Mahi the Cricketing Don!

He may not score 100 hundreds, may not score more than 10000 test runs,may not be amongst wickets, may not be the finest glove man behind the stumps ..But Mahi Man has undoubtedly surpassed many of the legendary cricketers that this nation has produced to rank as the greatest cricketer ever from the Sub Continent for years to come.

There is an aversion that I have in measuring cricketing prowess thru stat books. Which is why in my opinion that VVS Laxman will be the greatest innings played by a cricketer ! Records pile up data , not cricketing character. Add to that the leadership prowess that is so very rare in modern day cricket ..here is a man produced from the little know Jharkand Town blending with aplomb in world stage and winning BIG.

On that count alone Mahender Singh Dhoni has transcended many impressive legends this subcontinents have produced. His deeds of a leader, skipper par excellence towers above the other giants like Imran,Sourav,Arjuna & Kapil.

In many ways he is the single most important force to lead with panache a bunch of present legends like Sachin,Dravid,Saurav,Kumble,Bajji,Viru etc with such authority and against all opponents , all venues , all formats of the game that it has swung the pendulum of Indian Cricket far too long for it not to dominate world cricketing stage.

Many of the achievements that lay in store will only corroborate and celebrate the genial Mahi as he prepared to be the second Indian after Kaps Devils to hold aloft a 50 over World Cup.

Winning a test series again Down Under , quelling the proteas in their backyard and overcoming pakistanis in pakistan will seal Dhonis greatness forever in the annals of Crickets World History.

Most pundits today will I am sure already be ready to confer a venerated status to the Jharkhand Hero.

This he is been successful isn't such an inspiration but the way he has went about the process with an unassuming,calm, non controversial yet assertive methods are a few attributes those stand out.

Rarely has one seen him buckle under pressure ( aside that infamous presser where he made the entire team attend the media tamasha ), even at crunch situations his clear thinking has lead us conquer opponents much unlike the yesteryears where Indians were famous for snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory.

Mahi symbolizes a new INDIA like no other and it helps that he leads an Indian Cricket Team to up the visibility ante ..

Play On Chennai Super King ! The World is your Stage !

Here is a visual of a leadership talent symbolizing that INDIA that is emerging in the World Stage ..njoy !

Setting the Scene: Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo Re !

“Every day for the next 50 days of IPL in South Africa, every cricketer will wake up knowing a few thoughts of survival and winning – like

“bowlers will run in faster to spear in the yorker at the block hole more regularly knowing that going at 6 an over will win his team the game and

“every batsman will want to swing the bat under the bounce of the ball sending it into orbit knowing that it will win him a game even with a six off the last ball, and

“every fielder will pounce on the ball at the park like a pride of hungry lions knowing that runs saved and run outs afflicted and catches taken will win them matches”!

In all I would alter the already clever IPL alliteration of “Eek Desh; Eek Dhadkan” to “Eek Khel; Anekh Romanch!

IPL phenomenon is truly a great franchise that every Indian would want to grow into a global fanfare.

The world of sports has in the past created several iconic sporting spectacles. Mostly reflective of the strong country culture depending on their origin. Iconic sporting events such as these are religiously patronized and followed with fanatic zeal every calendar year.

The French have the French Open , English the EPL and the Wimbledon, the Americans have the NBA, UP Open , whole of Europe have the UEFA cup , the famed rugby leagues featuring the black caps , aussie and south Africans and the blazing tracks across Monaco, Sepang , Madrid, etc zipping with the roaring auto mobile marvels from McLaren, Ferraris and Toyotas.

India on its part can nurture the IPL into one such iconic franchise. Some thing which today epitomizes the Indian way of savoring the newest form of play between bat and ball between 22 supreme athletes.

The colonized English game has largely remained insular with in the confines limited to contests between two test playing nations. The English county circuit had attempted crosspollination by including cricketers from multiple nations with a measured success.

But the club culture combined with the T 20 fervor catalyzed by monstrous crowd following from the Indian fans which in turn dragged in obscene moolah catapulted IPL into a tournament with international acclaim and top billing across television networks around the world.



BCCI Vice President Lalit Modi had a great vision of monetizing the growing fan following, a booming economy and establish credentials of cricket as a religion into mega bucks.

