King Kane: From Middle Earth to the top of the world

If you enter ‘Lord Of The Rings’ in the Google search bar, it will soon suggest the words ‘New Zealand’, where the movies were shot. If New Zealand is our world’s Middle Earth, then Kane Stuart Williamson is currently King there. No wonder then that he is referred to as ‘The King’ by his charismatic captain Brendon McCullum.


'King Kane' was finally enthroned and anointed by the rest of the world as well as the No. 1 ranked test batsman in the world - the first Kiwi to reach the top spot since the rankings were established.
On his Test debut in India back in 2010 though, things were very different. Facing a mammoth score of 487, he walked in with the score at a tricky 137 for four, against the No 1 ranked Test team in the world then, in their backyard. It was a situation that could have unnerved many-a-debutante, especially one who had made a duck on his ODI debut against the same opponent.


But he responded by becoming the youngest New Zealander to begin his Test career with a century. It was an innings that highlighted two qualities that would be written about for many years to come: his footwork, and his composure.


But for those who knew him closely, his century on debut would have come as no surprise. A natural athlete, the ambidextrous Williamson played a number of sports as a child, but cricket was always his first choice. Initially coached by his father, who played cricket for Northern Districts U-17s, the precocious Williamson stood out since childhood. He routinely played against boys three or four years his senior, as his talent demanded. At 15, he was picked for New Zealand U19, and at 19, after two standout seasons for Northern Districts, he was contracted by New Zealand Cricket (NZC), despite not having played an international game yet.
But having talent is one thing, translating it into performance is quite another. Often the difference between the two is a cool head. That is a quality Williamson has never been short of.


Cast your mind back to the ODI World Cup 2015 league game where Williamson led the Black Caps to victory in a nail biting finish that sent Eden Park into sonic boom. With only Trent Boult at the other end and six runs to get with over 150 balls remaining, Williamson quickly calculated his best option, and serenely smoked a straight drive off Pat Cummins into the stands. The celebration was equally cool, with a smile and fist pump, as if he was saving it for another victory, a bigger dream, one that was not to be.


But despite the disappointment of losing the World Cup final, Williamson has had a stellar 2015. His hundred in the last innings of the second Test vs Sri Lanka was his fifth in 2015, and took him past the record for the most Test runs in a calendar year by a Black Caps player (he now has 1172 runs at an average of 90.15). It also put him level with Ross Taylor in the list of the most Test centuries scored by a Kiwi batter (13). Both are now behind only Martin Crowe, who has 17.


He has played a huge role in the resurgence of New Zealand, along with the likes of Boult, Tim Southee and McCullum. New Zealand has not lost a Test series at home since March 2012. And given that he is only 25, he is touted to end up as their best ever batter.
It’s not just the runs he scores though - it's also the way he scores them. Irrespective of the format, Williamson’s more traditional shot selection has always worked for him. His backfoot play - naturally strong considering his hobbit-esque stature - reminds one of the clean lines made by a sabre rather that the hacking-broadsword motion so many modern batters employ. His saint-like composure at the crease has compelled the word ‘Zen’ to be associated with his batting on numerous occasions.


It is almost as if he doesn’t feel pressure at all. Indeed, in an interview given shortly before his Test debut, he said, “When the pressure is on, rather than ‘handling’ the pressure, you almost ‘don’t register’ the pressure, and then you’re in the place to score runs.” These are life lessons seasoned pros often hand out at the end of their careers. Williamson has wasted no time in wising up.
And if his foot work and composure are always apparent on the field, off the field his modesty shines through. Soft spoken and polite, he has often displayed a sensitivity rarely seen in sportsmen of this era. During the New Zealand vs Pakistan 2014 ODI series he donated his entire match fee for all five ODIs to the victims of the 2014 Peshawar school massacre. In press conferences, he rarely seems to show emotion, yet does not seem to be hiding any either. As part of the team which was sledged for being ‘too nice’ by the Australians, he is the nice guy who is finishing first.
For the man who is the captain-elect of the Black Caps, and will lead the team in the absence of Brendon McCullum at the World T20 in India, captaincy is his next Everest.


McCullum has left him a rich inheritance, one which he could nurture into something legendary. Much like the hobbits made the obscure Shire famous in J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnum opus, this middle order batter from Middle Earth has all the ingredients to make rugby-mad New Zealand famous for cricket as well.

