Author: Bobji

India can win the WTC provided 1

Posted on by Bobji

The second edition of the World Test Championship will be upon us in about 3 months from now. India and Australia will compete for the title. For Australia, who has won everything under the sun, this is the only ICC Trophy that hasn’t adorned their glittering cabinet. As for India, it has been more than 10 years since they won any ICC tournament. They have come close only to fall in the last or penultimate hurdle. In terms of a recent big tournament win, Australia is ahead of India. They won the World T20 as recently as 2021. What must India do to win the WTC finals?

Let us get onething straight. Australia will be the odds-on favourite in the finals. They have an extensive knowledge of the English conditions and with The Ashes scheduled to commence in July, one would assume that they will have all the bases covered for the England tour and that includes the WTC finals. Another important factor in favour of Australia is that most of their main bowlers have had decent enough breaks. Either forced or because of injury. Cummins missed the last couple of Tests in India whereas Starc, the first couple. Hazlewood the entire series. Lyon will not be part of the IPL and hence will have an extended break.

The pressure on India will be enormous. They will have to cover every possible base to be in prime condition for the finals. Against an Australian side who will eager to avenge the multiple series losses over the last several years, India will not only have to be in peak form but will also have to be mentally strong. I have tried to identify the 5 aspects that the team and the board must take care of inorder to win the finals.

First class games

The entire Indian contingent with the exception of Pujara will be involved in more than 2 months of T20 cricket. This format is a complete antithesis of the longer version. The pitches in all the games during the IPL will be so batsmen friendly that it will be easier to just hit through the line. Moreover, the white ball will not at all swing and the dew conditions in the night will hamper the spinners in some of the games making the entire tournament skewed in favour of the batsmen.

A minimum of 14 games will hinder the techniques of both the batsmen and the bowlers. The format itself does not encourage the bowlers to try and pick up wickets and they will be content to restrict the opposition.

Under such a scenario, the finals will be held in alien conditions. The IPL finals will be held on the last week of May and the WTC finals are scheduled to commence on 7 June. It hardly leaves the team with any preparation time. A similar IPL schedule hampered the Indian team’s preparation in 2021 and the same awaits now. BCCI never learns.

A strong opponent is important too

Before the finals, a couple of first class games are mandatory. It will not only help the Indian team to acclimatise to the foreign conditions, though they have visited England regularly, but will also help them in preparing against the red-ball after being exposed to white-ball cricket for more than 2 months. Ideally, 2 practise games will be required before the finals but due to the paucity of time, the board must at the very least, arrange for one game. Arranging a preparatory game is onething but to ensure quality opposition is another.

The board must use their influence with the ECB to field a strong enough team to ensure proper practice for the team. Before 2021, New Zealand played an unscheduled 2-Test series against England which paved the way for their victory. An Indian win in the WTC finals will also help the English team inadvertently because it may bring down the confidence in Australia by a notch. Indians are likely to protest but they must be shown the bigger picture.

The importance of proper practice games before an important series can never be overstated. Nowadays, it has become a fashion to opt out of such games. Ofcourse, far too much cricket is also to be blamed but before every crucial series, these games will be invaluable. For inspiration, India will do well to cast their mind to the 2020 Australian tour where they played a couple of preparatory games and emerged victors in the end.

Swing bowlers

This is where India is likely to struggle. English conditions are known to help the swing bowlers. Especially, when the clouds rollover. India is severely restricted on this front. Shami, Siraj & Umesh, who are likely to form the attack, are essentially hit the deck bowlers. More suited for the bounce of Australia and South Africa. Unfortunately, the decline of Bhuvneshwar Kumar has left a huge void. With his bowling skills and his ability with the bat, he could have been an asset in England.

Shardul Thakur is the best bet but he lacks serious pace. Arshdeep Singh is another who can swing the ball and his left-arm angle will complement the other bowlers but his international experience is limited. Will it be worth the risk at a high profile final? The selectors will have to find a swing bowler who is good enough at the international level. I am afraid the options are limited at the moment.

Other related blogs can be read here, here, here, here, here and here

The Virat Kohli Test Hundred

Posted on by Bobji

24 Tests, 42 innings and 1205 days, that is the time it has taken between Kohli’s 27th and 28th Test hundred. The average plummeted from a wonderful 54.97 to 48.12. A hundred is special no matter the format but a Test hundred is much more valuable because of the value it carries. Wherever he went, he was reminded of that elusive hundred, be it the hotel lobby or the spectators. The media was constantly harping on the lack of hundreds and justifiably so. The drought extended to uncomfortable length and when it was broken, it came as a huge relief not just for Kohli but for an entire nation. The Virat Kohli Test Hundred.

Mark Waugh for his part said, “I cannot believe a player of his class has gone that long without a hundred. He’s a world-class player and I feel like a hundred is just around the corner for him,” he had said. Kohli himself admitted in a candid chat with Rahul Dravid that the thought of not scoring a hundred for such a longtime was eating him up.

