When The Consistent Raina Broke The Jinx For Cursed CSK

Heroes In the IPL Finals- Episode 3

A beautiful summer season welcomed a highly anticipated clash of titans in the IPL 2010. As the decade was nearing to its end, India welcomed its annual cricketing brother. The IPL 2010 promised to be another cricketing clash for the ages and it delivered one of the best IPL seasons till then (maybe till date).

The beauty of the IPL season 3 was defined by its explicit nature of points table that shifted teams from top to bottom each day. After the league stage, exactly 4 teams (CSK, RCB, DD and KKR) were stuck on 14 points, competing for final two spots. Only then, two teams CSK and RCB, jumped the gun with their superior net run-rate and qualified for the knock-out stages. The season had everything; drama, excitement, nail-biting matches and finally Sachin’s beautiful 618 runs. It gave birth to a consistent Suresh Raina (520 runs) who was on the peak of his game throughout the season. Additionally, unlike other two seasons, it was a first time that an Indian captain (MS Dhoni) lifted the IPL trophy.

CSK’s Journey in a Nutshell:

Till that date, even though the CSK was the side of beat, the problem of choking in crucial stages of tournament chased them yet again. CSK gathered a champion side once again with their batting exploits mostly dependent on top order players like Matthew Hayden and Suresh Raina and our ever-dependable MS Dhoni. In this season, Murali Vijay too revived his career (458 runs) and had a great IPL. In bowling department, M Muralitharan (15 wickets) and R Ashwin (12 wickets) was a pick of bowlers. In fast bowling department, the Australian quickie Doug Bollinger not only picked up wickets (12 wickets) but also proved to be economical for them.

CSK started their campaign with a loss against a formidable DC. However, at the back of batting performances of MS Dhoni and Mathew Hayden, CSK won their next two matches comfortably. After the second game, Dhoni got injured and Suresh Raina took up the captaincy. Under his leadership, they won 1 game and lost 2 in the process (one of them a super over bout against KXIP). Once Dhoni returned from injury, things didn’t go exactly as planned as they lost their next 2 matches too. With 2 wins in 7 matches, CSK was languishing at the bottom. However, the team took the onus on themselves, collectively they won their next 3 matches and, in the process, increased their net run rate as well.  With 10 points after 10 games, they lost 2 of the 3 games and found themselves in a treacherous position of winning their final game to keep themselves in the hunt for the knockouts. That’s when Dhoni pulled off an awesome cricketing heist in the final overs, that would make even the ‘Professor’ proud. Dhoni smashed I Pathan for 17 runs in the final over and pulled off an emphatic win in a virtual quarter-final. At the back of the superior net-rate, CSK qualified for semis and played against last year’s IPL champions, DC. In the semis, CSK bowlers brought their ‘A’ game, especially, D Bollinger accrued the figures of 4/13 defending a modest total of 142 runs. CSK defeated DC comfortably with 38 runs to enter their second IPL finals.

MI’s Journey in a Nutshell:

The star-studded MI side faced an uphill task ahead of the IPL 3, as they were flagging at the bottom of the points table from last 2 years. The little master’s led side had their work cut-out and they responded magnificently in the league stages of the tournament. MI batting was totally dependent on Tendulkar, however Indian Cricket League signing Ambati Rayudu (356) along with young U19 sensation Saurabh Tiwary (419) joined forces to form a formidable batting order. In bowling, experienced pacers, Lasith Malinga and Zaheer Khan (15 wickets each) led the way with the help of Harbhajan Singh (17 wickets) who took up the responsibility of taking wickets in the middle overs. The all-round ability of Kieron Pollard (273 runs and 15 wickets) served as a perfect foil for already strong line-up.

Unlike CSK, MI won their first 2 matches at the back of their batting core mentioned above. However, they had a slight jitter against RCB and lost that game. After that, MI with well-rounded performances, won their next 5 matches and scored 14 points to stay at the top of the league stages. Even though MI lost their next 2 games, they came back strongly by winning their next 3 matches on trot due to Sachin’s great knocks who was simply unstoppable in that league. With the collective team effort, MI scored the highest number of points (20 points) in the league stages and faced RCB in the semis. In semis, K Pollard showed his all-round class (33 of 13 balls and 3/15) and foxed RCB in all departments to win by 35 runs assisting MI to enter its first ever IPL finals.

The Big Stage, The Finals:

In finals, CSK won the toss and choose to bat first in a dusty wicket of Wankhede Stadium at Mumbai. CSK were off to a decent start with 44 runs on the board. However, the double strike by D Fernando and K Pollard pulled things back for MI. With the score of 47/2, Raina was joined by S Badrinath and they took the score to 67 before Badrinath hooked Fernando straight down the throat of Malinga who took an easy catch. After that, Dhoni joined Raina and together they put on a 72-run partnership to take the score to 139. Zak dismissed Dhoni in the 17^th over and A Rayudu ran-out A Morkel in the 19^th over of the innings. Raina played a responsible innings (57 of 35) and collected a competitive total of 168/5 after 20 overs.

