Cricket shots – where skills meet beauty!!

Harsha Bhogle once rightly remarked:

Cricket is a beautiful metaphor for life.

How true that is! Cricket is an art form that has beauty in every aspect of it. Whether it is a straight batted shot from the willow of the master blaster or an outrageous heave, you will always have something to admire about a cricket shot. I wonder what is it that makes these shots so enthralling to watch, so exhilarating to ponder on and so hard to forget. Is it the technicality that is involved in it or just the sheer power that the batsmen generate?

For instance, watching Rahul Dravid play that majestic cover drive is just a treat to the eyes but the hard work that goes in perfecting that shot is just immense. He drips buckets of sweat, seldom looks to be effortless hitting the ball and he never takes it easy. When he plays the cover drive, it is plain to see that he has practised the same shot in the nets on countless occasions. He is a perfectionist when it comes to the execution of cricket shots and that’s what adds to the beauty of his strokes. The hand and eye co-ordination that is involved in executing a cricket shot indeed amazes a layman.

Imagine Brett Lee charging in at you like a raging bull and hurling the red cherry at speeds of 150 kmph!! It hardly takes 0.7 seconds for the ball to reach the batsman after it pitches on the turf. In these 0.7 seconds, the batsman gets his body right behind the line of the ball, moves the front foot to the pitch of the ball, keeps the head standstill and the full face of the bat meets the ball sending the ball speeding past the bemused bowler with double the velocity he delivered. Aaahh… Pure pleasure, isn’t it?

And if you were wondering that only technical excellence can embellish a cricket shot, think twice because if ever you witness the helicopter shot of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, you would be awestruck by the power that is involved in panning out this shot. Dhoni makes use of the bottom hand and a huge backlift, thus sending the ball flying over long on. This has been his signature shot of late and he has put it to good effect as and when needed. It goes without saying that a cricket shot is an apt amalgamation of power and technical skills.

Mahi Way

But think about the bigger picture and you would be amazed to know the real essence of these shots. These are not just strokes coming out of the willows of batsmen, these are the means of providing unbound joy to millions and millions of fans. Remember Dhoni’s mighty six over long on which sealed India’s world cup win? For billions who witnessed it, it was a shot that took Indian cricket to a new level–a shot which fulfilled the dreams of an entire nation and epitomised the unbending desire to win back the world cup after an arduous wait of over 28 years! Shots like these sparkle our “flash-bulb” memory, those moments of towering historical importance or great emotional significance which people will always remember for the rest of their lives.

Something about a win in the game of cricket makes it about more than just a game and these shots are a mere reflection of those feelings. The skills matter but only as long as the players are on the field. The mass connect that cricket shots garner is immense. There is a lot to learn from everything we do in our day to day life. Cricket is no different—It perhaps teaches us some valuable traits. Imagine a young bowler steaming in and firing a bouncer or a toe crusher and the batsman taking up the challenge and counter attacking with an equally sublime shot. That’s the real essence of life, isn’t it? Facing challenges with grit and confidence. That is what makes cricket the most beautiful game on earth and a cricket shot a beautiful moment to savour!!

Avi for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Avi on Twitter @KnightsDen

Beyond the barbed defense – A tale of two nations

March 30-2011, PCA stadium, Mohali–The stage was set for the mother of all battles–The semi-finals of ICC cricket world cup 2011 where India locked horns with their arch rivals Pakistan in a bid to make it to the grand finale of the world cup. Work in India and Pakistan came to a grinding halt, streets wore a deserted look and billions of cricket fanatics remained glued to the TV sets as the arch foes, with a bitter political past, made for a fascinating cricketing rivalry on field which ignites the passion and emotions on both sides of the border more often than not.

The match had all the makings of a cracker–An initial Indian blitz from the openers, a Pakistani comeback, crowd pondering over the prospects of a possible Indian batting collapse, followed by a blazing start by the Pakistani batsmen, resurgent comeback by Indian bowlers and the cherry on the cake–The victory moment which put India en route to Mumbai. Add to this some brilliant individual performances–Tendulkar scoring runs, catches being dropped, few peach deliveries and some controversial DRS calls and one would say that the match lived up to its hype. Though India wrapped up the fixture with ease, the match was surely not devoid of those “tensed” moments. Emotions reached a crescendo as India registered one of its greatest victories, a victory which will be remembered for decades to come.

