Showing posts with label Rahul Dravid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rahul Dravid. Show all posts
Monday, May 8, 2017

Younis & Misbah still at the top of their game


Posted by Q at Monday, May 08, 2017 Pitched (2)
In two days time, Younis Khan and Misbah Ul Haq will take the field for the very last time for Pakistan. Many feel they are leaving too soon, while many think that they have timed it perfectly.

No one really knows when the best time is to hang up their boots, but one thing I am sure of...

Both Younis Khan and Misbah Ul Haq are still at the top of their game, still the best test batsmen Pakistan have, and still have some years left in them.

In my opinion, the best 5 batsmen to play test cricket for Pakistan are:

All five of them are Pakistani stalwarts; however some of them overstayed their welcome.

If you take a look at the last three years of their careers, it is apparent that Javed Miandad and Mohammad Yousuf had lost their touch.

Younis in fact has averaged more than his career average in his last three years; while Misbah has been quite consistent. Inzamam also performed in line with his career performance in his final few years.

Miandad and Yousuf though were below par.

Probably best for Younis and Misbah to call it time while they are still at the top of their game.

I found this quite interesting so I took a look at the final three years of the leading 5 run scorers of all time in test cricket. This is what I found:

While Kallis, Dravid, and Sangakkara were still at their peak; Sachin and Ponting went through a significant dip in form in their final few years.

Like Younis, Sangakkara too averaged more than his career average in his last three years.

It is also interesting to note that Younis, Ponting, and Kallis scored double centuries in their last three years; while Sangakkara managed a triple century!

Even more interesting is the fact that Kallis and Sangakkara managed their career highest score in their final three years.

So much for legends overstaying their welcome; besides a few all of them retired with grace and while they were at the top of their games.

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Sunday, October 26, 2014

KING KHAN, Younis KHAN!


Posted by Q at Sunday, October 26, 2014 Pitched (1)
A Pakistan test series is never complete without a post on Younis Khan. Younis has been an instrumental figure in test matches for Pakistan and with every series he stamps his authority and grows in stature as one of the best batsman to ever play the game.

Like Michael Clarke, everyone is caught surprised when they hear that Younis Khan has played only 92 tests in his 14 year career thus far. There are so many batsmen all around the world who began their careers well after Younis and have gone past a 100 tests; Clarke himself, Alastair Cook, and Kevin Pietersen to name a few.

I have always wondered where Younis would have been had Pakistan played as much test cricket as Australia, England or India. His figures in test cricket are comparable to those of the modern day greats, and just because Pakistan does not play as much test cricket, his runs tally is far behind.

However, that alone cannot take anything away from the phenomenal batsman that Younis Khan is. He stands far above his Pakistani compatriots, as well as, his international peers.

Prior to this test series against Australia in the UAE, Younis Khan was a distraught man. Having been dropped from the ODI squad (and rightly so), Younis spoke out against the PCB, declared himself unavailable from all cricket, and challenged the board to build a team without him.

That could have very easily ended his career. Thank God for some sane heads in the PCB, sense prevailed, Younis was cajoled and talked to, and the man decided that he will play.

Not only will he play, but he will play with the aim to become the first Pakistani to score a century against all other 9 test playing nations, to overtake Inzamam Ul Haq as the leading centurion for Pakistan, to overtake Javed Miandad as the leading run scorer in tests for Pakistan, and to become the first Pakistani batsman to reach the 10,000 run landmark in test cricket.

He made his aims public prior to the test series against Australia and how he has appeared as a man on a mission.

In the first innings of the series he achieved the feat of becoming the first Pakistani to score a century against all other 9 test playing nations, and in the second, he surpassed Inzamam Ul Haq's Pakistan record of 25 centuries.

Not only did Younis Khan achieve those two feats, he also became the first Pakistani to score two centuries in a test against Australia and the first batsman in the world to achieve the feat of twin centuries against Australia in the past 40 years!

I don't think I have the words that will do justice to Younis Khan's greatness, so I will just let his numbers speak for themselves.

1. Pakistan's Leading Test Centurion

The most significant aspect of Younis Khan's 26 test centuries is that he has achieved the feat in far fewer innings than Inzamam Ul Haq and Javed Miandad.

You can be sure that he will reach the 10,000 run mark if he ends his career with as many tests as Inzamam or Miandad.

2. Pakistan's Leading Run Scorer in Tests

Younis surpassed Mohammad Yousuf's tally in the previous test series against Sri Lanka, and is currently third on the list behind Inzamam and Miandad. He needs a 1,000 odd runs to become the highest run scorer for Pakistan, which in his current form should take him another 8-10 test matches or so.

3. Master of all Oppositions

Prior to this test series against Australia, there were 11 batsmen in this world who had scored a century against all 9 test playing nations. None of those 11 batsmen were from Pakistan.

While Inzamam and Yousuf had missed out on the elusive club due to not being able to hit a ton against South Africa, Younis was missing out due to his failure to convert fifties against Australia.

All that changed on the first day of the series as Younis Khan marched his way to 106 and became the first Pakistani and 12th batsman in the world to score centuries against all 9 test playing nations.

That is some esteemed company that Younis is a part of now. A club that comprises of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Brian Lara, Steve Waugh, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Adam Gilchrist, Marvan Atapattu, Rahul Dravid, and Gary Kirsten.

4. One of the Best of the Past Decade

In the past decade, since January 2005, Younis Khan has the third highest average in tests, behind only Kumar Sangakkara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

During this decade, Younis has performed better than the Sachins, Pontings, and Kallises of the world.

5. King of the 4th Innings

Younis Khan is among the only 6 batsmen in this world who can stake claim to averaging over 50 in the 4th innings of tests (min: 1,000 4th innings runs).

He is also among the only 6 batsmen in this world who have scored 4 or more centuries in the 4th innings of tests.

His average of 53.23 in 4th innings of tests is the 3rd highest in the world among batsmen who have scored at least 1,000 4th innings runs in test matches.

6. One of the Best Converters in History

Younis Khan converts 48% of all his fifties into centuries in test cricket. That is a better conversion rate than the likes of Kallis (44%), Sachin (42%), Ponting (40%), Lara (41.5%), Dravid (36%), and many other batsmen who have scored at least 20 test centuries.

