Australia’s act is commendable

Australia declared their first innings of the first Test match against Pakistan on 454 for five on Sunday. Who could have thought that a side got a chance to make merry on a ‘batting paradise’ infront of a record home crowd at MCG would do that? When they declared, Michael Clarke was batting on 28 while Marcus North and Bradd Hadding- their two proper batsmen were still to come. They could have easily crossed 600 at the end of the day.
When the day finished, Pakistan were tottering at 109 for the loss of four wickets. They lost the priced wicket of their captain, Mohammad Yousuf, in the second last ball of the day. Australia, took the gamble and like most often, it paid. If they win this match then it would be another big step in the direction of reviving the Test cricket, which is loosing its sheen ( that is what few people think, otherwise, the last few Test matches at different parts of the World were nail-biting!) after the onslaught of Twenty20.
Aussies believe in setting trends. They did exactly the same a decade or so ago when they started scoring runs at a run rate of around three or more. Its impact was huge. It brought more results for them as well as other teams had also started replicating that. Now, most of the teams do not believe in playing the old fashioned Test cricket where a side could score only a handful of runs in the entire day of play. They try to score fast inorder to get a result.
Australia are the only side who could take such a big gamble. It is their mental strength that helps them in taking such audacious decisions. And someone has rightly said, "Fortune favours the brave". It might take Test match cricket to a new level, where it could not only survive but compete with the other formats as well.

A ‘date’ with history

The upcoming three test match series between Australia and Pakistan could be the best possible chance for the sub-continent side to beat the Aussies in their own den. Pakistan have so far struggled to adjust with the bouncing ball, just like other teams from the same region. But they also know the fact that if it is possible anytime, it is now.
Ozs headache

Australia are still trying to fill the gap left by the exit of Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Mathew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist. The ever-increasing injury list of their players is also a worrying factor for team chief selector Andrew Hilditch.
But the best thing with Australia is their domestic cricket. It is very strong and competitive. So, any player coming in the side does not take long before going out. The reserved players also know that it could be the only chance they would get in the years to come. So they try to make full use of the opportunity presented to them.
Australian squad

The selectors have included Phillip Hughes as a cover for Ricky Ponting in the squad of thirteen for the first test match. Ponting got injured by a rising delivery from Kemar Roach during the first innings of the third test match against West Indies. Though, it looks improbable that Punter would miss the Boxing Day encounter as he would not like to give the opponents any chance to do something they haven't done till date.
Except Ponting, the rest of the batting line-up— Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Marcus North, wicket-keeper batsman Brad Haddin — is expected to remain same.
Peter Siddle has also returned after the injury. It seems that Australia's pace attack will be led by Doug Bollinger, who impressed one and all by his spirited show against the Caribbean side lately. Mitchell Johnson too looked sharp with his pace at times, but still he is nowhere close to his heroics of the last season when he took 60 wickets in 12 tests. Siddle may replace Clint McKay, who made his debut in the third match against West Indies. Nathan Hauritz will once again fill the spinner's gap.
Inexperience in Pak batting
Pakistan on the other hand, had a good tour of New Zealand lately. They lost the nail-biter first test match which they could have also won, came back strongly in the second with their bowling prowess and managed to draw the last match.
They also had a good tour match against Tasmania. It gave their players the only chance to acclimatize with the pace and bounce of the Australian wickets.
Their batting is mainly dependent on the shoulders of their captain Mohammad Yousuf. Though, Salman Butt has also hit a big century at Hobart and also had a ton to his name when the side toured Australia last time, his skills to play the ball outside the off stump is his weak point.
Imran Farhat does not have the concentration level to play a long inning. Shoaib Malik is still finding out what he is good at — batting or bowling — or may be none. Misbah-ul-Haq has played loads of domestic cricket and this might be the reason he does not know how to replicate that success at a bigger level.
Akmal brothers are the only glimmer of hope in the Pakistan batting line-up other than Yousuf. Umar Akamal has had a terrific time with the bat since he had made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in August. He has already scored a century and three fifties in his first three test matches. His older brother Kamran is also amongst the runs in the last few series. They, together with their skipper will share the bulk of the responsibility when it comes to taking their side to a respectable total.
Bowling in full-flow
They seem to have a good combination of fast and spin bowlers. Their pace attack has been strengthened by the return of Mohammad Asif, who was phenomenal with his line and length against the Kiwis. Mohammad Aamer was nothing short of a revelation in the last few months. He is accurate as well as fast. Umar Gul has imporved as a bowler, though, he still needs to prove his worth in the longer version of the game on a consistent basis. The surprise inclusion of Mohammad Sami is a big gamble by the team selectors. He will return after a gap of two years after delinking his ties with the now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL).
Saeed Ajmal’s form is proving decisive for the side. Most of the teams are finding it hard to cope with 'doosra' of this off spinner. He is more of the mould of champion spinner Saqlain Mushtaq.
So, things seem to look balanced for both the sides. But if Pakistan play with spirit, courage and patience, then this team would book their place in the record books.

