Jan 07, 2008 08:35 PM
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There is a syndrome in sports called paralysis by analysis.
When we start analyzing the 2nd Indo-Aus test then we would find lots of diseases in this game, called **CRICKET. These are either known but deliberately left behind or deliberately unknown. Let’s dig out each one of them as the symptoms are getting bigger and bigger.
“Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting.” I never agreed with this saying of British Journalist George Orwell but I guess Australian Team obeys these words. Cricket which is also known as Gentlemen’s game has now become a serious sport in the language of Orwell. There’s nothing like sportsmanship or fair play here.
You have to win, by hook or by crook. It is a war and everything is fair in love and war. You start with mental abuse, carry on with on field sledging and end with a new winning record. Records are not built just by playing games but also by managing gamesand the best example could be the current Australian Team.
When the series was about to start, Australians very well knew that this is not going to be an easy series for them. They knew Team India has a capability to ruin them and this time they won’t play on back foot but they will play with the same aggression which made them Twenty20 world champion. They started managing game from here onwards. First thing they did was to cool down Indian aggression by giving so many speeches in media about sportsmanship and spirit of the game. Their officials started learning Hindi “galis” as they wanted to prevent people to use them. These things had a feel good effect on Team India. They felt good and started thinking about sportsmanship and forgot the aggression. If you see the first match it was all goody goody as Team India was on back foot. In second test when Team India responded aggressively they started the game plan no 2. It was putting pressure on umpires and starts their well known sledging(on ground). All talks regarding spirit of the game blew away. Then they started their game plan no 3. Target one of the best performing players. They chose Harbhajan Singh for that. Remember, they had done it in past also(with Murlidharan, Shoib Akhtar and many more).
All said all done. Now let’s think what Indian Team and BCCI should do? BCCI should file a petition against Buckner, Benson and Proctor. They should make it clear that if these people will be involved in any match, India is not going to play. It should be firm and in black and white. Team India should follow the lessons of “Chak De India”. They should remember the match of India-Argentina in the movie. Coach says, “woh ek marte hain tum dus maro”. Follow the same principle. Maidan ke under maro, maidan ke bahar maro. Do not just rely on replying, create new topics of aggression. Use all body language and sledging techniques and also appeal to the ICC about their behavior. If Brad Hog says anything do not take it as normal behavior. Take it forward to ICC. Even a small eye-show or a simple word can not be tolerated. If “Monkey”(without any confirmation) can lead to 3 match ban then any other word could be an issue.
It’s time to stand for a cause. If Team India or BCCI will not take a strong action right now it’s going to be worse in future. If you see the past of this game there are so many occasions where Australian players crossed the limit but there was no any action from ICC. All rules are applicable only for Indian subcontinent players, be it Murlidharan, Akhtar or Bhajji. There shouldn’t be any tolerance for this differentiation. If needed, talk to Sri Lanka and Pakistan Board. Involve them to formulate the new rules and regulations of ICC.
For now, I do not support the suspension of the series. If all goes well(No involvement of Buckner, Benson, Proctor and lifting the ban on Bhajji), India should continue with the series. They should concentrate on their game, their body language, their plan and their mental toughness now. You don’t play to win hearts but you play to win matches. Dil unka jeeta jata hai jinke pas dil hai. In Australia, we need to win matches now and surely not hearts. Show them that we are winners not only in playing the game but also in managing the GAME.
