Ask Aakash

Hello folks

Instead of writing about the reasons for our loss and the aspects in which we were found wanting - whoever has followed the match already knows - I'd first congratulate Rest of India for retaining the Irani Cup. We lost to a better team, but we're still disappointed because we feel we could've fared a little better. The manner in which we succumbed lacked the basic quality we were very proud of last season: the fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude. We have plenty to ponder upon, and fortunately we have five more weeks to get our act together before we start our pursuit to retain the Ranji title.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for reading my blog, and the feedbacks and comments are much appreciated. I'll try and answer a few questions that have been asked by people since I started writing this blog.

Zohan asked me whether a player could miss a match whenever he felt like it, and why Gautam Gambhir didn't play in the Mohammad Nissar Trophy.
Dear Zohan, a player cannot pick and choose matches he'd like to play in or sit out of. It's subject to fitness and form. In the case of Gambhir, he had a groin strain that forced him to miss the match against Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited.

Manhar Patel wanted to know why the Delhi team didn't stay at Taj or some other decent hotel. Whose fault was that?
Dear Manhar, whenever we play an away game it's our state's responsibility to look after the team's stay. In this case it's the DDCA that should be held responsible for not arranging for our stay in a decent hotel. The BCCI did their job efficiently as the ROI team stayed at the Taj.

Udit wondered why we didn't declare on the third day against SNGPL.
A. Dear Udit, we had a target in mind for both, the number of runs and the number of overs required to bowl them out in the second innings. We had no way of knowing that rain would ruin everything. We couldn't have taken the chance of declaring too early because had there been no rain, we would've looked like fools. We needed to set them a target of at least 350 runs to make a match of it.

Haider Mahmud mentioned that I hadn't given any credit to the SNGPL bowlers for dismissing our team cheaply in the first innings.
Please accept my apologies if I forgot to mention that. They did bowl exceptionally well, and used the conditions brilliantly in the first innings. Yet, the same attack was found wanting and asked very few questions once the track flattened out in the second dig.

Piyush asked me why I chose to bat in the middle order in the second innings of the Irani Cup.
Dear Piyush, it wasn't intentional to bat down the order. I'd twisted my ankle very badly while fielding, and the swollen ankle prevented me from opening the innings. I batted with a runner in the second innings, but the injury's no excuse for getting out. Although the ankle is still giving me some trouble, I'm working overtime to get it in order and hope to be fully fit for the Board President’s XI match against the Australians.

Abhishek asked me about the importance of patience while playing in the longer version of the game.
Dear Abhishek, as you rightly mentioned patience is a very important attribute, but I'd like to add that it's equally important in all forms of the game. One needs to be patient regardless of the format. It's just that in the longer format one needs to be a little more patient. One develops patience with experience as with time one realises that one good shot doesn't get you a century, and one good ball doesn't get you a five-for. One needs to bat well for a few hours to reach the three-figure mark, and similarly one needs to bowl consistently well to take a five-for.

I've tried to answer a few of the questions and will try to do so every now and then. So please keep reading, commenting and asking.

It's time to go back and put my ankle in a bucket of ice.

Bye