The Return of CSK - A fan who admires from outside !!

        Back in 2015 a team which made to the final of the most celebrated T20 league in the world and another team which was always known for its fair play and grooming young talents ever since a guy nick named 'Gentleman' took over were banned from the league for two years because, few individuals of the team and the franchise management were proven guilty of spot fixing.

        It was two individuals who wore the stature of those teams to the world. Though Rahul Dravid had retired in 2013 he was much the face of Rajastan Royals even while mentoring the team in 2015. Like in their playing days, even when on their return there is no fuss about them. It is not sure whether Rahul will be coming back to franchise yet. There are that kind of a franchise doing the job without any fuss, they always have.

       Then there is "CSK". The Chennai Super Kings was an emotion more than just a franchise. They are the exact opposite to the kind of franchise RR has been. They have been the buzz of the IPL for seasons. And there was a man holding the team for 8 years. MS DHONI- inevitably he has been the face of the franchise. And the people of Tamil Nadu celebrated him as their own like they have celebrated their heroes and like nobody in the world could do.

       We celebrated him and the franchise as if almost everything in the cricketing world happens because of him and the team. There were a few friends of mine who will be literally shouting "CCCSSSKK DAA" even during India matches when players of the franchise appears on screen. This almost created a hatred and jealousy among those fan who are from Tamil Nadu and support to different franchises for different reasons.

       Being a supporter of Mumbai Indians (basically we are Sachin fans from child hood u Know :P )
it was almost irritating the ways fans of CSK celebrated it. But not once I have failed to admire the team and the franchise for the kind of culture it possesses. As much as anybody would try to disagree, it is a fact that CSK was holding the largest fan base in the country.

               Unlike many other franchises the core players of the team weren't bought and formed. Most players started at CSK and were developed into the core of the team and the captain holded it together. There were unsung heroes for the franchise from time to time. S Badrinath was the saviour of the team in most critical times. The team culture and the consistency they exhibited is almost unbelievable that it will make any genuine cricket fan admire them.

              The love of CSK doesn't end with fans. The players were openly exhibiting it even after they had to depart their ways for couple of years due to inevitable reasons. Its very rare to see such sight in a corporate professional world. And that is what sets CSK apart.

             Almost every other team and their fans wanted to beat CSK. That is the standard and emotional connect the franchise had set even with the opposition and their fans. We have seen some extraordinary cricket in the past two years, make no mistake. But it was the emotional connect that was being missed by the fans of the rivalries as much as those of CSK.

       MS  Dhoni was the heart of CSK. The love for the franchise is unbelievable that in the past two years fans have been just counting down for the day the ban will be lifted. #thereturnofCSK has been trending all the while even when they weren't playing. With MS no longer the captain at Pune and the franchise being ready to grab him at any cost the fans were just waiting for the return of CSK.  And as July 14 passed by, its been two years since the ban was imposed. The ban is lifted now and celebration has already stared in social media.

                            https://twitter.com/MirchiMemes/status/885594197591445504

           Having grown up in the early 2000 I have been used to love a team that wore blue jersey and admire a team with yellow jersey for all their good on the field. It was the same case at the IPL as well. Being from Tamil Nadu and as a fan of Mumbai Indians I have never failed to admire the charm,  joy and the emotion the Chennai Super Kings have provided. And I just can't wait for the celebrations to begin and to see "THALA" MS DHONI back in yellow again. Well, at least he has already provided that for time being.

The Root Romance, Moeen Masterclass and the Chepauk Crowd !..

           It was nearing lunch of Day One at MA Chidambaram stadium by the time me and my friend reached there. We were late as we were coming after work in night shift. The score card was reading England - 68/2 as we entered the arena through Gate 5 in Victoria Hostel Road. A partnership was under construction by Joe Root and Moeen Ali with the bat and Ash and Jaddu with the ball.

          Joe Root, like always was at his fluent best with his drives, cuts, sweeps. Though there were some odd pokes outside off here and there against Umesh as the ball was reversing, he never looked like he was at sea against the spin trio. Amit Mishra was scarcely used in the first half of the day and Root was driving and sweeping the other two with ease. There was no audacity, rush or power. It was pure romance between the bat and the ball.

         With Root scoring at a brisk rate, Kohli had no choice but to have an in-out field. This made life easier for the batsmen as Moeen got settled, happily playing the second fiddle to the star at the other end. Root was facing the spinners with huge forward stride and pushing it to point and taking singles. As a result of which, Kohli in the 36th over removed short mid wicket fielder and placed him at point. As if expecting this to happen, Root swept Jadeja in front of mid wicket for a boundary to bring up his half century.

