The BCCI & Dravid gamble backfires and how!!

The origins of the topic of this post date back to the moment the BCCI announced the final itinerary for the current India tour of Australia. When the BCCI announced that the Indian cricket team will be only playing 1 warm up match in the lead up to the Boxing Day Test match at Melbourne. The second origin was the decision to select Dravid to open the innings. We have a 337 run defeat to show that these 2 decisions have totally backfired.

Around the time of the Ashes last year I had highlighted points as to how a team should not prepare for the big series Down Under. And England had made a lot of errors in preparation. India have seemed to have taken a leaf from their book.

There are 2 more ways not to prepare to face the Aussies. The first one is to not play enough warm up games. The Indian batsman appeared undercooked after they had bloated their egos (& averages) and plundered runs on comatose pitches against a bowling attack that can be at best be described as average and at worse impotent. Yes the batsman were high on morale but the pitches the games vs Pakistan also gave them a false sense of confidence when they came to face Australia. The single washed out game denied the batsman to make that mental adjustment to play on the bouncier pitches down under. It also denied the management to have a look at Sehwag's potency and what the likes of Ishant Sharma et al had to offer going into MCG.

The second way is to disturb the furniture at the top of the order. Yuvraj Singh's inclusion meant Dravid & VVS Laxman were batting in positions not first nature to them. This for a player who has not played a Test outside the subcontinent (as far as I can remember). One does not put the Rolls Royce & Bentley out in the rain to accommodate the beefed up Hummer in the garage.

Sehwag finds himself in a funny situation. First he was criticised for not earning his place in the squad down under. Now he seems to have become the saviour with some experts clamouring for his inclusion at the top of the order. The fact that Sehwag was picked means that he would sooner or later open the innings. So why experiment with Dravid opening. Sehwag's inclusion only makes sense if he opens and I think now that he his down there its a punt worth taking. He should be told in clear terms as to how many innings he has to resurrect his Test career in conditions he would thrive in and against opposition who fears him.

Dravid's elevation at the top was the last thing he required. He is out of form and low on confidence. Asking him to handle the extra load of opening the innings was uncalled for.

India still has a chance to salvage atleast a draw from this series. The bowlers have shown they have more than it takes to dismiss the Aussies. Its time for the batsman to stand and be counted instead of going AWOL like they did in South Africa last year. And they dont even have Guru Greg Chappell to shoulder the blame on this time round!!

Out of R&R

Its been a week and a day since I went under the knife for the first time ever. The surgical types I mean. Last Saturday I had a sudden attack of acute appendicitis and the best option was surgery.

Lets do some numbers. 3 nights in a hospital, 2 shaven arms, 10+ saline drips, 10+ injections in various parts of the body, an anesthetic in the back, a 10 cm incision, 7 stitches and a badass appendix. Also things being inserted in all parts possible, and I really mean 'All'! Its funny how insignificant a part of the body like an appendix an cause so much pain and discomfort. And the fact that it serves no purpose in our intestines in the first place!!

Anyhoo, the stitches are out and I can say I am out of rest & recuperation. I love that term for some reason. An excuse to just sleep, laze around, get bored, catch up on Prison Break and watch lots of movies. And the cycle keeps repeating. And most of all an excuse to stay away from work!! Now thats good. No not really given the pain I had to go through.

Going back to the surgery. This was the first time I was to be operated upon. So the only thing on my mind at each and every stage was 'what are they inserting, why are they inserting and is it gonna hurt??' I don't like unpleasant surprises especially painful ones. I rather be prepared for the kind of pain to expect. Mild or acute or whatever.

But seriously I cannot remember any other time of my life when I have endured so much pain. Ok appendix is not a major surgery, but I am a bit sensitive to pain. So there! With all those medications my mind actually used to play games with me. No jokes. I was imagining things in the middle of the night that I could not understand and cannot explain. Those wre 3 of the longer nights I have had in a long time.

Also having the injection for the saline change positions and arms not once but twice wasn't helping. The nurses scoffed that I had thin veins! Like I can do anything about it. They are the ones who are supposed to ease the pain!

All in all it was quite an experience. Although the hospitals should not have backbreakers as an excuse for a bed. And an electronically patient controlled reclining bed would do good. Not having to ask anyone to pull or push the back all the time.

Now I am up and running. I think having the scar a few years down the line will be quite cool. As funny as it may sound. Although I wouldn't wish or want for any more of them.