Why it makes sense to have different captains for ODIs and Tests

The recent results in overseas (and also domestic) test matches have again led me to think that we need different captains for the longer and shorter versions of the game of Cricket. There is no questioning the commitment of MSD- Maverick Singh Dhoni. But the facts, recent records and his own admittance shows that he is not fit to lead the team in the longer versions of the game. And to prevent fists of fury from some of my readers, I have reasons to prove.

One, remember when he won the inaugural T20 world cup for India? He was given a team sans the big names and players with international experience except Sehwag and Harbhajan. Every one else including Dhoni himself was either new or still very fresh at international scene. They were all domestic players, the Ranji class. Besides it was the first T20 world cup. No team knew the best strategy. So every one played to their potential without being too much into the ‘strategy’ thing. There were no egos to be buttered, no conflicts to be resolved. Just 3 hours of pure, cheeky cricket. Dhoni thrived (and eventually mastered the art).

Two, remember his innings of 183 not out very early in his career? Dhoni, to me, looks like a warrior with a cool head. He believes in individual brilliance than team games. T20 is about individual brilliance. Misbah ul Haq had almost single handedly won the world cup for Pakistan. But he goofed up at crucial junctures in both semis and finals. And we won the world cup. Even in the ODI world cup, he stepped up, said I want to hit the winning runs… and did. But was there a strategy for including or not including Piyush Chawla or Sree Santh? I wonder.

Three, ODIs and T20s are about quick decision making while tests are about patience and perseverance. Dhoni, to me, is a “I knock you out with one punch” guy. But that strategy can win fights not battles. To win battles, you need to plan your future, even if it is at the cost of few losses. Dhoni always accepted whatever team was given to him and played with it. He won the fights, but lost the battles… most of them. He hardly introduced young players, and didn’t stand by some of them who he managed to introduce (read Rohit, Pujara, Rahane, Mukund, Varun Aaron etc.) To build a world beating team, he needs to choose his players.

Remember the battle of Troy? I can compare Dhoni to Hector, prince of Troy. He managed to fend off the might of Sparta with astute, but short term strategies. Every one knew Troy couldn’t be a world beater… and they eventually lost to Sparta. But Hector is still known as one of the best warriors. Dhoni too is one of the greatest players India has had. But all his successors (Rahul, Anil Kumble or Ganguly) were all better test captains than him, sans Sachin Tendulkar. Without hurting any one’s sentiments, Sachin is (and will remain) the greatest batsman in the world. But he was equally bad captain.

India plays the next test series only in September 2012. I hope we find a worthy head to lead us in Tests while Mahi continues to pour success in the ODIs and T20s. Amen!

Even Steven on the boxing day!

(c) Reuters

This was the most anticipated day, perhaps, for Indian cricket lovers apart from the final of the world cup that India won. To be a bit unfair to Sri Lanka, India’s victory in Mumbai early this year to become the world champions of cricket has become less of a fanfare in my memory, thanks to the fact that we won it against Sangakarra an and his men. Had it been Australia or Pakistan, it would have been different.

Anyway, let us come back to the boxing day test match. I was sort of hoping India to bat and Sachin to redeem himself with a hundredth hundred at the MCG on the boxing day. Perhaps that chance went to his counterpart Ricky Ponting and unfortunately he blew it away after a fine fifty. Yeah unfortunately because I have loved to hate that man (RP, Rick, Punter or %$@$%# whatever they call him) and I wanted him to gracefully retire with a flowing century.

The day belonged, and rightfully so, to the two youngsters. One of them is a debutant, Ed Cowan who let Australia’s batting and other Umesh Yadav who, only in his third test beautifully led Indian bowling. So the boxing day was great with both sides dealing blows, neither of them killing. Match is in the balance now and it remains to be seen if Sachin scores his hundredth hundred at the MCG or not.

I’ll not be posting more about the series here, unless he scores a century or if we win the series or both.

Ghost of Tom Cruise

Another post, another review. And as eccentric as the new MI series movie Ghost Protocol.

