Details
Sledgehammered!
01-Jul-2019
”
By Gopalkrishna Hegde,
Senior Journalist and Station Director, KLE Dhwani ( BVB 90.4 FM)
[email protected]
Sledging in cricket is a given but, Australians cricketers, known for raising the bar of cricketing (batting and bowling) standards, are also infamous for this on pitch rhetoric that is employed as a ruse to unsettle new batsmen who hold the creasefrom opposing teams to very good or bad effect (remember Monkey-gate between Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds?).
It was no different this time down under either, with the Aussie Captain Tim Paine raining insults upon Rishabh Panth and Pujara as well as the other Indian batsmen.
The acceptable benchmark of sledging was further escalated this time, when even the former Australian cricketer-turned-commentator Kerry O’Keeffe joined in the verbal duel through crass comments about Cheteshwar Pujara’s name from the media box. O’Keefe apologized, Pujara shone in cricketing brilliance and Australia lost in the bargain.
That in itself makes this series win a bigger achievement for the manner in which it was done and can simply be described in a single word – Sledgehammered. Virat Kohli and team delivered a wonderful New Year’s gift for cricket ‘fanatic’ lovers of India. A true “Virat Darshan” was on full display on the cricket field.
In the 70 years of cricket history between the two countries so far, India had never ever before,won a ‘Boxing Day’ test at the Melbourne cricket ground (MCG). India had never won a test series in Australia either. Kohli, the angry young man of Indian cricketcreated history in Australia andRavi Shastri “Ke …. bachgaye!”
Well done ‘Men in Blue’, for this dream come true! India first played against Australia exactly 71 years ago. Immediately after independence in 1947, the Indian cricket team sailed down under for a five match test series against Australia. India attained the fullmembership of ICC (It was then called as the Imperial Cricket Council, now known as the International Cricket Council) in 1926 and the Board for Control of Cricket in India was founded in 1928. India played its first test in 1932 against England in England.
On one hand the “Chalejao” movement was spreading all over the country and on the other, love for cricket, as for the English language, was booming! The movement for freedom was against the British, whereas, the love was for the English man’s game as well as language.
But India’s tour of Australia was disastrous. India lost four tests. After that India toured Australia ten more times, with none of the captains able to kiss the trophy, now rechristened as the Gavaskar-Border trophy. Even Sunil Gavaskar was unable to win a series in Australia! Virat Kohli has done it now. ChiefCoach Ravi Shastri, at the receiving end for some time, smiled at last and even fired tracer bullets at his critics. Winning is all that matters here!
Cynics may say that the series triumph is still not a 24 carat gold distinction as the Australian team was without star players. Former captain Steve Smith and opening batsman David Warner are still off the field for their ball tampering crimes in South Africa. The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) refused to cut short their ban period and even increased their banishment term from cricket.
But ‘who plays or does not’ was not the concern of the Indian team. In a cricket test series you choose from the best that are available to play. Though Indian team lost one match, it always looked the better side than the hosts. The pacers did a fantastic job to give India a 2-1 series win. It could have been a 3-1 rout but for the rain gods took mercy on Australia. The Kangaroo’s tail was well between its legs and the Australian cricketing pride met its downfall.
Ravi Shastri had the last laugh and places this trophy (read win) above eve the 1983 World Cup. DearMr. RJ Shastri, everyone knows that India has won a great historic series and all are proud of the Indian team. But proclaiming the victory was better than the 1983 World Cup triumph will not find takers across the board. The 1983 World Cup victory by ‘Kapil’s Devils’ was against all odds and was notched up against the two time champions and giants of the one day cricket then –the West Indies team.
It is true that test cricket is the real format of the gentleman’s game and it is always difficult to beat the Australians in their own backyard. It is also right to say that Virat and his men in blue played superbly to push back the hosts. Cheteshwar Pujara and Jasprit Bumrah were simply fantastic in their batting and bowling respectively. Only Kohli and Rishab Pant exhibited batting ease and confidence. Others like Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, K.L. Rahul, Murali Vijay did not live up to their true potential . Star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin failed to retain in his place in the team.
However, looking at the overall strength of the Australian team, India should have actually whitewashed them. Here was a team struggling to get its confidence back. The 1983 World Cup was an altogether different ball game. Kapil Dev was up against the best in the business.‘Kapil’s Devils’ brushed aside the challenge posed by great teams like the West Indies, Australia and England to clinch the cup.
Cynicism aside, let’s try to spot the weak elements of the team. They have done well and the cricket board will make them even richer. Till next world cup tournament in England in May, Ravi Shastri can savor his success. India will play Australia in the next series in our own backyard. The series should not pose difficulties as the pitches here will definitely help spinners who will make Australian batsmen dance to their tunes. Those players who did not deliver in Australia can find their roar on Indian grounds and become heroes once again. Indian cricket fanatics are known for short memories and cricket thrives on this fact.
This successful Australia tour ends on January 18, 2019. India plays Australia in three one day international matches scheduled onJanuary 12th, 15th and 18th. India plays New Zealand also in one day series after this. A very happy new year and the outpouring of best wishes for the Indian teamhave only just begun.”
