A Fistful of Salt

seeking sense within all this noise

Head Coach Gautam Gambhir will have to climb THE WALL

Posted on July 10, 2024 by SV Rao

Gautam Gambhir, the new Head Coach, has big shoes to fill. In a sense, he will have to climb up The Wall to make his impact felt. He does have an impressive resume. He played for India in all game formats from 2003 to 2016. World Cup trophy winner with the T-20 squad in 2007 & ODI team in 2011. A big match player- remember his match-winning 75 from 54 balls in the 2007 finals against Pakistan & the resilient 97 out of 122 balls in the WC 2011 finals against Sri Lanka. He captained KKR to the IPL titles in 2012 and 2014 and mentored them in 2024. A strong, outspoken personality, he will be taking over a champion Indian cricket team, which has been two years in the making and with complete focus on the ICC Champions Trophy and World Test championship in 2025.

GG is an ardent admirer of Anil Kumble, India’s spinning legend. He regards him as the best captain he has played under, with his honesty and impeccable dedication to the cause of Indian cricket and The Men in Blue. The same Anil Kumble was sacked as coach in 2017 because of differences with Captain Kohli, who replaced him with his man, the flamboyant Ravi Shastri. Interestingly, Head Coach Gambhir will have a big say in the appointment of the Indian captain, too.

Let’s talk about Rahul Dravid- The Wall. What makes him such an Icon across the cricketing world? He is one of the most incredible batters of all time (Tests & ODI), and he also holds the record for the most catches in Test cricket history- 210 in 164 matches. When he went out to bat, one could see the Indian tricolour fluttering behind him. Navjot Sidhu famously said,’ Rahul is a person who will walk on broken glass if his team wants him to.’ Brain Lara has declared that ‘if I have to put anyone to bat for my life, it will be Kallis or Dravid.’ In today’s times when aggression is all about pumping fists or cussing opponents listen in to Mathew Hayden, ‘all these things going around is not aggression. If you really want to see aggression look into Dravid’s eyes.’ ++ the Gentleman Cricketer. Ganguly has hailed him as ‘a champion at everything. I am very impressed with the way he approaches life.’ As Brett Lee has wryly observed,’ If you can’t get along with Rahul Dravid, you are struggling in life.’

His contribution to Indian cricket has been immense. Head of cricket with National Cricket Academy (NCA), Coach of India U-19 and India A teams. He has groomed and mentored many of India’s current cricket stars. Tendulkar has called him ‘the perfect role model for youngsters.’ So the spontaneous chorus from Ganguly, Sehwag, Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan, and Laxman…of ‘ Win the WC for Dravid’ is not surprising at all.

The serene drive of Dravid plus the calm, grounded passion of Rohit Sharma made for a great partnership since Feb 2022, when the latter was made captain across all formats. Their deep rapport is shown by the fact that the Skipper persuaded the Coach to stay on after the 19^th Nov 2023 debacle- a call acknowledged with gratitude by Dravid after the recent T20 WC Redemption win. The Hitman has been a remarkable leader. Think of the position after 15 overs. South Africa batting with six wickets in hand and 30 runs to get in 30 balls, and India had a 3.35% chance of winning. Bumrah, Hardik and Arshdeep all rising to the occasion and not panicking under intense pressure. The Indian fielders totally living in the zone. Bumrah revealed that the Indian Skipper gave his players a lot of freedom. ‘Rohit Sharma has been absolutely phenomenal. Even in the previous World Cup, you know he has been proactive; he gives a lot of freedom to his players, and he lets them express themselves.’ A selfless, fearless captain for whom personal milestones and records don’t matter. Everything for Team India and the Nation. Nasser Hussain sees his leadership as ‘Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove.’ Everyone knows who is in charge, but he is a Big Brother, too, especially for the younger players. Rohit Bhai! Rohit Sharma imitated the Messi Walk as he went up to receive the trophy, which rang so true. Two champion sportsmen so desperate to win the big one for their countries and their teams. (inspired by the video Ric Flair of WWE with the same music in the background).

His cricketing sense also comes through, with the well-thought-out selection of the team (with Head Coach & Ajit Agarkar and the team of selectors) and an astute reading of the wicket, conditions, and the state of the game. Remember his comments about bowling a line where the batter has to hit against the winds in the Caribbean islands? Remember his captaincy when the Bazball- high-adrenaline English Test team came to India to conquer The Last Frontier and stumbled badly. The Hitman’s final mission is winning the World Test Championship to be played at Lords in June 2025.

Cricket is a Team Sport, and the recent T20 WC championships showcased Indian cricket at its best. From the camaraderie and defining roles in the dressing room to the indomitable team spirit and clinical execution on the cricket field. The head coach and support staff play integral roles. So, you have King Kohli, who had a disappointing run in the tournament, coming up with a classy, match-winning 76 when it mattered the most ;Axar Patel’s critical 47 of 31 balls with 4 sixes to keep India in the game. Arshdeep Singh ended up as India’s top wicket-taker with 17 wickets. The same Arshdeep was viciously trolled for dropping a catch against Pakistan at the Asia Cup just 2 years back. Bumrah, with 15 wickets, deservedly became the Player of the Tournament (the first to do so without scoring a single run)—a genius of his craft. An extraordinary defensive-attacking bowler, he was not only exceptional in cutting the flow of runs but also a relentless wicket-taking threat. Michael Vaughan has called him ‘the greatest white ball bowler ever.’ This T20 WC will also be remembered for Hardik Pandya’s stirring comeback after months of booing and trolling for replacing Rohit Sharma as MI captain. He had a forgettable IPL season where his team finished at the bottom. Sanjay Manjrekar heard him ‘say something to the effect of having risen above results and losing the fear of failure.’ Kudos to Hardik for showing such tenacity and resilience and to him and Arshdeep for vanquishing the troll armies by performing on the biggest stage. However, Pandya’s resurgence in form also speaks volumes of the warm bonding in the dressing room. Something for him to imbibe and take forward. Surya Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Axar Patel have had their days and moments. Kapil Dev’s catch to dismiss Viv Richards in the 83 WC has become part of Indian cricket folklore. I hope Surya Yadav’s amazing, game-changing catch will also be celebrated by replays on sports channels and TV videos for months to come.

Gambhir is very forthright in his views. Very refreshing. He talks about how every Team India player in the dressing room is essential and how broadcasters and media influencers build up one or two cricketers into brands by overshowing them to the detriment of other performers and national team members. The majority of the Men in Blue end up in the shadows. The broadcaster justifies this for TRP, advertising revenues, and social media outlets to mobilise followers and monetise the podcasts. So, this celebrity culture has made some cricketers bigger than the game of cricket itself. Think about Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and King Kohli. Underplayed are champions like Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Anil Kumble, Sehwag and even ‘The Miracle Down Under’ series under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy.

He is also bang on about cricket in India being all about batters. Heavy bats, smaller boundaries, and flat tracks present arduous, uphill tasks for the bowlers. GG wants the white ball change after 25 overs in ODI’s to be reversed as it undermines wrist spinners. It’s really heartening to watch a top Indian batter ask if we as fans know and appreciate that Zaheer Khan took 21 wickets in 9 matches to contribute to India’s triumph in WC 2011. I sincerely hope that Zaheer Khan becomes the new bowling coach. He has a sharp cricketing brain and is respected by the players. One of the memorable features of the T20 WC has been the intense bat-ball contest. So, will Boom Boom Bumrah ever get the massive cult following of Virat Kohli? I seriously doubt it. In our country, batters are the real heroes. All others are just the supporting cast.of actors. It doesn’t really resonate that Shami took 23 wickets in just 6 games to take us to the final of the 2023 ODI WC final. Our sports channels and pundits will spend one episode on such an achievement and then jump back onto the gravy bandwagon. Sad! A Murali and Malinga are still revered in Sri Lanka; a Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar are still feted in Pakistan.

Moreover, despite his vote for the IPL as a resounding success story for Indian cricket, Gambhir is emphatic that it all boils down to the Indian cricket team dominating all formats of the game and winning the ICC silverware. Hence, even with IPL throwing up some talented players for the shortest format, selectors will look at domestic cricket performances like the Ranji Trophy for Test cricket and the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali for white-ball tournaments. To win the Indian cap and jersey, aspiring players must go through the grind to the extent the cricket schedules and injury lay-offs allow. It won’t be easy for IPL-fixated cricketers looking for easy money, glamour, and a green channel route to the national side.

A big Thank You to The Wall & The Hitman for putting Indian cricket on the right track and lifting a WC trophy after a hiatus of 11 years. It remains to be seen whether Rohit Sharma remains the Test and ODI captain. I sincerely hope he does. He has fuel in the tank for another year of international cricket. An interesting change at the Coach level will be the change in approach. Rahul Dravid lived and breathed the spirit of The Gentleman’s Game. The hardnosed GG has his own take on playing hard within the laws and rules of the game. Hopefully, with Gambhir and his chosen support staff, exciting and winning times will be ahead. Indian cricket should be hailed as a superpower not only because of immense financial clout and a humongous fan following but also because our cricket team consistently wins major ICC trophies and bilateral series, especially on SENA tours (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia).

You can also read: Management Learnings from ‘The Hitman’- Rohit Sharma

Management Learnings from ‘The Hitman’- Rohit Sharma

Posted on March 23, 2024 by SV Rao

I earnestly believe that Team Sports at the highest levels provide a lot of learning for Corporate Management. There is no place to hide. It’s all out there happening in the open in an acutely competitive atmosphere. Goof-ups and crisis management; injuries and replacements; bonding and friction; Ups and downs; temperament and the Never Say Die spirit; leadership and rising up to the occasion; teamwork and collaboration; communication and defining roles; analytics and research; planning and execution. Hence my earlier blogs on ‘Management Lessons from Sports’, ‘The Gift of Captaincy’, and ‘Management Lessons from The Thala- MS Dhoni’- the last posted after CSK won a thrilling IPL final last year.

