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Showing posts with label Irfan Pathan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Irfan Pathan. Show all posts
Ishant, Irfan and that guy called Praveen.
Ishant doesn’t just have to look like a fast bowler to bowl like one. Beyond the flying hair and the Emirate on his chin, for me, it’s the Baba like calm in those eyes that sort him out. What we see when he bats to save the world. But it’s the whole package, and more so the peripherals that endure him to us.*
Possibly, that’s what makes it so hard for us to let go of Ishant – that, and the recurring memory of the spell at Ponting in Perth. The selectors had been locked in that spell for over three and a half years – then Ishant did not make the World Cup squad, and the spell was broken. Before that, Ishant was being served the you-will-fulfill-the-prophecy quota, match after match after match…
Not too long ago, we refused to let go of Irfan Pathan. If for Ishant it was Ponting and Perth, with Irfan it was first Waugh, Gilchrist and Sydney, and then the Karachi hat-trick. Irfan too, like Ishant, was asked often enough by the selectors, “ek aur khelega?” Which kid won’t play when asked to – no fraught cricketer in his right mind would instead go back to school and work on sorting out his action and head.
Both Irfan and Ishant made their debut when they were 18 and some. Uncanny but both have played almost similar number of tests, with similar returns: Irfan bhai’s bowled in 29 tests for his 100 wickets at an average of 32.26, where as Lamboo’s clocked 33 tests for his 106 wickets at 32.6.
Ishant has the calm, Irfan the glint in the eye. If I was a selector, who knows what I may have done – but the question is, when must we cut the cord with the dream, the dream of what-could-have-been?
It’s baffling to me, that only in this second-tier test series has Praveen Kumar made his test debut. In the last few weeks, the world has learnt for the first time that PK can swing the ball, apparently both ways and will be an asset in England. Before this, he was pegged down as an ODI-wallah bowler. Again, PK’s story traces back to Australia – 2 Man of the match spells (in his 2nd ODI and 1st down under, followed by a second in the CB Finals), over 3 years’ back.
In both finals, PK dismissed Gilchrist and Ponting.
While Irfan, until his reappearance with the Delhi Daredevils, was part of some cozy cricket memory, Ishant and PK are relevant today. Now if only the selectors can be as lenient with PK as they were with the I-men.
I suspect, PK will find it tougher to block his test spot. A fully fit Indian pace bowling attack in order of appearance reads as – Zaks, Ishant, Munaf/Sreesanth and then PK. In one-dayers though, his name should be inked after Zaks.
Possibly, that’s what makes it so hard for us to let go of Ishant – that, and the recurring memory of the spell at Ponting in Perth. The selectors had been locked in that spell for over three and a half years – then Ishant did not make the World Cup squad, and the spell was broken. Before that, Ishant was being served the you-will-fulfill-the-prophecy quota, match after match after match…
Not too long ago, we refused to let go of Irfan Pathan. If for Ishant it was Ponting and Perth, with Irfan it was first Waugh, Gilchrist and Sydney, and then the Karachi hat-trick. Irfan too, like Ishant, was asked often enough by the selectors, “ek aur khelega?” Which kid won’t play when asked to – no fraught cricketer in his right mind would instead go back to school and work on sorting out his action and head.
Both Irfan and Ishant made their debut when they were 18 and some. Uncanny but both have played almost similar number of tests, with similar returns: Irfan bhai’s bowled in 29 tests for his 100 wickets at an average of 32.26, where as Lamboo’s clocked 33 tests for his 106 wickets at 32.6.
Ishant has the calm, Irfan the glint in the eye. If I was a selector, who knows what I may have done – but the question is, when must we cut the cord with the dream, the dream of what-could-have-been?
It’s baffling to me, that only in this second-tier test series has Praveen Kumar made his test debut. In the last few weeks, the world has learnt for the first time that PK can swing the ball, apparently both ways and will be an asset in England. Before this, he was pegged down as an ODI-wallah bowler. Again, PK’s story traces back to Australia – 2 Man of the match spells (in his 2nd ODI and 1st down under, followed by a second in the CB Finals), over 3 years’ back.
In both finals, PK dismissed Gilchrist and Ponting.
While Irfan, until his reappearance with the Delhi Daredevils, was part of some cozy cricket memory, Ishant and PK are relevant today. Now if only the selectors can be as lenient with PK as they were with the I-men.
