Despite a convincing win against arch-rivals India at the Centurion on Saturday, Pakistan’s coach Intikhab Alam remained wary of his side’s generosity with extras and reminded his bowlers not to repeat the mistakes against Australia on Wednesday.
Pakistan, who restricted the top-ranked ODI team India to 248 who were chasing 303, gave away 22 extras that included 11 wides and seven no-balls. Umar Gul, who was taken apart by the Indian batsmen while going wicketless, was guilty of over-stepping three times with the resulting freehits costing Pakistan 14 runs.
Intikhab, Pakistan’s coach, braved sunny and warm conditions during Pakistan’s three-hour long training session on Monday to ensure his bowlers did not cross the line. “In today’s cricket, it is a crime to bowl no-balls,” Intikhab said after the training session. “It’s not just the extra run and the ball, but also the freehit that the batsmen get which can cause problems. We are very strict about it and I position myself at the bowler’s end in the nets to make sure we limit over-stepping.
“At times, it’s the pressure on the bowler as well. Against India, for example, the bowlers stretched a little extra to deliver what was required off them but that’s not an excuse. There won’t be as much pressure on them against Australia so I hope we don’t make such mistakes again.”
Apart from the extras situation, Intikhab was content with his team’s performance that has seen them win all four matches on the tour so far. Playing back-to-back matches against the world’s top-ranked ODI team and reigning world champions, according to Intikhab, will help the players improve their skills.
“We are fully prepared for the Australians and will go into the match with a different strategy to the Indians. It’s always a challenge to play a better side and gives our players a chance to learn. Our team has tremendous potential as well as definite plan for every individual so that if things don’t go in our favour, there is a back-up that we can fall on in the field. The good thing, for us, is that we are peaking at the right time and the winning momentum is doing wonders to the players’ confidence levels.”
Intikhab also termed the availability of Mohammad Asif, eligible for selection after completing his 12-month ban last Wednesday, a healthy dilemma for the team management but admitted it was difficult to accommodate him in the starting eleven.
Asif, who could have made his comeback in Pakistan’s opening game against the West Indies, last represented Pakistan almost 18 months ago and was unable to participate in international or domestic cricket due to the ban. “His omission is actually a good thing for Pakistan cricket. It does give us a headache selecting teams but it’s difficult to omit someone who has been performing in order to accommodate him. Our selection policy is simple: you perform and you’ll make it to the final eleven and that, itself, is a challenge and incentive for our players to perform in every single match.”
Pakistan’s match against Australia at Centurion may be of significance depending on India’s performance against the same opponents. Pakistan lost a five-match ODI series against the world champions in the UAE earlier this year. With Australia hosting Pakistan for a Test and ODI series starting in December, Intikhab wants a clinical show on the field and has backed his spinners to cause plenty of problems.
“I won’t say they are vulnerable to spin but we do have two world-class spinners in our squad who gave the Australians plenty of problems in the UAE. They are very professional but playing Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi will be a challenge for them as well. We did well against them earlier, in a series we should’ve won. But we beat them in the Twenty20 and that was the start of good things for us.”
Saeed, with four wickets in the tournament so far, caused a few problems in April, an act he is hoping to repeat when the two sides meet again.
“The Australians don’t play spin particularly well which was obvious in the UAE,” Saeed said. “It was a good series for me and I was successful against them and that is exactly what I will be aiming to repeat on Wednesday. I’m particularly looking forward to bowling against Ricky Ponting, who I’ve never bowled to before, and am targeting his wicket more than anyone else’s.”
© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper, Sep 29, 2009
Showing posts with label Indian Cricket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indian Cricket. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
I want to emulate Sachin’s 2003 feat in today’s clash: Younis
If wins could be traded for enthusiasm and courage, Younis Khan should collect the winner’s cheque following Pakistan’s crunch encounter against arch-rivals India at the Centurion today.
Younis confirmed his participation in today’s match after missing his side’s opening win against the West Indies due to a fractured finger. Advised four weeks’ rest, Younis remains adamant to play through the pain and hopes to emulate Sachin Tendulkar’s innings against Pakistan at the World Cup 2003 while leading his side to victory.
Pakistan come into the match following three consecutive wins on the tour, a feat alien to the team on tours. India, who claimed number one ranking in the ODI table following South Africa’s defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka, were handed a 103-run loss by New Zealand in their only warm-up match. Younis, labelling the opposition the best team in the tournament, remains wary of the fightback India is capable of and opted to make himself available for the encounter despite the injury.
