Keep cricket away from Olympics

Keep cricket away from Olympics

I have read and heard a lot about the importance of Olympics in a sportsman life. According to many, winning a medal in this extravaganza is the ultimate glory. Taking a clue from this thought, cricketers and fans have also started demanding the inclusion of their beloved game in the Olympics. Adam Gilchrist, the former Australian wicketkeeper, was pretty vocal in his demand in 2009.  Apart from him, Steve Waugh, Kumar Sangakkara, Sourav Ganguly and Stephen Fleming have also spoken in support of the inclusion. However, if we look deeply, an Olympic medal is not the best prize as far as cricket is concerned.

How important is Olympic?

Olympic Games could be the best thing in an athlete’s life but when it comes to a cricketer, there is nothing as important as World Cups (ODI & T20), Champions Trophy, Ashes and other important series. The reward of winning any of these is far greater than the Olympics. It is not a wise thing to put a cricketer and an athlete on similar ground.  The ultimate height of athletic glory lies in the number of Olympic gold medals he/ she has won in his/her career but the success in cricket is measured in terms of trophies one has won over the years.

Globalization could prove disastrous

The cricket fraternity wants globalization of cricket in order to keep it moving. According to such people, the participation in Olympics could lead cricket to all parts of the world as this event is the biggest sporting extravaganza on our planet. But let’s be true to ourselves. The gentlemen’s game is played among very few countries with the sub-continent being its main revenue generated point.  Apart from all the administrative requirements, this sport requires high level of investment and efficiency to prepare stadiums and pitches. This could prove burden for the host nations of future Olympics as they hardly know anything about cricket.  Moreover, the inclusion could prove disastrous as the fans of prominent countries won’t invest their time and money to catch the glimpse of a sport, which is like an alien for them, meaning huge financial loss for the host countries.

Jam-packed Calendar

Cricket is played for 365 days these days with one of the big country involved against the other. Test Cricket, ODI format and themadness of T20 and its leagues have put a lot of strain on the bodies of international cricketers. Further, including cricket in the Olympics would mean more hectic schedule. This would increase the injury rate among the cricketers and also extend the boredom to regular viewers who are already tired of too much cricket and its overdose.

Revenue and participation issue

The entry of cricket in Olympics would lead to political tension among the countries. England, Ireland, Scotland play as different nations in cricket but when it comes to Olympics they are unified under one umbrella. However, the case is different in case of Caribbean Islands. Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Antigua are known as West Indies in cricket but act as different nations in Olympics, meaning an occurrence of never ending problem. I don’t think the above mentioned countries would like to change their current position just for the sake of one event. If cricket is made to see the day light in Olympics, the governing body of the game will have to shift T20 World Cup to a four-year cycle from the present biennial one. This would incur huge financial loss in revenue as T20 World Cup is one of the most profitable assignments for ICC

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T20: The cruelest format of the game

T20: The cruelest format of the game

Which are the cruelest sport formats in the world? The readers will label my question as illogical and out of context. How can sport formats be cruel? They are played with passion and their aim is to unite everyone. However, I beg to differ. According to me, cricket has given birth to the cruelest format. The battle of bat and ball was termed as gentlemen’s game but the situation has changed over the last few years. The availability of less time and the demand of more action has invented T20, the action packed drama of cricket. It is the format that doesn’t give too many chances to recover. The superstars are turned into a villain and are buried.

The pressure levels have reached new heights and bottom lines have become more and more important. Yuvraj Singh is the prime example of this so called cruelty. The last match which he played for TeamIndia was the T20 World Cup final against Sri Lanka. One of the greatest limited over specialists Yuvraj Singh was taken to task for not scoring on each and every ball he faced. With every dot ball he played in his 21-ball 11, with every shot he missed, the voices grew against him. Virat Kohli, the only performer from the Indian side in that particular match, was frustrated while the dug-out was looking clueless. This was not the worst inning cricket has witnessed in this format but was declared as the one by most of the fans and few cricket experts. 

The slam bang version has no space to stage a comeback unlike the other formats. It is easy to identify and isolate the player as Villain in T20s.  Yuvraj Singh’s house was pelted with stones from some idiotic fans but we all knew inside our hearts that he could have done better. However, it was not a lack of effort from the left-hand maestro. Stones have previously been hurled at the Indian cricketers’ houses in the past but they were directed towards the poor performance of the team and not the individual. T20 has brought the concept of the weakest link because it is in the grasp of an individual to influence the result of a particular game. 

The rule book says a player has got every right to back himself and this was the same thing which Yuvraj Singh was trying to do in his last international game but it eventually turned against him and proved to be a deciding factor in the end. Yuvraj Singh was dumped by the selectors after that match and has failed to stage his comeback. The explosive version of cricket has exploded on the cricketing career of Yuvi and there are chances of him missing the bus for the 2015 World Cup, which will be played in Australia and New Zealand. Miracles have happened with him in the past and he certainly needs one more if wants to see himself in the Indian jersey.

The performance of one player is enough to bring the whole team down without being awful in the shortest format of the game. It is not right to demand low margins of error and high level of performance from a player whenever he goes on the field. But it is in the nature of T20, which has no room for an error. It is kind of a beast, which won’t let you relax during the course of proceedings.

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The revolutionaries of modern-day cricket

The revolutionaries of modern-day cricket

Cricket is changing since the day of its inception and that is why it continues to grow in terms of participation. The new shots are being invented while the bowlers are trying their best to fox the batsmen with their new deliveries. The credit should be given to certain players, who played an important and vital role in leading this game to new levels by revolutionizing the game. Let’s take a look at five players, who changed the whole concept of cricket.

Martin Crowe

The former New Zealand captain, who is fighting hard to save himself from cancer, is the godfather of the tactics which are being implemented on a regular basis these days. He was at his best during the 1992 edition of the cricket World Cup. He instructed Mark Greatbatch to bat aggressively during the field restrictions in order to score heavily, a tactic which paid rich dividends. The same strategy was adopted by SanathJayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana in the 1996 cricket World Cup, which brought Sri Lanka their only success in this version of the game. The theory is still in continuation and Crowe deserve all the credit for changing world cricket. Apart from this, he also used Dipak Patel, the Kiwi off-spinner, in the starting overs of the innings during the World Cup. The move paid off as batsmen couldn’t hit him during the powerplay overs. This has become a common phenomena, wherein spinner are seen bowling at the start of a match.

   

Saqlain Mushtaq

Pakistani great Saqlain Mushtaq should be applauded for making Doosra a wicket taking delivery even in front of the best in the business.  He mastered the delivery to perfection and added lot of wickets in his bowling column because of this over the years. Taking a leaf out of his success book, the likes of Harbhajan Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Saeed Ajmal, Sunil Narine and Ajantha Mendis have developed their own mystery balls, which has played an important role in their success as bowlers.

Virender Sehwag

Test cricket was considered dull and boring where openers had a job of building the innings cautiously. However, the arrival of Virender Sehwag changed the whole concept. He started his Test career in the middle order but was soon shifted to openers slot after proving his credentials as an aggressive batsman. The Nawab of Najafgarh took the attack to the opposition wherein the rivals have no answer to his brutality in the longest version of the game. The best part was his habit of scoring at a brisk pace even at the score of 99, 294 or 199.

Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram famously used reverse-swing in the 1992 World Cup final against Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis of England to clean-bowl them off consecutive deliveries, which led Pakistan to a famous World Cup win. He along with his bowling partner Waqar Younis won many famous games for their side on account of effective reverse bowling. This philosophy is used by modern day bowlers, who are using reverse swing at the death overs in order to prevent batsmen from scoring at a brisk pace.

Jonty Rhodes

Fielding has always been an integral part of cricket and we have seen exceptional fielders in the rich history of the game. However, Jonty Rhodes stands above all when it comes to fielding style. The South African batsman was famous for his brilliant fielding, exceptional catching and unbelievable run-outs. He made all the headlines after the spectacular run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq with a full-length dive at the 1992 World Cup. The art of fielding became fashionable because of Rhodes and teams started investing heavily in this department. 

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Are shorter formats killing Test cricket in India?

Are shorter formats killing Test cricket in India?

Ask any Indian cricketer about their favorite format of the game and their answer will revolve around Test cricket. Almost all the cricketers from this country have expressed their desire of playing Test cricket. Is this true? I don't think so. The only possible reason behind their self made love for a five day game could be because of financial gains. A player who is picked in the playing XI of a Test match is paid Rs. 7 lakh per match by the BCCI.

The Indian Test cricketers of the present squad have failed over again and again in front of the big rivals. They are unable to handle the pressure inserted by opposite numbers and their away form has been pathetic. However, they are roaring in the shorter formats of the game. Men in Blue were the runners-up in the last edition of the T20 World Cup while they defeated England in the ODI series in European country's own backyard. When it comes to less consuming formats, Team India is always dangerous. It is a known fact that teams like England, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa have got fine players in their Test teams but the way our players have crumbled in front of them is simply shocking. Rarely, in the history of the game, we have seen such clueless  performances.

