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13 Insanely Jaw Dropping Moments That Show How Ravichandran Ashwin Changed the Way You Think About Cricket

What do Aristotle, Socrates, René Descartes, Swami Vivekananda, Bertrand Russell, Immanuel Kant, Confucius, Dostoevsky, Jean-Jacques Rosseau, and Ravichandran Ashwin have in common? 

These are the names of some of the greatest thinkers and philosophers of all time.

They didn’t just exist! They thought outside the box. Questioned the status quo. Changed the world.

And yes, you may have noticed that I subtly slipped in Ravichandran Ashwin’s name in there. Why, you may ask? 

Because Ravichandran Ashwin is more than your average cricketer. He is different. He is also a thinker and has transformed into one of the most influential cricketers of this generation.

As Ashwin gets closer to his monumental 500th wicket, we look at 11 Moments which illustrates how Ravichandran Ashwin has changed the way YOU think about cricket.

Key Takeaways

  • Ashwin has taken 496 wickets at a bowling average of 23.79 and 51.4 strike rate. This includes 24 4-fers, 34 5-fers, and 8 10-wicket hauls in a match. 
  • He has scored 3222 Test runs at 26.66 batting average. This includes 5 Test hundreds and 14 fifties. 
  • His best figures are 7/59 (innings), 13/140 (match), and the highest score of 124. 
  • Across formats, Ravichandran Ashwin has taken 724 international wickets and scored more than 4000 runs. 
  • He is currently ranked at #2 for the Best All-Rounder in Men’s Test Cricket.

1. Desensitizing the Non-Strikers Run-Out

Let’s start with the elephant in the room—The non-strikers run-out or ‘Mankad’ as it was known in the pre-Ashwin era.

The most infamous moment was Ashwin vs Buttler. Watch the video below. 

And if you are looking for more, here is another incident from 2012. 

How did this change Cricket? 

Ashwin’s involvement about the non-strikers run-out opened a conversation in cricket that was long overdue.

What do the laws of cricket say? Why does ‘Spirit of Cricket’ get selectively applied in this case? What can the bowlers do to gain advantage just like the batters when backing up? 

There is still some way to go to desensitize the non-strikers run-out completely, but the bowlers are at least warning the batters more often (also a little bit of tension during the game is always fun).

2. Scoring Hundreds and Finishing Tense Chases in Test Cricket

Ashwin’s highest scores in Test cricket read: 124, 118, 113, 106, 103, 91*, 72, 70, 68, 67, 62, 61, 58, 58, 58, 56, 54, 50.

These are significant scores. Ashwin has scored plenty of hundreds against the West Indies (both home & away) and also has had key contributions in South Africa, Australia, England, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. That is serious pedigree.

After the 50 in tough conditions in Bangladesh, Dinesh Karthik described Ashwin as a ‘Scientist.’

 “I call him a scientist. He keeps discovering new things about himself. Be it bowling or batting. That is very nice for a cricketer. And that is why – the talent he has, he has maximized it over the years.”

My Favorite Ashwin Innings

My favorite Ashwin batting innings was the chase in the 2nd Test against Bangladesh in 2022. Chasing a target of 145, India had collapsed to 74/7 with Mehidy Hasan Miraz bamboozling the Indian batting.

Then came in the duo of Shreyas Iyer & Ravichandran Ashwin, constructing a counterattacking rearguard effort. By the end of it, Ashwin had scored the highest score in a fourth innings chase by a batter at #9 or below (42*) and stitched together the highest 8th wicket partnership in a successful fourth innings chase (71*) with Iyer.

No wonder he climbed to the #1 spot in Test all-rounder ranking and ranks as one of the Best 55 All-Rounders of All-Time in our list.

3. Opening the Bowling in T20 Cricket Way Back in 2010

It was the 2010 IPL that brought Ashwin into the national contention.

Playing under captain MS Dhoni, Ashwin began opening the bowling and keeping things tight in the Powerplays.

Remember in those days, spinners opening the bowling was still a rare instance. Even Sunil Narine would debut a year later.

Ashwin ended up with the best economy (6.10) in the competition (for anyone bowling more than 6 overs in the whole IPL), CSK won the IPL for the first time, which started what would become a famed legacy, the Dhoni-Ashwin partnership began, and Ashwin (and India) was on his way to a glorious golden eighteen months.

 4. Bowling that Final Ball with the Iconic Stop in the 2013 Champions Trophy Final

 The golden age of Indian cricket in recent memory between 2007-2013 from the 2007 T20 World Cup to the 2013 Champions Trophy Final. 

Oh yeah and there was the 2011 World Cup Final as well. 

In a rain-curtailed low scoring Champions Trophy Final thriller, MS Dhoni in the most MS Dhoni fashion, handed the ball to Ravichandran Ashwin. 

A six to win, four to tie. Wet conditions. Ashwin does a mini-pause, Tredwell starts to move, Ashwin spins the ball prodigiously. 

A magnificent spell of 4-0-15-2 to drive India home in a famous victory. 

5. Saving the Test at Sydney and Putting His Body on the Line

Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21. We are never forgetting this, are we? 

Third Test Day 5. Series in the balance. Rahane departs early. 

Rishabh Pant & Cheteshwar Pujara are full flow. Pant departs on 97, Hazlewood bowls a jaffa to Pujara, Vihari suffers a hamstring injury. 

Surely Australia is cruising to victory here?  Think again.

Ashwin & Vihari come together to put together one of the greatest rearguard actions in recent Test history.

Ashwin had already been suffering back pains. Now the fast bowlers were bowling bouncers and targeted his rib cage. He suffered but stayed in the game. By the end of the day, he was pulling short balls for four. 

6. Inventing New Deliveries and Experimenting with Bowling Action

“Methods, madness, and courage” are characteristics that drive Ashwin. In his own words,

“There is a method to my madness. People ask, ‘What is he doing? Why is he trying so many different things. It is a matter of perception.” 

Method in the Madness

One of the things that sets him apart is the ability to take risks and always try out something new. 

He began his career as an off-spinner and when T20 cricket demanded, he opened the bowling. 

As leg spinners gained prominence in the 2010s and Ashwin was dropped from the limited overs side in 2017, he knew he had to do something different. 

He changed his action, experimented with delivery strides, added the carrom ball in his arsenal of weapons, and even developed the leg spinner. 

 

Watch this video where explains his different variations to Ian Ward and how he bowled Alastair Cook with a beauty! 

7. Batting at #3 and as a Finisher in the IPL

Ashwin has received a new lease of life with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. It jumpstarted his comeback into the Indian T20I side, but more than that, it is the manner in which has gone about his cricket at RR which is heartening to see.

In the 2022 IPL, he has helped finish games in the lower order, batted at #3, and has even opened the batting when situations demand it.

Once again we see a common theme—Ashwin continues to try new things to become a better version of himself every day.

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8. Pioneering the Retired Out

If you think you have seen everything, think again.

Ashwin went one step further than changing his batting number around. He became the first player in the IPL to tactically retire himself out. He was batting on 28* (23), but at the end of the 19th over, he left the ground.

This provided specialist finishers, Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer, the extra few balls to finish off the innings.

Ravichandran Ashwin has become such a cult figure for out-of-the-box tactics that after Rohit Sharma retired himself during the double Super Over against Afghanistan, coach Rahul Dravid said, “Rohit retiring himself out was Ashwin-level thinking.”

9. Presence of Mind in the T20 World Cup Match Against Pakistan

Now let’s come to one of the most iconic moments in recent memory.

An India vs Pakistan match to cherish. In the 19th over, Virat Kohli played the shot heard around the world against Haris Rauf.

India were getting closer, but Hardik Pandya departed. A few balls later, Virat Kohli was on the non-strikers end.

Then came time for the finisher from the Nidahas trophy final, Dinesh Karthik. His comeback story and career revamp as a finisher had led to this one moment. But he was stumped when Nawaz bowled a wide one near outside his leg.

The Iconic Moment

Next ball, Ravichandran Ashwin is in. Nawaz attempts a similar delivery.

What does Ashwin do? HE LEAVES IT. I repeat, he leaves it! The audacity, brilliant! Wide ball called. Scores leveled.

Next ball, he just lifts the ball straight past the bowler for a four.

Calm, collected, champion. That is Ravi Ashwin for you.

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10. Kutti Stories YouTube Channel

The world is changing every day due to the internet and social media.

Cricket is also changing and players have to ensure they are planning for the future during their careers. We can already see the likes of Stuart Broad and Dinesh Karthik commentating before retirement. Others have put their hats into the coaching baskets.

Ashwin in his usual self, has done something slightly differently. He has started a YouTube channel! And not just any channel – the thoughtful interviews and Kutti stories have already garnered him 1.34 Million YouTube subscribers! 

What is neat about this experience is the insights we are gaining from Ashwin about what happens inside the dressing room. The media is known for speculation and controversies, but Ashwin brings a more human, deeper side to the Indian cricket team. I hope more cricketers follow this path in the future.

Here is an interview series with Harsha Bhogle on India’s stories during ODI World Cups.

11. Never Backing Down

One characteristic I admire about Ravichandran Ashwin is his honesty and the ability to speak his mind regardless of the pressure. 

We have already seen from a strategic point of view that he never backs down and keeps improving his skills. 

Off the field as well, he doubles down on this personality trait. We can see from the press conference below (where he questions why journalists have a pre-determined view about Indian pitches) or the memorable sledge against Tim Paine that Ashwin will always be up for a fight. 

12. From Engineering to Cricket

Not many athletes have dual careers at the beginning of their careers. Ashwin graduated with a BTech degree.

Listen to Ashwin in his Cricbuzz interview about his journey:

“My dad used to wake me up at 5:30…My mom wanted me to be an engineer. And I did it, because I actually struggled through it. I actually slogged my entire sweat out to actually do engineering and cricket. It used to be extremely hard. And extremely hard is an understatement.”

Along with family pressure, he also suffered a pelvis injury, which kept him out of cricket for a year in his peak high school years. 

As a society, we judge and admire individuals after success has been achieved, but it is often the stories behind the scenes that helps us understand the true character of the individual. 

13. Playing Cricket All Day Every Day

And finally, where there is cricket, there is Ashwin. 

In modern-day cricket, there is barely any space for free time. There is always a World Cup, international cricket, or T20 leagues happening around the world. 

But whenever Ashwin finds time, you can see him playing in the TNPL and other local matches. 

Here is a hilarious clip of Ashwin reviewing a ball TWICE in the small ball because he was not satisfied with the discussion.

Classic Ashwin!  

Final Thoughts – How Did Ravichandran Ashwin Change the Game of Cricket

Ravichandran Ashwin pioneered the retired out, made non-strikers run-out cool again, finished clutch matches in Test cricket, opened the batting in T20 cricket, put the body on the line to fight for his country, bowled off spin, leg spin, carrom ball, won World Cup matches on his own, started a YouTube channel, and even took two reviews on the same ball!

Ravichandran Ashwin is not just a cricketer. He transcends human nature. A true genius, thinker, philosopher, and scientist.

I’m glad to have watched Ravichandran Ashwin’s career unfold. 

If this is not a story we should all appreciate, I don’t know what is.

 

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Stuart Broad Retirement Tribute: Sun Sets on Legendary Career

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

– Quote Attributed to Abraham Lincoln

This quote perfectly epitomizes Stuart Broad.

Stuart Broad has made each of his 6182 days in international cricket count. Ultra-competitive, yet also super fun to be around.

When Stuart Broad appealed, we saw the joy in him. When Broad took a wicket, we saw the joy in him. And when Broad talks about cricket, we still see the joy in him.

The all-time great has hung up his boots. Today, we look back at the highs, lows, and everything in between.

Here is Stuart Broad retirement tribute.

Table of Contents

Stuart Broad Debut: How Did it All Start?

Although fast bowling was his true calling, his beginning wasn’t always that.

He started his youth cricketing career as an opening batter (which is why he still valued technique till end). Rising up the ranks, we was called up in the England U-19 & England A sides during 2005-06. A certain Jimmy Anderson had made the senior side, so there was a vacancy in the A team.

On 28 August, 2006, Broad made his international debut at age of 20. And he did not disappoint—2 in 2 and on-a-hattrick in his first ever senior match.

By 2007, he had made England’s ODI & T20I World Cup teams. A couple of years later, he had announced himself on the big stage at the Ashes when his 5-fer reduced Australia from 73/0 to 111/7.

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Also Read: Dale Steyn, The Embodiment of Simplicity and Intensity, Retires—The Greatest Fast Bowler of Them All, MS Dhoni and SK Raina Retire: An End of An Era

Stuart Broad Stats & Records

Before we go on any further, here are a bit of his career highlights.

Teams

To elongate his Test career, Broad only played a handful of franchise tournaments early on. The only teams that he played for were

  • England, England U-19, England A, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Hobart Hurricanes, Kings XI Punjab
  • 845 International Wickets (602* – Tests, 178 – ODI, 65 – T20I)
  • 4303 International Runs (3656 – Test, 529 – ODI, 118 – T20I)

Broad Test Wickets & Runs

  • 167 Tests
  • 602 Wickets, 8/15 (best inning), 11/121 (best match), 27.68 average, 55.7 strike rate: 20/3 (5-fer/10-fer)
  • 3647 Runs, 18.05 average, 54 sixes, 1 -100, 13 – 50s

Broad ODI & T20I Career

  • 121 ODIs
  • 178 wickets, 5/23 (best), 30.13 average, 34.3 strike rate,1 (5-fer)
  • 529 Runs, 45* (best), 12.3 average
  • 56 T20Is
  • 65 wickets, 4/24 (best), 22.93 average, 7.62 economy
  • 118 runs, 18* (best), 100.00 strike rate

Records

  • 167 Tests – 5th Most Matches in Test Career
  • 8/15 (2015) – Best spell by a pacer since Glenn McGrath’s 8/24 in 2004
  • 33454 – 5th Most balls bowled in career
  • Most wickets in the Ashes by an Englishmen (151)
  • Joint Most wickets against a single batter (20) – David Warner
  • Two hat-tricks

Timeline

  • 2004 – Debuted in County Cricket at Leicestershire
  • 2006 – T20I debut, ODI debut, Cricket Writers’ Club Young Cricketer of the Year
  • 2007 – Test debut, Yuvraj Singh six sixes
  • 2008 – Moved to Nottinghamshire, First Test 5–fer
  • 2010 – T20 World Cup Winner, 169 vs Pakistan
  • 2011 – Hat-trick against India, Kings XI Punjab IPL deal
  • 2014 – Seelcted as captain of England’s T20 World Cup side
  • 2015 – 8/15 spell against Australia
  • 2016 – Hobart Hurricanes BBL deal, British honor – MBE
  • 2023 – 600 Test wickets, Retirement

Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson: The Gift That Kept on Giving

Let’s be honest, England have not really been the most stable Test side in history.

That’s why the duo of Broad & Jimmy Anderson is so cherished by the English fans. They provided England with the stability they needed.

Amidst the 0-5 Ashes defeats, World Cup debacles, or Pietersen-Strauss drama, these two remained the only constants.

When Broad was out of form, Anderson swung it England’s way. When Anderson did not get the early breakthroughs, Broad produced one of those spells.

Although the talk of the decade was Steyn vs Anderson, Broad uncharacteristically went under the radar. But he didn’t mind. He actually flourished under Anderson’s wisdom and when his time came, he mentored the next generation of English bowlers.

A partnership that was bound to be. A partnership that kept on giving.

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The Famous Broad Spells: Ashes 8/15, Hat-Tricks, and Many, Many More

Have you seen magic?

I have, and it is known as a Stuart Broad bowling spell.

When he is on fire, he is really on fire.

Although he was not lucky on his T20I debut, he finally got a hat-trick against India at Nottingham in 2011.

He was so good, sometimes he forgot he even took a hat-trick.

