Are We Going Back to Greg Chappel Ways of Indian Cricket?

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

It is quite surprising that Team India which was favourites to win the World Cup (which they did) just about a year back is fighting hard to stay united on a cricket field. A team which rightly claimed Cricket’s most coveted title defeating Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in do or die games is falling like a pack of cards. Why is this happening? How is it that a team of talented players who were fighting it out as a cohesive unit just about a year back look in complete disarray? Well it seems we are going back to the Greg Chappel ways of playing the game! 

Let’s rewind into the past when the Aussie legend was in charge of the Indian Cricket (sorry but Rahul Dravid seemed more like an assistant in the team) we were encountering such lows with first round exit from the 2007 World Cup being the lowest point. There is one thing common between then and now – ‘uncertainty’ and such environments can lead to teams fragmenting which happened then and which is happening now. And the results are for everyone to see the team doesn’t look like one irrespective to the PR campaign that the BCCI and the team management is running. The team stands divided on thoughts, vision and perception. 

Greg Chappel had come with a plan to build a ‘team for the future’ but he ignored the present and his stint was one of the most disastrous phases in recent memory of Indian cricket. Although our new coach seems to be in the background the captain MS Dhoni seems to have got into the same though process. He wants to win the 2015 World Cup in Australia-New Zealand and is sacrificing the present. What else would explain the logic of rotation when there isn’t any guarantee that some of the youngsters playing in this tour would be in form and fitness to play the World Cup which is more than three years away? Rotating between Sachin, Sehwag and Gambhir has done little good to the team as did Greg’s ways of changing batting order and having different team meetings with seniors and juniors and starting an infamous battle ‘seniors versus juniors'.

Fielding is definitely one of the drawbacks of Team India and it also always been so but Dhoni’s argument of not being able to play the ‘Top 3’ for their friending abilities defies logic.  If good fielding sides would result in sure wins New Zealand which has consistently been one of the best friending sides would have definitely had much better record. So having good fielders won’t necessarily win you matches which are decided by batsman and bowlers with fielding playing a supporting role. Yes Sachin and Sehwag have been in awful form in the series but dropping them for their solely fielding abilities is insane. Saving 20 odd runs make no difference when your team bundles out below 200 on a regular basis.

Captaincy is as much of skills as it is diplomacy. A captain should know what to speak in a press conference and what to hide from the media. Dhoni’s honest attitude and revealing it all to the media hasn’t worked in favour of the team. He has lost his calmness, Midas touch and should find ways to adjust with the situation around him. Being candid isn’t always the right thing to do especially when the odd are stacked against you. It’s time that we try taking each series as it comes and forget about building a team for the 2015 World Cup or else a 2007 like early exit isn’t unlikely.

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Dhoni Moment of Truth in Captaincy Has Arrived

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

Life does come a full circle. Just four months back, MS Dhoni was the man of the moment having won India its World Cup after 28 years but the superhero of modern times has been facing the wrath of the people after three back-to-back test defeats. It’s been close to four years since MS Dhoni took helm of Indian cricket in the inaugural T-20 World Cup in South Africa and started with a bang by winning the tournament. He had a dream run ever since, taking the team to No.1 Test rankings and winning the World Cup in April this year. You could also add two back-to-back IPL wins in that kitty for the Chennai Super Kings. He led his side with a Midas touch and was being touted as a captain who could do no wrong. Old and young all would admire Dhoni and the former legends went gaga about the boy from Jharkhand.

Three humiliating defeats in Lords, Trent Bridge and Edgebaston and there are questions being raised on his leadership skills if Team India rightly deserved the No. 1 spot in cricket’s purest version. A team may lose matches back-to-back but the manner in which India surrendered like ‘school boys’ as Sunny Gavaskar rightly said does call for some hard questions. Hasn’t the No. 1 spot been debated ever since Team India achieved it? And why not, they haven’t yet won a series in Australia or South Africa and are currently making a mockery of themselves in England. The rankings improved due to regular home series wins and drawn overseas tours. Unlike the West Indies in the 80s or the Aussies of the past decade, they haven’t demolished the opponents in their own den. They haven’t instilled fear in the eyes of the opposition and wrapped up test matches in four days. They crawled to a 1-0 win over a depleted Windies side which won’t fare well even in a Duleep Trophy match.

Too much has been made about Dhoni and the No. 1 spot with people failing to acknowledge the contribution of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble who acted as the lynchpin at different intervals to scale this height. Sourav started the process about a decade back, Rahul stabilized it and Anil Kumble gave it the final push. When has Dhoni proved himself as a Test batsman, wicketkeeper or captain? To be honest Dhoni inherited a balanced team and his only test before this series came in South Africa where he managed a draw after losing the first test. The New Zealand series win cannot be rated too high as the Kiwis are themselves finding it hard to get the combination right. So the England tour was the moment of truth in Dhoni’s captaincy and it lies in tatters at the moment.

Dhoni has personally missed a milestone of turning into a legend from being just a good captain. They say a player or a team hasn’t achieved anything in the game, unless they have impressed the English crowd. Many might term this as arrogance but the English have always been arrogant about their cricket. And why not, no one can deny they are the home of cricket and have preserved it in the purest form. Nowhere in the world do you get such knowledgeable crowds as you do at Lords or Edgbaston. Suited man in the twilight of their lives applauding good cricket, that’s what a test match in England is all about. Some of the spectators rightly deserve the right to criticize you as they have seen the best of the Gavaskars, the Richards, the Borders, the Chapels, the Warnes and the Khans over decades.  And Dhoni has failed to impress them with his wicket keeping which has been sloppy, batting which looks frazzled and lack luster captaincy.

