Opinions on... Billy Bowden

Billy Bowden secretly wishes he were a baseball umpire. He sees the "freedom of expression" they are allowed in American Major League Baseball and he lusts for job as a home plate umpire. He grew up with pin ups of great American baseball umpires.

And as an adult...

...he has admitted he sees no reason to surf porn.

Like Murali and Chandrashekhar he uses his physical limitations to his advantage. Or so he thinks.

He isn't much liked by South Africans and Australians alike.

Even the West Indies have lodged an official complaint against him. When a team who expects to lose, loses and still takes time to complain about the umpiring; there has got to be something genuine there.

Recently he thought he had India's backing but being preferred over Steve Bucknor isn't much of a compliment. Regardless, whatever goodwill India might have had for him may evaporate following their World Cup game against England.

Previously, he wasn't exactly known to know the rules. He has left his mark on the 2005 Ashes and was an abettor in the foolishness demonstrated by the ICC umpires in their showpiece event in 2007.

He seems to have corrected it though.

When faced with a choice between common sense and the rule book; he left us wondering if he has any traces of the former

Other unsolicited opinions on unsuspecting cricketers... (and now umpires)

1. Suresh Raina
2. Jacques Kallis
3. Shakib Al-Hasan

India Match Report #2: England (A gentleman's agreement)

Another match; another couple of fake reports about real games, credited to fake people whose given names have no express intention on our side to indicate real people

This report comes from Real Sunil Gavaskar and Real Michael Atherton.


Report from "Real Sunil Gavaskar"

For decades now, people remember my 36* from 60 overs in the 1975 World Cup and greet me with a mixture of secret admiration (mostly Test traditionalists) and open ridicule. Well today I wish to defend myself. That day there was only one man who was not trying to win. That was me....Real Sunil Manohar Gavaskar. A proud Indian

What seemed to have escaped my critics is that no one questioned the English. Had England too not tried to win, the game would have been as exciting as the one we just witnessed at Bangalore.

Report from "Real Michael Atherton"

"Super Hero" Andrew Strauss, almost showed "Comic Hero" Sachin Tendulkar how its done. 

Sachin, who lives in a "fish bowl" and bats under heavy protection; unlike past greats like Sir Don Bradman and Sir Viv Richards, with whom he is wrongly compared to by people in the Indian media working under commercial interests; scored a customary century to bolster his career numbers.

When he got out in the 3rd and dreaded Power-play, leaving his side to fend for itself against a raging Tim Bresnan, he showed no disappointment. He was not even reported to have banged his box, let alone break any TVs.

This prompted fiercely independent Australian great and very much a part of the Indian media to suggest that this proves that Sachin did not want to win as badly as Ponting does. 

Andrew Strauss, originally from South Africa, played a selfless innings for his adopted country England.

Eventually both sides thought its best not to lose than go for the win; which led to the most anti-climactic last ball ever bowled in a tied game. 

Swann had indicated they will not run a second and Dhoni had asked his fielder not to try to throw and try to run out the English. Given that the best fielder of the day on display was bowling, Dhoni had no choice. 

Swann's decision not to try a second run is being investigated by the PCB.

Other irrelevant and fake match reports...

1. Sri Lanka v Pakistan - By Real Sarfaraz Nawaz and Real Rashid Latif
2. England v Netherlands - By Real Darren Gough
3. India v Bangladesh  - By Real Harbhajan Singh

India v England

India's innings against England was the script that I hoped for barring the flurry in the end. Sending Yuvraj ahead of Kohli at the 29 over stage was a perfect move. Yuvraj is a cleaner hitter and with the impending power play, Dhoni and the leadership team rightfully gave Yuvraj the chance to come good. Plus, the left hander bit. Yuvraj will get better as the tournament progresses.


Sehwag and Gambhir fell to over confidence and this is bad news for India. Despite India getting 338, I wish that Kohli and Raina were inter-changeable. If Sehwag is playing, then India should have Raina in the line-up over Kohli. But Kohli is India's most in-form batsman right now and can't be left out. But as was evident today, he isn't as versatile as Raina in terms of power hitting.

These are minor quibbles though because the team is consistently posting 300 plus scores. Including Piyush Chawla was a very good move. There's some variety to the attack now.

As is evident from the result, the bowling attack needs a lot of work. Every bowler got belted. Despite Zaheer retrieving the situation for India, this result should give India cause for concern. They are unable to take advantage of the pressure on opposing batsmen despite having 338 to defend.

Even without Bopara in the ranks, England comfortably hunted down India's total. The lower order non-batsmen were able to belt India's frontline bowlers for sixes. India escaped by the skin of their teeth.

Pak make a statement

Pakistan took care of business despite the foolishness in the end. By doing so, they have made a very important statement. The old adage that bowlers win matches comes very much into play with Pakistan. Abdul Rehman and Shahid Afridi have got to be the best ODI spinner combination in this world cup. What was surprising for me was the disciplined bowling display by Shoaib Akhtar. In fact, his action looks completely clean now and he's bowling at 142 plus. I wonder what rehab center he was sent to. The results are fantastic.


While the batting is over-dependent on Younis and Misbah, it's decent enough to post a defensible amount of runs. The bowlers are very hard to get away. Umar Gul didn't have a great day. I thought he only four bad balls, but the numbers made him look awful. He bowled reasonably well. But the margin for error being so low meant that he didn't seem as good. Kamran Akmal sucks behind the stumps. Plus, their younger cricketers are terrible fielders. It appears that they take a long time to mature cricketers in Pakistan. But never-the-less my feeling is that South Africa is the only team that can stop the Pakistan team. India is always nervous playing Pakistan and this team can exploit that to the hilt and toy with India.

India have no reasons to lose to England tomorrow. But they'll need to continue to play confident cricket. Sehwag or Tendulkar need to bat through the over regardless of whether they are batting first. And this might Yuvraj's chance to get into the action.

Sri Lanka Match Report #1: Pakistan (Make room for Pakistan)

This is a fake report submitted jointly by Real Sarfaraz Nawaz and Real Rashid Latif

Sri Lanka had done well to restrict the opposition to just 277. Considering that Malinga was not playing; obviously due to....


At this point, the authors would like to differ

Real Sarfaraz Nazaz.: There is strong evidence that five bookies had approached Kumar Sangakara, after which it was decided to rest Malinga

Real Rashid Latif: Sarfaraz is an idiot and has no clue what he is talking about. He cheated most of his wickets and his practice of reverse swing is all cheating. And he fixed matches. Only because of Imran Khan he has saved himself.

[Considering that Malinga was not playing]...restricting the opposition to 277 was commendable. The opposition batsmen played traditional one day cricket. Keeping wickets in hand they consolidated in the middle, did not panic even when quick wickets fell at the top of the order and accelerated in the end to put up a score that was always going to be beyond Sri Lanka. Each member in the batting order seemed to have been assigned a well thought out role and almost everyone stuck to it and executed it.

While chasing the Sri Lankans, lost their way to a skill-full, disciplined and well balanced attack, which took regular wickets. Again as with the batting, they did not lose patience when Sri Lanka were consolidating after losing 4 wickets at the top. The opposition team's captain was bowling good leg-spin and he led by example and willed his players to perform well, always wearing his emotions on his sleeve.