“By Gopalkrishna Hegde,
Senior Journalist and Station Director, KLE Dhwani ( BVB 90.4 FM)
[email protected]
Sledging in cricket is a given but, Australians cricketers, known for raising the bar of cricketing (batting and bowling) standards, are also infamous for this on pitch rhetoric that is employed as a ruse to unsettle new batsmen who hold the creasefrom opposing teams to very good or bad effect (remember Monkey-gate between Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds?).
It was no different this time down under either, with the Aussie Captain Tim Paine raining insults upon Rishabh Panth and Pujara as well as the other Indian batsmen.
The acceptable benchmark of sledging was further escalated this time, when even the former Australian cricketer-turned-commentator Kerry O’Keeffe joined in the verbal duel through crass comments about Cheteshwar Pujara’s name from the media box. O’Keefe apologized, Pujara shone in cricketing brilliance and Australia lost in the bargain.
That in itself makes this series win a bigger achievement for the manner in which it was done and can simply be described in a single word – Sledgehammered. Virat Kohli and team delivered a wonderful New Year’s gift for cricket ‘fanatic’ lovers of India. A true “Virat Darshan” was on full display on the cricket field.
In the 70 years of cricket history between the two countries so far, India had never ever before,won a ‘Boxing Day’ test at the Melbourne cricket ground (MCG). India had never won a test series in Australia either. Kohli, the angry young man of Indian cricketcreated history in Australia andRavi Shastri “Ke …. bachgaye!”
Well done ‘Men in Blue’, for this dream come true! India first played against Australia exactly 71 years ago. Immediately after independence in 1947, the Indian cricket team sailed down under for a five match test series against Australia. India attained the fullmembership of ICC (It was then called as the Imperial Cricket Council, now known as the International Cricket Council) in 1926 and the Board for Control of Cricket in India was founded in 1928. India played its first test in 1932 against England in England.
On one hand the “Chalejao” movement was spreading all over the country and on the other, love for cricket, as for the English language, was booming! The movement for freedom was against the British, whereas, the love was for the English man’s game as well as language.
But India’s tour of Australia was disastrous. India lost four tests. After that India toured Australia ten more times, with none of the captains able to kiss the trophy, now rechristened as the Gavaskar-Border trophy. Even Sunil Gavaskar was unable to win a series in Australia! Virat Kohli has done it now. ChiefCoach Ravi Shastri, at the receiving end for some time, smiled at last and even fired tracer bullets at his critics. Winning is all that matters here!
Cynics may say that the series triumph is still not a 24 carat gold distinction as the Australian team was without star players. Former captain Steve Smith and opening batsman David Warner are still off the field for their ball tampering crimes in South Africa. The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) refused to cut short their ban period and even increased their banishment term from cricket.
But ‘who plays or does not’ was not the concern of the Indian team. In a cricket test series you choose from the best that are available to play. Though Indian team lost one match, it always looked the better side than the hosts. The pacers did a fantastic job to give India a 2-1 series win. It could have been a 3-1 rout but for the rain gods took mercy on Australia. The Kangaroo’s tail was well between its legs and the Australian cricketing pride met its downfall.
Ravi Shastri had the last laugh and places this trophy (read win) above eve the 1983 World Cup. DearMr. RJ Shastri, everyone knows that India has won a great historic series and all are proud of the Indian team. But proclaiming the victory was better than the 1983 World Cup triumph will not find takers across the board. The 1983 World Cup victory by ‘Kapil’s Devils’ was against all odds and was notched up against the two time champions and giants of the one day cricket then –the West Indies team.
It is true that test cricket is the real format of the gentleman’s game and it is always difficult to beat the Australians in their own backyard. It is also right to say that Virat and his men in blue played superbly to push back the hosts. Cheteshwar Pujara and Jasprit Bumrah were simply fantastic in their batting and bowling respectively. Only Kohli and Rishab Pant exhibited batting ease and confidence. Others like Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, K.L. Rahul, Murali Vijay did not live up to their true potential . Star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin failed to retain in his place in the team.
However, looking at the overall strength of the Australian team, India should have actually whitewashed them. Here was a team struggling to get its confidence back. The 1983 World Cup was an altogether different ball game. Kapil Dev was up against the best in the business.‘Kapil’s Devils’ brushed aside the challenge posed by great teams like the West Indies, Australia and England to clinch the cup.
Cynicism aside, let’s try to spot the weak elements of the team. They have done well and the cricket board will make them even richer. Till next world cup tournament in England in May, Ravi Shastri can savor his success. India will play Australia in the next series in our own backyard. The series should not pose difficulties as the pitches here will definitely help spinners who will make Australian batsmen dance to their tunes. Those players who did not deliver in Australia can find their roar on Indian grounds and become heroes once again. Indian cricket fanatics are known for short memories and cricket thrives on this fact.
This successful Australia tour ends on January 18, 2019. India plays Australia in three one day international matches scheduled onJanuary 12th, 15th and 18th. India plays New Zealand also in one day series after this. A very happy new year and the outpouring of best wishes for the Indian teamhave only just begun.”
