ICYMI – February Flashback

 

The lack of information on number of attempts to frame this tweet is disappointing

RETIRING IN 140 CHARACTERS OR LESS

The day was coming, you would think. Given the increasing relevance of social media in cricket today, it was about time some player used Twitter or Facebook for something other than copy-pasting philosophical quotes and informing us what food they “smashed” recently. Kiwi batsman and pioneer freelance cricketer Lou Vincent drew curtains on a very unfulfilled career by  tweeting the ‘only’ useful stats us cricket fans are interested in and informed his followers about his decision. While scoring a century on debut in Perth against the likes of McGrath, Lee and Warner will remain as the highlight of his career, using all of his allotted 140 characters to tweet his retirement is no less feat.

“This is the face of ruthlessness. Fear me.”

FROM KING OF SPAIN TO RUTHLESS COACH OF ENGLAND  

England’s newest cricket coach, albeit only in the limited-overs version, Ashley Giles has made a promise to maintain a stiff upper lip while it comes to choosing the right combination of players for the Champions Trophy in June. With the success of their new star Joe Root, England are in a dilemma as to which player to leave out of their top order – KP, Trott, Bell, Morgan, Root. This is complicated by the fact that Trott and Bell are former team-mates of Giles at Warwickshire. My advice to Giles would be to ask himself the question – ‘What Would Dhoni Do’. Then go ahead and pick a combination that no expert will be able to understand. Also pick more Warwickshire players in the squad.

“Ineffective? Gulity as charged. You got me!”

THE CONTRASTING FORTUNES OF SINGH AND SUPER KINGS

MS Dhoni had a dream test at his second home, as India packed off the Aussies in the first test. He scored a double century and his spinners sealed the fate of Clarke and company. Dhoni, Ashwin and Jadeja rose to the occasion at a ground they should be knowing very well by now. On the other hand, Harbhajan Singh returned to the venue where he sealed a famous win against the same opponents 12 years ago, only to highlight his declining effectiveness, even on a helpful track against inexperienced batsmen. Harbhajan is now the Ashwin of two months ago, and Ashwin is now the Harbhajan of twelve years ago.

“I got the wicket of Harbhajan…that counts, right??”

CAN MOISES LEAD THE AUSSIES ACROSS THE INDIAN WILDERNESS?

Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke and now Moises Henriques. If it is an Australian tour of India, you can rest assured that it will kick-start an Aussie cricketer’s career, or at least rejuvenate it as in the case of Hayden. While Clarke was always the known threat for the Indian bowlers, they wouldn’t have expected resistance from a 26 year old Portuguese born  cricketer playing his first test ever, let alone his first on the subcontinent. 280 balls faced, 149 runs scored, 11 fours and 2 sixes later, the Australian top order excepting Clarke might have just found a template on how to tackle spin for the remainder of the series. And no, you cannot request to “re-debut” against the Indians now.

“This international cricket is easy-peasy…yawn…”

A DIFFERENT KIND OF ABBOTT-ABAD

It is not even funny anymore. As if facing Steyn, Morkel and Philander is not bad enough as a batsman, there is a new South African pacer on the block. Kyle Abbott, all of 25 years and 38 first class games old, made a stunning debut against Pakistan, picking up 9/68 at the Centurion test.  Granted, it was against a brittle Pakistani line-up and his pace hovers in the mid-130s kph; but his modus operandi is very much similar to Philander, and look where the Vern is now. If there is any cheer for the opposition, they can breathe easy as Abbot is only the sixth choice bowler for the Saffers. Yup, with the likes of Steyn and Philander to terrorize you, why worry about him? Yet?

“You mistake me…I eat only the red ones!”

THE RETURN OF AFRIDI: THE SEQUEL TO THE TRILOGY

I don’t know which is funnier – that Shahid Afridi is making his umpteenth comeback or the words of chief selector Iqbal Qasim, “this is Afridi’s last chance and he has to perform”.

“Vaas” my name? It’s Chaminda

SRI LANKA IS “GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER” 

Sanath Jayasuriya is chief selector, Chaminda Vaas is bowling coach and Muttiah Muralitharan is a special adviser. Hey Sri Lanka, the late 90s called and they wished you best of luck. After all, these are exciting times for the island nation, as they start afresh under new captains, and who better to show pointers than a bunch of cricketers who were responsible for their golden era?

