On the Write Line

Imagine aiming at a dartboard from a distance of a few inches. Sounds simple, isn’t it? But still you miss it. Dhoni and the boys could well be sharing the same feeling after the MCG debacle. Their dart went astray instead of hitting the bulls-eye, which was right there in front of them. A little over 47 overs, and it was curtains for the touring side. Chasing 291, one thought India had a chance to create history at Melbourne. But the second-choice Australian pace attack had other plans.  Making good of the conditions, they simply had to pitch the ball in the right areas, and they did just that. In hindsight, it’s easy to blame the conditions. Agreed, the ball was wobbling a bit, moving viciously off the seam, but that cannot be the reason for what unfolded at the MCG today. So what exactly went wrong for India? A prolific side with world-class batsmen was bowled over twice by Australia’s second-choice pace attack. The Indian batsmen were up agai...

Finally, the day is just round the corner. The start of the much awaited India-Australia Test series. Soothsayers could regale us with their version of what could happen. Cricket pundits would enlighten us with theirs. What actually will unfold on December 26 is anybody’s guess. I’m not too sure, if the Indian team is thinking that way. Whether they contemplate success and failure before the real battle begins. India’s next full tour to Australia is in December 2014. For the big three- Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman, this could well be their swansong Down Under. Or at least, last one where we see them performing together there.   Australia will always hold a special place in their hearts. It’s a place which has played a pivotal role in establishing them as leading batsmen. They have innings played here that have earned them the respect of their harshest critics.  But these are records at a personal level. For India, it is desperate to win a series her...

Cricket  aficionados  and cricket experts will be eagerly looking forward to the high-octane contest between India and Australia. It will be an uphill task for Dhoni and his men. Arriving in Australia with the wounds of the England tour still unhealed.  Picking up a bunch of the best 17 the country has to offer, wasn’t an easy task for the selectors. Some players might have picked themselves on the sheer weight of their reputation and performance, but for the rest, it wasn’t that easy. Looking at the fitness levels of our players, it would be a good idea to have atleast a couple of them ready with their visas, to fly out at the eleventh hour.  These extras should essentially be seamers, knowing Zaheer and Ishant still flirting with injuries. The last thing Dhoni would want is an injury to his lead bowlers. That would expose the young quick bowlers against some formidable Australian batting lineup.  The top batsmen pick themselves....