MS DHONI: CHANGE THE GAME

MS DHONI: CHANGE THE GAME

The abominable Pepsi ad poster I was talking about

MS Dhoni is a lot of things. He is a two-time World Cup winning captain, he is India’s most successful captain-batsman, he is the captain with the most terrible overseas Test record, he is the man who changed the face of Indian cricket. But amidst it all, he is the most influential Indian cricketer of modern times. Influential, not just as the captain of the Indian team, but also as one of India’s foremost batsman. One strong performance from his bat can change the game (No reference to the abominable Pepsi campaign by the same name)

We have seen this game-changing batting ability from him in spades whenever he has played limited overs cricket, in blue or yellow or in any other color; but it has been rarely seen in the Test whites. Of the 74 Tests he has played in his 7 and ¼ years career, he has scored 4107 runs at an average of almost 40 with a strike rate of almost 60 batting from No. 3 to No. 8 with 6 centuries and 28 half-centuries, receiving the Man of the Match award only twice. (Incidentally both against Australia) While these numbers are not disgraceful for a wicketkeeper-batsman coming at No. 7 in a team that boasts (or boasted) of extraordinary batting stalwarts, they are a bit anti-climatic for a player like Dhoni. He has never been able to stamp his authority on the 5-day game as he has in the shorter formats of the game. His overseas record is flaky and has never scored a century outside the sub-continent and of his 6 centuries, none has come in losses. In most cases, an average Indian fan does not even expect much when Dhoni comes in to bat in a Test, and in recent times he had become more of a tail-ender than R Ashwin. Why am I spouting statistics and highlighting Dhoni’s Test defects you ask? Because this just goes on to show how crucial, how utterly important Dhoni’s double ton against Australia in the Chennai Test was.

MS Dhoni scored 224 runs from 265 balls with 24 fours and 6 sixes at a strike rate of 84 vs Australia in the first Test at Chennai.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored 224 runs from 265 balls with 24 fours and 6 sixes at a strike rate of 84. Statistically, this was his best Test innings, beating his previous best of 144 vs West Indies at the Eden Gardens in 2011. But qualitatively and influentially, this was his THE BEST Test innings. There are a many reasons for this – it was against Australia, it came on the back of dreadful Test series loss against England, it gave India a sizeable lead and it was at an amazing strike rate and it was the final clincher for India’s victory. He became only the second Indian batsman (after Sehwag of course) to score 200 runs in one day, 100 of which came in a single session! (Here let’s observe a moment of silence for Nathan Lyon) I have followed MS Dhoni’s career from the start and I have never seen him bat like this is a Test match. I was half expecting him to strip of his Test whites and reveal his yellow jersey underneath! Maybe because he was the playing at his favourite ground or maybe he got inspired by his ‘Oh Yes Abhi’ ad, Dhoni’s 224 against Australia at Chennai ‘changed the game’

On a serious note, Dhoni has set the tone for the rest of the series. A one-match lead counts for not much in a Test series unless you can carry forward the momentum, as we saw against England. Dhoni and his troops have their task cut out at Hyderabad, bat big, spin them out and take an unassailable 2-0 lead. Expecting the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to be a one-sided series is too much and Australia will be raring to go and get even. But Dhoni’s knock has given India the much needed momentum early in the series. Over to Hyderabad! 

FLASHBACK: BORDER-GAVASKAR TROPHY

FLASHBACK: BORDER-GAVASKAR TROPHY

Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Perhaps no other trophy or tournament has shaped the way of Indian cricket as it is today than this singular series played against a singular opponent. The 10 India vs Australia Test series so far since the initiation of this Trophy have provided us with something more than just cricket - it has given us hope, elation, anger, depression, and above all memories that have been unendingly etched in our heads and history.

