Cricket All Stars- A much needed initiative

Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar, two of the greatest legends of the game went one step further in their contributions to the game by organising a 3 match Cricket All Stars Series featuring retired cricket icons. Featuring Sachin's blasters and Warne's Warriors, the tournament covered  matches in exotic locations in USA to spur new interests and give back to the game. The aim was to globalise cricket and raise as much money as possible for charity in doing so.

The old rivalries were back but new camaraderies were formed. Old partnerships were seen that hadn't lost any sheen. We witnessed the unthinkable too- Indians and Pakistanis making things work, unity between the Asian cricket freaks and Australians being cheerful in the field!

The likes of Courtney Walsh, Wasim Akram, Allan Donald, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shane Warne combined to form the most daunting bowling attack cricket had seen, without doubt. They were up against Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Mahela Jayawardana and Virender Sehwag who gave them a run for their money, and answers to the many questions they asked throughout their careers.

Now, if you thought that the batting of the blasters was the stronger suit, then Glenn  McGrath, Shoaib Akhtar, Shaun Pollock and Muttiah Murlidharan are going to make you recant that thought. And it's not that we've already gotten enough, that we have Ricky Ponting, Mathew Hayden, Kumar Sangakkara and Jacques Kallis in the opposition!

To add to that, a new dimension to the game was added. Not only was it played in USA, it was also played in Baseball stadiums (ironically which many people consider to be American Cricket or cricket to be the Indian Baseball). There were drop in pitches used and the baseball dimensions made sure we had miniscule grounds. The fans were subjected to the same anticipation, nostalgia, excitement and perhaps goosebumps of seeing their idols in action. The same old playing styles and performances were reminiscent of the  brilliant results it produced. A lot of funds were raised by virtue of sell out grounds, and baby steps were taken in order to advertise cricket around the world.

 Not only were our childhood memories revisited, or our minds subjected to ecstacy but also these matches broke the much loathed monotony. One of rigorous continuity and rigid acceptance. This was a surprise, an unexpected event, an initiative that opened new perspectives, thoughts and perceptions! Cricket had been the same for the past decade, these two gentlemen tried their hand at adding something extra to look forward to. They may have succeeded,  they may have not.

A wise man once  "Improvement can't be made without experiment." 30 years down the line, not many will remember an All Stars Tournament, but all would remember it's rumifications, it's effects and the change it brought about similarly like no one remembers what caused the birth of T20s but everyone remembers, rather cherishes T20s. The Cricket All stars is one such catalyst. A beginning to something exponential.

Cricket in USA is far too big a venture to be successful by virtue of one tournament. Besides most of the spectators were Asian and the game was given a virtual and unrealistic appeal with lethargic, uninvolved fielding and bat dominating ball. This was by no means unsuccessful or by any means successful, however it must be appreciated. Sachin and Warne tried, but now the ICC have to build it up nd improvise upon it. After all for how much time can cricket continue to be a crammed 10 team affair with 3 formats (practically turning out to be 2)? Everything evolves over time. Cricket did too. Now the time has come for it to evolve again. Sachin and Warne initiated it, ICC have to act upon it.

Is IPL turning out to be India's nemesis?

The Indian Premier League, from its inauguration in 2008, has been the most anticipated and perhaps celebrated tournament every year. There is no question about the fact that an amazing reach to spectators all around the world has been made which has resulted into exponential amounts of money being collected. It has almost been like a lucrative way of globalising cricket. It is only logical to assume that the BCCI and Indian cricket team would've reaped the maximum rewards. Although this couldn't more true financially, the same cannot be said for other aspects.

The IPL has almost turned into a business for the BCCI. The production and revenue collection are maximum while consumer satisfaction and loyalty is also very high. Apart from the millions of dollars collected as revenue from sponsors and advertisers, 
The money collected from the sale of tickets is vast. The players also benefit from a salary that alone overtakes their yearly earning while the fans just get entertained to the core. However, its original purpose hasn’t yet been fulfilled. “Where talent meets Opportunity” may be the tagline, but almost no players have gotten into the senior team via their performances in the IPL, especially in India. 

