I feel Greg-Dravid combine is responsible for India's down fall. Greg sowed ambition of captaincy in Dravid to counter Ganguly. Ambition some times brings the worst out of men. Today after getting eliminated in the first round of the WC itself even Dravid must be realising his mistake. Dravid is no captaincy stuff. He is no leader of men as is evident from disintegration of the team under him. He reminds me of Brutus, who having slain his friend Julius Caeser through conspiracy, felt so guilty that he was seeing Caeser's ghost all the time. Ganguly was forced up on Dravid after miserable performance of his team every where. The very presence of Ganguly in the team put Dravid under enormous mental pressure, especially as Ganguly, on his return played remarkably well, leading to resurgence of batting in South Africa. What people conviniently forget that Dravid was the architect of India's defeat in the match against Sri Lanka. He played as slowly as any one else. His over all run rate looks better only because he hit 4 fours in over from Malinga after which he got out without losing time. He was singularly responsible for Yuvraj getting run out. It was Yuvi's call and Yuvi had almost reached the other end before he was asked to go back. While highlighting Ganguly's weakness in running between wickets, the ruling clique chooses to forget the same about Dravid because they want to ignore it. If only Dravid had continued for some more time, if only he had not caused Yuvi's run out and if only Ganguly had not got out to that magnificent catch by Murlitharan, India would have won as was shown by the stubborn resistance by the tail. Dravid is desparately trying to find out some one so that the team can do without Ganguly. He is backing Sahwag, he played his Ranji team mate Utthapa hoping that at least one of them will click so that he can get Ganguly off his back. His desparate experiments have cost India dear. Are we having a team to suit Dravid or a team to represent India?
RE:Greg-Dravid combine is responsible
by mani phs on Apr 22, 2007 10:15 PM Permalink
'ganguly was forced up on Dravid'. u said it mate. i'll add one final 'if only' to all urs. if only he had'nt been recalled @ all indian cricket wud've been better off. ppl like ganguly created fissures in the team with selective treatment.
RE:Greg-Dravid combine is responsible
by VB Dhar on Apr 22, 2007 10:17 PM Permalink
Firstly, I am not a Bengali. I am only a cricket fan. Instead of becoming emotional please give counter arguments, if you understand this game. Do you know the difference between a striker's call and a non-striker's call? The ball had gone behind the stumps. It was clearly a non-striker's call. Dravid should have heeded to Yuvi's call, more so because Yuvi has great reputation for running between wickets. I will appreciate if you show that there is some grey matter in your skull. Other wise I will consider you to be a street urchin.
RE:Greg-Dravid combine is responsible
by kraft on Apr 22, 2007 10:15 PM Permalink
I agree with u as for as Dravid's captaincy is concerned. Not Captaincy material at all. But a good, dependable test Batsman. But WC Performance has several dimensions to it and it will be unfair to blame either Dravid or Chappel for it. Greg was certainly trying to improve the alertness, Fielding, Running between the wickets,etc. which were woefully inadequate [right from the time of the Big Mouth Gavaskar's time-Gavaskar himself was a hopeless fielder!
RE:Greg-Dravid combine is responsible
by vinu manijose on Apr 22, 2007 10:07 PM Permalink
of course of course how can dravid be a good captain without ever having run around the dressing room half naked and waving his shirt around...
