KKR vs RPS: Can Gambhir & Co Halt Steve Smith's Pune outfit?

Gautam Gambhir's KKR outfit are flying high after their bowlers demolished the much vaunted RCB batting line-up in front of a packed home crowd in their last outing. As they take on a rejuvenated Rising Pune Supergiant in a table-top clash at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium, KKR will look to carry forward the momentum and displace Mumbai Indians, who currently occupy the first position in the standings.

As for head-to-head encounters, Kolkata Knight Riders chased 66 (D/L adjusted target) and 161 to win both at home and away against Rising Pune Supergiant in last year's IPL.

KKR's bowling display, sans any contribution from their strike bowler Sunil Narine, has earned it a menacing reputation for being able to pierce through the defense of some of the best batsmen in the world. The win was all the more significant as Coulter-Nile & Co. defended a low total in a tournament otherwise dominated by teams batting first.

In fact, KKR's quality pace attack have been the most productive in the league. They have taken 34 wickets at an average of 19.82. On the other hand, Rising Pune's seamers have managed only 24 wickets at an average of 32.54.

However, for the game against RPS, Knight Riders will be without their main wrecker-in-chief, Coulter Nile, who has reportedly been rested due to workload reasons. Coulter-Nile's absence means either Shakib Al Hasan or Trent Boult could make a return to the team.  With their mounting batting woes lower down the order, Gambhir might feel tempted to play Shakib Al Hasan over Trent Boult. Colin de Grandhomme hasn't fired with the bat but his three-wicket haul has boosted his chances of retaining his place.

At the top of the order, Sunil Narine has surprised everyone with his counter-attacking batting and remains a crucial bowler at Gambhir's disposal in the middle overs. Manish Pandey & Yusuf Pathan have batted sensibly at the fag end of the innings and lends stability & experience to the KKR middle-order. Gambhir, who will lead his team for the 100th time and also holds the record for most 50s as captain for an IPL team since 2011, will be expected to play the anchoring role while Uthappa has been very instrumental one down, capitalizing on the powerplay overs to good effect.

Steve Smith's Rising Pune Supergiant has been on a good run of form coming into the crucial home-tie against KKR. Their key player, Ben Stokes' tidy spell played a major part in fashioning its close victory over Mumbai Indians. Stokes' inclusion has also allowed Smith to use him as a floater who can bat in any position depending on the situation.

MS Dhoni, who began the tournament on a struggling note, managed to hit form with a convincing half-century against Sunrisers Hyderabad. This led Ganguly, who recently faced flak for his criticism of Dhoni as a T20 player, to soften his views about the former Indian skipper by stating that Pune's chances of making the play-offs rests entirely on sending the latter to bat at No.4. However, MS Dhoni has struggled against Sunil Narine in T20s. He has managed only 27 runs off 54 balls and the battle between the two in the middle overs will be a treat to watch.

Rahane has blown hot & cold this season and he may need to up the ante during the power play overs. Steve Smith, who has had a phenomenal season with the bat, will be looking to score big and better his team's chances of making it to the playoffs. The domestic players, including the likes of Shardul Thakur, Rahul Tripathi & Jaydev Unadkat have put their hands up admirably and at the same time would have their hands full against one of the most successful IPL teams around. 

As we come to the business end of the tournament, the game promises to be a cracker of a contest as Gambhir & Smith will look to do all what it takes to have their noses ahead in the title race.

Carl Jaison

Reviving the Wizardry in Zaheer Khan

By Carl Jaison:

The current selection committee received overwhelming credits for their policy of “non-appeasement of senior pros” and their bold decision-making mechanism by which the erstwhile bench-warmers are now on the field representing their nation. The Sandip Patil led panel dismissed traditional yardsticks for selection, instead applying their own wisdom and chose players on the basis of current performance which was then reflected in India’s sensational success in world cricket in the last couple of months.

However, there seems to be a revival of old ideas and methodology stemming from the news which broke out recently that Zaheer Khan was in contention for a place in the South Africa series. While Zaheer Khan is unquestionably India’s leading pace bowler, his current form isn’t something he can brag about.

Based on hints from BCCI sources, it seems pertinent that Zaheer Khan will be monitored closely for the crucial overseas tour against the Rainbow nation. But what goes against his possible comeback is that the Mumbai-born pacer has been out of competitive action for quite some time now - he last played a test match for India in December 2012 against England. Though he did make an appearance in a handful of IPL games, his returns weren’t satisfactory.

When a player has been dropped from the national team owing to poor form, it is important that he rediscovers himself playing for his state or club team. In the case of Zaheer, his past achievements playing against South Africa provides him with a golden opportunity to make a glorious return to Indian cricket. But without any assessment of his fitness or skills, it is indeed foolhardy to select a rusty Zaheer Khan. Additionally, his selection would mean that a young, aspiring speedster will have to warm the benches yet again.

Robbing a rookie-pacer off an opportunity to make an impact on pace-friendly pitches is undoubtedly something that the team management should avoid doing. To make matters more interesting, the success of young left-arm seamer Ishwar Pandey in the ongoing practice matches in South Africa, has come as a boon to the bowling attack. Moreover, Zaheer has always struggled even with minor niggles and injuries and on quite a few occasions has had to leave a tour midway.

Zaheer’s omission from India’s current scheme of things has been largely attributed to Dhoni, who is no longer in happy terms with most of the senior pros according to the grapevine. For a captain like Dhoni to repose faith in a worn-out Zaheer would mean asking too much as the former has been known for promoting young cricketers at the cost of stalwarts.

Zaheer’s fielding ability is also a cause of concern for the team’s think-tank. Barring Ishant Sharma and Ashwin, India possesses a top-notch fielding unit which is arguably the best around. In such a scenario, it would be almost impossible for Zaheer to stake his claim as he has time and again failed miserably in this area. In Dhoni’s words, Zaheer may turn out to be a “liability” on the field.

However, all is not lost for one of India’s best exponents of reverse swing bowling. Zaheer is in that stage of his career in which a sudden turn of luck can build up his morale and confidence. For that he needs to toil hard in the nets and at the same time ensure that he remains immune to minor injuries. A lot will depend on his fitness levels which will be put to test when he plays in the domestic matches. Most importantly, the South African captain Graeme Smith will be hoping that Zaheer’s comeback is delayed by another couple of months as the former has a history of being dismissed by the latter.

Shikhar Dhawan Ups the Bar for Other Players

By Carl Jaison:

Shikhar Dhawan has once again proved his worth. From being relegated to a position beyond the clichéd ‘bench-strength’ to smashing a phenomenal century on Test Debut and a comeback of sorts, Dhawan has kept cricket-viewers spellbound with his ferocious batsmanship. Though inconsequential in terms of official records, the match between South Africa A and India A produced a feat that will take some surpassing. Shikhar Dhawan, the curly-mustached warrior-like batsman, hammered 248 off just 150 balls to set the records tumbling. Sehwag’s 219 against West Indies is now a distant third in the list of highest individual scores in limited overs cricket. The quality of his batting was that he timed the ball to perfection more often than not and ensured that he played a 100% risk-free game. Dhawan’s African safari has already begun on a roaring note.

If one observes Dhawan’s recent batting graphs, the likely common factor in those big innings has been his all-round-the-wicket strokeplay. Never once did he predominately score on one side of the wicket which is a testimony of his ability to place the ball almost anywhere at will. As the South-African captain pointed out, Dhawan’s crowded wagon-wheel doesn’t suggest that the bowlers had a rough day staying in line and length. The regularity with which Shikhar Dhawan hit boundaries off his bowlers made Justin Ontong feel as if he was watching a "highlights package" where only boundaries and sixes are shown. "There was nothing the bowlers could do," Ontong said." They were bowling the lines and lengths they wanted to be bowling and he just hit them off those lines and lengths."

Dhawan has, in a rather phenomenal fashion, cemented his spot in the Indian line-up at least for the next 5-6 months. His success in opening the batting has been marked by a steady rise in India’s newfound indomitable status in world cricket. So instrumental was he in solving India’s opener woes that the Indian cricketing records will be bifurcated fittingly as Before Dhawan and After Dhawan. It may well and truly be the culmination of India’s once-upon-a-time batting heroes, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir who have now found a valid reason in playing the long-drawn Ranji season. Before, the duo escaped scathing criticism for poor performance by flaunting their batting stats when they virtually had no replacement options. Now with the new-found resurgence of Shikhar Dhawan and his talented compatriot Rohit Sharma, the Viru-Gauti combo will have to accept their fate and resume from the basics. Gambhir responsibly tweeted after Dhawan’s epic knock "Shikhar proud of u, brilliant knock. Keep going, keep the tricolour fluttering," he wrote. In another tweet, he added: "And yes Shikhar, thanks for raising the bar for all of us. Good luck for future too."

