Ashwin-Jadeja horror awaiting Australia

India-Australia series preview: India, unbeaten in last 19 test matches. 6 consecutive series wins (their best in cricket history), captain has scored a double hundred in last 4 series he has played, their main bowling weapon just became fastest human being to reach 250 test scalps.
Australia: Last 9 test matches in Asian conditions: LLLLLLLLL. (Remember no draws and 3 of these losses were against comparatively weak Sri-Lankan side), one series win in last 48 years in India, Young team (half of whom have never even played a test in India).

Does the gap between sides before any series get any wider than this?

Hardly.

So, does that mean we should stop bothering to watch coming four test matches being played against Australia? Does that mean that Aussies have not got a cat in a hell's chance to win here? Should we start to watch something else other than cricket  in next 6 weeks when we already know what is going to happen?

No. No and No. Admittedly, Australia start as massive underdogs in this series. But, after all they are Australia. They don't stop fighting. They are bloody hard to beat. Any day. Any time. You just can't cross your way with them without getting a good, real fight. If they go down, they will do that while fighting their way. They are a guarantee of entertainment. So, Yes. We must watch these four coming test matches.

Coming back to their strengths, they have rejuvenated themselves in last couple of months after the fiasco in Sri-Lanka and home series defeat by Proteas and they have energized the whole squad by changing the selection policies etc. It has worked. Peter Handscomb, Matt Renshaw both were brought in as replacements and have clicked. Both got massive hundreds against Pakistan and they have looked good. Steve Smith averages over 60 after playing 50 test matches. He is currently number 1 test batsman. David Warner remains as dangerous as ever. Along with Smithy, Peter Handscomb is excellent player of spin. Khawaja is another danger-man. Australia will take encouragement from Mitchell Starc's form in Sri-Lankan series, where he was one of few bright spots. Hazlewood's ability to gain conventional swing as well as reverse swing makes him a potent weapon in any conditions. Australia have got two quality spinners in O'keefe and Lyon. It is not completely dark after all. There is a huge potential in this side and they can definitely give a real challenge to India.

Sadly, on the other hand, they are up against arguably the best home team ever in the history of test cricket. When it comes down to Beating India in India, you have more chance of landing a truck on Mount Everest than accomplishing this feat. Very few teams have done this in past and worse, very few teams have even looked competitive against India in India. Most of them are white-washed, those who avoid it: they avoid it barely. Australia's last test tour of India was a complete disaster with Homework-gate incident and leading to suspension of a lot of players which ultimately lead to sack of their coach Mickey Arthur. Needless to say, the scoreline was 4-0. It was a forgettable tour for them.

If these facts were not scary enough, India are in sublime touch. They are crushing opposition after opposition. The ease with which they beat England will send some message to other teams. England, with all due respect have always been a good visitor to India. They were able to draw the series a couple of times before winning it on their last tour in 2012-13. This time, they were blown away 4-0. Virat Kohli is in the form of his life, along with Ashwin and Jadeja who will be licking their lips to go berserk on Australian batsman. Cricket in Indian condition will look like almost a different sport to Smith and Co. Only a miraculous performance can save them. Forget about the series win, even avoiding a whitewash will be a nice accomplishment.

All of Indian batters seem to be in good nick apart from KL Rahul, who has been very inconsistent on the top. With Ashwin's and Jadeja's ability to bat, it provides an amazing balance to the side. Indian pacers have often not been given credit for sneaking in with crucial wickets when needed. Shami, Umesh and Ishant have troubled the batsmen a lot in last couple of series. The focus on spinners is just so much that they often don't get noticed, but I have always felt that they have done their job beautifully in silence. Coping them won't be as easy as it seems for Australia.

So, all set for an extremely exciting series. I can't wait for TEST 1, DAY 1, SESSION 1. What about you?

Thanks Skip!

Change is the only constant in the world. Cooky steps down as captain of England test team. As much as I am hurt by this, I am equally excited to see England rejuvenating itself under a new captain (most likely to be Joe Root).

Alastair Cook: I have liked him since I first saw him in Nagpur test in 2006 making debut against India. He got a ton on debut. I grew fonder and fonder of him. He was everything I lacked in me. Patience, resilience, belief in your abilities, never-give-up attitude. I was in standard VIII when he made his debut. He inspired me in ways none ever did. He has been an epitome of hard-work and determination to me. Surely, there are other batsmen who have better natural flair and look more aesthetic while batting. We have AB who can destroy within minutes, we have Kohli who can bat in any circumstances, we have Gayle who can hit sixes which land in car-parking area and so on.

But, none of them will know as much about overcoming failures, adversity and and none will possess the grit Captain Cook has. He is neither a born batsman nor a born leader. Instead, he worked his way to it. He worked his way to the summit.

In beginning, when he came into England's test team, everyone just saw him as a pretty young lad from Essex county who "isn't so bad". He soon got dropped from the team and came back strongly. Once he is in "zone", it seems impossible that he will ever get out. None of the bowlers can cause a glint of trouble to him. There has been times, when everyone believed that "You miss one run-out chance of Cook, you will be punished with 100 extra runs". Such was the reputation he made for himself.

