Can a nightwatchman open the innings?

You may not be aware what position Murali Kartik bats – possibly because you don’t think he bats.

But batting is a gift, and after Bhajji, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.

It’s now clear to every bowler, at least spinner, that if the spin doesn’t get you in, the batting will.

Murali Kartik opened the batting for Railways today. He scored 57 (144 mts, 96 balls, 9 4s, 2 6s). Good for him. It’s a shame his team wasn’t bowled out today, he could have opened the bowling. And topped that in the post match conference by opening his mouth.

That if anything goes far in India’s team selection.

I'm tired of the Bhajji vs Mishra comparisons, even Mishra is. He’s on twitter now.

But surely there are others who have not given up.

I suspect Kartik is still hanging in. Right now I don’t put the keeping gloves beyond him.

He’s only 34, been through a lot already, did you know, he even played for KKR – that’s a lot in one lifetime.

I’ve run into Kartik a few times, he always looks dazed – as if still reacting, somewhat incomprehensibly to the selectors.

Once was before an India tour, so that must be a long time back. And when I see cricketers I like, I just wish them luck.

So here I see, Kartik, by himself, in Priya market – and I call out, “Murali!” He nearly jumps out of his beads. “Best of luck for the tour” I add. If he spoke to strangers, think he would have said, “best of luck for the nets?”

Btw Bhajji has a first class average of 19.83 with 2 100s, 12 50s (155 matches). Kartik’s first class average is 19.21 with 16 50s (167 matches).

As for their bowling averages, why bother? The selectors don’t look at it, why should you?

“Don’t ask the fixing question”

We’re in Tibet Kitchen. Apart from us, there are three others, at the corner table, two of whom are on their mobiles. One guy asks, “who’s driving…ok, don’t ask the fixing question”. I have to see who these non-fixers are, give them a glance. As we wade through our Thukpa, mobile man repeats, “don’t ask the fixing question”.

Go Tibet Kitchen 26961343. Don't ask the fixing question.

NCartoon

"If Sachin Tendulkar can refuse a million dollar liquor

endorsement deal, the least we can do is refuse free booze!!"

First posted on Bored

Yusuf Pathan: Making bad bowling look worse

There are players who initiate others into the game. Yusuf is not one of them. He makes players leave the game.

Quite often, he leaves himself, returning to his homework, where he mauls some clueless state bowler.

What Yusuf has going for himself, like Rohit Sharma, is that he is always a knock away from being picked to play for India. This he must know.

Playing with that kind of knowledge is a huge fucking boost, quite contrary to how some guys must play knowing this could well be their last tango.

Once upon a time Irfan was blessed. Let’s see how far Yusuf will go with his blessing?

On Bored: Medieval Pathan

The Return of Shukla

Once we lapsed with our vegetable purchases, the cricket chats dried up too. Then on Saturday, Shukla waved wildly at me, as if to move the sight screen away from his tomatoes. I returned the wave, though still very much on my way. He then hollered something about the new lot doing well. I had to about turn, and walk his way.

I informed Shulka that Gambhir was hardly a new lot. He snapped back with Kohli.

That got me going. Even Black Basant, the headman left his high seat, and stood by us, listening with his eyes. In all these years, Black Basant has never spoken on cricket, he listens. Could be he isn’t Indian.

And here we were on Kohli, like he was family. Shukla let it rip, then I took off on Kohli’s winning 6. Shukla added somewhat solemnly, they don’t watch, only listen on radio.

I made a faux stance, recreated the Kohli 6, emphasized the kid’s rock wrists, the difficulty in taking from outside off, hitting over long on.

Kohli added a good few MCs, BCs. Later, when I was on my way, it struck me, neither of us mentioned his old flame, Jadeja.

Btw I did mention Shukla and his Jadeja-Azhar fixation in my Test Match Sofa interview. And I will mention it to him today. Guess he'll tell me he doesn't have a computer. With a BC for good measure.

England are slipping

From the loss of one wicket, in a full day’s play at Brisbane, they have now repeatedly lost two wickets - on the 2nd and 3rd days at Adelaide. The first day was much better where they finished play at 1/0 – it can be argued that Strauss and Cook faced only one over, but look at Australia, they were 0/2, and that was of just 5 balls.

The itch

If you were at the Gabba, they’d be off by now. But this is Delhi. The streets still play. As I walk past K-60 something, a button of a boy is being hurled balls at – he digs a yorker length, which compels me to walk forward, eyes backwards. I see the next delivery, much shorter, bounce beats him, and smacks the wall wicket but it's way too high. The two bully elders inform kiddo he’s OUT, and work their way to snatch his bat. Kiddo argues as his voice is drowned by the authority of age. It’s pissing the hell out of me, I’m three houses ahead, almost in a tame Let it Be mode. I look back, yell, OOOONCHA THA!

Enough fucking watch, wanna play.