The KP Mess

England have become the running joke for players all over the world. From amateur cricketers to roadside tyros to full time pros everyone is scratching their heads trying to figure this out. If performance isn't the criteria what is? England's message seems to be, "you are part of the team if you are a middling semi-performer but obedient."

The finger has to be pointed at Andy Flower. He seems to believe in his own coaching style over the talent that his players have. England lost in Australia only because KP played poorly. What that means is that the rest of the players' contribution is immaterial. To turn a match around, England needed KP to step up. If Flower, Cook and Prior couldn't motivate KP to deliver their sorry asses need to be thrown out. To blame KP for the series loss while hanging on to proven non-difference-makers like Tim Bresnan et al shows just how much England's administrative head needs a collective brainwash or a flush down the toilet.

The world is welcome to sympathize with Jonathan Trott who was persisted with though he was suffering from stress related illness. For the life of me, I can't figure out what's taboo about this illness. Players are left out from the side for having the flu, a toothache and delhi belly. Why did Flower and company knowingly include a player that was suffering from a far bigger condition than any of these. Shouldn't the finger of blame be squarely put on Andy Flower for backing an unfit player while trying to "tame" a proven match-winner? Trott left the team early and Flower had no real back up plan.

I've ranted often against self-absorbed administrators who seem to think that they have the power of God to turn mediocre players into super-stars. For every player that one or two good coaches do seem to turn around, they destroy several others. When are they going to realize that it's about the players and trying to get the best out of them? KP has a good 3-4 years left in him and he's going to ply his trade in the IPL and sundry leagues. Andy Flower may think that he has won a victory, but all he's managed to do is to set England back by 2-4 years.

Australia showed the way when they got rid of "homework" Mickey and rehabilitated both Warner and Watson. The results were astounding. England on the other hand pandered to Andy Flower and paid the price. They continue to genuflect to his "genius", not realizing that he is way past his prime. To give him KPs head as a parting gift is a huge tragedy. For all his "accomplishments", Flower remains just another ego-maniacal ex-player who is too full of himself.

Dravid wants 'not walking' to be a criminal offense

Rahul Dravid has said that the twin issues of batsmen 'not walking' and fielders 'claiming bump catches' must be outlawed by all countries. It is only the fear of going to jail that will prompt cricketers to play within the spirit of the game.

He has urged all time great fellow country man, scorer of a 100 100s, who will be approaching a media created milestone of 200 Tests later this year in South Africa, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar to draft and introduce a bill in the Rajya Sabha that will eventually be the law of the land.

Rahul Dravid said he is confident that once Sachin expresses his desire for the bill, it will become the law in 20 seconds. Then whenever Stuart Broad nicks one in India and does not walk the police can press charges and Stuart will be put in jail.

Steve Waugh, currently in the country to say nice things about Sachin Tendulkar, said that he would prefer lie detector tests and that while Dravid was a fine batsman, he sometimes did not agree with his views.

We did not seek out Jagmohan Dalmiya, the BCCI president for comments, because the BCCI had not been sent anything 'in writing'.

A spot poll of the IPS officers across the country revealed that the Indian Police community is eagerly waiting for this new law, so that they can immediately deploy their abundance of resources to enforce the law that Sachin passed.

Mr. Gaitonde, a hawaldar with the Mumbai Police said..."Sachin cha kaida ahe; mag toh enphorce karavach lagnar", (Its Sachin's law, so it has to be enforced). When reminded that it was Rahul Dravid's idea, Mr. Gaitonde said "Te yekach ho" (Its one and the same)

Meanwhile the BBC had Ian Botham quoted as saying "If India puts in place this law, Stuart Broad should send his mother-in-law to India"

I am giving up pretending to like the IPL...

A few years back; 2 to be exact; I gave up trying to convince myself that Sachin adds any real value to India's future plans and right about now I am giving up pretending to like and get excited about the IPL. 

Enough is enough...

I get what its all about but I am incapable of feeling any excitement towards it.

I get it...its a boon to the players, it has brought new fans and new money to cricket, you get to see international stars playing along side Indian ones...more often than not the games are very close and the standard of cricket; especially when 'The Warriors' are not playing, Ponting decides to drop himself and Sachin is in the dressing room; is....lets say decent...

I get it...

and yet, the entire package fails to connect.

Each IPL game, looks and feels the same to me. 

For someone who grew up hunting down discarded "World Cricket Digests" and old cricket books at "raddi" shops near Shivaji Park to catch up on cricket stories, about the Ashes, about great Pakistani teams, about Test Matches in South Africa, the series where Terry Alderman took 40 Ashes wickets, stories about Pataudi's captaincy, Gavaskar's WI debut; I still haven't felt the urge to catch up on Chris Gayle's heinous 175* the other day. 

