Yr article is spot on. Always wondered why the media does not look into the other side of the picture.
With around 25 runs more required by Bangladesh to win against India in the world cup match, the camera focused a close-up shot of Yuvraj and captured a very wide big yawn. Showed how casually he was taking the game, as though he was playing against a 3rd rate club side and the final result didnt matter to him.
The body language of all the players was so casual, that there was not even any celebration after taking a wicket. How can Chappell be blamed for all this, if the players went to the West Indies thinking they were all stars and models and NOT with the intention of pulverising all other teams they play against.
We have 11 models taking the field and not 11 players. Ex-cricketers talk about current players taking 10 days off the whole year for modelling and that this does not matter. Thats not the point. The point is at an age between 20 and 30, they make so much money in contracts worth minimum 8 to 10 crores per year, that they lose focus on cricket and get swayed by public attn, press/media attn, modelling, star status, chance to meet other celebrities in public life and new found star connections in public life, that cricket becomes just a past time for them. They are more interested in getting more or retaining the sponsorships, than actually playing a committed, dedicated game for India, when it counts. And mind you, most of these players come from Middle class families and hence such big value contracts changes their life style into 7 star lifesyles and it gets into their heads. In a normal lifestyle, many of these players before they entered the Indian team, wouldnt even have the money to stay and dine in 5 star hotels, as they do now.
Dont blame Chappell or any coach for everything. Coaches act as guides for team strategies and it is the responsibility of the players who play on that particular day to acknowledge and implement the game plan, put up by the captain and coach.
Some of our senior players need to be shown the door for ever and some should be out for a year, only then will they value their position in the playing Indian team.
