We Won....Again!!

 

Leaving It to The King

IPL Final day. RCB vs GT. Two good teams.

GT have the home advantage. They know the conditions, they'll have the crowd behind them, and their bowling attack is probably stronger. RCB, on the other hand, have the batting firepower. RCB fans would also flock the stadium. All signs point to a proper cracker of a game.

As an RCB fan, I'm excited, hopeful, nervous and anxious all at once. Yet somehow, I can't shake off the feeling that things may not go our way today.

So I've left it to one factor: King Kohli.

If he plays a great knock and takes RCB to victory, I will be happiest. If he doesn't deliver and RCB still wins, I would of course, still be happy. But if he fails and RCB fall short, I won't be too bummed. I'll just accept that maybe it wasn't meant to be.

For now, all I can do is sit back and hope the King brings his A-game tonight. Aaar Ceee Beee!❤️🖤

Cricket, Goosebumps, and a Scooter on a Quiet Street

Cricket has given me many unforgettable moments over the years, but the ones that stay with me most are the moments that gave me goosebumps. Moments filled with disbelief, joy, tension, pride, relief, and sometimes even tears. Many of them were famous victories, some achieved against all odds, and each of them left behind memories that still feel vivid even today.

And strangely, one of the most special goosebump moments I have experienced related to cricket did not happen during a match at all. It happened much later, on a quiet street, after a famous Indian victory. Even today, whenever I think about that moment, it feels almost unreal.

My relationship with cricket began relatively late. I truly started following the game around the 1992 World Cup. But once the cricket bug bit me, it became a lifelong passion. Since then, cricket has become deeply intertwined with friendships, celebrations, heartbreaks, family moments, and memories of growing up.

The matches and innings I mention here are based purely on top-of-the-mind recall and are in no particular order. I am sure I may have missed several special performances and unforgettable moments that evoked equally strong emotions over the years. But these are the ones that instantly come rushing back whenever I think about cricket and what it has meant to me emotionally.

The 2002 NatWest Final against England remains one of the defining moments of Indian cricket for me. I was pursuing my MBA then and staying in a flat with friends. After Sachin Tendulkar got out, many of us lost hope and some even left. But a few of us stayed back as Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh slowly pulled off the impossible. As India edged closer, the same friends began returning one by one. I firmly believe the victory changed Indian cricket.

There was the famous Silver Jubilee Independence Cup final in Dhaka in 1998, when Hrishikesh Kanitkar hit the winning boundary against Pakistan off the penultimate ball. I still remember running barefoot onto the streets after the win. We burst crackers, danced, and celebrated like the entire city belonged to us.

Sachin Tendulkar’s back-to-back centuries in Sharjah against Australia in 1998 still feel unreal in my memory. I remember sitting in front of the television...completely stunned. It felt less like cricket and more like witnessing something magical. Every shot carried a kind of authority and beauty that is impossible to fully describe even today.

VVS Laxman’s 281 against Australia at Eden Gardens in 2001 was another unforgettable experience. There have been bigger innings in Test cricket history, but I do not think I have ever seen a more beautiful innings. The partnership that Laxman and Rahul Dravid stitched together was not just great cricket - it was resistance, artistry, and belief unfolding together. They simply refused to surrender.

Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 241 at Sydney in 2004 is another innings deeply etched into my memory. Many people had started writing him off then because of low scores and a visible pattern in his dismissals. Then came that masterpiece of discipline and control. I remember crying when he reached his double century.

And then, of course, came the 2011 World Cup victory. Like millions of Indians, I wanted India to win but I also wanted India to win for Sachin Tendulkar. The man had been waiting for a lifetime. When India finally lifted the trophy after 28 years, it felt deeply personal.

Virat Kohli’s unbelievable innings against Pakistan at the MCG in 2022, and India’s historic Gabba win in 2021 are all memories that still give me goosebumps.

And above all, as a lifelong Royal Challengers Bangalore supporter, the 2025 IPL victory remains deeply emotional. After 18 long years of waiting, heartbreaks, near misses, trolling, and endless jokes, RCB finally lifted their maiden IPL trophy. It felt like emotional closure after nearly two decades of loyalty and hope.

But despite all these unforgettable matches and innings, one of my most cherished cricket memories did not happen during a match.

It happened after one.