It goes without saying that he has the best conversion rates among all Pakistani batsmen to ever play the game. Only 4 batsmen have a better conversion rate than Younis Khan in test cricket.

7. One of the most Frequent Centurions

Younis Khan scores a test century every 6.31 innings. That is the bets ratio for a Pakistani batsman and it is among the best 10 innings per test century ratios in the history of test cricket. It is better than that of Sachin (6.45), Lara (6.82), Ponting (7.00), and Dravid (7.94), to name a few of his international peers who top the run scoring charts in test matches.

8. One of the Best after 92 Tests

Sachin, Ponting, Kallis, Dravid, and Sangakkara are the leading 5 run scorers in the history of test cricket. All of them have played over 160 tests in their career, besides Sangakkara who has played 128.

Comparing Younis Khan to these 5 batsmen at the stage that Younis is right now, i.e. 92 test matches, shows that Younis has the third highest runs tally, a bit behind Rahul Dravid and well behind King Sanga.

It is quite impossible to see Younis play as many tests as Ponting, Dravid, and Kallis did, however one can only imagine where Younis would have ranked among the leading test run scorers if only Pakistan played as much test cricket as some of the other nations.

9. A Batting Giant away from Home

The hallmark of any great test batsman is how well he does in matches played away from home, in alien conditions that require adjustments and mental toughness.

Younis Khan has the most runs by a Pakistani batsman and the 4th most runs by any batsman in the history of the game in test matches played away from home.

Only Sachin, Dravid, and Kallis have scored more runs and more centuries in away test matches than Younis has.

10. The Best Number 3 Produced by Pakistan

 Younis Khan is by far the best number 3 batsman ever produced by Pakistan. He is well ahead in terms of runs, average, and centuries.

11. A King Match Winner away from Home

Inzamam Ul Haq's prowess as a test match winner for Pakistan is well documented. No one has scored more runs (4,690) or more centuries (17) than Inzamam has in test wins for Pakistan. Younis Khan is second on that list for Pakistan with 3,347 runs and 12 centuries in test wins.

It will take Younis some time to surpass this record of Inzamam, however there is another Inzamam record that Younis surpassed in this massive test win over Australia. Younis Khan's twin centuries in the test match took him past Inzamam as Pakistan's leading run scorer in test match wins away from home.

Not only is Younis the leading run scorer for Pakistan in test wins away from home, he is now only behind the Aussie pair of Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting as the leading run scorer in test wins away from home in the history of the game. Both those run tallies are within Younis' sights and he could well end his career as the leading run scorer in test wins away from home.

Younis Khan's average of 86.3 in test wins away from home is the highest average in the world among all batsmen who have scored at least 2,000 runs in test wins away from home. And among all batsmen with at least 1,000 runs in test wins away from home, Younis' 86.3 is only behind Alastair Cook (99.7), Sir Don Bradman (96.8), and Wally Hammond (95.6).

Younis is also third on the list of batsmen with most 100s in test wins away from home. His 11 centuries, including the two in the just concluded match, is only behind Ponting's 12 and Waugh's 14.

As I said, words cannot do justice to the stature of Younis Khan.

He is not only the best test batsman produced by Pakistan, he is also one of their biggest match winners, and arguably the best test match batsman ever produced.

All hail KING KHAN!

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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

India take on New Zealand from Tomorrow


Posted by Q at Wednesday, August 22, 2012 No Comments



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Saturday, February 4, 2012

Why Younis Khan is KING!


Posted by Q at Saturday, February 04, 2012 Pitched (8)
So the Pakistan vs England test series has finally witnessed a century, and it had to come from one of the most reliable batsmen out there - Younis Khan.

I had been waiting for a Younis Khan century throughout the series and he finally did it today. The most satisfying bit for me about this century was that I called it yesterday and I was there at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to witness it.


What a knock Younis played.

He and Azhar Ali have all but batted England out of the game. I reckon the 180 lead that Pakistan have right now is more than enough to give Pakistan the whitewash that they have been dreaming of.

Think about it. Out of the 5 England innings so far in this series, they have crossed 200 only once. And I doubt they will do it again.

Now to the intriguing bit - why I called a Younis Khan century yesterday.

Simply because I don't remember a test series that Pakistan has played that has not involved a Younis Khan performance. More specifically, a Younis Khan match winning or match saving century. And there was no reason why this series against England should be any different.

I can't believe that before this test there were some calls for Younis Khan to be dropped. Seriously? How weak is the typical Pakistan cricket fan's memory? Anyone with a sane mind would not call for Younis Khan to be dropped from the Pakistan team.

Take a look at what he has done in tests for Pakistan over the last five to six years.


I could go all the way back to the start of his career when Younis Khan cracked a debut test century against Sri Lanka, but I stopped at England's tour of Pakistan at the end of 2005. This "home" series against England kind of brings the whole analysis full circle and also puts things in perspective with regards to the last time Younis failed in a test series.

That series against England in 2005 was the last time that Younis Khan played a test series in which he did not have a 50 plus score.

In a total of 16 test series including the one against England in 2005 and the current one, Younis Khan has played 39 test matches, scored 3,691 runs at an average of 61.37, and has scored 11 centuries. And he hasn't finished yet as he is still unbeaten on 115.

To put these numbers into perspective, here is a comparison of Younis Khan's performance during this period (end 2005 to date) with those of the commonly known batting greats.


He hasn't played as much as Sachin, Kallis, Dravid, or Ponting but he is right at the top of the pile in terms of batting average for tests played since November 2005.

Imagine what his numbers would look like if Pakistan played as much test cricket as India, Australia, and South Africa. Or if he wasn't out of the team for almost 18 months due to an ego clash with Ijaz Butt.

It is no surprise to me then that Michael Atherton said what he did after the end of play today: "He (Younis) is one of the giants of the game. You talk about Sachin, Ponting, Kallis & Dravid. He (Younis) averages over 50 with a Triple 100 & couple of double 100's, He is right up there with them"
Well he is really right up there above them!

It is unfortunate really that in a test career spanning 12 years, Younis Khan has played only 76 test matches. If you take a look at where these batting greats stood at after their first 76 test matches, the statistics paint a startling picture.


