http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/ en Copyright 2008 Tue, 19 Feb 2008 03:17:54 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss

JP Yadav: first-class cricket's Lance Armstrong © Getty Images

If we look around, we will find many people on the street going through enormous upheavals in their personal and professional lives, but they battle it out with smiles on their faces. I have been fortunate enough to be closely associated with some such players who have stood up to hardships, both personal and professional, and have shown immense resilience in overcoming their challenges. Sachin Tendulkar’s hundred in a 1999 World Cup match after returning from his father’s funeral, and Anil Kumble’s turning out to bowl with a broken jaw in Antigua have been inspiring and well-documented. But here, I would like to elaborate on how three domestic players have displayed rare courage, and are still doing a good job for their sides. They are my team-mates: JP Yadav, Santosh Saxena and Kulamani Parida. We have all read about how Lance Armstrong won his battle against cancer before he conquered the cycling summit. But very few know that Yadav was diagnosed with a tumour in the area above his heart around the year 2000. He was referred to a cancer hospital in Mumbai by his doctors in Bhopal, where he underwent three cycles of chemotherapy. During this period he had to suffer all the after-effects and hardships of chemotherapy. He lost nearly 15 kgs, and was advised to stay away from the cricket field for one-and-a-half years even if the tumour didn’t recur. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2008/02/against_all_odds.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2008/02/against_all_odds.php Tue, 19 Feb 2008 03:17:54 +0000

Players generally value the state team’s success more, but the standard of cricket in Duleep Trophy is better © Cricinfo Magazine

Everyone has a reason for playing cricket. Some play because their friends also play, some start with a single-minded focus of playing for the country. There are various steps one goes through before getting to that ultimate goal. In Mumbai, cricket is big at junior levels: even playing for a school like Shardashram, where Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli played, is a matter of pride. Harris Shield, Giles Shield and other such tournaments are very competitive. After having played at those levels, one moves to age groups and then becomes one of the probables for Ranji Trophy. For a youngster that is a big thing, because that is one step below playing for the state, becoming a first-class cricketer. I remember when I got picked for the Under-17 side, I saw it with a lot of pride. When I was handed the cap with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) logo on it, it was a big thing for me. Every thing since then – collecting newspaper clippings, conversations with friends, et al – was a motivation for playing for Mumbai. With such a journey to playing for the state, one inevitably values every moment and success with the state team. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2008/01/ranji_vs_duleep.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2008/01/ranji_vs_duleep.php Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:49:27 +0000

Winning the Ranji title is a high point of a player's career and something to be really proud of © Cricinfo Ltd

The 2007-08 Ranji Trophy has just ended. As usual the team that claims the title ensures that their name will be etched in the history of Indian domestic circuit, which they richly deserve. I daresay that winning the Ranji trophy is as good as winning a Test match because of the toil that a team goes through for over six months of preparation and performance. Most first-class teams start their off-season training camps in the month of August, when 30 probables are selected. These players have to undergo fitness camps; they go out and play some cricket in south India in events such as Buchibabu Trophy, Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup and KSCA Invitational, which are organised well by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) respectively. These tournaments are played in the last two weeks of September and the first week of October. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2008/01/nothing_personal_about_it.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2008/01/nothing_personal_about_it.php Sat, 19 Jan 2008 12:13:30 +0000

Where did it all go wrong? Was it the touch down or slow running? © AFP

In the first Test between Australia and India, the difference between the sides was much more than just skills. I enjoy watching Australia play for the manner in which they go about using their skills. Every session is meticulously planned and the plans implemented. They pay attention to small things when they practise: the throwing technique, the running between the wickets, the ground fielding, and minute details like sliding the bat while taking runs, relay throwing etc. More importantly, they implement them during the games. A picture of contrast was Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman not being able to take threes even when the ball reached pretty close to the MCG boundary. Dravid got stuck at one end, strike was not rotated, and the batsmen came under immense pressure. Sourav Ganguly later nearly ran himself out while backing up and not sliding his bat back. And this is not an aberration; many more Indian cricketers have done that at the international level. The stark difference set me thinking about how cricket is taught at the grassroots level in India. There are thousands of coaching clinics that run all over the country and not many of the coaches that conduct these camps actually teach their students these basics. Not many of the coaches are aware of these basics in the first place and are not able to explain the advantages and the disadvantages. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2008/01/it_takes_more_than_skills.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2008/01/it_takes_more_than_skills.php Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:22:47 +0000

