Yousuf Sale may be just a footnote in the history of first-class cricket. But a few horizontal movements of this first-class umpire's hand in 1988 changed the face of Indian cricket. Sale had noballed a schoolboy bowling medium pace for chucking. The schoolboy switched to legspin. Circa 2008, Anil Kumble is 600 wickets old.
I read about Kumble first in 1989 as an under-19 player who slammed a century against his Pakistani counterparts. He seemed a batsman who could bowl a bit. Somebody who could be a useful bits-and-pieces player in the one-day game. A year later he made a tentative test debut against England. The accurate leg-spinner who did not spin the ball was out after a few onedayers. The unassuming youngster wearing glasses I thought would end up a fringe player.
Cut to 1992. Maninder Singh was having a good domestic season and seemed a strong contender for the South Africa series. It all boiled down to the Delhi vs Rest of India Irani Trophy match. Maninder was thrashed for 218 runs, emerging with three wickets as Rest of India amassed 638. RoI followed it up by reducing Delhi to oblivion - winning by an innings and 122 runs. The chief architect - Anil Kumble with a rich haul of 13 wickets. There was no turning back after that.
Four tests in South Africa produced 18 wickets. And back in India, Kumble became the spearhead in the Azharuddin-Wadekar formula of victory after victory on slow designer pitches.
Dubbed as a seamer masquerading as a spinner, Kumble's relentless accuracy and bounce fetched him a bagful of wickets, and with time there was more spin too. In ODIs the accuracy meant it was difficult to get runs off him.
It was a different story outside the country though. Kumble had inspired India to a test victory over Sri Lanka in the early 1990s (India's only win abroad in the entire decade). But Kumble lacked bite when it came to tests in Australia, West Indies, England, New Zealand and South Africa through the 1990s and the early 2000s.
Even at home in the early 2000s, Kumble was no longer indispensable. In 2001, Harbhajan Singh was in the forefront, with a mind-boggling 32 wickets in three tests against Steve Waugh's Aussies, while an injured Kumble missed the entire series. Kumble did return and remained a certainty in the test side but an ODI spot was slipping out of his grasp. The highest ODI wicket-taker for India (he still is) missed out on the final XI for most of the 2003 World Cup matches.
Later that year, Harbhajan was preferred over Kumble in the Brisbane Test against Australia. The World Cup and now this, Kumble was becoming increasingly peripheral in then skipper Sourav Ganguly's scheme of things. But soon after Brisbane, it was an injured Harbhajan's turn to return the favour (of 2001 when Kumble's injury had given Harbhajan a place and 32 wickets against Australia). Kumble grabbed the chance with both hands, churning out 24 wickets off three tests. Nobody could label him a paper tiger abroad anymore
The much-hyped test series in Pakistan was next, a country where India had never ever won a single test, forget winning a series. Kumble was in his elements, striking at regular intervals as India pulled off a historic 2-1 triumph. By now, he was employing guile as much as his time-tested tool of accuracy.
Kumble did get to captain in an ODI against England in 2001-02 (with both Ganguly and Dravid missing) . But that seemed just a matter of trivia, for an unsung hero who was far away from the ad-mad world. Conventional wisdom (in India at least) had it that only a batsman made it to captaincy (the last bowler being Kapil Dev who was removed in 1987).
The BCCI does deserve some credit for not getting swayed by the Twenty20 heroics of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and opting for the veteran soldier Kumble, after Rahul Dravid stepped down.
There's been method in Kumble's leadership, just like his bowling. And the air of dignified articulation made the world sit up and listen, when he announced after the Sydney Test that only one team played fair. The same words from Sourav Ganguly would have sounded very different.
Guts Kumble has in plenty. No words can describe him dismissing Brian Lara, bowling with a bandaged face in 2002.
And he can think out-of-the-box too. December 2007 against Pakistan at hometown Bangalore , Kumble lit up the final day of the test with a surprise return to his bowling roots. Unleashing medium pace to extract full capital out of the unveven bounce, Kumble's five-wicket haul nearly propelled India to victory. Wonder what one of the spectators thought of this foray into medium pace. A certain Yousuf Sale.
Showing posts with label Cricket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cricket. Show all posts
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Friday, January 04, 2008
A TRIUMPH OF CHARACTER
At one end, a Van Gogh with his sublime brush strokes, enchanting a world dominated by straight lines. At the other, the master artist who honed his skills to perfection through years and years of dedication, struggling to draw even the straight line. V V S Laxman enchanted, while Rahul Dravid exasperated. The product of the union - a 175-run stand giving India a semblance of hope in the Sydney Test.
This was a Dravid struggling to put bat to ball, and leaving or patting away balls which would have sped to the fence on a normal day. He led a charmed life, caught off a no-ball once and dropped on another occasion. For somebody who had eked out a painful 5 off 66 balls and 16 off 114 balls in Melbourne, every single run seemed to be a cause for celebration.
The final output from Dravid's blade - 53 off 160 balls. A mediocre effort by any definition of class, but still worth its weight in gold. He had stayed long enough to craft a 175-run partnership with Laxman. And soon after Dravid's exit, Laxman was gone too.
It is easily forgotten that Dravid is performing a role he clearly is not comfortable in. Here's a man who inspired India to triumphs abroad from number three at Adelaide (233* & 72*), Rawalpindi (270) and Kingston (81 & 68). One can argue that a player of Dravid's calibre has no business having a block when it comes to opening the innings, but a long-time success story at number three deserves better than such tinkering with his position
Even at number three, Dravid has struggled to strike a rhythm this year, the nadir being the 12-run crawl at the Oval off 90-odd balls, when the team was pushing for victory against England (under his captaincy). Is throwing Dravid into a position where he is not comfortable the right step, when the batsman is striving to get back into form?
It's not the first time Dravid has become a victim to the pressures of 'team balance'. The early 2000s including World Cup 2003 had Dravid double up as the wicket-keeper too, so that India could bat deep. Never a specialist keeper, Dravid was far from the ideal option, but he still acquitted himself well.
It is a tribute to the man that he held on grimly at Sydney. He may not have defeated his inner demons yet, but on the crease he showed the willingness to battle those demons and stay put. Character is also about surviving in a hostile environement, where the fans and the media are baying for your blood.
This was a Dravid struggling to put bat to ball, and leaving or patting away balls which would have sped to the fence on a normal day. He led a charmed life, caught off a no-ball once and dropped on another occasion. For somebody who had eked out a painful 5 off 66 balls and 16 off 114 balls in Melbourne, every single run seemed to be a cause for celebration.
The final output from Dravid's blade - 53 off 160 balls. A mediocre effort by any definition of class, but still worth its weight in gold. He had stayed long enough to craft a 175-run partnership with Laxman. And soon after Dravid's exit, Laxman was gone too.
It is easily forgotten that Dravid is performing a role he clearly is not comfortable in. Here's a man who inspired India to triumphs abroad from number three at Adelaide (233* & 72*), Rawalpindi (270) and Kingston (81 & 68). One can argue that a player of Dravid's calibre has no business having a block when it comes to opening the innings, but a long-time success story at number three deserves better than such tinkering with his position
Even at number three, Dravid has struggled to strike a rhythm this year, the nadir being the 12-run crawl at the Oval off 90-odd balls, when the team was pushing for victory against England (under his captaincy). Is throwing Dravid into a position where he is not comfortable the right step, when the batsman is striving to get back into form?
It's not the first time Dravid has become a victim to the pressures of 'team balance'. The early 2000s including World Cup 2003 had Dravid double up as the wicket-keeper too, so that India could bat deep. Never a specialist keeper, Dravid was far from the ideal option, but he still acquitted himself well.
It is a tribute to the man that he held on grimly at Sydney. He may not have defeated his inner demons yet, but on the crease he showed the willingness to battle those demons and stay put. Character is also about surviving in a hostile environement, where the fans and the media are baying for your blood.
Friday, December 07, 2007
LOOKING FOR THE GAME
An India-Pakistan test series where the on-field action is reduced to a sideshow? The ongoing series has achieved this dubious distinction, with reams and reams of space cornered by the likes of Dilip Vengsarkar and Gary Kirsten.
The headlines kept shifting inch by inch. One day Vengsarkar was angry, soon he felt humiliated and then the buzz was that he would throw it all away. Only to end up with blurbs of 'Vengsarkar relents', with the Colonel still holding on to his job as Chairman of Selectors. An uneasy calm for now, but it seems just a matter of time before further twists in the tale.
And then Gary Kirstem popped up out of the blue as the coach-in-waiting. One operation BCCI carried out stealthily. But could suspense be far behind? The 'will he, won't he' question arose after reports (conveniently fed by relevant sources?) that senior players were unhappy. This conundrum was solved in public by Kirsten, when he conveyed over the phone to news channels that he was on board.
Despite all this, the team's done pretty well on the field. Probably because BCCI, Vengsarkar and Kirsten diverted the media.
Things were quiet with Pakistan initially, with Shoaib Akhtar not coming up with any tantrums on the field. Rather, he was playing the prima donna when it came to Bollywood offers. It was just a sorry tale of a weak side futher crippled by injuries, and struggling to field 11 fit men on the field.
But now as the third test approaches there is more than a hint of drama surrounding stand-in-captain Younis/Younus (there was a big debate over his spelling in the newsroom) Khan. If you want it straight from the horse's mouth, it's Younus.
