The Devastating Truth

I was waiting to watch you play, to see your smile, to cheer as you scored those beautiful boundaries and sixes, to watch you live at least once in my life time, to fulfill my greatest dream, to jump, scream and bleed blue as you bring glory to the nation, but the wish goes unfulfilled. You are not playing the Pakistan series.

I am not ashamed to say that tears were pouring out of my eyes when I read the media release stating your retirement. I have grown up watching you play, I have grown up defending you, I have grown up reading about you, I have grown up fighting for you and believing in you when nobody else did, I have grown up watching your best innings on loop, I have grown up praying for you, I have grown up trusting blindly that you can not retire and that it cannot be possible. Because I believed that you would never stop, that you would play on forever.

There are a lot of people out there who didn’t like you, who didn’t trust you and who made it look like you were playing only for yourself, but I assure you that I have always believed in you, I have always knew that you did what was best for the team, for India.

I hated the fact that every news channel, while discussing the issue of your retirement, showed images and videos of your downfall, your missed chances, your failures. If there is one person who deserves a good farewell, it is you and I am sorry that these people could not understand that basic fact.

I can not believe the fact that I will no longer watch you in blue, cruising India towards victory. It is so natural to imagine you in the playing eleven, as easy as breathing that the thought that you will no longer be there to support the youngsters, to help them in their thirst for victory is very difficult to digest.

I know that you have played for long, I know that you need this time off, both physically and psychologically and that it is rather selfish on my part to expect you to keep playing but I cannot help the fact that there is a hollowness in me, so heavy and at the same time so empty that it has left me speechless.

I started watching cricket when you smashed Akthar all over the ground in the 2003 world cup. There is no looking back from then. Every series, every match has been special and I can’t believe that you won’t be a part of all that anymore.

I know that I will see you in white, still playing, still grinning, still making history but the ODI squad will definitely miss you but more than all that, the world of cricket will miss its God, its creator, its Guru.

Aishwarya Kumar

Jubilant Despite the Loss

The morning dawned murky and annoying. My mind was elsewhere. My friends were on the field while I had to sit at home and watch the match on the idiot box. There was a great longing in me but there was also happiness for my friends. Nothing comes my way easy and I have always had to strive and struggle even for the simplest of things. So I ain’t complaining.

From 17 without loss to 24 for 5, the Indian top order collapsed, leaving all of us shocked beyond words. I wanted a Sehwag blitzkrieg, I wanted a Kohli showdown but never once did I expect the top order to tumble down. Least of all, I didn’t expect the Indian Captain to bring about the change in the score card. Just when I thought that the game was done for, Dhoni walked out to the middle with a determined expression on his face. The phrases “from then there was no looking back” “it was a smasher of an innings” definitely do not hold good because this innings was way more than all of that. This was an innings which was spread across for more than forty overs and this was an innings which required every sweat of his, every ounce of his energy. The fact that he gave his everything to give India a chance to fight was worth watching. There was nothing left of him, the cramps were taking a toll of him but there he was, pushing the singles to doubles and never once letting go of the chance to get an additional run.

With Raina and Ashwin, he slowly built up the Indian innings. Fifty turned to hundred and hundred to one hundred and fifty. There were ten overs left and the Indian fans oozed hope and support.

The Indian innings came to an end after a hundred which is worth remembering in a long time because this was a century which saw the beauty of commitment, which saw the wonderfulness of patience, which saw the magnificence of a leader, which saw the radiance of a true performer.

These words are not out of the fact that he was successful today. I have and always had great respect for Dhoni but I disliked the fact that people never saw the dip in his form in the past two years. He has done a lot for Indian cricket; there is no doubt about that. My only qualm was that he was standing up to his potential.

If there is one other thing that I am proud of after today, it would definitely have to be the Indian seam bowlers. When Bhuvaneswar Kumar breached Mohammad Hafeez’s defense in the first ball of the first over of the Pakistan innings, I was left speechless. There was swing, there was movement and there was amazing dynamics.

Ishant Sharma hit the deck hard and Ashoke Dinda proved that he was a worthy addition to the Indian bowling line up. The ball swung and created a lot of trouble for the Pakistani batsmen but they were smart enough to learn from the Indian mistake and that was to see the new ball through. Once that was done, I knew for certain that the game was theirs. The ball came onto the bat nicely after that and all they had to do was stick to the 4 run an over strategy which was what they did. Nasir Jamshed played a brilliant knock which almost overshadowed the Indian Captain’s innings. He stayed throughout the Pakistan innings and took the game away from India.

When Dhoni was announced the Man of the Match, there was pride in his eyes and I knew then that he was looking at more than this particular match. The top order failed miserably, no doubt about that but there is nothing major to worry about that because when they click, they can be lethal. One worrying factor about the Indian team was the seam line up and today proved that we have gems whom we can be proud of.

From,

Not an analyst, but a fan.

Aishwarya Kumar. 

Indians Lacked Flare

Virat kohli's blitzkrieg, Dhoni's sudden charisma, Raina's persistent batting, Yuvraj's resilient bowling are the only four good things that can be taken out of the 2nd T20 between India and England. The rest of the Indian team need a good punch in the stomach to awaken them.

The fielding was breathtakingly annoying, the bowling was amazingly lousy apart from Yuvraj's sole effort to save the match from slipping away and the batting could definitely have been better.

Awana definitely would be cursing himself and if I am not wrong having a sleepless night remembering the dropped catch which might easily have toppled the charts. Michel Lumb's grimace turned into a grin when he realized the second lease of life that he was given and he sure made good use of it. He made sure that he stayed till a reasonable period of time, setting up the stage for the rest of the batsmen to take over.



Eoin Morgan gave the Indian's a nightmare, what with his breathtaking looks and his easy fours and sixes. The finishing six was so beautiful that I forgot who I was supporting for one whole minute, just enjoying the beauty of the shot.

Is it only me or is Yuvraj looking even more handsome now a days? Okay, I think I am straying away from the topic. It was a delight to watch him spin the ball the way he did. When he lured Lumb out of the crease and deceived him, I was speechless. Yuvraj was at the peak of his bowling form and I was glad. The LBW was equally beautiful and the glint in his eyes after picking up the third wicket spoke wonders.



One nightmare that I was unfortunate enough to watch today was the dismal fielding by India. Even Kohli and Raina disappointed. The throws were wild and the pick ups were dreadful.

Indian pacers lacked the flare and gave too much of length and space and the English batsmen made full use of it, sweeping and pulling the balls away to the boundary.

Overall, this was most definitely not a good game of cricket. But credit has to be given to the England team for the athleticism on the field and their gritty performance with the bat which saw them through in the end.

Six wickets in two matches is huge and huger still is the Man of the Series. Let the Charismatic performance continue!

Aishwarya Kumar.

Overdose of Cricket?

One of the most scary parts of playing continuous cricket is the weariness factor. The players are being put through 9 months of continuous cricket and this is not doing them any good. Few of the key factors of consistent performance are good rest and regeneration of body stamina and strength. On watching Champion's League T20, one thing is clear. The players are struggling and they are struggling big time. There is no punch, there is no vibe, there is no kick to any of the matches that has happened so far. Playing for the sake of playing is clearly seen and it hurts to see them play this way. Cricket should be played from the heart and not from anywhere else. A player would be able to give his beat only if he is totally fit and his mind is totally into the game. If that is missing then the soul itself is missing.

Gambhir, one of the most lethal player India has seen is struggling. He is not able to time the balls well and his shot selections are shaky. He needs to go get some solid net sessions and that is not going to happen if he spends the whole of the month playing T20 cricket. In the name of entertainment, I feel that T20 cricket is being overdone and the players are not getting sufficient net practices and healthy recuperation time.

Gambhir is just one example. There are many such players who are not in their elements right now and this will be clearly seen in the test series against England starting this November. If the team is not fresh and all ready for the season, it will be clearly seen in their performance and the overall performance of the team and that is something which the BCCI and the selectors have to think about before bundling the players off to play for the Champions League.

Shane Watson was called back by the Australian Cricket Board to practice and get accustomed to the bigger format of the game as Australia will be taking on South Africa next month. Though I felt bad that I would not see him anymore in CLT20, on thinking hard I felt that the decision to call him back to practice for the upcoming test matches was a well thought out one and it will obviously help him and the team in the larger format of the game.

Everything is not about T20. It is a format which came up recently and it is a format which needs no foot work, no book shots, no well laid out plan, no strategy. It is a format which needs hard hitters. Though it has become important in today's world, test cricket will remain the true representative of the Gentleman's Game followed by ODI cricket.

-Aishwarya Kumar

2007, a year of /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

If you are, by any chance wondering what that weird title means, you don't have to anymore. It is basically the line which runs across the screen of a heart rate monitor. Up-down, up-down, up-down.

Though this post might be highly irrelevant at this point, I somehow remembered 2007 today and a wonderful feeling crept over me. Though it was a disastrous year at the World Cup ( One day International), the first thing that came to my mind as memories of that year flashed before my eyes was the T20 world cup at South Africa.

India was thrashed and made into an ugly batter at the ODI world cup in April that year. Rahul Dravid's men had to sneak back home at the dead of the night because of the shocking first round exit at the world cup. The whole world had expected them to perform, had expected them to step up and the team was studded with diamonds as rich as the Kimberly itself. Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, Yuvraj, M.S, Kumble. the world's best and most celebrated players failed to deliver and India was packed home at the first stage by Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Many things happened at once. India gave away its super eights spot to Bangladesh,  Australia lifted the biggie, World T20 World Cup was announced to be held in South Africa later that year.

After India came back home, all hopes were lost. Indian fans were so heartbroken that they did not follow the game with the same vigor or enthusiasm. The BCCI took some rather drastic measures. The players' right to act in advertisements was plucked from them and they were asked to train more vigorously. It was obvious that the BCCI were feeling the heat and they were dumping it all on the players' heads.

T20 came and all the biggies stood aside to give the youngsters a fair chance. This was well received by the Indian fanbase who also felt that the shortest format of the game needs hard hitters and young blood. An entirely new squad with M.S.Dhoni as the captain/wicket keeper was announced. There were hard hitters like Uthappa, Rohit Sharma and Yuvraj Singh who could topple the game in India's favor if given a chance.

The team travelled to South Africa with the least of expectations. There were no pooja's performed for them, there was no big send-off, there was no hype, there was nothing. They were leaving for the World Cup and there was calmness around them. The huge burden of pressure was taken off them. All they had to do now was stand up and perform, show the country that they were still the most lethal team in the world and that is exactly what they did.

The young team was a delight to watch. Right from the Group D match against Pakistan, there were two things that were predominant- Determination and unity. The group match against Pakistan ended in a tie and the umpires called for a bowl out. Three bowlers were chosen from either of the team to bowl to the stumps and the team with the maximum hits was to be the winner. Uthappa, Sehwag and Bhajji came out for India. The ball turned and spun beautifully. The boys were so eccentric that it was contagious. Soon I was jumping up and down my seat, praying for our victory. Uthappa's bow to the audience after taking out the middle stump was the highlight of the whole bowl out. The Indians clearly looked more comfortable and even superior to the Pakistanis in the bowl out arena.

After taking the bowl out and subsequently the match, the Indians went ahead to the super eights. They had to face the likes of South Africa, New Zealand and England to have any chances of going in to the semis.

The memory of the India-New Zealand encounter is rather hazy. All I remember is that India did not make it and lost by a small margin of 10 runs. The chances of India qualifying to the semis now depended on two wins in the two matches that we had and it was against the mighty South Africans and the unpredictable English.

We clashed against England first and the whole of India was overjoyed. The Sixer Singh was out in the crease and he was thrashing the England bowlers. Stuart Broad was the bowler and Ravi Shashtri was the commentator when the almost impossible thing happened.

6 off every ball. 2 of them were on the off side and 4 were on the leg side, if I am not mistaken. The mid wicket sixes made me feel as if I was eating huge chunks of vanilla ice cream at the same time. That chilling sensation deep down in the stomach was all that I felt after Yuvraj responded to a provocation by Flintoff right before the over.

"Its six, six, six and its balle, balle, balle." Ravi Shashtri was commenting like he was egging Yuvi on for more. It was a pleasure to watch Yuvraj bat and Ravi comment with such intensity and dedication.