He took over the captaincy from Andrew Strauss in 2012. His first assignment was one of the toughest one anyone ever finds. Leading against India in India. Cook set up an extraordinary standards by making 3 centuries in 4 games resulting in a rare series win against India in India. Here we go.

Among highs of his captaincy careers, there have been some notable victories. He led England in 59 test matches, an England record. 24 wins as captain reflect how good a captain he was. He took the leadership in troubled times. England came close to number 1 ranking on a number of occasions during his tenure. In my judgment, The best moment of captain cook's career was his first assignment itself: Series win against India in India. He made 3 mammoth centuries and led from the front. 562 in four matches tell you how much impact he made in the series result. They came back from one match behind and won the next two in Kolkata and Mumbai. Cook also won his both home Ashes assignments as captain. First in 2013 by 3-0, then repeating the feat in 2015 by 3-2. Other highs of captaincy include beating a strong South African side 2-1 in South Africa. It was unbelievably hard. But, he led his troops superbly well and he backed some of England's future superstars like Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Johnny Bairstow. It was pleasant to watch.

As they say, the curse of captaincy is its longevity. Along with the highs, the lows will also appear everywhere. It is unavoidable. In Cook's case, there were a few lows like getting drubbed 5-0 against Australia in Australia, losing a home series on penultimate ball of the series against Sri Lanka, losing against Bangladesh, getting thrashed by India in India 4-0.

In my opinion, Cook has got the timing of "stepping down" absolutely spot on. There are 10 months before the next Tough Ashes assignment in Australia. Stepping down means the new captain will get accustomed to the job and England have a huge chance to retain the urn in Australia. Cooky is one of the most important asset to the team as an opening batsman and he has got a lot of cricket left in him. He would certainly want to enjoy the last phase of his cricket career without being burdened by captaincy. He may still improve to replicate his Ashes heroics of 2011-12 in Australia where he scored more than 766 runs in five matches. Probably the best series of his career so far along with against India in India in 2012-13.

I have followed Cooky's career for almost over 10 years now. Out of his extraordinary 11,000 test runs, more than 8,000 runs have been scored when I was reading commentary ball-by-ball or watching the game on my television. I have a huge amount of respect for him. He has extraordinary grit, resilience, patience and humbleness. He is an amazing human being and he is one of the most honest captains I have ever seen.

Cook doesn't sledge. Cook can bat for hours and hours without breaking a sweat. Cook is one of the greatest cricketers ever. Cook always remains so calm and composed throughout. That is captain "Cook" for you.

When Cook bats, the world watches.

Thanks skip. For everything.

Please don't go England

India vs England T20 series finished tonight. I was watching it with a cup of tea in hostel canteen.

India were cruising to a strong total. But, I was worried about something else entirely. I was just thinking, but they will be gone tonight. Oh no. This is the last game for them on this tour. I was just saying, "England! Can you please play at least one more game before catching that flight to London?" Please. It has been such a joy to watch them play against us. Can you stay for more? Please. Don't desert us.

I have always loved both these teams for as long as I can remember. Now, watching them come to India has always been moments of tranquility to me. Results are mostly irrelevant when both of them play against each other. I just sit back and enjoy the show, enjoy the phenomenon of cricket, of life. It gives me joy and it is closest thing to peace which I find. An absolute zen-like experience. This is serene. Free from madness of life into the exuberance and ecstasy. Nothing compares to that.

Now, they will be gone. I will be left to feel the ache of void left by them. I will just wander across my college campus and my room, my hostel and miss their presence. I will miss watching them play against us again (which won't happen at least until Champions Trophy later this year). I don't know what will I do without watching them play India. India and England, they make cricket complete to me. They should play more often than this. Both teams are just so brilliant, cricket of highest level, strategies and tactics of sky-high quality. They are equally and evenly matched. It doesn't get better than that (few combinations which come close are England-Australia, Australia-South Africa and India-Pakistan). Both teams have a lot of quality players and it makes spicy contests. I absolutely cherish and adore it.

Again, they are gone. Tonight. Just like that. They came here, won our hearts, (we won the series though) and now they are away. I am left to rue here. Next match India play is against Bangladesh. (Can you believe that? That is so ridiculous).

I just want to say, "England, please don't go." Stay for another week. Play against us. One more time.

Tears aside, All the three series were blockbusters. Players gave their everything and something special came out of it. Regardless of the result, they were one of the best series. India outplayed England in all the three formats. Though, ODIs and T20s were very close, India were clearly the better side. This series was also important for a lot of other reasons like watching Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni put on a mammoth partnership, evolution of Kedar Jadhav from "can-play-only-Zimbabwe" to some serious batter, Chahal magic, Bumrah and Nehra combo and so on.

Fun fact: England won the toss on total of 8 occasions out of 11 international games they played. This was their best chance to make an impact. Next time onward, they may not be so lucky and they will find it even harder to negotiate conditions against the toss. They just let it happen, let it slip. They should have won Kanpur T20, they could have stopped India to less than 381 after having them at 25-3 at Cuttack, they should have at least got a draw at Chennai after being asked to bat for 100 odd overs. There were just too many "should have, could have". At the end of the day, India were better side. Period.