It was after the 2003 ICC World Cup match between India and Pakistan in Centurion. Sachin Tendulkar’s unforgettable 98 against a terrifying Pakistani pace attack - that included Shoaib Akhtar, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis - led India to victory in one of the most emotionally charged matches Indian cricket fans have ever witnessed. Like millions of Indians, I was ecstatic.

After the match ended, I took out my two-wheeler and went to a friend’s place. From there, we went to another flat where a few of our friends were staying together. I wanted all of us to step out and celebrate the victory properly. I wanted everyone to take out their two-wheelers and ride towards Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad.

But, apart from me, everyone was reluctant.

“Do we really need to go out?” some of them said. The match was over. The excitement, for them, was already beginning to settle.

We were still standing outside on a dimly lit street when something happened that I can never forget.

Out of nowhere, a scooter slowly appeared from the other end of the road. A Sardarji was riding it. His young son was standing in front of him. His daughter was standing at the back seat, holding an Indian tricolour in her hand. And all three of them were shouting:

“Indiaaaaa… India!”

The street was still mostly quiet. No one else was celebrating...at least in that part of the town. But this family did not care. They were celebrating as if India had won the World Cup.

There was something magical about that sight.

Even today, whenever I see the Indian tricolour flying, it gives me goosebumps. But that moment felt different. For those few seconds, it did not even feel real. There was something incredibly pure about that sight - almost divine.

I can never forget the sight of still the little girl standing fearlessly on the back seat of the scooter, waving the flag proudly into the night while holding onto her father’s shoulder. I still remember the father driving carefully, slowly, protectively. I still remember the energy in their voices as they shouted “Indiaaaaa… India!”

It was such an ordinary scene. And yet, it captured something extraordinary.

I immediately pointed towards them and told my reluctant friends, “Look at them!....Shame on you guys!!”

That sight changed everything. Within minutes, all of us took out our vehicles and headed towards Hussain Sagar. The entire city had come alive by then. Necklace Road was overflowing with people. Roads were jam-packed. Thousands had gathered to celebrate India’s victory. The celebrations that night were unforgettable.

But even today, years later, what remains with me most vividly is not the crowd, not the noise, not even Sachin’s innings.

It is that one scooter in a dimly lit street.

A Sikh father. Two happy children. A waving tricolour.

And three voices shouting into the night: “Indiaaaaa… India...”

One Rule for Kohli, Another for SKY?

When Virat Kohli retired from T20 internationals after India’s 2024 T20 World Cup victory, many (including yours truly) believed the decision was not entirely voluntary but was also influenced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team management’s desire to transition toward a younger T20 side. Though I was sad, the reasoning sounded logical and not out of place. I had the same opinion. T20 cricket has evolved into an extremely aggressive format where, these days, even 200 is no longer considered safe. I recall when Manish Pandey scored the century in IPL in 2009, the total team score was around 160 runs and it was considered a good score back then. Players from Kohli’s generation had to adapt to this format later in their careers, whereas today’s youngsters are growing up naturally suited to this style of cricket.

That is why Kohli’s retirement, while emotional, did not feel entirely unreasonable. The argument was simple - T20 cricket is now a young man’s game, and India must prepare the next generation. 

But...if that was truly the philosophy...and there was no ulterior motive...then the same standards must apply to everyone equally. Which brings us to the curious case of Suryakumar Yadav aka SKY.

SKY is currently 35 years old, the exact same age Kohli was when he stepped away from T20Is. If age and transition were the criteria then, how can they suddenly stop mattering now? The argument cannot change based on convenience or personal preferences within the system. If players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Mohammed Shami are no longer seriously considered for T20 cricket largely because of age and long-term planning, then the same logic must also apply to SKY. Selection policies cannot have different versions for different individuals.

Some may argue that SKY must continue because in March this year, India won the last T20 World Cup under his captaincy. But if success is the yardstick, then Kohli should never have been nudged toward retirement in the first place. He retired immediately after India won a T20 World Cup and after being the Man of the Match in the final. More importantly, his recent IPL performances clearly show that he still has plenty to offer to T20 cricket. If a player performing at that level could be moved aside in the name of transition, then success alone cannot suddenly become the justification for extending someone else’s T20 career.