“This knock should help….urm….uh….my team to win!”

CHRIS GAYLE TWITTER STAR

Gone are the good old days when Gayle garnered sympathy for his stand-off with the WICB. Now that he is back, he is expected to exhibit that annoying trait expected of any cricketer worth their salt – “consistency”. After a disastrous run over the last two series against Bangladesh and Australia, the Jamaican Hulk decided that he had enough, skipping the one day series against Zimbabwe to take a break. If you thought that Gayle takes this break to spend some quiet time with family or work on his game, you obviously don’t follow his Twitter account. It’s only a matter of time before he jumps ship and becomes a Reality TV star.

[This article was originally published in Sportskeeda on February 28, 2013]

11 Thoughts on Cricket from January

The first month of 2013 is almost over, and already it has shown signs of what to expect in the coming months. Here are 11 stray thoughts on the month that is (not quite) gone by:

1. NEW ZEALAND IS THE NEW WEST INDIES 

“If that is true, we will win the next T20 World Cup…huzzah!”

Get bowled out for scores of 45 and 121 en route to a crushing Test series loss to the Saffers before turning the tables on the hosts during the ODI series, which included a 1 wicket heist in the opener (from 105/7 while chasing 209) and a match winning ton from future great Kane Williamson in the second game. Only a last ball six from McLaren in the third game prevented a series whitewash. The average Kiwi supporter must have gone through the full range of emotions possible, in the past month.

2. MIKE HESSON IS THE NEW JOHN BUCHANAN

“That is a low blow, Mr Bullet”

Problems with team’s star player and favorite punching bag for all? Check. It makes perfect sense that the former Australia coach is responsible for Hesson’s appointment as New Zealand coach.

3. ENTER THE FAF

“Move over Jacques, there is a new rock in town”

In the span of three months, Faf du Plessis has gone from being a replacement in the Test squad and a fringe player in LOIs, to a certainty in all formats of the game. It culminated in him becoming captain of the ODI side in their series against New Zealand after de Villiers copped a ban for slow over rate in the first game. Despite the loss, he is already being talked of as future captain in all three formats. This proves that good things happen to those who play for Chennai Super Kings.

4. DE KOCK WILL GIVE ‘RISE’ TO NEVER ENDING PUNS

“The name is de Kock. The ‘de’ is silent”

South Africa’s newest member and interestingly named Quinton de Kock is a talented and hard-hitting batsman, who is capable of keeping the momentum flowing at the top of the order. As a keeper, his soft hands and ability to let the balls come to him instead of grabbing at it make him a valuable addition to the team. Any puns detected in the previous sentences were intended.

5. MAHELA IS THE PAST, ANGELO IS THE PRESENT AND PERERA IS THE FUTURE

“Bad boys..bad boys..what you gonna do? what you gonna do? when they come for you……”

Dilshan, Sangakarra and Jayawardene are on their way out; but Lankan fans need not despair as the next generation take over. In Angelo Mathews and Thissera Perera, they have their next stars who seem destined for great things. Nerveless batting, attacking bowling and electric fielding – they are the new age cricketers, as it was always meant to be.

6. TO ROTATE OR NOT TO ROTATE, THAT IS THE QUESTION

“Psst…Mickey…don’t look now…but the KFC sponsor guy is coming over and he doesn’t look happy”

If it’s Australia and January, it is ‘talk about rotation policy’ time. Last year, India took the heat for theirs, and now it is the turn of Clarke’s men…or Bailey’s. Their one day series against Sri Lanka ignited a fresh debate over the polarizing topic, throwing up references to A-teams and B-teams and free publicity for McDonalds after a bizarre put-down of George Bailey by the Channel 9 chief. Lost in all this hullabaloo was Phil Hughes’ impressive start to his ODI career, Kulasekara’s deadly bowling and a farcical abandonment of the 4th ODI. At the end of it all, the debate over rotation continues to rage.

7. THE WORST BEST DEATH BOWLER IN ONE DAY INTERNATIONALS

“The Girl with the Ridiculous Tattoos”

He is supposedly the death overs specialist for the number one ODI team in the world (before the conclusion of the series against India). Like Shakira’s hips, statistics don’t lie though: In 22 ODIs, Jade Dernbach has 30 wickets at an economy rate of 6.28, which is the highest for any international bowler who has bowled over a thousand deliveries; and this is the same man, Nasser Hussain said that India would desire to have in their side. No thanks, Nass. We already have Sreesanth.

