Shoaib Akhtar's Biography "Controversially Yours" Talks Ball Tampering, Tendulkar, Akram, Modi & SRK

Shoaib Akhtar The Pakistan fast bowler released his book

 

Shoaib Akhtar announced his retirement in the course of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. However, he continues to bowl bouncers, this time via his controversial book,
appropriately named “Controversially Yours”.

In his controversial book released, the Pakistan fast bowler, also known as Rawalpindi
Express, touched upon several issues with regard to his own cricket as they affected
world cricket and thereby, has generated plenty of controversy already.

Amongst the many things that are relevant, Akhtar admitted as much to ball tampering
and stated that everyone indulges in ball tampering and that he is no different. In many
ways, he is echoing the words used by Shahid Afridi when he was caught ball
tampering, which can only bring further shame to Pakistan cricket. Ball tampering
has been a serious issue with the sport and Shoaib Akhtar’s admisison is not
likely to endear him furthermore since Akhtar has called for legalizing ball
tampering.

Akhtar also cast aspersion on Indian cricketing giants, Sachin Tendulkar and
Rahul Dravid,saying that there not genuine match winners and that they even shied
away from his faster ball on the flat pitches of Pakistan.

He also said that Wasim Akram threatened to create mutiny in the team if Shoaib Akhtar
was included in the team. He further alleged that Shoaib Mallik was only made the
Pakistan captain because of his proximity to the then Pakistan Cricket Board chief,
Naseem Ashrar . Akhtar alleges that Akram tried to destroy his cricket career.

Akhtar also mentioned his brief stint with the IPL with the Kolkata Knight Riders co
owned by Bollywood actor, Shah Rukh Khan. Akhtar claims that Shah Rukh Khan and
Lalit Modi, the then IPL chairman and commissioner, duped him of his fair price in the
IPL and that he was not given the money promised to him.

Akhtar has led a rather controversial life and even more controversial cricket career.
Controversy is certainly not new for Pakistan cricket although some of the so called
revelations in the book may not necessarily defame anyone more than Shoaib himself
and Pakistan cricket in particular. Some of the issues revolving around Pakistan cricket
have been nothing short of drama and in that light, there were always going to be
varying versions of the truth with matters generally remaining murky, both above and
below the surface.

Akhtar’s book is bound to sell hot off the shelves not particularly because every page
may necessarily contain the truth because it is from Akhtar’s perspective but because
of the kind of controversies he has been a part over the years, most of which would
have undoubtedly been captured from his view point. Whether it can damage
Pakistan cricket’s already sullied reputation or Akhtar’s revelations, like his career,
are past their time can only be judged by the rest of the contents.

Akhtar though has lived once more, stirring cricket matters on and off the field. 

Undoubtedly he will have already rubbed a few people the wrong way as he claims

others have against him and it seems unlikely judging by the contents, that some of

those relationships are goign to change anytime soon.

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi aka Tiger Pataudi Passes Away

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi with son Saif Ali Khan Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi aka Tiger Pataudi passed away , leaving behind an extraordinary legacy

In a stunning turn of events that took the cricket world aback, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi aka
Tiger Pataudi, one of India’s most respected cricket captains passed away in a hospital in New Delhi.

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi’s death sent shockwaves, particularly through the Indian cricket fraternity. Although it was learnt that Tiger Pataudi was suffering from an interstittial lung infection since returning from England, his hospitalization and subsequent treatment was expected to take longer given that he was of seventy years of age. However, that his condition had deteriorated so badly in the last twenty-four hours prior to his demise has taken his former team mates and members of the Indian cricket establishment by shock.
Tiger Pataudi made his debut at the tender age of twenty years of age and despite losing the vision in his right eye, went onto captain the Indian team at twenty-one years of age. He captained in forty of the 46 Tests for the country, scoring 2793 runs for an average of 34.91. Despite showing India the mentality that they could win abroad, he may not have tasted by statistical standards but he is greatly revered as a true captain and passionate lover on the game. Those passions and concerns were even heard when he was part of the IPL governing council when he lamented the state of affairs the IPL controversies had taken.

Born on the 5th of January 1941 in Bhopal to the 8th Nawab of Patuadi, Iftikhar Ali Khan, Pataudi completed his education between Dehradun, Hertfordshire and Oxford, succeeding as the 9th Nawab of Patuaudi after his father’s death in 1952. Having also an ICC Match Referee for a period of 3 years between 1993 and 1996, Pataudi was considered a visionary in that he backed India to win abroad and they did against New Zealand. Pataudi is also credited with having encouraged the spinners in the Indian cricket team, backing one of India’s traditional strengths.

Revered as an inspirational, gentlemantly, warmed hearted cricketer with a wicked sense of humour, Pataudi’s presence in the team from the early 1960’s proved to be a turning point in Indian cricket and that he had influenced so many people within the cricket fraternity became evident in the outpouring of condolence since the news of his passing away this evening at 6.30pm in hospital was made known.
Tiger Pataudi leaves behind his wife, Sharmila Tagore, a famous actress from the Hindi cinema industry. He is survived by his three children, Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan, who are both Bollywood actors, and Sabah. In fact the children have been around his father as his condition began to deteriorate with Saif Ali Khan’s girlfriend/fiancee and Bollywood actress, Kareena Kapoor, also visiting him in the hospital. In fact the Saif Ali Khan-Kareena Kapoor marriage was supposedly secretly being planned for early 2012 and now the family is bereaving their beloved father.

Although the doctors claimed that Tiger was suffering from the condition for the past three months, a lung transplant was ruled out. His condition though only worsened less than a month ago after he returned from England where he was present to give the Pataudi Trophy to the England team for their win over India in the Test series.

Cricket mourns one of India’s truly legendary cricket captains. Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi RIP.

