India Pakistan to Clash again : It doesn’t get any bigger than this !!!!

As a child, when I was growing, I was told that Ashes was the mother of all Series and that winning the Ashes was the most important thing in a career of a International Cricket from Australia or England. But even the purist have to agree that over the last 3 decades nothing matches the excitement offered by a Indo- Pak series. Fortunately or unfortunately, the clash between the arch rivals is just more than a just a game. It was very well depicted in the recent Bollywood block buster “Chuk De India” where it was shown that one game turned the life of a man upside down. Didn’t it reflect the career of Chetan Sharma whose life couldn’t be same again after the infamous last ball six by Miadad.

In fact the main reason for Indo Pak series are so famous are due to the fact that players from both the teams cross the limits of possible and go on to do things which are almost hard to believe. Who can forget Miadad’s last ball six, Prasad’s famous comeback in the Bangalore Quarter Final in 96, Sachin’s arrival in International cricket against Qadir, Shoiab’s Yorker to Dravid, Aqeeb Jawed’s LBW hattrick in Sharjah, Sehwag’s Triple at Multan, Kumble’s perfect 10 at the Kotla and the most recent Misbah’s flick to find a mallu at short fine leg to loose the T20 World cup. These are some of the finest moments in International cricket and hence no one can underplay the importance of a Indo- Pak series.

This year has been a mixed kind of year for both India and Pakistan.. Out from the world cup in 1st round. India then went on to beat Bangladesh in Bangladesh, S. Africa in Ireland in 3 match series, won the English test series, lost the One day series, Won the T20 cup and then lost a home series to Australia. Similarly Pakistan lost both One day and test series at home to S. Africa after having reached the finals of T20 Cup.

However, in this it does not matter what form a team is in nor does the reputation of a player matters and hence I am not going to tell you that on paper Indians look the favorites. But as it is very clear, it is just on paper. For all practical purposes, it is safe to assume that this series will be a cracker of a series. Players would be tested not just on their talent but mental resolve as well because these games separate the men from the boys.

This India-Pakistan series would be of the utmost importance because it is a series between two countries who share so much history between them. History that has blazed the two cricket fanatic nations with feverish excitement every time the two arch-rivals have met on a cricketing field, history which has epic battles that have set one nation in a frenzy while the other mourns and history which with every series has been recreated.

Come November 5 and the world will have its eyes on the mother of all series. As is said, 'It doesn’t get bigger than this.'

This is Vikas Gupta from the City that saw closest Indo Pak matches … Dubai (Sharjah isn’t that far :) )

LETS SAY NO TO RASICM !!!!

The recent row of racist remarks over Symonds at Vadodara, Nagpur and Mumbai reignites the discussion over Racism in world of Sports.

However, I guess Australians have no right to take the matter too far. I read a report, entitled ‘What’s the Score,’ by The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Australia. They concluded Racism is still ‘prevalent’ in all Australia’s major sports, including among professionals, despite administrators’ best efforts to stamp it out, a hard-hitting report. One can easily remember Australian crowds’ racial abuse of touring South African cricketers in 2005-06. In 2006, former Australian Test cricketer Dean Jones was sacked as a TV commentator for calling Muslim South African player Hashim Amla a “terrorist” during a broadcast. Murali and the Sri Lankan team will have more than a story to tell about Australian, on and off field, racist attitude. One can only wonder what Indians will face this time when they tour Australia.

However, not withstanding all that. Let us put behind what the others do to us. After the much hyped Indian victory at the T20 World cup, there was a call for positive attitude and aggression. India, as a nation is also breaking through and there is a general aggressive attitude in the youth of our country. It is actually very nice and refreshing to see that. However, we have yet to understand the meaning of aggression. Aggression is not saying mean and harsh things to your opponents. Aggression is not saying “Watch out you asshole, I will kick your butt.” It is never about saying things. It is about doing things. Being persistent to achieve your goal. Never giving up. That’s being positive and aggressive. We Indians learnt to say those mean things, but what we have not learnt is the attitude. Lets face it, Australians have played their cricket aggressively and one needs to respect them for that . They are undisputed world champions of cricket and they played their hard cricket in India. No two opinions about it. So why disrespect someone like Symonds who was by far the best player on show in the two teams. That’s not fair. Just because these guys are racist, doesn’t mean we need to match them even in their evils. We Indians should embrace the good of the west and not its evils. We have our values and racism is something that is not acceptable at all in our country.

