No balls to you!

By the 49th over, India was 349/4. After that, Fall of wickets 5-352 (Dhoni, 49.3 ov), 6-353 (Raina, 49.5 ov), 7-354 (Kumar, 49.6 ov)

Where’s Ravindra Jadeja - Padded up on the bench.

The kid has a first class double, a highest of 232* plus one more century, an average of 38. Compare that to Bhajji and PK: both have fifties but no century. Bhajji’s first class average 19, PK’s 23.

It wasn’t just the last over, it was a few balls in the last over. India was past 350. Bhajji and PK had crazy quick Domino’s delivery runs in the last game. They were expected to deliver again.

I don’t have much against that, esp after seeing Jadeja all at sea in the first ODI.

But just imagine what it does, when you see the bowlers bat before you – luckily for Jadeja it was only a few balls, imagine the scars had Bhajji and PK gone in earlier.

Then again, imagine what those few balls could have meant to Jadeja? That too with a license to throw Shastri’s proverbial kitchen sink at everything.

Looks like I’ll have to give Jadeja a net in the Kotla. Bhajji, try and stop me.


On Bored: The day this Jadeja will be called Jaddu

Blessed by Bhajji.

Did you see Bhajji and Ravindra Jadeja bat together? How could you, they did not bat together. Jadeja was in awe of Bhajji, Bhajji was in awe of himself. He was the senior batsman, so what if he batted lower than Jadeja. In the time they spent together, Jadeja unlearnt all the batting he ever knew.

How he craved Bhajji’s approval. He even ran out of turn excitably, only to be admonished with a wave of Bhajji’s gloved hand. That was communication, Bhajji had, in gesture spoken to Jadeja. It was time to get out. Which he did.


On Bored: How to survive seven

Headless, headless, headless.

This was a poor game for India. Not because they lost, but because they refused to win. From MSD’s wait until dark captaincy, to the exclusion of Ojha, and not least, expecting new kid, Ravindra Jadeja to win the game. While the Gods of Indian cricket, MSD and Yuvraj waited to score the winning runs. If twenty overs is too much time to play, how will the super stars pass their time in a one-dayer or for that matter, those stinking test matches?

India lost the game many times over, here’s how

1. Drop your main striker Ojha against a team that needs a spin doctor

2. Retain Ishant Sharma, who brings with him KKR’s losing ways

3. Exclude one of your few thinking bowlers, Praveen Kumar

4. Underbowl your best bowler RP Singh (3-0-13-1)

5. Underbowl your bowling captain Zaheer Khan (3-0-26-1)

6. Underbowl Yusuf Pathan (0-0-0-0) Move away from the only attacking move you’ve learnt in a long time, MSD, and not bring on spin in the power play overs. Did Warne advise you against it? Did KP tell Warne to

7. Overbowl Ishant Sharma (4-0-36-0)

8. Overbowl Yuvraj Singh (2-0-20-0)

9. Send Jadeja in at 4 – MSD, it was your call, don’t pass the buck with "too many wickets fell.." Finally, India lost 5 to England's 7

10. Scrambled eggs for thinking tank

11. England bowled short

12. India waited too long


(The Neil Young song, Helpless ringing in my ear, but it sounds like Headless)


Enjoy the Bye Bye T20WC series at Bored Cricket Crazy Indians!