“If the opposition wasn’t India, I might have rested the fractured finger slightly longer,” Younis said in his pre-match conference after Pakistan’s training session. “It’s easy for me to run away from this and avoid the crunch match but I prefer to look at the bigger picture. I want to play, score a century, get the man-of-the-match award or just have a hand in leading Pakistan to victory. Not playing is not an option for me. I want to perform like Sachin did in 2003 against us so that people remember my innings just like they do his, especially given my fractured finger.”
Younis’ return is likely to mark the exit for Imran Nazir, the solitary specialist opener in the 15-man squad with Shoaib Malik likely to be promoted to open the innings with Kamran Akmal.
With Younis forming a formidable middle-order with Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq, with the in-form duo of Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s vice-captain, to follow. The return from the 12-month ban of Mohammad Asif also poses a tricky dilemma for the team management, with the captain keen on drafting the lanky pacer into the side to face India. While shying away from naming the playing eleven, Younis, in an exclusive interview with Dawn, realised that playing Asif would be a huge risk given the stakes but a risk he was willing to take.
“Asif’s return is a welcome sign for us. He looked in good form during the training sessions and, despite his inclusion being a total gamble, it is a risk I’m willing to take. He may turn out to be our trump card and help us beat India or it may backfire badly. But in life, you need to take risks and I’d rather face the consequences in the worst-case scenario than regret not having gambled on him.”
The likely omission, if Pakistan were to include Asif in the squad, will be Rana Naved who had figures of 1 for 26 in the opening match.
Whatever the team combination, Younis has emphasised the need for his players to perform and enable Pakistan to come out on top — a win that, according to Younis, the nation badly Centurion: Pakistan captain Younis Khan (R) and fast bowler Mohammad Asif wait for their turn during a training session at SuperSport Park on Friday. Both will be key
needs. “We all know it’s a crunch match but there is no need to take any pressure. I have told my players the same thing to help motivate them and not take any unnecessary pressure which sometimes directly contributes to a side’s collapse.”
Younis reserved special praise for the younger Akmal, terming his calculated innings against West Indies (and unbeaten 41 off 51 balls) a great sign for the future. “He is a very energetic player and uses his brain well despite being very new to first-class cricket. He adapted well to conditions at the Wanderers, took his time settling in and then launched into his natural game.”
While India will be missing Virendar Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh, much emphasis will be on Sachin Tendulkar who took Pakistan apart with a 75-ball 98 in 2003 and if he will be able to repeat his performance from six years ago at this ground.
The Pakistan captain, in awe of that innings and cherishing the chance to see Tendulkar in action once again, remained confident that it was the Indian batsman and not the Pakistan side that will be under pressure.
“As we know India will be without their key players and because of that, the onus will be on Sachin to perform and deliver. There’s nothing scary about him as he’s not a ghost and I’m actually happy when he scores
against us. It gives me pleasure to watch him bat and score and there’s a lot you can learn by watching him do just that. However, we’re playing against eleven men and not an individual so we need to look out for the whole team and not just a single batsman.”
While much will depend on the toss, with the lack of sunshine coming into the match likely to keep the pitch soft and difficult for batting, bowlers are still expected to be the underdogs with both teams fielding strong batting line-ups.
For India, it will be a case of carrying on from their Twenty20 win against Pakistan at The Oval in June. Pakistan, however, will be hoping for a lesson learnt, restricting the run-flow and hoping the wall crumbles against an unnerving and energetic bowling attack and an individual hoping to make amends for his actions just over twelve months ago.
© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper, Sep 26, 2009
Younis confirmed his participation in today’s match after missing his side’s opening win against the West Indies due to a fractured finger. Advised four weeks’ rest, Younis remains adamant to play through the pain and hopes to emulate Sachin Tendulkar’s innings against Pakistan at the World Cup 2003 while leading his side to victory.
Pakistan come into the match following three consecutive wins on the tour, a feat alien to the team on tours. India, who claimed number one ranking in the ODI table following South Africa’s defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka, were handed a 103-run loss by New Zealand in their only warm-up match. Younis, labelling the opposition the best team in the tournament, remains wary of the fightback India is capable of and opted to make himself available for the encounter despite the injury.
“If the opposition wasn’t India, I might have rested the fractured finger slightly longer,” Younis said in his pre-match conference after Pakistan’s training session. “It’s easy for me to run away from this and avoid the crunch match but I prefer to look at the bigger picture. I want to play, score a century, get the man-of-the-match award or just have a hand in leading Pakistan to victory. Not playing is not an option for me. I want to perform like Sachin did in 2003 against us so that people remember my innings just like they do his, especially given my fractured finger.”
