The Final Frontier

So- here is the sad demise of a term that is in everyday usage for the game of cricket, and every writer's dream... till it became used again and again.
The Final Frontier no longer exists. It has been conquered.
Nay, not merely conquered. It has been pulverised, razed to to the ground. All that is left of the famous fortress are smouldering remains- statistics with no sheen, pride ground to dust, charred reputations and battered morale.

Yet, standing amid these remains are the victors to whom must go not only the spoils, but unmitigated praise as well. The Indians will probably analyse this defeat much less than the Australians planned their campaign. With deep thought, detailed strategy and plans B, C and D in place, the Aussies are reaping the rewards of desire and passion that is as deep rooted as any you'd see. In recent times, overpowering the Great Indian Home Team has become an achievment ranking right up there with anything else for them. That the Aussies had done pretty much everything there is to be done in World cricket (and all in recent years- not the entire hostory of the game or anything) just made this all the more sought after. The last kingdom to conquer, the last thing to prove, the ultimate jewel in a studded crown...truly, the Final Frontier.

It is a topic that has been talked of a lot- how, unlike most years that cricket has seen, the last few have been times when India has become a place teams want to come to. In particular, the Australian team. For them, it is not just embracing India as one of the new (and possibly most powerful)centres of cricket, and embracing a culture that is fast symbolic less of dirt and crowds but diversity and hospitality. It has always been, supremely, about focussing on doing the one thing they have not been able to do- win in this country. For a team that has made being on top a pastime, that was just not acceptable.

The fact that their meticulous preparation and deep rooted desire met with scant opposition-very little skill and even less belief- made the task only that much easier. Yet, their resolve and preparation still deserve all the credit you can give them. Even an out of form Indian team could easily have been a tough nut to crack. The heat, the dust, the unpredictabiltity (all on the pitch) could easily have been reasons for the mighty Aussies to fall over, or at least eventually fall short.

But they did not.
We have fallen short, fallen over....and, it would seem, have fallen from grace.
For now, let us just congratulate the winners, and try to learn from them.
Let us please, not look around at what is left of the Final Frontier. It hurts too much.

thank you, work

work consumes
time flits by
and I thank it
for it has lessened the pain
that is brought on
by unwanted surrender.
more words
and tears
and sighs
more
when I have more
time.

T3 D2

17:00
145 for 5.
And our hopes must rest, again, on an improbable rearguard action. In fact, an extremely improbable rearguard miracle.
On a track that has always been a batter’s paradise and this time the cause for immense Aussie glee (i.e- “sporting pitch”), the Indian batting has looked all at sea. This in mainland Nagpur. The same place where all teams make around 400, sometimes 600. The same place where SRT averages 156 point something. The same place where long batting draws have always been likely. This is the same place where the Indian team finds itself in a situation stickier than gulab jamun syrup.

I have no idea why we batted the way we did. It is bad form combined with the pressure of keeping one’s wicket, and a dash of inertia. After an assured start, it all just fell away. Gillespie’s first over was an exhilarating and slightly crazy one. Before you knew it, Viru had done another Sehwag- 16 off the over, and one nick short of the slips. Alas, that was the end of that.
Besides Sehwag (and after Sehwag) everyone seemed so intent on making sure they did not lose their wicket that they lost their way. Chopra’s role is to blunt the opening attack etc, I know. But he can’t fool himself into believing that 4 hour 40s are what will always be expected of him. At any rate, he did not even touch double figures.
It was Dravid, surprisingly, who went into the ultimate “I will not do Anything” mode. It seemed sensible, and doughty, at first- when he and Sachin played with utmost caution. It seemed like the good ol’ give the bowler some respect, let him take the first hour you take the next four- sort of approach.

It did not work.
SRT went (again? should this be a cause for concern) to the one jagging back, trapping him LBW. He has quite a high ratio of bowled and LBWs in recent Tests, and most of the latter would have been through the gate, the ball coming in.
In walked Laxman at 50/3 and the commentators yearned for him to play his natural stroke playing game. Barry Richards pointed out interestingly ( and probably accurately) that Laxman’s game is still adjusting from the ODI form to the Tests. While it looks true, it is strange for a batsman who has always been much more comfortable in the longer form of the game. He has been looking nervous and tense these last few innings. Today was no different, and when he finally decided to go for a shot, he handed Warne his first wicket to a decidedly ordinary ball. Laxman looks the most out of form of the lineup, and the one who hasn’t scored in the longest. Maybe he needs to worry about his place in the team. Or maybe he already is, and it’s showing on the pitch. He is almost Warnie’s bunny this tour- 3 times out of 4 dismissals.
Dravid’s stolid defence eventually got him into some sort of rut, and he is a better player than that! A small lapse and Gilly snapped him up behind the stumps.

But McGrath Gillespie and Kasprowicz bowled with exemplary accuracy and focus. Long spells of tight pressure bowling- it was dull but not boring cricket, and definitely to be admired. Such sustained line and length bowling was strangling. Yet, a slightly more forthright approach from the batters may have made for more of a contest.

And again, it was left to Kaif and Parthiv to fight it out, and make the same statement, again- that numbers 6&7 can bat with caution yet score a little to keep the score ticking a bit. Unfortunately they are faced with more of an uphill battle than Chennai this time.
I think it is a big pendulum between getting into form, getting out of the ODI mode, and being solid in defence. Trying to focus on all of these, and an over cautious innings-in-clay is what you get.


16:30 hours, Indian Standard Time
In another surprising yet acutely familiar disappointment, the representatives of the Indian people- known in these times of woe as Team BCCI- looked hapless. A nation resigned itself to the fact that the 22 yard long strip of land in the central Indian city of Nagpur was not crumbling, but their team would. Crumbled, and how. It is a matter of grave concern that immense talent and skill has found an enemy it cannot pinpoint. It seems increasingly evident that this foe lies concealed somewhere in that much vaunted space- between the ears. At the time of writing, none of these spaces were available for analysis or comment. Keep your eyes pasted (and dry) for more on this.

15:00
sliding……This is not good…..not good at all

13:45
…and are we going to surrender the Final Frontier…

Nagpur Day 1

At the end of the day,
- Zaheer bowled real well. He seemed to be hitting the straps and getting his rhythm more than at anypoint in this series. Was a tad luckless throughout, especially with what I thought was a very close LBW call against Clarke. The, of course, the chance behind the stumps.
- Karthik redeemed himself eminently after a lazy start. Ending up as the most economical bowler, and highest wicket taker should give him the confidence he seems so often to lack.
- Patel was not good behind the stumps (what's new), and he even effected a good stumping. But he wasn't disastrous.
Then he went and dropped a sitter and Clarke survived.
- Clarke's innings was again mature and intelligent, but he was lucky to escape what looked like a great LBW shout (both live and in replays) early in his innings.
- Martyn is in great form. Thats back to back centuries twice now. In Sri Lanka and then here. 7 of his 9 Test tons are overseas. Happy tourist.
- Lehmann attacked scratchily (like through this series) to begin with but then settled down and dominated the bowling with Martyn. His hamstring injury may not let him bat in the second essay, they speculate. SRT dropped him off his own bowling, and I think it was the excitement of the catch more than its difficulty that made him miss it.

- "Slats...you never called" screamed a Fanatics banner. They were referring to Slater never having gotten back to them about a batting session he was to have with them in Goa. But Slats was too busy chilling out and flirting with young girls who did not know who he was. Oh well, as long as he was having a (harmless) good time. The poor fanatics, though.