There was another fast bowler, who seemed well past his prime, but every now and then out thought the batsmen. He clean bowled 2 middle order batsmen.

At this point, the authors would like to differ


Real Sarfaraz Nazaz.: He was getting reverse swing...

Real Rashid Latif:  Sarfaraz is an idiot and has no clue what he is talking about. He cheated most of his wickets and his practice of reverse swing is all cheating. And fixed matches. Only because of Imran Khan he has saved himself.

We wish to offer our apologies to our readers. While we have clearly stated one team was Sri Lanka...

...we are sorry but we could not recognize the other team in Green.

Other similarly irrelevant match reports...

1. India match report #1 (By Real Harbhajan Singh)
2. England match report #1 (By Real Darren Gough)
3. South Africa match report #1

India v England: Anticipatory Revenge

The India-England rivalry at the world cup has, over the years, produced mostly mildly existing contests, without any game really going close. England won in 1975, 1987, 1992 while India have matched it with wins in 1983, 1999 and 2003.

India, led by a great man's misplaced and unnecessary, stubbornness, never treated the 1975 game as a "contest". Knowing how Gavaskar's mind works, he perhaps saw the new format as a "white man's conspiracy" against their former colonies and chose to revolt with non-violence

But today the context has changed...as illustrated by how India's team meeting is going.

The setting is the same as before the Bangladesh game. The Indian team is keen to get in the "right frame of mind" and focus on the process that will enable them to beat England. Not that they are worried about the result; just worried about "executing the process"...

This time they have a guest Stefaan Engels...

Gary Kirsten: Boys, boys, boys...... we have a guest from Belgium. Stefaan is a marathoner. The man just recently ran 365 marathons in 365 days. I want you to spend some time with him during our practice sessions.

Virendra Sehwag: That's great coach, but I think this game is again about "revenge" in a different way. In any case, I am not interested in running 42 kms everyday.

Sreesanth rolls his eyes. But no one notices because his head his bowed and is sulking in the corner. He hasn't been talking to Sehwag since the Bangladesh win. Harbhajan sees Sreesanth sulking like a child and on the verge of tears and he brings his hands in full view and rests them on his laps. 

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Well of course, its not about running but you can learn a lot about endurance. You keep talking about batting 50 overs, its similar to a marathon.

Virendra Sehwag: It's about "revenge" I tell you...

In a corner Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel are watching videos on a giant LCD TV, of their bowling and in deep technical discussion about bowling actions and foot landings. 

Munaf Patel: Does this thing have Gujarati subtitles?

Virendra Sehwag: What kind of a man runs that much? And why? Even if God, himself, asks me to run 20 yards, I don't listen. You think I am going to let this Stefaan talk me into it. Plus my ribs hurt....

Ashish Nehra, interrupts the proceedings...


Ashish Nehra: Am I playing, skipper? Remember last time; before you even made your debut, how I blew away the English in Durban in a World Cup game?

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Ashish, Well of course....


Nehra's heart begins to pump faster. Dhoni continues...

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: ...this is not a selection meeting


And Nehra sinks in his seat

Just then, Ricky Ponting walks in, searching for Sachin Tendulkar....


Ricky Ponting: Hey Sachin; really need some tips from you. I am struggling; you have some time?

Seeing Punter, Suresh Raina rushes towards where Zaheer and Munaf are and standing between Ponting and the LCD TV covers it with his hands spread. 

Sachin Tendulkar: Of course, the counselling sessions with Inzy and Sanjay not working for you?

Gary Kirsten: Ricky, can you please wait in the lobby? We have a team meeting going on here...

Sachin Tendulkar, immediately calls Sunil Gavaskar to tell him what Gary Kirsten did to a white man. Meanwhile Stefaan noticing that he is really not wanted; gets up and goes out for a run...

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Let's get back to business....

Yuvraj Singh: We need to be careful with Swann. The rest are okay

Now its Sehwag's turn to roll his eyes....

Virendra Sehwag: We need to get into our usual "revenge" mindset. Everything else will fall into place

Yuvraj Singh: If anything, Viru, I feel England's pain. We have beaten them far too often to even think "revenge". Even in the World Cup, we have avenged our 87 and 92 losses. 

Sachin Tendulkar: I should have seen off Botham at Perth....Sheee...

Virat Kohli: Looks like its a fresh start then?

Virendra Sehwag: Shut up Virat... I am in revenge mode. And Pietersen has said I keep changing my game.... What about his own switch hitting? Huh?

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Well of course, that's not correct. He called you a game changer. That's a compliment, or thereabouts, you know

Viru glances at Gary for confirmation and is satisfied when he sees Gary nodding in confirmation.


Virendra Sehwag: Well then, I am sure we will lose some future game to England in the World Cup and I don't want to lose tomorrow. This revenge business is really working for me....We can always take advanced revenge for a future loss..No?

Sachin Tendulkar: How about..."Its just another....."

Dhoni begins to weep....Sachin backs off and starts fiddling nervously with his bandages...Seeing Dhoni weep, Sreesanth can't hold it any longer and starts bawling. Harbhajan freezes....quickly makes sure his hands are still on his lap.


Virendra Sehwag:  How about anticipatory revenge?

Gary Kirsten ends the meeting as India and England, begin a fresh start to their World Cup rivalry.


Related Posts...

• India v Bangladesh: Its just another Do-or-Die game
• Portraits: Ricky Ponting
• Opinions on...Yuvraj Singh

South Africa Match Report #1: West Indies (Yesterday someone bowled a googly)

The World cup has finally come alive.

Yes there was Sachin, Tamim, Afridi, Ponting, Steyn, Gayle, Pollard, Pietersen the opener and all the other big names. Yet the big entertainment was coming from broken TVs, Sehwag's straight faced, matter of fact bravado in speech, and the "we-want-to-win-the-world-cup-for-our-dog" comments.


But yesterday someone bowled a googly. And the batsman was made to look like he did not belong.

A good yorker forces the batsman to fend for his legs and his wicket in equal measure. A good bouncer - the old fashioned one; not the slow, loopy one that meanders towards the keepers ankles, rambling along the way like Gaddafi's speech -  forces the batsman to pause (not for too long, mind you) and show respect. A beamer - there are no "good" beamers - can briefly induce the fear of death in the batsman's eyes. A good out-swinger is a tantalizing sight. A good in-swinger is like a rude shock.

But a googly, is something else. It exposes the batsman in a holistic sort of a way. Its like a story with a nasty twist; in spite of generous sprinkling of clues all over the plot. Its like a mind bender for the common man, without intellectual compromises. It defeats the batsman not with force, speed or even guile but in mind and thought. A good googly hurts a man's ego. The battle between a batsman and a leg spinner is not your traditional question-answer session, the way Richard Hadlee explains...Its a debate.

This World Cup needed Imran Tahir.

World Cup win for Golandaaz

Yep, that's right. I'm joining the bandwagon. Like Sehwag, Kapugedara, Harbhajan and others I too want a win for Golandaaz. He has provided immense service to the world making pictures, writing blogs and generally being a nice chap.