The match was won and all that was needed was a victory against the chokers. The Proteas were in brilliant form and Greame Smith was leading a potential team. Indians batted first and put up a decent 153 on board. The blitzkrieg started then. R.P.Singh came out and bowled beautiful in-swingers which bamboozled the Proteas batting order. They collapsed and before long, the Indians were celebrating. It was euphoria in Durban as the whole of the Indian camp danced in jubilation-they had made it to the semi finals, they had proved themselves.

I was on my way to Chennai for my quarterly holidays when the Australia-India semi final was slated. I could not handle the pressure. I still remember watching the match in every station possible. I could not sleep the whole night and kept tossing and turning. There was an elderly looking man who was listening to the radio alerts of the match. I just could not hold myself and asked him for the score update. When I heard that Yuvraj had scored a wonderful 70 off 30, I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew then that we had a chance and a very good one. India had raced to a 188 after Yuvraj's innings. The Australian team fought valiantly but simply could not get past the Indian score.

We had beaten Australia, in Jo'Burg and we had beaten them smart. I reached my Gramps' place and was so exhilarated that I could barely wait for the finals. The Pakistanis had made it against the New Zealanders in the other semi finals and were looking strong.

The day of the finals came. I was clutching my granddad's hands and I was praying so loudly that he kept giving me weird looks. All through the game I kept hitting him and punching him for every wicket, every boundary, every six. Misbah reverse swept the ball to deep leg and Sreesanth took a shaky catch to give India it's first T20 world cup victory.

I was awe-struck, I was over joyed and above all, I felt happy that we had proved ourselves. The critics had to stop their non-stop criticism about the Indian players. We did what I call the "undoing act." After September 2007, people forgot the ODI world cup debacle, the fans never once questioned the cricketers' capability. The underdogs had performed and performed like legends.

-Aishwarya Kumar. 

Abundance of bounce, spin and swing at Centurion

The ball was scything past the batsmen, the in swingers were hurting their unprotected body parts, the Naraine spin was just baffling their minds into believing that they were in India, rather than in a hard core South African cricket ground.



The Delhi Daredevils' bowling was a delight to watch as they sliced through the defenses of KKR and made them look petty. Pathan's in swingers were dot on while Balaji was bowling way outside the stumps and hardly causing any concern to the Delhi batsmen. His full tosses lower down the innings gave 61 runs in the last few overs for the Delhi Daredevils, ensuring a comfortable and determined target of 161 for them to defend.





The bowling by DD was spot on as the balls swung, spun and danced in front of the batsmen's eyes. All they were able to do was stare at the variations in the deliveries with surprise and amazement. The delhi Daredevils had it very easy as they reduced KKR to a mere 108.



Pathan was given the MoM for his brilliant bowling. Unmukt Chand stepped up and showed that he is a force to reckon with. I know that these are early days, but I get the feeling that there is a Kohli in him, which, if unleashed, will prove to be costly for any team playing against him.



- Aishwarya Kumar. 

Jumbo's jumbo role!

Anil Kumble was one player who you knew would deliver for the team. Your mind would automatically go into that "happy buzz" mode when you know that Kumble is there on the field, to take care of our country, to win the match, to make it work for us. He was always this silent, yet formidable force in the team and it was during his captaincy that my craze for cricket grew. I remember even today the Sydney test match between Australia before the tri-series in the year 2008 and there was half an hour left for the match to end. Kumble was batting consistently for India and we even looked comfortable enough to take the game. That was when Steve Bucknor happened. Two ugly wickets, Ponting's repulsive attitude and the game was lost. The gentleman's game became a revolting portrayal of  bitterness and a disheartened Anil spoke about the team's inspiring performance in the match. I also remember his supreme batting form in that Border-Gavaskar series and how we went on to thrash the mighty Aussies in the bounce queen of the world- WACA, Perth. Then I knew that all was not lost. We had won respect. We had won hearts. And this man was behind of all of it.

In 2002, when India was playing West Indies in the 4th test match of the series, people were amazed to see Anil coming out to bowl with bandage all over his face nursing a broken jaw. He walked out and bowled 14 overs straight and took the wicket of Brian Lara before retiring for the day. If this is not dedication, I do not know what is!

The 10 wickets in a test match innings, the many centuries at the time when India needed it the most, the hard work has produced a legend in the making- Anil Kumble.



Somehow, whenever I think of Kumble, I remember two things. The first one is the 2008 Border Gavaskar series and the second is his wife and family. The vibe and the humility that he has and portrays warms the hearts of millions.

He is now the Chairman of the ICC cricket committee, taking up the post from Clive Lloyd. I do not see anybody more deserving than the man himself. I am sure that he will work towards fairness and eradication of spiteful practices followed in the game by some nauseating players and umpires.

Aishwarya Kumar.

The correlation is quite amazing

6 International umpires were named to have reportedly been engaged with bookies in fixing international matches. I was too shocked to even react. Cricket fans and addicts around the world will be heartbroken, people who believe in good over powering the evil will be hurt beyond repair. The earth shattering truth will awaken many people from their happy bubble in which everything is good, in which wrong doings are not possible, in which righteousness is the way of life.

I parked my bike outside my granddad's house and the first sound that I heard was the noise of a reporter screaming in the mike about the match fixing scam which astonished the cricketers and the fans alike. I looked at my gramps in surprise. He looked back at me and shook his head, telling me silently that he has given up, that he no longer wants to have anything to do with the game and its disgusting and twisted ways. Back in the 1930's everything was simple, everything was peaceful and everybody was honest. Cricket matches were won and lost, not because of money, but because of the hard work and the commitment of the players. gramps used to wake up at 4 in the morning just to see his boys batting or fielding their hearts out. They did not get much money but they were happy, they were content. The equation was very simple.

Play well --> win the game.

Now life is complicated. The equation is complicated.

Play your heart out --> wait for the umpire to play their game --> wait for the franchise/board to play their game --> after all this, if you have it in you, win the game.

I was disappointed. I was hurt. But when I was riding back home from my grandad's house, a theory formed inside my head. The theory of cricket and all these allegations about match fixing, if you observe closely, is very similar to copying methods used by students to clear examinations. Let me explain in detail.

