Indian Cricket Team and the Spider Story

Once upon a time there was a strong kingdom which had a powerful King, warrior soldiers, intellectual well wishers who were ably guided and protected by wise men.

With no onslaught expected the king was advised to get rid of unutilised species whoever they were from the kingdom and ultimately it zeroed down to spiders who were identified as having a least worth.

Out of nowhere, a war erupted and the king

had to flee, only to find shelter in an unprotected cave in faraway mountains. As the night progressed, king heard whispers from the enemy soldiers near the cave but surprisingly, they walked away. As the sun rose, king came out of the cave to find out that the spiders had built a web in the night outside the cave and the opponents just walked away assuming no one could reside there.

The king realised his mistake, dropped his plan to get rid of spiders and went on to defeat the enemy at next opportunity.

That’s what exactly happened in India Australia Test match at Sydney yesterday. The guns were blazing everywhere to get rid of Pujaras, Viharis and Pants from the team. Fortunately we had a wise king in Rahane who stood by his spiders and the web they built (supported by ‘Always under the lens’ Ashwin) not only saved the kingdom from ignominy of defeat but(also) the platoon is now ready for the final battle at Brisbane.

Amazing turnaround by the Indian Cricket Team at Sydney and though a lot of homework is needed for Gabba, interesting times lie ahead.

Mentally strong team will take the series and accolades. May the game of cricket win rather than off the ground nuisance. 

Disclaimer: The imaginary story is used as a reference only and does not intend to compare any individual with spiders.The intention is to positively correlate all the hard work spiders do to build the web for its own benefit.

Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times and Wikipedia

A perfect partner:Chetan Chauhan

One always needs a partner whose eye contact,body language and sheer presence makes you assured about yourself.

If one needs to make it big in life, you should have a partner who is always there for you in thick and thin situations. 

That’s exactly what Chetan Chauhan was to Indian Cricket and Sunil Gavaskar.

With Gavaskar, Chauhan redefined the definition of opening partnership and went on to become one of most trusted lieutenants of Indian Cricket.

For Chauhan, Gavaskar was his leader, partner and by all means a mentor for whom he almost infamously left the cricket ground in Melbourne when to later’s amusement, he was given out by the umpire against Deniss Lillee.

If Gavaskar retired as India’s leading test scorer with 34 centuries, Chauhan got into oblivion without scoring a single century. That probably remains his most highlighted achievement of his career. However it speaks volumes for his consistency,commitment and contribution towards the game.

But there was so much more about Chauhan than Gavaskar. He was a typical khadoos opening batsman, putting a heavy price on his wicket and not to get bogged down against top class bowlers. Wish only those eluding centuries came his way too 😔 

Chauhan went to become an able admistrator, an honest lawmaker and still had a long political career in front of him when COVID caught him off the guard only to succumb to his trademark of not converting a good start into long innings.

Chetan Chauhan ! You will always be remembered as early pioneers of Indian Cricket who made the world take a note of India’s supremacy and will be regarded as one of the best opening batsmen, the country was ever blessed with.

RIP Chetan Chauhan 🙇‍♀️ 

Images Courtsey: Dainik Bhaskar

 

Take a bow 🙇‍♀️ Legend MSD

A stalwart bids adieu and one wonders whether we treat this as one of the saddest days of Indian Cricket or congratulate media for finally achieving its goal by consistently taking up a cause for MSD farewell.

Gavaskar had once famously said,

“Retire, and let people ask WHY? Rather than getting asked WHEN?”

Media seems to pick up this cause of ‘WHEN’ as soon as they see someone falter even once and are happy to take expert role to write a cricket obituary.

As MSD retires from International Cricket, luckily for the fans, the world has a window in form of IPL and hopefully we see him around for few more years to come.

As a typical fan of the BIG 5, MS was always an outsider for many amongst the cricket followers and one wondered whether the long haired raw teenager had the potential to carry heavyweights under his leadership and boy ! 

He brought the glory home for the first time in 2007 World Cup 20-20 and then made it a habit to take the podium position whether it was IPL, Champions Trophy or that coveted 2011 World Cup which made India erupt in loud cheers and tears for the Master Blaster Sachin.

The time flies, a career that started as a rusty teenager is about to end as a legend. We might have seen one of the best ever keepers and skippers of India bidding adieu to the game we loved and he lived.