Sachin Tendulkar’s 50 over Format Change Proposal Rightly Rejected by the ICC

Sachin Tendulkar Sachin Tendulkar wants the 50 overs format changed, ICC thinks 

otherwise

 

It is no new news that Sachin Tendulkar wanted the fifty overs format changed. Even
as the idea, already pitched and in trial in a few countries such as Australia, was being
considered on the basis whether there were vested business interests behind the
venture, that has to be investigated as well with the ICC rightly turning down the idea.

Sachin Tendulkar, who missed the ODI series in England with the recurrence of a toe
injury, is in India but appears in serious doubt as far as his participation as the Mumbai
Indians captain in the Champions League Twenty20 2011 is concerned as a result
of that injury. However, other things have kept Sachin Tendulkar busy including a
proposal to the ICC to change the one day game as it presently stands.

What is interesting is that Tendulkar is essentially raking up an old issue and although
the idea of the one day game being split into four alternate innings of twenty-five overs
each is being attributed to him, it would seem that the timing of the issue being raised
is once again questionable.

However, while the novelty of the idea is certainly interesting, the ICC has made its
decision validated by the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 wherein the one day
international format received a roaring response, particularly more so since India went
onto to win the final and lift the trophy after twenty-eight years. That the format itself
has been a reasonable success can be attested to by the fact that given the right kind
of marketing and tweaks, the interest in one day format is far from redundant.

There has been a previous issue with regard to Cricket Australia changing the one day
format in domestic cricket to a split format. However, there were also implications that
the changes were being enforced upon not only to enhance the revenue aspect derived
from the fifty overs format of the sport but also, because of some business interests
behind the sport who preferred the split format. Although the one day cricket format
has taken a bit of a beating since the advent of Twenty20, there has been little reason
to actually do away with the format as is. Rather what it did require was a bit of
innovation in tweaks aspects of the format that would have enhanced the thrill level
of the sport.

The ICC has taken steps in that regard, particularly with the Power Play overs and
any further changes that do not take away from the essence of the format but rather
enhance the interests need to be encouraged. The ICC is certainly right in not jumping
the gun and has decided to evaluate the game as it evolves with the tastes of the viewer.
Some of the other international cricket captains have suggested that the one day format
could get a shot in the arm if the number of one day internationals played in a series or
tournament could be reduced to a suspenseful number instead of lengthening the series
with what has basically been termed as meaningless ODI matches, which is perhaps
one of the things that the ICC could look at in terms of viewing how the interest in the
one day game can be further injected.
 

Mumbai Indians to Field 5 Foreign Players in Champions League Twenty20 2011; No Tendulkar!

Mumbai Indians With injuries to Sachin Tendulkar amongst other Indian cricketers, the Mumbai Indians will be allowed to field five foreign players

 

 Even as the new IPL President, Rajiv Shukla, has said that the four foreign players in the IPL rule will stay, exception is being made for the Mumbai Indians who will be allowed to play as many as five foreign players in their team in the Champions League Twenty20 2011.


Sachin Tendulkar, the Mumbai Indians captain, himself is benched with a toe injury and while fans would have hoped that he will return sooner, that appears may not be the case after all. No Dhawal Kulkarni or Ali Murtaza, originally named in the Mumbai Indians squad as part of the Champions League Twenty20 2011 squads, had also compounded matters. Injuries to Indian cricketers have done the Mumbai Indians no favour in that even Munaf Patel was injured in the last India England ODI and will also not being taking his place in the team.

Given the spate of injuries and absence of several Indian cricketers, it appears that the organizers have relaxed the rules for the IPL team and have gone ahead and allowed them to field five foreign players, something that has been asked for by some of the IPL teams and coaches in a bid to improve their overall competitiveness. However, with the IPL being primarily targeting at giving more domestic Indian cricketers while balancing the attraction act with the foreign cricketers, after four years of the IPL, it would appear that the four foreign players rule will stay.
The Mumbai Indians will be grateful that Harbhajan Singh, who also pulled away midway from India’s tour of England with an abdominal injury, is supposedly fit by his own reckoning and raring to get back to cricket.

Mumbai Indians squad for the Champions League Twenty20 2011 before

and

Mumbai Indians squad for the Champions League Twenty20 2011 now:
Harbhajan Singh, Lasith Malinga , Andrew Symonds , James Franklin , Aiden Blizzard , Davy Jacobs , Kieron Pollard , Dilhara Fernado , R Satish, Ambati Rayudu, T Suman, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sarul Kanwar, Abu Nechim
In the revised squad, the Mumbai Indians do have their pick of foreign cricketers from fast bowler Lasith Malinga from Sri Lanka to Kieron Pollard who opted to play for the Mumbai Indians against the Trinidad and Tobago team which he competed with in the earlier edition of the Champions League Twenty20. It was that exposure that elevated Pollard to the exalted position of a much sought after specialist Twenty20 cricketer. Aiden Blizzard of Australia and Davy Jacobs of South Africa may well open the batting in Sachin Tendulkar’s absence while Andrew Symonds, having played the IPL and an experienced member, will be expected to bolster the team. Dilhara Fernando and James Franklin also provide team options although the Mumbai Indians will clearly miss a stronger Indian connection. Fortunately they will still have representation in the form of the trio of Tirumalasetti Suman, R. Sathish and Ambati Rayudu.

With the Mumbai Indians having the opportunity to field five foreign players, it not only gives some of the IPL franchisees to have a look at how that formula works but also, for a few to register their complaint over why perhaps the rule should not be equally relaxed along all four IPL teams including the Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers and Kolkata Knight Riders who are all competing in the Champions League Twenty20 2011. Unfair advantage, some would say. The Mumbai Indians would say, compulsion.

Champions League Twenty20 2011 Points Table

The Champions League Twenty20 2011 is promising to be a real battle between Twenty20 champions from cricket playing nations. And as they fight it out, here is how they stack up on the points table.



