The Great Game Called Cricket...

New Delhi: He retired from Test cricket to prolong his ODI and Twenty20 career but injury-plagued Australian pacer Brett Lee says he would miss the excitement and challenge of the longer version of the game.

Lee, who is in India to participate in the third edition of the Indian Premier League starting on March 12, wants to test his fitness and pace in the forthcoming event in a bid to reclaim his position in the national team for the this year's Twenty20 and the 2011 ODI World Cup.

"I am satisfied with my Test career and longevity. All those years were really exciting and challenging for me and I will miss those things. It was a tough decision to call it quits," Lee, who plays for Kings XI Punjab, said.

"I could feel that my body couldn't take any more as Test cricket is more demanding. I took the retirement decision because of lifestyle reasons.

"Then there were injuries and that was the tough time. I just want to prolong my career in ODIs and Twenty20. Want to play some more matches for the country. That's why I took the decision to continue playing in shorter formats," said Lee, who made his Test debut against India in 1999, finishing with seven wickets in the match.

The 33-year-old pacer's career has been hampered by injuries which eventually restricted him to 76 Tests.

One of the games fastest ever bowlers, with deliveries recorded at up to 161 kph, Lee has taken 310 wickets for his country, leaving him fourth on the Australian all-time list behind Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Dennis Lillee, and 22nd among wicket-takers for all nations.

Lee, who is undergoing rehabilitation with physio Patrick Farhart to get to cricket after a four-month absence with an elbow injury, was unsure of his participation in his team's first IPL match against Delhi Daredevils on March 13.

"I can't say whether I would be playing the first match or not. I am recovering well from my elbow injury. I've been working very closely with my physio. I am practicing hard in the nets and things are shaping up well," he said.

Lee, who calls India his second home, was satisfied with the security arrangements made by the organisers and said safety measures for the IPL will leave no room for worry among the players.

"Security is good and as such there are no concerns. India is a safe place to play. There were certain apprehensions about the security arrangements back home, but that's important and you need to look at it also."

Australians were wary of coming to India after threats by right-wing Hindu group Shiv Sena. Then there were also threats from the al-Qaeda terror network to disrupt the event.

But Lee said, "It's great to be back on Indian soil as I love to play here. I know crowd would be expecting some good performances from me and I won't let them disappointed."

On being asked about the importance of pace in Twenty20 games and whether he would be eyeing the 160 kph record set by Australian pacer Shaun Tait, the cricketer said, "Fast bowling is part of the game and being a fast bowler, I believe pace is always required in all three formats of the game to unsettle the opposition.

"Pace always plays a major role in Twenty20 cricket. It's a fast-paced game and every over counts. So, generation of pace becomes lot more important in T20 format.

"I am not thinking of breaking any records. Just want to play good cricket. I will not try to break 160 mark barrier set by my Australian team-mate Shaun Tait as I have already done (touching 160 kph) it in the past. I will generate pace but not with any records in the mind," the speedster said.

Karachi: His chances of returning to the national team might be bleak but Pakistan's controversial pacer Shoaib Akhtar maintains that his international career is far from over.

Shoaib, who has not been included in the preliminary squad for the Twenty20 World Cup, said he was surprised at not being picked for the tournament.

"I was surprised that I was not included in the list of probables because if you look at Brett Lee he has been having fitness issues for last few months and has not played, yet he is in the Australian preliminary squad," Shoaib said. Similarly, Shaun Tait is also in despite his history of injury problems," Akhtar said.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has justified not picking Shoaib in the preliminary squad by pointing out that he has hardly played any cricket since last May when he played against Australia in Dubai.

"How can we select him? We can't pick him on basis of a few domestic matches. We don't know how fit he is," the PCB chairman Ejaz Butt had told a press conference while announcing the 30 probables last week.

But Shoaib said he didn't care what people or the board said about his fitness.

"I know what I am capable off and I have not given up hope on myself and I will fight back into the team because I have a few more years of international cricket left in me," Shoaib said after leading Islamabad in the National Twenty20 Championship on Friday.

The enigmatic bowler, who is set to lose his central contract from the board because of his fitness and disciplinary issues since last year, said he was recovering well after his knee operation.

"It takes time to get back into full form after a knee operation but I am doing well and I am getting back into my top form. I know I can get back into the team and prove my critics wrong. I have set targets in mind for a comeback," he said.

The 34-year-old has an impressive 178 wickets in 46 Tests and 223 wickets in 144 One-Day Internationals.

He underwent a knee operation in England last year in June-July and despite his request the PCB refused to foot the bill for his treatment insisting he was not injured on national duty.

India’s famous spin quartet is concerned. Having mesmerized batsmen the world over with their spin and stealth in their prime, the quartet of Bishen Singh Bedi, S Venkataraghavan, EAS Prasanna and BS Chandrasekhar sounded a tad diffident ahead of the India-South Africa Test series.

The cause of worry — India’s spin department. In the last series, the trio of Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha didn’t quite set Bangladesh on fire. The skill, rhythm and lack of enough numbers under the wicket column haven’t quite impressed the spin legends. Figures may not reveal the entire story but they certainly suggest a thing or two — Indian spinners had accounted for only 14 wickets in the two Tests in Bangladesh.

Always known to speak his mind, former India captain Bedi felt the current spin attack is struggling to pose any threat to the opposition. “Indian spin attack is inexperienced and not very skillful. Look what they did in Bangladesh, they should have dominated and taken more wickets,” said Bedi.

Former India off-spinner S Venkataraghavan still has faith in Harbhajan. “He may be struggling at the moment but remember form is temporary and class is permanent. He is a proven class and I’m sure he’ll use his experience against the South Africans and come good.”

"Any good cricketer is one who is a good student of the game. Look at Sachin, Dravid, Kumble and Laxman, they are such wonderful students of the game. To be a good student one has to have humility, where is the humility?" — Former India captain BS Bedi on Harbhajan Singh


One area where all the four spin legends agree is the way to take on the touring Proteas. “I feel the spinners should quickly adjust to the conditions and attack a lot more than they have in the recent past,” said Venkataraghavan. Chandrasekhar, who was known to keep his bowling simple and yet lethal, hit the nail on the head. “I think the only way to put pressure on the South African batsmen is by consistently bowling a good line and length. It will force them to make mistake and throw their wickets.”

The fact that the tourists have three left-hand batsmen in captain Graeme Smith, Ashwell Prince and JP Duminy will surely encourage Harbhajan as his stock off-spin will go away from them. Being an attacking and wicket-taking bowler, Harbhajan has often dominated the opposition with his spin and bounce. However, he appeared to be struggling with his rhythm in the last two series against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

“Harbhajan did well under the shadow of senior bowler Anil Kumble. Now that he is the senior spinner, he needs to bowl well under his own shadow. He needs to spur himself to perform well,” feels Bedi.

In India’s last three Test series against New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Harbhajan has taken 31 wickets in 7 Tests with just one five-for. It certainly isn’t a disappointing performance but surely he’s capable of more. With quality opposition like South Africa, the 29-year-old offie will have to dig deep and rediscover his wicket-taking streak.

Prasanna, who tormented batsmen with his flight and spin, feels the South Africans have a formidable batting line-up and the middle over management will be important. “The middle overs will be crucial and that’s where spinners come into play. Against the Proteas, I feel Harbhajan should attack a lot more and try to take as many wickets.”

On Harbhajan’s recent loss of form, Bedi said, “Any good cricketer is one who is a good student of the game. Look at Sachin, Dravid, Kumble and Laxman, they are such wonderful students of the game. To be a good student one has to have humility, where is the humility?” In his typical no-holds bar, what Bedi meant was whenever there is loss of form, Harbhajan should seek help from former offs-spinners like Prasanna and Venkataraghavan; something which India’s leading spinner has been guilty of not doing.

