India ODI Matches ‘dry runs’ to World Cup 2011: Really Mr. Shastri??

This is referring to a recent published article that listed the views of India’s former captain, Mr. Ravi Shastri, wherein he has mentioned that the 18 or so ODIs that India has before the forthcoming WC 2011 matches are essentially practice matches. In fact, he used the term ‘dry runs’ to describe these matches.What I cannot figure out is how have 18 international matches been reduced to the pedestal of just being trial matches or what they now popular call ‘testing the bench strength’. Isn't every international match being played with the India cap and isn't it supposed to put the best available national talent on the field?

I can understand that some international-scale matches between European nations are often played as ‘friendlies’. However, the use of this term to label the matches ensures that the spectators understand the reality that the level of intensity and commitment they expect in an international encounter might be missing to some extent. At least, this labeling ensures that the spectators and national followers of the game aren’t misled in any way. Similarly, a tobacco product has to carry an official warning about the injurious nature of the product. Whether this makes a difference to the judgment of a consumer or not is beyond the purview of this official warning.

Has the BCCI or any national representative of the game even bothered to inform that the forthcoming ‘non-friendlies’ featuring India are prone to be used as some sort of a testing ground for newer talents?

Do Dhoni's remarks indicate an underlying apprehension?

I might be getting a bit too suspicious here but the fact is that on the eve of their departure to the West Indies for the forthcoming World Cup 2010, the Indian captain did seem very mindful of the fact that most of his team members had participated in the very demanding format of the IPL3 and that this Indian squad certainly wasn't the freshest one in terms of the participating teams at the Caribbean event. What makes me believe this is that MSD himself isn't the greatest of supporters for the theory of playing non-stop cricket.

If you look at this captaincy record, there have been instances where MSD had himself sought the permission of the BCCI to take a rest between two series-something that no other Indian captain has dared to do in the past. Further, Dhoni himself has a very suscpet back that has been troubling him for the last two seasons. Further, to maintain the balance in the team, he cannot risk taking upon another specialist keeper to resolve this issue. So, there is basically no way in which Dhoni can reduce his workload and further, some critical teammates like Ashish Nehra and Yuvraj Singh are still recuperating and are yet to hit peak fitness.

In the background of such issues, it was strange to see that Dhoni went on to explain that his team was 'fresh' at the press conference held on the eve of the team's departure and went on to explain this without much prompting from the surrounding media persons? Is he being wary of something that is bothering the team management?

Too Many Dew-affected Matches for Cricketing Comfort of Fielding Sides

I don’t to nitpick but the fact is that the number of ODI matches that are turning one-sided affairs with immense disadvantage to side bowling in the evening/night are rising at an alarming rate. It is not something new as such — dew has always been a factor particularly in the sub-continental conditions where the ground conditions do tend to change once the ground develops a hard-to-counter wet blanket. However, what is surprising is that even though so many captains have complained about this issue, the ICC remains unmoved. It seems that the motive behind this calculated ignorance has been fuelled by the BCCIwhom we all know as a money-making, cash-obsessed cricketing body that rules the roost of international cricketing fixtures. As day-night matches do tend to provide more excitement and bring-in more spectators to the ground and the viewership is substantially higher than all-day ODI matches, it isn't hard to understand why the BCCI and then the ICC have turned a blind eye towards this issue. However, it would like to say that rather than eradicating or limiting day-night encounters in this part of the world, what needs to be done is finding more solutions. Yes, the answers are difficult since there is no practical escape from dewdrops that tend to descend and rise in volume with every passing minute. However, there could be a system wherein the bowling side is provided the option of using more ball — I mean more than the normal number of ball changes to ensure that the side isn't left struggling with a wet, slippery ball with which the bowlers are rendered useless. The current tri-series in Dhaka is another example of this wherein the bowlers are struggling horribly to hold the seam once the ball gets run on the wet outfield.

Lack of sponsors for Indian team..hard to believe!

It is really hard to comprehend the story that is being put forth by the BCCI wherein they say that they have just somehow managed to get an extended sponsorship deal from Sahara for another six months due to severe shortage of capable sponsors who are willing to pay the deamanded amount. This is when the BCCI is supposed to be the strongest and the most cash-rich body in the cricketing world and is about to host the next World Cup (2011)!

What is even more baffling is the fact that analysts say that this has little to do with aftermath of the economic recession and more to do with team sponsors not getting enough media exposure or positive market sentiments out of their association with the Indian team> again, something shocking considering how the Indian cricket players are worshipped at home and by Indian fan community across the globe.

Why has Munaf Patel got a contract?

The latest contract grading for the Indian players has been released and once again, the no-good, absolutely impressionless, totally mediocre, Munaf Patel's name has been included in the list. This is despite the fact that his performance has been on the downslide for the last 18 months and he has done nothing much to augment his case as a medium fast bowler. For someone who was supposed to consistently bowl at around 85 miles per hour, now simply lumbers down the pitch at around 130 km/hr max, cannot field - even off his own bowling and has been a real dissapointment in every imagineable way. And yet he gets a contract without any riders on it? The BCCI could have at least issued him a warning saying that he is on the verge of being excluded.