This article first appeared in my column on Firstpost.com 

The IPTL: Tennis is more fun as a team sport

The second edition of the IPTL packed its bags on Sunday, with the Singapore Slammers emerging eventual champions. The tournament proved that the success of the first edition wasn’t beginners luck, and that given the participation of a few big names, the format is here to stay.


While I watch tennis only on and off, mostly only at Grand Slams, I found myself unable to switch the channels whenever the IPTL was on TV. I don’t know if it was the innovative rules — with power points and shorter turnaround times — or the star power (personally Sania Mirza was the showstopper for me). Or maybe it was because the format had both a patriotic flavour, as well as a team structure infringing on what is essentially an individual sport. It made me feel like I was watching Davis Cup on steroids, and reminded me of some life decisions I made early in my sporting career.


When I was around 17, and had established myself in the Maharashtra senior cricket team and been touted a future India prospect, my cousin suggested something radical. He advised me to give up cricket. He said I was clearly a good athlete, and I should try an individual sport like tennis.


Around the same time, a Major in the Army Sports Institute in my home town of Pune invited me for some tests. He thought I had the makings of a successful middle distance runner, and he, too, exhorted me to take up the individual game over a team sport.


Their reasons were largely the same: “In team sports, one must rely on others to a great extent in the pursuit of success. You might be good but unless your team is good enough, you will never win. Whereas in an individual sport, your success lies entirely in your hands.”


My reasons for not taking their advice were simple: I loved cricket. Not tennis. Certainly not athletics. Cricket.


Thinking back now, one of the reasons I love cricket is precisely because it is a team sport.


I love the camaraderie of being in a team. I love always having someone whose leg I can pull in training and someone who will not let me forget that dropped catch, or that failed push up. I love the support of a team, and having to find inner strength when the support isn’t forthcoming. I love playing for the name on the front of my shirt, not for the name on the back. I love knowing that a team is more than the sum of its parts. I love that sometimes, a team can rise above what it looks like on paper, and become a new — sometimes transcendental — whole. I love the fact that such a thing is possible only with, and often despite, each member’s involvement.


Both individual and team sports have their fans and detractors, and rightly so. In team sports, some players can piggyback on more talented and hardworking teammates’ success, thus hiding their weaknesses. In individual games, there is nowhere to hide. All you are, all you have, and certainly all you don’t, is laid bare on the court or the track every single time. The glory is all yours. But so is the loneliness. It can be draining, especially if things aren’t going your way. There are precedents of this prompting professionals to switch from individual to team sports. Aussie Ashleigh Barty, a former Jr. Wimbledon champion, recently switched to cricket and made her debut for the Brisbane Heat in the WBBL for similar reasons.

The qualities that individual athletes need to succeed — discipline, intrinsic motivation and self belief — are always on abundant display whenever Nadal and Federer play each other. But when they faced each other in the Delhi leg of the IPTL, the encounter had a rarely seen before aura to it, a je ne sai quoi if you will. It was something intangible, yet clearly visible. It took me a while, but I realised it was created by the presence of their teammates, egging them on and offering advice. You could see it with every high five after every ridiculous shot. It infected the players and showed in their smiles.  Tell me, have you ever seen Rafa and Roger smile so much in a game?

Smiling after the game, yes. Smiling during it? image courtesy facebook

Perhaps it was because this was the first time they were facing each other in a team event. They were the last of many storylines that were unfolding that night. And despite being a dead rubber (the Aces were leading 24-14), their tie had context, as it too was part of a whole.


I am grateful to the IPTL for the fact that it gives us a chance to view these incredible players of an individual game showcase their skills in a team environment. Only the Davis Cup provides anything similar. Like cricket, the IPTL calls for largely individual performances within a team set up. Watching tennis like this is a refreshing change, especially for Indian viewers, who connect well with team sports. And I wager it is highly enjoyable for the players as well, judging by the smiles and high fives on court. It helps that the IPTL is more of a showcase tournament, and doesn’t carry the pressures, dress codes or straight faces that are de riguer in a Grand Slam. But this is not the only reason.


In a 2009 study, psychology professor Dr. John Tauer pointed out that children enjoyed sports more when competition and cooperation coexisted, i.e., in an environment where they were cooperating with members of their own team while simultaneously competing against another team. It is no surprise that we see so many smiles and light-hearted moments on the IPTL bandwagon. While Nadal-Federer were cleaning the lines with their ground strokes in Delhi, even the chair umpire had a laugh when he accidentally called “Let”. 


