Who spoiled the cricketing career of Mohammed Kaif?

 Mohammad Kaif : The Promise, The Light and The Shadows

Two young shoulders did wonders with their batting skills in the NatWest series of 2002, while one found the stardom and fans love, the other lost the way in-between. Mohammad Kaif with his 87 from just 75 balls sparked an awakening of the new era of Cricket where we had game changers in our team and they were not the legends of the game but the young blood.

With the rules of the game moving fast at a pace where you ought to be quicker to adapt, while a pack of young talent around the bench waiting for a chance to prove themselves would always have been a pressurized situation for anyone. But Kaif at the beginning started doing his pretty well to be in the team as a regular for the shorter format of the game.

But with time, the game moved on, but he didn't. A career that started a big promise when he won the U19 World cup 2000 as a captain, to the brilliant player that never gave up, finally ended in the shadows that never got a call back.

The Live Wire in fielding

He was still lightening quick in the field saving runs with his excellent fielding skills. Sharp in the the 30-yards circle with almost Jonty like diving skills with a almost perfect throws to click run-outs of nowhere. Remember the Nick Knight's run-out, man that was some agility. Along with Yuvi around him, the two of them were the live wires in the game for team India and no one did take a chance against them if they were half hearted.

The Batting Style : The worrying strike rate

To me he was never a hard hitting batsman, he was someone who could be more like Dravid who believed in the quick ones and twos with an odd boundary around but with the change in game when even the legends upwards their strike rates after initial games Kaif was found struggling with that. With a place in the team which was playing in and around number 6 or 7, he lacked the big hitting skills that was needed with the change of game.

He was in his early days was a middle order batsman for the team in U19 but we had a complete set of players who were irreplaceable at that moment of time due to the heights of their career and performances. This effected his game right away. He tried to adapt but failed. The fact that whenever he got a chance up the order he tried to better up his innings, in ODI's he even averages 47.38 at number 3 position which naturally suited him to make his game but he was getting really slow with his striking rate.

Mohammad Kaif was striking at a worrying figure of around 72 with majority of his innings below the average 70 mark, which was a definite no-go for the team in the latter of the mid 2000’s. The game that lacked confidence.

While India was in search of bowling all-rounders for the lower order who could hit big shots to end the innings at a greater note while add to the bowling line up as an extra bowler to help the team in odd situations.

But the question remains why was he lacking confidence when he had such a great domestic record?

Was it the bench pressure or was it something different?

What Went Wrong For Mohammad Kaif?

A promising career that died a premature death. But many facts led to this not only his batting skills. The man who still plays wonder innings in the domestic season was low on confidence in the International scenario, the reason couldn't be only his batting technique or abilities.

Conspiracy theories around Kaif said that he was a victim of dressing room politics while I think the tactical changes made the bigger difference and decreased the confidence of many players in the team.

Conspiracy theories abound. Some say he got caught up in dressing room politics while others blame Greg Chappell. But let us hear what he had to say about his downfall.

I quote the words spoke by Kaif, “When managements change, so do attitudes. The decision makers who followed Sourav Ganguly and John Wright - coach Greg Chappell and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar - didn't have the same confidence in me. I came under pressure, and failed. Looking back, I should've spoken to them more, rather than just focus on making runs. I suffered due to my reserved nature.”

He also went on record saying, “He questioned my fielding technique and it left me so confused that I dropped a catch in the very next game. Chappell created an atmosphere where the players were backbiting about each other rather than focusing on their performances."

The Domestic Regrets

Kaif opened up and said that he also regrets the fact, he was in too much of confused state when he played the domestic season with desperation to make a return, he said, “To make it worse, I started asking everyone what I needed to do to make a comeback. Interestingly, everyone else who was dropped after me made a comeback, except me.”

Gradually his domestic runs increased beyond 10000 runs but at a much slower rate and average of runs. This is what low on confidence can do to a talent like Mohammad Kaif.

