it came as no surprise when gambhir came down heavily on top order after yesterday's match against chennai super kings...
"Chasing 113 was not an easy job and you can't just bat irresponsibly," he said at the post-match presentation. "The top order needed to bat with some responsibility. You can't bat just like that and leave the job for the lower order"
top order is consistently letting the team down with zero commitment towards team cause... everybody seems to shrug his responsibility by saying
"that's the way i play..." and it is nothing short of a minor miracle that delhi is still in the hunt of semi final place...
from now on... gambhir should read the situation as the question of how he can win three matches on trot (to win ipl3) and he should channelise his energy... his resources towards this goal...
the time has come when merely issuing statement in disgust will not do... gambhir will have to take some tough calls and if it means he will have some sore egos in dug-out then so be it...
my team from now on, barring injuries, will be in following order...
karthik, warner, gambhir, dilshan, sehwag, collingwood, manhas, mishra, nehara, nannes, ladda/yadav
sehwag's role should be of a finisher in the team which should be conveyed to him in no uncertain terms... though both can take the game away on their own but gambhir and collingwood should look to tie the one end down and let players like karthik, warner, dilshan, sehwag dominate from another...
i still believe that delhi is the strongest team and if some of our players can bend their back for team cause... we can not only take the best of other teams in ipl... but even beyond...
click to translate »
« back to original...
i know you take it to the level of obsession when you are captain...
so rather than i coming hard at you at times... the truth is... it is not as hard as you are on yourself...
mumbai indians are more or less in the semifinals... and so are delhi daredevils...
you won the battle last time but the war is far from over...
however much i would cherish delhi defeating mumbai in your own den... it will not be same without you...
so till then... take care... take it easy...
click to translate »
« back to original...
when ipl begins every delhite wears a delhi daredevils' cap and that is what matter to delhi fans like me...
i make fun of yuvi's plight... i whistle podu at dhoni's dismissals... i ask for more when ishant gets whacked around the park... i cheer sixes scored off kumble... and what otherwise would be called a blasphemy... i pray for sachin's early dismissal... without feeling guilty about it...
so, when ipl starts, i do not care what you have done for india in tests and sometimes in one days... what only matter to me is what you do (or do not) for delhi daredevils...
do not hide behind the strike rate of 200... it comes with 'blink and miss' stay at crease... do not pull your weight around... make it count for yourself and for my team... and though you could be the cause of sabotaging english cricket... i see your daft batting as a sabotage of DD's chances...
its a war and we have to win it... so do not take it easy sehwag... even for a second...
click to translate »
« back to original...
call it a blogger's jinx if you want... but a day after me posting about sarabjit ladda... he is dropped from delhi daredevil's team today for their match against chennai super kings...
though no official reason is given but it is understood, as endorsed by many, that since CSK's line-up is filled with left handed batsmen, playing two leg spinners would have been a luxury 3D could ill-afford...
i just don't understand this logic at all...
has anybody said that with 3D's batting line-up filled with right-handed batsmen, CSK should not play murali and ashwin together...?
click to translate »
« back to original...
as i said in my first post of this ipl season that i will keep an eye on a domestic talent... one bowler which has caught my eye is... sarabjit ladda...
ladda bowls fastish leg break... is more in the molds of kumble than say amit mishra... and like kumble he has a good control and is always at the batsmen with impeccable line and length... his strength also makes him bit predictable but the variation in pace and trajectory makes up for that...
he seems to be unfazed by the batsmen looking to score quick off him... as if bowling in power plays is not enough challenge in itself... he seems to relish the challenge of ball thrown at him inside first six overs of a t20 match ... a sign of sound temperament so crucial for a spinner...
i would really look forward to him bowling on a wicket that has bit of pace and bounce coz i think that kind of pitch will suit him best... i hope delhi daredevils will show the same temperament in dealing with him and won't confine him to dugout after an indifferent performance coz any bowler can go for runs in a t20 game...
with some experience ladda will learn how to use shoulders and body at the time of delivery and will surely add more tricks of trade... this is where i feel he should not hesitate to talk to the greats like kumble and warne whenever ipl throws chance to him in the form of encounter against the team they represent...
one thing is for sure... we will hear more about ladda as the ipl progress more towards business end and beyond that...
who says there is a shortage of spin talent in india... if only the powers that be look beyond the big names and stars... which is what they are actually being paid for...
click to translate »
« back to original...
this is what sums up the delhi daredevils vs mumbai indians game for me...
if any of the eight teams in the ipl has the best name that defines the team... its delhi daredevils'... for they will always be in pursuit of doing the things in dare devil's ways even if that can be done normally... sensibly...
however well mumbai indians played... and kudos to them for outplaying 3Ds in all departments of game... but i was pissed of at the toss itself... gautam won the toss and handed over the advantage to MIs on platter...
we know that t20 game is too abbreviated a game to let go any advantage that you have over your opponent...
we also know mumbai indians do not have a good record chasing... in fact they have choked to defeat from winning position on many occasions... but no... our devil's will take none of that...
they wanted thrill and they got it... by chasing the leather... and i do not even expect them to learn the lesson...
