Steve Smith's wicket is key to restrict Australia in the first Innings at MCG in the third Test.

It was a decent first day's play at MCG in the boxing day test against Australia by the India team with Australia scoring 259/5 at the close of play.

Umesh Yadav took the all important opening wicket of David Warner to slow down the Australia scoring rate later in the innings, as India bowlers failed to take wickets till the start of second session in the morning.

Watson and Chris Rogers built up a good partnership against a disciplined Indian bowling which went wicket less and a dropped chance to score a second wicket partnership of 115 runs. Chris Rogers was taken by Dhoni of Mohammad Shami delivery outside of off, inviting the batsmen to drive on the rise.

Soon after Watson was out lbw to R Ashwin, trying to play slog sweep covering the stumps and completely missing out, though umpire couldn't see the middle and off of the batsmen's wickets but failed to note that Watson took a long stride and met the ball out side the line of off stump. It was a close decision.

Initially Skipper Steve Smith started of slowly and then later paced his innings to lead Australia to a handsome total of 259/5 with his inidividual score of 72 not out at close of play.

S Marsh got out caught behind by the keeper of Shami scoring 32. Debutant Joe Burns could not last long as he was out trying to pull the ball and edging to the keeper off Umesh Yadav.

Umesh Yadav was bowling with good pace and bounce occasionally hitting Brad Haddin on the body with short pitched deliveries which the batmsnen left alone.

Ishant Sharma was bowling nicely but didn't look penetrating the Aussie batting order. Mohammad Shami took two wickets and looks good when bowling a probing line. There was also a dropped catch of his bowling when Watson edged in the slips and was dropped by a diving Shikhar Dhawan to his left.

Bowing out side of off is key to bowling Steve Smith out. Analysing the style of play, Smith easily pulls, drives and cuts the ball, so there isn't much the bowlers can try than to test him outside of off.

That's the only way Australia has time and again bowled at the famed Indian batting order of yesteryears.

When a batsmen is strong both on the backfoot and the front foot, it is important for the bowlers to catch him at the crease by bowing good length ones.

The wicket looks dry and slightly tilted in batsman's favour, India bowling has it's task cut out to restrict Australia.

Steve Smith's wicket is key in these circumstances, if he gets going and wags along with the tail, then Australia will not only score runs but at a quicker pace.
   
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Cricket administration in India is to blame for the team's debacle overseas so consistently.

There cannot be any justification for the batsmen to present any excuses when they are not performing, that is the what the game is all about,  if you're out, you must leave the crease.

Now if you keep claiming that such and such thing happened that's why I got out is a lame excuse to the glaring reality and fact that you've been caught behind on a legal rising delivery that was up to your throat  and you ought to have left it alone, and you could not fend it off (blame it on your technique or become superstitious). You could not keep it out and that's a failure.

Accept it as a part and parcel of the game, agree you lost fairly and squarely and move on, that is what sportsmanship is all about.

Unfortunately, our batsmen are in their dreams eternally, when they suddenly wake up on a day three pitch to a fiery spell from Australia's most prolific and fastest left arm bowling action from Johnson. That's always music to any batsman's ears in the world.

Are Indian batsmen colour blind or what, can't they spot the pitch of the delivery and leave those short in your throat deliveries, can't they duck? no, no, no it's the flaw in their technique and temperament, that is honed on sub-continental yawning pitches, where the ball takes a huge effort from a speedster even to rise below the waist of the batsmen.

The greatness of any batsmen or a bowler of a touring team is measured on how one's own performance contributes to the team's overall success in over coming the challenges on a foreign tour, exposing your limited experience to overcome them with sheer brilliance and discipline.

Presenting the excuse of an inexperienced side or a  match day mishap is just so lame, that you are shirking  from taking responsibility that you've consciously taken a decision to do so. Who would buy that?

Honestly speaking, in India the Crickets as a sport has been heavily politicized and monetized, and as such talent is hindered showing up regularly, gone are the days of a reliable middle order or a solid opening pair or  mercurial spinners or a genuine all-rounder .

Here we have a so called 'inexperienced' side which is always in the process of getting 'experienced' for half a decade before winning a single game of a Test match overseas.

Why are our Test players so lacking in technique and temperament, Why the team has been exposed very badly overseas on the seaming and bouncy pitches?

Our batsmen make tons of runs in domestic games even internationally, but hardly score a fifty when the situation demands, they simply go into a shell and they won't come out of it until they are back playing on the home turf notching a 'scintillating double ton' belting the same speedsters that they cannot defend even for a few overs when overseas.

There is something awfully wrong to say that Indian players can't compete internationally. It's the complete failure of the Cricket administration in India to have brought the team in such a precarious mess, that you always look up to players like Tendulkar's, Kohli's every time in a match to save the team from sporting disasters overseas.

If the mindset of the cricket administration in India, is just to 'manage' the things than winning a series or two in over half a decade overseas, is like bringing bad name to the overall health of the sport in the country, no one will want to side with a team which loses and loses. Accepting defeats consistently is mediocrity.

It is Cricket administration in India to blame for the team's debacle overseas so consistently.

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Indian middle order needs to click if it is to save the Second test at Gabba 2014 vs Australia

India is in a precarious position to save this Test match on the fourth day of the second test at Brisbane.

 Still two days to go in the match, India needs to bat out at least four sessions to save this match. Australia will no doubt fancy it's chances any run chase below 300.

That possibility should be taken seriously by India in order to salvage the Test match if not winning it.

Given the Indian middle order repertoire, the side could wind up without posing a decent total to defend even if it's top batsmen score centuries.

It is not as if the top order batsmen failed on this tour, despite the batsmen scoring centuries other batsmen didn't capitalize on the opportunity. That's where Australia is marginally ahead in this series.

With Rohit Sharma's below the expectations performance, India can hardly afford to loose any more wickets as it is already one down.

So the match is more favorably tilted towards the hosts and it is the tourists I feel that have the work cut out.

Nathan Lyon has already won a match for Australia and Hazlewood has shown great performance in the first innings of the ongoing test, Australia has no dearth of bowling specialists to Test India batsmen.

Can the Indian batsmen particularly the middle order with stand the onslaught from the Aussie pace and spin combo is the question.


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Australia replies with 221//4 in reply to India's 408 in the second test at Brisbane 2014

India couldn't capitalize on the second day of the Brisbane test and was bowled out for 408. 

Resuming the play today India lost six wickets at regular intervals adding less than 100 runs to the team total. 

This is another area of concern for the Indian team, that India middle order on a several occasions scored far less runs than expected.  

Australia started of well in reply and Warner was surprised by a delivery which gave him very less room to manoeuvrings and he ended up ballooning the ball behind the wickets to be taken by Ashwin.

Chris Rogers looked solid scoring a well paced fifty driving the bowlers through the covers and mid-wicket with elan. But it was Shane Watson who could have gone on to notch a big score, played a loose shot in the air giving a low catch at mid wicket to Shikhar Dhawan.

Skipper Steve Smith scored briskly barring a loose cut short off Ashwin which went past the vacant second slip region to the boundary.

Umesh Yadav took 3 of the four of the wickets to fall on the second day and was posing questions to the bowlers on and off. 

Varun Aaron was unlucky to have missed bagging a wicket due to a difficult skier that Shaun Marsh played and was dropped by Rahane.

It was mixed back of luck for the both the teams, barring Umesh Yadav the Indian bowling showed signs of perennial bowling problems. Not innovative enough and not showing enough intent to take wickets or keep a disciplined tight line.

More than controlling the batsmen, India bowlers need to focus on how to bowl a batsmen out. Ashwin bowled few tight overs before being taken to runs. Smith unsettled Ashwin and pushed him on the defensive.

The more Ashwin keeps the bowl in the air, more the time batsmen will take guessing the pitch of the ball, that could result in wickets and he could mix it up bowling the wrong ones too. 

Australian batsmen are good at keeping away the quicker ones with their natural instinct of play. If Ashwin loops the ball in the air I feel he has more chances of taking the wickets than with the quicker and flatter ones.

Persistence is the key here for Ashwin, with batsmen will definitely play mind games and will want to push him on the defensive, once he is off on the defensive. The pressure is off from one end and the batsmen will be more comfortable scoring runs. 

Even though giving  away a few boundaries but taking couple of quick wickets will instill that fear factor in the minds of the batsmen of losing the wicket going after the balls that hang in the air a little bit.

And as the pitch wears down hopefully it will provide more support to the bowlers, as been the case on the second day of the match.

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Resurgent India held back by Nathan Lyon brilliance in the first test at Adelaide 2014

Australia beat India in the first test at Adelaide taking the lead 1-0 in the 4 match series. It was mixed bag of luck for the inexperienced new look Indian team under the debutant captain Virat Kohli.

Captain led by example through out the match scoring valuable centuries in both the innings. But eventually the worn out fifth day pitch was very well exploited by Nathan Lyon.

The Indian batsmen showed the intent to hang on despite some decisions that went against the team in the absence of DRS. Nathan Lyon was using his high arm action smartly beating the batsmen in the air and with huge turners. Lyon didn't have much success in the last series against Pakistan played in UAE, but his ability with the ball was never in doubt. Lyon managed to extract good support from the Adelaide pitch bagging a whopping 12 wickets and the man of the match award for a splendid performance.

Michael Clarke led by example in the match scoring hundred and leading the team after the tragic circumstances of losing a team mate. It was the sombre moment for the entire team to be so quick on to the field and giving out its best despite the resurgence shown by young Indian talent which holds a lot of promise.

Series is still wide open and the Indian contingent should be happy with the overall performance of the team.

With Ravi Shastri in the Indian Dressing room the side need not worry about team combination for the remainder of the series. All the team needs to do is take it session by session and play accordingly as the situation demands.

Looking back in to the match when Australia had lot of wicket in hands in the second innings the batsmen were given indications to score quick runs in order to give the side enough time and overs to bowl out India. Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith scored quickly to give Aussie side the advantage of a challenging total to defend in the second innings.

Murali Vijay lived tentaviley at the crease, was stranded on 99 as Lyon pulled one back trapping him in front of the wicket. It was a crucial wicket for the hosts as they struggled to break the 137 run partnership for the 3rd wicket.

Though Mitchell Johnson bowled beautifully beating the batsmen on several occasions but went without luck. So it was Lyon all the way who provided the breakthroughs and.finished off the tail enders to wrap up the match for Australia.

 Indian team looks promising to say the least with such good pace bowlers in the side, who should stick to a tight line and length and hopefully it should bring out a winning result at Brisbane.

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IndvsSA Jo'burg Test 2013: Ishant Sharma does damage to South Africa top order, Shami and Zaheer pitch in.

India put up a very good performance with the ball after dismal show with the bat on the second day of the Johannesburg Test at the Wanderers in South Africa.

Resuming to bat with overnight score of 5/255 the Indian batting collapsed for 280 all out.

The bowlers for South Africa were relieved a lot as the last recognized batting pair of MS Dhoni and 

Ajinkya Rahane hardly managed to disturb the scoreboard.

Vernon Philander scalped four wickets in the process and was the most destructive.

South Africa started cautiously with Graeme Smith and Alviro Peterson at the crease as the opening pair. Duo dodged the opening spell and were looking quite comfortable until Alviro Peterson was out.

Hashim Amla came to the crease to join company with his skipper, then Graeme Smith was dropped in the slips by Ashwin off Zaheer Khan. 

It looked to be a costly miss, as the runs started to flow for South Africa.

Until Ishant Sharma with his decisive in-swingers removed Hashim Amla clean bowled offering no shot and trapping Jacques Kallis at the crease, and then Smith was trapped leg before by Zaheer Khan.

South Africa was 2/130 and soon collapsed to 6/146 until Philander and Du Plesis offered some late resistance to Indian onslaught with the ball.

Mohammed Shami took the fifth and the sixth wickets for India in the same over to send back, JP Duminy and AB Devilliers with some good bowling.

Though initially South Africa looked to bat comfortably against Indian bowlers, but soon was exposed to a fine display of rare pace bowling from the Indian trio.

Though Ashwin bowled a few overs but it was the pace battery of India that did most of the job on the second day.

Pitch offered variable bounce through out the day, with many balls keeping low and should have affected the batsmen’s reading of the pitch bounce and pace.

Hashim Amla might have expected the ball to bounce over the wicket but the ball nipped in sharply without the bounce the batsman was expecting.

These are the indications that Indian batsmen should keep in mind and try to play forward instead of staying back at the crease.

The feet movement and the ability to leave the ball out side of off, ability to duck well directed bouncers and ability to resist the temptation to drive the ball through covers should help the batsmen. And shots on the rise when the ball is in the air and seaming should be resisted by the batsmen.

In the conditions like in South Africa the ball does a lot on the pitch as well in the air.

Batsmen should concentrate hard to give India a chance in this crucial Test match of the series.

One thing the South Africa batsmen did good was ducking the well directed bouncers, they played them well and that is one of differences the India batsmen should concentrate on ahead in the second innings.

How long the South African tail will wag will be interesting to see.

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IndvsSA Jo'burg Test 2013:India posts a steady 5/255 after a positive decision by the Indian Captain

Captain positive MS Dhoni won the toss and took a positive decision to bat first, India posted a steady 5/255 taking cue from an inspiring century from Virat Kohli on a fiery Wanderer’s pitch.

It was surprising to many analysts around the world, that why would a captain put in line his batsmen against a fiery spell of fast bowling on a fresh Wanderer’s pitch from one of the world’s best bowling lineups.

Fortune favors the brave to say the least, and after both the opener’s were sent back to the pavilion, slightly disproving the decision of the captain, a watchful Virat Kohli and an equally adept Cheteshwar Pujara saw to it that the pace battery takes rest after their onslaught.

Just when things began to fall in place for India after 2 early wickets, a casual yes and no left Cheteshwar Pujara well short of crease. 

But Virat Kohli knew the importance of his wicket and knew that he need to bat long for India, scored a brilliant century which had all the hallmarks of an established batsman.

Shot selection from some of the Indian top order batsman is poor and that’s where Rohit Sharma can concentrate little bit harder to see that, on seaming wicket like at Jo’burg the ball travels at pace giving little time for the batsmen to drive through the covers on the rise.

Rahane dug out harder and is holding on 43 not out with Dhoni in company, and Ashwin to follow there is still some batting left in tail of the Indian line up.

I think 400 would give India time to stay in the Test match and a total of 450 plus will give it a chance to throw some questions back at the hosts.

One of the important lessons from the first day for the top order India batsmen is to read the situation around well and play accordingly, the shot selection was not desirable to see from some of the batsmen who got out cheaply.

And that’s where the experience in all rounder Jacques Kallis comes in to play, he talks Virat Kohli to play onto a bad ball on the rise to give a simple catch to a mid-on to wake him up from the deep slumber, lost his wicket when he could have gone on for more easily, after scoring the century. Yes, he talks back at himself, every time he gets out to a silly shot.

South Africa bowlers were right on the money, but some home work by the Indian batsmen stood them in good stead with all the batsmen keen to leave the ball outside of off-stump except the one played by Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan had no clue to duck on to a well directed bouncer from Dale Steyn.

Vernon Philander was probing and Mornie Morkel was at his best, including a catch drop by Hashim Amla which was a little bit difficult of his bowling.

India should try and carefully hold on to the marginal good first innings total and build upon it to stay in the crucial Test match at Wanderer’s.

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Sachin's farewell series unearthed talent in debutants Rohit and Shami

Recently concluded Sachin's farewell series has unearthed talent of the debutants like Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami.

Rohit Sharma had to wait for his Test debut and made a mark when given the chance by back to back centuries. Mohammed Shami justified his debut by taking 9 wickets. Both of the players remember their memorable debut which enthralled the Kolkata crowd at Eden Gardens.

West Indies didn't perform up to their potential and had their chances in the first test when India lost six wickets for 150 plus runs until debutant Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin turned around the match for India. From there after India siezed the initiative and went on to win the match.

Second test at Wankhede the Sachin Tendulkar's final test at his home ground is a memorable one, for the way the Master batsman batted while at the crease.

The delicate cuts, straight drives, and subtle manoeuvrings  of the pitch enthralled the crowd one last time for the vociferous audience at the Wankhede watching vintage Tendulkar in full flow.