Celebrations inside the dressing room are always special © Getty Images

Almost every cricketer in Mumbai plays in the maidans in the initial stages of his career. One of the most memorable things about that club cricket is the makeshift dressing rooms. A small tent, with about 15 to 20 wooden or plastic chairs, generally serves the purpose of a dressing room. One has to do everything there only, including changing into and out of the whites. During the Kanga League, always played during the monsoons, it usually rains during the matches. The game comes to a halt, water rushes into the tent, both the teams are in the same tent and one has to stand on a chair with the kit. One may graduate from there to first-class cricket or to international cricket, but sometimes the fondest memories – apart from achievements on the field – emanate from the dressing room, be it a makeshift tent, an old-fashioned dressing room full of history, or a modern one with a gymnasium and all slick amenities inside. We spend a significant part of our lives in the dressing room, hence it is important to have the right environment there. And if that is the case, it shows on the field. We come from different ethnic backgrounds and travel a lot with each other, spending months away from home, so obviously we have to bond. We celebrate a lot of festivals in the dressing room: Eid, Diwali, Holi, Christmas, when the whole team gets together. Often we are playing on the New Year’s Day, so while we miss home, we have a small family with us that keeps us going. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/12/theres_room_enough_there.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/12/theres_room_enough_there.php Experiences Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:45:04 +0000

Mr immovable: Because the likes of Mike Hussey go through struggle at each level, it's difficult to push them out of their national teams © Getty Images

As a cricketer it’s hard to look at the positives when you are out of the game, but with my injury I’ve been able to watch more cricket and think a bit more about different things in cricket. I have been watching the Australian domestic cricket on TV and this set my mind thinking. I was watching Michael Hussey playing the other day, and realised that there were many people pushing for his place in the team. That’s very much the case in cricket here too, but there is a fundamental difference: professionalism, a term commonly used but rarely defined at the grassroots level. Professionalism is the single biggest difference between cricket in India, and say, cricket in Australia, which should be the benchmark for all of us. The mindset in India is to get an education that will secure a job, and then think about how to get a particular salary. We’re used to that kind of a life, and that’s how we bring up our children. Parents need to realise that cricket now offers a decent standard of living and earning potential, and not just for international cricketers. They need to stop thinking they are taking a huge gamble with their child’s life if they let a child pursue sport as career. After all, in India cricket is not like, say, tennis, where individuals have to get their own sponsorships for expensive coaching, and then have to fund their own travel to international tournaments. There are many companies working with cricketers, there are sponsors, and even individuals, who are willing to help those who need it. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/12/not_money_for_nothing.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/12/not_money_for_nothing.php Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:27:44 +0000

Being a reserve player is no easy job © AFP

The announcement of a team by the selectors for a match or tournament is greatly anticipated by all of us. Usually, in India, be it the national team or a first-class team, a squad of 15 players is named. We all get to see 11 players in action and can judge their skills and character on the field of play. But have you ever wondered what goes through the mind of players who are confined to the bench? Most captains announce the playing XI before the day of the match and explain the role of each player. Players who are not picked are talked into how only 11 can play and how one can make a contribution to the team, or how he has to wait for his chances. However, till the toss and commencement of play, these reserve players have to be in a state of readiness if last-minute changes have to be made due to fitness issues or overnight changes in playing conditions.]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/12/no_fringe_benefits.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/12/no_fringe_benefits.php Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:26:50 +0000

With proper guidance fast bowlers can reduce the amount of injuries they suffer © Cricinfo Ltd

Fast bowlers and injuries go hand in hand. They break down much more often than other players, and it has sometimes to do with lack of guidance at younger levels. For a youngster, a Shoaib Akhtar or a Brett Lee running in and bowling at close to 150kmph is an appealing sight. He wants to emulate what he sees; all he wants to do is run fast and scare a batsman. When I was a youngster, I used to watch the India-Pakistan Tests and I only wanted to bowl like Kapil Dev and Imran Khan. At such a stage in one's career, there is a lot of enthusiasm and passion, but the skill isn't developed. This is where a good coach can help and eliminate injuries that are the bane of a fast bowler's life. At a young age, it is easy to get into bad habits, which may result in injuries at a later stage. For example if someone has a mixed action, when the lower body is side-on and the upper body is open-chested, he is only inviting the stress fracture of the back. Many careers have ended before they start because of lack of guidance at the foundation levels.]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/12/adding_expert_advice_to_injury.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/12/adding_expert_advice_to_injury.php Coaching Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:10:17 +0000

The North-East Frontier Railway Stadium is located in picturesque surroundings in the outskirts of Guwahati. But a busy railway track runs right behind the sightscreen at one end © Cricinfo Ltd

Having 27 first-class teams in our domestic set-up not only ensures that the talent from all the regions has the necessary platform to test its skills, but it also throws up challenges to play cricket at lesser-known venues. These venues are not used to staging first-class matches or rarely get a chance to do so. When a first-class match is played at such venues, it generates a lot of interest among the local people and such games are well-attended by spectators. The local administrators are usually in a state of chaos as they try to shower upon the players their hospitality in a big way. They ensure that proper breakfast and huge lunches are served, which is fine but not healthy for the fitness freaks. At times, chhole-bhature, poori-bhaji, samosas, kachoris are served when all the players want are eggs, cereal or something else healthy. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/devils_playgrounds.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/devils_playgrounds.php Offbeat Fri, 30 Nov 2007 08:02:16 +0000