In the second innings, MI had a horror start as S Dhawan went for a duck in 2^nd over. Sachin and A Nayar tried to steady the ship, however the tight bowling of CSK and pitch getting slower didn’t allow them to explode. The score read 67/1 but 11 overs were already gone. As soon as, Nayar started to strike some lusty blows against S Jakati, Nayar got himself run-out with the smart work of Dhoni. This moment proved to be a game-changing one and inadvertently, MI lost the plot after that. MI lost wickets at regular intervals and didn’t build any significant partnerships. MI scored 146/9 in their allotted 20 overs and lost the game by 22 runs. Finally, CSK won their first ever IPL season after 2 losses in knockout stages.

Suresh Raina for his resounding knock of 57 of 35 balls was awarded the man of the match, whereas Sachin Tendulkar was recognized as the player of the tournament and won the orange match as well. P Ojha won the purple cap for highest number of wickets (21) in the tournament.

Share your opinions by commenting below!

Image source- Hindustan Times

According to you, who was the true hero for CSK in the IPL 2010?

1. MS Dhoni
2. Suresh Raina
3. D Bollinger
4. M Muralitharan

When Kumble’s Magic Was Not Enough For RCB In South Africa

Heroes In the IPL Finals- Episode 2

With the grand success of IPL in 2008, the much-awaited glam boy of cricket travelled to South Africa for its second round of the immortals. With elections in India and security reasons, the IPL was shifted to a flamboyant, colourful and Indo-centric country of Africa. With fast pitches and hazy conditions, everything was at the peak and gearing up to be the exciting league that everyone was waiting for.

The stage was set for a dramatic and most-awaited cricket league in the world. However, among all 8 teams, whenever we talk about fair-tale endings, 2009 IPL was a kind-of similar stories for both of our finalists Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Deccan Chargers (DC). Last year, both RCB and DC was languishing at the bottom in the points table at 7^th and 8^th position respectively. But this time around, the destiny and hard-work had a different writing on the walls. Both teams not only rose above all in the league stages but also played the finals.

DC’s Journey in a Nutshell:

With the team flagging at the bottom and indifferences in the side, DC completely revamped their set-up and bought in a new support staff. Adam Gilchrist took over the responsibility of captaining the side, as a skipper. Gilly was a perfect foil for the team as he not only played his part with bat, he also guided the young boys in crucial match situations. In the bowling department, RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha took over the onus and with the help of Australian quickie Ryan Harris, together they built a formidable unit. The batting was led by their skipper, H Gibbs and young players like Rohit Sharma and T Suman. As an allrounder, Andrew Symonds proved as a chief destroyer whenever needed.

DC went off to a great start, winning their first 4 games. However, things took a turn as they lost their next 3 games. With alternate wins and losses in next 5 matches and losing the final two, DC ended up with 14 points which was similar to KXIPs tally. But, with a superior run-rate throughout their league stages, DC entered the semi-finals. In semi-finals, DC faced off against Delhi Daredevils (DD), but at the back of a great spell by Ryan Harris (3/27) and Gilly’s wonderful knock (85 of 35), DC crushed DD easily by 6 wickets to enter their first ever IPL finals.

RCB’s Journey in a Nutshell:

Same as their nemesis, RCB too overhauled their support staff and went in with Anil Kumble as their captain. Like Gilly, Kumble too had a stellar season and ended by becoming the second highest wicket taker in those quick pitches in South Africa. RCB’s batting mostly dependant on the experience of J Kallis, R Dravid and R Taylor plus a young sensation named Manish Pandey who become the first Indian to score an IPL hundred. In bowling department, along with skipper, Vinay Kumar, Praveen Kumar and Kallis took the responsibility of bowling the important overs.

RCB started decently by winning their first game in the tournament but lost their plot after that game. They went on to lose their next 4 matches, repeating their story from the last year. However, RCB stood together as a unit and won 7 out of their last 9 matches (4 out last 4 matches) and sat at 3^rd position in the points table with 16 points. In semi-finals, RCB faced the last year’s finalists and table-toppers CSK, however their bowlers bowled exceedingly well as a unit and kept the total below 150. RCB chased down the target easily with 6 wickets to spare (Manish Pandey 48 of 35) and beat the tournament favourites to enter their first ever IPL finals.

The Big Stage, The Finals:

The stage was set for a magical ending in the finals. RCB won the toss and choose to bowl first on a tinge green Kingsmead wicket. But, RCB pulled a perfect rabbit out of the hat and started their innings with Kumble who removed his counterpart in the first over itself. Kumble bowled one of the best spells by any bowler in the history of IPL finals, where he achieved the figures of 4/16, picking up crucial wickets of R Sharma and A Symonds in the tricky junctures of the match. Vinay Kumar too joined the party and ended up with the figures of 2/30. For DC, H Gibbs was the only one who stood for the cause and ended up stroking a well-deserved fifty (53 of 48) in the process. At the end of the 20 overs, DC scored 143/6 which looked a below-par total considering the strong batting line-up of RCB.

In the second innings, RP Singh, the wonder boy for DC, removed Kallis in the fourth over of the innings at the score of 20. After that, Gilly went to his most dependable bowler P Ojha who dismissed RCB’s top-scorer in the tournament, M Pandey in the 7^th over. With the score of 36/2 and both their top scorers in the hut, things were in a dire situation for RCB. However, R van der Merwe hit 2 gigantic sixes and took the score to 57 in 8.2 overs. When things were starting to look good for RCB, Merwe played a horrific shot against P Ojha who ended up beating him in the flight and got him stumped.

