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Indian domestic season 2005-06
- Thread starter Arjun
- Start date
adharcric
International Coach
actually, he does make sense.marc71178 said:
you spend much less time making genuine contributions to threads than you do looking for ways to prove that other posters' views are rubbish & ridiculous.
really a pity, considering you have the ability to contribute so much.
adharcric
International Coach
In that sense you're right, it helps the selectors bring lower-division talents into contention. Just seems more interesting when the best are facing the best, rather than a Jharkand star facing a third-class Bihar attack, even if it means the Jharkand star has an opportunity to prove himself (which is very important, I agree).Arjun said:
Arjun
Cricketer Of The Year
Sorry for the lack of updates, but here's what happened in the ROD semis. Railways crushed Bengal by 102 runs at Lucknow. Railways won the toss and batted first, and openers Bangar and Pagnis got starts. Bangar hit two sixes and two fours, taking the attack to the oppsoition, while his partner, Pagnis, was more steady. The top scorer was Tejinder Pal Singh, wo scored 90 in 104 balls, with just six hits to the fence. JP Yadav and Shreyas Khanolkar chipped in with scores over 20, with just four boundaries between them. Bengal's medium-pacer Paul got three for 44, offie Lahiri got two for 45 and utility man Sanyal got one for 42, and forced a run-out.
When Bengal came in to bat, only SG Das, Ganguly and Shukla got past 20, but none of them converted those starts. That just shows how Bengal crumbled facing the six-man Railways attack, with Parida getting three for 15 and Bangar, two for just eight. It certainly is a case for a national recall, but he will have to compete with Munaf, Joginder and Pravin and even his teammate JP Yadav.
In the other semi, Uttar Pradesh also had a big win over the more-fancied Baroda. Even as Pravin Kumar struggled to replicate his Ranji heroics in ROD and Shivkant Shukla didn't score too many, they were anchored by a reasonably effective innings of 99 not out by captain Jyoti Prasad Yadav. Baroda's reserve seamer, left-armer Sankalp Vohra, gor 5 wickets and the famous Zaheer Khan took two for 34, while the only other bowler who got a wicket was spinner Ajit Bhoite.
Baroda, batting second, just capitulated. When the top two scores are a little over 20 by tailenders, you know how bad the batting was. Seamers Srivastava (three), Pravin Kumar (two, his bowling still did count) and Murtaza (two) combined ell to bundle the West powerhouse for a little over 100.
This sets up an interesting final for the series. Both teams are from the often-ignored Central Zone, which shows that the best players don't have to be from the big-gun teams anymore. Can Railways avenge their relegation from the Ranji Elite league? Can Uttar Pradesh do one better than last year and clinch the double? Worth a watch.
It's a pity to see local politics make a mess of things. For some strange reason, the State Government did not release the KD Singh Babu stadium for the final, which should have been played yesterday. The match has been shifted to Wankhede and will be played on April 2, which is a shocker of a date. It's in the peak of summer, in a place where the heat can be quite a hindrance. Fans in Uttar Pradesh protested, burning effigies of the Chief Minister and the Sports Minister, saying what they did will harm the interests of the game in the state. How right they are.
When Bengal came in to bat, only SG Das, Ganguly and Shukla got past 20, but none of them converted those starts. That just shows how Bengal crumbled facing the six-man Railways attack, with Parida getting three for 15 and Bangar, two for just eight. It certainly is a case for a national recall, but he will have to compete with Munaf, Joginder and Pravin and even his teammate JP Yadav.
In the other semi, Uttar Pradesh also had a big win over the more-fancied Baroda. Even as Pravin Kumar struggled to replicate his Ranji heroics in ROD and Shivkant Shukla didn't score too many, they were anchored by a reasonably effective innings of 99 not out by captain Jyoti Prasad Yadav. Baroda's reserve seamer, left-armer Sankalp Vohra, gor 5 wickets and the famous Zaheer Khan took two for 34, while the only other bowler who got a wicket was spinner Ajit Bhoite.
Baroda, batting second, just capitulated. When the top two scores are a little over 20 by tailenders, you know how bad the batting was. Seamers Srivastava (three), Pravin Kumar (two, his bowling still did count) and Murtaza (two) combined ell to bundle the West powerhouse for a little over 100.