Another area of worry is the second spinner as both leg-spinner Amit Mishra and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha are inexperienced and have only 10 Tests between them. At the moment, both have failed to come up with performances that could give enough confidence to the management.

"He is bowling well and he took seven wickets in his last Test. With more opportunity he will surely become a better bowler." — Former leg spinner Narendra Hirwani on Amit Mishra


As a second spinner, Chandrasekhar feels India should play a leggie. Being a wicket-taking bowler, Amit Mishra does make a case for himself but of late he has been struggling with his consistency. Former India leg spinner and now a selector, Narendra Hirwani feels there is no reason to panic. “He is bowling well and he took seven wickets in his last Test. With more opportunity he will surely become a better bowler.” It remains to be seen if captain MS Dhoni feels the same way.

On the other hand, Venkataraghavan felt that a second spinner is purely a captain’s call. “Depending on the pitch conditions, captain should decide whether to play Mishra or Ojha.”

Being a two-game Test series, India will have to wrest the initiative at the earliest and play to their strength. So, should India play on a turning track? “If India want to win the series, playing on a spinning track is the only option,” said Prasanna. Readily agreeing with his colleague, Venkataraghavan said, “If you go to Durban or Wanderers, South Africans won’t give you a spinning track; so you should know what your strength is and play accordingly.”

Putting aside all the niggling worries, Chandrasekhar, the inveterate match-winner chose to serve his instinct. “I think both the teams are equally matched but India have the slight advantage. My gut feeling is India will win the series.”

Ahmedabad: India coach Gary Kirsten today he will not judge his team's bench strength on the basis of performance in just one game after the depleted hosts went down to South Africa in the inconsequential third and final ODI.

"It's difficult to judge the bench strength by one game. I see it as an opportunity for the younger players but you cannot judge them by one performance," Kirsten said after the hosts were beaten by 90 runs.

With the series already in their pocket, India went into the tie without seven regulars and were unable to chase down the huge target of 365 to fold up for 275 in 44.3 overs.

Kirsten explained that India has been winning every series recently but the reserve players have not had enough exposure at international level.

"We want to win every series and this does not give opportunities for the younger players to get the exposure. But this was a good learning experience for them," said the former South Africa opener.

Kirsten felt the match turned South Africa's way when Proteas captain Jacques Kallis (104), and AB de Villiers (102) plundered the Indian bowling towards the end.

"The turning point was when de Villiers, who played exceptionally well, and Kallis who played the sheet-anchor role, added 100 runs in the last seven overs. They had plenty of wickets in hand," he pointed out.

Kallis and de Villiers' third wicket partnership worth 173 in just 102 balls lifted the visitors from 192 for two to the ground-high total that exceeded India's previous best of 325 for five made against the West Indies in 2002.

Looking ahead, Kirsten said that as far as the batting was concerned he was satisfied with the talent available but have to work on the bowling combination.

"From a batting perspective I'm excited by the talent but we don't yet have a settled bowling combination with nine or 10 seamers in the running," he said.

Top class Test cricket can be ruthless like a pack of hungry wild dogs. If you can’t outrun them, be ready to be hunted down and devoured. India’s depleted batting line-up realized that on day-three.

In one of the most devastating exhibitions of swing bowling, Dale Steyn flattened India's deprived batting line-up. After finishing with a figure of 7 for 51 in the first innings, he came back to remove Sehwag in the second. © AFP

Dale Steyn changed the course of the match with devastating swing bowling. He brought alive the same strip where Indian bowlers struggled and collared the host team with a career-best figure of 7 for 51 in just 16.4 overs. World’s top Test team was flattened for a sorry figure of 233 in just 64.4 overs. Steyn finished the day with an incredible haul of eight wickets.

Quite ironically, exactly 58 years ago India had scripted its first Test victory against England in Chennai.

With his wrecker-in-chief Steyn in murderous mood and a lead of 325 runs, skipper Graeme Smith promptly asked India to follow-on. The touring captain, who had marshaled his resources and field brilliantly, threw the challenge once again to the opposition. Made to follow on, the demoralized Team India finished the day at 66 for 2.

With Sachin Tendulkar unbeaten at 15 and Murali Vijay at 27, both have some firewalking to do on day-four if India have to escape to a draw.

In the second innings, shock and despair hung heavily in the air and the two openers Gautam Gambhir (1) and Virender Sehwag (16) were guilty of failing to shut them out and get on with the job. The result was disastrous — both perished in quick succession, leaving India at 24 for 2 after 4.4 overs. The Steyn-Morkel duo had struck again.

Earlier, just 11 overs into the day’s proceedings and South Africans had achieved what they had set out for — Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay and Sachin Tendulkar were packed off by the Dale Steyn-Morne Morkel duo. India were left numb at 56 for 3.

Amidst early ruins, there stood Virender Sehwag (109) — tall as ever. Unconcerned and unaffected by what was happening at the other end, he carried on the only way he’s been engineered to. It’s as much a pleasure as it is a mystery how this 31-year-old opener has kept his batting so simple and unrestrained. And now he has added another deadly ingredient to his batting — application.


For the period it lasted, Virender Sehwag epitomised defiance amidst ruins. He scored a fine century (109) but it wasn't enough on the day. © AFP
When Steyn and Morkel were breathing fire, he stood there like a monk but wielded his willow like a virtuoso composer with a baton in the middle of a concerto. And not surprisingly runs were flowing like music.

Balls that pitched slightly away from the off-stump were seen off with utmost care, and when they pitched in his zone, they disappeared to the fence. No half measures for Sehwag.

Steyn, Morkel and Parnell were compulsively cut and driven and quite often fielders didn’t have time to react. They only fetched it from the boundary.

On one occasion, Parnell was straight driven to the fence before he could finish his follow through. Some of the cover drives appeared to have been fired from Bofors howitzer gun, such was the power and precision. A few drives even left Steyn, who was on fire, nodding his head in sheer disbelief and admiration.

Second session is meant to be an extension of the first. The Sehwag-Badrinath combine that had bailed India out in the second hour of the first session couldn’t quite carry on the good work through the post-lunch session. After scripting a perfect counter-attack and going on to score a blazing century, Sehwag perished to a loose shot.

A good captain never stops plotting opposition’s fall. Graeme Smith epitomizes this trait. First he made Sehwag struggle to get to his century. With fielders flooding the on side, left-arm spinner Paul Harris bowled a negative line outside the leg stump to keep Sehwag silent on 99 for a couple of overs. And then Smith brought the innocuous looking left-arm pacer Wayne Parnell to have a go at Sehwag. The rookie speedster kept daring the centurion with a line wide outside the off-stump. Sehwag flashed hard twice and picked up two boundaries but soon after played a lofted shot, which was snapped up by JP Duminy at deep extra cover. Sehwag made that long walk back absolutely gutted, as Smith celebrated the dismissal. If only Sehwag had seen off Parnell…

Post tea, Smith yet again came up with a masterstroke and lobbed the ball to his trusted henchman. And Steyn opened the floodgates.

With an old ball, Steyn punched a hole into India’s lower batting order. He first removed the settled batsman Badrinath (56) with a fine reverse swinging delivery that came in sharply. The debutant failed to keep the ball down and was caught at short mid-wicket by Ashwell Prince. Next over, he accounted for another debutant Wriddhiman Saha who had no clue where his off stump was. He shouldered arms to Steyn’s delivery that came back sharply to disturb his timber. The world’s top-ranked bowler was not done yet. He came back to dismiss Zaheer Khan and Amit Mishra in quick succession and in the process pick up 13th five-for of his 37-Test career.

In one frenzied session, India lost its last six wickets in 42 deliveries, with Steyn picking up five of them. The fast bowler finished with an awe-inspiring figure of 7 for 51 in just 16.4 overs. The only other wicket was claimed by left-arm spinner Paul Harris, who had Dhoni caught behind. Indian innings folded at 233.

India wanted to build on the strong foundation laid by openers Virender Sehwag (56) and Gautam Gambhir (68) to ensure they don’t have to bat again. And Rahul Dravid (79*) and Sachin Tendulkar (89*) are still on the job. Despite a few anxious moments and a whole lot of luck, the two maestros took India to tea at 301 for 2, giving a lead of 68 runs over Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh fast bowlers bowled their hearts out and were also able to pose some trouble to the Indian greats. Shahadat Hossain made the batsmen play at most deliveries, bowling a good line and length. Rubel Hossain, despite bowling well, was spurned by the Lady Luck.

After dismissing Dravid off a no-ball in the first session, Raqibul Hasan added to the pacer’s agony by dropping Tendulkar at point. Rubel also sighed in despair as he saw the ball sneak through the gap between Tendulkar’s bat and stumps and run away to the fence.

Dravid and Tendulkar, like all great batsmen do, made the opposition pay for the lapses, with a fine 155-run unbroken partnership. This was the 17th occasion when the two stalwarts of Indian cricket had added 100-plus runs in a Test innings – a world record. On the way, they also completed their respective half-centuries.

Dravid’s unbeaten 79 had all the ingredients one would associate with his typical innings – the rock-solid defense, the gorgeous cover-drives, the elegant leg-glances and the unwavering concentration. It also comprised a couple of flowing hits to the fence.

Tendulkar, on the other hand was more adventurous, dealing in upper-cuts and sweeps. He rode his luck throughout his knock, as catches were dropped and ill-connected shots didn’t carry to the fielders. Tendulkar fetched five of his nine boundaries on the leg-side, with the help of paddle-sweeps and leg-glances.

If Team India is the numero uno of Test cricket, a lot of credit goes to one man who has been silently and selflessly working behind the scene. In an exclusive interview, Gary Kirsten, the coach of the Indian cricket team, talks to Cricket Nirvana on the journey to the top and the team he is in charge of…

A good 18 months ago, you sat down with Team India and set a goal of becoming the world’s best Test team. How does it feel to get there?

It’s been a fantastic and interesting run. I’ve enjoyed the time that I’ve spent with the Indian team and for them to achieve the level of success they have over the last 18 months is particularly satisfying. It’s not something that I’ve put in place. The whole team has worked together and MS Dhoni has played a crucial role as the captain of the team and by playing the type of cricket we wanted to play. Everyone has made crucial contributions at one stage or another in the last two years.

My relationships with players are built on trust. I encourage them to speak up and give their feedback. I feel players’ contribution is very vital, as I might not have all the answers.— Gary Kirsten on his relationship with player © Getty Images

What according to you is the biggest strength of this team?

Let’s put one thing on the table that it is a very talented team; there is a lot of skill. I believe that it has one of the strongest batting line-ups in the world and that alone says a lot. But generally, it all boils down to try and achieve the goals as a unit, which this team has done amazingly well.

How do you look back at your stint so far?

I’ve just thoroughly enjoyed understanding the way the Indian players are, the way they play their cricket and how they go about their business. It’s very different from other countries. I’ve also grown close to a lot of the players, having spent the last two years with them. We’ve worked on this mission to be consistently a good team and we’re on the right path.

What struck you the most about India and Indian cricket when you first came here to take up the coaching job?

Everyone knows that India is a cricket-mad country. There is a huge following and these players are revered here. I was amazed at how well the players handle themselves with this kind of fan-base and popularity. I think it’s quite difficult sometimes to manage the adulation that you receive and at the same time go out and give your best, playing for Team India. All credit to the players for the way they conduct themselves on and off the field.

As a foreign coach, what were the areas you had to work on during your early days?

The main challenge was to understand the Indian way, which is very different. It would have been foolish of me to come in with a South African mindset and say, ‘this is how we’re going to play cricket’. So, I spent a lot of time just understanding and getting a feel of how the Indians go about their business on and off the field. Then it was on to building some relationships and trust and create an environment where we could all talk very openly to each other.


Paddy Upton has been tremendous on the road with me. Together we were able to lay out a path in terms of the influence we could have on the players and how we wanted to change a certain things. But at the same time we also focused on the things the team was doing well at the time and make sure we continue with them.

What goes into coaching a team at an international level?

The word coaching might not necessarily be the right word at this level, but a whole lot of things go into it. The first is to manage the players and their thought processes. There’s an enormous amount of stress on international players to perform for their country in front of 50,000 people every day. So, it’s all about working out what you need to say or do to a player to get the best out of him. That’s one very important component.

Of course there is the technical component but that’s more about monitoring each individual and making sure he’s doing the things that he wants to do technically. Then there’s the strategy component, where you sit with the captain and players, understand their individual game-plans and combine them with the team’s plans.

There’s also a motivational component. There comes a time when you need to have a strong word or two with the guys just to get them going.

Lastly, we also need to set up an environment where people enjoy themselves. That’s an important thing when the players are on the road for a long time. We need to make sure that when we wake up in the morning, we’re up doing what we want to do and that we’re having a lot of fun doing it.

You’ve had to deal with a variety of players, considering that we have different teams for Test and shorter forms of the game. How do you handle that aspect?

It is very important to handle every individual differently. With the younger players, you want to help them grow and become better cricketers. In case of senior players, one just needs to make sure they continue their level of success and may be even get 10 or 15 per cent better. I think a lot of the players know what they need to do, so for me it’s really just to monitor that. And if there’s anything that I feel I can add to their game, I bring it to their attention and we take it from there.

Many players have given you credit for their success. How do you motivate them?

It’s a very nice thing for them to credit me because at the end of the day they’re the ones crossing the ropes and doing the job. The best that I can do is monitor their game and let them know if I pick up any technical glitch. More importantly, you should allow them to be themselves and play the way they play best. Also, they should be made aware that we’re trying to achieve one goal as a team and should play within that boundary.

Representing the country is the motivation for the players. How do you motivate yourself everyday?

I’m here to do a job and do it as well as I can. I’d like to believe that I give a hundred per cent every day and I’m completely motivated and geared towards giving this team the best chance of success. We’re not always going to win games or play how we want to play, but I believe this bunch of cricketers can really achieve the level of success we’re striving for on a regular basis.

One player who has really flourished under you is Gautam Gambhir. He has scored runs with amazing consistency for the last two years. What do you think is Gambhir’s biggest strength?

The bottom line is that he takes every innings he plays for his country very seriously. He’s got a fierce determination to succeed and he treats every innings as his last for India. He is a tremendous example for the young players in terms of not being satisfied with being average and not being satisfied with one good knock in the series. Another huge attribute is that he can play any type of game. He can save a Test match for you and can bat at a run-a-ball in ODIs. He can adapt his game to different situations. He’s a wonderful asset to the team and I just hope his form continues.

Former India coach John Wright once caught Sehwag by his collar as he nonchalantly walked into the dressing room after getting out to a terrible shot. Did it also take time for you to come to terms with Sehwag’s unique brand of batsmanship?