If you are black you know that racism is still alive, unless you live in a cave. Racism isn’t just a sports thing, it is a society thing. Blacks run into it or see it everyday in all walks of life. Sports are just a small part of society and racism in sports cannot be denied. I don’t know if this is a sign of racism, but how many times have you seen TV sports people refer to blacks as having a ‘good smile?” It bothers me, because I don’t hear those same statements about none black athletes having a good smile.

I remember Thierry Henry, take up the issue very strongly last year when he came up with the wrist bands and “Stand Up, Speak Up” Campaign. We all know racism is a major problem in Europe even now. Germany was one such place which waged a war on the basis of racism only to be completely shattered.

Lets say no to such social evil and play and live our lives positively and with “aggression”. Lets leave these smallness of being racist to the west.

Lets say NO TO RACISM!!!!! For the 1st time I will request you to forward mails on anti racism to your friends because this is something that unnecessarily divides the world, which already faces so many problems. We don’t want such problems in sports anyways

Sorrow in the Sub continent: Final Frontier is lost !!!

A fortnight is a very big time these days in the world of cricket these days. Just a 15 days back we were all celebrating a historic Indian win at the T20 World cup and today I am voicing my concern over the losses of the sub-continent teams in their recent series.

Yes, indeed the verdict is out and it doesn’t look all too well for the teams from the subcontinent. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have lost their respective series in their own land. This is something we have not seen in the 90s and indeed the start of 2000s. This a sad and telling blow for the teams from the subcontinent where the spin web used to suffocate the best to death.

Lets take Sri Lanka first. The rise of this cricketing power can be easily attributed to individuals like De’ Silva, Jayasuriya, Murali and Vaas. With all these players in the twilight of their career, the lack of proper cricketing mechanism in the country is exposed. With the help of foreign coaches and some astonishing talent they have kept the cricket alive but the recent series defeat against the English have exposed the fact that Sri Lanka does not has a proper cricketing organization to breed and throw international talent consistently enough. With Jayasuria out of form and Murali not playing in the series, the Sri Lankans looked totally out of sorts. This English win was their first series win in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan on the other hand were handed over a 1-0 series defeat by the hands of South Africa in the 2 test series. The confusion over selection and the total mismanagement by the administrators there was the prime reason for the defeat. There is a bit too much happening in Pakistan cricket off the field for them to concentrate on their cricket. To be honest, the forthcoming tour of India will most probably sort things out. Also for me their biggest worry is batting. After Aamir Sohail and Syed Anwar, Pakistan have struggled with their opening batting. For last 5-6 years they haven’t have had fixed openers which cost them dearly in this series.

Indians are probably the unluckiest of the lot. After the celebrations of the T20 win, Australia would have been the last team they wanted to play with. Dhoni is new. The big three are assuming new roles in the set up. And believe me there is a huge quality difference between Australia and rest of the other teams. They are by far playing the best cricket world has ever seen. So Indians were pretty much helpless. Also a lot is being said about the utility of the big 3 in the team, post T20 win. My take on the subject is, the day u find better than Rahul, Saurav and Sachin, throw these guys off the team. However, till such time respect these guys. Post T20, people want their head with no logical reasons. Both Sachin and Saurav are playing extremely well this summer. People need to realize that T20 is different from ODI and these players are still the best in this country. Dhoni is learning bitter lessons on Indian captaincy now, but I feel with the forth coming Pakistan series, his caliber as a captain will be tested. India will have to think a lot about their team combinations and the mark the correct people to be backed as like Pakistan, frequent changes are being made in the team which is no good.

