India's number #1 ranking shouldn't be criticised

Media across the UK and Australia has been shouting hoarse, saying that India's elevation to the number one rankin test cricket is misplaced since India won a lot of matches playing on home pitches that were heavily titlted towardsthe home side's advantage. Well, they should try and calculate how many one-sided, boring encounters have taken placebetween Australia and the West Indies over the past ten years. How many times has Australia cleaned-up the WI sideswithin three days to amass a whole lot of points in the test ranking system when former Aussie players themselvessay that the WI team is not worthy of being a test match outfit!!
Further, aren't England and SA too driving the advantageby using seamer-inclined pitches against sub-continental teams knowing that conditions back in the Asian continent are the exact opposite? Isn't the Australian test team's ranking bloated by series victory over Zimbabwe and Bangladeshisides? Isn't is plainly visible that Australia built their numero uno ranking by blanking-out unmatched, underprepared sidesfrom England and the WI series after series in the Ashes and the Frank Worell Trophy? Every cricketing nation wantsto exploit its home conditions and India has done no different...so stop whining about it. If Australians were so sensitive to the quality of the competition and the fairness in terms of matching the sides evenly, they could have played a few test series without including Warne or McGrath - that didn't happen and in fact, both of them were streteched to hang-on towards their last years just to ensure that Australia could win back the Ashes after having ceded it to the Poms after years of one-sided, hopeless encounters.

Asif's Day of Redemption

You can count upon a Pakistani paceman to deliver when the situation is most demanding and his presence in the dressing room is under scrutiny and these are the two conditions that prevailed when Asif bowled a magical spell to leave NZ at the crossroads of a certian loss. I have often called Asif a McGrath-like bowler although his antics are nothing like that of the Aussie great. Glenn McGrath was never in the news for what he did off the field and Asif seems to have spent more time appearing in court hearing and spending time with his team of lawyers to clear his name from an unending series of controversies.
That apart, he is a magnificient bowler. Even now he is not bowling as fast as he is capable of, seldom touching the 140 km/her-mark but the conditions that prevail in NZ, the moisture and the wind, are making it easier for him to take wickets. Further, the less said about the Kiwi batsmen the better - their footwork is awful apart from McCullum and Vettori and their ability to stay at the crease for even 2 hrs is highly suspect. Even the likes of Ross Taylor don't seem to understand that if they don't deliver, there is no second line of talent or more men in the dressing room to fall back upon - it is time the NZ batsment stood up to the challenge..for the moment though, Great going, Asif.

Is Ravinder Jadeja worth the investment?

The Indian team for the upcoming ODI Series against Sri Lanka 2009 has been announced and it seems that the selectors and Dhoni have put their faith in the all-round capabilities of Jadeja. The lef-arm spinner from Saurashtra has been in the frame for some time, and has been promoted as the solution to India's inability to find a genuine all-rounder.
However, I don't believe that he has the makings of being such an effective player unless he is tried out at the top of the batting order since he simply cannot pulverize the bowling towards the end of the innings. Yes, his bowling is pretty useful on most pitches as containing runs is the foremost parameter for bowlers these days but then it is his batting during crucial stages that has come for some criticism in the recent past. I just don't see him developing into a good finisher like Bevan, but he could be more useful at number 3-4. Then again, a problem crops-up, since India has a long list of strokemakers who want to bat up the order and there is just no way that Yuvraj Singh can be demoted in terms of being the preferred number four Indian bastman.

Too many wrongs with the West Indies to recover

The ongoing, Frank Worrell 2009 test series between the WI and Australia has revoked extreme reactions from a lot of former players who deem that the Caribbean team is no longer fit to play test cricket. I believe omitting them from test cricket will not resolve anything. The problem lies with the team's internal issues that range from frustration of players on being denied due payments by the WICB and the subtle regional undercurrents that are bothering the team's dressing room.

Such regional sentiments have also seeped into the players who are assembled and are a big threat to the team's unity. Further, the pay issues with the WICB has continued with too long and the world body of cricket should try and help and resolve the issue in some way. Now, it seems that Chris Gayle, the current skipper of the team is reluctant to even play test cricket and he has voiced his opinions openly in the media. For me, this is blatant indiscipline. Yes, speaking your mind should be encouraged but not in a way that is damaging to the team's reputation. The West Indies are now being described as a team that is just waiting for the test series to get wrapped-up so the more easier format of the game, i.e. the T20s and then the ODIs can begin. Plz understand that the WI is composed of players from many small island nations, some of which are progressing steadily in terms of economic recovery and now want a separate cricketing identity by launching their own, national teams. Thanks to the increasing number of T20 domestic games, the support and the loyalties for small island teams has grown much stronger - something like the club obsession that is found in the English and European soccer leagues.

