Shane Warne - Has Test Cricket Missed a Great Captain?

Shane Warne. The name is enough for a cricket fan to tell what this bowler of magical quality has achieved on the cricket field. But for his off-field silly antics, he would have been a great captain of Australia. A bowler with a great knack of out-thinking a batsman, he had all the abilities to make a highly successful captain. He had the personality, the charisma and the most important fact - a cricketer who hardly ever was out of form throughout his long & distinguished career. His name in the Australian XI was itself a psychological victory for Australia, especially against England, South Africa, West Indies and New Zealand. He was not easily played by the Pakistanis and Sri Lankans either. The only country which played him comfortably was India. He had an amazing hold on the opposition and his ability to play mind games was the killer punch(it is best illustrated by the Adelaide Test in his farewell Ashes, as well as his farewell series, against England when he defeated England single-handedly after everyone thought that the Test was meandering towards a draw. England had made a huge first innings score. That destroyed England and they lost the series 5-0.)

He has been hugely influential with Hampshire. He has led the county to greater glories as its captain and coach. If that was not well known on a larger global scale, then his moulding of Rajasthan Royals (the team which everyone thought will finish last) into a superbly unified functioning winning combination. has shown the world what he is capable off as a captain.

The spirit is there for everyone to see. Shane Warne's genious is visible with every move he makes on & off the field. His tactical nous was apparent when he made Kolkotta Knight Riders field after winning the toss. The logic - KKR was traveling and was obviously tired and under the scorching sun they will wilt further allowing RR to score with much more freedom and then restrict them when they begin the chase. It all went perfectly as per the plan. RR won comfortably in the end. RR registered their 4th win on the trot and KKR their 3rd consecutive loss. The big test for RR is now when they face the only unbeaten team - Chennai Super Kings. On the face of it, it seems to be a Battle Royale, between the cool & unfazed MS Dhoni and the Mr. Genius, Shane Warne.

The way Shane Warne has made RR, combination of diverse cricketers majority of whom are inexperienced on a world stage, into a winning team, which has gathered momentum with every outing. This raises the question - has Team Australia lost on a great captain or was it a case of Genius shooting himself in the foot. Whatever the case may be, we definitely lost a chance to see a, would-have-been, great captain of a highly successful cricket nation for the last 15 years.

The worldwide popularity of IPL has projected this leadership quality of Shane Warne in front of a huge global audience.

An unfulfilled promise. A dream. A loss. A what-would-have-been. Yes, that's Shane Warne for you. An enigma who is still going strong at 38.

Aggression on the Field - The Right Way

Off late we have seen lot of aggression on the playing field but unfortunately it is more in the negative way. Sledging, Slapping, Needling, Gestures, Glaring Eyes, Anger, and all that shows or is deemed macho. But the real aggro is displayed by that essentially quiet and composed leg spin bowler Anil Kumble.

You will not find him giving tit for tat but he will answer his opponent in the most befitting manner. Whether it is sledging or a batsman has hit him for four, he will respond by making the opposition pay by his cricket. His cricket which is aggressive and dynamic plus intelligent gives the perfect answer to an opponent's act of aggression. This quality he has brought to his captaincy as well. Perth followed Sydney and though he was not the onfield captain, Kanpur followed Ahmedabad. These are examples from 2008. Recent memory. His illustrious career is replete with such heroic examples. And he is respected worldwide for his gentlemanly behaviour and being a true professional.

I think Harbhajan, Sreesanth and to a lesser extent Robin Uthappa should learn from this champion bowler.

Slap, Tears, Ban & Cricket

The cricket has once again seen a TAMASHA (showbiz) which was not required. Harbhajan has just landed the most costly slap ever on Sreesanth (the talented but irreverant cricketer resorting to cheap antics to showcase himself). Harbhajan has been fined 100% of his IPL match fees (from the game between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI) plus has been handed 11 IPL matches ban. Sreesanth has been cautioned and reprimanded. Lalchand Rajput, coach of Mumbai Indians got 50% of his match fees deducted for being a silent spectator when the incident took place.

