Tuesday, Dec 31, 2002
Tuesday, Dec 31, 2002 |
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Cricket
By S. Dinakar
Where has that Passion and that Fire gone... for the Flag and the Country? Vanished into the thin air? One look at the Indian side that succumbed to New Zealand on Sunday, and you would not believe that it was the same outfit that had, not so long ago, displayed incredible reserves of energy apart from the strength of mind when things hotted up on the field. When the Kiwis were stepping up the tempo in the Napier ODI, the Indian fielding stepped down the ladder, and there was that utterly shocking spectacle of Ashish Nehra displaying his soccer skills to stop a cricket ball. In this era of super catches and super stops, this was a rare sight. The Indians appeared a tired disjointed bunch, who had safely kept `the art of winning' in a locker, and forgotten the key. If the Indian side of the NatWest tournament and the Champions Trophy thrived in crisis situations, this one wilted under pressure; the spate of injuries has not helped the side's cause either. With the World Cup only a handful of days away, the signs are bad, at least after the first two games of the ODI series. There is also a worrying thought that the hectic schedule this year, with little gaps between tours and series, might have taken the sting out of the Indians. In New Zealand, there is considerable disappointment and anger among the Indian supporters. They have flocked the grounds in numbers, their faces painted in the tricolour, many of them displaying the Indian flag. However, they have not had too many occasions to celebrate. Many of them had driven down from the nearby towns to watch their heroes in action, and they drove back with pain and dejection on their visages. ``Every time I get to my office, my New Zealand friends ask me `we thought India had a great battling line-up. But they are struggling to make two hundred!' It is becoming difficult for me to defend them,'' bemoaned one software engineer of Indian origin. The Hindi-speaking cabbie from Fiji was surprised at the plight of the Indians. "We have seen them win in England and Sri Lanka. What has happened to them here. There are getting beaten in every match.'' The Kiwi shopkeeper in Napier, quickly noticing the Indian journalists, lost little time in pointing out, "this pitch wasn't too bad, wasn't it.'' He was right; by blaming the wickets earlier, the Indians had only left themselves exposed to more criticism. In the world of big bucks, sponsorships, and contracts, reality often takes a beating. In this case, the reality of pre-Christmas seaming pitches in New Zealand, where application becomes the key. The saving grace has been the Indian bowling - here Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath have been outstanding - that has in the past come under the line of fire. These are difficult days for skipper Sourav Ganguly, the team is on a losing streak, and the runs have dried up from his willow. In how he handles the coming days, the remaining five ODIs are of immediate concern, lies his true test of character. There is a tendency in India to over-react, both during the victories and the defeats, and the captain often becomes favourite target practice for some. However, Ganguly can make things so much better for himself, if he finally shows some fight with the willow; he shouldn't appear a skipper under seize at the crease. Ganguly is lucky that he has in Rahul Dravid, an admirable vice-captain, who is quite the complete professional in his outlook and approach to the game. A reliable deputy can take so much pressure off the captain. During the Test series, the Indian batsmen, save Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, both world class, were found out on the juicy seaming pitches, and it was a similar story in the Auckland ODI, except that here, an injured Tendulkar was missing in action. Sehwag, who is undeniably suspect against quick well-directed short-pitched bowling on responsive surfaces, a chink that Shane Bond so ruthlessly exploited in the Test series, will always make runs if the offerings from the pacemen are less hot, like his hundred against a `Bond-less' Kiwi attack on Sunday. V.V.S. Laxman and captain Sourav Ganguly have been handicapped on these wickets; their lack of feet movement, and a tendency to drive away from the body, landing them in big trouble when the ball seamed sideways. The expectations from this particular Indian side was high, following its heady displays in England and Sri Lanka, and the capitulation of the same side in New Zealand has set many wondering about the true merits of the team. A batting line-up glittering with talent falling to pieces. Someone like the quiet and committed Mohammed Kaif may not be the most flamboyant of cricketers around, but the man puts his heart and soul into his batting, runs like a hare between the wickets, and is quite the best fielder in the side, chasing and catching balls as if his very life depended on it. India needs more of his ilk, not `glamour boys.' The Indians can still pick themselves off the mat, but for that to happen, they will finally have to display some character. Ganguly and his men have to believe in their ability. Rediscover that Passion and that Fire...for the Flag and the Country.
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