Is India Lucky or Australia?

Well since last night when the match between India and Australia was abandoned owing to rain, most of the tongues are wagging in either of the team's favor. Some say that it was India who was lucky to have escaped yet another defeat at the hands of the Aussies and keep their fingers crossed when it comes to predicting the semi final spot atleast as far as India is concerned. So is Australia. Needless to be said, India had lost their first match to arch rivals Pakistan by 54 runs at Centurion. Had India lost the one to Australia, their hopes of making it to the semi finals would have surely been shattered.

And, when it comes to Australia, one has to recall the way the Aussies entered the finals of a tri nation tournament way back in 2004 that involved Pakistan and India by not even bowling a single delivery. India had lost their first match to Pakistan and then the match against Australia was forced to be abandoned after being hit by rain (like in the ongoing Champions Trophy). Finally, Australia won the match by 17 runs in a low scoring encounter where Australia successfully defended 192 runs. And this time also, Australia are bound to enjoy the same luck which can see them through to the semis.

Anyway coming to the match between India and Australia, one has to really appreciate the Aussies who were comfortable at 234/4 at the end of the 40^th over despite at one point of time being at 7/1 at the end of the fifth over. Hardly anyone would have expected the Australians to come back so strongly after their initial debacle. The Indian players seemed not to have learnt any lessons from their first defeat to Pakistan when they allowed a 202 run partnership. The match was more towards Australia that that when India is considered. The Australian batsmen got decent and important partnerships whenever they needed.

There was Ishanth Sharma whose bowling is compared by Australian greats to that of Glenn McGrath. And then there was Harbhajan Singh as well along with Ashish Nehra and Praveen Kumar. No doubt that Ashish Nehra was comparitively impressive with the ball in both the games that India played. Its a wonder as to why someone like Virat Kohli is still making it to the playing eleven when the place of whom can be replaced by a decent all rounder? There was Yousuf Pathan whose luck could well balance between batting and bowling. It looks like India is more desperate to lose matches and get back home as soon as possible.

Indian Selectors Do It Yet Again

Well even before India are yet to play their first match in the ICC Champions trophy 2009, a news that India's dashing opener Yuvraj Singh is ruled out not only for the ICC Champions Trophy but also for six weeks which rules him out of the Champions Trophy completely. Another reason for India to worry is that they have to face their arch rivals Pakistan in their very first game of the Champions Trophy on Sunday. So, there is a lot of task at hand for India and especially for Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Anyway, that should not be the reason for worry when there are players like Dravid, Tendulkar and Dhoni out there.

However, the reason for team India to worry is the replacement who has turned out to be Virat Kolhi for reason best known to selectors. When there are so many players out there warming the banches, the inclusion of Virat Kolhi is real mystery. There was Robin Uttappa and Rohith Sharma who are declared well fit for the upcoming Champions League T20 and in addition the reason for the inclusion of Dinesh Karthik is still not clear whatsoever. With the winning combination itself not working for India in their warm up against New Zealand, a re-thinking would help to solve issues regarding selection.

This is not the first time that the Indian selectors have got into such a callous decision. In the world cup 2003 held at South Africa, V V S Laxman was replaced by Dinesh Mongia when the former had scored exceptionally well in the earlier tournaments against West Indies and New Zealand. There was absolutely no reason why Dinesh Mingia was included. So was the case with Mohd kaif whose lone impression was in guiding India to a 2 wicket victory against England in the finals of the NatWest series 2002. Then onwards, Kaif is remembered only for scoring 5 consecutive ducks in the series against Pakistan in 2006.

Then was the dropping of Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid which is quite evident to all of us. And people like Sarandeep Singh, Abhijith Kale and Amit Mishra have made it to team India despite their flash in the pan brilliance. Someone like Dinesh Mongia was included in all 11 world cup matches that India played in 2003 world cup to no avail. It was the presense of Sachin Tendulkar that overshadowed his dismal performance. May be that Virat Kolhi not be included in the playing eleven or atleast against crucial matches against Pakistan and Australia. However, Virat Kolhi is not that bad a player if his T20 stats are considered. But, is he the perefect replacement for Yuvi when there were so many in the ranks????Just think.

