DOES A WIN ABROAD CHANGE THINGS

The whole of India is celebrating the victory in South Africa.Of course there is no doubt that it is a great and historic win.But does that change things at the ground level.The answer is a BIG NO.It has happened in the past and it will again happen in the future with respect to Indian Cricket.One single win and we believe that we have done enough.The controversial issues are thrown under the carpet and everybody is led to believe that all is fine with Indian Cricket.While i have never been a great fan of South African cricket their game is suited to home pitches.While there are few cricket teams like Australia who are competitive while at home or abroad the champion team will always be competitive anywhere.For me this victory shows that there is huge potential to turn this game into a true national game where the team performs consistently over a long period of time and win major tournaments.To think of it we dont have a trophy since 1985 (that is a major one!).If this opportunity is seized by the power that be then a real and permanent change be brought about otherwise we will keep celebrating the odd win here and there and miss out on the big picture.

Saurav showed lot of grit to perform under pressure.It is always a mystery how VVS laxman continues to be under the selector's scanner after producing match winning innings time and again.

At last Greg has something to smile about-hope it lasts.

THE SAURAV SAGA CONTINUES

So Saurav is back in the test squad for the South African Series.The entire episode which still continues is a big joke.The only thing it reaffirms there is hope for everybody and nobody should put away his kit bag in a hurry.I am sure (and i am prepared to put my neck on the line!) that Saurav will find it hard to score runs out in South Africa.The bouncy,hard pitches and the pace attack of South Africans will find holes in his technique sooner than later.This will also in a way seal his future in Indian Cricket.

So,VVS finds his back in the one day team after being called unfit by the chairman of selectors.And more importantly being named Vice captain for the Test series.So that puts Sehwag in a spot.I dont many players in the international cricket have been the long rope like the way the Indians have been given.Justin Langer with so much of experience is always on the line with Philip Jacques pushing him for a spot.Micheal clarke was dropped after being identified as a future great by many well known commentators.Brad Hodge who a year back made lots of runs is nowhere in the picture.Gillespe has been slowly and surely eased out of the team.Now compare it to the Indian team.Sehwag,Sachin,Raina,Kaif and others should not be finding a place in the team on the basis of current form.

Indian Cricket stutters along as the cash registers keep ringing in ,so who is bothered?

INDIAN CRICKET-THE SORRY STATE

The last two matches in South Africa has left lot of Indian Cricket supporters in total despair.The issue has been raised in parliment and there is a lot of outcry among the parlimentarians.However to my mind this thing was coming for quite sometime.

If one has closely followed Indian cricket for the last few months and years the decay had started quite sometime back.For me the most critical position in the batting order is the No.3 slot.Here in the Indian team we have Dravid coming in at that position.Now in the last match which is a classic example of how Dravid has built his averages and his reputation in part,India were 40-3 or so and everybody watching the match would have realised that the match was lost (except for some magical batting by Dhoni) Dravid was pottering along to score some 60 odd runs.What he was trying to do is well known only to him.At some point one gets the feeling Dravid is playing for a draw in one dayers.In the past Sunil Gavaskar was blamed by various people for trying to play for a draw in one dayersBy comparison look at how Ricky Ponting plays in such a position.It is the attitude at that critical position that determines how the team performs.

More on the travails of indian cricket in days to come.Comments are welcome.