Numero Uno At Last

It is a satisfying victory against the Sri Lankans, who were completely outplayed by the men-in-blue. By this victory team-India also secured the much awaited no. 1 spot in the ICC Test Rankings.
The numero uno position is the result of the consistent performance of the Indian team in the last few years, especially under the reigns of Sourav Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. They both gave the side the much important ‘belief’ that they could also reach at the top.
India played 49 games under the leadership of Ganguly and the win-loss ratio was 21:13. MSD’s record as a skipper has been superb till now. Out of the 10 games under his captaincy, the side has won seven.
The comeback by the Indian side after their misadventure in the first innings of the first test match against Sri Lanka was stupendous. After that, they did not give any chance to their opponents to search their luck back in the series.
The most satisfying thing in this period of wins was the ‘attitude’ of the side. They might have failed in one innings or a test, but they always returned with a bang in the next one.
Batting Brilliance
After a longtime, India have got a good opening pair of Gautam Gambhir and Virendra Sehwag. The way these two Delhiites complement each other is laudable. Sehwag would always give the side a brisk start and nice platform for the batsmen to follow him. Meanwhile, Gambhir would do his job of supporting him and if given an opportunity, he would strike few from the middle of his bat.
Rahul Dravid, ‘the wall’, would face any bowling attack in all conditions with complete ease. We all know the class of master blaster Sachin Tendulkar. VVS (very very special) Laxman would always silence his critics with a fine performance. He is one such batsman in the side who always found his place under the scanner, irrespective of the commitment and brilliance he always shows on the field. These three have given the much-needed support to the Indian middle order.
Though, Yuvraj Singh is still finding his feet in the Test side, he always ensured the team finishes their innings well, together with skipper MS Dhoni, who could shift his gears according to the situation of the game.
Indian tailenders have surely improved their batting skills. Habhajan Singh, along with Zaheer Khan, and others have shown the grit to stay at the wicket.

Bowling Performance
After Javagal Srinath, the Indian team has found Zaheer Khan to lead the pace attack. He has been supported well by Ajit Agarkar (till he was there in the side), Ashish Nehra, S Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma and others.
Zaheer’s exit from the side when Greg Chappell was at the helm of, proved decisive for this Mumbai bowler. He toiled hard in the domestic circuit and made full use of the opportunity he got in the county arena. He returned as a ‘thinking’ bowler.
Harbhajan, first with spin great Anil Kumble, till he hung his boots, and later on with Piyush Chawla, Amit Mishra and now Pragyan Ojha, has led the spin department of the side. I have always felt that Harbhajan is a better Test match bowler than an ODI. He, more or less, does the job of containing the batsmen in the fifty over format. But his ability to take wickets in the longest format of the game helped the side to reach this historic landmark.
The leader
Indian team has got the real leader in the form of MSD. His ability to remain calm even in the most extreme situations and capability to lead from the front whenever the team-members find themselves in dire straits, have already made him one of the successful captains that ever led India.
The sensible coach
Gary Kirsten proved more than a help for MSD since he has taken over from Anil Kumble. He understands his role in the side well and does not interfere unnecessarily in the team’s proceedings. The South African has also maintained a fair distance from the media, which was not the case with his predecessor, Greg Chappell. He guides the side and counsels the players more than coaching them. Just what John Wright did in his term with the side.
The no. 1 position may not stay for a long time as India will play only two Test matches in the next 11 months. But by reaching the acme for the first time, the blue brigade has shown what they are capable of when they play as a unit.
I think if they replicate this performance in the other forms of the game as well till the time they get their next chance in the longest form, then they will return here sooner rather than later. Because they know what it feels like being at no. 1.

