PL 2010 - Match 18

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

RCB being the clear favorites to win the match left nothing for CSK fans to ask except a question "Can CSK fight back after the psychological defeat they swallowed against KXIP ?". Well, on hearing the playing squad from Raina during toss, the answer became pretty obvious - NO.

However CSK gave banging start, by shaking unconquerable Kallis, who did not open his innings convincingly. After giving 3 chances, CSK took the honor of bowling out Kallis. Wickets started pouring after his dismissal and CSK were right in the match till the 17th over. Robin Utahpah played his brilliance scoring an unbeaten 68 in 38 deliveries. In last 3 overs RCB smashed circa 51 runs to take the contest to a new level.

CSK might have had their chances if they would have contained RCB within 150, or had tried Perera instead of Bailey or had experimented by sending Albie Morkel up the order, or ... - oh!! The list goes on of what they should have done to win the match. But none of the above happened and they suffered another convincing defeat in the hands of RCB. No batsmen except Hayden and Badrinath showed maturity and responsibility in batting.

Watch out KXIP, KKR and RR (Rajasthan Royals) - you guys have a tough competition here for the last spot in the points table.

Watch full match

IPL 2010 - Match 16

Kings Eleven Punjab (KXIP) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

With no heart to post my thoughts on this match, my friend L Karthik has come forward with a write-up.

L Karthik

It was 4th match for Chennai super kings and their 2nd home game. Having lost their first home contest last Sunday, CSK was all geared to makeup for that loss. CSK were preferred side to win with history favoring a 5-0 lead against KXIP in IPL; on the other hand KXIP yet to put their name in Points table. 

CSK squad considered one change from previous game by bringing in Manpreet Gony in the place of Joginder Sharma who displayed an ordinary bowling show in his previous opportunity. KXIP to do some damage control were forced to replace Bipul Sharma, Sreesanth and Adrian Barath with Ramesh Powar, Pacer Srivastava and Juan Theron. Raina the stand-in captain for CSK won the toss and invited KXIP to bat first, sighting the dew factor. 

Albie morkel opened bowling for CSK against Ravi Bopara and irfan Pathan (promoted up the order following his scintillating performance against DC). Some tight bowling from Albie prevented KXIP from having a flying start and eventually resulted in Bopara loosing his wicket (expensive upper cut, edged to balaji in third man). Gony who supported Albie from the other end was struggling as irfan took him on for some special treatment. Gony’s awful fielding form continued by dropping Sangakara at third man misjudging the skier. Luckily for the home team it was not a costly miss as wild old fox had sangakara stumped very soon. 

Balaji the home boy bowled some stump to stump line which made life difficult for even the settled batsmen on the crease. The fall of Irfan Pathan followed by Jayawardane, brought old friends kaif and yuvi back together on the batting pitch. Yuvi was in his Midas touch seeing the ball right and sending some boundaries, scoring a valuable 43 helping his team finish with 136 in their 20 overs for the loss of 8 wickets. 

With everyone expecting a simple win from CSK they started their batting innings very slowly. Hayden and patel took their time to settle down to score some big shots. CSK looked very comfortable chasing 136 until they started loosing wickets (especially after Raina’s dismissal) panicking defeat. They needed 10 runs of final over bowled by irfan. Albie slashed first ball to four and then scrambled for 2 runs as irfan missed a run out chance. Score was leveled with 1 run to score in 2 balls with Aswin to bat. CSK missed this golden opportunity giving a dot ball, followed by Aswin’s wicket. 

The match was tie and went to superover. CSK batted first and scored 9 in 4 deliveries as their batsman got out in pursuit of big runs. KXIP 10 to win with Murali to bowl. Jayawardane scored a big six in first ball setting up the match and Yuvi finished it in style.

It was a match in which both teams played some awful cricket. However viewers (especially CSK supporters) had our hearts in our mouth. As a CSK fan I was disappointed over the batting failure but as a cricket fan I cannot ask for more thrills. When the match ended it was 20 past midnight in India, but still all houses were awake.

Watch full match

IPL 2010 - Match1

IPL 2010 starts with a bang.

The opening match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Deccan Chargers (DC) initially laid foundation to another KKR embarrassment. However Knights Owis Shah and Angelo Mathews delivered some magic in batting department in the last few overs posing a decent target of 162 for DC to chase. Chargers on the other hand who started with explosive batting went on to loose wickets in cheap manner only to throw an easy win onto Knights' lap.

When DC finished last in table in the first edition of IPL, they came back strong and won the second edition IPL. Can the knights deliver the same magic? Long way to go!!!

Highlights of this match

Scandal of the month - Swami Nityananda

Well from a CEO monk to a SEX Monk - This is one hell of a transition.

For people who does not know what a monk in Hinduism means ...
The crux of a "swami (monk)" is Brahmachariam. A Brahmachari lives his life in conformance to the creative aspects of the ONE, shuns all the existing worldly pleasures to secure a place close to the divinity - The GOD himself.  To attain this ultimate bliss a monk should hold continence towards pleasures from sex, longing for material profits etcetera.

However the new age monks not only distant themselves from sexual continence but also seem to crave for more material profits on the name of Ashrams and Preachings. The new valuable addition to this list is Swami Nityananda. The young swami who brags about his life as a selfless monk and enlightens souls through his preachings in his official website http://www.dhyanapeetam.org/web/default.aspx , also very recently amused millions of viewers, with his latest sex scandal.

Sadly, this swami who in his early 30s, attained sky heights in popularity before this downfall. There is nothing wrong about an young lad craving for a normal life. To me, being "Swami" is/was Nityananda's job profile. And that job gave him an honorable identity, huge respect, immense wealth at a very young age. Lets get real here; who does not fancy a job with such an outcome? So whats Nityananda's mistake here? Nothing. If a well-read eloquent guy with some backing and affluence, cliams to be a monk, then let him be. Its his designated lifestyle.  

Do not make him a demi-GOD and cultivate huge devotion and expectation, for what he chose to be, at one point of time in his life. Remember ! Its his life and he has every right to modify his lifestyle the way he wants, anytime.  We should never ever have problem with that.

Its time for us to wake up, not Nityananda !

Copyright © Sivi 05-Mar-2010

A French Toast in Chennai

Christian R. Fabre aka Swami Pranavananda Brahmendra Avadhuta, is one of a kind business man. A documentary about this monk CEO, in Travel and Living channel, narrating his rags to riches tale, blew me away. Fabre (or should we pronounce Swamiji) residing in Chennai India, who sans FASHION from his personal life, runs a multimillion dollar fashion empire “Fashions International” in Ekaduthangal, Chennai.

The irony here is, me, having brought up in Chennai for 26 years, I very recently came to know about this European born – Chennai settled icon, through a TV channel in England. Born in haven of new trends - France, Fabre moved to Chennai in 1971 with his family to pursue an assignment in leather factory. It was said that he suffered an unfortunate decade by loosing his job in Chennai and support from this family. With no heart to quit India, he joined a clothing company for a mediocre salary, to push his day to day living; and that’s where he met his current business partner.

During this time, to control his frustration and anxiety from his personal and professional front he took solace in spirituality. Drawn by Hinduism and YOGA, he gradually went on to become a monk shedding worldly pleasures. Despite being in clothing industry with international tie-ups, Swamiji always clad saffron robe around, even while meeting his high profile global clients. Living in a modest apartment in Chennai and drawing a minimal salary (worth $200 per month) to lead his simple life, he enjoys being one of the highest tax paying business men in the city.

Fashions international is now nearing 25 successful years with her very recently launched brand called DUDE, in city. Living a content lifestyle, Swamiji is said to work only 10 days in a month from office. This devoted disciple of Lord Shiva, spends majority of his time in an ashram near Kolli Hills (kollimalai), from where he depend on internet technology to connect to his business colleagues and clients around the world.

Here is an excerpt of Swamiji’s addressing to a gathering in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

A CEO and a Monk

One of the agendas in my next call to Chennai is to visit the ashram in Kolli Hills, or the least as a minimal means to show my respect to this great soul, I would surely purchase a product from their fashion house – DUDE in Besant Nagar.

Copyright © Sivi 02-Mar-2010