VERBAL BOUNCERS

Harbhajan Singh is not too worried over the inclusion of Brad Hogg in the Australian squad. The statement of Harbhajan does not make much sense since the off-spinner does not have any record of repute bowling away from India. Even in the recent series at home in India against Pakistan, Harbhajan looked anything but threatening. Looks like he relishes the idea of ‘mental disintegration’ rather than do his bowling do the talking.

Even the normally sensible Kumble also seems to have taken up the challenge of speaking out his mind. Shane Warne did not have much success against India and the leg spinner was the first to admit his inability while bowling to the likes of Sachin, Rahul and Laxman. So Kumble’s assertion that the home team would miss Warne is not on the mark.

Not to be left behind in the statement race, Shoaib Akhtar took time out from his search to find any takers for his Mumbai film career to give some valuable advice to the Aussies. Shoaib wants the home team to include Shaun Tait just to scare the Indians away. Is Tim Nielsen listening?

The coach of Pakistan Geoff Lawson (an Australian) feels that Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke are capable of taking the responsibility of the spin department. Wonder why Lawson did not think of any such innovative ideas whilst in India! The Pakistan team did not feel the need to field a specialist left arm spinner when the faster bowlers were not able to make any impact on the Indian batting.

Cricket is slowly degenerating into slanging matches that are a regular feature of boxing contests.

THEIR WAY, OUR WAY!

England failed to qualify for the forthcoming edition of Euro and so on expected lines, the coach Steve McClaren was fired. The failure came even when the English team boasted the likes of Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard in the line-up. The Football Association was under pressure to find a replacement and a number of names were mentioned. But the FA offered the top job to Italian Fabio Cappello.

India failed to get past the first round of the cricket World Cup losing to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The solitary win came against Bermuda who can’t claim to have any kind of cricketing pedigree. The team had the presence of players like Sachin, Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. As expected, the high profile coach Greg Chappell quit the job. After a lot of near misses, the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri decided to entrust the coaching job to Gary Kirsten.

The English FA did not have the reason to feel embarrassed like the way the BCCI did when Graham Ford decided to let go the job after expressing interest. Of course, Scolari turned down an earlier offer, something that can comfort the coach hunters of the Indian cricket team. The choice of Gary Kirsten was surprising to say the least. Kirsten was a tough opener with a more than a decent record, but he has no previous coaching experience. It was strange when the well-respected Dav Whatmore was not even called for an interview. It was pretty clear that the choice of Kirsten was largely the handiwork of Sunil Gavaskar.

Cappello has won major trophies with all the clubs that he has managed across Europe. There is no doubt over the credentials of the Italian. The only problem that the new England coach might face is the English language.

The shock elimination of England at the qualifying stage made the FA look for a genuine coach and not someone who appealed to the personal biases and prejudices of a few individuals. There is a lesson here for the BCCI.

WHY RAHUL DRAVID?

The recent form of Yuvraj Singh has compelled the selectors to include the left-hander in the test squad on the tour of Australia. With Sachin, Saurav, Laxman, Dravid and Jaffer being certainties, a spot for Yuvraj calls for a bold choice or a gamble. Many wise people have voiced the view that Yuvraj can be accommodated in the middle order only if Dravid is asked to give company to Jaffer at the start of the innings. Even the great Sunil Gavaskar has endorsed this view.

The idea that Dravid should open stems from the fact that the Karnataka batsman is the most competent when it comes to facing fast bowling on bouncy pitches. More importantly, Dravid opened the innings once before in Pakistan. So that makes Dravid a sort of a ‘natural choice’ for the role of the opener.

If Dravid is indeed compelled by the team management to open the innings, things could take a turn for the worst for the Indian team. If one cares to remember the last tour to down under, it was Dravid who was a crucial factor behind the team’s good show batting at one drop. With his confidence low, not only the team but also the batting of Dravid could suffer.

Why Dravid? The answer is pretty simple and straightforward. Dravid does not have many powerful backers among the former players and the media. In fact, Dravid is someone who can be dispensed with ostensibly in the name of larger interests.

The success or the failure of the team in the batting department depends mostly on the performance of Dravid.

CHEQUERED FLAG

What a splendid day with Narain Karthikeyan finishing at the top in the Chinese edition of the A1 Grand Prix.

Karthikeyan did not have a time to remember during the one season in Formula 1. He managed to earn some points in the infamous race at Indianapolis where only four cars participated in the race. His contract was not renewed after the season and suddenly the media started to write about other Indian drivers.

