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He fought himself every day he spent out of the team, now he walks down to the fastest bowlers. The reborn India opener opens up

Interview by Sidharth Monga28-Sep-2009Starting in Sri Lanka last year, the way you have played, do you think that’s the best you can get?
If someone had told me in Sri Lanka that this is what I would achieve in the next year, in all three forms of the game, I would have taken it hands down.Do you remember the days spent out of the team?
More than the time I have spent with the team, I remember the time out of it. There were sleepless nights. There were times when nothing went my way. I do remember all of that. That’s what keeps me on my toes. That’s what helps me concentrate on each and every game.Did you feel angry or frustrated?
At one point, when I didn’t make the 2007 World Cup squad, I was very, very frustrated. Then I became very hard on myself. Whenever I used to go to the nets, or when I trained in the gym, I was very hard on myself. I couldn’t sleep, I used to think a lot. Very, very desperate to make a comeback.What would you do when you got angry during those days?
One good thing that I always had is, these angry periods make me mentally tougher. They make me work harder, rather than just sit down and think, “Oh, I am not going to make a comeback, oh, things are not going to happen for me.”When something inside you says, “I don’t want to go to the gym today,” what do you do?
When I got dropped for the World Cup, there were times I didn’t want to play anymore. I didn’t want to practise. I couldn’t motivate myself. Then I said, “Look what are the options?” Cricket is the only option. Whether I play happily or sadly, it’s still all I have. There are not a lot of things I am good at. Then you motivate yourself again. If you have to do this, may as well do it happily.What did you do when you were told you were not going to the World Cup?
That was the worst night. I got dropped during the West Indies series in Goa. Then the next series they were playing was more or less a decided team for the World Cup. After that, when the team went to West Indies, I was playing Deodhar Trophy. That was one of the few times I couldn’t concentrate because I was really frustrated, and I was really emotionally down because I wanted to play the World Cup, which I haven’t done yet.Once you are dropped, you go back to playing Ranji again. What do you feel?
Ask any batsman what gives him maximum satisfaction. It’s scoring runs, whether it’s Ranji Trophy or any form of the game. When you get back to your room, knowing that you have scored a hundred, it gives you satisfaction. Whenever I would go back to Ranji Trophy, my hunger for runs had always increased.Did you ever think your chance had come and gone?
Oh, I did. I still remember when I was making my comeback after the World Cup, when I went to Bangladesh. I felt that if I didn’t perform on that tour, people would say, “He has got enough opportunities and he has not performed, let’s look beyond him.” Because obviously no one remembers how many comebacks I had made, and how many matches I played after making comebacks. But I managed to score a hundred there.Was that innings?
No. After that hundred I still had some lows. I didn’t score runs in Ireland against South Africa, and I didn’t start off well against England in England.

“After I was dropped for the World Cup, there were times I didn’t want to play anymore. I said, “Look what are the options?” Cricket is the only option. Whether I play happily or sadly, it’s still all I have. There are not a lot of things I am good at”

You once said “I was too hard on myself. I wasn’t too relaxed and it used to tie me up in knots.” I believe Gary Kirsten helped you with the insecurity you felt over being dropped. What exactly did he do?
Gary told me how much quality I brought to the side. “You are the one who can anchor the innings, and at the same time you can attack.” When you get to know this from a person who has played 100 Tests and who is the coach, then you tell yourself, “Look, you are equally important.” That has made me comfortable. Earlier no one ever told me what importance I brought to the side. I always used to feel, what I am doing in this side anyone else can do. Now I realise I have my own role.One such innings was the World Twenty20 final. We had such a great side but I got the most runs in the tournament. South Africa, the first time I was playing there. Also, when we went to Sri Lanka and I scored 300 runs, against Murali and Mendis. That’s when I realised I was equally important.You need to feel loved and told you are important?
Everyone does. You need to have that good atmosphere, and that’s what has been happening over the last one-and-a-half years. That’s why the team has been doing well, because the atmosphere in the dressing room and around us has been fantastic. Everyone has his own importance.Does that mean you were not comfortable during your earlier stints with the team?
Then I used to feel that there is a huge gap between me and other players. Initially I used to try and copy them. Maybe getting dropped teaches you more things than when you are doing well. One thing I realised was that everyone is different. You can’t compare two human beings.Are you an introvert?
Depends on who I am with. Lots of people think I am an introvert. But when I am comfortable with people, I am the only one who talks. If you ask Viru [Virender Sehwag], Munna [Munaf Patel], Ishant [Sharma], Amit [Mishra], they will tell you, when we are together, I am the only guy talking. You ask others, they say, he doesn’t talk. I need to be comfortable with people.And so goes your reputation: that you play well when you are in your comfort zone. Take you slightly out, say put you with a team of players you are not friendly with, it gets difficult. Is that true?
That’s true for any cricketer. They need to be in that comfort zone. If you ask any batsman, they want to be in the right frame of mind. How relaxed they are shows in their performance. In the last year and a half, I have been in that comfort zone whenever I have played for India.”Sometimes you want to get into an argument with a bowler so that you can concentrate harder and get grittier “•AFPHow true is this angry-young-man image that you have?
I used to be very angry. It’s not the anger but passion that comes out when I am playing. I really want to do well. I used to be very short-tempered, very impatient, earlier. I guess I am still very impatient. If I have decided to do something, I want to do it now. If I ask someone else to do something, I want that person to do it at that point of time. That’s the way I have always been. If I want to go to the gym right now, I want to go right now. I don’t want to wait.Do you let what people say affect you? Is it difficult to not let that bother you?
That was one big mistake I made. Maybe that’s why I used to be under pressure to perform each and every time. Because I used to bother about what people were saying.On the field you are such a competitive, positive, aggressive player. How come you let all these negatives come into your system?
In a country like India, when you know there is so much competition, and the kind of experiences I have had in the past, it has always made me insecure. Because I didn’t get the India cap that easily. When I made my Test debut I had already scored 5000 runs in domestic cricket. It wasn’t that I just scored one or two hundreds and got my Test call. I worked very hard. So I was always so hard on myself, saying that this is the only opportunity I have. If I don’t score runs, I don’t want to go to the domestic circuit again and start off from zero. All those 5000 runs would go to waste.You must have made technical changes too?
There was a time when I was a big lbw candidate. I have worked hard on it with Mr Parthasarathi Sharma. He helped me a lot in this thing, when my head used to fall. There was one exercise I used to do without holding the bat. I used to take my head towards the ball. Someone used to throw the ball from a shorter distance and I used to just play with my pads so that my head didn’t fall but went in the same direction where the ball is coming from. So the head stays still. Once your head falls, the front leg starts going across. This and a couple other exercises and I stopped shuffling.How did you start walking down the wicket towards fast bowlers?
Before we went to Sri Lanka, when they came here, Chaminda Vaas had got me lbw three or four times. So I knew I had to tackle him. He knew my weaknesses well, he had put me through my worst Test series. So one way to tackle it was walk down the crease. It came instinctively, to get rid of that lbw thing. So that I am far more in front of the crease, so that I am covering the swing, and sometimes even outside the line of off. It worked, so I thought why not continue with it.There was a time when you were suspect outside off; now it has become your strength.
What happens is, a lot has to again do with my security in this side. Technique can take you till one level, international cricket is all about how mentally strong and how mentally relaxed you are. Sometimes your instincts take over and you are not in control of your body and your mind. Sometimes you are desperate to score runs, you are so desperate to get out of that zone that you tend to chase the ball. When you are mentally relaxed, when you feel you belong, you try and play the ball late and closer to the body. Everything has to do with your mindset.Then came the phase of the fifties. Did you ever think you were wasting your best years by not getting centuries?
In Sri Lanka I scored three fifties. Against Australia in Mohali I remember I got out for 67, and when I was walking back there was talk behind my back that I was good only for fifties. There was talk in the media also that I was not able to get hundreds. It was always at the back of my mind. For any cricketer this can become a mental block. You start feeling there is something wrong with the concentration.

