India cancels tour of Pakistan

Not official or confirmed though, but many news channels (NDTV) and web sites have reported that the troubled tour of Pakistan has been cancelled. Cricinfo maintains that it has been on dangerous grounds. 

 

This blog maintains that the tour cancellation was the only logical option for the embattled and embarrased Indian government after what transpired in Mumbai.  The cancellation is not done on the basis of security situation in the troubled land but owing to the new found tough stance agaist the neigbhours after 11/26.  

 

we cannot be playing cricket in the country which on one hand pretends to be friendly (the govt) and on other hand masterminds the destruction in the country (ISI).  And already being on terror attack list it doesnt sound safe for Sachin, Rahul, MSD and Viru along with others to be present in Pakistan.  If it means death of Pak cricket, then so be it. We aint responsible for their cricket or custodians to bail them out of trouble every time.

 

I agree the politics and cricket are North and South Poles, but then current situation doesnt leave us with many options. Does it ? I presume that BCCI wont fall prey to the pressure tactics from Butt and PCB.

 

And where does that leave PCB ? Nowhere. Their cricket is dead and buried. All they can do is now go and play A cricket or Zim, BD or Kenya.  They can go to Ireland and beat them square and fair to avenge 2007 WC beating.

 

May be to bring back their cricket back on track, the state of Pakistan would have to give away the age long policy of sponsoring, manufacturing and exporting terror to all parts of world. 

Say NO to neutral venues

Vic Marks in Observer suggests that in case India doesnt host England in the test series for latter refusal to tour, the test series should go to Abu Dhabi.

To me that is not a good idea. Going to Abu Dhabi or any other venue isnt done for us. We have other venues in India relatively safer than Mumbai. We have Kolkata, we have Chennai, we have Mohali. We can have series going on here. If not in Mumbai.

For sure cricket wont die in India and for sure the viewership in India wont dwindle. A temporary halt may be in line but not for long term.

Read other articles on the same topic here :

1. Hindustan times
2. Times of India
3. Dileep Premchandran

Anyways for 2 – 3 weeks cricket isnt on our agenda. Last thing we need is any harm to the beloved cricketers. They are the last left icons in the country bereft of role models and aplomb with loosers like RR Patil and Shivraj Patil in addition to the MMS and his blonde boss

We shall be back!!

We vl be back, so would our cricket and so shall Mumbai…….We can be down, we can b bruised, we can be knocked out for a while, but we can never be written off, we cannot be out and we cannot be conquered for long….The cricket in India shall return soon. The country shall bounce back after this temporary haux. We would be right there at the top of cricket world………..

Hayden’s 100 Tests and African dream!!

ML Hayden run out (How/McCullum) 24 36 5 0 66.66

Is Hayden playig his last Test ? That is the 100th and last. Hasnt done anything worthy since India tour and today he got run out 12th time equalling AB s record for Australia…..Batting woes continue for Australia and right up there in Africa, Graeme Smith readies himself to try and beat Aussies home and away…..

Can Graeme Smith manage to win a single Test in the 6 test carnival against Aussies ?

And as a last note on Mumbai terror : If I sound outrageous or angry on what happened which is a normal reaction , wont you guys even comment ? I am not sucker for comments, but yes some opinions sharing is always invited even if you dont quite agree to what I say. Lets agree to disagree if not agree to every opinion 🙂

Kudos to BCCI and ICL!!

As the first after-reactions of the terror attacks in Mumbai, the cricket in India has taken a hit. England have returned back home cancelling the 2 ODIs suffering a whitewash. ICL World Series is gone. IPL CL is postponed. Test leg of England might or might not happen. Cricket right now is last thing on our minds. We are yet to come out of the shocking terror attacks in Mumbai which is also the BCCI headquarters. Brabourne was supposed to host the final Test match and both teams were to be booked in Taj Colaba, which is under the fire from Pakistani terrorists. So were the 4 CL teams from India, Australia and England.

One thing that comes as a highlight here is BCCI didn’t supposedly exercise the so called muscle flexing in pestering the teams to stay on and play the series for monetary benefits. Perhaps they knew that nobody would be in a right frame of mind and with the upcoming elections in Delhi during the weekend and supposed threat from the ultras, the security cover for teams could haven’t been managed as well they might have to. BCCI assessed the situation well and let go of the cricket for the time being. And so did ICL. Kudos to them.

Cricket can wait

What happened in Mumbai last nite was terrible, unprecedented, literally shitty and goddamn add all abusive and worst words to that…..Cricket can wait and take a backseat. As Soulberry suggests on his blog, the English team can scrap the tour and we wont object and neither give any false assurances about giving 200% security like our neigbhours do….I also feel that even the Champions league should be scrapped or moved to Australia.

News channels reported that 4 teams were supposed to stay in the Taj Colaba hotel for the CL. And cricinfo suggests that the Mumbai games have been switched to Bangalore and perhaps if the tour goes on, the Brabourne Test might get shifted too.

A black day in country s history.

And would state and urge the bloggers in India and from Pakistan not to equate this situation in Mumbai to the situation in Pakistan. Any terror attack that happens anywhere in the world is condemnable and against humanity. That must be dealt in iron – fist way. So please refrain from scoring brownie points on this issue when it might come to the level of deciding the future of India – Pakistan series.

Games can wait….The life should be primary importance and if thats there, everything can be taken care of later……

Why not a 3rd Test match in the series ?

