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At age thirty-three, it may seem strange to laud about a sportsman as if he were the latest sensation. At age thirty-three, men are hailed for spectacular feats in the sunset of their careers than a spectacular rise. But in Misbah-ul Haq’s case, it is perhaps the real rise of a man whose name will not stop reverberating in cricketing chatter. Misbah has brought a sedate Pakistan alive. He has made his name synonymous with Pakistan’s resurgent fight back in recent times.
One would think in the aftermath of a disastrous World Cup in the Caribbean and the subsequent adieu of a powerhouse skipper in Inzamam-Ul Haq, Pakistan would wobble too much to settle down. Shaoib Mallik looked young, paler than his predecessor and leading what one cricket expert labeled, “perhaps the weakest ever Pakistan side” coming to India for a three Test match series. Much of the spotlight has remained on Mallik, and the comments have been too kind. If there was a time to make one’s towering presence felt, this was it. It should have been Mohammad Yousuf or Younis Khan. Instead it was a man who tasted little international success before he got lost in its many myriad ways. With the vacuum in the backbone of the batting order, hastened by Yousuf’s indecision about joining the Indian Cricket League, Misbah-ul Haq found hope.
But Misbah did more than hope. It is not always about technique. It is a lot about temperament. Many a game has been lost with over emphasis on technique. But more matches have been won by men with the temperament to back themselves to wade through neck deep waters. Misbah has shown the adaptability of temperament for a variety of crisis situations. Chasing a run chase like in Mohali, overcoming a top team like Australia in the Twenty20 match to get to the semi final chase, bailing out the team in crisis repeatedly in the three Test series against India against all odds, Misbah has been at it and done it. In victory or in defeat, it was hard to miss his name or credit his efforts, irrespective of personal preferences.
Misbah has proved to be the man for all occasions. Filling the big boots of Inzamam could not have been easy. Misbah was never built that way. Inzamam was a fine top order bludgeoner of the bat, a sleeping giant. Comparisons cannot even arise then, as young as Misbah is in international years of experience. Misbah is of a different make and mould. Finishers are a rare breed. They are defined by what they do. Misbah bats much lower, strengthening the delicate middle order balance. Comparison then with Inzamam is only limited in as much as the entry of one man more than coinciding with the farewell of another. Even in that role, he becomes the perfect foil for launch or a rearguard in the trail of the two famous Y’s and his skipper Mallik. Misbah is the connection between Pakistan’s opening salvo and brilliant finish.
Some may let out a guffaw with Misbah being labeled a finisher. Perhaps it is a little too over ambitious yet for him. But it is not beyond him. The win at Mohali was left to Afridi in the end after Misbah got them close to the finish line. The thing that has let him down, if anything, in recent times is his inability to take Pakistan over the ropes once he is within touching distance of the boundary line. The Twenty20 matches against India, including the final, are the most lingering remembrances of not just Pakistan’s comeback in crunch moments but also, of Misbah taking Pakistan to the verge of victory, but only till there.
But Misbah is very much in the mould of the finisher. Yet his finishing leaves a little to be desired. His longetivity depends on it. His paddle sweep that ballooned to fine leg undid Pakistan’s Twenty20 ambitions in the final. While he admits it was perhaps a wrong shot to choose, he believed at the time that it would work. That it didn’t then was another matter. His shot selections, that ones that have gone wrong, have been as varied as have the various situations from which he has rescued Pakistan since his recall in the World Twenty20.
His debut in the series in Nairobi in 2002 and his performance against Australia showed he had what was required of an international middle order batsman. That it did not convert into a more consistent run for him or a permanent place in the side did not deter Misbah. Overcoming inconsistency, Misbah has been prolific in domestic cricket. And when the opportunity to fill up the vacant positions of the veterans presented itself, even the selectors could not deny Misbah.
How Misbah has vindicated his selection! In the World Twenty20, he was easily the most prominent player, taking Pakistan into the semi finals. Before that he featured in a 119 run partnership with his skipper in helping Pakistan overcome Australia’s score to make it to the final four. Misbah nearly made it possible for Pakistan to snatch victory from under India’s nose in the final, making it an edge-of-the-seat affair. Misbah was clearly the most outstanding feature of the tournament, notching 218 runs in seven innings at a phenomenal strike rate of 139.74 and an equally impressive average of 54.50. Put in perspective the pace of a Twenty20 match, the enormity of the tournament and Misbah’s batting position, it is extraordinary indeed. Misbah subsequently drafted into the home series against South Africa and with good reason and thereafter, making the trip to India for a tightly fought three Test match series.
Misbah truly came alive under crisis to compensate an otherwise subdued Test series for Pakistan in India. Any tour to India would be considered nothing short of tension racked with animosity. This tour may have missed the hatred that usually fills the air in an Indo-Pak tie. But it also missed the services of Inzamam-ul Haq. With only Yousuf and Younis to back Mallik, and even that trio being unable to contend with the gauntlet that India threw at them, Pakistan found themselves in dire straits on a-dime-a-dozen occasions. And each time, Misbah’s name rung loud and clear. Misbah brought a sense of dignity to the otherwise dismal proceedings on day one of the Ferozshah Kotla Test in New Delhi. He actually managed to use time to Pakistan’s advantage in the remaining two Tests with unlikely companions such as Mohammad Sami and Kamran Akmal. It seemed quite another matter that he bagged some big batting scores and averages that are truly outstanding for a batsman batting where he does.
The reason why a stronger looking India managed just a 1-0 victory although the victory against Pakistan on home turf came after a gap of twenty-seven years can be attributed in large amount to Misbah finding a way to pull Pakistan out of the most ungainly of situations. Is it any wonder then that his statistics on this tour are second only to Ganguly’s plethora of runs, 534 to be exact? Misbah has phenomenal figures of 464 runs at an average of 116, his highest quite obviously being his 161 run innings in the second Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Misbah has fewer opportunities to reveal his potential, coming as he does at number five/six, a considerably lower position considering where Younis and Yousuf bat. Therefore, having already been in the wilderness, it is in Misbah’s best interests to make use of the opportunity every time he is called upon. In that sense, he has a typical finisher’s role who must play his part, no matter if the overs are minimal and his partners boasting rather modest batting profiles. It is then an art that Misbah has scored his runs, collected his milestones while nurturing the tail, and even bravely letting them know he trusts them enough to help him do his job. It takes a great deal of courage and a sense of egoless team work to know he has a superior chance with the bat and yet trust his lesser skilled partner feel and live up to the task thrust upon him. It paid Pakistan rich dividends in saving face and leaving India with grace even in defeat.
Misbah has shown selflessness and a sense of duty without depicting the strain of effort and with modesty that belies the enormity of his sublime performance throughout the series that prevented it from becoming an obviously one sided affair. The odds were always in favour of India. But Pakistan did not throw in the towel, even with the odds kept stacking up against them. If there is a man who stood between garnering respect amidst defeat and an outright despicable trouncing for Pakistan, it surely was Misbah-ul Haq.
“Misbah, Misbah” is the chant echoing on every one’s lips. The man has certainly made an impact. His second innings has been definitely more memorable than his first. Misbah may not the most stylish of batsmen, or the luxuriant of stroke makers. But he adapts and moulds himself to the situation with an incredible sense of calm. If there is only one thing he could turn around, it would be making the journey from being at the boundary line to crossing the ropes with a greater percentage of success.
The life of a finisher is short, in the middle and outside of it. Few easy chances come; fences have to be mended; deliverance must be rendered. Clichéd as it may appear: there are no second takes. The job done, he must once more fade into the background and let the top order assume their veritably significant and highly prominent roles (never mind that they did not live up to it necessitating the finisher to step forward in the first place). Misbah knows he is beyond the age to be labeled Pakistan’s next rising star. But in a non-descript role in a less profile position, Misbah has made his batting position appear like Pakistan’s most sparkling spot in the line up and his name, hard to ignore!

