tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2011:/beyondtheblues//142 2011-02-28T08:39:14Z Life in India's domestic cricket Movable Type 3.34 tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2011:/beyondtheblues//142.22368 2011-02-28T08:18:32Z 2011-02-28T08:39:14Z

Aakash Chopra The IPL's become a parameter to judge a player for national selection © Indian Premier League
Is thriving in domestic cricket, scoring tons, and excelling in the longer format any good, after all? I am beginning to wonder, for let’s face it, the franchises, understandably, care a zilch about your scores in the Ranji Trophy. A player could have well put on view both the temperament and the technique essential to succeed in the coveted championship, but it is still not enough to bag a ticket to the IPL. But, that’s not the league’s fault, you may say. It’s a Twenty20 championship that requires a particular skill set, which some domestic cricketers may or may not possess. And hasn’t the IPL anyway picked up many a domestic players and made stars out of them in a span of just three years? While I don’t dispute that, there’s still an issue lurking, almost lost, in the whiff of the aromatic IPL. It involves that crop of players who are not suited to play the slam-bang cricket, and who are beginning to wonder if playing and excelling in the IPL is bigger than representing their state in domestic cricket. Till a few years ago, a domestic player played for peanuts, while the recognition for his skill was even lesser. All that mattered was to play for the country, while everything else was either inconsequential or simply stop-gap. But the IPL changed it all. Besides being ever so lucrative, and a sure-shot way to instant stardom, it actually, and quite bafflingly, became a parameter to judge a player for national selection. ]]> What makes matters worse for these domestic players, who are stamped as ‘Test players’, and ignored by the league on this very pretext, is that they are now being looked right through even for a selection to the higher berths, in spite of prospering in the Ranji Trophy. These players are pigeonholed to play a certain brand of cricket and nobody is willing to give them a fair run to showcase their talent in the shortest format. Their agony is doubled when they see their peers, some of them not even good enough to play for their state, stealing a march over them and enjoying plum IPL deals. Quite a double whammy! Pity, they are contemplating a change in their batting style, becoming a tad too flashy, brazen, restless, and ever so aggressive, even if it means going for cheap in the ‘lacklustre’ longer format. But, even as they do get swept off by the winds of change, they continue to feel as insecure as they did a few years ago. Nothing, not the IPL, not even the Ranji Trophy, has succeeded in making these rather brilliant players feel safe. A place in the Ranji side is as unpredictable as the outcome of the next innings, for past laurels can only take a player so far. While the pay packets for Ranji players have gotten better, their chances of getting a promotion haven't. My question, though, is larger – Why has playing in the IPL become so important? So much so, that it is either as good as playing for the country or not playing cricket at all. Think over. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2011:/beyondtheblues//142.22237 2011-02-21T04:42:11Z 2011-02-28T08:39:14Z

Aakash Chopra Wrong intent is the reason behind poor pitches on a lot of occasions in Indian domestic cricket © ESPNcricinfo Ltd
"When you play in the semi-finals of a premier tournament like the Ranji Trophy, you want it to be played on a much better surface, not one that makes it a lottery. The mud was flying from where the balls were pitching,” said Robin Uthappa at the end of first day of the Ranji semi-final. While one can understand Vadodara's preference to play on an under-prepared track (Karnataka was a much stronger opposition), it would be impossible to not feel for the Karnataka boys, whose dreams of making it to the second consecutive final were dashed in just over five sessions of play. But, there’s a larger issue here. Karnataka lodged an official complaint which meant shifting the venue for the final in Baroda to the Moti Bagh Ground, and also, of course, preparing a slightly better pitch. I say a better pitch because it lasted five days, otherwise the track was so low and slow that it made for boring cricket. And that brings me to the perennial question that's haunting Indian cricket, especially domestic cricket. Is preparing a good pitch which has something in it for everybody so difficult? Every season we witness at least a few matches finishing under two days. The tracks are either like the one provided for the semi-final, a rank turner, or have far too much grass left on them with moisture (if the hosts' strength lies in fast bowlers), like the match Delhi played against Orissa a couple of years ago. While both these tracks produce the much-needed result and with it the crucial five-six points, it has a damaging effect on the health of the game. These games not only inflate bowlers' figures to unimaginable enormities, but further boost their chances to stake a claim at the next level of selection. But mostly, they are not half as good as their figures suggest. ]]> chalta hai approach has gone on for way too long and it's time to change the thinking. The rest shall follow.]]> tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2011:/beyondtheblues//142.22108 2011-02-14T04:10:10Z 2011-02-28T08:39:14Z

