A batsman on strike would look to do two things. Numero uno – protecting his wicket and two, scoring as many runs as possible. But with Curtly Ambrose 22 yards away, the latter is hardly contemplated as staying alive at the crease in itself is a strenuous task. When this six and half feet tall West Indian bowler delivered the ball from over 10 feet above the ground, the line and length of it, rather than the pace or swing, would leave the batsman awestruck and answerless. Surviving six balls off his unyieldingly accurate bowling would take as much strength and skill as dodging six bullets from a gun. So lethal was his bowling, ever intimidating the opposition. Curtly was merciless and mingy when it came to conceding runs. “The batsmen should not get any free runs. They should have to work just as hard as I have to get a wicket”, he says. Skippers succumbed to his deadly balls so frequently that he was called the ‘weapon of regicide’ by his colleagues. Curtly Ambrose was a bringer of joy to his team but for opponents, he was nothing but a nightmare. Ambrose, who always wanted to be an exceptional basketball player in his childhood, ended his career as one of the greatest fast bowlers the game of cricket had ever seen.

History always has an upper hand over the contemporary in a way that it has no one to adjudge things, making way for creations. Curtly Ambrose belongs to that group of elite creators. He created a style for himself and had an action of his own. Ambrose’s style was so accurate that it would more often than not hit the target. This made Ambrose a bowler who would time and again provide his team breakthroughs in the right situations. Curtly Ambrose made his debut in 1988, following the retirement of Joel Garner, and was readily identified by seniors in the game as the right successor. Later in his career, CEL Ambrose incessantly made unprecedented impressions. Out of the gobs of impressions he scripted in the books of cricket, two stand as his trademarks.

The dangerous spell – seven for one:

30^th January, 1993 – Day 1, Second Test, West Indies tour of Australia – must be a very forgettable day for Australians at the WACA stadium as they witnessed what was probably one of the most abject dismissals of the Aussies. Curtly Ambrose delivered a devastating spell that could not have been any more daunting to the opposition. He sent seven of the Australian eleven back to the pavilion, while conceding one run in his first spell, and all seven were out caught. But what could the hapless victims of this ruthless attack do? The ball would rush straight onto the bat, and bounce off it to find its place in the fielder’s hand, not giving any time to the batsmen to decide on their shots. While the top order collapsed, the tailenders managed to extract 24 more runs from this handsome devil in his second spell and the match culminated in the mighty Australians losing by an innings.

Waking the lion – the wristband issue:

Dean Jones (Australian batsman) is infamous for getting himself into controversies. But he might not have known that his entire team was being jeopardized when he got into one with Curtly Ambrose in the first final of the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup, 1992-93. Ambrose already had the openers walk back and was in the middle of a fiery bowling spell. It all began when the umpire asked him to remove his wristband (at Jones’ request). Ambrose was reluctant and found it senseless as he had been using wristbands throughout his career. Although he agreed to removing the band, when his captain asked him to get back into game, he was all the more raged, annoyed and fired. What followed was the downfall of Australian players. He sent down scorchers and avenged the situation with a five wicket haul. Many years later, Ambrose recalled the match and said, “you should never wake a sleeping lion”.

After years of fast bowling, Curtly also had to face the nemesis of speedsters – injuries and aches. This apparently marked the decline of the legend. He started missing a few tours. Even when he returned to playing, Ambrose could not reach his full speed and did not collect as many scalps as he used to. And the bowling machine hung up his boots in 2000, after 12 years of cricket. Ambrose’s cricket life was complete but one thing that got away was the World Cup. He mentions it as the only regret he has.

Aftermath of cricket:

All through his days of cricket, Curtly was a man of few words. Of course! He always made the ball do the talking. But after he retired, the silent assassin slowly started unveiling himself to the world. The ceremony to induct him into the ICC Hall of Fame was quite fortunate to have “Curtly talk to no man” expressing his joy. “I’m quite happy” he said and continued, “I see this also as a just reward for all the joy and happiness that I may have brought to cricket and cricketers alike.” And now he continues giving joy, but in a different way – as a musician.

Thanks to the media and continuous scheduling of matches, cricket is now not unknown to anyone. It’s definitely not an exaggeration when I say cricket has acquired the status of religion in most parts of the world. Cricketers are revered everywhere. Their endorsements are highly valued, their actions are replicated and their quotes make headlines. Every time they step out, countless cards will be waiting to be embellished by their autographs. Fans are left flabbergasted if they merely get to shake hands with their idols. But sadly, there’s a catch to all this. All this applies only to the gender represented by the Mars symbol.

It is a general notion that women cricket is too irksome to watch and that women cannot spice up the game the way men do. Only after closely watching matches and looking upon players, one will know that this perception is nothing more than a misconception. It is probably true that women’s cricket is lagging behind in terms of its reach, but once you follow it closely, the intensity of game, skill and commitment of females is no lesser. The way they take up cricket as their profession right from their teens is awe inspiring. They do not get celebrity status, the match fee they are paid is much lower than what men fetch, amenities they enjoy at the ground are not as sophisticated as those of men, but nothing stops them from playing cricket for the country. They just enjoy the game and relish representing their country. Women cricket, in some countries like Afghanistan, symbolizes women empowerment. It gives them the much coveted freedom, allows them to break the wall of suppressing customs and prove themselves.

Some shocking and surprising feats and astonishing records were accomplished by women when they were not even contemplated in gentlemen’s cricket. The credit for introducing the ultimate international tournament – battle for the ODI World Cup – lies with women. Belinda Clark scored an unbeaten double century in 1997, years before the ‘God’ of cricket recorded it in men’s cricket. The first player to get a century and 10 wickets in a Test match is a woman. The fastest women bowlers produce speeds that make them, in terms of pace, equal to many star pace bowlers in men’s cricket. If you took all these with a pinch of salt, here are a few anecdotes of eminent women who scaled unmatched heights and have epitomized the beauty of women cricket.

Betty Wilson:

This elite Australian athlete, often called “the female Bradman”, is one of the pioneers of women cricket and a legendary cricketer to date. She padded up for her first match when she was just 10 years old and by the time she entered 16, Betty was already playing state level cricket alongside many seniors. As Second World War consumed her youth, Wilson could make her international Test cricket debut only after a decade and half, and her cricket career spanned merely 11 matches. Nevertheless, what did she not achieve in this short period? In a match against England in 1958, now famously called “Wilson’s Test”, she became the first ever cricketer (male/female) to score a century and take 10 wickets. This ten wicket haul included a hat-trick – first by a woman cricketer. A 70-minute century, seven-for-seven in an innings are also listed in her records. In a line, she showcased what all can be done in cricket. Her records out-number the matches she had played. She was simply a magnificent all-rounder. No wonder, she was also the first women cricketer to be included in the ICC Hall of Fame and legends like Bradman and Billy Bowes were impressed by her game and heralded her.