Coming back again to the title of the blog, I feel sad. I want cricket between India and England to go on a little more. It shouldn't be this much short. Why and how did time fly by so fast? I wish I could soak it a little longer. I wish I could persuade them to stay a little longer (It can't happen though. Life doesn't work like that). I don't want to say bye. Not yet. Someone please stop them. Can someone please cancel all the flights departing from India just for a few days so as to hold them longer? I am still not ready to watch them go. Please. Can someone really do it?

Gone. Gone. Gone. Please don't go, England. Not yet.

From
A Fan.

The resurgence of Australia and sinking of Pakistani ship

It is second last day of 2016. Australian team is in huddle at MCG, Nathan Lyon is singing the Australian victory song. Pakistani faces are forlorn. They just can't believe what they witnessed. They managed to lose the unlosable. Australia were only 22 ahead in first innings going into the fifth day. "Surely, we can't mess this up. This one, we got under control."

But, it wasn't.

Pakistan imploded to give Australia the series. This is their 11th consecutive loss against Australia in Australia. This is their 5th consecutive loss against any team. They are in complete disarray. A dream of becoming number one test side seems like a generation ago. They don't look anywhere close to it. At least, not today.

I saw Post-match presentation. Misbah is distraught. He is just playing with his beard while answering the questions. Such a calm person he is. The best captain, Pakistan has ever produced. He looks torn, defeated, tired. This series loss might mean that we have already seen the last of him. He managed to lift a homeless side to number one test rankings. Hell, yeah. However short it was, it was the most beautiful moment in their cricket history. Thank you, Misbah for that.

Today, He seemed completely broken. Is it time for him to go? I don't know. Only he can answer that. The magnitude of services he has provided to Pakistan surely can't be measured through these last five matches. He is the messiah of Pakistan cricket. He taught Pakistan to dream big. I believe, there is some unfinished business left of him and he can still carry this Pakistani team. But, this is strictly my personal view. (Though statisticians, logistics and most of the experts will disagree with me here).

Au contraire, Australia are flying at this moment. There couldn't have been a better ending to their year. They were sinking, having lost the test series against Sri Lanka and South Africa, they were on the verge of firing everyone. Today, they look as fresh and potent as ever. They look unstoppable. I would like to add here that "Even after so much speculations about Australian cricket in October-November period, they have won 10 of their last 17 matches". If that is bad, I will be damned.

Steve Smith had a terrific year as batter, captain. Second time in his career, he managed to push his test average to over 60. He has made run-scoring ridiculously easy. He absolutely loves batting at MCG. He averages 127 in tests there. He has not been dismissed for last 397 runs at MCG. He has already made 17 test centuries in only 49 tests. His captaincy has been spot on. I just love watching him captain this Australian side.

Overall, it was an amazing test match. I am looking forward to dead rubber at SCG in the new year. Pakistan would like to do a fresh beginning in 2017 and forget about this nightmare. They surely have it in them. They just need to believe.

2016 was one of those years, where everlasting cricket memories were made. Many teams had their swing of luck and cricketing momentum had its last say.

This is my last blog entry in 2016. See you all in 2017. For now, let's congratulate Australia, who deserve the central stage.

An Ashwin Nightmare

This is what England were dreading for. Getting spanked and outclassed completely and not being able to compete against India. Finally, the inevitable and inescapable arrived. Probably a little later than most thought, but it came nonetheless.

The signs were clear from The oval test itself where England failed to win the series against Pakistan after being 2-1 up. The problems stayed hidden as they kept on avoiding losing series one after another. First against Pakistan, then against Bangladesh. Though, a drawn series in India would have meant heaven for Cook and co., it was difficult beyond wildest imagination. I still feel, they should have won by 2-1 or 3-1 against Pakistan and 2-0 against Bangladesh. Failures to do so meant only one thing: Getting drubbed against India.

They did get drubbed against India.

The final punch came at Wankhede just within half an hour of play on 5th day. Ashwin completing the formalities and sparing England more pain of watching the limping batting performance. He finished with a match figures of 12 wickets and the best by an indian spinner at Wankhede.

The series didn't start as badly as many expected. They were able to put India under tremendous pressure at Rajkot and It was India who had to save the game there. But, as the series moved on, the fight eroded and slowly became non-existent.

Let us talk about England. There are just too many problems to be written here. Batting, bowling, catching, strange team selections, everything else. Hardly, anything seems right. Talk about batting. If not for lower middle order, they have made a habit of losing half their side on sub-100 scores over last couple of years only to see themselves being dragged to a respectable total by the lower order. Just because you were able to swim to an island after crashing your ship regularly in the middle of an ocean, will you consider yourself a good sailor? Just because you are able to avoid death after frequent car accidents, will you brag about your driving skills? A question, which England batters need to ask themselves.

Bowling wise, they are unsure of their combination. To play third spinner or not, they keep on experimenting and failing. Though to be fair, they have dearth of quality spinners and neither Batty nor Ansari seemed to take wickets or control the flow of runs in the chances they were given. They were completely outplayed in terms of skills by their counterparts Ashwin, Jadeja and Jayant. Neither Anderson, nor Woakes could make any inroads throughout this tour. Indian batters kept on piling huge scores and England just were not able to match that. Dropped catches didn't help the cause either. If you drop Kohli, like they did on several occasions in this series, you will have to pay a heavy price.