The 71st century too took sometime to come but once it was scored, Kohli has now scored 5 in rather quick time. Media has again started to speculate whether Kohli will be able to surpass Tendulkar’s all-time record of 100 international hundreds but that needs to wait. He still has a long way to achieve that and there are far more important games coming up least of which is the WTC finals.

A mellowed down Kohli

The one pleasant change in Kohli reaching an important milestone was how he reacted to the achievement. The Kohli of yesteryears would have ripped his helmet, roared like a lion with lots and lots of swear words thrown in. The Kohli as of now is a much more mellowed version. It was really nice to see Kohli just remove his helmet, smile and raise the bat to the thunderous applause of the Ahmedabad crowd. He was young then and all the intervening years must have made him somewhat circumspect. Would it be possible that he was deprived of captaincy, has had an effect on his change in attitude? Could be.

Kohli’s extended run

Few months ago, Kohli addressed the century drought with a hundred against Afghanistan in his least favourite format and he followed that up with hundreds in ODIs. Though all of these 100s provided sort of relief for the Indian fans, it is a Test hundred that settled nerves. I usually do not celebrate individual achievements. For me, it does not really matter who has performed as long as the team wins but I found myself instinctively applauding a much deserved century.

Kohli has done things for the Indian team that just a couple of have over the entire history. It is no mean feat to average more than 50 in all the formats. It has eluded the likes of Smith, Root & Williamson, Kohli’s fellow greats of the current time. When others around him were dropped at some point in time, Kohli was persisted with despite multiple failures. An average of just above 24 over a 3 years period just does not do justice to his run making ability. It was because of the incredible service that he has done for the Indian team.

Every Indian willed him to get to a double this despite the fact that overs were being taken away because of slow batting due to a difficult pitch. However, this is for Kohli and for his yeoman service. Hence, it wasn’t wrong for any Indian to put an individual above the team just for a moment.

Does a hundred really matter?

The hundred is just a number. However, batsmen the world over knows that it is measure based on which they are judged. Lack of a century gets into their heads, affects their thinking and by extension their game. Now that the pressure is off his back, it is time for Kohli of the old to return.

Watching Kohli progress towards his hundred on Sunday, felt like an experience from the past. India began day three with a deficit of 191, and with one of their middle-order batters laid low by a bad back. Jadeja fell with a further 170 to equal Australia’s score. Only Ashwin and Axar are left for company. Under such circumstances, there was no way that Kohli would take undue risks and there was little chance of Australia’s bowlers giving him an inch. Kohli waited and waited and waited furthermore. He collected his runs in singles and the occasional boundary. With Kohli batting time, the chances of an Australian win evaporated ever so slowly.

Wrapping up the Virat Kohli Test Hundred

Kohli can relax now. The much elusive century is here and a mammoth one at that. There are bigger challenges coming up. Having scored a century in every format over the last 6 months, Kohli’s thoughts must move onto enabling India to win the WTC and ODI World Cup. It is something that eluded him as a captain but it is something that he will love to be part of as his career winds down to a close.

Other related blogs can be read here, here, here, here, here and here

The takeway for Australia after the series

Posted on by Bobji

Atleast I thought that Australia were the favourites to win the series before it started based on their impressive performances in Pakistan and Sri Lanka and also based on the suspect Indian top and middle order batsmen. Perhaps, just perhaps, if only Australia weren’t too arrogant and had played a couple of games before the 1st test, the series could have been won. They showed that in Indore after having learned from their mistakes at Delhi and Nagpur. Future tours to the sub-continent, especially to India, they will probably be a little bit more circumspect and would want to play some practise games. The takeaway for Australia after the series.

For a whole host of Australian cricketers, a series win in India will remain unfulfilled. Smith, Warner, Lyon, Khawaja and could be even Starc and Cummins, are unlikely to return to the country in 4 years time. The first test was a blip but from Delhi onwards, Australia found themselves on the driving seat except for one mad hour as Smith calls it. Prior to that, Axar Patel played a match winning innings which completely turned the game on its head. However, overall, Australia do have some gains and some disappointments throughout the series.

In Handscomb, Head, Murphy & Green, they have a nucleus of a side that may do better in the next tour of India.

The strangest decision

On the first morning of the first test, when the team sheets were exchanged, everyone were astounded to learn that Travis Head was dropped. He may have struggled in Pakistan and Sri Lanka but he pulverised attacks at home prior to the series. Regardless of the circumstances, Australia must have chosen Head. Who was his replacement? Matt Renshaw. The same Renshaw who floundered in the last series in 2017 was chosen ahead of Head. He did not go onto justify his selection with a couple of questionable shot selections. Head would not have performed any worse than Renshaw. Australia learned their lesson and went for Head from the next game onwards. A decision they will not regret. So, what or who were the real gains for Australia?

Todd Murphy, the apprentice

The emergence of Todd Murphy. Ever since the retirement of the great Shane Warne, Australia went through a whole lot of spinners in trying to replace the great. Their search ended when the selectors picked Nathan Lyon. Lyon over the course of his career has proven to be a wonderful bowler. He is not feted in the same way as an Ashwin or Jadeja or some of the Asian spinners but just a look at his record will show how wonderfully has he bowled and what a brilliant player has he been for Australia.

