Beyond the Blues
A bowler in the Manoj Prabhakar mould
Bowling Hyderabad out for 21 came as a bit of a shock for us
Aakash Chopra
25-Feb-2013
Bowling Hyderabad out for 21 came as a bit of a shock for us. When they were three down, I remember a team-mate in the slips told me we might need to bat by around tea. I told him it was too early to say that. Ranji Trophy has taught me otherwise on many occasions.
I told him once the pitch dries out, once the ball gets a little order, there is bound to be a partnership somewhere. They might even bat out the whole day. It never crossed my mind that you can bowl a side out for 21, that too Hyderabad, who are no pushovers. They are no nobodies.
The wickets, though, just kept falling. Everyone just came and kept playing reckless shots. All of a sudden we were batting after the first drinks break. We didn't even have time for it to sink in.
Full postForce teams from their rut
What appeared to me for ages as a rather nonchalant approach from the managers towards a plain Indian domestic cricket and its slip-ups is, to my delight, now being replaced by a more informed and involved outlook
Aakash Chopra
25-Feb-2013
What appeared to me for ages as a rather nonchalant approach from the managers towards a plain Indian domestic cricket and its slip-ups is, to my delight, now being replaced by a more informed and involved outlook.
For instance, not only genuine lovers of the game but also top honchos seem to be sitting up and taking note of the abysmal quality of teams in the Plate division. "What do we do with them?" is the big hopeless question doing the rounds. While this change of heart is good news, I ask a slightly different question to get a possible answer: "What do we do with the teams that aren't showing any real progress?" For blaming only the teams in Plate division would be naive.
There are a lot of teams in Indian domestic cricket that are participating but not competing. They turn up season after season only to produce an almost identical performance before fading into oblivion for the next six months. Some teams are more than happy to be just there, without making the effort to stretch the envelope.
Full postThe great India domestic season
This blog is indeed an effort to bring those many untold yet intriguing stories about first-class cricket to the forefront, and hence give you readers an opportunity to get to know Indian cricket closely
Aakash Chopra
25-Feb-2013
Nothing gives me more pleasure than penning down my thoughts on the great Indian domestic season. The story isn't much different from that of small-town India: vying for recognition and hoping to make a mark nationally. With aspirations, come trials, fascinating and enduring. This blog is indeed an effort to bring those many untold yet intriguing stories about first-class cricket to the forefront, and hence give you readers an opportunity to get to know Indian cricket closely.
A good parameter to determine how serious state cricket associations are about a lacklustre, bland, and apparently irrelevant domestic match is simply the intent and the initiative that has gone into organising it. Sample this for instance: in the North Zone, all matches are still played during the day, on a venue with two grounds, accommodating two matches simultaneously. The facilities, whatever little, are of course divided between four teams, with two of them being forced to sit in makeshift dressing rooms made in the form of tents. And if that doesn't speak enough about the abysmal affairs, all four teams and the staff share only two toilets. Of course, the managers of the show would have wanted to cut down 'undue' work and hassle and so have continued to plan such games year after year. What is put on stake though is - a first-class player's honour, the quality of the show, and the state cricket association's reputation. Clearly then, neither the game nor the player is the real stakeholder in domestic tournaments.
To my utter disbelief and pleasure, the set-up in the Central Zone is very different to the one in the North. Firstly, and more importantly, the matches here are played at an international venue, which in turn means state-of-the-art facilities for all players. Instead of going for the easier option of having two grounds and only day matches, they've opted to have only one ground and even have a match under lights. And since just switching on the floodlights turns a cricket match into a spectacle, the stadia too saw a modest turnout. Enthusiastic fans turned up, maybe not in huge numbers, but they did turn up to catch a glimpse of the stars and cheer for their favourite teams.
Full postTry Pujara in the shorter formats
If Cheteshwar Pujara is good enough to lead India's second-best team and also scores more runs than everyone else, then why can't he be considered for the shorter format?
Aakash Chopra
25-Feb-2013
What is tougher to deal with? Your debut match against one of the best teams in the world in front of a packed house, or the knowledge that regardless of your showing in the game, you'd only get one chance, at least for the time being?
Just to add to the pressure, you got a ball that kept alarmingly low in the first innings and constantly reminded you of a letdown. You stand at the edge of the cliff; one wrong move and it might just blow up all your dreams. That's how Cheteshwar Pujara must have felt when he walked on to the field to take guard as India's No. 3 batsman on the last day of the second Test match against Australia in Bangalore. If there is ever what we call a 'pressure-cooker situation' in cricket, that was certainly one of those.
