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It's wrong to say India was knocked out by Sri Lanka. India was knocked out by India. This the seniors back home know only too well, when contacted Kumble said in his typical strong jawed manner, "there was only one team not playing cricket". When reminded that Australia was not part of the tri-series, Kumble hung up.
Tendulkar was kinder when he said, "the boys need our support and I'm sure they'll bounce back." When reminded that these boys will not get a chance to bounce back as the seniors will take their place, Tendulkar hung up.
MS Dhoni stopped his bike in mid-air to answer our phone; he cracked a few jokes, but blamed Nohit Sharma's run-out for the defeats. He further added that Nohit once ran him out and he had not forgotten. When informed that Nohit's twin tons were the only positives from the series, MSD hung up.
Ganguly said that if MS Dhoni is a bit of a gambler, then Suresh Raina is a bit of a gamble. He added that not opening with Yusuf Pathan (as mentioned in his column repeatedly) was a gamble worth taking. When informed that Yusuf Pathan's mastery of the short ball was worse than his, he hung up.
Dravid refused to comment, when reminded that it was high time he said something, he hung up.
Cheeka rambled - "IDunnoWaatToSayWeNeedMaybeMoreCSKPlayersHahahaAfterAllTheyAreWhatYouCallItTheChampionsOfHahahaAndTheBestInTheCountryHahaIWillSpeakWithSriAndSeeIfWeCanPlayHaydosHaha! Which is when we hung up.
Proof that our seniors are hung up
Zimbabwe let India down, again.
It isn't India's fault, really. It isn't Yusuf Pathan's fault for taking a short ball on the body. He can't play them, how the hell will he try and hit them? It isn't BossDK's fault, he likes playing the reverse of straight. It isn't Murali Vijay's fault, he's new to so many formats in so little time. It isn't Amit Mishra's fault, he's not used to playing three games on the trot. It isn't Yadav's fault, he still doesn't know how he has the visa to play here. It isn't Nohit Sharma and Raina's fault, they were unlucky to get run-out. It isn't Kirsten's fault, this is too close to home.
It is Brendan Taylor's fault, who does he think he is, Andy Flower? It is Andy Blignaut's fault, who does he think he is, Heath Streak? It is the other Zim boys' fault, who neither you nor I nor our team know by name, face or the clubs. They are Zim-babe-way, no way are they supposed to play like this. How could they? Send them a showcause notice. Then let's see how they defend themselves. Hah! Zim-babe-way, they can't even make it to the IPL.
tri series: a suggestion...
so disturbing is the dew factor that bangladesh captain shakib pronounced the prevailing conditions as "almost unplayable and unfit to play"...
dhoni and sangakkara also raised the issue in their own way but they all seemed reconciled to the fact that nothing can be done as the schedule is final and they will have to play in the conditions offered...
lest it becomes the 'tournament of toss' which is a strong possibility... i have a suggestion that can be implemented without changing the schedule... the conditions etc...
since each team will play the other twice... why not make each team bat first and bat second once...?
so next time bangladesh bats second and so will india when they play sri lanka again... this will make it an even contest... even conditions... all teams could end up with 1 win 1 loss... so the net run rate will become far more important... making teams put put in that extra effort... making the series more meaningful... than it is now...
Looks like we lost the battle but won the war - 1
In spite of themselves, India beat Sri Lanka, the finals’ jinx, sweat soaked shirts, short-circuited uppers, weak limbs, weaker hearts. Sri Lanka tried their darndest but they couldn’t beat the odds.
It was a weird game. Not so much India vs. Sri Lanka as SRT vs. SL.
First they sent in the explosive RDX (Rahul Dravid) to open the innings, take first strike. At that point I was hoping to watch him keep wickets again. While we’re at it, let’s make him the wallflower instead of The Wall.
Then of course, opportunity knocks, and MSD’s in at 95/1, 17th over. Where were you the previous night, sunshine – ok, that was chasing under lights.
YS makes it at 2/205 to be teased by Malinga outside off. Forget the runs, he was on a blind date with a very bad boy. He wanted to get out, but somehow stayed in.
Then another masterstroke, picking Yusuf Pathan and batting him before Raina. He did not disappoint with 006. Once he makes his 7th duck, he’ll be a Batting Bond.
In the 49th came the make-shift opener-replacement for DKNY, the stop-gap opener Virat Kohli. By then of course Yuvraj was a man again.
Somewhere in between RDX ran for SRT. On the sidelines I might add.
(to be continued)
Compaq Cup Finals: India vs Sri Lanka LIVE!
Win the toss...Win the Cup!
Dilshan at point
Like a sniffer dog after a bone doused in cocaine.
Like a Columbian drug lord in beard and chains.
Like not very likeable.
Bored to the bone with Sachin, Suresh and point three something!
kumar dharmasena...
...out to get all those lbw's... he did not get when bowling...
Yuvraj says Thank You Sachin!
Till the previous over with the quicks on, Sachin was at first slip. With Yuvraj’s slow left arm pies ready for delivery, Dravid swapped places with Sachin.
Guptill edged the 6th pie, Dravid gobbled it up. Boy, did he look hungry – like he hadn’t had an ODI pie in a long, long while.
But honestly, if not for Sachin, Dravid would never have eaten. Now what do you say guys?
Pie pie ka hisab karna hai, boss.
Gambhir refuses to play without Sehwag.
One has a shoulder injury so the other picked a groin injury. Gambhir is coming back, back to Delhi, back to where his heart is, back to Jatman.
Now if only there where two Tendulkars, both could have opened the innings. But as has been often said, there is only one Sachin Tendulkar.
The two wannabe Sachins are out of order: One Jatman, the other Rohit Sharma. Being like Sachin can hurt.
So what does that leave us with: Yusuf Pathan to open the innings, and even though this is no T20 World Cup, what the hell, let's make the Compaq Cup less geeky.
All for Yusuf on top, for one, when he pulls it off, he'll have a rare opportunity to Thank You Sachin!
Chances are Dravid could open too, though personally I'd like to see him keep wickets again.
Then again, the selectors could announce a replacement. Surely Badrinath can't make it to Lanka again? Strong chance it will be Virat Kohli, one dilliwallah for another - capital punishment.
Or who knows, Dinesh Karthik DKNY, who also plays for the Daredevils, and opened with elan in the Windies, versus Gayle's A team no less.
Finally some life to the tri-series, and India's only just had a net.
