Cricket ka Keeda - A Crazy Cricket Blog!!

After Sachin retires.....

2011-12-04T18:27:00.004+05:30

England out to challenge India's Test supremacy . | 2000th test match | India vs. England.

2011-07-21T10:38:00.001+05:30

India are the No.1 cricketing nation in every respect and England are out to challenge this on the field in a cracker of a four-Test series that gets underway at Lord's Thursday. It'll be the 100th Test between the two nations and the 2,000th of the cricket world.

Hype or no hype, the series should produce enthralling cricket between world's two best teams. India have been the No.1 team for two years now, and they would like to perform worthy of their status.

India have come here straight from 1-0 series win in the Caribbean and they are bolstered by the return of Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and pace bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan, who all missed the West Indies series.

England have gone through a metamorphosis under captain Andrew Staruss and coach Andy Flower. They are high on form since Ashes triumph last year and firmly believe they have the potential to snatch the No.1 Test ranking.

In the only warm up game against Somerset in which Strauss batted himself into form, India had a difficult time with the bat and ball. They were struggling at 138/8 in the first innings before Suresh Raina's century saved them the blushes.

With that knock, Raina has more or less elbowed out flamboyant Yuvraj Singh for the No.5 spot.

In the absence of Virender Sehwag, who is expected to join the side for the third Test, opener Abhinav Mukund join Gambhir in an all-left-hand opening combination. Despite his impressive knocks in the West Indies, he needs to tighten his game against the rising ball on pitches which can be dicey.

Gambhir, a prolific scorer in the last few season, is coming back after a shoulder injury. A lot will thus depend on the experienced trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, who possibly are here one last time as players.

Tendulkar has rediscovered the carefree exuberance of his youth in the last one year in all formats. In 15 Tests, he slammed eight centuries, including two double hundreds.

Tendulkar has the small task of reaching his 100th international century and he is equally aware of his poor record at Lord's, his highest being a mere 37. The air is thick with expectancy that the the maestro will finally make it to the Lord's honours board with a century at the Mecca of cricket.

Dravid, who scored heavily in the 2002 series but was weighed down by captaincy in the 2007 series that India won 1-0, will be looking to make amends for the missed opportunities on the previous tour.

Laxman is still to savour a century in the English weather. The stylish Hyderabadi has played some remarkable match-winning knocks, including three 50s in the West Indies before coming here.

England's strength is their bowling, which offers plenty of variety. James Anderson has rightfully emerged as the leader of the pack and Chris Tremlett is touted as the one who can trouble the Indian batsmen with his steep rising deliveries and probing line. The 6'8'' tall Tremlett was the top wicket taker in the series (15) against Sri Lanka followed by Graeme Swann (12) and Stuart Broad (8).

It will be a treat to watch offie Swann, considered the best spinner in the world, bowl against the best players of spin.

Pacer Tim Bresnan, who sat out of the Sri Lanka series will add teeth to the English attack, but Broad is likely to get the nod for the third seamer's place.

In batting, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell are in excellent touch and slammed two centuries each against Sri Lanka. Jonathan Trott is equally in good shape. The only man out of form is Strauss, whose knocks in the tour game against India, will give him much needed confidence.

Former India captain Dravid doesn't like to call it a match between the best batting and the best bowling sides.

'I don't like to say that we are the best batting side and they are best bowling side in the world. At the end of the day it is contest between India and England. That is the important thing. Who is the best and who is not the best? At the end of the day, we have got a strong batting line up, the series will be decided may be that contest,' Dravid said.

For India, Zaheer, who played an important role in the 2007 series win here, will lead the attack. Lot will depend on Ishant Sharma, who claimed 22 wickets in the series against West Indies.

The third seamer will be a toss up between Munaf Patel and Praveen Kumar, though Shantakumaran Sreesanth on his day can be devastating and can extract a lot out of the English conditions. Prave'n's swing that fetched him 12 wickets in the West Indies can tilt the scales in his favour, unless Dhoni is looking for Patel to keep one end tight with his nagging line and length.

Ton of tons beckons Tendulkar in 2000th Test. | 2000th test match | India vs. England.

2011-07-20T11:28:00.002+05:30

Test cricket will celebrate its 2,000th match with a series opener between England and India at Lord's that promises to delight both statisticians and Sachin Tendulkar should the 'Little Master' mark an already landmark occasion with a 100th international hundred.

The match is also the 100th Test between England, who gave birth to cricket, and India, now top of the ICC's Test rankings, the 50-over world champions and the sport's financial powerhouse.

That means it will feature a clash between the 'old world' and the 'new' - as there was, albeit in a different fashion, when England travelled to Melbourne to play Australia in the very first Test in 1877.

Tendulkar arrives at the 'home of cricket', as Lord's likes to call itself, having had to contend with a level of admiration arguably unequalled in both its frenzy and duration in cricket history.

And having scored a record 99 hundreds - 51 in Tests and 48 in one-day internationals in a career that started when he was a 16-year-old in 1989 - that adulation will only intensify should he reach three figures at Lord's, where his previous Test-best is a modest 37.

The ever-modest Tendulkar, his team-mates and opponents have all said the same thing: there is more to this match than Sachin. "I'm not thinking of records," he insisted. "I'm just thinking of enjoying this tour," added Tendulkar, whose four previous Tests at Lord's have yielded a meagre top score of 37.

And he is far from the only star in a powerful top-order featuring the likes of Rahul Dravid, who made 95 at Lord's on his Test debut in 1996 , and Venkatsai Laxman.

"It would be very, very risky to focus all our energies on one player," said England off-spinner Graeme Swann. "Sure, he's the best player of the modern generation, but if we focus on one guy another will sneak in the back door and take it away from us. In MS Dhoni (India's captain) they have possibly the most charismatic player India has ever had, with the sway he holds in that country now. I think he is the most important player in that team now. He leads from the front, is a very dangerous cricketer and if we can get at anyone then he is probably the key man."

India could rue the shoulder injury that has ruled out Virender Sehwag from at least the first two Tests of this four-match contest - a series that if England win by 2-0, 3-1 or better will see them replace the tourists at the top of the ICC's Test table.

