Under the covers of victory

Under the covers of victory
[Indo Pak First Cricket Test]

What is best way to keep the drawbacks covered, surely it is success or victory because success is kid of thousand fathers and hence there is always ample support available on the victory roads unlike the failure or defeat where you has to face stiff criticism at all alone.

Indian cricket team is on the victory roads against Pakistan in on going series after winning the ODI, the “K” factor proved obstacle for the touring team and they lost the first test match at Delhi. Surely the interim time, before the start of the second test match at Calcutta will keep busy the think tank of Pakistani team in planning their plan of action to avoid the same result at Eden Garden, and indications are very clear from the statement of captain “ Our batsmen has to score at least 400 runs” .

I am not bothering about the planning of opposition because instead of worrying about it, I will prefer to keep self well prepare and with least weak points. I am strong supporter of the views you can win only on your strongest points and by taking the war into the fields of enemy. What the Delhi test has kept under the cover is the failure of our famous bating line, I am not thinking that Pakistan has also failed to score sufficient runs but the bating performance of Indians is surely an alarming call. If we look at Indian cricket team, bating is the strongest side of the team in the past decade or so and surely at Delhi it was not at the standards.

Losing 5 wickets for 90 odd runs in the first inning is not the reflection of bating strength we have, it was experience of Laxman and timely knock of Dhoni that India succeeded in first inning lead but how long we can trust bowlers to score runs also. Opening slot is the first problem, for a good building foundation is most essential and we are fortunate to have world’s most successful pair of opening batsmen in the for of Sachin and Sourav, though age is not favoring them but at least for next 1-2 both will be part of Indian team our failure lies here that instead of utilizing their experience we are trying to find altogether a new pair of players for the opening slot. The ideal situation will be pair one of the younger player like Gautam Gambhir, on the alternative bases, to open with either Sachin or sourav it will not only help the young one to get benefited from experience but will also help to accommodate Yuvraj or Uthappa in the middle order.

If I had been asked I will suggest the following team for the Kolkatta test.
Gautam Ganbhir / Wasim Jaffar [any one]
Sourav Ganguli
Yuvraj / Uthapa [any one]
Sachin
Rahul / Laxman / Rohit Sharma [any two]
Dhoni
Irfan
Kumbale
Zahir / Munaff - Harbhajan / Murali Kartik [Any two]

My playing eleven will be
1] Gautam Gambhir
2] Sourav Ganguli
3] Rahul Dravid
4] Sachin Tendulkar
5] Yuvraj
6] Laxman
7] Dhoni
8] Irfan
9] Kumbale
10] Zahir
11] I will leave this for the choice of captain from the remaining three bowlers. Though considering KolKotta environment I might have opted for the speedster because there are Sachin and Yuvraj in the team to assist Kumble in the spin attack but Sourav’s performance as bowler in Delhi test is prompting me to leave this spot for the captain’s choice.

On the winning doorstep

On the winning doorstep
[Kotala Cricket Test]

India is just on the doorstep step of victory in the Kotala test against the arch rival Pakistan, when the stumps were put down to ground in the Delhi to mark the end of day’s play on the fourth day of first test match.

It is now only matter of time for Indian victory. If we look at last four days surely the fortunes fluctuated a few time but surely it was not away from the Indian victory. The script of Indian victory started on the day one itself, thanks to rear guard action by the Sami, Pakistani fast bowler, otherwise it was not possible for the Pakistani team to take their first inning beyond the two hundred mark. Though famous Indian bating line collapsed and Munaf, the new ball bowler of Indian attack has not lived with the hopes from him but still India managed to set a victory target just over the two hundreds in the pre lunch session on the forth day of match.

Most of the cricketing wisdom of country is criticizing Dinesh Kartik, as his failure kept on going in the second inning also but no body seems to think about his inclusion in the playing eleven. We have to keep it in the mind Dhoni was not hundred percentages fit on the eve of match and there were possibilities of his injury growing and forcing him to remain away from the wicket keeping. Most of the former players and commentators are blaming Saurav and Laxman for non selection of inform Yuvraj but I guess it was not either Saurav or Laxman but the injury of Dhoni which proved hurdle for the non selection of Yuvraj and team management was forced to select Dinesh Kartik in the playing eleven, otherwise surely Saurav or sachin has to be partner of wasim Jaffar to open the bating.

