Go the TIGERS!!!

Ashraful engineers humiliation
Tamim fronts new generation on the rise
Bangladesh slay another giant
Ashraful revels in crunch time
Buoyant Tigers hit new high
Mauled by the Tigers
Winning is more familiar now' - Bashar
Sublime Ashraful confirms Bangladesh's emergence
Bangladesh Tigers come of age
Bangladesh stun South Africa
Tigers shock listless Proteas

Over-by-over: Bangladesh's innings
Over-by-over: South Africa's innings

Huh?

Perhaps a predominantly Hindu India should blame our pagan traditions for this compulsive image worship.

---

"The boys were up against the most challenging task of proving their skills in the prestigious tournament, but I am sorry to say they had no drive for the game and were much more active in preaching and praying."

----

Excuse me but sporting failures are rooted in sporting reasons. Could we please keep religion and religious symbolism out of it?

On Domestic Cricket

I have been reading newspapers all day today ( nothing like an active news cycle) and have perused over the suggestions offered by various ex-captains and cricketers including, but not limited to

Captains Recommend

Players endorsements

The Players must take permission of the Board before entering into an endorsement contract. A copy of the contract should be submitted to BCCI in order to ensure that there is no clause relating to performance based incentive. Limit the number of endorsement of a player. Not more than 2 to 3 players must endorse a product other than BCCI sponsor.

Tours abroad

India ‘A’ Tours should be undertaken on a regular basis to Australia/New Zealand/South Africa/West Indies. The tour may be organized ahead of the senior teams’ tour to that country.

Pool of 30

Indian team must have a pool of at least 30 cricketers who should be rotated so that a cricketer does not play more than 80 days of international cricket.

Appointment of selectors

Selectors appointment on a full time basis on payment. Eligibility criteria for both junior and senior selectors. Appointment of selectors for Junior Selection Committee to be made with care.

Teams in Ranji trophy

The elite group should be reduced to 10 teams from the existing 15. The matches should be played on round robin league basis.

Quality of wickets

The BCCI must ensure that the matches are played on sporting and lively wickets. The venues for important matches of the senior tournaments should be allotted by BCCI instead of the existing home and away rotation policy.

Domestic cricket

To strengthen domestic cricket, there should be participation of international cricketers in major domestic tournaments. International calendar should be adjusted so that at least 6 to 8 weeks in a year are available for domestic cricket. BCCI should amend the FTP in the general interest of Indian cricket.

Zonal academies

The National Cricket Academy must be supported by starting Zonal Cricket Academies till all the state units set up their Indoor State Academy.

---

When I was younger ( much younger), I had the good fortune of meeting Mr. Milind Gunjal. As those of us belonging to a certain age bracket will testify, Milind Gunjal was the perennial thorn in Mumbai's flesh, scoring runs against us at whim.

It was an interesting conversation because of what he told me - the cost of buying and maintaining his kit coupled with laundry bills totaled to a lot more than what he was making as a Ranji player. And the only thing that kept him going was the love for the game.

Things are slightly better now with domestic players earning a lot more than their counterparts did in the 80s. However, their earning cycle through domestic cricket is limited to the duration of the domestic season.

Which means that they are left to their own devices to generate incomes to sustain themselves for the remaining 8 odd months.

Here is a suggestion -

Lets take a team, for example Mumbai. During this entire domestic season (Irani through the 20/20 bash), Mumbai fielded about 22 players ( give or take a couple).

Once the season is over, hand each of these players a contract which guarantees a sum, say Rs 10,000 a month after tax for a duration of 12 months.

Included in the contract should be a breakdown of the players current skills - cricketing ( batting strengths, batting weaknesses, bowling strengths, bowling weaknesses), fitness ( time taken to run between the wickets, general fitness, body fat content etc) etc. The skill set and the granularity of this skill set and other parameters is dependent on what the MCA coaches are looking for.

Also included in the contract should be the the level the player should be reaching in the off season- so if player A is at level A with regards to fitness, he should be at Level B before the next season begins.

Ditto with cricketing skills.

In the off season, the players can ply their trade anywhere and everywhere they choose.

Now, generally before the start of a season, the players have a camp. At the beginning of this camp, all of the 22 contracted players should be assessed again to verify to what extent they have met their goals. A similar assessment should be made at the end of the camp to see if the players have managed to reach the stated goals by the end of the camp.

Depending on the results, the following can be done
1. A new contract with higher remuneration can be extended to the player exceeding his stated goals.
2. A new contract with the same remuneration be extended to the player meeting his stated goals.
3. No contract be extended to a player not meeting his goals. The said player continues to get the match fees and other monies due to him during the regular season.
4. The player is cut from the team for failing to meet his goals.

( the remuneration amount should be adjusted to factor in inflation and cost of living).

