After weeks of frenzied action that had most people glued to their TV sets, several nail-biting finishes, and some dashing stroke play, as also some fine bowling from the pace men and the spinners alike, IPL 2009 came to a dramatic end on Sunday night, with a pulsating final between the wooden-spooners from last year- the Deccan Chargers of Hyderabad and the Royal Challengers of Bangalore.
For much of the evening it seemed as if the Challengers had outclassed the Chargers in every department of the game. A moderate total by the Chargers, followed by some spectacular shots by Ross Taylor and Roelf van der Merwe had almost ensured a Bangalore win, but some gritty bowling from RP Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Andrew Symonds and the remarkable Harmeet Singh coupled with some senseless batting by the experienced Bangalore batters, produced a turnaround that left the Challengers downcast and the Chargers triumphant!
The expressions on the faces of the two wily old skippers, Anil Kumble and Adam Gilchrist, fluctuated with increasing frequency as the match went through its exciting journey. Kumble, the champion spinner, bamboozled his long time foe in the very first over of the match, but Gilchrist had the last laugh! That both men finished second in the race for the Orange cap and the Purple cap respectively is a testimony to their class and fitness even after their retirement from international cricket.
The Deccan Chargers emerged as champions of IPL 2009 due to their resilience and their never-say-die-attitude. That attitude became ugly at times in the final, with Symonds being guilty of intimidating young Manish Pandey when the latter came out to open the innings for Bangalore. But as long as such things stay within the laws of the game, and if the Umpires have no problems, the additional adrenalin may actually spur teams onto great heights, as was the case with the Chargers. All their players seemed to be fiercely determined to do-or-die when they came out to field in the final. An animated pep-talk by skipper Gilchrist no doubt had the right effect!
RP Singh had a superb tournament for the Chargers and it is no surprise that the champion teams of both editions of the IPL till now had the Purple Cap winners on their side- Singh this time, and Sohail Tanvir for Rajasthan Royals last year. Ojha was also high on the wicket-takers list in both editions. Gilchrist led from the front to be named the Man of the Tournament (his semi-final blitz being jaw-dropping stuff!) while Symonds, Rohit Sharma and Herschelle Gibbs came up with stroke-filled cameos at crucial moments for them in match after match.
The Royal Challengers had a spectacular tournament too, and Anil Kumble led them brilliantly. His bowling was controlled and on target each time. There is no doubt that Kumble would have been a consistently dangerous bowler in T-20 cricket had it been played at the time when he was younger. Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid and Ross Taylor came up with match-winning performances for their team throughout the tournament, and green-horn Manish Pandey became the first Indian to score a ton in the IPL!
The Delhi Daredevils and the Chennai Super Kings were at the top of the table for most of the event, but faltered when it really mattered. Matthew Hayden, another international retiree, was so intimidating at the crease that opposing bowlers would surely have nightmares about him for months to come! His strokes were audacious and bold in their intent as in their outcome. A cartoon in a leading newspaper depicted him holding aloft the Orange Cap in the 2012 IPL! Suresh Raina is turning out to be a world-beater too and has added some crafty off-spin to his already impressive batting and fielding abilities. MS Dhoni had his moments too, but Chennai’s bowling and fielding was below par throughout the tournament. Balaji was under-utilized, and Makhaya Ntini should have been played given his experience of local conditions, and given that Jacob Oram hardly got a chance to bat or bowl!
For Delhi, Glenn McGrath’s absence from the playing XI was the mystery of IPL-2009, especially given the fact that other senior players were doing so well, day after day! Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were nowhere near their best, but will hopefully be back to their best when it really counts- at the ICC World T-20, in June. AB De Villiers and Tillakaratne Dilshan, along with Dirk Nannes were Delhi’s stars.
The rest of the teams flattered to deceive. Mumbai Indians had a real chance to go all the way, with Shaun Pollock and Jonty Rhodes coaching them, and with Sachin Tendulkar himself in good form. JP Duminy and Lasith Malinga shone for them too, but the rest were patchy, and they ended up second-last! Some of their decisions relating to their batting-order were appalling!
Shane Warne led the Rajasthan Royals superbly again, and Yusuf Pathan blasted some huge sixes but the team sorely missed Shane Watson’s all round skills this time.