Aakash Chopra Batsmen from the north need exposure to pitches in the south © ESPNcricinfo
The BCCI did well for Indian domestic cricket when they decided to scrap the redundant Ranji format of teams from a particular zone playing among themselves, before the top two could proceed to the knockouts. While the system had been in place for long, it wasn’t doing any good to improve either the standard of cricket or the quality of cricketers. In fact, since it’s almost a given, that a couple of teams in each Zone would be mediocre, the players from stronger teams often walked away with inflated figures, which of course wasn’t a true reflection of their actual skill. Some of these performances, at times, went a long way in getting a nod for Duleep Trophy. After all, it’s the number of runs and the wickets that count, however lopsided the contest may have been. Even the quality of surfaces provided in certain Zones was not conducive to producing good cricketers. What does a batsman learn about playing the horizontal bat shots if the ball doesn’t bounce above the knee-height regardless of the length? Or how do you possibly learn to tackle pace when you play on surfaces where, perhaps you can lean back and enjoy a cup of coffee, before the ball actually reaches the bat? If not the quality of the opposition, such surfaces are bound to make you an ordinary cricketer. Also, by restricting the games only to the Zone, you end up becoming a one-dimensional cricketer. For the longest time, the players from the North were better equipped in tackling the swing, while the men from South could only master playing spin. ]]> And hence, the format was changed to Elite and Plate in which good teams played against each other on home and away basis. Now, you could learn to play the moving ball in Delhi’s winter and also tackle the turner in Chennai in the same season. If just a couple of changes in a format could reap exceptional results for domestic four-day matches, then why the delay in implementing them in the shorter formats? At the moment, domestic Twenty20s and fifty-over matches are being played within the Zone and the top two teams qualify for the knockouts. Obviously then, the lapses of the old format are still plaguing the development of these shorter games. The first round of domestic one-day matches gets over in 7-9 days, which is as gruelling as it can get. At times you play on two consecutive days, like we did here in Kanpur. Or you could be playing on alternate days, as it’s done in the North, but the rest day is consumed by travelling from Chandigarh to Patiala. When the Elite-Plate format has worked well for us, why the fixation with matches between teams within the Zone? It seems that while we have successfully adopted one format, we are still afraid of letting go of the other one. If we want to continuously evolve as a cricketing nation, we must keep evolving at all levels. If shelving a few tournaments or formats is the way forward, then so be it. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2011:/beyondtheblues//142.21999 2011-02-07T07:21:59Z 2011-02-28T08:39:14Z

Aakash Chopra The 2010-11 Duleep Trophy winners South Zone had not won the tournament since the 1995-96 season © Getty Images
Fresh from the Ranji games and straight in to the Duleep Trophy; one can’t help but marvel at the latter’s standard and the quality of cricket on display. Just a look at the net session of a zone team is enough to gauge the palpable difference from a state side. After all, the team which represents a particular zone is made up of the best and most in-form players of all the states falling in its purview. Not too long ago, the Duleep Trophy was the fulcrum around which Indian domestic cricket revolved. While performing for the state, one always had an eye on a possible place in the Duleep Trophy team. You would keep a tab on how your competitors were faring and what exactly was needed to get a look in. ]]> Back then, the Duleep Trophy was held on a league basis, which meant you played at least one game against each of the remaining four zones. This was then altered a bit by involving a foreign team to raise the level of competition, and having two groups of three teams. Even then, it meant at least two league games, with the top team from each group making it to the finals. The format has now changed completely, with the exclusion of foreign teams and the tournament being held on a knock-out basis. The finalists from last season, along with a team picked randomly, get a bye to the semi-finals, while the remaining two teams play a quarter-final. While, in theory, a bye is a fitting reward for the defending champions and runners-up, it may not actually be the best situation for the players involved. By playing one less match, their batting and bowling statistics take a hit. One wants to have as many innings under the belt to pile on the runs or increase one’s tally of wickets. But in this case, if your team did well the previous season, you get fewer chances to play. The knock-out matches, with the exception of the final, are four-day games, which in most cases means the match gets decided on the basis of the first-innings lead, unless the track is under-prepared which is very unlikely at this level. A four-day knock-out match doesn’t exactly challenge the teams enough and also mean that you might end up getting only one opportunity to showcase your skills, which may be insufficient and also dull to watch. Just to make matters tougher for the players, there are only three days between the end of the Ranji final and the first Duleep Trophy game. The players who feature in the finals are, quite understandably, a tired lot and seldom find the enthusiasm to raise the bar so soon. Also, since the team has only one or two practice sessions together before the match, the chances of these talented individuals working as a team are not too high. Obviously then, the emphasis is on personal performances with very little regard to the demands of the team. The Duleep Trophy is a great concept, but to ensure that its importance is not wasted on the players, the tournament needs an overhaul. More matches need to be played in order to give everyone a fair chance to make a mark, while a longer gap between the Ranji and Duleep Trophy games would ensure the zones play as teams. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2011:/beyondtheblues//142.21887 2011-01-31T06:20:08Z 2011-02-28T08:39:14Z

It isn’t just the level of competition being several notches up that separates Duleep Trophy games from regular domestic cricket. Of course, the pleasure of watching the pick of the bunch is enormous, but what truly sets this competition apart...

