World Sports

Former cricketer Shane Warne has a tipsy solution - quite literally - to the current problems plaguing the Australian national team: shut the doors and bring on the booze! Warne, writing in UK's Daily Telegraph, says the fragile and fragmented team chemistry in the current Australian team can be repaired with music and alcohol rather than through stricter means. "As a leader I always thought if the boys weren't getting along or we weren't performing then the best thing to do was to lock everyone into a room with some music (and) alcohol. (Then) everyone have their say to each other . . ." Currently 2-0 down against India in the sub-continent, the Australian team's problems have not been restricted to on-field agonies alone. Coach Mickey Arthur has said that there is 'back-talk' and an attitude problem within the side. This after four players including vice-captain Shane Watson were axed because they failed to submit an assessment report to Arthur. Wa...

Indian middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara on Wednesday tied the nuptial knot with fiancee Puja Pabari, at a family function. The three-day wedding functions started last night with the 'Sangeet Sandhya'. The marriage rituals would take place this evening followed by a reception on Thursday. Puja belongs to Gujarat's Jamnagar district and is a management graduate. "Entire Indian team and the BCCI officials are invited," said Arvind Pujara, Cheteshwar's father. However, his teammates are not likely to attend, as they would be busy preparing for the series against Australia. Pujara did not play in the Irani Trophy match against Mumbai and also missed the Board President XI tie against Australia on account of his marriage. He won't have much time to spend with the wife as he would be joining the Indian team by February 15. Pujara has played nine Tests for India so far, scoring 761 runs with three hundreds at a healthy average of over 58.

Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been appointed as vice-president of India Cements, a company which is headed by BCCI President N Srinivasan. Dhoni, who recently resigned from Air India, is expected to play for his new employers in the BCCI Corporate Trophy which began today despite his earlier intention to take a break ahead of the important home series against Australia. India Cements are the owners of IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings of which Dhoni has been the captain since 2008 and Srinivasan is the Managing Director-cum-vice-chairman of the company. That Dhoni had joined the company had come to light when his name was included in the India Cements squad a few days back. A Chennai Superking official has confirmed his position in the company. The inclusion of Dhoni`s name in the India Cements squad for February 1-8 Corporate Trophy had come as a surprise since the Indian captain had expressed a desire to rest and had made himself unavailable for the Irani Trophy. ...

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has slapped a penalty notice of approximately Rs 100 crore against IPL team Rajasthan Royals for allegedly violating forex laws in its business operations. The agency, which issued the penalty notice after a two years of investigations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), has sent out three separate notices to the IPL franchise totalling to Rs 98.5 crore plus some other similar notices earlier, sources said. While a Rs 50 crore penalty has been slapped on Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Limited (JIPL) and its directors, owners of Rajasthan Royals, Rs 34 crore notice for evasion of forex duties has been issued against EM Sporting Holding, Mauritius and its directors. A fresh notice of Rs 14.5 crore has been issued against Ms ND Investments, United Kingdom and its directors. All the three parties can appeal against this penalty order in the appellate authority of FEMA. The order requires the IPL team to pay up in 45 days. The ED has been investi...