This is an addition to what I call "The Finger Series". For a bit of context, see "Kohli Uncensored" and "India's bowlers".
Click to enlarge.
Click to enlarge.
Couch Talk 196 with Simon Taufel
6 years ago
Showing posts with label virat kohli. Show all posts
Showing posts with label virat kohli. Show all posts
Comic: Kohli uncensored
I know the punchline's weak, but I couldn't pass an opportunity to use that picture in the fourth frame.
There may be another one, probably worse, in the not-too-distant future.
Click to enlarge.
There may be another one, probably worse, in the not-too-distant future.
Click to enlarge.
India vs England: The good, the bad, and the slightly unattractive
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| Personally, I love my metaphors on a plate. |
Apparently, we have been avenged.
For me, it's only close to 30% done - because Tests do matter that much.
But I'll take the 5-0, mostly because it was fun to watch the English team constantly complain about the cold dish they were being served. (See picture above)
Anyway, here's what we learned from this series:
- Even if you hate Ravindra Jadeja (which you probably do), you have to admit that he really has worked hard, and is now the ideal all-round option for India, given the lack of
Irfan Pathanother options. He was the highest wicket-taker in the series, with 11, and an average of 17. With the bat, he averaged 37 from 3 innings with a good lower-order strike-rate of 110. He isn't going to single-handedly win you one in fifteen games like Yusuf Pathan, but he's pretty steady. For now. - Ashwin, unlike Harbhajan, takes wickets. One Challenger Trophy won't save you, Bhaj.
- Selection is still weird. Why on earth would you have Rahane open, when there's no way he can bat in the top 3 in a full-strength XI? He did well enough, but from his innings of 91, he looks like a much better middle-order batsman to me.
- Take Vinay Kumar's 4-30 away, and in the four other games he gave away 150 runs in 24 overs, taking just 2 wickets. Really shouldn't be a regular in the side.
- Umesh Yadav was erratic too, but his pace was clearly an asset at several points in the series. I'd keep him around. And what a great debut for Varun Aaron!
- The world's #1 spinner fails at the home of spin? What's that about? Swann took only 2 wickets at 95.5, conceding 5.3 rpo.
- It's all #trottsfault, for scoring 202 runs at 50.5, at a strike rate a shade under 80.
- Virat Kohli (270 runs @90) doesn't know what ugly batting is. Dhoni (212 runs, not dismissed), on the other hand, knows it better than anyone else, and excels at it.
- Parthiv Patel had a rare bad series since his comeback, but no one cares since he's just a stop-gap opener, like Dinesh Karthik before him. This can't happen to Rahane, which, again, is why he should be in the middle-order. Unless someone retires from ODIs soon.
- Do English fans feel the same way about Dernbach as I do about Vinay Kumar?
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| Took me five minutes just to decide whether to put the comma after "bitch". |
Series against Windies coming soon, I'll be back.
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Kohli: a perfect second-fiddle innings
He came in when India had lost Gautam Gambhir for 39 in the 24th over. The score was 152/2, so it was a pretty good platform for him to start with.
I don't need to describe the innings, you all (probably) saw it. He's a slow starter, and that part didn't change. He had reached 6 from 16 balls before he got his first boundary, an off-drive off Mahmudullah. That's where he started to get fluent - rotating the strike with ease, getting the boundaries with cover-drives (the best-looking shot there is) against spinners. He didn't hit any boundaries in the batting Powerplay, but instead did the smart thing and passed the strike over to Sehwag, who had already reached his hundred and was looking to explode, but not literally.
Kohli's fifty came from 46 balls, which means that he had scored his last 44 runs from 30 balls. As the partnership grew and India went into the final 10 overs with 400 a possibility, some of us (and me) were probably thinking. "55 from 55? Well done Kohli, but maybe it's time for Pathan or Dhoni." He ended up scoring 45 from the 27 balls he faced in the last 10 overs - not bad for someone who was playing in Sehwag's shadow.
The point I just made up, and which I also just realized I am making so that this article isn't completely pointless, is that Kohli could be great. Not simple adjective great, but great great. He just keeps ticking along, scoring runs while everyone is focused on the more flamboyant players around him. Even as he was set, going towards his hundred, we were probably watching Yusuf Pathan. Remember Dravid? Yeah.
Also, which other batsman would have played the same kind of innings? Not Yuvraj, he would have got out to Mahmudullah in the same over Gambhir got out, or perhaps a while later to Naeem Islam. Not Dhoni, we've all seen his middle-overs batting. Not Yusuf. Maybe Raina, but I prefer classy cover drives to midwicketal hoicks any day. Yep, I just made up a word. Poetic license and all.
Anyway, it's a great start to Kohli's World Cup. He seems to bursting at the seams with runs, and there's no better place to let them out. Having won one World Cup already, he's likely to want more. Um, go forth.
