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Showing posts with label Mumbai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mumbai. Show all posts
The son Shastri never had, Rohit Sharma.
November 14, 1991, JNS, Delhi: South Africa's third one-dayer on return to international cricket. India are 2-0 ahead.
Unlike Tests, leaving the ball is Sharma's forte in ODIs – by the fifth over he wakes up a tad, just to manage a half pout. Key for Sharma is to inculcate what his Bombay senior did well to score one century too many – don't throw it away early. Opening with Dhawan, Sharma's role is to be there till the Batting Power Play. He is an opener in the classic ODI mode – build, build, build, then berserk. Timing of the power play too should revolve around Sharma.
Keith and I have just stormed the stadium along with
hundreds of revolutionaries chanting, "Hai, hai Shastri, Shastri hai,
hai!" India bat first, Shastri's century (109/149) is greeted with more
"Hai, hai Shastri, Shastri hai, hai" - the equivalent of “Sachin!
Sachin!” of the 2000s?
What happened next zapped us: Another Mumbai slowpoke,
Manjrekar, scored a century – off 82 balls. There were boundaries, eight
of them, even two sixes.
Surely this cannot augur well for India's chances. South Africa won with overs to spare.
"When you went through a bad patch, the crowd would get on
your back. I would stick two fingers up at them. Then it spread from one
state to another. It just inspired me to get more runs but it wasn't
easy.”- Ravi Shastri (via The Wisden Cricketer)
***
February 22, 2015, MCG, Melbourne: The trolls will greet another Mumbai player, even before he walks out in the middle.
Rohit Sharma has played 11 times to Shastri's six against
South Africa. Unlike Shastri, Sharma has had a rough one against the
Proteas – averaging barely 20, striking at 64. Remember how he left the
ball over after over against Steyn?
Unlike Tests, leaving the ball is Sharma's forte in ODIs – by the fifth over he wakes up a tad, just to manage a half pout. Key for Sharma is to inculcate what his Bombay senior did well to score one century too many – don't throw it away early. Opening with Dhawan, Sharma's role is to be there till the Batting Power Play. He is an opener in the classic ODI mode – build, build, build, then berserk. Timing of the power play too should revolve around Sharma.
***
From the Benson & Hedges World Championship, 1985, the
only player who is a part of this current Indian team is Ravi Shastri.
Shastri knows a thing or two about winning in Australia.
March 29, 1985, MCG, Melbourne. Shastri lifts an Audi and
the Champion of Champions to go with it. Three half centuries, one each
in the semis and finals, add to that eight wickets, and everyone in
India knew about this German car manufacturer. What, we even gave, "Hai,
hai Shastri" a rest for a day.
***
Shastri loves Sharma like his own son. Or like Gavaskar's
son. He has backed him through Rohit and Nohit. He's prompted him on
air during interviews. He has spoken the words, talent, potential and
out of here in conjunction with Rohit more often than all the trolls on
twitter.
It's not been easy for him. There are times he must have
wanted to jump out of commentary and shake Rohit up with a stern, “YOU
ARE NOT DOING JUSTICE TO YOUR TALENT, YOUNG MAN”. In his mind, it's
always been, “I will do justice to Rohit Sharma's talent”.
Perhaps director of Rohit's cricket would've been a more appropriate designation.
***
Shastri didn't have Sharma's talent, Sharma never had
Shastri's determination. What he does have though is a father figure –
who played 80 Tests (70 more than him) and 150 ODIs (22 more than him).
Excerpts from Shastri's pep talks to Rohit:
“If a talentless guy like me can play 80 Tests. 80 TESTS,
Boss! Someone with your talent should at least play 150, Yeah, I mean
it. 150 TESTS!”
“I became champion of champions in 1985 in Melbourne...
Make no mistake, 30 years later the time has come for you to be crowned
champion of champions in the same city... in Melbourne.”
“From Mumbai to Melbourne.”
***
Shastri's international career lasted 11 years, by 30 he was done.
Sharma is nearly 28, has already been on the scene for nearly eight
years. As Shastri would say, it's now or never. In reply, a full blown
pout from Rohit Sharma would be most becoming.
First published in daily O
India vs Sri Lanka again, World Cup Finals (Live with the Bored Members)
Bring back the bad word.
Agarkar. I’ve always had a good laugh at his expense, who hasn’t?
