The cricketainment of IPL season-2 has been in the buzz for the last ten days and the mercury is rising by each passing day. Some of the games witnessed, have been spell bounding and real value for money. One more fact which has re emerged from this tournament is that no matter which form of the game you are playing, class will always stand out. I was just going through the list of the top run getters of the tournament so far and was hardly surprised at the names. True to the core is one more fact that the cricket fans are actually startled to watch the likes of Rahul Dravid and Kumar Sangakkara anchoring the innings, retired cricketers like Mathew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist setting the field on fire and our very own Sanath Jaysuriya and Sachin Tendulkar giving us prolific starts, but then this was exactly that was promised by this format.

I have played with or against these cricketers and they are colossal figures. Over the years they have worked tirelessly on their game. They have spent loads of time in the middle and many a times encountered tough conditions, difficult situations and loads of expectations. And that is exactly what has toughened them to transcend these challenges. Just by the weight of their sheer experience they have scored (not just in literal terms but otherwise too) above the youngsters.

 As I have stated earlier, this season of IPL will be different than the earlier one. Conditions in South Africa will test the skill and the will of a player. Playing under lights on these bouncy pitches is not an easy task, especially when you are always looking for runs and you don’t have much time to adjust. There is an old saying that if you are a good Test cricketer more often than not you will find a way to flourish in all forms of the game. I am not sure whether this logic applies vice-versa or not but one thing that I am very sure of is that the presence of these very cricketers in this format definitely polishes the beginners.

 To share the same dressing room and to get the first hand experience of these veterans gives them the ripe opportunity to observe and absorb from these legends of the game. Old is gold and that is what this tournament has proved so far. I am delighted to look at our side which has a treasure-chest of such gems. The opening combination of Sachin and Sanath just proved that.

 Looking at my individual performance I am extremely happy to get a promotion in the batting order. And I would like to prove my worth as a batsman. Bowling wise I may not have taken wickets in heaps, but have so far managed to keep things under control. I am sure if I keep bowling in right areas wickets will surely fall into my kitty too.

Hoping for a good game today.. A victory, few wickets and runs to compliment : )

To lose the match against the Deccan Chargers on Saturday was a matter of grave disappointment and more so, as a victory was highly desirable by our team after a weeklong break. 169 was very much an achievable target on this pitch. With short boundaries and good batting wicket Durban is a high scoring ground and an average score on this pitch is 173. The opponents started with fireworks and at one point they looked like touching the target of 200 runs. But full marks to our bowlers. We came back strongly and took wickets at regular intervals to check them on 169. We were on the right track before we lost the crucial wicket of Sachin Tendulkar. And this was the turning point of the match and it came just after the strategy break. New batsmen found hard to deal with the constantly increasing run-rate and the credit here goes to the Deccan Chargers for the way they marshalled their resources. This year’s Deccan Charger is a different side and one of the top contenders for the trophy.

Here in lies the question of the existence of the strategy break. It can be good or bad depending on how it affects your result. And on more than one occasion it has helped the bowling side. In almost every match a wicket has fallen after the break and that has turned out to be the turning point of the match. Generally, in this format if the batting team gets a good start, they would like to continue with the same rhythm and this format gives them this much of lenience too. But seven and half minutes of break can easily derail the momentum of the batsman. On the other hand if bowlers are under the hammer they can always use this break to re-group, re-think, and rejuvenate. I am sure batsmen will learn from this experience and will avoid taking too many risks after the break. Once you are settled again and have wickets in hand you can always get the desired score.

On a more optimistic note, still there were many positives from Saturday’s game and that’s what we would like to take with us in the next match against the Kolkatta Knightriders. We bowled exceptionally well (again after the strategy break) to stop the Chargers’s charge towards a massive total. JP Dumminy showed lot of promise. He seems to have an intelligent head over the young shoulders and will be a great asset in these conditions. I also have this gut feeling that Sanath Jaysuriya is due for a big one and something special from his bat is round the corner. I know KKR will come hard at us. Their game against the Royals was a real close one and on Saturday they forced to share points with the Chennai Super-Kings. They have quite a few match winners in their line up and we need to be at our best to beat them. We only have a day to recover and adjust to the new conditions in Port Elizabeth. Thankfully we have enough experience and local input in the form of Jonty Rhodes and Shaun Pollock . So far in our two games we have done most of the things right and I am sure good results would follow soon. A win against my friend Shahrukh Khan’s side will be a good way to start with.

