Hats off to England. India versus England. 3rd. Test day 5. Mumbai.
As I had said yesterday, once Rahul Dravid was out, the rest of the team collapsed in 14.5 overs, crashing to a profoundly pathetic 100 all out. I have said repeatedly in the past that this is sport and one team has to lose. Every team will lose sometimes - nothing wrong with that. However, I like to see the team fight and put in their best every time, without fail. If they play to potential and lose only because the other team played even better, I would still applaud my team. But days like this are impossible to accept. Even worse, they seem to be happening with worrying regularity - remember Bangalore against Pakistan, remember Karachi earlier this year ? And these are examples from just the last several months. The paper tigers surrendered without as much as a 'meouww'. That, for me, is shameful and totally unacceptable. I would applaud them had they struggled and fought their way to 280 and lost. I expect even my No. 11 to attach a high price to his wicket and fight to the last ball.
This is a team in which too many players are playing on reputation alone. All the batsmen except Dravid and to some extent Yuvraj are fair weather batsmen. Yes, that includes the great Sachin Tendulker in current state. Put them on a pitch that bounces and assists bowlers a little and these 'tigers' bleat like lost sheep looking for the pavilion. It is useless scoring triple hundreds on feather-beds. We only needed hard fought 40's and 50's from 5 batsmen today. In any case, such a spineless performance is not deserving of any more of my far more precious time. A more detailed analysis will follow over the next 2 days.
England have surprised all by their performance. The Ashes victory was no flash in the pan. I will put their achievement to scale. It is like India going to England without Dravid, Sachin, Kumble, Pathan and Harbhajan and nearly winning the series. I think our whole first team would be thrashed in England if they flew there tomorrow, leave alone a depleted side.
I congratulate the English team. You have done your country proud and deserve all the accolades.
The Indians have some serious soul searching to do. The problem is that our bench strength is poor. It is all very well to say that we should drop a few players, but where are the quality replacements ? That, in essence, is our problem. Even then, I would drop Sehwag immediately and force Dhoni to undergo a week's training with Kirmani while keeping to a bunch of spinners at the NCA.
The public too has made too many stars of players too early in their careers. Some, it seems, have begun to believe that the mirage of hype is the true reality of their calibre. If this defeat does not dispel the myth from their minds, nothing ever will.
-- Third Umpire
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Reader Comments (8)
I guess the return of Laxman into the Test squad is almost certain although it would be by default and NOT on merit.
This country which always boasted of producing world class batsmen is suddenly finding it hard to replace the old guns that have stopped booming since quite a while.
I just checked the Squad chosen for the first 3 One dayers and surprisingly, it did not enthuse much confidence. Surprisingly, one Ajit Agarkar manages to make a comeback. How the hell - when you have Irfan Pathan, Shreesunth, Munaf Patel and R.P. Singh already in place and VRV Singh still remains untested. How on earth does Agarkar get selected again. I hope it is not his batting that the Indian think tank is banking on. Either way, his batting is actually just as pathetic as his bowling is.
With the Indian batsmen playing as badly as they are these days - this Indian cricket Team for the 1-dayers is almost sure to end loosers. I wish they do. They deserve no better.
I do not know if they are favourites at anything now, except throwing away their wickets!
It's true that India has done better in ODIs than tests. I expect them to win the ODI's purely because ODI's let even technically suspect batsmen flourish.
It will, however, not make up for the spineless loss at Mumbai.
Agarkar's return defies logic. It is not a surprise as the selectors have been mulishly faithful to him for a long time now. My sources in the team suggest that a currently injured great has a large role to play in his continued selection. I think Agarkar should have played his last game for India a long time ago.
I do not think bringing Dada back is a solution. We have a settled ODI side that has done well over the last several games. Munaf's addition will only have strengthened it. It is becoming difficult to hide Sehwag in the field,though.
I agree Agarkar should be out. But I wonder where we lost the likes of Balaji, Nehra and Zaheer. Are they out of contention for a berth in the 1-day squad for the coming World Cup ? I do not understand how Romesh Powar gets selected at this age, with that kinda build and his kinda talent. Is India really "that" bad ? Or is he related to Sharad Pawar - hell someone tell me ?
I still somehow feel Ganguly deserves to feature in the 1-day squad.
Money ia also a strong motivater and I have no problem with the players making a lot of money.
Money only becomes an issue when players do not perform or when shooting commercials comes in the way of training.
I do not think that has happened yet.
Some players are just not good enough. That is the problem.
The Board should hire the services of Cricket players just as Companies hire employees. Once you play for the BCCI representing Team India you get paid a fixed salary and perhaps performance based incentives. Performance appraisal, promotions, pay hikes can all then be so suitably related to improve performances.
Once under employement, the Players should NOT be allowed to engage in any part-time business, modelling and stuff. Even if market forces are going to pay in huge sums of money for brand promotion by players, the money should accrue to BCCI who in turn should use it to further develop the game at the grassroots level.
The BCCI already provides post-retirement benefits to players who represent the country as well as those who are playing first class cricket.
Your scheme is not in use in any major sport in the world. It will only make things worse. Money in itself is not the problem. Just look at the performance of salaried staff in India.
Players will just go through the motions as long as there is no one else ready to replace them. That is the key. Without competition for places, no syetem will work.
I am all for trying out youngsters, particularly in ODIs. If they replace a failing senior there is nothing to lose.
I do not think you can legally stop players from endorsing products. Endorsements are tied to performance and popularity. I think they are excellent motivation to do well. Just look at how much money Ganguly has lost by being axed from the team
I do support BCCI payments graded to results. Players should get a basic amount for playing and the rest is graded to team results, not individual performance.