The writing is on the wall for most of the senior pros of the team, who are now languishing in the bench. It is a pity that Dhawan’s enterprising innings comes at a time when the BCCI is arrogantly refusing to come under the RTI, which may have instilled added confidence in the fans on the functioning of Indian cricket. Dhawan’s journey to excellence has in fact only begun. The law of average will one day catch up with him too when he will encounter lows in his career. At least for now, Dhawan’s cheerfulness should brighten up a somewhat sulking cricketing mood in the country in the wake of the spot-fixing allegations and the BCCI-RTI row.

Dhawan’s knock could not have come at a better time considering the crucial match-ups in India’s 2013 calendar. India is well on course to challenge the top teams having now re-established their supremacy as the emerging power of world cricket.

3 Lessons for India from Dhoni

By Carl Jaison:

India is no newbie to crisis. It either prefers to succumb to the unfolding crisis or take it for granted invoking excuses of fate and destiny. This may be the case in the political episodes of the nation. India, however, did show to the world that its disaster management efforts in Uttarakhand were a testimony of its fire-fighting skills, even if it was marred by unwanted controversies.

As the nation suffers innumerable economic problems, one man hasn’t let that deter the sentiments of the cricket-frenzy public, who look upon their sporting idols at least for some temporary solace and relief from day-to-day pressures. In a country that curses but doesn’t rectify its follies, Indian Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s composure teaches us a lesson or two.

Dhoni’s ability to deliver under unimaginable amount of pressure makes him a man to look forward to. He has done this on multiple occasions but due recognition of such feats have mattered even more now owing to the persisting crisis faced by his country.

What has been Dhoni’s winning formulae? What makes the most talked about sportsperson a sharp contrast with the inherently laid back nation of his? Dhoni is being admired like never before. After leading India to a nail-biting last over victory in the tri-series final against Sri Lanka, the entire country is for the first time focussing not on the result but on the uniqueness of their skipper.

People began to wonder how Dhoni manages to remain calm and collected in situations where even the greats of the game may falter. Thus began a series of panel discussions on what really is Dhoni made up of. His past achievements were compared with his most recent outing, experts gave their opinion on his success mantras, news channels heaped praise on his stature, cricket coaches now increasingly recommend his famed ‘helicopter shot’, which was once disregarded like many of his brutal whacks.

When he made his first appearance for India, being dismissed without scoring, many would have almost immediately written-off this unsophisticated talent, like the many other promising prospects who flattered to deceive.

Dhoni knew he wasn’t the perfect cut for a technically sound player India so badly needed. Rather he moulded himself into an altogether different kind of player. A complete package who could not only merely lead, but also read the ground situation well. Someone who possessed the calibre of  Gavaskar, the ability of  Kapil Dev, the sensibility of  Dravid and the professionalism of Ganguly. Though he doesn’t exhibit the unpretentiousness of Tendulkar and the gracefulness of Laxman, he flaunts such values in his own natural way.

Maybe that has made Dhoni stand out from the crowd. No one would have imagined that this Jharkhand lad will one day conquer the cricketing scene, agonisingly watched by the purists who have often wrongly anticipated his premature downfall. He has transcended all cricketing theories and logic through his uncanny knack of delivering when it matters by doing his own bit and leaving the rest to the One above.

This seems to suggest that there is indeed something special and super-human about him. But is there really something extraordinary about Dhoni that we Indians fail to replicate in our own lives?

We also fail to predict the imminent collapse that Dhoni will have to encounter one day or the other in his career like many of us will. He has already gone through testing times like many of us have. Dhoni is still in the learning and evolving stage of his career. However unlike many of us, Dhoni is making his opportunities count and presence felt in times of extreme adversities in addition to the calmness with which he executes his job. Dhoni is trying to teach us a very important lesson yet we are always blinded by his success.

Dhoni is not God rather he does what an ordinary human ought to do - staying calm under pressure and learning from failed experiences.  Here are 3 Dhoni strategies that might well turn out to be our very own success mantras:

Work on Your Weaknesses,  as Strengths are Inherent:

His escalating success graph naturally diverts us from his weak points. When you no longer notice blemishes in him, you can be sure that he has worked on it to ensure it is out of his system. One such shortcoming was his rudimentary wicket-keeping ability. He isn’t as acrobatic as Brendan McCullum or quick-footed like De Villiers. It has been made clear from past instances that Dhoni has now developed a new style of glove-work that relies more on adaptability than technique. Similarly, watching his original batting would have made the pioneers of the game a shattered lot, but Dhoni has redefined how cricket needs to be played. He has unconsciously, though significantly transformed the dynamics of the game by playing to his strengths. Thus, Dhoni has successfully converted his weaknesses into opportunities.

Mental Preparedness Should be Made a Habit:

His batting average while chasing targets is incredibly close to cent percent. His captaincy record while defending low scores is also commendable. However, it is his frame of mind that has made all the difference. Dhoni doesn’t walk out to bat without a plan nor effect field placements with a blank mind. His innings begin in the dressing room even before the dismissal of the batsman preceding him. Dhoni prepares himself for different situations and possibilities. We rarely find him sporting a smile inside the dressing room which is only because Dhoni knows that every player should gear up to the mental strengthening of his game, hours before sweating it out in the middle. On the exterior, Dhoni appears like any other batsmen facing his first delivery. However, he is different because he has built up a fearless and enduring mentality.

Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time:

Strike the iron when it is hot. Analysis will tell you that Dhoni selectively chooses his kill.  By targeting Eranga, the most inexperienced bowler in the Sri-Lankan team in the final over, Dhoni showed why calculated risks does work in ones favour if much thinking has gone into executing it. Dhoni’s self-belief is worth emulating. Dhoni loves to leave things to the last moments and minutes which may seem unsystematic and perilous. The reality is that he knows exactly what he is doing. Such an approach has paid him rich dividends more often than not. Dhoni is known to back his instincts and lets his intuition decide on the outcome. A perfect example of that was when he brought Zaheer Khan back into the attack during the final stages of England’s run-chase in a group-stage encounter of the 2011 World Cup. The pacer backed his skipper’s trust in him by snaring crucial wickets which eventually proved to be the turning point in that particular game. Even Dhoni stated, although haughtily, that he has a good game sense. Scoring 15 runs off the last 3 balls is just a small part of that large mystery-ridden answer about who really is MSD.
 

Ashes 2013 - Watson vs Anderson and 4 Other 22-Yard Rivalries

By Carl Jaison:

Britain has witnessed some outstanding sporting spectacles in the past month, with their representatives proving to be heroic achievers this time around. The last edition of the Champions Trophy bid farewell to the world, after putting up its final show of excitement and passion, fittingly in the home of cricket. England came within touching distance of winning the ultimate showdown only to find themselves deprived of a happy ending by India. The fans then solidly backed their only indigenous product featuring in the list of top 200 tennis professionals in the men’s ranking, Andy Murray, who created history by winning the Wimbledon. It was however more of desperation than history. As if celebrating Murray’ victory wasn’t enough to see off this week, the English crowd is already preparing for more exciting months ahead. Now the focus shifts back to cricket where the arch-rivals England take on the Australians in the mother of all test battles: The Ashes series 2013. Here are some interesting and possible on-field rivalries which would certainly invigorate the famed Barmy Army and the millions of viewers all over the world, in what promises to be a riveting competition. Let us hope that these one-on-one bouts are carried out within the space of 22-yards: 

1. Alastair Cook vs James Pattinson:

The England captain has seen a meteoric rise ever since he took over the reins and ensured that his batting has improved simultaneously with his leadership abilities. Opening the batting for England, Cook will look to construct those laborious centuries in the company of his batting colleagues. Pattinson’s injury woes are as erratic as his performances have been for Australia lately. However, the exciting fast bowling talent will hope to steam in hard and capture those prized English wickets if Australia wants to get a head start into the series.  Cook has played remarkably well against pacers early on in the innings but his tendency to flash at balls outside the off-stump will be in Pattinson’s mind. If Pattinson can wreck early havoc by unsettling the English captain in helpful conditions, then he will have sent alarm bells ringing in the English camp.