After months of speculation, the one very important but empty chair has now been filled. The really strange bit is that the candidate did not even apply for it! This could be a dream job or this could be his worst nightmare. Garlands greeted him on his arrival in Bangalore. But the cudgels may not be far behind. An unlikely man for an unlikely role. Gary Kirsten has dared to take up a job he will learn the ropes of, in front of a billion screaming fans!
BCCI fields out of the 22 yard circle!
Greg Chappell is indeed a hard man to follow. Or so the BCCI would have cricket lovers believe. The World Cup in the Caribbean and the subsequent resignation of Chappell, as contrived as it may be, seem like eons ago. As does the coach selection trials. The BCCI has stumbled, goofed up and yet managed to stay upright. Dav Whatmore was let disgracefully down on a wild goose chase; Graham Ford only helped the BCCI humiliate itself by making premature, bombastic announcements. It is surprising then that despite all this turmoil, the Indian team has done relatively well on its own, oblivious to the strange ways of the board.
But the BCCI appeared to want to clean up its act. One very prominent member even announced that the coach would be selected from the twenty/twenty-two applications it has thus received. But is it possible to mend a dog’s tail? Yet again it seemed that the say of one or two members of the selection committee, consisting of the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and S. Venkataraghavan, had their own hidden agenda that did not necessarily follow standardized international guidelines for a job interview. But the BCCI did manage to keep the interview under wraps. At the height of falling flat on its face, the board announced Kirsten’s likelihood of taking up the post. But here’s the catch: Kirsten had never even applied!
Gary Kirsten…
These were some of the names the board chose to ignore despite receiving legitimate applications: former head of the Queensland Academy of Excellence Richard Done, Leicestershire coach Tim Boon, former Australia and South Africa international Kepler Wessels, Queensland coach Terry Oliver, Canterbury coach Dave Nosworthy and former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe, and former stumper and Maharashtra coach, Chandrakant Pandit. Even John Buchanan seemed a subject matter of discussion although whether there was an official application, is best left to guess.
Mysterious may be the ways of the BCCI, surreptitious even, but Gary Kirsten’s credentials as former South African opener are rock solid. The highest Test scorer for South Africa, 275, his averages in both versions of the game continued to remain in the forties at the time of his retirement in 2003-’04. One of South Africa’s most prolific openers, Kirsten scored 7289 runs in 101 Tests at an average of 45.27. In one day internationals, he has a healthy average of 40.95 scoring 6798 runs playing 185 ODI’s. Post retirement, Kirsten worked briefly as Cricket South Africa’s high performance manager before he set up a private cricket academy in his home country.
Wiping the slate clean.
Perhaps Kirsten’s most potent job in taking over the role of the coach would be starting off on a fresh note. Given the Chappell saga, some residue of the past is bound to cause a few reservations and given the entire experience, may have done more harm than good. This may involve some undoing/unlearning for the players and for Kirsten to steer clear of his predecessors’ mistakes without obsessing too much about them.
Kirsten’s cricketing background, his half-brother Peter Kirsten being the other familiar international name, besides his family, would mean Kirsten carries with him an in-depth, passionate knowledge of the game and its nuances. His own towering success in the international arena has seen an unflappable, astute, team man with a calm disposition and the ability to grind out a potentially damaging situation when under pressure. These are qualities, if the team can imbibe from him, would bring about a whole new chapter in Indian cricket, without the dictatorial, one way, one man agenda.
Reservations about the coach.
But as with such appointments, analysis of the fetish for foreign coaches, especially after the scarring rendered by the previous mismanagement of affairs on all sides, is inevitable. Conjectures of the benefits of a foreign coach as opposed to an inbred one were and will be played out innumerous times in the media. But the board seems adamant to look overseas, staying away from anything true blue Australian for its tastes.
The other factor that makes this a decision closely watched is Kirsten’s virtual non-experience in coaching any cricket side. Apart from his own academy and his outstanding credentials as an international player, Kirsten would be learning on the job while adapting to it. With practically no background of coaching experience, it thwarts BCCI’s claims at seeking professional expertise from abroad.
Kirsten’s lack of experience may actually infuse fresh beginnings of thought and creativity into the Indian team. He could well baffle all with his cricketing acumen and applying it on Indian turf. But it is the manner of appointment and qualification of the appointed that raised questions not of the man appointed, but about the policy of selection that leaves precedence for ambiguity in future decisions.
Silencing the competition within.
Kirsten’s previous commitments meant that he had just one opportunity to meet the players during the third Test against Pakistan at Bangalore. While India’s slump in the first innings on day one may have caused a lump in his throat, the manner of comeback would have gladdened him and settled his nerves of the rather unbeaten road he has laid for himself with his first coaching stint. Earlier rumours of Kirsten’s apprehension of how some of the senior members would respond to his selection seem to have been quickly laid to rest as his words on returning from Bangalore would suggest, “I have no concerns what the players think of my appointment…” He added, “It will be a great honour to coach the game’s most passionately supported team.” Kirsten will now only join the team again during the third and fourth Tests on the Australian tour and will take his position fulltime when India begins its home series against his own country.
It doesn’t take much to form cliques in Indian cricket. Former cricketers and certain players from the current team voiced discontent at the sudden change of plans, believing the team had done well even under ad hoc rules. Lalchand Rajput, the team’s cricket manager since that famous World Twenty20 victory, himself felt underdone having been ignored for Indian cricket’s most coveted post. It was felt with two seasoned pros as assistant coaches in Robin Singh and Venkatesh Prasad, the team had gone too long without a coach and was not in urgent need of any. But that reasoning was arrived upon by the BCCI’s procrastination in taking immediate measures on important decisions when all other teams did. Belatedly Rajput was named assistant coach and for the time being will continue in his role.
Eliminating the competition without.
While talks of John Buchanan being a hot contender travelled, it was dusted away with the BCCI not even considering an interview with the former Australian coach. On the other hand, the debate that perhaps Kirsten’s other competitor should have been Kepler Wessels emanated from within his own country’s cricketing circles. Wessels, it was speculated, was put forth as a candidate by none other than Sourav Ganguly who had a brief stint in Northamptonshire while the former headed the English county.
It was also claimed that Wessels’ candidature was not completed assuming that the BCCI was running its schedule as stated in the job advertisement. How the selection eventually panned out, it is no secret matter that any coach, foreign or otherwise, would have to contend with the bureaucratic nature of the running of the BCCI where commitments of dates/people/places are always subject to change.
Wessels was considered the front runner in most cricketing circles in South Africa. A strong disciplinarian who got post-Apartheid South Africa to a steady start in international cricket, his grit and determination were considered indispensible to building a strong, committed winning outfit. His talent spotting abilities have been attested for and Monty Panesar’s spotlight focus quickly from Northampton to the England side is now common knowledge.
Despite his coaching stints at home and abroad, the thing that would have transferred the Indian assignment to his compatriot would have perhaps been his no-nonsense attitude towards commitment and the fact that his disciplined regime may not have gone down too well with some of the seniors in the Indian team. Kirsten, considered a milder, modest version of Wessels’ ethic, ultimately won the final nod.
Kirsten though is optimistic as he tells the Indian media, “Having played the game at the highest level, I can add some value and my experience. There are experienced players in the team and together we can bring some very successful couple of years.”
Coach turns Facilitator.
Kirsten will undoubtedly bring a different style of coaching, one that will see less experimentation and greater practicality, if his international career is anything to go by. Given his less rigid thought process, there should be greater interaction within dressing room with a view to helping the senior members of the squad impart their wisdom to the youngsters while working in collusion with them. Kirsten may not prove to be a coach in the strictest sense of the term, but his role as facilitator will perhaps bring a different dimension to the way the team approaches the game.
How smooth Kirsten’s transition is from foreigner to coach of the Indian team will depend on how well India perform in Australia. That may be added pressure; but India’s recent performances have been commendable and while they maintain the same level, it will provide time and insight before Kirsten takes over on a longer basis. No doubt there will be testing times as there always are in Indian cricket and Kirsten will experience the pressure-cooker situation even now and again, with his obvious weakness of coaching inexperience known.
The pressure to deliver will have already begun. It will reach a threshold of excitement when he assumes his role in entirety. His sense of humour and his levelheadedness should see him through. His keen sense of concentration and sublime ambition should spur the team on. His easy going nature and cricketing acumen should make him friend, philosopher and guide as India look to write a new chapter. Gary Kirsten’s infallibility in the international arena will be put to test once more, just as it was when he made his debut against Australia in 1993, almost fifteen years ago. Only time will tell if the strong minded southpaw will bring his brilliance once more to the fore in opening another chapter in his cricketing life!

