Front-Foot....A blog 4 d Crik Freaks!

A LETTER TO THE WC WINNING CAPTAIN-MS DHONI

2011-08-09T17:41:00.001+05:30

Hey skipper!

What a fabulous shot that was. It was one of those shots when the nation went on it's feet and fans mostly men had burst into tears. What an amazing moment it was. I am falling short of words to describe the feeling I went through. You stayed there till the end and won the World Cup. Thanks a lot.

But skipper that was April 02, 2011. A lot has happened since then. I don't remember when was the last time you played a memorable innings in a Test match. The ongoing series was one of the most anticipated ones in the recent times and everybody expected competitive cricket. But we never looked like a No. 1 team. Whether it's Pietersen's double century, Bell's century under pressure or Broad's hat-trick, it has been the home team which has played competitive cricket. We have never been able to make a mark.

You were the skipper of the World No 1 test team and a lot was expected from you. You have just scored 46 runs (28, 16, 0, 5) in the last four innings. You know what captain? Bresnan who has played just the second match in the absence of Tremlett has scored 101 runs in the two innings apart from taking seven wickets. And not to forget, most of the shots he played were quality shots.

Your helicopter hasn't kicked off so far in the series. Your bowling efforts have been ordinary. Your wicket-keeping too hasn't been impressive. You body language has looked defensive. I won't even give you the credit for reinstating Ian Bell. That was a team decision. Moreover you know very well, what would have happened to the team's image if he hadn't been reinstated. Now people would remember it in the spirit of the game and would praise your decision. So like always fortune once again came up with something good for you.

While the team was struggling, we expected you to at least boost up the players with encouraging words. Instead of doing so, this is what you had to say at press meet, “Getting used to the condition it takes a bit of time because every country where you play cricket, it’s a bit different. The length and the line that you are supposed to bowl becomes very different. It you are playing in Australia its completely different length and line when you compare it to England. So I think you take a bit of time.” MSD how can you say that being the skipper of a World No 1 test team and what do you mean by that. You also said that the team is known to gain a late momentum while touring abroad. Skipper just answer a question of mine. Does this mean that whenever you tour abroad, fans should begin to watch the match since second match onwards, since the first game is the one which you use to gain momentum?

When I look at the captain of the other teams, I feel as if you are not the right choice for the test team. Andrew Strauss might be struggling of form in the ongoing series but are you aware that he has scored 9 test centuries since 2009 which is the maximum by any batsmen since then. The skipper of a World Number one team has to be someone who leads by example. And when I say lead, it doesn't only mean setting up a great field and rotating bowlers wisely, but consistent performances with the bat. I hope you are getting me skipper?

I agree you are one of the best skippers but as far as test cricket is concerned I doubt your abilities to be there in the team let alone lead as a skipper. I reckon Wriddhiman Saha and Dinesh Kartik for me are great substitutes with great strokes and not just helicopter shots. And as far as the captaincy is concerned, well we have many contenders for that.

It might be a rude letter skipper, but once you lead a team whose fan following crosses 1.2 billion people, one has to take the right decisions.

And trust me you are really fantastic as an ODI skipper as long as you keep playing the World-cup-final-like innings.

Truly yours,
Ardent cricket fan.

Brutal Sehwag vandalizes Bangladesh.

2011-02-20T23:37:00.001+05:30

Sehwag began Indian proceedings with the word ‘go’! He had earlier mentioned his intentions of being revengeful towards Bangladesh and he was up to his promise when he began the Indian innings with a boundary. He scored a boundary off the last ball of the first over as well giving a great start to the Indian innings.

Bangladesh won the toss and chose to field keeping in mind the fact that on most of the occasions, the team batting second had won matches at the ground. But Indian players who carried the painful memories of the 2007 World Cup were all determined for a super show. Sehwag was at his usual best as Bangladesh players were forced to chase leather all across the ground.

Tendulkar added 69 quick runs with Sehwag for the opening partnership and when he looked all set to score a huge one, he was run out. Gambhir walked in next and added another 83 runs for the second wicket before being bowled by Mahmadullah. India’s man-in-form Virat Kohli walked in with his usual confident body language and went on to score his debut century playing some of the finest of shots we have ever seen from him. On the other hand Sehwag at one time looked to hit a double century. His valiant innings however came to an end after he reached his highest score in ODI’s-175. India reached to a massive score of 370 runs.

Bangladesh made it sure that it was not a one-sided contest. With an early assault from Imrul Kayes who scored 34 off 29 deliveries, Bangaldesh reached their 50 runs in the fifth over. The very responsible Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique played cautiously adding 73 runs for the second wicket. But the increasing run rate was a bit too much and nobody came up with an attacking approach to reduce the run rate. Bangladesh managed to score 283 runs at the end of 50 overs and they clearly hinted that they are a much improved side and in case if they were chasing something close to 300, they could have made a match out of it.

The comprehensive victory over a competitive Bangladesh would have for sure pumped up the cricket fans.

The real test lies ahead. India will face England in their next match on February 27 to be held in Bangalore.

No pardon for Eden Gardens

2011-01-30T16:58:00.005+05:30

Commonwealth Games already marred the country's image with the issues of corruption and the interference of political parties to probe into the crores of loss, which they referred to as the loot of public money. The general public did not take a keen interest as the Games didn't include cricket.

