State of Indian Cricket
Let me first introduce myself as this is my first post, for those of you who don't have the time to actually get to my profile. My name is Supratik and am about 39 and Chartered Accountant by profession (how mundane). An insufferable cricket fanatic, I have just returned to India from Dubai and on a sabbatical (jobless if you are an old timer). Hence the time at hand.
Have finished reading a few books on Indian Cricket in the past few months. Liked most of them, but none more than Guha's 'Corner of a Foreign Field'. Went on a time-machine so to say to those days when the CKs, Lalas & Ranjis & Duleeps ruled Indian cricket psyche and was pondering over what kind of rigmarole Indian Cricket has been through. And then comes the latest episode "The Ganguly Saga". We have already seen a tumultous response, completely polarised and is getting murkier by the day. Eminent writers,journalists,mediamen,websites, novices, politicians (god save the prince of cal), have all had a swing either way.
Hunger strikes are on here at Cal, Train services have been disrupted, 'Bandhs' are being planned. But has anyone thought where does Indian Cricket stand after this episode ?
Let's not go into the rights and wrongs of dropping Ganguly and just let us try to get into the minds (hypothetically ofcourse) of the players who will take the field in the future, starting with the batting order.
1) 'Viru' Sehwag - He will be captaining India in Ahmedabad in Dravid's absence and even after acknowledging the fact that he is the last kind to get affected by bowlers let alone 'outside-the-field' issues, will he be really at peace ? He was one of the four marked men for the coach. 'Dada's Man' at one point of time, not a great fielder, decent mid-riff, slam-bang approach. What lies in store for me, he might say.
2) Gambhir - Hanging by the thread - competitor Jaffer brought in. May be I will slip away to the black hole of domestic cricket.
3) Jaffer - Son of a BEST conductor. Current giant of Ranji Trophy, A greenhorn in the Chappell regime. My past stint in International Cricket was poor. Might try to compare to compare Chappell with Wright, Dravid with Ganguly. I have no clue what I have got into, he might say.
4) Dravid - The one who was the 'best man' bear hugging his buddy at various highs achieved by Team India under Ganguly-Wright regime, now the chosen one. Doesn't open his mouth in selection meetings, 'happy with the team he is given', is this the Dravid we have known for the last 10 years. Down with flu, gastroenteritis,etc. and currently hospitalised. Is it pscyhosomatic ? that he can't undo a wrong. or is it guilt. Is the 'wall' crumbling ?
5) Tendulkar - When he should have been celebrating his record-breaking century, upstaged by a blunderous selectorial decision. He is a focussed genius no doubt, but would he be at peace at the treatment meted out to his original successor to the hotbed of captaincy. Rumours are that he was the only one to visit the forlorn Ganguly after the stab in the back, but no comments. He may ask. Remember the coach had originally said that Sachin will not be the same player again, later made a slight change saying that he will have new challenges ! He will remember, I am the original mentor. What fate will befall me?
6) Laxman - Hanging by a very very special thread. Confused. If they can do this to SCG, what about me ? After all I too am no spring chicken, ODI place is history, what remains ahead of me ?
7) Yuvraj - I am taking the place of my biggest supporter. An opportunity yes, but at what cost ? Let's say I am selfish but cricket is a cruel game, if i fail a few times tomorrow, who will back me, Dada is no longer there to support my inclusion in the squad at all times.
8) Kaif - much as same as Yuvi, but no light at the end of the tunnel. I am playing in Ahmedabad instead of Dravid, but what when he gets back. I know I should get in place of Laxman but who will back me, Dada is not there and anyway Dada was a threat to the powers that be, but VVS is not. What do I do
9) Dhoni - Not much affected, coach's darling at the moment. But will note that if this happens to a once-upon-a-time stalwart, what can happen to him ? Definitely would not like to be a mentor till the 2007 World Cup.
10) Irfan - Not much affected again, but is getting into the needless debate of being an 'all-rounder' or not. Coach finally decides he is an allrounder,but the captain sides with him that he is not. Right now the floater of the side (meaning can go from No:1 to No:9 in the batting line-up) but failure to live up to the tag can cause disaster.
11)Agarkar - The beneficiary temporarily. But no life-lines left. Lock out time, either way. Lives as long as the jaundiced eye towards Zaheer remains.
12) Kumble - Banished from the ODIs. No one was apologetic unlike the previous comrades who is licking his wounds at the moment. No dangers in the Test arena yet or have i forgotten a Chawla !!?
13) Harbhajan - The worst suffering. Mouth has been shut, form up-and-down, will not be surprised if he fades away, since he was the other one on the cancerous radar
14) Kartik - No change is stature. On the fringes. Hell I was born at the wrong time ?
15) Zaheer & Nehra - Cancerous cells, chemotherapy undertaken, eliminated. &&&&&&&&
16) Sourav Ganguly - Sourav's Pavilion is doing well with an increased footfall of 40% in the multi-cuisine restaurant, will get 2 more acres for the cricket academy, the Parliament might ask him to retire and stop taking so much of it's time and as a compensation might offer to give him an ambassador's posting to Australia !!
