Post Lunch of Day 3 ( Second Test at Kanpur)

Cricket Update:

When 6 wickets fell for India on day 2, I knew India would comfortably win this test match.. and Sreesanth was a surprise package.. I know he may be expensive but he does get wickets and he has proved that again with his three wickets in the first session of day 3 leaving Lankans trotting at 138 for 5..

I am sure India would make them follow on and possibly win by an innings later tomorrow or latest by the fifth day morning.. this test would be far more difficult for Lanmkans to save themselves compared to India in the first test.. where wicket had nothing for bowlers at Ahmedabad..

Kanpur is known to be a vicious turner.. the last test here was over in three days when South Africa got a drubbing.. ICC had then criticised Kanpur track a great deal.. it is all right to make wickets more suitable to our bowlers.. every country does that I remember India had got out for 42 runs in one of the England test match at Lords in early 70s.. Did any council came to support team India then..

Test Cricket is a different ball game. I had wanted them to concentrate on T20 so that many more countries could come and compete in the game.. they thought it is not cricket yet let me tell here that T20 would bring glory and globalisation to cricket like never before..

I am convinced in my mind that five years from now the number of teams in world T20 would double if not go beyond that.. I hope India does get to play more T20 Internationals.. IPL is OK but playing for one’s country has much more at stake.. I would be waiting eagerly for the two T20s that India plays after the Test series.. We should also plan T20 Asia Cup as all the four subcontinent teams have good cricketing talent.. I hope BCCI is reading what I have to say here on future of cricket..

The raising of the endorsement contract fee is understandable but only for India seniors.. To rope the women and the other India teams is not so gullible an idea.. One can rather have different kind of amount fr three Indian teams the Test, the One Day and the Twenty 20..

I also wish tha atleast 20 to thirty players represent the country in the three different formats depending on the nature of their game.. I would go still further to suggest three different captains for the three teams..

I know Dhoni is doing a great job presently yet I would rather love to have Sehwag (if not Sachin) as captain for Test cricket, Dhoni to lead in One dayers and Yuvraj Singh to skipper the Twenty 20 side.. I have nothing against Dhoni as I have nothing in favour of the other two yet it may give a good balance to the three teams.. good luck team India for the 9th and 12th December.. the twin T20 cricket games.. even number is not appropriate.. it is all right.. if India could level 1-1 would be good enough..

More later

Abhaya Sharma