 Cricketers like Paul Valthathy, Swapnil Asnodkar, CM Gautam are publicized and trending one season and almost forgotten in the others. Promising young talent such as Ishwar Pandey, Sanju Samson, Gurkeerat Singh and Hardik Pandhya is mismanaged- given a stint in the A team or the invitational teams and not given a promotion regardless of their performance. Consistent performers like Piyush Chawla, Pragyan Ojha and Naman Ojha aren’t even selected in the A team itself. To add to this dilemma, MS Dhoni’s public harangues about there being a dearth of ‘quality' all rounders and fast bowlers reveal not only reluctance but also a lack of information. As medium pacers and fast bowlers, only 2-3 bowlers have been used long term, and same goes for allrounders. Even for the A Teams, the same group of players like Kedar Jadhav, Manoj Tiwari and Robin Uthappa, have been used and none of them has made the Indian team for even a short period of time.

It is not that the IPL hasn’t been successful overall, it is turning out to be reasonably ineffective and monotonous now. Ironically, its main purpose hasn’t been carried out for India, but for other countries who have benefitted greatly. Players like David Miller, Glenn Maxwell, Kieron Pollard and many more have earned a place in their national teams due to recognition in the IPL. For many countries, playing well in the IPL has become a way to assure your selection in the playing 11 or better still set a bar for selection. The other teams have been beneficiaries. The reason- Too much of focus on the 4 foreign players selected, and even with there being 7 Indians, not many selections are influenced from it. No rules such as mandating a certain number of domestic players in the playing 11 have been made. 

To add to that, Fanie De Villier’s recent statement about IPL benefitting SA more than India is absolutely spot on. India has almost become a second home for a majority of South Africans, Australians and West Indians. The mind-boggling stat of AB de Villiers playing more T20s in India than SA may also suggest that India may be the primary home for some! With the added experience of the conditions, the effects of the pitches has also severely appeased with better preparation of the opposition. Playing in India has almost become a fixed constant for most of these players, which was a massive contributor to India losing “at home” (where they were playing after almost 2 years) and SA winning “away.” The IPL hasn’t been short of controversies either right from the first season itself with Lalit Modi being ridiculed, spot fixing coming up more than a few times, players, team owners and recently even franchises being banned. 

Regardless of its merits, the IPL has certainly raised a more than a few problems for India. To make it even worse, it has benefit their opponents. While it continues to be popular among fans and players, its major purpose should be brainstormed by the BCCI pundits, because just revenue collection doesn’t make your team successful. To discontinue the IPL wouldn’t be a mistake, but not to take advantage of it will. Change of mindsets is required; for the IPL has done for other countries what it should’ve done for India.

Investigating the actual role of an "allrounder"

The definition of an all rounder is very different to what most people interpret it as. Traditionally, there are only two aspects to the game- Batting and Bowling. An allrounder is axiomatically defined as someone who is considerably decent in 2 aspects of the game. However, Fielding is the most understated and underrated aspect of the game. You may only need 5 bowlers or 7 batsmen but you can't do without 11 fielders. Every member of a team is conveniently interpreted as a decent fielder.   In that sense all 11 players are allrounders as each of them is more than decent in the field. Fielding is undoubtedly the most essential part of the game. A brilliant fielding side can act both as an economical bowler and a prolific batsman just by saving runs whose worth is only realised in the second innings. Take the top 4 ranked ODI teams for example, each of them have mostly quality fielders whose contributions are always overlooked but are a huge reason for their success. Therefore, since one cricketer is already supposed to be "more than decent" in two aspects of the game, then an allrounder is supposed to be a superhuman!

The perfect team comprises of 5 batsmen, 4 bowlers and 2 allrounders, who mainly slot in at No.6 and No.7 in limited over formats or at No.6 and No.8 in tests. So, what should be the teams' approach to these dubious spots? Is a bits and pieces all rounder required? DEFINITELY NOT! Such a player won't be handy enough to finish the innings well or get 10 decent overs in. A bits and pieces all rounder is mediocre with both bat and ball, thus not being a handy addition to the team. The most recent example of this is Stuart Binny who isn't good enough to be trusted with the bat or ball which oddly enough his captain (Virat Kohli) even agreed to by calling him a half bowler. If the captain himself wasn't convinced about the role of Binny in the side then spare a thought for Binny himself! More of such examples are Nathan McCullum, Farhaan Behardien, Ryan McClaren and Mohammad Rizwan. These players may be more than decent with both bat and ball but effective in none of the fields. What is even more threatening is that they occupy the most crucial spot in a team, the spot that makes or breaks a game. 