It might be interesting to find what the Australians are thinking of this whole issue. Was it not long back Harbhajan was involved with Symonds and Hayden and a big circus was enacted.

But Harbhajan, a highly talented player, should avoid getting involved in such incidents which take away the attention from his brilliant artistry with the ball and his fighting spirit.

It is good that Harbhajan has accepted his mistake and one hopes he comes out of this whole episode a much wiser man. But what about Sreesanth? I find it mysterious that he did not say anything to Harbhajan or to the players of Mumbai Indians. It is so unlike him. He will soon land in big trouble if he does not mend his ways and stop resorting to cheap publicity.

Interestingly BCCI is planning an Orientation Project under Ravi Shastri to teach the players (especially the younger lot) how to handle the large sums of money they are earning suddenly. Many of these cricketers come from poor or lower middle class families. Good move but one should know that Greed has its own way of seeking Compensation.

Good luck BCCI.

Malcom Speed - Has he PAID the PRICE for speaking the TRUTH?

Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, has been put on paid leave until his contract runs out on July 4. This is the price he has paid for speaking the truth with regard to the state of finances of Zimbabwe Cricket. In July last year, a confidential report by Speed and Faisal Hasnain, the ICC's chief financial officer was leaked in which Speed made a series of strong observations on Zimbabwe Cricket's finances . . . "It is clear that the accounts of ZC have been deliberately falsified to mask various illegal transactions from the auditors and the government of Zimbabwe. The accounts were incorrect and at no stage did ZC draw the attention of the users of these accounts to the unusual transactions. It may not be possible to rely on the authenticity of its balance sheet."

David Morgan, the ICC's president-elect, said: "This ... is the result of a fundamental breakdown in the relationship between the CEO and a number of board members, including the president, over a variety of issues that include Zimbabwe. "David Richardson, the ICC general manager - cricket, will serve as interim CEO until Speed's replacement, Haroon Lorgat, assumes the role at the ICC's annual conference at the beginning of July."

Speed had had a serious falling-out with Ray Mali, the president and a staunch supporter of Zimbabwe and of its officials, following the ICC executive's decision not to take any major action against Zimbabwe following an independent forensic audit carried out by KPMG. During the ICC's meeting in March 2008 a decision was taken to overlook the audit. Speed did not agree and refused to attend the traditional post-meeting media conference, explaining to the executive that he was not prepared to defend in public a decision with which he fundamentally disagreed. He wanted that the conduct of senior ZC officials should have been referred to the ethics committee. This has angered Mali and the current decision is a result of that rift.

A very sad day indeed. When the need of the hour is transparency we are presented with silencing of truth. Whatever his shortcomings and some unpopular decisions during his tenure, his sacking has only raised Speed's stature. It only raises questions - whether everything is above board at ICC. Haroon Lorgat has a lot on his hands even before he has joined as Chief Executive Officer. We, the lovers of cricket, believe he will not compromise the ethics and vindicate the stand taken by Malcom Speed.

Cricket's Version of Champion's League - A Reality Soon?

With the Texan Billionaire keen to bankroll EPL (English Premier League), the England's answer to Lalit Modi's IPL, and Pakistan planning to launch PPL (Pakistan Premier League) there is a high probability of Champion's League happening. Anyway Lalit Modi is already exploring his version of Champion's League later this year involving the winner of national 20-20 winning sides and the winner of IPL. But once EPL and PPL are a reality then we can see a scenario reflecting a typical European Football scene, wherein we find vibrant football leagues in Spain, Germany, Italy, England, Netherlands, etc. This in the long run will help in the spread of the cricket to non-tradional centers and make it a truly global sport.

Let's wait and watch where does Allen Stanford, Pakistan and Lalit Modi take the cricket to. Exciting times no doubt for cricket, cricketers, spectators and administrators but it is also making lot of cricketers wonder whether Test Cricket will survive this newer and youthful attack. It has survived the advent of One Day Internationals and Kerry Packer World Series but can it survive Twenty-20 cricket. Only time will tell.

