Time for cricket fans to rejoice

Cricket lovers rejoice. Good time ahead for you. After a tense Australian summer that was in news more for controversies than cricketing reasons, the indian team is finally off to a season full of matches in next six months. The South Africa team is in india to play three Test matches. Then starts the one-and-half-month first edition of the Indian Premier League. The cash-rich tournament, to be played in eight venues in the cricket crazy nation, will have all the first rank international cricketers in action. The rebel indian Cricket league has entered into the final phase of the second edition of the tournament. One more tri-series of the ICL is set to follow in a couple of weeks. The Asia Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy are scheduled to follow the IPL final on June 1. Hence, no dearth of cricket for the fans and serious lovers of the game.

To add to their delight the maverick Virender Sehwag produced one more triple century last week against South Africa in Chennai. While most were aprehensive about the game to take place at the Chepauk stadium as weather was most likely to play spoilsport, to aurprise to all, the game lasted for all five days a nd produced 1498 runs for only 25 wickets. Although the wicket disappointed many as wicket failed to offer any turn even at the last leg of the five-day match, spectators were entertained to the most by Virender. Rahul Dravid became the third Indian and the sixth in cricket's history to reach 10000 runs in Test cricket. But the match ended in a tame draw. However, all eyes were on Mohammad Kaif, the replacement for injured Sachin Tendulkar for the second Test. But to utter surprise, he was not selected in the playing XI by captain Anil Kumble who preferred all-rounder Irfan Pathan to the once touted future captin of the Indian team. Kaif had an excellent season in domestic cricket. The young lad from Uttar Pradesh has to be patient for some more time to earn an Indian cap. Also, the same for southpaw Yuvraj Singh, who despite all the support from skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, failed to prove his worth in the team in India's sojourn Down Under.

When I was drafting this post, Dale Steyn ripped apart the Indian batting order to dismiss the hosts for a paltry 76 in the first innings of the second Test match at Motera in Ahmedabad in the first session of the opening day. Steyn climed a fiver for only 23 runs in eight overs. Kumble must be cursing his cricketing sense to ignore Md Kaif who could have played the role of saviour with Rahul Dravid at this juncture. However, South Africa went for lunch with one run for no loss. I will provide the developments once match resumes.

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