Both R Taylor and R Dravid steadied the RCB’s ship until the score of 79 but unlike his nature, Dravid played a scoop and ended up getting bowled to Harmeet Singh. Kohli joined Ross Taylor and together they took the score to 99. But there was another twist waiting in the winds, as both got dismissed back to back thanks to the Australian pair of Symonds and Gilly. Things started to slide down for RCB as H Singh and P Ojha removed M Boucher and P Kumar respectively. However, R Uthappa was still there at the crease and with the help of Vinay Kumar, they both took the score to 129/9. With 15 needed of the final over, RP Singh was shouldered the responsibility to bowl the final over. RP Singh bowled a great over and gave away only 8 runs in the final over and helped DC to lift their first ever IPL trophy.

Anil Kumble for his outstanding spell of bowling (4/16) was awarded the man of the match, whereas Adam Gilchrist for his captaincy and batting performances (495 runs) was recognized as the player of the tournament. RP Singh won the purple cap for highest number of wickets (23) in the tournament.

Share your opinions by commenting below!

Image source- Cricshots.com

According to you, who was the true hero for DC in the IPL 2009?

1. RP Singh
2. Adam Gilchrist
3. P Ojha
4. Rohit Sharma

When Pathan Power Exploded In The Inaugural Edition Of IPL

Heroes In the IPL Finals- Episode 1

Twenty-20 cricket, the ‘cricket’s amateur baby’ or ‘school boy cricket’ as it was called in the late 2000s, was not accepted by many cricketing gurus or former cricketers to a larger extent. But, as in the movies, someone suddenly rises to the occasion and saves the day, inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa became that hero. Now, suddenly, the amateur boy with his growth hormones added the exuberance and excitement of watching this newest and craziest format of the game.

The success of T20 World Cup and India winning it, certainly led to the formation of one of the prestigious leagues in the world. The Indian Premier League had arrived and so was the ‘bhel’ of international, young, domestic, and retired yet legendary cricketers were served to us. This led to one of the primitive sons of cricket to born which grew and grew and has reached newer heights.

IPL is exciting for Indian cricket fans, but nothing is bigger than watching a closely contested finals of a cricket game. The inaugural IPL final was just that cheery on the top of already beautiful piece of cake. Both the finalists Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), played tremendously throughout the league stages and deserved their spots in the finals.

RR’s Journey in a Nutshell:

At the start of the IPL 2008 and visualizing the RR squad, they were truly not the favorites for the tournament. With a foreign captain and comparatively weaker side on paper, nobody gave RR any chance. However, they turned out to be the dark horses of the tournament as not only jelled together as a team but ran through the tournament like a pro. RR was a blend of a great leaders and a captain like Graeme Smith and Shane Warne, exciting young cricketers like Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, S Asnodkar plus the upcoming foreign cricketers like Shane Watson. On their verge of dominance, RR won 11 out of the 14 matches in league stages losing only 3 crunch games. Throughout the league stages, batting and bowling heroes was born in every game. In the semi-final game, Shane Watson with his all-round performance, dominated Delhi Daredevils and helped RR to win by 105 runs.

CSK’s Journey in a Nutshell:

CSK was one of those big teams in the IPL who were more into expectations because the ever-reliable MS Dhoni was their captain. Things were very good for CSK in the start as their foreign cricketers like Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey dominated the first four matches and left for international duties. After the terrific start, Chennai was smacked in next 3 games losing them all. Finally, with the exuberance of youths like Suresh Raina and experience of MS Dhoni, Chennai got the required 16 points and ended up at the third position in the league stages. In semi-finals one side dominance was resurrected as both Makhaya Ntini and Manpreet Gony ran through the Kings XI Punjab side to win by 9 wickets.

The Big Stage, The Finals:

Finals was not a new entity for the experienced cricketers; however, it was game of pressure for young players. Among all these young guns, Yusuf Pathan took the onus on himself and pulled off a great all-round show in this pressure game. RR won the toss and choose to field first in a greasy and spin-friendly pitch in Dy Patil Stadium at Mumbai. Batting first, CSK went off to a decent start with 39 runs for the first wicket. However, Yusuf had different ideas as he picked up the first three wickets and got them in crucial moments to stop the flow of runs. Yet, Suresh Raina who was the star for CSK through that league, scored a gritty 43 (30). With contributions of Raina and firing knock by MS Dhoni 29 (17), CSK propelled their score to post a par total of 163/5.

The pitch wasn’t used in the tournament, so 160 plus in the finals was looking more than enough to put pressure on any side. Batting second, RR's innings didn’t go of the plane, as they lost both their openers and number 3 at the score of 42/3. Yusuf Pathan joined Shane Watson and both put on a decent partnership of 65 for the 4^th wicket. Yusuf was brutal yet smart in his innings, milking singles in crucial times and ended up scoring a gritty half century in the process. M Muralitharan broke their partnership in 14^th over and after 17.1 overs the scoreboard read 139/6. With 25 needed of 17 balls and Pathan still at the crease, things were still under control. However, Raina pulled off a blinder and ran-out Pathan in 17^th over of the innings leading to a nail bitter.