“Gary [Kirsten] told me how much importance and quality I brought to the side. ‘You are the one who can anchor the innings, and at the same time you can attack.’ When you get to know this from a person who has played 100 Tests and who is the coach, then you realise, ‘Look, even you are equally important’ “

What was the immediate feeling at getting that hundred in the second innings? Relief?
Absolutely. I was very relieved. Because I wanted to prove to myself I could get a hundred. Once I did that, I got a double in the next innings.You were on 67 in Delhi when you elbowed Shane Watson. Was it a big moment for you as a batsman that your concentration didn’t suffer and you went on to get a double?
Whenever the situation becomes tough, whenever I get into an argument with someone, I become tougher, more determined. I concentrate harder. Then I don’t want to lose my wicket. For me, sometimes during Test cricket I start feeling a bit loose, too relaxed. Your concentration is not at the highest level. Sometimes you want to get into an argument with a bowler so that you can concentrate harder and get grittier.Do you look back at Watson incident and say, “Maybe I went too far”?
Absolutely. I should have behaved more maturely because of the kind of good form I was in. If India had lost the Nagpur Test, I would have taken all the blame. Because the kind of form I was in, I should have played the fourth Test. And because when you are in good nick, you want to take the team through. Not just do your bit and relax. At no point should anybody be allowed to let his team down.Now that you’ve grown older, more successful and mature, can you draw a line and say, “This is being hard on myself, and this is being too hard”?
I try and do that. But it takes a lot of effort. Because the way you have been brought up, the way you have played your cricket, it doesn’t change in one or two years. It has to be a very conscious effort. It takes a very, very hard effort to change it.What is it about your upbringing that makes you this way?
In the Under-14 days I was the highest run-getter, and I didn’t go to the World Cup. I was the highest run-getter in Under-19 and I still didn’t make it to the Under-19 World Cup. Ranji Trophy, I got an 83 in the second match I played and I got dropped again. The insecurities started from there. That was the age when a person would want to enjoy his cricket, but that was not the case with me. I always thought that if I didn’t perform well I would not get the next game. Be it Under-14, Under-16, Under-19, Ranji Trophy. That’s the way I have been brought up. It has got into my system.You have opened with Tendulkar, Sehwag, Ganguly. How is it different with them?
Sehwag is my favourite player. He is the best, most dangerous. Opening with him is completely different, because the kind of understanding and comfort I have with him is tremendous. Whenever I go onto the field and I have Sehwag at the other end, it gives me a lot of confidence. No doubts about that. He has been one of my very good friends.Can he sense when you are down?
There were times, when I was making my comeback, that I just walked up to him and said that I was very nervous. He always says something that lifts you. I am not shy of walking up to him and saying, “I am nervous.” I remember in the first innings in Napier that I wasn’t batting well at all. I was struggling against James Franklin. He [Sehwag] walked up to me and told me, do this and things might work. He also realises sometimes that I am struggling mentally, or struggling against a certain bowler. And I don’t mind walking up to him and asking him to take strike against a certain bowler.”We try and sing songs, we try and crack jokes. Opening is the most difficult part. Most times we end up singing the same song”•AFPWhat did he tell you in Sri Lanka?
He said, just concentrate. It’s just a matter of couple of minutes. Try and play within yourself. One thing he told me in New Zealand when I was struggling: try and think about God, try and take your mind off for a bit.First of all we are very relaxed. We try and sing songs, we try and crack jokes. Because as you know, opening is the most difficult part. When you are playing the new ball, you have to try to get each other relaxed. Share light moments, talk something out of cricket. Those are things we have done. Most of the times we end up singing the same song.There was a time when you took his place. Did your friendship change at all? I mean, before, you used to be out and he in, now it was the other way round.
My friendship is not because of only cricket – it’s far beyond it. If I am outside the team and he is in, I will always wish he keeps scoring runs and helps India win. Friendship is not just about playing together, it goes beyond.You spoke about Napier. Was that the finest you have played?
That’s the best I have played because of my concentration, because I had to play out of my skin. Being an impatient guy, even off the field, I would always look to score runs and score them quickly. Sometimes I panic if runs are not coming. So I had to play out of my skin, out of my comfort zone, it was a big achievement for me.You had Viru calling you the best opener since Gavaskar, you had Sachin, Laxman, Rahul, all praising you generously after that innings. Still insecure?
Yes they are, it’s very difficult to get that out of my system. Now I have added my own expectation because I have done reasonably well in the last one and a half years. Two years ago, if I got one fifty in a three-match series I would be happy, but now it’s very difficult sometimes.Is it possible to not be hard on yourself?
I would love to go easy, because it exhausts you. You stop enjoying. You don’t play your natural game. You are only looking to score at any cost. But that’s the way I have been brought up. Can’t help it.

A stats analysis of Dennis Lillee’s Ashes career

S Rajesh18-Jul-2009Australia have had a tradition of producing some outstanding fast bowlers, but few will rank higher than Dennis Lillee, who has turned 60 today. For many, he is the perfect definition of the ultimate fast bowler: he was fast, aggressive, and possessed the complete armoury, with the ability to swing and seam the ball both ways, and bowl long spells.He also saved his best for Australia’s oldest rivals, taking 167 wickets in only 29 Ashes Tests, an average of 5.76 wickets per match, which was better than his overall stats of 5.07 wickets per match. Lillee is second in the wicket-takers’ list, next only to Shane Warne, who, in seven more Tests, took 28 extra wickets. Both took five wickets in an innings 11 times and ten in a match four times; the latter is a record, with Fred Spofforth and Tom Richardson the only other bowlers to achieve it.The top three are all Australians, with Glenn McGrath in third place. The most wickets taken by an Englishman in Ashes is Ian Botham’s 148, but he needed 36 Tests for that tally, an average of 4.11 wickets per match. (Click here for the complete list.)

Most wickets in Ashes Tests

BowlerTestsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WI/ 10WMShane Warne3619523.2555.111/ 4Dennis Lillee2916721.0050.911/ 4Glenn McGrath3015720.9246.310/ 0Ian Botham3614827.6557.29/ 2Hugh Trumble3114120.8855.99/ 3Bob Willis3512826.1456.97/ 0Monty Noble3911524.8659.99/ 2Ray Lindwall2911422.4459.06/ 0Wilfred Rhodes4110924.0053.16/ 1Sydney Barnes2010621.5854.212/ 1Clarrie Grimmett2210632.4486.411/ 2Overall, too, Lillee was one of the most feared bowlers for England’s batsmen, though a fair number of West Indian bowlers also make the list of most successful bowlers against them. Curtly Ambrose and Malcolm Marshall both averaged around 19 against them, which is slightly lesser than Lillee’s 21.Almost half his 355 wickets came against traditional rivals England, a team which brought out the best in Lillee. In only 29 Tests against them he took 167 wickets – that’s an average 5.76 per Test – at an excellent average of 21. Only Warne has taken more wickets against them, while both have taken exactly the same number of five- and ten-wicket hauls.The list is dominated by Australian and West Indians, the two teams who have played England most often. Eighty-three of Lillee’s wickets against England came in the 12 Tests that Australia won against them, at an outstanding average of 17.68. The only bowler in the top ten not from Australia or West Indies is Muttiah Muralitharan, who, in only 16 matches, has racked up 112 wickets against England.

Highest wicket-takers against England

BowlerTestsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WI/ 10WMShane Warne3619523.2555.111/ 4Dennis Lillee2916721.0050.911/ 4Curtly Ambrose3416418.7950.58/ 2Glenn McGrath3015720.9246.310/ 0Courtney Walsh3614525.4060.85/ 1Hugh Trumble3114120.8855.99/ 3Malcolm Marshall2612719.1845.56/ 1Monty Noble3911524.8659.99/ 2Ray Lindwall2911422.4459.06/ 0Muttiah Muralitharan1611220.0659.08/ 4Overall, Lillee was one of Australia’s most effective matchwinners. In the 31 Tests that Australia won with Lillee in the team, he took 203 wickets at a fantastic average of 18.27, with 17 five-wicket hauls. Among Australian bowlers with at least 100 wickets in wins, only Clarrie Grimmett, the legspinner who played in the 1920s and 30s, had a better average. Clearly, Lillee’s performances went a long way in determining his team’s fortunes – in Tests that Australia lost he averaged 29.49, and in draws he averaged 32.73 per wicket.In Ashes Tests too, he was one of the biggest matchwinners, with 83 wickets in a mere 12 Tests at an outstanding average of 17.68. Lillee ranks fourth in terms of wickets taken in Ashes wins, and among bowlers who took at least 50 wickets in such games, his average is sixth best, but the greatest since 1940. He also took a whopping 6.92 wickets per Test in these games, a stat bettered only by two bowlers in this list – Fred Spofforth and Bill O’Reilly.

Biggest matchwinners in Ashes Tests (Qual: 50 wickets in wins)

BowlerTestsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WI/ 10WMWkts per TestGeorge Lohmann (Eng)125911.9637.24/ 24.92Fred Spofforth (Aus)65113.1130.46/ 38.50Robert Peel (Eng)127714.8546.75/ 16.42Bill O’Reilly (Aus)75415.5347.46/ 37.71John Briggs (Eng)176315.7439.17/ 33.71Dennis Lillee (Aus)128317.6841.68/ 36.92Keith Miller (Aus)135017.7452.13/ 13.85Monty Noble (Aus)198417.7844.88/ 24.42Hugh Trumble (Aus)147718.0052.04/ 15.50Terry Alderman (Aus)85319.2841.97/ 16.63Overall, Lillee was involved in seven Test series against England, plus two centenary Tests, one each in Australia and England. Australia won four of those series (though Lillee didn’t have much of a role to play in 1982-83, playing just one Test), lost two and drew one. His most successful series, in terms of averages, were in 1972, in England, and in 1979-80 at home, when Australia won 3-0. In terms of wickets, though, Lillee’s best was in the historic 1981 series in England, when he took 39 in six Tests and yet couldn’t prevent an Australian defeat.

Lilllee’s stats in each Ashes series

YearTestsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WI/ 10WMWinner1970-71 (Home)2824.8762.31/ 0England1972 (Away)53117.6748.33/ 1Drawn1974-75 (Home)62523.8458.40/ 0Australia1975 (Away)42121.9059.11/ 0Australia1976-77 (Home)11115.0034.82/ 1Australia1979-80 (Home)32316.8640.42/ 1Australia1980 (Away)1519.2040.80/ 0Drawn1981 (Away)63922.3047.92/ 1England1982-83 (Home)1446.25106.50/ 0Australia

This innings was Gayle at his destructive best, but it was also Gayle at his most mature and composed as he batted for all bar two balls of the innings

Andrew McGlashan in Bridgetown09-May-2010If Chris Gayle leads, West Indies tend to follow. All teams can be inspired by the performance of their captain, yet rarely has the impact been so clear as with Gayle’s role within his side. As with Mahela Jayawardene he came within a brace of becoming the first batsman to make two Twenty20 international hundreds, but of far greater significance is that the hosts remain very much alive in this tournament.This innings was Gayle at his destructive best, but it was also Gayle at his most mature and composed as he batted for all bar two balls of the innings when his bat bounced up when he tried to make his ground. He scored at better than a run-a-ball in the first six, but only just as he assessed conditions were tougher after overnight rain. At the start of the eighth over he was on 26 – Gayle has often had that many to his name before anyone can blink.He picked his moments and targeted certain bowlers. Harbhajan Singh was allowed to escape with four overs for 16 (much as Johan Botha had been treated with respect by England) and teams are often allowing the opposition’s main threat to be played out. Batsmen are confident of being able to make the ground up elsewhere. This time it was Ravindra Jadeja – who has had a tournament to forget – and Suresh Raina who were picked off for 50 in four overs. India again packed their batting, but they were desperate for another bowler.This effort can rank alongside the 117 Gayle made against South Africa in the opening match of the inaugural tournament and the stunning 88 off 50 balls against Australia last year as his finest Twenty20 innings. “The South Africa one will always stand out more but if you look at the situation here it was a must-win for us,” Gayle said. “So to come out and deliver is what we asked for. It was suitable for my style of batting and the ball came on nicely.”The atmosphere inside the Kensington Oval was electric which confirmed how important West Indies presence is to this tournament. Each Gayle boundary was greeted by cacophonous noise as the West Indian fans made sure they out-cheered their Indian counterparts. For sponsors and broadcasters this would have been the perfect final.Staging the match at 9.30 on a Sunday morning (or 10am after the delayed start) was hardly ideal timing for the local audience, but the needs of the Indian television market are being serviced first. The irony now is that India are looking increasingly unlikely to make the knockout stages. However, despite the early start the crowd turned up in numbers with only a few vacant seats.”The support has been tremendous,” Gayle said. “We had to come out and give the crowd something to cheer about otherwise I’m sure stones would have been thrown. This victory eases the pressure a bit but we can’t relax.”Gayle’s strokeplay warmed the crowd and one blow – a back-foot drive off Yusuf Pathan – bounced on the top of the 3Ws stand. Locals say they have never see such a blow. It was a monstrous strike. But there was one moment later in the match that was true Caribbean and all too rare these days. Kemar Roach produced a wicked bouncer which followed Gautam Gambhir as he tried to sway out of the line. The ball kissed the glove and Denesh Ramdin leapt off the ground to take the catch. The stands went wild.The reaction was the same, and perhaps even louder given the match was heading for its denouement, when Dwayne Bravo produced a direct hit from long-on to run out MS Dhoni who was India’s last hope. Bravo ended up at midwicket in celebration then had the task of bowling the final over after a nervous Roach bowled four wides and a no-ball to make West Indies sweat. Even on a day when Bravo hadn’t been at his best with the ball he wasn’t going give up 19 runs.The local fans are desperate for success – victory still brings huge passion – but they are so used to defeats that it has become the norm. The scenes when West Indies do conjure victory remind of how much they are savoured. As they exited the stands the trumpets were blaring and smiles beamed. It was much the same when Jerome Taylor skittled England for 51 in Jamaica last year. Now West Indies need to repeat this against Australia and Gayle will set benchmark. Once again captain, it’s over to you.

The time has come for the selectors to seek someone else to try to lift players out of their insecurity

Tony Cozier20-Jun-2010The theme of despair running through West Indies cricket for a decade and more has never been more blatant than in the current series against South Africa. It was increasingly so as the opposing batsmen gathered complimentary runs in the second Test at Warner Park on Friday and yesterday, three of them hundreds.In the preceding five ODIs and the first Test, West Indies’ batting lacked resolve and cricketing common sense (to use the phrase of coach Ottis Gibson). It will again be under pressure to survive against the weight of South Africa’s mammoth total of 543 for six declared, the sixth over 500 in the West Indies’ last 12 Tests. The bowling, further weakened by the unfitness of its fastest men, has been ineffective. When chances were offered as the ruthless South Africans built their strong foundation on Friday, they slipped through inattentive fingers. If not as many as the six put down in England’s first innings at Kensington Oval last season or the same number fluffed in a single session at Lord’s two months later, the three missed on the opening day on Friday were similarly debilitating. And, as usual, the overall fielding has been at a standard not expected even at the junior level.Above all, the whole operation has been without direction.When Graeme Smith won the toss on Friday, Chris Gayle immediately announced his disappointment that he would be kept in the field for a day or more on a pitch he described as ‘a road’. He was simply resigned to his fate. In effect, he conceded the match was beyond West Indies before a ball was bowled. It was not a message his players, already short of self-belief, needed to hear.The captain has never been one to exert unnecessary energy in the field. His movements befit his description of himself as the coolest dude in cricket. Now, reportedly carrying a strained groin, he was virtually motionless either at slip or short midwicket. His injury presumably prevented him from delivering a single over. He looked every bit the reluctant captain he declared himself to be in England last year. Gayle made bowling changes as if by rote. Even with the total passing 400 with only the three wickets down, he employed two short legs for his new offspinner Shane Shillingford. The Dominican has fit effortlessly into his role on his late entrance into Test cricket and responded manfully to his demands. But his figures were unflattering and undeserved. Only time will tell what damage they might have inflicted on his morale.Others could have lessened Shillingford’s load. He was called on for 52 overs, an amount he had never previously experienced. Sulieman Benn had 20 fewer. Ravi Rampaul and Dwayne Bravo had 18 each. The leader’s attitude inevitably permeates his players.Since he became captain three years ago, Gayle’s main attributes have been the support of his players and his ability to lead from the front with his batting. The latter was most evident in his unbeaten 165, batting through the innings, and his 70-ball 102 in successive innings that led to the revival in the final two Tests in Australia late last year after an innings loss in the first.That confidence was missing here. Perhaps his spirit has been finally crushed by the results leading into this series (19 losses against seven wins, four over Zimbabwe, in ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals for the year) and the loss of so many key players through injury.The time has come for the selectors to seek someone else to try to lift players out of their insecurity. Gayle might even make the decision for himself. The perennial question arises. If not Gayle, then who? And if Gayle is replaced, would he stay on as the vital opening batsman he has been throughout his tenure in charge?Dwayne Bravo is the answer to the first question. He is vice-captain and, for all the unfulfillment of his all-round talent, it is difficult to imagine him allowing things to drift as they did at Warner Park. His energy and enthusiasm are the antithesis of Gayle’s cool. In the second case, Gayle would obviously be missed but equally, for all the Twenty20 tournaments mushrooming all over the planet and his widely publicised comments on Test cricket last year, international cricket has become too much of his life and he might find it difficult to abandon it altogether.A rotation of captains over a dozen years, eight in all from Richie Richardson to Gayle, has made no difference to West Indies’ woes. It might not do now either but, on the evidence of the last couple of months and, more especially, the last couple of days, Gayle has come to the end of the line.

An English fan, sitting in the “Calcutta Stand” in Bangalore, watches the World Cup’s most thrilling game so far

Richard Kemp28-Feb-2011Choice of game
I’m following England throughout the group games in India, so attending the game against the main host nation was a must – this despite the hassle and cost of changing flights and accommodation after the switch from Kolkata to Bangalore. After England’s poor start against the Dutch in Nagpur, I couldn’t see any other result than an Indian win. More so once India racked up 338!Team supported
Naturally the England boys.World Cup prediction
On paper India are the strongest outfit. If they handle the growing pressure as the tournament progresses then they will be tough to beat on home soil. Sri Lanka will be there or thereabouts but may just lack that “x-factor” with the bat to challenge during the latter stages. Pakistan have started well but over the seven weeks are bound to have some form of chaos surround their squad, which could affect their chances of going all the way. My outside bet would be on Australia, who have a dangerous pace attack that could unsettle any batting line-up. Their test will be if they play one of the big boys on a slow, low turner, neutralising the danger of Lee, Tait and Super Mitch. If they can show they can adapt then they have a shout. Despite the tie against the Indians, I think this tournament will be one step too far for our Ashes and Twenty20 winning heroes. We just look like we are lacking a bit of energy in the field, no doubt brought on by the long winter away. Whether tonight’s run-chase will boost the side at all remains to be seen.Accessories
Naturally a wallet full of Indian rupees to ensure I got my daily dose of , plus a digital camera which was smuggled in between my legs, defying ridiculous rules banning any photography equipment.Key performer
Andrew Strauss. No doubt Sachin Tendulkar will take all the plaudits in the Indian newspapers, but it was Strauss who played the more telling knock. Many questioned his ability to bat at the top of the order on the subcontinent, taking advantage of the fielding restrictions before milking the bowling in the middle periods. This innings of 158, delivered on the biggest possible stage, should silence any remaining doubters. His fourth hundred for England in India and arguably his most memorable. Tim Bresnan and Zaheer Khan both bowled crucial spells at the death, but it was Strauss’s that was the standout display in a thrilling tie.One thing I’d have changed
From a purely selfish point of view it would have been great to see England eke out that extra single off the last ball. Upon reflection a tie was probably a fair result. Both sides batted superbly for the majority of the game before the bowlers hit back in the last 10 overs.Face-off I relished
Any game against India that involves Yuvraj Singh is always worth watching. The England boys believe they can get into Yuvraj with the odd word. Judging by his continuing excellent form against England, I’m not sure that is the best tactic!Wow moment
Ajmal Shehzad struck the first ball he faced for a maximum over long-on. Sheer drama after over seven hours of brilliant ODI cricket. The England fans congregated in the imaginatively titled “Calcutta Stand” knew we wouldn’t lose after this incredible moment.Shot of the day
Wow, how do you choose that after 676 runs? From a purely cricketing point of view I’d say Tendulkar’s second six in two balls against Graeme Swann. Anyone can hit one six, but to do it twice in a row against one of the world’s best bowlers in the middle period of a ODI oozes class. A proper shot too, hit straight down the ground.Crowd meter
The noise towards the end of the game, when India started chipping away at wickets was as loud as anything I have heard in a cricket ground anywhere in the world. It would have been even louder were it not for the several thousand who left early during the Strauss-Bell partnership.Fancy-dress index
As ever, my good friend Dave was kitted out in his full Union Jack attire. Apart from the odd silly wig, the crowd was in the main shy of the usual fancy-dress suspects.Entertainment
As it should be, the cricket was the main entertainment. Forget your IPL cheerleaders (this isn’t baseball) plus your music in between deliveries. Just let the cricketers do their stuff.Banner of the day
“Thank you Calcutta”. At least the people of Bangalore gained from the late rearrangement to the fixture.ODIs v Twenty20
I’m not a huge fan of what Twenty20 has become. It was originally launched domestically as a tool for getting people back into cricket. Sadly the greed of the cricket boards is slowly killing the golden goose. For me Twenty20 should never have been taken into the international arena in the first place – we have enough Test and ODI cricket as it is. If I had to choose, I would say ODIs. A good ODI is more memorable than a good Twenty20. If ever there was an example of that, it was this incredible game.Marks out of 10
10. Superb entertainment from the first ball to the last.Overall
A brilliant day’s cricket that sets the benchmark for the rest of the tournament. I’ve already been fortunate to witness both Tendulkar and Strauss score Test hundreds in India. Now I can add ODI tons for good measure. Some fine death bowling followed by some late-order hitting completed the near-perfect day.

AB de Villiers is all about the collective. Individual achievements aren’t important to him, and he wants his captaincy to reflect that

Firdose Moonda20-Jun-2011AB de Villiers has done just about everything there is to do on a cricket field. He batted at every spot from No. 1 to No. 8 before establishing himself at No. 4. Once there, he broke the South African record for the highest individual Test score; he started off as the perfect prowler at backward point and went on to keep wicket in limited-overs cricket. He has even bowled, two overs in ODIs, 33 in Tests, and claimed two wickets. de Villiers has done it all, but he has never captained a team. At least, not yet.On October 13, in Cape Town, that will change. de Villiers will lead South Africa in a Twenty20 against Australia, and so will begin a new era for South African cricket. “It’s unknown territory for me but I believe I can do the job,” de Villiers told ESPNcricinfo. “I think I was the captain of a schools team once, but I never captained at provincial or franchise level. It was a bit of a surprise when the national captaincy came my way.”For many, it was not unexpected. de Villiers was an automatic choice. He epitomises the South African sportsman: as talented as he is hardworking, as overflowing with optimism as he is gritty on the field, and as idolised as a hero as he is approachable. Most of all, it’s his attribute of being the ultimate team man that makes him ideal captaincy material.He has always come across as a service-before-self individual. We could see it when he played in his second Test, against England in 2004, and saved the game with a half-century while batting at No. 8. We would see it in his resolute 174 that helped South Africa win the Headingley Test, and later their first series in England since readmission, and in Perth later that year, when his century formed the backbone of South Africa’s record second-innings chase of 414. Luckily for de Villiers, his stars have aligned in such a way that his individual performances have coincided with significant achievements for the national team.It’s only the latter that the man himself cares about, though. “I’m not the kind of guy who cares how many hundreds I’ve scored. My personal goals have always and will always take a backseat to the team.” If there is one thing de Villiers wants to characterise his captaincy, it’s that: no individualism, everything for the collective.”I want the guys to play for the team, and for there to be no selfishness. Everything must be sacrificed for the team; they will have to put their own performances aside. But that doesn’t mean that the individual records must suffer. For some guys, playing for the team will mean achieving more personally,” de Villiers said, evidently speaking from personal experience.His seemingly almost communist-like attitude to cricket starts with himself. “I am prepared to do anything to make this work,” he said. “Even if it means that I will average less with the bat or whether it means I will keep or not keep.”

