Week Ending June 24 -Cricket

Cricket: I was almost going to start writing about Baseball when I realized, I am forgetting my First Love, "Cricket". On Boxing Day, I remember, During College Days, few people who follow cricket (not closely but namely) asking me, Where is this Test Match being played, between, West Indies and Australia? I used to answer them very politely saying "Melbourne, Australia". By Asking the above question, you can differentiate the people who follows the game, closely or namely.

The people who follow the game closely, knows that If the Test Match is being played in the month of December and it involves Australia, It has to be played in Australia as Australia never tours during their Summer. In Baseball terms, if any team in playing in the middle of October, You dont have to say, that they are playing in the playoffs or World Series.

However, South Africa has filled the correct petition to ICC that Summer should not have monopoly of Australia. It is a noted fact that, December is the best month to play Cricket in many countries, including, New Zealand, India, Pakistan and South Africa. But Australia till this year have never ever travelled to any country in their summer. "World is Changing".

Although, Traditionally, As I am Indian, I do support Indian Cricket Team, However, Till Last Month my favorite team was "West Indies". Reasons are many: Aggressive Cricket is their Mantra. Now many would argue, saying Australians play more aggressive cricket then West Indies. I would say, Australians play "Winning" Cricket. They play to Win. While Lloyd's team, and then even later Viv Richards/Richardson/Ambrose/Bishop/Lara...they all played "Rich", "Thrilling", "Eye Catching", "Glorious" Cricket, There was an aggression in their game, Be It in their fielding, or batting or bowling. There is an inclusion of Dance Step in their shot making.
There is naive smile when they loose. They are the most "Lovable" Team, Even When they were winning or even now when they are loosing, Unlike Australians, which most of the World "Hates" them, Though They Win and play with "Winning Attitude".

About Indian Cricket Team: "Less you say, Better they are". To Be honest, I pity on BCCI Board. They can not show Door to the likes of Tendulkar, Ganguly. I do not blame any coach for not taking Indian Coaching, after they saw what happened to Greg Chappel. Any Coach would like to build the team and no one wants OLD people around to build the team. It is like building a "building" which wont last for more than 2 years. After Kapil Dev, India is yet to produce a bowler who can carry the team on his shoulder. In One -Dayers we scoes least amount of runs in the last 10 overs when we are batting and gave away most number in the last 10 overs when we are bowling. There are so many known problems, apart from team selection which We dont want to address. This "We" includes, the people who support Indian Cricket Team, Players who play in it and BCCI who runs this whole organization.

Trying to Look @ the Positive Side of Indian Cricket Team is: Rohit Sharma and Piyush Chawla. This two crickters are the future of the team and I am glad, they have been selected at this Level.