*Official* Indian Domestic Season 2004/2005

[amokk1]

That's Indian cricket for you man. Sounds a lot like Pakistan cricket, there seems to be no game plan or team formation. Just throw something in the open and hope it hits.

What can we do? Nobody's gonna listen to us.

 

[Arjun]

Tough call who's responsible- everyone is hand0-in-glove in this mess.

• Ground curators prepare terrible pitches and rough, hard outfields. As a result, pitches are heavily in favour of one skill, which is why players choose to abandon the other. Moreover, it's tough to find the class bowlers among the pie throwers. Hard outfields make fielding hard and dangerous.
• As many as six specialist batsmen make a playing XI, with bowlers capable of batting coming in very low down the order. They even come below wicketkeepers who can't bat for toffees. Their batting skills rust. Even the best bowlers among the batsmen hardly get to bowl. Bad selection and strategy.
• Legal bungles leave domestic series without a sponsor and without television coverage. Stupid bureaucrats.

With rubbish like this, it's time the ex-players, media or even fans stage a coup and take over the BCCI. Enough of Dalmeinkaala's bungles. Let someone who knows what's good for the game run it.

 

[Arjun]

Balaji bowls the first over with a no-ball and a wide. Looks like his idea of hitting the deck won't take off. Come to think of it, given Zaheer's form, it just won't.

 

[amokk1]

That's why I think I was clapping for Australia during the VB series even though I was cheering for Pakistan.

But, my apprciation for Australian cricket grows daily and soon I will not have any faith in the Indian side.

A side with Shewag, Tendulkar, Laxman, Dravid, Ganguly, Kumble, Bajji. That is probably the best line up I have ever seen for India.

They have not used their talent to their maximum. Such quality players come once in a generation or even decades.

 

[Arjun]

A side with Shewag, Tendulkar, Laxman, Dravid, Ganguly, Kumble, Bajji. That is probably the best line up I have ever seen for India.

They have not used their talent to their maximum. Such quality players come once in a generation or even decades.

But the recent string of disastrous performances raises questions whether they really are that good anymore. That they failed repeatedly without Sachin shows that they're not match-ready at all and refuse to admit thhat they have been terrible. Ganguly, in particular, has been terrible in OD's- he contributes nothing on the field and can't even run an easy single! They have all under-performed and don't deserve any let-off.

However, lack of fresh ideas and innovation has hurt them a lot. Look at the stretch for which Rahul Dravid has been wicketkeeping- has anything significant ever happened? None, but Dravid's terrible form with the bat, apart from 2 tournament wins- one gifted, the other easy but made to look hard. Some bowlers in the side have shown some batting ability, but come in at 8,9,10 and 11! Will they ever improve at such positions?

 

[Arjun]

Gagandeep has bowled well so far, 2 overs and six runs- he deserves five wickets in an innings, or at least that of Parab- 1 run in 11 balls!

 

[Arjun]

Shame, Bcci

SHAME, BCCI


By Tapan Joshi



Mumbai, February 7, 2005

Ranbir Singh Mahendra and Jagmohan Dalmiya, who run the Board of Control for Cricket in India as their personal fiefdom, should hang their heads in shame.

The first match of the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy between India Seniors and India A was delayed by more than 30 minutes at the Wankhede Stadium here today because the players’ clothing had not arrived in time from Bangalore.

While there was nothing the Mumbai Cricket Association could do, there was not a single person from the BCCI who could clear the confusion. This time, the Challenger Trophy is not being televised nor the BCCI has been able to find a sponsor for the event.

The lackadaisical manner in which the BCCI is run is deplorable to say the least. Today’s incident only goes on to highlight the fact that the likes of Dalmiya and Mahendra are power hungry brokers who care two hoots for the game.

Even as far as the players’ accommodation was concerned, there were problems. The players were informed to report to the Taj Mahal Hotel here but the BCCI officials discovered at the last minute that the hotel was booked and had to make alternate arrangements. Some players went to the Taj only to find out that they were booked in a nearby hotel.

As usual, there will never be an official explanation regarding today’s faux pas nor will there be an official apology. Till there is Vote Raj in the BCCI, Indian cricket has no future.

Well said, Tapan. Sums it up well.

 

[Arjun]

Satyajit Parab may have gone after Balaji- he's hit 5 fours, while Balaji's extra habit gets worse, along with the boundary balls recurring. Gagandeep sneaks in two maiden overs- not too bad.

 

[Arjun]

Dheeraj Jadhav has got a start- he should convert this into a big score. Last long enough to attack the weak links in the bowling.

 

[Arjun]

India A require 47 runs in 5 overs- they have the wickets in hand (the Agarkar promition was unnecessary) but not the time.

 

[Arjun]

Typical of CricInfo- in a few minutes, the India A team won the match.

 

[Arjun]

Irfan Pathan is out of the Challenger Trophy due to a side-strain. He is replaced by Bengal's Ranadeb Bose, who should prove that he's good enough for limited-overs cricket and can field a lot better than selectors think.

This is a crunch match for India Seniors, who have lost the opening match by 6 wickets. The highlight was the way innings were built, as partnerships were built by Jadhav, Parab and Dinesh Mongia, giving Rahul Dravid and Mohammed Kaif the freedom to attack in the final 5 overs.

Suggested lineups:
INDIA SENIORS

• Dhawan
• Dhoni
• Raina (Top ODI Contender)
• Venugopal
• Ganguly
• Yuvraj
• Balaji
• Pawar
• Kumble
• Gagandeep
• Ranadeb

INDIA B

• Sehwag
• Gambhir
• Laxman
• Sriram
• Joginder
• Rohan
• Powar
• Parthiv
• Nehra
• Bhandari
• Paul

 

[Arjun]

From CricInfo's page
Match start scheduled for 14:30 IST (9:00 GMT)

And what are they doing? Cleaning cameras? It's already 14:45!

 

[Arjun]

Sehwag gone for 9, off Balaji at point, caught by Yuvraj. India B at 151/3, with Laxman scoring 69 in 67, with 9 fours and a six. To think he's not good enough for ODI's while misfits like Patel are. The India B selection is weird- you have 6 batsmen, then Parthiv Patel (who's playing more as a batsman), then two vital all-rounders batting at 8 and 9! The team needs an all-rounder, but will they ever get any with such selections? Hopefully they come in a lot earlier than the batting order suggests.

 

[Arjun]

Hmmm......maybe they will come in a lot earlier. India B are at 179/5, with Sriram (52 in 60 balls, with one six- some say he's not fit for ODI's) and Rohan Gavaskar (14) falling to Ganguly.

 

[Arjun]

Balaji snaps up Parthiv at 7. Rayudu's still there at 21. Trouble for Sehwag's team, unless the Powar-Joginder combination come up with something significant.

 

[Arjun]

Both all-rounders are gone, Joginder for one (sad) and Powar for an effective 30 in 26 balls- got after Balaji and Ranadeb. The Bengal seamer has finished 10 overs with 2/51.

 

[Arjun]

Balaji takes 4/66, though Nehra hit a six in the final over. India B all out for 275, on the last ball of the innings, which looked unlikely in the middle overs.

 

[Arjun]

Tough chase on for Ganguly's side. A lot will depend on Dhoni- it may be his last Challenger innings. Time to start attacking the new ball if he should keep Parthiv and Dinesh out of the race. In-form batsman Suresh Raina should show what he can do. Balaji should not be left out either- he must come in and start hitting the ball, go for broke.

For the fielding side, the bowlers should bowl on the stumps (particularly Nehra) and sneak in the odd bouncer. Bowl straight at Dhoni, without giving room. Sehwag should bowl 7 or 8 overs at a stretch. Keep three slips in the first 15 overs. Cut out all the singles. When Ganguly comes in, bowl straight and sneak in some short balls, but get a few at his chest. Joginder should bowl higher up and keep out the short ones.

 

[Arjun]

Dhawan and Dhoni have given the team a good start, currently 68 in 12 overs. Sriram got injured after bowling one ball, over completed by Powar.