Blogs - Straight Drive

Yet, for all these outward trappings of celebrity, there is a remarkable sense of dignity and composure about Sachin. He went about his business like anyone else, doing this and that, texting on the phone, answering calls, organising his gear for the match.

The sluggish start, with half empty stadiums at some venues, is a bit surprising considering some action has been spectacularly riveting. The IPL has had a  super over and a last ball finish, and other games that suddenly turned on their heads.

Like film stars, cricketers must reinvent themselves to take on new roles  and remain in the frame. This need becomes more compelling post retirement, once the glare of fame and publicity has dimmed. Top cricketers inspire and motivate millions but celebrity status comes with an expiry date and for renewal, as they say, conditions apply.

While all, players and pundits alike, applaud the Indian team, there are some like Sourav Ganguly who, though thrilled by the results, feel the Indian team must start winning abroad. That is the true test of strength, that is one mountain still to be climbed.

As a key member of the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL for the past 5  seasons, Kotla is home to Warner, it is a ground he knows almost as well as Virat or Ishant.

In the era of Clive Lloyd, Ian Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Imran Khan one had to be a brave man to suggest a power shift away from the captain, let alone appoint someone with authority.

Instead of debating whether, or how closely, Pujara is related to Dravid in cricket terms what must catch our attention is the larger lesson from Pujara's success.

A cocktail of inexperience and incompetence has put Australia in the sorry space they are in. They arrived India having lost top players through retirement and injury, a team in transition, but still full of typical Aussie cockiness. Experts thought the side was underdone and underprepared but such suggestions were brushed aside.

Any unbiased analysis of the test would confirm Chennai was decided by the pitch more than anything else. On day one, it resembled a fifth day surface and by the fourth it was a deadly minefield, more like a long jump pit which provided steeling bounce and extraordinary turn. Australia's second innings lasted 93 overs, and India's new ball spearhead Ishant Sharma bowled a mere 3 of those.

The word going round is the selectors want to give Gambhir a message to take more responsibility, that he is expected to step up and fill the gap left by Dravid and Laxman.