PRG's Thoughts

In a shocking decision, Virat Kohli stepped down as Captain of the Indian Test Side, leaving a lacuna in team leadership that no current player can fill.  KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma were not certainties in the side eight months ago. Ajinkya Rahane is done. Rishabh Pant has barely matured as a batsman let along making him Captain and the team is left with no one who can lead. The big mystery in Cricket, that I have struggled to unravel for some time, is why bowlers are not made captains. Not just in Indian cricket but the world over. Pat Cummins is currently captain of Australia but it seems like it was just because Tim Paine ran in to a controversy and they had to make a choice at the last moment.  The last Australian bowler to captain the side over a long period of time was Richie Benaud in the late fifties and sixties. The last English bowler was Bob Willis in the early eighties. Anil Kumble captained India for 14 tests in between Rahul Dravid and MS Dhoni but that seemed like it was

The Covid-19 virus does not discriminate. I wish the same could be said for the Australian Open. In one of the most appalling and cringeworthy decisions the Australian Open granted a medical exemption to Novak Djokovic to play the tournament.  The rules state, that to play in the Open a player must either be fully vaccinated or receive a medical exemption.  The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has guidelines on why a medical exemption should be given. Those with acute medical conditions, including undergoing a major surgery, those who have had Covid in the past 6 months, or have had a serious adverse event attributed to a previous vaccine dose, could receive an exemption.  The chief of Tennis Australia Craig Tiley, said, the exemption given was the same as any other player could have received. Novak's application of course is not disclosed and so we are not sure why he qualified.  I am happy to be proved wrong, but I am not buying that he qualifies in any

Rahul Dravid is the new coach of the Indian National Cricket Team. Not surprisingly, his appointment has been received with praise on social media and the press. One of the greats to play the game and a proven coach at the under-19 level. I for one am not too thrilled by the selection.  The Great Developer Rahul Dravid is my favourite Indian cricketer of all time. His contribution to the Indian team over the years is second to none but his contribution as a developer of young talent may be the best we've ever seen.  It is tough to remember a time where India's depth and bench strength in the sport has been as good as it is today. Sure, the IPL and overall infrastructure has acted as a catalyst, but a key player in this remarkable growth has been Dravid. His work in developing not only the skill but also the mental strength and attitude of young players is evident. Having a rich bench is the key to sustained success. The Australian sides of the late 90's and early 00's w

The term I have just about had enough of is- 'Spirit of Cricket'. Give me a break.  Either you have rules that prevent players from doing things, or you don't. It is senseless to have certain actions permissible by the rules, but consider these same actions against the 'Spirit of Cricket'. What does that even mean? Ravinchandran Ashwin and Eoin Morgan got in to it in DC's game against KKR after Ashwin took a run despite the ball being ricochetted off Rishabh Pant.  England won the ODI World Cup because a similar thing happened with Ben Stokes. Yes, that situation was slightly different but let's not act holier than thou Mr. Morgan.  As for the hogwash- 'Spirit of Cricket'- Isn't it time we got rid of this? Every time a bowler 'Mankad's' a batsman or an incident like this occurs, we go in to the antiquated debate of 'Spirit of Cricket.'  What I don't understand is how can there be a rule which contradicts the 'Spirit of

Mental Health is a serious issue. It was historically neglected and the global movement to bring awareness of its impact is long overdue.  Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles recent decisions to pull out of major competitions have brought mental health front and centre in the sports world.  An athlete is expected to perform to the peak of their ability at the highest level of competition. Four factors that could enable or derail them from achieving this are  1) Physical Health 2) Physical Fitness 3) Mental Health 4) Mental Fitness Physical Health - Injuries- These can be diagnosed with X-rays, MRIs, CT Scans.  Physical Fitness - Stamina, weight, muscle strength, BMI, hydration, nutrition etc.  Mental Health - Depression, Anxiety, Stress etc.  Mental Fitness - Ability to manage pressure, expectations, focus and also anxiety and stress.  A low level of Physical Fitness can sometimes lead to Physical Health Issues A low level of Mental Fitness can sometimes lead to Mental Health Issues.  The dif

Dear Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal fans, Remember all the years you spent debating, sharing articles, ravaging through statistics and even getting emotionally involved to prove that your guy is the GOAT of men's tennis....That was time well spent. Not as beloved as Roger or Rafa, a certain player named Novak Djokovic has proved, undoubtedly, that he is The Greatest Men's Tennis Player of All Time.  There is no logical argument to prove otherwise.  THE STATISTICS                                                        Novak                Roger                Nadal  Grand Slams                           20                          20                        20 ATP Masters 1000                36                    28                 36 Ending year ranked #1.        6                            5                          5 Won every Slam twice             Yes                        No                       No Weeks ranked #1                  328*                310               20