Lankans Deceived

Well it has been a very long time since I last held a pen in my hand to blog something about cricket. But, I blame it all on the lack of some or any convincing turn around that really went on in the world of international cricket really. Still, I thought that waiting further for the same would just mean losing my fans who have encouraged me till here. So, I drew some points from the on going test series which featured Pakistan after almost a year or so. And they did the very same in a more decent manner whatsoever. The just showed the cricketing world that they haven't yet forgotten the game of cricket and test cricket in particular.

If Sri Lanka who were facing Pakistan after their debacle against India off late had two players, whom they had thought to have made a difference to their team, they were totally mistaken. For, even the Pakistani test team was well equipped with war heads like Younis Khan who put up a fighting triple century. In the process, Younis Khan became the third Pakistani batsmen to notch up a triple hundred. So, it is now left for the remaining subcontinental teams namely India and Sri Lanka to boast of another batsmen to have scored a triple hundered. Sri Lanka and India have two batsmen who have scored triple hundreds with Pakistan making it three.

For Pakistan, there have been three batsmen off late namely Hanif Mohammed, Inzamam Ul Haq and recently Younus Khan who have a double hundred against their name. While India have two triple hundreds, both of them being scored by Virender Sehwag alone and on the other hand, Sri Lanka too have two batsmen in Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardane to have notched up a triple hundred for their country. This has always been the case with a test match being held on Pakistani soil. Every match played on Pakistani soil becomes a batsmen's paradise and a bowlers' nightmare. More so in the India's tour of the country in early 2006.

In the first two of the three test matches, there were four Pakistani and two Indian batsmen who scored a hundred only to see the first encounter end in a draw. In the second encounter, debutant pacer R P Singh was named the man of the match in the drawn test for taking four wickets. This was the fate of test cricket. All that the first two test matches could witness was smashes from the bat of Shahid Afridi, who hit Harbhajan Singh for four consecutive sixes. And in the first test, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag lost out on putting a record first wicket partnership of 413 when Virender Sehwag lost out hastingly when the scoreboard read 410.

India Spoil Pakistan's Party

Well it is still an undisclosed fact as to why did team India ever decide of touring Sri Lanka when the ICC tours calender never had any plans of that sort. Of course there was a void left in the cricketing calender of the BCCI with the tour of Pakistan being sacrificed to the Mumbai terror strikes on 26/11. Anyway, Pakistan after a year long gap gone without any sorts of decent international cricket, had planned well in advance much more earlier than the Indians did, when they decided to go ahead with playing Sri Lanka once the Indian tour got canceled.

Is it a coincidence that India have decided to tour Sri Lanka or is it just that India just wants to seek revenge against Pakistan in whatever way possible? A sweet and non voilent revenge on the Indian counterparts eh? Not bad. This forced the Sri Lankans to end their tour of Pakistan as early as possible. Sri Lanka and Pakistan played the scheduled three one day internationals in a span of just four days. While, in case of other tri nation tournaments, the tour lasts atleast a week if there are two days gap between each one day international match.

If at all the gap left out by the cancellation of India's tour to Pakistan has to be filled, India could have well gone in for some other team like there were the Bangladeshis who were jobless at the moment, very much fresh from their recent exploitation of the weak Sri Lankan team. This assuming that the Sri Lankan tour of Pakistan was booked far earlier compared to the Indians. If not Bangladesh, there were Zimbabwe & South Africa in addition to other non test playing nations. And how come the teams-India & Sri Lanka are found relaxing after every match while as said the Sri Lanka-Pakistan series was decided and concluded hastily?