(c) Wokay.com

Tom Cruise is old. So is Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar. But none of them are calling it quits… still waiting for that next elusive big innings. Which was the last ‘hit’ movie by Tom? How long ago? Anyway…

So that movie, Ghost Protocol is bollywoodish. I’m wondering who, if it was indeed made in India, would have been the lead actor. Possibly Salman Khan? Yes. Then he wouldn’t bother keeping his goggles in his breast pocket or care to use a pair super suction gloves to climb from 127th floor to 138th floor of Burj Dubai. It indeed has an element of Bollywood in it, a guy named Anil Kapoor with ‘I’m a stupid bollywood actor’ written all over his face in the brief sleazy role he grabbed. Okay sorry. I promise to talk about the movie now.

GP, as I said, is indeed a typical bollywood style flick. Ethan Hunt is thrust upon yet another impossible mission by his agency. Except that he now can not use his agency to make it successful. So he, along with his dare devil but zany team has to protect the world (err… America) from some guy with nuclear terrorism in his eyes. What unfolds are a series of events (mostly funny and foolish) starting from Kremlin (Russia) to Burj Al Arab (Dubai) to Mumbai (actually Bangalore) finally leading to Ethan Hunt saving the world (America again).

I will not say Ghost Protocol is the worst of all MI movies because I enjoyed watching it. But I must say that it certainly did not deserve the ‘MI’ title.

Winter? What winter?

I heard some people talking in my society. They said winter has arrived. One of them was wearing a half sweater at 10am. I saw one guy putting on a jacket as well.

So inquisitively I went and checked the weather report. And, to my surprise, the temperature in Mumbai at that time of 26 degrees. Oh my god! I couldn’t believe it… was it THAT cold? Where is my Laddakhi blanket? And my snow suit? Oops! I don’t have that one.

But boy… IT IS COLD in Mumbai. 26 degrees IS COLD! Mind In!

Audience v/s Ladies v/s Ricky Bahl

What better way to (re) start blogging than writing a movie review? My blogging career started with a movie review. It (re)starts with a movie review again.

Courtesy mahiram.com

Hmmm, now lets focus on LRB. What can you expect from a movie full of ‘Sharmas’? (4 Sharmas- Anushka Sharma, Dipannita Sharma, Aditi Sharma and director Maneesh Sharma and one to-be Sharma… yeah I expect Ranveer to change his name).

Frankly I loved Parineeti Chopra’s character Dimple Chadhha. And this new girl has done full justice to her role. She ads some flavor to otherwise drab movie that revolves around one conman Ranveer (Ricky B) who has duped 15 females and is still at large. Invariably none of them ever complained to Police (god knows why). But some thing happens (apparently directed by Sharma No. 1 Maneesh) and 3 of the 15 con women come together to script an indelible con against the invincible eternal conman.

Enter Sharma No. 2, (Dipannita) a full of attitude corporate secy and the mastermind of the whole con, Sharma No. 3, (Aditi) a certain coy Saira Rashid from Lucknow and the effervescent Dimple Chadhha (Parineeti Chopra). The script the con, trace their target with some intelligent analysis and then decide to attack. But how? So enter Sharma No. 4, Anushka as Ishika Desai. They decide to use her as a pawn to kill the king con. Rest, as they say, will be history in no time.

Movie is interesting in the first half. But sadly it just skids through in the second as against other movies which tend to drag. The three ladies come out as a winner, not only in the movie but also as performers. They, I guess, have the meatiest role despite the movie focusing solely on Ranveer.

The impressionist Raveer Singh is pleasing to the eye. But if I may compare, his con acts are no match to Dhoom 2‘s Hritik. Other wise, he is growing pretty well. I can already see a ‘Shah Rukh Khan‘ in the making.

Anushka, on the other hand, is pathetic. Not her fault though, the role is such. I wonder what made her accept it. Ranveer love os Maneesh’s surname? All in all, the movie is a one time watch if you like light movies and love Ranveer or Anushka. Otherwise Ghost Protocol releases tomorrow and there is Don 2 coming up as well. And they are worth the wait!

