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The Samba Kings in Cricket!!

warrioryohannan

U19 Cricketer
Can India do a Samba act?
NR Vijay Anand - 18 July 2002


Just a week after the scintillating finals of the football World Cup, sports-lovers were treated to some exhilarating displays of brilliance and - more importantly - great team efforts by the Indian cricket team in England. Being in the US, though, I was unfortunately only able to catch the excitement through match reports and repeated usage of the Refresh button to view the latest scores on the live card.

Thinking back to the build-up before the football World Cup, some comparisons made themselves obvious, and although it may be taking similarities a tad too far, I find many common points between the recently victorious Brazilian team and the Indian cricket team - whom I'm backing to win the World Cup next year.

The first similarity lies in the setup of the team? The Indian team has always been regarded as a collection of individually brilliant stars, just like the Brazilians. If batting in cricket were to be considered akin to offence in football, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly could be compared to the three famous Rs in the Brazilian offence. Sehwag's batting can sometimes be as sublime as Ronaldinho's amazing runs, and Ganguly's down-the-track-and-over-the-top shots are as effective as the left-footed missiles from Rivaldo.

But can Tendulkar do a Ronaldo act when it matters most? I think it is time for the little master to answer his critics by turning in more match-winning performances. And what better stage could Tendulkar choose other than the World Cup? The Indian one-day team’s batting strength is as strong as it has been at any point in its cricketing history, just as the Brazilian offence was in the World Cup. Even in bench strength, India could match the Brazilians man for man; VVS Laxman can on his day be as brilliant as the gifted Denilson, while Dinesh Mongia can match Juninho for power and talent.

Before the World Cup, most analysts regarded the Brazilian defence to be the poorest in recent memory, accusations similar to those hurled at the Indian bowling. But the performances of Cafu, Carlos, Edmilson and Lucio when it mattered most won the day for Brazil. If the seam attack of Ashish Nehra, Zaheer Khan and a much-improved Ajit Agarkar, along with a spin attack comprising Anil Kumble or Harbhajan Singh, can match the Brazilian defence's doggedness, India are capable of going on to clinch the World Cup in style.

I may be dreaming, or even out of my mind, but this comparison must surely merit attention. At least in the batting department, India have a very balanced side, with the left-right batting combination possibly continuing right until the last pair. In bowling too we have two left-armers matching a right-arm seamer and a right-arm spinner.

These aspects apart, the team appears to have been injected with fresh optimism and enthusiasm courtesy the newly included youngsters. And finally, just as much as the Brazilians love their football, India's passion for cricket is at par - if not much higher. It is to be hoped that the Indian millions will rejoice on March 23 just like the Brazilians did on July 1.
 

Eclipse

International Debutant
Indians must remember there team cant play on bouncy pitches SA pitches are basicly the same as Australian pitches and you know how badly we always beat you in Australia.
 

oyesachinoye

Cricket Spectator
Keep dreaming!

History doesn't always reapeat itself.

Without ur oldie Waugh, ur team isn't unbeatenable.Maybe u will beat India in supersix, but will surely be thrashed by the NZ against whome u can't play!

AUs are not going to win the cup, i don't dislike them, i'm saying that coz i can see that they no longer have a champion team.

If India can get to the semis, then they can go all the way too, though SA are the fav's!
 

scorpio

U19 Cricketer
Indians must remember there team cant play on bouncy pitches SA pitches are basicly the same as Australian pitches and you know how badly we always beat you in Australia.
Well u might have forgotten we recently played one dayers in SA and were SA's match until we choked in the finals.

While i agree 100% that this article is crap ( the website this article is taken from is just an example of waht happens when morons write )
i dont agree with ur views that india will be trashedblah blah blah.

Things have changed buddy. Aus still is the fav.But india are no pushover.

But i wish this kinda dumb hyping would end.

[Edited on 7/24/02 by scorpio]
 

Neil Pickup

Cricket Web Moderator
Things have changed buddy. Aus still is the fav.But india are no pushover.
None of Australia, SA, NZ, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England are pushovers. It should be a very tight WC. Let's hope cricket is the winner...
 

scorpio

U19 Cricketer
Things have changed buddy. Aus still is the fav.But india are no pushover.
None of Australia, SA, NZ, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England are pushovers. It should be a very tight WC. Let's hope cricket is the winner...
Exactly my point. No team can be considered a shoo in for this world cup. Competition is too close to predict.
 

scorpio

U19 Cricketer
Atleast 3 teams are pushovers, Zimb,Eng and WI!
dude get a grip. Stop trolling. Just after i spent a day defending indian fans guys like you come out and start flame baiting.

How long do u think it will take for someone will come with a retort abt our dumb bowling attack or our choking batsmen ?

Stop this kinda posts for now and act sensibly...
 

oyesachinoye

Cricket Spectator
Scorpio,
Stop being personal, we don't want ur support, stick to the topic!

WI/Zimb and Eng are weak teams, India might not have the best of the bowlers, but overall our team is good.The same can't be said about the above mentioned teams!

[Edited on 7/24/02 by oyesachinoye]
 
Well Zimb are still minors in my opinion, WI are unfortunately not the side it used to be , and frankly no one believes that these two team will do much in the cup.
England have a very good test team, but in onedayers they suxs, but then they have rarely played with their best 11 in recent months.They can surprise a few teams, though i don't think they can make it to the super six!
 

scorpio

U19 Cricketer

Scorpio,
Stop being personal, we don't want ur support, stick to the topic!

WI/Zimb and Eng are weak teams, India might not have the best of the bowlers, but overall our team is good.The same can't be said about the above mentioned teams!

[Edited on 7/24/02 by oyesachinoye]

allright troll. some ppl just wont learn...

i just get pissed coz every one gets tarred with the same brush. ( well just in case you dont get it - ppl blame all indians as deluded or stupid )

Nothing personal though buddy
 

Top_Cat

Request Your Custom Title Now!
i just get pissed coz every one gets tarred with the same brush. ( well just in case you dont get it - ppl blame all indians as deluded or stupid )
Don't worry. Your posts speak for themselves. You've got little to worry about. ;)
 

Neil Pickup

Cricket Web Moderator
England. Weak? Very narrow defeat to India and comfortable wins over SL. And SL aren't weak. Take off your rose tinted glasses and look at some evidence. We aren't going to win it but we're not pushovers any more.
 

oyesachinoye

Cricket Spectator
Ever cared to look up at this yrs England's record in onedayers ??
SL are more of a one man team, without Murali they struggles badly, Eng did not achieve anything by beating them.
 

lord_of_darkness

Cricket Web XI Moderator
Oh man im not going to bother writing a 3 para speech explaining why India is not the best in the world number one blah blah , go read my other posts for that reason for crying out loud

Quote myself : "ive been a die hard indian supporter and nz cricket one , ive seen the losses and the wins i know what im on about"
 

Neil Pickup

Cricket Web Moderator
Ever cared to look up at this yrs England's record in onedayers ??
SL are more of a one man team, without Murali they struggles badly, Eng did not achieve anything by beating them.
So how come India did then?
And England's last year ODI record - Drew 3-3 in India, Lost 2-3 in NZ, Won 5-0 in Zimbabwe, Beat SL in the NatWest and narrowly, narrowly lost to the "Greatest Team in the World". Pushovers? Not on that form.
 

oyesachinoye

Cricket Spectator
Yeah, thats the thing buddy, they have only been sucessful against Zimb!!

As i have mentioned before, Lanka without Murali suxs, they themselves admit it, so that win doesn't count.
India did dominate the Natwest series, no one can deny that!
 

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