Gary Kirsten - The Dronacharya of Indian Cricket !!!

Its been a memorable last few days of Indian cricket and to me the man who mattered the most was Gary Kirsten.

World cup was his final swan song and what a way to finish the same!!!

A smiling assassin who went about his routine procedures to a nicety was the fulcrum to team India's success in the 2011 edition of the World Cup.

On a lighter note, he is the only South African who has tasted World Cup success. India had always been a breeding ground for overseas coaches but none could match the charisma of the South African. Mind goes back to Greig Chappell who was suppose to coach Team India ran into a lot of criticism and tussle with most of the players and importantly with DADA .

A man of few words, Gary made it large and has been instrumental in India achieving No 1 status in Test Cricket, part of the world cup 20-20 team and now the coveted World Cup 2011.

And most rightly, he was lifted by team members as a part of the victory lap after the finals.

What else can one ask for from a coach? He has earned the respect of his team mates and most importantly their confidence.

His role along with Paddy has brought some of the best talents in the Indian team. They have moulded each and every individual and TEAM INDIA is ready to take on the world.

They are a force to reckon with and no praise is less for the great man from Cape Town.

He now bid's adieu as coach but his achievements will be etched in memory of most INDIANS for a lifetime.

Thanks Gary, you made the difference.....

M Krishnan

If Cricket were to be my Religion, Sachin will be my God

India's "M" factor

Come Saturday, a billion people will be hoping and praying for Team India to have the last laugh in the 2011 edition.

We are a more confident lot compared to the Lankan's who have not been really tested.

Amidst all the saga that unfolded over the past 40 days, there is one sentiment associated with team India.

We have heard about "X" factor what is "M" factor ? Here we go !!!!

Mirpur

M Chinnaswamy Stadium

M A Chidambaram Stadium

Mottera

Mohali

Mumbai

India played in all the above venues and have won to a nicety.

Will venue luck continue to be with Team India? Time will decide !!!

M Krishnan

If Cricket were to be my Religion, Sachin will be my God

PS: Here is a sentiment from another friend. Saturday 2nd April 1983 India won the World cup. The Day is coming again. Saturday 2nd April 2011. 1983 & 2011 calendar are same. Check it. Much like 1983, INDIA will win the World Cup again.

Spine Chilling World Cup Moments - India Vs Pakistan

Cancer cells multiply in large numbers to decay the human body at an arbitrary rate. But the interest around India Pakistan semifinal seems to be rising exponentially.

This match is the perfect icing on the cake for the tournament which has been already declared a "Block Buster".

No movie release this week for sure and no one would dare to think anything other than cricket until Wednesday.

Tickets can only be bought if new ones are printed or we have an expansion in the stadium limit. Mohali will be packed to the rafters with fans from both nations cheering and what a spectacle this is going to be.

India seeks political diplomacy in this match and hope we share peace and prosperity atleast on the cricketing front.

With the build up running haywire, lets unwind and look back at some of those intriguing moments which make this clash special.

#1:- Is this Monkey or Bun key Jump

Kiran More and Javed Miandad ran into a tussle in 1992 World Cup match in Australia.

For a change, actions took center stage as Javed Miandad unleashed his desire to jump up and down portraying a Kiran More stunt. Unfortunately his efforts could have been channelized towards running up and down for singles which would have helped his team win. India thrashed Pakistan to advance in the world cup. But this match is more remembered for Javed's acrobatism than for his cricket.

#2:- Oops !! where is the off Stump ?

Generally people go for walk, Have you seen stumps go for a walk, Yes it did happen in Bangalore in 1996. during the quarterfinal. Aamir Sohail unleashed a ferocious square drive to a Venkatesh Prasad delivery. His adrenaline was pumping and pointed his finger to the bowler. Then came a typical fast bowler reply. Aamir tried doing the same next ball and discovered he had three stumps before facing the ball and thereafter only two. But this in cricketing terms means "Bowled" and he had to walk back to the pavilion. Yet another act of foolishness by Pakistani batters which cost them a semifinal birth.

