India Struggle to Reverse Years of Underachievement

[Dhondy]

In today's Daily Telegraph, well known columnist Michael Henderson writes, "Furthermore, they (India) are playing at home, where India have always felt comfortable. The wonder is not that they beat other teams, but that they do not do it more often.India, blessed with magnificent cricketers, an unmatched popular enthusiasm for the game, billions of dollars on deposit, and a population 20 times greater than England's, remain the game's supreme underachievers". Also today, in feedback to to Mike Atherton's piece in The Times, an Aussie blogger writes, "Let's face facts here - NO ONE's reputation suffers going to India, it can only be enhanced. To lose in India counts for nothing, as the grounds and conditions are only suitable to "Indian cricket". Which is why India never have been and never can be No.1. They have to play elsewhere sometimes". Now if you were an Indian fan, like most of us here are, to whom the travails of the Indian cricket team are as significant as the undulations of your 401(k), those statements will be a like a blow to the gut. The unfairness of that putdown, when for the first time in history, the Ashes will be a contest between two sides vanquished by India and immortalised by Dal on this forum in his inimitable way, will rankle long after you've stopped reading this post. Yet, if you just take a deep, deep breath and examine the opinions, alright then, slurs, you begin to see just the teeny weeny beginnings of reason. We haven't ever managed to draw a series in South Africa, Sri Lanka remains a mirage and NZ remain our bogey team away from home. Sadly, our performances at home will always be looked upon with a jaundiced eye by many. To defeated sides, our pitches, our population and our noveau-economic might will always serve as mitigation to provide salve to their wounds. Only by beating these sides away from home can we silence these detractors. But can we? If Ishant and Zaheer remain fit, and if our batsmen banish fear under our intrepid captain, there is no reason why we can't. Until then, legions of Indian bloggers can only shout themselves hoarse on cricket columns the world over at the injustice of at all. Don't bother, folks. Talk's cheap.

[cowboysfan]

didnt we beat these guys last time in england?.somebody refresh me please.just pathetic.

[fineleg]

Good write up Dhondy. However, we did draw T-s in Aus 2004 we did win T-series in Eng we did win T-series in West Indies we did win T-s in Aus (yes we won in 2007/2008 - Sydney was ours, and you can disagree) (minor: we won in Zimboks also, though its no big deal, but even against zimboks we used to "draw" series before!) SA and SL - we've had a difficult time NZ - we'll know soon

[King Tendulkar]

We also have been the only team to challenge the aussies in oz over last decade. In a tour which everyone says is the toughest to tour. Last two times we have matched the great aussies and would have won both series IMO if not for cheating umpires who no doubt have same mindset as Mr Henderson

[Lord]

In today's Daily Telegraph, well known columnist Michael Henderson writes, "Furthermore, they (India) are playing at home, where India have always felt comfortable. The wonder is not that they beat other teams, but that they do not do it more often.India, blessed with magnificent cricketers, an unmatched popular enthusiasm for the game, billions of dollars on deposit, and a population 20 times greater than England's, remain the game's supreme underachievers". Also today, in feedback to to Mike Atherton's piece in The Times, an Aussie blogger writes, "Let's face facts here - NO ONE's reputation suffers going to India, it can only be enhanced. To lose in India counts for nothing, as the grounds and conditions are only suitable to "Indian cricket". Which is why India never have been and never can be No.1. They have to play elsewhere sometimes". Now if you were an Indian fan, like most of us here are, to whom the travails of the Indian cricket team are as significant as the undulations of your 401(k), those statements will be a like a blow to the gut. The unfairness of that putdown, when for the first time in history, the Ashes will be a contest between two sides vanquished by India and immortalised by Dal on this forum in his inimitable way, will rankle long after you've stopped reading this post. Yet, if you just take a deep, deep breath and examine the opinions, alright then, slurs, you begin to see just the teeny weeny beginnings of reason. We haven't ever managed to draw a series in South Africa, Sri Lanka remains a mirage and NZ remain our bogey team away from home. Sadly, our performances at home will always be looked upon with a jaundiced eye by many. To defeated sides, our pitches, our population and our noveau-economic might will always serve as mitigation to provide salve to their wounds. Only by beating these sides away from home can we silence these detractors. But can we? If Ishant and Zaheer remain fit, and if our batsmen banish fear under our intrepid captain, there is no reason why we can't. Until then, legions of Indian bloggers can only shout themselves hoarse on cricket columns the world over at the injustice of at all. Don't bother, folks. Talk's cheap.

we will soon be,dont worry,aussies!and about travelling,how many teams challenged aus in aus like we did?how many teams have won tests in srl,in sa?only remainz nz.wen was the last time we travelled ther? in 2002. since then,pitches there have got much flatter and our team has improved considerably.

[King Tendulkar]

Can't believe you are using that racist henderson to smack the indians down with. That guy called for the non selection of all non white players for the england team in an article in wisden. And the other source for your OP. Atherton!!! WTF. Anyone else you want to quote? Enoch Powell or Broad or how about Barry Richards!