Charlotte Edwards:

Edwards, the face of English women’s cricket, is popularly and rightly called Cricket Geek, Mrs. Cricket. All her life, she has known nothing but cricket. Cricket is Edward’s life and her passion for it is incredible. Scaling new heights is never strange for her. She made her debut in 1997 against South Africa when she was 16 (the youngest woman player then) and by the time she crossed her teens, she already had more than a dozen centuries in her pocket. Edwards is a flamboyant player and moreover, a great leader. In 2006, she stepped up as full-time captain of the team. Charlotte’s leadership is marked by an affectionate attitude for her girls. She won the ICC Woman’s player of the year 2008. The English team went on to win 2009 ICC women’s World Cup and in the same year, Edwards was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). She also holds the record for the highest number of ODI appearances. Currently, she is leading her team in their battle to defend the World Cup trophy.

Jhulan Goswami:

Albeit hailing from sub-continental grounds where quality pace bowling is seldom brought forth, Jhulan Goswami from India, who regularly clocks around 120 kph, denounced the myth of slow and debile women cricket. She is the second fastest bowler in the world of women cricket after Cathryn Fitzpatrick from Australia (who recently retired). She is indeed so fast that players are known to push themselves down the order, due to the fear of her ferocious bowling. Since her debut in 2002, she has consistently been performing for India, playing a prominent role in her team’s triumphs. She is the among the cream of wicket-taking bowlers. But this journey was no cakewalk for her. Intense love for the game and the incessant will to play quality cricket are her secrets to success. Jhulan said while recalling her early games at an award function, “They used to thrash me all around for sixes because my bowling was so slow. So they asked me to stop bowling at them and just go and bat. It was then that I made up my mind to bowl fast”. She won the ICC Women’s Player of the Year 2007, Arjuna Award in 2010 and Padma Shri in 2012 for her unrivalled contributions. There is one goal yet to be fulfilled for her – winning World Cup for India.

Despite copious talent, women cricket goes mostly unrecognised and unappreciated. And the condition is apparently deteriorating. Players feel that the women cricket conditions and support it received were a lot better a decade or two ago than what they are now. ICC has taken steps to improve conditions but nothing seems to be actually working. It broached the idea of mixed cricket which was not well received. Of course, it’s not the best possible idea for the betterment of women’s cricket! There is always a fine line between the game of men and women. This line can be and should be blurred to the extent possible but erasing it is not a possibility, at least in the near future. Neither of them is better or worse than the other. They can co-exist, co-develop but cannot be blended. They are like two sides of a coin – heads and tails. They define each other and define the coin. Erasing a side or trying to bring them on one side will only result in the coin losing its sense and purpose.

In theory, looking at names in the Indian squad, such dismal performances are not anticipated. We can say with confidence, that every member in the team has got talent to win matches for India and the team composition is just flawless. When everything looks so groovy and well-set on paper, where are we going wrong? The Riddle of Epicurus, a famous argument, comes to my mind. When said in context of Indian cricket, it goes like this:

The Indian team “wants to win and cannot”, or “can win but does not want to” or “neither wishes to win nor can” or “both want to win and can”. If they want to and cannot, then they are weak – and this does not seem to be true given their individual (and team) performances in the past and sometimes in the present too. If they can but do not want to, then they are not rightly spirited; which is equally foreign to Indian cricketers’ nature. If they neither want to nor can, the team is both weak and spiritless, then in this country where cricket is a religion, there is zero chance that they are still representing Indian cricket and this is both impractical and impossible. If they want to and can, which is the only thing fitting; where then do under performances come from? Or why are we losing?

If we go with the Epicurus’ answer, Epicurus’ view is that they are the right persons to play for India, but that they are neither willing nor can prevent losing. This is not because they are not talented, but because they in a perfect state of complacency with their victories in the past that they are not upset by not winning, but only fans are! Just the thought itself is so terrifying! Isn’t it?

So, let’s hope it is not true. After all, the blue brigade is not so evil that they will remain indifferent to the feelings of millions of their followers. At the same time, it is also true that hundred percent of them are not giving their hundred percent to try and fetch the fruits of success to their colossal fan base. And this fan base and some legendary ex-cricketers, everyone, has their own school of thought on what should be done. Some would call others opinions impertinent, which according to the others are very much important and pertinent. Changing the captain – changing the coach – changing the order of batting – changing the bowling combination – changing the opening pair – bring in to the team complete young blood – do not play Jadeja – play some other X person.

As far as my observation goes, one thing remains unchanged in all these changes – when India wins, nothing needs to be changed and when India loses, everything needs to be changed – this is what they say. I do believe all these are not at all necessary. This team is perfect. If something needs to be changed really, it is the attitude of the players! Their attitude towards the game – a pinch of motivation needs to be added to it. And that needs to come out of their inner self.

Gambhir and Rahane can be a little more aggressive and convert their forties into seventies. Virat needs to be a little more patient, should be more sensible while batting, break the cocoon of bad form, unleash his skill and prove himself right for his rightful no. 3 position. Yuvraj, Raina, Dhoni and Jadeja are playing their roles with perfection and just should continue it, more consistently. Ashwin can try more to “turn” matches in India’s way. Youngsters B Kumar and S Ahmed are doing pretty well.  Ishant and Dinda have to atone and perform well. Probably Duncan can guide and help the team attain these. Above all, they need to prepare well for the games.

Going in to the 3^rd ODI, it is all very important to win. Because winning means that the team leads the 5-match series 2-1 and it also means the pressure will be on the other side to win the next two matches. The Indian team should continue doing what they did at Kochi – that may include having Sreesanth in the stadium as well – jokes apart.  The overall team performance was exceptionally well. Even when the bleak opening tale continued, others could build up innings and did not let the match go. The bowlers performed well and fielders showed some grit. Although it looks like individually they could have put up a better show, as a team, they were successful. And that is what is important and is need of the hour. It is all about performing as a team.

Winning as a team implies rise in confidence levels and confidence will automatically ameliorate individual performances. We should first come out of this abyss of losses and then we can think about scaling new heights. It is just the time for Indian cricket team to prove that they belong there and also that Epicurus solved the riddle wrongly.

I have chronically struggled when trying to come up with a possible answer to this question – ‘Why do people ask for Dhoni to be removed from captaincy or from the team?” I declare I cannot find a single reason. I could, however, come up with a guess. That you watch cricket only when Dhoni is on strike! And it’s not your fault you never realize what’s happening at the other end. Let me tell you about that. Wickets are falling. Like how the WTC collapsed when it was attacked, like colossal buildings falling apart when a tsunami comes in – offering zero resistance, merely dropping by the wayside.

You think Dhoni is only wasting balls and playing to maintain his average. But let me make you cognizant of reality. We had no wickets in our hands, we were in an abject situation and he was only trying to avoid his team being all-out. You might not like him getting runs, but, as an avid cricket fan, I always feel happy that at least someone is trying to avoid humiliating defeats.

