Sunday, December 25, 2005
A Good Team Minus Ganguly
They have done it again! The very same people who kept the former Indian captain out of the team giving naive to foolish reasons, took him back when there was no reason for doing so. They then went on to greater heights of stupidity and recalled him from exile.
One thing I am sure. Only those who do things will be criticised. But that does not give you the right to commit yourself to acts of commission and omission with impunity. What is expected from them is logical thinking based on a long term plan and consistency in action based on that logical thinking. There are bound to be diverse opinions. Even as you are expected to take note of such divergent thought streams, no serious person expects you to dance to the tune of emotional responses or half-baked ideas. This is the minimum one expects from the Indian selectors also.
But they keep disappointing you. They sway to the hoarse cries from all and sundry. Let me get to the point. When Ganguly was dropped, many were against it but most thought there was a conscious plan being put into action. But when he was called back, the very same people who stood by the selectors felt cheated. They began to lose faith in the coherent approach, that body claimed it had. The selectors made their case much weaker when he was dropped like hot potatoes after a reasonable show in both innings when some of the other batsmen failed in comparison.
Now when India is regrouping under a new coach and captain with a different vision, the selectors like a pack of jokers have hoisted Ganguly on their backs. This is no aspersion on Ganguly. But viewing Ganguly as a problem is not to be treated as a negative against the new team management. Just because they believe younger players with great talent, some experience, great fielding abilities and more importantly attitude, should play and no player, regardless of his history should be an impediment to them.
It may not be politically correct to talk of the lobby working towards the rehabilitation of Ganguly. But I feel it would be naive on the part of any person with average grey matter, to believe in its non-existence. And it proved to be powerful enough to yank him back into the team.
I don't think he was reinstated because the men with the selecting caps on, believed in his capability to pull his own chestnuts out of fire. They just bowed before the might of the Ganguly lobby. They probably believe the tour management may do the needful or even if he gets a peek in, his own miserable form will take of things without their being called upon to do a repeat blunder. I wish him success only because he, at one stage of his struggle, deserved a sympathetic treatment. But that moment has passed by and a combination of factors have made his comeback inconsistent with India's overall strategy. His inability to show how things are done as an experienced pro and his disastrous fielding have colluded against him.
But even as Gandhari did not bless her son to win the war-she only wanted righteousness to win-I can't wish for the success of Ganguly not because that looks improbable and but because that may push back the reconstruction of this new-look team by a season or so.
Ganguly apart, this team to Pakistan gets itself selected. The only omission which makes you unhappy is that of Kaif. A great team-man, a wonderful fielder and a potential prop of the middle order, Kaif needed a little more nursing, I feel, until he proves us all wrong. Sehwag, Yuvraj, Kaif, Dhoni, Pathan; they are going to be the mainstays of India in the next few years after the retirement of Dravid and Tendulkar. The authorities sanctioned an extra player obviously to accommodate Ganguly. If only they had asked Parthiv Patel to remain on a ready mode and allowed Kaif at least to remain with the team!
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One thing I am sure. Only those who do things will be criticised. But that does not give you the right to commit yourself to acts of commission and omission with impunity. What is expected from them is logical thinking based on a long term plan and consistency in action based on that logical thinking. There are bound to be diverse opinions. Even as you are expected to take note of such divergent thought streams, no serious person expects you to dance to the tune of emotional responses or half-baked ideas. This is the minimum one expects from the Indian selectors also.
But they keep disappointing you. They sway to the hoarse cries from all and sundry. Let me get to the point. When Ganguly was dropped, many were against it but most thought there was a conscious plan being put into action. But when he was called back, the very same people who stood by the selectors felt cheated. They began to lose faith in the coherent approach, that body claimed it had. The selectors made their case much weaker when he was dropped like hot potatoes after a reasonable show in both innings when some of the other batsmen failed in comparison.
Now when India is regrouping under a new coach and captain with a different vision, the selectors like a pack of jokers have hoisted Ganguly on their backs. This is no aspersion on Ganguly. But viewing Ganguly as a problem is not to be treated as a negative against the new team management. Just because they believe younger players with great talent, some experience, great fielding abilities and more importantly attitude, should play and no player, regardless of his history should be an impediment to them.
