The debate over Dhoni’s withdrawal

[Kumar]

The Tony Greig Show 'Dhoni has a duty to play' July 14, 2008 In this week's show, Tony Greig talks about how South Africa's hyped pace bowling failed to live up to expectations in the first Test at Lord's, Dhoni's controversial withdrawal from the Test series in Sri Lanka, the Mendis challenge for the Indian batsmen in Sri Lanka, and Pakistan's tricky security situation Check it out on cricinfo.com

[Gambit]

Would this be the same Tony Greig, who not only ditched his country and joined the Packer league, but also coaxed several international players into joining it, with him?

[Feed]

The debate over Dhoni’s withdrawal Dhoni’s honesty and courage have to be appreciated, writes Makarand Waingankar. More... The debate over Dhoni’s withdrawal Dhoni’s honesty and courage have to be appreciated, writes Makarand Waingankar No other country has had as much debate over a player’s withdrawal from a tour in recent times as we have in India after Dhoni made himself unavailable for the Sri Lanka tour. In 1971, Tiger Pataudi, after being replaced by Wadekar, withdrew from the tour of the West Indies. For this, the media portrayed him as a traitor and the antagonism spilled over to the public. A decade later, Gavaskar too was criticised for not making himself available for the West Indies tour that was eventually called off. Both Pataudi and Gavaskar gave different reasons for withdrawing. Pataudi claimed personal reasons and Gavaskar had wanted rest not only for himself but also his team-mates after having played 12 consecutive Tests. But the BCCI insisted on the West Indies tour commencing within a fortnight after Pakistan’s tour of India. Gavaskar’s reasoning Gavaskar wasn’t willing to risk himself and his tired team facing the battery of West Indies fast bowlers. Though Gavaskar’s reasoning was sensible, the BCCI and a section of the media criticised Gavaskar’s role. It was seen as BCCI versus Gavaskar. The BCCI always saw Gavaskar as an anti-establishment person, and none of his recommendations were viewed in the correct perspective. With the impact that television is having on the credibility of a cricketer now, either a cricketer like Dhoni gains or someone like Yuvraj Singh loses. Dhoni certainly has built his image through the electronic media. His utterances are measured with honesty and purpose. His demeanour presents the character of a true team man willing to do anything for the team. It’s when one has this image, reasoning for any act is accepted without murmur. He commented on the tight schedule and its effects on cricketers during the Asia Cup. And when his comment was not taken in the right spirit, he made himself unavailable for the tour. He didn’t let the thought of performances of his replacements cloud his decision. It’s a big risk that Dhoni has taken. Funny game Cricket is a funny game. A day prior to the first Test at Chennai against England in the 1963-64 series, Farokh Engineer was hit on the face in the nets. Buddhi Kunderan replaced him and scored a brilliant 192 and with another century never gave Engineer a chance to get back in the team for the entire series. If either Parthiv Patel or Dinesh Karthick do well during the Test series, would the selection committee drop both of them to make way for Dhoni? Unlike Yuvraj Singh, Dhoni has been honest to the team. Yuvraj Singh, though having a serious shoulder problem (the reason for not fielding at the customary point position), didn’t make himself unavailable and the selectors dropped him after having a word with the coach and the physio. Question mark Yuvraj ought to have realised that he is an important player and should have asked for rest. That the selectors have to drop Yuvraj puts a question mark on his attitude. The game is now far too commercial for any cricketer to take a break. In that context, Dhoni’s courage and his honesty of not letting the team down need to be appreciated.

[fineleg]

'Dhoni has a duty to play' NO! M$D has a duty to 'milk' $ amits seems to think m$d loves milk, i believe he loves to milk the ipl$ I had good regard for MSD, but now he seems to have converted from msd to m$d

[DomainK]

Dhoni bashers, get a life.

[SachDan]

Dhoni bashers' date=' get a life.[/quote'] Domaink,you were supposed to take a break!

[Fontaine]

There is no debate. The sooner these thick headed, stubborn, and self righteous fanatics realize that the sooner they'll move on from being fixated on the personal decisions of a cricket player that has played a marathon 18 months of direct cricket. Every decent, civilized cricket board has a good rotation policy to rest it's players. If the BCCI manned up then we wouldn't have to go through the same merry go round of fools criticizing Dhoni for a decision he made that the BCCI wasn't brave or responsible enough to.

[DomainK]

Domaink' date='you were supposed to take a break![/quote'] My leave application was rejected. :((

[DomainK]

There is no debate. The sooner these thick headed, stubborn, and self righteous fanatics realize that the sooner they'll move on from being fixated on the personal decisions of a cricket player that has played a marathon 18 months of direct cricket. Every decent, civilized cricket board has a good rotation policy to rest it's players. If the BCCI manned up then we wouldn't have to go through the same merry go round of fools criticizing Dhoni for a decision he made that the BCCI wasn't brave or responsible enough to.