Aakash Chopra It isn’t just the level of competition being several notches up that separates Duleep Trophy games from regular domestic cricket. Of course, the pleasure of watching the pick of the bunch is enormous, but what truly sets this competition apart is the use of the magical Kookaburra ball. Brought up manoeuvring the SG Test ball, Indian bowlers have struggled for long playing overseas with the Kookaburra. Even our seam bowlers have, to a certain extent, found it tough to hit the deck, which is essential to succeed with the ball of this particular brand, when all that they’ve learnt has been with the SG Test. It is precisely for this reason that the BCCI introduced this much debated ball in the coveted Duleep Trophy for the cream of Indian domestic cricket to get the hang of it, without the pressure of playing international cricket. The idea has been to not only get the bowlers to understand the character of the ball, experiment with it, but also alter their game in accordance. While the thought has been both wise and far-sighted, its implementation has left a lot to be desired. Firstly, there is an obvious scarcity of these rather expensive balls and hence all one gets are only a couple of balls in the practice session, that too just a day before the match. And that’s certainly not enough to get used to the ball. It goes without saying that only a couple of bowlers bowl with these balls and the rest continue with the SG Test balls. But what is the big deal with these Kookaburra balls? Aren’t they all of the same size, same weight and same shape? Yes, but once you use the Kookaburra; you’d know the difference immediately. The new Kookaburra ball has a more pronounced seam than its SG counterpart and for some reason swings a lot more in the air too. It goes without saying that the pronounced seam ensures more seam movement off the surface too. But the flip side is that the moment it gets old, the seam gets embedded in the surface and ceases to both swing and seam. Now, you must hit the deck hard to get purchase, for releasing the ball would only mean getting punished. On the contrary, SG Test balls assist swing bowlers for the entire duration if the shine on one side is maintained. The seam doesn’t fade away either, which helps the spinners to get purchase. Quite obviously, and unfortunately though, if you’ve always bowled with the SG Test ball, you’d automatically become a release bowler relying on swing, which most of our bowlers do. Also, the Kookaburra plays to its full potential on surfaces best suited for it. Hence, the track should be prepared extremely hard with a lot of bounce. No wonder, Kookaburra flourishes on the hard surfaces of Australia and South Africa, while on home tracks of Karnail Singh and Kotla, both lacking the hardness, it spells doom. Also, not leaving too much grass on the track is vital, for it makes the new ball almost unplayable. The question being – is playing with the Kookaburra, only once in a year, enough to fine-tune the muscle memory? Of course, one needs to play with this ball more often to really mould the game to suit its demands. It’s unrealistic to expect a player to remember its nuances when you don’t use it regularly. If you follow the scorecards of Duleep Trophy since this ball got introduced, you’d see the middle-order batsmen blooming while the openers scratching around, for handling the new Kookaburra is the toughest bit. Batting gets remarkably easier as the ball gets older. That may not particularly be the best assessment of a player’s calibre. Isn’t it grossly unfair to expect a bowler to bowl with a different ball, handing it to him just before the match, sparing him no time to acclimatize. Isn’t it same as telling the batsman to use a different bat, minutes before he goes in to bat? It’s a general consensus among the players that if we need to use this ball, we must use it more often. Hosting every alternate round of Ranji Trophy with the Kookaburra ball won’t be a bad option. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2011:/beyondtheblues//142.21763 2011-01-24T05:32:22Z 2011-02-28T08:39:14Z

Aakash Chopra RP Singh bowled with great control in the second innings © AP
We, Central Zone, had the resources. With an All-India bowling attack by our side, we could well give sleepless nights to most domestic teams. The track, quite unusual for a domestic game, had a thorough covering of fresh grass with enough moisture underneath to make the ball talk, in fact shout in this case. And with a ball like the Kookaburra, used exclusively in the Duleep Trophy, difficult to handle of a responsive surface, it was just going to get tougher for the batsmen, especially the openers and No. 3. The toss was crucial and after winning it, we quite carelessly assumed the job was half done. And perhaps, that’s where we got it all wrong. We didn’t bowl in the right areas and allowed the opposition to get off the hook, a fatal mistake regardless of the quality of resources at hand. We squandered the advantage and East grabbed it with both hands. Both Manoj Tiwary and Ishank Jaggi (a talented cricketer from MS Dhoni’s land) helped themselves to fine centuries, though guilty of not converting them into big ones, something they might be regretting now.]]> We, on the other hand, realised our mistakes. We tried to undo our errors with the second new ball and managed a mini-comeback to restrict the East Zone from posting a mammoth total. 428 was by no means paltry, but at 284/2, one would have expected them to exceed 500 with ease. They failed to, and in spite of mounting the pressure, East didn’t bat us completely out of the game. If Central Zone had the resources, East Zone had the resolve. They made up for their lower batting order failure with a spirited bowling effort. The Kookaburra ball behaves in a very peculiar fashion, it swings and seams (if the conditions are conducive) while it’s new. Both the shine and seam disappears the moment it gets old and it becomes hard toil for the bowlers (more about the Kookaburra ball in my next column). East’s bowling was not even half as threatening as ours but their discipline and hunger to gain the first-innings lead made all the difference. They bowled their heart out and with a lot of discipline, to gain a slender lead, which everyone thought was enough to book a place in the semi-finals. But Pankaj Singh and co. had other plans. They ran in hard, hit the right areas consistently and made the ball swing and seam. If Pankaj bowled with a lot of pace, RP Singh bowled with a lot of control. Then Umesh Yadav came and blew away the rest, for his pace was too hot to handle for the lower order. Orissa Cricket Association deserves a special mention for making a track which had something in it for the bowlers even on the last day. The bounce was consistent (slightly higher than the slow/low tracks we find in most other venues) and there was enough movement off the surface if you pitched the ball in the right areas. The grass remained green till the last day and wasn’t there just to keep the surface together. We wouldn’t have clawed our way back into the game if the track had been docile. Kudos to the curator! This particular game showed, once again, that talent without resolve is simply not good enough. And if talented men put their mind to matter, even the inconceivable can be achieved. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2011:/beyondtheblues//142.21651 2011-01-16T17:11:47Z 2011-02-28T08:39:15Z

