Re: The Cricket Thread With due respect to everyone who is flawing Sachin here, please note that he is still the highest ranked Indian batsman in the ICC Test Rankings, at #18. This in spite of performing below his customary level over the last 2 years or so, which I will not deny.
One really cannot question his work ethic, which is probably as strong right now as it ever has been. Apart from that, another thing that he said about a year or so back is that while most people say that you should quit at the top of his game, he thinks that is selfish. That amounts to having more importance for your stature rather than for what you can contribute to the team. He will continue playing till he feels he has no more contributions left for the team. Specially at this time when the reserve cupboard is pretty bare, I think he should be allowed that much.
Besides, as was said in an article about him recently, "People are struggling to come to terms with his mortality. They want him to retire because they want to live with happier memories. That's selfish. Allow the man his struggle. He works hard to be an India player, and is not going to give it away just because we don't find it pretty."
The lesson to be learned from the Mumbai Test was that the quality has eroded away from the team that was once No.1, and some reforms are in order. Instead, all that people are focusing on is Sachin's failure. Let's look at a few other examples, shall we?
Sehwag is a guy who will play one blistering innings in a while, get everyone praising him and his critics shut up for the next few games. Then, he will be back to his original self of irresponsible slashing and poking. When the tongues start wagging again, he will play another blinder. This seems to have become his routine.
In the last innings Gambhir seemed to have really worked on his temperament, so I think it will be fair to give him a few more chances before we say anything.
Virat Kohli is no doubt an excellent prospect for the future, but he still needs to understand that Test cricket is Test cricket. Where is the resolve he showed in Adelaide? Having said that though, I am pretty confident that he will come good soon.
Ashwin and Harbhajan have been affected way too much due to the mentality of limited overs cricket, and this is evident from their constant flat deliveries and bowling a negative line. This not only reduces wicket taking opportunities, but gives ample scoring opportunities to class players like Cook and Pietersen. Sometimes I wonder whether they are throwing darts at the batsman's legs...
As for the No.6 spot, I don't know whether it comes down to inconsistent selection strategies. Raina, who is having issues with the short ball, plays on green tops in England, and Yuvraj, who has never been an excellent player of spin, plays on turners in the subcontinent. Yuvraj plays the short ball much better and would have been a better bet abroad, while Raina, who can easily tackle spinners, is more suited to the subcontinent where the bounce is more suited to his batting. Anybody remember his 100 on debut against Sri Lanka??
As for Dhoni, the lesser said, the better. Nobody else would have survived 0-8 as captain. He did on the back of the World Cup victory, and simply because he is Dhoni. Mohinder Amarnath, one of the rarer sensible voices in the administration, was sidelined because he did not want Dhoni as Test Captain. And few would vouch for his usefulness in the Test side currently. Slump in his wicket keeping is commonplace now, and I don't remember the last time his batting had a significant impact in a Test match against a sizable opposition. His unorthodox technique, that works well in ODIs, is simply not suited to the longer format. While Saha continues scoring tons of runs in the domestic circuit, he has simply been swept under the carpet due to Dhoni's affluence. How much longer will he survive on past glory?
Considering all these issues, I think the string of Sachin's poor performances is not the only reason for India's fate. It's time we give the man room to breath and back him to come good. He knows what his shortcomings are, and is capable enough to get over them.
Sorry for the long ranting. I know it is easy to say all these things sitting in my comfortable chair rather than being out there in the middle, but I have been ardently following Indian cricket over the years, and it really pains me to see this continuous slide after the team that Ganguly had built from ground up. In spite of that, I always defend against those who say the future is hopeless, and will continue to do so.
Unconditionally.
Last edited by swarnava.m : 30th November 2012 at 14:19.
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