Kolkata Knight Riders were an absolute disaster. Off the field factors were obviously to blame, for they had a talented side. Skipper Brendon McCullum came up with a couple of sparkling 80 plus scores but Sourav Ganguly should have led the team in his place. Dada was below par, as was Ishant Sharma, their main bowler. They lost some really tight matches and looked heart-broken at most times.
The Punjab Kings XI team was the enigma of IPL 2009. They played so well at times that it seemed they would prove unbeatable. Yuvraj shone more with the ball but came up with crucial contributions. So did Kumar Sangakarra, Mahela Jayawardene and Brett Lee. Punjab youngsters Sunny Sohal and Karan Goel showed promise too. Wilkin Mota looked out of depth though, as did the mercurial Sreesanth. Their real star was Irfan Pathan, who clubbed crucial blows at critical times and picked up key wickets regularly. What let them down was the inability of their powerful batting to deliver when it really mattered.
A memorable edition of the IPL thus came to an end with the South Africans proving to be amazing hosts. Matches were evenly fought between the ball and the bat. Spinners were surprisingly potent weapons for their captains. Last over finishes including a super-over ending were thrilling to witness. Some reputations were marred and others were made.
IPL 2010 may prove to be even more thrilling than the first two editions...but for now, there is the mouth-watering prospect of the T-20 World Cup coming up!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
IPL II - A photo finish is on the cards! by Vivek Atray
Seven of the eight teams in the fray still have a chance to make it to the semi finals after 40 matches have been played in the IPL Season II T-20 extravaganza. Of these, the Bangalore Royal Challengers and the Mumbai Indians need to win almost all their remaining matches to do so, while the top five teams have to guard against complacency and win some tough games ahead.
Sanath Jayasuriya has rightly stated in his column that this competition is even more intense (though obviously not as prestigious) than the ICC T-20 World Cup. While top teams get some easy games in the World Cup, with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe around, the IPL teams are all top drawer.
What has separated the men from the boys is the team-work on display as also the management skills on offer. Clearly, teams like the Rajasthan Royals have benefitted from a highly professional approach under the tutelage of the wily old fox Shane Warne, while some comical gaffes by John Buchanan, the Kolkata Knight Riders coach, have left them hopelessly at the bottom of the pit. Kolkata must be wishing that Sourav Ganguly had been given charge of the team and not ‘Mr’ Buchanan, who seems to have done inexorable damage to his erstwhile reputation as the brilliant coach of an all conquering Australian team.
The plusses and minuses of the teams look like this at the moment-
Chennai Super Kings: Brilliant batting led by Matthew Hayden who is looks to be miles ahead of everyone else in the competition. Suresh Raina has been magnificent too, and a certain Mr Dhoni is coming into his own now. Their spin bowling is looking good too- Muralidharan and Jakati make a formidable pair. The pace bowling looks shaky though, despite the presence of Albie Morkel and Jacob Oram. Their fielding is atrocious!
Delhi Daredevils: The best team on view thus far. Excellent batting by AB De Villiers and Tillakeratne Dilshan has not let the team feel the absence of Virender Sehwag and the iffy form of Gautam Gambhir. David Warner has been explosive. Tight bowling by Dirk Nannes (who’s keeping Glenn McGrath out!), Pradeep Sangwan and the resurgent Ashish Nehra has kept them on top. Amit Mishra has been so good that Daniel Vettori is on the bench!
Rajasthan Royals: They have not quite reproduced the magic of last year, and are missing Shane Watson badly. However Mr Warne has been sensational as skipper once again, and not bad with his leg spinners either! Yusuf Pathan continues to be their match winner. Graeme Smith and Naman Ojha will have to show consistency as will the all rounder Ravinder Jadeja if they are to make the last four. Munaf Patel looks a bit too ineffective this time.
Deccan Chargers: Last year’s wooden spoon finishers topped the table after the first four matches and despite some losses, are a formidable force. They could go all the way! Adam Gilchrist, Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma have been powerful and prolific, but need to keep going till the very end of the event. They are missing the fiery Fidel Edwards now, and should play Chaminda Vaas, who is warming the bench. Rohit Sharma has been the surprise package with his bowling, while RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha have been outstanding.
Punjab Kings XI: Yuvraj Singh is having an excellent tournament, both with bat and ball, but his team has underachieved till now. With Brett Lee back now, they have added some potency to their thin bowling resources, but the batting looks very classy, with Kumar Sangakarra and Mahela Jayewardena looking sublime when on song. Simon Katich needs to get going and Irfan Pathan needs to do more with both bat and ball. Piyush Chawla and Romesh Powar have not enjoyed the kind of success that spinners from other teams have.