Rohit Sharma’s so-called laid-back demeanor hides the profound impact he has had both as a captain and batter for India and the IPL franchise. His affable, grounded, pragmatic approach has caught the attention of cricket pundits, cricketing legends, and cricket buffs all over the world. Some of the parallels with MSD are striking and The Thala’s influence is palpable. Rohit Sharma suddenly became the captain of Mumbai Indians in 2013 with Icons and seniors like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Harbhajan Singh, and Malinga in the squad. Anil Kumble, then associated with MI, remembers that he was completely unfazed and self-assured. Like MSD with the India captaincy, he gave the stalwarts Respect and Space and seamlessly aligned them for the Team’s cause. The Mumbai side picked up its first IPL trophy in 2013. It was also in the same year that Dhoni promoted this middle-order batter to open for India in the Champions Trophy and the rest is history. The Rohit Sharma- Shikhar Dhawan partnership. Dinesh Karthick ( w/k batsman) who was also part of the MI team has observed that the omission from India’s 2011 World Cup team shook him up and he developed the quiet, steely resolve to make every match and tournament count.

‘I have tried to keep it simple. One thing- clear communication to the players. I have tried to make sure that they understand their roles and that’s what it’s all about. Understanding their roles and going out there and performing their roles.’ Another page out of MSD’s Captaincy manual. Sadly in the corporate sector, there are many employees, especially on the front line who do not understand their roles, contributions, and value to the team, office, or organization as a whole. The positive energy of team synergy and getting the bigger picture is missing. In the vertical or silo systems embraced by many Companies in the Service Sector, the sense of disengagement is even more pronounced and bureaucracy kicks in. Customer Service is the first casualty.

The unique Rohit-bhai takeaway is ‘that there has to be a sense of relaxation as well because it is important to keep the atmosphere light and cheerful’. But this coin has not dropped with some at the senior levels of corporate hierarchy and even at Board levels. Employee productivity and performance spike if the work atmosphere and culture are congenial- leading to better results and a more robust balance sheet. Virat Kohli calls Rohit ‘the funniest person in the Indian dressing room.’ His tapori language (Mumbai street lingo) and chilled-out behavior are both endearing and calming. The super intense Kohli seems to be enjoying his cricket as never before, laughing and joking with the team. No overweening egos, no insecurity, no camps. Reaching out and Bonding. The Hitman and The King are Bros for the Indian cricket mission. True, the stump-mic has caught the captain scolding and using cuss words with some team members on the field. But as Rohit Sharma simply puts it, ‘It’s not to hurt anyone. It’s just to make sure they are on the job and are thinking about the team.’ Other funny stump-mic comments have gone viral. In the third T-20 match against Afghanistan he got off the mark with a boundary down the leg-side but umpire Virendra Sharma signalled leg-byes. He approached the umpire with ‘Arrey Viru, thigh-pad diya kya? Bat laga tha. Already mere do zero ho gaya.’ (Did you give it as leg-byes. It hit the bat. In my previous 2 innings I have got ducks.). The Indian commentators in the box doubled up laughing.

Listen in to the Skipper’s report card ( on YouTube -Cricket Boy) on how the Men in Blue performed in their magnificent 4-1 Test win against an England team on a Bazball roll. First, the series-defining partnership by Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav at Ranchi. The emotions around Sarfaraz Khan winning his India cap at the Rajkot Test. How many years earlier he had played with the father Naushad in the Kanga league. Jaiswal’s dominating double century at Vizag. Bumrah’s 6-wicket spell in the same Test- reverse swinging the ball on a flat track in hot and humid conditions. The best fast-bowling display he has witnessed in India. The ‘legend’ of Ashwin and the brilliant return of the match-winning Kuldeep Yadav. Appreciative mentions of Gill and Jadeja. Special mention of how much he has enjoyed playing with these passionate young cricketers. No mention of his captaincy except to say that he had learned many things during the series. No mention of missing the likes of Kohli, Rahul, Shami, and Pant in the team. When have you last heard of a Corporate Captain being so warm and fulsome in his praise for his team? Teams matter. Corporate heads are representative of their teams. When the team performs well, a generous amount of credit rubs off on the leader.

Rohit-Bhai has been the Big Brother or the ‘Go-to’ man even before he was appointed as captain. You will see his hand over the shoulder of a dejected Kuldeep Yadav who had a bad day at the office. According to Parthiv Patel, ‘Rohit whole-heartedly supports his players even when they are grappling with difficulties demonstrating an unwavering faith in their abilities. There is an unparalleled sense of calmness in the team.’ He then refers to the case of Bumrah brought in by the MI scouts in 2014. By 2015, the management was pondering to send him back after half of the season. But the captain staunchly believed in his abilities and in 2016, the journey of India’s premier fast bowler across formats began. Likewise, Hardik Pandya’s entry in 2015 and after a lack-luster 2016 season many at MI were showing him the exit door. Again, the leader supports the player giving Pandya the chance to become the player he is today. Very ironic, isn’t it? Considering the recent developments at the franchise.

The Captain has to be a good mentor to bring about the best in her/his team. This is a critical attribute to anyone at the Senior or Middle Management levels handling a sizable team. Companies and Institutions unfortunately do not factor in this ‘X’ factor in the KRA’s and Appraisals. It’s all about numbers. So a person with a 15-year innings pops up on the radar as a Cost to Company (CTC). What the team leader is quietly doing daily behind the scenes is overlooked- training and motivating the team, sharing experiences, developing a second line- all fall through the cracks. One of the most critical attributes of an effective Manager- mentoring- is simply shrugged off.

R Ashwin’s exit from Team India after the second day of the Rajkot Test tells a heart-warming story. .The Test match was evenly poised and with the series itself at stake we have Rohit Sharma and Coach Rahul Dravid persuading their main bowler to take the BCCI arranged charter flight to Chennai to attend to his ailing, hospitalised mother. The star spinner then re-joins the Men in Blue on the 4th day of the Test with his recovering mother insisting that her son not let down the national cricket team. Little wonder, that in an emotional video posted on his YouTube channel Ashwin says, ‘I would give my life for him on the field, that’s the kind of captain he is.’ We have an increasing treadmill corporate culture where leave applications for genuine reasons are frowned upon and even family time on weekends is being compromised.

Rohit Sharma has a sharp cricketing brain and reads the game well. Zaheer Khan has this to say, ‘Rohit acts according to the situation, and many times they are different from what may have been planned in the run-up to the game.’ In corporate life also at times long-term planning and rigid structures become constrictive and hold back the Company from changing course pragmatically, especially in dynamic market conditions. Plus the Cool factor he brings to play. Hence no panic buttons after the disappointing loss at Hyderabad from a position of strength. Instead, a determined come-back to dismantle Bazball. Astute handling of bowlers and smart field placements frustrated the English batters and they collapsed like a pack of cards multiple times in the Test series. Another important learning is how the India captain did not hesitate to pick on the brains of key players like Bumrah and Ashwin. A good leader should be open to ideas and suggestions from the core-group and resonating from the ground. The Ivory Tower syndrome has to be avoided at all costs.

Leadership is not bequeathed through job titles or the size of the corner office. Every Corporate leader or Manager worth her/his salt has to earn the respect and trust of the team members by setting the right example and by leading from the front. ‘The Hitman’ ticks all the boxes across all formats of the game. A Test batting average of 45+ over 59 Tests, more than 10,000 runs over 292 ODI, and a Strike Rate of 92; almost 4000 runs in 151 T-20s at a Strike Rate of almost 140 which puts him in the Sehwag league. He has scored hundreds and double hundreds; changed games with his sixes and fours and played many cameo knocks which have made a difference. In the ODI World Cup 2023, he was the second-highest run-getter after Virat Kohli (765 runs in 11 innings) with 597 runs in 11 knocks. Many cricket commentators have lauded his totally unselfish approach of providing a rollicking start to the India innings. The ICC named him as captain of the ICC World Cup team which had 6 Indian players.

The other wonderful dimension he has brought to the game as a batter is the sheer elegance and power he brings to the crease. King Kohli says that ‘he has never seen anyone time the ball like him.’ Kapil Dev captures his Master-Class batting as,’ attractive, effortless and with all the time in the world.’ Sachin Tendulkar has observed to the effect ‘that once Rohit gets into the zone, the poor bowler does not know where to bowl.’ After he made it to ‘The Wisden 5 cricketers of the Year-2022 along with Bumrah) an article in the Almanack celebrated his sublime stroke play and especially highlighted his pull, cover drive, and back-foot punch as perfection.

There is a select group of corporates who have kept their eye on the ball – not losing sight of the fundamentals, the processes, and especially the people. But others focus only on the top-line and bottom-line and pay scant attention to the growing void at the centre.

Back to the Rohit Sharma story. The man who took the Mumbai Indians to 5 IPL titles has been abruptly replaced by Hardik Pandya. The transition could have been handled with more grace and transparency. Instead, it smacks of board-room intrigue, disrespect to the man who has contributed so much to the franchise, and a lack of basic decency and sporting spirit. However, the break from the burdens of leadership can prove to be a blessing in disguise. Fortunately for us, he remains the captain of the Men in Blue for the ICC T 20 World Cup later this year and if he keeps his focus and form we may see the Last Hurrah from Captain Rohit-Bhai at the World Test championship in June next year.

