2 http://www.criclounge.com Visit Criclounge.com for up-to-the-minute cricket news, breaking cricket news, live cricket commentary, ball-by-ball commentary, cricket features. (c)Criclounge.com en-gb http://www.criclounge.com/images/banner-name.jpg http://www.criclounge.com The IPL every year gets exciting not for the matches but for the young talent on display. Last couple of years we have had talents like Varun Aaron, Umesh Yadav, Ravi Ashwin, who have already made the transition to the senior side. Let us look at my top 5 young players of the IPL so far. http://www.criclounge.com/article/81/IPL-V-–-Youngsters-watch.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/81/IPL-V-–-Youngsters-watch.html Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:50:51 +0530 IPL V is in its first few games and again the teams find it hard to find nativity. Even though IPL is an interesting competition, the length is still a worry. The one and a half month tournament is sure to take a toll on the fans. http://www.criclounge.com/article/80/IPL-V-No-locals-for-the-teams.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/80/IPL-V-No-locals-for-the-teams.html Sat, 7 Apr 2012 02:45:42 +0530 Virat Kohli is definitely the toast of the nation at the moment. The last few ODI innings of his has for sure cemented his status as one of the premier ODI batsmen in the world. Virat has had brilliant last couple of years in ODI cricket and his elevation to vice-captaincy status at a very young age shows that the selectors see him as a future Indian captain. http://www.criclounge.com/article/79/Amazing-Kohli-moves-to-a-higher-league.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/79/Amazing-Kohli-moves-to-a-higher-league.html Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:04:03 +0530 It was 1996 and India was touring England. This was the first time I got to see "The Wall" Dravid bat for India. The media coverage those days wasn't so great for domestic cricket so knowing a player before debut was not that easy. The series did not start well for India as they lost the first test in Edgbaston and as with the case in the 90's Sachin was the standout performer with a hundred. India decided to go with 2 debutants for the Lord's test. The 90's wasn't a great decade for debutants f http://www.criclounge.com/article/78/Rahul-Dravid-A-Tribute-to-the-Legend.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/78/Rahul-Dravid-A-Tribute-to-the-Legend.html Fri, 9 Mar 2012 22:58:30 +0530 How many of you love challenges? How many of you love to do something out of your comfort zone? How many of you are/were best in your institutions - class/college/office? How many of you are/were best in your state/country in your field? Only if answer to those questions is yes, answer this question. Not answer to me or to the world but answer to yourself. How many of you are/were best in the world? If you are still smiling and answering yes yet again, next question is - for how long you are/w http://www.criclounge.com/article/77/You-are-One-in-Seven-billion.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/77/You-are-One-in-Seven-billion.html Mon, 5 Mar 2012 00:05:32 +0530 Life is a Song. Life is a Journey. Life is a Beach. Life is a Sport. Yes, we all know that. But for some people, Sport is Life. Isn't it? Ricky is one such man. After the Brisbane win, Ricky said that he had no intentions to step aside and he had left his future in the hands of selectors. After the greatest ever slump in Fifty-over format where Ricky scored five consecutive single digit scores, Australian selectors decided that it was time to look forward. http://www.criclounge.com/article/76/A-different-angle-Why-being-dropped-is-better-than-stepping-aside-.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/76/A-different-angle-Why-being-dropped-is-better-than-stepping-aside-.html Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:56:48 +0530 The colored clothing and the white ball seem to bring out the fighting spirit in the men in blue. The team playing in the CB series does not look anywhere close to the clueless test team earlier in the series. Dhoni seems at ease leading this young team and the young team is responding brilliantly. Dhoni himself has looked in brilliant touch and the performance of the team has improved considerably. http://www.criclounge.com/article/75/All-is-well-with-the-Indian-ODI-side.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/75/All-is-well-with-the-Indian-ODI-side.html Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:17:52 +0530 There is a famous saying in cricket "Wicket keeping is a thankless job". For 6 years in the Indian team Dhoni has donned the keeping gloves and he should be pretty aware of the saying. The Indian cricket team has for sure hit a road block, all the good work done by Kirsten and Dhoni seems to have been undone but Dhoni alone is not to be blamed for this fiasco. When a team is doing well, whatever the captain does is appreciated. The captain makes a change and the ball goes there and people say th http://www.criclounge.com/article/73/A-captain-is-as-good-as-his-team.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/73/A-captain-is-as-good-as-his-team.html Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:02:00 +0530 The disastrous test series is finally over and with yet another overseas whitewash there have been calls for sweeping changes in the team. The fact is that this time it is kind of justified. The Indian middle order which has been the pillar of strength for the team over the years has started to crumble. Changes are meant to happen and this is the right time to do it. http://www.criclounge.com/article/72/The-ODI-series-should-mark-the-start-of-transition.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/72/The-ODI-series-should-mark-the-start-of-transition.html Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:00:13 +0530 As Dhoni said after India's loss at Perth, the seniors need to be phased out. The Indian selectors during the golden Dhoni-Kirsten period did not try too many middle order candidates and sudden influx of young players isn't going to help the situation. India needs to start by giving Rahane and Rohit Sharma a chance in the final test. The series is already lost and this will be a great chance to try out these youngsters. http://www.criclounge.com/article/71/Change-is-unavoidable-but-needs-to-be-planned.