No, not at all! I very much knew the way Virender played his cricket. I’d watched him play and also played against him on a few occasions. So, I had a good understanding of the way he went about his business. I knew the value that he added to the team. It’s ideal to have a good mix of aggressive players and the more compact ones in the top six of the batting line-up, so that they compliment each other. And Sehwag brings that balance into the Indian team. We encourage his high-risk cricket because even his quick 30-40 can change the game to the team’s favour and help in upping the run-rate right from the start.

Despite having talented bowlers, we lack consistency in the attack as we have in our batting line-up. Both spinners and pacers are juggled around. Is this an area of concern?


I think it’s a real opportunity for the younger bowlers to stake their claim in the team. The point you’re making is correct. But we know that every one of these bowlers has done well at one stage or the other and we’re just making sure we pick the best out of a group of guys as the third seamer or second spinner who can compliment the senior bowlers. So, it presents a chance to the young guys to stake their claim and say, ‘I want a place in the team at a consistent level and willing to work hard for it’.

For any team to be successful, the captain-coach relationship is very crucial. You and MS Dhoni have struck a good rapport. What do you think makes this working relationship click?

I think it’s the respect we have for each other. I have tremendous respect for his playing ability and his captaincy. Equally, he shows respect for what I do within the team. We understand each other’s roles within the team environment and each other’s space but at the same time we can always cross that boundary and offer suggestions.

Do you think the team needs a specialist bowling and fielding coach?

It just helps the process. The game has moved to a stage where specialist coaches have a very important role to play. More importantly, I believe that just one specialist bowling or fielding coach doesn’t serve the purpose of the entire team. Take me for an example, I’m the head coach and probably also the designated batting coach. But I can’t fulfill the needs of all individuals. There will be players who have their own coaches they’d want to turn to. I want players to receive different types of input that would help them improve their game. So, to have consultants coming in and offering value over a period of time is very important.

During the Twenty20 World Cup and Champions Trophy, many of our players were carrying niggles and you raised a point about their participation in the IPL and Champions League. Now that these tournaments are here to stay, what do you think is the best way to ensure international cricket doesn’t suffer?

I think it’s the responsibility of the players to make sure they look after themselves during the IPL and at the back of their minds prepare for the international tournaments. They can use the IPL as a preparation ground for the Twenty20 World Cup. They play 13-14 games in the league, which is a huge opportunity and it must be used in a right way.

As Indian coach, you must have come across many young talented players. Anybody who has impressed you in particular?

I don’t think it’s right to pick any one. There is a lot of talent in Indian cricket and that is particularly heartening. I think in that context, the introduction of the IPL is a great opportunity for youngsters. They are exposed to the big scene with big crowds and pressure situations, which give them a sense of belonging. It prepares them well for international cricket. There is a lot of talent out there and it all depends on how it is nurtured and whether the individuals understand what they need to convert it into performance.

Do you fret over the future of Test cricket?

All the players think it’s great to play Test cricket and that’s the bottom line. It’s a very important component of the game. We have three disciplines now, which can all be played in a calendar year. It’s really important to understand that Test cricket is the soul of the game and we must make sure that we don’t play less and less of it.

Understandably, it’s difficult to fit in everything at the moment because we have a lot on the plate in a year, but I think Test cricket is doing very well at the moment. You just have to look at a couple of series played recently where we got good crowds. The Ashes series last year and our series against Sri Lanka attracted good crowds. So, I believe Test cricket is in a healthy state.

Karachi: Pakistan's shocking defeat in the Sydney Test against Australia has the entire nation seething in anger with former players demanding sacking of captain Mohammad Yousuf, coach Intikhab Alam and even cricket board chief Ejaz Butt.

The aftermath of the 36-run defeat could be sensed from the fact that it also prompted a statement from the Presidential spokesman who appealed for calm and patience from everyone.

The appeal, however, did little to placate the angry former players like Inzamam-ul Haq, Aamer Sohail, Moin Khan and Rashid Latif and administrators, who demanded that heads should roll.

Former Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Nasim Ashraf felt it was embarrassing to lose a match after dominating the first three days and said Yousuf should be stripped of captaincy.

"What happened in the Test was so embarrassing. It made a complete mockery of Pakistan cricket and the entire team management. The captain should be fired for it," Ashraf demanded.

Also training the guns on the coach, Ashraf said, "If Yousuf was not right in his cricketing decisions the team management led by coach, Intikhab Alam could have guided him into changing his strategy."

Ex-captain Moin Khan held a similar view and felt both Yousuf and Alam were to be blamed for the debacle.

"I don't know what happened but I think even if Yousuf was not thinking right and his strategy was wrong after the first half an hour, the support staff including the coach should have sent out a message to him to change his strategy," Moin said.

Former pacer Sarfraz Nawaz also lashed out at the senior members of the side and demanded axing of the entire team management.

"I think the selectors now need to give more opportunities to younger players so that we can move ahead. This management needs to be sacked as they are unable to provide proper support to the players," he said.

Former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir, who headed the selection committee until last year, suggested PCB chairman Ejaz Butt and the selectors should also quit, owning up the moral responsibility.

"Had I been the board's Chairman or chief selector, I would have resigned from my post after such a pathetic performance by the national team," Qadir said.

It was a strange performance by the Pakistani team which bowled out Australia for just 127 runs and took a 206-run first innings lead.

Thanks to Yousuf's defensive tactics, Australia managed 381 in their second essay and chasing 176 for a victory, Pakistan imploded for 139 to slump to a morale-shattering defeat.

Former captain Aamer Sohail was baffled by Yousuf's captaincy Down Under.

"It is beyond comprehensions what he was trying to do by sending around seven to eight fielders to the boundary ropes early on in the day at a time when he should have attacked both batsmen with the second new ball," Sohail wondered.

Even former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, a close friend of Yousuf, who allegedly orchestrated behind-the-scenes movements to oust Younus Khan and elevate Yousuf, found it difficult to support the team.

"I think this Pakistan team lacks confidence. We dominated the match for three days and then let it go all in one day which is unacceptable.

"In this series they always look to be in a hurry to play their shots, which does not work at all in Test matches," Haq said.

He also felt that seniority should no more be a criterion for selection.

"I believe that deserving players should be given the chance and the management and players must all stand up and play their roles in the team," said the former skipper.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar, meanwhile, told the media in Islamabad that losing was part of the game and people should maintain their calm.

"Winning and losing are parts of the game. The loss, no doubt, was disheartening and calls for greater effort on the players’ part in the future to win crucial fixtures," Babar said.

The President is also the chief patron of the board and directly appoints the PCB Chairman.

The PCB initially played down the defeat but their later statement made it clear that the board itself was not taking it lightly.

"Pakistan Cricket Board shows its utmost concern over the poor performance of Pakistan cricket team in second Test played in Sydney. An overall review of performance of the team shall be carried out by the board after the completion of the Australian tour," it said.

While Yousuf drew most of the flak, the demand to replace butter-finger stumper Kamran Akmal also grew in strength.

Former captain Rashid Latif, himself a top class keeper, slammed Akmal for dropping catches and said he didn't deserve to be in the Test team.

"The wicketkeeper is the backbone of any team and his performances are crucial. I think it is time to give other deserving players a chance in the Test team," Latif opined.

It almost seemed the ghost of 2007 World Cup returning to haunt India at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium. But a defiant 152-run alliance between MS Dhoni (101*) and Virat Kohli (91) saved India from another heart-break and saw them home with six wickets and 15 balls to spare.

Dhoni stood like the Rock of Gibraltar between India and defeat. In his characteristic manner – effective if not artistic – he got into the act of nudging the ball and sprinting between the 22 yards. The captain salvaged Team India’s rocking boat with an inspiring century.

