England arrived on the Indian shores in the first week of November to partake in what I very wrongly predicted would be a forgettable series coming after a legendary smashing of the Aussies. And make no mistake; the Englishmen (of which yours truly is an ardent supporter) made all the efforts to ensure that the series would be forgotten even before it got over. At Rajkot, a belligerent Yuvraj reminded them of what it takes to play India in India, at Indore they did start well before faltering; at Kanpur they were undone by Dhoni’s smart reading of the D/L and it just went on. Frankly, even a Tim Henman stood a better chance of winning at his game but certainly not this team. I remember watching Freddie Flintoff celebrate an Indian wicket early in one game with his shoulders drooping and absolutely no confidence in his demeanor whatsoever. That spoke a lot about this team. Without Flintoff, without Pietersen they are like a rudderless ship. And a rudderless ship was exactly what KP’s captaincy was like. I would leave the topic as to why and how I started liking England and KP to be discussed for some other time but for now, I would certainly like to concede defeat to all my friends and fellow Indian supporters, and would also make it clear that I do not have a clue as to how England are planning to survive over the 10 days of cricket to be played at Chennai and Mohali!!
Coming back to the story though, it was after the rain hit game at Cuttack that things took a different turn, cricket took a complete backstage and a different species of sportsmen decided that it was time to play their game in a playground called Mumbai. I remember the ‘Shiv-Sena’ once dug up the Ferozshah Kotla in their bid to avoid the Pakistanis play on Indian soil; I wonder why they dint do the same to Mumbai on the 26th. The players who had arrived in Mumbai went on a Sehwag-like rampage hitting the Mumbai Police for a few sixes and fours. The city was taken hostage for a whole of 72 hrs and nobody, I repeat; nobody spoke cricket. 72 hrs without talking cricket is a long time in India and you really need to hit us hard for us to do that. England immediately made their way through to Cuttack-Bangalore-London and to safety.
What followed was an almost week-long round of negotiations, security checks, assurances to the players by the ICC, the BCCI, and the ECB amidst other things. The media channels as usual went into all kinds of speculations saying they would never come, they would come but without Flintoff & Harmison (I really doubt if the tests would have even lasted for 3 days in that case!) etc. etc. Finally, a full-strength (if you can really use that word) England took the flight to Abu-Dhabi still unsure of whether they would land up in India.
And now it’s over to Chennai. The first test starts Thursday 11th Dec; 15 days after the ghastly attacks on Mumbai. Pietersen and his men definitely deserve to be given the credit for what is a very bold decision on their part to come and play. Especially when they could have very easily opted out of what seems to be another disaster on the cards.
I guess though, and I think most people would agree, that it’s not anymore about cricket on this tour. Its definitely not. I am just waiting to see the two teams do a lap across the Chidambaram stadium once the test match is over and for me, that is going to be the moment of the series, leave aside anything dramatic. We aren’t bothered about whether it is Sehwag or Flintoff who get the century, the century is either ways gonna be dedicated to a Karkare or an Unnikrishnan. Let’s hope that someday, the champions of terror are successfully dissuaded against it. Till then, lets go on with the game. Let’s get back to what is our LIFE.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Time for colored clothes!!
Hardly 72 hours have passed since India handed Ricky Ponting’s Aussies a crushing 2-0 defeat and sent them packing to Melbourne. The euphoria of this win coupled with the realization that we would never again see two of the pillars of Indian cricket of the last decade on the field, is yet to sink in for most Indians. It’s in such an atmosphere of mixed emotions that India embarks on an ODI tour of 7games against the visiting Englishmen.
What at first sight looks like just another series most likely to be forgotten amidst the euphoria of the epic victory preceding it, the India-England series actually has the potential of delivering a lot.
KP v/s MSD:
For starters, it’s a battle between two of the youngest skippers on view on the international scene. Dhoni, who will look to carry the momentum of the Aussie tour into this series brings a never-before seen uncomplicated approach to the game. Ganguly did say in his farewell speech that he saw a lot of himself in Dhoni and that augurs really well for India. MSD not only commands respect from the team but also the opponents worldwide. By opting out of the Lankan test tour and by giving his own farewells to both Sourav and Anil, he’s also made it clear that he lives life on his terms.
Kevin Pietersen on the other hand is a charismatic leader. Definitely a superior batsman as compared to the Indian captain, KP after taking over the reigns from Flintoff is yet to settle down in his role completely. One of his crucial tasks would be to instill that no-fear attitude he himself brings to the game, in the Englishmen. Looking at the recent and the not so recent past of English cricket, this task looks easier said than done. England under KP does promise to give us another Ashes series like the one in 2005, but for that to happen the team building should start now. Giving the Indians a run for their money in their homeland can be a superb morale for any team and that’s exactly what Pietersen would look for.
These two youngsters are in charge of equally young teams. While Dhoni leads a team with an average age of 23, KP’s England stand at an average age of 27. This makes it an even more crucial series with many players wanting to make a lasting impression and stand out in the larger scheme of things. It remains to be seen then if the Englishmen decide to take the game to their counterparts and make an otherwise ill-timed series watchable and memorable. It would also be interesting to see whether Freddie manages to keep his emotions and shirt in place, now that his shirt-swinging partner is no more on the scene!!
What at first sight looks like just another series most likely to be forgotten amidst the euphoria of the epic victory preceding it, the India-England series actually has the potential of delivering a lot.