Three Aces

Posted on February 29, 2024 by SV Rao

The 3 Aces- Ace of Clubs- Yashashvi Jaiswal, Ace of Hearts- Sarfaraz Khan, Ace of Spades- Dhruv Jurel

The ongoing Test series between India and England has been a humdinger. Enthralling cricket, ebbs and flows, high drama, scintillating performances with bat and ball, and the emergence of some special young talent. India’s 3-1 victory is one for the ages. On par with the 2001 series 2-1 win against an Aussie side at the top of their game and especially remembered for VVS Laxman’s epochal 281 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Come to think of it the present bilateral Tests have some parallels with India’s ‘Miracle Down Under’ another 2-1 triumph under Rahane’s captaincy in 2021. The Men in Blue scripted the greatest comeback in Test match history with Kohli returning home after the first Test defeat. No Shami, no KL Rahul, and injuries to Bumrah, Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari. The current India squad has no Kohli, KL Rahul, Shami and Rishabh Pant. The visitors also lost their spinner Jack Leach through a knee injury in the first test at Hyderabad.

The term Bazball is coined after England Team Coach Brendon McCullum’s nickname ‘Baz.’ It refers to the aggressive style of batting by English batters. It has worked well for the McCullum–Stokes partnership- 14 Test wins, 7 losses, 1 draw thus far. Remember they beat Pakistan 3-0 in Pakistan. England’s run rate in Test matches touched 4.76 per over, never matched in the history of the game. The Indian tour was seen as The Last Frontier for Bazball and obviously, it has come apart. Social media has gone crazy with ‘RIP Bazball’ & ‘Bazball meets its Waterloo’. After the 4^th Test Indian fans had a field day, ‘Haar gaya Bazball, Jeet gaya Bat-Ball’ (Bazball loses, Bat-ball wins). But I salute McCullum- Ben Stokes for stoking life into Test cricket. It has become exciting again with twists and turns every session.

Now to the Three Aces. Their humble backgrounds, struggles, challenges, and sensational success have added an emotional and inspiring dimension to this Test contest. The cricket field has verily become their ‘Karmabhoomi.’ The 22-year-old Yashashvi Jaiswal’s (Ace of Clubs) tale has been aptly captured by the Forbes India headline, ‘From battling hunger to developing an insatiable hunger for runs’. A remarkable rags-to-riches story of a 10-year-old from a small town in UP relocating to Mumbai in search of his cricketing dreams. He first worked and stayed at a dairy shop but was fired because he was obsessed with the sport. Then he moved to one of the tents in Azad Maidan, Mumbai, and lived with the groundsman. He sold ‘pani-puri’ in the evenings to make ends meet. His parents repeatedly told him to come back home but he had marked his guard. In a 2018 interview with News 18, his mother Kanchan shared his response, ‘Main maidan mein he rahunga to sab kuch asan hoga. Subhe uthe he meri samne cricket hota hai’ (If I stay on the ground everything will be easy. As soon as I wake up I see cricket in front of me.).

Another challenge the boy had to face was the canard that he was over-age and had fudged his real age. Clubs and teams stayed away. Providentially, he was spotted by Jwala Singh who not only decided to train him but provided him with food and accommodation. The mentor/coach himself said in interviews, ‘I wanted to help him because his story is similar to mine. I also came from UP to Mumbai to play cricket so I know the kind of struggle he faced.’ In 2019, he became the youngest cricketer to score a List A club double century, then became the leading run-getter at the U 19 World Cup in 2020. He was then purchased by the Rajasthan Royals at the IPL auction for ₹ 2.4 crores which has now been bumped up to ₹ 4 crores.

In his debut Test Match against the Windies in 2023 he hit an elegant 171. In the ongoing Test series, he has scored 618 runs with two majestic double-hundreds. In the Vizag Test at 94, he walked down the track and lifted the ball over the long-on boundary. With the Dharamshala Test coming up he stands a good chance of beating Kohli’s series record of 655 runs on the England tour of India in 2016-17. His idol Sachin Tendulkar celebrated his Vizag century celebration picture with the caption, ‘Yashashvi Bhava’ meaning may you see a lot of success.

This Test series is also flavoured with spicy tit-bits- one such served by Ben Duckett who smashed a masterful century at Rajkot in just 88 balls. The Indian opener Jaiswal dominated with an unbeaten 214 and equaled Wasim Akram’s world record of 12 sixes in a Test innings. Duckett claimed ‘that England deserved some credit for Jaiswal’s knock as his batting style followed ‘Bazball’. Commentators, pundits and social media went berserk. Joe Root’s reverse scoop of Bumrah which got him out was discussed ‘as the worst shot in England’s cricket history’. (Sky Sports)

Sarfaraz Khan’s (Ace Of Hearts) has been a long, gritty journey to his Rajkot Test debut. After he received his India cap he rushed to his Abbu and his wife who were cheering for him. He handed over the cap to Naushad Khan who kissed it. All were teary-eyed. A lump-in-the-throat scene straight out of a movie. Naushad Khan had played competitive cricket for Mumbai but could not make the national team. He was living his dreams through his son Sarfaraz. The jersey number of the debutant Test cricketer read 97. Say 9&7 separately in Hindi and you hear the father’s name. The latter is now a cricket coach not only to his sons Sarfaraz and Musheer but also to several aspiring youngsters at the Maidans. Young Sarfaraz was made to work on fitness, batting, bowling, and fielding. From early morning drills to specific diet plans he had to follow strict schedules. Naushad Khan has even set up a synthetic turf around his home in Kurla so that his sons don’t miss practice during monsoons.

At age 12, he scored a record-breaking 439 runs from 421 balls in the Harris Shield-Mumbai’s premier school tournament. He played for India u-19 in 2014 and was second highest scorer in the WC U-19 in 2016. He joined RCB in 2016 at a base price of 20 lacs and played some cameo innings. But questions about his fitness and body weight started doing the rounds. Unfortunately, he missed the IPL 2017 season because of an injury. He shifted to UP to play Ranji trophy and went off the radar. He became one of the many other domestic circuit players.

But the father-son duo didn’t give up. A flood of runs in the Ranji Trophy-928 in the 2019-20 edition and 982 runs in 20-21 with an average of 82.83 still did not resonate with the national selectors. With some injuries in the Indian camp, Sarfaraz finally got a call to join the Indian squad for the current Test series. Critics were still talking about his body weight. His 50 of 48 balls in the first innings silenced them and his run-out at 62 because of a mix-up with Jadeja became a huge talking point. The star all-rounder was trolled on social media for denying the debutant his maiden Test century. He apologized to both father and son. Drama and more drama. The aggressive 68 in the second innings also facilitated India’s massive win at Rajkot.

The India cap eluding them for years did not break their spirit. Naushad Khan gave it a beautiful, philosophical spin during his interview with Akash Chopra and several news channels,’ Raat ko waqt do guzarne ke liye, suraj apne he samaye par niklega.’ Translated as ‘let the night pass at its own pace, the sun will rise at the set time.’ Destiny had planned a perfect time for Sarfaraz’s dream to come true. He has also thanked Surya Kumar Yadav for insisting that he be physically present for the Rajkot match- a once-in-a-lifetime experience- if his son padded up for India. The only downside for this exciting batter is that for IPL 2024, no side bid for him at his base price of ₹ 20 lakhs. But hope still remains that with Shreyas Iyer and another player struggling with injuries, KKR may reach out to him.

The Third Ace. Ace of Spades. Ranchi Test. England 353. India struggling at 177 for 7 and is likely to be bundled out for under 200. England with a big lead wraps up the match and it’s 2-2 before the final Test. Dhruv Jurel in only his second international match scores a match-defining 90 and with Kuldeep Yadav keeps England’s lead down to 46. The rest is history. On reaching 50 he raises his hand in salute to his father Nem Chand Jurel, a retired Army Hawaldar and a Kargil war veteran. His humble background comes through in this story narrated by his father.’ He wanted a cricket kit bag but it was very expensive- some ₹6,000. “I said ‘Mat khelo, Itna paisa nahin hain’. (Leave the game. I don’t have so much money). But his mother decided to pawn her only gold chain and we managed to buy his kit bag.”

At the age of 14 he found his way alone to a cricket academy in Noida and to coach Phoolchand. The boy from Agra played for UP across age groups and became the vice-captain of the Indian team for the U-19 WC2020. By playing for his state in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament- India’s no 1 domestic T-20 championship- he caught the eye of the IPL scouts and was picked up by Rajasthan Royals in 2022 for a base price of 20 lakhs.(increased to Rs 50 lakhs for the 2024 season). He got his IPL breakthrough in 2023 and scored 152 runs at a strike rate of 172. His range of shots and ability to play under pressure brought him into the spotlight. The youngster himself says, ‘Hard work is a big thing. I am a big fan of manifestation and visualization.’ Hard Work!! The Rajasthan Royals Performance Director, Zubin Bharucha has revealed that before his Test debut Jurel batted for over 4 hours a day on different surfaces at the Rajasthan Royals High Performance Center at Nagpur. Coming in at No 8 in the 3^rd Test he scored 46 runs.

Just reflect. His IPL SR of 172 and his Ranchi Test innings of 90 & 39 not out under immense pressure SR of 60.40 and 50.64. Calmness, composure, and temperament. Joe Root, his team-mate at RR has this to say, ‘His ability to strike cleanly and blast the ball to all parts is impressive. But to be able to transfer skills to the Test format means he has a very good technique. He is going to be a very good player for years to come.’

With just 15 first-class matches and not all of them as keeper, Jurel has been a revelation behind the stumps. Diving down the leg side, jumping high, or standing up to the stumps his dexterity and reflexes have stood out. Sunil Gavaskar was reminded of ‘a young MSD’ On a lighter note, Jamie Alter posed this question on a cricket podcast, ‘I ask that a wicket-keeper batsman playing at Ranchi and with close connection to the Indian Army, wins the Man of the Match award -which cricketer will come to mind.’ MSD of course. Also, listen in to Ben Stokes, ‘His keeping was something to watch. I think Ben Foakes (England keeper) has a little man crush on him there. There has been a real talent that has emerged in this Test Series and Jurel is one of them.’ England spinner Shoaib Bashir is another with his 8 wickets at Ranchi and a match-winning future ahead.

