Blog: The Darkest hour

I firmly believe that its between 4 AM (night for many) and 5 AM is when the nights the coldest, darkest and most haunting. As I write this NSG still doing combing operations in at The Taj Mahal Hotel. As the Gate Way of India stands eyewitness to another wave of violence. I hope that they Gate Way of India also stands tall and mighty as ever and eventually becomes Hell Way for terrorist. These include not only the people who sprayed bullets but also people who trained them, showed them the way by telling them, how. It shall also stand witness to people who laid their lives and strengthen the roots of India.

While we may cry for the mute Gate Way of India and Crown Prince of Indian hotels, The Taj. The self appointed saviours of the city may not have looked in the mirrors,if they were too the mirror would have shattered to pieces from shame. These guys have still to come out and see what happens when you stack integrity of the Nation for a few seats in Parliament, so that it fuels business - of bemoaning for local citizen.
Raj Thackeray has chosen to be mum over this issue, seems to have taken leave of absence when not expected. The NSG guys are fighting terror in confines of Taj. The terror plot wouldn't be at a better time following the frenzy Raj Thackeray and the ruling government whipped and then bought the city to a halt.You too have added your two cents in the pyre of martyrs.

India continues to be the net importer of Terror and Violence while our neighbours are continuously building upon infrastructure and over hauling designing, plots, machinery and minds into new methods of warfare. I wont be surprised if terrorist have some connection with the Pakistani Army. I think the time is write to call Pakistan's bluff,advance in Jammu and Kashmir and weed out ISI and terror outfits. If it means intervention in the region then so be it. At least we will know and be prepared with who we are engaging to a battle.

The terror plots thus hatched also expose many blunders that we have in your system. I know Terrorist have no face but they do have arms and legs and mind. I think the worst are people who remain tacit and quiet when they need to come out and pledge support to the Nation. Such a meticulous operation has to involve people in our own country. The attack may have been planned for months now.In 1993 serial bomb blast case, there were lots of people in the government machinery that help carried out the blasts. This time it isnt too different either.

I hope the dawn breaks soon and the darkest hour dispels. One day, may be we  People will dream of a Nation for all and not of regions for few.

Blog: Maximum terrorised city

It is something I wish not to write, but India is firmly in hands goons,stupids, opportunists.They have gift wrapped opportunity to terrorist to rape its peace and prosperity damage property and lives.

Like begets like even terrorist are terrified of their own lives.It has to be and Iron hand in a velvet glove,it can't be other way round.

Shivraj Patil if you, Sir still have a conscience thats alive then pick up that pen and resign from your post, prove it that Pen is mightier than Sword.

It is a long night of disgust and unease.

Suketu Mehta wrote the Maximum city, I write a blog on Maximum Terrorized City.I hope things turned to normalcy with a click of a button but I guess the night is really, really long and tragic.

Perhaps blasts in Assam were just a precursor of events to follow.

Unfortunately the series of events started unfolding on A Wednesday.

For more check any of the news website.

I guess terror would soon replace sex as the most searched word on Google.

Cricket: Indians on song.

All is well that ends well. However, even before the series is over India have managed to flay England four games to none. I had imagined India always would be couple of games ahead of England, but they have cleaned up England and can look to test some other talent, while some cricketers will get to chill for a few days, I think Zak and Dhoni may take rest. I think before the new comers the onus is on Raina, Munaf and Pathan (Yusuf) to drive home the advantage.

Up up and away with MSD.

I think MSD would be great players of cards. He may not always pick his card well, but he has a great sense of conviction and he views his every card as an Ace. He may have inherited a lot of Ganguly and perhaps a lot from Ganguly. But I don’t think Dravid or Kumble were bad. They strengthen the team. Dravid being studious won us WI, Pakistan and may be England (all away Test series) Kumble always confessed to be a stopgap but he gave up when he couldn’t go ahead any longer. Dhoni meanwhile is not only a bundle of energy and the way to channel that energy. A team success and failure goes into captain’s account. He has won almost everything on international stage. His indifference in victory and defeat suggest someone who is always looking ahead. You may not every see Dhoni punching through covers but you will see a lot of him hammering down the crowd.
Moreover he acknowledges seniors contribution again suggesting implementing plans more important than making them. He has time and again acknowledged Sachin and Zaheer. He also packs Yuvraj, India's best limited over’s player on form.

Letting it go for the sake of the team.