Now, history repeats itself. Lyon does not have too many years left and as such, Australia will again have to start their search. Luckily, in Todd Murphy, they seems to have found a readymade replacement while Lyon is still an active player. He took 7 wickets on his international debut, which was just his 8th first class game. Though he didn’t pick another rich haul, he bowled with great control and provided timely breakthroughs. The contest with Kohli stood out with Murphy getting his wicket 4 times.

Only problem with Murphy is that his career is likely to be staggered. Australia will not play any series in Asia atleast for another couple of years. With Lyon still playing and bowling well, Murphy will have to wait for another 3 years to command a place for himself. It is a problem being a spinner in Australia because the chances are few and far between.

Usman Khawaja’s redemption

Khawaja was told that he cannot play spin. Over the last couple of years, on the spinning wickets of Sri Lanka and India and the docile pitches of Pakistan, he has shown that not only can he survive in spin friendly conditions but can also prevail. The remarkable partnership with Green at Ahmedabad ensured that Australia had a shot at levelling the series until they ran into the brick wall of Kohli. At his age, he has had a remarkable second coming and now he turns to England where he was initially dropped.

The remarkable Green

Ever since he made his debut, Green has been marked as someone special. He is often compared with Ricky Ponting. He showed that the comparison may not be wrong with a brilliant hundred at Ahmedabad. Granted, the pitch was docile but when Green entered, they were in a spot of bother having just lost the 4th wicket. In the calming presence of Khawaja, Green started cautiously, grew in confidence and ended in a flourish. The highlight of the innings was the drive of the front foot.

His bowling allowed Australia to pick 3 spinners with him sharing the new ball. His challenge may well arise in England with the Ashes looming but for now, he can bask on the completion of his first hundred.

David Warner, the real disappointment

It was Warner’s 3rd series in India and inbetween, he had ample volume of opportunities in Asian conditions. Yet, time and again, he has been found wanting. He wasn’t sure whether to attack or defend. At Delhi, he played an innings that would have made Pujara blush. It is remarkable that after so many visits, he still hasn’t shown the inclination to improve his batting on the tough Indian wickets.

The Australian fast bowlers

The spinners were expected to play a major role but the Australian fast bowlers were expected to provide some timely wickets. Just 5 wickets among Cummins, Boland and Starc is not acceptable. In comparison, Shami took lot more than the Australian fast bowlers.

Wrapping up the takeway for Australia after the series

As mentioned above, the nucleus of the Australian side will once again visit these shores in 4 years time and will hope to do one better. It wasn’t a disastrous tour as everyone thought at the end of the first test. Hopefully, Australia will appreciate the value of preparation ahead of an Indian tour. We will have to wait for 4 years.

blogs can be read here, here, here, here, here and here

The takeway for India after the series

Posted on by Bobji

Well, the series is done and dusted. Literally. India have emerged victorious with a 2-1 result. At the beginning of the series, if someone had informed Rohit that India will win the series with that margin, he would have happily taken it because such was the state of Indian cricket at that point. Rahul, Pujara & Kohli suspect form for way too long, Rohit and Jadeja having not played red-ball cricket for close to a year, Rishabh Pant’s unavailability, naturally India were on the defensive right at the beginning. At the end of the series, India would have loved a bigger margin rather than what they managed ultimately. The takeway for India after the series

It is just incredible to think that India have not lost a series to Australia since 2014. It includes 2 consecutive series wins in Australia. This is an extraordinary achievement. No other team can boast of such a record against Australia throughout the history of the game and certainly not in this millennium. Having said that, has this rivalry become the preeminent in the world? I suppose Australian supporters will not be swayed because for them, the Ashes occupies a much heralded position than any series.

Anyway, speaking about India, what were the real gains and the real loses throughout the series?

Let me begin with the gains

Undoubtedly, Virat Kohli’s mammoth innings in the final test at Ahmedabad. It was a much needed hundred from him after a barren streak of close to 4 years. He is too good a player to have missed out for so long. Ofcourse, there is no doubt that the pitch helped him immensely. It was the flattest pitch in many years in this country. Having said that, runs will still have to be scored and with Kohli’s hundred, an entire nation heaved a sigh of relief. However, it was surprising that he did not press on for a double. Perhaps, he was too tired having run his runs as well as the runs of his partners. Eventually, it was revealed that he had a high fever. Probably he had enough at the end.

Whether Kohli has regained his scoring spree of old remains to be seen. The next Test is the WTC final at The Oval in England where except for one stellar series in 2018, he does not really have fond memories of the country.

Shubman Gill has probably arrived

Shubman Gill has once again shown how good he is with the bat. With hundreds across all the formats, he is surely a player for the present and the future. However, his lack of runs at Indore on a raging turner will once again raise questions about the lack of consistency. On such pitches, he will want to tighten his defense. The one good thing about his batting is that he does not get bogged down. He is always on the lookout for runs. Onething is certain. In Gill, India has found a solid opener who can be at ease in all the formats though I personally will not consider him for T20s.

Though Rohit Sharma tapered off during the series, his first innings hundred paved the way for India to dominate the first and second tests. He had hardly played red-ball cricket prior to the series but showed good composure.

The major disappointment

It is none other than Axar Patel. It might be surprising to read his name but it is a fact that has been overlooked. Axar’s performance with the bat was exceptional. The innings at Delhi not only ensured that India retained the Border Gavaskar Trophy but it also ensured that we will not lose the series. There is not an iota of doubt about his batting but was it his primary skill? No, it is not. He is a bowler who can contribute useful runs lower down the order. It is on this front that he failed to make the series count.

A total of 3 wickets in 4 Tests on spin friendly surfaces just does not wash. Probably, if he had picked up wickets, he may not have been required to contribute substantially with the bat to justify his position. Axar will have to remember that it is only on Indian pitches where he will get opportunities to play. The moment the team leaves India, his chances will evaporate. Jadeja and Ashwin are ahead of him in the pecking order outside of India.

Pujara

He is another major disappointment. Time and again, he goes into the shell and refuses to come out. He is an experienced campaigner and for him to end of short on multiple occasions, it probably is time to look elsewhere.

Other noteworthy contributions

Ashwin and Jadeja were in their elements under favourable and known conditions. They also contributed with the bat quite handsomely. Ashwin reserved his best for the last. On a placid pitch, to pick up 6 wickets for less than 100 runs is extremely good by any standard. The surprise packet was however, Mohammed Shami. He was undoubtedly, the best fast bowler on either side. Shami really put in his all, keeping tight channels with the new ball, and was difficult to get away with when the old ball was reversing. The cartwheeling stumps are a delight for any fast bowler to watch.

Jadeja and no-ball

It must be mentioned that Jadeja’s repeated no-balls may have actually cost India the Indore Test. It is a crime for any bowler to bowl a no-ball because the popping crease is big enough for any bowler to land his feet just inside the line, whereas Jadeja, is always so close to the front line that if almost any ball can be a no-ball. He needs to correct this abomination quickly lest he contribute towards further losses. Just imagine a scenario where he takes the last Australian wicket in the WTC finals with Australia requiring one run to win and that wicket actually turns to a no-ball.

Wrapping up the takeway for India after the series

This was a good result for the team but they will be severely tested in June.

Other related blogs can be read here, here, here, here, here and here

The 3rd Test done and dusted

Posted on by Bobji

Pune 2017. Chennai 2020. England 2012. What is common among these games? The opponent had decent enough spinners and the Indian batsmen are not that good anymore against spinners. Coupled with a spin turning far more than expected, Indians were found wanting. The 3rd test done and dusted, literally.

Lyon is a damn good bowler. He is much underrated. He averages 4 wickets per test despite playing most of his career on the non-spinning wickets of Australia. Throw in the games that he has played in England, South Africa and New Zealand, that is an impressive record that he has. When the pitch suits spinners, he becomes a dangerous bowler. The 8 wickets at Indore was the 3rd such instance of him taking that many in India.

His performances in India has been far superior to the legend Shane Warne. Lyon stands at 2nd in the most wickets for the series column. One ahead of the much revered Ashwin. Since the retirement of Shane Warne, Australia went through a whole host of spinners to identify the perfect one. Even Steve Smith, the current great Test batsman, came into the side as a leg-spinner who can bat. They finally settled on whom the Aussies call as The GOAT.

The batsmen were horrible against spin

India lost the Test on the very first morning. It just is not possible to comeback into game after having bowled out for 109 before tea on day 1. None of the batsmen looked settled. None of them knew how to bat on the wicket. Granted, the pitch turned far more than what was expected. There are so many pitches in Ranji cricket that turns similar degrees. If only the Indians give proper respect to Ranji Trophy that has brought them into international cricket, they would not crumble like cookies.

The continued poor form of Kohli and Pujara is of grave concern. Pujara was atleast dropped for a shortwhile before the poor standards of English County Division 2 bowling brought him back into the team but Kohli remains the elephant in the room. The more he bats, the more he convinces everyone that his best days are over. The way he struggles against the turning ball makes everyone cringe. This is not the Kohli that Indians have come to have known. This is an imposter. Pujara does about just a little bit to continue to be in the team like the 50 in the 2nd innings.

The spinners

Axar Patel, for all his runs with the bat, has taken just a solitary wicket. This is the biggest shock of the series so far. He you have wickets turning square and Axar hasn’t been among the wickets. He was if not expected to run through Australia, prove sufficient breakthroughs which would have meant the pressure on Jadeja and Ashwin will be limited. Jadeja is another whose frequent no-balls is a crime. He comes so close to the popping crease which is ridiculous. Why cannot he deliver with the feet well inside the popping crease?

He got Labuschagne of a no-ball. A wicket and that too of Marnus at that stage, would have put the pressure right back on Australia. No one can tell but perhaps, just perhaps, that wicket may have reduced Australia’s lead by a significant number of runs. Instead, Marnus prospered in the company of Khawaja. It was that partnership of close to 100 runs that paved the way for Australia to post more than 80 runs lead which on this pitch is a luxury.