Each legend gives us something to learn but Dhoni gave us patience, cool head, difficult mind to read and most importantly an ideal leadership one should idolise and aspire for.

Thanks Dhoni for giving us those wonderful years and bringing those amazing moments for all the cricket fans, the world over.

Take a bow 🙇‍♀️ ‘The Real Keeper of Indian Cricket’ 🙇‍♂️ 

Image Courtesy: Economic Times

Disclaimer: The article is personal tribute to a glorious cricketer and does not intend to comment about the ups and downs of the Indian Cricket.

The spin wizard Rajinder Goel ! A silent contributor call it quits 🙏

A silent cricketer, who could never make it to playing 11 and still regarded as one of the greatest to grace the Indian cricket walked out of life.

Rajinder Goel, a fine left arm spinner died and the news occupied a small corner of sports page today.

As cricket is going 20-20 way and new generation inclined to follow IPL heroes, spinners are to be hit out of ground. But one who can keep the batsman in his crease and have him tied up is still regarded as a top notch cricketer. Goel, probably would have been one of the greatest finds of IPL had he played 40 years later.

With quartet of Bedi, Chandra, Prasanna and Venkat, it was obviously a challenge to find a fifth place and the dream remained void forever.

A cricketer who never regretted not getting a blue cap and still wound up as highest wicket taker in Ranji Trophy by no means is a small achievement.

Nonetheless, not representing the country can only reduce the visibility but not the greatness.

Indian cricket was blessed to have Goel.

RIP Rajinder Goel 🙏🙏

Image Courtesy: Cricket Addictor
BCCIBCCI Domestic #ICC

The GOD, Sachin is 47 ! Happy Birthday 🙇‍♂️

God is Great !
God is Kind !
God is loved by All !

Circa 1987, the original GOD of cricket Sunil Gavaskar declared recluse and all of sudden, India felt orphaned for what matters them the most ‘Cricket’.

2 years down the line in 1989, a small boy walked on the field in hostile conditions against aggressive opponents Pakistan. Waqar Younis’s bullet speed delivery found the boy’s nose and bleeding was all over to see. The world sighed but the boy walked back composed to his crease. It was the first indication that the GOD might be reincarnated.

1993 and the boy found himself bowling the last over in HERO Cup semifinals. Miracles do happen and the boy took India to victory against South Africa. We wondered whether the GOD was for real.

Year 1998 and the youngster was going great guns against the mighty Aussies and out of nowhere appeared the ‘Desert Storm’. Sharjah weather was never so harsh but when the nature goes against a common man, only ‘The God’ can withstand the calamity. Our belief in GOD got established.

A year later, the star single handedly took against the original rivals Pakistan in Chennai but failed for 136 as India lost the game. For the first time we saw the idol in pain. Minds started thinking whether GOD is human too!

With Dada at helm and team in supreme form, it was matter of time that Shoaib Akhtar was thrown out of the boundary ropes in 2003 World Cup. But the team returned empty handed in finals and even the GOD could not break the jinx.

A completely out of form superstar scored 241* against Aussies in Sydney in 2004 proved to the world that its only GOD who can control his emotions.

A long wait and the final frontier was ultimately won over. India became World Champions for the second time after 28 years in 2011. The GOD cried and so did the followers.

100 centuries , 50k first class runs, unbeatable record is just a by product of the genius who brought people together, made them forget their religions to cheer the GOD through one common DNA called ‘Cricket’ and the GOD never disappointed.

Finally in the year 2013, after 24 years of blessing his disciples, the GOD declared that he was a MORTAL too!

The GOD of Sachin Tendulkar will always remain our favourite cricketer but the world of cricket will never be the same again.

The human of Sachin Tendulkar turns 47 today and may he blessed to rule our hearts for many more years to come.

Take a bow GOD of Cricket, ‘Sachinnn.. Sachinnnn..’

Image Courtesy: The Sportstar

Disclaimer: The blog is a personal tribute to Sachin Tendulkar and does not intend to comment or compare his contemporaries.It celebrates his birthday with like minded fans.

Extremely saddened by the demise of the on field Bapu, the great ‘Bapu Nadkarni’.

Bapu as the name suggests was the other name of keeping composure, focus and testing patience of the opponents through his accurate bowling ultimately paving the way for batsman to walk back towards the pavilion.

