- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,903
Many thanks to [MENTION=152959]hoshiarpurexpress[/MENTION] for taking the time to answer questions from our members
==
PakPassion.net: Why the username hoshiarpurexpress?
hoshiarpurexpress: Hoshiarpur Express it the name of the train in my hometown which runs overnight from Hoshiarpur to Delhi.
I have played District and University cricket for my Engineering College. I was a decent and reliable number 5 batsmen, and a dibbly dobbly bowler, Chris Harris style.
Used to get lots of wickets due to people trying to hit sixes. So, a funny nickname was given to me. Hoshiarpur Express.Ironically, the train also runs super slow.
PakPassion.net: What is the most interesting aspect of posting on PakPassion? What makes you comeback to it again and again?
hoshiarpurexpress: I have been a lurker for long time. I am a cricket nerd. So, this forum is a gold mine as there are lot of passionate like-minded people discussing about cricket. I wish something like Pakpassion had existed in my pre-teen years (before 2000), I would have racked up 100K posts for sure. Well, there was no internet back then so relied on magazines and newspapers to read quality opinions. Now Pakpassion provides them.
I love that people have passionate opinions, and they defend their respective favourite players. Also, I love a bit of banter here and there on Cricket and Timepass forums.
PakPassion.net: Since when you have been following cricket and how much have your expectations from team changed since then?
hoshiarpurexpress: I have been a cricket follower since 1996. Followed the 1996 WC which ended up in a heartbreak in Semis for India. But to be honest, up until 2002 I had very low expectations. As soon as Sachin was out, I would switch off the TV and hope for some miracle from the rest of no-hopers.
But under Ganguly, things started to change and expectations started to increase a lot. The Eden Garden Test Victory really made me hope for a much better future. That was a turning point I feel for Indian cricket. Then under Dhoni, we won everything. Currently, the expectations are sky high. I am happy with the Test Team. Winning ICC tournaments need a bit of luck as well. We seem to be missing that. But given the resources, money and involvement of good ex-players, and seeing cricket academies and clubs popping even in the smallest of towns like Hoshiarpur, the middle-class Indians now see cricket as a viable career, my expectations for future are much higher.
PakPassion.net: Where would you rank the current Indian Test team led by Virat Kohli in history?
hoshiarpurexpress: Statistically, it is at the top. I live in Australia and know it is bloody hard to win one, let alone two back-to-back series. Aussies play tough in every sport and compete hard at every level.
If this team wins one series at least out of South Africa and England next, this will be our best Test Team till now. People will complain about spinning tracks, but pitches in India have been spinning tracks since time immemorial. Though, I rate Ajit Wadekar’s Test team pretty close as well purely because of those overseas series victories in 1970s, which was bloody hard for Indian teams of that time.
PakPassion.net: Where do you stand with respect to revival of bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan, should sports and politics mix?
hoshiarpurexpress: I was against mixing of sports and politics in cricket up until 2008 Mumbai incident. I have travelled to Lahore and I have lot of close Pakistani friends here in Australia and in Spain (whom I am still in touch with). People to people connect is still strong I believe.
From Indian perspective, there is a set of conditions now we want the other side to meet, before resumption of any ties. I am sure Pakistani side has similar sentiment, but don’t know who will take the first step.
So, I understand why Indian Government is doing it.
Unless there is some meaningful agreement between two countries, I am at peace with no bilateral cricket.
PakPassion.net: What do you think has been the effect of IPL on Indian cricket? Has it been an overall positive effect? What are the negatives in your book?
hoshiarpurexpress: Biggest impact has been flow of money into BCCI coffers, and some of that money routed to domestic cricketers and improvement of living standards for them. That provides motivation for further excellence.
India has played close to 54 A tours and a player like Siraj had played 4 days matches already in Australia, England, South Africa before debut. You need money and resources to organize these, and BCCI is spending that money on players development.
Negative would-be International Cricketers like AB de Villiers retiring early. But if not IPL, they would have played in County or other leagues.
PakPassion.net: Thoughts on the future of Indian cricket once Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishant Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravi Ashwin all retire?
hoshiarpurexpress: India has a strong batting culture and it is not taken for granted. Lot of coaches and administrators in school and club cricket work rigorously on the ground to produce them.
So, in terms of batting, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Risabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Prithvi Shaw will hopefully take things forward.
In terms of bowling, we may not produce tear away fast bowlers, but I believe now we have appropriate understanding of fitness standards and scientific know how required to sustain fast/medium fast bowling, and how to nurture them. So, Mohammed Siraj is a good find, Ishan Porel is one to look out for, whilst Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kartik Tyagi are guys who will come good in our robust system.
