“Jiju and another bookie discussed that Sreesanth will give 14 or more in the second over. He won’t do anything unusual, but before the start of the second over he will stick a towel at the front of his trousers.”

As the officers of the Delhi Police unfolded the transcripts of the audio recordings between the bookies and the players, it bore a stark resemblance with the various con exposing scenes of the numerous crime thrillers that we have watched over the years. After reading out the transcript, the officer backed it up with the video clips of the matches and the scenes sent down shivers down the spine of every Indian cricket fan. The more we watched it, the more we were convinced. The text and the video juxtaposed scarily to a shocking revelation that shook the very foundations of the Indian Premier League.

Two’s company, three’s crime – keeping abreast with the statement, S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan delivered the latest blow to Indian cricket. Delhi Police arrested the trio of the Rajasthan Royals on charges of spot-fixing. Though it was a bolt out of the blue for BCCI, the fans around the world were all waiting for something like this to come to fore.  

0.1.1.0.0.0 and 6.2.6.0.1.0 – Two overs from the same bowler. He conceded just two runs in the first over but was sent sailing twice into the stands in his second one. It had a very simple cricketing logic till last night – the batsmen were careful in the first and they went after him in the second. But today, there’s a complete change in perspective – it was fixed.

Fixing allegations and cricket have had a close relationship since the 1980s. Fixing raised its ugly head during the Sharjah era of cricket and went on to spill the beans on the careers of many famous names. However, after the famous “Cronje – tapes” that led to a massive investigation in 2000, the cricket world got back on its feet and match fixing was deemed to have been evicted completely. With the inception of the ICC anti-corruption squad, fixing an entire match became near impossible but as they say, greed never dies. The horrors of  the 90s returned to haunt the cricket fraternity with an alias – spot-fixing.

How different is spot-fixing to that of match fixing?

Though the names sound different and they have different impacts on the game, there is something that’s common to both – a bunch of greedy individuals. While match-fixing is a much more difficult proposition to achieve, spot-fixing, thrives on the insecurity of an individual who is susceptible to greed.

To fix an entire match, one has to target the match winners who will have a direct impact on the game and since, the men who matter are at a much higher perch, the bookies target the lower hanging fruits of the tree. The likes of Chandila and Chavan hardly ever have a bearing on the result of a game and can slip under the radar with their shoddy displays. So, it is much easier to lure these insecure and hungry-for-attention individuals to tank their own performances in exchange for a few quick bucks rather than going for the big guns.

However, the sadness kicks in when names like Sreesanth, Ameer and Asif make it to the list. It a shame to see genuine talent go to waste and the above three are the prime examples of that. They not only fool cricket fans all over the cricket world but also their own selves by giving in too quickly.

If Ameer was young and foolish, Asif was too clever and Sreesanth just was not cut out to handle fame. The Indian fans laughed at Sreesanth’s antics, put up with his emotional rants, wowed at his brilliant out swingers, applauded his dance moves and even sympathised when he got slapped. But today, suddenly Harbhajan Singh seems to be the bigger man.

Fixed or not, guilty or otherwise, the Indian cricket fans should never forgive Sreesanth and the other two for the shame they brought on to the man named Rahul Dravid. This trio should have been influenced by the mere presence of Rahul Dravid, and his words in the dressing room should have been enough to strengthen their moral fibre. Instead, they brought this travesty upon a man who wore his integrity on his sleeve and played his cricket with grit, honesty and a lot of heart. He is one of those few cricketers whose dazzling career is unscathed by any tint scandal or sleaze and Sreesanth and co. should be banned forever for trying to taint it.

Will IPL lose its credibility? Well, it surely will if it hasn’t already. From now on, a batsman won’t savour a six because the bowler might have gifted it to him. A fielder would be mortified with a drop catch; a captain will not know who in his team has his back and the fans would simply not know what to believe!

“Sawal yeh nahi hai ke chor ne chori ki…sawal yeh hai ke chor ne chori kyun ki?” (The question is not that the thief stole but the question is why did he steal?) – A viewer came up with the question in one of the multiple TV shows that aired how one towel scratched off the memories of great bowling spell. The answer is simple, greed.

“The point is, greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.” 

Gekko was right, greed works. But it works only for those who are greedy enough to learn, perform and take their skills to a higher level. With some quality cricket and special performances, IPL-6 had been different but thanks to the tainted trio, not anymore!

Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians – cricket match in Bollywood land featuring the Karan – Arjun of Indian cricket. Whenever the names Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar are involved in an encounter, the expectations go soaring by quite a few notches and the TRPs tend to head for the roof. Though Mumbai won the game comfortably and Tendulkar didn’t feature in the final XI, the Wankhede crowd was entertained to the fullest by the rest of the cast.

A new opening combo – Glenn Maxwell and Aditya Tare!

Opening the innings has been Mumbai’s Achilles’ heel. Though Mumbai is loaded with power hitters down the order, they have struggled to find an able partner for Sachin Tendulkar. However, after Dwayne Smith seemed to have fit into the role, Mumbai, again, decided to mix things up at the top of the order. The million dollar man got his second game and Aditya Tare resurfaced from oblivion after a gap of three years! The new pair got out of the blocks quickly, pumped up the scoring rate and threw the Royals completely off their guard. If Tare went on to score a delightful 50, Maxwell (almost!) justified his selection with his towering sixes over mid wicket.

Into the block hole – return of the forgotten delivery!

6, 4, 1, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 0, 6 – That’s what Kieron Pollard did to the Sunrisers in the last game. Though it was a serious assault, the Sunrisers bowlers made it a tad easier for him by not bowling the yorkers. In fact, the above deliveries weren’t even close to a yorker. None of the Sunrisers bowlers, including Dale Steyn, tried to york the Trinidadian and he made merry of the low full tosses that were offered. Today, however, James Faulkner and Lasith Malinga got their basics right. Faulkner bowled them right in the block hole to Pollard and the big man could do nothing but pat them back to the bowler. Then, in the last over of the Rajasthan innings, Malinga brought out the perfect one and caught Brad Hogde dead in front of the wicket!

Yorkers, still the best in the death overs. Hence proved!

Kevon Cooper – pick up, turn and whack!

The Royals all-rounder bowled a nice spell and picked up a wicket but his moment arrived when he ran Pollard out. He bowled a slower delivery that caught the leading edge of the bat. The ball scooped up but it fell tantalizingly short of the outstretched hands of the West Indian. However, the next instance saw an outstanding piece of fielding. As Pollard set off for a run, Cooper picked up the ball on the half volley, turned around, threw down the stumps at the bowler’s end and caught Pollard a yard short of safety. If you thought that was entertaining, rewind and watch the celebration yet again!

Rahul Dravid – Caught in the wrong mood!

IPL finally got on to the nerves of Rahul Dravid. If you thought Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir were the angry men of Indian cricket, Rahul Dravid decided to take a cue from his young mates. A bouncer from Mitch Johnson saw Dravid completely miss the hook shot. Dinesh Karthik went up for a timid appeal while Johnson didn’t seem too interested. The umpire raised his finger and Dravid lost his cool. Not only did he shake his head vehemently in protest of the decision, Dravid, surprisingly, had a few things to say to the umpire. The fair play award went out of the window and he almost slammed his bat on the ground as he reached the dug out.

Pollard’s Sherlock act - Elementary, my dear Watson!

Dravid started the drama but Pollard and Watson took it to the next level. Minutes after things calmed down following the Dravid dismissal, the two big boys from both sides decided to have some fun. Shane Watson walked out to bat and Pollard got right into his ear. Though Pollard was all smiles, Watson didn’t seem to like the joke that much. He complained to the umpires and Asad Rauf hauled up Rohit Sharma and cautioned Pollard. However, just as the situation cooled down, Watson skied a long hop from Pragyan Ojha. Pollard ran in from long on, gobbled up the Aussie, went on a celebratory run and then gave Watson a proper (?) send off. What more, it didn’t end there. Watson gave Pollard a mouthful from the dugout before Dravid stepped in and sent the fuming Aussie into the air conditioned pavilion!

It was an easy win for Mumbai at the end but it certainly turned out to be very interesting thanks to the various on and off field incidents. Sixes, fours, wickets, tussles – it was riveting to watch and as Ravi Shahtri would put it – the crowds definitely had their money’s worth!

In the last few days, there’s been only one name that’s made news in the sports world – Sir Alex Ferguson. The 71-year-old Scot has dominated the airwaves, captured every headline in print and been the toast of the social media. While the entire world has been debating about his greatness, another man quietly announced the end of his association with one of the best sporting sides of the world. Gary Kirsten formally declared his innings with the South African cricket team.

Kirsten’s tenure with the South African side lasted for only two years. He took charge of the Proteas after he won the World Cup with the Indian team. However, in those two years, he did what he does best. He took them to the numero uno position in Test cricket. In the 19 Tests that he was in charge, South Africa won 12, drew 5 and lost only two matches, thus making him the most successful coach in the longest format the country has ever had.

South Africa has had bigger names coaching them before. The late Bob Woolmer not only changed the way the Proteas played, but also revolutionised the way cricket was perceived. Micky Arthur and Graham Ford made them into a top draw unit but all of them missed the final touch. Kirsten, in just two years, bridged that gap and South Africa are no more the bridesmaids at a wedding.

It’s true that Kirsten took over two very talented sides during his short career as a coach but so have many others. Duncan Fletcher has had the same squad as Kirsten did and so did Micky Arthur. While Micky Arthur struggled to take South Africa to the next level, Duncan Fletcher has had the toughest time wearing the Indian colours.

The difference between a good coach and a great one is very subtle, but that’s what makes a difference to a team. Every coach comes on board with ground-breaking ideas, innovative practice drills and organisational skills but a great coach packages all these into a capsule of humility, communication, compassion and leadership. Gary Kirsten did it once with India and then repeated his success with South Africa.

Kirsten started off his career at the highest level with the toughest team to manage – the Indian cricket team. In 2008, he walked into a dressing room that had a bundle of talent with controversies brimming at its rim. Not only the team lacked success, there was a lot of bad blood and insecurities among the players. The then Team India was an experiment that went horribly wrong and it emitted nothing but exothermic reactions.

Kirtsen took his time and got to know their players. He made an effort to listen, understand and treat the players with respect. His down to earth approach was starkly different from his know-it-all predecessor and the humble South African brought back the smiles on the players’ faces. He made them realise that cricket was just a game and results didn’t matter as far as they were following “the process”.

Gary Kirsten has a sense of calm about him and he always seems to be in control even when the team isn’t at its best. That’s where he has worked his magic with South Africa. The Proteas earned themselves the tag of “chokers” over the last two decades and no one could ever figure out how such a strong team always lost their bearing during the crunch situations. They became stiff and looked out of ideas and often floundered their opportunities of winning those big ones.

Last summer in England, Kirsten cured that disease. In the last Test against England, the Proteas were in with a chance to grab the number one position. They looked in cruise control until Matt Prior and Graeme Swann came in. The English pair went on the counter attack and suddenly, even the dangerous Philander looked ordinary. The match turned on its head and England looked the favourites. And just when it was going away from them, the Proteas pulled it back and claimed their stake as being the best in the Tests.

Every great coach knows that the team is only as strong as its weakest player. In his career as a coach, Gary Kirsten has always backed the youngsters. Be it Munaf Patel from India or Faf du Plessis of South Africa, the not-so-talented ones have flourished under Kirsten. Even the talented ones improved under his guidance.