Kumbale has proved that there is nothing to replace the experience. Most of the critics of games are surprised to see the maturity and timely actions of Jumbo in his first test of captaincy. Who will opt Saurav over the Munaff, when the ball is still with shine but Kumble went with this and Saurav lived with expectation by claiming two wickets on the forth day. It is also against the set norms of the game to write a victory before the last ball is bowled and Indians have a tendency of making hard to simple looking wins but still I am looking forward to an Indian win in the pre lunch session on the fifth and final day.
[Written Yesterday]

Added Today
As the destiny script was written on day one and in the pre lunch session on day forth, India took less than half an hour on fifth and final day to go up in the series with a 1-0 lead but I feel sorry for saurav who fail to add yet another half century to his illustrated carrier and Shoaib Akhtar who could not add yet another five wicket haul to his credit.

Power Of Blogging

Power Of Blogging

Blogging which was started as online personal diary is no more restricted to purpose and has developed as the third media, after the print and electronic media, of mass communication, though like the third world countries, still blogging, the cyber media is into the developmental phase but surely it is emerging as the strongest media of mass communication. You can imagine the power of this third media of mass communication from the facts that china is trying to monitor all the bloggers of the country and the super power America is working to develop software which can work as watch dog for the blogging world.

It was evening of 3rd November 2007, when the electronics media of Pakistan went to turn into the black screens of television in the country with emergency imposed by the Gen. Parvez Musharraf. The only source of information available was the blogs and bloggers. Print media and electronic media of the Pakistan were under the powers of General and facing a censorship but the blogging world was making it meaning less with success. It is fact that internet is not still life style and part of day to day life for Asians like the western countries, still a very handful about less than 10% of population of these countries are the citizens of the cyber world, hence the penetration is comparatively very low but it doesn’t deny the power this cyber media holds.

Why the blogging is spreading wings and why the people throughout the world are findings an added attraction towards the blog? Information and technologies are expanding vigorously and so are the human wills of expressing self. In the physical world it is not affordable for everyone to cope with the cost of expressing media, either print or electronic and the reducing rates of internet are prompting to maximize use of cyber media, beside that a bit of earning from the blogging is the added attraction for the over rush for the blogs and the incredible number of bloggers in the cyber world. Camouflaging of personality / personal information is also prompting people for use of blogging for the self expression.

Controversial Decisions

Controversial Decisions

It now become a set trend in Indian media, put a questionnaire for the common people, every time after the selection of cricket team and very strangely our selection committee also leaves space for if and buts, this and that with their surprise selection standards. Chair of the chairman of selection committee has seen the changing faces but as we Indian live with traditions hence no person ever tried to go beyond the unreasoned inclusion/ omission of one two players in the selected squad and try to break the tradition of bringing surprise during the announcement of selected team.
At Ahmedabad the things were not different from the tradition. It was talk between me and my son on the day of announcement of leaving the Captaincy by Rahul Dravid that soon we will see Rahul out of ODI squad. The ball started moving at Munbai against Australia and reached to goal in Ahmedabad. Who will believe it, for the reason of being out of form Dravid is dropped from the First Two ODI and was replaced by Yet another out of form player Shewag?
Controversial decisions also seems to become tradition for BCCI, on the one hand, world’s topmost opening pair of Sachin Saurav is kept away from the Twenty -20 for the reason of age and on the other hand contracts are given to retired Australian players like Warn, Gillespie and Makgraw for the Twenty -20 IPCL. If the Twenty-20 is the format for the youngest and age is working against Sachin and Saurav for their inclusion in T20 Indian team than only one result is possible, BCCI is not as serious as indication are, for the IPCL and if the board authorities are of the views that these Australian retire players are fit to play twenty-20 than why Sachin and Saurav were not selected for the Indian team?
Controversial decisions seems to be running in the blood of Indians, yesterday after so many days I was watching a match in which India was not playing [Only last few over] Pakistan was in need of just 36 runs to win the match against South Africa, with five wickets in hand and Ten over to go but as the Pakistan was also part of India at some time and forefathers of present Pakistani players were originally Indians so the tradition was kept intact and players opted for choosing controversial strokes not for wining but for being out and Pakistan not only last the match but also the ODI series.

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This was first time for me since Feb 2006 that I was away from Internet for 8-10 days and this was due to RIL you can read the story "Customer Care" by making a click on link but like the silver lining of dark cloud this time was utilised by me for making functional www.gandhinagarworld.com one of my pending project.

