IS THIS NOT INDIAN CRICKET?

First it was the startling decision to send Irfan back home from South Africa that raised the hackles. Then came the news that the selectors were keen to send Ishant Sharma, the Delhi bowler to South Africa as a replacement for Irfan. The news channels provided all the information about Ishant and even carried interviews of coaches and players.

But by the afternoon, things settled down and the Board came up with the clarification. It was decided not to send Ishant to South Africa after all.

In one day, a player nearly made it to the Indian team and in the end, did not. This is Indian cricket. Who writes these kind of scripts that can put the best to rest?

'ROY' COMES OF AGE?

For someone who got a chance to be back in the test squad only due to retirement of Damien Martyn, it was a last chance at a test glory for Andrew Symonds. He could do little in previous test outings. So despite his fielding skills, Symonds could not command a place in the test team.

The early dismissals of the likes of Ponting, Clarke and Hussey must have filled the English hearts with joy. The credentials of Symonds, the test player were in question and there was sufficient pressure. The setting was similar to the 2003 World Cup encounter between Pakistan and Australia. That day, Wasim Akram and company put the world champions under pressure by taking 4 wickets for few runs on the board. Then Symonds took charge with a hundred. Today at the MCG, the situation was similar and the response from Symonds was also similar.

This knock not only would help the Aussie cause in this test but would also hopefully secure a permanent place for Symonds in the team. That would not too bad for someone who in the last tour to England was ‘disciplined’ by the team management and his contract was in doubt.

SS DAS

Anyone remember Shiv Sundar Das? He used to open the innings for India in test matches. He was promising. The ‘critics’ harped on the soundness of his technique. But something went wrong and Das lost his place in the Indian team. The opener could not make runs even at the domestic level for his team Orissa. He was even stripped of Captaincy.

But in the ongoing Ranji match at Cuttack against Jammu and Kashmir, Das scored a triple century. This is the first time that a batsman from Orissa has achieved the distinction of scoring a triple ton in first class cricket.

Since cricket is a team game and also due to the fact that Orissa is one of the weaker sides, the efforts of players like Das don’t get the attention that a player from the more fancied sides gets.

It is unlikely that this effort can force the Indian selectors and the think tank to consider Das for future encounters. Even Das also might have this thing in mind. In that context, the triple hundred is all the more worthwhile.

A RECORD FOR STRAUSS

After Shane Warne announced his retirement from international cricket, a cartoon appeared in The Hindu. It showed a batsman running happily back to the pavilion after being dismissed. The batsman is happy to become the 700th wicket of Warne.

In the test match at the MCG, it was Andrew Strauss who became the 700th wicket. Unlike in the cartoon, Strauss showed little joy. But unwittingly, he also went into the record books along with Shane Warne. Indian cricket fans belonging to my generation remember till today the bowler off whom Sunil Gavaskar scored his 10000th test run. By the way, the bowler was Ijaz Fakih of Pakistan. Strauss has joined the club of players who have contributed to great cricketing records over the ages. The feat of Garry Sobers hitting 6s off successive balls in an over will always be remembered alongside the name of the hapless bowler, Malcom Nash. So is the case with Tilak Raj who was bowler when Ravi Shastri emulated the efforts of Sobers. So Strauss should not feel unhappy. He is great company.

Batsmen are not happy to give their wickets away and Strauss is no exception. Till that point, Strauss was playing without any discomfort. His dismissal led to a procession of English batsmen back to the pavilion.

A FAIRY TALE

Days after announcing his retirement from international cricket, Shane Warne could not have chosen a perfect place for his 700th wicket. It was achieved on his homeground-the MCG. Incidentally, this is the 100th time that a test match is being played on this famous ground. His achievement overshadowed for once the capitulation of England, not for the first time on this tour, though. The 700th wicket successfully managed to relegate another 5-wicket haul from the champion leg spinner into the background.

The Aussies were eager to see Warne play for the last time at the MCG and were all expecting their team and the most liked Melbournian (at least for some time now) to create history. The homecrowd was not disappointed with Warne getting his due and the visitors bowled out for a paltry score.

The whitewash, the first time since 1921(correct me if my facts are wrong) is a strong possibility. England is well and truly beaten.

WHAT A STORY!

RAVI SHASTRI, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

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WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

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WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

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WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

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WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,

WARNE, WARNE, WARNE, WARNE,WARNE, ANDREW STRAUSS

That is a whole lot of wickets.

RADICAL INDEED!

Irfan Pathan is sent back home to enable him play the Ranji Trophy matches for the purpose of regaining his bowling form and confidence. This is, surely, a radical part of the process started by Greg Chappell. It is true that Pathan was not able to bowl so far on the tour to South Africa. But was this step warranted?

It may be the first time that a player has been sent home for poor form. There were instances in the past when players returned midway from tours due to injuries or ill health or even ‘stress’ related issues. We also had the case of Sidhu who returned from India from a tour to England for undisclosed reasons. But the Pathan episode is different.

From a player who once was regarded as the successor of Kapil Dev, this is a mighty fall.

BOXING DAY TEST

The Boxing Day has nothing to do with boxing. It is about getting gifts or boxes with gifts in them. In terms of boxing, the Indians have to land the knockout punch at Kingsmead in Durban to shut the Proteas out of the series.

The tourists have to be alert in warding off the threat from the home team. The South Africans are not in the same league as Australia when it comes to resilience, but this test can separate the winners from the pretenders. A win for India settles the series, while a win for the home team could make the third test interesting.

Ganguly and Laxman batted with a lot of purpose in the first test; they have to perform well in the second test. Sachin and Dravid have to post big scores to take the match beyond the reach of South Africa. Sehwag and Jaffer have to provide a good start while Dhoni has a lot to prove.

In the bowling department, Sreesanth, Zaheer and Kumble bowled superbly in the win in the first test. Looks like Munaf is going to be included at the expense of V.R.V.Singh. But Munaf does not have the pace to worry the batsmen.

A win would be a lovely gift.

THE REDS ARE COMING

The Indian economy is facing the onslaught of the Chinese manufacturing juggernaut. There is another Chinese threat that cannot be taken lightly. In the recently concluded Asian Games in the Qatari city of Doha, no team from the subcontinent managed to reach the finals of the hockey tournament for men.

The eclipse of India followed by the decline of Pakistan was marked by the ascent of other teams from Europe and Australia. Then towards the 1990s, South Korea became a serious contender at least in the Asian scene. Now, China has taken a ‘long march’ towards displacing the traditional superpowers of Asian hockey. All the while people like K.P.S.Gill were busy finding excuses and scapegoats for the sad story of Indian hockey.

The progression of China is something that shows the attitude of the people towards sports and games. Indians should never feel let down by the lack of success in the sporting arena. It is not in our genes to excel in sporting activities. We don’t have many role models in this respect. The lack of sporting culture is reflected in the fact that the top sporting recognitions in our country are named after mythological heroes like Arjuna and Dronacharya.

WHAT A MESS!

Indian athletics is in a mess. The controversy over the alleged doping offence of Seema Antil had barely died that the Santhi Soundarjan affair has put the sports officials in the dock. If the athlete was found to be in contravention to the rules, why was he/she sent to Doha?

A news channel first broke the story with the catchy headline that screamed how ‘a man won a medal in the women’s’ section’. The officials were quick to pass the buck around and pleaded their ignorance, as is their wont. Revelations came out that the athlete was considered ‘unfit’ for jobs meant for women. With all the evidence, it is a shame that the athlete in question was allowed to participate in the meet.

The felicitation of the Tamil Nadu government was something that appeared to be ludicrous, even by the Indian standards of governance. The state government went ahead with the presentation even after the scandal broke out. This is the worst attempt at populism even by the lofty standards of Dravidian governments.

INDIA IN SOUTH AFRICA

“INDIA HAVE TO KEEP THE HAMMER DOWN”

This the view expressed by former South African fast bowler, Allan Donald. The aggression from the bowlers, especially, Sreesanth paid off and now it is time for the others-the big guns-Sachin, Sehwag and Dravid to fire to strangle the Proteas. It is the never-say-die attitude that has served the Aussies for so long and the Indians can take a leaf out their book.

The success at Jo’burg was nothing short of a miracle. A draw was also not expected considering the lackluster display in the shorter version of the game.

Sreesanth was a revelation. He may not have the pace of a genuine fast bowler. He is aggressive and that intent was refreshing. The six off Andre Nel and the subsequent dance movements made a statement.

The veterans who were seemingly past their use-by date, Sourav, Laxman, Kumble and Zaheer all had their contributions to the victory.

The victory was not based on the efforts of an individual. The whole team added to the to final outcome.

After a long time, the sum parts of the Indian team have become the whole.

ASHES UPDATE

WHAT A LOSS!

There are few instances in the history of test cricket that a team lost after putting up over 500 runs in the board and still end up the loser. The Ashes win by England in 2005 was not a fluke. It was the result of some great cricket played by a bunch of determined cricketers from England. But the loss in the second test made that victory look like a fluke.

The moment Giles grassed the chance offered by Ponting, the match and with it the entire series slipped out of English hands. Ponting has been scoring runs by the hundreds and he made the most of the let-off. Michael Clarke came good with a ton after a long time. Hussey only added to his growing reputation. It is really baffling that the Aussie selectors ignored a player of such class and caliber in the last Ashes. Gilchrist contributed with a knock of substance after a while.

Collingwood and Pietersen rendered the Aussie big guns like Warne and McGrath ineffective. Hoggard was the lone English bowler to cause difficulties to the home batsmen while Flintoff bowled well in patches. The burden of captaincy is having the effect on the free-flowing brand of cricket played by the Lancastrian. Flintoff was one of the architects of the last series between the two teams.

In the second innings, the English batsmen were on a mission to lose their wickets and the match. Warne bowled as only as he can and picked up four wickets. The wicket of Pietersen gave fresh energy to Warne. The ball was similar to the ball bowled to Mike Gatting in terms of effect. Pitersen does have this habit of coming up with shots that border on overconfidence.

The Aussies scored the runs with Ponting and Hussey once again shared the spoils.

Duncan Fletcher erred in not picking up Monty Panesar. Giles mostly bowled a line that was once famously desribed by the Indian commentators as ‘negative’. Moreover, Giles did little to justify the supposedly superior batting talents.

The English have to salvage some pride in the remaining matches.

ANOTHER DOPING LET-OFF

Another doping case has been resolved on a ‘technical’ ground. Shoaib Akhtar and Asif Mohammad were let off with the enquiry tribunal not finding any intentional use of banned substances. The authorities were blamed for the players were not properly warned or advised about the WADA stipulations. Can the ignorance of the law be held as an excuse for breaking it?

In a curious coincidence, the President of Pakistan predicted that Pakistan would win the cricket World Cup in 2007. So is there anyway that the exoneration of the two bowlers came at the behest of instructions from the top? The ICC and the WADA can actually allow Pakistan to field drug tainted players on the back of the ‘war against terrorism’ argument.

Only a couple of days ago, Dick Pound expressed his unhappiness over the way in which Cricket Australia imposed a one-year ban on Shane Warne following a diuretic use during the World Cup of 2003. It seems Pakistan is ready with the justification for the let-off given to Shoaib and Asif.

Now what is Bob Woolmer going to do? It was widely reported that the drug tests were carried out in the first place at the insistence of the coach. Moreover, there were reports about a fight between Shoaib and Woolmer. In case, the PCB decides to include Shoaib in the team, things could take an interesting turn with the fast bowler not having cordial relations with the captain, Inzamam.

What is Imran Khan going to say? The former captain of Pakistan was all in favour of the firm action taken by the PCB. But with the bans revoked, what does Khan now have up his sleeve?

It is time that the whole anti-doping policy be revamped with most of the offenders escaping.

NOT A WHITEWASH

What if India lost the one day series 4-0?
There are some positives to come out of the series.

It was not a whitewash as some would like us to believe. A whitewash would have meant a 5-0 loss. But it is now only 4-0.The raingod save us from that ignominy.

No Indian batsman except Dhoni aggregated even 100 runs. But that is to be expected when the team is in the process of rebuilding and experimenting.

Sachin is still in fine touch as evident from the last match where he scored a half-century. But he was not even a shadow of his best in the other matches.


Sehwag looked burdened with the captaincy due to the injury to Dravid. The selectors realized this and gave the test match captaincy to Laxman.

Dinesh Karthick was suddenly elevated to the pantheons of Indian cricketing greats following the innings in the 20-20 match. His fielding was also top class.

Jaffer was the best equipped to cope with the bouncing and the seaming balls but he could not last long at the crease to demonstrate his talents and skills.

Irfan Pathan averaged better with the bat than with the ball. But he is still to get opportunities for we want him to be a Kapil Dev.

Harbhajan was expected to spin the Proteas out but he was hit out of the park. Of course, he still is a fine bowler in Indian conditions.

The selections of Saurav Ganguly for the test matches and the late inclusion of Laxman for the one-dayers were construed as something of signal to Chappell. But the experimentation continues.

To paraphrase the great Shelley, if winter is here, spring cannot be far behind.

OBSESSION WITH TECHNIQUES

When I was in +2, a teacher of mine was not happy with the way I held a pen. He believed that my writing speed was slow because of the particular grip I used. He even pointed out this to my father who was a colleague. This gave me a harrowing time for those two years and even now I am curious to look at the grip employed by others.

I believe rather strongly that each has his or her own way of holding a pen. There can also be a hereditary pattern out here. Ultimately, it is not the grip that decides the outcome, but it is the matter and the quality of the handwriting that are important.

Much in the same lines, I also have come to the conclusion that as Indians we are obsessed about techniques when playing cricket. Whenever a batsman is dismissed, the commentators-Indians come up with the reasons. Faulty technique is the readymade answer. The same kind of reasoning is employed when a bowler is hit for a boundary. What is hilarious is the fact that bowlers are able to find fault with the techniques of the batsmen and batsmen are able to do the same with the bowlers.

Former cricketers and coaches talk about the copybook or the textbook technique. What is the textbook or the coaching manual that is to be taken as the best? A different person based on his personal experiences has written each one. So how can a player of a different era can correlate with a present player and his needs?


Players are different in terms of physique and so use methods best suited to them. Players change the methods in the light of the conditions and the match situations. Here it is the adaptability and not the technique that is the key to the outcome.

The Indian team has not been lacking in technique but has been unable to adapt to the conditions abroad. Too much emphasis has been given to correct the technical flaws and even a player as successful as the great Sachin Tendulkar has been unable to decide on the balls that are to be left and those that are to be played.

THIRD ONE-DAYER

NO NEW RESULT FROM NEWLANDS

Where is Mr. Jaywant Lele now?

Well as Secretary of the BCCI, he once famously predicted a loss for India with a scoreline of 4-0 in the test matches in Australia. Of course, like a true public figure, Mr.Lele had the temerity to deny the quote. Whether it was true or not, the Indian team could not disprove it. With the display so far in the two matches, the scoreline will be 4-0 for the home team.

The team under Dravid has proved that the defeat or rather the trashing at Durban was no aberration by putting up a spineless display under the tabletop mountain.

The start of the match was nothing short of a dream with Zaheer Khan picking up both Graeme Smith and Kallis for nought. The home team lost 6 wickets with not even 100 runs on the board. Sachin let go a caught bowled chance offered by Kemp and from then the whole complexion of the match changed. I wonder what would have been the reaction if another bowler grassed the catch.Of course, that was not the sole reason for the dismal show.

Dravid is shown reading Bill Bryson’s ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ in an ad. But he looked completely lost when his bowlers fluffed their lines.. More than 100 runs were scored off the last 10 overs.

The batting effort was no less atrocious. The third man caught Sehwag brilliantly and Sachin went while playing a pull shot. It seems Kaif can do no right . What made the selectors go in for Dinesh Karthik in the first place. Karthik is a wicketkeeper and this begs the question. Is a wicketkeeper-batsman better qualified to play on the pacy wickets when there are specialist batsmen sitting on the bench?

The chief Selector, Dilip Vengsarkar justified the inclusion of Wasim Jaffer on the ground of his ‘superior technique’. Then what made the team management go in favour of Karthik ? What happened to Dinesh Mongia?

Dhoni struck the ball nicely for a 50 but that was not enough. The laboured effort of Dravid helped India go past 91.

Looks like the process and the experiments are finally showing results.

30 PLUS AND GOING STRONG

Before the start of the Ashes, a lot of doubts were expressed over the ability of the Aussies. The concern related to the age of a lot of the key players of the home team. McGrath and Warne are well past 35 and Damien Martyn, Langer and Hayden are also not young either. But McGrath and Warne have been the pick of the bowlers in the Brisbane test. Langer scored a 100 and Ponting who is also past 30 also scored in both the innings.

Age had caught up with the ability and reflexes of Brian Lara many years ago. But he is the best batsman of the West Indies in the first two test matches in Pakistan. His 34th ton belied the all the talk of the effects of ‘father time’.

In the 3rd one dayer at Capetown, Shaun Pollock first scored runs giving good company to Kemp and then took the wickets of batsmen a lot younger. True, the pace has surely gone but the batsmen could not handle him.

The only exception seems to be Sachin who looks completely out of sorts.

Is there anyway that Laxman and Ganguly could find a place in the team for they are also over 30 ?

BILLION BLUES

India lost yet another match to Australia and that is not a surprise. Not many genuine followers of the Indian cricket team expected a result in favour of the home team. Those who did were banking on a miracle that did not materialize. In desperation, many television channels had astrologers, numerologists and tarot card readers as guests. The numbers and the cards and the symbols ultimately did not make India win the match. The more devout were shown offering prayers that the Gods also did not heed.

At home my father wished well for the Indian team while I went for Australia. But my mother supported Australia since my younger brother is currently in the land down under.

But there was unanimity about the performance of a certain Sachin Tendulkar. He looked assured but the contribution was a mere 10 runs off 26 balls. Sachin was once again dismissed by the McGrath-Gilchrist combination. This is the 7th time that Sachin fell to McGrath. Gilchrist pouched a knick off the bat of Sachin for the 8th time. Believe me, that ended any hope of a real match. The statistics are telling.

Sachin has so far scored 7 centuries against Australia and India could win 6 matches. As far as the 50s are concerned, Sachin has scored 11 versus Australia and India has won 3 matches. When Sachin has been dismissed for a score of less than 50, India could win only 6 matches. It is really frustrating to see the great batsman failing again in a crucial encounter.

Sehwag and Dravid made half-centuries that are only statistically relevant. Raina and Kaif scratched at the wicket. Dinesh Mongia is simply not upto the international class. In the bowling department, not a single bowler looked like getting a wicket. But Australia managed to lose 4 wickets.

Ponting, Watson and Martyn made 50s and Martyn extended his good run on the Indian wickets. Ponting was given some batting practice and he came good. The score that the Aussies required to chase was not challenging enough and so there were not many shots that demanded attention. The run chase was as professional as one would expect from the Aussies.

After the match ended, a filmstar hollered the punchline of a softdrink in support of the Indian team. The poor show of the Indian team surely has given the ‘blues’ to the fans.

Does anyone really give a damn to cricket fans of this country? It is time for changes and they should start at the top right from the coach.

AN UNWANTED THRILLER

The Windies managed to snatch defeat but in the end they pipped India to the post. A match that was one-sided became a thriller thanks to the insipid batting from Runako Morton and some good bowling from the Indians.

The much vaunted batting line-up of India failed to make runs again. A good innings from Rahul Dravid came to an end with a run out going for a non-existent single. Sehwag lashed 3 boundaries before falling a victim once again to the incoming delivery. Sachin looked in fine touch until he dragged a pretty innocuous looking ball from Bradshaw onto the stumps. Irfan Pathan did not trouble the scorer. Yuvraj showed glimpses of his talent as well his failings in his short stay at the crease.

In the end, the total of India crept past 200 thanks to some good hitting from Dhoni and Harbhajan. Dhoni and Raina were guilty of playing a number of dot balls. At times, Dhoni looked awkward in the way he defended his wicket.

Gayle was in his usual elements and unleashed a few ferocious shots. He was helped by a dropped chance. Chanderpaul once again frustrated the Indian attack and Sarwan also scored a 50. A simple run chase appeared to become a Herculean task in the closing overs of the match. Lara caned a four and got out. Samuels hit the winning shot with only two balls to spare.

In the bowling department, Harbhajan Singh looked the best and Munaf Patel was good. The omission of the experienced Kaif is unjustified since Raina is in no form. It is time the Indian think-tank does some real homework and not perform a random experiment.A berth in the last four looks out of question since India have to face Australia on Sunday.

For the third day in a row, the captain winning the toss elected to field. But the trend has been bucked by Lara’s men.

SCHUMACHER IS THE BEST

Michael Schumacher failed to win the last two races of the season and so failed to win his 8th driver’s title in F1. Frankly, did Schumi needed to win at all to establish his credentials as the best F1 racedriver of all time?

I know nothing about the working of a car leave alone that of a F1 car. I also know nothing of a F1 racetrack and its nuances. But I am a fan of Schumacher. The grit and determination of the German on the track is something that all sportspersons and sports fans should be aware of. As long as the German was in the car, the race was not over for the other drivers. Forget the criticism.

Schumacher was so dominating that F1 was in danger of becoming a one driver show. That is when the bosses decided to tinker with the rules and new champions like Fernando Alonso could emerge. Is this possible to change the rules of Golf when Tiger Woods wins every event? Michael Jordan could not force changes the NBA during his heydays. That shows the domination of Schumacher.

Schumi called it a day when he was almost on the top. That is perfect timing needed to win the race.

STRATEGY? WHAT STRATEGY?

It is like making waterfalls out of dew drops. Pardon me for imitating the master of gibberish, Navjot Sidhu. Nothing explains the rather foolish decisions of two captains in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy.


The captain of Sri Lanka, Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and decided to take to the field, stumping the conventional wisdom. When asked about the decision, Mahela felt that the fall of the dew would make the task of bowling and fielding difficult in the second innings. He also seems to be in agreement with the ‘experts’ who argue that batting becomes much simpler under the lights with the ball coming on to the bat aided by the dew on the wicket. Pakistan was able to beat the Lankans under the lights. Probably that outcome weighed rather heavily on the Lankan think-tank. It should be recollected here that the score put up by Sri Lanka was low considering the conditions during the first innings.


The Lankans were outplayed by South Africa who defended a small target of 219. Surprisingly, the dew could not help the team of Mahela.

The captain of Pakistan, Younis Khan won the toss and as with his Sri Lankan counterpart, asked the Kiwis to make the first use of the wicket. Again, the dew factor influenced the decision. New Zealand put up a good score and Pakistan failed to overhaul it. New Zealand bowlers were able to overcome the negative effect of the dew.

So is there any strategy that is worth talking about ? There is clearly no thinking behind the decisions of the two Asian captains. It makes me laugh when Khan was hailed as an aggressive and thinking captain after the unexpected win over Sri Lanka. Mahela also in the books of many is a wonderful captain.

However, the cake goes to the cricket authorities at the PCA ground in Mohali. Some chemical was sprayed on the grass to lessen the impact of the dew. In the end it did not help as dew was well and truly all over the ground. Of course, a few days earlier a chemical adhesive was sprayed on the pitch at Wankhede to prevent the breaking up of the pitch.

Don’t give due to the dew.

ARE LOW SCORES BAD FOR CRICKET?

Are low scores bad for cricket? Yes, seems to be the answer based on the views of the commentators, news channels, ex-players and the presenters of ‘extraaa innings’. So far in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy no team has been able to post a score that we have been used to see at least on the subcontinental wickets.

Typical has been the reaction of the teams losing to blame the pitch and the commentators blaming things like the dew and the start of the game. It is opined that the toss is the crucial element in deciding the outcome of the matches. On the contrary, the matches have so far provided cricket of good quality.

The loss of South Africa to New Zealand started off the blame game. It is a known fact that the Proteas cannot handle good quality spin and that was the reason for their defeat. The wicket at Wankhede only helped the spinners. A good team has to learn to play and win on all surfaces. That is the factor separating a good team from the best team.

A good bowling and fielding display is as entertaining as the boundaries coming from the bats. South Africa have knocked out Sri Lanka from the tournament with a superb display on the field. West Indies put up a modest score and they could defend it successfully against Australia.

Cricket is not just a game played with the bat and the ball also has a decisive part to play. There have been enough of matches where scores of 350 plus have been chased much to the chagrin of the opponents. It is time to give bowlers their due.

INDIAN EXPRESS DERAILS

MANY CASUALITIES

The decision of Mahesh Bhupathi not to play for the country does not augur well for the country’s prospects in competitions like the Davis Cup, the Asian Games and the Olympics. Bhupathi has his own reasons for this drastic decision. Leander Paes the other half of the famed duo, is hopeful of finding a solution.

Paes and Bhupathi appeared to have the world at their feet with their exploits on the tennis court, more so when playing for the country. Their glorious run came to a premature end and the renewal of the partnership was only shortlived. But this decision has jolted the country’s hope of a medal in the Asian Games. A medal in the tennis competition was a sure bet.

The derailment of the ‘Indian Express’ has so far resulted in many casualities.

ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY

ALONG EXPECTED LINES
The first two matches of the ICC Champions Trophy went along expected lines. Sri Lanka was never in the danger of being upset by Bangladesh while the West Indies swept aside Zimbabwe.

In the first of the qualifying matches, the difference between the two sides was just 37 runs. Bangladesh played much better than in the past, but simply were no match to Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe is just added to make up the numbers and it showed in their pathetic display, especially with the bat. The Windies knocked off the runs before the dinner break.

West Indies and Sri Lanka will make to the ‘Super 8’. I personally, think that the knockout format of the earlier versions was much more interesting. The tournament this time stretches to nearly one month and it is just too boring. Looks like the ICC and other parties involved are far more eager to rake in the moolah by selling the television rights.

BALL TAMPERING

ACQUITTED BUT GUILTY

Predictably, the ICC has taken actions that are at best ridiculous. If the Pakistan team was not guilty of ball tampering, then action ought to have been taken against the umpires, Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove. If Inzamam was slapped with a suspension for bringing the game into disrepute, the umpires also were as much guilty. Ranjan Madugalle did not find anything incorrect with the decision of the umpires when there was no evidence of ball tampering.

The ICC decided not to have Hair and Doctrove for any of the matches in the ongoing Champions Trophy. This leaves one question unanswered, how does Mike Procter, continue to act as the Match Referee? Procter was the man-in-charge at the Oval when the whole incident took place.Procter could have done much to diffuse the situation.


Everything speaks of the double standards. Procter is from South Africa and the ICC chief is also from that country. Hair is from Australia and Madugalle is from Sri Lanka. Thus, poor Billy Doctrove was made a scapegoat.

BALL TAMPERING

WHO IS THE LOSER?