As the nation blindly follows cricket as a religion, 2011 was a year which the masses had been desperately waiting for. And why not, in a country where it is the unofficial national game, being the hosts of the 2011 World Cup is an occasion worth huge celebrations. But keeping in mind the preparations of the CWG, there was a fear if we could meet up to the standards for the venues on time. And the fear came true.

The news came on January 27, when the ICC ruled out Kolkata as a host venue for the group B match between India and England scheduled to be played on February 27, after its inspection team was suspicious if it would be ready on time. The fans of Bengal have recently witnessed a major shock after Ganguly went unsold in the IPL auctions 4. Eden Gardens brought news that has further disheartened them.

Everybody from the finance minister to the other officials were approached to extend the deadlines for the stadium but all went in vain as ICC did not further risk by extending the deadline.

The point is very debatable. Why are we not able to deliver stadiums within the deadlines? It’s nice to see people lending hands to help the work get completed but at the same time it is really embarrassing for the country. Time has come, where we need to overcome our childhood mentality of delivering projects after the deadlines, specially when the country's pride is at stake.

Virat Kohli: India’s latest sensation!

2010-01-14T11:20:00.004+05:30

Virat Kohli reminds me of Gautam Gambhir. I remember Gambhir throwing away his wicket, playing unnecessary pull shots during his initial days. He was criticized for his casual approach towards the game. But sooner he realized the importance of consistency. Gambhir is now considered to be the most consistent player in all formats of the game. Kohli has the same talent. He had impressed with his knocks while playing for the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the IPL season 2, but on a number of occasions he was out trying to be extra aggressive. But Kohli has been transforming his game pretty well for quite some time. He has been able to differentiate between the role he has to play in a T20 and an ODI.

In the last one month or so Kohli has played innings which might prove to be the turning point of his career. May it be his first ODI century-107 against the Sri Lankans in December 2009, 91 against Bangladesh a couple of days before or 71* against the Lankans followed by 102* against Bangladesh, they all have been innings which prove his maturity as a player. He values his wicket more than before and has learned the art of performing under pressure. You need not hit a six every now and then just to prove that you are a good one day player. He lacked consistency and obviously patience which he has now adopted into his style of batting. He is now only the 3rd Indian after Tendulkar and Raina to have scored two ODI centuries before reaching the 22yr age mark.

He came into highlight while he scored 90 runs playing against Karnataka on a day when he lost his father way back in 2006. Though his team desperately needed him yet his team mates were surprised when they saw him return to play for Delhi. At the age of 18 such spirit for the game is highly commendable. Players like Tendulkar have gone through the same phase earlier.

Kohli seems to be a promising talent. The former under 19 captain for India has a huge female fan following and the girls keep asking about this guy with good looks (they hardly bother how good a batsman he is). His captaincy had been praised a lot when he led his side to win the won the Under 19 World Cup which took place in Malaysia in 2008. Besides being a reliable batsman and a medium pace bowler Kohli’s fielding is one of his USP’s. His bowling action which is quite similar to Ian Harvey (Australia) can be effective at times as well.

Now he reminds me of Gambhir as I mentioned his approach towards the game was quite similar to that of Gambhir’s earlier. But now I guess Gambhir- Kohli partnership has turned out to be a match winning one for the past one month or so. Both of them started their careers playing for Delhi. So as Gambhir is now an inseparable part of the Indian team, Kohli is leaving no stone unturned proving that he deserves to be a part of the regular Indian squad. Looking at the 2011 World Cup and the way he is playing, he might be India’s favorite trump card!

Tendulkar’s 175- The best inning of 2009

2010-01-04T20:12:00.002+05:30

Hyderabad was the venue where huge crowd had turned up anticipating the master blaster to reach another milestone of 17,000 runs in ODI cricket. It was long awaited.

Australia scored 350 at the end of 50 overs and off the very last ball of the match Tendulkar took a brilliant catch to dismiss Cameron White and the way he reacted clearly suggested he had something special going in his mind.

Chasing has never been easy for the Indian side and a gigantic score of 350 runs was close to a mission impossible (who can forget the 2003 World Cup Final). Yet the crowd cheered as Tendulkar came to bat as reaching 17,000 runs was what they were expecting him to reach first. As soon as Tendulkar completed his 17,000 runs the crowd went gaga. Indian flags dominated all other colours of the stadium and the roar was deafening! The commentators righty said, “It’s not just Sachin Tendulkar’s runs these all are runs that the crowd feels are their own”. But even these fans didn’t know that they were supposed to watch one of the best innings ever played on the very same day by the legendary master! Tendulkar was in a different mood and though wickets kept falling on the other end the master continued to play at his very best. The Aussies clearly knew that the master was capable enough to win the match for his side single handedly. Punter tried his best but Tendulkar was in no mood to give away his wicket. The only bad shot he played throughout the day he was the one which got him out. India still needed 19 runs off 17 balls and the stadium paralyzed with the wicket of Tendulkar. The master got out at the score of 175runs off just 141 balls which included 19 fours n 4 sixes. He had scored exactly half of the Australian total and unfortunately the rest of the team couldn’t score the rest half. In spite of the best efforts India fell short by 3 runs.