God's hand in France win

Whatever we saw, read and heard about French captain Thierry Henry's hand ball in yesterday's World Cup qualifier against Ireland, makes us believe that history repeated itself.

Last time, England was at the receiving end of Argentine striker Diego Maradona in a 1986 World Cup quarter-final match, the goal was then termed as 'hand of God' goal. This time Ireland faced the ire, when former Arsenal star Henry, was seen slapping the ball with his hand to stop it going out of play. But his next similar attempt few minutes later put the nails on Irish's head.

It helped in setting up the perfect cross-ball to defender William Gallas, who headed it for an equalizer after the regular ninety minutes play. That goal sealed France's place for the next Football World Cup in South Africa.

Though, Henry accepted that he touched the ball with his hand, it could not deter Irish supporters for shouting 'Le Cheat' against him. Henry declined to apologise after the match for his misadventure and blamed the Swedish referee for that.

Ireland skipper Robbie Keane blasted FIFA officials after the match and said, ''Since both FIFA chief Sap Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini are French, they would be texting each other, delighted with result.''

The livid Irish Football Association (IFA) asked FIFA to look into the matter and also requested for a replay of the same match, which was turned down today. It would be pertinent now to ask whatever done by French striker was in the true spirit of the game? But I also want to put the counter question here, had the same thing been done by Robbie Keane—Irish captain and star player—would IFA reacted in the same manner? Would their supporters term their captain as 'cheater'? I really do not think so.

The stake to book their side's place in the football's biggest carnival was so high that, any player and every team would have done and reacted in the manner like both Ireland and France did after the match.

But then what is the use of technology? Millions of fans around the globe watched Henry touching the ball. It was further cleared by subsequent replays. If things are so clear then what problem does FIFA have in reorganizing the match? It would give both teams a fair opportunity to prove their point. And the matter would be resolved peacefully.

But FIFA could not do that for a simple reason. All the players playing for their national sides also play for different clubs around the world, and some of them for the most reputed ones. Henry, himself plays for Spanish giants FC Barcelona while Robbie Keane also leads English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspurs.

This was the period decided mutually by FIFA, UEFA and other governing bodies of various club competitions. Holding the match again would be a tedious job if not virtually impossible, as availability of players would always be in doubt.

These players have a contract with different clubs which spend millions of dollars on them. So, going against the contract ,neither would be feasible, nor desired by these players. Football scheduling is so compact that there is hardly any space to breathe.

Club matches include domestic leagues, Champions League, UEFA cup, then there are International friendly games, World Cup qualifiers (though they have finished now) and so on and so forth. And how can we forget sponsors? These are the players who organize these competitions. So how can a match be replayed? No one would give it a ‘serious thought’, that is for sure.

The best thing we could do is to sit and write an article to make this controversial event memorable, just like what happened 23 years ago.

Again in a mess...

After the successful stint in Canada, it seemed that everything in Indian hockey was getting settled, but the recent controversies, first about Hockey India’s elections and now the feud between some senior players and the team management, have once again brought Indian hockey into the limelight for the wrong reasons.

The news that seven of the senior players did not turn up for the preparatory camp in Pune for the Champions Challenge I tournament in Argentina next month once again shown that things are not alright in the Indian camp. It is said that rebels are dissatisfied with the working technique of senior coach Jose Brasa.

According to them, 'new captain every game' policy of the coach is not going down too well with the players. The Spaniard applied this formula in Canada, where he fielded five different captains in the six test match series that India won 0-6.

Players are also unhappy by Spaniard's dropping six core group players for every foreign trip. The coach thinks, it helps in checking the bench strength of the side plus it keeps players on their toes. But players say it brings unnecessary pressure on them to perform.

