Possible?

I don’t know yaar, but maybe that is the case. Perhaps we Indians do not have it in our physical makeup to play a 50-overs match.

After all, we have been hearing about the Indian team’s fitness levels for a very long time, and especially about the seniors’.

I remember one story from John Wright’s book Indian Summers. Seems John Wright once walked into the gym of a 5-star hotel where both the Indian and Australian teams were staying prior to a match. Inside, he saw 3 members of the Australian team training, with the physios and coach and many more all taking measurements and conducting tests and whatnot. And at the other end of the gym, there was a lone Indian team member leisurely working out on the exercycle, with a plate of some Indian delicacy in his hands!

So maybe we really just can’t last 50 overs. Maybe our batsmen are out of breath by the time they reach 50 runs in an ODI.

And in the T20 version of cricket, that does not apply. For the batsmen it is about quick fours and sixes, and 50 is a super score in this version. Perhaps this is well within our capability. Brings out the best in us and all that.

Perhaps for 20 overs our team can match the Aussie marauders – and may be even better them! Does that explain oursecond consecutive win against Australia in T20 cricket?

Poor Ponting. He was  remarkably pissed after Australia lost to India in the T20 semi-finals. I am sure the rest of the Aussies wanted to really have a crack at India to teach us a few lessons. Anyway the rains made sure that their big attack back against India ended up a damp squib. (What the hell is a squib? .. ah, this.)

And so it was. Bechara Tendlya was already looking shaken as Australia approached the 300-mark. Must have been thinking, now I will have to stand in there and somehow get a score or the media will be after me saying its all the fault of the seniors!! And then he came when Indian innings started, it started drizzling, everyone got a bit confused, inclusing Tendulkar, and he was promptly bowled out.

I was talking to Kiran about the match, and said that everyone got confused as it started raining and no one was sure if the match would continue or not. That was why Sachin got bowled. Kiran replied, “The Aussie bowler did not get confused.”

Good point. In fact, the only important point in world cricket now.

See, the thing is, confusion or not, the Aussies do their job. 4 wickets down, no problem. Now we won’t lose one more and wil pile up 200 more runs. Raining? game may be abandoned? No issue, let me see if I can bowl this guy out. Unfortunately or fortunately, we Indians do not think like that. (I include me in Indians, surely.)

That is the differerence between Aussies and us. We can’t follow processes (not that Chappell was of any great help, with his superb diplomatic skills). What we have got is instinct and some style, on a good day. When we get it together, we win. But it is not enough against Aussies – and I suspect you are not going to beat the Aussies with skill and style. Them Aussies, they are a machine, and only a better machine can beat them. So if Dhoni’s spirited team performs at their best ability, perhaps we can have a 25 % success ratio against them. Not bad, for a team which is not ever gonna be a well-oiled machine like them.

The problem really is with our expectations, and of course the media which desperately tries to whip up high hopes or anger every other day. Yea, Dhoni is the best!! Nah, seniors are a huge asset!! Chak de! Rajdeep Sardesai is personally responsible for increasing stress levels among cricket fans, I feel. Everything is a big disaster for superheroism.

So what are we gonna see in the next few matches? The shockingly intelligent people in BCCI have scheduled the next match in Kochi, where it has been pouring for the last six months. And there is another in Bombay, where there is a 50 % chance of rain till January! Dhoni, I say, is really a lucky man.