Category: Cricket

Harbhajan Singh escaped a serious charge thanks to the lack of evidence and India’s strangle-hold on world cricketing revenue. The Indian Board should seize the moment to caution its players rather than celebrate the verdict of the Bhajji hearing. The BCCI should be tough and send home the message to its players prior to the ODI series that on the field antics will not be tolerated. 

Sreesanth (Team India’s other problem child) meanwhile continues to make ridiculous statements. The young man has a lot of talent but clearly seems to be getting way ahead of himself. In Ishant Sharma India has found a fine Test class bowler. He along with Zaheer Khan, RP Singh and Irfan Pathan make a good bowling combination. Sreesanth should focus his energies on the game and try and secure his place in the team instead of making pointless statements that expose his immaturity rather than show his toughness.

Harbhajan Singh’s performance has started to drop over the years, particularly in Test matches. His performance at Adelaide being a case in point. He is no longer the force he was in 2001 when the Aussies visited India. In fact, Murali Karthik or Romesh Powar are equally good if not better options today for the Test team.

Both these players need to look no further than their Test captain Anil Kumble for model behavior.

Anil Kumble personifies an impressive blend of controlled aggression, remarkable fighting spirit and boundless commitment packaged in a pleasant personable manner. Instead of screaming and making faces or hurling abuses at the Aussies he delivered a killer punch by famously stating after the Sydney Test that “only one team was playing in the right spirit”. This series was a test of character both on and off the field and there is no question that Kumble left Ponting far behind on all fronts. After two successive defeats at Melbourne and Sydney, Kumble rallied his boys to an inspired win at Perth followed by a fighting performance at Adelaide.

Ponting and his boys on the other hand had to face plenty of flak after the Sydney Test. His team never really recovered from the aftermath of the Sydney Test and have been falling apart ever since. They succumbed in Perth and appeared frightened of losing at Adelaide (as rightly put by Sehwag). Gilchrist has decided to retire, while Shaun Tait is on an indefinite break. Hogg was a dismal failure and Australia minus Stewart MacGill seems to have no spin options while the backup for Brett Lee seems wanting. The leader of the world’s strongest team finds himself struggling at the cross roads, while India’s Anil Kumble seems like a definite role model.

Harbhajan, Sreesanth and the like will do well to learn a lesson or two from Kumble. Let us hope that the ODI series is more about cricket and less about on the field gimmicks.

Team India is clearly faced with a dilemma. Wasim Jaffer has failed in six innings in a row. The Adelaide pitch is expected to assist spinners. Ishant Sharma bowled exceedingly well at Perth. So the dilemma comes down to whether Team India should drop Jaffer and pick Harbhajan instead, thereby strengthening the bowling or drop Ishant Sharma and pick Harbhajan based on the prognosis about the Adelaide pitch.

Five Bowlers?

Predictions about the Perth pitch proved to be horribly inaccurate. In fact, the Aussies goofed by including Tait ahead of an in-form Brad Hogg. So the theory that this pitch is likely to turn can be discounted for the most part.

In general, the five bowler combination makes sense for India. It clearly indicates a positive intent and strengthens the bowling. However, the selection has to be viewed in the context of current form of players and the result of the Perth Test. All the three seamers performed exceptionally well at Perth. Five bowlers where one is an all rounder is the ideal combination. Irfan certainly fits the all rounder profile, especially on current form. Accommodating Harbhajan in the team would mean dropping Jaffer because it would be a bad call to drop Ishant after his Perth performance.

India’s best bet against the Aussies is almost always to bat first and put up a big total. This means India’s strength lies in its batting. The current weak link appears to be Jaffer’s form. Asking Dravid to open once again is an unnecessary change. He clearly appears comfortable at number three and has batted better than he ever has this series at Perth at this position.

Dinesh Karthik for Wasim Jaffer

Under the circumstances it might be best for India to replace Wasim Jaffer with Dinesh Karthick for this Test. This is a gamble worth taking. This is certainly not the end of the road for Jaffer. He is still India’s lead Test opener. But his current form is questionable. There is no doubt that India’s key to winning lies in its batting. So anything that can strengthen the batting should be addressed. Besides, Virendar Sehwag has shown that he can be an effective fifth bowler, should the need arise.

The selectors have made a bold move by phasing out Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly (and not considering in form VVS) in favor of some serious young blood. This is a great move by the selectors and in line with my view that India should play virtually different teams for different forms of the game.

The manner in which the selectors have gone about executing these changes is rather sad. After 10+ years of serving on the team, these players deserve better. Rahul Dravid was the captain barely a series ago and Ganguly has been in the form of his life. If this is a strategic move in favor of youth, the selectors should have had a discussion with these folks about their plans a few series earlier, so they are not surprised or disheartened. On the one hand if the experiment fails badly, then these players might be back in the team. On the other hand, if the experiment works, the players will surely miss a well deserved formal farewell from the ODI teams. Also, the timing of the announcement before the Adelaide Test could prove costly. It just reinforces the view that BCCI is still badly in need of some professional management.

These changes further indicate that MS Dhoni might just have what it takes to be a terrific captain. He intends to groom his own team, and if it involves phasing out the seniors he seems to be prepared to do just that. It is a gamble which could backfire but a sure sign of a man very much up to the leadership task.

The Aussie’s behaved like high-school bullies. They made blatantly false appeals and stood their ground even when they were clearly out. besides, the umpires doled out a whole bunch of decisions in their favor. To top it all, they brought racism charges on Harbhajan Singh despite Kumble’s impressively cool headed approach to the issue.

Now the ball is supposedly in Mr. Pawar’s court. Mr. Pawar, need to look no farther. He just needs to think back to the time last year when the Aussies tossed him off the stage to pose for photographs. He let them off lightly then. Now they have not played the game in the right spirit, pressurized the umpires to give wrong decisions and to make matters worse they have accused Harbhajan of being racist. This a serious allegation and deserves a serious response. If the ICC does not revoke the ban, it is time to call it quits (even if it involves writing Cricket Australia a check).

In addition, here are a few more issues that seem to have been lost in the discussion.

The possible reversal of the ban does raise some questions. If Bhajji is found not quilty after the appeal process, Mike Procter must be suspended from his referee job for a couple of series, shouldn’t he? What was the basis for his decision on the issue?

Bucknor’s removal from Perth is insufficient. The man has a terrible record against India. (One theory doing the rounds is that he has been harassed by people of Indian origin back in the West Indies?) and he should never be allowed to officiate in a match featuring India. In general, it might be a bad precedent, but show me another umpire who has as disgraceful a record as Mr. Bucknor against a specific country.

Why is the hearing on Hogg being delayed? After all it happened in the same Test match. It is an equally serious charge. But why is the case not being heard?

Last but not the least, why not annul the Sydney Test result? It might be hard for India to demand this, but certainly Cricket Australia can make the offer as part of a broader peace mission. It will certainly help rein in Ponting and his bunch of unruly boys and help Australian Cricket regain some of the respect that it surely has lost since the Sydney Test.

The SCG witnessed the most disgraceful on the field behavior by the Aussies. As predicted Steve Bucknor swung into action along with Benson to destroy a Test match in its entirety.

There is plenty on the web about the events as they unfold. Here are a few of the good ones I have come across.

My favorite is the one calling for Ponting’s firing followed by the one calling for his ban. Before Ponting became captain there were concerns about his behavior (character) after he was involved in a drunken brawl or two. His behavior in this Test and those of his team mates (inspired by him of course) confirms that the man still has the same behavioral issues. In fact, he had the gall to insult the media after the match.

If the Aussies care about gaining the respect and admiration (!!) of the world for their cricket, it would make sense to heed Peter Roebuck’s call.

The last day of the Sydney Cricket Test match between India and Australia is interestingly poised with Australia having slight edge. Given the present state of the game, the three possible results (An Aussie victory, a draw and an Indian victory) will depend significantly on umpiring decisions and the weather n the final day. If the weather intervenes in a big way, a draw is more or less certain. On the other hand, given the performance of the umpires in this Test and Steve Bucknor’s poor track record while umpiring against India, I suspect umpiring could play a significant role on the final day. A couple of bad decisions against India and Australia will have this match in the bag.

Michael Clarke — Disgraceful

On the fourth day, a caught behind (Hayden) and an lbw decision (Hussey) that went against India on day 4, virtually destroyed India’s chances of gaining the upper hand. This is in no way meant to take away credit from both these batsmen who fought it out in the middle to make every run unlike the conventional Aussie attack style of batsmanship. A perfect example of how much umpiring holds the key was reflected in Michael Clarke’s disgraceful decision not to walk after being caught in the slips by Dravid. “If umpires make mistakes so often maybe I can get away” seems to be the mindset of today’s international players.

India Missed Murali Karthik

While India’s two spinners did a fine job, India definitely missed a third spinner in this Test. Murali Karthik would have been a terrific asset in this match. Without Zaheer Khan in the team, Kumble had no where to turn for a wicket taking bowler. Ishant Sharma appears to be a surprise back up fast bowler. His fielding is not the best and he is definitely not quick, for a player so early in his career. There is no question that India is missing Sreesanth’s pace and exuberance on this tour. Taking the second new ball has become such a painful decision. Thankfully RP Singh has done well so far and seems to have great potential for the future.

SCG Highlight: India’s Fight Back

The highlight of this Test thus far has been India’s impressive fight back after the MCG debacle. For the first time in a very long time, Australia were at the receiving end in a Test match. In fact, the Aussies were under pressure and never really dominated this Test match. And if they ever did, I dare say, that it was with ample assistance from the umpires (read decisions in favor of Symonds). The batting failure at the MCG justifies the need for more practice games before a Test match on foreign soil, especially against a formidable opposition like Australia. Unlike at MCG, almost every Indian batsman barring the young turks (Dhoni and Yuvi) put in a great performance. Sachin’s century was brilliant, VVS was sublime, Dravid was determined and Dada was smooth (not to mention the fighting spirit of the tail-enders). It will be a pity if all this good work crumbles on the last day, particularly if it is helped along by Bucknor and co.