I suspect, PK will find it tougher to block his test spot. A fully fit Indian pace bowling attack in order of appearance reads as – Zaks, Ishant, Munaf/Sreesanth and then PK. In one-dayers though, his name should be inked after Zaks.
*for me, it's when Ishant refers to Zaheer as The Zaks.
Irfan Pathan's Comeback Match.
To the narrow lanes of his childhood, Irfan returns. Kids are scattered around a makeshift wicket. The kids are oblivious of Irfan till he feigns a cough.
Kid1: Irfan, why are you here?
Kid2: Yeah, now you’ll say, you wanna open and be a pinch hitter
Irfan: No, no, no, I’m here to find my Mojo.
Kid3: Mojo…what, that’s an abuse like MO…
Irfan: Please, please children, Mojo is…how should I explain
Kid1: Simply
Irfan: Good idea, Coach said to me, “Irfan, if you have to find yourself, you must return to yourself”
Kid2: Eh? Then what are you doing in public, go find yourself in private
Kid1: And yeah, you will also find your..MO..whatever
Irfan (that disarming smile): I am here to return to basics
Kid3: That sounds like some old ratpatiya software…Basics
Irfan (that disarming smile again): Haha, nice one, but basics is where it started for me, and this gulli is where it started
The kids are now totally disarmed, by Irfan’s smile and words, the bats drop, the jaws drop, one kid’s loose half pants drop too.
Kid5: Irfan bhai, play with us, we will help you find your MO…
Irfan: Thank you, you are such a sweet boy. I don’t want to bat as a pinch hitter, I just want to bowl and put the ball in the right areas…
Kid 2 to Kid 3 (aside): Irfan bhai is watching too much cricket on TV…free time no
Irfan marks his bowling run up. It’s a cramped space so he is bang against a window in the wall. All intent when the window flies open, and knocks him out.
Woman: Oh ho, sorry sorry, I didn’t see you…usually they are kids playing and they never reach the window…sorry so sorry
Irfan (that smile again) and bowls, and dismisses the first kid with a big inswinging Yorker, followed by another and yet another, reminiscent of that Karachi test; only here the pitch is a fraction of those 22 yards.
Irfan: Thanks kids, that will be all…I am back.
Kid1: Irfan, why are you here?
Kid2: Yeah, now you’ll say, you wanna open and be a pinch hitter
Irfan: No, no, no, I’m here to find my Mojo.
Kid3: Mojo…what, that’s an abuse like MO…
Irfan: Please, please children, Mojo is…how should I explain
Kid1: Simply
Irfan: Good idea, Coach said to me, “Irfan, if you have to find yourself, you must return to yourself”
Kid2: Eh? Then what are you doing in public, go find yourself in private
Kid1: And yeah, you will also find your..MO..whatever
Irfan (that disarming smile): I am here to return to basics
Kid3: That sounds like some old ratpatiya software…Basics
Irfan (that disarming smile again): Haha, nice one, but basics is where it started for me, and this gulli is where it started
The kids are now totally disarmed, by Irfan’s smile and words, the bats drop, the jaws drop, one kid’s loose half pants drop too.
Kid5: Irfan bhai, play with us, we will help you find your MO…
Irfan: Thank you, you are such a sweet boy. I don’t want to bat as a pinch hitter, I just want to bowl and put the ball in the right areas…
Kid 2 to Kid 3 (aside): Irfan bhai is watching too much cricket on TV…free time no
Irfan marks his bowling run up. It’s a cramped space so he is bang against a window in the wall. All intent when the window flies open, and knocks him out.
Woman: Oh ho, sorry sorry, I didn’t see you…usually they are kids playing and they never reach the window…sorry so sorry
Irfan (that smile again) and bowls, and dismisses the first kid with a big inswinging Yorker, followed by another and yet another, reminiscent of that Karachi test; only here the pitch is a fraction of those 22 yards.
Irfan: Thanks kids, that will be all…I am back.
And just then Yusuf appears.
Yusuf (to Irfan): Abeh yaar, Lankan league cancelled...lagta hai yahaan he khelna parega*
*looks like we'll have to play here only.
