whenever a test match runs for close finish the first thing many of us do is to write some derogatory comparison with 't20 drama'...as if t20 is the bastard child of cricket and to prove our loyalty to the first child of cricket i.e. test cricket...we must condemn t20 and whatever it offers to us...at first available opportunity...without wasting time...or we will be labeled as 'traitors' of cricket...
yes i too felt my heart skipping some beats...to the gripping drama that unfolded yesterday...but i feel the same way when an odi runs close...and for that matter even t20 runs close...
i have seen tempers running high between the fans of two teams even in a t20 match...last 'warm-up' game between india and pakistan in t20 world 2009 being the case in point...
i feel the same thrill...same excitement of triumph...in a winning cause in tight finish...i feel the dampening spirits after the tight finish in a losing cause...
i have seen the dropping jaws in anticipation of unknown when misbah looped that shot in sky in the t20 2007 roller coaster finals...the excitement thereafter knowing the catch is taken on indian fans faces and gloom written all over on every pak fans...how some jumped out of sheer thrills on winning and how some heads limped in frustration knowing that they could have won...
so why discriminate between the thrill...the excitement...the drama...when even our heart don't...?
why we can't simply except that...
a drama is a drama is a drama...
irrespective of the length of game...that is...!!
why this discrimination between 'drama'...?
shared by straight point on Monday, July 13, 2009
irfan pathan: an enigma representing current crop…?
shared by straight point on Tuesday, June 30, 2009
my last post on ishant in which i compared him with irfan pathan got me thinking about him...
we have all seen his rise and demise of irfan pathan...no need to delve further on that coz it is very well documented...
my question is why it’s happening...?
earlier it was said that problem with irfan was that too many cooks were spoiling the food...and that was true indeed...he was running into all and sundry for his problems...and lost his way...
but that was long long away...now he at least don’t have such problems...but somehow he is still far away from being an international class bowler...
so what we make of him...
a bowler with very little talent who witnessed almost unrealistic purple patch only to be faded away...
or is it that he is not pushing himself hard enough to regain his lost glory...?
does the availability of easy money in terms of t20 and ipl have diluted his intensity to work hard on his game...?
i think it has...
once you know that even without putting effort you can make money thru ipls and t20s...when you know that being bits and pieces player...batting one day and bowing another that too for just 4 overs can fetch you good sum...why would you push yourself...why would you run that extra mile...
and i think it’s not only irfan who is thinking in this line...there are many players who are content to play the way they are playing...without even bothering to raise their game to next level...
that’s where I think selectors...and respective boards should step in...before the trend gets out of hand and you will have assembly of uninterested...unmotivated players representing national teams...
to start with...they can award contracts to only those limited players who can represent national teams in at least two formats of game if not all three...thereby making players always on their toes to be in the ‘pack’...
regarding ipl and other ‘private’ leagues...market will itself decide the worth of player coz unlike boards franchisees can’t be fooled...twice...
and before someone points me about kkr...i would like to add that exceptions only prove the rules... :)
the name is alam...intikhab alam...
shared by straight point on Monday, June 22, 2009
any coach in the world who can make player like shahid afridi say...
not every ball in t20 can be hit to boundary...you have to play calculated game...
deserves a standing ovation...
its just goes to show that to get the job done you don't need glamorous name...an earnest and approachable man like alam...with whom players are not in awe of...can go to him with their problems without any apprehension...is always a best bet...no wonder afridi rose to the ranks and was deserving man of match in semi final as well as finals...armed with this refreshing approach...
from now on every team should...as one of the banner said during the match...
be afridi...very afridi...
congrats pakistan....see you at the next world cup...
life...business...cricket...
shared by straight point on Wednesday, May 13, 2009
...or shall i say...test cricket...
there comes a cycle in business...
when a certain type of business booms everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon to cash in...to make quick bucks...sometimes even at the cost of existing business...
but once the bubble bursts...it leaves only those players who are in it to not only make money but create values...business does repeat this cycle of elimination when it needs to...
so does life and so will cricket...
cut to the apparent threat...test cricket faces from new born baby-with-a-silver-spoon...t20 cricket...
while not denying that cricket has ultimately discovered the wings to expand world over...i am not overtly worried about the future of test cricket...
test cricket will be played...more intensely by few nations...few teams...which will have not only capable but willing players...we must continue to maintain the balance, focus and parameters like pitches right...
coz just like every player cannot play test cricket...every player cannot play t20 either...
