ferguson has signed up with Sydney Thunder for the next three seasons of the Big Bash League, ending his three-year term with the Melbourne Renegades.Ferguson, who celebrated his 33rd birthday on Tuesday, has played 76 T20s, scoring 1373 runs at an average of 22.50. He made his debut for Australia in 2009 but injury and poor form have kept him from being a regular in international cricket. Ferguson is a veteran of the domestic scene, though, and he has been in form this season. He assisted South Australia to the final of the JLT One-Day Cup, scoring 73 and 169 in the process, and, earlier this month, he struck 182 not out against Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.Ferguson, who has also played for Adelaide Strikers as well in the BBL, joins a Thunder squad full of familiar faces. “I’ve played with Shane Watson, Ben Rohrer and Aiden Blizzard,” he said. “There’s a few guys who I’ve had a really good time playing with or against in the past and I’ve had really good dealings with all of them.”There’s a lot of things that attracted me to Sydney Thunder. It’s a great city and I’m looking forward to the experience of being a senior player in a young and talented group.”Michael Hussey, the franchise’s director of cricket, said that Ferguson had been on their radar for some time now and was “excited” to have the batsman on board. “He’s been one of our main targets throughout the off season,” Hussey said, “and we know that there was a lot of competition for his signature.”The Big Bash League kicks off with the Thunder playing the Sydney Sixers on December 19.Sydney Thunder Squad: Shane Watson (capt), Fawad Ahmed, Aiden Blizzard, Pat Cummins, Callum Ferguson, Ryan Gibson, Chris Green, Jay Lenton, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell McClenaghan, Arjun Nair, Clint McKay, Kurtis Patterson, Ben Rohrer, Gurinder Sandhu.

Moeen Ali continued his good form, but a Worcestershire collapse put paid to their semi-final hopes as Mahela Jayawardene struck an unbeaten hundred

David Hopps at Taunton17-Aug-2016
ScorecardMahela Jayawardene made a classy century•Getty Images

Moeen Ali couldn’t wait. In fact, he was gagging for it, thirsting for it, so hungry that it was almost unbearable. According to Worcestershire’s pre-match publicity, there was barely a bodily reaction that was not conveying Moeen’s desire to return from England duty and take them closer to a Lord’s final. He proved as much, carrying his form in the final Test at The Oval into county cricket, but sadly for Worcestershire, bodily functions elsewhere were markedly below par.While Mooen was at the crease at Taunton, his 81 from 76 balls possessing appropriate grace for such a wearing, humid day, Worcestershire implied that the 280 they needed to make this quarter-final an even game was well within their compass. Then, at 155 for 3 in the 30th over, Moeen got out, a swivel-pull against Peter Trego falling to Max Waller at deep midwicket. Worcestershire made only 210.They got what they deserved: a nine-wicket spanking with more than 13 overs to spare. The day was unbearably close; the match, almost as unbearably, was not.Worcestershire’s season is therefore as good as over. Defeat against Glamorgan at New Road as good as ended their Division Two promotion hopes, especially with only one side going up this year, they flattered to deceive in the NatWest T20 Blast and now their Royal London Cup challenge has ended at the quarter-final stage. They have lacked middle-order runs all season and that again proved to be their downfall.Daryl Mitchell, Worcestershire’s captain, did not flinch from criticism. “We have been inconsistent with the bat all season,” he said. “We are relatively inexperienced but these are guys with England aspirations and we have to be able to turn potential in results and do it in front of the TV cameras when the pressure is on.”There was another silky innings to relish at Taunton but Mahela Jayawardene, after making a delightful unbeaten 117 in 111 balls, would be the first to admit that he was not extended by the target. He has had a largely unproductive spell at Somerset this season – his previous best since joining the county for the NatWest T20 Blast being 55 – but a selection of easeful glides and a couple of gentle straight sixes against the spinners were a reminder of his class. Presented with a chance to depart with smiles all round, he took it. It would have been rude not to.Somerset now face an away tie against Warwickshire in the semi-final, but it looks as if they will have to manage without Jayawardene. “I think the semi is going to be tight,” he said. “I have already moved a few things around to play today, but prior commitments at home mean I have to go back now. Even this match was a bit of an extension but I have had a great time here and if they get to the final I might be able to make the trip.”Somerset posted an opening stand of 188 in 33.1 overs as Jim Allenby, 81 from 96 balls, also produced one of his crispest innings in a Somerset shirt before sweeping Moeen to deep square. It was Somerset’s seventh win in the competition this season after waltzing through their group. A challenging season is turning in his favour and he is now only one match away from skippering Somerset in a Lord’s final.Moeen Ali carried Worcestershire’s fight•Getty Images