Have finished reading a few books on Indian Cricket in the past few months. Liked most of them, but none more than Guha's 'Corner of a Foreign Field'. Went on a time-machine so to say to those days when the CKs, Lalas & Ranjis & Duleeps ruled Indian cricket psyche and was pondering over what kind of rigmarole Indian Cricket has been through. And then comes the latest episode "The Ganguly Saga". We have already seen a tumultous response, completely polarised and is getting murkier by the day. Eminent writers,journalists,mediamen,websites, novices, politicians (god save the prince of cal), have all had a swing either way.
Hunger strikes are on here at Cal, Train services have been disrupted, 'Bandhs' are being planned. But has anyone thought where does Indian Cricket stand after this episode ?
Let's not go into the rights and wrongs of dropping Ganguly and just let us try to get into the minds (hypothetically ofcourse) of the players who will take the field in the future, starting with the batting order.
1) 'Viru' Sehwag - He will be captaining India in Ahmedabad in Dravid's absence and even after acknowledging the fact that he is the last kind to get affected by bowlers let alone 'outside-the-field' issues, will he be really at peace ? He was one of the four marked men for the coach. 'Dada's Man' at one point of time, not a great fielder, decent mid-riff, slam-bang approach. What lies in store for me, he might say.
2) Gambhir - Hanging by the thread - competitor Jaffer brought in. May be I will slip away to the black hole of domestic cricket.
3) Jaffer - Son of a BEST conductor. Current giant of Ranji Trophy, A greenhorn in the Chappell regime. My past stint in International Cricket was poor. Might try to compare to compare Chappell with Wright, Dravid with Ganguly. I have no clue what I have got into, he might say.
4) Dravid - The one who was the 'best man' bear hugging his buddy at various highs achieved by Team India under Ganguly-Wright regime, now the chosen one. Doesn't open his mouth in selection meetings, 'happy with the team he is given', is this the Dravid we have known for the last 10 years. Down with flu, gastroenteritis,etc. and currently hospitalised. Is it pscyhosomatic ? that he can't undo a wrong. or is it guilt. Is the 'wall' crumbling ?
5) Tendulkar - When he should have been celebrating his record-breaking century, upstaged by a blunderous selectorial decision. He is a focussed genius no doubt, but would he be at peace at the treatment meted out to his original successor to the hotbed of captaincy. Rumours are that he was the only one to visit the forlorn Ganguly after the stab in the back, but no comments. He may ask. Remember the coach had originally said that Sachin will not be the same player again, later made a slight change saying that he will have new challenges ! He will remember, I am the original mentor. What fate will befall me?
6) Laxman - Hanging by a very very special thread. Confused. If they can do this to SCG, what about me ? After all I too am no spring chicken, ODI place is history, what remains ahead of me ?
7) Yuvraj - I am taking the place of my biggest supporter. An opportunity yes, but at what cost ? Let's say I am selfish but cricket is a cruel game, if i fail a few times tomorrow, who will back me, Dada is no longer there to support my inclusion in the squad at all times.
8) Kaif - much as same as Yuvi, but no light at the end of the tunnel. I am playing in Ahmedabad instead of Dravid, but what when he gets back. I know I should get in place of Laxman but who will back me, Dada is not there and anyway Dada was a threat to the powers that be, but VVS is not. What do I do
9) Dhoni - Not much affected, coach's darling at the moment. But will note that if this happens to a once-upon-a-time stalwart, what can happen to him ? Definitely would not like to be a mentor till the 2007 World Cup.
10) Irfan - Not much affected again, but is getting into the needless debate of being an 'all-rounder' or not. Coach finally decides he is an allrounder,but the captain sides with him that he is not. Right now the floater of the side (meaning can go from No:1 to No:9 in the batting line-up) but failure to live up to the tag can cause disaster.
11)Agarkar - The beneficiary temporarily. But no life-lines left. Lock out time, either way. Lives as long as the jaundiced eye towards Zaheer remains.
12) Kumble - Banished from the ODIs. No one was apologetic unlike the previous comrades who is licking his wounds at the moment. No dangers in the Test arena yet or have i forgotten a Chawla !!?
13) Harbhajan - The worst suffering. Mouth has been shut, form up-and-down, will not be surprised if he fades away, since he was the other one on the cancerous radar
14) Kartik - No change is stature. On the fringes. Hell I was born at the wrong time ?
15) Zaheer & Nehra - Cancerous cells, chemotherapy undertaken, eliminated. &&&&&&&&
16) Sourav Ganguly - Sourav's Pavilion is doing well with an increased footfall of 40% in the multi-cuisine restaurant, will get 2 more acres for the cricket academy, the Parliament might ask him to retire and stop taking so much of it's time and as a compensation might offer to give him an ambassador's posting to Australia !!
posted by Supratik at 7:30 PM
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