नम्मा बेन्गालूरू !!!!

Last 8 months of Bangalore stay was great. Weather, food, people in Bangalore were really awesome. I will surely cherish my professional experience also for all the good and bad reasons.

For me food has always been very important...go anywhere what matters most to me is food I get. I came to bangalore expecting some problems in that regard but to my surprise I got and njoyed very tasty - delicious food here.

My roommates Subhas, Vinit, Bhavesh and for sometime Vippu were great guys/cooks who like to prepare at home...Me too started with washing utensils and promoted to prepare at least Poha. We prepared some dishes which I bet are very rare to get at Bachelor accomodation like Handava,Dhokala, Khichadi-Kadhi . भरल्या-भेंडीची भाजी at bachelor stay was really unexpected. Poha/Maggy और अदरक-वाली चाय was very much regular breakfast. In fact Adrak-Pudhina waali chaay was the best learning in Blore stay :-) It really refreshes you a lot. Such delicious food must be the only reason for good belly I am having.

Professionally also this stay was quite good. Got new friends in office. Alay was always there to solve any problem at work. Koustubh was there to cool down my temper. Even in bad days at stockmarket, discussions with Shreyas were really helpful. His forwards were very much informative. Forward messages received from my friends Nikhil and Nandu were really good one. Chit-Chat and all the PJs with my friend and cubicle-mate Elzi was very cool and relaxing time of rotation.

My dear friend Sachin Dharmapurikar was also here for almost 6 months so it was like back to good old Hyderabad days.

Best part of Bangalore stay was IISc. Thanks to Saurya for calling me there, otherwise its really impossible for a muggle like me to get into that magic land.

Weather at Bangalore is undoubtedly very uncharacteristic of Southern India. It rains at least once in every month; be it March or November. It cools down very fast just like Pune (Couldn't help it)...

Lastly couple of snaps from Bangalore, I am sure very rare to see somewhere else in India...Its the beauty of Bangalore ...Thanks again...

Shame....Shame....

It is shameful feeling that we could not qualify for Olympics. Its time to seriously think about our National Game. Its time to bring some new administrators and players into Indian Hockey.

I am not a big hockey fan but do follow it. I never thought that Indian Hockey will go to such poor levels. I did watch India vs. England in league and felt pity about our defence. It was pathetic by any standards. They conceded goal in the last minutes. Simple defence strategy of Man-marking (at least for forwards) could not be seen. I think its time to show "Chak De India" to Indian Men Hockey.

The Centuryman

Cricket world reckons Sachin as the Centuryman. He is the highest century makers in either form of the cricket. But there was always an allegation that he plays for himself and centuries rather than for team's cause. When many people say how many of Sachin's hundreds have come for a winning cause,Here is analysis of each of those centuries he scored when INDIA lost and reason why it went in vain. Out of the 42 hundreds, 11 hundreds have gone in vain.

1. 137 off 137 (Strike rate 100) balls Vs SriLanka at Delhi in 1996 World Cup. India scored 271/3 in 50 overs. The only other 50 score was from Azhar. SL made 272 in 48.4 overs. Manoj Prabhakar had 4-0-47-0. He also opened in the innings and scored 7 of 36 balls.

2. 100 of 111 Balls Vs Pak in Singapore- Apr 96.India 226 all out in 47.1 overs, When Sachin was out score was 186/4 (We cant blame because next 3 are match fixtures) . Pak had a reduced target of 187 from 33 overs.

3. 110 of 138 Balls (Slower but...) vs Sri Lanka In Colombo - Aug 96. Again India 226 for 5 in 50 overs, Only other 50 score from Azhar (58 of 99 balls !!!) .Sachin has also bowled 6-0-29-1 , the second most economical bowler and the only wicket taker (SL were 230/1 in 44.2 ) of the match next to Srinath. 7 bowlers were used by Azhar.

