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.