World of India! e

World of India!

Fire at will.
)

Pay for performance for the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI)?

Saturday, April 07, 2007 Digg! Add to Technorati Favorites
The BCCI's press conference could have passed off for comedy today were it not such a tragedy. Mr. Srinivasan, the boss of India Cements, who is also a Board member held the conference. The gist of his conference was as follows, although the bulk of the conference was him saying "you seeeee"....all comments in the brackets are mine.

1. Cricket is just a game and winning or loosing is part of the game. (Thanks - we never could have guessed.)

2. No- cricketers endorsing brand has got nothing to do with our defeat in the ICC World Cup, but yes, we want them to reduce the number of endorsements still. (Don't ask me by what logic. Srinivasan could have answered this with a minute long "You seee"......plus Srinivasan's India Cements employs Mr. Rahul Dravid- so one assumes that this endorsement would also stand cancelled , of Dravid decides not to keep it in his list of 3 endorsements?)

3. Sweeping changes in pitches, selection, ex-captains consultative committee, domestic cricket to be strengthened - blah blah blah ( ok, the Guiness book of records has just been shattered for some one making announcements without implementing the decision.Congrats Mr. Srinivasan)

4. No groupism found in West Indies. Everything wass hunky dory and players were in good nick (then why did u loose? You seeeeeeee , cricket is JUST a game, stupido)

So the BCCI has come down heavily on the income of players while retaining the right to make obscene sums of money, while displaying no commitment to its OWN performance.

How about 'Pay per Performance' for the BCCI instead and also limit on the max. number of endorsements/ sponsorships for the BCCI, since they are the biggest cause of our failure?

" You seeeeeee........"

Labels:

Links to this post

Links to this post:

Subhash Chandra's India Cricket League - prepare your janampatri's : )

Tuesday, April 03, 2007 Digg! Add to Technorati Favorites
Subhash Chandra of Zee Television in India has just announced a parallel DOMESTIC cricket league. I was watching the press conference, on T.V., where he announced the formation of the new'India Cricket League' as it will be called.

If the press conference is anything to go by, things are going to be entertaining in the India Cricket League. Chandra's rambling speech began by reciting a couple of jokes on the performance of the Indian Cricket team, one of which was slightly risque' but none got any laughs from the audience. Chandra then went on to narrate how the players in his team would be "scientifically" trained. "Sports Medicine would be introduced for the first time in the country"....hmmm......first time? He even explained what sports medicine is to the hapless journos ,who had no option but to nod. More initiatives? Every detail about the player would be maintained in a database....his performance record, his medical record...yoga, vipasana...psychologists, mentors....bhah bhahbhah, you get the idea.

All of which sounds great. Although Chandra made it clear that he won't challenge the BCCI's authority when it comes to who will represent the country abroad (as if he has a choice! The BCCI is the only body accredited with the ICC and right now, the ICC won't let Chandra knock on their HQ doors in Dubai much less discuss anything with him, right now) and even said that the BCCI is free to draw from his pool of players for international matches- its clear that he won't hesitate to slowly take over this privilege that the BCCI enjoys, if he can help it. This is sweet news to the average Indian fan, since the BCCI is a body that desperately needs to be challenged, so that the fatcats in the BCCI are kept on their toes. For much too long they have enjoyed a unchallenged sway over vast resources and influence with no accountability to the sport and performance.

Chandra;s own record at managing his company professionally though, is not very good. He is known to be a swashbuckling entrepreneur who has gone as far as he could , but reluctant to climb the next ladder in terms of professionalizing the group and its management and has consequently never attracted the right talent to manage his companies. If its one of Chandra's umpteen relatives that is going to manage his India Cricket League- good luck! But then, given that domestic cricket in India is anyway at its lowest ever- how bad can it get?:)

The high point of this announcement for me, personally, was when a rookie CNBC TV 18 TV reporter reported with bated breath, after the conference,that Chandra even intended to keep files on even the Janampatri's of the players in his league, when Chandra had clearly meant this only metaphorically : ))

But who knows? I was laughing- but given the rate at which Chandra seems to feel "gadgets" and "technology" is the only answer to the woes of the Indian cricket team-had he heard the reporter, he might actually have approved one more innovation to this Gentleman's game.

Labels:

Links to this post

Links to this post:

Cricket and India - Its the fielding stupid !

Saturday, March 24, 2007 Digg! Add to Technorati Favorites
Some time before the world cup started, I suspected that this world cup would be one of the worst for India. No, not because I am an astrologer, but because of the simple fact that it was being played in the West Indies. I wonder why so many people had such unrealistic hopes from the team when our record abroad has been so miserable. This record abroad is even worse when it comes to stronger teams like Australia, South Africa, New Zealand. This triumvirate has succeeded in changing the game and raising it to a new level, by adding an element of athleticism to the game, which was never a factor pre 1990's. This combined with many changes brought about to speeden up the game, has ensured that subcontinental teams who have not adapted well to the dynamics have been seriously exposed, except on home soil, where they continue to enjoy a slight advantage, yet.

The new twenty -twenty format, will speeden up the game even further and demand far more athleticism, which I suspect would make matters worse for us.

Then there is a resurgence of new cricketing countries, all of which, play the same style of cricket like the triumvirate(emphasising athleticism and agility in the field). These so called minnows (Bangladesh- coached by a Australian, Ireland and Canada) have more then proved this world cup, that they will challenge the current status quo as it exists and severely test some of the nations in the top league, despite their battinng and bowling beinng nowhere in thee same league as us, man to man. I wouldn't be surprised if one or all of them move up and better India , at least in the one day and 20-20 version of the game, in the next 4-5 years.

The mistake we are committing is that we are (again) underestimating our opponents and the efforts they have undertaken to change the paradigm of the game. We are still stuck to thinking about cricket as a game between bat and ball, where as the game has moved on, to bring an element of the 'body' in it.

Considering it in this light, is it really surprising that India should loose so badly when all our Stars are on the wrong side of 30 and those who are on the right side, would be thrashed by even the senior most members of the triumvirate, when it comes to athleticism in the field?

This is not to say that our limitations in the field are alone responsible for our poor performance. Of course, it is a fact that, we also failed in our traditional strength of batting. But evenn this 'failure' was induced by the teams that defeated us, by tightening the screws in the field and bringing about an unbearable pressure on our batsman.

The game has truly changed. Now lets see when the BCCI will 'get it'?

Labels:

Links to this post

Links to this post:

Thank God for the Bangladeshi cricket team!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007 Digg! Add to Technorati Favorites
After Bangladesh defeated India, and Dravid commented that they fell short by 30-40 runs, the Bangladeshi captain took umbrage and commented that this was a sign that India had not accepted that Bangladesh played well and therefore won on merit. Although, frankly, its well implied in Dravid's remark that they fell short because Bangladesh played well.

This mild sparring aside, its great to see Bangladesh come into its own. For one, this means that now there is one more country against which we can loose. Secondly, we can tour one more country regularly and make good money all round. Thirdly, its one more opposition which has slow wickets and this is always good for out of form cricketers to get that once in a year century and cement their place in the side for two more years.Lastly, sub-continental cricketing boards stick together in matters related to ICC. So, it means one more vote on the BCCI's side, provided they "feed" the hungry and the powerful from the Bangladeshi Board.

With all these advantages, who but India's enemies can be unhappy about Bangladesh's victory over us? Let a million defeats bloom, I sayy...

Labels:

Links to this post

Links to this post:

Bob Woolmer - a fine legacy marred by a troubled last inning

Monday, March 19, 2007 Digg! Add to Technorati Favorites
Various T.V channels have just reported the shocking news of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer having died,after Pakistan's shocking defeat to minnows Ireland.

Woolmer was a controversial man having been attacked by numerous ex-cricketers as well as commentators, not to say the Pakistani cricket fans for his coaching methods. Lately Imran Khan had trained his guns on him accusing him of playing too defensively and of bringing the English county cricket mentality into Pakistani cricket, thus robbing the Pakistani team of their natural aggression. For this Khan had repeatedly demanded that Woolmer be sacked.

Sunil Gavaskar, another cricketing legend was never impressed by Woolmers excessive use of his laptop in coaching and mocked him many a times on T.V. Woolmer had a software which had the capability to analyse every ball that had been balled in cricketing history and he used computing capabilities to its fullest in devising is game plans. Gavaskar was never sceptical of this and opined that this was a mere waste of time, as cricket was played in the field and not on the dressing room laptop.

All said and done, Woolmer's methods were not without merit. He was the chief architect behind the South African teams amazing success in International cricket, since their rehabilitation into world cricket post the apartheid era. So successful was he in building an almost clinically professional side that Woolmer and his laptop became the talk of the cricketing world.

He was snapped up by the Pakistani Cricket board who hoped the Woolmer would work the same wonders with the Pak team. Here Woolmer failed miserably, but not on account of his faults, as much as that of the temperamental Pak cricketers and haphazard administration of the Pak cricket board. Perhaps for the first time in Woolmers life, his was expected to perform in a environment which was not predictable and therefore easy to analyze on a laptop. Which machine for instance could predict when Inzamam would be run out next, whether Shoaib would resort to dope to improve his balling speed, repeatedly question his authority as coach and even push him in front of T.V cameras? How could Woolmer predict the shenanigans of the Pak cricket board which was ultimately controlled by none other than President Musharraf himself and was run on his whims and fancies with administrators being changed like soiled cricketing whites?

Greg Chappel, another coach who is a stern disciplinarian is also running into the same problems in India, where discipline and authority are not very welcome to our cricketing superstars and our cricket board, which is run in a totally ad hoc manner.

Both these coaches are not used to sub- continental way of working. Neither are they familiar with the cultural context of the place. With their taciturn manner, both have been accused of acting aloof and not bothering to know the players and concentrating more on strategy /tactics, but in the process not even knowing their players as human beings. The western ways of communicating and working which are very goal and task oriented and to which the English, S.African, NZ and Australian cricket players are used to , don't seem to work with our sub-continental emotional lot.

So when the results did not come out to the liking of the public, the pressure on Woolmer was enormous.Finally Woolmer paid a price.Fittingly,he was last caught on camera packing his beloved laptop for good, before leaving for the hotel. But he will always be remembered for playing a big role in changing the game to where it is now.


Labels:

Links to this post

Links to this post:

Why India can still win the Cricket World Cup?

Sunday, March 18, 2007 Digg! Add to Technorati Favorites
After yesteredays defeat at the hands of Bangladesh, there is still hope !

Year 1981
1. Prince Charles got married
2. Liverpool crowned Champions of Europe
3. Australia lost the Ashes
4. Pope Died
5. 2 years later India won the world Cup!!!

Year 2005
1. Prince Charles got married
2. Liverpool crowned Champions of Europe
3. Australia lost the Ashes
4. Pope Died
5. 2 years later India wins the world Cup!!!

Hat Tip: Hrushikesh

Labels:

Links to this post

Links to this post:

Sachin Tendulkar:Over-rated and over-worshipped ?

Friday, February 02, 2007 Digg! Add to Technorati Favorites
A few years ago it was common to see cricket fans holding posters during matches proclaiming that if cricket was their religion than Sachin Tendulkar was their God.

But now the unthinkable has finally happened. For the first time, post the India-S.Africa tour, people seriously questioned whether Sachin deserved his seat at the table. For the first time, newspaper columnists who never dreamed of questioning Sachin's prowess, wrote long articles analysing whether the Tendulkar era was drawing to an end, or worse, was already a done deal.

One thing is for sure. Sachin Tendular would never join the pantheon of all time greats in the league of Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar. This exclusive club belongs to batsmen who, BY THEMSELVES, could snatch victory from the jaws of defeat or at least save the team some face, not JUST IN INDIA, but on any ground in the world. Gavaskar has an average of above 90 runs against the West Indies in the West Indies and that too facing a quality of bowling that is leagues ahead of any pace attack Sachin has ever faced. Bradman, could demolish any team he wanted, whenever HE chose to.

Sachin? Doubtless he is a great batsman, but NOT an all time great. It is a documented fact that whenever the Indian team needed Sachin during crunch times, Sachin has failed to deliver. Most of his big knocks have happened on Indian grounds in conditions he is well used to. This is NOT to say, that Tendulkar has never made a big knock abroad against a quality team, of course.But simply that, on balance, he has always been on a weaker wicket abroad, facing quality teams like Australia and Pakistan. His stats back this observation.

Sachin Tendulkar:

Mat I NO Runs HS1 HS2 HS3 Ave 100 50 0
Career 378 369 36 14728 186* 152 146 44.22 41 75 17
At home 127 124 13 5174 186* 146 139 46.61 16 28 4
Away 118 117 8 3799 141 128 127* 34.85 8 18 8

Statssource:www.cricinfo.com

The above stats show the comparision of Sachin's Career summary (batting) against the 'unfiltered' results. They are then compared against Sachin's performance away from home against any team. Sure enough Sachin's average falls from 46.61 at home to a measly 34.85 away from home.

Now look at Ricky Pontings stats:

Mat I N O Runs HS1 HS2 HS3 Ave 100 50 0
Career sum 266 260 31 9670 164 145 141* 42.22 21 57 16
Home 112 110 9 4088 124 123 119 40.47 8 26 8
Away 84 82 13 3268 164 141* 129 47.36 8 19 4

Statssource:www.cricinfo.com

Pontings average actually INCREASES away from home to a splendid 47.

So don't let Tendulkar's crackerfire 100 against the weak West Indies team recently in Baroda, fool you.He can be my god only if he scores at an average of 50 or above in the West Indies in the next World cup and more importantly help the Indian team to victory at least till the Semi-final stage.

If not, Tendulkar would have to resign himself to the ranks of ONE of the great batsmen of the world but certainly not THE all time great.

Labels:

Links to this post

Links to this post:

Burkini - first look

Monday, January 15, 2007 Digg! Add to Technorati Favorites
A not so teeny weeny swimming costume for Muslim women designed by a company in Sydney , Ahiida

Pic Courtesy: http://www.mondo-canuckistani.blogspot.com/

Labels:

Links to this post

Links to this post:

Superman Dean Karnazes

Wednesday, December 27, 2006 Digg! Add to Technorati Favorites
There is man and then there is Super man. Dean Karnazes seems to fit into the latter category. I am speechless after reading this.

And I was happy with my recent record of a 30 minute brisk walk, 3 times a week...

Labels:

Links to this post

Links to this post: