The Buchi Babu tournament is considered good practice ahead of the first-class season © Sportz Solutions

I wrote this at the Chennai airport while waiting for my flight back to Delhi. It was delayed by half an hour and so it was a perfect time to pull out my laptop and mull over the matters of the past week-and-a-half. Buchi Babu Tournament has been my first assignment in the new season, as a part of a new team, under a new coach and a new board – the Rajasthan Cricket Association. It has also been my debut in the tournament itself, Delhi never having played in it. Obviously, we at RCA are fancying our chances of bouncing back into the Elite division this year, and hence getting into the groove before we hit the crease for the Ranji Trophy matches.

Buchi Babu is an invitational tournament organized by TNCA, hosting 13 state teams from all over the country. Since the first class season is just round the corner, this tournament along with KSCA tournament in Bangalore and Moin-Ud-Dowla in Hyderabad are considered to be good practice sessions for the important matches ahead. State teams use these tournaments to dry run their fringe players and also provide a good enough practice to its senior players in the longer format. After all, once the first-class season gets over, there’s hardly any tournament which is not a limited-overs one.

This tournament also gives you an insight into the seriousness of the association with regards to the upcoming season. While some teams travel sans a proper coach, trainer and physios, others travel with the entire entourage as they would for a first-class game. Some associations have also gone a step further to arrange overseas tours for their state teams in order to broaden their horizons. Personally, I’m not too sure if travelling abroad and playing limited-overs cricket in alien conditions is the ideal way to prepare for a grueling first-class season in Indian conditions. But since playing some cricket is always better than playing no cricket at all, the effort should be lauded. Also, there might be a feeling among the players to go that extra yard to keep up the name of the country, and the association which made an effort to provide them with the opportunity.

Coming back to the Buchi Babu Tournament, this year’s matches were unfortunately marred by incessant unseasonal rains which resulted in only 3 games going the distance in the league stage. Rains, but more importantly the reluctance to tweak the rules to get a result, meant that the two semi-finalists were picked by the draw of lots. This is perhaps the most ridiculous way of ascertaining the winners, sadly though it was the case. Originally the match was to be played over 2 days with 90 overs-a-side which I think provides a big enough canvas for most players to prove their mettle. But once the rains played the spoilt sport, the rules left a lot to be desired.

If the match started on time on the first day, the number of overs wouldn't be reduced regardless of the rain which in effect means that one team might just field without getting a hit. So if there were clouds lurking close by, players would pray that it starts raining before the first ball was bowled. Also if there wasn’t any play possible on day 1, the match would be reduced to 50 overs-a-side. Even this rule had an obvious shortcoming because regardless of the delay on day 2 the overs wouldn't be reduced further. We, Rajasthan, found ourselves in a similar situation against Madhya Pradesh. Since there wasn’t enough time to get the required 100 overs in, both captains agreed to call off the match instead of playing an inconsequential match which would have provided batting practice to only one team.

The problem with a Buchi Babu match is that it is not an all-important Ranji Trophy game. And so there seems to be no intent to give it a much needed face-lift. Redundant rules must be done with to hold on to the reputation it enjoys. The tournament serves as a reality check for most participating teams, and hence the aim is to perform and not warm the benches. Only if the organizers had been swift enough to react to the situation, Buchi Babu would’ve been a better show.

Aakash's twitter feed is here http://twitter.com/cricketaakash

Mohammad Amir is the latest in the lineage of quality fast bowlers from Pakistan © Getty Images

Watching young Mohammad Amir make Ricky Ponting dance to his tunes was both a sight and a statement. Despite the turmoil in Pakistan cricket, the crop of quality fast bowlers has rarely, or never, seen a downswing. Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar -- the lineage is potent and the character entrenched in their cricket.

Pace bowling continues to absorb Pakistan like nothing else. So what is it about Pakistan that ensures their supply line is never dry? After all, fast bowling is one of the most gruelling aspects of the game.

It ought to do something, or a lot, with their genetics. They come across as a tough race with an aggressive streak, which is an indispensable factor to bowl quick. They are born fighters and that streak ensures that they keep coming back at you. If cricket is just the expression of your true self, fast bowling exposes that vein better than anything else.

Then there’s a strong culture of playing tennis-ball cricket in Pakistan. But unlike the usual tennis ball, they tape the ball to make it slightly heavier. Now, you can either be a fast bowler or a batsman to survive in that format, for spinners would be ineffective with a tennis ball. And if you choose to bowl quick, then you must develop a quick arm action, strong shoulders and an even stronger back to generate pace with a ball as light as a tennis ball. That’s their first lesson in fast bowling but one which keeps them in good stead in the future.

Another thing that I have observed while playing with them in England is that fast bowlers from Pakistan are an extremely confident lot. Perhaps bordering on over-confidence, but I’d rather err on that side if I’m a fast bowler, because that very nature, at times, makes you vie for a comeback when all seems lost.

If all of these factors do their bit, this seals the deal - the legacy. Their fast bowlers have always been larger-than-life figures who’d inspire millions to be like them. Their persona and flamboyance is what a 10-year old kid would want to emulate when he grows up. The respect that a fast bowler gets in his community, village and town is beyond compare. And that respect is what a sportsperson craves for and its pursuit drives him for months and years.

The credit cannot and should not be given solely to the infrastructure or the system, for their meteoric rise is part of a sustained campaign by the nation as a whole. Respect and legacy are much bigger incentives than the technical support. Usain Bolt, the fastest man on the planet, doesn’t run for Jamaica but for his village. And guess what, he never had the proper shoes to train, in fact he would run barefoot on the beach all the time. The same goes for Sansarpur, the ‘Mecca’ of Indian hockey which boasts of producing more hockey players than the entire country put together. And yes, even they lack the high performance facilities.

Resources can surely help but only if there’s a genuine concern for the talent. As long as Pakistan can feel proud in the achievements of their faster men, they would keep producing Amirs by the dozen.

Aakash's Twitter feed is here http://twitter.com/cricketaakash

Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh looked quite listless, which in turn made the Indian attack look rather pedestrian © Live Images

MS Dhoni has hoped for a bigger pool of fast bowlers to choose from. Most captains, selectors and critics have craved for the same for a long time in order to improve India’s performances overseas. They believed, and rightly so, that one of the main reasons for India’s dismal showing abroad was the paucity of good quick bowlers, for our spinners weren’t half as effective on seamer-friendly surfaces. Ergo anyone who could bowl quick was fast-tracked to first-class level and eventually to international cricket - Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Sudeep Tyagi to name a few. Jaydev Unadkat and Jaskaran Singh are the new names in that ever growing list.

In due course of time, we got so obsessed with the fast bowlers that we completely ignored the spinners. We believed that our legacy of great spinners would ensure the regular supply of quality spinners in dozens. We even asked our curators to prepare sporting tracks (which means green-tops) at the first-class level to encourage the quick men. On such surfaces, the role of spinners changed radically from being aggressive to defensive. They were no longer expected to take wickets regularly, but were asked to hold one end up till the seamers get a breather and are raring to go again.

Inspite of such obvious attempts, some might argue that we still don’t have the expected pool of fast bowlers. It isn’t because of a dearth of fast bowlers but a bungled logic that believes in fast-tracking and not nurturing, the two being diametrically opposite.

As unobvious as it may appear, what’s hurting India right now and would in a bigger way is the paucity of good spinners. A closer look at our resources might tell you the true picture. Three spinners picked for this Test series, literally picked themselves in the squad, for they are the best we have at this moment. Some may still argue about Murali Kartik, but since the endeavour seems to be to build the team for the future, I’d, with slight reluctance, go with their ‘no-looking-back-policy’.

In the first two Tests, both Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha made no impression whatsoever. In fact both of them looked quite listless, which in turn made the Indian attack, look rather pedestrian. A good spinner is not the one who runs through a side on a crumbling surface but the one who makes his presence felt even on the flattest of tracks. In fact, such tracks demand a bigger contribution from the tweakers because you can push your fast bowlers only so much. For them, length becomes the non-negotiable factor while they must keep varying the lines, angles and speed. If you can’t take wickets, try creating pressure by keeping the batsman quiet. If you can’t breach his technique, challenge his ego. What we saw in the first two Tests was everything but this. Harbhajan may not have liked to be singled out but that’s the price you must pay for your success. People criticize you because they expect you to deliver, for who would talk about a show pony?

Yet the situation at the top may not be as alarming, but the scenario a step below is quite disappointing. Would you believe me if I were to tell you that there’s not a single spinner in the country who’s got what it takes to succeed in the longer format? A glance at the highest-wicket takers in the first-class season would validate my point. Eight out of top 10 are fast bowlers in a country which boasts of a rich history of spinners. Most spinners at the first-class level prefer to bowl quicker and flatter instead of tossing the ball and adding revolutions to get the dip, drift and spin. They have already sacrificed spin for accuracy and guile for economy. And believe me it has a lot to do with the advent of T20 cricket. The longer version of the game has paved the way for the shortest format even at the school and age-group level cricket, which means kids, from a very young age, are encouraged to bowl quicker in the air and shorter spells. Even if they aren’t told to do so, the survival instinct doesn’t allow them to flight the ball. For they pay a heavy price for every ‘flighted’ delivery.

