Salutes to the Wall

It's been quite a while since I last blogged and here I am blogging again and as a coincidence it's after a Dravid retirement announcement. Nothing else to say - Salute to you RD - you were one of the reasons I used to watch test matches that India played. The future will only hear about you and your laurels. But I will boast of having watched you play day in and day out. Kudos!!

Dravid's debut

As India slid to yet another England tour defeat, there was one bright spot that satisfied me - The Wall's debut. For all that he has done to Indian cricket, he deserved to play at least on T20 game for India. He did make it memorable though - 3 sixes. India my have lost but this one did not hurt - all because of those 3 sixes!!

Not yet recovered

I had almost decided to watch the DC v DD match at Hyderabad at the stadium. But decided against mostly because of laziness. But when I watched the first half of the match on TV I almost regretted not going. After all (I was thinking so) DC were going to win with DD struggling 6 overs into the chase. But what happened after that left me speechless. I was so dumbstruck, it felt almost like an attack of paralysis. That day I stopped watching the IPL and haven't recovered yet. Luckily work took me to Singapore and I need not watch the IPL anymore. Anyway keeping my DC inclined heart apart I must acknowledge that it was special from Veeru. But I am just wondering why he didn't opt for surgery a bit earlier.
As for my passion for DC, with DC destined to finish last, my shoulders have already dropped.

Witnessing a walloping

I was at the RG Stadium in Hyderabad to witness the methodical walloping that DC received at the hands of KKR. But all of the blame should boil down to the simple catch put down by Mishra when Pathan was on 3!! Like how Steve Waugh supposedly said to Gibbs, Pathan would tell Mishra, "You just dropped the IPL". Not that I was expecting DC to win the IPL - just bringing the analogy.
Staying cool in chaos only comes to MSD. Not to DC. With about 100 needed off the last 10 overs, I was expecting some panic hitting. But all DC achieved was a painstaking 50 for Shikar Dawan - pathetic. Hope they come good against DD tomorrow. They should actually given DD's form. But then with DC nothing comes in a straight line, does it?

Rank up the rivalry please!!

4 weeks ago the whole of India felt so happy that SRT had finally won a world cup. But things have changed now. After seeing his team score a partly 94 in 20 overs at Jaipur last week SRT blamed the pitch. The whole of Rajasthan (ok I am exaggerating) has now reacted against SRT's statement. The gist of the comments seem to suggest with sarcasm that pitches where SRT makes good runs are good pitches while those where he gets out cheaply are not good pitches.
Alright, now we are talking. May be the banter should continue. Only then will we be able to achieve the city vs city rivalry that is required for the IPL to go to the next level.
For example, there are 4 teams from the south - as a DC fan, my prime opponent must be CSK and to an extent RCB and KTK. MI and PWI must be fierce derby rivals. MI and RR must now become rivals because of the banter. DD, KKR and MI must be fierce rivals as well given the cities they represent. CSK and KTK must be south coast rivals. KXIP and DD must contest the northern derby. RR and KXIP must contest the second northern derby. Somebody please help me kick it up!!

On a plane with DC

I traveled with DC today on the way back to Hyderabad from my hometown. DC were on the way to Hyderabad for back-to-back home matches. The mood was a bit gloomy. Beating CSK in Chennai is not such an easy task anyway. But when I saw the report that Sunny Sohal had taken DC to 75/0 in 7 overs and then DC gave up I was irked. Come on guys! Wished I could shout at them right there in the airport. But as I sat the airport and watched each player I thought I should blog what I saw. Here is what I saw (to bring a twist I will do it the fake ipl player way).
All players were sombre reflecting the gloom. Sloha, Panch Pataaka, Green meat, miser Magician and most of the Indians just ambled around. Rakkaransag sat among his team mates and stayed aloof! But Speaker was seen coochie-cooching with one of the cheer leaders. Given that it did not embarrass the other players I thought this coochie-coochie has been going around for quite some time. Diamond merchants were subdued. Jumping jacks all had iPhones and were busy with them. There were a couple of non-macho security guards who were shoo-shooing away the photo clickers and signature seekers to no avail. Gaffer and assistant seemed to be discussing things non-cricket.
The flight was sombre as well with most of them deciding to listen to music. But what was interesting was that every player was wearing sunglasses. Well.. I found it amusing.
But looking at the way the team seemed sombre, I only hoped that the defeat was hurting all of them after the high of the Kochi fireworks. Hope they come back strongly and manage to win back-to-back matches for the first time this season. Come on Sanga! Only you can do it!!
I also imagined a day in the future when the flight would be full with fans shouting and singing the DC fan chant - only then the IPL could be termed a success. 

Not for us yet!

When they (whoever it was) came up with the concept of IPL wherein they made city based teams they must have thought that the city based fan base would make the IPL interesting. But unfortunately, after 4 seasons the idea still seems far from reality!!
Take for example the DD v MI match the other day. Despite being played on a weekday the stadium was almost full. But alas! The crowd had come to watch Sachin Tendulkar!!! And they rejoiced when he dismissed Veeru (remember Delhi!! he is the captain of the "Home" team). And even so when Sachin scored the winning runs for MI. So much for city based franchises!! We are not ready for this yet.
I was there at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium when history was made!! Finally, after 5 years, a home team won there - yes DC opened their IPL 4 account by thrashing RCB. It was an exciting experience. If you want to go, pick tickets for the Western Pavilion terrace or the Eastern Pavilion terrace. The view is exemplary! But beware - you may have to park your cars a mile away and walk coz the cops wont let you into the parking which was not occupied at all!
But then, 2 days later DC were back to old ways - losing heavily to KXIP. Hope they turn it around in Delhi today!
The HD mania is here. After the CWC 2011, IPL 4 is available on HD in SET. Doesn't get any better. Or so I thought. But IPL4 HD is nothing compared to CWC2011 HD. Miles to go before HD becomes good in India.
And finally, a few tit bits.
Lasith Malinga had just picked his 5-fer against DD and was asked to lead the MI team out of the field when suddenly to the dismay of his team mates he was whisked away by someone from the TV crew - Harsha Bhogle. Of all people, did not expect Harsha to be the black sheep.
Amit Mishra ji! You may be a Charger now. But you were disrespectful to Gilly the other day. We don't like DC to lose but Gilly is above that. So watch it next time before you rub against formers Chargers.
It was funny watching Sachin play a couple of the helicopters against KTK. Unfortunately, the "curse of the Sachin century" hit IPL as well that day!! Poor Sachin. What else does he need to do?
CSK are beatable after all. All they need is just a small rattle!! KXIP and KTK just showed how that can be done.
Finally DC and RCB look set for a repeat of IPL 1 - get into the fight for the wooden spoon. Hope that doesn't happen for DC again!!