Sachin's formulae!!! Do we really need to introduce path breaking changes?

For someone who is a die-hard fan of Sachin's batting, I should have naturally accepted his proposal and joined the bandwagon of people who are supporting his proposal. Nah!!! I am not quite biting the idea as yet. In no ways am i either joining the bandwagon of people who are just plain against it. A lot of it just seems like resistance to change. Lets just quickly draw a parallel with a couple of recent innovations?

1. Has the "free hit" idea helped cricket? It sure has. We don’t hear of bowlers delivering 11 no balls and just having a bad day anymore. They realise those 11 balls could cost them atleast 35 odd runs and if its a Sehwag or Yuvraj show then you are talking about a score between 44 to 66 runs!!!

2. Has the additional powerplay system helped teams? It sure has. Captains have to think a lot more. Although most batting captains have still not arrived at a clear formulae to handle it. There is palpable excitement when a powerplay is taken?

3. Has the TV umpiring system worked? Its a huge mixed bag. I don’t think the administrators have still arrived at a clear diktat of where to use it and where not too? And clearly international cricket is no testing ground. I remember the Sri Lanka-India series a year back, pretty much every referral for Ajantha Mendis was given because he bowls wicket to wicket. However, elements like whether the batsman was attempting to play the ball and how far forward he was from the wicket did not really come into the match. Again an Ishant Sharma was always turned down because he was too tall!!! My initial view is that it can be used for run-out, detecting inside edges for LBW decisions and the like. But, using it detect whether a catch was taken cleanly and to detect edges is still a far cry. The fun of having characters like Peelo Reporter, David Shepard, Billie Bowden is something cricket may not necessarily want to loose. Imagine a day when the umpire has a plaster on his mouth and just indicates a four/sixe/no-ball/wide and directs everything else to a computer box placed in the pavilion.

The formulae from Sachin is something which is apt to test in the upcoming Challenger tournament which involves international players like Sachin, Dhoni and the like. The following are my apprehensions with the same:

1. While I agree one day cricket feels a tad longer on the back-drop of T20 cricket, one of the exciting parts of one-day cricket is the way a batsman or team builds the innings. With 25-over format, that is bound to broken
2. One-day cricket featuring meaningless matches. I think there are 2 parts to it. Major challenge with this is the lack of a divisional structure much like Soccer. There are so many meaningless matches that take place. We should do away with 7 match series, uncalled for bi-lateral series and so on. Once the schedule is planned better, quality cricket is bound to follow. But, the second fact of cricket featuring meaningless matches is bound to continue in the proposed format as well. Imagine team batting 1st scoring like 70 odd runs in wet conditions for the loss of 5-6 wickets. Team batting second following up with 120 odd for 2 wickets? What we have essentially is a no contest unless the 2nd time around the last 3-4 batsman can score like 200 runs in 25 over’s.
3. It feels like an abridged version of test cricket with the innings and all rather than a one innings match where there is a lot of speculation on what is a good target, how do I build my innings and so on.
4. It could break the momentum of a brilliant spell or batting display. Would someone want to take a break when Sachin is on a roll or if Lee is one fire? For a die hard cricket fanatic, having a break in between a tough duel between the defense of Dravid and the swing of Mcgrath or the power or Yuvraj and the guile of Murali is as big a miss as it can get! In a test format, these duels can favour the batsman as he can see a spell off, but in a one day format where runs matter, he really can’t hide for long!

There are clear benefits to the system as well:

1. Both teams are more or less benefiting or affected by the conditions. England in June or day-night matches in India, Sri Lanka and so on
2. A result is assured in a lesser time.
3. Players can re-coup and come back in the 2nd innings with a clear target in mind. A lot of speculation that surrounds the team batting 1st is gone

Nonetheless I think its an idea worth trying. We could end up with a modified, chiseled new One day format that sells much better. Let’s wait and watch!!!

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Just a bad tournament……Nothing more to it…. Nothing less…..

