English World Cup for Sachin in 1999

The Indian team went to the 1999 World Cup in England in a positive frame of mind. 16 years after the World Cup win under Kapil Dev, one thought that the same location will inspire the Indians to give their best and bring back the Cup. Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly at the top were giving Sachin Tendulkar enough reasons to think that this would be the year the Indian team will click - look at the partnerships that were forged by the trio during 1999.

But, Sachin would have never dreamt of what happened during the initial stages of the tournament. His father, whom he has admired all his life and still does so, passed away in Mumbai. Tendulkar has credited his father for all the good he has acquired in his life and this loss was shattering.

Anil Kumble couldnt get the same returns as he found in the 1996 World Cup while Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad could not be consistent enough in all the matches. The loss against Zimbabwe would upset the team's morale before the Super Sixes stage where they would further lose to Australia and New Zealand.

Moments to remember from an Indian perspective

• The inexplicable batting by Sourav Ganguly in the first match against South Africa. Though he had made a decent score, he did not kick on to score more aggressively at the end of the innings in pursuit of his individual century. He failed to do both - get his century as well as getting a winning score. Only 5 wickets were lost by the Indians but the score of 253 was overtaken by the Proteas with 16 balls to spare.
• The fall against Zimbabwe - Sachin had to make a dash to India to attend to the final rites of his dad. In his absence, the Indians lost in a collapse against the determined bowling of the minnow nations. This would be one of the worst defeats for an Indian team in the World Cup until 2007. The match was also critical as it cost the Indian team two points for the next stage.
• Sachin back against Kenya - After completing the rituals, Tendulkar played the next match against Kenya - what an emotional moment it was, when the Master scored his century in the company of Rahul Dravid. Though the opposition was not strong, it showed the true character of the champion.
• Carnage against Sri Lanka - The match against Sri Lanka in Taunton witnessed one of the cleanest six-hitting by an Indian - Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid blasted the lankan attack on a relatively smaller ground to post a total of 373. All the bowlers, including Mutthiah Muralitharan, were mauled badly.
• Win against Pakistan - India kept up the traidition of defeating their arch-rivals in the World Cup by defeating them by 47 runs. Dravid and Venkatesh Prasad were the stars of the match, taking the initiative away from the Pakistan team.

Sachin was determined to continue playing the World Cup despite his personal loss but a lean patch from him after the Kenya match contributed in its own way to the decline of the Indian performance in the Super Sixes. They joined Zimbabwe as the other team to be knocked out of the Super Sixes stage. Yet another disastrous performance by the Indian team at the World Cup, providing very few moments of delight for Indian fans.

It would be the last World Cups for players like Ajay Jadeja, Mohammed Azharuddin, Nayan Mongia, Robin Singh. Jadeja played well to support the trio of Sourav, Sachin and Rahul but could not make the difference good enough to make the semi-finals. He was also involved in match-fixing charges but later was cleared of any wrong-doings and is now a television analyst.

Azharuddin has won the local elections and become the Member of Indian Parliament, again after clearing himself of fixing claims. Robin Singh picked up a five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in the league stage and played for some more time before the selectors started thinking he was old to be in the playing eleven (even though he was among the fittest in the entire country). He became the fielding coach for the Indian national team before getting associated with IPL as a coach.

Nayan Mongia retired in 2004 after being dropped from the team after dissent and allegations of match-fixing. Incredible to see three players in this team accused of match-fixing!! Debashis Mohanty and Sadagopan Ramesh also played their only World Cup with few good performances in this Cup.

Next is 2003 World Cup in South Africa

Sachin vs Kenya


Ganguly & Dravid against SL


India vs Pakistan in 1999 World Cup

Related articles

• First Home World Cup for Sachin - 1996 World Cup (myhistoryisinteresting.blogspot.com)
• What the 2011 World Cup means to Sachin Tendulkar - 1992 World Cup (myhistoryisinteresting.blogspot.com)

First Home World Cup for Sachin - 1996 World Cup

After the disappointment of the 1992 World Cup, Sachin went back to India and started accummulating runs at will. Centuries started flowing in tests - another gem was produced by the young Master in Johannesburg later in the same year. England, West Indies, Sri Lanka were not spared in test matches that were played in subsequent years. The Master had started showing the skills that he would be known for, around the cricketing world. Centuries in the ODI's however, had not started until 1994 when India met Australia in Colombo. Sachin's love-story against the Aussie bowling has been documented well over the years and this was the first century the Legend hit against them in ODIs. There would be many more to come in later years.