It may not be politically correct to talk of the lobby working towards the rehabilitation of Ganguly. But I feel it would be naive on the part of any person with average grey matter, to believe in its non-existence. And it proved to be powerful enough to yank him back into the team.
I don't think he was reinstated because the men with the selecting caps on, believed in his capability to pull his own chestnuts out of fire. They just bowed before the might of the Ganguly lobby. They probably believe the tour management may do the needful or even if he gets a peek in, his own miserable form will take of things without their being called upon to do a repeat blunder. I wish him success only because he, at one stage of his struggle, deserved a sympathetic treatment. But that moment has passed by and a combination of factors have made his comeback inconsistent with India's overall strategy. His inability to show how things are done as an experienced pro and his disastrous fielding have colluded against him.
But even as Gandhari did not bless her son to win the war-she only wanted righteousness to win-I can't wish for the success of Ganguly not because that looks improbable and but because that may push back the reconstruction of this new-look team by a season or so.
Ganguly apart, this team to Pakistan gets itself selected. The only omission which makes you unhappy is that of Kaif. A great team-man, a wonderful fielder and a potential prop of the middle order, Kaif needed a little more nursing, I feel, until he proves us all wrong. Sehwag, Yuvraj, Kaif, Dhoni, Pathan; they are going to be the mainstays of India in the next few years after the retirement of Dravid and Tendulkar. The authorities sanctioned an extra player obviously to accommodate Ganguly. If only they had asked Parthiv Patel to remain on a ready mode and allowed Kaif at least to remain with the team!
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Friday, December 23, 2005
Ganguly, Chappell's main worry?
India has,it seems,found new winning ways at least on home soil. The timidity and lack of self-confidence have taken the back seat. These are early days yet but looking at the strong signs emanating from the Indian camp, this flavor may linger for sometime.
The Indian team did not show any change in its overall approach to the game even after Greg Chappell took over as the coach of the team. But the few weeks between the tour to Sri Lanka and their return visit did wonders to Indian cricket. To be frank,I don't know if the whole change has a surreal touch to it. Look at the Midas' touch that turned into gold almost all actions of the Indian think tank.
I believe mental discipline is the most difficult one to achieve. At least that would take maximum time to tame. Here look at India, it has overcome some of its nagging problems as if prompted by a magic wand. First things first. So the fielding should get the first nod. See how quick was India's transformation into a decent fielding outfit! Almost everybody has raised his fielding sharpness by a few notches. This team may not be the most dangerous fielding animal prowling around the cricket arena. But it certainly is a much prettier sight than it ever used to be. Next is the result of the work done on the batting of the lower order. It never was India's case to lose a few and then regroup for a second round of battle. Now India is doing it consistently. Yuvraj, Pathan,Agarkar, Kumble, Harbhajan all are trying seriously to be counted. The hackneyed concept of reminding bowlers that they also have to put the pads on and contribute has surfaced again but very,very effectively. Everybody knows it is better to make an effort than risk his place under the sun. A little sweat is always better than sweating it out in the AC comfort of the dressing room.
Now we go on to bowling. Ajit Agarkar has been worked upon properly and he is now a better bowler with all his loose deliveries. His potential as a good swing bowler with some sharpness is being realized. Pathan who not that back, found to his great chagrin that his efforts to bend the cherry back into the righthander were becoming futile, has got his magic back and is a bowler to be reckoned with by any batting lineup. Attention has been given to the few technical problems plaguing Harbhajan like his loop, pivoting etc and he has bounced back as the Turbanator. Now to the established success areas. Tendulkar's century, Kumble's wickets, they don't need any further clarification. Even a coach even if he happens to be Chappell may not be able to do much on such talents! If one can live without a coach, it is Dravid. Now we come to Gambhir and Sehwag. Gambhir has a few problems to be sorted out like losing his balance playing the length balls on the leg stump. He may need some more time for the corrections to take effect.
I am curious to know the magic formula Chappell might be looking for to make Sehwag more exotic! You are sure from what little you have seen of Chappell that he will not try to make any drastic change to Sehwag's run getting ways. A little discipline in shot selection might what the coach will be hoping for.