KP v/s MSD:
For starters, it’s a battle between two of the youngest skippers on view on the international scene. Dhoni, who will look to carry the momentum of the Aussie tour into this series brings a never-before seen uncomplicated approach to the game. Ganguly did say in his farewell speech that he saw a lot of himself in Dhoni and that augurs really well for India. MSD not only commands respect from the team but also the opponents worldwide. By opting out of the Lankan test tour and by giving his own farewells to both Sourav and Anil, he’s also made it clear that he lives life on his terms.
Kevin Pietersen on the other hand is a charismatic leader. Definitely a superior batsman as compared to the Indian captain, KP after taking over the reigns from Flintoff is yet to settle down in his role completely. One of his crucial tasks would be to instill that no-fear attitude he himself brings to the game, in the Englishmen. Looking at the recent and the not so recent past of English cricket, this task looks easier said than done. England under KP does promise to give us another Ashes series like the one in 2005, but for that to happen the team building should start now. Giving the Indians a run for their money in their homeland can be a superb morale for any team and that’s exactly what Pietersen would look for.
These two youngsters are in charge of equally young teams. While Dhoni leads a team with an average age of 23, KP’s England stand at an average age of 27. This makes it an even more crucial series with many players wanting to make a lasting impression and stand out in the larger scheme of things. It remains to be seen then if the Englishmen decide to take the game to their counterparts and make an otherwise ill-timed series watchable and memorable. It would also be interesting to see whether Freddie manages to keep his emotions and shirt in place, now that his shirt-swinging partner is no more on the scene!!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Sourav- End of an era!
I don’t know when I started adoring Sourav Ganguly. I don’t even recall the first time I watched Ganguly the batsman or for that matter Ganguly the captain. My efforts to dig deeper into time only take me back to that wild shirt-swinging moment on the lords balcony and a childlike Sourav happily dancing bare-chested moments after Kaif and Yuvraj had given India an unforgettable Natwest series. It is probably one of those innumerable Ganguly moments that would stay with me and his countless fans for the years to come.
If we were to conduct a snap poll on what Indians thought about Ganguly I think we would get a 50:50 love-hate response. The often repeated and overused phrase ‘You might love him or hate him, but you can’t ignore him’ fits the bill perfectly for Dada.
Sourav the captain announced himself on the scene just after the match-fixing saga and Azhar’s exit, probably one of the most trying periods Indian cricket ever went through. He not only pulled the lads together but also brought to the team an aggressive, no-fear attitude that was badly needed to sustain and perform in that time. It was his sheer luck that he got the services of a tactically brilliant yet extremely low-profile coach in John Wright. It must be remembered here that the Wright-Ganguly pair famously gave India some of her most spectacular victories on the cricket ground.
It is always fascinating to know what a coach thinks of his captain and Wrights latest book ‘Indian Summers’ has a lot to tell about Ganguly. While the coach says that he and Ganguly probably ended up spending as much time in the match referee’s cabin as no other captain-coach duo in the history of world cricket would have, he also says that it was the prince of Kolkata who gave the youngsters in the team a license to bite and snarl at the opposition, to set a maverick and defiant tone!
I cannot agree more with Wright here and probably this was why Sourav appealed so much to his fans, he brought to the Indian captains plate something which nobody before him could, an ability to look the opposition in the eye. I still remember watching the Indian bowlers (notably Srinath and Prasad) in the 90’s and the way their celebrations used to be subdued. I remember watching Sujith Somasundar (a one-ODI opener) take on Glenn McGrath in Australia and the fear in his eyes. Correct me if I am wrong, but I seldom saw the Indians intimidated by the opposition post 2000, post Sourav became the captain.
The only other guy who comes to my mind when I talk about being ‘fearless’ is the young Tendulkar, the Tendulkar who loved to come down all guns blazing especially on the Aussies. With all due respects to Sachin’s fans and even though he still remains the greatest Indian cricketer ever, that rustic madness was lost somewhere as he grew up. I wouldn’t want to compare the two greats, but I’ll just say that when you talk Tendulkar, you will think of the bat while when you talk Ganguly it will be the captain’s hat.
He never gave a stuff about convention, was never perturbed by what others thought of him, probably never gave a damn about being ‘nice’. Ganguly was always just plain Ganguly, for the good or the ill. Ohh yes, he did irritate many of us by being the ‘Maharajah’ on the field at times, but then he also managed to irritate Steve Waugh, didn’t he?
I guess the impending retirement is also a part of ‘being himself’. I guess he has taken enough from the board and his critics and finds it hard to continue. Maybe he agrees with Barrack Obama when the senator says ‘Change is what we need’. Whatever be the reason, its probably the right time to go. It gives the fans immense satisfaction to witness that their hero is ever relaxed and happy to be going. Just one last thing Sourav, hope we get to witness that offside cover drive one last time in Nagpur.
If we were to conduct a snap poll on what Indians thought about Ganguly I think we would get a 50:50 love-hate response. The often repeated and overused phrase ‘You might love him or hate him, but you can’t ignore him’ fits the bill perfectly for Dada.
