Vidooshak

Cricket should be run and managed by players to curb corruption

Rahul Dravid recently suggested in an ESPNcricinfo interview that spot-fixing should be deemed a criminal offense. His premise being that jail time would be a deterrent to this scourge. He cited the example of cyclists cheating and being afraid of being caught by the cops. He also said that everyone knows about fixing being a bad thing. And in these statements lies the counter-argument.

Feudal structures have made ethics and morality a convenient choice

Cricket seems the last thing on everyone’s mind. Mumbai won the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), but there has been very little talk about that. The buzz has been about the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), corruption, spot-fixing, money, resignation and non-resignation. Swift constructive action eliminates rumors, innuendos and speculations. But why should anyone expect constructive action from the BCCI?

MS Dhoni’s leadership has played an important role in the difficult period of transition

A 4-0 blanking was definitely not a predictable script. Other than Harbhajan Singh, who predicted England would be blanked by India at home, no one seriously thought Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team would hand such a drubbing to Australia.

Conceit of administrators is costing cricket

Australia has sunk to a depth that will take a few series to resolve. Any and all blame for axing talented players or not integrating them successfully must fall with the management. Cricket, and indeed all sport, is spectator. The public pays to watch entertaining players perform and revel when their team wins. It's that simple. Cricket's long term economic muscle improves when teams with flair do well, not machine like robots showing up on the field.

Cheteshwar Pujara adds another feather to his cap

The most heartening sight about the ongoing Hyderabad Test match between India and Australia has been the crowds. The fact that over 28,000 on Sunday and close to 18,000 on Monday came to watch the Test is good news for Test cricket in India.

What MS Dhoni possibly meant when he talked about a “settled combination”

A tight bowler at one end and an attacking one at the other is the most basic template of test match bowling. Play on the batsmen's minds, don't give them balls in the areas where they are strong and let them make decisions to attack or not.

Onus on Pujara and Kohli to lead the Indian batting charge against Australia

The selections for the Australia series is not very pleasing. The team does not get to move forward.

Only Cheteshwar Pujara mastered Graeme Swann

Graeme Swann has done what Shane Warne couldn't do before .commanded the respect of Indian batsmen and at times even foxed them and bossed them.

Pujara, Kohli reassure that life after Dravid & Laxman isn’t terrible

By Vidooshak 

Cheteshwar Pujara re-announced himself to the cricket world with a mature century. The rawness of his stroke-making was still evident. He played classical cricket shots, which were more likely to hit fielders than gaps. But New Zealand is not a team that has bowlers to test such batsmen. 

Pietersen controversy: ECB & Strauss at fault for letting things come to this state

By Vidooshak

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) took the bold, but dim-witted step of dropping Kevin Pietersen from the Test team. Well-intentioned rules and regulations controlling player behavior are just that. "Well-intentioned". They neither guarantee success nor do they ensure cohesive team behavior. However, many people get caught up in the rules and regulations and assume them to be the foundation for team success.