It is not a historic battle like the Ashes. It is not a neighbourly fight like the India-Pakistan or Australia- New Zealand series. It is not a clash for supremacy like India-England. But the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is no less a clash of the titans. The India-Australia rivalry occupies a special place in cricket. Ever since India halted Australia cavalry charge in 2001, India has become Australia’s biggest nemesis and India was the Final Frontier the Baggy Greens were desperate to capture. Of course they managed to finally win a Test series on Indian soil in 2004 under Adam Gilchrist. Australians may have the Ashes as the most testing Test series but as an Indian, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has always been the pinnacle of Test achievement.

Ever since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy came into existence in 1996, India and Australia have played each other ten times, in India and thrice in Australia. Of these, India has won five series and Australia have won three.  Of course all these wins have come on Indian soil, the three times that India played in Australia, they were whitewashed, drew and lost.

With the first India vs Australia Test starting in Chennai, let’s have a Border-Gavaskar Trophy Flashback.

1996 – The debut of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was also the debut of Sachin Tendulkar as captain with a one-off Test played at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi from the 10^th to 13^th October with India cruising to victory in 4 days. Brad Hogg and David Johnson (Remember him? Anyone?) made their debut but the show stealer was, wait-for-it, Nayan Mongia! Australia, having elected to bat, were bundled out for 182 with a Kumble 4-fer with contributions from Sunil Joshi and Aashish Kapoor. Opener Mongia then scored a century which was the highest score of the match. India had to chase a meagre 56 and Tendulkar had the precious trophy.

1998 – The next time Australia toured India was in 1998 and vouched for a thrilling 3-Test series that India won 2-1. This series will probably be best remember for the epic duel between Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne – among the best batsmen and bowlers of that time. It was after this series that Warne famously claimed that SRT starred in his nightmares. Australia suffered heavy losses in the first 2 Tests at Chennai and Kolkata, sealing the fate of the series, but fought back admirably in the third to restore some pride. Yet the Final Frontier remained unconquered for Waugh & boys while his Indian counterpart Mohd. Azharuddin enjoyed a fruitful series.  Sachin Tendulkar was named Player of the Series with for 446 runs in 3 matches and drew his strongest comparisons with Sir Don Bradman.

1999-2000 – This was the first year that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was held on Australian soil and the result, as many expected, was a 3-0 whitewash. The only silver lining for India was then Captain Sachin Tendulkar being named Player of the Series. In hindsight, another, although hitherto unknown, silver lining was the initiation of the man who would go on to torment Aussies for more than a decade. VV Laxman scored a sublime century at the SCG opening the batting and thereby started his love affair with Australia and the Sydney Cricket Ground. But nothing could prevent massive losses for India, with Australia playing like Champions. Debutante Brett lee tore through Indian order on Boxing Day at MCG, Glen McGrath troubled with his razor sharp line and length and finished with 18 wickets, Ricky Ponting began his own affair with Indian bowlers with an average of 125. On the back of the fixing scandal, entering the new millennium with new player things could not have been worse for Indian cricket.

2001 – The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was back on Indian soil and Australia faced a new look Indian side. Under new captain Sourav Ganguly, in the absence of spearhead Anil Kumble and with a host of new faces, India looked the weaker side against a team on the brink of a World Record consecutive Test victories. Australia won the first Test at Mumbai by a comfortable margin of 10 wickets and were on a 16 match undefeated streak when the 2001 Kolkata Test began. Australia won the toss and elected to bat putting on 445 runs on board and then bundled out India for 171, enforcing follow on.  (Here I have to take a moment and thank Steve Waugh, sincerely Tugga you saved our country, thank you!) And the rest is history, and a pile of numbers – VVS Laxman - 281, Rahul Dravid - 180, Harbhajan Singh - 13, Indian victory - 171, the tears of joy priceless! India won the third Test at Chennai by 2 wickets thanks to a brilliant century by Tendulkar and an insane 15 wickets by Harbhajan, also the Player of the Series. India won the series 2-1 and Indian cricket was reborn.