Sourav the captain announced himself on the scene just after the match-fixing saga and Azhar’s exit, probably one of the most trying periods Indian cricket ever went through. He not only pulled the lads together but also brought to the team an aggressive, no-fear attitude that was badly needed to sustain and perform in that time. It was his sheer luck that he got the services of a tactically brilliant yet extremely low-profile coach in John Wright. It must be remembered here that the Wright-Ganguly pair famously gave India some of her most spectacular victories on the cricket ground.
It is always fascinating to know what a coach thinks of his captain and Wrights latest book ‘Indian Summers’ has a lot to tell about Ganguly. While the coach says that he and Ganguly probably ended up spending as much time in the match referee’s cabin as no other captain-coach duo in the history of world cricket would have, he also says that it was the prince of Kolkata who gave the youngsters in the team a license to bite and snarl at the opposition, to set a maverick and defiant tone!
I cannot agree more with Wright here and probably this was why Sourav appealed so much to his fans, he brought to the Indian captains plate something which nobody before him could, an ability to look the opposition in the eye. I still remember watching the Indian bowlers (notably Srinath and Prasad) in the 90’s and the way their celebrations used to be subdued. I remember watching Sujith Somasundar (a one-ODI opener) take on Glenn McGrath in Australia and the fear in his eyes. Correct me if I am wrong, but I seldom saw the Indians intimidated by the opposition post 2000, post Sourav became the captain.
The only other guy who comes to my mind when I talk about being ‘fearless’ is the young Tendulkar, the Tendulkar who loved to come down all guns blazing especially on the Aussies. With all due respects to Sachin’s fans and even though he still remains the greatest Indian cricketer ever, that rustic madness was lost somewhere as he grew up. I wouldn’t want to compare the two greats, but I’ll just say that when you talk Tendulkar, you will think of the bat while when you talk Ganguly it will be the captain’s hat.
He never gave a stuff about convention, was never perturbed by what others thought of him, probably never gave a damn about being ‘nice’. Ganguly was always just plain Ganguly, for the good or the ill. Ohh yes, he did irritate many of us by being the ‘Maharajah’ on the field at times, but then he also managed to irritate Steve Waugh, didn’t he?
I guess the impending retirement is also a part of ‘being himself’. I guess he has taken enough from the board and his critics and finds it hard to continue. Maybe he agrees with Barrack Obama when the senator says ‘Change is what we need’. Whatever be the reason, its probably the right time to go. It gives the fans immense satisfaction to witness that their hero is ever relaxed and happy to be going. Just one last thing Sourav, hope we get to witness that offside cover drive one last time in Nagpur.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Of the Euro '08 and the Englishman's woes.....
The conclusion of the IPL(Indian Premier League) on the 1st of June with the Royals finally clinching the title in a fitting finale has put an end to a 45-day long fest which the world and the Indian fan in particular enjoyed to the maximum. It was wonderful to watch how the IPL had made its way into the daily routine of so many Indians that you couldnt help but wish it would go on for ever!
However less than a week after the conclusion of the IPL, here comes another sporting extravaganza in the EURO '08 Austria-Switzerland; reason enough for the Indian soccer fan to sit up and start cheering again (this time sans the cheer girls though [;-)] )! My memories of the Euro cup take me back to an evening in 2004 when 10 of us footballing freaks had gathered at Chippa's place and occupied every inch of the TV-room in anticipation of a close battle between England & France, two of the powerhouses of the tourney. There were four unfortunate English supporters amongst us (yours truly included) and six others either pro-France or anti-England. What we witnessed that night was one of the all time great games of the Euro Cup, what with England leading the scoreline till almost 80 minutes until the combined efforts of a magnificent Zidane and a horrendous Gerrard conspired to finish it off for England in the space of six minutes and hand France an unlikely 2-1 victory.
Inspite of this setback, we continued to support the Englishmen religiously and the team also gave us reason to cheer by entering the knock-out stages. There they met a rampaging Portugal side, and again after seemingly appearing in control till the halfway stage and after losing their only potential strike weapon in Wayne Rooney to an injury, gave away the equaliser in the closing minutes of the game. Extra-time ended with the score tied at 2-2 with Rui Costa and Lampard getting a goal each for their sides. Beckham then missed the first penalty for England, and though Rui Costa soon missed to tie the scores again, it was left to Ricardo who first saved Vassel's spot kick and then scored himself to send England crashing out on penalties for the fourth time in a major competition.
Little did I know, that I was to witness an agonizingly similar story as I watched England take on Portugal again, this time in the Q/F's of the 2006 World Cup, at the Miramar Beach in the company of my friend and ardent English fan Atul. The minority English supporters (the support to Portugal was huge, considering we were in Goa) saw as first Beckham limped out due to injury, then Rooney was red-carded for a stamp. England still managed to battle bravely and take the game to extra-time and eventually to the shootout, only to ruin all the hard work as Lampard, Gerrard and Carragher missed from the spot.
England they say, expects to lose on penalties. And the curse is now not only limited to the English team but is also fast inflicting its players with John Terry being the latest victim, with the fateful spotkick he took in Moscow set to haunt him for the rest of his life. It is because of all this that although England's failure to qualify for the Euro'08 saddens me, in a way I am grateful that it guarantees that there will be no heartbreak! That although it has left many a English fans disappointed, they must also realise that this tourney gives them a chance to sit back and view all the action neutrally and enjoy it to the fullest without bothering of whos gonna win! With that, its over to Austria-Switzerland!
