We are half way through the Common Wealth bank series and it seems quite different and bizarre even when compared to the ones that we have been watching earlier in the same country. Australia have played well below par, a sign of their distraction or the fact that they are slowly going down hill as a team, or are tired and jaded at the end of a long, challenging and controversial summer. Be that as it may, but here are some of the things that have happened to the Australian team over the last few weeks. Australia have been bowled out for 159 in 43 overs against India and for 203 on a good wicket at Adelaide again against India. Andrew Symonds who a few months ago, was being called the best one day player in the world has scored 38 runs from 5 innings. Ricky Ponting the premier batsman in the world for the last three years has eked out 53 runs from 5 innings and Hayden easily the most dominant batsman in world cricket has only done slightly better managing 84 runs in 4 outings. Australia have dropped more catches this summer and in this series than one can recall. And yet Australia have won three of their last four completed matches, getting bonus points in all the three matches that they have won and that to my mind is the most worrying part of this whole series. Remember Sri Lanka was the losing finalist at the World Cup in March 2007 and India clearly has been the team that has troubled Australia most in recent times and yet Australia who are playing at 70 per cent of their ability are so far ahead in points if not in superiority. The best thing that can happen to world cricket will be when other teams start beating Australia regularly. That will certainly make cricket more watchable.
The new young India
Ishant Sharma is doing what Shane Bond did to Australia six years ago, if my memory serves me right. He has made the Aussies jump and be on edge in more ways on one. But back to the past. The other two teams in the tri-series of six years ago were quite-strong New Zealand and South Africa, both these teams made it to the finals and Australia and Steve Waugh struggled. Australia did not make it to the finals and Steve Waugh lost his one day captaincy to Ricky Ponting who is struggling now, just like his predecessor was. The only difference is that Australia seems to have made it to the finals already despite their poor showing this summer so Ricky Ponting might get to keep his job after all despite whatever Peter Roebuck recommended! But to return to our own young team that Dhoni leads so masterfully. He wanted a young team and perhaps had a lot to do with the removal of Dravid and Ganguly. This Indian team has top flight bowlers and young legs in the field. The team also lends credence to the fact that it is bowlers who win matches as Warne and McGrath did for Australia over the years. It is also ironical that India will probably win far more significant matches, events and titles than in the last ten years when the big three of Indian cricket Sachin, Saurav and Rahul scored so many thousand runs between them. Yet I do feel that India missed a trick and the experience of Saurav, Rahul and the timing of Lakshman in the one day games. I cannot imagine those seniors struggling to make 203 runs on a good batting wicket at Adelaide, or conceding a bonus point. After all it can be argued that the World Cup is in 2011 and there is enough time to build the team. But a series victory when the competing teams are Australia and Sri Lanka should gain precedence over our plans for the future. Yet the young Indian team has managed a significant win at Adelaide over Sri Lanka just yesterday and now seems well placed to make it to the finals and I do believe that on current form India has a greater opportunity to beat Australia than Sri Lanka who somehow have been found wanting against the Aussies particularly in recent times.
So what's the crisis?
To my mind the biggest crisis that Indian cricket is facing is from the much hyped IPL. It is a marketing coup, it is media hype, it is “camera, lights, auction” as a columnist mentioned but to my mind this is something that has the capability to divide the cricket world as it is an opportunity for the BCCI to only again cock a snook at the rest of the world and for us to indulge in more chest thumping about our money power and also remind them about the Harbhajan incident and the posturing that we did. But more seriously the fact that world cricketers who complain so bitterly about the work load should drop everything to earn some, (actually a lot of money) makes one wonder if this is really the game that one grew up loving. Now there is talk of the Australian tour to Pakistan likely to be shortened if not cancelled to accommodate this charade. Maybe it is the ramblings of an old man but I am really enjoying the tri-series for a couple of reasons. For once the ball has dominated the bat, the matches have been tight and not one sided and Australia has struggled. Who knows how many more national contests we are likely to see with such intensity with all this talk of regional teams with Australian players with huge contracts slugging it out in twenty-twenty for teams that they care a fig about.
The new young India
Ishant Sharma is doing what Shane Bond did to Australia six years ago, if my memory serves me right. He has made the Aussies jump and be on edge in more ways on one. But back to the past. The other two teams in the tri-series of six years ago were quite-strong New Zealand and South Africa, both these teams made it to the finals and Australia and Steve Waugh struggled. Australia did not make it to the finals and Steve Waugh lost his one day captaincy to Ricky Ponting who is struggling now, just like his predecessor was. The only difference is that Australia seems to have made it to the finals already despite their poor showing this summer so Ricky Ponting might get to keep his job after all despite whatever Peter Roebuck recommended! But to return to our own young team that Dhoni leads so masterfully. He wanted a young team and perhaps had a lot to do with the removal of Dravid and Ganguly. This Indian team has top flight bowlers and young legs in the field. The team also lends credence to the fact that it is bowlers who win matches as Warne and McGrath did for Australia over the years. It is also ironical that India will probably win far more significant matches, events and titles than in the last ten years when the big three of Indian cricket Sachin, Saurav and Rahul scored so many thousand runs between them. Yet I do feel that India missed a trick and the experience of Saurav, Rahul and the timing of Lakshman in the one day games. I cannot imagine those seniors struggling to make 203 runs on a good batting wicket at Adelaide, or conceding a bonus point. After all it can be argued that the World Cup is in 2011 and there is enough time to build the team. But a series victory when the competing teams are Australia and Sri Lanka should gain precedence over our plans for the future. Yet the young Indian team has managed a significant win at Adelaide over Sri Lanka just yesterday and now seems well placed to make it to the finals and I do believe that on current form India has a greater opportunity to beat Australia than Sri Lanka who somehow have been found wanting against the Aussies particularly in recent times.
So what's the crisis?
To my mind the biggest crisis that Indian cricket is facing is from the much hyped IPL. It is a marketing coup, it is media hype, it is “camera, lights, auction” as a columnist mentioned but to my mind this is something that has the capability to divide the cricket world as it is an opportunity for the BCCI to only again cock a snook at the rest of the world and for us to indulge in more chest thumping about our money power and also remind them about the Harbhajan incident and the posturing that we did. But more seriously the fact that world cricketers who complain so bitterly about the work load should drop everything to earn some, (actually a lot of money) makes one wonder if this is really the game that one grew up loving. Now there is talk of the Australian tour to Pakistan likely to be shortened if not cancelled to accommodate this charade. Maybe it is the ramblings of an old man but I am really enjoying the tri-series for a couple of reasons. For once the ball has dominated the bat, the matches have been tight and not one sided and Australia has struggled. Who knows how many more national contests we are likely to see with such intensity with all this talk of regional teams with Australian players with huge contracts slugging it out in twenty-twenty for teams that they care a fig about.
2 comments:
Surely australia seem to be not as dominant a force as they were but still they were the first to qualify for the finals and somehow they they pick themselves up a notch when they play the finals. India has actully looked better than their on field performance mainly because srilnka has been way below par. The batting still is a serious concern for india and could show up in the finals. Dhoni seems to be politically very correct since he always keeps out players who are even remotely senior and who could be a distant competiton. Dinesh karthik might as well come back since now he will have to play from memory the next time he steps onto the field.
Yes, even a watered down Australia is better than other teams.The Indian batting is weak, but it is our bowling which could rattle Australia in the finals.
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