I know that you all have guessed what this one is about. Yes, and most, if not all are right when you clicked on this one knowing fully well that Indian team bashing is lurking right round the corners.
I confess I am hurt. Hurt that my favorites are not there anymore; hurt that ICC followed one ridiculous format to eliminate teams; hurt that Woolmers no more; hurt that its just not gonna b fun with the big guys gone so early and hurt that this may not be the last time.
OK... now that I mention what has hurt me... I shall reason out a few of the wrongs that I feel could be righted and also comment on the general state of the game in India...
The tournament format...
It tried to ape the Soccer cup format but clearly missed out on the Fact that even Team # 8 and 9; pray they land in the same group... have a cushion of playing someone atleast 8 ranks below them and beyond... Also competition in the soccer qualifiers is more evenly matched and teams have an idea what they are heading towards...
My format :
Have 15 teams in groups of 3 ; so each group has three test playing nations... Have two rounds each and select top 2 teams from each grp and then (3 match round robin to select two teams from the third ranked teams)... this way teams like Bermuda and Ireland and Holland play 3 test playign nations twice getting better exposure and teams like India and Pakistan get a chance at redemption if there is a slip-up... At the end we have 8 teams left (top 2 from ech group and two of the three third ranked teams). Then have a good old knock-out quarters semis and finals...
This gives slightly weaker teams at another shot to topple stronger teams like SA and Aus (one more knockout match, u see)... What we get at the end of this is a real champion who has played 11-13 matches against quality opposition... facing more chances at elimination... Sounds fair, eh???
That said and done; what transpired and followed after Paks defeat to Ireland is unacceptable. I strongly protest the killing of Woolmer. Games and sports, at the end of the day, are just that. If betting has gotten so big as to claim a coach's life then authorites need to wake up and take immediate action. I watch evry sport for the love of the game and I cannot digest that what I saw was all set up by the betting mafia. Totally untolerable, despicable crap...
Now the thing that hurt the most... This wasnt an under-talented Indian team going for the jugular. This probably was one of the strongest team in the past few years. SLightly cocky and arrogant but really good. Then what happened?
Well for starters they took Bangaladesh for granted... big mistake.. teams have reached the WC on basis of thr talent... Secodn mistake was the apparent lack of team spirit aided handsomely by the lack of motivation and zero game planning... As if this wasnt enuff of a recipe for disaster, we picked teams totally cluelessly with no focus on result driven tactics... No wonder we crashed out... Even if we had followed my suggested format it would have been a tough time getting to knock-out stage... Let be...
Now what hurt me the most.... The players didnt really seem hurt.. what thr face reflected ws unhappiness... The passion to perform was totally missin and the warmth of the advertising money was an able comforter in this disastrous tornado of losses... I hope I read it wrong cos if I didnt then we are virtually staring at a talent pool totally wasted by the excess of comfort provided without deservance....
Till I see some fire in this team again... I shall stay ashamed and disgusted about these folks.
2 comments:
as someone who religiously follows cricket....India's elimination is a big blow. ICC has the same format over the years and there would be no change. yes, the Wc is not the same nymore minus the Men in Blue....but i thnk v shud accept the defeat in a sporting manner and let bygones be bygones..if we (Indians_ create the hype arnd them, v shud support them in their bad days ..even if it means throught a particular season. The important agenda rite now is to get hold of Woolmers' killer who is responsible for taking away a genius
hey shreyas , this is richin. I hav not followed cricket so meticulously as i used for quite a long time ,but deres 1 thing i cud sense in d very beginin wen greg was appointed d coach, dat he gonna destroy d indians. This is very personal opinion but i still stand by it. removal of gangu broke d emotional spine of indian cric team, hence on never did i see a body lang of fighters on d field. it was followed by collapse of sehwag, bhaji, yuvraj & slow death of irfan. no success has ever been achieved witout emotional commitment & dat was lackin in team, a sense of comaradarie, a sense of participatin in d risk, was not dere. It made me so sad to c greg not ownin d defeat, not dat he shud but its expected @ a level whr emotions dictate our relationships. I felt greg was hidin behind teams bad performance. it showed his level of participation in d risk ... u cannot play around wit a team witout considering d risks if u r emotionally involved ... whc unfortunatly he did & i m so sorry to c d indian capt. followin suit ... dis team was strong enough to reach d semi-finals but now v all see whr it is coz everythins dere minus d spirit ...
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