Cricket in our Country has become a Religion, unfortunately !
I do enjoy watching a Good Game of Cricket. I would NOT mind seeing our Team losing but what we are seeing all too often is a miserable performance by Highly Overpaid Cricketers. They terribly lack the Consistency that their Form on Paper suggests. Ganguly has been running like an Absolute Idiot. He should understand that as the Captain he should set an Example.
Sehwag is sadly Out of Form as is Yuvraj. They should return to Domestic Cricket where they can accumulate a few runs under their belt and then be considered for the National Team.
All the Indian Cricketers have become Complacent.
Their Wages should be decided by a Fixed and Variable Amount based on Current ( NOT PAST )Performance. This is Real Life.
The Fitness Levels HAVE to increase Drastically if India is to continuously compete in the International Arena.
It seems your suggestions towards the pay of cricketers is right at the first-sight. But what'll happen when cricketers start to play self-game for acquiring more money. The team spirit will be lost & their concentration will be more on money than winning. Individuals can't win the match but can make records.
My suggestion is that every player should be given 4 or 5 chances to score good and make their presence in the team. If they fail to do it, they should be kept out until they prove they are fit again and new players should be given opportunity. This applies to all the front-line players including Sehwag, Ganguly, Laxman (given 100's of opportunites) & ..... This leads to some inner fear among all the players, so that they won't play reckless shots (like sehwag) and also a opportunity gateway for new players. Hope my suggestion is good atleast.
I think criticisms are best when they are backed up by facts. This article sounds as one to let out a steam of frustation without bieng backed up by facts. Indian Cricket team under the leadership of Saurav Ganguly has grown leaps and Bounds and can be compared to our 1983 world cup winning team under Kapil Dev. The problem with us is that we are always the best judge of what other people are doing and so its easy for us to call our own people as NINCOMPOOPS !!!!
The truth of the matter is that, except for a few exceptions, Indian batsmen have traditionally been weak against accurate pace bowling; this is owing to the pitches in India where they learn their trade. Indian batsmen should take up baseball to learn how to hook and deal with beamers! The hype problem is caused by the fans. Once we stop following circket, as we have done with hockey, and start watching rifle shooting, the only sport that got us a medal in Athens, the market value of our stars will fall.
I would have to agree with Mr. Lakare's assessment of the indian team as far as Parthiv and Yuvraj are concerned, but is it really fair to question an entire team when they are performing badly? why do we only support team india when they win? I think the solution lies in making small but continuous improvements in our team and sacking them. These people may get a lot of benefits but they make a lot of sacrifices too. More than most of us do. And 10-15 years from now, when they retire, most of them won't have the qualifications to have a successful career thereafter. I think its about time we appreciate them.
As far as a solution to the problems, we can start by having the coach make a checklist of problems with individual players and the team and periodically reporting to the board what steps he has taken to solve this problem. and by all means, put mr. gangulys faulty running between the wickets as number one on that list. I think people like Sachin who has dedicated his life to the game deserves better. For that matter, even Parthiv who has missed a 2 or 3 board exams because he was asked to represent india deserve a thank you. Maybe that is just the motivation he needs.
Arvind, You are totally right. The difference is that the Australians selection committee picks people based on merit, and potential not based on being the captain's friend (case in point Deep Dasgupta). Unless there are checks and bounds in place to censure the "permanent" five in the batting line-up (Shewag, Ganguly, Laxman, Chopra, Yuvraj ) or the Gang-of three bowlers (Agarkar, Zaheer, Nehra), nothing will change. I wish the board would amend the contract system from the current one to a pay-for performance system. Its high time the players cartel (and thats what it is) is broken up, and more power is returned to the selectors.
This is a good article. The problem lies with the Indian public as well who treat their favourite players as gods and fail to understand what team work is all about. I might be jumping the gun, but a lot of players in the team would benefit if they pick cue from Irfan Pathan who at the moment seems to be a level-headed person and seems to play for the team than play for himself. Quite a few people in the Indian team have been given so many chances, for inexplicable reasons, inspite of their extremely inconsistent performances. The public needs some maturity as well and learn to treat success and failure of the team alike.
My single question will answer all ur questions...
After writing not a single POSITIVE(hope u understand meaning of this word) thing about anybody in this world(from mother teresa to sachin tendulkar) for last so many months, how u r still with Rediff??
