Cricket & More

The Inflection Points

2012-01-26T22:09:00.000-08:00

In any trend sheet - things dont just happen. There is always an inflection point - the one thing that seems to trigger off the long trend.

Indian cricket - briefly - rose to great heights. World No.1 in Test Cricket and World Cup Champions. On the back of the ability to fight and fight really hard at that. The fighting spirit was inculcated by Wright and Ganguly no doubt - but the inflection point for the eventual rise to no.1 and champions was Perth.

The events in Sydney had left the team pissed and hurt. They responded in Perth. The fastest pitch, the one pitch where India should have had no chance. They fought hard - typified by Ishant's spell to Punter. The spell that defined the match. What stood out however was not the fact that Ishant had bowled 6 fire-breathing overs to Ricky but the fact that when Sehwag suggested that he bowl one more and Kumble asked "Ek Aur Karega" - inspite of being justified to feel tired and let someone else take up the cudgels, Ishant replied "Haan Karunga". And that "ek aur" delivered the wicket of one of the best players of the short ball in Australia. That team was willing to run itself to the ground to win. Because they fought hard.

And lets make no mistake - the rise to no.1 was not just because we played a fair bit at home - it was because we fought hard outside home. The World Cup saw the same fight and the refusal to give up and thus was the Cup won.

But attitudes change. And that change shows. In West Indies, the World no.1 team refused to chase 86 in 15 overs with 7 wickets in hand and called for a tame draw. It matters not that they might not have won it even if they went for it - but the not trying was a crime. It signalled the start of a flagging intent.

The inflection point for the decline however - was in an ironical life coming full circle style - centred around Ishant Sharma again. We were at Lords - we were under pressure. In the second Inning before lunch Ishant had picked up 3 wickets and was firing hard.There was a chance to blow away England and make a match out of it. There was great amount of interest in how India would fight back after lunch. Ishant should have had the ball in his hand raring to go.

Instead Raina started the session with his slow spinners. The man who after a hard long spell had said yes to "ek aur karega" had now after a 45 minute break refused to attack citing tiredness.

And there in lies the story of a lost spine. The Indian team so willing to fight had in their minds clearly given up long back. If no1 and the World Cup was a direct result of a fighting spirit, 8-0 is a fair and just result of the lack of that very fighting spirit.

Indian Cricket (2001 - 2011), We will miss you

2012-01-23T03:57:00.000-08:00

It was 2001 and I was in the first year of my engineering. In my 19 years of existence on the earth, I had been a cricket follower and supporter for as long as I could remember. I remember excitedly waking up to the sound of a TV hearing the words "Kapil Dev" and "97" mentioned in the same breath - and thinking WOW Kapil was on 97, only to discover that the full sentence meant that Kapil was at the crease but India was 97/7.

It was the 90s and that was how life was. India would struggle abroad, India would struggle against quality opposition. And we would take solace in some brilliant individual performances - mostly by Sachin - but also by Azhar, Kumble nd the likes of Jadeja/Robin Singh.

With 1996 arrived a new set of batsmen but the results were yet to show. 1999 we got hammered 3-0 in Australia - predicted not by Glenn McGrath but by the Board Secretary. But it was to be the start of something. VVS had a 167 to show and a group of great young players had been hurt enough. Because by the time that season died out on us, we had a new captain. We got a new coach. And between them Ganguly and Wright laid down the foundations for our best ever years of cricket. The foundation was laid for our best ever generation of players to lay down new benchmarks.

2001 - April 2011 is when Indian Cricket arrived. For someone who woke up to a 97/7 - this golden era was everything one could dream of. It began - as it should have - against the Aussies who were on a 16 match roll. It happened as it should have with our captain setting down the tone for eyeball to eyeball confrontation. When for the first time Aussie arrogance was answered in kind. When for the first time following on two Indian batsmen refused to give up. I remember the headline in the Times of India saying "3 Days 403 runs 14 wickets, 1 day 335 runs No wickets"

It was the start of defiance. It was the start of belief. It was the start of an era.

We reached the WC finals in 2003, We won a Natwest final chasing 326, We beat Pakistan in Pakistan,, We drew in West Indies, We won in West Indies, We won series in England, We won matches in Australia and South Africa. We won at Perth. We kept losing first tests - we kept coming back to even the series. We showed gumption time and again - for the first time ever in this golden period. We won a World Cup - every match when we were down, we fought back. Fight back was the DNA of this team. And this DNA led us to that WC win and a climb to no.1 in the rankings.

The Achilles heel in this entire fight was that it was the same set of players doing the winning. Unlike the Aussie great teams - there was not a seamless structure where if a new player came in, he would settle down with the same ease. And that finally showed. A great batting lineup was exposed in England and crushed in Australia.

When that ball slipped through Dravid's gate for an umpteenth time, when Laxman started facing 30 balls without a boundary for a fluent start, when Sachin started getting out while looking sublime, when Sehwag's patience also could not convert into anything substantial, when Gambhir's grit only meant getting the edge - it was the end of an era.

The denouement might have been sad. The end was a tragedy - for this set of greats knew they had failed themselves of their greatest chance to be recorded in history as conquerors. They will now go, having lost their best chance of a glorious exit. But let that not take away from what has been tremendous time of our cricket following life.

For 2001 - 2011, Thank you. It will take time to rebuild and I am willing to wake up to some more 97/7 as long as there is the promise of another such era. But till then its these memories to cherish

That 100th

2011-11-14T21:55:00.000-08:00

That elusive ton. Does it even matter if or when he gets it? The "If" is hypothetical, for get it he will. Maybe not at Eden, maybe not at Wankhede, maybe not even at Melbourne. Get it he will - in due course of time.

But for a moment - lets indulge our bits pessimism and consider the thought that he does not in fact get there and remains stranded at 99 tons. Given the form he is in, given how sweetly he has been timing the ball, given the beauty with which he has been playing his drives - there seems no doubt that he will keep scoring runs. And like at the Kotla - his runs will contribute to wins. He might get run down by the pressure of expecting the 100th, might get out in the 90s or even before as he starts chasing a landmark that weighs on his mind.

But if in all this melee - he fails to convert his form into a ton - will it really matter? 33K international runs. 200 international wickets. 22 years of batting at the top of the pile. 1 world cup. A ODI double ton. When time passes by and we remember - will we even remember if he got his 100th?

We will remember the moments. The sandstorm, the thwack over thirdman off Shoaib, The hook off Glenn McGrath at Nairobi, A pristine balanced cover drive, Being lifted on their shoulders by his young teammates, the wincing in pain but cruelly falling short 136, the massacre of Olonga, the disintegration of Warne.

His greatness - in numbers or more importantly in our minds - will not be enhanced by yet another ton. It wont diminish if he does not get there.

Lets just let him be. For sure he knows more about cricket than us fans put together. The 100th will happen, hopefully a 300 will materialise along the way - but the last thing we need to do is pile on the pressure for a landmark that will be good to have but mean nothing. In the meantime, while he takes his own sweet time in getting there - lets just enjoy the fact that we have a freak opener who can churn out runs in the blink of an eye, a number 3 who - if it were not for the chronological fact of existing in the same era of the God - would have been celebrated even more, a number 5 who is so elegant that its a dream to watch. Lets just celebrate the fact that when our no.3 and 4 bat out together in the centre - we are blessed to see 57K international runs out there in the centre.

The milestones will begotten on the journey, lets lay off the pressure to make the milestones the journey.

World Cup Champions

2011-04-04T03:32:00.000-07:00

There was this comic on Cricinfo that talked about everlasting images from every World Cup. For me there are everlasting memories from each World Cup. Some of them great - ones i will savor for ever, some I wont savor and yet can't forget.

1996 will always be about Kambli crying and walking off after he had seen Jayasuria turn the ball square and get out the Indian team leading the rowdy Eden crowd to do their best rowdy act.

1999 will be about the Olonga induced collapse against Zimbabwe and then Sachin's return with a century dedicated to his late father

2003 will always be the first over bowled by Zaheer and that brief interlude when it rained during our chase - when for a moment hope lived that we would replay it again and get another shot.

2007 will only be that ugly crouch Sachin got out to playing Dilhara Fernando - the stumps being rattled and even the most optimistic of my hopes dying out in Dubai.

2011 was all about setting things straight. It was not only about winning it for Sachin, it was not just about winning a World Cup after 28 years - it was about proving to the world that we were the best cricketing unit there was in the world.

2011 was about exorcising the ghosts of 2007 - Several of the team members had survived that shock and for them it was about setting things right. 2007 was not a fair assessment of the team's potential and that could only be proved by winning the World Cup.

2011 above anything else was to exhibit that this team - this Indian team - was the toughest team there was in the World. Their rise to the top of rankings was not an accident but a result brought about by a set of individuals who refused to believe they could lose, who refused to see any writings on any wall and would fight to the very end.

And inevitably - this leads to a series of images and memories that I will cherish from this World Cup.

The first sign that we would win this world cup - or rather that we had it in us to face 3 knockouts and still stand tall - came not in a victory but in fact in the only loss we faced. Against South Africa - we had no business collapsing to 297 but more than that we had no business coming anywhere close to defending it against the batting of South Africa on a flat track. And yet that day the intensity was back. The bowlers were fired up, the fielders could do almost no wrong and we dragged it to a even stevens last over - which was ruined. But that happens and the fight and intensity shown by India was a sign of things to come.

Every match post that - it seemed at a stage we were out of every match we played. West Indies looked good to chase down our total - Zak brought us back in before everyone else went for the kill. The Australians snared 5 wickets - Yuvraj and Raina stared them down and refused to give up - to win it for us in an eventual canter

And Pakistan - when we looked set for 300, we started looking at 225 - when we were looking 225 - Raina took us to 260 - leaving enough for a fired up Indian attack to take us through. One of my most endearing memories will be the sight of a charged up Munaf Patel after bowling out Abdul Razzaq. You know a team is giving it everything i can when somebody as nonchalant and unenthusiastic as Munaf gets fired up like that. And yet again - it was that refusal to give up, the obstinate refusal to lose that took us through.

Man to man - with our bowling and fielding - our team does not stand up as the best in the world. Factor in attitude and the will to win, the belief to pull it off from any situation - and you have a champion team. Not champions who dominate from start to end, but champions who figure out a way to win by sheer force of will.

So even in a high pressure World Cup final at home , chasing 275 instead of the 240 that seemed more likely at 31/2 - there was every reason to back India to win. If Sehwag and Sachin fell, Virat, Gautam and Dhoni stood up. Just like in the matches gone past, somebody put their hands up, just like Ishant discovered he could be a defensive batting hero against Australia in tests - there always was someone who trusted and backed himself to bail the team out.

The enduring memory of the match - Dhoni almost boxing the wind out of Gambhir when he hi fived him. And the final 6 - complete with stone faced composure and stylish twirling of the bat.

We won - because we deserved to. We won - because we never believed any other result was possible. We won - because we refused to give in - at any stage in any match.

April 02, 2011 - Indian Cricket Team - Thank you! This is only the beginning.

Living the World Cup: Part2

2011-02-27T05:29:00.000-08:00

The first World Cup I remember seeing live on a TV was the 1996 World Cup. I might have watched the 1983 and 1987 Cups but I have no recollection of them. The 1992 era was in a phase where I would have remembered matches if I had seen them but this was the era when cable TV had just about made its way in and we had not taken cable TV back then.

The memory I cherish the most from that World Cup - not difficult to guess at all - is the India Pakistan match at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Having watched the India - England close tussle to desperately lose a match - played yet again from the Chinnaswamy was easily enough to bring back those memories.

Watching a good match then equated to sitting in front of the TV right from the start, ensure that there was enough Pepsi stocked in the fridge and settle down in for a nice long haul. That day the match started slowly, Sidhu and Sachin had a partnership and we trudged along towards a barely enough kind of score. Waqar was bowling missiles that day and had some obscenely good figures of 8 overs for 19 runs. Till Ajay Jadeja made his way to the pitch and played a knock that made him a legend. He launched into Waqar like no one else had that day and bludgeoned 40 odd runs off 19 balls. My voice decibels that had been lowish through the match, had suddenly found their way up. My cousin who had come over to watch the Indian inning with me - had dozed off while the match had meandered was woken up by those loud decibels and together we watched as Jadeja charged and pummeled Waqar and took us to a really comfortable 287. The win then was guaranteed right! Who chases 287 in 1996?

But this was not one of those days that I could settle down - sip my pepsi and watch the action unfold. There was some birthday party to attend in Khar. A social function - very insensitively scheduled to collide with a INDIA - PAKISTAN match. No that doesnt do justice to the occassion. IT WAS A INDIA - PAKISTAN WORLD CUP match and one had to attend a birthday. Oh well - sometimes you have to do the things that build character.

So i set off - put on my red jacket (In hindsight it was an atrocious colour - but for a class 8 me - it seemed fashionable. Why would I wear a jacket for a birthday party you ask? When one buys a jacket at that age for a cousin's wedding - the number of occasions it can be used are really numbered and every possible opportunity to strut that stuff is essential.) But I digress.

So - red jacket on - a transistor in the left pocket of that very red jacket - I set off for the party - the commentary my constant companion on the journey. The commentators even in those days used to have "Aur yeh laga Dabur Laal Dant Manjan Chauka" Unfortunately that line repeated it self several times as Anwar and Sohail made mincemeat of Prasad and Srinath.

Luckily I was not the only one at the party who was outraged that this was on while an important match was being played. And one of the elders there expressed his protest by getting with him a portable TV - which showed the match. It might now explain why while I remember all these details, I have no recollection of whose birthday party it was - as for most part of the party I was tagging along with the TV dude - watching the action. And when Sohail prodded Prasad and taunted him, Prasad bowled the most outstanding, the most awesome, the most effective rubbish-begging-to-be-hit-for-a-six ball that Sohail managed to cut on to his stumps and letting poor placid Prasad erupt with a string of expletives and the most wonderful usage of the 4 letter word I have seen yet.

Prasad became an instant hero. Mind you we were school kids at a stage where we were just about expanding our vocabulary and for him to stick it up to Sohail in such a way was a huge impact on our impressionable minds.

That moment turned the match around and we won an exciting match.

Fifteen years on - I had set out to my friends' place to watch the match with them. Having set out a little late - I was yet again on the road, missing out on the first 5 overs of play. This time though there was no transistor - GPRS on the phone had taken its place and I was kept updated of the score.

No longer was Pepsi an essential element in watching the match. No it was replaced by pints of beer. The match kept getting exciting - the decibel levels kept rising as Sachin bludgeoned Swann Black and blue (see how I tried a cheesy little pun there?). 338 on the board - cool this was going to be enough. Then Strauss decided to have our bowlers for supper and the intensity kept drooping, decibel levels low. Till Zak came back and restored the voice back to my throat.

Only to be denied by Piyush at the end. But Chinnaswamy had kept its date with exciting matches and given me yet another match to savor and enjoy. Clearly the more things change, the more they remain the same!

Living the World Cup

2011-02-19T08:55:00.000-08:00

It was March of 2007 and I had landed in Dubai for my international training stint. The chauffeured car had driven me to the hotel room and it was fabulous - a bedroom, a kitchenette and a nice living room. The bedroom had a nice flat screen TV, the living room had one of those long swivel chairs that you could lie down on and watch another flat screen TV. It was indeed super comfortable. But the World Cup was soon coming - the first thought to mind was "WOW - lying on this chair and watching the matches! Man am I in for some fun or what?!"

Switching on the TV and a quick scan told me that the channel which would telecast the live cricket was not available. Another quick phonecall to the reception told me that they were not about to telecast that channel either. Needless to say the joy quickly turned to consternation. I tried to think up several options - get internet - watch streaming video - too expensive. Ask hotel to buy the channel - flat refusal. And finally there was only one way out - make my way to a bar - sit there, glug a couple of drinks and watch the matches. After all it was the World Cup and there was no way I was missing that!

It was then with great hope and excitement that I made my way to the closest bar that telecast the match - Double Decker. It was a fantastic sports bar - a large screen for live action and several small flat screens to watch the action. Of all these - there were only 2 TVs with the cricket. The rest had live Rugby. Nevertheless I made my way to one of the two cricket TVs and settled down to watch the first match India had to play. Bangladesh - this was going to be a breeze right? The menu arrived and the prices were prohibitive - I got myself a beer and decided to nurse it through the inning. The beer nursed me through the collapse. 190 odd and indeed we were in trouble.

It was time for dinner though - remember the prohibitive prices I spoke about? Yeah those prices meant that taking a cab to a cheaper restaurant and getting back to Double Decker was a cheaper option than having dinner at Double Decker. So I made my way in a cab. Cabs in Dubai are driven by South Asians almost as a rule. It was a Pakistani driver - the radio on - listening to Pakistan lose their second match in a row and bow out of the Cup. He promised me India would lose against Bangladesh and get out of the cup. In all my infinite optimism I laughed him off and went to the bar - hoping to see a stirring Indian bowling fight back. It wasnt to be.

I was still confident we would not bow down. Not this team. We would crush Bermuda and beat Sri Lanka and make it to the super 8s. Double Decker was still my partner in crime as I saw my team rack up 413 against the hapless Bermudians. When Dravid and Sachin walked off - they had a emotional mini-hug signifying just how much it meant to them to fight back and make the next round.

We were to play Sri Lanka - I was sure we would win. ANd this time I wouldnt watch it at Double Decker which had no Indians or Cricket followers to enjoy the game with. No this time I was off to Karama - the Indian section of Dubai, at an Indian run hotel where I could follow the match and cheer with fellow Indians. All i remember of that game is our weak capitulation, the image of Sachin's ugly crouch to that delivery from Dilhara Fernando cant be wiped out.

Today was part.1 of the payback process. I lay down in front of my TV - the sound routed through the surround sound music system. No compulsion to buy drinks I couldnt afford. No need to go hunting for cheap food. I was home and India was thumping Bangladesh. Vengeance was to be had and was.

The Indian team paid back today for one bad day in Double Decker in Dubai. Nothing short of winning this edition will pay for the second bad day against Sri Lanka in Dubai. The start is promising. Its the World Cup after all

Second Chances ?

2010-12-16T00:33:00.000-08:00

He was at the crossroads with the decision looming large. He could possibly not put it off any more. The choice had to be made. Would he follow his dream and go for the glory - to play cricket at the highest possible level - or would he take the other route and fade away into the sunset?

To be fair to him - he had taken his shot at international cricket. He even got a look-in, made an earnest effort but had failed to impress the selectors, who having taken a look at him had done what seemed like the right decision for them - dropped him. He had made half-hearted attempts to get back into the team but the selectors were too wise to let that happen.

And yet - he dreamed. Playing international cricket with this particular Indian team was the dream for him. It seemed unattainable, it seemed glorious, it seemed fulfilling, it seemed unreachable. Just like dreams should be. And yet while he had never yet realised that dream, he had seen others do it. Some were prodigiously more talented than him but some were simply more confident and had waltzed ahead to play.

He could basis his past failures and the lack of interest evinced by the selectors - give it up and take the lesser road. But some dreams were too precious to let go that easily, to let go without a full heart felt attempt at making it through. Failure might still be the most likely result and perhaps the selectors would still not be impressed and yet he might rest easier knowing his best was not enough. And that he had done all he could but the dream was just that - a dream!

To take a shot at his dream - it would mean that he would have to take risks. The risk of making a fool of himself, the risk of failing and the risk of feeling bummed. But sometimes in the long term - those risks might just be worth it.

He sat on, staring at the vacant space in front of him - his mind not yet made, pondering the crossroads, watching the time slip away. He needed to decide. What would you do if you were him?

Old Fashioned ?

