Once the dust settles over this seven-match one-day series, only one question is likely to remain: How did the Australians pull this off? The visitors had lost four of their first XI even before the team travelled to India. Over the first four matches, they lost another four to various injuries.

They did win the first one-dayer by a close margin, but once India had steamrolled them in the next two, the battle between Dhoni’s men in home conditions and Ponting’s boys in disarray seemed extremely unequal.

And yet, at the end of the sixth one-dayer in Guwahati, they had taken a 4-2 series victory, after yet another commanding bowling performance and some composed batting in a tricky chase. Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger ran through the Indian top-order, who recovered from 27 for five to post 170.

Shane Watson then ensured there were to be no slip-ups with a composed 49 that set up the chase nicely. At one point, they were reduced to 90 for three with captain Ricky Ponting back in the hut, but Michael Hussey and Cameron White ensured the series was sealed with 8.3 overs, and a game, to spare.

Early swing

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won his second toss of the series, but very soon he would have wished he hadn’t. Batting first, he admitted, was a risk as the ball was likely to do a bit early in the morning, adding that it was important to see off the first hour.

That didn’t happen, though. Virender Sehwag hit a six over point off the second ball of the match, but a couple of deliveries later, Mitchell Johnson got an in-swinger to sneak through bat and pad. Off the final ball of the same over, Gautam Gambhir played down the wrong line against a ball that pitched on middle and shaped wickedly away to send the off-stump cartwheeling.

Australia, knowing that a win would seal the series and their No 1 spot, had smelt blood. Johnson, who had looked out of sorts in the series, was back at his best and in Doug Bollinger, Read more…

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The final ball of the fifth over during India’s chase in Hyderabad may have had little significance to the eventual outcome of the match, but for the capacity crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, what had transpired before it and what was to follow were from two different worlds.

When Sachin Tendulkar flicked Ben Hilfenhaus through mid-wicket for three runs, he became the first batsman in the history of one-day cricket to reach 17,000 runs. It was the moment that the people of Hyderabad had waited for with fingers crossed, and when it arrived, the celebration was absolutely no-holds-barred.

After all, with India chasing an improbable 351 against a fired-up Aussie outfit, it seemed like the only real hurrah up for grabs as far as the 30,000 spectators at Uppal went. Little did they know that Tendulkar had a special surprise up his sleeve to celebrate the milestone.

Australia, batting first after winning the toss on a good pitch that offered consistent bounce, showed that they were up for the challenge here. Shane Watson was the early aggressor, his 89-ball 93 setting the pace for Australia. Ricky Ponting scored a run-a-ball 45 while Michael Hussey and Cameron White came out all guns blazing. All this time, Shaun Marsh held one end up, starting slowly and opening up towards the end, as his 112 and the late charge took Australia to 350. The last time the two teams met on a pitch with even bounce was during the second one-dayer in Nagpur, and led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India went on to post a mammoth 354 for seven. Ponting & Co had returned the favour.

In Nagpur, Australia’s chase had almost crumbled before it began. In Hyderabad, even as wickets fell at one end, Tendulkar seemed determined to do it alone.

The much talked-about seven runs behind him, Tendulkar broke the shackles and began marshalling India towards their gargantuan task. The boundaries seemed to flow that much easier and his 92nd half-century came off 47 deliveries. The well-set Virender Sehwag had once again failed to convert his start, while Gautam Gambhir, Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh soon Read more…

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India’s young cricketers have come under fire for their lavish lifestyles, but hairstyles don’t get in the way of centuries

After the Thrilla in Manila, Muhammad Ali was to say: “Joe Frazier, I’ll tell the world right now, brings out the best in me.” The cricketers of India and Australia appear to operate on the same principle. India, such a disappointment at the Champions Trophy in South Africa, have rediscovered their spirit. Australia, with an injury list that makes Rafael Benítez’s woes at Liverpool look trivial, have shown the same fortitude that Frazier did on that long-ago night when he was reduced to fighting from memory.

