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Showing posts from 2012

Punter Ponting bows out

Ricky Ponting was a picture of composure, dignity and passion when he announced his retirement earlier this week. The desire was still there—to win and do well for his country—but he felt, like many of his critics, that he wasn’t contributing enough towards the team’s cause, he wasn’t churning out the runs necessary,   and his recent performances were not good enough to warrant a place in the team. Ponting’s teammates would argue his case—they would say he was contributing in so many ways to the team, that he is such a good mentor to the youngsters, and that he has much more left in him. The man who mattered most, Ricky himself, would not buy it. He acknowledged the difficulties he had faced over the past year or so and thanked the selectors and his teammates for their unconditional support. There was nothing dramatic about Ponting’s announcement. There were no tears, he didn’t choke up, and neither did he reflect on his career, for Ponting knows there is a more pressing mat

An affair to remember

It’s amazing how a piece of wood can become such an important part of your life… How every time you wield it in your hand it’s like your very life depends on it… How when it rains you hold it close to your chest, shielding it from every drop… How you seem to share a heartbeat… (How can I piece of wood have a heartbeat, you ask? I’m sure one day you’ll find an ‘object’ that does). How a small crack in the wood causes a great deal of pain in your heart and leads to even more anxiety when it is being repaired… In short, how you care for it, as if the “piece of wood” were your own flesh and blood. That perfectly describes my relationship with my RNS Larsons ‘Omega’ bat; one that began in the summer of 2008 and was forced to a close a few weeks ago. Sometimes you know right away that there is a connection; and when I picked up that bat, I knew right away that it was made for me! It weighed 1099gms, had a rather thin blade (compared to the ones you see now), but was beautifully

A tribute to Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid announced his retirement from Test cricket today. One of India’s finest cricketers, a legend in his own right- Dravid bows out on his own terms. After having scored more than 10,000 runs in both Test and One Day cricket, his greatness cannot be doubted. He averages almost 55 away from the sub-continent, a record any Indian would be proud of. I have grown up watching Dravid play. His technique, his calm presence at the crease and his modesty are all something I admire. He played the game hard, with controlled aggression and proved that the modern cricketer can still be a gentleman- something that the sport lacks now. Dravid was a team player in every sense of the term. As Harsha Bhogle said, he was India’s ‘yes’ man. He never said no when the team required his services. When he was asked to keep wickets, he accepted; when he was asked to open the batting, he accepted; and when he was asked to bat at number 6 in the one day format, he accepted. He challenged himself alwa

Age is no bar

In India, (more so in Indian sport), we seem so focused on the 'future' that we forget about the present. For example, the Indian men's cricket team has just lost the second Test at Sydney and all the 'experts' are calling for VVS Laxman's head. Why not Virat Kohli? I mean Laxman is one of our best batsmen, he has an exceptional record against Australia and he scored a 60 odd at Sydney in the second innings. He has looked good in the middle, so why would you want to drop him?-- The experts say he is "too old" and we should therefore give Virat Kohli another chance because he is the "future of Indian cricket." Honestly, I think that is complete nonsense! Yes, Virat is the future of Indian cricket. He's an outstanding player and deserves his place in the Test side, but not a place in the XI at the cost of Laxman- a man who has won and saved many Tests for India over the past few years. He truly is an unsung hero! The picture is no differe