"We don't stop playing because we grow old," George Bernard Shaw remarked, "we grow old because we stop playing." Coaches in every sport always try to help athletes return to the ‘beginner’s heart’, that childlike enthusiasm we have for the game when we start playing it. We don’t start playing sport for the fame, or the money, or even the competition. We play it simply to enjoy ourselves. The IPTL may be helping these hardcore professionals return to that child-like bubbly enthusiasm. That is not to suggest that they do not enjoy their game on the Tour. This just accepts the fact that the team structure predisposes sports towards greater enjoyment.


It’s lonely at the top. But not if you’re in a team.

This article first appeared in my column on Firstpost.com 

How will the WBBL impact the world?

Will the WBBL inspire girls across the world to take up sport? (photo courtesy cricket.com.au)

When Cricket Australia announced in February that their women’s domestic T20 competition would be replaced by the new Women’s Big Bash League, they could not have timed the decision more perfectly. Little did they know it, but 2015 was about to become a groundbreaking year for Australian women’s sport. The Diamonds, their female netball team secured the World Championship, and the Opals, their women’s basketball team clinched their spot for the 2016 Rio Olympics. And then their women’s cricket team, the Southern Stars, emphatically won back the Ashes on English soil, with some ruthless, one-sided wins.

It meant that Cricket Australia could ride a wave of interest in women’s sport going in to the 2015-16 domestic season, as they launched the WBBL last weekend. And they made all the right moves to make sure that they cashed in. Arguably the biggest, was to align the WBBL teams with existing BBL teams, and thus raising the profile of their brand even before the product had started to take shape.

To do a quick number dance, the WBBL will encompass 59 matches, featuring eight teams, spread over 51 days, with games mostly organised around weekends. Each team can recruit five internationals, including not more than three overseas players. 21 international stars will be participating in the competition, from four countries: England, New Zealand, South Africa, and the West Indes. All players will be paid to play, with retainers in the range of AUD 3000 to 10000 (INR 1,46,000 to 4,86,000). Eight matches will be played as double headers with the BBL, and will be televised.

By ensuring that eight of the 59 games –including the final - will be televised on free-to-air television, Cricket Australia have secured mass viewership for their flagship domestic competition. The televised games will offer the players an exceptional opportunity to showcase their skills on the biggest stage, and could potentially be a game changing advertisement for women’s cricket world wide.

"There's no doubt Australia knows what it's doing when it comes to women's cricket," said England opening bowler Kate Cross according to the Cricket Australia website..

"We've got a stage to showcase our product and as you know we don't get a lot of airtime," she added. "I think it's something that's been needed, I think it's something that's been a long time coming and Australia's put it all together... it's going to be a great competition."

 However, the WBBL has meant that the best of Aussie talent would be divided into eight teams, as opposed to the seven that play in their usual domestic competition. There were fears that this would dilute the talent pool further, and thus lower the standard of cricket played. This could also have been why some retired internationals have been coaxed into making returns to the WBBL, notably prominent commentator Lisa Sthalekar and star all-rounder Shelly Nitschke.  But going by the first round of WBBL games, these fears seem to have been allayed. The influx of more than 20 of the best players from around the world has helped too.

One addition that could have made the WBBL even more attractive is the participation of Indian players. It was reported that the WBBL powers-that-be were keen on securing Indian participation, but like in the BBL, the BCCI seems to have given their financial bedfellows the cold shoulder. Especially with India women also due to tour Australia immediately after the WBBL concludes, it smacks of a golden opportunity missed.  As England’s captain and Scorchers recruit Charlotte Edwards put it, "As an international cricketer you want to play in the best competitions in the world and I believe that is (one of those).”

If the first few games were anything to go by, the tournament promises some mouth-watering contests. Both Australian and overseas talent has shone through, and there have already been high scoring games, and a last ball cliff hanger. The scores have been at par with average scores in women’s T20 internationals. Crowd attendance at the matches has been healthy, and is likely to increase for the double headers. But the litmus test will be the viewership of the televised games. Yet, Cricket Australia’s Big Bash League boss Mike McKenna said, “To be perfectly honest, we're not that concerned about attendance figures.” He insists that the prime objective of the WBBL is to inspire more girls and young women to take up the game.