This sets up an interesting final for the series. Both teams are from the often-ignored Central Zone, which shows that the best players don't have to be from the big-gun teams anymore. Can Railways avenge their relegation from the Ranji Elite league? Can Uttar Pradesh do one better than last year and clinch the double? Worth a watch.
It's a pity to see local politics make a mess of things. For some strange reason, the State Government did not release the KD Singh Babu stadium for the final, which should have been played yesterday. The match has been shifted to Wankhede and will be played on April 2, which is a shocker of a date. It's in the peak of summer, in a place where the heat can be quite a hindrance. Fans in Uttar Pradesh protested, burning effigies of the Chief Minister and the Sports Minister, saying what they did will harm the interests of the game in the state. How right they are.
Last edited:
ramkumar_gr
U19 Vice-Captain
none of the leading bowlers of TN were playing in that match. No Jesuraj,Ramkumar,Balaji and on the batting front, Sriram was missing.Arjun said:
Bangar and Badani both were outstanding in the knock-outs. Bangar, IMHO, could have proved to be a match-winner for India, just like Justin Kemp, Been overlooked for reasons beyond comprehension.
Arjun
Cricketer Of The Year
Revenge. That's what one can call the result of this match. Railways, relegated from the Elite level of the Ranji Trophy in the first-class scene, have struck back, and how. They have won the all-India Ranji one-day final in Mumbai, defeating their younger Central rivals Uttar Pradesh by 20 runs.
Batting first, Railways struggled throughout the innings in seamer-friendly conditions, as UP's Ranji hero, Pravin Kumar, took the top four wickets for next-to-nothing. Pravin finished with 5 for 32, doing his chances of an India call-up no harm at all. Piyush Chawla had a tough time, going for over 6 runs an over and takign one wicket, whiel the other youngster, Murtaza, did well, getting 2 for 38. Shreyas Khanolkar top-scored for Railways, with 74 off 95 with only five hits to the boundary. Out of their total of 224, only 100 runs were scored in boundaries.
It was a disappointing match for JP Yadav, who only scored 17 slow runs, and took no wicket. Bangar bowled just four overs and got no wicket after only scoring 19. Rookie all-rounder Pravin Kumar scord 21 off 22 balls, with three fours and a six. None of the UP batsmen converted their starts, with their top scorer being U-19 captain Ravikant Sukla, with 44. Tailenders Praveen Gupta (strangely, he didn't bowl a single over, though he's a left-arm spinner) and Srivastava were run-out, handing the match to Railways. Ultimately, Railways have proved that they're a much better team than the one that got relegated, UP have reached their second successive final only to miss narrowly, and there is a new domestic hero in Pravin Kumar.
Batting first, Railways struggled throughout the innings in seamer-friendly conditions, as UP's Ranji hero, Pravin Kumar, took the top four wickets for next-to-nothing. Pravin finished with 5 for 32, doing his chances of an India call-up no harm at all. Piyush Chawla had a tough time, going for over 6 runs an over and takign one wicket, whiel the other youngster, Murtaza, did well, getting 2 for 38. Shreyas Khanolkar top-scored for Railways, with 74 off 95 with only five hits to the boundary. Out of their total of 224, only 100 runs were scored in boundaries.
It was a disappointing match for JP Yadav, who only scored 17 slow runs, and took no wicket. Bangar bowled just four overs and got no wicket after only scoring 19. Rookie all-rounder Pravin Kumar scord 21 off 22 balls, with three fours and a six. None of the UP batsmen converted their starts, with their top scorer being U-19 captain Ravikant Sukla, with 44. Tailenders Praveen Gupta (strangely, he didn't bowl a single over, though he's a left-arm spinner) and Srivastava were run-out, handing the match to Railways. Ultimately, Railways have proved that they're a much better team than the one that got relegated, UP have reached their second successive final only to miss narrowly, and there is a new domestic hero in Pravin Kumar.
Arjun
Cricketer Of The Year
Here's the season wrap from CricInfo—
UP's surge, mystery teams and the Ganguly factor
Jamie Alter
April 6, 2006
A Mohammad Kaif-inspired Uttar Pradesh won their first Ranji Trophy title while Railways, the defending champions, were relegated to the Plate Group. There were plenty of finds, a dash of politics, and some defining moments from a former Indian captain in perhaps his most serious domestic season. At the end of the 2005-06 domestic season, we look back at what stood out.
