EDITOR'S

 

Sourav denied again in ODI :The king changes, dirty politics remains the same in Indian cricket!

 

And media houses just fuel to increase the dirtiness. There is nothing left in Indian journalism called as - honest, impartial, without-motive.They simply echo the populist's voice.

One board- but different yardstick for various cricketers. If you are young(Read less than 30), board will welcome you garlanded ! Your skill, technique, temperament will be tested later. If you are so called aged (in cricket nothing is called senior or junior; performance is the last word), then despite your very good performance in batting and bowling, you won't be selected for fielding and running between the wickets- as if these two are much more important that batting and bowling! Surely a new philosophy has donned –courtesy BCCI selectors! Jaysuria (39), Mathu Hayden (37) and so many other Aussie cricketers in mid 30 plays for Australia and it seems their respective boards don't know cricket at all.But the fact remains that these two teams played WC final.

When you drop the best Indian performer of 2007 after scoring 1106 in test (after Kallis) and 1240 in ODI (fourth in 2007 ODI), then even a kid can understand that there is REASON other than cricket! Perhaps the new captain Dhoni should ponder of an alternative career in politics and acting. He showed immense potential in both so far!

Dhoni proved that Mirzafars are very much around in Indian cricket. Had Sourav Ganguly not been there as captain then, who would have given chance to a new face MS Dhoni despite his 4 consecutive failures (0,12,7,3)! Like a true captain he kept faith in his new kid in block. And the rest is history – Dhoni came out with 148 at Vizag against Pakistan in ODI. And his journey began.

Like a true modern day Indian generation, he showed his gratefulness towards his first captain and mentor – by dropping him at the very first instance and negating his return every now and then!

India is truly shining through such value less, immoral leaders who is backed by thousand headless youngsters who don't know that test cricket is the real cricket of class, aristocracy and Beethoven-elegance. It tests your technique, temperament and grit where as T-20 represents modern generation mercurial, ever changing taste and cacophonic impatience.

A generation deserves the leaders the way they are !

 

 

 

 

Sourav Ganguly's aggregate of 1,190 (average 47.60) in 29 matches is exceeded only by Australia's Matthew Hayden (1555 at 62.20 in 29 matches) in 2007.
 
  • Ganguly became the fourth Indian player to appear in 50 or more games against Pakistan, joining Mohammad Azharuddin (64), Sachin Tendulkar (62) and Rahul Dravid (57).

  • Sourav Ganguly (39) is without a half-century in 19 innings against Pakistan. He had last scored a fifty-plus against Pakistan in Adelaide Jan 25, 2000 - 141 runs off 144 balls.  Sourav missed a sure half century at Guahati when he was run out at 39.

 
With the above highlighted statistics, let's have an information:
 
Before Indo-Pak ODI team selection , four wise men of Indian cricket backed by wiser cricket board officials , were hell bent to chuck out Sourav Ganguly from ODI team with the allegations against him --
  • slow fielder ( very difficult to hide in the field )
  • slow starter as opener
  • poor strike rate
  • plays for himself
  • physically unfit
The four selectors were chorusing in unison against Sourav. Finally Vengsarkar chipped in with bigger agenda ( agenda of personal vendetta !) and Rahul was made the scape goat for the time being.
 
It is to remind that Sourav's position is as usual imperiled despite his heroics in recent time.
The addition of Sehwag in team is just to keep Sourav on toe - anormal pressure tactics.
 
In a parallel development , there is a big group in BCCI who are lobbying for Rahul.The decision of Vengsarkar to drop Dravid has not gone down well and Rahul's double ton in Ranji will add fuel to them.
 
The equation is now:
If sourav fails in next 2-3 games,the pressure will be mounting up to replace him with Gamvir and Rahul will be back to his no 3 position.
Now, India's winning spree and Dada's consistent performance can save his place .....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Process is Important ……..

 

 

"The Process is important, not the result……"

Yes …Last week someone told like that ….remember?

He also lamented by saying that: "We have worked on a number of things in recent times. We have tried out new things in the nets too and wanted to check them out in match conditions. Unfortunately, we are just not getting that opportunity. India's first match here too could not take place due to the weather. It's very frustrating. We had a few nice sessions with Rudi (Webster) and were delighted with some of the things. But we won't know how effective they are if we don't play matches…………".

 

"The last few months have been frustrating because of interruptions by rains and only six of the last 13 games have been free from such hold-ups. Hopefully, from now until the next World Cup, the boys would be able to acquire as much momentum and confidence as possible" He said.

 

He however, is very pleased with the way the boys are coping. They may be feeling the pressure of the bouncier tracks but apparently the spirits are pretty high. "We were all eager to play. We need to try out new things," he stressed.

 

So the game came finally ….Second ODI against SA   at Durban ….