One look at the bigger picture and you might realise the real essence of this clash of titans. It was not just cricket, it was a medium of bridging the gap that was created between the two neighbours after the infamous 26/11 attacks. If ever there was a platform where you could have the privilege of seeing an Indian join hands with a Pakistani counterpart, this was it. Cricket, for decades, has been the binding force for these two nations. It is indeed difficult to exaggerate the excitement that builds up on both sides of the border whenever these two teams clash on the cricket field. Millions remain glued to the TV sets with absenteeism at work reaching an all time high. Such is the aura of the game that people forget about their bitter past and unite just to enjoy the exciting present. In context of Indo-Pak relations, the Mohali match was of prime importance. It came at a time when the political ties between the two nations had hit an all time low. There was suspicion in the air, talks of suspending all cricket ties were doing rounds. In such a dreadful scenario, the semi-final clash pumped a breath of fresh air in the relations of these two Asian giants.

The heads held high to the mesmerizing tunes of ‘VANDE-MATARAM’, the beating of a million hearts during the re-plays, Pakistani fans praying for their team’s victory, commentators screaming with anticipation. The political honchos, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, making their presence felt by sharing the victory moments with the spectators, the latter throwing up her hands at the fall of last wicket. The bollywood brigade, led by Mr.perfectionist Aamir Khan, cheering for team India. And finally, the two Prime Ministers shaking hands after the match ended.

Everything had its own significance. Never before were such minor happenings taken to heart. But then, this was not just ‘any’ occasion, it was a world cup semi-final between India and Pakistan. Though the picture perfect moment came much before the victory. And it was well and truly better than those scripted hair-raising moments and it came when the two teams walked out draped in their signature colours holding the hands of young kids in white. The mere presence of these young kids swathed in white attire was underlining the importance of this match–It wasn’t a battle for supremacy. It was an attempt to restore peace between the two nations.

As the PMs walked out on the field together to shake hands with the players, you could feel that sense of unity. It all seemed to be a part of the fairy-tale script. Who would have imagined this after 26/11? But it happened and when it happened, it taught us some real lessons of life.

It was a testimony to the fact that as wounded (wounded by terrorism and corruption) nations, we can walk hand in hand in times of distress and above all, we can be the messiahs of peace and unity even though our pasts are burdened with enmity, anger and above all the seeds of distrust.

Leave aside the political aspect and you might well come to terms with the love and respect the people of two nations share. If cricket can bring us close, then so be it. Yes, there is no denial to the fact that when these two teams face each other on the field, it is no more a cricket match. It is a battle, a battle for survival, a battle to avenge the past losses and prove something to each other.

And then there is the drama of raw emotion on the field as well and to be honest it really doesn’t matter whether you are a cricket fan or not, because it is impossible to stay indifferent from the agony, excitement and unbound joy that these matches generate.

Frankly speaking, there is a very thin line of difference between India and Pakistan. Both nations are living through layers of corruption and have been dismantled by heinous acts of terrorism. Amidst all such chaos, cricket is a medium for these two nations to exhibit their patriotism, a chance to free themselves from the deadly gallows of all the mess that is lying around them and feel the unity which more often than not gets overshadowed by the dark clouds of skepticism.

In a nutshell, 30th march was a glittering example of the possibilities that can come up if the nations meet each other over a cricket match leaving aside all the political jargon. It was a stage for the aam-janta to express their thoughts–a stage where there was no political intervention. Cricket was the real winner.

With Pakistan scheduled to play a bilateral series in India in 2012 for the first time after the infamous terror strikes, we hope that the cricketing ties between the two nations play a pivotal role in embellishing their ever so charming relations. The people have clearly understood that:

Cricket to sirf bahana hai do ruthe dosto ko milane ka.

