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Posts Tagged ‘scg’
Correction, correction…
A lot of so-called “neutral observers” have mentioned that India’s reaction to the SCG test has been way over the top, the BCCI are bullies, the Indian players are hypocrites, Harbhajan Singh is a racist, the burning of effigies is a barbaric act. I could go on and on.
All the above comments/theories are not going to make matters any easy, they are going to further enrage a nation that is already on the brink of pulling out of the tour. Let me point something out before I start shredding these statements apart. First and foremost, cricket is not a passion in India, it is a religion in its most literal term. The psyche of an Indian fan is that their players are like gods that are battling it out with the rest of the world. So what if they lose. Hey the English only won the Soccer World Cup once, and yet over there soccer is the same as what cricket is in India. What about Aussie rules football. Who really knows about this sport besides the Australians. And yet it overtakes cricket or any other sport in popularity. Oh, and don’t even get me started talking about the crowd/players behavior during a Carlton-Collingwood match.
Cricket is not a contact sport, but the way sledging and intimidation is going on, it may very well become. How much crap can a person take before he gives it back. The Indian players are not like bowling pins that every Tom, Dick and Harry comes and knocks them over. This isn’t India under Mahatma Gandhi that believes in non-violence as the key. This is a young and aggressive India who knows its history of being oppressed by foreigners. So why should they be intimidated by a team that has a known history of insulting, abusing and discriminating its opponents.
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BCCI’s Statement to Bhajji’s ban
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has viewed the happenings during the second cricket Test between India and Australia in Sydney with great concern as some of these can have a far-reaching impact on international cricket. Some of incidents are highly regrettable considering the warm and friendly relations between the Indian and Australian cricket Boards. The incident involving Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds and the subsequent hearing by the ICC Match Referee and his conclusions are, to say the least, distressing. The Indian Board does not accept the findings of the match referee and has decided to challenge the unfair decision to suspend Harbhajan Singh as it deems it patently unfair. The Board will appeal to the International Cricket Council to review the decision of the Match Referee and suspend its operation till the appeal is disposed of. The Indian Board realizes the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian. To vindicate its position, the Board will fight the blatantly false and unfair slur on an Indian player. The Board also questions the very conduct of the hearing as the Match Referee before reaching his decision disregarded the essential point of any inquiry, that it should be based on facts, rational, detached and objective. The Board, in particular, is unhappy with the charge of racial slur against India’s of-spinner Harbhajan Singh. Here it may be mentioned that it is an avowed policy of the Indian government to fight racial discrimination at every level and the India Board has been at the forefront to eradicate it from the game of cricket. For the Indian Board anti-racial stance is an article of faith as it is for the entire nation which fought the apartheid policies. The Board has always fought the racist sledging of players and spectators and it will continue to do so.
Niranjan Shah
Hon. Secretary, BCCI
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India vs Australia, 2008 - Second Test Final Day
I am not going to write about the fourth day, as the final day of the second test is going to be talked about for a long time to come. I was absolutely disgusted with the way this test has finished and from and Indian fan’s point of view I am of the opinion that to hell with it all. India should forfeit all their remaining matches and come back home before the One Day series. But that’s just me talking in an emotional state. After the embarrassment at MCG a couple of weeks ago, this test should have been sealed in three day’s time with India as victorious. However, when 11 players play against 13, it is not a fair contest. Yes sir, I am talking about 11 Australians and 2 Umpires that fielded this match against India.
The disappointment started from Day 1 itself. Ricky Ponting was given a repreive, then Andrew Symonds survived 3 calls. Yet, when it came to bat India were always at the receiving end of each and every decision. It seems that when it comes to playing against Australia, the opposing teams always have to play against the umpires as well. The utter nonsense of umpiring in this match must leave a lot of spectators disillusioned. The people back home must be pissed off.
And then we turn to the attitude of the Australian players themselves. At one point it’s OK for them to sledge any player, but when something gets sent back it quickly becomes racist. Let me be very clear on the Bhajji row, Andrew Symonds and the rest of the Australian bullies are no saints. To presume that Harbhajan used the “Monkey” word is wrong until it is proven that he did say that.
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New Year’s Resolution - Get Veeru Back
It’s about bloody time that the Indian team management realized the importance of getting Sehwag back into the opening spot. After the performance of Jaffer and Dravid in the first test, the case for Sehwag’s inclusion becomes even more strong. With the second test starting in less then 24 hours, India would do well to avoid a repeat embarassment.
See, what I don’t understand is why he has been kept out of the test team when he was doing pretty OK in test matches; it’s only in the ODIs that he has been really struggling. But Sehwag is the sort of player that is worth gambling. If he clicks, which he ought to considering the Sydney pitch, he can wrest the initiative towards India. The team needs a good aggressive start and even though the Aussies may not admit it, they are in awe of this man. Who in recent history has scored almost 200 runs in just the first day of play against Australia, in Australia.
Yes, I may be contradicting myself when I look back at history, but with Sehwag it is different. My only disappointment has been that this man has so much potential yet the team management looks to pretenders like Yuvraj and Jaffer who are good to play in slow and low pitches that can be found only in the subcontinent. I was incensed at Yuvraj’s attitude on the field during the Boxing Day test match. I was sitting just 4 rows behind the fence and Yuvraj had been sent to the fine-leg/3rd man boundary. The Indian supporters were begging him to just look and wave, but Yuvraj held his head high. Who the bloody hell does he think he is? I was disappointed and felt sorry for us “ordinary” supporters. Here is a comparison. Tendulkar walks to the boundary to collect a ball and waves to the crowd.
But this has been a problem with Yuvraj ever since he shot to fame. The only way to treat him and his attitude is by ignoring him and hopefully axing him from a few matches for disciplinary reasons. It has worked before, it will work again. Another problem has been the decline of Harbhajan Singh in the last couple of years. He has lost his flight and the doosra seems to have deserted him. I find it strange that Piyush Chawla was not included in the squad as he is the only player with tons of potential and the ability to lead India in the spin department once Kumble resigns.
Back to the story, Sehwag needs to be brought back into the playing XI as soon as possible. I wouldn’t mind seeing Dinesh Karthik partnering him as the other opener. This would be a reality check for Jaffer and Yuvraj. Which would also mean that Dravid can come down to either 3rd spot or 6th spot, depending on where Laxman gets to bat. Dhoni will also be under pressure as with the inclusion of Dinesh Karthik he will have to perform better with the bat.
The question really is whether Lalchand Rajput and Anil Kumble have the balls to make these tough decisions. Enough with politics and stupid ego problems. The pride of India is at stake and the sooner these people realise it the better. For us fans, it was a disappointing end to 2007, hopefully, the start of the next year may be the complete opposite. There is always Hope when it comes to cricket and India.
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