He anchored the Indian innings with an undefeated 101 off 107 balls. He yet again exhibited his indefatigable stamina to take India through the 297-run target from a precarious 51 for three. For his match-winning knock, which comprised nine searing hits to the fence, Dhoni was declared the man of the match.

Virat, on the other hand, impressively rose to the occasion and showed terrific temperament during his 102-ball innings. He moulded his innings with a potter’s care, keeping his natural aggression in check, yet scoring at a decent pace. The toil between the wickets had him cramping and he sought the assistance of a runner. Perhaps, his sapping energy got the better of him and he gave a simple return catch to Shakib Al Hasan. Virat fell for 91, nine short of what could have been his second ODI hundred.

After setting a target of 297, left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak started the proceedings for Bangladesh with pacer Syed Rasel. Though not with his delivery, he still provided the breakthrough with a brilliant direct-hit to send Virender Sehwag (13) packing.

Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli moved on after the big-blow, punishing Razzak’s three wide full-tosses to the boundary. But India’s hopes of recovery were soon dashed by Rubel Hossain. Gambhir offered a loose shot to a full-length delivery pitched outside off and stood stunned as the ball rattled his stumps after taking an inside edge.

Yuvraj Singh (1) walked in with the pressure of holding the Indian innings together but four deliveries later he took the long walk back to the pavilion. He was done in by a delivery from Rasel that came into him and took the bails off.

Skipper MS Dhoni had his job cut out and young Kohli once again found himself in a pressure cooker situation. Building a huge partnership was the need of the hour for India and the Kohli-Dhoni duo went about the task with caution and care.

Runs came in a trickle as the resurgent Bangladeshi bowlers turned the screws on the batsmen. Pressure as well as the required run-rate mounted on with every dot-ball played. But Dhoni and Virat lost neither hope nor patience. They worked their way to revive India’s innings, putting up a stand of 152 runs.

When Virat fell, Indian still needed 94 runs off 15 overs and the match hung very much in balance. Suresh Raina rose to the occasion and scored an impressive unbeaten 51 off just 43 deliveries to help India seal the match. His knock was punctuated with five boundaries and a six. He was involved in a wonderful 94-run partnership with Dhoni to take India home comfortably.

Earlier, Bangladesh batsmen vindicated captain Shakib Al Hasan’s decision to bat first in great style by notching up a massive 296 for six. The foundation was laid by Tamim Iqbal, who stunned the Indians with his whirlwind 42-ball knock of 60 runs.

Imrul Kayes played a perfect supporting role; the duo notched up 80 runs in 66 balls, bringing up Bangladesh’s highest opening stand against India. Kayes contributed with a solid knock of 70, notching yet another 50-plus run stand, with Mohammad Ashraful (29).

After the Indians pulled back things in the middle overs, Mohammad Mahmudullah came up with another breezy 60-run knock to take Bangladesh close to the 300-run mark. He made optimum use of the batting powerplay to clobber the Indian bowlers for eight boundaries during his 45-ball innings.

Yuvraj’s miserly spell of one for 33 in 10 overs was in stark contrast to the generosity of most of his colleagues, who not only gave runs but also bowled 3.3 extra overs by way of wides and no-balls.

MUMBAI: It was supposed to be a routine pre-tour press conference. But a candid Mahendra Singh Dhoni made sure it wasn't. The Indian captain Day in Pics: January 1

revealed that the team was missing bowling and fielding coaches, resulting in an increased workload on head coach Gary Kirsten. On the eve of the team's departure for the tri-series in Bangladesh, Dhoni added that Kirsten had his hands full.

"To some extent, it does affect the team. You need a specialist coach to get the best out of the players. Gary looks after so many things. He has a lot on his plate," Dhoni said, adding, "That's the way it is. It's an administrative issue now."

The cricket board, in a sudden and surprising move, sacked bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad and fielding coach Robin Singh in October and the two positions are lying vacant since.

While BCCI roped in Australian Mike Young for a short stint as fielding coach, he is not available now. "Mike is not available for the Bangladesh tour. Fielding is one aspect of the game that is important in every format of the game," Dhoni said.

The need for the fielding coach has become more and more pronounced in view of the team's falling standards and appalling catching. Dhoni recalled, "We dropped quite a few catches in the last series and we will try to rectify that. Good fielding really helps, especially in the middle overs, with four good fielders inside the circle who can save singles," he said.

On his recent ban for two ODIs over slow over-rates, Dhoni said that his bowlers did struggle with the problem but improved as the Lanka series progressed. About death bowling, another problem area, Dhoni felt that the team was improving there too.

Meanwhile, there were enough hints at the press meet to suggest the Team India had also begun taking the first steps of preparations for 2011 World Cup. A core group of Dhoni, Kirsten and Sachin Tendulkar have started pondering little things which need attention. "There are small things were concentrating on. We have a pool of cricketers to pick from; we are focusing on having an injury-free team as much as possible, fielding and catching is an area where a lot of effort is being put in. The World Cup is going to be in India and naturally there is going to be a lot of expectation," Dhoni said.

Despite India's impressive run in 2009, there have been areas of concern which Dhoni and Kirsten want ironed out. Fielding, for instance, is a big worry. So is the lack of form of India's attack lately that has brought trouble for Dhoni. Beginning with the tri-series in Bangladesh, the skipper has set his sights on thorough improvement.

"On a given day, players take 50 to 100 catches as part of our training sessions but still sometimes things go wrong. To lessen the margin of error as much as possible is our aim," said Dhoni on the issue of overall improvement.

In fact, the tri-series in Bangladesh marks the beginning of another hectic year for Indian cricket and the skipper felt the more the team played the better.

"Our aim is to try and win every match, every series. Rotating players, trying new things, giving the youngsters opportunities can be a part of the preparation but the aim is to first win and then if there is an opportunity available, try new things," he said.

Its was a year where India came across with many ups and downs, But the year ended
Up with a homw series win with the Srilankan's who had a very long tour in India.
India had great year as far as test cricket is concern won the test series in
Newzeland after 33 years and became the No:1 test team for the first time by winning
The home series with the lankans.

Next
The IPL gold-rush drew players in droves and Sachin Tendulkar completed two illustrious decades, but 2009 will be fondly remembered as the year of India's ascent to the pinnacle of Test cricket, a format that ironically languishes at the bottom of their priorities.

The 2007 World Twenty20 champions could not defend their title in England, came a cropper in the Champions Trophy - the second most elite One-Day tournament after the World Cup - and also allowed the opportunity to become the No 1 ODI team slip through their fingers with a home series defeat against an under-strength Australia.

It was rather an irony that Test cricket provided them their finest moments despite the Cricket Board's negligence of the format.

So engrossed in IPL proliferation, the BCCI has scheduled just two Tests in the next 11 months for the team, which is just not enough to protect the No 1 Test team's status.

Subsequently some sanity prevailed and it has apparently convinced South Africa to play two unscheduled Tests when the Proteas visit the country in February-March.

Gambhir revealed being dismissed cheaply in the previous matches spurred him on to a good knock in the fourth onedayer against SL.

Gambhir scored an unbeaten 150 as India surpassed Sri Lanka's total of 315 for six with just under two overs to spare.

The left-hander added 224 for the third wicket with Virat Kohli (107), who made his maiden ODI century.

Gambhir was run out cheaply in the second ODI and made 32 in the last match, but was pleased with his effort at Eden Gardens.

"I was pretty unfortunate in the last couple of innings but once I crossed the half-century mark here, I kept telling myself to keep going," he said.

"It was important to win this series and I am happy I played a good knock. It was important to build a partnership because we always knew the dew would be a factor on this ground.

"When we played South Africa the last time we were here, Graeme Smith got a hundred and the bowlers had great difficulty handling a wet ball.