Sehwag's fearless strokeplay has confounded the traditional notion of openers merely 'seeing off' the new ball and, however well Gautam Gambhir and Abhinav Mukund, India's new first wicket pair start, they are unlikely to take the match away from England in quite the same style.

England too boast an in-form top order with Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott both in the runs. And yet it remains as true now as it ever did, that the side that can most easily take their opponents 20 wickets will emerge victorious.

That was the case in 2007 when India whose attack, then as now, was led by left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan won a Test series in England 1-0. "If we can keep our fast bowlers fit, then we'll be very competitive," said Dravid, whose team will have to contend with an England attack featuring giant fast bowler Chris Tremlett, who impressed against India in his debut series four years ago.

They will also have to acclimatise quickly should the swinging conditions associated with Lord's and Trent Bridge, the venues for the first two Tests of this series, emerge again if the skies in London and Nottingham are overcast.

This tour has seen India, who last week drew against a Somerset side where 'guest' Andrew Strauss, the England captain, managed 78 and 109, play just the one warm-up match hot on the heels of their arrival from a series win in the West Indies.

Duncan Fletcher always used to play-down the importance of warm-up fixtures when he was coach of England. Now the Zimbabwean is in charge of India, time will tell if he regrets a schedule inconceivable at the dawn of Test cricket 134 years ago.

MS Dhoni leads India's five among Time 100. | ms dhoni | times magazine.

2011-04-22T11:53:00.001+05:30

Led by India's "Captain Fantastic" Mahendra Singh Dhoni, five Indians have made it to the Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world, whose "ideas spark dialogue and dissent and sometimes even revolution."

Other Indians on the Time 100 list released on Thursday are "Titan of Industry" Mukesh Ambani, "Brain Mapper" VS Ramachandran, "Philanthropist" Azim Premji and "Change Agent" Aruna Roy.

The list is topped by Wael Ghonim, the Google executive who became the "Spokesman for a Revolution" in Egypt.

US President Barack Obama, ranked 86, trails far behind his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (43), Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (6), WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (9) and Pakistani spy master Ahmed Shuja Pasha (17).

Ranked 52nd, Dhoni, under whose leadership India won its first cricket World Cup in 28 years, Timenoted, "is now universally acknowledged as India's best captain ever. He's also its most likable, exuding both cool confidence and down-to-earth humility."

"Dhoni doesn't just lead a cricket team, he's also India's captain of hope. And he didn't just win India the World Cup, he also taught India how to win," it said.

The story of Mukesh Ambani, ranked 61st, "is straight out of the Bollywood movies of his hometown,"Time said noting "he started out in life crammed with six people into a two-bedroom tenement in the most congested part of central Mumbai."

"Ambani, 54, also took the firm his father founded - Reliance Industries - and turned it into India's largest private-sector company, a $45 billion petrochemicals giant," it said describing it as "a new kind of Indian company, built through adroit manipulation of governments and the stock market but also enriching millions of shareholders."

Placed 79th, VS Ramachandran, 59, "once described as the Marco Polo of neuroscience," the Timesaid "has mapped some of the most mysterious regions of the mind."

"With his simple, creative and innovative ideas," Ramachandran, "best known for developing a therapy for phantom-limb pain in which a mirror is used to reflect the intact limb, creating the illusion that the missing one is still there," it said "is changing how our brains think about our minds."

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, who has profiled "philanthropist" Azim Premji for the Time, says, "If anyone personifies India's economic transformation, it is Azim Premji, chairman of the information-technology powerhouse Wipro Ltd."

"A pioneer of India's IT-outsourcing industry, Premji helped unleash a generation of skilled technical professionals who make up India's growing middle class," he wrote.

Bringing up the rear for India on the Time list is "Change Agent" Aruna Roy, who "starting from a tiny village in the deserts of Rajasthan in the 1980s began a long campaign to bring transparency to India's notoriously corrupt bureaucracy."

"Many social activists clamour for India to do more for the dispossessed. A former civil servant, Roy doesn't just condemn a broken system; she changes it," it noted.

Giving Tendulkar Bharat Ratna would require change of rules. | Sachin Tendulkar. | Bharat Ratna.

2011-04-11T09:49:00.001+05:30

The calls for bestowing Sachin Tendulkar with the 'Bharat Ratna' may have got louder after India's World Cup triumph but giving the country's highest civillian honour to the batting icon would require tweaking of the criteria that has been laid down for the coveted award.

The 'Bharat Ratna' was started in 1954 and has so far been given to 41 eminent personalities, none of whom are sports-persons, the reason being the criteria for the coveted honour.

Constitutional expert Subhash Kashyap says given the current rules "Tendulkar does not qualify for the honour and giving the award to him would require a change in the rules."

According to the criteria at present, the award is given for exceptional contribution in the fields of art, literature, science and social service. The criteria does not have any mention of sports.

Kashyap says the government has to decide whether it wants to include sports in the criteria for the award. The Sports Ministry will have to present such a proposal for cabinet approval.

"Once the cabinet gives its approval, the Home Ministry can bestow this honour on not just Sachin Tendulkar but any other athlete," he said.

Indian cricket team's prominent players such as Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag have all asked for the honour to be bestowed on Tendulkar after the side's World Cup win.

Warne denies India coach talk.

2011-04-07T10:24:00.002+05:30

Australian spin legend Shane Warne on Wednesday denied media reports that he was interested in coaching World Cup champions India.

"Just got told on bus - apparently I put my hand up to coach India. Wow - first I have heard of it - Sorry to disappoint but never said that!!!" Warne tweeted.

Leg-spinner Warne, 41, is in the country to take part in the Indian Premier League where he leads the Rajasthan Royals franchise in the lucrative Twenty20 competition, starting on Friday.

Local media reports earlier Wednesday said Warne had shown interest in the job. "It is a very difficult job to be India coach, it is never easy," Warne was quoted.

"But with India doing so well, it is a lot easier to take over right now than it has been in the past. I'll enjoy working with the Indian cricket team for sure."

India are without a coach after former South African batsman Gary Kirsten stepped down following the World Cup victory in Mumbai last week. Warne said Kirsten had set high standards during a successful three-year stint with Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team.

"Kirsten is a quality person and it would be hard to find a replacement for him. Under him, the Indian team has reached the number one spot in Tests and won the World Cup," said Warne. "He is a fantastic coach."

Warne, who quit international cricket in 2007 with 708 wickets in Tests and 293 in One-dayers, excelled in a duel role as captain and coach guiding the Rajasthan Royals to a surprise title in the inaugural IPL edition in 2008.

Stuart Law becomes new Sri Lanka coach.

2011-04-07T10:17:00.002+05:30

Sri Lanka Cricket on Wednesday promoted assistant coach and former Australian batsman Stuart Law to guide the national team ahead of next month's tour of England.

"He will be the new interim coach," a spokesman for Sri Lanka Cricket, the governing body of the sport in the island, said.

Law has been assisting Sri Lanka's outgoing Australian coach Trevor Bayliss since November 2009. Sri Lanka tour England in the second week of May for three Tests and five one-day games.

Bayliss, who managed the team for four years, announced his decision to quit ahead of the World Cup 2011, which Sri Lanka lost by six wickets to India in the final. He is due to coach New South Wales.

Law's interim appointment comes amid a major shake-up in Sri Lanka cricket following their World Cup defeat.

Veteran batsman Mahela Jayawardene quit as vice-captain and a three-member selection committee resigned Wednesday, a day after skipper Kumar Sangakkara gave up his position.

Sangakkara stood down on Tuesday to allow selectors to groom new leaders for the next cricket World Cup in 2015.

I'm also trying to serve country like Tendulkar: Dhoni

2011-04-07T10:05:00.002+05:30

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said it was a pleasure to hear words of praise from batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar who had said that he was the best captain he has played under.

Dhoni said he was trying to serve the nation like Tendulkar has been doing for years.

"I've tried to be honest throughout my career. Whatever responsibility is given on my shoulders, I try to fulfil it to the fullest extent. It's just my pleasure that he enjoys playing with me. I am also serving the nation like him," he said ahead of his IPL side Chennai Super Kings' opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday.

Dhoni paid tribute to outgoing coach Gary Kirsten, saying he has set high benchmarks for the team.

"What Gary has done to Indian cricket, I think the benchmark set is really high. When I say really high, (I mean) really high. We will miss him for sure but I assure you, Gary will miss us more.

"Someday when he decides to come back and coach a new team, he'll miss the Indian cricket team even more. There was a bond between him and the team and we'll definitely miss him," said Dhoni who led the Indian team to World Cup triumph last week.

Asked about Australian spin legend Shane Warne's reported desire to coach the Indian team, Dhoni said, "I don't know about it. I heard it from the media. But one thing is for sure, whoever wants to come in or comes in, those (Gary's) are big shoes to fill."

Cricket World cup 2011 funny pictures/images.

2011-04-05T15:11:00.002+05:30

Midas Singh Dhoni - the man with the Midas touch.| The Man Who Can Do No Wrong. | Ms Dhoni.

2011-04-04T10:49:00.001+05:30

Over the last few weeks, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has done things which have made little sense to India’s supporters. Questions were asked. Why Chawla? Why not Ashwin? Why Sreesanth? Why not Sreesanth? Why isn’t Harbhajan taking wickets? Some questioning was justified. Some wasn’t.

Some of Dhoni’s answers were strange.

“Chawla needs to be given confidence.”

“Ashwin is mentally tough.”

“Harbhajan is a big match player.”

“I cannot control Sreesanth.”

You couldn’t get through to Dhoni. He must have smiled inwardly and thought, “Fools. What do they know?” He carried on, living in the bubble that couldn’t be pricked. Like he had a master plan only he understood. Like everything would fall into place at the right moment. In the end, it did.

But as Dhoni revealed after the final, the pressure on him was immense. It was best displayed in the dying moments of India’s chase when he nearly ran himself out. For the first time, horror occupied his creaseless visage. Not tension. Not anger. But pure horror. Dhoni screamed at Yuvraj Singh for the near mishap and hit his pad with his bat in disgust. But this incident didn’t deter him.

Good Old Grit

When Dhoni promoted himself over Yuvraj and Suresh Raina, it wasn’t just the World Cup at stake. Dhoni had been off-colour. But he wanted to shield the two left-handers from Sri Lankan off-spin. Had his brave intentions not yielded runs, questions about Dhoni’s place in the side would have been asked. It was that risky.

Coming out to bat in that situation must be the gutsiest thing a captain has done in a World Cup final since a half-fit, out-of-form Imran Khan went in at three in 1992. Imran made 72 to steer the innings to respectability, then returned to take the final English wicket to seal the win.

As individuals who look within for answers often do, Dhoni said he had a point to prove only to himself.

"I took a quite few decisions tonight and if we hadn't had won I would have been asked quite a few questions," he said after the game. "The pressure had got to me in the previous games. In this match I wanted to bat up the order and Gary Kirsten backed me as did the senior players. I had a point to prove to myself."

A New World Order

It’s hard to fathom how a captain with a penchant for safety-first methods is so successful. Dhoni isn’t like the Australian or South African captains of the past, who would, in their single-minded pursuit of winning, create chances for the opposition.

Dhoni attacks only when absolutely necessary. From the intuitive leader he was at the start, he is now a calculative, risk-free strategist. He has spread himself thin: he also has to keep wickets and bat in the middle-order. Then he has to deal with the beast called the fans’ expectations.

Yet, in the last four years he has won nearly everything worth winning: World Twenty20, the Test No. 1 rank, briefly the No. 1 ODI rank, IPL, Champions League, and now the World Cup. In between, he also nailed other elusive wins: Asia Cup, CB Series, multiple Test wins over Australia, multiple ODI series wins in Sri Lanka, a Test series in New Zealand, to name a few.

The risk-free approach reflects in his batting too. From the go-getter batsman six years ago, he’s become someone who doesn’t want to be caught playing the rash shot. He wants to build. He wants to be patient. While this has worked for Dhoni the captain, it hasn’t for Dhoni the batsman in recent times.

His magnificent 91 in the final was all heart, all guts, something you would associate with the Dhoni of the old. Playing a big hand in the final would make winning it doubly special for Dhoni.