However, whatever may be the case, the frontier is lost and India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will have to do a to regain the lost honor. A lot for the cricket administrators to think about

Fearless Cricket won the World Cup

“A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance..... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again”

Yes I will take help of the same words which were spoken 60 years ago when India got its independence!!! Yes this has been one of those rare occasions in history when we have stepped from the old (era dominated by Sachin, Saurav and Rahul) to the new (Era which promises a lot with Dhoni, Yuvi, RP, Irfan, Rohit). The Cricketing soul of this nation was suppressed since 1983 and yes it has now found a new utterance. 24th September 2007 is a day when we end a period of ill fortune and I am sure Indian Cricket will discover itself again!!!!

I must confess, I began the tournament with a mild sense of cynicism, which was due to my reservations about Twenty20 as a form of cricket. Growing up watching cricket, I understood that Cricket, especially batting, is a combination of 3 Ts viz. Talent, Temperament and Technique. The shorter the game gets, the balance shifts from Temperament and technique towards Talent. While some amount of Temperament and techniques is required in One Day Format, T20 Cricket is a showcase of talent. And to add to it… it is fast, exciting and is more often than not competitive. This format is one of those things which act as a dessert when you consider the big picture of Cricket.

The finalist in the tournament were unarguably the teams full of natural talent and hence it shouldn’t have been a surprise. I heard a lot of people not giving both India and Pakistan any chance to reach the final. But my theory explains it all!!! To be honest one could hardly choose between the two arch rivals. I personally thought that Pakistan was the best team among the 12 teams on board and it would be only fair to say that they lost the cup not due to talent and lack of ability but unfortunately they couldn’t play that “fearless Cricket” for the last 20 overs of the tournament, which was the hallmark of the two finalist of the tournament. I wont emphasis on the final which, I must confess was tough on the nerves and the hearts of the millions but I will concentrate on the big picture.

The big picture that emerged from the tournament was what I call as “Fearless Cricket Theory”. The young teams of India and Pakistan exhibited some of the most amazing fearless Cricket that I have seen for 24 years now. They say experience dilutes a person. Well I am sure they are right. These new guys did not know, and thank god they did not know, things that can go wrong. The examples of this can be seen in Rohit Sharma’s Debut knock of 50 in the semis and that 1st over aggression from Yusuf Pathan in the final. Yes in case of Rohit Sharma it clicked and in case of Yusuf it didn’t. But these guys played this fearless cricket thoughout.

Pakistan must consider itself unlucky to have not won the tournament. Their bowling of Asif, Tanveer, Gul, Afridi was a treat to watch. It was their batting that had let them down more than once in the tournament and I guess that’s the reason they paid the price.

India on the other hand, build momentum gradually as they went into the tournament. The inspiration came from Yuvraj as he hit 6 Sixes of the 19th Over of Chris Broad as Indians defeated the experienced England. Rohit Sharma then proved in the next match against South Africa that, this team does not rely on one individual and all of them can chip in as Indians defeated the South African and cleared their road to the semis. They faced their toughest opponent in Australia in the semis. Here the most striking thing about the India Performance was the clear headedness. Indians Cautiously started with their innings only to hide their cards in the final few overs where even the mighty Australians had no answer to the talent of Dhoni and Yuvraj.

However the test of character was the finals where one must admit that, toss played a crucial role. One is asking for a bit too much if one expects the Run chase in the final of a tournament against the arch rivals to be easy. One had to play “fearless cricket” in that final session of cricket and only Mishab, Tanveer and Imran Nazir could play it from Pakistan and it was all over for them.