However less than a week after the conclusion of the IPL, here comes another sporting extravaganza in the EURO '08 Austria-Switzerland; reason enough for the Indian soccer fan to sit up and start cheering again (this time sans the cheer girls though [;-)] )! My memories of the Euro cup take me back to an evening in 2004 when 10 of us footballing freaks had gathered at Chippa's place and occupied every inch of the TV-room in anticipation of a close battle between England & France, two of the powerhouses of the tourney. There were four unfortunate English supporters amongst us (yours truly included) and six others either pro-France or anti-England. What we witnessed that night was one of the all time great games of the Euro Cup, what with England leading the scoreline till almost 80 minutes until the combined efforts of a magnificent Zidane and a horrendous Gerrard conspired to finish it off for England in the space of six minutes and hand France an unlikely 2-1 victory.
Inspite of this setback, we continued to support the Englishmen religiously and the team also gave us reason to cheer by entering the knock-out stages. There they met a rampaging Portugal side, and again after seemingly appearing in control till the halfway stage and after losing their only potential strike weapon in Wayne Rooney to an injury, gave away the equaliser in the closing minutes of the game. Extra-time ended with the score tied at 2-2 with Rui Costa and Lampard getting a goal each for their sides. Beckham then missed the first penalty for England, and though Rui Costa soon missed to tie the scores again, it was left to Ricardo who first saved Vassel's spot kick and then scored himself to send England crashing out on penalties for the fourth time in a major competition.
Little did I know, that I was to witness an agonizingly similar story as I watched England take on Portugal again, this time in the Q/F's of the 2006 World Cup, at the Miramar Beach in the company of my friend and ardent English fan Atul. The minority English supporters (the support to Portugal was huge, considering we were in Goa) saw as first Beckham limped out due to injury, then Rooney was red-carded for a stamp. England still managed to battle bravely and take the game to extra-time and eventually to the shootout, only to ruin all the hard work as Lampard, Gerrard and Carragher missed from the spot.
England they say, expects to lose on penalties. And the curse is now not only limited to the English team but is also fast inflicting its players with John Terry being the latest victim, with the fateful spotkick he took in Moscow set to haunt him for the rest of his life. It is because of all this that although England's failure to qualify for the Euro'08 saddens me, in a way I am grateful that it guarantees that there will be no heartbreak! That although it has left many a English fans disappointed, they must also realise that this tourney gives them a chance to sit back and view all the action neutrally and enjoy it to the fullest without bothering of whos gonna win! With that, its over to Austria-Switzerland!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Mumbai Indians: Points out of ten....
'Duniya Hila Denge!' The team which started with this punchline ironically itlself looked a bit shaken in the initial parts of the tournament coz of the absence of their talismanic captain Tendulkar and then the whole fiasco involving the stand-in skipper Harbhajan who first slapped and then got-slapped! It was finally under Pollock that the team started getting its act together and started getting some points on board. Since then they have refused to look back and gone on to win 6 consecutive games (an IPL record) and suddenly look good for a semi-final berth! Here we take a look at the individual performers of the Mumbai Indians and rate them on a scale of ten:-
1. Sachin Tendulkar: The captain was badly missed for the first few games with Bhajji's captaincy appearing a bit rudderless until the old man from South Africa took over! Sachins return, as expected has acted as a catalyst and has brought the best in his fellow team mates, especially his opening partner Jayasuriya. Sachin has looked flawless in his captaincy, making astute bowling and fielding changes and invoking confidence in the youngsters around. His batting is still to flourish, and it would do the team a world of good if he starts firing towards the business end of the tourney! (6/10)
2. Sanath Jayasuriya: Started with a string of poor scores, looked a bit out of place in the T20 format of the game, but has since found his feet and how well at that! With Sachin at the non-strikers end, he could perhaps be his normal self and go around carting the bowlers all over the park which is exactly what he has done. The sheer impetus that a 'Jayasuriya' can provide you at the top of the innings with his short-arm jabs is unmatched as of now in the IPL.
A utility bowler too, he can be used to stifle the momentum of the innings. (7.5/10)
1. Sachin Tendulkar: The captain was badly missed for the first few games with Bhajji's captaincy appearing a bit rudderless until the old man from South Africa took over! Sachins return, as expected has acted as a catalyst and has brought the best in his fellow team mates, especially his opening partner Jayasuriya. Sachin has looked flawless in his captaincy, making astute bowling and fielding changes and invoking confidence in the youngsters around. His batting is still to flourish, and it would do the team a world of good if he starts firing towards the business end of the tourney! (6/10)
2. Sanath Jayasuriya: Started with a string of poor scores, looked a bit out of place in the T20 format of the game, but has since found his feet and how well at that! With Sachin at the non-strikers end, he could perhaps be his normal self and go around carting the bowlers all over the park which is exactly what he has done. The sheer impetus that a 'Jayasuriya' can provide you at the top of the innings with his short-arm jabs is unmatched as of now in the IPL.