Okay we won the series 5-0 ….Scrap 2 ODIs and a tour game. Get a test match……….Anybody for a test match ? And did you guys notice one thing ? MS drives every man of match on the bike, but no Viru…It happened in Bangalore and now in Cuttack…..Cold war ? Hidden agendas ? Any guesses ?

Sachin and Viru set the game for India….Still Sachin shudnt open ?

Nastier side of me is back to the business and this time its for anti Sachin ppl…The GOD and his disciple do it again…10th 100 partnership and that too at quicker pace…Sets up the game for the lead to be 5-0.

Sometimes I do wonder people who go away with sentiments echoed by the media when they say “Sachin is slow”, “Sachin is selfish”, “Sachin shudnt open with Viru”….Are they half baked intelligent ppl ? If Sehwag is going all guns then to preserve wkts one of the partner has to anchor the innings….And Sachin Tendulkar is one guy who switches role to perfection. After 20 yrs of cricket we mere mortals have audacity to question the greatest batsman of all times. I wish if Aussies did the same to DON in his playing days ?

Meanwhile Sehwag hit Broad for 2 back to back fours….And I m off to the game……0/119 in 17 overs with 153 more to get in 33 overs. Thats a game set match to India unless the likes of Raina and Sharma dont screw it up!!

PS : I am old timer. I love the older generation of Indian cricket, i have grown up watching them play and transform the Indian cricket from no-hoppers to almost world beaters. Bear my opinions. I would always favor Tendulkars, Dravids, Laxmans and Sehwags now with Saurav and Anil gone. I am not anti young brigade but then they gotta show the hunger…..So far the stars of the series aint the so called new young lads but the likes of Sehwag, Gambhir, Zaheer and of course Yuvraj…..Where are the young lads?

Why Rohit Sharma ?

Career summary
Grouping	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
v Australia	7	7	1	139	66	23.16	206	67.47	0	1	0	13	0
v Bangladesh	2	2	0	48	26	24.00	66	72.72	0	0	0	3	1
v England	4	3	1	42	28	21.00	62	67.74	0	0	0	4	0
v Hong Kong	1	1	0	11	11	11.00	29	37.93	0	0	0	0	0
v Ireland	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
v Pakistan	5	5	1	143	58	35.75	187	76.47	0	2	0	12	1
v South Africa	1	1	0	8	8	8.00	9	88.88	0	0	0	0	0
v Sri Lanka	11	11	3	194	70*	24.25	238	81.51	0	1	2	13	2

There you go with the career summary of Rohit Sharma. An average of 24.37 in 31 games with an highest of 70 against Lanka. Damn he fails against Pakistan, Bangladesh and Hongkong too. And this is what we call talent and future Sachin Tendulkar ?

The context ? For the 5^th ODI Gautam Gambhir has been replaced by Sharma. Dhoni has truck loads of confidence in Sharma. Unfortunately Dhoni is no Ganguly and Sharma is no Viru / Yuvraj / Kaif who would hit back in captain’s confidence with sparkling form. There is Virat Kohli who did a decent job in SL as opener and he is yet to get a game in this series.

Sharma finds a place in the team despite his bad form just cos he is young and then media, experts, bloggers bay for Dravid s blood for bad form just cos he is 35. Do you find any blogger baying in for Sharma except me ? Nobody J

The question is how long he is going to find place in the team and not perform ? Sachin Tendulkar on account of one failure in Bangalore ODI sparks debates on his ODI future. This dude who has got more money than Sachin Tendulkar had his age doesn’t even spark a question on his place in the team ? Attitude. That’s the key. Has Sharma got it ? Not really. Easy money from T20 and IPL heroics have got in his head and he has forgot that its ODIs and Tests that count more than T20 heroics. IPL would get him money which would move his family in Borivali(W) to a comfortable mansion, but then it won’t move him to the list of decent or good international batsmen.

What’s the use of talent if you don’t showcase it or even don’t let it speak ? How long is he going to be occupying a spot in the team and not perform ? He is encashing the 66 runs he made in 1^st final against Australia in CB Series. Post that he has been as useless as a dead rubber.

Time to look elsewhere for a “young gun”

Persist with Symonds

Symo is at it all over again. He is not at the wrong end of the law, but he is still involved in wrong news. I mean this is precarious situation. He is on his last chance in the international cricket. One more fishing incident and Symo would be disgraced to folklore for good. He is too good a player to retire as a BAD MAN of Aussie cricket. Australia needs him NOW like never before. Their dominance is dwindling with opposition teams finding more chinks in Kangaroo armors than ever before. The skipper is on the fringes of being banned, his form is waning and so is Mathew Hayden. If he doesn’t pick up runs in the Adelaide Test, then may be this could be his last Test ever or Boxing Day Test / New Year Test could be his last.

Spin bowling is worst. Krejza is injured, White is redundant, and McGain is gone. And that’s where Symo chips in. He is a part timer though, but good one than the likes of Clarke and Katich. This is the time when Symo could prove his worth by contributing to the evolution of Australian cricket in positive way. His presence on the field is instrumental in putting the opposition on defensive. Sydney Test 2008 is a live example when India almost won in but due to Symo and Buckner, they couldn’t. Not only did he excel with bat, but also with ball in the 2^nd innings of the Test match.

Despite all his evil shenanigans persist with him. That’s the need of the hour.