It had to happen almost as inevitably as the sun rises in the east. Surely it was only a matter of time before Muthiah Muralitharan overtook Shane Warne and perched himself firmly at the top of the wicket taker’s table in Test cricket. And as Warne himself has said while paying tribute to his great contemporary it is a record that could well stand for all time. Yes, records are meant to be broken but some - like Bradman’s and Murali’s - will stand the test of time. With no one looking even remotely capable of approaching the figure of 700 wickets Murali, still very much active, is going to set the standards for future generations. If at all, it is going to be challenged only by some young bowler just starting out and who will enjoy a long and lucrative career.
A supremely confident Murali has spoken of being the first to get 1000 Test wickets. While that may be stretching it a bit too far even for someone with Murali’s magical and mesmeric qualities he certainly should be the first to reach 800 wickets. After that he will take it as it comes.
On sheer wicket taking ability and the manner in which he makes ball do astonishing things Murali qualifies as one of the greatest spin bowlers in the game’s history, the greatest Sri Lankan cricketer ever and the first choice for the spin bowler’s slot in the all time greatest Asian XI. Honours such as the Wisden cricketer of the year 1999 and Wisden leading cricketer of the year 2006 sit lightly on the shoulders of this mild mannered and unassuming sportsman. The soft-spoken Murali has never forgotten his humble beginnings being the son of a confectioner from the hill town of Kandy. This level headed approach is certainly one reason behind his amazing success and to his prodigious gifts he has added a lot of hard work, dedication, determination, concentration and the willingness to always keep learning.
Unfortunately Murali has attracted a lot of attention not only for his extraordinary bowling skills and his ability to take wickets by the bucketful but for his bent elbow action. This is always going to be the subject of controversy just as it has followed him during his 15-year-old international career. The turn that Murali is able to extract on any surface is unbelievable. The cynics argue that this is linked to his doubtful action. The affable Murali has long since put all the controversy behind him and has just concentrated on regaining the numero uno spot.
Indeed one must give him credit for taking all the barbed comments, the open criticism and a major controversy in his stride. Unmindful of all this Murali has continued to do what he likes best - bowling and taking wickets. He loves long spells, loves experimenting and attacking and loves making batsman like clown in a circus. The variety in his bowling armoury is infinite - the orthodox off break, the one that goes the other way or the one that zips straight through and so much else all with no apparent change in his action and with the ball spinning like a top.
I suppose when you talk of Murali you can’t ignore the ballyhoo surrounding the bent elbow. But then one cannot also ignore something else too that is always going to be associated with his name – the mesmeric statistics. The figures tell us that he has taken 719 wickets in 117 Tests at a shade under 22 apiece. That’s just over six wickets per Test and that’s something that is beyond any spin bowler in Test history. Indeed as a spinner he compares favourably with the legends in the game. On figures alone he is not a whit behind the likes of Johnny Briggs, Bobby Peel, Colin Blythe, Clarrie Grimmett, Jim Laker and his great contemporary Shane Warne. His predecessors enjoyed the advantage of bowling on uncovered wickets. Also about a hundred years ago the pitches were a far cry from the modern surfaces that are generally excellent batting surfaces. That might possibly explain the almost ridiculously impressive average of Briggs, Blythe and Peel over a much shorter career. This takes nothing away from the bowling skills of the peerless England left arm spinners of the time. The fact remains however that Murali has had to bowl on surfaces that are more favourable to batsmen though of course the detractors might be quick to point out that he has taken as many as 163 wickets in 23 Tests against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. But he also averages under 20 against England and West Indies and the figure against South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand is in the early twenties. Only against India and Australia is his average in the thirties. But he still has managed 4-1/2 wickets per Test against these two teams.
Murali was the first bowler to take 1000 international wickets. On the eve of the final Test against England at Galle his tally is 719 in Test cricket and 455 in ODIs. But then special moments have not been uncommon for this conjurer who has the ability to make the ball talk, to make the ball do things in a manner that few spinners in the game’s history have been capable of. And yet success did not come to him overnight. He made his Test debut against Australia at Colombo in 1992-93 and for some years it was a bit of an uphill climb. Then his unusual action attracted a lot of adverse attention from umpires, players and administrators. Suspicions were whispered soon after his debut but he first attracted worldwide attention when he was no balled in Australia during the 1995-96 tour, first in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne by Darrel Hair and later in the one-day series that followed. In his autobiography Hair called Murali’s action ‘diabolical’ a
view shared by quite a few including former classical left arm spin bowler Bishen Singh Bedi who has been one of Murali’s most vehement critics and has derisively commented “why his doosra, he chucks even his pehla.’’
Murali was cleared by the ICC after biomechanical analysis at the University of Western Australia and at the University of Hong Kong in 1996. They concluded that his action created the ‘optical illusion of throwing’. But the controversy did not die away. He was called again on the 1998-99 tour of Australia, this time by Ross Emerson. Murali was sent for further tests in Perth and England and was cleared again. However, his trying to perfect the ‘doosra’ prompted further suspicion and at the end of a three-match home series against Australia in March 2004 he was reported by ICC match referee Chris Broad. More high-tech tests followed, and ultimately forced the ICC to seriously look into the entire issue of throwing in international cricket, which revealed that many bowlers bend their arms during delivery, and that Murali might have been made an unfair victim.
It is unlikely that Murali’s career will be controversy-free, something he readily accepts. The rapid progress of technology and sports science over the past decade has somewhat salvaged his reputation and having recovered from a shoulder surgery kept him out of the game for a few months in 2004, Murali made it clear that he intended to add to his already burgeoning tally. Events since then have underlined the fact that he has not lost his zest for the game, his hunger for taking wickets and his rage for perfection in the development of the ‘doosra’ which is now arguably the most menacing weapon in his armoury. Forever experimenting Murali’s newest variation is a version of Warne’s slider, which is flicked out from the side of the hand and rushes onto the batsman like a flipper. His super flexible wrist makes him especially potent and guarantees him copious turn on any surface. Indeed Murali is nothing short of a magician in the tradition of the
greatest spin bowlers. He may unwittingly have been the most controversial cricketer of the modern age but he is also a true artist. He has also been a one-man demolition squad. The great thing about him is that despite bowling marathon spells and having sent down over 39,000 deliveries in Test cricket his tricks are yet unfathomable for many batsmen.
Murali may not be a classical off spinner and his action is never going to satisfy the purists. But the things that ball does once it has left his hand! They say seeing is believing but even when one sees Murali send down one of his magical deliveries it is hardly believable. The ball makes its sinuous flight, the hapless batsman is not sure when it will land, where it will land and by the time he has decided he is in no frame of mind at all, no position to play a shot and in all probability he will expose his stumps to be bowled, he will be in no man’s land to be palpably leg before or he will be the easiest stumping victim. A hesitant prod could mean a catch to short leg or slip depending on whether the ball is a big off break or a “doosra’’. If there is a desperate swipe then there is a fielder in the country to complete the catch. There are so many ways Murali can dismiss a batsman!
Oh yes, whichever way one judges Murali’s figures there are mighty impressive. And the record could not be in the hands of a nicer man. Let’s hear it from his teammate Kumar Sangakkara. “The great thing about Murali is that he is not only one of the most skilful bowlers that has ever graced the game but also the greatest human being I have ever had the privilege of knowing. He is simple, down-to-earth, polite, honest and a great humanitarian.’’

