N Ananthanarayanan has spent almost three decades with news agencies and newspapers, reporting domestic and international sport. He has a passion for writing on cricket and athletics.
Articles by N Ananthanarayanan
Captain Sammy, a poor general
Sammy's choice was forced last year after Gayle refused to sign a board contract and other seniors refused the job. But he has since showed little individuality or authority, given or acquired, as captain or player. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 25, 2011 11:29 PM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
Praveen swings into contention
He was last in the line as India looked for a temporary solution for their new ball attack. The visitors, however, owe a lot to Praveen Kumar's sensational debut as they go into the second Test against West Indies in Barbados with a 1-0 lead. N Ananthanarayanan writes.
Updated on Jun 25, 2011 11:25 PM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston, Jamaica
Fastest man a fan of Sachin
He might be the fastest man in the world, but Usain Bolt feels humbled when Tendulkar's name crops up. N Ananthanarayanan writes.
Updated on Jun 26, 2011 12:20 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
Dhoni's advice to young players: Adapt if you are not adept
In the end, India emerged victors by 63 runs with more than a day to spare. It was MS Dhoni's 15th Test win as captain, making him the most successful India captain after Sourav Ganguly (21 wins). He is also the first captain to win the opening Test in the Caribbean. N Ananthanarayanan reports. The report card | India’s most successful Test captains
Updated on Jul 06, 2011 12:09 PM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston, Jamaica
Sammy rues another sorry batting display by Windies
West Indies without doubt will have to double their efforts if they are to come back in the series against India. But after the 63-run defeat in the first Test, they were again left to rue half the team they were after another spineless batting display. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 24, 2011 11:25 PM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston, Jamaica
Dhoni fumes as Harper blunders
Australian umpire Daryl Harper has returned to haunt India, who won the first Test against West Indies but not before overcoming a series of umpiring blunders. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 25, 2011 12:01 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
Masterly Dravid dissects dying art
It was West Indies skipper Darren Sammy, still angry with himself for dropping Rahul Dravid on six, who pointed out to what length the batsman went to make an impact for himself and the team in the Sabina Park Test. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 24, 2011 01:44 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston, Jamaica
India beat West Indies by 63 runs in first Test
India allowed the West Indies tail-enders to delay the inevitable before wrapping up the first cricket Test with a comfortable 63-run victory inside four days and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series in Kingston on Thursday. N Ananthanarayanan reports. Scorecard
Updated on Jun 24, 2011 11:27 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston, Jamaica
WI coach wants players to take responsibility
For the West Indies, all that is left is the past romance of batsmen piling on the runs in some style and fast bowlers knocking over rival batsmen. But the current reality doesn't make a pretty picture.
Updated on Jun 23, 2011 01:19 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston, Jamaica
Caught on the wrong foot
It is a lesson Praveen Kumar won't forget easily. On his Test debut, he had triggered a West Indies batting collapse and was troubling the batsmen with his swing bowling when he was banished from bowling in the innings for running on to the pitch for the third time. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 23, 2011 02:52 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston, Jamaica
Better late than never, ‘rebel’ Rowe apologises
He was one of the most gifted Caribbean batsmen. His double century and hundred in either innings on Test debut is still unmatched. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 22, 2011 12:23 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
Tweak in the tale as Harbhajan turns batter
Sachin Tendulkar jokes that Harbhajan Singh sometimes thinks he's Don Bradman, that's how seriously he takes his batting. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 22, 2011 01:19 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
Club class training for first class India
The biggest challenge for any visiting team playing a Test series in West Indies down the years has been about preparing to face the home fast bowlers. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 21, 2011 02:17 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
Poor nets queer pitch ahead of first Test
India’s preparations for the first Test in Sabina Park have been hit because of the appalling condition of the practice pitches at the famous Caribbean venue. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 20, 2011 01:31 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
War cry before the battle
Be it young local players, groundsmen or hangers on, they all flash a wicked smile and assert that the West Indies fast bowlers will have the final say on a lively Sabina Park pitch in the first Test against India starting on Monday. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 20, 2011 12:28 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
MS ready to take fresh guard
Back to lead India in the Tests against West Indies after taking a break from the ODI series, MS Dhoni says the World Cup euphoria is behind him and all that matters is the future.
Updated on Jun 20, 2011 12:21 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
The long and short of the once feared Caribbean bowlers
For the West Indies, who often toyed with the opposition during their decades of domination, it was relentless pace that provided the X-factor: intimidation. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 20, 2011 01:40 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
15 years, 12k runs, Dravid still nervous
The frenetic pace of international cricket increasingly shows that ageing stalwarts have to constantly rediscover themselves to stay in the race with younger players. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 19, 2011 12:24 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
More problems for injured, depleted India
It was not exactly a smooth landing for World Cup winning skipper MS Dhoni as he took over the reins of the Indian team for the Tests in West Indies.
Updated on Jun 19, 2011 12:10 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
India finish off with a whimper
Darren Bravo’s talent has never been in question, but despite his batting resembling his famous relative, Brian Lara, the young batsman had laboured against Indian spinners.
Updated on Jun 18, 2011 12:56 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
Board meets to decide on Gayle’s future
Explosive batsman Chris Gayle will know his fate as a West Indies player after the cricket board's Board of Directors meet to discuss a report on this week’s meeting with the player that ended in acrimony.
Updated on Jun 18, 2011 12:51 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
Skipper gains but the batsman loses
For someone who was entrusted the captaincy of the limited-over side as the third choice due to the absence of skipper MS Dhoni and other senior players, Suresh Raina should be a happy man after sealing the ODI series and the Twenty20 tie in the West Indies. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 18, 2011 02:36 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
Gayle, the energetic fan, whips up a storm
The defining moment in the final one-day game at the Sabina Park on Thursday perhaps came as the ball raced for the winning boundary. The normally reticent Marlon Samuels leapt in the air, punched his fist, and then stunned everyone by sprinting across to a man in lime-green dress who had been cheering West Indies all afternoon.
Updated on Jun 18, 2011 12:41 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
WI to discuss Gayle again
The West Indies board is expected to go into a meeting with the selectors on Friday to seek a way forward in the crisis that the Chris Gayle affair has become, before they pick the squad for the first Test against India. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 17, 2011 03:02 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
Sabina Park promises to stick to character
Reggae legend Bob Marley's spirit and music is all pervasive in Jamaica. In capital Kingston, the country's favourite sporting son, Usain Bolt, leaps out of hoardings and any talk can quickly veer to his sprint compatriot Asafa Powell's love for flashy cars.
Updated on Jun 17, 2011 12:33 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
India aim to sign off ODIs on a high ahead of Tests
For an inconsequential one-day game, much will be riding on the fifth and final tie between India and West Indies on Thursday as the teams tune up for the Test series starting at the same venue, Sabina Park, four days later. N. Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 16, 2011 02:16 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N. Ananthanarayanan, Kingston
No firepower to win
Speedster Andy Roberts, who helped the Caribbean dominate world cricket for about two decades is not sure the home pacemen have the ability to go on and help clinch a series. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 16, 2011 02:45 AM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Antigua
No one destroys me on my ground: Martin
It is just as well that Anthony Martin is a local fire-fighter. West Indies were grateful to find one among them after the leg spinner set up an impressive win in the fourth one-day international on Monday to lift the gloom. N Ananthanarayanan writes.
Updated on Jun 14, 2011 11:43 PM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Antigua
Simons backs the bowlers pack
India will go into their West Indies Test series short on firepower after Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth, who were key to the first drawn series in South Africa last year, pulled out. N Ananthanarayanan reports.
Updated on Jun 14, 2011 11:32 PM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, Antigua
Batsmen cave in, first defeat for India in series
The first defeat as world champions came sooner than expected after the Indian batsmen failed against pace and spin to go down meekly against West Indies in the fourth ODI on Monday.
Updated on Jun 14, 2011 11:25 PM IST
Hindustan Times | N Ananthanarayanan, North Sound, Antigua