And a delivery by Narsingh Deonarine outside of out stump  had nothing in it except inviting the batsman to cut it for four, but sheer presence of Darren Sammy, lost his control while the fast flash of the bat which was traveling, had their been another fielder, there could have been a catch dropped.

But destiny had it and the Master batsman had to leave the crease after such a master class at the crease.

Crowd was watching the master batsman walking back to the pavilion for one last time and turning back to acknowledge the crowds gesture.

The match drew celebrities from across the spectrum including the Congress scion Prime Ministerial candidate Rahul Gandhi to Mumbai, bollywood stars including Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan were there to felicitate the champion batsmen.

Then the Master batsman gave a befitting farewell speech at the presentation ceremony which held the nation's breath for a moment.

A prodigy of Indian Cricket, SR Tendulkar went on and on and illustrated his 24 years of passionate journey with immaculate words coming straight from the heart.

They inspired a generation and a country was in a sombre mood both celebrating the class of the batsman and his retirement at the same time.

Though the Master batsman retired from the game but he will always be there in hearts and minds of millions of his die hard fans.

Such a short series with so many beautiful memories. Test Cricket could have never been any better except for the retirement of a legend.

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Sachin Tendulkar's final test match is marked by euphoria, enthusiasm and celebrations.

Sachin Tendulkar's 200th test is marked by euphoria, enthusiasm and celebrations. Fans were watching the master practice on the field since morning during the warm up session ahead of the Second test against the West Indies.

The master batsman was usual self going through all the drills and was fit as ever. The scenes the people of this country will surely going to miss, Sachin Tendulkar preparing for his final test of his splendid 24 year career.

It was in 1989 the maestro made his debut, even before getting his driving license. His exploits with the bat were already in everybody's knowledge. The world welcomed the iconic batsman to the crease with utmost awe and disbelief.

With a boyish look on his face and expectations of a cricket loving country, the champion batsman walked to bat against the likes of Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, the fear some duo of fast bowling in the world cricket.

Thus began the story of a young Sachin Tendulkar taking on the whizzing deliveries with confidence very few have shown in the history of the game.

Where ever he went, he was the cynosure of eyes, capturing the imagination of cricket followers all around the world.

Sachin soon became a house hold name in his home country India, and the world kept a close eye to look for any fallacy in the batsman's technique.

He soon became a nightmare for bowlers all across the world. Opposition teams would strategize to take the wicket of the champion batsmen in major One Day Tournaments.

Since they knew if Sachin lasts, the match is gone beyond doubt.

Sachin shared the dressing room with the likes of classy Ravi Shastri, wristy Mohammed Azharuddin, flamboyant Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, the wall and the stylish VVS Laxman.

Virender Sehwag emulated sachin on the field with the bat, and it was treat to see the Najafgarh batsman matching with Sachin in scoring quickly.

Sachin Tendulkar won several matches for his country single handedly, held up innings together in the middle order.

In short he is the batting mainstay, along with Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman, and it was India's turn to climb up the order and rightly take the mantle of world's no 1 Test team.

Sachin is remembered for his commitment and dedication to the game.

He boasts such a classic technique and game play that made batting look so easy. Sir Don Bradman acknowledged, he was something special and looked like himself batting.

Bowlers cherished his wicket and they knew that they could do little when the master's in the mood. They always looked to take his wicket early in the innings.

Sachin was only interested in taking care of his batting and the records just came by.

He scored the first double hundred in a one day international, scored 100 centuries combining both formats of the game.

The master batsman at the crease at the Wankhede stadium in his world record 200th test, has already shown glimpses of his classic self and the crowd went berserk, that included celebrities including cricketing greats from across the world joining him to be part of the occasion.

Sachin will be batting tomorrow morning for a cricket crazy nation in his 200th test for India at Wankhede stadium.

Whether he will be part of a huge total on the board for India in this test or not, he already has left a mark like no one has ever before in the history of Cricket.

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Ind vs WI First Test 2013: India take the honours on the first day of the first test match agains the West Indies

Shami Ahmed, on his debut, bowled with rythm, pace and control at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in the first test match of the two match series against the West Indies.

And was rewarded with four West Indian wickets with some consistent line and length. Keiran Powell couldn't control the angled short pitched delivery and holed out to mid-on for 28.