Can't wait to get back in the whites: R Ashwin © Cricinfo Ltd

It happened during the fielding practice ahead of Tamil Nadu’s third Ranji match – I had just returned to the nets after writing a couple of exams. It was the last catch of the day, and as soon as the ball impacted my wrist, I knew something was terribly wrong. I’d fallen down, and could not put any weight on my left hand to balance myself and get up. At that moment, I didn’t want to tell anyone, not even my parents. I just wanted to get an X-ray done and hoped to find out that everything was all right. Everything was not all right. In 21 years of my life, I had never had a single fracture, and now when I was playing probably the best cricket I ever have, it just had to happen on my left wrist. I know injuries are a part and parcel of any sportsman’s life so I don’t want to moan about it. But the timing of it is crucial in my case. Just before that, we had had a pretty strong team meeting – I won’t say it was angry, but it was charged up. The coach [WV Raman] had a few things to say to us about how make things happen instead of waiting for them to happen. Overall, there was disappointment in the team at some of our performances and I found that meeting really inspirational. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/adding_agony_to_injury.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/adding_agony_to_injury.php Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:37:28 +0000

A coach has to be a good communicator © Cricinfo Ltd

In modern-day cricket, a team without a coach is like a rudderless ship. Some purists may ridicule the concept, but the game has progressed in such a manner that the captain would be better off with some off-field help. Strategising has always been an important part of cricket, but in this cutting-edge era, its importance can hardly be overstated. If you see a coach working with a player - laptop for company - and wearing a hassled look, it’s because he is trying to work around a problem. Tackling it head-on is impossible because the players have developed set patterns in their younger days. If not taught the right things at a young age, players get into bad habits. A lot of time and opportunities are lost if the coach at the higher level has to undo all that and teach them anew. That’s what makes the role of a player’s first coach critical. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/in_praise_of_the_coach.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/in_praise_of_the_coach.php Coaching Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:16:58 +0000

Of trains and team bonding © Cricinfo Ltd

Being a Railwayman people often ask me several questions about train travel. How much time have you spent travelling in trains? Which is the longest journey? And so on. I've travelled an estimated 200,000 km by train in 15 years of first-class cricket. Nowadays, because of the BCCI's tie-up with airlines companies, most teams travel by air. It takes away the charm of the journey because in a flight everyone is only keen to get to the destination. The whole pleasure of a journey is lost. Railways is probably the only team to still use trains throughout the season.]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/trains_of_thought.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/trains_of_thought.php Offbeat Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:57:51 +0000

"It would be ideal if the Sachins and Rahuls played domestic cricket for a season at least even after they quit international cricket" © AFP

I had a mathematics exam to write today. It's tough to juggle studies and cricket - if there is a practice session in the morning I go to the nets and completely forget my studies. Towards the end of the session it pricks me a little - the time spent - and I start getting the feeling that I need to get back to my books. Once I'm home, I'm tired and I have to write down things so that I don't get sleepy or bored. I keep writing till I fall asleep. I don't believe in staying up late. By 10.30 or 11 pm I'm out like a light. But I'm up at 4am again to do my work. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/sharp_thinking_is_essential_in.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/sharp_thinking_is_essential_in.php Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:35:20 +0000

The presence of role models like Zaheer Khan is inspiring youngsters to take up fast bowling © Getty Images

One of the biggest changes in domestic cricket from the time I played has been the attitude towards fast bowling. The wickets we played on were tailor-made for spinners, so the quality in fast bowling wasn't good. Most teams, barring perhaps Mumbai or Karnataka, struggled for a good pace attack. It could also have been the reason that they dominated too. Nowadays, though, almost every team has a three-seamer-one-spinner combination. Every state has a couple of young fast bowlers, who somewhere down the line represent the state side and the India Under-19 side. There are talented fast bowlers in states like Assam, not traditionally cricket nurseries, and there are people coming from lesser known places and are representing their states. I see a lot of fast bowling talent overall. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/pace_getting_pride_of_place.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/pace_getting_pride_of_place.php Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:10:05 +0000

It's great to have S Badrinath and Dinesh Karthik back in the team © Cricinfo Ltd

The first game of the Ranji Trophy is always big for any team, but for us at Tamil Nadu, the season has already been under way for a while. We've played in the Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup and the KSCA Diamond Jubilee Tournament. I'm not sure how it is for teams playing in Central Zone or North Zone, but for us here in the South, especially Tamil Nadu, we've already been playing together for a while. In the last season this wasn't the case, as we had some seniors in the side and they didn't always play the warm-up tournaments. But this year we have a completely young side. The addition of Badri [S Badrinath] and Dinesh [Karthik] has been a boost for us: it's always good to get cricketers of that quality back in your side. ]]> http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/win_to_win.php http://blogs.cricinfo.com/firstclass/archives/2007/11/win_to_win.php Pre season Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:36:18 +0000