Sehewag's ODI predicament

There is no other way of saying that it was extremely sad to see Sehewag get out on 293, just seven runs short of becoming the cricketer to have scored most test centuries. Looking at his amazing test record, I wonder what is the reason behind his modest average of just about 33.00, considering that most ODIs are high-scoring run affairs, these days. Further, it seems that the ODI format just fails to bring the best out of Viru, irrespective of how mediocre the bowling may be. His humble average in the 50-over format could be due to the fact that he is not sure about the run rate that he should be maintaining in comparision to test cricket wherein run rate is not his first priority and he can select balls to hit or like the T20s wherein he can madly slash at every ball, since that is what is expected of every opening batsmen batting for just 20 overs. Still, considering his record and his appetite of runs, Sehewag's ODI batting average is a baffling fact.

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.

Murali Vijay does look the part

I hope this is not regarded as a knee-jerk reaction: I was watching Murali Vijay's knock of 87 today and it seemed that India have found a potential replacement if either Dravid or Laxman do hang up their boots some time from now.
Yes, it is a big statement to make but words like 'class' and 'lovely shots' are synonymous in describing how this young man bats and on ocassions his ability to time the ball through the off-side is indeed very, very special, i.e. VVS. I wish he can roped in as being the next big thing from the indian top order and is carried around for ODI campaigns too wherein he can be rotated with someone like Tendulkar to give some rest to the master blaster. This would serve a double purpose as Vijay would get the time to realize the responsibilities he would soon be entrusted with and the Little Champion's aging career could get a extended a bit.

Chasing #1 Test Spot but can India hold on to it?

The media in India is going crazy with the fact that if India can win the last of the test matches against Sri Lanka, they would occupy the number one test ranking for perhaps the first time since the official ranking system was launched. However, one question begs to be asked - unlike the Aussies who turned out to be absolute rulers as the number one ranked test team, can India actually hold-on to the spot for a substantial period of time?
Their middle-order might be one of the best in the world right now, but a few seasons from now on and some of the big names are bound to retire. Where are the worthy replacements? Where are young, tear-away fast bowlers who can win test matches on their own? Even Bhajji has no one who can be called his ally in terms of a dependable, back-up spinner. I honestly believe, we are reading too much into the ranking updates. Let us get real, the points will come and go but the real test is of the fact that whether a team can be heads-and-shoulders above its immediate competition.

Brad Hodge Joins the list of 'could-have-been-greats' from Australia

Brad Hodge joined the list of a few former Australian players, particularly batsmen, who promised a lot but could not really deliver when they were launched in the international scene. A few other names that instantly come to mind are that of Greg Blewett and Stuart Law. Both were rated highly by the likes of Allan Border and Greg Chapell but just like Hodge they made tons of runs in the Aussie domestic circuit and made outstanding captains for their respective county sidesbut could not cement their places in the national side. Blewett for one was hailed by many as the next big thing to come from Australia before the likes ofPonting and Gilchrist came to the fore and stole the limelight. However, here is still saying goodbye to Hodge as he retires from first-class and competitive cricket.

Any surprises for India ODI team against Lankans?

I am not expecting much in terms of any new faces being inducted in the Indian team that is soon to take upon Lankans in an ODI and T20 series. The fact is that there are some very impressive faces in the domestic scene but it is up to the selectors to be brave enough to try-out some of these. Rajat Bhatia and Virat Kohli's name came to the fore. Both belong to Delhi and bring the same type of street-smart cricket that has been shown by the likes of Gambhir and Sehewag. Hoping that Rohit Sharma does not get another chance simply because he has done anything really impressive when playing in domestic matches. It would be worth a try to give Praveen Kumar more chances to perform as an all-rounder. In terms of spinners, Ojha could be used to give Bhajji a much-needed rest but then Bhajji has been contributing with the bat and Ojha is your typical number 11 who just cannot put bat to ball.