T3 D1

17:30
At 362/7, there is a lot of "even stevens" and "honours even" doing the rounds, but I'd definitely say Australia would be more satisfied than India. For India, the first session would have raised hopes to wrap up the Aussie innings, the second would have crashed them down. And while the third made things a whole lot better, Gillespie's infuriatingly resolute defense, Clarke's maturity, Patel's lapse and the innings run rate wil leave us feeling assuredly worse off.
90 overs were managed about 10 minutes short of the extra halfhour, while across the border Bangladesh have managed 92, despite all the leather chasing.

16:05
Stranger things have happened. Karthik is taking wickets (and bowling well!), and Mr Patel managed a sharp stumping to dismiss Warne.
Also, the Aussies have slumped (if you can say that) to 338 for 7.
The Lehmann wicket before tea seems to have pumped up Karthik. He looks a much better bowler- flighting the ball well, getting some good loop and dip. He still lacks the consistency, giving away a boundary-ball to often, but right now? - I aint complaining!

14:15
Tea. I wonder why Ajit bowled such a prolonged spell after lunch, and Zaheer came in much later. Our very own Murali still looks unimpressive. Crucial last session, where the Aussies could run away with the day… Has anyone ever watched the cricket on DD National? I have had the dubious pleasure of doing so today, thanks to no Cable transmission. Their ad spots are different, with some air time seemingly reserved for Social messages. I am all for that, but you have to see the quality of those ads (if you can call them that) to believe them. Astonishing, yet totally in keeping with DD’s propensity to unintentionally entertain as they broadcast. Consistent, if not anything else.

11:30
Talking of Chopras, there is no confidence around poor Roshni Chopra either, on Fourth Umpire- still worthy entertainment in the lunch break. (If you are starved of any laughs whatsoever in life, then). And poor ol’ Roshni- Charu Sharma can’t help but be a tad condescending now and then. Doordarshan, of course, even after two Tests, does not notice anything amiss with its telecast. In the middle of the session analysis, they decide to go into an ad break and not return. But starting off on DD’s antics again is the same old story, and a waste of cyberspace.

A good session. First hour to the batsmen , second to the fielding side. Even though there were many missed and close-ish calls in that first hour. Zaheer looks to be into his stride, after steadily improving since his return in Bangalore.
When the session began, I couldn’t believe we had the lost the toss, again. And I couldn’t believe that the jokers at the VCA had produced this pitch that Gilchrist called an Australian sort. All in the name of ‘sporting tracks’. Oh, well…
Lehmann looks all set to play his shots again. Hope the strategy fails like it has been till now- he has not really been looking convincing right through the series. And the danger men are still to come- Gilly and Clarke, fresh from Singapore visits and all.

Good to see SRT back on the field. He seemed, unsurprisingly, so glad to be back in the middle again. The joy, and the smiles on his face are still child-like. Refreshing, considering he has been playing the game at the highest level for 15 years now.

09:15, IST
Boy, this is a difficult start. Captain out. Star spinner out. Coin falls the wrong way, again. As soon as we have seen a bit of grass and a prospectively (relatively) pacer friendly track, we rush to get Chopra back in the fold. I, first of all, agree. A ‘specialist’ opener is always a good idea. But there needs to be some consistency in the thinking. If there was some confidence placed in Yuvi to begin with, then it should have been sustained. On the basis of that one opening innings in Chennai, he now seems, to the sme eyes, to be unfit for opening? And what about Aakash Chopra. Feeling perpetually like he has a rabid dog at his heels. Will he play the next game or not, there is no confidence surrounding anything Chopra.

Here we are, T3

Nagpur, tomorrow.
Kaif looks like he will miss out.
Agarkar seems to be in, predictably.
Lee is in the 12. Hmmm.

The curator has done us the favour of shaving some of the grass off. The captain 'explained' the two teams' strengths and weaknesses to him, and he understood.
How magnanimous.

The pitch will not break. It will be a sporting track. Am sick of this term. Suddenly the VCA are the definers of 'sporting'. This from a track famous for draws.

Now Harbhajan has fever?! Come on......!
Best of luck Parthiv. You need it.

Australia looks better than I have ever seen to take the series. A draw seems likely too. India winning the series would be great, but like I just read- this may yet be an unexpected script.

Waiting.

at Faisalabad...

13:30, IST
Meanwhile Sri Lanka and Pakistan have been fighting it out at Faislabad, and that match has had its fair share of twists and turns as well. In fact, more than. Both teams have had the upper hand, but good ol’ Jayasuriya edged his team ahead yesterday.
As I write this, the man has finished making a hundred runs in the day, already. He is on 236, and has totally pulverised the Pakistan attack that has not had Sami today. And to think they were talking of him having burned out a couple of months ago. He followed up that criticism with a century in the Asia Cup and since then he’s been making runs or taking wickets, at least something. Now this innings.

He is the type of guy who may not be amazingly consistent or have the best statistics. But when he makes runs he makes sure they dominate the opposition. In this case, he has brought his team into a winning position. With wickets falling around him, Pakistan could easily have had about 300 to chase. Now they will face over 400.

SRT has almost left behind such domination of bowling attacks. Sacrificed for more consistency, that's completely true. But the loss of excitement sometimes does pinch. Bottomline, though, he is in a team filled with strokemakers- barring the Wall-, so its makes sense to have him stonewall a bit, or at least be a little more circumspect.

Pitch doctor

The Nagpur pitch, they say, is going to be a sporting one. Well, they mostly always say that. The pertinent point is whether it will be flat like it tends to be or will it offer a result. I get the feeling it won't matter, with the nature of the two teams that approach it. It is hard to see a draw being the outcome. Maybe that is the product of too much expectation, but both teams want to win too badly to go for a draw. And unless the Indian batsmen can pull soemthing out of their blue caps, they won't be batting so spectacularly as to pulverise the Aussies. I hope I am proved wrong.

But it is interesting to note the comments of the curator, and more importantly the President of the VCA. The latter is tom-toming the faurness of a sporting pitch. While that may be true in itself, his comments on altering the pitch even slightly to favour the home team are strange.
"I have got no instructions from either the BCCI or the Indian team management. Even if I do, I am not going to oblige them,"...."(the pitch)that would have enough bounce so as to encourage quicker bowlers and also improve strokeplay of batsmen".

I guess this brings up the good ol debate on whether a host team can make picthes suited to its strengths, and home advantage and all that. But for me that is one of the most unique aspects of cricket, and something that gives us all such varied and different matches so often. There is absolutely nothing wrong with making pitches that are more suited to Indian styles. You will always find a spinning track in Chennai, a bouncy one at Perth and a swinging one at Dunedin. As long as the advantage is not stretched to unfair extremes, and through underhand means, I don't see the problem.

In addition, he outrightly criticised the previous two pitches.
"Those were very poor wickets," and "if you are a cricket lover, you want the best team to win, and not your home team at the cost of quality cricket."
That is such crap. Every Australian would have enjoyed the cricket in those two tests, and not just because they won the first one. Is he actually implying either of the first 2 Tests were not 'quality cricket'??? For heaven's sake.

That Walking Thing, again

It seems there is till much discussion about this walking trend. My earlier post on this would make it clear that I basically support the whole idea.

Yet there seem to be many issues that people pick with this way of thinking. Indeed, it is questioned if it is a way of thinking, or just convenient PR.