Younus Khan is now apparently refusing to lead the Pakistan side, if he does not get the side he wants. All that was missing was some action directly to do with the teams. Now we have it.
There is the blast from the past too, for good measure. Javed Miandad's claim that Imran Khan had faced a player revolt during the course of Pakistan's World Cup triumph in 1992.
Cricket's been reduced to a carnival of big egos, verbal spats and controversies. It doesn't hurt the cause of news one bit though.
Related Posts
KIRSTEN & THE COACH QUESTION
The headlines kept shifting inch by inch. One day Vengsarkar was angry, soon he felt humiliated and then the buzz was that he would throw it all away. Only to end up with blurbs of 'Vengsarkar relents', with the Colonel still holding on to his job as Chairman of Selectors. An uneasy calm for now, but it seems just a matter of time before further twists in the tale.
And then Gary Kirstem popped up out of the blue as the coach-in-waiting. One operation BCCI carried out stealthily. But could suspense be far behind? The 'will he, won't he' question arose after reports (conveniently fed by relevant sources?) that senior players were unhappy. This conundrum was solved in public by Kirsten, when he conveyed over the phone to news channels that he was on board.
Despite all this, the team's done pretty well on the field. Probably because BCCI, Vengsarkar and Kirsten diverted the media.
Things were quiet with Pakistan initially, with Shoaib Akhtar not coming up with any tantrums on the field. Rather, he was playing the prima donna when it came to Bollywood offers. It was just a sorry tale of a weak side futher crippled by injuries, and struggling to field 11 fit men on the field.
But now as the third test approaches there is more than a hint of drama surrounding stand-in-captain Younis/Younus (there was a big debate over his spelling in the newsroom) Khan. If you want it straight from the horse's mouth, it's Younus.
Younus Khan is now apparently refusing to lead the Pakistan side, if he does not get the side he wants. All that was missing was some action directly to do with the teams. Now we have it.
There is the blast from the past too, for good measure. Javed Miandad's claim that Imran Khan had faced a player revolt during the course of Pakistan's World Cup triumph in 1992.
Cricket's been reduced to a carnival of big egos, verbal spats and controversies. It doesn't hurt the cause of news one bit though.
Related Posts
KIRSTEN & THE COACH QUESTION
Thursday, November 29, 2007
KIRSTEN & THE COACH QUESTION
Looks like Gary Kirsten will be coaching the Indian cricket team. Who knows, there might still be further twists before the official announcement. But at least this time the BCCI made its moves quietly, shielding their latest interviews from the media gaze.
Kirsten made his name as a gritty, hard-as-nails South African opener over the 1990s and early 2000s, and has battled it out in the field against the Indian seniors like Tendulkar, Ganguly, Laxman, Dravid and Kumble. But unlike a John Wright, who had made a mark as Kent coach, Kirsten does not have enough coaching acumen to talk of. It's been just about four years after he played his last test. A stint as Cricket South Africa's high performance manager, and a privately-run Gary Kirsten Cricket Academy does not say much. All in all, a battler as player but an unknown quantity as coach.
Is it worth the risk going for an 'unknown' like Kirsten at the expense of desi contenders like Lalchand Rajput, who's given results during his ongoing stint as coach? A Sandeep Patil, who coached Kenya to a surprise semifinal appearance in the 2003 World Cup, was unwelcome. And he's now cast his lot with the ICL.
Getting a John Wright did make a positive difference to the fortunes of the national side, and Greg Chappell did have his share of good ideas (the Rajasthan state board is now using his expertise). But does it justify a blind belief that only a foreign coach can take Indian cricket forward?
Related Posts
Kirsten made his name as a gritty, hard-as-nails South African opener over the 1990s and early 2000s, and has battled it out in the field against the Indian seniors like Tendulkar, Ganguly, Laxman, Dravid and Kumble. But unlike a John Wright, who had made a mark as Kent coach, Kirsten does not have enough coaching acumen to talk of. It's been just about four years after he played his last test. A stint as Cricket South Africa's high performance manager, and a privately-run Gary Kirsten Cricket Academy does not say much. All in all, a battler as player but an unknown quantity as coach.
Is it worth the risk going for an 'unknown' like Kirsten at the expense of desi contenders like Lalchand Rajput, who's given results during his ongoing stint as coach? A Sandeep Patil, who coached Kenya to a surprise semifinal appearance in the 2003 World Cup, was unwelcome. And he's now cast his lot with the ICL.
Getting a John Wright did make a positive difference to the fortunes of the national side, and Greg Chappell did have his share of good ideas (the Rajasthan state board is now using his expertise). But does it justify a blind belief that only a foreign coach can take Indian cricket forward?
Related Posts
Monday, November 19, 2007
KERALA AND CRICKET
Sreekumar Nair scoring a triple hundred in a Ranji Trophy match last Friday. An obscure footnote on sports pages.
But not if you are a Malayalam newspaper. There it's another 'Sree', another 'Shobha'. A milestone for a state not known traditionally for its cricketing prowess. A marathon achievement for a team whose batsmen struggle to get hundreds on a consistent basis.
As it is, Kerala's had too few batsmen to boast of. Balan Pandit in the 1950s and 60s whose record of 262 not out Sreekumar Nair broke. And K Jayaram in the 1980s, who struck a purple patch in the 1986-87 season, with four centuries out of five matches. That season 'minnow' Kerala did not lose a single zonal match, grinding out draws against bigwigs Hyderabad, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for the first time ever. There's also Kerala's all-time top rungetter, Sunil Oasis from the 1990s and 2000s
Kerala's had better luck with its bowlers, especially in the last few years. Tinu Yohannan began his test career in style against England in 2001, with a wicket in his very first over. But two more tests and he found himself out in the cold. Tinu may never get a national call-up again, but he will forever remain the one who opened the floodgates. The first-ever test cricketer straight from Kerala (Abey Kuruvilla from Mumbai does not count)
And Tinu's emergence also had a sense of transition from Kerala's sports strengths like atheletics and football. Tinu being the son of the legendary T C Yohannan, Asian Games long jump gold medallist in 1974, Asian record holder for more than a decade and national record holder for three decades. (For more on T C Yohannan read this article)
Nearly a year after Tinu played his last test match (December 2002) two raw seamers were tired out in a practice match against the touring New Zealanders. Those days, Munaf Patel was billed the fastest bowler in the country and the hype around him overshdowed Sreesanth, who showed promise in that match. It didn't take too long for Sreesanth to make that leap into the big league.
Before them there was the promising seamer V Hariharan in the 1970s and 80s, who's now Kerala coach.
The 1990s was dominated by the unlucky Ananthapadmanabhan, who kept scalping wickets with his legspin season after season, and ended up with a tally of over 300. But he didn't have that big match at the zonal level, and in the era of Anil Kumble fell short of the big leap to the national side.
It was in the 1990s that Kerala broke the glass ceiling for the first time, qualifying for the knockout stage from South Zone. Kerala's never sizzled yet in the later stages, but after topping South Zone the team realised they can hold their own at the highest level.
But not if you are a Malayalam newspaper. There it's another 'Sree', another 'Shobha'. A milestone for a state not known traditionally for its cricketing prowess. A marathon achievement for a team whose batsmen struggle to get hundreds on a consistent basis.
As it is, Kerala's had too few batsmen to boast of. Balan Pandit in the 1950s and 60s whose record of 262 not out Sreekumar Nair broke. And K Jayaram in the 1980s, who struck a purple patch in the 1986-87 season, with four centuries out of five matches. That season 'minnow' Kerala did not lose a single zonal match, grinding out draws against bigwigs Hyderabad, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for the first time ever. There's also Kerala's all-time top rungetter, Sunil Oasis from the 1990s and 2000s
Kerala's had better luck with its bowlers, especially in the last few years. Tinu Yohannan began his test career in style against England in 2001, with a wicket in his very first over. But two more tests and he found himself out in the cold. Tinu may never get a national call-up again, but he will forever remain the one who opened the floodgates. The first-ever test cricketer straight from Kerala (Abey Kuruvilla from Mumbai does not count)
And Tinu's emergence also had a sense of transition from Kerala's sports strengths like atheletics and football. Tinu being the son of the legendary T C Yohannan, Asian Games long jump gold medallist in 1974, Asian record holder for more than a decade and national record holder for three decades. (For more on T C Yohannan read this article)
Nearly a year after Tinu played his last test match (December 2002) two raw seamers were tired out in a practice match against the touring New Zealanders. Those days, Munaf Patel was billed the fastest bowler in the country and the hype around him overshdowed Sreesanth, who showed promise in that match. It didn't take too long for Sreesanth to make that leap into the big league.
Before them there was the promising seamer V Hariharan in the 1970s and 80s, who's now Kerala coach.
The 1990s was dominated by the unlucky Ananthapadmanabhan, who kept scalping wickets with his legspin season after season, and ended up with a tally of over 300. But he didn't have that big match at the zonal level, and in the era of Anil Kumble fell short of the big leap to the national side.
It was in the 1990s that Kerala broke the glass ceiling for the first time, qualifying for the knockout stage from South Zone. Kerala's never sizzled yet in the later stages, but after topping South Zone the team realised they can hold their own at the highest level.
As for now, the bowling attack has bite, but Kerala still awaits the batsman extraordinaire who will go all the way to Team India.
