There was a good reason that BCCI did not offer extension to any of these two persons. I would rather wait on BCCI report. These two persons are putting blame on players fearing humiliation of rebound.
Sourav comes into the picture - Opinion seems divided within BCCI on Team India captaincy issue LOKENDRA PRATAP SAHI
Sourav Calcutta: While coach Greg Chappell%u2019s fate is as good as sealed, opinion within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seems divided on the leadership issue.
%u201CI think it%u2019s time for a passionate captain,%u201D somebody involved with the selection process told The Telegraph on Monday evening.
He wished to remain anonymous.
While Sachin Tendulkar was vice-captain till the World Cup, the gentleman indicated Sourav Ganguly stood a better chance of getting back the captaincy, which was taken away in October 2005.
His argument: Barring the odd innings, Sourav has been %u201Cmost consistent%u201D since his comeback in mid-December.
In runs and averages, that translates to 214 (42.80) in three Tests and 509 (63.62) in ten ODIs.
Yet, it%u2019s not that Rahul Dravid doesn%u2019t have support in the corridors of power.
Somebody else associated with the selection process remarked he would %u201Cfirst%u201D like to interact with the World Cup manager (and selector), Sanjay Jagdale.
This gentleman, too, didn%u2019t want to be identified.
%u201CIt wouldn%u2019t be fair to judge Dravid%u2019s captaincy on the basis of what one saw on the TV%u2026 Just how warm was the team spirit in the dressing room? Did everybody prepare as they should have? These answers can best come from the manager,%u201D he said.
Sourav%u2019s performances have been well documented, but where will a tilt in his favour leave senior-most pro Sachin?
Surely, he wouldn%u2019t have accepted the vice-captaincy (in mid-January), after yet another poor tour of South Africa, if he wasn%u2019t mentally prepared to again captain India.
Sachin, however, had been reluctant to take up the responsibility when he last got the job (July 1999) and relinquished it some seven months later.
It was a listless tenure. Moreover, appearing weighed down, he%u2019d even forgotten to smile in that short period.
Sachin never quite came across as a charged-up and innovative captain in his first innings (August 1996-December 1997) either.
A great batsman isn%u2019t necessarily an extraordinary leader.
%u201CLook, a knee-jerk reaction won%u2019t help%u2026 Isn%u2019t the captain only as good as his team? We%u2019ve got to make a rational and not emotional call,%u201D is what a key BCCI official emphasised.
Dravid%u2019s batting may not have suffered, but he doesn%u2019t breathe fire and is, well, conservative.
Then, how about accountability for the awful body language throughout a miserable World Cup?
Significantly, at the moment, there%u2019s no move to %u201Cgamble%u201D and give the No. 1 job to somebody young.
Sourav is soon going to be 35, while Sachin turns 34 next month.
The BCCI, obviously, is keen to play with bat close to pad.
There%u2019s a brighter side to India%u2019s exit from the World Cup. Something that can cheer up disappointed fans and angry advertisers. Sri Lanka has done a great favour to Indian economy by ousting the cricket team from the World Cup. There are about 80 million cable and satellite viewing homes in India.
According to TAM ratings, the average viewership of all World Cup matches held till now stands at about 3%, with India vs Bangladesh touching a high of 7.25%. To reach the finals, India would have played at least seven more matches.
Considering a TV Rating of 7.25%, at least 5.8 million people would have watched the match. This would have resulted in a productivity loss of 371.2 million man hours (5.8 million x 8 hours x 8 matches), apart from stress faced by mothers during exams.
About 3% of 81 million TV viewers (2.4 million) were ardent cricket fans and would have sat through all eight hours in the remaining 28 matches. Thus overall, Indian team%u2019s ouster would result in a productivity gain of 481 million man hours of work (28x2.4x8 man hours), if put to use.
The Sri Lankans have given a boost to the Indian economy by saving 54,902 man years of work (one year = 8,761 hours). Indians can build seven phases of the Golden Quadrilateral connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai spread over 5,846 kilometres all over again, with this time saved.
A daily wage skilled labourer in Delhi earns Rs 17 per hour. If put to productive use, the 481 million man hours can produce Rs 817 crore of GDP, which is 63% more than BCCI%u2019s annual revenues of Rs 500 crore, last year. It%u2019s 401% more than the Rs 163 crore losses, corporate India has predicted to incur due India%u2019s ouster.
The state electricity boards are also thanking Sri Lanka for the great favour. A TV consumes 45 watts per hour. Assuming a viewer will now switch off his TV by 12 midnight, it will save Rs 135 watts at least per viewer (not considering the electricity consumed by other appliances running simultaneously.)
This will save the electricity boards 324 million watts of electricity ( 3.24 lakh kilowatts) in just 28 days. According to estimates, SEB losses in India will touch Rs 1 lakh crore by 2008.
If disappointed viewers completely switch off their TVs for eight hours, it will save the government at least 8,64,000 kilowatts, along with many more lives %u2014 at least three Indian citizens have been reported to die due to cardiac arrest or suicide after India%u2019s defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka.
This article was originally printed in Indiatimes.com
I still believe INDIA is the best team - in terms of bowling and batting, they are bit bad on fielding - they really does not matter - if batsman can make up. It was the bad umpiring decisions that took away India's victory.This is the true fact.
RE:India Was the BEST Team
by Rairankandath Satish on Mar 27, 2007 08:31 AM Permalink
Oops! you are way of target my friend. Are you suggesting that Bangladesh and Sri Lanka played with 13 players like Australia did in the past. Now dont you think that you are stretching you imagination a little too much?
RE:India Was the BEST Team
by Ravi Subramaniam on Mar 27, 2007 08:36 AM Permalink
Look at the history.Argentina lost in the first round in one of the Football world cup. Does it mean they are a wesk team ? SO is India. It still remains no 1 team.
RE:India Was the BEST Team
by ANIL SAMAL on Mar 27, 2007 09:13 AM Permalink
After that world cup match the whole Argentina team was changed. Even Batitsuta retired after the match. We want changes in our India team too. No more those old bones , big tummys.
RE:India Was the BEST Team
by Shesh Lak on Mar 27, 2007 08:52 AM Permalink
Subbu sar, Belief is something and reality is something else. So live with reality. Don't ever compare Argentina's football team with our hopeless cricket team. Comparison can be done between to equals thing possessing equal qualities. In darkness it doesn't really matter whether you keep you eyes wide open or closed. Your condition is some what like that. And the subject of your message is perfectly alright. "India was the best team" indeed, but in 1983 not in 2007.
Indeed good analysis, it good to be hear after hue and cry on television. Thankfully, in above analysis no one solely blamed. Its a defeat,teams defeat, and optimistic indian cricket fans should accept as it is. and thankfully in messages wrote by readers also sensible as they show courage to accept teams defeat, neither one showed DADA or VEERU heroism.
After long time I am able to see an analysis and good responses which are not affected by emotions. Guys we need this serious discussion instead of blaming each others. Matches are not won by emotions. India was not doing well before tournament itself . we beat WI and SL in india and all thought that we can win WC . As soon as we reach WI we failed again . God sake somebody should change the pitches in india.
RE:Great analysis
by ANIL SAMAL on Mar 27, 2007 09:18 AM Permalink
They have made lots of changes in the pitches. Intially it was like if a bowler don't want to spin then also the bawl was spinning. So India has lots of all rounder. Then they change it to Batting pithches. So India now has 7 to 8 batsman in line up. They are so good people you know, they think of people to enjoy. So Batting pitch more runs more funs to people.
What I understand from the most of the messages is that the entire team should be removed and fresh blood infused. Nothing works by doing things overnight. We will end up from the current hopeless situation to a worser one.
There has to be a blend of the seniors (whose selection should be based on some strict performance measuring paremeters)with the juniors (or fresh blood as you would like to call them). That has to be the case at all levels - be it in politics, bureacracy, sports or even in the working industry.
Just imagine a set of fresh blood replacing all in an office. It will mayhem galore. There would be disaster at all levels. The decision making porcess will hit rock bottom levels.
God forbid that this not ahppen to cricket or to any other sport in our country. If that happens then let us be prepared for the worst nightmare, that is just lurking round the corner.
We as fans and people have brought this level of Indian Cricket, We (I Include myself into this) always support "Team India" no matter how bad they performed the previous season. Its just because of the love towards the game 40% and Love towards our country 60%.
Right from Selectors, Players, Ad Agents, Bookies have used each and every oppurtunity they got.
I am shamed to see Indian Cricket and its telecast has gone to a level where People watch less innnings and come in for more Extra innings. No where this will happen. Also getting some Cards and predicting the match results before the game.
Going Crazy for Cricket in all forms, leaving the core cricket and the game by itself.
all these attitudes and the support we gave in either directly or indirectly has brought the Great Indian Cricket to this level of shame and pitty.
Cant Imagine Team India getting out in the prilims... being a dedicated fan of Indian Cricket I felt very bad.
People should be cautious, and should some how show our anger in a descent way and withhold out support or our love towards the game till some majore steps like getting the Fees Low, Ban on ad's, Income Tax raids, Selection should happen in merits and the process to be clear with regional team getting national points and the toppers should automatically get in, and 2 season poor performance, return to regional match, 2 times exit in a year, - life time out in the game.. something which will make the players to keep teh sprits atleast for the basic interest of wearing the tricoloured cap for the nation.
We will focus this happens and we all can make this happen. Its in our hands to bring the game back in track Take back.
Hoping that we get our Team India really good, wishing our Fans good luck to get our part.
Say no to corrupt Cricket, Say Yes to the real GAME