Mumbai Indians: Any team with Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya in the ranks should have been near the top of the table. In one match they were outstanding together, but both stars have sparkled only intermittently overall. Captaincy seems to have bogged Tendulkar down a bit, but with JP Duminy and now Ajinkya Rahane in superb touch, they still have a chance! Harbhajan Singh seems to have rediscovered his rhythm too, but they need Lasith Malinga to keep on slinging with telling effect and they need more contribution from Dwayne Bravo and their Indian talent like Abhishek Nayar and Chaitanya Nanda.
Bangalore Royal Challengers: Vijay Mallya’s team has shone in patches but is still second last on the table, like last year! Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble have put in some fine performances for them, but Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher need to do more. Their pace bowling looks week, with Kallis and Vinay Kumar being military-medium only. Mark Boucher is batting too low down the order, as is Rahul Dravid. They need to keep playing with the same fire that they showed in the first two matches after Kumble took over as skipper.
Kolkata Knight Riders: A pitiable performance by a very talented team. They have won only one match out of ten, and should now look only to redeem their pride. Ganguly needs to be given a bigger say on the field instead of cooling his heels at sweeper-cover! Brendan McCullum has let captaincy clog his mind so much that he looks only a fraction of the batsman he actually is. Ishant Sharma has been inconsistent, as has Ajit Agarkar. Murali Kartik has looked a bit dazed at times. With Chris Gayle gone, and Brad Hodge having slowed down, they are looking even weaker now than when they started off.
All in all, the teams with consistent performances and contributions from the lesser known players are more likely to go through to the last four. At this stage, Chennai and Delhi look sure to make it while Punjab, Deccan, Rajasthan and Mumbai will battle it out for the remaining two slots. Let’s look forward to some more last-over finales and a photo finish race for the semis!
Sanath Jayasuriya has rightly stated in his column that this competition is even more intense (though obviously not as prestigious) than the ICC T-20 World Cup. While top teams get some easy games in the World Cup, with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe around, the IPL teams are all top drawer.
What has separated the men from the boys is the team-work on display as also the management skills on offer. Clearly, teams like the Rajasthan Royals have benefitted from a highly professional approach under the tutelage of the wily old fox Shane Warne, while some comical gaffes by John Buchanan, the Kolkata Knight Riders coach, have left them hopelessly at the bottom of the pit. Kolkata must be wishing that Sourav Ganguly had been given charge of the team and not ‘Mr’ Buchanan, who seems to have done inexorable damage to his erstwhile reputation as the brilliant coach of an all conquering Australian team.
The plusses and minuses of the teams look like this at the moment-
Chennai Super Kings: Brilliant batting led by Matthew Hayden who is looks to be miles ahead of everyone else in the competition. Suresh Raina has been magnificent too, and a certain Mr Dhoni is coming into his own now. Their spin bowling is looking good too- Muralidharan and Jakati make a formidable pair. The pace bowling looks shaky though, despite the presence of Albie Morkel and Jacob Oram. Their fielding is atrocious!
Delhi Daredevils: The best team on view thus far. Excellent batting by AB De Villiers and Tillakeratne Dilshan has not let the team feel the absence of Virender Sehwag and the iffy form of Gautam Gambhir. David Warner has been explosive. Tight bowling by Dirk Nannes (who’s keeping Glenn McGrath out!), Pradeep Sangwan and the resurgent Ashish Nehra has kept them on top. Amit Mishra has been so good that Daniel Vettori is on the bench!
Rajasthan Royals: They have not quite reproduced the magic of last year, and are missing Shane Watson badly. However Mr Warne has been sensational as skipper once again, and not bad with his leg spinners either! Yusuf Pathan continues to be their match winner. Graeme Smith and Naman Ojha will have to show consistency as will the all rounder Ravinder Jadeja if they are to make the last four. Munaf Patel looks a bit too ineffective this time.
Deccan Chargers: Last year’s wooden spoon finishers topped the table after the first four matches and despite some losses, are a formidable force. They could go all the way! Adam Gilchrist, Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma have been powerful and prolific, but need to keep going till the very end of the event. They are missing the fiery Fidel Edwards now, and should play Chaminda Vaas, who is warming the bench. Rohit Sharma has been the surprise package with his bowling, while RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha have been outstanding.
Punjab Kings XI: Yuvraj Singh is having an excellent tournament, both with bat and ball, but his team has underachieved till now. With Brett Lee back now, they have added some potency to their thin bowling resources, but the batting looks very classy, with Kumar Sangakarra and Mahela Jayewardena looking sublime when on song. Simon Katich needs to get going and Irfan Pathan needs to do more with both bat and ball. Piyush Chawla and Romesh Powar have not enjoyed the kind of success that spinners from other teams have.
Mumbai Indians: Any team with Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya in the ranks should have been near the top of the table. In one match they were outstanding together, but both stars have sparkled only intermittently overall. Captaincy seems to have bogged Tendulkar down a bit, but with JP Duminy and now Ajinkya Rahane in superb touch, they still have a chance! Harbhajan Singh seems to have rediscovered his rhythm too, but they need Lasith Malinga to keep on slinging with telling effect and they need more contribution from Dwayne Bravo and their Indian talent like Abhishek Nayar and Chaitanya Nanda.
Bangalore Royal Challengers: Vijay Mallya’s team has shone in patches but is still second last on the table, like last year! Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble have put in some fine performances for them, but Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher need to do more. Their pace bowling looks week, with Kallis and Vinay Kumar being military-medium only. Mark Boucher is batting too low down the order, as is Rahul Dravid. They need to keep playing with the same fire that they showed in the first two matches after Kumble took over as skipper.
Kolkata Knight Riders: A pitiable performance by a very talented team. They have won only one match out of ten, and should now look only to redeem their pride. Ganguly needs to be given a bigger say on the field instead of cooling his heels at sweeper-cover! Brendan McCullum has let captaincy clog his mind so much that he looks only a fraction of the batsman he actually is. Ishant Sharma has been inconsistent, as has Ajit Agarkar. Murali Kartik has looked a bit dazed at times. With Chris Gayle gone, and Brad Hodge having slowed down, they are looking even weaker now than when they started off.
All in all, the teams with consistent performances and contributions from the lesser known players are more likely to go through to the last four. At this stage, Chennai and Delhi look sure to make it while Punjab, Deccan, Rajasthan and Mumbai will battle it out for the remaining two slots. Let’s look forward to some more last-over finales and a photo finish race for the semis!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Spinning some magic… IPL2- Days 2,3 by Vivek Atray
The Royal Challengers of Bangalore scaled ecstatic heights and then plunged into the depths of despair as they first outclassed the Rajasthan Royals and then crashed to defeat against the Chennai Super Kings, as IPL’s season 2 warmed up in exciting fashion.
Kevin Pieterson’s team was totally outclassed by MS Dhoni’s men who had themselves been outsmarted by the Mumbai Indians in the first match of the season.
What has emerged from the games on show till now is that matches this year may be relatively low scoring and the bowlers may seem to be on top, but the cricket on display would certainly be just as engrossing as last year.
Destructive batsmen like Virender Sehwag, Matthew Hayden and Yuvraj Singh haven’t played record breaking innings yet, but they have shown some glimpses of their firepower. Magicians like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid have played a match-winning knock each and are looking good for more.
Wily spinners Anil Kumble, Shane Warne, Mutthiah Muralidharan and Daniel Vettori have been the flavour of the season though. They have all mesmerized batsmen with their varied talents and have proved that the magic of spin is hale and hearty in this 20-20 era!
Rain may yet play a significant part in this South African edition of the event, and well placed teams might suddenly find that the Duckworth-Lewis system puts them out of the reckoning!
Will we see the first super-over ending in this competition? My guess is that last over finishes will be likely as the tournament progresses and we could see some tied finishes. Mouth watering stuff awaits us at IPL 2!
Kevin Pieterson’s team was totally outclassed by MS Dhoni’s men who had themselves been outsmarted by the Mumbai Indians in the first match of the season.
What has emerged from the games on show till now is that matches this year may be relatively low scoring and the bowlers may seem to be on top, but the cricket on display would certainly be just as engrossing as last year.
Destructive batsmen like Virender Sehwag, Matthew Hayden and Yuvraj Singh haven’t played record breaking innings yet, but they have shown some glimpses of their firepower. Magicians like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid have played a match-winning knock each and are looking good for more.