Now can anyone say that Younis Khan is not one of the best batsmen out there?

At this stage of his career, no one besides Rahul Dravid had more runs than Younis Khan did. There is a big difference between the averages of Younis and the rest, however after 76 tests Ponting had the same number of test centuries as Younis does now, with only Sachin ahead of the pack.

It is a great tragedy of the game that we would never know what Younis Khan could have achieved had he played as much as Sachin, Dravid, Ponting, and Kallis have.

Yet, we still salute the true King Khan - Younis Khan!

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Friday, September 25, 2009

Pakistan vs India - FINALLY!


Posted by Q at Friday, September 25, 2009 Pitched (24)

The Fans

In 2004 when Pakistan and India finally decided to put aside their political differences and get on to the cricket field, there was an overdose of Pakistan vs India cricket.

Tours took place every year with an abundance of test matches and ODIs.

Many at the time felt that the euphoria surrounding the battle between the arch rivals was deteriorating due to the overdose.

But then cricket was once again put on the back burner last year as relations between the neighbors soured.

It has been over a year since Pakistan and India clashed in an international match; the last ODI being the Super 4 game of the Asia Cup in July last year.

The long wait for the fans, however, is almost over!

In about 8 hours Pakistan will take on India in the 6th match of the Champions Trophy, and I cannot wait for it to start.

The T20 warm up match between the two sides before the start of the World Twenty20 was an indication of the buzz that is created when Pakistan and India take on each other on the cricket field.

It also showed what the cricket world had been missing for so long.

That was only a warm up and it arguably had a larger crowd than any of the World Twenty20 matches.

Come tomorrow and Centurion will be buzzing!

The world in fact will be buzzing in front of their televisions.

Here in Manchester, I will watch the game with a dozen Indians; sadly there are hardly any Pakistanis in my program so it will be 1 of me and tons of them.

The last time I watched a Pakistan vs India match on TV with Indians, Saeed Anwar scored 194; that has got to be a good sign.

The Players

With the firepower of Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh missing from the Indian line up, they will be relying heavily on the experienced duo of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

Ironically, Pakistan will be depending more on their inexperienced duo of Umar Akmal and Mohammad Aamer, both of whom will be playing against India for the very first time.

The pressure will test both of them.

Another player expected to return to the international fold today is Mohammad Asif.

That has been another long wait.

Pakistan has missed Asif with the new ball for almost two years now, but against India he is expected to make his return.

Hopefully one, from which he never looks back.

The Teams

Both the teams look very balanced so to pick a winner at this point is almost impossible.

I do, however feel that Pakistan has the edge and that is not an emotional thought; they have already played a match and won it, they did well in the warm up games winning both of them, and the team seems to be eager to prove a point.

India, on the other hand, lost their warm up game to New Zealand, and will take the field today for the first time in this Champions Trophy.

Hence, Pakistan does have an advantage, but to take full opportunity of that, their seniors will have to come to the party.

Umar Akmal cannot do all the scoring, nor can Aamer pick up all the wickets.

The Outcome

Its a crucial game for both Pakistan and India.

The team that wins is more likely to go ahead into the semi finals at the expense of the other (assuming that Australia wins all and West Indies loses all); so the pressure is going to be at its maximum.

More than a year's wait, the return of Mohammad Asif, crunch game, Pakistan vs India, the Champions Trophy; it can't get bigger than that!

Its been a long wait and I can't wait anymore for it to be over.

Let the match begin!

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

The IPL Final - What Gives?


Posted by Q at Sunday, May 24, 2009 No Comments
Both the IPL finalists won the toss in their respective semi finals and elected to field.

Both of them restricted their opponents to chaseable targets and then went about their business with ease.

The targets were chased down without a problem.

On one hand there was the awesome belligerence of Adam Gilchrist and the finishing touches of Andrew Symonds, while on the other there was the youthful exuberence of a Manish Pandey (for some reason I feel like Harsha Bhogle as I say that) and the calm of a Rahul Dravid.

What happens tonight?

Will both the Deccan Chargers and the Royal Challengers come out with the same strategy of looking to chase?

The Rajasthan Royals did that last year. They chased and won the IPL.

With 2 resurgent teams, experienced captains leading from the front, both hungry for the title, along with a similar strategy, it all points towards a gruelling contest.

Lets hope that is what we get.

I'll be going LIVE with my comments along with the rest of the crew at BCC! - Naked, SP, Som, Achettup, John, Ankit & Ankit, Ottayan, and many others.

Do join us!

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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

IPL Leaders 2009: End of Q1 Results


Posted by Q at Wednesday, April 29, 2009 Pitched (2)
This post should have really come up a couple of days ago as the actual quarter of the IPL is at 14 group matches, but Dubai Sports City was keeping me busy.

Here are my quarterly reports from last season: Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4.

This update comes after 18 of the group matches have been played with half the teams appearing in 5 games each and the other half in 4.

Some games have been washed out so all the batsmen, except those from Bangalore Royal Challengers (5) and Mumbai Indians (3) have had 4 innings each.

Leading Batsmen
1. Matthew Hayden (CSK) - 215 runs at 53.75
2. Herschelle Gibbs (DC) - 183 runs at 91.50
3. AB De Villiers (DDD) - 176 runs at 88.00
4. Sachin Tendulkar (MI) - 163 at 81.50
5. Adam Gilchrist (DC) - 163 at 40.75

Hayden has been in smashing form this season stroking 2 fifties in his 4 innings and scoring at a strike rate of almost 163.

In fact, Hayden was in similar form last season as well and at this stage (end of Q1), he was the second highest run scorer behind Brendon McCullum.

Hayden had an impact in only a handful games last year. His availability for the entire tournament this time round could land him the Orange Cap that Shaun Marsh took home in 2008.

Who said 20-20 was a game for the younger ones?
Both members of the Deccan Chargers opening pair are among the top 5 run scorers. No wonder they are the only unbeaten side thus far.

Its taken them more than that though; as initially Symonds and later Rohit Sharma were among the leading run scorers at various stages of the league in 2008, yet they hardly managed to win a game.

