Comebacks are always fascinating, for there's no better story than one of persistence till a point of cathartic redemption. Yuvraj Singh has made many - in cricket, and in life. But the one he made in Rajkot this week, playing his best T20 knock, against Australia, will surely be a defining one. The fact that he was down and on the brink of being pushed out, and running out of time, made this comeback sweeter.
This wasn't the first time the world saw Yuvraj play a determined, decisive knock. Yet it has been a while since we saw the man in his element. He did show glimpses of his glorious past on his comeback after defeating cancer too, but unfortunately those turned out to be only glimpses. This time, though, it looks a lot different, he looks a lot more resolute.
His knock of 77 not out transported me to the winter of 2004, when he scored a century in each innings of a Duleep Trophy final. I vividly remember Yuvraj playing a defensive prod to a medium-pacer - it was as defensive as it could be, off the front foot with no flourish, with no intent to hit an attacking shot. I stood at the non-striker's end as the ball sped down the ground before the bowler could intercept it in his follow-through. It all happened in such a jiffy that the mid-off fielder could find no time to even attempt to cover the ten yards to his left to try and prevent the four. Yuvraj was in his pomp.
While one can attribute Yuvraj's beautiful timing to a high, whirling backlift, where the bat comes down at just the right time to meet the ball, you can truly admire his extraordinary abilities only if you've played the sport, and especially if you've been a batsman. For that's when you realise that Yuvraj's finesse makes the most arduous shots look like a cakewalk, much like that defensive prod that fetched him four.
The high backlift has been the very essence of his batting, giving him immense power, the power that he wields to such great effect. But that same high backlift, which is your best friend when you're in form, becomes your worst enemy when you're out of it. Batting is all about your eyes being synchronised - seeing the ball released from the bowler's hand - your mind processing the information and deciding how to react, and your body getting into the right position to execute a response. If any part of this chain is not working at its optimum, you're doomed.
Yuvraj is not only picking the length as early as he used to in his heyday, he is also getting into the right positions quickly enough to dispatch deliveries to the fence
Unfortunately this was evident a year ago when Yuvraj was either unable to pick the length and the line of the ball early enough, or wasn't physically fit enough to get into the right positions. Whatever it may have been, short-pitched deliveries were regularly perturbing him, and even some spinners found ways to tether him. Big shots, which he rarely mistimes, were finding the inside- or the outside half of the bat often.
Yuvraj doesn't rely too heavily on moving his feet against the spinners, and makes up for it with strength, an intent to attack, and clarity of thought. But against Saeed Ajmal and James Tredwell earlier this year, even those attributes were clearly absent. Yuvraj clearly looked undercooked back then. His intent had got him back to the field, but his skill was yet to be polished.
This time, though, even though the sample size is only 35 balls, it seems Yuvraj has turned another corner. Not only is he picking the length as early as he used to in his heyday, he is also getting into the right positions quickly enough to dispatch deliveries to the fence.
The other thing that might have gone slightly unnoticed is his running between the wickets. The way Yuvraj ran with MS Dhoni during their 102-run stand was further evidence that he is well and truly back. There's still a minor technical blip in his batting - his head falls a little too much to the off side - but I'm sure that with runs under his belt, it's only a matter of time before he sorts that out too.
The work he has done in France to get back in top physical shape is apparent enough. Now it's up to him to continue to bat this way, for a fit and in-form Yuvraj Singh is integral to India's chances of defending the World Cup in 2015.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
The king of comebacks
Comebacks are always fascinating, for there's no better story than one of persistence till a point of cathartic redemption. Yuvraj Singh has made many - in cricket, and in life. But the one he made in Rajkot this week, playing his best T20 knock, against Australia, will surely be a defining one. The fact that he was down and on the brink of being pushed out, and running out of time, made this comeback sweeter.
This wasn't the first time the world saw Yuvraj play a determined, decisive knock. Yet it has been a while since we saw the man in his element. He did show glimpses of his glorious past on his comeback after defeating cancer too, but unfortunately those turned out to be only glimpses. This time, though, it looks a lot different, he looks a lot more resolute.
His knock of 77 not out transported me to the winter of 2004, when he scored a century in each innings of a Duleep Trophy final. I vividly remember Yuvraj playing a defensive prod to a medium-pacer - it was as defensive as it could be, off the front foot with no flourish, with no intent to hit an attacking shot. I stood at the non-striker's end as the ball sped down the ground before the bowler could intercept it in his follow-through. It all happened in such a jiffy that the mid-off fielder could find no time to even attempt to cover the ten yards to his left to try and prevent the four. Yuvraj was in his pomp.
While one can attribute Yuvraj's beautiful timing to a high, whirling backlift, where the bat comes down at just the right time to meet the ball, you can truly admire his extraordinary abilities only if you've played the sport, and especially if you've been a batsman. For that's when you realise that Yuvraj's finesse makes the most arduous shots look like a cakewalk, much like that defensive prod that fetched him four.
The high backlift has been the very essence of his batting, giving him immense power, the power that he wields to such great effect. But that same high backlift, which is your best friend when you're in form, becomes your worst enemy when you're out of it. Batting is all about your eyes being synchronised - seeing the ball released from the bowler's hand - your mind processing the information and deciding how to react, and your body getting into the right position to execute a response. If any part of this chain is not working at its optimum, you're doomed.
Yuvraj is not only picking the length as early as he used to in his heyday, he is also getting into the right positions quickly enough to dispatch deliveries to the fence
Unfortunately this was evident a year ago when Yuvraj was either unable to pick the length and the line of the ball early enough, or wasn't physically fit enough to get into the right positions. Whatever it may have been, short-pitched deliveries were regularly perturbing him, and even some spinners found ways to tether him. Big shots, which he rarely mistimes, were finding the inside- or the outside half of the bat often.
