Peaceful Strokes

The much awaited, oft canceled, mega series of test and one day matches has now begun with a warm-up game in Lahore. In an amazing match that should have been won by India they lost to a third rate Pakistani bowling attack that conceded 336 runs. And, ironically looked awesome when compared to the Indian bowling attack of Zaheer, Pathan and co., who conceded the winning total in 43 overs! It waits to be seen if this result means anything. Getting drubbed by Tendulkar, Dravid and co. is entirely different from being mauled by a second string batting attack

Hundreds of millions around the world are geared to follow these matches on TV, radio, at the stadium and the internet. Out here in our outpost called Chowk we are just as excited by the events and the great buildup that led to this series getting the go ahead from politicians and security forces. We hope that the series lives up to the expectations and everyone wins – most of all the people on both sides that see this series as the litmus test for building lasting peace and prosperity in the region we call our home.

This article on Chowk will serve as the single repository of comments, related links, and other trivia around the cricket series. . As the series progresses we will link any articles that are relevant to this section.

For our readers we are providing some history and analysis of the teams and their records.

Team Records (history)

Test Matches

ODI



The key players

India


Sachin Tendulkr

In this series there is no player bigger in stature than Sachin Tendulkar. One of the few batsman that can turn a match around. He returns to the same place where he made his debut almost 15 years ago as a 16 year old. In these 15 years he has scored 32 test centures and 36 ODI centuries and is easily one of the greatest batsman the world has ever seen. His challenge is more than anyone else – it is not enough for him to score a century each time he bats, he needs to help India win this series.

Rahul Dravid

Dravid is the modern day equivalent of a Gavaskar. A perfect batsman, unflappable, unruffled, consistent, calm and steady. He will score.

VVS Laxman

The most elegant of all the Indian batsman. He has already played the greatest innings ever played by an Indian - the rearguard action in Kolkata against Austrlia and then the encore in Melbourne. He will score.

Suarav Ganguly

A good captain and a modest batsman. Scores relatively consistently but not in the class of the three great ones mentioned above. This series is his real test. In the span of 45 days he could become the greatest Indian captain ever – if he wins the series. Or he could lose his job.

Other than these four players, India has a fairly balanced team. This does not mean that there arent any good players (there is Virender Sehwag and Kaif) but that no one is really in the league of the top four. The bowling attack is below average and there is enormous opportunity for Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Ashish Nehra and others to make a name for themselves. There is certainly a lot of potential in these bowlers.


Conclusion: Bowlng this India team out twice will be one huge challenge.

Pakistan


Inzamam-ul-Haq

The finest batsman in the team. Huge appetite for runs. His record matches Dravid’s but it remains to be seen how well he manages captaincy and batsmanship against India.

Yousuf Youhana

He can remind India what Zaheer Abbas was like. A steady performer with a great attitude. Youhana needs to score consistently for Pakistan to have a fighting chance in this series.

Shoaib Akhtar

The fastest bowler to have ever played cricket. He is the one individual who holds most of the cards and can help bowl India out twice. He has done it before, he has been doing it consistently. Can he do it now?

Other than these three players, Pakistan does have a few other match winners. There is Mohammad Sami, Moin Khan and Saqlain Mushtaq. How well they do and what they do still remains to be seen. The other players are good, some are solid and can deliver.

Conclusion

There isn’t really a superstar in the Pakistani team. Their home record against visiting teams has been very poor in the last 5 years. Very little is expected from the team.

India is playing very well. If their bowlers rise to the occasion and make the Pakistani batting work for the runs, they will have an edge and could take the honors.

…

Let the music begin.

Prediction

India wins the test series and Pakistan the one day series.