Puzzling MS Dhoni

Another last over finish and Dhoni fails to do it again. It was the fourth instance in a T20 game when Dhoni remained N.O. and India failed to win. There will be a lot of debate about Does Dhoni want all the spotlight by himself? Otherwise, why won't you trust some batsman who has made 2 fifties in two games he was given chance in the ODI series. Is it over-confidence or too much self-belief? In cricket, there is a very thin line between bravery and foolishness. Dhoni loves to see the fear in the eyes of the bowler when he runs to deliver the ball in the final over. He has done it a lot of times in ODI cricket. But, In T20, his highest is still 48*, Not a single fifty in 50 games he has played for India. In tests, He is even worse.

Sometimes back in the past, I used to think Is MS Dhoni really the gifted one? He controlled the game like he has programmed it himself. Only He can find its bugs and for how much time it will run. Talking about test cricket, He is one of the most unimpressive captains in overseas test India ever got. He thinks test cricket on a different level than other greats. He gives easy singles. He waits for the batsmen to make mistakes. He frustates them by putting 7 fielders on leg side and bowling on middle and leg. He wants opposition to throw their wickets. These things are okay in limited over cricket, but In Test cricket, He gets exposed so badly.

There have been some magic incidents which make us believe that He is not ordinary. Take examples of Joginder sharma bowling the last over in 2007 T20 WC, Ishant Sharma over in ICC champions Trophy final, Ishant sharma again in Lord's test, A mid off and long off both for Pollard in 2011 IPL final etc. But Sometimes we got to look on the dark sides too. India have not won a single overseas test since ages. Only one win out of infinite chances given in last four years. He doesn't take it seriously. He smiles after defeat in press conferences. He always gains positives from the series. He has countless number of excuses. He has his own ways of explaining things. When India won the ODI series, it only showed how bad England are in this format. FYI: Sri Lanka recently beat England both in Test and ODI series.

India have never been a great team overseas. Even when it had greats like Sachin, Sourav, Dravid, Sehwag etc. in it. We never had quality bowlers like other teams do. I still remember when India needed 87 in 15 overs, He shook hands rather than going for win against West Indies as India were leading in the series. I can't imagine a single captain in the world who hates 2-0 victory more than 1-0. Exception: MS Dhoni. He may be a great captain in limited over cricket, IPL, T20, but he is nowhere close to great ones in test cricket. He believes in filling the gaps in the team. He fills all rounders. He picks batsmen who can bowl, bowlers who can bat. This may work in ODI and T20, but not in test cricket. Stuary Binny: I could never get any idea what was he ? A bowler, a batsman, a timekiller, a game saver, a confidence booster to others who want to play test cricket?

Dhoni has won all the titles possible in world cricket. IPL, CL, World cup both 50 and 20 overs, ICC champions trophy. This was unachievable by a single person before he arrived. He has some good tactics. He reads the limited cricket so well that he makes the opposition bend before him. But, in test cricket, I have hardly found him attacking. He unnecessarily puts leg slip everytime a spinner bowls. He hardly scores tons in tests. In limited overs, even if you make a mistake, it gets over by the end of day. But in tests, they haunt you. You are asked questions during your sleep. It continues for five days. Test cricket is no joke. It reflects how hard you have worked, where you are progressing as a unit. Even if one mistake is exposed in your team, you will continue to lose till you fill that void.

Yesterday, I saw his press conference. MS Dhoni calls it a good tour. He does not mind losing test series by 1-3. All the cricket world is laughing.

A Tale of Downfall

Captain Alastair Cook photo on my laptop is smiling. I have not got a single clue why? He talks in his familiar style after the match. The hopeful words keep coming out of his mouth. He honestly gives credit to Indian team for the special victory. After all, his team has performed  like what has become a habit. Whole England team is out there hanging their heads down. India did which they had not done over 1100 days, a test win at overseas. The question here is - What happened to three lions?