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/71/Change-is-unavoidable-but-needs-to-be-planned.html Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:10:15 +0530 The Indian test team has hit a road block and has pretty much gone downhill over the past year or so. In spite of the high of winning the world cup in 2011, the Indian team has for sure taken a step back in test cricket. The legends Sachin, Dravid and Laxman are at the cusp of retirement and we still havent got any replacement tested at this level. http://www.criclounge.com/article/70/Time-to-think-ahead-for-team-India.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/70/Time-to-think-ahead-for-team-India.html Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:16:47 +0530 The year has come to an and it's time to look back at a great year for the Indian cricket fans around the world. This has been the year of the world cup. Let's look back at the year, the ups the downs and obviously the world cup. http://www.criclounge.com/article/69/Year-in-Review-The-year-of-the-world-cup.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/69/Year-in-Review-The-year-of-the-world-cup.html Mon, 2 Jan 2012 19:06:21 +0530 India is about to begin their test series against Australia in few days and as it was in England earlier this year; the team is struggling with injuries. India had lost Varun Aaron and Praveen Kumar already before leaving the Indian shores and now it seems like Ishant Sharma would also struggle to make to the test team. If Ishant misses out India might field a very inexperience attack unless the replacement/cover is Irfan Pathan. http://www.criclounge.com/article/68/Bowling-worries-for-India-ahead-of-the-first-test.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/68/Bowling-worries-for-India-ahead-of-the-first-test.html Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:32:08 +0530 Ever since the number of India v/s Pakistan encounters started to dwindle, Australia have taken up the mantle of being India's arch rivals and more so in test cricket than in ODIs. Over the years these two teams have provided the cricket fans all over the world a hell lot of entertainment in the form of hard fought matches, on-field controversies, legendary one-on-one battles and all in all some fabulous cricketing moments. http://www.criclounge.com/article/67/India-v-s-Australia-What-is-at-stake-.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/67/India-v-s-Australia-What-is-at-stake-.html Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:17:02 +0530 Ian Chapell once aptly said Virender Sehwag has the most uncluttered mind of all the present day cricketers. And that pretty much sums up Viru's approach to batting in all forms of the game. His uninhibited and sometimes unhinged style has become a trademark, something that many contemporary batsmen try to emulate but only few succeed. http://www.criclounge.com/article/66/Sehwags-double-hundred-It-was-just-a-matter-of-time-.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/66/Sehwags-double-hundred-It-was-just-a-matter-of-time-.html Fri, 9 Dec 2011 22:15:43 +0530 The venue was Sydney and it was the 4th test of a fascinating series between India and Australia. Irfan Pathan who made his debut for India earlier in the series was bowling to Steve Waugh with Australia comfortably placed at 311/4. Pathan bowled a quick full outswinger which took the outside edge of Steve Waugh's bat and watching that I thought here is another brilliant quick bowler for the future. Pathan then bowled Adam Gilchrist with a searing Yorker which reminded me of Zaheer's debut again http://www.criclounge.com/article/65/Irfan-Pathan-the-missing-piece.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/65/Irfan-Pathan-the-missing-piece.html Tue, 6 Dec 2011 22:54:53 +0530 How many times have we seen legends of the game finding it hard to let go before they become a burden on the team and finally fall victim to selection discrepancies that taint an otherwise illustrious career. Ricky Thomas Ponting finds himself in a similar situation at the end of the South African test tour. http://www.criclounge.com/article/64/Time-running-out-for-Ponting.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/64/Time-running-out-for-Ponting.html Sun, 4 Dec 2011 00:34:04 +0530 The earliest memory I have of Shiv Chandrapaul is during the India's tour to the Caribbean in 96/97 season. Brian Lara and Carl Hooper were the major stars in the team then and I had not heard too much about Shiv at that moment. It was the third test of the series after the first two had ended in dull draws. The game was in Bridgetown Barbados (Kensington Oval) with both teams yet to win a game. The wicket at Kensington oval promised a result and both teams were keen to go one up. India won the http://www.criclounge.com/article/63/Shiv-Chanderpaul-A-greatly-underrated-champion.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/63/Shiv-Chanderpaul-A-greatly-underrated-champion.html Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:47:26 +0530 One look at their test record after that momentous World Cup final is enough to give you a clear picture of where they are headed. They have lost their last three test and ODI series against Australia, England and now Pakistan. http://www.criclounge.com/article/62/Sri-Lankan-cricket-in-free-fall.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/62/Sri-Lankan-cricket-in-free-fall.html Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:48:48 +0530 Batting and battling abilities in test cricket in the recent past has gone down by a mile much to the disappointment of a true cricket lover. It has been the talking point when ever there is a low score in an innings, and the first thing that jumps into your mind is, "Is this the advent of T20s?" Well when you consider the situation one gets mixed feelings, and it depends on the state of mind the batsman is in at that moment. http://www.criclounge.com/article/61/Test-cricket-and-its-batting-woes.html http://www.criclounge.com/article/61/Test-cricket-and-its-batting-woes.html Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:33:47 +0530