Here’s a sampler from BoredCricket on twitter
When it wasn’t looking good:
Agarkar's spot on the India bench is on the line here
Down the leg, more like the Agrakar we love and loathe
And when it was looking good:
Agarkar will now take the selectors' phone call
Generally being nasty:
Batsmen duck when Agarkar bowls. That's sledging.
At one point a batsman ducked four times to Agarkar. That's sledging
But if only you saw the catch he took to win Mumbai the Ranji – there are those who will call it straight forward, even a regulation catch – but beware, these are the toughest ones. Already a catch had gone down in the previous over, straight forward too; and this was pressure, and you know how he gets with pressure – leg side half volleys. But not this ball. It was right on the money, the Rs 2 crore purse – caught and bowled Agarkar. That’s what the scorecards will say, and that’s what it was meant to be – five for Agarkar, well bowled.
Another thing, you know why we love to pull his leg – because that’s his favoured side. Don’t say lame, say leg.
Five point something bowler.
There are many things you can blame Bhajji for, but Ajit Agarkar’s return to the limited over’s team, surely not. This Ranji, this Agarkar fellah has been scoring runs like, to put it crudely, Bhajji. With Bhajji, the lower order all-rounder, the bowler who bosses around with his bat, has made headlines, extended deadlines, that kinda thing.
In short, India’s batty about the bowler who can bat; to hell with what he bowls. Now Agrakar has scored big this Ranji. Fast fifties like he’s working at McDonald’s. And he bowls too, didn’t he always – seeing that Ishant’s 8 runs per over are more than acceptable for ODIs, how bad can Agarkar’s five point something be – ok, you’re thinking, if he goes for five point something, Chetan Bhagat will go nuts again – claim credits for the runs scored of Agarkar’s bowling.
Other than that I can’t think of any reason to keep Agarkar away – Ishant comes and goes as the mobile that calls him pleases, why not Agarkar? Like I said, he can bat. And by now, surely he has nothing to lose. Also, if Sami can comeback, why not the boy who “might go for a few but he is a wicket taking bowler. It will make Shastri chatty. And we’ll all have someone new old to blame.
Aushik who?
Deliberate on these numbers for a moment
39.1-12-107-7.
Then deliberate on this number
16.
And if that hasn't whetted you appetite, here is Cricinfo
"This was the precursor to the most engaging battle of the day, between Ajinkya Rahane and the 16-year-old left-arm spinner Aushik Srinivas, who taunte and tormented the restless batsman with his loop and flight. Rahane is technically straight and likes to take charge immediately to gain the upper hand against the bowler. Having rolled his wrists to flick Balaji for his first four, Rahane steadily grew confident. Srinivas, who comes to the bowling crease with a lovely action full of rituals, understood his opponent's attacking psyche, and so pulled his length a few inches back and gave the ball the right amount of loop to put a question in the batsman's mind. Thus Rahane became indecisive. On 12 he stepped out and was beaten in the air, but Sushil fumbled collecting the ball and missed an easy stumping opportunity. Srinivas stood there without any emotions."
Wow!
Was it Jammy or was it Jatman?
I need closure for Jatman’s wicket. Let’s get one thing straight guys, his innings was not some accounting procedure, it was not meant to be carried forward. Seeing how fast our man, Jatman got to his double from the 180s (a blink of an eye is longer in comparison), you’d expect, the 280s to 300 would have been faster. Needs to be considered that Sanga pulled out a Dilshan from his hat, and said, play boy to Jatman – and nearly had him; but by then our man was high on helium, he needed to go; it’s bad enough the innings had to be broken by drinks breaks, tea intervals – given a chance, Jatman would have said, “one tea to go”. Innings such as his cannot have a break, and while you write of them, you can’t afford to have para breaks, line breaks, word breaks are bad enough. The innings was a rant. Jammy however, did not get this. Or maybe he did, and I already did complement him for his camaraderie; but Jammy, how well do you know Jatman – why were you trying to squeeze his innings last night – what was all that about hogging the strike, last two overs, think you batted thirteen balls – that is just not possible, not on sir. And Jatman, you know him, he won’t say nothing, you are like his big bro. Face it, last night’s innings was not meant to played again today – it was like her perfume, meant to stay, not washed by water or time. And what did you do, you let him sleep over it. Go back in time Jammy, rotate the strike, give Jatman those last two overs back. And if he gets out, so be it. I can live with that.
Damn the record.
Is it such a bad thing that Sehwag missed his third triple? Sure I woke up earlier than usual, got into my track and field gear, but the night before when a few of us Bored Members spoke, we almost knew, as Shastri would say, “the first few overs are crucial”, and that’s when Jatman will get out. It was also the reason for this Dilshan post.