The decision not to play Virender Sehwag in the second Test is a clear sign that the Indian think tank is not ready to abandon its team combination as yet. This might be a sound decision given Sehwag’s extended poor form. If its a toss up between Dravid’s return to form and the chances of Viru clicking as opener, the choice should be obvious.

Open with Sachin (or Dada)

L. Siva recently suggested that perhaps Sachin should open the innings ahead of Dravid. It might be a worthwhile strategy given that he is clearly in good touch. In fact, Ganguly might not be a bad bet at the top of the order either. Dravid can then swap positions with whoever steps to the top, since VVS appeared to be very comfortable at number three. Its best to lead with the men in form rather than pressurize those who are struggling to deliver.

Pathan for Yuvraj?

The other worrisome factor (that appears to have been overlooked) for India is the failure of Yuvraj Singh in both innings of the first Test. Yuvraj has always had problems facing Hogg (and Muralitharan). He was out to Hogg in the second innings and was lucky not to be given out to a bat-pad catch in the first. Given that he bats low down the order, he is likely to face Hogg very early in his innings. This would be a serious challenge for him to overcome. Given this scenario, Irfan Pathan might be a better bet for Yuvraj’s spot, especially if Zaheer misses out because of injury. This will mean five bowlers, and an equally good batting line up, at least on paper.

My guess however, is that India will play the same team with Dravid as opener for this Test at Sydney. If it fails again the third Test will see significant changes.

Over three hundred runs, the Aussies almost all out, a superb display of spin bowling by Kumble, a brilliant delivery from Zaheer Khan to get rid of Ponting, a fine century by Hayden, and some good catching by India sums up the first days play.

The biggest open question at this point is whether India can live up to its reputation of having some of the best batsmen in Test cricket in its ranks. After restricting Australia, if India can responds with a fighting total, this should make an exciting Test match. For the first time in a long time, Australia will be on the back foot, provided India can respond with a fighting total.

India’s weak link in the bowling department was Harbhajan Singh. He never really looked like taking a wicket. If India has to perform well on this tour, he will need to turn in a good performance.

On the batting front, India will be better off opening with Sachin (based on current form) as suggested by L. Siva. This will surprise the Aussies and take some pressure off Dravid, who seems to be struggling for form. The other wild card might be to open with Ganguly. In any case, the move to include Yuvraj in the eleven is a terrific move and should strengthen the middle order substantially.

This is precisely the mindset among selectors and current players that is preventing India from becoming a dominant force. Unfortunately, Vengsarkar made a similar comment a while back. How do you know if there is available talent unless you give players successful at the domestic level a chance to prove themselves at the international level?

The reason why India has failed to dominate despite its vast pool of talent and endless resources is the lack of a consistent policy towards giving youngsters an opportunity to perform at the highest level. A few basic steps to address this issue:

• A documented and well-communicated rotation policy is an absolute must.
• A firm policy to give up and coming players an opportunity when playing second string teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
• The 20-20 experiment of playing youngsters must be extended to ODIs sooner rather than later.
• There is no need to always play the big stars. Playing 20-20 with youngsters was a terrific start and the results are there to show for it. Unfortunately, it will take a disastrous performance in Australia for a fundamental change in thinking. The bad news is that India might swing to the other extreme a dump a whole bunch of stars when they still have plenty to contribute.
• Last but not the least, have open communication with the players. Let the players (especially the senior players) know where they stand irrespective of whether they are in the team or not.

Ganguly’s comment is a sad reflection of the state of Indian cricket. A top seasoned player despite his record still appears to be rather insecure. Instead of naming some of the up and coming stars with potential and pointing to India’s recent 20-20 success, he chose a largely self-serving path instead. One can’t help but speculate that there is some truth to Greg Chappel’s comments about Ganguly’s insecurity.

The selectors and the BCCI are partly to blame for the mental state of India’s stars. The BCCI/selectors have not been communicating effectively with it players and instead subjecting them to shoddy treatment. The recent treatment of Rahul Dravid, being a case in point.

The Indian selectors recalled Virender Sehwag despite not being among the 24 probables for the Australian tour. It is a shame that Askash Chopra, the other opener among the 24 probables was quietly ignored. Why have a probables list if you intend to go outside the list? What sense does Aakash Chopra make of this?

There might be no substitute for Sehwag’s class. But it is impossible to argue with statistics. If you go by his recent record, once again, Virendar Sehwag has done nothing to warrant a recall. He has been struggling even at the Ranji trophy level. In contrast, Rahul Dravid when dropped on the pretext of form, simply walked out and scored a double century in his first Ranji match and followed that up with another century. Surely, form has to play a part when being picked for the team?

Sehwag has been in dismal form for years. He has shown no sign of recovering his touch. Despite this it is surprising that former players continue to back him despite his repeated failures. The good news is that he is unlikely to make the playing eleven given the glut of in-form batsmen in the team.