2. Kevin Pietersen vs Peter Siddle:

The exciting return of Pietersen augurs well for his team. His dominating batting skills and exemplary aggression will surely come in handy against a pace-inclined Aussie attack. Pietersen  plays at the crucial No.4 spot due to which he may have to tackle the spin of Lyon if at all Australia plans to draft him into the playing XI. Before that, Pietersen will have to riddle out Siddle’s plan for him. The lion-hearted right-arm fast bowler is the most experienced of Australia's pace battery and is expected to lead the bowling unit in the series. Siddle knows that the man he has to contain is no lightweight either. The contest between the two is sure to be gripping.

3. Jonathan Trott vs Mitchell Starc:

Trott has always looked to play his natural game, which at times has come for heavy criticism owing to its slow approach. But that is just what England expects out of him. He is designated to play the anchoring role during the batting innings, coming in at the challenging No.3 slot. Trott is also a tremendous stroke-maker with the ability to play both spinners and pacers with equal finesse. The tall and lanky Starc will look to go all out at Trott peppering him with discomforting short-pitched deliveries. Starc in all likelihood will be the first change bowler for Australia, who possess arguably the best reverse-swinging skills in the current Aussie pace battery.

4. Michael Clarke vs Graeme Swann:

The Aussie captain will need to be at his best when he takes on the crafty guile of Graeme Swann. Clarke is known to be an excellent player of spin. However, Swann is one of the most successful bowlers currently in world cricket, who has thrived bowling in English conditions. Clarke loves to come down the track and use his feet against the spinners while Swann has been a great exponent of off-spin bowling, always looking to flight the ball and inviting batsmen to play on the front foot. Batting in the middle-order, Clarke will mostly find himself dealing with Swann thereby ensuring a keenly fought contest between the two.

5. Shane Watson vs James Anderson:

This is yet another mouth-watering clash. Anderson has been impeccable with his line and length having bowled with rattling speed and control. He will look to exploit the swinging conditions when he battles it out with Australia’s batting mainstay, Shane Watson. The burly right-hander will look to tackle his counterpart with watchfulness in the initial stages and would then look to play in his own fluent style. The success and failure of Watson will hugely impact the prospects of the Aussies but he is undoubtedly up against  the best swing bowler around. Anderson, on the other hand would want to sent shivers down the spines of the Aussie batsmen by curbing Watson’ playing instincts, whose run-making will be vital to Australia’s chances for excelling in the batting front.

Why Raina, and not Kohli, is a Better Substitute for Dhoni

By Carl Jaison:

The baton has automatically been transferred from Dhoni to Kohli for now, and it can continue untill further devastating losses for India, but it doesn't look like the best option for any farsighted cricket analyst. Kohli's potental for matching Tendulkar's performance in the coming years, and Suresh Raina's superb temparament, amicable nature, and demonstrated leadership skills, point to the fact that Raina might be a better captain for India in the long run. In any case, it would take either of them years to grow big enough for Dhoni's captaincy shoes.

West Indies pacer Tino Best rattled MS Dhoni’s stumps when the latter attempted to go for a wild swing of his blade looking to target the boundary ropes over deep mid-wicket. Then Dhoni limped off the field, after having been treated for sustaining a groin injury a couple of overs before his eventual dismissal.  At first many rubbed their eyes in disbelief. Dhoni clearly appeared to be struggling with his fitness. It was indeed a rare sight. A long pending fatigue issue had finally taken a toll on India’s skipper. But spectators who witnessed Dhoni’s painful walk back to the pavilion knew at once that the World Cup and Champions Trophy winning captain wouldn’t return back to the field for further participation soon.

As predicted, when the Indian team walked on to the field for defending a modest total, Dhoni was absent. Automatically, Virat Kohli was made the stand-in-skipper. Virtually, even before they began their run-chase, West Indies had already won the game.  In reality, they knew that they would be taking on a Dhoni-less India.

At the end of the match, West Indies surprisingly made heavy weather of their run-chase although scrapping through to a 1 wicket victory. Virat Kohli admitted quite frankly that Dhoni was missed in the crucial moments of the game; when he was in desperate need for expert advice. Yes, who would he approach for solace when the going gets tough? His bowlers tried their level best to restrict the Windies, but in vain.
Kohli’s critics would have the last laugh, as the so-called Dhoni magic was missing in his bowling changes. Later during the day, Dhoni was ruled out of the entire tri-series and would return back to India without much ado. All eyes now turned to his deputy. It would be Kohli’s first big assignment as captain.

Ever since this rookie skipper led his young and spirited brigade to a successful U-19 World Cup winning campaign, many touted Kohli to be the next heir to the throne once Dhoni would step down from the captaincy role. He even backed his leadership skills with a consistent and dominating showing with the bat. Steadily and gradually he announced his arrival onto the bigger platforms of the game. Since making his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in 2008, Kohli batting record remains a cricket statistician’ delight.

In 102 appearances in national colours, Virat Kohli has aggregated 4187 runs at a breathtaking batting average of 49.84 including 13 well-compiled centuries. Not simply did the selectors assign him with the challenging task of captaining the team in Dhoni’s absence. He deserved every bit of the glamour and prestige that comes with the Indian skipper tag.

But it also demands a favourable win-percentage in the early days into the new job, lest he face premature scathing attack by the media. Kohli already has difficult questions to answer after India crashed to back-to-back defeats at the hands of both West Indies and Sri Lanka. As if this wasn’t cruel enough, Kohli was then fined 20% of his match fee for maintaining a slow over rate during Sri Lanka’s batting innings, extravagantly leading to the misuse of time.

Though it is a bit harsh on blaming the youngster for the recent poor performances by India, his critics have started sharpening their knives questioning his ability to lead the team sans Dhoni. It may be an understatement to make, but Kohli doesn’t fit in very smoothly as the desired captaincy material.

Dhoni has grown into a giant oak tree, so much so that young saplings under his shade barely receive even a single ray of sunlight, which is essential for their growth. The oak tree metaphor best describes Dhoni’s position of strength as the leader of the cricket-fanatical nation that is India. His larger-than-life image has made him the face of Indian cricket. In fact, one would find it hard to imagine Indian cricket without Dhoni. Such has been the magnitude and scale of his rise to unprecedented prominence. His Big Daddy modus operandi has ensured that none in the current crop of players, if at least in the immediate future, will be exposed to the severity of captaining in international cricket.

The 2007 T20 WC was Dhoni’s first ever full-tournament as captain. Many tipped either opening batsman Virender Sehwag or Yuvraj Singh to lead the team. After he won the trophy for India, Sehwag and Yuvraj were eliminated as future captaincy candidates by the then selection panel with utmost calmness.

Afterwards, Dhoni tasted his first success as test captain in the second test of the series against Australia at home soil owing to original skipper Kumble’s injury. His immediate success was well received in cricketing circles. Kumble returned as captain in the third test but rather unexpectedly decided that it would be his last match. Dhoni was reinstated as captain for the 4th test, which India won and with it the Border Gavaskar Trophy. One after the other, Dhoni’s one time playing colleagues yielded to their fate of making way for the Jharkhand-born player, who in the coming years would take the nation to greater cricketing heights. The red carpet was rolled out to Dhoni; he didn’t have to ask for it.

He then won India the ICC World Cup 2011 after a gap of 28 years. By this time, Dhoni had muscled his way into being arguably the most iconic cricketer in the world after Tendulkar.  Also, India was ranked the No.1 test team under Dhoni on 2 occasions. Soon enough, the Master Blaster called it quits from the ODI format that paved the way for Dhoni’s stature as being the most valuable player in world cricket. During the course of a relatively short career, Dhoni has single-handedly rescued the team from dire straits on several occasions and in many of India’s victories his captaincy marvels proved to be the turning point.

For the past 2-3 years, India has heavily depended on Dhoni’s soothing presence and tranquil composure to ease tension-filled match situations. With Dhoni directing field placements and bowling changes, in subtle fashion, all that the other players had to do was to listen and obey his commands. More often than not, Dhoni’s decisions have proven to be masterstrokes and the players have responded well to him.