Whenever you talk about removing Dhoni from captaincy or from the team, I feel consternated. Even after contemplating, I cannot see any good coming out of it. Rather, I end up having ominous thoughts. Who, other than MSD, do you think will take India forward from this dismal position? I will talk about the names that come up frequently. Virender Sehwag? In his current form, getting out with poor shot selections and dropping catches, how can he motivate his team to perform? After all, a skipper has to lead his team from the front! Gautam Gambhir? If winning one IPL series makes him a good leader, then you should know how great a captain Dhoni is. I believe Virat Kohli is still too callow to take that role. I adjure you; tell me one good reason why Dhoni should step down from captaincy. You may quote names of other captains who quit captaincy when their teams kept losing. But Dhoni has never been a man who surrenders to failure. In his own words, “Quitting captaincy now is running away from responsibility.”

You complain about Dhoni taking the credit for victories. But the truth is that he always received the appreciation that he deserved and never more. After winning the World Cup 2011, not just Dhoni, but players from all different eras were acknowledged. From Kapil Dev, to Ganguly for building the team! Sachin and Gary Kirsten were carried on shoulders by youngsters! The entire team was felicitated by the President! Everyone got their share of praise! And MSD got the Man of the Match award for his awesome performance (91 n.o. off just 79 balls) and he deserved it! The story does not end here. His humbleness once again came to the fore – he acknowledged the ground work laid by the quartet of Sachin, Kumble, Dravid and Ganguly! But once again, there is another side of this coin which you try to and want to ignore. He is the one who faces the world when the team loses. He is the one who is happy to take the blame and lessen the pressure on other members of the team. He is the one who assuages the youngsters with his calm countenance when they are not performing.

And after all this, you call him lucky for all the laurels he has brought to Indian cricket. He is lucky if India wins and he is a horrible captain if India loses. What kind of a nation and fan base is he dealing with? Yet he is brave. He stands there for all of us – tall and strong like a bastion and fighting for the nation.

Now let me answer this too – Why am I a fan of Mahendra Singh Dhoni? Firstly, I am an ardent believer that luck just does not come one’s way – it is only bestowed upon those who can do things independent of it. So, I do believe whatever Dhoni has achieved and is achieving and all his heroics, are a result of his skill, hard work and commitment to the game.  Secondly, he is a great leader. Finally, his calm and dignified demeanour just astounds me. With every game I watch and with every word I hear from him, my respect for MSD just manifolds.

Oh dear people! Please watch cricket for the sake of cricket! Not merely for blaming MS! You do not appreciate him for playing but you blame him for others’ mistakes? If you cannot respect him, at least refrain yourselves from chastising him. Leave that man alone. Let him play his game and lead his team. Please do not try his patience to the point that he runs out of it. Because it that happens, there is no other man around the corner to succeed him. And that would only add to the woes of the blue brigade.

Will Indian cricket fans find reason to cheer this year?

The beginning of another year; it is time for atonement and for resolutions. It’s time when we bestow upon ourselves and our family with gifts and wishes. Most of us consider this to be the ideal time to welcome newness in our life. And Indian cricket cannot consider itself an aberration. The Indian team is now a sample which looks completely solid from the surface but has a number of voids inside it. When the force(opponent) makes a targeted attack on voids, that not only is stressing the solid particles surrounding but also is resulting in the draining of energy from them and eventually the solid, as a whole, gives up, without anyone noticing and without anyone anticipating. This is because we think that the sample is absolutely rigid and will not yield to any force and we just prefer to ignore voids.

The numbers of closely fought matches we have lost in the recent times testify the same. A few missed catches and a couple of misfields are taking the matches away. The feeling just 20 odd more runs on the board and we would have won is persistent. A wish for just one additional partnership is always there. We sometimes get a great opening and fail to turn it big. Some other times, the top order just collapses and finishers do the job of reconstruction. A single bad over just turns the result around. Sometimes we get early wickets and sometimes, the match is already out of of our hands by the time we get them. Just replace the voids with new, energized particles and very soon, we will be the ones on the winning side. An optimized combination of experience and energy for team India is need of the hour now.

The Sehwag and Gambhir partnership – game changing opening pair, dangerous and smashing – is a once upon a time story now. Those flowing runs and the ecstasy that follows when Sehwag is on crease has all become far from reality now. Sehwag’s wicket used to be the most coveted one and that used to mean that opponents have saved themselves from a very dangerous explosion. I really feel sorry that I am using past tense here, but that is the truth – a truth which cannot be given a cursory look. Ajinkya Rahane seems to be a possible replacement now. He, along with Gambhir, who can add both runs and experience to the team, can be a much better opening batsman than Sehwag (in his current form).

Is Rohit Sharma’s time up?

Haven’t Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja been given too many chances already? Their form is ephemeral. It is a very rare occurrence when they contribute to the team’s success. They don’t seem to have enough agility on the field too. May be Cheteshwara Pujara can be given a chance to prove himself in shorter formats too. It is always better to try out new options when we already know that older ones are not working. It is surely better than deploring lost matches.

Despite some hard knocks, we can definitely sense fortunes around the corner. Two all- rounders, one bowling – Ravichandran Ashwin – and one batting – Yuvraj Singh – are in the making and they need to be well groomed and nourished for these roles. We already have a wicket keeper – batsman, Dhoni, who is also playing his captaincy role in a grand manner. With Bhuvaneshwar Kumar coming in and Ashoke Dinda also performing well, our bowling attack also looks strong. Luckily for us, this youngster Bhuvaneshwar, who swings his ball so beautifully, can contribute with his bat too. In this aspect, doesn’t it look like a team ideally composed?

Looks like Indian cricket is on its way to producing a world winning team but it just needs to transcend some obstacles. It needs to make and accept some tough decisions. The team should analyze failures not only when we lose but also when we win. It needs some changes and needs to learn selecting horses for the courses. A little more motivation, little more fighting back and a little more never give-up attitude is all that is needed. The men in blue should break the cocoon of defense and “let go” nature and thus bring the glory of victory to India.

Hope this New Year will bring in nothing but success to team India.

Unless it results in Sturm und Drang, change often goes unnoticed, but is inevitable for any progressive event and it does not always mean instantaneous progress. Be it a vagary, be it volition, the seed of change  has been sown in Indian cricket. And it is the duty of not just the 15 players, not just the coach, not just the BCCI but also the colossal community of Indian cricket fans, to nurture and to cultivate so that it gives us the fruits of success.