Some players make a great impact on the game and are remembered even after more than 50 years of retirement. Bapu, as was fondly called was one of those Indian stalwarts who made a difference to Indian cricket when it was overshadowed in a glory called ‘Hockey’.

A typical maharashtrian believing more in his ability than glamour was the core of Bapu’s utility to his team.

A bowler who is applauded for long spells will realise what Bapu must have gone through when he selflessly used to bowl those 40+ overs in a test match.

In the world of IPLs, when a bowler attains greatness with an economy of lesser than 7RPO, here was the man who ended his career with an economy of 1.67 RPO, a rate which will put any modern day great to bow down for this orthodox oldie of the game.

Bapu’s bowling figures of 32-27-5-0 which included a record 21 consecutive maiden overs against Englishmen will still inspire any bowler who wants to be known for his accuracy. Bapu by no means was a mere bowler and has scored a century at the test level as well.

For the record keepers, Bapu played 41 test matches, scored more than 1400 runs and took 88 wickets.

Bapu retired even before people like me were born. But, the impact he created has remained with us forever.

Cricket is called gentleman’s game and probably people like Bapu made the name worthy and justified.

Cricketers like Bapu are born once in a generation and we must feel honoured that he represented Maharashtra and India at the highest level.

RIP Bapu and May your name inspire millions of those aspiring young cricketers for years to come.

Image courtesy: Dainik Bhaskar

The legend is 70 ! Happy Birthday Sunil Gavaskar

It was Gavaskar

De real master

Just like a wall

We couldn't out Gavaskar at all, not at all

You know the West Indies couldn't out Gavaskar at all !!

The calypso might sound redundant today but it mattered in 70s and 80s, when the pacemen from Windies were no less than an army and very few batsmen in the globe had the courage to face them, forget even dominating them.

As the world wasn’t curious enough to talk about Indian cricket and its results, his own country not expecting any miracles on the ground and media in hibernation, came a young Mumbaikar by the name Sunil Manohar Gavaskar, all of 21 and stood like a rock to create history and scored 774 runs in four test matches in his debut series. He along with Dilip Sardesai brought the greatest laurel for the nation and the then skipper Ajit Wadekar when India beat the might of Windies in famous victory in the year 1971.

The calypso what Windies made, went on to be a reality for the bowlers around the world till Gavaskar hung up his boots in 1987.

For almost 17 years, Gavaskar was making and breaking records at will, but what probably highlights, is his contribution in building the future generation of cricket in India. Master blaster Sachin could be an ideal example to showcase the impact Gavaskar had on the youngsters in his era.

Today, India is blessed with many stalwarts but one man who showed the way for being ‘Fearless against Fearsome’ was none other than Gavaskar. How to build an innings, face the pace on overseas grounds is an inspiration and a lesson for youngsters even today.

In a true sense, it was Gavaskar who made India fall in love with cricket.

Many still rate Gavaskar as a defensive captain, but it was him who made his team learn to draw matches rather than loosing them. May be that was the first step towards transformation of winning days to come.

Post retirement, Gavaskar was the first Indian cricketer to establish himself as a full time commentator and has carved a special niche in the box. The camaraderie he carries with today’s generation of commentators makes Gavaskar an ageless sportsman.

As true cricket fans, we would have loved to see Gavaskar take over the mantle of a mentor or a coach, however that was not to be 😔. May be that’s not the way he wants to pursue his passion for the game and enjoys his stint seating, observing and making his opinions count in a critique’s role from the commentary box.

Sunny bhai completes 70 years of his age today and may we see this patriarch of Indian cricket continue contributing to the game which he was born for.

Happy birthday Sunil Gavaskar 🙇‍♀️ 🙇‍♂️ 

Disclaimer: The blog is an expression of thoughts of  a true cricket fan of Sunil Gavaskar. 

Image courtesy : gettyimages ae 

- Jayawant

World Cup 2019 : A story retold !

God said, “Chase your dreams, they come true!” But God never complained that he chased them unsuccessfully for more than 22 years in the hope that he will hold the trophy some day and play a vital role to make his country World Champions in 2011. 

Winning World Cup is neither a fluke nor a cakewalk. It is neither a one man show nor is it the win for the most talented team. It’s all about the belief, consistency and the one who does not buckle under the pressure makes it to the podium.

