BOOM BOOM INDIA!

India completed a dominating victory against England in the 1st ODI of the ongoing 7 ODI series. India out performed England by far in batting and bowling. Put into bat on a pitch the promised bowlers early swing, Indian openers, Sehwag and Gambhir put up 127 for first wicket. While that was phenomenal, what followed was incredible - Yuvi blasted out 138 runs in just 78 balls. Owing to the efforts of Sehwag, Gambhir and Yuvi, India posted the highest ever target against England of 388 runs in 50 overs.

Indian opening bowlers then managed to find all the accuracy and swing that English seamer's were missing. Both Zaheer and Munaf bowled miserly spell's and also bagged 4 wicket's even before the spinners were introduced. After that there was no real hope for England and they folded up for a meagre total of 229 runs in the 38th over - giving India a victory margin of 158 runs.

For me an Indian win was almost a certainty, still the margin of victory was incredible. Reading England's writers before the match and listening to English commentator's before Sehwag and Gambir got the show on the road, one were lead to believe that we are up for a very stiff and competitive series.

David Loyld in particular predicted a almost Australia-India like contest, drawing parallels which were funny at best. http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/talk/content/multimedia/377984.html?view=transcript In a obvious effort to bring interest in the series and perhaps to dream out aloud, he came up with real good stuff like - Sehwag will be found wanting against England's pace attack (after he has proven himself against likes of Lee in Australia), Zahreer and Bajji can be out focused by playing mind games (last time England tried that with 'jellygate' incident in England, Zaheer came up with a match winning performance), India is vulnerable without Ganguly and Dravid in its ODI team (when was the last time Loyld watched India in a ODI?) etc etc.

Even the commentators during the start of Indian inning's sounded not pleased when Gavaskar or Shiv tried to talk about India's strengths - made one wonder if the English caught up in the 90's or worse the 80's? When Gavaskar tried telling them and the viewers how Gambhir unsettles the bowlers by shuffling across and forward, there was just this silence from his fellow commentator Ian Botham. Botham just said that Freddie (Flintoff) is one of the strongest arms in world cricket. Compare that to the acumen and grace of Ian Chappel - feels like English lack not just on field.

End of the day, if you ask me to select players from this England's side who have the hunger, the edge, the attitude, fit for current Indian side, only two qualify - Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen.

While this attitude of under estimating India was clearly seen in English writers and commentators, it is only the result of the inferiority complex affecting English cricket. Only when you can see your self as you truly are, can you acknowledge others as they are. In ECB's quest to undermine India's financial superiority, they have forgotten that ultimately all that matters is cricket. In today's world, financial excellence is key to achievement and confidence - you keep your players off IPL, you send them on a gold diggers quest which is more a statement of one millionaire's ego. How do you expect to do all this and have it not affect the confidence of your cricketer's?

Wake up and realise that IPL is not just about money, IPL is a opportunity which will let you recognise your own faceless champions and to see your best tested in the hardest grind of cricket on earth. All cricketing nations who participated in IPL have benefited from it - not just the players, the selectors found more talent pool than was visible previously. And England, you manage to keep your players from such promising and productive venture - hats off! Till you realise your mistake and are able to admit it boldly and without ego, you will always be ridden with self doubts and small satisfactions.

The drum roll started in Rajkot and will continue till Dec 23rd in Mumbai. This is BooM BooM India.

Is Singh the King?

Is problematic prince, finally the King? He has the power, he has the style, he has the eye, the hand and the coordination, he has the rhythm and he has us with him. But naah .. one ingredient missing is consistency. Yuvi once again mesmerized us with what he is, just hope he does it more often. This was emphatic return to the side. 138 from 78 balls is not a child's dream, its a man's destiny. But so has inconsistency been his destiny. This match Yuvi had a platform provided by Sehwag and Gambhir, he had a pitch which warms his heart, the attack lacked decent spin and it has been a while since he blasted - I think all this went to make this knock a bit less special than it deserved to be.