CRUCIAL GAME FOR TEAM INDIA AND KIWIS AT BARODA

When India and New Zealand take the field on 4th December at Baroda, both will be keen to win this game and give more than 100% for it. For India it will be important to wrap up the series at Baroda and look to experiment in next 2 games and for Kiwis it is a do or die situation if they lose here then this will be another humiliating loss after Bangaldesh series and I am pretty sure Kiwis don't want to lose 3rd ODI and wants to remain in hunt to win the series. So exciting contest in offering at Baroda and high quality cricket will be certainty in tomorrow's game.

India is bolstered in bowling front with the return of Zaheer Khan but still India have to play with all the concentration in this game because after two losses Kiwis will not give an inch. For Kiwis it is important that they get into the match with full strength team which means return of Brendon McCullum at the top which will give them solidity in top order. We all saw  Jamie How struggling against new ball in both the matches. Guptill is in good form but Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson have to play big innings if New Zealand wants to win this match. Styris has proved his importance in middle-order with fine run a ball half century in last match.

For India Gambhir is in supreme form now after brilliant century in last match and regained his touch. Virat Kohli is also consistent with his scoring but problem for India is Murali Vijay who is clearly struggling in ODIs.  Scoring runs in IPL or Champions League is completely different from scoring runs in International matches and as early he and  Chairman of selectors understand this, that will be beneficial to Team India hence drop Vijay from the ODIs. India will go into tomorrow's encounter with sky high confidence but they have to remember that Kiwis are capable enough to beat them so better not be complacent in the field and wrap up the series at Baroda itself.

DREAM OF WINNING ASHES COMES TRUE FOR ENGLAND THIS TIME?

I wonder what are the thoughts going on in the mind of Ricky Ponting. He issued statement before the second test match that Australia will be stronger in this test  and he was right till the time of toss. He won the toss elected to bat but after that nightmare continues for Australia as they were 156 for 5 at tea. Hussey again trying to save the face for Australia and I feel kind of form he is in he will certainly save the face for Kangaroos but he need support from other end and if he gets that from Brad Haddin and tail then certainly Australia can make a come-back but at the moment England is on top and enjoying the success.

This time Englishmen arrived in Australia with purpose and dream of winning Ashes down-under and they proved it at GABBA and now confirming it in Adelaide with their brilliant performance in the field. England is having a team at the moment which can beat any side in the world but they are also in benefit because of the weakened Australian side. On the other hand England is also having problems with the form of star batsman Kevin Pietersen  who is going through rough patch. If England have to win Ashes this time then they need big runs from Pietersen because Pietersen holds the key in middle-order for them and if Pietersen performs well, then I feel England have outright chance to win Ashes.

We all saw in Brisbane that both teams fought hard and result was draw on final day. So I hope this test also go till 5th day and become close contest.

COMPREHENSIVE WIN FOR TEAM INDIA AND GAMBHIR

Yesterday was one of the day, when almost everything went right for Team India at Jaipur. India won the toss, bowled well, batted well only they lacked in fielding where they dropped 3 catches. Guptill played very well for Kiwis and gave them the solidity at start but wickets falling at other end couldn't help the team's cause. Styris batted very well and help Kiwis to post the competitive total. Indians bowled very well, especially Sreesanth who was pick of the bowler. Nehra remained unlucky in terms of wicket because 2 catches dropped on his bowling but he was very economical. Every bowler contributed to the team's cause.

I must appreciate the captaincy of Gambhir. The way he rotated his bowlers and the way he made field placements, it never looked like he was captaining the side first time.He also flourished in batting and help India to chase down the Kiwi total in just 43 overs. Gambhir ended with brilliant hundred and carried his bat through the innings. Gambhir never allowed his captaincy pressure to fall on his batting as he batted freely but still I feel  at the start of his innings he was not 100% in confidence as  initially his cover drives were not coming perfectly and  ball took inner edges  but as the innings progressed Gambhir also grew in confidence and played his trademark shots. He was well supported by Virat Kohli. Kohli made 64 and missed out on 3rd consecutive hundred but Kohli batted brilliantly and carried his good form in this match as well. For Team India, M.Vijay is becoming liability in ODIs as he is not scoring runs and I don't understand why selectors are picking him. Vijay's record speaks for him that he is not good in ODIs there are many players who are waiting in wings and selectors are ignoring those young guys and keep giving chances to useless M.Vijay. I think K.Srikkanth, the Chairman of  Selectors have to come out of his zonal bias and love for Vijay and pick the deserving players who are performing well and knocking the door to get into the team.

Form here-on its tough going for Kiwis as they lost both their games and now they have to win 3rd ODI to remain in hunt and have to win all 3 ODIs to win the series which is tough task. Although Bendon McCullum will be back in squad in next ODI at Baroda and that will boost the Kiwi team to do well. For Team India, at the moment everything looks easy but  I must say they have to be careful because Kiwis are capable side and can come-back anytime.

MATCH FIXING GHOST HAUNTING CRICKET

Its not been long since Pakistani cricketers were in spot of doubt for fixing. Allegations made on them in Australia, then in England and above all a big bookie Mr. Mazhar Majid clearly stated the name of 4 players who were involved in match-fixing but PCB didn't bother to take any action against these tainted players and tried to let go this serious issue. Yesterday, once again 7 players name came out in fixing and name is stated by same bookie Mr.Mazhar Majid. Earlier four players Mohd. Asif, Mohd. Aamer, Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal were involved now there are 3 more players involved in the fixing and thse 3 names are Wahab Riaz, Imran Farhat & Umar Akmal, so this issue now become very serious and it is putting question-mark on the reputation of the game which is known as 'Gentlemen's game'. 

When Zulkarnain Haider ran to UK from UAE, he came under lot of flak from PCB and banned for life-time but I think whatever he did was correct and instead of selling his country like his 7 other team-mates, he preferred to leave the game but this incident also failed  put any pressure on PCB. But time has come now for ICC to take strict action against PCB and its players because I feel some of the top officials from PCB are also involved in fixing and also sharing the money and thats why PCB is reluctant to take any action. But ICC has to understand one thing such kind of incident bringing disrepute to the game of cricket. If today ICC don't take harsh action against PCB and its players then in future many such incidents of fixing will happen and players will do it knowing that nobody will do anything against them even if they found guilty. I must mention here that ICC has to take action against those Pakistani players also who provokes young cricketers to get involved in fixing and give them threat of their place in the side if they don't agree to fixing. Big example is Zulkarnain Haider who took retirement because he denied to get involve in fixing even after the threats.

In past there are many examples available where players found guilty were punished. Prime examples are Mohd. Azharuddin, Salim Malik, Ajay Jadeja, Hansie Cronje, Herschelle Gibbs. Players like Shane Warne and Mark Waugh though didn't get any punishment for their deeds of sharing information with bookies.If we have to keep good reputation for the game of cricket then harsh action is necessary against guilty players.

I hope ICC will consider the situation and act tough on the issue which haunting cricket-world.