As 2019 World Cup nears its final phase, many dreams will wind up theirs careers without ever holding the coveted trophy. Gayle, Amla, Matthews won’t be there for 2023 edition and the dreams for them and their fans would  remain an unfulfilled wish.

Each edition of a World Cup has a tradition of bidding a final goodbye to one such great player and we never saw the likes of Gooch/Gatting, Martin Crowe, Lara and Smith/ Kallis or Pollock hold the trophy.

The failure of such stalwarts prove that wining the championship is more about building a core around the mainstay of the team rather than expecting the gifted ones to carry the teams on their shoulders.

It’s normally a story that more than the star of team, it is one of those other players who make difference to the team.The story what was told by the likes of Amarnath, Arvinda D’Silva, Yuvraj, Damien Martin is getting repeated with Flinch, Shami and Morgan coming to the party, atleast till date and who knows one amongst them might produce their best to take the trophies back home.

The story unfolded so far has been quite impressive for India and it remains the only unbeaten team in the tournament. Captain Kohli hasn’t converted his fifties into hundreds but the team is backing him by collective responsibility and it could turn out to be biggest differentiator in the days to come.

Australia seems to be on a song with the exception of India loss whereas the Black Caps and England have started showing chinks in the armour of late. 

It could well be a story of being too late for Pakistan unless miraculous turnaround happen for the top four.

The journey to the top for all the teams will now depend on how the top order performs, middle order sustains and the lower ones roar when they make use of pitch to get at their opponents through their opportunity to bowl.

The World Cup is at its crucial and intensive best and the team who performs on the day will outclass others to be the next World Champions. Till then, it’s time to glue yourselves to your television sets and support your favourite team.

Disclaimer: The blog is written as a cricket fan and does not intent to comment on any individual player or the team.

Image courtesy: iccworldcups 

- Jayawant

The Yuvraj of Indian Cricket bids adieu !

Some ‘Yuvraj’ are known over the world for their power, arrogance, talent, and ruthlessness against their opponents but are never catapulted to the title of ‘Maharaj’.

The ‘Yuvraj’ then leaves aside a legacy of what could have been one of the best ‘Maharajas’ ever to the throne the kingdom.

One such amazing story called ‘Yuvraj Singh’ comes to an end today albeit in the wilderness when the entire nation is gripped in World Cup fever.

Yuvraj Singh or ‘Yuvi’(You-We) bids adieu to one of the most glittering cricketing careers of all time, coincidentally or thoughtfully at the same time when the World awaits an Indian Juggernaut in 2019.

A journey that started as the son of Yograj Singh, (who was known as an answer to Kapil Dev) was no better than a roller coaster ride till it lasted. Forced by an ambitious father into Cricket, Yuvi made a place for himself at every opportunity presented to him.

A transition from Under-19 champion to a super performer in 20/20 World Cup to player of the tournament in Indian victory in 2011 WorldCup highlighted the fact that Yuvi was made for larger than life situations which he proved beyond doubt as he battled cancer to set one of the most memorable victories of his life.

Yuvraj had many a moment in his coveted career with England being his special bête noire. His Natwest Trophy win with Mohammad Kaif stamped coming of age for Ganguly as skipper and Stuart Broad will never like to discuss those 6 sixes in an over in 2007 World Cup which launched MSD as the captain cool of Indian cricket. And never to forget his contribution of 85 not out against England in a scintillating chase in Chennai Test in 2008.

2011 World Cup was for Sachin and making the country proud after 28 years.

A true champion deserved to make it a success in the longer format of the game, but as they, if and buts of life always make it more interesting.

A terrific performer, Yuvraj went on to score 8701 runs and 111 wickets in ODIs along with 1900 runs in Test Cricket. His contribution can be gauged from the fact that he was always a goto man for all the captains, he played along with.

Such an aura for the sport, he is the one, who chose cricket for his father, won World Cups for his captains and icons, fought his illness with valor and always came out as a real fighter. He deserved a better exit. Nevertheless, every cricketer calls it day at some point of time in his career and ‘Yuvraj’ of the game chose a perfect date when the world is at its frenzy during the ongoing World Cup 2019.

Cricket without talking about Yuvraj will be incomplete. The country and his fans will always be thankful to him for making them, go euphoric over and over again with his superlative performances.

You did awesome Yuvi !! Take a bow master! 🙇‍♀️ 🙇‍♀️

Disclaimer: The blog is a tribute by a fan to Yuvraj Singh.