No problems in the wicket keeper's cabin either. So after an ODI series and a test series both against Sri Lanka and a tough five-match series against the Springboks, India is poised for greater achievements. Next in line is Pakistan, a team emboldened by its resounding triumph over the giant-killers England.
But I suspect if it will be the might of the Pakistanis that worries Chappell. Sourav Ganguly might be the thorn his shirt might get caught on. And that is the last thing he would like to happen at this point of his coaching career that is about to take off in a major way.
The Indian team did not show any change in its overall approach to the game even after Greg Chappell took over as the coach of the team. But the few weeks between the tour to Sri Lanka and their return visit did wonders to Indian cricket. To be frank,I don't know if the whole change has a surreal touch to it. Look at the Midas' touch that turned into gold almost all actions of the Indian think tank.
I believe mental discipline is the most difficult one to achieve. At least that would take maximum time to tame. Here look at India, it has overcome some of its nagging problems as if prompted by a magic wand. First things first. So the fielding should get the first nod. See how quick was India's transformation into a decent fielding outfit! Almost everybody has raised his fielding sharpness by a few notches. This team may not be the most dangerous fielding animal prowling around the cricket arena. But it certainly is a much prettier sight than it ever used to be. Next is the result of the work done on the batting of the lower order. It never was India's case to lose a few and then regroup for a second round of battle. Now India is doing it consistently. Yuvraj, Pathan,Agarkar, Kumble, Harbhajan all are trying seriously to be counted. The hackneyed concept of reminding bowlers that they also have to put the pads on and contribute has surfaced again but very,very effectively. Everybody knows it is better to make an effort than risk his place under the sun. A little sweat is always better than sweating it out in the AC comfort of the dressing room.
Now we go on to bowling. Ajit Agarkar has been worked upon properly and he is now a better bowler with all his loose deliveries. His potential as a good swing bowler with some sharpness is being realized. Pathan who not that back, found to his great chagrin that his efforts to bend the cherry back into the righthander were becoming futile, has got his magic back and is a bowler to be reckoned with by any batting lineup. Attention has been given to the few technical problems plaguing Harbhajan like his loop, pivoting etc and he has bounced back as the Turbanator. Now to the established success areas. Tendulkar's century, Kumble's wickets, they don't need any further clarification. Even a coach even if he happens to be Chappell may not be able to do much on such talents! If one can live without a coach, it is Dravid. Now we come to Gambhir and Sehwag. Gambhir has a few problems to be sorted out like losing his balance playing the length balls on the leg stump. He may need some more time for the corrections to take effect.
I am curious to know the magic formula Chappell might be looking for to make Sehwag more exotic! You are sure from what little you have seen of Chappell that he will not try to make any drastic change to Sehwag's run getting ways. A little discipline in shot selection might what the coach will be hoping for.
No problems in the wicket keeper's cabin either. So after an ODI series and a test series both against Sri Lanka and a tough five-match series against the Springboks, India is poised for greater achievements. Next in line is Pakistan, a team emboldened by its resounding triumph over the giant-killers England.
But I suspect if it will be the might of the Pakistanis that worries Chappell. Sourav Ganguly might be the thorn his shirt might get caught on. And that is the last thing he would like to happen at this point of his coaching career that is about to take off in a major way.
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Friday, December 16, 2005
Even Worse This Omission
India has won a keen contest at Kotla and congratulations to Rahul Dravid for his auspicious debut as captain. Credit should go to the other members of the Indian team. and that includes Sourav Ganguly also. I know there are several other things to talk about on the Delhi test but I can't discuss anything else until my moral indignation gets some sort of release. I am like millions in Indians angered by the callous disregard for the basic values like decency and respect for achievers.
In one of the previous posts I had described the decision to opt in Ganguly into the test team as ridiculous. Ganguly was a great player in both versions of cricket but that is history. He had become quite vulnerable to quality bowling, aided by ever-increasing contribution from the coaches. His game was perhaps more suited to the limited over version but there again his shortcomings as a fielder worked against him. So while we all were a little sad about Sourav especially after the Ganguly-Chappell spat but we reconciled ourselves to the dictum that the game was greater than any individual. And his surprise inclusion in the test team evoked strong reactions naturally. There were Yuvraj and Kaif who are on the verge of greater achievements and with their other-worldly fielding did not deserve such a shabby treatment. Yuvraj of course got a chance because Sehwag sneezed and coughed out his place to Yuvraj. And he made the most of it too. That is a different thing and has got nothing to do with Ganguly's merits as a batsman or to be precise a 'batting allrounder'.