Some people dont like the truth. May be Dhoni should have cited an injury and puled out. But he is an honest man. He said the truth. When a player knows that he can not give 100% to his team, the best thing to do is to pull out and make way for the ones who can contribute better. Isnt that what Sachin-Dravid-Sourav did before T20 WC? They believed that they would not do justice in this format, they made way for the younger lot. Shoaib Akhtar had not fully recovered when he decided to play that test for Pakistan. He ended up being a handicap for his captain.

[Fontaine]

Some people dont like the truth. May be Dhoni should have cited an injury and puled out. But he is an honest man. He said the truth. When a player knows that he can not give 100% to his team, the best thing to do is to pull out and make way for the ones who can contribute better. Isnt that what Sachin-Dravid-Sourav did before T20 WC? They believed that they would not do justice in this format, they made way for the younger lot. Shoaib Akhtar had not fully recovered when he decided to play that test for Pakistan. He ended up being a handicap for his captain.

There's a fine line between love and lunacy. I should know, I've crossed it several times.

[sandtest]

If Dhoni honestly needed a rest and took a bold decision, I don't think there is anything wrong in it. Sometimes, commentators need to look out of consiracy theory lense and understand a players genuine compulsions in changing world of Cricket.

[Guest dada_rocks]

BS I wud have accused him if he had asked to be included in one day team if one day series was scheduled before test series.. As it happens guy is tired and said will tak rest for a while and it`s sheer coincidence that test series precdes one day series

[Yuvraj4Captaincy]

Dhoni’s honesty and courage have to be appreciated, writes Makarand Waingankar. More... The debate over Dhoni’s withdrawal Dhoni’s honesty and courage have to be appreciated, writes Makarand Waingankar No other country has had as much debate over a player’s withdrawal from a tour in recent times as we have in India after Dhoni made himself unavailable for the Sri Lanka tour. In 1971, Tiger Pataudi, after being replaced by Wadekar, withdrew from the tour of the West Indies. For this, the media portrayed him as a traitor and the antagonism spilled over to the public. A decade later, Gavaskar too was criticised for not making himself available for the West Indies tour that was eventually called off. Both Pataudi and Gavaskar gave different reasons for withdrawing. Pataudi claimed personal reasons and Gavaskar had wanted rest not only for himself but also his team-mates after having played 12 consecutive Tests. But the BCCI insisted on the West Indies tour commencing within a fortnight after Pakistan’s tour of India. Gavaskar’s reasoning Gavaskar wasn’t willing to risk himself and his tired team facing the battery of West Indies fast bowlers. Though Gavaskar’s reasoning was sensible, the BCCI and a section of the media criticised Gavaskar’s role. It was seen as BCCI versus Gavaskar. The BCCI always saw Gavaskar as an anti-establishment person, and none of his recommendations were viewed in the correct perspective. With the impact that television is having on the credibility of a cricketer now, either a cricketer like Dhoni gains or someone like Yuvraj Singh loses. Dhoni certainly has built his image through the electronic media. His utterances are measured with honesty and purpose. His demeanour presents the character of a true team man willing to do anything for the team. It’s when one has this image, reasoning for any act is accepted without murmur. He commented on the tight schedule and its effects on cricketers during the Asia Cup. And when his comment was not taken in the right spirit, he made himself unavailable for the tour. He didn’t let the thought of performances of his replacements cloud his decision. It’s a big risk that Dhoni has taken. Funny game Cricket is a funny game. A day prior to the first Test at Chennai against England in the 1963-64 series, Farokh Engineer was hit on the face in the nets. Buddhi Kunderan replaced him and scored a brilliant 192 and with another century never gave Engineer a chance to get back in the team for the entire series. If either Parthiv Patel or Dinesh Karthick do well during the Test series, would the selection committee drop both of them to make way for Dhoni? Unlike Yuvraj Singh, Dhoni has been honest to the team. Yuvraj Singh, though having a serious shoulder problem (the reason for not fielding at the customary point position), didn’t make himself unavailable and the selectors dropped him after having a word with the coach and the physio. Question mark Yuvraj ought to have realised that he is an important player and should have asked for rest. That the selectors have to drop Yuvraj puts a question mark on his attitude. The game is now far too commercial for any cricketer to take a break. In that context, Dhoni’s courage and his honesty of not letting the team down need to be appreciated.

