HE’S JUST MURDERED THEM

A friend not in need is not a friend after all. We go back a couple of years. Virender shewag was axed from ODI and test teams. There were many people in this world, probably more than even the number of cricket followers, who doubted his ability and skills to play at this level. The former cricketers, experts and the selection committee were quite cold to shewag. The openers’ responsibilities were in hands of Jaffers and Karthiks. Shewag was bit of an untouchable during the crisis of his life and he was a lonely man.

Shewag needed an arena where he can not only prove his ever increasing critics wrong but also resuscitate his almost dead career. He, like his peers, was willing to play in English county championships. To his horror, the English counties just turned their back on him. In a country, where senior batsman are rested rather than dropped, shewag was plain speaking when he told- “there were no takers.”

Two years later, England is facing shewag in a full series and look what happens. In ODI series, shewag scores are 85 of 73 balls, 1 of 4 balls, 68 of 76 balls, 69 of 57 balls and 91 of 73 balls. England lose 5-0. Apart from the scoreline 5-0, what hurt and made England to bleed profusely was two factors; the yuvraj’s and shewag’s innings. The English then returned to play test series and 4 days into the 1st test, they were on top of confident India team and the test was almost in their pockets. But, shewag unleashed a breath-taking cavalier innings of 83 off 68 balls on a 4th day weary and crateful wicket. This innings had everything; vision, impetus, attitude and execution.

There are accolades from every quarter. The England press and commentators are amazed at his ability, skills and versatility. People sit upright and sit on edge of their chairs when this man bats. People have so much to speak when this man bats. There’s joy, spirits and laughter everywhere when this man bats. The clock has come a full circle for this man. He had a friend in the ring who did not aid when he was in need and then he just murdered him!

FEROSHAH KOTLA: FIZZLE OUT!

Five days of cricket, 1429 runs and no result! It surely might have been long time since teams went to tea on 4th day with their 2nd innings yet to start! The bowlers had to toil throughout the match. The viewers would’ve loved to be at any place other than Feroshah Kotla. It really was a fizzle out!

For OZ, this is a disappointing and grueling tour. Their bowlers don’t look like bowling out Indians even after three tests. The OZ have come here before and lost series. But, they were able to bowl out Indians cheaply and were competitive then. Ponting has an unenviable task ahead and it looks hopeless. What’s at stake is not only the series, but the champion’s tag that have been with them for ever.

Indians, though, are happy even when their bowlers too had to toil at Kotla. After all, the OZ bowlers have never looked like this before and the Indians would like to take credit for that. But, what the Indians need to understand is that these tests are not played to show how struggling aussies are but are played to win!

MOHALI CONQUEST AND THEREAFTER..

The OZ humbled by 320 runs. What would be tormenting Ponting, apart from the huge margin, is that fact that they conceded session after session to Dhoni’s Indians through out the five days. It was surprising that Indians could outplay the OZ even in fielding. No wonder, Ponting conceded that Indians outplayed OZ in all departments. Aussies mighty batting line-up was punctured twice and it’s bleeding. Aussies bowlers were hammered to submission and were made to look lifeless. I am sure the fear has set in among OZ.

Aussies strange strategy probably hurried them towards this pitiable situation. The bowlers’ and fielders’ defensive plot can be understood as Mcgrath and Warne’s retirement has dented their bowling sting. What was surprising is the defensive strategy by batsmen as well. The OZ mostly scored at sub 3 runs per over through two tests which is quite less than their winning strategy for so long; more than 300 runs in a day. One reason could be that the aggression of OZ batsmen comes from bowlers’ performance and that Ponting and his batsmen were waiting for their bowlers to fire. But, is it time for OZ batsmen to reciprocate their bowlers with batting prowess and aggression? Can OZ bowlers be resuscitated that easily? The answer to this series lies here!

Indians, though, are sitting pretty! .. or are they? Amit Mishra’s fifer in first innings was the difference between win and draw…or we can even say win and loss! Now with Kumble fit, the captain is under pressure. Who should make way for Kumble? If Mishra is dropped and India loses Delhi test, then the captain would be a laughing stock! A captain whose team leads 1-0, and with fear set in opposition, is still under pressure! It can happen only to Indian team! So what’s that captain is going to dish out? If he is going to play five bowlers, then it should be a strategy rather than a means to alleviate pressure temporarily! And if he is going to drop Mishra, then his other bowlers have to prove they are adequate!