They did pay heavy price for that. They dropped Kohli at Vizag, Mohali and at Mumbai and got punished heavily.

India on the other hand are flying. They are deservedly number one test side in the world. Everything seems to be working for them. Kohli in the form of his life, Ashwin: no words to describe with. With useful and significant contributions from Vijay, Pujara, Jadeja, Jayant they look like the most dangerous side in the world right now. It will be very very difficult for any opposition to topple them in their conditions. They have just too many match-winners at this stage. Have a look at the following stats: They have gone 17 Consecutive Tests unbeaten, which equals their record when did the same between September 1985 and March 1987; they have also won 5 Successive series, which also equals their record. These numbers clearly indicate why India has become such a great test team. They may become all-time greatest test XI if they continue what they are doing. They have an inspirational captain in the form of Virat Kohli whose never-say-die attitude has rubbed off on the shoulders of others and the team really looks hungry for success.

Coming to the title of this blog: Ashwin. Whatever I will say in his praise won't even scratch the surface of what he has done for India in last 15 months. There is a famous quote: "You can argue against stats, but you won't win". Look at following: Ashwin after 43 test matches at this stage already has 7 ten-wicket hauls, only one behind Anil Kumble, 24 Five-wicket hauls for Ashwin, which is on third place in India's all-time list, after Kumble (35) and Harbhajan Singh (25). 12/167 Ashwin's match haul in this match, the best for India at the Wankhede. He has taken 15 Five-fors in Tests for Ashwin in the last two years, which the highest for any bowler in two successive calendar years. Muralitharan took 14 on two occasions - in 2000-01 and 2006-07. Talk about consistency. Here it is. He has become a real nightmare for opposition batsmen.

After this series, both teams will be exactly on the opposite side of the spectrum. While India are getting better and better, crushing opposition after opposition, England on the other hand are always finding a way to attract troubles. Nothing seems to be working for them. England's potential is huge, but the rewards remain unseen. The team is really struggling right now. But, rather than disappointment and frustration, it is time for reflection for them. They need to take a few hard decisions and there is no reason why they can't rise again.

Next series for India is against Australia at home. Beware Aussies, An Ashwin nightmare awaits for you too.

Batting collapses and fading Australian legacy

Today morning, I woke up momentarily at 05:00 AM to check out the score at Bellerive Oval, Hobart. I had put the computer to sleep last night for precisely the same reason. I watched the score. It was 135/4. Khawaja and Voges were the batsmen dismissed today. I said to myself, "They will be okay. Smithy is still there. Let us sleep for now, and watch the game in the last session after waking up." I dozed off to sleep again. While going to sleep, I was thinking, "Can Australia do it? Can they save this one? Can they get away with being blown away for 85? Will rain save them this time? Can they give Proteas a challenging total?". Then I answered myself cautiously, "Of course, they can. Because that's what they do." They are supposed to take away the happiness of opposition and they are known as "The Invincibles" for no other reason.

Except there was no last session. I woke up again at 08:00 AM. Even the post-match presentation was over. Abbott and Rabada scythed through the Australian middle order. I watched the scoreboard. It was all over a long back. Australia had last last 8 wickets for 32 runs. Another batting collapse. These batting collapses are becoming more common in Australian cricket than the lurking seagulls. 16 Australian batsmen were dismissed in single digit score in this match. Last time it happened was against England at the Oval in 1912. So long for more than 100 year record. Australian faces were forlorn, while South African dressing room was effervescent and they were chuffed. Now-a-days, the whole Australian batting lasts shorter than the length of a T20 game. They are struggling against pace, spin, swing and what-nots. The defensive technique of a lot of Australian batsmen is questionable. They seem to find more demons in the pitch than a horror movie.

They have now lost 5 tests in a row. They got whitewashed against Sri Lanka 3-0. Then, the response which from the Australian dressing room was "poor technique against spin". Now, they have lost in their own den against Rabada and co. It was certainly not a minefield. De Kock and Bavuma showed how to bat on the very same track one day ago. Had rain not intervened, Australia would have lost the test in 2.5 days. (Knowing this fact would send a shiver down the spine of Australian dressing room).

They surely passed (or call it Anti-surpass, to be fair) a lot of records in this humiliating loss. This was their first loss by innings at home since 2010-11. (That was against England in Ashes). They made sub-100 score in the first innings. This had not happened since 1984. (Breaking a 32 year old barricade). They have now lost three consecutive home series against South Africa. This was the first innings win by South Africa against Australia in Australia. They lasted a total of 558 balls during this entire test match, which is their second least in a test at home in last 100 years. Losing 8 wicket for 32 runs in their joint worst collapse in history. Total runs scored by Australia was 246 in this Test match, which is their sixth lowest at home in tests.

Before this series began, there was a lot of talk about the ability of South Africa to challenge Australia on their own turf without their star batsman AB Devilliers and star bowler Dale Steyn. South Africa have shut every one up by blowing Australia away even without them. They seem to have found their test match rhythm and look like a serious force to reckon with. They seem to have left behind the absence of legends like Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher etc. They don't even seem to be missing AB and Dale at this moment. Everything seems to be working for them. First white-washing Australia 5-0 in ODI series at home and then clinching the test series without breaking much sweat in Australia.