So if there’s a wishlist for the newly crowned world champions, it is this: if they tighten up the bowling, attack a little more, and replace the non-performing ‘big-match players’, India will be truly hard to topple from their top spot.

And skipper, please play those backfoot punches more often.

The final winning moments.

2011-04-04T09:59:00.004+05:30

An ode to the two masters sachin and murali. | sachin tendulkar. | Muttiah Muralitharan. | cricket world cup final 2011.

2011-04-02T10:05:00.001+05:30

It is only fitting that two stalwarts of the game will cross paths for one last time in the final of the 2011 World Cup at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. While this will be Muttiah Muralitharan's last international match; it is more than likely that though Sachin Tendulkar will continue playing international cricket, the final on April 2, 2011, would be his swansong in World Cups.

Tendulkar and Muralitharan have had contrasting careers. Tendulkar's career has mainly been controversy-free, but the same can't be said of Muralitharan, whose bowling action was under the scanner for quite a while before it was finally and rightly deemed to be legal. It is a testament to his talent and spirit though that Muralitharan didn’t let these controversies affect his performances on the field; in fact, he came back stronger more often than not each time after his skill was questioned. Tendulkar has had to deal with the expectations of more than a billion people for most of his 21-year international career, but he has carried those burdens like a true champion and has been unfazed by all the attention showered on him.

Tendulkar and Muralitharan are not only icons on and off the field, but they have also retained their love, hunger and passion for the game despite achieving one landmark after the other and setting records that are unlikely to be ever broken. Tendulkar is the highest run-scorer in Tests and one-day internationals and is now on the cusp of 100 international hundreds – he has so far scored 51 and 48 centuries in Tests and ODIs respectively. Muralitharan is the highest wicket-taker in Tests and ODIs and has taken 1347 wickets in all formats of cricket – 800 in Tests, 534 in ODIs and 13 in Twenty20 internationals. The sheer impressive volume of these and their other numbers apart, one of the highlights of Tendulkar and Muralitharan's careers has been their constant desire to improve and continuously hone their skills to remain on top. They have also paid heed as age caught up with them and made subtle but significant changes in their individual games to ensure they maintained their form and this has helped Tendulkar and Muralitharan to keep setting benchmarks, most of which are bound to stay for posterity, even as their teammates and peers across the cricketing world continue to marvel at the pair’s undiminished hunger for success and perfection.

They are also big match players, and have rarely let their teams down in crunch matches over the years even as they led from the front with bat (Tendulkar) and ball (Muralitharan). It is a testament to their standing in the cricketing world that opposition teams never rested easy when Tendulkar was in the middle or when Muralitharan weaved magic with the ball. Such respect by the opposition is only reserved for the game's elite, and both of them are at the top of the heap when it comes to being counted amongst the all-time greats of the game.

Tendulkar and Muralitharan have also acted as mentors for the younger players in the team and have been sounding boards for the experienced members of the squad. Muralitharan, who is the only Tamil in the Sri Lankan team, has also played the role of 'peace-maker' and unifying factor in his country whenever he has taken the field and is also involved with various charities. On the other hand, despite having the ability to stop and entire nation when he walks out to bat, Tendulkar hasn't let success after success get to his head, and this is one of the most endearing qualities in the man from Mumbai.

Tendulkar and Muralitharan have both had it good in the 2011 World Cup – the Indian batting legend is second in the run-scorers list with 464 runs, while Muralitharan with 15 wickets is fifth in the list of leading wicket-takers in the tournament. It will be an interesting battle between Tillakaratne Dilshan (467) and Tendulkar in the final to finish as the leading run-scorer in the mega-event. Muralitharan, who has suffered a spate of injuries in the tournament, is expected to play in the final, and needs three more wickets to equal Australian legend Glenn McGrath’s record of 71 World Cup wickets.

It is a pity that only either Tendulkar or Muralitharan would be smiling at the end of the final, but they will want to get one over the other for the last time should they face-off in the final. Muralitharan was part of Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup winning squad and would want to cap off his international career with a second title; while Tendulkar will be desperate to win the one title that has so far eluded him in his illustrious career. While the maestros battle it out in the middle at the Wankhede Stadium, let's sit back and savour the sight (hopefully) of Muralitharan bowling to Tendulkar for the last time in an international match.

How Kirsten Plotted India’s Rise. | gary kirsten.

2011-04-02T09:44:00.002+05:30

If you want to know about Gary Kirsten’s work ethics, who better to tell you about it than a childhood mate? Herschelle Gibbs in his no-holds-barred autobiography, To The Point, offers excellent insights into what makes Kirsten tick.

Gibbs befriended Kirsten as a 16-year-old. They went on to forge a successful opening partnership in Test cricket for South Africa. Their method of net practice was simple yet intense: they took turns to throw balls at each other at great speeds from 16 yards. Sometimes, one would hit the other on the helmet and then return the favour.

“The practice sessions Gary and I had together were sometimes more draining than actually facing bowlers in the middle,” Gibbs wrote. “Gary practiced like he played – with a lot of heart and determination. He always wanted to get things right.”

In one stroke, Gibbs explains why India are No. 1 in Tests and South Africa aren’t. He reckons members of the current SA squad are spoilt and selfish. “The guys won’t throw to each other,” he writes. “I know that Gary spends hour upon hour practising in the same way he and I used to with the Indian national team he’s currently coaching, so you don’t have to wonder why they’re currently number one in the world. And why the Proteas aren’t...”

Kirsten’s tireless right arm is one of the reasons why India’s batsmen have done so well in recent times. He is at it all the time in the nets, throwing one fast ball after another, minute after minute, session after session to the Indian batsmen.

As VVS Laxman puts it, "From the first minute of a net session to the last, he's either giving throw-downs, hitting catches or talking to someone. He's always busy. His capacity for work is unbelievable and that's been infectious."

Saturday’s World Cup final is Kirsten’s last match with the Indian team. And what a run it has been. After Greg Chappell’s exit, India were No. 6 in ODIs and No. 4 in Tests. They’re now the clear No. 1 in Tests, and were No. 1 in ODIs briefly. With a World Cup win, they will be within an earshot of the top spot again.

Four years ago...