4. 143 of 131 Balls (!!!) Vs Aus at Sharjah, Apr 1998. This was chasing under lights. The qualifying match before the final. The whole world knows about this match. Still one interesting point, when Sachin was out India were 242 at 5 at 43 overs. Target was 276 in 46. Still India finished at 250/5 scoring just 8 of the next 3 overs. Great performance by Laxman and Kanithkar indeed.

5. 101 of 140 Balls against SL at Sharjah in Oct 2000.Indian score was 224/8 in 50 overs. (No other 50 score). SL got 225/5 in 43.5; Sachin also bowled 5-0-22-0, better economy rate than everyone except Srinath.

6. 146 of 153 Balls against Zimbabwe at Jodhpur - December 2000 (Game of Dougla Mariliar) India made 283 / 8 in 50 overs. Sachin was the last man to be dismissed , score was 235/8 at 46.3 overs when he was out. Agarkar and Zaheer Khan propelled India to 283 in the last 3.3 overs. When Sachin has scored 146 of 235 in 46.3 overs, you can guess what the other 8 great batsmen were doing against the World class Zimbabwe attack. Second Highest scorer was Zaheer Khan with 32. Zim got 284/9 in 49.5 overs. Kumble bowled the last over. Sachin also got 6-0-35-1

7. 101 of 129 Balls Vs SA at Johannesburg - Oct 2001India got 279/5 in 50, Ganguly made 127 of 126 balls. When Ganguly got out, the score was 193-1 in 35.2 overs. Sachin was the last man to get out at 263. SA got 280 in 48.4 overs. Sachin bowled 9-0-51-0, second best in economy rate next only to Agarkar (10-0-45-1)

8. 141 of 135 balls Vs Pak at Rawalpindi, March 2004 India was chasing 329 and was 317 all out in 48.4 overs, 8 balls to spare. No other batsman made even a 50 (when chasing 300 ) and when Sachin was out, India were 245-4 in 38.4 overs. They needed 85 from 68 balls with 6 wickets in hand.

9. 123 of 130 Balls vs Pak at Ahmedabad, April 2005. India made 315/6 in 48 overs (48 over match), again no other 50 score. Second highest was Dhoni 47 of 64 balls, (third highest was extras - 39). Pak made 319 in 48 overs. The three quicks (Balaji, Nehra and Khan went for 188 runs from 26 overs between them taking only 2 wickets). Sachin bowled 6-0-36-1. No Harbhajan and no Kumble.

10. 100 of 113 Balls Vs Pak at Peshawar, Feb-2006. India were 328 all out in 49.4 overs. Pathan and Dhoni got 60 each. When Sachin was out when India were 305-5 in 45 overs. Managed only 23 in the last 5 overs.Pak scored 311/7 in 47 overs and won by D/L method. Could have been anybody's game. Sachin did not bowl.

11. 141* of 148 balls vs WI at Malaysia. India made 309 /5 in 50 overs. Sachin was not out. Pathan was the only other 50 scorer. WI made 141/2 in 20 overs and won by D/L method. Again could have been anybody's game. In the other 31 instances India has won 30 times and once there was no result. Now, please think again when you say sachin's 100s were in the losing cause and that he is not a team player. It is a fact that for the entire 90's India played International cricket with 1 PLAYER and 10 JOKERS.

P.S: Forward this to all those people who still doubt in great man's commitment, think his centuries are in losing cause and ENLIGHTEN them!!!