It is not that he was a spoiled brat right from very beginning of his career. There are various factors which worked in converting this promising child of destiny into a shabby bundle of potential and performance. Of late in his career, Shoaib has become an integral part of every controversy that props up in the Pakistani cricket, whether that is indiscipline, drug abuse, factionalism, or even manhandling. And these situations have led to his expulsion from the team on more than one occasion. On various tours he has been ruled out of place in the squad only on disciplinary ground. Remember any tour and find out how many times Shoaib has come unscathed. The result would be zero. Will this fact give any cricketer an honor that he is out of team for a reason other than performance? If one analyzes the performance of the Pakistan cricket team with and without Shoaib you will find that his absence has hampered the overall performance of Pakistan in one-day and Test cricket as well.
After joining the game of cricket, his only aim was to hit the deck hardest, within flash of seconds. And he has been doing his job with aplomb every time he is in team. He has crossed the magic figure of 100 miles twice. And with his seer pace he has undone the best of the bests defenses in the cricketing world. One can never forget Pakistan’s tour to India in 1998-99, where in the second Test in Kolkata Shoaib proved to be a surprise for the entire world with his devastating pace and cricketing attitude. He was already on the path of being a new star on the cricketing horizon then. The dramatic spell in which in the space of two great balls, he turned the Test match on its head. He made Sachin Tendulkar and Dravid look like any ordinary batsman when he uprooted the stumps from right under their feet. He made the whole wide world look with their mouths left open gaping at the scorching pace he generated by his passionate exuberance.  He went on to take eight wickets in that Test and finally Pakistan won it comprehensively. Later in a home series against New Zealand in 2002 what he did was the “ultimate bowling spell” of his cricket career. His bowling figure read 8.2– 4–11–6, and five out of the six wickets had the stumps disturbed. This performance established his stature of a match-winner as well as of a horse of long race. Shattering and Knocking over the Stumps is the pleasant sight for any fast bowler. And Shoaib has repeated this feat, every time he has taken the field whether that was in 2002-03 series against South Africa and New Zealand in home and away series or in 2004 series against New Zealand or in 2005 series against Australia or in 2005 in a three-Test home series against England. And this remarks is very often repeated that “Shoaib was a big difference between the two teams.”
But all this accolades and remarks have done no good to the team Pakistan or cricket in Pakistan. Success and glamour of the game has galloped Shoaib so much so that barely in the halfway of his career he has started considering himself equal in stature to that of the Imran Khan. The most recent controversy involving Shoaib was the one where he hit his opening bowl partner Mohammad Asif. What the inside sources say is that the brawl between the two started after Asif and Shahid Afridi disagreed with Shoaib that he shared the same stature as Imran Khan in Pakistan cricket and even ridiculed him for making such a comparison. Apart from this he has started feeling himself free from all rules and laws and above any authority. Late night clubbing on the tours and during match days, bad team spirit, poor discipline, drug abuses have become his common behaviour. And above all he tries to go scotfree every time.
The same aggression which is good on the field while playing turns out to be quite unhealthy when carried forward to dressing room and off the field. His career started on a promising note as the world’s fastest bowler and his devastating spells with which he wrecked havoc in almost every middle-order left such a lasting impact on the opposition that even after numerous attempts Pakistan cricket can’t afford to lose–Shoaib - the bowler. But how long, was the question??
The recent tour of the Pakistani team to India seems to have brought certain changes. Shoaib has mellowed down, not only in his behavoiur but in his performance too. He was bowling with shorter run-up, yet he was effective; he was jelling well with his team members as well as Indian players, yet he was hot. No surprise this was the biggest ear-to-ear question during the just concluded Indo-Pak cricket series.
Has the Bad Boy of cricket turned into a Goodman?
Has he improved his behavior or is it the ultimatum by PCB which is playing on the mind of the world’s most furious bowler?
During this series between these two arch-rivals not even a single instance of outrage or outcry was noticed on or off the field. The behavior of Shoaib Akhtar and the team was very healthy and friendly one. And the most responsible factor was Shoaib Akhtar. It is noteworthy that he was coming to Indian tour after serving a ban for misconduct. Seems, of late, he has learnt few lessons of gentlemen’s game. At first, before embarking on this tour, he vowed to make the upcoming tour of India a memorable one. He said in an interview “This may be my last tour so I must do something special for the fans in India so that they remember me in a good way,” And then when he reached India, this enigmatic speedster’s impeccable behaviour earned him a pat from Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Nasim Akhtar. He said “Shoaib is an asset for the team and he has been behaving well. We have no concern about his behaviour,” he further added that the pacer was an “asset” to the team. Moreover he played down reports about Shoaib’s nightlife in India and said that the pacer had not done anything wrong since his arrival to the country for the cricket series.
Shoaib Akhtar’s ruthless performance on the field mixed up his aggression compel us to believe that he has no emotions at all but current tour of India has been a revelation for all. He proved everybody wrong by showing his generous side, which appears an image makeover of Pakistan cricket’s bad boy. There are claims that Shoaib was doing charity works in India just to hog media attention. But the PCB chairman had different views - “It’s wrong to say that he is publicity-hungry. He has genuine concerns about certain issues and in Pakistan also, he engages himself to such causes. Cricketers are the ambassadors of the country and whenever they go on tour, we leave instructions with them to get involved in such activities. It also improves country’s image.”
During the series Shoaib visited a government orphanage in Lucknow and a children’s home in Chandigarh also. He played tennis ball cricket with kids there. Later he told media “It’s my social and moral duty and I always try to involve other work in such work along with me,” further he insisted that visits such as this one aren’t juts an attempt on his part to boost his image and profile but something he’s always wanted to do as part of giving back to society and that he wants to adopt a child. This may be Shoaib Akhtar’s first charity visit in India but this is nothing new for the bowler, as he has already done a lot for kids in Pakistan and Australia.
He was also seen in the friendly company of Indian players. He was mingling well and was very much receptive to all humors cracked at him. Even he hosted one show on a TV channel with Indian speedster Irfan Pathan. He danced and enjoyed with other Indian cricketers and Indian superstar Shahrukh Khan at a do in Lucknow. Moreover he was special guest in a reality show where he sang along with the contestants of the show.
His good behaviour and soft nature on this tour has proved to be beneficial for him. He was almost successful in his official task of bowling by bagging 9 wickets in 3 tests and 11 wickets in 5 ODIs. And going away from cricketing world he was approached with Bollywood offers by some directors also. If rumours are to be believed then he is to act in a movie opposite actress Hansika Motwani. But the confirmation from this lead actor of many dramas is yet to come.
Whatever may be the reason but after all it is good to see the talent and energy go in the right direction. Perhaps he might be trying to prove the statement made by PCB chairman right that “I’m sure Shoaib and all the other experienced boys will fulfill their responsibility as senior players and act as a positive force to lift the morale of the national team,” But never be deceived by any small act, one will have to follow him for long before making any final view about Shoaib’s behaviour. Interestingly apart from a fine of 3.4 million rupees Shoaib was put on probation for two years also, after he struck fellow fast bowler Md. Asif on the thigh at the team practice in Johannesburg ahead of the inaugural World Twenty20 championship, which means he could be banned for life if he again breaches the players’ code of conduct. Though he says - his career was back on track after the mistake which he described as something he would rather forget, and commits - “I have missed a lot of cricket due to injuries and other reasons, but now I want to focus on my game and do my best for the country,” it is yet to be seen how much he abides by his words.

Pakistan, Indians won the first Test match at Delhi. At Kolkotta and Bangalore Indians were ‘defeated’ because of the firmness of its pitches. More importantly, Indians won the three Test series 1-0 after 27 years. But playing the current Pakistan team at home was like hunting pigeons in your back garden. Pakistan looked below par in an uncompetitive Test series.
Indians under Anil Kumble have embarked in Australia for a four Test series starting on the Boxing Day. The team is on a high and the promise this time round, is more than ever. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman are also on the tour, and probably on their last Test cricket voyage to Australia. With their individual records and their stature in world cricket, they are at their prime and looking for a folklore end to their cricketing career.
This is no cricketing obituary. As we know that the ‘Ganguly guts’ and his inspirational recent batting form has put all of us face down. But as they are all racing in mid-thirties and by the next time India tours Australia, it would be difficult for them to be still playing around, nearing forty. They have all been truly great for Indian cricket, especially in last time’s glory down under. Last time round in 2003-04, they showed us ray of hope in squaring the Test series under one and only diminutive Sourav Ganguly.
Indians first toured Australia in 1947-48. In the first Test match at Brisbane, Don Bradman scored 185 runs and the entire Indian team was bundled out for less than that total of Bradman alone in both innings. Indians have played 32 Tests in Australia since that Bradman era and have won only 4 Tests matches while losing 20 Tests on those bouncy Australian pitches. They have managed to draw 8 Tests.
If we only look for Indian victories in Australia, Indians won 2nd & 3rd Tests matches at Melbourne and Sydney in 1977-78. Under Bishen Singh Bedi’s captaincy, Indian spinners rattled the Australians. Bishen Singh Bedi and B.S. Chandrashekhar in tandem took 59 Australian wickets in five Test matches but Indians still lost the series.
In the 1980-81 Test series under Sunil Gavaskar’s captaincy Indians won the Melbourne Test match with GS Vishwanth (114) scoring century, and Gavaskar (70) himself along with Chetan Chauhan (85) scored half-centuries. But it was the bowling of Karsan Ghavri, Dilip Doshi and Kapil Dev (5 for 28) that resulted in taking 20 wickets to win that Test match.
In the 2003-04 Test match at Adelaide under Sourav Ganguly, it was more convincing performance. Rahul Dravid scored heavily (233 & 72*) and VVS Laxman’s Aussie battering (148) continued. In the crucial bowling department it was Anil Kumble (5 for 154) and Ajit Agarkar (6 for 41), who tormented the almost invincible Australians.
After taking 24 wickets in three Tests matches in 2003-04, Anil Kumble had praised Indian batting for scoring heavily in the series. In the absence of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, Kumble had stressed that if runs were on board, he would deliver. Anil Kumble is now the captain of Indian team on the current tour to Australia. The words from a strong leader mean more than ever.
In the 2003-04 series, Sachin, Sourav, Ganguly and Laxman (two) all four scored centuries. Anil Kumble claimed five-wicket haul twice in the series. But then, common factor was that all five were four years younger. Another common factor this time round would be that Australians are again without McGrath and Warne. And Kumble is at the helm of affairs supported by the four great Indian heavy run getters.
If we look down memory lane, strong Indian batting along with experienced spin bowling and occasional medium-pace swing bowling has helped scent Indian causes down under. Indian batting looks in good mood with Sachin having a well deserved rest and now should be raring to go, Ganguly in ominous form of life, Laxman in good touch and Rahul, well capable of being the best in the world, would certainly have to deliver for the their final frontier. In the spin department, Kumble would be well supported by experienced Harbhajan Singh. Australians are known for weakness against off-spin.
Indian pace bowling would be desirable. With three conventional left-arm bowlers in Zaheer Khan, RP Singh and Irfan Pathan, Indians have taken two talented rookie young men in Ishan Sharma and Pankaj Singh. Medium pacers would have to chip-in but the load of Indian bowling would be lead by captain Anil Kumble.
Anil Kumble is no Shane Warne or a Muralidharan but nonetheless he has an attitude combined with great temperament, which is unique. Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman along with Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni would certainly give Australians some hard time. Australian media, players and officials are already bickering and are in some fear psychosis for the current Test series. On the other side, Indians are looking more challenging than ever.
Indian glory or glow is in the next finale stage and burning ever so bright for the future. The five Indian stars are shinning and Indian glory should begin at Melbourne. The undoubted stamp of authority of the ‘famous five’ should surface down under. The final frontier beckons the famous five.

