After watching the much awaited contest between India and T20 Champs, England yesterday [SCORECARD], I was left thinking about a few things. India lost yet another match in England against England making the series even more gloomy, and Stuart Broad managed his first win as England's T20 skipper. So here are my thoughts on the match,
1.) The man who made his T20 debut and retired from T20 cricket the very same day - Interesting isn't it, that someone can play their first international T20 match and that match being his last? I wonder what was going through Rahul Dravid's mind when he made his T20 debut at the age of 38, yesterday. Walking in at first drop Dravid played an entertaining knock scoring 31 runs of just 22 balls. Dravid leaves the international arena with his T20 strike rate being 147.61!
2.) Dravid and his three big strikes - Dravid smashed three huge sixes off consecutive deliveries! Maybe the IPL isn't all bad? Surely one day when I'm old, I'll call all my grandchildren around my rocking char and tell them with pride, "I was alive when Rahul Dravid smashed three sixes in row!"
3.) Can India bat? - India which struggled to score 300 in the test series now struggles to last 20 overs! The agony of being bowled out in a T20 match!
4.) Ajinkya Rahane - Is Rahane a star in the making? Well that's my question! The young man who has a very enviable first class record showed everyone his class as he scored a half century on debut. The youngster showed no signs of nerves and looked completely at ease, even against the short pitched deliveries that the English seamers served him. He drove, cut, pulled, hooked, flicked, and delicately dabbed the ball all over the park showcasing his entire repertoire of shots. It was a treat to watch him bat and I hope that this is just the start for Rahane. Hopefully he can become a star like Ganguly who also made his debut alongside Dravid in England.
5.) The great Indian Collapse - Only India can fall from a position of grace with the score at 104 for 2 in 11.4 overs to being bundled out for 165 runs in 19.4 overs. In other words India lost 8 wickets for 61 runs in the space of 8 overs!
6.) The English - Irish, Indian, and South African connections - What would England be without their Irish, Indian and South African players? They would be rubbish! Their Indian-South African players picked up five of the ten Indian wickets with Dernbach picking up 4 and Bopara picking up 1. Also Eoin Morgan set the run chase by scoring a splendid 49 while Bopara and Samit Patel finished the match.
7.) Divide and rule? - That has always been the British principle when it comes to conquering colonies such as India, but it took another form yesterday as they let lose two (English) Indians by the name of Ravi Bopara and Samit Patel to fight against the Indians. Together they scored 56 runs in just 52 balls taking England home.
8.) The curious case of Patel - I'm not talking about England's over weight Samit Patel here, but rather India's Munaf Patel. Munaf Patel was part of the Indian test squad and he was at all four grounds and the only effective thing he did was carry the drinks. However after watching him bowl, yesterday, I wonder if India missed something by not selecting this man?
9.) Invention of a new shot - Samit Patel invented a new shot yesterday! I cannot describe it so just look at the pictures...pictures after all do speak a thousand words.
10.) The sad question - Having lost the test series and now the T20 match, can India somehow manage to save it's pride by at least winning the ODI series?
With that last question lingering on in my head...I conclude.
1.) The man who made his T20 debut and retired from T20 cricket the very same day - Interesting isn't it, that someone can play their first international T20 match and that match being his last? I wonder what was going through Rahul Dravid's mind when he made his T20 debut at the age of 38, yesterday. Walking in at first drop Dravid played an entertaining knock scoring 31 runs of just 22 balls. Dravid leaves the international arena with his T20 strike rate being 147.61!
2.) Dravid and his three big strikes - Dravid smashed three huge sixes off consecutive deliveries! Maybe the IPL isn't all bad? Surely one day when I'm old, I'll call all my grandchildren around my rocking char and tell them with pride, "I was alive when Rahul Dravid smashed three sixes in row!"
3.) Can India bat? - India which struggled to score 300 in the test series now struggles to last 20 overs! The agony of being bowled out in a T20 match!
4.) Ajinkya Rahane - Is Rahane a star in the making? Well that's my question! The young man who has a very enviable first class record showed everyone his class as he scored a half century on debut. The youngster showed no signs of nerves and looked completely at ease, even against the short pitched deliveries that the English seamers served him. He drove, cut, pulled, hooked, flicked, and delicately dabbed the ball all over the park showcasing his entire repertoire of shots. It was a treat to watch him bat and I hope that this is just the start for Rahane. Hopefully he can become a star like Ganguly who also made his debut alongside Dravid in England.
5.) The great Indian Collapse - Only India can fall from a position of grace with the score at 104 for 2 in 11.4 overs to being bundled out for 165 runs in 19.4 overs. In other words India lost 8 wickets for 61 runs in the space of 8 overs!
6.) The English - Irish, Indian, and South African connections - What would England be without their Irish, Indian and South African players? They would be rubbish! Their Indian-South African players picked up five of the ten Indian wickets with Dernbach picking up 4 and Bopara picking up 1. Also Eoin Morgan set the run chase by scoring a splendid 49 while Bopara and Samit Patel finished the match.
7.) Divide and rule? - That has always been the British principle when it comes to conquering colonies such as India, but it took another form yesterday as they let lose two (English) Indians by the name of Ravi Bopara and Samit Patel to fight against the Indians. Together they scored 56 runs in just 52 balls taking England home.
8.) The curious case of Patel - I'm not talking about England's over weight Samit Patel here, but rather India's Munaf Patel. Munaf Patel was part of the Indian test squad and he was at all four grounds and the only effective thing he did was carry the drinks. However after watching him bowl, yesterday, I wonder if India missed something by not selecting this man?
9.) Invention of a new shot - Samit Patel invented a new shot yesterday! I cannot describe it so just look at the pictures...pictures after all do speak a thousand words.
10.) The sad question - Having lost the test series and now the T20 match, can India somehow manage to save it's pride by at least winning the ODI series?
With that last question lingering on in my head...I conclude.
2 Comments:
Good take on the T20 match!
Just one point about Rahane, rather any new bloke on the block, being heralded or suspected as a star inn the making. (You have only posed a question, I concede)
I had a colleague who was a demanding copywriter. He used to ask us to give three names for a new product. Once we somehow wring out those three names, he wd csay "c'mon, give me at least one!" His explantion: The first three are just the knee jerk obvious ones that come out without thinking.
Similarly we shd not even put debut and star in one sentence until we see some consistent performance. To me it is like show me atleast five good shows (nothing extraordinary but solid ones) out of first eight appearances and then I will start thinking whether we have a possible star in the making. (I don't care to be the earliest spotter of big talent. Nobody gives me any ack or prize for that anyway! ;))
Thank you mate.
I know one match is way too early to say anything but the fact is that I've heard so much about Rahane and how he should have been in the test team ahead of Murali Vijay whenever our openers got injured. Also his record in Ranji is splendid.
Seeing the shots he played and the temperament the guy showed on debut, I'm sure he's one talented young man. Though it is to be seen if that will enable him to shine in the International arena.
But completely agree with you that nowadays people including me use the words great so commonly and that is not a very great thing to do. :)
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