Miss of just a fraction of second

Miss of just a fraction of second

I have seen it over hundred times and still wish and love to see it again and again. It was the climax of all those three hour filled suspense of traveling through the destiny, going under the never before experience of sinking and returning back to life heart beats, excited curiosity to reach and be the witness of final moments with the fear sufficient to raise body hair. Some may thought and wait for my announcement of the name of the movie, I am talking about. No dear it wasn't a movie, I am talking about the latest product introduced into sports shopping malls, Yes twenty-20 , the shortest version of the game for it was said in the past 22 half made people are creating a war of non existing supremacy and battling out it on 22 yards long strip. Yes it was the grand finale of twenty-20 World cup, the New wonders ground of Johannesburg was the betel ground and arch rivals India and Pakistan were fighting out for the ever first "King Title", to bring moments of "National Pride" for millions and millions of respective country men for whom cricket is passion, life or even something more than religion. The life was at phase of suspension and supposes to return back to normalcy only after a victory. "Dho…. Dho…. Doni Ke Dhurandharoon Ne Dho Dala……. Petkar Pakistan Ko, Jeetkar world cup, Khushiyoon Se Daman Bhar Dala." [Experts of Dhoni had washed Pakistan and brought never before high of happiness for the country] was the reaction of every Indian when the padel shot of M.U. Hakk rested into hands of ShreeShanth and India won the inaugural World cup by 5 runs. What a relief, this third ball of final over Jogindar Sharma and of the match brought for millions of Indians, who were still finding hard to re gathered themselves after watching ball sailing over the on the previous ball bowled.

All was not started well India in this tournament. A game of almost assured win against weaker team of Scotland washed out due to heavy rain. It was tie against arch rivals Pakistan [both scored 141 runs] and only the new rule "The Bowl out" helped India to emerge as winner and collect full two points to remain in contest for the race of entrance to super eight. On September 16th score of 190 runs pilled by kiwis proved a hard hurdle to cross as Indians were able to score only 180 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted 20 overs for being defeated by 10 runs. 19th September will be returned as the day of Yuvraj Singh in the history books of cricket as he compiled a 12 ball half century, fastest in any format of game, and hit six sixes in a single over of speedster Stuart Brad. India won this by 18 runs as England made only 200 runs for six wickets. South Africa fall pray of Indian winning run on next day, though the home team restricted Indian score to moderate 153for 5 but succeeded in scoring only 116 making the way for Kiwis to go into semi finals after Pakistan, Australia, and India.

It was repeat 2003 Final of ODI world cup in the second semifinal of twenty -20, when World Champions Australia and Young Indian team took the field positions in Durban ground on 22nd September. India took the revenge and defeated the world champions by 15 runs, bating first to score a good 188 runs and allowing opposition to score only 173 runs. It was all set for the close fight among the arch rivals on 24th in the grand finale as Pakistan won their match against Kiwis by 6 wickets.

As was expected motivating young Indian Captain M.S. Dhoni, chose to bat first after winning the toss. Debutant Yusuf Pathan escaped from a narrow run out on very first ball of the match, which affect so adversely his metal status that he scored only 15 runs [1 six 1 four] of 8 balls before getting out. Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni only succeeded in terms of spending time on central strip only to increase the number of dark balls. The biggest disappointment was Yuvi, who scored just 14 runs from 19 overs, can you believe the same Yuvraj scored a record fastest Half century of 12 balls a couple of days ago? Thanks to efforts of Rohit Sharma [30 runs of 16 balls] in last two overs, specially the second last ball of inning, when due to mistake of Pakistani fielder ball went over the rope for six, India manage to get a bit respect full score of 157.

It was not a great start even for the Pakistan, opener Hafiz was forced by R.P. Singh to toss the ball to Uthapa who made no mistake to hold the nerves and the catch. [Pakistan 2 runs for 1 wicket] At the other Shrisanth was in a different mode he allowed batsman to score over twenty runs, He might be thinking that as cricket is day by day is turning into batsman's game and as this is twenty -20 hence batsmen are with all rights of scoring at least 20 runs in a over. Pakistan reached to half way mark with scoring at about 7 runs per over for the loss of four wickets. Things were started with taking shape of Indian victory with brilliant bowling display by Irfan Pathan [4-0-16-3] and R.P. Singh [4-0-26-3] and it looked that India is going for a easy victory. Harbhajan's third and innings 17th over proved the twister as 19 runs were scored of it and score of 15 runs from the 18th over had insured that all is not over yet. The game extended to last over with 13 needed runs for victory for Pakistan. Joginder Singh started with a wide making it 12 from six. The first legal ball of the over was dark; the next ball was shown the sky direction to sail over the boundary for six making it 6 runs required from 4 balls, an easy target in any format of cricket. When Singh started to deliver the third ball of the over, millions of heart beats of Indian fans went under temporary suspension, a slightly short pitched ball was paddled up in the direction of sky and millions of heart beats were falling down with the downwards journey of ball. What a relief, ball rest into hands of ShreeSanth and victory celebrations were on. India won the first twenty-20 world cup.