Player Profile: Yusuf Pathan
From Irfan’s half brother, he’s now Irfan’s better half brother. Starred in the cricketing equivalent of Godfather where he was Don Warne’s favourite son. Loves the home turf, and if he had his way, all games would be played in his neighbourhood – is used to bashing bad bowling, be it Irfan’s, or whatever else the local goons throw at him. Once upon a time he chewed gum and played with the Rajasthan Royals, then realized it takes much more to be King Richards.
Glamorized the Ranji, Duleep, Deodhar, Irani and other desi tournaments by winning matches solo. Legend has it, when India was 108/4 chasing New Zealand’s 314, Yusuf next in to bat, skipper Gambhir whispered in his ear, “that is not New Zealand, that is North Zone”.
Throughout his savage innings of 123 (96 balls, 7 4s, 7 6s), Yusuf repeated the secret mantra, ““that is not New Zealand, that is North Zone”.
It was only after he came off the field that Gambhir removed the spell, whispering in his ear, ““that is not North Zone, that is New Zealand”. To which Yusuf grinned, “I knew it…they are fair in the North, but not too fair like in New Zealand”.
Yusuf went on to play in the World Cup, where he continued to make bad bowling look worse.
What should Irfan and Ishant do now?!
Indian cricket, one will do well to remember, faces some really weird selection policies. One day one guy gets chosen because of unmentionable reasons, is retained in the team for even more unmentionable reasons while the best ones rot on the sidelines. A case in point is our very own Che.
Irfan Pathan and Ishant Sharma are such cases again. According to a lot of opinions, these guys do not have anything much to offer these days. So nothing like, they do not make it into any of the Indian teams. Not even the Women's team, who nobody really watches or cares about. But these cricket players are boys and boys, well, will remain boys. They can not still and have to be up to something or the other, all the time.
As a bored member, I decided to find out what could these two men really do, now that they have no cricket to play.
Irfan Pathan:
Touted as the next Wasim Akram (for his swing), and the next Kapil Dev (for his all round capabilities) until only some time ago, this boy had some awesome credentials to his name. But something has gone really wrong, with his swing as also with the selection policies. Now, this boy is largely being touted as the next Vinod Kambli (for never truly realizing his potential).
However, the boy is a fighter. The boy can take up random jobs these days. It would really be perfect, because thanks to Greg Chappell's vision, the boy would any which ways not know what his job in any team really is. Cricinfo's latest suggestion is that he impersonate Munaf Patel. Never mind the fact that, Munaf himself is rotting in oblivion. And I am really in support of that. At least, that would be some job, and as nobody cares about Munaf either, nobody will care to point out Irfan's mistakes.
Ishant Sharma:
The boy who made Ricky Ponting hop in that famous (or infamous) Perth Test has lost some of his pace and length and also the confidence of the selection committee at the same time. What the boy should do now is to open his own Exercise Classes. He could make his students 'Hop, Skip and Jump', just like he made Ponting do all that. Never mind the fact that he will not be able to do so at his own bowling but on some Mika music. Also, he could take up some Dance classes. After the IPL Awards fiasco, some dancing tips are in the offing.
On being sidelined by the selection committee so brutally, it is important for these players to keep themselves really busy. Idleness can play havoc with the mind. (Ask me!) Keep yourselves busy guys, take up these jobs!
Whose Team is it Anyway?
We're well and truly into the third season of the IPL and just like the first two editions we have a team that just can't seem to win. It's official: Kings XI Punjab are the Kolkata Knightriders/Deccan Chargers of 2010. A lot of talk has revolved around captaincy and the impact players have disappointed.
Cricinfo ran a pretty cheap piece on the big disappointments of this season and it was no surprise that four of them were from Kings XI. But the most damning aspect of their presence was the amount of money they're being paid. Yuvraj Singh, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Shantakumaran Sreesanth are making over $2.8 Million a season. You could probably add Brett Lee ($900,000) and Irfan Pathan ($925,000) to the list.
This begs the question: Who is in control of the side? Sangakkara has cut a forlorn figure everytime things haven't gone his way, Jayawardene led the side one game and it looked better but still crumbled under pressure, and it's best not to talk of Yuvraj's involvement of lack thereof.