 

The result?

 

The rest of the world saw ignominious Durban debacle on 22 Nov, 2006 by Springboks …..One more black day for Indian cricket!

 

Trounce, drubbing, debacle, rout ……Journos are busy in selecting from  these words aptly with proper rhythm and connotation.

 

'His' presence is conspicuous by his silence now.

Anyway, some food for thought for 'him':

 

Ø      Chasing a target of 249, India were blown away for 91 in a mere 29.1 overs, their lowest ever score against South Africa, and slumped to a 157-run loss, their biggest ever against the opponents

Ø      Till this debacle, India's lowest total against South Africa was 147 at Port Elizabeth in December 1992

Ø      Indian Cricket Future :   Jaffer – 0 , Kaif -8 , Raina – 4 ,Mongia – 1,    together they made 13 runs.

Ø      India batted just for 29.1 overs!

Ø      Score 91 is India's fifth lowest total after 54,63,78,79.

Ø      91 - India's total at Durban. It is their lowest in an ODI in South Africa, beating the 125 they made against Australia in the 2003 World Cup

Ø       India at one stage lost five wickets for only two runs.

Ø      Kallis gave a master class in batting. The South African batting all-rounder almost carried his bat through the innings, walking to the crease in the second over and staying till the close to score his 14th one-day century from 160 balls with 15 fours – a learning for so called paper tigers and blasters of Indian side.

Ø      The bowlers stuck to their task gamely, none better than old warhorse Zaheer Khan who marked his return to international cricket with two early wickets.

 

 

 

 

Yes we also agree with 'him'. The process is really very important for future betterment of Indian cricket, notwithstanding the current deplorable status. The very process in last couple months in Indian cricket evinced wryly:

 

Ø      Not all good players are good performer as Captain in Cricket since the stewardship entails a lot of maneuvering of left and right cerebral zone. Examples are a plenty in History.

 

Ø      Not all good players are good coach either.

         

Ø      Board of Cricket control  had turned into Board of Coach control of   India(BCCI) in last one and half years when it was busy in  persuading, molly coddling and  monitoring the publicly viewed body language, comments ,interviews of   India's Gregory Peck type of flamboyant Coach .

 

Ø      How couple of value less, corrupt cricket related officials can take the whole cricket loving nation for ride and still can get away with that due to their nefarious nexus with some media honchos.

 

Ø      How couple of media persona can expose their unethical ,highly biased stance for the sake of their own vested interests and petty regional parochialism and subsequently try to tweak the public opinion .

 

Ø       How one single person, because of untiring, abysmally immoral politics against him by captain, coach, selectors, cricket board, media etc over a period of year, evolved into a larger- than- life stature and  sympathy from all walks of  life made him a true icon and an epitome of  crusade for  justice.

 

Ø      More importantly present coach, Captain, selectors and board proved a point inadvertently that a person (read ex captain Sourav Ganguly) is ahead of the interest of the country. If that is not , then all such villains of Indian cricket could not have crucified him so heinously specially in a time when Indian cricket is in dire need of experience and all round performance which could have well been provided by Sourav Ganguly who is coming back to his masterly touch .Just to stop the entry of a single player , selector-captain-coach nexus did allow so many incompetent players in Indian side at the cost of team's performance !It is OK for them to ruin India cricket rather than allowing entry of Sourav Ganguly.

 

 

 

Yes, all the above incidents are very much important to expose the real scenario of Great Indian Cricket Circus .It is needed to separate the real grain from the chaff. It was also to prove once more: The class is permanent!

Last couple of month's incidents will be a great referral point for future Indian cricket in order to mould from just iron ore into steel.

 

The reality now ...!  

What ever said and done , rest of the cricketing life for Sourav  will be an uphill battle !!
Let's accept this very fact .
 
