Success of a team in cricket is in the hands of opening batsmen and also the pace bowlers. The role of pace bowlers is as important as they can disturb the opponent batsmen with their pace and swing. Indian bowling department is not as impressive as it was in the past. Kapil Dev, a legend, is the best bowler of Indian cricket. In his captaincy India won the world cup in 1983 and it’s purely because of a bowler who cleaned the opponent. Few decades back Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad were the pace bowlers and they were the successful opening bowling pair for Indian cricket. The variety in their bowling fetched quick wickets and they were responsible for victory.
After their retirement from international cricket the bowling department of India was found helpless. Zaheer Khan is the most reliable pace bowler at present and he is prone to injuries most of the time. The left arm pacer is a perfect attacker with new ball and also expert in reverse and in swing yorkers that can surely clear the defense of a batsmen. There were many bowlers like Ajit Agarkar, Debasis Mohanty, Aavishkar Salvi, Sreesanth and Ashish Nehra who were in the team but couldn’t mark their presence permanently in the squad due to the loss of variety. Indian team suffered a lot without quality bowlers and faced many loses. Javagal Srinath carried the bowling till 2003 world cup. After his retirement there was no strong bowling attack in Indian team.
Irfan Pathan stepped in to the squad as a bowler and surprised everyone with the ability of swinging the ball into the batsman. He was successful in fetching quick wickets but lost his form and is out of squad for long time. Ishanth Sharma and Munaf Patel are the other bowlers picked for Indian squad who were admirable at the beginning but as days passed on they too failed at important situations.
On a whole the team fully relies on Zaheer Khan and his absence is noticed in all series. RP Singh has not found permanent place in the squad and Praveen Kumar is being impressive till now with his ability of swinging in air and troubling the opponent. Mithun another pace bowler has the ability to bowl well and he must be developed to be a star bowler for the team. Pace bowlers are the key players in any match and if players like Praveen Kumar, Mithun, Ishanth Sharma are trained well they could be the best in sharing the bowling attack with Zaheer Khan.
What are your views on Indian pace attack?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Royal Challengers Bangalore's Fanatic Fans Challenge
RCB's Fanatic Fans Challenge 3:South Africa is the sequel to the Fanatic Fans Challenge 2 which took place during IPL 2010. They are having 3 positions to fill out this season. A blogger, a photographer and a podcaster.
Well, your job as a Chief Fanatic Fan would be to cover the CLT20 and the masalas and the local enthusiasms, everything that cricket & the CLT20 touches in South Africa and update it on the RCB site for your fellow RCB fans back home. The idea behind sending the best there is so everyone through their words, pictures and voice would feel as though they are in South Africa and not missing a thing.
How will you prove you can do that? Every category has 2 questions – one to prove you have a passion for cricket and can generate content on that topic (so that you don’t go there and watch the game without understanding why so many men running after 1 ball) and the second question to prove that you can make a story out of nothing (so we know you can add masalas and make a dull story interesting for the audiences)
Write out your application, send it in and then start collecting votes, you have until 11th of August to collect votes! If your application is one of the best, that they think can stand a chance to win, they will feature it. A featured application is also an example of what it will take for a fan to win this challenge. So for those of you who don’t have your applications featured, you can pick up a few pointers from the Featured Apps list. You can edit your application until the 9th of August.
Here is the entire flow of the process at RCB.
7 winners will be shortlisted from each category on the 12th and then they will go to Bangalore for the final audition (dates for which will be confirmed).
So if you think you have it in you, to be a Chief Fanatic Fan, travel to South Africa for the CLT20 while you work for RCB – Apply Now!
Well, your job as a Chief Fanatic Fan would be to cover the CLT20 and the masalas and the local enthusiasms, everything that cricket & the CLT20 touches in South Africa and update it on the RCB site for your fellow RCB fans back home. The idea behind sending the best there is so everyone through their words, pictures and voice would feel as though they are in South Africa and not missing a thing.
How will you prove you can do that? Every category has 2 questions – one to prove you have a passion for cricket and can generate content on that topic (so that you don’t go there and watch the game without understanding why so many men running after 1 ball) and the second question to prove that you can make a story out of nothing (so we know you can add masalas and make a dull story interesting for the audiences)
Write out your application, send it in and then start collecting votes, you have until 11th of August to collect votes! If your application is one of the best, that they think can stand a chance to win, they will feature it. A featured application is also an example of what it will take for a fan to win this challenge. So for those of you who don’t have your applications featured, you can pick up a few pointers from the Featured Apps list. You can edit your application until the 9th of August.
Here is the entire flow of the process at RCB.