They Play Old School Of Cricket..!

Ponting said these words on Indian test team at the start of the series. The Indian Team which has the fab four: so many test matches of experience, so many tons of runs between them! The Indian Team which has Kumble and Zaheer; the veteran of so many test matches, so many wickets between them! Is Ponting joking? Of Is there any wisdom in his talk?

Records and history both would be on Ponting’s side! The Indians have played more number of draws in the last few decades than any other! The percentage of draws this Indian team achieve is equal to percentage of draws in test matches played in pre-90 era, which is two decades ago!

The first test at Bangalore isn’t different from this trend! Ponting was quite generous when he set 299 in 83 overs at 3.6 runs per over for India. But what happened after this is testimony to Ponting’s statement! It was alright…everyone knew only one team was playing for victory. But, Ponting had a fielder at third man and cover-point throughout 5th day. He had many fielders spread to restrict singles. Ponting was wary of the target! Only one team playing for victory and only one team playing to avoid defeat! The Indians were like blind-men rowing boat; at their own pace waiting for boat to hit bottom. It’s a pity to see aussies, the champion side, play this Indian team, a brand of old school of cricket-Draw the Match!

DEBATE ON INDIAN TEST TEAM

To win everything, you first need a good team and then a good captain. Aussies ruled the roost for a long time because they had both of them. Importantly, for aussies, good captain and good team are complementary. Its like- “good player makes a good captain and the good captain plays good players”. In India’s case, the test captains and players of few decades; sachin, dravid, gangly and kumble have probably played most drawn test matches than any other players during this period. So we can comfortably say- “These are not good captains.” But, even a mediocre captain would find it difficult not to win so many matches if he had a good team. “Not a good captain and not a good team.”

Can India arrive at good captain-good players complementing each other? Can Dhoni be the good captain who plays good players? The answer, I am afraid, is “No”! So what’s wrong with Dhoni; after all his team has won T20 WC and the Down Under Tri series? Did he play the best players? Yusuf Pathan literally warmed the benches throughout T20 WC. But, few months later and in the next big T20 (IPL), Yusuf was one of the hot contenders of Most Valuable Player. How Shane Warne could find the player in him? Dhoni didn’t play shewag in finals of Down Under Tri series. Many would ask, “So what.. Dhoni’s team won T20 WC and tri series even without these good players and doesn’t it reflect his credentials?” To me, a captain who does not field best players and manages to win would still be a mediocre captain and his team is going nowhere.

We have a tradition in Indian cricket. We easily compliment orthodox players and easily lament unorthodox players. Kapil despite his 175 in WC and despite his 6,6,6,6 against hemmings when 24 were needed to avoid follow on, never played as a specialist batsman. But Shastri did play as one. We easily sing praises on techniques of dravids and gangulys. We lament shewags and yuvrajs for lack of footwork. But, what is technique that can’t fetch you a boundary? What is technique that can’t let you score runs on onside?

Its time we have a broad vision! The vision that aussies display. Orthodox or unorthodox, its runs and effect that these runs produce determine who plays for Australia. Clark, symonds, Hussey, Jaques would hardly come under ambit of orthodox batsmen but they are played by Ricky Ponting for the runs and the effect that they make. India’s recent performances in test matches are better; they have fewer drawn matches and some good wins overseas. Players like shewag, gambhir, ishant sharma, RP singh have played vital parts in most of them. Can we give them support by playing more players whose runs have good effect? My test team would be:-

Shewag (Vice Captain), Gambhir, Rohit sharma, Yuvraj (Captain), Yusuf Pathan/ Suresh Raina/ Virat Kohli, Dhoni, Harbhajan, Piyush Chawla, Ishant Sharma, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, RP Singh (12th man)

Canberra: Indians grounded.

The indians won’t know what had hit them, would they? 194/5 off 29 overs was a big score though not the batted-out-of-the-game score. But to bowl out OZ for 169 on one day and to lose this game by eight wickets, sure the Indians would be confused.

That’s because Indians made many omission and commission of errors both before and after the start of the game.

Before start.
(i) While 125-all-out srilankan team chose to drop a batsman and come with five bowlers, India went in with 8 batsmen (including pathan). While India did well to bowl out OZ for paltry 169 at MCG, but a fifth bowlers there would have atleast maintained pressure and score points over OZ batting order if not bowled them out for even more paltry score. You got to learn from your victories as well. Dhoni and his team did not do that and it was no surprise they looked the dumbest thing on Canberra.