The Indian contingent was considered unbeatable at home but England got better of them in a Test series played in 2012. According to many, the current set of Indian cricketers are spoilt by the fame and money they earn as cricketers. The batsmen in India have not put a high price on their wickets while the bowlers lacks penetration in Test cricket. Even the fielders are unaware about the basics or they are not looking to put their bodies on the line in order to register famous wins. The slips are poorly stationed and therefore it results in dropping of simple catches. The cricketers coming out from this developing country has formed a good opinion for the shorter formats where skills and level of concentration are different from Tests.

ODIs and T20 matches are much simpler as players have to go through routine formula but Test cricketer requires new ideas every now and then. MS Dhoni, the Indian captain, is a good tactician in the short-games because he knows what is required out of players in these versions of the game. He can mold the batting order and bowlers according to the need of a particular.

The master tactician has failed to innovate in Test cricket which is why he has become one of the worst skippers in the history of the game. He does amazing things but that is only limited to his favorable formats. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara  and Virat Kohli are good batters but have not produced much needed results in a five day game. The habit of poking unnecessarily at the moving balls or playing away from the body has come into them from the ODIs and T20s where there is pressure of scoring a brisk pace. They like short ways of proving their talent in front of the whole world and the cash rich league has certainly given them that opportunity.

The Indian bowlers are used to bowl short spells in the short formats where their physical strength is only tested for a few hours. The case is completely reverse in Tests as bowlers are made to bowl long spells. The five match series was enough to sucked out energy from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who lost his line and length after three matches. The same could be said about Ishant Sharma. He was one of the main reasons behind India's fantastic triumph at Lords but only one long spell forced him to miss out from the remaining matches.

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Cricketers who could become commentators

Cricketers who could become commentators

Live every professional; cricketers do have a retirement age from the game. However, the ambassadors of the gentlemen's game have developed a tendency of coming back to the sport they love the most. After calling off their playing days, the cricketers are taking up coaching jobs at various levels and some has even opened their own cricket academies. However, the most novel way is to get back as a commentator.  The former cricketers have done a wonderful job in the commentary box. This article is about the current players who could become top commentators once they retire from cricket.

Dwayne Bravo

The West Indian players are god gifted when it comes to heavy voices. 

Ian Bishop and Michael Holding are the two leading commentators from the Caribbean Island at the moment. I believe Dwayne Bravo, the current ODI captain from this part of the world, could become one of the best in commentary. Apart from good knowledge of the game, he has impressive voice which is pleasing to ears. The flamboyance in his personality is an added advantage, which is enough to make even the dullest of the environment cheerful and interesting. 

AB de Villiers

I know his voice quality is not that great but he can cover that up with his edginess and shrewd brain power. Moreover, he is famous for using his brain rather than heart which is must to be successful in this field. The best thing about AB is that he likes to be free in whatever he does and if he takes up commentary as his next profession, the world would see his other side of the personality.

Kumar Sangakkara

The former Sri Lankan captain has got great command over English while he possesses a great voice. He has been quite vocal in his career so far and has not backed away from mincing his words about some injustice done to him and his fellow players by the Sri Lankan cricket authorities. These are the qualities which sets one apart from the others. The left hand batsman is a media favorite and his availability in the commentary box  could prove beneficial for his employees. 

MS Dhoni

The Indian captain has improved his communication skills over the years and doesn't hesitate from keeping his point of view in front of the world. MS Dhoni still needs to work on his pronunciation but that’s ok if he is willing to learn in this field. Dhoni will have to avoid any lucrative offer from the BCCI as the Indian board has a tendency of restricting commentator’s free thinking. 

Kevin Pietersen

He was liked by the audience in his brief stint as a commentator. The controversial English batsman was hired by one of the leading sports channels during the 2012 edition of the T20 World Cup, which was played in Sri Lanka. He was spot on in his views while his voice was soothing. Kevin Pietersen also showed his funny side by copying the moves of popular song Gangnam Style. This is the right way to go about in the field of commentators as this keeps everyone energetic and avoids the box from getting monotonous.

Michael Clarke

There is no problem in his diction and voice which would certainly lead him to success in the world of commentators much like his cricketing career. Expressive and focused, he is an ideal candidate for the position of a commentator and could achieve new heights like Ian Chappell once he retires from the game.