Just to read the accounts was like reliving the games. It connected...The IPL doesn't

Its not the IPL's fault. We grow up or grown apart :-) ...I think I have...

To a point where the IPL looks staged...

Everything looks set up. Everything is setup...

The other day, they set up an entire episode of Sir Vivian Richards "inspiring" the Delhi 'dare-i-say' Daredevils. A part of me felt humiliated that the great Richards was willing to reduce himself to a cheer leader and a part of me was livid with the entire Indian cricket setup who don't think twice before using their money to reduce ex greats to bit roles in what is essentially a big ass saas-bahu serial packaged as cricket. 

Then again, we made Kapil Dev, our very own literally rub his nose to the ground and apologize before we released his funds. So who is Sir Vivian Richards...

There is no doubt, Sir Vivian Richards can inspire. But this was not that...this was setup, staged, the way Americans do with their sport. Nothing happens on and off the field without a meticulous plan; almost a screen play. I am not suggesting that there is one, but that's the feeling I am left with...

So a few years back, I gave up pretending to like Amercian Sports and now its the turn of the IPL. 

Its not that I don't respect the Indian cricket setup for pulling of something like the IPL. I do.N Srinivasan is yet to come out with a rule that says that the Chennai Super Kings will be deemed winners even when they lose. That's restraint. 

Its rare these days in Indian cricket.

So yes, I have immense respect for N. Srinivasan and his cronies for showing remarkable, statesman-like constraint and honor for the basic rules of the game.

When Harsha Bholgle, while delivering a running commentary, tries to explain that "even though the TRP is dipping the number of  viewers that are watching the IPL has increased".... its not cricket. Its shameless marketing. How is the TRP rating in any way a matter of discussion in a game? Its not about sport any more. Its just business. I don't watch cricket to applaud its business model. 

When people (foreign players) say profuse things (and mind you, there is no other way one should talk about Sachin) I don't feel its genuine. Its all staged. The love for Sachin, the boasting of his humility, is sickening.... 

Then there was the Sachin "Happy Birthday"... 

Happy birthday Sachin....

If the IPL is obscene enough for my senses, the 40 lb cake cutting ceremony was something for which a word has not been invented yet...let's say "Sachscene"...

Is this really happening to Australia?

Please...someone please tell me this ain't so...

Is this really happening in the Australian Cricket team? Is modern cricket and coaching come to this? That you have to send in 2 areas of improvement; one individual and one for the team; as a benchmark for meeting 'high standards'. Since when did national cricket teams get infested with corporate ailments.

Filling out reports and post it notes are "standards" created by people in the corporate world to justify their jobs because they have no real work. I was under the wrong impression that cricket coaches were a much nobler creed. How wrong I was...

And what is Michael Clarke thinking? Does he think he is able to score runs because he fills out his work out schedule and slides it under Mickey Arther's hotel room door?  

Yes, I get it...its the little things that matter. It's the little things that add up to creating something bigger and long lasting. When people do get fired however, they should be fired for not getting the big things done. Not for not doing the small things. 

Firing someone for not filling time sheets is petty. 

It takes incredible amounts of foolishness to fire cricketers for not submitting their '2 points worth of improvement ideas'. It's foolish because it means you just fell for your own sales pitch. 

Arther and Clarke would have gained far more in respect had they fired the 4 for non-performance. 

Like India did with Virendra Sehwag.

Like Sunil Gavaskar did when he dropped Kapil Dev and Sandip Patil for playing rash strokes and costing India a Test match 2 decades and more ago. 

And I am curious, what did the 12 cricketers who did comply with the high standards set by Mickey Arthur...what ideas did they have? Daily Wellness Reports? Group hugs? Lunch and learns? Bring your sons and daughters to work day?

India's own reaction to consecutive away white washes, is now beginning to look like a model of restraint and common sense. 

Duncan Fletcher's stock in my eyes has sky rocketed. 

The KP Mishap

The ECB took the bold, but dimwitted step of dropping Kevin Pietersen from the test team. Well-intentioned rules and regulations controlling player behavior are just that. “Well-intentioned”. They neither guarantee success nor do they ensure cohesive team behavior. However, many people get caught up in the rules and regulations and assume them to be the foundation for team success.

Here’s something that you always knew but no one told you. There is no formula for team success. Some of the most successful teams would have been called undisciplined by today’s pundits. And some of the most regimented teams have fallen by the wayside frequently. Note South Africa’s continued quest to be number one and win a world cup. [On that subject, why is ESPN reporting Kirsten’s statement about SA’s desire to be number one as some big secret being let out? As opposed to what? South Africa is playing to be the number 3 team in the world? Or just playing to play?]