It is also interesting to note that Dhoni rarely consults or heeds the advice of his fellow players except with Sachin, which may have been out of his respect for seniority. Gambhir always wanted to barge in with his wisdom, but Dhoni went about applying his own mind. Sehwag had never been seen chit-chatting with Dhoni on the field, except while fielding in the slip-cordon when the two exchange wry smiles. It was not as if MSD missed a trick or two by ignoring his seniors.

His Rule of Thumb approach has been acceptable to the current bunch of youngsters who carry out his directions most faithfully.

Dhoni delivers when it matters the most. He is the axis around which the other players revolve and the lynchpin in the middle order department. Dhoni’s absence certainly leaves a huge void in the team’s scheme of things. We have little knowledge about Dhoni’s personal preference regarding his eventual successor. Worse, there is no grooming taking place of the youngsters on the captaincy front.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have captained their respective IPL teams but they have zero-exposure to the rigors of skippering in international matches. Why then didn’t India install either Kohli or Rohit as captain in the T20 format? Without the requisite experience of leading the national team, it would have been akin to sending a primary school child to take a civil services exam.

It doesn’t require much pondering to understand why Kohli was handed the baton over Raina. He seems to be the only player in the current squad who has cemented his place in all formats of the game. His inclusion in the test line-up is a testimony to his growing permanency. He has tasted success as captain during his U-19 days. Kohli also boasts of an enviable batting record.

But with Kohli always amongst the runs, it would be in the team’s and in his own interest that he be moulded into a Tendulkar-like run machine, kept away from the hardships of a captaincy job. Going by his run-making pattern year after year, Kohli is surely a Tendulkar in the making. He even looks to be in good stead to break Tendulkar’s celebrated milestones.

There are a couple of reasons why India will struggle in Dhoni’s absence, as long as it would take for his recovery, and why the selectors should invest faith in Raina, rather than Kohli, as an alternative to Dhoni.

While he did show in the IPL that the burden of shepherding the team wouldn’t affect his batting performances, Kohli’s man-management skills aren’t the best around. His attitude problem may hamper his relationship with his colleagues. Though the principle of seniority doesn’t account for much while deciding on a captain, Kohli remains one of the youngest in this team. His ascension may not go down well with the players who’ve played more games than him given his volatile nature.

Experimenting with Kohli isn’t such a bad idea but doesn’t Raina seem to be a better bankable bet given his cordial terms with most players in the team? He has played under Dhoni more than anyone, having watched his skipper controlling the proceedings from close quarters in the IPL as well playing for the Chennai Super Kings. Duly, some of the Dhoni magic may have rubbed off on Raina. He has also captained his state team, Uttar Pradesh remarkably well in the Ranji Trophy which is after all the bedrock of domestic cricket in India.

Like Kohli, Raina is also a good limited overs player but usually comes into bat when the chips are down. With both of India’s frontline spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, also playing for the Chennai Super Kings, Raina would be more resourceful and judicious in employing the two. Kohli has been criticized for persisting with Ishant Sharma even after the speedster was torn apart in his first spell by the Sri Lankan openers. The aggressiveness, with which the Sri Lankan openers played, in the initial and later stages, took Kohli by surprise which prompted uninspiring bowling changes.

It would do wonders to Kohli’s batting if he relinquishes the captain’s position as he wouldn’t have to be bogged down by any additional pressure while concentrating hard on his batting tasks. Rather, it will be a more pleasant sight if Kohli assists Raina as the latter is known to be more accommodating and a better listener than the former. The upcoming Zimbabwe series will be the real test for the likes of Kohli and Raina to stake their claim as worthy descendants of Big Daddy.

Dhoni, if BCCI sources are to be believed, will be rested for this series, which may also witness the comeback of Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan into the playing squad. Re-calling the senior pros in itself doesn’t point to any futuristic development but can Kohli really handle his elders as effectively as Raina, who seems to be in more amicable terms with most players. Not to forget Kohli’s verbal feud with Gambhir in the IPL.  India can’t afford to waste Kohli by choosing him as pack leader which in all likelihood may affect his primary role. He might prove his detractors wrong by scoring a couple of centuries or effecting match-changing tactics. But wasn’t a pure Tendulkar devoid of captaincy responsibilities better than a Tendulkar who struggled to excel in this role?

Will Lifting ICC Champions Trophy Pardon Dhoni & Co?

By Carl Jaison

It is remarkable and more so intriguing of how cricket fans can almost do a U-turn when their national team does exceedingly well in a tournament after the game had encountered its most torrid phase, just weeks before, and the reputation of players took a beating owing to shocking exposes by the police and media. The 6th edition of the IPL will always be remembered for ‘how it was managed’ rather than the usual question of ‘is there a need for it even’. Perhaps for the first time, a non-playing equipment, a towel, attracted more nationwide attention than the cricket ball.

Rumours of spot-fixing alarmed the populace which otherwise had to bear with political scams unfolding one after the other. Cricketers were MCOCA’d. Team owners placed bets worth crores of rupees on their own team’s fortunes. The so-called legends appeared to be extinct and chose to be museum specimens, incapable of free speech. Administrators were determined not to let go of their reins of power. The police went on an arresting spree; incriminating almost anyone involved with betting as though betting was not commonplace in India. A cricket captain was found to have clearly violated his position after news broke that he enjoyed a stake in a sports management firm which also sponsors his playing colleagues. And this captain has a strong say in the selection meetings.

All this while, the television viewers and newspaper readers watched with stunned silence, incapable of effecting any change except for the power to switch over from channels and shun news pages featuring the cricket scam to engage in productive hours doing else. The fans could have boycotted the prevailing cricket scene by going out into the streets by way of demonstrations and protests against either the accused or accusers or even the soon-to-be accused.

Disabling the cricket channels could have resulted in TV ratings plummeting to an all-time low. There were a couple of PILs which challenged the authenticity of the IPL matches, both of which were squashed due to negligible evidence. But all that was required to force a reverse gear on the public sentiments was a spirited performance by the national team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013.

The Indian cricket team has indeed reignited the confidence and trust of the fans with a dominating display of cricket, very much unlike of a team that has historically withered away when pushed against the wall, even when not being directly implicated for wrongdoing and underperformance. And more than a statistician’s delight, Shikhar Dhawan’s back-to-back centuries and Ravindra Jadeja’s 5-wicket haul have reposed a newfound interest for the game in the hearts of millions of Indian cricket fans around the world.

The inner-circle fielding unit comprising of Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik have shown eye-catching athleticism and acrobatics to form an impenetrable belt, constantly pressurizing the batsmen, who fail to get past them for runs.

Bhuvaneshwar Kumar is doing exactly what MS Dhoni wants from him that is picking up early wickets by exploiting the favourable swing-conditions. Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav have lived up to their expectations, providing able support to Kumar with their fast-paced deliveries and ability to extract bounce from the wickets. It sure is heartening to see the same Ravindra Jadeja, who in the ICC World T20 of 2009 held in England laboured to a slow-paced 25 off 35 balls which many cited as the reason for India’s shock exit from the tournament, dictating terms with the ball having got limited opportunities to showcase his much-improved worth with the bat. The offie R Ashwin, surprisingly has played second fiddle to Jadeja, having snared fewer wickets than his spin twin although having maintained a decent economy rate.

Even more fantastic has been the relative ease with which the top order batsmen have adjusted to the playing conditions and sharpened their back-foot technique, which over the years has led to the struggle of many Indian batsmen playing on foreign pitches. Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have forged an unbreakable alliance at the openers’ slot, with the former leading the top run-scorers chart at present. Virat Kohli, along with Dinesh Karthik have ensured that the good work of their openers wouldn’t be in vain. The middle-order consisting of Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja haven’t been put to stern test so far but all three have played crucial knocks either in the warm-up ties or in the league stages.

Having perched comfortably at the top of their table, India will be looking to satisfy their fans by continuing their winning run going into the semi-final round. For now, Dhoni and Co can hope to evade the media wrath and inquisitiveness regarding controversial themes. But are we to believe that if India returns home victorious, Dhoni (of all others) can escape the swipe of the sword that Dalmiya has hinted at? Such is the mindset of Indian fans who get swayed away by victories and conveniently forgets past follies.