Aakash Chopra The Rajasthan team poses with the Ranji trophy © ESPNcricinfo
While the feeling is yet to sink in completely, the big question has already popped up – What was it that catapulted “Team Rajasthan”, bottom till the previous year, lost in the abyss of oblivion, straight up to the topmost honour of bagging the Ranji Trophy? After all, creating history isn’t expected of underdogs. Perhaps, that’s exactly what worked in our favour -- the surprise element, and our reputation. Even though the professionals came in handy, it was the local talent in Deepak Chahar, Ashok Menaria, Pankaj Singh and Vivek Yadav, that came to the fore and made all the difference. Yet, Rajasthan’s resurrection wasn’t just about a bunch of young lads with fire in their belly. The dream was in the making for the past two years. The regime change under Sanjay Dixit brought in path-breaking changes that were meticulously conceived and executed with cricket as the top most priority. Cricket think tank, Tarak Sinha, whose Sonnet Cricket Club has produced more Test and first-class cricketers than the number of cricket academies thriving in the capital, was then roped in to head the academy. While his technical fluency helped the game grow, his guidance helped the academy find its long lost perspective.]]> Instead of doing anything fancy, Rajasthan went only as far as Mumbai for inspiration and adopted the system which worked wonders for them i.e. organizing days’ matches at all age-group levels, among other steps. While most states were busy promoting their domestic T20 leagues, Rajasthan quietly put their house in order to prepare the kids for the longer format. It doesn’t come as a surprise that Rajasthan’s Under-16 team has also reached the semi-finals - another first in their history. The emergence of Chahar and Menaria isn’t a mere coincidence either. Chahar was ignored by Greg Chappell and it was Sinha who brought him back into the fold. Menaria’s season was as good as over after his groin injury, but RCA didn’t leave any stone unturned to get him up and running in double-quick time. Batting professionals in Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Rashmi Ranjan Parida, and myself, were then brought in, much to everyone’s surprise. But they had everything sorted well in advance, for batting was the real bane. Fortunately, everything fell in to place just right. And it wasn’t just the cricket we played in the last two-and-a-half months which brought us here, for we had spent both quality and quantity time in the off-season to get rid of the chinks in our armoury. Rajasthan had identified both its personnel and their roles way back in August while most teams were not even thinking about the season yet. You would be surprised that the squad which defeated Vadodara in the Ranji finals is almost identical to the one which played in the Buchi Babu tournament in August. This shows consistency in the selection process which not only provides continuity but also stability. Due credit should be given to president C P Joshi, who allowed things to run its course and never interfered. In the end though, it was the dressing room that made all the difference. This is one of the happiest I’ve ever been a part of, with players not only looking after each other but also feeling genuinely happy in each other’s success. The camaraderie, the self belief which grew with every game and the deep desire to make it happen sealed the deal in Rajasthan’s favour. The season which could have well finished in five games has lasted twice as many. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2011:/beyondtheblues//142.21561 2011-01-11T03:54:53Z 2011-02-28T08:39:15Z

