Adelaide - Will It Be The Burial Ground!

Indian Cricket Teams - Thunder Down Under!

Come 24th January and you will be witnessing already battered and for certain lost Indian team against Australia at Adelaide. It would be the 4th and final test match of the series. India has already lost the series, so now its pride they play for. Australia has taken an unassailable lead of 3-0 in the series. A whitewash looks certain. So will Adelaide be the burial grounds or will India rise from ashes and sour high into the sky like phoenix.

India perishes in Perth, another nail in the coffin

Australia Win the 3^rd Test match Vs India at Perth

Indian saga of humiliation continues as India loses their 3^rd straight test match against Australia in Perth. With this win Australia has won the series and India continue to dream to win a test match overseas. For the record this is Indian cricket teams 7^th consecutive loss in test matches played overseas.

Indian Nightmare in Oz Land turns worst

India Vs Australia 3rd Test at Perth, Australia

Disdainful! That’s the only word that comes to my mind when I look at the performance of Indian cricket team in the ongoing test series against Australia. It’s not that I love to criticize just because I enjoy the freedom of penning my thoughts in this nation. It’s just a reflection of the sentiments of the billions of crazy cricket fans of India.


0-6 before this match began and now it looks like it’s going to 0-7. I’m just counting Indian cricket team’s consecutive losses in test matches played overseas. A white wash seems to be a certainty in this series as well. The body language of Indian team suggests that they have already lost the series in their minds.


I’m sure the captain Indian team Dhoni will say addressing the press that it’s humanly possible to keep everybody happy all the time. And may also say that cricket is a sport and you lose and win some. We need to be sportive enough to accept defeat gracefully. But he is missing the critical view of the fans. It’s not defeats that the fans can’t accept but it is the manner and the margin with which Indian cricket team has been losing.

Poor performance of Indian cricket team continues.

The 3rd test match began on Friday the 13th. Supposedly not an auspicious day, and hey did I hear someone say that this has something to do with pathetic performance of Indian team and its sheer bad luck. Then think again, Australians where able get India all out on day 1 and also slam 149 runs without losing any wicket at the end of play. This included 69 ball ton by David Warner. So luck my friends has nothing to do with it.


The 3 stallions of Indian team fondly called The Wall, The God and The Special all crumbled to dust. When Kohili and Laxman where in the middle trying to forge a partnership together, It looked as if Indians despite early loss of wickets might be able to steady the ship. Kohili looked good and I thought he might be all fired up after the M-finger episode during the last match. But that hope was short lived and he was out at 44. That was the highest individual score for Indian team in their 1st innings.


And then when Australia began their batting, the only word to describe the fashion in which they batted is Slaughtering! Right nothing else can explain how well they batted. By the end of Day 1 Australian opening pair had managed to score 149 runs in 23 over’s. It looked to me as if they were playing a T20 game and not a test match.


Day 2 was not all that great for Indian team. Australians continued to bat well and keep piling the runs. That was until the young lad Umesh Yadav probably bowling his best in this series was able to get 5 wickets. (Umesh Yadav 5/93 in 17 over’s). Subsequently Australian team was all out at 369 in 76.2 over’s. The young boy to say the least at least attempted to salvage some pride and honour.


However as I sit and watch Indian teams batting in the 2nd innings and write this piece of article in parallel, India is struggling at 63/4 in 22.4 over’s. They are still trailing by 145 runs. Dravid and Kohli are playing at the moment. There are still 13.2 over’s to go before end of day 2. Defeat is quiet unavoidable for Indian team. However I’m hoping that India doesn’t lose this game by an Innings and a big margin of runs.

Sydney Sadness was inevitable.

2nd Test: India vs Australia

Finally as predicted miracle was the only possibility that could have saved Indians from loosing. Alas there was no such miracle at SCG. The only consolation for Indian team was the score 400 runs with the help of 4 half centuries in the in their 2^nd innings. All this couldn’t prevent Australia from defeating India by an innings and 68 runs. The 5 days test match was again wrapped up by the Aussies on Day 4. Michael Clarke very deservingly won the man of the match award for his scintillating Innings of unbeaten 329 runs.

Tendulkar yet again missed out on his centaury and the world continues to await for the most talked 100^th Hundred. On second thought I really doubt even if he had got there it would have brought about any cheer to the master himself. As his team was only delaying the inevitable loss. Guess it all boils down to bad batting by Indians in their 1^st innings. SCG strip was tailor made for batsmen and Indians simply couldn’t capitalize on it.

India vs Australia 2nd test day 4

On Day 4 Gambhir 83(142) departed early after adding just 15 runs to his overnight score. Laxman and Sachin seemed to be putting together a good partnership. However the partnership was soon broken my Aussie captain Michael Clarke. Tendulkar departed at 80(139), when Hussey caught him in the. Soon after that VVS Laxman 66(118) was bowled by Hilfenhaus in the 83^rd over. Wickets kept tumbling after that. Ashwin 62(76) along with Zaheer 35(26) put together a decent partnership. But by then it was clear that it was only a matter of few over(s) before Indians would be bowled out. And so was the fact as Indian team was all out at 400 in the 111^th over of their 2^nd Innings. India suffered the second straight defeat of the series against Australia. Australia is now leading the 4 match series 2-0.

The next match of the series is due to be played in Perth. I’m hoping to see Rohit Sharma being included in the playing eleven for the next match. With two more games to go, it would be an excellent opportunity for Rohit to prove his mettle and contribute to the team. India will be trying their best to bounce back and level the series.

India Down Under!

India vs Australia – Test Series, 2011-12

Well Indian team is certainly down currently. The much hyped tour of Indian cricket team to Australia seems to have bombed on the face of all the marketers who named it Agnipath series. After the last tour of Indian team to Australia and the monkeygate episode, India v/s Australia rivalry was pitted to be next big thing cricketing domain. It was supposed to have pipped age old famous rivalries in cricket such as India v/s Pakistan and England v/s Australia. 

However such rivalry is great in cricket when every match played is an exciting contest to watch. Two well balanced teams try to get better of each other. To say the least it should be a match where the opponents feel the heat, irrespective of who wins it in the end. Sadly the current series doesn't seem to be of that calibre. 

The Indians began the series on a very sorry note. 1st Test, played at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne ended on Day 4 itself. Australia won the match by 122 runs. It was a hard fought game and Indian bowling was quiet appreciated. Zaheer Khan and Umesh Yadav got 7 wickets each in the game and India was able to get Aussies all out in both the innings. It was batting which let India down. India managed to score just 169 runs in their 2nd Innings and where all out in just 47.5 over’s. James Pattinson was awarded man of the match for his all round performance in the game.

India vs Australia – 2nd TEST

Indians where expected to bounce back into the series during the 2nd Test at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney which began on 3^rd Jan 2012. Things only went from bad to worse for Indians as Indian team which won the toss and elected to bat was bowled out for 191 runs in their first innings. MS Dhoni along with R Ashwin tried to steady the ship but it looked as if it was too little too late. In the end Dhoni remained not out having scored the only half century in the Indian innings. He made 57 runs of 77 balls.

Good show by Indian bowlers in the previous match had raised the expectations. The raw pace of Yadav and experience of Zaheer and Ishant were expected to deliver the goods at this critical juncture in the match. Zaheer succeeded in delivering what was anticipated, he got 3 quick wickets in the beginning of the innings. Australia where struggling at 37/3 by the end of 9^th over.

But what happened from there on completely changed the paradigm of the game. Australian batsmen completely dominated the game and slaughtered the Indian bowling attack. Ricky Ponting scored his 40^th Test hundred when he succeeded in taking a cheeky single of Ishant’s ball and Zaheer’s throw missed the stumps. Ponting finally got out after scoring 134. Australia by then was in a comfortable position and the scoreboard read 325/4. This was the last wicket to fall in the Australian innings. Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey made sure they make the most of the poor bowling by India. Both batsmen stayed not out on Day 3 when Australia declared the innings having amassed 659 runs having lost just 4 wickets. Michael Clarke made 329 and Hussey 150 runs.