After falling four runs short in Vadodara, India were markedly superior in both Nagpur and Delhi. When they then produced their best fielding and bowling display of the series – four run-outs included – to restrict Australia to 250 on a beautiful batting pitch in Mohali, it seemed as though the series tide was about to turn decisively their way.

They hadn’t reckoned, though, with the laidback New South Wales player who has the champagne surname. Some will point to the fact that Doug Bollinger resembles Chucky from Child’s Play, and he certainly haunted the Indians on a night when everything that could possibly go wrong did. Virender Sehwag cracked seven fours in a 19-ball 30 before lofting one to mid-off. It was the fourth time in the series he had got to double-figures, and not gone on to make a game-changing contribution. “He plays like he’s opening for the Nicky Oppenheimer XI against a visiting side,” said one former Mumbai pro, clearly ticked off by the insouciant approach. “It’s 20 minutes in the sun and then off for a glass of champagne.”

Sehwag’s series tally of 94 is a poor return for someone who appears to have the measure of every bowler he’s faced. But by bringing in Bollinger for the injured Brett Lee, Ricky Ponting took a clever step towards neutralising the Sehwag factor. If there’s one type of bowling that he doesn’t really relish, it’s left-arm seam-and-swing. Chaminda Vaas got him six times and Nathan Bracken, another absentee, on five occasions (from just 10 games). There were also failures against Ian Bradshaw and Syed Rasel. Bollinger is considerably quicker than those four, all of Read more…

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When Mahendra Singh Dhoni first came in the Indian team, he was known for his big hitting and a penchant for hitting sixes almost at will. The manner in which he attacked the quick bowlers was thrilling to say the least.

Shoaib Akhtar, who tried to intimidate him with short deliveries, glares, stares and a few choice Punjabi words, soon found that the ball was coming back at him at a speed quicker than what he was hurling at him. And the irony was that, if the delivery action was wonky, so also was the use of the bat!

In Nagpur and in Delhi, some Australian bowlers would have felt the same. The only difference was that, instead of the ball coming back just about every time at Akhtar, this time around it was not so frequent.

Yes, Dhoni has changed his approach and it is one that the Indian team needs even though the crowds may not agree with it.

After the retirement of Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid’s omission from the team, the Indian batting needs a bulwark who can accelerate the scoring when needed and Dhoni is doing that to perfection.

He did that in Nagpur and again in Delhi. The need of the hour was building a partnership and steadying the innings. Both times, his efforts and his partnerships won the matches for India, and if wins are what the country wants and expects then they should be prepared to accept the Dhoni who is not a swashbuckler but a cold, calculated assassin of the opposition — one who will not kill in one go but inflict little cuts here and there and weaken the opponent before delivering the coup de grace.

If Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina were his partners in Nagpur, at the Kotla, it was Yuvraj who helped him take the game away from the Australians who had posted a respectable score on the board. It was a score that India would have defended for sure with the options now Read more…

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If there’s anything like a perfect day, the Men in Blue enjoyed it at Nagpur on Wednesday.  A 99 run win is pretty comprehensive, though, like most Indians, I would have preferred the margin to be 100 or above. With the series tied at 1-1, one can expect a lip-smacking feast in the remaining five games. I have a feeling the series will be decided only in the last game.
 
Ricky Ponting erred badly in electing to field after winning the toss. The defensive ploy came unstuck on a batting paradise. The Indian bowlers looked good in defending 354. But let us not start singing praises till they defend a smaller total or restrict the Aussies to less than 270 when bowling first.
 
My observations on Team India after watching the first two games of the series:
 
1. Earlier this month, the BCCI sacked Robin Singh, India’s fielding coach. On Wednesday, Dhoni’s men showed why we badly needed a new one. The team has too many laggards in the field. The ground fielding is abysmal. Whatever the distance, the throws seldom hit the stumps. And if you are Ishant Sharma, you can even miss from a yard. There are several other below-par fielders in the side. On a good day, Nehra will get 3 out of 10. On one occasion today, Praveen Kumar first missed the ball, then kicked it away. On another occasion he stupidly stepped onto the rope as he caught the ball. Barring Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli, we don’t have any quality fielders in the squad. If we want to mount a serious challenge for the 2011 ODI World Cup, we must improve in this aspect.
 
2. Harbhajan Singh needs to be told that his batting cannot cover up for his ineffective, defensive bowling. He needs to get more wickets. The offie bowls like a fifth bowler who thinks that 10-0-50-1 or so is great work. Even Nathan Hauritz and Ravindra Jadeja flight the ball more. Solution: Drop him for a couple of games. Pressure works. See how all the “drop talk” has improved Ishant’s game. Give Pragyan Ojha or Amit Mishra a chance. See if they perform any better. Read more...

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Overview

With the Champions Trophy out the way, many sides can now switch their focus to building toward the 2011 World Cup.

This series will give Australia and India the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Of course, there’s a trophy and bragging rights at stake so it’s unlikely that there will be too much experimenting for either side.

The hosts’ form in limited-overs competition has been extremely patchy in recent months. They struggled to stamp their authority against the West Indies in the Caribbean, were offered hit-and-miss cricket across the Compaq Cup in Sri Lanka and then flopped in the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

On paper they remain one of the strongest outfits in world cricket and the selectors have one of - if not - the biggest player pool to draw from, but unfortunately they just cannot get the combinations right. Rahul Dravid, Abhishek Nayar, Rudra Pratap Singh, Dinesh Karthik and Yusuf Pathan have all come and gone in recent tournaments.

The constant chopping and changing has not helped the core of the team and captain Mahendra Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma have all had one good game followed by a poor one. It’s about time they each string together a good run of form and with seven matches lined up, they won’t get a better opportunity to do so.

On the up side for India, Virender Sehwag, Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh have all recovered from injury and will strengthen the batting line-up considerably. Bowling-wise, despite Zaheer Khan’s absence through injury, Ashish Nehra, Sharma and Praveen Kumar will be favourites for the fast-bowling slots. Throw in spinners Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra and you’re met Read more…

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An early exit in the recent Champions Trophy has opened a can of worms in Indian cricket. At a time when the raging debate is about the future of the 50-over cricket, India’s failure to go beyond the league stage has raised a lot of questions, mainly in the bowling department.

In this backdrop, the Challenger Series for the NKP Salve Trophy among the best available India players, including M. S. Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Abhishek Nayar, Yusuf Pathan, Ishant Sharma and Suresh Raina who returned from South Africa, will acquire much significance.

Otherwise, the tournament, at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium here from Thursday — that coincides with the richest cricketing event, the Champions League — would have been reduced to just another in the BCCI calendar.

Eight of the India players involved in the Champions Trophy — Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, Ashish Nehra, Amit Sharma, R.P. Singh, Rahul Dravid, Praveen Kumar and Virat Kohli — will be turning out for their respective franchisees in the T20 competition, giving more players, some hardly known outside their states, a chance to rub shoulders with the likes of Harbhajan and Dhoni.

Dhiraj Goswami from Assam, Jalaj Saxena from Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand’s Ishank Jaggi and Maharashtra’s Ameya Shrikhande are a few of the little-known players who would be keen to make an impression.

Performances in the Challengers have often been considered for India selection. Though major changes in the Indian squad are not expected as Dhoni’s men look to bury the forgettable Champions Trophy and take on the winners Australia in a seven-match ODI series starting in Baroda on October 25, the selectors also do not want to send wrong signals by Read more…

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When India went into the Champions Trophy, we all knew they wouldn’t be the same side as they were for the 18 months, as there was no Zaheer Khan or Virender Sehwag, and injury to Yuvraj Singh worsened the matter.

But absence of these big players, gave youngsters a golden opportunity to put their hands up and shine on the international platform like these absent biggies did a few years back (Yuvraj and Zaheer made international debut during 2000 Champions Trophy in Nairobi), but they failed to grab the attention. Only Virat Kohli managed to make an impression, and that too in the last match when the Champions Trophy campaign was all over for India.