#3:- Oh No !!!! Not again

We have "Ball of the century ", do we have "Shot of the century", Yes there is one which came about during the India Pakistan match in 2003. Shoaib Akthar did not know that faster we bowl, the faster ball goes along the ground or sometime even over it. He ran into "The God" and realized bowling is not the same as flirting with gals. "Bang Bang Bang" was the sound in India when the delivery was deposited to the point boundary and we could hear the death rattle in Pakistan.Guess they lost the match to one boomerang from the Champion. Sachin, don't do these to bowlers, at the end of the day there are only humans not God like you.

My hair stands in unison whenever I watch that rocket to third man and to me that was the final nail in the coffin for the men in Green across the border.

Can Pakistan script a different story this time to beat India or will it be business as usual for the Men in Blue, time will decide.

Whatever happens, the legacy of India - Pakistan cricket will continue......

M Krishnan

If Cricket were to be my Religion, Sachin will be my God

Agony & Ecstasy of India-Pakistan Clash - Moment #1

Come the 30th of March the whole nation would be rising to the big occasion and in earnest anticipation of the second semi final.

The cricketing animosities between the two nations go back a long way in history and they are sometimes used as a tool to bridge the gap on the political front.

The cricketing diplomacy between the two nations is beyond bat & ball and most encounters are a testimony to this fact.

Is this clash bigger than "The Ashes" or an "England Germany football match"?
The answer certainly is "Yes". A hundred thousand people from both nations and across the world pray for the success of there team and the on field cricket just rips the heart out of every individual.

Unfortunately, Pakistan had a rough run against India in the world cup encounters loosing all matches they have played from 92 to 2003.Even the test matches and 20/20 competitions have given the people some mouth watering contest .

The build cup continues and I will run through some of the memorable instances that are etched in the minds of people.....

#1 Agony and Pain :- Test match, 1999, Chennai

What a match this was? India were set a challenging score in the second innings to win the test match and the great man played an innings of his lifetime.

A star studded bowling line up of Akram, Younis, Saqlain came hard at the Indians but one man stood apart . No guesses it was the little champion "Sachin Tendulkar". He defied all odds to make a brilliant hundred before going down to Saqlain. What happened there after is history as India went down fighting by 12 runs.

Then came the moment, the Pakistan team rallied around the ground and the 40,000 people inside the ground saluted them for there victory but not without tears in our eyes. The great man battled severe pain in the back and almost single handedly took India home.

Most of the Pakistani players cherish this incident and for me a truly agonizing memory from the past.

M Krishnan

If Cricket were to be my Religion, Sachin will be my God

The Lady Luck - India Aussie experience

A comprehensive performance saw the men in Blue roll over the mighty Aussies at Motera.

The match was played in great spirit and make no mistake about it , India had to earn each and every run . When the going gets tough , the tough gets going and Ponting was testimony to this.

Out of form and when most people wrote him out , he made a hundred which has a lot of substance than flair.

Not all hundreds come on a green platter, we might have to grind and toil hard to make runs and believe me a century of this kind stands apart .

But I always had a gut feel that the India would win considering the Aussies were playing with an amateur spin attack.

India played out of there skin to win this match and most importantly was a team effort.Batters contributed to a nicety whilst the bowlers were backed by some athletic fielding which is alien to Indian team.

Fielding was crucial and to me we won because of our fielding , Saving 20 odd runs is gold dust and is almost equivalent to scoring 50 more runs and we managed to cross the line.

Not without moments , I was watching the match in my friend home, Aravind along with wife Srimathi and we had enough nails to bite.

Not without a share of sentiments engulfing this match, Srimathi was asked to sit in the same place with a plate filled with rice and continue to eat slowly and lady luck prevailed.

Believe me when she had no meal in her plate Dhoni did get out. I immediately asked her to do a refill and also requested to eat the same thing which she did before. But owing to non availability she had to switch to a different flavour and lady luck prevailed again.

My friend Aravind was asked not to move from his place and also not to change posture and he did oblige and boy did it not pay off.

And finally no Indian win is short of celebrations and myself , Aravind and Srimathi went to Hotel Saravana Bhavan and had Masala milk to savor the moment around 11 in the night.