“He becomes the first Englishmen to take two hat-tricks in Test cricket, and he has got no idea. Typical fast bowler.”

With his famous headband, he found a second wind. In 2022, he took 2/3 wickets in a team hat-trick (the second wicket was also due to him. His celebrappeal for LBW took de Grandhomme by surprise, after which he was run out).

Broad found his forte when the pressure was its highest. The Johannesburg spell for example.

He took almost 25% of his career wickets (151/602) in the Ashes, becoming the leading Ashes wicket-taker of-all time by an Englishmen. Therefore, it is no surprise that his greatest spell – 8/15 came against the Aussies as well.

4th Test at Nottingham in Ashes 2015, Australia sent into bat, and Broad did the rest. Every wicket due to pace and perfect line & length. He ended with figures of 9.3-5-15-8. Watch it here. One of the greatest modern day bowling spells.

For some of his other highlights, look at this video.

Stuart Broad vs David Warner

From 2013 to 2023, if there is one batter that has been haunted by Stuart Broad, it has to be David Warner. The record across formats reads as follows:

63 innings, 556 runs scored in 934 balls, 68 fours, 3 sixes, and 20 wickets. That’s the joint 2nd of all-time only behind Ambrose-Mark Waugh (21).

When Warner had learned how to face Broad for a little while, Broad came around the wicket and became even more lethal.

Here’s Cricinfo’s detailed description of all his Test dismissals. And here are the videos.

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Things That May Not Have Gone According to Plan

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room—The Six Sixes.

Yuvraj Singh Six Sixes: Stuart Broad vs Yuvraj Singh

Amidst all the glory and the highs, there were some low points in his career too.

Yuvraj Singh, at his peak of his batting prowess, hit Broad out of the park the entire over. Yuvraj was angry at Flintoff, but Broad got the treatment.

Also Read; What If Flintoff Kept His Cool to Yuvraj Singh?

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England vs Netherlands 2009

His T20 World Cup experience continued to not go according to the plan.

In the 2009 T20 World Cup, the Netherlands defeated the English while Broad was bowling the last over.

There were some dropped catches, misfields, and overthrows from Broad that tilted the match in the Dutch’s favor. Oops.

No worries though. In a years time, he was a T20 World Cup winner.

Bumrah vs Stuart Broad

What’s worse than getting hit for 36 runs by Yuvraj Singh in a T20I?

Getting hit by Jasprit Bumrah for 35 runs (including extras) in a Test match.

The 2015 World Cup

Prior to England’s revival in limited overs cricket, they were actually a mediocre side for the better part of the last two decades.

The lowest point, though, was getting knocked out in the group stage by Bangladesh.

With 16 needed from 12 runs, there was still a chance. But Rubel Hussain castled Broad and Anderson to take Bangladesh to the knockouts.

That was the end of Broad & Anderson’s limited over careers. But a blessing in disguise, extending their Test careers by 8 years.

The Twitter Troll

Broad’s career rise coincided with the rise of social media. As an active Twitter user, he is often hilarious and engages the crowd with some banter.

Sometimes it comes off, and at least once a year, the video resurfaces of Broad hilariously not walking off despite edging the ball….So, there’s that.

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Stuart Broad 169: The Batter He Was

In his early days, Stuart Broad was considered an all-rounder.

In fact, between 2008 & 2011, Broad produced scores of 169, 76, 74*, 67*, 65, 65, and 64.

And then he got hit by a Varun Aaron bouncer in 2014.

Even though he had a couple of fifties in 2017, his batting perhaps did not see the best of him again.

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Stuart Broad Retirement

The series had underlying murmurs of, “Is this Jimmy Anderson’s last Test series?” Or at least, if this will be his last Ashes.

There was no such news about Broad.

In fact, Broad was at his best. He developed an outswing to counter the threat of Smith-Labuschagne and became the leading wicket-taker for England in the process. Anderson, on the other hand, had an abysmal series with Woakes & Wood leading English revival.

But in Broad fashion, he decided the night before at 8:30 PM and announced it today.

I knew I wanted to leave the game loving cricket and lasting memories being a very enjoyable changing room, and I’ve got lots of friends. I’ve played a long time, and the body feels great. I could have carried on, but it’s just feels like the right time.

– Stuart Broad

His final day may well be on Jimmy Anderson’s 41st birthday. How the stars align.

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What Can We Learn from Broad?

Despite initially being remembered for being hit for six sixes against Yuvraj Singh, Broad constructed a career of greatness, consistency, and longevity. By the time he was done with the England T20I side, he not only was England’s highest wicket-taker, but also a T20 World Cup winner.

This is a quality of great personalities. They realize that everyday might not go as planned, but they continue to believe and march forward.

That’s exactly what Broad did. Marched forward for seventeen years. Improving till the very last series, where he developed an outswing during the offseason to help him get rid of Marnus Labuschagne & Steve Smith.

Broad’s retirement took me by surprise. I am a bit sad but realize that we will see him in the commentary box for years to come. I will always remember his smooth flying action, those spells & hat-tricks, and most importantly, the joy he got from playing cricket and winning the crucial moments. A true match-winner. So, what can we learn from Stuart Broad?

Keep learning, keep moving, mentor others, lift the group, and never back down. All that while having fun. That’s what Broad’s life and career teach me.

The Legacy

Nasser Hussain & Mike Atherton summed it up perfectly.

“An undeniably great cricketer….He’s the complete article. The fitness, the hunger, the competitiveness, the skill, and being very clever and bright.”

Broad was an expert at wearing various hats. The commentator & analyst. The viral tweeter. The all-rounder & swashbuckling batter. The celebrappeal. The great entertainer.

For over a decade, Stuart Broad was England cricket and England cricket was Stuart Broad. With Jimmy Anderson, he gave us memories to last a lifetime.

It has been real, Stuart Broad.

What an incredible journey. Brilliant, wonderful career. What a player. What a man.

Peace out and have a wonderful second innings.

Facts About Broad

Stuart Broad Height

  • 6 ft 5 in

Stuart Broad Age

  • 37 years

Stuart Broad Net Worth ($1 million)

  • $790,000 (Red ball Contract)
  • $17,600 (Test match fees)

In 2023, he played 8 Tests& in 2020, he played 9 Tests. With the contract and match-fees, he earned $900000+. With brand endorsements & sponsorship deals, his net worth is welll over millions of dollars.

Personal Life

  • Chris Broad (father)
  • Mollie King (Partner)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many wickets has Stuart Broad taken?

Broad has taken 845 international wickets, 602 in Test cricket.

How tall is Stuart Broad?

Broad is 6 ft, 5 inches tall.

Who hit Broad for six sixes?

Yuvraj Singh hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in the 2007 T20 World Cup.

Who is Stuart Broad’s father?

Chris Broad is Stuart Broad’s fagther.

What is Broad’s highest Test score?

169 is Broad’s highest test scores against Pakistan in 2010.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 7/30/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Sachin Tendulkar Life Lessons: What Sachin Tendulkar God of Cricket Taught Me

What lessons can we learn from Sachin Tendulkar’s life?

Today is a day of great reflection because today we celebrate the 50th birthday of the great Sachin Tendulkar.

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, SRT, or the ‘God of Cricket’—regardless of how you referred to him, for most cricket fans between 1989 and 2013—the love of cricket coincided with the love of Sachin. He represented hope, excellence, and discipline for billions of people around the world.

Let’s reflect back on those 24 precious years and see what we can learn from Sachin Tendulkar’s life. Or at least here is what Sachin Tendulkar taught me.

Also Read: What Rahul Dravid Taught Me, 155 Greatest Cricketers of All Time (Men’s)

7 Lessons We Can All Learn from Sachin Tendulkar’s Life

1. We Must Accept Finite Disappointment, but Never Lose Infinite Hope

  • Quote By: Martin Luther King Jr.

After Kapil Dev & his men lifted the 1983 Cricket World Cup trophy, playing cricket for India and lifting the World Cup became a dream for every schoolboy. Sachin was no different. Fast forward three years into his career, he was selected for the 1992 ODI World Cup.