There was, however, one man last night who seemed to believe. He is just another domestic cricketer using the IPL to make some money and maybe impress the selectors. He has captained the Indian Under-19 side in the past, shown glimpses of his ability with a couple of rousing innings, taken the gloves when his captain was banned, and retained them even with the skipper coming back. Step forward Manvinder Bisla. You made yourself visible last night by making sure you were inconspicuous. You were neat behind the stumps (That wide off Lee was unfortunate), made sure the bowlers were motivated, applauded pretty much every fielding effort, and even had the instinct to go up to Shalabh Srivastava after the over in which Sreesanth dropped a sitter, something your captain or icon player should have been doing.
It is a pity such intangibles will be lost on your franchise and the national selectors because you don't strike a gorgeous pose when you hit a cover drive or don't have the ego to make yourself visible to those fans who are looking for cheap fun. But I hope someone like Shane Warne sees what you're about. You did take the attack to him and did well until you were foxed by the great. Maybe Warney will come back to the IPL next season and want you in his side. Players like you show leadership is not about entitlement, it's all about initiative and how far you're willing to go for your team even if you don't get the glory.
open thread: what india could have done differently...
nothing much... except use their bats more... rather than allowing the ball to pass through like a car whizzes past on a toll free highway...
its very easy to cajole yourself with the argument that india were not playing full strength... coz just two tests back a relatively unheard of deshi attack bowled india to a 250ish score on a placid track... when we played with our best batting line up...
its been a long time since i saw this much relentless high quality seam bowling with unflappable intensity on indian pitches from a visiting team... so lets give credit where its due... sa bowled brilliantly... dale steyn in particular...
theoretically india can still save this test match... but practically it will be a monumental task and the batsmen at the crease and the ones to follow will have to bat out of their skins on a weary pitch... where the threat is not only from the new ball but from the reverse swing of the old ball as well...
the stage is set for fringe players like vijay and badri to stake an irresistible claim otherwise i am afraid they will have to pay the price of the defeat...
whatever happens in this match... i think selectors should bring irfan pathan in place of saha... he seems to be in good form and bringing him in the mix when his confidence is high will give team india much needed balance for the second test match... without compromising on the batting
on this note i leave this open thread to share rants... thoughts... about how india should go for the rest of this test match and beyond...
Duleep Trophy Final - Update on Discards
I know most of us would not be watching this match, after all the spectators are banned for this one. I also know most of us would not care about this match, after all it is just Duleep Trophy.
However, I have got interested in this one. It is a match full of Indian discards, more than the Indian hopefuls.
While some matches are not awarded first class status, some are. This one is of the second type. DKNY, or BossDK or Dinesh Karthik, has showed that he can bat well in these type of domestic tournaments and how is the second best keeper-batsman in the country. After being reduced to 120-4, the captain of South Zone did well to allow his team to finish the day at 356/6 with his own 161*.
Another Indian discard, Irfan Pathan took 3 wickets to help his side West Zone get the early advantage. Ravindra Jadeja took 2 wickets as well. Looks like Indian discards are taking this match real seriously. There are other discards in the other team as well. Will they perform as well?!
The second day begins in some time. With both Karthik and Ganpathy at the crease, Lord Shiva must be having his fingers crossed!
However, I have got interested in this one. It is a match full of Indian discards, more than the Indian hopefuls.
While some matches are not awarded first class status, some are. This one is of the second type. DKNY, or BossDK or Dinesh Karthik, has showed that he can bat well in these type of domestic tournaments and how is the second best keeper-batsman in the country. After being reduced to 120-4, the captain of South Zone did well to allow his team to finish the day at 356/6 with his own 161*.
Another Indian discard, Irfan Pathan took 3 wickets to help his side West Zone get the early advantage. Ravindra Jadeja took 2 wickets as well. Looks like Indian discards are taking this match real seriously. There are other discards in the other team as well. Will they perform as well?!
The second day begins in some time. With both Karthik and Ganpathy at the crease, Lord Shiva must be having his fingers crossed!
From Ishant to Irfan
After Irfan's letter, here's Ishant's reply
Hi Irfan bhai,
Gauti just read your mail to me. I would’ve asked Gauti to write you a longer mail but I gotta go to the parlour to do my hair for this New Year’s bash that I’m going to with Gauti and some other dudes.
Ishu
From Irfan to Ishant
Dear Ishant,
I was once like you are now – screwed. I hated to bowl, but the captain and coach refused to believe I was screwed. The kept throwing the ball to me. And what could I do, I would bowl – absolute filth. Wish I had the courage to tell them to f**k off, at least today I would feel proud of something. But no, I took the ball, new ball, old ball, and bowled such filth even the highlights guys said they can’t package them.
I wanted to give up, but that Guru Greg he wanted me to be a batsman – tell you honest, I didn’t think I was a man then. Each night I prayed, please drop me from the team, don’t make me bowl more filth – I’ve lost my action, control, swing, I’ve basically lost it.
There were days when Yusuf and I played in the galli, I thought his medium pace was better than mine – I puked on the ball, only then I got a wicket, because the batsman refused to play it.
Ishant, I am only writing this letter to you because your name sounds like mine.
No, that’s a joke, I feel a connection with you. We both f***ed up, but that’s part of growing up.
We were born with it, and nobody can take that from us, not Greg not even us.
Best of luck, hope we come to our senses soon,
God bless,
Irfan Bhai
Batty about batting.
Bhajji is known to be a trendsetter; and while the tri colour was waved before he became the team’s flag bearer, it is his role as a lower order batsman that is turning Indian cricket upside down.
It is a known fact the bowlers refuse to bowl in the nets, they all want a hit. And when some kids aren’t there to turn their arm over, the batsmen have to bowl to the bowlers; that doesn’t make sense but that’s how it is.
If you’re surprised how part-timers like Raina, Sehwag, Yuvraj are stepping up to fulfill the fifth bowler’s role, don’t be – they get plenty of practise in the nets.
This change is visible beyond team India, in the Ranji sides as well – Agarkar bats at 6, and scores runs like he’s making them of his own bowling. Then there’s forever young Piyush Chawla, he’s up at seven, sometimes six, other times eight.
Looks like a perfect candidate for MSD’s side, where batting positions are as provocative as the Kamasutra. Today you’re on top, tomorrow way down, and sometimes you have to make do, sitting sideways, on the bench.
That’s the case with Praveen Kumar; and even though he opened in some games, chipped in with a few handy knocks for India lower down, he just doesn’t have the hair ‘n’ flair of an Ishant. But PK, being the trier he is, is working on it as we speak.
So too Irfan Pathan, who’s played some killer knocks in the Ranji for Baroda; in fact such has been his focus on batting that he often bowls with his bat.
It’s a worrying sign alright, Chawla, Irfan, Praveen, Agarkar, all batty about batting. Who the hell, will bowl? As always, Bhajji will have some answers, once he gets those gloves off.
I will NOT believe again!
I’m not usually sappy enough to fall for the media promoted adulation that gets showered on any upcoming fast bowling talent in Indian cricket. I give myself credit for not setting myself up for disappointment whenever we discover the next best thing. I’ve seen the rise and fall many from ‘the next Glenn McGrath’(read Aavishkar Salvi) to ‘the next Wasim Akram’ (a certain Pathan. Enough said. Anymore would be belittling……Akram of course) with my dignity intact. I hold back chuckles when the commentators run out of hyperboles and fall over themselves in delight and always end up feeling good about my sense of realism and superior intellect. In short, I’m not a believer.
Not that Sreesanth got too many lightbulbs for his initial performances. In fact his debut test series against England saw Munaf get the lion’s share of the attention, with Nasser Hussain referring to him as ‘a gem’ (a jinx as clear as any I’ve ever seen.) I, of course, did not believe.
For the most part, he was a decently nippy, reasonably accurate swing bowler. His faults were being prone at times to altercations and always to idiosyncrasies. The pundits, however, were beginning to clear their throats to start mouthing platitudes. I, with my infinite foresight, did not believe.
He bowled with remarkable pace and consistency in his debut year and even took 6 wickets in an ODI against England. The pundits were in full flow and were competing with each other to mouth hackneyed hokum. I, with my supercilious bearing, did not believe.
Then came Jo’burg. Things would never be the same again. He ripped through a top class South African top order like no Indian bowler I had seen. I was transformed from a rational, calm cynic to a picture worshipping, puja performing dyed in the blue believer. I chastened myself for being so obtuse so as to not see his obvious talent. I nodded along when the pundits talked about his impeccable seam position. Surely he was the best bowler out there, no doubt. I harrumphed derisively at the other bowlers who lacked the swing, seam, or had only one type of slower delivery unlike our own God’s gift to fast bowling a.k.a. Sreesanth.