Let's not count Robin Uthappa from Karnataka, who was given three lakh rupees by the Kerala government after the Twenty20 triumph, while Sreesanth got five lakh. Well, Uthappa is half-Malayali, which seems to be why the reward is half of Sreesanth's.
Here's an earlier piece by Ramachandra Guha on Keralites turning the corner in cricket.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
CHAPPELL'S RACISM TIRADE
Igniting controversy is something Greg Chappell never seems to tire of. Be it making brother Trevor bowl underarm against New Zealand to ensure victory for Australia or leaked emails and revelatory soundbytes/interviews during his tenure as Indian cricket coach.
Now he's joined the Australian racism chorus against India, claiming in a forthcoming TV interview in Australia that an attack on him by a crazed fan in Bhubaneswar in January this year was because he was a foreigner. A white-skinned Chappell discriminated against in India of all places? That's laying it a bit too thick.
Chappell seems to have forgotten that he wasn't very high on the popularity charts in India those days. And news channels were having dig after dig at Guru Greg and his laboratory. Unfortunately for him, his declining stock came in the way of any possible outrage.
He does have a right to feel outraged that the BCCI played down the incident. But comparing his plight to Andrew Symonds is just not on.
Not surprisingly, Chappell on Indian news channels was trying to steer clear of the controversy. After all, he is not yet fnished with Indian cricket, with a coaching assignment in Rajasthan.
Related Posts
INDIA AND RACISM
Now he's joined the Australian racism chorus against India, claiming in a forthcoming TV interview in Australia that an attack on him by a crazed fan in Bhubaneswar in January this year was because he was a foreigner. A white-skinned Chappell discriminated against in India of all places? That's laying it a bit too thick.
Chappell seems to have forgotten that he wasn't very high on the popularity charts in India those days. And news channels were having dig after dig at Guru Greg and his laboratory. Unfortunately for him, his declining stock came in the way of any possible outrage.
He does have a right to feel outraged that the BCCI played down the incident. But comparing his plight to Andrew Symonds is just not on.
Not surprisingly, Chappell on Indian news channels was trying to steer clear of the controversy. After all, he is not yet fnished with Indian cricket, with a coaching assignment in Rajasthan.
Related Posts
INDIA AND RACISM
Friday, November 09, 2007
KUMBLE'S COMING, BCCI'S GOOGLY
It's good to know that there are occasions when the BCCI acts sensibly. And steals a march over news channels, bamboozling them with the perfect googly - one Anil Kumble would have been proud of.
Yesterday, all the test captaincy speculation was centred around Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Some channels were absolutely sure Dhoni would be made captain, with generous doses of 'information' from reliable 'sources'. And Dhoni profile stories were already on overdrive - small-town boy, long hair, his Bollywood fans, Musharraf's tongue-in-cheek comment on Mahi's long locks and last but not the least his test career statistics.
But as day turned to night and Younis Khan flogged the Indian bowling at Mohali, anchors began to seek refuge in doubt, and wary speculation replaced confident bluster. Dhoni still remained frontrunner but a cloud of doubt hung over the headline.
The Anil Kumble star was clearly on the ascendant and by the time India hurtled to defeat, 'information' trickling in was pointing towards Kumble. And the BCCI chose to break the news in a written statement as the clock wound its way to midnight. India may have been lurching to sleep, but the world of TV news and its denizens were wide awake. Caught napping, with all speculations laid to rest. It was time to wake up to Kumble profiles - gentle giant, India's highest test wicket-taker (and ODI too), 10-wicket haul in an innings against Pakistan and trapping Lara lbw with face heavily bandaged.
Sensible choice by BCCI in the dead of night, catching the media off-guard. For all his skills, Dhoni is still not ready for leadership in the five-day game. And it's good to have an experienced and level-headed mind at the helm, ensuring a smooth transition to the younger Dhoni later. It's also the ultimate reward for a loyal soldier, who's won far more matches for India than ad contracts.
It also helps that Kumble's shadow won't be looming over Dhoni in ODIs , the leg-spinner having already bid adieu from the one-day game.
But the intruding cameras will remain trained on the flashy Dhoni, rather than the scholarly Kumble. Today a news channel ran a story on Dhoni going to watch Om Shanti Om. The cricket correspondent was busy describing Dhoni's Om Shanti Om trip over the phone. Amen to mindless entertainment and celebrity-gazing.
Suits the unassuming Kumble just fine.
Yesterday, all the test captaincy speculation was centred around Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Some channels were absolutely sure Dhoni would be made captain, with generous doses of 'information' from reliable 'sources'. And Dhoni profile stories were already on overdrive - small-town boy, long hair, his Bollywood fans, Musharraf's tongue-in-cheek comment on Mahi's long locks and last but not the least his test career statistics.
But as day turned to night and Younis Khan flogged the Indian bowling at Mohali, anchors began to seek refuge in doubt, and wary speculation replaced confident bluster. Dhoni still remained frontrunner but a cloud of doubt hung over the headline.
The Anil Kumble star was clearly on the ascendant and by the time India hurtled to defeat, 'information' trickling in was pointing towards Kumble. And the BCCI chose to break the news in a written statement as the clock wound its way to midnight. India may have been lurching to sleep, but the world of TV news and its denizens were wide awake. Caught napping, with all speculations laid to rest. It was time to wake up to Kumble profiles - gentle giant, India's highest test wicket-taker (and ODI too), 10-wicket haul in an innings against Pakistan and trapping Lara lbw with face heavily bandaged.
Sensible choice by BCCI in the dead of night, catching the media off-guard. For all his skills, Dhoni is still not ready for leadership in the five-day game. And it's good to have an experienced and level-headed mind at the helm, ensuring a smooth transition to the younger Dhoni later. It's also the ultimate reward for a loyal soldier, who's won far more matches for India than ad contracts.
It also helps that Kumble's shadow won't be looming over Dhoni in ODIs , the leg-spinner having already bid adieu from the one-day game.
But the intruding cameras will remain trained on the flashy Dhoni, rather than the scholarly Kumble. Today a news channel ran a story on Dhoni going to watch Om Shanti Om. The cricket correspondent was busy describing Dhoni's Om Shanti Om trip over the phone. Amen to mindless entertainment and celebrity-gazing.
Suits the unassuming Kumble just fine.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
75 YEARS AFTER BODYLINE
The late 1980s. I was hooked on to cricket and vaguely heard about a Don Bradman way back in the past with an average that was well, Bradmanesque.
Then Doordarshan stepped in and the word of Bradman was made flesh and dwelt among us in our living rooms. Only that it was a Bradman shorn of myth and instead facing mortal peril. The stage being the infamous Bodyline series of 1932-33.
The objects of hate to my impressionable eyes were the sinister-looking English captain Douglas Jardine and his instrument of doom Harold Larwood. The two villains with the motive of stopping Bradman at any cost. And Larwood pounded the pitch with scary thunderbolts aimed at the body, with a clutch of fielders behind the leg stump. The Australians wilted, their captain Bill Woodfull hit on the chest by Larwood and Bradman managing just one hundred. The result: 4-1 England.
Another enduring image is of an England batsman badly sick and struggling in the dressing room, while the England innings was collapsing. Jardine virtually forced him out to bat and there he was, scoring runs aplenty and bailing England out. Much later, I realised the batsman was Eddie Paynter.
Paynter owed a lot to the 'conscientious objector' to Bodyline, the Nawab of Pataudi. Pataudi started firmly with a century in the first test, but as the Bodyline clouds enveloped the field, he was shown as opposing Jardine's plans. Which meant Pataudi took an early bow.
The serial ended with images of what happened later to the principal players. I remember feeling gladdened by the fact that after the 'vile triumph' Jardine faced brickbats in England, and didn't play too much after. Harold Larwood never played international cricket again, and in the ultimate irony, ended up settling in Australia. And Don Bradman went on amassing runs unhindered, to reach the Bradmanesque average of 99.94.
But now, 75 years after October 1932, when the English touring party landed in Australia, it's time for less outrage and a bit of grudging admiration for Douglas Jardine. Inhuman as it may have been, Bodyline was a tactical masterstroke which achieved the twin objectives of an Ashes victory and containing the rampaging Don.
And how can you not conceal a sense of admiration for someone who never flinched when given a taste of his own medicine? In 1933, Jardine made his only test hundred at Old Trafford against the West Indies , grinding out 127 in five hours battling Bodyline tactics employed by Learie Constantine and Manny Martindale.
Let's also spare a thought for Harold Larwood, the former coal-miner, who refused to apologise to a holier-than-thou administration and hence never got to play for England again.
As for Pataudi, he kept a distance from the fledgling Indian side of the 1930s and captained India much later in 1946 (in England) when he was way past his prime.
Leg theory was banned but intimidatory fast bowling continues to mesmerise and horrify. From Lillee and Thomson for the Aussies to the West Indian pace quartet of the 1970s and 1980s, the legacy of Bodyline lives on.
And here's a trivia question gauging the impact of Bodyline.
Q: The publication of the first supplement of the Oxford Dictionary was postponed for one particular reason. What?
Hint: It was published in 1933. The delay was to include the definition of a new word (a cricketing term)
Then Doordarshan stepped in and the word of Bradman was made flesh and dwelt among us in our living rooms. Only that it was a Bradman shorn of myth and instead facing mortal peril. The stage being the infamous Bodyline series of 1932-33.