IPL - Its Happening and Going Great Guns!

With Chennai Super Kings hosting the match yesterday, all the 8 franchises have hosted one game apiece. The response has been electrifying - the stadiums have been jampacked and the action in the middle riveting. The IPL as of today is successful and is already generating many debates across continents whether it is going to positively influence cricket or will sound the deathknell for Test Cricket and One-Day Internationals. The opinion is divided. The crazy mixture of cricket superstars and Bollywood stars has been eclectic. With the exception of mismanagement at the Eden Gardens, Kolkatta, the organization has been from good to excellent.

Hyderabad which has seen about 7-8 such matches thanks to ICL is still to warm up fully to IPL. It is hosting its second home tie today and Deccan Chargers will be hoping a better response from its team as well as from the crowds. Though around 30-35,000 spectators saw the first match, the capacity at the Rajiv Gandhi stadium is much more.

In the last 8 matches the teams which seem likely to proceed a long way are Chennai Super Kings, Kolkatta Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils. But we will be foolish to discount the other teams at such an early stage when all the teams have to play another 12 matches each.

My favourite is obviously Deccan Chargers as I am from Hyderabad but I feel Rajasthan Royal may be the surprise team after being termed the weakest.

Except for the vulgar display by the cheergirls, the IPL seems good. It is unearthing some good talent for India like Abhishek Nayar, Dinesh Salunkhe, Ravindra Jadeja, Amarnath and also reconfirming the class of players like Suresh Raina, Badrinath and Rohit Sharma.

It is great opportunity for upcoming players to share the dressing room with stalwarts of the game and learn from them.

Keep watching and enjoying IPL except change channels whenever those scantily clad cheergirls come on view.

Cheergirls or Pornography on Cricket Field?

The vulgar display of cheergirls at every boundary hit and at every wicket is despicable and disgusting. It is a clear cut case of pornography in the garb of entertainment at the cricket field. The dressing leaves nothing for imagination and is not at all a good sight for the kids who also watch cricket. It is highly embarrassing when you sit in front of the TV and suddenly you see the cheergirls shaking their assets in the most vulgar manner possible. With TV cameras using creative angles the final result is so horrible and terrible that you feel like boycotting this type of cricket totally. It is heartening to see that some political parties are waking up and protesting. I wish this movement gathers more force and stops this display of nudity. This is India and not America Mr. Lalit Modi. He seems to earn money at all costs. This total commercialization and introduction of vulgarity to cricket should be stopped.

India Stays No. 2. Wins the 3rd Test by 8 wickets

As predicted, as envisaged, as planned and as executed, India won the 3rd Test against South Africa at Kanpur by 8 wickets. Well it allows India to stay as the No. 2 Test team in the world. If Kumble had played then in all probability the match would have finished in 2 days itself and India may have won by an innings and few runs. Piyush Chawla disappointed. Dhoni's captaincy was sharp but the pitch played a major role in the victory. Dhoni' captaincy needs to be judged over a longer duration. Selectors are best adviced not to tinker with the captaincy of Kumble. Also selectors should allow the opening partnership to continue. Once Zaheer is back, we will have a very good team. Now all eyes are on IPL. The buzz is already there. The players have started arriving and reaching their respective franchises. Month-long extravaganza is just 5 days away. Let's see what happens between IPL organizers and the news agencies. It seems media is slowly having its way.

Ajantha Mendis - A Rising Star in International Cricket

A right-arm, slow-medium bowler, Ajantha Mendis is raising eyebrows and has made lot of keen cricket observers sit up and take notice. He is a bowler who has all the qualities to be an international star in not too a distant future. A spinner with a rich repertoire of deliveries - googlies, offbreaks, top-spinners, flippers and legbreaks - will be a handful soon. He should be nurtured carefully and in Mahela Jayawardene he has a captain who is shrewd, intelligent and smart. And under Muttaih Muralitharan, he can really grow into a formidable bowler like Murali himself. Already batsmen are confounded by the variety of deliveries he is able to deliver and wonder what his stock delivery is. His domestic record has been highly impressive - 111 wickets from 19 matches at 14.54. No doubt he was called up to the Sri Lanka squad for the tour of West Indies in April 2008.