This is not about disrespecting SKY or denying his contribution to Indian cricket. It is about consistency and fairness in selection philosophy. In few months, SKY would be 36 years old. India has enough young talent emerging every IPL season to build the next T20 core. If the management truly believes that the future of T20 cricket belongs to younger players, then that principle must apply uniformly, irrespective of success, captaincy, dressing-room influence, or proximity to the current leadership. Otherwise, the message becomes very clear - some players are asked to move on because of policy, while others continue because of preference.

The Threshold for Greatness Changes

For decades, 10,000 Test runs was cricket’s sacred line.

Cross it, and you entered a different room in history. It separated the merely excellent from the immortals. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Alastair Cook - the club itself became shorthand for batting greatness.

But sport evolves. And when sport evolves, the thresholds for greatness evolve with it.

Football once had a similar problem. Before 1995, the Ballon d’Or was restricted to European players. That meant Pelé and Diego Maradona were ineligible for the sport’s biggest individual honour during their primes. The rules eventually changed because excluding names of that magnitude made the criteria look incomplete.

Cinema did the same with Charlie Chaplin. The Oscars eventually had to correct themselves with honorary recognition because history could not seriously tell the story of film while leaving Chaplin outside its highest institutional validation.

Earlier, winning the World Cup was often seen as the final measure of greatness in football. Though he eventually lifted it in 2022, many people already considered Lionel Messi one of the greatest ever because two decades of brilliance mattered more than a single trophy.

Cricket now faces a similar moment with Virat Kohli.

The game he played was not the game previous generations played. Modern cricketers exist in a year-round cycle of Tests, ODIs, T20Is, franchise leagues, travel, media scrutiny, and relentless athletic demands. Batting across formats today is physically and mentally more taxing than it was for most earlier eras.

And yet, despite that burden, Kohli retired with 9,230 Test runs at an elite average, across conditions, eras, and attacks. Any honest list of Test batting greats is incomplete without him.

Which raises the obvious question:

If a threshold excludes someone universally accepted as great, is the threshold still correct?

Maybe the number was never sacred. Maybe it was only symbolic.

For this era, the line can no longer be 10,000 test runs.

Now, the threshold for greatness most certainly is 9,230.

King Kohli Does It Again!

Good game. Virat Kohli scored another century and Royal Challengers Bengaluru marches on. Back at the top of the table now, and qualification looks certain. The next target has to be finishing in the top two.

Happy with the RCB win. Happier with Kohli’s century.

But honestly, the moment that made me happiest was that stunning catch of Tim David taken by someone who I have always supported and wanted him to do well - Manish Pandey. Nonchalant. Clean. Effortless.

We speak a lot about great fielders like Kaif, Yuvi, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja, but I genuinely think Pandey Ji belongs right up there with the very best. His catching and outfield work have always been elite.

That catch today was pure class.

Happy 85th

This 46-year-old man, burdened by many personal challenges, finds that beyond his routine daily prayers -and apart from prayers for his daughter - he more often than not prays not for centuries and success of another person: Virat Kohli. Relieved and happy today. 🥹

Pata hai hum match kahaan haare?

India has just lost the second Test match against South Africa in Guwahati. Considering that losing a Test at home was a rarity until about a year ago, the chatter in the media is unsurprising. Since October 2024, India’s overall Test record (home and away) reads 3 wins, 2 draws, and 7 losses!! At home, the numbers are even more alarming: 2 wins and 5 losses; and the two victories coming against West Indies—currently one of the weaker Test sides in world cricket.

(Infographic created through Gemini. Apologies for the typos; AI is still learning)

Naturally, fans are furious. Yet I doubt this frustration will endure. India continues to perform well in limited-overs cricket, which inevitably garners more attention, and memories of these Test losses will fade soon enough. Moreover, the next Test is scheduled for August 2026—far too distant for knee-jerk decisions, even though some fans are already calling for the removal of the head coach and the chief selector.

As someone who cherishes Test cricket far more than one-dayers or the T20 circus, I am frustrated too. But at the same time, I find myself strangely satisfied—almost deriving a grim sense of vindication. That is because I expected this. The current and former custodians of Indian cricket dismantled a functioning system and are now reaping the consequences.