“I am prepared to do anything to make this work. Even if it means that I will average less with the bat or whether it means I will keep or not keep”

His keeping has been the subject of much debate since Mark Boucher was dropped from the one-day side last year. It was initially a concern that de Villiers would not be able to handle the dual role. Although his batting average was higher when he donned the gloves than when he didn’t, and the extra job seemed to have a positive effect on his mindset, a persistent back problem meant that he was only able to keep wicket in three of the five World Cup games he played this year. Now with the additional responsibility of captaincy, there is renewed concern that de Villiers should not be overburdened, physically and mentally.He has made a full recovery from the back trouble, and was able to play as a wicketkeeper-batsman for the entire fourth season of the IPL for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. His coach at the franchise, Ray Jennings favours de Villiers taking on the the three tasks: “He is a keeper who is very involved in the game, and so when he is playing in that role, it gives him a good position to run the team from.”Jennings wanted de Villiers as his captain for Bangalore, in fact, and even spoke to him when South Africa were playing Pakistan in the UAE in November last year. “I thought he had the right leadership qualities, and I didn’t really know Dan [Vettori] very well, so my heart wanted a South African. Dan ended up being superb, and AB acted as a captain in the side even though he wasn’t the captain.”Jennings said de Villiers’ influence and work ethic were key to the team’s success. “His attitude as a player is contagious. He has a superb value system and work ethic, and younger players responded well to him.”Fortunately for South Africa, de Villiers plans to stick to the basics that made him the player he is now. “I will still be myself. I don’t want to change too much, but I hope to discover something special in my captaincy.”That something special will come from being different to his predecessors – Graeme Smith, who stepped down as the one-day captain after the 2011 World Cup, and Johan Botha, who was replaced by de Villiers as the Twenty20 captain – while still working with them. Smith has made himself available for the Twenty20 and one-day teams, and remains captain of the Test team, where de Villiers is his deputy.While he takes charge in the limited-overs formats, de Villiers will continue as vice-captain to Graeme Smith in Test cricket, a situation he is comfortable with•AFPThere is a school of thought that captaining a side that includes an ex-captain is difficult, particularly if that man is Smith, an authoritative figure on his own. Not so, said de Villiers. “I wouldn’t want it any other way. I am going to work closely with Graeme. He is someone that I can fall back on.”The relationship with Botha appears to be more complicated, because Botha did not relinquish the captaincy, but de Villiers said there are no hard feelings. “Johan actually SMS-ed me when the announcement was made, said congratulations, and told me he will always be around if I need him.” The absence of malice from either former captain should help allow de Villiers the space to develop his own style of leadership. “It would be stupid to copy any other captain,” he said.He also has a new coach to work under – Gary Kirsten, who played alongside Smith and Jacques Kallis, but is a childhood hero to de Villiers.”I first met Gary with a few of the older guys in the team, but I never played with him,” de Villiers said. “I got to know him a little better when he was in Pretoria in 2005. He gave me a call to talk about my batting, and we met and he gave me some throwdowns.”de Villiers said he was “very happy” when Kirsten was named coach because “he has his heart in it”. Much like de Villiers himself.Although he has dabbled in a musical career and is a talented golfer and tennis player, it’s on the cricket field that he wants to do South Africa proud. Not so much as star batsman, agile wicketkeeper or courageous captain, but as a member of a winning team. “I am in love with my country and I want to win major series and tournaments for it.”

Ireland’s mostly homegrown World Cup squad is also their first full-pro side in 150 years. They have plenty of backing for their progress – except from the people who really matter

Gerard Siggins21-Mar-2011″I have one brother on the team, but 13 more wearing green here in India,” said Niall O’Brien.”We’d die for each other,” said John Mooney. “These are my blood brothers.”It is no coincidence that these passionate calls to arms came from those two men. The Mooneys and O’Briens are Irish cricketing gentry, families whose names have adorned club and representative teams for decades. They exemplify the new Irish attitude – skill, aggression, and a passionate belief that their team has every right to be at cricket’s top table.They best showed that at this tournament with their ground fielding, which matched that of any other side in the world. Two stunning run-outs by Mooney and William Porterfield starkly illustrated the Irish approach to this competition – and the difference between them and other Associates.Just before the tournament, the ICC granted an extra paid place in the official touring party to the so-called minnows. One of the other nations brought along an assistant manager, spending valuable resources on yet another time-served “blazer”. Ireland hired top baseball coach Will Lintern to help sharpen their fielding and bring imaginative ideas to this crucial area. It paid off spectacularly and ground fielding became the one area Ireland were able to dominate every opponent. The inch-perfect run-outs of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis were a clear sign of how Ireland maximised their resources.Alan Lewis, a retired allrounder with 115 caps, and now better known as a rugby referee, watched the win over England in Bangalore. “I’ve been overwhelmed with the spirit, the togetherness and just how good they are. They’re just playing their own way, they’re doing their own thing.”It was an approach that started with the appointment of Adrian Birrell in 2004. The former Eastern Province coach was fortunate that Ireland’s economic boom had brought many young men from the southern hemisphere to Dublin, and several of them were fine cricketers. Four stayed, married Irish women, and by 2007 were key members of the Ireland team.The wins over Pakistan and Bangladesh, and tie with Zimbabwe, in the last World Cup gave the game a profile it hadn’t achieved since the 1870s, when it was the biggest sport in Ireland. History and politics conspired to reduce the game to a pitiful backwater before the Birrell revolution kicked it forward.Birrell stepped down in 2007, believing Irish cricket needed a coach with international experience if the team was to continue to make progress, Phil Simmons proved an inspired choice, and his team has responded to him. While Birrell had three professional cricketers in 2007 – Niall O’Brien, Boyd Rankin and Eoin Morgan – Simmons has 13. The decision to encourage youngsters to try their luck in county cricket has paid dividends.Alongside the hard-bitten experience of Trent Johnston (36), Andre Botha (35) and Ed Joyce (32) came the thrilling youth of Paul Stirling (20) and George Dockrell (18). The homegrown talent is now to the fore – nine of the side that played Netherlands were born in Ireland, compared to two native-born players in the opposition.The arrival of Morgan meant there were more men born in the 32 counties at the World Cup than those born in England. Against the English, every single Irish player had first-XI experience with a county, state or province. It was also the first time in 150 years that Ireland had fielded a side entirely composed of full-time pros.The on-field professionalism has been matched off the field. Ex-ICC official Warren Deutrom took the reins in 2007. Sponsors have flocked to the team – even in an economic crisis – and the Irish Sports Council (ISC) has upped funding. But it wasn’t always thus.The last World Cup cost Ireland a fortune. They received a US$15,000 participation fee, while the Full Members they knocked out pocketed $10 million. An official agreed to lend the union part of his civil service pension lumpsum, while the ISC also stepped in.Olympic marathon silver medalist John Treacy now heads the ISC. “When I first met him he told me ‘I haven’t got a feel for cricket, Warren, but if you do well the Sports Council will back you’. And they were there for us, digging us out with a cheque for €350,000,” said DeutromSince 2007 the numbers playing the game in the country have doubled, and Deutrom has plans to double them again by 2015. That is the year the next World Cup will be held, in Australia and New Zealand, but whether Ireland will be there at all is still to be decided. The ICC announced in October that the tournament will be confined to 10 teams, and have yet to consider whether to hold a qualifying tournament. Ireland could be knocked out of the 2015 tournament on a polished boardroom table in Dubai.The ICC has rightly attracted criticism for such a retrogressive move, in which money – specifically money for the big three boards of India, England and Australia – seems to be the only object. Football has continued to swell its tournaments, while the much-less widespread game of rugby invites 16 to its World Cup. The likes of Spain, Georgia and Canada are always hammered, but the sport recognises the need to grow and be inclusive. Cricket, meanwhile, buries itself in post-Empire exclusivity despite the fact that the likes of Ireland and Kenya have added enormously to the fun of the last three World Cups.