Champions League Twenty20 2011 Points Table
Group A

Matches………………………CC…..NSW…..CSK…..MI….T&T…….Total Points
Cape Cobras…………………0………………………………………………….0
New South Wales……………………..0……………………………………….0
Chennai Super Kings……………………………0……………………………0
Mumbai Indians……………………………………………..0…………………..0
Trinidad and Tobago…………………………………………………0……….0

Group B
Matches………………………………W……SAR……RCB……..KKR…..SS……..Total Points
Warriors.…………………………….0……………………………………………………………0
South Australia Redbacks………………0…………………………………………………..0
Royal Challengers Bangalore………………………….0…………………………………..0
Kolkata Knight Riders………………………………………………..0………………………..0
Somerset Sabres………………………………………………………………….0……………0

Kochi Franchisee Terminated from IPL Over Breach of Payment

Kochi Tuskers Kerala The Kochi franchisee has been terminated from the IPL from 2012

 

In a stunning decision, the BCCI did not just serve a suspension note but went ahead and terminated their IPL’s troubled association with the Kochi franchisee after only one season.

The BCCI Annual General Meeting saw more drama than was expected. While N.
Srinivasan took over Shashank Manohar as the BCCI President, his first order of
business was cutting off BCCI’s ties with the one franchisee that no one seemed to get
along from the start.
Whether it was the lingering effect of the then IPL chairman and commissioner,
Lalit Modi,and the Shashi Taroor battle that cost the Kochi franchisee a realistic chance
as the rest of the nine IPL franchisees remains speculative.

What the new BCCI President made clear in his first press conference since taking up
the position was to state categorically that the doors had been shut on the Kochi franchisee
bought by Rendezvous Sports. While earlier there was concern that the Kochi team was suspended over financial dues, N. Srinivasan, who himself has a stake in the Chennai
Super Kings, made it clear that there was no comeback for the Kochi Tuskers Kerala
in the IPL 2012 season but rather the franchisee stood terminated.

The bone of contention between the two new franchisees and the BCCI had been the
fact that the two franchisees had been bid for huge sums of money that outbid the first
eight teams. Under the premise that the IPL would extend to ninety-four matches, Sahara
who own the Pune Warriors India and Rendezvous got into a spat with the BCCI over
the final amount to be paid because the matches for IPL 4 had been reduced to
seventy-four as against the promised ninety-four. Having initially withholding the
payments, the matter was understood to have been resolved after it was claimed that
both the new franchisees had paid their dues but in protest over failed promises.

However, the BCCI has now claimed that Kochi had defaulted on their payment which
is basically to say that Kochi were apparently not keen to keep up their end of the bargain
if the BCCI did not go through with the matches. The BCCI meanwhile has encashed
the bank guarantee of the IPL franchisee and have not only served the Kochi team a
warning but terminated them altogether over what the BCCI has termed as breach of
contract. The BCCI has vindicated their decision on the stance that the Kochi was unable
to come up with the financial requirements agreed upon and therefore, stands in
violation. Such has been the BCCI’s stance on the issue that the new BCCI president
has stated that there is no way the Kochi can come back into the IPL set up because
in his own words, the breach was irreversible.

This now implies that there are nine teams standing in the IPL, two of which have fought
their way through a stay through court intervention, with Kochi having now been officially
axed. Kochi has only played the IPL 4 season and the results were nothing to boast
about. For the trouble riddled Kochi team, the BCCI’s termination appears more than
a matter of money. The BCCI though have deemed themselves the final authority on
the subject which has meant no room for Kochi on the IPL bandwagon.
 

Mohammad Aamer, Mazhar Majeed Confess to Spot Fixing in England

In a startling relevation, it would appear that the young Pakistan bowler has broke his own defense by confessing that he was indeed guilty of spot fixing, the scandal that brought cricket to its knees last year on Pakistan’s tour of England.

Mohammad Aamer Aamer has reportedly confessed to the spot fixing scandal that turned Pakistan’s tour of England into turmoil

From the confessional statements apparently submitted by the eighteen year old fast bowler as well as that of the player agent cum bookie, Mazhar Majeed, holds he first admission of guilt on the part of the duo. By the same token, fellow Pakistan cricketers, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, have apparently not taken a stance yet on how they will stand as far as corruption charges in the UK are concerned.

Butt, Asif and Aamer were declared guilty by the ICC Anti Corruption Tribunal and handed bans of varying degrees with a beginning starting ban of five years. Through the whole time of their defense and indeed Pakistan’s trouble stay in England since the scandal broke out during the Lord’s Test, the trio individually maintained their innocence and that Pakistan had been wrongly framed.

The now defunct News of the World tabloid broke into the open the sting operation they conducted with Mazhar who was able to prove without doubt that the players would bowl no balls at the designated moments as predetermined in collusion. Furthermore, his arrogance turned into a problem for the Pakistan cricketers who found it difficult to wriggle out of what seemed like rather nailing evidence.
However, the Pakistan cricketers maintained that they were above board even as Scotland Yard carried on their own investigations. The ICC took its own time as well and eventually bringing down the punishment on the tainted trio even though the three Pakistan cricketers and their lawyers accused the ICC of having already premeditated their decision without hearing through the defense.

Of the three Pakistan cricketers, Mohammad Aamer garnered much of the empathy because of his age and also, of the fact that while Asif has had a chequered career, Salman Butt has not very popular in Pakistan circles. Given the young talent, there was the general conspiracy theory that Aamer had been lured in through lucrative measures or through coercion to go along although the truth could be far worse than that speculated upon. It was even expected at the time that since Aamer was as young as he was at the time of the deviant form of match fixing, he would be the easiest to break and that perhaps his turning approver would spare him more stringent punishment. However, the trio followed their own individual defense and the ICC had their own take, based on the material they had in their possession, that the trio were deserving of time away from the game for the crime committed.

Now in a reversal of the stance that they have shared for the past one year, Aamer is perhaps having a change of heart, realizing how derailed his cricket career stands in light of the scandal and perhaps is hoping that even such a late confession will help him get off leniently although it has to be said that the fact that Aamer took a whole year, if the reports regarding the statements is true, and that his confession comes after he has already been handed out the punishment on his cricket career seems like the moment for that would have already passed him by.

