Roar Guru
Joined March 2016
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Sports Fanatic. Sports Writer. Author of 6 books. Wizards - Cricket Book the Year. New book Advantage India - Story of Indian Tennis - just released. I can be contacted on anindya@thecricketwriter.com Twitter and Instagram @cric_writer. Do visit my website www.cricketwriter.com
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Love makes us blind. That, perhaps, is the best explanation for how we as a cricket loving fraternity reacted to the remarkable happenings at…
There is definitely something in the air this year, and it’s not just the virus. And somehow, the two bugs appear to have conspired…
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When Rafael Nadal steps on to the red clay to try and claim his 12th French Open title next week, it will be a…
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In February 1925, one of the greatest leg spin bowlers in the history of the sport made his debut for his adopted country Australia…
For several years cricket teams have been criticised for being good only good at home and for being incapable of mastering foreign conditions. Every…
Over the past few months, the closer we have got to the much anticipated Australia-India Test series, more often have the names of Steve…
Get ready Australia for a summer the likes of which you haven’t experienced in years. When was the last time you were up 3-0…
183 days, 1000 runs, two centuries, average 55.55. Aiden Markram's first day in Test cricket started just as it does for any debutant on…
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At Melbourne Park last week Charles Dickens found himself back in vogue as media and fans alike tried to figure out which of the…
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While Steve Smith has continued his march towards Bradmanesque greatness at the WACA, quietly, unobtrusively, an experiment was playing out in the midst of…
While there has been a focus on the delay in promoting Ireland to elite Test status, less has been written and discussed on Afghanistan.…
Our Nick has done it again. Two weeks ago I was well on the way to leaving behind all my reservations and once again…
Imagine this. It is the second of December, 2017. You walk in to bat at the Adelaide Oval with your team score at 0…
What is clear from cricket conversations on various forums, including this one, is that the Aussie public is largely indifferent to the ODI series…
The year was 1973. With Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall, who had together dominated tennis for almost a decade and a half, nearing the…
Thanks Rats. I am by now fairly used to Shastri’s hyperbole but this one truly took the cake I must admit! He dwells in a parallel universe for sure.
Get ready Australia - an Indian Santa is bringing Christmas early this year
I am afraid you may we’ll be right. How delusional Santa Shastri exactly was made clear when he talked about how many Tests India has won overseas under his watch. Except the one in SA and one in England they have all been either in SL or WI. If you don’t recognize a problem, you cannot find a solution.
Get ready Australia - an Indian Santa is bringing Christmas early this year
Not sure they would have minded the Gabba but the exercise of the option to refuse to play the D/N at Adelaide was well considered. Santas and Elves climb chimneys at night, they don’t play cricket. They leave that to the big boys 🙂
Get ready Australia - an Indian Santa is bringing Christmas early this year
Interesting you say that because Kohli’s successful approach through the series was to take his stance well outside his crease when facing up to the fast bowlers. It worked extremely well. But of course I agree on the rest and hence my ‘stylish trashing’ in this article as someone put it 🙂
Get ready Australia - an Indian Santa is bringing Christmas early this year
Santa Shastri is bringing you an oversized Christmas gift this year just for your vote of confidence Saurabh 🙂 Jokes aside, you may Be right, but I for one will just be ready to enjoy Kohli’s batting and the Indian pace bowlers demonstrating why Ronan has been going on about them for months. Tremendous bunch of fast bowlers the Aussies will truly appreciate.
Get ready Australia - an Indian Santa is bringing Christmas early this year
Thanks El Loco. True story! It was a wind-up indeed so a certain amount of poetic license is perhaps warranted 🙂
Get ready Australia - an Indian Santa is bringing Christmas early this year
That’s interesting Rellum and I certainly didn’t know that. I am now intrigued and will have to go back and read some of the Aussie cricket literature again. If I recall correctly Hedley Verity, Derek Underwood, Bishan Bedi have always been referred to as ‘left-arm spinners’ never as off-spinners even by batsmen like Bradman. ‘Chinaman’ I can understand because like Mankading was coined by the Aussie press, it was an unfortunate term coined on the field by less than politically correct Cricketers. In my mind I still find it truly bizarre to call a left arm spinner spinning from leg to off, an off spinner. Finger spinner, yes.
What makes a great offie?
Fair enough Nuwan. Like I said, I completely understand where you are coming from and agree with your thoughts on off spinners, I just disagree with the terminology. But that’s fine. I am not Aussie and I am rather traditional in these things, and I prefer to leave my little brain uncluttered by continuing to call left arm orthodox spinners as such ! Again, wonderful read and thanks for writing that.
What makes a great offie?
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Get ready Australia - an Indian Santa is bringing Christmas early this year
Nuwan – Nice one on a topic very close to my heart. But I shall take issue with you clubbing Vettori and Bedi as off spinners. I understand where you are coming from in terms of looking at their left arm orthodox as a mirror image of the off spinner. But technically I would only use the term off spin for a ball that spins in from the off for a right hand batsman. Thats always been the traditional definition and I see little reason to mess with it. If we start doing this then all orthodox left arm spinners are off spinners and all Chinaman bowlers are leg spinners. I think this will cause immense confusion and perhaps takes away from the quaint traditions of the game.
What makes a great offie?
Could well be the case Matt but I for one won’t be holding my breath. The different ball and lack of sideways movement work in their favour but until I see them actually play well, I shall keep a tight hold on my natural optimism.
Get ready Australia - an Indian Santa is bringing Christmas early this year
We shall see Paul. They have been well and truly out played by what with due apologies to the Poms is a ‘bits and pieces’ English side. The batting has been truly shoddy, the application non existent. Doesn’t fill me with hope for the summer !
Get ready Australia - an Indian Santa is bringing Christmas early this year
Nice one Kersi! I am hoping for a 2-2 this time next week and a 1936-37 repeat thereafter. Fingers crossed!
You wouldn't know it, but there's a riveting Test series happening in England
Very true Chris. And I am hoping India can take the confidence into the Test starting tomorrow and get it to 2-2. Will be a great statement for Test cricket at that point.
You wouldn't know it, but there's a riveting Test series happening in England
@Ronan – This is a piece I wrote a few months ago on the future of Indian pace that goes beyond the current crop you mention. The change (or additive phenomenon if you like) is here to stay given how the stocks are shaping up.
Pakistan and India will trouble Australia – but not their spinners
Saurabh – We shall of course find out today but I think the team may be a bit different.
1) I see potentially Dhawan and Rahul opening and Vijay dropped. Vijay needs to go back to domestic cricket and figure out his issues. Very good article bun sanjay manjrekar yesterday on the technical issues. Here it is http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/24396964/sanjay-manjrekar-india-batsmen-need-do-trent-bridge
2) Bumrah is fully fit and will likely replace Kuldeep Yadav
3) Pant is almost a certainty to make his debut as a wicket keeper
4) Kohli is fully fit and will play
India's likely line-up for the third Test against England
You know Paul there was this famous story where Gavaskar once dropped himself down the order at No.4. When he walked in against the West Indies india was 2 down with no runs on board. Viv Richards walked up to him and sai: “Man, it don’t matter where you bat, the score is still zero” ? So for Kohli at the moment it’s not like that. The top 3 are so fragile it absolutely doesn’t matter where he plays 3 or 4.
India's likely line-up for the third Test against England
Sorry to disappoint you but I haven’t ever been called Andy (other than the Starbucks barista ?)
Steve Smith regains world number one Test batting status while suspended
@savage – Thanks for the explanation.
@kopa – I absolutely couldn’t care what Kohli’s ranking is. He is an excellent batsman who I love watching. Nothing more nothing else. This comment was not about Kohli but because I thought the system was flawed. Savage has given a good explanation. I stand corrected.
@SP – The way they are playing India are clearly not the best team, least of all in this series. But who is? All the Test teams are bad away from home unfortunately.
Steve Smith regains world number one Test batting status while suspended
Steve Smith needs to retire now and remain not out to retain his points forever. What a lousy system. The ATP has a far better system where you are constantly defending the points that you gathered earlier. If you won the Toronto Masters in 2017 and decide not to play in 2018, then those 1000 points are at stake. It penalises injury for sure (and suspension because that’s the point isn’t it?) but rewards consistency in equal measure.
Steve Smith regains world number one Test batting status while suspended
Giri- The issue that I have with a complete overhaul is that you are basing this on a two Test performance in england where conditions are very different from Australia. These batsmen I believe are far better and handling pace and bounce (as they showed in South Africa) than in playing the laterally moving ball. They should indeed test 2-3 of the guys out in the next 3 Tests in England and the West Indies series at home in Oct before taking a couple of them down under. But sending a whole new top order to Oz is suicide.
India need to overhaul their Test side before heading to Australia
Lovely read. It is indeed easier to follow the letter than the spirit of any set of rules. As someone brought up around the same time as you and being a Tragic of the sport, this truly resonates.
How the 'Spirit of Cricket' misses the mark