Reading Cricket Cub

A bat – ball game that entertains the whole mass of people gathered and also the ones who watch it live in the televisions. Cricket a world class game captivates hearts and souls of many individuals across the world. People die to watch the game, literally starve to enter the gates of the ground in which the game is played. The fans all over the world know that cricket is definitely an entertaining game.

But in this game of cricket, can you guess who are the important players without bat and ball? They are the decision makers of the game who can make happiness or break it amongst teams. They ought to the good informers. They ought to be keen watchers of the game. They will have to be the wise decision makers irrespective of their favorites. They can earn good names if they are perfect. They are vulnerable to fans’ critical comments. Their decision is very crucial for the match. The guess can never be as simple as this one is. Of course, they are umpires. Umpires are the most important players in the field. They are different types and they are three in number.

An umpire in the game of cricket plays crucial role. This word ‘Umpire’ is from the Old French word ‘Nompere’ which means not equal, i.e. not a member of one of the teams. He is the person who has the authority to make decisions on the cricket field, according to the International Laws of Cricket under ICC. Apart from making decisions about wicket appeals, delivery laws, legalities involved, conduct and the manners in the game, the umpire has a track of all the records. It involves all the deliveries and announcements of the completion of an over.

To preside over the match, there are two on-field umpires present. The umpires are different in the positions and that makes the difference. There is one umpire who stands just behind the bowler’s wicket. He is the most important umpire and he decides and acts as a judiciary for most of them. There is another umpire standing with a side view from the batsman’s view. He is called the square leg umpire, the reason of the name being the filed position is called square leg. He helps the main umpire for many decisions that concerns his views. If he is able to see better, then he helps the umpire. The professional matches have the other option called third umpire. Third umpire has the technology to support him. If there is a condition for the umpires on field to make flaws or if there are any difficulties, there is a third umpire who has an access to television replays.

Good cricket captaincy is an art by itself. The best cricket captain is declared thus if he lets his players play their real game and never allows the sport to drift into boredom. He dons several roles like a selector, motivator, coach, tactician, player and a rudder, all rolled into one single package. He understands his team mates in and out and allows each player to play his defined role.

The cricketing world has witnessed many great skippers and the 3 best cricket captains today can be:

M.S. Dhoni: He is truly a blessing to Indian cricket. A destructive batsman himself, this Indian skipper is replete with bountiful positive energy and positive body language which he uses very well on the pitch. A good wicket keeper too, recently he led India to beat the world champions Australia and has regained the number one ODI batting position for him too. A consistent captain, he is sure to take India to greater heights in the near future.

Ricky Ponting: skipper of the Australian test cricket team, has captained ruthlessly during his tenure, clinching two World Cups to his side and many more major ICC trophies. A live wire skipper on the ground, he is also considered as the most prolific run scorer in test cricket.

Kumara Sangakkara: skipper of the Srilankan team is considered as a hot property in Test cricket at the moment. A consistent batsman in the International Cricket scene, he has won ample admiration for the clever use of his sledging in cricket and has the potential to be one of the most distinguished and best cricket captains among all the Srilankan skippers.

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Of late the number of injuries to the cricketers of team India is increasing rapidly. In recent past there have been cases when player(s) had gone on foreign tour hiding his [their] injury, which showed up only during the course of play. This had had placed the team in some precarious position in the midst of the tour some times necessitating SOS calls for replacement from home.

Players know very well that they will only aggravate some nagging pain or recurring injury, if they don’t allow it proper rest. They are also very well aware of the fact that they will peril their own playing life if they continue the game with the persisting injury. Why is it then that Indian cricketers hide their injury and take the risk of playing for the national team? Is it sheer love of the game or burning patriotism, which push them to undertake such risk? Perhaps non! Perhaps it is the lure of lucre. Perhaps it’s the fear of losing one’s position in the team.

Today everyone knows that big money is involved in international cricket and playing for the national team not only enables the cricketers get heavy pay packet from the BCCI but a place in the national side also ensures advertisement contracts involving astronomical amounts in terms of money. Most of the players are also very much aware that now the competition is very, very though and one is not sure barring of course a player like Sachin Tendulkar that even after a forced absence from some matches due to injury, ones place will remain secure in the team. If the substitute player performs well, then the original player might find it difficult to make a come back. Haunted by this fear, the player hides his injury and tries to pull on with it so long as possible.

Now the most pertinent question is; why at all the cases of injuries among Indian players have become so rampant all of a sudden? The team physio and the experts have pointed out that the injured players do not get sufficient time and rest for recuperation. This is because the Indian cricket calendar is heavily burdened with international matches. India plays more international cricket than any other country in the world. Take for example, the last 12 months period starting from last year’s world cup cricket championship to the end of Indian’s last tour of Australia. The ODI world cup cricket championship 2007 was played from March 14 to April 28th and India’s last tour of Australia ended on March 4th 2008. in between Indian players never enjoyed a full month’s rest at a stretch from cricket. The world cup ended on 28th April and Indian team after returning from the West Indies embarked on a tour of Bangladesh to play 3 one dayers and two test matches starting form may 10th. Immediately after returning from the Bangladesh tour, the Indian team had to rush to Great Britain to play against Ireland, South Africa, Scotland, Pakistan and then England. The arduous 2 and a half-month long tour ended on September 8th. From London itself the team had to fly to South Africa to participate in the first ever twenty20 world cup championship from September 11 to 24. Returning from South Africa Dhoni’s men had to take on the world one-day champions Australia for a one twenty20 match and seven matches ODI series played from September 29th to October 17. Then came the tough five ODI match series and three test match series against out arch rival Pakistan spread between November 5 and December 12. The eventful [cricket wise] year came to an end but not the ordeal of the Indian masters. In December itself the team India had to live the shores once again, this time for Australia to take on the world champions for a 4 test match series which started from December 26th followed by a 20-20 match and a triangular one day series involving three teams host Australia, India and Sri Lanka. The triangular series ended on 4th march, and Indian team returned home on 6th instant.

So much for the last 12 months. There is no respite for the players for the coming 6 months either. The team is now engaged in a 3 test matches home series against South Africa, which will end on April 15th. This will be followed by the Indian premier league from April 18th to May 23. Asia cup [June 2008], test and one day series against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka [July 23 to august 29] and ICC champions’ trophy [September 11 to 28]. Any player participating in so many matches week after week runs the risk of becoming jaded and injury prone. Therefore to cope up with the heavy international schedule, the much wanted rotation policy [is there any?] could be implemented to the full. If the top players of the country from a pool of say 20-25 are used in different matches judiciously and alternately, it is hoped that the problem of fitness and injury could be tackled successfully.