The Surfer

"Everything that happened later had its origins 10 years previously; mid-1980s. As each successful player of that era left, we kept saying, 'Australia has an academy; England is doing this; South Africa, when it comes back in, plans doing that, with their development.’ We went blithely along, with these businessmen supposedly running cricket, based on the philosophy that West Indies had such talent that we will continue to win. All that they had to do was wait, be around, to get the glory. We all saw the signs and asked: ‘What are we doing to develop our cricket? It is going backwards.’ Not many of our administrators have changed since then. Numerous presidents and CEOs are symptoms of not being able to make any changes. There is this core of administrators, not just at West Indies Cricket Board level but in territorial boards, who are just there just in case WI cricket suddenly turns that corner. They have no vision, no idea what needs to be done, to get West Indies back on track."

A promo for the domestic tournament in Australia till last year used to proudly proclaim the land Down Under as being the breedingground for world-champions. And while, its counterpart in India cannot afford such a hyperbole as yet, Dhoni & Co will be well aware that sustaining the No. 1 status will depend heavily on the bench-strength they are capable of cultivating, adding that much more significance to the 77th edition of the Ranji Trophy.

"Talent is nothing. I can’t stop people from saying that I am talented. That’s their view. In cricket, talent gets you nowhere, it is the runs and the wickets that matter. That’s how it has been for ages and that’s how it is going to be. The fact remains that I need runs and runs and more runs. Only runs will keep me in contention for a regular spot in the Indian team.”

With the exception of Vettori and the untested Williamson, all these players have so far failed to realise their various potential and the sad fact is most of them have had 10 times the time it should have taken to do so.

Maybe I am just like them - and believe they are a little better than they actually are. I hate to say that and they should hate it being said, but a world-class performance here and there does not actually make you a world-class performer.

After Bangladesh the public wanted blood and they didn't get it, so the stakes are high now. Expectation is, however, low so the Black Caps can breathe a little easier that they don't need to win in India.

If anything England have become more Australian than the Australians. For years the feature of the set-up there, was that, compared with England, Australia's selection policy was more stable, less prone to chop and change and their team was younger and more vibrant. Yet since January 2007 England have used only 30 players and five of those have played a solitary Test. There were Darren Pattinson and Amjad Khan (both highly unlikely to be selected again), Michael Carberry and James Tredwell (they might get another game) and Amjad Shahzad (almost certain to add to the cap he won at Manchester last June). So in effect England have relied on only 25 players in almost four years, which suggests a rare stability. In the Ashes summer of 1989 alone England picked 29 different players.

He has the opportunity to earn himself a place in the pantheon of the great English captains. If Strauss led England to a series victory this winter, after 20 barren years of tours to Australia, it would be a feat that would be cherished alongside the Ashes win in 2005. Now, just as in that summer, the English appetite for success is especially sharp because there have been so many painful and fruitless years. And 15 days after the one-day team play their final fixture in Australia, they play their first match in the 2011 World Cup.

Devastating with bat and ball, Botham kicked off the tour with a century in Brisbane and took five for 41 at Melbourne in the game that sealed the series win. Now a Knight of the Realm, charity fund-raiser, seller of wholesome breakfast cereals and an outspoken pundit on television and radio.

Father of current squad member Stuart, Chris Broad joined Jack Hobbs and Wally Hammond in scoring three consecutive centuries in Ashes Tests. Became a ICC Test official and was on duty for the ill-fated match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2009 when the convoy of vehicles he was in was attacked by terrorists. Received praise for his conduct at that time when he protected an injured umpire while risking his own life.

I do not agree with John Buchanan’s view that Pietersen is selfish. I have worked with KP and seen him operate. It is all about the leadership of the team making him feel important, that he is the main man. Everyone has to toe the line but there are some people who are free spirits and you have to let them go. KP is always one of the best prepared players in world cricket. He is forensic in the way he prepares both physically and mentally so just let him go. The more you cage him and encroach on his preparation time then the less he will perform for you.

Swann has an air of confidence about him that can worry the opposition. He is in form and has that knack of getting a wicket in the first over. Everything he is trying is working. He is spinning the ball profusely for an off-spinner and he will really enjoy using the Kookaburra ball too. The quicks will not like the Kookaburra, but the spinners will love it because it has a coarse seam to grip and on a hard, flat wicket in the hot sun Swann will have to do a lot of bowling. He will relish being that main man with the ball.

Tendulkar expects a more balanced England to edge the Ashes. "I think England have a better chance. I favour them slightly. I would say [Eoin] Morgan could be the key performer in the Ashes. Morgan and [Graeme] Swann." Suggesting that Kevin Pietersen's poor form lies in his head, Tendulkar pinpoints Morgan as England's best batsman. "He's a very solid player who can control the pace of his innings. He can become a really good Test batsman even though he has only played a few Tests so far. After Morgan you've got the experience of [Andrew] Strauss, [Paul] Collingwood and Pietersen. They're a really well-balanced side and this is a great opportunity for England."

Now Australia intends to go a step further and embrace the private sector. By all accounts local Indian businessmen are amongst the highest bidders for franchises. If so it's a good thing, as is the news that Venkatesh Prasad is in contention for the bowling coach position with the national team. It all helps to stymie those determined to drive a wedge between our countries. They succeed by stereotyping and they need to be challenged.

It was not far from the Hanuman temple that we found Ranji’s statue and I became unexpectedly awash in cricket nostalgia: so much about this prince among cricketers that I had not thought about in years. But the statue annoyed me. Why remember him in gold-plated middle-age? Why not a statue of the younger and fitter Ranji doing what so bewitched cricketers and audiences and me, alike? Why not sculpt him playing the stroke he invented, a bit of silky legerdemain called the leg glance?

At 124 for eight India was staring at defeat. What was your honest impression then?