Karthikeyan is right to say that he still has age on his side as far as Formula 1 is concerned.

May this win be the first of many.

CAN THEY DELIVER?

Coming after the wins at home against Pakistan, hopes are high as the Indian team travels down under. The last series between the India and Australia resulted in victory for Ponting and company. Of course, the last visit by the Indians resulted in a series where the honours were shared.

The batting of the Indian team looks stronger. Sachin can be expected to add considerably to his tally. Laxman is always a good bet against his favourite opposition. Ganguly’s show against Pakistan is going to cheer up his fans. Yuvraj is in great form. Sehwag is back in the team. Jaffer appears sound at the top of the order. But the biggest worry comes in the shape of Dravid. The Karnataka batsman did not appear his usual self in the recent series. The run-ins with the selection panel chief seem to have had the impact on the batsman.

Apart from Zaheer Khan and Kumble, the bowling department does not inspire any confidence. The selectors have done the right thing in letting Agarkar sit at home but have erred in picking Harbhajan Singh. Pathan has lost the pace and his swing is only a thing of the past. Ishant Sharma is a dubious choice and even more surprising is the case of the inclusion of Pankaj Singh.

The choice of two specialist wicket keepers in the touring party is a bit of a gamble. If that were a necessity, then is it right to pick Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik?

It remains to be seen if some of the greats of Indian cricket deliver where it matters most.

WELL DESIGNED TROPHY

The Australians led by Ricky Ponting won the test series against the Sri Lankans with the score line of 2-0 in the two test series. With this, the home team captured the Warne-Muralitharan trophy in its inaugural series.

The Australians compete for the Border-Gavaskar trophy for test matches involving India. The Warne-Muralitharan trophy looks nice in comparison to the Border-Gavaskar trophy. The trophy named after the two spinners features the bowling hands whilst the Border-Gavaskar trophy features some circular objects place upon one another.

Even as Muralitharan would be disappointed with his bowling efforts, he at least would be happy with the design of the trophy.

MISPLACED CONCERNS

I was reading a news report where it was mentioned that Shane Warne conveyed his thanks to the members of the Australian team. The leg spinner expressed his gratitude since Muralitharan was denied the opportunity to go to the top of the wicket takers list in test matches.

Was Warne really worried about Muralitharan? It is a known fact that the off spinner from Sri Lanka has never done well on Australian soil. So the concerns of Warne were really misplaced.

I believe Warne just wants to maintain relations with the Australian team.

HOME ADVANTAGE!

Sreesanth and R.P.Singh shall miss the first test at Delhi due to injuries. This is not the news. The news concerns the drafting of Ishant Sharma into the playing eleven. Munaf Patel is also called as a replacement.

Ishant Sharma made his debut in the test series in Bangladesh when the Indian team was on a mission to avenge the defeat in the World Cup. By all accounts, Sharma is someone who didn’t look like a bowler suited the highest level of the game. Even when faced with the prospect of bowling at the Bangladesh batsmen, there were few deliveries that looked threatening leave alone wickettaking ones.

So what has made Sharma the chosen one? The reason is far simpler and obvious. Sharma happens to play for Delhi at the domestic level. Let the BCCI make it a policy to include at least one player from the local team in case of matches played in India.

Irfan Pathan has the experience and he is definitely the better choice. But at the present point of time, Pathan is unable to convince the selectors.

Munaf Patel has only played a handful of tests and he looks and bowls like a veteran bowler of more than 100 tests. The pace has dropped alarmingly and the body language does not speak well. Of course, Pathan’s pace also is something that cannot worry any batsman of some class. But then Sharma looked pedestrian even in his debut test.

WHO WILL PLAY AND WHO SHALL TAKE THE REST?

It is going to be a difficult choice as far as the playing eleven for the first test is concerned.

It is certain that three spinners will be fielded with the hope that the result goes India’s way. It is also not misplaced considering Pakistan batsmen could not handle the spin of the South African. If the think-tank decides to have two faster bowlers in the eleven, problems would arise.

Wasim Jaffer is a certainty since he is the only specialist opener in the side. Dinesh Karthik performed admirably in England at the top of the order and so he might get another opportunity. The problem is with the fact that the team has another keeper in Dhoni. Even as the test credentials of Dhoni are not proven, the selectors would not like to invite hostile public reaction. Let us not forget that Dhoni is the current favourite of the nation, even without the long hair.