Before the series started, there were serious allegations about how MS Dhoni's men will take over England? India has the worst record on England soil and the recent past had not been kind for the men in blue. Yes, England were struggling. But, could they be beaten by India? Many said no. India lack depth in bowling. Experts said Indian bowlers have not got ability to take 20 wickets. blah. blah. blah...

England have never been so vulnerable at home. A winless streak of 10 tests out of which seven are losses. The loss of some of the the key players like Swann, Trott, KP added with the poor run of Cook, prior clearly shows the chaos this team is going under. They have become insecure and wobbly. It seems as if they have lost the self-belief to win a cricket match. Against the Aussies, They were horrible in all formats of the game. They lost both ODI and test series against Sri Lanka in their home conditions. And now they are 0-1 down against India.

There was a time, this team rose to number one rankings in test cricket with the nucleus of Cook, Strauss, Trott, KP, Bell, Broad, Anderson. Although, most of them are still out there, but what they are lacking is the winning instinct. They are just not showing any stomach for fight. They are failing to perform as a unit. There was a time, when Even Broad used to get daddy tons for them. On those days, If you had missed even a run out chance of Cook, you would have been punished with a double hundred. Gone are those days, Gone are those moments. After Flower retired, there was a hope that new coach, new environment will bring some change. Instead, it has brought two test losses out of four, he has been a part of. England look arrogant at this instant. Their batting, bowling and their fielding have just become rubbish.

They are backing the players who had got them to rank one even with the overwhelming evidence that they are no more the same as then. Talking about Lords' wicket, it was one the the greenest wicket ever in the history of the game. Having  the advantage of winning the toss and reducing India for 145 for 7, they let them come back in the game.  In the second Innings, they were once 156 for 4 and then managed to lost 6 wickets for 50 runs. A perfect end for being so imperfect. Something is not quite right with this team.

With three more tests to go, Cook's men have got to prove something, not to the critics, but to themselves. They need to search the self-belief inside their souls.They need to get inspiration from how they defeated India in India two years ago from one test down. Perhaps, one last chance for Cook and co.

Signing out. Thanks.

The Worst Defeat Ever?

Australia sealed only the third 5-0 whitewash in the Ashes' 130-year history on Sunday, winning the fifth test in Sydney by 281 runs with more than two days to spare. Geoff Boycott termed it as "one of the most depressing and humiliating days for English cricket". Before the series the scoreline of Australia winning by five to nil against England was as impossible as Bangladesh winning the world cup in one-day format. But, the beast called "Confidence" gave Australia the X-factor, let it be in the form of Mitch which they were certainly lacking in the recently concluded Ashes in 2012.

The Statistics were even poor: Cook, the top batsman of England batting lineup averaged less than number 8 Mitchell Johnson for Australia. Out of 10 occasions, they failed to cross 200 mark six times. Each defeat was crushing in its own sense. Each one was either more than 100 runs or 8 wickets. The third time Australia have beaten England 5-0 after 1920-21 and 2006-07.

The presentation ceremony after the Ashes went over was even more overwhleming. Cook and co. hung their heads as if the all the gravity of earth were concentrated there. The series left England without Greame Swann, Matt prior, Jonathan Trott: the pillars who sent England to Number 1 or contributed significantly. There was chaos in England's dressing room over Alastair cook and Andy Flower retention.

To me, the main reason England lost so significantly is the tiredness. Since, 2011, No player has faced as many test balls as Alastair Cook, No bowling unit has bowled as much as Anderson-Broad-Swann. They tried a lot here, but they were tired. Even in the last Ashes, everytime Australia looked to come back, One performance: either with the bat or ball saved England. This time, England has no plans. Trott left after first match. Swann took the retirement probably the worst/best timely retirement in the history. Batsmen were failing. They had no answer to the pace trio of Harris-Mitch-Siddle. They repeated the same mistakes again and again. In adeilade, when things could have gone their way, they shut the door on their face by dropping sitters. The worst part was the face that Australia won without their top 6 batsmen except of Rogers being in prime form. And Mitchell Johnson was in the form of his life. He looked like Batman with the power of Superman.