        As England was marching towards tea without losing any wicket in the second session, the sweep shot which was his prime weapon against the spinners became too much for Root. Having ruled Not Out by the on field umpire, Kohli reviewed the decision to overturn it with the snickometer showing small bottom edge to the keeper. Root missed out on a well deserved century. But it was pure romance for a cricket fan until it lasted.

      It almost looked like the game plan for England as Moeen stood at one end and the others were taking the attack to the bowlers. Bairstow came in as Root got out and right from the start he was showing positive intent and sending both Ashwin and Jadeja over the fence. As he was nearing his half century it got too much for him as Jaddu was accurate and he wasn't able to rotate. He went for a booming cover drive but a tad early. He chipped it to extra cover and was livid with himself for throwing it away.

     Moeen Ali on the other end was playing patient test match cricket. Though there were some lofted shots down the track to the spinners, he was happy rotating the strike and putting the odd bad ball away. By the fag end of the day, he got to his century and it was a batting masterclass from him.

     He was playing the spinners with the spin. May be he was helped by the nature of the pitch as the bounce was true despite all the storm and rain. And there was consistent turn for the spinners of the pitch which is why he was able to leave alone a lot of balls from Jadeja and Ashwin. 

  As the day's play got over, we were able to see Virat with changed clothing being padded up and going to the practice pitches with Sanjay Bangar, followed by K L Rahul and Anil Kumble. Hope it was one off day for R Ashwin as he will be keen to make this match a memorable one for his home crowd.

    Now coming to the crowd, there were a reasonable amount of crowd for the start of a test match on a week day. Chennai crowd was never known to be vocal. There were occasional "ooooohhh"s and "ahhhhh"s as Moeen left a few balls from Jadeja and Ashwin beat them with the turn. And huge eruption every time a wicket fell or a review was taken. But what stood out was that every time England team or any English player reached a land mark, the entire stadium was standing up and applauding the effort. There was huge eruption in the stands for a minute as Root and Bairstow got out. But as they walked off, the entire stadium stood up and applauded. 

   Having been deprived of international matches in the recent past for some reason or the other, Chennai fans were keen to come to their own Chepauk to see their national stars and more importantly to enjoy the sport. Chepauk crowd showed why players love playing here and why we have the reputation of being called " The Knowledgable Crowd". With the next two days being holidays, I am pretty sure that there is going to be a lot more of noise and applause at the Chepauk.

  It was my first ever international match at the ground as a spectator. I am sure there is a lot to follow in future. But at this moment I am keenly looking forward to see how this match turns out as it will always remain as my debut test match.

   
          
    

The day Wankhede got Kohlified !!!

       Just as when people start losing words to describe the kind of form Virat Kohli is in, I find myself in a position relating the way Wankhede went berserk when he got out. Like Mr. Kaushik R wrote in Wisden India, this was the first ever test match for team India in the history of the city in which no mumbaikar was featuring in the playing eleven.
   

       The last time when a test match was played there, it was the farewell match of Sachin Tendulkar. When the little master got out for one last time, the entire stadium was rhyming "Sachiinn Sachinn". Similar was the applause when Virat Kohli got out on 235 this Sunday. I just had the feel that the baton has been passed on and the circle is complete.

       The Wankhede crowd have some history with the Non-Mumbai players and Virat is no exception. He do have some history here and it wasn't a sweet one. People booed at him and called him cheat for appealing a run out. Kohli was furious like always, mentioning that the IPL wasn't the end of the world.

Read:Virat criticizing Mumbai crowd

        But on Sunday it wasn't the case. It was a side without any mumbaikar and 20,000 people were cheering for their new hero who is growing by stature every single day. Such was the prowess shown by him with the bat in this innings. In 2016 he has hit more than 1000 runs in Test matches and it includes only 2 sixes in it. This is a supreme example of his adaptability between formats.

      
      As soon as he got past the 200 run mark, he cut loose. The six he hit of Woakes, he could have hit any good length ball like that. But respecting the occasion and playing the situation is something he has improved over the years. He keeps performing because of his hunger to improve every single day. And that is why he is racing ahead of many towards greatness. 

