Unlike a lot of Sachin Tendulkar fans, and there have been quite a few around me, I have never been a fanatical Sachin Tendulkar supporter. I have greatly admired his batting and have always stated (to any one who listens to me) that as far as skill and ability goes, Sachin has no peers close to him. But Tendulkar is a perfect player, everything associated with his batting is close to perfection. In a funny sort of a way, that is the one factor that actually removes me from his most fanatical fan list. Perhaps the fault is mine, but Tendulkar’s batting for me has never had the brilliant unpredictability that one would associate with Azharuddin or even with his good friend Kambli. Its never had the sheer unorthodoxy that one associates with Lara or Laxman. Perhaps Tendulkar is too good for some people’s liking.
Tendulkar completes twenty years in International cricket and that is a tremendous achievement. I have been fortunate to follow cricket in an era when SRT played. If one starts writing about his greatest innings it will require huge space and time but two innings stand out for me personally. His 96 against Australia in the 1996 World Cup is probably his finest one day innings where he produced a tremendous counter attack against McGrath, Flemming and Warne. He played a pull of the front foot of the bowling of Mcgrath in that innings and it will be safe to say that he has never played such a stunning shot ever. A year later he made a stunning 165 at Cape town where he and Azhar added 220 odd runs in 100 minutes. It was Test Match Batting at its very best.
But a character sketch of any great sportsman should include his highs and his lows- his good points and his faults. Tendulkar has had his questionable moments as well. His term as captain in 1999 saw a most disappointing tour of Australia , mainly due to some very very questionable selection decisions. Sachin seemed reluctant to pick Azhar and when Mongia was sent to Australia, he was sent back within one week. Mumbai players were making their debuts left right and centre and there was no logical explanation for this. But my most disappointing Sachin moment came in 2004 at Multan, when his stated disappointment at being declared on 194 resulted in Rahul Dravid being made a national villain for a long time.
But Tendulkar fans will defend these moments very strongly and perhaps will even find stronger arguments. That is the beauty of Sachin Tendulkar. For the last twenty years he has been the “be all and end all” of India. The fact that he has sustained this fanatical support for such a long period of time in itself a cause for celebration. He will definitely be India’s greatest ever batsmen and even his greatest critic will have to thank him for the many moments of brilliance that he has provided on the cricket field.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
If you are without your top three match winners for a major world event, you are bound to suffer as a team. Adding to that if your main fast bowler is completely out of form, then you well as might pray for a miracle. It is therefore no surprise to anyone that India was knocked out of the Champions trophy in its first round.
Should we read too much in to this loss? Indian supporters will tell you that this is the first series loss that India has suffered in the last one and a half years. That at any rate is a tremendous success rate and the overall win loss record this season (played 6, won3, lost 2) is not too bad.
However cracks are appearing in this Indian team. The fielding in Sri Lanka was very poor and there was not much improvement in that respect in South Africa. The bowling looks very very fragile. Harbhajan Singh is good one day and very poor the next. Ishant Sharma and R.P Singh have lost his zip and this where questions need to be asked of Venkatesh Prasad. When the bowling looked very good in England and Australia, Prasad got all the kudos. But the pace bowling hasn’t looked too flush in the last few series and by all accounts young Indian paceman have stagnated. If Wasim Akram can point out the faults in Ishant’s action from the commentary box, surely Prasad as a bowling coach can sort them out quickly off the field. Prasad should be the one to tell us why Indian fast bowlers bowl super quick for one year and then become slow medium trundlers after that.
There have been some serious selection issues as well. Rohit Sharma’s exclusion was expected but Subramaniym Badrinath must be wondering what he must do to gain a permanent slot in this team. Badri looked a class act last year in Sri Lanka and did pretty well in the limited opportunities that he had. Rather unfairly he has been overlooked since then and no justification has been given. I am a big Rahul Dravid fan and his inclusion will only add value to the side but it should have been Subramaniyam Badrinath and not Rahul Dravid, who should have been batting at number 3 for this Indian team at the Champions Trophy.
And what about Pragyan Ohja? Is he suffering like illustratious state colleagues because he comes from an unfashionable state team? (read Hyderabad).6 months ago Ohja was India’s best bowler in Sri Lanka. Three months ago he was adjudged Man of the Match in India’s first World T20 game. Unfortunately one bad game and he is out of the team. If the same yardstick was applied to every member of the Indian team, India would have to look for a completely new bowling attack in the series against Australia.