England at this moment is at rock bottom. But, I too like others feel that this is the worst phase of England cricket. Things will go better from here on. The only place where you can go from bottom is up. I still believe that England are a better side than they displayed themselves. They just need a winning habit, that's all. Hopefully, they get it soon.

As the law of truism goes, Nothing can go on forever. No force in cricket up to now has been so great which has dominated since the beginning. Let it be England.

What Losing the urn means

England lost the urn, period. The urn returns to Australia after an interval of almost 4 and half years. You could see the tearful eyes of Mitchell Johnson, the joy of Michael Clarke and the whole Aussie team and it will not take an Einstein to infer what winning or losing the Ashes means for both these teams.

At WACA, Both Cook and Clarke were playing their 100th test matches for their respective teams. While Cook is patient, calm and believes in grinding the opposition down, Clarke has different methods. He believes in aggression, creating pressure , reading their opposition. England chose this surface for their final punch, still unbelievable to me. England were completely outplayed here too like the other two. Similar stuff, Australia winning the toss and batting. England got rid of top order and once again lower middle order stretched Australia to something to bowl at. England first innings collapse  has become as common in this series. Once again, they conceded a big first innings lead. Finally, in third innings, it was warner and watson show. Both made hundreds. Bailey too joined the party hitting 28 in jimmy over adding woes to England wounds. After that, it was just a matter of time when the moustache man Johnson and co. took over them.
Ben Stokes  showed how to bat on this pitch with giant cracks. It was probably as good innings as an England no. 6 for a long time. They kept fighting in the second innings. They toughed, ducked and made Australians earn the wickets. Balls barely missed the outside edges. Catches almost carried. Mis-hits dangled in the air. Late swings generated noise from the fielders. The men who beat India in india, a feat difficult to achieve even for the angels, were struggling. The players, who could change a test match in a session were fighting to avoid a series loss. The best men, trying their hardest, fought as hard as they could. England still lost. I could not have been sadder.

Now coming to the main thing: Losing the urn. I don't imagine a happier moment in test cricket than being an English or Australian and winning the urn. It means the world to me. Winning it is like protecting the best goddamn thing you loved whole life while losing it is exactly the opposite. You just let it slip away from your hands and gave it to someone else who currently deserves it more than you do. It is like your loved one just betrayed you just because you aren't fit enough.

When Ashes started in earlier century, it symbolized the heritage and competition between these two great nations, who gave cricket to the world. The bails were burnt and the ash was put, hence the name Ashes. Since then, it has been wandering from one of them to other. Bringing it back leads to honor, adds flavor to your resume while losing it stains it.  It will haunt you during sleeps. You will keep on looking on the score board and the whole scene will move around your eyes in a flash how you just let it slip away. Winning it leads to getting congratulations from the prime minister, queen in case of England, cricket geeks, legends while losing it will just make you restless and wonder If only we could reverse it.

Me, being an England fan knows its value. Looking at the sad faces of Cook, Kevin, Jimmy, Stuart tell everything. How much painful it was for the cook to face the presentation party, I do understand that. There was a crying voice. He demanded more from his team, plain and simple, that's all. Now, England must live without the urn until the next ashes. With England not having too old players, it is likely that the core of the team will remain the same for the next few years. They must remember this and come back harder and stronger next time. At least, this is what I am praying.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all of you. 

Explaining James Anderson

Trent Bridge hero of last Ashes test, 2012: James Anderson. Since then He has been bowling, bowling and bowling. He has given his all to this English team. For the last 3 years, He has been playing non-stop cricket. Always willing to give his 100 percent in the field, What has happened to this man now?