At the end of the domestic season, depending on performance, the contracts should be revisited to either a) increase remuneration amounts b) extend new contracts to players c) decrease remuneration amounts or cancel the contract.

Regarding injuries - injuries sustained during the regular season should not impact the contract-all other injuries are player responsibility.

By guaranteeing a regular money supply through the off season, the players, even when they are playing league or club cricket elsewhere, can keep their primary focus on improving their skill set. The skill assessment parameters can be revised each year depending on player performance and response.

Just my two cents.

Something I noticed

While watching the Aussies and the Proteas run between the wickets, one thing stuck me - how low they go when they ground their bats and turn for the second.

It is interesting to see them not so much bend at the waist as buckle at the knees when grounding the bat. Interesting because by doing so one gets more "stretch" thus nullifying the need to take that extra step to ground the bat.

The other interesting aspect of this is that when the batsman turns, he is positioned like a sprinter ready to take off the blocks - with the back leg acting as the pivot, thus allowing the batsman that extra yard of pace when completing the next run.

Basically, you are covering a shorter distance with greater speed.

If you contrast it with the Indians, we tend to be more upright when grounding the bat, thus negating the additional stretch available, adding a couple of extra steps needed to complete the run and absolutely no traction on the turn, thus generating no starting speed.

One other tiny little thing - the bat. With the "stretch", the bat becomes more like a baton used in relays. Without the "stretch", there is the extra motion of raising the bat which again takes away the fluidity of motion - two different things to be done instead of the focus being solely on the running.
--
Thought I would put it down because I came across this statement in the Jonty Rhodes interview with Rahul Bhattacharya

A correct throwing technique means that the throwing arm comes up and over your shoulder, as opposed to a quick release throw, which means that the arm is extended parallel to the ground, and not over the top.

Here is an illustration
the same arm motion applies when throwing upright

unlike how we thrown the ball- a la Lasitha Malinga :)

Chappell speaks.

Breaking News - "Chappell targets Sachin"
"Gives Interview to a local newspaper - says India will go the Zimbabwe way"
"Says Yuvraj not upto it"

Goddamn, thought I, when I saw this flashing on the TV screen. Now why would Chappell go and shove both his feet down his throat after all that has transpired thus far.

So I scanned the various newspaper sites and here is the link to the interview.

I am also reproducing it in full in case the page becomes unavailable or the page content is changed.

Try figuring out where he said what was flashed on the TV screen coz I tried and I couldn't.
---
If you want to be like Australia, you can't run your cricket like Zimbabwe: Chappell
TIMES NEWS NETWORK / Sumit Mukherjee

How would you sum up your 22-month tryst with Team India?

It has been a huge learning experience for me. As a coach, it was easily one of the most challenging assignments one could ever hope to have. I have had only two 11-day breaks and a slightly longer one during this period, apart from one or two minor ones. But I have loved every moment of it, planning, strategising, analysing etc before every tour or series. It's a big high for a coach to watch the players pick up the cues and apply them successfully in match situations.

How did they react to your views and ideas in general?

Individuals react differently to different ideas. In some cases, the reaction time is longer whereas some others pick up the ball (cues) quickly and run with it. I have enjoyed challenging them to get better and better all the time.

Is this a better Indian team that you are leaving behind than the one you inherited?

Team building is a never-ending process. You have to keep at it all the time. We are a much better side than what our results have shown in recent times. Some of the junior players are not finished products yet. It's important that their development continues so that they are ready to take on bigger challenges.

But they may be lost forever in a divided Team India?

I came here to do a job that I have done to the best of my ability. I do not have any vested interests in Indian cricket. I have briefed the BCCI about the issues facing Indian cricket. One of them is youth development. It's up to the BCCI to act in the best interests of the game in the country.

What went wrong with the seniors?

I don't want to get into senior-junior issue again. Look, as a player, you have to keep challenging yourself. When that stops, it's time to do a quick reality check and take a few hard decisions. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite happen that way in many countries. So, in Australia we now have a system in place which will reject you the moment you slip below the mark.

Would you put it down to bad attitude?

Bad attitude is like bad habit, hard to get rid of. Greg Blewett started off with two successive Test centuries, Matthew Eliott had more talent than Matthew Hayden or Justin Langer and Stuart MacGill should have played more often for Australia. If they didn't it's because they failed to fit into the team fabric. They were rejected by the system.

Do you advocate such a system for Indian cricket?

You don't have to replicate the Australian system, but it is absolutely important to have a model in place that is similar to the one they have Down Under. It will entail making sweeping changes to the existing system and changing mindsets.

Isn't that a tall order...?

If you want to be like Australia, you can't run your cricket like Zimbabwe. The BCCI must adopt, may be, a 10-year plan, spelling out the aims and objectives and go about attaining those goals in a professional manner. Any half-measures or cosmetic changes at this stage would be like putting band-aid on cancer.

