My Views Over Mankading

Last week Ashwin mankaded Joss Buttler in an IPL game. Without a warning. Even stopping for a non-reasonable amount of time in his delivery stride so that Buttler's natural momentum took him outside the crease. This divided the whole cricketing world into two halves. Some of them called it "disgraceful", "unsportsmanlike", "unfair" whereas some of them termed it as "well within his rights", "spirit is no substitute for the laws" and so on.

My personal take on this: Initially, I was very very annoyed, gutted, and fuming over R. Ashwin's actions. Multiple reasons behind this: First, I never liked Ashwin much as a cricketer. Second, I have always liked Joss Buttler. Third, I like Rajasthan Royals in general too and I wanted them to have a good start to their IPL campaign. Fourth, Rajasthan Royals lost the game eventually because of this mankading.

I even posted some angry tweets and pictures of castigating R. Ashwin over social media depicting how much I despised his actions.

But, as time went on and I thought a lot about it during sleep and other free times, I realised that I was being naive. It was Joss who was at fault like so many other batsmen who have been mankaded in the past. If you don't want smoke, don't light the fire. If you don't want to be mankaded, just stand your ground behind popping crease till the ball is delivered. It is as simple as that. The non-strike batsmen give excuse that now-a-days balls are hit back so hard in their direction they won't get time to react or get out of the way if they first follow the bowler's hand and then the other end. To that, I say that is not good enough excuse. Batsmen are having full protection and they have to start putting heavier prices on their wickets. They can't expect bowlers to be generous anymore. Remember, now-a-days after every dismissal bowlers are checked for no-balls and there is no margin for them. Not even a single centimetres. If they can live with it, batsmen better learn it as well.

Now-a-days, cricket has grown multiple folds. It is no longer the great gentleman's game which used to be played only during free times by the higher society people of England. The game has reached different corners and societies of the world. Cricketers are under tremendous pressure to deliver. They get million of bucks to entertain us and with every ball, there is so much at stake. Victory and losses often decide the paths your career will take. Is it so surprising and wrong to see R. Ashwin do what he did considering the circumstances? Remember: He is the captain of Kings XI Punjab and last year, they couldn't qualify for the play-offs despite being table toppers for most of the season. The director of their cricket, Virender Sehwag was let go and so many coaching staff changes happened. They have the second worst record among all IPL teams (after Delhi Daredevils maybe). They must be feeling the heat. Loss in opening game wouldn't have done them much favours.

The custodians of our game, MCC who made the original laws of cricket called the dismissal within the rules. Though, after further scrutiny, one day later they deemed the extra-long pause taken by Ashwin before the delivery "not-in-the-spirit-of-the-game". I have huge amount of respect for MCC and if they think the dismissal was legal, then who am I to question it? I agree with them whole-heartedly. Personally, I would never have done it. But, I still feel Ashwin did what he did was right thing to do. If I were Ashwin, I would have given Joss Buttler a fair warning and that warning would have been applicable for all the other batters of his side too.

Just one warning, that's all. If they try to take advantage after that, all bets are off.

What really worries me despite being able to understand why this happened is: Where do we draw the line at all? What if it becomes a tactic to get rid of premier batsman of the opposition side? How far we are away from mankading being discussed in the dressing room and among the coach-captain conversation? If that happens, that would be a real sad day for those who love and worship the game.

We will see this so called "mankading" dismissal a lot in coming years and I have a feeling that I will make peace with it eventually. It is here to stay. Similar to other sports, cricket will very soon become a game of "win at all costs", no doubt about that. I guess, that is evolution.

How England valiantly fought to avoid winning the series?

England isn't bad. They just seem lost sometimes. Lost as a 5-year old kid on an airport unable to find his parents. They went to the Carribean and cricket pundits licked their lips while uttering that West Indies will fail to win a single game in both tests as well as ODI series.

Both series are over. West Indies didn't lose either of the series.

Let's deal with test series first. England is known to cuddle the opponents, putting overthinking in the selection and giving too much weight to conventional methods. And when they do go unorthodox, they favor gut instincts over cold, hard facts. Don't get me wrong. I love Sam Curran as much as his parents do, but since he bats at number 8 or lower and he only has 15 wickets in 9 tests, there was absolutely no logic in picking him over the veteran Broad (who has more than 28 times the number of test wickets as Sam.)

England didn't lose because of Sam Curran blunder. A couple of less Roach and Holder in West Indies would have helped though. In the first test, Holder absolutely made a mockery of England bowling lineup en route to his first double hundred. Though when you get bowled out for 77, you know you are in ...

Second test: Common sense restored. Broad was brought back, but not at the expense of Curran. England just often seems too greedy to get lower order contributions that they forget to pick proper bowlers to pick 20 wickets. Darren Bravo sucked the hope out of England's bowling and England batters did the rest. They fought valiantly hard in both the test matches to not convert any fifty into 100 or daddy ones.