"Monkey & The Obnoxious Weed"
India's tour of Australia was kind of Jungle Safari for all the viewers. We, Indians are Tigers playing against Kangaroos with players named as "Monkey", "Weed" etc. At least for this series, I felt like organisers should have created award "Creature of the tournament" and believe me there would have been tough competition for the winner.
Even though both the teams played some unbelievable cricket, non-cricketing issues have stolen the limelight and many of the great on-field performances didn't get its due credit.
"Summer Australia" was very difficult period for Indians. They were facing verbal volleys on-field as well as off-field thru' ut the summer. Many a occasions they kept their cool but it seems like their patience, their temper was not enough which resulted in the "Monkey & The Obnoxious Weed". In this forgettable episode for all non-cricketing issues, there were two creatures Bhajji and Symmo who played key characters.
Bhajji has a mixed profile for on-field activities. He has earned a good name for his bowling, he is amongst the most prominent Off-spinners of this era but he has earned very bad name for his on-field behavior. He was reprimanded for his excessive appealing, his fight with police and his questionable on-field behavior had made him sit out of the team. But the racist allegation against him was not acceptable at all. There were obvious reasons behind BCCI not accepting that Bhajji has said "Monkey" or racist slur to Symmo because they know normal Indians don't feel like swearing if they say somebody "Monkey". Its something like "गाली देनी है तो सामनेवाले को लगे ऐसी गाली देना"....जैसे की " तेरे माँ की.....तेरे ....... की " and In India "Monkey" is a word used by parents, elderly persons towards brats।
The other culprits in the whole episode, Haydos and Symmo are the real obnoxious weeds in the world of cricket. On- field behavior of Symmonds or Haydon is also not very good either. It could be seen through their swearing at opposition bowlers after getting out and at batsman while fielding almost every time.
Optimistic person believes that whatever happens it happens for good only. Here also this "Monkey" issue had made a big difference, a big good to Indian cricket. It helped in making Indians play harder than ever with more passion and more dedication. It showed to the world that Indians are super economy and upcoming cricketing powerhouse. Thanks to "Monkey" and that "Little obnoxious weed" also as because of them only I have got to see some wonderful cricket.

Super Sunday!!!!
It was a good day in field for Indian sports and a great Sunday for Indian viewers. They wouldn't have asked for more. Win against Australia in finals, Colts winning World Cup and Hockey team routing an opposition.
Great display of batsmanship by Tendulkar and Rohit & true character display (neglecting the gestures) by Bhajji in getting Heydon's and Symonds's wicket uplifted India's hopes of winning CB series. Tendulkar's inning was a remarkable for the shots he has played. He hardly gave any chances to Aussies in his century. Half-century in the match against SriLanka and today's century is a fitting reply to his once upon a time teammate and a baiter now Sanjay Manjarekar who is running Hate Tendulkar campaign for quite sometime now. It was delight to watch 10dulkar's shots today. This inning wasnt as explosive as Sharjah but it is nothing less important than that. Century in the finals was in waiting from Sachin. One could see that he had always played with great consistancy throughout the series/tournament in last couple of years but a big score in finals and that too chasing the target was not there. It was long due from him and did come out at the the most required situation.
The other hero of the day Rohit Sharma played exceptionally well. He was in good control of every shots he has played. He was very much dejected when he got out. I felt like he wanted Tendulkar's century more desperately than Tendulkar himself. He wanted to hug Tendulkar, his idol from childhood, on his 42nd ODI Century(almost after missing 5 or 6 ODI centuries) but unfortunately he missed on that great opportunity. But their was more to his awesome performance as an appreciation of his batting skills came from Sachin himself. Sachin's comments on Rohit were an assurance to all the viewers that another big star for India is in making. This will surely help his confidence further bolstering India's bright future.
There was a feeling like U-19 World Cup is in our kitty right from the start of the tournament itself but very low target set by India displaying poor shot selection and typical harakiri by batsman must have created panic in Indian dressing room. On such crunch situation their bowlers did a good job and helped India win the cup for the second time. Though India won the World Cup, it was not very convincing display of cricketing skills by Indian colts. Their catching was pathetic and wicket-keeping was terribly bad. Moreover, throughout the SouthAfrican chase, I felt like South Africa is loosing the game rather than India winning it.
Last but not the least in our national game hockey, India playing against minnows for the final spot in the Olympics won comfortably (8-0) against Russia today showing that they want to win big and secure their place for Olympics.
It was really a great day as everywhere India won. Hope to see many more Super Sundays,Mondays and every days :-)
Hurrey!!!!