It is obvious that when these players come back into the side, India can again boast of being a tougher and a more competitive team.

But the question is, do we really have the bench-strength to make the Indian team consistently a top side? Are we really grooming talents for the international arena?

Yusuf Pathan has shown his prowess and potential in the IPL but has failed to carry it to the international level. Suresh Raina has come off good and looks promising for the future. Virat and Rohit Sharma are the other two batsmen who have everything needed for becoming successful at the international level but the duo lacks consistency.

Some time back India had a sweet dilemma of picking two or three pacers from the bunch that had RP Singh, Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma with Zaheer Khan Read more…

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Just how much introspection will Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men be able to put in before the wheel turns again? And another tournament, another opponent, another set of possibilities bury the failures at the Champions Trophy? One advantage of playing continuously is that setbacks are quickly forgotten for there is always something around the corner – victory or defeat – to get exercised over.

Introspection is left to those who get paid for it, and that is why it is the coaches and trainers who pay for a team’s poor performances. It might be unfair to write off the Indian team after one tournament. Skipper Dhoni himself appeared a bit confused – after all, India lost one match, another was washed out, and they won one, so mathematically it wasn’t so bad. But top teams don’t look for excuses, they go out and rectify their problems.

And India’s problems are basically two-fold. Disastrous fielding, and an over-friendly bowling where yesterday’s heroes suddenly look strangely innocuous. Poor Ishant Sharma has been copping much of the blame for the bowling performance. This is convenient criticism. One player who represents a pattern is made the scapegoat. If poor running between the wickets is a drawback, then there is Rahul Dravid – run out in two matches – who fits the bill. If shoddy batting in the middle order is being discussed, then it is Suresh Raina who personifies that.

But just how much has Ishant Sharma slipped in recent months? Is it fair to pick on him just as Irfan Pathan was not so long ago? Ishant is young, talented, and surely entitled to having the odd off day at the office?

Are our television commentators excessively harsh? Last week, Dave Richardson, the ICC’s cricket manager commenting on the plight of the umpires said that “The batsman is not out when the umpire says he is out. The batsman is out when Mark Nicholas or Tony Greig or Ian Chappell or Ravi Shastri says he is out.” Perhaps that applies to the players too. Television Read more…

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Suresh Raina had scored 14 runs from a Shoaib Malik over, and Pakistan seemed worried about India taking a few giant steps towards Mount 303 on Saturday. That’s when skipper Younus Khan went up to Saeed Ajmal, asking him bowl one of his four remaining overs at the crucial stage of the game.

“Our bowlers were getting hit at that time but I told my captain, ‘why not, I will bowl’. I had a plan for Raina. I wanted to surprise him with a faster ball and it worked perfectly,” Ajmal told The Indian Express on Monday. The dismissal on last ball of the over was the culmination of the trap laid with the three earlier deliveries bowled. Ajmal started with a flat ball, followed by off-spinner, then a top-spinner, and the knock-out blow was provided by his special faster one. “There are two ways in which I bowl the flat ball — one with a regular grip and there is the surprise ball where I use just one finger,” said the 31-year-old.

A late bloomer who made his international debut only last year, Ajmal is one of a long list of Pakistan spinners with magical fingers and sharp cricketing sense. A self-confessed Saqlain Mushtaq fan, during his formative years he endlessly watched the tapes of the offie who invented the doosra. But his initiation to serious cricket had another inspiration.

“After watching Pakistan win the 1992 World Cup, I only wanted to play serious cricket. I went to Imran Khan’s cricket clinic. Later, when I saw Saqlain, I wanted to bowl like him,” said the spinner who had played a big role in Pakistan’s T20 World Championship win. But despite crucial wickets both in England and here in South Africa, he hasn’t stood out in a side that uses the charismatic Shahid Afridi as their main spin option.

Ajmal’s match preparation can be divided in two parts — perfecting his art and reading the mind of the batsman. “Take for example the doosra — it took me a year to perfect it and now I bowl at least 200 balls daily so that I can pitch it wherever I want. I also study where the Read more…

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