First time, no luck. Then, 1996 semi-final happened. Sachin Tendulkar stumped. Eden Gardens stunned. India collapse—A common sight in the nineties. It was followed by 1999 hardships & disappointment, 2003 (Final – so close, yet so far), and last, but certainly not the least, the 2007 Cricket World Cup. India crashed out in the group stage. It seemed to be curtains on Sachin Tendulkar’s lifelong dream.

But then four years later,Dhoni finished it off in style and India lifted the World Cup after 28 years.” Broken Dreams No More. Tendulkar’s years of toil finally transformed into moments of pure joy that he had always dreamed about.

  • What Can We Learn?

Life Lesson 1: Disappointments are a part and parcel of life. The important thing is to never lose sight of the hope, dream, or end goal you have deep down. If you persevere and keep at it, who knows, maybe one day that dream may come true.

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2. Rest at the End, Not in the Middle

  • Quote By: Late American basketball legend Kobe Bryant (and quote from his English teacher, Mr. Fisk) while accepting the ESPY ICON AWARD

This speech is so beautiful, it is worth writing it in full here.

“We are not on this stage just due to talent or ability. We are up here because of 4 AM. We are up here because of two-a-days. Or five-a-days. We are up here because we had a dream and let nothing stand in our way. If anything tried to bring us down, we used it to get stronger. We were never satisfied. Never finished. We’ll never be retired. My high school English Teacher, Mr. Fisk. He had this beautiful quote, ‘Rest at the end. Not in the Middle.’ And I took that to heart. I believe there is time to rest at the end, but the time is not now.”

– Kobe BryanT

Just like Kobe Bryant and other legendary sports stars around the world, Tendulkar had to work hard for it.

Sachin Tendulkar was definitely a gifted a cricketer, but that alone did not make him great. Sure, he had natural timing and great hand-eye coordination, but he still had to put in the hard yards. Hours and hours in the nets, days and days in the Bombay Maidans under the sun, honing his technique slowly but surely. One day at a time, he got better. And he just never stopped.

Life Lesson 2: What differentiates excellence from just adequate performance is the work ethic. To achieve greatness in any field, the end result is directly proportional to the amount of work you put in.

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3. The Price of Anything is the Amount of Life You Exchange For It

  • Quote by: Henry David Thoreau, American philosopher and writer

From an outsider’s point of view, Sachin Tendulkar was a superstar and public figure. But this definitely came at a cost. Staying away from family for the better portion of two decades, always being under media pressure, recovering from career threatening injuries, and maintaining international level fitness would not have been easy.

Life Lesson 3: Sacrifice. Whether that is time, family, plans with friends, delicious food, sacrifice in some extent is necessary to progress to the next level.

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4. Sometimes It is the People No One Can Imagine of who do the Things No One Can Imagine

Quote By: Alan Turing, Father of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence

Who would have thought that a 5-foot four schoolboy from Mumbai become the first ODI double centurion, go on to score hundred 100s, and become the idol that would inspire a nation of a billion? And even after he debuted for India, not many could have imagined the scale at which Tendulkar was able to conquer the cricketing world. There have been many 16- & 17-year-old debutants in cricket, but none like Sachin.

Life Lesson 4: If you can put your mind to it and imagine the impossible, you can achieve the impossible. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you that cannot do something.

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5. Only Those Who Will Risk Going Too Far Can Possibly Find Out How Far One Can Go

Quote By: T.S. Eliot, American Poet

Tendulkar did not stop until he reached the height of individual excellence. Sunil Gavaskar, the original ‘Little Master’ had set the bar with 10,000 Test runs and 34 Test centuries. How far would Sachin go? 35? 50? Once he got past, he did not stop. 34,347 runs across formats, scoring hundred 100s and 164 fifties, he finally hung up his boots. But by the time he was done, he had expanded the horizons of what batting excellence looks like.

Life Lesson 5: Beware of complacency. Take some risks. How far can you push the barriers in your profession?

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6. Courage is Grace Under Pressure

Quote by: Ernest Hemingway, American Author

Sachin Tendulkar had the weight of a nation’s expectations but never showed it. He always carried himself with grace and did not let the public know about the stress and mental pressure he must have been going through. That, my friends, is courage.

Life Lesson 6: It is more important how you carry yourself rather than what you achieve.

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7. Without Continual Growth and Progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.

Quote By: Benjamin Franklin, American writer, thinker, politician, scientist, diplomat, printer, publisher, everything.

With such a long career, ups and downs are bound to occur. Teams figured out some of his weaknesses, injuries occurred, and so did prolonged loss of form. What mattered was that Sachin continued to reinvent himself and bring out a new version to overcome certain obstacles. Prime examples are the 241* in Sydney when he famously gave up the cover drive & the second wind in 2010 (at the age of 37, he dominated the South African bowling attack, scored double centuries, and looked fluent as ever).

Life Lesson 7: Keep the curiosity alive and continue to learn. You can only make substantial progress if you struggle initially, experiment with possible solutions, and ultimately overcome the challenges. Lather, rinse, and repeat.

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Sachin Tendulkar Life Lessons – Final Thoughts

I will leave you with this final thought.

Sacrifice, patience, longevity, work ethic, reinvention, curiosity, grace. The list goes on. We can learn so much from Sachin Tendulkar, a cool head on broad shoulders that taught a country how to excel, win, and most importantly, dream.

What life lesson has Sachin instilled in you? What has he meant to you?

Other Articles on Cricket, Philosophy, and Life Lessons

If you liked this article, be sure to check these articles below on Cricket Life Lessons:

  1. Top 10 Life Lessons From India Vs Australia 2020: Courage, Character, Resilience – Which One Is Your Favorite?
  2. Top 10 Life Lessons From IPL: Beauty of Cricket
  3. Cricket’s Reflections of Passion
  4. Rahul Dravid Biography: What Dravid Taught Me
  5. Lasith Malinga: The Slinga, Slayer, and SuperStar
  6. What Can Ellyse Perry Not Do?
  7. Nicholas Pooran, A Story of Pain, Hope, & Inspiration: The Next Big Thing of West Indies & World Cricket
  8. Dale Steyn, The Embodiment of Simplicity and Intensity
  9. Ross Taylor, An Underrated Cricketer Who Was A Giant Among New Zealand’s Greatest Generation
  10. 20 Years of Mithali Raj And Jhulan Goswami: Eternal Legends for Indian & Women Cricket
  11. The Magician With the Yorker – Umar Gul
  12. Faf du Plessis & AB De Villiers’ Friendship: Broken Dreams of Faf and ABD
  13. Dinesh Karthik and the Art of Self Correction
  14. MS Dhoni and SK Raina Retire: An End of An Era
  15. Dean Jones: A Celebration of Life

Frequently Asked Questions

What lessons can we learn from Sachin Tendukar’s life?

Some lessons we can learn from Sachin Tendulkar’s life are: Sacrifice, patience, longevity, work ethic, reinvention, curiosity, and grace.

 

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 04/24/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Kaun Pravin Tambe? Movie Review: Does Shreyas Talpade Revive His Iqbal Magic?

By Nitesh Mathur, Broken Cricket Dreams, 04/01/2022

Actor Shreyas Talpade, from Iqbal fame, is back to portray this inspirational story of a man who realized his dream of playing cricket on the national stage at the age of 41.

Can Pravin Tambe’s unlikely journey capture the imagination of the public like other sports movies? Today we review this latest cricket movie released on Disney+HotstarDetails, Summary, Verdict, and most importantly, Life Lessons We All Can Learn from Pravin Tambe. There is also a section of most popular Pravin Tambe videos, his playing career, and stats at the very end.

