Incomparable and irreplaceable

For 16 years ‘The Wall’ fortified Indian batting. Not anymore. It will be as weird as it is sad to see an Indian Test side without Rahul Dravid because he has been the corner stone of India’s Test match successes abroad over the last decade and a glowing star of a golden era of Indian cricket renaissance. His record (a staggering 24,177 international runs) speaks for his greatness. But Dravid was always more than just about the numbers and beyond just the cricket pitch.

Ever the consummate team man, perhaps no player has ever put the team before himself as much as Dravid has. Be it shuffling up and down the batting order or keeping wickets in one day cricket, Dravid has answered every call of duty with utmost sincerity and dedication. Even in retirement, he has put Indian cricket ahead of himself and spoke about the need to play the game for the right reasons.

In a world where people who make the loudest noise and throw the greatest tantrums get the most attention, Dravid showed that quiet confidence and resoluteness of purpose are what is needed to succeed. That being shrill will only bring the media to your doorstep but not produce runs on the field. That being a gentleman is not a disqualification.

At a time when Dravid was still playing under Sachin’s shadow, I remember writing passionately about what he brings to the table in the Indian cricket team. But that was just a phase in the past. Over the last 16 years, he has broken out of that shadow, carved a niche for himself and firmly established himself as one of the all-time greats of Indian cricket.

Rahul Dravid is an inspiration. For he convinced us that perseverance, determination and discipline are more important than talent. For he proved that ordinary individuals can attain extraordinary heights with these very qualities. A Brian Lara or a Sachin Tendulkar were always meant to be great batsmen. But Rahul Dravid chose to be great.

His Bradman oration in Australia last December unfurled for us his keen understanding of the game and the astuteness of his thinking. He still has much to contribute to the game as a thinker and administrator.

Here’s to my all-time favourite cricketer. There will never be another like you.

Samsonesque hair-loss

They boarded the flight to the Caribbeans hoping to whitewash the West Indies in the ODIs and win a Test series in that country for the first time in thirty odd years. But a 4-1 drubbing in the ODIs and a drawn Test match later, the Indian cricket team is looking a far cry from the confident group of youngsters that had left India. The Chappell-Dravid combination faces their biggest and toughest challenge yet – to regroup a young team on alien soil.

The cricketing reasons for the defeat may be many. But the strange phenomenon that struck the Indian squad deserves special analysis. Scientific knowledge and pure logic indicates that this phenomenon had nothing to do with the fate of the Indian side on the field. But it is too good an opportunity to pass up without actually blogging on the issue. What phenomenon am I talking about? The loss of hair of course!

A lot of Indian players chose to significantly reduce the amount of black strands adorning their skull. The list is long – Sreesanth, Pathan, Dhoni, Raina, Jaffer and Sehwag. Sreesanth was the trendsetter. While he shed his hair for religious reasons, the others cut their tresses blaming the heat. The ‘phenomenon’ must have been a nightmare for the corporate world, whom these players represent in the capacity of brand ambassadors. (Sehwag’s new hair-style gave him a strong resemblance of Mogambo – the immortal villain played by Amrish Puri in the classic late 80’s Bollywood flick Mr. India.)

What followed the hair-loss phenomenon was a series of defeats. It reminds one of the Biblical story of Samson who lost his hair, and his strength with it. Perhaps the Indian team will return to its previous glory once the biological processes re-grow whatever has been lost. The resurgence on the last three days of the first Test might even be an indicator of what is to come. The whole of India is waiting – for the runs to flow, the wickets to fall, and of course, for the hair to grow.

Edge-of-the-seat thrillers

Three matches, three last-over finishes. And add to it the fact that the underdog leads 2-1 at the end of it. ODI cricket doesn’t get much better than this. The first three matches of the India-West Indies ODI series reasserted that cricket was ‘a game of glorious uncertainties’.

The Indians began the series as hot-favourites, with most cricket pundits willing to debate only the scoreline and not the outcome. Considering the recent exploits of the Indian ODI side (18 wins in 24 games, and 16 consecutive victories while chasing), a 5-0 series whitewash was a distinct possibility.

In Jamaica, when Kaif smashed a Bravo half-volley through the covers to stretch the streak of successful chases to 17, many felt that the West Indians had blown their best chance to beat the rampaging Indians. But Bravo had other ideas in the second game, two days later. With only 2 runs required for victory, Yuvraj who had been playing majestically, was foxed by a slower ball. Even as Yuvraj’s furniture was being rearranged, Bravo and Sabina Park erupted in joy.

