The commentator's sendoff

Brad Hogg, to Parthiv Patel: "Patel, on your bike! Go have a shower". Chuckle-inducing, if only for the reminder it served for what Hogg must have dished out to opponents when he was playing.

David Warner the Kulhaadi

David Warner is what folks in Delhi call a kulhaadi player. That roughly translates as "axe" but a better translation to capture the flavor of that word would be "chopper" or "hacker". "Bludgeon" would be an even better description of Warner. I'm not sure that Warner will ever, ever, make it into the Australian test or ODI team, but his place with the Daredevils seemed assured, especially if he continues to make it easy for folks to apply local lingo to him.

I have never seen a pitch as green as the one on display in today's Delhi Daredevils v. Kings XI game - in Delhi. Harsha Bhogle is right; someone should have taken a photo of this for posterity. Why can't we see this in a test?

Another one bites the dust

And Lasith Malinga will no longer be seen in tests. The formula is emerging: overbowl you best strike bowlers by making them play an impossibly crowded calendar, don't pay them enough for tests, then sit back and watch them retire from the longer version while they opt for better paychecks and more salubrious working conditions.

Farewell, Lasith. This summer won't be as much fun without you in whites, showing off your highlights.

La Copa Mundial and cricket

My last post on this blog was almost four weeks ago. The reason for that was simple: I'd been traveling in South America (more precisely, Ecuador and Peru). These are not places that make one think a great deal about cricket. Instead, I was swamped by futbol todos tiempos. Indeed, had Ecuador and Peru qualified the swamping would have been even more comprehensive. In these past few weeks then, thanks to a combination of traveling, timezones, lack of net access, my location and the Copa Mundial, I had very little exposure to cricket. Still, thinking about the World Cup does prompt thoughts about the modern game, its embrace of nationalism, and the contrasting fortunes of the World Cups in the games of cricket and football. Given the trajectories of cricket in recent times these comparisons are increasingly interesting.

The Copa Mundial has become bloated, sure, but it manages to dispense with the bloating very quickly, eliminating fifty percent of the field after the first round, and quickly moving on to a knockout. I still remember 16-team Cups, followed by the 24-team version, and while this 32-team version is more extensive, it still feels like things are moving along (and there aren't too many hopeless minnows around - even accounting for North Korea). Football's World Cup remains the supreme sporting event on the planet. Despite tweakings, the cricket World cup continues to slip in the assessments of fans. It needs a rescheduling, a rearrangement, a dicing-n-slicing if it is to retain its relevance and importance.

Each football World Cup sees the inevitable complaints made in the analysis of failures of ostensible favorites: the best performances are saved for the clubs, players have injuries left over from the club season etc. We've seen glimmerings of this analysis in the wake of India's crashing out of the T20 WC; I expect variants of it for different teams will appear (as it already has) down the line.

And of course, nationalism. Every four years, I pay attention to football. That is because I remain hopelessly stuck in country v. country contests. And that is why I'm still not an IPL follower (despite brave attempts to drum up interests). For the next couple of weeks, its all flag-waving, all the time. (And it will be same in cricket as the English season kicks off).

Time to be a jingoist. Sort of.

India-Afghanistan early thoughts

Early days in the Afghanistan-India game (well,perhaps not, because Afghanistan are already batting into their 14th over). Noor Ali is an impressive bat; he strokes the ball well, and has some good power and timing. Asghar Stanikzai and him have put on 51 runs in some eight overs; very good going indeed. Whatever happens from here on in, Afghanistan have not disgraced themselves at all. And they still have a chance to cause a few flutters by taking some early Indian wickets.

The contrast between this World Cup game and the IPL couldn't be greater. Everything is much quieter, the PA music system is relatively muted, and of course, the commentators aren't yelling as much (to be fair, commentators can work themselves into a frenzy when the crowd sound is loud and that is not the case here). And this is a day-game, in contrast to IPL games, most of which were at night. Lastly, its nice to see sixes and catches called as that.