Munaf Patel joins Injury List in the Fifth India England ODI (Picture)

Munaf Patel Munaf Patel was the latest Indian cricketer injured on India’s tour of England in the fifth India England ODI

 

Even in the last match of the series, India could not avoid injuries, this time Munaf Patel coming down while fielding and eventually had to be carried off in the fifth India England ODI at Cardiff, a match that was Rahul Dravid’s final ODI for India and one that England prevailed eventually by six wickets.

Rahul Dravid Ends Up on Losing Side as England Complete Series Sensationally in 5th ODI

Alastair Cook England won the 5th India England ODI by six wickets at Cardiff

 

Rahul Dravid did not quite get the farewell the Indian cricket team had in mind as England were once again able to show more enterprise, spirit and exuberance to dominate proceedings in the fifth India England ODI at Cardiff after rain and Duckworth Lewis were at it for a fifth time in a row.


Rain reduced the contest to England requiring the revised target of 270 to be further reduced to 241 from thirty-four overs. The chase though should have got tougher for England with the runs per balls exceeding more than a run a ball. But England have shown a great deal more determination in their batting line up and depth while India continue to struggle with their bowlers. And the story pretty much wrote itself even though England found themselves reduced to four down for 166 in the twenty-sixth over when Jonathan Trott departed, having made sixty-three imperative runs in a partnership with the England ODI captain, Alastair Cook, who made a half century himself.

England still needed heroics in the end stages of the match that had seen rain play its part right through the series. India may have fancied their chances as the runs required mounted. However, England have always held the leading edge in the series and the fifth ODI proved no different with Jonny Bairstow, making his ODI debut for England, made it a memorable outing for himself and the team. Ravi Bopara was playing a role that has now become accustomed to him as he has made the best of the opportunity given to him in the absence of England cricketers such as Eoin Morgan and Kevin Pietersen.

Rahul Dravid would have been reduced at the end of the day to reminisce on his own personal innings even as India once again let slip an opportunity, which has meant that India literally end home empty handed, having received a terrible drubbing from the outstanding England team who have not put a foot wrong in the entire tour. Dravid may have scored a half century that will be remembered as his final effort, playing his final ODI for India. But this series has not left him much by way of team memories other than his own personal outstanding contribution consistently even as team status and morale sunk as the tour went on.

Losing Munaf Patel to another injury would not have helped India. For England though, it must give them immense pleasure and pride to know that they can succeed not only in facile circumstances but also, in situations that demand that they dig deep. That they have done it with a relatively new captain and with a few inexperienced faces bodes rather well for England’s goals over the summer.

While Bopara scored precious thirty-seven runs at a run a ball, Bairstow certainly provided the much needed acceleration, scoring forty-one runs off only twenty-nine balls with three sixes that did the damage in that England won the match with ten balls to spare to hand India an embarrassment that will be hard to forget for sometime as England complete 3-0 series win.
 

No Indian Winners for LG ICC Awards 2011; Is That Why - No Indian Team at the Awards?

No Indian cricketers went for the LG ICC Awards 2011

Is it even remotely possible that the Indian cricket contingent had an inkling that there would no illustrious awards for the Indian cricketers and is that why they stayed away from the LG ICC Awards 2011? Just another conspiracy theory.


Although it seems that there is a greater power battle here between the ICC and the BCCI, there was also the thought, although on a level that would suggest more like finding the lighter side of it although the implications of it could be far reaching, that perhaps there was an indication that the Indian cricketers would not feature prominently by the end of the night as the ones holding the award in their hands.

It would be safe to say that apart of the Spirit of Cricket Award which was considered a no brainer, there were no reason for the Indian cricket to even be at the function other than the fact that this was the visiting team in the city where the LG ICC Awards were slated. Although there were four creditable Indian cricketers nominated across the various ICC Awards including Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, that the Indian cricketers were ultimately pipped to the award was rather comprehensive. Even the LG Popular Choice Award went the way of Kumar Sangakkara and not Dhoni although given the system under which popular cricketers around the world are picked, Dhoni would not have missed a beat.

The conspicuous absence of the Indian team, who one would have thought would have been there simply by default, as a while does raise questions whether there were unwritten collective team instructions by the BCCI to skip the ICC Awards over what is believed to be a power struggle between the BCCI and the ICC led by Sharad Pawar, the ICC President who was the former BCCI chief. That even Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain and the only other senior member of the Indian cricket team on the England tour, Rahul Dravid, raised more eyebrows at a ceremony that is considered to be the ultimate platform of recognition for the outstanding word of cricketers in the designated time period.

However, now there is the perception that perhaps in some way, there was communication of some sort that the Indian cricketers would not be felicitated in the night and therefore, the Indian cricket team deliberately skipped the awards ceremony, by diktat or otherwise. That though is merely speculative because for one, the awards are not usually released by way of announcement prior to the night itself and thereby, there should be no way that anyone within the Indian cricket administration or team should have had prior knowledge of it.

With that being ruled out, there is no logical way to explain the absence of the Indian cricketers from the awards function despite being in the same city of London other than it being something that the ICC will want to perhaps sort it out with the BCCI because there is something that is beneath the surface even if it is something that, in some people’s perception, that too much is being made about it.

Indian Hockey Team Rejects Prize Money; Indian Cricket To Blame?

Indian hockey The Indian hockey team refused the prize money after winning the Asian Champions Trophy

Even as the winning Indian hockey team returned home to a hero’s welcome, controversy and Indian hockey have not be able to separate in recent times. Now so-called greed on the part of the Indian hockey players is being blamed on the precedent set by Indian cricket.


Players of the Indian hockey team rejected Hockey India’s cash prize of Rs.25000 each for winning the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy by beating Pakistan in the final by a penalty shootout 4-2. However, the return of the Indian hockey team was met first with garlands and later by brickbats from the players over what they term as insufficient incentive.