Wily spinners Anil Kumble, Shane Warne, Mutthiah Muralidharan and Daniel Vettori have been the flavour of the season though. They have all mesmerized batsmen with their varied talents and have proved that the magic of spin is hale and hearty in this 20-20 era!
Rain may yet play a significant part in this South African edition of the event, and well placed teams might suddenly find that the Duckworth-Lewis system puts them out of the reckoning!
Will we see the first super-over ending in this competition? My guess is that last over finishes will be likely as the tournament progresses and we could see some tied finishes. Mouth watering stuff awaits us at IPL 2!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The day of the artistes- IPL Day 1. By Vivek Atray
The IPL took on a new avatar on day 1 of season 2 as the artistic and classy performers outshone the sledgehammer hitters. There was a complete reversal of fortunes for the bowlers, as they stifled and outwitted one batsman after another to ensure that IPL 2 would not be remembered only for the big hits.
I for one have been proven wrong for the first two matches saw the teams on display dish out intense fare, with canny bowlers like Anil Kumble and Shane Warne putting paid to the lofty designs of their destructive opponents. One hero after another fell as the champion duo bamboozled leaden footed batsmen. The problem for Warne was that Kumble was playing for the opposition and not bowling in tandem with him! Kumble picked up 5 wickets as against 2 for Warne.
In a post match interview, Kumble joked about the fact that he took 5 wickets for 5 runs, 5 months after retiring from international cricket! Defending champs Rajasthan Royals were totally outclassed on the day by the Bangalore Royal Challengers.
Rahul Dravid had a point to prove too as he stroked his way to a classy 66 off only 48 balls. He played like a man possessed, and even hit Munaf Patel for a monstrous six over mid-wicket to show to the world that he is not just a wall, he is a champion!
Sachin Tendulkar had earlier steered Mumbai Indians to a famous win over last year’s finalists Chennai Super Kings. The manner in which he played was just what the doctor ordered for the Mumbai team. Tendulkar stood like a rock as wickets fell about him and in the process he destroyed myths that a batsman has to bludgeon the ball to succeed in a 20-20 match. By carrying his bat he ensured that the team got to a score of over 160, which in South African conditions might prove to be like 200 runs on Indian pitches.
The old guard of Tendulkar, Dravid, Kumble and Warne thus stood out on the day. Each an artiste in his own right, they proved once again that form may be temporary but class is surely permanent!
I for one have been proven wrong for the first two matches saw the teams on display dish out intense fare, with canny bowlers like Anil Kumble and Shane Warne putting paid to the lofty designs of their destructive opponents. One hero after another fell as the champion duo bamboozled leaden footed batsmen. The problem for Warne was that Kumble was playing for the opposition and not bowling in tandem with him! Kumble picked up 5 wickets as against 2 for Warne.
In a post match interview, Kumble joked about the fact that he took 5 wickets for 5 runs, 5 months after retiring from international cricket! Defending champs Rajasthan Royals were totally outclassed on the day by the Bangalore Royal Challengers.
Rahul Dravid had a point to prove too as he stroked his way to a classy 66 off only 48 balls. He played like a man possessed, and even hit Munaf Patel for a monstrous six over mid-wicket to show to the world that he is not just a wall, he is a champion!
Sachin Tendulkar had earlier steered Mumbai Indians to a famous win over last year’s finalists Chennai Super Kings. The manner in which he played was just what the doctor ordered for the Mumbai team. Tendulkar stood like a rock as wickets fell about him and in the process he destroyed myths that a batsman has to bludgeon the ball to succeed in a 20-20 match. By carrying his bat he ensured that the team got to a score of over 160, which in South African conditions might prove to be like 200 runs on Indian pitches.
The old guard of Tendulkar, Dravid, Kumble and Warne thus stood out on the day. Each an artiste in his own right, they proved once again that form may be temporary but class is surely permanent!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The IPL is about the big shots! By Vivek Atray
Season 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) commences in far off South Africa over the weekend, and for the next few weeks we shall all undoubtedly be treated to some unfiltered and undiluted big hits on TV. In the ultimate analysis, cricket remains a batsman's game, and in the 20-20 format, even more so. A bowler who can emerge from the frenzied action over 180 minutes of an IPL match, with figures of 4 overs, no maidens (this statistic needs to be removed from here!), 28 runs and 1 wicket, can count himself lucky to have done so!
