Cricket: English overhaul Indians

India lost first match of another over sear test series. England coasted home with 196 runs. Indians has conceded a lead of more than 190 runs and since then they were just doing the catching up. The international sports scenario increasingly gives equal importance to fitness and skill i.e. physical and mental aptitude. England was the fitter team. Indian team was hamstrung (Zaheer), bugged (viral, Tendulkar) and bruised (Gambhir). Sehwag had already in the injured list. This further tilted the balance in favour of England. England seems to be in control for most of the match except for a session when Ishant Sharma set the cat among the pigeons taking 3 wickets in 16 balls.

Hindsight, foresight and the mental hide & seek.

The rules of leading a life are learnt in hindsight and life is led with a foresight. There is a clear deficiency of both when it comes to BCCI & Test match cricket. BCCI has been big and bold about their (monopolistic) business and given a lot of support to Indian players. If Gambhir, Zaheer, and Yuvraj were fit before the second test started in West Indies, shouldn’t they have boarded a plane to Caribbean and played the third test? Gambhir looked out of sorts for obvious reason; Zaheer broke down after taking two wickets. Gambhir’s injury was freakish and something, which one feels good if we avoid it. Sachin was down with a viral. Sehwag remains unavailable for first two tests. Dhoni needs to make better plans and take some tough decision about the composition of his bowling attack. There was enough rub off the green in this match especially in the second innings on the last day. May be things would change for the good. The best performers in this match for India, Ishant, PK, Dravid, Laxman, and Raina to an extent had a good but a gruesome tour of Caribbean and primed themselves to another fighting test series against the number one contenders. At least it wouldn’t have done any harm

Pietersen finds form.

The one thing Indian team has done is let the Poms get back to form. Indian bowlers bowled incoherent line and lengths and let the English batsman get into the groove, Strauss, Bell, Pietersen, Prior all had good knocks and got used to the conditions and Indian bowling. Indian batting on the other hand helped bowlers find their rhythm and expose the chinks in the batting order. Pietersen is not a batsman you will see and say that this guy will guts it out to find form. Pietersen is a compulsive stroke player who has been scratchy for a couple of seasons now. Zaheer broke down and with no bowling all rounder or Yuvraj Singh chucking pie at Pietersen. He helped himself to a big meaty double century and England posted a huge total that India couldn’t match. Pietersen was restrained for better part of the innings. He played the type responsible innings, where strokes were cut down on all that was flashy and trenched deep for survival. He played a very compelling innings under indifferent batting conditions. He will be the key to English fortunes for the rest of the series.
The other bowlers toiled hard most of the match on the other hand at times, it was toil to watch Harbhajan bowl.

Singh is King-pin

Bhajji needs to shrug it off and think the batsman out. The fizz is mellow, the lengths and lines are meek, timid, and defensive. I mean he can bowl all day round the wicket without getting a decent first class player out. He bowling round the wicket reduces his chances of a bat pad kind of dimissal. He should look to aim at the outside edge of the bat and invite the batsman to play forward on the off side around fifth stump. He should invite the left hand batsman to drive of the front foot with the turn. Dhoni can help him by keeping a short fine leg for a miscue sweep, a forward short leg. A short cover and midwicket for the mistime drive. He definitely seems to have lost it and just trudging around for a year. He lost of ideas and seems fixated bowling defensive trying to contain the batsman. He is neither controlling runs nor taking wickets. Indians were effectively bowling with little more than two bowlers. Ishant and PK looked good. Bhajji should make it large and look to do that soon.

Rahul Dravid is a professional and disciple of patience.

Rahul Dravid has numbers to show that would put any batsman in awe. He is technically perfect of this generation. Dravid holds one end up. We just choose to observe the magnificence of other stroke players around him. It is the comfort that Draivd provides and the partnership he strings with the other batsman that keeps the Indian ship sailing. I mean how many batsmen can score at the rate of Sehwag. How many are as impeccable as Tendulkar, Laxman over the years has become a very dependable bet. Raina is fast learning the tricks of the trade. Rahul Dravid form will continue to direct how performance of Indian team. He scored a century in tough conditions when the stroke makers were guilty of injudicious stroke play. It was Dravid's watertight technique. But his drive, off the front or back on off or legside, remains pristine and delight to watch. You can have photographs of his strokes and it will be a cricket handbook of batting.