Surely then, the way you embark upon such a situation would inevitably determine the shape your career takes. These situations separate men from boys, and the way Pujara responded showed that he belonged. His feet movement was decisive, his shot selection assured, and above all, the composure with which he played must have calmed a few nerves in the dressing room.
Full postDon't let domestic tournaments die
Genuine efforts must be made to sustain a potentially successful property; not only to safeguard its sanctity, but also to keep both the players and the viewers hooked
Aakash Chopra
25-Feb-2013
A fiery Sreesanth bowled a rather fine delivery, and in his follow-through, tried to intimidate the batsman. Unfortunately for him, the batsman happened to be Sachin Tendulkar who got stuck into Sreesanth. What followed was a flurry of boundaries as the rookie was shown his place in the man's world. Another game, this time in Mohali; young Piyush Chawla came out of nowhere to breach the master's defence with his googly. He immediately became a household name and the player for the future. After all he had dismissed Tendulkar.
This is the story of the Challenger trophy on two different occasions. The tournament was introduced to give the best 36 in the country, a chance to play against each other under lights. It was as close as one could get to play an international match against or with the top stars. The Challenger trophy grew in stature as people started flocking the stadiums and even the broadcaster got decent numbers. Since other 50-over domestic tournaments are rarely played under lights and to packed houses, it was a wonderful opportunity for the youngsters. While for the selectors, it was a chance to have a first-hand knowledge of the young and upcoming cricketers in the country.
The Corporate Trophy, another tournament introduced by the BCCI last year, too had a lot of potential and benefits, both on the field and off it. It involved all the big corporate teams in the country, and hence ensured not only a good competition, but also jobs for a lot of cricketers. The tournament rules meant that companies had to start employing players through the sports-quota and not make do with players playing for them on stipend. And for the big corporate houses, especially those who are already involved in the IPL, like Reliance and India Cements, it meant doing something worthwhile outside the IPL.
Full post'Poor' Mohali pitch hurts Test cricket
I remember playing a Duleep Trophy match against West Zone at the PCA Stadium in Mohali
Aakash Chopra
25-Feb-2013
I remember playing a Duleep Trophy match against West Zone at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. It was a classic Mohali track with pace, bounce and enough lateral movement to keep the batsmen guessing and, for once, making the bowlers believe that being a bowler wasn't that bad a thing. Faster men ruled the match but good batting was also rewarded, for bounce always helps to play shots.
Then there was the second Test match of my debut series against New Zealand at the same venue. While the track wasn't as lively as it was for the Duleep Trophy, it had enough to keep the bowlers interested. What made the show even more exciting were the spectators who'd come out in huge numbers on all five days of the Test match despite India trailing. A lot has changed since then - the pitch is a far cry from its original spirit, turning potentially competitive games into wishy-washy affairs. The spectators too seem to have got a whiff of the bland show, and hence don't care much about turning up and supporting their country.
The ongoing Test Match in Mohali seems to have been hit by both problems : a tame pitch and a low-key audience. The track is not even a pale shadow of what it used to be. The much talked-about pace and bounce is a thing of the past. Now we witness a low, slow wicket that is not ideal for a fair competition between the bat and the ball. If it wasn't for the SG Test ball, which helps the spinners with its pronounced seam and assists the pacers with reverse swing, bowlers may start mulling over their availability for the venue.
Full postInnovations in the Champions League
It was survival instinct that drove players to look for cutting-edge tactics at the recently concluded Champions League Twenty20
Aakash Chopra
25-Feb-2013
It was survival instinct that drove players to look for cutting-edge tactics at the recently concluded Champions League Twenty20. The second tournament has been nothing short of a discovery: unsettling yet determined shots, novel field positions and a whole new bag of tricks from the bowlers to hold them in good stead. That's what made the CLT20 a good show. Despite some ordinary cricket, there were also some splashes of brilliance. Here are my observations from the tournament.
Starting with the fine-leg fielder inside the circle
Most teams had the fine-leg fielder inside the ring and pushed the square-leg fielder back to the boundary right from the beginning. This is not how teams have traditionally begun one-day innings, preferring instead to have the fielder beside the square-leg umpire save singles and the fine leg, though slightly squarer, back on the boundary.
Most teams had the fine-leg fielder inside the ring and pushed the square-leg fielder back to the boundary right from the beginning. This is not how teams have traditionally begun one-day innings, preferring instead to have the fielder beside the square-leg umpire save singles and the fine leg, though slightly squarer, back on the boundary.