"We knew that if we got a good partnership it would be easy for us once the dew kicked in."

Gambhir was named man of the match but declined the award and nominated Kohli instead.

"When you have someone at the other end who can attack the bowling, especially when you lose early wickets, it takes the pressure of you," Gambhir said of his Dehli team-mate.

"With Kohli attacking I was able to take my time to settle down. We told ourselves we needed to stay together until at least the 35th over and then try to force things in the third powerplay.

"But the way we batted, we didn't need the powerplay at that stage because we were ahead of the target we had set for ourselves.

"We had planned to score 70 in the last 10 overs, but we were well ahead."

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said his bowlers had let the team down.

"We started off really well, Tharanga batting through the innings and the others batting around him," he said. "Once you get 315 on the board you expect your bowlers to really do the job for you.

"But with our bowling we were either too short or too full on either side of the wicket.

"The dew perhaps made it difficult for Sanath (Jayasuriya) and Suraj (Randiv) and (Tillakaratne) Dilshan when he came on, but I thought the fast bowlers should have been more disciplined."

Sri Lanka have been severely hit by injuries but Sangakkara was pleased with the effort from the replacements.

"We had so many debutants on this tour and all of them have really stepped up," Sangakkara said.

"Some of our best bowling has been from the debutants and that really augurs well. I have toured India since 2003 and I think we have been the most competitive in the one-dayers on this tour."

When a team is forced to change the captain mid-way through a series but copes with the change smoothly, the signs are clear that all is well with the team. It means that all the seniors have been on par beforehand when it comes to strategizing and things like that and it is simply about one of them taking over.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, thanks to the form with the bat was certain to be missed but that his absence as captain was smoothed over to a nicety, is a credit to the functioning of the side. It also shows that this is a successful team as with a losing team, such personnel losses means hitting further depths.

To the outside world a captain may seem to be on a pedestal but that is not normally the case within a good side, where everyone is treated equally. Also when you have senior players like Sachin, Yuvraj, Harbhajan and Zaheer doing well enough, the captaincy tends to take care of itself, as Sehwag would have undoubtedly found out at Cuttack.

It helped too that young Jadeja joined the party. Yusuf Pathan, the man Jadeja replaced, is more of a batsman while Jadeja is more of a bowler but the latter’s technique with the bat is decent enough. He only lacks the brute power of Yusuf but the left-arm spinner is street-smart and has the ability to quickly adapt to situations. I am not sure whether it was the seniors who advised him to bowl slow and thus procure turn on the Cuttack strip or if he thought of it on his own, but either way the performance will stand him in good stead in the days to come.

As far as the Lankans are concerned, they will be aware that whatever the start, no team that loses nine wickets for 75 runs is going to be able to make a match of it. Here, the loss of Angelo Mathews perhaps told the most. He is just 22 but the all-rounder has displayed immense maturity with bat and ball and has certainly left a void. Mahela Jayawardene’s loss of form has only made it worse.

A team has also got to help itself and when you leave someone like a Sanath Jayasuriya on the sidelines, you are bound to suffer. It is only in the sub-continent that senior players are treated so. Why pick someone like Sanath and have him sit and watch the game. In any case, my guess is that after the Cuttack show, Sanath will figure in both the remaining games.

Whether I get to see Sanath at the Eden Gardens or not, I sure was sad to see the pictures of a less than majestic Eden. It was hard to digest that half the ground was down but stadiums in India do need upgrading and I am confident it will be back to its old imposing self soon enough. But whatever the state before the renovations began, my heart will always beat for Eden.

A day after TIMES NOW reported of a possibly security breach by Sri Lankan players in Kolkata before the 4th ODI against India, Tilakratne Dilshan was caught misbehaving and manhandling a photographer in the city. This shameful behaviour by the star Sri Lankan batsman took place outside a night club joint on Wednesday (December 23).

Pictures taken by a local newspaper in Kolkata suggest that both Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya are present in the night club, on the even of their crucial encounter against India at the Eden Gardens. After these pictures were clicked by the photographer, Dilshan reportedly chased him and caught him by the collar demanding the journalist to delete the picture.

On Wednesday (December 23) Sri Lankan cricketers Sanath Jayasuriya and Tilakaratne Dilshan reportedly breached security, after stepping out of the team hotel giving security officials a miss. However, rubbishing these rumours the team manager Brendon Kuruppu had said that both the players left only after informing the security control room.

Speaking to TIMES NOW Kuruppu had said, "Both of them informed me and the security control room before going out of the team hotel. They also informed the security manager of the hotel. They were accompanied by police officials wherever they went. All the players keep me updated about their moves. There was no such breach of security."

At the Eden Gardens on Thursday (December 24), the Sri Lankan players will be driven straight to dressing room during practice as part of heightened security following reports of Taliban-trained terrorists sneaking into the city.

A senior city police officer said that in a departure from the past, the players would not alight from the team buses at the main gate and then walk into the dressing room.

"The bus will head straight to the dressing room area. We have asked the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) to pull down portions of the outer wall to make space for the two buses to get in," he said.

KOLKATA: Nearing the end of a month-and-a-half of battles across the country, India and Sri Lanka come to the Eden Gardens counting their missing men.

Fans in this cricket-crazy city, starved of full-blown international encounters for the last couple of years, will be hoping there's enough left in the two teams to present another absorbing contest in Thursday's fourth ODI.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, both irrepressible entertainers, may be among the latest casualties but their absence has done nothing to dim the clamour for entry passes here. Stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag added fuel to fire by suggesting "there are plenty of runs in the wicket", a strong enough pointer that there will be no let-up in Team India's aggressive approach as far as batting is concerned.

But, then, in a series devastatingly dominated by batsmen, bowlers are in a position to make a big impact by just hindering that free flow of runs. The Eden provides a wonderful window of opportunity to them.

The track, rolled into a fine flat surface, is still unlikely to break out of its character a slower and lower wicket which will frown upon the recent gay abandon in strokemaking. But, go tell that to Sehwag or Dilshan!

The two have lifted the contests to a slug-fest like never before, and will be crucial to the contest. It is here that India have held the edge, their middle-order able to soak the setback better than the Sri Lankans. Now, with the Dhoni-Yuvi hole in the Indian line-up, the onus will be on youngsters like Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina to provide the surefootedness, even if they cannot quite make up for all the firepower the missing duo would have brought.

The form of Sachin Tendulkar, who scored an unbeaten 96 as India took a 2-1 lead in Cuttack, will be a huge source of confidence for the camp. Will he be brought back to the middle-order under the changed circumstances?

With the slow bowlers likely to play a bigger role, just as they did in Cuttack on Monday, batsmen may not be called upon to relentlessly swish the blade as they had been doing before the bandwagon came east.

The dew factor is a much discussed subject in these parts in winter, and just how much it butts into Thursday's game will have to be seen. After the pre-match media briefings by the two teams, one thing seems almost certain India are going to chase. Drawn to the dew, Sri Lankan coach Trevor Bayliss indicated "it would still be better to put runs on the board" while Sehwag was more categorical with his "well bowl first if we win the toss".

Fans here will be hoping India get back to their winning ways at the Eden to clinch the five-match series here. While their last match here, against the Sri Lankans in February 2007, was washed out, India lost their previous three encounters by big margins and their last win here was some seven years ago.

Both camps stopped short of naming their playing XIs, but Sri Lanka will be tempted to bring in Sanath Jayasuriya for left-handed Thilina Kandamby. Though the visitors may stick to their new opening combination of Dilshan and Upul Tharanga and push the veteran to a middle-order slot, Jayasuriyas slow left-arm stuff could be pretty effective on the Eden track. India's Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja and even Sehwag himself will see their chance as well.