Are these the only reasons behind the feud? Things started brewing up few days ago when Rajpal Singh was appointed as captain in place of Sandeep Singh for the December 6-13 tourney. Sandeep's injury was behind his exclusion from the side, said the coach. But the statement given today by Hockey India chief, AK Mattoo presented a different picture altogether. He said, he had seen the doctor's report on Sandeep's injury and it was not alarming. Later the drag-flicker also stated that he would put his point forward after talking to Hockey India officials.

Are we again witnessing the Ric Charlesworth episode? Then, the Australian was charged of highhandedness towards the players. This time too, things look quite similar.

What problems Indian players face whenever any foreign coach takes over? I think every foreign coach comes with a definite objective as they are not emotionally attached to the country. Their main aim is to fulfill their targets within the specified period. It adds to their CVs. That is why they try to do their job in a more professional manner. They make strategies by keeping in mind the recent performances, playing style and history of that team. Out of many examples, the one I remember clearly is the present coach of the Russian national football team Guus Hiddink, who did wonders for all teams—club or national—he coached.

Our players initially welcome the change but they always find it difficult to accept the changes suggested by these coaches. Language is not the only barrier that confronts the players. Innovative but intense training, trying different formulas to enhance the performance of the side are few others. I think, the problem lies more in our attitude than the working style of these coaches. Our players find it difficult to accept the changes suggested by the coaches. Few consider themselves bigger than the game and not ready to implement the changes.

We have also seen Greg Chappell's stint with the Indian cricket team as coach. He was too open to media and may be trying too many things to our players and management likings. He was shown the door immediately. But barring few things, the innovative technique started by the Australian proved beneficial for the side. With his consent, Sourav Ganguly and Zaheer Khan were dropped from the side. And the way these two senior pro came back after a terrific show in the domestic and county circuit was stupendous.

Patience is what important when it comes to foreign coaching. Hockey India should learn their lessons from the Charlesworth episode and try not to repeat them with Brasa. I think, by giving time and keeping patience, we will see results soon.

Will it be easy for Reds to hold Torres back?

Rafael Benitez said in an interview to Times yesterday, that if a situation came when the team will have to sell Torres, then he would also quit. Is it that easy to retain a player like Torres for long? I think a player of Spaniard’s quality or to say any big player, looks for two things before thinking about switching the club.

First are the monetary gains that he is going to get in his next club. The performance of the club is the second thing that a quality player ponders on before switching. If a club does not do well for a season or two, then the priority of the player also start shifting as it directly affects the opportunity on the field plus his brand image.

A team unable to finish in the top four of the domestic league table means no Champion's League for it that season. Participating in a major competition is directly proportional to the brand value of the club and the player. The performance of Liverpool is below par this season. They have already lost five of the 12 games they have played so far and are at the seventh place in overall ratings.

They are also on the fringe of getting knocked out of the UEFA Champions League. Torres is the lone quality striker in the side. So most of the times, the club depends on him to produce results. And he does not disappoint them often.

But it also puts huge pressure on him to perform. I do not think the substandard performance of the club this season will force Torres to leave Anfield. But if it remains the same the next season, then he would surely give it a thought.

According to reports in Spanish and English dailies, the agent of this former Atletico Madrid player is already in talks with Barcelona to materialize a deal with the Reds. And if Barca ready to shower huge money, then it would be difficult for Benitez to keep his prized possession back at Merseyside (although he says even 100m pound cannot take Torres away from him).

There are also reports that Real Madrid is vying for Benitez in place of under-performer Manuel Pelligrini. Will both Manager and his disciple head home together next season? It is just a speculation but nothing can be ruled out in this world of agents and transfers. But if it happens, then it would be a big disappointment for the Anfield fans and the fans around the globe.