Exams are conducted to check how much we have understood the subject and how we are able to reproduce it. So obviously techniques like copying and googling stuff in the exam hall are prohibited. Now, compare this with the game of cricket. This game is played to see who is the better team and which team delivers on that day. So, naturally unfair practices are strictly not allowed. Just like how the students find innumerable ways to copy in examinations, the game of cricket also sees many alarming predicaments like match fixing, umpires playing unfairly because of the temptation called money and so on. But no matter how many students try to copy, in the end the student who has been fair and who has prepared and presented well will be the one who scores well and makes herself and her parents proud. The same case applies to cricket as well. No matter how many people try to fix matches or rob the game off its beauty, truth eventually wins, hard work always pays off, talent over powers malpractice.

There might be people out there fixing balls, paying the umpires to support one team, but in the end, cricket is an unpredictable game. Nobody can control a wide ball, nobody can change a mid wicket 6, nobody can call off an LBW. That is how the game is and that is how it will always be.

Aishwarya Kumar. 

Champions League T20 is here!

As South Africa gears up for one of the most awaited tournaments of the year, The Champions League, this preview will provide you with a comprehensive view of the tournament in a bird's eye view with all the details and and huge loads of spicy information for you!

To all the Indian fans out there, there is lots of cricket coming up in the next few days as the top 4 IPL teams fight it out with the other league teams in the championship. Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils are the four team which made the cup.

World T20 saw some tough competitions by players from all over world. Now all these players will have to gel together, develop the bond and play as a team in the next month.

Australians are found in plenty this tournament and Sydney Sixers boasts players like Watson, Nathan McCullum, Mitchel Starc who will all be arriving after their stints at the IPL.

Sailkot Stallions is another team which made the cut in this edition. The Pakistanis are making it and making it big this year. Having made the Semis of this year's World T20, the Pakistanis are in the top of their game and many new faces have emerged and emerged with a purpose. The team will give their best as they have nothing to lose.

Trinidad and Tobago is another team which, on getting the combination right, will fire and fire big this tournament. Ravi Rampaul, Denesh Ramdin, Samuel Badree will arrive at Jo'Burg after their scintillating performance at the World Cup this year and after the awe inspiring performance, this team will click and it will click big time.

Players to watch out for this Champions league: 

1. Shane Watson



This is the  man who is the reason for Australia's success this season. He was declared the Man of the Tournament in the recently concluded ICC World T20 and has in him the fire that keeps burning and never is or can be put out. 419 runs and 11 wickets is no small feat and this man was the portrait of humility as he collected the Man of the Series.
If you are a Sydney Sixers supporter, Jump up in joy because this man is a diamond in the making. Otherwise, you have quite a difficult hurdle to pass.
His supreme form both with the bat and the ball makes him the lethal all rounder anybody could ask for and I respect him for his commitment and hard work.
He is Number 1 in my list of players to watch out for.

2. Keiron Pollard



Hard hitter of the ball, handy right arm medium pacer, dangerous fielder, Pollard is a gem worth a million dollars for the Mumbai Indians. Right after a world cup win, Pollard's spirits will be high and his presence in the team will boost their spirits and will make them a complete team.
Mumbai Indians will look to Pollard for inspiration, a bit of happiness and a little Gangnam Jig now and then to boost their morale.
He is definitely the Number 2 in my list!

3. Unmukt Chand



Captain of the Under 19 Indian Cricket team which brought back the cup this year, Unmukt is a plyer to look out for. His batting style, his rhythm, his placements are top notch and he will do a wonderful job in getting to know the top guns and learning to survive in the bigger picture. Delhi Daredevils will benefit quite a bit if he clicks and puts across his fresh thinking and strong inputs for the team.

There are other promising players like A.B.De Villiers for the Titans, Imran Nazir for the Sailkot Stallians, Pat Cummins who will make this tournament a nerve wrecking event.

Cricket fans all around the world, sit back and enjoy quality cricket for the next month.

Aishwarya Kumar. 

Oppan Gangnam Style it is!

It was a low scoring match and both the teams gave their best. The fielding was impeccable and the bowling was spot on. Sri lanka choked in the end. That was all. The West Indians pulled the greatest victory that their country has seen in the last few decades. They showed the world what honesty is, what team spirit is, what compatibility is, what the right attitude is, what the winning formula is and above all, what the right thing to do is.

Marlon Samuels came off brilliantly and scored both with the bat and the ball. Malinga had tears in his eyes when the game was done and dusted, when the world cup was lost, when the hope of winning was gone.

The West Indians proved that attitude and timing are everything that a team needs to pull off a T20 victory.

Oppan Gangnam Style played in the background as the adrenaline pumped Windies received their World T20 cup.

They all broke into the Gangnam dance and all we could do was..Join them, of course!

The birthday boy Dwayne Bravo was over the moon and this has to be the best gift he has ever got for his birthday.

Shane Watson has to be mentioned here. He was announced the man of the tournament for being the highest run scorer and the highest wicket taker in the tournament. He was at his charming best as he collected the trophy for his 249 runs and 11 wickets.



The world T20 2012 concluded with pomp and joy as the West Indies lifted the trophy in style.

After all the predictions, pre-match reviews, post-match reports and analysis as to who will win the tournament, the West Indies have the last laugh!

And in all this, we forgot one important thing. It was Simon Taufel's last match as umpire. He collected his medal with his baby girl on his shoulder. He is one of the best umpires the world has seen and he will be missed.



That is all for this T20 world cup. Keep reading for more analysis and reports on the up coming tournaments and series.



Aishwarya Kumar. 

It is the game, and nothing else.

....and he drops the catch. Kulasekara misses it." screams Ian Chappell, in the finals of the T20 world cup, this year. My heart says,"Wow amazing effort by the fielder there." Never once did I doubt the intent behind the dropped catch. He tried and he couldn't take it. That was all there was to it.

But there are millions of people whose mind immediately says,"this match is rigged. The team has taken money. This is going to be a stale meat."

Inside of me, the idea is ridiculous. I know for a fact that fixing is a huge word and throwing it around when a team is giving its best is something very hard to listen to and keep quiet.

I know that IPL has put money ahead of the game. I know that the possibility is very much there. The temptation of riches might very well have influenced many players but the fact that they will put money ahead of the game is a scary thought.

Belief is something that I very much have on the game and its players. There were instances were there has been rumors/ speculations and even charges against players for match fixing. But I think that those players do not deserve to have anything to do with the game. They are the ones who have been given the national cap and if they do not know how to cherish it, how to take the game forward, how to play every game with diligence and responsibility, I don't know why they even took up the game in the first place, to be honest.

