Cricket

My views on cricket itself, players, matches, events, etc

There are 25 posts filed in Cricket (this is page 5 of 5).

Two Teams, 13 Days, and Totally Opposite Results

India and SA - Top 2 in ICC Rankings

South African cricket team is on tour to India these days. This included a 2 test series which just concluded 1-1. South Africa won the first test by an innings and 6 runs, threatening India’s number 1 position in the ICC rankings. But India came back strongly in the second test to defeat South Africa by an even bigger innings margin, thus retaining their ranking at the top of the table. My point is how can two teams playing cricket with the same players, under same conditions and within 3 days of each other, produce totally opposite results in the two matches. And this had happened many times before and continue to happen in bilateral series, two matches held closely bringing very contrasting results.

So what factors decide which team wins a game. The team composition and the form of the players, the ground and pitch conditions, the home-away factor or is just about the team who handles the pressure and the mind game better. In the aforementioned India-SA series, the players were same, their form could not have changed much in 3 days, the conditions at both the venues were very similar, Graeme Smith (SA’s captain) won the toss in both the matches and batted first, but the results were exactly opposite. Or is it just some strategies that decide the outcome of the match depending on whether they work on that specific day or not.

South Africa totally batted India out in the first test and were looking to do so again in the second test, when Zaheer and Harbhajan got some quick wickets in the third session of the first day. Was it Harbhajan who did something different, or were the African batsmen overconfident after the huge win in the first test? Or was it just luck that Harbhajan’s tricks worked that day and not in the first test. But that this session was the difference between the two test matches is sure, and had SA managed to bat in the 3rd session like they had done earlier, India would have been no more in the number one position.

You might say India adopted, created new strategies to get the SA batsmen after the first test debacle, and they work. Agreed, players make strategies, learn from their mistakes, and Indians must have done so after the first test. But what I am contesting is the totally different results. If SA would have one the first match by 100 runs and India the second one by 150 runs, it would have been ok. When the top two teams fight, you expect close matches and close results. But you don’t expect a innings defeat to either side in two matches being played. An innings defeat means one team’s total domination over the other, and skills / talent to get such domination cannot change over 3 days.

If skills, talents, players, strategies were not the reason for these two opposite results, what were? Does it only boil down to pressure in the end? Does how a team handles the pressure of a game, how it copes with the various ups and downs during the match decide the fate of the match? Is it only the ability to cope over pressure that make some players and teams click on one day and flop on another? In the end it seems cricket still remains a game which is played in the mind as much as it is played on the field.

Sometimes things go as planned, but the biggest test of players and a team comes when it faces a tough opposition and when your plans don’t work. You might have the best batsmen in the world, but if it your bad day, you can lose your tail in less than 50 runs, as has happened so many times with India. You might have one of the best captains and some good positive players, but how you react to your lows will decide whether you win or lose a match. “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for” — very rightly said by John A. Shedd and the same looks true for players and teams, if you are never tested, you will never know how good you are.

So the recent series showed that the Indian team is not just number one by fluke, and it has the talent and skills to bounce back and turn things around. That is the stuff of champions, and I am proud that I can call my team that 🙂

Pak Players, IPL 2010 and the Politics of Cricket

It is often said that politics and sports should not be mixed. I have heard this a lot during the last two decades in terms of Indo-Pak relations and cricket. Needless to say, Indo-Pak relations are not exactly like bread and butter after the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. Pakistan players were not allowed by the Pak government for IPL 2009, nor would Indian government have given them issues if Pak government would have allowed them.

Coming to IPL, it is big money and no player would want to miss it, whatever the reasons given. So when the auction for 2010 IPL was announced, Pak players wanted to be a part of it. After getting clearances from their government and as per expressed shown by IPL franchisee teams, 11 Pakistan players were included for the auction. The list included big-ticket players like Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul and Umar Akmal. Many of them were part of the world cup winning Pak squad and Afridi was the top runner for the most-expensive bid this time.

But what happened at the auction surprised one and all. There were no takers for the Pakistani players and they were not touched by any of the franchisees. It was a total embarrassment for Pak players in the auction. The franchisees explained it on grounds of cricketing strategy or availability during the tournament, but interestingly, for a player to be included in the auction, he had to be supported by at least one team.

All the franchisees were unanimous in their approach at the bidding process. Something happened during the two weeks preceding the auction that changed their minds. Some are saying the govt refused to give a guarantee to issue their visas. There were intelligence reports of more attacks and in the case of an attack, nobody would have predicted the outcome. But certainly the whole thing could have been handled better. Players are professional sportsmen and they deserve their dignity and self-respect. Shahid Afridi termed it as a big “insult” to the players and their country by India.