Red alert for the Reds

This season is a complete reversal for Liverpool as compared to the last one. The previous season, they finished second from the top after Manchester United in English Premier League (EPL), this time they have won only two games in the last six outings and are placed at seventh position in the points table.
There are few factors that I think are primarily responsible for the poor show of the Rafa Benitez side. The side has started looking vulnerable all of a sudden after the departure of some of its players, especially, Xabi Alonso. His presence in the midfield was critical behind the success of Merseysiders last time.
The number of opportunities he created for Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel at the front was commendable. Then one could always expect a thundering strike coming from the Spanish International at any point. But his departure to Real Madrid, depleted the central midfield, and the side lost a striking force.
Glen Johnson’s arrival at the Anfield added only a little force to the right back that went vacant after the exit of Alvaro Arbeloa. Johnson has been good in patches but consistency is surely missing. One could see a lot of pressure put on Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano in the midfield. Gerrard’s recent injury has only added more pressure on the injury-ravaged side —Spanish midfielder Alberto Reira too on the sidelines in the last few games. There is no doubt about the quality of Argentine skipper Mascherano, but no one can take the responsibility of his temperament. Lucas just does not look anywhere close to his other teammates.
The goal difference of nine till the game against Birminghan City last week also shows their defence has been penetrated quite often this season. Except Jammie Carragher, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Emiliano Insua are all decent players, but they too are feeling the heat this time.Fernando Torres is doing what he does best at the front — scoring goals — but he hardly has had the support of other players. Dirk Kuyt's form is indifferent this season and he is fortunate to start in some of the games, where he could not help much in scoring.
The player who is highly underrated but proved decisive for the Reds this season is Israeli playmaker Yossi Benayoun. There is already a hat-trick to his name since the start of the season. And his well disguised pass to Torres in the home game against the Ferguson’s side was a masterpiece.
Transfer window in January will be an opportunity for the Reds to strengthen their squad. They need a quality striker to help in reducing the pressure on Torres. We have already seen his sitting on the bench proved to be a decisive factor for the team's performance. Ryan Babel is a good player, but there is no match with Torres in terms of quality and natural flair. I do not think France’s David Ngog comes anywhere close when it comes to producing goals. So a good striker is must in January.
They also need someone to fill the shoes of Alonso, though it is not that easy. It will help in taking off some pressure from Mascherano and Gerrard. And adding more walls at the back would always help the side in conceding less goals. But the thing is, January window is still very far and there are some important games still to be played before Christmas, especially, the game against the rebuilding Manchester City on Saturday.
So it is time for the Reds to pull up their socks and play good football with whatever resources they have got and hope that Lady Luck will favor them in gaining important points before the transfer window reopens in two months' time.

Sachin the ‘living legend’

When I thought of writing something about Sachin, I did not know where to begin. It is not about the number of innings, but rather, my memory of the game begins with Sachin Tendulkar.
I could not watch the Pakistan series where the little maestro debuted. My connection with the legend started only during the 1992 World Cup, when I used to watch matches with my mama and first felt and understood the game called Cricket. Then, the now men-in-blue were men-in-navy blue (the colour that suited the Indian team the most).
I first saw Sachin batting when he opened the innings with the stylish batsman Krishnamachari Srikkanth. It was style along with balance that attracted me towards his play. Determination and focus would always be as visible on his face like sweat drops tricking down on a hot day in the field. The sweat drops are still visible after 20 years!
There are innumerable innings of the master that I like, but the innings he played twice at Sharjah against the Steve Waugh-led side in the midst of sand storm were a real treat to watch. And how anyone can forget his comeback innings against Kenya in the 1999 World Cup just few days after he lost his father? That was appreciated by one and all.
How a man who is barely five feet four inches tall bear the hopes of over a billion Indians, and that too for twenty years? He has done that outstandingly. I remember people switching off their television sets after the master got out. For them, Sachin’s wicket is the key. His staying at the wicket means the team could win and come out of any situation. I think, it’s that unquestionable faith and love of people that helped him to overcome any difficulty in his long career. I still remember a line from his Adidas ad when he says, ‘‘Whatever level you reach, getting better never stops’’.
And who could forget his stint as a captain? Even though it was a complete disaster. There was already too much pressure on him, and giving him an extra responsibility to lead the side proved too much for the little man. That brief spell as a skipper also made it clear that he could be a very good mentor but leading the side is not his cup of tea.
Every shot he plays brings an exclamation of wow on everyone’s face. It is very difficult or I should say impossible to pick one particular shot he plays the best. He also invented and added new strokes like paddle sweep and the shot over third man in his armour. And his six over the point region off Shoaib Akhtar in 2003 World Cup, goes down in history.
Sachin, with most of the records to his name is going strong even now. He is surely the most worshiped and trusted sports icon of the country. I wish he just carries on playing for India forever as I cannot see an Indian side without the man whom I call a living legend or to be precise ‘god’.

