Random Scribblings : The Delhi Debacle, Sweep-o-mania and Bhajji's Coming at Last...

Delhi played host to what seemed like a contest between England's momentum and India's recent one-day international form. It seemed like a keen contest from the time England won the toss and inserted India in, but little did they know that their purpose would go unrewarded as their batsmen fell like nine pins in a bowling alley. Here are some snippets from the 1st ODI that are worth a mention...

The Delhi Debacle !

It all seemed done and dusted when England were riding themselves high at 116/3. As the game was heading towards a particularly known direction i.e. an England win, I decided to swap channels and check out a rather intriguing contest of ball and bat between Pakistan and Sri Lanka ! Five minutes and two overs later, the England score read 117/5. The match had already turned on its head, quite literally - with Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff falling in succession. Then it was Jones, then Blackwell, then Collingwood, Ali and lastly Plunkett. It was only a spell of imagination that stung England and quite badly so. The collapse might just prove a bit costly and will remain as a scar had to erase in the coming few matches. And it was the second consecutive time that England failed to chase a low-score against India. The previous occasion was at the Oval back in 2004 (Natwest Challenge), when while chasing a similar score the English team faltered badly. So, at one end of the globe we see bullions of runs being chased successfully and at the other, scores around 200 is becoming a major mess to contend with. Long live the man who hailed cricket as the "game of uncertainities" !

Sweep-o-mania

The strong fetish of sweeping just can't get off the system of the visiting teams against India. For them, somehow it turns into a success recipe, for reasons only they'd know best I guess. Today, the shot got rid of at least 4 English men (Flintoff, Jones, Blackwell and Prior) and a more decent way of smothering the spin needs to be looked at. It seemed like a computer game whereby the bowler exactly knows what the batsman is going to do next and pitches the ball in areas, where at best the strength could also hail his downfall. This obsession of the batters has to change quickly, whereby the risk element is reduced and they play free cricket. Dean Jones in his commentary stints has stressed on the importance of finding targets (a term used for boundary-riders in Australia) and has always maintained that it could be achieved by playing simple risk-free cricket. For now, it looks as though another bug has creeped into the English system. The earlier they get rid of it, the better and secure they might seem. That does not quite mean taking the shot completely out of the game, but using it selectively according to the situation ! As spin-friendly tracks await the Englishmen, it would be interesting to see how much of sleep they would be losing over the s-w-e-e-p !!

Bhajji's coming at last !

India's confidence man is back at last ! One could almost sense the fact that Harbhajan Singh was just a spell or so away from being back to his best ! He bowled with a lot of intensity and guile in the Third Test at Mumbai, but sometimes wickets do not play justice to the fact that the numbers in the confidence meter were just rising. And today, it reached its optimum best ! Of course an early wicket played its part in easing his nerves and the tough times had ended for good ! The entire make-up of the man looked so different. His approach to the wicket was smoother than recent times, the ball was leaving out of his hands much better and the overall outlook at its best. It should not be so ironical that England have been at the recieving end of Harbhajan (his first 5-for came against the Poms at Mumbai on 3rd Feb 2002). But, this one would be worth remembering for both Bhajji and his fans, as he won the game single-handedly with both bat and ball. Having seen him bowl today, one can certainly see brighter days ahead of him ! As far as England are concerned - "Bhajji has hit the dance floor, finally"

Thats all for today ! Watch this space for more random scribbles after the second ODI at Faridabad !

The Battle of the Blues

In just three days from now, the battle will resume again. This time in coloured clothing and white balls. Yes folks, it will be one-day time from the March 28 and going by the high-intensity cricket played in the Test matches between India and England, it will be a keenly-contested contest, one hopes. It will surely be a contest between a team brimming with confidence (England) and a team that knows what forgetting the bad games is all about (India). With England's 'nothing-to-lose' mindset, nothing is at stake for them but the ODIs for India come at a heavier price - keeping their unbeaten series run in the ODIs thus far since october.

India will start as unquestioned favourites for this series, but one might argue that they did so for the Tests as well. It was upto England to raise their intensity of cricket to match upto the Indians and so they did to, what they might equate to a series win, having been through all the pre-series problems. This time around, it will be a different level of challenge for a team that is not known to trouble most teams in the ODIs. To start off, their recent form against Pakistan comes as a boost for the Indians and having seen some of their players in the recently concluded Tests, it will be bunch of boys whose awareness about the opposition might have just gone a little higher. India does have its own share of problems with Sachin Tendulkar nursing a shoulder injury. But having said that, a problem brings itself an opportunity. For someone like Venugopala Rao or Gautam Gambhir, the call-up to the squad might not have come at a better time. The onus will be on them though, to grab this hint of opportunity and translate it into their destiny, perhaps ! There is something about this Indian one-day team. They seemed least perturbed, though highly disappointed after the Test series loss to Pakistan and their ability to claw out of difficult situations should be commended. It must be noted that India's rich vein of form in the ODIs has surely help mask its undoings in the Tests and if history repeats itself as it did in Pakistan, India should surely come out on top. One need not be an Einstein to figure out if surprises will come England's way and knowing Chappell and Dravid's determination to innovate and 'experiment', several players would be put to test. So, it would be fair to say that the 'Form is with India but the confidence with England'.

On the other hand, England have surely taken a leaf out of India's book in terms of a wink towards the future, and the quite immediate one - World Cup 2007. They have gone with a horses for courses philosophy with guys like Vikram Solanki, Owais Shah and Sajid Mahmood having played here for England A in the Duleep Trophy a season or two back. And more importantly, they are the men in form. Gareth Batty, Vikram Solanki and Sajid Mahmood have entered the squad through sheer merit on account of their strong match-winning performances in the recently concluded England A tour of West Indies. It will be interesting to see how they match-up to the conditions and the weather especially in some of the unusual centres in India, like Kochi which will be nothing short of a scorcher. But, they have a confident leader in Andrew Flintoff, who has eased into the demands of captaincy quite well. The Poms will surely be welcomed by flat pitches and their ability to post big totals will have to come to the fore if they intend to succeed. These pitches can be unforgiving for the bowlers and somehow I tend to feel, this is where England would struggle. There may well be a sameness about their attack and I find it surprising as to why a bowler like Monty Panesar has been sent home, after all the good work he did in the Tests. If England do believe in wearing the underdog tags, they might be able to spring a bigger surprise on the punter's bets - India.

Flexibility of thought and action would decide the outcome on Indian pitches. After the near whitewash of the Sri Lankans and the tough grind against the Proteas', it would not be wrong to brand the Indians as clear favourites by a long mile. But, it will also be imperative for them not to let complacency creep into their systems as it did in Mumbai in the test match and go out their and play the game with a sense of meaningfulness, purpose and intensity. The last time the English were here, India managed to succumb to the pressure after leading the series 3-2 and the visitors drew the series at Mumbai. This time around the teams are different, the centeres are different and of course the form !

One hopes to see a highly competitive series of cricket and this would be only justified if the better team wins. Both teams are young in terms of age and spirit, but the team that holds its nerve in the testing conditions coupled with good catching and fielding will come out on top !

For now, let the battle begin !

A View from the North Stand....