The words are crystal clear to provide a meaning but to the world of Indian Cricket changed its views about young blood, Kaif was one prominent reason for it and his contributions ended unceremoniously at a note of disgrace and forgotten among the new generation of blood that had more than just performances in them. Yet he would be a name that would find a place in heart of every single fan of Cricket who saw the budding matches of India as a team.

Even though he never scored big, I will always remember him as a game changer for team India who made fielding an extra batsman for the team by saving much counted important runs from adding to the totals tally, while he would spring onto the field to pull out a stunner through run-outs or half chances of catch which always made him special. A trait that has now a place in every youngster that takes the field for team India.

Cheers to Cricket and the forgotten talent of Mohammad Kaif.

What destroyed Yuvraj Singh's career?

 Most people blame cricketers like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli for destroying the career of Yuvraj Singh but I do not find any of the allegations true in the aspect. The career of Yuvraj Singh was destroyed by his severe illness and the fact that he could hardly make a comeback in cricket after he recovered from the illness. If you remember, Yuvraj Singh was a part of the team even after his recovery, but could not make it to World Cup 2015 because the selector Roger Binny found his son Stuart Binny more capable than Yuvraj Singh.

And Yuvraj Singh even made his comeback under Kohli when he hit his highest score in ODI against Engalnd. But since he could not keep his performance intact later, he was out of the team and could never come back.

What are the major career highlights of Nagarjuna?

 His first movie Vikram released on May 24, 1986 and was a remake of the Hindi film Hero starring Jackie Shroff. After acting in four films, he acted in Majnu as a tragedy hero; similar roles were known to be his father's forte. He acted with his father in the movie Collectorgari Abbayi. His first big hit was Akhari Poraatam co-starring Sridevi that ran for 100 days in 12 centres.

Geethanjali, a love story directed by Maniratnam followed by Shiva an action film directed by Ram Gopal Varma were highly successful and established him as one of the top heroes. During this phase of his career he relished working with new directors such as Ram Gopal Varma in order to recreate his screen persona and enjoy a certain creative energy, through the fresh approach of these young directors.

He also made his Bollywood debut with the Hindi remake of Shiva. Movies such as President Gari Pellam and Hello Brother gave him the status of a mass hero. After that, Ninne Pelladutha directed by Krishna Vamsi appealed to a broad cross section of people, both young and mature. The movie was a big success at the box office.

Later, he took up the challenge of portraying Annamacharya, the legendary singer/poet of medieval times in the movie Annamayya. It ran for 100 days in 42 centres and is one of the biggest hits in Tollywood. He won the National Award for this role in the Special Jury category.

In 2004, Nagarjuna had two releases, Nenunnanu and Mass, the latter going on to become a hit. In 2005, Nagarjuna had one release, Super. Super didn't reach up to the exceptations. Then in 2006, Nagarjuna had two releases, Sri Ramadasu, a period film based on the life of great saint-composer Ramadasu, directed by K. Raghavendra Rao, and Boss, I Love You.

Sri Ramadasu was a big hit at the box office and he got the Nandi award for Sri Ramadasu but Boss, I Love You was a flop. His earlier release Don, was directed by Raghava Lawrence. His next release King, was directed by Sreenu Vaitla and was a big hit.

Nagarjuna revived his father's production Annapurna Studios which has become one of the most successful production companies of recent times in Tollywood. He never hesitated to experiment when he produced films. He gave a chance to a newcomer who had no prior experience in movies to direct him. The newcomer didn't disappoint him and went on to become one of the finest directors of the Indian film industry.

The director is none other than Ram Gopal Verma. Nagarjuna is also known for his swiftness in decision making. He agreed to work with Krishna Vamsi (director) after seeing a 10-minute-rushes of the director's film Gulabi. His decision proved to be bang on target as they made the blockbuster movie Ninne Pelladutha.

What did Shashi Kapoor see in Amitabh Bachchan that led him to advise against taking minor roles early in Bachchan’s career?

 This incident happened on the sets of Merchant Ivory productions Bombay Talkies in 1970.

Shashi Kapoor was the lead actor of the film and this was the time when Amitabh Bachchan was struggling as an actor to get work. Amitabh Bachchan tells us that he was told that he has to be part of the crowd and he will be paid for that so he agreed our of desperation even though he was playing an extra in the crowd. In the film’s last scene when Shashi Kapoor’s funeral scene was picturised Amitabh was part of the crowd. So the crowd scenes were shot without Shashi Kapoor.

When Shashi Kapoor came to set, he was surprised to see Amitabh Bachchan there. He asked him what is he doing there? Amitabh told him he is working as extra for some money. Shashi Kapoor became livid and he scolded Amitabh that he should not ruin his career by doing bit roles as he is meant for bigger things given his performance in his debut film Saat Hindustani which had fetched him a National Award. So why should he work as an extra? Shashi Kapoor got that scene removed from the film.

It was not just Shashi Kapoor but the great director Hrishikesh Mukherjee who believed that Amitabh Bachchan was meant for bigger things. During the same time Amitabh Bachchan was signed by Mukherjee for Guddi, even though it was a heroine centric role and the make lead was a small role. A few months later Amitabh’s and Mukherjee’s film Anand released and became a cult film. Hrishikesh Mukherjee realised that Amitabh has much more potential which should not be wasted in a small role like Guddi. So he asked him to leave the film and do bigger films (Hrishikesh Mukherjee eventually gave him many defining roles of his career including Namak Haraam, Abhimaan, Chupke Chupke etc).

Which was that one match that changed a player's entire cricketing career?

 “281 was definitely a very memorable knock and a match for me, that Kolkata Test match and the series itself. But scoring 281 was not a surprise for me. It was 167 that changed my career. That century was a turning point of my life. It removed all doubts and apprehensions from my mind.”

VVS Laxman, at the ceremony of his Autobiography release, handpicked his maiden century against Australia at Sydney in 2000 as the best of the lot out of his 17 Test tons.

India tour of Australia, 1999–2000.

Indian Cricket was in total disarray those days. With no fixed openers, no permanent captain and not many effective bowlers in the squad, it was a testing time for players as well as fans. Also this series was probably the final chapter of Sachin's horrible career as a captain of the side.

First and second tests were totally one sided affairs with winning numbers like 285 and 180 runs for Australia.

Third test's defeat figure was even worse for India, but this match witnessed the rise of a Batsman who went on to not only challenge that invincibility of Australian team but, a year later, also break their longest winning streak, and eventually mark himself as the nightmare for Australian Cricket in the next decade.

3rd Test, Sydney, 2–4 January, 2000.

India was behind by 0–2 and there was no way that a clean sweep could have been avoided. Against Australia back then, a clean sweep used to be an usual story.

Sachin won the toss, elected to bat, and Indian batting line up was folded on 150 before tea as McGrath took 5 and Brett Lee scalped 4. They simply toyed with Indian Batsmen.

A bowling line up of McGrath, Fleming, Brett Lee and Shane Warne. All on their peak. Gosh!

In a reply, Langer thrashed a double century and Ponting scored 141. It was difficult to figure out that which part of Indian's display was worse, Batting or bowling. Aussies declared on 552/5.

On day 3, an experimental opening pair of MSK Prasad and VVS stepped out in the middle with a gigantic task of climbing to 402 to save an inning defeat.

And If I say that VVS test career looked like this, you might have a hard time to believe it.

It was itself a miracle that he made into 17th test despite a disappointing career like this. Seclectors had trusted him for one more time. Probably a last chance. And how had he delivered so far in the series? — 41, 0, 5, 1, 7. Such Sadness!

He was out there for the final time in the series. One more failure meant a definite drop from the team and The end of VVS Laxman.

VVS took the guard while Glen McGrath stretched his arm.

And on air was the man himself, Tony Greig.

Try to read it in his voice.

Have a look at those slips. They are absolutely everywhere. Huge slip cordern. Two—four—six men behind the wicket there. Seven if you include the wicket-keeper.

Glen McGrath about to get this inning underway.

And what does he do?