“Vision with out execution is nothing”, the first edition of IPL proved to a grand success. With recession looming large and question raised on the profitability of the franchisee owners, IPL-2 had mild apprehensions. Until Lahore attacks changed the cricketing fortunes for Asian teams forever.

Lalit Modi, the uber optimistic charismatic commissioner of the IPL has head on taken up the challenge of a potential catastrophe of the game being called off or limited owing to the alarming raise in the threat perceptions on the wake of Lahore Blasts and the bullets razed Lankan cricketers. Add to that the politics and the season of politics go to a situation of stalemate threatening the multi million dollar franchise busting.

But the Midas Modi has converted the huge challenge to a terrific opportunity. Plucking a massive logistical mega tourney involving players 8 major test playing nations from Asia to a far flung continent of Africa all in a matter of 3 short weeks is an astounding achievement.

What this change has done is that it has elevated the IPL-2 Franchise as a greater global sporting spectacle than it was in it first avatar last season. The economic dimensions have evolved to fit the commercial viability quarters in an international context. Aside Indian’s for whom cricket is a religion; IPL-2 has increased its fan following depth across the world giving great mileage to iconic global sponsoring brands like Nokia, Pepsi, Coke, Wrigley’s and Tag Heuer.

Going by the fantastic cavalcade spectacle on the streets of Cape Town thronged by miles and miles of eager fans queuing up to glimpse their stars was a sure enough indication of the abundant excitement in store and importantly the acceptance of the format and the values of the Indian city based embryonic club culture.

The best after effect will be a huge increment on foreign tourists thronging to Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Punjab, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Rajasthan. Consider the sheer fast track experience and knowledge exchange that the young Indian cricketers will stand to gain from their sharing dressing room atmosphere with icons like Flintoff, KP, Sanath, Gayle, Pollock, Fleming and Kallis?

The icing on the cake for the unprecedented success is also because of the heady mix of two of greatest pastimes of India. Bollywood and Cricket. When the biggest brand of India Shah Rukh Khan lent his might to the games, it is sure to make news any ways .News surrounding the bollywood beauties bidding for the gladiators was a sure formula to send TRP ratings sky rocketing.

For me, though I am a hardcore fan of SRK and Dada’s Knight Riders it is extremely difficult for me to choose my support from a rich treasure of cricketing talent.

Be it the dazzlers from Sri Lanka, Sangakara, Jayavardade, Jayasuriya, Muralidharan or Freddie and KP or our own Viru, Gambir,Rohit,Balaji,Raina,Robin,Dhoni,Rahul, Tendy, Bajji, Pathans, and the rest like Gilly, VVS, Gibbs, Gayle, Haydos, Maharoof, Pigeon, Morkel and Smith. But then there are glitzy stars and super star like SRK, Priety Zinta, Shilpa Shetty and Juhi Chawla to add to the galaxy of entertainers.

Unlike last time, I am sure the lesser known stars will stake their fame under the South African sun. It is also going to be time when the Indian icons like Dravid, Sachin, Kumble, VVS, Ganguly shine. For the folks who stayed up late yesterday you will see why the experience of Dravid, Kumble and Sachin stood out as cornerstone in their team’s triumphs.

It is also numbingly sad that the immensely popular and talented cricketers from Pakistan will miss out the carnival this time. Shoiab Akthar, Tanvir, Gul, Kamran, Misbah, Malik and Afridi will be badly missed.

This edition will have a higher learning curve of the franchisee owners at managing their respective teams in display. Multiple captaincy threw open a furor and a can of many worms open.

“No plan survives the first two minutes of battle” –
Helmut Von Moltke, the Elder, Chief of the Imperil German Staff, 1858-88.

Even as the game seesaws directions with each dot ball or a hit over the fence the situation necessitates a release of flood of ideas to unlock winning culture in an intensely competitive T20 Cricket razzmatazz.

Like SRK opines “Let’s give this thought on multiple captaincy a breathing space”. The strategy break after 10 overs though aimed at mopping currencies from advertisement jingled does pause the frenetic pace of the game providing the avid fan thronging the TV screens at his home to ease himself for a drink or a bio break.

As much as the Rajasthan Royals will seek an encore all the 8 team have an equal chance to win the ultimate price this season. We have already seen last editions outcasts Royal Challengers and Deccan Chargers winning against their celebrated opponents.

Let the games begin! Let’s celebrate the heady concoction of global stars from the cricketing & movies world contesting a sport loved by billion plus Indians across the globe.


"It is just 3 hours of intense cricket played on a Viagra pill"
AfterWord - Sanjay Jha

Look Ma ! Terrorists :-( Government is asking me to go home and hide ?

Government of India -Bharat Sarkar . For Heavens Sake ! Please wake up.

Yes there are two mega events which are going to engage the Indian public.

1. The Worlds Largest Democracy goes to elect the 15th Lok Sabha and many states their respective assembly’s. A Billion People exercising their adult franchise.

2. A Bunch of cricket matches played under lights watched by a few lakhs of people. Oh Yes ! There was a dastardly attack on sports stars in our neighborhood.But that was in Pakistan. Plus a dozen gruesome terror attacks across our country.

What does the Government do? Advise that the Game be postponed!!! Why don't we come out in the open and admit. That we stop living normally and sit indoors? What’s the message we are giving the Terror perpetrators? Did we ask the people in Mumbai not to go to Chartapati Shivaji Terminal after 26/11.

Mr.Chidambram , This is not a stock market crash that you can regulate with Circuit breakers. This is a knee jerk reaction akin to some one sneezing in Pakistan and a Billion Indians catching cold!

I know Sir that you have the toughest job ? This is your make shift portfolio as well ? Just because it is make shift one for you , don't try to shift the matches to suit your myopic concerns revolving around lack of will to protect citizens at all costs. A nations prestige is at stake. The world is watching how we handle three terror torn neighbors. For India this is a time when there is the Worlds Spotlight!! If we handle challenges well we might as well set the benchmark to the world.

Why target Cricket? Is it because along with bollywood, cricket is a soft target? Or is it because it is recession free and you want to peg it back like the rest of the economy? God forbid if there is an attack on one of the booths? Will we postpone elections?

This isn't just about Cricket or Elections ?

If we can’t as government assure the citizens normal life, what good is a government and the empty words of reassurances? So what we have two events of significance , how does a country like us dream of hosting a world cup in two years or a common wealth game in Delhi in two summers or can we Indians ever hope to host Olympics in the next 60 years? Is this the state of affairs after 60 years of Independence?

What in effect as a nation we have just managed to do is confounding the fears of the people from the west and Far East that - It isn’t save to travel to India in the near future? – Great!! Then less kiss the revenues from tourism good bye and lets shoo away the investors or companies setting up shop in India as well. Dont ever aspire to beat China ? Cause they just convened a spotless Olympics!! Most successful games ever in history!!

In short the government has accepted that it is under prepared? Where did the jingoistic rhetoric’s that was vomited by every politician worth his salt post 26/11. We didn’t vote you to power to ask citizens to wear bangles and sit at home, just because few crackers blew up at Lahore.

This is a plea to the powers those are to wake up. It a time to send a stern message to the minuscule bunch of irritants and show them their place.

And YES, there was a terror attack in one of the IPL town Jaipur last year!! And the games continued. Kudos !!! Looking back, what do we remember of last year? The victorious underdogs Rajastan Royals prevailing over opponents and off course terrorists. That’s what I call giving a left hook to the motives of the terror demons! That why people like the English Team will come back to India with in a week to courageously complete a series. That’s reassurance.

Lets as a country show some spine! I agree that typing this blog from my couch isn't showing much spine.And I dint lose my kin to the attacks. But when the Bangalore city was rocked with serial bombs, I went out the same evening for my usual walk at the park. And the next time there is an IPL match at Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore, I will be there aside being at the polling booths. And pull along a few buddies to the games. That’s how much spine I can show as a citizen. Thats more than stocking candles , so that i go for a candle lighting gathering as a show of solidarity after the terror attacks.

Its time we as a country send out the right messages and stop pussy footing with meek legs in the hand of terror.

Alas ....Change....... has indeed come to cricket :-(

On the fateful day of March 3rd 2009 CHANGE has come to cricket. And How ? The games environment , ecosystem , fans , players , participants , officials , organisers , government and Nations will see and experience the game under a unprecedented shadow, A shadow that every one forever would hate but cannot ignore. A shadow of fear .