Money takes a back seat when it comes to Cricket and such moments will be etched in our memories for a long time to come.

Certainly cricket is a religion and I am devotee , so are most Indians I reckon.

I am hoping to mimic the same setting for the Indo Pak clash on Wednesday and some notable ones are written below for reference.

1) Wear the same attire that we did for this match

2) Cook the same meal and hopefully having the same taste !!!

3) Sit in same position and eat meal at the same time as we did for the oz match.

Finally , there was small wedding invite next to my seat, That's a luck factor too . Boy this is now kept safe for the next match and will be placed besides me and hope luck prevails against the Pakistan encounter.

All in all a great match and hope we beat Pak in the Semifinals.

Jai Hind

M Krishnan

If Cricket were to by Religion, Sachin will be my God

Humdinger: India - Pak

No World Cup is complete without an India-Pakistan match.

Lets keep it straight. This match is beyond cricket, it is war minus shooting, mother of all matches, call it whichever way you want it to be.

What a cracker this is gonna be and the team which crosses the border will play the finals on 2nd Apr 2011. A date with destiny!!!

The build up has started in India and all roads are now leading to Mohali. News channels are sweeping hotel rooms, stadiums, anywhere and everywhere trying to get hold of players.

Mind games have started!!! Rest assured the build up is only going to get bigger and bigger everyday. I promise it will be deserted roads come Wednesday, everyone praying for their team to win. Pressure, home crowd, scintillating teams what else can this humdinger offer?

Keep the emergency numbers ready. It will be nerves and people might find wanting at the hospital on cardiac arrest.

It will be Indian batting vs Pakistan bowling.

The countdown has begun and we will track it all the way to the Titan clash. Watch out for my updates as I pump your adrenaline for the big game !!!

M Krishnan

If Cricket were to by Religion, Sachin will be my God

Downfall of West Indian cricket

Its a bit hard to digest the slump of West Indian Cricket . From Heroes to Zeros is what I would describe them and the current team just can't find a way to shine and beat top notch teams. In an era where they dominated world cricket, we now find them in a deep dark hole seeking inspiration from all corners.

Why did this happen? Were they complacent and took it for granted that WI will always produce quality cricketers?

As an ardent cricket fan, I am gutted with the current teams performance. They carry a legacy of producing some great players and some that hits my mind are mentioned below

Greenidge

Haynes

Richards

Clive Lloyd

Kalicharan

Lara

Hooper

Marshall

Gomes

Holding

Garner

and lot more..

I guess a current world eleven would still struggle to beat them.

What's the way forward for this great team from yester year is something to ponder over.

Will they climb up and steal the show in the near future would be something that time can judge...

I am lost for words and let the best happen !!

M Krishnan, Chennai
If Cricket is my religion, Sachin will be my God

Curtain Raiser - India vs Australia

What a tournament this has been and at the fag end of the qualifiers we have the top 8 teams make it to the quarter finals. Amidst all the competitive encounters the one which steals the limelight is the India-Australia encounter. Odds heavily stacked against India but will punter pull it off or can Dhoni's men seek revenge for the 2003 loss !! Lets dig n

Oz are no longer the same team as before. The so called Invincible are without their ace players and have entered the tournament for a change "Not Favourites". Its gonna be an interesting tussle between bat and ball but India edge out Australia in most departments. Australia fielding are a force to reckon with but then they lack teeth in bowling and batting.

Viru & Sach Vs Wason & Haddin

Tons of experience and class beckons the Indians and they take the initial advantage here. The opening pair have been destructive and most importantly in form. Sachin's favourite opponents and is due for a big innings and most probably the motera staidum will witness a big one from the champion. 45 more runs for 18k runs in ODI, 100 for 100 international tons and two short of hundred fifties, which one will he opt this time? Hey Oz's which one do you want !!! the choice is yours !!!

Captaincy Factor :- Ponting vs Dhoni

Odds heavily stacked against punter. Crunch time now, he will have a lot in his plate to ponder over and might not find time to break any more LCD's. Meanwhile the ever reliable, cool and calm Dhoni goes through regime to a nicety and will be playing mind games againt punter. Dhoni has a lot of variety in terms of bowling and batting and would back them to call on all the shots to break the Oz jinx.

Middle order

The Indian middle order is as strong as ever. Kohli, Pathan, Yuvi will have a lot to offer against their peers of White, Hussey, Smith. Barring Pathan everyone has had a decent hit in the middle and there confidence will be lot better compared to the Oz. Again consistency is not the folklore for Pathan.

How to play spin is something which runs through the veins of the Aussies?
I guess the answer they know themselves is "I dont know".

Turbonator :- Tasted success against Oz more often than not. Will not take a back step against the Aussies one bit. Punter vs bhajji a mouth watering encounter for the viewers but punter will have more tears in his eyes than water in his mouth.

Carrom Ball : How to play any idea Aussie?

N no of footage will help to solve this. Our Ashwin is a cricketer from streets and we know how tough it is to pick this in a tennis ball cricket.

Oz tips on how this carrom ball works:- IN Chennai we play street cricket called "Chucking". Bowlers stand and throw the ball at 100 miles an hour cutting the ball in both directions. This is not swing, it is turning the ball both ways, in better terms undercutting the ball. Same action the ball spin two ways and we still manage to hit sixes in street cricket. This bowling is popularly called "Sodakku Bowling" in Chennai. But Aussies, I guess before you could even hold your bat to take a swing the ball will spin and swing and eat the stumps. So don't waste time in trying to figure out how to play.

The Pacers: Here we have a strong tussle between left arm pacers from both teams. Zaks has matured as a bowler. Lee is back from hibernation with a bang. I feel he might get the same treatment as what Shoaib and Waqar got from Sach and Viru in 2003. Tait needs to be more tight, I meant in line and length :) Still our batters will flay you through point and covers. Guess your strategy might be to have two third mans which could be the first in the history of the game.

All in all a great content in hand and India should make it to Mohali.

C u soon !!!!

M Krishnan, Chennai
If Cricket is my religion, Sachin will be my God

The Stadium Experience: India Vs West Indies

The Stadium is full. It is an awesome feel to be here. I think this is the first time I’m singing the National Anthem with so much passion. Even on Independence Day or Republic Day, I don’t care to watch the Anthem, even on TV.

Not today. With so much passion, I'm singing the anthem with 40,000 people. What an amazing feeling?

Actually, I did not have tickets until Sunday morning. I was desperate. I made calls to people and also posted request for tickets ad in the internet too. Finally got a call from Somasundaram ground, T Nagar, Chennai saying they have 3 tickets. I and Jimmy went there to purchase 1000 Rs ticket for 3000. Who bothers? Next month I will be getting a variable pay. I can compensate it there. If I miss this World Cup game, what is the point in earning? I went ahead and bought my tickets. Went to the around 12.30 noon and found a nice view to watch the game.

From here on it was real fun. I must admit that the Chennai crowd was biased towards one guy amidst 30 odd players.

You guessed it right. “The Great Man". He came in last to practice and had a few hits in the nets. Boy does his bat come so straight even in Nets? He went away after India won the toss and came back for Anthem. He departed soon after he got into the crease. Stunned silence as he got out, but then we all knew he will score in quarter finals.

When he came to field a funny incident happened. He was fielding near that squatting stand (B erstwhile) and all of sudden Dhoni wanted Kohli on the fence and Sachin inside the circle. The angry crowd got so tensed they started shouting "We want Sachin we want Sachin". Kohli was a dead duck. Finally Dhoni sent back Sachin and that section made more noise of joy than before. Poor Kholi!!! But guess he knew this would happen.

It is a kind of hutch advertisement. Wherever he goes his legacy follows

Also here I’m taking an opportunity to recall another interesting incident. One of my friend told me this. Long back, a German reporter was visiting Mumbai. At that time Sachin was batting and the reporter was travelling in a train. The train stopped at a station and all people including TTR came out to watch the cricket match on the TV sets at the station. The reporter went back to write " In India even time stops when one man bats "


Krishnan, Chennai

If Cricket were to be my religion, Sachin will be my God