India Glorious!!! Chak De as they say it

The most delightful sight moments after India pulled off the historic draw at The Oval was the one of Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar locked in ecstatic embrace. On a patch of turf where India had pulled off their maiden Test victory in England, the trio, a holy trinity in India's batting echelonshistory, were toasting a glorious series win, one built on the bedrock of team unity, partnerships and swing-bowling combinations. No one team member could lay claim to this series being theirs, it belonged to everyone.

Here was a captain supposed to be under scrutiny. Surrounding him were a couple of fading stars who ought to be riding into the sunset. Instead a team without a coach had found pockets of leadership in them. It was long felt Dravid suffered from not having a supportive vice-captain, but here he was being propped up by a couple of shrewd warhorses. India's series win was as much a tribute to the collective brains trust as it was to efforts with bat and ball. What this team lacked in modern coaching technique, it made up for in common sense.

None of India's batsmen made a big statement in the middle, yet everyone came with his own little jewels.

Dinesh Karthik isn't a classical opener - most expected him to fail - yet he showed how confidence could help overcome conditions. The hard work at the nets would have helped; the time spent sharing dinners with team-mates, especially those with a vast wealth of experience, were crucial

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a young man with a cowboy's reputation. But his clear-headedness and ability to adapt have played a part. He had a torrid time behind the stumps, he had edgy phases with the bat yet, when he needed to adapt, he stood up. Watching him assault Monty Panesar at The Oval was special, seeing him knuckle down and craft an ugly 76 at Lord's more so. Memorably he smiled his way through it all.

It's been a series for fun. India took their cricket seriously, yet made sure they had their fun. Here was a bunch of senior pros mingling with young boys, a get together of uncles and high-schoolers. On the first day at Lord's, India's frontline bowlers are flayed to different corners. In walks Ganguly and strikes first. When India batted, RP Singh stuck it out as a nightwatchman. Anil Kumble's maiden Test hundred was simply the icing on the cake. Bits and pieces don't get better.

At Nottingham Zaheer Khan ran in as if his life depended on it. Jelly beans were only part of the story. Here was a fast bowler desperate to win India a Test. RP Singh didn't merely land up at Lord's, he went all the way to the honours board. Yes, the same lanky, nonchalant Rudra Pratap who usually picked up the second fiddle. Even on the last day of the series he was bouncing Kevin Pietersen, forcing him to weave out of the way. Is that you, RP?

Lost amid the intrigue surrounding India's coach, both the previous one and the unknown newcomer, buried under the wretched disappointment over the World Cup, is the gradual re-evolution of India's Test side.

As of now its the time for champagne!!!

It takes two to Tango

Story of the Day after Day two of 3rd Test at Oval, London

• The story of the day was Anil Kumble's unbeaten 110.




• India's total of 664 is their highest against England, and their fourth-highest against all teams.




• Eight 50-plus stands, which is a record in Test cricket. There are 25 instances of six 50-plus stands, but no team had managed seven in a single innings.

In some of their warm-up games on this tour, India have used the 'retired out' option. Batsmen crossing fifty have trooped back voluntarily to the pavilion to give their team-mates more batting time. The tradition seems to have spilt over to the Test match arena, although with a slight modification. The first part, 'retired', has been forgotten - possibly because India's oldies are fed up with all this farewell tour talk - and replaced simply by 'out'.

India's plan, throughout this series, has been outstanding: reach a half-century, look good for a hundred, walk back, and watch the next person do exactly the same. No big gulps from anyone, just small bites from all. You get your fifty, I get mine. Liberty, equality. Anil Kumble was obviously dead against this policy of equality, carving out a most memorable maiden century, but the rest have stuck firm.

Four years ago India's batsmen shone so bright in Australia that experts compared them to England's Bodyline-winning batch of 1932. In four Tests Sourav Ganguly's men ransacked six sparkling hundreds, all of which were over 140. Batting feasts rarely come tastier.

This has been a series for hard-nosed cameos. Since they landed in Ireland, India have played ten matches, both first-class and international. It's produced 31 half-centuries and just two hundreds - Sachin Tendulkar's 171 at Chelmsford and Kumble's 110 here.

