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- Oct 2, 2004
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The men's international cricket circus doesn't often roll into Ranchi. With India boasting 54 grounds that have seen action at that level, it isn't difficult to understand why the city has hosted only two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is since making its debut in January 2013.
So Sunday's second ODI is a bigger deal there than it might have been in other cities. Or perhaps not. The good cricket people of Ranchi - as represented by the press - are, it seems, more interested in other matters. "Are you missing Dhoni?" Keshav Maharaj was asked at a press conference on Saturday (October 8). Maharaj is among the most polite players anywhere in world sport, so he didn't snap: "Dhoni who?"
He also didn't point out that his Test career started almost two years after MS Dhoni played his last match in the format. Neither did Maharaj say he had featured in only four ODIs and no T20Is when Dhoni called time on a career that comprised 538 matches for India.
The good people of Ranchi, cricketminded and not, do have reason to miss Dhoni. But that didn't mean a left-arm spinner from the other side of the world should care a hoot that the undisputed favourite son of the "City of Waterfalls" no longer graced the international stage.
Maharaj has too many manners to say anything of that sort. Instead he said: "I never got the opportunity to play against him but I would love to have a chat to him. He has been a world-class performer, especially from a leadership point of view. There's a lot of things people can learn from him; just his calmness on the field."
There was more insular navel-gazing where that came from, as evidenced in an exchange with a reporter that began with: "Since your name is Keshav Maharaj, why are you not giving your replies in Hindi?" Maharaj would have been within his rights to say his country already has 11 official languages. But he gave a shy laugh, and said, "I wish I could reply in Hindi ..." He was interrupted by the same reporter with: "But your name is Keshav Maharaj." Maharaj took a breath before resuming his answer: "Yes, sir, I know my name is Keshav Maharaj, but I'm too far down the family tree to speak Hindi."
The South African's immaculate diplomacy was given another workout when he was asked what he thought of the home side's slow bowlers. "The Indian spinners are world class," he said. "They get exposed to the best batters in the world and you can see their skill levels. I am still learning my trade when it comes to spin bowling and I think I can take a leaf out of most of the Indian spinners' books." Maharaj is four months away from his 33rd birthday. He made his international debut almost six years ago, and has played 45 Tests, 25 ODIs and 21 T20Is, along with 148 first-class matches. If Maharaj is "still learning" Dhoni still wears his hair long.
Maharaj seemed more bemused than amused by the stranger questions he fielded. If nothing else, they served as a distraction from the more pressing business of South Africa needing to put in a more convincing performance, particularly with the ball, than they did in Lucknow on Thursday. They won, by nine runs, but almost came unstuck against a side depleted by the absence of all except the reserves in India's T20 World Cup squad.
A shaky victory would be excused if South Africa didn't need to keep winning to qualify directly for next year's ODI World Cup in India. They are currently in 11th place in the Super League standings with only seven matches left to play, and if they finish outside the top eight they will have to earn their spot in the qualifier in Zimbabwe. The pressure is properly on not only to win the rubber but to claim every point on offer.
Even though the series is as close to irrelevant as international cricket can get in India, the home side will rue having come so close in Lucknow only to fall short. Mohammad Siraj was all but unplayable with the seaming new ball, and Sanju Samson's career-best 86 not out, and the partnerships of 67 and 93 he shared with Shreyas Iyer and Shardul Thakur, kept the Indians in the game long after they should have started going through the motions of defeat.
If a similar scenario unfolds in Ranchi on Sunday, might Samson give the city's good people a reason to stop missing Dhoni? No, but it would be good to see him try.
When: Sunday, 1.30pm Local Time
Where: JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi
Squads:
India Squad: Shikhar Dhawan(c), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson(w), Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Rahul Tripathi, Rajat Patidar, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Washington Sundar
South Africa Squad: Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock(w), Temba Bavuma(c), Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Reeza Hendricks
==
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So Sunday's second ODI is a bigger deal there than it might have been in other cities. Or perhaps not. The good cricket people of Ranchi - as represented by the press - are, it seems, more interested in other matters. "Are you missing Dhoni?" Keshav Maharaj was asked at a press conference on Saturday (October 8). Maharaj is among the most polite players anywhere in world sport, so he didn't snap: "Dhoni who?"