A bit worried about finger spinners. T20 seems to be having an impact as I don’t see any good young off spinner in domestic cricket. Lots of leggies. So that is an area of concern.
PakPassion.net: Who is your favorite non-Indian cricketer (retired)?
hoshiarpurexpress: Wasim Akram. His action, his run up, his hairstyle, his attitude. Everything about him. Loved watching him bowl and bamboozle batsmen. What an awesome bowler.
PakPassion.net: Thoughts on Imran Khan as Prime Minister in context of improving (or worsening, if you believe otherwise) relations?
hoshiarpurexpress: I think he needs to focus more on his own people and fix the problems within, before commenting on outside world. I don’t think a tweet or comment on Modi solves the problems facing Pakistani people, and vice versa it applies to Indian leadership as well.
To improve relations, someone has to take a step and some compromises have to be made from both sides. Not sure how that will happen.
PakPassion.net: Which is the greatest Asian test team of all-time according to you?
hoshiarpurexpress: I would go with Virat’s team. Our past records overseas have been very patchy and no fight was shown most of the time. Under him, at-least we have shown some fight and won in Australia twice. Winning in Australia against Australia is bloody hard.
Imran’s team would come very close as they were also good between 1985-1990, I believe. But I did not see much of it.
PakPassion.net: Rank your preferences as Indian cricket fan and give reasons - A Test series win in Australia, a Test series win in England, World Cup win, WT20 win?
hoshiarpurexpress: Rank 1: World Cup Win – You are playing all Elite Nations and winning a tournament. World champions has a different sound bite to it.
Rank 2: Test Series in Australia. Australia plays really hard and tough cricket at every level. Not only cricket any sport you see them competing hard and play tough. I have been at the Aussie Grounds and crowd can be tough as well, lot of banter for visiting teams. So, you need to be mentally and physically tough to win here.
Ranks 3 : Test Series win in England. Though we won their last in 2007 and our recent performances have not been good, English cricket is still not at the same level of toughness as the Aussies.
Rank 4: T20 World T20. I mean it is okay if we win it. T20’s for me is pure entertainment. I follow it purely as that, not from cricketing perspective.
PakPassion.net: Should IPL be expanded and how many more teams would you like to see?
hoshiarpurexpress: In next few years add 2 more Teams. I would not go beyond 12 teams in Total.
That is more than enough to give chances to local and overseas talent, and put on a show. Anything more than that will make tournament longer. That will be a drag and would become boring.
PakPassion.net: What are your thoughts on 38-team domestic structure? Was it the right decision to add 10 more teams, considering Plate group is dominated by Elite Group rejects.
hoshiarpurexpress: I think it is a good idea. A talented player from states like Manipur, Nagaland etc also needs be given opportunity. Who knows, a future captain of India will be from there. India is a large country, so 38 teams is appropriate for us to manage such a large talent pool.
Currently Plate is dominated by Elite rejects, but Plate teams are getting chance to improve themselves by playing against some teams with higher capability. I am sure these teams will improve with time.
PakPassion.net: What are your thoughts on Prithvi Shaw?
hoshiarpurexpress: He knows how to score runs. Got exposed. He was late on the balls and has an obvious weakness.
But he is a tremendous talent I believe. Will come back stronger. Sometimes you need to fall down to get up and go further.
PakPassion.net: Your all time favorite Indian ODI, Test and T20 victories?
hoshiarpurexpress: ODI Victory has to be Natwest Trophy. At 146/5 and Tendulkar out, I had switched off TV and feeling here we go, losing another final.
Switched on after an hour and things started to change. After that it was roller-coaster ride. What a comeback.
Test Series : Eden Gardens 2001 and Gabba Australia 2021. Saw both matches, each and every moment and ball live on TV, 20 years apart. Both have changed Indian cricket in their own ways.
T20 : Nothing can beat the World Cup 2007 Final Victory against Pakistan. A nail biter game... India vs Pakistan. Lot of nerves and prayers. We made it at the end. Awesome Victory celebrations that night on Brigade Road in Bangalore. The night I can never forget.
PakPassion.net: How do you rate Pakistan's chances in the T20 World Cup later this year?
hoshiarpurexpress: Pakistan has a great chance, especially in Indian conditions. Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi are class, Mohammad Hafeez is in good form and Mohammad Rizwan is also very good.
They need Hassan Ali and Shadab Khan to come to the party and rest of the players to support them. My prediction is that they will reach semi-finals at-least this time.