I look forward to seeing Afghanistan in a 50-over game.

Some World Cup thoughts

Given my unlikely-to-change preference for international cricket over that featuring franchises, I'm anticipating the T20 World Cup quite eagerly (it also helps that the timezones work for me). There are, I think, several other reasons to do so. Firstly, I'm hoping the World Cup makes conversations about cricket to be just about the game (much as I like talking about cricket in context, sometimes I like just thinking about bat and ball). Secondly, I'm keen to see whether there are perceptible differences caused by IPL participation - will IPL players be fatigued, or burned out, or just more match-ready and savvy? (In this regard, I'm especially curious to see how India do, given the less-than-ideal team selection). Lastly, the pitches in the Caribbean are likely to be slow and low and possibly less conducive to big hitting. This could mean an increased role for spinners, or less appetizingly, for slow-medium trundlers. Let's hope it's the former.

The T20 World Cup is a good model for a major cricket tournament in today's cricket world: it is short, sweet and competitive after a slightly low-key start (and in the case of India, even that is not the case, given the off-the-field significance of their game against Afghanistan). Like many other folks, I would not mind a cricket world in which the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy alternated every year (i.e., a major limited-overs tournament involving all nations every year). It enables talk of bragging rights amongst the major nations on a regular basis in this arena and would greatly increase the significance of the other limited-over games played (hopefully as part of bilateral series) the rest of the year.

Where have I heard of Lalit Modi before?

I've just remembered a little story from (roughly) 1984-87. A cousin of mine went to Duke University for his MBA. I spoke to him regarding my plans to go to the US for graduate school. He gave me some advice: don't succumb to the temptations of the US. Otherwise, I might end up like the young Modi boy, who was his classmate, and had got into some serious trouble with the local police.

I should have succumbed; I would have cleaned up millions and hung out with cricketers. But to top it off, I would have had the chance to deliver a rambling, squirm-inducing, spiel at the end of a cricket tournament. On live television.

Yes, some things are worth breaking the law for.

No Kieron?

Why isn't Kieron Pollard in?

Rich in what sense?

A new post on the 'true' cricketing wealth of a nation is up at Different Strokes

Viru and the World Cup

The news that Viru Sehwag has a busted shoulder has provoked some expected teeth gnashing - both over his absence and his replacement. Now, I love the thought of watching Sehwag bat, but I have to confess that when it came to the T20 WC I had not managed to generate the kinds of great expectations which would experience this news as harbinger of an apocalypse. Part of this display of sangfroid on my part finds its grounding in the knowledge that Sehwag does not do very well in one-day internationals or T20s (I'm hard pressed to think of a single significant innings), and yet another part in the related awareness that I don't associate him with a winning campaign in a tournament. (In this arena, at least, I would consider Dhoni's absence a far more significant blow).

I've slowly become convinced over the years that the problem with Sehwag in the limited versions of the game is that he prefers to be the one with the initiative, the one that imparts a jolt to the proceedings, and then, having pushed the opposition on to the pyschological defensive, is able to take over and dominate. It is a strategy that works in test cricket. It does not in limited-overs cricket, for there, bowlers and captains alike expect punishment and do not get fazed (or perhaps not as much as Viru would like them to). I have to admit though, that given the genius of this man, there is something slightly unsatisfactory about this explanation. Why is he unable to change, to adjust, to reconfigure, when he can do so in test cricket? Be that as it may, I cannot remember a single ODI or T20 innings by him, and indeed, cannot even a remember a moment from an ODI or a T20 which features Viru in his glory.

As for India's campaign in the T20 WC, more on that later. But I'm afraid the IPL does create the expectation that India should win. This isn't entirely a fair expectation given the brevity of the game but it is out there nonetheless. But the incumbents of the T20 team, in their appearances in the IPL, haven't exactly managed to bowl us over. (At least a few like Yusuf Pathan and Ishant Sharma have looked like duds). Heartbreak might still be around the corner.

If there is, we should be glad it will be over quickly. The T20 WC is compact and concise. It should serve as a model for the "other" World Cup.

IPL loyalties settled

I finally have an assessment of the various IPL teams in terms of whether I'm able to find it within myself to "support" them. Here goes. The order reflects the current points table.

• Mumbai Indians: Mumbai. 'Nuff said. Disqualified.


• Royal Challengers Bangalore: Dravid, Kumble, Kallis, letting all and sundry know success in test cricket doesn't cripple a T20 player. Eminently supportable.


• Delhi Daredevils: Delhi. 'Nuff said. Worthy of love, affection, respect, adoration.


• Chennai Super Kings: Matty Hayden. Expelled, hopefully, never to be seen again.


• Rajasthan Royals: Mixed feelings. Warne and Pathan, yes, but doesn't Modi have some connections with Rajasthan? Disqualified. And in retrospect, not that hard a call.


• Deccan Chargers: Symonds. See entry for CSK above.


• Kolkata Knight Riders: Dada. Surreal. Therefore, to be encouraged and cheered on.


• Kings XI Punjab: Land of my forefathers. Shoulder-to-shoulder we stand. No fear.

Yuvi, Sanga, step forward

Today would a very good day for Yuvraj Singh to find form, and to get some monkeys off his back. Today would also be a good day for Sangakkara to do well. Who wouldn't like to see two contrasting lefties do well? (Folks that don't want the Delhi Daredevils to get to the semis, that's who).

Back in the game

Right. So spring break is over and I can now get back to blogging, teaching, grading, and all of the rest. (I look forward to some of those activities more than the others).

The best way to jump back into all of this is to note that the IPL is too long. My first reaction, on returning to New York City from my travels was, "This thing is still on?". Yes, it is. 8C2x2 = 56. Games, that is. One can only imagine (with some fear) the prospects of an expanded IPL with even more games. On the bright side, Mumbai and Delhi are league leaders, which is just the ticket to keep me excited and interested (sort of) in the final outcome.

Meanwhile, this blog showed up on a blogger's list of the top 40 cricket blogs on the net. Normally, I would diss lists like that but what I like about this one is that its creator David Siddall seems to have put some effort into it. (And I've always wanted to feature on a top 40 list). I even found a few new blogs to check out. You probably will as well.

Lastly, this dude, Eyepeeyell on twitter is pretty funny. Can you a) guess his nationality and b) his location?

Here is how you bowl a bouncer

A little high-quality cricket moment in an IPL game. The two bouncers that Jacques Kallis bowled at Damien Martyn off the last two balls of the sixth over of the Rajasthan Royals' innings today were lessons in how to bowl a good bouncer: they were quick deliveries, pitched on an awkward length just short of a good one, and they headed straight for Martyn's head. The length, the pace, the direction (often ignored but still very important) were all bang on. Not too short, not at a friendly pace.

Kallis must be the most under-rated Genuinely Great Cricketer[tm] of all time. It kills me to think that a #3 batsman with a bowling and fielding record like his is still routinely dissed. (And aspiring quicks take note: he ambles up and lets rip 140K deliveries!).

Jaya and SRT - old farts rule

So whatever one's feelings about the IPL, there is something quite amazing about the idea of Jayasuriya and Tendulkar opening together in a T20 game (in any game, really). When I think of these two, I always think of the 1996 World Cup. Fourteen years on, and they're opening in a "young man's game." Respeck maan.

On another note, this is the confusion-inducing side of the IPL. It's hard to cheer for Delhi while these two are batting.

The IPL in the New York Times

The IPL makes it to the New York Times again. One marked difference in the treatment of the IPL as compared to its usual coverage of cricket is that there is very little commentary on any of the supposed exotic qualities of cricket. (It helps, of course, that the NYT article is actually a linked article from GigaOM, an independent tech blog network). The IPL's presence in the NYT and Forbes is also proof that what you need in order to get into the times is a fair degree of Americanization, and that the IPL has in plenty.

Some thoughts on the IPL

As the third season of the IPL approaches, I've become increasingly convinced that the only way I could get interested in it was if the following conditions were met:

1. I should be the owner of a nice, large-screen television, preferably HD with a quality broadcast to boot
   
   
2. I should be back in India
   
   
3. I should watch the games in the company of a few like-minded friends
   

My cricket-watching environment, solitary, often with headphones on, sitting at my desk, looking at a computer screen, is only conducive to pursuing well-established passions like test matches. One-day internationals struggle in this setting, and it is only major tournaments that manage to retain my interest (in this regard T20 does well for I watched the World Cup last year with keen interest).

So the IPL will come and go, and while I will tune in for some of the games, I'm not optimistic that it will evoke any significant reactions in me. I almost wish IPL had started off as a purely domestic endeavor; I think I would have been quite pumped up about cheering for Delhi then (after all, there'd be the chance that we could stick it to Mumbai, and who wouldn't want that?).

Which leads to me another thought. What if the IPL, instead of starting off as a grand international league, had simply started off as an Indian domestic competition, on a smaller scale with a little less money (but just enough to make it worthwhile for the Indian international stars to play)? Perhaps the league might not have attracted the glamor, the big bucks, the attendant hoopla. Perhaps. But would the interest have been so minimal that it wouldn't have flourished? I don't think so. Given that, I suspect it would have eased into the world's calendar a little more smoothly. And perhaps in the second or third seasons, IPL owners/organizers could have announced that teams were allowed to retain one or two international players, who might have been attracted because of the decent money available for a few weeks work. Perhaps the IPL would have made a different sort of impact on the cricketing world's consciousness then?

What would the world's attitude to the IPL, to Modi, to Indian cricket, to the BCCI, have been then? What would the average Indian fan's reaction been? I'm not sure what the answers are, and I invite your thoughts and reactions.

Modi and Haigh on Cricinfo

No, no, not together. If only. There are a couple of interesting interviews up on Cricinfo. Harsha Bhogle and Sanjay Manjrekar are involved in both; one features Lalit Modi (who has some interesting and revelatory comments to make), the other features Gideon Haigh (who has his history down as always). Check them out both.

Full disclosure please

Conflicts of interest seem to be quite common in the IPL. Today, Harsha Bhogle has an article in Cricinfo, talking up the IPL. But Harsha works for the Mumbai Indians. That makes his article on CI a press release. The least Harsha (or Cricinfo) could so, in the interest of full disclosure, is make a note of the fact that he is employed by the Mumbai Indians.

I'm used to the merger of the media and the establishment here in the US. Seems like it's catching.

Hat-tip to Mukul Kesavan for pointing this out to me.

Lalit Modi, zip it

Today, I posted over at Different Strokes commenting on Lalit Modi's initial response to the release of the independent report commissioned by players' unions in England, Australia and South Africa that has led to talk of shifting the 2010 IPL to another country. By the time that post went up, I was regretting having ever said anything even mildly complimentary about that man. For Modi had followed up with more.

For I heard that Modi has a Twitter feed (I heard he had tweeted my article; good lord!). When I went to Modis' Twitter page. There, I was amazed to see Modi getting stuck into one and all. His crack at Ponting being "dropped by KKR" was ridiculous and infantile. (See this story, which includes a quote from Saurav Ganguly, to see why thats the case).

To say that I'm dumbstruck would be an understatement. What is this man up to? Why does he spend so much time tweeting, especially when he seems prone to making intemperate statements like the one against Ponting? I'm still having a hard time believing that a man who occupies such a powerful position in cricket spends time on Twitter, getting into juvenile tit-for-tats. I shouldn't be surprised I suppose, but I still am.

Anyway, on more pleasant topics: coming up soon, a post on SRT's double-ton. Either here, or on Different Strokes.