It is a no-brainer as far as Sachin and Rahul Dravid are concerned. These two are a must for the playing eleven. That leaves only one more slot to be filled and there are three contenders in the form of Saurav Ganguly, V.V.S. Laxman and Yuvraj Singh. Of these three the claims of Ganguly are the weakest. I am a great supporter of the left-hander from Kolkata, but he does not inspire much confidence. Laxman is too good a batsman to be left out while Yuvraj is in the form of his life brimming with confidence. It would be unjust not to give him an opportunity.

I have a solution. Since Dinesh Karthik is a wicketkeeper who also opens the innings, it would not be unwise to drop Dhoni. That would give the selectors the choice to pick Yuvraj and Laxman. If dropping Dhoni is not an option, as it seems, then a rethink should be made about the idea of playing three spinners.

Of course, the selectors can always spring a choice like asking Dravid or Laxman or Ganguly or even Yuvraj to open the innings partnering Jaffer.

It is a million bucks question as to who is going to be ‘rested’?

BANISHING THE GHOSTS OF A DEFEAT

I still remember that day like it was only yesterday. That was the time when my town did not have the television. To watch live cricket one had to go to friends who stayed ten kilometres away.

I and a couple of friends decided to cycle all the way to watch the 1986 finals at Sharjah featuring India and Pakistan. We chose a classmate who was having a colour television.

India batted first and made a score that was going to challenge Pakistan. Srikkanth and Gavaskar laid the platform and Dilip Vengsarkar scored a fifty. India lost wickets late in the innings and that prevented a truly big score. Pakistan’s innings mainly revolved around Javed Miandad. India was always in the match and just a couple of wickets away from a win. The last over was to be bowled by Chetan Sharma and Miandad hit the last ball-a full toss for a six to claim the win.

That one shot changed the equation between India and Pakistan on the cricket field in general and at Sharjah in particular. In most of the matches that followed, India finished on the losing side. Chetan Sharma became the villain. In those days, the issue of match fixing was not in vogue, otherwise, the public pressure would have forced the authorities to launch an investigation. Even when Chetan Sharma went on to take wickets in England helping India to win the series only for the second time, the tag stayed with him.

A couple of days ago while surfing the channels, I watched a programme titled “Remember the Titans” on ESPN or Star Sports. The programme featured Chetan Sharma’s exploits on the English tour of 1986. The tour is best known for the series win and the batting of Vengsarkar but the programme brought to the fore the invaluable contribution made by Sharma.

In a great coincidence, India secured a series win over Pakistan-the first in an ODI series on home soil in 24 years. Sharma is now an expert on Doordarshan. The win and the programme helped to banish the rather unforgettable pain of cycling all the way back home after the Miandad six when ten kilometres appeared a great distance.

Thanks a lot, Mr.Sharma for the win in England.

A NICE JINX!

In recent months Sachin Tendulkar has been getting out without making a century. In the process he has the distinction of notching up the most number of 90 plus scores in one dayers. This has led to the belief that there is jinx that prevents Sachin from having his 42nd ODI ton. It is sad that Sachin has been unable to get beyond the 90s. But that jinx has not helped Pakistan with India taking the series.

At times the talk about the jinx becomes ridiculous. We are talking about a batsman who has scored thousands of runs and a lot of hundreds. So it cannot be question of nervous nineties. It is more of a coincidence. Any lesser player would be proud to become the owner of the 90 plus scores that Sachin is accumulating these days.

There was a time when Sachin scored a 100 but India was not able to force the issue with the opposition. So it matters very little whether Sachin scores a 100 or falls in the nineties. What matters more is the win for India.

I believe Sachin also gives a greater importance to the fortunes of the team than to his own.

PEAKS BEING CONQUERED?

Sachin Tendulkar has been getting out in the 90s. He is unable to add to his tally of international hundreds. At the rate of the matches played by him and the 90 plus scores, there is little wonder that Sachin has the maximum. Fans and the commentators alike are anguished over the ‘failure’ of Sachin.

Roger Federer lost to Nalbandian and then to Gonzalez. In the season ending Master’s event at Shanghai where the top eight players compete, Federer lost to Gonzalez after taking the first set. His long time rival Andy Roddick was demolishing his opponents in the round robin event. Suddenly, there were some questions asked about Federer. Even if the Swiss master made it to the last four, there he had to go past his other great rival Nadal.