We suffer the bureaucracy regularly in businesses that bemoan the loss of innovation. Teams that are constrained by too many rules, regulations and codified ethics can’t function creatively enough. While this piece is not an advocacy for debilitating self-centeredness or anarchy, for sure individual expression and freedom must be cherished and preserved. Theere is a line that should not be crossed. But this should be left to the team to decide, not officialdom and definitely not codified by edicts to cease and desist tweets, blogs, etc.

All the establishment cronies – Nasser Hussain, Atherton, Vaughan, etc. have come out advocating KP being dropped. They are also unwittingly advocating England losing the next test match. Does anyone believe that Bairstow and whats-his-face will be able to withstand Dale Steyn, Philander and Morkel? Are spectators paying to see a military parade or a cricket game with flair, flourish and pomp? Spectators want a battle out there, not a meek surrender? Spectators want players to play out of their skins to win a game of cricket. They don’t care if players are running with the right form and doing good media interviews? What will the ECB and even Andrew Strauss end up doing after England lose? Blame KP for the loss for “misbehaving” and losing his place in the team?

Misguided officials and team captains cover up their own inadequacy of being unable to manage and motivate extremely talented individuals by scurrying to justify their failure with rules. Flintoff, Pietersen, Warne, Symonds and probably every Pakistan player falls into this category of players. Perhaps, a bunch of 70s era Australians and the entire West Indies team under Clive Lloyd did too.

My guess is that many fans too will come out in support of ECB’s move. “No individual is bigger than the game”, they will proclaim, completely missing the point. Individuals make up the team. A captain and official’s success is being able to get the best out of the most temperamental genius in the team. There’s a reason Botham prospered under Brearley. Warne prospered under Taylor and Waugh. And there’s a reason Symonds was lost by Ponting and now KP is being lost by Strauss.

I’m not at all advocating that every prima donna be pampered. However, the fault lies with ECB and Strauss for letting things come to this state. KP’s personality is well-known. Not being able to plan and manage a player of his caliber is definitely Strauss, Flower and ECB’s fault. A little bit of humility from them early on, would have helped tremendously.

Thanks to their incompetence, the next test match has been reduced to a farce. What a shame!

Humiliation as Retribution

This morning I wrote an apology letter to BCCI. I apologized on Gol's behalf for being too harsh on Sachin. I also apologized that we criticize selections and BCCI's ham-handed attitude and treatment of cricketers. Within seconds of sending that e-mail, I received a note saying a check for $50 was in the mail for me. I rejoiced. My legacy was going to be safe. I am receiving those $50 for attending a selection camp in Karnataka to play for the varsity team. My association with BCCI has now been preserved in posterity. Golandaaz too will be getting a check (much bigger than mine). And he will share it with me or at least I expect him to. Money is everything.

The saga of Kapil's rehabilitation has been troubling me big time. Indian cricket has not produced a lion-hearted cricketer before or since Kapil Dev, with the possible exception of CK Nayudu perhaps. For all his strategic shortcomings, Kapil was the one who would take the bullet on his chest for the team. He was forever the last hope, the one that wouldn't give up without a fight and would take the fight to the opponents. He was the last with old-fashioned, rugged, salt-of-the-earth values. None of that urban sophistication and rationalization. He failed more than he succeeded in his methods perhaps, but we loved that about him. Even when he launched the ICL, we believed his sincerity. Not once did I think that he was doing it for money or fame. I didn't agree with him being appointed coach of the team Indian team, because he did nothing more than give "do better" speeches to a team short on talent and tactical nous. But Kapil was always larger than life. After all, Wisden/Cricinfo had annointed him as the Indian Cricketer of the 20th Century.

Watching him be humiliated and reduced to this underscores what is wrong with BCCI in particular and India in general. We have lost our moral compass. We have given up trying to understand what human dignity even means. Humiliation as retribution is normal for those in power as is groveling to curry favor for the layman. The excuses are many, but worshipping money and power has become so common place that talking about morality makes everyone laugh. My country of birth with its oligarchy and kleptocracy has been bankrupted of the ideals upon which it was built.