A utility bowler too, he can be used to stifle the momentum of the innings. (7.5/10)
3. Robin Uthappa: Uthappa, the most experienced and popular of the young lot, shoulders the burden of the middle-order. Has been fairly successful to carry the momentum of the innings in the middle overs and make the youngsters play around him in a few occasions. Is due for a big score himself though. With Bravo off to the caribbean, he needs to fire bigtime! (5/10)
4. Dominic Thornely: Injured his eye in the first game, missed the next three, has been wonderfully effective since then! Thats the story of the IPL for Dominic Thornely, an astute buy whoever decided to bid for him. A player neither too great with the bat or the ball, but does the job expected out of him. His presence in the middle order should come as a releif to the likes of Uthappa and Nayar. Needs to carry on the form and instill his aussie spirit in the team. (7/10)
5. Dwayne Bravo: The injury to Lasith Malinga was what prompted Sachin to quickly make a move for Bravo and it were Harsha Bhogle's PR skills that got him to Mumbai! It was Bravo's match-winning innings against the KKR that fetched his team the first win of the tourney. A typical calypso bat, coupled with the ability to take a few wickets made him an important cog in the team. His absence will definitely hurt, with doubts being raised if Andre Nel (his replacement) can fit into his boots. (7.5/10)
6.Abhishek Nayar: The 'find' of the tournament for Mumbai and eventually for India, as my friend Tapan puts it, he has been a revelation! Brilliantly fitted in in the role of the pinch-hitter in the final overs, this guy can also play the waiting game before pushing on if the team falters and loses quick wickets upfront. A brilliant team player along with a useful bowler on slow pitches makes him an integral component of the team. (6.5/10)
7. Yogesh Takawale: Takawale came into the team a bit late after the experiment to play Luke Ronchi as a w/k failed. Called upon to perform the twin duties of keeping wickets and opening the batting with Jayasuriya he immediately adjusted in his role and gave the team a few decent starts. Relegated to his original No.7 position in the batting order with Tendulkars arrival, he gives the team the much needed depth and striking prowess. (5/10)
8. Shawnn Pollock: It took a hat-trick of defeats and a suspended captain in Harbhajan for a brilliant Shawnn Pollock to step up and stem the tide of defeats for the Indians. Pollock not only got the best out of his men on the field, but also managed to keep the media wolves at bay with his consistent wit and sarcasm. His splendid line and length kept getting better with every game and gave him the double bonus of wickets and the second best run rate in the IPL (Mcgrath being the best). He has undoubtedly been the best performer for the MI's till date and they would want this old war-horse to keep shining! (8.5/10)
9. Rohan Raje: Another of the youth players who has put his hand up and contributed to the teams cause. A guy, who was trembling with the ball in his hand during the first game at Wankhede has grown both in stature and confidence thanks to the time invested on him by Sachin and Pollock.The bowl he castled Laxmi Ratan Shukla wud have done his confidence a world of good. Rohan Raje looks a brilliant prospect for the Mumbai Ranji side atleast if not for the Indian team! (6.5/10)
10. Dhawal Kulkarni: One of the stock bowlers for the team in the initial games, this inexperienced lad did well to bowl a nice attacking line and length, getting wickets per game for his captain. He was always a bit expensive though which perhaps cost him his place in the side eventually along with a groin injury. Will surely be required to make a comeback if the team needs him and is a good prospect to have on the bench. (4.5/10)
11. Ashish Nehra: Eyebrows were raised everywhere when the team management decided to get Ashish Nehra, a man flung into wilderness by the selectors from a long time. He has not only reposed the faith laid in him by the management, but has responded excellently and has turned out to be a wonderful foil for his new ball partner Pollock. Bowling alongside his captain has helped him a lot and could be the first step in getting his flagging career back on track!Needs to guard against his old enemy, inconsistency. A lot depends on the new ball pair of Pollock and Nehra if the MI's have to go a long way into the tournament. (7/10)
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Of Vijay Mallya and his 'Royal' Challengers!
My respect for this flamboyant entreprenuer was as high as any Indian youth especially an MBA would have had, a little more than that probably too given his forays into the sporting arena with his investments first with the West-Indian cricketing outfit and more recently with the Formula One Racing team of 'FORCE INDIA' and with the 'Royal Challengers of Bangalore' in the IPL. I always looked up to him as a person who could play a vital role in turning around India's fortunes on the worlds sporting scenario with his financial might and keen interest in the area.
Its a bit hard to say though that his behavior in the recent times in response to his teams showing in the IPL has been disappointing at best, and not worthy of the charismatic character that he is; expected to lead from the front and help his boys out of the rut. He has infact came down cracking the whip on his CEO Charu Sharma and the iconic captain Rahul Dravid, blaming their selectorial blunders for the poor performance that has the RCB languishing at the bottom of the table.
I am not here to defend either Charu Sharma or Dravid, and I wud rather agree to the general beleif that they erred bigtime in their team selections. What I would like to say here though is that it was Vijay Mallya who in the first place appointed them as the CEO and the captain respectively and hence saying that 'the CEO didnt have proper understanding of the game' midway into the tournament that too after he has been fired doesnt serve any purpose. In Dravid's case, if one looks at his performances in the tmt he hasnt been all that bad, especially if you compare him with the other 'ICONS', he has been at par if not better than them. Even if we decide to take a look at the players Mallya himself was looking to buy had he got his way then, we see that the list consists of both Dhoni and McCullum, the inclusion of two high-profile wicketkeepers defying any cricketing logic. A look at the performance of Misbah-Ul-Haq, who Mallya forced Charu Sharma to bid for, gives a pale shadow of the player that he was for Pakistan in the T-20 world cup!