Indian cricketers and the English Footballers share a lot in common. They play for a nation that is so obsessed with the sport, that anything less than a victory brings the brick bats out. Let us quickly remind ourselves of 3 important points:

• We only miss out on some extra days of entertainment value in case our team misses out on a quarter final/semi-final spot. On the contrary, the player’s loose out on much more money, the hype and hoopla associated with any win and the sheer excitement of lifting a tournament. Hence, let’s not jump into burning effigies and painting walls black!!!
• Sport is a highly specialized, professional and competitive filed today. None of the top flight sportsman today have alternate professions to fall on. For eg: Most Irish cricketers are electricians, carpenters and so on. That is only because they are not yet a major cricketing force to reckon with, playing 100+ days of international cricket and having multi million dollar lucrative contracts with private clubs. Hence, for them to take things lightly when all they have is 7-8 years of peak earning period is a grave misconception.
o There are exceptions to established players not having alternate professions- But the Tendulkar’s and Ganguly’s of the world own huge chains of hotels and other businesses after years of toying hard.
o There are a few famous exceptions to players who have taken things lightly and found themselves in bewilderment as well. The jumping clown from Kerala is one such example.
• Most importantly, the current Indian team was going through a purple patch that had to end somewhere. With a 70+% winning record, I have no doubt in claiming that the last 18-20 months has seen the most consistent performance from an Indian cricket team. Gone are the days when we switched off the TV sets when Sachin got out or when we followed up some of the finest victories ever with a non-too surprising dismal show. We had 2 bowlers who were asked to bowl till their hands came off and a so-called famous batting order that refused to bat well outside of India.

Hence, a loss is understandable from this highly professional team, the best we have had in 50 years of international cricket. Having said, I must admit that I was surprised at the mistakes we made tactically and as a team from the beginning of the tournament. Dhoni looked extremely tired and less in control than he was ever been before. The poor chap cannot be blamed for “hiding” Sehwag’s injury for anyone would take a risk with a special talent like him and hope against hope that he would roll back into fitness in time. It did not happen and that is something which happens to any team. Who can forget the oxygen room treatment for Beckham and the special treatment for Rooney only for him to be red-carded some 30-minutes into the match. So much for spending hundreds of thousands of Pounds.

Beginning of the tournament:

• The selectors had a choice to make at the beginning of the tournament. Rest cricketers who are half fit/injured or carry them along with the risk of non-performance/non participation
o The Selectors decided to take a cautious approach and take the risk of picking Zaheer and Sehwag. Interestingly, our last T20 win was largely due to the selections we made and the seniors backing out and giving way to a younger team who were more agile in the field. This recent decision seemed to set the tone for our all-too cautious campaign. They always had Nehra to replace Zaheer and a few other options listed below to replace Sehwag. However, stuck to going with Sehwag and Zaheer and I have no issues with that. If these 2 had come off their injuries, they could have turned matches on their own.
• When Sehwag was officially declared unfit and we looked out for a replacement, the selectors came back with Dinesh Karthik. I have no doubt in claiming that he is the next best player outside of the 15. But you don’t make injury replacements with the next best player always. For eg: If Glen Macgrath was injured, Australia would not have replaced him with wicket-keeper Brad Haddin (who for 5-6 years was waiting behind Gillie) for he was the next best player. We need to look at the style of play, importance and the position that needs replacement.
o The more aggressive option would have been to try out Sunny Sohal or Manish Pandey in place of Sehwag as they are both extremely aggressive and natural T20 openers so to say’.
 To ask Rohit Sharma to open on the basis of 2 practice games was not very intelligent, especially considering the fact that he has not yet quite made the transition from an outstanding domestic/IPL player to a consistent international player. The guy has not even opened for an IPL team. Hence, to expect so much of him because he was willing to do the job is a huge mistake we made. Let’s not forget even Maninder Singh wanted to open the batting for India atleast once. I am not for one comparing the skilful bowler of the past with this talented right hander but only putting my point across on willingness and experience being 2 different compartments.
o The more prudent and sensible option would have been to request Sachin (3rd highest Indian scorer in IPL after 2 middle order batsmen- Rohit & Raina and even in the last 2 years- India’s most consistent batsman after Gambhir) to help the team out. He would have inspired the whole lot and guided the team along. A role he has been donning most admirably of late. With Gambhir struggling to get going, a natural opener is what India needed. I don’t buy the point that we could have looked at Yusuf Pathan as well. Again he has not done it and to ask him to do it in a world cup is audacious and pushing the term “bravery” a little too far.