... after India made an early return from the World Cup in the West Indies, Chappell’s divisive reign ended. For something like nine months, several men warmed the coach’s chair. Ravi Shastri was used in Bangladesh. A 72-year-old Chandu Borde was pressed out of retirement for the tour of UK.

Lalchand Rajput next held the job when India won the World T20 in South Africa and did well in Australia. In between, Graham Ford, former Proteas coach, Dav Whatmore, Sri Lanka’s 1996 Cup-winning coach and John Emburey were some of the people who threw their hat in the ring. With Kirsten’s decision to return home citing family commitments, India are back to square one.

It was this period when Kirsten, who had his own coaching set-up in Cape Town, was working with the Zimbabwe squad. Later at the World T20 in South Africa, the unfancied team stunned Australia in one of the league games.

Kirsten was approached eventually, but getting him to the job wasn’t easy. Apparently, some senior players weren’t on the same page as the BCCI. Kirsten finally took the job in December 2007 after being assured of full support. India have risen steadily since then.

It’s worthwhile going through what Kirsten does for the team. His approach to coaching is wholesome. And he has done it all with a soft touch. Right from finding the right practice methods, he advices the team on mental conditioning, eating habits and managing one’s role perfectly. He tells you how it is with an arm around your shoulder. And when a man with 7200 Test runs and 6700 ODI runs gives you advice about cricket, you listen.

He encourages players to write down their goals, to crack jokes in the dressing room, take pictures, learn to smile and say thank you, be willing to forgive team mates, and even watch TV comedies to take their minds off cricket.

But the one department even Kirsten seems to have given up on is India’s fielding. He has admitted this aspect has remained ignored during his tenure. Recently he had set a target for every fielder to save eight runs a day, show positive intent on the field by wanting the ball to come to you, to score the match-winning catch or run-out.

Nevertheless, this pain point remains in Indian cricket.

As a parting shot...

... here’s another clip from Gibbs, who describes his feelings after Kirsten made a gutsy 227-ball 76 to save what was his final game for South Africa.

“It is not often that a great cricketer ends his career with a great innings but unfortunately this servant of South African cricket left the field having given his team one last master class on how talent and application make a formidable combination,” Gibbs wrote.

“Two hours after Gary walked off, the tears were still there… The only time I’d ever cried like that was at Hansie Cronje’s funeral. But, ja, Gary Kirsten is just a genuine, true and complete human being.”

A World Cup win may be another master class from Kirsten. And his supporters will share Gibbs’ feelings when he walks away after Saturday’s final at the Wankhede Stadium.

'Murali will play, unless he's on one leg'. | india vs sri lanka final cricket world cup 2011.

2011-04-02T09:12:00.001+05:30

It's a final at a final - Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan will be playing his penultimate international game at the World Cup final in Mumbai on Saturday - provided he's fit that is. Murali has been plagued with injuries through the tournament and currently has a troublesome knee and a hamstring. Though when it comes to Murali, everyone knows that injuries are not enough to keep him away from such a big occasion.

Opposition captain MS Dhoni summed it up best when quizzed on whether Murali would play and India's plans against him: "It does affect us but is beyond our control.and as a team we prepare for the whole opposition. Muralitharan is very special individual; he has been part of CSK for the past 3 yrs. He's a very good character to have in the dressing room, an equally good opponent who plays a fair cricket, believes in himself and is always entertaining. I think he will definitely play the game unless he's on one leg."

Muralitharan has 534 ODI wickets over a span of 18 years and was also part of Sri Lanka's World Cup winning squad in 1996.

Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara paid tribute to not just the skill of the magician but also the person behind the ball. "He's a big match player and if he's fit, he will take the field. In our dressing room, it's hard to shut Murali up whatever his mood is. He's pretty upbeat. He's always talking and laughing and today's been no different. It's great to have him in the side and it'd be great to have him play the World Cup final. Whatever happens tomorrow, we want to play for him and play for each other", said Sangakkara.

The best video for indo-pak match on 30th march 2011!!!!

2011-03-28T17:30:00.001+05:30

Fake images of Sachin's house on Google!!!!

2011-03-28T11:31:00.002+05:30

England can hurt India on turner, says Bopara.|india vs england|cricket world cup 2011.

2011-02-25T10:50:00.001+05:30

Ashes-winning England have spinners who can cause a headache for India if Sunday's World Cup match is played on a turning track, batsman Ravi Bopara said on Thursday.

"If it is a spinning deck we have got our own spinners who can cause problems. A pitch that spins is going to cause trouble for any team. It is going to cause problems for India as well," said Bopara.
"A lot is going to depend on the conditions. If the conditions don't suit spin we don't have to worry about it. It is going to be a good game."

India are expected to include a second specialist spinner against England, especially after the success of their slow men against defending champions Australia in a warm-up game at the same venue.
England, who meet India in the day-night match in Bangalore on Sunday, are seeking their second successive victory after having defeated the Netherlands in Nagpur on Tuesday.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann was England's most successful bowler with 2-35 off 10 tight overs, but their overall bowling performance was below par as they conceded 292 against the non-Test-playing nation.
"We were not our usual self the other day. But there are a lot of positives from that game, particularly the chase," said Bopara. "A total of 293 is a big score against any side, especially in India where the wickets get slower and lower. It is harder to bat. We batted brilliantly especially at the top."

Bopara also played a key role in England's big chase, smashing a 20-ball 30 with one six and two fours."It (the knock against the Netherlands) does help the confidence. I felt a bit relaxed when I went in the other night. We always knew we were going to win the game, but I had to ensure I was there till the end to finish it off."

India boast of exciting stroke-players in Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but Bopara said his team had plans to keep pressure on the hosts' batting line-up.

"This is one of our toughest challenges in this tournament. We know what the Indian batsman are capable of, but we do have our plans to keep them quiet," said Bopara, who has so far scored 1,170 runs in 55 one-day internationals.

"Every match is big for us. Even the game the other night was big. Playing India in India is going to be huge. It's going to be massive for the fans. All the boys are looking forward to it. We have plans against each bowler and batsman but it is how the batsmen feel on the day. We generally play aggressive cricket. We know in places like Bangalore, there can be high totals like 270-300." Bopara said he was looking forward to playing a big match before a sizeabale holiday crowd.

