Walking And Not Walking In Cricket

Sachin Tendulkar didn’t waited for umpires decision and choose to walk , the whole crowd has given him a standing ovation.

Sachin Tendulkar didn’t choose to walk  although he was out and waited for umpires decision.

Sachin Tendulkar has to walk  although he knew he was not out because umpire has given him out .

Stuart Broad didn’t choose to walk although he was out and waited for umpires decision and stayed their after being given not out .

Batsman don’t walk because no body does !!!

Cricket is a game which is being played with some strict set of rules .Umpire play a vital role in taking the on field decisions and hence their decision is considered to be final ,of course  before the introduction of DRS. As per the rule people walk because they can and have to walk when umpire raises the finger irrespective of what they think .While nodding your head in disgust or any exchange of words with umpire or any ungentle behavior when umpire has given you out led to have a disciplinary action against you  ,at the same time simply not obeying the umpires decision of  not out and choosing to walk comes under spirit of cricket .Now lets talk it from bowlers perspective while too much of appealing makes you eligible to be fined ,at the same time it is must to appeal to get a out decision. We have some rarest of rare cases in the history of cricket when fielding side decided to take away their appeal just to keep alive the spirit of cricket ,otherwise ,they just try their luck every time to make umpires point their fingers towards sky because that’s the rule .Yes, a fielding side can appeal even if they know that batsman is not out just to impress and create pressure on the umpires .

So if we are strictly following all other rules of  cricket  ,than accepting the umpires decision and choosing not to walk should also not be criticized although it may not come under spirit of cricket .If we keep aside the validity of DRS but introduction of DRS is a clear indication that decisions given by umpires are not correct always.

ICC World Cup 2015

Sunday 15^th February 2015 the decibel level at Adelaide Oval will be at its peak , the atmosphere on the ground will be electrifying and the whole cricket loving world is going to stick to their television sets and their will be no traffic jams for sure for at least for eight hours .The reason is the match for which cricket lovers wait throughout the tournament will we played first in this world cup .Yes , defending champion India will start its world cup campaign  against the arch rivals Pakistan .It further means that for the cricket world cup special audience rest of the matches of group stage will be of lesser importance. The reason why I am saying this is being the world champions the path way to Quarter-Finals looks easy for India ,provided we don’t get any surprises.

History suggest that India have never lost to Pakistan in their five meetings in world cups, Good ,its always nice to start a tournament with a win !! On a serious note team India will have another task in hand from the start of the tournament to make that tally 6-0 ,apart from defending the world champions title. Looks like I am already envisaging the future events and why not this is how we play cricket from off the field !! Despite knowing the fact that the event is going to take place after 18 months ,to be precise from Saturday 14^th February 2015 and their will be many other tournaments and posts to be written in between , we as a true cricket follower had to exaggerate the future event ,as we do by discussing the past events .

Now ,lets come to the present that we are still world champions and should enjoy its stature .And with this post I complete the half century of my blog posts !!!

The Articulation Which Produces Best Cricket

Cricket is a game not a battle, but if we articulate all the cricketing actions it do look like so .There are many cricket rivalry which were created on paper and hence created our interest for the matches .Think of an India Vs Pakistan match, now think of the endless motivational media reports on TV and news papers , now think of those Goosebumps and moments which had skipped your so many heart beats ,yes this is actually how the on field rivalry starts in Cricket.

The best example of this is the battle of all battles ,the greatest test rivalry -Ashes . Yes that ashes in which England and Australia play , and these rivals were playing with each other for five years before the idea of the Ashes was born ! In 1882 when Australia had beaten England at Ovals for the first time and the reaction (mock obituary)of Reginald Shirley Brooks in The Sporting Times which had added a pride element in it the word Ashes came into picture..