“What other sporting body cuts the numbers of teams in a major tournament while saying it is doing what is good for the sport?”Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland’s chief executive, on the ICC’s decision to restrict the 2015 World Cup to 10 teams

Even the argument of lack of competitiveness has been blown away by Ireland, who ran West Indies and India close – while Zimbabwe and Bangladesh suffered far more humiliating defeats.Deutrom hopes the performances of Ireland will mean the Associates at least get a chance to qualify. “You want the best teams there, not simply teams that are there because of their membership entitlements. Associates need to be competitive, and I think Ireland has done that. There is also a commercial element and Indian people in all areas, from broadcasting to sponsorship to fans, all said Ireland were a fabulous draw – and the television ratings for our games with India and England were extremely good.”We also brought around 500 supporters out there, which is as high as any of the non-hosting countries.” Ireland brought 2000 members of the Blarney Army to the 2007 World Cup.The future on the field remains bright, with only Johnston, Joyce and Botha certain to be gone by 2015. A healthy number of the youngsters left behind have already started careers in England, with Craig Young (Sussex), Graeme McCarter (Gloucestershire), James Shannon (Worcestershire), Stuart Poynter (Middlesex) and Shane Getkate (Warwickshire) among those bidding to join the squad in the near future. Others have opted to study in English universities just to enjoy three or four games against counties each summer.One richly talented schoolboy, Jordan Coghlan, is on his way too, once the Leaving Certificate is put to bed. The Clontarf fast bowler has already had a successful trial with Hampshire, but Sussex are also keen to contract him.But whether the likes of Coghlan and Young ever get the chance to play in a one-day World Cup is now in the lap of cricket’s self-professed gods.Yesterday Indians celebrated Holi, a riotous festival where people throw coloured powders and waters over each other. But as the cold purple dawn crept over Kolkata, Ireland’s cricketers knew they had missed their own chance to paint the town red. They did provide a splash of colour to an often predictable event, but the primary emotion as they packed their cases on Saturday was regret at a missed opportunity.The real regret at elimination, however, is not just that players such as Johnston, Joyce and Botha couldn’t crown their careers in a World Cup quarter-final, but that the next generation may be hampered in its own efforts to do so.

David Warner’s innings on the third day in Hobart was an encouraging glimpse of what he can offer Australia’s Test team

Brydon Coverdale at the Bellerive Oval11-Dec-2011David Warner finished the third day at the Bellerive Oval unbeaten on 47. It wasn’t a hundred, it wasn’t even a half-century and it may not turn into a match-winning innings. But it was an encouraging glimpse of what he can offer Australia’s Test team. For now, that is enough.His opening partner Phillip Hughes scored two centuries in his second Test and is now desperately trying to cling on to his place in the team. It is impossible to predict what Warner’s future will hold, other than to say that his second match in the baggy green won’t be his last.Two years ago, it was inconceivable that Warner would be part of Australia’s five-day outfit. When he made his Twenty20 international debut in January 2009, he had not yet played Sheffield Shield cricket. But he already held a $250,000 IPL deal and had launched Shaun Tait onto the roof of the Adelaide Oval grandstand.He was the poster boy for the changing landscape of the game. He plundered 89 off 43 balls in his first game for Australia, a Twenty20 affair against South Africa at the MCG, where he paddled Dale Steyn over fine leg for six and slogged, for that is the only word for the shot, him for another over midwicket.A career in Major League Baseball seemed more likely than one in the baggy green. Two days later, Matthew Hayden announced his retirement from international cricket. The few people who suggested Warner replace him in the Test side were laughed at, and not surprisingly, for he had much work to do on his game. Even Warner himself felt that if he was to play Test cricket it would be at No.6.But he has done the work, without sacrificing his Twenty20 skills, and has become a viable Test opener. It hasn’t been easy in Hobart over the past three days. Test cricket can be as changeable as the Tasmanian weather. Both teams have held the advantage at different points, but at no stage has it been easy to bat on a tricky surface.That Warner wants to face those challenges, when he could have stayed in the comfortable environment of flat Twenty20 pitches and lucrative contracts, is a wonderful sign. The baggy green still holds some sort of lure for young men.To look at his strike-rate of 94 on the third day in Hobart, it would be easy to assume Warner had brought at least some of his Twenty20 style to Test cricket. That is only true in the same way that it is for another IPL star, Shaun Marsh, who scores largely along the ground through gaps.Warner struck eight boundaries as he gave Australia the perfect start in their chase of 241. None went in the air. Yes, a couple were lucky, including a near chop-on, but especially impressive was his driving straight down the ground. Whether it is a heavy bat, sweet timing or his muscular physique, the balls flew across the damp outfield.It all appeared to flow naturally for Warner. At the other end, Hughes was fighting his instincts as he scrapped for his career. He showed a far greater ability to leave balls outside off than he has in recent Tests, eliminating the chance of edges but also trimming his run-scoring options. Warner’s tempo allowed Hughes to take his time and he ended unbeaten on 20 from 64 deliveries.For this day and this situation, they operated well together. On Boxing Day at the MCG against India, they won’t have that opportunity. Shane Watson and Shaun Marsh are likely to return to the side, and one or both of the incumbent openers will make way.On the fourth day in Hobart, they will continue working towards the same cause: an Australian victory. In doing so, they will also be auditioning for December 26. A match-winning hundred from either could be enough to retain his spot.Whatever happens on Monday, Warner has done enough to be called a Test batsman. What happens in the future is up to him.

Plays of the day from the second day of the third Test between Pakistan and England in Dubai

George Dobell in Dubai04-Feb-2012Telling moment
In years gone by, it is highly unlikely that Stuart Broad would havebeen given out in the manner he was in England’s first innings. Usinghis considerable height to stretch a long way forward, Broad would,almost certainly have enjoyed the benefit of any doubt despite SaeedAjmal’s striking him on the pad.Times have changed. Since theadoption of the DRS, batsmen using their pads to block the ball can nolonger rely on any such benefits. Here, Broad was adjudged not out bythe on-field umpire, only for Pakistan to review the decision and theball-tracking technology to show that the ball hit in line and wasgoing on to hit middle stump. So, does that represent progress? Or hasthe balance swung too far to the benefit of bowlers? It depends on yourpoint of view. But the DRS has certainly changed the game.Key moment
If England were to have any realistic chances of building amatchwinning position in their first innings, it was imperative thatAndrew Strauss went on to make a significant contribution on day two.It was not to be. Despite battling hard, Strauss was nowhere near hisbest and, in trying to use his feet to the admirable Abdur Rehman,Strauss failed to reach the pitch, missed and was stumped. It had beena brave if somewhat torturous innings but, when he was ninth man out,England’s last hopes of exploiting the fact that they had dismissedPakistan for just 99, departed with him.Shot of the day
It took Azhar Ali 17 balls to get off the mark and, after 39 balls, hehad scored just two. Yet, unlike some of the England batsmen, he didnot panic or fret over such a slow start. He remained patient in theknowledge that, eventually, the situation would ease and the runswould flow. When they did, he produced some fine shots. None werebetter than the deliciously-timed on-drive he played off Broad:barely more than a punch, but a stroke that sent the ball speeding tothe boundary. It was the shot of a man who now appears to have thetemperament, talent and technique to enjoy a long internationalcareer.Class of the day
There is little room for sentiment in international cricket thesedays. It is a hard and often prosaic business and the days whenfielders applaud an opposition player’s century may well be coming toan end. So it was telling that every one of the England team joined inthe ovation when Younis Khan reached his 20th Test century. As wellthey might. This was an innings that oozed class. Some of his strokes- his on-drive, sweep and late-cuts all stand out – illustratedbatting at its very best and have given his side a wonderfulopportunity to secure a 3-0 whitewash of the No. 1 ranked Test team.Every one of England’s players applauded when Younis left the field atthe end of the day, too. He deserved it.Warning sign
Azhar and Younis had batted in increasing comfort in the eveningsession. Their stand was worth 142, Pakistan’s lead was worth 128 andthe pair were milking the bowling with an ease not seen at anyprevious stage this series. Suddenly, however, Monty Panesar persuadedone to turn and bounce sharply, beating Younis outside the off stump.While it might momentarily have encouraged the bowlers, the long-termramifications were far less promising from an England perspective.Bearing in mind their frailty against spin and that they have to batfourth, it was a ball that should have had the blood of their batsmenrunning cold.