There is a memorable moment in MS Dhoni: The Untold Story where Sushant Singh, portraying Dhoni, asks a friend after a loss: “Pata hai hum match kahaan haare?” (“Do you know where we lost the match?”). Indian cricket fans and the media could ask themselves the same question today.

We did not lose this match today. Nor did we lose it when the team was selected, when the schedule was crafted, when legends were nudged aside, when an arrogant and self-centered coach was appointed, or when the chief selector took charge. All of these factors did contribute but the real damage was done long before any of that.

There was a phase in Indian cricket when the bigshots of the BCCI were stripped of control due to multiple controversies. A Supreme Court–appointed committee—headed by Vinod Rai—was entrusted with running the board. During this period, Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri enjoyed considerable autonomy, including significant influence over team selection. And they delivered. Under Kohli, India lost only two home Tests and held the No. 1 Test ranking for several consecutive years. Fans admired this era, but it generated insecurity among many others. In a sense, Kohli grew bigger than the BCCI itself—a situation the old guard resented deeply. Some former cricketers, especially those who have long been more political than sporting in their approach, also bristled. Even a few of Kohli’s peers were unsettled.

Thus began a calculated effort to cut Kohli down to size—or push him aside altogether—once the committee’s tenure ended. The BCCI leadership, heavily intertwined with political figures, did not want the public backlash of sidelining a star player themselves. They needed a former cricketer to front the operation. Saurav Ganguly, a successful captain and a transformative figure in Indian cricket, was cast in that role. As BCCI President, he was tasked with curtailing Kohli’s influence.....and he delivered.

Kohli was told to relinquish limited-overs captaincy in both ODIs and T20Is. While he was willing to step away from T20 leadership, he wished to retain the ODI captaincy—a request brushed aside under the pretext of avoiding split captaincy, a principle later abandoned without hesitation. The manner in which the episode unfolded, including leaks of sensitive information to the media, was unfortunate and ultimately pushed Kohli to resign as Test captain. Sunil Gavaskar even remarked, with a certain satisfaction, that Kohli’s resignation was inevitable as he would have been removed anyway!!! That is bizarre as Kohli remains the most successful Indian Test captain in history.

That is where the plot was lost—and, by extension, this match and series.

Since then, efforts to marginalize Kohli have been relentless. His personal dip in form did not help, but the institutional push was unmistakable. Gautam Gambhir was appointed head coach despite the well-known friction between him and Kohli. Gambhir has always deserved respect for his cricketing contributions and his support for the families of martyrs, but he is also a man of considerable ego. His on-field confrontations with Kohli are part of public memory, and the BCCI surely knew he would not hesitate to sideline Kohli. Once again, a player became a pawn in a larger power game.

Kohli retired from T20Is just before Gambhir took charge—though the decision’s true nature remains unclear. A few months ago, he retired from Test cricket as well. It still feels surreal that a modern great, who valued Test cricket above all formats, never even reached 10,000 Test runs—whether by choice or by design.

There is no doubt that Kohli ranks among India’s finest Test cricketers, even if Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar may stand ahead in class and achievement. But Kohli’s impact on Test cricket is unparalleled. Under his leadership, the Indian team was a fireball. Each ball, each over, each session, each innings was approached with 100% intensity, and the team gave it all. However, in the hunger to reclaim power and settle scores, BCCI has pulled down the brightest star. 

Test cricket, sadly, has become the collateral damage.

Kohli is not from this planet

Virat Kohli is a superhero. His record in his still short career is sufficient to make most batsmen jealous. And at present, he is in an exceptional for. 4 centuries in T20 format in the last few games is something that no other batsmen can boast of. His cover drives are majestic. The way he paces his innings and mixes control with timely aggression is the best part of him as a batsman.

He has matured a lot in past year or so. Not that I had an issue with his aggression in any case. His form, captaincy, temperament, positive attitude and hunger to win games must not be overlooked by the 5 wise men of Indian cricket. It is time to think about and start planning for 2019 World Cup and its the perfect time for Kohli to take over captaincy in all 3 formats. That doesn't 'necessarily' mean that MS Dhoni should be axed from the squad. If Dhoni makes himself available to play under Kohli, Kohli would be able to use Dhoni's experience in the transition phase. Having said that, it is equally important that the wicket-keeper, who would take Dhoni's place in the team for 2019 WC be given a decent run. To prepare for the WC, Kohli should get his team and soon.

ICC ODI team of the year does not have Virat Kohli in it!!!!! Ab kya ladka jaan de de??

Indian selectors have picked Rahane as well as Rayudu in the test team bound for South Africa but I would be surprised if either of them get a game, unless there is an injury. Dhoni would go with his favorite 7+4 combination. In the batting department, openers would definitely be Dhawan and Vijay. They would be followed by Pujara, Kohli, Sharma and Dhoni. Dhoni will certainly play Jadeja and in the absence of any all-rounder in the side, that selection is pretty understandable. The bowlers would be Aswin and then three seamers. I would personally like to see Khan, Kumar and Shami. I find Ishant and Umesh Yadav pretty one dimensional. So, that leaves no position for Rahane or Rayudu. Both are great talents but are unable to find a place in the side. Though that is a good problem to have for Indian team and Indian cricket, it is unfortunate for the two youngsters. 

Its mighty depressing...and humiliating

I cannot believe that I am letting it affect me so much. I had decided that I will not even check the proceedings after what happened yesterday but it was impossible. I can feel a strange heaviness on my chest. I am feeling depressed, disgusted and humiliated.

India is on the verge of another defeat in Tests away from home. I am not a man of numbers but I think it is seven in a row in as many test matches away from home. That is pathetic since in tests 'winning and losing is not everything'. You can draw a test match as well. 

For winning or drawing a test match, a team needs bowlers who can take 20 wickets and batsmen who can put decent runs on the board or give enough resistance to the opposition to bat out the sessions. India has neither the batsmen nor the bowlers. 

'India does not have the bowlers' should not come as a surprise as that has been a historic problem. Seldom has India boasted a bowling line-up that could consistently take 20 wickets in Test matches away from home. In India, these bowlers are 'kings'. You make a track that has uneven bounce, which starts to turn from the first session on Day 1 and then every bowler starts looking the best bowler in the world. Put these bowlers away from their 'comfort zone' and then you realize that they look as average as they truly are. 

Moreover, we pick bowlers based on their past performances. Not on the basis of what a bowler has been doing but what he did a zillion years ago. Before this test series, I was surprised that everyone was excited about what Ishant Sharma would do on Australian track. The reason for that excitement was his performance on the last tour to Australia. Come on people, wake up. Ishant Sharma has been a mediocre bowler ever since. The team management, for some reason, always defend him by making statements like 'Ishant bowled his heart out but was unlucky not to get a wicket'. If that is true then we need a luckier bowler. A good bowler would be 'unlucky' in 1-2 or 5 matches. If he is always unlucky then he should be unlucky in a domestic tournament. If you have to pick and send bowlers only on the basis of past performances then why not send Kapil Dev or Agarkar to Australia. They have bowled well in Australia in the past!!!

This bowling attack lacks variety to dazzle an opponent like Australia. Zaheer is good and is clearly the spearhead. No issues with him. Umesh Yadav has managed to surprise everyone (at least me). He has shown that he does not only have the pace but also has decent variation. In spite of his inexperience, he adds a lot of value to the bowling attack. We lack a third quality seamer. Injury to Praveen Kumar did not help but injuries are common and we cannot blame them. Sreesanth is injured and moreover, he is one inconsistent performer. Aaron, thankfully injured himself or this tour would have been a bigger disaster (if there is any room left). We need experience and variation. Sadly, we do not have enough choices. We keep hearing names like Dhawal Kulkarni, Deepak Chahar, Sudeep Tyagi, Arvind etc but none of them have got enough exposure to be suddenly put to fight the tiger. Moreover, these bowlers have also been pretty inconsistent. I firmly believe that an Irrfan Pathan would have added a lot of value to our bowling attack in Australia. He has been bowling well and seems to have rediscovered his inswingers. He has the experience and he can also bat. Still, the selectors chose to overlook him. I guess the selector of the west zone ran out of his quota after getting Sachin, Zaheer, Rahane, Rohit Sharma selected in the squad. He clearly does not have as big a quota as the chairman of the selection committee.....Dravid, Laxman, Ashwin, Mithun, Vinay Kumar and Ojha....impressive!!! If Sachin, Dravid and Laxman retire now, my money is on Murali Vijay, Badrinath and Abhinav Mukund to come as replacements....unless the chief selector is replaced!!!