Kapugedara is the latest who wants to win the cup for a team-mate - Muralitharan. Now Sehwag immediately pounced on that and told Kapu to back off because Murali already had one from 1996. Why can't he lose one for Tendulkar? Harbhajan went a step further and started throwing javelins as practice for bowling. He said that Kapu could be satisfied if India won, so long as he confused Murali and Harbhajan. Rumor has it that Bedi has been contracted by BCCI to be the M-O-M adjudicator for all games involving Sri Lanka.

Kapil has been jumping in saying that one should not win cups for others. He was trying to remind everyone that his team was Kapil's Devils and not India's Kapils or some other version of that. So he felt that the if India won the cup, it was already his.

Ponting used his groin guard to destroy a TV and then came out and "accepted responsibility". As opposed to what? My groin did it? Or .......never mind. The Aussie team has several cups and so no one wants to win it for anyone. Simon Katich and Nathan Hauritz wanted to win one, so they were left out of the team. In fact, rumor has it that Warne recommended Greg Chappell as the coach for Australia in order to ensure that they didn't win this time. But others didn't think it went far enough. So they decided to let Chappell choose the team.

South Africa is the only team that is in the tournament without a dedication to someone in their team. In fact, it is rumored that Kallis wanted the cup dedicated to him. Others in the team led by Smith rebelled at this suggestion. They were offended that Kallis had forgotten that Smith's goal was to choke in the finals this time, instead of semi-finals. In his opinion, people came to watch SA choke and not win.

Good news is that I have decided that all teams are going to win it for Golandaaz. So there will be no fights. As long as someone wins, it's for Golandaaz. Gol just needs to be present near the podium to claim the cup. Which begs the question, why can't Tendulkar simply walk up to whoever wins the cup and just take it? Who's going to challenge him? If wants one, he should just take it and keep it.

Portraits: Sir Ian Botham

I vaguely remember being aware of Ian Botham as a 8 year old, as I was following India's unlikely chase of 439 at the Oval in 1979.

A few years later, in a Test Match in Bombay, that I was very much aware of, Ian Botham scored a century and took 13 wickets. I haven't checked but its unlikely that such a feat has ever been surpassed.

The match however was discussed for completely different reasons in India. With India well ahead in the Test match, Gundappa Vishwanath, played umpire, overruled Hanumant Rao and recalled wicket-keeper Taylor, who was ruled out by the umpire. From that point on, Ian Botham won the game for England; on his own.

A few more years later I read, re-read and tried to recreate in my mind, a set of cricket matches I had never seen or followed, when they took place. The book, which I still have was "Botham Rekindles the Ashes: [Daily Telegraph] Story of the '81 Test Series"

No one person has influenced a Test Series the way Ian Botham did this one.

Warm ups continue in World Cup

Well, round one isn't exactly done, but I can't wait. First up, Sehwag came good on his promise to bat through. So the criticism that he couldn't stay put if Tendulkar has a bad day in office can perhaps be put away. On all wickets except perhaps Mohali and Mumbai, India therefore have a huge advantage.


Mohali gives the pacers something as does Mumbai due to the sea breeze. Sehwag did everything he promised - revenge, bat through the overs and more. Plus, he has called Bangladesh an ordinary side in the past and so never wants to lose against them. Can he keep it up? It seems like he has some new steel. With Kohli at number 4 and not five, India have hit the right combination despite Yuvraj's indifferent batting form.

Pakistan brushed aside Kenya with much more purpose than we have expected out of Pakistani teams of the recent past or the ones led by Inzy. The key change for me was Afridi and Waqar setting a target of 120 for the bowlers. The fact that they got there shows a level of resolve reminicent of the Pakistani teams that used to routinely take care of business against India through the late eighties and nineties. This is a team I just can't get enough of.

SL, Australia and England did well to win their matches. South Africa might do the same tomorrow. New Zealand had a surprisingly easy win too. So the first round was nothing more than a warm up for the real stuff coming in the next few weeks.

Ho hum.

England Match Report #1: Netherlands (England win the Ashes)

After getting into legal trouble with the BCCI for faking a report and attributing it to Harbhajan Singh, we are now forced not to reveal the real names of celebrities when we produce fake reports using their names

Today's report is submitted by "The Real Darren Gough". Its a fake name and if the fake name hints references to any living, intelligent human, then we can produce quotes made by Darren Gough to prove our case.


The Real Darren Gough reports...


In front of a largely disinterested crowd of 23 people in Orange country, England today began their warm up for a utterly meaningless World cup by allowing Netherlands to bat the entire 50 overs. I am not sure how many runs they eventually scored but it should be in excess of 290.

Someone whose name sounds remotely like Tendoolkar, scored a century for the men in orange. England bowled with as much lethargy as a game like this deserves and used their fielding to provide comical relief to keep the crowd occasionally interedted

England, as you may recall are holders of the Ashes. They successfully defended the ashes a few months earlier by defeating Australia 3-1 The only blip in England's campaign was at Perth while they won Test matches in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

Later in the summer they will beat India; every day of the week; even though you can really have a result once every 5 days.

Even if England are to lose today and lose every game in this World cup. They will still get to keep the Ashes. What a waste of money, energy and resources for nothing.

Opinions on... Shakib Al-Hasan

An evening that started with a chance encounter at a bar had turned deliciously promising, when a very willing Katrina Kaif  accompanied Shakib Al-Hasan to his room. It was then that Shakib remembered reading an article that had appeared in the "Amercian Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases". Unprotected intercourse is 68% more likely to result in genital warts.


Shakib Al-Hasan is very selective about the statistics he chooses to back. Many times he succumbs to the wrong ones.

Like the one above.

Although I suspect, visions of Shoaib Akhtar may have a role to play in it.

Whatever the reason, many will agree that the evening should not have ended with Shakib sobbing with Katrina as they watched "Twilight".

Like Anil Kumble, Shakib started off as a fast bowler but found success as a spinner. Unlike with Anil Kumble there are far more than a couple of people who have sworn that they have seen seen him turn the ball. They often said of Anil Kumble that as a bowler he had a fast bowler's mind and aggression. No one has ever said that about Shakib but I think in time they will.

Shakib is one of those rare all-rounders who started out as a specialist batsman. His development as a spin bowler followed much later. Not as late as Yuvraj Singh though.

His approach to captaincy gives us enough reason to believe that he is the kind of guy who would have to be dragged to his Nikah. He is, however, one of the rare captains to have won a Test Series in the West Indies.  But it must have felt like making love to Susan Boyle donning a Katrina Kaif mask.

For a long time Shakib was in the shadow of Mashrafe Mortaza but now, finally, he has emerged as Bangladesh's best ever all-rounder. Shakib Al-Hasan is also Bangladesh's answer to Daniel Vettorri.

Nobody is sure whether either of them will take it as a compliment.

Other unsolicited opinions on unsuspecting cricketers...

• Daniel Vettorri
• Yuvraj Singh

India Match Report #1: Bangladesh (ICC Concerned as India fail to score 500)

So the World Cup has begun well for India. The only other time India beat a permanent ICC Member in a World Cup opener was in 1983. And we know how that ended.