(ii) The 169 run chase at MCG looked difficult because Gambhir and rohit sharma found it difficult to score runs once the shine is off the ball. Ideally gambhir, who had some excellent strike-rate innings at top of the order in 20-20 format, should have to bat there. Instead the Indians have made out a grafter out of him by playing in No3.

After start.
(i) It was 29 overs game, a bit more than a 20-20 game but very less than a 50 over game. Gambhir and rohit again was at wrong place; grafted and the projected score kept falling.

(ii) The target for srilanka was 154 off 21 overs. My god, it was 20-20 chase and look what Dhoni came up with? Three slips and only 2 on onside! Sure you need to attack and take wickets in any form of cricket. But an attack that leaks runs in plenty would recede to defence at the same pace. The Indians lost to pre-meditated back foot play by lankans. Indian bowlers need a lot to learn from this match.

Summing up, The Indians lost not because of lack of skills but because of (lack of) understanding of game and refusal to learn from matches. Honestly, I am tempted to think that Indians have been fortunate not to have seen shown dumber on more occasions in the series. Indian media and fans sure played more than a big hand in that.

India ODI team: dawn of new era!

The gabba ODI against srilanka was fantastic rearguard recovery by Team India. From 83/4 in 20.5 overs to final score 267/4, Gambhir and dhoni showed excellent understanding of game. They ran their singles, twos and threes, played low risk lofted drives and never let team India lagging on run rate. Those are the key factors:-
#1 They did not desist from taking risks, but the risks were low.
#2 They kept score board moving and never had their team lag in run-rate.
This is probably dawn of golden era where all players play for progressive team totals; unless it is stunned by selectors bringing in spent forces (ganguly, dravid & laxman).

Whats heartening is the fact that team India still has room for improvement.

1. Shewag may be an explosive batsman, but he does not have pull shots; or atleast not against quick bowlers. In power plays, pull shots are high value yielding shots (that’s why the first defensive move a fielding captain does is to send square leg fielder to fence and bring in fine leg). Ideally, batsmen with good and natural pull shots should be at top of the order. India has sachin, gambhir and rohit at top order who have good pull shots. So my 1-3 would be sachin, gambhir and rohit. This move achieves two good things for India. (i) shewag who is somewhat disadvantaged at top of the order (lack of pull shots) is not sacrificed (also that he is probably best attacking batsman of slow and medium bowling). (ii) It allows team india to exploit power plays to a maximum with minimum risk.

2. The other room for improvement is bowling. By fielding 4 bowlers, india’s bowling is quite precariously placed. If opponent team does not lose early wicket and puts up a brisk score, then they would just have to milk from there with spinner and part time spinners with spread fields. My five bowlers now would be Sreesanth, Ishant, Irfan, Praveen and Harbhajan.

So my 11 (with batting order) would be
1. sachin
2. gambhir
3. rohit sharma
4. v shewag
5. yuvraj
6. dhoni
7. irfan
8. Praveen
9. harbhajan
10. sreesanth
11. ishant sharma

Unfortunately, uttappa is left out. But that’s the wealth in this team; even with ganguly and dravid out of team, a talented player like uttappa cannot make it to 11. With uttappa sitting out, now even sachin can feel the heat.

Lastly, Rohit sharma was extra-ordinary in terms of talent, poise and time available to play strokes against gabba ODI against aussies. Though he could score only 29, hee not only looked like belonging there, but he showed promises of high class batsmanship. It really is dawn of an era!

Adelaide: questions asked, but...

Adelaide test was the perfect example that illustrated team india’s flawed thinking, unsound cricketing knowledge and the erroneous strategy borne out of them. Team India did not make it secret: “we would play to our strengths…we would like to post big score and put pressure.” Yeah, they put up big score, alright. Sachin scores 153 n.o, kumble and harbhajan rub on aussie bowlers and India score 526 in first innings. But what happens then? Four days into the test match, the aussies have turned it around and it was Team India that only could have lost the match. Team India did two things wrong there. #1 They took inordinate time to bowl out aussie. #2 They assumed that they could not lose the test match even when aussie are not bowled out cheap. Eventually, it required a gutsy shewag who scored 151 out of 253 runs (60% of teams score) to bail out India.