Today  is a special day for the entire team of Mumbai Indians. The date is April 24th and the day is the one when India’s greatest cricketer and a legend was born. We, at Mumbai Indians, had special plans for this special occasion. On the stroke of midnight we all got together to wish Sachin tendulkar his 36th birthday. Greats like Sunil Gavskar, Kris Srikanth and members from other teams also joined us in this celebration only to bring home the point that Tendulkar’s charisma has permeated every team and country. He belongs to the entire world of cricket. Sunny Bhai, Cheeka, Zaheer, Yuvraj and myself got chance to thank him for what he has done for the Indian cricket. A special cake was arranged for him and what followed afterwards was a fun-filled night. I was leading the pack of boys who gave him a good face massage with the cake. On a more serious note, this man holds a very special place in my life. It’s needless to say that he is like an elder brother to me and has always been a guiding force in my thick and thins.  This is his 20th year in international cricket but he is still young at heart and bubbling with exuberant energy. The enormous burden of expectations and demands of modern game hasn’t affected his affection for the game. The flick of a smile, the astonishment and the excitement are some very usual expressions one can see flying past his face when he is on the field.  The sixteen year old kid still lives in him, on and off the pitch. He is like an old wine getting better with age.
I was nine year old when Sachin made his debut for India and by the time I stepped into the Indian side, he was already a legend. Like scores of other people, he was my childhood hero too, the one who inspired me to pick up the game of cricket as my sole ambition and work hard on it. My very first shaky steps into the dressing room found me beholding the view where both of us were sharing the same space. 

With time I have started sharing a great chemistry with “Paaji” and can boast myself as few of those chosen ones who can take the liberty of cracking jokes on him or setting pranks on him. Make no mistake, beneath this serious man lies a very naughty kid who always has few tricks up his sleeves. Now with my improved batting, he really finds it tough to get me out. So, Paaji this time, as a gift, I am going to give you my wicket in the nets.
Reverting back to cricket, the last few days have produced very exciting combats. The two games on Thursday had nail biting finishes. And I am sure our game against the ‘recharged’ Deccan Chargers is going to be yet another great contest. With two wins in their kitty, they must be full of confidence and will come hard at us. Not to mention their batting line up that seems to be in great form.  Especially with the likes of Glichrist, Gibbs and our Mumbai boy Rohit Sharma, this looks like a tough battle ahead.
We have been without a game for almost a week. Our last match with the Royals was washed out due to rain. So we need to guard ourselves against complacency and have to re-group again. We started well but with this break our momentum has been broken and we need to re build it all over again, though we have tried our level best to keep the intensity high with working hard at nets. Personally speaking, the next venue ‘Kingsmead ground’, holds a very special place in my heart. In the T-20 world cup 2007, we played quite a number of matches on this ground and the most memorable one was the semi final where we were victorious against Australia. Square boundaries are short and as a bowler the margin of error is very little. This is a good wicket to bat and I am sure big names from both the sides will try to make the most of it. As I am pretty familiar with such conditions, my past experience will prove to be an asset here and will be of great help.

Coming back to our side, the first game has really boosted our confidence and people are already considering us as one of the contenders for the trophy. I think this year we have a great mix of experience and youth and we are peaking at the right time. Last year this tournament was an unknown quantity and we missed some key players. But this year team management has not left any stone unturned. From team selection to preparation to understanding the little needs of players, everything is well taken care of and that makes Mumbai Indian’s a very happy and raring to go dressing room. 

Sachin-Sanath opening duo is a dream combination for any side and we are lucky to have them at the top. Then in the middle order, likes of Dwayene Bravo, JP Dumminy and Shikhar Dhawan are good enough to handle all kind of situations.

I would not hesitate in saying that our bowling attack is certainly one of the best in IPL this season, Zaheer’s experience and the X-factor of Lasith Malingamekes them a great combination. With his slinging action and toe crushing Yorkers Malinga is not an easy bowler to handle. All rounders like Bravo and Jayasuriya give us lot of bowling options and I am there to play the role of a senior spinner. Presence of Shaun Pollock and Jonty Rhodes is a real help in understanding the local conditions much better. All in all we have all the ingredients to be a successful side this year. We just need to prepare hard and keep the intensity high.

Our next game is against Deccan Chargers on Saturday. And as I have said, every side has learnt from their past mistakes. They are a very formidable side and have some very exciting stroke players. I am looking forward to bowl against Gilchrist and company and am sure this will be a very interesting battle. Hopefully this time weather will not play a spoil sport. I am keeping my fingers crossed for that.  

The ‘First day first show’ of the IPL was received with as much anxiety and applauses as any other big banner movie. Any guesses as to who were the heroes? Well, yes on the whole the teams but the lead here was played by the ‘Spinners’. When this concept was in the pipeline the biggest threat was on the existence of the spinners as the format was not ‘meant’ to be spinner supportive. To be more precise, the format was thought as the killer to the ‘art of spin bowling’. But look hoe it has taken a 360 turn for our creed. Now the spinning section of the team is plays the pivotal role in this new ‘avtaar’ of cricket.

Here I would surely like to mention the performance by Anil Bhai. It’s nearly impossible to make out that this man hasn’t bowled for a while. The last time I saw him bowling was with a broken finger in Delhi, where afterwards he proudly walked into the cricketing sunset. Though, yesterday he bowled after a long break, but the zeal and the bounce, the accuracy and the intensity were the same. typical Kumble. The five wicket haul, shelling out just five runs for exchange is no joke in any format, forget about T20.

And how could I proceed without appreciating the undaunting efforts of the other magician with the ball-Shane Warne. You really need to pinch yourself to believe that he can still spin web around the best of the batsmen in the world. He retired in 2007 world cup and now spends more time on Poker table then cricket pitches. But give him a ball and the magic resumes. He can still spin big and land the ball in right areas. Leg spin is a difficult art, but they make it look so easy. That’s why I call them DADA cricketers, and I have learnt a lot from them.

 I should be modest but still would like to give myself a tap on my shoulder as I am also in the list of players who helped their team in their own small way. When I came into ball, two most destructive players of the present day cricketing world were at the crease, ‘Mathew Hayden and Andrew Flintoff’. It was very important to break this partnership otherwise in few overs they could have taken the game away. I got rid of Flintoff and didn’t give away many runs. So far so good.

And just when I am writing this blog, Daniel Vettori is troubling most of the Kings XI batsmen. He has taken 3 wickets for very little price. Another superb effort by a very shrewd spinner.

Next venue… Durban, the ‘mini India’ in South Africa. And thankfully we have two days break before we tighten up our screws for the last year’s champions Rajasthan Royals. God has been extremely generous in terms of natural beauty when it comes to this place. We went to table mountain last time we were here…it’s an experience in itself…one can see the whole Cape Town from there…a sight to behold. Overall it has been an easy day. But the rounds of packing unpacking take its toll. Can’t do much as it comes with the package and with time I have learnt the art. Durban has a great great resemblance to Mumbai… not just in terms of the surrounding but also in terms of support as a lot many Indians reside here. And the best thing is that you never miss the Indian food here. Plenty of Indian restaurants… and my favourite, well that’s Holiday Inns ‘Elangani’s Jewel of India’. So after few breathers will have to catch the flight for Durban. Till then..bye and take care.

Phew! What a start we had. First match of the tournament ,against last year’s finalist, ‘Chennai Super-Kings’, and boy were we in the best of our form. Chennai is a superb side but today we had an edge over them. I feel elated for my team, franchise and all the Mumbaikars who supported us whole heartedly last year. But as luck had it, we nearly missed the semi’s. And today they were there with our team flags, supporting us, cheering us and they deserved every ounce of what they got.

The new day dawned with some anxiety. When I opened the window of my room I could see grey clouds and some signs of overnight rains. A little dismayed, I thought this tournament deserved a better start and a welcoming weather. After all the efforts of Lalit & company and hard work of all the teams, rain could have played a spoil sport. But the Rain Gods bestowed their mercy and we had a perfect start.

Any description here will look incomplete without the mention of the great start given by ‘Paaji’,(well that’s how most us address our skipper ‘Sachin Tendulkar’). Conditions were not easy and they had some very good fast bowlers. But that’s where he used his experience to anchor the innings and helped us to put up a very challenging total on the board.

I am very pleased with my own effort with the ball. T20 is not easy for spinners as short boundaries and batsmen friendly wickets make this very challenging for our creed. Some other day in some other blog I would explain how I go about my business in T20. But I bowled well to restrict the runs in the middle overs and icing on the cake was big fella’s wicket. On his day Freddie can destroy the best of attacks. But thankfully this was not ‘his day’.

What can be more satisfying than to come back and play IPL and to pull out my team in whatever small way I can, who has always been like a strong pillar in my thicks and thins. It’s time now to go for the opening ceremony which would be a cracker of an event for sure. But in this melting pot of happiness, celebration and victory, one ingredient which is missing is the rock solid support of our very own Mumbai crowd at Wankhede. I am sure they all are glued to TV sets and supporting us. After all any victory is impossible without that.

Bye for now. See you soon again.

It feels so great to be back in Capetown. The long flight via dubai was a little window of relief to take rest. Sachin  and I spent quality time chatting up and discussing key strategies for the team ahead in the IPL.
Its is an agreed fact, that had the IPL been staged in India, it would have much much much bigger. Not to deny that South Africa and the IPL governing body have done wonders by organizing the IPL in South Africa in such a short period. 

The environment here in South Africa, makes you feel you are here to play the World Cup. Just to indicate how big the IPL is here this year in South Africa. Its a reunion of sorts, meeting and spending time with friend’s like Shahrukh and Ashish Nehra who has just got married. The first among our lot of boys, wonder whose next.

I am really looking forward to the game tomorrow, my first IPL game in a long time, and right now the only thoughts in my mind is to play the entire IPL , contribute both with the bowl and the bat and win games for Mumbai Indians.  It will be an exciting game of cricket.
We just finished a meeting with Mr Ambani, he came to wish the team the best for this season.  His words are always encouraging.

Leaving for dinner with the boys to Water Front, the most happening place in Cape Town.

Cheers..

End to a very hectic stay in India, post the New Zealand tour. A day full of travelling -driving down from home (Jhallandhur ) to Delhi to Mumbai. And finally a long flight from Mumbai to Capetown via Dubai.

Am happy to have spent time at home, and address key issues which needed my attention in the family for the 48 hrs odd I spent at home. Eating ma’s home made food was like the highlight of it.

The day was highlighted by a long dream of launching my own signature brand and restaurant line (Bhajji da Dhaba).  This starts a landmark venture in Indian Sports personal’s commercial side. With brand often dropping sporting personalities at their own will, there is no better option than having your own licensed range.

I end the day on a happy note, knowing that now I have a platform to interact with all my well-wisher’s and fans across the globe. Thank you bigadda.

Ciao till the next post.. when I land in South Africa.. Its a journey I am embarking with a hope to do my best for my team Mumbai Team.. both with the ball and the bat..looking forward to get the same support as i have been getting throughout out my career..thanks for all the love and support all the way,it means a lot,,cheers

Thanks bigadda for having me on board. Together we will rock.

Hey everyone! This is Harbhajan Singh out here. 

Will be in touch with you guys through my blog here. Write in and catch up with me…Hope to hear from you soon.

Check this space for more updates…Till then, be well…