T20 WHOSE GAME IS IT ANYWAYS (REVISITED)

Today, to be able to say you are a Test match fan requires the kind of courage that was needed a decade ago to articulate an alternate sexual preference.But then when a purist like me who derives his spirituality from cricket, from Test Cricket, there is very little you get following T20 cricket. 3 years back I wrote a blog with the same title. At that time I was new to T20 Cricket. But 3 years down the line I have seen enough T20 cricket and here are the reasons I do not like about T20 Cricket.


Uneven Contests between Bat and Ball
A batsman is considered as great when he scores his runs in tough conditions against good bowling attack. Why is Sir Don Bradman considered to be arguably the best batsman world has seen. He scored his runs in the worst of conditions- pitches were uncovered then. He had to face bodyline attack. He stood there where others would have left. Ask Sachin about his favorite 100 in any form of Cricket and he will tell you that he rates his 100 against Australia at Perth in 1992 as his favorite. Why? Setting: Perth,'92… World’s fastest and most bouncy track of the world .. Craig McDermott, Merv Hughes, Mike Whitney and Paul Reiffel formed the attack. Sachin scored 114. Aussies bowed to the master and his craftsmanship.


T20 Cricket is all about bat. In a country like India, we believe that if the majority likes it, it should be right. No wonder we have leaders like Mayawati and leagues like the IPL. Mindless hitting though and across the line makes people happy. Its like tying a tiger and then throwing pebbles at it. Cricket is at its best when both the bat and the ball have equal chance to win. T20 Cricket fails to provide that.


Character of the player is never tested in T20 Cricket
A character of a player is tested over a period of time when he is down. The T20 game gets over in a little more than 3 hours. How can it “test” the character of a player. 3 years of T20 Cricket and do u remember even one inning that you remember that a player’s character was revealed.

Game of Chance and not of ability
Lets see this Statistics. Bangladesh won 3 tests so far out of 66 tests. One against Zimbabwe and the other two against depleted West Indies team when they had no international player. Compare it with their T20 record where they have won 3 of the 14 T20 matches they have played. A 20% record in the T20 against a 4% record in tests. Clearly you can be lucky on the day and win T20 matches. Tests are won by ability and not chance. While T20 is like gambling, Test Cricket is a real Sport.

Docile Pitches
One of the great adventures of cricket was the test of a player in varied conditions. In India ball would turn, in Sri Lanka it would come slow, English pitches assisted Swing where as Aussie pitches were fast. Sachin Tendulkar, Virendra Shewag, Ricky Ponting, Brain Lara, Muralitharan, Shane Warne became greats not batting and bowling on docile batsmen friendly pitches. T20 pitches are prepared in such a way that it hardly matters where you are playing, its almost the same thing. Adaptability of a player, his ability is hardly getting tested in T20 Cricket.

No 2nd Chances
You can be unlucky once, so tests gives you two chances. In 1999, Chennai, India V/s Pakistan Test, Sachin got out of duck in the 1st innings. Like life, Cricket gives you a 2nd chance. Sachin made 136 in the 2nd innings and yet to be defeated by 17 runs. Tests gives you that 2nd chance. To take it or not is in your hands. T20 is far from all this.

Heros are made and forgotten in a Day
Lets remember those moments etched in our memory about test Cricket

• India Beat invincible Aussies in 2003 where they were on a 17 test win rolling streak
• Laxman’s 281 and Rahul’s 181 and Harbhajan’s Hatrick in the same match
• Shewag’s Triple Ton at Multan
• Sachin’s 114 at Perth
• Kumble’s perfect 10 at Kotla


Well I can go on and on. How many such incidents do you remember of T20 cricket. The only one that comes to my mind is Yuvi’s 6 Sixers in an over. Heros are made of people making a quick 20s/30s. Fortunately they are forgotten the next day. People cannot and do not forget the above achievements of tests


Boundaries and Good Shorts do not mean anything
A Cover drive of a short of a length ball with 3 slips and 2 gullies on is such a great short in Test Cricket. Does a Dilliscoop any match to the same.


Intolerable Language
T20 has commercialized the game so much that even the literature of the game has been adversely affected. “Citi moment of Success”, “Karbon Kamaal Catch”, MRF Blimp is what I get to hear when I watch T20. I miss the days when commentators described Saurav’s off side play as “on the off side, 1st there is God and then Ganguly.”Where are those days

However I also know that as long as I choose to be a cricket fan, I got to make peace with T20 cricket. But then the administrators of Cricket throughout the world need to remember that no business that takes its core customers for granted can survive long. If Tests go, cricket dies.