As a cricketer Dhoni didn’t burst into the scene with talent written all over him unlike a Yuvraj Singh or a Zaheer Khan. He was an ordinary keeper who could hit the ball hard. But his rise as a cricketer has been phenomenal and in mere eight seasons from his debut has been nothing short of a Bollywood script. His fame only rivals that of Sachin Tendulkar’s in the team though he is nowhere near the master in terms of his talent or record. To start with he was never an orthodox wicket keeper. He seldom had his fingers pointing towards the ground which coaching manuals will tell you to do. His batting flourished with time but once he took over the captaincy he created a shell around himself which has done more harm to the team than good. He lost his flamboyancy and started becoming a run accumulator. He doesn’t alarm the opposition with his batting anymore which has been a downside to Indian cricket in the recent years.

Having said all that, Dhoni still remains Team India’s best bet at captaincy and he certainly isn’t outdone completely. He still can knight himself in England by bouncing back in the series. Perhaps he has to lose a bit of his calmness and be more involved in the game. He has to become more proactive as a captain and work on his field placements. He needs to talk to his bowlers often which he seldom does on the field. Bowlers like Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar and Sreeshant need some support and encouragement when things are not going their way. They aren’t in the same league as a Zaheer Khan who has enough experience to know what to do. This team has it all that is required to defeat the English. It only needs to apply its skills to the potential and Dhoni needs to lead them from the front and not push from the back especially when the team has its back to the wall.

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Who is better: Dhoni or Ganguly?

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

 

Over the last few years numerous comparisons has been drawn between Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni and their captaincy. The World Cup win has raged the argument even further with some suggesting that Dhoni is the best captain India has ever had. After all he has achieved the No. 1 ranking in tests and ODIs and also has a T20 World Cup under his belt. On the other side the diehard fans of ‘Dada’ still swear by his man management and knack of spotting talent. It was under his captaincy that Indian team started to realise themselves as world beaters.

MS Dhoni

Comparing the two would be comparing between a man who loads a gun and one who fires in a combat situation. Ganguly took captaincy in the midst of the match fixing scandal when no one else wanted the job. He inherited a team which didn’t mind surrendering to the opposition where loosing was a norm. Things like wining a Test match on a green top in Australia, South Africa or England was unheard of those days. Dhoni took the team to the next level where he converted a group of match winners to a champion side

To start with Dhoni, he has been one of the best strategists that India has ever had in the last two decades. He goes more by his calculative moves which have worked wonders for him so far. His decision to play Ashish Nehra in the semi-finals versus Pakistan or promote himself ahead of Yuvraj Singh in the final have been brilliant. He is calm on the field which has earned him the title of ‘Captain Cool’, pressure and nervousness are something which don’t seem to exist in his dictionary. He is candid and doesn’t believe in making politically correct statements which has earned him tremendous respect among his teammates with half the side more experienced than him. 

Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly on the other hand was more of an instinctive captain. He backed young cricketers unlike any of his predessors. Legend has it that he fought with the board to have Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh in the squad. Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag and Dhoni himself are a result of Ganguly’s vision of promoting match winners and supporting them to the core. He didn’t mind being in the bad books of the board and the cricketing fraternity as long as his team won the mnatches. He matched fire with fire and eye with eye when it came to playing tough oppositions like Australia and South Africa. Who can forget how he made a mockery of Steve Waugh’s mental disintegration tactics in the 2001 series.

Honestly it is absurd to compare two individuals who did not compete on the same platform with similar  team composition. One built the team laid the foundation whereas the other glorified it with his own skills.  It would be better to see this as a whole process which was started by Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni taking it to its pinnacle.

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India Don't Look Tournament Favorites

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

The Mahendra Singh Dhoni led Team India started as the favorites in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. But if the performance is anything to go by the team has seriously hurt its brand value. Drawing a match after scoring 330 plus runs  against England showed the weakness of the Indian bowling attach. In the match that followed versus Ireland the bowling has looked anything but impressive with Yuvraj Singh the most unlikely of bowlers getting five of the ten Irish men.

The lack of bowling resources at his disposal has made Dhoni looked clueless at times. Especially in the match against England there was not a single bowler who was stopping the singles and the boundaries when Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell were milking the bowling. Even if the Indian fans think cricket to be a game of sixes and fours flowing out of Sachin Tendulkar's bat it is not. If such fans needed one example the match versus England was one. A poor bowling attack never makes a team world champions.

A lot of doubt has been raised about the performance of Piyush Chawla. His selection had raised a few eyebrows but we all know that he is being backed by his captain. But Dhoni seems to be on a mission to prove that Chawla's selection was worth the deal. The only problem is the fact that in doing so he might have to throw a few matches here and there. A good captain should realise his mistake and not repeat them instead of persisting with his ego.

Till now the only two teams which have looked like favorites are the defending world champions Australia and maverick Pakistan under a maverick captain. Shahid Afridi seems to have discovered a master spinner in himself who seems to be causing a havoc among batsmen in this tournament. As far as the kangaroos are concerned no one should write this team off as they have held this trophy for the last 12 years and inmost of the times deservingly. India will have to overhaul itself in fielding and bowling to get over these giants. 