Cricket is the ultimate winner after these thrilling 4 Test encounters. Nasser Hussain, ‘That’s one of the things I have enjoyed most about this series from both sides. There has been a lot of character on the show and it has made for gripping cricket.’ Leaving the last word to Virat Kohli- his special message for Team India on X, ‘YES!!! Phenomenal series win by our young team. They showed guts, determination, and resilience.’

In a Tarot Card reading, Three Aces symbolize multiple new beginnings, opportunities, a fresh start, or a new environment. It also signifies a dramatic energy shift. May Test cricket regain its charm, popularity, and appeal! This will enhance the entire aura of the game across formats.

The Inspiring Story of Rashid Khan

Posted on July 16, 2023 by SV Rao

Rashid Khan celebrating a wicket in his signature ‘airplane’ celebration

Afghanistan and Cricket!! 1935. Abdul Aziz Durani catches the eye of the Jamsaheb of Nawanagar with his wicket-keeping skills. He offers him a job as a sub-inspector and the Afghan family moves to Jamnagar with their one-year-old son born near the Khyber Pass in Afghanistan. Salim Durani grows up to be the flamboyant Indian Test cricketer known for his big sixes. He was born before his time. He would have taken to T20 cricket and the IPL like a duck to water. Sadly the great all-rounder passed away this April and the tributes and obituaries all highlighted his Afghan lineage.

In the 2019 ICC World Cup, the Afghanistan cricket team went winless in all 9 matches. But such is the soft power of sports and cricket that there were no bomb blasts or attacks on the day of the matches in the troubled nation.

Today the 24-year-old Rashid Khan is Afghanistan’s first global sporting superstar and cricketing icon. Born in eastern Afghanistan his family fled to Peshawar during some turbulent years of the Afghan war and even lived in the refugee camps. This is where the young boy picked up the game of cricket. After their return to their homeland, he continued to play the game but mostly with his 6 brothers. It was not till 2014 that Rashid who fancied himself as an opening batsman converted into a spin bowler. He taught himself through endless hours bowling on the concrete passageways, and then fields, and in the nets, in a country that had just become an affiliate member of the ICC when he was born. Today- the Afghan hero, IPL millionaire, and T20 smash hit- the Rashid Khan story is celebrated and savored by all cricket lovers.

Just 17, he made his debut for Afghanistan on the Zimbabwe cricket tour in October 2015. Just 2 years later he was picked up by SunRisers Hyderabad for $600,000 at the IPL auction. He then picked up franchise deals with the Guyana Amazon Warriors and helped the Adelaide Strikers to win their first BBL (Big Bash) title in 2018. He then also played in the PSL for the Quetta Gladiators and the Lahore Qalandars. Rashid Khan, without exaggeration, is the busiest cricketer in the world and a globe-trotter. He is invariably amongst the top wish-list of teams in big cricket leagues around the world. In 370 T20 matches, he has taken 500 wickets with an economy rate of 6.33, and sustaining these numbers across years, various leagues and oppositions, and playing conditions have been a remarkable achievement. Many cricket pundits rate him as the best T20 bowler of all time.

5 seasons with the Sunrisers in the IPL had led to a wicket haul of 93 wickets with an economy rate of 6.3. With the Gujarat Titans in 2022- 19 wickets and the IPL trophy. In 2023, 27 wickets and a loss in the finals to CSK. Listen to another great spinner Harbhajan Singh on Sports Today, “Rashid Khan is a great player from a different league. He is picking up wickets in heaps, he is scoring runs, he is a gifted fielder, and he led GT whenever Captain Hardik was not available. He has done everything and excelled. GT is exceptionally lucky to have a player like Rashid Khan in their ranks.”

What is it that makes him such a great bowler? L Sivaramakrishnan has this to say, “He is an unorthodox leg-spinner. His arm action is so quick that he has to release the ball at the right moment. He is very accurate. His grip doesn’t change much for leg spin and googly. Because his grip is more like an off-spinner with a big gap between the index finger and middle finger, it allows him to bowl a better googly.”

Rashid himself said in an interview that he usually bowls between 90-91 kmph. That extra 5-6 kmph above the normal spinners is what harries the batter. ‘’Opposition batsman may know what is coming- they are just not sure what to do” (Wisden Cricket Monthly). Ravi Bopana has acutely observed, “You can’t pick him from the hand. If you pick him from the pitch by the time you have worked out which way it’s going to turn it is too late for playing the big shot. You nudge him around. Finally, you try to take him down in the last over. That’s when he bags a couple of more wickets.”

Like most other world-class spinners more than half of his deliveries are on the good length and most of the remainder are just short of a good length. The batters don’t reach the pitch of the ball and the speed ensures that they don’t have time for the cut or the pull. His speed through the air is modeled on his idol Shahid Afridi while maintaining a stump-to-stump line. Rashid’s biggest weapon and mind-game ploy is the lethally accurate googly and he has multiple variations in his arsenal. In the T20 format, the most effective method of dismissals is to control the runs and force the batter to take more risks. Rashid Khan knows how to keep the pressure lid on.

This self-taught genius has picked up some bowling tips from watching his idols Afridi and Anil Kumble on TV and video. But take a peek into the sheer dedication of the man- “I place bottle tops at different spots on the pitch and I bowl until I hit each one. It doesn’t matter how long it takes-1hr, 2hrs, 3 hrs, or only 5-6 balls. I have to hit every one of the bottle tops.” Is it surprising that he has airbrushed many a middling total to a match-winning one for his team?

Plus his ingrained discipline. In the 2017 IPL, he was given to eating unhealthy foods like biryani, bread, and sweets. He quickly made the switch to barbecues or grilled food with lots of salad. This has given him the fitness and strength to take on his punishing cricketing schedule. It has given him that extra energy to consistently bowl at 90+kmph and even touch 99-100 kmph at times. He has sheepishly confessed that he cheats for one meal a month; also that he is unable to eat if he does not do his regular workout.

In 2017, ICC declared him as the T20 Associated Player of the Year. His 96 T20 wickets in 2018 inspired the headline-‘Prodigy to Superstar’ (Wisden Cricket Almanac). Then, Rashid Khan was lauded as the ICC T20 player of the decade. Just before the ICC T20 World Cup cricket legends like Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, and Mahela Jayawardene picked him amongst their top 5 players across teams. Yet, the young Afghan yearns to be the MVP (Most Valuable Player) in an IPL season.

There is more to him than just being a champion spinner. With the bat, he is capable of clearing the ropes in the slog overs. Over the years he has evolved into an extravagant, destructive lower-order batsman. In his early teens, he had dreamt of being an opening batsman like his idol Sachin Tendulkar. As a fielder also he has been agile and focused, giving his all for the team.

In the history of IPL in India the most popular foreign players have been AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle. Rashid Khan has now been embraced by Indian cricket fans as one of their own. What adds to the aura of this young cricketer is his grounded approach; his close-knit family life with his 10 siblings and their families; the regular requests from his nephews and nieces that he shows them his ‘airplane celebration’ after taking a wicket; how his parents have taught him how to handle success and fame. As he himself puts it, “Money doesn’t give you good fame, good personality, good image. The only thing that gives you that is being humble. Being kind to everyone. Also if a fan asks for a photo and I ignore it, I don’t think I will be able to sleep. I never want to hurt someone’s feelings.” Small wonder that the spin maestro is so warmly welcomed by fans around the world.

Rashid Khan gives a lot of credit to his SunRisers Hyderabad mentor VVS Laxman and Captain Kane Williamson for keeping him calm, positive, and focused. Referring to the latter he has said that he put his arms around my shoulder, “You just need to enjoy and keep smiling. That’s the only thing I want from you. Doesn’t matter whatever the result at the end but I want you to be smiling on the ground.”

His former national team captain Asghar Afghan has this to say, “The one special thing about Rashid is that whenever Afghanistan wins any match, the dinner is on him. Everyone gathers in his room and all expenses are borne by him. He really has a very big heart. Irrespective of whether he has performed or not if we win he takes the initiative for treating us to dinner. Even the 12^th man of our team prays that we win so that Rashid can treat us to dinner.”

The cricketing superstar is just 24 years old. His full name is Rashid Khan Arman. Arman is the male Persian name for ‘Wish’ and ‘Hope.’ In Turkish and Armenian it also means ‘God’s Man’.

Management Lessons from THALA (The Leader)

Posted on June 6, 2023 by SV Rao

In the classic IPL 2023 finals, 3 images have stayed with millions of cricket buffs and with me. Deepak Chahar drops a sitter with the classy and prolific Shubham Gill at just 3. Pan to MSD. A calm, stoic face and the game moves on; then Jadeja beats Gill as he lunges forward. Dhoni’s lightning fast reflexes are on show as he removes the bails in a flash (0.01 seconds). The bowler runs towards the wicket-keeper with eyebrows raised and the latter nods quietly. Yes, they have stumped the batter. It’s quite clear that Shubham Gill has been plotted out; as CSK are crowned champions Mahibhai is called to lift the trophy. But he has already invited Ambati Rayudu (who has announced his retirement)and Jadeja whose cameo hitting sealed the match on the last ball to join him on stage to receive the trophy. Then as the entire CSK contingent is celebrating we see the smiling captain at the back and corner.

