Cricket and Politics: Hattrick Hiatus!

Team India was poised for performing a hattrick beating Australia for the third consecutive time at Mohali, India yesterday and for becoming the number one ODI team. Indian Skipper MS Dhoni won the toss surprisingly elected to field. Why? All the external factors that inflicted earlier skippers have begun to haunt Dhoni too. Factors like pitches, weather, dew and so on. Positive cricket does not need all these--it means batting first and setting a 300 plus target. Dew or no dew such a total is always a challenge. Yet, Indian bowlers did extremely well to get the Aussies all out for 250. After a blazing start the old Indian story of over cautious progress unfolded. Barring Sehwag who rarely lasts long enough for a win, all batsmen trying to ensure a win dug themselves in unnecessarily and perished thanks to such negative tactics. Hello Dhoni, play your natural cricket and never ever listen to past Indian skippers. A huge opportunity had been mauled, spoiled and lost.

The ruling combine of Maharashtra was voted back to power for the third time. The mature verdict ensured a hattrick for the coalition coming out even stronger than before. People's verdict needed to be respected, followed with utmost urgency and the top priorities of good governance should have been realized. But what's going on? After over 11 days the new government is yet to be formed not even caring for the constitutional deadline of November 3, 2009. The partnering parties have been quarreling, haggling and bargaining for getting the plum cabinet berths, for cornering the key portfolios and for ensuring maximum benefits for each. A huge opportunity of earning people's applause, love and faith had been been mauled, spoiled and nearly lost.

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