India should tinker with their batting lineup to keep up the pressure on the Aussies if they want a win in the 3rd Test.

Is the ongoing 3rd Test match headed for a draw? Is the outcome of the match already decided? Have Australia avoided a complete whitewash?

Though these outcomes seem highly likely, this game is definitely strange and stranger things have happened in the game.

The third Test of the coveted Border-Gavaskar trophy started amidst controversy in the Australian camp that led to the Kangaroo’s vice-captain, Shane Watson facing the axe and a mood of tension prevailed in the camp.

The media, as it is known for creating hype, already declared India the winner and were advocates of a whitewash being only imminent, but who has ever achieved something without God’s will? The first day of the Mohali Test was washed out with persistent rain with the match now reduced to a four-day affair.

Day 2 began with the Kangaroos in the ascendency, garnering 139 runs for the opening ceremony before the man touted to be the ‘clown’ in the team, Ravindra Jadeja struck a double blow, getting rid of David Warner and Clarke. India did well from thereon, getting wickets at regular intervals, but the Steven Smith, playing in his first Test of the series had a point to prove and looked gritty on the crease. Australia was seven down for 252 at the end of Day 3. It looked as if India would wrap Australia for something around 300-325, but Steven Smith and Mitchell Starc had other ideas and held a solid defence, coupled with some good stroke-play to get the scoreboard ticking and got Australia well past the 300 mark. India finally struck when Steven Smith was dismissed for 92, but Starc grew from strength to strength and started accumulating some quick runs and took Australia’s total to 399, before being dismissed and the final pair added nine more runs to take Australia’s tally to 408.

The match already looked to be destined for a draw, with just a batting collapse for the home team, which was highly unlikely, looking to bring a result out of the match. But India got off to a blistering start with debutant Shikhar Dhawan stepping up to the plate and giving momentum to this Indian side, providing reminiscence of the Nawab of Najafgarh, Sehwag. Dhawan struck some meaty blows and classy drives through the offside, reminding one and all of the great Sourav Ganguly, who used to rule the offside like no one else.

Shikhar Dhawan, in the process, got his maiden Test hundred on debut, the quickest in the history of the game by a debutant and took India to a total of 283 at blistering pace; with the run rate of 4.87 an over by the end of the day.

India now find themselves trailing by 125 with two days to play. If India wants to hope for any chance of a win, they need to take a handsome lead and try to bowl out the Aussies and to give the bowlers a fair chance, they need at least 110-120 overs.

India, hence, need to bat well and quick tomorrow, just the way Dhawan did today. With about 200 overs to go in the game, India should look to bat for a period of about 80 overs with a run rate of a little over 4, which will result in 320 runs, and a lead of about 200. India can then look to get the Aussies out as quickly as possible on a tearing and wearing wicket, trying to exploit the footmarks of the bowlers on the last day of the game.

India hence, should look to change something and on top of the list comes the batting order. For India to score quick, the likes of Kohli and Dhoni need to bat higher up the order, probably 3 and 4 and try to keep up the pressure and even build it further on the Aussies. Another important factor and even more important would be how long can Dhawan bat and in the same mould as today.

With a good spin attack at their disposal, India can then look to catch the Aussies off their feet and assert themselves and try getting something from the game.

Though easier said than done, but nothing is impossible and what better than sports to teach this.

Liverpool FC’s official India twitter feed, @IndiaLFC, managed in the capital and Liverpool, will deliver country-specific information to the Red’s ever-expanding Indian fan-base.

With a current following of about 4,000+, the feed not only give updates on the latest club and player news, but also acts as a platform for communication with the huge fan base.

Agger has a long connection with Idea, leading to his foundation, The Agger Foundation, which helped street children in India in September 2012 with a generous donation of £1500, following volunteer Kammilla Norregaard-Sarup, who works for charity organization LittleBigHelp, approached them for help to get slum children in Kolkata get off the streets.

The most relevant part for the fans is that they can send in their questions to @LFCIndia accompanied with #AskAgger. The questions adjudged to be the best will be answered by the player himself.

What do you guys reckon? Is this the best goal celebration ever?

The fierce rivalry that it is, all eyes were set on the weekend game between Manchester United and Liverpool, in spite of the fact that there is a wide gap in their league position.

This is one such game where form and league position can be thrown out the window. The history of the rivalry between the arch rivals is enough to heat up the game and has great significance, if not in the league table, but for the fans of the club.

The game has always had a huge build-up, with verbal wars and altercations preceding the game. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is known for his mind games and he didn’t disappoint this time around, claiming he is unaware of Liverpool’s league position and doesn’t intend to know it for a few years now.

With Liverpool’s latest signing Sturridge available and Rodgers claiming to give him a central role, drifting Suarez a little wide, there was much anticipation as to how Liverpool would line up, but to everyone’s surprise, Sturridge was asked to warm the bench, with Rodgers going in with his usual line-up, fielding Suarez in the central role, with Sterling and Downing out wide.

Ferguson too sprung a few surprises, handing Vidic and Ferdinand a first start at the heart of defence since mid September with Valenica on the bench. But the most astonishing one was the absence of Scholes from the match-day squad.

Liverpool went in with their usual 4-3-3, while United had a similar shape. Just as expected, an interesting start to the tie, without a minute being played.

Liverpool started on the defensive, with the home team getting a lion’s share of possession and going forward at will. Liverpool were probably in it with a defensive mindset and that did them in, conceding in the 19^th minute; it was he, who else, who got on the score-sheet:  RVP, they call him.

Every Liverpool fan would have been disappointed with the start and the goal added salt to the wounds. Liverpool seemed disinterested in getting into the game and provided United with some cheap chances on a few occasions, but fortunately for the Reds, the home side wasn’t clinical enough. Joe Allen had a torrid time in the middle, losing the ball cheap and playing naïve back-passes. It was Agger or Dagger as we call him, who saved him the embarrassment.

The game was slowly, but surely slipping away from the Merseysiders and a clear lack of initiative and defensive approach did them in.
As the half time whistle blew, the Liverpool fans were breathing a sigh of relief; not only because there was time to regroup and possibility of changes to influx some momentum, but because Liverpool was only one goal down and the game was well within their reach.

The second half marked the presence of the highly anticipated January signing, Daniel Sturridge. A positive move for sure, brought some smile back. Liverpool started the half exact contrary to the first, pushing forward, showing positive commitment. Sturridge was looking impressive in his short stint, linking well with Gerrard, but there was a goal on the opposite end. United left-back, Evra doubled his side’s lead and the shoulders of the fans dropped, but Liverpool hit back quickly with a goal, courtesy Sturridge, who reacted the quickest on a De Gea save off Gerrard.

Liverpool fans in the stadium erupted chanting the famous, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and there was a red buzz all around the stadium. Liverpool now took total control of the game and the fans started believing that there is a chance of a comeback, giving the United side a dose of their own medicine. They were now building attacks after attacks and the introduction of Borini meant Liverpool were on the field with three out and out strikers, all capable of scoring.

Liverpool kept on trying and pressing hard, but it was just not to be. Liverpool fans were disappointed as our bitter rivals had successfully achieved a double over us. It was a sad moment, which left the fans singing You’ll Never Walk Alone at the top of their voices in stunned silence. Fans were expecting a moment they most hate to, but fate had this in store.

There was nothing left but for everybody to ask Rodgers a host of questions. Why didn’t Sturridge start? Why the defensive mindset? Why Lucas gave way to Sturridge and not Allen, who had a pathetic half, probably his worst in a Liverpool shirt?

Having seen the performance of Sturridge soon after coming on, this certainly goes down as the biggest cry by the Anfield faithful as to why Sturridge didn’t  start?

After the second half performance, the Sousers are left to ponder as to what could have been the result had we started with a more positive mindset, with Sturridge on the pitch combining with Suarez. That’s a sweet dream Liverpool fans would be seeing for the upcoming matches and hope the Reds  can turn it around.

All in all, it was a decent performance and contrary to what Rodgers said, I would say it was a fair result in many aspects, but it being the game we relish, my heart wants to agree with Rodgers that Liverpool deserved something from the game; obviously not a loss.

As the anthem goes, so do we, walk on with hope in your heart!

Hoping things turn for the good soon.

Have a look at a couple of skills and the goal following it, probably the best you would see all day long:

Thapa’s book is a work of fiction revolves around three main protagonists and is interestingly based in Brazil. It deals with themes which are connected with the present scenario of women empowerment prevailing in the country.

Thapa said, “My first love has always been football and being in the field playing the game has always given me tremendous happiness, but reading books and writing has been my other passion in life.

“I had this long cherished dream of writing a book which has finally come true and there are a few references to football in the story,” he further added, giving the backdrop of his book.”

The book published by the Bangalore based Triangle printing house will be formally launched next week and soon will soon hit the market. Thapa is also planning a separate launch in Kolkata in February where Sanju Pradhan, the East Bengal captain, will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest along with many other footballers.

Thapa seems to be a person who likes to exploit all avenues in life. Along with writing a book and playing football, Thapa is busy pursuing MBA (Marketing) from a reputed Institute in Bangalore and it does not end there as he has recently launched a charity “Sasonian Foundation” with which Thapa helps the poor and needy people by distributing food, clothes and even monetary assistance.
“This charity is quite new, but I am trying my best to promote it further and plan to invest a portion of the profit from the book sales towards it. I also expect many like-minded individuals to join me in this noble cause,” claimed the versatile Thapa.

Thapa probably could be a role-model for people lacking motivation to pursue their passion. People like Thapa send out a positive message to the Youth that it’s not impossible to pursue your passion and also remain focused in your studies.

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2013/01/04/a-footballer-writer-a-combination-made-in-heaven/feed/ 0 020716 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2013/01/04/facing-collective-failures-team-india-against-pakistan/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2013/01/04/facing-collective-failures-team-india-against-pakistan/#comments Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:24:11 +0000 anubhavroda http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=1146985 With India going down to a second successive loss at the hands of arch-rivals Pakistan, one of the biggest fan bases in the world, that of the Indian cricket team, was livid and rightly so. The team put in a flop show, going down without putting much of a fight, losing by a massive margin of 85 runs, scoring just 165 in reply to Pakistan’s 250. As a result, India went down in the three match series 2-0 with one game still to play. This is not a performance to boast of, especially given the fact that India are the World Champions in this format.

India finally won the toss and in light of the overnight rain and overcast conditions, decided to bowl first, trying to make full use of their swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has proved to be quite a threat in helpful conditions. But things didn’t start too rosy for the home side, with Hafeez and Jamshed tearing the Indian bowling attack apart and hitting them to all parts of the ground. In the process, they put up a 141 run stand in a little less than 24 overs. Pakistan then lost two quick wickets to surrender their control and with that, India burst through the opening, with Pakistan losing wickets at regular intervals finishing their innings on a respectable, but not a match winning total of 250.

India too got off to a reasonable start, notching up 42 off 10 overs, but with the wicket of Gambhir, things started to turn quickly against the hosts. Kohli went back soon to the pavilion, followed by Sehwag and Yuvraj. The bright spark for India in the last game, the pair of Raina and Dhoni, tried to stitch a partnership of sorts, but in spite of staying on the wicket for a reasonable time, failed to score much runs. With Raina back in the hut, India were now staring down the barrel. The run rate also started to increase and India were always chasing the game from there on, falling short by a huge margin at the end of their innings. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the only batsman to get a respectable score (54) and laid to rest the doubts prior to the series on his credentials. The team may be struggling, but Dhoni has got rid of all the apprehensions surrounding his place in the side.

India has been extremely disappointing after the World Cup triumph and they need to change certain things - Probably getting in youngsters. Though it may mean losing in the process earlier, at least they would be groomed for the 2015 edition of the World Cup. It would be a good idea because no one is sure whether all the seniors in the side will make the cut for 2015 edition.

In the end, Ishant Sharma apologising to Dhoni (after getting out) probably stole the show and must have probably embarrassed a few in the team. We hope of a spirited show from now on and probably a fresh squad for the England ODI series.

Rohit Sharma started his career playing for Mumbai and with runs under his belt and, more importantly, his way of gathering those runs, earned him praises all over and was touted be Indian’s finest young talent. When he made his ODI debut in June 2007, he didn’t get much of a bat. However, he made his name for himself with a 50 in just his second T20 game and the first where he got a chance to bat against South Africa in the 2007 T20 World Cup, and scored a crucial 50 on a difficult wicket. He also inflicted the run-out of dangerous Justin Kemp and an overall performance earned him a deserved Man of the Match award. He then went on to contribute important runs and his brilliance in the field was for none to miss. India went on to win the T20 World Cup with a young team and Rohit Sharma being an integral part was considered a special one for the future, given his talent.

He then went on to score a brilliant 70 on a tough wicket, where only the little master had a say. He formed a formidable partnership to earn India a crucial win over the Aussies in Australia. He was slowly getting into the groove and the nation saw a future star in him.

The following year saw the first edition of the IPL and Rohit Sharma’s performance and potential talent forced Deccan Chargers to splash the cash, earning Sharma a huge amount. His performance was exemplary and he paid back each penny paid for him with his performance. In the second edition too, he was brilliant, but his performance in the national team saw an evident dip. His performances for Deccan Charges prompted Mumbai Indians to empty their pockets for the prized asset. His IPL performances were great throughout, but a substandard performance for India gave birth to question marks over his commitment and attitude, the talent probably everyone assumed was there.

He went in and out of the team and his fans and critics backed him and lobbied for a permanent place in the Indian side, but even that didn’t help. Even on being given a continuous run, there were no signs of improvement. Probably the approach was too casual, given the odd good innings he used to play displayed one of the finest talents the country has ever produced. Such was the potential of his talent that even the little master had encouraging words for him; Ravi Shastri from the commentary box also constantly talked about the man’s ability. But having talent alone doesn’t help, it needs to be backed by right attitude and channelled in the right direction. A talent not justified and applied, is like an unfulfilled promise.

Even in the recent games against both England and Pakistan, Rohit Sharma got a fair chance, but it seemed he didn’t want to grab it and continued playing far too casually. He even once stated in the interview that this is how he was and he doesn’t care what people say, but I would like to say sorry Mr Sharma, this is India and not the team owned by your household. Either show the right attitude and determination to play or perform, or there are plenty waiting in the wings who are ready put their all at stake for the Indian cap and they care for the people of the nation.

Sharma averages a mediocre 30.43 in 81 ODI innings with two 100s and twelve 50s to his credit, but it doesn’t seem good enough for a middle order batsman in a team known for the best batting lineup in the world. His T20 performances have been relatively better, where he averages close to 30, but a combination of a recent dip and wrong batting position for him defies sense to have him in the team.

It is surprising how Manoj Tiwary seems to have not got a chance despite scoring a ton in his last ODI innings – you have to feel for the lad. I was one of the biggest fans of Rohit Sharma and I still am, and I believe his talent is unparalleled; he is the brightest, but even I am out of excuses and explanations for his failure and casual behaviour and I feel he must be dropped from the Indian side in favour of a bowling all-rounder. By doing that, not only will India get a good balance in the side, but also a player who is ready to give it all on the field.

Even the likes of Suresh Raina had a bad patch and everyone wanted him out, but he showed the Indian place means a lot to him and was ready to sweat it out, which has seen a considerable improvement in his performances.

A message to Rohit Sharma – perform or perish. Nobody now cares how talented you are or being casual is your own way, they just want runs and good performances and more importantly the zeal and enthusiasm of wearing the national colours. Probably Sharma is too content with the money he is making in the IPL and the national contract and lacks the inner drive. Maybe I am wrong and I hope I am, but unfortunately this seems more evident than not.

I would still say India has missed a great talent. Though he has age on his side and time to turn it around, if he continues in this fashion, another chance might be getting too far away from him.

All talent, but no good, and the rest is history- this is Rohit Sharma for you!

P.S – I am still a Rohit Sharma fan and I hope he proves the world wrong.

After Tendulkar hung up his boots in the One Day format of the game, fans all around were in grief, but Sachin might bring back an inch of a smile back with his decision to take the field for Mumbai in their quarter-final tie against Baroda.

Some of his recent troubles and lack of runs have been blamed on a lack of match practice, and after the Little Master recently called it a day in One-Day Internationals, it was clear he had to head to play first-class cricket to stay sharp for the Tests.

Tendulkar, who scored a Ranji ton first up this season on returning to the Mumbai fold, will be back in action for the quarter-finals tie at home against Baroda from January 6 to 10.

“Sachin will be playing against Baroda. He has confirmed his availability for the match,” Mumbai Cricket Association joint secretary, Nitin Dalal said on Tuesday. Dalal, the selection committee convenor, claimed the team will be picked on Thursday.

Although Tendulkar could have played in the last league encounter against Gujarat, which ended in a stalemate on Tuesday, he was definitely expected to come in once Mumbai booked a knock-out berth.

Tolgay and Nabi – star players on their way out?

Taking into consideration the fact that most of the players’ families depend solely or largely on them, the Indian Football Association has come to the rescue, assuring the players of a secure future.

Panic had erupted among the camp, with players really worried about their future, which is largely undecided following the two year ban been handed to the Kolkatan giants Mohun Bagan.

In latest developments, The I-League CEO Sunando Dhar has come out and stated that the players can participate in other tournaments or seek a transfer or a loan move to another club. “The Bagan players need not worry. They can play in tournaments other than I-League. If they choose to move out, then there is an option of being loaned out or seek transfers when the transfer window opens. Of course, the players and the club have to come to an agreement before any movements occur,” Dhar was quoted as saying.

The club has appealed on the ban handed to them, albeit it appears highly unlikely that the decision would be revoked, but a reduction to a one year ban is on the cards. But even then, in the process, the players would have wasted a span of their playing time and the assurance from the Indian FA comes as a lifeline for the players.

With January 16 set to be the opening day for the transfer window, most of the Mohun Bagan players have already started assessing their options and a few are already in talks with other I-League clubs for a possible loan move. The remaining players are even game for a move to a second division I-League club.

With the Mohun Bagan players likely to be available and in demand, clubs are prepared to splash the cash, come the transfer window, to strengthen their squad. With big names like Odafa, Tolgay and Nabi on a possible move out, this January has all the prospects of being one of the most interesting in the history of Indian football. With half of the season done and dusted, the teams would have also assessed their position and weak areas and given the availability of Bagan players, some being of high quality, this could just prove to be the rescuing act teams were looking for.

One of the top Mohun Bagan player on condition of anonymity said, “We are left with no other choice, but to look for other options. As a player you won’t like to sit idle and do nothing. There are few interests and we will like to pursue them,” claimed the player.

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2013/01/02/mohun-bagan-players-to-head-elsewhere/feed/ 0 03943 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2013/01/02/i-league-defers-its-core-committee-meet/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2013/01/02/i-league-defers-its-core-committee-meet/#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2013 06:27:24 +0000 anubhavroda http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=1141282

The I-League core committee meet has been postponed to a later date in light of the recent appeal by the Bagan outfit to review the ban imposed on them.

The I-League core committee meet which was slated to be held on 9^th January, 2013 is now indefinitely deferred following the appeal of the Kolkatan giants Mohun Bagan to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Executive Committee on Monday to review their suspension after being found guilty of breaching regulation 22 of the I-League.

“Normally, a review tends to defer these kind of meetings. Besides, on our part, we had made ourselves very clear and had categorically mentioned all the relevant points to serve our purpose,” said a Bagan official to The Telegraph.

Mohun Bagan are expected to put forth their case at the Core Committee meet with regards to amount of compensation, extension of the suspension, and additional sanctions and fines, if any.

The rescheduled date of the meet is expected to be announced soon.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata club maintains their stance on the fact that they are yet to receive anything in writing from the AIFF regarding the issue of their star striker and Captain Odoafa Okolie being issued a showcause notice.

Earlier, on 9^th December in the heated Derby, the Nigerian was reprimanded for misbehaviour with referee Vishnu Chauhan, which led to his marching orders in addition to inciting the crowd, that had resulted in a lathi charge by the police and the game not stretching beyond the half point, with Bagan refusing to take the field.

“We are yet to receive anything in writing as far as the showcause is concerned. We are keeping a track on everything and will act in due course of time,” the Bagan official said.

When you talk about the straight drive, Sachin gets associated is by default.

Here’s a walk down memory lane with the compilation of few of the best straight drives played by the master.

 Just when Mohun Bagan thought that things couldn’t get any worse, there is some more trouble in store for the Kolkatan giants. Days after issuing a 2 year ban on Mohun Bagan, All India Football Federation (AIFF) has issued a showcause notice to their star striker Odafa Okolie.

There is nothing new in the New Year for the Kolkatan giants, as problems extravagate with The Indian Football Association has issued a showcause notice to the Bagan forward, Odafa Okolie demanding a just explanation as to why the Nigerian must escape any action beyond the automatic suspension for his aggressive behavior in the Kolkata derby against arch rivals East Bengal on 9^th December 2012 at the Salt Lake stadium.

The Nigerian was sent off in the violence ridden Derby for improper conduct, given he had foul words mouthed at the referee as he thought the referee was biased to the home side, with a lot of decisions going against the visitors. If the East Bengal goal was cause for the mayhem, the Odafa sending off was what sparked off the reaction.

Odafa was shown the red card by referee Vishnu Chauhan for clear evident misconduct which  led to violent actions by the Bagan supporters, following which saw one of India’s brightest talents being rushed to the hospital, having been hit by a missile thrown on the ground. Following the incident, AIFF has showcaused Odafa asking him to explain his behavior and why a stern action should avoid him. The striker has a timeframe of upto 7^th January to reply.

“The AIFF felt that Odafa’s misbehaviour with the referee required strict action. Also, it acted as a kind of provocation for the crowd in a high-intensity clash. He has been given seven days to reply,” I-League chief executive officer Sunando Dhar told The Telegraph in an exclusive chat.

The showcause comes as a precautionary measure from the parent body for Football in the country, keeping in mind the possibility of Bagan seeking legal action, moving to the court.

AIFF earlier on 29^th December had given a ruling against Bagan, slapping a ban of 2 years on the Kolkatan giants having been found guilty of breaching the code of the I-League regulations.

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2013/01/02/odafa-issued-showcause-by-aiff/feed/ 1 113014 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2013/01/01/mohun-bagan-juventus-deja-vu-and-i-league-hereafter/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2013/01/01/mohun-bagan-juventus-deja-vu-and-i-league-hereafter/#comments Tue, 01 Jan 2013 06:13:01 +0000 anubhavroda http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=1135454               

AIFF’s decision to ban the Kolkatan giants after having refused to take the field in the second half of the Derby against arch rivals East Bengal on 9^th December 2012 at the Salt Lake Stadium following the injury to their star player Syed Rahim Nabi has sparked debates all around, with divided opinions on the ban.

If 9^th December was thought to go down as a black day in Indian football, 29^th December was even worse, the day when the fate of one of India’s oldest football clubs was decided, a two year ban.

What Mohun Bagan did on the day was justified because the lives of the players were at stake, but the way was improper. Firstly, they made a mockery of their decision having played the injury time in the first half and then, absolutely sat back in the dressing room, with no force or warnings able to get them back.

FIFA rules state that, “If an object thrown by a spectator hits the referee or one of the assistant referees or a player or team official, the referee may allow the match to continue, suspend play or abandon the match depending on the severity of the incident.”

Mohun Bagan hence should have at least taken the field and then cited the concern to the referee and match official, who then would have had an option to take the call on the fate of the match. There is a provision in which the match can go on in empty stands. But Mohun Bagan didn’t show the will to play, and instead were stubborn and adamant on their call, not to take the field. Probably they were too overawed by their power and influence that they didn’t think of the possible consequences.

Mohun Bagan hence, had infringed the laws and AIFF were just in slapping a ban, in a way setting an example that howsoever big or powerful you may be, rules are rules, which is a good sign and the message it sends across speaks volumes of professionalism here, which the incident had raised doubts of. To add to this, the Kolkatan outfit had no regrets and instead took the course of the court, which proved to be the final nail in the coffin for them.

On the other hand, a two year ban seems to be a tad harsh on them and doesn’t augur well for Indian football. Probably AIFF could have lessened the ban to this season and slapped a monetary fine or penalty points. Another fact is that no one has pointed out that probably East Bengal too were guilty of impeachment. FIFA law states, “Match organisers, associations and clubs must take all reasonable measures necessary to ensure safety in and around the stadium.”

Being the home side, East Bengal were the organizers and had all the responsibility to take care of the proceedings. Even they should have been punished, not as severe as the Bagan outfit or even close, but should consider themselves lucky having got away.

I-League hereafter?

Though Mohun Bagan have appealed to the AIFF to review the decision and have even decided upon knocking the legal doors, if the ban stays, what is the future of Indian football and its top-tier competition, the I-League? Here is a look at possible outcomes:

- With I-League already in dire straits with regard to fan base, Indian football and the league may lose the biggest fan base in Bagan supporters.

- Given the fans have been loyal and would stay with their side in tough times, probably the biggest talking point would be whether Bagan will be able to keep hold of their star players in Odafa, Tolgay, Nabi and Chhetri.

- The I-League Derby on 9^th December saw close to a lakh supporters gracing the ground, which made for an electric atmosphere and an ambience to die for, a rare sight in Indian football. But, with Bagan now suspended for another two years, the fans will have to do away without it; the highly anticipated Derby.

- With Bagan not contesting in the I-League even the next season, as of now, what would be the number of teams that drop down to the lower tier, second division football? Does that mean only one team would be relegated this time around? or two? What would happen to the teams and points, who have already played against Bagan?

- With clubs like JCT and Mahindra United shut some time back and with the fate of Bagan going against their wish, could this mean trouble times for Kolkata football or probably a dearth?

- The future of the coach Karim Bencherifa would also be interesting. Having just regained his position as the coach of Bagan and with this incident, where is the Morrocan headed, given CFL or second division football won’t fascinate the egoistic man.

- It would also be interesting to note the reactions of the fellow teams once the fresh table and fixtures come up, reportedly on 9^th January.

Probably one good thing for the club may happen and that is they may identify who the real fans of the club are; the ones who stand by in tough times.

Though Indian football now may be like a Samosa without aloo, football without fans, Dabbang without Salman or Music without Rehman, but as they say, no individual is bigger than the game and when cricket can run without Sachin, football can do without Bagan.

But, as a true Indian football fan, I would like AIFF to offer some respite to the Bagan outfit. The future of the players, the staff, are all at stake. There are players whose families entirely depend on them and this may be a disastrous for them.

India went into the last T20 International game of the year – a T20 International against arch-rivals Pakistan, one of the fiercest rivalries in World Cricket.

Pakistan won the all-important toss and, with dew being a huge factor, had no hesitation in putting India in to bat first. Pakistan fielded an unchanged winning combination, while India got Ashwin in place of the villain of the last game, Jadeja.

India had a sparkling start with Gauti giving an impetus, scoring 28 of just 11 deliveries, but two quick blows by Gul in quick succession, getting rid of Gauti and Rahane, pushed India a little back. India now heavily relied on the current pairing of Kolhi and Yuvraj to take India through to a decent total on a placid track. Kohli went on to the counter-attacking mode, but soon went back to the pavilion when a poor call by Yuvraj did him in and he was run out for a well compiled 27. The skipper and Yuvraj then had a game-changing partnership of 97, with Yuvraj scoring a blistering 72 of 36 balls, while the skipper managed a 23 ball 33.

Pakistan bowlers had spells of pressure, but it was Yuvraj’s day and his three consecutive sixes of Ajmal turned the game on its head and help India force their way to an above-par score. So, as it ended, Pakistan needed 193 to clean sweep the two-match series.

Pakistan came into bat and the bright spark of the last game, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, was hit to all parts of the ground. Pakistan too had a bright start, but Ashwin came on to give a crucial breakthrough to the Indians. Umar Akmal was promoted up the order to up the ante and he did it well, but Shehzad was struggling at the other end and was soon dismissed by the hero Yuvraj Singh.

In came the Pakistani skipper, who was in form and started from where he left in the last game. He single-handedly ripped the Indian bowling attack and just when Pakistan looked well on their way to another win, Dinda proved to be the difference with an impressive spell at the fag end of the Pakistani innings giving joy to one and all in India, helping India level the series, courtesy of an eleven-run win.

As they say, “the more bitter the rival, the sweeter the victory.”

But behind all these, there might be hidden shortcomings – areas where India need to focus and improve, but a win might overshadow them. From what we have seen in the last four recently-concluded T20 Internationals, playing a pure batsman like Rohit Sharma at number seven will not serve India any good. Not only will he occupy a space, but leaves the already poor Indian bowling short.

India need to rethink the number seven spot, which is absolutely pivotal in shaping the fortunes of the Indian team in the near future. With the ODI series coming up, I hope India resolve the mystery of number seven because Indian bowling will struggle in case a pure batsman is fielded. I understand that Dhoni feels the likes of Raina and Yuvraj can make up for the fifth bowler but, in reality, they should be used as a cover for any bowler who has an off-day, just like Bhuvneshwar Kumar did.

Probably Irfan Pathan serves best at the number seven slot, but in case he is unavailable, India need to assess their options; whether they would like to give Jadeja a chance or probably go in with a specialist bowler. That is for the think tank to decide, but the think tank must give it a good, sound thought. With Ashwin having proved his mettle with the bat in the Test series against England, India should be all the more confident of fielding an extra bowler, which gives them a better chance of winning and gives the batsmen extra responsibility, which they might relish. The comfort of an extra batsman may entice the rest of them to play a poor shot or cause a lapse in concentration. With one of the best batting line-ups in the world, India should show confidence in them and let them express themselves.

Also, Dhoni needs to talk to the bowlers a lot more. Just like yesterday, the newcomer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was struggling; a little chat or words of encouragement would have helped. Another fact that Dhoni must keep in mind is to be flexible. When the fast bowlers were being hit around the park, Dhoni should have brought on Ashwin. His variety could have come in handy and also the fact that the tall off-spinner opens the bowling for Chennai in the IPL would have only helped.

The joy of the victory may be influential in leading these points to take the back seat, but if India are to do well in the upcoming ODI series and many more, they need to rethink their strategy and especially on that number seven spot. Though many might argue why so much emphasis is on that one spot, the fact that this very spot changes the entire balance of the team highlights its importance.

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/12/29/indian-cricket-the-number-seven-conondrum/feed/ 0 06076 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/12/29/expect-a-neutral-unbiased-and-impartial-decision-claims-aiff-vice-president-subrata-dutta/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/12/29/expect-a-neutral-unbiased-and-impartial-decision-claims-aiff-vice-president-subrata-dutta/#comments Sat, 29 Dec 2012 05:56:19 +0000 anubhavroda http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=1126681

With the decision on Mohun Bagan following their denial to take the field in the second half of the Kolkata Derby against East Bengal on 9^th December still awaited, there are speculations going around on the fate of the Kolkatan outfit.

To calm things down and ease the speculations, the AIFF senior Vice-President Subrata Dutta has come out in the open and stated the people must expect a fair and just decision on the issue.

“The president has received the report and we will have a meeting on 29th. Whatever little discussions I have had with the AIFF President (Praful Patel), he has clearly told us that law will take its own course. While taking a decision for the benefit of the game, we should be neutral, unbiased and impartial,” said Dutta.

The issue dates back to early December when Mohun Bagan refused to take the field in the second half after their player Nabi got seriously injured, citing security concerns.

“We will abide by the basic principles of natural justice. Let me inform you that our committee’s role will be to inform Mohun Bagan about the decision,” he added.

With experience on his side, Dutta is wary of the fact that either of Mohun Bagan or East Bengal might knock the door of the court in case the decision doesn’t go their way, which is going to hamper the I-League.

“Obviously, they have an option of taking legal recourse if they are not happy with the decision but that will only put I-League in a limbo,” opined Dutta.

India were supposed to play four T20 Internationals to overcome their disappointment of the lost home series against England, with a top spot in the World T20 rankings in the beckoning.

India did well by defeating England in the first T20, but lost the plot in the second match with a nail biting finish, which saw Morgan help the English side sail over the finishing line.

Now it was down to the remaining two T20 International against arch-rivals Pakistan, a contest which pumps up even those don’t follow cricket. The Indian team didn’t start too well, losing a game which though went down to the wire, and was marred by a poor batting performance by the much fancied Indian batting line-up. India fielded a different unit in each of the three games, which is a clear sign of India’s failure to conclude the best XI at their disposal.

India batted well in the two games against England, but failed to contain them, while on the contrary, the story against Pakistan was different. India failed to get a decent total on the board in-spite of getting a bright start, a classic case of a middle order collapse.

So, being an ardent Indian supporter, I cannot see India suffering and thought of helping them devise their best XI for the second T20 International, which can help them level the series and bring back the smiles to the billions of Indians on the fag end of the year.

I would stick with the opening combination Of Gautam Gambhir and Ajinkya Rahane. Both have done particularly well and there is something between Gambhir and Pakistan, which helps bring out the best in the stalwart left hander.

Coming in at number three is the future of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli. He has been a shade out of touch, but he can hit back to form in no time, and once he does, there is no stopping the current best batsman in the Indian side.

Yuvraj Singh is the unanimous choice at number four. The comeback king has been devastating with the bat and even better with the ball for the Indian side, giving crucial breakthroughs at just the right time.

I still feel MS Dhoni should occupy the number five spot if there are about five or more overs to go. He can get in for an over and then launch a brutal attack on the opposition. Though the form is not on his side, he is still capable and this is his format and his role.

Suresh Raina, one of the biggest hitters in the Indian side should occupy the finisher’s spot, giving India the much needed impetus in the death overs.

The toughest call is for the number seven spot. This is the position which has prompted the most debate for a long time now. I understand India hated Jadeja after what happened in the last over in the last game, but I would stick with Ravindra Jadeja and promote him to number seven, though I still feel this is not the best slot for him, given he takes a couple of overs to get in and then shift gears, but given the squad and the circumstance, he is the best fit for me for this spot.

Rohit Sharma is an absolute waste at number 7. He is a pure middle order bat. Also, I am an advocate of 5 bowler theory in at least the T20s. If your six batsmen cannot last and score runs in the stipulated 20 overs, you should rather lose than expect a cameo in every game from the number 7.

Also, a bowler is ought to have an off day and this is where it is a must to go in with 5 specialist bowlers and an all rounder to back things up.

The number eight spot belongs to Ravichandran Ashwin. This is the format he has excelled in and gave him an Indian berth and he making the bench doesn’t make sense to me. He can be handy with the bat too in case Dhoni wants stronger batting lower down the order and he needs no elaboration for his T20 bowling exploits.

Number nine now seemed to be fixed for a long time, with the impressive Bhuvneshwar Kumar not only bowling his heart out, but winning the hearts of cricket lovers and has made a strong case for selection in other formats as well. He is being touted to be the next big thing in Indian fast bowling, but I feel this puts unnecessary pressure on the lad and he deserves a little time before any conclusions are drawn.

Number 10 spot should go to the tall lanky Delhi fast bowler Ishant Sharma. He was impressive in the last game and his aggression is a much needed boost for the Indian side.

Given the squad, Ashok Dinda is the deserved number 11, though I feel India have better fast bowlers at their disposal, especially in the given format.

NOTE –  I always wanted Rayadu to get a chance, but the only vacant spot number 7 would neither be ideal for the man, nor for the team.

Also, I feel the injury to Irfan Pathan is costing India badly. He would have been an ideal number 7, with India then being in a position to play two regular spinners.

India XI -  Gambhir, Rahane, Kohli, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Raina, Jadeja, Ashwin, Kumar, Sharma, Dinda

What do you guys reckon?

So all you football fans out there, have a look at some of the top notch strikes this year:

In the list of managerial casualties, the latest name is that of the Lancashire-based Championship club Blackburn Rovers‘ boss Henning Berg, who has been sacked with immediate effect following a string of poor results.

The former Blackburn Rovers stopper lasted a little less than two months (57 days) after replacing Steve Keane at the helm of affairs on 31^st October.

In his brief spell of just ten games in charge, the Norwegian could only manage a solitary 4-1 win over Peterborough in mid-November. He lost six and drew the remaining three, failing to get register a win at home.

After being relegated from the Premier League in May, the Rovers had a bright start to their Championship campaign, leading the pack before the resignation of Keane, who was forced to resign, with the owners in favour of a change in guard.

In came Berg, who won the coveted Premier League title with Blackburn back in 1995 as a player. He joined as manager again on a three-year deal, with his CV showing managerial reigns at Lyn Oslo and Lillestrom in his home.

Since Berg’s arrival, the tides changed and the Rovers went the wrong way, falling down the pecking order, and are currently sitting 17^th in the league table, seven points adrift of the relegation zone. And with eight points separating the club from the play-off places, things are not too rosy for the Rovers.

Now moving on to the FAQ after every sacking, was the sacking justified?

I would say YES. A lot might be arguing, given the fact that the manager wasn’t given enough time to instill his style of play and change the fortunes of the side, but to be honest, in modern day football, you do not have much time.

One has to kickstart his campaign right from the word go and make the most of the time at his disposal. The pressure on the management, both from the fans and given the monetary prospective, is too high to allow any manager the leisure time to settle in. You are in guard and you have to make a change, a quick one too.

There are certain clubs and management who have a rather patient philosophy that allow a manager time to stamp his authority and philosophy on the team and take them forward, if slow, but at least steady. But, the prerequisite is a visible improvement in the team’s performances and style of play, like what is happening at Liverpool, termed as a transition phase.

But with Blackburn, Berg showed no improvement in the team, and since his appointment, the team only went back and not forward, and hence, the owners lost patience with him and decided on his axe. The decision was well-justified, but a couple of points I would like to highlight are:

1. When Blackburn were looking to move ahead after Steve Kean, Venky’s should have gone in with a manager with a better CV and not someone who has had just a brief spell as a manager, that too in Norway. The pressure, the style of play, and the fans’ expectations are way higher in England, and the owners ought t o have realized this.

2. Another fact is that coming from a nation where football always plays second fiddle to cricket, Venky’s were not well-versed with the rules, as they thought that no team could be relegated. Then, they made some naïve decisionas regarding a change of guard.

Naive the decision making, naive the coach; the rest is history!

Though Berg was disappointing, given he could manage only 6 points from ten games for the Lancashire based outfit, Venky’s faultered initially, signing the naive Norwegian. The decision comes out as justified, since the Rovers were driving in reverse gear. Rovers’ fans must now be hoping for some better decision-making by the owners and a coach that could take Blackburn back to where they belong.