Mr. Pai seems to have lost his head for people like expect India to lose so that they can castigate India's Wonder Man Sourav Ganguly. They berate when India does well under Sourav'e leadership and with their puny cricketing grasp take all guns out for Sourav's life. But for Instance if it had been Dravid (from the same state) Pai would have praised him sky high and overlook major deficiencies which are part and parcel of Dravid's captaincy. Dravid is not assertive nor aggressive and can bat under the exemplarily leadership of Sourav only. Kumble is disintegrating into a wreck in which only Ganguly can effuse a ray of hope. Others are like broken toys. Anyways if Mr. Pai has eyes then it is due to Buckner and parthiv patel that India drew the match Mr. Pai or it is Pie please be analytical and factual it is the time to indulge in infantile games of jingoism!
RE:well it is democratic country!
by Rajeev on Jul 22, 2004 11:49 PM
Don't display your ignorance and half-knowledge, Prabal. Don't just go by the surname. By your reasoning, every Ganguly ought to be a resident of Bengal. But the famous Ganguly brothers were residents of Khandwa in MP.
RE:well it is democratic country!
by TVSR Mohan on Jan 13, 2004 08:49 PM
Your comments are not in good taste. You admonish the writer about partisanship while you indulge in it yourself. Let us enjoy the sweet moments of great performances rather than show our ugly side. If the writer feels that Ganguly can improve his captaincy is it an undesirable thing? We want our beloved Ganguly to be the best captain in the world and let him continuously improve. It is good for Indian cricket. Let us not bask in past glory and belittle Dravid or Kumble. Both are our players of the series.
Dear writer, your analysis of the game was qiute sharp, but then you should not forget the fact that Sourav has been the most successful captain for a side which forgot what is it like to win even a single test match overseas, forget about a series win. Whatever Sourav did with this depleted attack on the last day when the pitch did not detireorate even as much it was thought it would be , was a glaring evidence of his brilliant captaincy ....
RE:The world does not revolve around Tendulkar
by chandrashekhar on Jan 15, 2004 04:38 AM
Subaru, probably it is you who needs to get over your Tendulkar complex. From what I read of the article, he has not mentioned just Tendulkar but also Sehwag. Why aren't you criticising the choice of Sehwag?
There is no doubt that India Played Exceptional Cricket Series in Australia. They played their best cricket of the New Millennium But dont forget that it is what for which the player are selected into a team; to play good and Win at any cost. They were not selected for because we wanted or expecting them to loose the series. That is what for which we Got up at 5.00 a.m. in this chilling cold of Delhi.
I think the editor is absolutely right. We Indians play the Game only to perform well, but not to win it. We just try to get praise for Good Play but forget that winning is what for which we play a game. It is just like we fought the Kargil war, just to save our country. Not to sabotage the Enemy as we saw in the kargil war , here the same we saw in Australian series. One thing I want to ask you guys, Will we get a Better opportunity than what has slipped from our hands in Future To Beat Australia in Australia. This was the best opportunity we had to, win an overseas series and that too against the Team of the Decade, The World Champion Team.
Same thing happened in World Cup 2003. When our team lost the Final we praised our team Just for reaching final. Did it made any difference to us? People remember you for hitting the target , they dont remember you for missing the target. Do we remember how well the Zimbabweans played in 1999 World Cup?. They Beat Inda and S.Africa in League game and Reached in Super Six. No, we just remember that Australia Lifted the 1999 World cup. And you see what has happened to Zimbabwe after that.,they are now struggling to Get Their Feet on the World map as a Cricket Playing team , their Star Performers are retired and now they will take time to build a Strong team who could bring victories to them. Same can Happen to India. Because this series our Openers were Performing very well, and All our Talented Middle Order Batsmen Were In Good Form altogether and that too at the same time and in the same series. And also this Australian side was weak in Bowling department , the pitches were not as fast a they used to be , thanks to the Drought in the Australia in the last season. So, I think this was the Best Chance for us to Knock out the Champion side in their own backyard and become that world Champion in the eyes of World if not in the eyes of Australians.
Same thing can Happen in Our Tour to any other Country out of Sub continent. Will you again praise them for their Good Play. If your answer is yes, then I think You have learnt very less form Steve Waugh. I amaze why do you praise Steave Waugh If You dont know what Was that Special Thing about him that People like Sir Don Bradman, Lara , Sachin and Sobbers have not got. HE ALWA|YS WANTED TO PLAY FOR WIN. He was never satisfied with draw match or dead series When he was praised to play good in a draw matches he used to say It would have been better If we had not played that test , because it did no good to any team but just filled the Record Book.