Contents

  1. Kaun Pravin Tambe Detail & Information
  2. Kaun Pravin Tambe Summary and Review
    1. The Stories
    2. The Acting
  3. Verdict: To Watch or Not to Watch?
  4. 5 Life Lessons We All Can Learn from Pravin Tambe
    1. 1. Age Is Just a Number
    2. 2. Balancing Dreams with Practicality of Life
    3. 3. Be Open-Minded
    4. 4. Passion Makes Perfect
    5. 5. All You Need Is One Good Over. Never Give Up. Dreams Really Do Come True
  5. Pravin Tambe Videos and Interviews
  6. Who Is Pravin Vijay Tambe?
    1. Pravin Tambe Stats
    2. Pravin Tambe Major Teams

Also Read:

Kolkata Knight Riders just posted an emotional video on social media regarding a special screening of Kaun Pravin Tambe?, celebrating Pravin Tambe who is on KKR’s support staff in IPL 2022 (video of KKR’s special screening linked below).

Kaun Pravin Tambe Detail & Information

Title Name: Kaun Pravin Tambe? (Who is Pravin Tambe?)

Hotstar Summary: Relentless effort can make an underdog rise to the top, and cricketer Pravin Tambe’s extraordinary journey proves why age is just a number.

Protagonist: Shreyas Talpade as Pravin Tambe

Major Cast:

  • Ashish Vidyarthi as Coach Vidyadhar Paradkar
  • Parambrata Chatterjee as journalist Rajat Sanyal
  • Anjali Patil as wife Vaishali Tambe
  • Nitin Rao as teammate/friend/Mumbai selector/India player Abey Kuruvilla (Check Out Kuruvilla’s debut wicket against the West Indies)
  • Arif Zakaria as Jamil Jalali

Directed By: Jayprad Desai

Release Date: April 1, 2022

Length: 2 hour, 13 minutes

Language: Hindi (English subtitles available, also dubbed versions available in Telegu & Tamil)

Rating: 4.5/5

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Kaun Pravin Tambe Summary and Review

Kaun Pravin Tambe? begins with a clip of a Rahul Dravid, who is portraying Pravin Tambe as the embodiment of passion (full speech below). The movie then tries to answer the question for the audience, who is this Pravin Tambe that Dravid is talking about? Cricket fans have heard about with his exploits with the Rajasthan Royals between 2013 and 2015, but how did he start his career? Why did he have to wait for 20 years?

Also Read: What Rahul Dravid Taught Me

The film begins in the early 2010s, when Tambe is juggling his life as a construction supervisor, father, husband, and cricketer. After brief introduction of the Shreyas Talpade, the movie rewinds to Tambe’s childhood and develops chronologically. We see that at the age of 12, Tambe finds his life purpose—to play Ranji cricket for Mumbai. The essence of the plot is to fill the gap between ages 12 to 41.

The Stories

There are several mini-stories within the larger movie. Tambe begins his career as an all-rounder and specifically, a medium-pace allrounder. How does he then turn into this leg-spinner? (Don’t worry, will not spoil that for you here). Another plotline is the various jobs Tambe takes upon for the sake of financial stability, while still trying to give time to cricket. This is my favorite part of the movie.

Finally, the portrayal of the Mumbai grassroots cricket, Shivaji Park maidaans, and gully cricket is cherry on top of the cake. The actual cricket has the perfect screen time—not too much (like 83’s highlights reels), not too little, just right.

The Acting

What makes this a neat watch is Shreyas Talpade’s bowling action. I loved his bowling action in Iqbal and since Tambe started as a medium pacer, Talpade was a perfect fit. His acting is brilliant as usual, but the minor characters (older brother, childhood friend, wife Vaishali, Abey Kuruvilla, and Arif Zakaria as Jamil) are the heart of the film. Special mention to Ashish Vidyarthi, who does an excellent job portraying Vidyadhar Paradkar sir (influential coach for Zaheer Khan and other great Indian cricketers).

Finally, a note on Parambrata Chatterjee, who is a wonderful actor (you might know him as the police officer in Kahaani & Aranyak). However, his minor negative character as a journalist did not suit him or the script well.

Verdict: To Watch or Not to Watch?

At this moment, there is loads of cricket going on—2022 Women’s World Cup, IPL 2022, Australia Vs Pakistan ODIs, Bangladesh Vs South Africa Tests, Netherlands Vs New Zealand limited overs series, and the 2022 County Championship will begin in a week as well.

On top of this, I am sure you are busy with work, family, or school.

But if you can make time for two hours in this busy world, I hope you can set everything aside and give Kaun Pravin Tambe? a sincere watch. Good, light-hearted movie that will rejuvenate your belief in cricket, specifically grassroot & gully cricket.

My review for Kaun Pravin Tambe? is 4.5/5. Great watch. The only thing that took away from the film for me was the minor conflict with the journalist, which seemed a bit forced.

Before we move on to “Life Lessons we can learn from Pravin Tambe”, check out BCD’s social media pages and consider subscribing to our newsletter. It would really help support this website.

5 Life Lessons We All Can Learn from Pravin Tambe

Pravin Tambe symbolizes Broken Cricket Dreams. His journey has broken dreams, but his story is also full of inspiration, passion, hard work, modesty, and determination.

Tambe is one of the great stories of the IPL. Got his big break before playing a Ranji Trophy match. And guess what? After all his toil, results were evident – hat-trick vs KKR, highest wicket taker for Rajasthan Royals in 2014, and the Golden Wicket taker for RR in 2012 Champions League.

And he played till he was 49 across IPL, CPL, Abu Dhabi T10 leagues. I am sure he still plays a few gully cricket games here and there. Dedication to the max. Here are some of the other life lessons from Pravin Tambe we can apply to our lives.

1. Age Is Just a Number

After almost 30 years of toil, Tambe finally got selected for the Rajasthan Royals in 2013. A few months later, he would get his beloved Ranji Trophy cap.

In this day and age of the internet and focus on fitness, anything is possible. Tom Brady, Pravin Tambe, Brad Hogg, and Chris Gayle can still play professional sports at 42. With resources online, you can obtain a new skill, learn new things, change careers, or start a business. At any point in your life, age is no barrier.

2. Balancing Dreams with Practicality of Life

As Tambe entered his twenties, he assumed more responsibilities. He got married, had two kids, and had to pay bills. Usually, people give up dreams during this time for financial security.

Pravin Tambe did not. He worked multiple jobs instead.

Life is all about moderation and balance. And to survive, money is needed. If you can develop multiple streams of income, while still being within reach of your dream goal, that is the ideal zone.

3. Be Open-Minded

Pravin Tambe reluctantly switched from medium pace bowling to leg spin. And boy, did it pay dividends.

There is a fine line between persistence and inflexibility. Quitting should always be your last option, but if things are not working in your favor, be open to change. Being open minded in the micro can have large positive effects on the macro.

4. Passion Makes Perfect

Dravid’s speech illuminates on Pravin Tambe’s work ethic. Although he did not play much the first year, he attended every optional practice session, every gym session, and was always discussing how to improve his game with other players in the squad.

After his first man of the match award in the IPL, “he was weeping.” He cherished every moment of this journey. Although he has now assumed coaching roles, he still plays for his company (Kanga League, Time Shield) and still bowls 15-20 overs a day in three-day-games.

We usually say ‘Practice Makes Perfect.’ That is true, but what is more is that ‘Passion Makes Perfect.’ If you combine your love or passion for a certain activity and put in the practice and the hard yards, then you will be happy with all your efforts and gradually get closer to your dream.

5. All You Need Is One Good Over. Never Give Up. Dreams Really Do Come True

The main theme of Kaun Pravin Tambe can be summed up by one quote in the movie.

“Whether it is life or match, all you need is one good over.”

Pravin Tambe was in the 40 Probable’s List for a number of seasons, even as early as 2000.

But he had to wait. And Wait. Almost gave up. And had doubts cast upon from friends and society, but he kept on working relentlessly and kept on dreaming a dream till he got his big break that changed his life.

In Tambe’s own words, “Just never give up on your dreams. Really dreams do come true.”

Try, Try, and Try Again Until You Succeed. You may take rest but never quit. The light at the end of the tunnel may be bleak, but there is light, nevertheless.

Pravin Tambe Videos and Interviews

Here are some of my favorite Pravin Tambe videos. In his interview with Aakash Chopra, Tambe reveals that his IPL cap was not his biggest moment. Getting the Ranji cap for Mumbai from legend Wasim Jaffer was his most memorable moment.