First off, there is the fundamental question- why do you need to walk? The game is fairly simple in the way it is drawn out- there is a bowler with 10 fielders to help him in his task of getting one of two batsmen out. An umpire out in the middle makes all the decisions. In keeping with the simplicity of this setup, there is no reason, really, for the batsman to add the unnecessary complication of 'walking'.
Alright, the umpire's job is to decide if a chap is out or not, and his decision being final, there is no requirement to put the onus on batsmen. Till here, I can completely agree. There is no necessity for a batsman to walk. Yet, I cannot see the problem in a batsman choosing to walk. His personal choice does not in any way complicate the game or compromise the current setup. It is just that, his personal choice.

There is, of course, the plainly absurd suggestion that a batsman 'walking' on his own is undermining the umpire's authority out in the middle, and this action is even tantamount to (a new form of) dissent. In a word, this is ridiculous. If a player chooses to accept he was beaten by the bowler, that is his choice. It is hardly an insult to the umpire, and definitely not embarassing for him. If we are constantly being told that the 'human element' that the umpires bring in to the game is vital, where is the shame in being shown by a batsman himself, that you were about to make a wrong decision? Where is the shame in knowing that the right decision was made, even if not by you?
As ol' Shepp puts it, "Nonsense. The game is bigger than the umpires"

Then there is the question of motive. What is the thinking behind 'walking'? It is obvious that the trend stems from a desire for fairplay- it is in the correct spirit of not only cricket, but of any sport. While it has become common, indeed the norm, in all sport for players to leave the decision to a referee or umpire, even when they are in a position to take the call, how can the exception to this (very convenient) reality be questioned? Let us be practical and not condemn a batsman for not walking when he has, say, evidently nicked a ball. But let us also freely commend a batsman who, in the same situation, decides to leave the field of play. Let us believe he does this because he chooses to heed his conscience, and not for some ulterior motive.

The hemispheric distinction that used to exist between Australian and English batsmen who stayed and walked, respectively, brought its own inferences. Australians never walked, Englishmen sometimes did, and were often accused of of selective walking and ulterior motives. Today you have a self proclaimed non-walking Englishman suggesting that this new un-Australian Australian trend could end in tears ("Australians Fail to see the Shame in Walking").
Atherton (the said Englishman) says the game would be a "self governing idyll" if everyone were to adopt such an honest approach. Of course this will not happen. As he asserts that, he says that it is acceptable for a batsman to not walk, and to leave the decision making to the umpire.
"I was a confirmed non-walker and could easily live with the fact that I was asking an umpire to perform a job he is paid to do. I didn't, and still don't, regard that as cheating."

I don't think anyone regards that as cheating. It would be like expecting a footballer to graciously point to the penalty spot as soon as he even slightly touched the ball. Yet, it still does not take away from the inherent merit in being honest. It is easy, from here, to question the motives, again. Will honesty in obvious situations eventually build your reputation enough for you to get the benefit of the doubt when everything is not as obvious? I can see the logic in bringing this up, but not the sense. For me it is a simple case of double thinking. There is no end to this line of thought- nothing is what it seems, everything has a hidden agenda.

There is another point. If your consicence is powerful enough to make you walk, how do you explain appealing for catches that weren't nicked or edged LBWs? For me, that's another case of just pushing it.
"(the cases when Sehwag, Patel and Irfan were wrongly given out)...raises the question of why the players in front of the wicket appealed and why they didn't then ask the captain to recall the opener. How far are they prepared to go?"
For one, on-field play and batting are different in one significant way- a batsman choosing to walk is an individual choice, not to be imposed as a team dictat. On field, there are three, four, sometimes more players appealing for a wicket. Eventually the umpire is in the 'best position' to judge, better than most players are. It is, like Athertons' choice not to walk, definitely not required for one of the players who may think that the batsman was not out, to tell the rest that he does, and be sure enough to make the captain call the batsman back! That too, is defnitely not cheating.

For another, I believe that technology makes it so much easier for us to decide what is obvious. On the field, there are too many factors in play. Just like (even)close-in fielders may believe there is a nick when there isn't, a batsman sometimes honestly does not know when a bat pad has taken his bat, or just his pad. It works both ways, and to expect not only physical traits like sharp sight and hearing to be impeccable on the field, but also honesty, is really a bit much.

The last case is the most pertinent. Will these new proponents of fairplay be as principled when the situation is really tight? Now that's one truly worth wondering, and waiting to find out. To my mind, the possibility that these very batsmen may, one day, not walk when it is obvious they are out, should not sully in anyway their choice to do so, today. The only thing bigger than a World Cup semi-final is the Final, and it is cruel to today to say that Gilichrist's nick was big enough that he thought it was sure to be given out. Either way, he did not do the 'done' thing- sticking on to see the umpire's decision. In Kasprowicz's case as well, in the Chennai Test, it was very evident that the umpire was not giving him out. Yet he walked.

The other defense for not walking is that umpiring decisions tend to even out over the years.
Whether there is merit in that or not, it is another belief that cannot be held against those who walk. In cricket, like in life itself (how often do we hear that), things tend to balance out- or, that is what we would like to believe. That does not in any way, absolve us of our responsibility to live upto certain ideals. At any rate, if you don't believe in certain principles, at least respect another's choice to live by them.

To probe and prod into the actions and decisions betrays one's own cynicism. It is a measure of our skepticism that we cannot accept that some things may be done just for their own sake. The basis of fairplay is belief in the inherent goodness of human beings, and the desire to perpetuate that belief. While it may be too sweetly sweeping a generality to be anything more than a fairy-tale, it is a sign of our own doubt in human behaviour to not acknowledge fairness for itself. It is almost as if the fact that fairplay is rare, is held against it!

Some things are done because they are not only just, but also fair, and because they are good.
Why do we insist on questioning them?

* * *

Shame in walking // Holier than thou // To walk or not (rediff)//
To walk or not to walk (smh) // Walking fad // Gilchrist leads // Dissent?

Shift focus

Suddenly there are other things coming into focus, what with the intensity of Chennai fading a little. There is a world of cricket out there, albeit small, and it has continued it life while we languished in (vicarious) heat, humidity and tension.

Shoaib Malik joined the list of people reported for their suspect bowling action. It is a bit odd, given that the very sytem of bowling action reviewal, is under reviewal. It will be a neither-her-nor-there period for the all rounder, who has been performing pretty well recently. Being reported for a dodgy action must be a weighty burden to bear, though.

Even my ignorant self is in a state of some disbelief, that the ICC has found absolutely no racism or bias in the Zimbabwean cricket administration. There is concern if we see the apex body itself behaving with what is perceived by most as expediency. After waiting for months for sort of order to be brought back to the process of cricket in that coutnry, it is disheartening to see that any order now will be based on the dismissal of the reason for the controversy, and not its resolution.
Of course, England still treads warily as it embarks for the African nation, and Nasser Hussain is particularly hard in his warnings to the England captain.
"If something happens, Michael, and you lead a side out there and someone gets killed, it will tarnish English cricket and your name for a long while."
That is hardly what poor Vaughan would have been looking for on the eve of his departure. I believe it may be a tad harsh to expect him to take such a radical stand against the tour, and against a country. It is an issue mired in political machinations, and for a cricketer to make such a stand requires more than just brave morality. He is, after all, a sportsman out to ply his trade the best way he can, in the situations given to him.
I am not trying to make a case for sportsmen to be impervious to non sporting issues, but my immediate reaction would be that it is harsh to expect it of them to such an extent.