Some people are justifying the decision by saying they deserve to be treated like that, after what happened in Mumbai in Nov 2008. Sure it still hurts in every Indian’s heart thinking about the attacks of 26/11. But one should not get emotional and take every decision with reason. Especially when it involved relations between two neighbors. Pak players are not terrorists and everybody knows that. People might not love them because they are Pakistani’s is an acceptable fact and if you don’t want them to play in your country, don’t invite them. But inviting them and disgracing  them is certainly not sports. It’s politics. And it’s bad. Think how would we have reacted if something like this has happened to players like Sachin, Sehwag, Dhoni, etc…

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind”. One bad act cannot justify another bad act. Mixing politics with sports will not only harm the relations between the two nations, it will also create unnecessary tension between players who only want to play cricket. Already there are talks in Pakistan to ban Hindi movies and anti-India protests have started. A small issue not handled well could create unnecessary tension between the two countries. And it not help anyone. It will give fuel and reason to terror outfits to strike again.

Instead of stopping Pak players from playing in the IPL, it is more important to make our borders strong and impossible to penetrate. Still we are running buses and trains between the two countries. If that is ok, how can Pakistan players playing under total security could be a problem? In the end, the cricket fan in Pakistan is confused, heartbroken and angry. Cricket fans in India will not be able to see the World T20 Champions playing in their country. And nobody can guess how long the controversy will continue in political circles!!!

How Cricket unites India?

Wah Taj!! Wah Cricket!!

India is a huge country, and not only in terms of area and population, but also in languages spoken, cultures followed, religion, and caste. The various castes, subcastes and languages make people living within these divisions very different in the way they live their lives. The festivals are different, rituals are different, food is different, language is different, and so on…

As you travel across this vast country of ours, you will find Pahadi people in J&K, Himachal and Uttranchal, Punjabis in Punjab, Haryanvis, Jats, Rajasthanis, Biharis in the north all speaking different dialects of Hindi. You will find Bengalis, Oriyas in the east. There are Gorkha’s in Sikkim, in the north east you will again find different kinds of people. Going down, you will find Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu speaking people in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, respectively. Within these states, again you will find more languages and dialects within smaller communities.

However, there is one thing which is almost constant across the depth and breadth of India. You will find children playing cricket almost everywhere on streets and open grounds. Cricket stars are treated like heroes similarly by the different kinds of people. Big or small, hindu or muslim, north or south indian, you can always play cricket together.

Hailing from Delhi, I don’t know any of the South Indian languages. I sometimes face problems when I have to interact with the locals who don’t know Hindi or English. Recently, I went to Bandipur / Mudumalai wildlife sanctuaries. They are on the border of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka so Malayalam, Tamil and Kannada, all languages were spoken by the people there. It was difficult to communicate there, but in the evening when people started playing cricket, everybody could play irrespective of the language. Because whether you know any language or not does not matter, being an Indian you certainly know the cricket language. You know the rules of the game, and can communicate with other players by using just that. It is amazing how people who don’t even know each other and are different in the languages they spoke, and the lifestyles they live, can play together as a team without any issues.

A game connecting a billion people looks amazing just in saying. How cricket unites India is an example in itself… In a nation that is divided by language, religion, caste and what not, cricket has proved to be a glue holding together Indians. It is a great sight when you see people cheering a Sachin Tendulkar shot or a Harbhajan Singh delivery, not caring about the state they come from or the language they speak. Sehwag is a huge star even in Karnataka and Kumble is cheered even in Delhi.

Cricket has something which is helping keeping this country together. Nothing binds India together as well as cricket. It does not matter which crop is grown on the soil of Punjab or Kerala or Bengal, you will always find a common sight, kids playing cricket over it!!

Best Match I have ever seen

Australia had their best team ever in 2001 under Steve Waugh. They had won the previous 16 test matches on a trot, including the 1st test against India at Mumbai. The 2nd test match was to begin on 11 Mar at the Eden Park, Kolkata and Steve Waugh was finally going to conquer the final frontier. Australia batted first and started in trademark fashion, reaching 193/1 at tea in 53 overs. But a very young Harbhajan Singh had other plans. After tea, his deliveries were like bombs for the Australians. Ponting, Gilchrist and Warne fell in successive balls, giving Bhajji a hat-trick and Australia slid to 291/8 at the end of play.

India would have thought (and wanted) to get them out early 2nd way, but Steve Waugh, the captain was still batting with Jason Gillespie. India’s hopes faded out soon, as Waugh got to his century and Australia to 400. He kept full confidence in Gillespie and McGrath and rotated strike with them, unlike other players who try to take full strike with tail enders. The partnership of 133 for the 9th wicket and 43 runs for the last wicket showed the world his confidence in his men. Australia finally finished at 445 with Bhajji taking 7.

India started in trademark fashion, losing their first wicket with no run on the scorecard. Those days Dravid was an opener who did not open in most of the matches he played. The conquering Australians had McGrath, Gillespie and Warne and India’s score of 128/8 at the end of day 2’s play was no surprise. Australia were looking at their 17th straight win and a test series win in India after some three decades. On day 3, India folded out of 171, and as expected, Australia imposed the follow on, unaware of what awaited them. India finished day 3 at 254/4, still 20 runs behind Australia’s first innings total and their last recognized pair at the crease.