Indian hockey is supposed to the national sport. However, it has become quite apparent that cricket, not hockey, is the popular sport in the country. With cricket’s popularity, mass appeal and the clout of the BCCI, cricket in India has also attracted sponsorships, mega multi million endorsement deals as also, huge broadcasting deals that have elevated cricket in terms of its financial clout not only in the country but also, across cricket playing nations.

It is only natural that the effects were going to trickle down to the Indian cricketers. Today the players that make the Indian cricket team enjoy million dollar endorsements, retainers from the BCCI as well as IPL money that has made cricketers some of the richest men in the country and also, subsequently upscaled their lifestyle.

With the kind of precedent that is being set where the BCCI is spinning money and the Indian cricketers have garnered their clout, the kind of money they have received as rewards from the BCCI alone have soared in the crores. With lakhs of rupees worth cash prizes from various state associations as well as land deals, the cricketers have netted a bonanza, particularly when they won the ICC World Twenty20 and more recently, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

The kind of money rolling in cricket, particularly more so amongst the BCCI and the Indian cricketers, has led to a great deal of scrutiny as well as the sociological study of how the trend is skewing the lines as far as Indian sport is concerned. The perception has largely grown that the Indian cricket is spoilt for riches and when the Indian cricket team fails to rise to the challenges as it has on the tour of England, questions have been asked if the Indian cricket team is motivated enough with money not being a huge incentive anymore.

Perhaps it is the comparison that is killing the poor cousins in India. Some of the senior hockey players have questioned whether the amount announced as reward for the Indian hockey team would fetch anyone anything substantial. Dubbing the money as too paltry, the players have rejected it altogether even as the Indian government, through the Sports Minister led by Ajay Maken, has come out to state while the Indian government has not announced any prize of its own, it had already spent about Rs.7 crores on the hockey team in the last seven months, and with some quarters indirectly hinting that greed was consuming the Indian hockey players after looking at their cricket counterparts in the country.

There has been a great deal of turmoil within the Indian hockey set up wherein there has been a battle between several authorities over power struggle to rule hockey administration in the country. However, the Indian hockey players are unwilling to buy into the idea that a cash crunch is the cause of their meager prizemoney. Instead they insist that if this is the trend then cricket may well attract the youth to take up the sport while Indian hockey will die a slow, silent, painful death.

ICC Announces ICC ODI Team of the Year; Names MS Dhoni as Captain

Mahendra Singh Dhoni MS Dhoni has been named captian of the ICC ODI Team
of the Year

That the recent results have had little bearing has been shown in the fact that there are four Indian cricketers and two Sri Lankan cricketers in the ICC ODI Team of the Year, announced as a prelude to the LG ICC Awards to be held later tonight. Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have come under fire on India’s tour of England but he continues to be a popular candidate as shown by the announcement of the Indian captain as the captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year.


Like the ICC Test Team of the Year that was named when announcing the LG ICC Awards 2011 shortlisted nominees, the ICC today announced its ODI Team of the Year, as chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by West Indian batting legend and former captain Clive Lloyd. The announcement was made at a special function ahead of the LG ICC Awards ceremony which is being held this evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London. Presented in association with FICA, the LG ICC Awards recognise the best international players and officials of the past 12 months.

ICC ODI Team of the Year (in batting order):

Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL)

Virender Sehwag (Ind)

Kumar Sangakkara (SL)

AB de Villiers (SA)

Shane Watson (Aus)

Yuvraj Singh (Ind)

MS Dhoni (Ind, wicketkeeper/captain)

Graeme Swann (Eng)

Umar Gul (Pak)

Dale Steyn (SA)

Zaheer Khan (Ind)

12th Man – Lasith Malinga (SL)

Six countries are represented in the 12-man line-up and just one player – Mahendra Singh Dhoni of India – four years in a row. The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 winning captain keeps wicket and leads the side and is joined by fellow ICC ODI Team of the Year 2009 members AB de Villiers of South Africa and Shane Watson of Australia. There are four Indians in the side, all of whom were involved in India’s ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 victory over Sri Lanka in Mumbai in April of the year. Meanwhile Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga, who were all part of the side that lost out to Dhoni’s men in the final on 2 April 2011 at Wankhede Stadium, are selected for the team too.

Umar Gul finds himself as the lone Pakistan cricketer in the ICC ODI Team of the Year while Shane Watson is the only representation for Australian cricket on the prestigious list as decided by the panel. South Africa’s spearhead, Dale Steyn, and new South African ODI captain, AB de Villiers, make the cut on the team as well. New Zealand find no players on their list, even though the team as a whole managed to beat South Africa to make the semi finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, suggesting individual improvements may be the need of the hour. Incidentally apart from England spinner, Graeme Swann, England also find themselves with a single person representation.

Interestingly or rather incidentally Mahendra Singh is the only Indian cricketer currently out on the tour of England with Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan all injured and back home nursing injuries. Amongst the four Indian names, Sachin Tendulkar is an obvious miss on the list which some die hard fans may well question the wisdom of.

Lalit Modi’s Admission of Too Much Cricket and Long IPL Season A Change

Lalit Modi The former IPL chairman and commissioner is finally admitting that the IPL is long and that too much cricket is affecting Indian cricket

It is interesting that someone who once flamboyantly stated that nothing was too much as far as cricket was concerned is now raising some rather pertinent points about the game. it is because he is now outside the ring?

Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman and commissioner, is now confined to London as he faces financial irregularities charges with the Enforcement Directorate having posted look outs for him at India’s entry points. With the BCCI virtually nailing the former IPL czar for the controversies that erupted in the midst of the IPL 3 season, Modi has not been able to return India as he faces criminal charges.

The one time flamboyant talker has mellowed, if only somewhat, although he remains largely defiant of went down with the IPL. While speaking to a cricket website, Modi reportedly admitted that too much cricket was behind the fall out that Indian cricket is facing at the moment while also, now stating without compunction that the IPL is a long tournament. It is not the fact that he is making some rather obvious statements but rather the fact that he is saying it that makes this most interesting.

