The stump-eye view | Shounak Deshpande
While India are busy getting their behinds handed to them on a platter in a thoroughly whooped state, there are a few interesting things unfolding in some other parts of the cricketing world. A resurgent Zimbabwe making a triumphant comeback to donning the whites, and an in-transit Australia embarking on their maiden voyage under a new leader, taking on a Sri Lankan team still trying to come to terms with Test cricket in the isle post Murali.
Zimbabwe's story comes as a heartening news for Test cricket. Zimbabwe, playing their first Test match since the long hiatus due to political reasons showed what hunger and determination can do for a team that is known as a minnow at best. The turnaround has been nothing short of astounding for the long beleaguered team. Although the Test and ODI series was by no means one sided, it would have been much too close than what Bangladesh would have expected at the outset. A comprehensive victory in the only Test match, and three straight ODI wins to clinch the 5-match series should be just the fillip Zimbabwe cricket required. The two big wins in the last two ODIs would have given some consolation to a thoroughly stunned Bangladesh side, but the way Zimbabwe's first innings in their current Test against Pakistan is going bodes well for the game in the African continent. If only Kenya would have been given the support and exposure that was due, the African scene would have been quite a lot more competitive. Continue reading below
Pakistan themselves are out on a campaign to revive their Test superpower status. The one-off Test in Zimbabwe is seeing a new look bowling attack, and a fresh middle order as well. This of course is their preparation for their 'home' series against Sri Lanka: a spectacle that will see cricket return to one of its most charismatic foster homes, Sharjah. Pakistan are at an important juncture. Their recovery from the latest bans has been steady. The team is starting to stabilize under Misbah Ul-Haq. The bowling didn't inspire much confidence in the first innings at Bulawayo, but the clash of the Asian giants in the Arab deserts is shaping up as a lip-smacking prospect. We'll keep an out for that one surely!
Which brings us to Pakistan's opponents for that series: Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka are locked in a keen tussle against a rebuilding Australia. Their performance has been somewhat similar to the Indians: [may be due to the blue factor] starting well in the limited overs formats, and crumbling in the longer version. They have missed Murali, and dug themselves a hole by leaving Mendis out on a turning snake-pit. The resilience of Mahela Jayawardena and Angelo Matthews is probably the only positive to take from Galle.
Australia's rebuilding phase has started well. The discovery of Nathan Lyon seems interesting. It remains to be seen whether he is the real deal or he is going to be another name to the long list of spinners tried and cast aside by Australian selectors who still seem to be looking for a Warne clone. That is just one of their many problems as the Argus report seems to be indicating. The next few weeks would hopefully unfold to show more drama on-field rather than off-field for Australia. They are still a force to be reckoned with, simply because they have genine match-winners like Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson. Their forced change at the top of the batting order might seem like a knee-jerk thing, and this might be the first instance in a while of an ex-captain playing on after stepping down from the captaincy... makes for intriguing team dynamics.
And then there's the relentlessly playing, breaking down, rising back up Indian team, who after the ODIs in England, disband for CL T20, come back to host England for ODIs, and embark on another sojourn to the Barrier Reef. The politics of the proposed sports bill and reforms, added to the selection committee overhaul is seems like India's fate is totally opposite Australia's, as far as the relative location of drama vis-a-vis the cricketing field goes.
Tighten your seat-belt folks, we are in for another action-packed winter!
