Blog Posts by Kunal Diwan

For a long time the Frank Worrell Trophy represented the pinnacle of competition in world cricket. This, after all, was the contest that in 1994-95 catapulted Australia to greatness, as Steve Waugh and Curtly Ambrose engaged menacingly, and unforgettably, mid-pitch at Trinidad. That series also marked the beginning of the decline of the West Indies, who have since been in freefall, a scenario worsened by the ongoing rift between the country’s stars and its cricket board. But things just might be looking up in the Caribbean.

Nothing could have described the first Test, that Australia made its own by three wickets, better than the winning run. Ben Hilfenhaus tapped and scampered, barely making his ground as the throw clattered into the stumps. Australia too had made it by a whisker — after allowing the home team to a huge first innings score — preying on the West Indies’ obvious inability to close out things.

The result both gladdened and saddened me. My entire bankroll – meaning all my

Read More »from A time to build

Nothing succeeds like success. Nothing succeeds like sleaze, either. And the IPL has had its fair share of both in the past seasons. The first edition had Lalit Modi signing autographs - the defining, nausea-inducing image from the inaugural hoopla - and Harbhajan Singh's slapgate.

The sophomore season pitted the IPL's fiscal might against the all-powerful machinery of the Government, as it prioritised the general elections over providing security to the hit and giggle league. The reactionary move - en masse - of the tournament to South Africa turned out to be huge success, as also a model study in sound logistics.

If that wasn't enough to pique interest, in came the Fake IPL Player with his inside - and vulgarised and entertaining - takes on dressing room politics within that most unfortunate of all franchises, the Shahrukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders.

Then arrived the Modi fiasco, as the mastermind behind the mania was charged with, among other things, impropriety and sacked as Read More »from One week down, seven to go

Most would admit that watching A.B. de Villiers switch over and swing an Irfan Pathan full-toss for six behind the wicket-keeper made for a thrilling sight. The bowler – lost for words – could only flash a wry smile as de Villiers deployed the controversial shot several times in his rapid cameo, setting up Royal Challengers Bangalore’s opening win in IPL-2012.

Since Kevin Pietersen premiered the stroke in an ODI against New Zealand in 2008, switch-hitting has been swiftly adopted by batsmen good enough to pull it off. In an environment – across formats - where quick runs are imperative and largely responsible for spectator interest, the shot has seen several successful renditions, none quite as exciting as David Warner’s 100-metre heave at the MCG in a T20I against India earlier in the year.

More recently, the stroke found itself mired in controversy, again. Its originator, Pietersen, was warned for resorting to the switch-hit posture too early, as he swapped his hands/ changed his

Read More »from To switch or not to switch