Team India unfortunately missed the services of RP Singh due to injury during the match. It only emphasizes the need to field at least 4 wicket taking bowlers in any test match. It seemed like Team India almost did not have a strategy against Aussie batting. With dhoni being a wicket keeper batsman and pathan an all-rounder, India could have easily fielded five bowlers any number of times. Instead they fielded five bowlers only at Adelaide and even then they had to drop an opener to field 5 bowlers in Adelaide. India’s middle order with big4 is bit inflated and in attempting to protect one or two of the big 4, Team India ended up with weaker bowling attack and make shift opening batsmen.

Theres no doubt, team India asked a lot of questions through out the series. Their batsmen sort of tamed aussie bowlers as the series progressed. Their bowlers kept the dreaded aussie batting line-up at a leash, if not a tight one. In spite of all, aussie emerge not only as 2-1 victors, but as test champions by a distance. Now, if Team India has learnt well in the series, they need to address two issues. #1. They not only need to field five bowlers in any test match, but they need to field wicket taking bowlers. They will have to realize that finding wicket taking bowlers would be a distant mirage when they go with less than 4 bowlers. #2. The middle order with big4 from no3-6 is swelled; neither does it allow even strong players like yuvraj & shewag into that middle order nor accommodate five bowlers easily (with dhoni at no7).

Lastly, the harbhajan-gate episode was not only a blotch on the series, but on cricket too. Twice now, BCCI and Team India have threatened to exit the series, if the racist charges are not dropped. Twice now, Indian players had a foot on aeroplane forcing ICC and Cricket Australia to do things that they would not have done normally. It was nothing but third-rate blackmail by BCCI and Team India. ICC and cricket Australia might have salvaged the series by succumbing to the ‘hijackers’ demand, but what about cricket?

Cricket was on her knees during this episode. Then she was slapped on the face, kicked on the stomach and beaten black & blue to disfigurement when ICC and CA yielded. My lord, have mercy on cricket; shes just gone lame and poor…permanently.

PERTH: AUSSIES DOWN TO EARTH

Ponting once famously said: “Aggression is not about body posture but its about the way one play.” Well, ponting definitely had a taste of his own medicine there. It was relentless aggression from Indian bowlers and batsmen and the aussies just caved in and surrendered.

The chief contributors for this victory are the bowlers and slip catchers. The pontings, husseys, symonds’ and gilchrists were gobbled up so cheaply twice in a perth test when Indian team had only posted just about 300 score in both innings. Its quite an astounding and brilliant effort. The ultimate tribute came from Ian chapel when Ishant sharma had ponting caught behind in second innings. He said something like this: “That’s fantastic spell by young man. He could have easily had ponting out atleast a half a dozen times.” On a fast and bouncy perth wicket, the edges off the batsmen would fly fast and at uncomfortable heights. The slip fielders were quite amazing; they caught everything that came on their way.

The Indian batsmen scored some vital points against aussie bowlers. Dravid’s 50, sachin’s 50 and laxman’s 50 were all innings that shouts the message: “the aussie bowlers can be tamed.” But shewag’s batting in both innings was attempts to conquer the morale of aussie bowlers. His cameo in both innings brought about run a ball 50 partnership in both innings which put pressure on aussie bowlers and made it easy for batsmen coming in. Shewag’s strategy is to take the team from literally a scratch to a safe score quickly. We know he plays outrageous shots, sends thunderbolts to the fence even before team reaches a safe score; say 50/0 or 100/1. His innings can be a make or break as he can sometimes succumb to pressure to take his team to safe score quickly. But what when he comes in at No3 or No4 say at 100/1 or 150/2. God save the bowlers!

Theres no doubt the aussies were completely outplayed and humbled. But there were some blemishes for Team India too. Captains, be it kumble or ganguly or dravid or azhar, have always spread the field once opponents lose say 7 wickets. This strange and stupid strategy was at its worst when Johnson and stuart clark were batting in 2nd innings. 4 fielders were standing on the ropes in the leg side with thirdman, cover point and midoff in the fence as well with aussies reeling at 260/8. A comment from Ravi shastri is worth mentioning here: “Looking at the field placings, you might think ricky ponting is playing at 180 not out but here its mitchell Johnson and stuart clark who are batting.” The sooner the Indian team drops this tradition and thoughts, the better the team would come off.