       It's quite interesting when a player at his prime form can make us feel that he is a great player or even the best ever. But greatness is not something that happens overnight. Greatness is a progress  and it can be defined as longevity with consistency. Virat Kohli is ticking all boxes and marking his way towards it.

       He is already giving us the " I was there when he did those things on the cricket field" kind of feel very often. Playing in the zone is something that must happen and it can't be forced. And it comes with the hard work you put and more importantly with the state of mind you are in.

      For a batsman, one shot from the middle of the blade will trigger the entire system working automatically thereafter. At this moment, Virat is such kind of zone where his system is working to the fullest. And the longer it does, the more is the joy for fanatics likes us and more and more of "Viraattt Virattt" will be reverberated from the stands.

From "Sachinnn ... Sachinn.... " to " Kohliii... Kohhlliiii..." ! Only the rhyme differs ! Happy Birthday Virat Kohli !!!

     

     It's not that I always loved cricket like I do now. Somewhere around the year 2000, I used to be a kid who fights to watch cartoon network when the whole family watch cricket. I got addicted to it so much that my dad had to cut the cable connection. Now, I don't have a choice but to watch Doordarshan. I was 8 and I was watching a young man who was just around 28, yet was being called as the GOD of the sport. Dad made me watch cricket and Sachin Tendulkar made me a devotee of the religion he portrayed. 

       

     There were millions of young kids who had the same effect as mine and we all wanted to be like him. I ended up being a fan who knows how to play. But, there was another kid who is 5 years older than me and he idolized the God like we all did. He didn't stop just being a fan. He started playing cricket and give it all he had for the sport. As the kid turn 28 today, I can't help myself but to think that life is always a cycle and it has come one full circle. 

     Virat Kohli. Like Sachin, he has achieved so much that thinking of what more he could do fascinates me. I can hear you murmur. England. Lord's. Another two years and then we will have the answer. I believe unlike Sachin, "Virat Kohli" will be engraved on that board for sure. A T20 world cup may be. He came close twice to glory, but it has evaded him for now. Above all, what we can be sure of is that he is going to give the purest form of joy for the fascinating fan. 

     If you fast forward/play every six months or so from the day he made his debut, the improvement rate will be visible for you. And the good thing that happened to him was that he didn't break into the international arena as a superstar. Not many said "THE STAR HAS ARRIVED" like they did for Rohit, Unmukt and many others. He gradually made his mark by winning games, which was his ultimate motto for playing the sport. For me, 2012 Hobart was the arrival of Virat Kohli- The Star. From then on, there was no looking back!

    When we see aggressive young players, we often dismiss them from the group of humble, hardworking people. If you see the way he behaves or talks about the seniors or the legends of the sport, you will know the respect he has for those who deserve it. Our coach used to tell us " You have to respect the sport, ground and the people. Ground is the purest place and if you give everything out there, it will definitely give you back more than what you put in". The success he is achieving amazes me about the amount of hard work he is putting in. He is setting the benchmark for the kids in the nations.

     He is not Sachin Tendulkar. But the stature he has now, is no less to what Sachin had then. But then, may be certain things are destined. For this generation of kids Virat Kohli would be the best example to look up to for his attitude and hard work. He can influence a lot of kids. And who knows, twenty years from now, there might be a kid about whom, we will be writing in association with Virat Kohli.

    Not everybody likes Virat Kohli. And it is not necessary too. Respect is the most important thing. And you have to admit that no matter whether you love him or hate him, you have to respect him. Because he has earned it. Happy Birthday Virat Kohli!  

      

When the crowd went "Damukutla Dumukutla" !...

           As the inaugural edition of Tamil Nadu Premier League  reaches the knockout stages, it feels like my debut match was almost destined to be in this tournament at my home town. Previously me with my cricket following friends had few opportunities to go for matches at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore. For one reason or the other it just didn't happen. Be it the T20 worldcup or the IPL, we just couldn't.

         This month, I had to make an unexpected visit to home which happened to be a brief stay. The first thing I read on Newspaper is the buzz in the town about the TNPL match which is being held in a ground which has a state history before being left on it's own. This time I didn't want any reason to come as I was keen to live the moment of visiting for a match in my home town which is on world feed. It was a rare opportunity for a town from down south of the state which is left undisturbed by all the globalization and industrialization yet had its own resources. And guess what, I somehow managed to get a complimentary ticket as the tickets were already sold out. My experience could never be expressed as the match went down to super over. What else I could have asked for?!
                 

           
         There were around 4000 people in stadium which was more than its capacity. And the crowd was going nuts every time they get a glimpse of Mathew Hayden. He was travelling all through the state doing all the promotion,wearing ethnic dresses walking along the boundary and shaking hands with crowd. As much as I feel he is doing his job for the money he is getting from the broadcaster, I must admit that there must be a bit of CSK affection left in him.

         Mr. N Srinivasan  must be credited to a greater extent for what the tournament is now. It's just a start of something big and as years pass by if he manages to pull the same amount of attention from media for the tournament, I seriously believe the quality of the tournament could go a notch higher. Because, the inaugural league will always have it's attention for the veterans in the fraternity. As the seasons pass by, the significance will shift towards the contest between the teams and the franchises will try to unearth new talents for all the money they have invested. This will have a greater say in the quality of the tournament. After all, sports thrive on contests.

      Though there was a lot of talk about taking the sport to the smaller towns, we must admit to some extent this was about showing his power an prowess, considering his current situation in the cricketing fraternity. If that is not the case, TNPL could well have started earlier considering the affection and success CSK got from the people of the state. Karnataka premier league was started as early as 2009 and has been conducted consecutively from 2011. But what Mr. Srinivasan has managed to do is to get the attention of cricketing world by collaborating with Star Sports.

   

       Being an ardent fan of the game who would wake at 4 am in the morning to watch a test match between England and Australia, I feel the crowd wouldn't have rush in to the grounds if there was no live media coverage. Myself being played district league matches for my college know that the spectators would never show up for some district matches.

     There may be a lot of known and unknown reasons for the initiative. But hopefully, if the tournament goes on for the next few years, those players who have to fight their way not just with their game but also the non cricketing reasons in the state as they say, will be hugely benefited. This will give them a platform, get them a glimpse or one desperate chance which they are starving for years. Once their performance is live for the cricketing fraternity life might just become a bit easier. So this tournament after all, is not that bad for a start.

Cricket - An Individual game?! Nah !!!

     

   My boss often used to ask us, "Which is your favorite sport?" and he would expect "Football" as an answer. He would give a reason saying  "In cricket you can easily say that just because Dhoni or Virat didn't play well we lost. But that is not the case with football. Because, it is a team game". Myself, being a guy in love with the sport he is accusing, would be furious. But his thought made me think why people are hesitant in recognizing cricket as a sport which teaches team values which are as good as in any other sport?!!!

   
        This made me ask  the same question to few people who love sports and follow them for the joy of it. "Which is your favorite team sport and why do you think so?" was my question. As expected, Football was the majority answer. But there were a few interesting answers like Volleyball, Kabaddi, Basketball and even a 4x100m relay. As they give their reasons for that, I wanted to know whether that aspect was really missing in cricket. In other words, I wanted to prove that it is just their perception and none the less.
 
         Most of them justified their answer as their answer was a team game and it can't be won by an individual like in cricket. I would dare to say that a cricket game can never be won by an individual. To score a hundred and win a game, a non-striker is required who gets no credit for running all those runs for his partner. Nobody in the world is going to say "Oh, how well has Raina run, so that Virat gets a hundred!!". Same is the case for the bowlers without those fielders for all those runs they save and catches they take. Cricket is a game in which by default we have to do things for which we will never be accounted for, so that our partner and team can achieve glory. Now that teaches a huge team value according to me.

         Cricket is the most weirdest and toughest game of all. I gave a lot of thought before saying that. But, yes it is. This is the only sport where you can be out of the contest for the first two days of the test and over the course of next three days you may even win. It is the most toughest battle of all as it is more in the mind than on the field. And this is where team spirit will be taught as the same eleven has to be played over the course of five days. Unlike other sports, where substitutes can be changed as and when required depending upon their performances. Which means, unless until those eleven stick together and thrive on each other's success, victory is not gonna happen.

         In other aspect, cricket is the most cruel game of all. It is the only game in which you will be forced to do things that are not in your specialized area. A fast bowler like Ishant Sharma has to hone his batting skills just to hang in there with Virat Kohli or Ajinkya Rahane to save the match for the country. He has to contribute with the ball by taking wickets. Now that is not enough. He has to remain not out at one end so that a better batsman can score the runs for the team at the other. There are times where a  batsman or a bowler just have to field and do it to the fullest of their ability without getting to bowl and bat throughout the match. These are excellent circumstances where an individual contributing for the team without taking any statistical credit.
 
