ExpertDabbler

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/10/23/1224351451472.html

Adam Gilchrist is probably the greatest wicket keeper batsman the world has ever produced. He is the one guy who could be counted to ‘walk’ even if its a cup final.

The Indians, including Sachin might probably have covered up ‘Harbhajan affair’ after that farcical test. Primarily because Harbhajan, the one with the loudest mouth would never have conjured up the racial angle at that moment. It takes a certain intelligence to see the connection and Harbhajan would be the last person to see that. Anyway preferring someone white over black is something that happens everyday in India and we don’t ever see that as racism, that a different story.

For any Indian, ‘Monkey’ is probably as innocent as it gets when one compares to what McGrath had told to Sarwan and what he got back, which unfortunately comes conveniently under the realm of ‘playing hard in the cricket field’ by the Australian players, and hence within the ambit of ‘sportsmanship’ including Gilchrist and the media. There is a definite cultural angle to it.

He is right in criticizing the BCCI,ICC and CA, but why now? why not then? Because he could not have then! Does that make hima sore loser? Hell no.

When it comes to fairness, I thought Gilchrist was always the right man in the wrong team, at least when he was batting.

All the same, Aussies are better off not talking about that Sydney test, which was roundly criticized even by their media. If I were Gilly, I would not have written a single line in my biography about the whole test, right from the infamous Ricky Ponting’s ‘catch’ to ‘Monkeygate’ to the ‘unsporting’ Sachin who scored a hundred.

Maybe I would’ve sold less number of copies of my book and that’s always a cause for concern especially when I am retired. Probably in Australia, those concerns are well within the ambit of ‘winner’ and ‘Sportsmanship’.

Times change and yet it doesn’t.

Nineteen years, hundreds of crores wealth, and all sorts of records later, the entire world is still waiting for that one big scandal which can fill your face with cow dung, one big dissent on the cricket field which can be broadcasted the world over to embarrass, one wrong statement to the press in anger. You keep them waiting as always. Don’t let them win.

In all these years, your arms has seen more tennis elbows than you might want, you are not the tormentor you were, but your legs and your running between the wickets is still intact. You still score almost just as quickly.

Prime Ministers have come and gone but your batting average and strike rate has been the same. How I wish we had such constant GDP numbers. India has seen many a hard hitters, many a technically correct folks. You were the only one who can consistently hit hard while being technically correct. Two decades and that has not changed an iota.

Pontings may come and go, but if I were to choose between watching a gorgeous woman in nude or your trademark straight drive in full flow, I will choose your straight drive. That won’t change any soon.

During your early twenties they said you are throwing away your wicket, then in your late twenties they said you are not attacking enough, then you were discovered as selfish, now you are seen as that old guy. Indians wanted you and India win every single match. But all along the problem was always with you. You made such expectations look realistic. In the nineties, you made us forget that the game is played by eleven folks, with bat and ball. The entire country switched off the TV and went back to work once you got out.

First it was the Pakistanis, nowadays your own countrymen want you to go. Yet Shane Warne sings your praise as always. He should know since you had given him more sleepless nights than his own wife.

Retire you will one day. Your records will be broken as all records will be. You will die like all humans one day. But the master class you have given us on how a young middle-class guy should handle fame, wealth, adulation, media pressure, world class opposition, and the hopes and anger of one billion people will remain etched in our memories for ever.

My only request to you. All is well that ends well. If push comes to shove, veto them by hanging up your boots. Your greatness is more important than a few thousand runs. Don’t let them win. I know you won’t.

PK:
If I still happen to see products endorsed by cricketers who win something a little more important than Velachery tennis ball cricket matches, i will boycott those products.

Source: Rediff.com

The above should go down in history as one of the most wonderful catches ever
Wonderful because no ‘catch’ has been taken like this and claimed by the most virtuous:)

Sarcasm apart, the fact that India lost the Sydney test is the bottomline. Six months down the line, this fact alone will remain.

Australian cricket has always been has been the epitome of Gentleman as in Gentleman’s clubs:)
Folks. tell me what else do you expect in any trip Down Under? Some sight seeing and Virundhombal and a vacation in gold coast?

Almost always it is 8 vs 14 as against the norm of 11 vs 11.
A tour to Australia is tough precisely because of these reasons, apart from supremely talented cricketers.

I still remember an LBW decision against whom some refer to as ‘old’ cricket player (clue: he scored 154 not out in the first innings in this test) when he was ducking for a bouncer. The TV replays were played like 23 times to understand if it was right in giving him out.
Old player that he is and still old fashioned in some ways, he simply walked off.
Had it been newbies like Sreeeshanth or Harbajan or Symonds or Michael Clarke, a civil war would’ve broken out.

I am not an expert, but if something takes 23 replays, it is fair to say there is an element of doubt and that should always go in favor of the batsman. Maybe thats been corrected as Australian batsman

But the bottomline still remains that India lost their last 3 wickets in a single over.
So long as we do that, we are going to lose Test matches.
Crappy decisions and unsporting opposition captains apart, we are bad in Test cricket.