In the end, it all comes down to what the heart says. If your heart wants to believe the game, then go ahead and believe it, truly and never once doubt it, no matter what.

But if your heart says that Gambling/ Fixing and rigging is the way of life, then I cannot help you.

I will, till the end of life, believe in the purity of the game and the honesty of its players.

Even if Sachin comes to me and says that the match was fixed, I don't think I have it in me to believe it.

That is me and that is who I will remain to be.




Aishwarya Kumar.

That dread, that fear, that angst.

I know that there have been millions of articles, thousands of blog posts, infinite features on this great man. So many people have penned down their feelings, opinion and views about his game, his attitude, his personal life, his social life and every other aspect of life that is humanly possible. No aspect has been left untouched when it comes to this maestro.



Even after all this, there is always something more to write about him, something more to explore, something more to contemplate on.

There has been a lot of critical analysis of his future after the series against New Zealand. He was not at his elements and this was observed by many. "If I had failed in a series at the age of 25, nobody would have looked into it too closely. Since this low patch has happened at the age of 39, there are many people raising eyebrows. I cannot complain. With age comes all these speculations," Sachin said in an exclusive interview with Times Now's most acclaimed journalist Arnab Goswami.

He was grilled with some harsh questions by the latter and he came out and beautifully answered all of them, never once losing his cool, never once lashing out.

"I will take the decision when my heart says so,"he said when asked about the R word.

His passion for the game, his hard work, his confidence, his charming smile, his personality is something I admire and learn from every day. He is one person who has shown me that a person can rise, even from ashes, to become as magnificent as before. When he was detected with tennis elbow, in the early 2000's, the world feared that he wouldn't be able to make it, and that his career was over. But he refused to let that get to him. He worked and he worked hard and came back with such strength that I was awe-struck. There was a flicker of doubt in me that he would not make it. But don't get me wrong. The doubt was only because of the injury and not because of his ability to play or deliver.

The day when he makes the call will be a hard one. It will rip my heart apart. I have grown up watching him play. I have grown up seeing his smile. I have lived my life thinking Sachin is there to score the runs, he is there to take India through. But this might not be the case soon. I know that he is human and it is only natural that he will call it a day soon, but he has been the God of cricket too long for me to think that he might not hold the bat anymore.

The leg glances, the upper cuts, the cover drives are all etched in my memory forever. But to think that I will not see anymore of it is something I shudder to even think. I can buy the cassettes of his performance and watch it any day. But it will never be the same. There will always be a hole inside of me which cannot be closed, a chasm so deep that it will engulf me.



There are many people out there who call him selfish, who say that he is no longer required, that he is a waste of space. I feel sorry for all of them. I feel bad that they cannot see what a wonderful player he is and above all, what an amazing person he is.

If there is one thing the world can do, it will be to let him play till he thinks that he can deliver. If there is one thing I can do, it will be to hope that he will play and play till the sun rises in the west.

He knows what is reality, he knows and accepts the fact that he is no God and he will have to retire one day. But he also knows that he wants to play and play well now.

Aishwarya Kumar. 

And the feeling continues

Two days have passed since the day of India's results and it still seems unreal. It still seems impossible. That turmoil, that intense feeling in the stomach, that feeling where you feel like you got punched in the guts, is still as strong as the brightest of fires. I see Pakistan playing and I can feel this deep loathing, intense hatred and anger inside of me.

I know it is my fault. I know I am too invested in the game. I know I take things personally. I know that I treat my team as family. But I also know that what happened at the world cup this year is not fair and questions the very meaning of humanity. Cricket is one thing which filled me with positive thoughts, with hope, with burning brightness, with joy, with love. And when that game makes me question the very basis of my existence, it scares me to no extent. I am more scared than angry. If Pakistan wins, if they lift the trophy, then I know that Humanity is lost, that the bad has won, that good was not good enough.

I spoke to  my mom after the match. She is one person whom I can speak to about cricket and who will listen an understand and empathize. She has seen worse. She has seen evil. She was once a die hard fan of cricket and to some extent, still is. She has cried over matches, she has stayed awake just to see Kapil Dev bat, in the middle of the night, she has heard the running commentary of matches in radios when TV was a dream. She even had a scrap book of all the series and all the matches played during the 80's. I still don't forgive her for letting it go. I still don't understand how my grand mom could throw something that precious away, just because my mom got married. That thought plagues me day in and day out. I will preserve my scrap books for ever, for my children and theirs and most importantly for myself. Those are the memories of what happened in the past, of times when India won, of beautiful occasions like the World T20 2007, World cup 2011 ans so on. When I am upset or angry about something, I will look at it and with tears, feel happy that we once won, we once showed the world who we truly are and what we are capable of.

I know I got this love for the game from my mom and I can't thank my mom enough. I will for ever cherish the memories and happiness that it has given me.

The time will come when good wins over the evil and when justice is sought. There will come a day when Cheating will not fill the purses. There will come a day when humanity will take the front seat. I will wait for that day, for ever.

I hate talking about the game or anything that happened in any match to anybody. I know it is my short coming but I am happy with that. I feel that it is too personal for me to talk about it. A protective feeling takes over when I try to talk about it. Very few people have actually heard me speak of the game. And now you are one of them.


Aishwarya Kumar. 

And humanity takes a back seat

I do not want to review the match. India wins by one run. They gave the game their best shot. And they won the game of cricket. That is all that matters. Yes, mind games won. Yes, dirty strategy over took the gentleman's game. But the game of cricket is what matters and India made sure that they played well and they played like proud cricketers, proud Indians.



I know, it is disheartening. It is mighty disappointing. It is so crappy that we might even question the sanity of humanity. But what matters is that Indians played fair and they played like true gentlemen.

Virat Kohli rubbed off tears from his eyes when the score board read 121. The sight of him actually losing it and bursting out like that brought out immense feelings in me and I know this is the same for many Indians and many lovers of fair cricket.

"Overall disappointed, but not because of cricket. We can't have any control over other teams and their wins or strategy. Nut over all, I am quite satisfied with our performance," said M.S. at the presentation. I know what he meant. He meant the wonderful display of filthy strategy by the infamous Pakistanis.

India will take their flight back to India keeping in mind that Australia, Pakistan and India all have 2 wins each in the super eights and they did not make it ONLY because of uncontrollable factors and not because of cricket.