Avi for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Avi on Twitter @KnightsDen

India’s World Cup win–The bigger picture!!

Mumbai- A city which never sleeps – A city which is all about noise -Noise of car honking, drift of vehicles and common man but this all came to absolute standstill on that historic night of 2nd April, 2011 when India locked horns with Sri Lanka in the finals of 2011 world cup at Wankhede stadium, Mumbai. After a gruelling battle of close to 7 hours, the entire nation broke into a frenzy–India were crowned the World champions.

The dark skies of Mumbai exploded into a kaleidoscope of colourful fireworks–It was a night of drum beats and celebrations. The light of a billion ecstatic souls probably lit up India like sunlight on April 2, 2011. We had regained the world cup after an arduous wait of close to 28 years. History was made in the “City Of Dreams”.

The crowds had gone berserk. They desperately wanted to show the world what this victory meant to them. For the Indian media, it was an affirmation–an affirmation of India’s rising dominance in the field of sports and especially cricket. In our country there is no denial to the fact that the game of cricket is more an apologue than sport and is often a stage where people exhibit their patriotism and aspirations.

It is indeed hard for a common man to remain indifferent from the ever so increasing metaphors that the gentleman’s game has thrown up. But after this historic victory, a bigger question looms over India. Will this win adorn the nation’s image as a developing nation on the whole? Will the administrators of this country draw any inspiration from this win and try to take India to the pinnacles of success in every field?

It goes without saying that this victory has pumped a breath of fresh air in the lives of a billion people who were otherwise drowning in the deep waters of corruption, scams and heinous acts of terrorism. But the people need to realise that if cricket is a larger story of India as a nation, then it only speaks ambiguously. The question is :

Will this massive win be able to eradicate the other challenges that the nation confronts?
To be up and running as a developed nation, we need to have holistic growth and success in all arenas and not just cricket.
The WC win won’t quench the thirst of a hungry girl on the road side–For thousands of poor people residing in those endless streak of slums, this won’t give rise to a ray of new hope. This won’t pacify the hearts of a billion people residing in a nation which has every now and then been wounded by the abhorrent acts of terrorism and above all, this win won’t make India a super-power.

Then why are we going gaga over this win? What is its significance? Well, for a cricket watching audience which today hardly excludes a handful of Indians, this victory is just not the victory of team India-Its a victory of a nation–A nation which has succeeded in establishing its stranglehold in a field where it was long battling to survive. This win and euphoria thereafter, certainly has indicated something more, which our national leaders must not miss out on.

The celebrations and pride that the common man has experienced after the glorious WC campaign is a harbinger of the fact that, we as the common man of India want to see our nation dominate every field. We love seeing India’s progress at a lightening pace, we feel proud to be associated with a nation which brings us glory. The win has in true sense kick started a renaissance. This has sent across the message in a more assertive manner if not anything else. And yes, undoubtedly we have developed as a nation by leaps and bounds in the last decade. Yes, more millionaires in Mumbai than ever before, but the harder work — breaking caste discrimination, upgrading infrastructure, better health care for all — remains to be done. The roots of corruption need to be uprooted forever. It is hard but not impossible from any stretch of imagination. If Dhoni can reach super stardom after coming from Ranchi—India’s hinterland, if Sreesanth who hails from the economic backwaters of Kerala can startle the cricketing fraternity by portraying the image of “angry young man”, then why can’t a nation of billions fight it’s way to glory–Why can’t we wage a battle against all odds and win it emphatically just like team India?

If the presumptuous youth can guide India to the top of the world in cricket, it can also shoulder the responsibilities of bettering the image of India as a nation in the world map. If , we as cricket crazy nation interpret cricket’s WC victory metaphorically, then we need to be open to all interpretations. Those who rule the nation need to understand that a young country can’t wait for long to see its ambition fulfilled–So wake up and start working for a better future–a better India. At present, the bright days of glory have deserted team India but the dark nights of defeat have certainly thrown light on obscure flaws in the system. The quicker we identify and solve it, the better it will be for Indian cricket’s future. The same applies for India in all fields and not just cricket. The quicker we spot the loopholes and work on it, the better it will be for the future of our country.

Avi for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Avi on Twitter @KnightsDen

Is Fast Bowling a Dying Art?

As the dust settles on England’s 4-0 whitewashing of India this summer, a couple of things spring mind. Firstly, for all the hyperbole before the series started, India’s batsmen have really failed to perform here in England. Perhaps that was down to a lack of preparation time before the series started; India managed to fit in only one warm up match before the first test at Lords? Or perhaps it’s due to the fact the Indian players haven’t had a rest this year, with the World Cup, IPL and a tour of the West Indies all crammed in to a busy four month period. Either way, they haven’t been able to come to terms with batting in England this summer, and as a result have only passed 300 once all series.

Secondly, and perhaps more worrying is the lack of good fast bowlers in this Indian squad. It’s fair to say that India have had some bad luck with injuries this summer. For me, the loss of Zaheer Khan in that opening test at Lords was a huge blow to them, but the remaining seamers in the squad have just not been good enough. Praveen Kumar did well enough before injury also curtailed his participation, but the reality is Sreesanth, Sharma and Singh were just not threatening enough on a regular basis.

It must be a worry for India that there are not more fast bowlers coming through their ranks, challenging the test squad. Rahul Dravid spoke recently about a talented new generation of batsmen emerging to challenge the likes of Tendulkar, Laxman, Sehwag and himself, yet he didn’t mention any new bowlers breaking into the side.

Some might argue that Indian crickets prioritisation of limited overs cricket ahead of the longest form of the game is stifling test cricket. India co-hosted the One Day World Cup earlier this year and a feature of that tournament was how many teams played with two or even three slow bowlers, opening their bowling with spin to take the pace off the ball. Maybe this was down to slow sub-continent wickets, or perhaps it’s a wider shift in the way limited overs cricket will be played in future?

The fact that the tournament was dominated by teams like India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, all employing these tactics perhaps shows that fast bowling is a dying form in limited overs cricket and as a result the production line of fast bowlers is drying up in these countries?

Of course this brings us back to the fundamental problem with test cricket; it’s not as lucrative as the shorter forms of the game, and it’s not as popular, in some countries at least. In England, test cricket is still seen as the pinnacle of the sport, in fact the shorter forms of the game are often treated as feeder programmes for the test side, such Alastair Cook leading England’s One Day team for example, before he is inevitably promoted to test captain. However other nations do not prioritise in this way.

Rahul Dravid made the point in a recent interview that India’s problem this summer hasn’t been their decision to prioritise limited overs cricket over test matches, rather it was a case of a ridiculously overloaded schedule. India currently play overseas series during their own domestic season, something that would never happen in England or Australia. As a result, Indian players have heavy workloads, because they will play in the IPL and then fulfil their touring obligations with the national side. You could say “forfeit the IPL”, as England players do their domestic competitions such as the Friends Life T20, but the IPL is so big now, and such emphasis is put on it by the Indian authorities, it is almost impossible to see that ever happening.

However, it is something the Indian authorities are going to have to find a work-around for otherwise the shorter forms of the game will continue to dominate schedules, and as a result the players coming through the ranks will be nurtured with this in mind. If test cricket is no longer a priority, gone will be the need for genuinely fast bowlers, and batsmen with classic technique like Dravid and Alastair Cook will become extinct too, in favour of swing-from-the-hips batsmen and bowlers that can bowl accurate yorkers on a regular basis without the requirement for any variation.

As discussed previously on this blog, there is room for both limited overs and test match cricket to be played alongside one another, but the administrators of the game need to manage teams schedules properly. Otherwise test match cricket will struggle to compete with the more lucrative formats of the game and art of fast bowling may well become a thing of the past.

Tom Huelin for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Tom on Twitter @tomhue1

Hot Spot–It’s not so hot!!

Marathon effort ended on a sour note!!

