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Virender Sehwag has formally announced his retirement from international cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-20154:13

Manjrekar: Hitting the ball gave Sehwag a high

India batsman Virender Sehwag has formally retired from international cricket. On Tuesday, his 37th birthday, Sehwag made the announcement via Twitter, with a crisp message that said he would no longer play the IPL either.On Monday, Sehwag had revealed he would be participating in the Masters Champions League, a UAE-based Twenty20 tournament that requires its participants to have retired from all international formats, and said a formal retirement announcement would follow soon. He indicated that he would continue playing for Haryana till the end of the Ranji Trophy season.”God has been kind and I have done what I wanted to do – on the field and in my life and I had decided sometime back that I will retire on my 37th birthday,” Sehwag said in a statement. “So, while I spend the day with my family, I hereby announce my retirement from all forms of international cricket and the Indian Premier League.”Cricket has been my life and continues to be so. Playing for India was a memorable journey and I tried to make it more memorable for my team-mates and for the Indian cricket fans. I believe I was reasonably successful in doing so. For that, I wish to thank all my teammates over the years – some of the greatest players of the game. I would like to thank all my captains, who believed in me and backed me to the hilt. I also thank our greatest partner, the Indian cricket fan for all the love, support and the memories.”I also want to thank everyone for all the cricketing advice given to me over the years and apologise for not accepting most of it! I had a reason for not following it: I did it my way!”Sehwag is widely considered one of India’s greatest opening batsmen, and he revolutionised the art of batting against the new ball in Test cricket with his aggressive approach, scoring at a strike rate of over 80 in the longest format. He has been out of India’s plans for over two years, having last played for the national side in the Hyderabad Test against Australia in March 2013.Sehwag played 104 Tests, 251 ODIs and 19 T20Is, scoring over 17,000 international runs and picking up 136 wickets with his offspin. His greatest moments came in Test cricket, where he made 23 hundreds including the only two triple-centuries by an Indian batsman, while his ODI achievements included the format’s second double-hundred. He was part of India’s victorious campaigns at the 2007 World T20 and the 2011 World Cup.

Australia’s pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson says he is at that stage of his career where every Test could be his last

Daniel Brettig at the WACA11-Nov-2015Like the WACA Ground he loves so much, Mitchell Johnson is contemplating the end. Having already spoken about pondering retirement at the back end of this year’s Ashes series, Johnson has made the frank admission that thoughts about finishing his playing career are more or less a constant companion these days.Ahead of the second Test against New Zealand, which is set to be one of the last major matches played at the storied WACA, Johnson said he was now at a phase of his career where every match might be his last. He also expressed hope about ending his time in the Australian Test team on home shores, a privilege denied to Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Shane Watson, Ryan Harris and Chris Rogers after all five senior men departed during the England tour.”I think about it most days I think,” Johnson said. “It’s probably getting to that time, but to be honest I’m just trying to go out there and play each game and enjoy it. Like I’ve said before, it could be after this game I might just go, I’m done but I’m still enjoying my cricket at the moment and I’m enjoying the challenges.”It’s a really good time for Australian cricket with these young guys in the team and I want to be a part of that. As long as I’m performing well and doing my job in the team then mentally I’m feeling pretty good. I’m not emotional or anything like that now, no, because I’m not retiring. It’s always special playing here so it does excite me.”I started my career in Australia, played my first Test at the Gabba, I think I’d like to finish my career in Australia if I have the choice. It’s whether I get that choice or not. Not many people get it, so who knows. I feel like I’m still performing pretty well. I’d like to get a few more wickets but I feel like I haven’t dropped off too much. Pace is still up there enough and I feel confident enough in myself.”The talk about retirement is not to say that Johnson has fallen out of love with the game. On the contrary he spoke warmly about his involvement with club cricket and his belief in the importance of maintaining a strong linkage between the grassroots of the game and the commercialised, glamourised top end. If there is anything that seems to have stuck in Johnson’s craw recently – evident in his thoughts on the looming day-night Test and other lost traditions – it is the increasing gap between the international arena and earlier, simpler times.”I enjoyed it, it was a great experience and the guys get a boost out of it, both teams,” he said of turning out for Wanneroo Districts at the outset of the summer. “I actually felt a fair bit of pressure on me to perform as I always do when I go back, but I try to go out there and enjoy it as much as I can and mingle with the young guys.”I stayed afterwards and had a chat with the guys. I love club cricket. At the last game I caught up with my club president from the Wanderers and it was really good to catch up with him and chat about how it all started. I am a firm believer in all that, I think grass roots cricket is so important. I’d love to play more [club] cricket. I actually wanted to play a few more games but it just wasn’t possible.”Among the reasons keeping Johnson from his club side is a highly regimented and grooved routine to get him as close to his best for Test matches. At the age of 34, Johnson knows his body very well, and thus realises that a uniquely powerful frame is starting to wind down.”It’s good but it’s not as good as ever,” Johnson said. “You have your niggles here and there, just like every other fast bowler that’s been before me. You have your little issues you have with your body and I’m no different, so it’s just about managing those things and I guess I’ve become pretty good at that over the years. That’s part of being a fast bowler is you’re going to be sore when you play.”I really like that feeling of having that soreness – it doesn’t probably sound great, but I like that feeling. It feels like I’m doing something out there and pushing my body to its limits. As long as I keep doing that maintenance and looking after myself after each game then I’ll be right to play on.”Johnson finished the Gabba Test level with Brett Lee on 310 Test wickets, a mark that was a source of considerable pride for the younger man. He has spoken often of his admiration for Lee and Dennis Lillee, the original WACA tearaway who matured into the most complete of all Australian fast bowlers. His mark of 355 Test wickets is tantalisingly near.”I was just trying to get past Brett Lee – I’m even with him now,” Johnson said. “You never know I could go a few Tests without wickets and that’d be the end of it. It wouldn’t be a bad thing, Brett was an idol for me. I remember saying when I first got into really serious cricket that I wanted to bowl as fast as Brett Lee and now I’m level with him. It’s pretty awesome.”Never thought I’d reach that target, especially a few years ago, I wouldn’t have even thought about getting close to 300 wickets. Dennis’ is a pretty remarkable career he had playing 79 Tests and getting 355 wickets at low 20s. That’s pretty awesome and I’m not sure. I’ll have a crack but if I get there or not, who knows.”