Sooner or later, controversies surrounding Dhoni and other bigwigs will be laid to rest. This is so often the case especially in cricket  (unlike in politics) where opportunities to improve on learning from mistakes is so limited, while political controversies escalate to nationwide anger. Maybe that has to do with the direct bearing politics has on the lives of ordinary citizens. Cricketers are beneficiaries of what is popularly called ‘Perform till redundancy’ which is at least theoretically different from another equally customary phrase ‘Perform or perish’ which politicians, by virtue of their electoral mandate, affects their actions. Are our cricketers accountable to the public or not? If yes, there is a host of questions that our performing cricketers need to tackle, more deadly than Malinga’s toe-crushers or Narine’s mystery spinners.

Even with a privately-run body like the BCCI managing the welfare of the players, the primary reason why cricketers should face investigative action is because of their commitment to the nation’s sporting success. The fans just don’t shell out cash, whether it is in form of buying match tickets or viewing sporting channels, but end up spending so much on the diverse brands their heroes endorse. Ultimately nobody is the loser but the fan, as everyone else - BCCI, players, channels, brands - make truckloads of money. But

The public’s verdict regarding the appraisal of players is rarely noticed, and that being the case, how can it be a national team or a national issue? Public consensus is difficult to ascertain but given the overall mood of dissatisfaction, the BCCI can oust players owing to poor performance or malpractice.

It remains to be seen whether interim BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya will abide by his word when he had promised to look into Dhoni’s ‘conflict of interest’ issue once the team returns back after the Champions Trophy. Police sources have claimed, after bookie revelations that, Suresh Raina and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar may have been approached by bookies during the IPL. Regardless of whether or not they have indulged in unfair practice, it is imperative that the current bunch of cricketers face questioning, if that can provide headway into the investigations. It is indeed queer that a currently-inactive cricketer like Sreesanth has been framed in a case of spot-fixing which just goes on to show the vulnerability of those out of the reckoning while the performing players are free from any societal interference or enjoy authorized protection if charged.

The Pakistan cricket team is perturbed about the reality of having to face public outcry after their dismal performance in the Champions Trophy, where they lost all their three group matches. The Indian team is no stranger to such circumstances either, as was the case in the aftermath of the 2007 cricket world cup. But now the team looks well on course to lift the trophy which if actualizes, will render them scot-free and all possible efforts will be made to dissociate the heroes from police scrutiny. Such is the impact victories can have in the minds of fans, who from being deceived by the theatrics of the IPL games have once again assumed the role of venerating fanatics waiting to welcome their champions with garlands and bouquets.

In politics, the election polls decide the fate of public servants while in cricket; the voting instrument is the television remote which can hugely impact the glamour quotient of the game by bringing down its viewership. But, isn’t it too tempting to resist? Their cricketing victors have done their bit of propaganda by enchanting the masses with a scintillating performance. Cricket fans have failed to exercise their ‘right to vote’. How easily their stance shifts from that of ‘being cheated’ to ‘being befooled’. This is how our cricketers are granted bail even before they are caught.

Does Shikhar Dhawan Expose the Only Goodness of IPL?

By Carl Jaison:

 

The advent of IPL in 2008 is interestingly similar to the ushering in of globalization during the early 1990s. There developed a mutual exchange of ideas and inter-continental cultural reciprocity. Cricketers belonging to varied nationalities shared a common belonging which resulted in the transfer of vital knowledge from one person to another, that cuts across nationalistic sentiments eventually benefiting the robust and raw cricketing talents of India.

Therefore, when Shikhar Dhawan raced to a quick-fire century of just 80 balls in the first group match of the ICC Champions Trophy against South Africa, little were his well-wishers and cricket analysts surprised. The talented 27-year old, who holds the record for the fastest century by a test debutante, has got a good measure of the world’s lethal bowling attacks owing to his exposure in the IPL. What was commendable was the manner in which he went about pacing his innings in conditions hostile to visiting batsmen.

The IPL stint has indeed helped upcoming players like Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav etc to fine-tune their skills and rub shoulders with the best in business. Sharing the dressing room with one of the top-class left-hand batsmen in world cricket, Kumar Sangakkara, Dhawan has grabbed his opportunities with both hands, both of whom represented the Sunrisers Hyderabad outfit.

Shikhar Dhawan walked in to bat, with a newfound opening partner in Rohit Sharma. It was the latter who first went for the kill, all guns blazing, playing on the backfoot using impeccable technique. All this while, Dhawan was enjoying his partner’s entertaining innings and at the same time, mentally preparing himself for a similar assault on the bowlers. When Rohit was inching closer to his half-century, Dhawan was about 20 runs behind. It was then that the curly-moustached southpaw unleashed his true self, marauding the bowlers at will and in the process, spoiling left-arm spinner Robin Peterson’s bowling figures. He shimmied down the track to spinners and dealt the speedsters with absolute ease. It was an innings effortless to the eye.

For someone who was awarded the man of the tournament in the U-19 World Cup close to a decade ago, Dhawan’s rise to fame is a late blossom. What catches the eye almost immediately is his warrior-like demeanour. His trademark moustache reminds one of the cast in the 2000 blockbuster Hindi movie, Lagaan starring Aamir Khan. His latest appearance in cricketing circles has surely meant that if chosen for a Bollywood role, Dhawan may give the Aamirs and Ranbirs a run for their money in movies befitting of his style.

Dhawan’s maiden ODI century helped India amass 331 runs, thereby marking his arrival onto the big stage. This is what he had to say after the game, “I’m naturally courageous”. India convincingly defeated the South Africans by 26 runs to start their campaign on a positive note. Indian fans salute the IPL for having ‘exposed’ Dhawan and Co to the once-upon-a-time feared pace attacks of the world. That takes care of IPL’s good ‘expose’. The bad ‘expose’, however stole the limelight.

IPL, in just its 6th year of existence, has already evolved into one of the richest sports leagues in the world. Thus, it too has experienced its ‘fair’ share of muck. This was deemed to happen for the sheer quantum of money involved in the tournament. The most unfortunate unfolding was when players were alleged of being lured into tangible temptations, thus eroding the image and credibility of the brand. The recent IPL has brought to light the involvement of underworld nexus and betting syndicates ruling the roost and deciding the outcome of a game. The disturbing news of alleged links of these players with Dawood Ibrahim and associates has sent shivers down the spine of the ordinary cricket fan. Franchisee owners have been quizzed by police officers after bookies revealed having made betting deals and negotiations with them. Gurunath Meiyyappan, CSK team owner, has admitted to betting and leaking insider information to agents, which is clearly at loggerheads with the moral ethics need to be followed by stakeholders.

The police claims to have procured evidence disclosing ‘honey traps’ laid for luring cricketers by bookies, which will only make things murkier. With the Delhi and Mumbai Police engaging in a professional ego clash for who has the requisite ‘burden of proof’ to move a court judgment in their favour, cricket administrators have been left probing with questions about the appointment of BCCI office-bearers after Sanjay Jagdale and Ajay Shirke voluntarily resigned from their respective posts following the spot-fixing scandal. It took an eternity and immeasurable amount of media pressure for N Srinivasan to step aside as BCCI President. In a flash, a desperate Working Committee assigned erstwhile BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya the dirty job of overseeing the spot-fixing investigations and official paperwork as interim President. Prior to Srinivasan’s reluctant abstinence from the top job, a series of resignations mounted pressure on the various Presidents heading their respective state cricket associations to quit, as well as IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla. Even Asad Rauf has been removed from the panel of officiating umpires for the ICC Champions Trophy after news broke out that he too had a hand in the spot-fixing fiasco.

IPL is two-faced. On one side, we witness the advantages of exposure to high-quality cricket which has helped nurture fine cricketing talent from across the globe while it’s darker side provides us with a glimpse into the expose of malpractices and avariciousness that has overshadowed the goodness invested in promoting the brand. The manifestations of exposure are discernible from innings like the one Dhawan played against South Africa, while manifestations of expose keep eclipsing the noble works of the former. Take for example the recent questioning of Rajasthan Royals team-owner, Raj Kundra, who is believed to have admitted to betting. Such an ‘expose’ knocked the stuffing out of Dhawan’s century and more importantly India’s victory. That is the difference in the news value for an ‘expose’ over an ‘exposure’.

The undisputed leader of Indian cricket, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has also reaped a good harvest in terms of his brand value owing to his cultivated success in the IPL. Right from the moment he lifted the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup captaining India for the first time up to the last run he scored off his bat, Dhoni’s market price has quadrupled to staggering figures. He features in Forbes 100 most well-paid athletes of the world, ranking an enviable 13th position, thanks to his multiple endorsements and match salaries. More than half the tribute should be attributed to his ‘exposure’ to the IPL. 

