Sachin, Zak could decide India’s fate

By Amit Karmarkar

Australia have two surviving members from the team who played the 2003 World Cup final against India — captain Ricky Ponting and paceman Brett Lee. India have five — Tendulkar, Sehwag, Yuvraj, Zaheer and Harbhajan.
Indeed, the transition of the Indian team has been phased out (Srinath, Ganguly, Kumble, Dravid. And yes, Dinesh Mongia!) better than Aussies. But will it ensure that wisdom of the five surviving members can be absorbed by Gen Next?
For starters, India must avoid the two elementary mistakes committed in the previous two knockout World Cup battles in India which they lost.
Winning the toss and fielding in Kolkata against Sri Lanka in the 1996 semis defied logic. If that was insufficient, despite getting the scalps of Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana early on, India continued to bowl Anil Kumble. Using the field restrictions, Aravinda de Silva creamed him for fours.
At least, Mohd Azharuddin was frank enough to admit that fielding first against Lanka was a blunder.
Sourav Ganguly and John Wright, skipper and coach respectively of the batch of 2003, have not accepted that they too erred by opting to field first against Australia in the final.
Thankfully, Wright’s Indian Summers reveals that Indian think-tank had decided to bowl first in ‘day’ games and bat first in ‘day/night’ games. As the Jo’burg final was a ‘day’ game, they hoped to chase successfully in the big final against McGrath, Lee and Hogg.
Such over-estimation is not available (being a D/N affair) for the Ahmedabad game on Thursday.
Interestingly, Ponting’s men could be more wary of chasing a 300-plus score. If Tendulkar, Gambhir, Kohli and Dhoni can avoid getting out through soft dismissals (played-on bowled, lbw, straightforward catches inside 30 yards), they can conquer the mountain with cameos from Sehwag, Yuvraj and Yusuf. But the same can’t be said of the Oz line-up of Haddin, Watson, Clarke, Ponting, White and Hussey even though the Indian bowling is lacking bite.
A fascinating battle would be between Aussie seamers Lee, Tait and Johnson vs. the Indian top order. The winner of that contest could ride on the momentum. And in any sport, momentum is the big thing.
Prediction?
India have won just 10 of 44 ODIs against Australia in which Tendulkar has scored less than 50. And they have won 12 of 23 games in which Tendulkar has scored at least fifty against them.
But more than Tendulkar, it’s a big game for Zaheer who bowled a forgettable first over against Oz in the 2003 final.
He has conceded 48 runs for one wicket against Aussies as compared to 28.85 overall. He has taken three wickets just once in 19 ODIs against them.
Zak can’t get a better platform to seek redemption.

How BCCI bucked up to deal with the Bucknor effect

Amit Karmarkar

After the Bucknor and Company fiasco at the SCG, the BCCI springs into action. The richest cricket body in the world just can’t take this lying down and spring into action with arm-twisting tactics. In a seemingly impossible —and unthinkable — move, Team Pawar decided to take the help of former president Jagmohan Dalmiya who handled the infamous Mike Denness affair with aplomb.
A video conferencing between both leaders along with their supporters takes place. The matter is touchy: being in line for ICC presidency, Pawar can’t go for an all-out attack against the world body but at the same time, he is compelled to make noises to please the Indian masses.
Pawar: (without looking into the camera). Hello Dalmiyaji. You must be aware why I have called you. Will you help us in displaying India’s power?
Dalmiya: That’s a milliondollar question.
Manohar: Don’t worry Jaggu, we will take back allegations of money-laundering against you.
Dalmiya: Speak to the sponsors and ask them to pull out of contracts with ICC and Cricket Australia.
Shah: And what if they don’t agree?
Dalmiya: Tell them it’s either that or else your contracts with BCCI will be terminated.
Srinivasan: (Sadly) We have deposited bank guarantees this time.
Bindra: We never do such things at Mohali. The Punjab Cricket Association always take care of.....
Pawar: (interrupts with a sigh of helplessness) There are various options available to us. 1. Stop Test at that point and force ICC to change Bucknor’s decision. 2. Force ICC to sack Bucknor from immediate effect or 3. Forfeit a Test match.
Dalmiya: It would lead to technical complications. Should the ‘kirkit’ match continue from that time adjudging Symonds out or shall we deduct those many runs from Australia’s total. Meanwhile, I will file a case against Bucknor in Court of Arbitration (CAS) in Lausanne in Switzerland.
Bindra: In case Bucknor steps down on his own, who should be his replacement as reserve umpire for Sydney Test?
Pawar: (constantly remembering the compromising formula in Mumbai Cricket Association’s elections) Lalchand Rajput.
Shah: (eyes popping out) Sir, he is already assistant coach of the Indian team touring Australia!
Pawar: (fires his PA inaudibly for lack of homework. Threatens to post him to Baramati).
Dalmiya: We are missing the point (reading out a piece of paper), transgressing the topic. Our mission should end in forcing Bucknor’s resignation like I did to Denness? After all, he has brought the game into disrepute (showing handbook of ICC Code of Conduct)
Dungarpur: But that way we won’t allow him to make further mistakes to even things out. After all, cricket is a great leveller.
Shah: (in a casual-cum-boring tone) And if ICC accepts our demand, how shall we celebrate?
Modi: Send Shah Rukh Khan to Australia. Chak de India! (gets an ‘Om Shanti Om’ stare from Pawar).
Pawar: To appear as fair bosses, we must offer a compensation package to Bucknor?
Dalmiya: Why not honorary membership of Cricket Association of Bengal. Police Commissioner Prasun Mukherjee is a dear friend of mine.
Dungarpur: Gentlemen , I would offer honorary membership of CCI.
Modi: That’s old hat. Let’s appoint Bucknor as umpire for IPL.
Dalmiya: Mr. Modi, I read that you are doing frenchie and all...
Kunal: (interrupts and whispers in Dalmiya’s ear: Franchisee sir!)
Pawar: I think Bucknor should be made brand ambassador for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune. (Sheepishly) Our IOA friend Suresh Kalmadi would love this.
Dalmiya: As a last resort we can offer Bucknor a 2010 World Cup football final game in South Africa. Remember he has been a soccer referee too. This offer will be too tempting for him to step down from the Sydney Test. I will have a word with Das Munshi to convince Sepp Blatter. Remember when I was in BCCI, it was more powerful than FIFA.
Pawar: That’s a great idea.
Meeting ends with unanimous hugs, nay winks.
The day after: As things panned out, before these scattered proposals and talks with ICC commenced, the entire video conference was leaked out to the media. The contents were first denied vociferously with the allegation that the video footage is doctored. Next: BCCI appoints factfinding committee to probe into the leak.
Murmurs from the ‘Sportsfield’: Will the committee members get a revised DA? TV cameras are after Shashank Manohar for ‘breaking news’ quote. The president-in-waiting says: “Let’s wait! We haven’t heard a final word on this yet. In our Vidarbha Cricket Association.....”
ends ends