Fairytale of the season
Charged by young talent inspired under the leadership of Mohammad Kaif, Uttar Pradesh - rank outsiders - fought their way back from a poor start to their Ranji Trophy campaign and eventually won their maiden title. Mohammad Kaif was the decisive factor in UP's surge to - and eventual clinching of - their maiden title.With youngsters like Suresh Raina and Praveen Kumar stepping it up in style, UP surged to a fantastic victory and capped a memorable season.
Star of the season
Suresh Raina , all of 19, topped the run tally for UP and was a key figure in his side's rise to the top. Stood out in UP's dismal start to the season with innings of 75 and 51, and failed to pass fifty on only one occasion throughout their run to the final - where he hit twin fifties. Stroked a fine 97 against India B in the Challenger Trophy, and starred in a few Indian ODI victories as well.
Most improved team
With an inspiring captain, a former captain who refused to give up, and a good showing by their youngsters, Bengal bounced back from a miserable season, in which they were almost relegated, to make the Ranji finals. Through individual and collective performances Bengal showed the grit to outbat heavyweights such as Baroda and make the finals. The successful duo of Saurasish Lahiri, the talented young offspinner, and Shib Shankar Paul, the right-arm fast bowler, were instrumental in Bengal's rise.
Double-take at Dharamshala
Drama unfolded at Dharamshala as a Plate Group match between Himachal Pradesh and Tripura in early December was called off after officials of two groups, claiming to be actual representatives of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, traded charges minutes before the match. The second team was banned from entering the ground, the match was called of after a political wrangle - with the Supreme Court intervening - and more than six weeks later, in Panjim, a Himachal side trumped Goa by six wickets.
Disappointment of the season
Railways, last season's Ranji champions, won just one match out of seven and finished at the bottom of the Elite Group points table. They were relegated to the Plate Group.
Most promising youngster
Piyush Chawla, the 17-year-old UP legspinner, made an immediate impact in his first season. Starting with the dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar with a googly during the Challenger Series and ending with a five-wicket haul in the Ranji final, Chawla was a talent to watch out for. The crowning glory for a good domestic season: a Test cap against Engand at Mohali.
Flop addition of the season
The BCCI's invitation towards the Zimbabwe President's XI to take part in the Duleep Trophy. Two losses - by an innings and seven runs to North Zone, and an innings and 17 runs to East - highlighted the dismal standard of cricket being ushered onto the Indian domestic scene.
Rearguard act of the season
Sachin Rana's brilliant, maiden first-class hundred from the No.9 spot, pulled Haryana out of a deep hole in a classic rearguard action against Baroda in a third-round Ranji match. Precariously placed at 159 for 9, Rana hit a valiant 121 from 142 balls and then, to show that his prime task was to open the bowling, proceeded to send down a wicket-maiden before stumps were called on the first day. He top-scored with 99 in the second innings as Haryana claimed a draw.
Slamming it to the selectors
Dropped from the Indian one-day side and faced with absurdly challenging circumstances, Sourav Ganguly struck a glorious 117 in a do-or-die-situation for East Zone in a Duleep Trophy match against North Zone at Rajkot. Ousted as Indian captain, Ganguly batted for four hours - and picked up four wickets in the match - to set up a nine-wicket win for East. Everybody seemed to know the complete truth about his elbow injury, never mind that the doctors themselves regard such a condition impossible to pronounce on with certainty, but Ganguly's defiance stood out in the dust of Rajkot.
A Kotla cracker
Gujarat's lower order dug its heels in and snatched a thrilling two-wicket victory over Delhi on the final day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group match at the Feroz Shah Kotla, despite a second successive five-wicket haul from Amit Bhandari, Delhi's captain and opening bowler. Three wickets in the space of 10 balls completely changed the complexion of the match as Delhi staged a magnificent last-ditch effort, but Hemal Watekar, who remained unbeaten on an invaluable 21 from 116 deliveries, cracked a four to seal Gujarat's win.
Badani's blooper
Tamil Nadu captain Hemang Badani's failure to inform the umpires of his return to the field during their Ranji one-day tournament against Railways earned his side a five-run penalty. For good measure, two run-outs in successive deliveries in the last over proved costly as Railways sneaked home by one run.
Upset of the season
The revenge of the ex-players. Maharashtra defeated a strong Mumbai side at the Wankhede Stadium to go into the semi-finals. Munaf Patel and Sairaj Bahutule - who moved from Mumbai to Maharashtra - scored vital runs and shared 13 wickets between themselves to consign their former team to a 65-run defeat.
No love lost
Amid unruly scenes, Hyderabad took two points in its first Elite Group match against Andhra Pradesh. Ambati Rayadu, who switched from Hyderabad to Andhra at the start of the season, was walking off after being dismissed when Arjun Yadav, the opposing captain, let fly a volley of abuses and ungentlemanly gestures before uprooting a stump and trying to hit him. The timely intervention by the umpires pacified the players but the fisticuffs were enough for the match to be called off.
Hard work in vain
Zaheer Khan topped the wickets list in the Duleep Trophy, with 23 from three matches, and dismissed Ganguly for a pair in the final but could not find a place in the national side for back-to-back home series against Sri Lanka and South Africa.
Hanging up the boots
Narendra Hirwani, the former India legspinner, retired from first-class cricket after 23 long years in the game. Hirwani said he plans to set up an academy in Indore exclusively for grooming legspinners, adding that he has urged the MP government to provide assistance.
UP's surge, mystery teams and the Ganguly factor
Jamie Alter
April 6, 2006
A Mohammad Kaif-inspired Uttar Pradesh won their first Ranji Trophy title while Railways, the defending champions, were relegated to the Plate Group. There were plenty of finds, a dash of politics, and some defining moments from a former Indian captain in perhaps his most serious domestic season. At the end of the 2005-06 domestic season, we look back at what stood out.
Fairytale of the season
Charged by young talent inspired under the leadership of Mohammad Kaif, Uttar Pradesh - rank outsiders - fought their way back from a poor start to their Ranji Trophy campaign and eventually won their maiden title. Mohammad Kaif was the decisive factor in UP's surge to - and eventual clinching of - their maiden title.With youngsters like Suresh Raina and Praveen Kumar stepping it up in style, UP surged to a fantastic victory and capped a memorable season.
Star of the season
Suresh Raina , all of 19, topped the run tally for UP and was a key figure in his side's rise to the top. Stood out in UP's dismal start to the season with innings of 75 and 51, and failed to pass fifty on only one occasion throughout their run to the final - where he hit twin fifties. Stroked a fine 97 against India B in the Challenger Trophy, and starred in a few Indian ODI victories as well.
Most improved team
With an inspiring captain, a former captain who refused to give up, and a good showing by their youngsters, Bengal bounced back from a miserable season, in which they were almost relegated, to make the Ranji finals. Through individual and collective performances Bengal showed the grit to outbat heavyweights such as Baroda and make the finals. The successful duo of Saurasish Lahiri, the talented young offspinner, and Shib Shankar Paul, the right-arm fast bowler, were instrumental in Bengal's rise.
Double-take at Dharamshala
Drama unfolded at Dharamshala as a Plate Group match between Himachal Pradesh and Tripura in early December was called off after officials of two groups, claiming to be actual representatives of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, traded charges minutes before the match. The second team was banned from entering the ground, the match was called of after a political wrangle - with the Supreme Court intervening - and more than six weeks later, in Panjim, a Himachal side trumped Goa by six wickets.
Disappointment of the season
Railways, last season's Ranji champions, won just one match out of seven and finished at the bottom of the Elite Group points table. They were relegated to the Plate Group.
Most promising youngster
Piyush Chawla, the 17-year-old UP legspinner, made an immediate impact in his first season. Starting with the dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar with a googly during the Challenger Series and ending with a five-wicket haul in the Ranji final, Chawla was a talent to watch out for. The crowning glory for a good domestic season: a Test cap against Engand at Mohali.
Flop addition of the season
The BCCI's invitation towards the Zimbabwe President's XI to take part in the Duleep Trophy. Two losses - by an innings and seven runs to North Zone, and an innings and 17 runs to East - highlighted the dismal standard of cricket being ushered onto the Indian domestic scene.
Rearguard act of the season
Sachin Rana's brilliant, maiden first-class hundred from the No.9 spot, pulled Haryana out of a deep hole in a classic rearguard action against Baroda in a third-round Ranji match. Precariously placed at 159 for 9, Rana hit a valiant 121 from 142 balls and then, to show that his prime task was to open the bowling, proceeded to send down a wicket-maiden before stumps were called on the first day. He top-scored with 99 in the second innings as Haryana claimed a draw.