The role of the coaching staff

The batting coach, the bowling coach, the head coach. How many coaches does a team need? Yet, Indian batsmen have been floundering for a large part of the last 5 years. Vikram Rathour the current batting coach and Sanjay Bangar the previous batting coach are never in the limelight. Bangar atleast has been removed from his position but what about Rathour? He has seen the Indian batsmen struggle in India, England and South Africa and yet, he hasn’t done anything to correct the technical glitches that have creeped into the batting.

The case of Kohli. Here is someone who is in danger of retiring with a sub-50 average and nothing has been done to rectify his mistakes. Rahul and Pujara’s inconsistency is very well known. Gill’s talent is wasted and Shreyas’s shortball woes continue. Despite all of these, Rathour’s role is not questioned. He is afterall paid for his coaching duties. Ofcourse, every cricketer will go through a spell of poor form but Kohli’s has stretched for 4 years as well as Pujara’s. Rahul is intermittent.

It is time India searches outside the country for all kinds of coaches.

As for Australia

They must be smiling. They have managed to pull one win something out of the blue. No one, least of all, the Aussies expected them to put up such a good show. That they managed despite the absence of their regular captain is a tribute to their tough attitude. Whether this win was achieved because of Smith’s captaincy is difficult to conclude because Australia would have won if Cummins had still been in India. They came really close in Delhi. Only a freak morning denied them victory. Now, they have come full circle and have learned how to bat in these conditions.

Wrapping up the 3rd Test done and dusted

The series is wide open. Australia have already qualified for the WTC finals with this win. India need one more win to qualify or need Sri Lanka to lose both the games in New Zealand. The latter is likely to happen. Much of the same is expected at Ahmedabad. For Kohli and Pujara, this must mark their last test for sometime. They can comeback into the team but for now, action must be taken on those senior pro for failing to perform for a very longtime. It is the Indian batsmen who are the reason for India not wrapping up the series at Indore.

Other related blogs can be read here, here, here, here, here and here

Kohli is it time to ask the question?

Posted on by Bobji

I have been a staunch supporter of giving Kohli a lengthy rope despite his below-par performance over the last 4 years. There were calls for Kohli to be dropped from the Test team because of his poor performance but I actually wanted him to take a break from the game for a period of 6 months and come back afresh. Kohli himself admitted that a break of about a month helped him to recover and he regained his white ball form. Now, it is time his undisputed position in the team is brought into sharp focus. Let me describe in Kohli is it time to ask the question?

When it comes to replacing a batsman in the Indian team, one always thinks about Rahul, Pujara, Rahane or even Rohit Sharma but for some reason, Kohli’s name never comes up in the argument. Well, it is understandable, afterall, Kohli’s performances till about 4 years ago was extraordinary. In ODIs, he has won games with nonchalant ease. The 183 against Pakistan cannot be forgotten by any Indian anytime soon. He took to chasing a score like a duck to the water. So much calm and composure. The calculating mind was seen in action all the time while India chased in ODIs and T20s. The effortless shots on both front and backfoot has always been a treat to watch.

When it comes to Test cricket, ofcourse, he hasn’t played any match winning innings in the 4th innings despite multiple opportunities, twice in South Africa and twice in England, but he helped the team to post a mammoth total for the bowlers to defend. Much of India’s dominance in India over the last decade was because of the volume of runs Kohli scored.

What matters is the present

However, all of that were in the past. Over the last 3-4 years, his form has declined consistently and decisively. There simply is no way out of the rut that Kohli finds himself in. Ofcourse, he is making every effort to come out of the rut but unfortunately for him and for the nation, there simply doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Kohli has really earned his extended period of bad form because of what he has achieved in the earlier part of his career. Anyone who judges Kohli based on his recent form must think of his contribution, both as a captain and as a batsman. However, that does not mean that questions must not be raised when the situation has become this dire.

Kohli has the worst average of any Indian batsman who has played more than 15 Tests during the last 4 years. Lesser than Pujara, lesser than Rahane, lesser than Rohit and even lesser than Rahul. The ongoing series against Australia is a case in point. Admittedly, the pitches have been anything but batsmen friendly but some batsmen have showed that runs can be had on those pitches. Rohit Sharma showed that with a brilliant hundred. To a larger extent Khawaja and even Handscomb have shown how to survive and thrive on these pitches. Even the spinner Axar Patel, who is in the team for his bowling has got a better average and has scored more runs than Kohli.

Difficult pitches are not the only reason

Kohli’s barren run is not just because of the difficult pitches. During these 4 years, he has batted everywhere else but he wasn’t able to make a single innings count. His struggle is not a secret any longer. It is out in the open. His inability against the spinners is quite clear. His tactics against the spinners is becoming quite predictable. Whenever the opponent sees Kohli walk-in, a spinner is immediately called onto bowl to get rid of him. 5 of his last 8 dismissals were LBW which shows that he is unable to read the line. There was a time when the Indian fan had hope until Kohli was at the wicket but not anymore and it is really sad to see.

Why does Kohli’s failure matters?