After 18 overs, RR required 18 runs of 12 balls and Makhaya Ntini gave away 10 runs in the penultimate over after the last ball boundary through covers by S Warne. With only 8 required in the final over, L Balaji was handed the responsibility of defending it. Balaji got off to a great start by giving only 2 singles of first 3 balls. With 6 runs needed of 3 balls, Balaji bowled a wide which was missed by P Patel and RR ran an extra run. With 3 runs needed of 2 balls, S Tanvir scored 2 runs in the long leg region as Balaji missed his yorker and ended up bowling a full-toss. Finally, in the last ball of the IPL 2008, Balaji dropped it short and took his pace off, however Tanvir was up to the task  and pushed it through the gap in the mid-wicket and won the dramatic final for RR.

Yusuf Pathan for his all-round show (3/22 and 56 of 39 balls) was awarded match of the match, whereas Shane Watson with his all-round performances (472 runs and 17 wickets) through the tournament, won man of the series prize. S Tanvir with 22 wickets was the highest wicket-taker in the tournament and won the purple cap.

Share your opinions by commenting below!

Image source- India Today

According to you, who was the true hero for RR in the IPL 2008

1. Yusuf Pathan
2. Shane Warne
3. Shane Watson
4. Sohail Tanvir

Is IPL Bigger Than ICC And Bilateral Tournaments?

In the recent turn of events, there has been an interesting bout regarding the re-scheduling of IPL season 13. The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have locked horns against each other, as the PCB have denied the proposal to re-schedule T20 World Cup from this year to March 2021.

According to the PCB official, they feel that the decision to re-schedule T20 World Cup seem to be rushed as there are still few months left before the showcase of the immortals. Additionally, the board thinks that the decision can be taken after assessing the issues of recent pandemic caused by COVID-19 disease. Furthermore, the coveted board opined that the ICC should not prioritize IPL as it a domestic league and honestly, the ICC and bilateral tournaments are much greater than such domestic tournaments.  

On the other hand, as we all IPL is the only tournament in the world that have their special window in Future Tours Program (FTP) of the ICC. The BCCI are very keen to conduct the 13^th season of IPL this year. The governing body of cricket in India, has stressed that if the IPL is postponed this year, they will incur the loss of approximately 4k crore rupees which might hinder their other activities this year.

Personally, apart from the money, as a true fan of cricket, I believe that the ICC events is much bigger than any bilateral leagues around the globe irrespective of their status in the business game. As a sport, the international cricket should always be given the highest regard no matter the situation. The decision-making shouldn’t be biased and favoring a particular country over the world tournaments at any given cost.

Looking forward to your opinions on this recent issue.

Do you prefer IPL over ICC and bilateral tournaments?

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Links for my previous posts:

https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/2020/05/should-indian-players-be-allowed-to.html

https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/2020/05/could-rohit-be-better-white-ball.html

https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/2020/05/is-this-end-of-road-for-iceman-ms-dhoni.html

Should Indian Players Be Allowed To Play In Foreign Leagues?

Have you ever wondered, cheering for Dhoni when he is lighting the stumps for Hobart Hurricanes or Trinbago Knight Riders? Watching Kohli smack bowlers over covers by reaching a dance-formation of a ‘Nataraja’ for a Yorkshire or Rangpur Riders? Or Jasprit Bumrah destroying the stump with his toe-crushing Yorkers for Sydney Sixers? You must have got what I’m saying probably and yet the truth is it might never happen. We all know that the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) doesn’t allow any Indian players to participate in any foreign leagues.  

The incident is somewhat sad, as we want to visualize our domestic players and the ones who aren’t under any contract, to prove their mettle in such leagues. Consequently, the performances in these leagues might make their case for International selection. Along with the IPL, these leagues are still an ideal platform for these cricketers as they can develop their game in a concise manner suitable for International cricket and subsequently learn newer things.

Why BCCI doesn’t allow Indian cricketers to participate in these leagues?

• Indian cricketers are prone to draw large audiences to the stadium
• IPL won’t stay as the world leader in T20 tournaments
• Indian cricketers may not be interested in participating in IPL as they end up earning more in other leagues
• Domestic cricket in India might get affected

The above points are basically the structured way for rejecting this ordeal. The first two points are the lucrative ways for basically avoiding that, IPL doesn’t lose its monopoly as the strongest player in the business. Otherwise the remaining two points is just a mere reflection of their planning against these cricketers.

Advantages and disadvantages in participating in these leagues?

Advantages:

• Understanding foreign pitches to a greater extend for adapting in International cricket
• Learning from the biggest heads in the game and a diverse group of players and mentors
• Getting used to different conditions mentally and physically
• Additional options of earning

Disadvantages:

• Players may miss the cut to play international test cricket for the country as most of these cricketers are still selected based on their ‘Ranji’ performances
• Players may miss out on selection in International ‘A’ tours as such players would be contracted with these leagues

In the end, it is still a huge debate regarding this issue and many cricketers are starting to get vocal about it. Cricketers like Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Robin Uthappa have expressed their concerns and have urged the BCCI to look upon the request. Personally, I think that there should be a structured method of allowing at least these uncontracted players to play in these leagues. BCCI can plan this ordeal in a manner that it doesn’t take away the importance of their domestic structure.

According to you should, BCCI allow Indian cricketers to participate in foreign leagues?

Looking forward to your opinions in the comment section.

Image Source- News Today

Have a look on my previous posts: https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/

Could Rohit Be Better White Ball Captain Than Kohli?