8. JOE ROOT IS THE REAL DEAL

“Size doesn’t matter”

After playing a supporting role in England’s historic Test series win in India last year, Root took the center stage for the English in the ODI leg of the tour. He emerged as the find of the series for them as his reliable batting and disciplined bowling was all they could take away at the end of it all. Unlike a few others in the side, he seems grounded and is set for greater things ahead.

9. ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK

“Next stop…Test cricket!”

Positives: India won an ODI series against previously top-ranked side after a disappointing loss to Pakistan earlier, and in the process found quality seamers in Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Shami Ahmed, while reiterating Suresh Raina’s value to the team.

Not-so positives: Gambhir continues to throw away starts, Kohli’s purple patch is over, Rahane and Yuvraj appear clueless against pace and spin respectively, Rohit booked his place for the next year after a solitary fifty while Pujara warms the bench till Tiwary returns.

10. WHAT IS ASHWIN?

“Pictured: Highly intelligent player who talks a good talk.
Not pictured: An Indian spinner the opposition dread to face”

When Ashwin came on to the scene, most Indian fans breathed a sigh of relief that an alternative to Harbhajan Singh was found. After disciplined performances in LOIs, he made a stunning entry into Test cricket by decimating the West Indians and Kiwis at home. That was as good as it got. Against England on the subcontinent, he has failed in Tests, T20s and now ODIs to pose a threat to an opposition ripe for the picking, as he has been comfortably out-bowled by ordinary bowlers like Tredwell and Root. It’s a matter of time before the Indian selectors and management decide if they want to persist with Ashwin in their plans – as a batsman who can bowl part time spin. In that case, the Turbanator can confidently say, “I’ll be back”.

11. MOVE OVER SHIV, TAG IS IT

“The cricketing world waits with bated breath to see if the gene for the crab stance has carried over”

From the maker of countless bore-athon knocks apart from the odd whirlwind ton in Tests, comes “Chanderpaul 2: Tagenerine”. Junior is said to be a carbon copy of his illustrious father, and as he makes his first class debut for Guyana at the tender age of 16, the WICB will hope that he turns into a future star capable of saving many Test matches for the team.

 

 

The Story of 2012 World T20 through Chris Gayle’s Fake Facebook Update

West Indian Cricket: Talent Abundant, Scarce Performance

Chris Gayle. Dwayne Smith. Marlon Samuels. Dwayne Bravo. Kieron Pollard. Sunil Narine. Andre Russell. Fidel Edwards.

These are some of the most talented cricketers to grace the short formats of the game. When you include the likes of Chanderpaul, Best, Roach, Darren Bravo and Rampual from Tests, what we have here is pretty much the nucleus of what should be one of the top teams in international cricket.

Instead, what we get is a team stumbling from one disaster to another. Be it Tests, ODIs or T20Is, the script follows the same pattern: A few numbing defeats followed by an inspiring performance promising a new dawn, but which inevitably is a false alarm as the never ending cycle of underwhelming performances continue.

Everything possible has been tried to reverse this trend. Captains have come and gone, different coaches have been tried, and a variety of permutations and combinations have been experimented with; all to no avail. Also, a protracted battle of egos between Gayle and the WICB, international commitments coinciding with the IPL and frequent injuries to the few players who perform well – all have robbed the West Indies of fielding their best team, in recent times.

So, considering all these travails, it was a shot in the arm for West Indian cricket fans when news broke out that the dispute between Gayle and the cricket board had been resolved and that he would be available for the limited overs leg of the England tour. Along with the return of Narine, Bravo and Pollard, it looked like West Indies were finally favorites in a bilateral series.

Now that the ODI series and T20I is over, I can safely say that it was a false hope. Despite Gayle’s pyrotechnics in one ODI and some fabulous hitting by Smith, Bravo and Pollard in the T20I, the West Indies folded without a real fight in the games, making one wonder what more can be done to change the fortunes of the team.

All they have to do is take a look at a team like England, who for all their lack of individual flair (in the absence of KP!), dole out efficient performances game after game. Talent can only take you so far but unless the players work hard on their games at an individual level and play as a team when they take the field, their depressing run will continue. Looking back nostalgically at their rich history can be used as an motivational tool, but ultimately it is up to the players to inculcate discipline and start making their own legacies.