When Kirsten took over the Indian side, the star players were surrounded with self doubts. If Sachin Tendulkar was scarred with criticism, Yuvraj Singh was on the verge of quitting the game. They say a coach must treat everyone equally but Gary Kirsten treated everyone fairly. He troubled the comfortable, and comforted the troubled. If his countless throw downs brought Tendulkar back into form, his “Don’t give up” dossier gave direction to a listless Yuvraj Singh.

However, the best quality of Gary Kirsten is that he knows that it’s about the team and not the man sitting in the dressing room. He looks much more excited about practice than the game itself because once the players cross the ropes, he can only observe things that he doesn’t want to see and listen to things he doesn’t want to hear. He always seems to have a plan and have the skills to execute it. He exactly knows how to achieve his set of goals and he works the hardest to get there. He is organised, passionate and always finds a way to encourage his team to believe and work together.

Reportedly, Kirsten sent a message to every player in the South African team, letting them know of his decision of stepping down. And guess what, every member replied with an emotional note. That’s what makes him so special, the fact that he “cares”. Forget the Proteas, even today the Indian cricketers have nothing but praise for him because he made them realise their potential and took them all to a level where they couldn’t have gone by themselves.

“I feel I can no longer cope with the lengthy periods of separation from my family that this job demands,” – Kirsten sighted family reasons for stepping down.

So, what’s next for him? He’s won the World Cup and has been to the pinnacle of Test cricket, twice. A man of his calibre needs a challenge and the challenge of defending the World Cup might just be the next one on his list.

As for the Indian cricket fans, they’ll keep their fingers crossed!

18 wickets from 13 matches at an economy rate of 5.59. 7 wickets from 6 matches at an economy rate of 7.04.

Above are the figures of Sunil Narine and Sachithra Senanayake – the two mystery men from Kolkata Knight Riders. Just going by the stats, Sunil Narine has, once again, done well and Senanayake has passed muster in his debut IPL season. However, what these numbers don’t reveal is the impact these two have had in KKR’s campaign this season.

Lying at number 7 with just 5 wins out of 13 games, the Knight Riders have had a forgettable season. Much was expected from the Kolkata franchise but Gautam Gambhir and his men have failed miserably to live up to the tag of defending champions. The batting, as usual, hasn’t clicked; the fielding has been ordinary and Gambhir’s captaincy has been flat and bland. It’s the bowling that won them the title last season, but that has been the most disappointing factor. There has been no fire in the fast bowling unit and the spinners have been anything but penetrative.

Even with the presence of two mystery spinners in the side, KKR has lacked mystery in their spin department. The statement might confuse some but that’s exactly what KKR has suffered from. After the resounding success of Sunil Narine last year, they went all out in the auction for Sachithra Senanayake to add some more “mystery” to their arsenal. They acquired the services of the Sri Lankan but the services haven’t reaped many returns. The mystery bowlers have failed to bamboozle the opposition and have left the team grappling for straws in the tournament. That’s the problem with mystery – someone sorts it out and when your most potent ingredient gets sorted out, you try harder to make it work and in the process, end up mystifying your own self.

Both Narine and Senanayake have been victims of the above phenomenon. The opposition batsmen have played them out without taking risks and hence the drought in the wickets column. The carrom balls, the mystery deliveries and the doosras add an x-factor to the bowlers and the ultra slow–motion images of the bowler tweaking their fingers and rolling their wrists provide for some great television. But if they don’t result in wickets, these experiments remains only as good as a PhD thesis in a lab.

Spin bowling is similar to magic. The trick lies in keeping things simple. The art of spin bowling is more about deceiving the batsman rather than the ball doing things. This principle holds true even more for off spinners. Leg spin has more varieties whereas the offies have to work more with deception. They have to work with flight, trajectory, point of release, variation of pace and the depth of the crease.

Nowadays, it has become a fashion to fire in the ball rather than letting it hang in the air. Yes, flight lets the batsmen step out and get under the ball, but it also increases the chances of foxing him. That’s the beauty of flight. It is all about deception. There is not much mystery in simply lobbing the ball up in the air but there is nothing more deceptive than tossing the same ball above the batsmen’s eye line at a much slower pace and with a higher trajectory.

According to Pragyan Ojha,

“I keep things simple and vary the pace and spin the ball. Normally in this format, I have seen the bowlers bowl really fast, so they cut down on turning the ball.”

For a spinner, the primary duty is to confuse the batsman. It happens in two parts: first confuse the batsman with the trajectory i.e., when the ball will pitch and then confuse him by turning it. It might turn small, it might turn a square mile or it might not turn at all.

And that’s where the KKR spinners have failed to deliver. If Narine has tried too hard with his variations, Senanayake has continuously fired it in to stem the flow of runs and the results are there to be seen. Neither have they run through the sides nor have they been able to restrict the run flow. Their mystery has been their biggest undoing and it has made them more predictable. Both Narine and Senanayake have their own set of problems. Sunil Narine hardly uses the depth of the crease while Senanayake sticks to his round the wicket line. They fail to create angles and deceive the batsmen with flight.

Apart from a predictable line, Narine rarely gives the ball air and hardly bowls an off-break. He tossed it up once this IPL and was rewarded with the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar. His front-on action also doesn’t help much. He doesn’t get a good pivot and there’s not much work put in by the non bowling arm. Since he doesn’t vary his pace much, the batsmen pick him off the wicket and as long as they don’t look for extravagance, there’s not much chance of them losing their wickets.

Senanayake, on the other hand, is in the mould of Kumara Dharmasena. Not only his bowling action; his role in the side is also similar to that of the former mate of the great Muralitharan. He bowls a stump to stump line and tries to do a holding job. He doesn’t turn his off-break much, neither does he do much with his variations. His success has mainly been in the Big Bash league in Australia where the batsmen generally defend against a spinner and play as if they were from an alien land. To succeed against the likes of the Dhonis, the Rainas and the Sharmas, he first needs to get his basic off-break right and then mix it up with his variations.

The idea that a spinner has a set of 4-5 discrete and different deliveries is more of a theory than an unshakeable truth. On the field, variations only work if they are hid behind a veil of guile. The top spinners and the doosras work successfully when combined with perfect off-breaks, changes in line, flight, angle and pace. There is no secret in mystery spinners because there isn’t much mystery in it. The wrist and the finger movements are easily detected by technology and batsmen, now, are more knowledgeable than ever. The trick lies in simplicity and that’s what gives a spinner an infinite range of subtle variations. Kolkata Knight Riders had an idea to produce a blockbuster partnership. The plot was that of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller but sadly the execution turned into a desi Abbas–Mustan dampener.

Under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid, the Rajasthan Royals have been one of the more consistent teams in this year’s IPL. (Getty Images)

The 5^th of May was a strange day in the IPL – strange and eventful, to be precise. Here’s why: Chennai Super Kings slumped to a massive defeat, Mike Hussey, MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Shane Watson failed to fire, Kieron Pollard dropped four catches, Pune Warriors posted a respectable score, Ajinkya Rahane sent a reminder to the selectors and Rahul Dravid brought up 2000 runs in the IPL. A milestone for the man in a format that he was not tailor made for.

While Rajasthan Royals made light work of the Pune total, Dravid slayed down a few notions that had stuck to the Great Wall of India. Chasing a total of 170 plus, one expected Rahane to be partnered by the big hitting Watson, but the 40-year-old ex-Indian Test number three took centre stage.

The second and fourth deliveries of the innings sped through cover-point and crashed the fence. If those back-foot punches off Bhubneshwar Kumar got him warmed up, Krishnakant Upadhyaya walked right into the demolition chamber. Lofted drives, straight drives, whips off the leg – Dravid launched an assault on the debutant and deposited him to every corner of the ground. Rahul Sharma disappeared over the fence but the inside-out cover drive off Angelo Mathews showed what the cricket world has missed in the last year – the class of Rahul Dravid.

The words Rahul Dravid and T20 have never gelled. Forget T20, he was never even deemed fit enough for the 50 overs format. So much so, he had to pick up the keeping gloves to keep a place in the then Indian side. He always belonged to the purists, and was looked upon as one of those who stuck out like a sore thumb in a format that demanded a strike rate of more than a run a ball. No one made a fuss when the Royal Challengers released him and neither did Bangalore fans become Rajasthan loyalists following his unceremonious departure.

Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid has been in fine form with the bat this year and has led a team filled with many uncapped Indian players to playoff contention. (IANS Photos)

However, after leading an unfancied team to playoff contention and performing exceptionally well with the bat this season, RCB could well be cursing their decision. Dravid has always been criticised for being too involved in the game. Not only by the experts, but also by his contemporaries, who have often accused him of being a little drawn in. They thought that he worried a tad bit too much about his batting and needed to learn how to relax a bit. That’s exactly what has changed in this IPL. May be retirement has helped. The burden of international cricket is off his shoulders and there is a fresh approach to the game. IPL-6 has injected a second wind to his career and Dravid – who seems to be playing with a smile on his face – looks really “cool” in his new relaxed avatar.

This year, his every outing at the crease has been entertaining but against Pune, he dished out a sumptuous display of batting. The innings of 58 last night, reminded the viewers and the fellow cricketers that even T20 can produce quality cricket and that this format has a place for players who are more adept to keeping the ball on the floor. The square cuts and drives flew out of the full face of the blade, proving that quick scoring isn’t only about bulging biceps and using a 4lbs piece of willow. If one’s got the grammar right, essaying a top quality innings is not that difficult.

Another aspect of Dravid that has caught the eye has been his approach to captaincy. His time at the helm with the Indian team had been marred with controversy. He was seen as a reluctant leader and was never given credit for the success he achieved as the captain of the national team. This IPL, he looks determined to set that record straight. The Royals have a legacy of grooming young Indian players. Shane Warne started it; Dravid in this year’s IPL, has taken it to the next level.

Under him, the uncapped Indian players have not only performed brilliantly, but also have won games on their own. Be it the young Sanju Samson or the veteran Stuart Binny, the local Indian core has stepped up for the Royals and Dravid has marshalled his troops with perfection. He has been spot on with his team selections and has given the required exposure to the talented ones. The likes of Dishant Yagnik and Samson have enjoyed the faith of the captain and have richly paid the side back with solid performances. They look like a close-knit unit, and just like Team India won the World Cup for Sachin Tendulkar, don’t be surprised if the Royals go on to take the honours, for their leader.

Someone somewhere once said that “Old is Gold”. Since the coinage of the phrase, we have sprayed it around and tagged it with everything that filled us with nostalgia and reminded us of the days gone by. We Indians love to stay in the past, don’t we? We are great fans of the “once upon a time” phenomenon and we never miss out on a chance to reminisce about how great things were. That pair of old jeans from college, that special Kishore Kumar song, that tattered old paper cutting – we all have that one thing, which rolls the clock back and make us realise why time travel is important. This summer, once can add one more item to that list – Rahul Dravid.

Last season, in the month of January, Arsenal took on Leeds United in the FA Cup encounter. After a frustrating first half, tied at 0-0, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger signalled for a substitution. The crowd roared as the bald and bearded man entered the pitch, replacing a misfiring Marouane Chamakh. Exactly 10 minutes later, it happened.