Now with an impressive performance in his debut One-Day International match - 10-1-39-3 (3.90 runs per over) - he has shown the world that he belongs at the highest level. At 23, he has enough time on his hands to become one of the greats of the game. We are watching the beginning of, what will turn out to be, a truly remarkable journey.

Shoaib Akhtar Saga - Could it have been handled better?

The way issues are handled in the sub-continent are very unprofessional. The cricketing merits and demerits get lost in the personality issues, political one-upmanship, public pressure, endless media analysis and exposure, sensationalism, etc. etc. Such issues needs to be judged purely on cricketing merits which include performance (or under performance), discipline, interest or lack of it, team composition and stability, impact on upcoming cricketers, image of nation and seriousness of the action by that particular individual.

I believe if this whole saga of Shoib Akhtar has been handled in a professional manner, keeping in mind the issues discussed above, then the outcome would have been different. Shoaib Akhtar may still have qualified for reprimand or a limited ban, he may have reacted differently (rather than using media to defend himself and blaming everyone but himself) and the Pakistan would have been saved the embarrasment it is going through. But will we, in sub-continent, ever learn? The answer is, sadly, not very encouraging.

SPIN to WIN? Pitch Evolution - From Green Tinge to Dead Brown!

With less than 24 hrs to go for the decisive 3rd test match to start between India and South Africa, the pitch has taken a decisive turn. Daljit Singh who said couple of days ago that the pitch will have something for everyone and he is answerable only to the BCCI has now, it seems, acquiesced to the Indian Team Management's request and has prepared what looks like a turner. With World Test No. 2 ranking at stake, India seems to have removed all stops. But with uncertainty over Kumble's fitness and an inadequate backup in the absence of Murali Kartik, the move might just boomerang on India. With only a fit again Ishant Sharma to take a pacer's advantage of a loose and crumbling wicket, it seems the world's most deadliest pace attack is silently smiling. Indian top order is under the scanner and has to pass one of its most sternest test in recent memory. The glory of Australian summer is already a fading memory after a 76 All Out debacle at Ahmedabad in the 2nd Test. With IPL looming to numb the senses for next few weeks, it is upto Indian batsmen and bowler to stand up and make sure India remains as the No. 2 Test team in the world. Let us hope our fielding standards rise a few notches to complement the efforts of batting and bowling.

The Heat, The Turner, The No. 2 Ranking and the Lucrative IPL - we have few crazy weeks ahead. Long Live Cricket!

Is IPL too strong even for the all-powerful Media?

As everyone was waiting for the path-breaking league concept in cricket - THE IPL - to get underway, there seems to be a major controversy brewing up with just about a week left for the first edition to start.

It seems IPL thinks it has the money to strangulate the media by imposing contentious clauses for media accredition. It is still confident that media will fall in line once the much-hyped, much-anticipated IPL gets under way on April 18, 2008. They want to have the cake and eat it too. Let us see who gives in first. Lalit Modi or the Editors Guild of India and bosses of International News Agencies. IPL needs publicity to make the much-anticipated moolah from advertising and gate receipts. Media needs to cover IPL as it does not want to disappoint its readers and viewers who have been fed on IPL news for many weeks now. A battle of wits indeed.

Zaheer among Wisden's 5 Cricketers of the Year 2007

Zaheer Khan was named as one of the 5 Cricketers of the Year 2007. He was rewarded for the outstanding performance (18 wickets in the 3 test series) in the India-England series in England in 2007. The other cricketers named are Ryan Sidebottom and Ian Bell from England, Shivnaraine Chanderpaul from West Indies and Ottis Gibson of West Indies for his outstanding county season with Durham (80 wickets in the 2007 season).