Yes, he is orthodox batsman. The Russian orthodoxy would be impressed if anyone of those guys follow cricket. However, expecting him to play like a Sehwag would be like asking Sehwag to play like Dravid. It simple won’t happen. Yes, he was beaten and dropped but he did carry on providing a little bit of respectability to the score. He knows how to weather a storm and build an innings so crucial in Test matches to keep going. Dravid making runs was one of the few good points for the team from thsi match.

PK swing karo.

Praveen Kumar has the talent of get the ball to swing. He bowled tirelessly after Zaheer left hobbling. He seems to almost glide from a shortish run up. His ability to get the ball swing both ways makes him crucial bowlers in the English conditions. I wonder if he could get it to reverse swing. Zaheer and Ishant can get it to reverse with a good degree of control. Zaheer may not (should not) play in the second test. I wonder if PK and Ishant would open the bowling in the next innings. I hope PK claims more wickets because these would be one of the better bowling conditions that he is likely to get for a long time.

Indian cricket is some where in between the hype of a victory and hysteria of a defeat created by the traditional media. There will be tragic losses and exhilarating victory. The game is bigger, more important is to support the team through thick and thin that the game offers. One bad day doesn’t make a bad season. The second test starts at Trent Bridge starts on Friday.

About: Overspiced Bollywood

Indian Movies have had a deep impact on Indian society. It has been a sign of changing times. It is fair to say in many ways, movies have been a step head of our time and almost shown us a glimpse of how social changes likely to follow when tomorrow comes. The movies have been a chronicle of how society has evolved in the due course of time. The movies have detailed major events that left a mark on the dates of our history. The various themes have covered historical events, personalities, legends, thoughts and myths. Indian movies have given us icons many of whom have become facets of what’s good about Indian society. The Indian movies bind our society apart from cricket.

An illusion none the less.

It provides us an escape too, escape to a world of dreams. The songs, dialogues, costumes, looks and feel of it enamour us with situations that placate our lives for some time. It’s given rise and support to many industries, fashion/apparels for example. The radio industry is another that repeatedly plays popular song from old movies and promotes songs of new about-to-release movies. Ameen Sayani the legendary host on Radio was almost voice of Indian Radio for an eternity. I mean that was before television hijacked our lives. Tourism is another example. Tabloid industry is a major beneficiary. I mean imagine the morning paper without goof ups and break up and hook ups, morning tea won’t taste the same ever again. The (un) reality TV also gets their judges from here. These judges are no more in demand and TV seem to give them a life line.

Indian movies have reached to the classes and masses of all regions. The Indian movie industry as a whole is the largest number of productions and lowest ticket rates in the world. The Diaspora populace overseas has ensured that segment too is well feed in situations of the movies. The regional cinema in South Indian matches the Mumbai based Bollywood for exuberance and volumes of business and overwhelmingly beats it when it comes to mass following of actors.

The fact is ... 

The simplicity of movies has diminished now. It is more of a business now; I mean 3 to 4 movies are lined for a release in a weekend. The longevity of movies is reduced to two weekends or ten days. The movies and creative aspect is a cheap rip off some movie made in another corner of the Earth thing else. The movies are packaged with sleaze and raunchy. It is a must to have some controversy to rake up interest. A huge amount of time, energy and money is pumped in to promote and create a panic and repulsion to get audience queuing up to get a show. The only thing u might get after seeing these movies is regret and a tinge of red on your face of having washed away with a tinge of green.

The golden period of Hindi movies in particular and Indian movies in general were the 50s and 60s. The best people worked at that point in time. There were technical inadequate is for all to see. But then technology was simply not available. You also wonder how they movies were financed. There were weeks if not months before the next movie was to be released. The songs and tune and story lines from those old genres are now remade. I mean people are remixing R.D. Burman songs and dedicate those songs to none other than R.D. Burman. How genuine and insipid one would think. I sincerely believe that more than 4 out of fice songs remixed is nothing bbut a crowning glory of our ability to create something remotely originally. However, the movies getting digitized and Black and White movies getting redone coloured is a positive step.

There is a clear step down of type of movies that are being made. The possible reason the growth of various segements and marketable audience. There is this so called uber urban class, the college fellas, tier two cities, the expat clan, there are classes, masses and unbridled wild asses who hurry to see a movie. There is a loss of innocence and warmth of the movies of old.

I hope things change for the better coz movies are here to stay.

Cricket: Preview India vs England

England hosts India for four tests five ODIs and a T20. It is billed as the series the number one team, India vs. the number one contenders, England. If you look at the official rankings, Indians are on the top. I think India South Africa, England are the top teams, each on their day capable of upsetting the other two, Indian have squared series with South Africa home and abroad. SAfs have lost of English in South Africa, while English haven’t won a series against India in England or anywhere for last ten years or so, the previous series played in England in 2002 series was drawn, Indian won in 2007.