Last Ashes in Trent Bridge, In second innings for some seconds, I was haunted by the idea that Brad Haddin will win Australia this game on his own. Suddenly, Cook brings his best man in when Australia were 15 short of the target and He does incredibly well by taking the wicket of Haddin and won the game. It was his tenth wicket of the match. He beat Australia on his own. Since then, He has undergone a slide of form. He averages 47 since then.

Last night, I kept thinking about the possible reasons How on a sudden, Australia learnt to play him so well. He is a supreme mover of the cricket ball. His seam position, wrist movement are just too good. Sometimes, He can bowl as good as it is possible in cricket. He can bowl where he wants to bowl. He can make the batsman dance to his tune on his best. He has outsmarted the god of cricket 9 times in the test cricket. He is just a clinic of swing bowling.

Physically, He has not got any advantage over any fast bowler. He has not got a height of some 80 inches which helps him to get some extra bounce. He has not got a huge shoulder or big body. His action is not some slinging arm. He has to fight his way back, do a lot of hard work to get batsmen out. But, Despite all odds, he did learn some of the best fast bowling tricks the world will ever witness. He has outswingers of world class to take him to the top. He does have some pace, But class batsmen will always find a way against you if you just have some raw pace. Pace is devastating only when you scare all with that. Unfortunately, Anderson does not have even this. He has just worked harder and harder to reach there.

Facing him in England is like a nightmare for most of the human beings of this planet. England climate certainly helps swing bowlers and Anderson rightly takes advantage of that. Also he has got some apt partners to bowl with like Stuart broad, Steven Finn, Chris Tremlett, Tim Bresnan etc. He proved himself in the subcontinent wickets too where the ball doesn't swing much Just on the basis of pure skill. He believes in learning as much as he can. That's why he is so successful. He helped England win in India after trailing by 0-1. I still remember the ball on which he got Sehwag on first ball duck in Nagpur. He helped England gaining the top spot in test rankings.

When Anderson bowls with perfect seam position, I can't imagine any better sight than that in cricket. It is so natural and text book style that you will want to watch it so many times. He is perfect for flat pitches and against boring batsmen. He learnt the art of reverse swing to get edges with old balls. He knows what the batsman might be thinking. He does have a lot of variations in his bowling. He certainly is no more just a swinging new ball bowler like the other young guns.

Some months ago, I read from somewhere that Anderson has been rated as the most skillful bowler on earth. Even I think the same. But what intrigues me at present that why on earth his current form against Australia is wobbling. Is it too much cricket, Is he tired or Have Aussies found a way against him? He used to win England test matches with just one spell. But what has happened now. He still averages approximately 30 in test cricket, which is too much considering the high standards of him. He is second highest wicket taker for England in test cricket just behind Sir Ian Botham. Given his current age is just 31, He probably will end up with a bag of 500 test wickets. His determination, discipline has brought him so far.

He has been one of my personal favourite bowlers. There is something special about him, isn't it? 

To Dearest Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

October 10, 2013. You announced retirement from test cricket. For a person like me, who grew up watching you bat for the last 20 years of my life, this is like sticking in time with you. I just can't describe how I felt when I heard about your decision to retire. I just felt weak as if I have lost everything I had. Almost  2/3rd of  our country'
s population have no idea of cricket  which doesn't involve you. I grew up falling in love with you and cricket. Your name is just a synonym for  greatness. Your success or failures were attached to my heart. No matter, how you played the only thing which remained consistently on my  wishlist was to watch you  even more. I picked various debates with my friends when they spoke anything ill about you. You are greater than stats show about you. You won billions of hearts  across the world. Watching you bat was moment of perfection, happiness, and undescribable joy for me.