India’s disappointing exit in the semi-final of the Cricket World Cup 2019 was very agonizing for every cricket fan. Since the ICC Champions Trophy 2013, team India’s track record in the ICC knockout games has been disappointing. Indian teams look very formidable in every format now.  However, the act of choking in the business end of the tournament is somewhat unreasonable for a such talented side. Partly, MS was the Captain in those tournaments but most recently, Kohli is looking after the side as a formidable skipper for India. However, the pressure of knockout games and expectations has somewhat affected his captaincy in crucial stages of tournament. In both major tournaments (Champions Trophy 2017 and Cricket World Cup 2019), Kohli has somehow looked vulnerable as a captain.  

This takes us to one of debatable topics in the Indian cricket i.e. Should team India go with split captaincy in tests and limited overs? Could Rohit Be Better White Ball Captain Than Kohli? 

The root cause of the debate:

Kohli has been one of the finest captains for India in both red ball cricket and white ball cricket. In red ball cricket, specifically, his ability to attack in crucial moments and snatch the important moments is very inspiring for the team. Hands down, Kohli as a captain in test cricket has developed this Indian side to be one of the finest in both home and overseas conditions. But when it comes to white ball cricket, he has a mix bag as in major tournaments and knock-outs, Kohli is sometimes found susceptible to his own cause. Although, no captain is better than his team, from last 5 to 6 years he lacks that zing that would benefit for lifting the trophy. Its not that, Kohli is the worst, ideally, he has been very good as a skipper with such a huge win percentage (), but his problems in the knockouts is now somewhat reflecting in the test cricket too. Team India, recently, got white-washed in both one-day and tests in New Zealand under his leadership.

On the contrary, team India’s vice-captain has an excellent track-record in the limited opportunities. Under his captaincy, India has won the Asia cup in 2018 and Nidahas trophy in Srilanka. He even has 4 IPL titles under his belt. This somehow reflects that Rohit as a captain has shown more maturity and maybe cracked the code to win crucial games. Rohit as a cricketer has come a long way and his captaincy in IPL has revolutionized him as a leader.

Differences between the two in the IPL:

Virat Kohli	Rohit Sharma
No IPL titles	4 IPL titles
Always had a potent batting line-up	Always had a potent yet dependable batting line-up
Batting relied mostly on Kohli and ABD	Batting relied on their young Indian talent i.e. core of their side (S Yadav, N Rana, I Kishan, A Rayudu, Young Rohit)
Inconsistent overseas players (except ABD)	Consistent overseas players throughout all seasons (K Pollard, L Malinga)
Changing balling line-ups and bowling leader	Formidable bowling line-up with the set core (Bumrah, Malinga, Hardik and Krunal)
Additions in bowling line-up have struggled (T Mills, M Starc, S Badree, T Southee, M Siraj)	Additions in bowling line-ups have shined (M Markande, S Gopal, R Chahar)
Struggled in death overs as a bowling unit	Shined in death overs as a bowling unit

The above differences in side, chopping and changing management, somehow reflects that Kohli didn’t had a settled side for once. Kohli as a captain is not bad but sometimes his indecision and tactics has gone under the scrutiny.

As a personal thought, I still believe that Virat as a captain has a far to reach and with the formidable Indian side, he would be one of the best white ball captains in this generation. Even though Rohit as a captain have risen to the occasion, I still think in India, split captaincy is never an answer to our woes. I think if a leader is good for your side, players should back him and give their 100 percent to support their skipper. Irrespective of the format, a good leader always plays as a leader.

Share your thoughts with me.

Image source- Indian Express.com 

Links for reading my previous posts:

https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/2020/05/yuvraj-singh-unsung-prince-of-white.html

https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/2020/05/rohit-sharmas-rising-from-2013-to-hitman.html

Main link: https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/

According to you, should team India go with split captaincy in tests and limited overs?

Yuvraj Singh, The Unsung Prince Of White Ball Cricket

The game of cricket has been privileged to witness many classy lefthanders who have stood out of the others in their unique way. Starting from S Ganguly to David Warner, world cricket has rejoiced with their amazing batting talent. Eras have changed and with that techniques have changed too, but then again; nothing is comprehensive than a left-hander’s majestic play through the off side. The flashy cover drives and scintillating off drives are the sweetest treats to the eyes. Among these left-handers, Yuvraj Singh aka the Prince with his amazing ‘back lift’ and ‘bat swing’ was unmatched by any other lefthander.

Start to illustrious career: 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy

Owing to his awesome performances in ICC Under 19 World Cup 2000, Yuvi was selected 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy (ICC Champions Trophy). Yuvi, the young prodigy, played a blistering knock of 84 (80) in the quarter final of the tournament. In his knock, he attacked the likes of Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath with such an ease that ridiculed their existence in that match. This was a start of illustrious career which lasted over one and half decade and gave India many rejoiceful moments to dwell on.

2002 NatWest Series in England:

Although, the lefthander played a crucial part in India’s white-ball set-up, he had a mix run throughout his career in 2000s. However, Yuvi with his prowess, always stood up in crucial times. The NatWest Series finals in 2002 is a perfect example. When India was reeling at 146 for 5 (chasing 326), Yuvi along M Kaif stitched together a famous partnership of 121 for sixth wicket, wherein he scored a scrumptious 69 (63) pacing his innings with ones and twos and attacking the bowlers whenever necessary. This innings along with his other innings in that era proved very important for India.