Kohli’s failure to take charge like he has done in the past and attack the bowlers is missed dearly. His failures get amplified because of the non-performance of Pujara, Rahane and Rahul at the sametime. As a result, the Indian team is struggling to post totals for the bowlers to defend and to make matters worse, India are playing with 5 specialist batsmen which means atleast 3 of them must score runs. With the rest not scoring either, problems of Kohli is magnified.

Wrapping up Kohli is it time to ask the question?

This is not a call for Kohli to be dropped from the squad rightaway but rather, Kohli must be told that things cannot remain the same any longer. He will have to shape up or be prepared to be shipped out. For his failures have been dragging himself and the team through an abyss. There is not an end in sight. He is blocking the path of some deserving youngsters. Ofourse, he can always make a comeback by playing in Ranji games and regaining his touch. That window must be kept open for him.

Rohit Sharma’s ridiculous comment

Posted on by Bobji

On the eve of the 3rd Test at Indore between India and Australia, Rohit Sharma has made a rather bizarre comment about requesting for green pitch at Ahmedabad. When I first read it, I cannot believe my eyes. What am I even reading? Is he serious? Does he even understand what he is saying? How ridiculous it sounded? Does he even realise that his words will be taken out of context and that the Australian media will have a field day? They will say that they told you so of India doctoring the pitches. These are infact tall claims in the middle of the series. Rohit will do well do concentrate on the job at hand rather than making tall claims. This is about Rohit Sharma’s ridiculous comment.

“It will be a different ball game (facing Australia in England) for both teams, actually. There is definitely a possibility of that (Ahmedabad as preparatory game for WTC final). We have already spoken about it. We need to get the guys ready for it. If we get the result we want here (Indore), we might think of doing something different in Ahmedabad for sure.”

Absurd comment

First of all, let me look the absurdity of this comment. The 4th and the final test will start and end before March 13. The final is slated for the month of June. There is a full 3 month window between now and the final. What benefit does playing on a seaming wicket produce now? Absolutely zero. The IPL will start in another 3 weeks. It will go on right till the beginning of June. Every Indian cricket will be involved in the IPL. They will get completely used to white-ball cricket. Come June, all that they will be capable of doing is to hit through the line. The bowlers will want to restrict rather than try and pick up wickets. 3 months of IPL will completely change the way the players approach the finals. It is nonsense to even think of a green pitch so early.

Second, the test will be played in India and not in England. The conditions, the pitches will change drastically. The green pitch will not have any bearing on the pitch at Lord’s. India have prepared such pitches in the past. Most notably, before the series against South Africa, Eden Gardens laid out a green pitch against Sri Lanka. India won that easily but went to South Africa and lost the series promptly. This despite the fact that the South African series started 10 days after the Sri Lankan test.

The irresponsible comment

The Australian, English and other international media have always said that the Indian players specifically ask for turning pitches. It maybe true or it may not be true. Either the players ask the curator to prepare turning pitches or the curators themselves, looking at the dominance of India at home, prepare such pitches to suit the home team. The point is, Rohit’s comment will be construed as the players interfering in the preparation of the pitch.

Wrapping up Rohit Sharma’s ridiculous comment

Rohit’s comments sparks of arrogance. He has said that the priority is to win the 3rd test but that by commenting on a green pitch at Ahmedabad, he has come across opinionated. If a question was asked about the pitch, he must be posed a question back to the questionnaire what is the point of worrying about a game that will be held 3 months from now when there is 3 months of hit and giggle IPL is coming up?

Other blogs about Rohit

Rohit’s Test

Rohit Sharma

Rohit transformation

The Indore India Australia Test

Posted on by Bobji

Well, Indian team is smiling. They have a taken a 2-0 lead and cannot lose the series. Having said that there is much to play at Indore and in the last test. India have more or less qualified for the WTC finals in England. They will play Australia who have also qualified though there is an outside chance of Sri Lanka sneaking into the finals if they win 2-0 in New Zealand and Australia are blanked 0-4. That is out of the question. Australia may well lose 0-4 but for Sri Lanka to win in New Zealand, that is not going to happen. Anyway, the Indore India Australia Test has quite a few things to look forward to.

Australia will be much worried. They must be desperate to avoid a whitewash. Smith returns to the captaincy throne after Cummins had to cancel his trip back to India because family reasons. So far, Australia do not seem to have an answer for batting against spin. Probably, a couple of practise games could have aided their preparation. They chose not to ask for such games to their own detriment. Australia have lost 32 of the 40 wickets to spin. At Nagpur, they played of the backfoot only to be bowled or LBW. At Delhi, they were intent on sweeping anything and everything and ended up in a heap. What do they plan to do at Indore?

In the spotlight for India

As for India, it is definitely Virat Kohli. It has been way too long since Kohli has contributed meaningful runs in the Test arena. His poor form and combined with that of Rahul and Pujara is not making things easier for the team. India is lucky that this series is being played here. With such a shoddy batting lineup, any team would fancy their chances. Jadeja, Ashwin and Axar must not be expected to rescue the team time and time again. Axar has already done that twice including a match turning 72 at Delhi.