Last night, I got scared thinking about the situation that will happen when India play test matches next year and 2nd wicket will fall. That will be one of the most nightmare situations I can imagine. Not being able to watch you in the middle of the ground. Unnatural silence will prevail. Players come and go, but someone like you  come once in a lifetime. Playing consistently for almost quarter of a century: I don't know how to describe this. You have been a true ambassador of cricket. The  smile, joy and humiliation which you brought on ground were some hundred thousand times greater than your achievements. I want to thank you the  countless happy  memories you provided to me. You have been an integral part of my life. In this ever changing world, you have been a real constant.

When you went out to bat, the whole world stood still. I often bunked school to watch you bat. I prayed all the way up for you success. Since my childhood days, I used  to wake up on India's matches day and the only wish I used to have that day was may you make a century today. You were such a genius, dedicated, disciplined and  determined human being. I am supremely confident that It will take centuries for the world to find someone like you. You showed me the importance of discipline and  sincerity.  You  taught me not to give up, how to be focussed, how to compete in the world, how to work hard etc. You have been a life changer for me in all possible  good ways.  You have been a true role model for all the youngsters all across the world. I think I was just too lucky to have witnessed you and your batting and it  saddens me a lot that next generation won't. They may know you through books, videos, pictures, statistics etc. But, they won't be able to have the first hand  experience as We did. You have been a superhero of my times. You may retire from the sports, but never from our hearts.

I don't want to enumerate all my favourite moments of you and best innings of you as they are countless and all of them were just extraordinary. You were the most  perfect batsman. You are much more than cricket. You traverse all souls. The world will not be able to forget you. When you went out to bat people switched on the  television sets and switched off their lives. You made me take the radio set to school on the days India had cricket matches. I used to get anxious on every ball you  faced. My ears just grew more powerful doing that. When you used to get out, It looked like the world ended. Watchig you gave aesthetic pleasure. You were One of those  players whom even my late grandmom used to recognize. You are a real gem. Cricket will mourn your loss, ever. I want to thank God and my mom for making me contemporary  to you.

I just can't describe everything you gave to me, because there are no words available for them.
In short, you gave me the world.

With love, respect and admiration.

-- From a Cricket fan.

To Ian Bell

There was definitely a time when I thought England must give Ian Bell a long break before handing him the test cap of England again. I used to see a nervous Ian Bell, who used to crumble under pressure. I used to think of him who can get out on any ball before I even knew it. He was "The one" who could miss a straighter one to get bowled. Ian Bell had a massive lapse of concentration that used to cause a stupid mistake by him.

But, Let me drag you to present. This new Ian Bell is something else, isn't he? He is looking technically sound, impregnable, incredible, unbelievable. Words can't justify the value of his runs scored by him. No matter, who he is playing against, when he is in great touch, which he usually is in, nothing can penetrate him. In modern cricket, very few players can make the ball look like it has been bowled in slow motion. Bell is one of them. He is like a cricket textbook. Watching him bat is moment of perfection, happiness. It gives an aesthetic pleasure to me.

Before coming to This ashes, he was in a form slide. Both India and New Zealand were unkind to him. He was struggling to make a place in this batting unit. He was fourth or fifth name which came to our mind thinking about England's batting. But, now he is looking as if the Avengers would come to bell, they would be the one who lose. He is looking supernatural, extraordinary. Practically, anything bowled outside the off stump, he can carve that to third man. He can play the ball late than you spend the time between your naps. He may feel problems against Ajmal's doosra, but at least Aussies do not have them to bother him.

Ian Bell has not suddenly changed. He is just using his skills which he always had. Just a bit more concentrated and showing more temperament. He has given England the Ashes 2013. Almost every innings played by him in this series has been chanceless, pretty and elegant. If we are not noticing the grinding done by him in these years, then something is wrong with our heads. He is looking better. Something has changed. He now seems to have got it. This series, All of Cook, Trott, Kevin etc. have been careless and distracted. None of them has been in full form. Had it not been Bell, England would have been struggling to contain the ashes.