Almost 15 years back to the same day (18-Feb-1996), Sachin Tendulkar started India's campaign in the 1996 World Cup against Kenya by scoring what else, a century against the minnows. Another century against Sri Lanka followed but in a losing cause. India were one of the favorites to win the World Cup in their backyard but Sri Lanka defeated them in the semi-finals before going on to win the Cup against Australia. Only Sachin Tendulkar was consistent in the matches that India played, managing 50 or more in all but two of his matches. He ended the tournament as the leading run-scorer but that was not enough to take the team to the Cup. Anil Kumble became the highest wicket-taker of the tournament but again he was the lone consistent Ranger in the team.

Some memorable instances that are still fresh in memory include:

• Sachin's batting against Australia - India faced a grim target against the Aussies in Mumbai but as long as Sachin was at the crease, things seemed under control. The Aussies had almost given up home and turned to the part-timer Mark Waugh. Off a wide ball, Sachin was stumped in the nineties. The Indian innings went downhill from thereon and fell short of the target required.
• Sachin's batting against Sri Lanka - Similarly, in the first match that India played against Sri Lanka in this World Cup, Sachin helped the team put up an imposing total of 271 runs. Sri Lanka's tactics of having Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana flay the bowling meant that the chase was reduced to a formality very soon.
• Manoj Prabhakar reduced to bowling off-spin in the same match - Manoj Prabhakar was one of the great opening bowlers for India prior to Srinath's arrival in test cricket. He could swing the ball prodigiously and won many a match with his all-round abilities. He would open the batting and bowling for India in many test matches and ODIs. During this match, he was massacred by "Jaya and Kalu" in the first three overs. He bowled his last over as an off-spinner! Manoj Prabhakar turned out to be a whistle-blower later for the match-fixing charges in India. Later, he made a comeback to domestic cricket as a coach for Delhi Ranji team.
• The memorable match in Bangalore when Jadeja smashed Waqar and Venky bowled Aamir Sohail - Who could forget this match? India and Pakistan playing a World Cup quarterfinal in Bangalore. Morning of the match saw Wasim Akram pull out because of a shoulder injury. The Indians made good progress with the bat but during the slog overs, Ajay Jadeja smashed Waqar Younis for 40 runs in the latters 2 overs. The Pakistan batsmen started the chase bravely thanks to the openers but Venkatesh Prasad dismissed Aamir Sohail to put the brakes. Sohail had been hitting Prasad all over the ground and gesturing at Prasad which made the Indian pacer react angrily on the dismissal.
• The chaotic scenes that ended the semi-final match in Calcutta with Kambli in tears. India had got through to the semis after a tough match against Pakistan while Sri Lanka were fortunate that because of the non-participation of some countries, they faced a relatively weaker England team. The openers had created all the news in the initial stages but in this match, both of them were out in the first over itself. Aravinda de Silva then took over the control of the match and ensured that the target for the Indian team was steep. Sachin once again started the chase in right earnest and till he was at the crease, there was hope even though Azhar had made his gaffe after winning the toss (remember Gooch's 333 at Lords). The match was force-closed with the crowd becoming unruly after the Indian collapse. Vinod Kambli was the last Indian player to be seen on the television sets, crying at the possibility of not being able to play another World Cup in his life!

Navjot Sidhu scored two fifties in this tournament, against West Indies and Pakistan in the quarter-finals. He did not play in all the matches and could have made a bigger impact. His failure in the semi-final would have rankled him for long time. He took up television commentary and politics after his retirement, well-known for his witty comments.

Sanjay Manjrekar bowed out of the World Cups after a performance that included just one half-century in the ill-fated chase against Australia. He has moved on to become a cricket commentator on Television as well as expert analyst on websites like Cricinfo.

Salil Ankola made his test debut in the same match as Sachin Tendulkar but could not make much impact on the international scene like his co-debutant. Even in this World Cup, he bowled only five overs in the only match he played. He became an actor and performed different roles in television soaps.

Venkatapathy Raju did well in the matches he played in this World Cup, taking wickets at vital intervals of the match. After retirement he took up the reins of Hyderabad cricket and was part of the selection committee also.

Another World Cup had gone and Sachin's dream of winning the World Cup remained still a dream even after playing at home.

Next post is the 1999 World Cup in England.