Nazir powers Pak to 161 (put it as I see on television)

Dubai, Nov 12: Audacious batting display by Imran Nazir saw Pakistan posting a challenging target of 161 runs against New Zealand in their first T-20 match at Dubai Sports City cricket stadium here on Thursday.
The initial movement, especially in the first over by Shane Bond, could not deter the spirits of the opening batting combination of Nazir and Kamran Akmal, who took the Kiwi bowlers to cleaning from the third over itself. Akmal was in full flow and hit two back-to-back fours off Bond. Nazir followed his partner with two consecutive sixes off Ian Butler’s first two deliveries.
Kiwis tasted their first blood when Akmal’s (13 off 15 balls) lofted shot found the hands of make-shift captain McCullum. But it hardly affected the plans of Nazir, who continued his hammering on Butler, hitting two fours and a six off his second over. Seasoned Scott Styris provided the second breakthrough when he enticed Umar Akmal (3 off 6 balls) to hit him over the top. The ball went straight up in the air and Bradley-John Watling — debutant wicket-keeper — took a brilliant catch running backwards.
Shahid Afridi made his intention clear when he hit a 104-meter six over long-on off Styris. Nazir, meanwhile, completed his half-century with a flat six over long-on. But, he could not continue for a long time and ballooned a wide delivery off Bond at third man. His strokeful 58 runs came off just 38 balls with five fours and four sixes.McCullum’s gamble to ask Aaron Redmond bowl in the middle overs paid-off when the part-time leggy got the experienced duo of Afridi and Shoaib Malik. Tim Southee took a brilliant catch just inches within the boundary on long-off to send Afridi back, while Malik gave a straight forward chance to Redmond, who grabbed it with both hands.
Afridi scored a quick fire 24 off 16 deliveries, while Malik contributed with only six runs. Abdul Razzaq and Sohail Tanvir provided the late impetus to the innings that finished on 161 with eight wickets down. Razzaq remained unbeaten on 26 while left-hander Tanvir hit a quick fire 12.
Bond was the most economical and effective of the six bowlers tried by McCullum. He took two wickets and gave away 17 runs. Tim Southee picked up three wickets for the Kiwis.

Who will touch even 140 kph mark is a thing to ponder...(written on Oct 25, when the 1st ODI between India-Australia was on...)

I cannot remember the last time I saw any Indian pacer
bowling or even touching 140kph consistently. It is so hard to
believe that a country which is mad about cricket, and has
abundance of talent cannot produce a bowler who can bowl around
150kph mark.
If we just check the bowling speeds of the current speedsters (if
they really are) of the Indian side then it will be hard to find anyone
touching the mid 130's consistently. Praveen Kumar hardly goes above
130 mark while Ashish Nehra, though bowling best among the players
taking the field regularly, is only the shadow of his former self
now.
Those who watched him bowling in the 2003 World Cup in
South Africa cannot forget how closely he missed touching the
150kph mark in the game against Zimbabwe and England. But now he is
six years older and making a comeback in the side after a gap of
four years, so it's understandable that he is concentrating on line and
length more than hitting the deck hard.
Ishant Sharma, who impressed one and all with his pace and
accuracy in his debut test series against Australia, is surely short
of confidence and out of form lately. Though he tried to bowl in the
right areas in the first game of the ongoing India-Australia series,
he never looked to threaten the batsmen and his average speed was around 135kph.
This is the case with most of our young bowlers--Sudeep Tyagi,
Pradeep Sangwan, Ashok Dinda etc.—who are either on the fringe of
getting selected or have already played for the country.
Has India ever produced any quality fast bowler and I mean
'fast' and not a medium pacer? Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh
Prasad, Abey Kuruvilla, all remained genuine medium pacers throughout
their careers. While Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth were just
as quick as their predecessors, only Ishant Sharma touched
150kph a few time early on in his career (he still is 21 and has an
experience of hardly two years).
It always brings a chuckle on my face whenever I think about
Munaf Patel. Once considered as the fastest bowler in the country
Munaf now hardly goes above 130kph mark. Though he has become more
consistent now but where has the speed gone? He too has remained
injury-prone like many of his other colleagues. But is it correct to
bring down the pace so much and forget what you were once regarded
as? A genuine prospect who can bowl quick and rattle the batsmen on
a consistent basis. But that thing is completely missing in Munaf
now.
I also think that many of our pacers start their careers as fast bowlers, as they have to prove a point or two to everyone but with time and more matches their pace decreases. Injury is also a major factor behind the dropping pace. Ian Bishop and Correy Collimore
of West Indies , Sri Lankan Chaminda Vass, and in recent times Shane
Bond from New Zealand are examples who sacrificed a few kilometers
of speed to prolong their careers.
But there are other examples as well, who, irrespective of their
injury layoffs bowled with the same pace and rhythm. First such
example that comes to my mind is Brett Lee.
He has bowled around 150kph mark or above throughout his career. He
was a threat even when he made his debut against India in 1999 and he still
is the fastest and most accurate bowler around. Another, though
controversial name, is Shoaib Akhtar. He has been out of the team n
number of times because of an injury but bowled as quickly as he could
after each comeback. It's because he did not want to forget his
identity or why people call him 'Rawalpindi Express'.
In Indian cricket things work in a different way. After the
initial burst, Indian bowlers lose pace with time and experience.
For them, being in the side and getting 'fat cheques' are more
important than remembering their identities. They know that if they just
stick in the side for a few years, they can earn for a lifetime. They forget the only reason for which they are playing the game.