Players like Virender Sehwag, Sanath Jayasuriya and Yusuf Pathan, who could have made a living as fearsome warriors some centuries back, start belting the ball from the very first delivery, and do not stop till they hole out or are castled. Sheer mayhem could result in the meantime and the field would probably resemble a battlefield where a dreaded destroyer had scathed down everything in sight. When Sehwag hit the first three balls that he faced on the Kiwi tour for sixes, he was only raising the bar a notch higher. The time shall surely come when 36 runs shall be scored off the first over of a 20-20 game!
Players like VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid would be more likely to use fewer big shots and more invention to score rapidly. The fact that their strike rate would still only be about half that of the afore-mentioned destructive trio is more than likely. The 20-20 game is for the big hitters, make no mistake! Sixes shall always out-do fours and a lightning 39 may be of more value than a merely quick 56.
The other kinds of big-shots on display at the IPL would be the owners and the organizers! The glamour quotient of the IPL is surely what causes casual observers of the game to glue themselves to the TV along with the avid cricket fans.
Pure cricket-ainment is what we are in for, and I for one am glad that I shall be a TV spectator and not a bowler at IPL 2!
Players like Virender Sehwag, Sanath Jayasuriya and Yusuf Pathan, who could have made a living as fearsome warriors some centuries back, start belting the ball from the very first delivery, and do not stop till they hole out or are castled. Sheer mayhem could result in the meantime and the field would probably resemble a battlefield where a dreaded destroyer had scathed down everything in sight. When Sehwag hit the first three balls that he faced on the Kiwi tour for sixes, he was only raising the bar a notch higher. The time shall surely come when 36 runs shall be scored off the first over of a 20-20 game!
Players like VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid would be more likely to use fewer big shots and more invention to score rapidly. The fact that their strike rate would still only be about half that of the afore-mentioned destructive trio is more than likely. The 20-20 game is for the big hitters, make no mistake! Sixes shall always out-do fours and a lightning 39 may be of more value than a merely quick 56.
The other kinds of big-shots on display at the IPL would be the owners and the organizers! The glamour quotient of the IPL is surely what causes casual observers of the game to glue themselves to the TV along with the avid cricket fans.
Pure cricket-ainment is what we are in for, and I for one am glad that I shall be a TV spectator and not a bowler at IPL 2!
Friday, April 10, 2009
The Indians are now unstoppable! by Vivek Atray
There was a time in world cricket when losing to lowly placed New Zealand was considered sacrilege. Those were the days when Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and even Sri Lanka did not play Test matches. In fact India and New Zealand were almost always fighting for the wooden spoon.
Not much has changed today for the New Zealanders in terms of their world ranking, which still stands at eighth best in the world, but India is well on the way towards becoming the numero uno team in all forms of the game!
Notwithstanding the Indian team’s inability to force a win in the third Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, in match that they dominated entirely, their 1-0 win over the hapless Kiwis who were playing on home turf, has clearly underlined India’s potential to be the world’s number one team in the near future.
The Test series was so hopelessly one-sided that most pundits had predicted a 3-0 win after India’s dashing performance at Hamilton in the first encounter. Apart from three days of ascendancy at Napier in the second Test, the Kiwis looked all at sea against the marauding Indians.
Gautam Gambhir showed throughout the series that India has unearthed a rare talent in him, and that he has the ability to be the world’s very best opening batsman in all forms of the game. His marathon century at Napier to save the match followed by a brilliant 167 at Wellington underscored his amazing batting ability in different conditions and in any situation.
The old guard comprising of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman was in superb form too, and they collectively amassed almost a thousand sublime runs in the series. Tendulkar was close to his very best, and followed up his scintillating 163 in the third ODI with a magnificent 160 in the Hamilton Test to take India to their series- clinching victory. Throughout the series, he repeatedly stroked the ball to the fence off the awe-struck Kiwi bowlers with shots that were precise in their placement and truly resplendent in their glory. Dravid and Laxman were on top of their games too, with each excelling in his selected role. Laxman’s artistry resulted in outcomes that were like a painter’s masterpiece, while Dravid not only broke the world record for the most catches but also for the most century partnerships. A staggering performance by any standard!