Jo Burns ! Another victim of modern day cricket.

Australia batsman Joe Burns has been diagnosed with a post-infectious fatigue disorder and another talented cricketer will be away from game for few months to come. He is not alone and has many stalwarts being in company with him.

Not so long ago, we had Marcus Trescothick who was destined for a greater glory with consistent performances across the globe but out of nowhere wound up his international career with depression.

Another Englishman Jonathan Trot was a big English bet in longer version of the game, but just faded away as he could not handle pressures of the game.

Young Australian sensation Will Pucovski is on a long break from the game due to mental health issues and career seems to be  in doldrums even before it has picked up.

All potential greats of all time, in a sudden twist of fate getting into oblivion for non cricketing reasons. Isn’t it shocking and big loss for the game of cricket?

On a positive note, we have not seen any Indian cricketer (or for that matter Asian cricketers) making it to the list of depression impacted players. If one looks at schedule of Indian cricketers, they are on the move due International cricket or IPL and domestic games and the calendar is packed for the entire year. It probably leads to a convenient hidden statement that depression or fatigue syndrome doesn’t come due to excess cricket, it has something to do with the way youngsters are built or groomed for the future.

The rise in Indian cricket comes through competitive struggle within domestic first-class cricket championship consisting of 37 teams, with all 29 states and two of the seven union territories.

So is it sheer luck or fierce surviving conditions that make youngsters, a tough nut in India?

The youngsters in India are mentally prepared for tough days and competition right from their childhood. Indians are also used to paparazzi which can start making any 16 year old, a next Sachin Tendulkar. Once selected for the national eleven, a longer path also awaits for them. Also with money spinning IPL, the opportunities have increased in India even if one doesn’t make it to national cricket team. But isn’t it an assumption that the Indian cricketers can survive pressure in any situation? May be it’s taking them for granted and who knows, stress levels could start impacting Indians too !

It’s high time, the schedules of the game are human. The expectation of the media are realistic. The spectators are supportive in wins and losses. The respective board supports players in failures and last but not the least, the player himself has self goals and keeps assessing self potential and perform to the best of his abilities.

Whatsoever, the time has come to a stage where the player needs to be protected for future. Looking at mental aspect of any individual is the key to uninterrupted career of any individual and if proper care is taken for the players, we won’t see such Burns, Trescothiks and Trotts of the game.

Image : espncricinfo

Disclaimer : The blog does not highlight any individual and issued faced by them in professional careers, rather it intends to highlight the extreme pressures of the game and supports improving conditions for the players worldwide.

- Jayawant

IPL 2019: Why the tournament needs to evolve with the changing times

Chennai Super Kings beat Rajasthan Royals in a nail-biting finish in a match which went down to the wire, giving MS Dhoni his 100th win as CSK captain. The match once again confirmed the dominance of CSK in IPL2019; the Chennai-based franchise are sitting pretty at the top of the points table with six wins out of seven matches.

The IPL is in its 12th year, and the pattern is now set with the players and franchises. In the initial years, all the teams seemed to have an equal chance of getting into the last four. But in recent years, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils (Capitals) have been loitering around at the bottom, with Punjab showing glimpses of their caliber every now and then.

The IPL is a grueling tournament, stretching for almost two months. The teams travel all around the country to play more than 70 matches. However, the trend suggests that CSK, MI and KKR have a monopoly over the playoff positions, with occasional changes for the fourth spot.

These three teams have split the championship between them a majority of the times, and they look set for similar glory in the 12th edition as well. The winning percentage of CSK is more than 60%, Mumbai are close behind at 57%, and KKR are at 53%, which justifies their reign at the top.

The primary reason for these franchises ruling the IPL is a combination of a strong team which has been consistent and a captain who is firmly in charge.

Having seen huge success for 12 years, it's time the IPL revisits its structure and format to keep the spectators’ interest sustained, which is crucial for success of any tournament. It has gone hugely popular over the years but there is a need for it to grow beyond the eight franchise cities.

The IPL was also graced by Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions for two years when CSK and RR faced suspension, and they made quite an impact on the tournament. These teams were young, dynamic and gave their best in the short period they were competing. That might even have been due to their burning desire to win, knowing that their existence was going to be short-lived. 