Current resurgence of Indian cricket team is proportionally related to performance of senior pros combined with the exuberance of the youth brigade of the team. The present team is balanced with the scintillating performances of Tendulkar and Ganguly, sturdy backups from Dhoni and Laxman and some disciplined bowling from Zaheer and RP. Team India is looking all set to take on Aussies in their den. But the situations are not looking so favourable for India, especially after the final fifteen were selected for the tour down under. A win in a Test match against Australia in Australia needs cent percent from each and every player.
Those who are to represent India in Australia are Anil Kumble (Captain), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Vice Captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, R P Singh, Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Kaarthick and Pankaj Singh.
Last time when Indian team toured Australia, even the hardcore fans of Indian Cricket team did not hope more than draws. But some spirited performances from Indians fetched them victory at Adelaide, which seemed an illusion earlier. The pillars are almost same on this tour too, but the wall around is not so strong; also few pillars have developed cracks.
Just before selecting the team, cricket administrators were involved in the rift between Dilip Vengsarkar, the chief selector, and BCCI. The controversial selection may also be attributed to the growing injury list of players. Three of the mainstream pacers in India were not available due to injury, thanks to board’s reluctance adopting the rotation policy. We have quite rich bench strength of batsmen as well as bowlers. But due to lack of proper policy, they don’t get fair deal.
The batting of Indian Test team has been revolving round the quartet of Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman for a decade now. The added flavour now is Wasim Jaffer in great form. Yuvraj Singh is on peak of his cricket. Wicketkeeper batsman M S Dhoni is reaping rich of the exposure he is getting in the international cricket. But none of these make a genuine opening pair in test cricket. To fill the opening slot selectors have selected Virender Sehwag and Dinesh Kaarthick on some non-existent grounds.
Virender Sehwag is struggling hard to put even a single good score in domestic cricket that can support his selection. He has been selected because he was phenomenal on the last Oz tour!  How can they ignore that currently he is finding the going tough even against novices in the game. Australians have a tendency to keep track of every players’ weak and strong areas. With his affinity to repeat same mistakes again and again, Sehwag can’t afford to risk his career, as this may be his last chance. Technically, he is not prepared for the tour. Selectors should have given him time in domestic circuit to improve on his weak points. Ability of Sehwag can never be doubted but right now he is going through bad phase and needs to be handled carefully. Instead of Virender Sehwag his Ranji team mate Akash Chopra could have been better option. Currently, he is in good nick in domestic cricket amassing runs in almost every match. Also he has patience and occupies considerable time on crease in order to see off initial overs and provide a solid platform for the middle-order batsmen.
Another selection that borrowed raised eyebrows from all corners is of Dinesh Kaarthick. His selection can’t be justified from any angle. Despite the given chances in the opening slot and middle-order, he has failed to deliver. Seen as potential backup for M S Dhoni, Kaarthick has done little to support the talent that he has in abundance. Neither has he shown grit with bat nor the character behind wickets. He let go the record number of bye runs in the Bangalore Test. Batting on fast pitches not only needs the talent but mental toughness also, which is for sure missing from his disposition. Another wicketkeeper opener that can replace Kaarthick and make Dhoni run for his money is Parthiv Patel. An ideal case of burnout, Parthiv was left out of the team long ago. But he has shown promise and did well to get noticed by the selectors once again. With vice captain Dhoni in the team, he might not get a place behind the wicket, but worth a selection as a backup as a batsman. A potent opener Parthiv has performed exceptionally well this season and has also improved behind the stumps.
Kumble and Harbhajan make a good spin pair which on any given day is capable of pushing the opposition on the back foot. But the spin pair is not well supported by inefficient pace attack selected. Apart from Zaheer Khan and Irfan, others have nothing or little experience of Test cricket. Things worsen even more with the fact that Irfan has played just one match since Nov. 2006 and is still in process of regaining his form. His batting and sincere efforts are the positives. R.P. has earned the place in the team and fully deserves that. Other two bowlers are Pankaj Singh and Ishant Sharma. They are tall, fast, high-spirited and talented but novices even in the domestic circuit. It took just one good performance from Ishant to make way into the squad. And experienced of just 23 first class matches, Pankaj Singh has been performing well at domestic circuit, but certainly not that extraordinary. Neglecting Murali Kartik may prove costly for the Indian team as the series progresses. He is a proved performer. Munaf should have been given more chances. He was not considered because of a mysterious injury. But it is not seemingly possible after the way he played the second Test against Pakistan. It looks as if injury is being imposed on him. If not Munaf, Praveen Kumar should have been given the chance. He has been in excellent form in the domestic circuit. Also with bat, he is capable to contribute. He is a match winner for Uttar Pradesh Ranji Team.
Winning a Test match means taking 20 wickets. And if those of Aussies, the degree of toughness increases manifold given their commitment and ability to fight back from nowhere. Our pace attack isn’t looking potent enough. But that is the way it is. They are futures of Indian cricket and must be groomed and exposed to the harsh international cricket wisely, otherwise we have already a long list of burnout players.
The selection of final 15 players was a bit difficult with some of key players injured; selection could have been done more wisely. It is high time when selectors realize that matches are not won on reputations and past performances of a player. It’s not that selected players are not capable enough, only that it is not the right time for them. If the surprise selections manage to do a trick or two, selectors will have their back to pat. Whether the gamble played by selectors hit the bull’s eye or not is to be seen.
Whatever be the team composition millions of fans will back the team with fullest of faith in their capabilities and skills. — Good luck Team India!!!

This is the final frontier for all of us. We have conquered allmost all cricketing battlegrounds. Australia is the only territory we are missing in our final check list. Last time in 2003-04 we were so close to beating them in their own backyard. God willing…cricketing gods willing we will do it this time.
Indian cricket team left for Australia on the 16th of November. Mumbai Mirror spoke to some players in the team about touring Australia, team’s goals and wish list on the tour.
Sachin Tendulkar
Since I started playing for the Indian team, I have always relished challenge of playing in Australia. Actually speaking, ask any cricketer and he will tell you that this is the tour they want to stamp their authority. Each Aussie tour has offered fresh challenges. None of us can forget the last tour. We were 1-0 in the series and came so close to beating them in the final Test. Steve Waugh played like a true champ in that Test and saved the match for his team. I think our batting was top class in that series. Sehwag, Rahul, Sourav, VVS and me too scored big hundreds in that series. Because of our batting we could put up big scores on the board. This time also if we can score enough runs, we can take them on in the Test matches. Playing well in the first Test is the most crucial factor. First Test sets tone for the series. Normally Australian team always try to create pressure on the opposition side in the very first Test match. We have to put our best foot forward in the Melbourne Boxing day Test match. We should focus on playing session by session.
Rahul Dravid
Personally speaking touring Australia gives me big kick. This is the territory where I want to succeed, both as individual and as a team. All said and done, I think we are the only team which has locked horns with Australian team on regular basis. Especially in Test cricket, we have always challenged them. Talking about last tour also we were so close to beating them. For me it was a fantastic tour. Scoring the winning runs in Adelaide Test is one of the fondest memories of my entire career. If we want to challenge them, then we have to bat well. Our batting line up is powerful enough to take on their attack. But have to be positive all the time. Our team has perfect balance of youth and experience. Most of us have toured Australia before and that is going to help us. Anil has lead the team well. He is extremely motivated to do well in this tour. Being a natural student of the game, Anil must have done his homework. When it comes to playing Australia, that too in Australia, we have to click as a unit. They love to keep foot on accelerator all the time. That creates pressure and the team who can handle pressure and play positive cricket can succeed down under. So playing well as unit will be our topmost priority. Sourav will be playing his 100th Test in Melbourne so we have one more occasion to celebrate on the Boxing day. All in all we are looking forward to this tour.
M S Dhoni
II love to play against the Australians. I think they bring out best qualities in any cricketer. I have some experience of playing against them. Though I know, that playing against them in their back yard is different proposition all together. I have not toured Australia before. I have had word with seniors and they have given me valuable inputs. I am going to follow some guidelines given by seniors. Test cricket is different ball game. Playing well against Aussies in the Test series is going to be our first priority. I think we should be positive and aggressive. But aggression should be controlled aggression. We should not loose focus while being aggressive. I am looking forward to great learning experience. We surely know what the challenge is going to be. So we are ready for the battle.
VVS Laxman
We were the team who broke Australian team’s record breaking winning run in 2001. No one can forget that series. We were beaten by top class inning by Gilchrist in Mumbai. We were following on in the Kolkata Test. Then I and Rahul came together and batted for many sessions and we went on to win that Test and then series too. Our last tour to Australia was one of the best tours we had for many years. Taking a 1-0 lead was massive achievement. Our batting clicked in that series and for me that was the major factor. Opening partnership of Sehwag and Akash Chopra was deciding factor. We could pile on runs on regular basis, and that was vital. This time too I hope we get good opening partnership. Our batting unit is one the best in the cricketing world. All of us are in good nick. Sourav will be playing in his 100th Test in Melbourne and he is in great form. I think playing well in the first innings of the first Test will be a crucial factor. If we can score runs like last tour, then we can take them on. I think that we also have bowling power to get 20 wickets. That is why I am eagerly waiting for the Boxing day Test match.
Harbhajan Singh
Mera aur Australia ka kuch alag pyar hai….I love playing against them. No doubt about the fact that they are the best team in the world. Their consistency is amazing. They always play aggressive and positive cricket. Any given day in the Test cricket Aussie team will try to put up 300+ runs on the board. And if they are bowling, then they will try to rattle the opposition by bowling them out. Maza to ye hai ki, though I have played and succeeded against them, this is my first tour to Australia. I was not there last time in 2003-04 series. I am told by seniors that playing in Australia is different. I have heard that wickets in Australia offer good bounce to spinners also. I am eager to play well and contribute to team’s success on this tour.