2010-11-15T09:14:00.000-08:00

Cell phone companies probably have a different profit booking code for festivals and new year what with the mass smsing that happens. And on those days sms inboxes are full to the brim with the warm wishes of many well wishers

But somehow I have found this mass forwarding to be extremely impersonal and insincere. Festivals and the like were meant to meet up with friends and relatives and wish each other. The wishing is only an excuse for catching up and chatting up. And when meetings in person were not possible - the phone stood in to facilitate the 'catching-up'

The phone with the advent of mobile phone has been replaced by the sms. And the art of mass forwarding.

The whole process - the whole premise - was based on personal touch. And technology has probably thrown us away from that into a space that is largely impersonal.

I hate receiving messages on festivals which are mass-forwards and typically I do not reply to them. I reply only to messages which are clearly meant only for me and are not part of a blind forward all. And while even I have been lost to speaking to people on festivals - I do follow a strict policy while smsing greetings to people. I detest simply forwarding mass smses and hence if i do sms - i only allow it if each message has been personalised with the recepient's name. Long process but frankly worth the satisfaction.

Similarly on birthdays - I refrain from wishing people on FB. If a friend is/was close enough at some point of time - FB just doesnt cut it. There has to be a phone call. If there isn't - you aren't close enough. And ofcourse I dont put up Birthday reminders on Facebook. Friends are supposed to remember.

Yeah - i guess I am old fashioned. Whats your story?

Conclusive Proof

2010-09-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

The reporters of news of the world had smug grins on their faces. They had after all established beyond all doubt that the Indians had been fixing matches for some time now.

More so it was the English and Australian boards that were more pleased with the revelations. Life was much simpler when you could blame the indian board for everything. The Pakistan board blame game was too lame - too easy plus it did not have the added advantage of pointing fingers at the money bag bullies.

What then was this conclusive proof? Was it video? Was it a sting? Was it substantiated? Was it hearsay?

No - it did not need a sting - it just needed the greedy indian players and the indian board to come out to make money at the CL T20 to reach this irrefutable conclusion.

Anil Kumble and MS Dhoni - the last two test captains of India were on air promoting the champions league. And both of them were saying just one thing "ab hoga asli muqabla"

The smart journalists had jumped on to the usage of "ab" and "asli muqabla" - it was now that a real competition would happen. Clearly betraying the fact that all matches before this were 'nakli' or fake meaning FIXED!

Suresh Kalmadi was glad that there was something now to divert attention from him especially since the cabinet minister for cricketing affairs - Sharad Pawar was laughing at him.

Sharad Pawar and the cricketers were not available for comment while Ijaz Butt could not reply since he was in the middle of a crazy celebratory dance!

An attempt at faking news.

The fear of failure

2010-09-12T05:12:00.000-07:00

The one reason at the forefront for the yawning gap that exists between potential and performance has to be the fear of failure. The "What if this doesnt come off" probably ensures a lot of things that die out even before they are born. Because fear leads to doubt leads to tentativeness leads to failure.

How often - even in cricket (what else did you think this blog would draw parallels with?) - have we seen a fast bowler come charging down in a scenario with nothing to lose and give it his very best. A team batting first bowled out for 130 odd leaving very little chance for a victory - comes out knowing that while fielding there is nothing to be lost. And that liberation leads to the best coming out. The pacemen going all out - no one to block the boundaries - the fielders all in menacing attacking positions eager to snap up any chance that comes their way. Because there is no use in moping about the poor first inning now (the media will do it anyway) and hence seek whatever little joy they can bring their way with a spirited performance.

Sehwag has to be the best proponent of having no fear of failure (esp in test matches). He lives the moment - that particular ball. It never matters whether hitting this particular ball for what he believes it deserves causes a slide for the team. Or that foregoing the boundary here might set up the bowler to concede six later. He wants to cross those bridges when he comes to them and hence doesnt hesitate ever to make the most. The fear never exists because he has made his peace with the effort being worth it anyway

But it is perhaps this very fear of failure and the lack thereof that causes champions to fall to underdogs and for a bunch of no hopers to put one past the champions.

Logic and strength on paper would always mandate a champion victory. But then logic never accounted for the power that liberation from the fear of failure brings in. And ofcourse no body can ever account for spirit. Couple the two and you potentially have a bunch of impossible to explain results right on your hands. Why spot fix when the ROI on any betting would be infinite if only liberation and spirit were to be mixed.

As for me - i seek that liberation.

The Conspiracy

2010-09-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

It was a grim time and shock was writ large on everyone's faces. How well they had acted all this while. Who would have ever thought? That it wasnt the usual suspect but them all along. But soon the shock and outrage would turn into gratitude. Not towards the criminals or the innocent usual suspect but to News of the World who brought out yet another dirty conspiracy.

Saturday and Sunday - the most loved of all days - the days every one welcomed with such joy and anticipation. The fun days! The best days! Oh why do they ever end! Such love everyone had for both of them. They had been exposed - for so long they had stooped so low and built up this image of greatness for themselves.

They werent nice - they were infact the S-Gang - much feared in Daykistan - all the other days save perhaps Friday were completely scared of them. They used all the leverage possible to make the others toe their line. What the S-Gang said was law. The S-word was obeyed by the others without protest. Except for that pesky Friday.

Investigations revealed that Monday was not a bad guy at all - he never meant anyone any harm. But the leverage the S-gang had over him and his poor family meant he had to go their bidding. They set him up as the worst guy - the one day that would be the worst right after S-gang had come in and done their 'we are the nice guys' routine. They made sure Monday had character - that Murphy would star only on a Monday and never else. That Monday would inevitably bring with him loads of work at office. That Monday would have broken chappals and traffic jams in unexpected places. That Monday would be the day you would sigh wistfully and long for those rascals Saturday and Sunday.

They ensured Mondays were so bad that in contrast even an ordinary performance from them during their showtime would be lapped up by the adoring masses gratefully and willingly.

The others just had to carry on what Monday started - they lacked the flair Monday had - he might be good at heart but a born actor he was too - but the damage he did at the top of the order was enough to sustain the supporting acts of the rest.

Except Friday. The one guy who really did his job truthfully. The one who signified the end of the dreary work week (keep in mind the S-gang had their role to play in making it dreary). He had principles. He had a backbone. He always made attempts to ensure that things wrapped up early with him around. He never liked those formal clothes and ensured on his day you could be yourself. Comfortable.

And he was popular - why wouldnt he be with all that he did! The S-gang was jealous. He was their immediate past and they did not hold much leverage on him. All they could do was stop him from ratting on them but never could they get him to do a Monday and make them look good. He was a star in his own right.

They started smear campaigns against him. Who do you think came up with the concept of 'Friday the 13th'? 'Black Friday' 'Freaky Friday' - Oh they did all they could to bring him down - to make him unpopular. But they couldnt succeed.

Today as their true colours were exposed - they stood there jealous of the one guy who stood up to them and would take the witness stand today in the expose by News of the World.

*Working on a Saturday can do strange things to the mind. Pakistan Cricketers can be inspiring in their own way too

If and Sachin

2010-03-01T00:24:00.000-08:00

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

The World Cup 2007 was perhaps the biggest disaster India had been to. Starting as some sort of favourites - it ended a dream. Sachin himself got out to a ugly posture crouching as his stumps lay dismantled. The blame game had begun with doubts on Tendulkar's future, a noise created on his 'waning reflexes and skills'. It was the time for 'Endulkar' and Manjrekarian opinions to rear up their head. Guru Greg chose to absolve himself of all blame for the debacle and lay it firmly on the team's shoulders - even pointing fingers at Sachin. Sach meanwhile quietly made his protest known and got back to doing what he does best - play cricket

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

There was a phase when Sachin would play not like the old himself - not the ravaging genius - but more a seasoned statesman. Not going for those lofted shots but for those nudges that would get the singles. Scoring effectively and doing what the team needed. And then hear people whisper - He isnt himself these days. He must Retire. Yet to win the Man of the Match award and announce to the world that he alone knew his game and what he was doing, it was fine to compare this to his old self but he would play as he chose not the way his 'fans' demanded.

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

And that phase when he traded his big shots and domination for percentage cricket and maybe to an extent chose to let the sheen dim off a little, letting himself be deemed mortal - when he took hits on the body on that England tour to keep playing for a country needed him to be there. Or when he chose to play a full inning of 241* without once falling to the temptation of the off side drive. When he believed that he could look ugly, could let his shine dim because in the end it was all for a larger cause - a team getting a gritty middle order batsman who was up for a scrap even if not beautiful.

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

As a kid - taken by his brother for coaching with Ramakant Achrekar. To sacrifice his education to follow a dream to play cricket. To play and practice till he was tired. To proclaim to the world that all he wanted to do was play cricket for India. And to do that more successfully than anyone else and then when that dream was achieved, to change the dream to play for India as long as possible and keep achieving that with the mischeivious enthusiasm of a 16 year old.

If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

The equanimity with which he accepts both accolades and criticism - to have the grace to smile and say that in a long journey, you get stones thrown at you - you simply convert them to milestones. To accept the pain of seeing a masterful 136 in Chennai go waste only to come back there years later and hit another masterful 103* to seal a win. To see 175 of his best get wasted by a bat not grounded but to come back and non-chalantly score 200* and then have the humility to simply raise his arms and dedicate it to a nation of adoring fans.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;

To play like no one ever has in a WC, to hit the fastest bowler out of the attack - to take the team to the finals and then fail in the finals chasing a mountain. But to have gumption enough to fail in another edition and still be determined to come back and claim what should have been rightfully his. And then start playing again better than ever before - with a consistency that mortals will only dream off. To have the critics who wrote him off , lineup yet again to praise him AND for Sachin to be unaffected by either reaction

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

To be 37 in a game of youngsters, to have played for 20 long years and show no sign of tiring. To carry on for what can be nothing but sheer love of the game. To outdo oneself for others were left gasping for breath way behind. To have a host of youngsters wishing that they could be a third of his brilliance and yet outlive the careers of those who idolised him.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

Humility is an hallmark that has been true through his career - whether in form or out of it. Whether it was the time when he signed multi million deals or when he was booed at the Wankhede. When he accepted the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna or when he was out for 4 in the WC finals. When he hit his 200 or when he had to read the prophets of doom attempting to push him out of the team.

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

For 20 years of outstanding sportsmanship, unparalleled batting, unquenchable thirst for the game. For being the game's greatest idol and its greatest worshipper. For taking us to places we never imagined. For fulfilling our repressed dreams - for making India dream. For being the impeccable role-model we all looked upto - in the days of Tigers. For being the man for whom the earth awaits! Thank you Sir!

The poem is 'If' by Rudyard Kipling. If only he knew how that he was predicting Sachin Tendulkar's career when he wrote it.

Marketing & Cricket

2010-02-04T06:16:00.000-08:00

You make profits in marketing when you sell your larger sized SKUs (Stock Keeping Units). So say a 400ml Clinic Plus bottle is likely to make more profit than a Re.1 Clinic Plus pouch. But yet both these SKUs play extremely different and yet extremely important roles in the marketing portfolio.

Ideally you want all your consumers to buy the 400 ml pack and be wed to your brand for a longer period of time and along the way make a higher profit. But therein lies the catch - not everyone can afford the 400 ml pack, not everyone uses shampoo at all and for a non-user - fat chance of ever jumping into the category with a 400ml buy, Not everyone even buys your brand and perhaps for them to try it out for the first time - the 400 ml might be overkill.

So thats where the 1 Re SKU comes into the picture. It plays the role of expanding the category itself by recruiting new users to the category - people who never used shampoos. It also allows people using other brands to take a peek at your brand and maybe convert. Finally it also allows people to get what they want in lesser quantity and at an affordable put down price.

So in a nutshell if profitability and loyalty is the task for the large SKU, expansion is the thing to do for the smaller SKU and thats how they both co-exist peacefully.

Wait! FOUR full paragraphs and not a single mention or reference to cricket? Wondering if you are on the right blog? Oh yes you are!

Time now to pan to cricket and look at its SKUs - The Large SKU - Test Cricket. The Middle Sized SKU -ODI cricket and finally The Small SKU - T20 cricket.

Lets start with the simple one - T20. Very clearly the format of the game which will add more viewers to the game. People uninterested in sports will not mind spending some time watching a T20 game because of the basic nature of the format - quick and exciting! Hardcore fans of other sports like Football who had very little interest in cricket might also want to enjoy the T20 phenomenon (an analogy for gaining users from competing brands) and finally given that the format is extremely short and quick - those fans who like watching cricket but simply dont have the time to devote to it now have it good. (analogy for the affordable put down price)

But a moment here to step back and check the glaring difference hitting one in the face. While typically the small SKU is low profitability, this format of the game is the highest profit garnering version.

So while the ultimate aim should have been to recruit new fans through the T20 mode and then gradually upgrade them to Test Cricket - from an economic perspective it may not hold much water. From a pure economic perspective, it makes sense to promote and maintain T20 and hold the attention of viewers there.

So what is it that the oldest and longest and biggest form of the game have to offer? For starters - it IS the REAL version without doubt. It is the truest test of temperament and skill for T20 reduces the gap between skill and result and Tests tests it over 5 days. It allows you to appreciate strategy in the game and see a duel build up between bat and ball without the constraint of field placements or over limits. The thrill of seeing people going for it without inhibition. The field where a player well and truly proves himself.

But thats for the hardcore fan. Cricket's marketing dilemma lies in the fact that without Test Cricket - subtlety and skill will desert the game and convert itself into a more 'wham bam' power / hand-eye coordination game.

And it will mean turning around conventional economics or marketing and have the small SKU generate funds to invest in the larger SKU for long term sustenance. Because if we are to see player temperament being tested and for players to be able to triumph over conditions - Test Cricket is the only way to go.

But till the time pure and shortsighted economics continues to rule - this will be a pipedream!

Hope and the like

2010-02-04T05:53:00.000-08:00

Sidin Vadukut wrote about how Srinath and Kumble made him an eternal optimist while watching India play cricket. Their riveting partnership in Bangalore had snatched a win from the jaws of defeat making him hopeful in all India matches.

My contention is that a lidetime of being a India cricket supporter makes you an optimist in life - not just cricket. Basically being a God Fearing country and hence being a strong believer in Divine Intervention - we are natural optimists and hopers.

A child would go to an exam ill prepared and then pray to God hoping that he passes the paper - knowing fully well that he wont as he just hasnt put in the hard yards.

So as you might make out from the garbled text above - I am clearly mixing two ideas and trying to pull out a unifying thread. To put it simply, irrational hope is something majority of us believe in and stray instances of such hope being validated push us to root for the improbable to happen because while the mind knows it wont happen, the heart roots for the romantically fabulous result.

Some F1 seasons ago - when Hakkinen and Schumacher used to slug it out - as a Ferrari supporter (which then used to be the inferior car) - I would always hope for a mechanical failure for McLaren if Hakki was leading by 40 seconds or so. It would never happen - till that last lap, where his car conked off leaving him stranded at the last corner - so much so that he could have ran across and still finished first. But the Ferraris won with the fuming McLaren stranded. And then there was precedence for such hope to fly everytime the Scuderia were trailing.

The WC Final of 2003 when Australia blasted the living daylights out of us and we were left to chase a mountain of a score - there was immense hope when Sachin hit his first ball for a boundary and then a wave of futility when he got out the next ball. Then Sehwag started whacking it, hope rose again but it reached its crescendo when it started raining. For that fleeting moment it seemed that no less a personality than the Almight Himself wanted India to win and it was Him raining in on the Aussie Parade. Out came my trumpet and on went the noise (no - not even I can describe my trumpetting even remotely as music) for those 15 minutes till they came back on to play and the irrational hope was squashed.

And then recently the famed last wicket stands for England to save Test matches - irrationally hopeful but it happened.

Point being that as The Shawshank Redemption states "Hope is a Good Thing, maybe the best of things" Perhaps so! But it is that thin line between Hope and Irrational Hope that causes trouble and maybe even miracles.

A lifetime of irrational hoping for miracles in Indian Cricket makes one an irrational hoper in life. And it is that thrill of playing the miniscule odds even in the face of certain disaster that makes the hoping worthwhile. For in hoping, you possibly lose a few hours feeling bummed that you ever believed, but for the one in a thousand chance that the irrational hope comes off - the payoff of having believed is worth the other 999 chances - inspite of the bummy feeling after it.

And then again going with the thought that you miss 100% of the chances you dont take - irrational hope atleast ensures you take the chance.

Runouts - Part 3

2010-01-24T10:20:00.000-08:00

Well i lied - the title of this post has nothing to do with a runout but since it carries on in similar vein to the earlier run out posts, this one also carries the run out title.

Having gotten the disclaimer out of the way let us continue to the arbit part of the post (as with all run out posts)

So the same batsman who was runout the last time on a duck after an excruciating wait for the third umpire to call the decision gets another chance to play and shine. He waits in the dressing room for his turn to bat - twiddling his thumbs as the batsman just before him gets out. He starts visualising his innings in his head - wanting to go out there and play but at the same time wishing a delay for him to go in and face the music.

Finally its his turn to bat - he starts confidently, running the singles - trying to lay the base for a longer innings and his big shots. Right then he goes for a big shot - but just as it seems that the ball is to carry away over the boundary - the fielder catches the ball right at the edge. The umpire signals it as a six making the batsman want to cheer! But cue the UDRS which is called upon immediately and the decision gets overturned to get the batsman out.

He trudges back again - wondering what could have been, wondering if he will ever be back to get another chance at batting?

Out of Office

2010-01-17T23:18:00.000-08:00

This is the Out of Office I had written while on leave - and i am wanting to put it up on the blog as it deserves a wider audience. Yes this is a complete show of non-modesty. But its MY blog.

----------------------

Hi - this is the Outlook Out of Office Assistant filling in for Pushkar. I hereby inform you that Pushkar is on leave from 28th December to the 14th of January (If you have queries on how that leave ever got approved - you would have to contact his Boss - XYZ <+91number>)

While on leave, Pushkar will have no access to his mail box but to deal with immensely urgent issues, he suggests that you drop him an sms and he will get back to you.

In the mean time, if you have any GSA related issues to discuss you would do well to contact his enthusiastic FSCMs (who will no doubt be celebrating and enjoying the free reign that Pushkar's absence will bring to them)

For Ahmedabad Zone, ABC on +91number
For Surat Zone, DEF on +91number
For Rajkot Zone, GHI +91number

For any branch related issues, it is strongly recommended that you get in touch with PQR (our extremely knowledgeable and helpful BOM - you might have to get past his incessant laughter track before that though) on +91number

Pushkar also advises me to wish you all Happy Holidays and a Happy New year in his absence!

Cheers!

---------------------------

Names and numbers have been masked ofcourse!

Runouts - Part II

2010-01-05T11:35:00.000-08:00

The debutant walked to the middle - having waited 27 years to make his debut. Facing his first ball, he played at it and placed it close to the mid on fielder. To run or not to run was the call he had to make.

It would be his first run ever - but he would really have to take the leap to make the run - or really take a dive to make it. He ran - daring the throw of the sharp fielder, shaking off his own inhibitions and then saw the ball closing in on the stumps. He did the only thing he could - dive in full length.

While the dust blew up in front of his eyes, his ears could catch the audibly boisterous appealing of the fielding team. He glanced up to see the Umpire make the familiar signal to the 3rd umpire.

And those were possibly the longest moments of his life - the black TV screen showing an advertiser endorsing the 'Decision Awaited' graphic. The heartbeats for him could not be any faster and just then the screen flashes up the decision - a red coloured 'OUT' graphic.

And his nervous energy dissipates into disappointment but not before he vows to come out again and bat and this time beat the throw from that sharp fielder.

The Start

2009-11-13T00:34:00.000-08:00

So when the opening batsmen walk out to face the first ball of their inning, they have a set preparation in mind. 'Play out the monster fast bowler'; 'Dont play wide outside the offstump' ; 'Defend the first few overs'

Typically they must be mentally preparing to face specific bowlers - to be prepared for their special balls. They must be expecting the bowler to bowl them a bouncer and keeping the hook shot ready.

