Warne denies India coach talk.

Australian spin legend Shane Warne on Wednesday denied media reports that he was interested in coaching World Cup champions India.

"Just got told on bus - apparently I put my hand up to coach India. Wow - first I have heard of it - Sorry to disappoint but never said that!!!" Warne tweeted.

Leg-spinner Warne, 41, is in the country to take part in the Indian Premier League where he leads the Rajasthan Royals franchise in the lucrative Twenty20 competition, starting on Friday.

Local media reports earlier Wednesday said Warne had shown interest in the job. "It is a very difficult job to be India coach, it is never easy," Warne was quoted.

"But with India doing so well, it is a lot easier to take over right now than it has been in the past. I'll enjoy working with the Indian cricket team for sure."

India are without a coach after former South African batsman Gary Kirsten stepped down following the World Cup victory in Mumbai last week. Warne said Kirsten had set high standards during a successful three-year stint with Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team.

"Kirsten is a quality person and it would be hard to find a replacement for him. Under him, the Indian team has reached the number one spot in Tests and won the World Cup," said Warne. "He is a fantastic coach."

Warne, who quit international cricket in 2007 with 708 wickets in Tests and 293 in One-dayers, excelled in a duel role as captain and coach guiding the Rajasthan Royals to a surprise title in the inaugural IPL edition in 2008.

Stuart Law becomes new Sri Lanka coach.

Sri Lanka Cricket on Wednesday promoted assistant coach and former Australian batsman Stuart Law to guide the national team ahead of next month's tour of England.

"He will be the new interim coach," a spokesman for Sri Lanka Cricket, the governing body of the sport in the island, said.

Law has been assisting Sri Lanka's outgoing Australian coach Trevor Bayliss since November 2009. Sri Lanka tour England in the second week of May for three Tests and five one-day games.

Bayliss, who managed the team for four years, announced his decision to quit ahead of the World Cup 2011, which Sri Lanka lost by six wickets to India in the final. He is due to coach New South Wales.

Law's interim appointment comes amid a major shake-up in Sri Lanka cricket following their World Cup defeat.

Veteran batsman Mahela Jayawardene quit as vice-captain and a three-member selection committee resigned Wednesday, a day after skipper Kumar Sangakkara gave up his position.

Sangakkara stood down on Tuesday to allow selectors to groom new leaders for the next cricket World Cup in 2015.

I'm also trying to serve country like Tendulkar: Dhoni

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said it was a pleasure to hear words of praise from batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar who had said that he was the best captain he has played under.

Dhoni said he was trying to serve the nation like Tendulkar has been doing for years.

"I've tried to be honest throughout my career. Whatever responsibility is given on my shoulders, I try to fulfil it to the fullest extent. It's just my pleasure that he enjoys playing with me. I am also serving the nation like him," he said ahead of his IPL side Chennai Super Kings' opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday.

Dhoni paid tribute to outgoing coach Gary Kirsten, saying he has set high benchmarks for the team.

"What Gary has done to Indian cricket, I think the benchmark set is really high. When I say really high, (I mean) really high. We will miss him for sure but I assure you, Gary will miss us more.

"Someday when he decides to come back and coach a new team, he'll miss the Indian cricket team even more. There was a bond between him and the team and we'll definitely miss him," said Dhoni who led the Indian team to World Cup triumph last week.

Asked about Australian spin legend Shane Warne's reported desire to coach the Indian team, Dhoni said, "I don't know about it. I heard it from the media. But one thing is for sure, whoever wants to come in or comes in, those (Gary's) are big shoes to fill."

UK to announce decision on Pakistan trio on Friday.

British prosecutors will announce on Friday whether three Pakistan cricketers accused of taking bribes to fix incidents in an international match in England last year will be charged with criminal offences.


Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were questioned by London police over claims they fixed certain incidents, such as the bowling of no-balls at pre-agreed times, during the fourth test at Lord's last August.

All three deny any wrongdoing.

A spokesman for Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said the decision on whether to charge them would be given shortly after 1100 GMT by Simon Clements, the head of its Special Crime Division.

A fourth man, sporting agent, Mazhar Majeed will also learn if he is to face charges of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.

Former test captain Butt, and fast bowlers Asif and Amir have been suspended by the International Cricket Council while the allegations are investigated.

An International Cricket Council anti-corruption tribunal will announce on Saturday its verdict on the "spot-fixing" allegations. If they are found guilty, they face lengthy career-threatening bans.

Sehwag is my inspiration, says Yusuf Pathan!!!

Yusuf Pathan, whose terrific counter-attack gave India hopes of a win from a near hopeless position in the fifth and final one-day international against South Africa at the Centurion on Sunday, has said dashing India opener Virender Sehwag is his inspiration.