There are three reasons to have the square-leg fielder back. First, the balls that end up in the fine-leg region are the ones drifting down leg side but bowlers, especially in Twenty20 cricket, back themselves not to err in line. Second, the batsmen aren't afraid to hit over the top and taking the aerial route over the square-leg fielder is safer than walking across the stumps to play fine or to scoop the ball like Dilshan and McCullum. Third, bowlers don't mind conceding singles because a single is as good as a dot ball in Twenty20 cricket.
Full postChampions League needs better selection process
Cricketers from Maharashtra must be wondering what Wayamba from Sri Lanka did to be playing in the Champions League in South Africa
Aakash Chopra
25-Feb-2013
Cricketers from Maharashtra must be wondering what Wayamba from Sri Lanka did to be playing in the Champions League in South Africa. Don’t tell them that Wayamba won their domestic championship because so did Maharashtra. You may want to remind them of the high standards of competition and their obvious lack of quality, but isn’t Wayamba looking like a fish out of water too? So even that argument falls flat on its face.
Apparently, T20 cricket bridges the gap between the good and the bad teams, thanks to its unpredictable nature and small canvas, but even then, Wayamba is looking woefully out of its depth. Obviously, Wayamba is not to be blamed, but the flawed system. Wayamba haven’t gatecrashed the event; they deserved to be there after winning their domestic tourney.
Champions League, supposedly, is a clash between the domestic T20 champions from different nations -- India being the only exception by choosing to put forward the IPL champions. To consider the IPL a domestic tournament of the standard of domestic cricket in the West Indies and Sri Lanka is grossly unrealistic. All domestic tournaments in the world have a fair representation of their states, districts or counties and that’s what makes it the level playing field for everyone involved. In the IPL we have only eight teams representing the country where 27 teams play at the first-class level. And even those eight teams have four overseas players in the playing XI further curtailing the role of Indian domestic players.
Full postIPL teams have the edge in the Champions League
Most teams are coming out of an off-season and might be equally rusty as our IPL teams
Aakash Chopra
25-Feb-2013
A quick look at the playing XIs of quite a few of the non-IPL teams in the Champions League is enough to tell the story in no uncertain terms - they are the poorer cousins of their IPL counterparts. Let's say they are as good as a Bengal or a Baroda, but are as run down as any state team would be, when playing an international outfit. The IPL teams swanking big names and decades of experience are of course better bets.
Logically then, the local teams sans star power should not be a patch on the three Indian teams. Yet not only have they put up a good fight, but have outperformed the IPL teams - none of the Indian teams qualified for the knock-outs in the first edition of the tournament. So what is it that is allowing the lesser teams to hold sway? More importantly, a question begs to be asked -- how good are our IPL teams after all?
In my humble opinion, it isn't the standard but the sheer competitiveness that seals the deal in favour of the IPL. Most teams in the IPL are equally balanced or imbalanced and share similar strengths and handicaps. Teams have the luxury of being able to start slowly, since the league is a lengthy event. So it's okay to start working as a unit a couple of weeks into the tournament.
Full postA tournament with potential
I wrote this at the Chennai airport while waiting for my flight back to Delhi
Aakash Chopra
25-Feb-2013
I wrote this at the Chennai airport while waiting for my flight back to Delhi. It was delayed by half an hour and so it was a perfect time to pull out my laptop and mull over the matters of the past week-and-a-half. Buchi Babu Tournament has been my first assignment in the new season, as a part of a new team, under a new coach and a new board - the Rajasthan Cricket Association. It has also been my debut in the tournament itself, Delhi never having played in it. Obviously, we at RCA are fancying our chances of bouncing back into the Elite division this year, and hence getting into the groove before we hit the crease for the Ranji Trophy matches.
Buchi Babu is an invitational tournament organised by TNCA, hosting 13 state teams from all over the country. Since the first class season is just round the corner, this tournament along with KSCA tournament in Bangalore and Moin-Ud-Dowla in Hyderabad are considered to be good practice sessions for the important matches ahead. State teams use these tournaments to dry run their fringe players and also provide a good enough practice to its senior players in the longer format. After all, once the first-class season gets over, there's hardly any tournament which is not a limited-overs one.
This tournament also gives you an insight into the seriousness of the association with regards to the upcoming season. While some teams travel sans a proper coach, trainer and physios, others travel with the entire entourage as they would for a first-class game. Some associations have also gone a step further to arrange overseas tours for their state teams in order to broaden their horizons. Personally, I'm not too sure if travelling abroad and playing limited-overs cricket in alien conditions is the ideal way to prepare for a grueling first-class season in Indian conditions. But since playing some cricket is always better than playing no cricket at all, the effort should be lauded. Also, there might be a feeling among the players to go that extra yard to keep up the name of the country, and the association which made an effort to provide them with the opportunity.
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