The role of a "bits and pieces" allrounder also is not particularly clear to both the selectors and the captain let alone the player himself. There is always one thing in which he is better than in the other, and that should primarily be his role. If someone is barely competent with both bat and ball, not only is it hard enough to determine his strong suit, but also to make a decision whether to trust him with it. All the reputed and great allrounders of their era had a definitive strong point which determined their role in the team. Jacques Kallis was a batting allrounder, Richard Hadlee and Andrew Flintoff- bowling. The main point of being an allrounder is not to be "decent" in both aspects but to be proficient and effective in one  and competent enough to contribute in the other. Of course, the above mentioned names are exceptions and contradictions simply because of their dominance in both aspects.

This is the main reason why there is a dearth of allrounders all over the cricket world. There cant be a perfect allrounder right now, the closest examples probably are Ben Stokes and Dwayne Bravo. An allrounder is more a blessing than a certainty, hence the closest examples to allrounders can be given this responsibility. A batsman who can 'bowl a bit' qualifies as a partial allrounder as well as bowlers who can 'bat a bit'. This is very important thing for teams to take into account. Instead of relying on 1 good bowler to complete the fifth bowler's quota 2 of such can be depended on. In fact, selecting a batsman who can bowl or a bowler who can bat can also depend on the team composition. For a team low in their bowling resources someone like Axar Patel or Darren Sammy can be selected. Of course, the best part is some of these players can be good enough in their major roles and their proficiency with the other can be a welcome addition to a team. Maybe two similar such players can be selected which would fill up the allrounders spots and ensure that the certain expected role is carried out.

Another risk worth taking is to try and shape these kind of players to players close to bieng allrounders. This can be done by making them practice their weaker link more and more. England did that very successfully with Moeen Ali to shape him into a perfect all rounder for tests. India, Australia and South Africa also did it successfully with Suresh Raina, Glenn Maxwell and JP Duminy respectively for ODIs and T20Is. All these teams are in very influential positions in their respective formats. However there is an element that can backfire in that ploy. The certain players may become better in the weaker link but less effective in their stronger link making them a "bits and pieces allrounder."

Whatever the cost,all teams have to put in a meticulous effort in grooming an allrounder for at least 1 is crucial in each format. An allrounder is like a benefactor for the team and its not at all easy to be one. The paucity of them can be completely understandable but if not naturally gifted, they have to be groomed and created. Having allrounders in the playing acts like a huge blessing for the team. Although different formats demand different types of allrounders all formats demand them. What has to be absolutely ensured is that they know their role in the team and the captain's expectations. An all rounder is the quintessential key to success!

Obstructing the Field...Why?

Ben Stokes has become the latest victim of what is called "obstructing the field" formally in the rule book. Law 37 in the ICC rule book states that "Either batsman is out Obstructing the field if he wilfully attempts to obstruct or distract the fielding side by word or action." There are some obvious apprehensions in this first line itself. For instance, what qualifies as distracting the fielding side by word? Is it randomly muttering when the bowler is about to bowl? Is it irritating the fielders in close in positions? Is it making unwanted and avoidable gestures? What about sledging? If all of the above count as sledging, then can sledging from a batsman get him out obstructing the field? Moreover, if this does not count as sledging then what does? There are obviously a lot of unanswered questions here, but more importantly, it is about the ambiguity of this "law"

The law further justifies "wilful" by claiming that it is up to the on field umpires to decide whether any action or obstruction is wilful or not. Of course, it is like saying that the umpire decides whether a player is LBW or not, but it isn't nearly as accurate. Each and every umpire may have a different attitude about obstruction and each action may be interpreted differently by each individual. Therefore, there fails to be any clarity as to what qualifies as wilful. Moreover, there are several situations stated as to when a batsman is considered to be out such as if he passes the ball to the fielder without his consent with a "bat or any other part of the person" and if he deliberately distracts the fielder while taking a catch. Whilst one may agree that the latter is perfectly reasonable, the former happens numerous times every test match. Do the fielders not know the rules or do they also acknowledge the fact that this is completely pointless?

