The IPL Verdict: Operation Clean-Up Indian Cricket!

July 14, 2015, a very important day for Indian Cricket. On the one hand the forcibly-constituted second-string Team India has crushed Zimbabwe 3-0 in the ODI Series being played in Zimbabwe. On the other the Supreme Court appointed Justice Lodha Committee delivered a historic and ruthless verdict on the IPL Spot Fixing scam. Operation Clean-Up Indian cricket has begun with a big bang. In these pages we have always opposed the sleazy cricket in the garb of the Indian Premier League (IPL) tracking all the important developments including the Supreme Court of India coming into the picture taking on the corrupt practices both in the tournament and in the Indian cricket board, BCCI. Now the IPL is in the worst crisis ever. Now, we stand vindicated, we say now…scrap the IPL.

Sans the superstars the second-string Indian team played freely in Zimbabwe under the ‘no-choice’ skipper Ajinkya Rahane. They have built up big partnerships that the main team was found lacking in recent matches; several key batsmen hit centuries and what is important stayed on for the team’s interest that many superstars of the main team could not do; they have pulled the team out of tricky and dangerous situations especially in the first and the third one day internationals winning both matches whereas as found recently under the same situations the main team would have given up meekly; without pondering over the ability or the lack of it of the opposition they have batted, bowled and fielded with determination winning finally in style. For the first time Stuart Binny got the opportunity to showcase his all-round abilities. He was in the World Cup-2015 team, but was hardly utilized. Within a few days the new team grouped well and delivered. And what about the superstars? They forced out the ‘rest’ because they were IPL-weary. Now, most of them find that they have no IPL teams to play for.

The sensational IPL Verdict has banned two major franchises—Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR)—from the IPL for two years. The axe fell on these two teams due to their two key officials—Gurunath Meiyappan of CSK and Raj Kundra of RR—who were found guilty of being involved in heavy betting. Despite their obvious complicity no action was ever taken against them by the concerned franchisee or the BCCI. Meiyappan and Kundra are banned for life from all cricket activities and from all cricket matters relating to the BCCI. Crucial evidence in this regard was submitted by the Mudgal Committee last year.

Question marks are also on the current one-day skipper MS Dhoni who also leads the CSK as to what he disclosed or hid from the Mudgal committee. He was found to be in close coordination with Meiyappan, the CEO of the franchisee, in all matters related to CSK. The shadow of doubt on him and several other star cricketers are bound to continue till further disclosure. Three players of RR were arrested for spot fixing and with the co-owner Raj Kundra also implicated nobody in the franchisee bothered to examine or take action. This is not the end of justice being done; this is just the beginning of operation clean-up Indian cricket. More is bound to follow with the Lodha committee set to take up the corruption and lack of transparency in the BCCI next.

And what about N Srinivasan? His team gone, his company Indian Cements debarred from any business with the BCCI and his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan banned for life. However, well known for his craze for power, N Srinivasan will not step down or resign from his ICC Chairmanship or other cricket posts. Questions will be raised again on his role, but the great cricket-czar is still looking for options expressing his disappointment at the ‘unfair’ verdict. One thing is sure though, Indian Cricket cannot be the same after today.

Cricket: No Alternative But To Make Rahane Lead Second-String Team India For Zimbabwe Tour!

Finally all the IPL-weary Indian cricket superstars have to be rested, especially after the full-strength Team India failed to deliver in the just concluded Bangladesh tour losing the ODI series 1-2. The rested players are ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Test captain Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and spinner R Ashwin. With Dhoni not around some decisions became easier to take. Like dropping Ravindra Jadeja, bringing in Harbhajan Singh to the one day team after he made a comeback to the Test team in Bangladesh and selecting the captain for the second-string Team India for the tour of Zimbabwe starting 10th July. The tour consists of three one day internationals (ODI) and two T20 matches. This made-easy squad was announced by the BCCI national selectors in New Delhi today. 

Of course, having rested all the 'worthy' cricketers there was nobody 'worthy' enough to lead the team except for Ajinkya Rahane whose 'quality' is conveniently discovered now. After the humiliating defeat in the first Test against Bangladesh this very captain-now player was dropped for the second Test. This writer criticized the move mentioning his quality as a reliable batsman in these pages. But now, with no alternative available, the same player is named captain. Well, this is always a toss between the musts and the expendables that the Indian cricket Board exercises for team selection. And mind you, the BCCI has the 'wisdom' to justify the move of a forced second-string Team India on the ground of so-called preparations for the ICC World T20-2016. Their 'young blood' argument falls flat on so many occasions, yet they continue taking guard on the same. Maybe the Lalit Modi revelations regarding three star Indian cricketers may have some influence on the decisions notwithstanding the fact that the BCCI has given them all a clean chit. With the kind of storm Lalit Modi is creating all over the country anything seems to be plausible. 