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Pakistan tryst with match fixing continues

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

Scyld Berry the editor of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack wrote in Australia’s renowned newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald wrote “It is only natural that cricketers - or some of them at least - should reflect the society from which they come. And Pakistan is, and has been almost throughout its existence, riddled with corruption.” This after the world of cricket has been dragged to another major match fixing scandal, the biggest perhaps since the last which threatened the game in the year 2000.

Many might call this as a very racist remark considering it comes from an Englishman whose historical and cultural respect for Asians is nobody’s guess. But isn’t it also true that when people are citizens of failed democracy who see corruption all around, are they to have the same kind of pride and respect for their nation. When these cricketers see their counterparts in India making millions aren’t they tempted to cross the line? That’s the entire point in Berry’s argument.

The defence for this cannot be strong as Pakistani team historically has been no saint’s army. The team has had a history of being in the news for all the wrong reasons in all its years cricketing history. From tampering with the ball to fighting in the pubs the team has done it all in the past. The team which is packed with talent has crossed the danger line too often to give it any benefit of doubt. This is not the first time that the Pakistani team’s name has been dragged into a match fixing controversy.

Be it the 1999 World Cup’s loss versus Pakistan or loss to minnows Ireland in the last edition of the mega event which even lead to coach Bob Wolmer’s suspicious death, Pakistani cricket has always had its shades of grey. Facing commissions and enquiries for such occurrences is nothing new for the Pakistani team as generations of players right from Imran Khans to the Shahid Afridis have faced questioning related to match fixing, use of drugs, ball tempering and even a mysterious death of a coach.

England’s dramatic comeback in the allegedly fixed test match and Pakistan’s school boyish bowling performance might just be one of those natural happenings in the game of cricket. But to the naked eyes it seems too much to be true. Millions of cricket fans around the world will be hoping that Pakistani players come out clean of this as this has the potential to tarnish the game like it did a decade ago.

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Muralitharan finishes with just 800 wickets!

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

The title might seem insane for many as the Muralitharan Muttaiah the best off spinner that the game of cricket has perhaps seen will no longer be seen donning the whites for his country. Although 800 wickets is no mean achievement he could have easily gone to become the first bowler in the history of the game to grab 1000 wickets! His form and fitness seemed good enough for him to carry on for a few more years.

Murali had come to the Galle match needing 8 wickets to reach the milestone no cricketer had achieved in the 147 year old history of the Gentlemen’s Game. Most cricketers would not have the guts to announce retirement without reaching the milestone. But the magician from Sri Lanka knew he could grab 8 scalps against an Indian side who had played him relatively well and could have stopped him a single digit short of the achievement.

The first innings wicket of Sachin Tendulkar would be a moment for Murli to cherish as one of the best rivalries of the game came to an end with Murali having the last laugh. It would take decades for cricket fans to see such sights in the game again. Three Indian heads in the second innings wasn’t going to be tough for Murali but the cricket god was in no mood to deny one of his favourite sons the last laugh.

In what seemed a script straight out of a Bollywood movie, the off spin master had to wait for the last Indian wicket in the second innings to achieve this feat. When the last Indian wicket of Pragyan Ojha fell even the Indian fans seemed happy after all it was a deserved achievement for the man who had made cricket a better game facing all odds. His career could have easily ended in 1994 when Darrel Hair called him for chucking had it not been for then Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranutanga.

With Murali a era in spin bowling comes to an end with Shane Warne and Anil Kumble already hung their boots. Murali will be always remembered as a true gentleman in the game which doesn’t see too many of them anymore. He was one of the best ambassadors of the game his generation. To break his record in the future a bowler would not just need great bowling skills but a lion’s hear. Adieu Murali!

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When the Bengal tiger roared again

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

If consistency defines Sachin Tendulkar and patience defines Rahul Dravid, persistence has to be the word for Sourav Ganguly. There is can be no better example of defiance in Indian cricket than that of Prince of Kolkata's or Dada as they fondly call him in his hometown of Kolkata. One thing which Ganguly has come to epitomise is determination to prove his critics wrong. The moment people count him out he produces something to silence all his critics. No cricketer of this stature has perhaps had to prove so much as Sourav Ganuly has.

The swashbuckling 88 that he scored against Deccan Chargers is a fitting reply to all the critics who have put question marks on his skills. The thumping of the chest after he scored his 50 said it all that the Kolkata's favourite son still has the fire in him to keep him going. Those sixes of Pragyan Ojha brought back memories of the vintage Ganguly who used to murder left arm spinners. Ojha can perhaps only blame his luck as he was up against a player who was known to be the killer of his art.

Most critics of Ganguly who were calling for his head have been silenced for now as Dada has let his bat do the talking and proving his point. But does he need to prove his point to anybody anymore? Most of his critics are people who haven't gone beyond playing first class career of have had a guest appearance at the international level. Is Ganguly's class subject to their testimonial? Surely not, as a out of form Ganguly is still better than most of his critics at their peak.

It is perhaps destiny that Sourav Ganguly has had top face critics all throughout his international career since 1992 when he was infamously dropped from the team after just one game and had to wait for another four years to make a comeback. God only knows what his records would have been had Sourav Ganguly not missed those four years. But the never say die attitude is something which has kept him going for so many years in spite of facing hurdles time and again.

Every sportsman is known and respected for some of his skill set. For Sachin Tendulkat it has been his form, fitness and above all ambassadorship of the Gentleman's Game. Brian Lara made cricket look like art while he batted, Rahul Dravid's patience and concentration has no parallels in world cricket. But what Sourav Ganguly will be best remembered for his mental toughness.

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Knights finally seem to be riding in IPL

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

Its just the first week in IPL and thre have been quite a few surprises. First season's champions Rajasthan Royals loosing both the matches they have played so far. Last year's champion Deccan Chargers and Chennai Super Kings going down in their opening ties. But nothing has been more surprising that the resurgence of Kolkata Knight Riders. The team which looked like a bunch of school boys in the last season in South Africa has registering two convincing wins in their first two matches.

Start matters and when the Knight riders started their first match against the Deccan Chargers in Mumbai and were struggling at 0 for 2, fans were relived the agony of the last season. It seemed like the KKR had carried it's bad form from one continent to another even after a year. But some spirited effort from Owais Shah and Angelo Mathews lifted the Knights from the bottom giving them a respectable total to defend which they did successfully backed by some good bowling performance at the death.

Many critics have been arguing that Deccan Chargers lost the match more than Knight Riders having won it. But aren't sudden changes in the course of a match common in this slam bang version of the game. If their first match was a close one, their second versus the Royal Challengers Bangalore was clinical. Never in the match did RCB looked like threatening the Knights. It was almost the perfect kind of match any team would like to play having dominated the opposition throughout.

Sourav Ganguly has been a great player but more that that he has been an exceptional captain. In the two games that have been played so far there has been something in Ganguly's body language which says that he is not willing to bow down this time around. He bowling changes have yielded results for the Kinghts and he is showing huge faith in players like Manoj Tiwari who has returned his captain's gesture with a strokefull half century against the Royal Challengers.

Another plus for the Knights has been the way Ishant Sharma has bowled in the two games. He has brought in the much needed aggression that the team lacked in the last season. With Shane Bond yet to come to the party in the later part of the tournament, KKR might have one of the most formidable fast bowling attacks in the tournament. Add to that the flamboyant Chris Gayle, party just seems to have started for the Knight Riders.

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Shiv Sena doesn't believe in democracy

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

If you think under world is powerful in Mumbai read this “This is not Shahrukh, but the Khan in him that's saying all this. Let Shahrukh go and stay in Lahore, Karachi or Islamabad. He is not needed in Mumbai. Balasaheb has made it clear that Pakistani players wouldn't be allowed to play in the IPL or set foot in Maharashtra" Wonder what this is well this is nothing but Shiv Sena's reacting to Shahrukh's support for the Pakistani players in the IPL.

The Shiv Sena spokesman doesn't stop with that he also adds ““There will be dire consequences if Shahrukh defies the orders of the Sena chief. Shahrukh must think twice before speaking. This is Maharashtra and the Shiv Sena chief's writ runs here." Well it is for everyone to judge weather this is the language a political party is expected to speak in a democracy? Or the larger question that looms is weather Shiv Sena and its by-product the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena even believe in Democracy?

None of us unaware of the fact that Pakistan had a role to play in the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai and we should refrain from washing our hands from it. But is this the kind of language a person should expect in our democracy where the Constitution ensures us 'freedom of speech.' Over the last few years there has been a tussle between the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena to be a saviour of the Marathi cause. Now when it comes to Pakistan and racial attacks in Australia, Shiv Sena wants to represent the Indian cause.

When Mukesh Ambani one of India's leading industrialists said Mumbai belonged to all Indians the Sena slammed him. They had earlier done the same to one of the greatest Marathi icons Sachin Tendulkar as he faulted saying he was an Indian first. Mukesh Ambani creates jobs and thus has the right to speak on it, MNS and Sena are just the hungry consumers of it. Sachin makes India smile and unlike the Thackreys can walk into any Indian home and would get the treatment of a king.

Do the Thackreys believe they run a dictatorial rule over entire Maharashtra and Mumbai? The drubbing they got in the elections should have been an eye opener for them but that seems far from true. The question is not just about Pakistani players being allowed to play in the IPL but of a political forces which seems to consider itself above the law? It is high time the centre and the state machinery take some strong measures against such militant political parties.

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IPL 3: The fight begins with auction

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

A noticeable difference between the first auction in the Indian Premiere League and the one today has been the maturity shown by the franchisees. One lesson that the teams have learnt in the last two seasons is big name don't necessarily deliver match winning performances. The bits and pieces cricketers and the lesser known names are the once who have generally excelled in the two editions of the tournament. New stars have taken birth in the last two years while some stars failed to sparkle.

Some teams like the Kolkata Knight Riders suffered heavily having too many big international names while most of their Indian players failed to perform in both the seasons. Having too many international stars also did not help cause as only four could be fielded. Deccan Chargers Hyderabad learnt the lesson in the first season where Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Shahid Afridi and Herschelle Gibbs could not be played in the same team.

Value for money seems to have been the mantra for most of the franchises in this auction and some of them have made smart and logical decisions. Kolkata Knight Riders have bought out the contract of Australia skipper Ricky Ponting who is unlikely to figure in this season's tournament. KKR who had made a mockery of themselves last years buying Bangladesh all-rounder Mashrafe Mortaza for $600,000 (Rs 2.7 crore) and played him in only one match made a sensible decision this time going for New Zealand all-rounder Shane Bond for a whopping $750,000 (Rs 3.42 crores)

Royal Challengers Bangalore followed KKR's footsteps and ending its relationship with Australian bowler Nathan Bracken. Explosive Caribbean all-rounder Kieron Pollard also went for a whooping $750,000 after a four-way tie breaker. Pollard has impressed all with his display in the inaugural Champions League was brought by Mumbai Indians. Mohammad Kaif who was released by Rajasthan Royals was picked up by Kings XI Punjab.

Harshal Patel, Harmeet Singh and Ashok Menaria are the U-19 players who have a fixed price of Rs 8 Lakh. For the first time, Under-19 players have been introduced to the franchisees. This means that a lot of young blood who haven't even made their debut at the Ranji level will be seen in the company of the giants of international cricket. Although an excellent opportunity for this youngsters, these players have to be handled carefully to avoid them from getting overboard with the fastest version of the game.

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Virat Kohli: The boy has come of age

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

December 24, 2009 is a day spectators at the Mecca of Indian cricket, Eden Gardens would remember for a long time as they witnessed the birth of a new champion in Virat Kohli. When Kohli had come out to bat India were spot of bother at 23 for 2 chasing a huge target of 315 against Sri Lanka. If there was disappointment among fans, cricket administrators were worried as Eden's emotional crowd had in the past given Indian cricket some ugly sights when India had been in a loosing situation. The World Cup semifinal of 1996 versus Sri Lanka and the 1999 Test match versus Pakistan where the stands had to be emptied comes back to haunt India cricket fans till date

But Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir not only gave some relief to the administrators but also made sure Eden witnessed one of Team India's best ODI chase. Kohli the former U-19 World Cup winning captain took charge of the situation and played a stunning knock to steal a match from under Sangakara's throat. India's most loved cricket stadium which saw many records break during the encounter got a glimpse of the Kohli's talent. He dominated the innings playing proper cricketing shots through the ground hardly giving any chance to the bowlers. Gautam Gambhir's gesture to hand over the Man of the Match award to him was perhaps the greatest honour coming from a team-mate.

If anybody thought that Kohli's performance at Eden was fluke the the tri-series in Bangladesh has given Kohli a chance to prove his class. With scores of 9, 91, 71 n.o. and the latest 102 n.o Kohli has emerged India's most reliable batsman ahead of champions like Sehwag, Yuvraj, Gambhir and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Another thing that strikes is Kohli's performance is the fact that all his knocks have come in the second innings and along with Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni he forms a rare club of cricketers who can perform under pressure while chasing.

Another interesting thing that is notice worthy in Kohli's game is the fact that he can score at brisk pace even though he doesn't seems to be a slam-bang cricketer. He is a run accumulator of the likes of Michael Bevan and Michael Hussy. Being a part of a star studded line-up which has big hitters of the ball Kohil perfectly fits the bill. The only thing that Kohli has to keep in mind is not to get complacent with his superb performance ans maintain this consistency. He certainly has been a find for the Indian team ahead of the World Cup in 2011.

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Mahendra Singh Dhoni: The finisher

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

Before the start of the 2007 World Cup in West Indies India's most successful captain Sourav Ganguly said that the biggest difference between the 2003 runner-up squad was the presence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Although India crashed out of the tournament in the first round Sourav's quote spoke volumes of the swashbuckling wicket-keeper batsman from Jharkhand. It is no wonder that in the same year Dhoni was handed the responsibility of leading in the inaugural T20 World Cup. Rest they say is history as Dhoni's men lifted the cup defeating arch rivals Pakistan in a dream final.

Cut to January 2010 when Bangladesh have set India a stiff target of 297. Chasing India struggle at 53 for 5 when Captain Cool walks into the middle. He starts rebuilding the innings with Virat Kohli, stays till the end unbeaten on a hundred ensuring the Bangla tigers don't have any reason to dance in the streets of Mirpur. Only half a decade back India used to choke under pressure while chasing but MSD along with Yuvraj Singh has changed the story completely. Dhoni belongs to a rare breed of cricketer who perform better under pressure. He is rightly being tagged as 'Finisher.'

Dhoni is one of the rare batsman who averages more in the second innings than in the first and the only captain to average over 60 in One Day Internationals. What makes this feat even more special is the fact that after becoming the captain, Dhoni has played more as a floater and not any permanent position in the batting order. Such flexibility might have adverse effect even on the most seasoned cricketer but Dhoni's performance remains consistent.

One thing which separates Dhoni from all the other Indian batsman is his ability to perform under pressure. Even the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag have shown signs of choking under pressure by Dhoni never shows an iota of nerves. Dhoni's approach to pressure matches seems to be more Australian than Indian. Although an aggressive cricketer by nature, Dhoni is never seen loosing his cool on his team-mates and opponents. No wonder he was handed the baton to lead the team ahead of experienced campaigners like Yuvraj, Sehwag and Harbhajan.

In the early part of the decade Indian team learnt to win against the best of the opposition and Sourav Ganguly was said to have brought in the aggression to the team. Players like Sehwag, Harbhaja, Zaheer and Yuvraj came from what became known as the 'Ganguly School of Cricket.' Dhnoni seems to have put his feet on the accelerator and the team seems to be pulling out victories from near impossible situation. Virat Kohli, Ravinder Jadeja seem to excel under pressure and we can rightly say the 'Dhoni School of Cricket' seems to have arrived.

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Richest cricket board, poorest management

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

Indian teams about a few years back could not manage to win Test matches abroad. The solution could have been making them practice on pitches like the one we saw yesterday at the Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi. Jokes apart it was a slap on the face of the Board of Control for Cricket in India or the BCCI when an international match had to be called off unplayable wicket conditions. This was however not the first time BCCI has had to abandon a match, interestingly exactly 12 years ago on Christmas day a match between India and Sri Lanka had to be called off in Indore for the same reason.

How was it that no one in the BCCI's pitches technical committee noticed the danger in forcing an international match on a newly laid pitch. What was in the groundsman's mind when he left live patches of grass in the good length area which were acting as launch pads for the killer deliveries. Was he trying to give the bowlers to feel some ease after the thrashing they have far got in the series. An U-13 cricketer knows that ball shoots up upon landing on grass and stays low on bald patches. How did the groundsman at the ground and pitches technical committee ignore this?

Yesterday's abandoned one day international was another example how the richest cricket board in the world has poorest management skills. The members of the pitch and ground committee of the DDCA resigned taking moral responsibility which is more of a show as the same people will make into the association very soon. Delhi is one of the most important grounds in the country and will host a few World Cup matches in 2011. Are these the kind of pitches we would like international teams to play on during the mega event?

One of the fundamental problems with the BCCI has been it's accountability. Being the richest cricket board due to the crazy fan following seems to be it's only claim to fame. It has become a favourite pastime for the politicians in the country to run the BCCI and all the other state cricket associations. Where are our former players who definitely know cricket more than the Arun Jaitleys and the Sharad Pawars? Why doesn't the BCCI hire professional people to lay pitches across the country, it's cash flow statement would envy many business houses in India?

It is really sad that cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble who have given their heart and soul to Indian cricket will never find their way into the administration because they do not have political lobby. Many might say that administration is a specialised thing and the legends of the game do not have any administrative experience. The question is what experience do the Jaitleys and the Pawars have?

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T20s have pushed One Day Internationals

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

After scoring 414 runs in an ODI how many teams would have feared loosing. Not that it hasn't been done before (remember Australia-South Africa, Wanderers) but 414 ought to be a match winning score even in the flattest of the batting surface. But Sri Lanka gave a scare to India when they almost surpassed India's mammoth 414, to fall shot by just three runs in the end. People at Rajkot would have got a bonus on their money worth having witnessed 825 runs scored in a ODI in 100 overs.

Welcome to the new age cricket where run a ball cannot guarantee a victory. It was just about a decade back that 300 would be a winning score in an ODI. Then came the era when 300-350 came within reach. T20 cricket had pushed the envelop further and no target seems to be insurmountable. Batsman have become more aggressive with their batting and with a power play available in the death overs the bowlers are left to their mercy.

In today's India-Lanka match 23 sixes were score which a decade ago could be the total number in a 5 match series. Add to that 83 hits to the fence a whopping 470 runs came in boundaries which is more than half the runs of the two scores taken together. Both the teams having come out of two high scoring T20 games were in murderous mood and there was no mercy for the bowlers. Any bowler giving away run a ball would have been proud of himself.

One more thing which T20 cricket has done is with the shot selection of the batsman. Not too long ago most of the batsman other than a (Jayasuriya, Afridi or Sehwag) would loft a good length ball for a six. But in the last two years fast bowlers being hit over their head has become a very common sight. No longer are captains relaxed of sixes not being hit when their quickies are bowling. Grounds haven't become smaller, just that the batsman have started loving the air more than the ground.

Having said all this, there is a negative side to this as well as the classical cricketers will die a slow death in the ODIs too like the T20s. Batsman like Rahul Dravid and Damien Martyn who used to steer their teams off bad situations would not be sought after commodity. Teams would like to pick more slam bang cricketers than the classical batsman. Is this better for the game? Is this better for the bowlers? What next 500.....A few years is maybe all that is needed to know these answers.

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We are finally No. 1

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

The Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had once said in the 1940s that there are some good aspects of British culture that India should retain post Independence and Cricket was one of them. Almost seven decades later the Lok Sabha (amidst the controversial Librehean Commission Report) congratulated the team and the players of the victorious Indian cricket team for becoming the No. 1 Test team. This shows Cricket is just more than a game in India. Although Hockey remains our national game on papers, Cricket is a part of our popular culture now.

This is for the first time since ICC introduced the ranking system in the last decade. Looking back at the five day version of the game prior to the ranking system many might argue that Indian teams of the past might have come close to being the numero uno star especially Kapil's devils of 1986 season. But technically it is for the first time in 77 years since making out Test debut in 1932 under the leadership of C. K. Nayudu we are the best Test side in the world.

This has been possible due to some superb cricket played by India in the last 18 months where they delivered splendid performance in Australia, New Zealand and West Indies. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Ganbhir, Yuvraj Singh, Ishant Sharma, RP Singh, Zaheer Khan all fired at different instance to win matches for India. Unlike T20, Test cricket test the patience of cricketers and it is not for boys (expect if you are a Sachin) but for men.

The reason this team under the leadership of MS Dhoni now and Anil Kumble in the recent past has been because the players have come up with match winning and match saving performances. The only sad part in this jubilant time was the absence of Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble in the team. After all many of the victories in the last two years wouldn't have been possible without these two giants. Indian cricket fans will never forget that it was under Sourav that Indian cricketers started looking at the eyes of the opposition.

As the nation celebrates there is criticism already and it has come form expected quarters. The Australian media slammed India's ranking saying that Team India isn't playing against stronger oppositions. The questions is did they slam Mathew Hayden when he scored 380 against Zimbabwe to hold the highest test score for a brief period? It is difficult for the egoistic Aussies to see some other team at the top and themselves slipping to the third position after being No. 1 for almost the entire decade.

The tough task starts here for MSD and his men considering they have to now retain the spot by keeping up the performance. Although we glorify the batsman Test cricket is all about bowling as you can only win when you take 20 wickets we finally seem to be having an army of speed stars who can take 20 wickets abroad (batsmen can just draw a test match!) Its now that the team's real character will be tested as it is much easier to aim targets set by others than make your own targets.

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Is Thackrey Marathi-Indian or a Indian-Marathi?

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

It is not too often that Indian cricketers indulge themselves into politics and controversial matters. So when Sachin Tendulkar was asked about the language row he honestly said "Mumbai belongs to India. I am a Maharashtrian and am extremely proud to proud of that, but I am an Indian first." It did not come as a surprise to many when Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray to slam the Master Blaster for being a Indian first and then a Maharashtrian.

This is not only is a sad incident as a person like Sachin Teldulkar is drawing criticism for being a nationalist but shows the kind of muddiness in which Shiv Sena plays its politics. According to Thackrey who considers himself as the 'great saviour of Marathi culture', Sachin has committed the heinous crime of claiming himself to be a Indian-Marathi rather than a Marathi-Indian. Mr. Thackrey may not be aware of this but Sachin is a pan-Indian hero.

Bal Thackeray "When Marathis shed their blood for Mumbai you weren't even born, you have been run out on the Marathi pitch," he added. True Sachin wasn't even born when Shiv Sena patronised regionalism as its core value in politics. But the Godfather of Maharashtra politics has also forgotten that he wasn't even born when people people Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Rajguru among others shed their blood for the cause of the nation and not for their state.

It is very difficult to expect Mr. Bal Thackeray, his son Uddhav Thackeray or his estranged nephew Raj Thackeray to understand what the concept of Union of India is. When was the last time any of them got a warm hero's welcome in any place outside their state. But Sachin Tendulkar has been cheered by millions wherever he has gone. People go crazy about this man irrespective of whether it is Calcutta, Bombay or Chennai.

The reason for this is very simple he has over the years given millions of Indians a reason to smile unlike the Thackerays who have caused pain to so many by encouraging riots, hooliganism and killings. People have stood hours in heat to get a glimpse of Sachin not for a free bottle of alcohol or a 50 Rs note at the end of the day but for love they have for him. Bal Thackeray is too insane to even realise it.

The defeat in the electiosn should have been a wake up call for Mr. Thackeray but politicians seldom learns lesson. The entire nation is proud of Maharashtra for producing an icon like Sachin Tendulkar. On the other hand its anybody's guess how many Marathis would be proud of the Thackerays

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A tribute to Sachin from a 'non-fan'

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

Life most other Indians of my age I grew up watching Sachin Tendulkar bat, blast and break records but unlike most I was never a big fan of the Master Blaster. Somehow I liked the sweet timing of Saeed Anwar, the classy backlift of Brian Lara and the crisis combating skills of Steve Waugh. Among all of them Anwar was my favourite as I always loved the ease with which he played. Not being Sachin's fan had another advantage which I later discovered as it put me in a rare and elite club among my peers.

Anwar is not in news any more, Lara may be busy enjoying Caribbean sunset and Steve Waugh is busy with charity work but the Master Blaster still pads up for India. Today I stand up to salute the man not because of the two decades he has survived in this sport especially being in India (We know more about cricket than the Britishers know about English) but for the fact that all his decisions and moves have been under public scrutiny. (Had we put our politicians through the same process we could have been a different nation.)

One thing that surely separates Sachin from many other great cricketers of his generation is his school boyish eagerness to learn and ability to change his game. Over the years Sachin has regularly changed his game according to the changes that have taken place in the game and some due to the injuries he suffered. From a flamboyant hard hitting batsman of 90s, Sachin is one of the most calm and composed cricketers of modern era.

Sachin's biggest asset has been his balance, be it on the back foot or on the front foot Sachin looks comfortable. He plays the cuts, pulls, drives and glances with equal ease. He may not have been blessed with the elegant foot work of Rahul Dravid or the timing of Saeed Anwar but he makes batting look easy with his simple balanced approach to the game. Even when completely out of of form Sachin never struggled on the 22 yard strip.

The gentleman approach with which Sachin plays reinstates the fact that cricket is perhaps still a 'Gentleman's Game.' Sachin is the like a holy book to anybody who wants to study a cricketer. In 20 years Sachin has come a long way from a young boy whom mothers across the country wanted to adore to being the biggest ambassador of the game. The manner in which he played against Australia we can surely see him for another two or three seasons.

Sachin, although you were never my favourite batsman and I'm not your biggest fan but thanks for giving me and millions around the world two decades of classic cricket!

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Men in Blue dishonoured in Honour Series

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

What was being touted as the honour series between India and Australia has ended unfavourably for the home side. Aussies clinching the series 4-2 with the last ODI being washed out in Mumbai. Seeing the results one might think that the Men in Blue have fallen flat but that is far from true. India did not loose the series because they were second to the Aussies when it came to cricketing skills but certainly have a lot to learn from the Aussies about holding their nerves.

Two of the four matches that the Aussies won went into the final over where Indian batsman failed to win over their nervousness and excitement. In the first ODI at Vadodara, Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar brought India within striking distance of victory after which Harbhajan played a rash and unnecessary stroke and handed over the match to the Aussies. Being the second senior most player in the team Bhajji should have seen the team through.