Both are end-products of the IPL factory. One is valued, while the other is scorned at. Individuals are to be blamed for ruining an opportunity for exposure while the administration is held responsible to an expose. In both ways, the game ends up weeping. Shikhar Dhawan and Co may keep performing to the best of their capabilities while the scandals will continue to smoulder. That way the well-respected efforts of the IPL get diluted by adulteration. Blame it on globalization, not the IPL.

Dhoni's Licence to Silence

By Carl Jaison:

Silence is a virtue. At least that is what we were taught or made to believe back in school. It is the underlying essence of discipline and character formation. But, even the concept of silence entails many versions. If a teacher poses a question and you are unaware of the correct answer, you tend to keep silent. On the arrival of a chief guest for a school function, students are ordered to maintain discipline, in other words, silence. These two scenarios reflect the different forms of silence. In the former, the student chooses to remain silent (or else come up with an excuse) while in the latter, students are gagged or coerced into maintaining silence. While one is a voluntary and conscious action, the other is an unquestionable instruction to be followed. However, with regard to training students on responding, has the school system failed to teach us the virtue of speaking when we are supposed to speak?

Dhoni’s recent mime antics during press conferences have seriously raised a question or two. Is remaining silent an act of following authorized orders or sheer escapism from reality to conceal the truth? The Indian captain has been criticized heavily for having indulged in a clear case of ‘conflict of interest’ by virtue of holding 15% stake in a sports-management firm which administers his fellow teammates like Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina , & Pragyan Ojha, to name a few. The serious objection to the stake-holding claim is that Dhoni might have misused his captaincy in favouring the aforementioned players in team selection, which evidently indicates an element of partiality. The media and cricketing fraternity are already miffed with Dhoni for having remained silent throughout the IPL spot-fixing episode, but in a case such as this which requires clarification on his own alleged involvement, he has chosen to keep mum. Or are we assumed to believe that he hasn’t been gagged neither by his boss nor wife to zip his mouth? Dhoni has silenced his critics, whenever his bat does the talking. But here, he holds back his own free will.

A man known to take straightforward questions, Dhoni’s rather charming silence when asked controversial queries have hurt the belief and trust of cricket fans. Unlike in his batting, in which he responds to uncomfortable deliveries with a brave face and a straight bat, Dhoni prefers to dodge troubling questions, which he may actually find harmless if properly ‘played’. People like the stubborn N Srinivasan, foxy Rajiv Shukla, and nebulous Dhoni use their silence-license to evade distressing questions at a time when their vocal chords need to be actively in action. Dhoni’s feeble excuse for having refrained from  elaborating on these issues (he did say, in one of the media sessions, that there would always be a handful of mentally-weak sportspersons in every sports setup), is to focus on the preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy that began today. Now, that is a lame defence from a man who rarely defends a cricket-ball.

Maybe Dhoni felt that addressing the media in such dubious light, might be a tricky affair. Even then, he could have conveniently issued a press statement, straightening out his conscience, by clarifying his stand on the allegation or at least deny claims of his involvement. The student who is asked a question by his teacher doesn’t enjoy the kind of immunity Dhoni possess. Dhoni knows the kind of questions that he will be asked and even knows the answers to them, but fancies playing dummy to the television viewers.

The BCCI maintains, however, that the skipper or anyone addressing the media is never gagged, but should conduct themselves within the guidelines set in the constitution and contractual agreement. Sunil Gavaskar burst out at his detractors when a similar charge of blindly following boss’ order was levied on the commentators who too are salaried employees of the BCCI. The former India batsman says that nobody’s freedom of speech is curbed and it is entirely the individual’s prerogative to respond or not respond to media queries. Well, in that case, why does the Indian skipper, who otherwise has an opinion on almost every topic, choose to remain mute this time?

Ask a layman and he would say, that keeping quiet is an aristocratic style. Does it link with the position they are in? Whatsoever the case, it has surely become fashionable. From Manmohan Singh to Srinivasan, the bandwagon keeps getting huge. Avoiding the media is increasingly being considered good for ones health. Inside Parliament, ministers puts across their views in a chaotic and zealous style but while addressing the media they tighten their screws and expresses their message in a typical rhetorical tongue. Thus, the public is left grappling with questions. Silence can never be misinterpreted, especially when exercised by people in power. It is simply an act of face-saving arrogance, with full-knowledge of their actions. Not like the student who hasn’t done his homework. The know-it-all class chooses to do so. Maybe, silence isn’t a virtue, after all.

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 - Each Team's Chances to Win

By Carl Jaison:

After this edition, never again will the ‘Mini-World Cup of Cricket’ continue to exist. The decision to scrap an otherwise inconsequential tournament was long due considering the primary motive with which the ICC Champions Trophy was launched in 1998-1999: to promote the ODI format in the non-test-playing nations. Look at what it constitutes at the present. It is nothing more than a biennial event comprising only the 8 ‘test-playing nations’ which has further congested an already-packed cricketing calendar. Incidentally, the idea of such a tournament was first conceived by former BCCI President, Jagmohan Dalmiya, who finds the Champions Trophy in ‘a conflict of interests with its very ideological formation’. The ICC Champions Trophy has gone through a couple of terminological modifications since its inception, having been called the ‘Wills International Cup, Dhaka’ in 1998-1999 and the ‘ICC Knockout Trophy in Nairobi, Kenya’ 2000-2001. The first two editions unearthed some promising talent of the likes of Jacques Kallis, who starred in South-Africa’s only title-winning performance in the Wills International Cup and Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan , both of whom played a vital role in India’s march to the finals in the ICC Knockout Trophy. The following editions turned out to be bummers with torrential rains affecting the 2002 ICC Champions trophy and the succeeding one, the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy marred by the sale of highly-priced tickets. Australia won the silverware for the first time in this series, in the 2006-2007 ICC Champions trophy in which Nathan Bracken, Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson announced their arrival onto the big stage and proved their mettle with some match-winning performances. In the 2009 edition, the tournament had to be shifted to South Africa following security concerns in Pakistan. The Aussies once again displayed their class with a dominating brand of cricket and became the eventual winners, after upstaging New Zealand in the finals.

The soon-to-begin edition will be played in England and Wales in which 8 teams divided into 2 groups fight it out amongst themselves to prize the trophy, one last time. The warm-up matches are already underway wherein each team play 2 matches before beginning their title campaign. Here is a brief SWOT analysis on the prospects of each team and the eye-catching list of players who will light up the tournament:

Australia:

Even after the retirement of their superstars, Australia remains a formidable force to reckon with. Captained by a charismatic skipper in Michael Clarke, Australia will be looking to clinch a hat trick of trophies after having won the previous 2 editions. The strength of this Australian team lies in their pace bowling battery which includes Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, James Faulkner, and Shane Watson, who have the ability to bowl out teams. Johnson and Faulkner are fresh from remarkable stints in the just-concluded IPL and will be looking to extend their excellent form into the tournament. Shane Watson too had a successful IPL and his all-round skills are always a huge asset to have. The batting may appear inexperienced but the likes of David Warner, George Bailey, Philip Hughes and Glen Maxwell have played a lot of competitive cricket back home and in other parts of the world. Barring Watson, the team has an array of all-rounders including Mitchell Marsh, Maxwell, Faulkner etc. The lack of a mainstream spinner in their ranks may affect their chances, but it is largely believed that the English conditions favour pace bowlers more. They have been pitted against home team England and favourites Sri Lanka and a dark horse in New Zealand. Even with a decent line-up on paper, Australia may face the arduous task of winning all their group games.

Watch out for: Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc.