In a way today's papers were disturbing. Sehwag was plastered all over the front page, he was the headline in anticipation of bigger headlines. For any other player, I know of a few papers that will even change their masthead. I also know of news channels that will tattoo cricketer’s names on their anchor’s arms.
With Sehwag it’s different, even when he goes nuts there's some national disaster that overtakes him in the news. Records and Jatman are not meant to collaborate. The runs and the ruins around them, that’s his legacy. He is not street legal. He is for a blog, not the mainline media.
Just as records are for Sachin. So if and when he gets 40 something century at Brabourne we will have to unlearn counting all over again. But they can’t make us forget the 293. It may not be a record, but it has been recorded with a cricketing needle.So friggin deep I can almost hear each shot pierce through.
The last man on earth.
It has taken me many years to realise the worth of Harbhajan Singh, the bowler. Paradoxically his worth is not in his bowling, or as some might believe in his batting. It is in his appealing. Today at the Brabourne stadium he mystified me, and the odd unsuspecting umpire with his appeals. They were, as often have been, top draw. He is without doubt the best appealer, if you can call him that, in the Indian ranks.
His appeals have a desperation that makes you want to help him. Because if you don’t, that awfully grumbly face will surface – the pain is real even if the appeal is not. Commentators worldwide know this, and amongst them Shastri and LS will parrot his predicament – once he gets an early wicket he becomes a different kind of bowler.
I have tried to make sense of this nonsense before, but I now realise, it was me who was blind to the initial efforts that Bhajji puts in – the appeals when they start off are nothing short of a young romantic – scared yet hopeful, whatever that means.
And when the early breakthrough doesn’t come they break his apocalyptic appeals too - they become almost like any other Indian cricketers, routine. What Shastri and LS meant, and now it dawns upon me is this: if he gets an early wicket he becomes a different kind of appealer.
But if he doesn’t, it’s not just the appeals that suffer, the bowling too takes a bollocking. But this is not about Bhajji the bowler, or his 4/107 today. It is about the appeal that hypnotized the umpire into giving Dilshan out.
Forgive the poor umpire, I have seen, after many a Bhajji appeal, even hawkeye give batsmen out. That after umpires have correctly called, and not given in to Bhajji’s pleading ways. Yes, there is still a small, yet fast dwindling tribe of white coats that are not swayed by Bhajji’s ways.
But look at the bright side, in Bhajji’s company how lesser appealers like Kumble and Kartik came into their own. The heretics have often questioned why Harbhajan Singh was preferred to Anil Kumble – not any more, the answer lies in something as simple as a raised hand, a cry for justice – justice that every great appealer yearns for. And will no doubt get, in spite of whether there was daylight between bat and pad.
Bhajji believers will argue that TM Dilshan c Vijay b Harbhajan Singh is not the correct decision. It should according to them read as: TM Dilshan c Vijay b & a Harbhajan Singh. As you would have guessed, a is for appealed.
Bhajji being modesty refused to comment, but TM Dilshan endorsed this new way to record dismissals.
It is a tribute to a man who has never stopped to learn; devise new ways to appeal – the deathliest being the Doosra wherein Bhajji makes his appeal to the umpire standing at square leg. Novel is not the word for this genius, who sources claim is looking to further tweak his appeals – by going straight to the third umpire, technology be damned.
When asked how he does it, Bhajji said in all caps, “ I APPEAL TO THE GODS AGAINST THE INJUSTICE CAUSED TO BOWLERS, I APPEAL AS IF I AM THE LAST MAN ON EARTH” Shifting to lowercase, he added, “because when it’s all over, ki farkh panda (what difference does it make).
Harbhajan Singh: He may not to appeal to your senses, but he will to your non senses. Get out.
Why isn’t Bhajji’s sis getting married?
This is really unfortunate. Not so much Gambhir’s sister’s wedding, as its timing.
If it was a tossup between your sister’s wedding and a test match against the Lankans, what would you do?
Tell you what I’d do: speak with Sachin, have the test shifted by a few days. If that doesn’t work, I’ll speak with sister and have the wedding shifted – not the date, you can’t do that, but the venue – to Mumbai, Brabourne stadium.
When they need me for the ceremonies, I’ll go off the field for a bit, and Dinesh Karthik will fill in for me.
But Gautam and I, we’re different. He’s going for the wedding. I’ll watch the match instead.
