Dhoni’s boys rewrite history at Chennai

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

History was rewritten at M A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on December 15 when India successfully chased down a target of 387 in the last session of the fifth and final day of the first Test against England.

It was a day to remember for everyone watching the action. Sachin Tendulkar probably played the innings of his lifetime and Yuvraj Singh kept his company until the end as their 163-run unbroken fifth wicket stand allowed India to win the game very comfortably in the end.

The foundation for the successful chase was, however, laid by Virender Sehwag. His whirlwind knock of 83 on the fourth evening forced England in a defensive mindset. His onslaught from the outset did not allow the bowlers to settle down and with the century of the opening partnership raised in a jiffy there was all the time in the world to knock off the remaining runs.

The contribution of Sehwag’s partner, Gautam Gambhir, was equally important. His brilliant knock of 66 allowed India to recover from the losses of the belligerent Sehwag and the struggling Rahul Dravid.

By the time Gambhir lost his wicket, Tendulkar was well set and he took the responsibility of rebuilding the innings on his shoulders. VVS Laxman looked in sublime form before perishing early in the afternoon session.

The game was wide open when Yuvraj, making a comeback in the team, joining Tendulkar with 163 still needed in nearly two sessions. With quite a few balls misbehaving and the spinners extracting appreciable turn, batting was a tricky proposition if not a nightmare on the wearing fifth day pitch.

History was not on the Indian side either. They had made better starts while chasing larger totals only to fall short at the fag end quite a few times in the past. The big chase at The Oval in 1979 came into mind when India finished nine runs short while chasing a target of 438 after being 366 for one at one stage with the duo of Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar in complete command of the situation.

Vengsarkar had spearheaded another memorable chase, against Pakistan at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, New Delhi in 1979, but the Indians couldn’t finish it off and settled for a draw. India had squandered golden opportunities at Chennai’s M A Chidambaram Stadium as well. Set a challenging target of 348 by Allan Border on the final day of the first Test in the 1986-87 series, the Indians appeared coasting towards a comfortable win after the good work of their top-order batsmen. But they lost their way against the unfancied Australian spinners and the end result was a tie.

Then in the first Test of the 1998-99 series against Pakistan, it was Sachin Tendulkar’s fighting hundred that brought India at a striking distance towards their target on the fifth and final day. But in one of the most dramatic turnarounds of all time India lost the match from a winning position.

Nothing of this sort happened at the M A Chidambaram Stadium on December 15, 2008 with the Indians finally able to press home the advantage. It was the fourth highest successful run chase in Test history and the highest ever on the Indian soil.

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Bangladesh fans denied pleasure of watching ‘Sensational’ Mendis

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The news of Ajantha Mendis, the Sri Lankan spinning sensation, breaking down in a domestic match that has ruled him out of the upcoming Test series in Bangladesh, must have aroused mixed feelings there.

The cricket-crazy community in Bangladesh must have felt disappointed at having been denied the pleasure of the mysterious spinner unfold his great skills in the Test matches but at the same time their team management would have heaved a sigh of relief for he was one bowler who could have tormented them the most in the two Tests.

Mendis injured his right ankle while bowling for the Army Sports Club in what was his first match of the domestic season against Tamil Union. The ankle was strained and besides undergoing treatment he has also been advised rest.

The Sri Lankan Physio, Ranjith Nanayakkarawasam, has confirmed that the injury will take at least three to four weeks to heal meaning that Mendis was out of the Bangladesh Tests starting from December 26. He, however, is expected to be fit for the ODI tri-series due to commence there on January 10.

What an impact Ajantha Mendis has made in his brief international career so far. He has an outstanding record in both forms of the game and more importantly he has provided his team another attacking option.

With the champion off-spinner Mutiah Muralitharan at the twilight of his career, Sri Lanka needed someone to stand up and show the promise to take up the challenge in the future. The start to the career of Mendis suggests that Sri Lanka would be winning matches as frequently, if not more, in the years to come as well.

Mendis has shown the capability to win matches on his own. He has remained a mystery for the batsmen, who have been confused and amused while tackling him. He turns the ball both the ways and it’s not at all easy to read his fingers at the time of the delivery.

He seems to have the potential to extend his phenomenal record in all forms of the game. With so much of variations in his bowling, he would be as lethal in Test matches as the limited overs games.

He has already proved the point that he possesses the big match temperament. He is the one who doesn’t get overawed by the big names. That’s why he succeeded in bamboozling the famed Indian batting line-up who had the reputation of encountering the greatest of spinners with ease.

But Mendis, in his maiden Test series, devastated the Indians. He took as many as 26 wickets at 18.38 in the three games and he was literally unplayable. He was chiefly responsible for scripting the series win for Sri Lanka against their fancied opponents in possession of the most formidable batting line-up in the world.

The manner in which Mendis destroyed the Indian batsmen there is little doubt in one’s mind that he would be breaking many long standing records.

The one record that is most certain to fall in his lap is the fastest 50 wickets in One-day Internationals. Having snared 48 wickets in 18 matches he has all the time in the world to erase Ajit Agarkar’s name who had done it in 23 matches.

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Will West Indies rediscover form in New Zealand?

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The West Indians have arrived in New Zealand and they are currently engaged in practice sessions. It’s not an easy time for the West Indian cricket. They need to rediscover their form in order to come to terms with the hosts, who are always a force to reckon with in their own backyard.

Although the New Zealanders are currently rated behind the West Indies in the ICC Test rankings they can move up the ladder with creditable performance in the upcoming series.

If the lack of coordination and the absence of fighting spirit in the last month’s ODI series against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi are taken as indicators then the West Indies are likely to slide further. It was amazing to find them getting whitewashed in the three-match series in which the result could easily have been the other way round.

The West Indians have three immensely gifted batsmen in Chris Gayle, Shivnaraine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan who have proven track record in international cricket. Even this fancied trio could not get the West Indians off the mark in Abu Dhabi against an opponent that was itself short of quality stuff.

Let us see how they turn it around in the chilly weather conditions of New Zealand where the ball moves more appreciably than anywhere else in the world with the possible exception of England during early summer.

The West Indians, as they showed most recently in Abu Dhabi, do have a penetrative pace attack but what they lack is discipline. Fielding, specifically catching, is the area they need to improve a lot to win matches. The fast bowlers had created the chances in the one-dayers but the sloppiest of fielding let them down.

If the catches are held or rather not dropped as regularly as they were in the series against Pakistan, the West Indian fast bowlers could still make things happen. Nearly all of them are proficient in moving the ball so it will be a matter of controlling them to get the results.

The New Zealanders are themselves short of confidence after the hammering they received at the hands of Australia very recently. As usual they have incorporated changes in their line-up in a bid to start their rival.So the series between New Zealand and the West Indies is actually going to be a battle between two teams who have struggled in the recent past and both of them are eager to erase the bitter memories.

On paper the West Indians, primarily on the basis of experience, appear to be having an edge over the hosts. But one cannot ignore the home advantage that could indeed prove decisive in the contests between two struggling outfits.

The upcoming games between New Zealand and the West Indies could prove close and exciting but I am not sure if the quality of cricket would be all that high. Anyways the main cause of concern for the New Zealand administrators would be drawing big crowds and they may succeed in the presence of some big time entertainers both the teams.

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India capable of trouncing England in both Tests

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The two-Test series between India and England, whose fate was hanging in balance following the mayhem in Mumbai, is all set to get underway on its original date of December 11 with the England squad finally having set their feet in India after having practice sessions in Abu Dhabi.

The resumption of international cricket in India augurs well for the immediate future of the game with so many events lined up. Hopefully the Indians will also cross the border next month for the much-awaited tour of Pakistan.

The Indians, under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, have hit a purple patch during the ongoing season, having routed Australia 2-0 in the four-Test series to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy before whitewashing England 5-0 in the shortened series of the One-day Internationals. India were on course of a 7-0 win and it was only the abandonment of the last two ODIs that prevented them from doing it.

England appeared to have run out of ideas in the ODI series. Even their dynamic skipper Kevin Pietersen was unable to control the damage. He should not be blamed either because he clearly lacked the resources to contain the home side in the kind of form they were in. Hardly has India ever played such brilliant cricket in the past.

England would be committing a mistake if they consider India a less potent force in Test matches. The momentum at the moment is with India and it’s extremely unlikely that they could be contained with the kind of arsenal England possess at the moment.

The approach of the current Indian team looks so refreshing. With the leadership having been passed over to Dhoni in all forms of the game, their supporters can expect more fireworks from the team in the upcoming two Tests.

It would come as a big surprise if India won’t win both the matches against England. The Australians, being the number one team of the world for so long, had the guns to save two of the four Tests but this England side has to play much above its potential to cause an upset.

The kind of combination India have developed of late it has become a very tall order for any of their opponents to contain them. The intensity of this present team hardly drops and their body language remains so positive even when things are not going their way. Unlike the past they are not in the habit of losing their focus, allowing them to stage a comeback successfully after a lean spell or a barren session.

The venue of both the Test matches has been changed due to security reasons. But that shouldn’t deter the home side from extending their glorious run. They have the capacity to overwhelm England on all kind of pitches in any corner of the world, let alone doing it on their own grounds.

The Indians will be playing their first series after the retirement of Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble that provides them the opportunity of inducting a couple of exceptionally talented youngsters without losing any of their brute force.

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World hockey mourns death of Brigadier Atif

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The legendary figure of Brigadier Syed Manzoor Hussain Atif, whose name became synonymous with the Pakistan hockey due to his very long stint with the game, passed away on December 8 in Rawalpindi, the historic town neighbouring capital Islamabad. He had turned 81 only the other month.

I have come to know about his demise while in Islamabad on Eid vacations. It’s indeed a very sad day for the world hockey in general and the Pakistan hockey in particular. He’s the man around whom the Pakistan hockey revolved not only for years but for decades.

Brig Atif, however, was not actively associated with the game during the last few years of his life. He was laid low by the growing health problems that had also restricted his travel.

In fact Brig Atif had very reluctantly regretted attending the grand reception in the honour of his mentor and icon Air Marshal Nur Khan in March 2007. He was invited as one of the keynote speakers for the dinner-reception organized by the Brotherhood Sports Society of Pakistan (BSSP), whose President, Waqar Hasan, a former Test cricketer, was very keen to have all the central figures of the Air Marshal Nur Khan team there.

The night was memorable in which the likes of Anwar Ahmad Khan, Jahangir Khan, Javed Miandad and Islahuddin had recalled their experiences of working with the great Air Marshal Nur Khan. But we missed Brig Atif who, I reckon, possessed the most intimate of relationships with the Air Marshal and it was their joint action that brought so much glory for Pakistan.

Brig Atif was a strong willed man whose result-oriented approach also made him somewhat ruthless at times. But he was not afraid of undue criticism. He made some tough calls but they were generally in the larger interest of the game.

Records aside, Brig Atif’s services to the game of hockey in Pakistan cannot be adequately described in words. He stands heads and shoulders above any other individual as far as the contribution to the Pakistan hockey is concerned. He did not believe in half measures and his commitment was total.

Brig Atif had entered the hockey arena in a role of a full-back. After having played for the country in as many as four editions of the Olympic Games, he undertook the managerial responsibilities before devoting his energies to the administration. He had become the centre-forward of the Pakistan hockey affairs and remained in this position for quite sometime with remarkable success.

Obviously, like any other human being in this planet, he also committed mistakes or even blunders during his long career. But mostly they appeared to be errors of judgment and seldom did his integrity was put into doubt.

One incident I am reminded of had occurred in 1988. Pakistan had crashed to defeat in one of the Test matches at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium, Karachi, and a section of the crowd was chanting slogans against the national team.

My photojournalist colleague at The Frontier Post, Morrison Bhatti, had a great sense of humour. After having shot a few snaps of the disgruntled fans he jokingly advised them to point their fingers on Brig Atif instead of targeting the players.

Morrison Bhatti, preparing to pack his lenses, was oblivious of the fact that Brig Atif was in fact standing right behind us, having overheard the conversation. Brig Atif was furious and some harsh words were exchanged. The scene could have become uglier but the interference of other media professionals helped cool down the emotions.

Morrison Bhatti, to register his protest, influenced some of the fellow photojournalists to boycott the reception the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) was hosting the same night. But Brig Atif was quick to respond and came all the way down to the media corps present ton the occasion to explain the situation that cleared the misunderstanding.

That was the great ability of Brig Atif. He knew exactly how to accomplish his goals. He tackled the pressure-cooker situations with broad smile on his face. It’s very unlikely that the Pakistan hockey will ever produce an administrator of his class and caliber.

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Experimentation can bring further misery for New Zealand

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The New Zealand cricket has been harmed endlessly by the inconsistency of their movers and shakers. Every team in the world makes minor changes in their outfit once in a while but the frequency with which their selectors keep doing is mind boggling to say the least. Even wholesale changes could be acceptable if the idea is to rebuild but to make sweeping changes after literally every series or so doesn’t make any sense at all.

I am not sure why there is a culture of experimentation rampant in the New Zealand cricket for so long. There could have been an odd brainy or visionary individual whose passion was to try out new youngsters and he might have been the motivating force in implementing such an adventurous policy. But the manner in which almost every selection committee has treated its own cricketers so shabbily makes us think that they are probably not serious about the sport.

Cricket no doubt is a sport, the gentleman’s game to be specific. But the game of cricket was revolutionized in the 1970s by a man called Kerry Packer. With the greater number of broadcasters coming into play and the limited overs games becoming more and more popular it was no longer an amateur sport. It has become one of the most rewarding professions in many parts of the world.

Apparently the New Zealand cricket administrators have yet not been able to grasp the fact that they need a more professional approach in building their teams to stay in demand globally. New Zealand certainly has some disadvantages as compared to Australia, England or South Africa due to its extreme weather and also the distant location.

Under the circumstances the New Zealanders should have been more proactive because they were competing against heavy odds. Their inconsistent selection policy has only brought more miseries for them. They are one of those visiting teams the sub-continental countries are reluctant in hosting. They don’t pull crowds because they lack the desired number of quality players in their squad. How would the quality players get the opportunity of unfolding their talents when they are discarded after just one failure.

It will be in the interests of the New Zealand cricket if their selectors take a leaf out of the book of other leading nations who have managed their affairs admirably in the given scenario. Everyone has a problem or two up their sleeves but better managers handle them skillfully to get out of the mess. Is it easy to pick up teams in countries like Australia and India who currently face embarrassment of riches. The answer is no. But they have devised means that are working with the common denominator being common sense.

There hardly seems dearth of talented cricketers in New Zealand. It’s only the questionable approach of the selectors that has prevented them from producing the stalwarts like Glenn Turner, Richard Hadlee, John Wright and Martin Crowe. Their system can produce outstanding players if their talented youngsters are provided the confidence.

There is absolutely no element of surprise in finding changes in the New Zealand line-up for the upcoming home series against the West Indies. Unlike the 1980s and early part of the 1990s the visitors from the Caribbean are themselves not in good shape but some elementary mistakes from the New Zealand selectors could give them a lifeline.

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South Africa on a mission to tame Aussies

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The upcoming three-Test series between Australia and South Africa is a mouth-watering prospect for the cricket enthusiasts. Being played in the festive season of Christmas and New Year it should generate tremendous interest Down Under and beyond.

South Africa are running high on confidence and they have every reason to belief that they have the guns to silence the Australian juggernauts who have been ruling the world for a very long time now.

The contest between the top two ranked sides of the world at present will be watched with great interest in every nook and corner of the globe. The only not so pleasant aspect of the series is that it is limited to just three Tests.

With the game’s administrators eager to sandwich more limited overs games than ever before in pursuit of quick bucks, the Test cricket is obviously the sufferer. The number of Tests is being reduced and it’s quite disappointing to find a series of just two Test matches getting wider acceptance.

What the cricket chiefs so conveniently ignore is the fact that in some cases the Test matches can create greater interest and hence bring in more revenue that is the bottom line these days.

What a pity that the Test series between the top two sides of the planet will be limited to only three Tests. It can still produce fireworks, excitement, tension and drama but it may not match the grace and dignity of a full five-Test series.

The worst part of a three-Test series is that the team drawing the first blood gets huge advantage and conversely the loser of the opening game has limited opportunity to bounce back in the series. That’s why very rarely the teams having conceded the first Test have gone on to the clinch a three-match series.

Unlike the past, it could be the Australians at the receiving end this time round. The first Test is to be played at Perth where the pitch is known to have extra bounce and zip. With the presence of the fast bowlers like Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel in their ranks, South Africa have the edge over the hosts in the pace bowling department and they stand a very good chance of going one-up in the series.

I agree with the South African skipper Graeme Smith that his side has the best chance of winning the series in Australia, a feat yet not accomplished.

Besides having a lethal pace attack, capable of destroying any batting attack, South Africa have an established opening pair and two of the world’s best all-rounders in Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher.

The Australian pace trio of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark could have their work cut out against the experienced South African batters who are also quite used to getting runs on bouncy strips. With no Shane Warne to worry them, the South African batsmen will not mind slow or even spinning wickets either.

Similarly the likes of Mathew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds, who have scored prolifically in the recent past, may find life much tougher in the middle against South Africa’s spirited pace attack.

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Golden opportunity for Yuvraj Singh to cement place in Test side

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The resumption of England’s tour to India has gladdened the hearts of millions of cricket enthusiasts all over the world but one man to whom this could mean he most is none other than the mercurial Yuvraj Singh.

The enterprising left-hander, who has had an outstanding ODI series, has been rewarded by the selectors as he has found his way in the Test squad for the two-Test series against England starting on December 11.

It’s a golden opportunity for Yuvraj, having phenomenal record in the limited overs games, to cement a place in the Test side. He has been deemed as the natural successor to the now retired former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly.

There are quite a few similarities between Yuvraj and Ganguly. Both of them believe in taking the attack to the opposition. India certainly needs an explosive matter at number six following the grafters of the caliber of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman all of whom are experts in playing long innings.

Yuvraj hasn’t enjoyed yet the kind of consistency that was being expected from him in the limited opportunities having coming his way. To be fair with him, he was not given a long enough run to settle in the team.
Obviously it was not easy to walk into the middle-order already having four world class batsmen. He was drafted in the playing even only when one of the fabulous four was struggling for form or fitness.

With Ganguly having now retired, Yuvraj should not have the pressure of being there just for an interim period. If he fires in the Test matches in the manner he has done in One-day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals there is no reason why he should be a regular member of the Indian Test team for a number of years.

There are two major factors in Yuvraj’s favour now and he should make the most of them. Number one the retirement of Ganguly takes the press off his head. He can be assured of a place in the Test side now if he keeps scoring prolifically.

Number two he has been in exceptional form during the past few weeks. He was absolutely magnificent in the one-dayers having blasted back to back hundreds. He finds himself in a very good position now to carry this terrific form into the Test matches. He should fancy his chances of dominating the same set of England bowlers in the two Tests as well.

It’s just a matter of putting things together for Yuvraj. If he plays his natural aggressive cricket without losing his composure he looks all set for big scores in Test cricket too. He has tremendous potential and he needs to improve his Test record. He deserves better figures than 1050 runs in 23 games spread over a period of five years.

The kind of attacking cricket the Indians have been playing lately Yuvraj fits perfectly in their plans. He has a great opportunity to prove to the world that he has the talents to succeed in the longer version of the game too.

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