SWEET ENDING TO THE SEASON

     A SERIES WIN THAT DIDN'T COME EASY

     It couldn't have been a better finish to the grand home season as India emerged victorious by a 2-1 margin.After being hammered in Pune and conceding a decent amount of lead in Banglore, it must have taken a lot of mental courage and determination to wrestle the momentum back from Australia and eventually win the match.At 1-1,India went to Ranchi and scored 600 against Australia's 450 thanks to a brilliant 202 from Pujara but the Handscomb-Marsh partnership in the 2nd innings eluded the victory.With all the momentum with them,India played nearly a perfect game at Dharamsala on a spicy pitch under stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane. The exhibition of fast bowling put on display by Umesh Yadav was heartening to see for Indian fans.

     As far as Australia is concerned,there were many positives.I think both the spinners exceeded the expectations.They have found two future stars in Matthew Renshaw and Peter Handscomb. But Steven Smith just looks a class apart,he seems to have come from another planet.Indians just ran out of plans and ideas to get him out.Things he is doing are unprecedented and he is definitely beyond just a contemporary great.     For India,fast bowlers bowling their hearts out was the most pleasing thing to see. Kohli not scoring runs meant that every other batsman had to contribute and they didn't disappoint,Pujara and Rahul had a great series and so did Wriddhiman Saha. Jadeja was supposed to assist Ashwin but the roles were reversed this time around as Jadeja ended up being the highest wicket taker in the series.It was a sweet ending to the grand home season     Very few gave Australia a chance before the series started.Everybody was predicting 4-0 whitewash but Steven Smith and his boys gave India a reality check as Indians were made to fight for every run and every wicket.Many believe that this series reminded them of the historic 2001 series and many have labelled this as the best series since the 2005 ashes.All one can say is the game of cricket was the winner at the end of it all.......

                                                                                                                               -Gandhar Sathe🙂

BEYOND HIS GENERATION

BEYOND HIS GENERATION

   There are always a couple of players in each generation who are several notches above others and there are a couple of years in those players' career which make them stand taller.

   'Warner-Kohli-Smith-Williamson-Root'-They call them 'Fab 5' of this generation.But I think Steven Smith stands head and shoulders well above the others.His record speaks for his success.But the fact that he has scored runs all over the world,on every kind of surface makes him stand out.As I said,there are 'Those' couple of years in every players' career.When you think of Sachin Tendulkar and the series of hundreds he scored in both ODI's and Tests all over the world in the late 1990's or when you think of Brian Lara and his 375 as well as the 9 hundreds he scored on the trot for Warwikshire in 1994,you can say that the things they were doing were unprecedented in the game of cricket.

    Well,the last 2 years have been brilliant for Steven Smith.I think his breakout year was 2014 when he scored 4 hundreds on trot and since he hasn't looked back.He scored a brilliant hundred in Centurian against South Africa earlier that year.In 2015 he scored double century at Lord's followed up with a lovely hundred at The Oval.Later he went to New Zealand and scored a hundred there as well and now he has come to India and is showcasing a masterclass of how to find a way to score runs on some of the most difficult pitches in the World.It's neither stylish nor attractive but effective.Now he has hundreds in each country except Bangladesh and I am sure it will come as soon as Australia tour Bangladesh.With a test average of 60,surely he is beyond ordinary.People talk about technique but here is a bloke with a crabby technique,unusual stance and enormous mental strength,scoring everywhere in the world on the big stage.So technique should not matter as long as runs are flowing.

    Since taking over the Captaincy form Michael Clarke,his batsmanship has rose to another level.He is just 27 and who knows,may be his best years are yet to come.He is definitely a contemporary great but I do think he is pushing himself to be a bit better than that.

     

Exciting matches ahead in 2 weeks.

SERIES WELL POISED AT 1-1

    Yes,you read it right.Hardly anyone expected the series to be equal after Banglore test.Everybody was expecting India to have one hand on Border-Gavaskar Trophy by the end of the 2nd test.But as good a start Australia got in the first test just blew away India and their confidence.And it seemed as if India just could not see that coming from Australia.Everybody was saying that 4-0 seems inevitable but Australia put all that to bed and came up with one of the finest performances by any touring team on Indian soil.The Margin and the manner of defeat was embarrassing as far as India was concerned.Steven Smith's fighting hundred,young Matthew Renshaw's grit,timely wickets by fast bowlers and off course the rebirth of Steve O'Keefe,it all fell into places for Australia,didn't it?

    But then India had to come back stronger and they did.The first day though couldn't have been any worse than it was for India.At the same time,India 189 all out and Warner and Renshaw solid at Stumps, it couldn't have been any better for Australia.Then it took some heartening bowling performance from fast bowlers on day 2 morning to wrestle the momentum from Australia and force India's comeback and from there on,there was no looking back.Though Asutralia got a crucial 87 run lead,India came up with a solid reply. Rahul was as solid as he was in the first innings during his gritty 90,getting India off to a good start but 4 wickets fell in quick succession only to hand Australia momentum once again. Now Pujara was joined by Ajinkya Rahane and the two of them were involved in a wonderful partnership which just took the game away from Australia.Another small collapse meant that India could only get a lead of 188 which at a time looked to be going past 225-230.But the history of the relaid pitch suggested that 188 was a mountain to climb for Australia and it proved to be no different.Australia were bundled out for 113 as Ashwin was back at his best taking 6 for.As Harsha Bhogle said,"The match was lost well before the end arrived",I too thought that the wicket of Shaun Marsh turned things around.Had that been reviewed Marsh would have survived as the ball tracking showed the ball missing the stumps by a good foot-foot an a half.Then off course Smith was involved in a 'not pretty' looking incident and Indians were all fired up firing in all cylinders.

    Now the teams go to Ranchi with two completely different mindsets.While India have all the momentum going into the third test.Australia would be trying to be as positive as possible despite the loss of two huge players in Mitchell Marsh and Mitchell Starc.

   Looking back at couple of ODIs and a few IPL games played at this venue,it's fair to expect a slow and low turner for the first ever test at this venue.