Aakash Chopra S Badrinath kept Tamil Nadu in the hunt, but the batsmen around him were too impatient © Getty Images
Was it Rajasthan’s deep desire to win the semi-final against Tamil Nadu that turned the tables, or was it the latter’s lack of caution that cost them the game? While the analysis is on, here’s how the story unfolded on the pitch. Tamil Nadu won an all important toss against us, Rajasthan, and were obviously gung-ho about their prospects of storming into the finals. After all, it was overcast, the track wore a black look (a sign of moisture underneath) and they had come prepared for exactly this. They had five quick bowlers in the squad, out of which four played in the final XI. As most teams would in their place, Tamil Nadu thought all they needed to do was to bowl the ball and the conditions would take care of the rest. Unfortunately for them, that’s where they faltered. Once they didn’t get the expected initial breakthrough, they believed it was actually a flat track, which of course it was not. They had two choices at that point: the first, albeit the tough one, was to put their heart and soul into their bowling effort; the second, the easier one, was to go on the defensive with field placements which would not challenge the bowlers enough. Fortunately for us, they chose the latter and had fielders manning the boundaries as a cover for loose deliveries. We, on the contrary, being the smaller team, knew that the only way to win against Tamil Nadu was to bat them out of the game. And that needed application right from Nos. 1 to 11. We were prepared to grind it out the hard way and it worked for us.]]> But batting can only set up a game; it’s the bowlers who win it for the team. When our turn came to bowl, our hunger to win the game came to the fore. The track had, as expected, eased out considerably in two days and was a good one to bat on by then. Tamil Nadu had a good batting line-up and we had to split 160 overs between four bowlers, for we didn’t play the extra bowler. And what made it even more challenging was the fact that three out of our four bowlers were seam bowlers, which meant pushing the limits, both physically and mentally. Our bowlers bowled their hearts out but that’s not exceptional. ‘You must go that extra yard if you want to play the finals’, one may argue. While I concede the claim, one can still push humans only so much. The game hung in the balance for a long time, largely thanks to S Badrinath’s stupendous knock. But as the end came closer, the real character of individuals also came to the fore. At one end Badri remained unflustered and was prepared to go all the way, while the others around him got too impatient and went for broke. The match, would you believe, was decided in the 10-over spell after tea on the fourth day. As a batting unit, you’re almost sure that the bowlers will throw in the towel after 130 overs of hard grind and bowl a few loose deliveries. But when they got none of it for 10 consecutive overs, they had to do something different and that’s when we kicked in. This aspect of four-day cricket excites me the most - you have to win so many mini-battles within the big battle to succeed. Often it’s not one ball or a wicket which changes the complexion of the game but the sustained effort of one team over a long period of time. Now that we, Rajasthan, have crossed that hurdle. We would, once again, give our heart and soul to play with all we have against Baroda in the final. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2011:/beyondtheblues//142.21463 2011-01-04T15:10:59Z 2011-02-28T08:39:15Z

The third day, in my opinion, is usually the most important day of a four or five day game. And tomorrow is not going to disappoint the theorist in me, or so I hope. The match is ‘evenly’ poised --...

Aakash Chopra The third day, in my opinion, is usually the most important day of a four or five day game. And tomorrow is not going to disappoint the theorist in me, or so I hope. The match is ‘evenly’ poised -- I need to be objective while writing about a game I’m involved in, right? But is it not obvious to believe that we are slightly ahead of Tamil Nadu at this juncture, after all being objective is one thing and being totally detached is quite another!! We have already batted and they still have to. We have runs on the board, quite a lot of them, and now they need to chase them down. They may not have to deal with the first day’s fresh wicket with moisture, but then they will have to fight with tired limbs to go past whatever total we post. If days two and three are the best days to bat on this track, day four might spring a surprise or two. This has been a classic cat and mouse game so far. The moment one side goes on the offensive, even slightly, the other team pulls down the shutters and plays defensively. For instance, whenever Tamil Nadu’s four-pronged seam attack bowled aggressively to take wickets, we played with extra caution in order to deny them a look in. And the moment we tried to up the ante, Tamil Nadu deployed defensive field with a defensive line of attack. It didn’t make for entertaining cricket but, unfortunately, it isn’t about entertainment when a place in the Ranji Trophy finals is at stake. This strategy may have something to do with past experiences. Rajasthan faced a similar situation against Maharashtra in the semi-finals of the Plate Division. We played it safe for the longest possible time after being put into the bat and then piled on a mountain of runs to put pressure on them. And it turned out just fine. Tamil Nadu, fresh from their victory against Haryana, must be expecting a similar fate in this game too. They played four front line seam bowlers to exploit the conditions after putting us to bat. And as soon as they realized that wickets weren’t easy to come by, they went on the defensive, yet bowling tight lines. They must be entertaining the thoughts that this game might also be decided on the basis of run-rate and not on first-innings lead. While the past can teach you a thing or two, it can also blur your judgment. Both teams, at this juncture, must be thinking that they have played their cards right so far. We’re hoping to bat for some more time tomorrow and add a few vital runs before letting our bowlers to have a go at their batsmen. We know that they have a very experienced batting line-up but chasing over 500 on a wearing pitch in a semi-final game, after fielding for over two days, will test their depth and resolve. For them, it’ll be about batting session after session without committing mistakes and also maintaining a healthy run-rate, while for us, it will be pitching the ball in the right areas and asking questions throughout. We have learnt a trick or two from Dinesh Karthik, who employed an in-out field most of the time. We also now know the preferred areas of scoring on this pitch, and where exactly to bowl in order to get the most out of this surface. But it doesn’t mean that our task is going to be easy, for they do have both quality and experience in their batting to overcome a huge total and bat for long hours. It’s tough, at this moment, to predict what my next post about the match would be, but one thing is for sure that the third day of this match promises to produce an intriguing day of cricket. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2010:/beyondtheblues//142.21385 2010-12-31T06:39:59Z 2011-02-28T08:39:15Z

It’s always the guy from outside, who’s smart enough to understand that bowling in the nets is only tiring and not rewarding, who makes the cut. Ironically, the main cast changes a few times in the same season, but the supporting troupe remains the same

Aakash Chopra They come half an hour before the team arrives, as they can’t be late. They warm up on their own, for the team can’t be fiddled with; they bowl their hearts out while the rest go through the motions because there’s a match round the corner. A rather nonchalant ‘well bowled’ means the world to them and that’s what keeps them going till they drop. They hope to catch the coach’s eye if he finds the time after he’s done with the main guys. Then they will be mere spectators while the team goes through its fielding drills or stretching sessions; they must do it themselves, for they are the supporting actors and not the main lead. These are the guys who make practice sessions possible, for no team carries more than a few bowlers in the squad and it’s almost certain that the main guys won’t bowl for long, let alone at full throttle between matches. Welcome to the unknown world of the anonymous ‘Net Bowlers’. Every team, national or international, relies heavily on these supporting actors to make their sessions possible. But, unfortunately, very few teams understand their importance, let alone make them a part of their set-up. Often they are treated like second-grade citizens with no right to demand any luxuries. And that’s where, I think, teams need to develop compassion. In small places it doesn’t cost them much to commute from their home to the stadium but in places like Delhi and Mumbai, every practice session means a few hundred rupees. But I don’t know of any association that pays these guys to turn up day after day. The obvious question might be: why do they still come? It’s not surprising because it is perhaps their only chance to come close to the big guys. Bowling to the known players in the nets is their only possible break to impress them and perhaps get noticed in the future. It’s a gamble they are willing to take and what makes it worse is that there are always people who sell them the idea that they’re in the mix. But let me tell you that I haven’t seen any of these ‘net bowlers’ getting picked, if and when the opportunity arises. It’s always the guy from outside, who’s smart enough to understand that bowling in the nets is only tiring and not rewarding, who makes the cut. Ironically, the main cast changes a few times in the same season, but the supporting troupe remains the same. It may not be a bad idea to ensure that they’re paid for every visit. Every association gets crores from the BCCI to spend on cricket and justifying a few thousand rupees for these kids won’t be too tough. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2010:/beyondtheblues//142.21340 2010-12-27T14:28:08Z 2011-02-28T08:39:15Z

Aakash Chopra Pankaj Singh took six wickets in Mumbai's first innings © ESPNcricinfo
It was a classic David v Goliath battle. After all we, Rajasthan, had finished at the bottom of the table in the Plate division last year and Mumbai had won the coveted Ranji Trophy more times than anyone else. Yes, we did turn things around a bit this season but how far do these teams from Plate division go in the men’s world? Not too far!! That’s exactly what Mumbai thought while taking us on in what was deemed to be an easy quarter-final en route to their eventual destination - a place in the finals and perhaps the trophy in their hands one more time. They certainly had enough ammunition to ensure a safe and easy passage. All their batsmen were in top form coming into the knock-outs and their bowlers were doing enough to keep them on track. We, on the other hand, had done everything right so far to earn that all important promotion to the Elite division. For most teams who make the cut, the journey beyond promotion is considered a bonus. What makes their progress even tougher is that they invariably play one of the finalists from last season, which in reality means the toughest match of the season. We found ourselves in a similar situation and managed to keep the temptation of providing an under-prepared wicket for the match against the defending champions at bay. If you’re up against much stronger opposition, it’s advisable to leave a lot in the track to bridge the gap as the better team will rout lesser opposition on an even surface nine out of 10 times. Another reason for not going for an under-prepared track was that our strength lies in our batting and we wanted to back it to score whatever Mumbai would score. The second hurdle was the decision to bat or bowl first. While the track was dry and a good one to bat on day one, we would have opted to bowl first in order to extract anything the track had to offer. It goes without saying that we needed all the help we could get to stall such an experienced and talented batting line-up. But Mumbai captain Wasim Jaffer won the toss and made the decision for us by electing to bat first.]]> But what followed after that left everyone gobsmacked. Three things were consistent throughout the day: 1. The track played true and along expected lines; 2. We bowled with a lot of discipline and 3. Mumbai batsmen continued to play airy-fairy shots as if we were not competing but only participating in the contest. The Mumbai batting, which is known for its khadoos (never-say-die) attitude, was the last thing on show. What we witnessed was flamboyance bordering on carelessness and far too many shots in too short a time. Pankaj [Singh], [Deepak] Chahar, [Sumit] Mathur and [Vivek] Yadav did the basics right, pitched the ball in the right areas and the batsmen obliged. The team which wasn’t considered even a patch on their opposition was suddenly in the driver’s seat and calling the shots. The batting line-up which bats right down to number nine was bowled out for a paltry total of 252 and now, all we needed to do was to bat sensibly and we did just that. Everyone, at one point or the other, has been humiliated by Mumbai in their career. Such is the strength of the team that they invariably end up on the winning side rubbing more salt into old wounds. And that brings out the best in players to get the record straight, even if it’s once in a while. And that’s why every win against them feels a lot sweeter too. Well, it’s not often that you have the champions on the mat and the moment is worth a lot more than just a result going your way. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2010:/beyondtheblues//142.21252 2010-12-20T03:09:58Z 2011-02-28T08:39:15Z