In fact looking at the performance of the RCB, they havent performed any worse as compared to what FORCE INDIA has been doing in the F1 circuit, so it should be interesting to see if the Fisichella-Sutil combo meets the same fate as Dravid and his men. I would only say here that its not winning or losing that matters as much as your behavior in each of the circumstances.......Wishing the Royal Challengers all the best in the reminder of the tournament and hoping that they spring up a few surprise results on the way!
Its a bit hard to say though that his behavior in the recent times in response to his teams showing in the IPL has been disappointing at best, and not worthy of the charismatic character that he is; expected to lead from the front and help his boys out of the rut. He has infact came down cracking the whip on his CEO Charu Sharma and the iconic captain Rahul Dravid, blaming their selectorial blunders for the poor performance that has the RCB languishing at the bottom of the table.
I am not here to defend either Charu Sharma or Dravid, and I wud rather agree to the general beleif that they erred bigtime in their team selections. What I would like to say here though is that it was Vijay Mallya who in the first place appointed them as the CEO and the captain respectively and hence saying that 'the CEO didnt have proper understanding of the game' midway into the tournament that too after he has been fired doesnt serve any purpose. In Dravid's case, if one looks at his performances in the tmt he hasnt been all that bad, especially if you compare him with the other 'ICONS', he has been at par if not better than them. Even if we decide to take a look at the players Mallya himself was looking to buy had he got his way then, we see that the list consists of both Dhoni and McCullum, the inclusion of two high-profile wicketkeepers defying any cricketing logic. A look at the performance of Misbah-Ul-Haq, who Mallya forced Charu Sharma to bid for, gives a pale shadow of the player that he was for Pakistan in the T-20 world cup!
In fact looking at the performance of the RCB, they havent performed any worse as compared to what FORCE INDIA has been doing in the F1 circuit, so it should be interesting to see if the Fisichella-Sutil combo meets the same fate as Dravid and his men. I would only say here that its not winning or losing that matters as much as your behavior in each of the circumstances.......Wishing the Royal Challengers all the best in the reminder of the tournament and hoping that they spring up a few surprise results on the way!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
On the Comeback Trail.......Typical Bolton!!
My sincere apologies for missing out on what can turn out to be the most interesting and crucial fortnights in Bolton's defence of their premiership survival battle because of my week-long visit to Saurav Ganguly's Calcutta.....As I had said before; the two away games, first at Middlesborough and then at the White Hart Lane against a determined Spurs side were gonna be the most tricky and crucial and Bolton desperately needed to eke out points to stay afloat!
And people, it gives me immense pleasure to say that Bolton not only managed to hold their own in these two games, but got a booty of 4 pts, with every point earned at this stage of the season worth its weight in gold, or whatever is costlier! The win against Boro and the subsequent draw at Spurs couldn't have come at a better time and it augurs well as an intensely close relegation battle (with 2 teams out of the 15th to 19th set to go down) goes into the last two Saturday's of the season.......
It was not only about the points but the manner in which they came was thrilling!People who witnessed the first half at Boro refused to give Bolton a hint of a chance in the game coz of their insipid display. But it was the typical grit, the defensive stubbornness, the hard-tackling abilities and the tactful use of set-pieces which is so typically Bolton that saved the day for them. It finally came down a set-piece goal from veteran Gavin McCann in the 55th min to take Bolton into the lead. From there on, they managed to keep the Boro attack at bay to carve out a crucial away win......
Moving on to a typically scratchy game at Spurs, it was an inspirational Stellios goal which put Bolton into the lead in the 46th, and had it ended at that Bolton would have been well on its way, but Spurs came back strongly and ended the game 1-1. With Birmingham managing a 2-2 draw with Liverpool and Reading a 0-0 with Wigan, the relegation battle remains that much more intense. What with Fulham, trailing 0-2 halftime at Man City and their season on the line, returned to take the game 3-2, it seems nobody at the bottom is ready to give an inch away!!
Just a snapshot of whats the exact scene like:- Boro 15th (36), Bolton 16th (33), Reading 17th (33), Birmingham City 18th (32), Fulham 19th (30)....I have hardly seen it get any closer in earlier seasons and though I am enjoying it I would like Bolton to seal the next game against Sunderland at home and guarantee another season at the top! Leaving it to the final day of the season at Stamford Bridge against a raging Chelsea side suddenly looking good for a double doesn't seem to be a very heartening prospect!
And people, it gives me immense pleasure to say that Bolton not only managed to hold their own in these two games, but got a booty of 4 pts, with every point earned at this stage of the season worth its weight in gold, or whatever is costlier! The win against Boro and the subsequent draw at Spurs couldn't have come at a better time and it augurs well as an intensely close relegation battle (with 2 teams out of the 15th to 19th set to go down) goes into the last two Saturday's of the season.......
It was not only about the points but the manner in which they came was thrilling!People who witnessed the first half at Boro refused to give Bolton a hint of a chance in the game coz of their insipid display. But it was the typical grit, the defensive stubbornness, the hard-tackling abilities and the tactful use of set-pieces which is so typically Bolton that saved the day for them. It finally came down a set-piece goal from veteran Gavin McCann in the 55th min to take Bolton into the lead. From there on, they managed to keep the Boro attack at bay to carve out a crucial away win......