I have grown up watching Australian Cricket as relentless hounds, who give you nightmares if you ever come in their way. They used to have so many match-winners. The pride of Baggy Green was enormous. I secretly wished I had one "Baggy Green" under my pillow while sleeping. I have never seen a Australian Cricket team in so much turmoil and self-doubt. It seems as if they have forgotten how to win games of cricket. The legacy of great "Australian Cricket" is fading, that is for sure. A cancer seems to be have spread in it. It remains to be seen how long it lasts. They seem to be trying everything within their power to turn it around. It just isn't working. World cricket needs a strong Australian side. They have set the standard so high for the beautiful game we love. Their dominance during 1990s and 2000s was one of the breakthrough period for any team in any kind of sports. Gone are those days.

Fun Fact: One biggest anomaly in world of cricket is Australia have not beaten South Africa in Australia since 2005, while South Africa have not beaten Australia in South Africa since 1970. These are the things, which make cricket the most romantic game in the whole world and bring smile to my face.

Hobart is empty now. Spectators have gone while talking about the batting collapse of Australia on their way home. Australian dressing room is silent. They are wandering around in the dressing room wondering what went wrong. Whole social media is buzzing with explanations of defeat and blaming selectors, coaches, staffs, captain and players. Not much need to mark this moment as these are the sights becoming increasingly common in Australian cricket.

A special day for Bangladesh, A horrible day for England

The day was October 30, 2016. England's last wicket, Steven Finn fell and they embraced a defeat of 108 runs against the 9th rank team in the world. There were smiles, handshakes and selfies being taken in Bangladesh's dressing room. It was Bangladesh's bowling coach Courtney Walsh's birthday. Bangladesh chose to give him the best gift he could have asked for. A test win against one of the top test teams in the world at the moment: England. On the other hand, England's dressing room was calm and everyone was looking at sky or ground or their shoes wondering what the hell exactly happened. Everyone was looking at life in retrospect. Such was the severity of the defeat. Losing 10 wickets in 22.2 overs in a single session against Bangladesh: That is what had unfolded in Mirpur.

There was a time not so long ago, that people used to shrug their shoulders when any team used to do well against Bangladesh and used to say, "But, it is only Bangladesh!!!". Gone are those days now. Bangladesh have developed into a potent team at their home. Yeah, they will struggle in alien conditions and it will take quite some time and a lot of wins away from home when everyone considers them a serious test team. But, in their own backyard, they have undoubtedly reached that stage. It was their first test win against any team other than eroded Zimbabwe and heavily under-strength West Indies. They easily could have won this series 2-0, had their not been a divine interaction in the form of Ben Stokes at Chittagong.

When England won at Chittagong, it was so easy to dismiss the idea that it was a fluke that Bangladesh even came so close to team like England, but those who follow test cricket closely knew otherwise in their hearts. Bangladesh were almost as good as England in Chittagong, but just failed to cross the line. At Mirpur, they completely outplayed England in all three departments. As an England cricket fan, The worst part of this defeat was knowing the plain, ugly truth that "At the end of the day, better team won". It was almost unimaginable and unbearable.

Bangladesh look like a very formidable opponent at their home. In the likes of Tamim, Kayes, Mushfiqur, Shakib, Mustafizur and Mehedi, they already have got the core of a very competent test side. They looked comfortable against the English spinners. They scored at a rapid rate against the new ball. The only worry which was ostensibly visible was their inexperience against the reverse swing with the old-ball. They look to counter that very soon. With a little bit of work, they can challenge test teams on a regular basis. They deserve full credit for that. Their fans needed this win. This was a special moment in the cricket-crazy country.

Coming back to England, it was an absolute disgrace. Many will say, "Yeah, well. It was a good day for test cricket." World cricket needs a strong Bangladesh, blah, blah, blah. But, World cricket needs a strong England side too. England probably spends more money on their cricket budget in one week than Bangladesh does in one whole year. England sends their teams to Asia on Lions and A-teams tour. There is absolutely no excuse for this defeat. Granted that they got undone by a young debutant Mehedi Hasan, but he was nothing England were not prepared for. He doesn't have variations of Ajmal or Ashwin. He undoubtedly bowled well throughout the series, but against England he was made to look like an absolute genius. England played him as if they are playing off-spin for the first time. On the other hand, England's spinners were nowhere near world-class and gave too many release balls. They were never able to quite build up the pressure.

Batting-wise, their team selection was terrible. Perhaps they do not know, who their best 7 batters are. Giving Gary Ballance so many opportunities in spite of the fact that he doesn't belong there at this moment is completely outrageous. Ben Duckett looked fine, but his catching was school-grade. It is just too much to ask Stokes to do everything. Root had a bad series, so did Cook. But other batters just couldn't step up on the occasion and this scenario is becoming increasingly familiar in English cricket. They are always left to wonder about "Only if" of the moments they could have seized. England do have some of the best stuffs in the test cricket world. Their reverse-swinging skills with the old-ball, the depths in their bowling and batting are outstanding. They have a stock of all-rounders at test cricket level in the form of Woakes, Stokes and Ali. Unfortunately, these disasters keep on happening with them more than any other team in the world.

No doubt, there are so many low-points in England cricket file. Jamaica (2009), Lord's (against Netherlands in 2009), Bangalore (against Ireland in 2011), the UAE (against Pakistan in 2012), Chittagong (against Netherlands again in 2014), First round elimination in 2015 world cup, Whitewashes in 2006-07 and 2013-14 Ashes. This name of Dhaka on October 30, 2016 must be added to that list, that is for sure. It was indescribably poor. Personally, It often frustrates me watching England lose like this. But, they keep on doing that. I am actually dreading to know that if Bangladesh was a trailer of this horror show, what is going to happen to them when they visit India in 2 weeks? It could be a very very long series for them. India are undeniably the best team in their home conditions. I am expecting a nice competent series, most of them will depend on how much they learnt from Dhaka.

Ben Stokes : England have got a new Botham

Ben stokes, the fire starter. Ben Stokes, the game-changer. Ben Stokes, the star of the future. Yes. England have got someone from Durham who they can count on to win games of cricket. At the time of writing this, Ben Stokes is certainly proving to be one of the faces and gems of so called "New England". Yesterday, he took 26 for 4 in 10 overs in city of Chittagong. Where none of the pacers were able to hold their line and length, Stokes displayed extra-ordinary skills, causing the old ball to reverse it both ways and then later on the day, when England were in tatters at 62-5, made brilliant 85 to save the day. He certainly could be the best all-rounder England ever produced.

I first noticed him in WACA test 2013-14. If memory serves me right, It was perhaps only his second test. England were battling hard to save the match and the series. Cooky had got out on first ball duck. The defeat was almost inevitable. There were large cracks on the pitch. Lyon's deliveries pitching on middle stump were going to the leg slip. Stokesy produced a remarkable 120 there. It was a special knock from a special emerging player. Though England lost the series 5-0, they had got a superstar in the form of Ben.

Born in Canterbury, New Zealand, His father, Ged Stokes, was a rugby league player and coach. Ben could have been an All-Black easily, but he chose to come to England to pursue his cricket career. It certainly has not been an easy ride for him. In the beginning, he was termed as the problem child of England's cricket. He was the kid who was sent home from Lions tour, he was the kid who managed to miss the world T20 after smashing his hands on on locker, he was the kid who was dropped just before the 2015 Cricket world cup because of poor form with bat and ball. An England run of 43 runs in 12 innings in all formats, with six ducks, at an average of 3.60 in the beginning of his career raised so many eye-brows. He managed to get out in most spectacular of fashions and in Abu Dhabi, it was his wicket which led England to slow down in the pursuit of victory. But, past is past. He now seems to have matured drastically well. He has shown promises to be of someone in the leagues of Botham, Kallis, Freddie. He might become the best all rounder of his time. Stokes is a cricketer who, with bat, ball and in the field, is capable of altering games in circumstances where few can. Each of his test centuries have come at times, when England needed them deseperately.

He has grown into a solid test batsman who can bat in top 6 and a genuine third seamer. He plays like a test batsman. In the starting days, he used to have doubt about this defensive technique and often used to self-destruct. But, now he is becoming a solid and reliable player very rapidly. Capetown, 2016. England were in trouble with 167-4. He came and smashed the second fastest double ton in the history of the game and the fastest by an Englishman by an astronomical distance. He ripped apart the South African attack in their own backyard. Lords 2015. England vs New Zealand first test. England were in huge trouble with 30-4. Led by McCullum, New Zealand were all over England. He came and made a brilliant counter attacking 92 in the first innings before smashing the fastest hundred at the Mecca of cricket in the second innings.

Bowling wise, he is still evolving. But, he has already produced a lot of match-winning spells for England in test cricket. Trent Bridge 2015, Fourth Ashes test. He showed immense display of skills and took a 6-36 to hand England an unassailable 3-1 lead. He has often worked as a partnership breaker and has contained the batsmen in a lot of spells so as to give a breathing space for Jimmy and Broady. With his reverse swinging skills as a bowler, he has become a huge asset in the bowling. As a fielder, he is as good as it gets. Remember catching AB on the boundary to win an ODI game for England, that catch at Trent Bridge in 2015, which caused "Awe" of Stuart Broad in the mind-blowing spell.

His test averages are far from amazing. A test batting average of 33 and bowling average of over 35 might look like very ordinary, but these numbers will never tell you the full story and the impact he creates by being in the field in an England's shirt. Although he remains a work-in-progress, there is no denying from the fact that the work is a very impressive one.

Ben Stokes is an equally capable limited over cricketer. Apart from the disaster of 2016 T20 world cup finals, he has been very consistent in the death overs for England throughout. He is a genuinine wicket-taker and he was the Man of the Series in the recently concluded ODI series win of England over Bangladesh. He produced his maiden ODI hundred in the toughest of asian conditions and his six-hitting abilities are as good as any. He is a leader on-and-off the field and "his presence in the England dressing room causes a lot of energy" as described by England's assitant coach Paul Farbrace. He is proper team-man and he is well on the way of becoming the best all-rounder since Sir Ian Botham.

This is just the beginning of Ben Stokes miracles. He is the all-rounder England needed and like they say, "An all-rounder's work is never done." Way to go Stokesy.

India 3, New Zealand 0

India completed their whitewash of New Zealand yesterday. It was supposed to happen. It happened. It was as if it was inevitable. New Zealand are one of the most improved sides in the world in last 2-3 years. Everyone believed that they can threaten India in India. But, they couldn't. It was not meant to be.

All three games almost followed a set pattern. India winning all three tosses, opting to bat first in all of them. In Kanpur(which is my current hometown), India won the toss and made an okay looking 318. It was not supposed to be enough. New Zealand were 255-5 at one stage and they collapsed to 262. To me, that was the series defining moment. New Zealand could never really recover from that trauma over next two matches. They just went straight downhill from there. India simply crushed them in second innings by setting a target of 434 runs. Defeat was inevitable. 1-0 up. It was India's 500th test match. Way to make a history.

In Kolkata, things were expected to change. But, they didn't. India again won the toss and made 316. The only other time they made 316 in Kolkata, they had lost to England in 2012. This time, they were around 100 above par. England were a storm that time with KP and cooky on absolute fire. New Zealand are a struggling team at the moment. They collapsed to 204 and that was the game. They did come back with the ball in second innings and had India at 43 for 4 at one stage and then once again let India get away with it. Saha completely changed his status from a wicket-keeper to a solid no. 7 batsman in this match. India can count on him it seems, when it comes down to batting with the tail. This win was more important as the final script was written by Indian fast bowlers rather than duo of Ashwin-Jadeja. India showed quality of fast bowling and their seamers destroyed kiwis this time. 2-0 up. Series done and dusted.

In Indore, India completed the annihilation of kiwis. They lost just 8 wickets in the match and beat New Zealand by 321 runs, their second biggest win in terms of number of runs. Kohli and Rahane batted them out of the game in the first innings itself. From there on, it was just matter of time. Kohli got his second double century as captain. He is really having an outstanding time as test team captain. Rahane, simply brilliant. Gambhir's comeback was quite nice too. He did contribute with quick-fire 50 in second innings, which set the tone of the declaration. Pujara finally getting a ton after getting out between 50-100 so many times. Then, Ashwin doing the rest of the ceremony. Ashwin picked up 13 for 140 in the match, his best figures in a test ever. He finished with 27 wickets in 3 matches, which is second only to Harbhajan singh's 32 wickets in 3 match series (against Australia in a memorable series in 2001). He picked up his 21st five-wicket haul, his sixth ten-wicket match haul, his seventh Player of the Match award and seventh Player of the Series award - fourth in a row - as well. There probably isn't a more influential cricketer anywhere in the world today. Certainly no one has played a bigger part in India securing the No. 1 Test ranking. He is just having an amazing period and India are flourishing because of it. It is such a great period in Indian test cricket history.

Let us all be clear. New Zealand didn't lose the test series, because they lost all three tosses. They didn't lose because Williamson was not available in the second test at Kolkata. They didn't lose because they are without McCullum. They lost simply against a better team. India are a master of their home conditions and it would have taken a miracle from their batters to avoid this whitewash. Although, poor forms of Guptill, Williamson, Taylor and Watling didn't help the cause. Watling is under radar now. He hasn't scored as many runs as he would have liked to for a while now. Taylor too. For Williamson, it was a rare failure. Guptill showed glimpses of his form at Indore. Sadly, glimpses don't win you games. Hundreds and five-fors do. New Zealand lacked both of them.

Coming to New Zealand's spin trio of Jeetan Patel, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi (Craig was injured), they are simply too inexperienced in Indian conditions. Santner is young and this tour will be one hell of a boost for him as a learning experience. Neesham deserves to be given a long run in the side for that all-rounder slot. He looked okay while batting in first innings in Indore. All-in-all, New Zealand have got a lot on their plate right now, and Mike Hesson needs to address these issues quickly. I believe they will provide a better challenge in five match ODI series which is going to start from 16th October, 2016. They have got some quality players of limited over cricket and it is going to be an exciting series.

So, New Zealand white-washed. England is next. Can't wait for that series to start.

An Apology Letter to AB

Dear AB

The whole purpose of writing this letter is to formally apologize to you for not considering you as the best batsman in the world. Throughout last years, I failed to see your greatness over and over again. I was perhaps blinded, I was under illusion, I was envious, I was irrationally wrong.

I know there has always been a personal battle of me with myself every time I doubted your abilities to turn the game on your own. I exaggerated the times you failed and skimmed over the times you were exceptional. Numerous times, I have been arguing with anyone I could find to tell that you aren't the best. I am so so sorry. Today, I fully commit to the fact that you are the best batsman the world has produced and it will remain so.

It all started perhaps in 2007 world cup in West Indies. You got 4 ducks in the world cup ( A world record). I seemed to remember those ducks and forgot the fact that you still managed a batting average of more than 40 in that world cup. You used to hurt India and England a lot, which I despised so much. It all began there. Every time, I used to admire some team, you used to destroy them. It all compounded slowly and I kept on getting farther and farther from you. I hardly liked any team you used to play for. South Africa, they come so low down in my priority list. Delhi Daredevils: They were okay, but I never quite loved them. Royal Challengers Bangalore: I don't like them at all. CPL: It started recently only and I had already developed so much envy for you. I never really connected myself to you at any level and I always used to pray for your failures. I loved Tendulkar, Sehwag, Ponting, Pietersen, McCullum, Sangakkara, Kallis, Dravid, Cook, Clarke etc. and just the mere thought that some youngster from a rural town of Pretoria can match these legends was so scary to me. I was obsessed with those players so much that I couldn't see the light inside you for so many years. I wanted you to fail so that those players remain superstars to me. I was wrong. Greatness can be achieved by anyone, who believes. You proved it to me. Despite hating you so much for so many years, there always has been an idea at the back of my mind that you have pushed Cricket to an entirely different level. I secretly admired your greatness although never showed it to anyone. I believe that If anyone wants to see the future of cricket, they don't have to look anyone beyond you.

I have been watching this most beautiful game of all: Cricket for last 16 years of my life. Never saw anything like you, and it is very less likely that I will see anything like you in future. When I watch you doing miracles with such ease, all other players look so silly. It is ridiculous to even think about the fact that they all are paid to do the same which you do remarkably easily. You are undoubtedly the greatest batsman of our times. Never seen anyone as inspirational as you. I had a dream once that there were interplanetary cricket matches going on and you went to represent earth.

I used to hate the way you used to lift the bat in hockey style. "Someone who lifts bat like that. Nah. They must fail. This ain't hockey, mate. That is not proper batsman-ship.", this is the conversation I used to have with myself. Very recently, I came to know that it came from you playing hockey in school tournaments. I always used to find faults in your technique. He can't do this, He can't do that, he can't play quality spin, he can't play reverse swing, he can't open etc. As mentioned, I have never been more wrong in my life. You are an epitome of greatness. You have extra-ordinary self-belief. I used to get mad when you scored runs. But, truth be told, I used to be angry at myself for not believing in you. It was as if I was at a crossroads. I just couldn't accept the truth that you are better than the rest. I used to hate a version of you before 2008 and kept on hating that person until recently. I have spent so many nights thinking "Where exactly is his weak zone? Why are bowlers so dumb now-a-days? Why can't they figure out a way to get him out?" As it turns out, there is hardly any weak zone and bowlers are certainly good. It is just the plain, uncomplicated truth that they are up against the invincible. They have no way out.

In Cricket, numbers will tell the story. Almost always. 2008, it was. It was a year of self-discovery for you. Till 2008, you had a test batting average of 36 in 33 test matches with 3 centuries. Since 2008, you have averaged 58 in further 73 test matches with additional 18 test centuries. In Odis, you were averaging 36 in 59 One day internationals with 3 centuries till 2008. After 2008, you have averaged 63 in a further 141 Odis with additional 21 centuries.  In cricket, stats are all right, but they never tell the full story. These numbers will never capture precisely your heroics at Wanderers on Jan 18, 2015. They can't tell the brutality of 162 Not Out in world cup 2015. You became South Africa's highest individual scorer for 2 years when you made 278* against Pakistan in their own home. Adelaide Heroics to save the game. Since 2008, none comes close to being a complete batsman as you have been. Both in Tests and Odis combined.

The goal of this letter is to confess my illogical hatred for you throughout these years. I had no idea what you went through. I just thought of you as another brash, arrogant youngster who just smacks the ball mindlessly. I want to say sorry for every single individual time I prayed for your failures. You are truly an inspiration to me and to so many people all across the world. While batting, You can be an artist and a butcher at the same time. You destroy the bowling attack in a few minutes. I have often felt like bowlers don't mind going out of the park if it comes from you. It gives a sense of co-operation. It is ridiculous. But, it is the truth. You are as close to cricketing greatness as it gets. Your batting is so crisp, so pure. It is so hard not to get mesmerized by it. Despite your immense cricketing abilities, hardly I have seen someone so humble as you have been. You are a great batsman and an even better human being. You have always worn your heart on your sleeves. A proud South-African.

When you come out to bat, it opens up the world of possibilities. Every eye watching cricket just lits up. The world starts to wait for the next delivery. The ball can go in any direction for a six. All 360 degrees possible. There is no minus point in your batting. You can bend the laws of nature, of physics, of time. I have a feeling that you can bat and make hundreds at Moon, Mars or anywhere else where mankind can imagine to go.

Coming back to present, I have been blessed to have watched you bat in your 100th test at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. Today, I feel sad that you couldn't get a 100 there despite coming so close. I was a little worried at that time that you will bat India out of the game. Sorry. On the other hand, I feel so lucky to have spent 2 years of my life in Bangalore. A city, which loves you so so much. It is your home far away from home and watching you bat has certainly been one of the highlights of my cricketing life.

I have a request to make AB: Please continue playing cricket as long as you can. You were born for it. I have the same dream as you that you will run out the last batsman while fielding at covers in an ICC world cup finale to give Proteas their first world cup ever. I hope it happens. I will be so glad for you. I will cheer for you. I will have tears of happiness for you. Some day. Yeah, One day AB.

--From a true Fan
Pawan.