Yuvraj Singh was awarded the Man of the Match for his 21 runs and 2 wickets.


No matter what happens now, I am proud to be an Indian. I am proud of our fair ways. I am proud of the cricket that we played. Nothing else matters.

With a mighty heavy heart,

Aishwarya Kumar.

Mind games much?

scoring 149 in their 20 overs, Pakistan knew one thing very well. They had to play big and play strong. Are you thinking about playing "cricket" by any chance? If that is the case, then you are wrong. What they went on to play was the game that they were legend-wait for it-dary at. All they played was mind games. They attacked Australia early on, made them struggle and when the statistics came out, they slowed down. It said "Australia will go through to the Semi-finals if they go past 112." And the Pakistanis let them achieve that. After this amazing show of sportsmanship, they went on to win the match by 32 runs, giving India an almost non existent chance of entering the Semi-finals.

The statistics is out and India needs to win the match against the South Africa by 31 runs or with 24 balls to spare.

The toss is done and India was put to bat by South Africa.

The pitch is on the slower side and ball might slide on to the bat later on in the innings.

India is going into the match with no changes in the squad, a decision which could very much back fire because of the lack of spinning option.

Will Yuvraj and Ashwin deliver?

Will Sehwag and Gambhir click?

Will India go out there and perform when it is needed the most?

These are the questions which needs answers.

The equation is simple: We need to win and we need to win big.

Until later tonight,

Aishwarya Kumar. 

The whole package.

“God has been kind,” says Kohli, holding the Man of the Match after his Scintillating 78 off 61 deliveries and picking up the wicket of the Captain, Mohammad Hafeez. Rameez Raja managed to make him blush by mentioning his brilliant form in the last 24 months.

A genuine smile, an aura of humility was all that was seen, coming from his face.

Pakistan went in with an unchanged side after winning the toss and electing to bat first, a move which was questioned by experts. They had three spinners in their squad and lacked pace, except for Umar Gul.

India made a few major changes by bringing in Sehwag and Balaji and leaving out both Harbajan and Chawla. The decision to leave Harbajan raised many eyebrows but MS did not look like he cared. Balaji was brought in because of his experience and was in a tough spot, having to prove his selection.

Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Nazir walked in and Zaheer was seen warming up. The game was on. Pakistan was off to a wonderful start, cracking a few boundaries in the first over. Pathan came in for the second over and showed how much depth he could provide to the bowling squad. It was a peach of a delivery and ball hit pad and the next thing we know, Nazir, the in form batsman walking back to the pavilion, beaten by Pathan’s  in-swinger.

 

India came back strongly after the first three overs where they gave 30 odd runs. Bajaji kept the ball low and made the batsmen uncomfortable. Afridi walked in after Nazir and had a huge responsibility on his shoulder to take his team home. A few deliveries were thrashed to the boundary but before long, Balaji stuck again, bowling a short ball. Afridi, pulled the short ball and was caught at deep by Raina.  Pathan and Balaji looked formidable and the Pakistani Batsmen were going into a shell. The wickets kept falling at regular intervals and Pakistan was never able to establish a decent Partnership. They were fumbling at a 59 for 5 when the Mr. Dependable, Shoaib Malik came out and he along with Umar Akmal steadied the boat for Pakistan. They reached the 100 run mark during the 15^th over and at the same time, lost Malik, Ashwin coming in and picking up the wicket when it was needed the most. Yuvraj picked up two wickets in the middle overs, both caught behind by Dhoni. “If looks could kill” was all I could think of when I saw his reactions and his fist pumps after those two wickets. Balaji silently made Dhoni and the rest of India realize that he was the most experienced and the most lethal bowler when it came to slow pitches by taking 3 wickets.

From there the Pakistanis crumbled and were all out for a distressing 128.

The ball was not coming on to the bat, it laid low and Indians made full use of the slow pitch. The bowlers came back strongly after their miserable performance against Australia. The vibe on field was ruthless and the fielding displayed by the players was worth watching.

India came out to bat. The fearsome pair of Gambhir and Sehwag came out. Sehwag looked up at the sky, touched the boundary rope and raised it to his heart. He had a point to make today. He had to show that he was a class player and he had a position in the playing 11. He was cautious at the beginning. He even ducked for a few short balls by Gul. Gambhir was taken out by the 20 year old Raza Hasan in the second ball of the over and Pakistan were, well, how to put it - Very much in the game. Sehwag and Kohli steadied the innings for India and scored off the loose balls. Sehwag was making his point. He was doing it slowly, but he was doing it surely. He was taken out by a lose delivery by Shahid Afridi. He lofted the ball into the air and a very good catch was taken by Umar Gul at the deep.

Kohli and Yuvraj saw India through, with a mixture of caution and aggression. Kohli was at his supreme best, scoring 8 fours and 2 sixes in his innings.

The game ended with 18 balls remaining.

India is back in contention for the Semi- finals and they made it in style.

P.S: Pakistan are yet to open their account against India in T20 World Cup.

Until the next match,

"Dismal" is an understatement.

The toss was won, India decided to bat and everything in Colombo seemed perfect. The weather, the three-spinners-Indian squad, the pumped up atmosphere, the determined looking players, the comprehensive victory against England four days back. But what nobody anticipated was the total whiplash by the mighty Australians.

India started out well, scoring a respectable 69 in the first 10 overs. Pathan and Gambhir were asked to open and Pathan looked firm. Gambhir lost his wicket to a Cummins- football- run out. Virat Kohli came next and the ODI player of the year succumbed to a short ball by Cummins and whipped it into the air, giving Christian an easy catch. The match was even till the 10th over. What developed in the last 10 overs is something no Indian fan would like to remember. Wickets fell one after the other and before long India were crumbling at 75 for 5. Dhoni and Raina tried to stabilize the innings, but were choked by the brilliant fielding and bowling by the Australians. They failed to let any loose balls by and India ended at 140 for 7 after the 20 overs.

Brad Hogg, at the age of 41 bowled and fielded like a 20 year old. Watson was at his supreme best, taking 3 wickets. Cummins, proved to be a lethal pacer and rattled the Indian batting line up.

It was a dismal batting performance by the Indian Team.