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been named in Bengal’s squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, after recovering from the knee injury he had picked up during the Australia tour last December

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Dec-2015Fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been named in Bengal’s squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, after recovering from the knee injury he had picked up during the Australia tour last December. He had felt some discomfort in his left knee as early as the first Test in Adelaide but bowled through pain in the 2015 World Cup, where he was India’s second-highest wicket-taker, taking 17 scalps at 17.29.Shami, who has been sidelined from all competitive cricket since March, underwent surgery after returning from the World Cup and spent his rehabilitation period at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. He was then picked among 30 players to be part of a preparatory camp ahead of the South Africa series in September. However, Shami had not regained full fitness then and was not included in either limited-overs or Test squads against South Africa.Shami, who had also missed the league phase of the Ranji Trophy, though, hoped that the Vijay Hazare trophy would help him shake off the rust and return to the Indian team, whose next assignment is a five-match ODI series in Australia, starting January 12.”I am back after eight months, so I am taking it slow and easy… I am gearing up to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. It will be a good preparation going into the limited overs series against Australia,” Shami told .Bengal, who start their campaign against Goa on December 10, will also be boosted by the return of Wriddhiman Saha from national duty. They have been placed in Group D with Goa, Himachal Pradesh, UP, Madhya Pradesh, and Saurashtra.Squad: Manoj Tiwary (captain), Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Wriddhiman Saha, Sudip Chatterjee, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sayan Sekhar Mondal, Sreevats Goswami, Pankaj Shaw, Debabrata Das, Aamir Gani, Pragyan Ojha, Mohammed Shami, Ashok Dinda, Mukesh Kumar, Sayan Ghosh, Pradipta Pramanik, Alok Pratap Singh

While the bowlers have been central to Zimbabwe’s plans, Afghanistan have relied heavily on Mohammad Shahzad so far. Having come back from a 2-0 deficit, Zimbabwe start off as marginal favourites

The preview by Shashank Kishore05-Jan-2016

Match facts

Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Start time 1500 local (1100GMT)Zimbabwe’s bowling attack has shown better adaptability on slow Sharjah decks, with Nevill Madziva and Graeme Cremer central to their plans•Chris Whiteoak

Big picture

The series was nearly dead and buried when Afghanistan, cruising high and happy on a 2-0 lead, reduced Zimbabwe to 45 for 7 a short distance into the third ODI. Then Afghanistan took their foot off the pedal and slipped into their comfort zone in anticipation of a second successive series win. Half an hour’s indiscretion followed, and before they realised it, Zimbabwe had put up 175. Then they came out playing to the gallery, only to be brutally exposed against the swinging ball to give Zimbabwe an opening, which they tore into on Monday courtesy Chamu Chibhabha’s allround show. As a result, Afghanistan, who slipped at the first sign of turbulence, find themselves vulnerable, with plenty of doubt lingering over the temperament of the batsmen heading into the series decider.Cricket is often a confidence game, and there is little doubt as to which is the happier camp at the moment. For every step taken, Zimbabwe have often found ways to go back two steps. One such instance was their series loss to Afghanistan at home in October. Having started 2016 with two successive wins, the onus is on them to ride the momentum and make amends for that loss, for a slip-up here could also mean they will be edged out of the top 10 in the ICC ODI rankings.Afghanistan have relied heavily on Mohammad Shahzad with the bat and their plethora of spin options with the ball. The lean patch of Asghar Stanikzai and Mohammad Nabi hasn’t helped, and has put more pressure on Shahzad to alter his natural style of play and transform from an attacking batsman to an accumulator. Zimbabwe have been a little more rounded. Chibhabha aside, Graeme Cremer’s loopy legspin and Nevill Madziva’s late swing have accounted for a bulk of the batsmen in the middle overs. Hamilton Masakadza’s form has somewhat covered up for the inability of Sikandar Raza and Malcolm Waller to notch up scores of substance. Wednesday will be another chance to correct that.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Afghanistan LLWWW
Zimbabwe WWLLLL

In the spotlight

In the fourth ODI, Chamu Chibhabha became only the sixth Zimbabwean after Prosper Utseya, Andy Blignaut, Neil Johnson, Gary Crocker and Duncan Fletcher to achieve the double of a half-century and four wickets. He showed all the virtues of a good opener – left well, played late, held his composure initially, put away the loose deliveries. The disappointment of not carrying on was writ large on his face when he mistimed a pull to midwicket. He later admitted his batting was still a work in progress, particularly when it came to pacing his innings. He will have another opportunity to make amends in a crunch clash.Mohammad Nabi, Afghanistan’s highest run-getter in ODIs, has scores of 17, 33, 0 and 11 in his four innings so far. He has been unusually subdued and hasn’t been able to express himself in the manner that has brought him a bulk of his 1443 runs. With Samiullah Shenwari also being left out, Nabi’s return to form is vital for a predominantly top-heavy batting line-up. While Mohammad Shahzad’s belligerence is capable of ensuring they don’t miss their most accomplished batter, Afghanistan could be found wanting if law of averages catch up with their wicketkeeper-batsman.

Team news

The move to send Malcolm Waller in at No. 3 in the fourth ODI didn’t pay off. More importantly, it disturbed Masakadza’s rhythm. Zimbabwe’s most accomplished batsman could slot back in at his preferred slot, especially if Zimbabwe bat first on what is expected to be another slow Sharjah deck. With the team winning two games on the bounce, the only change they could possibly ponder is the return of Craig Ervine, who has fully recovered from a flu that kept him out of the third ODI, in place of Waller. That would mean somewhat countering Afghanistan’s spin threat by having a left-hander in the middle order.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Peter Moor, Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Richmond Mutumbami(wk), 8 Luke Jongwe, 9 Graeme Creamer, 10 Neville Madziva, 11 Tendai ChisoroWith Stanikzai and Nabi not in the best of nick, there is a case to push Karim Sadiq, a regular opener till not too long ago, up the order. But two successive batting meltdowns would have invited a fair amount of soul-searching. If they want some experience in a crunch clash, they could go back to Nawroz Mangal, the former captain.Afghanistan (probable) : 1 Noor Ali Zadran, 2 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 3 Mohammad Nabi, 4 Asghar Stanikzai (capt), 5 Rashid Khan, 6 Hashmatullah Shahidi, 7 Najibullah Zadran/Nawroz Mangal, 8 Mirwais Ashraf, 9 Dawlat Zadran, 10 Amir Hamza, 11 Shafiqullah

Pitch and conditions

Captains winning the toss have had no hesitation in batting first so far. The trend is unlikely to be disturbed, considering both sides will not want to fall back on the pressure of having to chase in a must-win game. The ball has nipped around under lights too, and cooler weather conditions at this time of the year should help the fielding side in the second session.