Sachin Tendulkar has been awesome. His partnership with Jayasuriya at the top of the order has set the IPL alight. By this time last year, Sachin had not appeared in any game; but this season he has ensured that Mumbai Indians get off to a flying start.

Two 50s, a strike rate of 130+, and flowing strokeplay has resulted in a petition that wants Sachin to be a part of the World 20-20!

AB De Villiers walked into the IPL on the back of a very strong season for South Africa; he has continued the same form for the Delhi Daredevils. He is the only centurion this season and has the 3rd highest strike rate among all batsmen that have scored more than a 100 runs.

Unlike last year, McCullum, Sharma, Raina, Sehwag, and Gambhir have not got going yet.

While much was expected of Kevin Pietersen, who is the most expensive player in the IPL, but all he has managed is a mere 80 runs in 5 innings with a best of 37.

Leading Bowlers
1. Lasith Malinga (MI) - 9 wickets at 5.00
2. RP Singh (DC) - 9 wickets at 10.88
3. Pragyan Ojha (DC) - 8 wickets at 9.12
4. Yusuf Abdullah (KXIP) - 7 wickets at 13.00
5. Munaf Patel (RR) - 7 wickets at 14.14

Malinga has no doubt been the pick of the bowlers, managing those 9 wickets in only 3 matches. He has bowled with pace making early breakthroughs for Mumbai and also striking late blows with brilliant fast bowling.

He has been a sight.

RP Singh was amongst the highest wicket takers in IPL 2008, as was Pragyan Ojha, and both of them have scripted the Chargers' success this season along with their opening pair and Fidel Edwards.

Yusuf Abdullah is enjoying his home conditions and looks extremely lively. Much more than what his run up and action suggest. He's much quicker and surely makes Priety smile.

Munaf Patel, similar to last year, is looking lethal under Warne. He has bowled some unplayable deliveries and has picked up wickets regularly. If only Warne could captain India; they would have a three-pronged quality pace attack!

Deccan Chargers, undoubtedly, have been the dominant team in the IPL winning all their games, which is already double the number of matches they won in 2008!

I'm not sure if sports betting is legal in South Africa, but if I was a gambler, my money would be on the Chargers.

It would have been last year as well given the team they had, but this season they are truly displaying their worth and potential.

Speaking of betting, any idea why Lalit Modi may have said no to the services of the ICC's Anti Corruption Unit? Does the IPL have its own unit? Is the IPL immune to corruption? Is there no betting taking place on IPL matches? Is Modi indulging in some IPL cricket betting? Which one is it Lalit?

Other Stats
Highest Team Score: 189-5, DDD vs CSK.
Highest Individual Score: 105*, AB De Villiers (DDD) vs CSK.
Best Strike Rate (min 100 runs): 171.57, Adam Gilchrist (DC).
Most Sixes: 11, Adam Gilchrist (DC).
Best Bowling Performance: 5-5, Anil Kumble (BRC) vs RR.
Best Economy Rate (min 8 overs): 4.35, Lasith Malinga (MI).

This year the scores have been generally lower than they were in IPL 2008. That might have something to do with the pitches in South Africa, but despite the relatively lower scores, the matches have been one sides besides just a few.

Last season, there were many more closer matches, or is that just my imagination.

Malinga is not only the highest wicket taker, but also has the best economy rate - that is saying something for a fast bowler.

Who says 20-20 is not a game for the pacers?

Anil Kumble's 5-5 was pure magic and it was a great sight to witness him with the purple cap along with Dravid with the Orange. Sadly that was short lived; as was Bangalore's winning start.

I'll have the next update after the next 10 games so that I have the results of the first half, i.e. after 28 group matches.

It will be interesting to see where these players stand then and how the first half of IPL 2009 compares with that of IPL 2008.

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Friday, February 6, 2009

Rahul Dravid - The Highest Paid IPL Cricketer?


Posted by Q at Friday, February 06, 2009 Pitched (9)
You would think that bagging contracts worth $1.55 million each would have made KP and Flintoff the richest IPL cricketers, however that is not the case.

Or so I believe.

Remember the icon players?

Yeah the Sachin Tendulkars, Rahul Dravids, Saurav Gangulys, Virender Sehwags, and Yuvraj Singhs.

The icons of the IPL.

Remember their deal?

The deal was that the icons would get paid 15% more than the highest paid cricketer of the franchise.

Rahul Dravid bagged a contract worth $1,035,000 because Vijay Mallya bought Kallis for $900,000, God knows why!

This morning Mallya dished out $1.55 million for Kevin Pietersen.

Which implies that being the icon, Dravid's remuneration just went up to $1,782,500!

This still has to be confirmed by the IPL or Mallya but according to how the icons are defined it only makes sense.

Dravid - the highest paid IPL cricketer. Who would have thought?

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Monday, December 22, 2008

Dravid takes a dig at Sachin


Posted by Q at Monday, December 22, 2008 Pitched (23)
After his effort of 136 Dravid said he was relieved.

But he said something else as well when one reporter asked him about his subdued raising of the bat on reaching his century.

"I was just happy. I'm older and wiser now. I don't jump around and get excited"

I think Dravid forgot Sachin's celebrations in the previous match before he said what he said.

I don't think it was his intention to imply that Sachin is not as wise as he is.

Or was it?

Maybe it was.

Maybe it was Dravid taking a dig at Sachin.

Who knows.

One thing is for sure though.

I would rather see a cricketer celebrate the way Sachin did than the way Dravid did.

Even if that makes him childish and less wise.

It doesn't, I don't think.

Dravid probably didn't want to show any emotion and played it cool.

I'm sure he must have been doing the bhangra without a shirt in his hotel room.

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Take your Punt


Posted by Q at Monday, December 22, 2008 Pitched (6)
About a month back I wrote about the downfall of the big 3 and the reaction to that was unanimous.

Everyone thought that Ponting would bounce back soon and that it was pretty much over for Dravid and Kallis.

A month since that post and Dravid has ended his 20-innings-without-a-century drought, while Kallis has scored a 63 and a 57 in a historic test win for South Arica.

And Ponting?

A first ball duck, a scratchy 30 odd, and captaining a side that conceded the 2nd largest run chase in the history of cricket.

Not looking good for him.

He's not alone in that sinking ship though.