Robin Uthappa, Kedar Jadhav, Manish Pandey, Sandeep Sharma, Krn Sharma and Manoj Tiwary manage to get selected now. Now Murali Vijay too manages to come back to the team. His super form was immaterial when selection for the World Cup-2015 was made. Anyway, let us see what this team does in Zimbabwe after the tour was revived. 

The Indian Squad: Ajinkya Rahane (capt), M Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel, Karn Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma.

ICC Cricket World Cup: India Beat Zimbabwe By 6 Wickets, Maintain All Win Record Ahead Of The Knockout Stage!

India have hit a resounding six of six consecutive wins in the ICC World Cup-2015 beating Zimbabwe by 6 wickets in their last league match in Auckland today. However, the margin of India’s victory was not as comfortable as it looks. Chasing a very competitive total of 287 set by Zimbabwe India were under intense pressure at 92 for the loss of 4 top order batsmen in the 23^rd over. Thanks to a rollicking unbeaten partnership of 196 runs between Suresh Raina and skipper MS Dhoni victory was finally made easy with 8 balls to spare. Man of the Match Raina raced to a brilliant hundred, his first century in World Cups, making 110 not out off 104 balls with 9 fours and 4 sixes. Raina was helped by a simple dropped catch before he made his half century and was initially living dangerously giving somewhat catching practice to the Zimbabwe fielders. Dhoni gave him solid company making a professional 85 runs not out off 76 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes—the winning shot being a six from him.

Armed with only a solitary win Zimbabwe almost stopped Team India’s wining spree. After putting Zimbabwe under a lot of pressure at 126 for 4, Indian bowlers seemed to have let off the opposition allowing them to a free flowing run bonanza with the spinners proving totally ineffective. As you know old habits die hard it seemed like a page out of the past. However, unlike the past behavior of Team India Zimbabwe were not allowed to cross the 300 mark and instead the last three wickets were captured for just 2 runs. So, in the six matches thus far India had the opposition all out every time—a feat only achieved by South Africa earlier.

The syndrome of ‘old habits die hard’ does not end there though. As all of us are aware in all major cricket tournaments Team India start experimenting with reserve players once assured of a berth in the next round or in semifinal or finals and in the process losing matches. I was shocked to find celebrated cricket experts and journalists ‘discussing’ the ‘need to rest key players’ in TV channels and newspaper columns. WHY FOR GOD’S SAKE? Don’t anybody realize that this is the World Cup, that the team is winning with the combinations working in the best way possible and that how disastrous it would be for the team to lose a match at this stage and thus inspiring the rival teams in the knockout stage. Good, Dhoni did not fall for it. But still, it seemed like there was some plan. Because of these points—Indian top order batsmen needed some practice in defensive techniques (else why Shikhar Dhawan and Rahane were playing so slowly and in sharp contrast charging down the pitch for non-existent singles); Suresh Raina was not getting enough opportunity to get runs and so needed to be in the middle for some time; lower order of the Indian batting including Dhoni needed more exposure and the Indian tail needed to be tailored to wag enough in the knockout stage. Well, if there was indeed such a plan it was bizarre, risky and negative. The good thing is that most of India’s needs were fulfilled finally in this game! They chased down the highest ever World Cup total despite the fits and starts. And it gave the right kind of message to a resurgent Bangladesh.

Zimbabwe captain Brendon Taylor bid adieu to his team with an explosive century (138 off 110 balls with 15 fours and 5 sixes) as he will be joining an English county team for three years and would probably keep himself open for selection in the England team. Virtually in his last innings for Zimbabwe Taylor provided the momentum for a total in excess of 300, but an injury-affected team could not capitalize fully on it. 

The Scorecard:

The line-up in Pool—A is final—1.New Zealand, 2.Australia, 3.Sri Lanka and 4.Bangladesh and knockout games start from 18^thMarch. From Pool-B top team India is set to meet Bangladesh in the quarterfinal scheduled on 19^th March in Melbourne. Sunday’s (tomorrow, 15/3/15) crucial matches of Pakistan Vs Ireland and West Indies Vs UAE will decide who will meet New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka. If Pakistan win they will move to either second or third position depending on net run-rate with South Africa. The net run-rate will also decide whether loser Ireland or West Indies winning against UAE will finally occupy the fourth position. Stay tuned!