Alex Song had possession in front of the opposition box. He looked up, spotted the man and pulled out his through pass for the man on the wide-left of the opposition box. The number 12 made his run behind the two defenders, got to the ball and went on his usual business. He opened his body, leaned to his left, transferring almost all of his weight to one foot and curled in the ball to the bottom corner past the diving goalkeeper. The 34 year-old stretched his arms, ran past the corner flag while the crowd, his fellow players and the boss went berserk to celebrate the goal. It wasn’t just a goal, that’s how Thierry Henry turned the clock back and stamped his return to Arsenal. It was an ideal script and the hero delivered the perfect lines.

Thierry Henry and Arsenal have lived a fairy tale. Not many real life stories unfold as perfectly as the one between the French maestro and the North London club. Since his arrival from Juventus, he has created stories that have carved a special place in every Gooner’s heart and a whole generation was inspired to support the Gunners, thanks to the then number 14.

When Arsene Wenger signed this lanky winger from Juventus, not many were sure about his success in the Premier League, and the doubts weren’t unwarranted. Playing in the wings, he struggled to live up to the reputation that he created during his Monaco days. However, it wasn’t entirely his fault that he couldn’t perform at his best wearing the black and white stripes. He played out of position, was pitted against the best Italian defences and the ambiance at Turin was starkly different from that of a laid back Monaco. The expectations were higher and the fans were less forgiving.

Henry needed a change and Wenger came calling in with the perfect script for a blockbuster partnership. The move, however, caused a furore and Henry added fuel to it as he couldn’t find the back of the net in his first eight matches with the North London giants. By his own admission – “It took me a while to understand what that club [Arsenal] meant.”

Then came Southampton and the wheel turned in the right direction. The lone goal broke the jinx and Henry finished the season with 17 Premiership goals in 31 appearances. The next season opened the floodgates and the stage was set for the man to create history. And he did.

Thierry Henry developed himself into a deadly striker at Arsenal. He became a nightmare for the opposition defenders as he went on to score goals at will. He, very quickly, went up the “best forever” list, but he solidified his perch right on top when he helped the team to go through an undefeated season to acquire the name of “The Invincibles”— winning both the League and the prestigious Golden Boot award.

However, the legend of Henry isn’t about the Cups and the Championships that he won. Henry went beyond his limits to secure the status of a legend. He is neither the best striker to grace the pitch, nor is he the most skillful footballer ever. Though he played as a striker, he wasn’t even the best header of the ball. And a striker who can’t head the ball isn’t considered as a pure goal scorer. He would never be compared to Pele or Maradona or even his fellow compatriot Zidane, yet Thierry Henry created his own cult.

That’s where Henry is different. He has always been about improving and his metamorphosis from a starlet in Monaco to Arsenal’s greatest player ever is nothing short of legendary. His primary strength has been his lightning pace and he has used that to ransack oppositions. He always has been too fast with the ball at his feet and even in the twilight of his career, he does things which most footballers can’t even imagine.

In the words of his long time striking partner Dennis Bergkamp –“You give him the ball in the right place and his acceleration will take him past any defender in the world.” 

Even the opposition defenders openly confessed their fright of playing against Henry.

“His best quality is his speed while the ball is at his feet. No defender in the world can keep up with him.” — Lilian Thuram

1999-2006 – the world saw the best of Henry and also of Arsenal. Perhaps, the biggest reason for Henry’s love affair with Arsenal was his image in his country. In France and in the national team, he was never the number one star. With the shadow of Zinedine Zidane looming large, all Henry could muster was a close second place. His statement – “I may be French, but I play for Arsenal…” echoed how both Arsenal and Henry fed off each other. He made them “The Invincibles” and they made him “The King”.

However, like all great kings, Henry’s legend is marred with its own glitch. After leading Arsenal to the Champions League finals in 2006, “the King” left his kingdom in search of unconquered treasures. Though he resisted the temptation for the first time, come 2007, he gave in. He moved away to Spain and Arsenal was never the same again.

Without Henry, Arsenal began the season impressively so as to justify his statement “It was good for the team that I moved on” but with time, a group of youngsters lost their way. Henry went on to acquire the Champions League medal but his legend would have been immortilised had he did it wearing the Gunners’ shirt. He not only left Arsenal, but also unknowingly started the “I want to win trophies…” parade that saw the star players desert Arsenal for the years to come.

However, the Arsenal fans never criticized him for moving away, neither did he face their wrath like Robin van Persie. Maybe because the relationship ran its course and right now, the fans have way too many in their hate list. Henry, too, did his bit. French is a sweet language and the man has used it to keep them happy.

“Arsenal is in my blood as well as my heart….Everybody knows how much I love Arsenal – I became a fan.” - He has expressed his deepest regards for the club and his final comeback, last season, perhaps healed the remaining specks of pain in the Gooner hearts.

But there has never been a day that’s gone by when the fans haven’t felt the void. Even today, every time the balls rolls onto the wings, they wish that the number 14 jersey bore a different name and he would ease past the defenders with style and place the ball into the bottom corner with the commentators expressing their elation as “And it’s Henryyyy….” – Maybe just one last time!

You can read the rest of the club legends here.

One ball could have changed the fate of this game. The match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab followed the script of a Bollywood thriller. Mumbai took on the Kings XI Punjab, put up a big score and won. It was a foregone conclusion because the Kings XI neither had the stars nor the firepower to challenge the star studded Mumbai side and Mumbai was expected to win easy. But it wasn’t so. Chasing 174 to win, the Kings put up a gritty show that had Nita Ambani praying and the crowd on the edge of their seats.

The game was packed with high voltage action but here are a few moments that stood out.

Toss trouble – flippy fingers!

It was a day where things happened right from the toss. If Virat Kohli forgot the name of his players, Rohit Sharma was a little too eager to flip the coin. Match Referee Javagal Srinath handed the coin to Sharma and the stand-in Mumbai captain flipped it even before Pommie Mbangwa could finish the introductions. Mbangwa caught the coin before it hit the ground, much to the delight of the viewers and Sharma was asked to flip it again. Though both the captains saw the funny side of it, it would have cooked up a controversy if winning the toss would have had an effect on the game.

“Marsh” mellow for Gilchrist

Finally, Gilchrist took the call. After Kumar Sangakkara, Angelo Mathews and Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist bowed out of the team XI in order to help the team’s cause. David Hussey took over the reins of the Kings and a bearded Shaun Marsh replaced the former Australian wicket-keeper. Though Marsh couldn’t add much to the Kings XI score, still it was a fair move because Gilchrist has had a poor IPL with the bat and had shown no signs of returning to his devastating best.

With Ponting being out of favour with the Mumbai Indians, it was sad to see that once the best captain-vice caption combo of Punter and Gilly, now, are struggling to even make the cut. Cricket is a cruel game – hence proved.

Ro”Hit” Sharma – Mr. IPL!

He may not have realised his potential on the international arena but come the IPL, Rohit Sharma is the batsman to fear. He has often been criticised for his inconsistency when playing for India but in franchise cricket, he dons a different avatar. No slogging, no ugly hoicks over mid wicket; he keeps clearing the fence with elan. The captaincy hasn’t affected him and he looks at ease with the added responsibility. Maybe it’s time BBCI allows him to wear his IPL outfit when he goes out to bat for India and with 3 wins in a row as captain, he might just have extended Ponting’s stay at the dugout.

Pollard pouch – another beauty at the boundary!

It wasn’t the best day for the Windies brigade of the Mumbai Indians. If Dwayne Smith struggled to get the ball off the square, Kieron Pollard was lucky to stay unbeaten. The Trinidadian survived a stumping chance, was bowled off a No-ball and then was dropped by Vohra. However, Kieron Pollard turned all that around with a jaw dropping stunner at the boundary. Marsh stepped out to Ojha and lofted him towards the long on boundary. It was a six on any ground but not when Pollard is nearby. A seven feet giant leapt another three feet and then pouched it in his bucket sized palm. If you thought the catch was spectacular, you should check out the celebrations!

Asad’s “Rough” moment – the Mahmood missile!

Azhar Mahmood has been under the radar throughout this IPL, especially with the bat. However, Asad Rauf would have a thing or two to say about that. With Kings staring down the barrel, the former Pakistani all-rounder decided to have a go at Pragyan Ojha. He charged down the track and whacked the ball straight at the umpire. Asad Rauf displayed terrific reflexes and somehow avoided what could have been quite a painful blow. He got up, dusted himself and promptly signalled for a helmet.

No ball? – the dicey call!

An extended arm from the umpire could have changed the entire story of the game and would have seen Punjab walk away with the honors. With 17 to win from the last over, Praveen Kumar came out swinging. Dhawal Kulkarni lost his bearings and dished out a barrage of full tosses. The first one was called a No-ball and it costed two while Praveen Kumar failed to connect the next slower one. The third one was called a wide while the next fetched two. The drama unfolded with the fourth one that could have been called a No-Ball. Kulkarni bowled another full toss and Praveen Kumar missed it. The umpire at the bowler’s end looked at Asad Rauf but the Pakistani umpire was unmoved. Praveen Kumar hit the next full toss for a one handed six while the last, another full toss, landed in the safety of Tendulkar’s hand.

Was that a no-ball? Praveen Kumar thought so. So did Priety Zinta but that’s how the game goes sometimes. One team gets the rub of the green while the other feels hard done by. Mumbai Indians is a team on a roll while Kings XI Punjab needs some inspiration to pep up their chances. Maybe, PZ should start hugging again!

One handed pick up, throw and bang – not once but twice in two balls. The first direct hit left Dinesh Karthik yards short of the crease while the second one riled up a controversy. Virat Kohli not only hit the stumps twice but also the headlines, yet again.

This IPL has all been about this superstar from India. The IPL-6 started off with the news of him taking over the reins of Royal Challengers Bangalore and then he set the tournament on fire with his brilliant batting. Then came the bust up with his Delhi-mate Gautam Gambhir when RCB took on KKR and last night, he was booed by the Mumbai crowd.

Virat Kohli is a superstar and superstars make news. Some make news with their achievements in their field of work while the others flaunt their indifferent attitude. Over the last few years, Virat Kohli has created his own genre; he has set the stage on fire with both his batting prowess and with his antics. He is one of those who hates to lose and goes that extra mile to be on the winning side. In his short career, he has had his share of tiffs with the crowd and opposition players and the Indian public has happily lapped up all his machismo acts.

However, last night, the game changed. First, Kohli almost changed the game with his fielding skills and then the crowd gave him a piece of their mind when he came into bat. Much to the astonishment of the viewers on TV, the entire ground chanted “Cheater…Cheater…” that left the RCB captain emotional and at a loss of words.

It all happened when Ambati Rayudu and Vinay Kumar got into a tangle. Virat Kohli displayed his stunning ability that must have impressed a couple of extraordinary fielding stars sitting in the Mumbai dugout. It was a legitimate dismissal and Kohli was right to appeal for it. The Mumbai crowd, though, wasn’t too impressed. They looked on it as an act of cheating and spilled their venom at the latest poster boy of Indian cricket. They, perhaps, expected Kohli to withdraw the appeal and bring Rayudu back.

Should Kohli have withdrawn his appeal and called the batsman back? Should he have done what MS Dhoni did to Ian Bell? Was he wrong in appealing?

The answer is no, he wasn’t. Rayudu should have been more careful and Vinay Kumar did nothing wrong. It might have earned his team a few points in the fair play chart but when you’re involved in a high voltage clash, fair play points is the last thing that crosses one’s mind.

