A Rohit's Masterclass

Another day. Another India-Sri Lanka ODI. "How do they manage to play all these games and I still manage to get so excited with all of it?", that's the question I was asking today morning before the game started.  India were on a very slippery slope. They were 1-0 down in a best of three match series. One tiny misstep and the series is gone. Just like that. India don't lose ODI series to Sri Lanka. At least not at home anyway. A lot was at stake.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand were flying. Not too much time had passed since India annihilated them 9-0 across formats in their own home and all they could feel at the end of the series was: "Thank God. That's over". This time around, Sri Lanka were playing better. They almost had India make the all time lowest ODI total at Dharamshala. They had avoided the white-wash in test series. They had one hand on the ODI series trophy already. From being 9-0 down, this was almost a surprise. Even for them. This is the stuff dreams usually are made of. Every Sri Lankan fan was happy. Coach was happy. Nick Pothas (Sri Lankan coach) even termed the Dharamshala win as: "We have found a winning formula." Players were high on confidence. Perera was enjoying the job of captain.

As as Indian cricket fan, Dharamshala was shameful. It was the worst batting from top order I had ever seen from any Indian team. If I had my way, I would have fired those XI guys or banned them for a year or so. I was boiling with anger. "How dare they? We don't reach 29-7. FFS, Use the brain to bat and all that". Everything coming out of my mouth was either a swear word or a disparaging remark about the performance of Indian team. It was dreadful to watch. They batted like a bunch of clown that day.

But as most of you must be aware of, the anger of a cricket fan is always ephemeral (At least most of the times). I was excited again to watch Men in blue take on the field today. The onus was on Rohit and co. to keep the series alive. Sri Lanka had finally managed to break their 12 game losing streak. No whitewash at least this time.

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first as part of the plan. The winning formula as described by Nick Pothas. It was a good start to the game for them.

Sadly, the good part ended there.

Sri Lanka were caught in the jaws of the ultimate monster Rohit Sharma. Let me tell you whole tale from beginning.

It started with Dhawan-Rohit bromance. One of the best ODI partnerships in modern times. The masterstroke of putting Rohit-Dhawan together at 2013 champions trophy  has been ridiculously successful. All they do is pile up hundred after hundred partnerships at the top and help India win games of cricket. Both Dhawan and Rohit complement each other so well. Dhawan gives Rohit breathing space in the infancy of the innings. One of the reasons Rohit has really clicked as an opening batsman can be attributed to the fact that Dhawan gets going quickly. Since Rohit tends to take his time, Dhawan breaks the shackles at start and Rohit joins the party later. He doesn't need field restriction or any such bullshit. When he hits the ball, it stays hit. The ball goes into the crowd or in the car parking area or wherever he wants it to. Dhawan on the other hand is a sweet timer of the ball and he has often lost his wicket in pursuit of quick runs in beginning.

Start was crucial. Rohit started cautiously. His first fifty came off 65 balls. The blade was being sharpened. Dhawan had got out after a well-made 68 off 67.

Partnership with Iyer: The plan of the duo was to tuck it around. Nudge for single or double. Keep the game moving forward. Shreyas was in good nick as well. He was desperate to get the monkey of horror debut off his back. He failed miserably in his first ODI at Dharamshala and he was determined to more than make up for that here at Mohali. He played a fine innings of well made 88 off 70 balls. For someone only playing his second ODI, I'd take that everyday of the week.

Rohit finally got to his hundred. The celebration was a bit muted. Game was still on. Sri Lanka were still in the game by virtue of keeping the run rate in check. Sadly this will be the last time, they will actually feel like being in the game. For Rohit Sharma, hundred meant his second wedding anniversary had just got a little sweeter. The missus was there in the balcony. Both were sending kisses to each other. It was dream stuff for Rohit. Everything was going as part of his plan now.

Now it was time for monster to wake up. We all know how dangerous Rohit Sharma is when he completes the hundred after 30th over. Sri Lanka had till now managed to keep their head out of the water. Runs were coming, but the scoring rate was nowhere close to being in unchaseable zone. "No worries yet", thought Thisara Perera.

Thisara perera is an interesting captain. I felt extremely sad for Angelo Mathews who had to quit captaincy because of the twin failures: First Thisara Perera drops a sitter which eliminates Sri Lanka from CT'17 and then Zimbabwe beating Sri Lanka at home in an ODI series. Imagine Perera holding onto the catch, Sri Lanka reaches the semis of an ICC tournament and suddenly Angelo wouldn't have felt pressure to resign from the best job he ever had.

Perera had a dream debut as captain at Dharamshala. Everything he was touching was turning to Gold. Win the toss: Check. Bowl first: Check. (Manage to put India to 29-7: Dream comes true) Skittle India out cheaply: Check. Win the game with oodle of overs to spare: Check.
It all came together there.

Not so much at Mohali.

Rohit Sharma was the mastermind behind it.

From first 100 to second 100, he reached at a ridiculous rate. Everything he was hitting was going for a six. Their best bowler Lakmal was torn apart by Hitman. When Lakmal was hit for 4 sixes an over, it was almost a relief for him. Nuwan Pradeep fought and fought hard. He was eyeing for that wide line Yorker. Rohit decimated him. He ended up with figures of 10-0-106-0. The highest conceded by a Sri Lankan bowler in an ODI (beating Murlitharan 10-0-99-0 in Sydney). Rohit was hitting sixes in every part of the ground. He was shuffling across the stumps and hitting it over square-leg. When the line was straighter, he was scooping them over fine-leg for six. When the fine-leg was pushed back, he was lifting them over mid-off for six. He was not playing against Sri Lanka, he was playing with them. Not even playing, rather toying with them.

In many ways, the second double hundred was inevitable. Not to boast my omniscient cricketing brain, but I had a feeling of this when he reached 120. He was hitting it as clean as whistle. The pitch had eased out and Sri Lanka doesn't have express pace. The only thing in the way was the fact that the square boundaries are huge at Mohali. But the insanity of the innings was that each one of the sixes was aimed at spectators' heads. It was as if he had a personal grudge against someone in the crowd and he was trying to hit him constantly. It was a marvelous innings to watch.

Now Rohit is having the best day of his life, while Pradeep and Lakmal are having their respective worsts. Last game at Dharamshala, Rohit was having the worst game as captain and Lakmal was having his finest. Cricket, You little beauty.

Finally, he reached from 197 to 201 with two doubles. The missus was crying now, while the whole India was applauding the Hitman show. Hardly you will see any other sport with so many emotions attached there. I can't speak from first hand experience, but I can certainly understand what she must have been going through. It is like feeling helpless as all you can do is pray. You can't change the outcome of what is going to happen next ball, whether your spouse is going to play a rubbish shot and get out, whether he will hit for a six, whether he will get hurt from a delivery. All you can do is hold your hands together and watch things unravel. That must be hard. Being so helpless. It is almost playing the innings vicariously.

This was his third double ton in ODI. It is mental to even think that all other players (around 2,300 other ones) have managed just 4 double centuries, while he sits alone at the top with 3. If everything goes as per plan, in not very far distant future, he may get another double ton. All he has got to do is to ensure that he reaches his hundred around 30 over mark and beat the hell out of the ball from then onward.

Watching this innings was a moment of utmost joy for me. This was a must win game for India and once again they managed to come back from the brink. They had managed to come back from 1-0 behind to win the series against New Zealand as well. I have a feeling that they are going to pull it off in Vizag as well. Can't wait to see that.

A Trip to the Green Park

So close, yet so far: This is what 4.693 million New Zealand people must be thinking right now. They let the opportunity of winning their maiden ODI series against India in India slip away. Just like that. They had exceeded everyone's expectations on this tour. Of selectors, of coaches, of the rest of the world who wrote them off. They just couldn't overcome the demons in their own head. 35 to get in 24 with 6 wickets in hand, you'd think that it was kiwi's game to lose. They did lose it.

Before the start of this ODI tour, India were flying. They had just beaten Australia quite comprehensively 4-1, the only loss coming when they chose to rest two of their best bowlers. It was almost as if they took a pity on Aussies' plight and let them avoid the bluewash. Before that, they had annihilated Sri Lanka in their own home 9-0 across all formats. Before that, runners-up in a quite impressive champions' trophy compaign. And before that, some other series win and so on for the last 2 years. They had been drubbing opponents for fun on their way to number 1 ranking in tests and ODIs.

New Zealand, on the other hand haven't been quite the same after the exit of flomboyant and the one and only Brendon 'Baz' McCullum. They had a forgettable Champions' trophy when they failed to win a single match. Two losses against England and Bangladesh and the game against Australia washed out, brought their exit in the first round. They had been struggling for quite a while in pursuit of making their way among the top teams. This series was supposed to be a no match for them. India were supposed to take them out and use these games as a practice for coming tough South African tour.

Except they didn't. New Zealand started the tour by stunning 1.3 billion Indians. They pulled off an enormous and incredible run chase in the toughest of conditions at Wankhede. The pattern was set: Use the new ball judiciously, take the top order out, choke them in the middle overs and use sweeps to negate the spin. It worked almost too well at Mumbai. Then, in the next game, for reasons none will ever know, they chose to set a target and hence fell away. This was India's turn to use the same trap against them. After both teams came out of Maharashtra to Uttar Pradesh (my current habitat): none had any idea which team was going to blink first.

I was well-set to enjoy the game without the medium of television coming in the way. I was going to Green park with two amazing computer scientists Dr. Raghunath Tewari and Dr. Subhajit Roy. Everything was well set. We reached the venue just before the national anthem proceedings. It was ON.

New Zealand won the toss at Kanpur. They went back to the same well-tested formula from the first game. Bowl first, bowl well and chase anything they put in front of you.

They did the first thing right. Last two things: not so much.

But, in their defense, wicket at Green Park was a paradise for the batsman and it was one of those pitches which will make you rue for the day you threw the bat away to become a bowler. Add pleasant weather and fast outfield to it and you have a whole recipe of disaster for bowlers. To top it all off, two of the most dangerous ODI batsmen in the world were on song. For kiwis, It was like a steel cage fight and the referee locked the door and threw the key away. There was no hiding place. Rohit and Kohli didn't play against the bowlers. They played with them. They hit boundaries at will and India were running away with the game.

Historically, New Zealand have always been the team with a lot of players who do the things in bits and pieces. They always seem to find a way to do well with limited resources they have. They never run out of bowling options, somehow manage to get you out. Their fielding have been outstanding since world war II.

This current New Zealand manages to tick most of these boxes. On bowling options though, they have a bit of a problem. They are forced to use deGrandhomme for his full quota of 10 overs. Now, he is a decent bowler by most modern standards. But, against India in India: well. Not so much. India have always been a bloody cauldron even for the best of fast bowlers. Unless New Zealand finds a good 5th bowling option, it will continue to hurt them like this.

Even after everything going against them in first half, New Zealand didn't bowl too bad. Though, no team after putting the opposition to bat would want 337 on board, I personally felt that it was decent bowling performance. Most teams do worse when two tons are scored against them. After first half, Williamson didn't seem much perturbed. His message to the teammates was clear: "Guys, this is a batting beauty. Let't hit back."

For Colin Munro, the message from Williamson was an epiphany of life. He started hitting the ball as if he had some personal grudge against it. He was in no mood to spare anything bowled at his pads. He was making runs so quickly that most in the ground were thinking that he is getting late to attend a late-night party. Before anyone even blinked, he was off to a dominating half-century and set to make a big one.

At the half-way of their innings, they were very much in control. They had the advantage of dew. They had managed to take out the threat of India's best bowler. India were forced to overuse Kedar Jadhav because of that. Kiwis had managed to keep wickets in hand. Their most experienced batsman was at the crease and the hero of the first match still to come. They were by all means the favorites to break the hearts of 30,000 people in the ground (One of those 30,000 souls was yours truly too).

Then, Yazuvendra Chahal happened to them.

They had managed to keep the spinners quiet till now. Then, came Williamson's slog sweep and finding the top of the bat landing in monstrously large gloves of Dhoni. India got an opening against the run of the play. That brought the couple of the year for New Zealand on the crease. Ross Taylor and Tom Latham are two of their better batsmen. Pleasant to watch, quick to rotate strike and making batting look easy.

But, when they bat together, they are ruthless. India tasted it in Wankhede. Surely, not again.

The required rate at this stage was nowhere near unmanageable. They needed around 8 an over for the last 18 overs. At every drinks' break, they were talking each other. We're gonna pull this off.

Then, Jasprit Bumrah happened to Ross Taylor. Or better, Ross Taylor managed to happen to Bumrah. He was batting so beautifully that he almost forgot that he could ever get 'out'. One slower one, taking extra bounce hitting the top of bat, giving India a very crucial breakthrough.

That brought Henry Nichollas to the middle. Now, Nichollas is supposed to be an average batsman. His strike rate before this game was a meagre 73. He batted in this game as if Jeus was controlling him from heaven. He looked to conquer India with bat in his hands. Henry Nichollas was destroying India's bowling with ridiculous ease. Almost none including 'me' saw that coming. Latham on the other hand was batting as if he were from a different planet. They both sucked the hope out of everyone. They created an atmosphere in which a dot ball was as rare as finding pearls on the beaches of Mexico.

It all came down to this: 35 off 24 balls with 2 overs to be bowled by someone who is having the worst night of his life.

Bhuvi is an interesting bowler. Described by Steven Smith as the best in the business along with Bumrah just before this tour. He is the go-to man for David Warner in IPL. He picks the wicket coming on to bowl at the toughest of occasions. He controls his swing telepathically. He is India's best all-round bowler in last half a decade. He was not having a good time at Green Park.

Bhuvi knows it better than anyone: In cricket as in life, forget the past and embrace the present. When he bowled that 47th over, he was a different human being than he was in last 3 hours. He managed to sneak a missile onto the leg stump of Nichollas and gave away 5 runs. The LEDs were glowing and whole India was celebrating Diwali again. I was on my feet and so were the other 30,000. On other days, it was just another Bhuvi's over. Today, it was a test of his will, fight and character and he managed to overcome it.

The only thing between India and 2-1 was one man. Short in height, but tall in stature: Tom Latham. As long as he was there, India had a problem.

Then, it was again the same hero, who has done it so many times in last 2 years and IPL. The superstar: Jasprit Bumrah. Latham dared to sneak a run. deGrandhomme stranded him in the middle. Bumrah smashed the stumps with his accurate as hawk throw and New Zealand knew in that second that they were beaten by Bumrah's brilliance.

In the end, India won by 6 runs. The maximum number of runs you can achieve in one ball theoretically. Yes. The margin between the teams was only that much. India, undoubtedly were the better side on the day. But, spare a thought for New Zealand. Everyone said 3-0 to them before the series. Add one six to their scorecard and they had their maiden ODI series win in India. They lost, but hardly they have ever got so many positives out of a lost series. They have a skeleton for their ODI team for 2019 world cup.

New Zealand managed to almost beat the current best ODI team in their own backyard. Almost.

For me, it was a match to remember. It was my first ODI game at Green Park and I was delighted with the outcome. I have a lot of happy memories from this game which I will remember for a long time. Now, onto T20I series. Can't wait.

Australia Tour of India 2017

Australia and India both have been proud nations in terms of cricket. Australia, on one hand have dominated the whole cricketing world for a very long time and unarguably the greatest cricketing nation of all time. India, however have progressed spectacularly well in last 20 years and they have as good a team as they ever had. In the beginning of this year in 2017, Australia toured India for 3 tests. Later on, in September-October they came back to complete the limited over leg of the tour. The 4-match test series between them was a huge success. From DRS brain-fade of Steve Smith to O'keefe destroying India in the first match, From Pujara marathon knocks to Rahane's dynamic captaincy, it was a blockbuster series. I have already written over that here.

Coming to this limited over leg of the tour, Australia came to India with possibly the worst momentum they could have. They didn't win a single match in ICC Champions Trophy 2017. That makes them the only top nation who have failed to win a single match in Champions Trophy since 2009 (when they had won the tournament). They were rusty in the test series against Bangladesh where they somehow managed to hold onto a drawn series after losing the first test. Though Bangladesh are a very formidable opponents at home, still this was the first test loss of Australia against Bangladesh and I still think Australia should have done better than a draw.

India, on the other hand were flying. Before this series, they were number 1 in tests and number 2 in ODIs with the trailing points for first spot in ODIs shrinking. When, this series was done, they were number 1 in both formats quite comprehensively. They were close to flawless in Champions Trophy 2017 when only possibly the best all-round performance by Pakistan halted their march in the finals. Just before this series, India annihilated Sri Lanka in all formats 9-0 in their own backyard. They were ready.

ODI Series (5 matches)

First ODI, September 17, 2017 - Chennai
Australia started the series splendidly. They had India down at 11 for 3 and 87 for 5 when they let it slip away. MSD showing his vast experience and Hardik using his newly found wings destroyed Australian attack to push India to 283, which was very close to Everest on slow Chennai pitch. Zampa and his leg-spin were hammered all around the park by Pandya. Australia were asked to chase 164 in 21 overs after the rain break, but India were just too good. A fine spell by Bhuvi and Bumrah in beginning followed by magic of wrist spinners sealed the deal in India's favor.

Second ODI, September 21, 2017 - Kolkata
Probably, the best chance Australia had to come back into the series. They had India all out at 250 and should have chased it down quite comfortably. Instead, they chose to mess it up. Yet another collapse at Eden Gardens brought them very close to losing the series. Wrist spinners once again proving out to be Aussies' kryptonite.

Third ODI,  September 24, 2017 - Indore
For Australia one of the major concerns in the opening two games was the form of Hilton Cartwright. He was brought into the team as a backup opener, but Bhuvi and Bumrah were just playing with him. He struggled to put bat on ball in both games and it was almost a relief when he got out. Both his ODI innings were deeply painful and agonizing to watch. Australia were missing big man Aaron Finch badly. But, no more. He was back. And back with a bang. Finchy made a ton and Australia were set for 350+ when Finchy and Smithy were batting till 37th over. Another masterpiece by Bhuvi and Bumrah restricted them to sub-300 total and now it was India's game to lose. India's job was made reasonbly easier when Smith chose to give very short spell to Cummins and Coulter-nile. Both Rahane and Rohit Sharma milked the Australian bowlers and after they put on a 100+ partnership, it was a cake-walk from there. A few quick wickets in the middle brought some excitement, but the door was closed by Hardik Pandya coming in at number 4 and guiding India to a series victory. 3-0 up. India went to Number 1 ODI team as per ICC rankings.

Fourth ODI,  September 28, 2017 - Bengaluru
Finally, Everything came together for Australia for the first time in the series. Won the toss, batted first, batted big. Warner getting a fine ton in his 100th ODI, while Finchy missing out on consecutive ones. India took it for granted and chose to rest their best two bowlers and paid the price. 334 in 50 overs proved to be a little too much for India in spite of excellent batting. To me, Rohit Sharma run out by flying Steve Smith was the turning-point of the match. Pandya and Jadhav gave Australia a bit of scare in the end, but one of the most spectacular displays of death bowling by Richardson put the game in Australia's bag and hence they avoided the embarrassment of blue-wash.

Fifth ODI, October 1, 2017 - Nagpur
This was a game, which was almost meant to be. India showing their pure class and beating Australia in a one-sided contest. Bhuvi and Bumrah were brought back as number 1 ranking came at stake. Australia were restricted to 242 and it was made to look like an absolute joke when Rohit Sharma single-handedly took care of the chase. Australia were beaten 4-1 and India were established as a new number 1 ODI side in the world.

T20I Series (3 Matches)

Then, came T20 series. A series of 3 matches to finish off the tour. As is often the case, T20s bring the teams closer together and it is often a very good way to finish a bleak tour on a high. To Australia's disappointment, Steve Smith got injured before the series and had to fly home. David Warner was appointed as stand-in captain for the series. Australia got some fresh faces for the series like Henriques, Christian, Behrendorff etc. They were raring to go.

First T20I, October 7, 2017 - Ranchi
I have always hated the idea of toss being the crucial factor in a game. Both the T20s in the series were remarkably similar and very much decided by the toss itself. India did to Australia what Australia later did to India in the series. In Ranchi, India chose to bowl first and Kuldeep Yadav making a mess of Australian middle order. They were 118-8 when rain came. Later on, India were asked to chase 48 in 6 overs which was ridiculous. It was easily taken care of and India were 1-0 up putting Australia in tremendous pressure.

Second T20I, October 10, 2017 - Guwahati
This was the first international game ever at newly built stadium of Guwahati. This match transpired very similar to first game, with only difference being the roles of India and Australia reversed. Jason Behrendorff produced a sensational spell of swing bowling to destroy the India top-order. A score of 118 was made to look even smaller when the dew set in. Moises Henriques showing his vast experience of IPL and finishing on a beautiful unbeaten half-century. Series: 1-1 with all to play for.

Third T20I, October 13, 2017 - Hyderabad
It is indeed annoying when the match gets called off without rain even coming. Leading up to the match, Hyderabad was soaked in rain for almost 2 weeks and hence the outfield was deemed not-fit-for-play. Australia and India sharing the series 1-1 and deservedly so. Both teams were equally flawed in T20 leg of the tour and it was overall a nice result.

Australia, no doubt will be hurting after the tour. They have an Ashes to prepare for. They managed to win only 1 test, 1 ODI and 1 T20 on India's tour, which clearly proved India's dominance in their home conditions. Australia have got a young team and they are still a long way off from being the team we grew up watching. Ashes, being played in their home will be a good chance to shed some poor memories of 2017 and slowly march their ascent to the top of the world.