Slamming it to the selectors
Dropped from the Indian one-day side and faced with absurdly challenging circumstances, Sourav Ganguly struck a glorious 117 in a do-or-die-situation for East Zone in a Duleep Trophy match against North Zone at Rajkot. Ousted as Indian captain, Ganguly batted for four hours - and picked up four wickets in the match - to set up a nine-wicket win for East. Everybody seemed to know the complete truth about his elbow injury, never mind that the doctors themselves regard such a condition impossible to pronounce on with certainty, but Ganguly's defiance stood out in the dust of Rajkot.
A Kotla cracker
Gujarat's lower order dug its heels in and snatched a thrilling two-wicket victory over Delhi on the final day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group match at the Feroz Shah Kotla, despite a second successive five-wicket haul from Amit Bhandari, Delhi's captain and opening bowler. Three wickets in the space of 10 balls completely changed the complexion of the match as Delhi staged a magnificent last-ditch effort, but Hemal Watekar, who remained unbeaten on an invaluable 21 from 116 deliveries, cracked a four to seal Gujarat's win.
Badani's blooper
Tamil Nadu captain Hemang Badani's failure to inform the umpires of his return to the field during their Ranji one-day tournament against Railways earned his side a five-run penalty. For good measure, two run-outs in successive deliveries in the last over proved costly as Railways sneaked home by one run.
Upset of the season
The revenge of the ex-players. Maharashtra defeated a strong Mumbai side at the Wankhede Stadium to go into the semi-finals. Munaf Patel and Sairaj Bahutule - who moved from Mumbai to Maharashtra - scored vital runs and shared 13 wickets between themselves to consign their former team to a 65-run defeat.
No love lost
Amid unruly scenes, Hyderabad took two points in its first Elite Group match against Andhra Pradesh. Ambati Rayadu, who switched from Hyderabad to Andhra at the start of the season, was walking off after being dismissed when Arjun Yadav, the opposing captain, let fly a volley of abuses and ungentlemanly gestures before uprooting a stump and trying to hit him. The timely intervention by the umpires pacified the players but the fisticuffs were enough for the match to be called off.
Hard work in vain
Zaheer Khan topped the wickets list in the Duleep Trophy, with 23 from three matches, and dismissed Ganguly for a pair in the final but could not find a place in the national side for back-to-back home series against Sri Lanka and South Africa.
Hanging up the boots
Narendra Hirwani, the former India legspinner, retired from first-class cricket after 23 long years in the game. Hirwani said he plans to set up an academy in Indore exclusively for grooming legspinners, adding that he has urged the MP government to provide assistance.
Arjun
Cricketer Of The Year
And here's what I have to say about this—
Fairytale of the season– Uttar Pradesh was one team that produced more Prime Ministers than national cricketers, but their victory this season may reverse that. This is a team full of youngsters, led by a few old hands. They may not be the most skilled, but they work well as a team and get the basic things right. They still lack experience, which did them in against Railways in the ROD final.
Star of the season– The author's forgotten about Ramesh Powar and Pravin Kumar, both of them jointly the highest wicket-takers this season. Pravin Kumar's bowling has won many matches for his team, but his batting has added more power to their lineup and even earned him a promotion to the opener's spot, though he's not suited to that role. That India cap should come sooner than later, given he's outperformed Munaf Patel, who made the Indian side, with bat and ball.
Most improved team– Bengal still have some loopholes to plug, especially in their fielding, as well as in balance of the side. Why Sanjib Sanyal can't hold his place in the side is a mystery. Paul and his opening partner Ranadeb Bose have been taking wickets consistently, and that's got the selectors interested.
Double take at Dharmashala– Himachal can now have its own Challenger Trophy with that nonsense happening, but all's well that ends well.
Disappointment of the season– Railways were done in by that silly first-inings lead nonsense, as they lost fewer matches than Delhi, who looked certain to be relegated. It shows up the weakness of the rule, as no Ranji finalist, let alone a winner, deserves to be relegated by some rule. That said, they've come back strongly in the ROD series, winning the final against their Central rivals UP by 10 runs.