The most impressive trait of the man is his unflappable temperament. Ravi Shastri acknowledges this in his foreword to Bharat Sundaresan’s book, ‘The Dhoni Touch’, “Captain Cool may sound clichéd now but in many ways, it was an apt description as nothing could frazzle Dhoni. I have seen him remain steadfast and inscrutable as a monk in victory or in defeat.” The crucial lapse by Chahar could have rattled the team had their captain let out a stream of invectives and abuses. “But Thala is known to take the pressure off his players. He has always looked at the bigger picture in tight situations or even after a couple of defeats. Things will balance out in the longer run,” says Michael Hussey. In some of his interviews, Dhoni has revealed his mental resolve, “I feel frustrated. I feel angry at times. I feel disappointed. But none of these are constructive. What needs to be done is more important than any of these emotions.” His calmness both as India and CSK captain has soothed the nerves of the rest of the team and ensured that they stay focused and continue to believe in themselves. Not losing composure in stressful situations is the key to positive team spirit and sustainable success. Our Corporate Managers can take a leaf from MSD’s book. Business targets have morphed into targeting team members- especially down the line. The simple mantra is that a good work environment (dressing room culture) translates into good results.

Some Corporate leaders today tend to complicate things, by an overdose of reviews and meetings and analysis. Dhoni is not too invested in cricket data analytics. He relies more on his observation skills and his deep appreciation of every nuance of the game. THALA has a genius for keeping things simple. Everything is not within our control. “Control the controllable things and attend to the small details and address the ground realities. More often than not results will be in your favour. If you don’t get desired results, accept and work to improve,” from a Dhoni interview. In a company setup, the controllables are mobilizing the right resources, deputing people to the right assignments, defining their roles and giving them space to deliver, facilitating teamwork & co-ordination, selecting the right leaders + Training, Upskilling, Motivation, Appreciation, and having their backs when there are bad days at the office. It’s not surprising to know that MSD often has dinner with the younger members of the team to put them at ease and to jell with them.

This attribute of MSD of having faith in and backing his players is a recurrent theme. Spinner Yuzi Chahal who has experienced his best days under his captaincy says, “Newcomers or with 15-20 match experience-MSD backs you and trusts you. A couple of bad matches does not shake his faith in you.” It’s only a game that is an oft-quoted response from Dhoni after losing a match or even a series. Connect the dots to the high success ratio at both the international levels and also in the IPL tournament. Hence it is that you don’t see much chopping and changing of players in the Dhoni era as became the norm later. Merit more than loyalty mattered to him.

This sanguine, down-to-earth mindset of Dhoni is commended by Shastri, “even in the new set up with Kohli as captain and with many youngsters- his mature understanding of the players and dressing room dynamics – Dhoni morphed into a pillar, advisor, and mentor without intruding into team management space.” Mahi had even earlier proved that he was the master of quietly taking charge without rocking the boat. The Art of Managing Egos. Catapulted to captaincy ahead of several Indian cricket superstars and former captains, he took his time, didn’t interfere with their proven methods, and managed to extract the best performances from these legends and the upcoming stars without ruffling feathers. Lest we forget the 2007 T 20 WC winning team was completely raw and the current CSK team was at best, average on paper.

MS Dhoni is an enigma to many as he is an unorthodox leader and a unique personality. His art of taking ownership has many levels- Being in the Present; keeping it simple but looking to improve; thinking about results only puts more pressure on the team, so focus on the process; keeping emotions under control is more constructive- anger and frustration lead to wrong decisions; don’t throw in the towel till the result is decided. Devon Conway (CSK opener) gives more insights in an interview with Harsha Bhogle, “MS gives us a role and backs us to do the role. He steps into their shoes as everybody reacts differently to pressure.” So it is little surprise that Thala’s pre-match meetings last only 10 mins but he has a sequence of one-to-ones. Also what he has to say in team meets is already known to seniors but helps to get the others on the same page. His simple take is- A captain is only as good as his team.

At the workplace also, team members reciprocate and feel a sense of belonging and responsibility based on the trust shown to them by the leader.

Leading from the front has been his hallmark. A corporate honcho has to herself/himself excel in one or more domains-Sales, Finance, HR, Operations, Technology or their leadership will always be in doubt. Delegation is good but one cannot be a non-playing captain. MSD has been at the top of his game as a wicketkeeper, a batter (at various slots), and a captain responsible for every action on the field. The innovative and effective helicopter shot is synonymous with him. He personifies genuine multi-tasking across various formats of the game and often raises the bar. This means living in the moment and in leading the charge in whatever the role demands. Not everything he has touched has turned into gold. But he has always appeared in total command on the field- not scurrying around to mitigate a difficult situation.

The Best Finisher accolade he has earned is well deserved for his utmost capability to lead from the front even as the asking rate appeared to be beyond reach. An astonishing stat is that he has scored 4,000 runs in a winning cause batting at No. 5 or lower. In ODI’s power hitting came into vogue because of him. No score was considered safe if he was batting for India. His batting average in successful chases in the ODI’s is the highest for any player in history- an incredible 102.71. The six to finish off the 2011 WC final is etched in a nation’s consciousness and has become part of folklore.

With 294 Test dismissals, 444 ODI dismissals and 91 T20 dismissals MS Dhoni is in a league of his own- the Don with gloves on… But as wicketkeeper cum captain he morphs into a different avatar. The stump mic has caught him advising bowlers on what and where to bowl or talking about the batter’s mind frame. Yuzi Chahal certifies that the plans have worked more than 70%of the time over a few overs.

Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties. But the Thala halo also speaks of a brilliant cricketing mind. It has been said that he has the game all mapped out in his head. Amazingly, he is often on the right course. Shubham Gill was outwitted by the Dhoni-Jadeja combination in the IPL finale. But few may know that in the 2011 WC final a Dhoni-short of runs- promoted himself above the Man of the Tournament Yuvraj Singh in the batting order. His rationale- danger-man Muralitharan was bowling and he had played him often in the CSK nets. In the Champions Trophy of 2013 he asked Rohit Sharma to open with Shikhar Dhawan and a hundred partnership opened the floodgates to many more runs. The sharply observant Dhoni saw things that others overlooked.

Adam Gilchrist has commented about the MSD aura, “Sheer calm and confident body language evoked great respect and even fear in the opposition camp.” The ultimate tribute has come from the master himself-Sachin Tendulkar, “Calm, positive and always one step ahead of the opposition. The best captain I have played under.”

He has always shared credit with the team and taken the heat for the losses. The 2011 WC winning team photograph also shows him in a corner with other team members at the front and center. After this heady win, it was all downhill for Dhoni and the Men in Blue as they faced one embarrassing loss after another in the Test series in England and Australia. It took great strength of character to bounce back with the sheer weight of performance once again. His announcement to retire from Test cricket during the Australia series in 2014-15 speaks volumes about the man. “90 Tests. The temptation to reach a milestone 100 is almost impossible to resist not to mention the power of captaincy. But he bid adieu as he believed he couldn’t give it his all,” comments Ravi Shastri.

MSD has always had the street-smart brain to cut through the clutter and reach a decision correctly. His technique both behind and in front of the stumps has been unconventional to say the least. He himself believes that millions connect with him as his cricket mirrors their gully cricket style. The sea of yellow at stadiums across India during the IPL is an unusual social phenomenon. It goes way beyond hero worship to a massive cult following. That this man from Jharkhand has been so warmly embraced by the people of Chennai and Tamil Nadu has a powerful message for our political netas. His respect for the people, their culture, and his humanity and simplicity, have made him their very own ICON.

In this era of omnipresent social media, this celebrity cricketer is totally missing from Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. He considers it a distraction and an addiction. In his own wry manner, he says, “Core job is to play well for India in cricket. If you do that there will be enough likes and enough followers.”

The incredible journey of this railway ticket collector from Ranchi to Chennai and beyond has not been without controversy. The CSK-RR match-fixing scandal and the banning of both teams from the IPL for two seasons must have scarred him badly. He has called it the lowest point in his life. The 2016 film, ‘MS Dhoni-the Untold Story’ produced by his friend Arun Pandey did not reveal anything. Mahi only spoke about it in the documentary ‘Roar of the Lions’ on Hotstar in 2019. Another cautionary tale is the conflict of interest issue with Rhiti Sports (where Dhoni had a 15% stake) also managing the careers and fortunes of his CSK team-mates- Raina, Jadeja, and Ojha.

The 2023 IPL final was heralded as MSD’s ‘Last Dance’ with the CSK team. But the cricketing legend has now metamorphosed into a national emotion. After his recent knee surgery he will likely return to CSK in IPL 2024 as a captain for a few matches and as a Mentor for the team and franchise. The final hurrah will be played out at Chepauk.

The Litmus Test for the Men in Blue

Posted on October 22, 2022 by SV Rao

“The Redeem Team,” currently streaming on Netflix, makes for a fascinating and gripping watch. It documents the humiliating losses of the US basketball team of NBA superstars at the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Games in 2002 & 2006 and the Athens Olympics in 2004. The dominant Americans had slipped into ‘the bronze age.’ Then followed the mission of the national team to redeem themselves in the eyes of their fervent home fans and regain the respect of the world of basketball. Culminating with the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

At one point in this docudrama, a sports commentator asks whether ‘the money and greed of the NBA’ had diluted and undermined the competitiveness of Team USA on the global stage. So I started connecting the dots between the IPL and the underwhelming performances of the Indian cricket team on big occasions in world cricket. NBA is a huge business and the IPL is now touted to be the second richest sports league in the world. The US national coach says in the film, ‘We have to learn their game to be able to beat them.’ Just as India cricketers have to step out of the IPL celebrity bubble to take on the raw, relentless, and hard-nosed competition at the ICC championships. A US Olympic team player says that ‘the coach has told them to forget about Cleveland, Lakers, Chicago Bulls on their jerseys. This is all about the national team.’ Read- forget about MI, CSK, and RCB on the jerseys. The Men in Blue represent India. Most interestingly, “The Redeem Team’’ refers to 2 Alphas on the court- Kobe Bryant & Lebron James. ‘Also, we don’t care as to who the Alpha is so long as Team USA wins.’ So be it. Does it really matter if 6 or 7 of the Indian team hit a purple patch or 1 Alpha takes us through the semis or finals or 2 new heroes emerge to take India to the ICC T20 championship trophy on the 13th of November in Australia?

