Sachin Tendulkar : GOD of Centuries

This blog post has been sitting in my folder for around 30 months, to be published on the day Sachin plays his last ever international match. During this tenure, I have transformed from a student to teacher. This post reflects that phase of my life in which I used to swish any object in my hand every couple of minutes remembering a Sachin stroke.
Now that he is finally retiring from all forms of cricket, I push the publish button

...3,2,1...Go 24th February 2010

I’m sitting in an IIT-hostel room just 12 hours before an exam and instead of preparing for that important subject on “Climate Modeling”, I have cross-legged, and equally divided by weight on my arse and thighs, and using a pen to write this. Is this usual? No, it isn’t.

Usually an IITian has two chores, either to spend his time and government’s money on his laptop or studying for exam which is the next morning’s first boring mission.
“Dhoni, you’ll get infinite opportunities to hit sixes in your life but please take a single”
People were crying, pleading and yelling at their country’s skipper hitting some lusty shots. Was this strange? They wanted their “GOD” to take that “1 RUN” and he did it!
“Sachin Tendulkar”; a pair of words synonymous with GOD. A phenomenon which can’t be discovered, explained or be written a thesis upon. A personality which defies the “tall-dark-handsome: acid test” to be called a lady’s man.
I can emphatically say that I have never been so happy in my life, not even when I cracked the IIT-JEE!
I witnessed my favourite sportsperson achieving a peak which I envisioned would be done by players like Sehwag and Ganguly, who are minions in front of this legend. Say it tragedy or divine intervention, my cell-phone is not working, my laptop is in comma and is unavailable for any service. I’m totally out of any contact with any of my friends and relatives with whom I’ve spent my entire childhood and teenage-life watching and praising “Tendulkar”. Sachin Tendulkar is the only person in this world for whom I’d not even think twice if he asks me to bat for the other side (if you know, what I mean?). Orgasmic, is a word which is often misused and overused by people who haven’t experienced the “real-orgasm”. However, I’m not wrong if I say the innings of 200 by Tendulkar was orgasmic and would never even forget to describe this to my first orgasm-partner. If my laptop and mobile were working, this would’ve been a blog-post and I’d not be using a 10-rupee pen to write about one of the best men I will keep on adulating. But, coming back to the worldly affairs, I have an exam, it is also important to pass in that.
I’m pissed-off and happy too! Can’t explain this feeling, it’s like sweet n sour tomato soup…?
“Sachin…Tendulkar”

Is South Africa a choker team in Cricket?- A statistical & historical perspective

Mac: "SA had the game in the bag and they....choked. There, I have said it." [1]





Here is a thing about South Africa. They are the so-called “archetypal [2] choker team in the sport of Cricket” [3].

In simpler terms, they tend to lose their matches from a stage where even Bangladesh can’t lose against Australia. If there is one cricket team in this world which shows you the value of completing the formalities (including redundant paperwork) it is South Africa. You never know, you might just choke!

The semifinal match between Australia and South Africa of 1999 Cricket World Cup is still vivid in the memories of every cricket follower. Everyone, came up their explanations and own versions of “holding on to the nerves”.

One person was singled out; Herschelle Gibbs, who dropped Steve Waugh and “dropped the World Cup”. As it is with history, it keeps on repeating itself; it followed that after 3 years Herschelle Gibbs took a decision which helped India qualifying to the final of 2002 ICC Champions Trophy.





After scoring a brilliant century, he retired hurt with his side still needing 70 runs for victory; SA-192/1 and required rate well under control. Eventually, it was few out of the skin deliveries by
Sehwag (Man of the Match) coupled with immature performance by South Africa which led to the famous 10 run victory. Yes, it did cost them the Cup; India eventually was declared joint winner along with Sri Lanka because of the incessant rain.

This is just one side of the story. If we consider statistics, South Africa is not the only team which has lost dinner from its claws. When you count the no. of times a side has lost by less than (or equal to) 3 runs [4], South Africa equals Australia with 6 such instances. Ironically, England Cricket Team touted as the best team after defeating “Australia in their own turf” in the recently concluded 2010-11 Ashes series has lost on 11 occasions by less than or equal to 3 runs. In addition to that, India’s count is no better. In fact it is 9, higher than South Africa, statistics can be misleading!

At this point of time, cricket gurus and self-proclaimed “experts on everything under the sun” would jump to point me that I haven’t considered smallest margin of victory “by wickets”. Ok, I did that also [5] without any change in inference. England, South Africa and India have lost 3 matches each by 1 wicket. However, Australia has lost on 5 such occasions. So, do we conclude that Australia is the choker in cricket? NO, Statistics is just a tool. It is only the means it cannot be the ends.