There's been lazy elegance (Wasim Jaffer's 62 at Nottingham and VVS Laxman's 51 in the 3rd Test at Oval) and youthful exuberance (Dinesh Karthik's three fifties); controlled assertion (Dravid's 55 in 3rd Test at Oval, Ganguly's 79 at Nottingham) and single-minded accumulation (Tendulkar's 91 at Nottingham and his 82 in Oval); guarded run-gathering (Jaffer's 53 at Lord's, Laxman's 54 at Nottingham); uncharacteristic stodginess (Mahendra Singh Dhoni's fifty at Lord's) and clinical destruction (Dhoni's 92 today at Oval).

Partnerships have been crucial. Batsmen have clung on to each other dearly with a staggering 16 50-plus stands. Unlike in Australia, where they rattled off one masterpiece after another, none of these innings will be termed 'great'. Yet they've made a collective statement. Like a swarm of bees, they've combined to make life hell for the opposition.

Jaffer and Karthik have gelled well at the top, both compact and fluent; Tendulkar and Ganguly have been like soul-mates out in the middle, chattering incessantly; Ganguly and Laxman have had to get through some crucial final sessions; Laxman and Tendulkar brought back memories of Sydney 2004 this morning - where the first brushed and the second sculpted; Dhoni and Kumble have gallantly shepherded the tail; the rest have chipped in at various points.

Ganguly has been crucial. He's been the most composed of the lot but, more importantly, he's the only left-hander in the line-up. Partnerships involving him read: 28, 21, 59, 96, 67, 11* and 77. Batting at No.5, he's split the right-handers perfectly. It's put the bowlers off rhythm. His own scores haven't been outstanding (thanks to two poor umpiring horrors) but his presence invaluable.

India's lower-order didn't promise much before the series but Kumble has led a resurgence. RP Singh slugged it out as a nightwatchman at Lord's. Zaheer Khan took his batting so seriously that external objects on the pitch fired him up for a matchwinning spell. Watching Sreesanth three successive fours off James Anderson was like watching a batsman in his prime. And Kumble's strung together vital partnerships: 17 and 16 at Lord's (the second helped India save the match), 50 and 9 at Nottingham (the first made a difference in the eventual result) and four special ones today: 91, 62, 21, 73.

India have long relied on individual brilliance, this one came with awesome synchrony. In batches of two they Conquered, when one left the other took over. Four years ago, in a series decider, India amassed 705 for 7 declared at Sydney on the back of Tendulkar's towering 240 and Laxman's magical 178. Here they almost matched that, with a partnership bombardment like few others.

Somebody should suggest a motto for the series: 'It takes two to Tango'.

CDI : Jagoo India : Its Hi time

An interesting thing about 15th August and 26th January these days is releases of some interesting films in India.Swades and Rang De jump to your mind instantly.

This time again Yash Raj banner put their head together with SRK to tell us a story. A story that almost everyone of us have heard before..... but unfortunately very few have lived. I know a very few people who can claim that at any point of time of the lived their sport........ even for a month. Only a previllaged few amongst us can boast of understanding the real dynamics of a team and what real winning is all about. Yes I am talking about the not so well hyped release Chuk De India (CDI).

Its a story of an underdog who wants to win the ultimate prize.... the Women's Hockey World Cup!!!! .... After all as they say Winning is the only thing that matters.

Anyways why am I putting this across? Nopes I havent joined the Yash Raj Marketing and promotion team.

Well actually for someone who has spent his time more on Cricket and Football grounds than in the class rooms, for some one who learn manmanagement by sweating it out and not inside AC class rooms of MBA, for some one who learnt team dynamics, trust, sacrifices by falling and then getting up on the "maidans", this film makes people like me extremely excited and happy.

Any effort, to promote sports culture in India always is always a welcome and hence I don't even care how good/ bad the film is. As long as it makes people talk and do something about sports in India.... The film would have done its job. Indian and Indian Companies needs to realise that instead of spending thousands of Crores of Rupees in Team Building exercises and out bound programme, if we in India play our Sports while growing up, you wont require those bull shit things. Its only on a Football/ hockey groundthat u learn to pass the ball at the last moment to your team mate because he is in a better position to put in the ball into the net. What else can teach you not to worry about personal glory ahead of team glory.

I sincerely hope that this movie isn't a disaster and it serves it purpose of awaking the dead of the country.

SRK says "I hope after the film is released there are five-six people who say 'oh, I haven't played hockey for a long time man!' Or a father or a mother picks up a hockey stick and tells their children go play the game. So, if people in India start doing that then it is good enough for me. "

I guess that will be good enough for me too!!!

Jai Hind !!!