There were many reason because of which we could not win the series but one Most Strong reason was always thinking that we dont want to loose the series, badly. Rather thinking needed to have been to play positive and at any cost we to win this series.
But hope one day India will have such an attitude and on that day we will be world champions. And on that day people will try to make changes in the rules to Pull the Legs of India. On that day people will say that this is the all time great team in the History of Cricket. On that day We will say that Dada is the Best Captain in the History of Indian Cricket on that day we will want to Much more great farewell to DADA (Saurav) that what TUGGA Got for his Last Match. So play for win , other wise Give playing.
RE:A Little more imagination please.
by chandrashekhar on Jan 15, 2004 04:42 AM
Mr Mukherjee, I know you didn't ask me this question, but in my book the best captain ever was India's first captain to win a series abroad -- M A K Pataudi. Ganguly, however, is the most successful captain, without a doubt. But don't forget that before him Mohammed Azharuddin held that title. Were you his fan too at the time?
Hi, Here is what Mr. Pai had written in 2001 after India's tour of SA.
"Though the Big Four are already in their late 20s, time is not lost yet. In fact, they are just at the age when players and teams mature and start to attain their peaks. But if they fail in this quest, they will forever rank lower than the Steve Waughs and Ricky Pontings. Sadly.
Ultimately, cricket is not just about scoring runs and taking wickets. The purpose of those actions has to be to win. You may score a hundred thousand runs and take a thousand wickets. But if you can't beat your opponents, you will remain an also-ran.
Of course, our guys have any number of excuses -- the team wasn't at full strength, someone or the other was not in form, somebody got injured, rain destroyed our preparation, Denness spoilt our mood, and what-not. But in the end these are all mere excuses. A year from now, let alone 20, no one is going to remember them. All they will remember is that a team comprising some of the biggest names to emerge from India still lost. Yet again"
RE:Flashback! Popat :)
by Rajeev on Jan 15, 2004 04:46 AM
Dear Arvind, thanks for reminding me! I am glad to see that I was spot on! "Though the Big Four are already in their late 20s, time is not lost yet. In fact, they are just at the age when players and teams mature and start to attain their peaks." Does anyone now care that they lost a series in South Africa? Bring on the Proteas now and see how they are whipped! ;)
first of all our team had done exceptionally well and some part of credit should go to sourav.inspite of such a performance i dont understand why people cannot be realistic and appreciate his leadership. but i guess no matter what,no indian captain can ever match his attitude and temperament. kudos dourav
Hey, U should have been in the seat with Mr. Bishan Bedi, who like others has really grown old to think sanely. Ask us who as NRI's are feeling proud today of India's achievement. I am in London and have friends from almost all cricket playing nation. and I could see the difference in attitude of people for me I repeat ME, when India lost the final of the triseries and now. And as far as unimaginative captaincy goes lets not forget what happened to Australia in Calcutta. Also with the speed at which the Aussies score there was all chance that we have the onus of playing for a draw. Instead it was good that the Aussies had to battle it out on the final day. Looking at the fact that they dislike to play for a draw I think this was a good tactic. Hope This feeds your brain to think a little bit practically than Imaginatively.
One of the most stupid articles i have read in recent times.U were really cruel at Saurav and the team Little consideration was given to the fact that we won the trophy,levelled the series and won a test AGAINST ALL ODDS. with a lacklustre bowling attack This is a really biased article aimed at criticising Saurav.He may not be as colourful as Steve but dont forget how good we are performing. It is easy to point out the defects. But not a single good poing was mentioned at his awesome captaincy display at Adelaide. Just think abt Saurav's character when he chose to come ahead of Sachin at Melbourne with the sole intention of protecting him.He didnt give the bowling to Sachin. That was a gamble which he didnt attempt. He may have his own reasoning. Just remember that we were supposed to hear some chin music. But all we could hear was the ballads of the willow. But for some unfortunate injuries and some crucial umpiring decisions the series would have been ours So if u can't appreciate the facts just shut up
RE:Really stupid
by Rajeev on Jan 15, 2004 04:51 AM
Dear Abhilash, bringing Sachin on was a gamble he didn't attempt, you say. That was just what I said too. That perhaps he could have taken that chance and tried Sachin or Sehwag. Who knows, the tide may have turned. In any case by the fifth afternoon it was clear that the Australians were never going to win the Test.
Moreover, I am really surprised to see a 'smart' cookie like yourself call Steve Waugh 'colourful'. He must be one of the most dour cricketers ever!
