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Looking Ahead :- India's Last Shot at Redemption

2005-04-16T07:06:00.000-07:00

Looking Ahead :- India's Last Shot at Redemption

After India took a strong 2-0 lead, few would have expected Pakistan to bounce back in the Pepsi Cup. But, with a great amount of self-belief exuding in the Pakistani camp, they have trounced India in the remaining three matches and have taken an unassailable lead in this ODI series. This is perhaps the last match these two teams would be playing in this calender year, and with the things falling apart for India and going the neighbourly way, they would surely like to finish this memorable tour on a winning note. The last ODI at Delhi, would also be John Wright's last as the coach of the Indian team, and a win here would be the best parting gift the boys can give to their wonder coach. Cricketfundas.com gives its readers an exclusive preview to the final ODI between India and Pakistan to be played at the Feroze Shah Kotla Stadium, New Delhi.

Pitch :- Will they ? Wont they ? This was perhaps the situation the DDCA was going through since the last two weeks or so. But, as political compulsions and diplomacy over-ruled their intentions, it was made clear that Delhi would host the ODI. The pitch to be used for the ODI is a virgin one. Going by reports, the bounce would be of a prime concern to the batsman and even history suggests that the Kotla pitch is a low and twin bounced wicket. Going by statistics, India have won 6 of their 10 ODIs, they have played at this venue. However, the last game played here ended with England scraping through by 2 runs. The weather at Delhi these days has been on the hotter side, and the weather would be something these two teams will have to adapt to for the last time in this series.

India :- Having lost three games on the trot, one need not be a rocket scientist to know what the morale of the Men in Blue would be. But this is a situation, where they can show what they are made of. A greater determination and a greater degree of self-belief is all they have to carry to the Kotla if they want to end this series on a positive note. The batting, which was a major factor in the two Indian wins, yet again let the team down on Friday, despite useful contributions by Kaif and Dravid. The contributions of the top order will have to come to the fore, if India do have any intentions of drawing level the series. Apart from the two matches, Sehwag's gone through a mini-slump, and this has hurt India's fortunes. Sehwag has to give the start India have been cashing on and then things will get easier for the rest of the in-form batsmen. If India have failed to win the last two games, it is purely because of their lacklustre bowling. The bowling unit have had three consecutive off-days and the team management will have to get the combination right for this final ODI. Ajit Agarkar may eventually replace the struggling Balaji and give India with a more in-form option. With the screw tightened at one-end, it is a must that the run flow be choked at the other too. What lies ahead of India is a tough ask, of drawing back level against a fluent and flawless Pakistan team. But, if anything, this is one game the boys must give their 200%, as a win could be the appropriate gift they can give their coach, for whom this will be the last game in charge.

Pakistan :- Its been a fairy tale journey for Pakistan, ever since that defeat at Vizag. After taking an unbeatable lead in the series, the visitors might well be looking to win this series outright. And if they manage this feat, history will be in the making, where a side wins a 6 match series after losing the first two games. Its been the Pakistani batting, that has made this unbelievable comeback possible in this series. The opening duo, especially Shahid Afridi looked unstoppable on Kanpur, on his way to a 45-ball ton and Salman Butt providing him with some able support. Pakistan in this series has been riding on some excellent starts they have got courtesy, the openers, which has basically allowed the rather elegant and classy middle order batsmen to play their own game without worrying much about the scoreboard. The Pakistani bowling has immensely improved as the series has progressed. Rana Naved's immaculate accuracy has done many a damage to the Indian batting order and these early wickets have proved to be crucial in the context of the game. But, if this rejuvenated Pakistan team has looked weak anywhere, its been the spinners - with the middle-overs yielding a lot of runs. If they can contain the batsmen during the middle-overs, the game could well be in their control. Complacency and over-confidence is least they can afford in this crucial tie. And if these other external factors are kept under check, nothing can stop Pakistan from returning home with the Pepsi Cup 2005.

The final ODI at Delhi has made headlines for several other reasons too - mainly for the two Heads of the State would be there to witness this game and use this cricket diplomacy as a means to achieve the ultimate end - peace between India and Pakistan.

Looking Ahead :- India vs Pakistan - A 100 not out

2005-04-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

Looking Ahead :- India vs Pakistan - A 100 not out

It was nothing short of a 7 hour drama that we witnessed at Ahmedabad - right from the delayed start to the last ball and more so, after the game was over. Pakistan emerged on top in the only encounter in the series, which kept us all guessing till the last ball, thanks to a cool and unruffled performance by their skipper Inzamam Ul-Haq. But, as this series reaches the climax stage, it will be really crucial for both sides to perform well, as the tournament moves into a "Winner Takes It All" situation. This game will also mark a momentous occasion in Asian Cricket, with India and Pakistan playing their 100th match against each other. Cricketfundas.com gives its readers an exclusive preview to the fifth Pepsi Cup ODI between India and Pakistan to be played at Kanpur.

Pitch :- By this stage, I guess the readers know it all. The Kanpur wicket has lived up to the trend set in this series by other pitches, which clearly indicates that the wicket is a batting paradise. The toss becomes crucial on this wicket, as it is expected to see some wear and tear and become slower and lower towards the second half of the second session. The average first inning score here is 222, but with the form the batsmen are in at the moment, we could see a lot more than 222 scored on this wicket. India would not mind playing on this venue, as they have a great track record - winning 6 of the 8 games they have played here before. The playing conditions in Kanpur might well be the best we may have come across all series, as the maximum temperature is expected to be 28 degrees with more or less no humidity.

India :- India were punished by Pakistan in the earlier game for some inconsistent and complacent performances by their bowlers as they failed to defend over 300 runs successfully. Besides, the Indians have been forced to make certain changes as the skipper has been banned for 6 games, on the basis of the over-rates issue. The last game at Ahmedabad saw a good effort with the bat by all the batsmen. Sachin Tendulkar brought up his 38th ton and his form and looks in ominous form. India will have to bank on his experience and deliverence, if they have to progress any further in this series. The rest of the batsmen also look in good cricketing form, as they have been stroking runs regularly. It will be interesting to see as to who replaces Saurav Ganguly in the team. Dinesh Mongia will bank on his experience to forge a place for himself, while Sridharan Sriram might just pip Mongia on the basis of his form. The Indian bowling looked pretty ragged at Ahmedabad. But, with Anil Kumble back in the helm of the attack, experience might just have come at the right time for the Indian bowling. It will be a tough choice for the management to select the second spinner. Murali Karthik's two wickets do boost his credentials, while if Harbhajan is fit, he might just get the nod over Karthik. The pacers were pretty disappointing at Ahmedabad. With India likely to go with a 2-pacer strategy, it will be interesting to see who could be left out. India will have to play their A-game if they have to beat Pakistan in this ODI series. Can Rahul Dravid's boys provide the spark that was missing at Ahmedabad ? Will this new-look Indian team put it across to Pakistan ? Only time will tell !

Pakistan :- Jamshedpur was and could possibly be the turning point of the series for them. After that huge win over India, there is a certain amount of bouyancy about the visitors. Pakistan battled against odds and won at Ahmedabad, but they might well be aware that these India-Pakistan matches could well be decided at any given time, so over-confidence and complacency is something they can ill-afford at this stage. The Pakistani batting in particular looks pretty strong, especially with the blazing and flying starts that are being provided by Shahid Afridi. Salman Butt is also stroking the ball pretty well and looks in good form. The middle order has been the striking factor for Pakistan in this series. Overall they have looked pretty solid and have mixed their attack with caution in a very mature manner. Shoaib Malik's bowling and his crucial half-centuries have lent a proper balance to this Pakistani team and it is from here that they can look for better successes. Inzamam played a crucial and cool innings at Ahmedabad and it will be imperative for him to guide the other batsmen along, if Pakistan have to chase a huge score or set a competitive total. The Pakistani bowling looks pretty ordinary. Yes, they succeeded in Jamshedpur, but law of averages caught up with them at Ahmedabad. The bowling when under pressure lacks a solution and seems pretty inconsistent. Rana Naved and Mohammad Sami are certain to take the new ball, while the Pakistani Management might just reconsider the Kaneria selection, as he has found it tough to put his feet firm on One-Day International cricket just yet. Pakistan have the momentum, but it takes only a few moments to lose it and if they can try and play the same sort of cricket they have been since the past two games, a victory is a more than possible equation.

It may not be a World Cup final for that matter, but it has its own charm and speciality. The Hundredth India-Pakistan match will be played at Kanpur and as fans from both sides of the border bear the weight of the moment, we hope that the best cricket is reserved for this special day in India-Pakistan cricketing history and it gives us back some moments that can be hard to forget and may we see the best cricket from both these mighty Asian cricketing titans.

Looking Ahead :- The War of Nerves

2005-04-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

Looking Ahead :- The War of Nerves

Disappointment was in the air, as India could not break their infamous jinx at Jamshedpur, while Pakistan just could not do any wrong on Saturday as they crushed India by a huge margin. The action in the cricketing map now travels westwards to Ahmedabad, where the fourth ODI between India and Pakistan will be staged. The venue was in the news for all reasons even before the series began and it is being looked at as a one-off game by the Pakistanis, who portrayed great reluctance to play at Ahmedabad. Will the off-the field events surrounding this ground affect their performance ? Cricketfundas.com gives its readers an exclusive preview to the fourth ODI to be played between India and Pakistan at Ahmedabad.

Pitch :- If reports are to be believed, the pitch at the Motera stadium will promise another "run-riot". The curator's word on the wicket seems to be that this wicket is a good "one-day wicket", which essentially goes on to say that batsmen will plunder runs at their will, while the bowlers will be left punished. The wicket is also expected to take some turn, albeit slow, in the second innings and could slow down towards the end of the game. Besides the wicket, the extreme temperatures will yet again test he resoluteness of the players and it will be interesting to see if the amount of travel catches up with them. The Indian track record at the Motera is pretty impressive (5 wins from 7 games) and they will be hoping to repeat their success here, especially after the Jamshedpur Jolt. The captain who wins the toss here, usually bats first and going by the curator's word, a score of 270 will be par on this wicket.

India :- Call it indiscipline, complacency or over-confidence - these are some factors other than cricket, that resulted in the loss of the Indians at Jamshedpur. Having said that, the wake cup call from their opponents couldn't have come at a better time and has given them plenty to think about. The batting was one of the main factors that let India down on Saturday, but one would call it an off-day for them. The degrees of responsibility the batsmen have to shoulder have risen, as the series has reached its business end and its time the seniors stand up and be counted. The Pakistanis have found a weak link in the batting order with Saurav and Sachin as they are giving away their wickets for hardly anything, and the time has come for them to show the Pakistanis their true worth. The middle-order also needs to chip with some more meaningful contributions and if that happens, a bulky score is on the cards. As far as bowling is concerned, the Indians might have to alter their combination, as going in with 3 bowlers with same traits (Pathan, Zaheer and Nehra) seems meaningless. With a near possibility of Balaji getting the all clear to play the game, we could just see him team up with Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra. Harbhajan Singh, has looked off-colour in the previous two matches and there is no bigger occasion for the offie to contribute with a good spell. India will have to forget the Jamshedpur fiasco and consider it as a bad day in the office and move on with the momentum of the series. The series has offered yet another chance to the Indians to wrap it up, or at least not lose it and it will be interesting to see if the Indians make full use of this opportunity in hand.

Pakistan :- Pakistan came up with a truly inspirational win against the hosts on Saturday, which for sure has nullified all the advantage the Indians carried from both Vizag and Kochi. Now, as they have succeeded in bouncing themselves into contention, this game for Pakistan will basically define their position in this series. The Pakistani batting looks perhaps at its strongest after the performance at Jamshedpur. Salman Butt looks in great batting touch and Pakistan will be encouraged by the fact that Shaoib Malik has got himself some runs after two successive failures. The most important aspect of this match will be determined by how well the Pakistani middle order plays. Inzamam is in good stroking form, albeit he is short of runs and it will also be interesting to see if Younis Khan makes any significant contributions with respect to his form with the bat. Pakistan's bowling, has indeed been strengthened by Rana Naved's performance with the ball and their success depended on picking early wickets. How quickly they can send Sehwag back to the hut, will also determine the result for Pakistanis. Mohammad Sami and Rana Naved are in good rhythm and it will be interesting to see how much purchase Danish Kaneria gets from the surface. All in all, yet another of those must-win games for Pakistan, and if Pakistan have any intentions of taking home the Pepsi Cup, this game will prove decisive in that regard.

Most of the matches in this series have by and large been adjudicated before a ball was bowled, and the winning formula for the skippers seems to be win the toss, bat first, runs on the board and thats it. There has been no opportunity to witness any nerve wreckers, and a situation for this is ideally made for one, and we hope that the game at Ahmedabad provides a certainly more balanced contest between the ball and the bat, and quash the belief that the team that has won the toss, wins the game. Security will be one of the prime concerns for the officials and one hopes that this game passes by without any incidents of serious magnitude.

Looking Ahead :- Its "Now or Never" for Pakistan

2005-04-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

Looking Ahead :- Its "Now or Never" for Pakistan

Just two games into the ODI series, and we are in for a crunch match. After India completed a comprehensive 58 win over Pakistan at Vishakhapatnam and put their noses in front in the 6 match series, its now or never for Pakistan. A must-win situation awaits us all, as we move into the 3rd game of the Pepsi Cup at Jamshedpur. The Keenan Stadium here is one of those grounds, where the opposition has always managed to put it against India and it will be interesting to see if this stat still holds true. Cricketfundas.com presents to its readers an exclusive preview for the 3rd ODI between India and Pakistan to be played at Jamshedpur.

Pitch :-

The pitch at the Keenan stadium has always seen high scoring games and this is a big indicator of the strip that will be used for the game. The captain winning the toss will in all likeliness bat first, but there will be something in it for the bowlers early on, for the first 10 overs or so. The weather at Jamshedpur is not something to write home about. The city is likely to see a consitently hot weather throughout tomorrow and yet again, it seems as though the heat will basically define the game. Interestingly, the stats are in favour of the team batting second, who have won 5 out of the 8 earlier games played here. Pakistan have won both their encounters in Jamshedpur (against India and Sri Lanka), while India broke the Keenan jinx against South Africa in 2000-01. India lost their last ODI played here against the West Indies in 2002-03.

India :-

India will go into this game with their tails up, and carrying the confidence from Vizag, where they outbatted Pakistan. This is a crucial game for India, with a view that if they win this game, they at least do not lose the series and can go all out for a win in the rest of the matches. Jamshedpur has its own woes and worries for the Indian team. The Men-in-Blue have only won 1 out of their 7 last encounters here and one hopes that they would be all set to improve on their poor record here. India will go into this match with their in-form batsmen already creating havoc among the opposition bowling. While Sehwag, Dravid and MS Dhoni have literally tpyed with the Pakistani bowlers, runs beckon for the big guns like Sachin and Ganguly. Sachin and Saurav should use this match to get in some much-needed runs, that will do good to the team for the rest of the matches. The middle order also needs to respond, as their presence could be crucial in the next few matches. The Indians will be without the services of their strike bowler L.Balaji for the next 2 games and we could see them go with two in-form pacemen in Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra in this match. Murali Kartik might get a look-in along with Harbhajan Singh and much in the middle overs will depend on how they bowl. With the non-regular bowlers going through a decent spell of form, India might have just got the combination right with a two seamer and two spinner attack. India have nothing to lose in this match, as they have already taken a 2-0 lead. But extending this lead will be of utmost important for Saurav and Co, if the Indians have to win the series.

Pakistan :-

All is not lost yet for Pakistan, who gave the Indians a run for their money at Vizag, but the sheer pressure of chasing 356 runs let the visitors down. This game effectively presents itself as a do-or-die or a must-win situation for Pakistan, if they have to keep their hopes alive of claiming the ODI series. Pakistan have already announced their changes going into the game tomorrow. Younis Khan is all set to return back into the team, after a two-match absence due to some health problems, Rao Ifthikar will make his first appearance in the series, with Mohammad Sami being rested and Arshad Khan makes way for leg-spinner Danish Kaneria. The Pakistani batting looks strong and resilient and if only Inzamam was lucky with the coin toss, the story might have just been different. Pakistan will be bolstered by the return of Younis Khan but yet, they may well have to plan their innings well if they have to finish well. The bowling line-up for Pakistan looks a bit thin and may as well lack penetration with the exclusion of Sami. But it presents an opportunity to someone like Ifthikar Anjum, who has been a passenger till now. It will be interesting to see how Danish Kaneria performs in the shorter version of the game and the Pakistanis will be hoping to see him trouble the batsman as much as he does in the Test matches. All in all, the mantra for Pakistan to keep themselves going will be "Now or Never", as a loss could make the next three games meaningless for them.

The Keenan Stadium, has witnessed some unfortunate incidents the last time around and it will be a big acid test for the security and the police to see that such incidents of crowd violence are not repeated and the game goes off peacefully. The ball is in the Pakistani court, but it is up to them to play it or leave it, and whatever may be the outcome of the game, be prepared for an absorbing contest.

Cricketfundas.com Highlights :- Dho(ni) Daala

2005-04-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

Cricketfundas.com Highlights :- Dho(ni) Daala

As cricket made its foray into Andhra Pradesh, something special was to be on the cards. This was the first time an international cricket match had been played at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Vizag, which is located among the most picturesque of locations 15 kms from the main township of Vishakhapatnam. It was one of those games, where one did not know how it would eventually progress, as the pitch was virgin and the ground had never played host to an ODI. Cricketfundas.com presents to its readers an exclusive match review through its highlights of the 2nd ODI between India and Pakistan at Vizag.

The Tale of the Coin -

Inzamam's woes with calling right continued, as he lost the toss yet again to the Indian skipper, who did not have any hesitations in opting to bat first and make the first use of the pitch. It was a belter of a wicket, with no encouraging signs for the bowlers and any score of around 280-290 would have been competitive on this wicket

The Indian Innings :-

The Indians started off their innings with a swoosh, scoring 10 runs of the first over. But little did they know that their progress was halted by a brilliant fielding effort from Youhana, who ran Sachin Tendulkar out for 2. It was a bold and an inspiring move by Saurav Ganguly to send in Mahendra Singh Dhoni, as India were going all guns blazing. Dhoni and Sehwag together took full control of the Pakistani bowling, as Sehwag notched up his fifty of just 26 balls. Both batsmen took full toll of what looked like an aimless and a hapless bowling attack the Pakistanis played with. India reached their hundred pretty early, and this provided them with a strong foundation to consolidate in the mid overs. Sehwag, got out for 74 off 40 balls after setting the stadium alight, and this prompted the arrival of Saurav Ganguly, the skipper. His dreaded form with the bat continued as he just notched up 9 runs, before he was cleaned up by Sami. It was capitalization time for the Indians as MS Dhoni played shots all around the ground and Rahul Dravid doing what he does best, rotate the strike and keep the scorers busy. Dhoni eventually reached his first ODI ton, with the help of a lot of hits to the fence. Rahul Dravid also played the game at his own pace and got to a fifty. After his ton, Dhoni did not stop clobbering the Pakistani attack, before holding out to Shoaib Malik. Dravid followed suit and so did the middle order. But the lower half of the batting order yet again, chipped in with crucial runs, as India finished at a mighty score of 356/9 off their allotted 50 overs.

The Pakistani Run Chase :-

For the second time in a row, the Pakistanis were involved in a run-chase, and this time around they were heading for an impossible mission on hand. To add insult to injury, Ashish Nehra grabbed Afridi for a second ball duck. But that did not stop Abdul Razzaq to justify his promotion and march towards the target as he flayed anything that was within his reach. He especially took toll of anything pitched short and played some delightful strokes. Initially he found an able ally in Salman Butt, who timed everything sweetly off his bat. But, just when the Pakistani bandwagon was on a high, Butt miscued a ball from Nehra, only to find it safely pouched by Sehwag, going for 36. Razzaq reached his fifty in style and was joined by the skipper, who made his intentions clear as he walked out to the middle. Misfortune struck the Pakistanis, as Inzamam regained his classical mode of dismissal as he was run out for 16, with Pakistan clearly downsized. Yousuf Youhana and Abdul Razzaq added some valuable runs, before Razzaq edged one, only to be taken brilliantly down the legside by Dhoni. There was a similar middle order collapse for the Pakistanis also, but Yousuf Youhanna and Kamran Akmal kept the game going for them, until Youhanna's scintillating knock was ended by a tired shot only to be caught of Kaif. After Youhanna's dismissal, Pakistan certainly lost hopes of staging a comeback, but Kamran Akmal's never-say-die attitude came to the fore, as he rallied along with his young tailenders to try and take Pakistan home. But, quick wickets at the other end, rattled his hopes and India bowling Pakistan out for 298.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was rightly adjudged the man of the match for his destructive batting score of 148 and certainly took the game away from the Pakistanis. Its getting desperate time for Pakistan to win a game, with the series looking slightly tilted in favour of India but its not over yet for Pakistan, but can they stop the Indian juggernaut ? The answer to this question shall be found out at Jamshedpur.

Looking Ahead :- Beat the Heat - Part II

2005-04-04T04:22:00.001-07:00

Looking Ahead :- Beat the Heat - Part II

After witnessing a rather one-sided contest at Kochi, where Pakistan could not beat both India and the Kerala heat, the India-Pakistan cricket circus changes coasts and moves eastwards to the south-eastern port city of Vishakapatnam. This game to be played in Vizag will be the first in four years, with the last game played between India and Australia in 2001. The importance of this game need not be reiterated, as Pakistan will look to have their number on the board, while India will try their best to sway away the pendulum of the series in their favour. Cricketfundas.com presents its readers with an exclusive preview of the 2nd Pepsi Cup ODI between India and Pakistan at Vishakhapatnam.

Pitch :- The pitch in the Indira Priyadarshini Stadium at Vizag has always been a batting beauty. The stats of the ground prove this very fact, as the team batting first have won 4 of the 5 games played in the past. The toss proved to be one of the factors that influenced an Indian win and it will be of paramount importance for the captain winning the toss to bat first as run on the board can always work in the team's favour during the second half of the match. Yet again, the fitness levels of the men on the field will be put to a real test and battling the conditions may just prove to be the deciding factor in this game at Vizag. For number-crunchers, India have won 2 of their 3 games, while Pakistan have featured in a 12-run loss to Sri Lanka in 1999 at Vizag.

India :- Having won over their opponents convincingly at Kochi, the Indians will be brimming with confidence. John Wright clearly highlighted the first two matches as important, and having given their all in the game at Kochi, the Vizag game yet again demands a 101% effort from the Indians. It almost seems that a certain Virender Sehwag is taking the opposition in his own hands. His century at Kochi comes at no better time for both him and the team, as the batting looks towards boosting their confidence levels. Apart from Sehwag, Rahul Dravid looks in fine batting touch, having scored his century. But, it will be extremely important for the other batsmen to get their contributions going by gaining form, which could prove useful for the matches ahead. In the bowling department, one feels that the Team Management will stick with the 3 pacers and 1 spinner combination, as it proved to be successful at Kochi. All three pacemen did a considerably good job at Kochi and the Indian team will be pinning its hopes on the bowlers to do it again. India clearly looked the better side when it came to all departments of the game and more importantly doing the small things correctly - running between the wickets and catching. But things can change in no-time, especially in an India vs Pakistan series and this only sends warning signals for the Men in Blue to guard against complacency of any sorts.

Pakistan :- Pakistan have themselves to blame for finishing second best to India at Kochi. Their batting did not look in-sync and they paid a heavy price for complacency. But having said that, this Pakistani team under Inzamam has shown us time and again that they cannot be written off. Vizag will be a new day and a new game for them, and this time they will be hoping to open their account in the series too. The batting at Kochi got off to a good start and all of a sudden collapsed. We could see Shahid Afridi opening the batting along with Salman Butt, with Kamran Akmal going down to the normal no. 7 position. The probability of Younis Khan getting fit is also getting lesser by the minute. The senior players like skipper Inzamam and Youhanna will certainly be expected to play the game with greater levels of responsibility, compared to what they did at Kochi. In the words of Rameez Raja, the Pakistan bowling was "one-dimensional" and lacked anything different from what was on show. It will be interesting to see if Pakistan try and change things around in their bowling department for this game. The game at Kochi, opened up a weak link in the Pakistani team - their catching. Pakistan have to improve their catching skills if they have to create moments that can possibly change games in their favour. "Write us off at your own peril" will be the message given by Inzy to the Indians, and it will be a sheer test of their resolve if they can in reality bounce back from the first punch delivered to them by the Indians. Probably, Vizag will have a solution to their problems !

India go into this game, carrying all the confidence and advantage from Kochi. But Pakistan would have that if at all they needed to correct themselves and be back on track, it was at Vishakhapatnam. It would be yet another situation, as the possibility of the sun becoming a major obstacle in the outcome of the game increases. For India, it will be crucial to have this in their bag to try and go for the kill in the next few games and for Pakistan, it will be a matter of putting their first foot of contention in the series.

Cricketfundas.com Highlights - India's Successful Backwater Adventure

2005-04-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Cricketfundas.com Highlights - India's Successful Backwater Adventure

It was only the fourth instance, where one-day cricket made its journey to God's Own Country - Kerala. Cochin or Kochi, played host to the first Pepsi Cup One Day International between India and Pakistan and with soaring expectations, one could not have begun from a more serene place in the country with the backwaters at cricket's backdrop. Cricketfundas.com presents its readers with an exclusive match report of all that happened at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the first Pepsi Cup ODI between India and Pakistan.

The Tale of the Coin :-

By and large, when one-day cricket is usually played in India, the toss is considered to be a first step towards the outcome of the match. The pitch was one, where the skipper winning the toss had no hesitation to bat first and it became imperative for Saurav Ganguly to toss it right. Saurav did win the toss, after Inzi called it wrong and chose to bat first on a hot and humid day in Kochi.

Indian Innings :-

The Indians came into the game under some pressure due to their dismal performance at Bangalore. But they had to put the past behind and concentrate on the present as they had a considerable job on hand. In a way, they failed to cash in on the opportunity of setting up a good foundation for the final assault as they lost Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly early. It was the case of "Cometh the hour and cometh the man" when Rahul Dravid strode out to bat under trying and extreme weather conditions. Dravid and Sehwag initially focussed their partnership on staying on the wicket and getting through with some damage control exercises. But once they looked settled, Sehwag in particular opened up along with Dravid providing able support. The pair literally toyed along with the Pakistani bowling, even though they struggled to beat the Kochi heat. Cashing on some hapless bowling by the Pakistanis, the pair added 201 for the third wicket, which literally took the game away from Pakistan. Sehwag ended up with a magnificient and mature ton (108) to his name, and Dravid as usual, playing the support role and chugging along to reach his ton (104) too. After Sehwag's departure, the rest of the Indian batting did not perform as per expectations. At one stage they looked all set for over 300, but some good dogged bowling by the Pakistanis especially Arshad Khan and Mohammad Hafeez, restricted them to a competitive score of 281/8. The Indians lost wickets regularly after Sehwag and had no momentum especially in the last ten overs, which could have been important in the match's context. Having scored the runs on the board, it was always handy, as the team chasing in these conditions had to weigh the burdens of pressure and weather on its shoulders.

Pakistani Chase :-

With a target of 282 to achieve for Pakistan in what looked like a slowing wicket, the start was to be crucial for them. Openers Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal started well for the Pakistanis by putting the opposition under a bit of pressure. Salman, especially batted very well in his brief stay in the middle, but Kamran Akmal provided India with its maiden wicket, being caught by Virender Sehwag at short point. Salman Butt soon followed suit, as he nudged one in the air only to be caught well by Saurav Ganguly. It almost seemed like a procession, when Shoaib Malik also departed caught by Yuvraj off Balaji for almost nothing to his credit and Pakistan reeling at 49/3. It was imperative that senior batsmen like Yousuf Youhana and Inzamam ul-Haq stay on the wicket if Pakistan had to recover from these early strikes. Inzamam released his early nerves by playing some shots, but Youhanna at the other end was literally struggling. Youhanna's uncomfortable stay at the wicket ended, when Zaheer Khan took a brilliant return catch to send him back for a nought. Mohammad Hafeez later joined Inzy and added 40-odd runs, after a Tendulkar sneaker surprised everyone including Inzamam, with Pakistani hopes dashing at 112/5. After getting rid of Inzamam, Tendulkar was on a wicket-hunt this time around and his spell of consistent bowling brought the downfall of as many as 5 Pakistani batsmen. With Pakistan out of the game at 156/9, it was only a matter of time before the Indians claimed first blood in the 6 match series. Rana Naveed and Arshad Khan were partly successful in delaying the inevitable, but Zaheer Khan's straight ball brought an end to both Rana Naveed and Pakistan's innings at 194, with the home side winning by 87 runs. Although the margin was brought closer by the last pair that lasted for 42 runs, the match had already ended once Pakistan got itself into a tangle, from where they literally could not have recovered. With one match done and dusted, the Pakistanis would have to bounce back at Vizag, if they seriously want to have a shout at the Pepsi Cup.

Our Verdict :-

It was not exactly a kind of match, as the build-up suggested. It was a game, where fortune favoured the brave, especially Sehwag after being dropped twice. But, to come up with the kind of innings that he along with Dravid did, summed up the game. Sachin Tendulkar's brilliance with the ball also meant, that Pakistan were exposed against the line he bowled. For Pakistan, there are lot of lessons to be learnt from this game, especially when they traded complacency for a win with the Indians. Time to get serious for both teams, as yet another important clash beckons at Vizag, and its importance cannot be doubted, as it dictates the momentum of the ODI series. Hopefully, in Vizag we get to see a more intense contest between the bat and the ball and as a fence-sitter would say "May the Best Team Win".

Looking Ahead : The First Punch

2005-04-01T02:24:00.000-08:00

Looking Ahead : The First Punch (1st India vs Pakistan ODI at Kochi)

One-Day International cricket returns to Indian soil after a gap of 18 months, when the TVS Cup was held across the country in late 2003. Apart from the Kolkata ODI in November 2004, India has not witnessed enough one-dayers in the past few months and the drought ends here. Its time for some sizzling and action packed one-day international cricket as two of the top Asian giants clash against each other for pride and the silverware. Cricketfundas.com presents its readers with an exclusive preview ahead of the first One-Day International to be played between India and Pakistan at Kochi.

Pitch :- The pitches in India, especially for one-dayers are ones where runs will be hard to contain, in short pure batting beauties and it is expected to get slower and lower as the game progresses, and the one in the Nehru Stadium at Kochi is no exception. There is one more factor to the game other than the pitch - the weather. This is summer time in Kerala and the weather forecast does not befriend players, as the sun will be relentless with its heat all day. Along with the temperature of an India-Pakistan match, this game will surely test the work done by the teams' physios and trainers. Perhaps an early morning start could give an early advantage to the team bowling first, but runs on the board will be THE factor that will decide victory or defeat.

India :- The mood in the Indian camp after the Test series might just give us an indication of how they go into this game and the series. Yes, they lost the Bangalore Test to Pakistan, but for the Saurav Sena, all is not over yet. The Indians are mature enough to put the defeat behind them and start the ODI series afresh. The batting looks in more-or-less good form and surely the Sehwag factor might just make the difference. If he stays on the wicket for long, Pakistan will surely lose all the confidence they have managed to carry from Bangalore. Rahul Dravid showed good one-day form last year (as he emerged as the leading run scorer in 2004) and the Indians will hope that his form continues. Its performance time for the "skipper", and maybe we could just see the best of Dada in this game. Mahendra Singh Dhoni looks all set to play as a specialist keeper, which allows Dravid to concentrate on his batting. After a disappointing Test series, Irfan Pathan will be ready to prove a point, while Laxmipathy Balaji continues to spearhead the Indian pace attack. Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik will form the two spinners that will take the field for India on Saturday. It will be extremely important for India to start well in the series and set the pace and intent for the rest of the matches, and one feels, a win in the first outing will be crucial to India's hopes in the 6-match ODI series.

Pakistan :- After gaining the upper hand in the 9 one dayers played last year, the Pakistanis will look to repeat those performances. For a team under Inzamam, who have learnt success the hard way, this series will be the ideal one to prove a major point both to themselves and the people back home, that they have it in them to win matches. Call it misforture or whatever, Pakistan have lost the services of their run-machine Younis Khan for the opening match due to high fever. It will be interesting to see if the replacement player (Mohammad Hafeez) remains as effective as the vice-captain. Pakistan can take some heart from their previous performances against India last year, where their batting proved to click and take the Indian bowlers apart. Useful scores from the top order batsmen like Salman Butt and Mohammad Hafeez will surely help as the strong middle order can take charge during the middle overs and create a foundation for the Explosive Twosome of Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi lower down. Pakistan's bowling has been a major chink in their armoury this time around and it will be interesting to see if they can come up with the goods yet again after Bangalore. Pakistan might just play two-spinners and two-seamers as the conditions favour batting and to provide variety. All is set for Pakistan to play their best one-day cricket and take charge early in the series, as pressure may just weigh too much on Indian shoulders later on.

The last few games at Kochi have given us some close ones. And this one promises nothing different from the past. Call it a nail-biter or a humdinger, India-Pakistan matches are too close to call and one only hopes to see the team that plays the best cricket win on Saturday.

Looking Ahead : Let the Carnage Begin

2005-03-30T09:10:00.000-08:00

Looking Ahead : India vs Pakistan ODI Series

After a fitting end to an enthralling and intriguing three weeks of hard fought Test Match cricket between India and Pakistan, its time for some nerve-wrecking One-Day action between the Asian Titans. The ODI Series in Pakistan (Samsung Cup) in 2004 was basically the first step towards normalizing cricket relations between the two countries. And since then, when it comes to one-day international cricket, both countries have not looked back. After the successful completion of the ODI series in Pakistan, India and Pakistan have played four other matches (3 in neutral venues and 1 at Kolkata) of which Pakistan took all honours. This time around, the series is well set up at the backdrop of the fight and the confident strides the Pakistanis put up during the Test Series. With India in a not-so-mentionable ODI form, this series might just about have come at the right time for them to pull up their socks for the rest of the season. Cricketfundas.com gives its readers an exclusive preview to the six-match One Day International series between India and Pakistan.

Pitches :- Navjot Sidhu chooses to call them the "sleeping beauty" - which by itself should give us all a fair idea of what he means to say. The wickets in India are basically belters and on which batsmen can pouch runs at will and make bowling attacks look feeble. Our mind must go back to the game at Kolkata on November 13th, where India made 292 batting first, and it was chased with a considerable amount of ease by the Pakistanis. With no day/night matches in this series, the captains' pockets are safe and hence, the dew factor won't come in way of some exciting action. But, an early morning start could mean some spirit for the bowlers to exploit early on the wicket, and the team that uses it to its advantage will take daily match honours.

India :- As mentioned earlier, India have been going through a forgettable patch in One-Day cricket since the Asia Cup. But, this is an opportunity they would not want to miss as finding decent form in this series could mean better times in the days and months ahead. India's recent one-day woes have basically been attibuted to lack of runs from the batsmen. But as time has passed on since last year, the tides have fairly swung. Some of the batsmen are in fine form and will be all set to take on the not-so-fiery Pakistani bowling attack. Virender Sehwag's bat looks broader than ever for the opposition, as nothing but runs have begun flowing. But there is something Pakistan can look to exploit. Sehwag scored over 1000 runs in Tests last year, but has unfortunately failed to make an expected impact in the shorter version. It would be really interesting to see if Sachin Tendulkar returns to his normal best, as some flashes were seen in Bangladesh. Saurav Ganguly's recent Test performances have put his place under the microscope of the public and it will be pressure cooker time for Dada to deliver, possibly a make or break series for him. Rahul Dravid's back will not bear the burden of the gloves, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni looks to take over and try and settle a place for him in the team. For once, the Indian bowling looks a lifeless unit, with the exception being Lakshmipathy Balaji and Harbhajan Singh. Irfan Pathan has shown little form and has looked ordinary thus far in the Tests, and expectations from the youngster will be reaching the mercuric level, as he takes the field to take the new ball. The flashless fielding of the Indians in the tests looks to be shielded by the inclusion of One-Day regulars Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, who are also in good form. The onus will be on the Indians to deliver. It looks tough for us to call them favourites or underdogs, but what looks certain is that the team is ready to give it all in John Wright's penultimate series in-charge of India.

Pakistan :- Pakistan are one of those teams to have experienced the shorter version of the game this year during the VB Series in Australia. Their performance in the triangular was satisfactory or average to say the least. But, as experts would say - a tour of Australia always toughens a cricket side up and the Indians were at the recieving end of that toughness, as they skimmed through the world-class batting line up at Bangalore in the third test. After enjoying considerable success over their counterparts last year, winning 6 out of the 9 encounters, Pakistan surely go in as favourites to extend this margin. Salman Butt and Shoaib Malik look in good touch with the bat, as they toyed around with the India A bowling at Hyderabad. It will be interesting to see if the team would send Kamran Akmal at the top, following success in Australia. The middle order looks stable with Inzamam, Youhanna and Younis Khan and expect some fireworks with the two dazzlers lower down - Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi. The bowling is the department, Pakistan are looking weaker than usual. The lack of sting is clearly seen and will be left to see if this hurts them in the end. Mohammad Sami worked up some pace at Bangalore and with guys like Danish Kaneria and Arshad Khan around, scoring for the Indians wont be a piece of cake. The prospects of a Pakistani series win looks a bit on the higher side, but what is important in India-Pakistan one-dayers is that the past matters least, and the day defines defeat or success. Bob Woolmer's magic wand has surely worked against India last yea, but the challenge before him and his boys would be to repeat it with consistency and professionalism. Will they, Wont they ? The matches might just have the solution.

Yes folks, this series looks to be a carnival and as a fencesitter, seems too close to call. With the extra ODI being played, who knows, this series may end up being tied at 3 games each. But, other than the way the game is being played between these two countries, what is up for grabs for spectators and cricket fans is some exciting, enthralling, nerve-wrecking and above all top class cricket.

Looking Ahead – 1 Down, 2 to Go (2nd India vs Pakistan Test at Kolkata)

2005-03-14T07:59:00.000-08:00

Looking Ahead – 1 Down, 2 to Go (2nd India vs Pakistan Test at Kolkata)

After enthralling the cricket lovers of Mohali with a gruelling tussle between bat and ball, the India-Pakistan cricket circus now turns eastwards and makes its next stop at Kolkata, the self-accepted headquarters of Indian Cricket. The game at Mohali had all the ingredients of yet another saga in the chapter of India vs Pakistan encounters - a virtual domination by India for four days, a dramatic turn around by Pakistan on the last day, an untimely intervention by the rain-gods and indeed some emotional patch-ups for people from both sides of the "boundary". But, as any expert would say, its history. With the focus clearly on getting the edge over each other, the two teams get back in action at Kolkata for the second test. Cricketfundas.com gives its readers an exclusive analytical preview ahead of the 2nd Test at Kolkata.

Pitch :-

After getting some temporary relief from the media, the pitch at the Eden Gardens has again come under the microscope. The pitch has presented several of its colours as of now, but will unviel its true colour only on matchday. There are speculations of a green-top going around, but it will be left to see what kind of wicket the curator gives, keeping in mind the patchy weather conditions in the East of India. In all likelihood, the wicket should be a good one for batting, with something in it for the bowlers initially on day one. The Eden Gardens wicket traditionally assists the spinners from late Day 3 into Day 4 and it will be interesting to see if it holds up that way. There are high chances that the captain winning the toss might just have a bat and pile on the runs and put the pressure on the opposition in the second innings.

India :-

After gaining the upper hand at Mohali, the Indians must be disappointed to have thrown the game away, but as John Wright said "The draw at Mohali has only increased the hunger to win". Throwing some light on these words, one feels that the Indians will be prepared to put the negatives of Mohali behind and stride into the field with the match as a new game. The Indian batting looks in great form and this by itself sends ominous signals to the Pakistanis. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag's century opening stand set the platform for the following batsmen, and since then they have not looked back. The Test at Kolkata gives Sachin Tendulkar yet another opportunity to knock the door of yet another milestone - the 35th Hundred and the 10,000 run mark. Saurav Ganguly's form must be a rare worry for the Indian team management and it will be left to see if his home-ground becomes a venue for the turn around in his run-making drought so far. VVS Laxman's grind to form also has given an extra boost to the batting unit. One man who will for sure be under pressure to prove his batting abilities will be Dinesh Kaarthick. One hopes that the young Indian stumper draws some inspiration from his opposite number Kamran Akmal and make the wicketkeeper's spot his own for the days to come. The Indian bowling looks in good shape, even though they failed to grab those 4 Pakistani lower order wickets at Mohali. Laxmipathy Balaji's return to form is a good sign for the future and if reports are to be believed, Balaji and Irfan Pathan will be taking the field as India's two recognised pacemen, with Zaheer Khan the unfortunate victim of sacrifice. The Pakistanis will also get first sight of Harbhajan Singh, as he makes his way into the side after successfully passing the ICC Bowling Committee test in Australia. Anil Kumble's good bowling form should also help India in this test, as it could become spinner-friendly after three and a half days of wear and tear. Instead of looking at Mohali as a dampener, the Indians must take heart form the fact that they won 12 out of 15 sessions, and if they continue to do so, Pakistan may just fall short of victory. The hunger is evident within the Indians, but is it the right time to go for the kill ? One hopes that Ganguly & Co feel so.

Pakistan :-

The Pakistanis went into the Mohali Test as the clear underdogs, but they preferred to fight rather than fright. It will be left to see how much of an inspiration they will draw from the second inning turnaround at Mohali. Pakistan go into the game high on confidence, but as one sees it, they still prefer being termed as the underdogs. The Pakistani team management has already pressed the panic button as far as the top order by naming Shahid Afridi as a replacement for Salman Butt. One has to wait and see if Shahid Afridi proves his priceless limited overs abilities to rescue the top-order from a meek surrender at the hands of the Indian bowlers yet again. The middle-order for Pakistan looks very stable with Youhana, Inzamam and Asim Kamal all in flowing form. The lower-middle order with all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and keeper Kamran Akmal, the heroes from Mohali, will also bolster the Pakistani batting. Unexpectedly, the Pakistani bowling looks really weak and easy for the Indian batsmen to pick. Although, one can't stop praising them for effort and committment, there is an evident lack of depth and penetration seen in this attack, barring the leggie Danish Kaneria, from whom one can always expect a 105%. It will be a real test for the young and inexperienced bowlers from Pakistan against the might of the Indian batting and will be interesting to see if they can live up to the challenge. The Pakistanis fought till their last breath and came through a tough battle. The Kolkata test will really be a tester for the youngsters as it will suggest us if they do really have the capacity to be consistent in their performance.

The Eden Gardens in the past few years has been like a fortress for the Indians. But if they scratch their memory a bit, it was Pakistan in 1999 who just broke through the walls of the Indians at the very ground. So yet again, an interesting battle awaits the two Asian giants and it will be left to see who wins it in the end, and make the series interesting taking it to a decider at Bangalore.

Venkat Ananth
venkz86@gmail.com

All That Happened - First India vs Pakistan Test at Mohali

2005-03-12T07:29:00.001-08:00

All That Happened - First India vs Pakistan Test at Mohali

After Pakistan played a successful host last year, it was time for India to reciprocate the goods towards its neighbour, as both countries locked horns against each other on Indian soil after six years. Mohali was the venue for the First of the Three tests, and was strategically chosen as it was closer to home for the thousands of Pakistani fans, who flocked the stadium to see their boys fight it out against the home team. Every clash between these two teams, has a high point, which ultimately adds on to the saga of the series. Cricketfundas.com presents to all its readers an exclusive match review of the 1st Test played between India and Pakistan at Mohali from 8th to 12th March.

Toss :-

The toss in the sub-continent is gaining more and more importance by the day, and on this occasion, things were'nt any different. The pitch was meant to be a seamer's paradise and the captain who won the toss would have no hesitation in bowling well. As things unfolded according to the script, Saurav Ganguly won the toss and sent Pakistan to bat on a dodgy first day wicket. Both teams maintained a balance with regards to their bowling playing three seamers and one spinner each.

India :-

India went into this game as clear favourites against their opponents this surely must have put them under some sorts of internal pressures to outperform and come clear of their opponents. The Indian bowlers justified the faith shown on them by their skipper as they skimmed through the Pakistani batting on Day 1 by bowling them out for 312. It was a comeback to remember for Laxmipathy Balaji as he picked up his maiden fiver immediately after a recovery from injury. The Indian batsmen performed as per expectations - asserting themselves over the weak and toothless Pakistani bowling. The opening partnership between two dazzlers from Delhi - Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag ensured that a foundation is laid upon which a huge score could be consolidated. Sehwag's ton (173) along with Sachin's scratchy 94 and VVS's under pressure 58 reiterated the dominance asserted by the Indian batsmen, who looked at ease on the wicket. After taking a decent lead of 204 on Day 4, India got a firm hand over proceedings when the bowlers broke the back of the Pakistani top order. But, the match seemed history after that as consecutive partnerships forged by the Pakistanis, denied them victory. Apart from the initial burst, and with the exceptions of Balaji and Kumble, the attack lacked penetration and intensity, which was fully exploited by the Pakistani batsmen.

This is not new for Indian cricket as positions of dominance have been let loose in the past, and this has hurt them the most. India were clear winners of the four days but the most crucial day of the match - Day 5, denied them a lead in the series, firstly thanks to a brilliant revival by Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq and secondly thanks to some sloppy cricket. The Indians have noone but themselves to blame for whatever happened in this game. Hopefully, Indian cricket will see its prime back at its adopted home - Kolkata in the Second Test.

Pakistan :-

Pakistan, having lost 2 of its last 3 Test series, were the so-called underdogs going into the game. After being put into bat by the Indians, they did in a way justify that tag by succumbing to some good Indian bowling. Inzamam and Asim Kamal's fifties proved to be gold in the context of the match, where the Pakistanis were bowled out for 312 on the first day. When many pundits were writing them off, especially their weakest bowling attack ever, the Pakistanis displayed their true fighting colours as late as on the third and fourth day, where we saw some relentless, lion-hearted bowling by leggie Danish Kaneria. His 6-for 150 proved to be important in the match as it put the breaks on the Indian juggernaut, especially after Sehwag's departure and then brought the innings to a grinding end. After trailing by 204, their openers proved to be of no worth, as Pakistan found themselves in a soup at 10/3. It was an ideal scenario for Pakistan's richest to make hay while the sun shines. Inzamam and Youhana scored some fluent runs, and after their departure Asim Kamal yet again carried on. As Day 4 ended, Pakistan seemed to stare defeat on its face, UNTIL.....

As they say, the best was reserved for the last. And indeed, we did see the best cricket of the Test match by Pakistan, when two of their young players Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq played out of their skins to save the match for their country. Akmal made a brilliant strokeful century and was rightfully adjudicated the man of the match, for playing the lead role in the dramatic revival of the Pakistani fortunes. Although the match ended in a draw, it would not be unfair to say that Pakistan emerged a winner in their own way. The match and the Pakistan 2nd Innings, summed up the spirit of these India-Pakistan matches, where fight is on a national rather than an individual level. Hopefully Pakistan can take off from here and now compete to win the series.

To sum up, this match had the ingrediants of an exciting draw. Even when the scales tilted towards India, Pakistan did not give up and played with all their heart out to save the game. One only hopes that the quality of cricket of this game augurs well for the future matches in the series. A word of praise for the crowd at Mohali, who in truest words, have been nothing short of exemplary and good to see them take the best and worst of both teams.

Looking Ahead : The Curtain-Raiser at Mohali

2005-03-05T21:37:00.000-08:00

Looking Ahead : India vs Pakistan - 1st Test at Mohali

After a relatively mild start to the year in International Cricket,its time for some explosive, passionate and gruelling cricket to be played between India and Pakistan in various venues all across India.Last year, cricket in general was used as a medium to get some political and social messages across the border, but this time around, all the other "X" factors take a backseat, and cricket takes center-stage, as these two cricket-loving nations clash for the biggest honors. Cricketfundas.com gives you an Exclusive Preview tothe First Test between India and Pakistan at Mohali.

Pitch :-

After hogging the headlines in almost all the home test matches last year, the pitch at the PCA Stadium in Mohali, has come under minimal media scanner - barring the digging attempt by the fundamentalist groups. The pitch is supposed to be a typical Mohali wicket, with something for everybody. The curator usually leaves some grass on for the first two days, and it will be interesting to see if the bowlers can bowl in the right areas to exploit the same. There have been speculations that the Pakistanis might just have a crack at the Indian batting with three seamers - Sami, Rana Naved and Khalil, and one gets the feeling that the Indians may not be any different. The toss will prove to be decisive, with a certain amount of advantage guaranteed to the team fielding first. But, matches in the past here have been won by good cricket and not tosses alone.

India :-

The Indians will be eager to get themselves back into business after a relatively long two month lay-off. One of the better aspects, of this break is that almost every player has got some runs, form and domestic match practice behind him before the crucial series against Pakistan. This break has given the injury prone players ample time to get back to full fitness and position themselves better for the upcoming test matches. It will also be interesting to see if the rust of not playing enough international matches affects the players, as its done in the past.

One of the major disappointments in the last few Test series that the Indians have played has been the batting. But this time around, the batsmen are looking more prepared and confident having scored a good share of runs against Bangladesh in the last series and in the Domestic Season. Gautam Gambhir looks all set to open the batting with Virender Sehwag, who is perhaps the in-form batsman presently, after his good string of scores in the Domestic tournaments. The middle-order also looks in good form with Laxman, Ganguly and Dravid among the runs in the various domestic tournaments played. Dinesh Kaarthick has been given yet another chance to impress the selectors with both the bat and behind the stumps, and it will be really important for him to keep his calm in high intensity situations. The bowling unit also looks to be in good shape, thanks to the work of the physios - Leipus and Gloster. All the four pacemen in the squad are fit and fresh, and it looks almost certain that a "Horses for Courses" policy will determine which three fast bowlers will play the game. Anil Kumble, will play as the lone spinner and it will be really fascinating to see how the skipper uses him - as someone to attack or to hold one end up ? Harbhajan Singh, who recently was cleared to playafter an ICC Bowling Action Review, must consider himself unlucky to miss out playing against Pakistan on his home turf. All in all, the Indians look the fitter and the more eager unit, but the on-field performance will dictate the supremacy of proceedings.

Pakistan :-

Having returned from a tough tour Down Under, the series against India could not have come at a better time for the Pakistanis. Although the Pakistanis looked nowhere near the class and might of the Australians, they had a few bright spots to carry over to India. The Pakistanis have come to India with what some pundits in Pakistan termed as "the weakest Pakistan team" since Fazal Mahmood's side that toured England in 1958. And, the news of Shoaib Akhtar's pullout has created some ripples within the team, but it will be left to see how the team bounces back from the absence of their premier paceman.

Pakistan have been fortunate to get an early taste of International Cricket, when they played in Australia earlier this year. They will hope that this international touch will help them edge India in the series. But, their performance in the tour game has not been up to the mark. The batting still remains a problem area for Pakistan even though they have upcoming stars like Salman Butt and Yasir Hameed. This is one area, where inexperience translates into senseless batting and if anything, Australia exploited this chink in their armoury extremely well. It will be extremely important for senior batsmen like Inzamam, Youhana and Younis Khan to guide these youngsters so that their batting doesn't let them down. Kamran Akmal's excellence behind the stumps will surely help Pakistan and if he can contribute with some bonus runs, it will only add to the misery of the Indians. The bowling unit of Pakistan has looked relatively weaker since Shoaib's pull out. Mohammad Sami is the most likely candidate to lead the pace bowling attack at Mohali, and will be supported by Rana Naved Ul-Hasan and Mohammad Khalil. It will also be interesting to see how Inzamam uses his trump card Danish Kaneria in this match, as the pitch will start turning since late Day 3 onto Day 4. It will be left to see how these youngsters respond to the faith shown on them by Inzamam in what looks like a series, where they would start as clear underdogs.

On the whole, the match hangs in balance, with two equally matched teams fighting each other on the field. It will be left to see if the experience of the Indians or the exuberance of the Pakistanis plays akey role in determining the victory. It is also extremely important for both the teams to make their intentions clear in the First Test, as it will set the tone for the series.

Is Indian cricket willing to learn ?

2005-01-18T05:53:00.000-08:00

It took nothing short of a revolution of sorts in the 1980's which helped cricket ride a wave of mass popularity as a sport that left other sports behind. Since then the unofficial "National" sport has come a long way, on the international scene, with India becoming a force to reckon with, but deep within the boundaries of the nation, the plight of the game, still finds itself in vacuum. Today Hockey, the National game in the true sense of its word, through the Premier Hockey League, has taken the responsibility upon itself to help in the reconstruction and remake of the domestic structure in Indian sport, forcing cricket to stare itself at the mirrors of introspection. This piece is essentially ideated with an insight into how the Big Brother of Indian sport can stoop his shoulder and learn something from the Younger one.

With regards to this, one question hits my mind - How can Indian cricket benefit from the PHL, although they are two different sports ? Well, if the cricket authorities of India are ready to go beyond their shells, this concept of the PHL could well make its way into the Domestic Competitions of Indian cricket. What is the fizz that makes PHL an interesting concept ? Well, it seems to have clung to the basic fundamentals of any domestic competition - mixing competition with entertainment. One can almost feel the buzz surrounding the entire event and compare that with a Ranji Trophy match, where spectators remain spectators and players remain players and do their respective jobs. The names of the teams like Hyderabad Sultans et al are something that match with the locals and most importantly there are lesser teams, which only leads to better competition. Overseas players coming in to play the league have added that extra which has been lacking in Indian hockey and providing an opportunity for the locals to learn from them. The main thing that PHL has succeeded is in its own way, market the SPORT of hockey in a big way, rather than certain select individuals as its done in cricket.

Innovation is the name of the game all over the world and has slowly made its way to India, thanks to the PHL. But will cricket be in a position to accept innovation in the game? In an ideal sense of the world, it probably should, as it only helps in the positive marketing of the game. But, in a country where Domestic Cricket has been a tradition rather than a creation, the concept might just face certain voices from the purists. England experimented with the concept of Twenty 20 to bring in interest among their dormant first class spectators and it has surely made an impact among the youngsters to pick the game, this is where the positive marketing of the game comes to the fore. And as a co-incidence, England have been proven to be a better One-Day side.

Who wouldn't want to see a Brett Lee donning Mumbai colours speeding his way against a certain Hyderabadi called VVS Laxman?? So what is the basic funda with some overseas players coming over and playing a domestic tournament in India? One, is that if the player is marketed well during the pre-tournament days, he could well be a performer for the team and a money-maker for the association, by pulling crowds from all over. Secondly, it will only help youngsters from that region/team develop their skills as the overseas players could impart their knowledge onto the would-be's. It will also be a true test of his ability, when he teams up with new colleagues and counters different and unknown conditions. If anything, it makes the entire feel of the tournament more competitive.

As a sports lover, who expects India to do well in every sport, right from Cricket to Kickboxing, hope is something I don't expect to leave. And it is about time that the action-packed and interesting concept of PHL has given Indian Domestic Cricket the jolt it needs to get up from a long-gone slumber. It will only be left to see as to how much the cricket authorities will take, as inaction has been the order of the day for years. As cricket lovers, something close to PHL coming into Indian cricket will do wonders for the game on the whole and one hopes its sooner than later that it happens, to give Cricket its share of Domestic Glory.

Looking Ahead : Bangladesh vs India - ODI Series

2004-12-21T06:58:00.000-08:00

Looking Ahead : Bangladesh vs India - ODI Series

After the first leg of the tour i.e the Test Match series, which India comprehensively won, its time for the two teams to shed their whites and don their national colours as they clash against each other for the 3 match ODI series to be played in Chittagong and Dhaka. Both these teams, especially India have had a sudden dip in form in their ODI performances, and this series comes at no better time for the Men in Blue to correct the mistakes they have been making so far, and finish the indifferent year till date, on a high by bagging the ODI leg of the tour. For Bangladesh, its an area of competition, but will they live upto their expectations ? Cricketfundas.com gives its readers an exclusive preview to the three match ODI series between India and Bangladesh which starts on the 23rd.

India :-

Its time the Indians admit that they have been going through an indifferent form, as far as the ODIs are concerned, and 3 matches against Bangladesh are virtually a golden opportunity being gifted to them to correct their mistakes and round off the year on a good and positive note. It has been interesting to see that Virender Sehwag has had bad One-Day outings as opposed to his great Test form, so he will have some thinking to do, as the two low scoring innings in the Test Matches played earlier will be at the back of his mind. It will also be interesting to see as to who replaces the "discarded" VVS Laxman. Going by form, it all points towards Sridharan Sriram, but as expected, the team management may well throw a surprise or two by recalling Dinesh Mongia. Has India finally found someone to don the gloves in the shorter version - yet another question mark ! But, it looks almost certain that Mahendra Singh Dhoni would be keeping wickets for India in these three matches, and it will be vital for him to make use of these chances, as Dinesh Karthik has looked impressive in the opportunities given to him so far. If anything, the bowling is something India will have to take note of. With Harbhajan Singh being"reported" for a suspect action, it will be interesting to see how he battles his psyche as the experience of Anil Kumble will be missing. But, one expects these bowlers to do well as they are on song, especially the two left armers - Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan. Complacency has always been the 12th man for Indian Cricket, and even if they are playing Bangladesh, the time has come when being professional rules over being complacent, simply because Bangladesh's "real" forte is One Day cricket, and on a given day or two, they may just run teams close. It will be important for India to maintain the intensity, something that has been lacking in the ODIs, and if they do it as they do against many other teams, they'll come out winners.

Bangladesh :-

As said before, this is the version that Bangladesh are more accustomed to and are more confident in. So, that by itself is some kind of a solace for the Tigers after the two crushing defeats in the Tests. And, their recent form speaks for itself when it comes to the ODIs, as theyve ran stronger teams like West Indies and New Zealand really close, but can they replicate it against India ?? Only time will tell. One of the main reasons, Bangladesh cricket has in its own way been static is the poor batting performances. But considering the recent form some individuals like Mohammad Ashraful and Manjural Islam Rana have shown, it will be interesting to see if they give their bowlers some runs to bowl at. One of the small things that Bangladesh have been doing well is fielding i.e. realizing the importance of saving runs, and one can expect a better show from them in the field from the Test Matches, where they were rugged to say the least. The Bangladeshi bowling attack has for sure been bolstered with the return and consistency of paceman Mashrafe bin Mortaza and his support bowler will most likely be Tapash Baisya. It will be extremely crucial for them to pick wickets early, and if they fail to do that, the batsmen they are bowling to are too good to make nutmegs out of them. Having said that, the experienced campaigners like Mohammad Rafique and Khaled Mahmud could help in guiding the youngsters make some effort and progress towards winning. It wont be easy for Bangladesh to pull off a win, but one feels that running India close by making them earn each and every run will be important, as a close shave for India might well end up being a small raise in the confidence levels of the Bangladeshis. Its all in their court, time to make the best use of such chances and who knows, come up with a rabbit out of the hat by beating India - although it remains a distant reality for the young Bangladeshis.

Competition is something we will be looking out for in this particular ODI series between the two teams, and there will be times in the matches, when Bangladesh will prove their existence as an international cricket team, but from a more positive Indian perspective, it will be extremely crucial for India to play the ball and not the bowler if they have to suceed towards their only 2nd ODI series win of the year.

Venkz

venkz86@gmail.com

Series Review : The End of a Virtual No-Contest

2004-12-19T20:35:00.000-08:00

Series Review : The End of a Virtual No-Contest

For many international cricket teams, a test tour of Bangladesh is a mere formality they have to complete with the fate of the series decided even before a ball is bowled. But, for a team like India, who have looked far from convincing this season thus far, this tour of Bangladesh came at a perfect time to rekindle their spirits that looked a bit depressed after the loss to Australia at home. Were we expecting a better resistence from the new kids on the block - Bangladesh ?? Cricketfundas.com gives its readers an exclusive series review of the recently concluded Test Series between Bangladesh and India in Bangladesh.

India :-

Batting :-

A tour of Bangladesh could not have come at a better time for Indian cricket, albeit it was a tour to a country, that does not yet know how to compete. But having said that, it was time for morale boosting in every sense of the word and just getting the right level of confidence before the beginning of a new year. Almost every Indian batter performed well, not only did he accumulate runs, but also accumulated confidence every time the ball stroked his bat. Sachin's 248* at Dhaka came at no better time to re-assure his fans of how well his elbow was playing and eased the feelings into an average Indian cricket fan that his A-game is slowly coming to the fore. Perhaps, that was not the only individual brilliance Bangladesh had to cope up with - a well made 75 by Zaheer Khan batting at No.11 was just the salt needed to add on to Bangladesh's already exposed wounds. And yes, the positives emerging out of this heavy run-getting is that it did not stop only at Dhaka, but the bandwagon continued to Chittagong, where Gautam Gambhir via his 139 reassured the faith showed on him by both the selectors and the captain. Apart from Gambhir, Chittagong was also a witness to a mentally strong batting display by Rahul Dravid, who rounded this year in great style with his sedate 160. Sometimes, we get carried away by the big runs, but somewhere in the context of the future, we might just realize how the 2 knocks of 71 and 88 by Saurav Ganguly was. From a batting perspective, records were broken as expected but the good thing was that these batsmen went beyond the records.

Bowling :-

Impeccable is the word that one can attribute to the Indian bowling in the Test series. It was a bowling effort, that asked unanswerable questions to the young Banglas and an effort that hardly had a challenge to face (apart from the 2 sessions that Mohd Ashraful made the bowlers' grey cells to work a bit). Irfan Pathan deservedly ended up with 18 wickets with 3 five wicket hauls an 1 ten wicket match haul. The Indian bowling attack repeatedly questioned the "technique" of the Bangla batters and it was refreshing to see the penetration and incisiveness of the attack, albeit against an opposition, whose batting is no where close to being regarded. One hopes that this series gives the bowlers some confidence to apply on to the future matches and give India more wins in the next year.

Bangladesh :-

Batting :-

If there is an epidemic that is fast spreading among the cricket circle in the recently promoted cricketing nation, its that of repeating mistakes. The batsmen looked hapless to say the least against some top class bowling and it was about time that the Bangladeshi batsmen took responsibility for their actions. There was no application by most of the batsmen and this is one of the reasons that has let Bangladesh cricket down. Yes, we can spend months and years dwelling upon the negatives of the game, but what are the things that Bangladesh can take from this series to their upcoming battle against Zimbabwe ? Mohammad Ashraful seems to be one perfect batsman that can surely guide Bangladesh's fortunes in the recent future. Talent seems aplenty in this short statured individual, but as time has shown us, inconsistency has been the parasite that has ensured that his talent does not go beyond a certain level. This series saw a refreshing and mature attitude shown by the 20-year old and hope this rubs on to his game for the future. Apart from Ashraful, youngsters like Nafis Iqbal and Aftab Ahmed look good in patches but yet again consistency is the name of the game in International Cricket, and some of these blokes are yet to think of consistency. If all these different individual elements vis-a-vis the batsmen come together and contribute together, only Bangladesh cricket is to benefit, as it gives their relatively weak bowling attack something to aim at.

Bowling :-

This series also brought into limelight one of the future stars of Bangladesh cricket - Mashrafe bin Mortaza, who with his disciplined bowling surprised a few Indian batters, including the Little Master. Bangladesh is one team, that relies on its bowling a great deal because of the lack of runs their batsmen score, but it will be interesting to see how these young bowlers rise to the expectations of their skipper. The wily old fox Mohammad Rafique is fast moving into the twilight of his career, and it is about time that the Bangladeshi scouts go down to the grass-roots to discover another potent spinner. Many experts compared this Bangladeshi bowling attack to the one as good as any other Indian first class one, but Mashrafe and Tapash Baisya in particular have shown us that they have the talent and ability to do well in the international scene. It makes absolute sense for me to agree with Harsha Bhogle when he says that if Bangladesh were to make any progress at the highest level, their unit should revolve around two key individuals - Mohammad Ashraful in Batting and Mashrafe Mortaza in bowling. And if there is an improvement to be made in the Bangladeshi bowling, its NOW !

Yes, as the title suggests, a virtual no-contest has come to a just end, with India emerging clear winners and that quite rounds up a season of Test cricket for India, which has seen a lot of ups and downs, a journey from Australia to Bangladesh - something rare that the Indians have got to see two ends of a spectrum within a season of cricket. But, for Bangladesh - the real test is coming up - a battle against the re-drafted Zimbabwe team, which is as good as an Ashes for them and something where they can see competition. A win in that series would do great for Bangladesh, but its time they start playing for the present and not the future.

Venkat
venkz86@gmail.com

Finally...Some Recognition !! Phew !! Thanks Herman Gibbs !!

2004-11-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

Cricket’s Mr Fixit

HERMAN GIBBS

14 November 2004

Proteas team manager Goolam Rajah knows all about the perils of touring the subcontinent.

THE Proteas have some powerful weapons in their arsenal for their cricket tour of India — two old hands with inside experience of the perils of playing on the subcontinent.

First there is team manager Goolam Rajah, a second-generation South Afri- can whose grandparents were born in India.

He has already toured India four times and has a wealth of experience that will routinely define the squad’s comfort and state of health.

Then there is the team’s fitness trainer, Adrian le Roux, who up to a few months ago was an “honorary Indian”.

For just over a year, Le Roux worked as the fitness trainer of the Indian cricket team, and his efforts were frequently lauded in the Indian media, which said he transformed the squad into a world-class fielding side.

And in the battle to win the hearts of the subcontinent’s fans, for the first time the national squad includes a cricketer of Indian origin, Hashim Amla, who Mumbai-based Indian sports- writer Venkat Ananth says reminds fans of Saeed Anwar, the Pakistani cric-ket legend.

Amla’s grandparents, like those of Rajah’s, hailed from Surat in Gujarat.

The perils of touring the subcontinent have been the undoing of many teams even before they have taken the field, and Rajah has spent the past few days arming his charges with a list of do’s and don’ts.

Among the most attentive listeners has been coach Ray Jennings, who has not toured the subcontinent before.

“Players must go with an open mind. They must accept that they are not going to a country with a western culture, although conditions are becoming easier as hotels in India are employing more and more chefs from the western world,” says Rajah.

“Water is always a major factor, and players know that tap water is off limits. It’s the same for ice. We stay away from salads, unless we specially request salads to be washed and cleaned with bottled water.

“Almost all the food served is a form of curry, and that does not go down well with some players. The problem used to occur at match venues as well, but hotels have started supplying food for players during matches.”

There are usually grouses about travelling between Indian cities, and part of the problem has been punctuality.

Rajah, who has been with the team for almost 90 tests, recalls an experi- ence on the subcontinent when a bus failed to arrive to collect a team.

“It was very late one night and we had just left a function. We gathered at a place where the official bus to take us back to the hotel was supposed to be. Some 30 minutes passed and I realised that something was amiss.

“I kept the team busy for a while at a nearby shop, pretending it was part of the evening’s programme. I spotted a municipal bus parked nearby and I approached the driver, who told me he would be leaving much later.

“I asked him how much money he would make with the maximum number of passengers, after which I offered him double the price. He accepted and the team were back at the hotel in 20 minutes.”

Apart from the trying subcontinental conditions, Rajah must cope with with the usual unpredictables — lost cellphones, blazers left behind and missing toothbrushes.
He must also be alert to changing patterns of behaviour.

“It does happen when players are going through a bad patch of form that things like unscheduled delays can set off emotional outbursts. I will calm that player and encourage him rather to cope with a matter that is a problem for all his fellow tourists.”

Last week Le Roux was overseeing preparations at the training base in Pretoria where players were subjected to extreme situations which simulated expected Indian conditions.

The first Test starts on Saturday at picturesque Kanpur, on the banks of the Ganges River. A week later the team move on to Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, where historically some 110 000 spectators turn a five-day Test match into a continuous, joyous carnival.

Temperatures during the next month at the two venues will be about 34°C and the humidity about 75%.

Source - http://www.suntimes.co.za/articles/article.aspx?ID=ST6A88837

This Article appeared in the Sunday Times on 14th November 2004

Wasim Jaffer :- The Story of a Never-Say-Die Campaigner

2004-11-18T07:47:00.000-08:00

In a time when the Indian cricket team has been struggling to find a tangible and a specialist opener, one man just keeps waiting with a ray of bright hope. The man in question is Wasim Jaffer, one of the best opening batsmen in Mumbai and at large in India. If at all Mumbai has been back from the dumps to re-emerge as Champions in two successive attempts, a major contribution has come from the steady opening batting of Wasim Jaffer. Ever since this young man wore the Mumbai cap for the first time against Gujarat in 1996-97, 'looking back' have been two words that dont have a mention in his dictionary.

As mentioned above, Wasim made his debut for Mumbai against Gujarat in 1996-97 at the Wankhede Stadium, and made scores of 11 and even his short stay at the crease was good enough for showcasing his talents. In just his second game for Mumbai against Saurashtra at Rajkot, his finesse and class was shown as he went on to make a score of 314 - a world record for a player to score a first class triple hundred at 18 and thus justifying the faith showed by the Mumbai selectors and skipper Sanjay Manjrekar. Thus, Wasim Jaffer announced his arrival into Indian cricket in such a grand fashion. Soon after his bulky run scoring for Mumbai in the Ranji games, a Duleep Trophy debut for West Zone against South Zone in 1997/98 beckoned Wasim and he did make a hundred on his Duleep debut. His impressive run for Mumbai and West Zone in the Domestic circuit was noticed by the national selectors and this earned him an early India A (one day) cap as he played the SAARC Quadrangular Tournament in Bangladesh. He was also chosen to play for the Board Presidents XI against the visiting Sri Lankans in 1997/98. He was going through the best period in his career as he scored heavily for Mumbai, West Zone, India A and the clubs he was playing. Initially one felt that his patient and hard working efforts were going unnoticed by the selectors, but Wasim was finally given the chance to represent India, something that remained a dream for him until it came true. He made his debut for India against the South Africans, and it was indeed a disappointing start for the youngster. Unperturbed, he went back to first-class cricket and did what he knew best -score heavily and hope for the selectors to notice his knocks. And it did come true when he was picked for the tour of West Indies after his late return to domestic form in 2002/03. He tried to cement his place in the Indian team through some good scores like 86 he made against the West Indies at Antigua, but the selectors thought otherwise. If the selectors gave it a real thought, now that openers are an issue of concern, Wasim is the right man for the job.

His specialities lie in the powerful yet classy powerful strokes heplays. Wasim has always been known to play the spinners well with his nimble feet. The secret to scoring so many runs at the domestic level for Wasim is consistency. If at all any opener wanted to know all about being consistent, its best to ask Wasimbhai. Besides him being a quality batsman, Wasim is also an extremely agile fielder and mainly fields in the gully and short leg regions. During his stint with the Indian team in 2002, he took one or two catches in England, which were a testament to the amount of work Wasim puts into his fielding. Besides being a Mumbai, West Zone and India man, Wasim represents National Cricket Club in the Mumbai club cricket competitions and Indian Oil, his employers in the Times Shield.

At the moment, Wasim is in red hot form, and this must be a stern enough warning for the opposition. And if this form gets redder by the day, Wasim could well be back in the Indian side, something that he would like anyday. The reason I call him a never-say-die campaigner is simply because hope is something he lives and sleeps with and confidence is something he carries with him. Hope with belief and confidence could be all it takes for Wasimbhai to make a return to the Indian team, especially when they are searching for a quality opener.

Robin Morris : The Man with the Golden Arm

2004-11-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

Over the years, Mumbai cricket has been known to produce about-to-be stars, but somehow the player-administrator relationship does not workas well as it should, and the star-to-be parts himself from the Mumbai scene. The story is similar for a 28 year old product of Mumbai's maidan cricket culture - Robin Morris, who, in search of greener pastures ended up in Orissa and made his Ranji Trophy debut against Bengal in 1997-98. It was as though Mumbai lost a promising youngster at a time when their cricket was hitting the downs. But, he's back for the team he originally wanted to play and has since emerged to be a crucial member of the Mumbai and West Zone setup.

Over the last decade, Mumbai cricket can take full responsibility to produce some dependable all rounders like Sairaj Bahutule and Ramesh Powar and of course one cant discount Robin Morris. The hard hitting batsman and a natural swinger of the ball is a rare combination to have as an all rounder, and indeed does this talented guy possess it. Robin Morris represents BPCL in the Times Shield along with his Mumbai colleagues Vinayak Mane and skipper Sairaj Bahutule. The time spent by Robin in Orissa has made him a complete cricketer vis-a-vis the Domestic Cricket in India and has since then improved tremendously. Robin is a man who can be depended upon to do the job with both the bat and ball at any given situation. His action may be whippy and skiddy, but the results are there for all to see. He was the wrecker-in-chief for Mumbai against the Rest of India in this year's Irani Trophy at Mohali with a 6-for in the first innings. There is one thing that always works in his favour and that is the complacency of the batsmen, who treat him as just another medium pacer. If you thought that he has finished his job as a bowler, you might be mistaken. This man can sure wield the willow, as said before he is a hard hitter of the ball and some of his blitzkreig knocks are enough to change the direction of the game. If the national selectors gave it a serious thought, we might just have a solution for the hunt for All Rounders in the form of Robin Morris. As of now, one can safely and clearly say that he's an important member of the famous Mumbai All Rounder's Union.

Robin Morris has become better since time has progressed. He has transformed into a player Mumbai cricket cannot do without, and hence an indispensible member of the team. His qualities with both ball andbat, and of course who can forget his classy boundary riding and those hard flat throws into the gloves of Vinayak Samant ? This season could be an important one for him, especially to emerge as one of Indian domestic cricket's finest all rounders and hence knock the doors of the selection committee as convincingly as never before. His presence and performance is important for the side as they face some tough challenges in this year's competition.

Sairaj Bahutule : Leading from the Front

2004-11-18T07:26:00.000-08:00

In the record books, his name would appear in the wrong end of the historic scorecard which featured the 664 run partnership between Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli. But as time moved on, he went on to join the two Mumbai greats in the Ranji team. Over the years, Mumbai cricket has been creditted for producing players who show immense committment and dedication to the game, and such are the qualities that are found within one of the modern Mumbai greats - SairajBahutule. The 31-year old, since the last season has been the captain of the Mumbai team and also has been entrusted with the duties of leading the West Zone and the India A teams since 2003.

Sairaj made his debut 12 years ago (1991-92) season as an 18 year old for Mumbai against Gujarat at Surat where he picked up 4 wickets. Since then the talented leg spinner has never looked back. Having played 129 matches, Sairaj has a tally of 476 wickets and going strong, most of which have spun Mumbai to convincing wins. It took him just two more seasons from his Ranji debut to be picked for the WestZone and made his debut against the Central Zone at Mumbai in 1993-94. His impressive bowling spells for both Mumbai and the West Zone earned him a place in the India A side, for which he first played in the1994/95 season against the visiting England A. That was perhaps the turning point of Sairaj's career for Mumbai. He started picking more and more wickets for the teams he played and with each season, the man got better with experience.

In 1997, the reward for all the hard work he put in finally paid off as he got to don the Indian cap for the first time in One Day Internationals against Sri Lanka at Guwahati. He was in a way a regular in the ODI side until he got dropped after the Bangladesh Independence Cup in 1998. Here is where Sairaj's commitment comes into picture. He returned to playing in the Domestic Circuit with an aim to get back where he temporarily belonged - International Cricket. As the commitment and dedication to his cricket got stronger and stronger, so did the performances. His post-1998 stats are an amazing tribute to a man who never gave up to play for India. He finally earned his Test cap against the Aussies in the historic series of 2001, where his contribution with the bat (he made 21) will be most remembered by Indian fans. He also played another test against the Sri Lankans at Colombo. It is quite unfortunate that a man with such talent and ability could not represent the country anymore. But as said before, he is a man who never gives up and as he is peaking and maturing in his cricketing career, a Test recall cannot be ruled out. He is still often being "discussed" by the selectors only to the fact that his name doesnt appear in the final list, and thats quite sad.

Sairaj has often been criticised for being a "predictable" bowler. This is a tag that he has always been carrying through his career, but as he has progressed as a cricketer, his predictability is soon becoming an unpredictable factor i.e the variations are soon forming apart of his armoury. Sairaj is a dependable batsman too. His rear guard knocks have been a crucial contributor in Mumbai's re-emergence as a Champion side over the past two years, especially when the top order failed to make an impact. He will be best remembered for his captain's knock of 92, which was an important factor in Mumbai gaining the Ranji Trophy finals of 2003/04 against Tamil Nadu at Chennai. Sairaj has thus far made 7 centuries in the 129 matches at a good average of 31 and looks good for many more.

They say that captains are not born, but are created and this holds true for the Mumbai and India A skipper. He took over the Mumbai captaincy from Paras Mhambrey in 2003 and also with it the legacy of Mumbai cricket to new days of high. Sairaj has emerged to be one of the more successful India A captains in recent times and a testament to that fact is the recent win of the Tri-Nations trophy in Kenya involving Pakistan A. He also guided India A to emphatic wins in Zimbabwe. His captaincy has also evolved and improved with every match he's led and one can certainly feel that the best is yet to come. I would like to describe him as a player's captain, as we have seen many a player's fortunes being opened under his leadership.

If anyone deserves to play more for India than he has done, its Sairaj Bahutule. But like many other "fringe" players, all he can do is to keep picking wickets for Mumbai and West Zone and hope that the selectors notice his performances. Sairaj is leading a side, that could possibly win a hat-trick of Ranji Trophies, and if it happens, it will be a tribute to a man who defines commitment, discipline and dedication in whatever he does.

Amol Muzumdar : The Unheralded Hero of Mumbai Cricket

2004-11-18T07:14:00.000-08:00

In a decade dominated by big names in Mumbai cricket like Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Sairaj Bahutule, there is a man who's name is not often mentioned, yet in his own way has etched his unheralded name in the glorious history of Mumbai cricket - Amol Muzumdar. One can attribute his batting style to that of Rahul Dravid, who in his own self-defensive mode can rescue and consolidate the team's position from one of dire straits.

Amol made his debut for the Mumbai Ranji team in 1993/94 at the age of 24 and has since played 101 games in 10 seasons, averaging just a shade more than 50, which proves his class. He also represents Reliance Energy (formerly BSES) in the local Times Shield Cricket competition. Amol started off as a batsman who always believed in flair rather than graft, but a major transition in his game occurred in the middle stage of his career, when he became one of the most important member of the Mumbai setup and indeed did he realize his responsibility as a senior batsman of the side and since then has barely looked back. Amol is one batsman, who once gets his eye in can be quite a difficult batsman to bowl to, because of his rock solid defence and classic shots, the best of them all being the square and cover drive, which he plays like none in the domestic arena. His record is a clear testament to the fact that Mumbai have depended on his crucial services over the last few years. He was at one time challenging several middle order batsman for a place in the national team, but the only hurdle in his challenge were the selectors, who only went up to the extent of "discussing" his name. In 2002, he went through a sudden slump in form and was in a way ignored for the initial season of 2003. But the true champion batsman that he is, hefought his way back in style, after having a good season of English club cricket, where he gained his lost form, lost flair and lost confidence back. And the results of his hard work in England were there to see - as he scored an important century in the game that mattered most to the Mumbai Cricket team - The Ranji Trophy Finals at Chennai.

Besides his technically strong batting, the other quality that sets Amol apart is his fielding. Amol is regarded as one of the fittest cricketers in the Mumbai team. His on-field agility and quick throws have been a cause of downfall for many a batter in the domestic scene. Although his bowling holds no significance for Mumbai, as they have a good depth in bowling, Amol is known to bowl some wobbly leggies and also has a first class wicket to his credit. It will be his batting more than anything else that Mumbai will need, if they have to maintain their supremacy and complete dominance of Indian Domestic Cricket. Although he may not share the headlines with someone like a Kambli, his 100% on-field performances on the field should be good enough to be considered as an "unheralded" hero of Mumbai Cricket.

Looking Ahead : 1st Test Match - India vs South Africa at Kanpur

2004-11-18T06:41:00.000-08:00

Looking Ahead : 1st Test Match - India vs South Africa at Kanpur

Its Consolidation Time for Indian Cricket

India has been in a way going through an extended spell of the lean cricketing form which began from the Asia Cup. Its not that their pre-summer break success has translated into the post-break success, but just that they have not been playing good cricket to justify their claim of being one of the top teams in International Cricket. But, after the recently concluded Test Series against Australia, which not surprisingly they lost, a tour by the weakest South African team could not have come at a better time for Indian cricket in order to sort its messy house. Cricketfundas.com gives you an exclusive preview to the first Test of the Two Test match series to be played against South Africa at Kanpur.

Pitch :-

The pitch attracted most of the attention during the earlier series against the Aussies. Its not different on this occasion either. The Kanpur wicket has traditionally been a win-the-toss and bat first wicket, and the trend has clearly suggested that usually teams that do bat first after winning the toss end up putting up huge scores and thereby batting only once. As mentioned by the BCCI Pitch Committee experts, this wicket will take spin, and in fact will be a square turner, from late day 3 going into day 4 and day 5. With the South Africans known to be relatively weak against spin, a rank turner ever since they landed in India must have already taken a part of the game away from them. Ideally win the toss and bat first wicket and a huge score means, advantage team batting first.

India :-

India have been going through a woeful patch in Test Match cricket in addition to their poor One-Day record this season. But, it will be interesting to see how the win at Mumbai against the Aussies will lift the side mentally. It is widely believed that Saurav Ganguly could just make it to the side, as the ban on him has temporarily been suspended by the ICC. For India, the opening issue still remains unresolved, but having said that, Gautam Gambhir has played himself into a decent batting form with the help of a 150 in a Ranji game. It will be really interesting to see if Sehwag will go and play his natural game, considering the weakness of the opposition. The middle order seems to be one getting back to some form. VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar will be expected to do something more than what they did against the Aussies at Mumbai, and it now becomes imperative that Rahul Dravid scores some runs for the team. Mohammad Kaif will be a ready reckoner in case Ganguly has to sit out the match. Dinesh Karthik gets yet another go behind the stumps following his impressive debut at a wrinkled Wankhede wicket.

If Rahul Dravid's statements are to be believed, then there is a possibility of an attack with 3 spinners and 1 seamer considering the way the South Africans looked entirely uncomfortable against the likes of Sairaj Bahutule and Ramesh Powar. The battle for the lone seamer's spot (in-case a 3-1 spin attack is played) will be between an all-rounder in Irfan Pathan and an in-form Zaheer Khan. The final XI will be an interesting call. Besides an improvement in form there is yet another incentive for India if they win this test match - a rise in the ICC Test Match Rankings to their highest ever position at No. 3. There is a lot to play for India, and considering the weak opposition, one should easily rank India as favourites going into the test match, but justifying that rank will be the key for India.

South Africa :-

Ray Jennings has literally brought over a South Africa A side to this tour, and it will be left to see how the youngsters rise to the occasion and perform. We could see as many as 3 players making their debuts for South Africa at Kanpur. The South Africans, though unadmitantly, looked really uncomfortable against quality spinners like Sairaj Bahutule and Ramesh Powar at their tour opener at Jaipur and it looks as though they will struggle against the likes of Kumble, Harbhajan and Murali Kartik on the square turner provided to them at Kanpur. Jacques Rudolph is widely speculated to partner Graeme Smith as an opener, while the fitness issue over Jacques Kallis's side strain still lingers over. Hashim Amla could be wearing the South African cap and will be a part of a middle order which will probably have the likes of Boeta Dippennar and Martin van Jaarsveld. Thami Tsokelile looks all set to make his debut for South Africa and it will be left to see if he really is the replacement the Proteas' are looking for in place of Mark Boucher.

Unlike India, the Proteas' have come to India with only one recognized spinner - Robin Peterson, although his participation in the game is still unsure. Shaun Pollock over the last 24 months or so has not been the bowler he used to be, but still the South Africans will be looking to him for some early wickets. Makhaya Ntini has taken over the baton from Shaun Pollock as the strike bowler, and he is one bowler who will always be in the lookout for wickets and could well be the man for South Africa in this tour. The lack of quality spinners could mean that apart from Peterson (if he plays) the part time off-spin of Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla will be in effect and it will be left to see if the lack of spinners hurts South Africa badly. This match would see this weak South Africa team go down as underdogs, with winning an extra mile out of their reach. If South Africa even manage to escape with a good draw, its as good as a win for them, considering the inexperience of the squad. Ray Jennings needs to stop doing the hard talking and concentrate on the tour if South Africa could come any close to being a reasonable threat to India.

There is everything to play for as far as this Test match is concerned. India's sudden drop in form and South Africa's inexperience, puts it into a contest between a team that needs to get spark to hit fire and a team that has to find the stones to get the spark. All in all, a keen battle ahead at Kanpur with the scales tilted towards India, but expect some hard sessions from the Proteas, because they dont give it easy !

Cricketfundas.com Probable XIs (Subject to Changes in the Final XI)

India :- Saurav Ganguly (if eligible), Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammad Kaif (if Ganguly sits out), VVS Laxman, Dinesh Karthik(wk), Irfan Pathan/Zaheer Khan, Murali Kartik, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble.

South Africa :- Graeme Smith (captain), Jacques Rudolph, Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Hashim Amla, Martin van Jaarsveld, Thami Tsokelile (wk), Andrew Hall, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson and Shaun Pollock.

Looking Ahead : South Africa's Tour of India

2004-11-13T21:16:00.000-08:00

Last time the Proteas' visited India under the leadership of the late Hansie Cronje, they were one of those sides who were in a position to challenge Australia for the topmost position in International cricket. But 2004 will be a different situation altogether. This time around, the South Africans are a team that are down in the dumps and need quite a rebuilding to do before they can even come close to challenging the best. India are going through a similar phase to South Africa, where cricketing form has been a bit rugged. Cricketfundas.com give its readers an exclusive preview to the evenly-matched two match Test Series between India and South Africa.

Pitches :-

The pitches in India have been a big talking point ever since the visit of Australia. During the recently concluded Test series, we saw different pitches at different centres, which proves the fact that the Indian wickets are really unpredictable. But, after the huge success of the Indian spinners at Mumbai, it would be interesting to see if the curators at Kanpur and Kolkata prepare wickets that are conducive to good spin bowling, with spin being something that the Proteas are not that strong against. If the weather stays okay, then we can see good Indian cricketing wickets, with something for everybody rather than everything for somebody, as it was against Australia.

India :-

If India were on top of their game and in good cricketing touch, then they would fancy winning the series with some ease. But, now as the slump intensifies, it would be hard to predict how the Indians turn up in this series. The opening debate continues, but Gautam Gambhir has been assured of at least 2 test matches to impress the selectors. It would be really interesting to see if the likes of Tendulkar and Laxman played the way they did at Mumbai - look positive and look for runs always. It will be a tough choice to make for the selectors to choose the middle order batsmen with Ganguly's return to the team and with Kaif in good batting and fielding form, it will be a close call. Dinesh Karthik will also get two good games to establish himself in the Indian line-up and with his impressive performances in Mumbai and the Ranji game against Hyderabad, it will be left to see how he stands up at Kanpur and Kolkata. The bowling will be back to near full-strength with Irfan Pathan back, and yet another crucial decision for the management to make is the in-form Murali Kartik's inclusion in the matches. As Saurav would say, that the attack will be only chosen after the pitch is seen by him, it would be very interesting so see if a 3-spin or a 2-2 pace-spin attack plays in the matches. India's fielding had particularly improved with the inclusion of Mohammad Kaif in the line up against Australia, but it would be left to see if the fielding really stands up against the Proteas as well. India will be quietly confident of clinching the series, seeing South Africa's poor sub-continental performances in the recent past, but having considered their own form, India should be looking for a good fight from the South Africans.

South Africa:-

Changes here, changes there and changes everywhere - this is what best describes the South African team of today. Graeme Smith has brought with him a bunch of talented and inexperienced youngsters to India, and will be hoping for some success in the sub-continent after series losses to Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the recent past. The South African batting looks the weakest since some years with the exclusion of Gibbs and it revolves around the grit and class of Jacuqes Kallis. It would be interesting to see as to who opens the batting along with Graeme Smith. Boeta Dippenaar is the favourite for the opening job and his coming into form in the domestic season would be a tremendous psychological boost to the South Africans. Martin Van Jaarsveld is also projected as a prospective opener. The middle order of the South Africans looks a bit unsettled with only Jacques Kallis and Jacques Rudolph as established batsmen. Hashim Amla looks all set to make his debut for South Africa and would be interesting to see how he progresses considering all the media attention converging on him. Thami Tsokilele is also set to don the gloves for the first time for his country and becomes the first Black wicketkeeper for South Africa. The bowling no longer seems a force it was say 2 years ago. Shaun Pollock has been a bit inconsistent and not so potent to a certain degree, Makhaya Ntini could be one of them who could worry the Indians, but the lack of a quality spinner on Indian conditions will certainly hurt them. It would be interesting to see if bowlers like Alfonso Thomas make their debut in the series. On an overall viewpoint, the odds are completely and heavily stacked against the South Africans winning the series, but this sudden entry of youth just must be what South African cricket needs to resurrect its not-so-smooth immediate future.

As Ricky Ponting said "The Sri Lankan tour is always an indicator as to how well a side plays in India", and this statement should certainly being some cheer to Indian fans, as they lost the series there. But India, as a team which is in doldrums itself, should worry more about their game than think about South Africans. It will not be an easy break through the wall, and if the Indians have to win, knowing South Africa, they'll make the Indians earn that win and not give it easily. This series looks really promising, with some youngsters yet again in view, and from the Indian point of view, a win in this series could be the crucial trigger to better performance and India's re-emergence as a force to reckon with in International Cricket.

Salman Butt :- Opening the Future of Success

2004-11-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

As Navjot Sidhu used to say "If anyone wanted to be a hero, an India vs Pak match was THE game to earn a name for yourself." Everytime India played Pakistan this year, such has been the quality of cricket that a young man makes his name for himself and his country. If it was Irfan Pathan and Laxmipathy Balaji with their youthful zeal when India toured Pakistan, Shoaib Malik in the Asia Cup with his mercurial century, Rana Naveed's emergence at Birmingham, this time the young batsman who has etched a name for himself in the recent India-Pak cricketing history is Salman Butt at Kolkata. Salman has been often described by pundits as someone who has the three important T's of International cricket - Talent, Technique and Temperament, which can be hailed as the factors responsible for him being one of Pakistan's future stars.

The 20-year old Salman from Lahore has been one of those Pakistani players, who has come through all the grades. His first major national appearence for Pakistan came in the Under-17s and the Under-19s levels which are often considered as "schools of international cricket". Salman Butt made his debut for Lahore Whites against Lahore Blues at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground in 2000 at the tender age of 16. Although his batting fetched only 14 runs in his maiden knock, the natural talent (which is something common in Pakistan) of the man really impressed everyone and was immediately awarded a place in the Pakistan A team that hosted England in a tour game. Despite his transformation from the junior levels to the first class level, one can think of few others who have gone back to the "schools" when they played higher levels, but Salman is one of those who never missed an Under 19 or Under-17 match for both his country and region (Lahore Whites). He was one of those youngsters that the Pakistanis could not choose to ignore as he kept amassing runs, and huge runs for his region. He is supposed to have a good overall technique, with a decent defence. Understandably, as an opening batsman, the talented left-hander prefers playing the hard new ball to the one that grips and turns. One cannot call him a "heavy" run-maker, but yes, a season in which he amassed 875 runs for Lahore was good enough to earn him a national call-up in the year 2003.

Salman's first international senior appearence for Pakistan came in a Test match against minnows Bangladesh at the Arbab Niaz Stadium at Peshawar, in a match that Pakistan scraped through thanks to Inzamam's knock of 138. Salman made 55 runs in the game, but was not considered for future matches as the selectors preferred Taufiq Umar and Imran Farhat to him. But as any youngster would do, Salman Butt went back to the domestic arena and played for Pakistan A, before he earned a recall for the Champions Trophy in 2004. A major reason for that selection was the form he showed in the triangular series in Kenya, where he played for Pakistan A. He made his ODI debut against West Indies, but he got out in the very second ball of the innings and any average Pakistani fan would have written him off. But so much was the talent in this youngster that both Bob Woolmer and Inzamam Ul-Haq expressed full faith in it and it has indeed paid off.

Salman's first international fifty came against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi when he made an aggressive 57 in the recent Paktel Cup. But the big one, that has captured the hearts of not only Pakistani fans, but cricket fans in general was the superb, classy century he made against the Indians at the Eden Gardens at Kolkata. It was very refreshing to see a youngster step up on the biggest stage in International cricket and perform. He fought cramps and other fitness problems and yet played one of the best knocks an India-Pakistan match has seen in recent years. What was the best part of his innings of 108* was the fact that he stood there till the end, and finished the job for Pakistan, instead of handing over the duties to someone else. It is this gutsy effort that has made Salman Butt a hero by itself in Pakistan. If anything, one feels that the baton has been finally passed by Saeed Anwar to yet another Punjabi who could make a big name for himself in International cricket. Its good to see Pakistan have some competition among the openers like Yasir Hameed, Imran Farhat, Taufeeq Umer and Salman Butt. Salman might have just booked his place in the side with this match-winning effort, and it will be left to see who among the other three can be his able partner-in-crime (opening partner).

Pakistan have been fortunate that they are blessed with talents that can make it big in the international arena. The interesting thing is that Salman Butt has not played any tests after his debut at Peshawar, and this innings of 108 should be a stern reminder to the selectors that apart from being a good one-day player, Salman can be worth many in Test Matches too. Although he has been untested against some quality bowling, it will be left to see how he plays the Australian bowlers in Australia during their upcoming tour. One hopes that Salman Butt doesnt turn out to be a typical Pakistani player, someone who is naturally gifted with immense talent yet does not fulfill it to the best of his abilities. At least for now Salman Butt will play a crucial part in the gradual development of the Pakistani team as a major force to reckon with.

Series Review : The Eventual Fall of the Final Frontier

2004-11-06T01:31:00.000-08:00

Australia in India 2004: The Eventual Fall of the Final Frontier

- A Review of the Test Series between Australia and India by Venkat

Before it all began, the Test series between India and Australia found itself strongly competing against the Ashes in terms of its importance and competition, but as the victorious Aussie skipper played it down by saying "Lets not compare this series with the Ashes, as the India v Australia series has developed its own charm", and indeed it does. After a nervy wrangle in 2001, where one might say India were lucky winners, the "Operation India" has finally been accomplished by the Aussies, who won the series 2 games to 1. It will go down in the records as a historic win, considering the fact that the Aussies were winless on Indian soil for an unbelievable period of 35 years. Cricketfundas.com presents its readers with an exclusive analytical review of the recently concluded Test series between India and Australia.

Pitches :-

It was the pitches that the Indian grounds had to offer that attracted more attention than the game itself. The entire Testmatch was revolving around the Pitch factor. One may have to concede that barring the Chennai and Mumbai wicket, the pitches were tailor-made for the Aussies. It was indeed frustrating for Sourav Ganguly, when in a crucial test match, a wicket with an Australian nature to it was made, and one cant blame the Indian skipper for making his voices heard. The toss always is a factor in India and it wasn't any different this time. It played into the hands of the Aussies, as they won crucial tosses, and well for the Indians, the Jamaican $5 coin just needs to be sent back where it belongs.

India:-

If I was asked to rate India's performance in this entire series out of a scale of 10, I'd give them 4. It was not the best performanceever by the Indians and the reasons responsible were many. No luck with the rain gods, poor fitness levels (as compared to the Aussies), bad form in the case of the batting unit, lack of stability within the team, too many changes are some of the reasons, where one can instantly point his fingers to that led to this debacle. The batsmen were still suffering from the hangovers of the one-dayers played earlier in the season and it was shocking to see that the team crossed only 300 runs once, for a batting order as famed as the Indians. There are some consolations the Indians can take from this series. Virender Sehwag's blitzkrieg effort of 155 at Chennai, the emergence of Mohammad Kaif as a Test player, the return to temporary form for Laxman and Tendulkar are something the Indian fans can feel good about. Wicket keeping and opening batsmen still remain an area of concern and it would be interesting to see if the future hope Dinesh Karthik carries on with his impressive debut at Mumbai, where he showed great technique and temperament as a keeper.

For once, the bowling overshadowed the batting for India. The bowlers really for once, bowled their heart out and were instrumental in restricting the Aussies for scores that were reachable, but for the hapless and hopeless Indian batting. The real positives to emerge outof the series would for sure be Murali Kartik and Zaheer Khan's return to top international bowling form. Murali Kartik has been one ofIndia's top left arm spinners, and he was the one who was the nemesis of the Aussies at both Nagpur and Mumbai. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan were expected to perform well and so they did. Kumble ended the series with 27 wickets and Harbhajan with nearly 20 wickets. The only blackspot in the Indian bowling was Irfan Pathan not playing the last two tests because of an injury. One hopes that he would be back for the Indians in the series against South Africa and take it on from there.

Australia:-

The winner always takes it all, and this time the series belonged to the Australians. They came here with a considerable success against the likes of Muralitharan and co in Sri Lanka earlier this year and this could one of the contributing factors of the Aussie win in India after 35 years. One of the major reasons for their success this time around was the batting. Damien Martyn's dream sub-continental run continued from where he left in Sri Lanka as he amassed 444 runs in 4 Test matches, and showed the rest of the batting how to play the spinners. Michael Clarke, was however the spark that the Aussies needed. His debut knock of 151 really spurred on the Aussie bandwagon in India and yes, India was fortunate to see the emergence of a future great into the International arena. Simon Katich played the sheet anchor's role after the great starts given by Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden. The others also chipped in with useful knocks, but there was an unlikely batting hero who emerged out of this tour - Jason Gillespie, who knows every letter of the word 'patience'. He was a real pest in the Indian face as he accounted for so much time, when India could have wrapped the 2nd Test at Chennai. Full marks to him for not ignoring his batting, as he could've easily done just as many pacemen do.

If ever one wanted to witness synchronization at its best, it was to see the bowling effort of the Australians. Every bowler in this attack bowled for each other, there by putting a team effort. This tour was practically the last tour of India for most of the Aussie bowlers, andthey have indeed left their mark on Indian shores. Shane Warne's world record came in India and he did prove his critics wrong by justifying his potency on Indian soil. People often talked about Glenn McGrath being the only pacemen the Indians had to worry about, but Jason Gillespie certainly opened their eyes. He defined the art of fast bowling in this trip. And one cannot rule out the contribution ofMichael Kasprowicz who did nothing wrong to justify his title of a "Sub-continental Specialist". Michael Clarke turned his arm over, andhis haul of 6-9 will be one he would'nt like to forget. It was a clinical bowling performance by the Australian bowlers and in a waythey were the ideal weapons to support the run machines.

On paper, this series may be looked upon as a one sided affair. But India did finally manage to salvage some pride by beating the Aussies at Mumbai. It will be interesting to see if and how this win motivates the Indians. The Aussies on the other hand, must be reallydisappointed to have lost the Mumbai test, thereby ending their tour in a not-so-happy fashion. The Aussies have a long summer ahead of them, and a historic series win in India is just what they might have been looking for to prove to the world that the gap isn't closening, its infact widening ! An end of a great series of both tough and meek cricket, it'll be great to see these two teams be back in action 2 years from now hopefully!

Looking Ahead : India vs Australia 4th Test at Mumbai

2004-10-31T21:44:00.000-08:00

Looking Ahead :- Playing for Pride and Practice

Totally outwitted, outclassed and outplayed by Australia in the Third Test at Nagpur, the morale in the Indian camp will be a low that its never seen in the past few years. While it has not been a typical India-Australia series with constant inter-session wrangles for supremacy, a meek surrender by India has put them in an unusual position where the series has been lost and they have only pride andnot the Border-Gavaskar trophy to play for. In all likelihood, if the Indians wanted an ideal preparatory game before the Proteas' cameover, this was it ! Cricketfundas.com gives you an exclusive analytical preview to the fourth India vs Australia Test match atMumbai.

Pitch :-

The Australians conquering the Final Frontier has overshadowed almost everything in India, including the pitch at the Wankhede Stadium. Unlike Nagpur, where the curator was blamed for whatever the pitch conditions were, in Mumbai, the wicket looks a "true" one. We will see plenty of runs scored in the first 2 days and 2 sessions of the 3rd day, and will start turning towards the end of day 3. The wicket will in fact get slow and truly some unpredictable bounce is expected from the third session of Day 4. The soil at the Wankhede is of loose nature and we could see a major role of the foot marks in this Test match. The Wankhede wicket is more of a result-oriented wicket and the team that takes the initiative towards the result, ends up winning it all. As for the toss, refer to the newly released version ofAustralian Secrets to Victory in India - Chapter 1 - Win the toss and bat first !

India :-

The aftermath of the series defeat has had a huge impact over the outlook of the Indian squad. There have been changes here, changes there and changes everywhere. And perhaps these changes are for the good and the future. The Indians are back in a ground which they would not like to play on, especially at this stage. The last five games here have seen the visitors dominate and 3 of them have been a win for the opposition. Its about time that the Indians change their fortunes on this ground. With the axe finally falling on Akash Chopra, after his string of poor scores, it looks like yet another new opening partner will be taking guard for India along with Virender Sehwag. Who will be the man in question ? For the first time in so many home series, we have seen two specialists in Dheeraj Jadhav and Gautam Gambhir in the squad, but it will only be one of them who will take the field. The odds are slightly in favour of Gautam Gambhir as he has previous International experience although against Bangladesh. Saurav Ganguly's fitness problems will basically mean that Mohammad Kaif will get a chance to further his impressive run as a Test player. It is about time that the middle-order with the likes of Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar stands up to be counted. Laxman has suddenly from being a match winner has had himself to be scrutinized by the selectors, and this could work against him when he plays in Mumbai. The bowling unit looks a bit more focussed with Zaheer Khan back to good form. We expect Harbhajan Singh to be back in place of Kartik although the latter bowled exceptionally well at Nagpur. It would be interesting to see if SS Paul gets a chance to make his debut or will the management go for the tried and tested Ashish Nehra. One big change going into this test match will be the wicketkeeper. Dinesh Kartik is all set to make his Test debut for India and it'll be interesting to see if he is the correct answer to India's questions with regards to keeping. In away one can say that the ball is in the Indian court, to put up abetter show and to cheer up the frowns and frets on the faces of many an Indian fans. India will have to go with a fearless and nothing lose attitude as they have everything to gain right from form to match practice for the series against South Africa.

Australia :-

They have done what they had set out to - Win the series against India in India. But, they may feel that the task is just not yet finished, as they always look to win matches. And nothing seems different for this test match. It'll be the usual batting line up, but the only change will be with respect to Darren Lehmann, who tore his muscle in Nagpur. It will be interesting to see if yet another Baggy Green in the form of Brad Hodge is introduced to international cricket or will the Punter be back. If what Darren Lehmann said in Nagpur is to be believed, the Aussies may just try and let Ponting rest if they already won the series, which they have done successfully. Its as though everything has gone according to the script they had written for themselves. All of a sudden, Jason Gillespie's bowling looks a serious threat for the batsmen, Micheal Kasprowicz is becoming a bowler one cannot afford to relax against, Shane Warne has become extra potent in India...things are just happening for the Aussies, and why would'nt they happen ! They have shown great determination and hunger to win a series in India, and as one can expect from the Aussies, they would like a 3-0 win anytime over a 2-1 series win. So we can expect the Aussies to come hard at the Indians to make that a 3-0 series win for them.

All in all, this match looks to be one in which there can be only gainers, not losers. This could well be the match that could decide the fate of many an Indian cricketers, with the likes of Laxman consistently failing. Its all left to see how they rise to this self-applied pressure. A win for India will be certainly a morale booster, ahead of the South Africa series, and a win for the Aussies will certainly be a great one as they have a long summer ahead of them. At the end of the day, hard cricket will be the secret of success in Mumbai.

Cricketfundas.com Probable XI (Subject to Changes in the Final XI)

India :- Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, DheerajJadhav/Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Mohammad Kaif,Dinesh Karthik(wicket-keeper), Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, ZaheerKhan, SS Paul/Ashish Nehra

Australia :- Adam Gilchrist (captain and wicket-keeper), MatthewHayden, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Simon Katich, Micheal Clarke,Brad Hodge/Ricky Ponting**, Shane Warne, Micheal Kasprovicz, GlennMcGrath, Jason Gillespie.**(Ricky Ponting may lead Australia if he plays)

Kamran Akmal : The Safe Hands of Pakistani Cricket

2004-10-31T21:29:00.000-08:00

In a way, he may qualify to be one of the most vocal on-field cricketers in the world. Just as vocal his words of encouragement maybe, are his performances behind the stumps. Unlike being directly influenced by what other countries did i.e. look for a wicketkeeper,who can primarily score runs and then don the gloves, Pakistani cricket selectors must be commended for the sole reason that their talent hunt was spot on with regards to choosing the man who knew what he had to do first. With an intense wave of wicketkeepers emerging out of Pakistan, it is in a way difficult for the selectors to choose the right man for the job. But, when it came to 22-year old Kamran Akma lfrom Lahore, widely regarded as the successor to the legacy left by Moin Khan and Rashid Latif, the selectors deserve a mention for making a brave yet confident decision.

Pakistan cricket has often earned the fame for producing international quality talents, who are raw and picked from the neighbourhood and things are not any different in Kamran's case. So much was the talent in this chirpy wicket-keeping batsman, that first class cricket beckoned him at an age of 15, making his debut for Lahore City against Bahawalpur at Rahim Yar Khan in 1997/98. Although he made a blob in his very first innings, it was sheer talent that is the reason for where he is today. As many a Pakistani first class player would probably do,Kamran also swapped teams and employers, from Lahore City to Lahore Blues and presently he is playing for Lahore Whites. He is widely regarded as a wicketkeeper, with almost perfect footwork and agility who possesses loads of batting talent and a testament to that fact would be the heavy scoring that he has done in the first class arena. After proving his worth in the Domestic circuit, Kamran finally got a national call for Pakistan during its tour to Zimbabwe in 2002/03, during a time when Pakistan cricket was trying to find its lost space in International cricket. The national call for Kamran was a great tribute to his astute glovework and batting filled with many a classy knocks. Although Kamran Akmal has been one of those guys who has been in and out of the team, he is one talent Pakistan cricket can hardly choose to ignore.

International cricket has not necessarily been a successful playground thus far for the Lahori youngster. He has always lived under the shadows of wicketkeepers like Moin Khan and Rashid Latif, and only when the selectors found that they have been ineffective or injured towards the later stages of their careers, have they looked to Kamran as a replacement. But now, with Moin's performances dipping and Kamran getting chances, its time for the acrobatic keeper to make it count.They have also identified Zulqarnain Haider, an 18 year old keeper as a future Pakistani prospect, so this should in a way motivate Kamran to perform better in the International arena to cement his place in the team. He is a clean striker of the ball and can join some of his colleagues with similar attributes like Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq in the one-day squad in the near future. But for now, its all about winning over the selector's faith and trust and justifying his selection for Kamran.

It is time that his talent gets its due and his selection according tome is a step in the right direction. The key to Kamran's success inthe International stage has been the amount of exposure he has had in the Domestic Circuit. He can well be called as a "veteran" of 80 first class matches at a tender age of 22 and we can see the end result of all these matches. One just hopes and prays that the Pakistani management give Kamran ample opportunities to prove his worth, because he is a special talent and if mishandled, could be wasted. One also hopes that his batting takes off as that will also be an important consideration in retaining his place in the squad. We hope that he lives up to his potential of being Pakistan's best wicketkeeper around and is plays a crucial part in Pakistan re-emerging as a force in International cricket.

Dheeraj Jadhav : India's future Run-Machine

2004-10-31T15:58:00.000-08:00

Dheeraj Jadhav : India's future Run-Machine (October 31 2004)

In the past several months, Indian cricket has witnessed the arrival and departure of several opening batsmen, the latest being Akaash Chopra. With the problem of opening batsmen intensifying, the selectors have now handed over the baton of responsibility to two young and consistent performers in the Domestic scene - one of them is the 25-year old Maharashtra opener, Dheeraj Jadhav. The young left hander has indeed performed better than anyone else in the domestic circuit last year and yes, the National call is a great tribute to consistently prolific run scoring and hard work and a never give up spirit shown by this talented opener.

Dheeraj Jadhav, based in Pune, made his debut for Maharashtra against arch-rivals and current Ranji Champions Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium on 15th November 1999, and in his very first innings caught the eye of the pundits, as his score of 55 had some sparks of class and composure. After this impressive debut innings, Jadhav's domestic career has moved in only one direction - upwards. A technically sound batsman with a pre-dominantly backfoot oriented outlook, Jadhav has been one of the main reason for the sudden rise of Maharashtra in the Domestic cricket scene. His mates from the Maharashtra team used to call him "run-sookha" during the time, when run-getting was not as easy as one expected it to be. But he's turned it around by becoming a "run-bhookha" in the past season or two, by becoming one of India's opening sensations. The 2003-04 season will be one of the main reasons Dheeraj is where he is today. Having played 9 matches and scored 1245 runs at a Bradmanesque average of 103.75, the selectors had no option but to not ignore his performances. The one aspect that distinguishes Jadhav from other openers India has had, one can say apart from Wasim Jaffer, that once he gets a start he makes it count. His recent scores of 260*, 251, 207 and 200* in the domestic competition justify the fact that, once this man is on a roll, its beware time for the opposition. A fine century he made for India A against the India Seniors in a warm up match before the Australian series should have done his chances of participation a world of good and indeed the selectors have chosen to show faith in his abilities as an opener. In reality, the youngster could well be the man India needs at the end opposite to Virender Sehwag while opening the batting. His recent scores of 175 and 85 for his employers Air India, whom he represents in Mumbai's Times Shield Competition, meant that his purple patch continued with the bat and it was just a matter of time before he got there. According to Sandeep Patil, his coach when he plays for India A, Dheeraj Jadhav is one of those few blokes who never misses out on an opportunity, when it knocks his doors. Here is a big opportunity for Dheeraj to be India's new opener and only time and his performances at the biggest stage will say if he can transfer his great domestic form into a greater one.

If Akash Chopra was a good short leg fielder, this man is one of the better ones around. He has got great reflexes and will make him an effective fielder wherever he is stationed. Besides his classic and orthodox batting, Dheeraj is an effective part time right arm offbreak bowler. But its too early to call him an all rounder as his batting is the only reason why he's made the team. I remember Akash Chopra always quoting Justin Langer in his interviews as "Mate. If you have a good day, make it a great day" and one feels in the long run if India needs to diagnose the problems of opening batsmen, Dheeraj can be expected to turn good days into great ones.

A man who has thoroughly deserved his place in the batting line up, Dheeraj now gets a chance to join his statemate Sachin Tendulkar(though Sachin plays for Mumbai, he's a Maharashtrian) and one gets the feeling that the selectors have finally hit the nail on the headby selecting him when he is in red hot touch. A long road ahead, Dheeraj will have to perform over and over again to stay in constant contention, and records prove that he's capable of that.

Why Murali ??

2004-10-31T04:13:00.000-08:00

With the heavy balloon of “chucking” floating atop the ICC’s brainwaves, it seems nothing more than an act of inactiveness that has propped the ICC to turn stringent towards a man who’s cricketing integrity has been under the scanner since 1995, when he was first ‘called’ 7 times in 3 overs for throwing by umpire Darrell Hair in Australia. But the question that the ICC has failed to reply in an acceptable manner is “Why only Murali?” – Something the ICC has no answer to. And to me, trying to ban someone after he has scaled the summit of all that a bowler can, just seems a cynical step towards self-mockery. If I can accuse the ICC of double speak on any issue, I think the chucking one is right on top. After being cleared by ICC approved experts repeatedly after being called, the ICC now in its own way goes against its own ruling, which unfortunately reveals the lack of single-mindedness in Cricket’s Governing body.

I feel a bit sorry for a man who has grabbed 520 wickets being scrutinized at a stage of his career, where he has received greatness par excellence for a country which has played Test cricket for only 20 years. The ICC, that has been described often as a “toothless tiger” indeed proved its tag as its eyes opened only in 1995 (3 years) after Murali started playing cricket for Sri Lanka and the double speak policy it is using for the cause is ultimately not helping the healthy resolution of this issue. Its not that the ICC doesn’t know what they are doing, but its just that the pressure applied by some of its core non-Asia lobby containing countries like Australia and England is making them take some of these abhorrent decisions. The very action of the ICC, which clearly has most of the sub continental players reported and all of them not necessarily cleared as compared to their non-Asian counterparts seems a true reflection of its policy being supported by its core members like Australia, England, New Zealand etc. And unfortunately for Asian nations like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – justice delayed is justice denied!

I agree to what Arjuna Ranatunga says, claiming that this act of “chucking” is a phenomenon occurring worldwide, but the microscope falling only on one person is too harsh a way of handling it. And with ICC over the recent years turning a bit non-player friendly through its way of handling individual player controversies etc, justice to Muralitharan seems a long way. With the Asian countries including India willing to support a clause/act/law that is in full support of Murali, the strong anti-Asian lobby wants bowlers who are found guilty of chucking banned for a season or two, which is a clear vindication of how the ICC has since some years become a lobby based organization. If there was a question to the ICC, it would be that “Why didn’t you open your mouth, when Shane Warne took drugs??”. Why didn’t the same Barry Jarman of Australia issue a statement against Shane Warne when he was on drugs? Why didn’t the Asian members of the ICC raise this issue on a continual basis during the meetings? The reason according to me was that it (Asian Lobby) believed in preserving morality and integrity among the ICC’s members. But, unfortunately some of the ICC’s members have indulged in some kind of foul play when it came to Murali?

Just as Stuart MacGill opted out of the tour of Zimbabwe on moral and human grounds, I think in a similar fashion, Murali should also not tour Australia and England, putting his conscience ahead of his career. His world record is in no way at stake, but his conscience and credibility of playing against Australia in Australia is certainly at stake as the head of the state of the country himself labelled him a “chucker” – a compliment which could easily have a negative impact on his mindset!

Giving a Global Outlook for Cricket

2004-10-31T04:04:00.000-08:00

With the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh emerging a huge success with teams from all four corners of the world narrowing in, the emergence of cricket as a global sport is getting underway. It was great to see the sport being played in countries like Uganda, Papua New Guinea, Nepal etc.

Although performance will be still an eluding factor that distinguishes these associate and affiliate nations from the top draw teams, whatever they do on the cricket field will be taken in positively as a drop of confidence, towards spreading the game nationwide. But again, ICC has to play a better and important role towards the performance of these teams. As endorsed by Bob Woolmer, the ICC High Level Performance Manager, the lesser cricket nations have to be given exposure as they are only to gain more than lose and more importantly grab their chances with both hands.

An ODI Status team like Kenya not only surprised everybody, but inspired the cricketing world, as to how a supposedly developing nation in cricket must have all it takes to beat a test nation in them. They may have been lucky, as many might say...but they were also worthy of it !

As cricket spreads its wings to countries beyond the international spectrum like Argentina, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, Uganda...persistence by the ICC with these relatively newer nations is important as it'll benefit them in the long run ! It is really great to see the United States of America side, led by West Indian veteran Clayton Lambert, make it to the ICC Champions Trophy 2004, by edging out Scotland. Cricket needs to be popularized in that country to try to compete with popular yank sports like Baseball, Basketball...although it seems quite long before it can get as close as that ! But, its great to see the initial step taken by the ICC to promote the cricketing welfare of these nations, but the challenge before them will be to give the finishing touch as they did with Bangladesh, who now are a full fledged "test nation" !

This edition of the Asia Cup promises a new entrant as well - Nepal and the winner of the ACC Trophy - where sides like Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran and Saudi will compete for glory among lesser Asian nations.

I think, its time for the ICC to choose appropriate measures of funding to its member nations (associates and affiliates) to enable proper administration of the game in that country. It was disheartening to see how Kenya got the same amount of money from the World Cup as what Netherlands and Canada did, and Bangladesh, who were worse than the lesser nations getting the same amount as what may be an India or a South Africa would do. I would like the ICC to take note of the fact that Performance Based Funding encourages more than Status Based Funding.

I think we as fans of the game must encourage this step forward that cricket is taking, to establish its foothold as a global sport. It is very important for us to support the game in every way possible to elevate its status to where a game like soccer is today !

First Class Cricket : Stage of Dormancy

2004-10-31T03:51:00.000-08:00

Does any one care when an Uttar Pradesh team takes on a Mumbai side without Sachin and Agarkar? It’s just a neglected form of cricket still making efforts to remain active. I just feel for the players who toil hard for their stage’s pride and prestige without much support from the men of their states.

First Class cricket has been on the downslide ever since heroes like Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar et al gave up the game. Nowadays, the Tendulkars and the Dravids have hardly stopped bothering about what their state sides are up to. I remember a time when a jet-lagged Sunil Gavaskar came from the Windies tour after facing the Fiery Four and then wearing the Mumbai (then Bombay) colours and scoring heavily against Delhi led by Bedi. Now, playing for one’s state has become something the present players have looked upon, citing personal/health reasons, but without realizing that the states have been a major factor for their becoming heroes. But a section of committed cricketers like Sanjay Bangar (Railways), Murali Kartik (Railways), Sairaj Bahutule (Mumbai) and Ajit Agarkar (Mumbai) have always found time for their state sides as their ultimate priority is bagging the Ranji Trophy as the events leading afterwards COULD earn them a place in the National Line-Up.

Professionalism, the word which one can’t find in the dictionary of Indian cricket (be it whatever form) and applies more than aptly to the First Class setup. The match takes place on those dead as a dodo “patta” wickets and decided mainly on the first innings lead – which for me seems not-so-encouraging. Our system is nowhere close to Australia, England and South Africa, where the players are considered as pros and in India, we follow the semi-professional system, which is as good as the second division in English Football. The Aussie system is as good as international cricket, where teams get no respite.

Sponsors, again a major question mark as far as the teams are concerned. Mumbai team won the Ranji Trophy without a sponsor. The corporate class is majorly concerned with the national team; hence the first class teams suffer. Sponsorships in County Cricket are as good as 3 months pay for the English team itself. This makes the players feel secure about the future...in India, we have players who have left the game simply because they couldn’t afford it. Such insecurity must be ripped off and the only solution to this problem is more sponsorships for the teams and the players.

Crowds have been a major problem in Indian first class cricket. We saw a full house in Chennai (Irani Trophy) and Bangalore (Challengers) but now the season has kicked off, where are the men ? The stadiums look like an eerie place with just 24 people entirely – 22 players and 2 umpires. Innovation has been a step back according to the BCCI. With the success of Twenty 20 cup in England, the South Africans have also followed their path with an Invitational trophy in this season. Will it happen in India ? I hope it happens, and if it does, it’ll be good for the game and the players.

I guess these factors hold the key for the resurgence and emergence of Indian First Class cricket. I don’t think its impossible but it can only be possible with a responsible administration which is willing to try out new things ! But for now...the game will go through the regular grind and battle for survival...

From the "Boy from Baruch" to the "Man from Mumbai" - A spotlight on Munaf Patel

2004-10-31T03:32:00.000-08:00

A young man, of about 20 was called to Bangalore by John Wright from the MRF Pace Academy in Chennai, where he was training under Dennis Lillee. Yes. he was Munaf Patel, India's new pace bowling sensation. He was specially parachuted in by the Indian management, because of frequent hype about his ability to bowl quick and swing the ball late. He teamed up with other pacers like Sri Santh of Kerala, Saurav Sorkar of Bengal and Amit Uniyal of Punjab as the regular net bowlers to the members of the Indian conditioning camp at Bangalore. There is where, he became a revelation to the Indian team and of course, the Indian Media.

He, of course made his first class debut for India A against the Kiwis at Rajkot and looked more than impressive for a person sans prior match experience. Picking up a player of Nathan Astle's caliber twice in a match is any bowler's dream start to his first class career. Then came the biggest moment of his career thus far. A transfer conducted from his ex-home team Gujarat to Mumbai, which was by the recommendation of none other than Sachin Tendulkar himself. Thus, this young lad from Baruch became now the man for Mumbai. I can recall of one such switch of sides, that has produced one of the lethal weapons of international cricket - Adam Gilchrist. The story goes like this...Gilly found it really difficult to break it into the New South Wales first XI because of rigorous competition. So, sanity prevailed and he chose the WACA as his new home. He went on to play for Western Australia for 2 seasons, before he got a call up for the Aussies and how, his stature in World Cricket cannot be with a shadow of doubt questioned by anyone. Similarly, with Munaf, he has made the right move although it seemed controversial. I feel, his only chance of advancing to the top is playing with a quality side like Mumbai, which by itself gives a competitive atmosphere.

I was at Wankhede to witness the tie between Mumbai and Kerala, and was fortunate to see Munaf bowl the first over after lunch - the time I walked in. The tall, lanky quickie took some time to settle in, but it was back to business after the initial warm-up. I think, he's been quick to advance from a boy to a man. And the very fact that when someone plays for a team like Mumbai, he should be mature enough to carry all the glory and the pride associated with wearing the "crowned-lion" cap. Munaf showed a lot of patience, tried many different things initially on the "paata" Wankhede wicket, gave it all and extracted some jabbers to the Kerala batsman. His abilities were tested when a right and left handed pair were batting, but he lived up to his potential...some late swing with a pace of 145 kmph or so, that's something one wants to see in a pacer. When he was cover driven by Ajai Kudva for 2 consecutive balls, Munaf altered his length by bowling some deliveries in the uncomfortable zone, and after 2 more deliveries, induced an edge, which ended up in Vinayak Samant's safe gloves.

Traditionally, India is more known for its quality spinners, but over the past few years, the emphasis has shifted to pace-bowling. At the moment, there is intense "race-for-pace" in India with the likes of Balaji, Pathan, Salvi, Nehra and now Munaf, battling it out among themselves for getting themselves written in the selector's lists. I feel, his stay in the Mumbai team would do him more good than harm, simply because of the excellent training base that Mumbai provides and I don't think it would take him long to stride his way into the Indian team. My guess would be that he will wear the blue cap by 2005 and will be one of the quickest India has ever produced.

Murali Kartik : The Arm-a-geddon

2004-10-31T03:28:00.000-08:00

Murali Kartik - does the name strike our brains anywhere around ? A serious young man with some beads around his neck eh ? Yes, it does...from being to one of the best domestic cricketers around to being India's most economic spinner, the journey for Murali Kartik has just begun as far as his role in international cricket is concerned. We at Cricketfundas.com are proud to present you guys with a profile of the left arm spinner, who easily is the best in the art in the country today.

Born on D-Day (11th September 1976) at Chennai, outside Chepauk (as he told me) was enough to decide what his future was. Moving to the North after his schooling in Chennai, Kartik got selected into the Central Zone Under-16 team in 1992 and went on to represent them till 1994. The success of his stint with the zonal Under-16 team easily earned a place for him in the Under-19 team (1994 to 1996). He got his first Indian cap for the Indian juniors in 1995-96 against South Africa. Soon after this transformation phase, he landed up in the Ranji squad for Railways. He had a dream first class debut, bagging a hat-trick which hinted at the amount of talent that he possessed and still possesses. Since then....he's not only set goals, but achieved them with success including the one - PLAYING FOR INDIA !

His successes at the domestic level saw him earn the prestigious India cap at the age of 23 against South Africa at Mumbai. He showed early signs of class with the ball with figures of 2/28 and 1/50 but more than anything else he won many a cricket fan's heart by his temperament and him being unperturbed by the occasion. Unfortunately for him, he was taken out of consideration until he sparked up yet another performance of superior excellence for the Rest of India against Mumbai, by pocketing a haul of 9-70 in the latter's second innings in the Irani Trophy. He still remains the proud holder of the best bowling performance in an innings of the Irani Trophy since its inception. He later played the one-off Test at Dhaka and went on to play 2 more tests against Zimbabwe at home, before being ruled out due to a back injury which forced him out of cricket for almost the whole of 2000/01 season.

His first venture for the Men-in-Blue for the limited overs came in Hyderabad, in a must win game against Zimbabwe, where he again showed good temperament although he ended up wicket less. Then again, he was relegated to the A team, but received a call mid-way from Sri Lanka to join the main team in Windies for the ODI series. His continuing form with the ball earned himself a place in the team, which has launched him in recent times to be the third spinner (nowadays preferred to Kumble). He bowled some of the most economic spells in the West Indies series, when the scores were lurking around 300-325. Tours with the A team to West Indies and England in 2003, where he was the most successful spinner, got himself a place in the 36 probables. He was the most economic bowler in the Challengers for India Seniors when the rest got smacked at the rate of noughts.

Then came the biggest and most important break for Kartik. A place in the TVS Cup squad was a sure shot guarantee simply by his performance. If India had to gain anything out of the TVS Cup , it was Kartik, who was simply the NEMESIS of the teams from Down Under. He made the likes of Ponting, Martyn et al fall into his trap and beat them most often than any bowler ever did in the tourney. But, again some baffling selection errors saw this man from Delhi, relegated to the A team which is a shocker by itself !