Yesterday’s match

• Toss- I had this sinking feeling inside me that we will over-compensate the West Indies loss and choose bowling first on winning the toss. Dhoni remarked that, “Chasing is our strength.” We chase better today but it is no secret that India as a nation has never chased well. Flash back to last times T 20 World Cup- the win against England, Australia, South Africa & Pakistan were all achieved batting first. We definitely missed a trick of setting a target as against chasing when we knew that there was very little due on the ground or change that would be there in the pitch. In such circumstances the golden rule- “Put the total on board” should have been followed.
• Team- I was very happy with the selection of Jadeja. Though I am of the opinion that Ojha is our # spinner and not Bhajji anymore, I was fine with him being replaced as Jadeja is a decent bowler. However, I would have replaced a struggling Ishant with RP Singh. In effect replacing a promising but struggling Ishant and adding one more batsman to our team. Irfan is not great bowler these days but when thrown a choice between 2 out of form bowlers, I would any day pick the one with a better batting record.
• Bowling- Barring Ishant & Zaheer (in parts), we bowled really well as a team and 153 was a good score considering the fact the England did not have spinners to stifle teams out like Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Having said that, Indians do thrive on spin and hence the case could have been different had England played Adil Rasheed as Ryan Sidebottom looked like a man possessed last night and bowled really well to the plan
• Fielding: Our fielding was woeful. Even someone like Yuvraj looked out of sorts. Zaheer and Ishant were clear liabilities (Not the professional team we are used to outside of this tournament). Field positions could have clearly been better. 2 clear mistakes
o Late down the order, batsmen tend to edge more. We should have had the fine leg and third man finer
o Point for the spinners should have been closer as short extra cover was some way back. Batsman constantly took singles by playing it straight to point.
• Batting order- If we wanted to play the short ball well, then we should have sent Dhoni up the order. In his own un-orthodox way he would have handled the initial overs and yet kept the scoring rating going. Sending Raina at # 3 is fine and players do un-earth weaknesses in their game from time to time and the best ride over them. Let’s see how Raina goes in the days to come
• Jadeja has shown in IPL and the practice matches as well that he is at best a run-a-ball player at this level and is better of late down the order for a couple of big hits but sending him at #4 on such a big night was so tough on the kid who looked like a lone fish in a sea let alone a pond
o Jadeja and Gambhir are milkers and to have them together was a huge mistake. Further, we had 2 left handers at the crease at the same time. (Something Dhoni never does- He shuffles between him/Yuvraj and Raina based on whether Sehwag or Gambhir get out). This let the bowlers settle down and bowl a constant back of a length line outside off stump. Interestingly no Indian batsman tried the upper cut against the short ball. They were bent on pulling across the line and for an ardent cricket fan the technique and approach left a lot to be desired
o Sending Irfan Pathan as an opener would have been a great option with Rohit coming down the order as a middle order batsman. He has done in the past and seems a better bet than Yusuf or Rohit. We should have ensured that Yuvraj was in after the 6 overs so that he had an innings to build. My order would have been Irfan, Gambhir, Rohit, Raina/Yuvraj (based on the overs and run rate). Dhoni would have been my floater in the form of a calming influence when things are not going so well. Yusuf and Jadeja would have been used down the order with no more than 5-6 overs to go.

Dhoni looked jaded and tired after a long season and that is understandable and definitely pardonable. But, our coach was on a long vacation during the IPL Tamasha. Wonder why he did not give some of the more basic inputs.

Let our boys take some much needed rest and I am sure the professional unit that they are, would come roaring back with clearer minds. My only disappointment is with the Coach and the Selection committee. The players are understandably tired and this is the time they needed someone from the outside to feedback into them and I have no qualms in claiming based on the facts listed above that they did not help our boys through this phase….

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If cricket was a religion, then Sachin is its God…..