The mock obituary read “ In affectionate remembrance of English Cricket which died at The Oval,29^th August,1882.Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. R.I.P N.B. The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken by Australia.” This had actually given weight to the series and had actually made people of Australia believed that they had achieved some thing big. That’s why when in the subsequent series when England under the captaincy of Lord Darnley had beaten Australia ,he was presented with an urn containing the Ashes of a bail used in the third Test by a group of Melbourne women .

Cricket have different meaning depending on what hype media has created about the series and it do have an impact on spectators and players .History suggest that it is this rivalry only which inspires player to give their best and create history and this is what people like to see on the ground .Many new records  get created in such series and it is your performance in these series only which  can change your entire career and will give you a place in the memorable moments of Cricketing history.      

The World Champions India

If this is what transition looks like ,India will take it every day  of this champions trophy .Starting from their outing in warm up matches (although India played like India in them) to the four wins in four games in ICC Champions trophy World CHAMPIONS India is actually playing like CHAMPIONS in this CHAMPIONS Trophy. Batsmen have scored without hassle , bowlers have provided a steady feed of wickets and arguably the best team of fielders has ever put out makes India favorite for winning this last edition of champions trophy.

Amidst the rain affected champions trophy all teams were able to perform according to their reputation. While Sri Lanka had a familiar tale of resurgence- from the pain of defeat ,contract wrangles and captaincy musical-chairs ,recovering from it and reaching to the business end ,the only way they know after the 1996 world cup triumph but flunk in the matches which matters . South Africa chocked as they were supposed to and could not quite end the final edition of champions trophy on winning note as they holds  the pleasure of winning the first edition of it .Pakistan knocked out of tournament unpredictably and expectedly West Indies ,New Zealand  knocked out of the tournament. Although looking at the recent controversies and  form of Australian team no one was expecting the former champions to win this ICC Champions Trophy but the two deserving sides which so looks like to win this edition made it to the finals .The home team England and World Champions India are all set to lock horn on Sunday which should be the match of the tournament .

It is also interesting to note that England - the team which  tend to avoid IPLs and India -the team whose all players were part of IPLs ,is going to play in finals. Looking at the current form of the current both senior and junior World Champions and keeping in mind the Dhoni factor we surly can pick them as winners in Sunday’s finals , but can expect a great game of cricket amidst the home like conditions actually for both the teams -both on and off field.

Throughout the tournament one thing which had made every Indian proud apart from Indian team performance is the crowd support and packed stadium singing the National Anthem with Team India .The proud feeling which only Indian team enjoys in which ever part of the world they travels.World Champions India is truly ruling the world of Cricket.         

Adieu ICC Champions Trophy

The only tournament apart from world cup in which top teams of the world use to clash after every two years raised its curtains for the seventh and final time on June 6th  2013.

Yes, The Champions Trophy which holds a curious ,mezzanine status: elevated from the rest , but designed to squat below the best is ready to say adieu . From a concept in 1998, through six chapters, the ‘Mini-World Cup’ has found its relevance many times-and now ,it turn out, answered .The World Test Championship is going to replace Champions Trophy in 2017.     

The Champions Trophy will not be mourned , but there will undeniably be nostalgic looks back at it . After all it has thrown up some enduring memories-

South Africa riding on a young Kallis's shoulders to its only worldwide triumph till date ; New Zealand ,similarly,capturing its only big trophy,West Indian tail-enders Ian Bradshaw and Courtney Browne ambushing England in the darkness; a callow left-hander called Yuvraj Singh flogging Australia speechless at the Nairobia Gymkhana and of course the year 2002 final in which the teams played 110 Overs, but there was no result which India won jointly with Sri Lanka under the captaincy of the great Sourav Ganguly .

Talking about India and the man with midas touch Mahendra Singh Dhoni who is often been reminded that his collection of titles as captain does not include the Champions Trophy ,now has a last chance to have this one as well under his captaincy for team India and complete the tally of trophies. Well he performs best when he is under pressure and have a point to prove so we surly can expect this silver wear as well from him ,as ICC Champions Trophy looks like an open tournament and probably it’s the current world champion  team India only which is lead by an experienced and successful captain .     