Any rule which leads to cheating needs to be looked at closely. But it doesn’t really need a rule to stop players from doing it; on-field umpires can and should take control of the proceedings

Aakash Chopra I knew I was in trouble. I’d called for a run, got a negative response from my partner, but it was a bit too late. I scrambled back to the crease and made a desperate dive. I wasn’t sure if I’d made it back and neither was the umpire. Till the last season, it was that split-second decision from the on-field umpire that would have sealed my fate, but this time it was different: he had the option of referring it to the third umpire. After waiting a few agonizing minutes, I got the green signal of safety and heaved a sigh a relief. I did survive to live another day. This is one of the new innovations the BCCI has made in the current first-class season. While they had installed six cameras to cover every first-class match a few years ago, the referral system for run-outs and stumping decision is introduced this year. It required an upgraded software and better-trained analysts to make it work smoothly (recording, rewinding and replaying it in real-time needs expertise) but the BCCI must be given due credit for both spending the money and the making the effort. It takes a few minutes (approximately three minutes for a decision) at the moment, but any batsman worth his salt would tell you that it’s better to wait for a few minutes than to take the long walk back. The BCCI has also introduced a couple of new rules in the last few seasons, which unfortunately aren’t half as helpful as the referral system. One such rule is about the ‘comfort break’. In the past, players could go off the field for up to 8 minutes without getting penalised but it’s not the case anymore. These so called ‘comfort breaks’ are a no-no. Even ‘nature’s call’ isn’t a valid excuse to get a substitute. The umpires won’t stop you from going off but won’t allow the substitute either. And that led to a funny incident in an Under-16 match. A kid desperately wanted to relieve himself but the umpire categorically denied the substitute. His coach was adamant too, didn’t allow the poor guy to come off the field, for it would have meant fielding with 10 players. The young kid, left to his own devices, couldn’t control anymore and relieved himself on the boundary rope. All that for a rule! But here’s the catch—you can go off to get medical attention. Nowadays, players don’t go out to relieve themselves but go on the pretext of getting taping done. This rule has encouraged players to lie and that’s where the problem lies. Any rule which leads to cheating needs to be looked at closely. Yes, the players had abused this rule to go off the field to rest immediately after finishing their spell. But it doesn’t really need a rule to stop players from doing it; on-field umpires can and should take control of the proceedings. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2010:/beyondtheblues//142.21129 2010-12-12T11:05:02Z 2011-02-28T08:39:15Z

Aakash Chopra Pankaj Singh's 31 wickets have helped Rajasthan top their group in this year's Ranji Trophy Plate League © Getty Images
The two semi-finals in the Ranji Trophy Plate League are going to be crucial, with the big promotion to the elite group at stake. Four teams from the Plate League – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra and Maharashtra - after having played some tough cricket for over a month and a half, and finishing in the top two in their respective groups, are now set to lock horns in their most important fixtures of the year. Will they continue to be the poor cousins of the elite teams? or get upgraded and play the quarter-finals of the Ranji Trophy? It all depends on these two Plate League knockout matches. But is it fair to have so much riding on one game of cricket? Isn’t beating the fellow teams and topping the league good enough for a promotion? The twelve teams that make up the Plate division get split into two groups of six, and play five matches each over the season. Topping their group, therefore, cannot be a case of good luck, but consistent performance. Unfortunately, that is not considered an achievement enough, and the teams are asked to go an extra step to claim a spot. The team standing first in a given group is asked to play the runners-up of the other group, which means a second-placed team has as much chance of reaching the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals as a first-placed team. Is this justified? ]]> In some cases, the second-placed team even ends up getting the home advantage. This year, Rajasthan, after topping their group, will play a game against Maharashtra in Nasik, their home turf. Clearly, the latter will have an upper-hand, which may not be the right thing in ideal circumstances. Are we rewarding mediocrity? Delhi would have struggled to win the Ranji Trophy in 2007 had they played the finals against Uttar Pradesh at Kanpur or Lucknow, for their poor spin attack was no secret. UP, without doubt, would have opted for a rank turner and it may have been enough to see them through. But the final in Mumbai, a neutral venue, ensured a brilliant wicket for cricket that allowed the better team to win, albeit over five days. And that’s a crucial point: a five-day game is in my opinion a must for all knockout matches. Most four-day games are decided on the basis of first-innings lead, which may be fine in the league phase, but is grossly unfair in a knockout match. In fact, in the 2007 final, Delhi had conceded the first innings lead, but had enough time to bounce back and win the finals because it was a five-day game. Had it been a four-day affair, they would never have won the trophy. Reaching the elite group is a tough task, and teams must toil to get a spot. But the argument here is not about the severity of the challenges posed, but their rationality. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2010:/beyondtheblues//142.21081 2010-12-09T17:05:17Z 2011-02-28T08:39:15Z