One Mutthiah Muralitharan would have loved to flaunt his skills here. But, its not about the missing men anymore. Its about those that are left in the park.

MS Dhoni has said one of the reasons for the 29-run run defeat to Sri Lanka in Nagpur was because India tended to take Twenty20 internationals as a "warm-up for the one-dayers to follow". India have now lost seven of their last ten Twenty20s and two of their three wins were against Bangladesh and Ireland.

"I don't think we were in the groove for a Twenty20 game and too often we treat it as a warm-up for the one-dayers to follow," Dhoni said. "It's probably the reason for our defeats in these games."

Another, and more significant, reason for Wednesday's defeat was India's terrible fielding. They dropped five chances - two off the Sri Lankan openers before they made a start - and frequently fumbled balls in the outfield. Yuvraj dropped Sanath Jayasuriya on 4, Ishant grassed Tillakaratne Dilshan on 13 and Kumar Sangakkara as well, Rohit Sharma let off Chamara Kapugedera on 14, and Pragyan Ojha failed to reach a tough chance given by Angelo Mathews in the final over after which the batsman hit two sixes.

"The catching is a bit of concern," Dhoni said. "We are not a brilliant fielding side, but we don't drop too many catches. That also hurt us also to some extent."

Had India taken their chances, Sri Lanka would have struggled to reach 215. In the over after he was dropped, Jayasuriya hit Ashish Nehra for five consecutive boundaries and provided the acceleration after a slow start. The opening stand of 43 set the platform for Kumar Sangakkara to score 78 off just 37 deliveries. Kapugedera provided propulsion by scoring 47 off 20 while Mathews made 15 off four balls.

"What really set us up was the two openers batting for six overs, even if they didn't get a flying start," Sangakkara said. "They really applied themselves and got those 40-odd runs and we could launch our innings from there. I've been in good form, but I've been getting out cheaply because I've never really applied myself. I thought it was about time I really did something to inspire the side."

Sangakkara also described Jayasuriya's four-over spell during India's chase as "magic". Jayasuriya came on after India had raced to 88 in seven overs and brought down the scoring-rate dramatically. He conceded only 19 off his four overs and also took the wickets of MS Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan. Sri Lanka's bowlers were also supported by far superior fielding effort and Sangakkara acknowledged as much.

"I thought the fielding was outstanding, we were excellent in the first 16 overs and I thought we could have been a little more ruthless in the final four overs and finished the game off," he said. "Overall, everyone played really hard and they showed a lot of hunger to win."

The second Twenty20 game is in Mohali on December 12.

Kumar Sangakkara starred with his highest Twenty20 score, a serenely-destructive 37-ball 78, as Sri Lanka thumped India by 29 runs in Nagpur. Chamara Kapugedera pitched in with a cameo to charge Sri Lanka to 215, a total that proved too much for India, who fell away after a promising start provided by Gautam Gambhir.


Gambhir tried valiantly with a counter-attacking fifty but it was Sangakkara who stole the show. He played only one dot ball till reached his fifty - from 21 deliveries, the quickest for Sri Lanka - but it wasn't a conventional Twenty20 knock in which the batsman goes hell for leather. There weren't many ugly swipes or heaves and anything unconventional was designed with the field in mind.


Sangakkara's innings sparked off in the ninth over against Pragyan Ojha's left-arm spin. He chipped the first delivery he faced from Ojha over mid-on, swept the next to the boundary and lifted the third for a six over long-on. There were more classy strikes, the highlight being a chipped shot over mid-on to a length delivery from the debutant Ashok Dinda. Sangakkara's predetermined shots also came off perfectly: when he shuffled to the off side, the ball was invariably so full that it was easily lapped around the corner; when he moved outside leg, he flat-batted short-of-length deliveries over mid-on or mid-off.


It wasn't a solo show from him, though. Sangakkara found support from his partners at various points in the innings - Tillakaratne Dilshan at the start, unfurling a couple of on-the-up hits, Chamara Kapugedera in the middle and Angelo Mathews at the very end. Kapugedera was fluent against everyone but he reserved his best for Ashish Nehra, looting 18 runs from the 19th over with four boundaries to all parts of the ground - a punch over cover, a pull, a slice and a cut over point - which reflected the bowler's poor lines.


The run-glut came after India started with four tight overs, only for their bowling and fielding to disintegrate under pressure. Nehra and Ishant Sharma got the ball to skid from short of a length and cramped the openers for room but the fielding gave way first after which the bowling buckled under the assault. Yuvraj Singh dropped a sitter at point off Jayasuriya when he was on 2.


After the let-off, Jayasuriya went berserk in the fifth over, bowled by Nehra, taking him for 22 runs with five boundaries, including two lap-shots past the short fine-leg fielder. Dilshan was dropped too, with Ishant missing a straightforward return chance, and he too took full toll. Though the openers didn't go on to make big scores, they had broken the shackles and set the platform for Sangakkara to play a gem.

Despite Virender Sehwag's fall in the third over, Gambhir helped India take 76 from the Powerplay but their hopes started to sink with his departure. Gambhir's was a cheeky yet intelligent innings and he peppered the off-side field with his well-timed drives - the highlight being a sequence of seven fours from nine deliveries spread over two overs from Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara. Despite a crowded field - a short point, backward point, cover point and cover were in place - he stole five of those seven boundaries through the off side. However, he fell while trying to paddle sweep Angelo Mathews and India lost four more wickets, including those of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, in three overs as the chase derailed spectacularly. The bowling was disciplined, without ever being threatening, but India were done in by the pressure of the steep run-rate.

As Team India hit the pinnacle of Test cricket, former Indian players want MS Dhoni and co. to maintain the consistency required to stay on top.

"Getting to number one is hard work. But they would have to work harder to stay there because others would try to knock them off the pedestal. They would have to be a lot more consistent but it's not beyond them. They have got the skills and talent and it's application which is not always 100 percent," said Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar.

The little master also reminded of the valuable contributions of former captains like Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble in building the team that India boasts of today.

"Players like Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble made a lot of contribution. They are the guys who moulded the team. Their teammates imbibed fighting qualities from them.”

The legendary opening batsman believed Sachin Tendulkar would treasure the achievement more than anyone else.

"I think Sachin was probably dying for this day. He started in 1989 and has completed 20 years in international cricket. He missed out on a World Cup when India lost the final in 2003.
"Now this is a big moment for him. I would think this is as big as all his personal records," Gavaskar said.

Krishnamachari Srikkanth, former India captain and current chief of national selectors too credited Ganguly and Kumble for the team’s success.
"Anil Kumble led the side ably and did a great job after Rahul Dravid had relinquished captaincy. As a bowler, I don't need to comment on his performance.

"At the same time, you have to remember Sourav Ganguly. Ganguly was an attacking captain right from the start and even in his last series against Australia, his contribution with the bat was crucial for the team," Srikkanth said.

Another former skipper Bishan Singh Bedi sent across his wishes to the world Test leaders and said Dhoni is lucky as a captain to have great match-winners in his team. He was also confident that the present Indian team is capable of beating teams like Australia and South Africa in their own backyard.

"Congratulations to all members of Team India for their superb performance. They have made it possible, though it has taken a long time. Right now, it's a proud moment to cherish and not look at the shortcomings.

"I would like to credit people like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag. They are the people who have really combined the unit. Dhoni to my mind is a very lucky man to have all these greats under his command," Bedi conceded.

Former India spinner EAS Prasanna said the team needs to build on the recent success.

