Jan 14, 2012. A blog is born, after having been thought about for a long time. More about the history later, but I am having to write this first post with desperate urgency because of certain events that are about to happen. At least that's my prediction.
Satadru Sen opens an article with a pleasing image of settling in to watch India bat with a drink, snacks and the expectation of time, sweet time. Ah, what a wonderful thing, I thought -- certainly to do, but even just to imagine it. Great to know that there are also other souls out there who would not only do such a thing, but also write about it. But alas, he ends, many words later, that he would be hard pressed to do the same when Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma walk out five years from now.
Surely not, Satadru Sen. I hope not.
Kohli is going to get there. Kohli is going to get himself into your whisky, my snacks and both our time. "Will propped up by something more than itself - propped up by technical virtuosity and severe discipline" says a discerning voice recently.
He doesn't say that about Kohli, but I do. Drive, determination, the sheer pigheaded will to do well, Kohli clearly has all this abundance. I frankly think almost everyone playing at the highest levels has all this, but in Kohli's case it is obvious he does. The look of anguish every time he comes back from the middle is precious.
In fact, I was more worried until recently if he was going to be consumed by his own intensity, swallowed up by an inability to forget his failed outings, a la Billy Beane. But his recent press conference put these fears to rest. Yes, he spoke of not understanding why people are after him -- he needs to ignore this -- but he did so composedly. More pertinently he said this is not the last series we will play, not the end of the world. He has balance in his intensity, perspective in his outlook. This is rare.
Technical virtuosity - not 100% there, but I would say clearly he is 75% there, and what is not there is improving almost right in front of our eyes. Both in Sydney and in Perth, I thought next to Tendulkar he looked absolutely the most in command. Nothing really troubled him. The drives were pure, the leaves assured, bad and pad close in every defense, off stump sense decisive (although he could do a little better here). No less than Richie Benaud was apparently moved by the technical rock-solidness of this kid.
Discipline - no one who watched him in Perth can say he is lacking patience and discipline. He left pretty much everything he could, fished at nothing, never went chasing. I counted more Dravid flashes.
Yet, for all the talk of the promise, no one will go all in with Kohli. We'll have to wait and see they'll say. He has the potential, they say.
Well, if there is going to be any prediction about Kohli, now is the time for anyone bold or stupid enough to make it. Soon, it will be too late to make predictions. So, here we go.
I predict Virat Kohli will prolong Satadru Sen's pleasurable rituals for years to come. I predict Virat Kohli at Perth 2012 will be spoken of in the same breath as Dravid at Headingley, Laxman at Kolkata, Sehwag at Melbourne, Tendulkar at too many places to just mention one.
10 minutes to go before play opens, day 3, India vs Australia, Perth 2012. Virat Kohli 21 not out overnight, India 120 behind.
Satadru Sen opens an article with a pleasing image of settling in to watch India bat with a drink, snacks and the expectation of time, sweet time. Ah, what a wonderful thing, I thought -- certainly to do, but even just to imagine it. Great to know that there are also other souls out there who would not only do such a thing, but also write about it. But alas, he ends, many words later, that he would be hard pressed to do the same when Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma walk out five years from now.
Surely not, Satadru Sen. I hope not.
Kohli is going to get there. Kohli is going to get himself into your whisky, my snacks and both our time. "Will propped up by something more than itself - propped up by technical virtuosity and severe discipline" says a discerning voice recently.
He doesn't say that about Kohli, but I do. Drive, determination, the sheer pigheaded will to do well, Kohli clearly has all this abundance. I frankly think almost everyone playing at the highest levels has all this, but in Kohli's case it is obvious he does. The look of anguish every time he comes back from the middle is precious.
In fact, I was more worried until recently if he was going to be consumed by his own intensity, swallowed up by an inability to forget his failed outings, a la Billy Beane. But his recent press conference put these fears to rest. Yes, he spoke of not understanding why people are after him -- he needs to ignore this -- but he did so composedly. More pertinently he said this is not the last series we will play, not the end of the world. He has balance in his intensity, perspective in his outlook. This is rare.
Technical virtuosity - not 100% there, but I would say clearly he is 75% there, and what is not there is improving almost right in front of our eyes. Both in Sydney and in Perth, I thought next to Tendulkar he looked absolutely the most in command. Nothing really troubled him. The drives were pure, the leaves assured, bad and pad close in every defense, off stump sense decisive (although he could do a little better here). No less than Richie Benaud was apparently moved by the technical rock-solidness of this kid.
Discipline - no one who watched him in Perth can say he is lacking patience and discipline. He left pretty much everything he could, fished at nothing, never went chasing. I counted more Dravid flashes.
Yet, for all the talk of the promise, no one will go all in with Kohli. We'll have to wait and see they'll say. He has the potential, they say.
Well, if there is going to be any prediction about Kohli, now is the time for anyone bold or stupid enough to make it. Soon, it will be too late to make predictions. So, here we go.
I predict Virat Kohli will prolong Satadru Sen's pleasurable rituals for years to come. I predict Virat Kohli at Perth 2012 will be spoken of in the same breath as Dravid at Headingley, Laxman at Kolkata, Sehwag at Melbourne, Tendulkar at too many places to just mention one.
10 minutes to go before play opens, day 3, India vs Australia, Perth 2012. Virat Kohli 21 not out overnight, India 120 behind.
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