123 Cricket World

When in doubt, turn south

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 13:46:00 +0000

When in doubt, turn south
by Suresh Menon

Need a non-specialist to keep wicket in one-dayers? Get Rahul Dravid. Brian Lara beginning to look dangerous at the crease? Hey isn’t that the guy with the fractured jaw bowling to him? Where did Anil Kumble appear from? Is that a new record: the first man to dismiss Lara bowling with a broken jaw?

Go back further. Viv Richards, playing his first Test in Bangalore. Like Bhagwat Chandrasekhar’s deliveries, he doesn’t know whether he is coming or going. Richards then makes only four and three, out both innings to Chandra.

Yet, guess who is dropped for the next Test (after taking six wickets in Bangalore)? Chandra sits out to accommodate Venkatraghavan who is captain following injuries to Tiger Pataudi and Sunil Gavaskar. Thank you, says Richards, that was a thoughtful gesture, and proceeds to make an unbeaten 192. The West Indies win by an innings.
And now it is happening all over again.

We have taken three openers to Australia, and yet the cry goes around – Rahul Dravid for opener so Yuvraj Singh can play. In other words, sacrifice your best batsman to avoid the backlash should the popular Yuvraj be dropped.

There is an old joke about a man asked who he would rescue if he saw both his wife and his girlfriend drowning. “My girlfriend,” he says, “Because my wife would understand.” Indian cricket plays around with Dravid for the same reason - because he will understand.

The key to understanding Dravid is a statement he made many years ago: “When I was a little boy, all I wanted to do was play for India. Now that I am playing for India, I am constantly amazed that I am being paid to do so.”

Such an attitude has meant that rather than being The Wall (a grossly inappropriate nickname), he has actually become the yo-yo of Indian cricket - sent up and down the batting order with little thought. He has opened, kept wicket, and, over the years, displayed such an intensity for the game that he appears ready to paint the stadium, water the outfield, prepare the pitch, handle the car park - anything to remain married to cricket (because his wife will understand).
He has said from Australia that he is happy to open if that is what the country needs. But the country is mistaken if that is what it thinks it needs. For Dravid is one of the best-ever batsmen at No 3 and that’s where he is most effective.

Unfortunately for him, just under two years ago, in the last series in which he opened, he put on 410 with Virender Sehwag, just three short of the Mankad-Roy record of 50 years. And now he has to open again, presumably to protect Sehwag who has been specifically chosen for the job. If the selectors got themselves into a mess by not picking the right openers or the Board showed an uncaring attitude by agreeing to play just one first class match to acclimatize, why sacrifice Dravid?

In sport, there are two choices. You can be selfish, and hope that it helps the team, or selfless and pray that it doesn’t work against you. Let us hope Dravid doesn’t pay the price for his selflessness.

Boje denies link to 2000 match-fixing scam

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:58:00 +0000

South African bowler Nicky Boje on Tuesday denied charges of match-fixing under questioning by Indian police probing the scandal which hit cricket seven years ago, officials said.

The 34-year-old, who was escorted to a New Delhi interrogation centre by South African diplomats, was grilled for nearly two hours by Crime Branch detectives who are investigating the scandal, they said.

South African bowler Nicky Boje leaves after being questioned by Indian Crime Branch officials in New Delhi, 11 December 2007. Boje on Tuesday denied charges of match-fixing under questioning by Indian police probing the scandal which hit cricket seven years ago.
©AFP

"He denied his role in the match-fixing scandal and so questions on all relevant aspects of the case were asked," Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat told AFP.

Bhagat however said the left-armed spinner, "cooperated nicely" after coming voluntarily from the northern Indian city of Panchkula, where he is playing in the rebel Indian Cricket League until Sunday.

Boje was quizzed in connection with the match-fixing scandal involving then skipper Hansie Cronje and three of his teammates during South Africa's tour of India in 2000.

Crime Branch chief Satyandra Garg said the player, who retired from international cricket last year, was extensively questioned.

"We have interrogated him on all aspects of the case," Garg said in a statement after a visibly-relieved Boje was allowed to return to Panchkula.

"Whatever questions we wanted to ask him, we have done that and we will now conduct further enquiries," he added as others said Boje was also asked about his links with a South African bookie and if he held a bank account in London.

The police had issued a summons Wednesday, ordering Boje to "assist" detectives in the ongoing probe.

Cronje, who died in an aircrash in 2002, was banned for life over the scandal.

Crime Branch officers said they had presented a written questionnaire to Boje.

"He was asked to corroborate various things things told to us by (South Africa's Herschelle) Gibbs when we interrogated him last year," a police officer who declined to be named told AFP.

Boje had previously skipped two tours of India after failing to obtain assurances that he would not be detained by police.

Boje and batsman Gibbs were found guilty of being part of the skipper Cronje's conspiracy in a public inquiry in South Africa.

They were heavily fined and banned for six months after Indian police exposed the racket.

Boje, Gibbs and Cronje are listed as the key suspects in India, where police registered a criminal case in May 14, 2000.

Gibbs was questioned by detectives when he flew to India for the Champions Trophy last year and admitted accepting money from Cronje to score fewer than 20 runs against India in a one-day match during the 2000 March-April tour. He named three teammates as co-conspirators.

Delhi police say they recorded Cronje's telephone conversations with bookies in India in which he struck deals to throw one-day matches.

Vengsarkar relents after Pawar intervenes

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 06:21:00 +0000

Chairman of Selection Committee Dilip Vengsarkar is going to Bangalore to select the team for Australia tour just a day after it seemed that he had made up his mind to quit.

"I just spoke to Mr Pawar. He has assured me that we will have a meeting on 7 or 8 (December) either on Mumbai or in Pune and he will sort out all the issues," Dilip Vengsarkar said on Tuesday evening.

"Kal mein ja raha hoon because he has assured me everything will be taken care of (I am going tomorrow because he (Pawar) has assured me everything will be taken care of," Vengsarkar said.

After a day of high drama and intrigue the storm finally blew over or so it seems. Vengsarkar will chair the meeting to select India's Test squad to Australia and clearly the words of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sharad Pawar have comforted him.
"Board is meeting on 16th of this month. Probably we will be able to take up a final view on all this and I feel we will be able to resolve this issue," Sharad Pawar had said on Tuesday.
So are the warring parties coming together and what happens to the angry e-mail sent by Vengsarkar to Sharad Pawar where he said, "I am appalled at the way the BCCI has treated its selectors. The recent gag order has not only humiliated us for doing selfless service to Indian cricket but also shown us in a very poor light."

"Another issue is that BCCI secretary, Mr Niranjan Shah even after finalising dates for selection of teams, changes them as per his whims and fancies The recent fiasco of shifting the selection committee meeting from Kolkata to Bangalore on 5th December shows his high-handedness. I was aghast when Mr Shashank Monahar told me over the telephone yesterday that Mr Bindra is the man behind all these happenings against the selectors," Vengsarkar wrote.
"I would be glad to continue as the Chairman of Selection Committee but ONLY IF the restrictions imposed on me are revoked unconditionally and I am compensated for agreeing to not to write the columns in the newspapers," he wrote.