MS Dhoni was looking more and more like a champion of champions by the end of the series. His wicket keeping was outstanding (he broke the record for most catches by an Indian keeper in an innings- six), his batting was solid and powerful, and his leadership aspiring. Harbhajan and Zaheer Khan displayed their wares with aplomb, to the obvious discomfort of the opponents. Harbhajan was in total control at Hamilton and also at Wellington, while Zaheer proved in the third Test that he is getting better and better as the years pass by.
For Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh in batting as also for Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel in bowling, it was not the best of times. While Yuvraj played well in at least two innings, Sehwag tried to over-dominate. Sharma and Patel lacked consistency and did not bowl to a plan except in a spell or two. Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble may have been missed by the Indians to an extent, but this Indian side does not let adversity come in its way. No way!
Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor played a couple of astonishing innings each and even skipper Daniel Vettori and Brendon Mc Cullum scored centuries to bring some cheer to the Kiwis in a series which they were lucky to come out of with a 1-0 score line.
Daniel Vettori would feel himself to be extremely fortunate to have escaped with a draw at Wellington, with eight wickets down and only he with tail-ender Iain O’Brien standing in India’s way when the rain came. Next man in Chris Martin at number 11 had not scored a run since October in any of the 23 matches he had played before this one! It was only Martin’s lofted straight drive off Harbhajan Singh in the first innings that would have given Vettori a glimmer of hope! It did not help that Ishant Sharma dropped O’Brien at backward square leg off Sachin Tendulkar (who could there by have grabbed his third wicket of the innings and sealed the win!)
India’s dashing skipper Dhoni proved to be a little less enterprising at the Basin Reserve by delaying India’s declaration by at least an hour, and has rightly been advised by Martin Crowe through his web-column to watch out for weather reports in future!
All in all the Indians have provided sufficient evidence to indicate that they have the capacity to excel in world cricket with a team that has men who are ready to put in their best efforts in each and every situation. The IPL in South Africa beckons the Indians cricketers now and then the ICC World 20-20 tournament in England. Never is there a dull moment in international cricket!
Not much has changed today for the New Zealanders in terms of their world ranking, which still stands at eighth best in the world, but India is well on the way towards becoming the numero uno team in all forms of the game!
Notwithstanding the Indian team’s inability to force a win in the third Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, in match that they dominated entirely, their 1-0 win over the hapless Kiwis who were playing on home turf, has clearly underlined India’s potential to be the world’s number one team in the near future.
The Test series was so hopelessly one-sided that most pundits had predicted a 3-0 win after India’s dashing performance at Hamilton in the first encounter. Apart from three days of ascendancy at Napier in the second Test, the Kiwis looked all at sea against the marauding Indians.
Gautam Gambhir showed throughout the series that India has unearthed a rare talent in him, and that he has the ability to be the world’s very best opening batsman in all forms of the game. His marathon century at Napier to save the match followed by a brilliant 167 at Wellington underscored his amazing batting ability in different conditions and in any situation.
The old guard comprising of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman was in superb form too, and they collectively amassed almost a thousand sublime runs in the series. Tendulkar was close to his very best, and followed up his scintillating 163 in the third ODI with a magnificent 160 in the Hamilton Test to take India to their series- clinching victory. Throughout the series, he repeatedly stroked the ball to the fence off the awe-struck Kiwi bowlers with shots that were precise in their placement and truly resplendent in their glory. Dravid and Laxman were on top of their games too, with each excelling in his selected role. Laxman’s artistry resulted in outcomes that were like a painter’s masterpiece, while Dravid not only broke the world record for the most catches but also for the most century partnerships. A staggering performance by any standard!
MS Dhoni was looking more and more like a champion of champions by the end of the series. His wicket keeping was outstanding (he broke the record for most catches by an Indian keeper in an innings- six), his batting was solid and powerful, and his leadership aspiring. Harbhajan and Zaheer Khan displayed their wares with aplomb, to the obvious discomfort of the opponents. Harbhajan was in total control at Hamilton and also at Wellington, while Zaheer proved in the third Test that he is getting better and better as the years pass by.
For Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh in batting as also for Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel in bowling, it was not the best of times. While Yuvraj played well in at least two innings, Sehwag tried to over-dominate. Sharma and Patel lacked consistency and did not bowl to a plan except in a spell or two. Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble may have been missed by the Indians to an extent, but this Indian side does not let adversity come in its way. No way!
Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor played a couple of astonishing innings each and even skipper Daniel Vettori and Brendon Mc Cullum scored centuries to bring some cheer to the Kiwis in a series which they were lucky to come out of with a 1-0 score line.
Daniel Vettori would feel himself to be extremely fortunate to have escaped with a draw at Wellington, with eight wickets down and only he with tail-ender Iain O’Brien standing in India’s way when the rain came. Next man in Chris Martin at number 11 had not scored a run since October in any of the 23 matches he had played before this one! It was only Martin’s lofted straight drive off Harbhajan Singh in the first innings that would have given Vettori a glimmer of hope! It did not help that Ishant Sharma dropped O’Brien at backward square leg off Sachin Tendulkar (who could there by have grabbed his third wicket of the innings and sealed the win!)
India’s dashing skipper Dhoni proved to be a little less enterprising at the Basin Reserve by delaying India’s declaration by at least an hour, and has rightly been advised by Martin Crowe through his web-column to watch out for weather reports in future!
All in all the Indians have provided sufficient evidence to indicate that they have the capacity to excel in world cricket with a team that has men who are ready to put in their best efforts in each and every situation. The IPL in South Africa beckons the Indians cricketers now and then the ICC World 20-20 tournament in England. Never is there a dull moment in international cricket!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Tendulkar is batting better than ever! By Vivek Atray
Sachin Tendulkar is batting better than ever before...and that takes some doing! He has been the pre-eminent batsman of his generation, without a doubt. He has conquered, blasted, mauled and even devastated the best of bowlers in the world for the past 20 years, and he is still at it! For a batsman so dominant and breathtakingly strokeful, it is a wonder, even a miracle, that he has not only endured for so long, but has even grown better with age.
There was certainly a period in the last few years when his batting, especially in Test matches, was definitely on the wane. He seemed tentative at times, though flashes of brilliance were always on view. Injuries did not help and there were long periods when he had to keep out of cricket, thereby making a comeback of sorts many a time, not an easy task in cricket, even for the very best.
For the past two years though, and certainly as of now, Tendulkar has been delighting us again with the panache of old. His sublime centuries on tour in Australia, both in the Tests and in the ODI finals, followed by a brilliant match-winning knock in the historic Chennai Test last year against England proved that he was on song once more. The collective down turn of India's batting in Sri Lanka notwithstanding, 2008 proved to be the year when Tendulkar looked to be near his best.
In New Zealand, and one has been watching very closely, he seems so much at ease at the crease, and also with himself, that he has unraveled one magical stroke after another, with consummate ease. He has caressed the ball and he has seduced it to the boundary with such sheerness of class that Kiwi commentators (all former Test players) have often been left awestruck, dumbstruck and speechless, all at once.
In a career that has given us many a moment to relish and cherish, Sachin Tendulkar seems to be on top of his considerably spectacular game, and seems more at peace with his batting and his unending talent than he has ever been before.
Those who were chanting END-ulkar had better think again...here is a man who is likely to become the first to score a hundred international centuries...truly TON-dulkar! Bat on, Sir...we are watching with bated breath.
There was certainly a period in the last few years when his batting, especially in Test matches, was definitely on the wane. He seemed tentative at times, though flashes of brilliance were always on view. Injuries did not help and there were long periods when he had to keep out of cricket, thereby making a comeback of sorts many a time, not an easy task in cricket, even for the very best.
For the past two years though, and certainly as of now, Tendulkar has been delighting us again with the panache of old. His sublime centuries on tour in Australia, both in the Tests and in the ODI finals, followed by a brilliant match-winning knock in the historic Chennai Test last year against England proved that he was on song once more. The collective down turn of India's batting in Sri Lanka notwithstanding, 2008 proved to be the year when Tendulkar looked to be near his best.
In New Zealand, and one has been watching very closely, he seems so much at ease at the crease, and also with himself, that he has unraveled one magical stroke after another, with consummate ease. He has caressed the ball and he has seduced it to the boundary with such sheerness of class that Kiwi commentators (all former Test players) have often been left awestruck, dumbstruck and speechless, all at once.
In a career that has given us many a moment to relish and cherish, Sachin Tendulkar seems to be on top of his considerably spectacular game, and seems more at peace with his batting and his unending talent than he has ever been before.
Those who were chanting END-ulkar had better think again...here is a man who is likely to become the first to score a hundred international centuries...truly TON-dulkar! Bat on, Sir...we are watching with bated breath.
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