Now, was the crowd wrong in booing? Except for the fact that the grammatically correct chant would have been “Cheat” and not “Cheater”, they weren’t either. They came to support their side and they did it with full passion. It was perhaps one of the few moments that set this IPL aside from the rest of the editions. Over the last five years, the franchises have struggled to build a loyal support base that recognized themselves with the franchise rather than with a certain superstar. Most of India supports Mumbai for Sachin Tendulkar while KKR was deserted last season by the Kolkatans in favour of the Pune Warriors.  Except Chennai Super Kings, who plays in front of a “knowledgeable” Chennai crowd, none of the other franchises have managed to achieve this objective until this IPL. So, the crowd at Wankhede  might have stretched it a little too far in calling him a “cheat” but they weren’t  wrong in lending their voice as the 12^th man of their home team.

“I don’t know what is wrong with people in this venue”, said a visibly ruffled Virat Kohli. He looked stressed and sounded emotional in front of the reporters when he complained that the crowd should have remembered that he played for India too. Well,  last night, he wasn’t playing for India. He was playing as the opposition team captain and the crowd only played their part in piling on the misery. It was a big match where emotions ran high and it was perhaps one of those “heat of the moment” incidents that often happen on a cricket field.

1987, Wankhede Stadium – Sunil Gavaskar

2005, Wankhede Stadium – Sachin Tendulkar

2005, Eden Gardens – Rahul Dravid

2013, Wankhede Stadium – Virat Kohli

It’s an elite list that comprises of India’s best cricketers throughout the generations. However, the above dates enlist the days that these heroes would love to forget. Last night, Virat Kohli saw the real face of the Indian cricket fans. They are passionate, supportive but they can really get under your skin when they want to. They forget too easy and spare no one. The Wankhede once booed Sachin Tendulkar for his painfully slow 34 ball 1 run innings and the Eden Gardens  barracked Rahul Dravid for leaving Sourav Ganguly out.

Now Virat Kohli finds himself into this elite list and he shouldn’t be the one complaining. He’s passionate, plays the game hard and wants to win. He never takes a backward step and has always been at the throat of the opposition.  So, if the crowd was passionate to see their team win, Kohli shouldn’t have got so serious about it. This IPL has got him a little rattled. Even though he’s been superb with the bat, captaining a high profile side is surely teaching him a thing or two. Gavaskar, Tendulkar and Dravid weren’t spared even when they wore the Indian colours; so being roughed up by the crowd in an IPL game shouldn’t bother him much.

IPL is a strange competition. Here brothers fight against each other, Ponting and Harbhajan embrace friendship and superstars turn into villains in a matter of three hours. It may be scripted but it can make even the best lose the plot. It’s fun and it’s tough. After all…“Yeh  IPL hai boss … yahan… Koi nahi bachega!”

Big totals, great display of batting, first 100 and yet another close finish for CSK. The game between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings had everything that an IPL addict could have asked for. If Shane Watson brought up the first 100 of this edition’s IPL, Chennai Super Kings made light work of a big total. A great match for the spectators that had quite a few interesting points to talk about.

Jason Holder – the Big foot!

@albiemorkel 13 Apr
Hey @discoverychannel. I found Big Foot today. He is in Chennai!

After Ankit Rajpoot and Mohit Sharma, MS Dhoni decided to give another youngster, Jason Holder, a go. Though he looked like an evolved version of the great Joel Garner, his military medium pace was best suited for Watson’s carnage. He didn’t do much with the ball except trying to bounce Dravid, but what was interesting was Albie Morkel’s tweet where he called him ‘the Big Foot’. Looking at the snap above, it seems CSK has finally found one!

Watson show – “Wat” an innings!

A first ball boundary off Mohit Sharma signalled his intentions and the straight six in the next over sent a chill down the CSK fans. Although he bludgeoned the CSK bowlers, Watson was lucky to survive a difficult drop catch, a missed run out and a superb flying effort from Bravo. However, it was an incredible innings to watch from the big Aussie and MS Dhoni must be wishing that ACB hands him back the vice captaincy again before their reverse leg!

Ashwin’s new delivery – another mystery unveiled?

4th ball of the 11th over and India’s mystery man, R Ashwin, sprang up a surprise. If the opposition thought they had his carrom ball figured out, Ashwin churned out a new variation – a back of the hand delivery that resembled Anil Kumble’s googly. The ball came out much slower and Watson, who was taken by surprise, was forced to play out a rare dot ball.

Bravo vs. Chandila – Anybody can dance!

If Bravo thought he was the only contestant auditioning for Dance India Dance, he found an able counterpart in Ajit Chandila. If Bravo displayed his break dancing skills after he deceived Dravid with a superb slower one, Chandila put on his dancing show after snapping up Vijay. Bravo has been showing off his different jigs throughout the tournament but now, with Chandila joining in, it seems he has to think about a few more moves and try a little harder for that “Nayi Soch” award!

Mike Hussey – Just too classy!

“Oye Hussey bas kar yaar…” – that’s exactly what Rahul Dravid must have been thinking as Mike Hussey played yet another classy innings. He may have retired from International cricket but this Aussie just refuses to run out of gas and the yellow jersey brings the best out of him. Even at the age of 37, he’s one of the key players in this Super Kings set up and is perhaps one of the most versatile batsman who can play various roles according to situation. He can not only anchor the innings, but also can go berserk any time he wants.

Jadeja vs RR – the Royal battle!

If the battle on the field was between Sir Ravindra Jadeja and Rajasthan Royals, in the studios there was another Jadeja taking on another RR – Ajay Jadeja and Rochelle Rao. A welcome change from Sidhu’s stale sharayis and ever-so-bored Sameer Kochhar, finally extra innings made good viewing even with the mute button on!

However, the on-field battle didn’t go as expected. 45 runs considered in 3 overs and a second ball duck – that was Sir Jadeja’s contribution on the field today. After a few stunning all round performances last week, Ravindra Jadeja suffered at the hands of the Royals today. If Shane Watson deposited him four times in the stands, Faulkner showed him the way back with a stunning yorker. A rare bad day for Jadeja and one that might feature in the Ripleys’ Believe it or Not Series.

And finally the last over. Dhoni’s helicopter didn’t take off and with 11 to get in the last over, Dravid entrusted Watson with the ball. Morris got a single off the first ball and then Bravo did what he had to. He hit a six over covers and then jogged two twos to overhaul the Royals’ total. As the dug out erupted and ran towards him, guess what he did? No points for guessing this one…the Chakachaka dance to celebrate a fabulous win!

“Punjabiyaan di battery charge rehndi hai”

As soon as Sunil Narine missed the last ball from Praveen Kumar, the DJ at Mohali belted out the latest Honey Singh chart buster. The crowd erupted along with Priety Zinta as Kings XI Punjab pulled off an unlikely victory over Kolkata Knight Riders. Though the Kings XI delivered a power packed performance against the Knights, Priety Zinta would have preferred a Duracell version of the Kings players, rather than a “local-made” leaky cell that discharged very quickly against the Sunrisers!

That’s how the Kings XI have been for the last three years. They have been scratchy, inconsistent and have somehow held on to a lower midtable position. Even in this edition of the IPL, the Mohali-based team has fought well with their low scores but hasn’t been good enough to translate them into results. So with only two wins from their five games, Kings XI is all set for yet another disappointing season.

But it shouldn’t have been the case. The franchise started off being one of the glamorous ones with a star owner in Priety Zinta at the helm. They produced a star in Shaun Marsh that season and went on to clinch a semi final berth after winning nine games in a row. But just as they looked geared up for a strong second season, the wheels turned in the opposition direction. They were hit by racism rows, faced termination from the IPL and spent more time sorting out legal issues than fixing their cricketing snags.

But leaving aside the issues that go beyond the boundary lines, there are gaping holes in this Punjab unit that the management needs to mend immediately if they aspire to compete with the heavyweights and finish anywhere in the top half of the table.

Adam Gilchrist – the misfiring Maestro!

The entire team looks disorganised and the trying-hard-to-smile face of Adam Gilchrist gives away the fact that he can’t do much about it. Even before he finds the best combination for his team, the explosive Aussie needs to find a way to get off the mark. Although he looked much better against the Sunrisers, let’s admit that this Adam Gilchrist is miles away even from the shadow of the man who changed the definition of the term “wicket keeper – batsman.” He looks in woeful touch and perhaps is one of the most prominent weak links of this Kings squad. His wicketkeeping skills are still as good as anyone, but with the bat the 41-year old looks all at sea. He definitely adds a lot of value as a captain but when the leader is surrounded with self doubts, it doesn’t augur well for the side. At the end of last season, he said that he would retire and in retrospect, that might have been the right call.

The Batting – thin as wafer!

4 wickets in 5 balls against the Sunrisers, 6 wickets for 32 runs against the Super Kings and a collapse against the Rajasthan Royals – batting is the biggest area of concern for Darren Lehmann. Except the match against the Knight Riders, where MS Gony donned his “Dhoni” avatar, the Kings XI has not put up the big scores on the board. The top order has failed to give a solid start and the middle order hasn’t come to the rescue. There is an evident lack of solidity and fire power, and the likes of Mandeep Singh, Manan Vohra, Gurkeerat Singh, and to some extent even David Hussey, have played the big shots a bit too early in their innings.

Local Indian core – latent talent!

Teams like Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab are the most favourable destinations for the talented Indian youngsters. These two teams have encouraged the local Indian players more than any other franchise and it’s much easier to sneak into a batting line up that doesn’t boast the Rainas, the Sharmas and the Kohlis. If  Unmukt Chand and Anirudh Srikkant are cursing themselves after wasting opportunities, Manan Vohra, Mandeep Singh and Gurkeerat Singh have enjoyed great batting numbers but have flattered to deceive with their one-off displays. Mandeep Singh has not lived up to his Ranji trophy form, while Manan Vohra, occupying the lip-smacking number three spot, hasn’t done justice to his talent. Gurkeerat took a stunner at fine leg but is yet to deliver an eye-catching performance with the willow.

Even though the bowlers have been the saving grace for the Kings XI, the Indian contingent is yet to step up to the plate. Praveen Kumar has been the only one who has struck consistently but his Indian team-mates, Parvinder Awana and Piyush Chawla, haven’t lent him a helping hand. Awana has shared the new ball with Praveen Kumar but has been a let down with his erratic displays. Piyush Chawla has been economical but is yet to come up with an Amit Mishra-esque performance.

Foreign contingent – age isn’t just a number!

Adam Gilchrist (41), Azhar Mahmood (38), David Hussey (35), Dimitri Mascarenhas (35) and Ryan Harris (33) – the Kings XI Punjab’s foreign contingent has the look of a retirement home for International cricketers. Even among the other three foreign recruits, only David Miller (23) is below the age of 25, with both Luke Pomerbasch and Shaun Marsh nearing the 30 mark. Age may be just a number, but for athletes it is a big number. Although the evergreen Mike Hussey and Rahul Dravid keep pushing themselves, the Kings XI foreign recruits haven’t produced any return on investment. Gilchrist’s heroics are a story of the past and David Hussey has miles to go to match his brother’s exploits. Though Azhar Mahmood has bowled well in patches, the T20 veteran hasn’t set the world on fire with his batting.