If we, mere watchers, are going through such intense remorse, it is really hard to even imagine what is going on in the minds and hearts of players. They have been playing for the country for many years now and more often than not, made us proud. Isn’t it too early to chastise them? The current situation in Indian cricket can be compared to the break between two shows of a super hit movie – audience of quondam show not able to leave the hall and those of the latter show not able to showcase their maturity, either in waiting or in making their way in to the hall. Isn’t it the responsibility of everyone involved – from the audience to the management – to help and bring the situation back in control? And however, once the break is over and the show begins, peace and order are bound to follow. What matters is the composure in the process of their attainment.

Nevertheless, this kind of turbulence is not very new to Indian cricket. Cricket India has witnessed some unsuccessful patches before too. After 1983 World Cup victory, although we won some matches against sub-continental countries, the first series against others (non sub-continental countries) was won only after 2 years in 1985 and a test series was won only after 3 years. Again in 1995-2000 seasons, we lost almost all away-from-home series and then we made a come-back, and winning the NatWest series is one of the most cherished moments of this come-back. Not to say that we are once again having such a rough phase which will go on for years, but these examples show us that we are going to bounce back, like we always have. It is just that the process is not momentary. It is going to consume some time and we have to wait with patience until that happens.

In the last couple of matches against England, Indian players’ performances in both innings were poles apart. In a team game like cricket, winning when nobody stood out is a good thing to happen, but only one man’s performance standing out in each game and even that one man not able to put it up consistently, is something to be worried about. A good team game should be built up and the captain should lead the building activity from the front. I believe, Dhoni, as a captain, is very much capable of doing that. He backs his youngsters and also has the quality of respecting seniors in his side. He rightly said, “Quitting now is running away from responsibility”. It is not in the nature of great leaders to quit when their team is in chaos. They need to absorb pressure and find a way out of it. Losing does not make good players bad. It just means they are not performing. India has still got quality players and let’s hope that the era of victories will soon return. Let’s wait for the baton to  be passed on safely. Otherwise, there is a threat of losing it completely.

Every single Dhoni’s fan – like me – is surrounded by tens and twenties of his haters, arguing with us and posing hundreds of illogical questions. But never mind, all their hate combined cannot ever exceed even one-tenth of our love.

In this world of ‘Cricket is religion and Sachin is God’, it is okay even if their God does not score even a 10 in an innings, it is very fine even if their God wastes a number of series to just score his hundredth hundred, but that person whom they are more often than not terming as ‘not suitable for playing cricket’ –which is obviously not true – should play a super hero role, scoring all the runs by himself when the team is not putting in minimum required level of performances, keeping wickets and of course, captaining too. How can they expect a single person to do all the work, which is actually supposed to be done by eleven people as a team? And I am just speechless when they say, “Dhoni is not a good captain”; speechless not because I don’t know what to say, but because I know they hate him so much that they will never understand his leadership and how much he does for his team and how much responsibility he shoulders even when his team is in the most dismal and abject situations. It is neither the story of a team which is not having a good leader, nor the story of a captain who is not having a good team – it is about a great captain with a good team that is not in form.

They say “Dhoni is nothing as a captain when compared to Ganguly” – but do they realize Ganguly had all the players – who we call legends now – in form during his captaincy? Actually, I think, the argument ‘captain of best team’ or ‘best captain of a team’ should be done in Dada’s context! The current team is completely lacking the will to win. It seems their only aim is to save their place in the team. It is time for the new selection team to take tough (and apt) decisions – eliminate some players even if it brings out mass rejection – let it be! It will be for the betterment of the team, and after that, they will very soon realize that no player can play forever and ever and it is good that players call it their day well before it becomes a demand.

Some say Dhoni is not correct in asking for suitable surfaces. How can that be true? He is not doing that for his own good. He is fighting to make the conditions suitable for his bowlers and his team. He is the captain of Indian cricket team and he has every right to do all the things in the world which he thinks are beneficial for his team. He will always stand for his team. Is it that they are just too adamant to accept the fact that Dhoni is doing something to help his team?

Dear Dhoni, just don’t care about the world which will never understand your magnificence. We fans were with you in happy times, and we promise to be with you even when you are going through a rough phase. We are sure you will make your comeback very soon, and we will have our hero back very soon. Be a hitter again! Be a brave gambler again! Be the ‘once-upon-a-time’ Dhoni again! Come back with a performance which will answer all the questions of your haters in one go! Come back with performances which will once again prove that you are the best finisher this world has ever seen. We know that you are the best captain-wicket-keeper-batsman! Make the other group also accept that! And for all this to happen, you don’t need any motivation sourced from outside. It is inside you. Just go back in time and look at you! You have been inspiring us for years now and you can definitely do it to yourself. Unleash yourself. Play your game. The world is waiting to have you back. Cricket India wants you back. And we – your fans – want you back.

Dear Dhoni, please come back!

The England team appears to have taken all they wanted from the matches. A very good scenario for winning a test match – one or two of their core batsmen reaching triple digits and others accentuating the score and at the other end, bowling leads taking wickets and others saving runs – is what they could do in the practice matches. This definitely should have boosted up their confidence and augmented their spirits. Preeminently, the take away from practice for the visitors is that their spinning department could account for a substantial percentage of Indian wickets that they could get. This implied that their bowling is not completely out of place.

And what happened later in the first test (in a 4 match series) to England against India XI does not seem to have been affected by the absence of spin in their earlier (practice) matches. Here, I can broach a thought about what could have happened if England players had an exposure to spin before hand, but no one can have the right answer. Despite struggling in the first innings, they had a good come-back in the second. The team made amends quickly and definitely did not crumble. The match was not as dismal to them as the earlier series (when India visited England) was to Indians. Their batsmen put up centuries and halves on the board and bowlers (Graeme Swann) could accomplish a 5-wicket haul. Their captain playing a “captain” innings will have a very positive impact on the team as a whole. As if attesting that the task of facing spin is not arduous to the visitors, they played well in the later part of the 5-day match when spin can have an amplified effect. Clearly, Indians did not win the match with zero efforts, and the fighting quality of England team should be given credits for that.

From a broader point of view, it is always auspicious that the test matches are going on till the final day and they are ending up having a result. This proves the point that the test matches are still alive. It is also great that the visitors are not just giving up and the matches will not end in favor of home team in a matter of two or three days. After all, only a team which gives tough competition to an opponent which is having home advantage will be rated world-class and English are undoubtedly a world-class team.

Hat-trick was expected

But they were just ousted

Defending champions – Mumbai Indians

Failed to make any impressions

Once upon a time Chennai “Super Kings”

Made their impact only in the ends

Kolkata Knight Riders – heroes of IPL

Could not flourish in the CL

And the Delhi Dare Devils’ tale

Was mere banal and pale

Yes! This is the ballad of IPL teams

Oh players! Please do not repeat this in the future series!

Mumbai Indians:

After crumbling in the first two seasons of the IPL, Mumbai managed to qualify for Champions League only in 2010 and were crowned champions of the tournament in 2011. Entering the latest season as defending champions, they had a very forgettable series. Binging on failures, this probably was the weakest of all teams which competed this season. Yet, they managed not being on the bottom of the table by having a higher net run rate than Auckland and Yorkshire. No one in the team had put up a very commendable show apart from Dinesh Karthik and Lasith Malinga. Malinga alone accounted for more than half of all wickets taken by the team.

Chennai Super Kings:
This team – my favorite team – always balks viewers’ anticipation. In the light of their performances in previous editions, when everyone had a threshold for their acts, the team was nowhere near it. And while looking bleak to everyone, they made a comeback. After losing to Sydney Sixers and Lions and their net run rate became dangerous, their qualifying for the next stage was all dependant on other games. After the Lions’ triumph over Yorkshire, Kings were out of the race, which was the same story as the previous editions. They ended up third in group B following their victories against Mumbai and Yorkshire. Surprising everyone, Dhoni relinquished captaincy and wicket-keeping in the inconsequential last match (against Yorkshire), which were taken over by Raina and Saha respectively.

Kolkata Knight Riders:
Be it winning or losing, the champions of IPL chapter 2012 did it in a grand way. No match was won or lost closely. They lost to Delhi by 52 runs and to Auckland by 7 wickets. And in their last match against semifinalists Titans, Knight Riders won by 99 runs! But in a series like CL T20, where net run rate is a key factor in deciding the fate of teams, this big victory failed to make any difference. If those matches, which ended with no result, had yielded some result, probably many teams, including KKR, would have had their chances of reaching higher levels of the tournament.

Delhi Daredevils:

Delhi team outlasted all other IPL teams this season. Without losing a single match in the league stage – played two matches and the other two ended with no result because of bad weather – and its players in good form, they reached the penultimate stage of the tournament. Nevertheless, history was not rewritten. Once again, Delhi Daredevils could not overcome the hurdle – semifinal – to reach the finals. Defeating Knight Riders by a huge margin of 52 runs and having won against Perth Scorchers by 3 wickets, the team very comfortably reached semifinals. After Sehwag failed to get off the mark in the very crucial match, Warner and Pietersen tried to set up the innings but completely lacked support and lost the match by 22 runs.

And this ended the existence of IPL teams in CL T20, 2012.

Every Indian bid an affable farewell to former Indian coach Gary Kirsten, after the triumphant ICC World Cup campaign, 2011. Every one said “We will miss you dear Gary”. But are we missing him so badly that we almost stopped performing after he ended his tenure as Indian coach? As everyone knows, after the tournament, Gary Kirsten moved on to South Africa to spend time with his family and eventually, he was appointed to coach his home country.

Gary Kirsten is the best thing that has happened to Indian cricket and every cricketer says a confident, unambiguous YES to this. He holds a fabulous batting record and he was an agile fielder. Very much apparent from the glorious Indian cricket era, he is a great coach too. He altruistically taught and imparted all his skills to the Indian team. He was such a great motivator. And he was also an assuagement to the seniors, like Sachin, in team after a horrible “Greg Chappell” era.  He always backed juniors in the team and completely supported all the experiments and gambles of the captain. He gave complete freedom to players and at the same time, maintained balance in the team. He was a friend, more than a coach, to the entire team. And that’s why, he deserves the feat; Raina, Yuvraj, Kohli and others performed on the grounds of Wankhede as a part of World Cup winning celebrations – carrying him on their shoulders. He probably deserves this as much as Sachin does. Gary was omnipresent in the world of Indian cricket. This raises a question in my mind – “where is Duncan Fletcher then?”

It looks – at least to me – that the Indian cricket team is back in chaos now. It appears like the team, as a whole, is lacking motivation – a motivation to win, to perform. It was such a motivated team that played under Kirsten. Sehwag – as people say – is aiming for the position of captaincy now. Hopefully, this is not the reason, but, surely for some other reason, he has stopped being dangerous (to the opponents). How many days it has been since the very famous Sehwag-Gambhir combo gave a kick-start to the team. Sachin is almost at the verge of calling it a day and we have not seen the real Sachin in a while. Youngsters, once they perform and twice they do not.

Dhoni, perhaps, is the chief person who is missing Kirsten. He has become more of “should not lose” person than “must win” person. Looks like he is now not secure enough to show his true attitude. He is definitely missing backing from his former coach. Adding to the afflictions, Dhoni also has to take all the blame for losing. Dhoni and Gary were “the best” combination. Both think hatke, study the match on the same lines, loved experimenting (most of the times successful), supported each other and motivated others in the team. I seriously doubt if Duncan is playing a role in any of these!

Dear Gary, we “really” miss you!

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/21/dear-gary-we-really-miss-you/feed/ 0 033810 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/05/we-did-not-actually-lose/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/05/we-did-not-actually-lose/#comments Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:55:37 +0000 deepika goparaju http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=804944 While everyone is disappointed that India got knocked out of the ICC T20 World Cup 2012, I was thinking that the team did not really perform that bad to deserve any amount of blame. Rather, I would say that we actually did perform better than before and better than other teams which could go on to the next stages.

The Indian team beat opponents in all the games except one (against Australia in Super Eights when rain interrupted and the bowlers could not really perform to their best). But every game the team had won, they did it very comprehensively. Every match, be it chasing, be it defending, the opponents were all-out. For these four matches, man of the match awards went to 3 different players, unlike Australia, for example, whose man was always Watson and if Watson fails – Australia fails, implying that we did not depend on single man shows. The blue brigade could defeat very strong opponents – Pakistan and England – Champions in 2009 and 2010 respectively and South Africa. Just to add, every other team also lost at least one game in the tournament, including those which qualified for the semi-finals.

It was a general assumption, before the event began, that the Indian bowling attack was weak. But our team proved it otherwise. In addition to the regular bowlers, Irfan was able to pick some early wickets. Yuvraj, after his comeback to the national team, performed well with the ball too. Virat and Raina could occasionally increase pressure on the batsmen by controlling run rate, if they did not take wickets. But the batting line-up, which was really strong on paper, did not collectively perform. However, each player contributed in one or the other game and just managed to put up defendable scores on board.

Some fans attributed India’s knock-out to Australia’s poor performance in their match against Pakistan. But it is never the case. As Dhoni says, “We can never control the game of other teams.” All we could have done is score 30 more runs in the ultimate match. We knew the Proteas averaged 140 in the tournament. So, our goal must have been to put a 170 plus mark on the board for the South African team to chase and we failed. That would also have increased pressure on the already knocked-out team. This was the only thing where we, I think, went wrong.

Anyway, for an Indian fan, from the entertainment point of view, the matches did not disappoint. The match with Afghanistan was exciting. We thrashed the England team (by 90 runs – A big margin!!). The match made in heaven – India Vs Pakistan – history was not re-written, we won it. The match with South Africa was nerve wracking as well. We got a lot of positive things to bring back home.