Shouldn’t Tendulkar be batting at number four? I mean will he open in tests? How many T20 will he play? Gambhir-Sehwag (may be in that order) fit the bill for all forms of the game. I think these two should be encouraged. Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj, Tendulkar, Dhoni, Raina, Pathan. Feels good reading the above names and dream of them coming in this order. I have high hopes on Yusuf Pathan but I hope he isn’t another Shahid Afridi in the making. Tendulkar has to take a call on where he has to bat. He is already taking a call on what games to play. I think Sehwag-Gambhir deserves the slot, keeping the future in mind.

Problems for Pietersen and England.

I wish to know if Strauss, Cook and Monty are good enough to play for ODI. They are class act and deserve to be in the team. I don’t know whets wrong with Vaughan either. I have a complaint against ICC, English hardly play any ODI. When did you last hear English going to play only for ODIs? I mean some one as class as Vaughan is has played as many test as ODI. The English play 12-14 tests in a year while playing hardly any ODIs. They may play lots of ODI for their counties but look utter misfit when it comes to ODIs. Pietersen was coming off on such a high, beating SAfs 4 games to nothing. I hope he realized that’s SAfs were without their captain Smith, their bowling looked out of form meanwhile Kallis was totally out of form.
Pietersen has lot many things to do. He has to try something radical, out of the box. He may fail, but hasn’t he already lost the series. India has just lost one ODI in their last ten ODIs. Commendable. I think Pietersen is swimming at the wrong end of the pool with his hands tied behind his back. I am convinced that England will do better in Tests. Yuvraj is set to storm in but I think Monty should look forward to bowl to Yuvraj.

Blog: Sequence of consequences.

We value things disparagingly. You know we all have this Big Goals, we like to talk about, to everyone and yet often we lose sleep over a few frugal thing we should have done some where during the day but then as we look at things disparagingly, times just fly and we out weigh many little things by a single large thing.

There is a problem or there is a solution. A life is consequence of problem which may be of similar nature but you can’t just put up your hand and offer similar solutions. You can’t and must not. Often there are situation where we have to take the blame or stand in the “I am guilty” box and people judge you what you should have done, but then it is all in retrospect. Who know what other may have done at that very point. If I go on and say how judgmental people can be then it would be a judgment on those very people. To be honest, everyone has whims and often seduce/hypnotise themselves and just doesn’t want to let their whims go even for a change. I wonder can I ever drain the act of judging people out of my system.

Then there are negatively charged or enlighten God sends. They are negative no matter what. You meet them at sunrise and they cringe, bloody daylight and when sun sets they cry bloody night. Some of them standing in a room half full of pessimist. Then there are some who will see the glass half full but depending upon there moods remark that glass ought to be full or empty. They basically live in the world what ought to have been rather than what it is. I came across a friend of mean since we too have a small amount invested we were discussing the present economic bloom. Some of them just pass on statements just to make sure they have said something it doesn’t matter to them that what they say doesn’t necessarily what they believe in.

Yeah I have put on the judges cloak but dagger is missing though. I believe people deserve to rot to the peaceful end. The punishment for some people is allowing them to live.

Monday night I went for Dostana, man was I not happy to be back home and the last scene “The End” was my favourite. How boring? I think everyone goes to watch a movie for some fancy or anticipation. I thought this one would throw some comic punches but what I got was hammer of naive jokes. Like they do in marketing, the market the product on qualities which ones own product may not have but it is not there in the competitive product as well. Sex has been integral to show biz but then we are so short of ideas that we are busy re-packaging sex. There was nothing comic and scenes seemed to be copy pasted from scores of old Hindi and English movies. Originality is a mistake in Bollywood. It is surviving people on make up artists and dress designers. Priyanka hams in all through the movie, Abhishekh is a nurse. I assume he was on a part time duty and John he plays a photographer sans the camera. Then there is the normal twist in which a Punjabi character is added to the confusion. The movie is a loaf jaggery coated in sugar syrupy dressed in icing sugar. One should have strong reasons to sit through the movie; provided John has semi-exposed bum isn’t what you crave for. It brings me to another point, why critics should not slam movie of big movie production houses. I have notice than a movie produced by big banners often get great reviews although; there is nothing substantial apart from the interval and rolling of the cast and crew at the end. I think Dasvidaniya should have been a better bet. I think I have missed Quantum of Solace as well.

Cricket: Sombre Sunday

Sunday started in a sombre note, I thought there would be an England vs. India ODI, but as match didn’t start well past 10 (I got up little after 9:55 A.M.). My father suggested that there are two days between matches, till late last night I was just gearing up myself for a big Sunday match. Anyways I am hoping an English fight back provided they change their batting order Collingwood a decent player of spinners, and Pietersen should be right on top but I am not sure if Flintoff can open? Is Flintoff ready to open the innings is the crucial question to ask.