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Rohit Sharma: A record breaking cricketer

Rohit Sharma: A record breaking cricketer  

Rohit Sharma, the right hand batsman, has been labeled as the special once since he burst on the scene. Sachin Tendulkar has stated that Rohit is the one who has every chance of breaking his records. However, the cricketer himself was not sure about his abilities. He couldn’t convert the starts while his batting was touch slow considering the demands of the shorter formats. However, this guy has improved a lot in last one year. Despite some odd failures outside the sub-continent, he has formed well in the ODIs and T20 internationals. His latest world record inning at Kolkata is enough to prove that he is tailor made for success. He recorded several world records during his marathon knock at the Eden Gardens 

 

Highest individual score 

The opening batsman of the Indian team bettered Virender Sehwag’s score of 219 runs by scoring a fluent 264 runs against the helpless Sri Lankan attack. The Nawab of Najafgarh went on rampage against West Indies in 2011, achieving world record in the process. However, Rohit was destined to succeed him and boy he did it in style. According to him, he was not aware about the world record but when he saw his team mates standing and applauding, he realized about his feat.

Two double tons 

Sachin Tendulkar was the first one to score a double ton in the ODIs. His unbeaten 200 runs against South Africa in 2010 was the first instance when this milestone was touched in one day internationals. His look alike Sehwag booked his place in the history books when he scored 219 runs. These two legends were joined by Rohit Sharma who accumulated 209 runs against Australia in 2013. But he was not finished with this. The lad from Mumbai became the only player in the history of the game to score two double tons when he crafted his way to magnificent 264 runs.

Most fours in an innings 

Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag had hit 25 fours in their respective double tons. This record was too broken by Rohit Sharma who added 33 fours to his name during his exceptional double ton. His drives, pulls and cuts were simply pleasing to eyes as he marched his way to new heights.
Most boundaries in an inning  
Rohit Sharma hit 33 fours and 9 sixes which sums upto 42 and is the new world record when it comes to total number of boundaries in an innings by a batsman. Virender Sehwag had hit 32 (25 fours and 7 sixes) boundaries during his double ton against the Caribbean magic.  

Most runs in boundaries 

Rohit scored 186 runs in boundaries which is also a new world record.

Most balls faced 

Rohit Sharma also broke the record of facing the most number of deliveries in an innings in the fifty over format. The Indianbatsman faced 173 balls in his knock bettering the previous record of Canada’s Glenn Turner who faced 201 balls at the time when ODIs were of 60 overs.

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Are on-field umpires really needed?

Are on-field umpires really needed?

Human beings are not perfect but they still need their own breed to drive them through in day to day affairs. The same could be said about sports where players are kept under control from referees and umpires. These personalities have a task of looking after the governance of their respective games, the goodwill among players and much more. Cricket, which is termed as gentlemen's game, are looked after by on-field umpires, who are as old as the game itself. The only thing which has changed over the years is their jerseys. They started from black and white but with the advent of new formats like ODIs and T20s, their attires have also become trendy. Sometimes they are seen in red and black while all black has also become the order of the day at times.

The umpires have been an integral part of the game with expectations of impartial decision for both the teams. Earlier, the umpires were usually from home teams and everyone knew about the quality of their decision making power. The results were in favor of the team or the board who issued their pay checks in the end. Hence the idea of introducing neutral umpires came to mind. The two wise men who were not part of the two teams were given the responsibility of calling the shots in the game. It started in Test cricket at the first instance but after a short passage of time, the idea was also moved to ODIs and T20. However, the shorter formats still enjoy the luxury of appointing one home umpire in each game. The Men in Black have to determine certain dismissals during the course of a game. The caught behind instances, leg before wicket, run-outs, and stumpings are decided by the on-field umpires firstly but they go for the third umpire verdict if required. 

Apart from this, the overstepping of a bowler, the field restrictions and the discipline are other areas which are closely monitored by the umpires. However, the introduction of TV umpire has made the role of the on-field umpires much easier in recent times since they can go for referrals at any given point of time. This was added to the game in order to minimize the wrong decisions but boy it has affected the qualities of on-field umpires. Now they rely too much on TV replays and are unable to take even the easiest of calls. It has become a fashion to seek an opinion of the third umpire even in case of the easiest run-outs and stumpings. If a wicket falls, the umpires have developed a tendency of checking it for a no ball while clear no balls are being missed on a regular basis. In that case, are umpires really needed? Cricket is not a very fast pace game so even if technology is used in each and every call, it won’t slow down the game. From the time an appeal is made and the bowler goes back to his run-up, the third umpire has enough time to declare his verdict. The technology equipped umpire can take his time and make a decision once he is totally convinced. The fielding teams will not be able to intimidate him as he sits in the air conditioned room and not in the field. I know on-field umpires are integral part of the game and not seeing them standing in the field will be odd but this sports does need a change if the administrators are interested in resolving howlers.