“Ever since the IPL started, people kept saying we should have a similar league for women,” said N. Niranjana, India women’s pace bowler . “Great that Australia have gone ahead with the WBBL after the BBL. It will inspire so many girls to take up the sport, not just in Australia, but around the world because of the presence of overseas players.”

“It’s also a great opportunity for the grass root talent to impress the selectors and the world, just like so many lesser known Indian players stood out in the IPL,” she added.

For many in India and the world, even the biggest stars of women’s cricket are lesser known than the least famous IPL player. Perhaps one reason, was because women’s cricket hitherto did not have a vehicle that was attractive enough –in substance and appearance- to drive into the imagination of viewers around the world. Thanks to the WBBL, that may soon change. When (not if) Meg Lanning and Stafanie Taylor do become household names, it is very likely that the WBBL will have played a big role in that happening.

 The teams and players to watch:

ADELAIDE STRIKERS :

SOPHI DEVINE (NEW ZEALAND), SARAH TAYLOR (ENGLAND), SARAH COYTE.

BRISBANE HEAT :

HOLLY FERLING, JESS JONASSEN, GRACE HARRIS

HOBART HURRICANES :

HEATHER KNIGHT (ENGLAND), HALEY MATTHEWS (WEST INDES), AMY SATTERTHWAITE (NEW ZEALAND)

MELBOURNE RENEGADES :

DANNI WYATT (ENGLAND), RACHAEL PRIEST (NEW ZEALAND)

MELBOURNE STARS :

MEG LANNING, MIGNON DUPREEZ (SOUTH AFRICA), NATALIE SCIVER (ENGLAND)

PERTH SCORCHERS :

CHARLOTTE EDWARDS (ENGLAND), SUZIE BATES (NEW ZEALAND), NICOLE BOLTON.

SYDNEY SIXERS :

ELLYSE PERRY, LISA STHALEKAR, ALYSSA HEALY.

SYDNEY THUNDER :

ALEX BLACKWELL, STAFANIE TAYLOR.

This article first appeared on Firstpost.com       

WBBL 2015 Preview

This article first appeared in my column ''Seamstress" for Wisden India

Come 5th December, all eyes in the women’s cricket community and beyond will turn to the southern hemisphere. The first ever Women’s Big bash League, or WBBL, will blast off, taking domestic women’s cricket into a new dimension. Cricket Australia can already take a bow, even before a ball is bowled. Judging by the buzz the tournament has  generated on social media platforms, they seem to have laid the foundations to create the world’s most lucrative, most followed and most competitive female T20 domestic league. 

The tournament will feature the same eight teams as the BBL, as CA has aligned the women’s teams with the existing men’s clubs. Players from Australia’s women’s cricket team, the Southern Stars have been spread out across the eight teams, to ensure a well balanced competition. With teams allowed to sign up to three foreign recruits and a maximum of five internationals, a number of the biggest names in women’s cricket have jumped on board. Here’s a quick look at some of the high profile players in each team:

· Adelaide Strikers :

Sarah Coyte, Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Shelley Nitschke, Megan Schutt, Sarah Taylor (England)

The strikers broke new ground when they lured former southern stars all rounder Shelly Nitschke out of retirement. With more than 100 international caps under her belt, her experience will be invaluable to the likes of in-form wicket keeper Sarah Taylor. 

· Brisbane Heat:

Jessica Jonassen,  Jodie Fields, Holly Ferling, Delissa Kimmince, Kate Cross (England), Lauren Winfield (England).

The Heat will feature former Southern Stars captain Jodie Fields, along with current internationals Ferling and Kimmince. Englishwoman Kate Cross is likely to lead their strong pace bowling unit. 

· Hobart Hurricanes:

Julie Hunter, Heather Knight (England), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand)

The hurricanes will have serious strength to their batting unit, with all three internationals likely to feature in the top four.  With mostly home grown Tasmanian talent forming the rest of their squad, the expectations from the international stars will be high. 

· Melbourne Renegades: 

Sarah Elliott, Dane Van Niekerk (South Africa), Danielle Wyatt (England), Rachel Priest (New Zealand)

Their two international all-rounders are both spinners, and they will be relying on Priest’s experience behind the wickets to make a serious mark. The Renegades will be led by super mom and Aussie Test opener Sarah Elliot.