Should we read too much in to this loss? Indian supporters will tell you that this is the first series loss that India has suffered in the last one and a half years. That at any rate is a tremendous success rate and the overall win loss record this season (played 6, won3, lost 2) is not too bad.
However cracks are appearing in this Indian team. The fielding in Sri Lanka was very poor and there was not much improvement in that respect in South Africa. The bowling looks very very fragile. Harbhajan Singh is good one day and very poor the next. Ishant Sharma and R.P Singh have lost his zip and this where questions need to be asked of Venkatesh Prasad. When the bowling looked very good in England and Australia, Prasad got all the kudos. But the pace bowling hasn’t looked too flush in the last few series and by all accounts young Indian paceman have stagnated. If Wasim Akram can point out the faults in Ishant’s action from the commentary box, surely Prasad as a bowling coach can sort them out quickly off the field. Prasad should be the one to tell us why Indian fast bowlers bowl super quick for one year and then become slow medium trundlers after that.
There have been some serious selection issues as well. Rohit Sharma’s exclusion was expected but Subramaniym Badrinath must be wondering what he must do to gain a permanent slot in this team. Badri looked a class act last year in Sri Lanka and did pretty well in the limited opportunities that he had. Rather unfairly he has been overlooked since then and no justification has been given. I am a big Rahul Dravid fan and his inclusion will only add value to the side but it should have been Subramaniyam Badrinath and not Rahul Dravid, who should have been batting at number 3 for this Indian team at the Champions Trophy.
And what about Pragyan Ohja? Is he suffering like illustratious state colleagues because he comes from an unfashionable state team? (read Hyderabad).6 months ago Ohja was India’s best bowler in Sri Lanka. Three months ago he was adjudged Man of the Match in India’s first World T20 game. Unfortunately one bad game and he is out of the team. If the same yardstick was applied to every member of the Indian team, India would have to look for a completely new bowling attack in the series against Australia.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
A special moment
The crowd was waiting for the lead player to come and perform for a very long time. Some had waited for nearly five hours, some a bit less. They had seen Ireland give a spirited fight to Sri Lanka and then seen their team restrict England to 153. Surely, that was not beyond the famed batting line up of their home team, particularly as it contained the one star player everybody was talking about. The English papers were talking about him, cricinfo was talking about him and surely the English cricket team must have been talking about him.
As Gambhir got out, out strode the one man who everybody wanted to watch. Yuvraj Singh’s walk is very reminiscent of Sir Viv Richard’s walk to the crease. Out he strode with a confident swagger, eager and determined to put the English attack to the sword. He was perhaps frustrated, perhaps annoyed because of Jadeja’s promotion ahead of him. He had that steely look in his eyes- he meant business.
As he took guard, the crowd waited with bathed breath. This was the moment everybody was waiting since afternoon. What would Yuvraj do? The first delivery was bowled by Mascharenes- it was slightly pitched up; surely Yuvraj would have a look and knock a couple. Yuvraj had other ideas- he swung that delivery over the bowlers head or a big six. There was delirium in the stands. It took the prince one delivery to give the crowd what they had wanted since early afternoon.
I have been fortunate to witnesses two similar moments in cricket- moments which made my hair stand up and which still give me goose pimples. In 2001 in Mumbai, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid tried to save the test match from Steve Waugh’s Australians on the third day. Tendulkar was unbeaten at lunch and for forty five minutes the entire Wankhade stadium was debating as to what Tendulkar would do after lunch. First ball after was bowled by Jason Gillespie and it was a good length delivery on the off stump. Tendulkar smashed it between cover and point for four and the whole ground went crazy. Then three years later India was defending a meager 105 against Australia. The crowd, wondering whether India could defend such a small total was shouting their guts out. Third delivery from Zaheer took Langer’s edge and the debutant Karthick took a simple catch behind the stumps. “Mumbai has gone mad” said Dean Jones on commentary and it indeed had.
These are small but significant moments which make watching a game of cricket in a cricket stadium worthwhile. They remain in memory for ever and every time I remember them, I get goose pimples. Yuvraj’s first ball six was one such moment of brilliance. Alas his efforts were not enough to lead India to victory. Why M.S. Dhoni considered it fit to send a rookie 19 year old ahead of him is a matter to debate in another post. For the moment, let me just savor the brilliance of the left hander from Punjab.
As Gambhir got out, out strode the one man who everybody wanted to watch. Yuvraj Singh’s walk is very reminiscent of Sir Viv Richard’s walk to the crease. Out he strode with a confident swagger, eager and determined to put the English attack to the sword. He was perhaps frustrated, perhaps annoyed because of Jadeja’s promotion ahead of him. He had that steely look in his eyes- he meant business.
As he took guard, the crowd waited with bathed breath. This was the moment everybody was waiting since afternoon. What would Yuvraj do? The first delivery was bowled by Mascharenes- it was slightly pitched up; surely Yuvraj would have a look and knock a couple. Yuvraj had other ideas- he swung that delivery over the bowlers head or a big six. There was delirium in the stands. It took the prince one delivery to give the crowd what they had wanted since early afternoon.
I have been fortunate to witnesses two similar moments in cricket- moments which made my hair stand up and which still give me goose pimples. In 2001 in Mumbai, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid tried to save the test match from Steve Waugh’s Australians on the third day. Tendulkar was unbeaten at lunch and for forty five minutes the entire Wankhade stadium was debating as to what Tendulkar would do after lunch. First ball after was bowled by Jason Gillespie and it was a good length delivery on the off stump. Tendulkar smashed it between cover and point for four and the whole ground went crazy. Then three years later India was defending a meager 105 against Australia. The crowd, wondering whether India could defend such a small total was shouting their guts out. Third delivery from Zaheer took Langer’s edge and the debutant Karthick took a simple catch behind the stumps. “Mumbai has gone mad” said Dean Jones on commentary and it indeed had.
These are small but significant moments which make watching a game of cricket in a cricket stadium worthwhile. They remain in memory for ever and every time I remember them, I get goose pimples. Yuvraj’s first ball six was one such moment of brilliance. Alas his efforts were not enough to lead India to victory. Why M.S. Dhoni considered it fit to send a rookie 19 year old ahead of him is a matter to debate in another post. For the moment, let me just savor the brilliance of the left hander from Punjab.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Back with Random Thoughts
It’s been so long since the last time I wrote that I was worried I might have forgotten how to write. I have been away from home, but no matter where I am, I can never be away from the game of cricket. It’s been tremendous last 8 months for the game of cricket. Thought I will re start my blog innings by noting down a few general points:
1) Gautam Gambhir has emerged as India’s most important batsman in all forms of the game. He was brilliant against the Australians, but it was his innings in Napier which made people round the world sit up and notice him. For two whole days the Kiwis kept bowling at him and for two days Gambhir kept blocking. This was defensive batsmanship at its very best, comparable to Atherton’s 185 at the Wanderers. Gambhir was always considered a handy limited overs player but with this one innings he announced his arrival among the major batsman of the world. It will be Indian cricket’s major loss if Gauti doesn’t end up among the best batsmen in the world when he finishes.
2) Watching VVS Lakshman bat remains one of the most delightful activities that one can indulge in. Lakshman had a tremendous series against Australia and followed it up with another great effort in New Zealand. His hundred in Napier was a treat to the eyes. The last 50 runs were full of outstanding strokes. Watching Lakshman bat is like watching Madhuri Dixit dance………..It is beautiful, it is classical and yet unorthodox enough to arouse you.. There cannot be a more elegant player in the world and there cannot be a player in world cricket who makes batting such a wonderful art.
3) For the last one year, I have been fortunate enough to listen to BBC’s test match special converge. It has been a pleasure listening to Jonathan Agnew and company, who obviously love cricket as much as anybody. Listening to TMS has been a welcome relief since the commentators paint the perfect picture of cricket and you actually enjoy following the game even though you are not watching it. Particularly as, of late cricket commentators in India have become marketing agents. Somebody please tell Ravi Shashtri that he can shout as much as he wants but the people of the entire world are not going to end up watching twenty twenty cricket game in South Africa. And the last time I checked, the MCC rule book stated that if the ball crossed the boundary on the full it is a six- not a DLF maximum. And everytime the bowler hits the stumps, it is a wicket- not a city moment of success. The IPL coverage was such a sham that I had to switch of the television many a times in disgust.
4) But the IPL also produced some good cricket. My beloved Deccan Chargers were led magnificently by Adam Gilchrist and went on to win the second edition. And like the first edition, there were plenty of players who caught one’s eye. Manish Pandey played two gorgeous innings for Bangalore and hopefully we should be hearing a lot more from this youngster. Shadab Jakati bowled magnificently for Chennai, Pragyan Ohjha was the man of the series for me, Rohit Sharma continued his progress and Suresh Raina indicated that he could perhaps dominate the world stage for the next year or so. All in all the future of Indian cricket continues to be rosy.
5) The Indian winter saw four outstanding test matches played, three against Australia at Bangalore, Mohali and Nagpur and one absolute classic against England at Chennai. For all the noise that T20 makes, there is nothing better than an evenly contested test match. South Africa and Australia were also involved in two absolute thrillers and I cannot wait for the Ashes to start.
6) Virender Sehwag continues to be the most destructive and thrilling batsmen in world cricket. His 83 in Chennai was perhaps the finest counter attack seen from a top order batsman in test match cricket this decade. Else where the world saw Saurav Ganguly cover driving for the last time in a test match field. Anil Kumble said good bye too and it was unreal to see an Indian test match team sheet without these two names.
Lots more to write and discuss………. But that will be later.
1) Gautam Gambhir has emerged as India’s most important batsman in all forms of the game. He was brilliant against the Australians, but it was his innings in Napier which made people round the world sit up and notice him. For two whole days the Kiwis kept bowling at him and for two days Gambhir kept blocking. This was defensive batsmanship at its very best, comparable to Atherton’s 185 at the Wanderers. Gambhir was always considered a handy limited overs player but with this one innings he announced his arrival among the major batsman of the world. It will be Indian cricket’s major loss if Gauti doesn’t end up among the best batsmen in the world when he finishes.
2) Watching VVS Lakshman bat remains one of the most delightful activities that one can indulge in. Lakshman had a tremendous series against Australia and followed it up with another great effort in New Zealand. His hundred in Napier was a treat to the eyes. The last 50 runs were full of outstanding strokes. Watching Lakshman bat is like watching Madhuri Dixit dance………..It is beautiful, it is classical and yet unorthodox enough to arouse you.. There cannot be a more elegant player in the world and there cannot be a player in world cricket who makes batting such a wonderful art.
3) For the last one year, I have been fortunate enough to listen to BBC’s test match special converge. It has been a pleasure listening to Jonathan Agnew and company, who obviously love cricket as much as anybody. Listening to TMS has been a welcome relief since the commentators paint the perfect picture of cricket and you actually enjoy following the game even though you are not watching it. Particularly as, of late cricket commentators in India have become marketing agents. Somebody please tell Ravi Shashtri that he can shout as much as he wants but the people of the entire world are not going to end up watching twenty twenty cricket game in South Africa. And the last time I checked, the MCC rule book stated that if the ball crossed the boundary on the full it is a six- not a DLF maximum. And everytime the bowler hits the stumps, it is a wicket- not a city moment of success. The IPL coverage was such a sham that I had to switch of the television many a times in disgust.
4) But the IPL also produced some good cricket. My beloved Deccan Chargers were led magnificently by Adam Gilchrist and went on to win the second edition. And like the first edition, there were plenty of players who caught one’s eye. Manish Pandey played two gorgeous innings for Bangalore and hopefully we should be hearing a lot more from this youngster. Shadab Jakati bowled magnificently for Chennai, Pragyan Ohjha was the man of the series for me, Rohit Sharma continued his progress and Suresh Raina indicated that he could perhaps dominate the world stage for the next year or so. All in all the future of Indian cricket continues to be rosy.
5) The Indian winter saw four outstanding test matches played, three against Australia at Bangalore, Mohali and Nagpur and one absolute classic against England at Chennai. For all the noise that T20 makes, there is nothing better than an evenly contested test match. South Africa and Australia were also involved in two absolute thrillers and I cannot wait for the Ashes to start.
6) Virender Sehwag continues to be the most destructive and thrilling batsmen in world cricket. His 83 in Chennai was perhaps the finest counter attack seen from a top order batsman in test match cricket this decade. Else where the world saw Saurav Ganguly cover driving for the last time in a test match field. Anil Kumble said good bye too and it was unreal to see an Indian test match team sheet without these two names.
Lots more to write and discuss………. But that will be later.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
A special player
I am a self confessed VVS Laksman fan. No batsmen, apart from Mohd Azharuddin, has made batting look so beautiful yet so easy. No batsman has made so many people go delirious with his stroke play as much as VVS .And I dare say, no Indian batsman has played as many match winning hands.
Laksman plays his 100th test next week in Nagpur- a tremendous achievement for any individual but even greater one for him since he has been on trial for virtually half his career. In fact I cannot think of any Indian cricket that has been treated so harshly by successive selection committees. Laksman scored 500 runs against the West Indies in a one day series in 2002 but two ODI’s after that he was told that he would not feature in India’s World Cup plans. After scoring 116 against Sri Lanka and a 93 against Pakistan in successive tests, he was dropped from the XI in the next series against England. And let’s not even debate his one day exclusions.
But this post is not about the exclusions- it is about celebrating a glorious career. To watch Laksman in full flow is to enjoy cricket in its most beautiful state. The elegant and easy cover drives, the flick through midwicket and amazingly the flick through mid off. When he is batting Laksman is like a beautiful newly wed bride- you want to keep watching and savoir every bit of the beauty as you never know when it will disappear.
I first heard about VVS in the mid nineties. From his early days he had a knack of getting big scores in domestic cricket but it wasn’t until he made his test debut against South Africa at Ahmedabad that I actually watched him for the first time. He looked allright in that Test scoring a crucial 50 in the second innings (an indication of things to come). It was only however at Kolkotta in 1998 that I first went into raptures over his batting. Against an Australian team which had been shot out for 233, Laksman, opening the batting, made 95 delightful runs. Time and again Shane Warne flighted the ball on his leg stump and time and again he kept flicking him between mid wicket and mid on. Experts will tell you that this is the most difficult shot to play in the game and it is more difficult against Warne who always turned the ball significantly but Laksman made it look as easy as stealing candy from a two year old.
Slightly before that, some one in the Indian selection committee had a bright idea of asking him to open the Test match innings. When you are 24-25 you don’t say no to anything that the selection committee says and hence Laksman opened the Indian batting for a brief period. He was largely a failure apart from one unforgettable innings at Sydney. There on an unusually quick SCG wicket he went on a rampage- playing some unforgettable shots especially of the back foot.
He was out of the Indian side for a bit after that but Laksman did not cry over spilt milk. He went back and did what he does best. He scored 9 hundreds in 11 first class innings including a triple hundred in the Ranji trophy semi final and a run ball hundred against Kuruvilla, Agarkar, Mhambrey and Bahutule in the Ranji trophy final. The selectors had no option but to draft him back.
Everybody knows about VVS and 281. That 281 was special because it was made when his side was a test down, following on and 270 behind. That 281 was special because it made his team win a test match and a test series against all odds against the best team in the world. That 281 was special because it was made on a 4th day wicket against Warne, McGrath and Gillespie. That 281 was special because a failure in that innings would have meant that VVS would have gone back to the Ranji trophy. Surely there cannot be a better innings ever played in the history of the game.
Thankfully for his fans he has proceeded to play a number of gems since then-so much so that it is difficult to pick his best innings. It could be the 148 at Adelaide which was instrumental in an historic victory or it could be the 178 at Sydney where for two hours on the second morning he made Tendulkar look like any ordinary cricketer. It could be the hundred he made against Srilanka at Ahemedabad when he gave a short master class on how to play Murali on a turning track or it could be his innings at Sydney early this year.
And there are those innings which weren’t big ones but extremely crucial in helping his side notch up memorable victories. The 79 at Perth, 72 at Johnsonburg, 69 at Trinidad all lead to unlikely and historic away wins. As did the 69 at Mumbai against Australia where on a dustbowl where the entire Australian team scored 94, it looked as if he was playing an inter-school match.
VVS also perhaps is the most ideal role model for youngsters to follow in these times when cricket is trying hard to keep off the new breed twenty-twenty fundas from encroaching its old traditional values. His cricket is more talked about then his hairstyle; he is not seen in too many endorsements and he does not make flashy statements to the press. Along with Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble he remains the most model professional.
At the post match conference at Delhi VVS in typical modesty said that it was honour to play a hundred test matches. He thanked his family and his supporters who had helped him reach this land mark.
NO VVS-Thank you. Thank you for bringing so many smiles to our faces. Thank you for making this beautiful game even more enjoyable. Thank you a hundred times.
Laksman plays his 100th test next week in Nagpur- a tremendous achievement for any individual but even greater one for him since he has been on trial for virtually half his career. In fact I cannot think of any Indian cricket that has been treated so harshly by successive selection committees. Laksman scored 500 runs against the West Indies in a one day series in 2002 but two ODI’s after that he was told that he would not feature in India’s World Cup plans. After scoring 116 against Sri Lanka and a 93 against Pakistan in successive tests, he was dropped from the XI in the next series against England. And let’s not even debate his one day exclusions.
But this post is not about the exclusions- it is about celebrating a glorious career. To watch Laksman in full flow is to enjoy cricket in its most beautiful state. The elegant and easy cover drives, the flick through midwicket and amazingly the flick through mid off. When he is batting Laksman is like a beautiful newly wed bride- you want to keep watching and savoir every bit of the beauty as you never know when it will disappear.
I first heard about VVS in the mid nineties. From his early days he had a knack of getting big scores in domestic cricket but it wasn’t until he made his test debut against South Africa at Ahmedabad that I actually watched him for the first time. He looked allright in that Test scoring a crucial 50 in the second innings (an indication of things to come). It was only however at Kolkotta in 1998 that I first went into raptures over his batting. Against an Australian team which had been shot out for 233, Laksman, opening the batting, made 95 delightful runs. Time and again Shane Warne flighted the ball on his leg stump and time and again he kept flicking him between mid wicket and mid on. Experts will tell you that this is the most difficult shot to play in the game and it is more difficult against Warne who always turned the ball significantly but Laksman made it look as easy as stealing candy from a two year old.
Slightly before that, some one in the Indian selection committee had a bright idea of asking him to open the Test match innings. When you are 24-25 you don’t say no to anything that the selection committee says and hence Laksman opened the Indian batting for a brief period. He was largely a failure apart from one unforgettable innings at Sydney. There on an unusually quick SCG wicket he went on a rampage- playing some unforgettable shots especially of the back foot.
He was out of the Indian side for a bit after that but Laksman did not cry over spilt milk. He went back and did what he does best. He scored 9 hundreds in 11 first class innings including a triple hundred in the Ranji trophy semi final and a run ball hundred against Kuruvilla, Agarkar, Mhambrey and Bahutule in the Ranji trophy final. The selectors had no option but to draft him back.
Everybody knows about VVS and 281. That 281 was special because it was made when his side was a test down, following on and 270 behind. That 281 was special because it made his team win a test match and a test series against all odds against the best team in the world. That 281 was special because it was made on a 4th day wicket against Warne, McGrath and Gillespie. That 281 was special because a failure in that innings would have meant that VVS would have gone back to the Ranji trophy. Surely there cannot be a better innings ever played in the history of the game.
Thankfully for his fans he has proceeded to play a number of gems since then-so much so that it is difficult to pick his best innings. It could be the 148 at Adelaide which was instrumental in an historic victory or it could be the 178 at Sydney where for two hours on the second morning he made Tendulkar look like any ordinary cricketer. It could be the hundred he made against Srilanka at Ahemedabad when he gave a short master class on how to play Murali on a turning track or it could be his innings at Sydney early this year.
And there are those innings which weren’t big ones but extremely crucial in helping his side notch up memorable victories. The 79 at Perth, 72 at Johnsonburg, 69 at Trinidad all lead to unlikely and historic away wins. As did the 69 at Mumbai against Australia where on a dustbowl where the entire Australian team scored 94, it looked as if he was playing an inter-school match.
VVS also perhaps is the most ideal role model for youngsters to follow in these times when cricket is trying hard to keep off the new breed twenty-twenty fundas from encroaching its old traditional values. His cricket is more talked about then his hairstyle; he is not seen in too many endorsements and he does not make flashy statements to the press. Along with Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble he remains the most model professional.
At the post match conference at Delhi VVS in typical modesty said that it was honour to play a hundred test matches. He thanked his family and his supporters who had helped him reach this land mark.
NO VVS-Thank you. Thank you for bringing so many smiles to our faces. Thank you for making this beautiful game even more enjoyable. Thank you a hundred times.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Cricket- Lovely Cricket
What an incredible weekend of Test Match Cricket. The two test matches at Edgbaston and Galle were a fitting reply to all those who keep on saying that T20 is going to kill test match cricket. The skill, emotions and quality of cricket displayed at Galle and Edgbaston can never ever be replicated in T20. That is why Test cricket is the most amazing and ultimate form of the game and it will remain so.
There is so much to write that I do not where to start from. Which was the better innings – Sehwag’s 201 or Smith’s 155? For sheer audacity and brilliance Sehwag’s 201 will stand out. Second ball, after a two hour rain interruption, from Chamida Vaas, was smashed over the midwicket boundary for a huge six. I can’t think of any player in world cricket who would have done that. But in terms of sheer determination and perseverance, Smith’s must be one of the greatest test innings. Most teams would have folded after being 94/4 chasing 280. But South Africa looked up to their captain who was battling Monty from the rough, Freddie and his invincible delivery. For six hours on Saturday, Smith was in the zone and he played an unforgettable innings.
And what about Paul Collingwood’s innings? He was apparently one innings away from being sidelined back to county cricket. He responded with an innings of character and determination and watching the Edgbaston crowd stand up to him (after booing him the previous evening) was a pretty special.
An apology is due to Harbhajan Singh. I had questioned his credentials in my last post but he bowled beautifully in the Galle Test to silence his critics. And the Indian team also silenced their critics. (Where is Arjuna Ranatunga?) Fellow blogger VM has asked all folks who doubted the Indian team to eat crows. It a sentiment shared by most Indian fans who had faith in their team even after the first test defeat.
There was some riveting cricket played though. The third evening when Rahul Dravid came out to Bat, witnessed test match cricket at its very best. The great batsman was obviously short of confidence after having failed in his previous three innings. He started cautiously, scratched around a bit but slowly, with time spent at the crease, his confidence started growing. He played some lovely shots and just as one felt he was getting back in form he was out. Cricket can be a cruel game sometimes.
Galle 2008 is a good a victory as team India has ever achieved overseas- right up there along with Headingly 2002, Adelaide 2003, Perth 2008 and Johannesburg 2006. If India does manage to win this series, surely, it will be one of the greatest comebacks witnessed in modern cricket.
But for the moment let’s forget winning and losing and lets savor the cricket witnessed by us. Cricket, Lovely Cricket.
There is so much to write that I do not where to start from. Which was the better innings – Sehwag’s 201 or Smith’s 155? For sheer audacity and brilliance Sehwag’s 201 will stand out. Second ball, after a two hour rain interruption, from Chamida Vaas, was smashed over the midwicket boundary for a huge six. I can’t think of any player in world cricket who would have done that. But in terms of sheer determination and perseverance, Smith’s must be one of the greatest test innings. Most teams would have folded after being 94/4 chasing 280. But South Africa looked up to their captain who was battling Monty from the rough, Freddie and his invincible delivery. For six hours on Saturday, Smith was in the zone and he played an unforgettable innings.
And what about Paul Collingwood’s innings? He was apparently one innings away from being sidelined back to county cricket. He responded with an innings of character and determination and watching the Edgbaston crowd stand up to him (after booing him the previous evening) was a pretty special.
An apology is due to Harbhajan Singh. I had questioned his credentials in my last post but he bowled beautifully in the Galle Test to silence his critics. And the Indian team also silenced their critics. (Where is Arjuna Ranatunga?) Fellow blogger VM has asked all folks who doubted the Indian team to eat crows. It a sentiment shared by most Indian fans who had faith in their team even after the first test defeat.
There was some riveting cricket played though. The third evening when Rahul Dravid came out to Bat, witnessed test match cricket at its very best. The great batsman was obviously short of confidence after having failed in his previous three innings. He started cautiously, scratched around a bit but slowly, with time spent at the crease, his confidence started growing. He played some lovely shots and just as one felt he was getting back in form he was out. Cricket can be a cruel game sometimes.
Galle 2008 is a good a victory as team India has ever achieved overseas- right up there along with Headingly 2002, Adelaide 2003, Perth 2008 and Johannesburg 2006. If India does manage to win this series, surely, it will be one of the greatest comebacks witnessed in modern cricket.
But for the moment let’s forget winning and losing and lets savor the cricket witnessed by us. Cricket, Lovely Cricket.
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