It all was loosing the attitude for not more than a fraction of second by Pakistani players. They fail to score 1 run from last two balls in the group match; they fail to score 6 runs from last 4 balls of final.

Once in the blue moon - will India repeat it?

Once in the blue moon - will India repeat it?

Who had thought of it? It is just dream come to true. No one was aiming for the excitement, thrill and play of nerves, when this bonanza of the shortest version of cricket, twenty -20 world cup was went under the getting started in the South Africa early this month on 11th of September.

The first glimpse of golden uncertainty of the game started to get shape of reality with the defeat of ODI, World Champions Australia at the hands of Zimbabwe by 5 wickets on 12th September at Cape Town and of mighty West Indians by the Bangladesh by 5 wickets and 12 balls [2 overs] to spare at Johannesburg.

Indians started the tournament as was expected from them with a 10 runs defeat at the hands of kiwis, it was second outing for Indians but as their first match against the Scotland was washed out by rain hence this was the first appearance of Indian players on the ground. Things were not working in the favor of Indians but Dho…..Dho…..Dhoni , Indian captain was looking forward to apply the things and plans in a different style and Indians hopes were back to life with the most excited and thrilled moments of tournament "The Bowl out" India emerged as winner by 3-0 and kept their record of not being beaten by Pakistan in any of World Cup match. The next match was war of existence and a record 12 ball half century and six sixes in single over by Yuvraj Sing proved sufficient to show the exit gates to English team. Now it was turn of home team to feel the edge of killing axe of Indians on the 20th September at Durban and Indians not defeated them but also by winning by 37 runs have stopped their further progress in the tournament this also helped to make the myth stronger that luck never favors South Africa on the decisive moments in any bigger tournament.

Indians were to face World Champions Australia in the Semis, by the start of match Pakistan has defeated Kiwis and was waiting to know the opposition for the grand finale at wonders. India with winning sprit was in good position to take revenge to defeat in the Final of last ODI world cup held in the same country as Australians were playing without their regular captain and star batsman Ricky Pointing and the teams has already defeated by Zimbabwe and Pakistan in this tournament only even in the presence of Pointing.

Indians are playing this tournament under the young and inexperienced captaincy of M.S. Dhoni, who seems to live with and believe in the realization of marvelous line "Wars are fought and won in the minds and not the grounds". His attitude, temperament and motivation powers are lying in the words which he spoke Jogindar Sharma while tossing up the ball for the final over of the match "Don't get panic, Australian will be going under sever nervous pressure than you, as they have to score 22 runs from your these six balls."


The arch rivals are going in for the war of supremacy on Monday 24th September and will put everything from their armory for winning this. The ever first clash to two Nations, where cricket is not just a game, it is a life style, passion and religion, is going to prove the true thrill and excitement and a real once in blue moon clash for the cricketers all over the world. This is not going to be a game of bat and ball surely it going to be war of nerves, ability to handle pressure, and above all emotions of working beyond ones capacities for the pride of Nation. Surely Indians are holding upper hand as they have reached this by defeating top teams, like England, South Africa and World Champions Australia and that to with gradually increasing enthusiasm and killing instinct and will be feeling comparatively less pressure as in the absence of three star batsman Sachin, Sourav and Rahul, it was not expected from young team even reaching to semis. Young Indians are aware that when they will go into wonders ground, they will have nothing to loose, it will be gain all the way and inspiring and motivating leadership of Dhoni is boosting their morals to win the ultimate pride of the game. They also know that their opponent Pakistani players are going under the tremendous pressure of the situations, Pakistan till date never succeeded winning a world cup match against India. Three top Pakistani bowlers failed in "Bowl out" where as even part time Indian bowlers succeeded to hit the stamps every time. Pakistani players know that loosing here will bring this in lime light and will back troublesome to their back home journey. All this is adding and working for an Indian victory in ever first Twenty-20 World cup. If you ask me I will go for 70-30 in favor of India , but as the cricket is the glorious game of uncertain glories, It is always unwise and dangerous to predict any thing before the last ball is bowled, but that is even not sufficient, we all know what happened after the last ball of the match between these two arch rivals in this world cup. Any way this is neither a hope nor a prediction but a faith India is capable of repeating and will repeat win over Pakistan.

India Won by 3-0

India Won by 3-0

India defeated arch rival Pakistan by 3-0 when this news headline hit to people many were surprise because neither of hockey nor of football any international tournament was on going any where. It was hard to believe for the people not following cricket very seriously. [It is a tough task find such people in sub continent] 3-0 and result of cricket match at first instant gives feeling of something missing but it is reality and is possible in the new version twenty -20 of the game.