Smacks one into the turf straight away that goes whistling over the head of the batsman.

So, a bouncer says Good Afternoon to India!

Tony Greig: Such a pleasure to ears!

In his very next over, McGrath fired another bouncer which thwacked right into the flush of jaw-bone of VVS. He fell on the ground. Scary stuff!

McGrath started from where he had left it in the first inning. Firstly he sent MSK Prasad back to the pavilion and then produced a beauty to dismiss Dravid on duck. Worse came in the very next over when Sachin edged off Fleming.

Within no matter of time, India was reeling on 33–3. Two stars of Indian batting line up were already gone. Australia's pacers were looking frightening.

But let me tell you the missing point here. Out of those 33 runs, VVS contribution was 22 runs. That was a sign of beginning of a remarkable inning.

Dada joined him and a little resilience began.

VVS started flourishing his wristy stroke play that forced the world to sit back, forget the inevitable outcome and enjoy a remarkable piece of batsmanship.

Score was 76 and he had already completed his half century. He was dealing into boundaries and, believe me, it wasn't slogging. If you know even a bit about him then you must know that a slog from him is unimaginable.

It was a blend of elegance and ruthlessness. He hit Brett Lee for 4 fours in a single over. Lee was treated like never before.

Whether it was his kneeling-down-head-still cover drives, or square drives, or a flick against a lightning yorker from Brett Lee, or an inside out off Warne's snake-like delivery, or a fierce pull off McGrath's attempted bouncer, VVS was simply making the immensely difficult look ludicrously simple. Every shot of him looked as lazy as it was full of poise and audacity.

Dada got dismissed on 25 after a partnership of 68. Minutes later Kanitkar fell.

Thanks to Anil Kumble, who showed some resistance out there. By scoring 15, Kumble had bought enough time for VVS. They added 89 together with VVS scoring more than 70 out of it.

It was 161–5. He leg-glanced a Brett Lee delivery and brought his first international century.

100 out of 161. Wow!

100 runs, 114 balls, 16 Fours — By a 25 years old struggler with an average of 23 and no taste of an international century before — in the Aussies own yard — against a demon attack— in such authoritarian manner — on a day when other Giants had already surrendered,

It was the dawn of Very Very Special Laxman.

It didn't matter whether it was an Indian or an Aussie or any other countryman, every single person in the stadium rose on their feet, lifted their hands and clapped for a courageous, gorgeous and remarkable piece of batsmanship.

So did the Master himself.

Even after his century, wicket kept tumbling at the other end, but his classy show remained on course. Shane Warne was being mercilessly thrashed. When he completed his 150, he had hit 25 fours.

It was 258–8 as Brett Lee delivered an out-swinger which Laxman snicked to Gilchrist and ended a magnificent inning. Out of a total of 258, he scored 167 off 194 balls with 27 boundaries of absolute masterclass in an extreme adversity. An over later, India was all out for 261.

One can fancy the magnificence of VVS knock by the fact that Ganguly's 25 was the second highest individual score of Indian inning. Laxman single-handedly sent the Mighty Australians on a leather hunt.

The moment he began walking away from the crease, Brett Lee called him from behind to give him a warm applause and regards.

On the eve of 4th January 2000, under the setting Sun, amidst standing ovations and a huge cheer, The Newly born VVS Laxman walked back to the pavilion,

And Sir Richie Benaud stated on the air,

He has done a terrific job for Indian Cricket.

Richie had absolutely no hell of an idea that how rightly he had said it. This inning of VVS not only saved a place for him in Indian team, it also injected a belief in him that he could perform at the highest level of Cricket. He couldn't save the clean sweep that day but, just a year later, he played The Most Famous Knock of Indian Cricket history at the Eden Garden. Without Kolkata test, 2001, God knows where Indian Cricket would have been.

Without 167, VVS Laxman would not have existed, 281 would not have happened and there was no revolution in Indian Cricket.

There is a reason he rates 167 higher than 281 and he is utterly right about it.

Who are the top celebrities who destroyed their career by coming on live TV?