Cricket has been the harbinger of unity and peace in Afghanistan

Cricket brings entertainment and it brings fun. It is one of the many sports which are attached to the emotions of millions of fans and the players stand as inspirational icons for them. But can it bring unity and peace in a country? I did not really think the answer was yes until an Afghan fan, who held a placard saying – “Cricket has brought unity and peace in Afghanistan” (in their match against England in the ongoing  T20 tournament), told me I was wrong. Afghanistan’s history is a story of war and civil unrest. It remains extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid and trade with neighbouring countries. And from here, a way out is revealed, a team of heroes taking the hopes of their country high and raising its pride in the international (cricket) arena.

Like India, the earliest days of cricket in Afghanistan also go back to Britishers’ regime, in the nineteenth century. But unlike India, it did not last long there. The second and the burgeoning era of the game started when the Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan started playing cricket and it became popular among them. So, technically the roots of Afghan cricket lie in Pakistan. Cricket later became the only game approved by Talibans. Cricket in Afghanistan, fuelled by the success of its national cricket team, is now growing in popularity. It has risen from the lower levels of international cricket to qualify for the Twenty20 World Cups.

In only 2008, they were in Division 5 of the World Cricket League, and by 2010 they were competing alongside the best teams in the world at the ICC World Twenty20. They played two international series against big teams, Pakistan and Australia. Recently, in 2012 ICC World Twenty 20, they defeated Sri Lanka A in the practice match and put up commendable shows against India and England. Afghanistan has got a lot of raw talent. They have got all the basics right and lack only experience. They never step back, rather look forward to take on better teams. Getting that chance is itself a big achievement for them. The team is yet to have a lot more international exposure and convert the big chances in the international arena.

Despite lacking proper practice infrastructure in their country, they have this zeal to prove that Afghans can also win in cricket. Cricket is not just a game but a ray of hope in their dark, war and poverty ridden lives. Rising in cricket should bring in a lot of hope for the youth of Afghanistan.

This video gives us a glimpse of confidence in Afghan cricket team, their emotional views about their country and the way they look forward to each and every cricket match.

Well! Here goes the world – opportunistic, always waiting for the right time – only to criticize. What if we had won the match? I am damn sure no one would have talked about Dhoni. And if someone does talk, the next thing that comes, “Dhoni takes all the credit”. Is every cricket match always about criticizing him? And if everything goes right and we have nothing else to say, we conclude – “Dhoni is lucky”.  It is a game and let’s learn to accept victory and defeat. And above all, let’s learn not to blame a single person for the result, especially when it is something which should be done with team work. I would refer to Dhoni’s words as lessons – they certainly teach us a lot in this context.

Till yesterday, people always believed “Dhoni is not fit for tests and he is never a good test player”. He proved them all wrong by doing well on the field. And today, because of one single match lost by one single run, the same people say, “Dhoni is playing test cricket in T20”. Don’t they realize they are unknowingly using two contradictory (and false) statements merely for purpose of accusation? MSD has answered the former with his bat and very soon, he will answer the latter in the same manner.

Regardless of winning or losing, Dhoni’s contribution to the team as a finisher, is always important. He has got his own style of finishing off. It has happened so many times that by the time he walks into the ground, there is immense pressure built up. He deals with the situation in a composed manner. He is quick between the wickets and never misses out on an opportunity to hit. At the same time, he will never back off and keep the strike to himself. He grabs every single run possible and takes the team one step closer to success. Him choosing an inappropriate shot is almost improbable. He is always an asset to the team, be it Test, ODI or T20. Adding to this are his stupendous captaincy and keeping skills. All these qualities make him a great player and we, mere fans, are in no position to label him not suitable for playing a format.

With complete confidence, I say that the Indian team will move on from this one T20 loss and will resurge with positive energy. It is time for us to cheer MSD and his men up and wish them all the best for the upcoming Twenty 20 World Cup.

To relive the moments of us winning a World Cup, and also one of the beautiful finishing shots from Dhoni, here are the last balls from ICC Cricket World Cup, 2011.

Coming very soon is the season of exploding entertainment - a period of emptied evening streets and increased TRPs!

Half a century scored in a matter of dozen or more balls, 260 runs in 20 overs, six sixes in an over and more… All these can happen only here – Twenty 20 cricket. Slow and steady “never” wins the race. Hit & win is the only theme in this three-and-a-half-hour battle. For a team to be on the winning side the bowling department should hit the wickets and the batsmen should hit the ball to cross the boundary ropes. A single extra run, a minor mis-field or an inappropriate shot can change the course of the game and most of the times the winner will be decided only after the last ball. What else can be more exciting than this competition and being world champions in the quickest format? All players, divided for their country clubs, come back united to fight for their nation, stand as winners of the world. This is the most unpredictable tournament, where the most unlikely events turn out to be the happening ones. Hard work, quick strategies, excellent preparation and finally, a great team are the only ones that matter.

Sri Lanka is hosting the current and fourth edition of ICC world T20 – first Asian country to do so –  the previous three staged in South Africa, England and West Indies.  Nearly 30 games will be played in three stadiums – R Premadasa, Pallekele and Mahinda Rajapaksa.  Till now, India, Pakistan and England have been the proud countries to lift the World Cup. ICC World T20 Qualifier winner and runner-up Ireland and Afghanistan will be taking part in the tournament along with 10 Test playing teams.  The inaugural match is to be played on September 18^th and the final on October 7^th.

From an Indian point of view, we may not be the hot favorites, but I believe we do have a good chance of bringing home the World Cup for the second time. This season has turned out to be really good for us and the team has been consistently performing and winning. Adding to it, Yuvraj, the man of sixes, is back in the team after fighting cancer and every Indian is looking forward to see him play on the field. Virat Kohli is undoubtedly the player to watch out for. He seems to have all the power to change the game single-handedly and this is the time for him to prove himself to be the best in all formats of game. Irfan Pathan, Manoj Tiwary and Ashok Dinda have earned good points recently but still have to prove themselves on bigger stages. And as always, we also have the master mind of Dhoni on our side.

All the Best Team India!! Let’s go for the glory!!

A majestic & brilliant player

If the question “Who is the most dynamic emerging star of Indian cricket” is posed, the dead giveaway would be ‘Virat Kohli‘ and this is no exaggeration. He is as stylish as a filmstar, as aggressive as a warrior in the field and at the same time, as matured as a veteran player. Being in tremendous form these days, Kohli has played a lead role in almost every winning show of his side. This 21 year old, the fastest Indian cricketer to reach the milestones of 1000 and 3000 runs in ODI’s, with the same velocity, is growing to be one of the best in the world and is undoubtedly, the one to look out for.

The past is the only clue to predict one’s future and the glorious performances of Kohli in the past are indubitably announcing his bright future. Of course, there are some questions that may be raised against my first statement, such as “Can he handle pressure?” “Isn’t he too aggressive to lead a team?” But he had already proved himself both in first-class and international cricket and his every performance testifies my claim.

