Now, THAT'S What I Call - A Performance!!

Oh yeah, I know the IPL is alive and kicking in its fifth edition, and the slam-bang version has expectedly been hogging pretty much all the headlines as far as cricketing news is concerned.

But, somewhere far away, a yesteryear cricketing giant and a recently-usurped Goliath locked horns on the former's home soil, in that ultimate test of cricket - Test Cricket.

What has made me write about this match in particular, is the way it transformed, thanks to a very aggressive, and an extremely positive approach adopted by the eventually winning Aussie skipper, Michael Clarke.

One look at the scorecard, and you can see how the tables were turned for West Indies, who dominated for the better part of three days in the match.
Apart from reasserting the reason why Test cricket is regarded as the true test of both perseverance and performance, it also showcased the captaincy of Michael Clarke at its best.
This really deserves to be applauded in today's world of T20-dominated cricket and reactive/insipid captaincy seen on most occasions.

Consider this:
Responding to WI's First Innings total of 449, the Australians were in all sorts of bother at 285/8. That was at end of Day 3.
After staging a remarkable fightback, the team managed to cross 400 and were 406/9 just before Tea on Day 4. 101 out of 100 captains would carry on batting and ensure that the till-now dominant West Indies (who were still not trailing, as per the scoreboard), did not go on to win the match.
Most captains would prefer to bat out till that last wicket, and hope to come as close as possible to (if not in excess of) 449.

Which is where, Clarke showed a lot of gumption and despite trailing by 43 runs, still declared the innings at 406/9, with about 5 overs to go before Tea on Day 4.
Such positive captaincy infused life in the match and a hitherto missing cricketing mojo in the Aussie bowlers, who managed to prise out the Caribbean batsmen very cheaply in their second essay.
Bundling out West Indies for 148, and led by the pugnacious Watson and the ever-reliable Michael Hussey, the Aussies won a very memorable match indeed.
 
Thanks to the antics and belligerent attitude, coupled with the sledge-fest they naturally display in every outing, I don't say this very often for an Australian: but since they rightly deserve to be lauded for this one, credit must go where it is due: Well done Australia, well done Michael Clarke - that, is indeed what I call, a performance!

The Good Guy Who Finished First

As anyone who has read even a few posts on this blog might guess, cricket has been my passion ever since childhood. As I dabbled into the sport, I remember my first heroes (or superheroes, considering the stature they commanded and the persona they exuded) were Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar.
And then, ofcourse, as any Indian/cricket-loving fan would testify, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar happened to us.

Apart from these living legends too, the Indian cricket fan got many more heroes and sporting icons. However, I cannot recall any who come as gentlemanly yet competitive, and as proven-superhero-material yet still so understated and unassuming, as Rahul Sharad Dravid.

All other 'legends' and 'superheroes' of Indian cricket have somehow always had a larger-than-life aura about them. A Kapil or Gavaskar were the original holy cows, while a Sachin has always had a universal and timeless appeal to him.

However, as Harsha Bhogle points out so succinctly in his tribute, it is Dravid who has taught us to place grit, determination, and selfless effort over and above everything else, for the sake of the team.

From keeping wickets only for the sake of a better team composition, or opening the innings in the toughest of terrains, Dravid did it all.
With elan, and without complaints.
With genuine care for the team, and without any show-shaa, hoo-haa about his 'sacrifices'.
Time and time again.

Without even the slightest effort or desire to seek or share glory for some of the most epic efforts he has produced. And mind you, there are some truly sublime specials in his 16-year career.

People often mistake dignified, understated conduct for meekness or lack of aggression. However, as even the most competitive cricketers of his time have vouched, there was always a steely, unyielding resolve behind the boyish looks within that helmet.

As with most of his gentlemanly efforts, he has done a good job of knowing when to 'leave'. As he calls curtains on his glorious career, we can only stand up and doff our hat to a true champion.
Thankyou Rahul, for all the memories.

Thankyou for teaching and proving to us that selflessness is still alive in this competitive, come-look-at-me world, and for persevering with it even when it did not seem to be the 'in' thing to do.

Most importantly, thankyou for showing and proving to us that even the most competitive and 'aggressive' guys can be impeccable enough in their conduct to be shown to the next generation(s) as role models.

Thankyou Rahul, for teaching and proving to us that good guys can also finish first.
Fare thee well!

Well done and Thankyou, Pakistan!!

I don't know if it I am too jingoistic about it, but for as long as I can recall, if ever anything has given me close to the same pleasure (and at times, even more) as an Indian win, it has always been about seeing a Pakistani and/or Australian team lose.

Which is why, I never knew I would write an article with such a heading, as I do for this one's, today.
As it turns out, this is exactly how events of the cricketing world and emotions within me, have panned out.
So here I am - happily sharing how good it felt to see the Pakistan cricket team take the mickey out of a completely outplayed English outfit.

Never knew I would enjoy watching a Pakistani huddle one day!
Image: courtesy Cricinfo

As anyone who has followed the world of Test cricket in the recent past would testify, we have seen the #1 Test team in the world being pummeled into submission on foreign soil, twice within a span of 6 months.

India began their England tour of July-August 2011 as the numero uno team in Test cricket, after having also attained a high of a World Cup triumph earlier in the year.

As we all know by now, by the time that England tour ended, we were not only stripped of our #1 Test status, but were simply stomped upon, in the absence of even a semblance of fight from us.

Ofcourse, it's another matter that this current Australian tour has proved to be equally disastrous for our Test team and its superstars.

At least we had been #1 in Test for about a couple of years - since December 2009.

No Monopoly
By all means, this Paki win shows India's already depleted ranking is now under even more threat, but I am still happy. Why?

Because it means that an England, Australia or South Africa would not think they have a monopoly over the world rankings and would have to earn it by proving themselves everywhere, just like India, Pakistan need to.

Respect Asian Conditions Too
I had written earlier, about why England would be considered a truly worthy #1 team only after seeing their results on Asian tracks and conditions. As it stands, after just one tour of such conditions, the much-vaunted England team stands exposed, without any excuses to offer.

Well done, Strauss
I must also credit Andrew Strauss for the way he has made an honest and dispassionate prelim-assess of how things stand and the tasks on his plate.

Sample this: ""We can't ignore this result and just say it's an aberration," Strauss said. "That would not help us. This was an eye-opener and a wake-up call and with two more tours on the subcontinent coming up, things won't get easier. We have to be up for this challenge."

It is this approach, straightforwardness, vision and clarity that all those who run any form of cricket in general, (and particularly, Indian cricket) must also emulate.

Field Wide Open for Top-Draw Competitive Cricket
Another reason why I have been happy about the Pakistani win is because it makes for a very open and interesting contest for the top position in Indian cricket.
5 teams - England, India, Pakistan, Australia, and South Africa are within 10 points of each other, vying for the 2011-12 #1 rank by the end of March.

Ofcourse, India would not reach that position, for they do not play their next Test till September 2012. However, the very fact that with all these countries are so close, not to forget a resurgent New Zealand (who recently beat Australia in Australia) and the perennial dark horses - Sri Lanka, Test contests definitely seem to have ample room to make for some engrossing and competitive cricket among so many countries.

I believe it's never good for the game if only one team dominates (oh, I would very conveniently make an exception to this statement in case of an Indian dominance!). So with Pakistan winning, it's nice to see so many teams basically on an even keel, and never beating their chests off after winning only on home soil.

Let the games and foreign wins begin...
May the most competitive tourist win!!

To A Happy 2012 (& Beyond)!!

Alright, considering that this is the first post on this blog in 2012, lemme start off with Happy New Year and all that!
Now that I have spoken of the New Year, it is perhaps only complementary that I also talk about my resolution for the new year (and no, I won't say kill you with lame ones like my new year resolution is gonna be 1024 x 768 pixels).
Specific to this blog, I would like to ensure that beginning this year, I blog more on stuff apart from just cricket.
Having said so and continuing with the tradition of breaking new year resolutions at the first given opportunity, here's the new year's first post - on: er, surprise surprise, Cricket!

No seriously, I write more non-cricketing stuff and thereby, hope to live up to my blog's tagline (Something or the other... about ...something or the other!).
If nothing else works and I cannot seem to bring myself to write too much about anything that's not cricket, I shall still strive to live up to my blog's tagline. By changing the blog's tagline itself (easier, no?:P).

Anyway, enough of trivial talk - onto my thoughts about the 'Agneepath' series we have been playing/enduring (depending on whether you are one of the eleven Indians on the field or the billions outside).

While the year has indeed been new, it has been far from a happy one for the Indian cricket team, much less the hapless Indian cricket fan and well-wisher.
Come to think of it, it is not even new, in the sense that the same old story of being totally toppled over when touring overseas, has come back to haunt us, a la England, 2011.

So much for the pre-series billing of this being India's best chance of beating Australia in Australia.

On the other hand, we must also remember and acknowledge that it's always easier to be wise in hindsight. How many of us were not happy (before Perth) with our batting order or advocated even one change from the top 6 batsmen who took the field in these Test matches?
How many of us actually believe, hand on heart, that we did not field our best batsmen in the first 2 Tests?

As I write this, it's Day 1 of the First Test between England and Pakistan with England on the mat at 105/7.
On days like these, I start thinking about the same old 'Imagine if India and Pak were one country, and we had Paki bowlers and Indian batsmen', but then..(on current performances), Indian batsmen?..er...forget it.

Now what?
As they say, let bygones be bygones. Jo hua, so hua.
The least we can and must do, is to look for solutions and long-term fixes than just lament over results not being to our liking or indulge in any blame games.

Here is what I believe must happen in the Indian cricketing fraternity and within our cricketing 'system':

Improve the Standard of Domestic Cricket

• By domestic cricket, I do not mean the IPL. I would like to see better, sporting, lively pitches instead of the dead dodos we have, for our Ranji, Duleep and Irani Trophy matches.
• Let India A tours be regularly scheduled to England, South Africa and Australia, apart from countries with more or less amenable/similar conditions.

Spot, Persist with, and Nurture Talent

• Groom and blossom players irrespective of their scores at domestic level only or even the 'runs' scored. Give importance to the way the player performs.The areas a bowler operated in, more than just the wickets he took.
• The way a batsman applied himself, more than just the runs he made.As they say, if the processes and basic ingredients are in place, the results will follow for sure. We must nurture such players who show the right temperament, attitude and skill level (not just runs/wickets) - especially on English, SA, and Aussie soil.

An Indian Argus
High time we have a selection committee that is a) not by zonal basis and b) gives players the room to fail/prosper for sure. Let no cricketer be unsure of his place for atleast the first 5 matches of his career. That should not be such a bad thing to do.

Replace Being Reactive with Being Proactive
Last but not the least, being proactive in dealing with the fitness and concerns of our cricketers.
Check this out - the first and last paragraphs of this article are especially note-worthy.

The fact that the Board tracked the common (possible) reason for the injury to the speedsters and the fact that they anticipate the future and plan for it:
"..we knew the workloads had been very high for the likes of James Pattinson and we had to make sure players were ready to go. Part of it is mitigating injury and part of it is making sure the next guys are raring and ready to go. We know players will be injured .."

Only when we are able to make such honest, concerted efforts would we able to ensure a better and happy 2012 and even beyond.