It is time for Kohli to stamp his authority. He is too good a player to be not scoring for such a longtime. First of all, he must look to score runs of the spinners rather than looking to stay at the wicket. It is not his natural game. It will merely be an understatement to say that Kohli has completely lost the art of playing spin. For him, it does not really matter what type bowler is, Kohli will invariably poke and prod and thereby do not move the score along. He is perhaps lacking in confidence. He doesn’t seem to think that he can dominate the spinners.

Few Ranji games could have helped but he choose not to appear for Delhi. India are in a stage where the core is getting old together. Rohit, Pujara, Kohli are all 35. We cannot afford for all of them to retire at the sametime. Young players must be inducted.

Pujara and Rahul

Which leads to Pujara. If not for that below average English County Championship Division 2 bowling, Pujara may not have comeback into the team at all. He was selected based on his extraordinary performance for Sussex and promptly failed at Edgbaston. If both Pujara and Kohli needs to be replaced, so be it.  As for Rahul, I really do not know what to say. He is a liability.

In the spotlight for Australia

One, their game plan. Smith will do well to rewind to 2017 and see how he batted on that tour. Magnificent. He showed that when it comes to Test cricket, he is the boss. I know it is easier said than done but Australia will have to overcome the shackle that they find themselves in.

Two, the lack of runs from the blades of Smith and Marnus is the real worry. These two alongwith Khawaja were expected to score the bulk of the runs. While all the 3 have one decent stint at the wicket, none of them went onto to register significantly. This is what must bother the Aussies. Smith is the best Australian batsman of spin. If he is unable to find a way to tackle the Indian spinners, no one else will.

Three, Australia must discard the mentality of playing 3 spinners. With the inclusion of Green, Australia will need someone to support Starc. Boland is the only obvious choice. They need pace on these pitches and Starc is the only one in either team who has the ability to blast the batsmen. Starc’s finger injury is not completely healed but he is raring to go. Now that Green is back, Australia could even opt for the extra batsman with spinners expected to bowl the majority of the overs.

The pitch

Well, the Australian media is at it again. The pitches in India will turn fellas. Get over it and concentrate on the job at hand. They are making their team nervous by overly concerned about the pitch. One can only hope that Australian team is not carried away by all the hyperbole about the pitch. They were quite concerned about the pitch at Nagpur and Delhi and the results are right in front of their eyes.

Ian Chappell has however chosen to instill some sense into the Australian minds

“there are ways to thrive against slow bowling in India, but the current Australia side seem to not quite know about them. You don’t discover how to play good spin bowling later in life on a scarified Australian pitch just prior to a vital tour of India.”

Wrapping up the Indore India Australia Test

India will want to wrap up the series at Indore and thereby confirm the finals berth whereas Australia will want to ensure that they are not as embarrassing at at Nagpur and Delhi. India will also dearly want Rohit Sharma to win the toss. It is pretty vital in India. One thing is for sure. None of the Test in the series will be a draw. Rain is out of the question in India during this time of the year.

Other related blogs can be read here, here, here, here, here and here

The incredible Harry Brooks

Posted on by Bobji

Harry Brooks has announced himself on the international stage in a grand manner. The start he has had in his career has nothing short of incredible. Ofcourse, these are early days and he still has a long way to go. The signs however are promising. Will Brooks attain the greatness and stardom, only time will tell. As of now, we can only marvel at the incredible Harry Brooks.

Brooks has 4 centuries so far. The latest hundred was something extraordinary. Not for nothing is he being talked about in the same breath as some of the current excellent batsmen. Take the example of his 4th century. England lost their 3rd wicket before they scored 25. Anyone else or any other team will want to take things slowly. Play out the initial overs, wait for the bowlers to tire, the wicket to ease out before launching into an attack. Not so Brook. He launched into an all-out attack right at the outset. It showed this confidence he has on his batting ability. You must be really good if you have to overshadow someone with the ability of Root. Brook did that with nonchalant ease.

The bright start

One particular shot stood out for its sheer brilliance. Tim Southee was at the top of his run up. He started and gathered steam. The ball was pitched right on the off stump line. Brook  wsa ready for it. He lofted straight over the head of the bowler. The ball sailed into the stands. It was a monstrous hit. On any ground, it would have been a 6. The precision, the power and the class was clearly seen. Brooks says,

“The position of the game makes that decision, to be honest. The ones in Pakistan were amazing and good fun, but they were all very flat pitches. Today wasn’t a flat pitch. It’s a good cricket wicket, but not a flat pitch where you can smack it everywhere. I’ve done that a little bit, but it’s a pretty good pitch.”

He has already scored more than 800 runs. Only Gavaskar & Bradman have scored more than Brooks at the start of their career.

What makes a lot of cricket watchers be in awe of Brooks? For starters, the runs he has scored already. Two, the conditions where he has scored those runs. Granted, Pakistan pitches were as flat as it could get. No seam no bounce and no spin. Just plonk your foot forward and hit through the line. However, the conditions at New Zealand are vastly different. Particularly on the first day where the ball moved. One could guarantee that he will be successful in England & in South Africa too.

His litmus test awaits in Australia and India but that is for later. England are not slated to tour Australia for another 3 years and India for another 2 years. Third, the tempo of his batting. Bazball is fine. Stokes and McCullum encourages everyone of the English batsman to play an aggressive brand of batting but to bat in such a fashion for someone who is quite new, it takes a lot of courage.

The return of Bairstow

Brooks has replaced the injured Bairstow. England could not have wished for a better replacement. However, what happens when Bairstow returns? Surely, Brooks cannot be dropped after his series of blazing innings. It will be cruel. Bairstow will have to be accommodated as well for he was the epitome of Bazball cricket before Brooks took that to stratosphere. How is England going to accommodate him? They may replace Pope but he hasn’t done anything wrong either. There is a spot at the top with the continued lack of performance on the part of Crawley. Bairstow is an opener in white-ball cricket. Would he be willing to do the same in Test cricket too?

Wrapping up the incredible Harry Brooks

Brooks maybe incredibly talented but it is too early to talk about him being a great player. A potential great player, yes certainly. He needs to prove himself in India and Australia. Until then, comments about his greatness can be reserved. Afterall, Root himself hasn’t yet scored a single hundred in Australia.

The contrasting tale of Bumrah and Stokes

Posted on by Bobji

Under Ben Stokes, England has attained a level where no other cricketing nation has gone before. The transformation of Test cricket that he helped herald, which is known as Bazball, has captured the imagination of every cricket supporter. Stokes is already being talked about being the best English cricket captain. There are some illustrious names in the that. As for Bumrah, well he has been injured for quite sometime now but it is expected that he will make himself available for the IPL. I read one interesting topic about Bumrah where a former cricketer claims that the board will withdraw Bumrah from some games. There was another article, this time about Stokes who will leave the IPL earlier. The contrasting tale of Bumrah and Stokes.

Let me start off with Bumrah

Bumrah hasn’t played competitive cricket for well over 6 months. Aakash Chopra has suggested that the Mumbai Indians, for whom Bumrah plays in the IPL, will have to listen to the BCCI to monitor the workload of Bumrah during the IPL.

“You are an Indian player first, and then comes the franchise. If the pacer feels discomfort, the BCCI will tell Mumbai Indians that Bumrah is unavailable. The world won’t end if he doesn’t play seven games with Jofra Archer,” he said on his YouTube channel.

“If the player is fit, you must monitor his workload. If the BCCI says to rest him for a few games, MI can’t say no. Bumrah is a national treasure, and things aren’t difficult to manage,” he added

The do not care attitude of the board

When I read this, I could only chuckle. When has the BCCI cared about the national team? Never ever. They keep on arranging lots and lots of meaningless games. The ODI and T20 series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka just before the Australian series being a case in point. The board is hellbent on destroying Indian cricket as against growing the game. The players are constantly shuffled from one series to another. The hotel stay, the travel and various other things makes playing for the team unattractive. A few years ago, when India were scheduled to travel to South Africa, the team had a gap of about a month to prepare. It is one nation where India has never won a series in over 30 years.

This time must have been used to travel to South Africa, play in a series of first class game, get adjusted to the conditions and then approach the series. What did the BCCI do? They organised a series against Sri Lanka so that the team were not only jaded but did not have the much needed practise in South Africa. Likewise, the history of Indian cricket is littered with lot of examples which proves that the board does not really care about the players, the game or the reputation of the team.

Mumbai players’s passion

Such a board, how can they be expected to ask an IPL franchise to not play their best bowler? It is simply impossible. First, the board will not do so. Second, the captain of Mumbai Indians, Rohit Sharma, will not be pleased to rest Bumrah even for a single game. It was the same Rohit who had categorically rejected rest for Bumrah just before the 2019 ODI World Cup. Poor Bumrah. He played in all the 14 games without a break. Manjrekar in his autobiography, revealed that Mumbai cricketers are much more likely to play with passion for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy than while playing for India. Rohit only confirmed that with his rejection of resting Bumrah.

Stokes in contrast

Stokes has confirmed that he will cut short his IPL tenure to prepare for Ireland and The Ashes. The final of the IPL 2023 is scheduled just 4 days prior to the start of the test against Ireland. Now, this is just Ireland and England are anyway expected to win that with or without Stokes. Especially, given their current form. Despite that, Stokes still wants to be present for the game. Yes, he is the captain but even the captain can afford to skip some games. Not Stokes and not while playing for England. It shows his commitment. It shows what matters more. IPL or real cricket.  

Stokes is experiencing an incredible run of wins. Ofcourse, he will want to be present for each and every game that England plays but what standsout in contrast to Bumrah is his willingness to expend himself eventhough the opponent is only Ireland.

Wrapping up the contrasting tale of Bumrah and Stokes

Aakash Chopra must think before he speaks. When it comes to the Board Of Control for Cricket in India, their first aim is to make money. Lots of it. Welfare of the players, reputation of the team and by extension the country is an afterthought.

Other England related blogs

McCullum and coaching

England need a new captain

England in West Indies

England white ball cricket