Blast from the Future

Time travel is not a possibility as of now. But peeps into the future are generously available in the 2 practice matches played by India (although one of it really was an ODI). The next generation of Indian players were out there - the guys who will start occupying spaces which will be left gaping open once Sachin Saurav Dravid move out. The trinity is going to be one difficult proposition to replace no doubt!

Amongst those on view - the bowlers seem to show that the future - atleast for the near future is in good hands. A pace bowling attack of Zak, RP, Agarkar, Munaf with Sreesanth, Pathan on the bench is always good news in the pace bowling department. A department which for many years would see imposters and be blanked out - is suddenly rich.

The spin bowling compartment has seen Powar and Chawla rise to the challenge admirably - so even that department seems to be largely in good hands what with an erstwhile match winner by the name of Harbhajan Singh Bhajji on the bench.

But the batting is where our problems seem to start. Apart from the fact that we will look for replacements for 3 batters who have been in the team for a long time - we are looking for replacements to Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly arguably the top batsmen of their generation. Not only are we looking for competent replacements - we will be measuring those replacements against the standards set by these three. And thats when the new guys will feel the pressure. For suddenly a good player isnt going to be enough for us simply because he can never be a Sachin.

Its a scary thought seeing India batting without the three. Its a scary thought having Yuvraj as the best batsman and possibly Dhoni as the second best in the team. Its a scary thought having Gambhir, Uthappa as replacements. But who knows maybe these guys might just turn out well as a team and the sum of their parts turn out to be formidable. But till there is such proof - the hunt for replacement to the Trinity is going to be a long painful one

Kumble.

Respect. Totally deserved for wonderful and long career.

P.S: - He has made my "Thou shalt not pass" post redundant.

Priority Extras

At the time of going to print, Matt Prior had let through 33 byes and 13 leg byes. Not to mention the two dropped catches.

Fitting that a trash talker must now be feeling like total trash.

Thou shalt not pass

When God was sitting in that neat office of His and looking down at the Lords -
India struggling to save the match - He glanced at his past records and thought
that maybe - just maybe He owed that luck to the Indians. But ever a fair guy,
He put in a clause. If the Indians had to get away with a draw at Lords - He
insisted that they sacrifice their personal rewards for the series win.
Unbeknownst to the Indian players, their guardian angels agreed - knowing fully
well that the Indian fans too deserved the series. So it was decided and put
down in pen and paper or whatever heavenly instruments they used. No Indian
batsman would cross a century in this test. But the series was to be theirs.

Small price.

Edit: Kumble is 7 runs away from showing me the finger for this post

Howzzat Ump?

"Dude! We need to break this partnership" So said Vaughan to Collingwood when Sachin and Saurav looked like running away with the game.

"Err ..umm ..how? I am not really the best bowler you know!" - Collingwood

"But you look like the guy who could get the ump on ur side"

"Well .. ok ..if you insist!"

Which game is this you ask? The one in which the umpire gave a decision a blind man would have gotten away with - while Collingwood was bowling. Hmmm - but.... doesnt that like happen in every match now?

I suppose that Vaughan gets frustrated with seeing Sachin and Saurav bat - then he looks around and says that Colly seems like the only one whose pace will make the umpire sleep and then make the umpire slip in that attrocious decision. You got to forgive the umpire though - rudely waken up from a nap by the loud appealing - and then the immense pressure for him to make a decision. He probably sees Prior mouthing a mouthful at him and you have to forgive him for raising his finger.

Collingwood too has to be lauded for balancing his "wickets" and picking me Sachin and Saurav alternately. Atleast he is fair and equitable in his dealings.

On the other hand - the umpires seem to have decided that as a judgement giver - they are rightfully annointed by God to deal justice. So while God saved India in the form of rains at Lords - as annointed ambassadors of heavenly justice - the umpires have taken it upon them to "even things out".

That they cant tell even from odd is the real travesty

A pack of vultures

What do vultures do? They keep circling their prey and wait for it to get injured or tire and then they attack. Now the victim might acutally have it in it to push the vultures away and move ahead with a surge of energy. The vultures back off but still keep circling - waiting to see if the surge of energy was a temporary loss of reason or a continued display of energy. The moment the victim slacks off - they are there again to attack and claim their undeserved pound of flesh.

So why am I writing about vultures? Why this sudden fancy for vultures? Fine. Let me rephrase that paragraph a bit

What do Indian Cricket fans do? They wait for every opportunity to see one of the cricketers to fail and then gleefully jump in on the criticism bandwagon. They demand for the heads of players at will. Only till the player actually proves the fans wrong and performs solidly. Even then the fans and critics back off just for a bit - grudingly - waiting for that window where they can be proven right again. They wait for the player to fail again and then jump right in with retirement calls.

Not much difference eh? So essentially I could claim that I wasnt writing about vultures but about Indian cricket fans again!

Lets just have a look at the current Indian team and see if my theory is right

1. Dinesh Karthick - People have taken exception to his not being a specialist opener and hence have ridiculed his being in the team.

2. Wasim Jaffer - The bugger apparently plays a big knock only when he is close to being dropped. He too doesnt really deserve to be in the team according to experts

3. Rahul Dravid - So what if he has been India's most consistent and brilliant player over the last few years? He failed in the Lords test and even the Trent bridge test. More importantly by siding with Chappel he alienated himself for the team. I have heard calls for Dravid's head too. He too should be dropped really.

4. Sachin Tendulkar - He doesnt measure up to himself anymore. We dont care if he is still good enough to play international cricket. He couldnt even score the 9 runs needed to get his own century and we call him great and talented? Drop the bugger!

5. Saurav Ganguly - The man had been dropped already. He played selfishly in the WC. He is playing slowly only to hang on to his place in the team. Plus he antagonises the team. Drop him too please

6. VVS Laxman - So what if he has class and still is consistent? We dont like him and demand he be dropped. He too scored a 50 only to retain his place in the side - didnt he?

7. MS Dhoni - The man is a goalkeeper and a clueless batsman in England. It was the rains who saved us and not his fighting knock. Our team and players really cant do anything on their own - its only luck which saves us. So there lets get rid of him.

Whew. Thats the entire Indian batting order dropped! Bring on the new guys - the vultures are still hungry!