But after days of hard bargaining and tough negotiations, the deadlock seems to have been broken. All it took was an assurance from BCCI chief Sharad Pawar to soften Vengsarkar who gave up on his demand of revoking the seven-point guideline and head to Bangalore for the selection meeting.

Kirsten signs deal to coach India

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 06:15:00 +0000

Former South Africa batsman to join team in Australia
December 4, 2007

Gary Kirsten has signed a two-year deal to coach the Indian national team. He will start work on March 1, 2008, almost a year after his predecessor, Greg Chappell, resigned from the post.
Kirsten signed the contract after clarifying a few last-minute details pertaining to his young family and also to the feelings of senior players in the team who had been anonymously quoted as saying that the appointment of a coach was "unnecessary."

Sharad Pawar, the Indian board president, told Kirsten on Tuesday afternoon that all the senior players were looking forward to having him on board and agreed with Kirsten's suggestion that he meets up with the team before they depart for Australia.

"I will go back to India soon to meet up with the squad before they fly to Australia on December 17 and then I will join them again in a transition phase for the third and fourth Tests against Australia in the New Year," Kirsten said.

"It is a huge honour and I'm looking forward to the challenge with as much enthusiasm as any challenge I've ever faced. I'm not naive - I know how big the job is and I know it won't be easy, but it's also something I really want to do, and do well," Kirsten said.

When Kirsten takes over full-time, his first assignment will be a three-Test series against South Africa. "That's exciting. I really don't think it will feel strange or odd. I will be doing everything I can to help India win. But Australia comes first and everybody's energy must be focussed on producing success on what is the hardest tour in cricket," Kirsten said.

The ICL as a viable option

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 04:37:00 +0000

Light at the end of the tunnel
November 30, 2007

About 15 years ago Kiran Powar was a bigger name in Mumbai cricket than his brother Ramesh. A left-hand batsman with a wide array of strokes, Kiran struggled to break into a powerful Mumbai batting order and switched allegiance to other states. He spent a number of seasons in Assam and Goa, during which time he made many long journeys by bus, and often, considering hotels were too much of a luxury, even spent nights in one. Frequently, with reimbursement hard to come by, he paid his own travel expenses. He even wasn't compensated when he was hospitalised once.

Today Powar enjoys the comfort of the Taj hotel in Chandigarh. He shares the same dressing room as Brian Lara and Nathan Astle. When I speak to him, he's having lunch with Vikram Solanki, Johan van der Wath and Danny Redrup, a South African physio who is "showing me the sort of fitness a cricketer needs". For the first time in Powar's life he has a sense of security. "Tell me one reason why I shouldn't join the ICL" he challenges.

Powar's isn't an isolated case. The general mood among the Indian domestic players who have joined the ICL is one of disgruntlement. "Until today none of us had an option," says a player who was picked for India a couple of years ago. "Now we have someone to take care of us. Wait for some time and players will just rush in."

The BCCI's apathy is a sore point. A domestic veteran talks about a prominent state association. "They made a big din about introducing central contracts for players," he says. "Finally, we said, we've got some security. And they give us an annual contract of Rs 25,000 [US$ 500 approximately]. Is that any sort of money for a year?"

Even more frustrating has been the handling of injuries. Shalabh Srivatsava, an Under-19 star who went on to do well consistently for Uttar Pradesh, travelled to South Africa for an expensive surgery. He is still waiting to be reimbursed. Rakesh Patel, the Baroda fast bowler who was selected for the Indian one-day side recently, underwent a similar fate. "The biggest problem is we can't play when we're injured," says Powar. "It means no reimbursement and no match fees. How do you survive?"

Redrup chips in: "This is exactly how rugby used to be conducted in South Africa during the amateur days. But things changed with professionalism."

The situation with the coaching staff who have signed up with the ICL isn't too different. Erapalli Prasanna, the former India offspinner, who was with the BCCI's ill-fated spin wing had had enough of being ignored. "By sending me to Nagpur and to Kolkata for short periods, the NCA [National Cricket Academy] sent a clear message that I was not required. The other signal I got was that the BCCI wanted to get rid of me. The spin wing is finished."

Sandeep Patil, who is currently coaching the Mumbai Champs, echoes those views. ""I waited for the BCCI to give me a suitable job to serve Indian cricket. Twice I had written to the BCCI president, Sharad Pawar, expressing my interest to be a coach of the India A side. I was assured a two-year contract, but after waiting for almost one and a half years, nothing came of it."

Hurdles, hurdles, hurdles
It's not been easy for these players and coaches who have signed with the ICL. They are derisively referred to as "money whores".

Reetinder Singh Sodhi, the former India allrounder, speaks about being refused entry into a ground in Patiala. "Imagine the scene," he says. "You've gone to a ground to practise almost every day of your life. And one day they stop you. As if I'm a criminal or something. I'm still playing cricket only, no?"

Bengal's players faced a similar situation at the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club, though the Essel Group, which runs the ICL, had a corporate membership at the club. JP Yadav and Mohnish Mishra, two Madhya Pradesh players, were forced to withdraw from a club tournament in Bhopal for a similar reason.

Three Hyderabad players with jobs in state banks were apparently transferred to Kolkata recently. They've to now choose between moving to a new city and losing their jobs.
All ICL players have been banned from playing in corporate tournaments organised by the BCCI. Those who have jobs have had their terms of employment made more stringent. Madhya Pradesh batsman Abbas Ali, who works with Indian Oil, is required to work from 9am to 5pm every day and struggles to find time for practice.

It is the youngsters who are hardest hit. "A young cricketer finds a job by telling his employees that he's a cricketer," says JP Yadav, the former India allrounder. "Now, since he can't play corporate tournaments, how is a company going to give him a job? That's a big worry."
Another implication is that cricketers may have to give up the option of playing league cricket in England - since that requires a minimum qualification of four first-class games in a season.

Positives galore
Despite the ostracism the players remain upbeat. When JP Yadav walked into the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula, his first reaction was simple: "It's fine, yaar. You're talking to someone who's played cricket all his life at the Karnail Singh Stadium." That, incidentally, is the headquarters of the Indian Railways side, a first-class ground that's universally regarded as India's worst in terms of facilities.

The players have been given 12 pairs each of coloured uniforms. They've been exposed to physios and trainers streets ahead of the ones they've been used to in Indian first-class cricket. They've received 25% of the yearly payment promised them (as the base price), and are happy to see sums being deposited every month in Axis Bank accounts that have been opened for them.

Some foreign players have been impressed with the local talent and have spoken about recommending them to counties and provinces. "Abhishek Jhunjunwala has been noticed," says a senior player with the Bengal Tigers. "He was even asked if he would want to qualify to play for England."

The ICL, for all the talk of being the poor cousin to the Indian board's Indian Premier League, is still an option that a number of Indian domestic players are seriously considering. As recently as September, a couple of players on the fringes were apparently seriously contemplating joining. Both made their India debuts subsequently and shelved the plan.

A number of other players, though, are still in the loop. "I've got a call from so many domestic cricketers asking, 'What's happening, are they recruiting?" says Yadav. "People are definitely interested. It's just a matter of taking the leap." Like several others, he is convinced that the next 15 days will only reinforce their faith.

India deal 'pretty much signed and sealed' - Kirsten

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 04:35:00 +0000

November 30, 2007

Kirsten, the former South African batsmen who is the front-runner to become India's next coach, said that the deal with the Indian board would be "pretty much signed and sealed" by Monday.

Kirsten was interviewed in Delhi on November 26 by the coach selection committee, comprising former captains Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and S Venkataraghavan, BCCI joint secretary MP Pandove, treasurer N Srinivasan and secretary Niranjan Shah. Anil Kumble, India's Test captain, was also present at the meeting.

"They [BCCI] have given me a week to make a decision but it's pretty much a reality," Kirsten told PTI. "I have turned down numerous coaching opportunities due to family reasons in the past but this is such an esteemed one that I have to take a different look at it. I am very keen in principle to take up the post.

"At present, I am just looking at the logistics with my family and how it is going to work out. Negotiations are underway about this and I will make a final decision by Monday."
The coach selection committee had wanted to speed up the process by appointing a coach before the tour of Australia next month, but Kirsten said that although the job would become effective immediately, he had obtained an assurance that he could start later because of a number of commitments in South Africa.

"The reality is that I was approached quite late by the Indian board, and, in accepting the job, I told them I had commitments over Christmas and New Year," Kirsten explained to the Age. "But it looks like we are close to resolving that issue, and I will join the team for the last two Tests.

"The last thing you want to do is come in and be a distraction, but I have spoken to Anil [Kumble] about my situation, and he is comfortable with me joining the tour again later. I will not be coming in and imposing my ideas on them. That would be wrong. Instead, I will try and blend in and help anyway I can."

Kirsten, 40, was one of South Africa's leading batsmen, playing 101 Tests scoring 7289 runs at 45.27 and playing 185 ODIs scoring 6798 runs at 40.95. Soon after his retirement from Test cricket in March 2004, he embarked on a coaching career, taking up an assignment as Cricket South Africa's high performance manager, after which he set up the privately-run Gary Kirsten Cricket Academy.

India v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Kolkata, 2nd day

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 04:30:00 +0000

Ganguly and Laxman add to Pakistan's misery
December 1, 2007

Pakistan 50 for 1 (Butt 26*, Younis 3*) trail India 616 for 5 dec (Jaffer 202, Laxman 112* Ganguly 102, Dhoni 50*) by 566 runs

Had India asked the Gods of cricket to script a perfect day, they would not have been able to better this. Wasim Jaffer completed a double-hundred, VVS Laxman added a dainty hundred and above all, the prince of Kolkata, Sourav Ganguly hit his first hundred in front of a rapt home crowd as India declared on 616 for 5.

Then, in the hour available to their bowlers, they picked off an opener; Pakistan ended on 50 for 1, still a whole galaxy of runs behind. Escape is possible, but with every ball, every run, every over, every boundary that has passed over two days, their spirits have sapped further.

No such problems for Ganguly, to whom this day belonged. His hundred was a significant one: his first against Pakistan, his first at Eden Gardens, and most importantly his first in four years almost to the day against major opposition. It was further proof, if needed, that he has been among India's best batsmen since his return from forced exile. At least one Australian in Rajasthan might wince at a Test record since then that now shows four fifties and two hundreds in ten Tests.

It seemed inevitable from the moment he arrived yesterday, though undoubtedly it helped that the moment was 313 for 3. He was tested briefly this morning and straight after lunch, unimaginatively, with the short ball. He weathered most of it, though lucky to survive a ferocious bouncer from Shoaib Akhtar just after lunch when on 63, Yasir Hameed failing to hold on to a difficult chance at gully.

That apart, Ganguly was by turns regal and cussed. He drove well in front of square - a sure sign that the touch is good - never more than when caressing Mohammad Sami past wide mid-off early this morning. To move in to the nineties, just before mid-day drinks, he bettered it, with what was a mere push, off the same bowler.

In between, the area around point and gully was also well-traversed with cuts, punts, deflections and scythes. When he wasn't hitting boundaries - and that wasn't too often - he was picking up the many easy singles here, there and everywhere. The hundred was celebrated with understandable gusto, though having added 163 at a fair clip with Laxman, a lazy loft to long-on, off Salman Butt of all bowlers, amounted to a needless act of charity.

Laxman, as has recently been the case, put together another fine day's work without too many people taking too much notice. Only when he first came in this morning was he in any strife, and that too lasted no more than an over against Sohail Tanvir. He got in to the groove with a delicious drive off Tanvir, and before Pakistan knew it, he was helping himself to boundaries.
When they erred in length, he would push them between mid-off and extra cover and if they erred in line, he whipped them through the arc between mid-on and square leg. Shoaib and Sami tried to rattle him after lunch with bouncers and succeeded twice: the first, he fended off uncomfortably, and the second he gloved. It is the way of this Test, that he did so over the keeper for four.

The serenity of his progress continued unabated subsequently; he slowed down after tea as he approached his first hundred in 16 innings (he does have six mostly crucial fifties in that period) and his first against Pakistan. It took him six overs to move from 91 to 100, though off 158 balls, it was still swift. Ultimately it mattered not: MS Dhoni was around, and after a circumspect start, casually blazed his way to fifty as the declaration approached.

Apart from brief periods in the morning, when they got Jaffer, and immediately after lunch, Pakistan's bowling was a mass of nothingness: no line, no length, no intent, no plan. Shoaib and Sami looked healthier after a night's rest and stirred occasionally, but never looked like sustaining it. As the afternoon wore on, even Danish Kaneria's restrictive plan to bowl a leg-stump line failed to stop fast, easy runs.

And just when they thought it couldn't get worse, it did. Sent in to negotiate the last hour, they lost Hameed after a bright start. India took to spin as early as the third over, after Zaheer Khan pulled up with an ankle problem, but on a wearing surface, its' introduction was only a matter of time.

'You learn a lot when you struggle'

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 17:07:00 +0000

In India it's the season for wicketkeepers. One has become India's ODI and Twenty20 captain, one is in the national side as a specialist batsman, and yet another - dropped from the side three years ago - is making a strong case for his inclusion as a batsman. Parthiv Patel has scored 823 runs in his last seven first-class games, for India A and Rest of India, with five centuries in five consecutive innings. He went from being a prodigy to being history, and is now once again being spoken of as one for the future; and he is still just 22. After his 179 against Mumbai, which helped Rest of India win the Irani Trophy, Patel spoke about the time he was dropped, the present, and the time in between.

You had a dream start to your career. How difficult was it to come to terms with being dropped?
It was a difficult phase. Nobody likes being dropped. It's a good learning curve. I have been out of the team for almost three years now. So from whatever I have learned I have become a more mature person. Whenever I get the opportunity to play again, I will be stronger.

What was the message from the selectors when they dropped you?
After having been there for three years, I knew what I needed to work on. I didn't speak to the selectors about why I was not picked and all that. I don't get into that stuff at all. My focus is to just play the game.

What have you learned over the least three years?
After being dropped, life has definitely become tougher. It depends on the individual, how he takes it. I have taken it in a positive way. I have decided, whatever experience comes, to just take it along. I have become a more positive person, both on and off the field, which is definitely helping me.

You said about two years ago that the most important thing you learned was to struggle. Can you elaborate on that?
The struggling part is the most important part of your career. That's when you learn how to tackle tough situations, how to come out of them. You always walk easily when the path is clear. But when you have to struggle, play domestic cricket, go to different places - small towns, play on different wickets - you learn and experience a lot of things. You have to be mentally tough for that.

You played international cricket before the Ranji trophy. What was that like?
[smiles] I was under a lot of pressure in the last couple of Tests I played. Everyone was right on me. A first-class debut is the biggest thing for any cricketer: to be able to say, "I am a first-class cricketer." But before I played my first Ranji game, I had already played 19 Tests. That was a different kind of thing, which I am sure not many have experienced.

Was it relief to get away from all the pressure?
I was a bit relieved, for sure. I got time to work on my fitness, my technique.

While playing Test cricket, did you ever fear that everything was coming too easy?
If you don't play domestic games and are playing Test cricket, you feel the game is easy. But coming back is the big thing. Everybody has to go through that circle. I started at the top, but I'm still making that circle.

Did you agree then that you were lacking somewhere in your wicketkeeping?
I don't agree with that. I don't think there was anything wrong with my wicketkeeping, or that my technique was not right, or that I was grabbing at the ball. The thing that I probably lacked was concentration and a bit of fitness. I have worked on it. Whatever lapses used to come were towards the end of the day. I analysed that and realised I needed to get fitter and stronger. I was lacking a bit in fitness. Not that I was unfit. But I wasn't fit enough. I have worked on that - now I am moving well and taking the ball nicely.

Have you always been a batsman primarily or a keeper first and then a batsman?
Always been a keeper-batsman since my Under-14 days. If you compare keeping and batting, I don't work as hard on the batting. Maybe I don't take too much pressure while batting; I just go out and enjoy. In the last few months I have worked hard on my batting.
What specific work have you done on your batting?Not much. I just worked on my concentration. I work for longer periods. Before leaving for Zimbabwe for the A tour, I used to bat five hours a day in the nets.

Have you been working with any ex-wicketkeepers?
No.

So if you were to play as a batsman alone, would it put more pressure on you?
I don't think it would put any kind of pressure. I would, in fact, be happier because that would be the only thing I will have to do - so I can work on my batting alone.

Do you enjoy wicketkeeping more?
Absolutely.

Given that there are there two wicketkeepers already, and you are in prime batting form, what if you are not selected?
I am not bothered about the selection at all. I am just enjoying my game. Whatever opportunities I get, I am performing. Selection is an added pressure. If it has to happen, it will happen.

With every good innings you play, do you think you are getting closer to the Indian team?
[smiles] I am not thinking in those terms - that I am going towards anything. As a cricketer, every innings I have played has been quite positive.

But doesn't that feeling set in subconsciously?
It does. It's difficult, but I am trying to stay away from it.

Were you surprised when you were picked for the Pakistan tour in early 2006? Did it seem like the recall was coming too soon?
I wasn't surprised. I was playing well in domestic cricket. I was surprised at not being picked for the Board President's XI, and not being considered after it.
What was opening against Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami like?They were quite quick. I had faced Brett Lee before, but Shoaib and Sami with the new ball were quite difficult to negotiate.

When were you told you would be opening?
I was asked to be ready a day before the match. I wasn't sure but I was asked to be ready. It just happened that I was batting well at nets and I was in good rhythm.

What have been the most cherished moments in your career so far?
Making a Test debut is a big moment for anybody. Beating Pakistan in Pakistan and playing a major role - I opened the innings - was a big thing. Reaching the World Cup final was big too.

What to do with the Big Three?

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 16:59:00 +0000

Australia are so damn good that they can make cricket boring. It took a below-par performance from them in Chandigarh - 16 wides were bad enough but that they cost 15 further runs would point to a wretched day for Adam Gilchrist behind the wicket - to bring the series, which was fast becoming a contest only in terms of bad behaviour, alive.

Till then, the Indian supporters, who had only a week to savour the Twenty20 glory, were growing increasingly restless. With each defeat, the cry got more shrill: how long can India carry the Big Three?

Carry? How short the public memory is. In the last one-day series India played, Sachin Tendulkar was their best batsman, playing strokes that seemed to belong to his glorious past; he had two 100-plus partnerships with Sourav Ganguly, who has batted as well in the last few months as he has ever done in his career; and Rahul Dravid shook off his indifferent Test form to play a couple of sublime innings down the order.

Yes, Tendulkar has looked shaky against Brett Lee, Ganguly ponderous, and Dravid is yet to hit his straps. And it's also true that one-day cricket requires energy, sharp reflexes, lightness of feet, and strong throwing arms. Yet the manner in which Australia resumed normal service in the 50-over game should have been evidence enough that this form requires different skills than Twenty20. In comparison to the shortest form, one-day cricket allows bowlers proper spells and captains to keep men in catching positions. In conditions that are kind to bowlers, it calls for batsmen to buckle down and survive a few overs. In more simplistic terms, there is a greater premium on wickets early on: it's far easier to recover from 30 for 4 in the 20-over game than in the 50-over one.

It wasn't pretty watching Tendulkar struggle against Lee in Chandigarh, but without his battling innings India were unlikely to have got to 291. In fact, there was a chance they would have been bowled out for under 200, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is yet lose his innocence and candour at press conferences, admitted as much. It was easier for a fellow cricketer to see the value in an innings like that.

Yet, India need to start building for the future. There are no two ways about it. They were fortunate in the last decade to be blessed with abundance. Tendulkar is a batsman of a lifetime and Dravid isn't far behind. And that they had VVS Laxman and Ganguly to back those two up was a rare stroke of luck. It has been a worry for the last couple of years that their departure will leave Indian cricket hollow. Losing them together would be a blow too severe to bear and logic dictates that their departures are phased out.

One-day cricket would be the natural place to start. Laxman and Anil Kumble, another giant who belongs to the same era, are already out of the ODI equation. It can be argued that India can afford to blood younger players in a form that puts less of a premium on traditional cricket skills than Test cricket. Also, one-day cricket provides a natural evolutionary cycle in the form of the World Cup. Countries can plan building their teams around the game's premier tournament. India need to ask themselves how many of their senior players will be around for the next edition in 2011, and whether the team will not be better served by starting to groom players who will be.

But, as always, the real issues are in danger of being overlooked by a nation heady with the unexpected success in the World Twenty20, one that has begun to chant the anthem of youth with an impatience that has a near-vulgar edge to it. This clamour for youth is based not entirely on cold logic and cricket sense but rather on sentiment. Building for the future should not necessarily mean disregarding the present, and nor should age be the overriding factor in the selection of the team. If Tendulkar must be replaced, he must be replaced by a man worthy of his shoes - he remains a considerable batsman even in his obvious decline.

Nor is it any use picking a team that is unable to compete in the most challenging of arenas. It is true India must be willing to absorb some pain for long-term gain, but just as winning is a habit, so is defeat. The challenge for the Indian selectors is to balance the need for building for the future with the immediate imperative of winning.

Building for the future should not necessarily mean disregarding the present, and nor should age be the overriding factor in the selection of the team. If Tendulkar must be replaced, he must be replaced by a man worthy of his shoes - he remains a considerable batsman even in his obvious decline

Ultimately a cricket team is about the right mix. The ideal blend is a combination of energy and spirit of youth and pedigree, experience and knowledge. India can't win in one-day cricket consistently without being sharp in the field and between the wickets, but neither can they win if they fail to ride out tough conditions and to bat out 50 overs. One-day cricket is not merely about hustling, it also allows for consolidation and construction, and every now and then it requires rescue missions - particularly outside the subcontinent, where pitches offer more movement and bounce.

It is true that India can't afford too many plodders who need to be hidden in the field. It's nothing to do with age. Not all of India's young players are natural athletes; some are, in fact, decidedly clumsy. But that said, having Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Zaheer Khan in the playing XI is to perhaps concede far too many easy runs in the field. Indian selectors have to weigh that, and the runs they lose out on by their lack of spring between the wickets, with the value they offer in terms of pure skills.

In the wake of a comment from Dilip Vengsarkar, the chief national selector, that seemed to put his senior colleagues on notice, Dhoni has described them as "indispensable". Apart from what they add on the field, he has spoken about the learnings they can offer the young players by just being around in the dressing room. Dhoni's defence was perhaps partly motivated by the need to keeping the dressing room healthy, but there was also ring of truth to it.

But Indian cricket will need to take decisions, and that process must not be clouded by what they do or don't achieve in the series against Australia and the one against Pakistan. Those decisions must be based on sound principles, an eye on the future, and the balance in team composition. Whether this is to be achieved through a policy of rotation or by a gradual phasing-out is a decision the selectors must ponder. And all of this must be accomplished without intrigue, without bowing to popular sentiments, and with transparency and a clear vision. Players, particularly those who have served Indian cricket with distinction, must be taken into confidence and told where they stand.

It's not a lot to ask for. But the way Indian cricket runs, it will be stretching optimism to expect it.

No room for bigotry

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 16:55:00 +0000

October 20, 2007

In Vadodara and Mumbai, Andrew Symonds, the only non-white, Afro-Caribbean member of the Australian side, was heckled by spectators who called him a monkey, and made ape-like motions in case he hadn't got their point. The Sydney Morning Herald published a photograph of two middle-class, middle-aged Indian men making like monkeys. Symonds, his captain, his team mates, and Australian newspapers thought this was as patent a form of racism as you were likely to witness on a cricket field and said so. The ICC wrote to the BCCI expressing concern.
Sharad Pawar said he hadn't received the ICC's letter. He borrowed the theme of cultural difference that Ricky Ponting had used earlier in the series in another context - that of sledging - to make his point. In the days that followed, this became something of an Indian theme: the Australians had misunderstood the crowd's gestures. There was no racism intended. The police commissioner in Baroda even supplied an alternative explanation: the monkey chants were no more than the spectators invoking the simian god, Hanuman.

The non-official reaction was similar. The newspapers were slow off the mark. Some suggested that Indian crowds had always jeered combative cricketers like Symonds; the monkey business was volatility, not racism. Indian crowds had been known to call West Indians "kaliyas" or "hubshi" and English cricketers "goras" because they were, respectively, black and white. The implication was that Symonds with his dreadlocks and face paint, more or less invited the heckling by turning out in a contemporary version of blackface. Looked at reasonably, it was possible, the argument ran, to see it as no more than a kind of empirical teasing where unsophisticated spectators named what they saw: gora, kaliya, bandar.

Some opinion pieces struggled with the large question: are Indians racist? And if they are, are they racist in the same way as white people who are racist? Critics referred to the Indian obsession with being light-skinned, a preference happily specified in classified matrimonial ads and further borne out by the sale of fairness creams. One writer described this preference as a form of "soft racism", an attitude similar to notions of white superiority in western societies, but different in two ways: a) there was no republican history of state sanction for racist prejudice, unlike in white settler colonies like Australia and South Africa in the past b) the variation in skin colour within networks of caste and kinship in India made "hard" bigotry, genetic racism, difficult. Others made the point that caste discrimination, specially the practice of "untouchability", was as vicious a form of discrimination as apartheid or segregation.

As the days passed a pattern emerged in the public response to the taunting of Symonds. The reaction after Vadodara was defensive. After the Mumbai match, where Symonds was booed at the prize-giving, and where the monkey taunts were repeated, the Indian response changed: the police evicted the worst offenders and charged them in court, Pawar denounced racist behaviour as unacceptable, and newspapers carried editorial mea culpas. It was Hamish Blair's brilliant photograph of two middle-class Indian men in the Wankhede stands, trying to look like apes and succeeding, that swung Indian public opinion away from denial towards an acknowledgment that there was a problem that needed to be named.

It's silly to look for anthropological explanations that will turn racist behaviour by Indians into something subtly different. Cricket writing by Indians in English sometimes makes the mistake of thinking of the "average" Indian fan as non-English speaking and therefore naïve and unsophisticated. This assumption makes it possible for "us" to explain "their" behaviour away as a kind of unschooled brutishness that is unfortunate but not wicked

And its name is racism. It's silly and deluded to look for anthropological explanations that will turn racist behaviour by Indians into something subtly different. Cricket writing by Indians in English sometimes makes the mistake of thinking of the "average" Indian fan as non-English speaking and therefore naïve and unsophisticated. This assumption makes it possible for "us" to explain "their" behaviour away as a kind of unschooled brutishness that is unfortunate but not wicked. This is why Blair's photograph is so important: it shows you upwardly mobile men - who probably discuss the virtues of one malt whisky over the other, who possibly holiday abroad, whose children certainly go to private schools that teach in English - using one of the many international codes they've learnt in their cosmopolitan lives, the Esperanto of bigotry. The mudras they're making aren't derived from Kathakali : they're straight out of the international

style guide to insulting black men.

It's hard for Indian fans to cede moral advantage to an Australian team. They are so much better at the cricket that outrage is often the only consolation we have. It's hard to fault the Australians' behaviour on the Symonds affair: they've made their point, done the BCCI the favour of not lodging an official complaint, been appreciative of the board's belated denunciation of racism, and have signalled their willingness to move on. The Indians, after a slow start, have redeemed themselves by booking the bad guys. To keep up the good work, we need to do the same again. And it doesn't have to be a racial insult the next time round: it could be, given our versatility in the matter of prejudice, a religious slur.

To say this isn't to concede some civilisational defect but merely to point out that we can't enjoy the glow of self-righteousness without the rigours of self-examination. Our virtue as a nation is that we committed ourselves to an inclusive pluralism. Our aim as a cricket-playing nation ought to be to live up to that ideal.

Gavaskar criticises match referee's role in players' face-off

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 16:51:00 +0000

October 21, 2007

Sunil Gavaskar, the chairman of the ICC cricket committee, has questioned the role of umpires and the match referee in diffusing on-field confrontations between players.

The recently-concluded one-day series between India and Australia saw ill-tempered exchanges between the players on the pitch and through the media. Gavaskar said while the blame rested on the management of the teams for letting the situation deteriorate, the umpires and match referee were no less culpable.

"One is not privy to the report the match referee may have sent to ICC but the fact that not even one player from both sides has been reported and reprimanded shows the referee and the umpires did not do the job assigned to them and that was to see that the game was not brought into disrepute and the spirit of cricket maintained," Gavaskar wrote in his column in the Mid-Day tabloid.

Gavaskar questioned the need of a match referee if he could act only when the umpires had made a report. "He [match referee] is there not just to protect the umpires from the players but to see that the game goes on without any untoward incidents and what happened between the two players was definitely not cricket. By abdicating their responsibility, match officials let the game down big time and have raised a big question mark on their ability to control the game and players.

"It would be sad if the ICC turns a blind eye to what happened during the series, for even while accepting that the game has changed and become far more aggressive than yesteryears, what was seen on the cricket field did not do any good to the image of the game nor enhance the quality by any stretch of imagination."

Team India @ INOX Nagpur

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 16:05:00 +0000

October 12, 2007
INOX Nagpur was proud to receive TEAM INDIA as they trooped into watch the latest flick, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, at Nagpur's favourite movie destination on Friday 12th October for the 7pm show. Cricket-crazy INOX patrons cheered TEAM with their “All the Best", "Chak De INDIA" and many more filmi and non-filmi wishes. It was a true CRICKET ACTION at INOX with patrons going crazy over their Cricket idols, posing for photographs and taking autographs.

India end series on Twenty20 high

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 07:37:00 +0000

October 20, 2007

The one-day series might have gone but India lived up to their world champions tag in the Twenty20, finishing with a thumping seven-wicket win in Mumbai. Australia have bossed around for most of the last month but India can take consolation from one stat: the last eight internationals between the two sides have been shared 4-4.

Ricky Ponting's blazing 76 launched a meaty Australian total but it was soon to be overshadowed by Gautam Gambhir's swash and buckle. The jury is still out on his Test and 50-over credentials but there's few who will argue with his ability to swing a Twenty20 match. With fifties against New Zealand, England, Pakistan and Australia he's been India's most valuable batsmen in the shortest format. Only Matthew Hayden has managed a similar number of fifties; nobody has managed to defy expectations so consistently.

Like he's done on each of those occasions, Gambhir set the agenda in an emphatic manner, partnering Robin Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh in rollicking stands. Gambhir cut loose with a fearlessness that was missing in some of the 50-over games. The dance down the track was a regular feature but the chiselled square-cut was the sight of the evening.

Australia's bowlers had a tough time - the 24 extras indicated as much - and all conceded seven or more runs an over. Brett Lee was shredded to the tune of 20 runs in his sixth over, when the total went from 30 to 50, and Australia never recovered. Overthrows and a wicket off a no-ball typified their day and there was really nothing that went their way in front of a raucous crowd. Gambhir fell with 24 still needed, holing out to mid-on trying to end with a flourish, but Australian would have known that the kangaroo was well and truly bolted.

Robin Uthappa's blistering 35, including six crunchy fours, went well with the fireworks illuminating the Mumbai skies. The cheerleaders in the stands might have twisted and turned but Uthappa didn't waver from striking straight: walking down the track casually and ripping shots with laughable ease. Virender Sehwag managed just 5 on his return but Yuvraj Singh swung India to the finish. Ben Hilfenhaus, playing his first match of the tour, and Michael Clarke were the most effective bowlers but the others didn't have much to smile.

Earlier Ponting made good use of the advantage at the toss. Cashing in on a belter of a pitch that was being used for the first time, he shrugged off a regular loss of partners to motor to his highest score of the tour.

Entering as early as the first over, after Adam Gilchrist slammed three consecutive fours before losing his middle stump to a incisive RP Singh yorker, Ponting displayed controlled aggression. He threw his bat at anything wide of the stumps - fortunate to see Mahendra Singh Dhoni unable to clasp onto a thick edge while lunging to the right - and brought out the imperious pull when anything was short.

He did struggle occasionally against sharp turn that Murali Kartik extracted - the most attacking bowler on show - and preferred to play out Harbhajan Singh's yorker-length offerings. Hayden, who missed the two games due to a hip injury, hammered two huge sixes, walking down the track with characteristic impunity, before playing on to Harbhajan. A mid-pitch misunderstanding did Andrew Symonds in, just when he appeared set to open up, and Brad Hodge capped off a forgettable tour, finishing on an average of less than 10.

Harbhajan was India's most economical bowler, conceding just 17 in his four overs, and Kartik proved an able ally. RP Singh, largely erratic, should have ended with another wicket, with umpire Amish Saheba failing to detect an edge off Brad Haddin in the last over, but it didn't make a difference in the final analysis. This was a Twenty20 and India were here to show their championship class.

'My concentration was disturbed'

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 07:34:00 +0000

Dar admits he wrongly adjudged Tendulkar out
October 20, 2007

More than a month after wrongly adjudging Sachin Tendulkar out caught behind in the final one-day international against England at Lord's, umpire Aleem Dar has apologised, saying that it occurred due to a sudden lapse in concentration.

Tendulkar, batting on 30, was beaten while trying to drive a full-length delivery from Andrew Flintoff outside the off stump. However, replays showed that the bat had clipped the pad instead and Tendulkar stood long enough to register his bewilderment before slowly heading off. His wicket was a big blow for India as they were bowled out for a modest 188, losing by seven wickets and the series 4-3.

"Immediately after I gave Tendulkar caught by wicketkeeper Matt Prior off Andrew Flintoff I realised from his reaction that I had given a wrong decision," Dar told IANS. "On that ball, Flintoff was very close to bowling a no-ball and as I was looking at his foot, my concentration was disturbed."

Though he regretted the decision, Dar said he didn't consider recalling Tendulkar as it was something he had never done before in his international career.

"Since I had never called any batsman after giving a decision I did not call him back," he said. "So, if I were to call Tendulkar I would also call the last man if given wrongly out. I knew that match was the decider. And I was upset after giving that decision. It was a tough match."
Dar said he had apologised to Tendulkar after the match. "After the game when players shake hands with the umpires, Tendulkar also shook my hands on the field. As he did that I said to him 'hard luck'."

Australia fail to adapt

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 07:30:00 +0000

October 20, 2007

As a sentence it sounds incongruous - Australia looked out of their depth, like they hadn't come to terms with what was required in the solitary Tweny20 international at the Brabourne Stadium. Whether it was sheer arrogance or living in denial, Brad Hogg's ommision from the XI, a mistake Australia made in the ICC World Twenty20, invited disaster and it came in the form of a seven-wicket loss.

One Indian batsman recently told this writer that they were not struggling to pick Hogg. Some of the tailenders were, but they struggle to pick anyone. The problem was Hogg always had large totals to defend and scoring quickly against him from the word go was a dangerous prospect, especially when he had his wrong 'un working as well as he did. In Twenty20 cricket, you have to score quickly all the time, eight runs an over is perfectly acceptable returns for a bowler.

Australia, however, seemed to treat this game merely as a shortened version of 50-over cricket. When asked what the difference between ODI cricket and Twenty20 cricket was, earlier in the series at Nagpur, Ponting only said: "30 overs". This was a comment in a lighter vein and had the press corps in splits but, if Australia want to put in stronger performances in the shortest format, one sincerely hopes they don't believe this to be true.

