In the past month, I had a great time writing in the
Expert Fan Speak hosted by
Castrol Cricket. I got to air my views on many subjects regarding to cricket and also got a insight into the views of other cricket fans and the resident expert Harsha Bhogle. It was an amazing experience getting Harsh to read my views and then giving his comments on it. Four of my answers got chosen as the answer of the day and eventually one of them won the answer of the tournament. Here below I give excerpts of my work at castrol cricket.
The answer that won the Answer of the tournament.
Question -Which batsman would prove to be a handy player in T20? A Pinch hitter (lofted drives in to the stadium) or a technically sound batsman like Dravids or Laxmans.........?
My answer -T20 is about piling heavy runs in 120 balls and depositing the balls into the stands, but when a player looks to attack and score heavily, there is a high percentage of risk involved. Pinch hitters can clear the boundary but due to their extremely aggressive and risky styles they more often than not play small cameos rather than match winning knocks. A technically correct batsman would look at the way the pitch is behaving and play accordingly to the current situation of the game. This is why big hitters like Kevin Pietersen and McCullum have taken a back seat when compared to the batsman who are more technically correct as Jayawardna, Duminy or De Villiers. The mark of a good batsman is adaptability that is generally seen in mature and more technically correct players as they can more easily control their shots depending on the nature of the wicket and the current scenario.
Harsha's Reply - 
Correctly put Christopher. But also, technique is not the only thing in the world of sport. One needs to have flair, flamboyancy in their playing style which makes watching them enjoyable.
To view the full thread.Question - Cricket started as Test, emerged into ODI and is now the fast and fiery T20. Which will die first ODI or T20 as the purists of the game will not allow Tests to die?
My Answer - Definitely test cricket will not die and will be held due to it's history and traditions. It may have seen low viewers in the last few years yet in may places test cricket is favored and cricketers and die hard fans alike find it the most fascinating game. The ashes are still favorites and the Border-Gavaskar trophy may attain a lesser degree in the years to come. T20 is another format that the crowd loves and so do the organizers for it is an easy revenue maker. T20's are watched by wide range of audience and it is an cash rich format. The IPL is the standing example for this. ODI's looks like the format that might die. The viewers have decreased for this format due to it's predictability. Despite the various changes such as the batting powerplay by the ICC, the format still doesn't attract such a big crowd and is slowly dying. The restructuring in the English and South African domestic circles is a direct reflection of this. The success of the Champions Trophy might have delayed the inevitable, but One days will only continue to survive as long as the organizers make the game interesting and fun. Another repeat of the 2007 world cup would surely spell disaster. I certainly hope that we would have all three formats as cricket is one of the few games that has three lovely formats.Harsha's Reply - Neither needs to die. The BMW exists, the Honda city exists and so does the Alto or the Santro. Just as there are different price points so too will there be different popularity and return on investment points. but eventually it is the public that will decide, not the purists.
To view the full thread.Question - As Sunil Gavaskar once pointed out, nowadays parents are encouraging their kids to play cricket luring after the revenue earned by IPL players. In the time of competition, would it encourage the level of cricketing talents or prove fatal for the existence of ODI and Test cricket?
My Answer -
In India, parents have started encouraging cricket to their children in the last few years seeing it as an way of life and a job that can bring in good money. With the advancement in cricket and commercialism, it is turning out to be a game where money flows like water. And with India dominating the commercial aspect of cricket, Indians are encouraged to play and earn their livelihood through cricket. I think that this is wonderful as it increases the talent pool and gives a clear insight of the game's development. With more people in the game, it can only do the game good, and surely the level of cricket in the domestic circle will increase as more players join it.
Harsha's Reply -
One of the things we have learnt in india, which to be honest we always knew, is that protectionist policies aren't good. So if we try and artificially prop up test cricket and one day cricket, someone else will use the opportunity thus generated. But these are early days of the IPL, I believe the supply demand equation will soon find an equilibrium. But the reason children are being encouraged to play cricket isn't only the IPL. A first class cricketer makes a pretty decent living out of cricket now and so even if you don't make it to the top or to an IPL contract, there is still a decent pile to be made.
To view the full thread.Question - Most of the Indian batsmen still struggle to face the short balls outside the off stump.Is there any fault with coaches or with the batsmen?
My answer -
Subcontinent players have generally struggled with the shorter ball. This is mainly due to the lack of bounce that pitches in the subcontinent tend to have. Many players have been vulnerable to the short ball and have struggled greatly in places such as WACA, Perth, where the bounce is really steep. I really do not think there is much fault in the coach. It is the player who must come out of his comfort zone and adjust to the rising deliveries that are not so frequent when playing in the subcontinent. Players must watch the ball till the very end when leaving a rising ball and must be technically correct to pull and hook a ball. Rahul Dravid has shown just this and is one of the best players of the short balls in modern day cricket. This is because of the fact that Dravid watches the ball till the very end, and when pulling, his balance is perfect and his head is so still. Also when playing the short ball one must have plenty of courage since eventually a ball is bound to rap you. Adam Gilchrist is perhaps one of the fearless hookers of the game who never looks to back down when a speedster bangs the ball short.
Harsha's Reply -
That is not entirely true. Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman were fine. and Sehwag looks ok too. It is only some of the younger players and they need to get better. But I am a little concerned at the haste with which coaches and the system get blamed. If players are ambitious and have the right work ethic they should find a way out themselves. I am also worried by the number of coaches youngsters have. If they have to go to a coach for everything, when will they learn to think for themselves!
To view the full thread.
I thank my family, who always stood by my side and gave me the confidence that I could do it. I also thank all my friends who inspired me on, and all the people who voted for me and of course Harsha for selecting my answers as the winner. I would also like to thanks Nidhi for introducing me to Castrol Cricket Expert Fan Speak. And finally I thank my God for giving me this opportunity.
Please visit
my Castrol Cricket profile.