Moving on to a typically scratchy game at Spurs, it was an inspirational Stellios goal which put Bolton into the lead in the 46th, and had it ended at that Bolton would have been well on its way, but Spurs came back strongly and ended the game 1-1. With Birmingham managing a 2-2 draw with Liverpool and Reading a 0-0 with Wigan, the relegation battle remains that much more intense. What with Fulham, trailing 0-2 halftime at Man City and their season on the line, returned to take the game 3-2, it seems nobody at the bottom is ready to give an inch away!!
Just a snapshot of whats the exact scene like:- Boro 15th (36), Bolton 16th (33), Reading 17th (33), Birmingham City 18th (32), Fulham 19th (30)....I have hardly seen it get any closer in earlier seasons and though I am enjoying it I would like Bolton to seal the next game against Sunderland at home and guarantee another season at the top! Leaving it to the final day of the season at Stamford Bridge against a raging Chelsea side suddenly looking good for a double doesn't seem to be a very heartening prospect!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
On Chelsea's drab draw and life beyond the football field......
There are two things that every football fan will die for at the end of an EPL season: an extremely close fight for the title; and an equally scrappy, entertaining struggle at the bottom for deciding the three relegation contenders. While I am happy to say that the relegation battle threatens to get ever-too interesting in the coming weekends, I am afraid that the title race is already over, with Manchester United having got a firm stranglehold on the title after Chelsea's drab, 1-1 draw with Wigan at Stamford Bridge.....Hats off to Manchester United though (and this should count for something coming from a person who is anti ManU from the bottom of his heart) for the way they have played all season, the Rooney-Ronaldo-Tevez trio at the front combined with a menacing looking midfield (Giggs, Scholes, Hargreaves, Carrick) and a solid defence makes them deserved champions if they go on to win it.
With the premiership saturday gone and no champions league or IPL to fall back onto in the mid-week I happened to stumble on a roadside bookstall and ended up picking a copy of Khaled Hosseini's (The Kite Runner) second literary work 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'. I would say it was one of my finest purchases with regards to books for a long long time, a wonderful novel dealing with the lives of two women, set on the backdrop of a war ravaged Afghanistan under the Taliban regime......
With the premiership saturday gone and no champions league or IPL to fall back onto in the mid-week I happened to stumble on a roadside bookstall and ended up picking a copy of Khaled Hosseini's (The Kite Runner) second literary work 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'. I would say it was one of my finest purchases with regards to books for a long long time, a wonderful novel dealing with the lives of two women, set on the backdrop of a war ravaged Afghanistan under the Taliban regime......
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Bolton 1-0 West Ham....The battle is ON!!
Innumerous attempts at the goal, umpteen corners, two close goals disallowed for offside; it almost seemed like it was not going to be Bolton's day until Kevin Davies slotted home from close range from a Matt Taylor corner. Playing at home for the second last time in the season, Bolton desperately needed the win to keep any hopes of staving off relegation alive.....
What this win has given them now is a chance to leapfrog Birmingham to the 17th spot, provided results go their way on the next weekend! Alongside this result, it was Fulhams win from the 19th spot and Birminghams draw on the 17th that left the relegation battle wide open. The teams involved start right from the 16th placed Reading (32), Birmingham (31), Bolton (29), Fulham (27), the list concluding with the already relegated Derby.
The real concern for Bolton though is the apparent dearth of goal scorers, with the matchwinner of yesterdays game, Davies being sidelined for the coming two games owing to his 10th yellow of the season. Diouf looks scrappy, Nolan not having played enough due to his injury, its gonna be the young striker Raziak and the old warhorses Campo and McCann to take the onus for goalscoring!!
Meanwhile, the action hots up at the other end of the season tonight as Chelsea take on Wigan and Manchester United host a spirited and rebellious Arsenal team coming on the back of their Champions league exit at the hands of Liverpool.
What this win has given them now is a chance to leapfrog Birmingham to the 17th spot, provided results go their way on the next weekend! Alongside this result, it was Fulhams win from the 19th spot and Birminghams draw on the 17th that left the relegation battle wide open. The teams involved start right from the 16th placed Reading (32), Birmingham (31), Bolton (29), Fulham (27), the list concluding with the already relegated Derby.
The real concern for Bolton though is the apparent dearth of goal scorers, with the matchwinner of yesterdays game, Davies being sidelined for the coming two games owing to his 10th yellow of the season. Diouf looks scrappy, Nolan not having played enough due to his injury, its gonna be the young striker Raziak and the old warhorses Campo and McCann to take the onus for goalscoring!!
Meanwhile, the action hots up at the other end of the season tonight as Chelsea take on Wigan and Manchester United host a spirited and rebellious Arsenal team coming on the back of their Champions league exit at the hands of Liverpool.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Aston Villa 4-0 Bolton!! Already relegated?
When a club is going through tough times, it needs the men who matter to sit up, take notice and act in order to save it the blushes. As a Wanderers fan, I would take this opportunity to list down the men who matter for the club and what they were doing when Bolton, on the evening of 5th of April, took on a brilliant Villa side and was mauled 4-0.
Sam Allardyce:- Former Manager and messaih, we would have loved to have him in the Bolton box and not at ESPN studios where he was busy analysing their loss.Alas!
Nikolas Anelka:- The man of the season for Bolton, the savior for most part of the campaign, his transfer to Chelsea couldnt have come at more wrong a time.