Younis’ return is likely to mark the exit for Imran Nazir, the solitary specialist opener in the 15-man squad with Shoaib Malik likely to be promoted to open the innings with Kamran Akmal.
With Younis forming a formidable middle-order with Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq, with the in-form duo of Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s vice-captain, to follow. The return from the 12-month ban of Mohammad Asif also poses a tricky dilemma for the team management, with the captain keen on drafting the lanky pacer into the side to face India. While shying away from naming the playing eleven, Younis, in an exclusive interview with Dawn, realised that playing Asif would be a huge risk given the stakes but a risk he was willing to take.
“Asif’s return is a welcome sign for us. He looked in good form during the training sessions and, despite his inclusion being a total gamble, it is a risk I’m willing to take. He may turn out to be our trump card and help us beat India or it may backfire badly. But in life, you need to take risks and I’d rather face the consequences in the worst-case scenario than regret not having gambled on him.”
The likely omission, if Pakistan were to include Asif in the squad, will be Rana Naved who had figures of 1 for 26 in the opening match.
Whatever the team combination, Younis has emphasised the need for his players to perform and enable Pakistan to come out on top — a win that, according to Younis, the nation badly Centurion: Pakistan captain Younis Khan (R) and fast bowler Mohammad Asif wait for their turn during a training session at SuperSport Park on Friday. Both will be key
needs. “We all know it’s a crunch match but there is no need to take any pressure. I have told my players the same thing to help motivate them and not take any unnecessary pressure which sometimes directly contributes to a side’s collapse.”
Younis reserved special praise for the younger Akmal, terming his calculated innings against West Indies (and unbeaten 41 off 51 balls) a great sign for the future. “He is a very energetic player and uses his brain well despite being very new to first-class cricket. He adapted well to conditions at the Wanderers, took his time settling in and then launched into his natural game.”
While India will be missing Virendar Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh, much emphasis will be on Sachin Tendulkar who took Pakistan apart with a 75-ball 98 in 2003 and if he will be able to repeat his performance from six years ago at this ground.
The Pakistan captain, in awe of that innings and cherishing the chance to see Tendulkar in action once again, remained confident that it was the Indian batsman and not the Pakistan side that will be under pressure.
“As we know India will be without their key players and because of that, the onus will be on Sachin to perform and deliver. There’s nothing scary about him as he’s not a ghost and I’m actually happy when he scores
against us. It gives me pleasure to watch him bat and score and there’s a lot you can learn by watching him do just that. However, we’re playing against eleven men and not an individual so we need to look out for the whole team and not just a single batsman.”
While much will depend on the toss, with the lack of sunshine coming into the match likely to keep the pitch soft and difficult for batting, bowlers are still expected to be the underdogs with both teams fielding strong batting line-ups.
For India, it will be a case of carrying on from their Twenty20 win against Pakistan at The Oval in June. Pakistan, however, will be hoping for a lesson learnt, restricting the run-flow and hoping the wall crumbles against an unnerving and energetic bowling attack and an individual hoping to make amends for his actions just over twelve months ago.
© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper, Sep 26, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Writing cricket
Mihir Bose’s areas of expertise reach far and wide into accountancy, engineering, football, Bollywood and, surprisingly, Memons. Born in Kolkata in the year of the Partition but raised in Mumbai — the city he calls his hometown — Mihir, author of over 20 books and winner of many awards, shares his thoughts with Books & Authors on cricket, the history of the subcontinent, his desire to be a ‘great writer’ and becoming the first sports editor at the BBC.How did an interest in journalism and writing develop?
MB: Despite belonging to a business-minded family, I’d always wanted to be a writer even though my father thought there was no money in it. I was growing up in an independent India which was heavily influenced by Nehru, so it had to produce engineers and scientists. I came to England to become one too, but switched to accountancy since it would give me time to write a novel that would make me famous. It didn’t quite work out that way but I broke into journalism via commercial radio after qualifying as an accountant.
I went back to India a couple of times, worked as a stringer for the Sunday Times and even got commissioned to write a book on Keith Miller. However, there came a time when I decided that if I wanted to become a writer — and I couldn’t become one in India — I had to resign from my job as an accountant. By then, I had also gotten a contract on a biography on Subhas Chandra Bose, an Indian nationalist who was termed a traitor. That was that. I’ve never looked back and I’ve been a full-time writer since October 1978.