In 2007, Kobe Bryant was widely regarded as an arrogant, controversial loner. The best in US basketball and by default the best on the planet. The ‘Kobe, Kobe’ madness in Beijing in 2008 spoke about his global super-stardom. The gold medal at the Olympics took him into the stratosphere- a huge impact player, a team leader, and the man who stepped up his game when it mattered the most- as in the exhilarating finals against Spain. Will Virat Kohli step up to the crease and win key matches for The Men in Blue?! Will he stamp his majesty and class at the ICC T 20 tournament Down Under to universal cheers of ‘King Kohli’?! The moment is now and here.

The great Kapil Dev has rated India’s chances to enter the semis at a mere 30%. Other experts like Sehwag feel that Babar Azam from Pakistan (who has never played in the IPL) will be the highest run-getter at ICC T-20 2022. The Indian team had lost the last tourney without qualifying for the semi-finals. In 2019, in England, India exited the ODI tournament at the semis stage. At the World Test Championships final at Lords, the Kiwis lifted the trophy. There is no silverware to adorn the BCCI cabinets since 2013. Hopefully, this is going to be our very own ‘Redeem Team.’ Bringing back the Winner’s Cup and the medals and the glory.

The Men in Blue 2.0

Posted on September 5, 2022 by SV Rao

The Asia Cup cricket tournament is on and the Men in Blue are serving their customary fare. Flatter to deceive. Winning their opening outing against arch-rivals Pakistan in a thriller and then just succumbing to them in their next encounter. This does not augur well for the national cricket team in the T 20 WC to be played in Australia in October-November this year. The only positive takeaways have been the return to form of master batsman Virat Kohli and some high adrenaline performances from Hardik Pandya and Surya Kumar Yadav.

Let us set the bar high. Win the Asia Cup to propel the side to win the Major-Down-Under. With our cricketers getting the VVIP treatment both in money terms and fame, should we settle for less? With an abundance of talent, with an amazing bench-strength the National cricket team is underperforming on the biggest stages of all.

Men in Blue 2.0. A lot is expected from the players under the mentorship of Rahul Dravid. But his innings thus far has been a mixed bag. The highs have been the 2-1 ODI win and 2-1 T 20 victory against a resurgent England side in England earlier this year. The down-side was allowing them to draw the Test series 2-2 in the one-off Test. One may add beating the West Indies on their home turf in the ODI 3-0 and T 20 by 4-1. The Windies are a very combative side in the T 20 format. They won the ICC trophies in 2012 and 2016. The loss to South Africa 2-1 in Tests and 3-0 in ODI’s hurts. Remember-Kohli resigned from captaincy after the loss of the Test series. There are Statistics and then there are Impact Stats. Winning matches on SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) tours define the aura for the Indian cricket team. The conditions+ pitches+ opposition take these contests to another level of grit, flair and competition. Plus, plus, plus lifting the ICC World Cup trophies across formats- Tests, ODI’s, T 20’s. These test the nerves and temperament, the skills and adaptability of the best of cricketers. The best that can be said as of now is that the Indian cricket team under Head Coach Dravid is still to find its mojo. Let’s hope that the unit hits top gear soon. A trivia worth sharing- in his 10 month stint thus far Dravid has worked with 7 Indian captains.

Bilateral series wins on Indian turf cannot be discounted. But Indian teams across the last 2 decades and more have stood tall on home pitches. A couple of years back the bombastic coach Shastri hailed the Indian team as the best ever to represent the country. Really?! A reality check is in order per the SENA tours and the big ICC trophies. We lost the Test series 4-1 to England in 2018; ODI 2-1; T 20 2-1. Lost the Test Series to New Zealand 2-0 in 2020. The high point has been the never-say-die Test tour of England in 2021 where India led the Test Series 2-1 with the hosts levelling the series 2-2 earlier this year. And the T 20 away win in Kiwi-land in 2020. Much hype has been created about our 2018-19 victory tour of Australia. To spell out the context. The Aussies were still shamefully coping with the cheating scandal called ‘Sandpapergate’- ball tampering on the South African tour. Their top players Smith and Warner had been suspended for a year. Morale was at a grim low. Players were booed by their own people across all the venues. The Miracle Down Under under Rahane in 2021 is the real thing. The 36 all-out in the First Test. Losing top players to injury. Against All Odds. The rest is history.

World Cup silverware has not adorned BCCI shelves since the Championship trophy of 2013. Losing the Test Championship at Lords to New Zealand in 2021. Exiting the ODI semi-final in England in 2019. Not making it to the knock-out stage at the 2021 T 20 tournament. Let’s hark back to those who wore the Indian cap and colours in the earlier years. Winners of the ICC World Cup in 1983 and 2011. The T 20 WC in 2007. The Champions trophy in 2002 and 2013. Runners up at the ODI WC in 2003 and T 20 in 2014.

Stats can be spun to suit the narrative. Social media can amplify and distort the same. Is the Indian cricket team in the same league as the majestic Windies team of the late 70’s and 80’s? Or the great Australian side under Waugh and Ponting? These teams dominated the game for almost a decade. The Caribbean Calypsos did not lose a series for 10 years and more. Beyond the wins and the silver-ware they influenced and changed how the game of cricket was played. Interestingly, it was India that stopped the Windies juggernaut at Lords ’83 and again India that shattered the Aussie dreams of capturing the Last Frontier in 2001.

Shrug, shrug. In the opinion of many the challenge of the SENA tours and losing out on ICC majors does not seem to matter. After all, India is the centre of gravity of the cricketing world. Are we suffering from the Super Bowl syndrome of American football?! The IPL is the second richest sports league in the world after the English Premier League. Hope that Indian cricket is not affected by the curse of English football. The most followed football league on the planet but no major trophy for the English team since WC 1966. The powers that be and the Influencers of Indian cricket should understand that the fortunes of the IPL are inextricably linked to the fortunes of the Men in Blue.

Let’s look at other sports. The Spanish football team dominated the world of football for 5 years from 2008 to 2012.They won the European Championships in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010. The 2010 team is considered by some pundits as the greatest of all time. Now 12 years on, can you remember any marquee names? Possibly one or two in one of the best football squads ever. To quote from one of the experts, “the journey of the treble of trophies was a long time coming for La Roja. After years of near misses and underachievement, Spain’s golden generation-produced largely by Barcelona and Real Madrid- became an unstoppable force.”

Let’s look at individual icons in a team sport. Lionel Messi is right up there in the stratosphere of football all-time greats. Some consider him the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) for his magical skills and abilities on the football field. But what haunted this Superstar was that he had not won any major tournament with the Argentina team. Till the Copa America in 2021. That he propelled his national team to the WC final in 2014 (1-0) loss to Germany or 2 successive Copa America finals in 2015-2016 did not count. At the top levels in international sports- the World Cups, Grand Slams, Continental Championships, Olympics- it’s holding aloft the trophy or wearing the gold medal that matters.

Domination of the game in all 3 formats is the only ticket for the Men in Blue into crickets ‘Immortal Hall of Fame.’ As ardent well-wishers we hope that the time starts now and continues for a few years on.

Is The IPL Losing Its Appeal??!!

Posted on May 7, 2022 by SV Rao

Is the popularity of the Indian Premier cricket League going down? The tell-tale signs are all around. Even 2 or 3 years ago, millions of fans were glued to the TV whenever their favourite player or team was in action. The next day, the match was the talking point amongst friends and in colleges and offices. Bars and Pubs were packed during key IPL fixtures for the high of the collective sporting spectacle experience. Such was the draw of the tournament that no major film was released during this period. Going to the stadium to watch a game with family and friends was an event to celebrate and to revel in through multiple shared selfies. Now, all that buzz and chatter has gone. Even many devout cricket followers are not clued in to which teams played the previous night. Those animated discussions have died down. The charm of the game has in a sense worn off.

In the first week of IPL 2022, TV viewership (as per BARC) dropped from 267 million to 229 million. The second week took the decline to 33%. The huge success story of the IPL is wrapped around TRP and TV viewership. Now there is a growing concern amongst advertisers and sports marketing professionals about the monetisation potential of this 2 month-long tournament. Public interest is waning; eyeball counts have dropped. But the BCCI lives in a bubble. From 2023-27, the Board is seeking to double the media rights from Rs 16,500 crs to Rs 33,000 crores. The same over-the-top spirit persuaded the RPG Goenka group to bid more than Rs 7000 crs to get the rights for the new franchise-Lucknow Super Giants. Dr Goenka believes that LSG will be worth more than $ 2 billion in just 2 years. I say, talk about hitting the ball out of the park!!!!!! The CVC Capitals won the rights for the Ahmedabad based Gujarat Titans by shelling out a mammoth Rs 5625 crs. Look at even the supporting cast of players. Pruthvi Shaw, who has not yet proved to be an Impact player or crowd-puller has been retained by DC for Rs 7.5 crs. Venkatesh Iyer (KKR) and Abdul Samad (SRH) who were auctioned for Rs 20 lakhs just a year back have moved into the Rs 8 crs and Rs 4 crs zone, I suppose on the basis of potential?! Hard-nosed businessmen seem to have been bowled over by the allure of cricket.