"It is a wonderful victory. It is gratifying to witness a great effort by the team, especially since it is coming for the first time in the history. There is going to be an added pressure on the team now. They will have to work really hard to sustain that position with the knowledge that other countries are also developing faster," Prasanna warned.

For the first time since the ICC ratings were introduced, India occupy the No. 1 spot in Test cricket.

But just how good are MS Dhoni’s boys, and how do they compare to the other great Indian teams of the past? While only the top eight nations play Tests and rankings do not matter in a way, say, it would in an individual sport, it is time to appreciate the achievement and dwell on its significance.

For a team that is traditionally known to struggle outside the subcontinent, perceived to be susceptible against quality pace bowling and lacks match-winning fast bowlers, this landmark is worth celebrating for a while.

In the last few years, this outfit has raised the bar, winning overseas against oppositions once considered intimidating. So can they lay claim to being called the greatest Indian Test team ever? Ajit Wadekar, the man who led India to historic Test series wins in the West Indies and England in 1971, certainly thinks so.

‘‘This side is better than ours. Being No. 1 was a big dream for us and this team has fulfilled it. This team is more well balanced than my 1971 side. When it came to batting, our team depended on Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Sardesai and me. But this side has a beautiful batting lineup which starts with Virender Sehwag and has MS Dhoni at No. 7. It has good pace bowlers, whereas we didn’t have any. We had class spinners, of course, but this team has good tweakers too. It’s led by a very astute captain in Dhoni,’’ says Wadekar.

Interestingly, one of Wadekar’s main spin weapons in that team, S Venkatraghavan, completely disagrees with his captain. ‘‘To compare this side with Indian teams in other eras is ridiculous. You have to take into account the opposition those teams faced and the wickets on which they played. The ICC rankings were introduced only a few years ago. We had become the unofficial world champions back in 1971 itself! That year, we beat the Windies in their own den, and then vanquished England in England too. England, mind you, had beaten Pakistan and Australia that year."

Venkatraghavan’s fellow spinner on those tours, Bishan Singh Bedi, agrees with Wadekar but only to a certain extent. ‘‘This team has a stronger batting lineup. The likes of Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman will be known as greats in any era,’’ Bedi says. He then points out the areas where the class of ’71 scores over Dhoni & co. ‘‘This team, though, has just one quality bowler in Zaheer Khan. The ’71 team’s close-in catching was many times better than this one’s, with the likes of Eknath Solkar, Abid Ali and S Venkatraghavan hovering around the bat at silly point and forward short leg, that too without any protection. The bowling of course, had classy spinners,’’ Bedi recalls.

Syed Kirmani, who kept wickets in the team that won the World Cup in 1983, chose to bat for his side. ‘‘Dhoni’s team can be called the best of this era, but it cannot certainly be called the best ever. In our time, we were one of the best. You also have to take into account the opposition in each era. In our times, the West Indies ruled international cricket. In ODIs, we won a World Cup in 1983 and no Indian team has repeated that. The biggest difference is, there was no media hype then,’’ he says.

Bedi makes a pertinent point. ‘‘Let us enjoy being the No. 1 side for now. The query anyways is difficult to answer. To put together the best ever Indian team, one has to cut across all eras.’’

India's ascent to the No.1 position in the ICC Test ratings is largely due to their improved performances overseas. There used to be a time, not very long ago, when India hardly won anything when they went abroad - in the 1990s, India played 39 Tests overseas, and their win-loss record was a miserable 1-15, with their only win coming in Sri Lanka. In the 2000s, though, they've won as many games as they've lost, with series wins in England, New Zealand, Pakistan and West Indies, and Test wins in Australia and South Africa.

India's decade-wise win-loss record overseas
Period Tests Won Lost W-L ratio
1960s 16 3 13 0.23
1970s 30 6 12 0.50
1980s 39 3 12 0.25
1990s 39 1 15 0.06
2000s 56 19 19 1.00


During this period, their home record has remained pretty solid, with 21 wins and eight losses. In the 1990s their win-loss ratio was slightly better, but their hopeless stats overseas meant they were hardly ever taken seriously as a contender for one of the top spots. In the 2000s, though, their record is more well-rounded, and their stronger displays overseas have helped them gain respect among the pundits and rating points in the ICC rankings.

India's decade-wise win-loss record at home
Period Tests Won Loss W-L ratio
1960s 36 6 8 0.75
1970s 34 11 7 1.57
1980s 42 8 9 0.88
1990s 30 17 5 3.40
2000s 47 21 8 2.62


The table below indicates India's batting and bowling have both contributed to their improved displays overseas. In the earlier decades the batting lacked the consistency and depth to cope with the extra bounce and seam movement in conditions generally prevalent in England, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. The lack of depth in fast bowling meant opposition batsmen scored off the Indian bowlers pretty comfortably.

In the 2000s, the batting has moved up a notch, while the bowlers have stepped up as well. In the 1990s, the difference between the batting average (30.78) and the bowling average (40.78) was exactly ten runs; in this decade, the difference has come down to 1.50, with both the batsmen and the bowlers contributing almost equally.

India's decade-wise stats in overseas Tests
Period Bat ave 100s/ 50s Bowl ave Strike rate Diff in ave
1970s 29.76 24/ 71 39.38 88.0 -9.62
1980s 30.12 30/ 91 39.79 84.9 -9.67
1990s 30.78 43/ 66 40.78 88.5 -10.00
2000s 34.43 56/ 134 35.93 65.2 -1.50


The four batsmen who've led the batting display overseas have been Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag. Dravid averages 57.08, with 37 fifty-plus scores in 56 Tests. Tendulkar's average is slightly lower, though he has scored as many hundreds as Dravid. Laxman and Sehwag both average in the late 40s, with runs scored all over the world.

Among the bowlers, the difference has primarily been in the pace attack. Many of them have done better overseas than at home, which has made the attack more potent abroad. Zaheer Khan averages almost 38 at home, but his away average drops to 32.08. Sreesanth's average of 35.47 in India drops to less than 29 overseas. Irfan Pathan averages less than two wickets per Test at home, but takes almost five per Test abroad (though some of those away games have been played in Bangladesh and Zimbabwe).

Indian fast bowlers home and away since 2000 (Qual: 25 wickets)
Bowler Home Tests Wickets Average Away Tests Wickets Average Home - away ave
Zaheer Khan 27 71 37.91 41 149 32.08 5.83
Irfan Pathan 14 27 50.33 15 73 25.57 24.76
Javagal Srinath 12 31 30.90 12 43 31.30 -0.40
Ashish Nehra 1 1 66.00 15 42 40.61 25.39
RP Singh 2 0 11 40 33.22 -
Sreesanth 7 21 35.47 9 37 28.86 6.61
Ajit Agarkar 8 10 63.00 15 35 50.25 12.75
Ishant Sharma 9 33 27.41 10 21 45.42 -18.01
Munaf Patel 4 13 33.23 8 21 38.00 -4.77


During the 2000s, India's win-loss ratio in overseas Tests is third-best, with only Australia and South Africa doing better. Pakistan and England, teams which have traditionally done pretty well abroad, have both slipped below India.

The numbers are slightly different in the last three years, which also indicates Australia's fall from their lofty heights. During this period South Africa have by far the best win-loss ratio, while India and Australia have both won as many Tests as they've lost.

Win-loss ratios in overseas Tests in 2000s
Team Tests Won Lost W-L ratio
Australia 53 31 13 2.38
South Africa 54 21 18 1.16
India 56 19 19 1.00
Pakistan 44 14 19 0.73
England 57 16 22 0.72
Sri Lanka 43 13 20 0.65
New Zealand 38 8 18 0.44
West Indies 54 6 37 0.16