Rarely are we delighted after an Indian defeat. This match was an exception. Everybody knew that the Indians fell short by 3 runs but the Indian hearts were so much privileged to watch Tendulkar’s fabulous knock and it almost didn’t matter what was the result as everybody kept repeating the same sentence “What an innings Master! What an innings!” We all are truly privileged to watch this innings. One of my friends rightly says whether the upcoming generation would ever be able to understand what cricket is without Tendulkar.

During the match presentation Arun Lal asked the master what kind of motivation does he carry when he goes in to bat in such situations, the master replied in the most subtle manner as he always does, he said, “It’s the passion. I care about playing for India. It has always been a dream and I am absolutely honored that I have been able to do that for the last 20 years” He has been living his dream to play for India since his debut and it is our dream to watch him playing as long as possible! All the best master!

Yoy will also like...
Dhoni-in-midst-of-criticism
Srks-cup-of-woes-overflowing

Boon-Boon Afridi gets Pakistan the T20 trophy!

2009-12-31T01:10:00.009+05:30

The final match of the T20 World Cup was a match where Shahid Afridi had the chance to wash away all the criticism he had faced in the past. He played one of the finest knocks he has ever played. It’s not that he wasn’t aggressive but he was sensible enough to finish the match for Pakistan. The Lankan Tigers didn’t have any answer for the approach with which Pakistan had planned their innings.

The Lankan Tigers won the toss and decided to bat first. The left arm seamer bowled with an accurate first over and he was awarded with the prize wicket of brutal Dilshan. Dilshan tried to clear third man and was caught doing so. Maiden first over with the wicket of Dilshan was all that Pakistan dreamt of as a brilliant start. Three balls later Jehan Mubarak fell for a duck of the bowling of Abdul Razzak. In a matter of time Razzak took two more wickets and the Lankan Tigers were struggling at 32/4.

Few overs later the score board read 62/6 and the Sri Lankans fans certainly looked disappointed. But after losing six wickets Sangakara and Mathews had an unbeaten partnership of 68 runs of just 42 balls. This partnership helped them achieve a very much defendable total of 138 runs. It was a great fight back by the Sri Lankans after they were struggling at 62/6. Now with their M4 pacer attack a score of 138 was quite defendable. Morover as compared to 62/6, 138 was a huge total to chase for the Pakistani batsmen facing the lethal Sri Lankan bowling attack.

But Pakistan had adopted an altogether different approach. They had partnerships which proved to be very crucial and made them the champions. Kamran Akmal and Shahzab Hosain were very conscious and sensible at the same time while opening the innings for the initial few overs. Against South Africa Akmal had scored 23 off just 12 balls and had looked very aggressive. In the final match we was both sensible and aggressive. By the end of 6 overs Pakistan had scored 39 without any loss of wicket. In the 6th, 7th over Akmal hit two sixes making it sure that the asking run rate doesn’t leap up too much and things are under control.

In the 8th over off the very first bowl bowled by Jayasuriya Akmal was stumped by Sangakara as he went down the wicket. The Lankan Side had the reason to smile as they got their first wicket. Soon Hosain who kept struggling departed as well after which Afridi and Malik began reconstructing the innings. Afridi who has grown so much into confidence played sensibly and played big hits whenever the run rate asked for so. Malik kept rotating the strikes and in the last 5 overs Pakistan needed just 36 runs to win with 8 wickets in hand.

Afridi scored his second consecutive fifty and with some power hitting towards the end gave his side one of the best memories to cherish forever. Shoaib Malik on the other end remained not out as Afridi boomed all the way! Pakistan won the match comprehensively by 8 wickets! Afridi remained not out on 54*(40 balls) and Shoaib Malik returned not out on 24*(22 balls)

Last time they had missed the trophy by just one hit and they have compensated it this time. Misbah Ul Haq would be a glad man to see his side winning this time. Afridi has made the real difference both with the bat and the ball. He proved his worth once he was promoted to number 3 slot and no doubt he has finally got his due for Pakistani cricket. Hats off to the champion player!

You will also like..

Dhoni-in-midst-of-criticism

Srks-cup-of-woes-overflowing

LANKAN TIGERS demolish the Caribbeans.

2009-12-31T01:06:00.000+05:30

The second semi final between Sri Lanka and West Indies will be remembered for the master innings played by Tilakratne Dilshan. The man has been in such sublime form since IPL that he reminds of the kind of form Lance Klusener was in World Cup 2007. The Lankan tigers came in to bat first and with some sensible batting Sri Lanka reached 72 runs at the end of 10 overs. Dilshan who now looks unstoppable in this T20 format scored a flurry of boundaries and had scored 46 out of 24 balls by the end of 10 overs. Jayasuriya who struggled throughout his innings got out scoring 24 off 37 balls. Two balls later Bravo struck again when Sangakara got out playing a risky shot.

