In the recent times there has been a barrage of criticism against Ganguly for his poor form, the most popular one being the Maggi joke, where the maggi is supposed to be cooked by the time he returns to the pavillion. I was a strong voice in favor of these critics, forwarding this endlessly to my friend who is a die-hard fan of Ganguly (for his cricket and his looks!!:)).
Considering that this set of criticism included a Hindu editorial (which I respect to quite an extent except when they write on "communal" parties and "secular" front) on why he should be removed from the captaincy and why we should set the Australian standards of "each person plays for his place in the team" formula, I was pretty much biased against our captain.
Well, I happened to read one more email coming out strongly in favor of our captain and hence had to rethink. The most interesting argument of the article is this-"When players like Sehwag, Harbhajan and even Dravid were struggling with their form early on during Ganguly's captaincy, he supported them and included them match after match, until they started performing. Now why can't we extend the same courtesy to Ganguly?" Makes sense, right?
Secondly, why I think the Australian model works in Australia is because they have an abundance of international talent-mark my words here-"international" talent-I am not talking about rookies who have played on placid wickets in front of a small crowd (mostly including their parents and family). I am referring here to a rigorous county cricket and professional cricketing academies where kids are taught to bowl at the age of 7 or 8!! Where they can afford to have two distinct teams-one for tests and one for the one dayers. Our guys have come from the "gullys" so to say (and that ofcourse makes them more robust).
More importantly our Indian work-culture is more Japanese so-to-say;we don't hire and fire, we trust and build great teams on that foundation. I really appreciate Ganguly in this respect. I can recall that people were out for Laxman's blood and Dravid's head at different times, if he had let them go, we wouldn't have had the feast at Culcutta (follow-on followed by win) .
It is time to let the captain know that he can play his natural game and take his time while the team will stand behind him. I hope each team-member would come out to him and give him that confidence, boy...he is severely in need of that. All it takes is one dazzling innings, doesn't it? Lets give atleast that for the captain with the best overseas record, who has been the martinet patriarch of the team for so long now.
P.S: I might have gotten some facts wrong here as stats has never been my forte. People, feel free to correct.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I am also against Ganguly. But these lines in a forward made me re-think:
ReplyDelete"One remembers Australia's Mark Taylor going through a similar bad patch in the last nineties even Aussies were doing incredibly well as a side. Taylor's poor run was a long-drawn one while Ganguly's run-shortage though not of the same magnitude as Taylor's has come under the scrutiny because the stakes are getting higher and higher these days."
I also have a personal grudge over Ganguly as I am a fan of Sachin and it always seems that Ganguly doesn't get along with Sachin.
ReplyDeleteBut still.....these lines from the same forward:
"Earlier in the eighties and nineties under various people at the helm, Indians would often throw in the towel if they were a spell of dominance from their opponents. They just did not have that knack of bouncing back like the Aussies.
The team under Ganguly's stewardship improved in leaps and bounds and played as a well-oiled machine. There's plenty of self-belief and grit among the boys and it reflected in the performances."
C this fwd:
ReplyDeleteAccording to unconfirmed news reports, all the teams involved in the ICC playing against Australia,
are asking Australia to sign a contract, whose details are listed below:
CONTRACT -
1. The fast bowlers in Australia will be divided in two groups - Group 1: McGrath and Gillespie,
Group 2: Kasprowicz and Brett Lee. Only 1 bowler can be chosen from each group. If third fast
bowler is required, use Nathan Bracken.
2. Only 1 slip fielder will be allowed.
3. If Ricky Ponting scores a half century in a match, then Gilchrist's innings should be declared
and vice-versa.
4. The opening partnership should not exceed 50 runs. If it does, the following runs wont count
till a batsman is out.
5. If the scoring rate goes above 6 per over, 1 bounce catch will be considered out.
6. Any batsman scoring 50 runs, will have to change his batting style. Eg. If Martyn scores 50,
he will have to bat left-handed thereafter.
7. If any Australian batsman gets hit on the pad, he will be declared out LBW.
8. Shane Warne will not be allowed to bowl outside the Leg stump.
9. Only three fielders will be allowed behind square.
10. Micheal Clarke will be allowed to either bowl or bat in a match.
11. Only 9 fielders will be allowed on the field at a time.
12. Gilchrist should take catches standing his ground. HE will not be allowed to dive.
Thoo
ReplyDelete