The game has just ended for the day at 12:30 PM IST. Indian team has managed to score 114/2 in 41 over(s). India trails by 354 run(s) at stumps. Gautam Gambhir who got out for duck in the 1^st innings is currently not out at 68* along with Sachin Tendulkar not out at 8*. With 2 more days to go and India still needing 354 runs to make Aussies bat again the scales are tipped in favour of Australia. It would be only a miracle that can now save India from losing this game.

Champions India vs Young West Indies - T20 Game

India Vs West Indies T20

World Cup winners 2011 India will be playing their 1st overseas tour match post being crowned the champions today against West Indies. It’s a one-off T20 match which will be tour starter for the visitors.

The touring Indian side has been branded as a depleted side with most of the senior players opting out of the team. In the absence of the legends viz Tendulkar, Dhoni, Zaheer, Shewag and many more Suresh Raina will be the skipper for the T20 and ODI’s and will be ably assisted by Harbhajan Singh, the Vice-Captain.

Queen's Park Oval First Game Of Indian tour of West Indies

The touring Indian side is all set to take on the hosts at the Queen's Park Oval today 4th June 2011 at 10:00 (local time), 19:30 (Indian time). Queen's Park surface has been termed as bland and is said to favour the Indian team. Harbhajan Singh who played for Mumbai Indians and R Ashwin who played for Chennai Super Kings in this year’s IPL, are two very dangerous off-spinners. They may have a great day if they are both included in the team for today’s match.

On the other hand West Indies team is not in great shape. The team currently being coached by Ottis Gibson and captained by Darren Sammy is fairly young and inexperienced too. They have not had great games in recent past and the team has been struggling to give consistent performance. Ravi Rampaul and spinner Devendra Bishoo will be the players to watch out for as they have been in good form of recent. It still doesn’t make sense to not select Gayle who had an excellent stint at IPL this season. Sooner the board and Gayle iron out the difference better it would be for their national team and cricket as a sport. Who doesn’t wish to see a talent like him smashing the ball all over the park?

As for the Indian team skipper Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin are my top pick. This tour is sure a great platform for the young players of Indian team.

Indian Cricket team’s tour of West Indies – Fletcher in pursuit of salvation!

The Indian cricket team

selected for the one off T-20 and 5 ODI’s tour starting from June 4 is a depleted side without many senior players. Some are not playing as they are rested and many others due to injuries. Senior players such as world cup winning captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and ace seamer Zaheer Khan have been rested for the upcoming series. Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Ashish Nehra and Yuvraj Singh are not a part of the touring team due to injuries. 

A three-match -rubber is scheduled post the ODI’s and senior players including Dhoni and Tendulkar are expected to join the team then. The Test Series begins on June 20 and will be played in Jamaica.

In absence of star players the Indian team is being led by young gun Suresh Raina. It’s definitely going to be challenging tour for both Raina and Fletcher. Indian team have a lot at stake, they have to avenge the whipping they received from West Indies in ODI’s during their last tour in 2006. For the record India lost the ODI’s series 1-4 during their last tour to West Indies. Only saving grace was the 1-0 victory in the four match test series under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy. 

Duncan Fletcher the new coach of Indian Cricket Team

Duncan Fletcher has a huge challenge on his shoulders. This tour will be his first assignment after being appointed the coach of India’s cricket team.  He may not have fond memories of having toured West Indies as head coach of England team four years back. England had then failed to progress beyond Super 8 level and this led to unceremonious exit of Fletcher from the top job.

Duncan Fletcher’s report card as Coach of England cricket team;

England played 175 ODIs and won 75 with a winning percentage of 47.47

England played 96 Tests and won 42 with a winning percentage of 43.75

Biggest achievement: England won Ashes in 2005. England won the 5-Test series 2–1 against Australia on home turf. England succeeded in their attempt to win the urn for the first time since 1987.

After 4 years Fletcher again has a chance to change fortunes and avenge the disappointment which he had faced in West Indies. This time around he will be travelling with a young Indian team which lacks the experience. The much criticized Indian Premier League seems to have taken toll on the Indian cricket team. 

All said and done this tour holds lot of importance to Indian team. Considering it’s their maiden tour after being crowned the champions, having won the cricket world cup 2011.