Have you spelt out your vision for Indian cricket to the BCCI?

I have given them the picture, highlighting the areas of concern. The BCCI must realise that a strong Indian team is a must for the games overall good. If India drops the ball now, it will be a tragedy for world cricket.

Changes would certainly mean a new look at our selection process?

It should be right there at the top of the agenda as it's critical to the team's performance. I still maintain that if we had Sreesanth in Pakistan (instead of three left-arm pacers), we would not have lost the Test series there. They must have, may be, four full-time selectors with an excellent background in the game and they should be paid to do the job. Along with the coach, they should be made accountable. The coach and the captain must also have a larger say in selection matters.

OK, so you didn't quite get the team you wanted for the World Cup. But can you say with any certainty that India would have fared better if you had the players of your choice?

I think we should have done much better in the West Indies with the squad we had. We batted poorly against Bangladesh, but we should have still squeezed out a win. You may point to the 1983 World Cup final, but history says India's record in defending low totals has been quite poor. We could have done with a few young legs, but I believe that we still had the ammunition to at least reach the semis.

You have always emphasised on youth?

Absolutely, but having said that, any good team always has a healthy mix of youth and experience. Seniors players in the side have an obligation to guide the juniors. As a junior I learnt such a lot from seniors. I like the look of India's crop of new players. My only concern is that the talent pool is not big enough for a country as big as India.

How big should be the pool?

Considering the fact that pace bowlers are injury-prone, if I were an Indian selector, I would love to have at least 12 pace bowlers to choose from before a series. And I am not talking about greenhorns. Right now, apart from the ones who were in the Cup squad, you only have RP Singh and a VRV Singh, both very young and raw.

What about Ranadeb Bose, the Bengal lad, who emerged as the highest wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy this season?

He has the movement, but not the pace. He must add a few yards of pace to be really effective in international cricket. On current form, he can be handy in only certain conditions in England and New Zealand. His partner Shib Shankar Paul, on the other hand, is a good back-up bowler. He hits the deck regularly and pitches it in the right areas. I have not seen him bowl after he underwent a knee surgery, but he too has fitness problems.

You have already said that Manoj Tewari (Bengal batsman) has impressed you?

Yes, he looks to be a smart cricketer, doesn't he? He is young, so he must learn not to get carried away after just one big season. He must look to make most of the opportunities that come his way and remain positive even if he meets with no instant success.

What happens to Suresh Raina if you go away?

I think he had paid dearly for the few good words I have said about him. Unfortunately, as a coach, I do not measure success and failures by applying general yardsticks. In my book, as also in the books of a few others, he is a special kid. I hope he will go on to be a big star one day.

Who are the others who rate Raina so highly?

Brian Lara for one. If you remember Raina went up to Lara recently and sought some advice. I later asked Brian what he thought of Raina. Brian just said: 'Anyone who can play like that off his back foot has to be special'. In Malaysia, a couple of Australians, including John Buchanan and their fielding coach Mike Young had asked me 'Gregy, where did you find this guy?'

Just for the record, why do you rate Raina so highly?

He is a complete package, for god's sake. You guys didn't do him a good turn by comparing him with Sachin Tendulkar after he had played one or two brilliant knocks. However, if you look at Sachin's record in his first 30-35 ODIs and compare it with Raina's you will not find much difference, especially after you factor in that Sachin has always batted in the top 4, while Raina comes lower down. As Brian said, if someone can play good shots off the back foot, he has to be special. He is still learning and far from mature. You have to be patient with him. Look at Jacques Kallis. He hadn't set the stage on fire on his debut. He has, however, made slow and steady progress over the years and emerged as South Africa's leading batsman and the world's premier all-rounder.

And how would you rate Raina as a fielder?

Only behind Ricky Ponting in contemporary cricket. And only because Ponting is more experienced. In the games he played for India, Raina got us one run-out, on an average, per match with his superb pick up and throws. He has an uncanny ability to hit the stumps which India can ill afford to ignore. Yuvraj and Kaif are also good, but more flamboyant. In Pakistan last year when we had all three of them manning the off-side at point, cover and extra-cover, Rahul didn't need a sweeper on the boundary!

Is Sreesanth ready to lead the Indian attack or he is still a step or two behind?

He is ready. We have had to work hard on him, drop him for the Champions Trophy because he was losing focus. But he has now sorted all that out and is bowling with lot of fire. As I said, they are good kids, but need to be nurtured carefully so that their talent finds full expression.


When did he catch your eye?

At the first camp (for pace bowlers) in Bangalore after I took over. We were playing a practice match and Sree was pitching his out-swingers nicely. I got so excited that I told Ian Fraser that I am going in to field at first slip to take a closer look at the guy. Soon enough, Sree pitched another one up and the edge flew to me.

Is RP Singh coming along well?