2003-2004 – This time a new look Team India went to Australia under talismanic skipper Sourav Ganguly and Coach John Wright. Everybody believed that it was the best chance India had to defeat the Aussies at home. India came close with some fantastic cricket in the first Test at Brisbane studded with a Ganguly century and a Zaheer Khan fifer (Which was his last game, as his mistress, injury, visited him) but that Test ended in a draw. India then went on to register a historic 4-wicket win in the second Test at Adelaide with Rahul Dravid’s 233 (mingled with a million tears) and a six-wicket haul by Ajit Agarkar. But Australia won the next Test at Melbourne with comprehensive 9-wickets making the last Test at Sydney the decider. Unfortunately for India, Aussies fought out a draw in Skipper Waugh’s last Test despite a wonderful batting performance by India (and a Laxman century, obviously!) posting a target of over 700. Rahul Dravid was adjudged the Man of the Series for his fabulous batting performance. The series saw some of India’s best performances as a team in Test cricket ever and it was indeed disappointing to see it end in a draw.

2004 – This is the series, dubbed the Final Frontier series, which I am most likely to forget. (In fact I’m pretty sure, I had managed to repress it in some deep, dark corner of my brain before I started writing this!) Australia came under stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist for a 4 Test series which was also Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath's last tour of India. The first Test at Bangalore saw debutant Michael Clarke start his life-long -tormenting-India campaign with a splendid century which gave the visitors a comprehensive win. The second Test at Chennai was a rain affected draw and all eyes shifted to the next at Nagpur which proved to be the undoing of India. A ‘alleged’ green-top-resultant-injury for skipper Ganguly meant Dravid was the unfortunate one to have captained the historic match when Australia finally conquered their Final Frontier after 35 years winning a Test series in India. A stunning performance by Damien Martyn and India’s collapse against pacers on a bouncy top meant that there was only pride to play for in Mumbai. Ponting returned and Indian ‘authorities’ retaliated by preparing a crumbling turner which ended a low-scoring match in 3 days. (Which I am, incidentally, still mad about as I had passes for only day 4 & 5!!) The proof of the pitch is that even Michael Clarke extracted 6 Indian wickets! Damien Martyn was named Player of the Series, and an unrelated Fun fact – Gautam Gambhir made his debut here!

2007-2008 – A lot of water (and tears) had passes under the proverbial bridge when India went Down Under with a new captain at the helm, the indomitable Anil Kumble, for a series that is sadly remembered more for controversy than cricket. India lost that series 2-1 with Brett Lee being awarded the Man of the Series for his 24 wickets. Australia won the first Test at Melbourne comfortably by 337 runs with India getting bowled out under 200 twice. The second Test at Sydney also went to Australia by 122 runs who took an unassailable lead. However this Test was marred by the ugly Monkeygate Scandal and even worse, the horrendous umpiring errors. As Kumble promised, India managed to wipe out the negativity and win the third Test at Perth by 72 runs, a truly terrific performance at the bouncy WACA.  The fourth Test at Adelaide petered down to a draw. Australia may have regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but this series lost them a lot of respect.

2008 – The 2008 India vs Australia series will be remembered for a lot of things aside from the 4 Tests. Two Indian legends played their last Test in this series (almost 5 years have passed and we still haven’t found their ideal replacements, FYI) The first Test at Bangalore, where Zaheer Kahn grabbed both a fifer and a fifty, was drawn. India claimed a comprehensive victory in the next Test at Mohali with a power-packed performance by MD Dhoni in both innings. It was a record-breaking  match for Sachin Tendulkar who became the highest run scorer in Test match history surpassing record of 11,957 runs marks and on the way becoming the first man to score 12000 runs in Test cricket history as well as for Sourav Ganguly who crossed 7000 runs in Test cricket on the way to scoring his last century in Test cricket. The third Test at Delhi was an emotional one as captain Anil Kumble announced his retirement after suffering from a finger injury. Despite double tons from Laxman and Gambhir, the match ended in a draw. The fourth Test at Nagpur was Sourav Ganguly’s swan song (apt huh, considering what happened there 4 years back) and India gave him a fitting farewell with a 172 run victory reclaiming Dada’s most beloved piece of silverware - the Border-Gavaskar Trophy! Ishant Sharma was named Man of the Series (Yes an Indian seamer in sub-continent conditions!)