He also didn't point out that his Test career started almost two years after MS Dhoni played his last match in the format. Neither did Maharaj say he had featured in only four ODIs and no T20Is when Dhoni called time on a career that comprised 538 matches for India.
The good people of Ranchi, cricketminded and not, do have reason to miss Dhoni. But that didn't mean a left-arm spinner from the other side of the world should care a hoot that the undisputed favourite son of the "City of Waterfalls" no longer graced the international stage.
Maharaj has too many manners to say anything of that sort. Instead he said: "I never got the opportunity to play against him but I would love to have a chat to him. He has been a world-class performer, especially from a leadership point of view. There's a lot of things people can learn from him; just his calmness on the field."
There was more insular navel-gazing where that came from, as evidenced in an exchange with a reporter that began with: "Since your name is Keshav Maharaj, why are you not giving your replies in Hindi?" Maharaj would have been within his rights to say his country already has 11 official languages. But he gave a shy laugh, and said, "I wish I could reply in Hindi ..." He was interrupted by the same reporter with: "But your name is Keshav Maharaj." Maharaj took a breath before resuming his answer: "Yes, sir, I know my name is Keshav Maharaj, but I'm too far down the family tree to speak Hindi."
The South African's immaculate diplomacy was given another workout when he was asked what he thought of the home side's slow bowlers. "The Indian spinners are world class," he said. "They get exposed to the best batters in the world and you can see their skill levels. I am still learning my trade when it comes to spin bowling and I think I can take a leaf out of most of the Indian spinners' books." Maharaj is four months away from his 33rd birthday. He made his international debut almost six years ago, and has played 45 Tests, 25 ODIs and 21 T20Is, along with 148 first-class matches. If Maharaj is "still learning" Dhoni still wears his hair long.
Maharaj seemed more bemused than amused by the stranger questions he fielded. If nothing else, they served as a distraction from the more pressing business of South Africa needing to put in a more convincing performance, particularly with the ball, than they did in Lucknow on Thursday. They won, by nine runs, but almost came unstuck against a side depleted by the absence of all except the reserves in India's T20 World Cup squad.
A shaky victory would be excused if South Africa didn't need to keep winning to qualify directly for next year's ODI World Cup in India. They are currently in 11th place in the Super League standings with only seven matches left to play, and if they finish outside the top eight they will have to earn their spot in the qualifier in Zimbabwe. The pressure is properly on not only to win the rubber but to claim every point on offer.
Even though the series is as close to irrelevant as international cricket can get in India, the home side will rue having come so close in Lucknow only to fall short. Mohammad Siraj was all but unplayable with the seaming new ball, and Sanju Samson's career-best 86 not out, and the partnerships of 67 and 93 he shared with Shreyas Iyer and Shardul Thakur, kept the Indians in the game long after they should have started going through the motions of defeat.
If a similar scenario unfolds in Ranchi on Sunday, might Samson give the city's good people a reason to stop missing Dhoni? No, but it would be good to see him try.
When: Sunday, 1.30pm Local Time
Where: JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi
Squads:
India Squad: Shikhar Dhawan(c), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson(w), Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Rahul Tripathi, Rajat Patidar, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Washington Sundar
South Africa Squad: Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock(w), Temba Bavuma(c), Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Reeza Hendricks
==
All posters please take note of the following guidelines for match threads on PakPassion:
1. No personal insults at other posters, players, officials, coaching staffs etc.
2. No making fun of player's, official's, coaching staff's names.
3. Do not add any references to media, their social media or post any pictures or screenshots from other sports websites.
4. Stick to commenting on this match. There is no need to bring other countries into the match discussion as there are plenty of other threads where those discussions can be added.
5. Report abuse. If you see any post which is inappropriate, report it. Do not respond to it.