The failures of Sachin and the losses of Federer grabbed attention. There was a talk of the peaks being conquered.

Sachin has the maximum number of 90 plus scores in one dayers and he also owns the record for the largest number of tons. Any batsman would be proud to own the 90 plus scores and be called a good player. Similarly, there are very few players who can boast of a credible head-to-head record against Federer. Any player, who can match the accomplishments of Federer over the last two seasons in his entire career, would surely be considered as a good player. Such is the phenomenal record of the Swiss maestro.

In the fourth one dayer at Gwalior, Sachin looked at his best toying with the bowlers of Pakistan. Any doubts over the form of Federer were brushed off with disdain as was evident in the wins over Roddick and Nadal. As the clichéd saying goes “form is temporary, class is permanent”.

Sachin is in the final legs of a great career while Federer is someone who is till far away from the mid-life crisis of tennis professionals. There will always be moments when some opponent can score a point but there can no doubt over the greatness of these two players.

Mount Everest has been conquered many times since the day Hillary and Norgay set their foot on the tallest peak in the world. Flags of many nations have been planted at the top but Everest stands where it is. Sachin and Federer are setting the benchmarks for other players. Their achievements cannot be conquered while their records may be broken some day.

HOMING ON THE FACTS

South Africa won their test match at the Wanderers in Johannesburg by taking advantage of the home conditions. The pace and the bounce proved too much for the visiting Kiwis. Home conditions played a role too in the win of Australia over Sri Lanka in Brisbane. The bowlers and the batsmen of the home team deserve all the appreciation.

England managed to beat the Aussies in the Ashes of 2005 and it was the English bowlers who proved to be the decisive factor. Call it reverse swing or not, the swing generated by the likes of Simon Jones proved to be the undoing of the Aussies.

New Zealand is always a tough proposition when it comes to playing them at home. Teams from the subcontinent are often at sea when it comes to the rising ball.

In their pomp, the West Indies bowlers succeeded everywhere and at home they were truly devastating. It is an entirely different story now.

But it is altogether different when it comes to the teams from the subcontinent in general and India in particular. The wins are never attributed to the skills of the players. The pitches are given all the dubious credit. Cricket analysts who are otherwise balanced seem to lose their judgment once the results go in the direction of the home team. Seemingly, it gives more delight to watch a batsman duck to a bouncer than be fooled by the spinning ball.

What is appalling is the fact that the local media also takes jibes at the pitches. The statisticians take delight in calling batsmen ‘fat track bullies’. It is quite another thing when batsmen from teams outside of the subcontinent fail to tackle the spin. The pitch is blamed. The spin bowlers are not at all given the credit. Of course, even a mediocre spinner like Ashley Giles is praised for his acumen when bowling on the wickets of the subcontinent.

Things have gone to such a pass that the cricket administration has appointed a committee to look after the pitches and produce wickets that are more suitable to the visiting teams!

Home teams have always taken the advantage of the conditions and this is something that is not peculiar to cricket alone. Of course, to be fair, good teams possess the talent and the skill to beat any opponent anywhere, be it at home or away.

A WIN FOR SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa used the home conditions to their advantage and had a crushing win over New Zealand. The wicket at the Wanderers in Johannesburg offered pace and bounce and that did the Kiwis in. Dale Steyn took 10 wickets in the match.

It looked like a good test match when the hosts were dismissed for a small total in the first innings. But when the New Zealand batsmen found the home bowlers too hot to handle. In the second innings, Kallis scored big in the company of Amla. Kallis went past the 9000 run mark in test matches. Kallis had scored heavily during the test matches in Pakistan and the good form continues. Wonder how Kallis has not been a matchwinner for the Proteas in the one-dayers.

The Kiwis have been inflicted with a major blow for the rest of their tour. Their premier pace bowler, Shane Bond has suffered an injury that forces him out of the tour. This is not the first time that Bond has suffered an injury. I wonder if certain bowlers do not have the physical characteristics to protect themselves from injury.

South Africa decided to leave out Shaun Pollock out of the playing eleven. This is a continuation of the strategy employed earlier when Pollock played in the one-dayers during the tour to Pakistan. Pollock is the top wicket taker for South Africa in tests and at the Wanderers he has taken more than 50 wickets in 13 matches. I don’t know the reactions of the press and the fans in South Africa, but I am sure it wouldn’t have come anyway near the one triggered off by the ‘resting’ of Rahul Dravid in India.