Hamara Neta Kaisa Ho...

Unless you have only just migrated from Pluto, chances are that if you follow news about/on India, the last few months would have ensured that you are fully aware of the General Elections of 2014.

Yes, it is that time when the largest democracy in the world exercises its voting franchise to elect its government.
The way things have panned out, this election has seen it all - vitriolic attacks, partisan politics, comments aimed at polarizing voters (vote banks), et al.

An election is not just about electing a representative to the legislature. It is about selecting the best (or least worst) from the rest.
Who do we want to see as our leader(s)?
What qualities should that person possess?
All these are questions which every sane person should ask, instead of settling on any particular caste factor as one's selection criteria.

Now that we are at the fag end of the election process, let's hope whenever a new government is formed, we have a government that is not only stable, but also efficient.
We have a leader, who is not only capable and deserving, but also strong and dynamic.
It's about time we deserved a government and a leader who can deliver.

Here's hoping these elections get conducted successfully and peacefully, and we get a hung-free parliament with a strong, vibrant democracy in tow.
Jai Ho!

Ye Dil Vishy More!!

Often, when I begin to write, I look at the things I can talk about.
The newsmakers, the trending topics, the talk of the town - it is cricket or political affairs that occupy center stage for me most of the time.

However, this time is a bit different.
Of course, there are a host of things going on in cricket and politics.

Yes, India has been doing well at the T20 World Cup.

Yes, the Supreme Court has rightly shown N Srinivasan the door and attempted a fresh, credible and clean start towards reviving the cricket fan's faith in the game and in its administration.

Yes, it's also easy to talk about the choices an Indian voter is facing in probably the most bitterly contested elections. It is worth writing about the pros and cons of each major party.

The new nadir in electoral vocabulary, the punch followed by counter punch among candidates and spokespersons from different parties - all these ingredients are good enough to create a melting pot of all the wrongs we are facing in today's times.

However, being an eternal optimist, I am in no mood to talk about such negative stuff. Not now for sure, when we do have a positive news with us.
A news that could be easily forgotten or undermined in the midst of all these other heavyweight news items.
It's the news of a lone ranger who keeps going about his job quietly and keeps churning out world-class (nah, make that world-beating) performances day after day. Year after year.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, I am talking about the one and only chess prodigy from India Vishwanathan Anand.

It was only in November last year that he lost the world title to another genius called Magnus Carlsen.
While it might not seem unique to have been able to win a tournament, what makes Anand special is how he picked himself up from the disappointment of having lost comprehensively to Carlsen just a few months earlier and then come into a new tournament and fight his way back into winning it and ensuring a rematch with Carlsen for the World Champion crown for this year.

It is easy to lose this news to other eye-catching stories but make no mistake, this is a true account of how a fighter and a hero should conduct himself even when faced with not the best of times. To win the Candidates tournament and two be able to do so at his age, and so close on the heels of his loss to Carlsen (which must have sapped him of so much energy), and script an unprecedented turnaround, is truly heroic and commendable.

Vishy might still lose against Carlsen again but that is not of utmost importance.
To just be there and make such a stupendous comeback so quickly at his age requires not only talent but also great will, tenacity and unflinching self-belief.
Mind you, the Candidates tournament was also against the top players in the world, not against any rum-of-the-mill players.
Truly heroic.

Well done Vishy and more power to you for the final encounter later this year!!
For one more time, ye dil maangey (wishes...Vishy) more!! :)

MSD: Must Start Delivering

Just a few Februaries ago, there was a captain who could not put a foot wrong.

It was circa 2011, and MS Dhoni had been riding on the crest of series victories over Australia and New Zealand in both Tests and ODIs.

Even the Test series in South Africa (yes, that perennial 'away' tour bogey) was managed and salvaged with a respectable 1-1.

After the crest, came the crescendo - the ultimate - a World Cup victory, culminating in an incredible season of achievements and never-seen highs.

The unprecedented crests and highs were followed by the troughs and never-seen lows: the disastrous tours to England, Australia, the heart-wrenching home-series-loss to England, followed by the recent losses in South Africa and New Zealand.