This series see the teams’ line up and balance each other man for man. In the openers, Strauss and Cook square against Gambhir and Mukund. Gambhir is coming back after missing a few test, so he is likely to be edgy. Mukund looked good but may want to consider resetting himself for English conditions. Zaheer would get an opportunity to bowl at two left handers in Cook and Strauss. Sehwag not likely before the third test as I write this, Johanthan Trott has been collecting runs, playing sense and ticking the strike over. He may not have the aura of a big stroke player but he is least likely to step in the trap to prove his bravado. Rahul Dravid is perhaps an institution when it comes to batting at number three. Dravid’s form will make set the tone how the team performs. If Dravid is fluent and controls the tempo, then he would lay strong foundations and Indians would do well, if he doesn’t then Indians may struggle for just that bit. I am not adding Sehwag to this, coz he is injured. There is no point discussing what an injured player could have done. But it just shifts the favour of the balance towards the English.

Tendulkar, will score runs. It is the matter of time. Indian middle order of Tendulkar, Laxman, Raina and Dhoni will compete with Pietersen, Bell, Morgan. Bell seems to be in form, but Pietersen's form is a worry. I hope he has a good series. It would be fun seeing Morgan against Bhajji. Then Prior vs. Dhoni, both good, but Dhoni has aura and Prior has his gloves. The bowling is where this series gets very exciting. Laxman hasnt had a century there in England. Laxman may want to cash in on this series big time. He has had a decent workout in West Indies, his sublime touch in English conditions would be great to watch.

Zaheer, Praveen Kumar, Munaf, Ishant, Sreesanth are all available for selection (fingers crossed). I mean when was the last time, place for three seamers and five were available for selection? There is variety as well, Kumar and Sreesanth will swing it, Ishant will queue up to get use of any bounce, Munaf has control. Zaheer has everything. Sreesanth will also look to do something, it could be bowling as well. The team up against, Bresnan, Broad, Tremlett, Anderson. A very good attack. I have a feeling even the seam attack tends to balance it out. The key lies some where between the fingers you may guess. Swan vs. Bhajji is perhaps the one to watch. Swan and Bhajji are both off spinners, Swann has a bagful of wickets, Bhajji is struggling for rhythm. Swan clearly has an edge. The difference is Swann would be bowling to Indian batsmen who are comfortable facing spin bowling, especially off spin bowling. English batsmen have had a traditional weakness to collapse against any kind of bowling.

Strauss has been a reluctant captain, who has learnt the trade after he got the job. Dhoni it seems was destined to be this Captain Cool. Dhoni is still to lose a series. Dhoni will always have a few tricks up his sleeves. Strauss will be efficient and clinical and methodical, Dhoni will Strauss guessing. Dhoni would want to score here with the bat. 

It is unlike the series in West Indies, where India had field new players. Raina, Laxman and Ishant were the big plus from that series. Gambhir and other making comeback. I am also looking forward to English commentators for this series. They are fun to listen.

I think 1-1 may be a fair result for the series.

Blog: Another blasts another blog

Another set of blasts another blog. Its not the last sets of blasts that will ever be reported from Mumbai. The city being the center of finance, commerce, flash bulbs, fast moving trains and slow moving traffic. Big money and discarded coins find sleep in the same street. A blast in Mumbai serves more than one purpose, besides grabbing headlines. It underscores our lack of will and staying committed to not address the issue and keep it pending for one more time, till the next blasts. The countdown for next blasts has just begun.

This is all so very disgusting. It is a shameful actually, As a citizen of India we must accept that our live has worth less than that of fodder of equal weight. I mean people can dare to plan to execute us and then do what they want, knowing of repercussion, we carry this witch hunt, catch a few people, and keep the court cases running on Duracell batteries, which last forever. I am not sure of those cases running on Duracell batteries but Indian court cases especially criminal ones last longer then what Duracell into Durex can last. If we have to be a proud nation we have to be something to be proud of besides age old history, for now its vulnerability, anguish and disgust that I am proud of. I hope its temporary.

These kind of acts of terror should have stringent, potent and time bound deterrent. It should come from our law makers to stand up and make the punishment so harsh that people have to think twice before carrying out such cheap war mongering. There is no one who can predict such bizarre events. But could you say for sure that there is no support on the ground, and no one knew about it. It is too incredible to lie low and believe like an ostrich and bury ur heads in dust hoping that the troubles will just go away.

