Rahul "The Wall" Dravid- Just for the love of the game..

When Rahul Dravid was first asked about his nick name, The Wall, his response was that he didn't like it. He said that in few years time, same people calling him Wall today will throw headlines about him such as "wall is cracking or crumbling". When I first read this, I thought why is Rahul bothered about headlines of future, he should enjoy this now. After all the name was given as an honor to his ability to bat long. But that was Rahul Dravid, smart enough to see the up and down side of  everything and not get carried away too much with adulation and also not get too bogged down when there is criticism. Its the balance like this which has allowed him to carve out his own chapter in the history of Indian Cricket during the era of Sachin Tendulkar where other players may just get a page or two.

Rahul has lived up to his nick name in true manner, he has played most no. of balls in test cricket than any other player in the history of cricket. This tells you 2 things, he has been around for long time and he has batted very long time. Bowlers have just bowled and bowled at him and I can imagine if they will prefer to bowl to the actual wall instead.. because atleast the actual wall doesn't punish bad balls but Rahul scores runs, 23000+ runs in international cricket are lots of them..

Rahul Dravid has always been there, you know this because you notice him in the middle when wickets are falling around him. His batting position is No. 3 , bridging the explosiveness of Sehwag and genius of Tendulkar. It wasn't until 2001 that Indian cricket fans realized the contribution from Rahul in Indian victory.. if you can recall all Indian major victories in last 10-12 years, Rahul Dravid has been the architect for all of them, though the final punch may have been delivered by some one else. Kolkata 2001, Headingly 2002,  Adelaide 2003, Rawalpindi 2004, Oval 2006, WI 2007 , they are all there. Sourav Ganguly and John wright got lot of credit for India reaching the WC final in 2003, every one forgot that it was Rahul's agreement to be the wicket keeper which allowed India to play 7 batsman and they almost pulled it off. Natwest 2002 final is remembered for Kaif, he wouldn't have been playing if Dravid was not keeping.

Rahul has always been the quiet dignified face of Indian cricket and always been the fallback guy. Ganguly pulling out of Nagpur 2008 at last minute, no problem, send Rahul for toss. Openers injured, Rahul will pad up. Micheal Slater shouting on his face, he will just shake his head..Selectors dropped him from ODI, he modified his game and came back to score 10000 runs in ODI as well.
The most aggressive reaction from Dravid had come only after taking some sharp catches in slip..by the way, he has taken most catches than anybody in test cricket..

Today, on 11 Jan 2012, Rahul turns 39. He is the oldest test playing cricketer today and though he had churned out one of his best year in 2011, age is catching up fast. How would you feel if you are the oldest person working in your profession?
He is still playing on, still able to score runs but age is catching up, he is fit but reaction is slower, some catches has started to go down as well, there may still be some fire left before it calls the day.. may be one more Rahul classic left in this series, one of those back to the wall defence, nothing passing the bat unless well left.. those cuts and some pulls..another big 100.. another bat raised and another come from behind victory for India against Aussies.. yes, it will be nice to go out like that..
Happy B'day Rahul, Its scary when you don't score runs, its scarier if you are not in the team..

India's cricket tours down under..Going Down and Under..

My first memory of watching cricket in Australia is from 1985, colorful clothing, white ball, big grounds, beer drinking crowd with no fence, summer days in Sydney when it was chilling cold in North India, I always thought December was cold all over the world. Most matches had early morning start in India, watching most of the match sitting in quilt and before school at 5 AM, on black and white DD transmission was the first time I really enjoyed watching cricket. New camera angles and unique animations (the duck which was on screen every time batsman was out for 0) introduced a completely new cricket watching experience which was out of this world, definitely out of India (Pun intended).

The memory is sweet for the cricket as well, India won the B&H champions trophy, Srikanth made some attacking 50s and so did Azhar. Kapil won the match which was lost, Shastri was always there and I think most of India still remember his Audi. Since then I have always looked forward to watching cricket from Australia. Unfortunately, it was not to be, next series I watched when India toured in 1992, 7 years later , for 5 tests, tri series and world cup. The whole tour was disaster for the results, but for some fantastic batting from some one named Tendulkar, and for Australia, there was a fat, blonde spinner making debut named Shane Warne.. I some time still look for highlights of those matches on YouTube...

