Bytes from Bangladesh...

Watching the coverage of the series on Neo Sports, makes me wonder about the wisdom of having Rohan Gavaskar and Hrishikesh Kanitkar as the experts sitting in the studio. Both are current Ranji Cricketers, and would probably end up not making up the top 50 of the country currently.

How do you expect them to comment on players like a Tendulkar, Ganguly or a Dravid? Do the experts have it in them to comment about Dravid's technique, Tendulkar's early dismissals and Ganguly's comeback?

And more importantly, what does Kanitkar think is happening? An obituary? A Memorial Service? Hearing him reminds me of those days when Radio Commentary was the best thing that happened to man kind(before the advent of the current Sports channels). In fact the experts there were more lively and well informed.

Picture this.

Radhakrishnan(Neo Sport's answer to Harsha Bhogale, who I think does a pretty decent job): So, earlier it was hot and humid, and now it is raining.
Kanitkar: (morose as ever, wakes up briefly) Yeah (pause) earlier it was (pause) very hot for the players (longer pause) and the public, now it is raining (sleeps...gets up again) and so there is no match.

Huh??? Thanks. We thought earlier it was very hot and humid and now it is raining!

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Poor Wasim Jaffer.Gets out on the first ball of the innings for a duck and then watches his team mates score runs aplenty. The score of 500 definitely looks on the cards. And if that was not enough, every newspaper has carried a report on how Jaffer's only the 5th Indian batsman to get out off the first ball of the match. I get three newspapers, all three have!

The only silver lining is that Gavaskar did it thrice. Jaffer's in an elite club!

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So now, Ganguly and Tendulkar "are back", is it? Actually, this is what I thought I would hear from many, "they are back, but only against a team like Bangladesh". However, one thing to be noted here is that their recent record in Test Matches is good. Ganguly has scored 214 runs in his last series against SA with an average of around 43, where as, this is Tendulkar's 3rd consecutive half century in Test Matches. As I had mentioned earlier as well, these guys have something left in them for the Test Matches. It is their ODI form that is a cause for concern. In fact, it is not only about form. Simply speaking, it is a tired, weary, creaky body that has played cricket for a combined 25+ years now, and ODI is a game that requires far more fitness than it did, about 5 years back.Essentially, their fitness has deteriorated(for obvious reasons, they are almost 35 now), and the requirement has increased.

Need to start planning about their Cricket Futures.

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Yuvraj Singh got out for 1 in the first ODI. I overheard a colleague say, "It eees haai taaime dhat Yuvraj ees removed from dhe team." (It is high time that Yuvi is removed from the team). Well...in the last few matches, he has scored 316 runs at an average of 45. And this is discounting the West Indian series in 2006, where he scored 180 plus runs at 45 again. So, on what grounds do we remove him? That he made the blunder of getting out for 1 against a Team like Bangladesh?

Yeah, I think these are the same people who probably say, "Tendulkar is back in form", when he scores a ton against Kenya

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And to end, a non-Bangladeshi byte. An innings to remember by Shahid Afridi.Picture this, Lanka set Pakistan a target of 235 in the 50 overs. Pakistan lose half their side for 137.Enter Afridi. Tries to get his eye in(Surprise Surprise!!!). 60 odd required off 11 overs, 5 wickets to go. Batting Side is tensed. Bowling side is tensed. So are the spectators. Don't think the Batsman is...!

Bandara to bowl his leg spin. Afridi to face.

first ball...bang....four.
second....four...
third....out of the ground....six runs...
fourth...fifth....sixth.....6....6....6!!!

32 runs taken. A Potentially exciting match killed! Damn!