13 dot balls that Jayasuriya played had certainly created pressure, it also affected Mahela Jayawardane who got out scoring 2 runs. From 73/0 the scoreboard soon read 73/3 from where Chamara Silva and Dilshan reconstructed the innings and they scored 50 runs off 34 balls. Dilshan single handedly hammered the Caribbean bowlers and no matter how many partnerships took place from the Lankan Side it was Dilshan who led from the front and had he got out early Sri Lankan would have even struggled to reach 100 to defend as a total. He remained not out after playing a brilliant knock of 96* off just 57 balls. Now for a side that had the lethal bowling attack with four M’s- Murali, Mendis, Mathews, Malinga 158 was too much a total to defend.

In one word the West Indies innings was a ‘disaster’. 1, W, 0, W, 0, W-This was the magical first over bowled by Mathews. Gayle took a single off the first ball of the innings and then Marshall, Simmon and the big man Bravo all three of them fell scoring ducks in the next 5 balls. After these three major blows in the very first over the West Indian side knew that this was the end of their journey for this T20 World Cup. Captain Chris Gayle returned not out on 63* as his team collapsed like a pile of cards. It was because of Gayle that the Caribbean’s were able to go pass the 100 mark. They all got out on 101 runs.

The Sri Lankan side looks like the one without any flaws. Their middle order failed in this particular match but that is a rare scenario. Whenever they score above 140 runs their M4 (Mathew, Mendis, Murli, Malinga) pace attack seems to be very lethal for the opponents. If Pakistan plan to entertain any chances of winning the tournament they will have to play the best cricket they have played in the past as this Sri Lankan tigers seem to be desperate about the trophy!

Pakistan wins the ICC T20 title

2009-12-31T00:52:00.001+05:30

THE FINAL match of the T20 World Cup was a match where Shahid Afridi had the chance to wash away all the criticism he had faced in the past. He played one of the finest knocks he has ever played. Its not that he wasn’t aggressive but he was sensible enough to finish the match for Pakistan. The Lankan tigers didn't have any answer for the approach, with which Pakistan had planned their innings.

The Lankan tigers won the toss and decided to bat first. The left arm seamer bowled with an accurate first over and he was awarded with the prize wicket of brutal Dilshan. Dilshan tried to clear third man and was caught doing so. Maiden first over with the wicket of Dilshan was all that Pakistan dreamt of as a brilliant start. Three balls later, Jehan Mubarak fell for a duck of the bowling of Abdul Razzak. In a matter of time, Razzak took two more wickets and the Lankan tigers were struggling at 32 runs off four wickets.

Few overs later, the score board read 62/6 and the Sri Lankans fans certainly looked disappointed. But after losing six wickets, Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews had an unbeaten partnership of 68 runs off just 42 balls. This partnership helped them achieve a very much defendable total of 138 runs. It was a great fight back by the Sri Lankans after they were struggling at 62/6. Now with their M4 pacer attack a score of 138 was quite defendable. Morover, as compared to 62/6, 138 was a huge total to chase for the Pakistani batsmen facing the lethal Sri Lankan bowling attack.

But Pakistan had adopted an altogether different approach. They had partnerships, which proved to be very crucial and made them the champions. Kamran Akmal and Shahzaib Hasan were very conscious and sensible at the same time while opening the innings for the initial few overs. Against South Africa Akmal had scored 23 off just 12 balls and had looked very aggressive. In the final match he was both sensible and aggressive. By the end of six overs Pakistan had scored 39 without any loss of wicket. In the sixth and seventh over, Akmal hit two sixes making it sure that the asking run rate doesn’t leap up too much and things are under control. In the eighth over off the very first bowl bowled by Jayasuriya, Akmal was stumped by Sangakkara as he went down the wicket.

The Lankan side had the reason to smile as they got their first wicket. Soon Hasan who kept struggling departed as well after which Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik began reconstructing the innings. Afridi who has grown so much into confidence played sensibly and played big hits whenever the run rate asked for so. Malik kept rotating the strikes and in the last five overs Pakistan needed just 36 runs to win with eight wickets in hand. Afridi scored his second consecutive fifty and with some power hitting towards the end gave his side one of the best memories to cherish forever. Malik on the other end, remained not out as Afridi boomed all the way! Pakistan won the match comprehensively by eight wickets.

Last time they had missed the trophy by just one hit and they have compensated it this time. Misbah-ul-Haq would be a glad man to see his side winning this time. Afridi has made the real difference both with the bat and the ball. He proved his worth once he was promoted to number three slot and no doubt he has finally got his due for Pakistani cricket. Hats off to the champion player!

Poster boy Dhoni in the midst of criticism

2009-12-31T00:51:00.001+05:30

CRICKET IS a game, which demands on ample amount of luck factor apart from a lot of hard work. Imagine what would have happened if Misbah ul Haq’s shot of the last ball would have landed outside the boundary for a six in the finals of the last Twenty20 World Cup. In a country like India, riots would have happened all around and who knows if the crowd would have reacted with Dhoni in the same manner they did with Mohammad Kaif in the Natwest series against England. But as mentioned in the beginning, luck plays a very important role and no doubt Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been carrying abundance of luck. Nothing disastrous happened and India became the champions of T20 World Cup and along with the trophy lady luck brought a lot of wealth for Dhoni.

But life takes you through a full circle. The ‘poster boy’, ‘man with a midas touch’, Dhoni is now going through that same phase. The man who has given Indian cricket some of the finest memories to cherish forever is being questioned and criticised for his decisions after India was knocked out of the ongoing T20 World Cup. No doubt the man carries ample amount of luck with him but as a part of the ‘complete cycle’ the question is, is this the end of Dhoni’s bright fortune as the ‘captain with the midas touch’?