Parthiv's lease of life has yet to be panned by his critics, as far as I can tell.
"It is an enduring trait of a leader to stand by his men in thick and thin", says the TOI about SCG's faith in the young keeper. The onus truly lies on Patel now, and he must buckle down for some hard work to match the expectations of what once seemed like precocious talent.

Deano spoke of Healy early on in his career (at the time, they were roomates). The great keeper would wake at 6:30am, much earlier than required, and practice with golf balls against a wall. He would tread lightly to not disturb Dr Jones, except when he was just about to leave- he would then prod the sleeping figure and inform him he was leaving for practice.
Parthiv's youth has screwed him in this one way- he has hardly had any domestic cricket, and consequently very little match practice, especially in Indian conditions. He has either been on Test tours with the national team or ODI tours as non playing keeper. Maybe the latter was not such a great idea.

The walking thing is still doing the rounds. All those questioning its sense are starting see the light, or at least are being out-shouted by those applauding it. Here is a great dialogue attempting to resolve the issue. It apparently took place out on the pitch, in disconnected real time.

While some have questioned the wisdom in giving the Aussies such a long break to recoup for the third test, I am surprised by the extended break from all cricket they are geting from their own team mgmt. Some are off to Goa, some to Mumbai and Mr Gilchrist is off to Singapore for some R&R. For four days of the seven before Nagpur, they will be totally disconnected from the game. I understand the premise, but does such a total disconnect make sense?

I wonder where are the people calling for all the heads in the Indian team now. There has been a performance in Chennai that was creditable, yet not in any way showing the true potential of our batting lineup, but the mood in general is already upbeat. How can people who opine in the media be so easily swayed by bad performances and assuaged by slightly encouraging ones. How can they, indeed, be so fickle in pronouncing judement?

Meanwhile, the after-effects of Chennai are still being felt. While some continue their celebrations, others are turning to the Gods above, in fervent (and justified) queries on divine intervention.

Yoda, & initials on T3

"So unforseeably pointless, has today been, a day ."
Master Yoda (at least what he would have said if he followed cricket)

I still can't believe the rains messed this one up. I am almost at a loss for what to do, with no Day 5 to reflect upon. I would have been shattered if India had crumbled, and I would have wished for the humidity to convert to showers then. But irrespective of who had a better chance, I am pretty sure this would have been a cracker of a day. If it got close, it got close. If India managed to play exceptionally win, it would still have been a great chase. Either way, it would have been good cricket.
Though India surely had the better chance, as is reflected in an Aussie pundit's celebration.
Suddenly, Gillespie (and Martyn's) refusal to just fall over on Day 4 becomes all the more significant. Remember, that time they were all talking of the match wrapping up on the penultimate day itself...

It was not to be. The series stays at 1-0 and India's chances of winning it outright are tougher now than before. Chennai was our best chance, with the bouncy venomous pitch that it has. Nagpur promises to be a batter's paradise and I shudder to think what'll happen if we don't win the toss. Mumbai is a happy hunting ground for the Aussies, and in general a more 'international' pitch than hardcore Indian . That doesn't augur well. But HEY. There are positives to be gained from this match, and possibly some mental advantage.

What do you know. Irfan's side strain is bad enough for him to be ruled out of T4 which is more than a week away. This is going to be a big loss. As if Zaheer's slow return to form was not enough to cope with- now the fast bowling attacke is unlikely to have any teeth whatsoever. I do not see Nehra being a wicket taking bowler, and if he is not that then it is a problem, because he is very unlikely to be a tight, stifling bowler.

For instinctive reactions I would say we should now go in with three spinners. Ask the curator to make it as spin friendly as possible without being excessive or underhand (i.e- not to the extent of our tour of NZ, or Durban many years ago). Throw in Murali Karthik and let him know he is not a hot-shot wicket taking star. His job should be to plug one end up.

Yuvi looks all set to continue as opener, and that is a good thing given the current thinking. Like I said earlier, if he is the opener the team mgmt is looking at, he deserves to be given a fair run in the slot. His talent is there for all to see, but if you believe he is good enough to open, then give him a fair chance at it- i.e the rest of the series. After all, he has forced Aakash Chopra to make way, and there should be confidence (and consequence) behind that move. Parthiv, for one, should defnitely not be thrown up to this perpetually debated slot. Which brings me to him.

Parthiv. I am a little surprised, yet in some ways hardly at all, that he has been retained. There have been innumerable calls for his head, and I cannot argue with the logic behind all his detractors' thinking. Yet I can see the logic behind his backers' way of thought, which, all in all, is basically what i had spoken of here. It may extend beyond Sauravda to gentle Mr.Wright and the (new) selectors, but it is a line of thinking that has to be given credit for guts. Again, whether young Parthiv makes them looks like idiots or men of great foresight remains to be seen.
Those are the preliminary thoughts. More later, once I have fully recovered from the huge loss (of good cricket) that today has been.

T2 D5

09:30, IST
I don’t believe this.

10:39
All but officially called off.
The rest of a (mundane) life now comes sort of into focus.

16:00
This has been such an anti-climatic day. All my energies have subdued and withered, in the wake of such acute disappointment. It may have been worse had we lost, but I am sure ina different way. The cricket crackpot in me wanted today to happen so badly. I could not wait for the end to this intense Test match. Alas, it was not to be.

As Srikkanth inimitably yet unquotably said early this morning,
“Itz the north east monsoons, I tell you. The north east monsoons are not going to go away. In Chennai, the north east monsoons are known for this time. It is uhrly Octhober, the north east monsoons…”
Yes, got the idea, thankyou.

17:00
I wonder what the team for the rest of the series is going to be like.
I can check now.

T2 D4

20:20, IST
You can never settle down here. India and Australia have just not let any predictions or judgements hold ground for too long. Large parts of the Indian media growled and gushed about their team being in the ascendancy. It didn't sound true, and Martyn and Gillespie made sure it wasn't. For nearly two sessions, any Indian would have swung between hope, frustration, despair and despondency- all in the face of cricket that was resolute, irritating and even boring, but never irrelevant.

I sat through the entire first 2 sessions and felt all of the above. I tried to fathom what the batsmen were doing different, what we could do different, what we could do, period. But my non expert eye couldn't see anything except some seriously determined, and sensible batting from the Aussies. Of course, I also did see that Irfan could not bowl properly because of his side strain. That meant we couldn't fully exploit the reverse swing, or the new ball- despite Zaheer's valiant efforts. Martyn played lots and lots on the backfoot, and the zip having subsided in the pitch, Kumble looked less deadly. I also thought that Ganguly could have stifled them a bit more by using the same slightly defensive field he had contrived earlier. Not like they were creaming us for runs, but Martyn was comfortable enough to easily hide Gillespie from Bhajji. I think that was really crucial. Even though Gillespie's defense looked rock solid, Bhajji never got sustained time to work him over.

Parthiv. I can't start on his lapses, they were way too many in this innings to count. He really has a guardian angel if he finds himself in the team for the next 2 tests. A guardian angel who too cannot keep wickets for nuts, but hey- a guardian that can keep him in the team. Don't get me wrong- I like the guy, and his batting is really valuable-especially given the run the rest of the lineup is going through right now- but his keeping is becoming a genuine liability. Like Manjrekar pointed out, it is a great demoraliser for other keepers watching the match- knowing, very obviously, that they can do a better job behind the stumps- yet they are on the couch at home.

I did not see a ball of the last session. On the whole, Asutralia made 220 runs today- a 'mere' 220. By the end, (following the score via trusty SMS) I was hoping we did not have to bat today. What do you know we managed to not only keep our wickets in the three overs, but score 19 runs. I need to check the replay, for I was told Sehwag's reaction after the last ball (boundary) was worth watching. He is said to have ripped off his gloves and looked generally very aggressive and 'in the mood'. If he can maintain his wicket and the mood tomorrow.... no, I won't say it.

There is a bit about the "Hoo-haa" from the Chennai crowd, in this piece on Wisden. The Hoo-Haa chatn is soemthing I have heard for many years now, and no I have never been to the MA Chidambaram stadium. I have ben hearing it since college, and it is usually "Astala- kalikala...Hoo Haa, Hoo Haa!"...or something like that. No idea what its origins are but it sounds great and is really high on energy.

00:40
I caught the last part of the replay. Yuvi hit one boundary, and he somehow managed to get that semi-nick exactly between 3rd slip and gully. Sheesh. Sehwag is a madman. First ball for 4 to squareish third man. Last ball of the day (to be survived/blocked/left alone) -straight back past McGrath for a clean off-driven boundary finishing the day. I did not see anything too dramatic in his reactions, but he looked pretty charged up, and all geared up to come back in the morning. Just hope that holds him in good stead.

T2 D3

17:17, IST
What a tense struggle this is turning out to be. I missed all of the second session and half of last, but this is not going to be a canter. Kaif and Patel batted splendidly in the morning. The boy is batting real well, and that is retaining his place in the team because he is keeping like a schoolboy. (er...he is one, but thats another matter). In keeping with the catwalk rules in this series, he walked while Shephard dithered about the appeal (Dean Jones has suddenly decided this is agreat show of sportsmanship). At any rate, Kumble took his place in the stoutly resistant line.
Post lunch was a huge disappointment, with Kaif dehydrating and cramping so badly he could not make it on the field. I wonder how he sprinted off the field after the first session, though. I missed the whole session, but Kaif's appearance and subsequent dismissal on the field was quite a dramatic one, it seems.

Gilchrist coming up the order was perfect, and he almost did manage to sweep the game away from us. But out at 49, he had done a good but not overwhelming job. Patel really looks like he doesnt read the ball well enough sometimes behind the stumps; he dropped Gilly, and then Kumble decided he needed to do things on his own and promptly bowled him a couple of balls later. That wicket will leave India feeling possibly more buoyed than the Aussies overnight, but the difficulty of a 4th innings looms.

Martyn, Lehmann and Clarke to play, Warne to hoick around and possibly an (easier) first session to bat. Another absorbing day in prospect.

T2 D2

This is what you watch Test cricket for. Persevering efforts, turning points that just miss being so, moments that etch themselves in memory, intensity that saps, strategy that intrigues, questions that have many answers. Chennai was a cauldron today of not just simmering heat and humidity, but all these little ingredients, and then some.

Pathan and Sehwag manage, hearteningly, to blunt the morning attack and greet Warne with confidence. The great bowler finally owns his world record and looks much the relieved man for it. Dravid, all focus and concentration, stops on his way to the wicket to congratulate the opposition bowler- it is a nice sporting moment. He then plays a numerically small but significantly large part in a crucial partnership. Sehwag is engaged, more than once, in smiling banter with both the spinners- yes, Lehmann spins the ball too. Kasprowicz toils manfully and almost completely lucklessly before getting another wicket that is absolutely vital- the Wall himself.

Meanwhile Sehwag has made this day all his own. Despite 534 being so fantastic, it is 155 that is the more worthy number today. Laxman contrives, again, to look very very ordinary as he remains rooted to his beloved crease. The Australians continue their un-Australian behaviour as they drop a slew of catches. Viru plays out 4 dot balls of a Warne over with such concerted care that even Warne looks puzzled. Not one to disappoint, he smacks the next one through cover for a couple and heaves the last to a diving, and dare I say relieved, Michael Clarke in the deep.It is his first Test catch, after a couple of drops. Sehwag looks devastated as he walks off, much like the proverbial candy has been snatched from him. Warne foxes Kaif repeatedly before the 3 year comeback boy starts to look a little comfortable, in the company of that chap who looks like he really does still eat candy.

At 291/6 India are a moderate 56 runs ahead. A lead of 80 is a very likely, a lead of 100 is possible too, a lead of 150 is wishful thinking. Australia have fought back again, yet India haven't crumbled either. It is an intense, tight struggle for the upper hand.

Like I said, if you like Test cricket, you would have loved today.

Quotes:
Warne on the response from his opponents and team-mates
Rahul Dravid came in and shook my hand even before he'd faced a ball. I thought that was a great moment, and it said a lot about the spirit in which this series is being played. Sehwag shook my hand too, and Kumble and Yuvraj (Singh) came in to the room later. Also John Wright. I'd like to thank all those guys. My team-mates? Well, you could see that they were really happy for me

Sehwag on Warne's bowling today
Well, he took wickets, but I don't think he bowled quite that well.

Coaches and controversies

They spoke of Moody, Marsh and Waugh today. Yes, Steve Waugh. All as possible replacements for Eric Simmons, the South African coach. Well, it is Ray Jennings, the A team coach who has taken over. At least till next May, or till some controversy hits the team. I cannot imagine Stephen Waugh coaching any team besides Australia, and defnitely not the South Africans!

Pakistan overhauled Sri Lanka's 293 last night. It looked pretty tight when Ten Sports stopped transmitting on my cable, with 79 required off 59. Sri Lanka's winning streak suddenly does not seem so recent. Surely Pak are the favs to win the final on Saturday.

Talking of Streaks, The Zimbabwe crisis is really hard to figure out. The enquiry itself was mired in controversy, and it looks like Taibu and his men are going to be the Zim team after all. I can't explain it, its best read here.

So many cricket administrations are in some controversy or the other, in varying degrees. I can't bring myself to start on the Indian scene again. The South Africans are facing charges of bias. The Zimbabweans are rather hopeless. The English are sorta recovering from the long running brouhaha over the Zim tour. The Windies have Logie grumbling, and are searching for a new (surely foreign) coach. There whispers on Bracewell's power in NZ, and SL have a selector claiming the team management is selfish. Shockingly, all is quiet on the Pakistan front...!

Thoughts on dada

We have the right, and all the ease in the world, to criticise the players and the choices that are made regarding team composition, strategy and performance. We can be candid, opinionated and not worry, for we have nothing to lose. There is one man, though, who is involved in all of these who probably has the most to lose.

Saurav Ganguly has been an inspirational leader, result-forcing cricketer and quite often, a winning captain. Along with his team, his every move is subject to public opinion, condemnation, analysis and general gyaan. His decisions and choices can make him the most loved man in the country for a day or the most villified. There are vicious calls for his head, in the face of (one) Bangalore debacle. The achievments since 2002 can so easily be forgotten. He is one who will always be looking over his shoulder. Or at least, will see many knives if he bothers to look over his shoulder.

How often in the past has it happened that we have (selectorially) resorted to new ideas mid way through series and tours, as stricken moves during bad performances. But therein lies one of Ganguly's greatest (if not the greatest) strengths as a leader. All his actions, strategies and decisions are borne out of a deep sense of belief. He develops faith in players and team combinations, and that Faith has its root deep in his belief system. It is this very faith that often leads to what seems like (and maybe sometimes has been) inflexibility. Yet it is this very faith that has made his boys rally around him and give him their best shot.

Sauravda could easily have been another captain who threw up his hands (or let the media do it for him) about the lack of specialist openers, consistent new ball bowlers and other pitfalls. Instead he chooses to work with the options and those he believes are the best available. He chooses to place his faith in the options he chooses, and chooses to back them. It is this fundamental leadership quality that has allowed him to bind this team together like no other in the recent past.
And it is this faith and belief that has seen Yuvraj still in the playing XI, and still with a chance, with new opprtunities. The same for Zaheer Khan. In making these choices, Ganguly is putting his own thinking on the line. He is not taking the easy way out, panicking and making changes that will not reflect badly on him- whose failure will not be his responsibility. But with the choices he has always made, he has been ready to put his own head on the block. If Yuvraj fails again, it will be viewed not only as a waste of his talent, but also a failure on his captain's part.

But this captain is ready to take these chances, he is ready to stand behind his players, and he believes they will justify his faith in them
The only problem in this lies in the ease with which he can be made to look silly. It remains to be seen if the people involved in the decisions can make him look good, again. Make his passionate otulook-derived from faith- look also, like insightful acumen.

This has been a tad scratchy and hurriedly jotted down, but it is also 1.30 in the morning.

1:55am- Sambit Bal makes a very nice point about Ganguly and the BCCI. He is especially right about how you can fault Ganguly for many things, but not for the worst thing you could pick.

The walking thing

So there was considerable surprise, consternation, applause and disowning of the widespread 'walking' the Aussies indulged in today. I said recently that Gilchrist was one of my favourite cricketers and his choice to 'walk' was definitely one aspect that I admired, especially being in an Australian team. What is surprising is to see it being (is it?) adopted as some sort of team policy.

If the thinking is that Australia need to be world leaders not just world beaters, it is to be commended. I doubt, though, that Gilchrist and others who think like him can impose it on the batsmen. It eventually boils down to personal choice, and you can't really hold it against a player who decides not to walk. Hang on, I am all for it, but the way it has been far and away the exception rather than the rule, I believe you cannot condemn a batsman who decides to walk only once he sees the finger. Yet, I definitely believe you cannot express bafflement at someone who does. The basis of 'walking' is , without any doubt, sportsmanship. To look for other reasons for it or gains to be had from it is ridiculous.

Slater and Dean Jones were both unsure if they liked all this newfangled Australian spirit. Deano, for one, wanted to know what the batsman gout out it. It would not help him in any way in any forthcoming innings, so what was the point. It is not really being done for any ulterior motives.

I think all those who practise it should be unequivocally patted on the back for bringing the game into repute. It is a good feeling to see the hardest fighter walk away in a tough situation merely because he believes he ought to. It definitely does not detract from a player's fighting qualities or passion for his team. It only showcases his passion for fairplay, and I can't see how anyone can put him down for it, or question his actions' merits.

And to extend the thinking (for Deano and his ilk), a player who regulary and reliably walks when he knows he is out could, in time, create enough of a reputation for an umpire to think twice before giving him out if he is not walking....no? How's that for tangibles?

update: So at night I find I am not theonly one who notices all this this much. Here's some more musings on this..the second one I find a tad silly, the first spot on:
Gilchrist leads // Dissent?

Life outside Chepauk

Oh, and Pakistan play Sri Lanka in what I last saw was a not so full Gadaffi stadium. Openers went quickly and now they are....they just finished on 293 for 6! Not bad...will check who scored...
It is a practice match for the Final. This is another one of these not really followed or very consequential ODI tournaments...

Meanwhile, it seems Beckham is not as smart as he thought. His self-proclaimed intelligence and sharp thinking has not quite been in the league he presumed. There are calls for his sacking as captain, fining, and general disapproval. He has since apologised, saying he made a mistake ( which he first viewed as evidence of posessing brains). Oh, well.
more at the telegraphUK.

T2 D1

16:00, IST
What a turnaround. 111 for none at lunch and everyone though, “Here we go again”. Now it is 235 and Yuvraj is going to walk out to open for the first time.
I don’t think this Test is going to go the distance. And its not going to be easy for us to bat either.
But right now enjoy Kumble’s 7 wicket haul, and getting their last 10 wickets for 99….!

17:10
So Yuvi got out before play ended, but managed to face the quicks without giving them his wicket. Did not see how he actually got out, but it has been a good day overall. Who would have thought, at lunch time. We were staring at a 400plus total yet again. But Bhajji and Kumble bowled tirelessly. Not only that, I think they were pretty accurate. Both of them erred at different times in the first test but here they both were insistent today. Good stuff. I thought it may have been better to send Kumble instead of Pathan, but I hope he hangs on for a while tomorrow.
I guess Clark dropping Yuvi has not turned out to be expensive in terms of runs but it would have put us under tremendous pressure, with Dravid coming in early yet again. I thought when Yuvi dropped Katich (team total 192), we would pay dearly, but thank heavens that did not happen.

T2 is upon us

My complaints with the Indian media are echoed, in some measure, by Dileep Premachandran at wisden in what he calls "Mental Disintegration from Within".
I do believe, though, that it is perfectly ok for us to go a little over the top covering the visiting Australians. Just because they choose not to cover us in the same way, does not make it the only desirable option. We are pretty crazy about cricket, and an Australian tour is especially noteworthy. And the fact that Gilchrist's slum visit in Chennai may be echoing Waugh's big heart, doesn't mean it is not commendable in its own right.

Lehmann's remarks about Clarke are a little suprising. While he is being generous in his proposition, it does seem odd that he would suggest his own exclusion, to make it easier for the selectors to drop him...

It is the eve of the first test, and I still haven't read too much about how the pitch will play. It is suprising, as is pondered here.

At any rate, even the team seems to be waiting to see what the pitch looks like tomorrow morning. Surely there must be some indication of what it is like? I did not catch any of the TV reports so I dont know if they gave us a glimpse.
Wright has ruled out 3 spinners but Ganguly has not. He has confirmed though that Zaheer will keep his place if two pacers are played. He (Zaheer) better pull up his game though. Kaif seems to be all set to get a look in and Chopra's could just be facing a long term lull in his career. If they believe Yuvraj is a serious option they should give him an extended run, and if he botches it up, the Gambhirs, Jadhavs and even Jaffers await.

It is truly disheartening to see SRT cooling his heels on the sidelines though. He sounds particularly upset about the whole situation. Why wouldn't he be, given that the next time Australia are to come here he will be well past 35.
But what we need now more than anything else, is to win the toss tomorrow!

Bright Beckham, and...

Read an interesting piece about Beckham's intention of getting that much-talked about yellow card against Wales. It seems that his thinking behind the foul puts him well in the clear, and absolves him of all the unprofessionalism he has been accused of.

"I am sure some people think that I have not got the brains to be that clever," said Beckham, speaking from his home in Hertfordshire yesterday. "But I do have the brains. I could feel the injury. So I fouled Thatcher. It was deliberate. I knew straight away I had broken my ribs. I have done it before. I knew I will be out for a few weeks, so I thought: `Let's get the yellow card out of the way."

I can't say if he is telling the truth, but it does raise the question in my head about the sportsmanship of it all. He knew he was going to be out so he fouled someone?? Is it acceptable for a sportsman to behave that way, with that intent, with that reasoning, against an opponent?
Not just acceptable. It seems it is to be commended as foresight and intelligence- something that will not only explain but also justify his act. I don't get it.

And then there is this from Mr Dharker today. Amazing.
This is just one of the gems.

"Leading this debacle from the rear is captain Sourav Ganguly. If there is any accountability at all, he and coach John Wright should be sacked. And sacked right now, before Chennai. "

I couldn't be bothered going after this one, really...

Fickle

The adjective long associated with Indian cricket has been fickle. The batsmen are fickle with their form, the bowlers with their skill/ fitness as the case may be, the selectors with their picks, the Board with its commitment, the fans with their support...the list has always been endless.

With substantial respect all around (and none whatsoever for my own non-journalistic roots) I would suggest that often, Indian journalists too are fickle. The media in general here is victim to what ails many aspects of the game in India- the need for everything to be frontpage-worthy or sensational or controversial, or a bit of all. Hindsight is a gift to be used but sparingly- and while that seems to be often ignored, often so is foresight, it would seem.

And while I am going to focus in particular on a couple of things I read as India was on the brink of a massive defeat, it is the overall treatment of our batting failure, and the team in general, that prompts this piece. At the best of times, the Indian team has been a slow starter. We are not known for hitting the ground running. Mumbai 2001, SA 2003, Brisbane, it is more often the norm than the exception. I do believe that the media plays, in its many roles, one of keeping up team morale. Maybe not a role it takes on gladly or consciously, but it affects this area nevertheless. Skewed pessimism, as far as I can tell, hardly serves any purpose.

There are a hundred theories that can be put forth for India's dismal batting (and loss) in Bangalore, a performace well below expectations....-that the expectations were founded on what was almost a fluke, is hardly the most credible.
This is what seems to be the line of thought in this article in the TOI on Sunday:
"It is almost impossible for all of them to regain that sublime touch and bat like kings; maybe it's time to stop living in that dream and come back to reality".
BVK is referring here to the successes in Australia and Pakistan recently.

He goes on to make some valid points about how Indian cricketers (must) learn to live on the edge, for they are loved one day and despised the next. How that is probably a reflection of the way we are as a people. But then he continues, much less charitably,
"The cricketers, however, play a significant role in this paradox. They look at the adulation and feel that they have conquered the world; they look at their own advertisements on television and think that they are infallible. Instead of trying to get better, they start believing that they are Gods; instead of getting closer and nicer to the fans, they treat them like dirt and unavoidable evils.
It’s just a matter of time after that to fall. "

Where does all this come from? The cricketers who, he claims, now believe they are infallible after watching TV testimonials of their fame, are the same ones who performed all the feats in the last 12-18 months. They are also the same (Ganguly, Sehwag, Dravid, Sachin, Laxman) who were superstars well before their glorious run in the recent past. By Australia, and subsequently Pakistan, these cricketers had been superstars for more than a little while. They had seen themselves plastered across billboards and TV screens for months already- even years. The only one who has rocketed to superstardom in the past few months is Irfan Pathan, and he, probably, accounted for himself more than any other in this first test.

It is the same line of thinking that drove protesters to Dravid and Kaif's houses earlier in 2003. The World Cup had begun to look like a debacle just as it had started, and the slew of TV ads featuring cricketers p***sed people off no end. The ads were soon forgotten when we began a famous run that was to take us to the Finals.

Then there was this from Ayaz Memon whose was more a call for passion than a condemnation of talent:
"Obviously the players have not lost their skills overnight. That defies the logic of sports. But it does appear that after the successful tours of Australia and Pakistan last season, they believed that everything that had to be achieved, has been, which has led to complacency and a devil-may-care disregard for national pride and public opinion.

In other disciplines, players have been sacked for less. In cricket, which offers vast financial rewards and great glory, there will always be the demand for more. That comes with the turf, and those who are unfit to meet those demands will have to willy-nilly vacate the coveted space they occupy in Indian society. "

It is easy for us to attribute lack of performance to "a devil-may-care disregard for national pride", but it is also presumptous. If national pride and desire were enough, cricket successes would be a different story altogether. To me, lack of batting form suggest many things, but it does not indicate lack of pride- from the very same people who created history for their country recently.

I am not for picking a bone with either of these two gentlemen, both of whose writings I have often hearitly agreed with, and also liked. In fact, that is what surprises me when explanations are sought in the most non cricketing of reasons, steeped in what almost seems like unmitigated pessismism.

This is the beginning of the series. I would much rather we took our time to pronounce such harsh judgement on commitment, talent and the making of glorious dreams that were, not so long ago, reality.

Happy Days are over again-Bobbili Kumar // Commitment, passion,accountability-Memon

T1 D4

13:35
Ugh. This look like its going to be a huge loss. All I wanted was a worthy defeat.
Go ahead, make your Sunday plans, everyone.

13:28
Atrocious decision to Sehwag. That was a really big nick, but I guess if the teams were reversed we would say that it did not really matter in the big picture, as this is a lost cause. I figure he should be fined for his words to Billy but not more, am quite sure he just told him he had got an edge, nothing rude. Should have abused him in Hindi, though!
Chopra could be heading home, esp if SRT returns for Chennai.

Why does Gillespie make it a point to look as viciously ugly as he possibly can??

12:52, IST
457
That’s the world record score we need to chase down.
Wait and watch.
Bhajji has another five-fer, 11 for the match. And that’s good irrespective. Could have been more significant, but given we are going after 457 now, it’s a little tarnished. Yet, all but McGrath’s wicket were not gifts. It was not as if the Aussies were going hammer and tongs for the runs and threw their wickets away. They were careful, defensive and he still got six.

Adam Gilchrist has got to be one of my favourite cricketers. I absolutely love the way he bats, think he is easily the most valuable no.7 I have seen or heard of and has a great outlook and attitude to the game which he always seems to be enjoying. When he walked today (again), as soon as he had played the shot, it was great. There are hardly any players in world cricket you think would walk, and he is definitely one of them. You don’t see this happening these days. Of course, Gillespie walked soon after, though Slow Steve had already decided to give him not out. Saved him the blushes, at least.

Courtesy Fox

18:06, IST
Staring at the proverbial barrel(s). It is a double bore shotgun, you see. And no, Kolkata 2001 cannot happen everytime.
Interesting chat between Deano and Atherton about final XI selection structures. They spoke of their respective countries, and there are different takes on it in different places.
In India, the selectors, consulting coach and captain, select the squad. The playing XI, in home series, is finally decided by the selectors, but in away tours the on team management (captain coach etc) decide.
The West Indies have just decided to give much more clout to the coach (not yet appointed, but srely a foreign one), who will have the casting vote in selection matters, and so obviouslty will have the last say in the final eleven too.
In England, the captain is part of the selection process (with a vote, I think) and he, with the coach decides the playing eleven at any given time.

For the Australians, Deano tells us, the three member selectin committee is all powerful. Even when it comes to the composition of the playing eleven, the coach has no say, the captain is 'consulted', and the three stooges take the final call- even when it is an away tour. Which means that though they are not present at the field of play, the selectors are presumed to perceive the tour goings-on well enough to choose who will play. Border replaces Chairman trevor Hohns in India is what I think they were saying, but the question Athers asked was whether all 3 members manage to see the play here, sitting back there?
"Of course" Dean Jones said. "We have Fox Sports back home."
?
Sounds dodgy to me.

T1 D3

13:40,IST
246 all out. Another insurmountable taslk lies ahead. Miracles cannot be anticipated. If they happen, then they are (unexpected) miracles.
Dean Jones was wondering why a big match (i.e a test v Australia) was being played at a venue like Nagpur, and not a big venue like Eden Gardens. Easy there, Professor Jones. There are other ‘big’ matches too, like the one off ODI against Pakistan on Nov 14 and a test match against South Africa, to be held at Eden Gardens. Don’t presume the eminence of the Australian team, things work differently down here.
Oh well, the Australian IInd innings is underway.

11:45 IST
Almost the best session we could have asked for. Almost, except for the tiny matter of Pathan’s dismissal. Unfortunate, unlucky, and plain incorrect. It all evens out in the end, I guess, but I can’t see Kumble fighting the way Pathan was. There was a time you could have expected it, but Kumble’s (average) batting has been on the wane in recent years. It was surprising, heartening and sad to see the way we have batted till now. Surprising that numbers 6 & 7 made it look so easy. Heartening that they applied themselves in such a focussed manner, and sad that the top six could not have done a bit of this.

And no, I don’t think Warne’s ball to Laxman was in the same league as the ball to gatting, once to Kallis, or even Upul Chandana’s in the recent Asia Cup. It was a good ball no doubt, but Laxman played inside it too much.

Quandries from a debutant

I have been wondering. Once Ponting is back, what will the Australian XI be like? It would seem crazy to contemplate dropping Clarke or Katich. Yet, Lehmann recognised as one of their better players of spin, and Martyn’s class is beyond doubt. What will they do? So much for Brad Hodge’s test career taking off. Not for a while yet, mate.
And does it look like Lee will get a look-in this series?

And talking of fantastic debuts, there is a crazy statistic though. Of the 79 players who have scored a century on Test debut, 30 haven’t scored another. Another 14 have scored only one more. That’s an amazing 44 of the 79. It is a strange story.

Waugh-dada

There is a new section on ESPN’s Sportcenter India called Simson’s corner featuring some (cricket expert)called Charlie Simson. After his analysis of Day 2, he went on to make a big statement. He praised Ganguly’s batting and proposed that he could well be India’s Steve Waugh. Now hang on a minute. It may not be as bizarre as it sounds, nor as true as we would like it to be. In terms of leadership I believe Ganguly’s contribution and place in Indian cricket is exceptional. He has been outstanding in moulding young skills with attitude and heart, and has given the team his backing at all times. There is a confidence and aggression he has brought to the side that was severely lacking and almost unheard of in Indian cricket. In batting skill, though, he is nowhere near Tugga the great. Steve Waugh was the man who you would choose to “bat for your life”. Notwithstanding the fighting abilities that Sauravda has recently displayed (Brisbane, Sri Lanka, England), he is not on the same plane when it comes to sheer obduracy and reliability.

T1 D2

21:45pm
Oh well. What do I say when we have finished at 150/6 chasing 474. I did not see a ball after 49/2, and heard it was 80 odd for 2 so I assume there was some mindless batting. Though the ball to laxman, I just read, has been compared to the best of Warne, while Ganguly also got out to a ripper, it seems. Dravid's gate was open a wee bit too much but that was quite a ball. I saw it, so I know.
Slater explained to us what a poster in the stands meant. he told us about pills that he always travels with, esp to India. And the banner said, "Mum send some Imodium". Another one said was titled Warne, and said, "Wicket /Bean count: 528 / 5295728254650."

14:00, IST
Its nerve racking to watch Sehwag bat.
It is heart-rending to watch Rahul Dravid get out. He is genuinely the backbone of the Indian batting, and my heart well and truly sank when he was bowled. There was doubt, maybe, on Chopra’s dismissal but that’s the way it is, and it was an atrocious leave, especially on an Indian pitch.
Earlier, Clarke played like it was his 50th test, the Indians looked low on energy, DD Sports went into ad breaks mid way through commentary time and again, and I watched the match slip away. Charu Sharma harped on Clarke’s parents’ emotions, and insisted on asking Atul Wassan again and again how his parents were wehen he made an achievement. He did not do anything special in the Indian team dude, why are you embarrassing him.

34/2 at tea. Where does this go from here. We cannot expect another revival from the Indian batsmen a la Calcutta and Adelaide, but we can hope anyhow.

Day 1

13.45, IST
Gosh what a buzz when Michael Clarke comes out. More so for the commentators and me than the stadium, but he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting young faces of cricket. Will be a shock if he does not succeed at this highest level. I almost want him to do well. Kumble is one shy of 400, and Pathan showed tremendous spirit…and skill.

13:15, IST
LS (Laxman Sivaramakrishnan) is not able to remember his player number for Dean Jones. It is surprising for Deano that a player does not know what number Test player he has been for his country.
This comes from a short recap of Michael Clarke receiving his baggy green from Shane Warne earlier in the morning. It has always fascinated me, how much of tradition and emotion is attached to the baggy green, and how important tradition is for them. It is a great way of thinking, and I often miss it in Indian cricket.

11.55am, IST
Its been an engrossing first session, but Krish Srikkanth insists on taking entertainment honours in the mid session show, Fourth Umpire. After gems too many to recount, he finally finishes by insisting that athleticism is not needed in tests.
“Er, what? What about fielding, catching etc…”, ask Atul Wasan and Charu Sharma.
“I’m not saying you don’t need to catch, I am just saying in Tests you don’t need to be athletic, it is not important.”
Wow, chikka.
Unbelievably, the show is called 'Fair and Lovely Fourth Umpire'.

You're great, ol' chap, but...

An interesting anecdote that seemed funnier at the time (scotch does that to you sometimes).

In an Indo-Pak cricket match quite a few years ago, Prabhakar managed to get Imran out. In characteristic style, he pumped his fist in the air, pointedly so at the great man as he walked off.
Later, they met in the evening- at a dinner, I think. Prabahakar smiled ruefully and apologised to the highly respected Imran for the gesture, which could easily have been construed as rude. Imran, hardly offended, thought it was a sign of Prabhakar's great spirit. He smilingly told him that it did not matter at all and that, "Tu sher hai....par tu galat side ke liye khelta hai."
(You're a lion on the field, but you play for the wrong team)

I was told this as well, night before last...by a Pakistani who said I was a great guy....but damn, I was on the wrong team!

...but Australia cometh first

18:45, IST
In 48 hours I will be looking back on the first day’s play of the first test between India and Australia. Another series will be underway, and the world will be watching. In some ways, I can’t wait. In most ways, I can’t wait. But I am apprehensive.

The last two series between these teams have been, almost, from a different planet. The Border-Gavaskar trophy has fact become the series to watch out for. While India’s win in Pakistan was historic and mind-numbingly euphoric, it is not in the same league- for sheer unpredictability, drama and deep self discovery.

The Aussies come here this time a much improved side in general, and against spin in particular. They are still savouring a worthy win in Sri Lanka despite Murali, and their confidence, hardly ever an issue, seems to be at its best coming into an Indian series.
India last played a Test in April this year, and there is only so much you can separate form in the two styles of the game. A string of insipid performances in ODIs starting July is the leadup to this series, and that is hardly confidence boosting. In 2001 India won with a stunning fightback heralded by a couple of amazing individual performances. Last year, down under, it was a wholesome performance from a spirited and self believing team. In both cases, the team rose way above its own form and general perception, to galvanise the cricket. What’s there to say we can’t do it again? Why the apprehension, you’d say.

Well, this time it will all have to be repeated. They must summon all that individual brilliance, all that steely resolve, all that team spirit. And what’s more, against a team that is probably the best prepared to visit our shores in recent times. The team must, yet again, rise above its own current form, and buck the trend. It will be a serious test of character for the men in blue. They have come through many in the past few years, mostly with colours that can be described as a little short of flying, and here’s another mountain. But for a team that is still groping for the Second Best in the world title, such tests are an inevitability.

As for an Indian cricket fan, is the the apprehension.
Or should I have been saying… excitement.

I can’t wait.

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