"I have played in this atmosphere before in the IPL (Indian Premier League). It is very, very noisy. You struggle to have a conversation with a player on the field but it is fun," he said.

"The crowd are enjoying it. At the end of the day you are an entertainer and you want them to enjoy. When you set yourself high standards you don't drift away. The crowd does pump you up."

Bopara, who replaced injured Eoin Morgan at the last moment for a place in the World Cup squad, said he was keen to make the most of the opportunity.

"It is a big opportunity to get back into the side. I have got two opportunities so far, one in the warm-up game and then in the opening match," Bopara said, adding his Indian idol was Tendulkar.

Swann wants England to silence Indian crowd|england vs india|Graeme Swann|cricket world cup 2011

2011-02-24T11:53:00.000+05:30

Graeme Swann wants to silence the passionate home crowd when England face World Cup co-hosts India in Bangalore on Sunday.

The Ashes-winning off-spinner returned to international action for the first time since the birth of his son with an impressive two for 35 during England's tournament-opening six-wicket win over the Netherlands on Tuesday.

But the 31-year-old's bowling was one of the few highlights in a lacklustre display in the field littered with dropped catches and wayward fast bowling on a good batting pitch.

India launched their campaign with an 87-run victory away to fellow co-hosts Bangladesh in Dhaka and are strongly fancied to add a second title to their 1983 World Cup trophy in front of their adoring fans.

"The fact it's against India in India is going to make it a huge game," said Swann after England saw off the Dutch with eight balls to spare.

"We had a very poor time of things in the one-day series here a couple of years ago, so that's certainly something we want to turn around because there is nothing better than silencing an Indian crowd."

"You don't want them to be screaming all day because its ear-shattering. Come Bangalore it will be a huge game and one we will need to raise our standards for, particularly in the field because, let's face it, we were like a bunch of schoolboys (against the Netherlands)."

The worst moment was when Dutch all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate, who went on to make a century, skied Swann on 47 only for James Anderson at long-on and Kevin Pietersen at long-off to leave the chance to each other as the ball fell safely between them.

"They both got the glare," Swann said. "When it goes 80 yards in the air and two of your best fielders stand and watch it land between them, it's never great as a bowler but I can't really complain because I dropped that high swirler near the end. Everything evens itself out."

Swann was England's lone spinner in a match where the frontline quicks, especially Anderson, whose 10 wicketless overs cost 72 runs, proved expensive.

England do have another slow bowler in left-armer Michael Yardy who, like Swann, performed well in the team that won the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean last year.

Swann though warned it was a mistake to think Indian pitches offered excessive help to spinners.
"I think it is hit or miss in India with spin. People always say that spin plays a massive part and wickets turn square over here. They don't and there was a little bit of spin (against the Netherlands) but it wasn't huge."

Swann, who had been struggling with a knee injury, was pleased by the way he bowled upon returning to international cricket "I'm delighted because I've let the team down a couple of times before after a bit of a break and promised I wouldn't do it this time, so I'm glad I lived up to my word."

Swann joined up late with the squad following the birth of his son, Wilfred, and he admitted: "Within two days of the little fellow coming into the world I'm saying a teary goodbye. That's our lot as international cricketers."

"On the plus side, I get to come here to play in a World Cup so in 18 years' time when he is giving me grief for not being there for the first six weeks I'll be able to say but I had to go and beat Holland."

Ponting reprimanded for ICC Code of Conduct breach|world cup 2011| ricky ponting.

2011-02-24T11:32:00.000+05:30

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has been reprimanded for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during his team's ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 match against Zimbabwe in Ahmedabad.

Ponting accepted the Level 1 charge and the proposed sanction from Roshan Mahanama of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees after an incident was brought to the ICC's attention through the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Gujarat Cricket Association.

He was found to have breached clause 2.1.2 of the code which relates to "abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international match". The charge was brought by the chairman of the Event Technical Committee David Richardson on behalf of the ICC Chief Executive, in accordance with the regulations.

The incident occurred shortly after Ponting was run out in the match when he caused some damage to a television set in the team dressingroom. The damage occurred when he threw down a piece of equipment which bounced off his kit bag and hit the corner of the television.

"Ricky knows that his action was in breach of the code, involving a brief moment of frustration. That said, it was clear that the damage he caused was purely accidental and without malice, he apologized shortly after the incident at the ground and immediately agreed to pay for the damage," said Mr Mahanama.

As Ponting accepted the offence and the proposed sanction, there was no need to convene a formal hearing. Level 1 offences carry penalties ranging from an official reprimand to 50 per cent of a player's match fee.

Dhoni on the cusp of greatness in this WC.|world cup 2011| cricket world cup 2011| dhoni| ms dhoni.

2011-02-24T11:18:00.000+05:30

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in line to become India's most celebrated cricket captain if he wins the World Cup 2011 as fans of this cricket-crazy country of 1.2 billion hope.

Expectations have risen with a balanced team and a powerful batting lineup that give India a chance to improve on the two previous World Cups held on the subcontinent in 1987 and 1996, when it made the semifinals.

Though India has won the World Cup before, in 1983 under Kapil Dev, Dhoni stands to go one better if he can lift the trophy in Mumbai on April 2, having already won an international title for his country at the World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007.

Despite the inevitable tension, Dhoni has been relaxed in his approach. And his side has responded with convincing wins in practice games over Australia and New Zealand, and a similarly impressive victory in its World Cup opener in Group B last Saturday against fellow co-host Bangladesh.

"There is pressure if you win, pressure if you lose," he said ahead of the game against Bangladesh. "I would have told you the exact figure (of pressure) if I had a machine to measure it."

Such a situation is inevitable given that India is both a co-host and a tournament favourite, when it was neither in 1983.

Dev led an unfancied team which shocked favorite West Indies in the final at Lord's, triggering a process that eventually made the country the financial epicenter of the game.

Now, Dev is bullish about the current team's prospects of hoisting the trophy again for India.
"Dhoni should do better than me," he said recently. "He is a very fine cricketer, a fantastic captain and I hope he can achieve everything he wanted."

"The Indian team for the World Cup is the strongest batting lineup we have ever seen in world cricket. It looks a balanced team, though the bowling is a bit weak. So if they can play to their abilities they can emerge world champions," he said.