However, Shaun Marsh, whose absence has stung the team badly, is on his way to join the squad after recuperating from his tendon injury and with him back at the top of the order, the batting will look much stronger. But who will be their four foreign players? Will Gilchrist sit out? Or will Miller make way for Marsh?

Things don’t look that pretty for the Kings and the road ahead for Lehmann and Gilchrist is bumpy, but then again they were the ones who combined together to lead the now-disbanded Deccan Chargers to their IPL success. But with this team, it’s unlikely that they will replicate their success because the team lacks depth and there is no evident bench strength. However, Priety Zinta would be hoping that the Australian duo can work their magic and so would the fans. We would hope that too, because a smiling Priety Zinta celebrating in the dugout is still one of the best sights in the Pepsi IPL!

“There are two kinds of angry people in this world: explosive and implosive….” And then there is Virat Kohli – The angry young man of Indian cricket.

It all began with a cheeky single. The batsman ran for a quick single, the bowler stood his ground, there was a collision and bang, and the fireworks started. In a game that features Chris Gayle carting his opposition to all parts of the ground, very rarely does anything else becomes the talking point. However, two of India’s cricketing superstars decided to have an on-field tête-à-tête that nudged the Gayle-storm off the headlines.

Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir are India’s leading batsmen and perhaps two of the biggest motormouths in the modern era. If Gambhir has been at loggerheads with the Aussies and the Pakistanis before, Kohli has had his bit of drama with the crowd and umpires. Over the years, India were labelled as a team of “good boys” who hardly retorted when the opposition had a thing or two to say. Not anymore!

Yesterday, when Gambhir went for the run and collided with Henriques, things were said. Gambhir responded with a mouthful and a fabulous innings, but it didn’t end there. More drama followed when Virat Kohli sliced his shot to deep point that resulted in an easy catch. While he was headed for the dugout, someone gave him a send off and that was enough to flare up the situation. It was a bad shot and Kohli should have left the ground. Instead, both Kohli and Gambhir, the two Delhi boys, charged at each other, showing off their imperious vocabulary. These were the captains of their respective sides, by the way.

When asked about the spat after the game, both captains shrugged it off with cliches like ” heat of the moment” and “it happens on the field”.  It made for great television but it definitely wasn’t a good sign for things to come. Social media exploded with “Delhi ke bande” connotations, but that didn’t take away much from the vulgarity of the situation. It looked ugly and Virat Kohli should now realise that his show of aggression is hurting his brand. This is not the first time that Kohli has got involved in an on-field incident. The finger act in Australia and his over-the-top celebrations have already booked him trips to the match referee’s office; but now, he’s perilously close to crossing the line. Not only in this IPL, but even in the Test series against Australia did he show his displeasure at umpiring decisions that didn’t go his way.

Cricket is a tough sport and the cricketers are under the hammer constantly. Emotions run high because the stakes are higher and there is an understandable increase in the adrenaline levels under these circumstances. No one wants to lose and the extra effort to win is visible. The last ball finishes and super overs have turned every game into a pressure cooker situation.

According to Adam Gilchrist -

“I think when it gets so aggressive in the sporting arena, it’s a sign of respect. You feel threatened by an opponent so you play harder and it might lead to heated confrontation…”

True. One has to play hard to win; and to win against a quality opposition, one tries that much harder. But where does one draw the line?

Sledging has always been a part of cricket and if used intelligently, it’s effective too. The key, however, is to identify the moment and the players because different cricketers react differently. Some players like Tendulkar and Ponting respond by raising their game, while a few buckle under the continuous badgering. The right things said at the right time can crumble a player’s confidence; but just swearing at someone is neither effective nor acceptable.

At the dawn of the new millennium, a certain Indian captain decided to shed the “good boy” cloak and started fighting fire with fire. He inspired a new generation of cricketers who started “giving it back” to the opposition. Steve Waugh was miffed, Ricky Ponting was challenged and Shahid Afridi was taught a lesson. However, Andre Nel suffered the worst when he got a live demonstration of Sreesanth doing his version of the Kathakali in cricketing whites. We, the Indian cricket fans, loved it because Indian cricket made a monumental shift from the PG-certified behaviour to the Attitude Era.

Today’s Indian cricketers have grown up watching India play some of its best matches under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly. He was a no-nonsense man and hardly took a step back. Whether it was making Waugh wait for the toss or going topless at Lords, Dada has never stopped himself from expressing his emotions. However, he used it judiciously and never crossed his line. What he did was the need of the hour because Indian cricket needed a face-lift. He was tough but never abusive.

The next man in, MS Dhoni, is a complete opposite. He is calm, composed and rarely shows his emotions on the ground. He believes in controlled aggression and channels his anger into his game rather than venting it out on his opponent. He leads a team of youngsters who are filled with enthusiasm and passion. Cricket has changed. It’s more competitive and so the players are much more aggressive. They often lose their cool and do things that hurts the eye, but MS Dhoni’s calm demeanor keeps them check.

Virat Kohli is the best of this pack of young men and is the favourite to ascend MS Dhoni’s throne. His skill and his temperament has never been under the scanner, but now his leadership is being tested. His captaincy of the the Royal Challengers this season will give the selectors a perfect sneak peek of whether he’s fit enough to flip the coin donning that Indian blazer. He doesn’t need to win the IPL to prove his credential as a captain; however, he has to make his mark and stand out as a leader.

He’s aggressive, passionate, wants to win and his team will play firebrand cricket. However, there is a very thin line between being tough and being abusive. He should by now realise that being too hot isn’t that cool; because at the end of the day, he’s competing on a cricket field and not in a fight club. Shoulder charges, swearing, screaming at the opposition might make you look tough, but it takes a lot more than that to lead a team to victory.

The IPL is in full swing and to be honest, it has set the tone to be the best edition held over the last six years. This IPL has been different, distinctly different. Though the tournament started off with its usual dose of controversy, this IPL has actually managed to stay away from non-cricketing headlines in the first week. There has been a visible elevation in the standard of cricket and unknown and forgotten Indian faces have decided to send a reminder to the Indian selectors.

The Indian selectors, under Sandeep Patil, however, have had a decent run of late. Often in Indian cricket, the five stooges in the selection committee are referred to as “jokers” and tagged as mindless and biased judges. They have often faced the wrath of the fans and serve as their punching bag every time the Men in Blue fail to live up to the expectations. This year though, the five wise men have had it easy on them. Of course, the demolition of the Aussies has helped, but the real reason has been a sign of intent from them. After the failure against England in the home series, Sandeep Patil and his colleagues have swung for the fences and have delivered quite a substantial blow. They have sent a clear signal to the players that the blue uniform is not to be taken for granted and there are better options waiting in the wings.

The best attribute of this selection committee has been their direct approach. They talk less, act more and have been lethal. They have gone about their business quietly (and effectively) and have not created a stir in the media. They have stayed away from “Shuddup Boss!” moments but have not minced their words. They haven’t ‘rested’ any player till now, but have dropped them. They showed the door to Gautam Gambhir before the Aussies arrived, and now have cut off the names of three more superstars from the probables list for the Champions Trophy. While Zaheer Khan is still plagued by his injuries, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh have faced the axe due to some pathetic performances.

It was inevitable. Zaheer Khan can be considered a tad unlucky, but Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh had it coming. They have been on the hit-list for some time now and the rise of Ashwin, Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan sealed the deal for them. Though Gambhir sneaked into the probables list, the chances of him making it to the final eleven look bleak. Not only has he got Vijay and Dhawan to contend with, the presence of Ajinkya Rahane and Unmukt Chand makes it quite a difficult proposition for the Knight Riders captain.

However, one should laud the selectors for resting their faith in the youngsters. They clearly have an eye on Mission 2015 and have taken it on themselves to trim off the extra fat from the Indian unit. Not only have they been precise, they have, very cleverly, put the ball in the players’ court. By announcing the probables within the first week of the IPL, they have thrown a challenge to both, the ones they’ve picked and the ones they’ve omitted - perform and get selected! A few veterans have already recognised the signs and have upped the ante. Amit Mishra, Dinesh Karthik and Vinay Kumar have hit the ground running while the young guns are also set to stake their claim.

Though the newbies and the forgotten ones have already locked horns in the battle, Sehwag, Harbhajan and Zaheer Khan are still under the radar. Though Harbhajan Singh has featured for Mumbai Indians, Zaheer Khan and Sehwag haven’t donned their franchise jerseys yet. While Sehwag is out with a back spasm, Zaheer Khan is still nursing his calf injury which he suffered during one of the Ranji encounters. When will we see them in action? There’s no clear answer to that but the sooner, the better. If Delhi’s batting is a train wreck, Bangalore can’t depend on Vinay Kumar to bail them out every single time.

Not only for their franchises, this time the Indian superstars also have a personal battle to fight. These three have been India’s marquee players for over a decade now and under Sourav Ganguly, they dazzled the world with their performances. Sehwag is still one of the most feared batsmen around the world, Harbhajan Singh can still rip through sides while Zaheer Khan has elevated himself to a level where the world calls him “the Professor of swing”. There has never been any doubts about their skill because they know their art and belong to an elite cricketing group. However, the apprehensions now, are mostly about their fitness, temperament, tenacity and intent.

“Do you still have it in you?” – the question is loud and clear. Will they be able to make a comeback? Maybe in the whites, but will we see them wearing the Indian blue jersey again? We should, because they are still among the finest craftsmen in the game and this IPL presents them with an opportunity to display their mettle to fight against the ones with the younger legs and better reflexes. A few years back, a man in his late 30s did it and did it with elan. Can these three follow the man who made them? Can Sehwag, Zaheer and Harbhajan take this opportunity to silence their critics and revive the careers?

The motto of the IPL is ‘Where Talent meets Opportunity’ and the Indian selectors have taken full advantage of it. They have given  everyone a fair opportunity. Will the veterans earn their places back or will the youngsters put an end to their career? The bell has rung, the fight has started and it promises to be an interesting one.

IPL has always been about Bollywood, the cheerleaders, the parties and the controversies. But this time, it’s just a little different!

The sixth season of the IPL has begun on the wrong foot with a host of injury woes and high profile absentees for Delhi Daredevils. Not only do they face the wrong questions, they also take on the mighty Kolkata Knight Riders in their opening match. The Delhi boys have been the underachievers in the IPL with two semifinals and a play-off under their belt. They start off brilliantly but have somehow lost the plot regularly in the business end of the tournament.

This season, Mahela and his men would be out there to prove the critics wrong. But even before they take the field, a string of bad news have plagued them. First, the unavailability of Kevin Pietersen and then the assault on Jesse Ryder has left the Daredevils batting line-up in a tangle. The swap of Ross Taylor for Ashish Nehra weakened the batting, and with Sehwag pulling out of the opening game due to a back spasm, the entire batting will hinge on David Warner, Mahela Jayawardene and the upcoming Indian star Unmukt Chand. Against a bowling attack that includes Brett Lee, Sunil Narine, L. Balaji and Jacques Kallis, the Delhi batting might just be found wanting.

However, Delhi has always boasted of a dangerous pace attack and this season they have bolstered the slow bowling department. The addition of Johan Botha and Jeevan Mendis has provided them with the cutting edge they needed on the slower tracks of Chennai and Kolkata. The fast bowling will be led by Morne Morkel and Umesh Yadav while Irfan Pathan will come back after an injury lay-off. The presence of Ajit Agarkar and Andre Russell will enhance the fast bowling reserves while Ashish Nehra will look to make his mark.

