A fortnight away...

So where are we after almost a fortnight of absence? India lost yet another final and came out with more questions than answers. England blew Australia away for most of the fourth test and yet again almost contrived to lose the Ashes in their fourth innings chase. Zimbabwe got humiliated yet again and will probably continue that form into the test series against India. We are into the fourth day of the fifth test has started and rain that threatened to blow at least one Ashes test has finally arrived much to the cheer of the England supporters. So where are we after a fortnight of absence?

Before I decide to lambaste the Indian performance here are a few positives that came out for me. It’s about time Md Kaif gave us a glimpse of what he is actually capable of. He needs a lesson in changing gears but he brings much needed solidity at number 3. Dravid in recent years has become a wonderful finisher and he needs a Yuvraj Singh and a Dhoni coming in at 5 and 6. When Tendulkar returns, the batting order will have a more solid look to it…the only problem being finding a place for the beleaguered Indian captain, whose future is starting to increasingly look dark. The problem with this Indian team has been an unbelievable tendency to swing from brilliant to below mediocre in a space of a few days. And the golden run from 2002 to 2004 seems increasingly just a bright spark but nothing more. The performances of this team have started to resemble some of the frustrating periods in the 90s. Who knows, this might actually be the story of Indian cricket…much like Pakistan cricket or Sri Lankan cricket. Always dangerous, but unlikely to be the best for any sustained period of time.

Very unlike the story of the England team though. This has been a collective rise of 11 individuals on the field to beat a colossus. Michael Vaughan may or may not rise to heights of his watershed Ashes tour down under, but his contribution to this team in a space of 18 months is immeasurable. Under his captaincy Harmison, Flintoff and Jones now form the best pace bowling attack in the world by some distance. Andrew Strauss has become one of the best opening bats in the world. Ashley Giles has thrived with a well-defined role for his limited capabilities and Kevin Pieterson has the license to go out and smash the best without any demons in his mind. And Flintoff! What would teams give to have a player like that? He is the fulcrum around which this England team hinges. England needs to handle him with extreme care if they need him to sustain his brilliance for the next decade. And as the rain falls on the fourth day of the final test, putting out the last of the Australian flame, this England team needs to be lauded and idolized for their efforts. But now comes the pressure of being number 1. There’s only one way to go from there…

So where are we after a fortnight of absence? The world changes for some, and remains the same for others. Much like life itself…

The next master-blaster?

Here's a pic of Sachin Tendulkar's son Arjun on the left at a recent nets session where Sachin is recuperating. Looking to loft the ball over long on, would you say? Though his front foot should be pointing straight down the pitch like his old man's...oh well, dad can straighten that technique out.

The good, the bad and the ugly

The good…

The third Ashes test seems a distant memory and it feels like a fresh start to the series. It almost is! The two sides have had a welcome break. Shaun Tait provided a spark in the bowling missing in any Aussie bowler whose name is not Mcgrath, Warne or Lee, and England have had time to give the over-worked Flintoff and Harmison a breather. Trent Bridge promises a fast pitch and with four bowlers on view on either side who can top the 90mph mark, the toss and the first day might prove to be crucial. But then again, a fast pitch and if England bats first, they won’t be backing away from another Edgbaston-like assault on the first day. The Aussies might be prone to be a little more circumspect given their worrying batting form throughout this series. In six innings, only once have the Aussies been able to hold on; the last innings at Old Trafford, and they only barely held on. Hayden, Gilchrist, Martyn and Clarke have some catching up to do. England on the other hand need to shake off the Old Trafford disappointment and come back firing because the murmurings have begun again…the Aussies are below-par and England are playing their best cricket…and the series is still 1-1.

The bad…

India is in Zimbabwe on a series where they have nothing to gain and plenty to lose. Well, nothing to gain might be an exaggeration, but the whole controversy surrounding the captaincy issue, the unsettled look to the team, Tendulkar’s inclusion when he is less than confident about his elbow, some strange omissions from the side and a botched up itinerary, all paint yet another woeful picture of the working of the BCCI. New Zealand has been in Zimbabwe pretty much on a holiday. While their test credentials are suspect, they remain a strong one-day unit and with Shane Bond back at his fiery best, the Indians and Ganguly in particular have a lot to worry about. Ganguly looked totally out of sorts against the 140kph deliveries of Darren Powell and Jermaine Lawson in the Indian Oil tri-series. Shane Bond is in a totally different league to these bowlers in terms of speed and accuracy. This is a no-win situation for Ganguly. He needs to win the series and have a good performance with the bat to hold on to his captaincy and a place in the 11. A bad series with the bat and say a shock defeat to Zimbabwe in one of the ODIs and he might be handed the pink slip. This Indian line-up is still too suspect and the return of Ajit Agarkar suggests that the bench strength is worryingly bare.

The ugly…

Zimbabwe. They have stooped to whole new level of hapless and desperate. The return of Streak, Blignaut and Carlisle doesn’t seem to have helped much as NZ slaughtered them in the first match of the tri-series. You can’t help but feel sorry for Tatenda Taibu. He has been the one bright light in his side for a while and shows genuine potential to be a world class wicket-keeper batsman. He is captain of his team at an age when cricketers are still fine-tuning their game and have strong senior players to guide them. And much as we admire Heath Streak and Taibu, it is hard to ignore the fact that cricket in Zimbabwe is dying a slow and painful death. Bangladesh still has strong public and financial backing to sustain the game and they have unearthed a few genuinely talented cricketers. Zimbabwe on the other hand has the last of the players who are still involved for the love of the game and pride in representing their country. A pride which is slowly being eroded with every heavy defeat…

Ashes 4th Test Coverage
Videocon tri-series coverage