Blasphemous Thoughts
I have a feeling that India is not going to go far in this Champions Trophy. *ducks for cover*
Don’t write me off an as infidel yet! Like any good Indian I still believe we will beat the crap out of Pakistan tomorrow. But in general, the team is not inspiring much confidence this time. I can’t quite put my finger on what’s wrong (It’s not you…it’s me). Important batsmen are injured. Bowlers are off-colour. Fielding has been meh for quite some time now. The Compaq Cup (touted as “preparation” for CT) didn’t exactly rock my world. And the lesser said about that warm up against NZL the better.
As an aside, I get very uncomfortable at the thought of India playing NZL in multinational tournaments. I think we don’t have a very good record against them in such matches, warmup or regular. Some Champions Trophy final(the 2nd edition?), T20 WC 2007 come to mind. Can anyone confirm this? Do we always/mostly lose to NZL in such tournaments?
Anyway, what I need to see is a confident win over Pakistan. Sachin, Rahul…show us what you are made of. Yusuf Pathan…please justify your place in the squad. The fast bowler brigade…get a grip! Remind us again why you all were being touted as one of the best in business and a balanced attack not so long ago.
Go India Go!!
Yeah count me in as an infidel too!
I don’t know about stats, but I too get the feeling that India often lose to NZ in World Cup tournaments and such.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Leela,
If you are having these thoughts as well, then i am really scared now..given that your hunches prove correct mostly.
[Reply]
Leela
26 Sep 09 at 6:46 pm
as sidhu used to say “its not as bad as it sounds… it worse mate”
jokes apart i think we have the bowling to do well under prevailing conditions… they just need to focus a bit… the absence of youvraj in middle is an interesting development in a way that we will get to know what our next generation is all about…
so stay tuned…
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 3:49 am
SP..u r not helping with quotes like that!!
Hoping for the best
[Reply]
straight point
26 Sep 09 at 9:30 pm
Fair comment on NZ being India’s bogey team in multi lateral tournaments.
Ind LOST to NZ in 92 WC (Greatbatch walloped us), didn’t play them in 96 – Aus took care of that knocking them out in quarters – great match. Was there in Chepauk. Mark Waugh 100.
Played them in 99WC in Super six and LOST. Played NZ in 2000 CT final, LOST.
Oh wait shock, horror – played them in 03 WC super six and WON !!!!!!!!!!. Distinctive memory is of Bond making Ganguly look like a dork against good fast bowling
.
WC 07 – 50 0ver format, we all know how that panned out. LOST to NZ in WC 07 T20. LOST in both warm ups this year ! Yep they do have the wood, forest and continent over India !
As to your blasphemous India predo – it’s not far off. Semi’s is actually what they can achieve max. Would like an Aus – Ind final, while Aus seem a better bet to reach the final, not quite sure how Ind plans to get there
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 3:50 am
TG
Welcome back…hope the Ashes weren’t too hard
Thanks for the confirming the NZL bit..I’ll remember that when I buy my next “I Hate..” T-shirt
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 4:07 am
Oh…and I too feel Semi finals will be as far as India can go this time…if that….
[Reply]
Tifosiguy
26 Sep 09 at 11:19 pm
Yes! generally we loose to NZ in ICC events in the recent past!
and ironically we haven’t won a single T20 against NZ till now after 4 attempts( incl the warm up match) anyhow we did not have sachin,nehra and bhajji in the team in the warm up match .
need not read too much into it!
i want Australia to crash out in the group stages! the centurion pitch might make my wish come true in their crucial matches!
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 4:02 am
Aditya
Thanks for your comment and welcome. That’s you leading the BCC! league fantasy team isn’t it? If you are holding any tutorials on how to play fantasy cricket, please let me know
And Amen to your Australia wish(sorry TG)! Can WI pull it off today?
[Reply]
Aditya
27 Sep 09 at 12:14 am
Megha
The Ashes is still hard to digest esp when blokes at work still rub it in. Cardiff rates as the worst cricketing venue… Well Eng can hold onto it till next year end.
As to Aus/WI – guess it’s clear where that’s heading. Pray for Ind on Monday that they don’t get mauled by Aus ! They are playing at Joburg rite ? We all know what happened the last time they met there
If they are playing at Centurion, ain’t any better ! Got rolled over for 125 when they played Aus there 
My best memories of WC 03, Ind in two games ( 125 +234 in final) equalled Aus score in the final 359/2 .. and Punter 140*, SRT 4 in final. Ah good times
[Reply]
Tifosiguy
27 Sep 09 at 5:29 am
Well, not sure about what happens in this tourney, but atleast some Bangalorean did a decent job yesterday. So congrats for that and also for turning in a new leaf, er, blogsite!
I’ll update your latest address on my blog.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Shailesh
Cliched as it may sound, I would have been much happier if India had won..I mean losing to Pak in an ICC event…sheeesh!!
Thanks for updating the link!
And hope Monday is a better day
[Reply]
Shailesh
27 Sep 09 at 10:49 pm
Oh well we lost to Pakistan. No more loss and we are out. Quite a nice routine the Indian team is setting up in all major tournaments.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Scorpi
Some bizzare tactics did us in yesday…we need to learn quickly to avoid disaster tommorow…
[Reply]
scorpicity
28 Sep 09 at 4:13 am
Yes you are right. Kiwis are our bogey in ICC tournaments. After 1987 we have beat them just 2 times in the ICC tournaments. Wait just once. 2003.
We lost to them in 2nd edition in 2000, we lost to them in 1999 Super Six though it didnt matter and then the only defeat in 2007 WCT20 came to them and now in the warmup game in CT.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Cheers Sameer
Hope we don’t clash with them in this tourney…or wait…should I be hoping that we set the record straight with them this time? If given a chance that is…
Tough call!
[Reply]
Sameer
28 Sep 09 at 1:46 pm