Can Australia redeem?

As I write, both Australia and England are fighting it out for Ashes 2010. Only time will tell who will win the series; but at the moment Australia is in dire straits. Australia is 0-1 down after 2 test matches. Even before this series started many pundits, world over, had predicted an unfaourable result for Australia.

Can Australia redeem? Do they even have a chance to come from behind and win the Ashes?

I do not have the answer. However, Australia are unlikely to be a decent force in test cricket for another 2-3 years.

I looked at the official ICC test player ranking. Although these rankings are not a fair measure to gauge team strength albeit they do tell a bit about players' ability and form.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/rankings/content/page/211270.html

I was not a wee-bit surprised to see that none of the Australian player is part of top 10 list. Does it give you any indication of times to come?

This aint a "I told you so" post

Team selection for Zimbabwe Tri series 2010


Last month I wrote a post about poor team selection for Zimbabwe tour.


Unfortunately my premonition about a poor series for India came true. Far from being poor, we were dismal in Zimbabwe. The sad thing is that it was bound to happen as there is no system governing Indian cricket - both BCCI and Media are at fault.


What has BCCI achieved? Are there any new finds? Have they identified any new talent which was unknown before? Have they boosted the moral of new players? Have they done justice to the fans?


Far from it. Team India has been relegated to number 3 position in ICC ranking...


On the other side of system, Media is blind even after having the advantage of the hindsight. In last few days there have been many media stories castigating the players and the team. How callous and irrelevant? They could not recognize that young inexperienced team, however talented, was never going to win matches on their own. I am sure if 1 or 2 players were part of the regular squad, they would have excelled. Alas! that never happened.


All is not lost though. We can still learn some lessons:
1. BCCI should only play reasonable number of matches in a year so regular players are rested for important matches.
2. BCCI should adopt a rotation policy to give young talent a chance and build bench strength rather than making wholesale changes.
3. Media should not become over-enamored by young talent and try to provide positive criticism.


Whether it will happen. I have my doubts but we all have to do our bit to "save the tiger"...

Blessing in Disguise

South Africa in India
Season: 2009-10

Indian team is carrying long list of injuries – VVS, Sreesanth, Dravid and Yuvraj. Sreesanth, Dravid and Yuvraj have been left out while VVS may not play the first test. It is, of course, not an idle situation; the frontline players are cannot play and the opponent is supposed to be the best team in World cricket today. The competition will be all the more difficult as it could decide the number 1 spot in ICC test ranking.

Sreesanth absence will not hurt Indian team. His services, in all probability, will not be needed given that Zaheer and Ishant are bowling well. Dravid is a great player and his absence cannot be compensated. On the other hand Yuvraj has done little to prove that he values test berth and is a fair replacement for Dada.

I think the situation presents a very good opportunity to India if VVS plays. In the absence of Dravid and Yuvraj, Vijay and Badrinath are likely to play the first test. Vijay, in a short tenure, has already impressed with his solid technique and unflappable temperament. Badrinath has been on fringes of Indian team and has been knocking the doors for long.

Will Badrinath grab the opportunity and do justice to his debut? Only time will tell. If he does well and gets more chances, India can look forward to another good middle order batsman. The situation is a blessing in disguise and let us hope for the best.

I hope Indian selection panel can learn something from this situation. They rotate the players to test the bench strength. Australia could rotate players in first half of the last decade; India can do it now and they should do it well before Big 3 will retire.

Let's pray for England win in England vs. SA test series

England start their test series campaign against SA tomorrow. Let us support and pray for them to win the series handsomely for India's cause. Lest they do, South Africa can inch up towards numero uno slot in ICC test ranking.

Consider this the other two top teams, namely South Africa and Australia, are playing 7 and 10 tests respectively in next 12 months. And India is playing only 2 tests and that too against low ranked Bangladesh. Only God can help India in retaining the top ranking.

IPL is HOT

What about IPL? It has been a month since it got over. Well! A news about IPL just came in...

Excerpt from Behind NFL, MLB & NBA there is IPL

The IPL has emerged as one of the top five most valuable global sports properties in the world. The IPL, which is just two years old, has been placed fifth globally, valued at $ 1.6 billion, behind the established American giants.

Are you kidding me?

I do not know what method did they use to arrive at the results or how scientific was their analysis. But it certainly proves few things:

• Mr. Modi is a great administrator - He has made his mark in the history of cricket. India and BCCI was wary of T20 cricket to the extant of repugning it. Mr. Modi, I must say against all odds, not only conceptualized IPL brought it up in a very short period. And of course made it hugely successful.
• India loves shortest form of game - Why do you think IPL is a USD 1.6 b property?
• The money in cricket world flows from India - What would a billion crazy fans do without cricket.
• Whatever ICC might do to control number of T20 matches, T20 cricket will grow.

I am sure BCCI and IPL governing council would be proud of this news but they must realize that along with adulation comes the responsibilty. BCCI and IPL must use this opportunity to make cricket world much better:

• IPL must use the money judiciouly to develop domestic cricket. It must nurture cricket in small towns and reach out to
• BCCI must support ICC in developing cricket where it is not a major sport.

Mr. Shahrukh Khan has a winner in his hands even though KKR has not made a strong statement on the field.

Can India become number 1?

BCCI selection committee is in a dilemma whom to select and whom to drop for ICC T20 world cup. Read the following article on cricinfo
RP in contention for World Twenty20
BCCI selection committee has a happy problem at hand. They have problem of plenty; they can choose 15 member squad from a pool of 20 or more quality players A team's strength can be judged by looking at the quality of players who are not part of team squad. India has very good quality players who are not part of international squad. These qulity players can walk into the team any day on the basis of their performance in IPL or other domestic tournaments.
In this decade India have remained serious contenders for number 1 only because of strong playing 11. But lately the bench strength has improved and they have been winning consistently. It has happened because of improvement at domestic level (Ranji, IPL et. el.) and under 19 level.

We can only expect that team will improve further and in near future India will become ICC number 1 team; albeit in T20 and one day. But test matches are a different ballgame. In test there are players staking claim to get into team but to it will be next to impossible to replace Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman. Let us just hope for the best.

Why is Australia the number 1 team?

Australia has remained number 1 team for more than 15 years and barring a stray competitive series no one has been able to break their hegemony over the number 1 spot. In recent times, after they lost series to India and SA and SA displaced them from number 1 ICC ranking, there has been a talk of Australia going down as a team.

I think it is wrong to say Australia is no longer the number 1 team. 2008 was not a good year for them. They lost to India and SA but 2009 has started on a right note. They have regrouped and defeated SA and Pakistan in one day series. The team's strength can be judged from the quality of players who are not part of playing 11. Consider the current series where Australia have beaten Pakistan hands down. There is no Ponting or Hussey or Johnson, arguably the best players of the team. Clark has lead the side admirably in Ponting's absence. Moreover let us consider some other facts:

1. Some of the other extremely talented players like Warner, Hodge, Katich are playing in IPL and are doing very well.

2. Players like Gilchrist/Hayden retired last year and their places were taken by new players players

3. Lee is not playing due to injury.

Australia will remain number 1 team for a long time considering a second string team, without regulars, has defeated Pakistan comfortably.

Next post - Can India become number 1?