We at Opinions On Cricket are pleased to announce that we have netted a big celebrity blogger. To report on the opening match of the 2011 ICC World Cup




India v Bangladesh - Match Report Posted by Harbhajan Singh - All rounder Indian team (1998 - Current Player)

Today at Shere Bangla National Stadium; yeah you guessed it; in Bangladesh. Actually in the city of Mirpur; India exacted revenge on Bangladesh for a loss at the hands of the Tigers exactly 4 years back in the West Indies. Led by a stupendous knock of 28 by little master, Sachin Tendulkar, in a mere 29 balls at a strike rate of well over 96.51, Sachin laid the perfect platform for the Indian batsman to put up a score of 4 wickets down for 370 runs. Virendra Sehwag and Virat Kohli scored in excess of 50 runs each.

Munaf Patel, took a couple of wickets in excess of a couple of wickets.

Sachin's previous innings was a score of 200 out out against South Africa. This innings of 28 is the highest score posted by any batsman to follow up a score of 200. No one else has ever scored 200 in a ODI game.

It should be further noted that Sachin's 200 is 25 runs more than the 175 Kapil Dev scored in a World Cup game. I was too little to see that innings, I hope one day I witness someone score that many runs in a World Cup game.

Signed
Harbhajan Singh 

We at Opinions hope that Harbhajan Singh continues to email us match reports and provide an inside view of the happenings. A players perspective on things is always useful.


The second report is posted by our very own Chanakya...

We have learnt through reliable sources that the ICC has set up an emergency meeting in Mirpur to confront the ICC's Technical Committee's failure to meet its goal set 4 years back . In 2007, the Committee was asked to make changes in the ODI rules to ensure that teams routinely score runs in excess of 500 in 50 over by the time the 2011 World Cup arrives.

Given that India have scored just  370 in spite of batting power-plays, strict calling of wides on the leg side, limiting the number of bouncers per over, free hits on no balls; the ICC feel the changes are not enough. More needs to be done said the ICC Media Manager; on condition of anonymity.

We are not sure why a Media Manager would be reluctant to talk to the media.And how exactly the "condition of anonymity" is met once we reveal its the ICC's Media Manager being quoted, is an even deeper mystery to us. We were simply asked not to reveal the name.

A few of the options that will be proposed, discussed and approved are

• A bowler will not be allowed to bowl more than one dot ball in an over. A second dot ball will result in a series of free hits awarded to a batsman till a batsman is able to hoist one of the free hit balls for a six. If, even after 6 free hits, no sixes result, the batting team will be awarded 7 runs as penalty for the bowling team. Runs scored; till the point a 6 is hit or the penalty imposed; will all count against the batsman's individual score. 

• Introduction of a limit on yorkers. A team total of 3 yorkers per innings will be allowed. A 4th yorker will result in an automatic suspension from bowling of the offending bowler. His quota of 10 over will them be completed by Ajit Agarkar. 

• A further limit on bouncers is also introduced. The limit on bouncers will follow the same pattern as the limit on yorkers, except that the limit is for the lifetime of a bowler. A bowler who bowls a 4th bouncer in his career will be banned

Related Posts...

1. Opinions on Suresh Raina
2. India v Bangladesh: Its just another Do-or-Die game
3. Chanakya On Cricket - The entire series

Opinions on... Suresh Raina

It doesn't matter how good a batsman you are. To be a great Indian batsman, or viewed as a long term prospect in India, your name counts. I mean the way it sounds.

Suresh Raina isn't going to cut it.

Its a name good enough to make a successful actor; may be. A respected poet; perhaps. A singer too.



A batsman's name conveys is imminent stature amongst his peers, the kind of batsman he will likely become and the longevity he is likely to enjoy. Suresh Raina's name suggests an eager, dutiful but airy-fairy-wafty batsman who is highly regarded by Australian selectors

Look at some of the names that are considered undoubtedly great when it comes to batsmanship; in Indian cricket. Merchant, Hazare, Pataudi, the Manjrekars, Borde, Vengsarkar, Gavaskar, Vishwanath, Dravid, Azharuddin, Tendulkar (not the way Sanjay Manjrekar says it), Venkatasai Vangiparappu Laxman....

I forgot to mention the Amarnaths...

And and if the sound of Amarnath is not good enough; add Lala to it. Notice how between Lala, Mohinder and Surinder, the standings of each men in the history of the game in India is in descending order of the "weight" in the sound of the name. I mean sure you have "Amarnath" as the last name but Surinder kind of dilutes the collective impact. The overall result is simply a century on debut. Entirely on the weight of the name "Amarnath". I have no doubt that if Lala and his wife had named him "Balwinder" or something similar, he would have had a better career than Mohinder Amarnath and who knows India might have won the Oval Test in 1979.

Ganguly, isn't much of a name. It's got too many curves and soft on the edges and men don't seem like men when they say the word "Ganguly". So Ganguly's success as a batsman is hard to explain till you realize that with "Dada" and "Maharaj" for nick names; even if Ganguly's real name were "Pai" for example, it wouldn't have mattered. My due apologies to all Pais aspiring to be batsmen.....give it up. You won't make it. Stick to your books.

Essentially the name has to have a good feel to it. But that's not enough; for it also can't be a common name....

Workmen like names, Contractor, Engineer, Sharma, Joshi, Patil aren't going to help you achieve greatness in the context of Indian cricket.

Suresh Raina's problem is that the names Cheteshwar and Virat convey batsmen who will last the distance. True to their names one scored the fastest fifty on debut in a test match fourth innings in a successful chase and the other scored a century on a World Cup debut.

Suresh Raina should be confined to IPLs

Related Posts

• Unsolicited Opinions on other Cricketers

India v Bangladesh: Its just another Do-Or-Die game

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: So team...we have a big one first up on Saturday.

And Dhoni kicks off Team India's team meeting on the eve of the 2011 ICC World Cup opener. Dhoni continues

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: So, our process calls for establishing a "theme" for this match. Gary here is taking minutes of this meeting as usual and Suresh you fill up the "World-Cup-Campaign-Kick-Off-Meeting-Checklist" and send it to Greame Smith.

Suresh Raina: Am I playing?

Dhoni acts as if he hasn't heard the question.Dhoni looks around the room. Notices Sehwag has switched off already and Sachin is busy adjusting the various bandages on his fingers. He also notices Yusuf Pathan has a terribly scared look. 

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Pathan Miyan...what's up with you?

Yusuf Pathan: Yuvi here is making scary faces and I am really scared. 

Dhoni smiles at himself...

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Yuvi....keep up the good work. Get him as scared as you can

Yusuf Pathan: And this area is all new to me. I have never been to Bangladesh. I don't think its my area. I am really, really scared...Not the scared that gets me to butcher all the bowlers. What kind of a place is this, they have never hosted an IPL. Its completely out of my area...Yuvi! Stop! Please Stop!!

Now Dhoni's smile evaporates...

