Sports Information: 2019

Sania Mirza announces international return after 2 years of maternity break

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza on Thursday confirmed that she will be back to competitive tennis at Hobart International in January 2020, two years after taking a maternity break.

The 33-year-old, who last played at China Open in October 2017, will team up with Ukraine's Nadiia Kichenok, the current world number 38.

Sania, married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, gave birth to their first son, Izhaan, in October last year.

"I am playing in Hobart, then I am playing the Australian Open. I am planning to play a tournament in Mumbai, which is a USD 25,000 (ITF women event) next month, but I am 50-50 about it, so let's see how my wrist behaves. We will see, but Hobart and Australian Open (for sure)," she said at a press conference.

Sania, winner of six Grand Slam titles, said she is back to her best shape.

"There are a lot of changes when you have a baby. Your routine and sleep pattern changes. I (now) feel fit, my body is where it used to be before I had the baby. It was only six-seven months ago, where I thought about it as a realistic possibility," she said.

Sania will partner American Rajeev Ram for the mixed doubles at the Australian Open.

She was speaking after inaugurating the newly re-laid tennis courts at the iconic Khar Gymkhana here in presence of Mahesh Bhupathi, Gymkhana's President Vivek Devnani and secretary Gaurav Kapadia.

Sania said she encountered a bout with Chikungunya fever recently.

"Three months ago I got this virus Chikangunya, that was a setback because for two weeks I was sick. I have left wrist pain out of the blue, because of this virus and it can last up to three months to one year. All and all I feel good, today I can tell you that I am ready to compete again. Of course, it will take me time to the level that I was playing (before), but it is good start for me to feel good physically," she said.

IPL 2020 to decide Kuldeep's place in T20 World Cup squad: Sanjay Bangar

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has reckoned that next year's IPL is going to be massive for Kuldeep Yadav, saying a good outing there will earn him a place in the T20 World Cup squad.

Kuldeep recently returned to India's T20I squad for the West Indies series after a gap of nine months. He had last played the shorter format against New Zealand in February early this year.

"I'm a massive Kuldeep Yadav fan and in terms of strike rates you see he is the quickest to 100 ODI wickets and even in the shorter format, if you look at the match we won in England, he picked up five wickets at a time where the opposition was running away from the match," Bangar told 'Star Sports'.

"I wouldn't count out Kuldeep Yadav, it's just that he's had a couple of poor games in the IPL last season. For him, this IPL is going to be a massive factor and if he does really well, it will be very hard to keep him out."

Bangar also believed Ravinder Jadeja's bowling prowess makes him a better option than Krunal Pandya in India's World T20 squad.

"You require a wrist spinner in the T20 format, it has been a very major component in India's success wherein 2 wrist spinners played a massive role in most of the one day's and T20 series the team has had across conditions hence you will need a bowler who is capable of bowling the complete 4 overs and also bat at No.7," he said.

Hence, I feel Ravinder Jadeja edges over Krunal Pandya here as Krunal hasn't been able to deliver the complete 4 overs at times and Jadeja has been in great form recently."

However, batting great VVS Laxman said it is going to be tough for Kuldeep to earn a place in India's squad for next year's T20 World Cup.

"Kuldeep Yadav hit two blows when the team was under pressure; he and Krunal Pandya got those important runs at the finishing stage of India's innings against West Indies in the first T20 International last year," he said.

"I would invest in Washington Sundar. With Sundar, the advantage is that he can bowl in the power play and the tough overs. We have seen that and he can extract more bounce on the Australian wickets because the way he releases the ball, he can use the crease and in Australia it is not necessary you look to turn the ball, but you can vary the pace and extract the bounce and deceive the batsman as its going to be big grounds.

"So, I would think it would be tough for Kuldeep currently, but you never know what happens just before the World Cup," he added.

Kuldeep has played six Tests, 53 ODIs and 18 T20Is, grabbing more than 150 wickets across all formats.

MS Dhoni will wait with patience to see how Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson perform: VVS Laxman

Laxman expects Dhoni to be back provided he performs well in the IPL
Dhoni has not played international cricket since World Cup 2019
Dhoni on Wednesday said he should be left alone till January 2020

Former India batsman VVS Laxman feels MS Dhoni can come back if youngsters Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson fail to make use of the opportunities that come their way in the near future.

VVS Laxman said MS Dhoni, according to him, will take a call on his international future after the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2020. The batting great added that Dhoni can be looked at if he performs well for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Dhoni's international cricket future has become a matter of intense speculation as the World Cup-winning former captain has not played since India's exit from World Cup 2019.

Dhoni made himself unavailable for the West Indies tour and took a sabbatical during which he trained with the Para Regiment of the Indian Army. He was also not part of India's limited-overs squads for series against South Africa and Bangladesh.

While images of him training in Ranchi raised expectations of an early comeback, Dhoni was not named in the T20I and ODI squads for the upcoming series against West Indies at home.

"I think MS Dhoni will wait with patience to see the performance of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson. Whenever he gets an opportunity and he will take a call after the IPL because the way I am seeing it, MS Dhoni is preparing himself for the IPL. I'm sure he will do well like he has done whenever he plays and leads CSK," Laxman told Star Sports, as quoted by PTI.

"If both these youngsters don't grab their opportunities, probably there is a thought that MS Dhoni can come back provided he shows that form in the IPL leading up to the World Cup.