It all began with Sehwag-Dhoni issue. The captain himself looked suspicious of what had actually happened with Sehwag and later on he accepted that there were some issues. In a do or die match promoting an inexperienced Jadeja before Yuvraj and himself was a decision that led Indian team exit off the competition. Jadeja scored 25 off 35 balls, these 10 balls could have made huge difference to the result. But the result was something different. The hosts defeated the defending champions by three runs. Shuffling with the batting order, not using Yusuf Pathan’s effective medium pace are some other questions for which Dhoni will have to search for logical answers.

Dhoni nowadays appears in almost every alternate advertisement. It might not be a pleasant sight for the Indian fans. Only time will tell if the current failure of Indian team will affect Dhoni’s endorsements in particular. The burning question is whether “I am sorry” is enough to cool down the billion of broken hearts?

Deccan Chargers are the winners of IPL-2!

2009-12-31T00:49:00.000+05:30

AFTER 58 matches and 37 days of hardcore cricket, we expected the final encounter to be very special and so it was. The explosive Deccan Chargers and the fighter Royal Challengers played a match which was very close to a thriller and gave an entertaining end to the tournament. Deccan Chargers proved to be the winning side as they had an Australian legend leading their side who kept himself cool even under nail-biting moments and that led his side to raise the trophy for the IPL Season 2.

Money can buy Peterson but not a legend like Kumble. I am sure Vijay Mallya would be thinking the same after his performance though his side lost the match. Jumbo bowled a superb spell taking four wickets for just 16 runs in his quota of four overs.

Deccan Chargers were the first to bat and a lot was expected from Adam (Bomb) Gilchrist. But Kumble diffused him before he could open his account. The RC knew that this blow could make a major difference. Later on, Dravid dropped a lolly by Symonds when he was batting on five runs, soon after this Symond started his natural game whacking the Royal Challengers through his power play. While he was looking unstoppable, Kumble took his wicket which brought much relief to Mallya and his men. Wickets kept falling one by one though Gilchrist batted throughout the innings and remained not out on 53 runs (off 48 balls) and helped his team reach a respectable total of 143 runs!

Before even RC started batting, Deccan Chargers began their plan. The Bad Boy of cricket Symonds started conversing with Manish Pandey just to disturb his rhythm. The dude didn’t respond even once as he was there to play cricket. Kallis departed soon as he was bowled while he tried to pull RP Singh and was played on. Then came Merwe who has his own unique batting style. He played some crazy shots which included three massive sixes! He contributed 32 runs off just 21 balls. Pandey didn’t get enough strike which might be the reason why he lost his wicket. The Wall was solid as always and on the other side Taylor continued playing his master strokes. By 10 overs, RC were 69/3 and required 75 of the next 10 overs. That’s when the Wall collapsed, after which Kohli and Taylor added 20 runs to the score. But that’s where it all happened. Taylor tried to pull Symonds and got out doing so, on the very next ball Kohli got stumped by Gilchrist. Taking two wickets off two balls Deccan Chargers were back into the game! Boucher fell soon and RC still needed 37 runs off 25 balls. But the tail-enders fumbled under the pressure and some tight bowling by the Deccan Chargers. Uthappa tried to create some drama towards the end but with just one wicket left and 15 to win off the last over, Uthappa wasn’t in his best of form to do so. Towards the end Challengers lost by seven runs and Deccan Chargers were all huddled to celebrate!

Kumble has really proved that cricket has hardly produced fighters like him. Yet he never got his due and today was another example. In a batsman dominating game Jumbo bowled a spell that left the Deccan Chargers spellbound and made his best effort to make his side a winner. But then again, the efforts of Gilchrist cannot be ignored, it was Gilly who single-handedly took his side to the finals and with his experienced strategies Deccan Chargers were all charged up winning the IPL season 2! Their journey from the bottom of the chart last year to winning the title this year has been truly deserving and remarkable!

Mallya's men stun Dhoni's team

2009-12-31T00:48:00.000+05:30

AS VIRAT Kohli hit the final runs, the stadium went gaga in unison! He pumped his hands in the air and had the same expressions as he had when his team had won the Under 19 World Cup. To accompany him was Ross Taylor, the X factor of the Bangalore Royal Challengers. Mallya was the happiest man around as his team- mates hugged each other on the ground.

Overconfidence is something that can bring anybody down to earth in no time. This is what happened with the Chennai Super Kings as they probably underestimated the Royal Challengers. The game began on the usual note as expected. Patel and Hayden gave a flying start to their side hammering Royal Challengers with extreme power play. Patel looked like a pocket size powerhouse and he even dominated the mighty Hayden while scoring runs. They scored runs with a run rate of almost 10 per over. But once the duo departed, the net run rate fell and though Dhoni, Raina and Morkel did gave contributions of 20 plus runs each, there was no one who could inflate the scoreboard with a heap of runs in the slog overs. The Chennai Super Kings ended their innings at a score of 146. The Royal Challengers needed to chase the target with a run rate of 7.30 runs per over. Having Murali, Gony, Jakati, Balaji, Dhoni and his men would have thought it to be a decent total against a team that had been labelled as the test side.