So then their shock and surprise is only to be understood when they find that instead of the monster paceman, its the wily spinner opening the bowling. And that all their best laid plans are gone to waste. And thats when the wily spinner bowls that googly -which, mind you, comes in completely unexpected - the batsman finds himself getting bowled all over.

And now pan to my boss - playing chaperone to senior management, taking them around the western markets. Prepared with data in hand to answer all comers about the big ticket items - bristling with confidence on the performance on the aforementioned big ticket items. And then out comes the spinner and throws up a question on Rexona. REXONA ??? The bosss' mind screeches loud - That tiny little thing? Really? Out go all the planned big shots and out comes the defensive stroke.

History they say is kind to the one who wrote it. Or in this case the one who told it. We are told that the defensive shot met the ball right in the middle of the bat and the googly was thwarted. But then History is the story teller's right

And then the boss takes around a even bigger boss to another western market. Yet another morning. Yet another inning with the mental preparation to play the big shots. And this time its not even a googly - its one of those tricky ones that stay low. How is Salt doing ?? The boss is spell bounded. We were told that this one too was played out from the centre of the defensive bat. But yet again History is kind to the ....

Chennai Redux

2009-11-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

As it was clear that the day was going to be a total waste, the match had started and Australia had already raised visions of a humongous score. And so it was - 350 on the board. Whenever Australia scores 350, the only match that comes to mind is the World Cup 2003 final. I always wondered what it would have been like if Sachin hadnt fallen in the first over and instead stayed on to fulfill his advice to the team "If we score a boundary an over, we only have to get 158 off 250 balls"

But that wish came true today and unfortunately it did not quite end the way it has played out so many times in my head.

When Murphy decides that its his day - things are destined to go wrong. So the flight out of Baroda was delayed. The flight landed and taxied to the farthest possible parking bay. The bus did not show up for 15 minutes. The bus took 17 minutes to the terminal. The luggage had not shown up. The luggage came only 20 minutes later.

When the flight landed - Sachin was on 112. By the time the bag came through he was on 162. Never before has the temptation for vandalism been so severe - God knows what saved the airport from having a few broken glasses! Naresh Goyal - may your pilots strike again and again!

The taxi had a radio and the match was on and by then both Raina and Bhajji had been lost. Oh the excitement of cheering Sachin on to scale 350 and atleast avenge 2003 WC.

But the ghosts of Chennai have never been too far behind. If it was Joshi, Srinath and Prasad there - It was Jadeja, Nehra, Munaf and Praveen here. Sachin cried then and it took him 9 years to wipe those scars off.

It is unlikely he has 9 years more to wipe this one off

Buddhadeb Sengupta

2009-11-01T01:40:00.002-07:00

Buddhadeb Sengupta is a very interesting character. The first thing that comes to your mind when you see him is - why is this little boy running around without his mummy?

And then just when you worriedly start looking around for the mother, just so the little KID would not be lost, you are told that he isnt quite the little boy but is a 26 year old 'man'

You look at him incredulously, shocked that he could indeed be TWENTY SIX. Then you chuckle to yourself and suddenly think that this little guy would never ever be able to sing the song "Jab mai chotta baccha tha..."

Like all Bengalis, Buddhadeb has a misplaced sense of his own strength. So it doesnt take much for him to tell a 6Foot 110 Kg guy that he (Buddha ) would pick him up and throw him away. Sigh so much for his bravado. But then once you factor in the fact that Buddhadeb is a KKR supporter in the IPL - suddenly it all starts to make sense.

Buddhadeb -in line with his other many eccentricities - has this unique way of sleeping as well. As a KID (as in when his real age also equated to kid status), he was mightily impressed by stories of how the Ostrich would bury its head in the sand to try and put away all its problems. So he decided that the Ostrich would indeed be his mascot and what better way to emulate the mascot than to sleep the way it does. See the attached photo. (The model in the photo is only for representation purposes and does not neccessarily imply any link to Buddhadeb).

Ofcourse the sleeping with the pillow under the head is not Buddha's only way to shake off reality. He, being a quintessential Bengali, has to be connected to fish. The only problem? He does not like eating the fish (a fact that almost got Mamatadi to launch an agitation to get him ripped off his Bengali status). So he makes up for it - by drinking like a fish.

His exploits under the influence are folklore in many parts of the world. The late Michael Jackson could learn a trick or two about dancing from BDUI (Buddhadev Dancing Under Influence). Oh those moves he could pull off (and then spend the next week wondering why his back hurts so much!). And then the stories about drinking - proceeding to the loo - and then not coming out of it for the entire night because he mistook it for his bed.

Aah Buddhadeb is indeed a character. It is likely that some of you who read this might have met Buddhadeb sometime in your lives. And you might know more such stories about Buddhadeb - please do contribute generously!

Memories and Associations

2009-10-31T05:52:00.000-07:00

It was that time in class XII - India playing South Africa at the Eden Gardens - lunch break at the Electrical Maintenance - a barely working transistor , just about time to get into the practicals and suddenly Javagal Srinath picks up two wickets in two balls. The chance of a hattrick and the practicals just about to start -oh the torture! We huddled around the transistor - kept the practicals waiting and heard a huge shout from the commentator as the ball travelled to Saurav in the slips. We cheered - the hattrick under our belt - and rushed into the practicals only later to find that Dada had picked the ball first bounce.

Then there was that outstanding series where India beat Australia in an epic test series - the series where Laxman became Very Very Special. It was the first year of engineering. The same transistor. The final day and a chance of a victory - remote but yet a chance, the half flight of the sixth floor and 4 heads huddled around the transistor. Sachin bowling and picking three wickets, Bhajji playing like never before or after. The shouts of pure delight when the last wicket was had and the admonishing Mechanics professor who gave us our marching orders. Ah the bliss of having seen India to victory!

And then when we played New Zealand and it was 29th October 1999 - a day for Joshi Sir's Chemistry Classes and tests followed by Perreira Sir's Mathematics Classes - but also the first day of a test match with Sachin in great form and nervous in the 90s - Hitting two airy shots - catches which should have been taken but were dropped by Adam Parore to let Sachin get his 100. Signs were ominous - with my birthday following up and luck behind him, it was the moment for SRT to notch up his first ever international double ton. And so he did on 30th October - a birthday gift

Or that series where the Nagpur groundsman sold his nationality to the Aussies. A dead rubber in Mumbai on a minefield. Sachin and VVS played brilliant knocks to setup a meagre target of 108 for the Aussies. But there was the APplication EXercise (APEX) project to be submitted to the most fearsome of all IIMB Profs - Rambo and chasing 108 - Murali Karthik weaved magic - 25/3 and a rush from the Computer Centre to the Rec Room to watch the match. While the Apex waited, Murali and the pitch exploded to win the match. Aah the joy of watching India pull off a miracle!

Or that time with the Class X exams approaching and an exam the next day, trying to study and ignore the India Pakistan match at Dhaka. Pakistan putting up 314 to win for us and Sachin hitting an attacking 41 before holing out to Afridi, getting into a room with the door closed to try and concentrate on the match and still try to catch glimpses of it from time to time from the crack in the door. To see Robin Singh stride out at no.3 and hit a 81, to see Dada play a resolute 124 and then to sit in front of the TV and see Azhar and Dada refuse to leave the field for Bad Light. And finally to have Hrishikesh Kanitkar play the boundary in the last over (which won him a place in the squad for 20 matches)

Its funny how many mundane moments of life seem interesting simply because the associations we make for them with other exciting moments. Calvin in a dialogue with Hobbes once commented "I have this homework to do but i really want to go play outside. I know that doing my homework is important for me in the long run but playing outside will give me joy in the short run!" Cut to the next scene with Calvin on his sledge outside with Hobbes saying "But in the really long run, I know what will make better memories!"

Cricket has that ability of throwing up those moments which will make better memories!

Swagger Cricket

2009-10-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

Legends say that the West Indian teams of yore played cricket that made you love the game - that they used to stride to the ground with a swagger, an air full of confidence - not arrogance but simple honest confidence that they were the best and indeed they were!

Legends talk about how the crowd used to be one with the game - dance and rum and chanting and the calypsos. Why wouldnt they be one with the game? After all the legends also spoke about tall lanky dangerous pacemen who could shatter you with their mere speed, about bowlers who never spoke a word but a cocked eyebrow was enough to send shivers through spines, about batsmen who could hit 189 in the company of a no.11, about batsmen who were so elegant that they drew comparisons to feline beasts, of bowlers who could run through lineups even with a fractured wrist.

But mainly the legends spoke about how this set of talented individuals gelled together as a team and well and truly enjoyed their game. The word swagger keeps swelling these legends.

However when one has started watching the game with the Windies in terminal decline, with cricket as a sport dwindling in popularity in the Carribeans - it always has been extremely difficult to associate with these legends. Its difficult to see why the Windies were everyone's favourite team inspite of being champions. Or how they were everyone's favourite team after their own.

Till the Champions League - till Trinidad and Tobago raised the question as to HOW and WHY the Windies could be in such terminal decline inspite of such beautiful and boundless talent available with them in just one set of islands! How can a team which has access to players who play such attractive and fearless cricket, a bunch of cricketers so in sync with each other and so openly and completely enjoying their game and playing with complete pride- lead to the West Indies being so pathetic?

The T&T team has given me a glimpse of what the West Indies heydays would have been like. To have a Richards and a Haynes and a Greenidge blasting away and a Marshall and a Garner and a Holding bowling those fearsome spells - oooh this T & T team has offered trailers of what could have been.

And yet one can only wonder and marvel at how a great giant of a team has self destructed to go from top of the pile to near bottom. But till such wonders cease - I will be supporting the fearless and attractive cricket that perhaps only Carribean cricket can bring to the table

We retain the right...

2009-10-21T04:42:00.000-07:00

... to use, abuse and generally humiliate you! You are after all our favourite whipping boy. We give two hoots to the fact that you have been our most dependable batsman - nay check that - you have been our most dependable player but we really dont care about that

So you have kept wickets so that we could play an additional batsman because at that point of time we really did not have anyone worth their salt who could do both - wear the wicketkeeping gloves and hold the bat the right way. Yes yes - you could have refused and played as a pure batsman (its not as if our batting cupboard was overflowing with talent to replace you as a batsman) but you put the team interests over your own and manfully donned the gloves to help build a killer team. But really its you who were crazy enough not to be selfish - you cant hold that to us !

Yes you batted at all positions in the squad - heck you even opened the batting, you even played the role of a fantastic one day finisher, you have played the sheet anchor role, you have played well on any surface - but really its your fault that you could change the image we hold of you - that of a stodgy blocker. So what if you have really finished off most innings with elan? So what if you were the most dependable and proficient chaser of a total? It is undeniably your FAULT for having created that impression of yourself in the first place! Surely - you cant hold THAT against us ?

Yes you have batted at 0/1 most of your life, you have even opened the test innings because there was no one else willing to put their hand up. It has to be your fault for not going with the flow and ignoring the team needs. What kind of moron time and again volunteers to put himself in peril just for the team cause? How are we to blame if you are a glutton for self-punishment? Surely - you cant hold THAT against us?

Yes we dropped you unceremoniously from the OD squad because we imagined we had a bunch of youngsters better than you. So what if we had only played them on flat batting friendly 'Even-Munaf-Can-Hit-A-Fifty-Here' kind of pitches ? They were the youth and they look so dashing! And even when they get out they look so elegant - unlike you! You stupid stodgy blocker who hits every ball to the fielder! What? You say you were more effective! Hah - yet again its your fault for being effective over being stylish and generally in the news! Who told you to peacefully get married and be a family man? If you were to have affairs with filmstars maybe you would have been more interesting! Surely you can't hold that against us - CAN YOU?

And yes so we goofed up by trusting the youth too much - they couldnt really handle the short ones. So when we went off to difficult pitches, we called you back. Like the dumb glutton for abuse you are - you promptly decided to come back and bail out the team and play the short balls on bad pitches. Yeah Yeah you did a reasonable job there but hah now we are back on flat pitches! We dont need no help from you no more! We are back on the 'Even-Munaf-Can-Hit-A-Fifty-Here' pitches and you can keep your boring effective batting to yourself!

You Sir - have done everything the team could have asked of you! You have led by example. You have taken the tab for the team at every possible opportunity. And yet you are a fool for having done all of this for a bunch of people who couldnt have cared less. For having sacrificed yourself and having expected nothing in return.

Rahul 'The Wall' Dravid - you have banged yourself against a stone wall hoping that the stone wall would yield. It never will.

Farewell !

That sinking feeling

2009-09-21T02:13:00.000-07:00

It is said that if a batsman goes out thinking that he cant play so and so bowler - come what may he wont be able to play him. If he believes that maybe he will edge the ball that moves away - he will.

And he gets into this state of mind when he repeatedly keeps getting out to that one bowler or repeatedly falls to the same ball or the same shot

And so begins a downward spiral - a lack of belief and hence a lack of confidence and maybe subconsciously even a lower expectation from one self.

He can try to force himself out of it by going all out aggressive - but one then cant be sure if steps out once too often. In the attempt to dominate he might well miss the line of the ball completely and get out leading to further demoralisation.

He might decide to spend time in the middle - getting his basics right - trying to solve one thing at a time, iron out those minor creases but then he realises that he has to score. The runrate is just building up all the time and unless he hits out NOW his improved technique might just not help.

So what does he do? What does he do? How does he snap out of the downward spiral? Where does it all end?

T20 is exciting when ...

2009-04-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

... the bowlers dominate the batsmen. What joy to see low scoring thrillers!

Also South Africa is proving to be an inspired choice for a location. With the pitches supporting the bowlers - it is clear that the fly-by-night lesser skilled batsmen are not going to make the cut.

Which means that we get to watch real talent fight real battles out there. It also means that the Jaffers and Chopras of the world have a right to play their trade in the IPL. It will also mean that teams will actually relook their batting lineups and go in with one anchor and one hitter kind of a lineup.

The thing with the last IPL was that the batsmen started on top and the bowlers had to learn new tricks to keep the scoring down. In this case - the learning curve is all for the batsmen and hence the old experienced hands are going to be the ones most succesful.

Cheers to the new IPL ~ its like a Hamam. Everybody has a chance here

The IPL and the stock market

2009-04-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

While there will always be many ways to make money in the IPL - one of the long term solutions is investments. Not investments in shares but investments in players.

The way to make big money is to contract players cheap - make them successful, have them capture the public imagination and then sell them at much higher rates.

It makes for an interesting conundrum for any team then! You need to have established stars to get audiences riveted to your team, to ensure that you have fans and to ensure that you win matches. And yet these stars dont come cheap. So you need to get a mix of stars, good steady known players and then the unknown guys - young talented but with no pedigree to show that they can really shine. These are the ones you take your chances on.

Ofcourse as was shown in the case of Hyderabad last year - even buying the best players on paper can get you to bottom place. However the IPL mandates that you balance your portfolio well. For every Sachin and Sanath that you buy - you need a Nayar and a Rahane and equally you need the mix of Dhavals and Rajes. The Sachin and Sanaths will win matches alongside Nayars and Rahanes being the supports while the Dhavals and Rajes will come out of nowhere to make a name for themselves.

The Sachins and Sanaths are high short term returns - they win matches and are attractive to sponsors and hence get immediate money. They also sell the shirts. They would however also be the depreciating assets - resale value would be lower than the buying price for sure
!
The Nayars and the Rahanes are possibly the known future stars - the ones that come inexpensive and can weigh in with their performances. The Dhavals and the Rajes are the ones who come at prices tending to zero - can make a name for themselves and get sold for astronomical prices. These are the logn term investments. High Risk if they dont fire as even one really bad over in a T20 can have the match lost - as to make these guys future stars and marketable - they have to be played in a fair smattering of matches.

So one has to be a strong scout and spot the ones with the talent and get them in - take your chances and play them even if it means one can lose the match. Because if you nurture and market that talent well - you have a big fat profit on your hands.

The strategy is also very useful when it comes to players on the brink of national selection - say for eg Shaun Marsh last year. If he were to be sold - there would be some buying to be done.

So the long term profits depend on who one picks to be the future star. They could perhaps pick a trick or two from The Rajasthan Royals. Buy low - sell high - they have it made!

A cycle of life

2009-04-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

Most parents strive to provide their kids with all that they missed out on. In doing so they make some sacrifices and bear some pain but in the end its all good and they end up happy if their kids get what they were aiming for.

Similarly when the parents get older, most good kids take care of their parents. The parents on the other hand try their best to pull their own weight and be no liability and enjoy all that their kids are providing them with.

So then lets classify Sachin, Rahul, VVS as the elders/parents of the Indian team and Gambhir, Dhoni, Zak et al as the young kids of the family.

Sachin and Dravid have perhaps had the most frustrating of times in their prime. 20/2 would more often than not be the scoreline they would see when they came together and then both would play to save our asses. They did it on numerous occasions but rarely had the bowling to back them up. And when they failed we failed. However they soldiered on - rising way above the mediocrity around them - taking those overseas losses one after the other on their chins. Hearing them be called chokers but yet carry on. They had to - after all they were upholding the standards for performance for an entire country. These were the guys who would spawn the next generation of Indian batsmen - who would have taken to the sport having fallen in love with the superlative batting. Or if someone idolized Kumble, superlative bowling.

Their efforts were almost like the provident fund being deducted every month - an investment for the future. The hope was that it would pay off sometime. That they would inspire those few cricketers who would turn and become world beaters.

They came forth. A Gambhir who showed that he can bat like a Geoff Boycott to save a test or play an attacking game like his own self to setup a victory. That he can take on the fast guys or stride down the ground to those pie-chuckers. An Ishant Sharma who can in one fierce spell of fast bowling scythe down Australian skippers and others to create breakthroughs. Or a reborn Zak who with accurate and experienced bowling crash through any batting side.

That the big guys like Sachin and Rahul and VVS were deprived in their early days means that now is the time for redemption. Its time for the kids to pay back the seniors for their efforts and investments. With test wins outside the subcontinent - anywhere, everywhere against anyone and everyone.

And make no mistake - not only are the seniors carrying their weight - they are worth their weight in gold. Playing gem like innings which win matches.

And series wins outside - just like the one in New Zealand - are just reward for everyone - irrespective of age, experience of seniority. Because its the cycle of life. As you sow so shall you reap.

The opening batsman

2009-02-22T03:19:00.000-08:00

Traditionally the opening batsman was likened to a dam - someone who holds the water long enough for the others to prosper. He would take the shine off the ball and hold fort in difficult conditions. His vigil would ensure that the dangerous bowlers would be blunted when fresh and fairly tired when the new batsmen eventually came out to bat.

Fairly similar to a college or even a corporate scenario when there are some n people to be reviewed by the boss for their performance. The first man in has a job to do and perform a duty to the rest of his/her colleagues (yeah the man in this case can be interpreted as man/woman). The opener here has to bear the brunt of a fresh boss bowling the unplayable short deliveries, the zippers that you have no clue about, the ones that have you playing for the in-coming delivery but go out instead. He has to ensure that he consumes time and in general drains out the enthusiasm from the boss. So when the others come in to play - its already a placid pitch as they know what questions to expect and are generally prepared plus fatigue would have already set in for the ever-questioning-boss.

Invariably the opener who gets out early exposing the middle order to a boss on rampage partly ensures that everyone has a torrid time. A bad opener can ruin the team's fortunes.

Lately however there has been another breed of openers. The ones who choose not to defend but aim to get to their 100 before the crowd has even settled into their seats. I ofcourse have the likes of Sehwag and Hayden in my mind as I write this. They pulverise the bowlers and generally put them on the backfoot so that they dont have much enthu left for the day even when there is new guy at the crease. Also given that this opener has put on runs so fast on the board - it lets the remaining guys bat without pressure and get their collective eyes in.