The impact of Pune and Gujarat could well be a precursor to adopt a format which adds two different teams every year. The board could create a few more additional teams, with the previous year's bottom two teams having to fight for the last two spots in a qualification round against new entrants. A wild card entrant from overseas can also add spice to the tournament.

A fresh look at its structure will help the IPL continue its money spinning mechanism for players as well as franchises and most importantly, will help spectators still remain attracted and attached to the teams.

The IPL has been a boon to domestic players and foreign recruits. But to keep the glory afloat, a change is needed or else the story will start looking repetitive.

• Jayawant

Disclaimer: The blog is primarily written as an ardent cricket fan of IPL and does not intend to take sides of any of the franchises or players. This is personal observation of the blogger of overall IPL being played over the years.

Image courtesy : cricktracker 

Ashwin Mankading : The other side of the story

A gentleman’s game. Thy name is cricket. It’s played with all seriousness and manly etiquettes or supposed to be played that way. But every action has an opposite reaction and sometimes demons, atleast that’s what the media calls them are born out of normal beings when they go overboard and challenge the set norm.

Ramchandran Ashwin is currently undergoing such flack as he ran out over enthusiastic Jos Buttler in an IPL match. The run out divided cricket fraternity into 2 worlds, confused BCCi for their official stand and made fans getting biased as per their local team affiliations.

Sportsmanship will always give verdict against Ashwin but one needs to look into this episode beyond virtuosity and revisit few basics through which the game is played.

Over the years, the game of cricket, atleast the limited overs format has become batsman friendly and rules tilt more in favour of them rather than the bowlers. 

Gone are the days, fearsome fast bowlers had the liberty to scare batsman. The surprise element with bouncers are now under restrictions per over. The batsman then sorts out even the lethals amongst the lot.

Spectators pay to watch the batsman score and feel dejected if wickets tumble. The game is moving towards box collections which ultimately have reduced the sporting pitches and made bowlers mentally prepared to get hammered. A strike rate of under 30 and economy rate below 7 are hugely appreciated against the old standards of the game.

The field restrictions add to the woe of the bowlers all the while. Batsmen are assured with restrictions and wilfully play for the gallery as records tumble, bowlers fumble and spectators roar.

The extras, especially no-balls changed the way they behave in contemporary cricket. They have become boon to batsman with the new rules incorporated few years ago.

Not the least, DRS has taken away the X-Factor of human errors which used to add spice to the game with human umpiring and many times, the bowlers getting it their way if not always !

So where does the bowler stand in today’s cricket?

He has to become more innovative and bring the variations all the while and add additional skills.

The competition for spot in 11 is extremely tough with youngsters tottering all the way.

With replacement options easily available, pressure to perform and provide results loom over the mind.

Ultimately, it’s out of box thinking and going against the tide bring wickets to the bowler.

With corporate IPL, the pressure to contribute has reached sky high and especially if you are a captain of struggling side, everything seem to be fair to win the game. That’s what precisely happened in the game between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. Staying within the rule books, Ashwin did what many perceived as unwarranted. 

The discussions would drag on for fair play, but the game is bound to face challenges if rules of the game are written with spectators as top priority, then batsmen and bowlers being last on the list.

Disclaimer : The blog primarily looks to bring two sides of coin when the game of cricket is looked into batsman versus bowler sport. The opinion is individual and does not not intend to be judgmental on any specific individual or team.

Image courtesy: newsd. In 

- Jayawant 

Wasim Jaffer: A committed and consistent opening batsman

India has always been blessed with opening batsmen who made an impact on Indian cricket with legendary Sunil Gavaskar being the epitome and benchmark for the opener’s slot. The tag of the most complete batsman by Gavaskar was always impossible for anyone to breach.

Post Gavaskar era, many stalwarts graced the opening slot with ample consistency. Sehwag, Gambhir, Dhawan contributed immensely to the game with their flamboyance, sheer talent, and gave a festive atmosphere to the spectators. However, when the temperament and compactness of any opener is discussed, Wasim Jaffer is probably one of those batsmen who can match the Little Master’s appetite for runs and technique.

Jaffer has been one of the most compact openers to play for India. As an opener, one needs to build an innings depending upon the team structure, opponent’s strengths, pitch behaviour, weather conditions and most importantly self-preparation and confidence irrespective of dip or rise in the form. Opener defines the course of Test match during the innings he builds.