But then Royal Challengers is a side that has some ageless warriors who would never give up until the last ball. Manish Pandey the new Indian sensation of IPL came to open the innings with Kallis. Manish began his innings where he had left in his last match. He hit Morkel for two stylish boundaries in the first over and the body language said it all. Kallis departed in the next over after scoring two boundaries off Gony and after losing another wicket entered ‘The Wall’. Manish Pandey continued playing his shots with pure brilliance and Dhoni’s Super Kings had no reply for the stylish Manish and the Wall. Dhoni as a captain hardly has flaws but he was too late to hand over the ball to Murali in the ninth over.

The Royal Challengers played him with due respect and Murali again bowled a brilliant spell but wasn’t able to take more than a wicket as the Challengers had a cautious approach towards him. By the time Pandey departed he had done his job scoring 48 off 35 balls and Royal Challengers needed just 53 runs off 45 balls. With Boucher, Kohli, Uthappa still to come, and with the Wall still firm as always, Kumble and his men could easily see their chances of making it to the finals. Kohli was promoted above Boucher and he along with Taylor took the Royal Challengers to a memorable victory.

Towards the end when RC needed a few runs to win, the Royal Challengers behind the boundary had got into a huddle. As Kohli hit the final runs, Mallya began a Bhangda and the Royal Challengers ran into the ground, they moved in a group like the birds who had found a new sky to fly! Dhoni looked extremely disappointed.

This can be called the rebirth of the Royal Challengers. They have looked completely different as a team after Kumble was handed the captaincy of the side. With them being in such great form we can certainly expect an entertaining final IPL encounter!

Dhoni's men take on the Royal Challengers!

2009-12-31T00:47:00.000+05:30

VIJAY MALLAYA would be quite a happy man today, and why not. His team will be playing the prestigious semi-final match against the Chennai Super Kings today. He has embellished his team with various players though he was criticised for having chosen a test team altogether. Now Mallaya and his men have a point to prove by performing their best today.

The Bangalore Royal Challengers is a team which, according to me, is compiled of many honest warriors of cricket. Whether its Jacques Kallis or Mark Boucher, Anil Kumble or Rahul Dravid, they have all fought together as a team and it’s quite impressive as a side now. One of the X-factors with they carry now is Ross Taylor. If they entertain any chances of defeating Chennai Super Kings, they will have to set a huge target before them in which Taylor will again have to play a crucial role. With his kind of big hitting abilities, the Royal Challengers must post a formidable total as they don’t have much of a strong bowling attack. Youngsters like Virat Kohli, Robin Uthappa and Piyush Kumar will have to prove their worth in the semi-final match.

On the other side, after having a bad start to the tournament, Chennai Super Kings compile of players who have been consistently impressive throughout the tournament so far. Hayden and Raina have proved to be run machines and Dhoni himself has been quite impressive. He has been preferring all-rounders throughout the tournament which is the reason why Makhaya Nitini never got a place in the playing 11. In case Mike Hussey is in, it adds to the value of the team. Beside this, they also have a lethal bowling attack with Albie Morkel, Muralitharan, Balaji, Jakati that can wreck any side on a given day.

Chennai Super Kings were the runners-up last year. Dhoni’s men would try their best to reach the finals and win the cup whereas Kumble’s men would also leave no stone unturned to prove a point that they aren’t a test squad!

Brutal Gilly shatters Delhi

2009-12-31T00:45:00.002+05:30

WHILE THE league matches of IPL season 2 were thrillers, the Semi final between Delhi Dare Devils and Deccan Chargers Hyderabad was quite a one sided match. Delhi’s dream of reaching the finals and winning the tournament was blown away in a mesmerizing tempest called Gilchrist! If ever this match will be remembered it will remembered because of Gilchrist’s innings.

Gilchrist won the toss and decided to bowl first. There might have been a point in his mind that Delhi Daredevils have won most of their matches while chasing the target throughout the tournament. Delhi’s innings began with a disaster. A side that looked quite strong on papers started with 0/2 as their scorecard. Harris provided a dream start to his side. But after this Sehwag and Dilshan played their innings as if nothing had happened and within no time Delhi were 83/2 in 10 overs. At this crucial point Sehwag got out after which there was a downfall in the run rate. Sehwag departed after scoring 39 runs off 31 balls. Dilshan played an impressive innings 65(51 balls) but he didn’t get enough support from the other end. Delhi ended with the final score of 153. This was great recovery as compared to the kind of disastrous start they had but then again looking at the kind of form Deccan Chargers were in, Delhi were 25-30 runs short of target, yet with their bowling attack it seemed to be a fighting total.

Delhi had already faced a disaster by losing both their openers in the first over. When they came to bowl there was even a severe disaster waiting for them. Gilchrist welcomed Nannes with five boundaries in the very first over after which there was no looking back. He made the Daredevils chase ball all across the ground and kept hammering every bowler who came in. He even hammered Sehwag for 3 consecutive sixes and reached his half century in just 17 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes! By the time he lost his wicket the match was just a formality. He had murdered the strategies of the Daredevils and scored 85 runs of just 35 balls!