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Later tonight, I will take you to the red light areas to get you familiarized with this area

A visibly disinterested Sehwag jumps in and adds

Virendra Sehwag: Its a do-or-die game folks

Dhoni and the rest ignore him

Sachin Tendulkar: Its just another game captain.

Harbhajan Singh: Absolutely. I don't understand what the fuss is about.

Virat Kolhi: Win the toss and bowl first. Can you do it Mahi sir?

Gautam Gambhir: Look Mahi, I have a house warming party back home and that's where my heart is. Let's just get this match over quickly so I can attend the puja over Skype. God knows how you lost to these pesky Bangladeshi's the last time around. Shame on you...

Sachin Tendulkar: Its just another game captain.

Yuvraj Singh: Will they have cheer leaders for the game?

Gary Kirsten is now getting worried. the meeting is getting out of hand and they are no closer to finalizing the theme. "The process" has to be complied with, he is thinking to himself.

Virendra Sehwag: Its a do-or-die game folks. I am telling you

Still no takers. The team ignores Sehwag. Who goes back to being disinterested in the proceedings

Sachin Tendulkar: Its just another game captain.

At this point, Dhoni, in all honesty wishes to walk up to Sachin and throttle him with his bare hands. Instead he keeps his cool.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Sachin, "Just another game" can't be a theme. 

Sachin Tendulkar:  Why? Its my world cup so I get to pick the theme.

Harbhajan Singh: Absolutely.

Gary Kirsten: Yes, Sachin you are right

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Explain yourself Gary...

Gary Kirsten:  As a theme, I see no problem with that. All the process needs is a fucking theme I don't care what the theme is.

Virendra Sehwag: Its a do-or-die game folks. Listen to me!

Gary loses his cool at this point and screams at Sehwag

Gary Kirsten: Explain yourself you fucking prick! How can a first game of a tournament be a make or break game, you idiot!!

Virendra Sehwag: Not considering wins against the minnows; the only time India has ever won the fucking World Cup is when they have won the opening game. If we don't win on Saturday, the World Cup's gone.

Sachin stops fiddling with his bandages

Sachin Tendulkar: Well...this is serious shit. How come none of the so called experts are talking about this? Is this true? Suresh verify this nonsense on Stats Guru... and while you are at it let me know what is my average in world cup operning games....

Suresh Raina: But am I playing? 

Suresh is once again ignored. He dutifully checks all the stats and announces....

Suresh Raina: Viru is correct....

Sachin Tendulkar:  So we have our theme...."Its just another Do-or-Die game"

Gary Kirsten and Mahendra Singh Dhoni are happy. The process has been executed. They have a theme. Suresh Raina, files the minutes from Gary Kirsten, completes the checklist and faxes it to Greame Smith....

Similar Posts...

1. Indian team reacts to the Eden move
2. Team slogans for the World Cup
3. Strategery Session: How to beat India (Guest Post @ BCC!)

Cricket on Ambien

As far as warm up matches go, none have truly met the objective. Things appear still fairly cool as my fellow opinionator Golandaaz has blogged. But some of these games have revealed a few insights into teams and their performances. A few centuries have been scored, some wickets have been taken and some teams have demonstrated intent.


Firstly, Pakistan has come to the party. They seem to have resolved their opening conundrum. Butt's malfeasance seems to have created a great opportunity for Ahmed Shehzad. I have not seen him bat. But based on reports, he appears to be the real deal. Misbah-ul-Haq too seems to relish his pivotal role in the batting order and has brought his form from New Zealand to the benign surfaces of the sub-continent. Be very fearful of this Pakistan team. They are the dark horses.

South Africa brushed aside Australia with ease. Steyn is unrelenting in his pursuit of excellence. I run out of adjectives to describe the joy in watching him bowl. My favorities Duminy and DeVilliers too are among the runs. Add Amla and Kallis and SA are formidable. Smith is their weakest link. Both from a batting and captaincy stand-point. Tsotsobe may reap a rich harvest of wickets as well. SA may fall short due to Smith.

India eked out a victory against Australia and we talked more about Dhoni's comments, than anything of substance. Batting must continue to worry India. The pitch that they played on wasn't typical, but their vaunted batting line up didn't show up. Sehwag wants to bat fifty overs. Fans please note that this means he is changing his game. This cannot be good news. India continue to be journalists and expert commentator favorites. Everyone understands that providing objective opinions about India will result in TV contracts, interviews, adverts and invitations to sundry awards shows being cancelled. India are being lulled into complacency. Until their middle order of Yuvraj, Raina/Kohli and Dhoni fires, India are sitting ducks for the good teams.

India's second game produced a more normal batting performance, but Dhoni hinted at Raina being benched for Kohli. A bold idea, but unlikely to stay that way through the duration of the World Cup. More batting changes are likely. Yuvraj needs to come good in the game against Bangladesh or risk being benched.

Sri Lanka too have readied themselves in a Sri Lankan sort of way. Since 1996, they have always been in the hunt, yet always been given less space than the other contenders. Sri Lanka too have a realistic chance of taking it all. They love playing on sub-continental wickets and they too have a fantastic batting line up. Kulasekhara brings the added consistency to their bowling that was thought to be lost after Vaas. They have five good bowlers. Unfortunately, they lack bench strength.

West Indies are still an exciting team on paper. They have sacrificed flair for method and seem to be out of sorts. On a good day, they'll win, but it's hard to see them win consistently.

Australia have got to be the worst of the top teams. They have brought many batsmen who are unfamiliar with the sub-continental surfaces. Ponting and Clarke seem to have found their feet, but it's not going to be enough. The bowlers need to deliver.

England would be very lucky to make the semi-finals given their fatigue and apparent lack of interest in ODIs. Their game against Pakistan may kick-start their campaign. But Pakistan have no shortage of desire. England have the arsenal. It's desire that appears to be missing.

Idle Minds

The world cup has no buzz. This is official. I can tell because my normally savvy blogger buddies are down to nitpicking. They have collectively arrived at the conclusion that Dhoni is a leader but not a great captain. If I didn't know these guys, I would have thought that they deserved an unescorted vacation to Waziristan.


What set these young minds off on a witch (or wizard) hunt are the comments Dhoni made after India's game against Australia. He had the temerity to demand runs from Piyush Chawla who twirled his way to 4 decent Australian scalps in the game. The outrage this spurred from my reasonable friends ranged from "unnecessary pressure" to "lack of confidence in his top 7" to "fell off my chair" to "bemusement" and the like.

I put this down to the lack of good cricket going around. An idle mind is a devil's workshop. And intelligent idle minds are fertile grounds for such pursuits. As soon as the world cup starts, I'm sure we will return to normalcy.

Let me put forth some of my own devilry.

First, Chawla has been picked ahead of more accomplished performers such as Ojha and dare-I-say Amit Mishra. Piyush Chawla was nowhere in the picture and it was well-speculated that he made it to the team based on Dhoni's insistence.

The logic for his inclusion was his ability to bat better than those that were left out. A look at Chawla's record for UP and Kings will suggest that he is no mug with the bat. The reason this was needed in the first place was because India's batting in South Africa didn't truly reflect their recent capability. So Chawla's selection was a risk mitigation plan. Just in case we need some runs, would have been the reasoning.

