The first Ball

As an Indian, it feels very nice to start contribution to “A Different Stroke” very close to a day when India lifted the inaugural T-20 world cup. I had started writing this piece just around 30 minutes after this event. Although it is not the first time I am pouring my heart out writing on cricket, but starting as a contributor for the first time, it is like as if I am going to open an innings in an international (20, 50 or infinity notwithstanding) after a few knocks at domestic cricket. Let me come out of this and move along.

Rather than restricting myself to the final and India’s win, I would look back to the whole tournament. I am restricting myself to purely cricket point of view, minus the cheer-girls / boys and related extravaganza that had been brought in to bring more crowds, specially the fast generation (what is it now – Z?). I just mentioned a little bit of my thought when I requested the moderator to consider me as a contributor; quite a few of us cricket-lovers and cricket thinkers are flummoxed by the happenings in the whole tournament. I would like to bring the issues straight out.

At the outset I admit that I have never been so mistaken in my life in any matter related to cricket. But my agony was little bit lessened when I saw the whole world also did so. All people said this is a bigger graveyard for the Bowlers. This statement is repeated even today by Vettori (of all people). The same was said when in mid eighties rules for ODIs were also altered every now and then. But let us think very clearly. I see T-20 is a chance for resurgence of the bowlers. Let us not bother about the figure / statistics in RPO; the benchmark cannot be same (and should not be compared with ODI and tests). This is because in T20- you cannot bat out an opposition. Chris Gayle could not do it. Almost all the T20 matches till now in this World cup, has been won by good bowling, and this is going to stay. Even out of 27 matches, Player of the match award has gone to Bowlers in 11 cases including the final and 3 to all-rounders. The player of the tournament also has gone to Afridi predominantly for his bowling performances, as he conceded himself. The Batsmen have almost reached saturation, unless you take cricket back to the "gulleys" via tennis and badminton courts. Till then, My Dear Bowlers – don’t feel left out. Go and enjoy the sweet smell of grass under the sun. Your expiry date is somewhat far-off.