Those were those day days when the batsmen from the subcontinent feared facing the white lightning Geff Thompson or a Dennis Lillie. Those were the times when the feared quartet from the Islands in the west terrorised the tailenders with the smell of the leather. Times when shiney cheery grazed passed the nose or whizzed past the ear with beads of chilly sweat trickling down the batsmens temples. Batsmen after batsmen taking body blows or getting floored on the pitch. A sporting delight indeed for the craft of bowling or the adudacity of the bloke who weilded the willow with panache or defended with stout thud allowing the ball to meekly roll over to silly point.

An era when Douglas Jardine and the Bodyline sensationalised the 5 day game played between 22 gentlemen.

Cut to March 3rd 2009 at the bustling city of Lahore in an expectant morning . A testmatch underway with the story being built halfway. And then ..

Hell Breaks Loose ! Bullets whizing past unprotected , unassuming cricketers with a spring in their feet awaiting a keen days contest. The Lions from Emerald Isles fall like nine pins to brace for their lifes. Smell of Gun Powder hangs on the Air stranded outside the Gaddafi Stadium.Some of the resemblences of the shouts of go, go ,go ,go ..and no they arent calling to steal a third run for the throw from the deep. This is a go , go , go , go call to save their skins , an instincive urge to survive . No cherries here today morning but Sharpnel , Bullets and Granades. A 25 minute ordeal that only the battle scared lion hearts from the embattled Island could have come through. Gaddafi Stadiun a witness to a shameful act of cowardise outside its premises. A Nation so rich of some of the greatest cricketers to have played the game in the sporting cauldron of the Gadaffi Greens. Now a Nation and its heros hang their heads in unimaginable shame, A shame so depressing and bereft of hope. A shame which they have nothing to with ! A tragedy for the heros and for the hosts of the land of the Sultans of Reverse Swing and the Inventors of Doosra. A possibility that there wont be any rails for the Rawalpindi Express to run on :-( Change has come to cricket in Pakistan and Cricket Around the world.


Gone are those days when the partons would beeline from the wee hours to endure the blistering sun and the soaring mercury. All they cared for was to see first hand if a Vengsarkar cover drive at Wankhade was better than the one played with a resounding thud by Sir Viv Richards at Kotla. To sense the hum grow to a rapturous roar at chepauk when Krish Srikkant hooks the second ball of the opening over from the great Imran soaring over fine leg stands. The Buzz in the grounds after watching a patient Sidhu compile a painstaking 20 over the last hour and a half when Alla Border toses the ball to a naughty Greg Mathew to bowlwith the baggy green perched on this wild hair. And then the Iyer and Iyengars are on their feet as they have just witnessed a tiped Sidhu turn into a roaring lion dancing on his feet carting the first ball tossed at the Sardar depositing the ball in to the stands at the Walaja Road end.

A sleepy Lal Bhadur stadiun coming to life after consequtive boundries scored from Azzus Blade. One a deft flick played standing tall in the toes with the tounge bitten between the jagged tooth and the ball purring along the greens to ropes. The second a delightful square cut emerging from the sublime wrists send the cheery to the point fence like a tracer bullet.

Now Imagine soaking your self in such spectacle devoid of even an ounce of fear of the ball landing on your lap in the stands. The days ahead will be reminding you of terror from the time you secure a season ticket or a pass to a game. Right from Mommy home to the frisking at the entrance to the ever looming possiblity of a terror attack any time any where..the shadow of fear will certianly come to camouflouge the sporting mind.

For this fear there is no Sight Screen ( err Mind Screen ) that a batsmen can have or no pads to guard the shin bone. For the bowler no additional protection with a sweeper cover. This fear is here to stay . Robbing the Generations ahead of the sheer romance of watching the game unfold from the grand stands with only a card board adverisement strapped with a rubber band on your forehead as cover from the blazing aisan sun.

A poignant sight which will last a life time ..A Military Chopper evacuating a bunch of cricketers , entertainers , sportsmen to safety. If ever a picture could capture a thousand muted words on angst of a sports lover.

Change ..Unfortunately has come to Cricket :-(