2007 ICC T20 World Cup:

As a viewer expecting fireworks in T20 games, I was always thrilled to watch Yuvi’s attacking skills. The gift of timing through the off side and tremendous power that he generated for striking was a treat to watch. Same was the case in T20 World Cup 2007. As cricket was understanding its newest baby, Yuvi defied the act of striking and presumably struck one of the most muscular knocks in world cricket against England. No one can ever forget those 6 sixes in an over against Stuart Broad. The ball flew to each and every part of the ground and asserted him as of the fiercest strikers in the gentlemen’s game. Even in semis against Australia, his muscularity and familiarity with Australia continued when he scored 70 of 30 balls. In that game, Brett Lee was struck for a long 120 m six, the longest in the tournament.

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup:

Yuvi’s career was defining in itself, unlike any top-order batsman (who get maximum number of balls) he batted in middle order or lower-middle order throughout his career. To achieve such a great feat in the most difficult positions is truly unimaginable. In 2011, we saw the same with his all-round skills which were precious to the team. In crucial times, when team required vital runs and wickets in the middle phase of the innings, Dhoni always relied on Yuvi. Left-hander was truly a hero in the tournament with both bat and ball scoring 363 runs and picking 15 wickets respectively.

Life after battling against cancer:

In 2011, Yuvi was battling against respiratory difficulties, he even batted with those against the Windies and scored a match-winning hundred in the World Cup. However, the problems started to worsen, leading to his departure from the tours midway. He was eventually diagnosed with stage-1 lung cancer.  He underwent chemotherapy, battled cancer and the eventually after full remission and match fitness; he made his comeback in 2012 ICC World T20 in Srilanka. However, due to his match fitness, Yuvi had mix-bag career after the 2011 World Cup were his batting prowess and fielding capabilities, slowed down which kept him out of the side in many tours. His match fitness, other body issues, and lack of opportunities proved to be him demise and subsequently India’s favorite son retired from the international cricket in 2019. In the interview, he even conveyed that his knock against Srilanka (11 of 21) in 2014 T20 World Cup final in Bangladesh was the worst day in his career.

Finally, whenever we talk about the cricketers who defined ODI cricket for India, few names like Sachin, Ganguly, Dhoni, Kohli, Zaheer, Kapil, Rohit, and Dravid come to our mind, yet we never give Yuvi the praise that he deserves. Even though Yuvi’s final stages of career was not to the mark, his battle against cancer and his comeback truly defined him as a warrior and a cricketer willing to sacrifice everything for the team.

Share your opinions.

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According to you, which of the following is the best hitter in ODI and T20 cricket?

1. Yuvraj Singh
2. Chris Gayle
3. Sanath Jayasuriya
4. Brandon McCullum

Links for reading my previous posts: 

https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/2020/05/rohit-sharmas-rising-from-2013-to-hitman.html

https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/2020/05/when-little-masters-storm-blew-away.html

Rohit Sharma’s Rising From 2013 To 'Hitman'

Talk about batsmen who have their natural flamboyance and unmatched style, only few names come to my mind like Steve Waugh, David Gower and Sir Vivian Richards. However, in this list, every cricketing guru and fan knew there is someone equally capable to join them i.e. Rohit Sharma.

Rohit with his elegant style has a split second extra than any other batters. His lazy elegance and his majestic stroke play cannot be rivaled by anyone. However, for every talented batsman there are difficulties to sustain big game pressure and handle expectations of others. Such was a case for Rohit Sharma too. Although talented, Rohit lacked an imperative weapon in his armamentarium i.e. consistency. His problems in middle overs was not soothing for the team, as he would play a good innings and then have a string of low scores which was unlike his talent.

Since his blasting debut in ICC T20 World Cup 2007 and recurring performances in Tri-series in Australia 2008, Rohit’s graph suddenly titled downwards with the string of low scores. In 2010, India faced Srilanka in a 5- match ODI series, Rohit couldn’t cross the two-digit score for once in his five innings. Due to his inconsistency in the middle order, he wasn’t even considered for Test selection until 2013 and lost his place in 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. Many cricketing gurus and fellow commentators criticized him, referring him as ‘talented man with lazy approach’ and ‘lacking the will to score’. It was slowly becoming the lowest point for the batsman of such high caliber. However, behind every great cricketer there is a supporting captain and ‘Dhoni’ proved to be his knight in the shining armour. Even with his inconsistency, Dhoni continued to back him throughout his career and in 2012, in ODI series against England at home, Dhoni gave him the chance to bat at top of the order, where he scored a match-winning 83. Though, his lean form continued till the end of 2012.

What was the turning point for Rohit Sharma?

The year 2013 was ideally the breakthrough year for Rohit Sharma. It all started when Rohit was selected as an opener to partner S Dhawan at the top of the order in ICC Champions Trophy 2013. Rohit along with his partner Shikar and V Kohli formed an attacking trio that destroyed each and every opposition in the pecking order. Rohit became the second highest run-getter for India in the tournament behind S Dhawan. After 3 months, it was time for the famous 2013 home ODI series against Australia where Rohit Sharma showed his true class and amassed 491 runs averaging 123 in the process with a century (122 at Jaipur chasing 360) and a double century (209 at Bengaluru batting first) under his belt. He became only the third batsmen overall to score double hundred in ODI cricket. Till date, he is the only man in world cricket to score 3 double hundreds in one-day internationals. In addition, the added-responsibility of captaining such a huge IPL franchise in the mid-season made him more mature as a cricketer. Rohit Sharma with his batting, recorded 538 runs in the season 6 of the IPL. With his astute leadership, Mumbai Indians lifted the prestigious IPL trophy for the first time.