We have to appreciate the unity of More-Chappell-Dravid-Pawar -Shastri-Media junta !
they are really a formidable force and more after Pak  ODI series win ! 
Cricket lost its game-of-etiquette status when it became a game of mass from a game of class !
Today any  Tom , Dick ,Harry  has a say on Indian cricket .Mobocracy rules the roost .
And when something goes in hand of mob , rationale is the last thing one can expect from them !
That's why when Dravid lost the series , Indians burst in anger . and within 15 days scenario is so hunky dory for Chappell-Dravid ! And Dravid is going through one of his best rosy days in life !
life is like that and so is cricket ! roller coaster .
Definitely the situation is not favourable for Sourav for a come back .We can be cock sure that In home series against England Sourav is going to miss the selection bus since 3 spin -2 pacer theory of Chappell will be accepted .Modern day human memory is notoriously short since a;ways it is bombarded with plethora of information . That's why Indian cricket lovers will forget the two valuable innings ( 37 & 34) of Sourav against Pakistan in Karachi .
Time is the best healer and so is win ! Win covers lot of disparity and loop holes in system .Otherwise had India been in trouble in ODI against Pak ,by this time lot of hue and cry could have been created by media to axe Kaif and  Gambhir ! Win covers up Kaif and Gambhir .
So win  instead of pluging ,covers the loop holes in captaincy of Dravid and India team .People will not ask anymore   --
  • how come Pakistan batting can reach to 288 from 68/4 appalling  state in 3rd ODI.
  • why Rahul used Zahir in second ODI when latter was beaten badly by Malik and Razzak
  • why Indian top-middle order was about to crumble when India started  chasing a start-to-finish target of 161 !
we can expect  a  thumping performance of India in home soil against England and eventually Ashes winners will be pulverized into a minnow .
Pak people and media were very sympathetic to Sourav issue and the Pak  team had a chance to prove the point that why Sourav is much needed still in side .But Pak-Inzy's abysmally deplorable captaincy and performance allowed Chappell-Dravid to make the last laugh .
Tactically both the teams made mistakes in a ODI series .But India made less mistakes compared to Pakistan and hence victory swung towards India.
When we started our website , we had one point agenda --to protest against the injustice and wrongs meated out to Sourav .The flame still burns as it was .But we need only one man's support in our entire effort ! Yes, it is none other but --Sourav Ganguly ! his bat should speak for us in 22 yards , rest we have to do together !
He has to remember , Sunny Gavaskar's  once made famous comment --if selectors drop you , you reply with 100 ; Still if they don't consider you , score 200 ; still if you are deprived score 300 !
Run , Run and more runs should be the mantra of Sourav now .Even a single failure in domestic cricket will provide weapon in Chappell-More hands .
 
It was month of Dec , when Sourav was  out of ODI for three months .The time has widened and it is almost 5 months when he is still out ! after a certain point of time People will start totally ignoring the name of Sourav Ganguly ! This is reality .
there lies the success of Chappell-More .They at any cost wanted to keep Sourav outside Indian side and they did it .
They want to turn  'the prince of Calcutta' -- a pauper now and unfortunately they got someone's help in the initial stage of conspiracy who also hails from Calcutta -Ex BCCI supremo , Jagmohan Dalmia ! Indian cricket  mere changes its batton from  a crooked business barrons to a plitical moron ! The more we change , the more we remain the same ! Pawar block is trying to wipe out the name of Dalmia completely .So anything related to Dalmia ( Sourav , Eden ,Kolkata , bengal cricket, east zone ) is a big no no to Pawar lobby .Indian cricket sun now rises in the west !
Latest example is going to be -- no selection of Eden as cricket venue in the forth comming Champions trophy-- mini world cup ! Even BCCI declined the request of ICC to select Calcutta as venue . 
So in this all round attacking strategy of Pawar lobby against Dalmia , Sourav just is a pawn in dirty politics of cricket  board politics .his biggest mistake now is that he hails from  Kolkata --plays under CAB ( Cricket  Association of Bengal ) ! Enough reason to stop his inclusion .
Slowly but surely the process of major selection from west has started . In near future we will see some more faces . Time for west India hegemony in Cricket under a captain who plays for South but hails from west .
 
Facts are truly stranger than fiction .And in Sourav's case , it is even stranger ! 6 months can turn an icon's life complete  upside down !
perhaps in Indian cricket we have not witnessed such kind of Shakespearian melodrama at all ever before !

 

 

We fear this!

 

 In our last column: Conspiracy continues...we expressed our anxiety .And it came true!

We Indian cricket lovers have started to live with the continuous injustice meted out to Sourav Ganguly! Now a day, any injustice is so normal against Sourav that anything falling in that line seems to be 'usual' phenomenon. Our tolerance level is quite high, we are quite accustomed now to Sourav related 'injustice' . And that is ominous for Indian cricket.

Even cricket lovers across country are now feel tired after a long protest against a plethora of 'un cricketing' decisions taken against Sourav in last four months time and again. Cricket lovers are tired, not Dravid and Greg! Rahul is as consistent in 'operation Sourav' as his bating and the coach and mentor in this operation is none but Greg.

There is a limit of everything --- and Chappell-Dravid is applying that philosophy quite successfully.

 Sharp protest of cricket lovers for Sourav will one day die down .After all, -- time is the best healer!

Greg, Dravid are waiting for that 'time'.  

 

"It's very difficult to drop someone like Sourav, with all his experience," Dravid told a news conference after Pakistan had piled up 379 for four by the close.

"Ganguly unlucky to miss out" –Rahul washed off his hand after the first day match. Dravid is cleaver as usual in his statement as if he is quite sympathetic this time in Sourav issue.

Let's digress a bit –what More told us when team was selected and Sourav was included in squad: we need Sourav's experience in a tough tour like Pakistan.