In this shortest version of the game, to make the matches more result oriented this new "Bowl out" rule is included. In the case of tie of score sharing of points were allowed in the ODI but in twenty - 20 in those rare situations of score tied this "Bowl out" , designed on the terms of "Penalty Shoot Out" of hockey or Football will appear on ground to decide the match winner. According to this rule both team will select five of their players to bowl at stamps on a vacant pitch, the team whose players hits wickets maximum time will be declared winner. On the other day was this historic thing happened. India won and Pakistan loosed because Sehwag, Harbhajan and Uthappa succeeded in uprooting the stamps while from Pakistan Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi bowled to rest in the hands of wicketkeeper only. The result was not so effective on the tournament because both India and Pakistan both were have qualified for the "Super Eight" next round of this world cup, but Pakistan fail to avoid fifth defeat and register ever first win over India in any of world cup clash.

This "Bowl out" option is putting a question mark, if we consider a final of an international tournament we will not take it as easy as we are taking it now? What will be social life of the player who fails to hit the stamps in a country like India or Pakistan where cricket is not just other game but is a passion, a life style? I am surprised, where was cricketing wisdom of sub continent? Do they approve this rule without thinking about the end result on social life? Do they were giving space for the replica of famous Negi incident of Indian hockey [As shown in the movie "Chak De India" by the character Kabir Khan]? These are the some of the questions which are demanding a suitable proper answer from the ICC.

It is said that this "Bowl out" rule is inspired and have roots in other two team games Hockey and Football where for such situation there is provision of "Penalty Shoot out". Let me allow, in the Hockey and Football both rival teams are with equal chance and it doesn't seems that injustice has been done with the game? Can we say the same with "Bowl out" rule? Certainly it is injustice with the spirit with which cricket is played. Being a teacher I am with habit of posing so many questions about a given situation but as it is attitude of teachers that they try their level best to reach to solution for the given problem because for them life goes like this. I am also concluding this writing with a solution to this "Bowl out" so the future unwanted and hated social reactions can be avoided.

The present "Bowl out" rule up to selection five bowlers is o.k. but I wish see addition to this; both rival teams will select two batsmen to face these five balls bowled one each by five different bowlers, with no field restrictions. Team which scores more runs will be declared winner by that difference of runs. This will not only keep the victory style intact but also will do justice with cricketing spirit.

At last Indian Century atOval

At last Indian Century atOval
English Summer
Yesterday evening when in this column I wrote that third and final test match between India and England will go in the history with three Indian names who missed the century. Everybody was agreed to that but there was a person who was with a different idea, the person was Jambo Mr.Perfect Ten from India and now the oval test will go in the history with maiden century by India top wicket tacker, world famous bowler, Anil Kumbale. Mr. Perfect ten has inssured that India is not going to loose this test and if not by 2-0 surely going to win the series by 1-0. Infact it a long since the Indians have played as team and proved their batting strength which always looked most dangrous on the papers for the oponents. Importance of Anil's knock of ton underlined by the fact it is almost certain that India in all probabilities is not going to bat again in this test. The everest of 664 runs is requiring a much controlled efforts from english player. First they need to be determined for avoiding the followon at present second day is ended with 24 for 1 it means they are still 640 run behind on first inning. The day three and four are going to provide acid test for the England team. Pitch is not supportive much for the speed stars but surely the natural tear and wear will going to help Mr.Perfect Ten and making the life of english batsman hard and harder. Kumble with the cussion of his own century and huge first inning total will go with killer mood. Here is some thing more about Mr. Perfect Ten from India.
Full Name : Anil Radhakrishna Kumble
Birthday : Oct 17, 1970
Birth Place : Bangalore
Batting : Right hand batsman
Bowling : Right arm leg-break googly bowler
ODI Debut : India vs Sri Lanka, at Sharjah, on 25/4/90
Test Debut :India v England at Manchester, 2nd Test, 1990
Perfect Ten
The Day: 7th February, 1999
Ground and city: Ferozshah Kotla Ground, New Delhi, India
Oponent Team: Pakistan Cricket Team
Some of his Favourite Indian hunting grounds
Ferozshah Kotla, New Delhi
48 wickets in 5 Tests
M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
45 wickets in 6 Tests
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
38 wickets in 7 Tests
PCA Stadium, Mohali
36 wickets in 7 Tests
Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
35 wickets in 7 Tests
His Awards
Padma Shri in 2005
Mayura Award in 2003
Arjuna Award in 1995-96
Wisden Cricketer of the Year - 1995
Ekalavya Award in 1993