Performance of “Legend” Sehwag

Just before the starting of India tour to England, ICC held a poll for selection of players for  “All time great team of test cricket history”.  As we know that Indians are now-a-days crazy regarding cricket after winning the recent world cup, therefore, most of Indians poll there votes and obviously selected most of Indian player as members of all time great team of test cricket. Amazingly Morli who is most wicket taking bowler in the test cricket history was not selected as member of this team and that showed that how credible was polling.

Two members of that team were Sachin Tendulkar and Verindar Sehwag. Although Sachin Tendulkar has failed in recent matches but no one can deny his greatness after achieving so many record. But the selection of Sehwag in that team was really shocking. Although he is good striking player of one day and T20s, but his standard is not of a player to be declare legend in test cricket. What is his ability cricket? If you want to  consider someone for scoring quickly as member of that team, then Shahid Afridi and Saneth Jaysoria are far better then Sehwag. The recent performance of Sehwag in test match against England disclosed his abilities after getting king pear.

So, ICC has to remain careful in future to avoid joking with legendry cricketers by selecting players on poll instead of performance and records. Actual ICC tried to disgraced players like Javed Miadad, Imran Khan, Richard and  Botham by including ordinary players like Sehwag to that Team.  Infact this was not ICC all time great team of test cricket, it was India all time great team of test cricket.  

Appointment of Ijaz Ahmed as Bating Coach

PCB has appointed Ijaz Ahmed as batting consultant / batting coach for the tour of Zimbabwe. He has performed the same duties in recent past but was failed to provide positive results. Experts are agreed that Ijaz Ahmed’s own technique of batting is not correct. This is a serious question that if his own technique is not correct, how he can correct the youngsters.  Here another question arise that, is there no other Pakistani former player to be appointed as Coach. What has happened to Inzamam, Basit Ali, Asif Mujtabah and other legends like Saeed Anwer and Javed Miadad. We can found the answer in one of the interview of Shahid Afridi which he recorded for a TV Channel. He said that Waqar Younis became against me because I suggested the name of Javed Miadad as Batting Coach.

Infact in Pakistan every one wants authority. Every politician, every officer and even every supper star wants authority instead of only performing his duties. The only reason because of PCB is not appointing a capable and responsible supper star as batting coach is that Waqar Younis does not want another support star to share authority with him. Even PCB chairman also not wants to appoint a person as batting coach who can interfere in team matters and can challenge his wishes. Otherwise there is no other hurdle in appointment of batting coach for the team.

To me the appointment of Ijaz Ahmed as batting coach will produce no positive results and it is just a tactic to reduce the pressure of cricket fans for appointment of batting coach.

Causes of Indian Defeat in Test Matches

After winning the recent world cup 2011, Indian cricket fans were expecting outstanding performance in Test series against England. But Indian team disappointed millions of fans.  In presence of record holder batsman like Sachine Tendulkar, historic captain for India MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid named as “wall” and exciting off spinner Harbhajan Sing, present performance of Indian team is not acceptable to cricket fans. Besides these legends some very exciting players like Gotham Gambir and Suresh Raina are also part of Indian team. The question is what happened to Indian team suddenly?

Infact this is fact that the record of Indian team, outside the country is not good from the years. Most of Indian batsmen are masters of slow wickets. The example of Indian good performance at slow wickets is current performance of Indian batsmen at sub-continent in world cup. After this good performance even young team of West Indies trouble Indians at West Indies. Although India won the series but still West Indies gave them tough time at several occasions. But in England these stars batsmen failed completely and England won the first 2 test matches very easily. So, one can say that weak technique of playing on fast wicket is the prime cause of Indian failure in England.

The second cause of failure in England is fatigue. After performing with full capacity in World Cup 2011, Indian players were required rest badly. But BCCI did not consider win in world cup enough and instead of providing their players rest they use them as money earning machine in IPL. After so busy schedule of IPL definitely players were tired and they did not provide required results in England.

The third cause is adjustment of technique. After playing in short format of ODI in  World Cup and then T20s in IPL players are not able to adjust their technique to Test standard suddenly. ODI and T20 are completely different format from Test and it requires solid technique, temperament and patient to play in test matches. 

The final cause to me is lack of eagerness. In shape of wining the world cup and earning money through IPL, Indian players have got much more then they desired. They have won the world cup and therefore became heroes of nation. Then they played IPL and earned money, therefore, one can say that most of the player achieved their desires what they were looking for, so now there is lack of required eagerness for best performance in their attitude.  This is obvious standard for every game that after his all achievement players prefers to announce retirement.  So, according to this standard the retirement of some Indian players is due, but they are still their instead of providing chance to youngsters.

Is Harbhajan Concerns Acceptable on LBW Decision?