Story of becoming the ‘Hitman’:

After the breakthrough 2013, Rohit never looked back and become one of the finest white-ball cricketers in the history of the game. Since then, Rohit has been called ‘Hitman’ who had the habit of destroying bowling with his touch play and lazy elegance. Rohit Sharma holds the record to scoring at an aggregate of over 50 from 2013 to 2019 in ODI cricket. He has gone passed 500 in more than 5 consecutive calendar years while averaging 50 or more. Even in the Test cricket, Rohit with his limited opportunities as an opener, has shown a class of an attacking opener which could be a significant factor in overseas conditions.

To conclude, Rohit Sharma is relentless as an opener in every format. He is one of those cricketers, once settled, is pain in the neck for any bowling attack. Rohit makes batting look a child’s play. With experience and form on his side, everyone knows the best of Hitman is yet to come and world cricket should be wary of this ‘Baba Yaga’ of cricket.

Image source- NDTV

Share your opinions.

According to your choice, who is the best white-ball opener currently in ODI cricket?

1. David Warner
2. Rohit Sharma
3. Quinton de Kock
4. Jason Roy 

Please have a look on my previous posts

https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/2020/05/when-little-masters-storm-blew-away.html

https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/2020/05/is-this-end-of-road-for-iceman-ms-dhoni.html

https://everythingyetonlycricket.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-number-four-conundrum-indias.html

When Little Master’s Storm Blew Away Aussies In The Desert Of Sharjah

From The Vault: Article 1

Imagine being born in this beautiful country and hearing about the tales of Indian cricket from the past. Apparently, among those all, one tale always stood out for me, the nostalgic Desert Storm innings of Sharjah, 1998 by little master 'Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar'. The batting heroics at such a young age was something above the class, especially when the ground was hit by a sandstorm making the game shorter.

The story started in the cusp of Coca-Cola cup in 1998, where Australia as always in early 2000s,  dominated the round of robin stages of the tournament beating both NZ and India preceding to the finals. In group stages, India was able to beat NZ in the first match of the tournament [S Ganguly 105 (140) and Ajit Agarkar (4/35) defending 220]. Though, NZ came back in the tournament by beating India in their next fixture [Chris Cairns (3/26 and Craig McMillan 59 (122) chasing 181).

After 5 matches, Australia (won 3 games) was sitting at the top qualified for the finals with 6 points. On the other hand, their opponent India (won 1 game) had only 2 points under their belt after 3 matches. It was the last match of Round of Robin stage, wherein Aussies won the toss and batting first scored a mammoth 285 [Michael Bevan 101 (103)] in their allotted 50 overs. The card was set for India wherein either they had to win or had to go pass 254 (50 overs) at least to overhaul NZs net run rate and qualify for the finals. However, after 25 minutes of play, the stadium was hit by a devastating sandstorm and the game was reduced to 46 overs where the team required 276 to win or 237 to qualify.

Chasing 276, India were not off to the amazing start as the Indian opener S Ganguly 17 (32) got out in the ninth over of the innings. However, playing steadily Sachin with the support of N Mongia got the total to 107 in 22^nd over of the innings, but in the same over Mongia 35 (46) got dismissed to Tom Moody.  Both, the skipper M Azharuddin 14 (20) and A Jadeja 1 (5) soon followed cheaply at the score of 138 for 4 after 29 overs. Later, Sachin was joined by VVS Laxman 23 (34), wherein together they put-on a huge 105 run partnership for the 5^th wicket.

The highlight of that partnership was Sachin wherein he single-handedly smashed the likes of M Kasprowicz, Shane Warne and Damien Fleming, all-round the park. Sachin’s final score read, a brilliant 143 of 131 balls which forever etched in the memory of each and every India cricketer and fan. Even though India lost the match (due to the lack-luster lower order), the sheer dominance of the innings allowed India to enter the finals wherein Sachin took his single-handed revenge.  Sachin continued his on-slot and scored yet another hundred 134 (131) in the final chasing 272 but this time in the winning cause.

The game had its irony, where the Aussies might have thought the desert storm hit the stadium, but lesser they knew that the Sachin’s storm was the one that hit much harder. The emotion of Sachin’s heroics was showcased greatly by the Australian legendary leggie, Shane Warne, he claimed to get nightmares after the tournament at the thoughts of bowling to Sachin. This was one of those tournaments wherein you can easily say that it was ‘One vs All’. Sachin, single-handedly snatched the trophy from the hands of the Aussies and portrayed his character as the greatest players in the history of the game.

Image source- Quora.com   

Share your opinions.

Is Sachin’s desert-storm innings, your nostalgic cricketing moments in the history of the Indian cricket?

Is This The End Of The Road For The Iceman, MS Dhoni?

I wish this day wouldn’t have arrived to pick up such an emotional topic to write on. For every Indian cricket fan, from last one year, this topic has been one of the bitterest pills to swallow and the current phase of Indian cricket since 2019 World Cup. From last 15 years we aren’t use to see anyone behind the stumps raising arms and setting the fields. However, currently Indian team even if they are doing decently well, lack that one important factor i.e. the MS Dhoni factor.