It was the last ball of the 13th over of India’s second innings. Rahul Dravid was up against England spinner Graeme Swann. Dravid all day long had negotiated the turn and bounce from Graeme Swann quite brilliantly but finally faultered in the ultimate delivery of  his fourth over. The ball spun back from outside off stump, and passed very, very close to the bat before going onto pad and looping to Cook who palmed it with one hand and collected the catch. The catch was claimed in unison by the English players but on field umpire didn’t look too interested in that and hence it was ruled not out. The England skipper Andrew Strauss thought otherwise and asked for a referral. The dismissal was then referred to the third umpire Steve  Davies under the DRS referral system –Lo and Behold, Dravid was adjudged caught at short-leg of Swann and with it the third umpire set the ball rolling for another debate on the much anticipated Hot Spot and DRS system.

The debate then shifted to the social platform ”TWITTER” where cricket fans and experts had an opinion of their own. There are 3 ways to look at the issue:

1. The English media men and fans thought that there was a slight deflection from a certain angle and Steve Davies was right in ruling Dravid out. Fair enough.
2. The Indian contingent of fans and experts opined that there was no conclusive evidence for Steve Davies to rule Dravid out and hence he should have stayed with the on field call. Fair enough.
3. And amongst the neutral, many thought that the right decision was ultimately reached but in a wrong way. That is Fair Enough.

So, all in all one would say that either way it was a marginal call. But as someone who has been following the game for a decade now, it is perhaps my duty to bring forth my stand on this issue. So here is what I think about the dismissal:

Well my first reaction to that in real time was ”It is out”! But on observing the replays in slow motion, one got the feeling that the ball had just missed the edge of the bat. The commentators on air said the body language of Dravid immediately after the appeal was not that inspiring and was suggesting that he had nicked it. I did not  feel anything like that. He just went back so that he could withdraw himself from the frame ,thats it. If ever this meant that a batsman has edged a ball, then we would have come across many bizarre dismissals in the past. Anyways, when a decision has been referred to the third umpire, what a batsman’s body language suggests or what the bowler thinks does not really matter– The decision lies in the hands of third umpire and he is the guy who has to come out with a judgement. Now, the referral was made under DRS and so it was pretty clear that the TV umpire had 2 parameters to work with–First see whether it was a legal delivery or not which it was and secondly use the much anticipated ” Hot Spot” and decide if there was a nick. That is where all the problem lies– Dravid in the post match interview says he thought he nicked it, England think he nicked it but the most important technology on which DRS is based i.e ”Hot-Spot” said that there was no edge there. Must say that it was a brave decision by Davies. What he did there was he went right against the technology and sent across a message that ” See the hot spot is not right, there was a nick and i saw it”. So even if the technology says its not out, i say thats out. I really didn’t understand why he did that. His responsibility as the third umpire, once a particular decision has been made by the on-field umpires and has been challenged, is to survey all the evidence that is provided to him within the confines of the DRS. I repeat this again, this was a decision made by the on field umpire and challenged by the English team. As a match official, you need to go by whats at your disposal and if you are going to adjudge a dismissal based on your own parameters, then why have DRS in the first instance?

The ball actually deviated from its path quite a bit as it passed the willow and Davies thinks that there was a slight nick–so slight that even Hot Spot couldn’t pick it up. The ball  must have actually deviated because of the turn that the wicket was offering. It pitched and turned viciously but not for once from those slow-mo replays, snickos and the audio feed from the stump microphone, i felt that there was an inside nick and to be honest if Davies thinks that the ball actually deviated because there was a thin nick, then let me tell you that i have never really seen a ball deviate so much because of a faint edge.

In a nutshell, when an on field umpire’s decision is challenged via DRS, the third umpire needs to confirm whether the right judgement has been made using all the technology that is there at his disposal and if he wishes to overturn it then there has to be enough overwhelming evidence for that. The DRS was meant to eliminate howlers, and not rule on marginal calls. Where marginal calls are involved, the ground umpire’s decision should be taken as the final one.

I spot No Hot Spot!!!

How this decision affects the state of the match remains to be seen. With BCCI approving the usage of DRS in the home games, there will indeed be plenty to talk about the Hot Spot and it’s credibility on the Indian wickets where the ball turns and bounces. It will indeed be a litmus test for UDRS.