India:

A resounding victory against the Sri Lankans will certainly boost the morale of the Dhoni-led outfit, which comes into the tournament on the backdrop of the IPL spot-fixing fiasco that has hit headlines in the last couple of weeks. Virat Kohli once again proved his class and temperament en route to a well-made 144 which augurs well for the team’ future. Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay constitute a solid opening pair having the ability to provide quick starts, adding to their excellent footwork against spinners. Dinesh Karthik’s inclusion has been a masterstroke after the wicketkeeper-turned-batsman cracked a scintillating century in the first warm-up tie. Opportunities have come aplenty for middle-order bat Rohit Sharma and the IPL-winning captain would have realized the importance of making it count. In Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, India have able game-finishers, who if needed can make good use of the long handle. All-rounders Jadeja and Irfan Pathan lend stability to the line-up. India has an enviable batting order in which each of the individual batsman having played exceedingly well in the IPL. The inner-circle fielding has been outstanding in the last couple of years. If there is one area India need to pull up its socks, it’s in the bowling department which has put in a string of lackluster performances in recent ODI’s especially when having to contain the flow of runs in the death overs. An early loss may peg India on the backfoot from where it will be difficult for them to bounce back considering the quality of their group rivals. Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma will rely on their pace as much as will Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Vinay Kumar depend on the swing-factor. The poor run of form Ashwin is going through may prompt the think-tank to field Amit Mishra, who has shone with the ball thereby providing assistance to Jadeja.

Watch out for: Virat Kohli, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Amit Mishra, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar.

South Africa:

South Africa has reasons to believe that they can have a real crack at this one. The trophy-drought continues for this talented side, which in its 23 years of top-flight cricket, haven’t won a single major ICC trophy. However, the side is not short of match-winners. The batting order has gained prowess with the recent successes of middle-order batsman David Miller. Their skipper, AB De Villiers has always been a star-performer for the Rainbow Nation, with his pyrotechnics in the fag end of the innings, which is well-known to his contemporaries. Hashim Amla will once again don the role of the anchor, playing at the crucial number 3 position if the team decides on a new opening pair. Undoubtedly, they have always maintained an exemplary fielding standard. The bowling attack comprises of Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne Morkel and Robin Peterson which instills automatic fear in the minds of even the best batsmen in the world. The absence of Jack Kallis may deprive them of an established all-rounder, whose slot will have to be filled by either Ryan McLaren or Jean-Paul Duminy. The team is capable enough to go all the way but they hold the dubious distinction of faltering in knock-out games if the past is any indication. The middle-order is a shade inexperienced which may, in the end, prove to be the difference between victory and defeat.

Watch out for: AB De Villiers, David Miller, Dale Steyn, Faf Du Plessis.

Sri Lanka: 

Sri Lanka has a perfect blend of youth and experience in their ranks. Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara, though not being in the best of recent form, have the class and quality to sustain themselves in international cricket for a few more years. Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dilshan and Thisara Perera look poised to take Sri Lanka forward as and when the stalwarts announce their retirement. The bowling attack looks impressive too with toe-crusher Lasith Malinga spearheading the attack backed by a three-prong spin attack comprising of Sachithra Senanayake, Rangana Herath and Jeevan Mendis. Shaminda Eranga is another bright prospect, who will share the new ball with the experienced Nuwan Kulasekara, who will favor bowling in these conditions. The team looks to be the most-balanced side in the tournament. However, the bowling attack was torn apart by a Kohli-Karthik assault in a recent warm-up match even after their batsmen posted a massive 333. Their middle-order batsmen will have to come good with Mathews destined to play a crucial role in the scheme of things. Sri Lanka has won big games in ICC tournaments but they will be desperate to add this to their trophy tally. Playing the home team, England and an in-form New Zealand side is certainly not going to be a walk in the park so Sri Lanka will have to make most of their chances. The form of Jayawardena and Sangakkara will be a cause of concern.  Angelo Mathews will have to bat up the order and lead from the front.

Watch out for: Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Dilshan.

England:

The recent drubbing at the hands of the Kiwis is sure to puncture their spirits even after being in positions of victory for most part of the series. Alastair Cook will face the herculean task of regrouping and revitalizing his boys before they begin their league matches. Even their full-strength bowling attack was cut to pieces by the Kiwis. However, Cook has plenty of bowling resources to choose from. James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann make up the bowling unit. James Tredwell has been drafted in as the back-up spinner. The batting looks solid at the top like most other teams, having the likes of skipper Cook, Bopara and Trott. The middle-order appears a touch rusty as was evident in the ODI series. Left-handed Eoin Morgan will play a significant role in the middle overs with his ability to steer the innings at a quick run-rate. The home conditions will certainly play to their advantage and the pace bowlers are skillful enough to exploit the swing-friendly climate. The absence of Kevin Pietersen is a big blow taking into account the massive impact he has made in the outcome of games played in the past. England has always flattered to deceive playing in big tournaments but they have as a leader a person who possesses sound game sense and unquestionable temperament.

Watch out for: Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Steven Finn, Graeme Swann.

Pakistan:

They always play the tournament as the ‘dark horses’, springing in a surprise when it seems least expected of them. Led by a sensible captain in Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan always had two persisting problems whenever they had to field a playing eleven: a stable batting opening pair and a left-arm spinner. Both seem to have been solved as Pakistan has excelled in recent ODIs thanks to the opening duo of Nasir Jamshed and Mohammad Hafeez and a wily left-arm tweaker in Abdur Rehman. The batting revolves around the skipper, who is well supported by veterans Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik. One thing which has always impressed cricketing experts about Pakistan is their pace-bowling talent, a handful of them now in the wilderness. Three of them, however, have found their green pastures - Wahab Riaz , Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan. The three-prong left-arm attack is a potent weapon that Misbah can cleverly make use of in these conditions. Another prominent player in their ranks is off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who has outfoxed the best of batsmen so far in a relatively short cricketing career. A bowling-heavy side, Pakistan will greatly rely on their bowlers to come good. Pakistani batsmen are known for throwing away their wickets while attempting rash shots. At the same time, once they get their eyes set in, it becomes a difficult task to unsettle them. Their fielding unit isn’t the most inspiring. Having played a significant chunk of their cricket outside the subcontinent in recent years, Pakistan knows what it takes to play in foreign conditions. They won the World T20 World Cup which was hosted by England in 2009. Their warm-up victory over South Africa will indeed increase their confidence ahead of their campaign opener.

Watch out for: Nasir Jamshed, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Saeed Ajmal.

New Zealand:

Perhaps they will go into the tournament as the most confident side having beaten the home team twice and that too in convincing fashion. Their opener Martin Guptill played a whirlwind knock of 186 smashing the England bowlers to all parts of the stadium. Brendan McCullum definitely has a team that can beat the heavyweights if they continue playing their typically aggressive mode of cricket. New Zealand has always produced fast bowling all-rounders and the current crop comprises of Doug Bracewell, Grant Elliot, James Franklin, Colin Munro etc. Their excellence in fielding is hereditary while the athleticism in their running between wickets shows the youthful dynamism of this team. Kane Williamson is the perfect choice for the number 3 spot, blessed with a good technique to play out the new ball. Ross Taylor is their impact player, having gained vast experience playing on all kinds of wickets. Tim Southee and Kyle Mills have bowled a nagging line and length and are good exponents of swing bowling. Too many all-rounders may spell doom as their priorities become varied. Stats favour the Kiwis in big ICC tournaments such as this, having made it to the semi-final stages on most occasions. The spin attack is led by Daniel Vettori of whom batsmen have got a good measure owing to his predictable line while Nathan McCullum has struggled to put in consistent performances. Being late bloomers, the Kiwis will be banking on a ‘total team performance’ to script victories.

Watch out for: Brendan McCullum, Doug Bracewell, Martin Guptill, Tim Southee.

West Indies:

The team is studded with performers - be it on or off the field. Chris Gayle and his towering sixes are now a part of household discourse. Dwayne Bravo will captain a side packed with big-hitters like Keiron Pollard, Marlon Samuels, Johnson Charles,  & Darren Sammy. One wonders how such a remarkable West Indian line-up has faltered and failed numerous times, having bagged only the 2004 Champions Trophy and the 2012 T20 World Cup since their days of dominance in the 70’s and 80’s. Dwayne Bravo finished as the leading wicket-taker in the recently-concluded IPL and will look to carry forward his red-hot form. Most of the players in the team have had a successful IPL stint. Chris Gayle finished as the second leading run-scorer only behind Michael Hussey, but once again topped the six-hitting charts. Pollard was instrumental in Mumbai Indians’ victorious campaign playing a couple of blinders and picking wickets at crucial intervals and not to forget his fielding competence. The team looks unbeatable on paper but on the field they have looked easily beatable. Consistency has always eluded the team and this time around Bravo will be hoping for a change of fortune. Mystery spinner, Sunil Narine is a vital cog in the wheel having proven his worth on all kinds of surfaces.  The young Darren Bravo will play the anchoring role. The pace bowling department comprises of Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Tino Best and Jason Holder, all of them being right-arm pacers. Apart from Rampaul, the team lacks a quality swing bowler who can be effective in such conditions. The batsmen will have to play according to the situation and curb their natural instincts. They need to wrest the opportunities during the middle overs of the innings, a place where the batting line-up has stumbled, time and again.