Most Promising Youngster– Piyush Chawla may have impressed one and all with his variations as well as the turn he got, but he's still very distant from a place in the Indian team. The two best bowlers in India are Kumble and Harbhajan, and then you have Powar, who's also a very good batsman. Pravin Kumar's contribution has gone unnoticed, for some strange reason.
Flop Addition of the season– Why BCCI called Zimbabwe's second-string side, nobody knows. They were sitting ducks, and that's an understatement. First England A disappointed, then came an abysmal Bangladesh Board XI, then this. The BCCI need to be more careful in their choice of visiting teams.
Rearguard act of the season– Sachin Rana's hundred and 99 had the Haryana team management interested. Once a stock seamer, he's now become a batting mainstay for Haryana. Since we haven't seen him, we don't know how he bats or bowls, and how different from (or better than) Joginder Sharma, their frontline all-rounder, who captured the interest of the national selectors.
Slamming it to the selectors– Ganguly may have slammed it to the selectors in the Duleep Trophy match, but on his recall to the Test side, he did little of note, and the Indians lost the Test series in Pakistan. His bowling, then working ownders, was not a factor as he hardly got to bowl.
A Kotla cracker– This Delhi side was awful, throughout the season. How they managed to escape relegation is a mystery. Their batting was brittle, they lacked a genuine all-rounder and the selections were baffling. We thought it would be gone in the ROD series, as they picked some promising youngsters, but then they took a few steps backwards and picked those extras and not surprisingly, they ended up losing to upstarts and minnows
Badani's blooper– Well, that kin of mistake happens at times. However, the repeated run-outs seem to follow him even here.
Upset of the season– It seems the Maharashtra Cricket Association chief's coup (of sorts) has worked, as the team, with a few ex-Mumbai players and Chandrakant Pandit, the former Mumbai coach, defeated Mumbai in Mumbai. Munaf Patel's dramatic improvement, with ball and bat, had boosted that team's performance.
No love lost– This is what happened. Ambati Rayudfu, formerly a Hyderabad player, shifted to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad captain Arjun Yadav and several other players repeatedly taunted him. Rayudu shot back saying that Arjun Yadav was in the side (and captain) because of his father, ex-national selector and former player Shivlal Yadav, and that started a fight. Ugly scene.
Hard work in vain– Zaheer did find a place in the Test and ODI series in Pakistan, but did little of note there, and was awful in ODI's. Not surprisingly, he didn't come back.
Hanging up his boots– Hirwani called it quits at the right time. He's done a good thing, sharing his knowledge with young legspinners. Here's wishing him all the best in this initiative.
Fairytale of the season– Uttar Pradesh was one team that produced more Prime Ministers than national cricketers, but their victory this season may reverse that. This is a team full of youngsters, led by a few old hands. They may not be the most skilled, but they work well as a team and get the basic things right. They still lack experience, which did them in against Railways in the ROD final.
Star of the season– The author's forgotten about Ramesh Powar and Pravin Kumar, both of them jointly the highest wicket-takers this season. Pravin Kumar's bowling has won many matches for his team, but his batting has added more power to their lineup and even earned him a promotion to the opener's spot, though he's not suited to that role. That India cap should come sooner than later, given he's outperformed Munaf Patel, who made the Indian side, with bat and ball.
Most improved team– Bengal still have some loopholes to plug, especially in their fielding, as well as in balance of the side. Why Sanjib Sanyal can't hold his place in the side is a mystery. Paul and his opening partner Ranadeb Bose have been taking wickets consistently, and that's got the selectors interested.
Double take at Dharmashala– Himachal can now have its own Challenger Trophy with that nonsense happening, but all's well that ends well.
Disappointment of the season– Railways were done in by that silly first-inings lead nonsense, as they lost fewer matches than Delhi, who looked certain to be relegated. It shows up the weakness of the rule, as no Ranji finalist, let alone a winner, deserves to be relegated by some rule. That said, they've come back strongly in the ROD series, winning the final against their Central rivals UP by 10 runs.
Most Promising Youngster– Piyush Chawla may have impressed one and all with his variations as well as the turn he got, but he's still very distant from a place in the Indian team. The two best bowlers in India are Kumble and Harbhajan, and then you have Powar, who's also a very good batsman. Pravin Kumar's contribution has gone unnoticed, for some strange reason.
Flop Addition of the season– Why BCCI called Zimbabwe's second-string side, nobody knows. They were sitting ducks, and that's an understatement. First England A disappointed, then came an abysmal Bangladesh Board XI, then this. The BCCI need to be more careful in their choice of visiting teams.
Rearguard act of the season– Sachin Rana's hundred and 99 had the Haryana team management interested. Once a stock seamer, he's now become a batting mainstay for Haryana. Since we haven't seen him, we don't know how he bats or bowls, and how different from (or better than) Joginder Sharma, their frontline all-rounder, who captured the interest of the national selectors.
Slamming it to the selectors– Ganguly may have slammed it to the selectors in the Duleep Trophy match, but on his recall to the Test side, he did little of note, and the Indians lost the Test series in Pakistan. His bowling, then working ownders, was not a factor as he hardly got to bowl.
A Kotla cracker– This Delhi side was awful, throughout the season. How they managed to escape relegation is a mystery. Their batting was brittle, they lacked a genuine all-rounder and the selections were baffling. We thought it would be gone in the ROD series, as they picked some promising youngsters, but then they took a few steps backwards and picked those extras and not surprisingly, they ended up losing to upstarts and minnows
Badani's blooper– Well, that kin of mistake happens at times. However, the repeated run-outs seem to follow him even here.
Upset of the season– It seems the Maharashtra Cricket Association chief's coup (of sorts) has worked, as the team, with a few ex-Mumbai players and Chandrakant Pandit, the former Mumbai coach, defeated Mumbai in Mumbai. Munaf Patel's dramatic improvement, with ball and bat, had boosted that team's performance.
No love lost– This is what happened. Ambati Rayudfu, formerly a Hyderabad player, shifted to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad captain Arjun Yadav and several other players repeatedly taunted him. Rayudu shot back saying that Arjun Yadav was in the side (and captain) because of his father, ex-national selector and former player Shivlal Yadav, and that started a fight. Ugly scene.
Hard work in vain– Zaheer did find a place in the Test and ODI series in Pakistan, but did little of note there, and was awful in ODI's. Not surprisingly, he didn't come back.
Hanging up his boots– Hirwani called it quits at the right time. He's done a good thing, sharing his knowledge with young legspinners. Here's wishing him all the best in this initiative.
adharcric
International Coach
Cricinfo indicated in their season-end "Top 5 Stars" article that Pravin Kumar cuts and swings the ball but it doesn't seem like he's too pacy. He may do well in domestic cricket, but you need swing, pace or exceptional control to do it at the international level. This is why I wasn't the biggest fan of JP Yadav, he was supposed to have exceptional control and only that and when he got selected he bowled too many boundary balls. Hopefully Pravin has a little extra in him. Shib Paul also seems like a McGrath-type bowler with extremely good control, he stuffed up England in that warm-up match. Still, he's not too pacy so his chances for selection aren't too strong, especially with the current crop of talents who can swing the ball with pace.
Arjun
Cricketer Of The Year
It's really, really, really difficult to go in for a pace attack where all your bowlers are fast. Even the West Indies couldn't keep that up. There's not much wrong when you have a bowler who swings and cuts the ball, as long as it works. Look at any pace attack– not all the bowlers are fast. The South Africans are an example– just Nel and maybe Ntini are actually fast.adharcric said:
JP Yadav was treated like a bits-and-pieces extra, so he couldn't do much. He's played as a frontline bowler for his team, but instead, the captain treated him like a Ganguly or Yuvraj type of bowler, with the keeper standing up and fields spread out, and he came in second-change. Frankly, none of the Indian pace bowlers were (or still are) far better equipped than him (one of them is acutally shorter by a few inches) so he's definitely not got a fair try, especially when none of them could bat as well as him.
Pravin Kumar may appear slow, but he's still got a lot more wickets and runs than the much-hyped Munaf Patel, himself no misfit with the bat. Besides, you've got Sreesanth and VR Singh, both of whom are fast and aggressive, so you can sneak in a fourth seamer with a different style. Unless you're willing to take a risk with Munaf's batting and bat him at seven or eight (Kumble, Harbhajan and other bowlers are not run-scoring options), this is the man to pick. He's not in the team to replace Irfan Pathan or Sreesanth (maybe Ajit Agarkar) but to support them, and score some more-than-useful runs in big hits, like Justin Kemp. That said, nothing should stop Munaf Patel from doing that.
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