Delhi may have a few issues with the big players, but their domestic core is perhaps one of the finest. Led by Unmukt Chand, Delhi comprises of a few of India’s finest youngsters in CM Gautam, Sidharth Kaul, Shahbaz Nadeem, Kedar Yadav and Manprit Juneja.

Conditions

Though the Eden Gardens has traditionally helped the spinners, the Delhi pacers ransacked the Knights last time they played there. Though the pitch will be slow and low, the lively pace of Umesh Yadav and Morne Morkel would test the opposition on any track. The humidity might help Pathan to swing a few while Botha and Jeevan Mendis would love to take advantage of the slowness of the track.

Head to Head

Though the 10 matches head to head shows a close 5-4 in favour of the Knight Riders, Delhi has lost 3 of the last five that they have played against them. Last season, in a rain curtailed game, Morne Morkel ran through the much famed Knight Riders, routing them for a mere 97. However, the Knights bounced back in the return game thanks to a fantastic half century from Brendon McCullum.

Key Players

Unmukt Chand – The Indian U-19 World Cup winning captain has been the buzz of the season. He has not only grabbed the eyeballs of the experts but also has been touted as the “next big thing” of Indian cricket. In the absence of Pietersen, he will occupy the number 3 batting slot and the team will look for a significant contribution from him.

David Warner – Warner has never had a great IPL. He has played a few good innings but has flattered to deceive in most. After a modest tour of India, Warner will be looking to come good in this IPL, and with a few stars missing from the line up, this might well be the opportunity for the hard hitting Aussie to carry his team home.

DD’s strategy:

Win the toss, bat first and unleash Morkel. With a steady bowling line up, the Daredevils can actually defend any score. However, it’s important to get a substantial score against a team like Knight Riders, who themselves have a solid batting line up. With Jayawardene, Warner and Chand at the top, Delhi’s batting is top heavy. They might send Naman Ojha up and get Mahela at four so as to get some experience down in the batting order.

Possible XI:

A tough one to predict. With no Sehwag, Delhi might have to opt for someone like CM Gautam or Kedar Yadav. But on an Eden Gardens pitch, they might just look to play either Botha or Jeevan Mendis along with Shahbaz Nadeem.

Mahela Jayawardene (c), David Warner, Unmukt Chand, Naman Ojha(wk), Kedar Yadav/CM Gautam, Venugopal Rao, Johan Botha, Irfan Pathan, Umesh Yadav, Morne Morkel, Shahbaz Nadeem.

The defending champions will be missing a few of their stars

The sixth edition of the IPL kicks off with the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, taking on the Delhi Daredevils at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. After 4 years of drought, the Kolkata franchise owned by Shah Rukh Khan finally lifted the trophy last year, defeating the Chennai Super Kings in their home territory. However, will they be able to defend their title?

Tipped as one of the favourites, Kolkata Knight Riders would love to kick start their campaign with a win against the Delhi Daredevils. Although the Daredevils boast of a strong side, KKR is perhaps one of the most balanced sides in this IPL.

However, the King’s men do have a few concerns. Apart from coming up against a strong unit like Delhi, their biggest worry will be the lack of form of their captain, Gautam Gambhir, who was dropped from the Indian side that took on the Australians at home. The IPL might well be seen as the return vehicle of the gritty left-hander, and some runs against his former franchise will definitely boost his dwindling confidence. But the injury to Brendon McCullum and the absence of Shakib-al-Hasan will sting the defending champions against a strong bowling side like Delhi.

However, KKR has enough depth in their squad and the absence of stars might open the doors for the likes of Ryan ten Doeschate and Eoin Morgan, who haven’t seen much first team action. Manoj Tiwary and Yusuf Pathan both had a modest IPL last season and will look to make amends to their reputation.

The bowling, however, looks strong and will challenge the Daredevils’ top-heavy batting line up. Brett Lee, L. Balaji and Shami Ahmed will take charge of the pace attack while Sunil Narine will be joined by another mystery man, Sachithra Senanayake. The medium pace of Rajat Bhatia will take care of the middle overs while Iqbal Abdulla and Yusuf Pathan will fill in when called on.

Conditions

Eden Gardens has been a happy hunting ground for the Knight Riders and the pitch has suited their bowlers. The pitch will be a traditional slow turner and will become slower as the game goes on. Stroke-making will be tough at the back end of the game, so the captain winning the toss might fancy getting the runs on the board first.

With summer setting in Kolkata, it is expected to be a humid day with the river breeze cooling things off as the game progresses. The humidity might play a part in the dew factor as well. However, like the last season, if the Kalboishakhi brings in a few showers, it might freshen up the pitch for the Delhi pacers.

Head to head

The Knights have won 5 out of the 10 matches when these two have faced each other. The teams met thrice last season, with both winning a piece in the group stages while Kolkata edged out Delhi in the first qualifier. In the first group stage fixture, a rain curtailed 12 overs affair, the Delhi bowlers had the Knight Riders hoping, and Morne Morkel and company left the Knights reeling at 97 for 9. The Daredevils chased it down with five balls to spare, much to the dismay of the Kolkata crowd.

However, the return match saw a much stronger performance from the Knight Riders, led by a superb fifty from Brendon McCullum. In the first qualifier, a strong performance from Knights’ bowlers and Yusuf Pathan saw Kolkata progress to the final.

Key players

Sachithra Senanayake – Might turn out to be the scoop of the season if he can turn it on with his mystery twin Sunil Narine. The Sri Lankan is rated very highly in his country and boasts of a variety of trickery in his repertoire.

Manvinder Bisla

Manvinder Bisla – He played the innings of his life against Chennai Super Kings in the finals of the last season and will definitely find a place in the side due to McCullum’s injury. He has all the shots in the book, and with his hitting prowess, can open up the game in a matter of few deliveries.

KKR strategy:

Play to their strength and let the track do the rest. Win the toss, bat first, get 160 plus and let Narine take over. Last season, their spinners dominated the home games and it shouldn’t be any different this time round. With Narine spearheading the slow bowling, they have an abundance of variety in the bowling department. Narine should go for the wickets while Senanayake, Abdulla and Pathan should look to stifle the opposition.

Possible XI:

McCullum is out, so is James Pattinson. Shakib is unavailable but Gambhir has recovered and will lead the side. Taking into account the venue, Knight Riders might pack their side with tweakers.

Gautam Gambhir (c), Jacques Kallis, Manvinder Bisla (wk), Manoj Tiwary, Yusuf Pathan, Debabrata Das/ Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Rajat Bhatiya, Sunil Narine, Brett Lee, L. Balaji/Iqbal Abdullah, Sachitra Senanayake.

Ravichandran Ashwin was the Man of the Series in the Border-Gavaskar trophy

Who was the most impressive Indian player in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar series? Quite a few actually. Murali Vijay finally found his footing in the Test arena, Pujara solidified the claims of him being the new “Wall”, Shikhar Dhawan made a dream debut while Ravindra Jadeja elevated himself to the “Rajnikanth” level. However, the man who topped charts with a sensational return to form was Ravinchandran Ashwin.

After a dream debut against the West Indies, Ashwin floundered in Australia. Back home again, he went on to feast on the Kiwis when they toured India last year. He bamboozled them with his variety, became the the quickest Indian to 50 Test wickets and staked his claim as the best spinner in India by edging out the temperamental Sardar. But then England arrived and Ashwin ran into Captain Cook and company. Not only did England dominate India to win the series, the English spinners gave the Indians a lesson on how to use the crumbling dust bowls. Though Pragyan Ojha managed to salvage some pride, Ashwin dished out a below average performance by finishing with just 14 wickets at 52.64 runs per wicket in the series.

The lacklustre show from the tall offie made the claims for the return of Harbhajan Singh stronger. The Turbanator not only made it to the squad against the Aussies, but also had Dhoni opt for him in the Chennai Test along with the home boy. The move of playing two off spinners made sense since Australia’s top order boasted of four left-handers. However, it was also a move that kept Ashwin under pressure.

Though most experts blamed his lack of penetration on his over usage of the carrom ball, in reality Ashwin had quite a few things to work on. Since his rise has been largely attributed to the IPL, Ashwin has always excelled in stifling the runs for the opposition. In the limited overs format, he has used his variety and accuracy to ebb the run flow effectively, that often led to the batsmen throwing away their wickets. Even in his first few series against the Windies and New Zealand, the batsmen weren’t adept to handle his carrom ball and found it difficult to cope.

England, though, was a different kettle of fish altogether. They were more prepared and had better quality batsmen. If Cook swept him off his line, Pietersen and Bell danced down the track to upset his length.  The runs leaked, the close in fielders moved away and Ashwin switched on his T20 mode. He moved away from the conventional off-break and brought his variations into play. He undercut the ball to have more control instead of giving it a rip. He shifted his line of attack from around the stumps and fired the ball into the right-handers’ pads, thus waiting for the batsmen to make mistakes rather than deceiving them with his guile.

However, the Australia series saw a remarkable change in the Tamil Nadu tweaker. The new pair of yellow sun glasses sparkled brightly while Ashwin choked the Aussies to a dusty death. He ended the series with 29 wickets at 20.10 in four Tests, deservingly collecting the Man of the Series award for his efforts. He not only picked up wickets a strike rate of a wicket every 8.4 overs, but also was a miser with an economy of 2.41 runs per over.

How did he turn it around in this series?

Simple, he got his basics in place and learnt from his mistakes. The line went back to outside the off stump and the variations were used judiciously. He made the batsmen play more and used the flight to good effect. He tossed it up above the eye line of the batsmen and lured them into making mistakes. If the flight foxed the batsmen in playing false shots, the dip and drift caught them in two minds. The action was seamless without the “pause”, the rhythm looked sound and a better pivot resulted in a lot more body going into each delivery.

Against England, he looked eager to use the quicker delivery and his carrom ball as his stock delivery rather than slipping it in as a surprise weapon. In this series, he looked more relaxed, restrained and bowled only 14 carrom balls over the entire series, with five of them resulting in wickets. It was clear that he gave much thought behind every delivery and flicked in the surprise one only when the batsman wasn’t expecting it. He evidently put more revolutions on the ball and his height enabled him to extract the extra bounce.

However, the biggest change in Ashwin was his increased patience. Once in an interview, Anil Kumble was asked “What gets a batsman out? The turn or the bounce?” Anil Kumble smiled and replied, “The pressure!” And that’s exactly what Ashwin displayed in this series. He maintained constant pressure on the Aussies with his immaculate accuracy that led to their downfall. He didn’t want to grab a wicket every ball but was ready to work for it. He bowled in the channel, kept the batsmen guessing and created pressure even when he wasn’t raking up the wickets.

His talent was never in question, but had a few question marks about his application. However, against the Australians, R. Ashwin showed that he was ready to sweat it out the old fashioned way. With 92 scalps in 16 Test matches, he’s on his way to break Anil Kumble’s record for the quickest Indian to 100 Test wickets. When asked about his turn around, he gave all his credit to his childhood coach Sunil Subramanian, who worked tirelessly with him to iron out the wrinkles with his delivery stride.

“I had to work on my delivery stride, it had got a little long during the England series and that was affecting the way I was delivering the ball…” – Ashwin said after being named the Man of the Series in the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

Years back, one small step for a man was regarded as one giant leap for mankind. Who knows, this one change in the delivery stride might just be the biggest leap for Ravichandran Ashwin!

India vs Australia – a rivalry based on completely cricketing terms. Neither is it played for a small urn, nor to maintain political ties. It’s played for pride, and perhaps that’s why it has often produced the highest quality of cricket. This series too, produced one of the most entertaining displays in recent times, though one side was completely overwhelmed. It was a tough examination for both teams, as they had quite a few boxes to tick for the future. India found their answers in Vijay, Pujara, Ashwin and Jadeja, while the Aussies went back scratching their heads, along with a few added problems that weren’t even on their syllabi.

However, there still remains a question that India hasn’t found an answer to – Sachin Tendulkar. After an encouraging start in Chennai, the maestro faded off, resurfacing that old chants of “when will he retire?” But he started the series brilliantly, didn’t he? Cover drive, leg glance, back-foot punch – his first three shots took the sting out of a raging James Pattinson. He not only tamed the Aussie quicks, but also averted what could have been a collapse for the inexperienced middle order. His partnership with Virat Kohli laid the platform for the assault that MS Dhoni launched to scar Micheal Clarke and his men for the rest of the series. The feet moved fluently, the bat swing was perfect, the balance looked good and the effects of the Ranji Trophy were visible.

However, it didn’t last long. Hyderabad saw the first failure, Mohali had the Smith aberration and Warner’s brilliance but Delhi witnessed the agony. The struggle was visible and the discomfort evident. That’s been the case for sometime now. Tendulkar has struggled to live up to the standards that he himself had set. He has raised the bar so high, that his own past has become his nemesis now. The reflexes have slowed down, maybe even the eyesight, and it’s normal with age and with every professional athlete. But Tendulkar is no normal athlete. He has been to places where no one’s dared and done things that no one’s dreamt of. So every time he misses the mark, questions are raised and fingers are pointed.

The fans want him to retire, and so do the experts. It’s not that they don’t want to see him in action. It’s because they want to have a perfect picture memory of their favourite cricketer. A memory that’s adorned by his glorious drives, wristy flicks, audacious lofted hits and the sizzling square cuts. They don’t want to see a Tendulkar who grafts and struggle for his runs. They want him to go because it’s just not attractive any more. They want to remember him as the destroyer of the mighty Shane Warne, and not as some batsman who kept misjudging Nathan Lyon.

Once upon a time, a wonder kid stood up to the wrath of Wasim and Waqar, and said “main khelunga” with a bleeding nose. The cricket world sat up, took notice and said, “This kid’s going to be the best the world.” He grew up and kept his promise. Records tumbled and the world bowed to his greatness. But things gradually changed. The form dipped, the injuries took a toll, and the run flow dried. Suddenly, God seemed mortal and the devotees panicked. That’s how the game is. It’s a great leveller, and it takes away more than it gives. A man who scored a hundred as a hobby has now gone almost two years without taking off that helmet to thank his stars.

But is this really the end? Did Kettelborough’s raising left-index finger end the journey of the most celebrated sportsman that India has ever seen? Was the walk back to the pavilion at Kotla with his head down, the last memory of Sachin Tendulkar donning the whites for India?

Tendulkar, today, finds himself in a time when things aren’t going his way. It’s hitting him hard, and he looks desperate to arrest the fall. It’s not easy for someone like Tendulkar to swallow his pride and wrestle against bowlers whom he, in his prime, would have decimated without breaking a sweat. But this phase might just unleash a different side of the man. A more human side that scripts a richer story than those years of undisputed supremacy.

Experts say that he has nothing more to achieve. True, there aren’t enough records to break, but there is still something that’s worth playing for. Pride. Pride is what got him here, and people like Tendulkar need a challenge. Come November, he might get that chance. It would be stern test, but maybe it would be a good time to give up the grafting and get back to the good, old fashion blunt force that made him the most feared batsman in the world. Maybe it’s time to take out the 3.5 lbs bat and deliver some pile-driving punches that will rattle the experts, the fans and the world’s best bowling attack for one last time.

Yes, the reflexes are waning, the shots are limited, the knees can’t take the pounding and it’s harder to recover from niggles. But then again that’s when champions rise for their final salvo because….

“Going in one more round when you don’t think you can – that’s what makes all the difference in your life.”

- Rocky Balboa

Virat Kohli

The Delhi dasher came into bat at number three after a superb opening partnership from the makeshift Indian opening pair. After keeping the Australians at bay for 25 overs, Pujara  was castled by Lyon and in walked Kohli with the intent to pile up the misery for the Aussies. The bowling lacked sting and India was all set to bat Australia out of the game. However, Kohli, strangely, seemed out of his zone and failed to cash in. The stylish right-hander looked all at sea in front of an inspired Nathan Lyon before missing a straight one. He tried to flick the ball through mid-wicket, missed the line and was caught plumb in front. However, he looked unhappy with the decision when the replays clearly showed that the umpire had made the right call. And while on his way out, he got into a verbal confrontation with a chirpy David Warner. Definitely not a happy day for the home boy!

Sachin Tendulkar

After the first Test at Chennai, runs have been hard to come by for the Little Master. Today, he walked into a roaring ovation from the Kotla crowd after Kohli was dismissed. The stage was set. India needed a partnership and Tendulkar needed a big one. However, it didn’t work out that way. After surviving a couple of LBW scares (pretty close ones), Tendulkar failed to capitalise on the start he got before succumbing to Nathan Lyon. His 53 ball foray at the crease was one of his most uncomfortable stays with the Master struggling to pick up the Australian offie. Siddle and Pattinson too had a go at Tendulkar with their share of short stuff. Tendulkar played a couple of delightful boundaries but never looked settled on the wearing Kotla pitch. His laborious innings of 32 finally ended when he misjudged the length (again!) from Lyon, handing the New South Wales lad his third wicket.

MS Dhoni

The Indian captain came out firing on all cylinders. He signalled his intentions loud and clear as he drove Lyon to the cover fence on the first ball he faced. With the Australians turning on the heat, MS Dhoni was the perfect man to soak in the pressure. After the dismissal of Tendulkar, he pulled Siddle, drove Lyon, ran on the wicket and made Dave Warner angry. The Indian captain received a warning from Aleem Dar for running on the pitch before getting into an ugly confrontation with David Warner. Warner gave a piece of his mind to Dhoni, who preferred to reply with a smile. However, the heroics of the Indian captain were cut short by James Pattinson who forced him to play a short arm jab that nested safely in the hands of Shane Watson. It was an innings that promised but couldn’t blossom.

Mitchell Johnson

The Australian all-rounder has had a forgettable match till now. If Ashwin got the better of him yesterday, today he had only himself to blame. The tattooed pace man from Australia sprayed the ball all over the pitch and had a horrible day while fielding. Though the Indian batsmen were tested by his short balls, the bearded left-hander couldn’t do justice to the help he received from the Kotla track. He was largely erratic with his lines and gave away valuable runs through overthrows. Even while backing up, he cut a sorry figure as he missed a throw from the deep that almost hit his abdomen.

Richard Kettleborough

If Aleem Dar made a few iffy decisions yesterday, Kettleborough came up with a couple of howlers today. First he declared Sachin Tendulkar not out, twice, when the Indian maestro was caught plumb in front by Nathan Lyon. Tendulkar premeditated the sweep, went down on one knee and missed a straight one from Lyon. The ball would have gone on to crashed into the middle stump but Kettleborough didn’t move, much to the shock of the Aussies. In the same over, Tendulkar went on the back foot and missed another one from Lyon. Though it wasn’t as close as the first one, it would have definitely clipped the leg stump. However, Kettleborough compensated his faux pas by raising his finger against Ravindra Jadeja, who padded up against Glenn Maxwell. Though the batsman didn’t offer a shot, the ball didn’t do enough and wasn’t going to hit the stumps. A bad day at the office for the man from England that made the case for DRS even stronger!

“We believed we could win the Test” – Michael Clarke.

Furrowed brow, folded arms, taut jaws and pain in the eyes – That’s how Michael Clarke stepped up to express his views at the post match interview. As Ravi Shastri asked him about the mood in the camp, a smile along with a slight shake of the head gave away his helplessness.

Michael Clarke is a proud man and has been a part of a proud team. Whether replacing his helmet with the Baggy Green before reaching his debut hundred or tormenting India last winter with his magical form, Clarke has always been the one dictating the terms. He has always been a part of a wolf pack who have attacked, decimated and bullied the opposition into submission. However, the tour of India has always been the “final frontier”. On previous tours, history has been created, heroes have emerged and careers have ended. This time, the bully has been bullied and the ego has been scathed.

“There will be no break between the Test matches. There will be a lot of hard work, I can assure you. You don’t get better sitting on the couch.” – Michael Clarke.

After complete submission in the first two Tests, Clarke looked angry, hurt and took charge of the situation. However, it all went pear shaped during the week long break. Aussie cricket made headlines with their disciplinary act and became a laughing stock in the social media. The ‘homework-gate’ not only magnified the niggles the team was facing, but also exposed the fragile leadership in the current Australian contingent.

“I think I have no choice now….I have to bat higher up” – Michael Clarke

He did but didn’t disturb the scorers. The current Border-Gavaskar series has put Clarke in a position that’s not familiar to him. His run flow has ebbed since the first Test, his side has given in too easily and Ravindra Jadeja, of all people, has cast a spell on him. Caught, bowled, bowled, stumped and caught – that’s what Jadeja did to him in his last five outings. Even before the tour started, Clarke had enough worries with the dust bowls, the turn, the heat and the uneven bounce but Jadeja didn’t figure even in his wildest nightmares. But that’s how things turn, both on Indian tracks and in life.

Almost a year ago, MS Dhoni, wearing a salt-pepper stubble, was ducking brickbats thrown by the media and the fans after his side’s horrific performances down under. Suddenly now, his Midas touch is back, the rifts have been mended, the wrinkles have been ironed out and his opposition is truly down and under. And he has done all that with an extremely mediocre team.

A lot has been said about how this Australian team is the worst ever to tour India. Even Sourav Ganguly (yes, again!) commented that he hasn’t seen a worse Aussie team. The media too, has tried to downgrade the Indian team’s success. However, people forgot that India also had their share of troubles. If the Aussies lost Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey, India had Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman bowing out of the team. If the Aussies had an unsettled batting order, India didn’t boast of a frightening bowling attack. If Watson got detained for not submitting his homework, Sehwag was shown the door for his non-existent footwork. If Australia’s weak link was their spinners, India had to put up with a young debutant pacer and his erratic, long maned partner. Both sides had their issues but India has managed to camouflage their’s better, thanks to homely conditions and a few exceptional performances from unexpected players.

After a long time, both side were bereft of their geniuses and the battle was between the unproven talents. It wasn’t about the Waughs, the Gangulys, the Warnes, the Dravids or the Laxmans this time. Even the presence of Tendulkar and Clarke faded as the series progressed. Both teams banked on potential and had a host of youngsters to boot with. The Indian team has had two players, Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, making their debut this series with a third one looking probable at Delhi. Then there was Vijay staging a comeback after a modest Ranji season and above all, MS Dhoni had to deal with the criticism of placing Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Pragyan Ojha. On the other hand, for Australia, Moises Henriques and Glenn Maxwell earned their Baggy Greens while Xavier Doherty made a comeback.