Lets hope MSD And Co. do it one more time for India and make it even more memorable !!!!!

The Level Playing XI

You’ve been a spectator

You’ve been a cheerleader

You’ve been a critic

You’ve been a commentator .Now..

Feel what it is to be an owner !!!

Yes,i have been all these and now I had also  experienced what it is to be an owner. The Level Playing XI was the team which I had owned in this IPL(obviously the virtual team) and it was indeed a new way of looking at the game. Selecting the playing eleven , making suitable changes –some risky ,some assured while keeping an eye on budget and the franchise and overseas limit so as to make a balanced team use to be my pre match activities .For the first time I had watched cricket from a different perspective of taking care of who is going to earn more points for me irrespective of the quality of their cricket. Analyzing players statistics and guessing game were part of my team making strategies. However the real fun use to be once the match get started .The entire process was just like you are having full course with you and you are sorting out the important topics which can come in exam and what marks they can fetch for you .Just like when paper get handed over to you in exam hall you first scan for question you have prepared ,I use to look for the players which I had selected in the team ,whether they are actually playing or not and yes we do have surprises as we use to have in actual papers some unexpected or some may call out of syllabus question .Well nothing can be done at run time and the best we can do is look for what marks we get in this paper after attempting , including the maximum marks for the question which we had written best .In my case this task use to be of power player i.e. the player which you think will perform best on that day from the two or four teams playing on that day.            

It was tough ,but I am happy that I had almost selected the right set of players on many occasions. But the difference between almost winning and actually winning is that the former doesn’t count . So that’s how my team campaign ended performed and played well but could not quite win the title just like all other eight teams in the actual IPL .

All in all that was a great way of knowing players and teams much better and a all new way of following and watching cricket for me but I doubt I will give a second chance to it because I actually enjoy the spectator , critic and commentator part more than getting stressed by owing a team.

IPL - The Juggernaut Of Entertainment

Ever heard of a stress –buster loaded with stress ? Of course  yes !! In fact you have been experiencing it for past five years. The Indian premier league has entered in its 6^th edition and for the next two months you will not have to look for movies to watch ,for rather you have to manage how to watch the three and a half hour show of complete entertainment  each day.

This holiday season of the year is meant for only entertainment by the bollywood flavored cricket .No matter how much cricket is being played round the year ,this form of cricket has  always been successful to catch the attention of whole cricket loving world .

9 teams ,  76 matches and 1 destination but this journey to destination is  packed with unpredictability and photo –finishes that are bound to keep you on the edges of you seats .From its first season itself the thought of watching the favorite stars of world cricket sharing the same team thrilled every one towards Indian premier league . There is something special about this T20 format that the winner in its tournaments donot have  experienced captain to lead say T20 world cup winners - India (2007 captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni ) ,Pakistan (2009 captain Shahid Afridi) , England (2010 captain Paul Collingwood ) , West Indies (2012 captain Darren Sammy) . IPl also share the same legacy as it has proven to be an event where assertive leaders set the tone in winning sides-from Shane Warne (Rajasthan Royals ) , Adam Gilchrist (Deccan Chargers) , Mahendra Singh Dhoni ( Chennai Super Kings) to Gautam Gambhir ( Kolkata Knight Riders ).

Although there is a lot of money involved in this tournament but it actually does not matter if you had flaunted the heavy purse to own a IPL franchise for ten years and always remain in news only for showing money power at player auctions than any spectacular team performance like the RIL owned Mumbai Indians. Every year IPL remain in news for some or the other reason and this year it seems that Delhi Daredevils is facing plenty of pre-tournament blues much before donning their newly designed blues. Of course lot more actions and twists are lined for you to keep you involved in the event.

So get ready to stop your clock on the juggernaut of entertainment !!