What's ailing Indian Cricket?

My Mom used to tell me as a kid growing up in scarcity, "Money can't make you happy. In fact, rich people can't even use their money to get the things that they want." "Really Mom?" I would ask. "How sad one can be when he can buy all the chocolates and ice creams in the world?" "That's the sad part son, coz once they get rich, they get all the bad habits and then diseases. All rich people are fat and diabetic and can never eat chocolates." As usual I didn't give much importance to her words then....

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Test Cricket: A robust patient.

I heard Harsha Bhogle in a trailer for "Death of a gentleman" saying, "Test cricket should have died thirty years ago. It's proved to be a very robust patient." I have been harboring the same thought for a long time in my mind. For once, Harsha and me are thinking along the same line. I can probably make millions of rupees like Harsha if I stick to the same line of thinking and do all of the following: 1. Talk mostly in banalities with occasional Deepak Chora-esque deep sounding philosophical...

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War. Friendship. Cricket.

Put the kids to sleep. This is serious sport! The mother of all sporting rivalry is India Vs Pakistan in cricket. If it's taking place in a World Cup then it simply doesn't get bigger than this in sport. Oh okay I already hear voices of dissent from some elite sports watchers. One at a time kids! Yes, Federer vs Nadal is a nice little rivalry, but it won't be there 5 years from now. India vs Pakistan is for the ages, it will be there forever or at least until one of our scientists accidentally...

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The Sachin Conundrum

When is a good time to talk about Sachin Tendulkar? Any time in the last 23 years. So lets talk Sachin. I can already hear the voices in your head. Another puny blogger trying to write the customary "Sachin: The God of cricket" tribute piece, trying to show that he has arrived? Or trying to sell himself as a thinking writer by picturing him as the root all evil, as a symbol of consumerist India? If I can express myself well enough though  then this blog should not fall into either...

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A Very Very Special Friend

There are these 3 cricketers. They are like my friends since I have grown up with them. This post is about one of them. The time is around 95 - 96, and I have started watching and undestanding cricket. Azhar, Sachin, Kumble were already well into their careers. They all mean a lot to me but these 3 other cricketers are more special. Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman. I have seen their careers start and bloom and now end. (Yes Ganguly made his ODI debut much earlier, don't disturb the stream of thoughts...

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Spin it like Saqlain

When Cricket Gods and gentlemen designed this game, they had an image in mind. Of men in white looking almost saintly on a friendly green outfield. Of slow bowlers gently landing it on a half volley and the batsman gently stroking it along the ground through covers followed by applause from all the fielders. Slow bowling is a central element in cricket's artistry although this picture is a far cry from what we see in the test matches these days (lets not even bring T20 cricket...

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Tennis and Me

The post is inspired by this brillaint piece from Sidvee Doordarshan used to give us live Wimbledon tennis in the 90s and every kid had to choose a favorite. In the early 90s, kids my age (around 8 - 10 years) would know only 2 - 3 ladies who play tennis. Among them Monica Seles used to wear a skirt while playing and Steffi Graf used to wear shorts. It was a simple enough formula for me then, skirts > shorts implies root for Seles. Shortly after taking the decision to support her, she got stabbed by a Steffi fan and I continued to...

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