"Why is the wall broken?" ...(written on 17 Oct, the day after Indian team was picked for the first two ODIs against the OZs)

The team has been selected for the upcoming series against Australia. Few changes were desperately needed, especially after the debacle of Champions Trophy where the ‘men-in-blue’ were knocked out in the opening round itself.
Munaf’s inclusion was inevitable after his successful stint in the Irani Trophy and Challenger Series, but retaining Ishant Sharma in the squad of 15, was perplexing. He looked completely out of colour in the biennial tournament in South Africa and his performance in the two domestic games — where Munaf shined — was also not encouraging to pick him against the inform OZs.
Sudeep Tyagi got the reward of his consistent performance in the last few seasons where he picked up wickets and also bowled with lots of heart. Selectors once again showed their faith on young Ravindra Jadeja, who impresses everyone with his all-round ability time and again.
Return of dynamic Virendra Sehwag together with talented Yuvraj Singh will provide much needed boost to the Dhoni-led side. But the ‘wall’ has been collapsed once again by the selectors. Rahul Dravid, who has become an epitome of consistency and hard work over the years, has shown the door.
To my surprise, this time the third 10000-run getter in Indian Cricket hasn’t performed badly in whatever chances he was given. In fact he was one such batsman who anchored the sinking ship when it was needed the most in the CT.
‘Thinking about the future’ has always given as reason for this Banglorean exit. But things don’t look that simple when one gets down to the bottom of the whole thing.
We all are impressed by the leadership skill of Mahendra Singh Dhoni but he also looks rigid and uncompromising when it comes to team’s selection. More youngsters have been given chances since Dhoni started leading the side. So what possibly could be the role of Indian skipper behind the exclusion of seasoned Dravid?
In my opinion, the man from Ranchi likes leading the young side than a side of too many aged blokes. It is always easy to direct young players. They don’t ask too many questions when they are told to do something. And they are more agile and fit when it comes to ground fielding.
But then another question that comes to my mind is why the great Sachin Tendulkar hasn’t been shown the door once. The answer lies in the adjective—great—I used before the master’s name. Sachin’s stature is too big for anyone to discard him. And all the players who are in the side have had ‘little master’ as their ideal all their lives. And, Sachin’s presence in the middle still makes a difference straight away. So it is impossible even for Dhoni to go against the selector’s wish to pick the highest run-getter in both forms of the game.
One can feel for Dravid, who has always given his 100 per cent whenever he donned the Indian colours. We all know the pitches in South Africa have more bounce and carry than pitches from the Subcontinent. It requires great skill and precision to score runs on the green top than hitting cross-bat strokes in the lifeless pitches that one gets generally in the four cricket playing nations in Asia.
Selectors included Dravid for the Champions Trophy as they knew none of the youngsters is capable of handling the chest-length deliveries that one gets in South Africa. But isn’t it unfair towards the ‘gentleman of the game’ to drop him when even he can score tons of runs in the dull pitches that one is going to get in the series against the Aussies? Don’t you think Dravid can score as many runs as any youngster? He surely deserved the place in the 15 member squad, especially all the devotion this 34-year old ‘young man’ shown throughout his career, even when he was given the job to keep behind the wickets. And he did that efficiently without asking a single question.

Munaf and Sree against OZs…

After watching the performances of both Munaf Patel and S Sreesanth in Irani Trophy and Challenger Series, it would not be that difficult to predict that these two players should get the selectors' nod in the upcoming series against Ricky Ponting’s side.
Munaf caught the selectors’ attention by taking most wickets in the game between Rest of India and Mumbai, that ended in a draw, while S Sreesanth's performance was good enough to give him the much-needed chance.
There were some other creditable performances as well. Ajit Agarkar, Sudip Tyagi and Ashok Dinda were other medium-pacers who can be discussed when the team gets selected. But Munaf and Sree seem to replace RP Singh and Ishant Sharma.
The only thing that goes against the lanky pacer from Baroda is his agility in the field. He takes all the time in the world to get to the ball and his shoulder doesn’t help him in releasing the ball quickly enough.
While Sreesanth always finds himself in one or the other controversy. Some would have thought his being debarred from the Indian side might have taught him a much-needed lesson. But his argument with the opposing side in the Irani Trophy game could spoil the party for him.
I would like to see Ajit Agarkar donning a Blue, Red or Green jersey and claw his way back in the Indian side. But he was completely overlooked. Ashok Dinda is another bowler who seems to have good blend of energy and confidence and should be given a serious thought.
Whosoever becomes the selectors' choice, it would not be easy for them to bowl against the in-form Aussie batsmen, especially the makeshift (successful) opener Shane Watson and skipper Ricky Ponting.

Why Indian teams not performing well in CL?

After Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils tasted defeat in their first matches, it was the turn of Hyderabad Deccan Chargers yesterday to start their Champions League campaign with a loss.
Though it was a last ball thriller but a loss is a loss at the end. It has also put Adam Gilchrist'S side in a spot of bother like the other two Indian teams in the 12-team event. Now it is paramount for the top three teams from IPL to win their remaining group matches to give them any chance to stay alive in the tourney. The question to be asked is why Indian teams performing below par till now? Is it because of the unexpectedness about their new opponents? It is definitely a difficult task to bowl or to bat against someone whom you haven't faced before. But it is as difficult for the visiting sides as it is for the home teams. To add to that, IPL teams are riding on two important factors: playing on the pitches that best suit their style of play and the other is showing their prowess with crowd backing them.
Another reason for their average performance could be underestimating the other teams. But it seems something difficult to digest as all the sides participating in the competition are the champions of their respective domestic competitions. And to underestimate any one of them could be ominous.
From underestimating the opponents to surprise by their skills could be another thing. We shouldn't forget that India is one of the last countries if not the last where T-20 cricket started much later than the other cricket playing nations, especially with the advent of Indian Cricket League (ICL).
ICL both surprised as well as opened BCCI’s eyes. It is only then the visionary like Lalit Modi saw the money behind this short format of the game. Though, he has time and again pointed out that the concept was there in his mind since 1996 and he closely observed the English Premier League- the top domestic football league of England- before sowing the seeds for IPL. But once it started, it was grabbed by both hands by the public and the players. There are n number of T-20 tournaments that were organized after the IPL and that gave enough exposure to the players to hone their skills in this version of the game. So getting surprised by the opponent’s skills is also something difficult to swallow.
I think all the teams also know the fact that; complexion of a T-20 game can be changed in any over or by any cameo. Even one over spell or few balls from the middle of the bat is enough to change the course of the game. So it has become imperative for the home teams to put the disappointment in their bags for a while and concentrate on the only chance they have. Otherwise, they will carry other stuff in their bags together with disappointment.