The objects of hate to my impressionable eyes were the sinister-looking English captain Douglas Jardine and his instrument of doom Harold Larwood. The two villains with the motive of stopping Bradman at any cost. And Larwood pounded the pitch with scary thunderbolts aimed at the body, with a clutch of fielders behind the leg stump. The Australians wilted, their captain Bill Woodfull hit on the chest by Larwood and Bradman managing just one hundred. The result: 4-1 England.
Another enduring image is of an England batsman badly sick and struggling in the dressing room, while the England innings was collapsing. Jardine virtually forced him out to bat and there he was, scoring runs aplenty and bailing England out. Much later, I realised the batsman was Eddie Paynter.
Paynter owed a lot to the 'conscientious objector' to Bodyline, the Nawab of Pataudi. Pataudi started firmly with a century in the first test, but as the Bodyline clouds enveloped the field, he was shown as opposing Jardine's plans. Which meant Pataudi took an early bow.
The serial ended with images of what happened later to the principal players. I remember feeling gladdened by the fact that after the 'vile triumph' Jardine faced brickbats in England, and didn't play too much after. Harold Larwood never played international cricket again, and in the ultimate irony, ended up settling in Australia. And Don Bradman went on amassing runs unhindered, to reach the Bradmanesque average of 99.94.
But now, 75 years after October 1932, when the English touring party landed in Australia, it's time for less outrage and a bit of grudging admiration for Douglas Jardine. Inhuman as it may have been, Bodyline was a tactical masterstroke which achieved the twin objectives of an Ashes victory and containing the rampaging Don.
And how can you not conceal a sense of admiration for someone who never flinched when given a taste of his own medicine? In 1933, Jardine made his only test hundred at Old Trafford against the West Indies , grinding out 127 in five hours battling Bodyline tactics employed by Learie Constantine and Manny Martindale.
Let's also spare a thought for Harold Larwood, the former coal-miner, who refused to apologise to a holier-than-thou administration and hence never got to play for England again.
As for Pataudi, he kept a distance from the fledgling Indian side of the 1930s and captained India much later in 1946 (in England) when he was way past his prime.
Leg theory was banned but intimidatory fast bowling continues to mesmerise and horrify. From Lillee and Thomson for the Aussies to the West Indian pace quartet of the 1970s and 1980s, the legacy of Bodyline lives on.
And here's a trivia question gauging the impact of Bodyline.
Q: The publication of the first supplement of the Oxford Dictionary was postponed for one particular reason. What?
Hint: It was published in 1933. The delay was to include the definition of a new word (a cricketing term)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
INDIA AND RACISM
Following the 'racist' gestures aimed at Andrew Symonds in the Mumbai onedayer, a natural reaction is, "These Aussies are so racist. It's high time we give them a taste of their own medicine."
Yes, Australian cricketers have been guilty of overt racism, be it Dean Jones referring to bearded South African Hashim Amla as 'looking like a terrorist' on air, or Darren Lehmann hollering black c***, aimed at the Sri Lankans. And then there's covert racism, where Indian and Sri Lankan players are also no angels. Racist abuse has become part and parcel of sledging, regrettable as it may sound.
But the 'monkey gestures' of the Indian fans at the Wankhede Stadium reinforce the very premise of racism - target only those who can be painted as inferior and primitive. So Andrew Symonds with Aborigine roots is the butt of ridicule. A mirror to a society with deep-rooted caste and religious prejudices.
Indians across the world would be happy to be associated with whites, but when it comes to blacks it's suspicion and disdain. Ranging from South Africa to Uganda, Black Africans have been wary of Indian-origin people, who from the colonial days considered themselves higher in the social scale. Some day I would like to see a film on an African-American in love with an Indian and how the parents react. The one such film I had seen, Mira Nair's Mississippi Masala had given the 'Indians driven out of Idi Amin's Uganda' context to explain the dislike.
The Australian media may have overreacted with ridiculous statements like 'Mumbai fans have a reputation for racist abuse towards visiting players' but the incident and the selective targeting of Symonds can't be washed away. Poking fun is one thing (extending even to calling Inzamam aloo) but creating notions of superiority and inferiority is something else.
Yes, Australian cricketers have been guilty of overt racism, be it Dean Jones referring to bearded South African Hashim Amla as 'looking like a terrorist' on air, or Darren Lehmann hollering black c***, aimed at the Sri Lankans. And then there's covert racism, where Indian and Sri Lankan players are also no angels. Racist abuse has become part and parcel of sledging, regrettable as it may sound.
But the 'monkey gestures' of the Indian fans at the Wankhede Stadium reinforce the very premise of racism - target only those who can be painted as inferior and primitive. So Andrew Symonds with Aborigine roots is the butt of ridicule. A mirror to a society with deep-rooted caste and religious prejudices.
Indians across the world would be happy to be associated with whites, but when it comes to blacks it's suspicion and disdain. Ranging from South Africa to Uganda, Black Africans have been wary of Indian-origin people, who from the colonial days considered themselves higher in the social scale. Some day I would like to see a film on an African-American in love with an Indian and how the parents react. The one such film I had seen, Mira Nair's Mississippi Masala had given the 'Indians driven out of Idi Amin's Uganda' context to explain the dislike.
The Australian media may have overreacted with ridiculous statements like 'Mumbai fans have a reputation for racist abuse towards visiting players' but the incident and the selective targeting of Symonds can't be washed away. Poking fun is one thing (extending even to calling Inzamam aloo) but creating notions of superiority and inferiority is something else.
STING IN THE TAIL
Zaheer Khan clouting Brett Lee for a six. It seemed a faint flicker of resistance before the inevitable surrender. But at the Wankhede Stadium, the flicker expanded its glow run by run, edge by edge, four by four, till 52 runs were added and the target was achieved. Zaheer and Murali Kartik's deeds a far cry from the archetypal surrender the Indian tail is used to. One of those rare moments to savour, when Indian tailenders turn certain defeat into improbable victory.
For a similar ODI moment, one has to turn the clock back 11 years, when Srinath and Kumble put together an unbeaten 52-run ninth-wicket stand in Bangalore to nudge past Australia. After Srinath forgot his batting skills by the mid-1990s, rarely has the tail wagged. Nobody expects the tail to shore up the batting in a big way, but they are also supposed to put a price on their wickets. Over and over again, discipline got lost in either tentative prods or airy-fairy shots.
There have been occasions when the tail capitalised on already huge totals, prolonging the agony of the opposition, such as a Kumble hitting his maiden test hundred at the Oval out of a humungous 664. But a constant ability to irritate and get under the skin of the opposition, the Indian tail has always lacked.
There are cherished individual moments - the outrageous swings of a Harbhajan Singh blade, which are not found in any coaching manual, 'smiling assassin' Lakshmipathy Balaji wading into Mohammad Sami and sending the ball into the stands and Sreesanth's break dance aimed at Andre Nel.
But when individual dazzle and collective will seek out each other, it's victory as Zaheer and Kartik proved. It's time the Indian tail stands up to be counted more often than not.
For a similar ODI moment, one has to turn the clock back 11 years, when Srinath and Kumble put together an unbeaten 52-run ninth-wicket stand in Bangalore to nudge past Australia. After Srinath forgot his batting skills by the mid-1990s, rarely has the tail wagged. Nobody expects the tail to shore up the batting in a big way, but they are also supposed to put a price on their wickets. Over and over again, discipline got lost in either tentative prods or airy-fairy shots.
There have been occasions when the tail capitalised on already huge totals, prolonging the agony of the opposition, such as a Kumble hitting his maiden test hundred at the Oval out of a humungous 664. But a constant ability to irritate and get under the skin of the opposition, the Indian tail has always lacked.
There are cherished individual moments - the outrageous swings of a Harbhajan Singh blade, which are not found in any coaching manual, 'smiling assassin' Lakshmipathy Balaji wading into Mohammad Sami and sending the ball into the stands and Sreesanth's break dance aimed at Andre Nel.
But when individual dazzle and collective will seek out each other, it's victory as Zaheer and Kartik proved. It's time the Indian tail stands up to be counted more often than not.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
FAREWELL INZAMAM
World Cup 1992. Pakistan vs New Zealand semifinal. It's morning in Thiruvananthapuram and far away in Auckland, Pakistan looks shaky chasing New Zealand's 260-odd score. Coming in at number three, skipper Imran Khan does strike a six, but does not seem to be in a hurry to force the pace. As I head for school, the tactical maestros of the World Cup, New Zealand, looks right on top.
Lunch break time, news trickles in that Pakistan's won. And that somebody called Inzamam had turned the tables. Highlights in the evening, I get to see a baby-faced youngster clouting the ball nonchalantly all over, while smashing 60 off just 37 balls.
Four days later, it's mayhem in the slog overs, Inzamam slams 42 off 35 balls, as Pakistan reaches a challenging score. Again I am in school, missing out on the fireworks. Pakistan wins the World Cup and a legend is born.
The flip side of the legend too is out in the open in the same World Cup. Before the semifinal exploits, the first memorable (not to him though) freeze frame of Inzamam is the hapless batsman caught unawares while an airborne Jonty Rhodes shatters his stumps. In the very semifinal where he packed off New Zealand, it's a run out which sends him back to the pavilion. The first glimpse of a fatal flaw in running betwen the wickets, which haunted him throughout his career.