The WICB has an important role to play as well. They need to focus on issues which would help the team do better instead of fighting their players at every possible turn. Given the impressive performances of the WI A team, they do seem to have the players who can step up to the next level, but they will need proper guidance from their board if they are to make any difference to the team’s fortunes. After all, international cricket will be much better with a strong West Indian team delivering performances worthy of their talents.

RIP Runako Morton

Over the last two weeks, I have lost one friend and one mentor, who left this world way too young. So, I have been forced to think about death a bit more than I would have liked to. Now, with the news of Runako Morton’s untimely demise, it is confirmed: it is open season for angels and demons.

I have not really followed Morton’s career closely; so I cannot offer an objective analysis of his game. The only thing I do remember about him was his match winning 90 against Australia in the 2006 Champions Trophy. Nobody expected Australia to be challenged by the lowly West Indian side, but Morton ensured an unlikely victory and triggered expectations of a great in the making. Sadly, he never attained those heights.

Apparently, he had a troubled background and it showed in his numerous disciplinary problems in a brief career. Still, the man stuck at it and made a modestly successful career of it in First Class cricket. Going by the reactions of the West Indian cricket fraternity, he was well liked by his fraternity too. There is also a level of poignancy, that his death occurred as he was returning from a cricket match.

Tragedies like these always remind us to keep things in perspective. At a time, when fans are getting more and more demanding of the players and sporting bodies, it is wise to take a step back and reflect. These players have a short shelf life in which they are obligated to play well, entertain us and always be gracious to fans. We tend to forget that they are human too; capable of making the same mistakes and failing at certain areas, as the rest of us are prone to. So, let us be thankful to the thousands of nameless players, cutting across sports, gender, nationality and background; who make our pastime and their profession, that much more interesting, with their warts and all.

Rest in Peace, Runako.

See ball, Hit ball, Repeat

Everywhere around the cricket world, in schools and gullies, in club cricket and in first class cricket – you can always find one player who is intent on hitting the cover off every ball he faces. More often than not, he will score a quick 30 or 40 before getting out. Once in a while, he may score big; but everyone would agree that he will never be as good as his team-mate, who is less flashy but more consistent.

Then there is Virender Sehwag.

Now I'll proceed to show you what 'Kolaveri' actually is....

When Sehwag started playing first class cricket, no doubt he would have heard countless words of advice – tighten your technique, respect the good deliveries, don’t take unnecessary risks. To his credit, Sehwag kept true to his natural game and followed a simple mantra.

See ball. Hit ball.

Some days, it would result in a catch to the keeper or slip cordon. Critics would pile on him for being irresponsible and careless. It didn’t matter to Sehwag; because most days, those same shots would get him runs. It takes a brave man to shut out the dissenting noises and just channel his incredible self belief in playing the way he does; and his records speak for themselves.

Double hundreds and triple hundreds in Test cricket; and now, a double hundred in ODIs.

Here’s what he had to say after the incredible 219 against West Indies in Indore:

“Never dreamt of it. I told Gauti if we showed a little patience we could a big one. But I was never expecting a double century. It’s a true time, you can play all your shots. When I decided I wanted to hit a six, I went and did it with a straight bat. I know people expected me to score a double-century, so thanks to them. And thanks to my family. I had said earlier that the top order was not contributing, and it was my job. Never changed my batting through this innings. I just told my self that I needed to bat through the Batting Powerplay, and I would get the double hundred. When Sammy dropped my chance, I knew God was with me. I am tired, yes, I am an old man now.”

He may be getting old, but Virender Sehwag doesn’t look like he is going to adjust his game anytime soon; and for that an entire cricket world is grateful.

What’s the fuss about?

So, Dhoni decided to call of his batsmen when the target was 86 more runs from 15 overs with 7 wickets in hand. Cue, the outrage in India and sanctimonious crap from rest of the world. Cricket sites and Twitter raged with comments from Indians decrying it as shameful and calling the team not worthy of number 1 status; while others concluded that the England series would go in favor of the hosts since the Indians decided not to bat on and try to win the game. As Andy Zaltzman pointed out, India is not the first team to play it safe when the series is in the bag; so the self righteous whingeing can stop.

Yes, the Australian team of the 90s and the West Indian teams of the 70s/80s might have chased this target down; but this team is nowhere close to those sides; so such stupid comparisons can also stop.

While I would have loved India to bat on and try to win the game, I don’t have the same experience and pitch awareness, that the likes of Dravid, Laxman, Dhoni and Fletcher possess; so I will accept their decision, even as I regret the missed opportunities of the last two days. For a team missing its best batsman and bowler, and playing some inexperienced rookies against a side which played beyond its expectations, this was a good result; and no made up controversy should take anything away from that. The England tour will be played with a different set of players and in different conditions; so that will have no relation to how the West Indies tour panned out. I can’t wait for all the talk to stop and let the actual contest be decided between bat and ball.

Lessons from the India – West Indies ODI series

The ODI series between India and West Indies concluded recently with a predictable result in favor of the Indian team. It was an auspicious start for Team India’s new coach Duncan Fletcher, and was Suresh Raina’s first series win as skipper. For West Indies, the major positives were the progression of Andre Russell and Anthony Martin to match winners, while Lendl Simmons and Marlon Samuels shone at various times. Still, old problems remain; the batsmen don’t inspire confidence against spinners and the team as a whole freeze at the sight of victory. Meanwhile, India without their senior players, still managed to win the key moments and closed out the series despite the less number of players who enhanced their case in this series. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Amit Mishra were three players who did everything that was expected of them, while the likes of Subramaniam Badrinath, Manoj Tiwary and Yusuf Pathan will rue the missed opportunities. Here’s a look at what I learnt from watching the series:

• Subcontinental fans might be the most passionate in the game, but no one can celebrate like the Caribbean fans.
• Chris Gayle might not have played in the series, but he remained the hottest topic of discussion during the series; He did attend some of the games though, where his afro during the final game was a show stealer.

'The 70s are back, maan!'

• West Indian umpires have proved that they can be even worse than their Indian counterparts.
• Throughout the series, the only Indian commentator I heard was Sunil Gavaskar. Small mercies.
• Lendl Simmons can bat. Its just that he has not learned to bat as long as possible. One of two batsmen in the West Indian team who can boast of good consistency.
• Ramnaresh Sarwan might not be the same batsman he once was, but there is no doubting that he still retains the same fighting spirit.
• Marlon Samuels is not a batsman most Indian fans would forget in a hurry, after all the thumpings he administered to the Indian team in the early 2000s; He is still slowly getting into his groove, which is not a good sign for opposition bowlers.
• It has been drummed over our heads that Darren Bravo bats like Brian Lara; in the final game of the series, he added some substance to the style to give the Caribbean something to cheer about.

The Fresh Prince of Trinidad

• Kieron Pollard still needs to convince many that he can perform against top teams, despite handy contributions towards the end of the series.
• Like his Indian counterpart, Carlton Baugh is short and handy with the bat; unlike his Indian counterpart, he is reliable behind the stumps, showcasing his skills in the 4th game.
• Darren Sammy might never be accepted as a deserving member of the team, let alone its captain. Still, he showed a lot of heart with decent performances at the start of the series, even as his team-mates floundered around him.
• Andre Russell is starting to become the new poster boy of West Indies cricket. With the ball, he is quick and has a precious knack of taking wickets at crucial junctures; with the bat, he is feisty and as he showed in the 4th game, he can give the ball quite a thump. Now all West Indies needs to do is protect him from a few IPL franchise owners.

'Somebody gonna get hurt real bad'

• I expected a lot from Devendra Bishoo, but it was another leg spinner who rose to prominence in this series; Anthony Martin might be a professional fire fighter, but when it comes to cricket, he is all for creating panic amongst the opposition. If handled properly, West Indies might just end up with two quality leg spinners in their ranks.

'When you mess with fire, you get burnt'

• Shikhar Dhawan and Manoj Tiwary might be two of the more promising batsmen in Indian cricket, but in this series, they looked out of their depth. Looks like more India A tours might do the trick.
• Parthiv Patel played all games in the series, depriving W Saha any chance of making an impression in the absence of MS Dhoni. He did his job as a batsman, though his keeping behind the stumps still left a lot to be desired.
• Virat Kohli has established himself as the best batsman of the younger lot. A place in the Test team beckons, and he might just leapfrog Suresh Raina in the captaincy stakes next time.

The Kohli-nator

• Rohit Sharma could well turn out to be a typical West Indian cricketer; for all his talent and high praise received from peers and experts, he has rarely done any justice to his skill. This series, he took a step towards correcting that, with a couple of match winning knocks and bagging the Man of the Series award. Only time will tell if this was a break-out series for him, or just another flash in the pan.

The Tease

• Subramaniam Badrinath is running out of time. The senior-most player among the second rung, he does not have age in his favor and has had to sit back and watch young guns like Sharma and Kohli steal the show. While he guided India to victory in the only T20I, he didn’t make enough use of his chances in the ODI series, thereby signalling a possibly premature end to his ODI career. He still has the Test series to prove himself; whether he gets a chance is another matter.
• Yusuf Pathan is not quite in the same boat as Badrinath, but he cannot live off two blistering centuries forever. With the ball, he was steady but non-threatening. With the bat, he didn’t quite set any pulses racing. Luckily for him, his competition did not do that either.
• Suresh Raina had a poor series. On one hand, he captained the team to his maiden series win; on the other, he combusted as a batsman, perishing to the same infuriating slog shot, over and over again. Along with Kohli and Sharma, he is a player for the future; but if he keeps performing like this, the critics will be baying for his blood soon.

Deja vu strikes again...

• This was a series for the Indian spinners, in particular Amit Mishra. He came into the series with a lot to prove, after his omission from the World Cup squad. At the end of it, he made the selectors look foolish with his returns. R Ashwin impressed in the brief opportunities he got, though he would love to take more wickets and forget his last two overs in the final game.
• Among the seamers, Praveen Kumar impressed, ultimately earning a call up to the Test squad. Munaf was called a ‘spinner’ by a West Indian pace legend, but he still remains as one of the few quality pace bowlers in the side. Ishant Sharma and Vinay Kumar showed glimpses of their abilities, but still have a way to go before they can be considered as regulars in this format of the game.
• All in all, the 3-2 margin is a fair call; India’s second string team was marginally better than a West Indies team sans Chris Gayle. If anything, this should increase expectations for a tighter contest in the Test series.

Champions!

Where Them Future Stars At

Peter Roebuck recently wrote an article on CricInfo, asking a simple question – ‘Who are cricket’s future greats?’. Unfortunately, apart from a statistical look at the modern greats and an expressed fear for the future, he didn’t really talk about any future stars in particular. So, I decided to make up a list of players from each Test playing nation, except Bangladesh, whose progress I am following and who I feel are more likely to be international cricketers of great caliber in the next ten years or so.

PS: I apologize in advance for the mangled statistics table!

KANE WILLIAMSON

Country: New Zealand

Age: 20 years

Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St

Tests	5	9	0	299	131	33.22	698	42.83	1	2	28	0	1	0
ODIs	15	14	2	352	108	29.33	514	68.48	1	0	22	3	3	0
First-class	29	49	2	1998	192	42.51	3732	53.53	6	9	242	12	27	0
List A	46	43	10	1537	108*	46.57	2054	74.82	4	7	105	15	18	0

I noticed Williamson for the first time during a nondescript tri-series in Sri Lanka last year. It was his debut series and he looked so out of depth at the international level that I wondered what the fuss was all about, as he was touted as the next big thing in New Zealand cricket by the experts; but it was during the Test series against India later, when I was won over. The way he tackled the spinners and batted with a calm assurance indicated a mature head, and while tours of South Africa and England will be challenging in their own right, I foresee a great future for him; I wouldn’t be too surprised if he is the Kiwi captain when the 2019 World Cup rolls around.

DINESH CHANDIMAL

Country: Sri Lanka

Age: 21 years

Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St

ODIs	4	4	2	143	111	71.50	168	85.11	1	0	9	5	4	1
T20Is	5	4	0	59	29	14.75	58	101.72	0	0	2	2	0	0
First-class	33	52	7	2733	244	60.73	3653	74.81	9	13	306	56	62	11
List A	42	41	5	1010	111	28.05	1266	79.77	1	8	73	25	35	2

Early last year, when India sent a weakened team to Zimbabwe under Suresh Raina for a pointless ODI tournament involving the host nation and Sri Lanka, they had their bottoms forcefully kicked by both teams. Apart from that, I remember the tri-series for a brilliant century by Chandimal against the Indians in just his second ODI innings. Later, I found that he has a stellar record in First class cricket, while there is scope for improvements in the short formats. Still, he has impressed many with his attitude and leadership skills right from the U-19 stage; and with the likelihood of Sri Lanka losing the services of stalwarts Sanga, Jayawardene and Dilshan in the next few years, the spotlight is going to be focused on him for the foreseeable future.