Yuvraj Singh and Raina's poor form has put some onus on the lower order to chip in with some runs. It's a strategy for adversity and not plan A. It's plan B or perhaps C. Harbhajan Singh has developed decent batting skills while retaining his position as the number one spinner in the side.

Dhoni, perhaps, expects the same out of Chawla. In fact, that's the only reason he could have fought to include him ahead of Ojha. It is also reasonably safe to assume that Chawla has been made aware of this expectation.

Now, Chawla walks in with the score reading 136-7 in the 28th over. He has 22 overs to play in a warm up game. I can't think of a better way to spend some time in the middle and deliver 15-20 runs. Mind you, Dhoni wasn't asking for a huge rearguard. He was simply looking for Chawla to do what he was picked for in a warm-up game to boot. In case, the reader missed the point, this was a warm up game or a practice game. Free batting practice on offer to Chawla and 22 overs to bat.

Chawla had his bat in his arm-pits with less than 5 runs added to the team score with is personal contribution being zero. He had Pathan batting at the other end. All he needed to do was block out the balls and give the strike to Yusuf. He didn't deliver. He didn't justify his selection.

For 22 overs after that Dhoni and Kirsten probably spent time in the pavilion reminding Chawla of his lack of responsibility. Chawla did well to get four wickets and save India the blushes. But he had the opportunity BEFORE he came on to bowl to justify his selection and the faith that his captain and leader had placed in him.

How he will react to the criticism by Dhoni is something left to him. I don't see what the fuss is all about. The four wickets came well after Chawla messed up his opportunity to spend time in the middle in a warm up game and justify the reasons for which he was selected.

I applaud Dhoni for keeping things in context and challenging Chawla to do better at batting. If this is not a sign of a good captain and a leader, I don't know what is. His candor is refreshing. India are lucky to have a captain that gets it and not a captain that gets carried away.

This post is in response to

• Opinions On...Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Opinions on... Mahendra Singh Dhoni

We will perhaps never know how good Mahendra Sing Dhoni is as a leader. Like Steve Waugh and Ponting, Dhoni is the beneficiary of greater efforts of men that came before him. At the same time the resume he has built up is phenomenal.


Unlike past captains like Dilip Vengsarkar, Rahul Dravid or Anil Kumble, captaincy was not given to him as an entitlement. He got it ahead of many of his peers and seniors because he had the knack for it.

Unlike Pataudi, Azharuddin or Ganguly, he did not have to build a side around him.

He was given a high performance, fully functional side on the ascendancy. May be like an Ajit Wadekar.

His short career can be viewed in two parts. The first with long hair and the second with a more traditional cut. With the long hair he was like a Yusuf Pathan. Pathan's beard phase that is. With the short hair he has displayed a side that many did not think he had.

With the long hair, he almost lost his Test place in the side to Dinesh Karthik but he pulled off a Paul Collingwood, before Paul Collingwood, at Lords in 2007. Since then he hasn't looked back. May be has, only to check if the short hair at the back of his head is to his liking.

Many wins later, he is now tasked with emulating Kapil Dev for a second time. The first time he emulated Kapil Dev, was not the real World Cup. This is the real World Cup. This one happens once in 4 years; sometimes 5. But not monthly like the one he won.

As a batsman he reminds me of Javed Miandad. In that he does not resemble a batsman. Perhaps a butcher. He is no where in the class of Javed Miandad but like with Pakistan and Miandad, India are never completely out of the game till he is batting.

Cool and Luck are words most frequently associated with him. Perhaps the later is a by product of the first.

I think India's fortunes are tied to Dhoni's in this world cup. Its not Sachin's to win. Its Dhoni's. And as long as  Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in the game, India are firm firm favorites.

Our other unsolicited opinions...

1. Ashwell Prince
2. Yuvraj Singh
3. Jacques Kallis

The World Cup: 15 years on...

There was a certain buzz within me as India embarked on the tour to South Africa late last year. It's entirely missing as the World Cup approaches.

I am not sure what it is.


I know it will return come summer, when India goes to The West Indies and England. A chance to emulate the team of 1971.

But before that there is the World Cup and the IPL. Both have the likelihood of rendering India's Test resources completely spent. I would easily trade an early exit at the World Cup for twin Test series wins later in the summer.

May be I am too old fashioned when it comes to my cricket.

Or may be its the way the game's passion in India has been exploited by ICC, the global corporates and the media. The format's designed to give India as much help it can get; without outright cheating; to qualify for the next round. When there; India will be guaranteed home games through the finals. The global corporates will view the anatomy of an Indian player as advertising real estate. The media will make sure the paying spectators on television and the internet will watch only 4 full balls an over. And I won't be surprised if the ICC invent a new "power play" that calls for captains to have spread out fields, allowing more logos to be superimposed on the television screen.

However, I know in spite of all this the buzz will most certainly return within me; in time. Even before the summer.

Because even in the group stages when India takes on South Africa, they will know its a team they have never beaten in the World Cup.

When they play England, England will be looking for revenge for what India did to them in 1999 and 2003.

When India square up against the West Indies, it is likely to be a do-or-die game for the West Indies and quite possibly India.

When India take on Bangladesh, it will be trickiest match of all for India and the two sides will start as equals. Perhaps for the first time ever. No result can be claimed as an "upset".

These 4 games will be of the highest quality. I have no doubts about that.

But...

Its been almost 15 years since the last time India hosted a World Cup. 15 years ago India did not take their semi-final exit well. It was a complete shame. Since then the passion has become more fervent, more animated, more emotional, more vehement, more intense.

If 15 years ago India could halt an international game; just because their side was losing, what are they capable of now?

Can India take a loss to Pakistan at the Wankhede Stadium on April 2nd? Will India stand up and applaud as  they did in Chennai in 1999? Can India allow its citizens in Muhammad Ali road to rejoice a Pakistani win?

I doubt it. But will be happy to be proven wrong

Related Posts...

1. Indian team reacts to the Eden move
2. Team slogans for the World Cup

The Upset Predictions for WC

How about those people in Egypt? Many thought people in the muslim world were incapable of non-violence. The stereotypes were between Iraq style insurgency and suicide bombings or religious theocracy of the Iranian kind. Also, the "experts" who thought that democracy and Islam were incompatible. And that dictatorship therefore was the only course. Many brains hopefully have been reset. And once again, we are reminded of the genius of the Mahatma.


But I digress. This is a cricket blog. Perhaps the Pakistan cricket team will find inspiration in what's happening out in the middle east. For sure, they are the team with momentum. They are sure to make the quarter-finals. And from that point on, it's a lottery. I would have preferred an NBA style play-off. A 3 match series between the quarter-finalists. This would have put the really deserving teams into the semi-finals. Once again I digress. What's wrong with some lack of focus anyways? This is a blog, right?

Here's my list of potential upsets.

Upset #1 - Kenya beats New Zealand in game 2.
Kenya is playing quite well. They are quietly racking up wins and bowling in a disciplined manner. They have won both their warm-ups so far and the West Indies might get some real match practice. New Zealand may not find their feet until after they play Kenya.