Here below is one of his best innings of his career. So much spin! Beautiful.

Here is Tambe’s hat-trick and 5-wicket hall in a T10 match that featured wickets of Chris Gayle, Eoin Morgan, and Kieron Pollard (Bowled!), Upul Tharanga – as a 47-year old. Wow!

Embed from Getty Images

Who Is Pravin Vijay Tambe?

Born: 8 October, 1971 (Mumbai, Maharashtra, India)

Pravin Tambe Stats

T20s: 64 matches, 70 wickets, Best Innings – 4/13, 22.35 average, 6.92 economy

List A: 6 matches, 5 wickets, Best Innings – 2/26

First Class: 2 matches, 2 wickets, Best Innings – 2/127

  • First Indian and oldest player to play in the CPL.

Also Read: 5 Reasons Why BCCI Should Allow Players In Foreign Leagues? Learn From the West Indies

Pravin Tambe Major Teams

  • Indian Premier League (IPL): Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Lions, Sunrisers Hyderabad
  • Caribbean Premier League (CPL): Trinbago Knight Riders
  • Abu Dhabi T10 League: Sindhis
  • Domestic: Mumbai, Mumbai Cricket Association XI, Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Orient Shipping

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 04/01/2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Image Courtesy:

20 Years of Mithali Raj And Jhulan Goswami: Eternal Legends for Indian & Women Cricket

Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami, the dynamic duo.

Sounds okay but could be better. Let us try again.

Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami—The Eternal Legends? Scratch that. How about

Goswami & Raj: Stalwarts that Let the Flame Burning for India’s Women Cricket.

I have to be brutally honest here. I had a tough time finishing this article.

It took me weeks. I mean how could I summarize such long careers, awe-aspiring legacies, and inspirational stories with a mere couple of phrases? In fact, it took me an entire day just to research just the sheer number of records and awards these two possess (all of them listed below).

103 days away from the 2022 Women’s ODI Cricket World Cup Final, let us look back at the glorious careers of Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami—Where Did It all begin? Statistics and legacies, ups and downs, the final hurrah, and of course what can we learn from the lives of India’s best women batter and fastest bowler?

Table of Contents

  1. Table of Contents
  2. The Beginning
    1. Jhulan’s Inspiration
    2. Early Decisions, Discipline, and the Passion to Excel
    3. Debut
  3. Records and Statistics of Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami
    1. Joint Records Held by Raj & Goswami
    2. Mithali Raj Stats
    3. Mithali Raj Records
      1. Tests
      2. ODIs
      3. T20Is
    4. Mithali Raj Awards
    5. Jhulan Goswami Stats
    6. Jhulan Goswami Records
      1. Tests
      2. ODIs
      3. T20Is
    7. Jhulan Goswami Awards
  4. International Success
  5. World Cup Dream
    1. Bright Promises
    2. Rock Bottom of 2009 & 2013
  6. 2017 World Cup and the Broken Dream
    1. T20 World Cups
  7. Captaincy & Controversies
    1. The Captaincy-Controversy Complex
  8. Women’s IPL Without Goswami & Raj Already a Failure for BCCI
  9. What Can We Learn from Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami?
    1. Life Lessons
    2. Quotes on Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami
  10. Final Hurrah for the Iconic Duo?
  11. Jhulan Goswami Videos and Articles
  12. Mithali Raj Videos, Articles, Book, and Biopic
  13. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
  14. Further Reading: Women’s Cricket
  15. Further Reading: Cricketing Heroes

Also Read

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The Beginning

It has been 8216 days and 7291 days since Mithali Raj’s and Jhulan Goswami’s debut respectively. That is a really long time, let alone for a sporting career. Let us trace back to where it all began.

Jhulan’s Inspiration

Jhulan Goswami did not actually start playing cricket till the relatively late age of 15. It was the 1997 ODI World Cup Final between Australia and New Zealand that sowed the seeds of cricket deep into her roots.

She was a ball picker in that World Cup final at the Eden Gardens when Australia’s World Cup winning celebrations ignited her passion to take up the sport.

It was now her dream to lift the World Cup trophy for India.

Mithali Raj’s talent was picked early, and she was in the national radar by the time she was 14. However, actually devoting her career to cricket was not such an easy decision.

Early Decisions, Discipline, and the Passion to Excel

In their interviews with Gaurav Kapur in Breakfast With Champions and Mithali Raj’s chat with Ravichandran Ashwin in DRS With Ash, we gain a bit of insight in their lives—Raj’s early interest & training in the Indian classical dance form of Bharatnatyam, her fascination with books, and what obstacles both Goswami & Raj had to overcome during their journey.

Although both of their parents were supportive of their decisions to play cricket, there was backlash from extended family and the rest of society, especially when women’s cricket in India was in its infancy. Raj states that her toughest decision was to choose World Cup selection games over her 12th grade board exams. In any case, they both started training in cricket academies, disciplined their routines, and woke up around 4 AM to get ready for practice.

In Raj’s case, the discipline stemmed from an army family background. For Jhulan, originally from the small town of Chakdaha, it was the two hours travel by train for practice.

Debut

It was an evident in their early days of international cricket that these two were going to make an indelible impact in Indian cricket.

Opening the batting, Raj scored 114* against Ireland in her debut ODI on 26 June, 1999 just at the age of 16. Goswami would follow suit on January 5th, 2002, opening the bowling against England and returning with figures of 7-0-15-2. Her high arm release, bowling speed, and the beautiful smooth action would be a breath to behold in the years to come.

A few days later they would debut together against England in the first of only 12 Test matches.

Records and Statistics of Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami

In these tributes, I usually like to add a statistics section to paint the whole picture of the cricketer, but this one is a bit unique. Since Raj & Goswami have played so much cricket & have been consistently excellent, they practically have all the individual records to their name.

Slowly scroll down, sit back, and just reflect how dominant these two legends have been for two decades.

Joint Records Held by Raj & Goswami

  • 2nd – Joint Longest Test Careers (debut 14 January, 2002)
  • 157 – Highest Partnership for the 7th Wicket in Test Cricket (Aug 14-17, 2002)

Mithali Raj Stats

MatchesRunsBestAverage100s50s
Tests1269921443.6814
ODIs2207391125*51.32759
T20Is89236497*37.52017
Mithali Raj Career Statistics

Mithali Raj Records

  • Leading scorer in women’s cricket across formats (10454+)
  • Only Indian captain to lead the country in two ODI World Cup finals

Tests

  • 3rd Youngest Test Captain (At 22)
  • Youngest Player to score 200+ (19)
  • 2nd Highest Individual Score (214)

ODIs

  • Most Runs (7391* and counting)
  • Longest ODI Career (Debut: 26 Jun 1999)
  • Most Career Matches (220)
  • Most Consecutive Matches (109 – Between April 2004-February 2013)
  • Youngest Player to score 100+ (16)
  • Hundred on Debut (114*)
  • Most consecutive 50s (7 between 7 Feb-25 June 2017, 70*, 64, 73*, 51*, 54, 62*, 71)
  • Joint Most 90s (5)
  • Most Matches as ODI Captain (143)
  • 2nd Most Innings Without Duck (74)
  • 4th Most Catches (58)
  • 5th Highest Career Batting Average (51.32)

T20Is

  • 2nd Fastest to 2000 Runs
  • 3rd Highest Average (37.52)
  • 2nd Most consecutive 50s (4 – 62, 73*, 54*, 76*)
Embed from Getty Images

Mithali Raj Awards

  • 2003 – Arjuna Award
  • 2005-2021 – ICC #1 ODI Batter (9 times in 15 Years)
  • 2015 – Padma Shri
  • 2017 – Wisden Leading Women Cricket in the World
  • 2017 – BBC 100 Women
  • 2021 – Khel Ratna

Jhulan Goswami Stats

MatchesWicketsBestAverageEconomy5W (Test)/
4 W (ODI/T20I)
10 W (Test)/
5 W (ODI/T20I)
RunsBest50s
Tests12445/25 (Innings)
10/78 (Match)
17.3631291692
ODIs1922406/3121.593.31721162571
T20Is68655/1121.945.450140537*0
Jhulan Goswami Career Statistics

Jhulan Goswami Records

Tests

  • Youngest player to take a 10-wicket haul in a women’s Test (23 years)
  • Most Wickets Taken LBW (18)

ODIs

  • Most Wickets (240)
  • Most Balls bowled in career (9387* and counting)
  • Highest Number of Days As #1 Bowler
  • 2nd Longest ODI career (debut 6 January, 2002)
  • Most Wickets Taken LBW (53)
  • 3rd – Most 4 wickets in an innings (9)
  • One of 10 players with 100+ wickets/1000+ Runs
  • 2nd Most Catches
  • Most ducks (17 – Ouch)

T20Is

  • 3rd Most maidens

Jhulan Goswami Awards

  • 2007 – ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year
  • 2010 – Arjuna Award
  • 2012 – Padma Sri
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International Success

Mithali Raj became a core member in the early 2000s. Two of her most prominent innings in this phase was the 214 against England in Taunton and 91* vs New Zealand in the 2005 World Cup semi-final.

