Cricket Shame and Magnanimous Dhoni!

Team India suffered the worst defeat under the so-called aggressive captain M S Dhoni, beaten by England at Trent Bridge today, the 1^st of August. The second defeat of the ongoing test series with a margin of 319 runs, the first test margin being 195.

Team India has almost lost the series and gave away the No.1 position in test cricket after just about two years. But, did they at all deserve to be the No.1? Team India and the Indian cricket Board are more comfortable with limited overs games, immense money, absolute power and an overwhelming dose of generosity to get more mileage. What they do in real cricket is hardly of interest. Now, if you compare them with Australia the following scenario will emerge:

Would Australia have:

Done the same thing as Dhoni did to an admittedly naive Ian Bell given rightfully out by the umpire?

Given away the advantage after putting England at 124 for 8?

Allowed England to gleefully score their highest ever 417 runs in a single day’s play?

Crowned most of the England bowlers as the instantly best ever all-rounders in world cricket?

Played a listless Harbhajan again and again?

Allowed limited overs experts to come into the team as replacements?

Kept quiet over a consistently non-performing captain?

The answer to all these questions is a big NO. And that’s why Australia dominated world cricket as the No.1 team for nearly a decade and a half and still lurking to come back bang. You may hate them for a variety of reasons, but cannot take away their authority.

In India, cricketers are being groomed only for the T20 format of the money-spinning Indian Premier League. What is not understood is that such players cannot take the demands of test cricket. Only good test cricket players are likely to excel in all forms of the game. The focus is all wrong. You just cannot escape with time tested colonial excuse.

Team India, try to play real cricket, for a change!

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