Walking off after batting the whole of Day 4

Walking off after batting the whole of Day 4

March 14, 2001 would be the longest day in test cricket for Australia. For, India finished day 4 at 589/4. 90 overs, 0 wickets, 335 runs. Well, the last recognized pair of India have batted the whole day. Laxman made the highest individual score by an Indian going past Gavaskar’s 236. Dravid gave him able company at the other end. Both played some exquisite shots all round the park that day, and even McGrath and Warne were seen helpless. Laxman’s wristy strokes and Dravid’s class eroded Australia’s pride in that one day like a desert storm. Atleast India would get a draw now, the whole country was hoping.

On day 5, Ganguly declared India’s second innings at 657/7, giving Australia a target of 384 runs. Whole India and the cricket experts thought why did not he just bat till draw was the only outcome possible. But the south paw had other plans, he was thinking of winning the test match after following-on. Only 2 times have that happened before in the history of test cricket, and guess what, Australia have lost against England both the times. Some 75,000 people have turned up at the Eden Gardens on the final day to watch history being made. At tea, Australia were 161/3 in 43 overs, will all 3 results still possible. After tea, Harbhajan removed Waugh and Ponting in quick succession. The score read 166/5. Enter Tendulkar, with his off breaks, leg breaks and the occasional seam delivery. Gilchrist, Hayden and Warne just could not figure out what was happening, with all three falling lbw to Tendulkar. The score now read 174/8. Bhajji completed the formalities and Australia folded out of 212, handing India a victory by 171 runs.

Bhajji’s 13 wickets in the match (including a hat-trick), Laxman’s 281 and Dravid’s 180 in a partnership of 376 runs for the 5th wicket, and Tendulkar’s 3 wickets in the final session, all played their part in triggering the Australian collapse when they lost 7 wickets for 46 runs. Whole of Kolkata and India was celebrating like they have won the world cup. And Steve Waugh was given a high voltage shock by the Indian Team led by Ganguly. They went on to lost the final match in Chennai and the final frontier remained unconquered for Australia and Steve Waugh.

Cricket and Me

At the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

At the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

I went to see a Champions League T20 Match between Delhi and Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore in 2009. What I saw there was a confirmation of what I have always heard – “India is a Cricket Mad Nation and Cricket is a Religion“. But the extent of it even surprised me. It was like seeing a pothole in the middle of Indian roads, you always knew it was there, but were still shaken by it!

Cricket!! This word means a lot (I mean “really LOT”) to cricket crazy Indians. In fact, how cricket unites India is amazing. And to me too. My earliest memory of cricket is watching Kapil Dev playing on my black and white TV set with my father sometimes. It was before Sachin Tendulkar came onto the scene in 1989, but I dont remember the exact year. My first properly followed cricket tournament was the 1992 world cup in Australia. Those were the days when pitches still used to be green, bowlers still used to get batsmen out by bowling amazing deliveries and a test matches series consisted of 5 matches. In other words, there used to be contest between bat and ball. Today, batsmen and bowlers are like USA and Iraq, with Iraq only allowed one bomb per day (aka one bouncer per over), and they will be attacked from air where they cant do anything (Powerplays).

Like many other Indians, I too dreamed to be a cricketer once (though I was never a good player). I used to play in school, near my home, even attended cricket coaching for sometime, but then the school books crushed my cricketing dreams. But watching and following cricket continued as ever. I have even watched a Test Match on television with missing a single ball. Yes, craziness can get to this level sometimes. But you can’t blame me if you get to see Kumble taking all 10 wickets in an innings, or India winning after a follow on, or Sachin gatecrashing Australia’s party at Sharjah.

My most amazing cricket memories are 1996 world cup and Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid making their debut in 1996 in England, Sachin and Ganguly opening on ODIs, Kumble taking all 10 in an innings at Kotla, Test Victory over Australia after following on, Sachin’s back to back centuries in Sharjah and his duet with Shane Warne, Sehwag hitting his triple hundreds in amazing style and many more memories of Lara, Warne, Steve Waugh, Wasim Akram and other greats.

Looking back at the last 2 decades, cricket is still played with bat and ball, but a lot have changed. Test Matches are less, there are no practice matches on tour, ODIs and T20 rule the roost these days. Players are refusing board contracts and preferring to play as freelancers, making more money by playing in cash rich T20 tourneys.. Many have retired from Test Cricket to focus on T20s and ODIs… Money has come into cricket, and we (read BCCI) have started it. Lalit Modi has changed the game with his innovations. Players rely more on power than technique now….

I don’t know what the future has in store, but I hope that cricket still gives chance for bowlers like Warne, Kumble, Akram, McGrath to flourish and bowling remain an important part of cricket and not overshadowed by batsmen. I will continue to follow cricket, but the pleasure of watching a Rahul Dravid cover drive or a Sachin Tendulkar straight drive is much more than watching Sehwag or Dhoni or Symonds in bang-bang mode.