But there were many delightful occasions, when the lazy elegance meshed with nerves of steel, notably in an unbeaten 58 against Australia (Karachi Test,1994) . His last wicket partnership of
57 with Mushtaq Ahmed ensured a nail-biting one-wicket victory.
In the topsy-turvy world of Pakistan cricket, it's a tribute to his consistency that he was a permanent fixture for over a decade. But come 2003, the same World Cup stage where he had announced his arrival so emphatically, turned out to be a nightmare. A total of 19 runs in 6 matches, Pakistan's disastrous early exit and a scuffle with Younis Khan, Inzamam's stocks hit an all-time low.
The 2003 home series against Bangladesh was tipped as a make-or-break affair for Inzy. Two tests and the first innings of the third, Inzamam was clearly travelling on the exit lane. But one epic knock changed all that. Third test, second innings, for the second time in his career Inzamam's heroics ensured a one-wicket victory. 138 not out in 262 for 9, Pakistan just about averted a humiliating defeat to minnow Bangladesh.
A day later, skipper Rashid Latif was slapped a five-match ban, after being found guilty of faking a catch. The very next day (September 8) Inzamam was captain. A man who was just a whisker away from being dumped, now had the top job. A synthesis of luck and pluck.
Never known for his communication skills, he did not sit easily on the captaincy chair. Ever mercurial, Pakistan cricket veered towards the mediocre more often than not. There was the occasional century, but the carefree youth of old was lost forever. And another disastrous World Cup sounded the death-knell.
But unlike many others, Inzamam did get to choose his own farewell. Pity he finished just two runs short of Javed Miandad's record of 8,832 test runs, the most by a Pakistan player.
As the genial giant bids adieu, let's also not forget that he had a safe pair of hands at slip.
Lunch break time, news trickles in that Pakistan's won. And that somebody called Inzamam had turned the tables. Highlights in the evening, I get to see a baby-faced youngster clouting the ball nonchalantly all over, while smashing 60 off just 37 balls.
Four days later, it's mayhem in the slog overs, Inzamam slams 42 off 35 balls, as Pakistan reaches a challenging score. Again I am in school, missing out on the fireworks. Pakistan wins the World Cup and a legend is born.
The flip side of the legend too is out in the open in the same World Cup. Before the semifinal exploits, the first memorable (not to him though) freeze frame of Inzamam is the hapless batsman caught unawares while an airborne Jonty Rhodes shatters his stumps. In the very semifinal where he packed off New Zealand, it's a run out which sends him back to the pavilion. The first glimpse of a fatal flaw in running betwen the wickets, which haunted him throughout his career.
But there were many delightful occasions, when the lazy elegance meshed with nerves of steel, notably in an unbeaten 58 against Australia (Karachi Test,1994) . His last wicket partnership of
57 with Mushtaq Ahmed ensured a nail-biting one-wicket victory.
In the topsy-turvy world of Pakistan cricket, it's a tribute to his consistency that he was a permanent fixture for over a decade. But come 2003, the same World Cup stage where he had announced his arrival so emphatically, turned out to be a nightmare. A total of 19 runs in 6 matches, Pakistan's disastrous early exit and a scuffle with Younis Khan, Inzamam's stocks hit an all-time low.
The 2003 home series against Bangladesh was tipped as a make-or-break affair for Inzy. Two tests and the first innings of the third, Inzamam was clearly travelling on the exit lane. But one epic knock changed all that. Third test, second innings, for the second time in his career Inzamam's heroics ensured a one-wicket victory. 138 not out in 262 for 9, Pakistan just about averted a humiliating defeat to minnow Bangladesh.
A day later, skipper Rashid Latif was slapped a five-match ban, after being found guilty of faking a catch. The very next day (September 8) Inzamam was captain. A man who was just a whisker away from being dumped, now had the top job. A synthesis of luck and pluck.
Never known for his communication skills, he did not sit easily on the captaincy chair. Ever mercurial, Pakistan cricket veered towards the mediocre more often than not. There was the occasional century, but the carefree youth of old was lost forever. And another disastrous World Cup sounded the death-knell.
But unlike many others, Inzamam did get to choose his own farewell. Pity he finished just two runs short of Javed Miandad's record of 8,832 test runs, the most by a Pakistan player.
As the genial giant bids adieu, let's also not forget that he had a safe pair of hands at slip.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
FROM COUCH POTATO TO GROUND REALITY
Opinions, debates, number crunching, conspiracy theories, a bit of reporting, producing shows for Headlines Today - cricket's entertained and exasperated me over two decades. Two decades of watching cricket matches lazily lounging in the confines of living rooms, or a bit more actively in office and hostel tv rooms.
Just one thing was missing - the feeling of watching a match in a stadium, seeing a Tendulkar in flesh and blood. TV with its innumerable replays and closeups dissects everything for the viewer, but despite being able to wax eloquent on the game I could never say, "I was there."
So here I was heading for Chandigarh on a Sunday night for Monday's India-Australia clash. Not as a mediaperson but as a cricket fan. Early morning we are in a hotel right next to the stadium, and from our room we get a sense of the crowds. A swarm of people heading in one direction armed with loads of posters and banners.
This army brings fear in its wake too. What if the Haryana Cricket Association issued far more passes than seats in the stadium? Ticket scams are something fans are familiar with. Yet they make the long trudge, ever hopeful.
We've got VIP passes and we head towards the Sector 16 stadium, which is staging its first international match in nearly 15 years (Mohali's prospered as a cricket venue over the past decade at the expense of this stadium). Entry point, the cops say no cell phone. The magic word 'media' does not ring any bells for them. The refrain is, if you are media, go to the media section. But then we've already heard there are 300-odd accredited media people aiming for 80-odd seats. The cell phones go straight to the OB van.
I imagined a VIP pass meant that there would be a roof over our heads. Only to realise I was completely out of touch with reality. Here was a small stadium where only the media enclosure and the players' dressing room had roofs. And the sun was in its elements.
Our section had one big tree in the middle, and the early birds had gravitated towards its catchment area. After a short spell in the heat, we too headed for the tree zone. First sitting on the steps and slowly and steadily getting promotions.
In the meantime, Ganguly and Tendulkar too adopted the slow and steady approach. It was like watching a one-day game of the 1980s where 40 for 0 in 10 overs meant a great start. The crowd did not get too much to shout about, with Sachin grinding out only the occasional single while the powerplay was in progress.
We at least had the tree's comfort, sitting in the VIP stand. But what about the thousands who wait for hours to get tickets and are relentlessly exposed to the crushing gaze of the sun? I wouldn't want to be in their shoes.
Vendors arrive with refreshments. Four Tropicana juices and we are poorer by 120 rupees. Prices have indeed shot through the roof when it comes to the cricket fan. Lamb to the slaughter.
While we promoted ourselves from the steps to seats, the runs started flowing. Sachin played a quiet, sheet anchor knock without taking risks. And every single batsman did his bit in keeping the score ticking. And then came the charge, courtesy Dhoni and Uthappa.
I need to concentrate on every ball to savour each moment. Sitting in the stadium, you don't have the luxury of rewinding to what you missed. Replays don't always appear on the big screens there.
The Aussies start their chase. Our focus on the match is interrupted by a verbal altercation. All eyes move to an old man who's furious with some youngsters. Cops step in and one of them sits between the warring groups.
Another flare-up with the old man all agitated. But then Gilchrist falls, and the resulting cacophony drowns out the old man's aggression. A fight stopped in mid-stride.
HRV says Hayden has a penchant for uppish drives, which is why India has a fielder at short cover. The very next ball, Hayden drives and the ball tantalisingly falls just short of the fielder.
There are lots of empty chairs close to the boundary line. Inspiring yet another example of the Indian virtue of jugaad. Some enterprising characters collect chair after chair, one on top of the other, and lo and behold, they are watching the action at a higher pedestal. The cops aren't too pleased though, and eject some of them.
Hayden's on a roll and the shoulders are drooping. But then Ponting falls and the banners are back. There's this enterprising gentleman whose bugle propels the cheering. And Punjabi jokes abound, most of which I can't figure out.
As Kartik and Harbhajan apply the brakes, the cheering becomes louder. I am part of all-encompassing Mexican waves as the buzz of victory gathers steam. Robin Uthappa makes fielding look so easy at the deep, repeatedly picking up and throwing the ball in rapid-fire motion, reducing twos to ones.
And sitting on the stands, you notice sledging, both subtle and obvious, done by both sides. But sitting where we were, we missed out on most of the number one incident, when 12th man Sreesanth taunted Andrew Symonds as he was returning to the dressing room after a defiant 75. We caught on to a bit of it, with all eyes by then pointed towards the dressing room side.
Sreesanth's childish antics I must say are an insult to the practice of sledging. It's part and parcel of the game now, but there is a subtlety to it. A Matthew Hayden can sledge with a smile while half of Sreesanth's energy is wasted in verbal misadventures.
India wins by 8 runs and as HRV said, we witness a footnote in history - India's first ODI win over Australia in over three years (after early 2004).