This vistory proves that a lot has changed in Indian cricket in the last two decades when we last won the world cup. The fact is that the social geography of the game has changed dramatically: the 1983 winning eleven had four players from Delhi, two from Mumbai, two from Bangalore, one from Chennai. It was the quintessential big city team, mostly comprising of upper-middle class men. The 2007 team, by contrast, is very much a Tier 2 and 3 town team, unburdened by metropolitan consciousness. The winning eleven against Pakistan had only one player from Delhi, one from Mumbai and just one from Bangalore. The rest were from towns like Rae Bareli, Rohtak and Kochi, places with no cricketing history. Many of them come from lower middle class families, having lived in one and two room tenements for much of their lives. A majority of them defy the stereotype. This makes the win all the more INDIAN

Well one hopes these moments shall no longer be rare in Indian Cricket

Here is Vikas Gupta Signing off from city of head quarters of International Cricket Council, Dubai.

T20 Cricket: Whose game is it anyway?

Twenty20 World Cup is only a week old but it already seems to have started a long time ago. It seems ages since Shane Bond took a wicket with his first ball. Last seen, he was disappearing into the stands against Sri Lanka. Or was it against England? Was it yesterday or the day before? As matches blur into one another, the memory gets hazy and scrambled. You are left with a lot of moments, but can you place them? Can you find context?

You see, I am trying to like Twenty20. I really am. I know it's here to stay, and as long as I choose to be a cricket fan, it's an obligation to watch the game and write about it. I really don't want to sound either like an old bore or a cricket snob. Give the damn thing time, I tell myself; it might grow on you.

There have been two enthralling matches in the tournament so far - which is admittedly twice as many as the first phase of the 50-over World Cup had. Zimbabwe's win over Australia, because of its unlikeliness and because everyone loves the underdog; and the tie between India and Pakistan.

I wouldn't call that match a win for India. The bowl-out ruined it for me. A thoroughly thrilling game reduced to a farce by five minutes of meaninglessness. Even in a penalty shootout, which many football fans deride as a lottery, there are basic football skills on display. In the senseless adaptation of the concept to cricket, part-time bowlers have a much better chance of success than regulars. And honestly, what's wrong with a tie? It's rare and precious. Why must cricket copy football thoughtlessly?

The best way to enjoy this game, perhaps, is to enjoy the moments. That will take some reorientation because it is not the way we grew up watching cricket. Yes, cricket is finally all about the moments, but there's always the larger plot to consider; a lot more goes into making those moments. In Twenty20, the moments are the plot. Games can often be decided by one innings, one spell, one over: it is cricket without pauses. You flow with the tide, soak in the atmosphere, and come back for more the next day - or the next hour. It's not cricket as art but cricket concentrated into an adrenalin shot; it's designed to give you a kick but not to linger.

An over can produce two sixes and two wickets. A top-order collapse could mean absolutely nothing. And the finest strokes could be followed by the ugliest hoicks.
Of course it's a far better game to watch at the stadium than on TV, but how much of the fun at the ground is real? The DJ gets into action at every over-break. Every boundary and every wicket is a cue for the dancers to go into overdrive. Some of them don't even know the game. It all feels a bit contrived and lacking in understanding. Edges are cheered as lustily as sublime strokes.

Yet it's easy to see why Twenty20 has a future. It is far less demanding on the spectator: it requires much less patience, engagement, and understanding of the nuances. And it has no history or tradition to intimidate new audiences. Most of all, it is short and something is happening all the time. If you are not burdened with cricket's past and the knowledge of its finer, complex aspects, Twenty20 is pretty good entertainment. It has revived domestic cricket in England, and in South Africa where audience figures for Test cricket have fallen hopelessly.

My friends, who have dumped cricket as it was supposed to be boring, loved the bowl-out. One of my friend, was so excited about the "shootout" that he started text-messaging me at 1:30am from India when I was in Frankfurt Airport. As he cheered and exulted at every hit by the Indians, I was left with conflicting emotions. It felt like both victory and defeat. I was delighted by his sudden involvement with my game, but was it really my game?

Sport is about skills and possibilities. Tests provide the best platform for a full exhibition of cricket skills. Twenty20 shrinks that range. But spectator sports are also about enjoyment. People having a good time can't be such a bad thing after all.

Chuk De India (CDI) : A Winner all the Way !!!!