Barmed by the Army

Oh well, as I made my way through the 'F' Block in the North Stand at the Wankhede Stadium, surprise was the first emotion that went through me, as I could all but bump into a swarm of the British Barmy Army fans. It was a pleasant one as well, as for once, I happened to watch cricket with a bunch of highly knowledgeable persons. It was a great sight to see so many fans travel all the way from England/Wales to watch their country play, braving the weather and the pathetic infrastructure of the Wankhede stadium. It felt pretty lonely out there to be an Indian, but gave me a perfect opportunity I was looking for to discuss some good county cricket (something I follow religiously) and of course, flaunt the pride I carry with Manchester United (highly unpopular among the fans there of course though I managed to find someone with the same leanings).

Where is the comfort ?

Someone actually remarked about the inferior state of infrastructure, particularly the seatings of the Wankhede Stadium. He asked me "You guys have so much of money, why don't you spend it in improving the stadium ?" and to a large extent I do empathise with him, having come all the way from England just for this game and this is what we welcome our 'guests' with ? Another British spectator went to the extent of rating the stadium as the "worst" he's ever been to, having seen cricket all over the world. Unfortunately, one must admit, Indian cricket has been too busy about revenue-making than actually bothering to allocate it. It is about time the administration takes the question of spectator comfort seriously ! The Mumbai Cricket Association need not look anywhere outside for inspiration, just up north at Mohali. The way the spectator has been treated there is nothing short of exemplary. Dean Jones has gone on to rate Mohali as the number 1 venue in the Indian sub-continent, for its hospitality, the stadium and ground and the pitch of course. As someone based in Mumbai and a regular spectator at the Wankhede, I must confess, its much better off to watch the cricket at home than the Stadium, with some good snacks and of course comfort at its best. One hopes that by the time the ground hosts another match, such issues will be addressed and Mumbai will also throw its hat in the ring to claim some accolades.

Of Bloated Egos

A British-Indian based in London remarked about the electronic scoreboard at the Garware Pavillion End, which was nothing but an advertising spot used by the Mahindras. He asked me "Does this Anand Mahindra have a big ego ?" and that left me wondering if our corporates have resorted to cricket matches to flaunt their prowess ! There was a scroller in the scoreboard, which constantly, if not very regularly reminded what the Mahindras stood for and beyond a certain extent, it just seemed a pointless exercise. Of course, there were mentions of Anand Mahindra winning the Businessman of the Year and the taking over of British Telecom by the Mahindras, but one somehow felt that they were overdoing it, jumping over all the lines of publicity !

Definition of Appalling

If ever the dictionary got a chance to describe the shot Mahendra Singh Dhoni played, a few words like appalling would do it best. It was nothing but a display of mindless and reckless cricket by the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, and as it turned out to be, his dismissal proved costly under the circumstances. Maybe I would lose many friends here, but it won't be wrong to say that Dhoni is still very much a one-day specialist. Test Cricket is not meant for nuts that crack easily and Dhoni, somehow has not yet learned the grind and the mettle required to answer the tough questions, test cricket poses at you as a batsman. I would stick my guts out and say that Dinesh Karthik got a raw deal at the hands of the selectors and perhaps should be back in the reckoning, bouyed by Dhoni's lack of maturity as a batsman and butter-gloves as a keeper. Of-course, Dhoni is a phenomenal one-day cricketer, no-body denies it, but as per the requirement of the game, talent, technique and temperament are imperative to the makings of a quality Test batsman. Dhoni seems to have a decent blend of the two formers, but certainly lacks on the latter.

P.S : This post is in no way undermining the ability of Dhoni, but just questioning his makings of a Test cricketer ! As a footer, I'd like to quote Navjot Singh Sidhu here, "To Err is Human but to repeat the error is foolishness" - hope Dhoni's listening !

Awakening a Generation !

Awakening a Generation…

"Do the words “nayee dagar naya safar mera…” from Rang de Basanti ring a bell in our ears ? Yes, they do. Loud and clear, as it could be the closest expression that describes the present state of Indian cricket. Indeed, they have embarked on a new journey of excellence the driving force behind it has been the Wall himself, Rahul Dravid.

As we have gathered here to celebrate the century of tests for the Indian skipper, his initial footings in International cricket deserve a mention. Playing his first Test match against England at Lords, considered to be the ‘Mecca of Cricket’ in 1996, Dravid went on to score 95 and since then looking back has never been a part of his dictionary. That was the starting point of a journey that would be most cherished by Indian cricket. His first century of 148 runs at Johannesburg in 1996-97 was a treat to watch for all cricket fans, and the bricks of an unbreakable Wall were laid. He has then gone on to score 21 Test centuries and in the process of doing so, is the only cricketer to score a hundred in every Test playing nation. His average of 58.16 is envied by many nations and his presence on our television sets is a strong reassurance of our hopes. This unfinished journey has a long way to go and going by his consistency and performances, it would to fair to say, that a place amongst the all-time greats is just a mile away.

My mind dates back to September-October 2005, when Indian cricket languished under a barrage of controversies and, it wouldn’t be wrong to say, that our cricket had hit an all time low. The country looked up to its crisis man, yet again to reignite and reinstate the spark that was needed to resurrect its present and reassure the future. As the transfer of the captain’s armband took place from Saurav Ganguly to Rahul Dravid, the country was gripped with a bright ray of hope and a bucket full of expectations and all he asked for patience for deliverance. The man promised, performed and delivered. A resounding 6-1 one-day series win over Sri Lanka, marked his arrival and ushered the Dravidian Era of Indian cricket.

The elements of leadership always existed within Rahul, but the timing of acquiring the mantle deserves credit. As the management gurus would put it, the traits of a leader have to be identified, nurtured and then must be handed over the responsibility. The identification stage was done way back in 1996, when he was leading the Board President’s XI side against the visiting South Africans at Kochi. The nurturing process began with his stint as Saurav’s deputy from 2000 and today, the process has reached its logical conclusion, with his appointment as Captain. He was given stop-gap opportunities and surely demonstrated his leadership capabilities in these few matches and being a part of the learning curve for him, it proved to be a successful arrangement for the team.

As a captain today, Rahul Dravid’s leadership is nothing short of inspirational. His leadership style is highly reflective of the team’s mindset of mixing aggression with a degree of control and cautiousness. As a leader, he comes across as a man with a larger vision, in the form of the long-term future and success of Indian cricket and a focused mission that is the game on hand. Such exemplary definition of goals is what leads to initializing and continuing a process and he repeatedly talks of the commitment to the process of team-building, irrespective of the results at the end of the day.

Another important facet of his leadership is the way the individual goals are blended with the team goals. Yes indeed, individual goals are important, but channelising them in accordance with the team’s approach is what leads to a successful unit. His decision to declare the innings in 2004 with Sachin just 6 short of a personal score of 200, virtually shocked the nation, but when one reads into it, for Dravid an individual is just a mere part of the eleven, and has to bind within the framework of the team-strategies. Such tough decisions have surely played their part in taking Indian cricket forward.

To put it straight, Rahul’s influence on the dressing room is impeccable and enormous. The team has recognized and acknowledged the talent and shaping up the right attitude is what Rahul and Chappell have set out to do. There is a greater sense of belief within the team. Who could believe that India could chase totals of 270+ repeatedly to win matches, when a stigma of ‘chokers’ accompanied them just a while back ? A few years ago, with India reeling at 190 for 5, many fans would have written the team off, but now, the new approach and leadership has led to a greater steel and belief in their own individual abilities, and this is the one of the main reasons for the resurgence we are witnessing now. Another important area, that defines the dressing room climate is confidence. What Dravid brings to the dressing room is sheer confidence. Along with the runs from his bat, he adds confidence to the dressing room, as the symbol of hope and reassurance. Today, it is great to see the youngsters in our team like Sreesanth and Munaf Patel derive strength from this confidence and perform better. Desire is another factor that Dravid’s men thrive on. It is really heartening to see the a great amount of desire to perform, irrespective of the results. Rahul has played his part in creating these levels of desire among his players and the hunger has surely rubbed onto the results. And lastly, as a leader, it is important to empower the team. What we see today as Team India, is nothing but an extended family of individuals. There is a huge emphasis on team spirit and for shaping it up for the larger needs of the team, the credit goes to Rahul Dravid and Greg Chappell.

Another notable dimension to Dravid’s leadership qualities, is the fact that he believes in leading from the front. One of the recent examples accentuate it – Putting the team’s interest in mind, Rahul Dravid decided to open the batting in Pakistan, sacrificing his usual No. 3 spot. It was a great example that was set by him and such instances of bravado and courage, rubbed off to the other members. His stature as a captain is surely respected by one and all. No wonder, at times when the boat is uncertain of the weather, it is the captain to whom the crew looks upto. His gradual progression as a captain, has surely succeeded in instilling some of his guiding principles on to the players like determination, discipline and dedication. His performances along with the consistency, have surely given the right sort of direction to the rest of the team members and more importantly, have translated into India’s performances in the recent past. These are some of the reasons why, Rahul Dravid is the man we look up to, when adversity stares us straight on our faces.

The sudden emergence of a new generation of Indian cricketers is surely a food for thought, and it would be fair to say that Rahul’s vision for the future has started bearing ripe fruits already. Opportunities are the key for any cricketer to express his talent and get noticed and it is indeed heartening to see this phenomenon happening under the leadership of Rahul Dravid. And what is more delightful than seeing these young bunch of talents making their mark by delivering to their captain’s needs ! The youth to an extent form an integral part of any cricketing side – mainly because of their approach to the game, the extra degree of exuberance they bring into the side along with the fresh legs and approaches of course. Rahul has done exceedingly well in tapping and nurturing talented players like MS Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Sreesanth, RP Singh and Munaf Patel by giving them the right platform to bring out their skills and talents. For now, it would surely be safe to say – A Generation Awakens !"

The Big One

Me with the England skipper Andrew Flintoff at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Picture taken on 16th March during the Felicitation Function of Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble for their respective achievements.

Venkat Ananth

Of Two Horse Races....and Emergence of the Third Horse !

It was a welcome break to divert some attention from the ongoing off-the-field ramblings in the India-Pakistan ODI Series. For starters, a cricketing nation that I follow as close as my own took the field against the might of the World Champions in their own lair. It was VB Series final time at Adelaide and to be fair, it was a really gripping encounter, which eventually the least-fancied team in the series won. After a success vacuum in ODI's for Sri Lanka against India and New Zealand, it was almost certain that they would finally hit gold somewhere, and no better place to do it than Australia.

It was an ideal game for the Lankans, as they won the toss and chose to bat first, perhaps a priority in their strategy. Having done that, the onus was on them to post a challenging score for the Aussies and let the bowlers ease into the situation. They seemed pretty comfortable with the entire surrounding of a major final. There was a clear indication of intent as Marvan Atapattu strode out to bat with Sanath Jayasuriya. Positivity flowed from both bats and after a lean patch, as Mark Nicholas summed it up "the cover drives were back !". Kumar Sangakkara, playing the role of the propeller of the Sri Lankan batting scored a fluent 83, putting the Aussie bowlers to the cleaners. And this knock proved to be decisive for sure. Youngster Chamara Kapugedara played the catalyst in Sri Lanka reaching a more-than respectable score of 274.

From the moment Sri Lanka scored 274, it seemed like a mission impossible for the Aussies. Considering the gameplan of the Lankans, the introduction of slow bowlers like Malinga Bandara, Murali and Dilshan, it for sure looked like a task beyond them. And it indeed turned out to be that way. Tillekaratne Dilshan, showed the world why he was such an impact player on the field - effecting four run outs and one catch. The Aussie hope was fading apart, one by one, players returning back to the hut and a lone warrior fighting his way to glory was Micheal Clarke, who himself got run out as the last wicket. There were three attributes, this entire Sri Lankan performance was revolving around - intense self-belief, positivity right from the outset and indeed deliverance from the players. The entire team looked like a different bunch of boys when they came out to field.

This win augurs well for the future of Sri Lankan cricket. To beat Australia for the first time in a VB series finals since 1997/98 (South Africa had beaten them at MCG) itself is a task worth appreciating. As Marvan Atapattu remarked in the presentation "Everybody before the start of the series thought it was a two horse race (referring to Australia and South Africa). But here is the third horse, in the finals and winning it". Those words reflect a great sense of character in the Sri Lankan dressing room. To be in the finals is one thing, and to win it is a totally different thing altogether. The second finals to be played at Sydney Cricket Ground could well have a tag of history attached to it, if Sri Lanka wins, that is. It will be their first VB Series, earlier known as the World Series of Cricket and a recognition of the feat would be none less than winning a World Cup or lets say a mini-World Cup. One hopes for the future of Sri Lankan cricket, that they deliver a similar if not a better performance at Sydney, a ground where they have felt homely in the past three encounters, amassing well over 300 in as many matches, a mini-fortress of sorts.

For Australia, it will be an interesting challenge to come back from behind. One felt that they missed McGrath (he's with his wife, who has a recurrence of breast cancer) . Buchanan and Co, would take this loss, as one of their off-days. The utter miscommunication among the batters was a reflection of it. So, the men in gold have to get to their drawing boards and plot their way into contention for the trophy. All one can say now is that Sri Lanka have one hands on the VB Series already and Sydney would decide if they can snatch it away, or allow the Aussies to smell some much-needed blood and taste the champagne.

An outcome not 'just' yet, Obstructing the field and an 'A n B' show

It was indeed an absorbing day of cricket we had from the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan - cartographically, Peshawar. It was a case of swinging pendulums off and on, but as the end reveals, it swung towards Pakistan not without a paper (Duckworth/Lewis method) attached to it. With 18 runs needed and 18 balls left, many emotions might have left their mark on individuals - delight, dejection, doubts and indeed satisfaction. But, the implications would be stronger. Does this loss to Pakistan raise another finger over the Chappell-Dravid combine ? Or does it mean we weren't good enough to get 'em ? Or the scars of previous matches are still lingering over the Indian minds ? There are many such questions this game has raised, and indeed the next four matches will try to provide us with suitable answers one hopes.

Try asking any Indian fan about what he thinks about the outcome of this game, and he'd answer you skeptically. To an extent, I do reflect his opinion, but another way of sorting this would be to objectively look at the situation and react to it. Pakistan looked the more comfortable side on display today, and deservedly were awarded the game. This brings me to a question concerning venues. How on earth did the PCB decide on playing at Peshawar at this time of the year, when the sun sets early, and with virtually no light there ? I am not a fan of the 'rotational' policy the cricket boards adopt to give various centers a good enough look-in. It would have indeed been a better idea to have all these games under-lights as it masks the advantages and disadvantages of an external factor like the D/L Method coming into play. Even though this game does not provide a good case, matches played in New Zealand in the winter are severe examples of win-the-toss, bowl-first, and while chasing and get Duckworth and Lewis into action. Lets not call it an excuse or a cover-up for India's follies, but something worth a think for the cricket authorities i.e. the cricket boards and the ICC.

Apart from the Duckworth/Lewis method, another new visitor made his way into the scoresheets - a dismissal by the name "Obstructing the Field". Inzamam Ul-Haq was given out obstructing the field, when he tried to protect himself from a Suresh Raina throw from mid-off. It was really wierd to see a batsman get out in this fashion. Unlucky he might consider himself to be, the wicket really spurred Indian hopes at that point, only in dismay. If my memory serves me right, Rameez Raja was the first ever batter to be dismissed and now has Inzamam for company. In accordance with the law, I feel that 'obstructing the field' and 'handling the ball' are the most bizzare forms of dismissals ever known in the game. Nobody complains, as long as it adds a tinge of thrill to the drama.

It is always a good sight, when one sees youngsters perform. And, there is no bigger platform for a youngster from either India or Pakistan than a cricket match between these two countries. Today it was the A and B show - I think I got it right ! - Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt showed the world, what difference sticking to basics can do. Mohammad Asif, however inexperienced he may be, masked it all and bowled, what I consider as one of the best ODI performances in the last one year. His 3/30 off 9.4 overs paved the way for Pakistan to strangle the Indian advance to end with, and his impeccable line and length posed many a question to the Indian batsmen, which they simply failed to answer. This lad is here to stay folks.

Another nemesis of the Indians, Salman Butt was on the prowl again. He did more than a reasonable job with his 101, setting the contest up in Pakistan's favour. I quite enjoyed his delightful strokes, his straight drives were too good for a line and the composition of the knock was exemplary. He was cautious at the beginning and as he discovered the lopsidedness of the Indian attack, stepped on the gas, and carved his way to the century. A key factor that Rameez Raja brought on commentary was competition. It is really intriguing to see what competition can do to an individual - motivate you to perform better, or just deflate you and hang up your boots. With Imran Farhat breathing down his neck, a brilliant performance was required, and Salman was upto the task. It is also interesting to know how certain players have a liking towards certain bowling attacks. Salman seems to have his hands full on the men from across the border. All his hundreds have been against India (Kolkata, Jamshedpur and now Peshawar) and seemingly followed Saeed Anwar's footsteps - the knack of scoring biggies against the Indians. Coincidence or what ! I hope in the coming matches, Salman plays well and keeps us fans entertained with his wristy drives.

Thats all for now, will be back before and after the Rawalpindi ODI.

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Over to the coloured days...

Karachi played host to what was an expected outcome. After seeing 10 days of test cricket in the lurch, Pakistan for one showed the world how a home series should be played. Defensive, their strategy might be called by many cricket analysts including me, but at the end of it all, they might just flaunt their result to prove its effectiveness. As an Indian, most of my readers from across the border might feel as though its just another sulk, but as a cricket lover, a result - no matter who got it was all I was waiting for. Lets hand it over to Pakistan for all they did in the last four days to demonstrate how Test cricket should be played.

Credit should go to the deserved, and in this case it was the Pakistani think-tank. To be very fair and frank, the batting credentials of the Pakistani team was never in doubt, except maybe for the openers, but the way the men-in-green came out and batted surely deserves a great mention. They were indeed stung by the brilliance of an Irfan Pathan hat-trick first thing in the morning, but overcoming hopelessness into a position of strength, largely to Kamran Akmal's continued heroics by and large shows the faith and the mental attributes of this team. It seems a ready outfit now, raring to have a crack at tougher opponents and ready to grab success by the first knock on the door. The second innings was where Pakistan showed their true colours. No one ever doubted their talent, but finding the right time convert it into performance was the key, and they made sure to knock India out of the game by the earliest, eradicating that one ray of hope that could turn into a miracle, as its happened in the past. And, this was the future of Pakistan cricket on display. The Mohammad Asifs, the Kamran Akmals really stood up to the challenge, when most of us doubted Pakistan's chances due to the absence of skipper Inzamam. All that one can say after seeing this performance from Pakistan is, that the future holds good and continuing this rich vein of momentum into the future would be the biggest challenge for Woolmer and Co.

These India-Pakistan series provide a great scope for some horses to turn into heroes. This time it was the turn of Mohammad Asif. This Sheikhupura-born lad reminds me of a fully hair-grown Laxmipathy Balaji steaming to bowl in 2004. The lad has the potential to be one of Pakistan's best emerging talents. The subtle deception in pace that he has, along with the nagging line and length he bowls surely had some Indian batsmen searching for their off-stump and it is about time that he is given more exposure and experience in this form of the game. But, it will be upto him to transform himself from an unknown quantity to a strike bowler ala Irfan Pathan. If he can keep his recent success in check and use it as a precedent to move forward, nothing..I repeat nothing can stop this man from becoming a top-bowler in International cricket. For all one can see, its early days in his career and I hope he does'nt fall into the Mohammad Sami school of cricket.

For now, the whites can go for a much deserved wash. Both teams, especially India need to gather some positives quickly to move into the ODI series. If Ashes is all about tests, an India-Pakistan series is surely all about ODIs, however the purists may pose the "TEST CRICKET IS THE REAL THING" theory. Yes, both teams are playing good cricket but besides the usual attributes of pressure, competition and on-the-day performances, it will now be a different challenge for both teams to adapt quickly to this form of the game. The team that does it earlier surely holds the edge. India, one hopes will turn into a totally different unit, with fresher pairs of legs on the way while Pakistan have to do repeat the right things over and over again to make sure they do not lose the contest. I do not know who to give the edge in this contest, as it seems too close to call. If I have to make a call between both teams, I would go for India to bag it, on a purely intutional basis rather than analysis, but in my good cricketing senses, I would surely put Pakistans as the heavier wieght between the two. If India do win this series, all will be forgiven for the Test series loss, but if it goes the otherway, I am sure the country will be back with their theories and opinions about the team. So, India has everything to play for - the Hutch Cup, Pride and reinforcing the faith of them being a quality side.

This post may seem Pakistan-centric, but carries the true sentiment of a cricket writer, however biased or unbiased as it may be !

Oh Moin...Get a life

"Whatever may be the real reason, the fact of the matter is that Shoaib Akhtar literally exposed Sachin's present-day ability against quality fast bowling during a spell that will certainly be remembered for long."

My first reaction to this statement : Utter Crap.

Analysis : Remember Moin Khan ?? The chap who Sachin got on the third day of the Multan test with a googly he'd remember all his life ?? Yes folks, he is the same beleagured wicketkeeper from Pakistan who now knows what it feels like to be dumped. And who is he talking about ? Another character from Pakistan who presents himself as a case of mood swings (let alone reverse swings). I do not know how much this spell of Shoaib Akhtar will be remembered for him grabbing Sachin's wicket. Shoaib's spell in the Indian first innings would only be regarded by many for bringing some life into a rather dead contest - Nothing else. Period. But, rather than the wicket, what this article has done is exposed Moin Khan's naked analytical skills, filled with a sense of prejudice and bias - totally uncalled for as a writer.

This beginning-of-the-end theory has been posed by many in the recent past, and seems to conveniently pop up, as soon as Sachin fails ! Give him a break guys. After all he's the proud custodion of many a record, few would come close to shatter. Yes, he is indeed beginning to age, and it is showing in his performances, but that does not signal or hint towards any decline. The hunger, the humility and the desire to score runs is still within him, and a hundred sooner than later should be good enough to bay these looneys off. This lame article by Moin has brought the walking debate into question again. Gilchrist found a way out to clear his conscience by walking, and it was not something new. Greats like Sachin and Lara have always carried themselves with the highest integrity and pointing fingers at someone who upholds it, itself is a baseless venture. Although personally, I am not in agreement with players walking by themselves, what it brings about is an honest assessment of one's own integrity. As they say, if the player is sheepish enough to grin after he survives the umpire's call, another decision comes soon enough to haunt him. India still wont forgive Steve Bucknor for the call he made against the Little Master at Kolkata, when he was going all guns blazing. Where was Moin then ? Searching for the tunnel path towards the Pakistani team ? Sachin is as good a player of fast bowling as he was way back in 1989, and someone who himself was a joke against pacers has no right to comment over the issue. Such comments are to be respected no doubt, but with the same sense of judgement, only to be rubbished.

The second character involved in this printed drama is Shoaib Akhtar ! Oh Moin, what has he done for Pakistan over the years, so much so that this spell of his will be remembered for a long time ? He has played 30 odd test matches in about 7 years, an appalling record by itself and all we see is an injury sidelining him for at least a test in every series, except England (2005) and Bangladesh (2003). I still cant notice the change in Shoaib, that the whole of Pakistan is raving about. Its just that the English batting was too brittle to withstand his pace on flat-beds and now, see his performance against a better batting side - virtually anything to show. I think every cricket fan - Indian or Pakistani will rather choose to remember the three fours hit by Dhoni off Shoaib than the wicket of Sachin. It had the birth of an emerging star in International Cricket written all over it. Three brutal strikes, and the bowler gave in. Those 18 runs off Shoaib were more precious to India than the 14 by Sachin. Shoaib needs to prove and pass the litmus test. Apart from 4-5 Test Matches, I cant remember any being won singlehandedly by Shoaib. So, its time for his "supporters" to zip their mouths and let the boy doing what he is good at.

And Moin bhai, a piece of advice for you ! Please be objective in your analysis of any player, not emotional. The time has come, when we need some genuine cricket experts like Wasim Akram to run the show and not emotional fools, if I may say, like Moin Khan.

Sowing the seeds of improvement

Its been some time since I have posted something pertaining to Sri Lankan cricket. As Tom Moody and co finally seem to get their act together in Australia, I felt it the right time to write about their gradual upward movement in the improvement graph. I would tend to think that a tour of Australia was the right sort of tonic this team needed to get out of the rot they were going through earlier in India and later in New Zealand.

It is indeed satisfying to see Sri Lanka come out of their blues in a positive fashion. What really was impressive to see from the Lankans was the attitude and character they showed throughout the VB Series. In India, it was really disturbing to see them repeat mistakes over and over again. I mean Sangakkara getting out mistiming the hook three times in 7 games was not called for and was a true reflection of the mental state of the Lankans - just to see the tour through. Similarly in New Zealand, where the conditions and the opposition surely got the better of them. So, what is it that is taking Sri Lanka to new and newer heights in Australia ?

Firstly, the emphasis of the team management is purely on improvement and nothing else. Sri Lanka can learn a lot from this tour purely on how to better their own standards previously set. I am reminded of the Indian policy of trying newer talents in the highest level, and if anything Tom Moody has taken some leaf from Greg Chappell's book to test the bench. Youngsters like Akalanka Ganegama and Nuwan Kulasekara were sheer unheard quantities, but the very fact that their feat in the domestic competitions have been recognized and opportunities given subsequently shows the confidence they have on their youth. This was surely the kind of shake-up Sri Lanka cricket needed if they wanted to get going and has vindicated the amount of faith entrusted on them by the authorities. Non-performers like Upul Chandana and Avishka Gunawardena have been shown the way out. And more importantly, there is one eye on the future, which has given them a new leash of spirit needed to bring about the desired improvement.

There is clearly a sense of purpose within each and every individual as he strides out onto the field - something that clearly was lacking in both India and New Zealand. The mindset towards approaching the game has totally changed, and for the good. And the familiarity with new rules has alarmingly increased. The Lankans were pretty much dull with their knowledge of the Super-Sub and Powerplays, but with so much of international cricket being played with these rules, the bug has finally caught with them. Its good to see the tact the Lankan strategem is using in applying these rules. Malinga Bandara is being more than a handy super-sub and as their knowledge of the rules are getting better, so is the progress. Conditioning of the team under these new rules might have come late, but the psotive is that the process has begun.

It may not be the experience of Jayasuriya that they lacked in India, but the support factor. Their tour to India was in a way a reflection of an environment they werent used to playing in. But, as we know, Australia has been a haven for Sri Lankan support. With expats pouring from the island to Australia, one thing they can expect is sheer support. Wherever they have been going, thousands of Sri Lankans leaving their work at bay have been coming to grounds to support them. Nothing bigger than a large contingent of your countrymen to back you during difficult times. This has surely gelled with the Lankans whenever they have been to Australia and perhaps why they have been a major thorn in the Australian camp.

Although they have a fair bit of work to do to "get there", the journey of improvement must continue. Having beaten Australia in Sydney is perhaps the biggest morale-booster, but the most important thing will be to maintain this performance consistency. Yes, it was a big achievement considering the phase they were going through, but they cant stop there. It will be really interesting to see if that win acts as a much-needed catalyst to revive the Sri Lankan fortunes in International Cricket. I am personally very optimistic about their future, but for me, improvement is the key word to success for Sri Lankan Cricket.

Say "Green" please !!

Dear Readers,

I am very sorry that I could not regularly update my blog. I was held up due to several academic commitments. However, I will try my level best to contribute regularly and keep you guys posted about the state of the game.

To be very frank with you all, I have not been following the recent India's tour to Pakistan with the same vigour and anxiety as earlier. The reasons could well be over-playing, the pitches and of course projects. But, whatever little I have seen, the sights do not cheer me at all. Bowlers toiling hard to get a dot ball, the pitch beyond all pre-series promises and indeed the sub-standard state of the pitches. That brings me to a very elementary question in today's post - Is too much of Indo-Pak cricket boring afterall ?

My answer would be yes. We are overplaying each other. It almost seems as a routine to play each other every year. Yes, it sure does loads of good as far as the treasures of the Boards are concerned, but as we play each other too often, the quality of cricket has surely gone down and hit its lows. The intensity has gone down, although the traditional exchange still lives on. I came across an article in a Mumbai afternooner, which said that at Lahore, over 15,000 seats were given for free, which provided a stern reminder to the administrators of the game, to leave considerable gap between two India-Pakistan series. The next day, we hear an announcement by the BCCI and PCB chiefs, that the two nations will play each other every two years, and that for sure was music to my ears. Following the Ashes model was the best we could have done to preserve the intensity and quality of cricket between the two nations.

All said and done, since the tour is going on, a few comments over the happenings so far. Whatever we are seeing, as genuine cricket lovers is a sight to forget. Two games gone, over 2000 runs scored in 6 innings is not something that cricket should be proud of. The wickets in Pakistan have come under immense scrutiny by everyone concerned, and it is time we get what we deserve - consistently good contests between the bat and the ball. The hype and the hooplah created over the faster and greener pitches before the series seems nothing more than a balloon waiting to be busted. Or, if there is room for conspiracy theorists in this small world, one must say that the "fear" of losing a Test series at home to India, has motivated Pakistan to prepare such flat as a pancake wickets. I do not know how credible this strategy is, but considering the long-term of Pakistani cricket, it is taking a step backwards. I do not know who to blame for the pitches debacle - the PCB, the curator or the Faisalabad Cricket Association (if such a thing exists). But it sure is about time someone puts his hands up and takes responsibility for the deplorable levels of cricket we have seen. This is not Test cricket by any stretch of imagination.

But all will be forgiven if a good wicket is produced at Karachi, for it plays host to the decider. All indications and reports point towards a green-grazer. If these reports are indeed true, it is an encouraging situation to be in, as we could see a better contest between both teams. Another key aspect to remember with regards to Karachi is that it is a port city, nearer to the coast. For Indian fans, trace your way to the Wankede stadium to get an idea of how the conditions might be. So, do not be surprised if the ball swings early-on and in the evenings due to the moisture in the air and the breeze. It will be interesting to see the combinations of both teams. Harbhajan Singh will most certainly make way for Saurav Ganguly in the side. Ganguly's recent domestic form with both the bat and the ball have been encouraging, and in such given circumstances, he could be more than a useful seamer. For Pakistan, I back Umar Gul to make the cut, ahead of Mohammad Asif and Faisal Iqbal and Imran Farhat for Inzamam and Shoaib Malik respectively.

Given the importance and the end-result associated with this game, one really hopes to see a humdinger, much on the lines of Chennai 1999. So, all is set for Karachi and the umpires to play and I really really hope that the curator finds some grass from the General's garden to give us all a sporting encounter and one to remember.

A Tale of Two Expats - John Dyson vs Tom Moody

Tom Moody, the former Aussie all-rounder and current Sri Lankan coach completes six months at the helm and with the team having played a decent number of matches during his current tenure, the time has come for us analysts to critically evaluate the progress made by the side. I would be using references of yet another Australian, John Dyson - Moody's predecessor as the Lankan coach, considering the fact that they scaled reasonably high heights during his stint.

Sri Lanka under John Dyson

John Dyson, the former Australian opening batsman took charge of the Sri Lankan team after the West Indies tour in 2003 replacing former captain Duleep Mendis. The situation of his appointment was really important, as the team was undergoing a metamorphosis, or lets say a transition. It was a time when greats like Aravinda de Silva hung up their boots and with such a task on hand, Dyson was successful in the creating a Team Sri Lanka, by bringing several key players together.

So, what exactly is John Dyson's contribution to Sri Lankan cricket ? Well here it is. The team developed a sense of character under this man. There was a special trait that this team had - fighting from hopeless situations and still coming on top, or at least trying to. A testament to this would be the way the team competed against the Aussies at home in the ODI series, even after getting a 3-zip drubbing in the Tests. But, reading deeper into those three tests, they managed to stay competitive, and it was only through sheer Australian brilliance and not lacklustre effort by the Lankans, that they managed to win the series. Another aspect of Dyson was that he imposed his personality over the team. The Lankans could relate to his way of thought - aggression and they always came hard at the opposition, which is to an extent lacking in this current team. There was something about these Lankans then, which seems to have faded away today. He also was successful in establishing a core group of players - Jayasuriya, Atapattu, Jayawardena, Sangakkara (later), Vaas and Murali, whose expertise and experience helped the team weather many a storm and also paved way for potential youngsters like Lasith Malinga and Rangana Herath. The trait of purpose-oriented cricket was seen, which is surely not there in this team. And more importantly, the Lankans managed to perform and perform well consistently, which by the end of his tenure was highlighted by their position in the ODI rankings - #2.

Sri Lanka under Moody

The Sri Lankans are no-doubt a side with immense talent. But, for a coach, channelising this very talent is important. Being a passionate supporter of their game, I somehow feel that Moody has failed to bring about that very channelization. The team looks very same and predictable. Maybe, most of us sitting at home were carried about their blistering performances against the West Indies, India and Bangladesh at home, only to be flattered to decieve two months later. There is a clear lack of a nucleus within the team. The think-tank seems divided. The consistency is missing. Yes, but one positive side to all this is that with Moody being a man with a vision, one hopes, the future should seem bright. Every team has gone through this phase of defeat, depression and disappointment - but the earlier they get out of it, the better it is. He is doing a good job so far of bringing together the gen-Y of Sri Lankan cricket, but somehow one feels that it is coming at the cost of the usuals. Certain decisions made by Moody and Co have to a greater extent have been baffling, to say the least. And, unlike the good old Dyson days, the Lankans are seeming more of a side that is looking to go through the motions rather than impose itself on the proceedings. It will be really interesting to see how the next two-three months hold up for this team, as they will look to forge ahead to newer and tougher challenges in Australia and New Zealand, which for me, will be "Break Point" for Moody. He either wins it from there on or loses the plot.

This post is in no way trying to undermine the coaching or man-management abilities of Tom Moody, but just aims to point out harsh realities and lessons to be learnt from this, by facing these realities. I really hope, along with fellow fans of Sri Lankan Cricket, that Tom Moody in some months will turn a hero and take Sri Lanka to the next level. For some, this post might seem pretty pre-mature, as Sri Lanka are yet to be tested against oppositions like Australia, England and New Zealand etc, but with regard to the recent performances of this team, I personally feel that the timing of this post is quite appropriate and justified. Opinions and counter-views - most welcome.

.....and not so good !!

(contd from previous post)

The Not-So-Good aspect of this post begins from the fact that 79 runs were not exactly the amount the team management was expecting from Ganguly, which eventually triggered his downfall and ommision from the Test team for the third test. But, coming back to the topic of "Not so Good", I hope you readers might have got what I mean. The Sri Lankans are going through a troubled phase with regard to their game. They have really failed to impress on Indian soil, and even as I write this post, it seems that they are down and out. Marvan Atapattu talked about carrying the psychological advantage from Chennai, but was evident was real mental scars of the 6-1 drubbing at the hands of India a month back.

As a keen follower of Sri Lankan cricket since 1996, I have several complaints. Starting from the ommision of Sanath Jayasuriya to the playing eleven. It was really baffling to see Sanath ayya being dropped out of the Test team. Maybe the selectors forgot his single-handed effort last year in Pakistan, where his 250 odd runs sealed the fate of the Pakistanis. I would be joking if the Indians do not suffer from Sanathophobia considering the amount of success he has had against India in both forms of the game. According to me, his presence in the field was badly missed by the visitors, and although they have one eye on the future, they cannot afford to compromise on experience. Secondly, the Lankan bowling attack seems teethless. This makes me pose a question to the selectors "On what grounds was Dilhara Fernando selected into this team ? And why is Lasith Malinga left out of the side ?" Perhaps, I may never manage to get answers, but if I had a choice to recommend some moves, I would inject some variety and aggression into the unit by bringing in Malinga. That guy has some serious pace and can really run through batsmen. I hope Lalith Kaluperuma is taking notes from this post.

Another concern I have regarding this team is the batting order. In all fairness to my good pal Avishka Gunawardena, the man does'nt belong to Test Cricket. He and his colleagues, barring a few good men lack basic techniques and need to go back to the drawing board and work on them, if they have to sustain at this level. The middle-order seems too brittle for my liking. The players are not playing as per the team situation, but there are blokes in that eleven who are playing for their own future. It is not good to be in such situations, as it doubles the burden on the player. Guys like Jehan Mubarak should be given a longer dig at the level to really understand if they deserve the place. It would be really unfair on him, if he is dropped after the series.

As I see it, they will surely make changes in the playing XI at Ahmedabad. Thilan Samaraweera could end up opening the batting with Kumar Sangakkara and Atapattu shifting down the order. As for the bowlers, I have a sneaky suspicion about Lasith Malinga replacing Dilhara Fernando, and maybe young Sanjeewa Weerakoon, the left-armer from Chilaw could be given a go.

The series might have lost interest from the Indian perspective, as they have already laid one hand on the trophy, firmer it might seem from this heavy 188-run victory at Delhi, but the match in Ahmedabad should be an interesting one. The Lankans will have good memories of Motera, as their solitary win on Indian soil in the tour came there in the 5th ODI. One hopes that the Lankans will take fresh guard, in literal terms and look to compete and not succumb as meekly as they did in Delhi.

So far so good....

Its taken two months for India to resurge as a formidable force in international cricket. These two months have seen moments of potential and promise, translating itself into performance. What is really interesting to note is that the winning habit has not dried down, but is soon rubbing onto the other form of the game too and today's win is a clear highlight of the very fact. The new combine of Greg Chappell and Rahul Dravid have been successful in developing a unit that has the ability and the potential to play both forms of the game and also take on roles and responsibility assigned to them.

The fact that was very interesting and encouraging to see as a fan and analyst of Indian cricket, was the sense of purpose that the 11 men walked out into the ground with. Perhaps, past teams from India have known to be the ones that prefer going through the motions and try and react to situations rather be proactive enough to create situations of strength. But, with a change in approach and a change in mindset, what we are seeing is a side with shades of Australianism or in simpler words - dominate and be ruthless. Characterwise, the team deserves full marks, simply because even when they looked a bit dry as far as the wickets were concerned, the bowlers continued to peg away and persevere and create chances, rather than wait for the sun to set and the batter making mistakes. Another fine aspect that one sees in this team is the amount of flexibility of talent available. This very flexibility is thanks to the forward thinking attitude of the coach and the team management and the great amount of faith shown in players like Irfan Pathan, Yuvraj Singh, Ajit Agarkar etc. Many critics would read into Irfan Pathan's promotion to open the innings as yet another "experimentation" tactic, but to be fair to Chappell, it was a clear ploy and strategy to upset the Lankan line of thinking and venture into unconventional methods that could well put your side on top at the end of it all. So, with clearly one eye on the future, Chappell and Co have shown that they are ready to delegate responsibilities to players, and to Pathan's credit, he has not let anyone down - except maybe himself, with regard to the missed century.

It is really good to see the team performing as well as it is now. After days of dejection, the moments of delight are slowly coming back. But, the problem that has plagued Indian cricket ever since times immemorial is consistency or the lack of it. The outlook of this team has been different, but can Greg Chappell and Co usher an era in Indian cricket, where consistency rules the roost ? Maybe, we are just getting to see glimpses of the C-factor coming into our game. Or maybe I am being too early to judge it, but for the record, India has been unbeaten at home this season - thus far. Right from the first ODI at Nagpur against Sri Lanka, to the last wicket taken at the Kotla, the Indians have looked like a side, that have been striving to hit their mark and improve everytime they take the field. Maybe, these short-term factors will lead to the larger issue of consistency. It will be really interesting to see if they can maintain this intensity and hunger when they take on better oppositions like Pakistan (next month) and England (in February).

A word of praise for Mumbai opener Wasim Jaffer, who has managed to fight his way back into the Test team. A man with immense talent and ability, Wasimbhai has been scoring heavily in the domestic games, and is rightly rewarded for his efforts. His 267 against Delhi for Mumbai in the Ranji opener was a strong enough indicator for his candidature, and it will be good to watch him bat against the Lankans at Motera. The world has a place for conspiracy theorists afterall. For we have been getting reports about his selection as "a Pawarful" blow to a replacement from the East Zone (Ganguly).

For the Indians, its time to forge ahead in their quest of excellence. After such a brilliant performance at Delhi, with expectations soaring large, it will be interesting to see how they turn up at Ahmedabad. Of course, as usual, they should leave complacency behind at the airport, as it has cost them matches in many, most recent being the last test match at Bangalore against Pakistan earlier this year. But, with people like Dravid and Chappell at the helm, what one can expect is an effort and an aim to improve from being better to being the best !

My Salutations to thou, Master - Of patience and perseverance !

Today, will go down in history as one of the more momentous days in world cricket. First, New Zealand chasing down a total in Christchurch, which once seemed tougher than scaling the Everest, but thanks to Scott Styris and Brendon McCullum, even 331 did not seem intimidating enough against the Aussies. But, more importantly, closer to every Indian fan's heart would be the Master, the Genius - here the titles do not seem enough, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, going past Sunil Gavaskar to scale the highest and toughest peak in International Cricket - Most Test Centuries. So lets join in the celebrations, by saluting the Master himself.

It was never a question of - Will he or wont he ? But, only a matter of when he would get it. It was 364 days before that Sachin hammered a 248 against a low-rated Bangladesh attack at Dhaka. I remember the great Sunil Gavaskar walking down the commentary box to the ground and acknowledging the feat. This time around, it was 22 men clad in white, and another million in anticipation, finally bowing to the great batsman after crossing the mark. I would rate this knock by Sachin, as one of the better innings he has played, simply because the manner in which it came by. After being in the critics' book since a long time for his self-defensive adaptation of Test cricket, the great man has finally shown the world, his ability to patiently and efficiently work towards an approach that qualifies as "workman" like, which is why this inning of his deserves plaudits. The time has finally come for analysts and fans alike, to come to terms with his approach in Test cricket, which could best be described as "Cautious Aggression". What really separates him from the best is the ability to translate perseverance into performance. After all, 73 hundreds in International cricket is no joke.

This inning is not merely a record-breaking one. It is one that has conviction attached all over it, with some strokes looking to silencing some mouths, who wrote him off. None bigger than a Pakistani astrologer, who predicted his retirement before the year. Maybe that man has got his stars wrong, afterall.

As emotions sweep through the country and the world alike over this enormous feat, satisfaction is something that lies deep within, for a man who has put Indian sport in the galaxies of the world. It will be surely interesting to see how many more does he produce in his already illustrious career. I am being an idealist, but I would pitch for 10 more in a career that should last for at least 4 years. For now, lets just sink in the moment and celebrate a day of achievement, and wish the Master and his bat many more runs in the matches to come.

Thumbs Down Kolkata !

It was one hell of an affair for the Indians yesterday. It was as though they were playing in a different country altogether. Maybe they were, because as political analysts in India feel, the Republic of Bengal is surely different from the Republic of India. It was something that was not expected at the Eden Gardens, but this team did not deserve such a treatment. It seems shameful to even expect the half of 95,000 going up in arms, when Charl Langeveldt castled Rahul Dravid, a sight which will surely make an Indian question - Should we ever play at Kolkata again ?

Have we ever come across seeing Indian spectators carrying South African flags, and in plenty ? It may have augured well for the spirit of the game, but in this case, it was more of a deliberate excuse to just turn up in huge numbers and show their disinterest for the match in which their local boy-turned-hero was'nt included in the team. Didn't the same Kolkata stand up in arms to congratulate Rahul Dravid when he smashed that 180 against Australia in 2000-01 ? Here, the same personality was booed, when he was making each and every move as skipper. Perhaps the 10-wicket victory not only bolstered South Africa's confidence, but in more ways than one, was a moral victory for the Kolkattans, for whom there is no life beyond Ganguly. Disgraceful is one word that could best fit for these pseudo-posers, whose line of thinking was "Yeh team Ganguly ke bina nahin khelega (This team cant play without Ganguly)" - a notion that has been proved wrong by the recent fortunes of the Indians.

The Republic of Bengal is surely not new to such incidents. The overcharged spectators of the City of apprent Joy virtually denied India a chance to play the finals of the 1996 World Cup after their abnoxious behavior forced the match referee to forfiet the match to the Sri Lankans. Their emotions overflowed yet again, when Pakistan toured here, and besides watching the cricket, they started taking their own shots at the visiting players, and the teams were forced to play in front of an empty stadium. The Kolkattans showed their side of unsporting behaviour yet again, more in a milder tone, when they booed Salman Butt, the Pakistani who guided his team to victory last year. So, with emotions literally seated in every chair of that stadium, it will be worthwhile for them settling down and perhaps then deserve a game, because with such a pathetic track record of emotional outbreaks, a cricket match between two evenly matched teams isn't something, which the Kolkata public deserve to watch. Perhaps they need to watch some home matches involving Bengal to bask in the glory of Saurav Ganguly.

This was only a result of a symptom that conjured post-Chappell-Ganguly saga. One did'nt have to be a rocket scientist to know what was in the offing. But, as an analyst, we much condemn such acts and not encourage them. Two days back, I came across a report saying the Bengal film industry protesting the exclusion of Saurav Ganguly. I for one feel that this is just taking the issue too far. If Ganguly chooses or wants to make himself felt in the team, let him score runs or take wickets, as he exactly did against Maharashtra at Pune and then get included, no one will question that. It seems atrocious that a rather dormant film industry of the country, earlier used to be a pioneer in its art, has to come down and protest outside the Taj Bengal just for Saurav being excluded. What are they deriving out of it ? Just a normal waste of time and money and value for the sport.

Perhaps, retrospect was something worth having at this point of time. India should have taken this emotive issue into consideration while scheduling the games. But, I do not blame them, as the spat between two individuals has turned into a national issue. It will surely be time to introspect and look back at the scheduling process and see if Kolkata should be included in future games, especially involving India. Its time the BCCI, which is based in Kolkatta gets strict with its own hometown and maybe to prevent history repeating itself, a 2-match ban could be a likely solution. Its time for them to learn and learn from their own fellow centres like Bangalore and Chennai - who have a rather simple and rational approach to cricket-watching - "May the best team win !" and those are two centres where I have not seen any brooding over lack of local players, and that maturity surely needs to sink into the minds of the Kolkattans. Its time they realise that the show has to go on, even if the lead actor (in this case Ganguly) is missing.

Reality does not bite, it stings. And trying to sting it back is not the ideal solution. For now, its time to take a break for the emotional sulkers of West Bengal and watch the action at the bull-ring of Wankhede Stadium. As I am going to be a part of this gripping encounter (I hope), I can promise, the Mumbaiyya crowd, cheering not just their hometown heroes - Sachin Tendulkar and Ajit Agarkar, but also Team India.

Time to move on....The Dravidian Era is about to begin !

It was a disappointing day for all fans of Indian cricket, as the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai turned into a watershed, quite literally. But, some off the field action, would surely have brought smiles to many an Indian fan, with Rahul Dravid being appointed the captain for the Test Series against Sri Lanka starting early next month. Having won the confidence of many including the selectors after successfully leading India to a near-whitewash in the one-dayers, Dravid now has the responsibility to accept the baton from Saurav Ganguly and push India into an even better Test-playing nation.

A question that arises from this rather forward looking move is - "What new will Dravid bring into this team ?". The answer is quite simple. While the approach of the side could be the same, as it was under Ganguly - aggressive, mentally tough and professional, the dimension Dravid-Chappell combine will add could be ruthlessness mixed with control. Having been there, seen it and done it for a few matches, Dravid, being an astute student of the game would have realized that with captaincy comes a great deal of expectations, internally, within the team and externally, goes without saying - the cricket frenzy public of the country. He announced himself with a tough decision that virtually shocked the nation - declaring the innings when Tendulkar was approaching his double-ton at Multan in 2004. But reading into the positives of it, it just goes to show that for Dravid, an individual is just a mere part of the eleven, and has to bind within the framework of the team-strategies. Such tough decisions could be match-winning ones, for all we know. It was time, Indian cricket stopped getting emotional with their decision making and looked at the bigger picture i.e. the team's interest.

At this very moment, it is important to pay rich tribute to Saurav Ganguly's stint as the national skipper, where India looked like a side that meant business. Although it may not be the end of Ganguly as a player, one perhaps felt that he was past his prime as a captain. Steve Waugh's idealist view of "a captain should be given a shelf-life for not more than four years" showed on Ganguly. The team's potential and results clearly overshadowed his own individual performances and reached to a degree of frustration both with the selectors and the public. His legacy as India's most successful skipper might have some high growth points to say, like the home series win against Australia in 2001, the tour to Australia and Pakistan in 2003-04, the tour to England in 2002, but where the graph goes down is India lacked that killer instinct to finish games all at once. The Zimbabwean tour comes to mind, where they batted themselves out of the game in Harare and also the West Indies tour, where they surrendered rather meekly. The team seemed to have possessed a lot of character during his reign. Some ghosts that have continued to haunt Team India during Ganguly's tenure were the controversies. Be it his own 'cowardly' attitude at Nagpur in 2004 or the outrageous tour of South Africa in 2001, his personality, many a time unintentionally ensured that the team was constantly at tryst with conflict, both internally and externally. For all one might feel, it was not that century against Zimbabwe, but the Chappell controversy that sealed his fate. I may be overly-critical of Ganguly - the player, but as a leader, he was outstanding. Even though he was a non-performing liability to the team as a player, he ensured that his leadership was a pure asset. As he finally gears up to return as a player, he has not only passed on the captain's armband to his former deputy, Rahul Dravid, but also a rich legacy of success, of a team that stood up and made themselves a part of every contest.

Which school of captaincy will Dravid belong to ? Whatever little I have seen of him, Dravid will ensure that India dont miss the Dadagiri. He might come across as someone, who seems friendly, as emotionless as a Roger Federer, but deep down within himself, lies a professional, a thorough one. Dravid will surely take the positives of his ex-boss and try to merge them with his own fresh ideas he has in store. Another aspect of Dravid that will be worth a notice will be that he would lead from the front. Captaincy would be just another responsibility for him over his already heavy shoulders, but knowing Dravid and having interacted with him, it should'nt ruffle him much. For now, life seems rosier than ever under Dravid and Chappell. It will be interesting to see if they can help India secure a good enough series win against the visitors. As of now, lets just learn to move on and usher the Dravidian era of Indian cricket.

(Image thanks to Cricinfo)