IPL auction: Lies, damned lies and other such balderdash

Wealthy people amuse me. Usually hired hands do the spin doctoring for them. But left to their own the very rich and the famous are quite capable of being struck down with a serious case foot in the mouth. Plenty of that was in evidence at what was otherwise an entertaining IPL auction on Tuesday. In one voice they pleaded ignorance to the well-orchestrated and pre-planned move to keep the Pakistanis out. "This talk that we decided together not to bid for Pakistani players is plain rubbish", claimed Mr....

Posted by Gaurav Kalra at 16 : 54 | 0 comments

Sport as a no contest? Cricket's new dilemma

"Mr Gavaskar", I asked out of genuine curiosity on Sunny Side Up; "If you had your time again, would you prefer to be a batsman in this era or in the 80s". "In the 80s", the great man said, "It was definitely more challenging." Sometimes a few words tell a weighty tale. Sport at its purest pits man against man. Talent against talent. Skill against skill. On his day, the better man wins. Till they return as combatants, to enthrall again. It does not shackle one man as he....

Posted by Gaurav Kalra at 09 : 44 | 0 comments

Did Raina pull a Mongia on Sachin?

Deja vu - (Def.) The experience of feeling sure that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previously January,1999: India are chasing 271 in the fourth innings against Pakistan at Chennai. Sachin Tendulkar and Nayan Mongia have rescued the innings from 82 for 5. But with just 53 left to get Mongia plays a shocking shot, attempting to deposit the great Wasim Akram in the stands. He perishes. And 26 runs later, Tendulkar does too. India lose by 17 runs. November, 2009: India are chasing 351 at....

Posted by Gaurav Kalra at 16 : 07 | 38 comments

One-Day cricket: Knocking on heaven's door?

It is only when his patient is on death-bed that a doctor formulates a strategy for revival. Perhaps an injection to kickstart the heart? Maybe risk opening the lungs or arteries up? Or taking the surgical knife to unusual depths? Desperation sometimes succeeds and gets branded as a miracle. But more often than not it fails. And the consequence is death. That I suspect is the battle for one-day cricket now. Doctor Tendulkar is the latest to float an idea for one-day cricket to be rescued from the ICU:....

Posted by Gaurav Kalra at 13 : 26 | 14 comments