Take the case of Harbhajan Singh. He went through such a rough patch in the one-dayers that the wickets dried up. He was bowling inside the Powerplays and had to keep it tight but slowly, as his confidence dipped, he began to bowl flatter and faster, spearing the ball into the pads with monotonous regularity. It reached a point where Harbhajan lost his place in the one-day team, only to have his career resuscitated by Twenty20 cricket - a format that was meant to be a bowler's nightmare.

In South Africa, Harbhajan succeeded in keeping batsmen quiet, and today was no different. His four overs cost only 17 runs - remarkable given the Australians averaged more than eight runs per over - and picked up the vital wicket of Matthew Hayden. He was successful because he bowled cleverly. Harbhajan possesses a certain kind of street-smart intelligence and it's evident every time you give him a bowl.

The Australians should be asking themselves why they could find no place for someone who took 11 wickets at only 22.63 apiece, going for 4.65 runs an over, and then bowled the spin of Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke for five overs. Sure, it was good to give Ben Hilfenhaus a game and there was a chance the ball might swing but betting on chances is hardly the Australian way, or indeed a sensible way.

When the Australians batted after winning the toss, Hayden displayed no sense of urgency. It was almost as though he was playing himself in, and there's no room for that in this form of the game. It seemed that the only concession Australia would make was for Ricky Ponting to open the face of his bat more than he normally does. In a display of high-class batting - easily the innings of the match - Ponting ran the ball down to the third-man boundary far more than he usually does. When the ball was short, his pulls were as authoritative as ever and, when the field was set back, he dropped the ball expertly into the gaps for ones and twos. Ponting's 76 off 53 balls was enough to take Australia to 166, but that was merely a fighting score in Twenty20 cricket.

Another indication that Australia seemed to be doing nothing different was that they bowled three free-hit no-balls. In this abbreviated format, there's no room for extra deliveries and both Brett Lee and Ben Hilfenhaus were guilty of overstepping by plenty.

When they replied, India brought out their Twenty20 game. Their post-ICC World Twenty20 celebrations may have been over the top and vulgar but their mindset today was exactly what took them to glory in the tournament. The opening batsmen hit the ground running and, although there was some slashing and nicking, Gautam Gambhir has to be given credit for coming in from the cold and making 63.

In the one-day series, India paid the price for making basic mistakes at crucial times. Today, they were ahead for the best part of 38.1 overs and it ended in a flurry of sixes from Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, batting with carefree joy, for it was Australia who made all the mistakes. At the moment, they seem not to care too much about Twenty20 results, but they will eventually. It's not Australian to lose and not care.

Chaotic but electric

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 07:27:00 +0000

October 20, 2007

The open-roof double decker bus that had carried the ecstatic Twenty20 world champions through a rainy Mumbai day just about a month ago circled around the Brabourne Stadium. It was a smart advertising move before India hosted its first Twenty20 international, and the growing popularity of the format was there for all to see.

Thousands stood in queues that ran almost a kilometre around the ground. It was oppressively humid and the teeming masses were drenched in sweat by the time they made it to the plastic chairs for which they had paid between Rs 500 and Rs 10,000 (approx US$ 12.5 to $250). What's more, Adam Gilchrist had already finished his five-ball cameo before most could settle in.

The inaugural World Twenty20 came in for serious praise with regard to the organisation of the tournament. The tickets were affordable and the spectators were treated to quality facilities and cricket alike. Here, though, it was completely different. It is staggering when you have people shelling out thousands and then needing to do without basics like water, mobile phones and cameras.

Sprucing up the grounds and putting in place safety measures like meshes and moats to curtail bad crowd behaviour, can be a starting point. The BCCI, as always, is still playing catch-up and doesn't seem to have learned from its mistakes. Racist crowd behaviour has been the talking point of the tour. Andrew Symonds was at the receiving end in Vadodara and Mumbai, but instead of making the spectators aware of the punishments in store, the police, with their backs to the crowd, were more intent on the action in the ring. The monkey chants that were aired - and this writer could hear plenty emanating from the north-east stand - seemed to go unnoticed.

Ringing out loud and clear were refrains like, "Inky, pinky, ponky, Symonds is a donkey" and "Aey-o, aey-o, Symonds sucks". Every move Symonds made was booed, and he was welcomed to the bowling crease with chants of "Simon, go back". This was not the first-time the notorious Mumbai crowds have shown their ugly side, and unless action is taken soon, it will not be the last.

The behaviour of certain sections may have been unpardonable but the atmosphere was totally abuzz. Bollywood remixes and age-old rock anthems were piped in on the PA, and the crowd followed the twists of the cheerleaders - foreign girls imported to keep the intensity alive. As Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh crashed the ball around, the Indian fans sang, danced, and clapped along to Queen's "We Will Rock You". Both young and old enjoyed their first taste of international Twenty20 cricket in the country.

A year ago India had kept its distance from the format. The BCCI was forced to organise its first domestic event in order to be able to pick a team for the World Cup in South Africa. Going by the evidence on offer this evening, those present at the Brabourne would readily concede that it wasn't just a victory for the home side but one for the format as well.

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 07:21:00 +0000

Gambhir and Uthappa have matured - Dhoni
October 20, 2007

Young and fearless: Robin Uthappa has impressed with his daring attitude © Getty Images
Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the Twenty20 victory over Australia would give his team momentum as they prepare to take on Pakistan in a one-day and Test series starting next month.

"This victory, as well as the last ODI victory, will give us a lot of confidence. International cricket is more about confidence than technique," Dhoni said after India beat Australia in the one-off Twenty20 International at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

"Gautam (Gambhir) and Robin (Uthappa) have matured and played aggressively," he said while praising his side for coming out with a fearless outlook. "They are aggressive but at times they may fail trying for shots and they may be criticised for playing rash shots but that's how it is."
The virgin pitch used for the game helped the spinners; Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik did not disappoint despite having to bowl in tough situations. "Kartik was preferred over Joginder because of conditions," Dhoni said. "In India, we have to generally sacrifice the fourth seamer for second spinner. Today we batted well and bowled well but fielding was not good because of the bumpy ground. Everyone responded well to responsibilities given to them and that is why we won."

Dhoni's counterpart, Ricky Ponting, felt his team did not get enough runs on the board. "We fell short by 15 runs. We gave away too many extras - 23 extras means four extra overs. We did it the other night also and we need to buck up," he said. "Harabhan and Kartik bowled well. Gambhir batted well. We would like to play more matches against the new generation Indian players."

Ending the series with a Twenty20 bang

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 05:48:00 +0000

India v Australia, Twenty20 international, Mumbai

The Preview by Anand Vasu in Mumbai

October 19, 2007

Robin Uthappa: "You shouldn't think of negatives. You want to think of the positives, go out there and give your best" © Getty Images

On the eve of the one-off Twenty20 match at the Brabourne Stadium - which was abuzz with 11th-hour activity - the Indian team was keen to reinforce the fact that this was a different format of the game, one in which they, and not Australia, were world champions.