RILEE ROUSSOUW

Country: South Africa

Age: 21 years

Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St

First-class	39	69	1	2967	319	43.63	4675	63.46	9	13	431	22	45	0
List A	48	47	2	1656	131	36.80	1786	92.72	4	9	186	24	26	0

I have to admit that I have not seen much of his actual game, but in the few matches I have seen him play for his domestic team, he has looked the part of a quality player. I noticed him first during the 2008 U-19 World Cup where he turned in some decent performances, and then saw him again during the initial Champions League T20; and I came away with the feeling that he is steadily improving as a player. He could very well turn out to be a major batsman in Gary Kirsten’s new Proteas. Like the previous players in this list, he has every chance of becoming the future captain of his country.

BEN STOKES

Country: England

Age: 20 years

Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St

First-class	26	38	5	1541	185	46.69			5	5			16	0
List A	19	19	3	509	150*	31.81	540	94.25	1	2	40	14	5	0

Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10

First-class	26	32	1398	1046	28	6/68	7/145	37.35	4.48	49.9	2	1	0
List A	19	9	236	207	14	4/29	4/29	14.78	5.26	16.8	1	0	0

Stokes fulfills the first criteria to become an English player – He was born outside the country 🙂 …. specifically in New Zealand, where his father played rugby for the Kiwis. Once he moved to England and started playing cricket though, people started to take notice. Like most others in this list, I noticed him first during the last U-19 World Cup, where he scored a century against India. Apart from being an aggressive batsman, he is also more than a handy performer with the ball; he has already put in some eye-catching performances this season before a dislocated finger brought an early end to his season. Still, he looks to be the most promising young cricketer in England and it seems to be a matter of time before he makes his debut for the senior English team.

ABHINAV MUKUND

Country: India

Age: 21

Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St

First-class	40	61	3	3446	300*	59.41	6207	55.51	13	9	435	17	29	0
List A	28	28	1	1550	130	57.40	1869	82.93	5	10	151	10	16	0

Such is the strength of the Chennai Super Kings, that they could afford to leave out one of the best batsmen in the country from the playing XI throughout their victorious campaign. Mukund is well known throughout the domestic circuit for his gluttonous appetite for runs. Along with his opening partner Murali Vijay, he has decimated many a new ball attack in the country. For his consistent performances throughout the last two seasons, he has won himself a place in the Indian Test squad to the West Indies in the absence of Sehwag and Gambhir. Don’t be too surprised if he edges out Vijay for the third opener’s slot when the two return to take their places.

JAMES PATTINSON

Country: Australia

Age: 21 years

Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10

First-class	6	11	1156	560	19	4/52	5/76	29.47	2.90	60.8	2	0	0
List A	15	15	760	659	26	6/48	6/48	25.34	5.20	29.2	0	1	0

It would be an understatement to say that there are not enough quality bowlers out there today. It doesn’t look too bright for the future as well. One bowler who might prove to be the odd exception is James Pattinson. While his elder brother shot to prominence first with an infamous debut for England in 2008, it was always the younger Pattinson who was being talked up as a future star. With the gift of swing, he is slowly working his way up the ranks, from the U-19 side for his state, to the Australia U-19 to Australia A, and now to the senior squad. Even as Australia struggle to retain top position in the international rankings, they would do very well to look at a fresh crop of players, with none more promising than the young Pattinson.

JUNAID KHAN

Country: Pakistan

Age: 21 years

Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10

ODIs	7	7	288	223	9	4/12	4/12	24.77	4.64	32.0	1	0	0
T20Is	1	1	12	15	0	–	–	–	7.50	–	0	0	0
First-class	35	63	7110	3562	167	7/46	13/77	21.32	3.00	42.5	6	13	3
List A	34	34	1590	1279	46	4/12	4/12	27.80	4.82	34.5	3	0	0

Who else but a fast bowler would be the most promising young cricketer for Pakistan? While I would have normally gone for Mohammed Amir, I will settle for a less controversial choice in Junaid Khan. Like Amir, he is a left arm pace bowler who has been turning heads with his impressive ability for pace, swing and success in the domestic scene. Playing for the now famous province of Abbottabad, who are supposedly one of the weaker teams in Pakistan, he has built up an impressive reputation for himself. It was going to be only a matter of time before he made his debut for the senior side, and sure enough, he made his debut in ODI colors against West Indies a couple of months ago. His performance in that series indicate that with the right guidance and care, he can turn out to be one of the best fast bowlers in international cricket within the next few years. As long as Ijaz Butt and cronies don’t come up with an ingenious way to screw his career too.

