This is a sequel to the post England In India: Questions ahead of a potentially ugly series
Who is winning the series?
The IPL
Are there any positives for India?
Plenty.
For starters there is no infighting like when England lost to South Africa or when Pakistan plays. Although I won't call it a complete positive. I think it makes me quite uncomfortable that the team is so united in humiliation. I smell something fishy.
Secondly, as bad as they have played, the series is still not lost.
Thirdly, the best fielder in the series is Indian. Don't trust what you hear about Sehwag's careless running and Gambhir's poor signalling, that led to the match starting horribly for India. While all that is true, it was triggered by Samit Patel's brilliant effort on the boundary line.
And Finally Zaheer Khan did not break down as we had incorrectly predicted. In our view he is in the top 56 of the fittest bowlers in the world
How will the series end?
With Sachin Tendulkar not retiring.
No seriously, what's the prediction?
The series will end with the Pakistan circus series as a 'fresh start'.
Is Naseer Hussain right to call India's cricketers 'God-like'?
Yes. But it must be tough being Naseer Hussain. Last year he called them donkeys and got criticized. This year he calls them God-like and he still is unlikely to win fans. My advice to Naseer is this...call them salesmen or entertainers. It will strike a chord.
Why do Indian cricketers and coaches bother to speak to the media?
With the express intent to launch an assault on people's intelligence. I think in their minds we have brains the size of Gautam Gambhir.
How good is England really?
Once they investigate why they lost in Ahmedabad, they can build on the series result.
Who is to blame for India's losses? Bowlers or Batsmen?
This one is easy - Batsmen. You need good bowlers to win consistently. You need good batsmen to draw matches consistently. But matches are almost always lost with poor batting. It means you are not good enough to draw. In fact the weaker your bowling, your batsmen have that much less to bat to force draws.
Who is more angry Sachin-ists or Sach-atheists?
Sachin's fans are more angry. Just based on personal experience, I get a lot of (okay may be one or two....hmmm...one) 'You...Sachin hater' type greetings from well wishers. I don't know of anyone who is angry with Sachin fans. Perhaps its proof that Sachin is not God after all. People who don't believe in God are not called God-haters so why this venom against people who no longer believe in the 'Sachin Story'...Just like traditional atheists I just don't believe Sachin should exist in the team. The rest are free to enjoy and experience his existence. Stop being angry with me. I am as stupid as you are.
If there is one lesson in this series for India what is it?
Next time a visiting side arrives, please give adequate practice to Indian batsmen against visiting spinners. When you are this bad, tour games are opportunities for home teams as well. Think outside the box.
Can things get any worse for India?
Yes, If they win at Nagpur
14 comments:
Please read this when you get a chance. Another soul venting your frustration in a different way.
http://crazycricketlover.blogspot.com/2012/12/oh-my-god-this-is-becoming-insane-than.html
Thanks for your feedback on my blog. I regularly follow your posts.
I thought I was done talking about Sachin in my earlier posts. I expected him to announce his retirement and play this series. Looks like he is far far away from retirement.
If you have time, go over the entire series starting from the first post. You will have an idea of my stand.
http://crazycricketlover.blogspot.com/search/label/England%20Tour%20of%20India%202012
@Dinesh
Nice blog...the pictures of SRT makes the blog a bit of getting used to... but may be its just me :-)
will follow it now
Ha ha ha..nice one. I agree with the final line.
i see you have not moved on yet...
this blog can now be officially renamed as -
1. 'opinions on sachin'.
2. 'sachin for dummies'
3. 'how sachin stole christmas'
4. 'my experiments with sach(in) - grod'
guest writers may be allowed to blog about cricket as well.
Real/Original Anon,
I have to live this phase through. Confronting my inner demons. No point running away from it :-)
@Golandaaz
Thank you for your response. Much like many I'm also a big Sachin Fan. But that doesnot mean I will not question my hero when he does wrong. This is my way of showing loyalty - i'm faithful fan, but I will question his wrong doing.
I questioned him when he dropped out of WI Series. I questioned for giving up his sports quarters only after he built the new house.
At the end of the day, I still love Sachin for what he did to this country.
We're still at it, are we?
What did we feel when ODI stars like Yuvraj were first lionised and brought into test team?
What did we feel when these were persisted after repeated failrues and clear indication that they didnt belong? (Yuvi, Raina etc)
What did we feel when the domestic performers like Badri, Tiwary were given short shrift in favour of Raina, Yuvi etc?
What did we feel when Dhoni sat out a Sri Lanka tour while doing ODI series before and after that? (This before IPL)
Did we question Sehwag/Gambhir until recently when ti became veery clear that backing them will show one in poor light as well-wishers of Indian Cricket?
We didnt raise a question then.
That - my friend - was the beginning of our end
Sachin is just a straw man.
Sachin must retire is a fine opinion to have. But to be obsessed with that - and that alone - is nothign but obsessive compulsive disorder.
Saying this doesnt make me a Sachin fan, let alone an angry one
The way it is going, we need some proof that youa re not a robot - forget proving that we aer not a robot in the comment space :)
And, lastly, friend, prepare for years of mediocrity ahead.
We just had a 10 year interlude of success thanks to an extra-ordinary bunch of individuals.
Not happening again - we revert to mediocrity now.
No amount of retiring the old ones and getting hungry new ones is going to change that.
Just recognise that we are not England or Australia.
Might as well have enjoyed Laxman and Dravid(even if they averaged 20) for a year more. The IPL generation is going to infuriate more and more...atleast we oldie-fans could have had some happiness watching their 20s and 30s instead. Now, nobody wins.
@Anon, Point taken, $%%@@###&@(2!!<
Anon -
You the most optimistic cynic I know of...kudos.
Great post bro.
I have to say that I have asked myself some of those questions that you have posted on here and I was happy to read those answers :D
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