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For Test match eve I felt nothing. In the morning, still
nothing. Like Ganguly I didn’t make it for the toss, but I was on target for
the first ball.
Imagine if the selectors had the balls to toss the team on its head – instead the Indian team continues to play because it’s a highlights’ package. So when the day’s play doesn’t deliver, they dig through the archives.
Just the other day there was a piece about Sehwag’s retirement from T20 internationals – Sehwag’s twitter account denied it the next day.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve tossed the team composition in
my mind. I’d have been quite happy if we
had a new playing eleven. This team meant nothing to me, they were not a team –
they were the front of a Player Management Firm.
Yeah, I was jaded bad, almost as if the reality of pro-sport
was eating me up. I tossed the team in my mind some more – I would have
retained Che Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ashwin, Ojha. Maybe Yadav, I still wasn’t
decided on him.
I was at a place where I didn’t want to see some of these
guys bat or bowl or keep or field. I wanted to see Rahane, Mukund, Manoj, Saha,
Dinda, someone who didn’t have the backing of our big boys.
Imagine if the selectors had the balls to toss the team on its head – instead the Indian team continues to play because it’s a highlights’ package. So when the day’s play doesn’t deliver, they dig through the archives.
Yet I watched today. When the wickets fell, I felt nothing.
Though when Che Pujara mistimed one past mid-on’s reach, I swivelled out of my
chair. When Trott claimed Kohli, I was on edge throughout that replay. I was
relieved enough to not even abuse Trott on twitter.
I watched Sehwag and Gambhir (and even Raina). Instead all I
heard was talk, talk, talk. Player management firm talk. Opening Partnership of
53, Have you seen my catch, Built for Test cricket.
When did our openers become so needy? It wasn’t the runs
they did not score, but who was advising these guys? 2 years’ back they were on
form the best bets to replace Dhoni. Now they will be content to be just not replaced.
Forget them, have you heard the stuff Sachin’s spoken over the
last few months – from not thinking about retirement, top of his game, to it’s
natural to be thinking about retirement.
Why do I always feel that everything they say is determined by
their form. And then you have the
captain who doesn’t miss a beat to undermine his players.
It has been obvious for a while that Indian cricketers are
now playing a game through the media.
Just the other day there was a piece about Sehwag’s retirement from T20 internationals – Sehwag’s twitter account denied it the next day.
In spite of all this, I had one of my better day’s watching
cricket. Even more than the runs, I love catches being dropped. England was
messy, “donkeys” was buzzing in my ears.
Sehwag defended. There are few more articulate cricketing
moments than Sehwag tilting his bat ever so slightly in a faux straight defence.
There is the probability of a single, there is the hint of a mind. There is the
soundtrack – “keh ke loonga”. There is
helplessness, when you can’t help but forgive Sehwag his trespasses.
And then Rajiv tweeted – “Did you seen my six?”
That’s what Viru is – he makes you call him Viru, Sehwag,
Jatman – and hordes more. To truly love your sports’ hero, you gotta be able to
get real pissed with him. But why so long? Can a 50 plus average accommodate a
2-year slump?
And then there was Che Pujara, Test cricketing encyclopaedia.
Volumes on how to leave the ball and the straight defence. But before that,
almost always, early in his innings, bat, swordlike coming down on one around
middle, even off sometimes, playing it through midwicket. It’s a shot that makes
me nervous. But it also signals his intention to breathe, like his pull – you can’t
always play straight, what’s the fun? But still I think, why so early in the
piece?
Down the wicket, jigging in the crease, back, front, sideways
– it’s as if Che’s cricketing engine is being oiled as he plays. And just when
you think it’s stumps, one purrs through the covers. And another.
From 90 to 98 in the 90th over. Stumps, Day 1.
And I’m a believer for today.
100 for the 1st wicket. Both Sehwag and Gambhir must be dieing to give interviews staking their claim for the captaincy. #IndvsEng
— BCC! (@BoredCricket) November 15, 2012
Looking at Viru and Gauti bat in Motera, you wonder why do we even bother with overseas' tours? #IndvsEng
— BCC! (@BoredCricket) November 15, 2012
In two overs, Matt Prior has dropped a catch and missed a stumping- don't be surprised if he doesn't appeal for a nick next over #EngvsInd
— BCC! (@BoredCricket) November 15, 2012
Gambhir b Swann. And Prior nearly missed that too. #IndvsEng
— BCC! (@BoredCricket) November 15, 2012
Is this the longest Sehwag has spent in the 90s? - Yes, he went for 1990 to 2000 with a 4 and a 6. #IndvsEng
— BCC! (@BoredCricket) November 15, 2012
For Sachin Tendulkar not to be clean bowled today, three other batsmen had to be castled. #IndvsEng
— BCC! (@BoredCricket) November 15, 2012
Graeme Swann may have to donate his right arm to medical science after this Test series. #IndvsEng
— BCC! (@BoredCricket) November 15, 2012
Don't know about India or England, but it sure as hell has been Bangladesh's day - 449/6 #IndvsEng
— BCC! (@BoredCricket) November 15, 2012
Suresh Raina: hope you saw Che Pujara's innings, that's called 'Built for Test cricket'. You don't say it, you play it #IndvsEng
— BCC! (@BoredCricket) November 15, 2012
2 comments:
Yes you're right the Indian players re too much involved in the media games than in their actual fielding practices and their real field work.All of them play more attention to media which I think is wrong.They all want to play mind games.
Suresh Raina has performed better than any other youngster under extremely tough and pressure situations which a Pujara has never faced since almost every international match he has played has been on the flat tracks in India. So praising Pujara and suggesting that if Pujara scores something on flat tracks he is "built" for test cricket and if someone else does it he is a flat track bully is undoubtedly stupid ! Now,innings like Raina's 86 against Australia in a pacer-friendly Mohali and the 78 against England at the Oval when every other batsmen failed are far far better than Pujara's whole career of flat track scores !
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