A  tour to Australia always evokes mixed emotions and opinions. If India’s efforts looked pathetic on one occasion, they were highly laudable on their last tour. However, the atmosphere in which India left for the Australian continent perhaps set the stage for a storm in a tea cup. It was not long before then that series itself took a backseat as matters of personal integrity and dignity escalated in the midst of a perceptible fall in cricketing standards. To think that the series is only two Test matches old! The series now stands dangerously on thin ice and under a dark, dubious cloud.
Big talk ahead of A big clash…
The fireworks started much before India landed in Australia. In fact the Australian team lost little time in showing their obvious displeasure and disgust at being bumped out of the World Twenty20 while India went onto win the popular spectacle. That India was Australia’s immediate destination did not bode well either. The general feeling among Australians and the subsequent media hype emphasized on the attitude of “let the Indians come to Australia…” India’s recent successes had perhaps added a tinge of pungency to the way they approached the tour and it was bound to happen that there would be little room for restraining tempers and even less for having crossed the line.
Beaten fair and square Down Under!
But if Indian fans expected their team to fire from the get go, they were in for disappointment. Australians may be world champions, but they are also formidable on home turf. It came as no surprise that while some critics slammed the lone match practice as the cause for India’s poor start, India themselves had perhaps not completely aligned themselves for the difficult foreign challenge ahead. Once again the inadequacy was highlighted in the first Test where the batting had not really sparked off at the beginning of a Test series abroad.
On this occasion, it proved rather costly. Losing by 337 runs does not really reveal why this series is believed to be a close fought challenge, fraught with tensions. Australia hit the mark with the openers, Matthew Hayden and Phil Jacques putting on a solid 135 run partnership. While the young partner had a useful half-century to his credit, it was the senior man who once again proved to be a thorn in the flesh for the opposition, cementing once more the notion of one of the top three Australian batsmen almost always providing the pivotal thrust for an Australian ascendancy. India did pull back a bit on skipper Anil Kumble’s largesse but niggling partnerships from India’s point of view meant that, while the wickets column for Zaheer Khan and Kumble looked fantastic, the latter picking up a five wicket haul, Australia had piled on a sumptuous feast for Melbourne’s Boxing Day Test.
India’s batting woes in both innings were almost entirely responsible for the pathetic show as India fell like a pack of cards in the first encounter, both, Brett Lee and Stuart Clark, hauling rich scalps. If the runs in Australia’s second innings were distributed almost evenly amongst the batsmen, except Michael Clarke who stood out for his seventy-three runs, so were the wickets to fall in India’s second innings. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly stood out in an otherwise desolate score card in the first innings, and it was the latter combining with V.V.S. Laxman to put up a brief but vain resistance as India chased a virtually impossible and imposing target of 499. Hayden had yet again impacted the game in Australia’s favour.
Big boys do the talking….
If the first match was purely cricket, the second was about everything but that. There have been a few instances of embroiling controversies, the latest being the Oval fiasco. But the New Year’s Test in Sydney will perhaps go down in history as the most talked about, controversial and critical match in cricketing history.
Problems began very early when Ricky Ponting was adjudged not out caught on the leg side. Ponting went on to score a vital half-century. But the woes for India got far worse still when Andrew Symonds kept testing his luck and remained defiant in the shadow of umpires’ bloopers to get him stumped twice. Standing his ground even when he knew he had nicked the ball to the ‘keeper added to India’s fury as Australia staged a dramatic recovery after being let off by the largesse of the umpires. Symonds’ innings thereafter was particularly vital not only for his unbeaten 162 runs but also, for the partnership he forged with Brad Hogg. It thwarted India from making further inroads and changed the course for Australia.
Then do the tinkering….
India decided to match run for run and more. Australia may have raised an innings of 463 runs when they were plunging (and should have plunged at) six for 134. But R.P. Singh showed his ability to come to the fore in the need of the hour alongside his skipper who was already leading from the front. Brett Lee may have scalped five wickets but even he could not prevent the duo of V.V.S. Laxman and Tendulkar from piling on the runs to give India the lead. Laxman has been Australia’s nemesis while Tendulkar chose to break his 90’s jinx to score his thirty-eighth Test century.
Faced with the grim prospect of the visitors finally coming into their own, Australia tried the other trick in the book that they do better than other countries when it comes to cricket – sledge. What should have been a matter between a bowler and batsman (in this case, Lee and Harbhajan) saw Symonds poking when he had no business to, if his claims of being disturbed by the Indian treatment in India is anything to go by.
Having committed the crime of precipitating matters, Australia then adopted the schoolboy approach of playing blame games. As if they had not unsettled the men in the middle, Ponting refused to see eye-to-eye on the matter and approached the match referee for malicious charge of racial slur. In the meantime centurions Matthew Hayden and Mike Hussey countered India’s lead and set India on the chase again. Chasing 333 for victory, India needed to at least draw this game before they could take the other matters on the field into perspective. Despite Dravid’s grim grit ahead and Ganguly’s newfound exigency, Kumble had to dig his bat deep with Mahendra Singh Dhoni even as the end of play was not far away.
In the midst of simmering tensions and hostile atmosphere, India had failed to save the Test in the dying moments of the game. The sheer anger on the skipper’s face said it all. Under moments of grim ordeal, India had finally wilted. But the worst was not over. As if the umpires had not shown enough ineptness for taking on a challenge like the current series, this was also not going to be a tour where the match referee was going to win any accolades. Not only was the verdict on Harbhajan outrageous, the manner in which the session as conducted left much to be desired. Not only was Sachin’s (direct eyewitness) words dismissed, even plain ignored, statements were recorded and judgement delivered on the basis of the testimony of two Australians (Hayden, Clarke) who were not even directly involved. There was little doubt where this would go thereafter.
Cricket matters..in the background…
In the midst of the madness, few pressing matters for India took a backseat. Ishant Sharma was brought into the second Test with Zaheer Khan indisposed with injury woes that threatened to put him out of the tour. But India had another niggling worry that showed a team’s first inadequacy against formidable teams. The idea behind taking on a champion side like Australia is to field the best possible, strongest team. However, India knew they were taking on a huge gamble by including Yuvraj Singh in an already packed batting line up. However, with Yuvraj considered more in the mould of a middle order finisher, there was little to suggest he would be thrust in the crucial opener’s slot alongside Wasim Jaffer, that too after an international Test recall after three years.
But India perhaps played one of their worst stop gap cards. Until recently Rahul Dravid was leading the Indian team. Presently he is facing a crisis of sorts, finding his bearings of sorts in his role as a pure batsman. But to dislodge him in this renewal process would be a crime. But then Indian committed the worst crime, playing around with their best number three batsman. It seemed that Dravid’s place in the side could only be salvaged by thrusting him in the opener’s role. Arguments never cease to suggest that the early fall of the first wicket would have meant him coming earlier. But that is still not his primary job. Tampering with the established to accommodate a new sensation was playing dumb charades with a team that seems to know all the answers and who knows how to raise the game a notch or two. Kirsten could perhaps throw an insight or two on that subject.
Firstly it was Yuvraj’s supposed attitude problem that was played up to the hilt by the Australian media and it took an entire day’s work for Chetan Rajput set right the comments attributed to him. His continued failures in the second Test were thereafter attributed to the surreptitious presence of his current lady love, Bollywood’s newest dazzling beauty. While none of these could really excuse his inability to convert his prolific form before coming to Australia, it made a strong case for another recall.
Virender Sehwag was not even on the horizon in the past year and Yuvraj’s sudden loss of form would perhaps prove Sehwag’s providence. Sehwag’s recall for this tour was questioned. But Sehwag may yet see the light of day in Perth when Yuvraj may once again be sidelined from the longer version of the game with the former scoring a century in the tour game. It would be interesting to see if India does field Sehwag and that too in the opener’s role or protect him against what is likely to be a bouncier pitch in Perth.
State of turmoil, treaty not in sight.
But for cricket to be played, matters had to be tackled between diplomats. But respite seemed not forthcoming. Even the otherwise reflective Kumble touched upon the lack of spirit of sportsmanship in the game. The Australians carried on their arrogant ways, but also incurred the wrath of their own media. With the tour under cloud, and the team having to emphasize the gravity of the situation back home, the ten day gap between tests had practically withered away and watered down what should have been the natural course of events. (The subject of the Test and its aftermath has been dealt with separately.)
Gary Kirsten was appointed coach of the national side in the midst of an ongoing controversy about the selection process. After months of debates, discussions and developments (not all in the right direction), the BCCI finally managed to appoint one. But in his role of a consultant (till he assumes a fulltime role in March), Kirsten now joins the team in Perth under very difficult circumstances. Not only has the team equilibrium been badly damaged, but there may be general feelings of all the turmoil gone in waste as Australia chase their seventeenth win. India now have all the climbing to do, notwithstanding the umpires’ flawed repercussions, the match referee’s lack of sensitivity, and the fact that Australia may have learned to win and create records but they have failed in the art to command respect. Their record may be unbeaten; but the manner in which it was raised and the spirit in which it was played would make one wonder: To what level must sport stoop to accommodate one dominant team’s superfluous glory?

It’s amazing how South Africa produces an assembly line of quality fast bowlers. After Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock carried the team’s pace hopes on their broad shoulders for an extended period the former retired very early in the new millennium. Pollock carried on and over the next few years was joined by the likes of Nantie Hayward, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel and Monde Zondeki. In the last few years Dale Steyn has added teeth to the already strong pace attack and an excellent record has seen him bypass the others to be acknowledged as South Africa’s spearhead - which is saying something for Ntini, Nel and Pollock were still around. Now with Pollock having called it a day Steyn will have to carry that much more added responsibility. But given his inborn talent, the fact that he never gives up and from what the cricketing world has so far seen and admired the strongly built and broad shouldered Steyn has it in him not only to take on this responsibility but also thrive on it to become even more successful.
And yet Steyn did not burst upon the scene in any dramatic manner. He has taken time to mature though he was rushed into international cricket. He was picked for the Test series against England in 2004-05 a little more than a season after he had made his first class debut during which he had played just seven such games. He had a rather disappointing initiation paying out 52 runs for each of the eight wickets he took in the three Tests. At this stage Steyn had raw pace but with little control something that was emphasized when Essex signed him up for the 2005 season. Steyn’s 14 county championship wickets cost him almost 60 apiece. Though initially his lack of experience at international level was exposed there was enough to suggest that he could be a force to be reckoned with if persevered.
Recalled to the Test side in April 2006, he responded with his first five-wicket haul as New Zealand were routed in the first Test at Centurion. He finished the three-Test series with 16 wickets, and made a fine impression throughout. In Sri Lanka a few months later he took three for 129 in the first Test and five for 82 in the first innings of the second match even as South Africa slumped to a 2-0 series whitewash. Although not a permanent fixture during the 2006-07 season progress continued and he brought an added dimension to the new-ball attack as South Africa searched for a cutting edge. He took ten economical wickets in three Tests against India and Pakistan. In the 2007 summer he had a fruitful stint with Warwickshire topping the wickets table in the limited overs games with 16 wickets even though he has enjoyed only limited success in the few ODIs he has played. Not that this will bother Steyn overmuch for as a fast bowler he prefers to make his mark in Test cricket and given his record so far there is little doubt that he will continue to be successful.
It was in 2007 that Steyn really hit the jackpot and the headlines. In six Tests last year he set a scorching pace with 39 wickets that cost him less than 15 each and a scalp every 26 deliveries. His outstanding run meant that he was acknowledged to be among the most lethal fast bowlers around today.
After only 18 Tests Steyn has already notched up an impressive tally of 91 wickets. Five wickets a Test is something only the best bowlers have achieved and this serves as the most telling tribute to his fast bowling skills. The other statistics are no less impressive – an average of just over 23, a stupendous strike rate of 37.5 and an economy rate of 3.71 which for a bowler of his pace is quite astounding. Even Donald needed nine more deliveries per wicket at a similar stage. Steyn has had a five-wicket haul seven times and a ten-wicket haul twice.
The 24-year-old Steyn really underlined his progress in two successive contests against New Zealand and West Indies towards the end of last year. Of the 37 New Zealand wickets to fall in the 2-0 hammering that the Kiwis suffered 20 were captured by Steyn alone. South African captain Graeme Smith made no effort to disguise what Steyn meant for the team. “Dale was superb. He bowled with pace and good control, he’s got swing and he’s been able to strike at different times for us,” Smith said after Steyn finished with career-best figures of six for 49 to destroy New Zealand on the third afternoon of the second Test. Steyn took ten wickets in each of the two Tests.
Steyn was not through yet as he proceeded to demolish the West Indies. In three Tests he finished with 20 wickets and a second successive man of the series award. He was at his best in the final Test. On a flat and true surface, it was the raw pace of Steyn that made all the difference on the final day as he polished off the West Indian innings with a spell of four for zero off 15 deliveries with the second new ball to finish with figures of six for 72. His coup de grace was spectacular. In the midst of a golden season Steyn underlined his rising stature with an unplayable delivery to Marlon Samuels that pitched on off, held its line and clattered into the top of the stump. It takes a special bowler to produce such a ball to a batsman who was well settled on 105 and looking good for many more.
West Indies were 273 for five before Steyn dismissed Samuels. There was no stopping him now. In his next over, he squared up Darren Sammy with another 140kph leg-cutter that took the leading edge and flew straight back to the bowler, and three balls later Daren Powell lost his off stump to another wicked delivery. Jerome Taylor applied a late gloss with three smeared fours off Ntini but Steyn returned to wrap up the match, rattling the stumps once again with a fast, full and straight delivery to Fidel Edwards. On the day that Pollock stepped down his successor showed just how ready he was to take over.
According to Steyn the competition from his team-mate Morne Morkel was the big reason for his flat-out aggressive bowling. “It was an eye opener to me when Morné suddenly appeared on the scene to take my place. At the age of 24, I should be replacing other guys, not being replaced. It was a big shock to me,” he said in a newspaper interview last year. That said, Steyn said he welcomed the competition and believed it was very healthy for South African cricket. “I can hardly wait to see what’s going to happen when Morné is fully fit and available again. I only know he is not going to get my place. Someone else will have to stand back for him because I’m going to cling to what I have. But the way things stand now, South African cricket will be the winner because the seam bowlers will be giving each other a run for places in the team.”
Not surprisingly Steyn has walked away with all the accolades in recent times. “I can’t really explain it,” he said. “I just try to enjoy the moment and ride the wave for as long as I can. I have so much rhythm in my action and feel so comfortable that I just want to keep on bowling. It feels as if it is the most natural thing that I’m doing.”
New Zealand’s Craig Cumming (who needed metal plates inserted in his cheekbone) may feel otherwise after their seasons came to an early end but Steyn said he hates hitting batsman. “I know it helps us when one of our opponents’ top-order batsmen has to retire but I don’t enjoy hurting any batsman deliberately. I also don’t talk too much to the batsmen when I bowl. I rather concentrate on taking their wickets. That gives me much more pleasure.” Here is a true professional from the old world.
Steyn these days is living out a fairy tale of a career even though he did not come wrapped in conventional fast bowlers’ packaging. For a start he still looks too small and too short even after four years of fitness-training and gym work and he neither talks nor acts like a conventional fast bowler. His lack of aggression on the field is a faithful reproduction of his character and personality off it.
At one time it was feared that Steyn might be too soft to be a world-beater. Now of course he displays the right amount of aggression while hurling the ball down at around the 140kph mark but he still remains a smiling assassin. Steyn has always been considered an out-and-out strike bowler and Smith who is pleased no end with his progress has been happy to set attacking fields and concede a few runs if it means wickets are being taken. And the fact that Steyn combines the two elements long needed in the South African pace attack - genuine, blistering pace and late, wicked swing - means he is likely to be their key bowler in Test cricket for some time to come. These days even with the likes of Nel and Ntini around it is Steyn who is given the new ball. He is currently in the top ten in the ICC’s Test bowling rankings.
Right now all is bright and cheerful in terms of South Africa’s pace bowling thanks mainly to the rapid progress made by Steyn. Hailing from the mining town of Phalaborwa, about 500km north-east of Johannesburg and bordering the Kruger National Park, his approach exudes a simplicity that probably has much to do with living in the bushveld. He is all smiles off the field - and these days he has plenty of reason for it.

A is for Ashes, the last edition ending in a 5-0 whitewash for the Australians at the Sydney Cricket Ground early 2007. Ponting captained and batted the Poms out of the series – and won the Man of the Series award, while Stuart Clark ended up being the man of the Match in this one. More importantly, Glen McGrath and Shane Warne bowed out of Test cricket – McGrath had one last dash at the World Cup – and the curtains were drawn on an era. Incidentally, Warne ended with only two wickets in this match, to end his tally with 708 wickets.

B is for Botham, who was awarded the knighthood by the Queen, an honour he richly deserves for his all round capabilities coupled with his charity walks. However, apart from his friendship with Freddie Flintoff, not many English cricketers seemed to have taken a liking for this man – as Duncan Fletcher’s autobiography revealed. Botham seemed to have rubbed the wrong side of many a cricketer, by his “inconsistent observations and highly critical commentary”. One does not know too much about the inconsistencies, but, under prepared he certainly was – sometimes – as can be noted by his commentary stints. “West Indies may bring in Pedro Collins for the next Test match”, he observed on West Indies’ tour to England, only to be politely reminded by Michael Holding that Collins had not been a part of the squad!