2010 – Back again in India, this 2 Test series was special for one reason – India actually whitewashed Australia in a Test series! The first Test was at Mohali, one that would go down in the history books as being the most topsy-turvy India vs Australia Test ever! Here is how it went – Aus make 428 in first innings, India reply with 405, bowlers restrict Australia to 192 in second innings, India need 216 to win and Day 4 ends on 55/4, Aussies strike early & hard on day 5, Tendulkar, Zaheer & Dhoni gone leaving a back spasm-ed, in-pain VVS Laxman with the tail. Australia sniffed victory when India needed 92 runs to win with just 2 wickets remaining at Lunch, but cometh the Aussies, cometh the Laxman! With runner Raina, tail-ender Ishant and under Laxman’s guidance, India inched closer to the target when tragedy struck in form of Ishant’s wicket at 190. Ojha was the last man in and more drama ensued with an umpiring gaffe, overthrows and scampering runs. In the end, India won by 1 wicket, Laxman top scored with a precious 73 and Zaheer Khan received the Man of the match. In words borrowed from Ravi Shastri, all 3 visits were possible till the last ball was bowled, it did go down to the wire! India won the second Test a Bangalore with 7 wickets, completed the whitewash and retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Tendulkar was named Player of the Series and another Fun fact, Cheteshwar Pujara made his debut in the Bangalore Test, with his half-century helping in victory.

2011-2012 – The less I think about this the better. Before the start of the last the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, I wrote ‘Why this is India’s bets chance towin a Test in Australia’ and I don’t think I have ever been so wrong in my entire life! India were whiplashed and whitewashed 4-0, the worst overseas Test series ever without a single silver lining (Unless you count Zaheer Khan playing an entire Test series without getting injured as one)!  Oh wait, I forgot Virat Kohli’s century at Adelaide, but it was a placebo. The very trophy that made Indian cricket, destroyed it. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy gave birth to the new, fearless Indian team 10 years ago and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy killed it. Innings defeat, not crossing even 300 runs, lone Indian ton, not being able to bowl out Australia even once... the agony piled on from Melbourne, Sydney, Perth to Adelaide.  New captain and Player of the Series Michael Clarke ripped apart a hapless India and after a disastrous performance, Dravid and Laxman retired. Indian cricket will never be the same again.

These were the 10 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series held so far. With the 11^th coming up, here is hoping that this new look India does what they did back in 2001, a new icon is born and Indian fans get back their hope faith.

Thanks for reading!

2012 ENDED THE WORLD (AS I KNOW IT)

2012 ENDED THE WORLD (AS I KNOW IT)

The world did not end in 2012, the Mayans were proved wrong. But 2012 was the end of the world as I know it.  Cricket is my passion, the most defining part of my identity and I have watched cricket for quite some years now, and never have I felt so cheated, so disheartened and so upset at the end of a calendar year as I have felt in 2012. All this for one reason, the big R word – RETIREMENT.

2012 has ended the careers of more cricketers I like than the entire last decade!
Rahul Dravid. Brett Lee. VVS Laxman. Mark Boucher. Andrew Strauss. Ricky Ponting. Sachin Tendulkar. Mike Hussey.
Cricket will never again be the same of me!

Picture this - when Australia come to their long won Final Frontier, India, in 203 for the away stage of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (something they so convincingly hold) and when the first wicket falls for either team, Rahul Dravid and Ricky Ponting WON’T walk in. There will be no VVS Laxman to guide the tail and team home when we falter. Oh and no Mr. Cricket taking on Indian spinners like he eats them for breakfast.