But all is not hunky-dory. Our cab driver's obstinate certainty takes us to the Himachal Pradesh border late in the night, and we painstakingly retrace our steps. He nearly runs over a couple on a bike, instead of slowing down and asking them the way. And pitches for speed ahead of safety, forcing HRV to ask, aap apne liye ya hamare liye gaadi chala rahe ho.
Even in the cloud there is a silver lining. Immediately after we enter the National Highway and out of the maze created by the driver's penchant for the short cut, we sight Prince dhaba.As their blurb said it is 'good food chew fully'. Only that we couldn't satisfy the 'sleep well' part of the blurb, thanks to the rampaging driver.
The next cricket motto for me is the other blurb which the dhaba had. No 50 50 ask 100 100 Prince's biscuit. Now that Fifty50's been savoured, it's time to watch a test match.
Just one thing was missing - the feeling of watching a match in a stadium, seeing a Tendulkar in flesh and blood. TV with its innumerable replays and closeups dissects everything for the viewer, but despite being able to wax eloquent on the game I could never say, "I was there."
So here I was heading for Chandigarh on a Sunday night for Monday's India-Australia clash. Not as a mediaperson but as a cricket fan. Early morning we are in a hotel right next to the stadium, and from our room we get a sense of the crowds. A swarm of people heading in one direction armed with loads of posters and banners.
This army brings fear in its wake too. What if the Haryana Cricket Association issued far more passes than seats in the stadium? Ticket scams are something fans are familiar with. Yet they make the long trudge, ever hopeful.
We've got VIP passes and we head towards the Sector 16 stadium, which is staging its first international match in nearly 15 years (Mohali's prospered as a cricket venue over the past decade at the expense of this stadium). Entry point, the cops say no cell phone. The magic word 'media' does not ring any bells for them. The refrain is, if you are media, go to the media section. But then we've already heard there are 300-odd accredited media people aiming for 80-odd seats. The cell phones go straight to the OB van.
I imagined a VIP pass meant that there would be a roof over our heads. Only to realise I was completely out of touch with reality. Here was a small stadium where only the media enclosure and the players' dressing room had roofs. And the sun was in its elements.
Our section had one big tree in the middle, and the early birds had gravitated towards its catchment area. After a short spell in the heat, we too headed for the tree zone. First sitting on the steps and slowly and steadily getting promotions.
In the meantime, Ganguly and Tendulkar too adopted the slow and steady approach. It was like watching a one-day game of the 1980s where 40 for 0 in 10 overs meant a great start. The crowd did not get too much to shout about, with Sachin grinding out only the occasional single while the powerplay was in progress.
We at least had the tree's comfort, sitting in the VIP stand. But what about the thousands who wait for hours to get tickets and are relentlessly exposed to the crushing gaze of the sun? I wouldn't want to be in their shoes.
Vendors arrive with refreshments. Four Tropicana juices and we are poorer by 120 rupees. Prices have indeed shot through the roof when it comes to the cricket fan. Lamb to the slaughter.
While we promoted ourselves from the steps to seats, the runs started flowing. Sachin played a quiet, sheet anchor knock without taking risks. And every single batsman did his bit in keeping the score ticking. And then came the charge, courtesy Dhoni and Uthappa.
I need to concentrate on every ball to savour each moment. Sitting in the stadium, you don't have the luxury of rewinding to what you missed. Replays don't always appear on the big screens there.
The Aussies start their chase. Our focus on the match is interrupted by a verbal altercation. All eyes move to an old man who's furious with some youngsters. Cops step in and one of them sits between the warring groups.
Another flare-up with the old man all agitated. But then Gilchrist falls, and the resulting cacophony drowns out the old man's aggression. A fight stopped in mid-stride.
HRV says Hayden has a penchant for uppish drives, which is why India has a fielder at short cover. The very next ball, Hayden drives and the ball tantalisingly falls just short of the fielder.
There are lots of empty chairs close to the boundary line. Inspiring yet another example of the Indian virtue of jugaad. Some enterprising characters collect chair after chair, one on top of the other, and lo and behold, they are watching the action at a higher pedestal. The cops aren't too pleased though, and eject some of them.
Hayden's on a roll and the shoulders are drooping. But then Ponting falls and the banners are back. There's this enterprising gentleman whose bugle propels the cheering. And Punjabi jokes abound, most of which I can't figure out.
As Kartik and Harbhajan apply the brakes, the cheering becomes louder. I am part of all-encompassing Mexican waves as the buzz of victory gathers steam. Robin Uthappa makes fielding look so easy at the deep, repeatedly picking up and throwing the ball in rapid-fire motion, reducing twos to ones.
And sitting on the stands, you notice sledging, both subtle and obvious, done by both sides. But sitting where we were, we missed out on most of the number one incident, when 12th man Sreesanth taunted Andrew Symonds as he was returning to the dressing room after a defiant 75. We caught on to a bit of it, with all eyes by then pointed towards the dressing room side.
Sreesanth's childish antics I must say are an insult to the practice of sledging. It's part and parcel of the game now, but there is a subtlety to it. A Matthew Hayden can sledge with a smile while half of Sreesanth's energy is wasted in verbal misadventures.
India wins by 8 runs and as HRV said, we witness a footnote in history - India's first ODI win over Australia in over three years (after early 2004).
But all is not hunky-dory. Our cab driver's obstinate certainty takes us to the Himachal Pradesh border late in the night, and we painstakingly retrace our steps. He nearly runs over a couple on a bike, instead of slowing down and asking them the way. And pitches for speed ahead of safety, forcing HRV to ask, aap apne liye ya hamare liye gaadi chala rahe ho.
Even in the cloud there is a silver lining. Immediately after we enter the National Highway and out of the maze created by the driver's penchant for the short cut, we sight Prince dhaba.As their blurb said it is 'good food chew fully'. Only that we couldn't satisfy the 'sleep well' part of the blurb, thanks to the rampaging driver.
The next cricket motto for me is the other blurb which the dhaba had. No 50 50 ask 100 100 Prince's biscuit. Now that Fifty50's been savoured, it's time to watch a test match.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
WHAT WAS THE POINT?
"First of all I want to say something over here. I want to thank you back home Pakistan and where the Muslim lives all over the world."
Thus spake Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik after losing to India at the Twenty20 final, adding he was sorry he had let them down.
Malik's let down Muslims all over the world? He's let down India's man-of-the-match Irfan Pathan and his brother Yusuf? Are Muslims all over the world one homogeneous entity? Forget different countries, is a Malayali Muslim and a Bengali Muslim the same?
The new skipper may have been playing to the gallery, a naive bid to stem any possible resentment back home. But it's shocking that his defence mechanism was irrelevant pan-Islamic rhetoric.
Would have liked to remember this Pakistan side as a younger, hungrier lot with nothing to lose and not carrying forward religious baggage of the Inzamam days, the last phase of which seemed to have more of prayers than practice.
I for one had enjoyed as a cricket fan the impetuosity of an Imran Nazir, the poise of Shoaib Malik the batsman and the long handle of Misbah, as well as the wicket-taking skills of Asif, Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir. Relished it, as Pakistan overturned the form book to enter the final. And yes, there is a tinge of disappointment that Pakistan lost.
But going by Shoaib Malik, there is no space for disappointment if you are not a Muslim. Saddening.
Thus spake Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik after losing to India at the Twenty20 final, adding he was sorry he had let them down.
Malik's let down Muslims all over the world? He's let down India's man-of-the-match Irfan Pathan and his brother Yusuf? Are Muslims all over the world one homogeneous entity? Forget different countries, is a Malayali Muslim and a Bengali Muslim the same?
The new skipper may have been playing to the gallery, a naive bid to stem any possible resentment back home. But it's shocking that his defence mechanism was irrelevant pan-Islamic rhetoric.
Would have liked to remember this Pakistan side as a younger, hungrier lot with nothing to lose and not carrying forward religious baggage of the Inzamam days, the last phase of which seemed to have more of prayers than practice.
I for one had enjoyed as a cricket fan the impetuosity of an Imran Nazir, the poise of Shoaib Malik the batsman and the long handle of Misbah, as well as the wicket-taking skills of Asif, Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir. Relished it, as Pakistan overturned the form book to enter the final. And yes, there is a tinge of disappointment that Pakistan lost.
But going by Shoaib Malik, there is no space for disappointment if you are not a Muslim. Saddening.
SALUTING THE VANQUISHED
Initial exhilaration about an Indian victory is now tempered with the sheer pleasure of having witnessed a heart-stopping match, where the momentum swung from one side to the other with dizzying regularity.
Pakistan ultimately came second best because the middle and lower middle-order this time round could not cover up fully for the inadequacies of the top order. But then they went all the way in the first place because of the unexpected brilliance of the middle-order. Along with their bowling - Mohammad Asif's swing, Shahid Afridi's accuracy. surprise new seam sensation Sohail Tanvir's sheer unpredictability and the joker in the pack, Umar Gul, coming in effectively as fifth bowler for the first time.
Here's a team even more humiliated than India in the ODI World Cup in the West Indies. A shock defeat to unknown Ireland (far more unknown and inexperienced than Bangladesh, whom India lost to) and a first-round exit. Worse still, the mysterious death of coach Bob Woolmer and zillions of conspiracy theories and suspicion surrounding it.