Speaking to MiD DAY after arriving in Mumbai yesterday, Pathan, who scored 105 in 70 balls and hit eight boundaries and sixes each during his knock at the Centurion, said while Tendulkar has been an inspiration, his daredevil approach at the crease has come from Sehwag. "The obvious answer to that is Sachin Tendulkar, but the daredevil approach has come from Virender Sehwag," said Pathan.

Chasing a revised target of 268 in 46 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis method, India had collapsed to 60 for 5 when Pathan strode out to the middle at the Centurion, before soon slipping to 119 for 8. Pathan then took centre stage as he put the South African attack to the sword during his 100-run partnership with Zaheer Khan for the ninth wicket before he was dismissed. But Pathan's heroics were in vain as India lost the match by 33 runs and the series 2-3.

Pathan, who scored 166 runs at an average of 55.33 and strike rate of 134.95 in the three matches he played in the series, also told MiD DAY that he has always been inspired by Sehwag. "I was always inspired by the way Viru kept backing his own game despite people talking about the so-called shortcomings in his batting," he said.

Stephen Fleming tipped to be next India cricket coach!!

As ex-India coach John Wright tries to rescue his country's cricket team, former Black Caps skipper Stephen Fleming is a top prospect to be named India's next coach.

According to The Telegraph of Kolkata, Fleming is expected to be succeed currwent South African coach Gary Kirsten.

Fleming has been coaching the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Indian Premier League franchise, from 2009.

The Telegraph said it was significant the Board's president-elect and secretary, Narayanswamy Srinivasan, is closely associated with CSK.

"Dhoni, who also captains CSK, has an excellent rapport with Fleming... Besides, Fleming is himself on very good terms with Srinivasan, who'll become the Board president this September," a well-placed source told the Telegraph.

Kirsten's contract ends with the February 19-April 2 World Cup and, informally at least, he has already conveyed to the Board that he's not interested in an extension.

Fleming, 37, is respected for having a shrewd cricketing mind and isn't the type to ignite controversies.
Plus, he's known to manage players exceedingly well, the Telegraph says.

In other words, someone the Board can do 'business' with.

Spot-fixing case: Former ICC chief feels suspended Pak trio will be "harshly punished".

Former International Cricket Council (ICC) President Ehsan Mani has expressed his happiness with the way the anti-corruption tribunal has handled the spot-fixing case against the suspended Pakistani trio, and said he has a 'gut feeling' that 'all the three' will be handed harsh punishments when the final verdict is announced next month.

The tribunal has been constituted to determine charges against the trio- Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif- brought under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code in relation to two Test matches played during August 2010 in the series between Pakistan and England, The Oval Test and the Lord's Test.

Following the hearing that lasted over 45 hours, spread over six days, the tribunal has determined to continue its deliberations, and will hold a further hearing in Doha on 5 February 2011, at which its decisions will be handed down to the parties, and any consequential matters will be dealt with.

Mani backed the tribunal's decision to push the final decision to February 5, contending that this case would have a huge impact on the cricket world, and also rubbished the fears over the tribunal's ability to deal with such a high profile case, the Daily Times reported.

"Anyone questioning the tribunal's credentials or impartiality is totally wrong. All the gentlemen on the tribunal are men of great esteem and from the judicial background. I have no doubt over their ability to give a verdict based on fairness and justice," Mani was quoted as saying.

"It is good the tribunal is taking its time in reaching a verdict and wants to study all available material before it. This is a case the outcome of which will have a big impact on the future of international cricket and I don't think there should be any hurry in giving a decision on the spot-fixing charges," he added.
Mani also felt that the suspended trio would be punished, but added that the players still had the right to approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

"I have no doubt in the ability of Michael Beloff and his team. It's a high profile case and the delay was expected. Not to forget that the players have a right to approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport also, therefore the tribunal wanted to take sufficient time to analysis all angles of the case," he said.

"My gut feeling is that all the three will be harshly punished. However, I will be very disappointed for pacer Mohammad Aamir who is the best young talent around," added Mani, who was ICC president between 2003 and 2006.

Ashes-winning England's biggest test will come against India: Vaughan.

The Andrew Strauss-led England team is still on a high after thrashing Australia in the Ashes series, but there is work to be done, according to former captain Michael Vaughan.

"Winning the Ashes is great and creates a lot of jubilation and back-page headlines, but the real benchmark for this England side will be next summer's series against India," Vaughan wrote in an article for the Telegraph.
"That will tell us where we stand in terms of our ambition to be the best team in the world. On home soil, we have a great chance. If it is reverse swinging and the ball moving sideways, then Indian batsmen are vulnerable," he added.

The 36-year-old also said that he particularly wants to see the England team beating a fit Indian side.
"It would be great if England win against an Indian team containing Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Shanta Sreesanth. They will pose our batters big questions. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Laxman and MS Dhoni will make the bowlers work hard," Vaughan wrote.

"Throw in Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, and India are a real proposition and you can bet we will not go a whole series with their top four failing to score a hundred like we have seen here from Australia," he added.