As for all the ODIs against Pakistan and England and Sri Lanka (this comes by default) there will be another opener walking out with Virender Sehwag, no biggie, it happens all the time. But also there will be no wait for the 50^th century, no asking ‘Sachin out hua kya, kitna banaya?’ not even ‘India doesn’t win when he scores a century’ because ODI cricket has lost its best exponent. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that SRT will no longer walk out in the Indian Blues ever again.

I have never seen Sachin Tendulkar bat in an ODI match live, even though I’ve seen him bat so many times. Come to think of it, I will never get to see Brett Lee bowl full throttle again, unless I go see him in KKR’s Purple. Neither have I seen the greatest Test wicket-keeper batsmen, mark Boucher, as his career was cut short by a series, when he was hot on the eye in a practice game in England and lost full visibility. And my favorite, most respected, Ashes-winning captain Andrew Strauss, no way to watch him play, again!

All this makes me realize how much cricket lost this year has. And it’s hard to say goodbye. To think that we might not be able to watch the Rahul Dravid cover drive, the Ricky Ponting Pull and Hook, the Sachin Tendulkar Straight Drive, the Brett Lee Yorker, in 2013 is enough to get me lamenting that 2012 is indeed the end of an era, an era of cricket legends, especially in Indian cricket.

As an Indian fan, I started the year on a hope and prayer that the New Year’s Test at Sydney brings back some semblance of teeth to Indian test cricket. As an Indian fan, I end the year on a hope and prayer for the same. As a cricket fan, I end the year with the lament that 2012 has left cricket poorer.

THANKS FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT, PUNTER

THANKS FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT, PUNTER

The Scoreboard says it right- Thanks Ricky!

After all the accolades and tributes that have flown in before, during and since the Perth Test when he ended a phenomenal cricket career, I have a confession to make.

I have never liked Ricky Ponting.

As a kid who watched the 2003 World Cup Finals with excessive optimism and prayers, it is hard to like him. His 140 not out, which demolished India’s hopes of winning the Trophy, was probably one of the best ODI innings played by an Australian; but I still disliked him. The 2004 Border-Gavaskar Trophy did not endear him any further as his gem of an innings in Melbourne took the game away. I was wickedly delighted when Ponting became the first captain since Allan Border to lose the Ashes in 2005. But then came 2007 and he also became the first captain in 86 years to clean sweep the Ashes, beating England 5-0 at home, in addition to being the Man of the Series. My dislike deepened. In 2006 he led Australia to a Champions Trophy victory (and pushed Sharad Pawar off the podium) I disliked him to the core. His attitude as Australian captain in the controversial 2008 India vs Australia Test series was enough for any Indian to start hating him. The subsequent Ashes defeats and unsuccessful tours to New Zealand and India, A World Cup defeat (where he did his best albeit) and it looked like the Ponting era was gone. He gave up captaincy and instead of going down, came up even more. He became the first cricketer to be part of 100 Test match wins at Galle & tormented India with a century at Sydney and a double at Adelaide. How could any Indian cricket fan like him!

However, the more my dislike grew, the more I felt another emotion toward Mr. Ricky Thomas Ponting – an emotion like 'grudging admiration'. The sheer power and proficiency of his game forcibly turned me from a grudge-keeper to a grudging admirer. But Ponting is known to have that effect on people. How can a cricket fan not like a batsman who can turn any delivery into a boundary with that trademark pull and hook? How can you not like watching him piling on the runs with his laidback smile? How can you not like his astute brains as skipper, be it field placements or sledging the opposition? The words obnoxious, stubborn, disagreeable, ruthless are all compliments to the man. And after playing 375 ODI matches and scoring 13,704 runs at average of 42.03 with 30 centuries and 82 half-centuries and after playing in five World Cups, winning three of those back-to-back and two of those as captain; And after 167 Tests scoring 13366 runs at an average of 52.21 with 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries and after winning Ashes 5-0, holding on to the ICC Test Mace for the longest time and having his name on pretty much every trophy there is, Ponting can afford to be obnoxious, stubborn, disagreeable, ruthless and anything else he wishes to be.

