Dec 18, 2005 02:18 PM
2504 Views
(Updated Jan 12, 2006 12:46 AM)
In the last few days, all major news channels are busy beaming the alleged controversy regarding the sacking of the former captain of our national cricket team,Saurav Ganguly. Because they know, in india cricket sells..
Newspapers are filled with opinions and sharp criticisms, every former cricketer worth his salt seems some how baffled by the incident. The so called politics surrounding the sacking has more or less driven the country and particularly the east into hysteria and fanaticism. They say, Kolkata is burning, people are going crazy and that they have already written death sentences for the selectors and the coach. Politicians are taking time out to express their resentment. The situation in WB has gone awry..
They say, cricket is not a game in india, it’s a religion. But do you think that it is a reason big enough to take on the streets burning effigies. A sport is a sport is a sport. If you have so much anger and fire inside you, why not show it for a good cause. Have you ever thought about using it for the benefit of your country? A so called local hero is taken out, and you consider it a reason big enough to shout slogans against your own team. This is the team the whole country stands up for before every match..this is the team people cheer for every time the ball crosses the boundary, this is the team people mourn for everytime they loose. At that time do people in maharashtra only think about Sachin? Do people in gujrat only think about Irfan Pathan? Or do the north indians only pray for Sehwag,Yuvraj,Kaif etc. ? NO…they cheer, they cry for the whole team… When they say it’s a national team, it means it is beyond the boundaries of any state or community. They play for the country. They play for India and not for their home states. And just because your state representative is taken out, you shout slogans like ‘No saurav..no cricket’ , ‘ India should loose…’ ?? I have just one question for such people..Is a local hero bigger than your country’s pride?
This simply shows your sheer lack of respect for your country, it shows your narrow mindedness.Don’t take it otherwise, even I am a bengali guy and I stay in Maharashtra. I had been to Kolkata a few days back, and I saw people rejoicing the Indian side’s humiliating loss against S.Africa 4th One dayer. My own cousins were spewing venom against every indian player they would once cheer for. All this and more for what? Just because your state’s player has been taken out? If so is the case then every state should demand for a player of its own state in the national team. Then we would have had more than 28 players vying for a spot in the national team. And if any player is denied a chance to be in team, then the people of that state should take on the streets shouting anti slogans and burning effigies. Wouldn’t it be just great..huh? And if this is your 'so called love' for cricket then in one word, it’s pathetic.
What happened with Saurav may have been wrong but he has a lot to blame himself for it. I agree that he should not have been dropped after his performance in the test and if it was so required, the action could have been taken after the series. Or he should not have been included for the series in the first place. But, then, do you think this problem started recently? No..far from it, this problem started almost a year back when the Indian team was going down in drain and people were losing faith in the whole team. The dismal performance of the team needed to be rectified. They needed a believer they could believe in. And one who could make others believe in the team. That person came in the uniform of Coach Greg Chapell. A man known for his prowess and talent. He tried to instill the fire that was missing in the team in his own way, something which didn’t go down well with many players including Mr. Saurav Ganguly. His dismal batting performance in the last two years, was a matter of great concern for the whole team. Even then he would desist from routine practise sessions, disobey coach’s orders and then things took an ugly turn with the ensuing quarrel which was a shameful episode in the Indian cricket history. This left bitter experiences for many people.
After this episode, Coach Chapell took a big risk of shuffling the whole indian team ,instill the much needed new talents and axing a few players including skipper ganguly. His gamble payed off in the form of the astounding series victory against Sri Lanka,world’s no.2 at that time…the whole cricketing community stood in awe of the new edge Team India had found after a long long time. Indians started to believe that this was the team that could bring home the World cup…and if they could do it without Ganguly, so be it…
I want to make it clear that this article has nothing against Ganguly or any other player.As an Indian, my sole concern is the whole Indian team.I believe and I think that everyone should believe that only a performer has the right to stay in the national team. When eleven players are chosen out of one billion Indians, when the whole country has put its faith on these eleven men to take on the world, they should be absolute performers. And if they don’t perform, they have no right to stay in the team. Then be it Saurav Ganguly, Sachin tendulkar, Sehwag or just about any body..
Caayotee out.