There was a time when everything about the IPL was loud, garish even and Modi led the pack rather pompously, dressed to the hilt and hollering from the rooftops of the IPL being above the sport itself and how it would transform how cricket was viewed around the world. Although the IPL did achieve those dizzying heights in the initial phase, the reality of the financial mayhem have subdued the expectations as well as the initial euphoria and frenzy around the tournament.

Modi was ready to sell IPL and cricket to the world and in that, even when the wisdom of hosting as many matches and the prospect of hosting ninety-four matches in the IPL 4 season was question, Modi famously spoke in television interviews and in the print media that there was no such thing as ‘too much cricket’. Those were his precise words, if one were to rewind to those interviews. At the moment, Modi did not feel that there was a Twenty20 overkill as far as the IPL was concerned and he even believed that the cricket fans would lap up cricket even if the BCCI and the IPL chose to flood the summer with their money spinning extravaganza.

Now that Modi is admitting that the cricket calendar has become hectic for the Indian cricketers and that it was taking its toll in that several Indian cricketers have been rendered injured and therefore, returning midway through the Indian tour of England to disastrous results and that he has also admitted to scheduling problems, particularly when the World Cups around the corner, is significant.

Modi’s reference that the BCCI is unable to change the format or reduce the duration of the IPL is perhaps alluding to the fact that the IPL franchisees have signed up for huge sums with the intent that there would be a significant amount of cricket played during the Indian summer to ensure return on investments.

What is most intriguing is whether Modi would have been as forthcoming and had a change of heart in his conversation were he still seen in those colourful suits, fiddling on his cell phone and screaming and signing autographs as the grandmaster of the ring?

Gautam Gambhir will Decide on CLT20 2011 for KKR, Says Shah Rukh Khan

Will the Kolkata Knight Riders captain play in the Champions League Twenty20 2011?


Even as Shah Rukh Khan himself is fervently promoting his own movie, perhaps more vigourously visibly on the television screen in ads for the Champions League Twenty20 2011, the Kolkata Knight Riders could need some star power themselves. But will Gautam Gambhir dare?


Gautam Gambhir had to return home from England before he could take any part of the India England ODI series. That was because Gambhir failed to recover sufficiently from the concussion he suffered during the fourth India England Test at the Oval after he fell while failing to take a catch off Kevin Pietersen. Ever since Gambhir is reportedly suffering from vision problems and inability to focus for long periods due to blurred vision. Although Gambhir was expected to recover, matters did not progress as expected and the Indian cricket team was forced to deal with another injury induced unavailability of an established cricketer in the team.

While Harbhajan Singh, who suffered an abdominal injury during the same Test series, is set to be fit and raring to play in the Champions League Twenty20 2011 that starts in India in ten days’ time, question marks hang like swords regarding not only Gautam Gambhir’s participation in the CL T20 as the Kolkata Knight Riders captain but also, whether he will venture and risk to do that at the expense of earning wrath for a second time in the year.

Under Gambhir, the Kolkata Knight Riders achieved spectacular results in the IPL 4 season and have to now get through the Champions League Twenty20 2011 qualifier tournament to get through to the main draw to join the other three IPL team. However, the season ended on a sour note as controversy trailed Gambhir and the Shah Rukh Khan owned team after it was revealed that Gambhir was playing at the business end of the tournament despite the fact that he has sustained a shoulder injury. The matter was brought to light after Gambhir, who was to be the stand in India captain for the India West Indies ODI, pulled out of the Indian tour of the West Indies, another controversial tournament where several Indian cricketers after playing the long IPL season after the successful ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 cited injuries and fatigue.

The brouhaha gathered storm as it seemed that Gambhir’s injury was a matter of passing the buck with Gambhir first stating that the KKR team physio failed to disclose the extent of injury to Gambhir himself and later also the suggestion that while the BCCI was miffed with KKR, that they themselves were aware that Gambhir apparently first sustained the injury during the World Cup.

It became a talking point that saw debates quickly take a turn towards the club versus country debate although Gambhir refused to buy into the drama and stating clearly that he was merely doing his job, whether it involved the national team or the IPL franchisee, and that he would not compromise on discharging his duties. Yet again, Gambhir’s fitness has become a huge concern and it remains to be seen whether Gambhir does take his place as the KKR captain in the Champions League Twenty20 2011 where KKR need to qualify first to the main draw.

Once again, there will be conjecture whether there will be pressure from the IPL franchisees to make sure that they are getting their money’s worth. Shah Rukh Khan, who also happens to be the face of the CLT20 2011 tournament even as he is promoting his movie Ra.One in tandem with the cricket tournament, is certainly sounding the right notes when he stated for the benefit of Indian cricket fans that Gambhir would not face any kind of pressure from the KKR camp but rather Gambhir himself would decide whether he will lead the team in the tournament. Although there is never telling what happens behind the doors, particularly as far as the IPL is concerned, Gambhir’s call is something that is likely to ruffle a few feathers anyway.

Ind Eng ODI 3: England Win by 3 Wickets by D/L Method; Cannot Lose Series

Despite the heroics of Ravindra Jadeja and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India continued to search for that elusive on their tour of England as the hosts won the third India England ODI by three wickets by the Duckworth Lewis method to go 2-0 up in the series.


Having set 235 as target for England, India needed to field well and bowl tight in order to ensure that England felt stifled. India’s bowling has not been their forte, particularly on this tour. And when an aggressive batsman gets in a belligerent mood, there is little firepower to stop it.

Craig Kieswetter once again set the agenda clear with a half century that gave England the early boost and initiative that survived a rain interruption and a flurry of wickets. In many ways, England would be grateful in hindsight for the innings played by Kieswetter because where India needed to apply the pleasure, Kieswetter ate away at the runs to the extent that India were always struggling to peg England back for want of more runs even though they managed to pick wickets later in the match. Twenty more runs even and things could have been different.

