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Virat Kohlis rapid and sustained rise over the last few years has brought inevitable comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar. In less than a decade since making his ODI debut, Kohli has marked himself out by acing the chasing game. He has numbers to go with it: 14 hundreds in successful chases, already level with Tendulkar. Kohli has batted in 59 successful chases, Tendulkar did so in 124.As with Tendulkar, Kohlis dismissals are greeted with gasps of resignation. When Kohli got out in Delhi and Ranchi, for 9 and 45 respectively, there was that sudden, piercing silence again, one that most Indian cricket fans who grew up in the 90s would be familiar with. The immediate throwaway line has been: its just like Tendulkar, Kohli gone, India lose. Especially in chases; in 2015, for instance, Kohli scored less than 12 in four of the five ODIs India lost chasing. Is it then a throwback to the era when Tendulkars failure would inevitably result in Indias defeat or is it just an emotional reaction?There is no doubt India win much more often when Kohli scores a fifty or more in a chase. While chasing 200 or more, India have won 23 of 32 games when Kohli has completed his half-century. When Kohli hasnt reached fifty, India have managed only 20 wins from 44 chases of over 200. In those 20 chases that were won without a big contribution from Kohli, there were 36 scores of 50 or more from other specialist batsmen. Rohit Sharma has scored seven of those.MS Dhoni, too, doesnt believe India is a one-batsman team, and isnt inclined to read too much into the numbers thrown up because the sample is not large enough for him. If you see the last one, one-and-a-half years, we havent played a lot of ODI cricket, he said after India lost to New Zealand by 19 runs in Ranchi. I can say that the stats actually dont reflect the exact scenario because also at that period I have batted at a different position and our top order was batting brilliantly.The numbers largely appear to corroborate Dhonis view. In all ODIs where India have chased since 2014, they have won five games and lost as many when Kohli has scored at least 50. He has scored two hundreds and three fifties in losing causes during this period. In the 17 games that Kohli has scored less than 50, Indias record hasnt been too bad: they have won nine wins and lost eight. In the nine wins that came without Kohli making a half-century, Shikhar Dhawan has contributed a century and four half-centuries while Rohit Sharma has struck three fifties. The rest of the batsmen have chipped in with four hundreds and three fifties. Kohli has scored 25.76% (813 out of 3156) of Indias top-order runs in successful chases in ODIs since 2014. Dhawan is second on the list with 18.25%.These numbers reveal that despite Kohlis overwhelming contribution to Indias successful chases, the team hasnt been overly dependent on him. However, the numbers dont tell you what happens when India fail despite a Kohli century or fifty. What happens after he is gone?A good example of how Kohlis dismissal exposes a middle order that isnt well versed in finishing games came in Canberra at the start of the year. Set a target of 349, Kohli and Dhawan racked up hundreds. At 277 for 1 in the 38th over, India looked like they would complete the chase fairly easily, but once Kohli departed within two overs of the dismissals of Dhawan and Dhoni, Indias middle order unravelled, with only Ravindra Jadeja getting into double digits.Similarly in the Rajkot ODI against South Africa, Kohli batted deep but his departure, with 55 required off 29 balls, snuffed out Indias chase. When the Tendulkar-falls-India-lose era ended, India had match-winners following him: Rahul Dravid, Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh. That Dhoni is not finishing matches now, and that Indias two other match-winners in recent times - Rohit and Dhawan - bat before Kohli accentuates the Kohli-falls-India-lose impression.The numbers will tell you India are not over-dependent on Kohli - at least not yet - but the impression they are coincides with their struggle to find somebody who can make his own the slot vacated by Yuvraj. Not even Suresh Raina - good as he has been - has been able to provide that presence consistently. With Dhoni moving up to No.4, suggesting the youngsters need to learn finishing innings by themselves, Indias overreliance on Kohli may be more than just a feeling. Under Armour Sale Mens . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Under Armour Outlet Uk . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. http://www.underarmoursaleuk.com/ . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. Under Armour Cheap Uk . Rob Manfred, baseballs chief operating officer, testified last week during the grievance filed by the players union to overturn Rodriguezs 211-game suspension. A person familiar with the hearing, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Manfred testified the sport wasnt concerned whether Bosch distributed performance-enhancing drugs to minors because MLBs interest was his relationship with players under investigation. Under Armour Uk Sale .