         A few people told attentiveness and co ordination is required throughout the game time in sports like football and basketball. Those sports lasts for hardly ninety minutes. To have the same attentiveness and co ordination over the course of days where you wait for an outside edge which can happen anytime in those eight hours of play. One drop catch/run out and most times the course of the match has changed. Now having the same level of concentration an co ordination over a period of five days, how tough is that?

       According to me every sport has its's own uniqueness in nurturing team spirit. With all due respect to other sports, cricket is a game in which we have to do things for the team which will never be statistically accounted. Volleyball, Football, Basketball, Kabaddi etc. are excellent team sports. Like all these sports, cricket has it's own way of teaching team spirit, which I believe is very tough and no less to any other.

Players should be recognized by what they have done, not by what they have not!!!!!

   
       What if I say Ishant Sharma is no less than Zaheer Khan and he may even end up as a fast bowling legend from the country?
   
       For a moment, I myself wouldn't agree on that, for the number of matches Zak has won for the country. Goodness me, how can one compare Zak with Ishant Sharma? But when I started looking at the numbers, it told me an entirely different story. Zaheer has played 92 test matches out of which we will consider his first 68 to compare with the number of matches Ishant has played.
     
      When we look at the overall record there doesn't seem to be  much of a difference, but we got to admit that Zaheer's record is marginally better than that of Ishant.
   
Career stats         Mat    Inn     Overs    Mdns     Wkts      Runs     Avg      Eco
I Sharma              69     121     2260.3  438         202       7464     36.95   3.30
Z Khan                68     124     2264.2   458        220        7472     33.96   3.29

     The record at home is also very much similar and Ishant might just have got the better of Zak. His average and economy are marginally better.
   
At home              Mat    Inn     Overs    Mdns     Wkts      Runs     Avg      Eco
I Sharma              25      45       748.1    168         63        2190    34.72     2.92
Z Khan                27       51       867       180         71        2692     37.91    3.10

     Their numbers during the away matches prove that Zaheer was far better. But we should also consider that Ishant has been a part of few tours where the batting unit just didn't click. The away tours of 2011-2012 to England and Australia and the same in 2014-2015. The 2015 tour of Australia was on much flatter wickets where both the teams plundered runs. It was one of the high scoring series that has ever happened in Australia.

Away matches    Mat    Inn     Overs    Mdns     Wkts      Runs     Avg      Eco
I Sharma              43      74      1488     261         138        5277     37.87    3.51
Z Khan                41       73      1397     278         149        4780     32.08    3.42
   
       The most surprising of all stats is that the their numbers in won matches doesn't have much of a difference. Considering this, it is possible to say that Ishant Sharma is as good a match winner as Zaheer Khan.

Won matches     Mat    Inn     Overs    Mdns     Wkts      Runs     Avg      Eco
I Sharma              27      54       806       178      91          2451     26.93    3.03
Z Khan                 26       51      774        177      95          2405    25.31    3.0
   
     This comparison was not to prove that Ishant is equal to or better than Zak. With all due to respect to both the professionals, this is just an illustration to those people, who I feel is more critical on Ishant than what he actually deserve.

     Coming from a country like India where batsmen are idolized most of the time, becoming a fast bowler itself is an uphill task. When we see an young fast bowler running in like Ishant did in 2007, we expect them to become like a Dale Steyn or Jimmy Anderson of India. But what do we provide them when our fast bowlers play at home? Dust bowls, track which turn square on day one. Most occasions, our fast bowlers end up doing "holding the one end" job at home.

     Our strength lies in our batting and it is something we have to admit. In the past twenty years whenever our batsmen have done well on tough pitches, we have won those games. Headingly in 2002, Perth 2007, Lord's 2014 etc.

    Our bowlers have always got better with experience. And that is how it works for us. Kapil Dev is the leading wicket taker for India as a fast bowler. And below him are Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath followed by Ishant Sharma. Both Kapil Dev and Srinath played in an era where the pitches where more bowler friendly than it is now. With all due respect to them, it would be fair only if the current generation Indian fast bowlers are left alone and not compared to the legends from past.

    It is actually more disheartening to see Ishant Sharma being made fun of, even when he takes wickets. To be a fast bowler and representing India for 8 longs years is something not many have done. We have seen a bunch of fast bowlers coming in and vanishing as a flash in the pan. We have to respect players for what they have done and leave alone the things that they have not. It is up to the players to do something about what they have not done. After all, that is what they play for !!!