In the end, everyone went home smiling. The wisecracks at the ICC were happy in the belief that they were able to diffuse the situation. The PCB felt ‘vindicated’ and decided not to appeal against the 4 match suspension slapped on Inzamam. The umpires, particularly, Darrell Hair, was not made a scapegoat. So it all makes a ‘win-win’ game.

But there is something larger than a few individuals that has taken a beating and one that will suffer even greatly in the future. It is the game of cricket. From now on, the umpires may not be really vigilant towards the condition of the ball. I am not in any way dropping hints that the Pakistan bowlers resorted to ball tampering in the Oval test. The whole thing has relegated the role of the umpire.

Umpiring and umpiring mistakes have been part of the glorious uncertainties that cricket is. If I remember correctly, Steve Bucknor refused to take the help of the 3rd umpire on India’s first tour to South Africa. The home team cashed in on this reprieve and went on to save the match. In the recent DLF Cup, every team got the benefit of the umpires’ largesse and every team felt robbed by the umpires at crucial moments. Does this make umpires biased and prejudiced? With neutral umpires, things have more or less evened out for all the teams.

It is not sporting to take recourse to questions of race and nationality whenever any decision goes against the team.

After all, George Orwell said many years ago that sport is war minus the shooting.

PAWAR POLITICS

As expected, Sharad Pawar and company have managed to consolidate their position in the BCCI. It was also according to the script that people who were part of the Dalmiya camp were sidelined while anyone who showed even an iota of support for Pawar, was rewarded with a plum position. With a full time politician at the helm, things are now not different from the way ministerial berths are awarded.

Dilip Vengsarkar is now the new Chairman of the selectors. There is no doubting the cricketing credentials of the Colonel. But there has always been a concern over his bias towards Mumbai players and the prejudice against non-Mumbai players. Few of us can recall the anger that Vengsarkar displayed in his column over the selection of Saurav Ganguly for the tour to England in 1996. It is another story that he later apologised after the magnificient show by Ganguly.

In all this farce that is BCCI, everyone seemed unperturbed by the dismal showing of India in the DLF Cup in Malayasia.

BALL TAMPERING

NEEDED A CLEAR LINE OF ACTION FROM THE ICC


It is hard to comprehend the issue of the ball tampering in the aftermath of the Oval test match. I am in no position to make any value judgements. But the fallout has the potential to hurt the game.

Pakistan have always been suspect of doctoring the ball much to the chagrin of the others. It is quite a different thing when English bowlers like Simon Jones managed to make the ball swing in the other way. The appointment of Waqar Younis as the bowling coach and the subsequent allegations leveled by Hair appear to be justified. Let us not forget that Bob Woolmer is someone who doesn’t always play the game fairly. In the 1999 World Cup match between South Africa and India, he had conversations with the South African captain Hansie Cronje through a wireless communication device. Further, ICC match referee Barry Jarman has now accused the South African bowlers of having tampered with the ball in a match against India.

The one fallout will surely be the undermining of the role of the umpire. Captains have a way of making their displeasure over the performance of the umpires. But Inzamam and the Pakistan team think-tank decided to take the drastic measure of not coming on to the field after the tea interval. Then Hair appeared to be on solid ground but the revelation of the Aussie umpire seeking a golden handshake tilted the scales in favour of Pakistan.

In the recently concluded FIFA world cup, many referees made horrendous decisions and the governing body took immediate steps. Referees were asked to leave the world cup after being found guilty of bad decisions. Why not the ICC devise such a strategy?

At the best of times, the ICC does not have the acumen to take tough and definitive stands on prickly issues. This was demonstrated during the match fixing crisis and the chucking issue. The dilly-dallying and the procrastination led to the farcical 15-degree leeway given to the bowlers with suspect actions. The inaction then also led to racial and other such allegations. Now things have gone one step ahead with the inclusion of religious beliefs.

US OPEN

AGASSI BIDS GOODBYE-BECKER BEATS AGASSI


In 1992 Andre Agassi won the Wimbledon and in the way to the title, he got the better of Boris Becker. Those were the times when Becker was my sporting hero, exceeded only by the likes of Kapil Dev and Steve Waugh. The defeat of the German was painful since he was the natural grass court player while the American was the pretender.

However, with the passage of time, even as his contemporaries bid adieu, Agassi was still busy on the courts. He surprised everyone with the finals at the US last year. The initial disapproval turned into admiration.

The match against Baghdatis demonstrated the longevity and the staying power of Agassi. That win seemed to drain away all the mental and physical strength so much that in the match against Benjamin Becker, Agassi looked pedestrian at times.

The game of tennis has lost a character that is very hard to find in the era of the Federers and company.

BOOTCAMP ANYONE?

I am not much of a tech guy. So this blog is not meant to highlight the ways and means of installing Windows on a Mac with the help of bootcamp.

First, the Indian cricket team went through drills and exercise regimens that are commonly associated with the armed forces. There were even photographs of the Indian players attired in military fatigues and shooting targets.

The second concerns with the training camp for the Australian team to take on the English in the forthcoming Ashes. Ricky Ponting and his men undertook training that was called ‘bootcamp’. Opinions were divided on the logic of holding such training or conditioning camps. Neil Harvey, one of the few survivors of the 1948 ‘invincibles’ was highly critical of the camp. More recent ex-players were all for the need to toughen up the players in order to recapture the Ashes.

The Indians played just 4 overs and three balls in Sri Lanka after preparing themselves for a war! The Aussies are truly hell bent on revenge. But in the final analysis it may not be necessary considering the absence of key players from the English side.

Why do coaches go to such extremes? Is there any method to this madness?

US OPEN

UPDATE-AGASSI FIGHTS TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY


Andre Agassi overcame a tough challenge in the form of Andrei Pavel to advance to the second round. At times Agassi looked jaded and tired before the experience and determination saw him through on the big points. Every match played by the American will be watched with a great deal of interest for it may be the last.

Andy Roddick gave a powerful display to secure a very comfortable passage into the second round. At times the serve and the returns were simply scorching. The only thing missing so far in the arsenal of Roddick is mental toughness when playing the likes of Federer.

Sania Mirza started her campaign with a straight set win over a fancied opponent. I did not give much chance to Sania considering her form for much of the season.So this win over Sprem was a surprise. It remains to be seen whether Sania can repeat her performance of the last year when she went to the fourth round.

BALL TAMPERING ROW

PREDICTABLE REACTIONS

The crisis triggered by the allegation of ball tampering in the Oval test has thrown up the familiar reactions from everyone.

The Aussies stood up in support of their beloved countryman Darrel Hair. Former captains and players were unanimous in their admiration for Hair. The Prime Minister of Australia took time off his busy schedule to speak on the matter.

The Sri Lankan cricket officials were very quick to condemn the actions of Hair. It was Hair who first no balled Muralitharan. So this reaction from the islanders was hardly surprising.

Pakistan as a country felt outraged and hurt. Allegations of racial discrimination flew thick and fast. The old bogey of reverse swing once again came into the spotlight. The part time politician Imran Khan used this opportunity to allege conspiracy.

The Indians have not been able to take a clear stand on this issue. Poor Niranjan Shah was in no position to articulate the stand of the BCCI. Many Indians feel that the whole issue is nothing but racial discrimination. Navjot Sidhu and Ajay Jadeja ‘admitted’ that ball tampering is something that goes on a regular basis in the domestic scene.

The bomb in Colombo shocked the South Africans and so they flew to home. But with the one-dayers between Pakistan and England in doubt, the Proteas expressed their intentions to fill the void caused by the pull out of Pakistan.

The ICC was caught in a quandary with the initial support to Hair receding following the offer of a ‘golden handshake’ from the Umpire. David Richardson of the ICC, however, is confident of Hair’s tenure in the elite panel.

Predictable reactions but what does the future hold?

US OPEN

This year end Grand Slam shall witness the end of a great career. Andre Agassi announced his intention to bid goodbye to professional tennis after the US Open. Looking back, his longevity causes a great deal of amazement and also at the same time, a sense of awe.

Agassi continued to play long after his friends like Sampras and Courier called it a day. The retirement of the Las Vegan comes at a time when good players from the United States have become a rarity.

Martina Navratilova has also made the decision to step off the courts. It is another fact that she called it a day once before in 1994.

It is to be seen whether the tennis world will once again see the likes of Agassi and Martina.

DRAWING PARALLELS

In the recently concluded 2006 FIFA World Cup, England could not even reach the semifinals and they lost out on a penalty shoot out. Portugal were the team not fancied to go to the last four. Italy went on to win the Cup and France went to the finals when every one expected not much from the likes of Zidane. The hosts Germany also managed to reach the last four when they were not favoured to do so. England, on the other hand, had all the stars and the talent one could ask for but still returned home with no credit. It is not everyday that a football team boasts of the talents like Beckham, Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole. Even the bench consisted of precociously talented youngsters like Theo Walcott. So what went wrong?

The English struggled against their opponents before caving against Portugal. Now there are excuses galore. First, the target is their Swedish coach Sven Goran Eriksson. The second reason for the defeat is Christiano Ronaldo who caused Rooney to receive the red card. The third reason is the alleged distractions posed by the wives and girlfriends of the English players, called ‘WAG’ by the English press.

The Indian cricket team went to the Caribbean with a lot of hope. The team of Rahul Dravid was expected to beat the West Indies in both the tests and the one-dayers. The Indians won the first one-dayer and then lost the remaining four. The reversal in fortune was hard to explain considering the success in Pakistan and then in India. England and Sri Lanka were trashed. The Indians won the test series 1-0 after a lot of difficulty. Even if there was no Tendulkar in the team, talent was never scarce for the Indians. But most of the players came a cropper. The coach of the Indian team got flak as was with the selectors. So what went wrong?

There was a lot of controversy when a Swede was appointed as the coach of the English football team. There were similar noises when John Wright was appointed the coach of the Indian cricket team. Former greats were appalled by the decisions. The parallels do not end here. The decisions of the respective coaches have received widespread criticism. The pay packets given to the ‘foreigners’ have been the subject of many a discussion.

Coming to the public, a lot of attention and time is given in the following of the lifestyles of the players. The private lives of the players interest most followers of the game. The players are placed highly even if their success is moderate and every failure is treated as a national calamity. If Rooney gets so much attention even when he is relatively new to the international football scene, the birthday of Dhoni is an event to cover for most of the television news channels.

India won only one world cup in 1983 which seems ages ago and England won their only world cup in 1966. But every time the teams step onto the field, there is anticipation which time and again is not fulfilled.

THE AZZURI TRIUMPH

The final of the world cup 2006 went all the way to a shoot out as more than 120 minutes tied the score at one goal each to Italy and France. The French drew first blood through a penalty scored by Zidane. It took a header from Matterazzi to equalize for the Azzuri.

For a greater part of the stipulated 90 minutes, the Italians enjoyed possession of the ball but could not add to the score. The French also could not score a second goal. In the extra time, the French tried everything but to no avail. Buffon made a fine stop preventing a powerful header from Zidane going into the net.

The final was the last international match for Zidane and it could not have ended in a more bizarre fashion. The captain of France was red carded for head butting an opponent in the extra time.

In the tiebreaker, neither Barthez nor Buffon could do anything heroic. David Trezeguet’s shot rattled the crossbar but the ball bounced outside the line. Earlier in the 6th minute, Zidane was lucky to find the ball bouncing inside the line after hitting the crossbar. Grosso scored the decisive penalty to make it five from five for the Italians.

The Italians have won the world cup for the first time since 1982. That triumph was also preceded by match fixing allegations as is the case now.

FOUR IN A ROW FOR FEDERER

As expected, Roger Federer won his fourth Wimbledon in a row with a four set win over Nadal. Nadal took time to warm up to the occasion while Federer was in no mood to give anything to his opponent. The world number 1 from Switzerland won the first set 6-0 and few would have given Nadal any chance to come back into the match. Proving that he is not like other clay court specialists, Nadal took the next two sets to tiebreaks, winning the third and taking the match to a fourth set.

History was very much against Nadal. It was in 1927 that Henri Cochet- a part of the legendary ‘Four Musketeers from France’ won the trophy after losing the first two sets. We have to go even further into the past to find a player winning after losing the first set 6-0.

Federer won the fourth set and with it the championship. Federer failed to match the 1976 achievement of Bjorn Borg when the Swede won the event without dropping a set. However, with this win, Federer has now joined Borg and Sampras in winning four finals in a row.

Both Federer and Nadal played good tennis but there is every indication that grass court tennis is a dying art.

WIMBLEDON-FEDERER IS THE FAVOURITE

With the cricket and football, time could not be devoted to tennis and Wimbledon. The final of the men takes place tomorrow and the winner in the women’s section has already been crowned.

Amelie Mauresmo has become the winner of the famous Rosewater Dish beating the favourite Justine Henin-Hardenne. In the men’s side, the final features the two top seeds Roger Federer and Raphael Nadal.

Federer was tipped from the start to reach his fourth consecutive final and Nadal has reached the final for the first time. The Spaniard’s progress this far has been a surprise. It also points to a rather grim situation for grass tennis. There is a genuine dearth of serve and volley type of tennis that people of my generation have been accustomed to. To be fair, Federer is also not in the mould of Pete Sampras, Stefan Edberg or Boris Becker. But he is a great talent and that is something that makes me wonder about the reason for the failure to win the French Open.

Anyway, Federer is the favourite to win the event and stamp his authority on the famed centre court on Sunday. The win would make Federer the first man since Bjorn Borg to win four successive finals.

BATTLE OF THE BLUES

The finals of the 2006 world cup will feature France and Italy. No one would have anticipated this clash even 15 days ago. Both the teams have rewritten the formbook. Zidane and the others of the Les Bleus started the tournament in a poor fashion, securing a draw with Switzerland. But as the tournament advanced to the knock out stages, the French conquest gathered the momentum and Spain was beaten decisively. Then in the quarterfinals, it was the turn of Brazil to suffer a loss.

The Italians have always played scrappy football where a goal decided the issue. The match against Australia went the full distance before a doubtful penalty settled the issue in favour of the Azzuri. However, in the subsequent matches, the Italians displayed attacking football, securing a place in the finals. The Italians are in the finals after a gap of 12 years. Interestingly, they also reached the finals in 1982 which was also 12 years from 1994.

The finals shall be interesting with Zidane and company making a final attempt at glory while the Italians would be keen to win the cup and redeem themselves following the match fixing allegations at the club level. Can they repeat the feat of 1982 when they won the cup in Spain, which also was preceded by allegations of match fixing?

A GOOD MATCH IN PROSPECT

The first semifinals of the 2006 world cup features the hosts Germany and Italy. The Germans do not have happy memories of past encounters with the Azzuri in the past. In a warm-up encounter before the world cup saw the Italians come up victors with a 4-1 scoreline.

It was a very rare sight to see the Italians win their match against Ukraine with a score of 3-0. Most of the times, the Italians find it difficult to score goals. With the strong defence and the newfound confidence, the Italians can embarrass Ballack and company.

The Germans have played good football except in the match against Argentina. The likes of Podolsky  and Klose can score goals with Ballack controlling the midfield. The suspension of Frings can cause some problem, though.

The match promises to be a close encounter.

GREATEST COMMON FACTOR

GREATEST COMMON FACTOR

In recent times, India has won a few tests abroad at places like Jamaica, Headingley, Adelaide and Rawalpindi. All these wins have a common factor in the batting of Rahul Dravid. The two half centuries at Jamaica have only added to the exploits of Dravid.

Early in his career, Dravid was considered as a solid player but not recognized for his match winning qualities. The decline of Sachin has provided the space and opportunity for Dravid to stamp his class and authority.

Gone are the days when Rahul Dravid was not able to get into the one-day side. His batting was considered too slow for the liking of the spectators and the selectors. But he has reinvented himself and is one of the more consistent of the Indian batsmen. The run of success that India enjoyed leading upto the finals of the cricket world cup in 2003 was not just due to the batting but also due to the wicketkeeping of Dravid. The masterstroke of making the Karnataka batsman don the big gloves gave the team the much needed flexibility.

It is too early to talk about the captaincy skills of Dravid. The win at Jamaica has to be seen in the light of the defeats in Pakistan and in Mumbai.

JAMAICA

The Indians and the West Indies battle it out one last time for the elusive win the four match test series. The teams have shown a rather defensive attitude notwithstanding the soundbites from the rival camps.

There is again a lot of speculation about the state of the pitch at Sabina Park. Once upon a time, batsmen of the rival teams feared to walk on to the pitch. This was more to do with the line-up of fast bowlers with the maroon caps. The relaying of the pitch and the decline of the fast bowlers of the West Indies has the potential of making this match a dull and high scoring affair.

The Indians have squandered a great opportunity to win an overseas series since 1986. However, this a chance that has to be taken. The Indian cricket fans do not have great memories of Sabina Park for here it was Clive Lloyd unleashed Michael Holding and company whereby most of the Indian batsmen go hit and the innings was declared.

It is time for the Greg Chappell and Rahul Dravid combination to get a win. With the Chairman of selectors Kiran More in Jamaica, there is no shortage of guidance and inspiration for the Indians !

A CRACKER OF A MATCH

The quarterfinals of the 2006 FIFA world cup will open with a bang with the match featuring Germany and Argentina. The two teams have put up an impressive display so far in the tournament. The Germans have fielded a team that is the best since 1990. The same goes for the Argentines.

Both sides have wonderful playmakers in Ballack, Riquelme and Messi. Saviola and Crespo have Klose and Podolsky. The Germans are traditionally good defenders while the Argentines are well served by Ayala and company. But the biggest factor could be the home fans, whom the German coach, Klinsmann calls the 12th player.

The second match of the day features Italy and Ukraine. The Italians were lucky to be awarded a penalty in the extra time against Australia. The Azzuri have not displayed the kind of football that would make them strong contenders for the cup. But they might prove to be too strong for the tournament debutants, Ukraine. Shevchenko and the others don’t have the firepower to cause difficulties for the Italian defence.

OUT BUT NOT DISGRACED

OUT BUT NOT DISGRACED

Brazil got a win over Ghana. The Africans who made their debut in this world cup were not overrun as the scoreline suggests. The Ghanians made several forays into the Brazilian half but somehow did not have the finishing skills. Dida in the Brazilian goal had to make a couple of good saves and one ball was prevented from entering the goal thanks to an instinctive reflex action of the goalie.

The team from Brazil has to strengthen its defence in the coming matches. Ronaldo scored a record fifteenth goal to take him past Gerd Muller. The second goal from Adriano was somewhat lucky as the television replays showed him to be offside. Adriano should not resort to dives.

SPAIN AT IT AGAIN

SPAIN AT IT AGAIN

After an impressive display in the first round, Spain was expected to beat France. But as in the past, Spain lost. In 1986, Spain beat Denmark who scored 6 goals past the likes of Enzo Francescoli of Uruguay. Then in another edition, Michel scored 4 goals in one match and the Spanish progress was halted abruptly. The Spanish have lived upto the tag of underachievers.

To be fair, Zidane and company played inspired football, especially in the second 45 minutes. Things were expected to go the Spanish way after the successful penalty conversion by David Villa. The French equalizer by Ribery seemed to bring the confidence back to the Les Bleus. Patrick Viera had a great role to play scoring one goal and also setting up the scorers.

The win pits the French against the Brazilians. The Samba boys and in particular, Ronaldo would like the erase the bad memories of the defeat in the finals of 1998 at Paris.

NO FAIRPLAY THIS

Despite the claims of the FIFA bosses, players at the current world cup do no desist from diving. The latest example is the one that resulted in the ouster of Australia from the world cup. Players dive and then the appeals that follow are bound to test the nerves of the referee.  This is especially the case when big teams like Italy are involved. The rub of the green most certainly goes in favour of the more famous players and teams. The players have cultivated the habit of appealing for everything.

In cricket, there are some punitive measures to tackle the problem of excessive appealing. That can in some way reduce the farcical ‘fall and appeal’ routine that has become the most repeated trick in the world cup of 2006.

This is not fairplay.

Italy go through

Italy

Italy scored off a penalty in the last minute of the game to beat Australia and enter the quarterfinals. This defeat ended the run of the ‘socceroos’ in the 2006 world cup. Guus Hiddink was not able to repeat the feat of taking South Korea to the quarterfinals in the last edition of the world cup in 2002.

Shevchenko may ultimately prove to be the key in the match-up between Ukraine and Switzerland.

WORLD CUP UPDATE

ENGLAND AND PORTUGAL TO CLASH IN THE QUARTERFINALS

Portugal is through to the quarterfinals thanks to a goal from Maniche. The match was characterized by solid football and eventful moments. There were plenty of yellow cards and 4 players were actually sent off. The second half was hard fought with the Dutch trying hard to score and Portugal aiming to increase their lead. The intensity of the match judged from the 6 minutes of injury time.

Portugal is scheduled to meet England in the quarterfinals. England went past Ecuador through a freekick from David Beckham. The English now has the distinction of scoring in three consecutive world cups.

Portugal beat Holland and England on way to the finals of the Euro 2004. So will it be the same this time?

NEEDED A NEW SPIN

The English cricket team lost the one-day series in Pakistan and they lost the seven match series in India as well. I believe the English won only one match in India. The English media went hoarse with the calls saying that the English team does not take the limited overs version of the game seriously. But the same people were over the moon when England did better in the one-dayers before the last Ashes.

Now England have been beaten in a one-day series by Sri Lanka. Wonder, if the home team took the matches seriously. The fact is otherwise. If analysed carefully, there are very few players in the England team who fit the one-day game. Flintoff is good for both the tests and the one-dayers. So is the case with Kevin Pietersen. Speaking about Pietersen, he is the best English batsmen since the Ashes. But very often, after a good start, he throws his wicket away in the one-dayers. Collingwood is another player who is a very good one-day player. He can bat, bowl and field excellently.

Apart from these players, there are not many who have match winning abilities in the one dayers. Michael Vaughan was never a good one day player. Trescothick and Strauss do not have the ability to take on the opposition bowlers that is so important in the early stages of the limited overs game.

In the bowling department, there are no such English bowlers who can mix the pace and create problems for the batsmen of the opposing teams. There is no spinner to bring down the opposition run rate.

So it is time that the English team gets its act together in the one-dayers. Or, they have to accept the fact that they are not a good one day side.

ST.KITTS

UNFAIR WEATHER AND MEDIOCRE CRICKET

Atkinson the famous pitch maker or more properly, the pitch curator, promised a good sporting wicket for the third test at St. Kitts. But in the end, the pitch is a true batsman’s paradise.

In the three days of cricket, the home team was able to complete the first innings and the visiting Indians have lost only two wickets. Of course, rains played the spoilsport by curtailing the cricket. To be fair, the home batsmen were not intent on scoring the runs quickly and the visiting bowlers were not able to dislodge them.

Commentators like Siddhu and Manjrekar blamed Lara for the prolonged boredom over the three days. Chanderpaul boosted his home average against India and took a lot of flak for the slow approach. Lara and the West Indies team management had a plan to deny the Indians the chance of a victory. The winning of the toss helped them. The lack of a proper bowling plan from the Indians aided the home team in its cause. The fielding placements left a lot to be desired.

The debutant umpire Brian Jerling made life uncomfortable for the Indian bowlers, especially, Anil Kumble. Of course, umpriring decisions or non-decisions are a part of this great game.

WORLD CUP UPDATE

GERMANY AND ARGENTINA THROUGH

Germany and Argentina are through the quarterfinals of the 2006 world cup, though in contrasting styles. Germany scored two early goals and Podolski was the scorer on both the occasions. The Swedes fluffed up their lines and Henrik Larsson missed a penalty. That is how the game can be cruel sometimes. Larsson is the all time scorer for Sweden and he missed a penalty. The Germans are a safe bet to go all the distance with all the support they get from their supporters.

The Argentines were jolted by an early goal from the Mexicans, though a melee at the goal resulted in the equalizer. It was only in the extra time the match was decided.

ENGLAND HAS TO PERFORM OR PERISH

All the talk is over. Now it is time for the overhyped footballers of England to finally show to the world that they have the heart and the ability to compete with the best. Of course, Ecuador are not really in the same league as their more famous South American compatriots, Brazil and Argentina.

In the three first round matches, Beckham and company have displayed little of their skills and talent. Peter Crouch does not really look like scoring goals. Joe Cole and Gerrard not to forget Lampard have looked good. Michael Owen has suffered a horrible injury.

Most of the English footballers look classy in the Premier League but when it comes to the international scene, it is a completely different story.

THERE ARE NO CLEAR FAVOURITES

Portugal and Holland fight out for a quarterfinal spot. Both the teams have so far displayed an uninspiring brand of football. Portugal is always a paradox with all the talent available and so is Holland. It is a last chance for the likes of Figo to achieve greatness at the exalted scene while Christian Ronaldo, Robben and Van Persie would strive for the ultimate recognition.

The Dutch teams of the 1980s and the 1990s could not achieve much except for the win in the European championship of 1988. That team had the talent but in the world cup of 1990, they lost out to the eventual winners, Germany. It was alleged that the Dutch teams suffered from internal strife.

The match is also a contest between two coaches of different styles and strategies. Scolari brings the Brazilian flavour while Van Basten is more focused on defence.

In my humble opinion, the match should go all the distance to the extra time and even to the penalty shots.

WORLD CUP UPDATE

ARGENTINA LOOK DIFFERENT

The second match of the day features Argentina and Mexico. The 1986 winners look a class above the rest and Mexico have a lot to worry over. But Mexico are no pushovers, The last few matches between the two have been close contests.

However, few would dare to bet against the likes of Riquelme, Messi, Ayala and others. No doubt, this is the best Argentine team since the one led by Diego Maradona to win in 1986.

WORLD CUP UPDATE

GERMANY START THE FAVOURITE

The German team is favoured to win against Sweden. The strikers of the home team, Podolski and Klose are in good touch and with the inspirational Ballack in the midfield, few would like to think otherwise. The Germans are always good in defence and the present defenders are not likely to allow much room to the opponents. But the biggest strength of the Germans is Ballack who orchestrates all the forward moves with great skill and creativity. No wonder, the home supporters were disappointed with the injury of Ballack on the eve of the tournament opener against Costa Rica.

GHANA

Ghana remains the only country from Africa to go to the second round of the 2006 world cup. The talent on show by the African teams that included the likes of Ivory Coast, Togo, Angola besides Ghana was exceptional, although the goals and the victories belonged to the opponents. Only the magicians from South America surpassed some of the skills displayed by the Africans. It is this brand of football from Africa that makes one sit up and take notice. One thing that is spectacular of the African footballers is the way the goals are celebrated. Roger Milla had his own style while the Nigerians like Kaanu put up their own style. This time also every goal was celebrated in a different and an unique way.