What happens when Sourav Ganguly comes home – on the opposition side – in the most awaited match of the year’s IPL?

Sidharth Monga07-May-2012Bengalis can be neatly divided along the lines of a few rivalries. They are either or . came from east to west Bengal at the time of partition, always lived in the west.Regardless of whether they are or , they like either Pele or Maradona. Their team is either East Bengal or Mohun Bagan, Brazil or Argentina. The twain do not meet. This is no laughing matter. Bengalis can spend hours debating these things at roadside , coffee shops and pubs. Support is absolute and stubborn, never-changing. It has to be either-or.Slightly less intense than the sports affiliations are the Amitabh Bachchan-Rajesh Khanna debates. Then there are certain non-negotiables – those for whom it is blasphemous to think worthy rivals exist, icons without parallels. Kishore Kumar. RD Burman. Manna Dey. Sourav Ganguly.Ganguly. .Kolkata was a great sport-loving city, selling out cricket and football matches long before Ganguly arrived. Once he did arrive, though, he took the mania to another level.He shares a special relationship with Kolkata fans. Arguably no other Indian player, not even Sachin Tendukar, has had such a bond with his home city. Form matters little. If you are not on the side of , you are on the wrong side of Kolkata.Rahul Dravid and his Indian team experienced that six years ago. Ganguly had been dropped, and he and the coach, Greg Chappell, were in the middle of a public spat. At such a delicate time India came to Kolkata to play South Africa in an ODI. A green pitch was rolled out, the crowd booed India, and though infamous for having stopped two international matches before this because they couldn’t bear to see India lose, they now applauded South Africa for thrashing the team that had no use for their . Dravid commented upon arrival in Mumbai that it felt good to be back in India.This kind of thing is not unique. When Bajan Anderson Cummins was not picked for West Indies back in 1992, Barbados almost rioted, and boycotted the match. A slogan at the near-empty stadium read, “No Cummins, no goings.” In the late ’80s in Perth, almost every Australian wicketkeeper on national duty was booed at the WACA, because Perth believed that place belonged to Tim Zoehrer. Hell hath no fury like love for a favourite sportsman combined with perceived injustice to said hero.May 3
The whole of last week has been one big build-up to match of this IPL, never mind that there has been no break from non-stop IPL games, merging into each other like the contents of one large multigrain . You might struggle to keep abreast with who is playing whom, where and why, but this match has been pencilled in.Ganguly no longer represents Kolkata in the IPL. The perceived injustice is conspicuous here. Kolkata Knight Riders, the city franchise owned by film star Shah Rukh Khan, first took away his captaincy, and then eventually, as they say in corporations, let him go. The new captain, Gautam Gambhir, had to struggle for acceptance at first, but time has passed since then, and he has been leading from the front this year. Knight Riders are not far from their second straight appearance in the knockouts.Ganguly’s wife has been quoted as saying she is sure the whole of Kolkata will come out to support “their “. Chain emails have been informing philistines that Warriors are owned by a Bengali and captained by a Bengali, as opposed to Knight Riders, who are owned by a Delhi Pathan who now lives in Mumbai and captained by a brash Punjabi from Delhi.

An email arrives from Google India with statistics on web searches over the last week. Ganguly leads the way with a whopping 41%. Only 11% of those searching for cricket have looked for MS Dhoni