Yes - there is an analogy coming up here too. Just imagine a presenter in the review who instead of getting hammered by the boss - suddenly starts questioning his boss about stuff that has gone wrong, about all the support promised but not given. Someone answering everything aggressively - maybe even putting the boss in a good mood with all the forthcoming answers - Oh yes that eases up the pitch too.

Then there is that utility of the opener to put up the first runs on the board - to break the ice. Its the opener who has to break the awkward silence and get things going.

So here is a tribute to all good openers - Be the Akash Chopra variety or the Sehwag. Whether they get a ton in half an hour or half a run in an hour - they play the most unique and difficult role in cricket and otherwise.

The components

2009-02-22T02:07:00.000-08:00

Talent is what you are born with, the ability to get that bat hit the ball in time, the ability to turn around that arm and see the ball reach with some pace down the 22 yards. The ability to middle it and the ability to turn it. Talent is bestowed.

Technique is what your hardwork builds onto your talent. The long hours spent as a kid with your unrelenting coach. Hours and hours of hitting a ball hanging in a sock right in the middle. Hours of putting that front foot forward and keeping that head steady. Recursive strides to the pitch to get that high arm action, the numerous efforts to roll that wrist over - to land the ball on the proverbial penny.

Experience is knowing what to do when. Experience is also telling the rookies what to do when. Experience is the instinct that life gives you after years of run-ins

Temperament is the ability of doing what needs to be done under pressure. Over and over again. And again.

Flair is the ability to make people forgive you for the lack of all the above.

Form is the resultant effectiveness when either all the above desert you or all the above align with you.

Luck is what precludes any of the above.

A Happy Place

2009-01-16T09:41:00.000-08:00

Scrubs is a fantastic sitcom which narrates itself through the thoughts of a funny guy named JD. JD usually has a vivid imagination and uses that to drift off very often. Given that he is a doctor in a hospital with the entire sitcom based around the hospital – its obvious that they deal with the morbid topic of death in a light yet sensitive manner. Now doctors as they are wont to – discuss patients on the death bed and they usually have a good inkling about when someone is about to leave for heavenly/hellish abode. And then they say that the only thing that can be done is to put the patient into a happy place. Jd – with his imagination thought of putting the patients in a room with clouds and lots of balloons – making them happy.

When so many legends of the Indian Team are about to leave the team – running their last few laps, one really hopes that they too are in a happy place before they leave. Firstly one hopes that the player gets to leave on his own terms and not because some fat failed ex-cricketer thinks its time for retribution. And then that the last sign off is memorable. We saw Dada go – announcing himself our before the start of the test series and then going on to hit one of the best centuries he has ever hit at Mohali. You call that leaving on a high. Kumble – knowing when it was time to go – when wickets were not forthcoming at the Kotla of all places. He quit on the last day of the test and came out to bowl with an injured finger. You call that leaving with dignity. The happy place is indeed that feeling of success or dignified pride just before you leave, with your head high.

We as a cricketing nation have been spoiled. If the Aussies has “If Lillee don’t get you, Thommo will”, we have now for almost a decade been lulled to believe that middle orders are routinely built with the quality of Dravid, Sachin, VVS and Dada with the opening of Sehwag thrown in for spicy garnishing. We have come to exect a Sachin-Rahul partnership to save us from 20/2 or the old firm of Rahul and VVS to laugh off a huge deficit and build up yet another of their triple hundred partnerships. And then to have Sachin blasting away where others fade into oblivion or to have a gritty Dada to fight off critics and the shortpitched ball to wrest away initiative from battle hardened Aussies.

We have been lulled into the belief that its our right to expect this quality – to be 4 down and have quality like VVS and Dada there at the crease. To have concentration and determination good enough to score on a cloudy day on a damp green pitch in Headingley and lead us to victory. Or to ground out a 240 odd at Sydney – while being in the worst possible form.Or to have some elegant shots to turn around a tough situation into a dominating one.

We should be grateful and hope that we ourselves get a chance to be in a happy place when they all leave the ground for good. Instead we seem to be in a hurry to see the back of champs like Dravid and VVS and the blasphemy of it all – even Sachin. Forgive us oh father in heaven for we know not what we seek. We seek a happy place for stalwarts while risking ourselves into a middle-order fresh and no where close to the quality as dictated by the Fab Four.

Its time we were genuinely scared of seeing a lineup that reads Gambhir, Sehwag, Sharma, Pujara, Badri, Yuvraj, Dhoni.. A middle order without the stamp of genuine world class.

Perhaps its our way of soothing ourselves into believing that we wont miss them – that we go round asking for their heads. That we believe that the pretenders are yet ready so that when they are gone we will have convinced ourselves that we did not really need them anyway.

One gone and three to go. 2-3 years at best by which time they will all be gone and only be names rich with history. Till then lets strive to enjoy every little drop of water in the oasis. It promises to be a long desert once the departure is all complete.

The Checklist

2009-01-02T05:25:00.000-08:00

Just prior to the 2003 World Cup began, India were on a lean patch - losing effortlessly in New Zealand and generally having a bad start to the Cup with a less than convincing victory v/s Holland and a thumping defeat to the Aussies. Which is when Sachin took over and quite literally charged us through to the finals - with sterling contributions from Dada and the others too. But till that final it was truly Sachin's Cup. The final was another story of us choking in a final. I assume Sachin looked back at that, looked around at the young team that was promising to be so much and said to himself- "Well Never mind, I still have another go in 2007" and perhaps left it at that.

Come 2007 and yet again India were faltering but had turned things around in the home series v/s SL. But there was disaster waiting. First a loss to the Bangladeshis, then a thumping critical win against the Bermudans and finally the loss that kicked us out - a loss to the Lankans. India - one of the bets to win the cup were out - in the First Round. Total and complete disaster. Sachin had played his part in the exit by not contributing much. And thats when I believe, the checklist must have been born.

SRT would have been more disappointed than anyone else - heck it was his 5th attempt at the Cup and the runners up trophy in 2003 was the best he had to show for it. He could have had the Cup in 96 but for Azhar's dumb decision at the toss. He could have had it in 2003 but our nervousness was too much compared to the Aussies.

So then there he was - 18 years in the business, great reputation, huge achievements, many records, many accolades - but he must have felt the pinch of several things missing. Firstly and most importantly - the World Cup was not there. How could HE - the greatest of his generation leave the game without the Cup. How could HE - the best that India ever produced - tolerate 2 penny critics raising aspersions about his achievements? That he never played when it mattered? Or that he choked in Finals? Or that he could never really play in a 4th inning!

He had it all - but perhaps the thought was to put his legacy beyond doubt. After all, no one nitpicks the Don's record by saying that the Don never had to contend with so much cricket or with ODI cricket which corrupted the purity of technique.

And while the young team played without him in Bangladesh - Sachin set out a 4 year plan for himself. Yes it had to end with the World Cup in 2011 - He would win it in front of his adoring home crowd at the Wankhede. But what till then ? What would keep him motivated for 4 long years? For if he did indeed play till 2011, it would mean that he had pushed his body in international cricket for 22 years and across 4 decades.

So thats where Sachin decided that the critics after all must be put to some use - and out came all the accusations on a piece of paper.

Never Plays in Finals
Never saves matches for India
Never plays in the 4th inning of a match
Has never played under pressure (admittedly he laughed for a good 5 mins after writing this one down. After years of walking in to bat at 20/2 in test matches - cant take pressure was surely one of the best jokes he had heard)
Has lost the capability to play attacking cricket
Has never played at the Wankhede
Is not fit enough for International Cricket
Is blocking places for deserving youngsters to get into the team

And out of these - with the final aim to take the World Cup back home (so that stupid political protesters could break it again), Sachin created his checklist to start ticking off till he chose to take off from the Cricket Scene in 2011 with the Cup in his hands.

The last two years have been testimony to the pursuit of this checklist. The consistency and aggresiveness of his innings in England, the purity and reflexes of his knocks in Australia. The twin big innings in the finals in Australia to win a BIG tournament. The fighting 49 in Bangalore v/s Aussies in Bangalore to secure the draw. The 103* at Chennai to exorcise old demons. Sachin has been busy ticking off aims.

One only hopes he has a triple hundred written down somewhere on that list and perhaps a century to win the World Cup final at the Wankhede while Pushkar watches on.

Till such time, Shine on Sachin

Trukz

2008-12-31T11:04:00.000-08:00

Just started playing this game and seems like a good one.

Trukz

Try it out.

The bores.

2008-12-21T01:59:00.000-08:00

It was the 12th of March 2006, placements were on at IIMB. Placements are usually like a chaotic job fair where candidates jump in and out of interviews and superbly manage to switch between how consulting is the ideal career for them to how they are exactly cut out to make money for the ibank they are interviewing for. Sometimes people end up telling Citibank how it would be the greatest honour of their life working for StanC. Yeah - you get the picture - a high stress situation for all involved. That day I was through with my first round processes for HUL (the company that eventually picked me) and was waiting for an interview with P&G ( first being told that i was not on the shortlist - they had lost my form - then being told that they would interview me - then eventually not being interviewed at all)

In between all this, I was hearing news of the Australians having piled on 434 in 50 overs at the Wanderers. Looks like another thumping win for them we discussed and rushed on to the next process. Till Gibbs took control , till Smith badgered out 90 in 55. Till suddenly it seemed as if it was a match on.

When the last 10 overs started, the placements were already secondary - Recruiters, candidates, trackers, company volunteers were all in the TV room - watching South Africa - create history - willing them to win. Willing Kallis to get out, willing Van der Wath to get those runs. Cheering every boundary as if it was India beating Pakistan in a world cup. An apocryphal story goes that one of our batchmates was called in for an interview with GS India and he told them to wait as SA charged up against the Aussies. And when they chased it down we all cheered wildly.

And it was so out of character for the South Africans. South Africans are supposed to be the most boring cricket team ever - clinical cricket minus of passion. And yet there they were launching the best offensive ever. Creating conditions to have a bunch of Indians - some of us under stress of placements - waiting there and cheering them on.

South Africans continued to choke after that match - notably in the T20 WC against India and in the WC in the Windies. But for that one match the bores of international cricket had the world on their side.

Perhaps its what Graeme Smith brings to the game. The unbridled aggression and passion for a win, for proving people wrong. And that is exactly what he set out to do on 20th Dec 2008. A record run chase in the 4th inning v.s the World No.1 Australia in their own backyard at Perth.

And outstanding century at the top and with support from everyone else, the South Africans yet again had most of the non - Australian world cheering for them. As yet again they dragged themselves out of their boring mode to a interesting team that could breathe passion into the game.

First the 387 chase at Chennai and now 414 at Perth - this has been a fantastic week for Test Cricket. Outstanding stuff.

A slow demise

2008-12-12T08:01:00.000-08:00

We all knew that it was around the corner - just a matter of time that it had to happen. Afterall the body could only take so much abuse. Yes the best patchup possible was done to prolong the lifetime but even then, one could unmistakably sense that the end was nigh. The bandaging could only do so much after all.

Some soft hearted people could not bear to look at the sight and suggested euthanasia, but our hero, the companion of the aforesaid was unwilling - An old warhorse he said, Will go down fighting he said. Irreplacable he said. In the past he (our hero) had chosen better versions and let go his earlier faithful companions but this time he was not about to fall into the same trap he said. That they would be together till death do them apart.

Some scoffed at such indulgence, others simply poked fun, some had sympathy - some mooted the idea of gathering funds to ensure that the situation was taken care of but eventually the hero stood alone by his companion.

The kindhearted ones amongst us, hoped that the end would happen altogether, quietly without much struggle but then such wistful thinking never really comes true does it ?

We then finally received a message saying "Guys, my phone is upset with me and refuses to work on any mode apart from loudspeaker. Hence i wont be able to take your calls"

Unfortunately, the phone was dying a slow death - because in truth perhaps our hero was too miserly to let it die with dignity and honour and outright buy a new one. But no - it had to drag on and on till finally it would stop working even as a pager.

But sigh - who dare argue with one's boss especially so close to appraisal time - so we now only sms him instead of speak

Here is attached a pic of the phone in slightly happier times - when it was only bandaged up.

This we believe was the drunken night which got the phone to this condition in the first place

The Final Flight

2008-11-02T06:06:00.000-08:00

A bespectacled young man who confused batsmen by calling himself a spinner and did not turn the ball. A nerd who came up with a computer game on cricket - self titled ofcourse. Highest ever Indian wicket - taker. Captain. But above all a fighter who shaped his own career on his own terms.

If the wolves would have had their way, Jumbo would have been out of the team in 2003. Harbhajan by then was the first choice spinner for us. Abroad Jumbo was termed ineffective for ages. But Jumbo has not been a champion for nothing. He has not been known for his resilience or his fighting spirit or his commitment for nothing. If anything then at age 34, he refused to walk away quietly. He refused to remain a old 2nd choice spinner and he fought back. That Adelaide test might be remembered for Dravid's double hundred and Agarkar's six wickets. But for Kumble it meant that he was back in the reckoning with a 5 wicket haul. For he had converted what was expected to be his last tour down under into the start of a second inning for himself. He then bowled at Sydney to pick up 8 wickets in the first inning with 4 more in the second and had it not been for a blind Bucknor and a butterfingered Parthiv, he might as well have won us the series and bid adieu to another great - Tugga - with an Indian victory.

For someone who was expected to fade away in 2003, he came back strongly not only to be play a strong role in most overseas Indian victories but also to return to Australia as the captain. And he pulled off a victory at Perth - the mecca of fast bowling.

Kumble has always been a great bowler but he has been criticised for being non-conventional. He shrugs that off and soldiers on picking up wickets - proving himself to be India's greatest match winner. But at no point of time reaching the levels of popularity enjoyed by the Fab 4 or heck even Yuvraj. He was always in the shadows - but never shying from picking up responsibility for the team. Ever ready to toil and throw down over after over in fast bowling friendly pitches while a usually ineffective pace attack had done their no show. Ever ready to pick up the baton while negotiating central contracts for the players.Ever ready to do a job not primarily his - bat hard when the batting had collapsed and guide India to a better score. Ever ready to realise his limitations and fight hard to achieve above those.

His batting was a story of two parts - A useful tailender at the start and end of his careers and flabby in the mid. His 88 in company of Azhar at Eden was in the first phase while that awesome century in England at the end. Towards the end of his career he was a much better batsman than in the other parts. Yet again a testament to his immense commitment to the game. Rarely would you find a Kumble playing a nothing shot to throw it away. He would want to be there at the pitch and add to the tally so he and the other bowlers would have something to bowl at.

Commitment or resilience for Kumble usually is associated with his courageous act in the Windies when he came out with a fractured jaw and bowled to get rid of Lara. He typified the same spirit in his final test (fittingly at Kotla) when he braved 11 stitches and an ungainly bandage to come out and contain the Aussies and pick up 3 wickets. His last wicket in Test Cricket captured everything that he was. He toiled for many overs to get the wickets he did, he showed commitment in going for a tough catch and taking it and then expressed his emotions with a throw at the stumps. But what made it special was that he braved the pain to get his wickets and came out because the team needed him. He was way off his best form but never ever off his spirit.

If Kumble was a batsman and had achievements similar to his own - he would have been feted as a great hero. Here in the sparkling light exuded by Sachin, Dravid, Dada, VVS and Sehwag we were blinded and for most part Kumble has been the unsung hero. However History will be much kinder and fairer to the man who has been the workhorse of the team for almost 19 years. A man who has won us more matches than any other bowler.

We would do well to remember that its the team which takes 20 wickets that wins a test match. Kumble did more than his fair share to that cause. Today at the Kotla, Jumbo landed his final flight and was on his way - as usual with no fuss.

Thanks Jumbo for all the years, for all the wickets and for all the memories.

Run Outs

2008-10-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

Lets examine why run-outs happen ...

The striker calls for a run and zips down confident that there is one to be taken there but the non - striker staunchly stands his ground wondering how the hell the striker even imagined there was a run on. But hey give some credit to the striker who atleast went for it. For all you know the fielder's throw could have missed target and that one run could have been the difference between the win and the loss. But a runout in this case
Then there is the one where there is hesitation. Maybe - May not be. Bam by the time you decide to take off, the ball is in the keeper's gloves and you have been run out. If only you had started earlier and not stopped to debate whether there in fact is a run there or not - you could have made it and lived to die another day.
Then there is the genuine misunderstanding - the striker thinks there is 2, the non striker thinks there is 1. The classical - one-side-hoping-for-more from it all while the other side thinks that there is only so much that can be done here. And amidst all that confusion, you have been run out
Then there is the confusion caused by the 3rd person involved in the picture - the runner. The batsman might be injured, so out comes the runner. With it creating the ultimate triangle situation. The batsman might put complete faith in the runner only to see him fumble and be run out OR the batsman might not trust the runner and both might run together to the same end. Well thats just not done isnt it -The runner then ensures that the batsman is runout anyway.

So the key then is to ensure that you dont get run out at all. If at all you have to get out - it had better be that special ball. A random fielder putting a throw is just not done.

Movies

2008-09-21T07:15:00.000-07:00

Lage Raho Munnabhai, Rang De Basanti, Wednesday. Different movies - yet a thread thats common to them all.

Gandhi is known as the father of the nation - admittedly I have always been biased anti Gandhi and see no reason to turn that around at all. However Lage Raho quite lucidly captured the essence of Gandhi - protest peacefully and victory will be yours eventually. If you are slapped on the cheek - offer the other one. Your lack of protest will eventually shame the attacker and he will give in. Yet the movie asks the pertinent question. What do you do if you get slapped on the other cheek too ? And Munnabhai promptly shows us the answer - through slapping him back. Non Gandhian but indeed practical.

And thats where RDB takes off from. Protest peacefully - have candle marches et al. But what when those fail? What do you do when you are pushed constantly. Thats when you snap and react and react forcefully. RDB showed the extreme where a bunch of youngsters could assasinate an incompetent defence minister. Protest violently so it registers!

And Wednesday - spoiler ahead if you havent seen the movie yet - registers a similar idea. You carry on with normal life inspite of all the shit that surrounds you. You are numb to blasts in Kashmir, Blasts in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Surat, Delhi, Mumbai - practically everywhere. You stay at home - wary of visiting public places due to the threat. You put your head down and continue with life. But somewhere sometime the anger boiling inside - albeit slowly - will cross that high limit and then there will be hell to pay.

Maybe that anger will be all too visible now - for the government and the authorities will sense it and act visibly. We might find an operation that strikes at the heart of the likes of SIMI and IM. And then there will yet again be hell to pay. Because if the terrorists dont, the government will at the elections.

The corridor of uncertainty

2008-09-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

A batsman in form usually rocks the scene with his confidence. He would not hesitate to take a swing at that long hop outside offstump even if its the first ball he faces and the odds are that it would go on for the boundary. The inform batsman has no doubt in his mind - he knows he is on the top of his game and would punish any loose ball. Hell - he would even come right down the track to top bowlers and thwack them over their heads without an iota of indecision.
Sometimes the swings might take the edge - but they would still fly to third man for boundaries. But the in-form batsman would take shots even on marginal balls and succeed like success.

It is when the batsman begins to lose form, doubts take over the back of his mind. When he takes his shots - they are mostly tentative pokes usually ending up in edges going in to the slips or that grinning forward short leg. In most such cases, when the batsman walks out - he walks out with a purpose of not failing. He would be extra cautious - not wanting to get drawn into false shots. he wants to get a hang of the pitch, build up familiarity and then once he is in - take his shots.

Yet often in that "getting in" phase - there might just be that one ball, pitched outside off in that corridor of uncertainty - the batsman aims to let go - deciding not to take the shot only to see it coming straight onto the stumps. Plumb and not offering a shot or maybe sometimes deciding to go for it but failing to get the bat down in time. Time to go and take that long walk back to the pavilion yet another time in his career.

