New Delhi, Thursday, December 29 – It is true to say that the craze of cricket grips in India faster than any other sport provided it being a sport wherein nervousness over an apparent winner stays till the last delivery of an innings on more than a few occasions.
Things happen in a way in cricket that it is usually tough for people to predict what is going to happen next. This is the reason why a number of flawless blitzes of the cricketers make their team emerge as a true victor at the end, inflicting defeat by a bigger margin on the opponents when several balls remain to be bowled. T20 format has added to the momentum. Whether victory is logged early or on the dot, the thirst for watching good show on cricket pitch lies till the closing stages.
England Test cricket team was in India for nearly a span of one and a half month. The lately concluded Test series gained enormous popularity for entertaining viewers towards the end of the year. The five-match Test series was finished last week when India sealed series by defeating English players 4-0. Before the new year arrives and the two teams get ready to contest in One Day International and T20 matches, experts have no doubt in mind that the formats of cricket other that Test would not compel the audiences to turn up in the stadium to watch exciting contests between powerhouses.
Thanks to conclusion of the Test series that started early November, people are waiting for ODI series to begin. Even though Indian players outstandingly performed in the longest format, story could be different when they face England in 50-50 over and 20-20 over matches. It was good to see cricket lovers arriving in those stadiums where between India and England contested for being winner in the end. Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot, Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium inVisakhapatnam, Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai witnessed good crowd.
Though numerous seats were left vacant, it still looked better seeing kids contributing significant numbers in the audience since many believe that a few Test matches in the start usually get less attention. Each format of cricket is different and exciting. It is not necessary that a player who fits perfectly in Test puts impressive play forward in T20Is and ODIs too. Appreciation and criticism are parts of life and players also get both, depending on their performance. Virat Kohli and team selectors are getting praise for giving chance to the newcomers in Test as they waited for a platform to let the world be familiar with their potential. Karun Nair’s triple ton caught the eyes.
If talent of youngsters is capitalized well then future of Indian will carry on improving. Without a doubt that dynamic cricketers try their best to stand out in the midst of others, rising as reliable players who can pull off in tough situations. Pressure to earn a name and space enables young sportspersons to learn a lot from the players who are in the squad from last several years. There is no end to know about quite a few techniques which are necessary to keep the squad on front seat. Apart from Nair, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin did well too. Parthiv Patel also marked a sound comeback. His flabbergasting batting, wicket keeping and quickness to hit the stumps or take a catch behind the wickets imparted great role in letting India stay in the game.
Sooner or later, other players showcased their talent too. Good batting by Virat Kohli, Jayant Yadav, Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay and KL Rahul kept India robust. Indian cricket team will hope for excellent show from batsmen, bowlers and fielders in ODI matches to let England stay under the pump. English cricketers will be back in the country soon with the objective to win, which could help them forget embarrassing defeats in Tests at the hands of the Men in Blue. England fans will expect Eoin Morgan to achieve what Alastair Cook couldn’t in longest format. Keen viewers are fervent to notice how Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson and Alex Hales perform that make them win a spot in the squad for a bit long.
It would be a key point to notice India go with what options as openers, middle-order and tail-ender batsmen have distinct role but objective is same. Contribution from each player is important. After a certain span of time, ODI series will start. Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune is probable to see amazing crowd to cheer on outstanding innings from favorite cricketers, who also wish that their talent gets recognition. It is going to be difficult for the Morgan’s men to shine as soon as they land on their soil to play 3-match One Day International series.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be in action once again. He knows very well that any room to the opponents will let them gain traction. There shouldn’t be any hesitation to say that his side will leave no stone unturned to douse the strength and strong points of opponents in the approaching contest. This will be a real trouble for the visitors. The zeal to fight till last makes contest interesting. Great support from home crowd on their turf is going to be an asset for India. It would be important to notice who utilizes the experience gained in the past at the most. Indian team is full of talent. When people get to see a blend of experience and new skills at a similar platform, the level of excitement goes up. Thrashing England by a huge margin must be in the mind of Indian players. How England curb them from attaining their goal is to make competition interesting.