NZ coach Gary Stead in news ! ~ Kiwis break their 9 match losing streak !

The nine match losing streak was broken – New Zealand at last won – they chased 348 with consummate ease – can you find out the reason for this change ! ~ read on !! – for long it was Rohit & Shikhar + Rahul vying for that opener spot.  Today, India had 2 new openers, Shreyas Iyer scored maiden century – put up steep target, yet lost.

Rajnikant, Vijayashanti starrer “Mannan” remake of Kannada film - Anuraga Aralithu,   released in 1992 was a great hit.  In one of the scenes, Rajni and Goundamani would take leave from factory on a false pretext, stand in queue buying ticket for Chinna Thambi on its 175th day…. the 1st man was to receive a gold chain and the 2nd a golden ring….. winners Rajni and Goundamani would be startled as the prizes would be given in the hands of Vijayashanthi, their factory boss,  to whom they had lied and had come to the movie……..  This post is on somebody taking leave, a planned holiday at that but  was criticized so strongly – who is right ? – is the criticism fair ??

Every Organisation would have a leave policy but many a times, employees would have to stand before their bosses pleading leave. Howsoever sincere one would be – still people  do stay away from work, perforce.  While a short absence should not affect, a long absence would sure affect the workplace and in some critical / key positions, even a shorter duration could spell trouble ! There are various types of leave available - generally it is perceived that employees of Govt and PSU enjoy many types of leaves and in most Private companies, the leave is very restricted.

Private company workers would be too unhappy to hear the word ‘truncation’ ie., in effect some leave evaporating   – even the available ones would lapse as bosses may not sanction leave and then leave balance could get truncated with the closure of year.   Here are some types of Leave : – Casual leave; Earned Leave(Privilege leave) ; Sick leave; Maternity Leave, Paternity leave, Bereavement leave; leave for election duty; leave to appear as witness; Additional Casual leave and more…..…..  Not to speak of the bizarre ones like the one that occurred once at the famed Eden Gardens -  veteran curator Prabir Mukherjee proceeded on a medical leave and termed the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) decision to sideline him for the third Test between India and England as an “insult.”

Former New Zealand captain Jeremy Coney has slammed the decision to allow Black Caps coach Gary Stead leave in the middle of the international cricket season. Stead is taking a planned break and will miss the one-day series against India after overseeing eight consecutive defeats by the Black Caps in various formats.  Coney hit out at the decision, saying: "Could you see Steve Hansen leaving the All Blacks after they're one down against the Lions".

Coney told Radio Sport he thought "the head coach and the main selector" would be around to oversee the transition from a 5-0 series T20 series loss to India to the ODI series in "the most important season we've had for 10 years". He said the Black Caps had been "marmalised" in Australia and lost "five-zip at home" to India. "It's a change in format, at a particular part of the season where there are different players coming back and returning and some new ones [coming in]. "A chance to turn it round, a chance to 'can we do something different, can we stop this bloody train." Coney said the head coach should be around to "oversee the change and the new players coming in" and to ensure "the exchange of information that's garnered from the first five games against the Indians."

He said the Black Caps had "an entirely new seam attack" for the ODI series and they needed to be told "when they might bowl, where they might even field on the pitch". "Wouldn't you think they would be talking about closing out games, who is the finisher in this team? Who could be not out at the end of the innings and get us across the line.  In a way, he is right, if the Team can play with Coach on leave – it can as well play without a Coach !

New Zealand Cricket however  has defended the under-fire national team’s head coach Gary Stead, who is drawn flak for taking a break in the middle of the ongoing home series against India, stating his week off was planned six months ago.

.. .. and it struck by sheer chance that Kiwis won – a proud win at that, chasing a high score, a record for them.  New Zealand finally collected a victory for themselves after coming close in three of the five-T20Is, and their performance today does suggest they cannot be considered pushovers despite losing the series 0-5. Taylor and Latham contributed with  their game-changing fourth-wicket stand, especially the way they handled the spinners with their series of sweeps. The ODI series has got so much more interesting now, and it remains to be seen how the Men in Blue respond come Friday.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

5^th Feb 2020.