“For someone who never had a single poster in my cupboard all my life, who never went to the streets to burn an effigy of an opponent, who never waited on the road for hours to go to see a glimpse of his star, this title is as abjure as the recent political comment made by our beetle chewing railway minister that his opponent has his teeth in his stomach….”
Over the last few days, I have been subjected to countless debates on whether Sachin is really the greatest ever to seeing his team loose a heart-breaking game against Rajasthan to ensure that commentators continue to say- “The game is not over till it really is…” It took me down memory lane… Who can forget his fighting 136 with a sore back against Pakistan in Chennai only to see his team not cross the line with 17 runs to win and 4 wickets in hand once he went back. Switch to 2009 and his team (however different it might be) achieved another un-enviable task of not scoring 6 runs of 10 balls with 4 wickets in hand.
For a legend with the most decorated career ever, he has had his share of challenges and a whole baggage of bad luck. Wonder what this great man would have achieved if only he had not received more than 40 wrong dismissals over his career.425 one day internal matches, 150 odd tests, 25,000 runs, 85 centuries later, we still question the greatest cricketer mankind has ever seen. Is it our Indian attitude of questioning greatness or is it adage, “The grass is always greener on the other side.”
I remember as a 12 year old, I woke up in the middle of my sleep, woke up my mother as well and questioned her on what Sachin would do to Mcdermott tomorrow. My mom would inevitably shoo me away and I would rather unassumingly continue the process of questioning and short practice in bed and eventually fall asleep wondering which way things would go tomorrow. Who can forget those days in the mid 90’s when we switched off the TV sets when he got out.
From Malcolm Marshall, Wasim Akram to Glen Mcgrath & Shane Warne, he has played them all and ‘differently & successfully’ at that…There is not one weakness in his batting that has been exposed over a sustained period of time. I remember the late 90’s when Pakistan found a new way to get him. Bowl wide at Sachin, place 2 short-covers a shake hand away from each other and he would guide the ball into one of their hands. Turn to Ashley Giles who would bowl wide outside leg-stump, frustrate him and eventually get him to commit a mistake.
He did not take these challenges lying down, but he countered them by inventing two of the finest shots in cricket- the “upper cut” & “short paddle sweep”. No player really played this shot outside of their backyard till he mastered this shot and showed the world the way to do it. Today we see the Gilchrist’s and Sehwag’s of the world playing the shot. You might ask me what is so great about inventing shots. Petersen invented the “switch shot”, Douglas Marillier invented the ala Lagaan shot of placing the ball over the wicket keeper’s head. What was different between what the little master developed and what the others invented has been the longevity of these shots and that has been the essence of this legend- longevity on the back of consistency.

“An artist dies…..but his art never does”

On similar lines, Sachin will retire but his cover drive, upper cut, leg glance, pull, paddle sweep or his “lip-smacking, earth shattering, heart stopping on drive” would live on in the memories of those who were privy to it and his scores, to the pages of history books for our children to read and aspire…I find it excruciating to explain to people who question this magician. They question his match winning capability, his captaincy, his performance at a country-by-country level and the fact that he has played all these years… Is match-winning all about scoring the last run only? Or is it about contributing to a win in terms of the runs scored?
The man averages 56 against Ponting who averages 39 and Waugh who averages less than half of his 56 in tournament finals. And yet we claim Ponting and Steve Waugh are better in finals? What’s more you compare an opener (ODIs) with middle order players who come in once the new ball has been seen out invariably. What can the man do if most of his life he had to play with the ever-promising players who never really promised? Ajit Agarkar, Vikram Rathore, Nilesh Kulkarni, Ashish Kapoor and so on….
Compare that with Australia which has had 11 match-winners from Hayden and Gilchrist to the Waugh brothers to Warne and McGrath….He makes a shoddy captain and that is for all of us to see but to question his ability by looking at each state and country he has played in is the most outrageous debate I have been a part of. An artist is a human being. Tiger Woods never wins every tournament he plays. Yet, he is the undisputed leader in golf. Cricket is not an individual sport and hence the presence of the greatest cricketer ever does not make an average team great.In the last 18-months alone, he has been lynch-pin to some of our finest wins- the VB series finals in Australia, the New Zealand series win, drawing a test match against Australia from a seemingly un-real situation and chasing down a mammoth 387 against England.As I write this article, I think I have found my answer to the question on why many of us believe Sachin is getting tastier like vintage wine. He has not changed his batting style by a mile nor has he suddenly become a match winner which anyways was born to be one. The answer lies in the fact that today he has 8-9 genuine match winners/ seasoned performers in Gambhir and Sehwag to Raina, Dhoni, Yuvraj and Zaheer. He can rely on them unlike the 90’s. With that the weight of expectation has drastically reduced and hence we are seeing the free-spirited Tendulkar re-born and cracking all over again!!!
In my view, he is greatest Indian cricketer and the greatest batsman ever seen. I have grown up admiring and following him. During these 18 odd years, I have gone to bed many times than not excited and enthused at what he has done and that is the essence of the player he really is…..

World Cup What did he do? Result
1996 Highest scorer in the WC Reached Semi-Finals
1999 Lean patch - Father’s death Crashed out in the 1st round
2003 Highest scorer in the WC Reached Finals
2007 Lean patch - Just not his WC Crashed out in the 1st round
2011- HOPE Highest scorer in the WC World cup winners

As his career nears an end, I look forward to 2 things:Ø The evolution of new playersAll his bad-luck culminating in him winning the 2011 world-cup, for what can be a more be-fitting reply to this walking legend’s platinum studded career…..Rohit Nambiar(I call myself the greatest fan of his art - his batting…..)

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