Yuvraj doesn't rely too heavily on moving his feet against the spinners, and makes up for it with strength, an intent to attack, and clarity of thought. But against Saeed Ajmal and James Tredwell earlier this year, even those attributes were clearly absent. Yuvraj clearly looked undercooked back then. His intent had got him back to the field, but his skill was yet to be polished.
This time, though, even though the sample size is only 35 balls, it seems Yuvraj has turned another corner. Not only is he picking the length as early as he used to in his heyday, he is also getting into the right positions quickly enough to dispatch deliveries to the fence.
The other thing that might have gone slightly unnoticed is his running between the wickets. The way Yuvraj ran with MS Dhoni during their 102-run stand was further evidence that he is well and truly back. There's still a minor technical blip in his batting - his head falls a little too much to the off side - but I'm sure that with runs under his belt, it's only a matter of time before he sorts that out too.
The work he has done in France to get back in top physical shape is apparent enough. Now it's up to him to continue to bat this way, for a fit and in-form Yuvraj Singh is integral to India's chances of defending the World Cup in 2015.
Amla, Steyn return to South Africa's T20 squad
Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn have been named in South Africa's T20 squad for the two-match series against Pakistan in the UAE next month. Batsman Farhaan Behardien and the seamer Rory Kleinveldt were the two players left out of the T20 squad that toured Sri Lanka in July.
Amla last played a T20 in December 2012. He relinquished the limited-overs vice-captaincy in February when South Africa announced separate captains for all three formats. He had asked not to be picked for T20s in 2013, but it appears as if he is willing to commit to the shortest format. He is the third opening batsman in the squad, with Henry Davids and Quinton de Kock in the mix.
"Hashim is a world-class player across all the formats," said Cricket South Africa (CSA) selection convener Andrew Hudson. "His experience and stability at the top of the order are qualities that we believe will strengthen the squad in a key area."
Steyn last played in the World T20 in Sri Lanka in 2012. With the next edition of the tournament in March-April in Bangladesh, the coach Russell Domingo had made it clear that players had to be part of the squad regularly if they wanted to be picked for tournaments. Steyn took part in the Champions League in India for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
"It is great to have Dale back as it means we now have all our senior players available again," Hudson said. "There was also some encouraging form shown at the Champions League T20, notably by Henry Davids, who was unquestionably the batsman of the tournament until the Titans were knocked out."
The allrounder Chris Morris was not named in any of the limited-overs squads for the tour. South Africa play the two T20s in Dubai after the two Tests and five ODIs.
Squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Henry Davids, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, David Wiese
Sachin Tendulkar Declared his Test innings after 200 Matches
A confident indian team
A confident indian team will analysis their deficiencies in both batting and bowling department in the second ODI match against unbeaten team Australia.Australia who have lead by 1-0 in 7 one days matches.
After losing the first match by comprehensively 72 runs in 1st ODI, MS Dhoni and their team should need properly planing against top Australian batsman.Dhoni is confidente on their boys to come back in the series after win the 2nd ODI match.
If we analysis the Australian side , Their batsman are in good form and they will fully try to win the Second ODI match at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium on Wednesday and will extend their lead by 2-0.
Indian team who is World No. 1 in ICC ODI rankings after won the Zimbabwe series, West Indies tri series, Champions Trophy 2013 will left their reythem after loosing the Pune match.”Man in Blue” should focuse on thier middle order batsman and opening pair.In bowling deparment, Pacers include Ishant Sharma and R Vinay Kumar bowling was not impressive.They can not build the pressure on Australian opening batsman which gave the 100 puls opening stand.In the middle order Bailey and Glenn Maxwell has played responsible innings and guided the Australian score 300 plus.
From Indian bowling , Ishant Sharma has totally disappointing the indian team in both T20 and first One day international match.He got the Pathetic figures of 0/52 in four overs in the T20 International followed by 0/56 in seven overs in ODIs have hurt India badly as Aussie batsmen assaulted the lanky Delhi pacer with a flurry of boundaries in both matches.Spin department perfrom well as compare to fast bowlers.Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have bowled decently in both twenty20 and 1st ODI matches.Yuvraj Singh slow left arm bolwing was also very effect on home pitches.MS Dhone should not distrub with their bowling department.
On Sawai Man Singh Stadium, host have won 7 matches out of 11.During the Champions League T20, Rajasthan Royals whose was the home grond in this tournment, has not a single match.all-rounder Shane Watson and left-arm seamer James Faulkner, who have played more matches than some of the Indian players at this ground courtesy IPL and CLT20.Mitchell Johnson also have lot of practice on this pitch.
From the Indian team batting in first ODI match, Virat Kohli was the only man who score 61 runs.Non of the other batsman has crossed the 50 runs.Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina have gave the good start with 42 and 39 runs respectivally.Yuvraj Singh who played the blitzing innings in only T20 matches has not maintain thier performance in 1st ODI match.MS Dhoni who has knocked career best score 183 runs against Sri Lanka 8 year back in this groud.
Match Facts Summary:
One-Day International | 2013/14 season
Played at Sawai Man Singh Stadium
16 October 2013 – day/night (50-over match)
Pitch Report:
According to our experts opinion and prediction about Sawai Man Singh Stadium pitch is that it is good batting wicket.This pitch surface will support to the batsman.Fast bowler will get bit bounce on this wicket.This pitch is also help ful for the spin bowlers.
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