Prince

So India gave the Lankans a sound thrashing in the remaining 2 games to go into WC 07 on a high. SCG & RD seem to be in the best form of their lives, not to mention SRT. Viru & Uthappa can be relied on for the quick runs at the top. With MSD coming in at the death with his err...unique style of play the batting looks solid...or one would think. For many months, despite this line up something seemed missing...something very big. A kind of super glue to bind all these players together. And that super glue seems to have returned and how!

Welcome back Prince. The importance of being Yuvraj Singh can never, ever be overestimated. The sheer joy & exhiliration of those delectable flicks, quick singles, majestic cover drives and lightening reflexes on the field are the equivalent of a dazzling million candlepower of light.

There were the naysayers, the doubters. Whispers abounded about Yuvi's fitness, his knee, his form, his ability to last WC 07. Anyone who saw him bat in the last game against the Lankans will now just want to sit back, pop open a cold one and enjoy the fun each time he's on the TV screen.

the ''black'' spot

In case the apology isn't forthcoming, Shoaib has threatened to take both to court, according to the report, for their 'insulting behaviour' during the Test and adds that the bowler is willing to pull out of Pakistan's squad for the World Cup.

I haven't come across any other cricketer in living memory who is so full of shit. This guy needs to be barred from going anywhere near a cricket ground. What I feel terrible about is guys like Younis Khan, Inzi-bhai and Mohammed Yusuf, all simply class cricketers (not to mention the jewel that was Saeed Anwar) have to play along side and share dressing rooms with this moron. Read the report here.

10 K

He reaches 10,000 runs in One Day International cricket

Take a bow you legend

Multi tasking

So how does one such as I, unfortunate to not receive Neo Sports (the channel that has bought all telecast rights for all domestic and international matches in India) do? You watch it on freely available national television, albeit with a 7 minute telecast delay. So essentially you are 2 overs behind those watching the game on Neo Sports. So as not to fall behind the action, I'm following the game on Cricinfo and watching it on national TV. The lengths we go to for this team...

Tut tut

Mukul Kesavan writes a blog for Cricinfo. Like my previous comments on Cricinfo's blogs (that of Kamran something in particular) this one too is caustic. So yes Mukul Kesavan amongst other things, writes in this particular post:

[The Indian team logo] consists of the company’s name spelt out in letters so large they were clearly designed to do duty on a billboard, with a tri-colour wing attached to the last ‘A’ just so we know that the company’s heart beats for India. It makes sense for the Sahara Group to want its name to be visible from a mile away, but shouldn’t the BCCI be trying to protect the ‘look and feel’ of the game that it’s meant to promote? Shouldn’t there be a maxiumum size specified for corporate logos?

I'm not sure whether I should simply laugh at this display of naivete on the part of this gent or whether I should simply pat him on the back and gently lead him to a museum. Now while I am all for maintaining what is sacrosanct to the game I am also aware of changes that are forced upon sport over time. No one likes change, a friend I admire a lot told me recently and there never was a truer word. This post grates on me because it comes across like one of those old, fuddy duddy MCC club members with their bloody suits and hats nodding their heads in dismay over a cup of tea at Lords. If we want the game to survive, evolve and continue to thrill, we have to accept changes. And changes as small as what Mr. Kesavan cries over are too insignificant to matter.

But the biggest reason why I said the post was naive...I mean c'mon. We have a Gujarati board apparatchik, a shrewd & greedy Marwari businessman and a dont-mess-with politician running Indian cricket. You tell me now if what we are seeing is anything but expected.

That's telling 'em

From Cricinfo

"I've not read the report, but to be honest, there's no problem in the team. I think it's important to put it in perspective and understand things," Dravid snapped when asked about the story in the press conference ahead of the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Kolkata tomorrow. "I'm being asked questions and being asked my views on a report given by someone who, when I last looked at the history of Indian cricket, I didn't necessarily see his name featuring very prominently," said Dravid of Desai, who is the honorary secretary of the Goa Cricket Association.

Having made the sharp comment, Dravid, who usually does not get into controversies of any kind, pressed on. "When I'm asked a question regarding comments or opinions of people, I would expect you to ask me questions about people who have at least played the game and have some standing in the game and been involved with the game in some capacity," he said. "Anyone's entitled to give an opinion, anyone's entitled to file reports but me commenting on that - I think you know I will comment on it only if its worthy of my comment."

Respect.

Hopes & Dreams

This is it. Or almost it. The team has been selected. These 15 will carry the hopes, dreams & fanaticism of millions around the world. Bangalore, Brussels, London, New York, Sydney, Singapore, Shanghai, Rotterdam, Bombay, Delhi and a hundred other cities around the world...Indian cricket lovers will suffer late nights, early mornings and low productivity at whatever else they do to watch 11 of these 15 take the field in cricket's most charismatic contest.

Rahul Dravid (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, R Uthappa, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, Virender Sehwag, Sreesanth

My eleven (in batting order) will be: 1.Ganguly 2. Uthappa 3. Dravid 4. Tendulkar 5. Sehwag 6. Yuvraj 7. Dhoni 8. Harbhajan/Pathan 9. Agarkar 10. Zaheer 11. Kumble

Of course, this is based on current form. Sehwag's is still suspect. Otherwise it would be unthinkable for him not to come at the top of the order. Uthappa's intent and approach is a delight (more on him separately). Ganguly looks assured opening. Sehwag and Yuvi coming in at 5 & 6 might seem too low down the order but remember, both are struggling and both haven't made runs at this level for more months than we would care to remember. Dhoni's presence at 7 followed by Pathan makes me more assured. If IKP is in decent rythm, I'm afraid Bhajji will be left free to sample the Carribean's many attractions with abandon.

Of course, if Sehwag fails miserably in the next 4 games and IKP is all over the place, that changes the equation. However, I will always back Viru to get back amongst the runs. (provided those 3rd man slashes are temporarily abandoned)

C'mon India Dikhado!!!