[SachDan]

Even fellow journalists hate Henderson.As KT mentioned he's racist. Remember Ted Corbett always having a dig at MH in his England tour diary in 'The Sportstar'.

[Tapioca]

Can we keep a thread free from racism accusations once in a while.

[King Tendulkar]

Can we keep a thread free from racism accusations once in a while.

Not when the guy is a proven racist. Read up on this Henderson before you make such statements, as it is extrmeley relavant in this case!

[SachDan]

Can't believe you are using that racist henderson to smack the indians down with. That guy called for the non selection of all non white players for the england team in an article in wisden. And the other source for your OP. Atherton!!! WTF. Anyone else you want to quote? Enoch Powell or Broad or how about Barry Richards!

Doubt Donny is the Aussie blogger mentioned in the article :giggle:

[Tapioca]

Please do confirm that you are talking about the same guy. The Henderson that you had mentioned in #6 as the author of the article on coloured English cricketers was Robert Henderson. It is possible that you are mistaken.

[King Tendulkar]

I am convinced Donny is actually Ricky Ponting, their views are identical and donny never allows even one word of criticism against punter. Also I have noticed that when ever Ponting is batting or fielding Donny never posts!:hmmm:

[King Tendulkar]

Please do confirm that you are talking about the same guy. The Henderson that you had mentioned in #6 as the author of the article on coloured English cricketers was Robert Henderson. It is possible that you are mistaken.

oops:(( er you may have a point:yikes:

[Mr. Wicket]

Sreeram 1, deesy 0

[King Tendulkar]

no need for the abuse salil. mods take note

[Sachinism]

I don't understand why all these people keep complaining about how Indian pitches suit Indian bowlers. Every country in the world produces pitches to suit their players. Yet as soon as India do it, there is a big conspiracy over it. Everybody knows how pitches will behave in India, they should come prepared, its called preparation

[satishg]

well our team is improving..there is no doubt about that..we have won in england windies and also the CB series in Australia..at this very moment i would rank our team 2nd just below SA because SA has won in all conditions except australia ofcourse..but atleast SA have looked like a potent force and are winning consistently away from their home.. So once we start doing that, i mean consistently win away we will be the number 1 team for sure..at present our away victories are not on a regular basis..i am hoping that it will change pretty soon..

[King Tendulkar]

I don't understand why all these people keep complaining about how Indian pitches suit Indian bowlers. Every country in the world produces pitches to suit their players. Yet as soon as India do it, there is a big conspiracy over it. Everybody knows how pitches will behave in India, they should come prepared, its called preparation

Exactly. WTF is this bull about not giving credit for Indias brillinat performances at home. When the aussies dominate at home they get lauded and told how brillinat they are, no murmurs of it was at home on pitches that suit them blah blah. When england won the ashes in 2005 everyone was full of praise. How england won fair and square. No murmurs of only doing it on swinging tracks and only winning at home. Its all BS propogated by gora media to give faint praise for Indian brillinace. The ironic thing is that at home we don't even produce dust bowls anymore and in fact we beat the aussies on perfectly good batting tracks! Someone remind these dumb english journos that we won in england last time! O but of course they will blame losing the toss blah blah Jack asses

[vadodaravictor]

Can somebody rub this on this f*tard http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/engvind/engine/series/258452.html It has been just over an year we won test series in his home country. The amount of venom spilled against India recently by firangis simply amazes me.

[vroomfondel]

Yet, if you just take a deep, deep breath and examine the opinions, alright then, slurs, you begin to see just the teeny weeny beginnings of reason. We haven't ever managed to draw a series in South Africa, Sri Lanka remains a mirage and NZ remain our bogey team away from home. .... But can we? If Ishant and Zaheer remain fit, and if our batsmen banish fear under our intrepid captain, there is no reason why we can't. Until then, legions of Indian bloggers can only shout themselves hoarse on cricket columns the world over at the injustice of at all. Don't bother, folks. Talk's cheap.

I breathed in, breathed out, repeated. Yet I do not see the reasoning. Talk's cheap. Yes. But we are more than talk. You know how close we have come. India has won in England and WI, come agonizingly close to drawing or winning in SA (there was no lack of skill, just a post-sehwag mental blowup -- I don't think anyone who knows their cricket can disagree), and NZ is moot (wonderbra era was a while back). The Aussies will do well to consider us their toughest competition...(SA will have their asses handed to them in Aus, IMO). Only in SL were we totally outclassed. But aren't those the typical subcontinental conditions that said blogger is whinging about? So it doesn't particularly enter his demented sphere of thought. Said blogger doesn't know cricket. Or just chooses to ignore one very important part of the cricketing world (subcontinent). It may be a disease, and this one time, I suggest that the good doctor shows the patient his finger instead of the other way round.