DARREN BRAVO

Country: West Indies

Age: 22 years

Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St

Tests	5	8	1	313	80	44.71	767	40.80	0	4	30	6	1	0
ODIs	26	23	3	635	79	31.75	872	72.82	0	4	46	15	3	0
T20Is	3	3	0	83	42	27.66	75	110.66	0	0	9	2	0	0
First-class	23	35	2	1231	111	37.30			3	6			22	0
List A	48	44	6	1491	107*	39.23			2	10			10	0

Even if you have not been following West Indies cricket for the last year or so, you might be knowing that Darren Bravo bats like his famous relative Brian Lara. Fortunately for him, he has a decent record at both First class and Test level to back that fame…somewhat. While his half brother Dwayne has been an integral part of the senior side for a while now, Darren has earned a name for himself on the international scene only in the last two years. While his domestic records don’t scream run machine, his short stint in Tests and ODIs so far, indicate there is substance beneath the style. At the moment, he is not in the best of form, but for a team which comprises of batsmen who struggle to cope with quality international bowlers, his progress to a fully fledged champion batsman can’t come soon enough.

Future Indian Captain – Raina or Kohli?

Gautam Gambhir follows close friend and Delhi team-mate Virender Sehwag, with injury concerns of his own, which may just make him sit out of the West Indies tour and deprive him of the opportunity to further state his captaincy credentials in Indian colors. This would most likely pave way for Suresh Raina to get a second shot at captaincy after a poor first stint in Zimbabwe a couple of years ago, highlighted by two defeats to Zimbabwe and failure to qualify for the tri-series final. My question is: should it be that straight forward?

It is no secret that Virat Kohli has been earmarked for captaincy for quite a while now. He has prior experience, having led the India U-19 team to World Cup glory, and has stepped in admirably for Vettori as RCB skipper in this year’s IPL. He has grown into a mature and well rounded cricketer in the last couple of years, with high praises from the people who matter. You will be hard pressed to find anybody who disagrees that he should be groomed as the future Indian captain.

Yet, by a quirk of fate, Suresh Raina is one step ahead of him. Having made his debut for India much before Kohli, he also has the advantage of having played Test matches. So, the selectors have used logic in placing Raina in proper hierarchy, ahead of Kohli in the captaincy stakes.

Personally, I wish the selectors were bold enough to make Kohli the skipper if Gambhir is ruled out of the series. Yes, that would be unfair to Raina, as he has not done anything to make his case weak; on the other hand, he has an impressive resume, himself. Paralysed by doubt and insecurity during the Chappell era, he made his way back into the Indian team through sheer determination and is one of the few batsmen to have scored centuries in all three formats of the game, and was crucial in India’s victories in the quarters and semis of the recent World Cup. When a wicket falls, he is the first fielder to rush either the bowler or fielder (whoever is closer!) with a fierce hug. He is never short of ideas in the field, involving himself in decisions of bowling changes or field placements. I suppose if Kohli was not around, he would be the unanimous choice for the much sought after position in Indian cricket.

My only grouse is that Raina is not established in either Tests or ODIs right now. After a thrilling start to his Test career, he has tapered off, losing his position to Pujara in the process. In the ODIs, he was not even in the first choice playing XI during the league stages of the World Cup, playing his first game of the tournament in the quarterfinal against Australia. (It reminds me of the way Dhoni got his shot at captaincy. With Sehwag and Yuvraj having fitness/form issues, Dhoni grabbed the opportunity to establish himself as the long term option; and India have not looked back since then.) Raina should be spending the major part of the coming season, in developing himself as a quality Test player and making himself as a permanent fixture in the ODI team as well. While Kohli may not have made his Test debut yet, no one doubts that it is just a matter of time now. This is the perfect time to assess Kohli the captain, in a ODI series against the West Indies.

In the short run, it might not matter as Dhoni isn’t going anywhere and Gambhir will take over when he is unavailable; but it will be nice to have a clearer idea of who the FIC (Future Indian Captain) might be. Suresh Raina or Virat Kohli…..what’s your choice?