Let me sum this up. The aussies were outplayed and humbled. The Indians have not only shown that the aussies are beatable but that they are easily beatable. Kumble and his team have shown great character and promise. His bowlers have scored many kills and are on top. If Indian team is not going to build on this promise and advantage and if the Indian bowlers are not going to make further dents in aussie famous batting line up and if these bowlers are going to be carted around the ground the next test match, then the perth test is a fluke.

The Indian team would have managed to score so many kills with just 4 bowlers in perth, but it would require more than these four to score more kills against aussie batsman who would want blood in Adelaide. Kumble, do you have the courage and conviction to build on the promise and advantage that perth brought about? Or you would field 4 bowlers in Adelaide, squander the advantage, have your bowlers carted around the Adelaide ground, the fielders chasing the ball for most part of the match, still you sit on the laurels of perth achievement and keep saying for ever; “Look, we are the team that stopped aussies consequetive test wins.”

Sydney test and umpiring

Well, the aussies won the test by hair’s breadth. The OZ needed 3 wickets to win while India had to play out the last 3 overs for a draw. The pitch was assisting spinners; the ball was turning square and hopping. The Indian tail-enders had no chance whatsoever and were ‘spun’ out. But, the aussies would be the first to call it a chancy win. Though this is their 16th consecutive win, though they were the team that played for win on that day, though they turned it around even after conceding 69 runs lead to India, the fact that they would call it chancy; speaks about their understanding of game and excellent acumen to read correct the situation in any cricket field.

The test match was evenly poised till 3rd day. The fourth day innings by hussey, hayden and symonds took it beyond the Indians. Had India managed a draw on 5th day, they would not have achieved or gained anything. The aussies consecutive wins would end some time. But one can hardly think, by escaping with a draw, you can be a ‘worthy team’.

There were some umpiring decisions that went against Indians. Most decisions are keeper catches (outside edge and around the legs edge) which are difficult decisions for any umpire. Indian commentators and media have pounced on them as if the whole thing on foot in Australia is against team India and as if the results would have been any different had it gone india’s way. I mean whats the difference between a loss and a desperate draw.

The series started with great build-up of expectations. Captain, players, media and commentators thought India were a different team on planet than any other team that toured Australia, they though Indian team can put it across Australia. Two tests into the series, they have lost focus on India’s competency and ability to put it across Australia. Instead the focus is on umpiring and aussies’ arrogance (harbhajan issue). I wish I had some lollipops for these cry babies.

The Indian media and commentators have got it all wrong here. The spirit of the game involves many categories: theres team spirit, theres winning spirit, theres fighting spirit. A batsman who has not walked, though he knew he is out, displays excellent team spirit and winning spirit as he plays for his team and his team’s win. And when he goes on to score big, putting behind that incident (despite everyone on field knowing it) displays excellent fighting spirit as well. Instead, gavaskar & co chose to almost label them as cheats and as players whose integrity is suspect. It was nothing but display of lack of wisdom. The icing on the case was kumble’s comment: “only one team played in the spirit of the game”. I ‘m sorry it was an emotional outburst that was stupid and immature.

While the aussies would call this win chancy and would strengthen their pace attack (as it took to literally last over of the test match to bowl out Indians). That’s because they understood the match correctly. If Indians are going to say the umpiring did them in, then they are in for a white wash.

The MCG Maul

This isn't just a loss. Its mauling, pasting and murder. All these happened despite the aussies being quite generous.1. The melbourne pitch was lacking bounce and seam which should have aided indian strokemakers (?)2. The aussies generously let India almost bowl them out on a first day pitch. At 240 odd for 5, gilchrist and symonds could have opted for safety which would have left them at say 280 for 5. But they just didn't want a situation where India is on top even for a day. They went for broke probably 360 for 5 and untimely wickets ended 1st day at 347/9.3. The aussies could have batted for an hour more in second innings. Another 60 runs and an hour more would have completely shut Indians out of the game. Instead they set 499 runs in 2 days and 8 overs.Well, the indians lost not because dravid was opening, probably not because they went in with only four bowlers, but lost because the batsman were found wanting- for application and understanding of the game. Its not like there were not examples for them; The SL team were set target of 510 in recently concluded series against aussies and surely they didn't shame any of their followers. Sankakara scored a double century, jayasuriya 50 and SL came close to that 510.