Stats and trivia

• A win in the fifth ODI will give Afghanistan only their second series win against a Full Member and strengthen their position at No. 10 in the ICC ODI rankings
• Peter Moor and Chamu Chibhabha’s 92-run opening stand is the highest of the series from both sides.

Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura was heartened by his team-mates’ approach while training in Khulna, after the disappointment of their series loss to Afghanistan earlier this month

Mohammad Isam14-Jan-2016Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura has said he is heartened by his team-mates’ approach while training in Khulna, as they look to bounce back from the disappointment of their series loss to Afghanistan earlier this month. He also welcomed the return of “big” players like Hamilton Masakadza, Brian Vitori and Vusi Sibanda to the T20 squad.Masakadza missed the series against Bangladesh in November last year but played against Afghanistan in the UAE, where he scored a century and two fifties across the ODIs and T20s. Both Vitori and Sibanda last played a T20 for Zimbabwe in May 2015.”Obviously it is tough [to lose to a team against whom we are expected to win]. It is disappointing, too,” he said on the eve of the first T20 against Bangladesh in Khulna. “There’s always pressure from you guys but obviously we have to make sure as professional cricketers we show good courage and bounce back. In the past two days of practice, guys have shown seriousness in their training. I am sure everyone will be looking forward to the game tomorrow.”It [return of players] is big. They are experienced, played here before. Good to have their contribution in this tour. Hamilton is showing good signs since coming back. The other guys, like Vitori, will be looking to try to raise his game to stay in the team. Sibanda is also there. They are hungry to stay in the team. It is a good combination of guys with different motivations. It will be good for the team.”Chigumbura said he may bat higher up the order to give himself more chances to bat freely. He played at No 4 five times in 2015, including once against Bangladesh, but batted down the order against Afghanistan. He also stressed on a better batting performance if Zimbabwe are to do well in the four-match T20 series.”I would love to come up top and have more time in the crease,” Chigumbura said. “In the last series, I came in a bit early in the ODIs, so you might see me up the order so I get more time to play my natural game.”We had a bad series in UAE. This is a big series for us to make sure we bounce back from the UAE. We have to make sure we play good cricket, especially with the bat. We were disappointing with our batting in the last series.”Chigumbura also said the side would continue experimenting with the line-up to find combinations that will work at the upcoming World T20.”We need to try different combinations, which we think will work at the World T20,” he said. “So at the moment we have 16 guys here instead of 15. In the next four games you won’t be shocked to see different guys batting in different batting positions.”Maybe one guy playing first two games and resting the other two. It is going to be mainly for preparation for the World T20. At the same time we have to play good cricket.”

Brendon McCullum has insisted that he was not aware of breaking the record for the fastest Test century until it had been announced over the Hagley Oval loudspeaker and flashed up on the big screen

Brydon Coverdale in Christchurch20-Feb-2016For nearly 30 years, Viv Richards has sat on top of the list of fastest Test centuries. Few men have come seriously close to usurping King Viv, like Adam Gilchrist did at the WACA in 2006-07. His 57-ball effort was one short of Richards’ 56-ball hundred, scored against England in Antigua in 1985-86. Misbah-ul-Haq then equalled Richards’ record in Abu Dhabi in 2014-15. But it took Brendon McCullum to break it.McCullum’s 54-ball century against Australia at the Hagley Oval came with a boundary slapped over extra cover off Josh Hazlewood, and viewers around the world knew that a world record had been broken. But McCullum himself insisted that he was unaware of the milestone until it had been announced over the Hagley Oval loudspeaker and flashed up on the big screen.”No idea,” McCullum said after play on the first day. “I was trying to hit every ball for four or six. I wasn’t aware of the record but very respectful of all those who’ve held it before. It’d be nice to win the Test match, that’d be the most important thing.”[Viv Richards] was my idol growing up. It’s nice to be able to go past him but jeez, he was a cracking player, an incredible cricketer. I’m almost a bit embarrassed to go past him, to be honest. Hopefully he enjoyed a bit of the ‘stroke-making’, we’ll call it.”McCullum had some good fortune along the way, most notably when he slashed a delivery from James Pattinson and was brilliantly caught by a diving Mitchell Marsh at gully. However, the umpires checked the replays and confirmed that Pattinson had delivered a no-ball, the third time this summer that he had cost himself a wicket in that way, after his no-balls twice reprieved West Indies’ Carlos Brathwaite at the MCG.”I thought it was four as soon as I hit it, then I turned around and it was their third great catch of the day,” McCullum said. “Steve Smith’s catches were phenomenal as well. We talked about that they do push the front line a little bit. You’re always hopeful but you don’t anticipate it actually being a no-ball so it was quite a nice reprieve. It probably loosens you up a little bit and relaxes you a bit more. You know you’re probably not meant to be out there so you might as well play with even more freedom.”Brendon McCullum benefited from a slice of luck and smashed his way to the fastest Test century•Getty Images