When the film was about to release though I was very happy about the subject on which the film was made, but I was not sure how the film had shaped up.

Well all those apprehensions went out of the window no sooner India witnessed its first truely hollywood style movie. The shear brilliance of the film cannot be comprehended yet let me try it here. This movie was absolutely great and it had many dimensions to it and I shall put them across one by one

Choice of Subject: Actually story of the underdogs is a safe bet in all parts of the world. But both SRK and the director must be complimented to choose Hockey (a underprivileged Brother of Cricket) as a subject, And Women's Hockey!!!! Can any one name of one Women hockey player. I my self claim to be a sports fanatic but I simply have no answer to it. This was the subject these guys choose and hats off to them .... They Pulled it off

India: India was the most stressed word in the film. I wont go into why it is important to be proud to be an Indian because it has been dealt in the film.

Team Work: I have always urged to all the parents of young children to make their children play on the grounds rather than on Play Stations. Wasn’t the field Goal where the Haryana Girl, Chautala, passes the ball to Preeti Sabarwal a perfect example of how team comes first and then the individual glory. I have seen MNCs spending millions to teach the same by some or the other out bound programme. But nothing is as effective as sports. So please ….. please … play some sports and make the younger generation play too.

Under Current of Religion Bias: Mohd. Azharuddin was once called a “Perfect Modern Muslim” when he and India were doing well under him by “Hindu Samrat” Shri Balasaheb Thackrey. Post Cronje revelations…. He is a traitor… “Inki Toh Jaat Hi aaisi hai”, These guys should have been thrown off the country during partition itself. You know I feel ashamed. I feel ashamed of the fact that we “Hindus” have still not accepted Muslims as our countrymen after 60 years of Independence. Come on. There are good and bad people every where. Wasn’t Ajay Jadeja also named with Azhar. So why target his religion. We claim many times of equality when it is bought to our notice that we had Muslim Presidents, SRK and many other famous personalities are Muslims and we have given them equal treatment. Yes all this is true. But when it gets down to crunch situations, we target them first. As I said I am ashamed and I apologize to all my Muslim friends jinko aaj tak yeh maa apna beta nahi maan saki.

The point was subtly raised in the film. But the best part is no melodrama involved.

Film Making: The director of the film Shimit Amin might even not know what he has pulled off. I have seen a lot of Indian Films and I must say that only Ram Gopal Verma came close with Company and Sarkar to the Hollywood standard of films. But here Shimit has not only touched those standards but at places he has gone beyond any typical Hollywood sports movie. The best part to me of the film was not what he showed but the fact that he didn’t show many things. Many things that would have turned this feast into a nightmare. He didn’t show Kabir Khan’s 7 year struggle. He didn’t show the frustration of a Muslim in India, he didn’t actually show the man giving speeches when India won the World Cup. Any Indian film would not have missed the opportunity to show that. But Shimit did miss it and thankfully so. He knows, that a man does not necessarily cry when he is sad. Those emotions can come by showing a rock hard face. He did that!!!!

Performances : All the gals were brilliant but to be honest I cant take off “Preeti Sabarwal” of my head.

But one man…. Who carried the film …. All Alone…. Was …. Kabir Khan …. Or was it SRK…. Well if he was SRK, he never looked like one. I guess I have said it and u understood it. I guess I took a leaf of Shamit’s book. Lesser is better. But anyways hats off to SRK. Performance of a life time.

SRK: People usually compare SRK and Amitabh. Well I need to illustrate my experience here. Of Late I have been traveling to Europe and when I tell people I am from India. The next question they ask me is are u from the land of SRK. Well I wont comment on who is better but SRK is a Perfect Modern “INDIAN”. Aggressive, extremely hard working, talented, religious, one who has those Indian values and a family man. He has it all. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he emerges as a Brand Ambassador of India

Well all in all the movie was a experience of a life time. I hope people take something of it.

Jai Hind

Vikas Gupta

Enter your search terms Submit search form

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!!!