The hangover

This West Indian series should not have happened. The players needed a break after the T20 overdose. The hangover is very clearly visible. The openers have forgotten what their roles are in ODI cricket when the ball is doing a bit. The no3 has forgotten his role. Everyone is looking to play strokes. This will not at all help the team's morale. I hope India manages to win the rest of the matches.

Hey you all

I am coming back to my own blog to be taken completely by surprise to see that there has been good traffic all this time that I have been neglecting the blog. I am feeling like an idiot for not updating the blog. Now, I have vowed to make sure that I keep posting here even regularly.

Ashoka Desilva back in ICC elite panel despite failing umpiring test recently

ICC has recalled Ashoka Desilva of Srilanka back to the elite panel. Interestingly Desilva failed in a written umpiring test in Srilanka. Does ICC regularly test umpires' knowledge of the rules? We don't have any dearth of examples where umpires seem not to know obvious rules of the game, which is very embarrassing. When the news of Desilva's failure came in, I thought Desilva's career with ICC was over. But surprisingly, he is back again.

Reference:
Ashoka Desilva recalled
Ashoka Desilva failed test

An analysis of all the team's performances against Australia

Cricinfo's stats editor S Raejsh brings us some very interesting statistics on the eve of the most awaited Border Gavaskar trophy. Australia has been invincible. They have thrashed team after team and even a draw in Australia is considered an achievement. Apparently India has the most impressive record playing against Australia. The statistics being discussed here cover only tests played against Australia since 2000. It also includes the super test between Australia and the world XI. The rankings in which India is at number one is done on basis of difference in batting and bowling averages.

India has played 12 tests, has won 4 matches and lost 5. India is the only team with a batting average of over 30. The figure is 33.18. The bowling average is 39.12 and the difference between the batting and bowling averages is only -5.94. Other teams have a bad record. England is just after India and they have won 4 matches compared to 14 losses with a batting average of 28.47 and a bowling average of 43.49. The difference is -15.02. Among the other Asian teams, Srilanka is at number three with no win and six losses. Their batting average is 28.47, bowling average is 42.50 and the difference is -15.05. Pakistan is at number six with zero wins and six losses. Their batting average is 20.78 and bowling average is 41.98. Difference is -21.11.

Among batsmen with the best records against Australia, three out of top four are Indians and there are four Indians in the top ten list. No points for guessing that at the top of the list is Laxman with an astounding average of 61.61. Rahul Dravid is number 2 at an average of 56. KP takes third position at an average of 53.50. Virendra Sehwag has an average of 49.76 and is at number four. Sachin Tendulkar is at number seven with an average of 47.41.

In bowlers Shoaib Akhtar tops the list with an average of 22.40 with 20 wickets. Harbhajan Singh is second with an average of 22.55 and 54 wickets. It may be noted that 53 of those wickets have come in India and he has picked only one wicket in Australia in the only one match he played in Australia. Andrew Flintoff is at number three with an average of 29.59 and 11 wickets. The Indian captain Anil Kumble is at number four with an average of 29.82 and 8 wickets.

S Rajesh also goes on to show that its a left arm chinaman bowler who has troubled the Indian batsmen the most. The list of the most successful spinner against India been compiled on basis of least difference between career average and average against India and Paul Adams tops the list. Hogg being a left handed chinamam bowler himself, will be inspired by this. He might want to see some video footage of Adams bowling to the Indians. But notably for him, is ex-colleague and arguably world's best leg spinner ever is at the bottom of the list.

Read the full story here.

India's spinners

India's batting line up has been considered the best by many. But India's bowling has not been rated very high by many. Lets have a look at some of the prominent players from India and their performances in recent times as well as against Australia.

In this episode of the build up series, we will have a look at India's top spinners and try to find out how good they are. Of course we will use statistics more than anything else.

Anil Kumble:Lets start with the captain. I dont think many of you need any statistics or any facts to know how good he is. An unorthodox bowler who can single handedly dismiss an entire side....literally!! He did that to Pakistan once and he can possibly do even more amazing things. Anil has taken 584 wickets in 121 tests at an average of 28.66. He has 34 five wicket hauls. He is a threat to any side. Playing Kumble and surviving is perhaps the toughest test of the defense of a person.

Against Australia Kumble has taken 88 wickets at an average of 27.17. However playing in Australia, Kumble's average goes up...way up. He has taken 29 wickets in six matchs at an average of 40.00. This is probably Kumble's last opportunity to produce a great performance in Australia.

Harbhajan Singh: He became an overnight hero in the Border Gavaskar trophy in 2001 when he sent the Kangaroos packing after as he took many as 32 wickets in 3 matches. Harbhajan Singh has taken 248 wickets in 60 matches at an average of 30.43. Against Australia, Singh has taken 56 wickets in 8 matches at an average of 24.17. Obviously his average has gone up against Australia. In the only one match he has played in Australia, he has taken only one wicket for 101 runs. WE hope he gets more opportunities in Australia and builds nice records for himself.

India

Worst possible preparations for India

Its common sense to arrange as many practice matches in Australia as possible before you take them on. But BCCI, evidently more interested in making money from the series against Pakistan, ensured India had just one practice match in the name of preparation. Now that that only practice match is washed off giving batting practice to only two batsmen, India is entering the series with virtually no preparation. The matches they played against Pakistan were on flat tracks against a third grade bowling attack. The batsmen are simply spoiled at the moment.

The bowlers are also not accustomed to the bouncy pitches and will take time to adjust their length. I am afraid, India will have a bad test to start with.

Historically India has been the better team in the Border Gavaskar trophy

I emphasized in the first episode of the Cricket Magic 'build up' series that India has been the toughest opponent to Australia in test cricket in the past. Here we will take a look at the history and try to find out some statistics. India and Australia decided to periodically play test cricket against each other for a trophy that was named the Border Gavaskar trophy. The first Border Gavaskar series was played in 1996-97 in India and so far the two teams have faced each other six times to fight for the Border Gavaskar trophy. In this episode of the Cricket Magic 'build up' series, we will find out who has been the more dominant team throughout.

Out of the six times that India and Australia have played for the Border-Gavaskar trophy, India has secured the trophy four times and Australia managed it only two times. The first series was played in 1996-1997 in India which India won it by 1-0. The second was played in 1997-1998 in India which India won by 2-1. The third was played in 1999-2000 in Australia which Australia won by 3-0. The fourth was played in 2000-2001 in India which India won by 2-1. The fifth one was played in 2003-2004 in Australia which was drawn 1-1 and India being the current champions, retained the trophy. The sixth one was played in 2004-2005 in India which was won by Australia by 2-1. Thus Australia are the current champions.

One more thing to note is that Sachin Tendulkar has won the ‘player of the series’ award twice.

We will come back with more interesting information in the next episode of the Cricket Magic 'build up' series.