We lost the series 1-2. I still believed. Sreesanth began to show that in addition to two types of slower deliveries, he could also bowl many types of long hops. I ignored them and continued to believe. His histrionics kept increasing at the cost of performances. I silenced my inner fears and continued to believe.
In fact, I kept believing for a long time, almost to the point when we all saw him at the IPL, head in hands. I knew how he felt. I felt much the same way. Like someone had slapped me very, very hard in the face. I had allowed myself to be conned and I knew it. They made a prince out of a pretender and I went along with it. It took me a long time to get over it. That feeling of being cheated still haunts me. I still see those beautiful outswingers in my nightmares, sometimes.
And now he’s back. I refuse to believe it. I’m just not ready for it, emotionally. It’s too much of a commitment, I tell you. I will not be able to survive another rejection….I simply will not. That’s it. The end.
Did you see that ball that got Herath, by the way? Beauty, wasn’t it!Aargghh!! I can’t help it! I'm relapsing....... I need help!
make praveen kumar don irfan pathan's role as an allrounder...
two interesting things happened in the corporate trophy recently...
praveen kumar opened the innings while his ongc captain, gautam gambhir came down at no. 3...
...and irfan pathan was not deemed fit to play even in the domestic games now...he didn't get a single game for air india red captained by his ipl skipper yuvraj singh... i googled but there was nothing which indicated that he didn't play coz of injury etc... so we can safely assume he didn't play for cricketing reasons...
this got me thinking if praveen has the experience to open in domestic circles... why can't india use him as the all rounder they have been looking for since irfan's demise...?
he bats very late in the order which leaves him with no option but to slog his way thru... i am sure if given responsibility and nurtured by a watchful coach... he has the talent to turn into a good all rounder... much better than other pathan, yusuf pathan... who i still wonder... how has he managed to keep himself floating in the team by doing virtually nothing of note in the odis...
at least this way we can play two front line spinners in harbhajan and mishra with kumar sharing the pace bowling burden with either zaheer (when fit) and ishant or ashish nehra and ishant as of now... making the over all balance of team india look good for all conditions...
Rishton Me Daraar Aayi...
Trouble is brewing in the Pathan household after an attempted "kiss" on Irfan Pathan by one Shabina Khatun. Apparently Yusuf Pathan is miffed that Shabina chose to get cosy with Irfan rather than him. "I am the elder brother, I should get first priority on such matters, isn't it? Plus Irfan is engaged!! So why is he still getting all the girls?"
The reporter has been informed by reliable sources that Yusuf is going for a three-pronged approach to make sure he is not embarassed by such incidents in the future -
1. He is getting a fatwa issued on Shabina for "outraging the modesy of his much-engaged brother".
2. He is cancelling all impending appearances with Irfan, so that should such a thing happen again, it will not seem like Irfan was chosen over him for the kiss.
3. He will pay some random chick to do a Shabina for him on his next stage appearance.
Reporter's comments - It is a shame that girls chose to do such shameless acts to show their love for cricketers. Being a huge Rahul Dravid fan myself, I would never ever dream of such public display of affection. I would instead arrange for an "interview" with him, and proceed thus...
Megha also blogs at Silly M(a)idon
KhufiaBaaz: the fan who tried but failed to kiss Irfan Pathan
I was there, and I saw it coming. The girl was making eyes at Irfan, big, big Kathakali eyes. She was under Irfan's spell. Like batsmen used to be, once upon a time. Was she right to make such a public display of affection - well, it's not as if she's got a shot at a private display of affection.
My money isn't on India yet
since everyone's putting together points on why aus lost, why poms are sh*t and why nobody really cares about south africa i thought i miht as well jump onto the 'point' bandwagon
here goes
1) Gambhir isn't being much help crawling at the top. The other opener is only a makeshift arrangement.
2) Dhoni, SHOULD NOT bat higher than either Yuvi or Raina. So stuff your ego dude, 5 is your number, not Raina's
3) How many times have Raina and Yusuf got the oppurtunity to get a decent hit?
4) The fielding, is still awful... throws from the boundary end up on the wrong damn pitch.