He ought to have been played more. He didn't because we couldn't afford three bowlers bowling the same stuff from the same angle all the time. He should not lose heart and look to improve all the time. He is one for the future for sure.

We all know that Irfan Pathan has forgotten how to bowl. Can you tell us why?

The funniest thing that I have heard after coming to India is people saying Irfan forgot how to bowl after Chappell tried to make him into an all-rounder. If someone had suggested that to Ian Botham, I would not have been responsible for the consequences. Irfan hasn't lost his talent; he has only lost his way. That's what's wrong with Irfan. We are trying to help him sort this thing out, which appears to be more mental than a physical problem. Someone has to work with him till he gets his confidence back. If he is not handled with care, he may be lost forever.

What impresses you most about VRV Singh, his pace or his ability with the bat?

His attitude. He is like a sponge, absorbing all he can. He is a tireless worker and enjoys the game. We all know that he can work up a bit of pace, but we are still trying to show him how to harness it the best. With a bit more control, he will be an asset.

The spinning cupboard seems to be bare?

It's definitely an area of concern. We must go to the root of the problem. Other countries are also facing similar problems.

Is the lack of options in batting a major worry?

We have to give the likes of Raina, Venugopal Rao and Rohit Sharma more chances. Rao was a trifle unlucky. Perhaps, he deserved more chances. However, he may be a better option in Tests rather than ODIs.

What about VVS Laxman?

It's a pity that injuries have taken their toll on him. He still looks so classy when he is looking to attack. One common thing I have observed about Laxman, Sachin and Sourav's batting of late is that they are not allowing themselves to be guided by their natural instincts. I can understand the pressure they are under all the time, thanks to you guys. Perhaps they are too scared to fail.

With Dhoni and Karthik in the side, you have options in wicket-keeping?

They are different characters, but great talents. Dhoni's controlled aggression is something that rivals will always be scared of. He simply needs to tighten up in terms of technique, both with the small as well as the big gloves on.

You have said Dinesh Karthik has leadership qualities. Why do you think so?

If you give him a cue, he is quick to grab and run with it. He is a thinking cricketer with a sharp cricketing brain. They usually make good captains.

Are you disappointed with Yuvraj's slow rate of maturity?

More than me, he should be disappointed with himself. He is an incredible talent, perhaps too much for his own good. He should have been leading the batting charts in both form of the game by now.

People seem to have forgotten Mohd Kaif?

He has had his opportunities. We have tried to impress upon him the importance of using his feet. He is working on it, but his progress needs to be monitored.

When you came in Virender Sehwag was struggling. He is struggling even now?

The way he loads his bat he reminds me of a golfer and as his game is reliant on fantastic hand-eye coordination, it will be quite futile to teach him technique at this stage of his career. It's best for him to clear the cobwebs, if any, in his mind and look to bat through 30-40 overs. Against Sri Lanka, he was looking good till he became over adventurous.

Your take on Sourav Ganguly?

He has practised most of what I had preached during the time he was out of the side. He has shown plenty of determination in winning his place back. I hope he continues to work hard on his fitness and score heavily for the team.

What is the problem with Sachin as an opener?

In ODIs, opening is an easier option. I felt that the team would benefit immensely if Sachin came in at No 4, for he has the experience, technique and the talent to milk the bowling in the middle overs. In any case, we have to be very flexible with our batting order in ODIs till we have a settled side.

Finally, how has been your partnership with skipper Dravid?

I have utmost respect for him both as a person and a player. We have had our differences on many issues, but I have always believed that the captain should have the final say. That is the way I have played the game and I suppose that's the way it should be. It's not an easy task being the captain and also the sides best batsman, but Rahul has managed that brilliantly. He deserves more credit and success.

In hindsight do you regret not taking the Sri Lanka offer and sticking with India?

No regrets mate. I have enjoyed every moment of it. Wouldn't have missed it for anything.

A little chest thumping

and plenty gloating!

More of the same..

Have been scanning the newspapers/watching TV today and it is more of the same- Sachin Tendulkar's ego, Greg Chappell's ego, the senior player nexus, the pathetic state of the domestic game today.

Here are my two cents -
--

Stadium Win Draw
Nagpur 2 1
Delhi 0 4
Mumbai 3 0
Jaipur 0 1
Mohali 1 2
---
In Mohali's case,the pitch for the game that yielded a result was a green top. Incidentally, Bengal played Punjab in that game. In the Bengal ranks was a certain Saurav Chandidas Ganguly. The scores in that game were

156/10 Bengal
157/10 Punjab
148/10 Bengal
133/10 Punjab

Here are the innings break ups of the two drawn games

208/10 Gujarat
503/9 decl Punjab
125/2 Gujarat
353/10 Punjab
348/10 Mumbai
113/3 Punjab

including 4 centuries.

Has anyone from the media asked, nay demanded for Daljit Singh's ouster as Chief Curator for producing absolute tripe wickets after producing a green top?