Apart from cricket, Ian bell has been outstanding  outside cricket. He doesn't involve in sledging. He has not got some girlfriend which cover the headlines of newspapers. He is not fined for misbehaviour. He doesn't abuse teammates. He is not a rockstar. He doesn't go to reality shows and make himself popular. He doesn't tweet much. There is only one thing he does well: bat and bat well when the country needs it.

As the law of truism goes, nothing can go on forever. But, Bell still aged 31, has got enough time to make these rest of the moments memorable. When he is at his best, It is impossible to understand how he can ever get out. He is prettier than we have ever anticipated him. If you have watched him bat, you are really a lucky human being.

Twenty test hundreds, averages 47, Bell, you are prettier than these numbers.

Beauty of Test Cricket

Cricket is such a beautiful game, isn't it? The game has a special place for test matches. Most people do give test matches a hashtag of #boring. Yeah, I admit sometimes it is colourless and odourless, but so is water. But, Can you live without it? Isn't the sight of test cricket really lovely? For me, It's really hard not getting romantic watching Test cricket.

Cricket, unlike most games is an art, a pure art. You can't judge art in 180 minutes of assault. After all, it's a gentleman's game. Certainly, There comes moments of dullness in some phases of it, but all to make the art even more pretty. It's so pleasant to watch the batsmen waiting for bad deliveries, bowlers trying consistently for the batsmen to make mistakes. It requires patience, perseverence, temperament, just ideal to convert one into an ideal cricketer.

There have been some epic test series in last decade. Who can forget 2001 Test Series between India-Australia, followed by Ashes-2005? Aren't They enough to justify the beauty of Test cricket? The beauty of reverse swing with the old ball, the calculated risk taken in carving the ball to third man boundary, a gentle backfoot punch etc. all seem so pure to me. I can watch that whole life without getting tired. Test cricket produces legends. It is so easy to befool ourselves in the glamour of Twenty-20 powered by cheerleaders, A Pseudo package of complete entertainment, but like I said earlier, The True art is always missing.

I am worried by recent changes in the attitude of ICC regarding minimum tests compulsory for each test team. ICC has bellowed minimum of 16 tests in 4 years. Doing simple division tells you that you need to play a minimum of just 4 tests in 12 months. Isn't the figure too little? ICC surely has taken a ridiculous decision. Test cricket is real heritage of cricket. We need to protect it, embrace it by playing more and more of it, not the other way around.

I Personally believe that There has been lack of quality contests in test cricket in recent years. Very few series have been a nail-biter.But, The Respective boards and players need to be blamed for setting up of these. How can they make Test cricket pay for this? ICC needs to be laughed at for this. If these things continue, I am really worried that we may leave nothing of test cricket to tell our children.

I am praying that the coming test series: Back-to-back Ashes, India-South Africa etc. Produce some phenomenal display and force ICC to rethink its irrational decision. After all, Art matters.

Thanks.

The Pain of England Cricket Team

Final Moment: And here is R. Ashwin to James Tredwell, England need 6 runs to win the first major ICC trophy in 50 over format in almost 4 decades. Here he goes. James Tredwell Swings and misses and This champions trophy, 13 maybe the last ever,  belongs to this young Indian Team.

That look on Cook's face, I almost snapped inside my mind forever. The bloody pain of defeat. He looked for reasons of defeat. He really needed some consolation.With 20 needed off 16 deliveries, and having morgan and Bopara as set batsmen on crease, the game was of England to lose and indeed they did that in remarkable fashion. The downfall was started with slower ball of Ishant, who was having his worst game of this tournament. Did Morgan really needed to play that suicidal shot? Next ball, Ravi holed it to midwicket. He stood at the wicket complaining about the height of the ball for a second or two. Buttler got the first ball in his zone, went for the slog and missed it by a fair distance. Bresnan slipped in the middle after surviving from an LBW call, only to watch himself getting helplessly runout. Broad was now in. He played first ball to covers. There was no run there even in the cricket of disabled. He ran anyway. He dived only to see that Sir Jadeja had not taken off the bails. Now was the turn of Tredwell. He will be the least favourite man in whole England to bat in this situation. Yet, He was on strike. He almost got himself run out attempting each run he added.