 There have been times where even celebrities couldn’t handle their stardom and committed some mistakes that blew off their career within seconds. Their one mistake or foolishness faded their career and now they can’t do anything to mend it, so let’s talk about them in brief.

So here are those Indian celebrities who destroyed their career on live TV!

1. Mandakini

The “Ram Teri Ganga Maili” actress, Mandakini was seen with Dawood Ibrahim in a stadium during a match in the year 1994 and that picture went viral within no time. Later rumors started spreading that Mandakini was Dawood’s mistress and he also used to blackmail directors to cast Mandakini in their movie. Due to such rumors her career went down and she then left acting and later married a doctor.

2. Shakti Kapoor

In the year 2005 a sting operation was held on him and it was recorded in a video that Shakti Kapoor was asking for sexual favors from the reporter and this news went so viral that the Film and Television Producers Guild of India banned him for doing so. This news couldn’t get proved and the ban against him got lifted.

3. Vivek Oberoi

Almost everyone knows that when Vivek Oberoi got romantically involved with Aishwarya Rai, things did not go well Salman and Vivek at that time because Salman was still in love with Aishwarya and did not like Vivek’s relation with Aishwarya. Once when Salman drunk dialed Vivek for over 42 times in a row, Vivek called for a press meet and told the media about how Salman Khan blackmailed him to leave Aishwarya, but things did not go the way Vivek wanted and the bullet backfired and Vivek’s career went down as Salman Khan had more power in his hands than Vivek.

4. Sreesanth

In 2013 Sreesanth got involved in spot fixing and got banned from any sort of cricket activity by BCCI for his whole life. He himself accepted this infront of the police and also told that he used towel for indication purpose to the bookie on TV.

5. Papon

Singer Papon forcefully kissed a minor girl on a reality show named Voice India Kids, a complaint was registered under his name for doing such inappropriate act on live tv. The complaint got registered under the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and after this particular incidents all his singing contracts got cancelled and everyone started boycotting him in the industry.

6. Vinod Kambli

Vinod Kambli was one of the top cricketers in the world and he came next to Sachin Tendulkar, but in 1996 he was accused to getting involved in a match fixing with India and his career went down eventually after that.

What are some of the most significant turning points in Amitabh Bachchan's career that contributed to his enduring success?

 The major turning points of Amitabh Bachchan’s career were

1969- His debut with Saat Hindustani and his first National award

1971- His first commercial success with Anand and his first Filmfare Award

1973- Amitabh became a star after strings of flops, with Zanjeer

1975- Amitabh dethroned Rajesh Khanna as the top star with a glorious year- 2 major Blockbusters (Sholay and Deewar) and another cult classic hit (Chupke Chupke)

1977- First Filmfare of Amitabh as lead actor- Amitabh as a megastar with massive hits every year.

1982- Amitabh's tragic accident and post recovery starts doing one or two film a year.

1984- Amitabh takes a sabbatical from films to enter politics

1988- Amitabh's return to cinema and the beginning of his decline with massively hyped films that underperformed - Shahenshah, Ganga Jamuna Saraswati, Toofan and his outright disaster film Jadugar.

1990- Won National award for Best Actor for Agneepath but the film flopped- Aaj ka Arjun one of his last solo hit as lead actor (Hum still had Rajnikanth and Govinda)

1992- takes another sabbatical after Khuda Gawah- starts ABCL corporation to produce films and TV. Apart from a delayed film Insaniyat and guest appearances he doesn't appear in a lead role for years.

1997- Amitabh returns to films with Mrutyudata which is a disaster. ABCL fails badly and Amitabh is in massive debts.

2000- second innings of Amitabh Bachchan with Mohabbatein and Kaun Banega Crorepati

2005- Another National award for Amitabh for Black- also wins both Best Actor Popular and Critics award for Black at the age of 63

2009- Another National and Filmfare Award for Paa at the age of 67

2015- National award and Filmfare Critics Award for Piku

83 years old and still getting lead roles- unlike Rajnikanth does meaningful roles and one of the greatest superstars of all times