And why should the void ever be filled, when last year when the ICC Champions Trophy that was to be held in Pakistan was cancelled all the teams over the world were just warming their bodies at home. Neither did the ICC nor did the other cricket nations ever decide about holding other tournaments like, they could have held another series of the IPL. The second in the year 2008. All of a sudden, why such hasty decisions? Now, the test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan has been scheduled on 22nd of this month. But, it would be worth to think about it only after it really happens. I'm sorry. Only when the series gets concluded.

India Win The Border-Gavaskar Series

All cheers for team India for taking a 1-0 lead in the second test atMohali.But, winning the series 3-0 or even 2-0 would be a good result I believe.Looks like that is not bound to happen as long as there are curators of the likes of Radhey Shyam Sharma,who prepares the pitches taking into consideration only the Indian aspect of the game.With India being 1-0 up in the series,it looks like the pitch curators will adapt all sorts of unfair means to see that the opponents do not come back in the series.Is this the sportsmanship that is expected from the Indian sides?When Indian cricket fans can condemn the Sydney test episode,isn't there anything that is to be said regarding these kind of tests which happen in India only when India takes an initial lead in the series?

This is not the first time that team India has undergone through such tests at home after taking a lead in the initial stages.In the recent past,this type of gimmicks.In the recent past,every series has such kind of a pitch which assists the batsmen owing to which the match ends in a pale draw.In the India-Pakistan series late last year,which India won 1-0 too,the second and third games were high scoring,which eventually ended in a draw.Such type of pitches suit the likes of Gautam Gambhir and Wassim Jaffer,who can only prove their myths on a belter like those.If such is the case,why go in for a three match series and why not a one match series?

The cunning face never ends there.Take for example the series against South Africa earlier this year.India had gone one down in the second test,after drawing the first. And for their fortune,all the pitch for third test just did was to turn the ball even for the likes of Virender Sehwag.This aided a team like India who are a good spinning side.(In the sense spinning the ball and not the match).Harbhajan Singh made full use of such a turning track to level the series 1-1.The last time any opponent has bounced back after being down in the series is in 2006 during England's tour of India ,where England levelled the series 1-1,thrshing India by a whooping 300 runs.

Since then,Indian pitch curators have taken to this idea to save India from the jaws of defeat.Is this the reason as to why team India gets punished on tours abroad despite a series win at home against the same opposition?The last time India have won a series abroad is against the West Indies 1-0,after the then West Indies team led by Brian Lara,shattered Rahul Dravid's team India from taking home a 3-0 series victory. Remember the tour of India to South Africa in late 2006,which South Africa won 2-1 after being 1-1.Time will tell even if teams like Australia and England follow the same, when England won the Ashes in 2005,after being 1-1 with the third match drawn.And Australia after being 2-1 up against India in early this year,drew the fourth test.

At the end,such issues cannot be dealt with,with each one finding an unfair means to tackle the opposition.After all,even the ICC is governed by humans.Ha ha ha..

Somethin Common Between Harbhajan Singh And A Belter??

Well-the last or rather recent test match between India and South Africa proved to be a batsmen's paradise with as many as 4 centuries and cool 5 half centuries.But,there was some relief for just one bowler in that match and that is none other than Bhajji.The man could manage a five wicket haul despite the free flow of runs from the willows of the South African batsmen.

And much to the surprise,I found something common between Harbhajan Singh and the kind of pitches similar to the one in which the first test against South Africa was played.Some of which I can share with you people are:

1)Picks up a five wicket haul against Pakistan in Bangalore in 2005 where Pakistan had belted a mammoth 570 runs.

2)Picks up a 5/122 against Pakistan once again at Eden Gardens where both the teams had crosse 600 & 450 respectively.

3)The most memorable one being the three five consecutive 5 wicket hauls against Australia way back in 2001,where he took figures of 4/121 at Mumbai,7/123 & 6/73 at
Eden Gardens,7/1212 & 8/84 at Chepauk.Each time when Australia commanded their position with the bat.

"SOMETHING LIKE LUCKY HARBHAJAN"

The Greatest batting Pitch On Earth??