Hailing from a family which never discouraged his dreams of cricket, Kohli started his cricket journey (technically) at West Delhi cricket academy. Ever since he started, he was never just another cricketer. He proved himself to be the best at every stage. Now, here are some instances which denotes his passion for cricket. Virat’s commitment to cricket was unveiled in his very early matches. In 2005, he scored a 90 for Delhi against Karnataka, when no one expected him to bat. In fact, none of his team mates expected him on the field that day because that morning, Kohli lost his father. This knock surprised not only his team and coach, but also his opposition and proved his ability to channel his emotions and perform well for the side. He also displayed his leadership skills and shrewd techniques when he led his U-19 team to world championship. He is the second skipper to bring home U-19 World Cup. He also put up an extra-ordinary performance in the “Emerging players tournament” (2009) and played a crucial role in winning the title. He made his debut in the international arena against Sri Lanka in 2008.

Though, initially, his place in the playing eleven entirely depended on the availability of senior players, he made the most of every opportunity that came to him and very soon, he has become an inevitable part of the Indian side. In the 87 ODI innings he played so far, he has scored 13 centuries and 21 half-centuries, which is a remarkable feat. He has consistently been one of the global top scorers. He is also a part of victorious Indian team, World Cup, 2011. Kohli has not performed as well in tests as in ODIs but he is definitely improving.

Adding to his skill and style, this is the era of retirements. When the Laxmans and Dravids of your side are retiring, that leaves a huge void in the team and at the same time, gives a great opportunity for the youngsters to fill in. This is a transitional period for Indian cricket and Virat has done enough for us to believe that it will be a good period for the team. He hardly fails to provide us with a glimpse of the future generation of Indian cricket. Now that Kohli has already been given the position of Vice-Captain and since he has adapted well, we can say, the position, “skipper of Indian team” awaits him.

To add a fun fact, both Ganguly and Dhoni scored 183 runs before captaining Indian team and Kohli also achieved this magic number. Let’s wait and see if this number works for Cheeku (as his team calls him) too.

The blue brigade is now world No.2 after winning the away from home, 5-match ODI series in Sri Lanka. The entire tour was a rejoicing one, especially after the last two dismal overseas series (England and Australia). Indians triumphed over Sri Lankans in every department. This was a perfect start for the upcoming busy cricket season for the Indian cricketers and gave team India the much required confidence and momentum, which will be be carried forward to the entire season. They came home with a lot of positives that were seen during the length of the tour.

Selection of Irfan Pathan is the first one that features on this list. Though he could not find a place in the squad that was announced initially, Pathan was selected as a replacement to injured Vinay Kumar. There was always a competition among Ravindra Jadeja, the Pathan brothers and few others to claim the position of an apt successor to Kapil Dev but none of them could reach the mark and Jadeja was already given ample number of chances to prove himself. Selection of Irfan not only had given him a chance to showcase his talent, but also testified the chances of finding an all-rounder for India in the near future are still alive. His average for this ODI series is 76.00 with a strike rate of almost 93 and also has taken 8 wickets which include one 5-wicket haul. Even if he did not get wickets in every match, he was able to trouble the opponents enough to help India finish on the winning side. Of course, one series cannot decide everything, but the talent is revealed and needs to be groomed further.

I don’t say unavailability of senior players is good, but this time it unleashed something groovy. This series provided young cricketers with a chance, and the best part is that they were able to make the most of the opportunity that was given to them. Manoj Tiwary and Ashok Dinda have performed really well and the Indian coach mentions that Manoj could be a serious contender for place in ODI team. Despite Sehwag’s return to team, Virat was retained as vice-captain. This will certainly help him adapt for responsibility as he is the most favorite future Indian skipper. Virat – the winner of brand new “DUSTER” (Man of the Series) put up an extraordinary show and had played a prominent role in clinching the series. This has given us a chance to have a look at the talent of new faces of “Men in Blue”. In view of the upcoming T-20 World Cup and in longer run, the 2015 World Cup, these performances are good signs of a stronger team and more options.

On the whole, it was a splendid performance from India as a team, and if this continues, we shall soon see India emerging at the top in the ICC ODI rankings.

‘”Let the glory be there for the entire season”.

I follow him – not to memorize all his statistics and call him “just lucky” for all his achievements. I follow him not to argue and decide if he is the best captain of Indian cricket team or if he is just lucky to be the captain of best Indian cricket team but I follow him because he is a perfect picture of a cricketer to me.

He presents to me the character of an ideal leader, a leader from whose style of game there is definitely a lot to learn. I am sure, the moment I used the word “lucky” in cricket context, most of you would have identified the person I am talking about. But for those, who have been kind enough not to assign the adjective “lucky” to him, I am talking about one of the most successful and the most talented skippers, Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Unlike Sachin or Ganguly, neither did Dhoni go through a very intense coaching nor was his family or home place had a famous cricketing back ground. His entry into cricket India goes back to a time when India was in desperate need of a good wicket-keeper. And when we found a wicket keeper who can also smash and batter opponents with centuries, how could we let go off him?

Again, it was not luck that guaranteed his position in the Indian cricket team, but it was his hard work and determination to prove himself against the odds that held him in the team. His transition from the role of a talented finisher and quick wicket keeper to that of a leader also did not happen overnight without his talent and strong efforts from his side.

Dhoni is that person who can accept and cope with any challenge that was thrown against him. When none of the senior members were ready to lead team India, Dhoni accepted the responsibility with grace and made the most of the opportunity that came to him. India, under Dhoni’s captaincy, lifted up the very first world cup of the shortest format of cricket, with pride.

Later on, he took over as a captain in other two formats also and led the team successfully. Indian cricket has realized many a long awaited dreams under his captaincy. To list a few, India won the CB Series of 2007–08, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2008 and 2010 against Australia (2–0) and the coveted 2011 World Cup under his captaincy.

Dhoni also led the Indian team to the number one position in ICC rankings in Test cricket for the first time in the Indian Cricketing history. His personal records are also noteworthy, in addition to his captaincy accomplishments. He also captains the Chennai Super Kings, the most successful team in the Indian Premier League.

Apart from the records that MSD has set, there is a lot to learn from him. After attaining the historical position No.1 in ICC test rankings, he said, “Achieving something big is tough, but the tougher part is to maintain it; to sustain it.” After all those big achievements, Dhoni simply says, “A captain is only as good as his team”. And after the dismal series loss against Australia, he, as a leader, takes all the responsibility and says, “I need to blame myself, I am the leader of the side. I am the main culprit so of course I blame myself.”

He is humbleness personified, is a great team player and never late to applaud his team after a success. He kept aside his batting style and adapted himself to play a responsible captain innings. He always tries to make things as simple as possible – “it is all just about scoring 1 run more than your opposition”, he says.