Watch out for: Chris Gayle, Keiron Pollard, Ravi Rampaul, Sunil Narine.

IPL Spot Fixing: Small Fish is Tasty, But Who Will Chew the Big Fish?

By Carl Jaison:

Another IPL spot-fixing shocker has crept in. This time around a well-known face in the cricketing circle has landed in a spot of bother. Indian test discard and a member of the World Cup winning Indian squad,  Shantakumaran Sreesanth and two of his Rajasthan Royals team-mates have been arrested by a special cell of the Delhi Police on grounds of illegal manipulation of match proceedings, after a tip-off revealed the significant cash deals negotiated between the players and the bookies. While Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila were nabbed from their hotel rooms at the Trident, Mumbai , Sreesanth was arrested from his friend’s residence in the wee hours of Wednesday night after Rajasthan Royals crashed to a defeat against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.

The bookies have allegedly been linked to underworld syndicates indulging in money laundering, with sources claiming their operation base to be Dubai. The betting scandal broke out a couple of hours after Rajasthan were handed a killer blow in their away encounter against Mumbai Indians, with Ankit Chavan orchestrating his histrionics in one of the betted overs, wherein he leaked 13 runs after having bowled an economical first over.

The entire spot-fixing saga has certainly hurt the spirited sentiments of many a cricket fan, who are furious of the fact that a mini-drama is being staged by a handful of greedy cricketers. The police got into swift investigation after a 13-year old was kidnapped and murdered earlier this week in Mumbai allegedly over a ransom with which the culprit was hoping to clear-off his IPL betting loss.

Former cricketers have lambasted the shameless trio for having ruined their respective careers and on having cheated billions who so enthusiastically followed their ‘rightful’ approach to the game with an unquestionable passion. While the news surfaced that three cricketers had been taken into police custody over their unethical actions, effigies were burnt and placards and slogans were raised against the perpetrators.

But what made the trio indulge in such an act of corruption? Is it mere greed? Or is it the sheer lack of transparency and regulation associated with the IPL? Both, in fact. They are two sides of the same coin.

Recently, Preita Zinta was fuming with anger and displeasure at the treacherous act of these cricketers who according to her earn “sufficient money” out of their playing contracts, this excluding their advertising and commercial commitments. She attributes their greediness to a lack of moral values and refinement.  A huge amount of monetary and emotional investment goes into buying each player by the franchise and for which the players in return should repose faith in their owners by playing hard-fought cricket. An owner feels aghast and betrayed when their own family member cheats them even after having entered into an agreement with them for a sizeable remuneration.

To substantiate her puzzlement, here is a look at the hefty sum Sreesanth earned in the inaugural edition: $8,00,000. Why would he then fix an over for a ‘lowly’ $80,000? The absurd logic behind it might have been this: a few extra bucks - on zero effort - would do me no harm! Mind you, a decision as crooked and immoral as this would have taken a damn lot of reckless ‘courage‘.

Or is Sree’s accommodation of such treacheries a recent phenomenon? Because Sreesanth now earns, as per his contractual agreement with the Rajasthan Royals, only $4,00,000, which is roughly Rs. 2.1 crores - which is just half of the inaugural edition, despite being very handsome still.

Earlier, Sreesanth had gone on record to state his condemnation on the 2010 spot-fixing scandal involving three Pakistani cricketers - Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - wherein he cited that such a thing would never happen amongst Indian players because, “we are more ‘educated’ and seniors constantly advice us to watch out for any approaches.” Interestingly, Sreesanth had been nursing an injury during that time when he gave this interview to a leading news channel and was out of the selectors’ radar before making a miraculous comeback in an away tour against England.  But the hot-tempered pacer missed the entire 2012 IPL season (again on injury) in which also he was signed by Rajasthan Royals.

For an established pacer like Sreesanth, who certainly has no dearth of potential and skill, to be involved in such a mess makes one wonder about the absence of self-regulation in players, who aren’t deprived of opportunities but fail to appreciate the value of patience. Sreesanth may have had to wait for an eternity to earn a recall but what should have kept him motivated is that glimmer of hope he still possesses, something which Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila lacks, being novice players.

The trio has fallen prey to the temptation of easy money, which continues to pervade the territory of the IPL. Apart from an unprincipled thought-process, the players were lured into the trap clearly because of the relative ease with which such illegal transactions could be realized. We are still uncertain as to whether there involved bigger fishes in this scam, but the betting industry have flourished owing to the lack of a regulatory body to curb such practices. Greenback worth billions is being traded for fixing match-situations by underworld dons and illegal tycoons, black-marketing is rampant with regard to the ticket-sales, hoarding of unaccounted cash, all of this taking place right under the nose of the IPL administrators. The nature of this format makes it a cakewalk for bookies to pocket massive gains, though being a high-risk affair. It may seem an extremely difficult proposition to monitor such transactions but the one common element in all these betting deals might be the prevalence of fake currency in usage, which several police units have tracked down in the immediate past.

The BCCI needs to focus on the supervision of the players ensuring that they readily report to the body in case any agent approaches them. The franchise management can help immensely in this regard. Players may have to even go through security frisking and regular monitoring to check whether they possess cash apart from their pay. The movements of players need to be constantly controlled making them accountable for any untoward incident involving them.

But, a major chunk of these dealings happen via messaging tools like WhatsApp and BBM or through the participation of an intermediary. What then? While monitoring their private life doesn’t seem plausible, their interactions with strangers during odd hours can be under close surveillance, limiting the number of guests they are permitted to meet to a few. But the general public is clueless as to what transpires in these so-called IPL night parties where unregistered individuals have a chance at communicating with players with whom deals can be easily struck. It is in these areas that the BCCI must draw a line and constitute a watchdog-like body to monitor after-match happenings. The players can also be asked to disclose an updated statement of their assets.

While the state has successfully cracked down on these alleged culprits, the BCCI should view this as an eye-opener to dust away the cobwebs, and not just sweep it beneath the carpet. Player education and awareness becomes significant here, with the team requiring to take oaths for the adherence to guidelines which promote the spirit of the game.

Many critics have blamed the inequality in the auction process, in which two players having similar skills and decent stats to their names are priced differentially mainly due to the ‘exposure’ factor. Thus, bowlers of the same trade, for example Ankit Chavan and Pragyan Ojha, are handed contracts vastly different.

The IPL has been hit hard and may face scrutiny, but the real issue is undoubtedly a lack of transparency in the governance front and opaqueness of the fixers’ mindset, which can be effectively addressed by disclosing information on their financial status, which should include their salaried or contractual payments, bank balance etc. Otherwise, bowling an intentional no-ball fetches the beneficiary a whopping Rs. 50 lakhs when that ‘ball’ is actually valued nothing more than Rs.500.

The police have claimed that there is concrete evidence against the tainted players, due to which they will have no other option but to confess their guilt. However, many police interrogations and findings have proven to be baseless in the past so it is only appropriate that the trio be subject to fair judicial hearing to profess their innocence before they are thrashed unequivocally by the media and police sources.

Sreesanth committed a mistake of maintaining bad company with Jiju Janardhanan, who ultimately negotiated deals with the bookies, which landed the RR pacer in a messy situation, remarks his lawyer. Ajit Chandila, Ankeet Chavan and Sreesanth need to be provided with a fair opportunity of telling their side of the story before the legal proceedings commence.

The players have already been cornered by the cricketing fraternity, police and the media owing to their alleged involvement in this spot-fixing scandal, which has tarnished their image which, as many of us understand, is an irrevocable and irreparable damage caused. Being a once-upon-a-time leading pace spearhead of India, Sreesanth is entitled to maximum flexibility to put forth his arguments and not be treated like an outright villain, as his role is indeed a matter of delicate handling owing to his established cricketing career and past reputation.

Unless proven guilty, backed by solid proof, it is foolhardy to jump the gun especially while keeping in mind the recent controversies involving Sreesanth. As of now, the trio is under the “third umpire’s review”. Let us hope the verdict brings out the actual truth, which it has seldom done if the past is any indication.