5) The death bowling is missing....... no one has kept their heads at the death, even aginst the Deshis and Ireland
6) Irfan Pathan.... need i say more...
BUT I WILL...it's ok if he's got curly hair and the girls love his smile... but that was not the criteria for making the 11, methinks
if Dhoni needs a bowler RP must play. Pathan is NOT an all rounder, he's a batsman who could bowl a bit... ONLY A BIT.
7) Jatman is out injured....... does that suck or what?
by prafs
When will India give up on Irfan Pathan
When the batsman hits him out of the ground. And not just his bowling.
B the moment of the match
A near test class 50 by Gautam Gambhir
Yuvraj’s bowl me anything and I shall hit it out innings
T20 in England and yet you have fully clothed cheerleaders (all 3 of them including a man !!) dancing to the tune of “Beat it” of Michael Jackson*
“Which one would you send next ?” That was the simple question Nasser Hussain asked Sanjay Manjrekar. That was when Dhoni and Gambhir were batting, must have been the 9th or 10th over. Sanjay almost finished reading the Indian team list as the answer.
Harbajan’s interview from the boundary, describing how big a hitter Yuvraj is, he spoke in English
Irfan Pathan’s last three ball blitz
From a 112 for 2 in 14.3 to close at 180
Well those were some moments during the India – Bangladesh encounter.
And we are just more than half way through the encounter.
But one standout moment, which shall B the moment of the match was Mahendra Singh Dhoni coming in at 3.
If India manage to win, which I think they should, then it shall be hailed as Dhoni’s masterstroke.
To fake the opposition by giving some false hopes that they are bowling well, make them complacent and then send in a Yuvraj Singh to murder them.
If they lose, then this shall be another off day for Dhoni. Who has been a consistent performer for India for a while and more importantly an astute captain.
May be I should start a feature on Dhoni, called Fake One down Player !!
* The Bangladesh players were seen enjoying this song... They were overheard calling it the most recent superhit English song... Beat this !!
Indian T20 Team = India Kiddie XI!
Why? Well, that is what this entire post is about!
I was watching this particular news channel about MSD's press conference and Team India's T20 Squad's photo session! Of course you don't care which news channel it was, because all of them are the same!
(That photo can be seen at SP's)
What interested me, was Team India's enthusiasm through out the photo session. It reminded me of those photo sessions, we all had back in our school days, the ones that were taken for the annual mags!
Indian Team's stars were behaving those school kids after all! The team had all of them!
The guy laughing all the way about how funny this photo session is! Read Harbhajan there!
The guy making sure he is looking all good! Read Zaheer Khan!
The guy making sure he is looking straight into the camera with a broad smile! That was Irfan Pathan!
The guys talking slyly just before the photo is being taken, looking in to the camera, and their lips moving, giving each other last minute gyan! May be Yuvraj was telling MSD how hard captaincy was for him during the IPL!
The guy looking at the camera, with a derisive look, like how all of this is such a pain in the backside! Of course, who could that be, but Jatman!
Yes, Indian T20 squad is India's Kiddie XI! Not because you have seen most of them progress from the under-19 levels, right before your eyes! But, that is what the photo session says!
I was watching this particular news channel about MSD's press conference and Team India's T20 Squad's photo session! Of course you don't care which news channel it was, because all of them are the same!
(That photo can be seen at SP's)
What interested me, was Team India's enthusiasm through out the photo session. It reminded me of those photo sessions, we all had back in our school days, the ones that were taken for the annual mags!
Indian Team's stars were behaving those school kids after all! The team had all of them!
The guy laughing all the way about how funny this photo session is! Read Harbhajan there!
The guy making sure he is looking all good! Read Zaheer Khan!
The guy making sure he is looking straight into the camera with a broad smile! That was Irfan Pathan!
The guys talking slyly just before the photo is being taken, looking in to the camera, and their lips moving, giving each other last minute gyan! May be Yuvraj was telling MSD how hard captaincy was for him during the IPL!
The guy looking at the camera, with a derisive look, like how all of this is such a pain in the backside! Of course, who could that be, but Jatman!
Yes, Indian T20 squad is India's Kiddie XI! Not because you have seen most of them progress from the under-19 levels, right before your eyes! But, that is what the photo session says!
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