Initially, it did not seem that this would be McCullum’s day, after he again lost the toss on a green pitch and Steven Smith sent the hosts in. But more or less as soon as McCullum walked out to bat with the score on 32 for 3, his fortune turned. Asked when he got the impression this might be his day, McCullum was honest.”Probably second ball when I had an almighty, filthy slog and it went over the slips cordon for four,” he said. “When you’re confronted with wickets like that you know you’re going to have to be pretty aggressive and need some luck, and we got quite a bit of luck. That partnership between Corey [Anderson] and I was great fun but also instrumental for us to hopefully set the Test match up.””I’ve been on the other side many times and you walk off and think ‘jeez if I’d reined it in a little bit who knows what would have happened’. On that wicket the feedback from the boys was that at any stage the ball could have your name on it. I tried to be as positive as I possibly could and hoped things would roll our way.”When Corey came out he played aggressively and we started to get some momentum. We were able to knock them off that difficult length at the top of off stump. If you’re just trying to hang in there on that wicket, around the top of off stump, you’re in big trouble. It’s nice when things come off.”The partnership of 179 between Anderson and McCullum set New Zealand on the path to a first-innings total of 370 from just 65.4 overs, which was a remarkable performance given the helpful conditions for Australia’s fast men. McCullum joked that “about 120” seemed like it might be an acceptable score on that pitch, before refining his comments and declaring that “anything over 200, we thought, you’re in the game”.”We saw at the Basin as well that that wicket actually dried out a little bit quicker than what we hoped for,” he said. “For us it was a matter of trying to score our runs as quick as we could so the pitch didn’t have the opportunity to dry out too much.
“In the end, we faced 60-odd overs and the ball still went around in that last session as well. I think tomorrow morning’s really important. It seems to do a lot more in the morning session here so we’ve got to be on our lengths. If we bowl well, we’ll get some opportunities. Then it’s a matter of whether we take them or not.”

The India-Pakistan World T20 match on March 19 has been moved to Eden Gardens in Kolkata, because of security concerns over the original venue Dharamsala

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Mar-20161:35

The Ind-Pak decision wasn’t taken lightly – David Richardson

The India-Pakistan World T20 match on March 19 has been moved to Eden Gardens in Kolkata, because of security concerns over the original venue Dharamsala. The ICC chief executive David Richardson made the announcement in Delhi on Wednesday, ending weeks of uncertainty over the fixture, which began with the Himachal Pradesh chief minister saying his government would not be able to provide adequate security for the match.The PCB, however, has continued to delay the departure of the Pakistan men’s and women’s teams to India pending assurance from the BCCI or the Indian government. “The PCB has also today conveyed to ICC and BCCI that our government is expecting an assurance to Pakistan against specific threats to the Pakistan team from various political parties and groups during the tour,” the board said in a release. “Pending this assurance and in accordance with the recommendation by the security delegation, the PCB has decided to defer the departure of Pakistan men and women teams to India.””The decision to relocate the match has been made for security reasons,” Richardson said in Delhi. “The concerns initially arose following alleged public comments recently reported by the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, warning of demonstration and attempts to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the match. Our concerns relate both to uncertainty as to the level of those threats as well as the level of commitment to implement any security plan developed to mitigate such treats.”The decision was not taken lightly. The ICC and the BCCI understand the disappointment that is likely to be felt by many over the decision to move the match. But the safety and security of the event is of paramount importance to the ICC and we have taken into consideration the concerns shared with us by our security advisors as well as Pakistan Cricket Board.”As far as those who have purchased tickets online for the match, they will be offered the choice of a full refund or the opportunity to exchange their tickets for ones for the Kolkata match.”Finally, I would like to confirm that the ICC has been assured by all relevant state authorities that all adequate security measure are in place and will be implemented to ensure that the event is staged in a safe and secure environment for all stakeholders.”Though the PCB had always expressed reservations about playing in Dharamsala once the issue began, the BCCI and the ICC remained confident the game would go ahead as planned. However, the problems came to a head this week after a three-man security delegation from Pakistan inspected the venue and was unhappy with the preparations. Their report to the PCB on Tuesday recommended that Pakistan not play at the venue, and the ICC announced the change in venue the next day.