I increasingly believe that the foreign hand often blamed after every such attack has to have an Indian glove or an Indian mind. There are more than one sources of this terrorism with in the country and off course internationally. This synergy for this terror agenda is across time zones and socio-religious beliefs. The motive this time is not only to repulse.

The other facet of the story.

The Congress let government is increasingly under pressure due to all the corruption cases which bring to light the Congress Governments intention and ability to mislead and rule. The divide and rule policy seems to make a turn for the ugly. Its too early too take a call, but there are so many things that we may never know. One thing if for sure there would be a few cases that would be conveniently swept under the carpet in the din of these blasts.

I don’t think much will change. I would really turn skeptic is they do. The posts written on previous Bomb Blasts can be reviewed here on this link, provided you have the patience to read through. Its amazing how the same set of thoughts emerge and same kind of moods prevail when same unfourtunate events happen.

Cricket: Review third test.

If the second test was a damp squib, the third one was a touch incredulous one. The weather helped Windies escape to a draw in the second test and we made the chase a bit of hay in the last innings of the last test of this series. Then in hindsight, a series win was more important, considering the squad Indian team had. If we (cricket fans) were told before the World Cup that Indians would win series in West Indies (both 3-2 in ODIs and 1-0 in Tests) without, Sehwag, Gambhir, Tendulkar, Zaheer, and/or Yuvraj, we would have said yes.

What cost us the match?

I think we bowled well enough to restrict the Windies to a paltry score of around 200 and then followed it up with an indifferent batting performance in our first innings display, which really cost us the match. Indians should have score in excess of 450 or more but no one really stuck around to build an innings. Dravid got out to a superb incutter by Sammy, before he was set. The others played got in but seem to get out before then could get a big score.Mukund, Laxman, Raina, Dhoni all score gritty fifties, but no one could steer the ship home and seal the match. Laxman got out to a bizarre dismissal, Mukund got out to a freakish one. Kohli and Vijay have spent more hours chasing the leather in the field. Then the Windies were in the game and then bowlers stuck to their task kept plugging away, even Bhajji was amongst the wickets. A few dropped catches of Chanderpaul only helped the Windies cause. Powell and Chanderpaul made sure there was only one impending result, a DRAW. It was the ordinary first innings when we let an opportunity to pile a big lead to pass by; a mammoth score would always have kept Windies under pressure to survive and and play second fiddle. It wasn’t to be. Chanderpaul woke up to the fact that he was playing against India, he woke up and celebrated it with a signature century, against his favourite opposition. But then he was offered more than one life and to his credit, he did maximize it to the maximum good.

The score Indians were left to chase at 4.5 an over. It would have looked different if one had done a Sehwag. But I think anything over 160 is the last session at more than 4.5 is asking a bit too much when people batting are looking for survival at the shores rather than adventure of the high seas.

The gains from the series.

It was good series for Laxman and Dravid and Raina making runs, Dhoni got back after a couple of ordinary tests, Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma were a definite plus from this series. Mukund looked good. I wonder if there is a choice between Mukund and Raina if Sehwag is half-fit to play the first test in England.

This series would also be remembered for spat between Gayle and Windies board. I think the best playing 11 should have the following players Gayle Bharath, Samuels, Chanderpaul. Bravo, Baugh, Sammy, Edwards, Roach, Bishoo, Rampaul. The bowling looks good, tail can wag. If Gayle gives a decent start, Sammy and Bravo would want to carry it forward. There is pace in Roach and Edwards, Bishoo has done well and will scythe through a non-sub continental team. Bishoo has played in back-to-back Test series against Pakistan and India. He would have learned more about himself and his bowling in last two and half months than any other time while learning his trade. The insipid Windies betting must shrug themselves and getting back to being Calypso (jive and tango) from being Collapse (stumbling and bemusing).

Cricket: Third test preview & other things

Well, other things first. BCCI is now whipping boy of everybody. Any cricket writer or ex-cricketer associated with media come out only to spit venom about BCCI. There are many of ex-cricketers who were part of champion teams of their times now are champions who blame every wrong-doing in and around cricket on the BCCI. I mean is UDRS is panacea for all of cricket’s pathos? Dhoni latest dismissal in the on going test series off the Edward no ball was an embarrassment to all cricket watchers. Chanderpaul dismissal off Bhajji was the other extreme. I mean Indian cricket is doing well in present times; Indian cricketers are doing well on and off the field. The Indian team is the current World Champions in ODI cricket, they are the top few teams in crown of cricket, the Test matches, and they have won the inaugural T20 World Cup. Dhoni being centre of this success, figuratively and literally.