Just when it appeared that Kieswetter would make it a one sided affair, the rain came down with England only narrowing edging out on the Duckworth Lewis method although Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin picked up a couple of important wickets before the rain came down. Had the match continued in that vein, it would have been very interesting indeed. However, that was not the case, as for a third match in a row, rain continued to have its say – washing out the first match, reducing the second match to a Twenty20 affair and today once again reducing the quota of overs in the fifty over format, causing both teams to adapt to the changes.

When play did resume, the match was reduced to forty-three overs, it was a case of the England cricketers chipping in together and they did it in cameos and as India kept picking wickets, the runs required came down to the extent where India were left to wonder what would have happened had they did not lose the wickets they did early into their own innings earlier in the day. It was ultimately the partnership between Jadeja and the Indian captain that showed that the Indian cricket team held potential. In the end, Dhoni pulled off a spectacular run off Ian Bell and Jadeja got the man of the match only showed that the youngsters can turn it around if they apply themselves. Unfortunately by the time the duo stitched the partnership together, they did not have the benefit of a good foundation to fall back on which is what hurt India the most.

Ravi Bopara was the thread that held the innings together post the rain break, scoring forty runs in timely fashion to ensure England were the first team across the finish line again, which now means that England have two in two with the first match rained out and therefore, cannot lose the series from here on even if India can change their fortunes in the final two matches.

Ganesh Visarjan Also Sees Indian Cricket World Cup Win Interests Sink

Ganesha idol with World Cup The Ganesh Chaturthi festival is drawing to a close as is the India England series

 

Remember Lord Ganesha holding aloft the World Cup trophy won by the Indian cricket team. As the Ganesh Chaturthi heads for conclusion of the ten day festival with Ganesh Visarjan, have Indian cricket hopes also sunk?


While Lord Ganesha is happily welcomed and revered for ten days during Ganesh Chaturthi, it is also a festival that celebrating ongoing themes. On this occasion, people paid tribute to the Indian cricket team winning the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in March. Now as the Ganesha heads for immersion, one has to say that the Indian cricket team has needed the prayers because interest in the INdian crikcet team is at an all time low with India’s deflated performance against England in England.

However, fans will be hoping it is nothing more than a temporary setback as will the television broadcasters who must be worried about the interest in the upcoming Champions League Twenty20 2011 in India.

Ra.One or Kolkata Knight Riders in CLT20 2011for Shah Rukh Khan? Or Both?

Those currently following the India England ODI series would have noticed the promos for Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming Bollywood flick, Ra.One, airing simultaneously with the Champions League Twenty20 2011 ads. So, does Shah Rukh Khan have one foot in the KKR dressing room and the other in the box office?


Bollywood actor and co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, Shah Rukh Khan’s face is stamped all over the sports broadcasting channel with the ads in between the India England ODI series featuring back to back ads announcing the forthcoming attractions in the form of the Champions League Twenty20 2011 and simultaneously SRK’s new movie, Ra.One, with the song from the movie “Chamak Challo” (the same song that was sung by Akon and the video of the Chamak Challo feature was leaked with Shah Rukh Khan, tennis legend, Boris Becker and Akon dancing together on stage ) featuring rather prominently with lead actress Kareena Kapoor in the midst.

If one was wondering about the connection, one would have to attribute it to a marketing genius. For one, Shah Rukh happens to the brand ambassador for the Champions League Twenty20 2011 and the link up with his movie seems a rather obvious win-win situation. On the one hand, Shah Rukh Khan’s popularity as a Bollywood actor is expected to draw attention to the Twenty20 tournament that is the spin off of the IPL although a lot less successful simply because cricket audiences have not been too familiar with domestic Twenty20 champions from other cricket nations.

Shah Rukh Khan’s added incentive in the tournament is the fact that his team, the Kolkata Knight Riders led by Gautam Gambhir although it is unclear if Gambhir will play at this point – have an outside chance of making it to the main draw of the Champions League Twenty20 2011 if they get through the Champions League Twenty20 2011 qualifier tournament first.

It is not a hidden fact that Shah Rukh Khan has been a master puller when it comes to endorsements and profits for the Kolkata Knight Riders even though the IPL team struggled to get off the bottom in the first three seasons before undergoing a complete team revamp with the IPL 4 auctions and thereafter in the IPL 4 season with the likes of South Africa’s Jacques Kallis firing on all cylinders. With Kallis amongst the players who have all opted to play for their IPL franchisees instead of their home team, it should stand the KKR team in good stead. Shah Rukh Khan will certainly be hoping there will be more cheering to do, or rather a mega bonanza going for him by creating the hype prior to the tournament and the release of his movie, whose promos were running even during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Whether both turn out to be extensive hype like a case of much ado about nothing or will both yield Shah Rukh Khan the end to the 2011 season that he could have only dreamt of remains to be seen. For the moment, the channel continues to put Shah Rukh Khan rolling after every over hoping repetition will ingrain Champions League Twenty20 2011 in the minds of the cricket loving public while Shah Rukh Khan is hoping for a double to work in the tournament’s favour while also, working in the favour of his movie promotion. Double whammy or double dose? That’s for the spectators to decide.

Eoin Morgan Out of Home and Away India England ODI Series With Shoulder Surgery

Eoin Morgan Eoin Morgan will miss the ODI series in India with shoulder surgery

Cricket fans in India have been robbed of the opportunity to watch the young exciting talent in action as Eoin Morgan, who has unconventionally endorsed the IPL, will not feature in the India England ODI series in India either.


Eoin Morgan, whose talents have also been rated highly by the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, is missing in action in the ongoing India England ODI series in England although he did feature in the one off Twenty20 match. But that is when the damage is reported to have occurred that will now render Morgan available for England’s return tour of India next month for the ODI series.

England have drawn a lot of excitement over the English summer not only over their results but also, because of the young talent available and their exuberance spilling over in the results as well. Morgan leads the pack in many ways and that he has transitioned into the Test team is also being looked upon as the future of England cricket.

Morgan was one of the few England cricketers that have not only played the IPL but also, attributed their personal success through the participation. Morgan happens to be that small percentage of England cricketers such as Kevin Pietersen who have actually endorsed the IPL as the necessary part of their cricket career with Morgan even stating that the IPL has helped him establish a foothold in the England cricket team. A young dynamic cricketer, Morgan was poached from the Ireland team by England and is clearly the face of the generation next of England cricket.

However, Morgan is already seeing his cricket career affected by injuries. Morgan’s injury during the Twenty20 match was reportedly the recurrence of a shoulder injury he suffered during the Ashes down under. Although England went onto win the Ashes back to back, Morgan has been allegedly nursing the injury to the point where it has come back to haunt him. The grave nature of the injury is such that the surgery that Morgan will now undergo on the shoulder will rule him out of action until the start of 2012 which means for the rest of the year, Morgan will not been playing for England on the cricket field.

That ruling out of action for four months also means that for the immediate time, Indian cricket fans will not get to see Morgan even during the England tour of India after the Champions League Twenty20 2011 when they will play an ODI series in India. Morgan who would have familiarized himself with some of the cricket fans in India as a result of the brief IPL stint will now have to simply wait it out. England though do not appear short of the young talent they want to try out in a bid to establish them in the one day team captained by Alistair Cook with the likes of Jade Dernbach and Ben Stokes, who could well make the trip to India if England persist with the plans they are revealing in England during the ODI series at the moment.

Ind Eng ODI 2: Captain Cook Plays Twenty20 Style Spectacular in Shortened Match

Alastair Cook The England ODI captain played a match winning knock in the second India England ODI match

 

 Ajinkya Rahane is climbing notches on the Indian tour of England in his short time. However, his knock at the Rose Bowl, Southampton in the second India England ODI match was upstaged by the England ODI captain, Alastair Cook, who played a splendid innings in the twenty-three overs a side match for England to lead the India England ODI series by a 1-0 margin after two matches.


Rain kept fans waiting what seemed like an interminable wait. After it seemed that perhaps play was virtually ruled out, it began almost five hours since the proposed start. By then, the rain and wet outfield had eaten significantly into the match to reduce the match from a fifty overs a side match to twenty-three overs a side. A veritable Twenty20 match, it was obvious that team strategies would change with bowlers getting varied bowling quota to bowl.

Opting to field first, Cook appeared to have got his mathematics wrong because James Anderson bowled only three overs in an innings that saw a choice of bowlers that perhaps Cook need not have experimented with. However, from India’s perspective, Parthiv Patel was playing a quickfire knock for twenty-eight while Rahane was showing his repertoire of shots in a half century that is likely to stand him in good stead.

Suresh Raina was also part of the action on the night with his forty runs, slamming three sixes all the way. However, the man hard to ignore besides Rahane was the thirty-eight year old dynamite, Rahul Dravid. His thirty-two runs was a good follow up to his one off Twenty20 experience in the India England Twenty20 match although perhaps not quite as spectacular but just as effective. In the end, although India were once again guilty of losing wickets too often, they did manage a score of 187 off their twenty-three overs, setting England a chase that required eight runs an over.

With the Twenty20 mindset entrenched, it was expected England would follow a similar pattern. Alastair Cook may be the England ODI captain but that came to him after he was overlooked for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. So, for him to show he could play the Twenty20 with equal panache was not going to be easy. But for England, the most exciting aspect was that Cook was the top scorer of the day with eighty runs off only sixty-three balls, guiding England from start to finish to ensure England got the first win in the ODI series.

What really took the game away from India was the fact that their bowlers could not contain the England batsmen who played in murderous vein. Craig Kieswetter set the agenda up very early and Cook complemented in a style that he can call his own. His forty-six runs from thirty-one balls included three sixes that considerably reduced the pressure on England to coast towards victory with Cook providing a steady hand and Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara backing up nicely for England to end the day on a high even as Indian cricket was once again left to ponder on some of their plans and players.

India England ODI 2: Twenty20 Match or ODI Status at Rose Bowl?

Vinay Kumar appeals The second India England ODI was reduced to a 23 over a 

side match

 

It is easy to see why the match, even if reduced virtually to a Twenty20 match, was played out. However, the status accorded to the match then seems a touch out of context in the age of Twenty20 as the second England ODI brought out the debate once more.


The second India England ODI at the Rose Bowl, Southampton, saw rain take forever to clear up and for the game to get underway. For one, television spectators in India had to wait until almost midnight to see more action on the field and thereafter to note that the match had been reduced to twenty-three overs a side.

It seemed given the time lost in the match that it no longer qualified as a legitimate one day game although it was following the rules in terms of the reduction of overs. For the public who had come to see the players from both teams in action and probably paid through their nose for it, it was only right that they saw some action rather than none at all. For the organizers, it was imperative that a legitimate match under the ICC guidelines so as to avoid a situation where the weather would have meant huge financial losses for them with spectators demanding a refund. By those standards, it is easy to see why the match was arranged even if it went beyond the stipulated time that a day and night one day match was scheduled to take place.

However, having said that, it may be recalled that on the rare occasion when rain has robbed Test cricket, the match has rarely been reduced in value to make it look like a one day match although there have been the odd instances where merely to please crowds after much rain ruined the prospect of a Test match that the players entertained with a one day match. What was happening at the Rose Bowl was entertainment but also, a serious series contest whose result would reflect on the outcome of the series.

In that light, whether it is right to judge the series when one match has been rained out and another has been reduced to a virtual Twenty20 affair seems like undermining the legitimacy of the fifty overs format because the manner in which the players approached the match was certainly not in compliant with how the one day internationals are strategized and played. If Twenty20 did not exist as a format, it could well have been called as entertainment to please the spectators who stuck around as long as they did just to see some of their favourite players or teams in action. However, since this reduced affair is being given importance, perhaps it would have been fitting that anything that constitutes less than twenty-five overs of play per innings not be constituted as of being only of entertainment and not go into the record books as one day cricket because there was nothing about the play that was fifty overs format.How can the ODI series by a Twenty20 result?