Mini-Upset - Pakistan beats Sri Lanka in game 10.
Pakistan generally doesn't play Sri Lanka very well. While the Premadasa has been a fortress for SL, Pakistan have built a well balanced team and retained their essential unpredictability. They have had good match practice in New Zealand and their batsmen will probably prosper on sub-continental belters. Younis Khan could have a big day. Therefore, they have an edge in this game.

Upset #2 - Bangladesh beats England in game 28
England to me looks the weakest among the big guns. They were soundly thrashed by Australia. Despite Flowers disciplined approach, Pietersen and a few of the others could fly off the handle in the sub-continent. Bangladesh is playing at home and England are not exactly the best tourists to the sub-continent of late. Bangladesh will be looking to hunt down one of the big ones and England has the softest underbelly at this time. I'm imagining a pack of wild dogs and a hobbling wildbeast here.

Upset # 3 - West Indies beats India in game 42
The West Indies have always played India well and they just seem to have India's number in the big games. With all their IPL experience and their relative lack of discomfort to India's chaos, the West Indies will be enjoying their sojourn to India. Plus, they will have some crowd support when they play other teams. Indians love the West Indies teams. So coming into the game against India they would be pressure-free and with people who love playing against India - Dwayne Bravo, Chanderpaul and probably Barath.

Related Posts

1. World Cup campaigns begin
2. World Cup Game Changers
3. Team Slogans for the World Cup

What If...

Perhaps this is one of the most "open" world cups in a long time. Thanks to the Ashes defeat of Australia. So instead of picking favorites, we said lets envision a "What if..." for each team

So here goes.


What if


...England win the World Cup
Bombay will be treated to the Bhangra version of the sprinkler dance. Shirtless. The headlines back home will be "England retain the Ashes". Likelihood of England winning: Very unlikely

...Australia win the World Cup
We will know exactly what the Egyptian protesters are feeling. The headlines all over will be "Michael Hussey fit for the IPL". Likelihood of Australia winning: Very likely

...Sri Lanka win the World Cup
Technically, it will be the second time a host nation wins the World Cup. The jinx of a host nation never winning the World Cup will be kept alive. The headline in Australia will be "Murali chucks Austrlia's reign as champions". Likelihood of Sri Lanka winning: Likely

...South Africa win the World Cup
Clint Eastwood will direct a movie "Chokes of our Fathers". A story of how Jacob Zuma inspired Greame Smith to overcome a team torn apart by affirmative action; to prove a negative. That the Proteas are chokers no more. Likelihood of South Africa not choking: Very likely

...India win the World Cup
Sachin Tendulkar will say...well you guessed it... "It was just another win". Gary Kirsten will receive the Bharat Ratna and we will need 20 computer screens side-by-side to read the headlines on Times of India. Likelihood of India winning: Somewhat likely


...Pakistan win the World Cup

Shahid Afridi will show Imran Khan how it is done. The victory speech I mean. The headlines in India will be "Bombay burns as Pakistan celebrate". Likelihood of Pakistan winning: Somewhat likely

...Bangladesh win the World Cup

We will have an even longer world cup in 2015. Each knock out phase will be a best of 7 ODI series. All to ensure that the most marketable teams have infinite chances to win the World Cup. Likelihood of Bangladesh winning: Very unlikely

...New Zealand win the World Cup

Refer to Bangladesh

...West Indies win the World Cup
India will do to the West Indies what Clive Lloyd did to them in 1984. Likelihood of West Indies winning: Somewhat likely


...Zimbabwe win the World Cup

Will fast track the death of the 50 over game. It will have the exact opposite effect from the 1983 world cup. 

Likelihood of Zimbabwe winning: Very unlikely

Interestingly, if any of Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands, or Canada win the World Cup, they won't get a chance to defend it in 2015. The ICC has already determined that any of these nations winning the World Cup is impossible. So who am I to assess a likelihood to that.

World Cup Campaigns Begin

True to form, England began their World Cup campaign by doing what they do best. Whining! Two "slams" to the schedule by the English cricketing nobility - Pietersen and Maclaurin. This time strangely the schedule is being criticized for too much rest between games by Pietersen. The other guy is slamming the combined Ashes and WC schedule for being too busy.


Apparently, England don't play their best cricket when they are awfully busy or fully rested. It appears that the reason they have lost against Australia in the ODIs is because that schedule does not reflect true World Cup 'practice'. So they simply didn't put their heart and soul into practice ODIs that were not really practice.

Interestingly enough, they are going home to England for three days prior to flying to Dhaka. The ICC masterminded this additional leg in the journey to further tire out the English team. Right after that, they will have a surge of rest. The World Cup organizers and ICC, led by the cunning Indians, are hoping that this combination of extreme travel and extreme rest will kill England's ability to make an impact in the World Cup.

Unlike England though, Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand are not as busy. Since Australia played exactly the same number of days as England, but at home, their schedule counts as rest. Given how hard Australia had to work to beat England in the ODIs, it appears to some that both teams were resting.

Pakistan and New Zealand were simply practicing resting while playing their games. The Pakistan board decided to check out the team's ability to cope with pressure instead by naming the captain a little later than normal. Unfortunately, for England, Pakistan seemed to have coped with this just fine. Amazingly, there have been few media freehits by Pakistani players swearing allegiance to one candidate or another. Surprisingly, the last complaint heard from a Pakistani cricket player was from Usman Khawaja who hasn't received an RSVP for his offer to jump off a bridge.

Sri Lanka and West Indies have quietly fine tuned their World Cup preparations. Both played out some meaningless ODIs. But Sri Lanka are not practicing at the World Cup venues. They have decided to level the playing field by not seeking home advantage. With this in mind, they delayed readying the grounds. Eden Gardens on the other hand was also England's practice venue and hence had to be jettisoned from hosting the England-India game.

India have started their preparations very smartly. In order to avoid miffed egos, they picked all their first string players. Unfortunately, most of them are injured. So as the injuries tumble out of the closet, the real team will be named just a day prior to the start. This is a great ploy to upset all the plans that Bangladesh has made to beat India again. Sehwag, Praveen Kumar, Nehra, Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh are all expected to be replaced. If not anything, India want to prove that they truly mean it when they say that they take every match seriously.

Graeme Smith once again got ahead of himself. His team went to the 2007 WC expecting to win. So this time they are expecting to win but they have decided to define winning as getting into the finals. Here's the priceless quote, "In 2007 we went there with the expectation of winning the tournament, and put ourselves under so much pressure," Smith told the IOL Sport website. "Yes, you have to want to win the World Cup and that has to be your mindset, otherwise, what's the point of going there. Reaching the final is the goal."

Related Posts

1. World Cup Game Changers
2. Indian team reacts to the Eden move
3. Team slogans for the world cup
4. India can't win the World Cup

Eng v Aus 547th ODI: Tram Drivers v Bus Conductors

In joint statement the ECB and CA said....

"The mercifully last and positively final game of England's temporary migration to Australia will be a game between Australian Bus drivers and England Tram Drivers. "

They clarified that their lawyers have prevented them from using the word "tour". Which is a completely misleading; if not an entirely wrong word to describe England's visit to Australia


"Tram Drivers from Wales are also eligible" - They added later in response to a question raised by the selectors, who have been asked to name the respective sides in less than 24 hours. Australian selectors were told they there was simply no time to "trim" the side later so that had to name a 15 man squad and not a man more.

There just aren't enough men with a working set of hands, legs and a non numb brain from the original squads. So depleted are England, that had Monty Panesar been in the squad, he would have batted at #4 and fielded at point.

On the Australian side, Australia's first choice Test and ODI captain is out with an injured pinkey. Their up-until-last-month first choice T20 captain, current back up captain for Tests and ODIs and as-of-today future Test and ODI captain (as long as the first choice captain is not in the side) is resting.....phew...

Only in Austrlia can some one as out of touch as Michael Clarke can ask for and get rest.

So they will be led by their official but really second-choice T20 captain; Cameron White.

The series is starting to resemble the chariot race from Ben-Hur.

A full 26 years after an India - Pakistan World Championship final was inventively and humorously taunted by a group of local Melbourne fans as a clash between Bus Drivers and Tram Conductors, life has come a full circle in Australia.

World Cup Game Changers

This has been a dull couple of weeks cricket-wise. A few ODI series winding down, but none really indicating anything more than what's already known. Australia refuses to be written off. They have combined well against England. The latter are the strangest team of the lot. They are T20 Champions and just thrashed Australia in the Ashes. But they appear to be an ODI dud. It's hard to imagine England suddenly becoming ODI World Cup contenders.


Australia's game changer is Brett Lee. Even though Shane Watson is going to be the bulwark of the team, Lee's experience of the Indian conditions, plus his obvious enjoyment when playing in front of Indian spectators makes him a serious threat to opposing teams. Steve Waugh identifies him as the key to Australia's fortunes and I agree.

England's game changer is Pietersen. Unfortunately, he's not turning it on off late and that's got to hurt England's chances as well as the spectators. Pietersen on song is devastating and spectacular to watch. For the World Cup's sake, I hope he fires a few times.

Pakistan will depend on Abdul Razzaq to turn games on their head. They are by far the most dangerous team in the tournament. They have always played ODIs very well in India and there is no reason to believe that they can be walked over. They have good sub-continental warriors in Tanvir, Gul, Afridi and Razzaq in their side.

Sri Lanka's key is going to be Angelo Matthews. He is a superb all round talent and will be key to their fortunes.

Dwayne Bravo will be important for the West Indies. He has good temperament, but still needs a big stage to fully emerge. There have been pockets of brilliance from him, but too often he has not followed up with consistent performances. This world cup can be his claim to greatness.

New Zealand unfortunately have no one they can count on. Despite Vettori, Ryder, Taylor and McCullum being in the side, I can't see them doing anything spectacular on a consistent basis.

For South Africa, it's got to be ABDV. This a rock solid team, but needs someone who can burst open the game at its seams. AB is in good form and has played tremendous cricket lately.

And finally for India, I nominate Gautam Gambhir. No good reason. Just gut feel. Gambhir has got to deliver in game after game if India are to win this World Cup.

Portraits: Imran Khan

At a time when the West Indies and their battery of fast bowlers were at their fiercest and conquered all; Imran Khan led Pakistan in 2 series against the West Indies; home and away.

They could not beat him...

People talk about the greatness of Jacques Kallis. He perhaps may be the the greatest all rounder ever. 

But he is no Imran Khan

Relaated Posts...

• Opinions On... Jacques Kallis
• Portraits: Ricky Ponting

Indian team reacts to the Eden move

Eden Garden's India v England World Cup game will now be played in Bangalore. A place where a bomb explored before an IPL game; and led to a subsequent IPL semi-final to be moved from there to Bombay.

The reaction to the move from Eden to Bangalore from most Indians has been that of shame. Imagine a game being moved to the Oval from Lord's because the stadium was not ready. No one thinks that would ever happen. And no one truly believed that it would happen to Eden Gardens as well.

But it did, The lethargy of Indian administrators has reached a new low.

But may be I am wrong. May be its not even lethargy, knowing that Dalmiya was involved, I cannot rule this out as a "calculated" move on his part to strike future deals with Bangalore.

But Eden Gardens has been a shame for Indians for quite some time now. Its just that we have always chosen to look the other way. Whatever charm the stadium held, was really gone when it drove Vinod Kambli to tears. The way people celebrate wins is no yardstick for passion.

But this time we did not even give an opportunity for the Bengalis to reach new lows. Had England beaten India on Feb 27th, just how would the rowdy crowd of Eden Gardens reacted? We will never know.

Perhaps it is better to accept the humiliation of not getting a marquee ground ready than to witness real shame as Eden riots because Pietersen and Sachin collided leading to a Sachin run-out.

Nonetheless the move is a significant event.

So we polled a few members of India's World Cup team for their reaction to this move, how it reflects on India and how it impacts the game in specific

Sachin Tendulkar as was expected said that Bangalore was just another ground just like Eden Garden which was also just another ground. He reiterated his love for the game and how he would play anywhere for his country.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni too was cool about it. He said that its all about the process. He said India already have a process in place to handle venue changes a few weeks before an event. We will just follow the process and not worry too much about the result

Harghajan Singh at first wanted to know what Sachin had to say. When we shared that with him, he said although he would have preferred the noise of Calcutta, he is willing to go any place to win a World Cup for Sachin

Praveen Kumar did not believe this was any shame. He said he chose to look at it as "Change" Just like Obama would. He said that he likes change and was perplexed why there would be any shame associated with it.

When we approached Suresh Raina, he kept us waiting for a good hour as he was shadow batting. Practicing his "new stroke" as he called it. A slog over mid-wicket. We left without his response

Yusuf Pathan said that this question was not in the right area for him and preferred not to comment.

Yuvraj Singh made effeminate faces for a long time and then inquired if Stuart Broad is playing.

Virendra Sehwag for some reason was livid. He said, Kevin Pietersen has accused him of changing his game and that he has never changed his game and never will. He said he doubted if England have the attack to take 10 Indian wickets on Indian pitches. It doesn't matter whether the game is played in Eden Gardens or Bangalore

Ashish Nehra said, just like in 2003 he plans to take out 6 Englishmen out go get India "high on hashish" as the English would like to say. Bangalore, he said, is the right move.

If you enjoyed this...

1. Team Slogans for the World Cup
2. Appointment and Non-Appointment of Captains
3. No One Killed the Australian Supremacy

Misbah for Captain

Misbah Ul Haq is doing every thing he can to make the potential announcement of Shahid Afridi as Pakistan Captain for the world cup, look ridiculous.

During the 4th tie-breaking ODI against New Zealand, while Shahid Afridi, was in the dressing room waiting his turn to bat, biting his fingers, muttering his prayers and holding his bladder like a bride waiting for her late and reluctant groom; with 70 odd to get in 9 overs; Misbah was masterminding a calm chase; ignoring all calls from Afridi to go 'free hitting'.

Unless Ijaz Butt is waiting for Salman to to acquitted; appointing Misbah as Pakistan's captain seems to make the most logical sense to me.