All this hoopla about UDRS/DRS seems to be headed in a wrong direction. I wonder if it is just to do with an Indian Cricket Board or success of India cricket or presence and support whether Indian team is playing in Jamaica, Durban, Adelaide, Wellington, Trent Bridge, or where ever. There is this huge Indian expats in cricket playing nations, so unlike previous years, where there was hardly any support for Indian while playing abroad, there is a good number if not equal crowds for venues abroad wherever Indian plays.

Those residing in shattered glass houses, cry of pain

Australia are on the descending curve, I mean three innings defeat in a five match test series that too at home against England, in during the previous Ashes says a lot. The Ashes in hindsight was a no contest, it was a shame to see Aussies whipping and crying in between matches, moan and finding excuses cursing everything. They did everything except to introspect and take hard calls; the present Aussie team beat previous English teams when it came to crying and complaining about everything rather than accept they were beaten fair and square. There is one thing for sure, Australia is one on the places, where Umpiring, is pretty poor, Indians have seen that repeatedly, Sydney Cricket ground being the latest incidence, certainly its not last by any chance.

A couple of things, other than the other things. West Indies are there is turmoil in the West Indies board and cricket played by West Indies is boring, it is amazing how turmoil with the Board, administration, management and selection committees affects cricket teams. Is it a good idea to rejig and reform the board and a settled Board and other assured stake holders would lead to a more commanding performance by the respective teams? The Colin Cowdrey lecture by Sangakkara calls for something similar when it comes to the Sri Lankan Board. I am not sure if Australian Cricket Board is functioning as well as it did when Aussies were by far the first team and distance with the other teams stood second.

BCCI is not holding DRS back, they have a few reservations. I think other boards are not at mercy of BCCI. They can decide pacts for including technology for improving the game. But then it is easier for an ex-international (sans nationality) to point at BCCI. But if I am not wrong, BCCI is more focused on issues, which is rank higher in their priority lists. If we don’t want to host Bangladesh or play five test in England and Australia then the other boards should mind their own business. BCCI generates majority of revenues, have a bigger fan base, and earn more revenues for the ICC than all other Test playing countries put together. The fan base is only growing. If pink was the colour of health then health of cricket is bright dark pink. It is easier to cry hoarse about BCCI rather than take a dig at their respective cricket boards. We know what happens when players turn against their own board, of all people the legendary Kapil; Dev faces wrath of Indian board.

The silly point is ... 

The other aspect is they all want to use technology, but everything comes at price, so does this DRS technology, so which means boards/administrations may have to share the costs. When it comes to costs, BCCI can take the calls. I hope that people are not crying hoarse because they simply want BCCI to be forced into the loop so that BCCI being the chief revenue engine bears the burden of DRS. If that happens, people may enjoy the advantages of technology while BCCI bears the costs. DRS or no DRS decisions in the cricketing field play even in most cases over the time.

Preview to third test.

Rain ensured there was no realistic chance to enforce a draw, good test teams must play out a day to ensure a match is drawn, and West Indies did play out the day riding behind the storm. Chanderpaul’s dismissal was as ordinary a decision as some other we have seen, Dhoni, Raina being the victim more than once. Laxman got among runs, Ishant bowled as well as he could, Samuels fought well, should be batting one down in the next test. Praveen Kumar was off the boil, Kohli looked to attacked but then Edwards peppered him up. Bhajji aka Harbi rode is luck, never threatened taking a wicket. Carlton Baugh did give him one. Bhajji is increasingly seems to tread like a stock which people get afraid of when the stocks starts climbing up. His wickets are more about batsman committing a mistake rather than he inducing a mistake. Its not the same thing, its poles apart. I was wondering is Gambhir and Yuvraj and Zaheer are free and available for selection why not play them in the third test, there is no practice like match practice.

India have everything to play for and West Indies would love to gate crash the series victory party. West Indies can force the issue with the ball, but its their batting which is too obvious at the moment, there are a couple of injury worries for Indian side. I wonder if all is well then Ishant, Munaf, Praveen and Mishra make up the best Indian bowling this Indian squad has to offer. Indians have a higher pedestal to step up to, rain may mar this test as well, but last time they won a series in West Indies they followed it up with a series win in England too. I hope the history repeats itself.

West Indies were a sorry 99/5 when this post was last updated.

This post is a second edit.