Watson and Warner walked out 10 minutes later. Ashwin was tossed the ball. From there, there was no looking back for Australia. The bowling was off, the fielding was drab, the whole vibe of the Indian Team was that of depression and negativity. The bowling was not spot on and Watson and Warner batted Beautifully. Watson was at his supreme best and it was a delight to watch those mid wicket sixes and the huge boundaries.


Watson was dismissed by Yuvraj Singh, at the end of the Australian Innings, thereby making the Aussie win a little less awesome. Australia reached the target with 9 wickets in hand and 6 overs to spare.

Indians are currently last in the table and have an abysmal -2.331 run rate, going into the match against Pakistan on Sunday.

Watson was given the man of the match for his scintillating half century and 3 wickets.

Until the next match,

Aishwarya Kumar.

IS THE FUTURE OF CRICKET IN SAFE HANDS?

                                                                                                                                                April 2012.

                

From crashing out of the world cup in 2007 to lifting the same cup in 2011 to facing white wash in the 2012 Australia series, India has seen it all. Once being afraid to even walk into their own houses due to fear of being pelted by eggs and tomatoes by the frenzied Indian crowd to proudly marching up the roads of India after being crowned the world champions, team India has gone through so much. When analyzing the performance of the team in the past four years it is sad to note that a drastic dip in form of the top three bricks of Indian cricket. Though the team has been performing consistently inside the sub continent, their temperament and consistency when it came to performing in the other continents is dismal. The bouncy and fast wickets outside the subcontinent make it difficult for the Indian batsmen and bowlers to cope. The younger generations are not being trained to face these fast pitches which will create a big hole in the future of Indian cricket. Bounce was never India’s strong point and when faced by tantalizing fast bowlers like Starc, Dale Steyn, Harris, Stuart Broad, they falter and give up. The integrity that the Indian team once had is missing and this makes it even more difficult for them to come back after a humiliating defeat. Once a strong team and the team to defeat, India now looks vulnerable. Who should be blamed for this drop in India’s form? Should it be the present coach of the Indian cricket team Duncan Fletcher or the out of form Captain M.S.Dhoni?

         When Gary Kirsten took over as coach after India’s disastrous world cup in 2007, he methodically corrected every aspect of India’s performance; he showed them what it feels like to win. He was a silent spectator, never seen in the spot light. He gave importance to improving the team’s performance drastically. He was seen enjoying each player’s performance in the side lines, silently taking down notes for improvement. When his tenure as the coach came to an end and when he decided to go back to South Africa to at last spend time with his family, there was a slight doubt arising in the minds of the people if the successor would be able to pull of the quality of team that Kirsten gave us. Duncan Fletcher took over and India began to feel the pain of losing Gary Kirsten. The integrity which was the greatest strength of the team went missing. The selectors started panicking seeing the sudden dip in the form of the team’s performance. Though they showed sparks of victory here and there like the success against West Indies in West Indies in May 2011 immediately after Gary Kirsten stepped down, there were no real signs of epic victory. The two other victories that came during Fletcher’s tenure was also inside India where team India defeated the west indies in the ODI and test series and England in the ODI series.  The inconsistency clearly leaves one question in all our heads: will the team rise again?

Aishwarya Kumar.

England gets the spin scare of its life!

The Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni sprang a bouncer at everybody, including the experts by making four changes to the existing Indian team for the Group A match against England. Top guns like Zaheer, Sehwag and Ashwin were rested. Ashok Dinda, Piyush Chawla and Harbajan filled their places. The opening slot was presumed to be given to Virat kohli. Dhoni once again surprised us by brining Pathan up the order and making him open. What conspired was one amazing all round performance by the Indians.

India once again lost the toss and were put to bat by Stuart Broad. England had made just one change, bringing in Tim Bresnan in the place of Samit Patel.

Coming out to bat, the Indians were cautious and scored off the lose balls. Gambir looked determined and his shots, though a little rusty, seemed quite reassuring. Pathan started off well but lost his wicket early on in the innings. Virat Kohli came in at number 3 and showed the world what a man in supreme form can do. He smashed even the decent balls through cover and piled in a lot of runs. Gambir and Kohli built quite an interesting partnership early on in the innings and made sure that India maintained the eight-run-per-over mark.

Kohli then miscalculated a short ball and was caught at the deep, leaving the crease scoring 40. It was then the responsibility of Gambir to take the innings forward. Rohit Sharma was sent in next and he also proved to be a valuable asset in the middle overs.

Greame Swann bowled brilliantly and after Gambir was taken out for 45, the Indians struggled. Dhoni and Sharma could not keep the momentum going and the run rate dipped. Between ten to fifteen overs very few runs were scored and India reached 120 odd at the end of fifteenth over, making it an uphill task for the players at the crease and the players yet to come to bat sensibly.

The last five overs saw the blitzkrieg of Rohit Sharma who, after steadying the innings in the middle overs thrashed almost all the deliveries to the boundary line.

The last two overs were productive for India. They ended their innings at a respectable score of 170, despite the wobbly score early on in the innings.

The English men fielded intensely and did not let the runs flow by. If not for the last few overs of respectable batting, India would not have seen the score that they did.

When England came out to bat, hell broke lose. Nothing went right for them and before long they had lost two wickets for a meager 24. Pathan breached their defenses and took two wickets in the two overs that he bowled. After four overs, they were struggling to place the ball at the right places. Spinners came in and England’s nightmare continued. Harbajan from one end and Piyush from another squeezed the air out of their existence. The ball swung and spun beautifully and it was a treat to watch such radiant bowling. Harbajan picked up four wickets for just 12 runs in the four overs that he bowled. Piyush also has to be given credit for his patient and awe inspiring bowling. England were all out for a paltry 80, thereby making it their lowest total in an international T20 game, the previous being 88 against West Indies.

India won by a comprehensive 90 runs and will go into the super eights with great momentum and brilliant playing options.

Harbajan received the Man of the Match for his aggressive bowling.

India will face the problem of plenty in making their choices for the super eights and we will have to wait and watch if Dhoni has any more surprises in store for us.

Till the next India Match,

Die Hard Cricket Enthusiast,

Aishwarya Kumar.

Lousy Start.

