Cricket Blogs from Cricketnext.com

Age is a question of mind over matter, but it's a matter of concern when quite a few minds ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:19:07 +0530

Age is a question of mind over matter, but it's a matter of concern when quite a few minds question the presence of age in a set-up largely defined by youth. The IPL has a place for everyone. The greats believe it is a tournament largely defined by their presence, while youngsters believe this is their best chance to prove their worth to the world. So it's one happy joint family at the start of the season, only to become a daily Ekta Kapoor soap by the end of the....

Watching Rahul Dravid play the forward defensive stroke in an IPL match was as incongruous as ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:49:43 +0530

Watching Rahul Dravid play the forward defensive stroke in an IPL match was as incongruous as it was thrilling. It was like sighting a sparrow in our cities. Surprise gives way to nostalgia. Dravid is yet to make a century in Twenty20, but he has shown that there is room for style and orthodoxy even in this format. A couple of years ago, Sachin Tendulkar made the first double-century in one-day internationals. What was remarkable about that innings was that it was built on the straight lines of orthodoxy, with....

At the time of writing, Manchester City had run Manchester United pretty close on the final day ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:12:50 +0530

At the time of writing, Manchester City had run Manchester United pretty close on the final day of the 2012 season of English Premier League. So close that this will be remembered as a landmark year in their football annals, the last five minutes accounting for two goals that decided which side of Manchester the trophy will go to. In terms of sheer pace, cricket is quite a bit slower than football. Twenty20 as a format might be played in the same time-frame of 90 minutes. But the uncertainty....

I enjoy being on Twitter. It is a medium of engagement and debate. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:10:17 +0530

I enjoy being on Twitter. It is a medium of engagement and debate. Celebrities and news-makers of all sorts seem to enjoy the forum too, as they can by-pass pesky journalists and communicate directly with their "followers". Without fear of being misquoted! On Sunday, I found myself locked in an unexpected Twitter battle with Lalit Modi (a genuine celebrity of Twitter!). And on revisiting the exchange, I am glad that despite his barbs, I argued only the facts and ignored the diversions. It began with a question from my....

Kings XI Punjab skipper Adam Gilchrist thinks the IPL is gradually becoming a league of 'haves' ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:54:50 +0530

Kings XI Punjab skipper Adam Gilchrist thinks the IPL is gradually becoming a league of 'haves' and 'have-nots' - is his concern realistic, or is he just being overly critical? His appeal to find a level playing field for all teams, monetarily, could be brushed aside by the cynics as a case of sour grapes - Kings XI could not find the money to buy players at the auctions due to their impending court case. Or, one could also argue, that IPL, or any league for that matter, isn't supposed....

Nothing compares to the flair that Pakistan players bring to a cricket field. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Sun, 06 May 2012 11:49:57 +0530

Nothing compares to the flair that Pakistan players bring to a cricket field. It's not much different to the swagger of a Vivian Richards, the touch play of a Mark Waugh, the style of a Tiger Pataudi or even the daredevilry of a Douglas Jardine. The aura surrounding such cricketers is incomparable, and for some enigmatic reason, every Pakistan team over the years has had players who come under that bracket. And one can't stop thinking that the Indian Premier League is in urgent need of including Pakistan players, who....

This is the story of Alexis Berbou at the municipal Hippodrome in Nouma, the capital of New ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:01:24 +0530

This is the story of Alexis Berbou at the municipal Hippodrome in Nouma, the capital of New Caledonia. Berbou is an automobile rallying enthusiast who is immensely popular among the 2,50,000 people of this little island in the southwest Pacific Ocean. He was driving in the special stage of the Rallye de Nouvelle Caledonie in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship series last weekend. Now, what has this to do with cricket? - please read on. To showcase the sport of rallying, the New Caledonia rally puts out a special section....

Each year, the IPL brings with it its own unique facets as the tournament unfolds. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:27:54 +0530

Each year, the IPL brings with it its own unique facets as the tournament unfolds. And this year, where teams like Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore have a pool of big guns to choose from, it is the teams like Rajasthan Royals and Pune Warriors India that have created a mini havoc of sorts by beating their more fancied opponents. The difference here is that they are led by the past stalwarts of Indian cricket, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly respectively. Make no mistake about it, they are not....