Whenever we hear, how many do India need? Our next question has always been, who is at the crease? The sense of calmness and joy to hear that Dhoni is still there was very special to everyone. His ability to soak in the pressure and calmly handle the situation of the game was something that cannot be taught by any coach. We all knew, no one could ever escape his lightning quick hands behind the stumps, even if it was a matter of few inches and split seconds. The responsibility that he shouldered starting from a mere hitter to being one of the finest cricketers in the world is just amazing. Ideally, he is one those gems for whom technique didn’t define him as a cricketer.

What has been the problem?

The wishes are compulsive and currently, the legendary career of MS Dhoni against our liking has slowed down.  The legacy and inevitable leadership of our Captain Cool was something we were so used to; that his absence from the list of contracted players this year is unimaginable. The fact that his ability against spin went down in the later part of the career has led to difficulty in rotating strike in the middle phase of the innings.  Additionally, the true talent of finishing games in the last over, that defined him throughout his career sadly turned out to be his greatest downfall. Dhoni, the guy with amazing hitting talent has occasionally not been able to finish games in the death overs from last 2 to 3 years in both international and IPL cricket.

I would never wish to see ending of a great career in such a bizarre manner (run-out in semifinal of World Cup 2019). The image of him sadly walking into the dressing room knowing, this the end for the team, is something no cricketer ever deserves. The fact that such an ending came in store for MS somehow seems very unfair to him. I know the comebacks are special and Dhoni might retort back sooner or later but unfortunately, these comebacks are also deceptive. As the career moves forward, the mind and body could slowly go out of sync pushing him in no man’s land. Finally, I hope that the somehow, he outlasts everyone and gets his deserving ending.

Share your opinions.

According to you, should Dhoni be included in the World T20 squad in Australia?     

The Number Four Conundrum- India’s Downfall In ICC Cricket World Cup 2019

It is the year 2020 and the cricketing world is eyeing the upcoming and much-awaited ICC T20 World Cup 2020 2020, amidst the COVID-19 crisis. However, India’s failure in last year’s ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, has fed a very debatable question even after the wealth of batting exploits and talents in the country. One of the biggest concerns in the showcase of giants was the lackluster middle order (specifically number 4) that failed miserably.

Team India tried as many as four different options i.e. KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, (both in the race for the wicket-keeper position in India’s current white ball set-up), Vijay Shankar, and Dinesh Karthik (Semi-final vs NZ). The question in reckoning was that the team even tried Ambati Rayudu (Best fit to the position as per my choice), Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya (Series against Australia at home) at that position and even Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni was thrown in the mix before the World Cup. Trial and error method of selectors proved to unfruitful, as in the final squad, Vijay Shankar was selected in the 15 and was reckoned to fill in the much-debatable position. However, the indecisive selection of KL Rahul ahead of him, raised many questions on the communication between the selectors and the team.

Vijay Shankar was a hit and miss, as before his selection, he didn’t perform to his expectations. Shankar, even after getting starts and threw his wicket away in crucial times leading to a debate on his temperamental issues. Talking about his bowling, Virat was very reluctant to use him and whenever he was called for rolling the arm over, he wasn’t up to the mark, bowling only 2 to 3 overs. Even KL Rahul, who can do no wrong in cricket currently, was lacking that ability to churn the strike over and hit those singles and twos in middle phase of the innings. Targeting the spinners or seamers too early by playing a rash shot. In middle of the tournament when S Dhawan was injured, the replacement Rishabh Pant wasn’t up-to the mark with absence of same ability to hitting ones and twos even before the World Cup.

Why is Number 4 a difficult position to bat in White ball game?

With the advent of changing rules and powerplays, the number 4 is one of the crucial positions in white-ball set-up. However, the situation of the game, ground dimensions, top-order form and current form is important to bat at that position. The position demands flexibility to face both pace and spin in any given situation. It even demands the temperamental skills to assess the situation of the game and change gears accordingly. In ODI cricket, the ability to choose and attack the bowler having a rough day, buildings the innings, and softening the bowling for next batters, is few important skills that separates a good from a great number 4. In T20 cricket where gigantic sixes are demanded, a skillful number 4 knows whom and when to target and re-assess his plans by striking important ones and twos. 

Current scenario:

Currently, Shreyas Iyer has been shouldered the responsibility to bat at number 4 and contemplating with his current performances, he is steadily winning the position from the likes of Rishabh Pant, and Manish Pandey competing (currently slotted in number 6 in absence of Hardik Pandya) in the race. He has been calm and is steadily grasping the qualities of ideal number 4 and has been equally supported by Indian swiss-knife KL Rahul and run-machine Virat Kohli in the middle order. With the inclusion of Iyer at number 4, things are looking better for the team in the current ball game. If the likes of Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and R Jadeja could support these middle order batsmen in the business end of the innings, the team could crack the code for striking the perfect balance of strikers and accumulators.

Finally, for team India to perform better as a batting unit in upcoming white ball tournaments, the middle order needs to fire in crucial games to take the burden off the top order. India’s defeat in semifinal was rarest occasion where the top order failed and fact that same happened in Champions trophy in 2017 against Pakistan shows the importance of a strong middle order in the batting unit. It is important now that the people who bat in these crucial positions be assured about their positions and given ample opportunities to solidify their position in the team.

Share your views.

Who do you think is the best fit for number 4 position in Indian set-up?