 

In the first test in Lahore Sourav got a chance to bowl and he was amazingly successful in his line and length. In the flat track at Gaddafi, he was the most economical bowler in Team India .The moment, Dravid sensed that 'all rounder' Sourav is in full throttle, he stopped Sourav from bowling after only his six over quota. Still he could not stop unstoppable Sourav in Pakistan innings .The best proof is –Sourav's extraordinary breath taking catch and award for the same. So Sourav played his role quite well in Lahore test and that too without being present in twenty two yards with bat. He did not get any chance to bat in the first test and without any reason he is chucked off in second test at Faisalabad! Where are you Mr.More? Without testing Sourav's batting prowess, suddenly Rahul and his junta (including you) feel that Sourav's experience is no more of use against Pakistan at Faisalabad test! Sorry Raj singh Dungarpur! We Indians have a bad habit of labeling someone for life. You are called – 'the joker of jokers' for a long time. We feel that you are now under tough competition since More, Greg, Rahul –all are now eying and vying for this 'coveted' title!

 

Let's get back to the point. For the interest of Indian cricket, true cricket lovers now should unite more cohesively and we must protest again vehemently. Why?

So far Dravid junta did not dare dropping Sourav, once the latter is in squad .It was the only thing Dravid and Greg did not do against former captain till Faisalabad test .But the last thing also they have performed now at Faisalabad test . So from now onwards they can drop Sourav without battering a single eyelid by the holy name of 'cricketing reason'! And don't be surprised if you see Sourav is carrying water as twelfth man   for R P Singh! This is a more logical progress we foresee now from Greg-Dravid camp.

As a true cricket lover are you ready to accept such an ignominious sorry state of the most successful captain of Indian cricket?

If you want to remain honest to your conscience and true self then –let's shout against ongoing 'operation Sourav' conspiracy   more and more…..more vigorously, more logically, more passionately and most importantly –together.

The ball is in your court!

 

 

 

Our sojourn

Just a month has passed! 15-th Dec2005 to 15th Jan 2006. Yes just a month back, on 15th Dec 2005, our endeavour for www.welovesourav.com began. What a month to remember and cherish!

 What a satisfaction when we retrospect! Thirty days that shook Indian cricket lovers –should ideally be the bottom line.

Not only had the website stolen the headlines in Kolkata based two very popular newspapers and their respective websites (Thanks to Aajkaal and Bartaman), it has created ripples in electronic media as well (Thanks to specially Zee networks and its different news channels in national level). And! A plethora of personal emails and phone calls from most of the parts of India and abroad are enough to rekindle our spirit and commitment to its crescendo.

When we started our journey for Sourav –Cause, our main aim was to protest and popularize this site through different mediums so that our message reaches to MASS.

 We believe that in a democratic, dynamic country like India, mass have the last say .Mass always overpowers media .Two good examples in Indian democracy –one is the ouster of Chandrababu Naidu by mass despite he being a poster boy of media and other one   -welcome return of Narendra Modi in power by mass notwithstanding his loathsome image to media.

We keep faith in mass and mass power overwhelms us now! Two started protest with www.welovesourav.com  and two turned to 20; grew to 200 and now it's still growing …2000….20000….on...and on …! Mass turns to " Critical mass".

 

Today when we go for sleep at night, sleep comes with a sense of satisfaction and feelings that – life is beautiful when we work for a true genuine cause – a cause far beyond personal and parochial interest.

Life finds more meanings when it experiences so many helping friends, true cricket lovers from India and around the world, with their stretched hands to these two –another face in the crowd. No word is enough to thank those true cricket lovers!

A noble cause for Indian Cricket made all of us friend –may be for life!

Yes, we strongly believe that so many protested before us in Sourav –issue through their blogs and other forms sporadically. We want to announce and assure you all today that www.welovesourav.com has given you a platform where comments with solid data on -- Sourav, maladies of Indian cricket and its past, present and future is welcome. Yes, Sporadic, intermittent writings on Sourav and Indian cricket should find a platform and that platform is now live and kicking as you know .Its other counterpart is – welovesourav yahoo group to make the discussion more interactive and dynamic. Moreover the best letter in this group will be published in the website.

So! Today you and I are not alone; we are together for a common cause –Sourav Ganguly, the maestro of   resurrected Indian cricket.

Let's pour our thoughts and ideas by sending them at-- fifthumpire@gmail.com  and in the yahoo group.

Let's unite for Sourav more strongly, meaningfully and passionately .Because you and I strongly believe -- Truth must prevail.

Truth is brighter than thousand suns!

 

We will share our thoughts and opinions directly with the site viewers through this space regularly .we'll maintain a close eye on different aspects related to Sourav issue and Indian cricket and  will update you time to time.