It was only the beginning; more was to come in St Kitts. In what was an almost action-replay of the first match (with the roles reversed), Sarwan slammed the penultimate ball of the Sreesanth over between cover and long-off to clinch the second victory for the Windies. All roads in the Caribbean islands now lead to Trinidad, where the last two ODIs will be played this weekend.

Of late, ODI cricket had been reduced to bowler-slaughter by ordinary batsmen on featherbeds. It was just as refreshing to see low-scoring thrillers, as it was to see the Windies winning games. Having missed the first couple of games (I really did not feel motivated enough to stay up till 3 ‘o clock in the morning), I forced my eyes to remain open till the end of the third game. It was worth the effort, but I would rather have seen an Indian win.

TOUR DIARY of Pathan – I

About TOUR DIARY

IRFAN PATHAN
India’s Tour to Pakistan, after the Tour Opener at Lahore

So, finally we are here and our tour is underway. The tour opener wasn’t a very good one for me. Got a lot of tap from the batsmen, and I didn’t enjoy it one bit. They better prepare green pitches for the Test series. Even if our batsmen get out cheaply, at least I will get a few wickets. Not to forget that I will have better chances of scoring than Viru and Gautam. That will establish me as an all-rounder.

I must say Pakistan is a strange country. Wherever I look, I find armed men. You would think half of this country is enrolled in the army. And it was pretty much the same the last time I was here as well. Sourav and Greg are in the same team and it is extremely dangerous to have so many guns close by. When will the administration realize the danger involved? And the Pakistani government says they are providing us security. I hope I can meet Wasim bhai during this tour.

I somehow can’t swing the ball back into the right-handers anymore and I desperately need some help from him. Some people have already spotted this and I just hope Bob and Inzy haven’t as yet. The more the left-handers in the Pakistani batting lineup, the happier I will be.

When I was about to come to Pakistan the last time, I was told that there is one Irfan Pathan in every street of Pakistan. I kept a look out, but never found my hamshakal. This time around, my greatest desire is to meet these identical twins of mine, who for some strange reasons have opted not to play for the Pakistan team.

The Pakistani team is dangerous – especially their archeologist. I really hope I don’t have much bowling to do to him, or better still, I hope he is suspended again for carrying out excavations on the pitch.

Before leaving for Pakistan, Papa advised me to pray as much as possible. And now Greg is asking me to practice as much as possible. How will I manage both these things together? Actually I can. These days I am praying while practicing. Praying that Bob doesn’t walk by and see that I have no swing. Praying that Wasim bhai will turn up sooner than later. Praying that half of the Pakistani batsmen get injured facing Shoaib in the nets.

But the best part of this tour has been that I am not receiving those stupid love letters anymore. Yeah, I get about 10 letters every day from the same girl. I have been able to find out that she is a student of Political Science from the Delhi University, but nothing more than that. In one letter she actually asked me to grow a moustache so that I would look like someone else she knew, who in turn looks like Sarfaraz Nawaz. These days the first thing I do in the morning is have a shave. Maybe if I persist, she will get tired of me and go after that other person. And I think I started receiving these letters immediately after Rahul bhai got married. Wonder if the two things are connected in any way?

Finally, I hope Juhi Chawla comes over to watch me play (only in the matches that I do well, please), or at least watches from back home in India. Got to go now, Sania’s match is coming up on TV.

Also posted on ESPNStar Forums.

Ganguly-Chappell Showdown

The year 2005 draws to a close later today, and as I look back at the year that has passed, I cannot afford not to write on one issue that had rocked the nation in 2005.

The biggest controversy since the match-fixing scandal

When the former captain and the current coach decided to have a mud-slinging war in public, the biggest controversy in Indian cricket since the match-fixing scandal ensued. The issue was blown out of proportion by the media which was desperate for ‘breaking’ news and the reactions of the capricious Indian cricket fans. So much so that it became not just the top cricket story of the year, but perhaps the top national news story of the year.

The ‘war’ between coach and captain had all the ingredients of a Bollywood masala movie – drama, action, suspense and even a bizarre form of romance (between Ganguly and his fans). The story starts with Ganguly leaking dressing room secrets to the media after a painstaking century against a hapless Zimbabwe attack. Chappell retaliated with a confidential email that was sent to every Tom, Dick and Harry in the BCCI.

Chappell might have been the only person surprised to see his email in all the national dailies the next day. Kolkata erupted. Protests marches were held, effigies were burnt and Chappell became a villain. The Turbanator accused Chappell of instilling ‘fear and insecurity’ in the team, and some unnamed players came out in support of the captain. The BCCI responded quickly by issuing a gag order on players.

But the damage had been done. Accusations were made by Durgapur that the Dalmiya camp had leaked the email to help Ganguly gather public support. Another theory had it that Dalmiya had laid out a trap which Ganguly had inadvertently walked into! The BCCI review committee meeting dismissed the controversy as a ‘miscommunication’ and cleared Ganguly of the charges leveled against him by Chappell. The committee returned all the six copies of the rebuttal Ganguly had prepared, which left the media very disappointed.

Ganguly was eventually ruled out of the Srilanka series with an elbow injury and was subsequently not picked in the side as the selectors did not want to disturb a winning combination. What happened since was a wonderful example of the dirty politics played in the BCCI. Ganguly was first reinstated in the side for the Chennai Test, dropped after the Ahmedabad Test and recalled again for the Pakistan series – three politically inspired decisions which reconfirmed Mohinder Amarnath’s observation years ago that the selection committee was a ‘bunch of jokers’.

Neither of the two men are angels. Chappell confirmed this by his famous gesticulation at angry Kolkatta fans, and Ganguly by not playing for Bengal in a Ranji match before the Pakistan series. No one is ready to believe the statements of ‘we have a professional relationship with each other’ by both Ganguly and Chappell, least of all the two men themselves. The irony of it all is that Ganguly was instrumental in Chappell’s appointment as coach ahead of fellow Australian Tom Moody.

Ganguly is on his final trial in Pakistan that could make or break his career. And Kolkata remains volatile, ready to erupt in joy or anger, depending on whether Ganguly is selected or dropped from the side. Though the climax was rather insipid, the movie has certainly been a blockbuster!

Also posted on ESPNStar Forum.

TOUR DIARY of Sehwag – I

About TOUR DIARY

VIRENDER SEHWAG
India vs Srilanka, 3rd Test at Ahmedabad, Day -3

Got up late in the morning, as usual. Damn! Greg and Ian made me go through all those stupid routines that they have come up with. When will they realize that a player who is as talented as I am does not have to go through all these? I will be doing well irrespective of whether I practice or not. I am confident about my abilities.

There was no dew on the ground today! I had to hurry out to the ground and in the process I could only spend only half an hour on my breakfast, whereas I normally spend one hour over it.

Bhajji and Anil were bowling well, and I didn’t even have to bowl myself. I am sure if Bhajji hadn’t got all those wickets I would have got them myself, and that would have convinced Greg and the rest of the team that I am the premiere spinner in the side. I still have my chance tomorrow, though.

I never thought captaining a side was so easy. Just about every move that I made worked for me. Now the selectors will be forced to rethink their decision of appointing Rahul as captain for the Pakistan and England tours. I feel I am more proactive, and will certainly make a better captain than him.

We wrapped up things quickly. But when we went out to bat the Srilankans used dishonorable means to get me out. They have never used a third-man for me before, and today they slipped in one. Marvan did not show even the basic courtesy to inform me about it. And I lost my wicket through deceit. I think I need to write to the ICC about it.

Aarti sent me my lunch as usual. But getting it into my room under the watchful eyes of our coach was the difficult part. In the Delhi test he had seen me carrying a packet. I told him that it contained hate mails that Sourav had received which he had asked me to dispose off. Greg looked very pleased. While the rest of the poor fellows in the team were eating boiled vegetables and dried fruits, I was feasting on Chicken 420.

Towards the end of the day Ajith and later Anil were playing some irresponsible shots. I sent word asking them to bat till the end of the day. Why don’t they realize how tired I was? After captaining the side, taking two spectacular catches and batting for a long period at the crease, I did not want to go out and field again.

I have recently come to know that some idiots in the ESPNStar Sports Forums are calling me an off-spinner who cannot bat. Criticism is fine, but I will certainly not tolerate such ridicule and vilification. If ESPNStar does not exercise better control over their members, I will be forced to take legal action.

Anil and Bhajji better wrap things up quickly tomorrow. I am not inclined to either bowl myself or stay on the ground for too long.

Also posted on ESPNStar Forums.

TOUR DIARY of Cricketers

More of cricket. The rate at which I am going, it looks like cricket is the highway, and philosophy is the alley. But I am sure that the discerning readers will pick up the philosophy camouflaged in my cricket posts. Happy reading!

What is TOUR DIARY?

Most of us have wanted to know a little bit more about our favourite cricketers – things that these cricketers have been hiding from the public, their inner thoughts and deep desires.

I am sure all of them maintain a Tour Diary, which they don’t intent anybody else to read. This is the place where I will dig up their Tour Diary which will tell us a lot more about them – some startling truths and stunning revelations.

Keep tuned in to this space to know the latest about your favourite players, brought to you exclusively by this special spy reporter.

Also available on ESPNStar Forums.

PS: Some of the things I mention in the Tour Diary may not make sense. But that is only because I am referring to the members on ESPNStar Forums, or to something that happened there.

Finally a request – once you discern the philosophy in my cricket posts, please let me know what it is through mail, because I haven’t been able to discern it myself.

Do we deserve heros?

I had wanted to write something more philosophical today, but recent events force me to change my plans. But I think everyone can detect a hint of philosophy in this post as well. You might also want to read this article by Sambit Bal on Cricinfo which pertains to the topic of my post.

Sourav Ganguly’s treatment by the BCCI has been disgusting

Nothing else generates as much passion among Indian cricket fans as Sourav Ganguly does. Those who profess allegiance to him have been crying foul ever since Greg Chappell sent his famous email to the BCCI. Whether Sourav deserves a place or not in the Indian Team might be debatable but the treatment that was meted out to him does not have any justification.

First, he was dropped unceremoniously from the ODI side, with the selectors saying that they did not want to disturb a winning combination. But the same argument was somehow overlooked when Sourav was dropped from the Test team immediately after the team having won the Delhi Test.

It is not hard to miss the dirty politics that is being played in the corridors of the BCCI. Sourav has clearly been victimized in a personal vendetta between Dalmiya and the new group of Pawar, Bindra and Durgapur. If the Kolkattan fans come out in protest now, they can certainly not be blamed.

Former Indian cricketers have all expressed shock at this decision (report on Cricinfo). We are talking about a man who has 15,000 international runs and 34 international centuries to his credit and has been the most successful and outstanding captain that Indian cricket has ever had. He certainly deserved better after having served Indian cricket for 10 years.

The Indian cricket fans are as much to be blamed as the BCCI selectors. Renowned for their knee-jerk reactions, the cricket crazy public had left no stone unturned in ridiculing Sourav when his performances had plummeted. Internet hate campaigns were launched and Sourav’s name was dragged into every joke that was made. Criticism might have been due as he was indeed underperforming, but the Indian fans made sure that they took it to an unacceptable and deplorable level.

Is this how we treat our heros? The fans (barring the ones in Kolkatta) and the administrators are equally to blame for the position that Sourav now finds himself in. He might not have been perfect, but he certainly didn’t deserve to be vilified the way he was. We are a nation starved of sporting heros, and deservedly so, because we don’t know how to respect and treat the few that we have.

Sourav has always been a hero for me, and will remain one forever.

Has Team India turned a corner?

This is an article of mine which has been published on the www.abcofcricket.com website. This is now the fifth article of mine on the net, and I can proudly say that every time I have written an article with an intention of getting it published, it has come up on some site or the other. Here is the full list. And the latest article:

Chappell getting results in India

The appointment of a new coach, the sacking of the captain following a squabble with the coach under the glare of media spotlights and an unprecedented series win – the past few months have been eventful to say the least, in Indian cricket.

The sullied fumes of the Ganguly-Chappell showdown which threatened to engulf Indian cricket has been blown away by the revitalising breeze of the resounding 6-1 victory against Sri Lanka and the hard-fought 2-2 draw against the Proteas. A new wave of elation and sanguinity has swept across cricket fans in India who were not long ago, smarting from the lackluster performances of their team.

But is the victory over Sri Lanka, in the light of the draw against the Africans, the watershed heralding India’s elevation to a consistently winning side? Has India turned a corner? It might be true that a victory of this magnitude can hardly be found in the annals of Indian cricket, and that the last victory in a bilateral series is a memory that has faded into oblivion. But it would be premature to think that India has unraveled the answers to all those probing problems which have been pegging back its ODI form for the last couple of seasons.

Chappell and his support staff – men like Ian Frazer – have introduced an amount of professionalism in the side. It was apparent in the commitment on the field and the discipline in batting and bowling. Team India has moved from a captain-centred framework during the Ganguly-Wright reign to a coach-centred one under Dravid and Chappell. It should only help the team’s cause because with Chappell clearly in charge and calling all the shots, the pressure would be off Dravid. But the flexibility that Chappell aims to achieve through experimentation – or strategy in his own words – might misfire at times and it is important not to turn a blind eye to the present demands in a quest for future excellence.

The most heartening aspect of these matches has been the stupendous performance of the youngsters in the crucible of international cricket – be it Raina at Pune, RP Singh at Rajkot or Pathan and Dhoni throughout the matches. Dhoni might have captured the imagination of the nation, but the arduous encounters ahead of him with more intimidating bowlers will test both his technique and temperament. His technique might be relatively uncertain but his temperament is extremely sound, which should also enable him to avoid being ensnared by stardom.

The Supersub, a new feature of one day cricket has been India’s greatest ally, as the balance that was lost when Dravid removed his wicket-keeping gloves has returned. The fifth bowler – part-timers like Sehwag and Yuvraj – were inaffective in Sri Lanka a few months back, but were replaced by the Supersub in the recent matches, and is the principal reason for the reversal of fortunes. The Supersub has masked the absence of an all-rounder – the vital cog of every ODI team.

But there are areas of concern for India. Sehwag’s ODI form has been erratic and Tendulkar’s much hyped return has petered out and lost steam. His attitude though, has been refreshing – more so in the first few games of the Sri Lankan series – as he is inclined to break free from the shackles of his defensive mindset that has curtailed his flight in the recent past.

The Indians slaughtered the Sri Lankans who were perhaps ‘softened’ by their series against West Indies and Bangladesh and a loss in the practice game, but found the going a lot tougher against a battle-hardened South Africa, fresh from a thumping win over New Zealand and on a 19 match unbeaten streak. The top order displayed its vulnerability against some hostile and accurate pace bowling by the South Africans under helpful conditions.

The camaraderie and solidarity of a team is often wrecked by the tumultuous wind of demoralizing losses. The unrest in the team in Zimbabwe and Harbhajan’s accusation of ‘fear and insecurity’ being spread by the coach have been overlooked in the aftermath of convincing victories. The healthy competition that Chappell aims to create in the team might escalate into this ‘fear and insecurity’ or worse selfish performances, if the team starts losing. The true appraisal of the Chappell-Dravid team would be the way in which they inspire the team to return to their winning ways if – and when – their performances plummet.

The Indians have certainly taken a few significant steps towards redemption. But the challenges are many and the path to greatness is as protracted as it is intricate. The matches against Sri Lanka might indeed have been a precursor of things to come but Indian cricket fans would do well to not read too much into it. In truth, the Indians are not even in sight of that elusive corner, let alone turning it.

Also posted on ESPNStar Forums.

Virender Sehwag needs to be congratulated!

Quite opposed to the title, the first entry is not even remotely associated with philosophy. In many ways this is a good idea, as I don’t need to scare away my readers with the very first attempt. So, lets take a detour along one of the alleys I had promised to take you along.

Virender Sehwag has to be specially congratulated for his splendid performances for India in recent ODI matches.

For the last few matches, Sehwag has been locked in a fierce dwell with the opposition fielders and bowlers. He has been very determined to get out as soon as possible. And the opposition has been even more determined to make him bat as long as possible. It has been an enthralling contest.

Sehwag has been a master at troubling opposition bowlers by getting out as quickly as he can. He contributes greatly to the Indian cause by returning quickly to the dressing room, where his presence acts as a great morale booster to the youngsters in the side.

Sehwag’s methods of getting out are many and varied. On most occasions, he smacks the ball hard at the fielders so that they have to catch the ball in self-defense. When the bowlers bowl wide in order to force him to score more runs, he drags the ball onto his stumps.

His commitment to the team is clearly reflected by the fact that he worked hard to put on a few kilos during the off-season. The idea is to ensure that he is slower between the wickets, thus forcing the opposition to run him out.

Sehwag has also discovered ways of getting mentally disturbed before a game. Recently in Srilanka, he forced the team management to threaten him with disciplinary action, so that he could go into the match mentally distraught. This helps him in finding out new ways to get out during a match.

Sehwag has worked hard at the nets to remove the pull from his repertoire. He is currently working on removing the drive as well, and hopes that one day he will be able to play only the cut shot. His efforts have paid rich dividends, as can be seen from his performances of late.

Sehwag has a brilliant average of 27.15 in his last 20 matches as opener. He has been so successful that he has been forced to score only one fifty in his last 24 matches. However he has been unable to repeat his success in the Test arena where he averages a dismal 55.

His performance in the match at Pune, deserves special mention. For the first time in a few matches, Sehwag was troubled. He made two brilliant efforts to put the ball into the hands of the fieldsmen, but was thwarted on both occasions by the valiant effort of the fielders.

But Sehwag’s brilliance was clearly evident in the way he guided a Muralitharan doosra straight into the hands of the fielder at slip, and the poor guy had no choice, but to take the catch.

Kudos to Sehwag for being so successful in his endeavours. He is the pride of our nation.

Also posted on ESPNStar Forums.