Has anyone bothered to demand penalties from Inderjit Singh Bindra's Punjab Cricket Association for allowing the pitch character to change so dramatically over the course of 3 games?
--
Maharashtra played its home games at different venues - there is no one place they call home.

Has anyone said that this is not on?
--
Feroz Shah Kotla produced four draws in 4 games with three innings scores in excess of 400.

Has anyone called for a ban on the Kotla? Has anyone demanded penalties of Arun Jaitley's DDCA for producing dull, characterless wickets?
--
Has anyone asked why the Chinnaswamy stadium hosted only one game ( 4 day) this season?
--
As regards the state of the domestic game the Ranji Trophy Super League produced a grand total of 3 Double hundreds in 52 games.

27 of the 52 matches resulted in outright victories - a win percent > 50.

In the Plate League, the 33 matches played produced 1 Triple hundred and 0 Double hundreds.

16 of the 33 matches resulted in outright victories - a win percent slightly less than 50.

Has anyone bothered to ask if the wickets are getting more bowler friendly or whether our batsmen have forgotten how to make tall scores?

Has anyone focussed on the fact that more games tend to produce results as compared to the previous years?
--
Sweeping generalizations are being made of the state of the domestic game today - did any of our broadsheet writers bother to sit down and actually reconcile innuendo with fact? And if the state of the domestic game is as bad as it is made out to be, have any of our talking heads/journos held the BCCI's feet to the fire?

No.

Because it is a lot easier to deal with innuendo about Sachin Tendulkar's ego, Greg Chappell'e ego, the senior player nexus, the pathetic state of the domestic game today than it is to report fact.

Just my two cents.

I'm in :)

And if you happen to be a desperate gambler, try a small wager on Chappell doing a U-Turn on the request of working committee members and agreeing to continue. Technically, that's still a possibility, no matter how small the chance is.

Heh!!

Update :- For those interested in the Twenty20 tourney, here is the schedule.

Also, do check out the site http://www.thetwenty20cup.co.uk/ for things Twenty 20

Convenience

It is with some amusement that I read this article by Sumit Chakraberty. Amusement – partly because of the self righteous indignation expressed by the author and partly because it dovetails nicely with the title of this post.

It is not altogether surprising that the issue of player fitness and player value is being raised– it is a question that begged to be asked – it is just the timing of these questions that raises an eyebrow.

“That cannot happen in a culture where a Tendulkar can walk in and out of the team after an injury break without having to prove his form and fitness in domestic competition. What moral right can anybody then have to insist on current form rather than past stats as the criterion for selection of other players? Besides, nothing can be more of a demotivator for young players than to see a senior player getting special treatment.”

writes Sumit.

Fair point and a worthy one too. But that begs the question – why wasn’t this question asked when Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan were drafted into the squad after an injury break.

Yuvraj Singh did not go the domestic season route to prove fitness. Irfan Pathan was in the World Cup squad despite being a no-show against Sri Lanka. None of the media worthies said then that this team had a hope in hell of even competing. No no – we were contenders then!

There is the other point of automatic selection based on name recognition. I had written, in a different context

· I am personally against Team India players picking and choosing what games they play or sit out in the domestic circuit. Too much cricket is the oft repeated complaint.. But then these very same people have no qualms in packing their bags and setting off to junkets in Abu Dhabi or Timbuktu or wherever to play inconsequential matches.

· How fair is the inclusion of Zaheer Khan and Sachin Tendulkar to the guys who have had to sit out ? Sachin and Zaheer were not around when Mumbai scripted what is probably the greatest turnaround in Indian domestic history. So why are they automatic selections for the Ranji Trophy finals?

Wasn’t this hailed as an example of Team India players participating in domestic cricket and Sachin Tendulkar's commitment? Nobody in the media complained then about how unfair this was to the rest of the Mumbai squad. There was not even a whisper of opposition in the print or electronic media on how this amounted to “names” waltzing in and out of the squad.

So why now?

Because it is convenient!!!

Would the story be the same if Sachin’s scorecard read 100,107 and 57 instead of 0,7 and 57 and India still lost?

No one would then be saying that Sachin is past his sell by date. Instead, we would then be lamenting on how Sachin never contributes to an Indian win..

I have yet to read any article question Sachin's appointment as vice captain. If he is old and past his sell by date, did anyone question the wisdom of making him vice captain?

No one questioned Sachins place in the team when he hit 141 against the West Indies. No one commented then on whether it was correct if Sachin could walk into the team without prior fitness tests. No one said then that one should take his place for granted in the team.

Why?

Convenience.

I doubt if Greg will feel fulfilled

says Ian Chappell.

