Freedom series-India Vs South Africa

Time flies. The World cup has just gone past. So is the annual IPL. And the Ashes. The emerald isle of Sri-lanka has been conquered after a gap of astonishing couple of decades. Hush!!! The African's are in town now. For a full-fledge Cricket series comprising of T20's, ODI's (Good to know that) & 4 Test matches (5 would have been great. Nevertheless!), under a marquee of Gandhi-Mandela, both needing no formal introduction. All these seem to happen at a blink of eye-lid speed. 

Tendulkar is history; so is Kallis. Both being the stalwarts for their respective teams during previous encounters and have played impact innings to stamp their authority on being the best batters. These days both the teams are coping with changing times and change in personnel. Although India shall bank heavily on flamboyant Kohli, Amla has climbed similar heights. de Villiers and Dhoni boast clam in respective batting lineup. The teams appear on similar ladder till we reach the bowling arsenal.

Indian team, as always will look upon spinners like Mishra and Patel to ably support the department spearheaded by Ravi Ashwin and make South African batsmen dance to their tunes. While the African counterpart will heavily rely on pacers (and they should be right in their own respect) to terrorise Indian batters with steep bouncers and toe-crushing yorkers. The bowlers on display in the first T20 at Dharmshala appeared fast, accurate, lethal and purposeful. For the first time touring team in India would have got along the high quality seam attack one like the African's have brought for the freedom series. Abbott, Rabada, de Lange and Morris bowled fiercely and will compete for their place in playing XI once the Steyn's & Morkel's return. India on a contrary; as correctly stated by their director Ravi Shashtri has just a option left, that is to play 'aggressive'. Perform or perish is the simple mantra. The season beginning pitches will favour fast bowling which the African's have a plenty to harvest from.

There is no doubt that MS Dhoni has his work cut-out to keep the faith alive in his team, to live up to his own expectations, to answer his critics and importantly to fight hard till the very end.

Looking forward to this exciting series that potentially has ingredients of becoming on of the great series that shall be remembered for long. 

Dhoni’s forte; India’s loss

The climax on the night of 7^th September (evening at Edgbaston, England) was set to favour India in the only T20 International match of the tour with the ultimate finisher of the shorter version, MS Dhoni – Captain, Indian Cricket team, at crease – with his usual ease. Historic figures had made us believe that Dhoni thrives in such hopeless looking situations for others. The scorecard at the start of the final over read: 17 of 6 balls. On most occasions the punters would put money on fielding side, but for Dhoni with strike and a relatively new bowler, the possible result stood at 50-50 chance to each team. The first ball sixer, that too with a Dhoni swagger, shifted the winning pendulum in India’s favour.

But for Cricket’s sake and for the great leveller this game can be at times, Dhoni miscalculated the scoring rate and perhaps the denial of strike to Rayadu played on his game, when he failed to connect at least one of the last two deliveries that were bowled in his arc to execute the famous helicopter shot. India’s loss surfaced the important aspect of Cricket being a team sport and that no individual can ever claim to have mastered it once for all.

Had it been the case where Rayadu would have denied strike to Dhoni, he would have lost the Indian cap immediately for sure and perhaps been blacklisted for his entire life. But such is the aura of Dhoni that non on the expert’s discussed about it, and perhaps added salt to Rayadu’s wounds by sympathising and labelling him “Poor Rayadu”.