And Samuels was bowled when the batsman looked well settled, with a sharp inswinger for valuable 65 runs for the team. Dinesh Ramdin followed suit in the similar fashion off Shami Ahmed.

Chris Gayle was caught of Kumar for 18.

Veteran West Indian batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul was stranded at the other end with wickets falling at regular intervals. And he fell to an off break from Ashwin failing to cover the line of the ball for 36 runs.

West Indies side was bowled out for 234 of 74 Overs for 11 Extra runs. With Shami Ahmed returning with figures of 4/71 on his debut.

Bhuveneshwar Kumar, Ojha and Sachin scalped a wicket each, with Ravichandran Ashwin baggin two West Indian wickets.

At stumps Shikhar Dhawan was batting on 21 with Murali Vijay on 16 runs sharing first wicket partnership of 37.

West Indies where little bit casual in shot selection as well as impatient. Skipper Darren Sammy hurried to clear the boundary with a fielder at the long off boundary taking a simple catch.

While Darren Bravo was caught in a mix up and was run out.

This will definitely have huge bearing on the match as the strong Indian batting line up with Sachin Tendulkar in the middle order in his penultimate test will try and the seize the initiative.

West Indies could not make up by batting first after winning the toss on a good batting wicket.

At one stage West Indies were 138/2 and the side bundled out for 234 all out.

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India wins 2013 One Day International series at Bangalore

A huge victory for team India in the recently concluded 2013 Star Sports One Day series in India has propelled the team to a stronger position both in terms of confidence and rankings.

It was the series decider at Chinnaswamy stadium at Bangalore, and as expected there was pressure on both the teams. 

In the end a team with greater resilience in holding on to the basics of the game eventually won.

Though 384 was a big target but it could have been achieved had Australia not committed small mistakes. 

That is what sports are all about to know your game better and improve the next time.

Earlier Australia won the toss and decided to field first. India started on a positive note with another 100 plus opening wicket partnership.

Shikhar Dhawan fell to a Doherty spinner when the southpaw was caught in front of the wicket playing across.

Virat Kohli wanted to take a quick single with a jab to mid on, but Rohit Sharma was not so keen and that resulted in misunderstanding.

And after that Rohit Sharma alone started to build his innings and scored a century and there after broke loose to score a mammoth double hundred, third such innings in history of One day Cricket.

Australia was under tremendous pressure and lost four wickets for only 74 runs on the board, that showed the mindset of the team, as it looked in a hurry.

Both Aaron Finch and Adam Voges were not able to read Shami Ahmed.

Glen Maxwell and James Faulkner displayed some good batting display and Shane Watson too helped the cause, but wickets falling at  regular intervals put brakes in the Australia's run chase. 

Clint Mckay and James Faulkner brought the match to its ending phase. And then Mckay fell to a leg break from Jadeja.

And Faulkner followed soon trying to clear the deep square leg boundary was caught by Shikhar Dhawan in a spectacular fashion.

That gave India a huge series win against a formidable side.

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Sachin not out on 55 in his last Ranji Trophy innings

Sachin Tendulkar's last innings in the Ranji Trophy match against Haryana at Rohtak, showed the glimpses of a cautious little master holding the team batting together in times of wickets falling at the other end in Mumbai's second innings in the match.

Mumbai needing to score 240 runs, Wasim Jaffer fell to an out swinger of Patel early in the morning, that brought Rahane to the crease.

The morning mist and green wicket offered bounce and pace to the bowlers who kept asking questions to the batsmen. Rahane and Pawar put up a very good 86 run partnership together until Rahane was bowled by an offbreak by Yadav. 

That brought the little master to the crease with the opposition team Haryana all lined up welcoming him one last time in the Ranji format. 

Tendulkar was cautious covering the line of the ball not to leave any gaps that have cost him his wicket few times earlier.

It was a splendid day of cricket at the Rohtak ground, with Haryana making steady inroads in the Mumbai batting line up, with an audacious run out of Tare by a direct run out throw from Patel from the boundary line.

Sachin Tendulkar is not out on a splendid 50, will look to help Mumbai to a well earned win in the match, where both the sides have shown good performance.

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