Boy to a Man : On Virat's incredible journey!

As we see the Indian Cricket Team rack a victory one after another, the captaincy of Virat Kohli has really come to the fore. It seems like yesterday that a 19 year old young chubby cricketer was leading the Under 19 team to the glory of the U-19 World Cup in Malaysia. That chubby cricketer is now a relentless machine. Probably the most hardworking athlete India has ever produced, he goes from strength to strength while leading the side as an example. That burst of true energy has rubbed onto everyone else in the team and India look serious contenders with very little concerns. Virat has been the most fiery, charismatic character this generation has come across and yet for the past 2 years , there seems to be something that tells me he wants to be remembered not just as a great cricketer but also a very fine person. Here are a few reasons why I think so!

1. Captain Courageous 

The way Virat has backed some of his players, be it KL Rahul or Vijay Shankar has stood out. He has preferred a winning combination over axing a player marred in bad form. This shows his belief in his players. The result? Kl Rahul shifted to the opening slot after India got a huge setback in form of Shikhar Dhawan's injury and he has provided good stability at the top of the order. He has played the new ball well which has given the extra cushion to the middle order. Moreover, Kohli's bowling changes at critical junctures in the games have played their part. The move to bring Bumrah back for another spell when the match seemed to spill out of India's hands was a master stroke that paved the way towards a close win. The way Virat has shuffled the middle order and his optimum use of Hardik Pandya as a finisher has also been outstanding. Virat, the batsman has been a superstar from the time of his arrival in International Cricket, but it is Virat, the captain, who has been a delight to watch.

2. The Run Machine

By his standards, Virat has not really lit up the tournament the way he does. He is averaging close to 60 with 300+ runs and yet he desires more. This is a true testimony of his hunger and greatness. Teams in the competition would be wary of the fact that Virat has 4 consecutive 50+ scores ( a dream run for any batsman ) and yet a 100 has eluded him. His best is still to come. His best is scary. Virat has always had 100s in run chases for dinner. Maybe another one waits in the corner. Like any other captain, he too does not care about personal milestones when the team wins. So, while he may not lose any sleep over those missed opportunities, he is an ominous threat to every opposition India face.

3. Measured and Calm

Off late, MS Dhoni has been copping a lot of criticism for his Batting approach. Virat stuck his neck out for him and explained why he believes MS is such an important player to this team. This reflected maturity on his part and would have given MS immense confidence to become the force he has been for the Indian Team. Virat's behaviour has always been a talking point for everyone. Be it his fans, or the media or the opposition he's always been in the limelight for his aggression and win at all costs mentality. His dignity and calmness when facing the post games interviews or engaging with the opposition has been heartening. His gesture towards Steve Smith in one of the earlier games set an excellent example on how the game should be played. With respect, with dignity and chivalry. His aggression has always been his strength and I believe the day he tries to tone it down, he would not cast that same brilliance we have all been used to. While that aggression has been a part of his batting, it is his attitude, his beliefs and his respect towards the game which has impressed everyone. Let's hope he carries this persona forward and only let his batting do the talking to carry India towards his biggest dream, the World Cup !

Disappointment is an understatement : On rain winning this year's world cup!

As millions of fans geared themselves  for what seemed to be a very open world cup for a long time, no one saw the preparation of Cricket's apex body , The International Cricket Council. To say that the first two weeks have been catastrophic would be apt. It's been a rain marred world cup and the ICC have been found wanting when it came to solutions. They have had the weather predictions for months leading up to the World Cup and yet, they never bothered to pay heed to the shifting of the venues. There have been 4 abandoned matches till now with the Marquee India- Pakistan match also in grave danger of being washed out. I can't begin to remember the last time I once saw a World Cup match without worrying a bit about the weather (Yes, there was such a time). The questions to ponder are many and I will delve into two of the most frequent ones.

Height of mismanagement?

I can't recall the last time an ICC event was so unprofessionally managed. Is it a Cricket World Cup or a World Cup full of Rains? The ICC never had any plans in place. From the drainage system of the grounds to the covering of only 3/4th's of the ground, the writing seemed to be on the wall every single time there was even a hint of a drizzle. Wet outfields, the hesitancy to curtail the match to a T-20 just for the fans who came all the way from different parts of the world was mind boggling. 1 match in 4 days is a poor showing and it is expected to rain on the 16th of June as well (for cricket lovers, another mood dampener). The decision not to have reserve days is starting to look worse and worse with each passing day. Imagine your favourite team missing out on the Semi-Finals of a Cricket World Cup just because of two washed out games. The teams are not here to chance their luck but to display their wide range of skills. To see a tournament come in once every 4 years and get flushed down the drain is disheartening for everyone.

Love for the broadcasters?

Coming to the India-New Zealand match, the ECB and the ICC officials knew it had been pelting for the last three days and the likelihood of the match even beginning was as good as USA featuring in a Cricket World Cup. Yet, they kept holding the inevitable announcement to assist the broadcasters generate their Ad Revenue. Keeping the fans waiting for what was not a possibility defied logic, tested the fan's patience and left them discontented. After a mind numbing 6 hours of delay, finally, the match was called off. To a certain extent, a part of me was gratified to know that the officials in the ICC must be livid to watch the tournament go out of the window, but then we all wanted to see a bit of action on the Cricket Field. I have been following this game for a good 15 years now and I have never seen a tournament as mismanaged and heartbreaking as this one.  The players, the fans, the commentators and the umpires, every single one of them deserved the best version of the World Cup. As ICC's negligence would have it, the winner of the tournament would be less remembered than the spoil sport rain and the inability of the ECB to conduct an error free 7 weeks for the ardent fans of this great game.

Specious Talks? On this year's Cricket World Cup.

Not so 'flat' after all!!

We are into the second week of the 2019 Cricket World Cup and if early signs are anything to go by, this isn't half what it was purported to be. Before the World Cup began, we were made to believe that this World Cup would see a slew of large scores never witnessed before. We were shown the number of times England easily crossed the 300 barrier and their bowling still struggling to defend those scores. If anything, this has been a bowler's tournament so far. With the average scores being round about 250-260 and pitches assisting the spinners so far, this World Cup promises to be a low scoring affair. Not that it's anything bad for the game ( unless you're only a fan of the Bat smacking the leather ). As we slowly get towards the big India Vs Australia game this weekend, let's look at some of the things that have worked for teams till now.

1. Making the new ball count

Every good bowling performance this year has included a fiery spell upfront. Be it Bumrah, Rabada or the mighty Mitchell Starc, they have all made the new ball talk. Taking wickets early on is the key. There are no two ways about it. Take two or more wickets in the first 10 overs and you make sure your spinners have an easier job to do. Starc's spell against Gayle was an absolute thriller to watch. He made the ball go both ways, troubled him with the bouncers and the surprise yorkers. At that pace, when your feet is not moving early on, it can be very difficult to judge the movement of the ball relying on the hand-eye coordination alone. With a little bit of spice in the wicket , we all saw Bumrah rip through Amla and De Kock in no time. Rabada was unplayable with the steep bounce he generated against Dhawan and Rohit. The common thing in all these instances was the presence of a bowler who could exploit these ripe conditions to his maximum advantage.

2. Sustaining the pressure in the middle overs

Every good start requires bowlers who can back it up with good control and accuracy. A clear plan is needed to make sure that the good work uptill now is not undone in a few losse overs. This is where I feel India have the biggest weapons. In Kulcha (as Kuldeep and Chahal are often called) they have the most potent spin duo capable of taking wickets at regular intervals, thereby, ensuring that the opposition is always facing relentless pressure. In Kedar and Hardik, they have two bowlers who can at will bowl 10 overs. Kedar's lower round arm trajectory is an added bonus. In the pursuit of targeting him, people end up losing their wickets. All of these factors combined together make the Indian Team the best bowling attack in this competition.

3. Reverse Swing is still the King!

Bowlers who can make the ball reverse at the death with optimal precision are the ones who will be the most successful in this World Cup. For me , Starc should lead this race just like the 2015 World Cup. He's already shown us a great spectacle of Death Bowling in the group match against the Windies. Picking up 3 wickets in his last two overs, he displayed a wide range of skills in executing those Yorkers, Bouncers and slower balls. Bumrah is close but what makes Starc effective is the left arm angle coupled with the speed at which he reverses the ball. For someone as quick as him, his 'you miss, I hit' accuracy is baffling to say the least. He's always a threat to any opposition. And they better watch out because this man can run through the order alone!

As this World Cup progresses, I hope we can watch more of this even contest between Bat and Ball. After all, is there a better sight than a tall sturdy fast bowler bullying the opposition with Pace and Bounce? Being an ardent fan of fast bowling , I hope this tryst between the Bat and Ball continues till the epilogue reveals itself :)