© AFP A forgettable year for the Indian team The Indians have shown the visiting Englishmen that they are a difficult side to beat at home, just as they did to the Australians in the early part of the year. Every nation, for that matter, does better at home than abroad, and the Indians are no worse or better. [More]
What Indian cricket needs is medication and therapy The big hero of the Indian team in the last twelve months was VVS Laxman. Dubbed `Very Very Special' Laxman for his match-winning and record breaking innings of 281 against Steve Waugh's Australians at Kolkata, Laxman carved a place for himself in Indian cricket lore. [More]		Hopes belied in the new millennium Rahul Dravid, technically among the most accomplished in the world, played outstanding cricket of great character against the Australians, but since then he has shown a distressing tendency towards Hamletian indecision, especially after the ludicrous attempt to convert him into an opener bombed. [More]
A bumpy ride off the field as well India’s withdrawal from the Championship could have serious repercussions. At the ACC meeting in May, a system by which a side failing to honour contractual obligations must offer compensation to the rival team was agreed upon. For long, Pakistan had been demanding such a compensation clause to be included in the ICC's 10-year calendar for Test-playing countries. [More]		India should persist with current squad in 2002 Zimbabwe in India should be a breeze but thereafter the course gets rougher. Let’s not get misled by the recent sub-standard showing of the West Indies. The fact remains that India has won but one and lost the other six contests in the Caribbean in the period 1953-1997. And if anything, the series in England could be a much tougher proposition. [More]
Sehwag the find of the year An encouraging aspect of Indian cricket in 2001 was the unearthing of a number of exciting young players. Admittedly, some cricketers who were given the big break did not live up to expectations but there were a few who performed creditably and even held out promise as long-term prospects and this can only augur well for Indian cricket. The stand out find was undoubtedly Virender Sehwag [More]		© AFP A mixed year for the Indian team When the eventful years of Indian cricket are listed by future historians, there is little doubt that 2001 will rank very high. This was the year when the greatest home series victory in the history of Indian cricket was notched up and at least for this achievement, it will always remain a special year. [More]