Aakash Chopra Not many people remember that VVS Laxman and Gautam Gambhir have not been members of India's World Cup teams © AFP
What do the words ‘World Cup 2003’ bring to mind? Perhaps, Sachin Tendulkar’s inimitable knock against Pakistan, Ashish Nehra’s superb 6-for against England, and may be the unfortunate loss in the finals too. Alas! Not many of us, unless we are die hard VVS Laxman fans, will remember that he so unjustifiably missed the bus to South Africa. Just like Gautam Gambhir for the 2007 World Cup. Of course, there would never be a mention of Laxman and Gambhir when talking these mega events, but for odd posts like these, that are in a mood to pay homage to the ‘drop-outs’, who in all sincerity, deserved a place. Seeing someone getting dumped by the team is an ugly sight, however justified the exclusion may be. If he happens to be a key playerer and, more importantly, a popular player amongst his peers, the emotions are almost certain to run high. There will always be a few in the team who would either be not in the position to show their emotions, or simply not care much. Then there’ll be few who would voice their opinion, hurt and perhaps anger in muffled voices. They don’t have the clout or reputation in the team to be too loud, or run the danger of getting singled out. And finally, there’ll be a handful, may be not more than a couple of guys who will be in a position to influence and may also try to exercise that sway, albeit to no avail. The evening would be soiled by the discussions revolving around the merits of the decision and its repercussions. ]]> But what happens the morning after is in complete contrast and shows how trivial a person’s presence is in the bigger picture. The day would start with the same nervousness that engulfs the atmosphere on the morning of a match. The only conversation would be the exchange of pleasantries and greetings. It will be business as usual with the focus completely on the match. Nobody, at least that’s how it appears, seems to be missing the guy dropped, for whom everyone felt so dearly. And once the match starts, rest assured that he would be a thing of the past, if he wasn’t already. The only time he would be remembered again is if the guy who replaced him did poorly or the team missed him in the middle. It’s indeed a selfish world and sport is not beyond it. You may be playing a team sport, spending time as a family, but you would rarely be missed when you’re gone. When someone gets dropped at the international level, it at least ignites a debate but domestic players get axed by the dozens in a season and yet go unnoticed. Chetanya Nanda from Delhi was shown the door after just one poor outing against Bengal in the first game of this season’s Ranji Trophy. His absence from the longer format may have raised a few eyebrows within the team because he had been a regular member of Delhi’s playing XI for the last few years. He too may have been missed in the first few days, but as cricket does to everyone, it’s plausible that he isn’t even missed anymore. Such is life. tag:blogs.espncricinfo.com,2010:/beyondtheblues//142.21004 2010-12-05T14:42:31Z 2011-02-28T08:39:15Z

Aakash Chopra The current points system in domestic first-class cricket promotes dull games © ESPNcricinfo
What happens when at least the first two crucial days of a four-day game are completely rained off? For one, an outcome becomes predictable, and so the line of attack is fine-tuned to get the maximum number of points. Delhi and Saurashtra found themselves in a similar situation in Rajkot, with the gameplan becoming pretty straightforward— win the toss, bat first (for the Rajkot wicket is pretty flat) and then pile on enough runs, while consuming so much time that only a draw is possible with two outcomes. One — the side batting first takes the first-innings lead, or two — both teams do not finish their first innings. Saurashtra went in with this strategy after their captain called correctly. They declared at lunch on the last day leaving Delhi to score at an unrealistic six runs an over to overhaul their total. Since getting the lead was a foregone conclusion, Delhi played for a draw and the batsmen enjoyed a good practice in the middle. Both teams got one point each for their efforts. Clearly, ‘safety first’ is the top-most priority here, with the emphasis more on stacking up points. Are the teams really playing to win? And more importantly, is a good game being compromised? A first-innings lead, even of only one run, is worth three points, which obviously isn’t the fair assessment of a team’s performance. An outright win gets five; add another point for winning by an innings or 10 wickets. There’s one point for conceding the lead but holding on to a draw. The first-innings lead is hence of utmost importance; even a win does not reward three more points, unless it’s a massive victory.]]> If a points system promotes a dull game, isn’t it flawed? The easiest way of winning a match is to bat for the longest time possible and then hope for the opposition to buckle under the mountain of runs. If time and the number of runs are the only concerns, who will care about the scoring rate? And why would anyone declare in order to set up the match for a thrilling finish? My suggestion is to take a leaf out of the English system where you get points for taking wickets and scoring runs and not for taking the lead. For example, the batting team should get a point each for every 75 runs scored after 125 runs with a maximum of five points. However, they would get points only till the 125th over which means that they should score 425 runs by then at a healthy rate of 3.40 runs per over. Similarly, the fielding side would get a point each for taking two wickets, with a maximum of five for 10 wickets. So if the team batting first opts to bat for more than 125 overs, only the fielding side will have a chance to gain points after that which would encourage teams to declare. The same applies in the second innings but with another five points for winning the game. This will ensure that teams set up the match to have realistic chances of a result. But the rider is that the losing team will hold on to its bowling and batting points. In the current scenario, a loss means zero points, which discourages teams from taking risks. With so many points on offer, losing teams will have the chance to make up for those extra five points in the following games.