Because whether in form or not, the batsman does well to remember the words of the wise man who said "You miss 100% of the shots you dont take!"

The Captain

2008-05-26T11:31:00.001-07:00

He had been their most successful captain. Hell he had taken over in tough times from a captain who had lost most and had ended up confusing the boys. But this chap had come in - fresh with new ideas - firm on principles and high on determination.

Slowly but steadily he had realised that all this team needed was a bit of direction and loads of motivation. So he set about identifying the best talent - previously ignored and decided to put his weight right behind them. Soon the starlets who had shone in a couple of matches and then marched themselves into oblivion were suddenly back in contention. They were given an extended run - they were mentored and lo and behold they were topping the performance charts.

He had given the team a sense of purpose and belonging. A goal - a belief that they could mix with the best and give as it came. That they too could shoot higher than the rest.

And that transformed the team - that transformed the performance and catapulted the team into one of the best - into being one of the most potent teams - a team that could be relied on.

And the team now looked upto that man who had made it all possible for a little trust and belief had indeed gone a long way.

But today was not about the journey that had been. Today was about the announcement he had in hand - that he was to play his last series here and that he was to leave the boys to fend for themselves. That he had no other choice really in the matter - he just had to move on to his new role, it was almost a diktat that he had to go. And he expected the boys to take it on their chin and move on. But try as he did - he could quite digest the fact that this dream was over and that a new one had to start.

He went through his words over and over again - trying to finalise the ones he could deliver that would soften the blow. And just as he had the ideal words on hand, his coach rushed in and told him that he had broken the news.

The captain - apprehensive walked in to face his team - he expected a barrage of anger for letting the announcement happen through the coach. But the crestfallen hopeless faces were not what he expected. The young stars who owed their all to him, who thought their future was tied to his remaining the captain had taken it badly.

But the captain had to leave - his work here was done - the fruits were ripe. He had had his pleasure seeing them ripen. The sweet taste could be enjoyed by the successor - for the captain had other fields to pasture, a new role to crack.

For the thrill of starting over - the challenge of taming the unknown was something his kind could never turn down.

Chokety choke

2008-05-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

Mohali - a flying Yuvraj and a choke. Delhi - a sweeping Karthik and a choke. Rajasthan - a misfielding Fernando and yet another choke.

With all these chokes - I petition to rename the Mumbai Indians as the "Mumbai South Africans" and nominate them as the true successors to the choking tradition of the Saffers.

Oh Woe!

The IPL situation

2008-05-11T03:27:00.000-07:00

Note: This is one of the rare posts that I had left as a draft after writing the first 2 points and than actually came back to finish it off. Started writing this before the IPL - got a bout of NED (No Enthu Da) - quit the post and now am continuing it again once the IPL has started. So the latter part of the post also has the benefit of hindsight.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lot of people have expressed their concern over IPL - ranging from resentment over India's growing and now evident power in World Cricket to IPL's effect on International matches and even the future of Test and ODI cricket and even the impact on the purity of the game.

Lets try and look at it point by point

1. India's Power in World Cricket

Thats just some countries being sore about India and the shift in balance of power from traditional English-Australia stronghold days. Lets face the fact - India is where this game has gargantuan proportions and tremendous fan following and the money. India will be powerful and should use some of that power. However to quote Spidey's Uncle - With great power comes great responsibility and BCCI will have to tread that line carefully. But the point is that the IPL for the first time has opened up the treasure box of cash not just for itself but also for the players. For the first time players are not being paid according to Board Policies or Prize Monies but according to their market value - and astronomical sums. I have for long argued that a cricketer has a limited shelf life - open to injuries ruining his career - and if he isnt articulate enough then a career in commentary is not open either. Hence it is only fair that the cricketer cashes in on every possible opportunity to earn and secure his future. Indian money now is directly flowing to good players of any caste creed or origin. A relatively unknown David Hussey also has the chance to make a killing here and from the players point of view - this has to be a good thing.
The biggest stakeholder however is the spectator - and he now gets the chance to watch the best players play against each other far more regularly. While it may lack the national rivalry flavour - soon enough we might find that we the spectators will rally behind some franchisee or the other. And this may not even be region based - but largely on the following that the players will command.

2. The International Matches

The IPL is a 45 day window with 8 teams. Teams will purchase players on the basis of their performance not only in the IPL which happens only once a year for a 45 day window but primarily on the basis of their performance on the biggest stage that is World Cricket. For any player to connect to the adoring masses who will eventually bankroll the entire IPL - that player needs to shine for the country at the International Level. Unless he does that he will not be able to command a price premium. Given the intensity with which players have been playing in the IPL - it does not at any point of time seem that they look upon this as a carnival (except ofcourse Graeme Smith's stumping off Pollock). It is serious intense cricket with both the foreign and local players giving it their all.

What this means is that International Cricket will not be devalued by IPL - infact the importance will increase tremendously. The ICC here has a huge role to play by actually trying to accomodate the IPL in its FTP calendar as without that the player will be forced to choose for those 45 days between money (really big money) and country. With the shortsightedness that most cricket boards carry - it can end up having serious consequences for the player. My hypothesis obviously is that if a player only plays 45 days of IPL and no international cricket (unless he is a retired star like Warne or McGrath) he will lose bargaining power with the IPL.

3. Devaluation of Test / ODI cricket

When ODI cricket came in - it was argued that Test Cricket would die a death. On the contrary ODI has made Test Cricket more interesting with the fast pace of scoring boiling down to more results and hence more interesting cricket. Test cricket will always have its own charm - the charm of seeing 7 players crowded around the bat with the bowler attacking with full steam is something that has its own joy. Or the excitement that a tense close draw can generate with the no.11 batsman looking to play out the last over of the day to earn a draw by the skin of their teeth is unmatched.

Similarly T20 is going to make ODI cricket a more exciting place. Last 10 overs 134 to chase is no longer going to be outside the realms of possibility. The fielding is only going to get better and running between the wickets is going to improve.

Also the good part is that most matches have seen clean hitting and not slogging - which is good for the game.

4. The Good Things

This is not a concern obviously. One thing that IPL will do is increase friendship and tolerance amongst players from different countries and that is one thing that cricket desperately needs. Also now player weaknesses are going to be out in the open - so that again will make cricket more interesting and put the onus on the player to perfect his game to the largest extent possible.

All in all - IPL can only mean good things for the game. Ofcourse it could have been done in better ways but that doesnt take anything away from it. Its an outstanding idea executed well and the BCCI and the players will earn some deserved moolah.

IPL - Arbit Observations

2008-04-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

1. Bhajji's slaps could have been better used on Shiv Pandit, Samir Kocchar and gang. Its wasted on Sreesanth. Sreesanth was funny enough without the supreme funniness of his crying uncontrollably after the match.

2. The commentary is consistently bad. Today when Tony Cozier made a witty remark after Kalyanakrishna threw down his second slipped ball (the ball flew from his hand behind the umpire) - Tony commented "We should call this the doosra - one that goes the other way" - Arun Lal responded with his best 'Oops - I have nothing witty to respond with' fake guffaw and then added this 'gem' - "Tony - the doosra is already taken, we should call this the Teesra - Ha Ha!"

3. If your team isnt performing well enough you should support the Mohali team - Priety Zinta just might throw in a free hug.

4. Who is Mussavir Khote? Why is he in any team? I want to play for the Mumbai Indians too if Khote can qualify so can I.

The Mandatory Post

2008-04-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

35 and a year is up. This time last year people were wondering if it was time. This time this year the speculation is not if its time but if time can last till 2011 for one last shot at the Holy Grail.

The year before had seen a journey from Great to Good. This year has seen him storming back to the greatness that was always his. Determination in England in Tests, Sublime Touch in the ODIs - an encore against Pakistan. A ride down under - sublime touch and total complete mastery in both tests and ODIs. A throwback to the 1998 Sharjah days with twin supreme innings in the finals.

A year that started with the stigma of the WC disaster saw a return of the sublime genius who was again lording over all proceedings. Taking charge of things to once again dictate his terms.

No one dares ask if he should make way now for the only question is will his overabused body be up for one last fling in 2011. That and a triple ton down the line in tests should be sweet.

Happy Birthday. Heres to many more such years.

Bowl Outs

2008-04-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

The T20 WC saw the first bowl-out of its kind between India and Pakistan. While Sehwag Bhajji and Uthappa hit the stumps giving India a 100% hit rate - the Pakistanis missed on all 3 chances.

Now today in the ICL final (why oh why is there a bowl-out in a best of three finals anyway??) - the match between the Heroes and the Badshahs was tied. Out came the bowl-out and yet again all three Pakistanis missed.

And with sufficient minimum datapoints - we have the Bowl Out Theory. "Pakistanis cannot hit the stumps."

QED

Till such time. .

2008-04-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

We are welcomed at Lords with a dusty turner and bright sunshine, At Perth and Brisbane and Melbourne with a flat - 4th day deteriorating track or at Wanderers with a brown surface - Our pitches should - nay let me emphasise that - our pitches SHOULD be pitches that turn square.

Thats what they call Home Advantage.

Of course 76 all down deserves a loss on any surface (apart from the meadows that masquerade as pitches in New Zealand.)

I have a dream

2008-03-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

Brett Lee had the biggest grin on his face while all the other Aussies were hugging him. Why wouldnt they? They had both Jaffer and Sehwag back in the pavilion with the scoreboard at Zero. 0/2 and India were struggling at home. Ricky and Symmo were quietly grinning smugly - thinking of Bhajji's face as they looked at the scoreboard shouting out 0/2. The Mumbai crowd that had been so vocal had suddenly fallen silent. Meanwhile Sanjay Manjrekar was grinning from ear to ear and was furiously penning down his next anti - Sachin column. He figured Sachin - who was used to only a 20/2 scenario in Tests could not be able to take a 0/2 scenario and there he would have another incriminating article nailed. Oooh the editors would die for this. Maybe they would print it in the afternoon edition in anticipation if he hurried.

Rahul was at the other end - having watched Jaffers stump go cartwheeling off that Lee Scorcher. Sachin was walking out at the other end - conceivably his last test inning at home in Mumbai- He still had unfinished business in ODIs and probably had marked his calendar for a WC Final winning ton here in Mumbai. The crowd - disappointed at 0/2 - had still risen to a man in anticipation. Sachin was here - never mind the fools who had booed him the last time. Sachin and Dravid had a mid - pitch conference - a small joke about how it was 20 runs too early for them to meet and they were on their way with a grim guffaw.

Lee bowled another scorcher - met with the full face of the MRF bat and rushing past the bowlers leg for a boundary - the first of many. For Sachin was in the form of his life with a point to prove. What begun with a straight punch down the ground graduated into classic cover drives, meaty pulls, ferocious hooks, delectable flicks, cheeky cuts, paddle sweeps and those masterly cuts to third man. Oh yes sirree - Sachin was on his way.

The aussies delighted at a 0/2 on the first day went to lunch at 120/2 tea at 270/2 and finally ended the day at 403/2. The highest Indian partnership was in danger. Sachin had already scored his first ever 250 and was batting at 279* - Dravid paying close vigil at 110*. Manjrekar meanwhile was applying for political asylum in Uganda.

The next morning was no different - Sachin took honours with his first ever triple and went into lunch at 337* and Dravid had closed in on to his newest double hundred. Lara and his record beckoned. Lee stormed in with Sachin at 398 and overpitched - in a flash the blade swished and came down quickly - it was a coverdrive none of those present at Mumbai would ever forget. For there it was the World Record. A warm tight hug with Dravid celebrating. Heck! a 631 run partnership wasnt every day material. They declared at the stroke of tea with the champs walking back in with their head held high. Yuvraj could barely hold back his tears as he could only see the nets for himself in the near future.

Ishant had cut his long hair and was looking smarter than ever and obviously it had to reflect in his bowling. While he and RP ran through the Aussie batting - Bhajji ofcourse had the last laugh picking up Symonds while he tried to hoick him over mid on for six - the bat missed the ball unfortunately and the stumps were on the floor. Last heard after the celebration, the Black Caps were thinking of signing on Bhajji for the Haka Ritual.

217 all down and Kumble happily asked the Aussies to follow on. By now it was time for the captain to shine. 7 wickets were snared with flippers and faster ones - perseverance pays !
Ishant chipped in with the prize wickets of Bunny Ricky and Symonds - Ricky was done in by a series of unfortunate events. The unfortunate events ofcourse were 5 balls which outswinged and the 6th one - bloody hell, without any warning had the gall to inswing. Oh how dare Ishant make the ball do such unpritable things with the ball - first outswing and then inswing and that too for Ricky. Darrel Hair would have called as a no-ball for sure!

Kumble on the other hand - braving his age - was bowling with an edge. Seven Australians to be downed were no small matter - especially when Michael Clarke would insist on standing his ground inspite of having been bowled. Well he had a point actually - only the off and middle stumps were floored - and he was holding on to life for his leg stump.

The end though had to come swift and soon with Australia folding up in the second inning for 224 and India had their win. An inning and 190 runs. The no.1 rating was up for the taking - if they could beat the Aussies at Chepauk.

Oh well - Thats my dream. Whats yours?

Psychohistory and Cricket

2008-03-30T03:20:00.000-07:00

In Issac Asimov's most famous Foundation Series - the underlying theme is completely about psychohistory and how the flows of history can be predicted fairly accurately. However it cannot predict the behavior of an individual and hence is put at bay when a mutant - The Mule takes over the galaxy.

Similarly - in cricket - in spite of commentators screaming that it is a game of glorious uncertainties - broadly you can predict various scenarios with several permutations and combinations and by and large you would have thought of most possible scenarios with varied probablities of them happening. Ofcourse while psychohistory predicts one scenario- cricket would end up with several likely scenarios.

And that is what was on view when the South African coach Mickey Arthur thought of the various scenarios that could crop up on day 3 of the test match. But he failed to predict the occurrence of the mutant named Sehwag. And it was his performance that left Mickey Arthur saying this

"Last night I looked at every possible scenario that could develop and this wasn't one. I didn't think in my wildest dreams they would score at such a rate. Again that's only due to one man."

A 292 ball 309 was not predicted - it could not be for a 300 in itself is a rare achievement. It needs time, it needs skill, it needs endurance, it needs mental strength. But on some occassions it just needs a fired up Sehwag - and then not only do you have a triple ton - you also have the quickest triple ever.

Sehwag may never make it to the list of Indian Greats - he may never sit in the same hall of revered fame that Gavaskar, Sachin, Dravid and even Ganguly will occupy. But he now has a pedestal of his own. Despite failing on numerous occasions in ODIs - in his own similar fashion - caught at mid-on, snapped at point, taken at slip slashing away from the body or even at third man.

His knocks at the top of the order are ones that create chances for the team where there are none. And come what may - even if he fails after this, Sehwag has created his own space in history. If Laxman's 281 is special - 309 and 319 too will be remembered forever. The 319 not just for its magnitude but also for its savagery and butchering value.

Cheers Viru - may your tribe increase!

The Answer

2008-03-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

to Life, the Universe and Everything is 42. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is undoubtedly a cult. Cricket is a religion. Put the two together and you will have loads of bloggers like me playing out this pun. But who cares!

Today Sachin hit his 42nd ODI ton. And with it answered all questions - Ultimate Question

A hundred in a final ? Check
A hundred in a final run chase? Check
A hundred in a final run chase v/s the World Champions? Check
A hundred in a final run chase v/s the World Champions in Australia? Check
A hundred on Australian soil for the first time? Check

42. All questions answered

Now if there was a 43rd - that would be the proverbial icing.

Steve Bucknor...

2008-01-06T01:46:00.000-08:00

...clearly needs to retire. But he must be working on in the strenuous role as the Umpire - perhaps because he needs to earn more to build a retirement home. I suggest the Indian Government and the BCCI should do the noble thing and provide the poor man with a retirement home in a scenic location. I would suggest that the Kashmir Valley - a few metres off the LOC would be a perfect place for the same. The view would be great and even though the sound pollution would be huge - hearing has always been Bucknor's problem - so that would not affect him.

Your "Buck" "Nor" your might ...

2008-01-06T00:56:00.000-08:00

The easiest option ofcourse is to log in a complaint against Bucknor. However one doubts what effect that will have for in 2003-04 Ganguly had given him a very negative report - both for the atrocious decisions in that Sydney Test and for mimicking Rahul Dravid - rather taunting him as a ball tamperer. Nothing came out of that. And why go that far back in time - just rewind to the World Cup in 2007 in West Indies and remember the farce that was played out by the umpires - Mr Steve "Blind and Deaf" Bucknor was the lead actor there as well. The punishment? A free vacation during the T20 World Cup. So the worst that the ICC will do is prevent him standing in 2011 World Cup - by which time hopefully his knees will have given way anyway

The other option is to protest through a walkout or a forfeit. Barely the best possible solution - this will very easily turn the "public opinion" against India all over the world. Something Pawar will definitely not risk with him slated to be the ICC Chairman in 2009. Besides it may paint us as unsporting - even if in the face of disgusting umpiring and hypocrisy from the Aussie players. Given Kumble's rep - i doubt he will be in favour of pulling out completely. Maybe Ganguly as captain might have considered it - if it was to be Gavaskar - well history speaks for itself.

If we send a B-grade team it will have to be the BCCI's call. It means that they risk future income from series - where if umpiring goes wrong - you find lesser players playing in the series. No one really wants to watch it - it sets a precedent which can be used against the BCCI in future negotiations and given that greed is a word that can loosely be attached to the BCCI - the safe money is on the fact that they will do nothing of that sort.

If the players speak out - they will be banned for matches. Their comments will be deemed racist ?

So the only way out seems for the Indians to cop it - grin - and be laughed at by the Aussie Media unless Pawar decides to take revenge for the shove by Ponting but for a politician it seems the last way out. And probably is where we will miss Dalmiya

2nd January

2008-01-01T01:42:00.000-08:00

We seem to have made a habit of playing extremely important test matches on the 2nd January.

In 2004 - we were playing at Sydney with the chance to knock Australia and very rudely gatecrash Steve Waugh's farewell party. Unfortunately he was there himself to guard the gates along with Bucknor and Parthiv and we were foiled. Nevertheless it was a glorious series

In 2007 - we were playing South Africa - again on the brink of history - we could have won our first series there and everything about the first day's play indicated that we were on our way. But then we aint Indian Cricket for nothing

And now in 2008 - we play arguably the most important test match for International Cricket (no not just for Indian Cricket) but for International Cricket. For over the last few years - only the Indian team has threatened the Aussies ever so consistently. And this is by far the most suited batting lineup for an upset. If we win this test we continue to be alive in the series and we make cricket interesting - very interesting.

Sydney has always been our best chance of winning a test in Australia. Now if only the batsmen were to wakeup and insist on batting in their favoured positions we might have a match on our hands

And then it was history - 2007

2008-01-01T00:20:00.000-08:00

Topsy turvy. Crazy. Full circle.

I think the year for Indian Cricket can be termed with those 3 words.

We started the year with hope - going into a 2nd January match against South Africa - the series level at 1-1. A chance to win the series at Capetown and create history. We fell short and then we wondered if it was indeed time to say a final Goodbye to that icon SRT? Meanwhile Ganguly had quietly and steadily made his entry into the team.

We went back to India - low on confidence but with the chance to bounce back against the Windies. And we did so in style - raising hopes again that all was not indeed lost for the World Cup. We took what looked like a good team but a coach who was definitely off his rocker. SRT had bounced back as had Ganguly and Dravid was now looking every inch a winnning captain.

The World Cup - the holy grail of cricket - ruined by the ICC and some insane batting against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Sachin at 4?? Whose mad idea was that anyway? A first round exit. Everyone was wondering about the quickest way to get rid of the "Old Gang" - the deadwood as they were called. There was outrage at home as always, a baying for blood, a call for heads to roll.

And then there was the tour to Bangladesh - a young team was supposedly sent there - however how a 30yr old Dinesh Mongia qualifies as young is anybody's guess. SRT and Dada were rested - an euphemism for dropped? Dravid retained as captain. Then there were the tests where the stalwarts came back and played like stalwarts.

It was onwards to England to play the tests. A weather saved test at Lords and then some purposeful batting by the oldies - the series was won and the fallen heroes were restored to some part of their glory. The ODI series might have not been won but again the oldies showed their mettle with youngsters like Uthappa shining it too and things were merry again. The captain - the Wall was well and truly shining

Onward to South Africa to play the World Cup for the shortest version of the game - a new captain was announced and a completely young team. Nothing expected from them - but they pulled off the proverbial rabbit from the hat and went on to win the whole damn thing. One WC lost miserably - another was won gloriously. And then there were new heroes - yet again there was a call to lay to rest the older ones. Who needed deadwood when you had world beating polished plywood?

Then the Kangaroos came home - the old captain had put in his papers and soon enough he was out of the team. Yet the other 2 oldies held on - teaching the others a thing or two about batsmanship. SRT was apparently back to the golden ages they said. And Dada - the most fantastic comeback there ever could be had been scripted.

Bring on the Pakis - Batter the Pakis. An old captain - the old guard firing - the young brigade knocking and Australia was beckoning.

A loss not withstanding - this year has been a topsyturvy one for India. Win lose Win lose. Its been crazy - we have seen 3 captains in the year. We have seen our best batsman dropped unceremoniously. And life has come a full circle. Its Dada and SRT opening yet again - and gloriously. We have a 37 year old spinner at the helm.

The more things have changed the more they have remained the same

Sales and a Run Chase

2007-12-28T04:34:00.000-08:00

They say that sales gives you stories to tell people if nothing else - as does cricket but that not where the similarities end.

For one Sales and a difficult run chase are pretty much very similar. By difficult run chase i do not neccessarily mean that 434 run chase - as in not always a high figure but also tricky lower run chases on tough pitches like say this one.

In both sales and a run chase you have a target to achieve and both seem really really tough to begin with. As with sales, in run chases if the team believes that the target is unachievable then chances are that it will not be met no matter what. So the captain needs to bring the team together in the mid inning break or a meeting and convince them all that they can in fact do it

In a run chase - you will want one of your best players to play a huge knock and have the others supporting him through the innings - ideally we would want a couple of partnerships to take us along like this maybe?. In sales too - one would want schemes on the top selling packs and everyone would ensure that those key packs sell as per plan - while all the others chip in to ensure a final victorious result

Sometimes runchases are like these (we did not win this - but it was more than a win for most of us - technicalities be damned) where one member of the team fires big time and the rest cup badly - but this player has ensured that his match winning knock covers up for the shortfall created by the failure of others resulting in eventual victory. However some run chases have every player of the team firing and playing their part in the win - "Teamwork" as they call it.

Sales then cant be too different can it? Sometimes some territories fall short of their targets - but someone else over achieves to ensure that the overall team target is met and hence the celebrations can begin. On some other occassions everyone does their targets leading to a 100% plus over all achievement - the celebrations start either ways.

Often in a run chase - the team falls short of the target inspite of someone putting in an awesome performance. So he gets the man of the match award inspite of his team losing. Just like in sales where the high performers walk off with their incentive even if the team has failed.

Many a great players have been asked about great run chases - Most concur that if they wickets in hand for the final 10 overs then they can go out and blast out the runs needed to win. So they would say that we can make 90 in the last 10 - so basically by 40 overs we need to be at N-90 to be comfortable for the win. In sales too the last day sales account for a lot - a common blitzkreig at the end.

But then again "well begun is half done". Here similar but differences crop up. While in Cricket you need an assault at the top in the first 15 - in Sales you just need to ensure that you dont have to play a huge catchup at the end - here its more about keeping the wickets in hand rather than pinch hitting. Ofcourse if you happen to indulge in some clean hitting - it is always welcomed :)

And as in cricket in sales - Success breeds Success.

So there - finally i have linked my job and my passion together !

Credits: Thanks to Sid (aka 123 Kid) for searching the links of matches i asked for

Time

2007-12-28T04:14:00.000-08:00

Time tommorrow for a lot of people to prove a lot of points...

1. Dravid to slap those bloodsucking fools aka fans with a big ton

2. Jaffer to prove that he can play against any opposition

3. Sachin to play that elusive 4th inning match winning knock

4. Laxman to prove that the bouncer from Lee that got his wicket was a one off and that he can murder short pitched balls

5. Ganguly to prove that Brisbane 2003 was not a flash in the pan and that he can reel off innings like those in Melbourne as well

6. Yuvraj to prove that he indeed deserves to be in the team at the cost of Dravid sacrificing as an opener

7. Dhoni to prove that he can handle pressure enough to be the natural test capn as well

8. Kumble to prove that the batsmen can win matches and he can just sit back and relax and not come out to bat as the team scores 500 :)

In 2003 we came quietly but determined to upset the Aussies - hell we had pulled a grand escape against them at home. But no one then expected India to put up an even fight.
This time things are different - its a unit that has won outside India consistently and they are expected to put up a fight.

Last time - we drew Brisbane thanks largely to Dada's fighting knock and that set the tone for the series. Here if we save Melbourne (read win - there is no way for a draw unless weather intervenes) we will already have begun the fight - this time only more brutally.

Aye Aye Cap'n

2007-11-09T05:26:00.000-08:00

They had just lost their match against Bangladesh - traumatic experience that - it threatened their very existence in the World Cup. The captain had a frown on his face - an expression of worry. Their coach - never known to smile - was probably ready with a dose of abuse. The captain wore the burden of loss. Bermuda won, Lanka not - we were out.

Would the captain survive? Would the core of the team survive? Would the coach survive?
The coach went - the seniors were under the scanner - the marginals were sacrificed but the captain survived. Bangladesh without two of the seniors in ODIs and with them in tests - revenge was taken without waiting for it to go cold.

The captain took them to a long tour of England and Redemption. He won against the Africans. He won the Test series (the seniors shone too) and did very well in the ODI series only to lose it marginally. The captain was on a high and looked like he would take us to Australia to complete what was left undone the last time they went there but unexpectedly he quit. Just like that - out of the blue, Rahul Dravid the Wall had turned his back on the captaincy to focus on his main art - his bread and butter - his batting.

Meanwhile a young team under MSD was playing in South Africa and winning a World Cup against all odds. Heroes were born and welcomed such. Dhoni also ascended the ODI captaincy. As usual the public and the selectors had taken stands. The contrasts of the performances in the ODI and T20 World Cups had brought forth a wave of support for 'youngsters' - the seniors were looked upon as unwanted baggage. Why dont they go now was the call! Ingrates who asked such questions - but these questions were to become large ones.

The series against Aussies followed and Rahul "failed" in all of 5 innings. And that was it - the axe was out for the ex-captain. We dont need you was the message! Our youngsters will perform - and drat those two Saurav and Sachin for performing and making it impossible to sack them as well. Never mind - they will fail in an inning or two and we will perform that cut too eh?

It was unjustified as hell. For the man had played well one tour back in England. For the man had been India's saving grace for uncountable series and matches before that. It was one series that one of India's most prolific scorer failed and he got the worst possible punishment. People had escaped with murder and here he was arrested and prosecuted for breaking the traffic lights.

And then they pick another guy who too is out of form with the reasoning that "He is a proven matchwinner and his record against Pak is really good". One assumes that Dravid is a proven matchloser ? But then rationality was never Indian Cricket's strong point eh?

With that we lost the one player who could see off a 20/3 situation or come in at 170/2 and launch a finishing move. Or for that matter come in a guide a run chase to its logical conclusion. A man for any situation - someone you could trust to take on any situation - no questions asked.

The one player who would do any role for the team and not complain. But rationality - no thats not our forte for sure!

And the drama - that never ends. Sachin refuses the Test captaincy - the selectors stumped again. (a wise decision by Sachin no doubt and i might write about it later)

But finally Kumble picked as the captain - a decision that i couldnt agree with whole heartedly. Kumble deserves the honour no doubt for his long contribution but currently one wonders if he would automatically be the first choice spinner for the team. There have now been more than 2 occassions tailormade for Kumble to spin his magic and take us to victory but on both occassions he was off key and the win didnt come our way.

Nevertheless lets hope his grit wins the day for us.

TOI says

2007-11-08T10:42:00.000-08:00

http://cricket.indiatimes.com/Wholl_fill_Inzamams_big_shoes/articleshow/2506533.cms

Note this:

There are talented youngsters like Misbah-ul-Haq, who have the skills, but going by the evidence of what happened in World Twenty20, they crack under pressure. Who can forget Inzamam's glorious 122 off 105 balls that went in vain in the famous Karachi ODI?

and this

This tour offers the perfect opportunity for Misbah-ul-Haq to seal his case as the future batting star of Pakistan cricket.

What! Youngster at 33? Future Star at 33 ??

I guess Obelix says it best here - just replace the Indians with the Times of Indians and you have a perfect quote.

Future Watch

2007-10-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

This series is an attempt to capture the likely future of Indian Cricket. Hence time / information permitting one will attempt to run a Domestic Cricket roundup to identify consistent performers in Indian Domestic Cricket

The Domestic season started off today in Rajkot with the Ranji Champs Mumbai taking on a fairly strong Rest of India in the Irani Trophy. The Mumbai team had a very interesting look to it - with a mix of established "stars" like Agarkar, Jaffer, Powar and the contender to the throne of the unluckiest Indian Cricket - Amol Muzumdar featuring in it. Some guys who made their name last season with good performances like Kukreja and Nayar and then the absolute newbies like Rahane, Naik, Abdulla and WK Gurav.

And they were to take on an RoI side that looked suspiciously like a 2nd XI for India - Kaif, Parthiv, Raina, Munaf and Chopra amongst those who have played for India, Bose and Ishant the two who have some experience bringing out the drinks for Indian players and then the challengers in Badri, Tewary and spinners Ojha and Mishra.

A tough and interesting encounter always looks likely.

On the basis of the play on Day 1 - Nayyar has confirmed that he is indeed a player to watch out for. His performances last season were pivotal to Mumbai winning the Ranji and today with a superb attacking century he has surely done his reputation no harm whatsover - if he can shine again with the ball - we might have someone on our hands here.

Munaf has proven time and again that with his fitness - he should never even be knocking on the India doors and todays performance was no different - perhaps he deserves a long toil again on the Ranji circuit. That might knock some sense into his head.

Bose - the star bowler of last season - is a bit of a mystery. With a lack of real pace - he depends much on his accuracy and his ability to move the ball. All well in bowling friendly conditions. But his real test will be against International opposition on a belter but he seems good enough to get an opportunity. And at the rate at which our pacers get injured and given the likelihood of Sreesanth getting banned for 5 matches after every 2 matches - his chance will come sooner rather than later.

Over all a good day for Mumbai and one hopes they start off the season with a victory and some more silverware in their already over flowing cupboard.

Cricket & More ??

2007-09-29T06:47:00.001-07:00

Its increasingly becoming difficult to justify the title of this blog what with the "More" posts being completely non-existent and the cricket posts flowing unabashed.

So the hunt is on for a new title. Regular readers encouraged to contribute new titles - will be treated to free publicity on this very blog.

*Wishful thinking on two counts that! Firstly imagining regular readers and then imagining that publicity on this blog is actually a treat*

But then hope is a good thing aint it ? So lets see some new names here!

So Long!

2007-09-29T04:46:00.000-07:00

Its probably curtains for Ajit Agarkar in international cricket. However given the fragile nature of all bowlers fast in India (except Kumble - i mean the fast bowlers who dont call themselves spinners. Also not Prasad - i did not mean Slow Bowlers who insist on calling themselves fast) he might yet have another chance to add to the numerous ones he has already had.

Agarkar has easily been the most frustrating of Indian Cricketers in recent time (Sreesanth might be staking a claim to that honour soon though). A player most Indians have loved to hate. A player who might well be forgotten or if remembered only for his profligacy or for his duck scoring streak. This post is dedicated to Agarkar, to remind us of some of the glory moments he was responsible for India, a post asking for him to be regarded in a kinder light than he has been granted during his playing days.

Aged 20 and a few days with a debut against the Australians, Agarkar had taken just three matches to make an impact with a 4 wicket haul against the Australians and then embarked on a brilliant 2o match tour to snare the record of the fastest 50 wickets in ODIs. India had discovered a young wicket taker who was extremely efficient in the field. Stories of his ability with the bat meant that all had hopes of finally getting that successor to Kapil Dev. But the story of Agarkar's career has not been the 5 brilliant balls he bowls in an over but rather that 6th poor balls which disappears to the boundary regularly. His batting never really lived up to his potential but he had his moments. The fastest Indian ODI 50, a test century at Lords (a feat that has eluded even Sachin), an ODI top score of 95 and precious few match winning knocks at the death - Agarkar has always been the "What If he lived up to his potential" man for India.

But even if one decides that all this can be forgotten - that it doesnt really deserve a mention in the long run - no one should really grudge Agarkar his moment of glory in Adelaide. A moment easily on par with winning a World Cup - beating Australia in Australia in a test match. A typical Australian first inning powered by a 242 from Ponting had seen them post 556 in the first inning with the implicit expectation of seeing India fold up and hand over the series lead to Australia. They did not count for Dravid and VVS to play knocks that rivalled the one by Ponting to take India to a improbable 523 conceding a very acceptable and unexpected 33 run lead. One expected a tame draw. But Ajit Agarkar - tiny and frail looking, ears flapping in the wind - generating some good pace - came on and bowled the spell of his life scalping 6 wickets with his bunny Langer, Ponting and Katich amongst them. (Sachin left his tiny signature on the game picking up Martyn and Steve Waugh but more on Sachin later - this post is about the other Mumbaikar Agarkar) and India had bowled out the mighty Australians for 196 leaving India with 230 to win. Easy ? Tough?

Who else but the Wall to take us through. While we will all remember his triumphant tears when he cut the ball for a boundary - lets just keep our thoughts on the man who was with him at the other end - who with his 6 wicket spell had made possible one of the greatest Indian test triumphs.

Agarkar will look back at his career with a mixture of satisfaction and regret. Satisfaction because of his above mentioned achievements. Regret for each and every boundary ball bowled amidst an otherwise good over. Regret for always being evaluated as an allrounder and being pulled down inspite of having bowled really well. Regret for having moved from being the best Indian ODI bowler over the last 2 years to being out of the team in a span of 3 months. Regret for being just another cricketer inspite of having picked up 288 ODI wickets. Regret for what could have been if only he had lived up to his potential.

So long Ajit and thanks for some good times! We will forever wish there could have been more from you!

Thou Shalt Not Pass - 3

2007-09-24T11:45:00.001-07:00

Its true. You just cant. Never mind if you have Misbah in your side trying to pull off something unthinkable - when its the World Cup and when you are Pakistan playing India - thou simply shalt not pass.

It aint matter if you bowl full even if you are Umar Gul,
For the king of in swing is RP Singh.

His balls might all be wide to the offside,
But to dig you six feet under - theres' Joginder!

A six here a four there - his shots are a barrage
Put your hands together for Yuvraj

A captain courageous - his thinking cap on,
Dhoni is a winner - he is the mon!

That ends prematurely my feeble attempt at rhyme.
Perhaps I shouldnt even try to capture this match in words. It was easily one of the best.

And yeah Pak - you still cant pass!

For the earlier posts in the Thou Shalt Not Pass series you can find them here
Part 2
Part 1

A tale of two finalists

2007-09-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

17th March 2007 - India was playing Bangladesh in the world cup while at the same time Pakistan was battling Ireland. This was the World Cup and one expected the two rivals to face off at Barbados on 15th April 2007. Instead many hopes were to be dashed. An expected India Pakistan high voltage World Cup clash had turned into a low key Ireland Bangladesh match - while fans in both countries were cursing the irony. There ofcourse was madness in both countries.

India came to the T20 WC having played all of one match in that format before. Pakistan had played 4 but had usual dressing room trouble before the match - Shoaib hits Asif with a bat with Afridi giggling along the way. No chance for either of them - Out of the Super 8s for them for sure.

But both teams specialise in pulling off the unexpected most of the time be it winning or losing. These two teams are the undisputed top 2 when it comes to dashing expectations

So after a cracking match between themselves - they stepped into the super 8s. India lost to New Zealand and looked like the pre tournament ratings were correct. After all they had to play England and South Africa in succession - the teams which had the most T20 exposure. But a team full of new youngsters and old-wanting-to-make-comebackers decided that they had nothing to lose and set out to win two stunning matches - one on the back of yuvraj and the other on the back of RP. India were in the semis of a World Cup - not the one in Windies but they made it for the poor cousin's party

While Pakistan clobbered Lanka and Australia and made their way to the semis pretty much unchallenged. They were looking good.

And then the semis. An option - the more likely one - was a trans Tasmanian final. The other most desired one was the Sub Continental one.

For two teams which left the ODI world cup in disgrace - the tale of the T20 WC has been rewarding. Some outstanding play by both teams has taken them to an unexpected WC final. A dream lineup that one can ever get. For those who travelled all the way to SA on 15th April only to see Ireland play Bangla those coupons get redeemed on 24th September. It may have come 5 months too late but a India Pakistan World Cup final is the stuff dreams are made of.

For a disastrous ODI WC final - this is the best balm to soothe those old wounds

Thou Shalt not Pass - 2

2007-09-15T04:44:00.000-07:00

They first met in 1992 where Pakistan would emerge eventual champions and India would have a disastrous campaign but not before they had their laughs by beating Pakistan in this match. It was a low total propped up only by a late stand between a young lad by the name of Sachin Tendulkar and a veteran all rounder by the name of Kapil Dev. But then a good bowling effort ensured that India would go on to win the match. Two quick wickets followed by a threatening partnership - broken again by that lad (SRT) and India were on their way to run through the rest of the side - thanks to some great bowling by everyone.

The next one was in 1996 in Bangalore - a quarter final which meant that the team that lost would be knocked out of the World Cup. A critical match which saw the captain Akram drop out of the match injured - later to become a controversial decision. But some steady batting by Navjot Singh Sidhu and some explosive batting by Ajay Jadeja - his inning ruined Waqar's brilliant figures as he leaked runs and more runs. India had a competitive total that would challenge Pakistan. But Sohail and Anwar had different ideas as they proceeded to thump Srinath and Prasad to all corners of the ground. And then after carting one Prasad delivery to the fence - Sohail gestured that it was what all Prasad deliveries deserved. "You bowl it there and I will send it there". Next ball - over confidence - bowled. Prasad using some choice expletives and telling Sohail exactly where to go. It was the most aggressive moment demonstrated by Prasad ever since accidentally crushing an ant in his school days. And post that the Indians kept getting wickets and won despite brief Pakistani spells of resurgence. And another WC match was theirs.

The travel to England in 1999 was to prove better for the Pakistanis than the Indians but another WC encounter was to be won by India. Another low scoring encounter and another match where Prasad thumped his presence on the game. 5 wickets for the man turned around the match for India and their record was kept intact.

It was however here in 2003 where Pakistan had their best chance of posting a victory. A super century by Saeed Anwar had taken Pak to 273 - a total which looked tough on the pitch. But they hadnt really bargained for a Sachin special. Never before had a match so emphatically been put out of reach in 5 over. Sachin and Sehwag climbed into Shoaib, Waqar and Akram and in 5 overs - the Pakistanis were deflated. Sachin continued his march till cramps and a Shoaib snorter denied him a well deserved century. And the cool headed finishing from Yuvi and Dravid ensured that it was to be 4/4 for the Indians.

And then it was yesterday - a different kind of a world cup - a shortened game. Some terrific bowling from Asif indicated that a different result was likely in a different game. 141 in 20 overs - perhaps a low total by T20 standards. But for once the conditions suited bowlers. For once the fielders actually fielded - who could say that this was Indian fielding after what one had seen in England. But some really good bowling by practically all the bowlers (Pathan in particular) till that one bad over by Agarkar made it seem that India would pull off another win in the World Cups. But with 12 needed off the last over - it looked like Pak would take it, Misbah ul Haq with two boundaries in the last over was certain to be a hero what with just 1 needed off 2. But the madman Sreesanth kept his cool and we had a run out last ball for a tie. The Indians had ensured they wouldnt lose to Pak in any World Cup of any sort. We did win off the bowl out any way.

And that perhaps was India saying "Thou Shalt not pass" to Pakistan. For come what may - a World Cup match between India and Pakistan is rightfully India's.

A matter of viewpoint

2007-09-10T12:01:00.000-07:00

Paul Collingwood had this to say "I think overall the standard of umpiring has been pretty high," he said. "There's been some decisions that probably haven't been correct at times but we all make mistakes."

A classical case of how his experience has shaped his opinion. After all the standard of umpiring helped him get both Sachin and Dada as test scalps. Why would he not be happy? Perhaps the Lords match lost its edge and handed it to England on a platter thanks to the same standard - ofcourse he would be pleased.

On the other hand try convincing Sachin Tendulkar that the standard of umpiring was pretty high. Denied thrice by the umpires - he is not going to be an easy person to convince.

Bowling

2007-09-09T06:37:00.000-07:00

Aleem Dar did bowl a really really good line and length yesterday - after all it takes some excellent bowling to get both Dravid and Sachin (with 25000 ODI runs between them) out in the same spell.

Well Bowled Sir!

Break time speech

2007-09-08T06:02:00.001-07:00

"Gentlemen - this is it! This is your chance. This is the Lords - the Mecca of Cricket. This is your redemption time for the World Cup. Today we fight not just the English but also the Pakistani. Aleem Dar has taken it up with us - and its for us to prove that we can beat them all in one go.

This my friends is the Lords - This is the place where we have pulled off some stunners. Last time we played here - it was the rain. This time its up to us. We had the 1983 final here- we defended 183 against a stronger team. We have a 4 run buffer this time around. Most of us saw it happen - no - not you Piyush.

We can get them. The last time we played a final here - we chased 326 unbelievably. Unfortunately we had to see Dada naked after that - but thats life! Yuvraj - you were there and you did it. This time if we win - I promise you, that you wont see me naked.

Lets do this - for the million times that we were done in by the umps. For the million times that the Englishmen have appeared snooty with us. Lets do them not just with fast balls but also slow ones - slower than ever - let them get bored while waiting for them to reach. Oh Ramesh - wipe that silly grin off your face.

This is it. This is to ensure we come out winning all series on this tour. This is for us"

~ The Wall

"End"ulkar

2007-09-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

Set of Numbers 1 :- 4,99,93,8,17,99,8,55,71,94
Set of Numbers 2:- 101, 31, 122*, 37, 16, 91, 1, 82, 1

Opinion 1

Opinion 2

Set of Numbers 1 is Sachin in ODIs on this tour. Set of numbers 2 is Sachin in tests this year. The two opinions are the ones saying Endulkar and Chappel asking Sachin to look up a mirror and retire seeing his reflection there. There were also opinions by Kapil asking Sachin to quit and stop playing selfishly. Anyone who has seen Sachin this series or even before - would attest to one fact - his love for the game remains undiminished. His commitment is beyond question. And for those who thought his talent was gone - kindly refer set of numbers1 and 2. Those in the Mumbai crowd who dared boo him - please cover your faces with some black shit.

For Sachin doesnt need to hear some Mishra to tell him that he is over the hill. For a player of his unquestionable class - he goes on his own terms. As he pleases. Where he pleases

Till then the critics can mull overSachins bat presumably saying "Up Yours" to opinions expressed above and ones similar to these.

We WON !!!!

2007-09-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

I tuned into the match just before the 50th over in the England inning. Dot. Catch sliding for 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. WHOA - why the hell was Yuvi bowling the last with Powar having one left? Damn - this is going to cost us was the clear signal then

Sachin and Saurav over the last few months have heard the phrase "Turning the clock back" over a million times. They would be forgiven for thinking to wonder if the clock had ever stopped. True - they went out of form for some time - Dada even out of the team (deservedly then). But then they stay true to the cliche - "Form temporary, Class permanent".

They started off firmly - running the singles with purpose and hitting the boundary till that over when Sachin climbed in to get 3 consecutive boundaries. And that was game on. Dada at the other end played as well as ever - hoicking Broad for a huge six after a verbal showdown. Did we mention game on ?

Sachin was Sachin. Drive - Cut - Pull - he did it all with flair and composure known only to Sachin. It was a charge reminiscent of the WC Pakistan match and unfortunately so was the end. But he had done his job - set up a brilliant run chase in vintage manner - most of the times an inning better than his 1998 form

So what has the man supposedly over the hill done this Summer in ODIs? 4,99,93,8,17,99,8,55,71,94

Not bad for an over the hill 34 yr old eh ?

Gambhir slow off the blocks but stayed on to contribute to the chase with some big shots. Yuvi and Dravid out in quick succession and it was back to the brink. Memories of 146-5 anyone?

This time Dhoni and Uthappa - Dhoni showing his intelligent cricket again - scrappy but effective - keeping India in the game. Uthappa swaying his bat - sometimes classy sometimes lucky but the runs kept coming. 12 off the last over and Uthappa had made himself a hero. If he were to do nothing more - he will be remembered for this one - just like Kanitkar is.

But it was superb watching the match. Sachin? Man of the match. This is one super over the hill tour.

Acknowledgments: Brat for saving me the trouble of hunting statsguru on this one

Blast from the Future

2007-08-18T03:47:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-08-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

Respect. Totally deserved for wonderful and long career.

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

Priority Extras

2007-08-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

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

2007-08-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

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?

2007-08-09T09:54:00.001-07:00

"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

2007-08-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

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!

The turnaround

2007-07-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

A shock loss to Bangladesh, a determined thrashing of Bermuda that included a emotional hug between Sachin and Dravid that indicated they would reach the next stage come what may and finally a disappointing collapse against Lanka. The Indians were out of a competition many tipped them to be contenders for. An emotional country had reacted spurring on a stupid board to take action against the players. Fingers were raised and heads were called for. Honour was clearly at stake. A long journey for redemption was awaiting the players.

It begun in a easy place - in Bangladesh where as the media hyped it Revenge was on the menu. Seniors were "rested" and the juniors managed to win the ODIs. But for the rested seniors - Sachin and Saurav there were points to prove. Sachin battled on to get two hundreds - determined but laboured. Not quite Sachin they said. Over the hill they said. Retire was the call.
Two Hoots was the answer.

The journey had begun with the easy steps taken. Onward they went to the United Kingdom with a battle to fight with the Africans of the Southern variety. Two nineties in 2 ODIs from the big man - one laboured one cracking and the Indians were winners. The more difficult step had been taken. The smile was back as was the spring in the step. Cricket was enjoyable yet again.

The Tests beckoned. The practice game saw the England Lions taking on the Indians. With 4 cheap wickets down all seemed lost. After all it was only the man who shouldve retired and a prince who never quite looked like getting to the throne at the crease. The man-who-shouldve-retired threw his head back - the bat on the ball and leather was belted. 177 of the best and then again the doubters had to hold back their harsh words. Would he still get the better of them?

The first test. Lords. Never an international century here. Jinxed. Failure. A streaky first salvo till Anderson got one to swing in. And then the ball that did happen twice in the blue moon. He had been Montied - once too many it was. The test looked lost. Till Dhoni decided his place in the side merited a fighter knock. Till rains decided that they owed India a few. Till Bucknor decided not to go anti India this time atleast. They got out of jail. However the doubters were purring in joy - they had evidence to launch the "Retire" campaign again.

Till Trent Bridge. Only till then. Because once Zaheer had done his deed - the openers partied and soon Sachin was there. Circumspect but purposeful. Hit on the head. Boundaries hit many times more. A duel with Sidebottom - perhaps lucky but more importantly persistent and classy he survived to get a classy 91 till Taufel decided someone should take over Bucknor's mantle.
A Ganguly special followed by another Taufel special - India were on their way to victory

And yet again Zaheer did his deed - superbly - with RP getting the nomination for best supporting act. 73 to chase and barring a few hiccups India had won.

The long journey to redemption was well on its way both for India and Sachin. It will only be complete if the series is won and more importantly later if Australia is felled.

I for one would gladly exchange a world cup for beating Aussie in Aussie in a test series. For without great dreams we have no great future.

Fifty

2007-07-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

I have crossed 50 posts - slow and in a stuggling manner. But as they say in Test Cricket - what really matters is that I am still hanging in there.

Sitara News - Sansani bhari Khabar

2007-07-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from hypothetical coverage from a hypothetical news channel

Aur hume yeh khaas jaankari mili hai ki Sachin Tendulkar ne Ice-cream khaane ke liye apni wicket gavayi. Yeh unki aur umpire ki mili bhagat thi ki unko galat tareeke se out diya gaya. Akhir kya ice-cream desh se jyada mahatvapurna ho gayi hai? Waqt aa gaya hai ki Sachin retire karein ya Public ki gaali ke hakdaar bane

"Ye Re Ye Re Pavsaa"

2007-07-24T02:22:00.000-07:00

Translated from Marathi that would mean "Come Come oh Rain!" That easily was the most heard prayer by God yesterday and after having ignored many such pleas starting from the WC 2003 finals - He thought that it was about time to relent and finally signalled the Rain Department to shower on Lords. Ofcourse the Department was in complete readiness for that command by raining all around the ground (except on it till that command came in) for the best part of the day. Perhaps they too were wanting to see if the Indians were upto a fight - to see if they could survive two sessions. They did - thanks in no small measure to Dhoni who yet again showed he has the brains - and then the Gods obliged.

One cant really blame the Gods for delaying the rains till the last minute possible - after all if we had a spine we would have lasted for 15 minutes in the Kingston test against West Indies - taken the rains that were so strong that they lasted for 2 weeks and washed out 2 ODIs. But no - we did not do the hanging around and instead had downpour of tears instead of the rains.

But perhaps yesterday was the luck we deserved - not for any great achievement in the field - but just for Dhoni's insistence on keeping the strike as far as possible though the Gods might have been tempted to deny India the luck given the way Zak and RP tried to gift it all away.

But it stayed. India will take the luck - grin - and move on to Trent Bridge where hopefully the Batsmen will realise that they are infact supposed to be one of the best lineups in the world and perform accordingly.

What also is heartening is the statistic that every time in an England Series that India has failed to lose the first test - they have gone on to win the series. So perhaps the rains in the first test mean that a series victory is heading our way.

The Last Laps

2007-07-17T05:12:00.000-07:00

One always tends to get nostalgic when one knows that one is doing something for the last time. When you have done it time and again repeatedly - and when you know that this is it - this is the last time you will be there - its only natural that one will get nostalgic or look at things indulgently. Its all the same - there is relief and there is that sadness at knowing that never again will you be able to do it again. Be it the last exam, or the last game or whatever - one has the right to be indulgent and look at the past - which if you look at it indulgently would have been good.

For Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly and Kumble the last lap has begun. After making zillions of rounds around the race track - they will now start seeing the places they have seen so many times for one last time - passing by all the milestones. The last lap has begun for them all.

For Sachin, Dravid and Ganguly - England holds a special place. First Century for Sach, 3 centuries on Debut for Ganguly and a confident 95 on debut for Dravid. England 1996 was where the germs of a superb middle order were first laid.

And since then we have seen some stunning knocks on the tours to England. Dravid's gritty 147 at Headingley followed by the 193 by Sachin and the 120 odd by Ganguly just to name a masterpiece each by the three of them.

It will be really interesting to see how they sign off on the tour. For Sachin who had announced himself with a gritty match saving century (maiden at that) as a teenager - it will be paramount that he goes out in similar fashion to the match against the England Lions.

This is the first of the milestones on the last lap - Australia awaits. And winning here is the only way we can go to Oz Land looking to win

Dark Side 1; Shiny Star 0

2007-05-20T08:55:00.001-07:00

Many weeks ago I published a post regarding the Dark Lord's loss to the Dark Side. Now allow me to educate you about the Shiny Star's loss to the Dark Side. The Shiny star in question is our very own Dhingra - another stalwart of H-Mezz who also has succumbed to the Dark Side. When he got married he was carrying this ecstatic expression. Little was he to know that he was now about to fall to the Dark Side.

This is a true incident which occurred in the state/city of Delhi in the presence of the one and only 123 Kid (Well he insists that he be called Sid - one never knows why - but for all practical purposes we shall refer to him as the Kid or sometimes merely as Kid). So there was this time when I was in Delhi hawking some tea (again) and we decided that the 3 of us would meet for dinner - an event that was planned three days in advance and confirmed 2 hours before the decided meeting time. But it was then that the Dark Side struck! Dhingra in all his naivety committed to meeting us without actually seeking permission from the Dark Side. And then about 30 mins to the rendezvous time - he had to pull out because he was not feeling well. One could have believed that had he not used the excuse of having an "headache". What actually clinched the deal is that he actually then decided to visit us for 15 minutes at the restaurant - obviously in a tearing hurry because he had been allowed the 15 mins with a curfew imposed.

So Dhingra came - he smiled - he talked and then he ran off citing ill health and the headache no doubt! But it was clear that we had sadly lost him to the Dark Side!

With 2 H-Mezz stalwarts having been lost to the Dark Side, one wonder what the result would be when Kid gets married eventually (well the child marriage laws might just be ammended - you never know!

Sigh! Life can throw so many twists that its actually scary.

Welcome back

2007-05-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

Its been long since I came this way - mostly because life has been quite packed over the last month or so. Also because there has been almost no inclination to blog. Even this is going to be one forced post. But when India has been playing cricket - there cant not be a post from my side.

While the series is been seen as a pointless one - it should have been one, actually all matches played in the month of May in the subcontinent are by default pointless - it actually has thrown up one positive - or rather reinforced a positive. Dinesh Karthick is here and hopefully to stay. Confident, assured and mature - he is what India needs. Also the matches have shown that Dhoni is all about the brains and not just about the hard hits.
Well I always claimed that this blog was one of positive reviews for Indian Cricket - so you can hardly expect me to crib about the quality of opposition right?

Amongst other news - Sachin and Saurav have scored centuries - always good news. Lets hope they reprise that achievement in England and then Australia.

Dark Side 1 : Dark Lord 0

2007-04-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

To those from IIMB, there needs to be no introduction to the Dark Lord. For those who dont know him, he spouts his depressing stuff here.
For those confused about what the Dark Side means - all you need to know is that he got married last month.

So I couldnt attend his marriage on account of hawking tea in the Desert and could only meet him on my return. I had unexpectedly landed in Bandra and gave him a call - asked him if he was free to meet - a moments thought and he agreed. We met - over a cup of coffee. We talked for a while. There was that slight embarrased smile on his face as he answered all questions about the newness in his life. It was like the old times - except till that time when he received a call. The expressions changed from confident and suave to worried and petrified. Then he started glancing at his watch and towards the door. I asked the obvious question - was it your wife, are u required home immediately. He mumbled. Then loudly said that not to worry we could sit. I took it at face value - the glancing at the watch became staring at the watch.

Soon he asked if we should leave. Without mentioning a drink or an evening session (For context everytime we met, he would ask if we should go drink and I would refuse). Then he got up - a spring in his step, a marked hurry. And then he was gone, sucumbed to the all pervasive phone call.

And thus was one lost to the dark side

Using the rod

2007-04-08T23:41:00.000-07:00

Imagine a kid who has just failed in his examinations and has his report card reviewed by his parents. The parents - naturally angry at his poor performance - decide to clamp down on the kid in order to straighten him up. The easiest way they believe is to deprive the kid of all his priveleges and they think that the longing for them will make him do better next time around. So off goes his allowance and his free time - he gets grounded. But they ignore that maybe a systemic change might have been better off.

So similarly what does our cricket board do when it reviews the performance of our players? It decides to show them who their daddy is and clamps down on the players. While I can see the intention behind the moves, I have issues with the way the board has tried to implement it.

For example if the logic is that due to endorsements, the players dont get enough time to focus on the game - there was no need to undemocratically limit the number of endorsements for the players. Simply increase the number of mandatory camps the players must attend. Increase the number of domestic matches the players have to play compulsorily to be selected to the team. Create blackout periods where only training and cricket is focussed on but allow the players a specified time where they can go earn money from endorsements to the highest of their capabilites. Market forces will anyway ensure that money earned is proportional to performance on field.

The fact is that we have no bench strength and it can only be built through ensuring competetive domestic matches - which means that international players have to be routinely involved in these matches. How else will we know just how good a player really is? India A and U19 tours abroad hopefully will also help the cause. Finally I do hope the BCCI actually implements fast green pitches in as many locations as possible for domestic cricket - so that we have players who can actually play. Having said that as long as Kumble still plays test cricket, please have spinning beauties for Home test matches. No one wants to see a Nagpur green pitch while playing against the Aussies - the word i think is suicide.

The board might do well to realise that they support cricket which includes the players. Having anti-player diktats just smells of appeasement politics - hardly a surprise given that politicians run BCCI anyway. Maybe we can have control handed over to the players yeah?

They say that to spare the rod is to spoil the child. But to use the rod excessively is to have a child who will kick the parents out when its his turn.

One year on

2007-04-08T23:37:00.000-07:00

Wuhooo! This blog celebrates its first birthday today. For a blog that promised to die and fizzle out, this is more than what I bargained for. Ofcourse the blog is a resounding failure but that can not be a detterent. So what if there are no readers or commentators - we shall live on and perhaps some day even celebrate our Independence day.

Ah well! Its all pointless! Happy BDay Blog!

Confronting Reality

2007-04-05T05:16:00.000-07:00

Its extremely funny how we cant handle a touch of mortality from the guys we attribute "Godhood" (?) or greatness too. We want Sachin to retire not because he isnt good enough to be in the team anymore (he definitely is) but because he isnt living up to the mental image we have of him. Because he isnt doing his ordained job of fulfilling our wet dreams. And now when he speaks out - in what is a completely rare occassion - about someone questioning his commitment to the team - mind you his commitment is questioned not form or capability and I would imagine that his commitment was one thing beyond any question - the moment he shows that he is a mortal too - we are saddened and shocked by his behavior.

Maybe the fault lies not just in the team/players/board/media/coach but also us? Is that worth a consideration?

No Sun - No Fun!

2007-03-28T23:19:00.000-07:00

I am supposed to be in a Desert. Its supposed to be hot here - so hot that you should be drinking water to keep yourself from fainting. So hot that you should probably wear a cap and sunglasses all the time - just so you dont get sick due to the heat.

Its a farce - a huge farce this desert business. Well - atleast in these months. On odd days it does get hot and they throw up a sand storm to convince you about the existence of the desert but for most part the weather is pleasant here. Evenings - some have been chilly too.

But I was willing to live with pleasant weather - thinking nice bonus and what not. Plus I was always told that deserts have extreme weathers - hot by day, cold by night.

But today has been a shocker - its RAINING here! Raining! Desert Rain! The weather is actually gloomy and grey and dark at 10.30 in the morning - its DARK out there. So depressingly gloomy.

Apparently this is the weather they have in Cal - gleeful fellow trainees tell me - That explains a lot of things about bongs i suppose!

No Sun - No Fun! is all I have to say.

Against the Flow

2007-03-25T04:16:00.000-07:00

This is the 3rd consecutive post on the same theme – the theme that asks for supporters and not fans. Every time I feel disappointed with the Indian team’s performance – the coverage on the news channels (alright – I get just Sahara Samay here, and its bad but I am sure its representative of the kind of coverage that goes on) and the kind of reactions expressed, just drive me to want to support the Indian team.

Cricket is a sport – a game. Its not a question of life and death. We as fans/supporters have every right to feel cheated/disappointed/angry with the team’s performance. We however have no right to abuse their personal space and their families. The police having to spend resources to protect the houses of our players is ridiculous – not for the action – but for the need arising to do it.

The players are not in the game to fulfill our fantasies and dreams. That we make them our heros and our messiahs is our own problem. It’s a career for them. Its what gives them their daily bread and luxuries. They can make money only over a limited timeframe – a shelf life shall we say? It is absolutely valid for them to earn money from other avenues like promotions and advertisements. To suggest that their advertisements are the cause of their poor performance is sheer stupidity. Does your work get affected by your dealing on the stock market or investing your money in banks? Or for that matter by your working for your local Rotary Club or heck even by your watching a movie? The board and the coach arrange for sufficient matches and training camps. As long as the players attend these – we have no right to cry foul.

Saying that the players should be banned from advertisements is completely unfair – as is suggesting that their performance should dictate the amount they get paid for advertisements. It’s a statement unfair not only to the players but also to the companies they represent in the ads. Let the market decide what they should pay whom. Also next time we read a report saying that a player’s sex life affects quality of performance on the sports field – will we go ahead and regulate his sex life too?

The players DO NOT work on tax-payers money. We do not pay him his salary. Just like we don’t demand that Amitabh Bacchan should only be paid if we like the movie, we have no right to demand that the player should only be paid if we like what he does on the ground.

Also while a loss in the first round is shameful and unexpected – it does not mean that the team is shit. TV channels seem thrilled to get opinions from viewers that literally use these words about them. It means that our performance was not good enough this time around. If we have doubts about the quality of their performance – we have the option to stop watching their games altogether – without wanting them stoned/burnt or worse killed.

“India Great” when we win a match and “India Worst” when we lose a match – and have these emotions swing wildly every match is not a done thing. Just like everyone else, the players too will appreciate stability of emotions. Either hate the team and do not follow them or support them and bear the low performances. Do not be like the creepy friend who only sticks to you when you have the money to spend on him. No one wants the wild swinging between Havans and prayers and then effigy burning and stoning.

The MPs and MLAs demanding a probe into the performance will be better off allowing the CBI to conduct the probes into them in a free and fair manner. And would you mind being not corrupt for a change please? And minding some slightly more important business about running the country?

Can the channels and people concentrate their efforts on tracking down real villans and criminals rather than attack the soft targets that the players are?
Finally what are we really pissed about – the fact that we crashed out of the WC or the fact that rich cricketers crashed out of the WC ?

I know I have repeated my points over and over again but then so do the newschannels.

The end of a dream.

2007-03-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

WC 2003. We had a dream. Ponting had a bigger dream.
WC 2007. We had a dream. We woke up too soon.

Yesterday we crashed out of the world cup. We might still make it if Bermuda beat Bangla - but we rather not make it that way. We are out.

While I was quite ok with the Bangladesh loss - we were surprised and they did play quite well, the match against Lanka was a disaster. 255 was chaseable through the strategy of batting out 50. Did not happen and thus ended the World Cup for Team India. And in all probabilities the last WC match for Sachin, Ganguly and Dravid. The big 3 have bowed out of the cup with only one man having put up a fight. Sure Sachin got a ripper of a ball - but this was one match where he shouldnt have been ripped. Dada - I dont know what the hell he was thinking. Yuvraj ???

*Sigh* Its all ended in a heap. Now we will witness old unsuccesful fat players play the sharp critic, news channels will have a field day and the players will be generally made to believe they shouldnt have been born.

Dravid will probably lose captaincy. Greg will go. Maybe Uthappa will have signed a resignation letter with his shot. All this desirable? Maybe not. Any other option? Sadly sanity will not prevail.

Lets just remember that the players are humans too. They did not want to lose either. They are breadwinners for their families (sure the bread is made of gold but that shouldnt matter). They have a right to make millions from Advertisements. If they do not perform - the market forces will take care of that. We have no right to grudge them their earnings. They dont get paid taxpayers money. The MPs and MLAs do. Do we ransack their houses when they get caught for scams or dont work?

Dreams do get shattered every now and then. But its always the pursuit of the next dream that eggs us on.

Cheers
Pushkar
A Team India loyalist
Shaken, stirred but still a loyalist.

Wanted: Supporters not Fans

2007-03-21T05:07:00.000-07:00

Cricket is a religion in India. The players are treated like Gods.Perhaps true - When we attack temples and mosques that represent the real Gods - why would the treatment be any different for the sporting Gods?

We are a country of hype - no one would ever deny that. We are a country of extremes - no one would deny that either. But it seems that we are a country of fanatics too. For who gave us the right to attack a cricketers house? Who gave us the right to pelt stones at the their families? Who told us that we owned the cricketers and we could treat them anywhich way we wanted?

Cricket may be a religion, it may be a passion, it may be a first love for many - but why do we insist on forgetting that above all else it is still a sport. Not a battle of life and death. A sport in which victory and loss are fickle guests for every team. A sport which is made exciting by its cliched but true glorious uncertainties and twists and turns. If everything went to plan and the stronger team were to win all the time - not only would the game be no fun - India wouldnt ever have been the World Champions in 1983.

The Indian team has plenty of fans - nay fanatics but seemingly just a handful of supporters. Its almost as if an army of Team India -Baiters (News Channels, Ex-Cricketers and Fanatics) just wait for a chance to start abusing the players and to push them off the pedestal they stand on. But hold on a minute - who put them on the pedestal? For the life of me, I cant remember a Sachin or a Rahul proclaiming that they were sporting Gods and should be worshipped as such? That their place was on a pedestal? If we put them on the pedestal - lets atleast respect their personal lifes just that little bit.

Criticism? Sure but let it involve a balanced view. Disappointment? Ofcourse! Frustration? That our right. Attacks? Hell no.

But amongst all the rambling - my expression of thoughts is not even a patch on Rudyard Kipling's classic - "And if you can face Triumph and Disaster - and treat those two imposters just the same - you will be a man my son!"

About time - we accepted the lows of Indian cricket with the highs.

Nostalgia.

2007-02-23T04:40:00.000-08:00

This month of February has seen me have bouts of Nostalgia a lot of times. First it was that trip back to campus for Unmaad. 3 days back on campus - with a lot of people from the senior batch, a lot of people from my batch and ofcourse all the juniors. Its impossible not to be nostalgic - especially when u sit at H-Bar with two other fellow H-Mezzers and chat. We almost expected one of the others to suddenly pop out of their erstwhile rooms and it would all start again - the random conversations, the TAS ball cricket, the usual banter and poking-fun-at-others.
There were the L^2 parties - with the same familiar junta - the same faces - the same memories. The same chants, the same jokes - the familiarity and warmth of the campus we were so used to for 2 years.

Unmaad 2006 was one of the hugest things for me - Unmaad 2007 was yet another trip down that old memory lane. Standing there ahead of the barricades with Lucky Ali-Indian Ocean- Junoon playing, dancing with friends there and talking about how that time last year - it was Ian Anderson with Tull out there.

It was all great fun but I always knew I was going to return to campus in a week's time for a company ppt. It was in that visit when it finally struck - that would be my last visit to the campus as a "senior" with my juniors still on campus. The next visit (if and when) would be as an "alumnus". It doesnt need many reasons to start missing campus and the life there.

Then while in Delhi - with my batchmates, it was nostalgia time all over again, so much so that we all simultaneously missed L^2 when some popular L^2 song started playing in the background.

Many months back i had posted this. I guess almost a year out of campus, things still havent changed. I still miss all those things.

I guess its funny - while in the first year, we all long to see the end of the 4 terms and want things to hurry. By term 6 we are hoping that time would slow down and at the same time looking forward to making money. Post placements one hopes that "that" particular time would never have ended.

But to use the cliche - all good things come to an end and its only when they have ended that you really appreciate how good they really were.

An Irish saying "May the best times of your life become the worst times of your life". All I can say is that it will take some doing for the future moments to demote those moments but I hope it happens

Future Gazing

2007-02-19T02:57:00.000-08:00

For all you know, Irfan Pathan might be recognised in the future as one of the best no.3 batsmen in the world, known for his propensity to pick up vital breakthroughs with his part time bowling.

Rollercoasters

2007-02-17T03:19:00.000-08:00

Usually they come attached with a warning that they might be unsuitable for heart patients and the like. Indian Cricket however comes unattached with any such strings but whos really complaining? The pieces are slowly beggining to fall into place - ofcourse you never know when they might be rocked again - but unlike the last close loss versus the Windies, this time around India have bounced back strongly.

Often while solving a jigsaw puzzle, all it takes to finish it off is getting that one critical piece in place and the rest takes care of itself. For anyone following Indian Cricket - it wouldnt take long to realise that the most critical piece in this team is the captain himself Rahul Dravid. Over the last year he has batted at all positions from 1 to 7 with varying degrees of success. However the one place where he has had success and more importantly the team has had success has been the no.5 position. Dravid undoubtedly is the best repairman in the Indian team and hence the best guy to go to when we need an innings to be rebuilt - hence the best guy when wickets have fallen cheaply - say a 50/3, Dravid coming in and one would have to feel reassured.

Over the last couple of years Rahul has also developed into India's best finisher - push the ball into the gaps, run the ones and twos, hit the boundaries and generally either finish off a run chase or end the inning with a flourish. So say at a 200/3 with 13 odd overs to go, Dravid would be a safe guy to have there.

Imagine the guys batting at 1-4 - would you not feel secure if you knew that Dravid was there to watch your back? One cant help but feel that a Dravid at 5 would end up creating a peaceful scenario for all around.

The other pieces have mostly fallen into place - Dhoni has been a brilliant no.6 - he has brains along with the brawn and that makes him really good. Yuvraj coming back to form and fluency basically solves the question of who will bat at 4. Ganguly has come back to international cricket with a vengeance that only bodes well for us. And that brings me to the call to reinstate the old firm of Sachin and Saurav to the top of the order. Their century partnership at Rajkot proves that they still have the coordination and fluency to bat together

A backup of Karthick, Uthappa and Sehwag (who should be whipped and caned for his runout today) looks good.

Indian batting will in all probablities continue their round trip from excellence to selfdestruction but in excellence it looks pretty much looks as good as it gets. And by subscribing to the rollercoaster of Indian cricket, one has anyway foregone the risks of heart attacks - statutory warnings be damned.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also posted on Sportsnob

A tale of three teams

2007-02-11T04:09:00.000-08:00

This is a tale of three teams. Australia, England and India. At first sight - the champions, the downtrodden and the middle ground?

A week back - Australia were invincible, England could do no right and India were back on the ascendancy. 11 February 2007, the stakes have changed. These three teams are all at their own crossroads - to ponder their future and take a path that will decide their fate at the World Cup in the West Indies.

Australia last lost a best of three finals in 1992-93. To lose to England today would be nothing short of a miracle. To have lost three consecutive matches to England is something Ricky Ponting wouldnt have thought of in his worst nightmare. But that non-existent nightmare has become a reality. Usually one would have expected Australia to look at the loss in the first final grimly, tighten their belt, summon all their brutal energies and crush England and crush them convincingly. After all the Aussies would want to punish England for making them play a third final. But England pulled one out of that hat and rode to a victory - a thumping one at that.

A victory that has brought both teams to unfamiliar territory. The victory possibly will bring England to face a pleasant fact - that their team is not really all that bad and perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea for them to really try hard for the World Cup. Its not the serious five day game but really after the 5-0 Ashes loss - lets look at this shorter game a little more seriously huh? They can treat this victory as a launching pad and go for it all. Or in typical English style - they could have several pints of warm beer - talk about the victory for ages and forget about winning any further matches.

Australia on the other hand seem to have taken Symond's loss pretty badly. For a side that has a bench strength good enough to beat most other first sides - its fairly surprising. To lose 3 matches on a trot to England is a shocker. Having failed to crush England after the first final - one wonders how Australia will take this defeat. What looked like an unneccessary 3 match series against New Zealand has suddenly become crucial. New Zealand can either bury Aussie confidence - or more likely you might find the Aussies shrugging off the final loss to England, chewing gum, gulping Fosters and resume regular business just as if nothing really happened.

The most intriguing side though has to be India. Its been a long journey for them. Great run - win 17 matches on a trot chasing and then that 4-1 loss in Windies and India were on a bad patch continuing up to the South African series where they lost 4-0. Coming back to the Indian pitches, they played strongly to win the series against the Windies. Until today. They exercised that card which they know best - To lose a match that was as good as won. The last time they lost a match that went this close was in West Indies when Dwayne Bravo bowled that slower one to Yuvraj Singh. The result was a string of losses after that. And that makes this close loss to Sri Lanka even more worrying. India is yet again on the crossroads. They could shrug it off and go on to win the next 2 matches and still be contenders in the World Cup or they could go on the path they know best - downhill.

A week back - Australia were invincible, India were on their way up and England were finding a way to dig deeper. Today Australia are bewildered, England ecstatic and India devastated. Whoever will want to question cricket being a funny game?

--------------------------------------------

You can also read this on Sportsnob here and a much watered down version on Sportingo here

Quick Comment: Sachin Tendulkar

2007-02-10T05:39:00.000-08:00

Sachin Tendulkar has been the best batsman in the world. No questions asked. What made him the best was his ability to make the toughest and most dangerous of pitches seem placid while all around him struggled to come to terms with the pitch. The most fearful bowlers seemed like ordinary net bowlers. He was feared.

He still retains that capability . To play that brilliant knock when all others struggle. But what has displaced him from his position of the best in the world (apart from a raging Ponting ofcourse) is a new ability that seems to have crept into his game. He has also started to make placid pitches look like minefields. Some ordinary bowlers are given respect that they wouldnt get a few years back.

And there I think is where Sachin has become less of a threat. But to take him lightly - thats a fool's job to do. For even a Tendulkar at powers lower than his peak is more than a handful for any team in the world.

Good Riddance

2007-02-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

It serves the Eden crowd perfectly that the match got washed out. In fact there should be no international matches at Eden. Let that crowd feel happy watching Bengal v/s XYZ team and cheer the Bengali players all their life.

Last time an international was held at Eden Gardens - India was playing South Africa. India were sans Ganguly and as a result the crowd decided that they were happier supporting South Africa. South African runs were cheered, those of Indians booed. Indian mistakes were cheered, their super shots or good balls were jeered. The South Africans had more support in Eden than they have ever had in South Africa.

For a crowd that cannot support its own team - there should be no joy of watching that team play. Next lets not wait for nature to dispense justice. Let there be no matches at Eden.

P.S. :- I havent even mentioned the earlier shameful acts by the Eden crowd - ofcourse none of that compares with this one.

Quick Comment: Market Research

2007-02-08T01:10:00.000-08:00

Its always a good idea to get in touch with your customers and find what they really want. A vague parallel would be Mel Gibson in what women want!
Now in the case of this blog - an unsolicited market research scenario has happened. Instead of me getting in touch with a sample of my regular readers, some of them have gotten in touch with me and registered their complaints about the contents of many posts in this blog.
After having chosen a statistically significant sample for researching this complaint - I have the results.
Atleast 20% of the regular readers find that the 'more' from the 'Cricket & More' has gone missing and there is need for the 'more' part to be addressed.

Its a thought to ponder on. Cricket will always be the leading theme of this blog but it wouldnt hurt to have a little variety.

Nice Guys

2007-02-07T06:21:00.000-08:00

A brilliant article to read here
Nothing I could ever write on the topic could ever come close to the article
Enjoy!

Turnaround

2007-02-05T02:03:00.000-08:00

Zero points from the first three matches. Shame and relegation looked likely. Mumbai were staring at being booted out of the competition that they had won 36 times before. But its not for nothing that Mumbai cricket has so many legends and stories associated with it. They say Mumbai cricket is 'khadoos' where the players dont give an inch and fight to the finish - and have it in them to pull off a stunner when all looks lost.

Mumbai did that yet again. They went on to win the next 3 matches - with bonus points no less and stormed into the semis.

And if one thought that it was the end of their turnaround heroics - they decided to fight back from 0/5 in the second inning in the semis to post a stunning win - courtesy heroics from Vinayak Samant.

And then the finals - picking up 6 wickets in 21 balls to seal the issue just when it looked like Bengal was threatening to upstage Mumbai.

What can i say but Mumbai rocks!

A post of Self Indulgence

2007-02-01T03:31:00.000-08:00

Regular readers of this blog (bwahahahahahaa - this one still cracks me up - Still i do seem to have atleast 10 ppl who keep popping into this place) will notice a few changes in the blog. It might undergo a few more changes - which ofcourse will depend on my enthu levels.

One startling fact is that this blog now has over 25 posts. Not bad for a blog that promised to stillborn. More startling is that there are atleast 10 people who visit it regularly - ofcourse it means that their jobs offer a lot of free time but as they say in cricket - "It doesnt matter how the runs come as long as they do" - a philosophy pioneered by Jimmy Padams - ofcourse he just understood that he should use the pad to block the ball - but atleast he got it to some extent.

Regular readers will notice the presence of a search box right next to the newest post. It has the option to search my blog/the whole web/cricinfo. Makes life simpler for those who want to check if the stats I throw around are made up or really genuine. This ofcourse makes my life tougher as now I have to be authentic but I shall bank on the fact that these readers will be too lazy to really want to check anything up.

You will also hopefully notice a lot of posts titled Quick Comments - Basically used when I want to notch up another post and when I have no enthu to put in a real post per se. Also you might come across more posts titled PJs - dangerous cause it might cause my readers to stop visiting for fear of being bombarded with more bad jokes.

Also due to finally having switched over to the new blogger, my posts will have labels.

Most importantly - the title is no longer Ramblings - it has been renamed as "Cricket and More" - An optimist's viewpoint on Indian Cricket and Life". I still will ramble but there is no reason I shouldnt have a pseud title!

So then - Keep reading and commenting for this blog is here to stay.

Thank God for...

2007-02-01T03:17:00.000-08:00

Home Series before the World Cup. It has not only helped in deciding a team for the WC but also given that much need dose of confidence to the team.

Let me take a stab at the team to the WC

The Confirmed
Rahul Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar
Saurav Ganguly
Yuvraj Singh
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Ajit Agarkar
Anil Kumble
Zaheer Khan
Harbhajan Singh

The almost there
Dinesh Karthick
S.Sreesanth
Robin Uthappa

The discards with a case
Virender Sehwag
Irfan Pathan

The other contenders
Munaf Patel
Ramesh Powar

So basically it looks like a fight between these 7 for 6 spots. This ofcourse assumes that Uthappa has snatched a chance over Gambhir already. Powar will have to fight it out with Sree/Munaf/Pathan.
And given that Pathan is atleast an accomplished bat - it will be a choice between Sreesanth Munaf and Powar for the last 2 spots.

It looks like a good team - especially with Yuvraj - Sachin - Dravid in the middle. Not to mention a comeback to form for Ganguly.

Atleast this now is beginning to look like a team that will be competitive in the Cup.

And yes should we still sack Sachin? Sure!

PJ: Who stole....

2007-01-26T04:07:00.000-08:00

You have been warned. There is a PJ coming up. I wash my hands off all frustrations you might feel.
This came up while in Traimbak - the skies were clear of any pollution and the stars were out in all their strength.

While watching the Orion (also known as the Great Hunter) - a thought came to mind. What if the light from one of the stars stopped reaching us earlier than the rest? Some one named Hunter might make a killing by writing a book titled "Who stole my belt".

You were warned.