To be fair to him, Ganguly was included in the playing eleven and he, more with his resoluteness than any display of great skill did enough to help India fashion a hard-earned victory. Both his innings were pedestrian at best but he was instrumental to India's win as much as any other performer be it Kumble, Tendulkar or Pathan. I would even venture to commit myself to a position that India might have found a win much more difficult without his gritty show. On both occasions, an early walk-back by the former skipper would have presented India with a much more unpleasant situation to face. He pulled India out of a possible crisis with his tenacity on both occasions. I admit that the determination to survive may have much to do with his plucky display, his mind being full of apprehensions about a possible omission. But the irony is that the same thing has happened in spite of a reasonably good show by Ganguly.
First, Ganguly pushed himself into a corner in Zimbabwe making his case very difficult to argue. That was the opening Ganguly baiters waited for and they moved their pawns expertly and were successful in making life difficult for him. (Please see the difference between one's perception of Ganguly's batting and non-cricketing factors which accelerated his downfall).
There is a saying in Malayalam, my sweet language, "The man overcome by hunger is disturbed out of his sleep only to be told that there is no food". Poor Ganguly! He was inducted into the team in a naïve attempt at justice and without any valid reason is shunted out unceremoniously. These men in power seem not to acknowledge the importance of Sourav Ganguly in Indian cricket. The technical defense that nothing could be done against these selectors should be swept aside and a discussion should be started with all seriousness so that such foolishness or more probably abject surrender to the powers that be is not repeated.
In one of the previous posts I had described the decision to opt in Ganguly into the test team as ridiculous. Ganguly was a great player in both versions of cricket but that is history. He had become quite vulnerable to quality bowling, aided by ever-increasing contribution from the coaches. His game was perhaps more suited to the limited over version but there again his shortcomings as a fielder worked against him. So while we all were a little sad about Sourav especially after the Ganguly-Chappell spat but we reconciled ourselves to the dictum that the game was greater than any individual. And his surprise inclusion in the test team evoked strong reactions naturally. There were Yuvraj and Kaif who are on the verge of greater achievements and with their other-worldly fielding did not deserve such a shabby treatment. Yuvraj of course got a chance because Sehwag sneezed and coughed out his place to Yuvraj. And he made the most of it too. That is a different thing and has got nothing to do with Ganguly's merits as a batsman or to be precise a 'batting allrounder'.
To be fair to him, Ganguly was included in the playing eleven and he, more with his resoluteness than any display of great skill did enough to help India fashion a hard-earned victory. Both his innings were pedestrian at best but he was instrumental to India's win as much as any other performer be it Kumble, Tendulkar or Pathan. I would even venture to commit myself to a position that India might have found a win much more difficult without his gritty show. On both occasions, an early walk-back by the former skipper would have presented India with a much more unpleasant situation to face. He pulled India out of a possible crisis with his tenacity on both occasions. I admit that the determination to survive may have much to do with his plucky display, his mind being full of apprehensions about a possible omission. But the irony is that the same thing has happened in spite of a reasonably good show by Ganguly.
First, Ganguly pushed himself into a corner in Zimbabwe making his case very difficult to argue. That was the opening Ganguly baiters waited for and they moved their pawns expertly and were successful in making life difficult for him. (Please see the difference between one's perception of Ganguly's batting and non-cricketing factors which accelerated his downfall).
There is a saying in Malayalam, my sweet language, "The man overcome by hunger is disturbed out of his sleep only to be told that there is no food". Poor Ganguly! He was inducted into the team in a naïve attempt at justice and without any valid reason is shunted out unceremoniously. These men in power seem not to acknowledge the importance of Sourav Ganguly in Indian cricket. The technical defense that nothing could be done against these selectors should be swept aside and a discussion should be started with all seriousness so that such foolishness or more probably abject surrender to the powers that be is not repeated.