Jhulan Goswami’s best days came between 2006 & 2008. Her all-round form (3-46 & 2-62, 69 at #3, 5-33 & 5-45) helped India win a Test series in England on her way to become the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year.

World Cup Dream

Although Raj & Goswami have accomplished almost everything in the sport, there is one elusive achievement they have yet to realize—the World Cup dream.

Bright Promises

Mithali Raj has played in 5 ODI World Cups, dating back to the 2000 Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, when India made the semi-finals. Next time in 2005, both Jhulan & captain made the team. It would be India’s first run to the World Cup final, losing to Australia. Raj was India’s highest scorer with 199 runs (5th overall), and Jhulan was at #3 in the wickets (13 wickets).

Then followed two World Cups of relative disappointments.

Rock Bottom of 2009 & 2013

In 2009, India did not make it past the Super Six stage, but Raj made it into the Team of the tournament (247 runs, 2 – 50s, best of 75*). Goswami, who did not have a great time with the ball, was India’s captain during the tournament.

The 2013 Cricket World Cup, however, was arguably the lowest moment as India failed to get out of the qualifying stage. This time captaincy was back with Mithali Raj while Jhulan had a decent tournament with 9 wickets in just 4 games. Raj did score a 103* against Pakistan for the 7th Place Playoffs.

Embed from Getty Images

Around this time, Jhulan & Raj graduated to become the seniors in the Indian national setup. In the 2010 T20 World Cup, Goswami recalls a conversation with Raj,

“I think we should take women’s cricket to such a platform where the young girls can get inspired…People won’t recognize women’s cricket until we do something at the World Cup.”

2017 World Cup and the Broken Dream

The moment came in the form of the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup, which was the watershed moment for world cricket and eventually lead to the grand success of the 2020 T20 World Cup final.

Post-2017, media coverage, funding, and women’s cricket grew in leaps and bounds. Mithali Raj herself reflects that she had more interviews after 2017 then in the first 18 years of her career.

India’s successful march to the finals was another great storyline of the tournament. By this time, a good core had formed around Raj & Goswami with Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav, and Punam Raut all contributing with match -winning performances.

Raj followed up her consistent scores of 71, 45, 53, 69 with a 109-run knock against New Zealand. She ended up as the second highest run getter of the tournament with 409 runs (1 run behind Tammy Beaumont). Goswami had a decent run herself, taking 10 wickets overall with the best of 3/23 and providing India with miserly opening sells.

Despite the golden run, it was not to be as Anya Shrubsole’s magic deprived India of the World Cup victory.

So close, yet so far. Broken Cricket Dream.

T20 World Cups

India has not had the rub of the green in the T20 World Cups in T20 World Cups either. After qualifying for the semi-finals in 2009 & 2010, they crashed out in the group stages in 2012.

They did not get far in 2014 & 2016 either except that Mithali Raj was the 3rd highest run getter with 208 runs in 2014.

In 2018, India had a bright run with 4 wins in 4 matches in the group stage before crashing out in the semi-finals again. Mithali had retired by the time 2020 T20 World Cup came around and Jhulan did not play in a T20 World Cup since 2016.

Embed from Getty Images

Captaincy & Controversies

Jhulan Goswami was India’s captain briefly from 2008 to 2011, captaining India in 25 ODIs (W: 12, L: 13).

Mithali Raj, on the other hand, has had a couple of captaincy stints. First was around the 2005 ODI Women’s World Cup, the second stint during the 2013 World Cup, and the final one around the 2017 Women’s World Cup. In all, she captained India in 8 Tests (W:3, D: 4, L: 1) and 143 ODIs (W: 85, L: 55), the most by any Indian captain.

The Captaincy-Controversy Complex

These days India’s captaincy is synonymous with controversy. The same applies here as well.

Although Ramesh Powar is back as India’s head coach now and the relationship has reconciled, in 2018, a public battle of words between Raj & coach Ramesh Power took place. There was discussion on Raj’s strike rate and batting position during the 2018 T20 World Cup and she was eventually dropped from the 2018 semifinals, which India lost.

Eventually, Mithali Raj retired from the T20Is in 2019 and Harmanpreet Kaur replaced Mithali as captain.

Women’s IPL Without Goswami & Raj Already a Failure for BCCI

Women’s IPL or the lack of has been a hot topic of discussion lately.

However, it has already failed before it began. In order to cultivate a strong fan base, Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami would have been wonderful ambassadors as players. I am sure they will still be invovled in some way or the other, but without creating a team around them, the BCCI has already lost a golden opportunity.

They have given everything for Indian cricket. They deserve one final farewell, preferably in front of their home crowd.

What Can We Learn from Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami?

Just like the 1997 World Cup moment inspired her, Jhulan herself has inspired numerous other cricketers like Pakistan’s Kainat Imtiaz (who was a ball picker when India toured Pakistan in 2005).

The legacies of Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami are far beyond the numbers. They have not only changed cricket but have also changed the perception of fans towards women’s cricket.

When they debuted, Indian women’s cricket was not at a great place. BCCI had not taken over women’s cricket yet, lots of the early tours required self-sponsoring, practices were on turf wickets, and the facilities/physios were not as prominent back then.

The fact that India has reached so many semi-finals & finals and a trophy seems to be right around the corner is credit to their work over the years. Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami have not only contributed by their own skills but have also mentored and brought others along the way.

Life Lessons

Longevity & consistency, coming back from disappointments, breaking barriers, mentoring others, staying focused on your goals, and always, always daring to dreamThis is what Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami teach me.

I hope their magnificent careers and lives teaches you some valuable life lessons as well.

Quotes on Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami

Here is some advice in their own words.

“Young boys and young girls saying – We saw your match, we want to play cricket, where can we go, and enroll ourselves? So that’s a success for me, because getting the girls to watch cricket is a big thing.’

– Mithali Raj on Breakfast with Champions

“”Be committed and persistent in what [you] do. Channel your energy and be consistent”

– Mithali Raj advice to young girls in DRS With Ash

“But winning the World Cup was a dream. You chase that dream. You wake up every day and think about lifting that trophy…But that blot will remain unless you win the World Cup. Irrespective of me being in the team or not.”

-Jhulan Goswami on the World Cup dream

“I live with this dream. I live with this passion and want to do something for women’s cricket.”

-Jhulan Goswami on Women’s Cricket

“You have been a trendsetter…an inspiration…and a role model.”

– R Ashwin on Mithali Raj

Final Hurrah for the Iconic Duo?

Raj & Goswami are still fit and raring to go as we saw against Australia series this year. Goswami redeemed herself from a high pressure last over no-ball with a match winning shot in the very next game. They still have it in them.

On March 5th, 2022, India begins its journey to the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup against Pakistan. Who knows, these might be the final 7 games that we might see of these legends.

We all hope that they can go two steps forward and achieve their World Cup dream. But even if they do not, it has been two delightful careers sandwiched in one that have mesmerized the fans for two decades.

Memories to behold.

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Jhulan Goswami Videos and Articles

  1. Jaffa To dismiss Meg Lanning
  2. 2017 ODI World Cup – Jhulan Goswami Feature
  3. Through The Gates to Alyssa Healy in a T20I
  4. Goswami’s Redemption in the 3rd ODI vs Australia
  5. Article by Niyantha Shekhar (ESPNCricinfo’s Cricket Monthly)

Mithali Raj Videos, Articles, Book, and Biopic

  1. Mithali Raj Sixes
  2. Chat With Ravichandran Ashwin in DRS With Ash
  3. Breakfast With Champions
  4. Article by Shashank Kishore (ESPNCricinfo’s Cricket Monthly)
  5. Interview With Annesa Ghosh (ESPNCricinfo’s Cricket Monthly)
  6. Unguarded (Autobiography)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where Is Mithali Raj from?

Mithali Raj was born in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India but currently resides in Hyderabad.

When is Mithali Raj’s Birthday?

Mithali Raj was born on December 3, 1982.

Where is Jhulan Goswami from?

Goswami was born in Chakdaha, West Bengal, India.

When is Jhulan Goswami’s Birthday?

Jhulan Goswami was born on November 25, 1983.

What teams has Jhulan Goswami played for?

Goswami has played for India, India Green, Asia Women XI, Bengal, East Zone, and the Trailblazers.

Which teams has Mithali Raj played for?

Raj has played for India, India Blue, Asia Women XI, Railways, Air India, and Velocity.

Further Reading: Women’s Cricket

Further Reading: Cricketing Heroes

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© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 12/22/2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Netflix ‘Bad Sport’ Fallen Idol Review: Must Watch for All Cricket Fans – How Will History Judge Hansie Cronje?

On the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s first ODI since international readmission on 10th November 1991 against India, we review Netflix’s Fallen Idol episode of their seriesBad Sport.’

This is Hansie Cronje’s story & his fall from grace during the infamous match-fixing scandal. What was going in Cronje’s mind? How did his teammates and family feel? What about the South African public? And most importantly, what was the investigation like?

Table of Contents

  1. Fallen Idol Detail & Information
  2. Hansie Cronje Fallen Idol Summary and Review
  3. Verdict: To Watch or Not To Watch?
  4. How will History Judge Hansie Cronje and Life Lessons We All Can Learn From Him
  5. Who Was Hansie Cronje?
    1. Hansie Cronje Stats
  6. Other Features on South African Cricket

Fallen Idol Detail & Information

Episode Name: Fallen Idol

Netflix Summary: Hansie Cronje captivates South Africa as the nation’s charismatic cricket captain, but allegations of match fixing besmirch his sterling reputation

Protagonist: Hansie Cronje

Major Characters: Allan Donald, Herschelle Gibbs, Jonathan Agnew, Cronje’s brother, sister, and wife, and Marlon Aronstam, bookie that started it all.

Release Date: October 6, 2021

Length: 1 hour, 6 minutes

Rating: 4.5/5

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Other Episodes: Hoop Schemes (USA college basketball), Need for Weed (Auto Racing), Soccergate (Juventus scandal), Gold War (2002 Winter Olympics), Horse hitman (Show Horses)

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Hansie Cronje Fallen Idol Summary and Review

The episode begins by the dramatic introduction of Marlon Aronstam, the bookie himself, who admits that

“I should never have been able to get close to him.”

The addition of bookmaker, journalists, as well as Allan Donald & Herschelle Gibbs, Fallen Idol goes to the next level. With a series of interviews, we get to know who Hansie Cronje really was and the circumstances of that time.

The documentary traces it step back and walks us through the brief history of South African cricket circa 1992. Violence, apartheid, Nelson Mandela, and the reinstatement of South African cricket. Where did Cronje fit in this complex society?

Cronje’s character is painted as this prominent unifying figure of post-apartheid South Africa, whose stature is only next to the great Nelson Mandela.

Next, the series dives into the details of his rising captaincy & career. We swiftly get into the backdrop of India’s illegal betting environment along with Delhi police’s investigation into the matter of match-fixing.

Hansie Cronje’s untainted heroic figure comes crashing down as allegations surface. The film ends with his unfortunate death in a plane crash, but not before it all comes together at the end with the live jury video and Cronje’s confession.

“I cannot tell you the huge shame that it’s caused me, the great passion I have for my country, great passion have for my teammates, and the unfortunate love I have for money…Yes I accepted money from bookmakers. Yes, I was trying to feed them information. But I promise you every time I walked onto the field, I gave my all for South Africa.

– Hansie Cronje
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Verdict: To Watch or Not To Watch?

Without a doubt, this is a must watch documentary episode on one of cricket’s most polarizing figures.

Think of this as extended YouTube highlights meshed into a professionally made documentary. There are highlight packages for the casual cricket fan to enjoy – SA vs Australia (Cronje’s captaincy debut), England vs SA (The infamous double forfeited Test feat Nasser Hussain), and SA’s tour of India.

What makes this a beautiful heartfelt documentary is the first hand experience of those closest to Cronje. How did they feel during the investigation and when he confessed? The fans and administrators were crushed for sure, but what is so revealing in the documentary is how his trusted friends and family felt.

I even had a couple of teardrops at the end. Keep a tissue nearby while watching this. Emotions Galore.

How will History Judge Hansie Cronje and Life Lessons We All Can Learn From Him

We can now reflect on South Africa’s readmission to cricket. 30 years on, wounds have not healed. They may have even become exacerbated. With Quinton de Kock & the knee affair in the T20 World Cup, the quota system, and racist allegations within the team surfacing in recent hearings, the fabric of South African cricket society is unraveling. The documentary hints that even though Cronje was a symbol of unity, he did pressure Herschelle Gibbs & Henry Williams, players of mixed and colored origin.

When the match-fixing saga happened, I was too little to remember anything. Later when I grew up, I always had a negative image of Cronje.

Objectively, Cronje damaged international cricket’s credibility and hurt fans all around the world.

However, what this documentary revealed to me is that there are several layers to consider before making a naive judgment. Hansie Cronje (and for that matter, Mohammad Azharuddin) were influential cultural icons of their time, beyond cricket.

Hansie Cronje was human. Humans have flaws. He confessed that he always gave it his all for the country, but money got the better of him. And that was his Achilles’ heel.

His brother mentioned towards the end that although South Africans have been through a lot, they are a forgiving society especially in context of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Politicians with criminal background have been forgiven and are now parliamentary members.

Forgiveness is an important life lesson in all of this. At the end of the day, we can only come together and live peacefully, both internally and externally, if we forgive.

Will history forgive Hansie Cronje? Will you?

I will leave you all with this quote.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

– Martin luther king jr.

Who Was Hansie Cronje?

Hansie Cronje was without doubt one of the greatest captains in cricket, especially for South Africa. You probably remember the semi-final drama that ended South Africa’s WC dreams under his captaincy, but he was much more than that. Here are some stats and figures.

Born: 25 September, 1969

Died: 1 January, 2002 (32 years old)

Hansie Cronje Stats

Tests: 68 matches, 3714 runs, best of 135, 36.41 average, 100s/50s – 6/23, 43 wickets, Best Inn – 3/14, Best Match – 5/34

Captained: 53 Tests, Won 27, Lost 11

ODIs: 188 matches, 5565 runs, best of 112, 38.64 average, 100s/50s – 2/39, 114 wickets, Best – 5/32

Captained: 138 ODIs, 99 Wins, 1 Tie

  • Most consecutive matches as captain of an ODI Team (130 ODIs – and you guessed it right, the 2nd on this list is none other than Mohammad Azharuddin)
  • Test series win in India
  • Test series victory against all countries not named Australia
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Other Features on South African Cricket

Also Read: 200th Article Special: 5 Things I have Learned From My Journey of Cricket Writing, Top 51 Greatest South African Cricketers of All-Time (Updated 2024)

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 11/11/2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Image Courtesy: Ghaith baazaoui, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons