Indians, Indians Everywhere

[Dhondy]

"Dear Ian Chappell, You should be ashamed of putting Ponting ahead of Tendulkar. What has Sachin achieved that Ponting hasn't? What's Ponting's record against India in India?..... There's a conspiracy afoot against Indian players. Quite clearly, you guys are jealous of IPL's success and want to bring India down. Sincerely Mandukattaballunageshwaram Parthasarathi"

"Dear Geoffrey, I am a big fan of your writing. I read every article you write. Why don't you commentate on India games more often? By the way, who do you think is the greatest batsman currently playing?" Yours affectionately, Nitamb Gour (living in the UK)"

Have you guys, like me become sick of Indians swamping the correspondence pages, blogs and polls with their ubiquitous presence? They are here, there and everywhere, disputing the greatness of non Indian players, barracking Jonathon Agnew for placing Steyn above Zaheer Khan, or on the fox news website, expressing their views on Aussie cricket, hoping that somewhere along the way, one of the authors would take pity and bring up India. And Tendulkar. Or at least, Dravid. Annoying gits. But this really took the cake. http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/360351.html In a poll on best commentators, Harsha Bhogle, yes Bhogle, has been voted the best commentator in the world, followed by Ravi Shastri. No place for Atherton, Benaud, Nasser Hussain and the like. Indians really, really must stop doing this. Calm down, guys. There are other countries who play cricket too. And it's not a mortal affront if somebody doesn't think Tendulkar is the best batsman in the world, or that Lalit Modi is not a saint. Similarly, an Indian coming third or fourth in an international poll on cricketing order, whatever its description, is not a national catastrophe. There are other commentators who speak better English, and speak it more thoughtfully than Harsha Bhohle, without smothering the listener under a mountain of high pitched words. Yours truly, Dhondy (British passport)

[DomainK]

Dear Dhondy(British Passport), you are reacting like the first Indian who blamed Challell for picking Ponting ahead of Sachin. Chappell is entitled to his opinion. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. People who believed Harsha is good, voted for him. Now, just because you dont like Harsha, those voters do not become stupid Indians. So stop crying and stay happy with your British Passport.

[satishg]

well its a poll and everybody voted for their favorite commentator and we all know that Indians follow the game more closely than any other country in this planet and whats wrong in ppl voting Harsha ahead of others..maybe they had a genuine liking for Bhogles commentary..as Domaink said its their personal opinion

[Temujin Khaghan]

Cant see your point being the right way to do things... There are millions of Indians all over the world - yes Most of them have laptops and PCs - yes there was a poll, and they voted to the person they like - yes So are you trying to say that you are embarassed because of the indian population? See, even I am embarassed when Indians try to avoid queues or dont follow traffic rules here in UK, but not in these cases. We have muscle and we are showing sometimes intentionally or sometimes unintentionally... you cannot ask indians to stop participating... and once they participate you cannot ask them to hide what they want. even if they act like they like ponting or someone, it wont be for long. The fact that they like to see more articles on Raina and Gambhir than Ponting and Kallis will have to come out at some point...

[observer1]

No harm in seeing a poll result reflecting the percentages of the population who voted. Anything else, and it wouldnt be a democracy would it. Bhogle shouldnt be number one in my opinion, but to paraphrase Voltaire or whoever it was ' i dont agree with them, but I defend their right to say what they want to' Observer 1(holding on to the dark blue passport)

[Dhondy]

Dear Dhondy(British Passport)' date=' you are reacting like the first Indian who blamed Challell for picking Ponting ahead of Sachin. Chappell is entitled to his opinion. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. People who believed Harsha is good, voted for him. Now, just because you dont like Harsha, those voters do not become stupid Indians. So stop crying and stay happy with your British Passport.[/quote'] But, but, but Domaink bro...I was only trying to counter your green card, bro. I would have liked to know your salary and the size of your house as well, but thought it would be too much. Maybe, we could talk on msn? And yes, it's every indian's right to vote Harsha in, just as it's every Republican's right to vote Nixon as the greatest political leader of the 20th century, or every Pakistani's right to consider the Idhi foundation as the greatest Nobel Prize winner that ever wasn't. Those arguments all have their own merit, but represent an extremely parochial point of view, wherein people refuse to recognise the contribution of people outside their own little domain. Comrade Mao Ze Dong as world leader, anyone?

[DomainK]

But, but, but Domaink bro...I was only trying to counter your green card, bro. I would have liked to know your salary and the size of your house as well, but thought it would be too much. Maybe, we could talk on msn? And yes, it's every indian's right to vote Harsha in, just as it's every Democrat's right to vote Nixon as the greatest political leader of the 20th century, or every Pakistani's right to consider the Idhi foundation as the greatest Nobel Prize winner that ever wasn't. Those arguments all have their own merit, but represent an extremely parochial point of view, wherein people refuse to recognise the contribution of people outside their own little domain. Comrade Mao Ze Dong as world leader, anyone?

Your comparisions are funny Dhondy. Harsha Bhogle and Nixon? Are you out of your mind? How can 'Harsha Bhogle is the best commentator' be compared to 'NIxon is the greatest political leader'? You really believe what you said makes sense?

[Dhondy]

Your comparisions are funny Dhondy. Harsha Bhogle and Nixon? Are you out of your mind?

You obviously voted in that poll, didn't you, Domaink?:--D Anyway, without meaning to offend you, a bit of history lesson wouldn't go remiss. Richard Nixon was an extremely capable President, considered a brilliant career politician, until the Watergate scandal tainted his name. To this day, people swear by him, and feel he was doing the right thing by America. He is no villain. I didn't compare Bhogle to Hitler, did I? Similarly, the Idhi foundation has done wonderful humanitarian work in Pakistan, and deserves praise. But so have many others, who have won the Nobel peace prize ahead of the foundation. Harsha may be a passable commentator, but only an Indian would vote him ahead of the likes of Atherton, Benaud and Holding. It simply doesn't make sense, I am sorry.

[Gambit]

Don't you guys know? Only Indians are biased. When the Aussies proclaim Ponting to be the best or the English claim KP to be #1, they are being 100% unbiased and us Indians should bow to their superior judgement and lap up, without question, their 'unbiased' opinion. For every Indian claiming a fellow countryman to be #1, there will be 10 other Indians pulling that Indian down. Among Indians, it's cool to have Warne as your favourite but beware if you publicly claim Kumble as your favourite. People will bombard you with Kumble's faults and laugh and judge you for having that 'loser' as your favourite. Yours humbly(head bowed and all), Gambit (Bharat Ganarajya passport)

[Dhondy]

For every Indian claiming a fellow countryman to be #1, there will be 10 other Indians pulling that Indian down.

This poll doesn't bear that out, Gambit.

[The Outsider]

Why go so far as to all those things like cricinfo polls and the likes, Dhondy? Just look at this very forum and a thread comparing Sehwag with Bradman which was laughed upon initially as it should have, has crossed 100 posts with jingoism causing delusion in people to actually start presenting "facts" to make their "point".

[DomainK]

You obviously voted in that poll, didn't you, Domaink?:--D Anyway, without meaning to offend you, a bit of history lesson wouldn't go remiss. Richard Nixon was an extremely capable President, considered a brilliant career politician, until the Watergate scandal tainted his name. To this day, people swear by him, and feel he was doing the right thing by America. He is no villain. I didn't compare Bhogle to Hitler, did I? Similarly, the Idhi foundation has done wonderful humanitarian work in Pakistan, and deserves praise. But so have many others, who have won the Nobel peace prize ahead of the foundation. Harsha may be a passable commentator, but only an Indian would vote him ahead of the likes of Atherton, Benaud and Holding. It simply doesn't make sense, I am sorry.

Thanks for the history lessons Dhondy, and FYI I also studied history to some extent though I can not claim to be a master in it. BUt do you still believe that Harsha Bhole is the best commentator is the same as Nixon is the best political leader? And that that comparision proves that Indians are wrong in voting for Harsha?

[Gambit]

This poll doesn't bear that out' date=' Gambit.[/quote'] That's because everyone involved in the poll didn't know who voted for whom. :D But now that the results are out, you will see the excuses pouring in.

[DomainK]

And one more question, why have you written British Passport next to your id?

[SachDan]

In a poll on best commentators, Harsha Bhogle, yes Bhogle, has been voted the best commentator in the world, followed by Ravi Shastri. No place for Atherton, Benaud, Nasser Hussain and the like.

:yay::yay: I voted for him...he's my favourite so what? My other four were Bill Lawry,Geoffrey Boycott,Atherton and Benaud.

[Dhondy]

Thanks for the history lessons Dhondy, and FYI I also studied history to some extent though I can not claim to be a master in it. BUt do you still believe that Harsha Bhole is the best commentator is the same as Nixon is the best political leader? And that that comparision proves that Indians are wrong in voting for Harsha?

Yes, cricket is dear to many Indians, including I, and they take it quite personally. Hence, Indian batsmen, Indian commentators are always the best and Kumble is a better spinner than Warne. Just as a staunch Republican who adored Nixon would consider him the best ever leader for ending America's most ruinous war. Or just as a Pakistani would consider Idhi as the most compassionate person ever. Their respective opinions are coloured by their parochialsm. I really don't see a difference.

[cowboysfan]

I dont care a rats ass about those stupid polls on who is better and such-BUT who am I to influence what other people should do or vote in those polls or not (and whom to vote)?. I am getting a impression that Dhondy is sick of seeing Indians everywhere-I dont know how to feel about that-maybe he doesnt like their homerism,maybe he doesnt like them.

[Dhondy]

And one more question' date=' why have you written British Passport next to your id?[/quote'] Explaining would unfortunately take the fun out of it, but since you insist...for the same reason that the imaginery fellow who formed my second example, wrote (living in the UK) next to his name. Many Indians like to be let known that they live overseas, and are doing extremely well for themselves, but stiffen at the first criticism of anything Indian, particularly by the foreign media. There's schzophrenic behaviour there, something that typifies us as a community. We take pride in living away from the mess, with a few honourable exceptions, and yet lose it promptly when somebody questions the greatness of our heroes.

[DomainK]

Yes, cricket is dear to many Indians, including I, and they take it quite personally. Hence, Indian batsmen, Indian commentators are always the best and Kumble is a better spinner than Warne. Just as a staunch Republican who adored Nixon would consider him the best ever leader for ending America's most ruinous war. Or just as a Pakistani would consider Idhi as the most compassionate person ever. Their respective opinions are coloured by their parochialsm. I really don't see a difference.

Everyones opinion is colored by something or the other. Not too many people have the ability to be completely fair in a judgement. Though many believe that they have a neutral point of view, they actually happen to be influenced by sevel things unconsciously. Besides, when a poll is conducted, people are invited to express their opinion. Othewise polls could be replaced by a system that would take all the available facts, process them and find out who is the best. But its a poll and it shows the opinion of the majority. How that opinion is formed is a different matter and whether that opinion is correct or not is another opinion. But I find it very illogical for you to conclude that since some Indians have a fellow Indian as a favorite, they are unfair. Thats BS.

[Dhondy]

I am getting a impression that Dhondy is sick of seeing Indians everywhere-I dont know how to feel about that-maybe he doesnt like their homerism,maybe he doesnt like them.

Your impression would be wrong. I dislike the chest beating, salary toting, house-in-square-foot comparing, son-in-private-school swaggering, my BMW trumps your Honda hands down kind of Indian, who makes a face & wrinkles his nose every time he disembarks at Calcutta, but then goes back and shoots off a letter to Fortune because they left out Wipro from their top 500 companies. Other than that, I am OK with Indians.