Most people would wonder why I'm making such a big deal out of this. This is normal daily occurence in India. Corruption is endemic and lack of empathy and moral rectitude is commonplace. For some reason, this hurt because cricket to me is a passion like no other. Despite the BCCI being overtaken by commercial interests, I held hope that sportspeople would stand firm. That the very spirit that leads sportspeople to achieve excellence would also lead them to take the BCCI back. Kumble's election as president of KCA warmed my heart like nothing else. I'm not one who naively believes that cricketers will be the best administrators. Just like government of the people, for the people is the best form of government, I believe cricket administrators coming from the ranks of cricketers is the fairest form of administration. I nuture the feeling that had the BCCI been run by cricketers, we would not have these controversies around match-fixing, player contracts, IPL vs test cricket, DRS and the like. Because cricketers will decide for cricket and the cricketers. They would likely put both these first and the money making part would take care of itself.

I have always believed that the administrators should be the servants of the sportspeople, never the other way around. The selectors are not doing cricketers any favors by selecting them. The players are doing the country a favor by putting their bodies, minds and souls at it's service to bring it fame. They are the ones risking failure and humiliation so that their team and their country achieves distinction. Years from now, no one will remember the names of everyone that played the 2011 World Cup final for India. But we will all know that India won the 2011 World Cup. Who remembers the magnitude of the innings played by Yashpal Sharma or Sandeep Patil from 1983, other than the most rabid fans? Both probably don't care about their relative anonymity compared to the pride they feel that they won the country a world cup. It's that selfless spirit that is evident even in the most selfish of cricketers and other team sportspeople.

But Kapil wasn't angling for an administration job. Kapil represented all of us that feel that the BCCI has gone too far in flexing its muscle. That the BCCI has bullied enough and that there was going to be one person that would not bend no matter how much pressure was brought to bear. But much like a mafia threatens, cajoles, buys and ultimately breaks it's enemies, Kapil has been bought. And for whatever reason, the fight went out of the warrior. Those of us who admire the spirit of Rana Pratap who held out against a mighty emperor, to defend a principle, despite having no chance at all are dismayed. And the big bad BCCI has declared victory. But this is a huge defeat for Indian cricket and perhaps world cricket. This signals to all those potential lion hearts out there that the BCCI wants only poodles. India's surrenders in the test arena is no coincidence. And there are going to be many more, until the goose that lays these golden eggs is dead. This is yet another sad day for Indian cricket.

Lamenting England's loss

In a way, England's continued failures in the subcontinent are helping cover India's own rediscovered incompetence away from home. You cannot criticize India without having England's example thrown back at you. Perhaps depending on England is risky. May be Australia and South Africa will show the way.

Although England's results after being crowned #1 are following the same slope that India's slid through, I somehow am more sympathetic towards England's efforts; which seem genuine; than India's which seem dishonest. Which only means I expect England to figure out and what ails them in subcontinental conditions in a more earnest fashion than India, whose response will always be a filmi - "We will see you in our own backyard". Ultimately England will probably be as crap in subcontinental conditions as India is away from them. 

Moving on...

Admittedly, I am not as exposed to India's 24 x 7 cricket media and my only exposure to cricket related media coverage is the internet and live feeds from Willow and Dish Network. Although this has been enough to have a severe diabetic reaction to the felicitations of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. 

Yes they have earned them but please in a year where you have lost almost all Test Matches away from home stand up and mute these exhibitions of personal achievements, even if these celebrations mark an entire career where there have been notable successes for the team.

Together as a team you have helped India achieve nothing that past Indian teams have not, except a series win in Pakistan. Yes you have bettered personal records and instead of 

Vishwanath, Vengsarkar, Kapil and Gavaskar...

Statsguru shows...

VVS, Rahul, Kumble and Sachin. 

It's not the least impressive. 

Been there done that....

Staring down the abyss

It wasn't too long ago that India had scaled the ODI peak by winning the World Cup. Tendulkar declared Dhoni to be the best captain that he had played under. It was Team India and not a collection of individuals anymore. We had declared that the team had been cast in Dhoni's image of being calm, cool and collected against the highest of odds.

Alas, it didn't last! Historically, India had never fielded unified teams. The feuds between stars are well known. Most times these feuds impacted the team's performances but sometimes they came together for the collective good. Sports persons are strong personalities. They usually require emotion to fuel their intensity and deliver great performances. Superb individual efforts often inspire team efforts of success.

On the ODI front, Tendulkar alone seems to have inspired stroke play hitherto not the forte of India. Often we had marveled at Pakistan's ability to produce the Inzy's out of nowhere to shred bowling attacks. Recently however, India laid claim to that title of inspired, jaw-dropping stroke play with Sehwag, Gambhir, Dhoni, Raina and Yuvraj leading the charge.

Sehwag has been a misfit in the ODI squad for quite a while and we had advocated dropping him completely from the World Cup squad. However, most people are willing to let Sehwag play for that occasional enormous innings that he plays like the recent 219 and the opening salvo he fired in the World Cup against Bangladesh.