Most people I meet generally have two kinds of queries regarding the commercial aspects of IPL. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:14:50 +0530

Most people I meet generally have two kinds of queries regarding the commercial aspects of IPL. Some wonder how the franchises, which dole out millions of dollars to 'buy' star players, make money. Others are intrigued by the sky high valuation of these teams quoted in the media. Well, valuation, as any MBA student shall tell you is the present value of future cash flows, which put simplistically are nothing but projected revenue minus projected expenses. I attempt to give a brief breakdown of both. Revenue sources....

Hi Dravid, First of all, congratulations on a glorious 16-year career in international cricket ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 03:08:37 +0530
Hi Dravid, First of all, congratulations on a glorious 16-year career in international cricket and thanks for all those brilliant innings on the cricket field. The thing I dreaded the most, came true on Friday when you finally said goodbye to the game that you served in right earnest. Still, it is hard to digest that you won't be taking the field in Indian colours. Some degree of solace can be drawn from the fact of you will be playing this year's IPL for Rajasthan Royals as captain and mentor.....

On June 20, 1996, during a chilly morning at Lord's - the Mecca of cricket - the cricket world ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 05:29:03 +0530
On June 20, 1996, during a chilly morning at Lord's - the Mecca of cricket - the cricket world witness a classy debut innings from a young batsman named Rahul Sharad Dravid. The slender batsman from Karnataka scored a fine 95 against England, and though he had missed a century in his first innings for India he had announced his arrival at the highest level. Dravid, who announced his retirement in Bangalore today, will go down in history as one of the greatest batsmen ever to have played the....

I remember it like it was last week. A January evening in Bombay, during the winter holidays ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 03:21:12 +0530
I remember it like it was last week. A January evening in Bombay, during the winter holidays from boarding school, my mother trying to get the family to come sit at the dining table. I refused to budge, because Rahul Dravid was on the verge of reaching his first Test century. I sat on the rocking chair, riveted in front of the TV in the living room. I wanted this slim, affable, slightly awkward but technically skilled young man to get to three figures. He had gotten so close....

We won't see another Rahul Dravid again, for sure. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:33:00 +0530
We won't see another Rahul Dravid again, for sure. The India batsman said his final goodbye as an international cricketer on Friday. It's been non-stop cricket for him since his Test debut in 1996 and his walking off into the sunset is mournful news for Indian cricket. But as they say, all good things come to an end - so has Dravid's time as an Indian cricketer. In his very first Test innings at Lord's, he showed he belonged in international cricket. That time the Indian team was not the....

Displaying remarkable prescience before the start of the match, MS Dhoni, with his usual ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 05:10:18 +0530
Displaying remarkable prescience before the start of the match, MS Dhoni, with his usual sage-like demeanour and circumlocutory reasoning, had this to say about his beleaguered side's chances of beating the in-form Sri Lanka with a bonus point: "It's happening after a long time. When I was young, I used to watch these games in Sharjah and all, when equations like this were provided to the team. Often we were supposed to chase 240 or 250-odd runs in 40 overs and we have been doing that quite consistently. So the....

For long the Aussies have been the ones whom everyone loved to hate; apart from their winning ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:18:22 +0530
For long the Aussies have been the ones whom everyone loved to hate; apart from their winning ways post the 1999 World Cup, the fact that their game-plans often included gamesmanship and rattling of the opposition with constant needling and a war of words, went some way in defining their very existence on the field. However, they have not always been the best of sports when the favour has been returned, as was epitomised during the infamous Glenn McGrath-Ramnaresh Sarwan spat, even though it would be universally agreed that the....

India have landed in Australia with a starting XI having more international runs, wickets, ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:36:02 +0530
India have landed in Australia with a starting XI having more international runs, wickets, catches and experience than their counterparts. The only area where the host XI outpowers them would be fielding. Even in exposure to tough situations, sledging and other forms of 'mental disintegration', the visitors have a bigger legacy than the host team. It's not without reason that Adam Gilchrist and a few other pundits feel this is India's best chance to win Down Under. But can India win the four-match series? When I pen the first XI....

Team India turned the tables on old rivals England with an emphatic 5-0 win in the recently ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:27:38 +0530
Team India turned the tables on old rivals England with an emphatic 5-0 win in the recently concluded ODI series. The totally one-sided nature of the contest meant that the treatment meted out to the Indians in England over the summer was paid back in the same manner by Team India. MS Dhoni's team not only regained its number 3 status in the World ODI rankings after sliding to number 5 at the end of the England tour but also got back a large measure of pride that had been....