And therein lies the greatness of Ponting. His arrogance is a crown he wears on a high head, he is proud of his stubbornness because that has what has got him his plus 25,000 runs and every possible Trophy there is to be won as captain. He no longer is a part of the international cricket anymore, but such is his legacy that no other mortal could ever come close. Captain of the most successful, the most dominant side in world cricket for a decade with every possible series, tournament and trophy in his name, as a batsman, second only to Sachin Tendulkar in numbers and as a leader second to none in his ruthless, aggressive, effective style. Ponting doesn't ask to be loved, or even liked, he merely demands grudging admiration. As he walks in to the sunset, all I can say is - Thanks for the entertainment, Punter!

IT'S ALWAYS THRILLING IN MUMBAI!

First published on ESPNCricinfo.com http://www.espncricinfo.com/page2/content/story/593221.html

Choice of game

There is no reason not to go for an India vs England Test, even more so when the match is at Wankhede, a ground where India vs England has an unforgettable history. Who can forget the match back in 2006 where Shaun Udal became unlikely hero and India folded for 100 all-out. And this match has been just as topsy-turvy as the one 6 years back where

Key Performer

KP (Kevin Pietersen) has always been the KP (Key Performer) for England and this was no different as he played one of the best innings by an Englishman on Indian soil. His fluent 186 off 233 with 20 fours and 4 sixes, two of which were absolute crackers, was the highlight of the day. It did not matter if you were English or Indian, all spectators alike applauded the sheer magnificence of his bat whenever he scored a boundary. His century celebrations were trademark KP & there were very few people in the stands who did not join in the cheer. Interesting observation – far more people stood up for Pietersen than for other centurion Alastair Cook!

One thing you’d have changed about the day

Instead of changing one thing about today’s play, I’d change eight! The seven Indian wickets that fell like dominoes and the absolute insipid bowling earlier in the day.  As an irrational, emotional India fan, it was heart-breaking to watch the team crumble like this in home conditions. And as each of the 7 wickets fell in just about 30 overs, the last shreds of optimism evaporated. As an objective cricket watcher, it was exhilarating to see 15 wickets fall one after the other in one day.

The interplay you enjoyed the most

One hit the other all over the park for seemingly easy runs, the other got him out in an anti-climax dismissal after a brilliant innings. For obvious reasons, the contest I enjoyed the most was Kevin Pietersen vs Pragyan Ojha. KP’s susceptibility against left-arm spinners has given rise to much talk but he made little of it as he hoisted Ojha for 3 sixes and the same got better off him when , on the verge of a double hundred, he offered a thin edge into Dhoni’s gloves to end a splendid innings. I’d say that in this interplay, both Ojha and Petersen returned with equal honors.

Wow moment

The WOW Moment for me, strangely, wasn’t on the ground as such, but in the stands. The sheer energy and enthusiasm of the crowds is infectious – The cheering, the chanting, the chatting. The insane celebrations when an English wicket fell, the rhythmic clapping when the bowlers ran in to bowl, the wild slogan shouting when an Indian batsmen took guard, the roaring applause even for  singles, the standing ovation when Sachin Tendulkar entered the ground – this was the wow factor for me.

Player Watch

Alastair Cook. From starting the day with a solid century to ending the day on field, shining the ball & pepping his team up, captain Cook could do no wrong today. It was a treat to watch him bat as he brought up his second century of this series and lead from the front. His fielding was spirited and some sharp saves just served to increase the intensity of the other fielders. He must have gone off field a happy man with India on the mat.

Shot of the day                     

The Sachin Tendulkar Straight Drive. He scored only 8 runs off 2 boundaries but with his exquisite timing and clean hitting, his first four off Panesar is my shot of the day. Pietersen and Cook scored in hordes but the typical shot down the ground by the Master stands out above everything else.