What problems did you face in England while pursuing your dream?
MB: Though I was very aware of my colour and race, it took me a long time to get used to standing out. I came from quite a well-off background, but suddenly found myself not only doing my own dishes but made aware that I was different. Despite that — and the fact that I felt India was imprisoning me — England was a liberating place for me.
It was the place where I thought of becoming a great writer and where I would go to Soho and proclaim my genius. However, I realised that nobody wants to know me and to them I had come from a poor country and had a terrible name. I got assaulted while reporting on football and was chased down a train by a gang of hooligans. Even with all that, England gave me opportunities and the world we live in is a western world, which I’m very happy to be a part of. I prefer living here and am quite comfortable as the country has been very good to me.
Why the interest in sports, especially cricket?
MB: I read a lot about cricket. I’ve loved it as a kid and my father would let me practice as a radio commentator in front of guests so I grew up living cricket. Though I went to the same school as Sunil Gavaskar, I never played the game that well and wasn’t encouraged either. Because of my interest, I have written three books on cricket, including the only history of Indian cricket, as well as Maidan View, which examines the influence of cricket on Indian society. I’ve never seen a distinction between sports and writing.
If you write about sports, you’re not writing about kindergarten, you’re writing about life.
What books and authors have managed to influence you?
MB: I wanted to be a writer like V.S. Naipaul or Graham Greene, people like that were my heroes. I also wanted to be like Neville Cardus, a cricket writer. I was also influenced by books like C.L.R. James’ Beyond the Boundary in which cricket is used to describe West Indian society. I’m also fascinated by biographies and history books. I believe they take a certain thing about society and use it to explain the society itself.
You mentioned your love for history. What is your take on the history of subcontinent and why there exist major gaps and discrepancies in the scripts?
MB: The history of the subcontinent motivates me as it is the history of my people. You pick up a book on the great events of the world and you’ll find that they are all western events. It’s a fact that conquerors write history and hence there is no mention of any battles of Panipat.
There’s a dearth of great biographies, especially ones written by locals. For instance, most of the biographies of Gandhi are by non-Indians, and the only well-known biography of Jinnah is written by an American professor. The subcontinent retreats into fiction because it doesn’t want to confront reality. We either love people or hate them. An assessment of Jinnah can’t take into account that he was the most unlikely Muslim who drank whiskey and ate pork. However, he was a great leader, in fact one of the greatest leaders of the subcontinent, the man who created a country.
There is a fear of recognising, it’s an irrelevant way of thinking. It shows a lack of maturity, an almost-adolescent behaviour that your heroes have got to be gods. This is saying that all you write about the great man is the speeches he delivered and great letters he wrote, but not the man who lived his life.
India and Pakistan are like two Siamese twins trying to separate themselves but not quite managing to. Pakistan needs to stop comparing itself to India and thinking that India can’t go ahead of them. Pakistan has a greatness that the Indians don’t have and that is not accepting defeat. In cricket, Pakistan won a Test in England in 1954. It took India 17 more years to match that.
What projects would like to do in the future?
I would like to write a couple of novels and a major book about the subcontinent, particularly about India. I’d also like to write a book tracing my father’s journey which started as a young man in a village in Ramchandrapur (West Bengal) who gave up his job to join the freedom struggle and moved to Mumbai.
I also want to write a biography of Gandhi and Jinnah, especially as I was brought up to hate Jinnah but have come to admire him as a politician. We need more books on the communities living in the subcontinent and how they are progressing.
© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in Books & Authors (DAWN newspaper) June 21, 2009
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Experiments backfire on Pakistan as India win
It was a day of experiments. Experiments the team management vowed to stay clear of during the build-up to the warm-up match against India at The Oval on Wednesday.
While skipper Younis Khan and coach Intikhab Alam reposed much confidence in Salman Butt’s ability at the top of the order, it was the 19-year-old Shazaib Ahmed who was drafted in the team in place of the former vice-captain.
Shahid Afridi was promoted up the order — a move cleverly off-set by MS Dhoni as he brought on Irfan Pathan — and Umar Gul was assigned new-ball duties as India set off chasing a defendable 158. Mohammad Aamer, too, was provided a much-awaited outing. From the performance on the field, the experiments clearly failed to produce the required results.
While the danger signs were obvious from Pakistan’s inability to pose any serious threat against a formidable Indian line-up, Intikhab refused to be concerned. “We were off to a good start and I thought 158 wasn’t a bad score,”’ Intikhab said while representing his side at a press conference for the third time running.
“However, we failed to perform with the ball, especially our spinners. Despite the loss, I see no reason to be concerned. It’s still early days and with the talented individuals we have in the side, I’m sure they will come good when it really matters.”
Contradicting his comments after the side’s loss to South Africa on Monday at Trent Bridge where Intikhab made it clear that “we are not keen on experimenting”, the match against India was an experiment without excuses with the hope that the team performs when it matters the most.
Pakistan take on England on Sunday in their first match of the tournament proper and Intikhab wants his team to put the two defeats behind them and learn from their mistakes. “Our batsmen got out to wrong shot-selection and our bowlers failed to deliver, for which they will be given a pep-talk to. We have enough talent in our bowling line-up to ensure a repeat of today doesn’t happen and although things can go wrong, it is my job to ensure mistakes are rectified.”
Intikhab was full of praise for young pacer Aamer — though he kept referring to the left-handed bowler as “the new youngster” — and predicted a bright future for him. However, he also gave credit to the India team for the way Aamer, as well as the rest of the Pakistani bowlers, were handled.
“India has become a very good side, a side that has gelled well under Dhoni’s captaincy who himself is doing a very good job. You need to give them credit for the way they played, especially Rohit Sharma [who was opening in place of the injured Virendar Sehwag].”
Despite the coach’s reassurances, it remains to be seen how Pakistan will regroup following back-to-back losses after arriving in England with high expectations. Heads looked to have dropped early during India’s reply and the bowlers, including Afridi who is a key to a rather inexperienced bowling line-up, seemed to have resigned to the inevitable after failing to achieve early breakthroughs.
Intikhab, however, seemed to have the playing eleven finalised and has vowed to work towards ensuring an improved performance at the same venue on Sunday.
Meanwhile, M S Dhoni, India’s captain, was truly delighted with India’s nine-wicket win over Pakistan at The Oval, labelling it “one of the best performances despite the match being a warm-up.”
“Although this was a warm-up match, a victory is a victory,” Dhoni said after the win. ‘Since we lost the last game it was important for us to win this one because we wanted to go into the tournament high on confidence.
“It really was one of the best wins we’ve had so far and although it will a difficult performance to replicate, it was a brilliant performance by the team on the whole.”
© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 5, 2009
While skipper Younis Khan and coach Intikhab Alam reposed much confidence in Salman Butt’s ability at the top of the order, it was the 19-year-old Shazaib Ahmed who was drafted in the team in place of the former vice-captain.
Shahid Afridi was promoted up the order — a move cleverly off-set by MS Dhoni as he brought on Irfan Pathan — and Umar Gul was assigned new-ball duties as India set off chasing a defendable 158. Mohammad Aamer, too, was provided a much-awaited outing. From the performance on the field, the experiments clearly failed to produce the required results.
While the danger signs were obvious from Pakistan’s inability to pose any serious threat against a formidable Indian line-up, Intikhab refused to be concerned. “We were off to a good start and I thought 158 wasn’t a bad score,”’ Intikhab said while representing his side at a press conference for the third time running.
“However, we failed to perform with the ball, especially our spinners. Despite the loss, I see no reason to be concerned. It’s still early days and with the talented individuals we have in the side, I’m sure they will come good when it really matters.”
Contradicting his comments after the side’s loss to South Africa on Monday at Trent Bridge where Intikhab made it clear that “we are not keen on experimenting”, the match against India was an experiment without excuses with the hope that the team performs when it matters the most.
Pakistan take on England on Sunday in their first match of the tournament proper and Intikhab wants his team to put the two defeats behind them and learn from their mistakes. “Our batsmen got out to wrong shot-selection and our bowlers failed to deliver, for which they will be given a pep-talk to. We have enough talent in our bowling line-up to ensure a repeat of today doesn’t happen and although things can go wrong, it is my job to ensure mistakes are rectified.”
Intikhab was full of praise for young pacer Aamer — though he kept referring to the left-handed bowler as “the new youngster” — and predicted a bright future for him. However, he also gave credit to the India team for the way Aamer, as well as the rest of the Pakistani bowlers, were handled.
“India has become a very good side, a side that has gelled well under Dhoni’s captaincy who himself is doing a very good job. You need to give them credit for the way they played, especially Rohit Sharma [who was opening in place of the injured Virendar Sehwag].”