Stumped off a wide by Mark Waugh


Sachin's performance at 1996 World Cup

Related articles

• Tendulkar in India's World Cup 15 (news.bbc.co.uk)
• What the 2011 World Cup means to Sachin Tendulkar - 1992 World Cup (myhistoryisinteresting.blogspot.com)
• English World Cup for Sachin in 1999 (myhistoryisinteresting.blogspot.com)

Man of multiple talents - Anil Kumble

A multi-talented genius
Anil Kumble retired from all forms of cricket on 4th January 2010, citing his various off-field involvements. This should be seen as a selfless gesture from the aging warrior. Kumble has taken a conscious decision to forego the option to earn millions in IPL while continuing to work on other areas that are directly impacting the next generation of players.

Anil made a presentation to the BCCI on having a session with younger players of India, on how to manage their fame, money and other matters. This was a wonderful gesture by the thespian for this is one area where youngsters often fall prey to the vices. If Kumble and BCCI agree on the proposed solution, many a parent will be thankful to Kumble for the directions provided to the young cricketers. His management skills will be very much needed for the NCA to get to the next level.

More recently, he contested the KSCA elections for the post of President and registered a landslide victory. His team consisted of ex-players (like Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad) who are keen to contribute to the cause of Karnataka cricket. Now, his team is running the show and all eyes are on them to see how they improve the standards (whether it is the team performance, stadia infrastructure, public amenties, etc). This will, no doubt, be the blueprint for all ex-cricketers who want to make a mark in the cricketing world of Management.

Kumble has also been appointed to the athlete’s commission of the WADA from 1st January 2009. I feel that he has been selected to help convince the Indian team on the random testing stipulations of WADA. No further news has come out in this area but it looks like the matter has been either put on the back-burner or resolved amicably.

Coming to his on-field activities, Kumble retired from test cricket in 2008 as the highest wicket-taker for India in test matches and ODIs. He continued to play for RCB team in the IPL, graduating to become its captain after the initial stints of Rahul Dravid and Kevin Pietersen. He led his team gamely with performances that made his supporters wonder why he had left the game at the highest level.

The wickets he took, especially at the strike-rate and average he obtained them in, was reminiscent of the good old Kumble. No wonder, the initial reaction to Kumble’s decision was that of surprise. Time spares no one and Kumble is not an exception here – he must have surely felt his bowling shoulder and muscles ache at the sight of playing a minimum of 15 matches in a span of 6-8 weeks.

Right from his early days, Kumble has always put the team’s interest ahead of his own. Ever the team player, the current decision would have been discussed in detail with his franchise. It was no wonder that Vijay Mallya wanted to have the veteran help his team as a Chief Mentor. Knowing Anil Kumble, he will do his best in the role given to him.

Related articles

• Kumble pulls out of IPL auction (espncricinfo.com)
• Anil Kumble back as captain (myhistoryisinteresting.blogspot.com)
• 'We want KSCA to be a model association' - Kumble (espncricinfo.com)

Anil Kumble back as captain

Image via WikipediaAnil Kumble is back in limelight - not as a Wildlife photographer. Not as the Director of NCA. He is now making an attempt to get into administration of KSCA - standing in the elections against Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. 


In a press meet yesterday, the leg-spinner showcased his team and answered questions about their capability in administration. His team-mates in this cause are ex-colleagues, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad among other players. Brijesh Patel has wisely teamed up with them but it remains to be seen what role he will play.


Though this is a good move by the ex-players, one wonders how much time they will be able to spend on the activities of KSCA. Kumble has an answer for this:

People ask if we have time... we will have to make time and we will make time for this game

Whether they can break the image that players dont make good administrators remains to be seen. But, the attempt to make a change is commendable. The following statement definitely resonates among those who have seen the world and the facilities other countries provide:

When we go around the world, we look at the facilities, the way things are organised, how academies are run, how cricket is played; and then when we come back here, it hurts us. But what’s the point if we only complain and not do anything about it? So this is why we thought of getting into the system and doing things

Let us wish Anil Kumble and his team all the best. Hope this is just the beginning of a long era. May he get into the national committee after his stint in KSCA and cleanse the ills that is bogging down the national body. If this works, I am sure Indian cricket will have another reason to say thanks to the veteran leg-spinner. Commendable, indeed.

Related articles

• Kumble and Srinath to take over Karnataka cricket reins (topinews.com)
• NCA to focus on character as well as cricket - Kumble (cricinfo.com)
• Adaptability will be key in CLT20 - Kumble (cricinfo.com)