Last over needed 15. Not Undoable. but against the bowler whose figures till that over was 3-1-6-2, it was really some superhuman effort needed by those two. And, not to forget, there was stuart Broad on the crease: He was born for such wonders. Broad swang his hands as hard as he could but could n't connect. Third Umpire again used a random number generator this time to save him unlike Poor Bell. Next ball, He swept it for four only to remind me: This is not yet over. Next ball, He took a goddamn single and now the load was on the weak shoulders of Tredwell to see England Home. I got to feel for him. Against Ashwin 10 off 3 on that turner was one of the unlikeliest thing imaginable . Yet, He gave his best shot, took two 2's to bring it to last ball. Poor Tredwell needed a 6 off the bowler having figures 3.5-1-15-2. He gave his all to avoid the embarrassment England was lurking at for the last 15 minutes. Winning their first major trophy in 50 over format. Loss in ICC finals: Not the fifth time. The odds of success were negligible: and that's what exactly happened and finally I learnt why they kept Probability in curriculum.

Was it destined to end like this? There were million other ways in which the game could have proceeded. They were supposed to chase 130 on any day. England may do the whatifs enumerable number of times from here. But, There is no U-turn here. That's the way life is. That's how the world works.

All this was only to prolong the wait of the England.

Thanks

Beauty Of Watchinig Pace Bowling

Sometimes I am forced to rethink why do I  watch cricket so closely. Forget everything. Just watch. Fast bowlers can make you cling to the chair. They are really intimidating, aren't they? I am providing you all with a number of reasons.

Let us start with the bowling run-up. It is a unique thing in cricket, which separates it from other games like baseball. In athletics, there are triple jump, hurdle race, long jump etc. but nothing matches the run-up of fast bowlers in cricket. Specially, pace bowlers have such a eye-catching run-up. For a bowler, nothing is more valuable than the final leap which he takes while delivering the ball. The batsman seems to be a slave. The bowler seems to be on the top of the universe. With different pace bowlers, the run up leaves different impressions. There are various categories of bowling run-ups too. Take wasim akram, waqar younis, shoaib akhtar: the three legends of pakistan era, all having different actions and run-ups used to vary. I used to get a high urge to bowl watching them doing the same.

Whoever says he is not frightened by enormous pace probably lies. Imagine yourself getting to play 95mph balls. Perhaps given a chance to walk into fire or playing them, you  will take a long time to decide. It's just so dreadful. If there is something more beautiful and elegant than watching the stumps knocked away by pace power, I honestly don't want to know about it. They can ruffle anyone, even the best batsmen of the generation. Can Something really match watching the fear in the eyes of the batsmen? There is no alternative to the beauty to speed.

There are no truer hard workers than fast bowlers in any format of cricket. They are expected to be 100 percent fit. The captain expects initial breakthroughs from them. They are made to bowl in the powerplays and yet expected to have low economy rate then the slower bowlers. Also, the changes in the rules of cricket in recent years have also caused a lot of disadvantages to them. The pitches all across the world are being made lifeless and flat. Everyone thinks about the batsmen. The crowd loves fours-sixes. Hardly anyone wants fast bowlers to succeed.

I, personally have always felt then Cricket is a game of reaction time. And there is no better evidence than watching pace bowlers taking the wickets. They go inside the reaction time, and earn those wickets. No other thing can come even miles closer to that.They challenge the decision taking abilities of the batsmen and often succeed too.

And, lastly I would like to tell I am big fan of the best pacers of my era: Del Steyn, James Anderson,Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar, Mitchell Johnson, Shane Bond, Umar Gul, Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga and many more.

Thanks