India made a lousy beginning in this year's edition of the T20 world cup. Losing the toss and put to bat first, India lost Sehwag and Gambir early. Virat and Yuvraj stabilized the innings and kept the boat running for quite a while before Yuvraj fell. Kohli scored 50 off 39 balls before losing his wicket, getting caught at the deep. If not for the horrendous fielding by the Afghans, Indians would have ended their innings poorly. Thanks to the infinite drops, India stumbled it's way to 159, thereby setting the Afhgans a respectable target of 160.

Except for some sparks here and there, the batting was shaky and not up to the standards.

When the Afghans came out to bat, they were decent and smashed the loose balls to the boundary. But they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Yuvraj bowled splendidly, taking 3 wickets in the four overs that he bowled. He had tears in his eyes after taking his first wicket. It was such an emotional moment. Balaji came back strongly after his disappointing performance in the warm up match against Pakistan and took three wickets, giving just 19 runs in the process.

The match was tight up to the point where the sixth wicket was lost.

It was then an all India match, though the Afghans kept giving us those one off nervous moments by scoring off the loose balls.

India being one of the top teams cannot afford to be complacent and give their best even when it comes to teams like Afghanistan.

Aishwarya Kumar.

The man who taught us the art of patience.

Patience is an art. It is the most difficult of all arts. It is the most respected of all arts. It is the most difficult to master. The master of patience will have nothing to fear. He will have nothing to worry about. This master will find his place in the hearts of all human beings. He will live and make other people see life. He will pour his heart and soul out for the cause of other people and will live to show what it takes to respect and be respected.

      From "Jammy" to "the wall" to "Mr. Dependable", Rahul Dravid has come a long way. He has built a wall in the hearts of the people and never once did he shatter the wall of trust that millions of people built in their hearts for him. A small, cute boy he was when he first walked into the field in the year 1996 against the mighty Lankans. He has transformed into a soft leader, an amazing architect of the game, the irreplaceable aspect of the team, the wonderful beginner of the sport, the scintillating striker of the ball, the mesmerizing defender, the biggest and most enthralling wall of the country, of the world. Now, it is the pain of reality that stands before us: his 20 years of cricketing carrier is over. The wall will never come back to protect us, to soothe our anxious mind during times of India's struggle, to stand there and be there for us. He has gone for good, a decision well taken, but he has left behind a gaping hole in the hearts of millions of people, me included.

         Not once did the over nosy media find fault with his personal life, not once was he scrutinized for wrong doings, not once was he reprimanded for carrying out something which he shouldn't have. A man will become totally brilliant only when his skills are accompanied by the best of character and the most diligent of manners and behavior. His respect for mankind, especially women, is what places him millions of miles apart from the common man.

        Yes, apart from being a cricketer he is a father, a husband, a son and a grandson, but what he has left behind in the annals of history is a combination of all the traits of a wonderful person and a man whose footsteps will be followed but in vain by millions of his ardent fans.

         Moved to tears we were, when the news of his retirement came out. He was calm and composed, never once losing his cool. But the people around him and the infinite fans watching in front of the television sets found unanswerable tears falling from their eyes, unable to fathom the degree of the loss. This is one of the biggest losses to the history of cricket and it has created such a deep impact on the minds of the people that it has been rendered impossible for them to come out of the shock of the loss. Sure, people will eventually move on and live a life without Dravid, but will never be able to stop themselves from thinking of him at every turn of their lives.

       Mahan sages tell that life is a circle- Man is born, he lives, cherishes and then perishes, but in this case, Rahul Dravid will never perish. He will live in our hearts for ever, even after he is gone.

Aishwarya Kumar. 

The surreal feel.

 And the game begins..

There are people who feel so strongly for a certain thing that sometimes it over powers them, controls them and makes them lose sense. They feel so lost without it, as is like their life is miserable or incomplete without it. That is the way I feel about cricket. I know this is a clichéd sentence, but I have to use it here.

Cricket is my religion and Sachin is my God.

I feel so possessive about the sport that there are very few people who can actually get a proper response from me on the subject when they come to me to talk about it. It is like my own baby that I don't like anybody ever coming close to it.

This feeling is rather dangerous, I tell you. Cricket is such a huge thing in our country that every Tom, Dick and Harry is seen or heard talking about it. It infuriates me to no end when I hear random comments about cricket or a player in particular. It sometimes gets so annoying that I can feel my pulse quickening.

So, for a person like me, I take it very personally when a random person who doesn't know what a leg slip is, or what a beamer is, comes to me and says that he/she is going for a match or has gone for a match. It gets worse when someone come up to me and says "Oh I have met Ashwin. I know he is a cricketer, but what exactly does he specialize in?"

Hell breaks loose inside of me. Every inch of me wants to just catch hold of that person's neck and snap it.

I used to always think that there was some jinx when it came to me meeting players or going for a match. Never have I seen a player in person. Never have I gone for a match (the whole concept of watching a match in the stadium was alien as far as my family was concerned). It seemed like I was always at the wrong place at the right time.

Then came September 11th. The day that will go into the annals of my history for sure. Match tickets were in my hand, amazing people were around me, and I was standing in front of the stadium. It was happening, at last.

The experience was enthralling. Everybody around you is so pumped up that it is impossible to actually sit down for one whole minute. When Yuvraj made his entry into the field, the crowd went insane. I have never seen people hyperventilating like that, ever before. The whole of five hours were spent screaming and enjoying.

The fist pumps, the high fives, the hugs, the jubilation, the sadness, it was a complete package.

Yuvraj and Kohli were so close to the fence that at one point I just wanted to scream and jump over the fence and hug them.

Nidheya and I went so mad that we screeched our hearts out. We screamed so much that Virat actually heard us and waved at us. After this Nidheya said "It is disheartening that to them we are just another face in the crowd." But I felt that we were THE faces after that wave.

Yuvraj did a Bhangra jig for the crowd. The crowd's noise levels reached a new peak.

Just as everything seemed perfect, things got even better. My role model, my God, my teacher, my inspiration, Harsha Bhogle, walked past our stand. My whole body shook with excitement. I just looked at him. It was all I could do. I understood what being speechless meant at that moment of my life. People were roaring around us. He gave a jovial smile, turned around, coat in hand, and waved at us. I was still looking at him as he walked past. I was contented. I saw Harsha. I saw my inspiration.

All in all, it was the best experience of my life. I will cherish it and replay it, over and over again, for a very long time to come.

Aishwarya Kumar.