Cricket: Ghosts of the past chose to haunt back again..
Ghosts of the past have chosen to haunt the Indian team once again. The recent golden run of the Indian cricket which resembled the steep ascent of the stock sensex ended just like that. Collapsed from a season high to perhaps an all time low. Indian teams has shown the signs of its past and it seems that the cricket crazy nation of 1000 millions/Justify Fullns is felling cheated after the series loss to a depleted west indies which is by no way close to what it use to be a decade ago. One of the characteristics of Indian team was it's unpredictibility. Rahul Dravid and Greg Chappel gave signs that the era is bygone and the Indian cricket is getting a face lift. But, well fans like us will be happy to find that no, it's the same old Indian team which has given many an heart attacks to it's ardent fans in the past.
Like every other cricket fan, I too like to have my own opinion about the team and I don't care even if it's the billion'th one. Long live freedom of speech and expression. Well here is my analysis into why India Lost the series with West Indies? Five reasons.
1) Opening trouble: Sachin's position might be debatable like of Ganguly's due to his recent run in cricket. But, then see what a non-regular opener can do the morale of the team. No doubt Rahul Dravid is a thinking cricketer who likes to meet the challenges head on but you need to learn this Mr. Rahul that no body is suited for all the roles. He hit a century in the first match but failed in the rest of the three and same is about the Indian team. What was the role of Robin uthappa? Was he picked up for serving the drinks only? It seems to me that letting Rahul Dravid score a century was a part of the bigger plan of the West Indian captain Lara who excelled Dravid in the art of putting his pieces together.
***Suggestion: Dravid should stick to the number three or four and let Dhoni/Uthappa open the innings if you don't have Sachin playing.
2) Number Three batsmen: For opening the innings, Rahul Dravid had to abandon his post at number three and it served as a weak link. I mean you can't afford to discharge an experienced soldier of his duties and ask a lay man to fill in for him at a post of strategic importance. Suresh Raina was happy playing his shots in the end of the innings and he was asked to fill in for Rahul Dravid. Well, he failed regularly.
*** Are you afraid of Dhoni garnering more publicity than anybody else? Then why he is not finding his place at number three during crunch situations. Do you want more experiments at that position?
3) The Dhoni Factor: Indians have got a cannon which can surely blast away the West Indian attack but, they chose to hide it behind their lesser capable batsmen. He has scored both of his centuries playing up the order and it's completely beyond my understanding that if players like Irfan and Raina are getting chances up the order then why Dhoni is instructed to play cautiously because the once he departs there is no sting left in the Indian tail.
4) Inconsistency of Sehwag: He hooks, he pulls, he flicks off his leg stump and then he cuts with raw power. He shows you signs of brilliance here and there and the moment you start feeling good about him, there he goes with one foolish looking shot either played in the air, straight in the hands of some fielder or on the stumps. He is no doubt an accompolished batsmen but his incosistency is costing us matches.
5) Selfish cricket: Kaif on the field and Kaif batting both are different situations. In the former, he roars like tiger, jumps over the ball with much fury and guard a territory which will require two fielders for sure. But, when he is batting, he gives you the feeling of a fragile looking player who is struggling hard to keep the ball away from his body. The brand of cricket he has started palying lately is nothing but selfish cricket and thanks to the captain and coach to create this sense of insecurity among players. Well, the fact is that this insecurity could well become inspiration for you (Raina, Uthappa, Dhoni, Sreesanth) or could play havoc on your mindset and in the long run with your career (Kaif, Venugopal, Pathan).
Well, Mr. Coach and Captain, Would be ever beat the eighth ranked team on their home turf? Or you need more experiments to get the results? Well accept my suggestion then, throw Sehwag and Kaif out of the team or give them some rest, and adopt rotation policy for your fast bowlers also. This Irfan boy is stressed out, don't burden him with more responsibities. And Mr. Dependable, please refrain yourself from opening the inning. Nobody wants to cut his fingers instead of cutting the ribbon during opening ceremonies, can't you understand?
Like every other cricket fan, I too like to have my own opinion about the team and I don't care even if it's the billion'th one. Long live freedom of speech and expression. Well here is my analysis into why India Lost the series with West Indies? Five reasons.
1) Opening trouble: Sachin's position might be debatable like of Ganguly's due to his recent run in cricket. But, then see what a non-regular opener can do the morale of the team. No doubt Rahul Dravid is a thinking cricketer who likes to meet the challenges head on but you need to learn this Mr. Rahul that no body is suited for all the roles. He hit a century in the first match but failed in the rest of the three and same is about the Indian team. What was the role of Robin uthappa? Was he picked up for serving the drinks only? It seems to me that letting Rahul Dravid score a century was a part of the bigger plan of the West Indian captain Lara who excelled Dravid in the art of putting his pieces together.
***Suggestion: Dravid should stick to the number three or four and let Dhoni/Uthappa open the innings if you don't have Sachin playing.
2) Number Three batsmen: For opening the innings, Rahul Dravid had to abandon his post at number three and it served as a weak link. I mean you can't afford to discharge an experienced soldier of his duties and ask a lay man to fill in for him at a post of strategic importance. Suresh Raina was happy playing his shots in the end of the innings and he was asked to fill in for Rahul Dravid. Well, he failed regularly.
*** Are you afraid of Dhoni garnering more publicity than anybody else? Then why he is not finding his place at number three during crunch situations. Do you want more experiments at that position?
3) The Dhoni Factor: Indians have got a cannon which can surely blast away the West Indian attack but, they chose to hide it behind their lesser capable batsmen. He has scored both of his centuries playing up the order and it's completely beyond my understanding that if players like Irfan and Raina are getting chances up the order then why Dhoni is instructed to play cautiously because the once he departs there is no sting left in the Indian tail.
4) Inconsistency of Sehwag: He hooks, he pulls, he flicks off his leg stump and then he cuts with raw power. He shows you signs of brilliance here and there and the moment you start feeling good about him, there he goes with one foolish looking shot either played in the air, straight in the hands of some fielder or on the stumps. He is no doubt an accompolished batsmen but his incosistency is costing us matches.
5) Selfish cricket: Kaif on the field and Kaif batting both are different situations. In the former, he roars like tiger, jumps over the ball with much fury and guard a territory which will require two fielders for sure. But, when he is batting, he gives you the feeling of a fragile looking player who is struggling hard to keep the ball away from his body. The brand of cricket he has started palying lately is nothing but selfish cricket and thanks to the captain and coach to create this sense of insecurity among players. Well, the fact is that this insecurity could well become inspiration for you (Raina, Uthappa, Dhoni, Sreesanth) or could play havoc on your mindset and in the long run with your career (Kaif, Venugopal, Pathan).
Well, Mr. Coach and Captain, Would be ever beat the eighth ranked team on their home turf? Or you need more experiments to get the results? Well accept my suggestion then, throw Sehwag and Kaif out of the team or give them some rest, and adopt rotation policy for your fast bowlers also. This Irfan boy is stressed out, don't burden him with more responsibities. And Mr. Dependable, please refrain yourself from opening the inning. Nobody wants to cut his fingers instead of cutting the ribbon during opening ceremonies, can't you understand?
1 comment:
I heard form is temporary....but Class is permanent. Happens to be reverse in Sehwag's case-- Class is temporary, and poor form is permanent!
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