Despite the coach’s reassurances, it remains to be seen how Pakistan will regroup following back-to-back losses after arriving in England with high expectations. Heads looked to have dropped early during India’s reply and the bowlers, including Afridi who is a key to a rather inexperienced bowling line-up, seemed to have resigned to the inevitable after failing to achieve early breakthroughs.
Intikhab, however, seemed to have the playing eleven finalised and has vowed to work towards ensuring an improved performance at the same venue on Sunday.
Meanwhile, M S Dhoni, India’s captain, was truly delighted with India’s nine-wicket win over Pakistan at The Oval, labelling it “one of the best performances despite the match being a warm-up.”
“Although this was a warm-up match, a victory is a victory,” Dhoni said after the win. ‘Since we lost the last game it was important for us to win this one because we wanted to go into the tournament high on confidence.
“It really was one of the best wins we’ve had so far and although it will a difficult performance to replicate, it was a brilliant performance by the team on the whole.”
© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 5, 2009
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Indian Knights
India’s recent success against Australia has sparked a discussion about a new era in the world of cricket: have the Australians run out of steam? Is India poised to take the leader’s crown?
WHEN the Australians landed in India in September, cricket’s champions were without the services of Glen McGrath, Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Stuart McGill and Brad Hogg as old age, injuries and lack of form took their toll on the team.
Skipper Ricky Ponting was doubly confident - that his side would improve their record on Indian soil and that Ponting himself would better his dismal performances in the cricket heartland.
A two-nil scoreline a few weeks later not only dented the visitors’ hopes of staying atop the cricketing world, but also sprung India onto the cricketing map as genuine contenders for the top slot. India’s comfortable win over England in the second one-day international on Monday (November 17) has done little to dampen high expectations in the subcontinent.
Certainly Team India has the ammunition and the firepower. However, they lack the consistency to hit centre. With these recent successes, is India worthy of being called the best yet?
Kris Srikkanth, former Indian batsman and the current chairman of selectors, refuses to back that claim just yet.
‘I wouldn’t like to jump to conclusions just yet. I would say we [the Indian team] are inching forward to that particular position. A few more consistent performances all round and we should be able to call ourselves the best team in the world in the near future,’ Srikkanth said.
Anil Kumble, who recently announced his retirement as Test captain, is confident that his successor Mahendra Singh Dhoni will try to finish the job he started.
‘I am confident that this young team, with a few of the senior players being part of the team, have a great opportunity to dominate world cricket and be number one in all forms of the game,’ Kumble said. ‘In one-day cricket, we are pretty close, in Twenty20 we are the No. 1 team in the world and I don't think we are that far behind in Test cricket as well. It would be great to see that happen and that is how I would like to be remembered, as someone who raised the bar for the team.’
Agreeing with the fact that the dual retirements of Sourav Ganguly and Kumble will have a significant impact on the team, Srikkanth has faith in the upcoming talent from the domestic pool to carry the flag for years to come.
‘You cannot immediately replace the calibre of Ganguly or Kumble. I think the transition is happening very smoothly. Captaincy was a smooth transition from Kumble to Dhoni and even in the leg-spin department, Amit Mishra came along nicely. There are a lot of talented batsmen waiting in the wings to get into Test cricket to replace Ganguly, so I think that transition will also take place smoothly. You have to give opportunity to youngsters. They all start young and go on to become great cricketers. If you give them an opportunity and the right time to perform, they will do so.’
Path to glory
Team India’s success graph has had its ups and down in a similar manner to the blood pressure of the average Indian following his, or her, nation’s progress throughout its entirety, especially through the 90s and much of the 21st century.
Much of the success has been attributed to the raw talent of Tendulkar along with the steadiness and firmness that is Rahul Dravid, The Wall.
India’s Fab Four - Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly and VVS Laxman - along with Anil Kumble, without doubt the team’s greatest spinner ever, have shouldered many wins over the past few years. However, the home side were rocked by dual retirements during the recent Australia series with Ganguly and Kumble parting ways.
The duo had contrasting Test debuts. While the Prince (Ganguly) thrashed England's bowlers around Lord’s for his 131, Jumbo (Kumble’s nickname, referring to his bowling style) had to be content with a return of 3 for 170 at Old Trafford six years earlier. Their respective finale turned out quite similar as far as individual performances were concerned; Kumble laboured around for almost 50 overs for only three wickets while Ganguly’s golden duck failed to set off any fireworks either.
However, Kumble - chosen to lead the Test side after Dravid’s resignation from the post - could only muster out a bore draw in Delhi whereas Ganguly - India’s most successful Test captain - sat on his colleagues’ shoulders as India thrashed the mighty Australia.
