Personalities

- Nisha Millet
- Vijay Bharadwaj
- Aparna Popat
- P. Gopichand
- Mahesh Bhupathi
- Anil Kumble
- P.Anil Kumar

Young Achievers

- Punkaj Advani
- Shilpa Sequeira
- Neema Joyappa
- B.N. Chandrika

Interview

- Roger Binny
- M Azharuddin
- Raman Subba Row
- Ashok Shandilya

Review

Sports History

The two-Test series between South Africa and India was very much indeed a learning process for the Indian cricketers. Beaten 0-3 in Australia in the Test series, the Indians were expected to put a better fight at home on "tailor-made" pitches. But much to the woe of the passionate supporters, the Indians failed to click as a team and went down without a whimper in both the Tests.
The Mumbai Test lasted exactly three days as the Indians failed to take advantage of a 49-run first innings lead. The second Test at Bangalore went a little over four days. The South Africans needed just 54 minutes on the fifth and final day at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to clinch a crucial and historic away series triumph.  

"I was a part of the South African team which toured India 10 years ago when we were allowed into the international scene. And 10 years down the line, I am very delighted to have won the series as the captain of the team," skipper Hansie Cronje said after the match. The 10 years speaks volumes as the South Africans have grown from strength to strength and will have to sharpen only a few chinks before challenging Australia as the World's top team.
The South Africans are a thorough professional lot and go about their jobs with planned precision. The itineraries are planned well in advance and the South African cricket board took advantage to send a recce team headed by manager Ghulam Raza to study the situation in India. The Indians had been crowned as "tigers" at home as they had not lost a Test series for nearly 14 years. The no nonsense South Africans, who keep update with their cricket using state of the art technology, ultimately bearded the tigers in their own den.
Spin had been India's forte in the 1960s and 1970s. Spinning tracks appear to have become India's prerogative in the late 20th Century and the turn of the millennium. Yet, the South Africans taught the Indians lessons a plenty in their own back yard. Motivation, dedication, commitment and team spirit are the keys to success in any modern team sport. South Africa had every ingredient in plenty to put the hosts on the mat in every department of the game.
The only saving grace for India as they were thoroughly beaten was the Sachin Tendulkar's 97 in the first innings of the first Test and Mohammed Azharuddin's 102 in the second innings of the second Test. Of course Anil Kumble bowled well in both the matches and that he was very much expected to do as the pitches were suited for Indian playing conditions. Hampered by the spin of the Indians in the first match against the Board President's XI at Mumbai, the South Africans quickly learned their lessons and prevented India from coming good with their trump cards.
That cricket today is just not batting, bowling or fielding skills was amply proved by the South Africans. Encouraged and protected by a board, which did have its share of problems in terms of not selecting black players in the team, the South African cricketers made use of the best available talent to snub India by big margins. Jonty Rhodes, the best fielder in the World, did not make the trip due to personal reasons. That, however, did not hamper the South African fielding as every other player was as good if not better than Rhodes.
Physically far superior to the Indian cricketers, the South African also showed India how to play spin bowling on slow turning tracks. While the Indians struggled to tackle an ordinary bowler like left arm spinner Nicky Boje in the second Test at Bangalore, the South African batsmen showed the right technique in great measure even to tackle the bounce and turn of Anil Kumble.

Bats close to the pad and the wrists rolled over, the South Africans dropped the ball dead just in front of their feet. Patience was the need of the hour to tackle the bowlers on a slow wicket. Opener Gary Kirsten and number three bat Jacques Kallis had been fine tune with abundance of patience. Dropping anchor at one end of the wicket with aplomb, they allowed the other batsmen to play their strokes freely at the other end.
Cronje had warned India of a 2-0 brown wash and the South African skipper proved that he was not talking through his hat. Though the South Africans still lag behind the awesome supremacy of the Australians, they are close to becoming one of the biggest sides to beat in World cricket.

WELL DONE MATE: Fast bowler Allan Donald (left), who is known as the 'white lightning', shares a light moment with Herschelle Gibbs during the prize distribution ceremony after South Africa beat India 2-0 in the Pepsi 2000 series at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.  

The South Africans also know their onions well and do not shed tears for what they do not have. "Yes, the Australians are the all powerful side today. We are trying our best to match them. The main difference between the Australians and us is that we do not have a well-defined spin department. The Australians have very good spinners. We have Paul Adams and Nicky Boje, but their still learning their ropes. Very soon, we will match the Australians," coach Graham Ford said without mincing words.
The Indians, on the other hand, floundered at every step and even the media conferences by the captain and coach were the same repeated clich?s. When will we stop listening to excuses like, "It was a collective failure. We are disappointed and we will do better in the future." Indian cricket needs a thorough revamp. The Board of Control for Cricket in India will have to do a deep introspection. The game has to be taken beyond the confines of batting, bowling and fielding skills. India should hire trained professionals in the field of sports such as sports medicine experts, dieticians, nutrionists, sports pschycologists and dedicated coaches to take the game to the higher echelons.
The board should also protect the players and ensure that they do not become victims of commercialisation. With money playing a big part in modern day cricket, a proper structuring of the system has to be undertaken to ensure that the benefits reach all including the passionate public, who spend hours on end following their cricket heroes on and off the field.