For some reasons, India didn't tour Australia for another 7 years, next tour was in 1999. Lot had happened till then, match fixing scandel, Ganguly and Dravid made debut for India, Kargil war and 2 world cups.. Sachin was captain again.. and India was to play Pakistan in tri-series as well..

This tour also India didn't do any better, Sachin still the best batsman, Ganguly made few runs, in tests and ODI, and India lost most matches, more painfully to Pakistan. Australia beat both India and Pakistan and won everything...They were getting to No.1 status...

I was working for TCS then and my first major onsite assignment was ... Sydney.. The first thing I was looking forward to was to visit SCG and MCG and play cricket in some of the lush cricket fields.. though I managed to watch few matches in SCG and visited MCG twice, India didn't tour there, though Australia toured India in between. I watched the 2001 epic series from the other side, in Australia.. and also watched the 2003 world cup in Australia.. India did reach the final but lost to Australia..very badly..

I moved back to India in Dec 2003 and India tour just started in Brisbane... I thought what a timing for me.. 4 years in Australia and India is touring after I left..

This 2003 tour was going to be different, there were signs.. India played brilliantly in 2003 WC, India won the last test series against Aus in 2001. In 2003, Warne was banned for Australia, not that India had any problems with him, Mcgrath was injured and India had many problems with him...and it was Steve waugh's farewell series..

Ganguly made 100 in Brisbane and no body imagined what's coming up next.. India's tour of 2003 is one of the classics.. one of the best performance of Indian team down under.. 2 double hundreds by Sachin and Dravid, 2 300 runs partnerships..and 2 100s for Laxman.. and India even scored 700 in an innings...but couldn't win the series...

Now India was scheduled to tour Australia every 4 years.. next tour was in 2007. Every body remembered how India played last time...Kumble was captain, Sehwag, Sachin, Laxman & Dravid were still there.. and some new faces from both sides.. This tour ended up being the biggest controversy since match fixing, the monkeygate.. the jury is still out there but I believe what sachin said, he didn't have to made up the story and it makes sense...

this fired up India, we won in Perth of all places...though we lost the series... Sehwag was back in team with big 100, there were 100s from Sachin and Laxman and as usual, Dravid helped too.. but the best part was first victory in Tri-series under MSD, Sachin finally scored ODI 100 as well in Australia, in finals... I was on my way to London on that day...I missed the live innings...

When 2011 year started, it was supposed to be cream of cricket season for India, India started 2011 as No. 1 ranked in Tests and No. 2 in ODIs, First there was World cup in India then overseas tours of England and Australia, 2 best places to play cricket and watch cricket, live as well as on TV. I was so looking forward to it..

it all started perfectly, India won the WC after 28 years, which was scripted for us to win, still, team has to go out there and win it...that was the highest point...and then things started to go bad..

there was IPL in 5 days time... who wants to eat M&Ms after eating 3 course meal which had the best dessert of final served... but it was planned earlier and it went on... midway through the IPL, some players started getting injured (Sehwag) and some dropped hints of dropping out of WI tour (Sachin, Dhoni).. it looked odd but not much attention was given..

finally the test matches started...

First symptoms were visible in WI, team of youngsters had to rely on Dravid to bail them out in tests, India won 1-0 against the club side WI team..it was shocking when they called of the chase of 90 odd runs in 15 overs in last test, with 6 wickets in hand.. Dhoni didn't even come to bat..

well, I thought, this was just warm up, England tour is main thing.. they had just won Ashes in Australia..looking very strong...India had won the series in Eng in 2007 and it was fresh in memory..

Tour started as nightmare...Sehwag was missing.. Zaheer broke down on first day, Harbhajan looked like a part timer and batting never clicked...Batting didn't click the whole tour and bowling looked so ordinary.. India didn't win a single match whole tour...and all were wondering about Sachin's 100th 100.. Dravid was the lone man standing from India...

Somehow the tour ended and every body thought by the tour of Australia , India will be back full strength and it will be back to normal.. meanwhile, couple of meaning less tours from Eng and WI were brushed aside with victories on dustbowls.. Sehwag helped himself to 200 in ODI. Sachin missed the ODIs after playing tests.. 100th 100 was still missing..

After learning from Eng series, this tour had 2 practice matches and Zaheer was fit.. all looked good for India... and finally , the toss was called at MCG..

India played well at MCG, in patches, they were in the match for first 3 days but lost it completely on 4th.. what a disappointment.. Batting still looked patchy, bowling was fantastic though.... I couldn't understand this captaincy from MSD, too defensive I think.. and so does Ganguly, who knows bit more about captaining India..

Australia was gaining momentum, their weak link was batting, top 3 were no names and middle had Ponting and Hussey.. facing knives and axes in their own country.. if only we can post 400 in SCG and take them under pressure.. obviously their new bowlers can not keep up this good bowling for 2 test matches..

but they did.. India batted first, as they wanted and every thing else was in reverse direction.. Bowling was even better, India couldn't make past 200 or past day 1, Australia batted as if they will never stop, 100s for Ponting and hussey and 329* for Clarke.. India bowled and fielded as if they can't even buy wicket with all the IPL money... mercifully Australia declared.. they also thought that they had enough.. and lets finish in 4 days and take rest...

and they did.. India was never going to save the match, but didn't go into 5th day.. only notable team achievement was scoring 400, which may have included some long handle shots into open spaces due to close in catchers.. Sachin went for 80..and Laxman 66, both of SCG old timers couldn't get 3 figures in their last innings...

2 more tests to go.. I half expect some revival in Perth and Adelaide.. Dhoni's captaincy has left lot to desire.. I think he should captain in ODI only, he is different player there...but then who can captain in Tests, and keep wickets.. I will be happy if we can draw remaining 2 matches and move to ODIs.. the stars are fading.. these are tired legs of Sachin, Dravid and Laxman..

I will still be up all night for next 2 matches as I have a feeling that this will be the last time i will see all big players play together in Australia.. results aside, I don't want to miss this... some thing to cherish for life..

watching cricket in Australia has given many sweet memories and more will come, but most of the sweet memories of last 15 years include Sachin , Dravid and Laxman, there is still some chance left for redemption.. next 2 weeks will be closing moments for greatest chapter of Indian cricket..in the best country to watch cricket.. I am not missing them...

Andre Agassi- a very OPEN book about world no. 1 Tennis player who hated tennis the most

First I heard of Agassi was in early 90s when he refused to play in Wimbledon because they mandated white clothing. Since I was cricket buff, which was still mostly played in white, and have always believed in traditions of sports, I didn't think much of Agassi. who does he think he is? My favorite was Boris Becker and at most I can watch Ivan Lendl at that time, because he was no. 1 and never won the Wimbledon. Remember those were the days when most homes in India still relied on DD to show some matches of Wimbledon from London in evening time. Steffi Graf was another favorite because she started beating Martina Navratilova. So both my favorite players were Germans..

After that whenever I have seen or heard of Agassi, he was always with long hair and earrings.. always playing Pete Sampras. and loosing half the time. which meant he won half the time as well but that I didn't realize then. and he was no.1 for some time as well. but then he fell of the radar...

Then he was in news again when it became common news that Agassi and Stefi Graf are couple now. I was bit surprised though, couldn't think of any other tennis couple who were both world no. 1 at some time and Grand Slam champions... It was bit odd to see Stefi in Agassi's box during his matches..but anyway, I have never cared about sports people's personal life, I only watch them play...

Then Becker retired, Sampras retired, and then Agassi was no. 1 again. I thought every one else must be very bad.. I stopped following much of Tennis from 2002 onwards, India was doing so well in Cricket those days..

2005 onwards it was time for Federer and Nadal. Their 2008 Wimbledon final was epic and I was in London, lucky to watch it on TV live..But Agassi was still around and playing mostly US Slams finals.. I started watching his matches..not bad for 35 year old player I thought.. then he retired as well..

I was not following tennis much off late. Nadal and Federer were playing most slams finals and I don't even remember the top 5 seeded players. In 90s, I used to remember top 20. well , then I used to remember match figures of Kapil Dev bowling also from 80s..

Cut to 2011, Infosys was hosting the Annual Sales conference in Las Vegas in Aug 2011. Some of my colleagues were going from Stockholm and I heard about the guest speaker from them.. Andre Agassi.. Hmm, I thought, nice idea to call in a sports person as key note speaker and for motivational talks. and rightly so as he lives in Vegas. Still, I thought , It will be good for every one to hear a world champion speak. They always have nice stories to tell...

After couple of weeks, I asked Reza (Infosys colleague) about the Agassi session, I am glad that I asked him as he was the one who attended from Stockholm team, and he was impressed. And he said that Agassi opened his speech with statement, "I hate Tennis". Everyone laughed. Everyone thought it's really funny way of open his speech as most speaker try to do, coming from legend of Tennis, its really funny. but then Agassi was serious and he explained why. My colleague was so impressed that on his way back , he bought his book at the airport to read.

Interesting, I thought. Few days later, I got hold of his autobiography (and rightly named as OPEN) as well, in Kindle format. I realized, ok, This will be the first book I will read electronically. I have always preferred to read books traditional hard copy way, because that's the way I have always read it.

After few weeks (and after completing the mammoth biography of Steve Jobs, which i will talk about in my next blog), I got to it. and I just finished last week.

What a nice book it was, to be honest, I was bit skeptical as some of the earlier autobiographies I had read were in 2 categories, one where the sports person was a hero, bragging about his talent and efforts through out his life, or the other kind where there was no story, just details of person's match records, results and his travel log. Also, this was the first autobiography I was reading who was not a cricketer, last one I read was of Steve Waugh, 970 pages, but that's for another day...

This book is engaging, as if Agassi is talking through his life with you, written as first person in conversational style, with short and sharp sentences, funny at most times but insightful none the less. it keeps you engaged and entertained throughout. and also tell you about Agassi the person as well as the player..

It starts with a day before one of his matches of later years..with kids and stefi around..how he prepares and goes about his schedule, glimpses of discipline of top class sports person.. then he cuts back to the age of 7, early days of his struggle with his father pushing him to hit harder..there is dragon, which spits tennis balls..through the eyes of 7 year old, looks real.

then some stories about his early playing days, and his dad pushing him.. playing tournaments, winning most, loosing some, his first loss was due to cheating, and he will get back to that..

then moves to academy, meets some of his long time companions, some by fate, some by chance and some by choice..

life goes on.. winning, loosing and playing..some times not playing and finding meaning of life..then playing again..some funny incidents and some when he cried.. off the court struggles, first commercial deal with Nike, and loosing all the money in 2 years.. first affair..called off by girl..meeting Brooke shields.. and getting married.. and getting divorced.. mention of "Friends" TV serial shooting episode which started problem between them. I have seen that episode few times and now to think this has started ground for Agassi and Brooke shields moving away is shocking.. and then he mentions, he hates Boris Becker.. I am shocked again, Agassi hates my favorite tennis player... he portrays completely different picture of Becker.. but then, they were competitors.. I am ok. They had their reasons..I only watch them play..

Agassi also mentions that first time he approached Stefi even before he met Brooke, but there was no response.. his whole story of his courtship with Stefi, sending flowers and waiting for days for phone to ring, it doesn't seem that these 2 people involved are world champions and no. 1 players.. I am sure he will have great time telling this story to his kids in "How I Met your Mother" TV serial kind of way..

Though the book moves at fast pace, if you look closely, the struggles of champion comes out, the discipline, hard work and dedication is hard to miss.. and another important point that he makes it clear that no one makes it to top alone. He met right people and he kept them, they stayed together. Without them, Agassi would not have played 1000+matches, highest in tennis history.. and would not have become World no. 1 twice, first time because his father wanted him to, and second time because he himself wanted it... for once he wanted to be no. 1, and he did..

He has called some of the key moments of his matches in so much details that I had to go to you tube and watch the videos.. its great to see the action knowing what player was thinking at that time.. especially the one he played and defeated Becker in 95 US open semifinal.. he almost didn't shake hands after the match.. and its shown in the video as well on You Tube.

So I finally read my first real book on iPad, and that brings me to topic of my next blog, Steve Jobs..but that's next week...