From Jaipur to Johannesburg

On April 3, 2008, Ashish Kaul, Executive VP, Zee Network had said," The matches will not affect our soaps because firstly, Indians do not associate with domestic cricket. Secondly, IPL has become a big product only because Shah Rukh is endorsing it. Sans SRK, it is just a inter-corporate match between Anil Ambani, Mukesh Ambani and Vijay Mallya’s teams. Thirdly even if there are cricket icons like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, how many of the 59 matches will they be actually playing? In a 20:20 format each player will be on field for about 10-15 minutes. Their fans will watch them play and come back to their favourite soaps,” is his firm belief. In fact, he contends that the impact of these matches on the soaps will be less than 1 per cent, “assuming there will be an impact”.

A few weeks down the lane, the IPL witnessed a whopping TRP rating of 7.3, way ahead the second placed Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (4.5) and the third placed Saat Phere (4.3). Milking the cash cow was official broadcaster SET Max, whose market share leapfrogged to 28.8% from a measly 5.7% just a few weeks ago. One of the dipstick poll respondent Lata B, whose favourite team is the Kings XI of Punjab, "Usually, when I surf in the evenings every channel has soaps running. But now with the IPL matches being telecast, I find it makes for a good break from my regular viewing." Sensing the threat posed by the IPL, some sought to admit the hard fact. Anirudh Pathak, Creative consultant for fiction with a channel, says IPL has affected their prime time slots. "And now, as teams get more popular, the audience is watching these matches with increased interest. But thankfully, the IPL is happening at this time of the year; this is the season for weddings and power shortages, so we were prepared for lower TRP ratings." he says.


The IPL certainly has its reverberations crossing the boundary lines. Having treated the viewers worldwide to intense moments of thril, agony, drama and excitement, the league now acts as an international stage for the widespread promotion of the game, which still is largely unpopular in several countries. Apart from the usual rollicking stuff displayed on the telly, IPL seeks a new dimension to the game to make it commercially more viable, morphing the format from a Test to a T20. Now that the IPL has stamped its authority on the sports market, the challenge ahead for the organizers is to press home the advantage of the popularity to introduce the game to virgin territory. Barring a couple of countries, the whole of Africa and large parts of America are unfamiliar with the game that has been worshipped in Asia. With the commercial clout backing the organizers, IPL and ICC have a distinct advantage which can be used wisely to mark cricket on the global platform. PC was spot-on to call it a shrewd combination of sport and business.



The shifting of IPL away from India is quite unfortunate, but there's every bit of wisdom involved in that decision. It is tacit to face tremendous difficulties for a parallel run of the two most rivetting events in India, with the threat of inadequate security looming large over the entire couple of months. Conducting IPL in India during such a period would only make the nation more vulnerable to ugly scars of terrorism, and the incidents like the one which happened in Lahore recently. It would be extremely foolhardy to politicize the decision, which naturally drew angst from millions across the country. What fails to be seen is the fact that IPL's sojourn to countries like South Africa or England will help our domestic players earn some valuable experience of playing abroad and expanding their cricketing sense to employ the best measures in dealing with the best international cricketers involved. And how often do our domestic cricketers have the opportunity to call around abroad shores?




Paying paramount importance to the interests of the spectators and the franchisees, IPL organizers now face immense pressure to alter the existing logistics to conduct the tournament in a successful way. They seem confident enough to call it forth in the same way as the last year's edition. And what better place than South Africa, the nation which has firm roots associated with India.


Johannesburg or Jaipur, India will always relish the flavour of IPL, the only one of its kind....

We Render Sehwag

The curators at Chepauk wouldn’t be surprised to find some blades of burnt grass at the end of fourth day of the 1^st test between India and England. They’d recall finding similar stuff when India last played a Test here. There was something common on both the occasions. Not with the matchstick but a dreaded piece of a willow in the hands of a man less famously known as the Multan Marauder or Nawab of Najafgarh. And for all that glorious cuts- uppish and square, the man under focus is the innocent soft-spoken-yet-demolishing Virender Sehwag!

A target of 387 is not for nothing noted as a record target. And did I say that we were batting a fourth innings against the likes of Andrew Flintoff, Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar on a cracking fifth day track at energy-sapping Chennai? Not tough enough to stop Sehwag from making merry. And that’s exactly what the he did. Result- the English Team was driven to a state of autism.

Team India was clearly nowhere near the mark for the first three days. Perhaps the Mumbai affliction had hit us hard. A tinge of rust on the attitude was almost noticeable. Having conceded a crucial lead of 75, the English had slipped from 43-3 to 172-3 at stumps on Day 3. An air of defeat loomed large and we hoped to salvage a well-saved draw. True, Kirsten was confident, but that sounded a bit too optimistic. That was till Sehwag came out to bat.