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. The Dodgers and Nationals meet later tonight (8 p.m. ET) in a winner-take-all game to decide who will advance to face the Cubs in the NLCS. Go inside the numbers and matchups that will decide Thursdays game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals, then vote for which team will win?at the bottom of the page.Inside the pitching matchupWhen Rich Hill is on the mound:?When he wasnt sidelined by blisters, Hill was one of the best starters in baseball in 2016, going 12-5 with a 2.12 ERA between the Oakland As and Los Angeles Dodgers and holding batters to a .195 average. On the surface, his repertoire seems pretty basic: A fastball from 88 to 91 mph and a big-breaking curveball. He throws both up in the strike zone -- 70 percent of his fastballs are in the upper half compared to the MLB average of 50 percent.What makes him so difficult to hit is the deception in his delivery. Both pitches are delivered on the same axis, what pitchers call mirroring.His curveball will also have different speeds and arcs to it. His fastball generates extreme spin, leading to fly balls and pop-ups. And just to throw a wrinkle into everything, he occasionally drops down and throws sidearm. Add it up, and hes an outlier in delivery and pitch location that major league hitters just dont see.Now, he has to throw strikes. In his Game 2 start, he generated a swing-and-miss rate of 40.7 percent, his highest of the season. But he was also wild, with an in-zone rate of 45.1 percent, his second-lowest of the season. The Nationals also chased just 11 percent of those pitches, a season-low against Hill. He ended up walking two batters in 4.1 innings and five of the six he allowed came when he was behind or even in the count (and five of those came off his curveball).Hes starting on three days rest so young Julio Urias will have to be ready for long relief in case Hill falters early. -- David SchoenfieldWhen Max Scherzer?is on the mound: ?The Washington Nationals Cy Young candidate led the National League in wins, innings, strikeouts, strikeout-to-walk ratio and home runs allowed. Corey Seager and Justin Turner tagged him in Game 1, Seager on a first-pitch fastball, Turner on a first-pitch curveball.Scherzer gets good armside run on his fastball that averaged 94.3 mph; only Justin Verlander and Rick Porcello had a higher swing-and-miss rate with their fastballs. Scherzer can get into trouble with it, however, when he thinks he can simply blow it by hitters and leaves it in the middle of the zone, as he did with Seager. His slider is a wipeout pitch, as only Jose Fernandez generated a higher swing-and-miss rate.Heres the catch, though: Scherzer had a big platoon split.dddddddddddd Lefties hit .242/.315/.445 against him while righties hit .156/.189/.288. The Dodgers will be able to roll out seven left-handed batters (plus Hill, who also hits left-handed). -- SchoenfieldPlayer in the spotlightTrea Turner: The rookie center fielder is hitting .353 in the series even though he has 10 strikeouts (hes 6-for-7 when he puts the ball in play). If he can get on base, his speed adds a new dimension and gives Jayson Werth - who killed left-handers this year and has been locked in -- some RBI opportunities.?-- SchoenfieldWhat will decide Thursdays gameIf either of the starting pitchers get in trouble in this game, neither manager should be hesitant to go to their bullpens. The Dodgers (3.35) and Nationals (3.37) led baseball in bullpen ERA during the regular season.And each team may need their pens early, as both teams have been giving up runs early.The Nationals have given up a first inning run in every game of the series, despite posting a league-average first inning ERA. Both teams below the league average ERA in the first three innings (4.22), but each has struggled in the series, as the Dodgers have a 6.00 ERA in the first three innings while the Nationals sit at 8.25.The starter that holds his team in it the longest has the best chance to take home the win.?-- Daniel McCarthy,?ESPN Stats & InformationChoosing sides: Who will win?? ?Theres generally a reason why the road less traveled is less traveled. In this case, Rich Hill -- journeyman, blister, short rest, and all -- is that road. Ill take the road more traveled thanks. Thatd be the guy who has already won a Cy Young, is about to win another, is fully rested, and pitching at home. Max Scherzer and the Nats advance. -- Eddie Matz? The Dodgers have figured out a way to win throughout this injury-riddled season and they will figure out a way once more in Game 5. When Clayton Kershaw went down in late June, the Dodgers morphed into a team that could throw offense, a bullpen and a little defense at the problem. That experience will serve them well in the deciding game of the NLDS. -- Doug PadillaWhere the series standsIts tied up. The winner moves on to Wrigley Field to face Jon Lester in Game 1 of the NLCS on Saturday. Both bullpens figure to be used heavily once again. The three lefty Nationals relievers figure to play a key role if Scherzer doesnt dominate and Roberts has utilized 20 relief appearances in the first four games.?-- Schoenfield ' ' '