C is for Coaches. It certainly was an year of the coaches. Bob Woolmer’s death and the high profile following of the case was obviously the low light, but Duncan Fletcher and Greg Chappell’s resignation after a poor World Cup, snubbings from BCCI to Dav Whatmore, and Graham Ford to BCCI, Kevin Curran’s in-your-face responses and finally the appointment of Gary Kirsten for the Indian job capped a very interesting year. Little wonder that Shane Warne called ex-Aussie coach John Buchanan, a “goose suffering from verbal diarrhoea” post retirement.

D is for Dravid, whose form in 2007 was anything but Dravid like. It began decently with a 29 and 47 against SA, and a half-century and a ton against Bangladesh, but after that it was all downhill. Only two more fifties after that in Tests, and almost nothing going for him in the ODIs, he resigned from his captaincy, due to apparent differences with the chief of selectors, Dilip Vengsarkar. If this was not enough, his form in the ODI series against Australia left a lot to be desired; it led to his ‘resting’ and then getting dropped from the ODI squad. Something was definitely not right with arguably the best Test cricketer of India.

E is for Expired: Bob Woolmer died a day after Pakistan got knocked out of the World Cup in suspicious circumstances, whereas Percy Sonn lost his life after battling a colon complication, while serving as the President of the ICC. Bill Johnston, a part of ‘The Invincibles’ of 1948, also died at a ripe age of 85.

F is for Freddie Flintoff, who seemed to be living in the glory of his performances of the yesteryears. So injuries and fitness concerns saw him play only one Test in the whole year. And although he appeared in twenty odd ODIs, more often than not, he was there for only one of the two departments of the game. If the Fredalo incident was not enough, he even had the audacity to ‘sledge’ Yuvraj, only to learn it the hard way, that when the time is not going your way, you better concentrate on your game, than worry about the rest. Yuvraj hit the next over for 36 runs; Flintoff wished the ground had a hole.

G is for Ganguly’s fairytale comeback. Dumped by the wayside during Greg Chappell’s reign, he first made a comeback despite Chappell’s presence. Then he went on to recapture his lost form after Chappell resigned, and scored his first double hundred in Tests against Pakistan. His Test average was a remarkable 62 runs per innings, where as it read an equally good 44 for the ODIs. Hats off to the comeback story of 2007.

H is for Hershelle Gibbs, who became the first cricketer in the history of the ODIs, to hit all deliveries of an over for a six – in the World Cup – off the bowling of V.D. Bunge, against Netherland. He carried this form to the World Cup semi finals, where he managed to score a 39 against the Aussies, but the rest of the team collapsed, and Aussies reached the finals – for the 4th successive time.

I is for ICL and IPL, the two leagues that got announced in the year 2007. While ICL was the breakaway league, sanctioned by Mr. Subhash Chandra, BCCI decided not to remain behind and went ahead with its plans of IPL – both are based on similar concepts of playing cricket the soccer way. Cities would be represented by not only their own cricketers, but also foreigners, and cricketers like Brian Lara and Glen McGrath were signed up quickly. Come what may, the face of cricket changes drastically after these two tournaments were unveiled, little surprise that India was the front runner again.

J is for Jelly Beans. If the Indians did not know what Jelly Beans were, they surely did now; some sweet candies that inspire fast bowlers like Zaheer Khan to bowl faster and better and win Tests for them. England already knew what they were, but they also realized the hazards of using them for purposes they should not have, i.e. throwing them on incoming batsmen, again, batsmen of the fast bowling variety, like Zaheer Khan who could blow the English heads off, and win matches for their teams.

K is for King Khan, who made his presence felt at every cinema house…and cricket stadiums, much to chagrin of BCCI. Shah rukh felt hurt and insulted, and vowed never to visit any stadium again. Now come on BCCI, you can’t do this to the hearth throb of millions!

L is for the Love that got lost between some of the Australians – read Andrew Symonds – and Indians – read S. Sreesanth, and took the India-Australia rivalry to newer heights. Or depths, whichever way you look you look at it. And if events of the SCG Test are to be looked at, then one can easily point out to the aforesaid mentioned cricketers as the ‘fire starters’!

M is for Mandira Bedi who kept getting into controversies for her sarees. One of them involved the wearing of a saree which had the Indian flag on it, next to the feet. Mandira apologized later, and even if one discounted the controversy, one thing was certain – some of her dresses were as atrocious as they could get. Mandira later shifted from that channel to one of the leading sports channels of India.

N is for New Zealand and their atrocious form in 2007. They played only two tests, and lost both by heavy margins. And if one discounts its matches against Bangladesh and co. they lost more ODIs than they won, but more importantly, in the later half of the year, did not seem like an international team wanting to compete.

O is for On-the-top (of the world), for Muralitharan, who broke Shane Warne’s record of 708 wickets in Test matches, by bowling Colligwood out. The other side of the story was that Ponting publicly made a statement – we won’t allow Murli to get the record in Australia – and sure enough they did not.

P is for Ponting and his men, who managed to win all the Tests matches and lost only 4 of the twenty five odd ODIs he captained in. Small wonder he has been the best ‘on-field’ captain amongst the current lot. For those who feel that his captaincy is as good as the team, take one look at Michael hussey, who took over for three matches in the year, managed to lose all and couldn’t wait to get the responsibility off his shoulders.

Q is for the Quickest bowler in the world, Jhulan Goswami! Yes, she not only was clocked as the quickest, but also won the ICC award for the best bowler in the world. And coming from a small town, made it even more special for the Indian!

S is for South Africa’s great choke story in big tournaments – they were pummeled in the semi finals of the main event – the World Cup – and then crashed out before the knockout stage of the World T20 Cup, although they could have lost their last league match and still qualify for the semi finals. Some things never change.

T is for Twenty20 and the World T20 Cup. 2007 would definitely be remembered as the year when the T20 format of cricket took off with a World T20 Cup that captured people’s imagination like none other. If ever a script was written in heaven, this was it, as Pakistan routed the Kiwis in the first semi finals, while India beat Asutralia in the other. In a final that was beamed across the world, India beat Pakistan in a thriller – little wonder a recent report put the final at number 10th in all time sports TV audiences of 2007.

U is for the Underdogs, Ireland, who ousted Pakistan from the World Cup, Bangladesh who did the same to India and then Zimbabwe who beat Australia in the World T20 Cup. Small matter, the World T20 cup final was also fought between two underdogs, India and Pakistan.

V is for Vengsarkar, the chief of Indian Cricket selectors who saw it all in 2007. Shooting from one’s lip, he asked “where is the talent?” quote got changed to “I am happy the youth’s success at Twenty20″, “Seniors need to pull up their socks” to “There is no pressure on the seniors till they perform” to dropping of Dravid and coming up with a statement “Players are going to be selected on form and fitness.” Sehwag was included in the squad, and the statement that came out was, “Sehwag has been among the runs in recent times”, when the statistics proved quite contradictory. Vengsarkar’s newspaper columns also came under the scanner, which led the BCCI to set a seven point diktat for the National Selectors. The Colonel retaliated like only he knows best, threatening to quit, if he did not get compensated. Things cooled down quite a bit, but one has sure not heard the last on this one.

W is for the World Cup 2007, that grabbed attention for all the wrong reasons – Chris Dehring, Malcolm Speed may beg to differ – but Bob Woolmer’s death under suspicious circumstances, clouds of match fixing over a couple of the matches, an unusually long tournament that tired and bored everyone, steep pricing of match tickets, banning of the musical instruments inside the grounds and India and Pakistan’s 1st round exits from the tournament, meant that World Cup could very well have been termed as the worst ever of the lot so far. The final was marred with controversy as well, when the umpires – all three of them – and the match referee – coolly forgot that it takes only 20 overs for a game to be deemed official. Easily, a tournament to forget in a hurry.

X is for the unknown (from the X of X-rays!), ways of getting out that Misbah-ul-haq found out at various stages in the year, at inopportune times. So, first it was a case of not been able to score a run off two deliveries versus India, to be followed by a shot that could give Mike Gatting’s reverse sweep – of the 1987 World Cup final fame – a run for its money in the finals of world T20 cup. If this was not enough, he went on to jump into his crease to get runout, a yard away – in height – from the crease.

Y is for Yuvraj and his awesome year on field…and off it as well. Even if one discounted the six sixes that he hit off Stuart Broad in one over in the World T20 Cup, his form in the rest of T20s and even the ODIs was too sublime to be ignored – as his average of almost 46 in 2007 showed. His bowling tapered off a little, but he scored a hit off the field as well, with his relationship with Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone, only well chronicled.

Z is for Zimbabwe, whose Test status continued to remain suspended; the political situation did nothing of note to inspire faith in the touring teams and their ODI record, continued from where it had left off in 2006. They managed to win only 2 out of their 15 matches, but their biggest achievement was in the World T20 Cup, when they stunned the Aussies – just like they had 24 years back in the 1983 World Cup. Other than that, West Indies and Bangladesh were the only two nations that lost a match each to Zimbabwe, something that speaks volumes about the two, more than anything else.