7 winners will be shortlisted from each category on the 12th and then they will go to Bangalore for the final audition (dates for which will be confirmed).
So if you think you have it in you, to be a Chief Fanatic Fan, travel to South Africa for the CLT20 while you work for RCB – Apply Now!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The blog is open for guest posts
You can now submit guest posts to Cricket Crazy. Visit 'Write for us' for more details.
Friday, June 25, 2010
India wins Asia Cup after 15 years
They've done it. India, under Dhoni's captaincy, won the Asia Cup, crushing defending champions Sri Lanka by 81 runs. After 15 years of waiting India would be very pleased to lift the Asia Cup trophy.
Today's match reflected what a team can do when it plays as a team, not as an individual. Every player did his job to perfection. To me, this was the best fastbowling effort by indians in recent times in sub-continent.
PS: I don't like the point of India playing too many matches against Sri Lanka. It has already been so many since 2009. And again we have a series with Sri Lanka in July this year.
What is the point in playing with the same team again and again?
Today's match reflected what a team can do when it plays as a team, not as an individual. Every player did his job to perfection. To me, this was the best fastbowling effort by indians in recent times in sub-continent.
PS: I don't like the point of India playing too many matches against Sri Lanka. It has already been so many since 2009. And again we have a series with Sri Lanka in July this year.
What is the point in playing with the same team again and again?
Monday, June 21, 2010
Boom Boom Afridi
Shahid Afridi is known for hitting cricket balls out of the ground with ease. But he has been more of a bowler in recent times and failed miserably with the bat. It wasn't the one we know. And the one we know is back with a bang with 2 superb centuries in Asia Cup. He struck 109 off 76 balls that included 8 fours and 7 sixes, against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup 2010. And today he scored another blitzering knock of 124 from just 60 balls against Bangladesh that included 17 fours and 4 sixes. And what's more, it was the sixth fastest ODI century and the quickest one in Asia Cup. I've not seen any of these innings, but I can say that Afridi is back.
Afridi has shown interest in leading his team in international cricket. He got a chance to lead Pakistan in T20 world cup earlier this year in England. And he was made captain for all formats of the game.
Do you think captaincy(responsibility) changed his game? Can Afridi fire against England and Australia?
Afridi has shown interest in leading his team in international cricket. He got a chance to lead Pakistan in T20 world cup earlier this year in England. And he was made captain for all formats of the game.
Do you think captaincy(responsibility) changed his game? Can Afridi fire against England and Australia?
Monday, May 17, 2010
England lifts their first ever ICC trophy
I've never expected England
to reach this far. I agree that they are a good team. They are the pioneers of cricket. But they've never managed to win a major ICC trophy. Even if they reached the final of this year's Twenty20 World cup, I still had some doubt if they can do it this time. They were against Australia and that made me feel that England might have to wait more. But......they made history by defeating Australia in ICC world Twenty 2010 final. This is a moment to cherish for england fans.I still wonder if it was Australia against which England played this final. Australia never looked dominant right from the start of the match except for one over in which they got 21 runs. Full credit goes to England for their superb fielding and collective performances with bat and bowl. It's very rare to see Australia loosing a final. They came into the final unbeaten. They came out of nowhere in the semifinal against Pakistan to register an excellent win to reach the final thanks to an exceptional knock of 60 from 24 balls from Mr Cricket.
After loosing a final against England, Austrlia would definitely want to comeback hard at them in the Ashes
. It'll be a good contest to enjoy.PS: I congratulate one of my friends(An ardent fan of England) on England's victory.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
IPL team of the tournament
Sachin Tendulkar
There are two things in the world that get better with time, Wine and Sachin. The master had two forgetful IPLs previously. But this time, he looked like a man on a mission. He proved that even in the mad world of mongooses and dilscoops, there is still place for romance between bat and ball. He was consistent throughout and never let Mumbai down. His captaincy was also top notch (barring the finals) and the way he handled the youngsters Tiwary, Rayudu, Dhawan, Satish was exceptional. It's a pity that the trophy didn't land in his hands.
Murali Vijay
This hasn't been a tournament for maverick openers. Big names like Hayden,Gilchrist,Sehwag,Gayle,Jayasuriya flopped and lesser knowns like Vijay, Lumb, Ojha made hay. Vijay is always known to be a technically compact and a good onside player but not an ideal T20 opener. He started IPL3 on a poor note and was even dropped for Parthiv. The way he bounced back was impeccable and his rise in form was parallel to Chennai's rise of fortunes. The ton he got against Rajasthan was a pleasure to watch and expect fireworks from him in world T20.
Suresh Raina
The fact that Raina is the only player to score 400+ in every edition of IPL speaks volumes about the talent this man has. The south paw, a favourite to Greg Chappel, who viewed him as India's answer to Brain Lara, packs a punch and has been a reliable performer for CSK. He added a lot of maturity to his batting which should augur well for India. A fantastic fielder too and a bowler trusted by Dhoni. He is still 23 and with time on his side, expect big things from him in future.
Robin Uthappa
Why this man won't be in the flight for carribean is still a mystery to many. A better striker/batsman than Yusuf Pathan as this IPL proved, he has a fantastic ability to change the course of the match in the space of a couple of overs. These are impact players and the one's who win you trophies from the most unlikliest of situations as he showed game after game in this IPL. The fact that he also keeps the wickets is a bonus. That over of Sreesanth in which he plundered 25 runs to change the game at Chinnaswamy is some of the finest hitting witnessed in recent times.
Shane Watson
I know this will be a controversial selection but watson has proved us all how Rajastan missed him in IPL2 and half of IPL3. Almost chased down 246 in his very first outing in IPL3. A fearsome striker of the ball, a good player of the short ball and is a true floater, some one who can bat anywhere from 1-5 with devastating effect. A very clever bowler and a good fielder. A very experienced T20 cricketer and a vital cog in the Aussie side, every captain would love to have him in his side. He only played 8 games but he has done enough to merit an all rounders slot in this lineup.
Kieron Pollard
Generally Mumbai get it wrong with big signings, be it Jayasuriya/Duminy/Uthappa(850,000$). When they signed him for the record IPL fee, he was in Australia playing with Shahid Afridi for South Australia. He had a mediocre big bash and i had doubts over him. But boy did he prove me wrong or what. Tailor made for T20, the big West Indian was an instant hit with the Mumbai crowd with his brutal hitting. Even for such a powerful man, the way he plays with a straight bat is refreshing to see. Also a very canny T20 bowler and a brilliant fielder, he has been a revelation in this IPL. Every penny well spent.
MS Dhoni
Naman Ojha had a terrific IPL and by Dhoni's standards, he had an ordinary time with the bat. But for the balance of the side, Dhoni has to be in this side. As the team is loaded with big hitters, they need a captain who will let them be their own selves and will always put his hand up in times of crisis. He still can hit a mean ball, as showed by his innings against Punjab, he is the leading wicket keeper batsmen in world cricket right now.
Pragyan Ojha
The purple cap winner of this edition of IPL has been a vital cog in the Deccan setup. He got wickets aplenty and crucially at a less economy rate. Never afraid to flight the ball, he and Mishra proved that spinners are pretty effective in the shorter format of the game. He should be deployed as a containing bowler rather than an attacking one. Hw will be bitterly disappointed to watch world T20 in his LCD.
Doug Bollinger
CSK's IPL campaign can be divided into two halves, one before bollinger and another after Bollinger. Chennai tried many a fast bowler before him without any success. His first game for Chennai was a bowler's nightmare. Chennai scored 246 and Rajastan almost chased it down. Amid all those ruins, only Bollinger came out with the best paint, (figures of 4-0-13-3). Has been at his bustling best throughout his stay, he provided Chennai with crucial breakthroughs and is a firm fan favourite at Chennai.
Lasith Malinga
The most lethal T20 bowler in world cricket right now. He is very difficult to get away because of his slinging action and deadly accuracy. He formed a deadly partnership with Zaheer Khan and was mean and reliable throughout the IPL. The first bowler that any captain would want in his side.
Amit Mishra
Another inclusion that doesn't win me any fans but Mishra was brilliant for the daredevils this season. The runner up to the purple cap is a more attacking spinner than Ojha and would like the batsmen to attack him and then beat them with his flight and googlies. I had to include him in this side for the balance of the side. Teams would know they can't score many of Bollinger and Lasith and might target this leggie. This is where he is at his best and can outsmart them. The way he got rid of Kallis was a thing of beauty. He should be deployed as an attacking spinner.
Honourable mentions
Jayawardene, R.Ashwin, J.Kallis, A.Kumble,A.Symonds
PS: This article is contributed by my friend Phani Raja Sekhar.
There are two things in the world that get better with time, Wine and Sachin. The master had two forgetful IPLs previously. But this time, he looked like a man on a mission. He proved that even in the mad world of mongooses and dilscoops, there is still place for romance between bat and ball. He was consistent throughout and never let Mumbai down. His captaincy was also top notch (barring the finals) and the way he handled the youngsters Tiwary, Rayudu, Dhawan, Satish was exceptional. It's a pity that the trophy didn't land in his hands.Murali Vijay
This hasn't been a tournament for maverick openers. Big names like Hayden,Gilchrist,Sehwag,Gayle,Jayasuriya flopped and lesser knowns like Vijay, Lumb, Ojha made hay. Vijay is always known to be a technically compact and a good onside player but not an ideal T20 opener. He started IPL3 on a poor note and was even dropped for Parthiv. The way he bounced back was impeccable and his rise in form was parallel to Chennai's rise of fortunes. The ton he got against Rajasthan was a pleasure to watch and expect fireworks from him in world T20.