Jrod tells me that Hussey is averaging 33 in his last 12 tests. 33! Thats like half his career average.

Hayden has a sorry tale to tell as well.

As does Lee.

So where do these Aussies go from here?

The way Ponting goes?

As long as Ponting was successful and the leading batsman in the world, Australia were dominating all teams.

With Ponting's recent failures, Australia's status has also been on the decline.

Everyone talks about the lack of a McGrath and a Warne, but is there more to it?

Is the team as good as the captain or the captain as good as the team?

If Ponting is able to come back to his form of old, will the Aussies dominate again?

Take your punt.

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Monday, November 24, 2008

The Downfall of the Big 3 - Can They Bounce Back?


Posted by Q at Monday, November 24, 2008 Pitched (18)
I'm not talking about Bear, Lehmann, and Merill.

I'm referring to Ponting, Kallis, and Dravid - arguably the top 3 batsmen of this decade.

Two of them have over 10,000 test runs, while one of them is approaching the landmark.

All three have over 25 test centuries, two have more than 30.

All three average over 50 in tests, two of them above 55.

Since the turn of the milennium, I haven't seen either of these 3 in a rough patch. They have knocked 100 after 100 after 100, piled on the runs, and frustrated the opposition no end.

Not anymore though.

All three seem like fading stars at the moment.

Ricky Ponting had a very lacklustre test against New Zealand that followed a below par series in India. Rahul Dravid had a poor series against Australia, while Kallis is being troubled by the Bangladeshis.

Can they bounce back or is this the start of a decline leading to the end of glorious careers?

Since the century in the 1st innings of the 1st test against the West Indies earlier this year, Ponting has averaged only 32.28 in 14 innings.

That's 25 runs below his career average, which sits just above 57.

Rough patch it maybe but only 1 century and 2 fifties in those 14 innings, and as many as 8 scores below 20 is a worrying sign.

The last time Ponting hit a rough patch like this was in 2000-01 when Australia played the West Indies at home, toured India, and then went to England for the Ashes, at the end of which he bounced back.

Back then he was under Steve Waugh and part of a record breaking team.

Now, he is the leader of a sinking ship.

Can he bounce back?

Like Ponting, Kallis has been off color as well, for a longer period though.

Since the tour of West Indies at the end of last year, Kallis has averaged a mediocre 30.50 in 21 innings.

Like Ponting, that too is 25 runs below his career average.

Kallis, who has 30 test centuries to his credit, has scored just 1 in these 21 innings in addition to only 3 half centuries.

With 14 scores of below 20 in this period, Kallis should be worried for he has never experienced such a dry patch in his career. For a man who kicked off his career with a first test century in his 7th test match against Australia in Australia, this is his leanest period ever.

The series against England this summer, where he barely managed just over a 100 runs in 7 innings at an average of 14.5, was by far his worst ever.

His troubles continued in his only innings against Bangladesh.

Will he be able to bounce back after this?

Dravid would be more worried than either of Ponting and Kallis for his woes date back to the series against South Africa at the end of 2006.

Dravid entered that series with a career average of 58.75, which has dropped to 52.61 today.

Since that series, he has averaged a mere 30.62 in 47 test innings, in which he has scored only 2 centuries, with 1 of them coming against Bangladesh.

His form has dipped further this year with his 18 innings since the start of the series against South Africa in March producing an average of only 26.23, half that of his career average.

While Kallis and Ponting are going through a recent slump, for Dravid it has been a longer period of decine.

Will he be able to come out of this or will he be the first out of the big 3 to fall?

I don't think much of the ICC Cricket Ratings but a look at how these 3 have fared is a fair indication of the low they are experiencing right now.

Ponting had made the number 1 spot his own for all of 2006 and 2007 and he entered 2008 at number 3. Today he sits at number 8.

Before Ponting took over the number 1 spot, it was Kallis who was at the top for all of 2005. Even after Ponting took over, Kallis remained a part of the top 5 till this year's England series, after which he fell out of the top 10 for the first time since 2003. Today he sits at 11.

Dravid was the first out of the big 3 to the number 1 spot, getting their first in 1999 and then later in 2004. He remained a part of the top 5 and later the top 10 up until last year's series against Pakistan, during which he for the first time in a decade fell out of the top 10. Today he sits at number 28.

The question though remains - can they bounce back?

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Monday, October 6, 2008

A Wall for the Wall...


Posted by Q at Monday, October 06, 2008 Pitched (5)
Its good to know that despite all the media speculation regarding the seniors and all this talk about replacing them with juniors, the cricket authorities still show them the respect that they deserve.

The Karnataka State Cricket Association has gifted Rahul Dravid a Wall.

Class, Commitment, Concentration - Thats what is engraved on the wall and aptly so!

Its made up of 10,000 bricks to signify the 10,000+ runs Dravid has scored in both tests and ODIs.

So what happens when he reaches 12,000? They'll add more bricks?

The best thing I like about the wall is the electronic timer that will keep ticking over as Dravid keeps scoring international runs.

Brilliant idea. Job well done KSCA.

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Sunday, July 27, 2008

Mendis Rocked India's Boat!


Posted by Q at Sunday, July 27, 2008 Pitched (11)
I have raved about him before and I am going to do it again.

Mendis was the star at Colombo.

Sure it was Muralitharan who picked up 11-110 and handed India their 3rd largest defeat ever, but would Murali have been able to do it without Mendis?

No, probably not.

This was Murali's 16th test match against India and his match figures of 11-110 is his best effort against them.

Murali has taken 10 wickets in a match against India only once before this and that was at the same ground 7 years ago.

India faced a similar defeat back then as Murali picked up 8-87 and 3-109.

The difference between then and now is that in 2001 Murali bowled as many as 81 overs and there was no Sachin, no Sehwag, no Laxman, no Gambhir in that match.

In the match that just ended, Murali bowled only 42 overs, half of what he had bowled in 2001 for the same number of wickets.

Futhermore, Murali has 21 hauls of 10 wickets in a match, yet only thrice has he picked those wickets up in lesser overs than the 42 he bowled in this match.

Those 3 times were against West Indies (25.3), England (37.2), and Bangladesh (35.5) - neither of whom is an India when it comes to playing spin.

My point?

It was Mendis who created the pressure and it was Murali who benefited the most.

With a Mendis sharing the burden at the other end, Murali was a more potent force.

Mendis had match figures of 8-132, which is remarkable for a spinner making his debut against India - Ask Shane Warne!

Mendis had ripped apart India in the Asia Cup final but at that time we all thought that Yuvraj, Sharma, Raina, and the rest of the Indian brat back weren't the players of spin that Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, and Laxman were.

Before this series began there was a lot of hype surrounding Mendis and how he would fare against India in test matches.

Dhoni gave statements that the Indian batsmen would have figured Mendis out before the test series began.

Dravid was right when he said that it was wrong to only focus on Mendis as Murali and Vaas presented a far greater threat but then he probably didn't focus at all as he fell to him in both innings.

What a first test wicket as well - that of Rahul Dravid.

Mendis had the Indian batsmen, 'the best players of spin in the world', in all sorts of trouble in both innings.

The pressure, which used to be applied only from Murali's end, was now there from both ends.

Thus, even though it was Murali ripping through India, it was Mendis who was helping Murali do that.

Mendis had a brilliant debut and that too against one of the top sides. The lesser opposition might already be getting weak in the knees.

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Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Shoaib gets the Eden Chanting!


Posted by Q at Tuesday, May 13, 2008 Pitched (24)
"Shoaib! Shoaib! Shoaib!"

That's what the 70,000 at the Eden Gardens were chanting.

Who would have thought that one day Shoaib Akhtar would be bowling to Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, the INDIAN openers, and the entire Eden would be chanting "Shoaib Shoaib Shoaib".

1. Gautam Gambhir c Hussey b Shoaib Akhtar
2. Virender Sehwag c Saha b Shoaib Akhtar
3. AB De Villiers c Taibu b Shoaib Akhtar
4. Manoj Tiwary lbw b Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar ripped through the Daredevils' top order in only 18 deliveries which went for a mere 11 runs.

3-0-11-4. That's what Shoaib's figures read after his 1st spell.

Back in 1999 Shoaib was on a hatrick on this very ground as he uprooted Dravid's and Sachin's stumps of consecutive deliveries.

At that time the entire Eden was stunned into silence.

Today, Shoaib was on a hatrick again.

Only this time, the entire Eden was chanting "Shoaib Shoaib Shoaib" !!!

Whatever the result of this on going game between the Riders and the Daredevils, Shoaib Akhtar is back and he is back with a bang.

Welcome back Shoaib. We hope you stay.

Shoaib! Shoaib! Shoaib!

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Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Dravid wasn't enough. Preity was!


Posted by Q at Tuesday, May 06, 2008 Pitched (14)
Those of you who are Bollywood fans and follow all the gossip associated with it would be familiar with the famous saying - "two bollywood actresses can never be friends". Its very common in Bollywood to read about arguements and cat fights between two bolly babes. There have been too many instances to prove this otherwise.

So how long will it take before Katrina Kaif and Preity Zinta start clawing each other?

Much to my dismay, Preity's team won last night. Katrina cheered all she could, tried her best to get the Royal Challenger batsmen firing, but apart from Rahul Dravid no one could do much.

Poor Misbah has been out twice leg before now, and both times to leg spinners. The one to Afridi might have been a shoddy decision, but he was plumb in front to Chawla last night. So much hype I had created that I think its back fired big time. But he will come good. Hopefully soon for the Royal Challengers' sake.

Rahul Dravid on the other hand played a grand knock. There was no slogging, no edges, and no streaky strokes. It was pure batting. He played proper cricket strokes. His knock was full of drives, pulls, cuts, and boy did he bat well. It was an amazing innings but unfortunately not enough.

Dravid faced 50 odd balls for 60 odd - A Sehwag or a Gilchrist would have had a 100 in that many but Dravid is Dravid. He played out of his skin and looked determined to take his side to a decent total. But it wasn't to be. His current run is similar to his run as captain of India - tries hard, looks to lead by example with the bat, looks lost in the field, and its never enough.

The Kings from Punjab continued their winning streak and are looking very strong. They have a world class batting line up and a fiery bowling attack to boot. They are the only team with 5 wins along with Rajhastan Royals. After losing 2 matches in a row, they are performing as promised.

So what changed?

Some have explained the change in fortunes by pointing out that Yuvraj is listening more to Jayawardene and Sangakkara. Others have said the Bhajji slap has done Sreesanth a lot of good and he is bowling like never before. The emergence of Shaun Marsh at the top of the order has also been given as a reason. While the promise of new SUVs to all squad members by Preity Zinta is also mentioned as a potential reason.

But I think the main reason behind these victories is...

The Preity Zinta hugs!

(Pics courtesy http://photos.cricket.com/ the exclusive supplier of photos to the IPL)

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Thursday, May 1, 2008

Random Royal Ramblings (RRR)


Posted by Q at Thursday, May 01, 2008 Pitched (13)
Unlike previously reported by me, the Australian ODI players are not leaving India just as yet. Which means that James Hopes, David Hussey, and Cameron White are staying put and will play in the Indian Premier League till the ODI leg of the Aussie tour to the Windies starts.

After questioning, recommending to, and pleading Rahul Dravid to include Misbah in the starting line up for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, he has finally spoken:

"It was difficult fielding all the foreigners," Dravid said. "We needed an allrounder because our bowling was not strong, so Kallis played. Ross Taylor will leave now and Misbah will definitely get his chance."

Misbah will definitely play against the Deccan Chargers on Saturday then. That should be interesting - Pakistan's most successful 20-20 batsman up against Pakistan's most successful 20-20 bowler, Shahid Afridi. More on that in another post.

Gautam Gambhir showed exactly why he has replaced some seniors in India's ODI team.

I like Shikhar Dhawan. I think he has international potential. I have thought that since I first saw him play for India A against Pakistan A and he along with Robin Uthappa knocked centuries and ripped apart Pakistan's bowling. Maybe the success in the IPL will take him to the next level.

I couldn't help feel sorry for Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis when they were putting together their 87 run partnership. Sure those runs came in about 10 overs at more than 8 an over but the expressions on their faces said it all - How they wished the match had another 3 days to go.

Dravid and Kallis showed that proper cricket shots can bring you runs in 20-20 cricket. But proper cricket shots can't help you chase 190 odd in 20 overs.

At least RCB showed that they were determined this time. And at least Dravid admitted he needs Misbah. (I can see Ottayan grimacing over my mention of Misbah over and over. Ottayan has a good piece on proper cricket and 20-20 right here. Worth a read.)

Kallis picked up 2 wickets and also scored faster than a run a ball half century. Does it make him a world class 20-20 player now?

Glenn McGrath, yet again, showed that the bowlers in the IPL need to stop cribbing and start bowling like the Master.

McGrath's team mate Yomahesh seems to have understood that.
What a great name, Vijay Kumar Yomahesh. Yomahesh! Lovely.

Speaking of lovely, did anyone see Katrina Kaif cheering for Bangalore last night? What a lovely she is. Finaly Priety has competition. Katrina's even appeared in a video for the Royal Challengers, which can be viewed here.

Shoaib Malik will have to stop relying on his "friendship" with Virender Sehwag if he wants to play for the Daredevils again. AB De Villiers is looking for a game and Malik with the bat looks worse than Ponting.

Vettori finally got a game and he showed exactly why he was one of the most successful bowlers at last years 20-20 world cup. Apparently he didn't play the last 2 matches because of food poisining. Pity he has to leave so soon.

ICC definitely need to create a window for the IPL in the FTP.

Speaking about the FTP, it might be re-christened soon and called the FLP - Future Leagues Program.

How ironic is it, that the two most expensive franchises are currently at the bottom of the points table?

I wonder what Mukesh Ambani and Vijay Mallya are thinking.

And I wonder what they're thinking about their respective executives / advisors - Harsha Bhogle and Charu Sharma - maybe the 2 need to go back to commentating.

Oh and the title of this post is so because strangely everything in the IPL seems to be associated with Royalty or abbreviations with the same letters - Royal Challengers, Kings XI, Super Kings, DDD, KKR, RR, you get the gist.

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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

KKR Limping, D3 vs RCB, and the Kings XI Boss


Posted by Q at Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Pitched (10)
Kolkata Knight Riders Lose Again
It hurts me to see King Khan's men fall the way they did last night. And that too, to a team that didn't look like winning anything in the Indian Premiere League.

The entire campaign for the Riders started on a wrong foot I think. SRK assembled an impressive star cast but then Shoaib Akhtar got banned, Chris Gayle got injured, and Ricky Ponting forgot how to bat.

Even though KKR have managed to win 2 games, one of them was McCullum's night and the other was when David Hussey decided to dig them out of a hole.

With the way they've played the last 2 games, maybe its time for SRK to don his number 12 shirt and take the field.

After having lost 2 matches, the Riders would be losing McCullum, Hussey, and Ponting. I know I did say that it would have a major negative impact on them but now I'm thinking that its probably a blessing in disguise.

The inclusion of Salman Butt, Brad Hodge, and Umar Gull will give the team a new and fresh look. SRK knows a thing or two about fresh faces. Look out for KKR to bounce back as their fresh international stars take their places on the field.

Delhi Daredevils vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Tonight's game has all the potential to be an exciting one. - but first the RCB need to make a bold move and drop Kallis in favour of Misbah. Otherwise they stand no chance at all.

It pits India's test batsmen against the ODI ones - Dravid and Jaffer vs Sehwag and Gambhir. Jaffer is also Sehwag's opening partner in tests so the battle would be an interesting one.

AB DeVilliers has joined DDD and he could play today to strengthen the batting line up. AB up against his South African team mates (Boucher, Steyn, and maybe Kallis) would be great viewing.

If Vettori gets a game he could be bowling to Ross Taylor who has been in fine form in the IPL. How will Taylor face up to his captain?

A number of bowlers have beared the brunt of Misbah's blade. Will Asif suffer the same? Or does he know how to curtail Misbah?
Kings XI Punjab have the best Boss
When you have a boss like Priety Zinta, who wouldn't want to perform. Especially if it brings out the praise in the way of a hug.
Do you know how it feels to be hugged by Ms. Zinta? Yuvraj Singh's expression should tell you a lot.


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Sunday, April 20, 2008

Hey Day for T20 Lovers


Posted by Q at Sunday, April 20, 2008 Pitched (2)
Three T20 matches will be played out today and the cricket fan will be spoilt for choice.

Here's a brief preview of the 3 matches.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers
Indian Premier League Match 4, 10:30 GMT, Eden Gardens, Kolkata

The Knight Riders will be playing their first match at home. I would like to see if their performance in the 1st game can bring a 100,000 people to the Eden Gardens. Can you imagine the atmosphere if they do? After demolishing a weak Bangalore side, they go up against the mighty Deccan Chargers led by VVS Laxman who will be making his IPL debut on his favorite ground.

The Knight Riders will probably go in with the same line up as Gayle and Umar Gul still haven't arrived.

The Chargers are one of the strongest IPL line ups I reckon. Gilchrist, Symonds, Styris, Rohit Sharma, Laxman - thats some batting power there. Even without Afridi and Gibbs, their batting looks very strong. Their attack lacks variety though with 3 left arm seamers in RP, Vaas, and Zoysa and McCullum may be licking his lips after what he did to Zaheer Khan.

This has the potential to be a cracker of a match. For the bloggers, this match pits my favorite team, the Knight Riders, against Uncle J Rod's. That surely is an intriguing battle.

Other battles to watch out for:
  1. Ponting batting while Gichrist keeps wicket.
  2. Symonds bowling to Ponting.
  3. Ishant Sharma bowling to Laxman.
  4. Prince of Kolkata (Ganguly's home) taking on King of Kolkata (Laxman's 287).

Pakistan vs Bangladesh
Only T20 International, 1:00PM GMT, National Stadium, Karachi

After being whitewashed 5-0 in the ODIs the Bengalis would be looking to save some face and go back home with something positive. They are an exciting T20 team and should be able to give Pakistan a tougher fight than they did in the ODIs.

Who am I kidding? This will be another one sided match I think with little interest from the viewers. I believe everyone will watch this he way I will - flipping to the channel during an IPL commercial break.

The only interesting thing here is that the PCB have yet again dropped Mohammad Yousuf from the line up. And Younis Khan continues to be there.


Mumbi Indians vs Bangalore Royal Challengers
Indian Premier League Match 5, 2:30PM GMT, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

After a mauling in their first match, Rahul Dravid's men will be looking to put up a better performance against Sachin Tendulkar's Indians. I wonder how Jayasuriya, Pollock, Luke Ronchi, Dwayne Bravo, Loots Bosman, Dilhara Fernando, Ashwell Prince, Dominic Thornely, and Malinga feel playing for a team called the Indians. Hmmm.

The opening combination of Sachin and Jayasuriya is an explosive one and I can't wait for the 2 to take the field together. Sachin is still doubtful but I hope he plays. With Steyn and Bracken still missing the Royal Challengers will have a tough time containing these 2. With Uthappa and Bravo in the line up as well, the Indians could post a huge total.

Bangalore's batting would be stronger today with the in form Chanderpaul joining them but I think they have another tough day ahead.

Battles to watch out for:
  1. Pollock bowling to Kallis and Boucher.
  2. Praveen and Zaheer bowling to Sachin.
  3. Harbhajan bowling to Dravid.
  4. Pollock batting and Boucher keeping wicket.
  5. Bravo bowling to Chanderpaul.
Have a good day T20 lovers. Keep coming back for more on the IPL.

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Friday, April 18, 2008

Its Here - April 18th, 2008 is Here!


Posted by Q at Friday, April 18, 2008 Pitched (13)
The glittering opening ceremony for the IPL is underway.

Shankar Ehsaan Loy are performing.

The stadium is PACKED! I don't see a single empty seat.

42 days? I reckon, all round India they could do this 365 days a year.

In an hour or so former Indian captains Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid will walk out for the toss under spotlights in the dark.

In an hour and a half Kolkata Knight Riders and the Bangalore Royal Challengers will kick off the Indian Premier League.

Apart from Ganguly and Dravid, Ponting, Kallis, Boucher, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, McCullum, David Hussey, Cameron White, Virat Kohli, ad Chris Gayle will be seen in action today.

Quite a star cast that is.

At this point, I take you back to an old post where I rated the bidders in terms of the IPL teams they selected.

Here is what I had said about Kolkata and Bangalore:

Team Kolkata
Franchisee: Shahrukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment
Being the King of entertainment Shahrukh Khan made sure he fills his side with entertainers in Shoaib Akhtar, Ponting, and Gayle - all more than able cricketers. Led by Ganguly, the prince of Kolkata and SRK's managed the players who can fill up the 100,000 plus seats at the Eden Gardens. Shoaib sharing the new ball with Ishant Sharma followed by Umar Gul's toe busting yorkers looks like a solid pace attack on paper which can be ably supported by the spin of Gayle and Murali Karthik. They also gambled by paying a pricey $675K for arguably Australia's best T20 batsman in David Hussey. Add McCullum as the keeper to the mix and Kolkata looks like a well balanced side that could be one of the favorites as well as one of th most entertaining side of the competition. SRK bagged the best bargain in the auction with Ponting, Akhtar, and Gul but may have overpaid for Ishant.
Bidometer: 9/10

Bangalore Royal Challengers
Franchisee: UB Group
Vijay Mallya had Rahul Dravid by his side during the auction but even he could not help Bangalore pick suitable men for the T20 game. Dravid, Kallis, Chanderpaul, and Wasim Jaffer look more like a test batting line up than one for a T20 match. Moreover, they spent as much as $900,000 for Kallis, who was dropped by his national team for the T20 World Cup played in his own backyard. On the bowling front however, with Steyn, Bracken, and Zaheer they probably picked up the best pace battery out of all franchisees and all at very good prices. They got a very good deal for the best keeper in the world, Boucher, and they gambled half a million on Cameron White. With the 3 pacers, White, and Kumble; Dravid has managed a varied and dangerous attack but the batting is on the weak side and apart from home boy Dravid, Bangalore haven't really managed any crowd pullers.
Bidometer: 5/10

This rated the bidders and apart from the teams' crowd pulling power it was also based on the type players they selected keeping the 20-20 format in mind so in a way it is also an indication of team strength.

Based on the Bidometer, I say Kolkata Knight Riders will register the first victory of the IPL.

Its besides the point, that I want them to.

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

18th April 2008, 31 Hours from Now


Posted by Q at Thursday, April 17, 2008 Pitched (8)
The future of cricket will roll in front of our eyes.

10 years from today, this date will be talked about as the start of the Cricket Revolution. This date will be talked about as the one that started off the planning to kill ODI cricket. This date will be discussed in history books. It will be the day that changes cricket as we know it forever.

Its the opening match of the IPL.

Its the Kolkata Knight Riders taking on the Bangalore Royal Challengers.

Its Shahrukh Khan taking on Vijay Mallya.

Its Saurav Ganguly taking on Rahul Dravid.

Its Ponting playing for Ganguly.

Its Kallis playing for Dravid.

Its Boucher keeping to Ashley Noffke and Cameron White.

Its Gayle and McCullum possibly opening the innings. Could be David Hussey as well.

Its Ponting and Ishant Sharma playing for the same side.

Its Chanderpaul in his blazing form in the middle facing Gayle.

Its Ashley Noffke bowling to Ponting.

Its Ishant Sharma bowling to Dravid and Wasim Jaffer.

Its Kolkata taking on Bangalore!

How can anyone not be excited to watch this? I damn sure am. I can't wait.

The IPL has promised a glamorous opening ceremony with performances from Shahrukh Khan, Priety Zinta, Shankar-Ehsan-Loy, and the 12 cheerleaders from the Washington Redskins known as the "First Ladies of American Football".

There are talks going on with authorities to have the toss under spotlights with all other lights inside the stadium switched off. That'll be a first.

Imagine complete darkness. 2 spotlights pointing at the boundary line. Out walk Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. Too much? I think it just adds to the excitement.

The IPL Roller Coaster is set to begin tomorrow and the world will be curious to see how it rolls out. Its bound to succeed I think.

Stay tuned to read about the record breaking number of global television viewers tuned in at 1:30PM GMT on Friday 18th April, 2008!

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