Now arises the big question. Why the need for obstructing the field? People mostly believe that the game of cricket is constantly tipping and favouring and batsmen. What about the laws of the game. Is hitting the ball twice a justifiable way of getting out? Or getting timed out? These laws need to be pondered upon, we can't just blatantly accept them.

Another debate arises over whether the Australians breached the 'spirit of cricket' by appealing for obstruction? First and foremost, everyone has a different perception of what the spirit of cricket really qualifies as. The most obvious definition is playing the game fairly with full integrity and respect. Some people may add giving respect to your opponents while some people may think it is about carrying forward the legacy. None of these perceptions or any others are wrong. It is just that some of them don't agree with some of the rules. The Aussies shouldn't be blamed for appealing, the ICC rule book compelled them to. It is the rule that is the controversy and the dismissal just piled on the agony. The rule clearly stated that the batsman will be adjudged not out if the the batsman is using his bat or body to avoid injury. By the looks of it, this looked the case for Stokes; which further reinstated the outrage.

Some of us may still feel that this is just a one-off decision and the rule shouldn't be altered. But, spare a thought for the fact that this was the only the 6th time in almost a 60 year old  ODI history that this ever happened. That can't be a coincidence. Not only does this suggest the rarity of this mode of dismissal, but also how the game can go on without any harsh consequence if this rule is not included. This may just be a certain specified or exaggerated case but the experts certainly need to brainstorm the importance and relevance of this rule for the future.

Big 5 of Bowling

It is widely accepted that the future of batsmanship is in safe and worthy hands, with the likes of Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith already dominating the opponents and others like Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma and David Warner being fearsome and effective. All these cricketers are fairly young, and hence have the time and ability to become the next Sachins and Laras. However, who are the fast bowlers a fan should be looking forward to?

It is sometimes unintentionally overlooked and not as appreciated as it should be. We get overwhelmed by batting performances more than we do by bowling. It is no secret that bowling is the harder of the two and will face more challenges in future. With the never ceasing bat sizes and shorter formats, bat continues to dominate ball, and we spectators consciously applaud a double ton more than a ten for. Bowling is way tougher in modern day cricket.

At such a fragile time for bowlers, through which they have to keep themselves fit and be versatile and skilful enough to play in all formats, some bowlers have outperformed the others. This distinguished fab 5 are the future of pace bowling and have proved it timed again with their consistent and impactful performances. The road ahead may be hard, but they have a lot of dexterity in their armoury that provides the counterpunch and will help them conquer the batsmen in the future.

1. Mustafizur Rahman:

The 20-year old sensation from Bangladesh Mustafizur Rahman has already awed people all over the world with his jaw dropping performances. He took a five-wicket haul on debut against a full strength Indian side, and followed that up with a six-fer. He then grabbed 4 wickets in his debut Test versus South Africa and hasn’t looked back since. In no time, he has ruled the roost, as far as Bangladeshi bowling attack is concerned.

His exemplary performances in T20s, with an economy of under 6, and an average under 15, has generated interest from domestic leagues worldwide and he has also repaid the massive faith by his charismatic performances. His 26 wickets in just 9 ODIs at a mind boggling average of 12 indicate that batsmen continue to struggle to pick him up.

Mustafizur’s control is immaculate and consistently bowls in troubling areas. He has a number of variations up his sleeve, with the off cutters and change of pace being his specialty. He has been Bangladesh’s best bowler in recent times and is arguably the main factor for their drastic improvement in the limited overs formats. The Fizz is likely to keep getting better, if he is groomed and managed efficiently.

2. Mitchell Starc:

Nicknamed “MitcHELL” for his destructive and pacy bowling, Starc has improved drastically since 2015. He steamrolled his way to become the number 1 ODI bowler and emerged as the man of the tournament in the World Cup 2015. Although, a slow starter, he definitely is the best Australian bowler across all formats now.

His average of under 20 in both ODIs and T20Is makes it evident that he is the best that is around. Starc is just 2 wickets away (under 2 matches) to be the fastest to 100 ODI wickets ever, and his Test average has fallen from the mid 30s to 30.58. Sky is the limit for Starc, after his reformation as a bowler, and even if he can maintain his currently consistent performances, he will definitely be a force to come in the coming years.

The 26-year-old well known for his ability to deliver accurate and toe crushing yorkers at astonishing speeds, bowled a 160.4kmph delivery, the fastest ever in Test cricket. His action and angle of delivery make him more challenging. Starc also has a natural angle and swing as his bowling attribute. He may not vary his pace much, but can consistently hit testing lengths, which turns fatal for batsmen at his pace. His biggest challenge, in the coming years, will be to keep him fit for all three formats and maintain his pace.

3. Trent Boult:

Easily New Zealand’s top bowler right now, Trent Boult has been leading the Kiwi attack, especially in Tests and ODI. The 27-year old is the most experienced of the fiveour, in terms of matches played, indicating that he burst in the scene very early, and was an exciting young prospect. Boult was the second highest wicket taker of the World Cup 201, and was also the No.1 ODI bowler though for a short period of time.

Although not a regular member of T20I squad lately, he has shown that he is more than effective with an average of just 21, and a decent economy of 7.9. ODIs are his strongest suit, as Boult has the best average for a current New Zealand bowler of an exemplary 22, which coupled with an economy of 4.8, make him a huge threat especially in friendly conditions. His Test average is also the best among those in the list, and has picked up more than 4 wickets in 12 out of 72 innings.

Boult’s primary weapon is swing and he gets the ball to swing lethally both ways. His knowledge of reverse swing, coupled with the discipline and control, make him so effective in Tests. He has the rare ability to exploit even a docile wicket by hitting the right areas and bowing to his field- tactically set accordingly. His control also helps him do well in T20s as he is one of the better death bowlers, with his lines and subtle variations of length. Boult, definitely, is a legend in the making.

Mohammad Amir:

He may be famous for reasons other than his cricket, but there is no denying that Mohammad Amir is one of the most skilful bowlers around. The 24-year old is Pakistan’s trump card, and their leading bowler in all 3 formats. Making his debut as a 17-year old, Amir never ceased to impress, and one can only speculate how great he would’ve been had he not missed 5 years of cricket.

Considering that he played most of his cricket as a teen, Amir’s record is outstanding. An average of 22 in both T20Is and ODIs, Amir has picked up four or more wickets in 5 out of 27 innings in Tests. His miserly economy rate in limited over formats of 4.4 and 7 respectively complement his effectiveness and shear domination over the fellow batsmen.

Amir, in every sense a wicket taker, has a multitude of abilities up his sleeve. He can clock the high 140s regularly, and can accurately shape the ball both ways, which gets more lethal with his late swing. He is an exponent of reverse swing as well, and consistently tests the batsmen in all format. He varies his lengths according to the format requirements which make him successful and his lethal toe-crushing yorkers and accurate bouncers, along with his pace variations assure him success across formats.

5. Kagiso Rabada:

Kagiso Rabada The latest 21-year-old South African sensation rose up the ranks at a rapid pace to become South Africa’s most trusted weapon in all three formats. From picking a heap of wickets on debut to defending 9 runs of the last over against MS Dhoni, Rabada has been a sensational performer for South Africa. He will only continue to get better and pose more problems for the opposition in the coming years ahead.

Rabada has been South Africa’s best bowler in ODIs in the recent times and has ably been successful in Tests too, with the absence of Dale Steyn. He was actually picked ahead of Moṛne Morkel during the World T20 2016, which speaks volumes about the trust of selectors in this sensation. He has an average of the low 20s in all three formats and has an exemplary economy of 4.7 in ODIs even though he bowls at challenging times. His strike rate of 39 in Tests is one of the best in the world at the moment in an albeit short career. He already has seven four-wicket hauls and in his short career.

Rabada’s premier strength is his versatility as a bowler as he can swing the new ball both ways up front, maintain pressure in the middle with testing lines in the corridor of uncertainty and he has mastered his yorkers and slower balls at the death. He has also improved his pace of late, so definitely has become more threatening.