Suresh Raina
The fact that Raina is the only player to score 400+ in every edition of IPL speaks volumes about the talent this man has. The south paw, a favourite to Greg Chappel, who viewed him as India's answer to Brain Lara, packs a punch and has been a reliable performer for CSK. He added a lot of maturity to his batting which should augur well for India. A fantastic fielder too and a bowler trusted by Dhoni. He is still 23 and with time on his side, expect big things from him in future.
Robin Uthappa
Why this man won't be in the flight for carribean is still a mystery to many. A better striker/batsman than Yusuf Pathan as this IPL proved, he has a fantastic ability to change the course of the match in the space of a couple of overs. These are impact players and the one's who win you trophies from the most unlikliest of situations as he showed game after game in this IPL. The fact that he also keeps the wickets is a bonus. That over of Sreesanth in which he plundered 25 runs to change the game at Chinnaswamy is some of the finest hitting witnessed in recent times.
Shane Watson
I know this will be a controversial selection but watson has proved us all how Rajastan missed him in IPL2 and half of IPL3. Almost chased down 246 in his very first outing in IPL3. A fearsome striker of the ball, a good player of the short ball and is a true floater, some one who can bat anywhere from 1-5 with devastating effect. A very clever bowler and a good fielder. A very experienced T20 cricketer and a vital cog in the Aussie side, every captain would love to have him in his side. He only played 8 games but he has done enough to merit an all rounders slot in this lineup.
Kieron Pollard
Generally Mumbai get it wrong with big signings, be it Jayasuriya/Duminy/Uthappa(850,000$). When they signed him for the record IPL fee, he was in Australia playing with Shahid Afridi for South Australia. He had a mediocre big bash and i had doubts over him. But boy did he prove me wrong or what. Tailor made for T20, the big West Indian was an instant hit with the Mumbai crowd with his brutal hitting. Even for such a powerful man, the way he plays with a straight bat is refreshing to see. Also a very canny T20 bowler and a brilliant fielder, he has been a revelation in this IPL. Every penny well spent.
MS DhoniNaman Ojha had a terrific IPL and by Dhoni's standards, he had an ordinary time with the bat. But for the balance of the side, Dhoni has to be in this side. As the team is loaded with big hitters, they need a captain who will let them be their own selves and will always put his hand up in times of crisis. He still can hit a mean ball, as showed by his innings against Punjab, he is the leading wicket keeper batsmen in world cricket right now.
Pragyan Ojha
The purple cap winner of this edition of IPL has been a vital cog in the Deccan setup. He got wickets aplenty and crucially at a less economy rate. Never afraid to flight the ball, he and Mishra proved that spinners are pretty effective in the shorter format of the game. He should be deployed as a containing bowler rather than an attacking one. Hw will be bitterly disappointed to watch world T20 in his LCD.
Doug Bollinger
CSK's IPL campaign can be divided into two halves, one before bollinger and another after Bollinger. Chennai tried many a fast bowler before him without any success. His first game for Chennai was a bowler's nightmare. Chennai scored 246 and Rajastan almost chased it down. Amid all those ruins, only Bollinger came out with the best paint, (figures of 4-0-13-3). Has been at his bustling best throughout his stay, he provided Chennai with crucial breakthroughs and is a firm fan favourite at Chennai.
Lasith Malinga
The most lethal T20 bowler in world cricket right now. He is very difficult to get away because of his slinging action and deadly accuracy. He formed a deadly partnership with Zaheer Khan and was mean and reliable throughout the IPL. The first bowler that any captain would want in his side.
Amit Mishra
Another inclusion that doesn't win me any fans but Mishra was brilliant for the daredevils this season. The runner up to the purple cap is a more attacking spinner than Ojha and would like the batsmen to attack him and then beat them with his flight and googlies. I had to include him in this side for the balance of the side. Teams would know they can't score many of Bollinger and Lasith and might target this leggie. This is where he is at his best and can outsmart them. The way he got rid of Kallis was a thing of beauty. He should be deployed as an attacking spinner.
Honourable mentions
Jayawardene, R.Ashwin, J.Kallis, A.Kumble,A.Symonds
PS: This article is contributed by my friend Phani Raja Sekhar.
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