Thursday, April 24, 2008

Superstitious Dhoni & Specialist Joginder with the Golden Arm

It started at 20-20 World Cup in September last year.

It was the semi final. Australia needed 22 of the final over. Hussey and Haddin were at the crease and 5 wickets were in hand. Dhoni threw the ball to Joginder Sharma. Jogi gave away 6 runs, picked up 2 wickets, and India went through to the final.

Then it was the final of the same tournament. Pakistan required 13 of 6. Misbah was on strike and it was the last wicket. Dhoni threw the ball to Joginder Sharma. Jogi bowled a wide, a dot ball, and then got hit for 6. Next ball he had Misbah caught of the infamous scoop shot. And India became the 20-20 champions.

No one heard of Joginder Sharma again even though Indian played two 20-20 internationals against Australia, home and away, between October and January.

Then the Indian Premier League auctions took place. Dhoni got bagged by Chennai and so did Joginder Sharma.

The next time Jogi was seen in action was in 2nd IPL match earlier this week between Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab.

Though the Punjabi Kings had 6 wickets in hand, they required an impossible 43 of the final over. What did Dhoni do? Thats right, he threw the ball to Joginder Sharma and the superior Kings won the game.

Tonight Chennai played their 2nd match of the IPL against the Mumbai Indians. Set a stiff target of 209, Harbajhan and Abhishek Nayar got Mumbai to 19 runs off the last over. 3 wickets in hand with Nayar, batting on 35 off 15, on strike. Guess what Dhoni did. Yep, he threw the ball to Joginder Sharma and despite 2 boundaries, a no ball, and a free hit, Chennai scraped home by 6 runs!

Is he the man with the Golden Arm? Or the last over specialist?

With an economy rate of over 8 runs an over in 20-20 cricket, one wouldn't really trust Joginder Sharma with the final over of the innings. Especially not when the runs required are gettable. So why does Dhoni have so much faith in him?

And why does Jogi disappear once the 20-20s are over?

Make your pitch on this post...



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9 Pitched:

  1. Pontings_baldspot said...
     

    only explanation could be - Joginder has some scandulous pix of Dhoni Yuvi and Deepika together

  2. Anonymous said...
     

    He was recovering from injury sustained during the Worl Cup T20.

    PB, I assume the pix had something to do with Dhoni and Yuvi together. :)

  3. Q said...
     

    Thats interesting PB. Do share the pics if u get ur hands on them.

    Ott, I didn't hear abt him being injured. Was he really? He doesnt look like a bowler who could be injured.

  4. Anonymous said...
     

    He is just Lucky.

  5. Q said...
     

    3 times lucky Sam?

    If that is the case, the luck is bound to run out.

    IMO, Dhoni feels theres a special talent / skill in Jogi to thrive under the pressure of a last over.

  6. straight point said...
     

    it helps if out of three times two times opposition required 19 or more runs...

    and on solitary occasion when target was less certain miss-bah messed it...

  7. Q said...
     

    Agreed SP.

    But my key point here is that, why is Dhoni hell bent on Jogi bowling the last over in every match?

  8. straight point said...
     

    Q, who else he would have thrown the ball to is my Q...

    murli had already finished his quota...and amongst others only HE had bit exposure of final death over...

  9. Q said...
     

    SP, I think dhoni plans it in a way that jogi will bowl the last over of the innings no matter what.

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