Some of the stakeholders and pundits have shrugged off this slump as a temporary phase. The heat wave and the exam season have not helped matters. Scheduling of afternoon matches has been a blunder. The blip is because favoured teams like CSK and MI have been underperforming; superstars like Virat Kohli, MSD and Rohit Sharma are having a lean patch. And all the matches are being played out in Mumbai, Pune and finally in Ahmedabad. The local fan fervour is missing. Point taken.

But are we missing the willow wood for the trees? Is there an overdose of cricket in India?? The IPL now has 10 teams-74 matches- over 65 days. The Indian cricket team has a busy schedule and tours across the 3 formats. So the volume of cricket served to the Indian cricket fan is very heavy. Is this overdose of cricket not being digested?! Furthermore, the fare served in the Premier League has become monotonous and predictable. Intensity and competitiveness are lacking. Those tight, edge-of-the-seat matches have become rare. Rather than hard-fought team contests with flashes of brilliance and super skills, the tournament has become more about PR and hype and a glamour circus. The loyal and even frenzied following enjoyed by a Manchester United or Arsenal in the EPL or Barcelona and Real Madrid in the La Liga have been built up over decades. There is a glorious history and tradition attached to the clubs with classic rivalries and the marquee players. The IPL is only 15 years old. Most of the viewership has not been built around the teams but around the celebrity personas of King Kohli and Thala MSD. Players like Chris Gayle, ABD or Rashid Khan have added to the TRP ratings. But the celebrations or disappointment is not acute or heartfelt as most fans are not really invested in any team. For instance, the vociferous support on social media for RCB to win the trophy for the first time is driven largely by the cult of Kohli. But I do hope that the Bengaluru team wins. If only to see Virat Kohli back with match-winning knocks in India colors.

It is high time that the format be changed to make the game more interesting. Commentator Aakash Chopra has come out with some game-changing ideas. The key one being that a team winning the game comprehensively within 10 overs should get bonus points. This will keep the competition simmering till late into the league matches phase as an X factor. Another oft-heard recommendation is the inclusion of 5 foreign players in the playing XI to boost the standard and quality of the cricket. Likewise only the most experienced and best umpires should take the field in this elite league, helped and supported by the best solutions technology has to offer. Another interesting idea is that of a strategic substitute. A batter or bowler can voluntarily retire to make way for a substitute from the dug-out who can best deliver in that game situation with the rider that this be a one-off option with the substitute player having not yet actively played in the match.

It is also high time that the powers that be introduced the football yellow and red card practice in this tournament. The yellow card as a caution or warning to a cricketer who sledges, curses and abuses, throws tantrums or wastes time or cheats. The red card to evict a crass player who has really crossed the line of acceptable behaviour. With no substitution allowed and the guilty being benched for the next match also and with a punitive monetary deterrent in place. The celebrity bubble-dom of IPL cricket has taken its toll on good sportsmanship which once enhanced the charm and dignity of the game of cricket. The raw aggression of Kohli has found many, many admirers amongst his legion of fans but has also rubbed off on many of our younger stars. In IPL 2022 itself, we have seen a seething Pant send his coach Pravin Amre onto the field to protest an umpiring call while possibly gesturing to his batters to come back; KL Rahul’s consistent breaches of fair play as captain; Hardik Pandya’s gaalis at his own senior team-mate Shami; most disappointingly Rohit Sharma’s expansion of his coarse vocabulary even as he fails to score runs. The players need to be held to a higher standard. The blatant commercialisation of the IPL and its vacuous culture has to be reined in. Perhaps with cricket marketed as entertainment, the IPL is going the WWE way. Unfortunately, our TV experts and even well-known ex-cricketers have morphed into cheerleaders and PR spin masters as they have jumped onto the gravy train. The game of cricket is the loser. An interesting aside is that in a recent of his never-ending interviews ex-coach Shastri declared that he had moulded the Indian cricket team to match the relentless aggression of the Australians, “If the other sledged, give back to him threefold. Twice in your own language and once in English.” The young stars are certainly making their mentor proud. Wonder what ‘Indiranagar ka goonda’ thinks about all this.

The dark side of the tournament is fairly recent history. Match-fixing and spot-fixing, which resulted in CSK and RR being banned for 2 years. But the biggies involved got away without even a slap on the wrist. The danger lurks around the corner in the form of the underworld betting and drug syndicates. The IPL is very vulnerable and another major fixing scandal can take down the entire IPL edifice. Even the most passionate Indian cricket followers will lose their faith in the game. This is one area where the administrators and security people cannot take their eyes off the ball. The Sharjah tournament of the 90’s was controlled by the D Company with Asif Iqbal, the Pakistani cricketer, as the flagbearer.

Indian and world cricket have certainly benefitted manifold from this cash-rich league. The fitness of cricketers is now front and centre and this is clearly seen in the fielding agility and the athleticism on the cricket field. It will be befitting if this third dimension of the game- fielding- is given more prominence through the IPL cameras. With our youngsters rubbing shoulders with foreign greats, their confidence levels and cricketing skills have primed up. Plus the opportunities that the tournament has opened up for talented aspirants from across the country- remember Bumrah was spotted by MI scouts and nurtured by the franchise before he became India’s strike bowler. Then there is the heart–warming story about how it has helped put Afghan cricket on the world map.

India is at the epicentre of global cricket with BCCI being the richest cricket body. But the Board may well be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. The Indian passion for cricket has been ignited and fuelled over generations by the achievements of the national cricket team. The fortunes of the IPL is irrevocably tied to the performance of the Men in Blue. Over the last many years, the team has flattered to deceive at the majors. The entire focus and planning should be on winning the trophies at the ICC tournaments across formats and being triumphant on the SENA tours. Our best players should be rested to avoid the fatigue and burn-out of non-stop cricket. There should be acclimatized- warm-up matches in the run-up to an important overseas series. The Miracle Down Under with Rahane at the helm was savoured and feted by cricket followers all over the country and served as a humongous boost for the game. The Indian cricket fan will have no patience or regard for get-rich-quick IPL players if they do not give their all for the India cap and flag. Sincerely hope that the cricket administrators, selectors, players and pundits see beyond the glitter and the money; that they value and respect and appreciate what the game of cricket really means to the people of this vast land.

Overhyped? Or Underachievers?

Posted on November 10, 2021 by SV Rao

The drubbings at the hands of Pakistan and New Zealand in the T20 World Cup tick both the boxes in the above title. Getting thrashed by 10 wickets and 8 wickets is akin to an innings defeat in a Test match. The Men in Blue are out of another ICC major championship —only this time not making it to the knock-out stage.

Is it such a rude shock? Not really. First, the hype. The IPL is the world’s most glamorous cricket carnival hosted by the richest cricket body, the BCCI. It has given opportunity and confidence to the younger players and enhanced the fitness levels of our cricketers. Some of India’s best have been spotted by IPL franchise scouts; Bumrah was discovered by the Mumbai Indians. The flip side is that it does not have the intensity found in major ICC tournaments or even in well-contested series especially with the SENA nations. The cricketers are feted as celebrities and the real contest and the competitive edge are missing. But here lies the catch. The fortunes of the IPL and Team India are interlinked. If the latter continues to underperform at major tournaments, the mass following for the IPL will dwindle.

Many well-paid commentators, including ex-cricketer experts, have all jumped onto the gravy train. So on international series and tours, they no longer objectively call out selection mistakes, wrong captaincy calls, poor reading of the game, bad sportsmanship, or cracks appearing in team spirit. So when Shastri says that this is the greatest Indian team ever, there is a chorus of approvals. While Kohli says his team can win from any situation, there is chest-thumping in the media. Overconfidence leads to bad results. Curiously, there is very little focus on Impact players from the other teams. Remember that Harsha Bhogle was put out in the cold for some time a few years back. His sin – he had something good to say about the competing international players also. Millions of die-hard fans have been fed this false narrative that our cricket team is head and shoulders above the other teams. Bad days like the 36 all out at Adelaide and the 78 at Headingley on the recent England tour and the defeats at the 2019 ODI WC and the World Test Championships in 2021 are all swept under the carpet.

Indian cricket has an abundance of talent and bench strength which is the envy of other cricketing nations. But this has to be mobilized and harnessed effectively by the captain, coach, selectors, and the BCCI. Captain Kohli’s in-one’s-face aggression has won him a huge legion of fans. But such relentless intensity has also undermined his batsmanship – he is showing symptoms of burn-out. He has been crass and hyper on the field and per reliable reports in the dressing room also. The dressing room environment gradually creeps onto the cricket field. It is bound to affect both team spirit and individual performances. Both are two sides of the same coin. Now let’s talk about Mr Shastri. As the captain’s hand-picked coach and Yes Man, he is also accountable for our futile run at the ICC tournaments. With a rich repository of cricket talent to tap into, this is not acceptable. The toxicity started with the ouster of Kumble as coach at Kohli’s behest and the silence from the BCCI and the cricket establishment. Virat Kohli has gradually become bigger than the game in India. Erratic selection, benching of in-form players, taking decisions solely by instinct, and throwing tantrums have all become acceptable over the years. Analytics inputs or sensible advice from the outside even by a reputed name have all been given the short end of the stick. Team bonding and consistency have suffered and even seasoned players have not played up to their potential.

The extended bio-bubble may have taken its toll on the players. It is also possible that some had tired legs or felt stale with the second leg of the IPL just before the WC T20. But this does not tell the entire story. Pakistan’s cricket team is driven by hunger, anger, and passion. They feel marginalized on the world cricket circuit and have grabbed this opportunity to drive home their point. They are playing out of their skins.

Front and Centre are 2 subjects which are almost taboo topics for our cricketing establishment or brotherhood. Thankfully, Madan Lal has been critical about the scheduling of the IPL second leg just before the T20 WC. Kapil Dev has gone even further- whether the Indian cricketers are giving more preference to this cash rich franchise league than to the singular honour of playing for the country. In the future the BCCI will have to give serious thought to player work-loads and series and tournament schedules with the prime focus being that the Men in Blue bring home some much needed silverware. Else they are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. The success of the Indian Premier League draws from the success of the national cricket team.

The other relates to Virat Kohli’s captaincy. I guess the jury will always be out on this one. Kohli has become an icon for millions of Indian fans not only because of superlative batting performances but because of his raw aggression, passion for fitness and wearing his heart on his sleeve. Even after his team’s very disappointing exit from the ongoing T20 WC his army of admirers on social media hail him as King Kohli. The cricketing experts and the media in general are tip-toeing around the subject with diplomatic grace. We are living in some strange bubble.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Rahul Dravid will be the next coach. A true cricketing legend and a mentor for many of the younger stars through U19, India ‘A’, and the National Cricket Academy. Immense match experience and cricketing acumen: focused, grounded, level-headed, and universally respected. When The Wall walked out to bat one could see the Indian tricolour fluttering in the breeze. But he has his work cut out. There are challenging times ahead and he has to be given a free hand. Virat Kohli continues as captain for the Tests and ODI’s. Will he listen, change, adapt or even reinvent himself? Regain his mojo as a masterclass batsman? Some of the impressionable youngsters have bought into the hype and the celebrity-dom. They have to face the reality check and rediscover their day-to-day balance. Dravid’s mission is not just to get the Indian cricket team to bond together and play to their fullest potential. He has to get each person on the Indian team to value and respect the India cap to the fullest. And even more. Play to win but with the sporting spirit currently demonstrated by Kane Williamson’s Kiwis.

Is the Indian Cricket Team on the Cusp of Greatness?

Posted on May 6, 2021 by SV Rao

After the miracle Down-Under and the wins against England at home, many pundits and fans have already anointed India as the champion cricket team. Ravi Shastri’s bombast adds to this somewhat pre-mature exuberance and celebrations. However, Ian Chappell’s recent observations brings a positive perspective and a lot of cheer and hope for the Indian cricket follower. “India have finally got the equation right and as long as they can avoid the pitfalls often associated with continuing success, they are better equipped than any other team to produce an era of dominance. The rest of the cricketing world.Beware!”

To be hailed amongst the all-time great teams India would need to show its class against quality opposition on their turf. And demonstrate supremacy on home soil. Really perform on the big occasions. Across the 3 formats- Tests, ODI’s, T20 cricket.

An objective look at our recent track record against the SENA nations (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia), shows that Indian cricket still has much to conquer. (0-1) Australia in 2015, (1-2) SA 17-18, (1-4) England 2018, (2-1) Australia 2018 and (0-2) New Zealand 2019-20. The Australian tour win be seen in the context of the host side shaken by the sandpaper-gate scandal and without their best batsmen Smith and Warner. Nine of our overseas Test wins have been against Sri Lanka (5) and the West Indies (4) languishing at the bottom of the table. Also take cognisance of our semi-final exits in the 2016 T 20 WC and the 2019 ODI WC.

The West Indies cricket team under Lloyd and Richards dominated cricket from the late 70’s till the end of the 80’s. They comprehensively won on all the Australia tours, only drawing the 1981-82 series (1-1). From 1976 onwards, they beat England in England decisively including a 5-0 blackwash in 1984. India, considered a difficult place to tour, lost (0-3) in 1983-84 followed by a (1-1) draw in 1987. Under Viv Richards they did not lose a Test series from 1984-91.

The Windies transformed themselves from a bunch of easy-going Calypso cricketers to a charismatic band of winners. Their sheer athleticism, ability to play exhilarating and attacking cricket, improvise and control the game changed cricket itself. The lethal pace quartet revolutionised the sport and the Caribbean impact was such that to this day cricket buffs can recall the names of all the players in their squad and not just the marquee ones.The men in the maroon caps had also won the first 2 editions of the ODI WC in 1975 and 79 before losing to India in the memorable final in 83.

The Aussies under Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting were world beaters for almost a decade. They won the ODI trophy in 1999, 2003 and 2007. Awesome!!! Championship titles in 2006 and 2009. Their record in the other SENA countries is impressive. Under Waugh they won 8 out of 9 Ashes Tests, losing only one. Also, he led them to 15 of their record 16 consecutive victories. England beat Ponting’s XI in a thrilling 2005 Ashes series (2-1) but they exacted a 5-0 whitewash revenge at home in 2006- 07. The stamp of Aussie dominance can be gauged by the fact that Ponting is the only cricketer in history to be a part of 100 Test victories. The next 6 top players with most Test wins are all Australians who were intrinsic parts of the great teams of the late ‘90’s-2000’s.

This Aussie era was marked by ruthless efficiency and driven by cold-blooded scientific analysis and planning. Sledging also reached its peak as winning was everything. But other than Waugh and Ponting others like Gilchrist and Hayden and McGrath and Warne have also left huge shadows on the cricketing grounds.

A few interesting nuggets for Indian buffs. Waugh’s winning streak ended at the Eden Gardens on the classic tour of India in2001. (2-1 for india) The Aussies could not breach the Last Frontier. Ricky Ponting never won a Test match in India, played 7 and lost 5. But under his captaincy from 2005 to 2008 there was a second incredible show of dominance over 22 undefeated matches and 20 wins. India again played the Spoiler at Perth in one of Indian cricket’s most famous overseas wins.

2008-14 was the golden age of Spanish football. Spain topped FIFA rankings for 6 years winning the UEFA Championships in 2008 & 2012 and the FIFA World Cup in 2010. The first team to win 3 consecutive world trophies. From 2010-13 they went undefeated for 29 games. And the Spanish team scored the highest maximum points for WC qualification- 30 out of 30. The star players were mainly drawn from Barcelona and Real Madrid, bitter rivals in the domestic La Liga. But they combined as a team at the national level with the Tiki Taka style of play of short, quick passes. Retaining possession of the ball, wearing down and opening up the opposing defence and then shifting gears. They took the game to another level with their precision, well-oiled football.

After watching ‘ The Last Dance’ on Netflix, the glorious story of the Chicago Bulls stays with you. The treble NBA championships from 1991-93 and an euphoric encore from 1996-98. Although the Bulls have become synonymous with Michael Jordan, it went beyond MJ. The coach, Phil Jackson, created a great team around MJ for the first hat-trick of trophies. When MJ came back from retirement he was moulded into the ultimate team player with the likes of Scottie Pippen, Rodman and Toni Kukoc playing critical and even game winning roles. The dissipation and fall of the team due to the whims and ego of a General Manager and a pliant owner is both poignant and educative. Great teams are very difficult to build. Once they happen and come together they find a life and synergy of their own.

Sunil Gavaskar believes that India has a great team. He comments, “A captain is always as good as his team and he has a terrific team under him. The full balance of the team has been fantastic. When you have something like that you will win more matches than you lose.” He continues about the “terrific opening batsmen, a very good middle order and a bowling attack which has most variety. A wicketkeeper who is very good and who can come down the order and pummel the bowlers.”

Indeed, the bench strength is deep and impressive. We have 2/3 more openers who can take on international attacks. There is strong competition for the middle order slots. A pool of good all-rounders led by Jadeja lends flexibility to the team. A fit and energetic fielding side- thanks to the example set by Kohli and the demands of the IPL. A potent fast bowling battery plus an array of good spinners to choose from. And the dashing Pant has to keep improving as he has Samson, Rahul, Karthick, Saha breathing down his neck to don the gloves. Indian cricket has never had it so good, verily, a plethora of resources.

Behind the scenes, Indian cricket owes a debt of gratitude to Rahul Dravid. Whether at the Cricket Academy or at the U-19 level, the break-out youngsters have been groomed and mentored by this cricketing legend. Young, raw talents have blossomed like never before.

The X factor to make Indian cricket the force that it is- is the fast bowling arsenal. We have at least a dozen bowlers in domestic cricket who can bowl at 140 kmph plus consistently and make the batsman hop and duck. A far cry from the days of Saeed Ahmed Hatteea (a Bombay quick) who was advised by shaken batsmen to cut down on his speed so that he would not burn himself out.

Bharat Arun, our bowling coach, believes that’ over the last 2-3 years Indian pacers have mastered the art of bowling fast, pushing for speeds of over 140 kmph. They have become fast and lethal and most importantly consistent in maintaining fitness which is a crucial issue for speedsters. Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, Yadav and Bhuvi have troubled batsmen in international cricket irrespective of playing conditions. They have hugely influenced Team India’s success to become a top-ranked nation in cricket.’

The only other ingredient for continuing success is team spirit and the hunger for wins. As shown by the Windies teams of the 80’s, the Aussies under Waugh and Ponting, the Bulls era in the 90’s and the golden period of Spanish football. The fairy-tale victory Down Under by Rahane’s depleted team have many lessons to take forward. About getting all players on board, playing to their best potential and at times even out of their skins. Team Spirit adds an extra dimension of its own to team performance. Capt Kohli should reach out and tap into the cricketing brains of Sharma, Ashwin, Rahane and Bumrah in both strategizing for and reading the game.

2021 may well be the watershed year for Indian cricket if events unfold as per schedule. First, the World Test Championships at Lords vs New Zealand on the 18^th June 2021. Followed by a gruelling 5Tests tour of England. To cap it all, the World T 20 tournament at home from Oct this year. If the Men in Blue win the Lord’s contest, have a good English tour and lift the T 20 cup, then they are on their way to the Hall of Fame. And we will be ushered into an exciting and enchanting Era of Indian cricket.

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