The third test was a restoration of pride. Jason Holder was banned for slow over rate, which was as ridiculous decision from ICC as failing to provide a satisfactory format for the World Cup. I would have recommended banning England cricket team from the third test for their dim-witted batting in the first two tests. Anyway, moving on...

ODI series began. New faces. New England (as they choose to call themselves after the debacle of 2015 world cup) was on the island. No scars of test series defeat. Number 1 team in the world by a country mile. They haven't lost in their last 10 ODI bilateral series. They hadn't lost in an ODI match to West Indies since December 2014. "It'd be 5-0. This series is a way to test our squad depth. Bla. Bla. Bla."

Except they were hit by a familiar though deadlier hurricane named "Christopher Henry Gayle".

39 sixes in 4 games. 400+ runs with a strike rate of 130+ en route to becoming the first man, woman or any other animal in the entire solar system to hit 500 international sixes.

If you deliver full and straight, you are putting the bald headed guy sitting at mid-wicket region in the crowd in mortal danger. If you choose to instead target his rib cage, it will crash the glasses of cars parked outside the stadium. Instead, if you choose to take the pace off the ball, it may work when Gayle is starting his innings, but when he is having fun out there, you will only cause a lost ball.

4 games. 2 hundreds. 2 fifties. Hitting sixes for fun. He causes delirium in the crowd making them forget who they are cheering for and he does things which are difficult for mortals to imagine let alone try out in the middle.

England weren't bad (except in the last match, where they were in a hurry to watch the latest episode of "Game of Thrones" that they forgot to bat, bowl or field), they were just beaten by a team which is massively underrated. With the batting lineup of Gayle, Hope, Bravo, Hetmyer, Russel, Holder, Braithwaite: they have got too much dynamite to explode any bowling lineup on this blue-green planet.

England remain consistently inconsistent. They know that they have only as much chance of winning the World Cup as other 3-4 nations. Sure, they are good and they are playing at home and all that, but one brain-freeze like they had at Gros Islet, and the dream and the honeymoon will be over.

But, but, but... despite this criticising post, it doesn't change the fact that I've always loved England cricket and will continue to do so in future (Unconditionally). It matters very little to me whether they win this World Cup or not. They are and will remain my babies. And it gives me goosebumps to even imagine Eoin's team at the podium with the World Cup on July 14, 2019. I hope this dream turns into reality. 

Another letter for Brendon McCullum

Dear Brendon

It was such a source of sadness for me when last week, you announced your retirement from BBL. I still believe that you are good enough to play any form of cricket there is. Through this letter, I want to pay a tribute to you for everything you have taught me about cricket and life in general.

When you walk to the middle, I can feel the electricity in the air. When you bat, nothing else in the world matters to me. When you are on the field, anything is possible. You have been a perfect role model for me for so many years now. I have learned more from you than I can say here. Still, let me try:

• Play it safe, play it safe. What the heck! Swing for the rooftops: Life is short. You can't be playing safe all the times. Life is an endless trade-off between risk and reward. I have never seen anyone as aggressive in approaching the game as you. Safety never resulted in something great. 
• Best captain I ever saw: Along with Michael Clarke, you are the best captain I have ever seen on a cricket field. You are an astute reader of the game and never back down from taking a risk. 5 slips, a wide gully, a backward point, a short-cover, silly point, a catching mid-off, a short mid-wicket, short-leg and so on. Jeez, I miss those days. Numbers will never do justice to what you brought on the field. There is no man-made tool to measure your contribution. Attack, attack, attack. All. The. Time. 
• Don't give the opposition a chance: I still remember England playing against Blackcaps in the 2015 World Cup. While England were noticeably terrible, they were nowhere as bad as losing an ODI game in 10 overs. I had never seen anyone annihilating a bowling attack so brutally as that. Bang! Six. Bang! Four. It was a testament to how much mental aggression is important in our sports. I could almost feel for England bowlers bowling haplessly to defend a paltry total when they knew that they had not got a cat in a hell's chance. 
• This is just a game, after all: No better person in the world to have a beer with at the close of the play. Play it hard on the field, but cricketing friendships should last a lifetime. Your cricketing relationships with fellow cricketers is a perfect example of this. 
• 100% commitment: I have seen you on numerous occasions dive across the field converting a four into a three even if it wouldn't make a difference on the result. Sometimes, despite knowing that they are gonna run four anyway, you choose to do it. Now, that is a 100% commitment. And it was never limited to only blackcaps, but for every team, you have ever played for: from Brisbane Heat to CSK. Each one of them. 
• The first scoring shot can be six, there is no problem with that: I don't know any batter who is not afraid of getting a duck. Hence, they try to minimize the risk while getting off the mark. Just nudge a single. Put the bat in front of the line of the ball and run. Even if the ball is a full-toss begging to be hit, they choose not to do it. What if I fail? What if I get dropped because of getting a duck and all that. They are just too scared of the what-ifs. Not you. I have seen on a number of occasions you starting out your innings with a gallant six and warming up the hands of some fortunate spectator. I absolutely loved watching you. The only other person I can think of who used to do it was Virender Sehwag. 
• Many people can make runs, but can they scoop Shaun Tait bowling at 100 miles per hour?: The image of you hitting Shaun Tait hitting over fine-leg on your way to yet another T20 international hundred is still fresh in my mind. With all due respect to batters playing conventional cricketing shots, making runs innovatively is an entirely different challenge. If there is a half-volley pitching outside the off-stump, 99% of the good batters can hit it through covers for four, but those who hit it between third slip and gully for a cheeky boundary, they are the ones who push the boundaries of batsmanship. No better example of this than you (AB used to do it too, and I loved him as well.)
• My personal biases: I like stylish cricketers. Good hairstyle, tattoos, chewing gums, aggressive, walking back without cursing when they get out, moving on from disappointments quickly, playing it hard and fair. I also have a strong place for the athletes born in September (My Birthday Month). You are each one of the above. 

You've always been an inspiration to me, Brendon and you will continue to be so. Hope to meet you someday in person. 

Respectfully yours, 

pawan

12 years of Adelaide 2006: Remembering the most painful defeat of my life

It seems like yesterday. England 97 runs ahead after stumps at day 4 with 9 wickets in hand. On day 5, they made the most painful 70 runs ever in around 55 overs at the cost of 9 wickets. Australia played ODI cricket in rest time and chased it down with ease. Ricky deservedly was the Man of the Match. 

I will never know what happened that night after day 4. It will always remain a mystery to me. Did England players sleep on the wrong side of the bed? Did God himself intervene and give divine powers to the Aussies? Did England players forget how to play cricket overnight? Was it written in the stars? Was it fate or destiny or was it one of those freaks of nature performances? Was it bad luck or was it years of hard work and mental grittiness of the Aussies? Whatever it was, it was a symbolic representation of everything Cricket stands for. That defeat was a recognition of how hard Aussies had worked hard to regain the Ashes after the debacle of 2005 and how much prepared they were this time. 

I was 13 and was in grade 8 at that time. We didn’t have cable TV and the only source of England-Australia matches were news channels or the newspapers. After day 4, I was so sure that the game was gonna end in a draw that I didn’t bother to check the score for the whole day. Next day, I casually opened the newspaper and as usual, went to the sports section first thing. I will never forget the sinking feeling when I saw the title, “Warne-Ponting magic steal an impossible Ashes test win”. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I thought that the paper guys made a mistake. They don’t know what they are talking about. So, I took some of my savings, went to the market and bought a few other newspapers. I was so sure that they were going to show a different scoreboard. The one, in which the test ended in a draw. The innocence of 13 year-olds. Ah! it still hurts as if it happened yesterday.

Well. All the newspapers, both in Hindi and English told the same story with different words and fonts. Everyone at my home was normal. None I knew really cared about Ashes or England. I had to grieve alone. I went to school, kept thinking about it. Whole day. Then the whole week and whole month. It was hard to move on. It is like they say, “The toughest lessons of life are always learned in your formative years.” I have sobbed in anger, in pain, and in frustration thinking about that defeat. I made a few pacts to myself later. I promised myself that day that I will never be England. I will always love them, but I will never be them. I couldn’t ever bring myself to love Aussies again. My relationship with them was over on that very day. 

That defeat had a constant and ever-lasting impression on me and I was never the same person after that. I started working harder and harder since that day. I was already rank one in studies in my class, but after Adelaide 2006, I made the second rank guy a far distant second. I stopped taking anything for granted and almost become paranoid. I became extra cautious and started to be over-prepared all the time. Adelaide 2006 made me who I am and who I want to be. That defeat transformed my inner self. I had never felt so much sympathy and love for anything like I did for England that day. I questioned everything since then. The defeat happened on December 5, 2006. Freddie’s birthday (my favorite cricketer growing up) was the next day. I felt for him. After all, he was the captain of that England side that summer. I wish I could have shared his pain.

I hated the Aussies while maintaining a deep respect for the way they went about their business. I wanted to be like them while being an English cricket lover in the heart. I vividly remember my diary entry from that night. I was crying and I had depicted my pain in words like,

“Dear Nicole Kidman and Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine

I dare you to alleviate this perpetual pain I find myself into. Just so you all know, that you are not a panacea. You can’t fix this. A part within me just died with England losing at the magical Adelaide today. That part will forever stay dead. Nothing and absolutely nothing will ever be enough to erase the memories of today. If a man were dying today and asking for my help and I happen to be there, my first question to him will be, “Hey mate! Show me your passport.” If it happens to be an Australian, I would call for help and wouldn’t help him myself. I know that is ridiculous as humanity is the biggest religion of us all, but I don’t care about that right now. 

I feel so much loathing for the entire nation today. I know that it is childish and England themselves are to blame for this, but I can’t help myself. God, please help me and ease my pain. Please, never again I want to go through something like this. Please God, comfort me.”

Note: My favorite actress growing up was Nicole Kidman (who happens to be an Australian) and my only dream in life has always been to win a Nobel prize in either of Physics, Chemistry or Medicine (besides making the fastest hundred on debut against Australia in Australia of course).

Every time something good happens in my life or I feel like I am getting ahead of myself, I watch that scorecard of Adelaide 2006 and it brings me back to earth. It is a mirror of the brutal and cold truth that in sports, anything can happen. You just never know what will you get once you cross that white line. The pitch, the bat and the ball can and will betray you. The moment you start taking things for granted, it will hit you back hard. 

I have read autobiographies of almost half of the players from both England and Australia involved in that match. Everyone said different things. Warne, Ponting, KP, Lee, McGrath, Hayden, Flintoff, Clarke: All had their own versions of that day. I am still not satisfied. The mystery in my head endures. How can England lose the unlosable? Ian Chappell said after that defeat, “The difference was in the mind.” I was thinking like, “What if the Aussies are fundamentally superior to English? What if every woman on earth choose them over the English? What if England never beat Australia ever again? What if every test match turns out to be Adelaide?” So many bad things. Such a little life. 

I have spent countless nights thinking about that defeat. It still hurts and haunts me. The wounds have just gone deeper in skin now. That defeat is a constant reminder of why sports is so pure and why victory in any sports is always morally appropriate. I still haven’t forgiven Australia for that day. I hate them, and yet I can’t stop thinking about them. It is weird. Someday, I may let it go. But, one thing is for sure that I will never forget the sinking feeling in my stomach when I saw the newspaper headline that day. It was as if I had seen a ghost. 

If I ever meet any of the England players from that match, I have only one question to ask, “What happened?"

I have celebrated every year of December 1 - 5 as a tribute to that magical match. I barely watch any cricket during that week. It is a no-cricket week for me. It is perfect. I still remember taking ice-bath in the chilling winter in Kanpur during midnight on the 10th anniversary of that match. Cricket has always been like a baby to me and it has taught me everything I know. Both about life and about numbers. Adelaide 2006 is a perfect representation of it. 

I still remember at one stage Australia needed 43 off 67 balls with Freddie bowling 5 dots in a row to Clarke. The last ball of the over was clipped towards midwicket. Clarke ran three and then Pietersen overthrow costing additional four. Seven runs in one ball! That look of exasperation on Flintoff's face was not of disappointment, but of sadness. I just wish I was there stopping that boundary. It is like the title of this article shows, "You may smile at a six, but you will cry at a seven."

For Joe Denly

The last time he played, I had just started my graduation in 2010. In between his last game and now, I had lived an entire lifetime of heartbreaks, pain, and agony. Watching England struggle is one of the most painful things I have to go through.

Imagine having to live for 3,172 days without the thing you love the most. The proud three-lions cap. Denly must have missed it. Hell, even I missed it for him. When he went out for England yesterday, my faith in perseverance and hard-work got renewed. It was a moment of euphoria for me.

When Joe came out to bat yesterday, I had tears of joy rolling down my cheek. It was Saturday night with me trying to read some science on my sofa. England was trying to find closing momentum. Stokesy was struggling on the other end going at run-a-ball. The outfield had got damp because of the rain and there was a chance that England could end up with a below par total. And amidst this, Joe was up against one of the all-time greatest T20 bowlers: Lasith Malinga. It was an enormously uphill task. Keep the wickets and try to accelerate.

Malinga was just too good for him. With the mix of slower balls and deadly toe-crushing yorkers, he was hard to get away with. He bowled 4 dot balls in a row to Joe Denly and it was painful to watch. Eventually, Joe got going in the next over with 3 boundaries. All of them were pure class. The use of feet lifting over the bowler's head followed by slash over third man and ending the over with a gorgeous midwicket on-drive. He was back! I was feeling elated and ecstatic at home.

In the next over, Malinga got rid of Denly. He made 20 before departing. It was a decent innings considering the fact that Denly opens the batting for his county, Kent and it was a very unfamiliar role in a completely different situation and that too, in the subcontinent. I was reasonably happy for him. But his best was yet to come.

Captain Morgan gave him the new ball to bowl some leg-breaks. Denly often does that for Kent.

Joe Denly was simply sensational. He got the ball to turn just enough. The ball was skidding because of dampness and he got rid of both Sri Lankan openers in his first two overs. Rashid did the rest and both leggies combined 7 wickets in their 8 overs. Denly bowled the last over and got two more wickets and ended up with 4-0-19-4. The best bowling figures in T20Is for England against Sri Lanka. England had a comprehensive win by 30 runs.

Normally, I sleep early. But this time, I stayed awake till late. Just to watch him. It was worth it. I was a little sad that the game had to end. I wanted to soak it up a bit more. It's sad that nothing lasts.

Typical Saturday for Cricket fans, huh?

Australia in Free Fall

Australia is falling faster than the acceleration due to gravity (which is 32 feet per second per second in case you are wondering). Mitchell Marsh's batting average is making baseball batting averages look like Don Bradman's. Australia is trying out players after players as if they have an entire army of tried and tested players to build. They are handing baggy green like a 2 dollar note. Australia is bad right now. Probably the worst they ever have been in their cricketing history.

Someone once said, "There are only bad options. It's about finding the best one."

Australia is unable to even do that. The whole team seems so fragile. They can't play spin, they can't play quality fast bowling, they can't bowl oppositions out when nothing is happening. They were pathetic in 3 of the 4 innings in this series.

Under Tim Paine, they haven't won a single match so far. They have been playing under Tim Paine for the last 6 months. An Aussie victory is rarer than watching Halley's comet nowadays.

A quick question: What are the things which Shaun Marsh and Mitchell Marsh have in common? a. Both play for Queensland. b. Both want to visit planet Jupiter some day. c. Both are bipedal human beings. c. Both can't bat when it matters.

Mitchell Marsh is the vice-captain of this current Australian team. Why? No human being knows the answer.
Mitchell Marsh is batting higher than Burj Khalifa (at number 5 in case you are wondering). Why? Again. No human being has the answer.

Mitchell Marsh has always been a waste of a plane ticket. Still, he keeps on getting opportunities as if failing to do so would anger him to burn this entire planet and humanity.

Shaun Marsh: Same story. Too many promises. Too little delivery. Mohammad Abbas made him look like a 5-year old kid who can't find his parents at the airport.
Shaun Marsh is a nicker.
Nickers should be dropped for they are the ones who provide fodder for the pouting lips of the slip cordon.

During whole series, Abbas could be seen punching the air celebrating a wicket as if he holds a personal grudge against it. He is number 3 bowler in test cricket right now in this galaxy.

Labuschagne made his debut in the first test. Labuschagne was picked to make bowlers tired.

During whole series, Labuschagne was seen mostly not with the bat in his hands, but with the ball.

Holland and Siddle: Not their fault. They have got each other's shoulders to cry on. They are angry with their parents for giving birth to them at such a time when the rest of Australia can't bat, bowl or field.

Starc: Can't do much when the batters are busy trying to find creative ways to get out and not give his quickly aging pair of legs some rest.
Lyon: The GOAT was fine. Should have been the vice-captain.

Other than Finch, Khawaja and Paine defiance in the first test and Lyon's brilliance in the second, it was a complete fiasco of a series for Australia. ICC rankings, for what they are worth considers them the number 5 team on this planet. It could get worse.

If you want to have a little chortle, listen to this at the end of the series from Australian captain:
"There's no doubt this has been happening for too long for the Australian cricket team, not just our Test team but probably domestically, there's a lot of collapses throughout our batting group.  A lot of it can be technical, some guys will be mental and other guys will be tactical or your plans not being right for certain bowlers. There's no shying away from the fact we've got a hell of a lot of work to do with our batting, and that's not just this team, it's throughout the whole country."

All I can mutter while watching this Australian team collapse from my couch, sipping a hot cup of tea is: "O Australia, Dear Australia! What happened to you, Sunshine?"

Cricket will miss you, Cooky!

My emotional development from a little kid living in the suburbs of India to an adult runs very parallel to generation Alastair Cook. He is leaving International Cricket after Oval test at the end of summer, but he won't ever be gone from my mind.

I liked Alastair Cook from the first glance I had at him when he was picked at the Nagpur test in India in 2006 as a 21-year-old teenager. He shocked the world by getting a 60 and 104* against two of the best spinners of that time. Making a hundred against India in India is something so many have dreamt and died without fulfilling. Cooky did it in the first attempt after flying 10000 miles from the Caribbean coming as a last-minute replacement! I knew that he was such a special talent. The chef, my hero, and role-model-to-be.

Before I saw Alastair Cook, I hated everyone I met. I hated the rules and regulations. I wanted to be this cool guy from the Hollywood movies. I wanted to be wearing V-neck t-shirts and going to the mall, looking cool on social media and all those things cool guys do. I must admit I have never been a patient guy. Since childhood, I have always wanted to do things fast. Everything. I hate to waste time. I want things quickly. Watching and following Cook in England's shirt changed me for the better. He taught me the value of placidness, humbleness, patience, and calmness. I was never the same after I saw Cook. It was the cricketing equivalence of Buddhism. I liked him and I will always like him from everything I have. He has had a huge role to play to wherever I am today.

So many things I do in life, I can find a bit of Alastair Cook in it. He is there with me. All the time. He has such an indelible impression on me. I was always a rebellion. He was the string which compelled me to be a gentleman. He is one of the big reasons, I have always tried to polite to everybody I met since high school until now. I believed in his methods. It was him who taught me that being a gentleman is not a choice, it is a responsibility. Every time I look at him, it gives me a sense of sanity in the world. He symbolizes something far greater than the numbers in cricket. He is a living symbol that traditional methods still work. He is an epitome of hard work, perseverance, focus, commitment, and sheer will. He scored so many runs with his limited scoring options. The thing with him was: If something wasn't working out for him, he will put it to bed and try to score runs with his strengths. He gave everything he had to be the best player he could be to the best of his abilities. His grit and determination are a story worth telling to the future generations of young cricketers.

As a batsman, Alastair Cook was something who I instantly fell for. Though I have always liked aggression in sports, watching Cooky bat was a different joy altogether. It was a perfect let-out from the ennui of life. It was pure art. Easy to the eyes. A complete package of concentration, knowing where your off-stump is and using your limited scoring areas to score unlimited runs. You can keep bowling him all day and he will keep batting for hours after hours. If you think you can frustrate him into throwing his wicket away, you are dreaming. His appetite for runs was as immense as I have ever seen. He retires as England's highest run-getter by some distance. As an England opener, you play half your games with Duke balls which are the toughest to bat with. There are no night-watchmen for openers and add England's struggling mostly in cricket, he often had to bat at most uncomfortable timings possible in tests. As a person, he is easily the nicest bloke you will ever find in cricket. If you ever introduce him to someone, they will give you a high-five.

I still get nightmares remembering the Ryan Harris delivery which got Cooky a golden duck in his 100th test at WACA in 2013-14. It is one of the lowest moments of my cricketing life and it will always be. It was December 16, 2013. I use the video of that dismissal to remind myself of the unfairness and cruelty of life.

Cook announced his retirement just 2 days after my 25th birthday. September is my favorite month by some distance. September 2018 won't be, because of him leaving. Cooky leaving the scene also reminds me of how quickly time flies. It seems only yesterday when I saw a handsome kid from Essex County making runs all over the world and now today he is leaving. My own life is so much part of him playing test cricket. It was as if I felt his success and failures vicariously. He always felt so close to heart.

I just turned 25. I started watching Alastair Cook when I was 13. I loved watching test cricket since the beginnings. Watching Cooky bat in a test match was a dream come true. I remember watching his MCG special 244* in my graduate lab the whole day when I was supposed to be reading a research paper. Such was his spell over me. I couldn't focus on anything when Cooky was there on the pitch. It was his aura.

I was thinking how will I ever explain the greatness of Cooky to someone who didn't witness his mastery. How will I ever explain living an entire lifetime in those 12 years of Cooky's career? How will I explain this to my kids in the future?

I am going to tell them his debut century at Nagpur to his record-breaking Ashes 2010-11 series. From his Edgbaston grand-grand daddy to his 3 hundred to beat India in India. I will definitely tell them his 14-hour marathon 263 in UAE to mastering the pink ball under flood-lights to make 243. Whenever the kids are bored, I will play them a few videos on the internet of him driving, cutting and pulling on his way to greatness.

My cricketing life has seen so many generations. Cook remains the most influential player among all those. I want to be Alastair Cook.

Australia destroyed at Trent Bridge

Trent Bridge 2015: Australia were humiliated by bowled out on 60 and eventually losing by an innings.
Trent Bridge 2018: Australia were thrashed by a record margin of 242 runs after conceding a record 481 runs.

The only difference in both occasions was: This time the coloring of clothes wasn't white.

In sports, there is a saying: "Defeat always hurts. The intensity of the pain is directly proportional to the manner in which it is achieved".

On Trent Bridge, the intensity of pain was as high as it goes for an Aussie supporter. The only thing which went in Australia favor whole day was winning the coin toss. It was all downhill from then.

Trent Bridge has a special place in England's heart. They do better here than most grounds in the country. In last few years, they beat Australia here in 2013 and 2015. They smashed the world record back then 444-3 against Pakistan here. Yesterday again, they beat the hell out of the Aussies' hapless bowlers to reach a whopping 481. This was absolute carnage.

Sure, it was a batting pitch and Australia are playing without at least 5 of their first-choice players. Also, England are arguably at their best in their ODI cricket history. But, there have been better pitches and worse bowlers to face and England have lost an ODI game to Scotland not too far ago. Therefore, we mustn't shrug this incredible accomplishment of England cricket off. Mind you, two of the England's players: Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes who would walk into this side weren't even playing.

The whole England batting lineup was a highlight clip. On their way to destruction, they created plenty of records. On the other hand, Australia had nowhere to hide. You know you have a problem when your most economical bowler is Aaron Finch.

England are looking like a side having all bases covered. With top-order firepower from Bairstow, Roy and Hales to Middle-order solidity by Root and Stokes and finally having Morgan, Buttler and Ali for explosive finishes. I know that It will amount to little until England do it in a global tournament but the future of England cricket has never looked brighter to me. 

Yet another abysmal winter for England

Insanity is doing same thing over and over again and expecting different results. ~ Albert Einstein

England finished their winter season today. Stats from this season are woeful. Played: 7. Won: 0, Lost: 5. Four of those losses were in Ashes and one was against the kiwis today. Lost both series. England leave Hagley oval tonight with same questions as they had when they first landed in Brisbane five months ago. Being denied by New Zealand's lower order meant they are now winless away from home in a record 13 matches. They have lost 5 of them by innings. That is bad even by England's standards.

Other than boxing day test, when Cooky saved England from whitewash and the performance in Christchurch this week, there is not much to show for during this whole dreadful season. From getting bowled out to 58 to losing by innings from 368-4 at WACA, this season had every ingredient of a nightmare. Stokesy was away for the Ashes, which had a huge impact on the series result, but there was none else to blame other than himself. He needs to learn and hopefully he will.

During this winter season, the performance of pacers other than Jimmy and Broad was absolutely stinking. While Broad and Anderson averaged 29 together, rest of the others averaged a whopping 72! You don't win many games when third, fourth and fifth bowlers average in excess of 70.

The team looks horrendously unstable. I love Cooky as much as anyone else, but 80% of his runs in last 20 innings have come in just 2 innings (243 against West Indies and 244* at MCG against Australia). He averaged less than 10 in this current series, which is simply not good enough for someone having scored more than 12,000 test runs. It is creating pressure on newbies like Stoneman. England would want him to come back with oodle of runs this summer. He is the best batsman in England and he has earned his right to call his time on career, but time also seems to be closing on him quickly.

While the white ball team is on a roll and arguably the best in the world right now, the test team in general looks abysmal. Trevor Bayliss is not having any answer to their overseas test woes. In my opinion, England cricket needs a fresh red ball coach and a new beginning starting with chopping and changing the coaching staff. ECB needs to prioritize Test cricket again. By focusing more on white ball after 2015 world cup, they seem to have forgotten about test cricket completely. Nothing seems to be working. The concern now is that England's overseas problems could start to erode a healthy home record that has propped up their Test standing over the last two years.

There are some silver linings from all this though. Malan looks like the find of the season. Vince was convincing on a number of occasions, though he still averages in the 20s after 13 games, but IMO he is worth the investment. Stoneman looks like a good bet considering the form Alastair Cook is in. Mark Wood is fit and back in the team. His pace will be crucial when England visits Australia again in the future. Anderson is as breezy as ever. In fact, like an old fine wine, he is getting better and better with age. Even in the disaster of Ashes, he managed to pick 17 wickets at a respectable average of 27. Today at Hagley Oval, he also overcame Courtney Walsh to become the bowler to have bowled maximum number of deliveries by a pace bowler in tests. That is an excellent testament to his longevity in the game and his services to English cricket. Broad endured his toughest ever year in 2017, but seems to be back reasonably well as his performances in New Zealand show. Jonny Bairstow has become arguably their most reliable batsman.

On the downside, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes were disappointing. Woakes averages 61 with the ball overseas, which is ridiculously bad. Ali neither seems to be getting runs, nor pick up crucial wickets, which made him useful in the first place. Root has had 7 fifties this season and yet he failed to convert a single one of them into a hundred. Vince promises so much, yet he delivers so little. Mark Stoneman got a couple of starts in Ashes and looked good on a number of times. Even in this series he got two fifties, but time seems to be running out for him as well. Neither Stoneman nor Vince has nailed down their spots, though ECB is likely to stick with them for a while. They have experimented with Leach, Crane, Curran etc. but none of them have been very impressive. It will be interesting to see their starting XI in the coming summer.

There is just so much chaos that I can't possibly say. Serious changes are needed, otherwise touring teams next summer are going to give them a really hard time. I will watch from the sidelines as usual and wish them luck as always.

Mitchell Starc : The pace machine

Kingsmead, Durban, March 2, 2018 : South African faces are forlorn. Aussies are chuffed and why wouldn't they be? They look set to win this first test barring a miracle from Proteas. They took a lead of 189 runs on a track which is already getting tougher to bat on.

Australia sit in this comfortable position because of one man: The pace machine, the kryptonite to the tailenders, arguably the best fast bowler in the world right now: Mitchell Starc.
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South Africa are 158-6 with De Kock cleaned up by a beauty from GOAT (Lyon, in case you don't know how his teammates address him). Philander has come out to bat with AB looking as breezy as ever. South Africa are 193 runs behind and still hopeful to restrict the deficit to a minimum. They are aware that last three wickets of Aussies managed 100 runs to give them a respectable total of 351. Philander certainly is no mug with the bat and 7 fifties in test cricket reflect that. With Maharaj and Rabada yet to come and with useful partnerships with AB, their dream was not far off.

This will all turn out to be fantasy as Mitchell Starc is brought on to bowl with a ball which is 45 overs old. Three slips and a gully in place all licking their lips as Starcy starts on his way.

Starc to Philander: over 49.3 - A pure jaffa! Starc was going around the wicket to the right-hander and the ball angling towards philander pitched on middle, trying to crash onto leg stump. Philander, in my opinion, did what he should have done, tried to work it towards mid-wicket to grab a couple. It was a correct stroke.

Except he had no clue about the prowess of Starc with old ball when it reverses. The ball, changed its trajectory as if it was being controlled by a remote from Starc and straightened. It got a nick and Paine did the rest. Philander had not got a cat in a hell's idea how he got dismissed. He did everything right there. And yet he was walking back.
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Mitchell Starc seems to be getting better daily. He is currently 28 and at the perfect age for a fast bowler. At the right side of 30, the body of a fast bowler starts taking shape to generate enormous pace along with experience and maturity. He has already picked up 170 test wickets in 40 tests at a whopping strike rate of 49. Among all Australian bowlers with at least 150 test wickets, his strike rate is easily the best. (Johnson comes next at 51.1) Yesterday was the 9th instance of him taking 5 wickets in a test innings. His white ball stats are unparalleled. He was easily the man of the series in 2015 world cup with 23 wickets at a stunning average of 9! With the bat, he can put out a few lusty blows (like he did yesterday 35 off 25). His highest test score being 99. He is a complete cricketer, someone you would want every day of the week in your team. You will know what he will do. You can't survive it even after knowing. You know what is coming. He will do it anyway. Pure Fear. Full, fast, straight. Whether you try to hit with bat or pad, you are gone.

Starc often takes the pitch out of the equation. With the pitch assistance, he can destroy an entire tribe of cricketers. He is a fast bowling freak. 

The only silver lining when you get out to Starc in such mood is: The pain is brief. It is over as soon as it begins. And you will get sympathy from everyone as they know deep in their hearts that they couldn't have done much better either.
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Australian pace attack is a pure package. If the toe-breaker Starc doesn't get you, the inexhaustible Josh Hazlewood will. If they both don't, then the fierce Pat Cummins will. If you manage to avoid getting bruises and survive (without hitting yourself with bat in frustration), then the GOAT will. With Ashes being won at home, where Australia are traditionally indomitable, it was easy to brush their success off to home advantage and all that. But, here in Kingsmead, they showed why they are such a good bowling side. They were relentless throughout. In post-day presentation, even the great AB said, "They seemed to know what they were doing and they executed it to perfection."

Good teams often do that.

The obsession of Aussies with pace is not new. Starting with Lillee, Thomson, Lee, Johnson, Tait and now Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Stanlake, Coulter-nile, Pattinson. They seem to have a whole army of fast bowlers ready to fire at word go. Jarrod Kimber has written an excellent article over it.
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Keshav Maharaj is out to bat in the middle with South Africa in deep trouble. The resistance lasts for 5 balls when Josh Hazlewood put him out of his misery. Pitched outside the off, nipping back in to hit the top of offstump. The dream wicket for any fast bowler.

Out comes Kagiso Rabada. His averages don't reflect it. But, he can be a stubborn pain the a** for the fielding side. On numerous occasions, he has frustrated the hell out of captains as a night-watchman. His dead-bat technique is often reliable. He took the single off the last ball of Hazlewood to get off the mark and retain the strike. Now, He was going to be up against Mitchell Starc. This was going to be some show.

I was cursing at home. Why in God's name will you take single off the last ball when the batting-freak is batting so well at the other end? For Christ' sake, Give that guy some brain. I was angry and cursing at Rabada. It was a no-brainer. AB should have taken as much strike as possible and try to push proteas towards 200.

Starcy bowled a half-volley outside the off-stump to Rabada and Rabada put it away towards covers for a couple. I was again cursing why did he come back for the second when there was a chance to get off the strike. Starc had set him up so beautifully. It was like a predator setting eye on a prey. I knew that a full, fast, straight delivery was coming. Shaun Pollock mentioned it on air that Rabada should be ready for a straight delivery. It was such common sense. Starc did as was expected. Full, fast, straight onto the middle-stump.

Rabada still managed to avoid hitting the ball with the bat. There was no going back from there. Umpire raised the fingers. Rabada opted to go for a review, more in hope than in expectation. He knew that he had no chance. AB knew he had no chance. Umpire knew he had no chance. Starc knew he had no chance. I, sitting at my home knew that he had no chance. Everyone in the universe knew that he had no chance. Third umpire did the rest.
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Morne Morkel was the last man out there. Starc had four balls left. Now, AB was realizing his mistake of not retaining the strike when he had the chance. The question now was : how on earth was Morne Morkel going to survive those 4 missiles by Starc? First ball he faced was a wild swing and a miss. All the ooh-aahs from the Aussies slip-cordon followed. Next ball, Starcy cleaned him up with another beauty. The ball pitched on leg-stump and first hit the pads before crashing onto stumps. AB was left stranded on 71. South Africa had lost their last 5 wickets for 12 runs, while Australian 8,9,10 milked more than 100 runs. Tells you about the difference Starc makes on a cricket field. This was high-class fast bowling at his best. (Not to forget the contribution of GOAT when he got 2 wickets in his first over)
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For South Africa, this should be an eye-opener of what is about to follow for the next 3 weeks. If they were thinking of their first home test series win against Australia, they better think again. This young, confident Australian team looks so hard to stop. Let's all wait and watch what unfolds further.