Kartik is a bowler, who has this smooth classical walk-and-deliver action with a brilliant pivot which helps him create the tantalizing loop and FLIGHT to deceive the batsman. He also relies on the offering of the pitch in terms of turn and bounce and creates a dilemma in the mind of the batsman. His repertoire also includes a very special ARM BALL - which is only a la Kartik. He is also a handy lower-order bat. One would remember his 43 against Bangaldesh at Dhaka, where he showed all the qualities of a night watchman and again temperamental excellence.

A cricketer at large, a simple man in the narrower sense. I've always been fascinated by the talent in this man. He has been one of my favourite left arm spinners (as i am one too) ! According to me, he is one of the most serious cricketing figure on the field, always involved with himself about the next ball - webs around a thought process, which I feel is a must for every cricketer.

Farveez Maharoof : Sri Lanka's new teenage Prodigy

2004-10-31T03:19:00.000-08:00

If any factor can justify the Asian incursions in International Cricket over the past few years, its the enthusiasm of the youth. Just as India unearthed a sensation in Irfan Pathan, their neighbours - Sri Lanka also introduced their teenage prodigy Farveez Maharoof to International Cricket with a clear vision towards the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. Maharoof is a tall and lanky all-rounder who is a more of a fast-medium bowler who can bat. Farveez Maharoof is a clear sign which shows the growing strength of School Cricket in Sri Lanka.

Farveez's dream journey in competitive cricket began when he played for Wesley College in Colombo for 5 years and worked his way to the top by playing in all the age group level teams. He was appointed as the skipper of the Sri Lankan Under-19 team which played the Asia Cup in Pakistan and was instrumental in ensuring a place for Sri Lanka Under-19 in the Finals of the tournament against India, which they lost. His cricketing career was always on the up as he got his chance in the Sri Lanka 'A' team which played a triangular series in India (Pakistan was the 3rd Team) and grabbed it thanks to the stellar performance of Farveez in the finals against India. As he kept impressing as days were passing by, Farveez was given the burden of captaincy of the Sri Lankan Under-19 team for the Youth World Cup in Dhaka. Although he put up good personal performances, Sri Lanka crashed out of the tournament in the second stage after the loss to India again.

All these good personal performances mattered as Fara (as he's known) got his break in International Cricket. He made his first appearance in the international arena with a bang. Playing in a historic match (in which Zimbabwe scored the lowest score) and with team-mate Chaminda Vaas rattling the impotent batting order of the Zimbabweans, it was time for some fun for young Farveez. He wiped off the tail of the batting and finished with figures of 3 for 3 in his debut match. He then displayed his batting skills in the 4th and the 5th ODI chipping with useful runs lower down the order for his country.

Farveez clearly represents the multi-faceted abilities of a modern day cricketer. He opens the bowling with his seamers initially and as the day progresses towards the death, out come his lethal weapon of reverse swinging yorkers and that too with a slinging action, which makes it doubly effective. His inexperience showed in the Test series, but as ever, time and more exposure will show Farveez's real attributes as a cricketer. And one must commend the steps of the Sri Lankan Cricket board to rope in this youngster into the team for the Australia series as playing against the mighty world champions will only be a step forward for the 18 year old.

In the years to come, we will for sure see this young bud of Sri Lankan cricket blossom into a flower which will in turn bloom the fortunes of Sri Lanka in International Cricket. As we are seeing a more active participation of the youth in international cricket at the moment, I only hope that Farveez is given the amount of chances he really deserves as a youngster, something that could only help Sri Lankan cricket benefit from.

Ravi Rampaul : The Boy Wonder from Trinidad

2004-10-31T03:12:00.000-08:00

As tears were flowing from his eyes after the ODI against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town in December 2003, where the West Indians went down fighting till the last ball, a new star of West Indian cricket was born. His name - Ravindranath Rampaul better known as Ravi Rampaul. Ravi plays his domestic cricket in the West Indies for Trinidad and Tobago and has been a West Indian Under-19 and Under-15 regular in the recent years. His chance in the international arena came after his success with Trinidad picking 18 wickets in 6 first class matches. Ravi also has the distinction of bagging a ten-wicket haul in an innings of a Youth Cup match for Trinidad and Tobago.

Rampaul, who many West Indian pundits hail can go really afar is a right arm medium pacer and a lower order tonker. He made his international debut against Zimbabwe in 2003 and in conditions where the batsmen ruled the roost, Rampaul's bowling was tight and restrained although he had no wickets to show for his bowling efforts. Not to be disheartened by the lack of wickets beside his name, Rampaul further pursued his thirst for wickets in South Africa, a place where his cricketing career took a certain path in the right direction and was finally rewarded with the wicket of Jacques Kallis for 16, who was in the form of his life at that point of time. In his eager urge to improve his cricketing finesse, Rampaul then joined his teammates at the Under-19 World Cup at Dhaka, where he played a crucial role in guiding his team to the finals of the tournament, which they eventually lost to Pakistan in the finals.

Ravi Rampaul, over the few months of his international cricketing tenure has become famous as a death-overs specialist. His death-bowling has become a unique feature of the West Indian One Day unit and has proven really effective in the reasonable success they have enjoyed against England and Bangladesh. In the West Indian cricketing circles, Rampaul is also being hailed as a useful lower-order batsman who can do some damage in the latter stages of a One Day game. He is also known to be an athletic fielder both in the infield and in the outfield. Rampaul, perhaps is one of the rare all-rounders West Indies cricket can be proud of for say a period of 5 years or so.

Although his bowling figures may not represent the true meaning of "economy" in One Day cricket, this young lad has a long way to go as far as his contribution towards West Indies cricket in its efforts to re-emerge as a force to reckon in International Cricket is concerned. If everything goes on well for Ravi, he could receive his prestigious Maroon Test Cap sooner rather than later. As West Indian cricket over the years has been day-counting as to when a youngster would emerge, I feel the days of day-counting are over as a young lad named Ravindranath Rampaul is ready and raring to give his mighty best for West Indian cricket.

Lasith Malinga : The new poster-boy of Sri Lankan Cricket

2004-10-31T02:59:00.000-08:00

Lasith Malinga : The new poster-boy of Sri Lankan Cricket

When I was in Colombo, I made sure that I visited the Sinhalese Sports Club, where the Sri Lankan ‘A’ team was scheduled to practice. Sri Lanka A regulars like Russel Arnold, Avishka Gunawardena and Saman Jayantha were around, but all fingers were only pointing towards one man, who they hailed as the next best thing to happen for Sri Lankan cricket – Lasith Malinga. The youngster from Rathgama (a village near Galle) had impressed many pundits of the game in the island nation with his performances in New Zealand with the Lankan A team. He notably becomes the first cricketer to play for Sri Lanka from the southern city Galle.

A product of the Mahinda College (a very famous college at Galle), this fiery speedster began playing softball at the age of 13 and cricket entered his life as late as when he was 17. The secret behind the unusual action that we see from Lasith is the fast yorkers he used to bowl during his softball days. After seeing the raw talent and youthful enthusiasm in this future star of Lankan cricket, Champaka Ratnayake (a former Sri Lankan paceman and a coach at the Cricket Foundation at Galle) presented Lasith with a chance to represent Galle CC in first class cricket. His returns of 8 wickets in his debut first class match reiterated the coach’s faith in his potential. Lasith never looked back after this debut performance.

He made rapid strides with the Sri Lankan ‘A’ team on its tour of New Zealand in the winter and gave a lot of positive impulses to the selectors. His constant knack of picking wickets and some spells of aggressive bowling saw him as a surprise selection to the Aussie tour. He gave positive vibes to the Lankan dressing room after the 6/90 he took against the Northern Territory Chief Minister’s XI and just did not stop after that. Darren Lehmann was his first test victim and for someone of his age and inexperience, it was encouraging to see someone play with the batsman’s mind. His debut series against the Aussies yielded 10 wickets and has certainly became the “poster boy of Lankan cricket” for the moment. His ODI career hasn’t yet ripened into the manner he burst into the Test scene, but watch out for this smiling assassin in the days, weeks and years to come.

I for one believe that we could see a bowler whose uniqueness rather than deliveries could get batsmen out. His progress has been great as a bowler and one only hopes that he will be properly guided and treated by the Sri Lankan Cricket authorities – for they have unearthed a prospective jewel. It is great to see him earn the respect of the Australian batsman, and especially these words of respect and wisdom could probably be all that he needs to take his confidence to a different level. Its been Irfan Pathan from India, Lasith Malinga from Sri Lanka, I guess its time for Pakistan to unveil a bowling sensation when they tour Australia later this year to give the Aussies a stern reminder of the great talent of pacers in Asia.

Kaushal Lokuarachchi - Talent beyond Question

2004-10-31T02:55:00.000-08:00

Kaushal Lokuarachchi was another talented Sri Lankan prospect, who I was lucky enough to meet during my trip to Sri Lanka this summer. Loku, as he is colloquially known by his mates, is according to many, one of the many upcoming spinners of Sri Lankan cricket. Although he has had his own problems against the law of the country, Kaushal has made it sure that cricket stands top priority. Currently a regular in the One-Day side, Kaushal is yet to make in-roads into the Test arena, although he has played a handful of them. Like many of his team mates, Kaushal is also one of the products of the rich school cricket culture that defines the future of Sri Lankan cricket.

Kaushal represents Bloomfield Cricket Club, which boasts of Lankan stalwarts like Sanath Jayasuriya.After enjoying reasonable success in both the Club Cricket League and the Provincial Tournament, he was first chosen to play for Sri Lanka 'A'. After putting in some goodperformances for the Lankan Second XI, Kaushal was called straight into the Sri Lankan team, as a probable candidate to replace theexperienced Kumara Dharmasena, who was dropped after the World Cup 2003. Kaushal made his debut for Sri Lanka in the Cherry Blossom Sharjah cup in 2003 against Kenya and believe it or not, he took the wicket of Steve Tikolo, with his very first ball in International ODIs. After making an impression in the Sharjah Cup, where Sri Lanka did not make it to the finals, Kaushal got his break into the test team against New Zealand at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo. After going wicket less in the first innings, he showed his real talent in the second innings where he grabbed two wickets. Then an unfortunate incident in the life of Kaushal happened when he was found guilty of drunken driving and running over two pedestrians and the case is still pending in the court of law in Colombo. Kaushal was banned from all cricket for four months and probably one sees this time as the turning point of his career. The hunger and the passion to play for Sri Lanka and perform well was back and since then its never looking back for this 22 year old leggie.

He got back into contention for the Sri Lankan side after some good performances in the domestic circuit and now remains an integral part of the one day setup. One can classify him as a student of the Anil Kumble school of Leg Spin bowling. Besides being a talentedlegspinner, he also is a good batsman with a sound technique and also possesses the hard hits. He has played some crucial knocks, one of which was the one against South Africa recently, where he under pressure finished the match with a SIX ! He is one of the bestfielders in the Lankan One Day team, thus proving the potential of some of the upcoming youngsters of Sri Lankan cricket. With thisamount of talent, one can only see one way for this youngster - higher and higher !

Even though one may feel that he has had a run-in with the law, he's one of the few good men to meet off the field. His youthful enthusiasm is evident in the way he does things off the field, which usually consist of some weird pranks on his team mates, which in its own way can help in maintaining the spirits of the team.

Rangana Herath : Spinning the Balls of Success

2004-10-31T02:37:00.000-08:00

The story of this man goes that he was picked by the Sri Lankan team out of nowhere during the 1999 home series against the Aussies due to their weakness against some quality spin bowling. Rangana Herath was discovered by the Sri Lankan selectors when he was playing for Kurunegala CC, a not-so-fancied first class team, in the Premier League (as they call it in Sri Lanka) and decided to invest in this young man who was then aged 18. Today, five years after making his test debut for Sri Lanka, Rangana Herath has ascended himself to take up the challenge of being Sri Lanka's premier spinner in the absence of the great Muttiah Muralitharan. In fact, Rangana is the first and only player to have represented Sri Lanka from the town of Kurunegala, which is on the way between Colombo and Anuradhapura.

After making his first class debut for Kurunegala Youth Cricket Club in 1996, this talented left arm spinner has made rapid strides in hiscricketing career. After tasting some success in Kurunegala, Herath decided to get going and made a decisive career move to Moors Cricket Club, which boasts of producing Chaminda Vaas. Since his arrival at Moors, his career took off from nowhere to being one of the finest second rung spinners in the country. Rangana, like many other modern day left arm spinners uses flight and loop as a weapon to deceive and then defeat the batsmen. Besides, he has a mystery ball which he bowls with an unorthodox bent finger grip sending the ball spinning in the opposite direction, something that for sure bamboozled the Aussies to a large extent in 1999. He also has a distinct version of the arm ball, which makes him more effective and potent on any wicket. After his debut against Australia in 1999, he was reduced to playing first class cricket for the Moors and became a regular in the Sri Lanka 'A' team.

Rangana Herath even toured India in 2003 with the Sri Lanka A team and this is where he rediscovered himself, spinning the Lankans to victory at Mumbai. Following his good performances against India 'A' and New Zealand 'A', Rangana got a national recall for the series against Australia, where he played an inconsequential third test. Rangana made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe and he returned home with 2 wickets in his maiden ODI outing. The Zimbabwean tour provided the right impetus for Rangana to establish his place in both the squad and the team. He was made an active member of the Sri Lankan ODI team during the home series against South Africa where the hosts played without Murali, and Rangana was one of the emerging stars for the Lankans and he was the one who did not make them feel Murali's absence. He was one of the best performers in the Sri Lankan Twenty20 with 4 wickets at 9.50 a piece. His recent performance for Sri Lanka in the Test Match against Pakistan at Faisalabad was in a way special as it was rare to see the return of the classical form of left arm spin bowling, going back to the days of greats like Bedi.

Although we shower a lot of praises on his bowling abilities, Rangana is a useful lower order bat too. He can play both aggressively as well as hold one end up for the other senior batsman and this proves the fact that Rangana is an upcoming bowling all rounder for Sri Lankan cricket. Besides his effective batting, Rangana also possesses athleticism in the field, where he fields mostly in the boundary.

In these days of purple patches, where Sri Lanka have re-emerged as a force to reckon with in both forms of the game, players like Rangana Herath have a huge role to play. One could easily question Sri Lanka's depth in producing quality spinners after Murali few months back, but for the moment Rangana is one of the answers to that question. One sincerely hopes that he doesn't fall prey to the not-so-good team management in Sri Lanka, something that the Chairman of Selectors recently pointed out. It is important for the Sri Lankans to give opportunities to young and upcoming players like Herath during the absence of Murali, so that the real potential can be tapped.

Hashim Amla : South Africa's New Indian Son

2004-10-31T01:31:00.000-08:00

Hashim Amla : South Africa's new Indian son (31st October 2004)

As the whole of India frets and fumes over the disappointment of failing to guard the "Final Frontiers" of the Aussies, there is a small Indian community in Durban which is rejoicing over the selection of their son of Indian decent, Hashim Mohamed Amla for the South African team on its upcoming tour to India. With the South African team reaching the depth of failure after its dismal recent performances, the selectors have turned to the youth in an attempt to resolve the future of South African cricket. And Hashim one can say is a beneficiary of such a youth oriented direction the Proteas are taking. His selection is a great tribute to the growing influence of Asians (people of Indian origin) in South African cricket.

Cricket was always in his family, and with a rich vein of Indian blood flowing within him, cricket soon became his passion. Just two seasons after his elder brother Ahmed Amla made his debut for Kwazulu-Natal(now Dolphins), Hashim followed suit. He made his debut against the visiting England XI for Kwazulu-Natal at Durban at the age of 18. His debut could well be a forgettable one as he just made a single run in his short stay on the crease and it seemed as though his career at Natal will be short-stayed. He but played in the Durban & Districts league and for South Africa Under-19s and scored heavily for his club for 2 successive years before making a comeback of sorts into the Natal team. And since the he has never looked back. He recorded an aggregate of 816 runs in his comeback season at a good average of 51.The 2001/02 season gave his career a perfect jumpstart, which was one of the reasons as to where he is today. Hashim's consistent and prolific run scoring in the seasons to follow was good enough to book him a spot in the South Africa A line up, which played Zimbabwe in2003/04 and later New Zealand A at home. He is in phenomenal form this season with an unfinished aggregate of 641 runs in 6 games with centuries against New Zealand A and the provincial teams. One gets a feeling that the fans of South African cricket will expect Hashim to carry this prolific scoring and consistency on his cricket kit-bag to India for the upcoming tour.

Just as Micheal Clarke of Australia is being talked as a future captaincy material by the pundits, the 22-year old is being regarded as a future captain of South Africa. There have been certain steps taken in the very direction to enable him take over the future leadership reins and thus he was named the captain of the Kwazulu Natal Dolphins for this season. He has also captained the South African Under-19 team and the Under-21 provincial teams in the past. His fellow Durbanites of Indian origin like Rivash Gobind, Imraan Khan have already made names for themselves this season and are being talked about being Test materials for South Africa in the days and years to come. Besides being a religious cricketer, Hashim also comes across as a devout Muslim. His long beard may well remind us of Saeed Anwar, but for him its been the secret of his success. If reports are to be believed,Hashim would not be sporting the alcohol logo (Castle Lager) on his cricketing gear, and this is for sure a testament to the fact that religion comes first for him.

Although the quota system in South Africa is at place, where players of colour could easily book themselves a place in the national team,the quota system made sure that it overlooked the performances of the players of Indian origin. The selection of Hashim Amla, whose grandparents apparently once hailed form Surat in Gujarat, should be a major victory in a way for the Indian community in South Africa as they have been finally recognized while selection for the South African team. If all goes well, Hashim should make his Test debut for South Africa in and against a country where he originally hails from and we as Indians will be looking forward to seeing this youngster play to the best of his abilities.

Articles

2004-10-31T01:14:00.000-08:00

Hey All,

I am using the blog as a place to publish all my articles Ive written. Its basically pertaining to Cricket and the source is www.cricketfundas.com .

Venkat