It seemed as if we were watching ’Gully Cricket’ where Gilchrist was a big boy hammering the local boys to various parts of the ground. In fact we should name it as the ‘Gilly’ Cricket. Gilchrist was in a hurry to reach Johannesburg. His innings reflected how Australia has won four world cups till date. He has always played memorable innings while playing for Australia in the semi finals and the finals. He did the same leading from the front for Deccan Chargers. With his blitzkrieg knock Deccan Chargers seem to be all charged up for the finals and no matter who is the winner of the second semi final, the kind of cricket Deccan Chargers played, has certainly left the bells ringing for them!

Matchless performance by KKR!

2009-12-31T00:45:00.001+05:30

I MEAN it’s hard to believe that every time I sit to write a report for a match of IPL Season 2, I cannot resist using the word ‘Thriller’. Last ball of the match, as Wriddhiman Saha chipped the ball towards covers for the final runs, the stadium went gaga. The cheerleaders for KKR danced as if it was the only day they could dance and the Knight Riders played as if it was the only day where they could gain back some respect. The cheerleaders danced like they had never before and why not? KKR played like they had never before in this tournament.

My parents were sleeping as I jumped every now and then shouting and screaming the names of Hodge and McCullum. My mom got up every now and then to check if I was ok and to ask who were Hodge and McCullum? And what did they do to make me shout their names at midnight! I just smiled and fixed the headsets into my ears.

I called up my friends after the match to know their reactions and I got plenty. Abhinav my cousin was both happy and sad as he couldn’t see Dhoni losing. Vijay and Parikshit just said, “Its too late yaar” and Juhi, Lori and Garvita, my cousins and the greatest of KKR fans, were so disappointed even after the amazing victory as they kept asking “Where is our Shah Rukh?” They spoke ‘Our Shah Rukh’ as if they owned KKR and SRK was a player they had bought for millions. I guess if they even knew who were McCullum, Hodge, Hussey etc.

I mean they were able to chase a formidable target of 189 runs! Dhoni and his men left no stone unturned in demolishing the KKR bowling attack. Just imagine if Hayden had not been rested what would have been the actual score. The KKR fans got disappointed as the in form Raina, Dhoni and Morkel humiliated the KKR bowlers. But when KKR came in to bat, McCullum had a sword in his hand with which he tore off Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings to the core like a warrior leading from the front. With Hodge joining the party later on, both these men made their cheerleaders and Dhoni’s men dance to the tunes of their blitzkrieg knocks. With nothing to lose, the KKR camp was extremely delighted as if they had won the IPL season 2, and even the electric atmosphere of the stadium, the crowd that went insane had shown how many fans KKR had apart from India as a whole!

Now who said criticism is bad? If I knew that writing one article mentioning the woes of SRK would pump up fresh adrenalin amongst the KKR boys I swear I would have written thousands of them! I consider myself to be one of the greatest fans of SRK across the globe. He himself has done extreme hard work that has led him to the zenith of success. It was really overwhelming to see his team performing in a manner he had always nurtured them for. When my mom and dad get up tomorrow, I will definitely apologise for my crazy behaviour at midnight and I am sure they will excuse me once I tell them about the miraculous victory of KKR!

SRK's cup of woes overflowing!

2009-12-31T00:43:00.000+05:30

THERE SEEMS to be no end to the woes of King Khan. Yesterday, KKR again lost a match against the Deccan Chargers. The only solace for them could be that they were able to make it a ‘thriller’ and this IPL encounter was not a one-sided affair. But for SRK these thrillers hardly matter as in plain words his team lost the match once again.

SRK is such a sportsman himself and he is known to carry a positive attitude no matter what the circumstances are. He had left no stone unturned in giving his team all the prerequisites of what we call a good team. He bought one of the world’s most explosive openers, McCullum and Chris Gayle.

Then came Brad Hodge who came in as a T20 specialist in IPL season 1; the middle order had the huge experience of Sourav Ganguly followed by the David Hussey. Coming to the bowling attack, SRK bought the most expensive bowler of the season Ishant Sharma for a whopping sum of 3.75 crores, and to provide a sharp edge to the bowling attack he also bought Shoaib and Umar Gul.

Not only this as a guide for his team he bought the man who was the mastermind for the success of the Australian team in the last few years – John Buchanan. Before the start of IPL season-2 Buchanan’s much talked about ‘multiple captain theory’ became a complete mess. It not only did hurt Dada’s integrity but also gave birth to internal disputes amongst the team members.

It seemed as if the lady luck was completely against the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL Season 2. McCullum, who started IPL season 1 with a blitzkrieg, 158 didn’t get his rhythm at all. Even Gayle looked a completely different player. The pair never found a consistent momentum and the most glamorous team of IPL kept losing matches with which down came the morale.

Dada began the tournament with some brilliant innings as if he had a point to prove against the ‘multiple captain theory’. Hodge was the only player who left an impression throughout the tournament. But his efforts went in vain as he didn’t get support from the other players. David Hussey came in too late to help KKR regain some respect.

Coming to the bowling department, Ishant Sharma, who was bought because of his sensational form last year, lost his rhythm straight away in IPL season 2. At times where he got swing he was not able to take wickets when required. KKR terribly missed the likes of Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul as Kolkata Knight Riders were not able to take wickets when required.