The 18 years that Kumble played top-class cricket for - 12 years in the case of Ganguly - India managed high-profile victories and also morale obliterating defeats. Ever since Kapil Dev led the World Cup success in 1983, India have been within touching distance of being not a good team, but a great one. With the likes of Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and Kumble in the line-up, India certainly had the potential. On paper, at least.
There was the Laxman thaumaturgy in 2001 against Australia at home - complemented aptly by the Harbhajan Singh heroics. Then came victory in the Natwest Series in 2002, followed by the World Cup final in 2003 (a loss Tendulkar rues as his worst ever). There was also the away series win over Pakistan (2005), the Kumble ten-for at Feroz Shah Kotla (1999), a Sehwag masterblaster triple century in Multan (2004), the Yuvraj Singh annihilation of Stuart Broad in Durban (2007) and the veritable sorcery of Tendulkar, that constituted children’s dreams at nights.
Starting young has been the epitome of Indian success. Master batsman Tendulkar made his debut at the age of 16, while both Ganguly and Kumble made their debut at 19. This meant that the nucleus of the team remained stagnant throughout the wins and losses. Runs were scored aplenty as much as wickets were grabbed regularly.
With probably the most fervent of followers back home, and abroad, even the slightest of mistakes were being paid for dearly. Effigies were stomped and burnt, houses were pelted with stones, death threats were issued valiantly, and personal security employed as a result. Perhaps that is what made the Indian cricket team so successful. Weary of the consequences if they were to lose, the maestros planted their talent seeds wisely, reaping regularly, felling records en route success in all forms of the game.
Worthy Twenty20 World Champions, having the better of Australia in Test cricket and thrashing England in the first two One Day Internationals (ODIs) - with England having recently beaten South Africa 4-0 at home - things look ominously encouraging for India. As well as the usual hardened achievers, their unsung players hit the highest notes.
Opener Gautam Gambhir showed off his potential; leg-spinner Amit Mishra won a Test on his debut; Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma emerged as a lethal new-ball duo, displaying their mastery over Matthew Hayden and Ponting, Australia’s most experienced batsmen.
And with Yuvraj, Rohit Sharma and the Pathan duo flaunting their credentials openly, there remains hope for India in the post Fab Four era.
However, only to reiterate, cricket is a team game and apart from the necromancer – Tendulkar – that has seemed to make the cricketing throne his own ever since his teen debut, there remain other members of the team on the field. The likes of Vinod Kambli, Robin Singh, Javagal Srinath, Ventakesh Prasad, and Sadagoppan Ramesh to some extent all played their part of the final product that is a strong Indian team in the current day and age.
© Faras Ghani 2008
Published in Garavi Gujarat Nov 19, 2008
WHEN the Australians landed in India in September, cricket’s champions were without the services of Glen McGrath, Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Stuart McGill and Brad Hogg as old age, injuries and lack of form took their toll on the team.
Skipper Ricky Ponting was doubly confident - that his side would improve their record on Indian soil and that Ponting himself would better his dismal performances in the cricket heartland.
A two-nil scoreline a few weeks later not only dented the visitors’ hopes of staying atop the cricketing world, but also sprung India onto the cricketing map as genuine contenders for the top slot. India’s comfortable win over England in the second one-day international on Monday (November 17) has done little to dampen high expectations in the subcontinent.
Certainly Team India has the ammunition and the firepower. However, they lack the consistency to hit centre. With these recent successes, is India worthy of being called the best yet?
Kris Srikkanth, former Indian batsman and the current chairman of selectors, refuses to back that claim just yet.
‘I wouldn’t like to jump to conclusions just yet. I would say we [the Indian team] are inching forward to that particular position. A few more consistent performances all round and we should be able to call ourselves the best team in the world in the near future,’ Srikkanth said.
Anil Kumble, who recently announced his retirement as Test captain, is confident that his successor Mahendra Singh Dhoni will try to finish the job he started.
‘I am confident that this young team, with a few of the senior players being part of the team, have a great opportunity to dominate world cricket and be number one in all forms of the game,’ Kumble said. ‘In one-day cricket, we are pretty close, in Twenty20 we are the No. 1 team in the world and I don't think we are that far behind in Test cricket as well. It would be great to see that happen and that is how I would like to be remembered, as someone who raised the bar for the team.’
Agreeing with the fact that the dual retirements of Sourav Ganguly and Kumble will have a significant impact on the team, Srikkanth has faith in the upcoming talent from the domestic pool to carry the flag for years to come.
‘You cannot immediately replace the calibre of Ganguly or Kumble. I think the transition is happening very smoothly. Captaincy was a smooth transition from Kumble to Dhoni and even in the leg-spin department, Amit Mishra came along nicely. There are a lot of talented batsmen waiting in the wings to get into Test cricket to replace Ganguly, so I think that transition will also take place smoothly. You have to give opportunity to youngsters. They all start young and go on to become great cricketers. If you give them an opportunity and the right time to perform, they will do so.’
Path to glory
Team India’s success graph has had its ups and down in a similar manner to the blood pressure of the average Indian following his, or her, nation’s progress throughout its entirety, especially through the 90s and much of the 21st century.
Much of the success has been attributed to the raw talent of Tendulkar along with the steadiness and firmness that is Rahul Dravid, The Wall.
India’s Fab Four - Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly and VVS Laxman - along with Anil Kumble, without doubt the team’s greatest spinner ever, have shouldered many wins over the past few years. However, the home side were rocked by dual retirements during the recent Australia series with Ganguly and Kumble parting ways.
The duo had contrasting Test debuts. While the Prince (Ganguly) thrashed England's bowlers around Lord’s for his 131, Jumbo (Kumble’s nickname, referring to his bowling style) had to be content with a return of 3 for 170 at Old Trafford six years earlier. Their respective finale turned out quite similar as far as individual performances were concerned; Kumble laboured around for almost 50 overs for only three wickets while Ganguly’s golden duck failed to set off any fireworks either.
However, Kumble - chosen to lead the Test side after Dravid’s resignation from the post - could only muster out a bore draw in Delhi whereas Ganguly - India’s most successful Test captain - sat on his colleagues’ shoulders as India thrashed the mighty Australia.
The 18 years that Kumble played top-class cricket for - 12 years in the case of Ganguly - India managed high-profile victories and also morale obliterating defeats. Ever since Kapil Dev led the World Cup success in 1983, India have been within touching distance of being not a good team, but a great one. With the likes of Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and Kumble in the line-up, India certainly had the potential. On paper, at least.
There was the Laxman thaumaturgy in 2001 against Australia at home - complemented aptly by the Harbhajan Singh heroics. Then came victory in the Natwest Series in 2002, followed by the World Cup final in 2003 (a loss Tendulkar rues as his worst ever). There was also the away series win over Pakistan (2005), the Kumble ten-for at Feroz Shah Kotla (1999), a Sehwag masterblaster triple century in Multan (2004), the Yuvraj Singh annihilation of Stuart Broad in Durban (2007) and the veritable sorcery of Tendulkar, that constituted children’s dreams at nights.
Starting young has been the epitome of Indian success. Master batsman Tendulkar made his debut at the age of 16, while both Ganguly and Kumble made their debut at 19. This meant that the nucleus of the team remained stagnant throughout the wins and losses. Runs were scored aplenty as much as wickets were grabbed regularly.
With probably the most fervent of followers back home, and abroad, even the slightest of mistakes were being paid for dearly. Effigies were stomped and burnt, houses were pelted with stones, death threats were issued valiantly, and personal security employed as a result. Perhaps that is what made the Indian cricket team so successful. Weary of the consequences if they were to lose, the maestros planted their talent seeds wisely, reaping regularly, felling records en route success in all forms of the game.
Worthy Twenty20 World Champions, having the better of Australia in Test cricket and thrashing England in the first two One Day Internationals (ODIs) - with England having recently beaten South Africa 4-0 at home - things look ominously encouraging for India. As well as the usual hardened achievers, their unsung players hit the highest notes.
Opener Gautam Gambhir showed off his potential; leg-spinner Amit Mishra won a Test on his debut; Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma emerged as a lethal new-ball duo, displaying their mastery over Matthew Hayden and Ponting, Australia’s most experienced batsmen.
And with Yuvraj, Rohit Sharma and the Pathan duo flaunting their credentials openly, there remains hope for India in the post Fab Four era.
However, only to reiterate, cricket is a team game and apart from the necromancer – Tendulkar – that has seemed to make the cricketing throne his own ever since his teen debut, there remain other members of the team on the field. The likes of Vinod Kambli, Robin Singh, Javagal Srinath, Ventakesh Prasad, and Sadagoppan Ramesh to some extent all played their part of the final product that is a strong Indian team in the current day and age.
© Faras Ghani 2008
Published in Garavi Gujarat Nov 19, 2008
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