· Melbourne Stars:

 Meg Lanning, Mignon DuPreez (South Africa), Morna Nielsen (New Zealand), Natalie Sciver (England).

The stars snagged the big fish, Aussie skipper and precocious batter Meg Lanning. At just 23, she has already stamped her authority on the world game by claiming a number of batting records. Leading the stars, she will have the services of South Africa skipper DuPreez, and a host of local talent from a strong Victoria Spirit side. 

· Perth Scorchers:

 Nicole Bolton, Suzie Bates (New Zealand), Katherine Brunt (England), Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Charlotte Edwards (England), Elyse Villani. 

The Scorchers will unleash some serious firepower in their both departments, with White Fern skipper Suzie Bates likely to open the innings with the bat, and fast bowler Brunt with the ball. Bates will be replaced by Deandra Dottin when she will be unavailable due to international duties. They will also benefit from the vast experience of England skipper Edwards, although Nicole Bolton will lead the side. 

· Sydney Sixers:

Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Lisa Sthalekar, Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Sara McGlashan (New Zealand), Laura Marsh (England)

The sixers will feature the services of the world’s best all-rounder and dual international Perry. They have also coaxed out of retirement Lisa Sthalekar, a legend in the women’s game, and now a prominent commentator.  Joining them is White Fern McGlashan, who recently collected her 200th international cap. Alyssa Healy , now the first choice keeper for Australia, will don the gloves. 

· Sydney Thunder:

 Alex Blackwell, Stafanie Taylor( West Indes), Rene Farrell, Erin Osborne.

With one international signing yet to be disclosed, the Thunder squad already looks good. Led by veteran batter Alex Blackwell, who is also the Australian vice captain, they feature many members of the New South Wales Breakers squad who won the WNCL title for 10 consecutive years. And now joined by Windes captain Taylor, one of the best all-rounders in world cricket, they are set to make a big impression.

The WBBL will last for a month and a half, with games to be played on some of the most historic venues across Australia, including the SCG, the Adelaide Oval, and the WACA.  In her column for the Brisbane times, Southern Stars and Brisbane Heat fast bowler Holly Ferling  said, ”2015 has been the year of female athletes with many successes coming from female sporting teams and taking over the media coverage. In terms of women's sport, this is arguably the biggest step forward to commercialising and professionalising a women's domestic competition.

You definitely do not want to miss this.’’

By taking the decision to align the teams with the existing BBL, CA have given the women’s competition access to existing set ups, fan bases and rivalries. In turn, having been handed a new team to bring up from scratch, the franchises have all responded with a slew of initiatives, which are likely to amplify the effect of the WBBL. Here’s a look at some of them:

· The two Melbourne based franchises have gone a step further to raise the tempo of the rivalry between the two clubs. When the Renegades and Stars face off in January, they will be vying for the Lanning-Elliot Cup, christened after the two captains of the Melbourne based teams. 

· Most franchises have signed on dedicated sponsors for their women’s teams. In fact, both Sydney teams have the same sponsor (XVenture), and both Melbourne teams will also sport the same name on their shirts (VicHealth). 

· WBBL franchises have created their own pathways into their female squads. For instance, the Brisbane Heat launched the Heat Girls Cricket League to get more young girls involved in cricket, and thus nurture the grass root level talent. Coaching clinics in local clubs conducted by the franchises’ star players, have given young children a chance to connect with their role models, and deepen the fan-star bond.

· Former Australia all-rounder Lisa Sthalekar will appear in all the televised games of the WBBL, albeit behind the microphone. When not playing and training with the Sydney Sixers, she will be calling the BBL games as well. 

· The WBBL clubs will offer eight talented cricketers from associate and affiliate countries an opportunity to train for two weeks with the WBBL squads, as part of their rookie program.  They could even debut in the competition, if a contracted player is ruled out due to injury. 

Arguably the biggest takeaway that women’s cricket will gain from the WBBL is creating a high profile domestic cricket centrepiece, which will provide a clear pathway for young women in cricket. The Southern Stars have already established themselves among the best female sports teams in the country, and have provided young girls some fine role models. The WBBL will provide a platform where young girls can aspire to rub shoulders with their heroes, as well as a galaxy of other international stars. According to the CA website, Big Bash league boss Mike Mckenna said, "We're pretty keen to see how the broadcast goes and what it looks like on television but the most important thing is that it's inspiring girls to play cricket." "If we see recruitment numbers going up at clubs and school or girls playing at the park or the beach, that's what we're looking to see and that's what would constitute a successful first season," he goes on to add.  

 With eight of the 59 games being televised live as double headers with the respective BBL games, the WBBL promises to provide a wonderful exhibition of the women’s game. We must now wait till the 24th of January next year, to see who grabs the rights to call themselves the first, ever, WBBL champions. 

A TALE OF TWO CITIES : Adelaide vs Nagpur

Adelaide grabbed all the eyeballs, while Nagpur, the headlines.

Two three-day test matches unfolded over the last weekend, but it seemed that was about all the similarity they had. While one set the stage for the longest format of the game to enter a new era, the other was a throwback to times when spinners wreaked havoc in the subcontinent.  Both elicited different reactions: one mostly adoration, and the other, largely condemnation. The centre of attention in the first was the ball, and in the second, the pitch.

I’m talking of course, about the pink ball vs. the dust bowl. Adelaide vs. Nagpur. Both very different test matches.

Or were they?

Runs were hard to come by in both games. The 200 mark resisted achievement, like it had a magnet there that repelled teams under it, and pulled back teams that went passed it.  Only two half centuries punctuated the eight completed innings, both in the pink ball test. Strike rates languished sluggishly around the fifty-mark, rare for four teams filled with high quality batters. Bowlers had the upper hand in both games from ball one. Wickets were thrown away thanks to some poor decision making on both sides of the world. The side that bowled better won, on both occasions, as almost always is in test cricket.

Both were played on result oriented wickets. Both ended in three days.

Then why the public flaying of the Nagpur wicket on social media? Because it was too one sided, they said. Because it was not an even contest between bat and ball. Because it was un-entertaining.    

By that reasoning, the test at Perth, preceding the pink ball test, should have received an equal amount of flak. A venue that is considered to be a fast bowlers dream to served up a pitch that ended a fast bowler’s career. It was like turning up expecting to see Smaug, only to find oneself confronted by an imitation, a paper dragon. Runs were piled on in a seemingly facile manner. Records tumbled, and the turnstiles clicked over for all five days. For the most part, people were happy. With a draw. One that was so interesting it was compared to the rained out second test in Bangalore. Sure, a few people made some noises about the pitch. But no one was really complaining. After all, this is a batter’s game.

This is a rant. By a bowler, against the batter’s game. And more so against the ‘batter’s game mindset’. And here’s why:

Both Adelaide and Nagpur served up pitches that challenged the batters, irrespective of the condition of the ball. In Adelaide, a smattering of grass lay on the wicket, to make sure the pink ball felt comfortable on its debut. In Nagpur, the track reflected the water shortage in the region that has sadly driven so many farmers to suicide.

Admittedly, the Nagpur track had a great deal more to offer the consistent bowler than the Adelaide pitch. But is that to say it gave any one team an advantage? I feel it did not. Both teams could avail use of the same conditions on day one, and on day two.  Therefore it was a more sporting wicket than a green top that gives the team bowling first a huge head start as it gradually but inevitably flattens out every day.

It did challenge the batters from ball one. But does the community deplore the many ‘roads’ test matches across the world are played on, which give the bowlers nothing? Let’s not even get started about the condition of wickets in ODI cricket.  Aren’t those challenges, for the bowlers, and if they are, why is the international cricket community in outcry only against wickets that challenge batters? Can we not gain entertainment from such wickets too? Can we not say to ourselves, “Alright, this isn’t a 400 wicket, it’s a 150 one’’ and stand and applaud the team that gets 200?

Another attack made against the Nagpur track was that it produced a one sided match. It did, but was that the fault of the pitch?

India are infamous for being bad travellers. It is usually because the batters can’t cope with the foreign conditions and the bowlers aren’t as good as their counterparts at exploiting them.  That is exactly what happened to South Africa in Nagpur, in a more dramatic fashion than anyone could have imagined, making them the cynosure of the cricket world, and making the Nagpur pitch the villain. 

The fact of the matter was that the South African spinners weren’t consistent enough to take advantage of the purchase that the wicket offered, allowing the Indian batters to look better than they were. That Morne Morkel was their second highest wicket taker in the first innings is testament to that fact. Their batters on the other hand, were undone by a combination of brilliant spin bowling and bad shot selection. Murali Vijay, Wriddhiman Saha and JP Duminy  showed that one could bat on that track, one where getting to 40 was equal to scoring a hundred.

Adelaide on the other hand, was a game featuring two very evenly matched batting departments, and two bowling attacks equally adept at exploiting conditions that suited them. Bowlers on both sides picked up five-fors, and there too, bowling spells provided the defining moments of the match. Thus the audience there witnessed an even contest; a game that ebbed and flowed either way, in which both teams stood a chance of winning.

Every country has a right to prepare pitches that offer them advantage. I’m positive Kohli and co will not be complaining about pace and bounce when India tours Australia next year. And spare a thought for the curators. I know next to nothing about the art of pitch making, but I am certain it is an art, not an exact science. After the furore over CEO pitches in England, this recent recrudescence of result oriented wickets is a breath of fresh air.

So I venture that we abandon the ‘batter’s game mindset’ while rushing to judge these three day tests. With all the recent rule changes in ODI cricket, bowlers have had to learn to swim in the deep end for far too long. It’s good to see some smiles on their faces.

And let’s celebrate, not denigrate home advantage. In the Hunger Games, the Gamemakers created different environments each time the tributes entered the arena. But it was the tributes who were able to adapt, and outlast the competition that survived, even if the environment was a far cry from that of their own districts. So too it is in the sacrosanct arena of test cricket and so should it remain.  

             

Lets talk about contracts

                    This post first appeared in my column ''Seamstress'' for Wisden India.

Jhulan Goswami will be one of the old guard of players who finally benefit through women's contracts.

With the BCCI's announcement that central contracts will be introduced for the Indian women's cricket team, a collective exhalation could be heard from those who were holding their breath for the last few months. Ever since the BCCI announced their intention to do so, there had been unbridled excitement, loud scepticism, and a quiet optimism that women's cricket will see better days.

As it stands, credit must be given to the current BCCI administration for walking the talk. By introducing graded central contracts, they have shown as concrete their intention to develop women's cricket.

As per the BCCI announcement, eleven players have been contracted to start with. The four players who find themselves in Grade 'A' will earn Rs. 15 lakhs per year, while the remaining seven in grade 'B' will be paid Rs. 10 lakhs a year.

The move will come as a boon to all female players who have been included in the list, who will now be free from financial insecurity. Currently, the vast majority of female players were dependent on jobs with the Railways, who are almost the sole recruiters of female cricketers across India. (To give you an idea, ten of the 15 players in India' most recent ODI squad are employed with Railways.) However, this means that railway duties would take up a certain amount of the athlete’s time, which meant that India's players always remained semi- professional at best. By introducing central contracts, the eleven players now have the financial freedom to train full time as professionals.

Also, by stipulating that those players who play at least three international games will be include in the Grade 'B' list, the BCCI has created an environment of healthy competition amongst the players in the fringes, and left the door open for deserving candidates to join the club.

But were contracts necessary as a motivating factor in the first place? Certainly not. Female cricketers have been playing for nothing but the love of the game until the early 2000's. The reason senior players in the Indian team had been pushing for contracts to be implemented, is that India were lagging behind.

England were the first to introduce a contract-like system in 2008, by appointing some players as ambassadors in the now hugely successful 'Chance To Shine' program. Australia followed suit soon after, linking their national team contracts to ambassadorial roles in their Females In Cricket  strategy. Sri Lanka, the West Indes, South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand also joined the contract bandwagon –with different levels of financial assistance - which meant that India was the only major team left out.

This offered a huge competitive advantage to the other sides, whose progress have left India eating their dust on a number of occasions. In the last four years alone, India have conceded series losses -some on home soil- against Sri Lanka, South Africa and the West Indes. From being a top four team, India have slipped to the bottom half of the pecking order in the ICC women’s championship, despite having no shortage of talent. With the central contracts in place, the core members of the Indian squad can now afford to train as professionals, like many of their opposing numbers already do.

However with professional contracts come the expectations of results. It is pertinent to note that most other national teams were handed contracts on the back of consistent improvements in international performances. While the England women became fully professional after retaining the Ashes in Australia, the Southern Stars received a huge pay hike after their hat-trick of world T20 titles. The Indian women on the other hand, have blown hot and cold over the last year and a half, putting in some good performances in the test format, but struggling in the shorter formats. India are receiving contracts more out of necessity than reward. The BCCI has awarded contracts lest it be left behind, not that it may forge ahead. 

Also, the build up to awarding contracts to their women's teams differed with most other countries. Contracts, particularly with the English and Australian women's teams, were a natural progression of the increase of the standard of cricket in the domestic and national sides, which led to more revenue through better viewership and more sponsors. The more money the boards invested developing their national and domestic women’s setups, the better the performances, and the more money they attracted. The goal of the boards involved was to grow women's cricket from a game that needed financial assistance to one that could ''stand on its own two feet commercially through ticket sales and attracting commercial partners'' according to Clare Connor, revolutionary head of women's cricket at the ECB. Whether the BCCI holds such plans for its team remains to be seen.  

Looking forward, there are a few more financial consolidations that the BCCI still could make to crystallise the initiative it has taken to make cricket a more inviting career option for young women. One of these is an increase in match fees at domestic level. Such a move has been proposed in the BCCI annual report. While contracts will benefit only a score of players, an increase in match fees will benefit the hundreds who play in the domestic circuit. This will also help bridge the gap between the standards of cricket of domestic cricketers and international cricketers.

 And within the Indian setup, the BCCI would do well to introduce higher match fees for those who play in the playing XI, as opposed to the current system of equal payment for all squad members. It will only increase fairness in selection, competition within the team for places, and accountability.  

The game of catch up now begins. At the risk of sounding ungrateful, the awarding of contracts is a trifle for an organisation with pockets as deep as the BCCI’s. Will the women’s team be awarded a long term vision of progress, and the people and commitment required to achieve it? The new BCCI administration must take the famous riddle of the sphinx one step further. They must take women’s cricket from being a creature that walks on three legs in the evening, to two the next dawn. 

Calling Time

In action.

This is a bittersweet post. After almost 15 years in which cricket has been the central theme of my life, I have decided to retire from BCCI domestic cricket.  

At the outset, I would like to use this post to sincerely thank everyone who has been a part of my journey. From coaches, trainers, physios, fellow teammates, captains I have played under, administrators and selectors, thank you all. To my employers and sponsors BAS, thank you for the continued support.

Representing India and Maharashtra has been an honour, and looking back, I cherish every occasion I got to wear my country and state cap. The experience has helped make me the person I am, and for this and much else, I am sincerely grateful. 

Drained after one of the many Maharashtra training sessions.  

My first India Blazer

We try to play cricket like it is life-or death. We try to prepare like there's nothing else. We leave our homes, families, friends, comfort zones all behind, and chase leather like there's no tomorrow. But at the end of the day, we are taught to maintain perspective, be grateful, and remember that it is just a game. At the end of the spectrum, looking back, I can see how that statement stands true and false at the same time. 

True, because it is just a game. there are always more important things in life. A country at war, a relative fighting disease, a friend struggling with the loss of a loved one . We cricketers are incredibly fortunate to get to spend our days playing the game we love, often earning our livelihoods from it. As a player who has just lost a close emotionally draining game, its important to reflect on such things, and not let yourself be bogged down by the weight of defeat. It is just a game after all. 


False, because it is so much more. It is a family, within a dormitory, or a team bus, or a hotel terrace. It is a place we explore ourselves, often find ourselves, and even more often lose ourselves again. It is rivalry and friendship existing seamlessly in the same relationship. It is the ultimate learning process. It is said when the student is ready, the teacher shall appear. Thus cricket teaches so little to some people, and so much to others.  

With my inspiration, Jhulan Goswami, on my first tour. 

At the Chinnaswamy, a ground that housed many a camp and many a memory. 

It is this that I will leave behind. It weighs on my heart, but hey, it's just a game remember?

One of my favourite memories, beating the Railways in a Super Over in Pune.

Life offers few such experiences  that give us so much, and I will always be on the look out for new ones. There are a number of things that I want to devote my time to in this second innings of sorts. Who knows. Perhaps 15 years later, I will write about something else that has given me so much. Perhaps not.

Cricket has given me a chance to see some tremendous beauty.

At the SCG. After India, Australia is my favourite country.

Looking forward to where life takes me.