Late Cut

2-1, and one more to go. If you don't win the series now, you won't get another chance for next few decades. Those would be my words if I were the captain or a coach. Like Kabir Khan's "Sattar minute" speech . This IS the Chak De India moment for Team Kohli. India has drawn series only twice in 12 previous trips; in 1988-81 and 2004-05. They have a chance to write a new page in the history of Indian cricket. Last time, India went to Sydney with a chance to win the series was in 2004-05, the test made more famous by Steve Waugh's retirement than the possibility of Australia's series loss. This time Kohli's India is one up already and they can't lose the series. However, I don't think this team is thinking of drawing the series like a few of its predecessor teams. They have, by and large, outplayed Aussies on their home turf. Taking a lead in Melbourne, gives them a great opportunity to conquer that final frontier in the Indian cricket

Pataudi series is at a very interesting stage. After comprehensive defeat in Lords test, fans of the Indian tram were not only disappointed but angry as well. They were not expecting number 1 test team in the world to capitulate so easily. Even though India lost the first test there was no anger amongst the fans since India did not lose so badly. Disappointment, definitely. However, the way in which they surrendered in the Lords test even after significant time loss due to rain, simply raised the fears again that Indian team is a tiger only at home. The team of Virat Kohli had no space to go back; not one step. And they responded splendidly. After losing the toss, when England send them into bat in very helpful conditions, their batting responded like a true champion. First innings total of 329 was par score on that wicket and conditions. To add to that, their bowlers performed tremendously. In conditions far better than their opponent, England capitulated for a meagre 161 which

0-2 down and more importantly beaten in two playing days of a test match that could have been totally rained off; just that the English cricket had the sun on their beck and call. Indians of course obliged the hosts by playing terribly in the second innings, a total spineless performance has left them with no defence for an extreme bad luck of losing the toss and massively swinging conditions where 150 was a par score for the best of the best. That innings was no different in English condition from the typical spinning wickets Poms have faced a few times in India and have been annihilated as badly as Indians were at Lords. None of the Indian batsmen barring Kohli look settled; and even he is looking vulnerable more due to his sore back. He looked set to win his much-touted contest with Anderson after mercurial innings at Edgbaston. Currently, Kohli is a wee bit ahead in that contest; 200 runs in one innings notwithstanding, Anderson was a bit unlucky not to nip out Kohli earlier, du

India V England test series: a contest too close to call. Team India is on the cusp of greatness. Opportunity to play two very strong and difficult opponents on their home turf in next 6 months, brings opportunities to shut their detractors and critics who have consistently rubbished its no.1 test cricket ranking claim at the throne of the test team by calling them tigers at home, lambs overseas. There is some softening in that stance though ; now they call them tigers in subcontinent conditions! In all fairness, there is some truth in it. While their journey to the top ranking test team came during four successive series wins at home including 13 tests winning all but two (one draw and one loss). However, as soon as they travelled to South Africa, the usual failings against pace and bounce surfaced and the critics were up with their customary I-told-you-so. To their credit, they came back strongly in the test series, but it was too late to erase that familiar sense of deja vu! Wh

Second time, second time India will start their world cup campaign as the defending champs. Last time, it was twenty seven years back. Then, India had forced the cricket authorities to look beyond the mother country and move to the subcontinent. I still remember the excitement we Indian fans had; dual excitement of having first ever major world sporting event in the most popular game of the country and a great opportunity for the home team to defend it's crown and prove to all, themselves included, that their win in 1983 was no fluke. India then was so overwhelming, sentimental favorite to retain the crown that every one was thinking about their opponent at the Eden gardens on the final day..there was no doubt about  playing in the finals. What happened then is history; disappointment at India's defeat by Graham Gooch's sweeping bat, almost single handedly, was palpable even months later. Indian cricket plunged into a deep disappointment. Subsequent world cups brought simi

Bit outside the off stump, probably fifth stump; that was the first ball of the over. Good pace, lovely out swinger and also a bit late movement. The ball is only 7 overs old. The game has just begun; no wickets down yet. That is a bit of a surprise since the opponents are slightly mis-matched. The bowling side has representative players of high skill; the opening batsmen are not highly ranked but not bad; after all they are playing first grade district cricket. In grade cricket anywhere in Australia, that is no mean achievement. The line then changes slightly towards the off stump next ball. One after that and it keeps coming towards the off stump with same late outswinger and off the deck movement. I can see what the bowler is up to now. The opener has been stubborn, not very skilful but good enough to leave good balls and not good enough to touch the cockers!! Three overs that the bowler has bowled from my end, I am certain would have produced a wicket, if the batsmen were good eno