 

In 2^nd Test Match between India and England Stuart Broad completed his hat-trick. During this hat-tricks umpire misjudged Harbhajan Sing LBW decision. Infact the ball struck the bat before it hit the pads, therefore, Harbhajan sing was not out and he was victim of misjudged decision. 

After given out, he was upset and shown his unhappiness by shacking his head.  Now the question is, was the reaction of Harbhajan Sing was acceptable. To me, after opposing bowel tracking system in this series BCCI and  Indian players have no rights to show their concerns on misjudged LBW decisions. Because ICC and rest of cricket boards have taken all possible measures to avoid situation like this, but it is BCCI awful stance on “Ball tracking system” which prevent the use of latest technology for correction of misjudged decisions. So, the right place where Harbhajan Sing has to show his concern is the office BCCI.

That’s Why BCCI is Opposing Complete Use of UDRS

This is first Test match between India and England. India has to survive the last day, otherwise they have to face defeat. India has already loss a wicket. Now Gambir is facing Stuart Broad.  Broad came and delivered the bowl, the ball struck straight to Gambir’s pads. All the viewers are convinced that he is LBW out, commentators including Indian commentators are sure that he is out even without watching action replay. But the decision of umpire Billy Bowden is not out. Later on TV replays confirmed that he was clearly LBW out.

The question is why umpire misjudged such an easy decision.  And the answer is obvious. After the exclusion of two umpires Steve Buckner and Daryl Harper on the desires of BCCI and Indian players from International cricket, naturally every umpire will be in fear that he could be the next victim if he made Indians unhappy. Therefore, umpire will award the benefit of even marginal doubt to Indians. And the same  happened in the above case.  India knows that ICC and other boards can do nothing against his players and board because of strong financial position. Therefore, Indians are working on a plan to convert every marginal benefit of doubt in favour of her players. That’s why India is opposing UDRS. Although BCCI is now supporting half part of UDRS but in absence of Ball tracking system this half UDRS is nothing.  

In future we will see more and more cases like this one, when viewers and commentators will be sure that the players is out but umpire will misjudge it because of fear of end of career.

Yellow, Green and Red Cards in Cricket

There was an age when cricket was known as game of gentlemen. It was game of discipline and intellectuality. Players were strict to discipline and traditional spirit of cricket.  But due to prevailed commercialism, cricket is no more game of gentlemen. On one side, players prefer to use every legal and most of the time illegal methods to win the matches. And on the other side some players attempt to fix the matches for money. In some cases player are involved in pressurizing umpires, ball tempering, stepping on pitch and slagging for illegally wining the matches. And in some other cases players are involved in loosing the match through matching fixing and spot fixing for earning the money. All these facts make us to think that the condition of cricket is now no more in traditional spirit.

The controversies of Javed Miadad and Kiran Moray, Harbhajan Sing and Andrew Symonds are clear examples of indiscipline. The worst cases of match fixing of Azhar Ud Din, Jadeja, Parbhakar, Hansi Cronji, Harshell Gibs, Marlon Samule, Shane Warn, Mark Waugh,  Salman Butt, Amir and Asif are clear evidence of corruption in cricket.

The current procedure of punishment of ICC is not working because most of the time financially strong boards succeeded to provide safe guard to their players. In case of Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Sing, BCCI used its strong financial position and make the tribunal to clear Harbhajan Sing from all the allegations even in presence of all evidences against Harbhajan Sing. Therefore, wobbly circumstance of cricket demands changes in laws for maintaining discipline and dignity of cricket on the field.

After recent Indian Captain Dhoni and umpire Daryl Harper controversy cricket experts are thinking regarding introduction of punishment cards (Yellow, Green, Red) like football and hockey for maintaining discipline.  

To me this would be a very positive step because by this procedure umpire will be able to award punishment to players before intervention of their boards. Therefore, players will be more careful keeping in mind punishment from umpire on the spot.  

All-Time Greatest Test Team

ICC has announced the results of polling for ‘All-time Greatest Test Team’. According to these results following players have been included in team:-

Virender Sehwag, Sunil Gavaskar, Donald Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Kapil Dev, Adam Gilchrist (wicketkeeper), Shane Warne, Wasim Akram, Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath.

4 Indian players are part of this team. The selection of Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tenudulkar was expected, but induction of Sehwag and Kapil Dev is facing strong criticism from allover the world. Amazingly Most wicket Taking bowler in test cricket history Muttiah Muralitharan is not part of this list. This is enough for understanding the selection process. The only reason due to which Morli is not part of this list is because he is not Indian. Kapil Dev is there while Imran Khan and Botham are out. Sehwag is there while Sir Viv Richards is out. It means that because of huge vote bank, Indian players succeeded in making place in this team. Otherwise on merit you cannot exclude Muralitharan, Imran Khan, Viv Richard, Javed Miadad and Waqar Younis from a real great team. These are player who introduced new arts to test cricket.