– title inspiration: homer
click to translate »
« back to original...
ipl is coming back to india in its third season and the fan in me wants to see sound and safe ipl...
its very crucial season for ipl... not only from the commercial point of view but also to show to the world that cricket in india is as safe as anywhere around in the world...
while security men will be doing their bit but i appeal to all fans and country men that we should treat ourselves as the invisible arm supporting them and should not think that its not our job... we all should be aware and alert to the possibilities of threats and inform the concerning authorities in case of any suspicious person or activity around us... lets have fun but at the same time... be responsible...
so my mantra for IPL3 will be – fun with responsibility...
on fun part... i wish to see this year final between delhi daredevils and mumbai indians purely from the existing rivalry point of view... i tell you if this happens the intensity of the contest will be just unbelievable...
though i will be keeping an eye on our domestic player's performances as well but i can already see manish pandey and yousuf pathan making it really big this season... and i won't be surprised if pandey boards the flight to the caribbean t20 world cup adventure due to happen next...
on bowling front... although some of the most prized caps were fast bowlers in the ipl auction this time... but i believe spinners will again be the key... the summer season has started so i don't think the dew factor will count that much... they will make their presence felt with batsmen hell bent on making most of them...
how i wish that boundary rope stay back to where it belong and not come up (unlike fielders) to kill the fun...
click to translate »
« back to original...
i think delhi dare devils and mumbai indians has every ingredient in them...to make for a great ipl rivalry to the tune of ashes...
the tradition...
the players...
the platform...
the fans...
and finally the bloggers...
infact during off season...the franchisee of both can arrange 'home' and 'away' series of say 3 matches to cultivate this ipl ashes...which i am sure gonna be far more intense...
what say...?
ps:
i might have given modi another idea to milk money from...but who cares...
click to translate »
« back to original...
to cheer and congratulate gautam who is looking gambhir (serious) to crack open one available spot at top of india test team...
infact delhi dare devils (3Ds) should bow to him that despite sehwag captaining them 'brilliantly' they can still dream a place for semifinals!!
his consistency of late is remarkable for a guy who was susceptible to moving ball...that too for an opener he is...but he seems to have worked very hard on his technique without loosing out an iota of his flamboyance...
his feet are moving nicely, surely but positively...
it doesn't harm him any bit that he is one of the best (if not best) player of spin today...
another remarkable difference is...now he seems to carry on the start he was guilty of throwing away in past...
lessons learnt hard way but learnt anyway...
i think jaffer is going to be first casualty of IPL...with GG being the beneficiary...
not by default though...but for knocking at the door till its wide and invitingly open...
thanks Q for the hint
click to translate »
« back to original...
or what you would call it...
i thought somebody told 3d bats that they had to score 130 odd runs in 15 over itself...otherwise what could be the explanation of shots they all played?
best moment that sums up the situation came when Dhawan played ball back to dinda who throwed the ball back to him and there were some heated glances exchanged...dilshan sensing the mood of dhwan went up to him to calm him down and play according to the situation...but what happened next ball? he just swayed his bat across the line and got bowled...
mindless...like they all were...
i discussed with good friend Soulberry that KKR are leaving it too late to up the tempo and got away with DC the other day...and 3ds have to hit hard at this strategy of theirs...they did exactly the same and restricted KKR to almost walk away total...
perhaps then they decided to make the match more interesting and chase down the total in 15 overs itself...
but whatta come back by Shoaib!!
i think this T20 format will suit him more than anything coz he just have to bowl 4 overs of full throttle...and he did exactly the same...
but at the same time, more than his pace or accuracies of bowls...i think 3ds got intimidated by his presence and tried to out bowl him and thats where they lost the match...by playing some inexplicable shots...
which brings me down to the question which i wanted to ask for long but i think this is the best moment...
how can a captain rap his batters to play rash stroke or preferring their 'natural' play over team demand...when he repeatedly does the same?
i think in the answer of this is hidden the solution of 3ds problem...
what say?
PS: Was it only me who noticed that the captain who was looking to win the match appeared far more tensed than the captain who was loosing it...? infact sehwag was smiling like they were cruising to victory...
click to translate »
« back to original...