Avi for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Avi on Twitter @KnightsDen

Rahul Dravid–The quintessential team man!!

Jammy will bleed BLUE--One last time!!

Critics say when this man bats, it is  ”POETRY IN MOTION”. A man who first stepped into international cricket when unorthodoxy was at its peak with pinch-hitters scoring runs defying the standard shots of cricket–A man who epitomises test cricket and is truly head and shoulders above everyone when it comes to technique and style–Yes, i am talking about the GREAT WALL OF INDIA–RAHUL DRAVID. The skills are as solid as they were 15 years ago, the style seems to have got better and better with each passing year but one thing never seems to change and that is his grit and concentration–Those have been rock solid as ever. Rahul Dravid has been one of the main pillars of the Indian batting line up with his blend of right technique and stylish shots. Here is a tribute to one of the greatest servants of INDIAN cricket as he gears up to play his last ODI series; one last time in his blue jersey.

22nd June, 1996, INDIA was up against ENGLAND at Mecca of Cricket –The Lord’s. A young lad named Sourav Chandidas Ganguly was making a mark in international cricket with his well crafted century. Another batsman at the other end who was also making his debut was effortlessly churning runs with his exquisite strokes. Unfortunately , this slim, handsome lad missed out on a hundred and was dismissed for 95. But his classy innings and the grit to survive in the middle earned him a standing ovation from the crowd at Lord’s. This was perhaps one of the classiest innings they had witnessed in a long time–The man was Rahul Dravid.

For a player whose affluent essay came out of perfection, temperament and technique, Rahul dravid has been INDIA’s go-to man in pressure situations and till date he has served the team’s cause with whole hearted devotion. He has been undoubtedly the best that INDIA has ever produced–in terms of technique, skills, grit and above all dependability. There is always a relief that INDIA can’t  lose if Dravid is there in the middle. Dravid has earned this love and respect from his fans all over the world. People believe him because he has proved that he is worthy of it–Shouldering the hopes of billion fans is indeed a tedious task but for Dravid, its an honour.

In a cricket crazy nation like India, where cricketers are demi-gods, and everyday a new controversy pops up, Dravid’s sheer down to earth nature and humble attitude has helped him stay away from controversies in-spite of so much media scrutiny. Rahul Dravid started off as a shaky batsman with an apt technique, then came a phase wherein he became the sheet anchor and others played around him scoring runs freely and now with the advent of t20, Dravid seems to have moulded himself into a new avatar–a player who now keeps pace with the innings, who not only smacks the bowlers out of the park(pretty unlike the real dravid) but also possesses an attitude that would make him reach the skies. Dravid’s greatness however is not limited to the number of runshe scores on the field. It is a potpourri of character, hard work and a genuinely good heart. Talent and character join hands to make consummate greatness-Dravid is a glittering example of that. A deeper scrutiny of his character shows his commitment towards Indian cricket–A selfless soul who always has been a team-man and whose personal records have been overshadowed by team heroics. As legendary batsman Sunny Gavaskar righly said:

He is the iron man of Indian cricket whose strength of character shines through in every move he makes on the field.

When Dravid retires, the country will lose the greatest no 3 batsman it ever had, fans will be robbed of the privilege of watching this artist at work, media will mourn that he never got his due but most importantly, his departure will take away with itself a bit of gentle-manliness that the game tries to still portray as its inseparable element. He is a legend no matter what critics say–He has been the man responsible for taking INDIA to the numero uno status in test cricket and he will forver be the ICEMAN of team INDIA. But leave aside those talks of retirement for now, as the man seems to be enjoying the game and looks ready to decimate the opponents once again.

Till then, lets enjoy seeing those toes which rise sweetly in sync with the pace of the approaching ball,standing tall and majestic and in control before disdainfully whacking the ball through the backward point. Lets enjoy how he bats and bats and bats and saves the team from a moment of crisis.Lets get awed by his mastery over something we will always run away from–STRUGGLE. Long live the legend of Rahul Dravid.

Hats off Dravid !!!

Avi for DieHard Cricket Fans