Man of the Series - 'The Pitch'?

       The recently concluded India-SA series was an interesting one and in the end I think the team better suited to the conditions won. India had some good spinners and a couple of batsmen who could play spinners better than their counterparts. SA on the other hand, did pretty well and should be pleased with the lessons they learnt on playing quality spinners on spinner friendly tracks. 

       One thing that was discussed a lot, was the quality of the pitches used for the series, especially the one in Nagpur. One of the key arguments against the pitch was that it was turning square right from day one of the test. While this in itself is not a problem, the fact that both teams did not manage a score in excess of 220 was seen as a consequence of it. I believe any pitch that exaggerates the effort of the bowler in a helpful way, while still being consistent, should be deemed a good pitch. For example,

CHOOSE TO PREPARE OR PREPARE TO LOSE

    Looking at the tame Indian submission in the third test and the fact that a single English batsman was able to pile up more runs than what the entire Indian team could manage, it really makes you wonder as to what exactly constitutes the Indian team's notion of preparing for a high profile series like this one.

    It was more than obvious that most of the Indian top order looked like bunnies in terms of their ability to play deliveries pitching on or around the off stump and moving away towards the slips. The simplest and most effective approach towards fortifying India's batting on seaming tracks would have been, to make the

INDIA PEAKING AT THE RIGHT TIME


In more respects than one, India's progress through the 20-20 world cup has been very similar to the fairy tale saga it went through in the 2003 worldcup. Starting off as outsiders and coming up with back to back dynamite performances and to reach the final. The one thing in India's favor in this world cup though, is meeting the Pakis in the finals rather than the Aussies. This coupled with the fact that, the performance of the Pakis has been quite scratchy to say the least, could favour India. Hopefully, the final of this world cup would be drastically different from the torment India went through in 2003.

THATS THE WAY THE INDIAN COOKIE CRUMBLES !

For all those billion Indians who hoped, wished and prayed that the Indian team pull out a sterling performance against the Lankans, it is indeed a time of disappointment, frustration and despondency. A cloud of gloom has descended over the otherwise cheerful Indian supporters who have stood behind the men in blue at all times. For a team that boasts of three batsmen in the 9000+ league, to falter so dismally when it matters most, is miserable to say the least. The days to come will be hard. Questions will be raised, answers will be sought, heads will roll and every member of the Indian squad would be put through a