Why an NRI?

Why did I leave my country? Why does any one leave his country? The possible answeres I could look were

1. Better opportunities for quality of life.
2. Better Job opportunities.
3. Better health care facilities.
4. Cheaper living conditions.
5. Moving next to / with a person you care about (family, friend, lover).

Stupid!!!! Wasn’t I when I left India. None of these reasons applied to me. I left India because I was bored.

Bored !!!!…… Bored of what? Of being at a place where I grew. Where I learnt what it is like to work and earn your bread. I wanted to explore. Test my knowledge and skills. Challenge is what I was looking at.

What I forgot was I am a man of few needs and desires. I never wanted hundreds of horse powers taking me to office. Nor did I ever wish for a palace to live in. No, I do not have an ambition to leave my GenNext with a sliver spoon.

I came to Dubai in 2007 with no major dreams. Just wanted to work and collect my self. Before long I realized, I couldn’t bear my loneliness. I always thought I could. Trust me an alien land makes you more lonely than a single man could be. Got married. Earlier I had one lonely soul to tackle. Now I have two. Like me, my better half isn’t a big fan of ultra modern life style.

Why am I here? When I am not learning anything anymore. When I am not growing as a person. When the roads don’t own me. When the people don’t seem mine. When my parents are not with me. When they are growing old and sick and I cannot take care of them my self. Am I selfish? No I am not. I am giving them everything that money could buy. But they do not need money. They need me. But then, they might live with some shortcomings.

Money has its own attraction. I wont be earning even half of what I do here. I have everything in abundance now. Hence I may overlook power of money. Tomorrow, I might not have the strength or adaptive nature to go to a new land to earn. I need money for the future. For myself. For my next generation. For my parents. They deserve the best. I might slog but they need to be cozy. They need to be protected.

I shall continue to slog. To live in an alien land. To survive unpleasant climate. As they say “ Apno Ke Liye…. Apno se Door”

From An NRI

INDIA FAULTERED, PAKISTAN FOULED : CRICKET HAS BECOME POLITICAL

What happened today in Mumbai was shameful and every Indian must be ashamed to the treatment given by the IPL franchises to the 11 Pakistani Players on Auction. Pakistan is not slated to play any international Cricket in the IPL 3 slot and hence the excuse that availability of Pakistani players was an issue is totally false. The decision by the franchises is not only incorrect cricketing wise but has insulted Pakistan as a nation.

Why were the Pakistani Players asked to get NOCs from the Pakistani Cricket Board, why were they are to get their VISAs sorted out, why all the drama over the deadlines when you knew that the franchises would not be able to pick the Pakistani players under Government pressure.

India accuses of Pakistan of 26/11 but then we cannot be at war with our neighbours indefinitely. It is so easy in India to create an Anti Pakistan Environment. Activist television channels package anger. Many seek hot pursuits of terrorists and the destruction of terror camps across the border, the government finds itself besieged. Sending troops across the border is, of course, not an option, but the popular mood usually demands a demonstration of action, and it was very easy for our politicians to use cricket as a tool of appeasement. Today the franchises took an easy option ….. an option to please the people and the government.

In the end, I must say Cricket will be a causality. Make no mistake, Pakistan is World Cup T20 champions and they were runner up in the 1^st edition. No one knows to play T20 better than the Pakistanis. We have been stolen with an opportunity to see the best in action.

Pakistani Players and nation as a whole would be upset with the way they were treated by Indians. I, as an Indian apologise. Initiatives like Aman Ki Asha need to reach more people than they are doing right now. I hope common sense will prevail and we get to see people to people contact between the two nations.

KAMINEY: LIKE IT OR DIFLIKE IT BUT YOU CANNOT IGNORE IT

When was the last time you came out of a film wishing you could go back in and watch it again immediately so the excitement in your stomach stays longer?

Vishal Bharadwaj's Kaminey is a film you'll either love or passionately despise.

Shahid Kapur is cast as both twins, each saddled with a speech impediment. Charlie, the small-time gangster has a lisp, he pronounces every 's' as 'f'; meanwhile Guddu is a timid NGO worker who stammers when he speaks.

