Date: 2009-05-22 09:28 Subject: Yet Another IPL post!! Security: Public Tags: cric mania

Alright, someone pass me salt and pepper, I need to eat my words. Will eating a straw hat do? I do not have one, but I can make up with Vihaan's straw hat for the time being. Ketchup will be an additional incentive for eating this one.

Well, to people who think I am speaking total gibberish, I am referring to the comments I made in my previous blog about Royal Challengers, Bangalore, about them being the underdogs and that they would not probably make it to the semifinals of the IPL this year.
But what a come back. Anil Kumble's (Hail the ex-RVCEite) intelligent captaincy and bold decisions worked out in his favor and came to Bangalore's rescue. The match against Hyderabad's Deccan Chargers yesterday just was the icing on the cake. Not to miss out on Manish's first Indian century in the IPL history as well. This match was a total 'masala' chat, if I can say that. ;)

I still hold on to the content of that blog though. I do have an identity crisis still, but well, I have stopped worrying about that too much. I kind of like all the four teams that have made to the semifinal and so one team against the other would not pose too much of a problem. I would have picked possibly Mumbai over Hyderabad, but that is still fine.

I am very pleased that the Kolkata, Mohali and the Jaipur teams are out of the semifinals. Not to take anything away from the teams, I like the men. But I am totally averse to making cricket only a visually appealing sport, in terms of promotions, cheerleaders, crazy out fits and crazier stars as owners (sheesh!!). The focus shifted from cricket on to SRK, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty. And yes, I know that Katrina Kaif is a brand ambassador for the RCB, but yet she is not in the limelight, the team is, Anil Kumble is. The other teams hardly ever project their owners too much.

All the best RCB and Anil Kumble for the semifinals and (hopefully) the finals. All the best Dhoni, Sehwag and Gilchrist for your respective teams. Hope we have some exciting matches ahead as IPL draws to a close.

Date: 2009-05-07 16:39 Subject: Confessions of a Confused FAN Security: Public Tags: cric mania

And now there is IPL season 2, and frankly speaking I am totally confused.

There was this Indian cricket team who used to win and lose and unsettle me for a complete day if not more, with its trysts in the field. And then there is IPL2 which ceases to catch my imagination, attention and enthusiasm.
Here I was discussing with my colleagues in office about which team might/shall win the IPL this time, and I realised I did not care at all.
I sought out the reason for this. Found out that IPL does not generate an identity within me.
So, ok, I live in Bangalore and I should support Royal Challengers. So, when Jacques Kallis bowls to Sachin Tendulkar, I really should hope that Tendulkar plays a bad shot and gets out. I should really enjoy when MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh walk out in the middle of the ground not playing in the same team, but to toss out a coin and decide who bats first.
I should be happy that it is the Kolkata Knight Riders is out of contention for the semifinals and not the Royal Challengers, when I know that Saurav Ganguly is not going to play in the semifinals.

And you might ask, but doesn't that happen in Football (Soccer) with their Premier Leagues, doesn't that happen in other sports at all, and why shouldn't it happen in cricket? Well, for me the Indian team as a contingent is as dear as the game itself.
With the Ranji trophy, atleast it is the battle between the states. I do not follow England's county cricket.

Probably I am fading away to a past generation, as I like ODI's more than T20s. Probably similarly as my ancestors liked a test match more than an ODI.

Makes me feel old. And whoa, I hope I am not the 'past' yet. ;)

Date: 2009-02-04 09:20 Subject: Team India 8 on trot! Security: Public Mood: cheerful Tags: cric mania

Team India goes straight on and wins the 8th ODI, possibly same as the 8th wonder of our times.
About a year back, nobody would have thought that this would be feasible by Dhoni and men.

Some enthusiasm was generated after the T20 World Cup victory in 2007, and since then,  the team has been winning series on and off. The very well documented Australian series was a good show.



Just few years back, I used to sit at the edge of my seat, just hoping that India will not waste away an advantageous position in an ODI, which it eventually did. The great ODI demise in World Cup 2007 shattered my very premise and I began to question my love of cricket. See this (point 4).
Now, my mind seems to relax, because there is an assurance that India will do its best to bounce back from a disadvantageous position many a time.

Attribute the current situation to the Great Aussie decline, or the young blood in the veins of the composition, Team India will still have to go a long way to prove themselves, as they still have to match up to South Africa, the number 1 ODI team now. Everybody now tends to make a mincemeat of the Aussies.

Now shall come the New Zealand series. Next to the Down Under, NZ will pose a challenge for the Men in Blue as conditions are so different.

MSD has been nicknamed Captain Cool and Captain Courageous. I sincerely hope that he keeps all these 'Cs' intact when India look to win the ODI World Cup in 2011.