Perhaps, the Indian team's astounding ODI performances had led to a happy dressing room and maybe not being accustomed to failure, harsh emotional exchanges had been rare or non-existent. Dhoni didn't need to perhaps assert himself on the team because the team was delivering without his inspiration. This is all theory and speculation.

Post World Cup, however, it appears that the team has begun to fall apart. Dhoni and the "seniors" in particular seem to be at odds with each other. In my opinion, Gambhir and Sehwag are deliberately undermining the captain and it is pretty sad. The captain is first among equals and he deserves the support of the team members, senior or otherwise. Every team member is a significant member and for Sehwag and Gambhir to claim some special exemption from a policy that the captain seeks to implement is quite sad.

Having said that, Dhoni's lack of ability to navigate the shark infested "senior waters" is telling. We would all want the captain to be the ultimate diplomat, salesman, motivator, evangelist and handsome to boot. Unfortunately, Jesus Christ died on a cross 2000 years ago and Gandhi didn't play cricket very well. We are still researching to find out if Jesus played any sports. Judging by Tendulkar's statements, Dhoni must be the best person to be captain of the team.

To me Sehwag dropping Rohit Sharma and making him a pawn in the game of team politics is pathetic. Sharma needed a confidence boost and I think this latest act of political doo doo would have done him no good. I hope Tendulkar is taking the time to help the young batsman stay focused on his cricket. Sehwag seems to have made it a point to drop Sharma to rub Dhoni the wrong way. For the BCCI to ask Dhoni and Sehwag to work it out and not instantly drop Sehwag is another pathetic attempt at non-leadership. Insubordination is a big deal and should be treated as such.

If a future inquiry reveals Dhoni's motives to be suspect, by all means Sehwag should be brought back. But to openly rebel against the skipper's stated policy is shameful. Coming from a mediocre ODI performer it's even more pathetic. For all of Sehwag's inspired test match stroke play, his recent captaincy performance deserves be to condemned. Putting his personal vendetta over the team is miserable. My respect for Sehwag has nosedived.

I had thought Gambhir to be an emotional, yet smart player. I also respected his captaincy credentials and thought him to be the man best suited to take over after Dhoni, should Dhoni have given up test matches. Kohli would be the future leader, but it would be another 6-8 years before he was ready. But by undermining the skipper, Gambhir deserves a reprimand too. None of Gambhir's and Sehwag's actions are helpful to the team, regardless of whether the rotation policy is the right policy.

Dhoni is still captain and he deserves to be allowed to succeed or fail on his merits. Back-stabbers like Sehwag and Gambhir will do it to other skippers whose policies they don't like. It's dangerous to pamper them.

And what of the IPL?

I am Indian. I am passionate about the game of cricket. Like millions of other Indians who are also passionate about cricket, I am reasonably intelligent. Perhaps India's cricket team, especially the guys who are asked to front up to the media, have a different understanding of my intelligence.

Ishant Sharma's, R Ashwin's and especially Gautam Gambhir's responses to the media have been frankly disgusting. The thinking in the team that leads to comments like "we will see them in our back yard" and "it is just 2 series losses" I feel is appalling. How many more losses will it take for the team to get their senses back and stare at reality?

Like every one else I have played the game. Not at any serious level but as far as I am concerned serious enough. On streets, on the beach, on proper cricket grounds. With all sorts of cricket balls. At times I am a fan and at times an armchair analyst. Sometimes a critic; not always polite. Sometimes cynical and even unreasonable. In short I am just like any other cricket loving Indian.

I have no explicit loyalties towards the BCCI and to me they are simply a body that runs and administers domestic cricket in India and have the authority to form a team that represents India internationally. Somebody gave them that authority or they took it upon themselves. I really don't understand how it came about. But its unimportant. I don't easily trust them but perhaps I do not totally appreciate what it means to administer the game of cricket. The BCCI nevertheless to me is incidental.

To me the face of Indian cricket is its players.

To my mind, they are athletes who should feel privileged that they have been chosen to represent India. That they are contracted employees of BCCI is a minor administrative aspect to me.

A spectacular betrayal

Its not about India losing.  Its not even about the 0-4 scoreline. The sense of betrayal I feel is beyond the hurt of losing. 

India have lost before and almost never I had to question their commitment or their intelligence. This time around I question both.

Their commitment to their national duties needs to be questioned. Immediately after the World Cup, they knew their next national duty was in the West Indies and England. There was more than enough time to prepare for the tours. The most prestigious tours in the context of cricket.