The batting lineup led by the world's highest-scoring batsman Sachin Tendulkar also has names like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and captain Dhoni himself, who have all proved themselves over the years.

With Virat Kohli and Yusuf Pathan also going into the tournament in fine form, it is a batting lineup envied by rival captains.

Just as the landscape of cricket has changed since the last World Cup, with the advent of Twenty20 cricket, so Dhoni's stature has risen significantly in the intervening years.

India found a new leader when, with the country virtually in mourning after its shock exit from the 2007 World Cup, Dhoni led a young side to victory in the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa.

He then gradually took over as captain of the one-day and Test teams with success.

Dhoni has led India to victory in 14 of 24 Test matches and 53 of 94 one-day internationals, with seven no results. His Twenty20 win-loss record for India stands at a humble 12-11 by his standards, but he has also led the Chennai Superkings to title victories in both the Indian Premier League and the Champions League.
Sourav Ganguly, who is the most successful India skipper in Tests with 21 victories and who also led India to the final of the 2003 World Cup, has only praise for Dhoni.

"I think he (Dhoni) backs his players and gives them opportunities consistently, which is very important," Ganguly told Hindustan Times in a recent interview. "He takes risks, which is also crucial for a captain because as a skipper you cannot just do things in the typical stereotyped manner."

The 29-year-old Dhoni is already an inspiration for a generation of cricketers from smaller cities as he hails from the state of Jharkhand, considered the backwaters of Indian cricket.

Now, he is only one step away from upstaging top Indian captains like Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin and Sourav Ganguly.

No turning back as Smith eyes South Africa triumph.

2011-02-24T10:59:00.000+05:30

Graeme Smith is determined to end his reign as South Africa's one-day captain in a blaze of glory by leading the Proteas to a first World Cup 2011 triumph.

Smith, who will carry on as Test skipper, insisted there was no question of going back on his decision to relinquish a job he's held since succeeding Shaun Pollock after the ill-fated 2003 World Cup.
"It's my opportunity to lead the team and leave it all out here," said the 30-year-old, ahead of his team's opening Group B clash against the West Indies on Thursday.

"To be honest with you, I am excited to be able to lead the guys. I have gained good experience through the other tournaments. In 2007 (when South Africa reached the semi- finals), in particular, I gained a lot."
"I feel I am in the best place to lead the guys. I am really proud of the group that I have got around me. It will hopefully bode well for an exciting tournament."

Smith has led South Africa in more Tests (82) and one-day internationals (142) than anyone else, but victory in an International Cricket Council event has eluded South Africa.

They will be favourites to beat the West Indies in the Group B clash at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground, but Smith said on Wednesday that their opponents cannot be under-estimated.

He is wary that a one-off performance, just like the scare that England suffered at the hands of Dutch century-maker Ryan ten Doeschate on Tuesday, could derail his plans for a winning start to the marathon campaign.

"We will go into the game expecting them to play well," said Smith.

"You have to, that's sports. On any given day, people can perform well. It takes one good performance, like from ten Doeschate, to put you in the game." "You can't afford to take people for granted. You need to make sure you prepare well for each game."

The South African skipper said he was not too worried about how the pitch would behave even though it had been largely tested.

The Kotla ground was banished from the international schedule in 2009 after a one-dayer between India and Sri Lanka had to be abandoned due to a "dangerous" playing surface.

"I think we are all aware of what has happened in Delhi," said Smith.

"It's been relaid, there's been a few games played on it but it's an unknown factor for all of us. But I think you can see they have made a really big effort out here."

"The field is looking good, you can see they have put a lot of work into the surface. You've got to commend them for that. Let's hope it all works out tomorrow."

New Zealand eye Aussie win to lift spirits.

2011-02-23T10:49:00.000+05:30

New Zealand cricket captain Daniel Vettori believes a World Cup win over trans-Tasman rivals Australia will help lift national spirits left shattered by the deadly Christchurch earthquake.

The 15-man squad desperately scrambled for news on loved ones caught up in Tuesday's 6.3 magnitude quake which killed at least 65 people, with the team admitting to being left shocked and numbed by the tragedy.

"The greatest thing we can do is beat Australia to hopefully help bring a little relief for the people who are going such a rough time at home," said Vettori.

"It's been a tough day. Five or six of the team and the management crew are based in Christchurch, so it's been a rough time for them finding out that their families are safe."

"We all have family or friends in Christchurch, it's been tough. We are feeling it too and the Canterbury community is in our thoughts and prayers."

"It's hard to deal with out of context. Guys will be thinking about wives and children at home who are dealing with the aftermath. It might be a distraction, it will be a testing time."

New Zealand's players, who face defending champions Australia in Nagpur on Friday, regularly used Twitter throughout the day in search of information and to offer condolences.

"Everyone's families are fine, but quite a numb and flat feeling in the squad," veteran player Scott Styris wrote. "Training was tough."

Opening batsman Martin Guptill said the squad's thoughts were with their compatriots.

"Thoughts go out to the people of Chch today. Terrible thing to have happened again," Guptill tweeted.
International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat said that an appropriate gesture of respect would be made when New Zealand face Australia.

"At times like this, sport can only offer its support and its deepest sympathy to those who have lost loved ones during such a tragedy," said Lorgat.

"It's a helpless feeling but I will be discussing with the organisers of the World Cup how we can most appropriately remember those who lost their lives or have been injured and affected when the Black Caps play their next match against Australia in Nagpur on Friday.

"We have already contacted New Zealand Cricket's chief executive Dr Justin Vaughan to express our concern for him, his staff and the people of Christchurch."

"On behalf of everyone at the ICC and the World Cup we send our heartfelt condolences."
Among the New Zealand World Cup squad, fast bowler Hamish Bennett plies his trade for the Canterbury team in the devastated area while coach John Wright was born in the region.

The news would have also rattled Netherlands captain Peter Borren who was born in Christchurch. The Dutch were playing England on Tuesday.

Pressure nullifies India's home advantage: Kallis.| World cup 2011| cricket worls cup 2011| south africa| jacque kallis.

2011-02-23T10:40:00.000+05:30

Perennial chokers they might be but South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis feels there is nothing called favourites in a big event like the World Cup and the huge pressure of expectation will nullify India's home advantage in the ongoing tournament.

Kallis said in World Cup no side can afford to take its opponent lightly, and the team which handles pressure at crunch situations, will run away with the coveted trophy.

"I don't think any team starts as favorites at the moment. A lot of people are talking about India but we know how hard it is to play under pressure at home. That probably negates their home advantage," the 35-year-old all-rounder told reporters during their practice session at the Feroze Shah Kotla here on Tuesday.

"Ultimately it boils down to how you play in the group stage and once you reach the quarterfinals, semifinals, final, anything can happen. I think all the teams are evenly matched."

"The team which plays the best game under pressure will come out on top," he added.

Asked about the chokers tag associated with the Proteas in ICC tournaments, Kallis said, "A lot is being made in the media about the chokers tag. But we players don't even think about it."

"Everytime the team loses, people say the team has choked. But it is certainly not something which haunt us. We have a young team, 11 out of the 15 have never played in a World Cup.

"So it doesn't bother us. We are just worried about playing good cricket."

Kallis, who is the numero uno all-rounder in ODI cricket with 11,002 runs and 259 wickets, said he has completely recovered from his rib injury and will feature in the opening clash against the West Indies here on Thursday.

"So far, everything is going according to plan. I have been bowling for about a week. I am 100 per cent fit for the match."

"In fact, most of the guys are in good condition, raring to go. The good thing is that we have all the 15 to pick from," he said.

Although South Africa boast of a good record against West Indies in recent times, the right-hander said the match is evenly-balanced and the Proteas need to be on top of their game on Thursday.

"They are a dangerous side. They have got a few players who can change the game. We need to be on the top our game."

"You can't take any side lightly because one bad result against you can put pressure," Kallis said.
Kallis, however, was apprehensive about the under-fire Kotla wicket producing a high-scoring affair on Thursday.

"I haven't had a look at it as yet. I have seen it during the IPL and it wasn't too bad. Probably it's not gonna be 300-350 wicket," he said.

He also seemed excited with the fact that South Africa have packed their squad with three specialist spinners.
"We know that the wickets are going to help the spinners. It's nice to have three quality spinners in our side. I think it's an advantage."

"Certainly we haven't had a leg-spinner (Imran Tahir) in a very long time. So that brings something different. We have an off-spinner, we have a leg-spinner and the variety we've got to choose from is fantastic. I think we covered all our bases," Kallis insisted.

Kallis also dismissed suggestions that South Africa may be little rusty going into Thursday's match, saying their preparation so far went of well.

"It has been a fantastic two-and-a-half weeks for us. We have already had our preparation for the game; it's just the finishing touches we need to take care of.

"As far as preparation goes, we have been as well prepared as we have been in any other World Cup. The guys are in a lot more relaxed frame of mind, probably better prepared than any other World Cup," he said.

"The team has spent a lot of time together as well. Each guy knows his role in the team. That to me is a major positive. As a senior player, I am telling the youngsters to go out there and enjoy the World Cup," Kallis added.

Just one of those days, says ton-up Ten Doeschate.

2011-02-23T10:25:00.000+05:30

A jubilant Ryan ten Doeschate said it had been "one of those days" after lashing 119 runs against England to get the Netherlands' World Cup campaign off to a flying start on Tuesday.

The Dutch came into the match in Nagpur as underdogs but with confidence after a win against England at the 2009 World Twenty20.

South African-born ten Doeschate, who owns the highest ODI average in international cricket, took the ragged England attack apart, striking nine fours and three sixes in a devastating show of power.

"For the past six weeks I've struggled with the bat but I've worked really hard in the last two weeks and it was just one of those days," said the batsman who helped his team to an impressive 292-6.

"It is a really good deck and I picked up the ball pretty early and it was one of those days when everything came naturally."

Ten Doeschate said the team had done well to score quickly in the last 10 overs to build on their solid start, adding: "If we bowl well we'll have a chance of winning the game."

The Essex all-rounder, snapped up by Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders, for 150,000 dollars, had scored 1,234 runs at a formidable average of 68.55 coming into the England match.

Gayle eyes magical 200-run mark!!!

2011-02-22T10:48:00.000+05:30

West Indies batting star Chris Gayle wants to emulate India's Sachin Tendulkar and notch up one-day cricket's second double-century at the World Cup.

Tendulkar rewrote the record books in February last year by hammering an unprecedented 200 not out against South Africa.

Tendulkar's team-mate and opening partner Virender Sehwag came close to matching his feat in India's opening World Cup match against Bangladesh last week before being dismissed for 175.

Gayle, also an attacking opener, believes he can achieve the magical mark if he bats out the 50 overs.
"The master-blaster (Sachin Tendulkar) got it. A guy like Sehwag can get it. These are the guys who can get it once they get off to a good start. You bat through the 50 overs and it becomes a possibility."

"If I get a chance, I'll definitely chase it," said Gayle, whose highest score in one-day internationals is the 153 not out he scored against Zimbabwe in 2003.

The left-hander is also keen to polish his all-round skills and contribute to his team with his off-spinners, which have fetched him 156 wickets from 223 ODIs.

"I want to be the best all-rounder in the World Cup," said the 31-year-old. "I should be able to do a bit of bowling and get a few wickets as well and also set up a good total for the team."
Gayle was realistic of his team's chances at the showpiece tournament.

"The preparation has been good. We came from Sri Lanka, of course things didn't go according to our plan but at the same time it is a big occasion and we want to get a winning start."
"The key is to get a good start and in this new format, the top four get to the quarterfinals. That would be our objective and then anything is possible."

West Indies drew all the three rain-hit Tests in Sri Lanka before losing the following one-day series 2-0.
In the World Cup, West Indies have been drawn in Group B alongside Bangladesh, India, England, South Africa, the Netherlands and Ireland.

Their first match is against South Africa at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday.
Gayle said he was hopeful his team will script a turnaround in their fortunes this time.

"We have not done well in the two World Cups that I played and I hope things turn around here. We need to have the self belief. We have to take responsibility."
"We have to go out there and not just put up a fight but get victories."