Climate change is a serious issue. But there is another 'shift' that concerns me, and all ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:31:29 +0530
Climate change is a serious issue. But there is another 'shift' that concerns me, and all cricket lovers. The tectonic movement in the world of cricket is reaching crisis proportions. No, I am not talking about India falling from the Test summit! That's just a one-off British avalanche. No havoc to write home about. Sorry to mix metaphors, but 'one English swallow does not make an Indian summer'! (Though we had to swallow our pride alright!) It's always great to be an Indian cricket fan. From pre-independence days to....

While India are busy getting their behinds handed to them on a platter in a thoroughly whooped ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 05:46:44 +0530
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....

Cricket legend Kapil Dev had strong words for MS Dhoni after the Indian skipper brought himself ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 09:37:55 +0530
Cricket legend Kapil Dev had strong words for MS Dhoni after the Indian skipper brought himself on to bowl on day two of the Lord's Test. In fact, it is difficult to digest the 'making mockery of test cricket' statement from the former Indian captain, especially because everyone knows that Dhoni is generally not given to such antics. By day two of the Lord's Test, India were facing a double blow. First, Zaheer was out of the attack due to an apparent hamstring injury and two, none of the Indian....

Since the advent of Cricket, Bowlers have always been its whipping boys. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 02:21:14 +0530
Since the advent of Cricket, Bowlers have always been its whipping boys. In a world where every kid growing up dreams of becoming a Sachin Tendulkar, only a few would want to emulate a Shane Warne or Anil Kumble. Everyone would remember that the highest individual ODI score is an unbeaten 200 by Sachin Tendulkar, but what of Chaminda Vaas who single-handedly tore the Zimbabwe team to shreds, picking a jaw-dropping eight wickets for 19 runs. How many people know that, let alone remember it. Its not the....

When it comes to leadership and captaincy, Australia are a hard-nosed, streetwise lot. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:40:00 +0530
When it comes to leadership and captaincy, Australia are a hard-nosed, streetwise lot. Not competing in the World Cup final for the first time since 1996, has added a new taste to the game's showpiece menu final at Wankhede. No Australian side bidding for the title for the first time in 15 years after playing in four World Cup finals, explains why the event as predicted, has thrown up an unexpected possible new title-holder. Ricky Ponting, anyway was possibly past his shelf life as captain, which in turn....

The 'Godsend' creature was approaching his chef d'oeuvre, his 50th Test hundred. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:51:30 +0530
The 'Godsend' creature was approaching his chef d'oeuvre, his 50th Test hundred. And not just me but the cricket fans all over the world had their hearts in their mouth when the little champion got the touch from the middle of his bat to reach the milestone. When we all were saluting the maestro, he himself was busy thanking his dear and near ones by uttering words while looking into the deep blue sky. Though the Centurion Test will be remembered for a lot of things, Jacques....

Reality and non- scripted entertainment on television; in particular has gained prominence in ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:24:15 +0530
Reality and non- scripted entertainment on television; in particular has gained prominence in our country. The audience has revelled in the real life stories and situations of people from all spectrums of life. And if you observe, a sporting event is the best and most pure form of reality entertainment. It's the thrill of the unexpected, the unknown, experiencing the entire journey towards the outcome or result. It is the joy of viewing a splendid catch which is not ordinary or a brilliant hit over the fence. It's....

Sports has always been influenced by the advancement of science and technology and Cricket is ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Wed, 19 May 2010 09:33:23 +0530
Sports has always been influenced by the advancement of science and technology and Cricket is no exception. With newer technologies and advanced graphics, modern teams are equipped with data hitherto available for competitive advantage. Modern teams are on the look out to exploit even the slightest fissure in the opposition's armoury. Just like a hawk eye, the laptops monitor every delivery, every run scored and every scalp accounted for, and in charge of the whole exercise is the crucial performance analyst, the most significant addition to the teams. ....

In Rocky IV, Rocky Balboa's fight against Ivan Drago was an epic, not because of the intensity ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 05:05:00 +0530
In Rocky IV, Rocky Balboa's fight against Ivan Drago was an epic, not because of the intensity inside the ring but because when the punches were being traded, the Russian crowd changed sides and started backing an American boxer. Only Champions can do that. Cut to 2008 at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur, where two legends of the game, Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne were trading blows and it was the Aussie's Rajasthan Royals that trumped in the game. And in the post match ceremony, Tendulkar was....

Are you bored of IPL? It's called Cricket Fatigue. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 09:15:50 +0530
Are you bored of IPL? It's called Cricket Fatigue. Each one of us gets it at some point or another in life. So do we have too much cricket? Come to think of it, the IPL is as big as the world cup - which happens once in 4 years. Still, CAN there be too much cricket? Coming back to the point - IPL is changing the game in more ways than one. Not only has it changed how cricket is played but it is changing how cricket is....

The stiff upper lip is cracking. And so is the world cricket order. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:55:48 +0530
The stiff upper lip is cracking. And so is the world cricket order. After the mega success of the IPL, a fresh round of seesaw battle has started in world cricket. On the one side of the fulcrum is the historically richest cricket board and on other side is the financially richest board. Their being at loggerheads can potentially divide the world cricket order as never before. From staging of the Champions League to itineraries and from the issues pertaining to the rebel league to sharing of resources, they....

England have not taken the defeat at the hands of India in the second test in the sporting ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 01:40:07 +0530
England have not taken the defeat at the hands of India in the second test in the sporting sense. It is one thing to be trashed by Australia down under. It is quite another thing for the English team to be beaten at home by India. First there were assertions by players and also the coach of the England cricket team over the sledging accusations. Even a player of the stature of Matt Prior doesn't feel bad about the sledging. The coach Peter Moores dismisses such allegations. Collingwood....

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it Will annoy enough people to make it ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 05:10:27 +0530
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it Will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876-1944) ... and same this new rising "performer" (if not star) of Indian cricket has done it with in very short span of time. And, has been a prime example of what can be achieved through so limited opportunity in intensive competition. A business, runs through day-to-day improvement and learning skills, can any guarantee be given or make any prediction about any youngster, is, in his early....

Virender Sehwag not in the squad,Bhajji left out,Laxman not there. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 11:04:24 +0530
Virender Sehwag not in the squad,Bhajji left out,Laxman not there. Well the INDO-SOUTHAFRICAN ODI series looks like an exciting series. The Indians have their own fitness problems. Would Ganguly open? If so,would he be partnered by Tendulkar or Gambhir or Uthappa or the make shift opener in tests Karthick. Will Rohit Sharma get a chance to play? If so who will sit out? Dhoni given the vice Captaincy due to his consistency is in sizzling form. Will Piyush get a chance to bowl or his senior pro Powar? Zaheer should....

BCCI has been on the lookout for a coach for a couple of months now. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:09:02 +0530
BCCI has been on the lookout for a coach for a couple of months now. Their offers to Ford and Emburey were turned down. Now, when cricket legends turn offers down, there is something behind it. But, people like Ford and Emburey, who have had hardly any cricket in their lives (Ford has played only 7 first-class matches!) turn down offers, the problem is practical and not on paper. India's recent history may be one of the major causes for the turn-down by these 2 men. Under Chappell's....

Tomorrow is Another Day India lost in the world cup and lost badly. ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Mon, 28 May 2007 08:12:44 +0530
Tomorrow is Another Day India lost in the world cup and lost badly. To say it hurts, would be an understatement. One feels that this disaster has let down the entire Indian cricket fraternity. I would stick my neck out and say that it is not a fault of a player, or coach or an administrator. It is a debacle that has been brought about by a collective failure to understand cricket as a sport and to align Indian cricket with the changing nature of the game. ....

Is it not a no-win situation for people like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly? When they ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Thu, 24 May 2007 01:10:48 +0530
Is it not a no-win situation for people like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly? When they score century against the minnows, Bangladesh, one can clearly see smirks on the faces of cynics, thru the articles they write and the sound bytes they give. Their rant is 'what good is a century against Bangladesh?'. I can bet my life that the same people would have taken their knives out had these two batsmen fallen after scoring 40 runs. They'd have said that Sachin and Sourav cannot score big against the minnows....

TO win is a desire and it should burn in all the eleven players at once,The desire should be so ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Fri, 18 May 2007 03:05:37 +0530
TO win is a desire and it should burn in all the eleven players at once,The desire should be so big that the ego's and all the silly stuff should look puny.That lacks in Indian Team.That's What the australians have ahead of remaining teams. ....

Indian Cricket team have a good fantastic experience in Bangladesh by beating Bangla tigers in ...

Cricketnext.com editors@cricketnext.com — Thu, 17 May 2007 11:24:27 +0530
Indian Cricket team have a good fantastic experience in Bangladesh by beating Bangla tigers in their home soil and also assuming that they have beaten powerful team in world stage of cricket. Indian team always take pride out of small wins against minnows but unwilling to learn from the defeats that they got from superior team like Australia, South Africa, SriLanka..etc. The test match series will be a thriller for Bangladesh on the contray it is going to be worst experience for Indian cricket team interms of performance and result....