Dhoni's ODI record is impressive and his love for the Pakistani bowling is well known. His deadly average (helped by god-knows-how-many not outs) climbs to a Bevanesque 57.31. That his batting is as Bevanesquely ugly is hence no surprise. Even his by-no-means-pretty Test average shoots up almost 30 runs to settle at a Husseyesque 64.60. Yuck. Well Indo-Pak matches of the last 5 years have had their share of placid tracks too, but then there is that counterattacking 150 that is still so fresh in memory. So fresh that those hooks are like an Aircel CD of love songs. Feat. Shoaib Malik with shaved armits running slomo through fields of Punju wheat. And is that Younis Khan chasing them with a double barrelled one?
So what is it about Pakistan then that brings out the best in Dhoni? Its only in the two T20s that he has played against Pakistan, that his average against Pakistan falls below his career average. 19.5 down from 23.88. Screw that, because he captained India to a World Cup final victory against them.
The IPL might have just given a hint of what would happen when the Dhoni joojoo wears off. If it did, then he could not have asked for better warm-up.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
- All Padded Up
- Are you a Left arm Chinaman?
- BCC!
- Beer and Sport
- Buzzin Cricket
- Christopher David speaks
- Cricket = Action = Art
- Cricket Fizz in the Scorpicity
- Cricket with Balls
- Dailycric
- Eye on Cricket
- Fly-Slip
- Gone with the Windies
- History of Cricket
- Homer's two paisa worth
- King Cricket
- Naked Cricket
- Ottayan writes in the name of cricket
- Republique Cricket
- Smart Cricket Talk
- Some simple but straight points
- The Cricket Watcher's Journal
- Third Umpire
- Well Pitched
Cricinfo Latest Photos
6 comments:
All those years growing up and watching India lose to Pak over and over again gets the best out of him against them ;-)
Good one Q, and not an unfair comment too. Am sure a lot of the new brigade were a frustrated bunch growing up, and have Jadeja, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Venkatesh Prasad as their unlikely pin-ups.
I laughed at the thought of Dhoni having a poster of Kanitkar in his bedroom! Won't be surprised if Ishant had one of Prasad.
But thats true.. I'm sure it had an effect the 90s.. brings the best out of u.
Reminds me of a personal experience in school. I started off on the benches of our U19 team in 7th grade, along with a few others. We hopelessly watched our team lose to a couple of schools year after year. Post match talks among the 7th and 8th graders at that time used to revolve around how we will beat these teams once we make it into the team.
That determination built up for 3 years, and by the time we became regulars in the U19 side by 10th grade, we continuously beat those other schools.
Am sure something similar happened between Pakistan and India :-)
Ya. Frustrated dreams sure work for some. So when is the batch of Pakistani youngsters who are frustrated from all the thumping India gives the Pakistani team, graduating?
Nice story Q... Did you play cricket after that at say the college level.
Scorps: I still play cricket :-).. captained my school team, my college team, my club team in Pak, and now doing the same in the UAE.
My brother plays for the UAE U19.. he will soon graduate to play for the UAE seniors.
And John: I say the 2nd half of next decade for the frustrated Pakistani lot ;-)
Post a Comment