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THE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE DOMINANT BAT AND THE HUMBLE BALL

The International Cricket Council (ICC) must get its act-together otherwise, the game which we love and respect so much starts to lose credibility. One look at the truck loads of runs Virat Kohli and Steve Smith, are piling on, the admirer, the passionate supporter and the fan of cricket in me falls short of words for the praise their feat richly deserves. Virat Kohli’s five double hundreds in a calendar year the highest by any captain and the ease by which Steve Smith keep scoring big and important runs in the ongoing 2017, Ashes (incidentally, at the time of writing this article, the third test at Perth is in progress, and Smith is 200+ not out overnight) compels me think, about the level these two players have already reached, and my mind immediately starts to compare them with game’s best of all time like Sir Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar. I know that it is a folly to compare greats of different generations, as those times were different, so are the present times. My
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WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

First things first, here is India’s 17 member squad for the three match Test series in South Africa with the first test beginning from the 5 th of January, 2018 at Cape Town . Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice captain), Rohit Sharma, Ravinder Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket keeper), Ravichanadran Ashwin, Parthiv Patel (reserve wicket keeper), Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Sami and Umesh Yadav. When I failed to spot either of Kuldeep Yadav or Yuzvendra Chahal in the list of players selected while I scanned through the squad a second time, a question spurred in my mind, what were the selectors thinking? Or for that matter, what was Virat and the think tank’s reasoning behind this absurd decision. I understand selecting a team is solely the selector’s responsibility, but still, I am sure Virat would have been consulted prior to the finalizing of the squad. Why not t
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AND THE CHAMPION IS….

The final tussle in the bid to be called the World T-20 championship 2016 has come down to two teams, England and West Indies. And it’s no secret that they have also been the most consistent and balanced side of the tournament which started with ten teams (top eight seeds and two qualifiers.) But before progressing forward let’s have a word about the defeated semifinalists. New Zealand; they are still the perpetual bridesmaids (why persist with pace? and hold Santner, your best bowler of the tournament and allow the opposition to get settled) and India; is still a one man team previously it used to be Sachin Tendulkar and now it is Virat Kohli (some might not agree with the statement.)  The all important final going to be held at Eden Garden, Kolkata will have two opponents that have grown throughout the tournament. The West Indies’s tenacity of bouncing back after the humiliating loss to Afghanistan (their last group match) to beat the host and much favored India (two no ba
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AND THE SEMIFINALISTS WILL BE...

What a master class Virat Kohli served-up; the poise in character, the mental toughness and the sheer willingness to fight. That an emotional Virat himself acknowledged and placed the inning, as his top right now. The significant word here is emotional; as he very well knows that the real tournament starts now. As with New Zealand, England and West Indies we have three very dangerous sides very much capable of winning the trophy.  Let’s start with the second semi final between hosts India and West Indies taking place at Mumbai on 31st March 2016, India can ill afford to take their opponents lightly as the shortest format of cricket suits their player’s six hitting capabilities, couple that with the technical know-how of countering Indian slow and low spin friendly pitches which they learned by plying their trade in the IPL (Indian Premier League.) With Chris Gayle’s powerful hitting, Dwayne Bravo’s cutters, Samuel Badree and Sulieman Benn’s guile and Andre Russell’s all roun
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VIRAT’S CONUNDRUM- CHOOSING THE ELEVEN

Virat Kohli led India to its first test series win in Sri Lanka after a gap of 22 years; kudos to him and the team. But a very difficult challenge awaits them in the form of the South African’s, who visit India for a 72 day tour that comprises of three twenty-20, five ODI’s and four tests. This series also takes historic significance as from here on in all future bilateral series between the two countries will be called Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela series. And Freedom Trophy is the name given to the 4 test match series being played between the two countries with the first test commencing from 5 th November at Mohali. Now comes to the tricky part; Virat’s playing eleven that takes the field for the first test? The biggest factor that contributed to India’s 2-1 series win in Sri Lanka was up to a number of players that owned up responsibility and made a statement. Actually circumstances and fate played its part in giving them opportunity but full marks to them for making that c
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WILL THE REAL CRICKETERS PLEASE STAND UP

“After we finished the West Indies tour and went to South Africa in 2013 that was a challenge. If I am not wrong after that we went to England, New Zealand and Australia and we knew that was going to be a challenge with the big names retiring," Rohit Sharma told reporters before leaving for Sri Lanka. "We played some good cricket in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, so I am sure this unit will do well in Sri Lanka. Our challenge will be to win all the three Test matches there and comeback as champions," Rahane said echoing Rohit’s thoughts. Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun carrying on the team baton stated that speed merchants Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav will take up the challenge to “maintain speed as well as be accurate.” “You don’t come to the ground to draw a match, so you play a brand of cricket where you take the game forward. The role I play is hammering that into their system. We don’t mind losing playing in that fashion. But it is the bra
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RISE AND RISE OF BANGLADESH CRICKET

No eye was raised when Bangladesh took a 78 runs first innings lead in the recently concluded rain affected drawn out test match against South Africa at Chittagong. Actually it was a reality which every Bangladeshi cricket fan willed to happen sooner rather than later. Individual and one off heroic performances were the norm but it was being consistent as a team day in day out, match after match, carrying performance from one format to the other and building on the success were Bangladesh cricket frailties. All that had changed as Bangladesh cricket is finally looking up after a string of successes in ODI’s against Pakistan, India and South Africa. The Bangladesh one-day juggernaut which started with the win over Zimbabwe has now slain South Africa 2-1. Win is a win , the old adage doesn’t do justice as the complete domination exhibited, audacity of play and knuckling down in pressure situation to fight it out emphasis the level of growth to which Bangladesh cricket has rise
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