Speaking more about statistics, “Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital” - Aaron Levenstein. Hmm! Coming back to cricket, Team India have given the weekend- partying- crowd another reason to splurge, dine and wine out. Cricket truly has a secular fervor.

PS: I have 3-4 important tasks, but I had to prioritize this post way above them ;)

PS: I am happy for Indian Cricket Team; they have finally gained the traction of winning matches away from home. Screw, you Critics!

PS: Finally, updated the blog after such a long time.

1. http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2010/engine/match/463151.html?innings=2;page=1;view=commentary

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archetype

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choke_(sports)

4. http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283920.html

5. http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283253.html

Photo Source 1 : http://cricket.ndtv.com/indinsa10/gallerydetails.aspx?id=8969&category=SPORTS

Photo Source 2 : http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/cricket/greatest-threat-to-south-africas-finest-may-lie-within/2008/12/12/1228585117473.html

Sourav Ganguly - The disputed legend!!!

In life everything is an act of chance. There are some things which you don't like and you have no reason for it. The fact may be that the prejudices associated with those are such strong and influential that it is difficult for you to have a first impression of it. However, you must have been annoyed with these lines.
There was a time when I was not attracted towards girls. It's not that I didn't like savouring pretty faces but I was a kid and my small childish world was not infested with the hormonal effects.
There was a phase in my life when I disliked my father watching cricket matches while my favourite cartoon shows were aired on a different channel.
There was a time when I wanted to be a medical practitioner or in other words a doctor.

After these many years my likes and dislikes have changed.

I love watching girls, I like talking to them and I like spending time with them. (Only exception if the girl is not pretty)
I'm a crazy cricket spectator who cannot afford to miss a cricket match in which India is playing.
I'm studying at IIT kharagpur and after more than 2 years I'll be an engineer and not a doctor.
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Destiny is such a beautiful thing that it always plays the fair game.
I cannot describe each of the three changes which have affected me but one popular and the most searched of the hour is cricket, so here I'll talk about it.
1999, Cricket world cup
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I was watching a cartoon episode probably of the Duck tales, when the transmission was interrupted for a while. I switched to many channels (not many as at that time India was not a victim of the idiot box fever).



I had no other option than to watch a cricket match of India against Sri Lanka. There I discovered my disputed legend, Sourav Ganguly.


That innings by ganguly made cricket my world and I was lost in ganguly's world. His off-side extravagance and spectacular sixes over the long-on and long-off looked more gorgeous than pretty faces of girls.
After the world cup India saw many changes, the team was not doing well and captaincy was juggling in the hands of Azharuddin, Sachin and Jadeja.
If this was not enough the match-fixing scandal added to the woes of Indian cricket as two of its great players were lost as its repercussions and Indian cricket was probably facing one of the greatest crisis in their history.
Sourav ganguly was made the Indian captain as Sachin himself rejected the role as his batting form was affected due to captaincy. When Ganguly was made the skipper everybody raised eyebrows over his appointment. However, I felt great as he was my hero.
Under his captaincy finding new talent was never difficult. We saw the birth of Zaheer, Sehwag, Dhoni, Yuvraj and the list goes. He always had the fire to fight till the last bowl.
Ganguly saw many criticisms. His captaincy was doubted at times but he went on to become the most successful Indian captain. His batting was always under the microscope and every Tom, Dick and Harry enunciated the end of his career. Here was Ganguly's way of giving them the answer, he fought hard and came back to the Indian team and it's not a matter of surprise that he batted like a maestro in the last series he played against Australia.
India might have forgotten, the last time when Australians came to India after winning 15 test matches in a row, he was the captain who led the Indian side which haulted Australia's dream run.
Dhoni might prove to be a great captain but he has to learn many things.
I would also like to pay respect to the other Indian fighter on the field who has also retired recently, Anil Kumble. This legendary spinner had no problems in engineering his action and style of bowling, his degree in engineering must have come to great use.





Coming back to sourav Ganguly, I'm reminded of the aggression in Indian team which has been due to the legacy which Ganguly will leave in Indian cricket.
Indian cricket has starting saying," You rub it in my face, I'll rub it back with extra chilli powder ".



Sachin, Gavaskar and Dravid are no doubt the batting legends of modern cricket but Sourav definitely is a legend in himself, he is a complete package and probably the disputed legend.
Ganguly has made Indian cricket team as "Team India".
Now that ganguly has achieved more than what an average cricketer dreams, his thoughts would be occupied by these words," It’s the journey which gives you happiness and not necessarily the destination"
BEST OF LUCK Sourav ganguly!!!!!
I wish you a bright future and enjoy your life with your family