Migrated!

Guys, I have finally migrated my blog to a dedicated url. So for newer content, please head to MAXMAYUR.COM

Content is still the same, controversies the same, fun is the same and I’m the same. Only url changes.

Enjoy reading!

Open Letter to Sourav Ganguly

Dear Dada,

Kemon Ache?

Let me introduce myself as your staunch supporter and an ardent cricket fan. This letter in in response to your interview, which was published in the leading newspapers and online media yesterday. You looked distraught and visibly sad by the recent IPL snub. So I’m making my little small attempt to instill some confidence in you by saying don’t worry, we are all there with you.

Image Courtesy- Wittysparks.com

It is really sad that the IPL owners decided not to pick you up for the tournament. Without meaning any disrespect to VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, both on my favorites list, I thought if they could invite bids, so could you. Given your record in the IPL and first class cricket, any body would have been a fool to ignore you. This proves IPL teams are run by a bunch of fools. I’m sure the Mallya camp was drunk, Shilpa was having a cozy conversation with her husband, Priety Zinta was as clueless as a goat in the jungle and Nita Ambani was thinking about what new gold plated fitting to install in her bathroom when your name was announced. So why worry about fools?

Having said that, I guess it was good to see you retire from all forms of the game. You were wise to retire from international cricket at the right time. Probably this was the time to say good bye to IPL as well. We’d surely love to see you as a coach. Have you considered that? May be you should start with a small team and then go on to make big. I look forward to it.

With that, I’d like to conclude and say good bye! And thank you for providing us entertainment all these years. You were without doubt one of the greatest batsmen in the Indian Cricketing world. I will always remember you as a tactical captain, wonderful off side player and a menace for spinners. Good bye and best of luck!

Important Notice!

maxmayur.com is arriving

Yes, the blog will now be migrating to a dedicated url, while still remaining on wordpress. It is just a matter of few days now. Kindly subscribe, if you haven’t already. Or keep looking for the new url.

Happy Blogging! Happy Reading!

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BCCI Begins….

A new fantasy blog cricket has begun now. I’m sure you will love it. Visit once and send a team if you like it.:-)

Words!

Throw and they are called just stones… arrange and they become forts! Mightier than the might of the most!

Can we say the same thing about alphabets that make words? They know no language bar. They know no meaning. They know no boundaries. They know no atrocities. No crime. Nothing.

When I was a child, I learnt A for apple, B for ball and C for cow. But today, children are learning some thing else. A is for Adarsh, B is for blast, R is for rape, M is for money and D is for… well you know who. I wonder if the alphabet ‘C’ ever realized that C is for Care as much as for Corruption, will C be willing to be a part of that word? The answer is no… No to this new language of the world order!

Alphabets when arranged properly make words that make good sense.  Words when arranged properly make good stories, poetry, great articles of historical magnificence. Words when gathered and spoken or written correctly create knowledge, create wisdom, create cultures. But when arranged wrongly? they create scathing speeches, lewd remarks, threatening demands, warnings, corruptions and inharmonious living conditions. The same words, the same 26 letters but different significances.

We all are alphabets and our cultures and customs the words forming out of them. Arrange every thing in proper order called a society and they create peace. Jumble them and they create a difference, a corruption, a bribe, a killing, a menace, an uprising, a war, an end. Same people, same society, different mentalities and different end results.

Rose when you spell wrongly becomes Sore. Just the order matters.

Say no to corruption. Don’t bribe or accept bribe. Support righteousness and stay with it. Be polite with the fellow world men. Don’t spread hatred. Difference between a Ram, a Mohammad, a Peter and a Nanak is just the name. After all, they all have two eyes, two hands, two legs and one heart. Jai Hind!

This post is in response to a tag by Pallavi, Prateek and the original tag from Cyber Nag.

Addendum: For all those who support drive against corruption, please visit and register yourself at the website of ‘India against corruption.’ I hope this initiative spells the change.