The batsman posted a total of 140 plus at times but the bowling attack wasn’t lethal enough to defend it. Moreover, if calculations are made which team had dropped the most number of catches, this would be something where KKR will top the charts.

Overall, it was an extremely sad journey for KKR in IPL season 2. King Khan had left South Africa pretty early and had clearly said he would only return when his team started winning, and thus King Khan has not yet returned to South Africa as his boys kept losing again and again.

Only time will tell how Shahrukh Khan reacts to this year performances of KKR. It is still the most profit-earning team of IPL as it still has the maximum number of sponsors but this wasn’t the motto of a team that sung ‘Korbo Lodbo Jeetbo rey’…

Delhi DareDevils prove they are the best

2009-12-31T00:41:00.000+05:30

IT SEEMED as if we were watching the final match of IPL 2009. Not only because the two deserving teams were playing against each other, but also because of the way Gilchrist had played his innings. Out of the four World Cups Australia has won, he has played a crucial role in giving a solid opening partnership.

He did the same against the Delhi DareDevils but then again Andrew Symonds was the only Australian he had for support. But one cannot take away the credit from Delhi Dare Devils for snatching victory from Deccan Chargers.

Batting first, Delhi DareDevils posted a formidable total of 173 for the loss of six wickets. Some excellent batting down the order by Dinesh Kartik helped them reach this total. Kartik smashed Chaminda Vaas for 23 runs off the last over. Vaas conceded 52 runs which is ok for a spell of 10 overs but then this is what T20 is all about. As Delhi Dare Devils came to bat in, David Warner got out early after which T Dilshan 37 runs (18balls) and AB de Villers 44(36 balls) made some useful contribution. But once they got out and it seemed that the Deccan Chargers could restrict Delhi Dare Devils to 155-160, Dinesh Kartik hit Vaas for 23 runs in the last over. This was the over that made all the difference!

Now it was the Deccan Chargers’ turn to show some action. Gilchrist who stood behind the stumps helplessly watching his best bowlers get thrashed all over, came to bat with a determination. He welcomed Nehra in the very first over with four beautifully timed boundaries that gave an idea of his brutal intentions. Until he was there one could easily see worried faces in the Delhi camp. Before being bowled by P.Sangwan, Gilly had played a blitzkrieg knock of 64(33 balls ) and had done his role up to perfection. Symonds continued his brilliant form and thrashed 41 runs off just 22 balls. Ravi Teja slowed down the momentum for Deccan Chargers after which Symonds had to take risks which made him lose his wicket. The rest of the players fell like a pack of cards. Towards the end, Deccan Chargers fell short by 12 runs and lost a brilliant opportunity to reach the top of the table. The credit should be given to Sangwan and Bhatia who bowled brilliantly under pressure and shared 7 wickets between them. Deccan Chargers lost 7 wickets in just 17 balls. The Man of the Match award was given to Rajat Bhatia who wrecked the Deccan Chargers with his yorkers and slower ones, thereby taking 4 wickets.

Now this was again a match where the Delhi DareDevils proved why they are on the top of the charts. I mean they have become so strong as a team of 11 players where every player makes useful contribution in some match or the other and I guess they would be the only team in the world to have Glen McGrath and Danniel Vettori as extra players and still win as many matches. No surprises if any of these two teams turn out to be the winners for this year’s IPL!

The downfall of the impregnable Aussies

2009-12-31T00:39:00.000+05:30

THEY HAVE dominated international cricket in the last decade. They have played the game in their own style. Their opponents just couldn’t stop their victory cycle. Before the players could feel their presence on the field, Australians would have scored 50 with a run-rate of six per over. Whether it was Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh or Ricky Ponting, this side has been blessed with the best of leadership strategies.

The Aussies had an opener who could make any bowling attack look impotent. They had a legendary leg spinner who had his own style of bowling. They had a champion pace bowler who got a wicket every now and then. They had a wicketkeeper whose shots didn’t follow the ‘law of gravity’. With the exit of all these legendary players, Australia looked like a side, which could have never won Four World Cups.

’Win at any cost’ had been their motto. Whenever their strategies failed, they had a unique weapon -- sledging. They made sledging look like their ‘status symbol’. They fought till the last man, playing aggressive cricket. Their bowlers were desperate for wickets and their batsmen for runs. This aggressiveness led to an unceremonious tragedy for Andrew Symonds, who was one of the pillars of the team but he found fishing more entertaining than cricket. Bhajji and Sreesanth this time had the license to mock at him as the world did. Now as they miss the likes of Mathew Hayden, Glen McGrath, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne the Australian squad that looked so invincible has lost its spark. Their recent series against South Africa is an example.

But there was one team that always believed that Australians aren’t invincible. The men in blue have given tough fight to the Kangaroos on the field. They set an example for the other teams that Australians were not unbeatable. It was all about reverting back with the kind of weapons Australians play with.

The Indians currently have the best opening pair of the world led by a captain who has been a boon to the Indian cricket. The ‘Midas touch’ captain, MS Dhoni, has led like a true warrior. His men have dominated the Kangaroos by being ruthless whenever they got an opportunity. The Indian team has taken up the responsibility and they are the new tigers of the cricketing world.