The Magic of Madras-Special Connection to Indian Cricket

India vs England, 5^th Test (2016), Day 5: Not many gave India a chance to pick up ten wickets in one day and win the match. The pitch was still very much flat and only the natural variation was on offer. No turn, no awkward bounce. England makes it to lunch without any loss. The match is heading to a dull draw. Having witnessed a historic triple hundred, just the previous day, and now this match is dying a rather slow and painful death. But just then the Magic occurs. Ravindra Jadeja, with all the natural variation on offer to make him difficult to play, rises up to the occasion. Picks up his career best seven wickets, and fashions India to a stunning victory in the last hour.

Eight Years ago, India vs England, 1^st test (2008): Having returned home following the terrorist attack in Mumbai, England return to play a two test series in Chennai and Ahmadabad. Amid heavy security, the match takes place and England set a daunting 387 run target for India. Sehwag gives them a rapid start on the fourth evening, and Sachin Tendulkar notches up a fantastic fourth innings ton, as India complete a stunning six wicket win on the final day.

A Further Nine Years ago, India vs Pakistan, 1999: A familiar scene in the 1990s was an Indian collapse after Sachin’s wicket. Sachin was leading a tricky chase against Pakistan with a superb fighting hundred. But he falls within touching distance of the target, and India lose last four wickets for 12 runs. Pakistan emerges victorious. To the shock of the celebrating Pakistan players, the Chennai crowd gives them a standing ovation, with constant clapping. They symbolised the true sportsmanship.

13 More Years ago, India vs Australia, 1986: Chasing a huge target of 347, India, led by Sunil Gavaskar, gave the mighty Australians, a huge scare. So much that India were favourites to win the match now. Destiny had different ideas. It decided to make this match a memorable one. India were bowled out for 346, and the test was tied. The only tied test India had played in. And one of the two tied tests, in cricket history, till date.

Go back another 34 years, India vs England, 1952: India had been playing test cricket since 1932. But they had never managed to win a match. Post independence though, it changed. India registered their first ever victory in international test cricket, against England in 1952, at Chennai.

These five instances, arguably five of the finest instances in Indian Cricket History, happened at Madras (now Chennai). The MA Chidambaram Stadium at Chepauk, has been witness to many special moments for Indian Cricket. Sachin Tendulkar loved playing at Chennai. The only two triple hundreds by Indians at home have been scored in Chennai. One of the toughest places to play cricket in, because of the unforgiving heat, Madras is also a magical place. It conjures up moments of sheer brilliance. India’s most successful captain till date, MS Dhoni, represented a Chennai based Team in the IPL, and they are the most consistent and successful side in the cash-rich league.

The city itself is known for its never-say-die attitude and an indomitable spirit. Ravaged by unprecedented floods in 2015, Chennai admirably rose from the ashes, with volunteers helping each other. Humanity prevailed over all differences of caste, creed, religion etc. Barely one year later, again devastated by the Cyclone Vardah, Chennai has risen up again. With the MAC Stadium damaged severely by the storm, just four days before the test match, the groundsmen worked day in and day out, day and night, to get the ground ready for the match. They produced a pitch, on which the match ended in one of the finest ever victories for the Indian side. A Triple Hundred was scored, and several records were brought down. They used innovative methods like burning coal, to dry up the pitch.

Adding to the Sporting Legacy, Chennai is the only city which hosts an ATP Tennis Tour Event (Chennai Open). And IIT-Madras, are the most successful IIT in the Inter IIT Sports Meet, with a whopping 18 General Championships. Former World Chess Champion, Viswanathan Anand hails from Chennai.

Chennai has given birth to several great cricket players for India, including the present World No. 1 bowler and all rounder R Ashwin. Ashwin signifies the spirit of Chennai. In spite of being dropped for lesser bowlers from the Indian XI in late 2014, he emerged again much stronger, and is now an indispensable part of the team.

There is an unmistakable sense of magic, associated with Madras. And it has embraced Indian Cricket ever so strongly. Witness to many legendary moments, Chennai, indeed has a very special connection to Indian Cricket.

A Phenomenon!!

                                  So Often, the fall of Indian Second Wicket was cheered across the nation. By its Billion Fans!! On that overcast day in Bangalore, South Africa's second wicket was cheered!! In anticipation, that is!! Cheers not for the bowler, nor for the Indian team!! But for this man, playing his 100th test!! He didn't walk out!! When he actually came on, He was cheered until he left on 85!!

                                   Kanpur chanted his name!! So did Indore!! This spectacle continued until the Wankhede!! Bengaluru is his second home!! Currently the most loved overseas player in India!! AB De Villiers!!

                                     He has had his heartbreaks, the WC Quarter Final 2011, or the WC Semi Final at Adelaide 2015. He has been a part of the 'Chokers'. He has choked, his team has, a lot of times. One of the most delightful to watch. He has played all sport, but cricket has endeared him the most. The Superman!! He can play shots all around. The scoop from outside off to fine leg. Or the deft reverse sweep against the turn! He seems to bat on a different pitch, even as there are ruins all around. On pitches, which are by no means, rank turners!! Against balls by no means turning viciously!! 

                                       Men all around, falling to demons in their heads, rather than on the tracks or the balls!! But this man reverse sweeps one turns into him!! As long as he was there, seven down South Africa, requiring over 10 an over, in Chennai had a chance!! Number one in ODIs as well as tests, He has mastered the art of batting!!

                                        By being at the highest level for so long, and by being very much adaptable to the match situation (as he showed in that 200+ ball 37 at Adelaide 2012), he has been there for his team whenever they needed him. His remarkable fitness levels, showed by the fact that he played his first 98 tests without missing one before he finally took paternity leave, and his athleticism on the field are unmatched in this generation. (Or may just be matched by few).

                                       He has not just been a player, but a phenomenon. A true phenomenon which has taken Cricket to a different level. It is a shame that his 100th test didn't last more than a day. "Superman AB", as his fans call him, has been a huge asset for the game. After nearly three months since my last article, it is AB who rekindled my interest in writing one. Let's pray good luck and good health for this phenomenon, and May AB keep entertaining us all!!

A man with a broken heart!!

The whole world puts out the bats. And this man reads a funeral speech. Days later with a broken heart, he scores a hundred. With a broken hand too. It’s at Brisbane and first game of a four game series. Fifth Day of the same test, An young man on captaincy debut stuns the world by his fearless approach but falls short. The Hundred with a broken heart results in an emotional win.

Broken hand doesn’t heal and another man on captaincy debut scores a hundred next game. He scores over seven hundred runs over four games that series including four hundreds. He made his captaincy debut because he was considered the man of the future ahead of an old vice captain who himself had recommended his name. The series is won but the form of the man with a broken heart and hand doesn’t get better just because he has a broken hand. Months later in a world cup game, his team plays a specialist captain because this man can’t make it. This specialist captain is dropped as his hand heals. Six weeks later at Melbourne, a campaign that stirred a nation meets a sad end. But this man’s broken heart is filled with joy as he holds aloft the World Cup at the iconic MCG.

But his heart is broken and the joy flows out. His form just doesn’t seem to get right. Then he sets off with his team to achieve something his team has failed for the past fifteen years. He loses his old warrior because his broken leg hasn’t healed in time and even if it heals it’s likely to break again. A match and a thrashing later, his deputy, also suffering from poor form leaves the side for personal reasons. His team levels the series with a crushing win but he is dropped from the third game for being a good father. Another thrashing and the opponents now need two draws or a win to extend the fifteen year wait.

A young Number 11 on debut makes 98 a couple of years ago at Trent Bridge. All that results in a thrilling defeat, despite a valiant fight from the vice captain. Neither that debutant nor that vice captain is here this time around. The captain is nervous for another defeat could spell doom. To his team, to him, to his teammates, to his selectors and to his pride. What follows is not just a defeat but a thrashing. Rolled over for 60 before lunch day one and lose by an innings in three days, or 7 sessions to be precise. The inevitable happens. His heart is broken or probably it never healed. His hand is likely to break again. All this is not well. His team is in dire straits. And he announces his retirement. He walks away with dignity and grace.

He walks into the sunset of his career. Burnt by the evening sun. His records during the afternoon sun wont be forgotten. He has carved a place for himself.

Eleven Years of excellence. A great career comes to a pathetic end.

The Fallen Empire!!

                        When the eldest of the five Pandava brothers Yudhishtir became the king of Indraprastha and then was crowned the Chakravarthi of the world, there was no one below him. It was then Sage Vyasa reminded Yudhishtir that this status is not permanent and may change any day. This is what exactly happened. He played dice, lost his kingdom, his wife and lost all glory and was forced to go to exile.

                         This is a good lesson for life. When you are on the top, you have to be careful of what you do and not indulge in any wrongdoing. When everything is under your control, you ought not to misuse it. You will fall from the top and the fall will be really painful. That has been proved yet again. The fall of Indraprastha is history. But very much in the present, Another Empire has fallen. An Empire which was truly popular, an empire which had no boundaries, an empire which overshadowed many other kingdoms, has now fallen. Rather made to fall because of one man.

                        Yudhishtir atleast had the rights to bet his kingdom during the game of dice on that fateful day. Because it was he who built the kingdom. But What rights Gurunath Meiyappan had to bet on the team not built my him? What rights he had to do actions which could (it now has) damage the reputation and even the existence of a team and a legacy built by Dhoni and Co.? When you are on top, you ought to be careful. It was such a big empire that Team CSK had built for themselves across the nation. Facebook Fan Maps for CSK matches was yellow and just yellow barring a few kingdoms. Other teams had kingdoms, CSK had an empire. And the Chakravarthi was Dhoni.


                   But for no fault of his, The Chakravarthi has had to suffer. The Empire has been dethroned. But like faithful people who waited for the Kurukshetra war to get back Yudhishtir as their king, there are a lot of faithfuls who wait for CSK to return. Whether that will happen or not is immaterial, but the brand has taken a hit and the empire will not be the same it was once.

                   Even I didnt expect to be writing back to back articles, but this one was about to come immediately after the Lodha committee judgement and but didn't have the time for this. For a "change" (Why Quotes here---If you dont know then you must not be a regular reader of my blog), This article is also short (I hope you find it short) and Hoping to write longer but interesting articles in the future. Bye!

Cricket's Most Consistent Impact--Part Two

             Well, I'm back after quite a long break, considering the rush of articles at the beginning of my blog!! For those who didnt read Part One of Cricket's Most Consistent Impact, I think better stop right here, go back and read that and come back. For it wont make sense to read this without the previous one.

              As I said, Change has been cricket's most consistent impact. I did receive a few negative comments about the first part being tediously philosophical. So Let me take this one in a bit different track. The original and the sequel are a part of a series which you might be able to guess what it is all about. If you haven't guessed yet, Try.

              Yet again, Change thrust itself upon the game. Creates more impact when it is so visible in a series of a very big legacy as the Ashes. When New England won at Cardiff, Nobody expected Old England to turn up at Lord's. Old England didnt turn up, but New England made Old Mistakes. Australia played the perfect match, and England also played the perfect match. Visitors played in perfectly well, Hosts demonstrated perfectly how not to play a test. A 405 run drubbing "Changed" the series scoreline to 1-1. Change again.

           Bangladesh were a minnow who could cause upsets. Not regular ones though. But their fortunes "Changed" drastically once Mortaza took over. Then they knocked out England from the WC. A failure which "Changed" England into New England. They swept Zimbabwe at home. Well that was expected.

       Then They swept Pakistan. Rather Banglawashed them. For a "Change", India sent a full strength side to face them. And for a "Change", the hosts went 2-0 up before losing the last one. Steyn didnt want to waste few of his last deliveries in International Cricket in a bilateral at Dhaka or Chittagong. But this time, for a "Change", Mustafizur and company showed he could have wasted a lot of the last.

So many things happen in cricket for a "Change". Even in Life. Even in this blog. For a "Change", I will keep this article short. And For a "Change", I will dwell into more intriguing topics in upcoming articles. Hope you didn't feel bored. Bye!!

Cricket's Most Consistent Impact!!

Change. This is cricket's most consistent impact. Cricket's most consistent impact on people's lives. It brings about a refreshing change in people's lives. It provides a change from our hectic lifestyles. A change from stress of everyday life.

Not Just in our life. Cricket as a game also keeps changing. Strengths of teams and players, keeps changing. Time seemed to stand still over extended periods of West Indian dominance in 1970s and Australian domination in 1990s and 2000s. Yet Change is something which has kept the game enthralling to watch. That is the beauty of this game of glorious uncertainties.

Exactly this aspect is on display (as I write Aussies are seven down), at Cardiff. England have changed, so have Australia. England for the better, Australia for the worse. New England is not unreal. Australia have discovered that. For all their sledging and press meet lectures on how "New England" was just a hype, they have received a rude shock.

England provided enthralling entertainment, with their new approach and in the process, caught Australia off guard. And given their fans reasons to cheer about. Several of them. Their change of approach has relieved the fans of the burden of having to watch similar cricket. Similar to 2013-14, as Australia predicted.

Australia, hoped that England would not have changed. Haddin dismissed what he called as a "hype". They were in for a rude shock. Not just that they were caught off guard, Changes in their own team was not for the better. Harris retires. They missed him. Johnson missed him. Pitches changed. Johnson missed the bounce, and hence his threat. The visitors missed this threat. Starc was a change, the pitch nullified him.


England ensured that they changed, they changed for the better and not just that they nullified Australia's changes as well as strengths. And then they preyed upon familiar weaknesses of the visitors. Australia didn't expect the change, rather expected it but ignored it. Now they have to accept it. They are seven down and would go to Lord's one down most probably. Well a change could still be on the cards. The Match state may change. Johnson and Starc could even win this. Or Rain may save Australia. They can go to Lord's one up, one down or all square.

THAT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. WHAT MATTERS IS CRICKET'S MOST CONSISTENT IMPACT. CHANGE, YES CHANGE IS WHAT MATTERS. NEW ENGLAND HAVE TURNED THE ASHES TIDE AND THEIR FORTUNES. AUSTRALIA WILL COME BACK HARDER FOR SURE. AFTER ALL, WE ARE HERE TO ENJOY THE CHANGE.

Hope you enjoyed cricket's most consistent impact. Not just cricket's, change is something that happens everywhere. Even in my blog. Yet i hope you continue enjoying my blog posts and that doesn't change!!!

Its THAT SERIES Again!!

Well, Its THAT Series again!! The greatest rivalry in cricket, is back!! The battle for the little urn, which has been a legendary one, is about to start!!

From being ripped apart by one man....IT was Mitchell Johnson's Whitewash.....Until beating Brendon McCullum's New Zealand in their own game, England have come a long way!! While all the hype of New England may disappear very soon if the Mitch Magic (Not just Johnson, there's Starc as well) finds its form, I personally hope There is no Starc(k) contrast between the teams. And both teams produce evenly Matched performances.

The Ashes begins on Wednesday and on current form I pick Australia as clear winners. But England's attempt to regain the Ashes may even be successful if but only if they can sustain the flashes of brilliance shown by their young team a few weeks ago against NZ.

They last won it at home. A couple of years back. Could hold it just four months. Then they went Down Under and went down so emphatically. One match and there was no Trott, Two more matches Swann ended his career. End of the series, KP was thrown out. They lost just five matches, in a five match series though, but lost three players.

Having lost what they got in the famous 2006-07 whitewash in 2009, they failed to regain it at home even in 2010-11. So when Mickey Arthur was sacked days before the 2013 away series and Lehmann was appointed, Clarke's men didnt have any great chance. They were in disarray. Even picked Ashton Agar ahead of their lead spinner Lyon. Agar was meant to bowl, but he batted well...98 on debut from No.11. And he did bowl, but didnt bowl well. Home series four months later, They were 136-7 batting first in Brisbane. The problems didnt seem to have gone. Enter Johnson. Gave Haddin company to take the hosts to 295, then oversaw England slide form 82-2 to 91-8, with his feroicous aggressive bowling.

As the teams take the field at Cardiff, Much has changed for both teams. Trott came back and retired. Matt Prior is gone. Anderson and Broad are ageing. Crashed out in the group stage in the WC. But seemed to be going up with wins over NZ. Australia have discovered Starc. A man who debuted in 2010-11 to have fun and help others have fun, is now No.1 Test Batsman with five centuries in last six tests. And days before the first test, Ryan Harris has lost the battle of his knee.

Current state of the teams says, Australia are clear winners. They might even inflict a home whitewash on England. But, This is THE ASHES. THAT SERIES WHICH IS FIERCELY FOUGHT.

Hope this biennial spectacle thrills us this time. Expecting to see some wonderful battles in this Ashes. And You can expect to see my article every match day in this series.

Cheers. LETS GET READY FOR THE BIGGEST BATTLE IN TEST CRICKET.