You land in Kolkata on a hot, muggy afternoon and the first billboard you see outside the Dum Dum Airport stars Ganguly. Only further in towards the city do you see Knight Riders on billboards. In sets of three. Mostly advertising heavy . The message on those billboards is: “Play to earn your respect”. Somebody at the ad agency knows the dynamic between this team and its city.Knight Riders don’t stand a chance here, I think, if Ganguly gets anywhere close to getting on a roll. They could be playing against close to 70,000 people. The likes of Gambhir have benefited from it in the past, notably in a Test against South Africa when the visiting side just froze in the noise. Bear in mind the stadium was only half full then, because one part had been brought down as part of World Cup renovations.Times have changed. The first myth to be busted in Kolkata is that Bengalis are blind supporters of Ganguly. They understand that their is not a natural fit – at this age – for Twenty20. This format needs a constant attempt to convert regulation ones into twos. There is little time to play yourself in, much less to make up for it later. Ganguly has been going at a strike rate of under 105.Yet Ganguly created some hysteria with a Man-of-the Match showing against the strongest side in the league, Delhi Daredevils. Who doesn’t love them an underdog? What a celebratory run he went on after taking a wicket in that match. Surely that converted the doubters?In today’s age, though, that game, played 12 days ago, is already history. Half the people I talk to about Ganguly want to know why he is not letting Steve Smith bat. Smith, the Australian allrounder who went from being the next Warne to the white Ravindra Jadeja in no time, has been going at a strike rate of close to 150, but hasn’t – batting after Ganguly – had enough time in the middle to score even a fifty. What times, I say to myself, that Kolkata is questioning Ganguly’s batting ahead of Smith. Then again, such is the game, the format of it, that Ganguly has chosen to play at the age of close to 40.Then there are those who sympathise with how hard Ganguly is trying, but say the eye, the shots, are just not there. One of them, my host, a man who played cricket for Mohun Bagan, has followed Ganguly’s career from when he was an adolescent and nicknamed Maharaj (king), and watched his Lord’s century live. He doesn’t like Twenty20 because the contest, he says, is now between bat and bat, not bat and ball. Even he is interested in this match, though. He says Knight Riders have earned acceptance here, especially among youngsters. He is also of the view that Ganguly shouldn’t continue playing because he is clearly not half the player he was. “If you were to go to the game, who will you support?” I ask. “Sourav, of course,” he says without a moment’s thought. That’s Kolkata.I go to the office to meet a friend. We get to discussing Ganguly and his relationship with the city. An email arrives from Google India with statistics on web searches over the last week. Ganguly leads the way with a whopping 41%. Only 11% of those searching for cricket have looked for MS Dhoni. We discuss how irrational sport fans can be, and how understanding their behaviour and preferences is one of marketing’s biggest challenges.On my way out, not carrying a , a cardinal mistake in Kolkata, I am caught in a downpour – almost expected after the oppressive heat and humidity during the day. People on the street are worried about the game already. “?” [What if it rains?]May 4
The Saturday game is the event of the year. Four days ago, the Cricket Association of Bengal released 10,000 tickets for sale. More than 25,000 prospective buyers turned up. Hundreds of policemen had to maintain order, the obligatory charges were carried out, and the tickets were gone in no time.Shah Rukh Khan: win-win situation•AFPThe mind games begin. The Warriors’ CEO, Deep Dasgupta, says it is all on account of one man. Knight Riders’ Jeet Banerjee says it would be inaccurate to credit it all to Ganguly; Knight Riders, after all, have been drawing crowds too.For the last four days, the lead sports story in the newspapers – English, Bengali, Hindi – has been this match. One of the reports says how Jagmohan Dalmiya – how can you keep him down? – tried to install big screens all over the city for those who missed out on tickets, but the police have more than enough to handle at Eden, let alone more crowds outside the stadium. In the newspapers Ganguly is always Sourav on second mention, not Ganguly. Gambhir, Dravid, Kumble, Tendulkar are just cricketers. Sourav is theirs.Any discourse about Bengalis is incomplete without emotion and overstatement. Historian and cricket writer Ram Guha has been quoted thus: “I don’t want to sound hyperbolic, but Sourav Ganguly, for many Bengalis, has been without question the most popular icon after Subhas Bose. His being dropped from KKR last season was seen by many as a kind of repeat of Bose being driven out of the Congress by Gandhi.”How can politics be far away? I am told that Ganguly always supported Bengal’s former Communist government, and that he is not liked by the current chief minister, Mamata Banerjee. It has been noticed that Ganguly is not invited to as many government functions as he used to be earlier. Shah Rukh Khan is now the brand ambassador of the state. He is supposed to have been promised thousands will be sent for this match, dressed in purple, carrying purple flags. What intrigue, just for one man, one match.Bara Bazaar in central Kolkata is a typical Indian old-city marketplace. It is also the betting capital of Kolkata. The bookmakers here have Knight Riders – four wins in a row, stronger team, playing in familiar conditions – only at 60-40 against Warriors, who have lost four in a row.Elsewhere (sweet shops) are making special (sweets), pujas have been arranged, have been booked. The man himself is still in Pune, and will get to Kolkata later tonight. This match is going to be his third in five days – a gruelling schedule in May.I make my way to Eden Gardens, where the authorities have wisely, and unlike at some of the other Indian grounds, allowed the public to watch the players train. I go past the heavy police cover to find about a thousand people watching the Knight Riders train. Inside Eden Gardens you turn right for the home dressing room, and left for the visitors’ one. It’s the home viewing area where Ganguly sat shirtless, his upper body wrapped in a towel, for more than five hours when, 11 years ago, Dravid and VVS Laxman did the unthinkable against Australia. That’s the dressing room Ganguly has always used, but tomorrow he will turn left, and not many will be able to see how he reacts when he does so.I watch the Knight Riders train from the lower tier of the club house. The seat I am sitting in goes at Rs 6000 for IPL games. In the black market, it is now going at Rs 40,000.Part of the Knight Riders team are Bengal players Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Manoj Tiwary. Shukla last played against Ganguly 14 years ago, in a club match. Tiwary has never played against Ganguly. For his team-mates, Ganguly is , not . Tiwary has spent hours and days watching at Eden. “If I got to see one cover-drive, that made my day,” he says. Tiwary expects 70% of the crowd to support . That cover-drive, though, that thing of beauty, nowadays counts for just one run. You need slogs and switch-hits and whatnot.A day before the match Gambhir is asked what he thinks of the “away match”, and he doesn’t seem impressed with the line of questioning. Kolkata is free to support anybody, he says, before reminding them that it is Knight Riders who carry their name and who play for their pride. He is also unimpressed with how their bowling coach, Wasim Akram, has upped the stakes by calling this game as good as an India-Pakistan game. It is perhaps how Akram and the likes played. That was an era of showmen, and the higher the stakes the better they played. This era has enough pressures to deal with and always underplays everything.May 5
Match day, and what irony that another favourite son, an adopted favourite son, Mohun Bagan’s Brazilian striker Jose Ramirez Barreto should play his last game for the club tomorrow, against a team from Pune. Like Ganguly, he is not retiring, just amicably parting ways with Bagan. About 30,000 are expected to give him a send-off on Sunday, but the event of the year is today, with 70,000, including the police and other organisers, expected at Eden.Outside the stadium, replica Warriors jerseys are priced at Rs 50, Knight Riders ones at 40. Yet it’s Warriors shirts that are selling more. This could have to do with the fact that the home fans have already bought their share of jerseys earlier. The crowd seems split down the middle, with an equal number of purple and blue jerseys visible.The sight of Ganguly at the toss sends the stadium into raptures. In the half hour between toss and start, both parties get into a chanting battle. “Pu-ne, Pu-ne.” “K-K-R, K-K-R.” Knight Riders have won the toss and have elected to bat. Shah Rukh hasn’t arrived yet.Gambhir grabs the initiative and plays the crowd into his favour with a fifty on a slow surface. After his fall, though, Knight Riders lose their way, and add just 37 off the last 45 balls. The stands, though, are just as loud, cheering every dot ball, and every time Ganguly moves his arms to direct the field. The roof comes off when he catches Shukla.In the second innings, Knight Riders strike early. A man behind me begins to shout, “, Pune. [Go back home, Pune.]” A father and son in the same row as me argue over who is better. Son likes Knight Riders, father can’t forget what has done for India and Bengal. Most instructive too: son identifies with modern winners, father thinks it began with Ganguly.Two things happen in the fourth over: Shah Rukh finally arrives, and the second wicket falls. Girls, grown-up women, grown-up men forget cricket, grow weak in the knees and start waving at Shah Rukh. Whisper it: the cheer is louder than what Ganguly received at the toss.

As Ganguly approaches the dugout, someone shouts, “Lubhly, lubhly”, followed by which the ground gets on its feet. Seventy thousand people applaud as he walks off

I, and the shouting man behind me, are more interested in why Ganguly didn’t come in at No. 3, and if the crowd will pull their eyes off Shah Rukh now that Ganguly is about to walk out. Ganguly doesn’t. Finally, ironically, Smith does. People in my section of the crowd begin to smell a rat. “The owners have changed the batting line-up,” they say. ” doesn’t run away.”Smith falls. Another wicket falls. Then another. Still no . Somebody shouts from a few rows back: ” [ has gone home.]”He hasn’t. He comes out at the fall of the fifth wicket. Gambhir sees him get up and immediately asks for a helmet. A silly point is in, so are a slip and gully. Ganguly pokes and fumbles at Sunil Narine’s offbreaks. Four dot balls in a row. The crowd doesn’t know what to do. Silence for the first time. Confusion all around.In the next over, Ganguly hits Jacques Kallis over mid-off. Not well-timed but over the man. Then he upper-cuts. Kallis responds with a bouncer too high. Then he is in the ear of Ganguly. Eden boos as one. Gambhir takes Kallis off after the over.As Ganguly and Angelo Mathews go about rebuilding the innings, the running between the wickets begins to hurt Pune. There is no pressure on the fielders in the deep, nor are quick singles attempted. When Ganguly does call Mathews through for one, starting early, running as hard as he can, he is nearly run out. As we await replays, I think if this will be the biggest anti-climax: Ganguly run out at home, taking a single – just the thing to do in this format. What, though, would a potential climax be? Ganguly hitting a winning six perhaps.Sixes are coming off Mathews’ bat, though. Three in a row, which change the game’s complexion. It’s a straight chase now, except that five wickets have fallen. Ganguly has to mix attack and defence, make sure Narine doesn’t take a wicket. Only four runs come off Narine’s third over, the 17th. Thirty-one required off 18. Ganguly, the culprit in the last over, now hits Rajat Bhatia for a flat six. Shah Rukh sits still, but the rest of Eden erupts.Two balls later Ganguly mistimes a pull. Iqbal Abdulla catches it. Ganguly is gone. Shah Rukh still doesn’t emote. He is careful not to hurt any Kolkatan’s feelings. Eden is confused too. The KKR fans are subdued because they can’t cheer at the fall of . The man behind me, though, tells Ganguly to “go back home to Pune”. Just as Ganguly approaches the dugout, though, someone shouts, “Lubhly, lubhly”, followed by which the ground gets on its feet. Seventy thousand people applaud Ganguly as he walks off. He is moved, raises his bat to the crowd. “Class class [Class is class],” is the murmur all over my stand.Knight Riders are mighty relieved at having bitten this bullet. The same men who said it was just another game go on a lap of honour to thank the crowd for not making it an away match – except for a few moments. Shah Rukh doesn’t miss a good PR opportunity, and takes on a lap of honour. Shah Rukh in a white hoodie, in the Pune shirt he has reportedly been forced to wear by Shah Rukh.They all know, though, that the winners on the night have been those who packed Eden Gardens in the May heat, who have shown both their knowledge of the game by not booing the team that represents them, and their respect for their . Class toh class.