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Pradeep Magazine

Before I come to the point, a bit of a preamble is required. Even at the best of times, the relationship between those who perform and those who write and pass judgments on them is tenuous. And at the worst of times, it is tense and edgy. Over the years, both have generally learnt to live with each other and not cross the line between being downright rude and extra respectful, writes Pradeep Magazine.

Articles by Pradeep Magazine

Cricket should avoid tracks like Eden

HT Image
Published on Oct 03, 2016 06:11 AM IST

India vs NZ: Cricket should do away with tracks like Eden Gardens

As India took control of the second Test, the debate on Sunday centered more on the nature of the Eden Gardens track rather than the quality of cricket.

India'a Virat Kohli falls down as he gets out leg before wicket to the bowling of Trent Boult.(AP Photo)
Updated on Oct 02, 2016 10:39 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

As Eden track gets nasty, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma show India the way

Kohli, the man who loves a fight and relishes being in the thick of a scrap, walked in to bat when his team looked extremely vulnerable and needed enough runs to secure the match.

India's Virat Kohli plays a shot on the third day of the second cricket test match against New Zealand.(AP Photo)
Updated on Oct 03, 2016 08:45 AM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

India bare their pace fangs as New Zealand crumble on Day 2

The Eden Garden wicket continued to confound the batsmen and this time, it was the turn of the New Zealanders to get trapped in the indecisiveness of their poor footwork.

India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2R) with teammates celebrate the wicket of New Zealand's Martin Guptill.(AFP Photo)
Updated on Oct 01, 2016 05:18 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

India caught off-guard by Eden pitch as New Zealand take the honours on Day 1

The value of a performance and the quality of play is inextricably linked with the nature of the wicket in cricket. There is no other sport where the result it provides is so dependent on the surface that the curator of a stadium prepares for a match.

India's Ajinkya Rahane evades a rising delivery.(REUTERS)
Updated on Sep 30, 2016 08:21 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

A thinking mind adds more value to Ravichandran Ashwin’s spin wizardry

The legacy of India’s spin tradition is so rich and varied that putting Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of the past greats, despite his phenomenal wicket-taking ability, would be unfair to the bowler himself, as he would agree.

India's R Ashwin celebrates with teammates after dismissing New Zealand's Ish Sondhi.(PTI Photo)
Updated on Sep 26, 2016 08:13 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

In India’s win, Ronchi-Santner resistance brings Test cricket alive

Two rookies in Test cricket -- Mitchell Santner and Luke Ronchi -- one playing his eighth Test and the other his second, were countering the guile, wiles and variations of the two seasoned Indian spinners with soft supple hands and negating the vagaries of the wicket with an equanimity that spoke of their tremendous resolve and skills.

Luke Ronchi scored 80 in the second innings.(Reuters)
Updated on Sep 26, 2016 03:16 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

India cut all escape routes as New Zealand sink under pressure

The India top order, right from KL Rahul, to Ravindra Jadeja made merry, scoring with a freedom that suggested the wicket held no terror for them.

India's Rohit Sharma plays a shot during the 4th Day of first test match against New Zealand.(PTI Photo)
Updated on Sep 25, 2016 05:53 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

Kanpur Test: Dramatic turnaround for India as New Zealand throw in the towel

New Zealand finally caved in. After two days of resolute cricket and successfully swimming against the odds created by conditions alien to their technique and temperament, they gave up.

Ravichandran Ashwin and captain Virat Kohli celebrates the dismissal of New Zealand batsman BJ Watling.(Ajay Aggarwal/HT PHOTO)
Updated on Sep 24, 2016 06:04 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson shows the way to play spinners in India

Skipper Kane Williamson is not your typical broad, strong, tall Kiwi, who can pulverise the ball with brute force. Measured, unhurried and strong willed, Williamson has made loads of runs all over the world and is considered among the best in his trade.

New Zealand cricket team captain Kane Williamson after his 50 during 2nd day of 1st Test match.(Ajay Aggarwal/HT PHOTO)
Updated on Sep 23, 2016 09:14 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

Bold Kiwis leave India struggling after middle-order collapse

The post lunch period saw wickets tumbling, with skipper Kohli falling into the trap of hooking a short-ball into the square-leg hands, boosting the morale of the New Zealanders as they clawed their way back into the match.

India's Murali Vijay bats during their first cricket test against New Zealand in Kanpur.(AP Photo)
Updated on Sep 22, 2016 07:07 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

In approach to home season, Kohli’s desire for greatness faces test of fairness

Will he follow the strategy that was executed against the South Africans so that winning, regardless of the means, becomes the sole purpose of a contest? Or will the strategy be to prepare a bit more supporting tracks, that may not negate any home advantage, but be fairer for an even fight?

Will Kohli follow the strategy that was executed against the South Africans so that winning becomes the sole purpose of a contest? Or will the approach be to prepare tracks that are a bit more sporting?(Reuters)
Updated on Sep 19, 2016 04:09 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

Day-night Test matches: Spectators welcome it, but technical issues remain

The scenes were reminiscent of a past, long gone by that would resurface in the mind’s eye from time to time only to lament the spectators’ apathy to domestic cricket and the longer format of the game.

India Blue batsman Mayank Agarwal in action against India Red during the Duleep Trophy.(Virendra Singh Gosain/HT PHOTO)
Published on Sep 15, 2016 03:06 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

It is all about money and profits for BCCI and ICC as cricket takes a back-seat

As India prepares for one of its lengthiest periods of playing Test cricket – 13 at a stretch – the news making the rounds is more about global television deals, the possibility of a split in world cricket and an ugly spat between the Indian Board and the ICC.

India's captain Virat Kohli, center, celebrates after bowler Ravichandran Ashwin.(AP Photo)
Published on Sep 12, 2016 02:12 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

BCCI should be a visionary, not act like small-time trade unions

India should realise that they no longer are on the margins of world cricket and instead are its rulers. If they have reasons to believe they are being ignored, or being discriminated against, there are better ways to raise their voice instead of threatening to boycott a major tournament.

Mumbai: BCCI President Shashank Manohar along with BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur interact with media after the AGM at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Monday. PTI Photo by Shashank Parade(PTI11_9_2015_000096B)(PTI)
Published on Sep 07, 2016 03:55 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By

There should be no confusion on cricket players’ association in India

India is among the very few countries, apart from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, which does not have a players association that is recognised by their Board

The BCCI sees players’ association as a trade union activity and are reluctant to give them any representation in a decision-making body.(REUTERS)
Updated on Sep 05, 2016 03:38 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

England shed its puritanical streak, rise in one-day cricket

The rise of this new England team, that now sees 50-over cricket as an extension of T-20 cricket and not as a short form of Test cricket, as Ian Morgan put it, has given rise to a new World Record score of 444 and pushed one day cricket into a new age.

England scored 444 against Pakistan, the highest total in ODIs.(REUTERS)
Published on Sep 02, 2016 04:00 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

Lodha panel withdraws franchise representation in IPL apex body

The fate of the Review Petition that the Board has filed against the Supreme Court judgment is not known so far as these petitions are heard in the chamber of the judges without any outside presence. According to most experts, such petitions mostly end up in the court’s dustbins and a curative petition could face a similar fate, if the Board decides to file one after the review petition fails.

Lodha panel is in no mood to relent and is going ahead with sticking to the timeline given to it by the Supreme Court for implementing its recommendations.(Arvind Yadav /HT Photo)
Updated on Aug 31, 2016 01:24 PM IST
Hindstan Times | By, New Delhi

Cricket’s global ambition needs ‘handling with care’

In that context organising matches in Florida may have been significant, but two things on Sunday acted as a dampner.

Virat Kohli (R) of India walks off the field dismissed by Dwayne Bravo of West Indies (L) as West Indies players celebrate during the 1st T20i between West Indies and India at Central Broward Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on August 27, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Randy BROOKS(AFP)
Updated on Aug 29, 2016 02:33 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

Duleep Trophy’s pink-ball experiment could redefine Test cricket’s future

If India accepts this experiment as a permanent fixture, it will push Test cricket into the floodlit mode quicker than anyone expects.

In the two days of pink-ball Duleep Trophy action thus far, bowlers dominated the first day while the batsmen hit back on the second.(PTI)
Updated on Aug 25, 2016 12:32 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By

Pakistan have earned their number one spot

HT Image
Published on Aug 24, 2016 06:34 AM IST

Pakistan gain from India’s miss, but they’ve earned No 1 Test ranking

It is a tribute to the talent, grit and resilience of its players and their passion for the game, that match-fixing bans, lack of finances and the machinations of its board have not dampened their spirits.

Pakistan’s performance in England, where they drew the series 2-2, will stand out as one of their most heartening and courageous displays, coming as it did in the backdrop of their humiliation in the same country in 2010.(REUTERS)
Updated on Aug 23, 2016 10:13 AM IST
Hindustan Times | By

Is there a method to madness in Team India’s latest round of shuffling?

The five-bowler theory, which the team management stuck to with almost obdurate zeal, has all of a sudden been abandoned. What should have been a normal move – getting back a fit Murali Vijay in the playing XI – is now riddled with bafflement.

Not only coach Anil Kumble, Test captain Virat Kohli himself is a strong-willed personality, who seems to be immune to any kind of pressure.(AP)
Updated on Aug 20, 2016 01:37 AM IST
Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi

Kohli’s flexibility stretched in musical chairs of Indian batting order

Virat Kohli’s team selection for the third Test may be open to debate, but the very fact that the Indian captain had to offer explanations and defend his decisions means that this is an area India is willing to be open about.

India's captain Virat Kohli, left, and Ajinkya Rahane, right, leave the field after beating West Indies by 237 runs on day five of their third Test in Gros Islet, St. Lucia, on Saturday.(AP)
Updated on Aug 14, 2016 03:09 PM IST
By, New Delhi:

Bhuvneshwar: From the badlands of UP, a swinging prodigy

On Friday at St. Lucia, Bhuvneshwar, having struggled with injuries, and a forced lay-off, produced a magical spell of swing bowling that has given hope for an unlikely victory for India.

More than his five-wicket haul, it is the skill of Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s in making the ball behave like a puppet on a string that had first made him an indispensible part of the team.(AP)
Published on Aug 13, 2016 12:34 PM IST
Hindustan Times | By
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