Soon came a major churn in the squad, with Inzamam-ul-Haq shown the door and the man who thought he was heir apparent, Mohammad Yousuf, left high and dry, with a younger Shoaib Malik handed over the reins. To add insult to injury, Yousuf does not make it to the Twenty20 squad. And immediately decides to pitch in his lot (along with Abdul Razzaq and Imran Farhat) with Zee's ICL.
Who got the nod for Twenty20 ahead of a giant like Yousuf? A Misbah-ul-Haq, somebody on the wrong side of 33, with only five disastrous tests and 12 ODIs to show for six scrappy years of international cricket. Yousuf on the other hand was somebody with a humungous appetite for runs - the record for most test centuries a year and most runs a year in 2006 being the crowning glory.
But it was this unknown batsman who made the middle-order stand up to be counted, match after match. The first India-Pakistan match at the group stage, 42 runs to win for Pakistan with three overs to go. The last big name Afridi is gone. India seemed to have wrapped it up for all practical purposes, only to get an almighty scare from Misbah's 35-ball 53. Misbah had to setttle for a tie here but for Australia, there were no comebacks.
Coming in at a precarious 46 for 4, what does he do? Whack an unbeaten 66 off just 42 balls before the world champions knew what hit them.
At the biggest stage, the final, Misbah believed when the rest of the team fell at regular intervals. And having got within touching distance, he tried to shake off the overwhelming burden with a cheeky shot. Sadly for him, he may have been better off whacking the ball straight, instead of being too clever-by-half with a scoop.
Along came a hero from obscurity at a ripe old age, that's the tale of this Twenty20 hero. This may be a faint flicker before a return to anonymity like David Steele in the 1970s, or a harbinger of great things to come. Let's hope it's the latter. Pakistan cricket needs a few lasting heroes and not blow hot, blow cold prima donnas like Shoaib Akhtar.
Pakistan ultimately came second best because the middle and lower middle-order this time round could not cover up fully for the inadequacies of the top order. But then they went all the way in the first place because of the unexpected brilliance of the middle-order. Along with their bowling - Mohammad Asif's swing, Shahid Afridi's accuracy. surprise new seam sensation Sohail Tanvir's sheer unpredictability and the joker in the pack, Umar Gul, coming in effectively as fifth bowler for the first time.
Here's a team even more humiliated than India in the ODI World Cup in the West Indies. A shock defeat to unknown Ireland (far more unknown and inexperienced than Bangladesh, whom India lost to) and a first-round exit. Worse still, the mysterious death of coach Bob Woolmer and zillions of conspiracy theories and suspicion surrounding it.
Soon came a major churn in the squad, with Inzamam-ul-Haq shown the door and the man who thought he was heir apparent, Mohammad Yousuf, left high and dry, with a younger Shoaib Malik handed over the reins. To add insult to injury, Yousuf does not make it to the Twenty20 squad. And immediately decides to pitch in his lot (along with Abdul Razzaq and Imran Farhat) with Zee's ICL.
Who got the nod for Twenty20 ahead of a giant like Yousuf? A Misbah-ul-Haq, somebody on the wrong side of 33, with only five disastrous tests and 12 ODIs to show for six scrappy years of international cricket. Yousuf on the other hand was somebody with a humungous appetite for runs - the record for most test centuries a year and most runs a year in 2006 being the crowning glory.
But it was this unknown batsman who made the middle-order stand up to be counted, match after match. The first India-Pakistan match at the group stage, 42 runs to win for Pakistan with three overs to go. The last big name Afridi is gone. India seemed to have wrapped it up for all practical purposes, only to get an almighty scare from Misbah's 35-ball 53. Misbah had to setttle for a tie here but for Australia, there were no comebacks.
Coming in at a precarious 46 for 4, what does he do? Whack an unbeaten 66 off just 42 balls before the world champions knew what hit them.
At the biggest stage, the final, Misbah believed when the rest of the team fell at regular intervals. And having got within touching distance, he tried to shake off the overwhelming burden with a cheeky shot. Sadly for him, he may have been better off whacking the ball straight, instead of being too clever-by-half with a scoop.
Along came a hero from obscurity at a ripe old age, that's the tale of this Twenty20 hero. This may be a faint flicker before a return to anonymity like David Steele in the 1970s, or a harbinger of great things to come. Let's hope it's the latter. Pakistan cricket needs a few lasting heroes and not blow hot, blow cold prima donnas like Shoaib Akhtar.
Monday, September 24, 2007
TEAM INDIA IN WONDERLAND, WELL AND TRULY
Sachin Tendulkar giving a phono (phone interview) to CNN-IBN sitting in Mumbai, right after India pulled off a stunning triumph in South Africa. Sourav Ganguly giving interviews cheering the team sitting in distant Kolkata. The greatest Indian cricketer of his generation and the aggressive captain courageous were sitting at home twiddling their thumbs, while a young, inexperienced team with a brand-new captain became World Champions.
Hope it's not a flash in the pan and instead is the shape of things to come in a future without the 'golden generation.' And it's wonderful to be proved wrong. Along with experts and pundits, advertisers who were initially lukewarm and bookies who may have found the twists and turns too sudden to make predictions.
It certainly helped that Dhoni and company headed for South Africa, without any baggage of expectations. There were no news channels drumming up 'good wishes' soundbytes from across the country and I don't remember pop singers/bands coming out with their World Cup 'anthems. ' The only effort being the Sreesanth-written song Jaago India which did not create much of a buzz (it was planned for the ODI World Cup earlier this year but remained in the cans due to India's early exit).
This unheralded young team had nothing to lose, just like the 1983 World Cup team. And who do they meet in the final, another unheralded young side, a Pakistan down in the dumps and worse off compared to India.
There's one thing though that I can claim to have judged correctly. The eternal underachiever Ajit Agarkar should not have been part of this World Cup party. And it's high time he is shown the door forever.
Related Posts
TEAM INDIA IN WONDERLAND
Hope it's not a flash in the pan and instead is the shape of things to come in a future without the 'golden generation.' And it's wonderful to be proved wrong. Along with experts and pundits, advertisers who were initially lukewarm and bookies who may have found the twists and turns too sudden to make predictions.
It certainly helped that Dhoni and company headed for South Africa, without any baggage of expectations. There were no news channels drumming up 'good wishes' soundbytes from across the country and I don't remember pop singers/bands coming out with their World Cup 'anthems. ' The only effort being the Sreesanth-written song Jaago India which did not create much of a buzz (it was planned for the ODI World Cup earlier this year but remained in the cans due to India's early exit).
This unheralded young team had nothing to lose, just like the 1983 World Cup team. And who do they meet in the final, another unheralded young side, a Pakistan down in the dumps and worse off compared to India.
There's one thing though that I can claim to have judged correctly. The eternal underachiever Ajit Agarkar should not have been part of this World Cup party. And it's high time he is shown the door forever.
Related Posts
TEAM INDIA IN WONDERLAND
Saturday, September 22, 2007
BOOKIES ON THE BACKFOOT
Twenty20's frenetic pace has left bookies gasping for breath, according to CNN-IBN. It's become difficult to predict how many runs will be scored in an over, the total score, how many runs a batsman will score etc.
"None of the players stick for too long in Twenty20 matches. They either score or get out. In a 50 over game, the player takes at least a few overs to settle down," says a mournful bookie.
In short, they need to tone up on their reflexes. But in an era where batsmen happily smash six sixes in an over, bookies should be getting wiser sooner rather than later. Wonder what new formulae they will devise.
"None of the players stick for too long in Twenty20 matches. They either score or get out. In a 50 over game, the player takes at least a few overs to settle down," says a mournful bookie.
In short, they need to tone up on their reflexes. But in an era where batsmen happily smash six sixes in an over, bookies should be getting wiser sooner rather than later. Wonder what new formulae they will devise.
Friday, September 21, 2007
A COMMAND PERFORMANCE
8.45 pm IST, with just about 45 minutes left for the crucial India-South Africa match to begin, there is a whiff of breaking news. Yuvraj Singh, the sultan of sixes, has an elbow injury and is a doubtful starter. In no time, the news is confirmed and gloom pervades. News channels throw out their sleek preview stories, which were all set to be unleashed on the dot at 9 pm prime time.
Rumour mills and conspiracy theories are on overdrive (though not on air), inevitable in a cynical era still not fully recovered from the match-fixing controversy. So is the injury all about Yuvraj the vice-captain trying to put down Dhoni, his captain though junior to him, by backing out at the crunch? The one question to trigger passionate debates.
Remember the 1996 World Cup and the fate of then Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, who pulled out of the crucial India vs Pakistan quarterfinal citing injury. India emerged the winner and doubting mobs at home stoned his house and burned his effigy.
It doesn't help matters when India lose three early wickets. But cometh the hour, cometh the newcomer. Rohit Sharma delighted with his unbeaten 50, a combination of sweet timing and judicious hitting.
Sharma gave an encore on the field too, with a stunning direct hit. And got the man-of-the-match award for his brilliance.
But wasn't there a more deserving candidate for man-of-the-match? A spell of 4-0-13-4, out of which two found their stumps shattered. Moreover, RP Singh conceded less than four an over, that too in a Twenty20 match.
Test cricket's cliche of 'bowlers win matches' undoubtedly applied to India's performance. And RP was the spearhead, first packing off Gibbs and Smith cheaply, then bowling Shaun Pollock for a golden duck and later yorking a defiant Albie Morkel.