Coming to the batters, it has clearly been a disappointing performance. And it is not a single performance that I am talking about here. They have failed to cross 300 runs in an innings mark in many innings across last several test matches. So much for the so-called best batting line-up in the world. It is the batting performance that truly surprises me. It is not that these batsman lack technique, experience or class. Sachin, Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag are truly world class batsmen. Though I am not a big fan of Gambhir, he has a good record in test matches. Kohli has not been performing well in Test matches away from India but he is a good talent. He is a straight bat and certainly has a long future in Indian cricket. All of them have scored runs but collectively they have failed as a batting unit. That surprises me. What is so wrong? 

What I want is that Sachin should score his 100th hundred in this series (and by that I mean the last test match) and retire. There are already calls for dropping Laxman. Sachin and Dravid have played particularly  well in the last few seasons but they should not wait too long. They should leave as Gavaskar did. People were surprised and questioned why did he retire? Players should not wait for so long that people start questioning why dont they retire.

In my opinion, the biggest issue with India's performance in Test matches is our captain. I do not think he is fit to be a test player. It goes without saying that Dhoni is an asset in ODIs and T20s but he clearly is not a test batsman. He does not have the temperament. He bats lower in the order but has hardly batted successfully with the tail. That is a trait that one should learn from Laxman, who has done that successfully many a times. He tries to bulldoze his way out of pressure situations. As a captain, he has been equally mediocre. He tries to restrict batsmen in Test cricket!!! That is when there is hardly any shortage of overs available to a batsman and especially when he simply does not have the bowlers to maintain pressure. You do not give any runs for 5 balls and then bowl a boundary ball.....mission failed!!!

Some heads should definitely fall. This performance and India's past few performances abroad have been shameful. It calls for some major changes in the team. Issue is...what changes. If one wants to change the Captain, the other logical choice is Sehwag but he has been surprisingly inconsistent. However, I guess that is a change which is definitely required. However, I doubt that change will happen soon. Dhoni plays for Chennai Super Kings, which is owned by N. Srinivasan., who is a biggie in BCCI. Krishnamachari Srikanth, our chief selector is the ambassador (!!!) of Chennai Super Kings and his son plays for the side. It is a family drama out there. This association makes Srikanth one of the biggest fans of Dhoni and I doubt if he would go against the boss of his son. Conspiracy Theory? Probably.

The other changes that needs to be made are infusion of fresh talent and finding a good wicket-keeper batsman. We should give more opportunities to the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwara Pujara (I think he is pretty much in the scheme of things but is out due to injury), Manish Pandey, AT Rayudu while persisting with Kohli and Rohit Sharma. When the Big 3 retires, Yuvraj Singh should be included to provide stability to the middle order. 

Finding a wicket keeper batsman is going to be tough. Right now, the choices do not go beyond Parthiv Patel,  Dinesh Karthik and Wriddhiman Saha. Among these, Parthiv should be given the chances. Though, he is a mixed bag. He is neither a great wicket keeper nor a great batsman but he is decent at both. Karthik is a good wicket keeper but he is a unreliable batsman for the Tests format. Haven't seen much of Saha except IPL but have followed some of his scores in domestic cricket and there is nothing extraordinary about him. Or  we can try a new guy. No, I am not suggesting that we should make part time keepers like Rayudu or Utthapa to take up the gloves. It could be a fresh talent. I do not know how is Sreevats Goswami doing? All I am suggesting is we should make a change but keeping in mind the future.

As far as bowlers are concerned, the biggest issue is the lack of a quality spinner. What will make a big difference is the presence of a good leggie or a left arm spinner. Ojha is decent but inexperienced. Leggies like Mishra and Chawla have been disappointing. I like Rahul Sharma and I think if we persist with him, he could be a winner. We definitely need to find a good spinner and quickly.  

And we need to find a replacement of Zaheer pretty quickly as none of the others look good enough to fill those shoes. After Zaheer, PK is likely to spearhead the attack but he needs to avoid injuries. Early days but Umesh Yadav could be a choice. We need to find 1-2 good seamers.

So, there is a need for improvement and change in all the departments. No wonder we are performing so badly!!!

(Photograph Courtesy: FirstPost)