Yuvraj best India batsmen in limited overs.

I wonder who between Ganguly and Yuvraj (both in the peak) would be a better timer of a cricket ball. I think unbiased choice would have to pick Yuvraj. But since Ganguly has hung up his boots, gloves lets focus on Yuvraj. Yuvraj is the best ODI batsmen in limited overs cricket. He fought for the prime number four spot and go it is last years T20 World Cup. He deserves it more than anyone else. He is a champion in limited over. His effect is so profound that I am sure that Ganguly won’t be missed. Sehwag was decimating the English attack. Yuvraj went a step further; he annihilated the English attack including Flintoff. England were batted out of the game. Any chance of victory were evaporated when the English were letting reeling 76 for 4. Indians went on to win by 158 runs.

I think Yuvraj has still time on his hands; he is just 26 or 27 so like Michael Hussey he may get a chance in Test fold but he needs to sort out his batting against spin attack. This observation is against Yuvraj is restricted to test arena. I mean bowlers like Monty, Murali, Mendis, Vettori, couple of Pakistani spinners would look forward to bowling to him. I am sure those very spinners would go into incognito when it come to ODI. I think Mendis Yuvraj contest would be keenly watched contest.

Yuvi should talk to guys like Andy Flower (current English batting coach) to get a different prospect to playing spin. I think even Dhoni should talk to him about captaining, keeping and batting. He was good. I know Gilchrist was an exception keeper batsmen but I wonder why Andy Flower is not talked about much as a keeper batsmen. He was phenomenal against spin bowling. I just get the feeling he gets tied up playing spin. He goes neither front nor back.

So much so for his test batting abilities. But his limited overs ability has blossomed in last couple of year. India has hardly lost anything if he crosses a fifty. He was crucial in the record run chase we had. I always knew what to do, but over the years he learnt how to pace his innings. He always has been a great finisher of limited overs cricket. He runs brilliantly has broad powerful shoulder and can time the cricket ball as good as it can get. I think Dhoni acknowledges this fact. Dhoni and Yuvraj are brilliant finishers.
I wonder if Tendulkar when he comes back into the team would want to look to get back to number five for the sake of the team. I think Sehwag-Gambhir are the future. Yuvraj has made two down his own. Raina meanwhile is hot and cold, but I think he has to be persevered with. Pathan meanwhile has not come to the party yet. I wish to know what Dhoni has planned for Yusuf Pathan.

India drubs Aussies two to nothing.

When in India do as the Indians do. I think Ponting took this too much to his heart. I mean in hindsight he screwed up of all chances of retaining his trophy. He really let situations take control of him. I mean all the moment that Aussies had at fourth day by the end of second session was gifted back to Indians. I think Ponting should have went to Krazeja and told him to rush his over while Shane Watson would have cleaned up the tail in no time and may be Aussies have won the test by fifth day tea and drawn the series. Ponting mean while lost the test, and got fined for slow over rate. The worst of it was then making the excuses and saying that he did whatever he did i.e. pressing likes of Hussey into action to bowl and letting there would have been no fines for him if Indians would have capitulated in the final session. Dhoni on the other hand won the test, won the series, and even did not get fined for not bowling the required over in the first session. The Aussie came and went. Ponting committed suicidal run after that it was matter of time before curtains came down on a poor series for Aussies. They have only themselves to blame for this poor show. Ponting should be presented a bloated pumpkin for his stupidity. Dhoni played negative, out thought the Aussies. They were found wanting and lost. The have crying hoarse of everything rather than see the scorecard which says they lost. I don’t thing Aussies are on their way down. They are the strongest team because their first class set up is the toughest to get into and yields top class players, good enough for Kiwis and SAfs and perhaps Ashes too. It is too early to take a call. It is true that Aussies have been diffused in India but I think they are hard to beat. Since the quality of opposition is well measured by the Aussies, I think it will be tough for all the teams to beat Australia in their own backyard.

Dhoni a good captain.

Dhoni meanwhile is a genius, he picking up Kumble and then asking Ganguly to lead for a while when the series was wrapped up, is more than what Kumble and Ganguly would have wanted, it was a small gesture but it was unprecedented and have presented a glimpse of how big is Dhoni’s heart and how he values each member of his team.

I don’t think Ganguly farewell post should be just an add on to this post. I think he commands a space of his own, may be when I get time I would really want to write something for and about Sourav Ganguly.

About: Man, Machine & Moon.

Indian Tricolour is unfurled on the Moon 14 November at 8:31 Indian Stnadard Time. It is a major achievement considering that Indian Space programme is indegious. Three cheers for Guys at ISRO. I am damn proud of everyone who could have made this dream a reality.