I don't need to describe the innings, you all (probably) saw it. He's a slow starter, and that part didn't change. He had reached 6 from 16 balls before he got his first boundary, an off-drive off Mahmudullah. That's where he started to get fluent - rotating the strike with ease, getting the boundaries with cover-drives (the best-looking shot there is) against spinners. He didn't hit any boundaries in the batting Powerplay, but instead did the smart thing and passed the strike over to Sehwag, who had already reached his hundred and was looking to explode, but not literally.Kohli's fifty came from 46 balls, which means that he had scored his last 44 runs from 30 balls. As the partnership grew and India went into the final 10 overs with 400 a possibility, some of us (and me) were probably thinking. "55 from 55? Well done Kohli, but maybe it's time for Pathan or Dhoni." He ended up scoring 45 from the 27 balls he faced in the last 10 overs - not bad for someone who was playing in Sehwag's shadow.
The point I just made up, and which I also just realized I am making so that this article isn't completely pointless, is that Kohli could be great. Not simple adjective great, but great great. He just keeps ticking along, scoring runs while everyone is focused on the more flamboyant players around him. Even as he was set, going towards his hundred, we were probably watching Yusuf Pathan. Remember Dravid? Yeah.
Also, which other batsman would have played the same kind of innings? Not Yuvraj, he would have got out to Mahmudullah in the same over Gambhir got out, or perhaps a while later to Naeem Islam. Not Dhoni, we've all seen his middle-overs batting. Not Yusuf. Maybe Raina, but I prefer classy cover drives to midwicketal hoicks any day. Yep, I just made up a word. Poetic license and all.
Anyway, it's a great start to Kohli's World Cup. He seems to bursting at the seams with runs, and there's no better place to let them out. Having won one World Cup already, he's likely to want more. Um, go forth.
Statistical Round-up for 2010
"Sneaky stats are sneaky."
- A close friend of Darren Gough's mailman's brother-in-law
Most Runs
Tests
| Player | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100 | 50 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR Tendulkar (India) | 14 | 23 | 3 | 1562 | 214 | 78.10 | 55.90 | 7 | 5 | ||||
| V Sehwag (India) | 14 | 25 | 2 | 1422 | 173 | 61.82 | 90.80 | 5 | 8 | ||||
| IJL Trott (Eng) | 14 | 24 | 4 | 1325 | 226 | 66.25 | 49.44 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| AN Cook (Eng) | 14 | 24 | 2 | 1287 | 235* | 58.50 | 54.76 | 5 | 4 | ||||
| HM Amla (SA) | 11 | 19 | 3 | 1249 | 253* | 78.06 | 53.05 | 5 | 4 |
ODI's
| Player | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100 | 50 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HM Amla (SA) | 15 | 15 | 1 | 1058 | 129 | 75.57 | 104.23 | 5 | 4 | ||||
| V Kohli (India) | 25 | 24 | 3 | 995 | 118 | 47.38 | 85.11 | 3 | 7 | ||||
| AB de Villiers (SA) | 16 | 16 | 4 | 964 | 114* | 80.33 | 102.11 | 5 | 4 | ||||
| TM Dilshan (SL) | 20 | 20 | 2 | 921 | 110 | 51.16 | 98.92 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| Imrul Kayes (Ban) | 27 | 27 | 0 | 867 | 101 | 32.11 | 67.15 | 1 | 6 |
There's a huge outlier that I noticed as I scrolled down this list. Lurking just outside the top 20, is cricket's official ball-smeller (ha) Shahid Afridi, who scored 601 runs at 33, but at a crack-high strike-rate of 144.12.
If you play Jeopardy in Pakistan, "what is Shahid Afridi?" is an official answer to "the definition of insane". Really.
IPL 4: Player Retention. Even though it's all hypothetical.
Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga
They've released Zaheer and opted for Harby. Maybe because Harby is a 'confidence bowler' (cliche alert) and being released would make him bowl like a buffet. Oh wait, that's already happening. Bad call. Also, MI now have spent half their budget of $9 million, so they now have to buy the rest of the squad with half the money.
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, M Vijay, Albie Morkel
The only other team to retain all four players allowed. I didn't think they'd go for Albie, since Ashwin and Murali have perhaps been more crucial to their success. As they say in Austria, "Votever."
Rajasthan Royals: Shane Warne, Shane Watson
So Warne will be back, which is awesome. They keep Watson, which is not so awesome. And no Yusuf Pathan? Whoa. Seriously, whoa. It'll be interesting to see if they get Rajasthan quick Deepak Chahar.
Delhi Daredevils: Virender Sehwag
But no Gautam Gambhir, who was their captain last season, and is Viru's hunting partner. No Nannes, no Mishra, no Dilshan.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli
They wanted to keep their finances flexible, so out with most of the squad that was so successful. No Kallis, Pandey, Taylor, Vinay Kumar, Dravid and no Kumble!
Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers released everyone, and the Kings XI Punjab were kinda forced to.
Remember, it's all hypothetical.
India v Zimbabwe and other stuff that doesn't matter
India play Zimbabwe tomorrow in the first match of a tri-series. There are so many reasons not to bother with this series.
For one, it involves Zimbabwe, which is still a long way from a quality side. And there's Sri Lanka. Again. Between all the tests, ODI's, T20I's and the IPL, our players and their players are either sick of each of other or really good buddies. I suspect the former.
I also don't care much for ODI's. It's sort of a confused format - we know that tests are long and batsmen are all blocky, and we know that T20's are slambangy and really short. I don't know why, but for some reason I can watch five whole days of test cricket, and still am unable to sit through 100 overs of an ODI.
But I will be watching this tri-series, or at least India's games. One obvious reason is that India's playing. Another is that this mass resting of players actually has me intrigued - I don't think I've ever seen an Indian side devoid of its stars. The fact that Suresh Raina - who has only recently cemented his spot in ODI's - is the skipper, will go some way in showing us what we can expect from the future.
Sri Lanka hasn't rested as many players as India, and we can be sure that the 'bounce us out' strategy will be employed at some point by them as well as Zimbabwe. ODI's may be less manic than T20's, but this is a superb test of temperament for the likes of Raina, Kohli, Karthik and Rohit Sharma. Yusuf Pathan has a good chance of doing well this series, but he's still rubbish. Kieron Pollard has a similar reputation as a slogger and is doing a far better job than Yusuf. Naman Ojha is not ready for this level, and Jadeja lacks confidence as well as any sort of definition of his role.
The quicks will be observed closely, none more so than Umesh Yadav, seemingly the only bowler in India who bowls 140+ right now. Vinay Kumar is an old-school Indian medium pacer whose strength lies in accuracy, while I see limited opportunities for Pankaj Singh and Ashok Dinda.
PS. Also, this blog has been added to http://cricket.superblogroll.com, the blogroll for Cricket Blogs.
Raina as captain?
So the squad to tour Zimbabwe has been announced, and it is definitely a second-string side. Or as the selectors would call it, "a look into the future".
Squad: M Vijay, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Suresh Raina (capt), Virat Kohli (vice-capt), Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Vinay Kumar, Ashok Dinda, Pankaj Singh, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Naman Ojha Note: Piyush Chawla will join the squad for the Twenty20s.
Call me a pessimist, but I sense an upset win for Zimbabwe sometime on this tour. They haven't been all bad, and I think this series will be decided on the basis of which spinners bowl best.
Suresh Raina gets his first captaincy opportunity for India, while Virat Kohli will be the vice-captain. This makes sense, as these are the only two players in the squad who have somewhat cemented their places in the one-day side.
And it wouldn't be wise to ignore the series, it could certainly lead to the discovery of potential stars. Mega-money players, players who will earn bigger IPL contracts, do lots of ads, put in some performances for the country, earn some more money, and then ultimately disappoint everyone by getting out to a short balls or losing their pace and/or swing/spin.
Anyway, the players to look out for are Umesh Yadav, Pankaj Singh and Ashok Dinda. Pacers are in short supply for India at the moment, and while Yadav is the only one with the pace, bowlers with brains are needed too. Haven't seen too much of Pankaj, but Dinda seems the type who can keep it together in a T20, not much more. I hope Yadav plays every match, I'd love to see him do well.
The spin department apart from Bhaj is still a game of musical chairs. Ojha, Mishra and new contender Ashwin will continue their tango. I say why bother with quicks, just get Yadav to bowl a couple of quick overs and use all the spinners. But that's just me.
As for the batting, I have no doubt that Raina and Kohli deserve to be there, but Rohit Sharma, Vijay, Karthik and Yusuf will feast on the medium pace offerings and the spinners. What exactly has Yuvraj done to deserve a rest from this? Blah.
About the T20 World Cup... nothing.
Kohli steps up
India's T20 World Cup victory in 2007 may have slightly overshadowed another important happening: The U-19 World Cup win.
Virat Kohli, the captain, leading from the front, the tournament featuring a century in 70-odd balls against the West Indies. Earmarked for greatness, seemingly, as proved my math teacher at the time who said Kohli was a 'future captain.'
Good domestic performances allowed selectors to draft him into the senior squad, if only to get some experience on tour. Matches were limited, but he didn't fail. What we saw of him in those few matches and in the IPL was flashy and aggressive, typical of the young T20 generation.
Opportunity arose through Yuvraj Singh's injury, Sachin Tendulkar's rest and Rohit Sharma's slipping down the pecking order, and Kohli was promoted up the order to showcase what he's capable of.
The century against Sri Lanka under pressure in the final match showed he has class and an array of strokes, and that he isn't some lucky cow-corner-slogger.
Another 91 against Bangladesh, under pressure again, and he's beginning to be the solid young batsman India need in the middle order, as Suresh Raina is still weak against the short ball.
If he can keep up his performances and cement a place (only one is really available when Sachin retires), leadership would definitely be the next step.
That's all far away though.