He always lives in present and only thinks about the game but never about the result and that reflects in his words when he said– “rather than thinking about something that’s too much ahead of us it is very important to take every game in the right frame of mind and that is what will be our process throughout the tournament.”

Hopefully, he will continue to never mind those biased critics who call him lucky and keep scaling greater and greater heights in his career. As a matter of fact, I find it quite amusing when people call him lucky, as Jean Cocteau, French Writer & Filmmaker says, “We must believe in luck. Else how can we explain the success of those whom we don’t like?”

And if some people are still adamant on attributing his success to luck, then I am lucky to be a fan of lucky MS and I am proud to say that.

“Break ke baad”

July 21^st, 2012 – India played against Sri Lanka after a long break (more than 100 days) from international cricket (one and half months after the IPL). Dhoni’s men stood by what Dhoni promised, the country when he said, “We will make most of the rest we have got. It’s the start of the season and we want to start on a good note” and gave the series a kick-start yesterday when they elected to bat after winning the toss. Placing a fine target of 315 on board for the Sri Lankans to chase, the Indian cricket team won the game in style by 21 runs. This match had a lot more positive aspects to be attributed to it apart from the grand total on the score board. With Irfan Pathan putting up a commendable show on the field and many others contributing with good individual scores, this match was worth praising.

I wondered whether this is something new to the Indian team – to perform satisfactorily after every long break. A brief study of the performance stats of Indian cricket men in the past after a long break, of more than 60 days, told me that Indians have almost always put up a winning show after a break – with only 1 exception in the past 6 years – in September, in the 2011 NatWest Series. Indians toured England 80 days after playing a series with the West Indies, India lost the 5-match series to England 3-0. Here are a few statistics for you to see what I mean.

In June, 2011,  West Indies hosted 5-match ODI series; the first match Indians played after the ICC world cup 2011, with the Indian team playing under the captaincy of Suresh Raina. Not only did India win by 4 wickets (with 31 balls remaining), but they also won the series 3-2, proving that break ke baad Indian team performs well.

In 2009 alone, Indians played thrice after a break of more than 60 days each and have put up a laudable performance every time. During the tour to Sri Lanka for a 5-match series, during January and February, India won the series 4-1. Just to prove the fact that I presented, India won the first match by 6 wickets (with 11 balls remaining). Then in another away series against the West Indies, India proved its mettle by winning the 4-match series 2-1, during June-July. The Indians put up a huge 340 run target for the host team in the first match and won it by 20 runs. Yet again, after a gap of 68 days in international cricket, India participated in the Compaq Cup, along with Sri Lanka, New Zealand, in Sri Lanka. India won thr first game by 6 wickets (with 57 balls remaining) and went into the finals playing against Sri Lanka and won the Compaq Cup.

In 2008, India took 3, 60-plus day breaks and were back with a bang and renewed energy. In November after a 70-plus days break, not only did India win the series 5-0 against England, but also put up a great show when it won by 158 runs in the first match in this series. In June, after taking almost a 100-day break, India beat Pakistan by 140 runs and proceeded into finals of Kitply Cup, hosted by Bangladesh. In February, India made it to the finals of the Commonwealth Bank series and won the series by defeating a strong opposition like Australia. 

Break from continuous cricket is important for any player and that is a rear luxury for Indian cricketers. Rest gives players the most necessary mental and physical strength and peace required for them to go out there and give their best performance in the forthcoming matches and these statistics prove just the same. Yesterdays’ win against Sri Lanka gives us a hope that this break has given our Indian team the most needed rest and that they will be back to No.1 position in ODI cricket by winning this series with Sri Lanka 5-0 and they will be well prepared for the upcoming ICC world T-20 series and other series’ to be hosted by India.

“SACH – TRULY INSPIRATIONAL”

MS Dhoni is someone I admire the most and whose every single step in life is a source of inspiration for me. If he writes foreword for a book, then such a book will be the first in my must-read books list! SACH, giving people an insight into the many unknown tales in Sachin’s success journey, by Gautam Bhattacharya (published in 2011), is that book. When my hero compares cricket to Lord Ram and Sachin to Rams’ greatest disciple Hanuman, then the story of that disciple is bound to be an awe inspiring and one of its kind story. And I was proved to be right after reading SACH.

SACH starts with 40 questions which Sachin never answered in the past 25 years. And when Sachin starts answering them in this book, each answer becomes a lesson, a lesson to be learnt, followed and adopted in life. Every single instance of Sachin’s life that the author presents in the book, gives us a glimpse of the attitude of the phenomenal Sachin Tendulkar. The way he could not come to terms with his non-performance in an exhibition match under the captaincy of Imran Khan, when Sachin missed Kapil Dev’s catch because of Imran’s wrong field placement, shows his hunger for achievements and his never-settle-for-less attitude. And yes, you read it right; Sachin did play his first big match for Pakistan and this is just one of those many tales of Sachin that Gautam sings in SACH which I am sure not many of his common fanfare is aware of. The way Sachin accepted his first (and last) rejection, as a fast bowler, only makes the reader realize how a rejection or a failure breaks a genius, only so that he fights back to change all the equations and returns to claim a position that is rightfully his.

Sachin is an epitome of self confidence and this oozes out in his every act and thought. He tells his brother, Ajit Tendulkar right after his first coaching session with Achrekar, “I can play better than all those boys”. It is true that there is a thin line between confidence and over-confidence, but Sachin knows just too well to stay on this side of the border. His confidence comes from self analysis and realization; simply put, in his own words, “if you basically know yourself pretty well, it does not matter what people say. You know what you are capable of. If you remain confident of yourself, outside opinion won’t matter”. These words, I presume, are not only the most mesmerizing and striking piece of motivation for somebody who reads through his life, but for the genius himself.

No doubt most of us believe that God wanted to play cricket and hence Sachin was born, for Sachin is, unequivocally, one of the greatest players of his era. But one can never guess what the situation would have been, had Sachin been born in the post colonial generation, when both Indian and world cricket’s scenario were completely different. But the author of SACH does go into an adulatory tone, claiming Sachin to be more talented than Gavaskar. In Gavaskar’s words, “It is not fair to compare people from different eras as cricketers’ mental make-up is shaped by what they see and encounter during the years they grow”. In fact, there are many other instances in the book when the author makes such statements but one can never blame him for doing so. We Indians go crazy for the cricket God, and Gautam was just playing his part as Sachin’s fan when he praised him so.

That apart, SACH is a must read for every single soul. The book brings a closer view of Sachin’s life for all those who want more of his success journey. To complement the book, a great collection of Sachin’s rare pictures is presented in the book, and the photographer is to be particularly applauded for the same. All in all, SACH presents Sachin – the story of a genius honed by a happy and protective family. And anyone who has watched Sachin closely would agree that the only key to success, is hard work.