Wasim Jaffer showed his class very early in his career when he scored 314 not out against Saurashtra in his second match of Ranji Trophy as an 18-year-old boy. With consistent domestic contributions, Wasim Jaffer made it to the Indian team in the year 2000. 

Being in and out of the team till 2006, Jaffer finally made it to supreme form when he scored his first Test hundred against England at Nagpur and then came with two major milestones of his international cricket with one the most deserving double centuries worth 212 against West Indies in Antigua and then, against arch-rivals Pakistan at Eden Gardens, produced 202 in 2007.

Wasim Jaffer went on to play 31 Tests for India and probably deserved more. His career saw him score 5 test centuries and 1944 runs in Tests. He played his last match in 2008. 

Though out of the international arena, Jaffer never lost his appetite for runs and has been amongst runs all these years in domestic tournaments. He has all the domestic records against his name having scored more than 11,000 runs in Ranji Trophy and is one of the most consistent performers of all times. 

After helming the mantle of Mumbai opening batsman till 2015, he moved to Vidarbha Ranji team. Vidarbha was always considered to be one of the weaker teams in domestic tournaments. However, fortunes seemed to have changed for Vidarbha in the last couple of years with Wasim Jaffer and coach Chandrakant Pandit proving to be tremendous mentors and major contributors to Vidarbha’s rise as domestic champions.

After spending more than two decades, representing India with and winning 10 Ranji Trophies as a player, one would have expected Jaffer showing some signs of decline in hunger for runs. However, he still carries the same enthusiasm of a teen, energy of youngster and commitment of a true professional even at the fag end of his career. He is a true idol for any youngster who wants to make a mark on the game.

Wasim Jaffer is celebrating his 41st birthday today and we wish him many more years in cricket and as a true mentor for generations of the cricketers to come.

Wasim is a true legend and deserves a big bow today.

Sun Storm in Napier

Game of cricket came full circle today when the first ODI between India and New Zealand at Napier was stopped for sometime on account of unplayable heavy sunlight.

Cricket has seen umpteen interruptions due to rains, bad weather and we have also witnessed stoppage of match due to desert storm in Sharjah during Sachin era but today was the first time, match had to stop due to sunlight.

Though the root cause of the problem was something to do with position of pitch with respect to direction of Sun, It would be really interesting to see how it can impact the game in the long run if such conditions reoccur.

The way the game of cricket is played, it has always been a batsman paradise but when it comes to weather conditions, even today’s situation favored bowlers. One can safely say that the weather decides who will dominate game of cricket whether batsman or a bowler

On a lighter note one wonders, how a situation like today’s can change the way game will be played in future :

1) Before going for toss, captain will look into weather conditions and decide to bowl if it’s going to be a hot sunny day ahead.

2) The innings would be declared to bring in the opposition right at the threshold of Sun getting on top of the field and glaring at batsman.

3) Day ODIs would change the way its played currently and captain will opt for first batting irrespective of swing conditions fearing sun would come on top during the second innings.

4) The teams for years have taken decisions to bat, bowl or accelerate based on weather conditions and it seems they now will have to plan something for the sunlight as well.

5) The ICC will have to look into Duckworth-Lewis rule and make some amendments, considering the weather conditions and will have to include runs scored during pick of heat by the team batting first.

Nonetheless, it was one of unique experience for the players as well as spectators and hope this is not repeated and the respective boards ensure such standoffs are not repeated in the future.

Ultimately Kohli’s boys had the last laugh and India are 1-0 ahead in the bilateral series.

Disclaimer : The blog is personal expression on the weirdest of situations happened in game of cricket and does not intend to comment on the rules of the game.

Feel free to share the blog.

- Jayawant

Rahul Dravid: The Wall Of India

As ‘The Great Wall of India’ turns 46, its time to revisit one of the most glittering careers in Indian Cricket. Rahul Dravid, a leader, a selfless contributor and a legend who personified the way game of cricket is played, taught and inspired for the younger generations to come.

Dravid as a teenager debutant at Lord’s made it a point to make sure that the world of cricket takes a notice of him. He slowly, steadily and without any fanfare built a career which served Indian cricket for a long time. As core of the “Fabulous Five” of Indian cricket, Dravid held together many a innings and roles and was one of the most important pillars of the team who immensely contributed to the laying of foundation of world beaters called ‘Team India’.

As a batsman, he was a most consistent rock, as a slip fielder, he had the safest pair of hands and as a captain, he was one of those focused ones who lead India to memorable victories in Caribbean in 2006 and England in 2007.