==
PakPassion.net: Why the username hoshiarpurexpress?
hoshiarpurexpress: Hoshiarpur Express it the name of the train in my hometown which runs overnight from Hoshiarpur to Delhi.
I have played District and University cricket for my Engineering College. I was a decent and reliable number 5 batsmen, and a dibbly dobbly bowler, Chris Harris style.
Used to get lots of wickets due to people trying to hit sixes. So, a funny nickname was given to me. Hoshiarpur Express.Ironically, the train also runs super slow.
PakPassion.net: What is the most interesting aspect of posting on PakPassion? What makes you comeback to it again and again?
hoshiarpurexpress: I have been a lurker for long time. I am a cricket nerd. So, this forum is a gold mine as there are lot of passionate like-minded people discussing about cricket. I wish something like Pakpassion had existed in my pre-teen years (before 2000), I would have racked up 100K posts for sure. Well, there was no internet back then so relied on magazines and newspapers to read quality opinions. Now Pakpassion provides them.
I love that people have passionate opinions, and they defend their respective favourite players. Also, I love a bit of banter here and there on Cricket and Timepass forums.
PakPassion.net: Since when you have been following cricket and how much have your expectations from team changed since then?
hoshiarpurexpress: I have been a cricket follower since 1996. Followed the 1996 WC which ended up in a heartbreak in Semis for India. But to be honest, up until 2002 I had very low expectations. As soon as Sachin was out, I would switch off the TV and hope for some miracle from the rest of no-hopers.
But under Ganguly, things started to change and expectations started to increase a lot. The Eden Garden Test Victory really made me hope for a much better future. That was a turning point I feel for Indian cricket. Then under Dhoni, we won everything. Currently, the expectations are sky high. I am happy with the Test Team. Winning ICC tournaments need a bit of luck as well. We seem to be missing that. But given the resources, money and involvement of good ex-players, and seeing cricket academies and clubs popping even in the smallest of towns like Hoshiarpur, the middle-class Indians now see cricket as a viable career, my expectations for future are much higher.
PakPassion.net: Where would you rank the current Indian Test team led by Virat Kohli in history?
hoshiarpurexpress: Statistically, it is at the top. I live in Australia and know it is bloody hard to win one, let alone two back-to-back series. Aussies play tough in every sport and compete hard at every level.
If this team wins one series at least out of South Africa and England next, this will be our best Test Team till now. People will complain about spinning tracks, but pitches in India have been spinning tracks since time immemorial. Though, I rate Ajit Wadekar’s Test team pretty close as well purely because of those overseas series victories in 1970s, which was bloody hard for Indian teams of that time.
PakPassion.net: Where do you stand with respect to revival of bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan, should sports and politics mix?
hoshiarpurexpress: I was against mixing of sports and politics in cricket up until 2008 Mumbai incident. I have travelled to Lahore and I have lot of close Pakistani friends here in Australia and in Spain (whom I am still in touch with). People to people connect is still strong I believe.
From Indian perspective, there is a set of conditions now we want the other side to meet, before resumption of any ties. I am sure Pakistani side has similar sentiment, but don’t know who will take the first step.
So, I understand why Indian Government is doing it.
Unless there is some meaningful agreement between two countries, I am at peace with no bilateral cricket.
PakPassion.net: What do you think has been the effect of IPL on Indian cricket? Has it been an overall positive effect? What are the negatives in your book?
hoshiarpurexpress: Biggest impact has been flow of money into BCCI coffers, and some of that money routed to domestic cricketers and improvement of living standards for them. That provides motivation for further excellence.
India has played close to 54 A tours and a player like Siraj had played 4 days matches already in Australia, England, South Africa before debut. You need money and resources to organize these, and BCCI is spending that money on players development.
Negative would-be International Cricketers like AB de Villiers retiring early. But if not IPL, they would have played in County or other leagues.
PakPassion.net: Thoughts on the future of Indian cricket once Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishant Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravi Ashwin all retire?
hoshiarpurexpress: India has a strong batting culture and it is not taken for granted. Lot of coaches and administrators in school and club cricket work rigorously on the ground to produce them.
So, in terms of batting, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Risabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Prithvi Shaw will hopefully take things forward.
In terms of bowling, we may not produce tear away fast bowlers, but I believe now we have appropriate understanding of fitness standards and scientific know how required to sustain fast/medium fast bowling, and how to nurture them. So, Mohammed Siraj is a good find, Ishan Porel is one to look out for, whilst Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kartik Tyagi are guys who will come good in our robust system.
A bit worried about finger spinners. T20 seems to be having an impact as I don’t see any good young off spinner in domestic cricket. Lots of leggies. So that is an area of concern.
PakPassion.net: Who is your favorite non-Indian cricketer (retired)?
hoshiarpurexpress: Wasim Akram. His action, his run up, his hairstyle, his attitude. Everything about him. Loved watching him bowl and bamboozle batsmen. What an awesome bowler.
PakPassion.net: Thoughts on Imran Khan as Prime Minister in context of improving (or worsening, if you believe otherwise) relations?
hoshiarpurexpress: I think he needs to focus more on his own people and fix the problems within, before commenting on outside world. I don’t think a tweet or comment on Modi solves the problems facing Pakistani people, and vice versa it applies to Indian leadership as well.
To improve relations, someone has to take a step and some compromises have to be made from both sides. Not sure how that will happen.
PakPassion.net: Which is the greatest Asian test team of all-time according to you?
hoshiarpurexpress: I would go with Virat’s team. Our past records overseas have been very patchy and no fight was shown most of the time. Under him, at-least we have shown some fight and won in Australia twice. Winning in Australia against Australia is bloody hard.
Imran’s team would come very close as they were also good between 1985-1990, I believe. But I did not see much of it.
PakPassion.net: Rank your preferences as Indian cricket fan and give reasons - A Test series win in Australia, a Test series win in England, World Cup win, WT20 win?
hoshiarpurexpress: Rank 1: World Cup Win – You are playing all Elite Nations and winning a tournament. World champions has a different sound bite to it.
Rank 2: Test Series in Australia. Australia plays really hard and tough cricket at every level. Not only cricket any sport you see them competing hard and play tough. I have been at the Aussie Grounds and crowd can be tough as well, lot of banter for visiting teams. So, you need to be mentally and physically tough to win here.
Ranks 3 : Test Series win in England. Though we won their last in 2007 and our recent performances have not been good, English cricket is still not at the same level of toughness as the Aussies.
Rank 4: T20 World T20. I mean it is okay if we win it. T20’s for me is pure entertainment. I follow it purely as that, not from cricketing perspective.
PakPassion.net: Should IPL be expanded and how many more teams would you like to see?
hoshiarpurexpress: In next few years add 2 more Teams. I would not go beyond 12 teams in Total.
That is more than enough to give chances to local and overseas talent, and put on a show. Anything more than that will make tournament longer. That will be a drag and would become boring.
PakPassion.net: What are your thoughts on 38-team domestic structure? Was it the right decision to add 10 more teams, considering Plate group is dominated by Elite Group rejects.
hoshiarpurexpress: I think it is a good idea. A talented player from states like Manipur, Nagaland etc also needs be given opportunity. Who knows, a future captain of India will be from there. India is a large country, so 38 teams is appropriate for us to manage such a large talent pool.
Currently Plate is dominated by Elite rejects, but Plate teams are getting chance to improve themselves by playing against some teams with higher capability. I am sure these teams will improve with time.
PakPassion.net: What are your thoughts on Prithvi Shaw?
hoshiarpurexpress: He knows how to score runs. Got exposed. He was late on the balls and has an obvious weakness.
But he is a tremendous talent I believe. Will come back stronger. Sometimes you need to fall down to get up and go further.
PakPassion.net: Your all time favorite Indian ODI, Test and T20 victories?
hoshiarpurexpress: ODI Victory has to be Natwest Trophy. At 146/5 and Tendulkar out, I had switched off TV and feeling here we go, losing another final.
Switched on after an hour and things started to change. After that it was roller-coaster ride. What a comeback.
Test Series : Eden Gardens 2001 and Gabba Australia 2021. Saw both matches, each and every moment and ball live on TV, 20 years apart. Both have changed Indian cricket in their own ways.
T20 : Nothing can beat the World Cup 2007 Final Victory against Pakistan. A nail biter game... India vs Pakistan. Lot of nerves and prayers. We made it at the end. Awesome Victory celebrations that night on Brigade Road in Bangalore. The night I can never forget.
PakPassion.net: How do you rate Pakistan's chances in the T20 World Cup later this year?
hoshiarpurexpress: Pakistan has a great chance, especially in Indian conditions. Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi are class, Mohammad Hafeez is in good form and Mohammad Rizwan is also very good.
They need Hassan Ali and Shadab Khan to come to the party and rest of the players to support them. My prediction is that they will reach semi-finals at-least this time.
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