Twin treat for Indian cricket!

March 2, 2007 - what a day it has been for Indian cricket!
First our senior team takes world champs Aussies to the cleaners in the first final of the tri-series and, then, our Under-19 team defeats South Africa to win the World Cup for the second time.
Not often does one hear of the same country winning two finals in a single day!
One thing that has been evident in both the finals was the attitude and body language of our cricketers. Not even for once, did the Indian players look like losing.
In the CB series final at the SCG, when ‘boxer’ Hadyen and ‘monkey’ Symonds were going great guns, the Indians never lost their cool. They kept the pressure on and, in a great move, Dhoni introduced Bhajji into the attack. Soon, both Hayden and Symonds unleashed a flurry of strokes. It was evident that the only thing they had at the back of their minds was to teach the “little weed” a lesson. But their strategy backfired on them when, in a span of two overs, Bhajji removed both the ‘boxer’ and the ‘monkey’.
After their exit, the rest of the Aussie squad, with the exception of Hussey, departed as soon as they came to the crease. With this defeat, the Indians go one-up in the best of three finals. If India wins the second final at Gabba, Brisbane then Australia would have to be content with sad farewells to Adam Gilchrist and Brad Hogg, both of whom have announced their retirements.
The other final in Kuala Lumpur was a battle of nerves and India held on to theirs till the end. Bowled out for 159 following a stifling performance by South African bowlers, India responded superbly by blowing the South African top order away before rain intervened. After resumption South Africa never got going and, it was just a matter of time before the Indian bowlers cleaned up the South African middle and lower orders ensuring a superb victory. The Indian team remained unbeaten throughout the series. After 44 matches across seven venues, there is no doubt that the best team was crowned Under-19 World Champions.
These two victories round up what can be called one of the best days for Indian cricket.
Now, we just hope that the senior team beats Aussies in the second final. That would be the perfect icing on the cake.

BCCI is a sham!

My last blog in December was about Saurav Ganguly making one of the most amazing comebacks in Indian cricket. Now, after a month, I post my next blog, and it is ironical that this time it’s about Saurav Ganguly being dropped from the Indian One-Day side! Kudos to BCCI for making the beginning of the end of Dada’s ODI career.

After all the “tamasha” of the last fortnight, just when Team India had begun to bond beautifully after the Perth victory, BCCI has ensured that the camaraderie is short-lived.

I was amazed when I first came to know that Saurav Ganguly had been excluded from the ODI side. I can understand Dravid’s and Laxman’s exclusion, but how can a person who has had an average of about 66 in the last year in ODIs be dropped. It’s just a mockery of the selection process.

BCCI says Dada was dropped because he is “not the best of fielder” in the team. Then what’s BCCI’s yardstick for keeping Sachin Tendulkar in the team? Does he get younger with every match he plays or is he one of the best fielders in the team? Sachin is a great batsman, no doubt, but by no means is he a great fielder. He is not anymore athletic than Dravid or Ganguly.
BCCI is nothing but a set of morons. It’s a sham.

I’ve always maintained that Indian selectors are a bunch of jokers. However, what I admire about them is they keep proving this fact time and again. That’s one thing consistent in Indian cricket.

Cheers once again to the (B)oard of (C)ontrol for (C)ircus in (I)ndia.