The only reason MS has not had the axe is because we are talking about a man for whom the only cricketing trophy/tournament that he has played in and is yet to lift, is the Ranji Trophy!

The always-hallowed World Cup victories - in T20 as well as the ODI format, Test# 1 ranking, Champions Trophy victory, beating Australia on home turf in ODIs, even conquering the IPL and Champions League - the glitziest medals from all these competitions adorn the shelves of his cupboard.

However, this is not about results or stats alone. Not about just wins or losses.

As a matter of fact, not for nothing were questions raised about Dhoni's approach, even when India won the Test series but played out a draw in Dominica, West Indies - opting for an ultra-defensive approach and shutting shop in a possible chase for victory in the last Test, knowing that a draw was enough for the series win.

As Sidharth Monga points out, there have been quite a few such instances where Dhoni's defensive, meandering, unimaginative and / or simply reactive tactics have let the opposition rise from ruins, far too often for one's liking.

Given the increasing number of such instances, there has also been a proportional increase in a clamor for MS Dhoni to either change his approach or be changed.

The upcoming Asia Cup will also provide us with a glimpse of the mettle of Virat Kohli as captain.
Given the fact that (form and fitness being much the same as today), he is the one youngster who is a certainty for India in all formats of the game for the next few years to come, he is the best choice as heir apparent to MSD.

However, I am still not prepared to throw in the towel just yet.
I still believe MS will understand and introspect about what he is not doing as well as he should or can.

Just the way MS has persisted with quite a few players and given them a long(er?) rope during their lean times, I believe given all the achievements he has garnered at the helm, he too deserves to be given some extra time as well, in delivering outside home conditions.

Most importantly, the break might also help him analyze and hopefully galvanize himself, into becoming a lot more imaginative, dynamic and aggressive skipper.

Unless Dhoni delivers outside the subcontinent (yes, that ultimate benchmark for all Asian teams to get the 'tigers-at-home-lambs-abroad' monkey off their backs) - with, if not results, at least with sharper, better and more aggressive captaincy - the Februaries of 2010-11 will seem even more years away.

As a fan, as a pragmatic optimist, one is still hopeful that he will find a way to remodel himself into being more aggressive than defensive, and more proactive than reactive, in the near future.

All the best, MS!

Jai Ho!

Happy New Year and all that.
Yes, this is a review alright, but not a movie review, albeit a cricketing one.

It was the first series of the new year, and with the loss to New Zealand, we have now lost the numero uno ranking in ODIs in the new year.

It is not the loss that rankles fans like yours truly.
It is the insipid display of our batting (barring Kohli and Dhoni, and later Jadeja) in this series and the perennially toothless bowling attack that we have been enduring, which hurts.

There are times when the very first ball of the match sets the tempo - the immaculate line and length a bowler finds right from ball one, the agility and reflexes shown by the fielder(s), the team spirit and body language that is reflected in the way the team carries itself, and if batting, the intent, concentration, and discipline shown by the batsmen.

All these add up to make a cricket match exciting and accelerate its tempo, building up to a crescendo by the time the last ball of the series is bowled.
This time, however, the euphoria has ended much before the last ball of the series actually gets bowled, thanks to the series already having been lost by India, and the last match turning out to be a dead rubber.

As I said, it is not the result - victory or defeat will eventually follow, sooner or later, as per the efforts that are put up in either direction - it is the efforts, the process being followed (or the lack of it) which needs correction.

With the likes of Dhawan, Ishant Sharma, Raina, and to a a large extent, even Rohit Sharma, failing, the time has come for some serious introspection on what we need to do to perform better overseas.

Hopefully, we shall see a reformed and as the cliched new product commercials have us believe, a (New, Improved!!) Team India on its next important assignments overseas.

PS: Watch this space for more - we still have the Test series to go.
And with the change in personnel - someone like Pujara coming in, we still have hope for a better performance by our team in Test-ing conditions overseas too.

Hoping for better performances and victories eventually: Jai Ho!