Kevin Nolan:- The captain and the young leader, you would want the impact players to be present at this ever crucial time and injuries to him as well as to Ivan Campo have hit the campaign hard.
With the scenario looking as bleak as this, it wasnt a surprise that Bolton couldnt even manage a point away at Villa, though the margin of the loss did come as a shocker. With this kind of a line-up and form, I dont think theres a need for the fans to even turn up at the Reebok, as relegation seems to be a foregone conclusion.
What I feel was the only takeaway from the weekend was the fact that both Fulham and Birmingham lost, thus keeping Bolton firmly rooted at No.18 and still 4 points away from safety, no more no less as compared to last week. Ironic as it may seem, the only way for Bolton to stay up seems to be 3 other teams deciding on getting relegated.
What Bolton needs though is the likes of Nolan, Jaaskalainnen and Campo to come back quickly and take charge of the situation to rally the youngsters around them. And this needs to happen in quick time, coz every weekend from now on has the potential to decide the final outcome!!
Sam Allardyce:- Former Manager and messaih, we would have loved to have him in the Bolton box and not at ESPN studios where he was busy analysing their loss.Alas!
Nikolas Anelka:- The man of the season for Bolton, the savior for most part of the campaign, his transfer to Chelsea couldnt have come at more wrong a time.
Kevin Nolan:- The captain and the young leader, you would want the impact players to be present at this ever crucial time and injuries to him as well as to Ivan Campo have hit the campaign hard.
With the scenario looking as bleak as this, it wasnt a surprise that Bolton couldnt even manage a point away at Villa, though the margin of the loss did come as a shocker. With this kind of a line-up and form, I dont think theres a need for the fans to even turn up at the Reebok, as relegation seems to be a foregone conclusion.
What I feel was the only takeaway from the weekend was the fact that both Fulham and Birmingham lost, thus keeping Bolton firmly rooted at No.18 and still 4 points away from safety, no more no less as compared to last week. Ironic as it may seem, the only way for Bolton to stay up seems to be 3 other teams deciding on getting relegated.
What Bolton needs though is the likes of Nolan, Jaaskalainnen and Campo to come back quickly and take charge of the situation to rally the youngsters around them. And this needs to happen in quick time, coz every weekend from now on has the potential to decide the final outcome!!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
The Road Ahead......
- Aston Villa (A) 5th April :- An absolutely crucial game, maybe a six-pointer given both the importance of starting to win and the kind of opposition that waits ahead (Messrs Tottenham Hotspurs and Chelsea included). Failure to pick up anything less than 3 solid points at Villa Park will hit the campaign real hard. Given Aston Villas standing at No. 8 its going to take a real good game to get past them.
- West Ham United (H) :- One of the easier games on view, need to make the best of it in view of the imposing opposition waiting ahead. Once again, West Ham's standing in the table (No. 10) makes them a not-so-easy opposition to deal with.
- Middlesborough (A) :- Another of the mid of the table oppositions, Boro placed at 35 pts are unlikely to be drawn into the relegation strife bottom of the table. Bolton though positively need to pick up points from these three encounters to stand any chance!
- Spurs (A) :- Spurs, an age-old nemesis for Bolton, should again prove to be quite tough given the stars in their kitty. They may have hugely underperformed yet again, being only at the 11th spot, but they have the ability to beat any team on their day.
- Sunderland (H) :- A game with another of the relegation rivals, this game should be a virtual 6 pointer. One of the easier targets, given Sunderland's weak and inexperienced line-up, notwithstanding Keane's amazing rise as a manager. This game should decide the fate once and for all!!
- Chelsea (A) :- The toughest of the lot, if they have to ensure their safety, they gotta do it before this game. Leaving it so late and against such a rival would mean a momentous task which seems quite improbable given the current form.....
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Six Decisive Weekends!!
As I sit comfortably and gaze at the laptop screen showing the EPL Tables for the '08 season, I realise that my team, a certain 'Bolton Wanderers Football Club' is looking straight down the barrel and would be playing in what maybe its last six premiership games for a long long time to come.
Having completed my two-year stint with the Goa Inst of Mgmt and looking forward to a two month long break I would have been pleased to be personally present at Bolton to cheer the teams cause for a fight to stay up. Sadly enough, my father seems to be in no mood to sponsor my sojourn and so the 'pen' seems to be the only weapon I have to back my team. I wish to take this opportunity to start blogging, and in the process, take you through the last six EPL games which would ultimately decide Bolton's fate. It would also be interesting watching if the stars of Man United falter and in the process hand the title to a Chelsea or an Arsenal!!
The pessimism amidst the fans after the last game against Arsenal is understandable as the ease with which Bolton blew a 2-0 lead at half-time to register a 2-3 loss at full time was typical of a side facing the 'drop'. The fans still haven't lost hope and would be praying that the team rises up to the occasion in the next few games and goes to safety on the table. What we badly need at this moment are talismanic performances from the senior pros like Nolan, Campo, Diouf and the others......
Taking a look at the task ahead, our opponents are:-
1. Aston Villa (Away) 5th April
2. West Ham (Home) 12th April
3. Middles borough (Away) 19th April
4. Tottenham (Away) 26th April
5. Sunderland (Home) 3rd May
6. Chelsea (Away) 11th May
An analysis of the opponents, the magnitude of each game and the potential rivals in the relegation battle soon to come........
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