Cricket Update on iSport: iSporter Madhav Nayak debuts! He shares his perspective of the India-England Test Series.
"In order to keep improving as a side you've got to keep improving the set-up and sometimes that means different personnel, sometimes it means different methods of preparation." – Andrew Strauss, captain of England, during the test series against India
Andrew Strauss would never have guessed it but Team India’s stars seemed to have had access to his book of mantras leading up to their test series against his lads last month. And boy they sure found “different” methods of preparation that would’ve done even the most unconventional of preppers proud.
First out of the window was the boring old match practice way of getting ready for big tours. Old-timers would either play themselves into form with live, competitive cricket before the big series, or use practice matches to acclimatize to alien conditions, or at the very least, play some hard domestic cricket back home just to be match fit. But then they are the old-timers – the type who bleed red, not Blue.
Our Blue-blooded brothers were keen to appear “fresh” for the first test – fresh from holiday, fresh from surgery, fresh from T20 cricket, or ideally fresh from doing nothing at all. The BCCI, tuned to the team’s needs as they always are, ensured they were bothered by just one warm up game in England. One hears that laundry is quite pricey in the UK even in these recessionary times, so the great news is that there weren’t many dirty flannels to deal with.
They weren’t able to do much about the inconveniently timed Caribbean tour though. Imagine having 3 tests to play yourself into form! How utterly inconsiderate towards all our Superkings and Chargers and Devils and Warriors! Thankfully most of the seniors proved large-hearted enough to step back and allow the youngsters an opportunity to sharpen their calypso. Except Rahul Dravid that is, who for some unfathomable reason said he wanted to play, got a century, got back into form, and then got 25% of India’s runs in England. Must still have some red platelets remaining in those veins.
Here’s a sample of the more modern “preppers” in the team, who could hand out a tip or two to Dravid on how a big series should be prepared for.
Virender Sehwag: Unknown to the enemy (and anyone in the Board, we’re told), Viru was playing himself back to form in the surgery room. Tribute to the bloke that despite coming straight out of shoulder surgery and playing his last test 7 months ago, he “declared himself fit” for national duty. One hears that had he skipped the IPL and gone under the knife earlier, he would have been “actually fit” rather than “declared fit”. Rumors spread no doubt by the malicious country before cash lobby.
Anyway, plaster off, gloves on and off went the Nawab of Najafgarh on the next boat to England. Unfortunately the only royal present he received from his hosts was a giant King Pair at Birmingham, though he was also praised for staying on the field, fighting pain, despite not being able to throw from mid-on.
Sachin Tendulkar’s preparation was smarter. He was particular to get used to the conditions in England, spending productive time on holiday there opting out of the West Indies series. Intensive mental visualizations of the landmark hundredth hundred were a key part of his build-up, we’ve learnt. Batteries were “recharged” by the time the test series started, though footwork was unfortunately back on office duty only on the final day of the final test. The rest of the team was so keen to celebrate his return to form that they quickly gift-wrapped their wickets out in the middle and hurried back to the dressing room for a drink!
Zaheer Khan’s preparation meanwhile involved a thorough mix of nutrition and rest. They were intended to boost his stamina from bowling gruelling 4-over IPL spells to delivering 30-overs a day as spearhead of a test-match attack. Some quarters now suggest that he needs a change of nutritionist – the stamina didn’t really materialize, while a distinctly healthy belly has emerged.
But the prepper of the year award just has to go to dear old RP Singh. When the tour started, the UP seamer who last played a test match in April 2008 wasn’t even planning to watch it on TV. He was instead busy enjoying a beach holiday in Miami, far away from the mundane sounds of willow hitting leather. When he was phoned by the selectors to join the squad midway through the series, he very nearly choked on his Pina Colada. But he landed up in England alright and did his best to pass of a beach frisbee action as medium pace bowling in the final test.
Of course now that he is “match fit” and not injured, both rare if you are an Indian bowler, he has been given a chance to play in the ODI series starting next week.
Moral of his story: never ever listen to those who ask you not answer your phone on roaming. Or come to think of it, lazing on a beach in sunny Miami, vs. being thumped all round the park in gloomy England … switch off mode is probably a better bet!
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gaurav
said:
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... ouch! Scathing! Hell hath no fury like an upset indian cricket fan. Sachin's visualisations... Ha ha ha.. |
Vanya
said:
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... u really appear 2 b so hating loses..............but u shud not use such high voltage of sarcasm ............aftall dey r WORLD CHAMPS n will b for next 4 yrs  ..................pls respect dem.......................u do feel happy wen dey win so feel bad but not angry..............PLS: |
Vanya
said:
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... u shud not hav such high voltage of sarcasm ..............though u r deeply depressed u shud remember dey r WORLD CHAMPS n will b for next 4 yrs.....................RESPECT DEM PLS |
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