“A captain is as good as his team” – one of the most used sporting cliches suddenly caught up with Michael Clarke. True, he doesn’t have the best team at his disposal and there are gaping holes in every department. The batting is weak, the bowling is ordinary but it still is a good team, a team that defied South Africa. But then again, good is not good enough when better is expected. More than the lack of skills, it’s their lack of intensity that have stung Aussies the most and that’s where India gained the upper hand. Players, whose selection raised the eyebrows of many, came together and won the series for India. Vijay has been rock solid after the Chennai failures, Kumar has swung it enough to create the ripples, Dhawan made the most entertaining debut while Ravindra Jadeja has been nothing short of a revelation.

This Indian team doesn’t feature many who may go on to etch their names in cricketing history or become legends but this unit, perhaps, has delivered the most important series win in recent times that India so desperately needed. Back to back whitewashes, beaten and bruised at home, the Men in Blue were bleeding bad. They had to win and win big. They needed to knock the stuffing out of a good side to arrest the fall and turn the wheel in the other direction. This win should get the confidence back and set India on the right track again.

“I don’t think of revenge in sport” – MS Dhoni maintained his calm demeanour and underplayed an emphatic 3-0 lead, yet again. But the measured grin on the face displayed the satisfaction and signalled that he is hungry for more. The Aussies, however, are searching for answers to the questions they haven’t faced before and hence look clueless. Will they be able to avert a whitewash? Highly unlikely, because India look sharp and has finally rediscovered “the eye of a tiger”! The series might be won but the work isn’t done yet. It’s time to inflict a knockout punch and it’s set up brilliantly for Delhi.

Prediction for the fight? As Clubber Lang would put it – Pain!

More than the comments, the back tracking was not required from someone of the stature of Sourav Ganguly.

“It would be wrong to assume that there are no inputs from Dhoni in selection matters. If a captain asks for a particular player, it is difficult for the selectors to say no. So I believe there were inputs from Dhoni even if he may not attend selection meetings,” - Sourav Ganguly.

On Saturday, Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian skipper, expressed his views on Sehwag being dropped in the media. Not only did he hint at Dhoni’s role behind Sehwag’s exclusion, he vehemently took a dig at the performances of Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni himself.

“I am very surprised at his exclusion. If Sachin (Tendulkar) and Dhoni who have been struggling with their respective forms can be persisted with, then what’s wrong with Sehwag?” his statement read.

Though his comments raised a few eyebrows among fans and experts, not many openly opposed or discarded Dada’s views. Dropping Sehwag was an easy call for the selectors but Sourav Ganguly did have a point when he said,

“He has completely changed the grammar of Test match opening. The sheer number of runs and the manner in which he has scored them, India will miss his presence.”

Very true. A player of Sehwag’s class and calibre is tough to drop because of the simple reason that there’s no replacement for him. He is a special player with special abilities and has achieved numerous feats that are beyond the grasp of most normal batsmen. However, not many would argue with his exclusion. Lately, his performances have been patchy and have lacked conviction. He has not shown any signs of regaining his lost touch and has lived on one-off innings. His multiple injuries have also taken a toll on his fitness which in turn has affected his performances.

However, this isn’t about Sehwag, but about Sourav Ganguly. Ganguly voiced his opinion and did make his point (very strongly!) on Saturday but in a span of 24 hours, Dada did a “Fosbury Flop”. On Sunday, he played a different tune and gave Dhoni the benefit of the doubt.

“It’s very difficult to say whether Dhoni has a hand in Sehwag’s exclusion but normally captains do have a say in team selection.”

Not only did he let Dhoni off the hook, he dumped his allegations on the selection committee.

“That doesn’t mean that captains’ opinion is taken all the time by the selectors. At times, they do listen and at times they don’t. So it’s very difficult to say whether Dhoni had a hand in Sehwag’s exclusion.”

The question arises – why? Why would someone like Ganguly make a statement like he did on Saturday and then retract his views within 24 hours? Was he asked to? Or was it just a publicity stunt pulled in front of the media to grab some eyeballs?

In the last decade, cricket commentary and post match shows have reached a new low. The ex-cricketers and so-called-experts grace the TV channels and with their minimal knowledge of the game, deliver little substance. But with the emergence of the new breed of commentators in Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Shane Warne, Paul Collingwood and recently Matthew Hayden, the broadcast has elevated its quality by a few notches. The new set of commentators have brought in a fresh approach and have refrained from targeting players in order to settle their personal scores.

However, the comments from Ganguly have surprised quite a few. There’s no harm in expressing your opinion but blaming the captain of the national team for exclusion of a certain player doesn’t sound like the man who had once led India with pride and distinction. Even though Dhoni has broken his captaincy record, for the fans, Dada still remains the undisputed ‘Macho man’ of Indian cricket who was the main architect of Team India. So blaming Dhoni for Sehwag’s exclusion wasn’t something we expected from the person who, on various times, has been a target of unwarranted criticism.

This is not the first time that Ganguly has taken a stance. Even back in his captaincy days, he was never short of a word and his bold statements made cricket more interesting. Whether playing mind games with Steve Waugh or locking horns with Greg Chappell, Dada did it all with a lot of class and élan. Even now, he was right to express his views and support Sehwag. He perhaps knows more about Sehwag than most because the ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’ was one of Dada’s boys who once formed the nucleus of Team India. But one expected him to stick to his view and not go back and “clarify” what he actually meant.

We have always despised the ex-cricketers who go on TV programs with personal agendas. We have made fun of the commentators who deliver biased clichés about certain superstars. But when someone like Sourav Ganguly goes to and fro clarifying his comments, it saddens cricket lovers. No one has ever denied his cricketing intellect nor has anyone challenged his opinion in the past. The ones who tried didn’t survive, and for good reasons. But this time neither his statement nor the track back had much meat to it. Even then, no one expected Ganguly to go back on his words. Was he asked by “someone” to clarify it? If he was, it’s not surprising. This has been a trend for some time and Ganguly himself has exercised it when a couple of ex-cricketers made crass comments about him and his team. One lost his job at the network, while the other voiced an on-air apology while Ganguly was at the commentary box. But was it necessary for Dada to follow the same route?

It’s not the first time that people have used the “I have been misquoted” excuse. The “what he says and what he means” game is a popular one among stars and experts but a legend like Sourav Ganguly shouldn’t need it. We admire him for his straightforward approach and views. He has never taken a backward step during his playing career and shouldn’t do so in the second innings of his life. However, the life behind the mike is a touch trickier. It’s easier to face Lee and Akhtar rather than say the right things because the media loves sensation. Words can be twisted, views can be misrepresented and that’s where the God of offside held out. He has never taken orders nor has he trod the diplomatic route, and should never do so because when he speaks, India listens.

25, 30, 9, 23, 49, 0, 2, 19 and 6 – after a swashbuckling 100 against England in Motera, that’s been Virender Sehwag’s contribution to the Indian scorecard and his waning cricket career. The cat has been belled. The selectors, finally, decided to bite the bullet and have cut loose one of the most entertaining batsmen in cricketing history.

However, the writing was on the wall. While the rest of the Indian batsmen made merry against a wafer-thin Australian bowling attack, the dashing opener drew blanks. His Delhi team mate, Gautam Gambhir, was shown the door ahead of the series, and now, by dropping Sehwag, the selectors have send a strong message – perform or perish. Last year, during the Asia Cup and the World Twenty20, Sehwag was repeatedly “rested” from the Indian side. But during the England ODI series there was no pretense. He was simply dropped. And now, again, the five stooges haven’t munched their words, and didn’t offer the respectable excuse of an “injury”.

But was it only his lack of form that cost Sehwag his place?  It was a long time coming, because the Sehwag situation began to take shape way back in 2007, when the Men in Blue saw a radical shift in leadership. His struggle began when in a span of six months he went from being vice-captain to a batsman who was selected in the Test side for his spin bowling. His selection for the West Indies World Cup was based on past glories, and it didn’t sit well with the then coach, Greg Chappell. However, the whole Sehwag problem was pushed to the background, thanks to Greg Chappell again. The Aussie coach terrorized the team, displayed the wrong finger and cooked up a storm that blew away every other issue that needed attention.

However, the dust settled with Chappell calling it quits, and India in need of a new leader. Sehwag, one of Ganguly’s boys, was a front-runner for the job, but somebody “extremely” important suggested the name of an orange-maned cavalier from Ranchi. His ‘cool’ demeanor appealed to the big bosses, and he landed the job. Then it all changed. India won the inaugural ICC World Twenty20, and the Indian captaincy was never in doubt again. Anil Kumble walked into the sunset after a tough Aussie challenge and MS Dhoni usurped the hot seat of Indian cricket for all formats. Meanwhile, Sehwag found his way back, and was named as the second-in-charge. Thus began the era of the most “complicated” relationship in Indian cricket, between the captain MS Dhoni and his deputy Virender Sehwag.

Since then, MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag have been like the two ends of a see-saw. Both have tried to keep it at a state of equilibrium, but it’s always difficult being friends with the guy who took what you wanted. And to be the second-in-charge, rubs it in that bit more. While in the world of commoners, this balance isn’t too tough to maintain; the problem arises when two superstars with flamboyance as their middle name get caught in a power struggle. The result – a  rumoured cold uneasiness always lurking in the background. While India climbed atop the Test rankings and won the 2011 World Cup, this rift had a lid put on it, but after an 8-0 drubbing and a couple of sarcastic statements in Australia, the split cracked open.

But let’s brush aside the rift and focus on the main issue. Did Sehwag do enough to hold on to his place in the side? Did he merit selection on current form?

Sehwag has been below average with his performances, and his Test average has dropped below 50 for the first time in over three years. The team management, however, did offer him a longer rope because of the lack of quality alternatives. But Sehwag didn’t pay attention, deciding instead to flirt with danger. His 117 against England, in the first Test at Ahmedabad, seemed to have resurrected his career, but in his next six innings he collected a mere 136 runs.

However, it wasn’t only the string of bad scores that caused this exclusion. It was his approach to the game. His flaying ways of dominating the bowlers might be a treat to behold for the spectators, but his sense of responsibility has always been under the scanner. The most fascinating thing about Sehwag is that when he performs, he blows away all his failures with his extravagant show, but when the ball stops hitting the middle of the bat and the boundaries ebb, the edges look ugly and the gap between bat and pad, widens. The dropped catches at slip don’t help matters either. The swagger is misunderstood, and words like the technique, footwork, commitment, responsibility and now spectacles, start to surface.

While Greg Chappell described him being “happy to turn up and play and accept what came his way”, Duncan Fletcher, too, isn’t amused by his sulking approach to training. And when someone like Rahul Dravid expresses his concerns, it only strengthens the hands of the five wise men. The selection panel, under Sandeep Patil, has shown that it is ready to take tough decisions, and this move signifies a desire to move on to the future.

The axing from the Test squad has certainly brought Sehwag at the crossroads of his career. With the likes of Vijay, Dhawan and Rahane snapping at his heals; it will be a monumental task for the Delhi dasher to make a comeback. At 34, the reflexes aren’t getting any better and not everyone can do a “Ganguly”. But with Sehwag, there’s no script. He writes his the way he wants and when he wants. India still doesn’t have many players who can take on Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander on unfriendly tracks. So come November, don’t be surprised if you see a chubby man, batting in his 90s, lean back, open the face of his bat and uppercut a bouncer for a six over the slips to reach his hundred because…“That’s the way he plays!”