On Indian Cricket Teams Semi final entry

सात किया है नौ कर दे, अपने कप को लॉक कर दे!!

Salute to the Shankaracharya of his religion - Cricket

Bharat Ratna for Sachin

Bharat Ratna awardees should show exemplary achievements in the field of Arts, Science, Social service or Literature. Though the word sports does not appear in the statement but it is implicit. Sports is an Art played with in scientific parameters, produces and has one of the most well read literature and if look at Cricket does a great social service to unite the Country and Internationally. So included or not sports personalities achieving exemplary feats should be awarded Bharat Ratna. And what a beginning of it would be with Sachin!

Mr Afridi - be graceful in defeat

First of all congratulations Team India for winning the Cricket World Cup after a long 28 years of wait. It was a deserving win and every bit of celebrations for a team the way they planned, played and stuck together. That said for many Indians the Semi-Finals against Pakistan was almost a Final and would have been content even if India would have lost to Sri Lankans. At the end what surprised us the most was Afridi's humility in accepting defeat. It was the first time ever in his career that he seemed one decent Guy passionate about Cricket. World, specially Indians were ready to forget his waywardness. Afridi thanked the "Indian Nation" and even while in Pakistan asked one aggravating journalist - "Why do we hate India?". And, I thought for two nations who put Cricket before religion this could be a new way to friendship - Not to be. Afridi appears in a Pakistani channel and challenges the Indian hospitality and media and even appeared to claim that Pakistan and India can never be friends and live together. Those were some very strong words coming out of someone whose butt just got kicked not too long ago. I still give Afridi a benefit of doubt. It is all but natural for him to give contradicting statements to appease those who are readying themselves to avenge the defeat on Afridi's career. Only this time he seems unlikely to continue as a Captain of his team if past history of that nation is to be believed. And Thanks to those Pakistanis who still think India and Pakistan can not be friends and neighbors - You don't deserve to be a neighbor of any country.

Playing 11 against West Indies

So with all the dismal (not so impressive) to an absurd performance (Remember English and SA games?) by the Indian team they need to be extra cautious when they play West Indies next, if not for points but to rebuild the confidence. My opinion of the playing 11 be:

• Sehwag
• Tendulkar
• Gambhir
• Kohli
• Yuvraj
• Dhoni
• Yusuf
• R Ashwin
• Zaheer
• Harbhajan
• Ashish Nehra

A quik IPL

1. IPL is fun.
2. Royal Bangalore team needs a Captain.
3. Mumbai Indians? Who are they?
4. Only Rajasthan Royals look like one team.
5. Deccan Chargers need to kick Laxman out.
6. Daredevils is a balanced team.
7. And why is Chennai Super Kings winning? They wear Yellow ;)

Shoab has decided to take Indian Citizenship

After being banned for 5years by Pakistani Cricket Board, Speedster Shoab Akhtar has decided to take Indian citizenship and call Bombay (Mumbai) his new home. In an exclusive interview he said he does not care about PCB anyway as he will make ample of amount of money in ICL. Welcome home Shoab!

The sweet sixteen

Its a number which is a pinnacle of recklessness. A number when we start looking at the world in a different way. Sixteen is the number a lot of folks just wish to stay at. I guess Aussies thought so too.

The doom of Gentleman's game

India and Australia have scrapped the catch agreement. What it means is if a fielder catches a low catch the teams will believe the fielder's and the Captain's integrity rather than to refer it to the Umpires. This agreement has now been scrapped. The Gentleman's game has now doomed to its lowest. The stress level and the pressure to win in Cricket has tremendously increased in the recent times. Whats sad and annoying is that it happened with Australia - the team that held so much of respect. I guess they did not know what they stood for. Sad sad sad. I guess the Cricket ratings now starts with 2.

Dog vs Monkey

There is an allegation that Bhajji called Andrew Symonds a Monkey during the second Cricket Test. There are no "proofs" as no one else heard it but Symonds, the charge Bhajji denies. "If" it was said in a bad taste then Bhajji deserved what he got. If not then then this is a start of a very bad blood between these two cricketing teams. Said it or not, but does anyone remember the Cartoon showing Pakistan as a Dog to the American Army? A lot of voices we heard in support of that sketch based on what a "Dog" means to this culture - A very loyal and close friend. These voices not only came from America but from Australia too. Remember? Remember? I know these incidences are not connected but I am curious where those voices are in Australia today that supported the "Dog" comment as being okay. If Dog is good in one culture how come Monkey should be challenged in the other? For the Pete sake, Parents call their Kids Monkey on their mischiefs what a big deal? Professionalism is not just about winning, its losing gracefully too. The world respected the Australian Cricket team for years for what they have achieved. That respect now is at risk.

Steve Bucknor is a jerk..

..And he has a history of giving wrong decisions against Indian' batsmen. Winning and Losing is a part of the game. But losing because of continuous bad decisions deserves a kick on this Umpires' @$$. Oz.. you did not win your record 16th.. Mindless SB gifted it to you!

And Indians: You did not deserve to win but yes did not deserve to lose this way either. In fact the second test was India's if the Umpires had some open eyes and alert ears. On the other hand, In all the four innings this had become a repetition: Jaffer out early (Replace him), Dravid slow as hell, A few struggles in the middle (If they succeed), Yuvraj totally useless in 5-day matches, Bhajji and Kumble managing to harass and then quick wickets at the end. This is not how a strong Test team plays. This series has exposed where Oz's weaknesses lie, so work on it.

Sharing the cricketing honors

India ended the Aussie series with an emphatic win in the only T20 match they played. Even though Aussies trounced India with a 4-2 victory in the longer version of the game but I feel the honors were equally shared later with India winning 1-0 in its' shorter version. India even came very close to make the series 3-3 before the middle order had scrambled the advantage its openers provided in the 6th game of the series. But they did come together and won the last two games they played. Its surprising to see Indian team enjoying the shorter version of the game without Sachin, Ganguly and Dravid. Had Dravid been any closer to his abilities the result could have been even better in the 50 overs game. Good to see Gambhir continuing his form. Surprisingly no body talked about Dhoni's six off Brett Lee's first ball of his last over and sealing the game off. That was a good end to a gruiling series for both the teams.

Is this an end of Sachin and Ganguly era?

Cricket has a new form - The Twenty20: Fast, exciting and rapid fire. T20 tournament has been a success and is seems the future of the world cricket. This form of the game has also exposed some of the weeknesses of Aussies, the undisputed champions otherwise. For India, Dhoni and Yuvi have led the team to excellence. There is a new blood, new enthusiasm and the killer instinct which had died after Chappel took the reigns. T20 finals is also a message to not write off this sub-continent yet. For India, a win in the finals will be bugle of a new young team and an opportunity for stalwarts like Sachin and Ganguly to retire from the active ODI duty.

Hamare Hockey mein Chhakke nahi hote

A must watch movie for Bollywood lovers - "Chak de India"

Dravid spoils Kumble's century

...Or so I believe. Dravid could have enforced a follow-on on England and hoped to save three quarters of the 5th day to fend-off the English bowling either in a Victory or a valiant draw. But he didn't. I am quoting myself off of a comment I posted on Pri's blogs: "Dravid being a visionary saw an English victory, on defense he saved the Test very methodically. He got on to back foot and drove the result to the long off draw".