Kaminey is bold, stark, funny and unpredictable and that's what works in its favour. It is not the usual masala film. Sure, it's a well-made film, but there's no spoon feeding here. One has to be attentive, very attentive to grasp the goings-on and also the twists in the tale

The real strength of Kaminey is its writing. The non-linear screenplay is filled with unfamiliar twists and confusing turns that are likely to baffle you along the way; yet they're all neatly tied up and culminate in a thrilling climax which is violent and comical in equal parts.

The film's dialogue is top-notch; writer-director Vishal Bharadwaj finds a way to make the lines humorous without ever seeming to ask for a laugh.

With unchoreographed action scenes and dances, and long portions with no background score at all, it's a wildly imaginative, original offering from a fearless filmmaker who doesn't insult your intelligence.

Kaminey boasts the best performance you will see by an ensemble cast in a long time, and that includes even the bit players. Of the central cast, Amole Gupte is fantastic as the demented Jai Maharashtra-spouting gangster-politician Bhope,.

Shahid Kapur rises to the challenge of creating two entirely different characters out of Charlie and Guddu, and delivers a credible performance as each. Breaking out of his chocolate-boy image, he gives evidence of his potential when trusted with well-written roles.

Springing a delightful surprise in a smaller part is Priyanka Chopra as the feisty Sweety, who sprinkles her lines with a smattering of fluent Marathi and emerges one of the film's most lovable characters.

For an audience numbed by predictable Bollywood potboilers week after week, Kaminey might take some time to settle into; . It's not one of those lock-your-brains-at-home types, for sure. And that might not be too appealing a thought for those who swear by candyfloss or meaningless ha-ha-thons. So beware that you are intelligent enough before you enter cinema hall.

A must must watch as far as I am concerned….. Would love to hear from you.

T20 WORLD CUP 2.0

The stage is set again and this time the battleground is England. As we get ready or the non stop action to start from tomorrow I was wondering on the importance of T20 game.

I really don't want to sound either like an old bore or a cricket snob. But at the beginning I didn’t like the idea of a compressed version of the game. I must confess, I began the T20 World Cup 1.0 with a mild sense of cynicism, which was due to my reservations about Twenty20 as a form of cricket.

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.

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.

Wherein Version 1.0 of T20 World Cup was surprising for the audience, people are now expecting the unexpected in version 2.0. This can never be a easy job. Ask any successful Film director…….. Its never easy to repeat a Blockbuster with another. Version 1.0 saw a bowl out …….2 major upsets ……. 2 unlikely finalists and a memorable nail biting Finals…… Could it get better ….. That is something that we get answer within next 20 days.

As of on my thoughts on the shorter version of the game well let me put it this way

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.

I enjoy the contests and so does my mom …… and that’s what T20 Cricket is about…. Its about the masses ….. Class we can decide later.

A Letter to Aamir Khan

The trauma of Ghajini was too big to take. I though about talking about my disappointment to the man himself. The following letter was was written at his blog http://www.aamirkhan.com/blog

Dear Aamir

I am a fan of your and I have enjoyed a lot of movies of your including Andaz Apna Apna, DCH, Sarfarosh, Rangeela to name a few.

Like most of the people I had high expectations of Ghajini. However if I say I am disappointed then it would be an understatement. The Choice of the subject and the way the movie has been made has left me heart broken.

There were flaws in the script technically and I was not convinced by the film where Sanjay on the one hand was shown to have short term memory loss within 15 mins and at the same time he would go for revenge. Think of this in this way.... can life of real Aamir Khan be expressed in 15 mins. He not only had to get angry but also to act in those 15 mins. So the basic plot itself didn’t convince me. Every thing else was too loud for a sensible person. Colors which couldn’t be identified with character of Sanjay were used in songs. So called Artistic Liberty was so extensively used by the director that the already unconvincing plot seemed all the more unreal. The lead actress was supposed to be a so called aspiring model. She looked anything but that. Not that she didn’t look cute but that was not required. If Jia and Asim could have easily swapped their roles. The lead negative role character was also not very convincing.

All in all I am deeply disappointed by the film. The fact that it could be one of the biggest bollywood hits troubles me. We, the people, should not be giving such signals to you. We should punish the wrong. Unfortunately to me democracy is not working for India where in we as a country are not using our brains.

We choose Mayawati as a CM of UP and we give Ghajini the best ever opening.... I am disappointed with the choices this country makes !!!!