WORST ARTICLE EVER...WHOEVER WROTE THIS CR!P...

[flamy]

Dhoni’s honesty and courage have to be appreciated, writes Makarand Waingankar. More... The debate over Dhoni’s withdrawal Dhoni’s honesty and courage have to be appreciated, writes Makarand Waingankar No other country has had as much debate over a player’s withdrawal from a tour in recent times as we have in India after Dhoni made himself unavailable for the Sri Lanka tour. In 1971, Tiger Pataudi, after being replaced by Wadekar, withdrew from the tour of the West Indies. For this, the media portrayed him as a traitor and the antagonism spilled over to the public. A decade later, Gavaskar too was criticised for not making himself available for the West Indies tour that was eventually called off. Both Pataudi and Gavaskar gave different reasons for withdrawing. Pataudi claimed personal reasons and Gavaskar had wanted rest not only for himself but also his team-mates after having played 12 consecutive Tests. But the BCCI insisted on the West Indies tour commencing within a fortnight after Pakistan’s tour of India. Gavaskar’s reasoning Gavaskar wasn’t willing to risk himself and his tired team facing the battery of West Indies fast bowlers. Though Gavaskar’s reasoning was sensible, the BCCI and a section of the media criticised Gavaskar’s role. It was seen as BCCI versus Gavaskar. The BCCI always saw Gavaskar as an anti-establishment person, and none of his recommendations were viewed in the correct perspective. With the impact that television is having on the credibility of a cricketer now, either a cricketer like Dhoni gains or someone like Yuvraj Singh loses. Dhoni certainly has built his image through the electronic media. His utterances are measured with honesty and purpose. His demeanour presents the character of a true team man willing to do anything for the team. It’s when one has this image, reasoning for any act is accepted without murmur. He commented on the tight schedule and its effects on cricketers during the Asia Cup. And when his comment was not taken in the right spirit, he made himself unavailable for the tour. He didn’t let the thought of performances of his replacements cloud his decision. It’s a big risk that Dhoni has taken. Funny game Cricket is a funny game. A day prior to the first Test at Chennai against England in the 1963-64 series, Farokh Engineer was hit on the face in the nets. Buddhi Kunderan replaced him and scored a brilliant 192 and with another century never gave Engineer a chance to get back in the team for the entire series. If either Parthiv Patel or Dinesh Karthick do well during the Test series, would the selection committee drop both of them to make way for Dhoni? Unlike Yuvraj Singh, Dhoni has been honest to the team. Yuvraj Singh, though having a serious shoulder problem (the reason for not fielding at the customary point position), didn’t make himself unavailable and the selectors dropped him after having a word with the coach and the physio. Question mark Yuvraj ought to have realised that he is an important player and should have asked for rest. That the selectors have to drop Yuvraj puts a question mark on his attitude. The game is now far too commercial for any cricketer to take a break. In that context, Dhoni’s courage and his honesty of not letting the team down need to be appreciated.

BEST ARTICLE EVER! :hatsoff: :D:D:D

[Fontaine]

My leave application was rejected. :((

You coward, how dare you ask for a break from your career? Don't you know you have psychotic, fixated fans on this board that demand you be here and at work every day so that we can live vicariously through your ups and downs?! How dare you even contemplate taking a well deserved break to rest and recharge?! You're even worse than this Dhoni character!! :finger:

[DomainK]

Oh dear, id dsr takes note, my career is over here.:((

[Fontaine]

Oh dear' date=' id dsr takes note, my career is over here.:(([/quote'] Wait till he starts a thread about you questioning your motives and calling you a coward!!! :cantstop:

[flamy]

DSR and Dan rejoice!!! It is being reported that Dhoni will now utilize his "free" time to shoot some ads in his new capacity as "brand ambassador" and thus end up making more money than if he had gone to SL. :dancing2::dancing2::dancing2:

[fineleg]

Every decent, civilized cricket board has a good rotation policy to rest it's players. If the BCCI manned up then we wouldn't have to go through the same merry go round of fools criticizing Dhoni for a decision he made that the BCCI wasn't brave or responsible enough to.

Fontaine, Did BCCI mandate or force Dhoni to play IPL? Did MSD request rest from IPL citing constant cricket? May we know why he chose to "put up with constant cricket" esp when IPL was nonstop for many days?

[flamy]

Fontaine, Did BCCI mandate or force Dhoni to play IPL? Did MSD request rest from IPL citing constant cricket? May we know why he chose to "put up with constant cricket" esp when IPL was nonstop for many days?

You really think, they would let their T20 WC Winning Captain abscond from playing in their pet T20 project? I'm ecstatic that you have not yet lost your innocence :icflove: