Switch hitting: 2010

Twelve years of roller coaster cricket, Harbhajan Singh the zealous and often fanatical cricketer, is yet to recognize his talents in the trade, perhaps. At least, Mutthiah Muralitharan, the phenomenal off-spinner of the modern era entertains a thought that is not so far from this. Bemused? You are entitled to. The sardar has 355 test wickets at 30.94 from 83 tests. The great Dennis Lillie and Malcolm Marshall crossed the same barrier in 70 tests.

In winning matches for his country, if he is second, it is just because of the overshadowing influence of a colossal presence in the form of certain AR Kumble for the first decade of his career.

Yet what marks the first reference?

Simple. Murali who just recently commented that it is only the turbanator, he thinks could over take the 800+ landmark that he is likely to set others to cross. It is hard to stretch the imagination that far as the years left for Bhaji is too enormous a factor to be ignored. 800 is a far cry for the thirty-year-old off-spinner largely because of the fact that he would need at least 60 wickets per year for the rest of his career.

At the current rate, he might need 13-15 test matches a year if he has to entertain any hope of reaching that far. His present average is a shade under 7 which had been an even par average for the Indian cricket team for the last 20 years or so. So where would Harbhajan end up? Well, where he is destined.

What went wrong? Was he a gross underperformer? Nay…..

There is a theory that is pertaining to cricketers that they mature at an age of 30. Hence, the stage may be set for a second take off. And this time around very much like Murali he has none alongside him to threaten and grab a share. It is all the more a fight for himself now. A fight that he has not been on the winning side always.

Eight hundred is an illusive landmark. It might well be an elusive one as well. Further, it is all the more illogical to have a run for that, as Murali has been the lone spinner of the Sri Lankan line-up for the better part of his career. Hurling down enormous number of deliveries innings after innings for over 16 years now.

Bhaji has to head in a different direction. He has less bowling responsibilities to handle with as compared to Muralitharan, but a higher degree of pressure on performance from his fellow countrymen than his opposite number does.

It is all about handling the pressure, they say, don’t they?

Sunday, 14 March 2010

Barely into the formalities of the third edition of IPL. CSK is not out of their dug-out and already there seem to be a pattern developing. Two teams, MI and KKR are on a different war-foot altogether with a great level of fearlessness tagged around them. MI lacks a bit of momentum in the middle overs though the young sensations like Rayudu and Saurav Tiwari would prefer to differ in this regard.

They miss a Bravo and Dumini for sure and the newest sensation and the 700000M man Pollard could be the most welcome edition to an otherwise fragile middle and tail portion. Arguably they have the best bowling combination up front and the west Indian pair should cover up for the meagreness in the back-up bowling. One wonders where Abhishek Nair is going to be fitted in.

Te KKR side sans two of the greatest strikers McCullum and Gayle isn’t perturbed an inch. The new found energy level is the most welcome sight of the SRK owned team and two wins on the trot is the best thing that Ganguly and his men can hope for. Alas! Can’t remember Saurav diving across the turf even in his prime!

RC is not posing a real challenge to any body. Not sure the aging legs and tiring minds are the exact wants of the T20 format. With due respect to the greats Kallis and Dravid, they draw a picture of a Mark3 ambassador car amidst the new generation fast machines. The first season was far worse with Chanderpaul and Wasim Jaffer complicating the issues. They badly miss Ross Taylor to begin with. Manish Pandey and Robin Uthappa will have to shoulder the brunt for the time being.

RR is all set prove their critics wrong and Vow! What a blitzkrieg it was by the elder Pathan. It wasn’t all about form. It was just astonishing power hitting, right out of the blue. The 39 ball hundred would have made even the great Richards stand and applaud, leave the lesser mortals alone.

VVS Laxman! Dear oh! Dear! Isn’t it the most pathetic of sights to see him slogging across desperately in order to be on par with Gilchrist? Hope he realises this sooner rather than later and continue to be the ever charming test cricketer for ever.

Tuesday, 23 February 2010

Pretenders, beware! The Aussie juggernaut is on a roll. The team is in great shape to put a hand on the so far eluded T20 World cup trophy. No great news for the other aspirants for sure.

At the moment the teams would have to sweat the last drop out to topple this bunch of ultimate performers in the Caribbean. They had already taken their performance level to another level. The exuberant energy displayed on the field is astonishing. They are all around the opposition chocking them up with relentless pressure.

The best thing about all these is that this is not an extra-ordinary side. Rather, this is just an ordinary cluster of cricketers with an extra-ordinary zest to perform. Just look at the way the youngster Steve Smith fields in the outfield would tell you that they mean business this time around. He is everywhere. Stopping the ball and taking those incredible catches time and again.

The real strength in the Australian team is their versatility in the bowling department. They may be a bit short in the slow bowling category when compared to Pakistan or Sri Lanka. Don’t think that is going to make hell of a difference in the shorter format of the game given the situation that the faster men are more than capable of upsetting the rhythm of the opposition batting line-up.

David Warner, the pocket dynamo is all set to explode and if he does, the grounds in the West Indies would seem like 30 yard circles. Such is the power generated by this diminutive opening batsman against all types of attacks. Anything remotely short is going to go distance if it happens to hit any part of his bat, and they all stay hit for sure.

The newfound Shane Watson can not put a foot wrong and he continues to dominate at the top as he has done in test matches and in the one-dayers. He perhaps is the Aussie version of a Sewag, who treats everything in one way. The desperate move to assign the opener’s slot to this big hitting all rounder has surprised one and all and what a summer he had with the willow. It was a career defining moment for him and hence a la Sewag.

Ryan Harris might exactly not look like a fit cricketer. He is in the Darren Lehman or Shane Warne mould in appearance. Nothing to take away from his mobility on the field and buoy what a bowler he is. A captain’s dream for the death bowling with incredible variations of length and speed and can curve the new cherry outwards with alarming consistency. What on earth could you ask for more?

Hello, Any body there?

Tuesday, 9 February 2010

Do I owe an apology, friends? Probably. It was a real blunder from my part to suggest in the last post about a 5-day test match at VCA stadium, Nagpur. And at Jumta, it was three days and a bit. The tail could just delay the inevitable for a couple of hours. Who says that there aren’t any more rest days during test matches these days? It got shifted from the middle to the end, that’s all!

At last,Dhoni had the taste of a defeat in the test match arena, and let us hope that it was just the first of a few. To say that the number one spot in the ICC ranking is in jeopardy would be a gross understatement as much as the comment by the skipper himself after the post match ceremony- “we were outplayed”. It was not just a case of the visitors outplaying their counterpart. It was a meek surrender instead.

The gulf between the number one and two sides looked far greater than it actually was. The limp in the bowling is huge threat to the future course of Indian Cricket. Just being number one in the world is one thing and it is quite a different thing to belong there. It’s high time that the think-tank do something to reinforce the bench strength.

Just four of them together amassed over 550 runs in itself is the testimony of the lack of imagination and penetration of the Indian attack. That after they had lost both their openers for a mere half a dozen on the board. It was ceremony to begin with and how fast it turned to acrimony before the close of day one. The drooped shoulders remained so ever since.

Of course the batting failed, if not once, twice. That has a lot to do with the remarkable discipline shown by the South African bowlers. Each of them knew what was expected of him and was up there all the time. 350 runs for a batting side sans Dravid, Laxman and Yuvaraj against such an attack isn’t the worst by any means. If Indian batsmen failed twice in pursuit of that, they have only themselves to blame.

Kolkata, Oh! Kolkata! I wonder what is in store there for the all important second tie. A spinner friendly track and India fielding all its spinning strength? Might be a bit like the leg stump attack of Paul Harris. Quite an unethical cricketing move. Can’t blame the administration if that is what is in offer at Eden Gardens.

Sunday, 7 February 2010

The new look VCA stadium in Nagpur is a gorgeous spectacle. It is more like a South African stadium than an ordinary Indian one of the eighties and nineties. The lush green outfield gives the batsman value for his shots or even more. The only issue is the square in the middle which seems to be numb in nature. Or is it that Indian bowling draws a picture of numbness for itself?

Which ever way you look at it, one thing is pretty clear on the eve of the second day of this five day afire. Now it is left with others. India’s numero uno status is solely resting on the crippled shoulders of its batsmen. The equation is pretty clear. That is to bat out till Tuesday evening if they want to entertain the hope of drawing this encounter. That they have to do it without the services of two of their seasoned warhorses puts the top and the middle order under intense stress.

The abundance of runs and the South African pacers do pose a twin threat on M/S Sewag, Gambhir and Tendulkar, primarily whom the Indians are pinning their hopes on. The history would suggest that these men have creditable back files to prove their credentials. But, the simple fact that they have to do it without Dravid and Laxman is a considerable twist from the so far episodes. A padded up Rahul Dravid in front of the dressing room is not just a presence. It is an image of confidence in the opener’s mindset. Needless to say about the wall in the middle of things.

Indian batting has never worn a sorry look like this in the recent past. On tours, a good ten years ago, we have seen the reserve wicket-keepers or pretended all-rounders forced to take up the burden of a specialist batsman. Though Wridhiman Saha has won his place in the squad with sheer wait of performances, he would be the first to admit that presently it is too big a shoe of VVS that he is sporting.

On the other hand Badarinath and Saha must be thanking their stars for the most coveted opportunity that came their way especially the former who has been the ‘Rahul Dravid’ of the domestic cricket for quite while now. It must be a heartening relief for the Tamilnadu batsman that the relentless three figure hits have at last been recognised.

Team India is on a real look out for yet another dream start. Or a couple of them wouldn’t harm their course of defending the number one spot.

Wednesday, 3 February 2010

The awesome crisis that is circling around Indian Cricket has to do with three of its greatest warriors, together with who have made a bit under 32000 test runs. The big3 had been everything as far as Indian batting is concerned for over a decade now and exactly there in lies the threat. The three of them together have served the Indian cricket for something like 47 years now. Anybody please let me know about a better service period in the last 50 years of test match history.

The longevity of a normal cricketer is 7-8 years which means these three have so far eaten up the space of at least eight world class batsmen this far. (Ignore another six or seven yet to come, if you don’t mind) No serious search has been seen so far for the replacements of these giants as and when they might call it a day. Speculatively, the pundits would suggest of a Rohit Sharma who would fit into the larger than the life shoes of a little man. And he is still in the wilderness of the domestic circuit and fighting it out in vein presently. Tomorrow is another day, of course.

India has no dearth in quality batters and always has a deep pool to choose from. There could be immediate replacements for even the greatest of players. Talent has never been a short supply as far as batsmen were considered. Are these batsmen grown in stature to grab the opportunities straight away as a Sewag or Gambhir did? Can’t quite disagree if one is apprehensive.

Time, the limitless entity of all has to do a lot with this. When a Virat Kohli was given a breathing space for over a substantial length of time, he did win his first battle. That is making it hard for the selectors to drop him from the one-day outfit. The mere fact that he was filling in the void created by a Sachin Tendulkar didn’t perturb him and he was more than happy to slip into the responsibilities of a top order limited over batsman. Now, nobody had any doubt over his ability as a cricketer right from the junior level when he successfully led the colts in the premier championships. At the highest level he has been struggling to keep his feet over a couple of years now. Consistently in and out of the team made it harder for the youngster and he had to wait till Tendulkar was injured.

If we have a successful one-day batsman in Suresh Raina, the reason is the time factor alone. For his talent, he too was not a comfortable starter in the international arena. He could easily have been sidelined among the Gambhirs and the Dhonis who were into the thick of things as ducks into the pond. Creditably the men who mattered showed some patience and here he is, as one of the most destructive batters down the order. His deeds are second best only because of a Yuvaraj Singh ahead in the order.

In the domestic cricket, I wonder what keeps the Subrahmanyam Badarinath and a Wasim Jaffer going when they realistically do not see even a glimpse of an opportunity to break the doors open. Merely knocking at the door- as the old cliché would tell you- is not going to make any difference whatsoever. The same goes to a Mohammad Kaif or even to a Dinesh Kartick to a good extent. Hats off to them for the level of perseverance they put on display even in such adverse situations!

There is quite an abundance of talent around lurking in the backwoods. We can’t keep on saying sorry to them for too long. The day would be not so far when we have to look around and beyond. Need to find a couple of them the vicinity.