Crowd meter

There is no describing the Wankhede crowd in a few lines, that will take a book! The upper tier of the North and SRT Stands, where I was seated, was probably the most vibrant stands with the constant cheering. Even the English supporters joined in the celebrations and overall it was a cordial atmosphere with a healthy dose of bantering between the Indians and English. One of the English supports sitting with us went on to say that it was the best place to watch cricket in India! 

              

Overall

It was disappointing, it was heart-breaking, it was frustrating as an Indian fan, but overall it was a brilliant day of Test cricket. It started with centuries by Cook and Pietersen, it went on to become a wicket-taking competition with 8 English and 7 Indian batsmen getting dismissed. So we got to see the best of both batting and bowling.  Mumbai has always given us some of the most interesting Test matches in the recent years and I am hoping that one too, miraculously, becomes a close contest.

Marks out of 10

9. The one mark lost is due to the uninspiring performance from the Indian team. Gautam Gambhir has played a crucial knock so far, but otherwise it has been a collectively disappointing outing. But full marks to the atmosphere created by the fans despite the disappointment.

ENGLAND NEED TOO MANY COOKS…

ENGLAND NEED TOO MANY COOKS…

This was the first Test of his first series as official captain. It could not have come at a more inopportune time. The team has lost its No. 1 Ranking, worse, they have lost their captain, the guy who got them to the top. Their most prolific batsman has been ‘re-integrated’ in the team and the dressing room atmosphere is less than cordial. They have come to India, a place with almost hostile conditions, for a series that is hyped up to be an almost Imperialist revenge like plot. In the midst of this, he is just a left-handed opening batsman who has to play for the first time without his trusted new-ball partner in less than favorable conditions, while forging a new partnership with a debutant, while keeping up with a headstrong Coach, while leading a stumbling team in a crucially difficult series.

All this sounds like a perfect recipe for disaster. But not if you are Alastair Cook.

England lost the first at Ahmadabad by 9 wickets, a result much better that expected. And all thanks to that rookie captain playing for the first time without the guidance of mentor Andrew Strauss. But Cook has no reason to be disheartened by his team’s loss. Because there was a huge win in there for him. Scoring a fighting century, a 374-ball 176 no less while your team is following on after getting out for 191 in the first innings, is the mark of not only a good batsman, but of a great cricketer. That right there is the biggest positive England can take from the loss.

T o be perfectly honest, England does not look half as the team that tormented India last summer, whitewashed them 4-0 and took over the Test mace. Over the last 12 months, a lot has changed for the England Test team, even though most of their frontline players remain the same. Although it is agreed that the situation is different as this series is being played in the sub-continent and not on the bouncy green tops back home. But then they played South Africa in the very same conditions and lost 2-0 in what was one of the most intense Test battles of 2012. England played West Indies at home before that and did just fine with a 2-0 victory. Of course I consider their 1-1 draw in Sri lanka as a plus in England’s favor because winning a Test match there takes great effort, for batsmen who are susceptible to spin on rank turners. (It must be said that major credit here goes to a certain Mr. Pietersen whose splendid century lit up the series & possibly saved it) But the pivotal point where England started losing the plot came as early as January, a time when they were still No. 1. England’s UAE tour, the Test bit of it, was disaster to say the least. Pakistan won the 3 match series 3-0, completely humiliating the visitors.

Cut to November, and after one Test down in the series, the challenges still remain the same for the Barmy Army. Kevin Pietresen can proclaimhis loathing for losses all he wants, truth is that they have a lot of ground to cover before the next Test in Mumbai starts. It is not about the English batsmen’s affinity (or rather the lack of it) for spin, it is not about the mental games of playing no spinners in the tour games, it is not about India preparing bone-dry, spinning pitches. If Cook and Matt Prior could have batted it out following on, there is no reason why the others couldn’t.  As the captain said post match, English batsmen failed because they did not trust their own methods. If England has to turn a new leaf, then it is the batting that will have to come out strongly, start using their feet, try not to come ahead and sweep every ball that spins. And they have an excellent example of the same in the form of Captain Cook.