Well the first test between India and South Africa at Chepauk was as all expected a mere draw.If there was one of the greatest innings of his life by Virender Sehwag-who scored his second triple hundred,there was one more best thing in that test.Guess what?Off course it is the pitch that helped batsmen from both sides to belt the bowlers in whatever way they can.And one thing that almost went unnoticed is the batting denacle by Indian batsmen if not for the likes of Virender Sehwag(off course) and Rahul Dravid.

As I've been noticing in the recent past in all those test matches involving India and played in India especially,most of them have been batsmen's paradise.Starting from the home tour against Pakistan late last year-where the second and third test matches proved to be heaven for the batsmen from both the sides.As most of them if not all have mistaken-saying that the opposition fought fire with fire,and with all fingers pointing towards the bowlers,it was a real sorrow that hardly anyone noticed the way the pitch behaved.

Here comes the reason as to why some typical Indian batsmen like Wassim Jaffer, Yuvraj Singh and so on prove their calibre on these tracks while they are found to succumb in Australian and English pitches.And bowlers like Anil Kumble,Makhaya Ntini & co..are found to be at the receiving end of the opposition batsmen.Well its time to change before all cricket say goodbye to watching test cricket.

Sreeaanth:Only Agression and Lack of bowling Form

Even after so many episodes of bad blood between oppositions for India in the recent tour of Australia down under,it seems like there is no end to the sledging episode after the first two days of the ongoing test match between India and South Africa.On the first day,it was between Sreesanth and South African captain Greame Smith,followed by the same Sreesanth with A B DeVilliars on day 2.

Well all these is OK.But,is the same thing being done when his bowling is taken into consideration?This is probably the million dollar question of the moment.Even the selectors seem to be duped by this Kerala lad with all his onfield aggresion,making news for all other reasons other than his devastating bowling that is the most required by him,which is also the reason for his inclusion in the team.

As far as statistics go,taking into consideration the matches (Test,ODI & T20)played after the T20 triumph,is as follows:0/47 in 4 overs in the T20 game against Australia,9 wickets from 4 out of 7 games against Australia at home(fitness to be noticed) at an average of 27.11;missing the test series against Australia shows his lack of fitness;and in the series against his 3 wickets in the only unconsequential 4th ODI game,where he was once again forced to miss the first 4 ODIs as well as the test series;and in the lone T20 game against Australia down under,he was the pick of the Aussie batsmen who belted him for 25 runs off 3overs;and offlate in the recently concluded C B series,some decent record of 9 wickets from 7 games,not to forget him missing 5 games altogether,which includes Sanath Jayasuriya belting him in the 2nd one dayer as though it was a T20 game.

But,this dude is found to make news only for his onfield conflict with someone like Symonds,for his dancing in South Africa after hitting a six off Andre Nel.The lone highlightes about his bowling would be the 9 wicket match haul in the first test against South Africa,which India won only to lose the next two.Some unnoticed thing that came to my mind when watching Sreesanth was the beamer he bowled at Peiterson.

Well..rather than taking the other routes to win the selectors confidence in him,it would be better for him to show his aggresion with the ball,before the BCCI becomes aware about his real attitude.Beware Sreesanth->"A short cut cut shorts your career"

An imbalance In The ICC Tours?

With some great plans by the international Cricket Council to globalise cricket,with sponsoring tournaments featuring teams like Bangladesh,Ireland, Kenya,Bermuda and much more,there is some thing that the cricketing world is not aware of as of yet.The thing is that not test matches of all combinations are being played.


Its been that test matches between some teams are played at regular intervals,while a preferred combination is found to be missed by fans.Some of those events that are found to happen are viz The Ashes-which takes place every two years,An Indo-Pak conflict that is found to take place every year since 2004,The Common Wealth bank Series-A tri nation tournament featuring Australia and two other teams,The Natwest Series in England....a few to name.

But,the other combinations for example:that of Australia & Pakistan,New Zealand and England,India & New Zealand etc are hardly played.The reason?

With Stats under consideration,India last played a test series against New Zealand way back in late 2003.Then an England-New Zealand conflict which is now under progress is happening after 4 years(after New Zealand last toured England in 2004).The last time Australia played Pakistan was in 2004,with the 2008 tour of Australia being in doubt.And its been almost three years since a test series between Australia and New Zealand have taken place.The (two)test series between South Africa & Australia which took place between 2005-06,was after a gap of nearly four years.

But,last year witnessed as many as 10 contests between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.Though not that serious,I feel that the ICC has to take a re look at its tours' table,keeping in mind the frequency of games played in combination.

Ryan Sidebottom-A Hattrick In Vain..

Very rarely does one come across a test match or any match for that matter where the team has a bowler taking hattrick and ending on the losing side.Ryan Sidebottom is one of those lucky guys I can say.The hattrick however helped the team a lot,for they could manage to restrict the hosts for a score of 177/9 before the New Zealand captain-Daniel Vettori declared the innings.

But,the damage had already been done by the New Zealand team,first by putting up a score of 470 before bowling out the England team for 348,taking a lead of 122 runs.A target of 300 was supposed to be too much for the English batsmen,who were found to crumble to 110 all out.The result-New Zealand won by 189 runs.

Is there any other situation where a team player has a hattrick and ends on the losing side.One such case that comes to my mind is the third test between India and Pakistan at ,Irfan Pathan being the bowler.Then we have Alok kapali who took a hat-trick against Pakistan to see his team lose by 9 wickets.

The other such instances that I can give is:
1)J.Lawson against Australia-WI lost by 9 wickets
2)Darren Gough against Australia-England lost by 98 runs
3)Petherick against Pakistan-New Zealand lost by 6 wickets

Is this Really Needed????

Hmmm...after the disappointing world cup campaign at the Caribean its been never look back for the Indian Cricket Team ever since.In all three forms of the game Indians are seeing making history wherever they are found going.The first one being the World T20 Championship at South Africa,followed by test and one day wins against Pakistan. The latest being the Commonwealth Bank Series.

The team has undergone two felicitations-one for the World T20 Championship and the other one for the Commonwealth bank Series.My question is that:Is all these really needed?What was special with India winning the Commonwealth Bank series?Of course!They deserved it for their T20 win-because,the win came against arch rivals Pakistan and that was against all teams of the world.Winning a world cup is all the more special wherein you are supposed to in against most of the opposition.

But,in an ordinary series like that of Commonwealth Bank Series,is nothing special in my opinion.And a felicitation for the purpose is something foolish and just a waste of time and money.All cricketers were being rewarded Rs58 lakh for their achievement.
If this the case to be,I have a lot more situations better than the Commonwealth bank series win which was hardly rewarded.For the purpose,

1)India won the test and one day series against Pakistan in Pakistan in 2004 after India toured Pakistan after 12 yrs.
2)India won the Adelaide test after a long gap of 22 years.
3)India reached the finals of the ICC World Cup 2003 after a gap of 20yrs
4)India won a test series at home against Pakistan after 20yrs
5)A test series win on the English soil after 21 yrs and much more..

When all these achievements went hardly noticed,the Commonwealth bank Series was nothing special.Even the Perth test win was not the talk of the day.This is just discrimination based on junior and senior players I believe.

There were players like Virender Sehwag,Dinesh karthik,Suresh Raina,Piyush Chawla and much more who did nothing worthy.their contribution to the win is absolutely nothing.Players like Yuvraj Singh,Robin Uttappa came back in the leter part of the series.Some noteworthy contributions that I can find is the skipper M.S.Dhoni,Ishanth Sharma,Praveen kumar and Harbhajan Singh who contributed in most part of the series.

It is just disgusting as to what the BCCI is thinking about.The board was found making wrong desisions when it comes to selection,adding to this,some unnecessary rewards for the players who have done something similar that have been done by their seniors(that have gone unnoticed) in the past.

Is this a kind of motivation that is needed,which might see Indian players play good cricket only if they are showered with cash rewards?I totally disagree "BCCI"