Ghana are unlucky in a way to play Brazil in the second round but that is something that the likes of Appiah would relish. The footballers from Africa see the world cup as an opportunity for better future in the lucrative leagues of Europe.

The only Ghanian to get international recognition is the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan. Now a whole country and a continent can be proud of a group of Ghanians.

WORLD CUP UPDATE

LES BLEUS PULL IT OFF

The line-up for the second round has been completed. France fought off the stubborn resolve from Togo and scored two goals. The French have been joined by Switzerland who got the better of South Korea. With this defeat for the Koreans, there is no representative left in the world cup.

Spain consolidated their position at the top of Group H and Ukraine also go through to the second round.

ST.KITTS TEST

WHAT A FAST WICKET

Despite all talk from Lara about the ‘fastness’ of the pitch, the wicket at St. Kitts has not bothered the batsmen of the home team on the first day. The home just lost one wicket for a score of just over 200 runs on a day cut short by rain. Of course, the Indian bowlers also helped the cause of the home team. Barring Munaf Patel and Kumble, the other bowlers were thrashed by Gayle to all parts of the Warner Park. Gayle had a new sponsor for his bat and as to show off the new sticker, the left hander sent the ball over the fence 5 times.

There is something wrong with the Indian think-tank. Pathan was dropped after receiving tips from the great Andy Roberts. V.R.V.Singh was dropped justifiably so after the first two matches. Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth replaced these two bowlers. The Kerala bowler is proving to be a favourite of Gayle and Harbhajan could not make any impact, at least one the first day.
The Indians have do something dramatic on the second day of the match to take the match in their direction.

What has happened to the ‘pitch consultant’ who was supposed to make all the difference? If anyone wants, I am offering myself to prepare wickets.

WORLD CUP UPDATE

HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN

For a team that boasts the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry in its ranks, these are surely hard times. The Les Bleus have struggled since the last world cup and the showing in the first two matches does not inspire any confidence. He French have to beat South Korea to go through to the second round. The French could not go past the first round in the last edition.

I strongly believe that Henry and company have not able to replicate their club success at the international level. For a player who finished at the top of the goal scoring heap for the last two seasons in the English Premier League, Henry could find the net only once in the first two matches. Zidane has seen great days and the suspension makes him sit out the crucial match. If only the others play to their potential, Zidane can try one last time.

WORLD CUP UPDATE

THE PHENOM DOES IT IN STYLE


Everyone doubted the ability of Ronaldo to contribute anything of substance to the Brazilian effort. For a large part of the season injury kept Ronaldo out of the game. He was clearly overweight and struggled to find the touch and rhythm in the first games of the 2006 world cup. But in the match against Japan, Ronaldo managed two goals to tie with the all time leading goal scorer in the world cup, Gerd Muller.

Critics can undermine the effort citing the weakness of the opposition, in this case Japan. But the important part is that Ronaldo seemed to enjoy the game. That may yet prove to be dangerous for the opposition in the matches to come.

WORLD CUP UPDATE

BRAZIL HAS TO SHOW THE TRUE COLOURS
It is time for the Brazilians to show the magic that has so far eluded the fans in the first two matches. One can safely predict the outcome of the match between Brazil and Japan. But then the display from the likes of Ronaldinho and company has been laboured and unimpressive. That is the cause for worry for the champions have to get past opponents stronger than Croatia, Australia and Japan from the second round.

WORLD CUP UPDATE

GROUP E GOES TO THE WIRE

The first round has provided very little by way of surprises but Group E has the potential. All the four teams, Italy, Czech Republic, Ghana and the United States have good chances of making through to the second round. The race is even tighter when it comes to the first three. Italy just needs a draw while Czech Republic and Ghana need a win.

Italy takes on Czech Republic and might just defend to secure a single point. With Koller injured, the attacking options are very limited for the Czechs. The Ghanians are the favourites to beat the U.S. The Africans are carrying the hopes of an entire continent and that can be pressure enough.

LACK OF PENETRATION

Many years ago when I was just starting out on cricket, my uncle asked me whether I was a bowler or a batsman. I wanted to be a batsman and on times rolled the arm over. He was disappointed. Being an avid fan of cricket, he was frustrated at the lack of penetration in the Indian bowling line-up. At the same time, he was disappointed over the poor showing of the Indian batsmen when facing the fast bowlers.

To this day, the same story continues to the chagrin of the Indian cricket fan. It is the lack of a fast bowler who can bowl swinging yorkers, that has cost India many a match. The inability to close out the last two test matches in the West Indies is also a pointer in this direction. It is not that every bowler can become a Waqar Younis or a Wasim Akram, but at least no Indian bowler has ever looked like bowling those yorkers on a consistent basis.

Zaheer Khan came into the reckoning with superb yorkers in the ICC Champions Trophy in Kenya. If I remember correctly, it was a special from Zaheer that defeated Steve Waugh. But over time, Zaheer fluffed his lines and is now out of the Indian team. Pathan never relied on this kind of a ball to bag his wickets. Srinath was the best fast bowler to play for India since Kapil Dev. He also never bowled a yorker. Of the current lot, Munaf has got the pace and the attitude.

The yorker bowled with pace and aimed at the right direction can be a very potent weapon bowling on unresponsive pitches and at lower order batsmen.

LOOKING AHEAD OF THE THIRD TEST

India lost a great chance to win the first two test matches of the series. It is time that India finally does enough to win the elusive test match abroad. The team management is short of ideas, that is, those based on reason. The much-touted five bowler strategy was simply tossed into the seas. For a coach and a captain who are supposedly not defensive, this one is certainly not an attacking strategy.

Whatever do people like Ian Bishop say, it is time that V.R.V. Singh is removed from the playing eleven. Here is a ‘fast’ bowler who looks and bowls like a veteran of more than 100 test matches. His walk back to the bowling mark is something that takes the cake. His disinterested walk is not something that is cool for a fast bowler. Pathan continues to surprise with his lack of pace and imagination. Sreesanth is only fury without being able to subdue the batsmen.

Of the bowlers, Kumble and Munaf looked the part, while Sehwag is the surprise packet. The fielding, especially, the close-in ones do not inspire much confidence. This is astonishing considering the credentials of Greg Chappell as a catcher of repute in the slips.

WORLD CUP UPDATE

A PROUD RECORD
Sweden managed to keep their proud record against England intact. Twice in the match, the Swedes came from behind to level the score. The goal of Joe Cole reminded of the goal scored by Ronaldinho in the last world cup against England. Owen is in all likelihood going to miss the rest of the world cup. England have not looked the cup material. It is more hype than substance.

The home team scored a third win in their group thanks to the efforts of the Poles, Klose and Podolski. Klose now has 9 goals in the world cup and with Ronaldo not in a position to add to his tally, the German can catch up with the all time goal scorer in the history of the world cup.

The world cup is over for first timers Trinidad and Tobago. Their progress so far is nothing short of remarkable.

GANGULY-ONLY QUESTIONS, NO ANSWERS

New material has been added to the Ganguly saga. It is surprising that the former Indian captain has decided to challenge Jagmohan Dalmiya for the control of the Cricket Association of Bengal. Ganguly has received the backing of the government of West Bengal. Politics, for sure, makes strange bedfellows.

Is this the Ganguly way of distancing himself from the Dalmiya ? Does Ganguly think that his ouster from the Indian team is not due to poor form but because of the changes in the power equation ? Has Sharad Pawar given any indication that such a move would clear the way for the rehabilitation of the left hander ? Or has Ganguly decided to finally hang his cricketing boots and take to cricket politics in a big way, in the time honoured Indian way ? That would mean taking the ultimate revenge on his ‘enemies’.

In any case, there are only questions, no answers.

WORLD CUP

UPDATE

ARGENTINA CRACK THE WHIP

Argentina put up an awesome display to demolish Serbia and Montenegro. It was not that the team from the Balkans is ordinary. S&M, in fact, topped the European qualifying group that also included Spain. The final scoreline of 6-0 in favour of the Argentines would suggest otherwise.

The quality of the football on show from Riquelme, Crespo, Tevez and others was simply superb. Lionel Messi made and entry well into the second half and he made a great impact. He scored one goal and made another.

At times, Argentina was toying with the opponent team. A greater number of goals looked a possibility the way the South Americans went about their task.

The quality that separates the Argentines from Brazil’s Samba boys is the strong defensive game alongwith the touch that is so typical of South America. With today’s show, Argentina has simply reinforced the belief that it can go all the distance.

But the ultimate question is whether the Argentines have peaked a little too early. Of course, there is no cause for complaint as the other favourite teams have so far put up very ordinary displays.

WORLD CUP

The first round matches have entered the second stage with England, Germany and Ecuador having made sure of qualifying to the knock out phase. Germany scored 4 goals in the first match of the finals. But the hosts found the going tough in the match against Poland. The winner could only be scored in the injury time. England also made heavy weather in both their matches. The winner in the opening match came from the Paraguayans. The first timer Trinidad and Tobago caused a lot of problems for the English before Crouch and Gerrard scored the late goals. The surprise packet is Ecuador who scored 3 against Costa Rica. The South Americans were able to beat the fancied Poland in their first match.

Brazil was not convincing in the match against Croatia. There were few flashes of brilliance that is a signature of the Samba boys. There is some concern over the health of Ronaldo. Hope things are not going to take us back to the finals of 1998.

Argentina looked solid in the first match and so too the Czech Republic. Of course, one has to realize that the Czechs were playing against the United States.

Spain proved to be the best of all the teams. But in the past also the Spanish only flattered to deceive.

ABSENCE OF A SPORTING CULTURE

My father is interested in sports and games and that is the reason why my siblings and me do the same. My mother has the habit of making expert comments when she is least expected to. The football world cup is going to kick off from today and last night there was the mandatory discussion in the house.

My father was dismayed that countries like Togo and Trinidad and Tobago have made it to the biggest prize in football while India with a population that is one sixth of the worlds’ is down in the list. Many theories have been offered to explain the failure in mainstream sporting events (read non-cricket). A common reason is the lack of facilities and the lack of government support and patronage to sports like football. Notwithstanding the presence of people like K P S Gill, Priyaranjan Dasmunshi and Suresh Kalmadi and scores of others who are least interested in the health of sports or the sportspersons, I have a different theory.

As Indians, we don’t have a sporting culture or tradition. How many Indian parents encourage their children to take to sports seriously? How many families treat sporting events as family get togethers? Poverty is often cited as a reason for the lack of attention given to sports. In that case, no world class athlete or sportsperson would have come out of Africa or South America. I have come across parents who do not want to have cable television in the home for the fear of spoiling the children from watching sports and games.

We have awards in sports that are named after mythological characters like Arjuna or Dronacharya. There is no award that is named after a famous athlete. That is something which surely does not inspire Indians to take to sports.

My mother was not very much enthusiastic when my brothers and me used to play. She was more concerned about studies and our careers. The discussion ended when she commented that Indians are more interested in watching daily soaps on the television.

ANTIGUA TEST

The first test between India and the West Indies and the last test match at the Antigua Recreation Ground ended in a draw on the last ball of the match. The Indians who were behind the home team, looked the better side on days four and five, well almost.

Just as the bowlers could not finish in Karachi after the spectacular burst from Pathan, this time also they could not dislodge the tailenders. Then Kamran Akmal was the stumbling block, but Bradshaw and company do not possess similar batting abilities.

The strategy of playing five bowlers did not work in the end. V R V Singh was someone who looked completely lost. At times he just was ambling back to the run up mark and he did not inspire any confidence when the team was looking for wickets. Sreesanth was taken to the cleaners in the first innings but that did not stop him from offering glares and his mouth to the Windies batsmen. What a sight it was! Munaf Patel also looked out of sorts. It was Kumble who kept India in the hunt with able support from the new look Sehwag.

The much vaunted batting line-up came unstuck in the first innings and in the second innings with the pitch showing signs of easing off, the Indian batsmen could make big runs. Also, the bowlers of the home team were also guilty of undermining their side. Probably, they just ran out of gas.

There were few let offs from Indian fielders that proved costly in the end. Jaffer could not latch on to a chance off the blade of Chanderpaul. It is foolish for the slip fielders to stand that far when neither the pitch nor the bowlers were really that fast. Speaking about Chanderpaul, he once again feasted on the Indian bowling. Gayle is just continuing with the form that he showed in the one dayers. Lara once again could not make a big score against India.

With the draw, India have left a great chance to win a test and put the home team under pressure. With that, chances of a series win have also become slim.

ALL SOUND AND NO ACTION?

After the fourth match in the current one-day series in the Windies, the captain of the home team was speaking about the ‘comment’ of the Indian coach. India won the first match of the series at Jamaica and the coach came out with the statement that the Windies have ‘forgotten the winning habit’. Brian Lara asserted that the comment was ‘sly’ and that his team was out to prove the Indian coach wrong.

Having read many times about a similar comment made by the then English captain Tony Greig that his team would make the visiting Windies team ‘grovel’, I wondered about the possible repercussions. The West Indians were out to prove a point and they beat the English convincingly. A number of batsmen of the English team agree that the bowling faced was the most hostile. While the present team does not boast of Andy Roberts and Michael Holding, there was always a possibility of hurting the pride of the home team.

In the past decade, many former players and greats of yesteryears felt that the poor showing of the Windies was in part due to the lack of the pride playing for the country. But the sly remark of the Indian coach may have brought the sense of pride and that is a strong enough cause of worry for the Indians in the forthcoming test series.

SPARE A THOUGHT FOR GANGULY

In the aftermath of the loss of the fourth one dayer in the Windies, there was a lot of debate and discussion about the possible reasons for the loss suffered by India. In a particular television news channel, viewers were asked to vote via SMS the ‘culprit’ responsible for the loss of the series. Not surprisingly, the main accused was the Chairman of the Selectors, Kiran More. The second position was taken by Greg Chappell and the Indian skipper, Rahul Dravid came third.

One other point the viewers made was the non-inclusion of Ganguly, the much maligned man of Indian cricket, at least for some. It is not surprising since the left-hander happened to be the biggest match winner in one-dayers, with the sole exception of a certain gentleman named Sachin Tendulkar. It was foolish to say the least that there was a gross error of judgement in not taking Ganguly for the one-dayers, especially with the absence of Tendulkar due to injury.

The argument of Chappell and company that Ganguly was past his prime, when it came to running between the wickets and in the field, did not cut much ice when players handpicked and groomed fell by the wayside. Just imagine Ramesh Powar fielding the boundary. In a match, Powar slid and allowed the ball to touch the rope for a four. Ganguly could not have done worse. Further, Ganguly’s bowling would have been useful, even as another ‘experiment’.

Ganguly has become a pariah and the enemy number one for a large number of people. Harsha Bhogle has, in his scheme of things, has already made Ganguly retire. If Chappell is a true professional, then why should not be there any accountability? People have used the same justifications to sack Ganguly.

It was a well known fact that the Windies were a very weak team. New Zealand and South Africa completed clean sweeps while India are struggling to keep pace. With the kind of cricket displayed by India so far, the win the test series is still going to be a dream.

ST.KITTS

WINDIES GO ONE UP




The home team won with just the last ball to spare in the third one dayer of the current series. Incidentally, this is the first international match to be played at Warner Park. All the three matches have been very close ones, each going to the last over. But that does not hide the truth that the Windies outplayed India in the third match.

Sehwag and Kaif took their team to a strong position after the early dismissal of Dravid. But the other batsmen could not sustain the tempo and the innings of the tourists ended having posted a not so impressive total. The last 15 overs of the Indian innings just produced 42 runs. The slow bowlers like Samuels and Gayle proved to be difficult to score runs off. The absence of the in-form Yuvraj was very much felt.

Needing to score just under 250 runs in 50 overs, the home team was not expected to be stretched. But the Windies managed to do that despite the sterling knocks from Sarwan and Chanderpaul. These two have been thorns in the Indian flesh in the past, and this time was no different. Sarwan has an exceptional record against the Indians, which does not quite match his record when it comes to teams like Australia. The same is the case with Chanderpaul who has never shown his dislike for the Indian attacks.

Initially, the Indian bowlers were treated with disrespect with the exception of Agarkar. Pathan seems to be in a trance as he went all over the park. Harbhajan once again showed the control he has over the Caribbean batsmen. Powar was taken to the cleaners by Sarwan and with this showing, it is time the management takes a new look at the Mumbai off-spinner.

With the team being considered as a strong contender for the world cup in 2007, India ought to outplay an opposition as mediocre as the Windies.

TEST TEAM FOR WINDIES

The Indian team for the test matches does not have any surprises except for the inclusion of V V S Laxman and the non-inclusion of Ajit Agarkar. Probably, the last minute decision of Sachin to miss the tour gave the batsman from Hyderabad another tilt at test match glory. I am a big fan of Laxman but with the theories and ideas of Greg Chappell, it was always doubtful.

I have never been a supporter of Agarkar. I have always felt that the Mumbai bowler gets the opportunities just because he comes from a particular part of the country. But in the three one dayers, he has been a revelation. He bowled exceedingly well and a test slot was awaited. But the selectors led by the irrepressible Kiran More sprang a surprise by excluding Agarkar from the test side. The last time Punjab bowler V R V Singh was in the team, the selectors did not know about the injury he was carrying. Hope this time he is fully fit. I reckon the obsession with this bowler is more to do with the kind of influence that a particular gentleman wields in the present dispensation. The inclusion of Powar is baffling, to say the least. Maybe, that is something to do with the representation from Mumbai.With Kumble and Harbhajan, the Mumbai spinner will only sit on the bench. Wasim Jaffer will return to the test team to open the innings and that will spare us from the ‘sacrifices’ made by Dravid while opening the batting.

Raina has been included in the test squad following his impressive performances in the shorter version of the game. After a long time, the selectors have shown some sense in picking a second wicket keeper in Dinesh Kartik. Since it is a four match series, it is wise to have some contingent plan.

Lastly, the timing of the announcement when the one dayers are still to be played is curious, as always is the case with the current selection panel.