He did not get the Man of the Match award, there was a Double Centurion from the opposite side who deserved it. But what he did get was respect, a lot of it. Alastair Cook’s gritty century won him a number of admirers, most of them Indian, and rightly so. He has set the tone for the series, one which if the rest of the team follows, it will be the perfectly intense competitionwe have been waiting for. It is always said that too many cooks spoil the broth, but in this case, I think England needs too many Cooks!

WELCOME TO BHARAT, BARMY ARMY

WELCOME TO BHARAT, BARMY ARMY

'Why India-England matters

England captain Alastair Cook with Coach Andy Flower.

The Three Lions have landed in Mumbai. Almost 14 months after inflicting an almost physically painful defeat on India. And as an ardent fan of the longest version of the game, I am so excited for this Test series to begin, it is bordering on obscene.

A lot of water (and tears) has passed under the bridge since that fateful summer when England not only whitewashed India 4-0, but also snatched away the No. 1 Ranking (Of course karma set the record straight here later!) India has changed no wait it has transformed. Two of our best batsmen have left, the third is on the threshold, the No. 1 spinner is no longer a certainty and a youngster has taken over the role. The opening batsmen’s capabilities are being questioned and the opening bowlers are lack lethality. The batting order isn’t set, the captain is in misery, the fielding looks mediocre. England too has had their own share of the roller-coaster. Talismanic captain Andrew Strauss has left, leaving the reins of a volatile team to Alastair Cook. KPgate has created an unreasonable stir fanned by Coach Flower. And they are no longer the best Test team in the world (according to rankings) BUT, this is irrespective, irrelevant, immaterial. All that matters is that there is an India vs England 4-Test series happening soon!

I do not want to see this as a revenge series or a chance to get payback England. I do not want to see this as Sachin Tendulkar’s last series (possibly). I do want to see this as a baptism by fire for Captain Cook. I do not want to see this as Pietersen’s re-integration series. I want to see this, only and only as a comprehensive Test series between two capable, former World No. 1 Test sides. I want to see this as an endorsement for what good Test cricket should be. I want to see this as a turning point for the Indian cricket team. So it doesn’t matter if it isn't a 4-0 whitewash (although this score line will make a billion people ecstatic), it doesn’t matter if England combat spin with their bat and go on to score big or India crumble to Swann and Panesar, it doesn't even matter if it is a drawn series. As long as cricket fans world over get to watch a thoroughly entertaining and enlightening Test series. Indian cricket needs a pivotal Test series against a good team, and I hope this series can fill this void.

Personally as well this series is important to me. I hope to start blogging regularly again throughout this series (of course I also hope to meet Kevin Pietersen or interview Alastair Cook or alter the backward, stereotyped mind of Steve Finn, but that’s another story) But most important I hope to go to the Wankhede Cricket Stadium and watch five days of pure, unadulterated Test cricket with the North Stand Gang. And a Kohli/KP century, Zaheer Khan fifer or Viru-Gauti shutting the critics mouths would be an added bonus!

But the biggest hope I have from this series is to see some semblance of positivity to return to most Indian cricket fans. The negative attitude (on twitter and otherwise) that I have seen towards the team & most players is disheartening. It is justified in some measure, there have been performances that no one can be proud of and there has been a phase even the staunchest fan would be tempted to give up. But true Indian cricket fans are those who got up on the morning of the Adelaide 2012 Test believing we could turn a 7-0 deficit and win this one. And I am one of them. So here is hoping that when England and India take the field at Ahmadabad, we see five such days of cricket that the faith in the Indian team and belief in good Test cricket returns. Welcome to Bharat, Barmy Army!