Earlier on the 4^th day, England had crawled woefully in the 2^nd session to notch a paltry 57 in 22.5 overs. As if to remind them of what scoring rate is in conventional sense, and what it could be during his reign, Sehwag started flaying the wood at leather in his singular fashion. On Sunday noon, Chepauk was the place to be; with the deafening decibel cheer of the crowd resonating with the bat speed of Sehwag, as the ball made several trips down the ground, on the offs, off the legs and an aerial route for change. The delightful hits were the on their ground journey, the off-side being the most preferred direction. The flight became a regular spectacle, not off the bowlers’ hands but off the bat, with as many as four of them being sent straight to the throngs watching in awe. As KP watched, he’d have felt philosophical of the afflictions faced by bowlers who wither under the Sehwag agony. That is our Viru in his zone, a zone that is completely his own. On one instance, as Cricinfo put it, “A full toss from Monty Panesar was clipped through midwicket so precisely that the fieldsmen running across the rope met each other just as the ball squeezed past them and over.” Elsewhere on the screen, something read,

“ 11.2. Panesar to Sehwag, SIX, it’s so easy for him, just sizes up the length and goes downtown against the spin with a stunning six over long-on, man oh man oh man....”

57 runs were up by the 38^th delivery of the innings. There’s nothing much a bowler can do under such circumstances. Neither the history of the game nor the reputation of the bowler matters; either great accuracy or Sehwag’s misfortune can bring an end to such electrifying drama. Talk of bowling, Sehwag’s here for the grind.

Eventually, when he got out after a swashbuckling assault of 83 off 68, talks of a memorable Indian victory had gained momentum on and off the cricketing arena. The job was done, and perhaps, in the best possible way. Some balls were lost and some were torn. This was an innings which undid the effort of the team which remained on top for 10 sessions of the test.

An exact contrast to the theory of non-violence. The English would stop learning history after this.

This was the Test that will be remembered for many reasons other than cricket. There are few Tests which have no losers and this was an example of one such contest. The English know that it is their courage and the belief in Indian values which brings them here. We, as Indians, are mighty grateful to the trust they instilled in us, to bail us out of the dark terror-struck times. It’s great to see them cooperate with us to revive the class of Test cricket, perhaps at the time when it required the most. England can take solace in the fact that it is their presence here, which heals us and restores normalcy. People are talking cricket again. Sachin is playing for the nation more than ever. Can there ever be a better revival? This is the Test of the times. Cheer up England. Well done India. You guys contrived well to present me a high successful chase as my birthday gift.

India Battles Atrocities

Before anything, a mighty salute to the brave martyrs of Mumbai Rescue Operations- Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Gajendra Singh, Rajeev Khandekar and several other officers who laid down their lives for the greatest cause ever -India.

We strongly condemn the heinous atrocities committed by those who never valued anything except terror.

At the time of writing, the death toll at the Mumbai war siege reads 183. More than 350 are still fighting the battle of war and death amidst intense pain.

For 60 hours of intense operation in the southern Mumbai, the breath of a common man was shockingly bated in what can be described as a carnal ransack compounded with conflagration of terrorism. It was not only the financial capital, but the entire world minus the terrorists, which came reeling under the the banal cloud of terrorism. A cataclysm of blood at the heart of Indian economy has left a scar on humanity and its beautiful essence.

The scenes of terrorists running mayhem was the least thing Indians expected to come across right at the start of the day. A relaxed and serene restaurant quarter at Colaba turns into the epicentre of terror and bloodshed. The police get on their feet to counter-attack the menace. Within minutes, Nariman House, Hotel Taj Mahal and Trident Oberoi become the cynosure of eyes filled with tears and grief. The press crew lines up to bring a comprehensive picture. Even as the world grapples with the agony of ruthless cruelty, India summons its power to send its best soldiers to halt the terrorists on their blood-shedding spree. Finally, after 3 nights and 2 days, India succeeds in its effort to run the terrorists out of their steam and breath. After a daylong siege the soldiers took control of the building, but unfortunately it was too late to save the hostages, all of whom were found dead. Indian commandos killed two militants in the luxury Trident-Oberoi hotel on Friday and rescued nearly 100 people. After evacuating around 400 people from The Taj, our forces cleared the militants and rendered the place free of terror.

The harsh reality left behind by the series of attacks is that the criminals were almost omnipotent: They could strike where, when and -almost -whomever they wanted. Terrorist attacks have riddled the nation more often than ever in the current year. Not long ago, it was Jaipur which came under fire. Just a few months ago, Bangalore and Ahmedabad were raided in a span of two days. Shortly after, Delhi witnessed a series of attacks. And then, it was Guwahati. What was less frequent has become a matter of familiarity in recent times. Just a few weeks ago, an explosion rocked the city of Malegaon in the state of Maharashtra. The Indian police and paramilitary force is the biggest security force in the world, but given that India's population hovers around 1.2 billion, it is still much too small. But whatever be the siege, Indian soldiers have gallantly lived up to their duty of rescuing India from any terror threat.

The world today needs to join hands to erase this canker which threatens to disrupt the society in its wanton fit. But over the last few days, Indians has shown the world that they are not the ones going to be cornered by nefarious minds. We stand up to salute the nation which has given us everything. Bravo India...!!

The Royal Bengal Tiger- Saurav Ganguly

"The Prince of Calcutta. Two of his special qualities are his intelligence and articulation, both of which have helped him immensely in the world of contemporary cricket." -Geoffrey Boycott.

"The great thing about Saurav is that he doesn't let any criticism bother him. He is his own man, and an intensely determined one. He always speaks his mind. His batting is a unique mix of touch and power. When he plays those drives, it's all touch, all elegance. Timing is his gift. He has the ability to not only clear the ropes but even the stadium. Against spin, my god, he is really a murderer! One thing I'd love to have from his game is his the ability to clear the ropes. As a captain, he is always encouraging his batsmen, reminding them of past successes. Sourav is among the best one-day players I have seen". -VVS Laxman.

"A quality batsman. There are a couple of things I like about his batting. He is right up there on my list, as far as offside play goes. The other thing he excels at is his use of feet to spinners. He keeps his head down, has nice footwork and a lovely long follow-through. I really enjoy it when he comes down the track to spinners. In fact, you can safely bet that it would go for a six." -Ian Chappell.

"The great thing about Saurav is that he doesn't let any criticism bother him. He is his own man, and an intensely determined one. He always speaks his mind. His batting is a unique mix of touch and power. When he plays those drives, it's all touch, all elegance. Timing is his gift. He has the ability to not only clear the ropes but even the stadium. Against spin, my god, he is really a murderer! One thing I'd love to have from his game is his the ability to clear the ropes. As a captain, he is always encouraging his batsmen, reminding them of past successes. Sourav is among the best one-day players I have seen". -VVS Laxman.

"Ever since Saurav became the captain, I do not feel like a youngster in the team any more. Everybody is treated equally and Saurav himself is extremely approachable and a pillar of strength. Saurav stood by me when I was struggling. I owe a great deal to him for standing by me at the most important time. I can't express my gratitude to him in words." -Harbhajan Singh.

“On the off side, first there is God and then Saurav Ganguly.” -Rahul Dravid.


There once was an Indian team, a team which represented us in the Wills World Cup 1996. Azhar and his bunch of men were just about there, relying heavily on the young shoulders of Sachin Tendulkar. The common dictum was that India would stay in the hunt till Sachin stays at the crease. Too much for an expectation really. Sachin needed a partner and there was one such in a young person of a joint-family of 50 residing in The City Of Joy- Kolkata. [A record, Saurav Ganguly-Sachin Tendulkar ODI partnership measures 8227 runs in 176 innings at an outstanding average of 47.55, Cricinfo]. For a person who wanted to be a footballer- understandable given the knowledge of the intense passion of football in Kolkata- he took up cricket because of brother Snehashish's liking for cricket. And much to the awe of cricketosphere, it still remains a mystery how Saurav could take up left-handed batting despite being a natural right-hander during his childhood!!


His first international appearance dates back to 1992- ODI against West Indies at Perth- where he failed to leave his mark. But that we know Saurav for his qualities today, it's not surprising that he fought his way back to the team by consistent domestic performances. Some were concerned about his problems of attitude and haughtiness, but that apart, Saurav was special in his sense of batting, which enabled him to score a century against England at Lord's in 1996. Alongside came Rahul Dravid, and in the coming years, Indian was cricket built around the core of this strong batting triumvirate.


Though Saurav Ganguly had a decent Test average, it was in the ODIs that he shone to his acme. His best performances have come all around the globe, with Toronto being a paradise for him. It was here that he tormented Pakistan both with the bat and the ball. Coming to Dhaka next year, his 124 was the cornerstone of Indian victory, chasing 315 to take home the series. And then came the belligerent 183 off 148 balls at Taunton at Sri Lanka in '99 World Cup, where he sent several balls drowning into the nearby rivulet. At Adelaide against Pakistan in 2000, Ganguly cruises to 141 displaying a hunger to feast on anything pitched off. These were the knocks which brought Ganguly to the doorsteps of captaincy when India were left reeling under the dark clouds of match-fixing scandal. Tendulkar had faltered in his role as a captain and Saurav was here, raring to go.


It was under Ganguly that the players transmuted from being a mere group of cricketers to Team India. Known for his aggressive style of captaincy, Ganguly's tenure at the top is marked by several accomplishments. A series victory over Australia in India, which included the famous Kolkata victory, in 2001 is regarded to be India's best performance. The remarkable transformation of an under-confident team to a team which reached the World Cup Final in South Africa, 2003 and a series victory over Pakistan in their land remain the most notable achievements of Team India under Ganguly. Players like Sehwag, Laxman, Harbhajan, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Zaheer were groomed well to hold the position that they now play for. A veritable master that he is, Saurav still commands the distinction of being the Most Successful Captain of Team India.


He still is game for come-back, as he famously did once. Over the past couple of years, his Tests average is much better than that of Dravid or Tendulkar. [Test best of 239 against Pakistan in Bangalore, 2007] The selectors might have problems with him, he might not be comfortable against the bouncer, there might be a slow runner in him or a slow fielder, but Saurav still is the architect of the success which Team India now thrives in. There is a great amount of difference in the style of the game being played on either side of Saurav's tenure. He will be missed a lot during the coming days. Team India today has terms such as 'The Fab Four' or 'Team Huddle', contrary to the terms like 'Little Master' before 1996. That alone tells us the impact Saurav, as a captain, has left.