Since the whole premise of this article is on how India let down Greg Chappell, let me pose these questions -

1. Bowling coach -

"If we need a bowling coach then I am happy to have a bowling coach. It is not something I see as being a top priority right at this moment. But from time to time we will call upon experts and I have no problem with that." – Greg Chappell 16/6/2005

"No, we do not need a bowling coach. We have got hundreds of bowling coaches. We have got Michael Holding on television who tells us everything that we have to do. We have Imran Khan on television everyday telling us what we have to do." – Greg Chappell 15/2/2006

If striving for improvement was paramount, why the resistance to a bowling coach, especially when India was fielding one of the rawest bowling attacks in its history?

2. Sports Psychologist

Talking about the mental approach, this passage is illuminating. When Rudi Webster was hospitalized and could not be available to the team till during the World Cup -

When contacted, coach Greg Chappell, who always maintained that the modern sport is all about mind, told DNA that the team management is not contemplating to have a psychologist at the moment. Asked if he would be in favour of having someone like Australian Sandy Gordon — who had played a key role in India’s campaign during the last World Cup — Chappell said: “We have not made any plans to do so.”

Team India had worked with Sandy Gordon in the past and from all reports, the goodwill was mutual. If Sandy Gordon was available and willing with Webster unavailable, why not utilize his services?

Granted that Chappell and Webster go back a long way and Chappell is comfortable with Webster’s working style – but this is not about Chappell is it?

3. Bio-Mechanist

bi·o·me·chan·ics (b-m-knks)

n.

1. (used with a sing. verb) The study of the mechanics of a living body, especially of the forces exerted by muscles and gravity on the skeletal structure.

2. (used with a pl. verb) The mechanics of a part or function of a living body, such as of the heart or of locomotion.

Ian Frazer was brought into the team as a bio-mechanist – a person with knowledge on bio-mechanics. In the span of 22 months from when he assumed this responsibility, has there been a tangible improvement in the fielding or the running between the wickets of Team India?

As any question centered around Team India will inevitably be met with a chorus of player behavior and factionalism so let me rephrase the question – Has there been any tangible improvement in the fielding, catching and running between the wickets of the one guy who, by common consensus, totally bought into the Chappell philosophy – Rahul Dravid? Did his slip catching , ground fielding and running between the wickets tangibly improve over those 22 months?

4. Player Development

In the 22 months that Chappell was Team India coach, 30 odd players were tried – ODIs and Test cricket combined. Of those 30, barring Suresh Raina, how many other “juniors" were given an extended run? And if those juniors were not up to scratch, what mechanisms were put in place to groom and nurture them?

----

Greg Chappell is not the first person to identify that the Indian cricketing system is not working, nor will he be the last.

The question he needs to ask himself is whether he left Indian cricket in a better state than when he found it, or worse.

Following the debacle in the WorldCup, there was an opportunity to start afresh- to build a team that met India's expectations while transitioning from the the tried and trusted to the new and vibrant.

Chappell could have been the guy to guide that transition. He chose not to.

Would he have been pushed if he had not quit is now a matter of conjecture. This much is for sure - he burnt every bridge there was with the very people he would have to deal with if he chose to remain.

After that, his feeling fulfilled or not is the least of anyone's worries.

Eloquent as ever..

Kartikeya

Sans comment

Ian Chappell

I agree

Sambit Bal.. couldn't agree more

PS:- suppose ( stretch your collective imaginations!!) Shastri accepts the coaching role and by some quirk of nature Tendulkar becomes captain.

We will then have

Sharad Pawar ( BCCI President) MCA President
Dilip Vengsarkar (Chairman of selectors) Mumbai
Ravi Shastri (Coach) Mumbai
Sachin Tendulkar (Captain) Mumbai

Therefore, if Shastri becomes Coach ( ideal), Tendulkar wont be captain. If Tendulkar becomes captain (not so ideal), Shastri wont become Coach.

Or maybe I have too much time on my hands and have been reading far too many newspapers!!!!

More tamasha....

BCCI split over Chandra-Pawar deal
Bashar effigy burned after defeats
Kapil urges Gavaskar to be India's coach
'Not the time to get personal'
BCCI bosses suffer pre-meeting woes

And the tamasha goes on..

Greg Chappell calls it quits, but will be available for the "Great Indian Huddle" called by the BCCI. The reaction to his resignation varies, depending on your journalistic hue. Some ex-cricketers have also chimed in, the length of their statements directly proportional to the amount of air time promised beforehand.
And no, no one has anything meaningful to say.
--
By this time tomorrow, the BCCI would be done deliberating the relative merits of Brijwasi sweets versus Haldirams. A two day conclave is hard work, and when you are an "honorary" member of the Board or an honorary invitee, the least you can expect is a Rs.30 Malai Sandwich ( a 2 kg pack please, thank you very much !).
Between snacks, lunch and tea, pleasantaries will be exchanged, stories traded. A few select journalists will be privy to the deliberations courtesy holes in the wall, SMS's, pigeon carriers and every other conceivable mode of leaking information.
--
The next day will be devoted to more of the same plus the mandatory press conference - the journalists version of Blood Sport.
"Respected" journalists will seek corroboration of the last piece of information leaked their way, the BCCI will stonewall, there will be a slanging contest and everyone will have a jolly good time.. All this over piping hot samosas and tea.
--
And we will be left none the wiser.

Rohit Sharma

You beauty!!!

Heh!

Stardom awaits as Binga goes to Bollywood

How do you spell O S T R I C H

Don't you think Indian cricket is in a mess?

How can you say that? We may have been thrown out of the World Cup. But it is not the end of the world. Do not worry. Everything will be fine with Indian cricket. It is just a matter of time.

The numbers add up

we are flat track bullies without the ability to adapt :)

The Subhash Chandra initiative

or why I am a skeptic.

Subhash Chandra and Zee have announced a new cricket league called the Indian Cricket League that will parallel the existing structure of the BCCI.

Given the workings of the BCCI and the state that Indian cricket finds itself in, this should be a welcome initiative.. So why am I a skeptic ?

Here's why -

1.Pool of referees and umpires to be created + Zee plans to set up cricket academies equipped with state-of-the-art facilities across the country. Sports medicine would be introduced to ensure players' fitness and a full-fledged record maintained of their behaviour pattern, diet-plan and game statistics. The group will also appoint talent scouts in all 35 states to hunt for young players to play in the ICL.

On paper, this sounds like the panacea to India's ills. After all, who wouldn't buy in into what is basically the way forward? The thing is, all of these initiatives take time. Academies dont get built just like that, scouts cannot hit the road and pick talent from the streets, Sports Medicine does not rank as the go to trade in Indian medicine.

For all of this to take root and mature, we are looking at the very least a period of 2-3 years before we start seeing the initial results of these initiatives. And did I mention that these initiatives are going to be cost intensive?

Unless Subhash Chandra is serious about is cricket, pumping money into something that is not going to give you immediate results , and when there are results, they may not be along the lines you wanted, takes a giant leap of faith.

2. - Talks on with BCCI for gaining access to stadiums

Good luck with that especially when the League will be undercutting the BCCI's TV revenues.

3. - League to begin with Twenty20 format and move to ODI format + League teams to compete with teams internationally

Is the focus going to be on honing and refining basic cricketing skills or are we going to see a profusion of cross batted sloggers who will be found out on non batsmen friendly wickets? And what about the bowlers?

With the revenue model based on ODIs and Twenty 20 games, what are the odds that we will see low scoring but competitive games as against slog fests?
--

This venture hits the road in October - a time when India play Oz in India and just after the 20/20 World Cup. What are the odds that the Zee led initiative wont turn into a circus to wean away people from watching International cricket?

And with the whole revenue model based on made for TV cricket, what are the odds that the whole setup is not contrived?

Parallels are being drawn between this venture and Kerry Packer. Kerry Packer happened because of player pay disputes with their respective Boards. And the Kerry packer circus was not initially a success despite having big names from across the cricketing world and all the glitz and innovations that have some to define ODI cricket today.

Twenty 20 cricket happened because of the ECBs desire to get more people involved with the game and to get more eyeballs ( unlike say a Mandira Bedi and her ever plunging necklines).

In India that has never been the issue. What we are talking of here is a parallel structure to the established monolith - and hence the need to take away a captive audience from the monolith and to the parallel structure.What is Subhash Chandra going to do different that will compel viewers to watch his brand of cricket?

Then there is the question of revenues. 100 crores being invested. And Zee stands to lose
market share if this bombs.. Gee !!! Wasn't something along the same lines said about ad revenues post India''s exit from the WC? But the TV stations are re-negotiating contracts and are recovering those monies from other income streams. And it is not like Subhash Chandra is putting his personal money into the venture. If 100 crores is invested, it will be done with the knowledge that there are avenues for cost recovery.

Given all this, what are the odds that this initiative, while laudable, wont go the way of the XFL?

Happy hour over at

Omar's LaughShack

As April 6th approaches

Row between coach and seniors looms large
Will radical changes come about?
Sources say recalled players targeted Greg
Ian Frazer burns Indian past
'Chappell wanted us to bat first'
'Some in BCCI want to tarnish my image'
No Indian fit to coach India: Dungarpur
Dravid was under pressure from the 'mafia': Reports
Greg's story: Five top players did India in
Chappell failed to improve India's fielding: Nair
‘I did not blame anyone’
Dravid set to continue, Chappell stays 50-50
Ian Chappell knows nothing about Indian cricket, says Anil Kumble
Your fault
Chappell trashes ‘misinformation’
Dravid all set to be retained as captain

expect some posturing, some breast beating, some mischief,some speculation, some self righteous indignation, lots of bitching, plenty of back stabbing... and a little sanity. Essentially, more of the same.

