Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Australia' s India Tour in September / October

5th September 2008.

Just the other day read that Brett Lee is ready for India... we await you with baited breath... its time to pay back... news is that Symonds might not come to india... I pray to god please ensure he comes. We want to beat this side while he is present here... with him in the 11. No excuses will be left.... The moment of the test of the best cricket side in the world is here.... Ricky Ponting(Captain) many say is the best batsman in the world these days - Lets see how many fifties he can get here.. i m not even thinking of centuries... the way he has batted in India can be researched, its pathetic to say the least... Last tour he not coming for the first 3 matches meant Micheal Clarke made his debut and that meant the easiest to get out batsman was replaced by a very good player of spin. No Damien Martyn this time to save you, No Glenn Mcgrath to bowl tight no Shane Warne this time. No Gilchrist either..... I still remember when we won the T20 world cup and Aussies came to India for the one day series when Andrew Symonds made the comment seeing our celebrations " They went way over the top, and the animal instict in him was aroused that he wanted to bring us down " I thought cricket was more than just sport only for me, But Symonds took it far... They won the series... Than we went to Australia... In the second test at Sydney Aussies were 60 odd for 5, Symonds nicked big time but Steve Bucknor didnt hear.... what happened next is history... people say he scored a brilliant 100... and the end was dramatic... but the charachter of Indian team was stirred and what followed in Perth just show cased the spirit of our team. Only if Adelaide was not such a flat track... we would have levelled. It is fair to say that Australia won but no convincingly... Even Ian Chappel would have to agree to that. Coming to my most hated cricketer Andrew Symonds, i want him to come here, I m sure he will... The crowd here will make his life miserable, i am sure.... but even more sure that our spinners Anil & Harbhajan will make is life even more miserable... I would like to know of Andrew Symonds Century where in he had no catch dropped, where he was out but not given by the umpire?? How many such innings.. and to his credit every one should make the most of these opportunities... But for how long will this go on... This is the time when we will see his luck run out... Nothing will give me more pleasure than to see him being grinded here his nose being bruised on the pitch and being grinded. He must come here to India for the test series. I must say its not going to be just cricket. Coming to my senses : Lets weigh it out... Our fielding will be pathetic, so will our running between the wickets. I guess this will be the last series for atleast two of the fab four and i hope they retire while we have won rather than being forced to retire while we lose... Yuvraj and Rohit are ready for Test Cricket and they need to be given an extended run soon... Yuvraj if not given chances regularly from now on in test cricket, might deteriorate. I dont think any of the four will retire before this series but once the series is over, this high profile pressure series will definitely take its toll... Our bowling attack is fantastic with Zaheer's new found intensity, Ishant developing leaps and bounds, Reliable Anil & Harbhajan who is just rediscovering flight on the last trip of Sri Lanka... If Bhajji can flight and keep it outside the off stump take the hammering but persist he will be unplayable... But too much of one day cricket has made him defensive... i remember that tour of Australia in 2001 when in mumbai Gilli and Hayden kept sweeping his loopy deliveries all the time and winning that mumbai test.... but he was strong in character to still keep flighting it in Kolkatta & Chennai... but off late he doesnt have the courage to flight once a batsman takes to him... Thats why it will be Symonds against him... Symonds will take him on.... For Bhajji's part it will be to also attack and be patient and take a bit of beating that comes his way.... if he goes defensive and starts darting it in, India will have had it.... This probably will be Anil's last series as captain... India may replace the fab four but i dont know how they will replace Anil. He will have to not only bowl well but keep the guys motivated especially when we will field badly. He also has to use Sachin & Sehwag as bowlers effectively from time to time... The middle order needs to be given a clear directive to not get bogged down as they score most runs when they bat fluently.. The opening for a change in our cricket is not a worry at all Viru and Gauti are such a welcome break for us... they must ensure 50 - 80 run partnerships and tire the fast bowlers... and if they kick on we all know what viru can do.... Just deny early wickets and the fast bowlers will be tested, in the hot conditions on these flat tracks... The only good thing for the middle order is that none of them did anything in Sri Lanka and there is just too much class talent and ability to fail again in this series.... Laxman's favourite team is here... (more to follow

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