Fantastic show by the newcomer with the bat in a pressure situation, but the bowler deserved his due. Wishing that the bowler should at least get some crumbs in a game tailormade for batsmen remains just a lament, a lament for the unsung.
Eventually though, it's a minor quibble in a major success.
Rumour mills and conspiracy theories are on overdrive (though not on air), inevitable in a cynical era still not fully recovered from the match-fixing controversy. So is the injury all about Yuvraj the vice-captain trying to put down Dhoni, his captain though junior to him, by backing out at the crunch? The one question to trigger passionate debates.
Remember the 1996 World Cup and the fate of then Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, who pulled out of the crucial India vs Pakistan quarterfinal citing injury. India emerged the winner and doubting mobs at home stoned his house and burned his effigy.
It doesn't help matters when India lose three early wickets. But cometh the hour, cometh the newcomer. Rohit Sharma delighted with his unbeaten 50, a combination of sweet timing and judicious hitting.
Sharma gave an encore on the field too, with a stunning direct hit. And got the man-of-the-match award for his brilliance.
But wasn't there a more deserving candidate for man-of-the-match? A spell of 4-0-13-4, out of which two found their stumps shattered. Moreover, RP Singh conceded less than four an over, that too in a Twenty20 match.
Test cricket's cliche of 'bowlers win matches' undoubtedly applied to India's performance. And RP was the spearhead, first packing off Gibbs and Smith cheaply, then bowling Shaun Pollock for a golden duck and later yorking a defiant Albie Morkel.
Fantastic show by the newcomer with the bat in a pressure situation, but the bowler deserved his due. Wishing that the bowler should at least get some crumbs in a game tailormade for batsmen remains just a lament, a lament for the unsung.
Eventually though, it's a minor quibble in a major success.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
YUVRAJ'S SIXY FEAT
It was Twenty20 at its wham-bang crescendo. Yuvraj Singh smacking Stuart Broad for six consective sixes in an over to equal the world record in international cricket.
It's a pleasure and a relief to see that such a feat has come in a match between two quality sides, and not a boring, hopelessly one-sided South Africa-Netherlands clash in the recent ODI World Cup. Herschelle Gibbs had smashed his way into the record books, against a hapless bowler by the name of Daan van Bunge .
For Yuvraj the sense of achievement would be tinged with relief. After all it was the same Yuvraj, bowling the last over, who had been whacked for five sixes off his last five balls by an English cricketer - Dimitri Mascarenhas very recently. This was the only way he could wipe off that stigma, as he indicated in the post-match interview with Ravi Shastri.
It may have been coincidental, but it was fitting that Shastri posed the questions to Yuvraj, considering Shastri himself slammed six sixes off Baroda's Tilak Raj in the mid-1980s in a Ranji match. The first to achieve the feat being the peerless Sir Garfield Sobers, for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan in 1968.
As for Yuvraj's record 12-ball 50, it's the shape of things to come in cricket, with Twenty20 making the game more and more a paradise for batters.
It's a pleasure and a relief to see that such a feat has come in a match between two quality sides, and not a boring, hopelessly one-sided South Africa-Netherlands clash in the recent ODI World Cup. Herschelle Gibbs had smashed his way into the record books, against a hapless bowler by the name of Daan van Bunge .
For Yuvraj the sense of achievement would be tinged with relief. After all it was the same Yuvraj, bowling the last over, who had been whacked for five sixes off his last five balls by an English cricketer - Dimitri Mascarenhas very recently. This was the only way he could wipe off that stigma, as he indicated in the post-match interview with Ravi Shastri.
It may have been coincidental, but it was fitting that Shastri posed the questions to Yuvraj, considering Shastri himself slammed six sixes off Baroda's Tilak Raj in the mid-1980s in a Ranji match. The first to achieve the feat being the peerless Sir Garfield Sobers, for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan in 1968.
As for Yuvraj's record 12-ball 50, it's the shape of things to come in cricket, with Twenty20 making the game more and more a paradise for batters.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
WHO SHOULD SUCCEED DRAVID?
'Sources' say BCCI has approached Sachin Tendulkar to take over the mantle of captaincy. If he accepts, it will be his third stint as captain. A stop-gap arrangement with the younger lot either not ready like Yuvraj and Dhoni or in the doldrums like Sehwag and Kaif.
But is Tendulkar the right stop-gap choice? Somebody who was a disaster in his last two stints as captain and walked away because he found himself unequal to the pressure. And the spectre of injury is a clear and present threat unless he plays only selectively. But can a full-fledged captain cut down on his ODI appearances? The only way to get around it - make Tendulkar test captain and Dhoni the ODI/Twenty20 captain.
If BCCI is looking for someone who can handle both ends the first choice should be Sourav Ganguly. At least he has the combative nous and was a successful captain. His batting, which was in shambles towards the end of his earlier captaincy, has regained its sparkle. Full marks for battling back from nowhere, after everyone (expect Bengalis) had written him off.
As Ganguly may not be palatable to the powers-that-be, why not the last of the so-called Fab Four - VVS Laxman for tests (with Dhoni for ODIs). He's got a raw deal over the years, from losing out on the 2003 World Cup to being stuck at number six in the test batting line-up. A man who regularly is being projected as one match away from being dropped. Pity somebody who was vice-captain on last year's South Africa tour doesn't figure in any opinion poll.
But is Tendulkar the right stop-gap choice? Somebody who was a disaster in his last two stints as captain and walked away because he found himself unequal to the pressure. And the spectre of injury is a clear and present threat unless he plays only selectively. But can a full-fledged captain cut down on his ODI appearances? The only way to get around it - make Tendulkar test captain and Dhoni the ODI/Twenty20 captain.
If BCCI is looking for someone who can handle both ends the first choice should be Sourav Ganguly. At least he has the combative nous and was a successful captain. His batting, which was in shambles towards the end of his earlier captaincy, has regained its sparkle. Full marks for battling back from nowhere, after everyone (expect Bengalis) had written him off.
As Ganguly may not be palatable to the powers-that-be, why not the last of the so-called Fab Four - VVS Laxman for tests (with Dhoni for ODIs). He's got a raw deal over the years, from losing out on the 2003 World Cup to being stuck at number six in the test batting line-up. A man who regularly is being projected as one match away from being dropped. Pity somebody who was vice-captain on last year's South Africa tour doesn't figure in any opinion poll.
CAPTAIN'S CURTAIN CALL
A billion expectations weigh upon Rahul Dravid, announced Michael Atherton in his Sunday Telegraph article two weeks back. Dravid is quoted a saying, "What I find hardest is the absolute lack of proportion. It makes it very hard to build a team when two or three bad games provoke such an extreme reaction."
A few bad games and an exhaustive media trial, all it takes for real and manufactured (in time for the cameras) frenzy. With effigy-burning and stone-throwing doing the rounds, players become mujrims or culprits. A post-match cricket show on a news channel was called Match Ka Mujrim in which the culprits for failure were identified. What more provocation for 'fans' to go on the rampage?
What if even when you are winning, an error of judgement is dissected to death and made into a national calamity? Rahul Dravid's decision not to enforce the follow-on may have turned out to be a mistake, but how can you fault a captain for playing it safe when you have the series in the bag? If India had not lost those early wickets and instead scored at a frenetic pace, Dravid's decision would have been viewed differently. After all, there are occasions when Australia does not enforce a follow-on.
Lack of proportion, pressure, Greg Chappell, senior players who were on a different wavelength, Rahul Dravid's cup of woes was full. But it is to his credit, as Ian Chappell says, that he decided to sign off when he and his team was on a high, following a test series victory. Very few either choose to or are allowed to leave the hot seat on a high in Indian cricket. Gavaskar may have, but the likes of Wadekar, Kapil Dev, Azharuddin, Tendulkar and Ganguly all could not.
Let's forget Dravid the captain and welcome Dravid the batsman. And await future versions of a 148 (Headingley-2002), 233*(Adelaide-2003) or 270 (Rawalpindi-2004) - all before becoming captain
A few bad games and an exhaustive media trial, all it takes for real and manufactured (in time for the cameras) frenzy. With effigy-burning and stone-throwing doing the rounds, players become mujrims or culprits. A post-match cricket show on a news channel was called Match Ka Mujrim in which the culprits for failure were identified. What more provocation for 'fans' to go on the rampage?
What if even when you are winning, an error of judgement is dissected to death and made into a national calamity? Rahul Dravid's decision not to enforce the follow-on may have turned out to be a mistake, but how can you fault a captain for playing it safe when you have the series in the bag? If India had not lost those early wickets and instead scored at a frenetic pace, Dravid's decision would have been viewed differently. After all, there are occasions when Australia does not enforce a follow-on.
Lack of proportion, pressure, Greg Chappell, senior players who were on a different wavelength, Rahul Dravid's cup of woes was full. But it is to his credit, as Ian Chappell says, that he decided to sign off when he and his team was on a high, following a test series victory. Very few either choose to or are allowed to leave the hot seat on a high in Indian cricket. Gavaskar may have, but the likes of Wadekar, Kapil Dev, Azharuddin, Tendulkar and Ganguly all could not.
Let's forget Dravid the captain and welcome Dravid the batsman. And await future versions of a 148 (Headingley-2002), 233*(Adelaide-2003) or 270 (Rawalpindi-2004) - all before becoming captain
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