My suggestion, though radical, would be to keep T20 cricket out of bounds for young spinners. Once spotted the talent to flight, drift and more importantly spin, they must be nurtured till they mature. For once they mature, they would develop the knowhow to succeed in all conditions and formats without forfeiting their basic craft.

Have Rohit Sharma's performances finally begun to do justice to his considerable talent? © Indian Premier League

Has Rohit Sharma finally arrived? That’s the question people and pundits ask every time Rohit plays one of his trademark brilliant knocks - mostly in the IPL. But a good knock, or a couple of good knocks, are always followed by a series of low scores and the same people who hailed him start baying for his blood. To be fair to the critics, they’re absolutely right in expecting talent to be complimented by performances on a consistent basis.

We all know Rohit is a special talent and seems to have what it takes to succeed at the highest level. But sadly he’s let his contemporaries steal a march over him. For way too long he’s remained a future prospect, showing only trailers of what, perhaps, could be in store. In my humble opinion, talent without performances is as good or bad as having no talent at all.

Now with two consecutive centuries in the tri-series in Zimbabwe, he has settled the debate for a while. Yes, the runs came against lesser teams but his nemesis was never the opposition but the challenge within. He always looked at ease against the best of bowlers, pace and spinners alike, both at the international level and the IPL. He seems to have more time than the rest to tackle rapid pace and the technical know-how to handle quality spin.

I spoke to a current international bowler recently and he was all praise for Rohit. According to him, Rohit is blessed with a sense of timing and has more time than most people in the current Indian team. Coming from a successful international bowler, the observation carried a lot of weight. Ever wondered what exactly is having more time? Cricket, apart from bowling, is mostly about receiving. You have to be at the right place at the right time to receive the ball and then react appropriately. If you’re even a micro-second late, everything goes awry. Rohit gets into the right positions quickly to execute shots perfectly, which is why he’s never off-balance or hurried.

It was never the talent which was questioned but the temperament. His shot selection has often left a lot to be desired and caused his downfall more often than wicket-taking deliveries. Another incident involving another international fast bowler comes to mind. The bowler in question was starting his new spell and bowled a loosener which was deposited into the stands straight over his head. As expected the bowler cursed himself, only it wasn’t exactly for bowling a loosener but for forgetting the strength of the man on the opposite end. He knew Rohit would pounce on anything loose regardless of it being the start of a new spell. That’s a big compliment coming from an international bowler.

This shows that Rohit has an almost Sehwag-like faith in his abilities and gives little importance to what is being dished out to him. But since every coin has two sides, this has often led to his downfall. His exceptional ability to hit even the good balls takes him ahead of himself and he tries one too many. Result— a long walk back to the pavilion. Hopefully he’s cracked the code for the Men in Blue need him, as much as he needs them, to make a formidable test team even after the 'fab four' retire.

	Wouldn't Gambhir, in the middle of a purple patch, be the last person to want to miss out on a Test? © AFP

Hi guys,

Gautam Gambhir missed the third Test match against Sri Lanka to be there at his sister’s wedding. While the Indian team and captain MS Dhoni understood his predicament some of the Indian media had a real go at Gambhir. One news channel went to the extent of doing a half an hour show on whether ‘Desh bada ya behen?’ (Is sister bigger than the country?). This was the most ridiculous piece of news I’d come across in recent times. How can one stoop down to such level?

Haven’t cricketers done enough to prove their love for their country? Remember Sachin going back to play the World Cup match immediately after his father’s death? Or Kumble playing in the West Indies with a broken jaw? There are incidents like these which everyone knows of and then there are plenty more which are not brought into public domain. Cricket is as much a mental game as it is physical. There are things beyond physical fitness which have an impact on your game. It could be a sour relationship with your spouse, parent’s health, and children’s problems at home to name a few. Rarely have we seen Indian cricketers taking a break to address these issues (players taking a break is common in countries like England and Australia) so one must respect when Rahul Dravid wanted to be with his wife during the birth of their second child or Gautam attending his sister’s wedding.

We cricketers have made peace with the hectic life cricket brings along. Important days like birthdays, anniversaries, and festivals mean very little to us. Not that we don’t feel like spending these special days with our loved ones but we know that it isn’t possible. And we are fine with it.

But then there are certain things that happen only once in your life and you don’t want to be away at that time. Sister’s wedding is one such moment. Hence please spare the man for doing what most of us would have done. Just that he happens to play for the country doesn’t mean that he’s not human.

I’ve known and seen Gautam right from the time he made his first-class debut against Rajasthan. He’s extremely serious about his cricket and above all a patriot at heart. He wears his heart on the sleeve and would go to any extent to serve his country. I have very little doubt
that had he not become a cricketer he would’ve been a soldier.

Moreover, wouldn’t Gautam be the last person wanting to miss a Test match at this juncture of his career? He’s enjoying a purple patch and we cricketers know the importance of being in form. One tries to score as much as possible because you don’t know when the runs would dry up.

While this post has nothing to do with domestic cricket, a lot of players at the first-class level go through the same dilemma from time to time. Just that the media doesn’t feel the need to play it up and hence you don’t get to know about it.

Cheers.

Though this post has probably got nothing to do with domestic cricket, my book most certainly does have. I'll take the liberty of taking you through the journey of how Beyond the Blues happened. At the insistence of Siddhartha Vaidyanathan, a friend and former Cricinfo journalist, I started keeping a diary for the 2007-08 first-class season.

Even though I had read quite a few rather popular diaries in England, I was sceptical about the interest such a book would generate with the Indian reading audience. People in India don't follow domestic cricket as closely as they do in England and perhaps that's why there has never been a book written about India's domestic cricket. The second issue preventing me from writing the book was the discipline and effort it would require. I knew that once started, I had to commit myself to write almost everyday, and that included days when I would come back home knackered after the day’s play, days when I would fail on the field and writing would be the last thing on my mind and on days when nothing of note would happen and hence would find it equally difficult to write.

But when I did start writing eventually, little did I know that it would become a book some day. I started writing notes at the end of the day and started enjoying it. Within two months into the season I had written over 20,000 words and that's when I realised I needed to see it through till the end. Writing at the end of a day's play was keeping me on my toes during the day as well. Though I wrote on days when I didn't do well, it wasn't a happy feeling. I would constantly tell myself that it would read quite badly in the end if I have a poor season; that I'm commenting and recording everyone's performances while I scored only a handful of runs. A very scary thought indeed. Not that it prevented me from nicking the ball outside off-stump to the keeper, but it did add that extra focus to do well.

A lot of things also conspired to keep me on my toes: the central contract, Delhi's dream run, my personal form and chances of playing for the country. In any case, I couldn't have written the script better. It was a landmark season with Delhi winning the Ranji Trophy after 16 years, North Zone clinching the Duleep Trophy, and me ending up being the highest run-scorer. We also had the first edition of the IPL in the same season to top it all.

Fortunately, finding a publisher wasn't a problem as Harper Collins came to know that I was writing a diary and approached me to publish it. The first hurdle was collecting the pictures for the book. Even though I carried my camera to all venues but my photographic skills are worse than my bowling skills .A photographer friend Ashutosh, who had clicked a lot of pictures during the domestic season, came to my rescue. The next bit was to choose the cover for the book and it was indeed good fun. I went to several book stores, not to buy books but to check out the covers to gain an idea. Finally, we had three options to choose from and I posted them on my facebook profile for the people's verdict and the one that got the maximum number of votes was finalised as the cover. Finding the title was even more difficult and facebook didn't come to my rescue this time, but a friend, yet another Cricinfo journalist, Sidharth Monga came up with this title 'Beyond the Blues' which we found very apt. The idea behind the title was that in India we identify our cricketers with the colour 'blue', these are our 'men in blue', but then there are 'the blues' of playing domestic cricket too which everyone goes through before donning the blue India colours.

The final bit was to finalise the date of release which gave us all a bit of a headache and some heartache too. We were supposed to release it in October but the book wasn't ready by then and we didn't want to do a shoddy job of it and hence postponed it. Then it was difficult to find time during the domestic season and so we decided to do it on December 22 at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai which would have been the fourth day of the second Test between India and England. But then 26/11 happened and the plans were scrapped. Celebration was the last thing on our minds at that point of time.

Finally, on January 8 the book saw the light of day with a release function in Delhi. I was overwhelmed with the response on that night. Everyone who I had invited turned up to show their love and support. Virender Sehwag cancelled his advert shoot to be there and the rest fought their way through a heavy traffic jam (thanks to some festival and petrol pump strike) to participate in the event. Mr Arun Jaitley, the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association president, was kind enough to officially release the book.

I can't thank everyone enough for making that day memorable. Now that the book is out and reviews have started pouring in, I'm a bundle of nerves once again. It is even worse than facing a quality bowler for two reasons. One — I've been playing cricket for as long as I remember and hence it doesn't make me too nervous. And second - while facing a quality bowler at least you have the opportunity to do something with the ball hurled in your direction, whereas in this case you could only read what others think about your work with no option to change the outcome. But then that's exactly the reason why anyone writes a book - to know what others think about it. So I'd like to request my readers to feel free to give an honest feedback on Beyond the Blues. And also forgive me for boring you with this post which has nothing to do with the ongoing season but I promise to make up for it in the forthcoming posts.

Cheers.