This post is for cricket fans. Cricket fanatics, too. But impractical fans please keep off. And obvious as you might have guessed this post is on current India-England Series.
How many of you managed to watch India’s dismal performance yesterday (20-March-2006), the Day 3 of the test match? Well, I did not but I saw the highlights. I was amazed at the range of shots played by Anil Kumble and SreeSanth. It was simply superb. If anybody gets an opportunity just watch their performance. Dhoni & Pathan played an important innings. For few overs, they looked threatening but Pathan feel for a loose delivery and Dhoni was unlucky. But in my perspective, the only true threatening pair was Anil Kumble and SreeSanth!!! Just watch how A & S plundered the blowing attack of the Hoggard and Flintoff. H & F were the prime assassins who wiped out our top-order in all the 3 tests. But these two assassins looked totally out of sorts in front of A & S. The Cover Drive. The pull. The Cut. Boy! Boy! A & S played like a true top order pair! One should watch the highlights to know and realize that Anil Kumble has truly improved his batting standards. Anil Kumble, like Rahul Dravid, possess a learning & performing curve that is on the rise ever since he adorned our Indian Cap. Is Sachin, Sehwag and Ganguly listening???
As I was enjoying their attack on the English bowlers I could not help wondering “What our top order batsmen are doing now?” And guess what they were doing? The same you & me were doing. Watching & Cheering!!! Is this why they are paid some million dollars per game?
Just look back at the current English team. After a series of injuries, currently it is filled with second string batsmen and third string bowlers. And these third string performers ripped through our famous INDIAN BATTING ATTACK for a merry-go-around. Wow! So nice to know!!!
Its time these these two stalwart – Sachin & Sehwag, do some thing. Damn them, they are good. But nope, actually, they were good. Off late they have not performed. Then why should they be in the team?? One might say that they have an amazing track record, then so does Ganguly! So, why a separate rule for him??
Just put yourselves in the shoes of Kaif & Gambhir. They have the energy, zeal & enthu to perform and they have performed whenever given chance. But they are not allowed to, regularly, and this is because of whom??? Need I say the answer?
In short, what is boiling in me is:
Why should performers like Kaif & Gambhir suffer because of non-performers like Sachin & Sehwag?? Greg & BCCI, use the same weapon used against Ganguly against Sachin & Sehwag!
The two BAKRAs* of Indian team:
KAIF & Gambhir
* – Scapegoats (for the benefit of those who don’t understand Hindi lingoz)
Thats true , I agree that our top order batsman are not performing , and thats gonna be an eternal problem which can never be solved …… Gambhir had a terrible last games … Kaif was only in single digits for last 9 matches … Its all a mix … sachins presence in the team has more value than just on feild what we see….. can u imagine gwith out shewag team … as of today no …. we hope atleast one top order clicks … but even if all miss we have down the order clicking …. just 4 years back we were talking abt tail enders non-performance …. this will all go on …. Ganguly was sure a non-performer ….. Iam happy with the way the Indian team is right now
@PV:
Gambhir had a terrible last games … Kaif was only in single digits for last 9 matches …
No way. Kaif even scored 93 in the 1st test of this series. Can ye explain y he is not in the other tests???
sachins presence in the team has more value than just on feild what we see….. can u imagine gwith out shewag team … as of today no ….
Please. India is no more Sachin’s team but a team where Sachin is also a member. To understand, check the games when he was out bcoz of injury. We still won & opponents still had problems with our batting. Same is the case for Sehwag. We are a team capable of winning even without Sachin or Sehwag.
this will all go on ….
Why? Cant we put a stop to this? Now we know that our lower order is strong & it is easy to make the top-order stronger. But instead we put more pressure on the lower-order to perform bcoz the non-performing top-order are in-despensible. Give them a break, boy.
Just see how did the low order perform in the last innings …… Its just that in our quest for a perfect team (which doesnt exist) we blame these people …. do u think kaif would have played well in this test may be !! but coming to choice between kaif , gambhir and shewag …. there is no choice its shewag and sachin ….. they are masters , they showed in the pakistan series what they are ….. its not always it works out …. can u name how many of top orders in the world are consistent , or how many top order batsman has been consistent ….. no of times dravid walked down to tendulkar to take some crucial decisions …. when coach says tendulkar in team is a big boost to other players , remeber its the same coach who sacked ganguly …….
@PV:
do u think kaif would have played well in this test may be !!
Its a gamble. The driving point is the recent performance. Kaif has performed against the same English bowlers. Mark it I am not talking about the history but in the same series. The highest score by an Indian in this series is by Kaif (93). So I wud prefer Kaif over others atleast in this series.
they showed in the pakistan series what they are
Not in the test. Except for a 200 by Sehwag the entire series was a flop show by him. Sachin did a gr8 job in the ODI but not in test.
no of times dravid walked down to tendulkar to take some crucial decisions ….
If this is why Sachin should be in the team, then Ganguly would make a better choice. Simply because Sachin has proved time & again that he is pathetic captain.
when coach says tendulkar in team is a big boost to other players , remeber its the same coach who sacked ganguly …….
And thats why I ask for a fair play.
Dude, lets face the fact that is on the table. I am bigger fan of Sehwag & Sachin. They are the best when on song. But these guys are taking their position in the team for granted just because they have a history behind them. Lemme ask if Kaif is not given a chance then where will he build his history from? Take the statistics, Kaif has a better performance, both in test & ODI, compared to Sachin in 2005. So I simply request Sachin to perform or give way for performers.