Tracing The Limited Rise of the Tigers

The Bangladesh Cricket team has been a test playing nation for 15 years now. However the positive competitive effects have been showcased just recently. The fearless approach has raised their game to a whole new level. Their England drubbing and spirited Quarter Final display against India were just the beginning  of their resurgence. Everyone had once again written off Bangladesh before their series against Pakistan and India at home. Whitewashing Pakistan just set the arm bells ringing but defeating the World No.2 ODI team was reminisce of their hard work and determination.owever this was long due. Bangladesh had always been a promising prospect for the future but had never performed to their potential for quite a while. The fans were always there to support their team but the vexation kept creeping in for the lack of results.

The Tigers took 19 years to win their first ODI series and 4 years to win their first ever Test match both against Zimbabwe in 2004. They had always promised on the big stage with upsets in many world cups throughout that briefly revived their competency against the big boys. The constant upsets against Pakistan, India and South Africa in the 1999 and 2007 world cups respectively were just a warning of ascendency on the big stage. However these past 5 years really have marked the perennial rise of Bangladesh. It all started with a 2-0 test series win against West Indies away from home, the first time they won a test match against a team barring Zimbabwe. This was followed by a 4-0 whitewash against New Zealand at home, their first ODI series win against a Top 8 team just some time after their first ever win against England away from home. This was more of a relief to the fans than a prestigious moment. The joy was transitory as all of this was followed by a poor world cup apart from the England upset. The fans vented their frustration of the Bangladesh performance by attacking the West Indian team bus. The team resurrected soon enough, making their first Asia Cup Final in 2012 and defeating the same team in a bilateral ODI series at home.

This recent success however hasn't been widespread. Bangladesh continue to struggle in test matches with only 2 wins against a top 8 nation in 15 years. Their T20 record barring the recent triumph against Pakistan has been far from enviable. With only a couple of wins against West Indies, they have nothing to show for on their plate.  They capped off their world cup performance with a 10 match winning streak in ODIs at home which was later snapped by India. They have enjoyed limited overs success in recent times, but still have a lot to learn in tests. Their success has also been limited to their home only. They have only 2 overseas series wins since 1985. With a culmination far from foreseeable, Bangladesh can't afford to let loose. Propped up with the emergence of a lot of young talent and a mercurial captain in Masrafe Mortaza, Bangladesh should certainly aim for the stars.

Decoding the West Indian Mystery

What is it with T20s and the West Indians? The recently concluded and much under hyped England tour of West Indies was the latest  reminiscence of the West Indian players' ignorance. The 3 test series schedule was intercepting with the IPL  and as expected none of the well know West Indians (who by the way have more fan following in India than in their own country) were interested to represent their country. This majorly was also a reason why only Test matches were scheduled because even the WICB is aware of the players' "prior commitments" to their respective IPL contracts.

The colloquially known IPL is actually a cash infused drug that every player dreams to be injected with. Normally, it is a platform where one can express himself and showcase his talent, hopefully resulting in international selection. For the West Indian players on the other hand, it seems it is the league that they look forward to every year. Chris Gayle for one, is a true champion.. However his decision to commit with Somerset while West Indies were hosting Australia is truly a shocker. His selection to the test team may not have been a certainty, but by involving himself in the Natwest T20 Blast at such a time reveals in depth, his attitude. He claimed to be the king of all 3 formats, and stated that he still had desire to play International cricket for the West Indies. He  played his last test in September 2014. The ever ready for T20 Chris Gayle is not so ready when it comes to representing his nation. Chris Gayle's other mates- Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Kieron Pollard, Lendl Simmons and many others are such who also go by the same theory.

The West Indian love story for T20 leagues probably began when it all started. Their reluctance to participate dates back to a conflict with the WICB. WICB has never had a healthy relationship with its players, be it the dispute with Chris Gayle in the after the 2011 world cup or with Bravo and Pollard who were controversially dropped from the world cup squad with no apparent fault of theirs. The wage disputes that ironically occurred during the India tour and many other controversies have always involved the board, the latest being the sacking of Shivnarain Chanderpaul. Neither the board, nor the players are attempting to resolve this which is slowly turning into a huge muddle. The West Indians have surely showed their dominance in T20s internationally but being an entertaining team isn't enough to have worldwide respect and followers.