Regards
Vikas Gupta

CRICKET IS A CASUALITY OF TERRORISM

Indian Government has cancelled the Cricket tour to Pakistan. Pre 26/1 too, this tour was always in trouble after Champions Trophy was postponed with western teams citing security problems. Dhoni and Tendulkar had expressed reservations due to the volatile security situation, especially after the Marriot attack in Islamabad. But even in 2003-04 the tour was almost called off. Like now, the players didn't want to go then. An attempt had been made on the life of the Pakistan president a few days previously, and an air of fear and uncertainty prevailed then. But the right decision was made it in the end to tour Pakistan, and the series turned out to be epochal. That the cricket was sensational was only incidental: the tour generated a wave of goodwill and bonhomie not seen which it is said created the biggest exodus from India to Pakistan since Partition.

However things changed post 26/11. India burns with anger and indignation over the state's failure to protect its citizens. Preliminary evidence suggests that the terrorists who carried out 26/11 attacks in Mumbai were trained and controlled by groups based in Pakistan. Argument from Pakistan is that it not as if the state of Pakistan is behind the attacks. It itself is a victim of terror at the moment; in recent months, terrorists have claimed the life of Benazir Bhutto, and carried out a horrific attack on the Marriott hotel in Islamabad - but in these charged and emotional times, lines have blurred.

Activist television channels have taken to packaging anger. With fiery anchors fanning the flames, encouraging audiences to seek hot pursuits of terrorists and the destruction of terror camps across the border, the government found itself besieged. Sending troops across the border is, of course, not an option, but the popular mood demands a demonstration of action, and it was very easy for our politicians to use cricket as a tool of appeasement.

If one looks at the step, it amounts to very little to what happened in Mumbai, but it is heavy on symbolism: a strong diplomatic measure against a nation accused of, if nothing else, prolonged inaction against terrorists originating within its borders who wreak havoc in the neighbouring country. It's another matter that the Indian government itself stands similarly accused.

All said and done, I agree with the decision. It wouldn’t be right that our cricketers extend a hand of friendship when a nation is still in agony. The scars of 26/11 are still too fresh.

I work in Dubai and it gives me an exposure to interact with a lot of Pakistani nationals. They, understandably, are not happy with this decision. We need to understand that the Fans in Pakistan are not terrorists and that they too are not enjoying the state of terror in their country. Pakistan hasn’t seen any International cricket on their soil last year and they looked upon India and Sri Lanka to understand their pain and sympathise with them. After all- India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are all plagued by terrorism for some time now.

Of course, a lot is down to perceptions. India, a vast and vibrant democracy founded on Western liberalism, and an emerging economic giant, presents a picture of stability and strength despite its problems. Whereas Pakistan, which has lurched between dysfunctional democracy and army-backed dictatorship, and has acquired a reputation as a hotbed of militancy, has always felt more dangerous to Westerners. Also, India underpins the global cricket economy. The cancellation of the Twenty20 Champions League directly affects the finances of many cricket boards, and the IPL has shown the players the kind of instant wealth that would have been beyond their dreams a year ago. Just like the American economy, the Indian cricket economy involves all cricket nations. The global recession spread from the subprime crisis in America. Everyone wants to be spared the chill; the anxiety to keep Indian cricket in good health is born, at least partly, of the natural instinct for self-preservation. It is unpalatable but understandable. So anxiety and anger of Pakistani Cricketing fraternity is understandable. BCCI should now be ready for a back lash. Steps like Pakistani Players being not allowed to take part in IPL and ICL could be a possibility. Ban on Pakistani cricketers from the ICL could be lifted. And so on and so forth.

As I said, I agree with the decision of India not going to Pakistan at this moment of time. Emotions are on a high at least in this side of border. It would have been unfair on Cricketers who wouldn’t have had loss as an option. But at the same time we must remember that Sports and Politics are separate issues and need to be dealt separately. Yes there are extraordinary times like these when the lines have to erased but then we need to remember to draw the lines between them as soon as possible. We must never forget that we and Pakistan share languages, food and a culture and that the problems between India and Pakistan have never involved the people. In fact, it is to the contrary: most problems have arisen and festered because people have been kept apart by politics.

It is very sad that time has come that Indian Cricket board has to take this decision of not touring Pakistan. . The horrific tragedy in Mumbai was one of those extraordinary situation. Playing cricket with Pakistan now, wouldn't have felt right. But as life regains its course, as it must, so will cricket. At this point it is merely a question of timing.