Defeat in the fourth ODI at Hyderabad will hurt the Indian cricketers and their fans for ever. The world witnessed a one of the best ever ODI innings by Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar who mesmerised the crowd. In the end his 175 proved to be not enough to guide his team home to a herculean 350 in what would have been the second highest run chase by any team. In the end the Men in Blue felt short by 3 runs with the entire lower order crumbling like a pack of cards.

Virender Sehwag proved to one of the biggest culprit of the series getting out to rash strokes in almost all the matches. Cricket is not just about sixes and four even if Viru thinks it that way. Praveen Kumar turned out to be the biggest find for India and showed he could become a quality all rounder if his batting skills are little worked on. Praveen's performance and Sachin's gem of an innings were the only highlights for India.

In the end the series ended with a defeat that many Indian fans would not have expected. The Aussies side which was hit by string of injuries kept their basics right and clinched the series. The difference between the two teams in the end turned out to be rash strokes and unnecessary run outs in both of which the Indians were far ahead of the Aussies. Hope the Men in Blue regroup soon and give a good show against the Sri Lankans in their next dual.

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Had Tendulkar scored another 3 runs...

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

Sultan of swing Wasim Akram had once said if somebody could get Sachin Tendulkar out and India needed 15 runs to win, a determined team could defeat India. Yesterday's match versus the Aussies gave us a glimpse of the 'Vintage Tendulkar' and also 'Vintage India.' In the early 90's Indian batting line up was considered Tendulkar and ten others. The horrors of the past visited us once again as Tendulkar's best One Day knock went in vain as India fell short by just 3 runs after Australia has set them a mamoth target of 350 to chase.

Critics had always argued that Tendulkar lacked the ability to finish things off and perhaps even a marathon innings of 175 wasn't just enough to get his team home. Having played 47 overs and just played one rash stroke in which he perished the 36 year old master couldn't have done anything else. The two consecutive sixes of Nathan Hauritz dancing down the track reminded of the assault he had launched on Shane Warne in during their 1998 tour to India. He had changed his game due to his back pain but yesterday he seemed to have forgotten it all.

The balance with which he played the game had class written all over it. Even 350 looked chasable considering the way Sachin was timing the ball. The flicks, square drives, sweeps and the nudges all were going well for Tendulkar. But he was done by the lack of support from the other end as the despite contributing 50% of the runs alone, Sachin could not find a able partner other than Suresh Raina to take India to a win. India just snatched the defeat from the jaws victory.

Virender Sehwag proved once again that he might have 90% of Tedulkar's shot but doesn't have 10% of his temperament. Gautam Gambhir played a nothing shot to commit suicide. Had only Yuvraj Singh played a shot on that ball he wouldn't have got out. Dhoni might consider himself unlucky to be done by a brilliant catch. Suresh Raina supported Tendulkar well but played a irresponsible shot when it wasn't required at all. Ravinder Jadeja would have to learn to live rather than being suicidal on the crease. Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar could not help India's cause either. Nobody expected much of Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra.

Australia once again proved that when it comes to holding their nerves they are second to none in the world. Perhaps the only question many Indian cricket fans will ask in the coming weeks is what else could have Sachin done? An honest answer would perhaps scored 3 more runs but the fact remains it script wasn't written in India's favour. India may win again and level out the series but such a loss riding on a brilliant innings leaves a regret forever.

Cricket once again prove that no individual was bigger than the game. One of the finest One Day innings that fan would ever see went for a loosing cause. At times the game also has an element of luck associated with it. Or else what explains the fact that a player like Joginder Sharma has a world cup win written over his back while 20 years of brilliance by the Master hasn't been enough. Hat's off to you ST it was a delight to watch you yesterday.

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Can Akram swing it for the Kinghts?

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram's name along with that of, Pravin Amre and ex-India coach John Wright is doing the rounds for the job Kolkata Knight Riders' coach. The coach's post has been lying vacant after KKR management has ousted John Buchanan after last year's dismal performance. It is however a well known fact that Buchanan lost the job due to his multiple captain theory which was not welcomed by the team especially KKR's biggest star Sourav Ganguly.

Wasim Akram might not have any coaching experience but he is surely the most capped player among those being interviewed by the KKR management including team owner Shahrukh Khan. There are also talks the if not the coach, the Sultan of Swing might be appointed as the bowling consultant by the team which has put up a dismal performance in all three departments of the game in the first two seasons of the IPL.

One thing which might play a key role in Akram's selection is the admiration that Sourav Ganguly has for him. It may be recalled that during the 1997 Shahrjah Cup, Sourav Ganguly had spoken very highly about the left arm magician from Pakistan. It is not too often that Indian and Pakistani cricketers praised each other in public. During India's 2003-04 tour to Australia, Akram had shared his experience with Zaheer and Irfan Pathan on Sourav's request.

Akram's selection for the job will not only be a boon for the KKR fast bowlers but also for most likely captain Sourav Ganguly who can consult him for making decisions off the field. Having played so much of cricket at the top level and led one of the most difficult and controversial teams Akram knows a thing or two about captaincy. Another advantage with Akram is being from the sub-continent he is aware of the cricketing culture here unlike John Buchanan who had Aussie tablets for Indian problems.

If selected Akarm's job will be anything but easy considering the drubbing the team got in the last year's edition where their opponents took the Knights as a virtual walkover. Akram might also have to mentally strengthen the players after the criticism they received in the last edition for the tournament. Akram's prospects look bright but will he be able to SWING the team towards winning ways remains to be seen.

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