Jayawardene set the tone in the field with a slick catch high to his left at first slip when Tom Kohler-Cadmore tried to advance down the pitch to Craig Overton while Josh Davey struck twice in one over, Tom Fell cutting weakly to point and Joe Clarke chipping just as tamely to midwicket.Moeen and Mitchell repaired matters in an untroubled stand of 113 in 20 overs, only for Worcestershire to falter a second time. Every Trego intervention is cause for contentment at Taunton and the ground was almost full to see him follow up the wicket of Moeen by dismissing Daryl Mitchell for 64 – a failed hit over mid-off – and adding Ross Whiteley for nought, an outside edge against one that rose a little. His 3 for 8 in 12 balls as good as settled the contest.Moeen and Mitchell apart, nine Worcestershire batsmen mustered 63 between them on a benign surface. The run out of Joe Leach by several yards after his heavy-footed plod failed to match the desire of his batting partner, Ed Barnard, for a quick second, summed it all up. When Jack Shantry was last out in the next over, seven overs remained unused.

Jonathan Trott and Sam Hain (aka Trott minor) put Warwickshire into a strong position until Somerset struck back with the second new ball

ECB/PA19-Jul-2015
ScorecardJonathan Trott struck his best score since ending his England career•Getty Images

Jonathan Trott’s highest score for Warwickshire since retiring from international cricket helped earn his side a narrow ascendancy over Somerset in an intriguing Division One match at Edgbaston.While England’s top order was spectacularly imploding against Australia at Lord’s, Trott struck a typically measured 87 (145 balls, 11 fours) to steer his side towards 319 for 8, a lead of 54, at Edgbaston.It was a day for England wannabees: Jonny Bairstow and James Taylor to name two. Trott, though, is a wannabee no longer.The 34-year-old’s form since quitting the England set-up in early May has been middling – he started this match with just 288 runs from ten championship innings – but this was much his most assured innings since his return.He missed Warwickshire’s match at Durham last week on paternity leave. Yesterday, nine-day old Lexi was among the crowd at Edgbaston as Dad batted with untroubled fluency before falling to Craig Overton’s first delivery with the new ball just as a 38th first-class century was beckoning.Trott’s work and that of Ian Westwood (66 from 175 balls, four fours) and Sam Hain (an unbeaten 78 from 145, 11 fours) suggested that Somerset’s 265 all out on the first day was an under-achievement in decent batting conditions. But the visitors stormed back in the last session when Overton and Alfonso Thomas took five wickets in 10 overs with that new ball.After Warwickshire resumed in the morning on 22 without loss, they advanced to 66 before Varun Chopra, a model of patience on the way to 33, finally snapped and guided Overton to gully.After Laurie Evans fell to Jim Allenby’s sixth ball, Westwood and Trott put on 77 in 22 overs before the former inside-edged a drive at Alfonso Thomas on to his stumps.That brought together Trott and Hain – or Trott major and Trott minor, it appears, so similar are they in batting style, technique and mannerism. They added 82 in 31 overs before Somerset, having bizarrely delayed taking the new ball for seven overs, finally took it and inflicted considerable damage.Tim Ambrose edged Thomas into the slips while Overton did most damage, forcing Trott the elder to nick behind and Rikki Clarke and Chris Woakes to send catches to gully.Keith Barker edged Thomas into the slips as Somerset fought back impressively at the end of a long, hot day but Hain stayed solid, three days after his 20th birthday, to completed an unflustered half-century, his fifth 50 to go alongside five 100s in 18 first-class matches. He may well emulate Trott’s long Test career.

Anil Kumble has joined Mumbai Indians as their chief mentor, stepping down from a similar role at Royal Challengers Bangalore

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jan-2013Anil Kumble has joined Mumbai Indians as their chief mentor, stepping down from a similar role at Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kumble has been associated with Royal Challengers since the start of the IPL and explained that the move was related to his talent management firm Tenvic Sports.He takes over from former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock and joins Mumbai Indians two weeks before the IPL auction, which is scheduled for February 3. Pollock started at Mumbai Indians as a player in 2008, before taking over as mentor.”I have made this decision to take up a new assignment based on an opportunity that my company, Tenvic has been offered,” Kumble said. “In my discussion with Reliance Group Management (the owners of Mumbai Indians), I find that they have a great and compelling vision for sports in this country, which aligns with my venture Tenvic Sports’ aspirations in making ‘sports’ as the main catalyst of youth development.”Kumble has captained Royal Challengers to the final in 2009, and taken them to the semi-finals in the next year. “I have had an enjoyable association with RCB, as player, captain and mentor. During this period we have achieved most of our objectives and RCB has emerged as one of the leading franchises in the IPL.”Kumble, India’s highest wicket-taker in Tests and ODIs, is also president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, which has been closely related with Royal Challengers in setting up cricket academies across Karnataka.In 2011, controversy arose over Kumble’s co-ownership of Tenvic that had on its books several young players who had been part of India squads but Kumble consistently denied any conflict of interest between his administrative and mentoring roles.