Dream for sure come true. Chandrayan-I sees something Indian over the moon.
It is one of the proudest moment to go down in Indian History.

For once a cricket post can wait till the mornig. :D

Blog: An ease of a weekend.

My life is not all that hectic, yes there is a great deal of impatience. There are many things that I have to do, but some how they slip form to be done to shall be done. It is done very easily; the harder thing is to regret doing it. I wait for this weekend since Tuesday. Its not that I don’t look for weekends. I simply love them because one can sit down and take account of what is happening and what is to be done. The more that is done the better it is for our own sake.

Perhaps a week off college and a boring Test along with my determine effort not to take an effort took its toll on them, plus I was munching chocolates and sweets and surfing the Net without knowing what I am looking for, it is perhaps the worst hangover, a hangover of thoughts, is the toughest to get out of. It is just a relief to get back on track, get some adrenaline flowing and give up the lethargy

I slept as much as I would do earlier but fell way of my schedule, I did reach on time and all the necessary assignments and tasks were done well, but that made me run out of breath for much more time than required. I had a minor temperature every night, not too much but just between 99.8 and100, not good enough even to take a few medicines and get up to get going. Perhaps it is a state where mind is dull and body catching up with a dull mind. I am hell bent on one day getting up before dawn, go out for a stroll. Smell what the fresh morning air feels like. It is just like an itch behind your back, just below your neck or an itch on the soul when your Accounts professor is teaching various Schedules of a Balance Sheet. You feel guilty of not paying enough attention to the balance sheet neither getting rid of the itch. All this has been not without the due share of humour though. Something or the other has had come up so that’s good. At the end of the day when you say the prayers before going to sleep and recollect how tough has been the day, you want to have a smile before the grey cells turn off.

I often feel that at times, it seems like reaching late on the bus stand, after the bus has gone, although you know another bus will be coming around soon, but there is persistent feeling of missing the bus. Is life a tale of missed opportunities/ second chances? I think affirmative of it; wish to get your reaction to the question above.

I had a HR presentation today, it was a group presentation, everyone spoke our parts well, since the first group did not started well, we did well. The lady taking the lecture before we started was curious why everything seemed so dull and cold. Lack of preparation or lack of will for wanting to present something, I thought. Our did not shake everything of, but when I ended I was happy with a single slide I had to explain, One of the members spoke really well, We scored well so that was the proverbial icing on the cake a few hi fi and we happily dispersed.

We are all gearing up for going to companies and get ourselves a few summer internships. As the current financial things is in dumps asking for summer internships for finance is no mean task. I don’t know who bleak the situation is but recession is a part of a cycle which is bound to hit the markets time and again. The hold for anything by the way. I mean things will test themselves time and again before moving ahead. I am just hoping that somebody just spares us few minutes of their quality time. The rest will come fall in place in due course of time. I am convinced at least of that.

Barrack Obama won the race of the Races. I don’t align myself to a particular race. I don’t personally know anyone of either Obama or McCain. But I think McCain is a wittier between the two. The election would have been added some more interest if it were between a black man and a white lady. I guess USA is still to learn how to elect a woman President. But obviously Obama speaks well, I loved his Berlin speech. He succeeds in Bush in tough times. While Bush took every opportunity to let the “crises” to happen there is lot of cleaning up to do. I will look forward as to what Obama does with the Global Warming and Environment and Farm subsidies. I am convincing that I don’t see farm subsidies coming down in USA.

A weekend also presents an opportunity to wine, dine and be merry. :)

Hint: A Cricket post soon.

Cricket: Bowling Jumbo shabaash.

Cricket: Bowling Jumbo shabaash.

“Bowling Jumbo, Shabaash Jumbo Shabaash” Nayan Mongia howling behind the wickets after gathering another vicious Kumble delivery in a test on dusty bowls on a sunny day, the batsman has no clue while Kumble goes back to the top of his bowl mark. The batsmen sighed a relief saying another Kumble spit fire out of the way. Anil Kumble has called it a day today he played 134 matches took 619 wickets and scored a marvelous unbeaten century. He is the only man other than a Jim Laker to take all ten wickets in an innings. A feat that can only be equaled and not be bettered.

Kumble has essayed many a turn around for Indian cricket. He along with the other Fabs, were one of the reasons why India were formidable in India. While Tendulkar and company made runs, Srinath would come on at time take wickets and it would be Kumble show from there on. He was obviously well supported by other bowlers from time to time, from Raju, Chauhan, Bhaji to name a few, but he could turn things around in very little time.

Jumbo is a strange name for a spinner. He never believed in flight. He would dart close to off stump, giving himself the option of capturing batsmen bowled, LBW or caught. Jumbo was perhaps for the fact that Kumble deliveries would seem to take off after pitching. It made the batsmen hurry up for a stroke, which confound his miseries and like a fighter plane Kumble would hone in on the batsman, until he got him.

Like Tendulkar. Kumble wasn’t ever party to on the field controversies ever. He preferred working off the limelight. I think though people in the “Fab Four” n(something I hate to use) would be the first to throw light on his prowess. Out of the four, three (Tendulkar, Ganguly Dravid) went to captain him and he proved to a match winner for all of them at different point in time. Perhaps Azhar gave him the most opportunities. His tenure as a captain wasn’t bad either. He would be best remembered for handling the team matters after the Sydney fiasco, turned the table on Ponting & Co. perhaps a telling point in the game of cricket, if Aussies continued to slide in form and fortune.

To be continued …

Kumble started his career in 1990 in England only to be dropped, Jumbo really took flight couple of seasons later when England came calling. You know England though, their players start to make excuses for not being upto the scratch and then England lose the plot and often the series. But then Sri Lanka were also emerging and coming to their own, in Test matches. Kumble was again the platform of another series win at home against the Lankans and Indias formidable nature continued to grow and they won hardly anything abroad. It was almost like a formula Hindi movie, Tendulkar lead the scoring charts, Kumble the bowling charts, meanwhile Tendulkar and other batsmen were labeled the Fab Four they knew for themselves that Kumble is the enginer powering there performances as well. Indian batsmen consolidated, Kumble consolidated more.
Rahul Dravid then started to share Tendulkar run making contribution especially abroad and Kumble having enough runs to bowl to, dissolved his confusion whether to attack and defend. The quality of seem bowling also improved. We have know Zak, Ishant, Sreesanth, RP Singh, Munaf and Pathan who can match wonders when we tour abroad. But it wasn’t so when Kumble was evolving.

Kumble the fighter that he is has proven time and again to come back stronger and better then before, underlining his focus and determination and dedication to go back to the drawing board and add more to repertoire physically as well as mentally. The fizz waned meanwhile accuracy and potency grew exponentially.

The second period is under Ganguly and the belief his instilled in the people he chose and taught to fight the raging bulls. The things started to change circa 2001. India started winning abroad and as our batting performances improved Kumble went further into the background playing an equal hand in most Indian victories. It came to be characterized by Dravid scoring runs and Kumble taking wickets. But he mat agree wasn’t the first choice spinner for his team. But he made sure that he continued to take wickets in bulk. The truck load of wickets in Australia, 2004 followed by operformances in Pakistan and then when Pakistan visited us. At one point in time he was leading wicket taker a few seasons back.

One of his traits were carrying on the fight when everything seemed down and out, obviously pointing to his injury in this match, Sydney fiasco, the spell at Antigua, and various comebacks. He came did his job of taking wickets while batsmen were glorified by the media, Kumble stuck to his task and bowled and bowled. As all things which have a beginning has an end, Kumble has ended his career with pride and with a self assurance that this team is on ascendency

Review of the test.

If a team score over 600 runs, and doesn’t makes the opposition follow on, the result of test is hard to achieve if there is no hara-kiri from one of the teams. India made 600, both Gambhir and Laxman made double century. The momentum was clearly lost, Aussies were put off pressure and when Indians took every opportunity of dropping catches and setting very defensive fields. The Aussies kep making runs down behind the wicket on the off side. The position mid on/mid off fielders continues to piss me off, I mean why do you want a mid off deep when Sehwag is bowling to a RHB and turning it square, you don’t mind him driving, there was virtually no second slip all day and I don’t wish to say much of the fielding, it was really ordinary. Kumble blown away due to injury. Both teams ambled along and settled for a draw. I think Aussies batsmen had much to gain, for a change Zaheer and Ishant went wicketless, Sehwag bowled marvelously to take a five wickets and joining an club of off-spinners to worry Aussies. It is an known fact that Aussies inherently struggle against off-spin. Jim Laker, Lance Gibbs, Jassu Patel, Harbhajan, Murali, Croft and know Sehwag have done well against the Aussies at different times. It was sad for Bhajji to miss out. But there is are a few positive aspect of Kumble retiring, Indians wont be facing selection dilemma and have a golden opportunity to win the series. It is a long way to go though.

I think Aussies should bite the bullet, drop White, get Marsh to open with Hayden, Katich to play in the middle order and also bowl a bit more. Hussey to be one down followed by Ponting and Clarke, Haddin, Watson, Lee, Johnson, Krezja