India has been choking for quite some time now

virat-kohli-5835741_1280In the 2014 T20 World Cup India played spectacularly winning 5 matches in a row including the semis where they comfortably chased a target of 173 against South Africa.

Then in the final they crashed to an abysmal 130 in 20 overs to lose.

In the 2015 ODI World Cup, we bettered this league performance winning a whopping 7 matches in a row including a 300+ score versus Bangladesh in the quarters.

In the semis, we crashed to 233 all down chasing 329.

In the 2016 T20 World Cup in the semis, we couldn’t even defend a score of 192, as West Indies won by a good 7 wickets and 2 balls to spare.

In the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, we were humiliated by Pakistan, crashing to 158 all down chasing 339.

In the 2019 ODI World Cup semis, we couldn’t even chase a target of 240, getting 221 all down.

In the inaugural Test World Championship, we topped the global rankings but crashed to 170 all down in the second innings when even a 220 might have been enough to draw the match thanks to all the rain delays.

And in the recent T20 World Cup we got thrashed by 10 wickets in the semis.

If we had bad teams and lost to a better team it would have been different. But we have been doing consistently well in the leagues and then crashing at the last moment.

The only silver linings have been the Asia Cups we won in 2016 and 2018.

We really are missing MS Dhoni (he was in severe decline in the above-mentioned period) and his Golden Era when from 2007-13, we won the T20 World Cup (2007), the ODI World Cup (2011) and the ICC Champions Trophy. Apart from the 2016 Asia Cup, Dhoni also won us the 2010 edition and our first ever tri-series win on Australian soil in 2008.

Our previous golden period was 1984-86, when we won the ODI World Cup in 1983, the Asia Cup in 1984 and the Benson & Hedges World Series in 1986 apart from other smaller tournament wins.

Let’s see when the next golden period begins.

Rohit Sharma 264 musings…

Such a long journey…
From Rohit to Nohit to Superhit Sharma.

Fact of the day…
India crossed 260 in an ODI match only once from 1974-1981 (17 years).
Rohit Sharma matched that feat in 3.5 hours.

1998, Chennai.
Saeed Anwar on 194 in just the 47th over, one hit away from becoming first to hit ODI double hundred.
Sachin gets his wicket and finishes the job 12 years later.
And then the Indians just can’t get enough of them!

If Maggi wanted to hire Rohit Sharma as its brand ambassador, then they would be forced to launch 200-minute noodles.

Finishers all…
Dhoni: I can stay till the end.
Raina: I can also stay till the end.
Kohli: Me too.
Rohit: Me too.

ODI innings separated by nearly 40 years.
7 June, 1975, Sunil Gavaskar: 36* (174).
13 November, 2014, Rohit Sharma: 264 (173).

Said Shakespeare in Macbeth…
Double, double toil and trouble!
Lankan player: Really? I thought that was Rohit taunting us at Eden Gardens.

These versions by Sunil Rajguru

When India crossed 300 in ODIs yet again…

The wickets on both ends of Indian ODI pitches should be replaced by tombstones to signify bowlers’ graveyards.

#IndVsAus series report…
Runs, rains, (bowling) ruins, (India) reigns and (Aussie) remains.

Always “Ro”hit Sharma.
Pahale batting karta tha to Indian fans “ro”te the.
Ab opposition bowlers “ro”te hain.

Phata Ishant Sharma ka poster nikla Vinay Kumar Zero.

The RSS hand…
Rohit “Sixer” Sharma.

Today a Black Kite surveyed Chinnaswamy Stadium thinking, “What is this place where white spheres keep flying out all the time!”

For years, MS Dhoni got hammered for persisting with Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja.
As usual Captain Cool has the last laugh!

Sharma No. 1: Wassup?
Sharma No. 2: Unhone mujhe dho daala!
Sharma No. 1: Don’t worry, chun chun ke badla loonga!
(Key: No. 1 = Rohit. No. 2 = Ishant.)

Sachin-Sehwag-Sharma.
Do Sau-Sau-Sau!

In Bangalore today it will be raining rockets, fireworks, 4s and 6s.
Unless of course there is actual rain.

These versions by Sunil Rajguru

Indian cricket musings…

· The Revenge Series began after we won the 2011 WC.
Basically that means every team is taking revenge against us after that.

· Rohit Sharma is the only cricketer who’s Past is Continuously forgotten, Present is always Tense, but Future is always Perfect.

· Indo-Pak match fixed?
Chhodo yaar, life itself is fixed.
Haven’t you heard of fate?

· Tim Allen: I act in a TV show called Last Man Standing. It’s on Star World.
MS Dhoni: I act in a reality show called Last Man Standing. It’s on Star Cricket.

· BCCI: Dhoni hamara sukh-dukh ka saathi hai.
Sukh bahut dekh liya, ab dukh bhi jhelte hai.

· “Enough money to last 7 generations” quote remixed…
BCCI: Usne hamare liye itna paisa kamaya ki ab woh saat saal tak khel sakta hai.

· What may be happening…
Players: Seniors problem.
Seniors: Captain problem.
Captain: Coach problem.
Coach. Hands tied. BCCI problem.
BCCI: Problem? No financial problem!

· More than Revenge Series, the BCCI should start organizing Retirement Series.

These versions by Sunil Rajguru