"Whether they get even or not we're still the world champions, aren't we? It's a very good feeling to go into this game as world champions," Robin Uthappa said when someone suggested that the Australians would be using this game to get back at the Indians for the semi-final defeat in South Africa. "The confidence is high, everyone's enjoying the game and the atmosphere in the dressing-room is fantastic.

"The young guys are all happy to be back. They've had a good break so they've come back fresh. Again it's a new kind of experience. Playing there in South Africa and playing here are two different things altogether - the wickets and the conditions are really different. It's a 20-over game and can change in a matter of five balls. It's a fast game. Whoever plays well [on Saturday] will win."

That said, both teams realise that in this format of the game it's not really worth naming one side favourites and the other underdogs. This is the format in which Australia were beaten by Zimbabwe, and both stressed on the need to enjoy the game. "It's a completely different version of the game so I don't think the loss in the one-day series will have any bearing," Uthappa said. "Everyone's going out there to enjoy themselves. After a seven-match series this Twenty20 game comes like a picnic kind of thing where you enjoy yourselves come what may."

So much has changed now in that the Indians are suggesting they'd take the game a bit lightly, even if in jest, while the Australians concede they realise this version is here to stay and it's important to play as hard as you can. But this role reversal is understandable, given India's success in the World Twenty20.

And for Uthappa, the good times have rolled on, as he's played a couple of exciting and critical knocks in different positions in the batting order in the 50-over format. When asked if it was easy to play this floating role, Uthappa said: "It's easy if you keep an open mind. You should not think: 'I'm fit to play in one position or another.' If you have an open mind anything is possible. If you want to do it for your team you'll do it."

Both teams realise that in this format of the game it's not really worth naming one side favourites and the other underdogs. This is the format in which Australia were beaten by Zimbabwe, and both stressed on the need to enjoy the game

Uthappa drew praise from Ricky Ponting for the manner in which he batted, and insists this will only inspire him further. "Coming from the captain of the best one-day side in the world it's inspiring and pushes me to work harder," Uthappa said. "I'm working on my game and a few flaws that I have. I'm looking to up my game a bit and convert starts to bigger scores."

He said this was possible because he had a flexible approach to batting. "I've been able to adjust to situations whenever and wherever I've needed to change my game. I have the confidence to bat according to the situation. I've done it successfully a couple of times and feel very confident. I think I can up my game at will and if I want to drop down a couple of gears I can do that at will to. I've reached a place where I can change gears at my own time."

That said, even being in good form, Uthappa conceded that the Twenty20 format meant that even a couple of mistakes could cost you dear. But he said the team was not approaching the game with that sort of a mindset. "If you're going to think about making that one mistake then that mistake's going to happen. You shouldn't think of negatives," he said. "You want to think of the positives, go out there and give your best. Everyone in the team has been absolutely positive."

Once again then, India are without Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, and the talk is all about high energy, intensity and a fun atmosphere in the dressing-room. There's extra room for celebration as Virender Sehwag - who missed practice - became a father for the first time. Mahendra Singh Dhoni also missed part of practice with a knee niggle, but was set to play. The in-form Murali Kartik will take the place of the injured legspinner Piyush Chawla. Kartik had left for Delhi on Friday morning and was called back the same evening.

Also likely to return in tomorrow's match is Mathew Hayden. Before the final one-dayer, which Hayden missed, Ponting said that his player was "85 to 90% fit". By now he's good to go, and all things being equal will play on Saturday. And Australia, one-day series wrapped up or not, will be keen to end the tour with a bang.

Twenty20 Champions - Men in BLUE

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:28:00 +0000

The Sexy Twenty20 world cup reliance babes

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:28:00 +0000

Celebrations after Indias win against Pakistan in T20 world cup finals 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:25:00 +0000

All countries t-shirt in 2007 Cricket World Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:24:00 +0000

Cricket World Cup 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:22:00 +0000

NZ announce packed schedule ahead of World Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:20:00 +0000

To host England and Australia in 2007-08

October 17, 2007

New Zealand women will play 10 one-day internationals and the first-ever women's Twenty20 in the country as part of their schedule for 2007-08.

They will host England and Australia between February and March 2008 for five ODIs each, in preparation for the World Cup in 2009.

"The season provides a stern test for the White Ferns in the build up to the 2009 women's World Cup in Australia," said Steve Jenkin, the New Zealand coach.

England last toured New Zealand for a bilateral one-day series in November 2000 and lost all three matches. The two sides played each other last in August this year in England with New Zealand winning the series 3-2.

New Zealand played Australia in the Rose Bowl series this July in Darwin, a series they lost 3-2. Australia will return the visit, which includes a Twenty20 ahead of the ODIs.

"Although we know both sides [Australia and England] well, the level of competition is guaranteed to be of the highest standard and an exciting prospect for players, supporters and all involved," Jenkins said.

"After the 2007-08 summer, we will have a strong indication of our progress as we seek to regain the World Cup."

All matches will be played at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln University.

Ponting eager to play against champions

noreply@blogger.com (Kuldip Kumar Garhwal) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:16:00 +0000

Anand Vasu in Mumbai

October 19, 2007

Ricky Ponting admitted that his team was looking forward, quite keenly, to the Twenty20 match against the ICC World Twenty20 champions.

"We are pretty excited actually and looking forward to the match against a team which won the World Cup (Twenty20) a few weeks ago," said Ponting at a pre-match press conference. He also sought to underplay the hype surrounding the game, just as he hoped the tired debate over verbal volleys would die down.

"There are a lot of things said in the build up to this game. Probably there was more talk about this game than the one-dayers," he said. "So I would expect good entertaining Twenty20 cricket tomorrow and we are looking forward to it. I think it's a nice way to win the tour - to tell you the truth - to be playing a game like this around which there has been so much build up and talk."

When asked whether it was more difficult to adjust to shorter version from the longer version or the reverse, Ponting said, "I am not sure what is more difficult, going into a longer-format of the game from Twenty20 or the other way round. But we do prepare slightly differently for this form of the game.

"We get time to go out there and settle down in a 50-over game," he said. "There is some time in Twenty20 also, but not much. So you might go there and start hitting everything from the first ball and make sure you are timing everything spot on right from the word go. It's a lot more intense. Everything you do through a 50-over game, you have to do it right at the start of a Twenty20 game. That's the way the preparation is."

Ponting also conceded that it was difficult to plan too much for a Twenty20 match. "This game is harder than any other game to plan. Because things just change so quickly, you got to be changing your field placings almost every ball, mix and match your bowlers to suit the batsman. Everything is on-the-spur-of-the-moment stuff here."

There was also some doubt about Matthew Hayden playing the game, as he has a sore throat, but Ponting 'pretty much guaranteed' his return. He also acknowledged Brad Hogg's impact in the series, but said his selection to the side wasn't guaranteed.

"That's the thing we have to decide. We had a look at the wicket, it looks good. There is no doubt the wickets turn a bit in this part of the world as we saw in the Champions Trophy. But even in that tournament we played five fast bowlers, four frontline and Shane Watson. I think we've got bowlers who can adapt and adjust to any conditions so we leave that decision until we finalise our side tomorrow."

Anand Vasu is an associate editor at Cricinfo