And in the good news section we have

Kapil, Borde at the NCA- the good news being that the NCA is still functional.
That's Chappelli!- says Clayton Murzello. Who are we to disagree.
Are you ready? - Apparently not, coz the BCCI marketing machinery has just hit the snooze button.. Heh!!
Why we love to love Sri Lanka - They are my favored team to win the World Cup!!!
One blow for the oldies - My feel good article for the day ( although the oldies bit makes me weep)!!!
Board to mull players' contracts and attributes clause issues - Somebody is finally trying to earn his/her "honorary" wages.
Sans A team, India benched - Thursday, November 30, 2006
Mumbai eye hat-trick of victories - :)

A Journal

worth your while

A man's game

SIGN OF SUCCESS: Test cricketer V.V.S. Laxman, badminton coach P. Gopichand and captain of Indian women's cricket team Mithali Raj during release of the book in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Spot Mithali Raj in that pic..

Incidently, this is what Mithali Raj looks like

and then we say "Cricket is a Man's game"

Heh!!

Streamlined Ranji

"We need to reduce the number of teams in our doemstic competitions. Look at the format in Australia, there they have only seven or eight teams playing at the first class level and the compettion is brutal,"

says Anil Kumble.

Inherently, a team cannot progress unless every constituent has the same objective. Gujarat, or Maharashtra, having three teams does not help India because it dilutes the stream in which young talent bathes. Not even Barbados in its prime could have possessed 45 first class standard cricketers in a year. But three teams from a state means three votes, three grants.

writes Harsha Bhogle.

Fair points and ones that deserve some thought.

So here is a thought. Listed below are all the teams that participate in the Ranji Trophy. Which ones do you propose should go?

* Assam
* Goa
* Himachal Pradesh
* Jammu & Kahmir
* Jharkhand
* Kerala
* Madhya Pradesh
* Orissa
* Railways
* Services
* Tripura
* Vidarbha
* Andhra
* Baroda
* Bengal
* Delhi
* Gujarat
* Haryana
* Hyderabad
* Karnataka
* Maharashtra
* Mumbai
* Punjab
* Rajasthan
* Saurashtra
* Tamil Nadu
* Uttar Pradesh

Update: - Apologies all.. The question above should have read "Which ones do you propose should go and how to go about with this?"

Suweeet!

Lara's move of getting Sarwan into the attack in the 43rd over because ..

1.Local boy - gets the crowd into the game
2. Slow bowler - soft ball, big boundaries, hard to get away

Nice :)

Have the Mumbai selectors

completely lost it?

How else does one explain the inclusion of Iqbal Abdulla in the Mumbai Twenty20 squad?

The kid is 17. He is touted as the successor to Nilesh Kulkarni once Kulkarni hangs his boots. So why is he in the mix for a slog fest where the bowlers are canon fodder?

Unless of course, the idea is to make this kid another Ashley Giles. Left arm over, fast flat two feet outside leg stump..

And then we complain about the lack of talent coming through the ranks!!!

Character...

.. the one word to describe the Jaywardane - Jayasuriya partnership.

Let me explain.

Mahela Jaywardane has been, throughout this World Cup, the weak link in the Sri Lankan top order.

And an out of form captain is not necessarily the best person to lead a squad only because of the erosion of authority that entails.

At 35/2, it was imperative that Mahela do his bit to a) revive the Sri Lankan innings b) revive his batting form and c) take the confidence from his innings to his captaincy.

It was impressive the way he has gone about with this.

With his feet not moving and the timing no there, it could have been oh so tempting to charge the bowlers or try something cute to break the shackles. It takes a lot of mental strength and character to buckle down, do the hard yards and play the waiting game.

That he has done this, and is now finding his feet and getting some semblance of timing - kudos.

And through all of Mahela's travails with the bat it was Jayasuriya who led the way for Lanka.

Sanath's contribution is not limited to the big hits alone.

With a charged up West Indies and the score card reading 50/2 at the end of the 15th over, the pressure was squarely on Lanka. And with Mahela not getting the ball of the square, the onus and the pressure was on Sanath.

And he responded.. and how!!!! By taking the attack to the West Indians, he not only upped the run rate but transferred the pressure back on the West Indies.

And in doing so, he took the spot light off of Mahela and allowed him the time and space to get his bearings.

It was interesting too to see the running between the wickets betweeen these two. By running hard for his partner, Sanath a) allowed Mahela to get away from the firing line b) messed the West Indian lines because of the right/left combination c) kept the score board ticking 4) by running hard, he has put the pressure on the fielders and the captain to do something different.

By doing what he has done, and by pacing his innings in the manner he has,Sanath has shown a lot of cricketing savvy and character.

The score reads 140/2 as I type this and I cannot but admire the manner in which these two have gone about rebuilding the innings and played the pressure game so wonderfully well.