Announcement - Calling Motera's Curator to Mumbai!
Yes, there is a match to be played in Mumbai! No, he is not going to be asked to prepare wicket for another boring match!
He is being called to Mumbai, to prepare Mumbai's roads! It is being believed, that "If he could create a pitch with soil, that did not produce a single crack, or unevenness over a period of five days, imagine, the kind of magic he could do with concrete."
I have to say, I can not disagree on this one! God knows, Mumbai needs roads that will not crack up every other day, or provide uneven bounces at every 100m.
Raj Thackerey has promised to create another havoc. Ironically, it is something about sons-of-'soil'!
He is being called to Mumbai, to prepare Mumbai's roads! It is being believed, that "If he could create a pitch with soil, that did not produce a single crack, or unevenness over a period of five days, imagine, the kind of magic he could do with concrete."
I have to say, I can not disagree on this one! God knows, Mumbai needs roads that will not crack up every other day, or provide uneven bounces at every 100m.
Raj Thackerey has promised to create another havoc. Ironically, it is something about sons-of-'soil'!
Confusion.
The Board President’s XI does not represent the Bored President’s XI – there is no team by the name of Bored President’s XI, and the Bored President’s XI will not play Sri Lanka in Mumbai today.
For that matter, the Board President’s XI will not play Sri Lanka in Mumbai today. Rain will play spoilsport.
If and when a cricket team represents Bored Cricket Crazy Indians (BCC!) it will be called Bored XI or the Bored Cricket Crazy Indians XI or Bored Peon's XI or Bored President's XI, but not Board President’s XI.
Yes Prime Minister?
Danger: Agarkar on comeback trail
Think hard, what do Abhinav Mukund and Jatman Sehwag have in common, apart from triple centuries – both have been knocked over by Agarkar in the Irani Trophy.
While the Champions Trophy exposed RP and Ishant, just imagine what the Irani could do – expose us to Agarkar again. Can you take it, at this young impressionable age? Of course you can't.
Looks like there will be no rest for India till the Rest of India put Agarkar to the sword – luckily both Munaf and Sreesanth are yet to bat. Badrinath is still there, but we all know, he’s going nowhere. With Agarkar however, it’s an altogether story.
Just when you think the door is closed on him, he comes in through the bathroom window. Almost as annoying as Macca.
Ranji snippets
by Homer
Random thoughts on the Ranji quarterfinals
1. Chesteshwar Pujara - Scoring runs on the Rajkot featherbed is one thing, scoring runs when it matters, quite another. Coming in at 13/3, chasing 325 runs for an outright win, on a 4th innings Brabourne stadium pitch and scoring a ton to seal the deal - this kid is more ready than I thought he was 4 weeks ago.
2. Subramanian Badrinath - The 92* in the second essay may not be enough to get Badri another chance to fail in the Indian team. Has fallen well behind in the pecking ordewr to take up Rahul Dravid's job.
3. Rahul Dravid - Is Barkus willing? The talent is there, so is the ability.. But the mind continues to play tricks.
4. Lakshmipathy Balaji - The Smile is back. And how!!
5. Piyush Chawla - Where has the mojo gone?
6. Vineet Indulkar - The next great Mumbai batsman before Rohit Sharma became the next great Mumbai batsman. Now plays for HP along with Bhavin Thakkar. Which begs the question - why are people lamenting the death of Mumbai cricket if there are so many Mumbailkars unable to find a spot in the team and are forced to ply their trade elsewhere?
7. The Mumbai Cricket team - In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is King. This is the wrong team - wrong balance, wrong selection, just plain wrong. This team has ONE bowler ( Dhawal Kulkarni), the rest make up the numbers ( with occassional cameos). The batting order is unsettled,with the top3 (4?) alternating places. They have an apology of a leg spinner, all of 36 years of age who neither bats nor bowls. The captaincy has changed hands 4 times in the last 6 years. This is ateam with no selection continuity or investment in youth ( Iqbal Abdulla, Mumbai's main spinner last season and all of 18, does not make the final XV).And yet, Mumbai has won 5 games outright (out of the 7) in the league phase and continues to crush opponents. And things will only get rosier with Zaheer Khan and Sachin Tendulkar joining the team from the semis onwards..
Who would have thought?
K S H E M A L W A I N G A N K A R
By Q
I doubt the English can even pronounce the name of this 23 year old pacer from Mumbai who demolished them with 5 wickets, sending KPs team packing to the dressing room for 98!
A 124 run for Mumbai!
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