Dawid Malan helped Middlesex to a first innings lead against Hampshire with an attacking century on the third day at the Ageas Bowl

ECB Reporters Network03-May-2016
ScorecardDawid Malan’s hundred helped Middlesex to a small lead•Getty Images

Dawid Malan helped Middlesex to a first innings lead against Hampshire with an attacking century on the third day at the Ageas Bowl.Malan, who was 40 not out overnight, quickly moved to a 64-ball fifty once the session got underway under mainly blue skies.He found his progress with eased by some erratic fast bowling from Hampshire seamers Tino Best, Chris Wood and Ryan McLaren.
Malan looked in little trouble, after being dropped the day before by Will Smith, punishing the bad balls, while John Simpson held up the other end.The pair put on 182 for the fifth wicket with a typical defender and aggressor partnership, getting through the morning session without losing a wicket.Malan reached 121, his three figures came in 134 balls, before he looped legspinner Mason Crane’s long hop to extra cover – the teenage bowler embarrassed by his first wicket of the season.Watchful Simpson, whose 50 came off two balls fewer than Malan’s century, departed ten balls later as he edged James Tomlinson behind to Adam Wheater.The hosts’ bowling found their rhythm in the afternoon, with McLaren and Tomlinson in particular finding their form – although they were rocked by a knee injury to Chris Wood which forced him off the field mid over.McLaren looked fired up, and twice knocked the off stump out the ground with brisk deliveries – Paul Stirling done by one which angled in and Toby Ronald-Jones missing a pull shot.Tomlinson was rewarded for his persistence by taking his season tally to 12, after taking just 18 scalps in 2015. He removed James Harris for 57 and ended the Middlesex innings when Steven Finn skied to Best at mid-off. Middlesex, who batted a man light due to Adam Voges’ concussion injury, led by 25 runs.Hampshire started their second innings spritely, with Michael Carberry – the scorer of a ton in the first innings – twice slapping Tim Murtagh to the boundary in the first over. But he fell lbw to a full ball from Murtagh for 15 in the seventh over, which may have hit him outside the line.Leg-before appeals were a common cry throughout the evening as Jimmy Adams and James Vince, who supplied some jaw dropping cover drives, battled through to close. Hampshire led by 51 but a draw remained the most probable result on the final day.

Batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who had been appointed vice-captain for India’s tour of the West Indies in July-August, has said the new role will not affect his batting

PTI31-May-2016Batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who had been appointed vice-captain for India’s tour of the West Indies in July-August, has said the new role will not affect his batting.”As a vice-captain there will be responsibilities and I like to take responsibilities,” Rahane said. “When I toured Zimbabwe as a captain, I learned a lot from my team-mates, it was a good experience and we had won in Zimbabwe.”There is certainly a sense of responsibility when going to the West Indies. I enjoy taking responsibilities and I will learn new things from this team and it will be important how I go ahead step by step… I don’t think that captaincy and vice-captaincy make any difference on batting.”Rahane, who had toured the West Indies with the India A side in 2012, said that he was looking forward to the challenge of playing in different pitches.”I had toured the West Indies as part of India A around 3-4 years back, at that time the wickets were little slow,” Rahane said.”In international cricket, there will be different wickets. I have heard there is good bounce and pace in Barbados, Jamaica.”At the same time, I feel the wickets may be spin-friendly. We will get the idea of the wickets once we go there. But it is an exciting tour in the West Indies. We are going with a young Test team. We have done well recently and so we are looking forward to the tour.”Rahane also said that he would look to pick the brains of Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar before the tour.”Whenever they (Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar) are available, I try and converse with them about each tours,” Rahane said. “Before going to the West Indies, if I can meet them, I will ask them about their experience, conditions and what kind of cricket is played there. If they are available, I will like to speak to them.”