World Cup Champions

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

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

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

Thou Shalt Not Pass - 3

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

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

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.

Using the rod

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.

Against the Flow

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.

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

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.

A tale of three teams

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?

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

Thank God for...

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!