Dravid was all about timing, whether ensuring a century at Lord’s in his final appearance after missing a debut ton or calling it quits in ODIs after England tour or realising the chinks in batting during Australia tour to bid adieu to test cricket in 2012.

However, the real Dravid has evolved post his retirement. He chose a profession which not many would have ventured into. In his role as a winning coach of Under-19 World Cup 2018, he not only enthused the young bunch of cricketers but also inculcated a professional approach in them to clinically register one of the most one sided Under-19 World Cup tournaments.

Dravid has been a true idol and a real coach for any youngster who wants to learn how to manage own career and passion. As a coach one has to understand that each child is a special talent and has an independent capability and let the youngsters know their true potential and not get carried away with peers having flamboyance, zeal and that extra attitude of going over the board. Dravid has handled it seamlessly very well.

As a coach of Under-19 team, Dravid is phenomenal in a very short tenure. The players coached by him have made it to senior team and players like Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant have proved their mettle in international cricket at a very early stage of their careers. The way Dravid keeps his greatness aside while dealing with youngsters who were not even born when he started playing shows his simplicity, professionalism and integrity towards building a future of Indian Cricket.

A true legend who performed at all levels, contributed immensely to the game and always remained elusive when it came to grabbing the headlines, Rahul Dravid, it’s time for all of us as cricketing fans to say a big ‘Thank You!’ for what you did for Indian Cricket.

P.S. The expressions in the blog reflect the author's appreciation of the legend Dravid and is only a personal viewpoint.

Celebrating a genius on his 60th birthday : Kapil Dev

One of the youngest ever captain to lift the cricket World Cup for India, Kapildev Nikhanj turns another major milestone as he turns 60 today (6th January 1959).

Kapil is a true legend and one of the most inspiring and towering cricketing personalities of all time. The jat from Haryana chose a completely different path when rest of the country was producing champion spinners. It was only Haryana Hurricane’s exceptional guts and talent which probably paved the way for youngsters opting for fast bowling in India.

Kapil was handed over the reins of captaincy in 1983 World Cup at a tender age of 24 when India created history to overpower the might of West Indies at Lords in an epic final almost 36 years ago.

The World Cup journey had started with a shocker defeat of West Indies by Indians which was treated as a fluke and then Zimbabwe almost ruled India out of the World Cup but thanks to Kapil's heroic 175 not out, India managed to stay in the tournament and then there was no looking back till ruling at Lord’s in the finals.

An inspiring captain always brings out the best from his team and that’s what happened in the World Cup and instead of big players performing, it was the turn of Roger Binny, Madanlal, Krishnamachari Shrikanth, Balwinder Sandhu and the super hero Mohinder Amarnath and never to forget one of the most amazing ground catches which Kapil took of Sir Vivian Richards made India achieve one of the most improbable victory which changed the way the world looked at Indian Cricket and a new super power was born which also meant start of a decline of the Windies which they are yet to recover.

Kapil was in an era when the world could not decide who was a better allrounder in Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan and Kapil. However what made Kapil stand apart from them was the playing conditions which were offered to Kapil. Bowling with his heart out on spin friendly but dead fast bowling pitches and then come out to bat to take the game away from opponents with aggressive batting needs a true genius and that was Kapil.

Kapil in his hey days was a fearsome allrounder and who can forget few of his memorable performances like 9/83 against West Indies at Ahmedabad, 5/43 against Australia in 1983 World

Cup, hitting 4 consecutive sixes to Eddie Hemmings against England at Lords and finally overtaking Sir Richard Hadlee as the World’s leading wicket taker.

The man with a golden heart was Indian coach and during his tenure one of the biggest controversies in match fixing erupted when a fellow cricketer named Kapil in the scandal. The episode made Kapil cry on a National Media and the scar probably took him away from the game for a considerable period of time.

Indian cricket has come a long way since Kapil retired, but the contribution he made to the Indian dressing room, gave belief and confidence to take against any team and be fearless in any adverse situation will have imprints on the way Cricket is played in India for a long time to come.

Let us celebrate the genius of Kapil on this important day and may god bless him for years to come.

P.S. The blog intends to celebrate birthday of one of the most inspiring Indian cricketer of all times and does not get into statistics and analysis of the cricketer. 

- Jayawant