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graphic23

By graphic23
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graphic23 Newbie

graphic23

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When I look back at the past 10-15 years of Indian cricket, the five guys who've instilled faith in the fans and taken Indian cricket to new heights are the first ones to show up in my memory. I guess India was first considered a good cricketing nation when we had individuals such as Gavaskar and Kapil Dev breaking records set by other nations' cricketers. But from those moments, when those individual records did matter - to today, when the Indian team is far more important - these five individuals have played a great role in bringing the team to where it is today. Anil Kumble, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and Sachin Tendulkar all have focused so much on the team's success, and have selflessly toiled towards creating an enviroment where 11 guys can help each other. I guess we feel apart a little by the time the 2006 SA tour came up, but since then, I believe India has to owe its resurgence in Tests, again to the five stalwarts. But in the last 20 years of playing cricket, all these individuals have faced ups and downs in their careers. But yesterday, each of them played in their own inimitable style to save the Test match for us. Though Ganguly and Kumble aren't there on the team today, I can't help but thank them for all the entertainment they've provided over their careers. I miss watching Ganguly come at #5 to stabilize the innings in case something went awry with our top order. I miss watching Anil Kumble come and toil away - no matter how unhelpful the wicket was, no matter how accomplished the batsmen were, and even more so, no matter how he was feeling physically at the time. I cannot believe that we thought of dropping Ganguly for Yuvraj at one point of time, and had actually dropped Anil Kumble from the test team. On the Tour of England, Pakistan's tour to India, India's tour to Australia, and South Africa's tour to India, Sourav Ganguly played some phenomenal innings that I will never forget. The 60+ against England at the Oval, when he dominated the bowling at a time when other batsmen were unable to get proper wood on the ball; the 239 against Pakistan at Bangalore, when India were 62/4 at one point of time; or even the 80+ against South Africa on a wicket that offered only inconsistent bounce with Steyn and Morken bowling at Kanpur are innings that illustrated Ganguly's mental toughness after he returned from the forced break. The cover drives, the fierce cuts over point, the square drives were a pleasure to watch. Thank You Dada. Early in his career, after being told that he was useless away from India, by the time he was 37 years, he was still the team's most important weapon in Australia, when he led by example on the opening day at Melbourne by getting a 5 wicket haul. And I still cannot forget the 110* that he made at the Oval, where he celebrated without even confirming that the ball had reached the boundary. India's biggest matchwinner, quite literally, might not have had the best last year in International cricket, but no one today will deny his importance to the team when he was playing competitive cricket. I cannot forget his doggedness with the bat - with Azhar against South Africa in the mid nineties or his gritty 20s with Rahul Dravid on the West indian minefields in 2006. And Kumble's great moment with the ball against Pakistan in 1999 or his wicket of Brian Lara with a cast for a face in 2002 are only few of the many such instances where he has single-handedly helped India get a decisive victory. There was no better man to lead the team during the controversial tour of Australia in 2008 - he handled the pressure extremely well, and I will never forget the Symonds' wicket that was c. Dravid b. Kumble to get his 600th. Thank you Anil. VVS Laxman is probably the only player in the world at the moment who can make batting look as easy as he does. When everyone thinks of Laxman, the first thing that comes to mind is Eden Gardens, but the 167 against Australia at Sydney in 1999 is forgotten despite it being the only 100 by an Indian which wasn't scored by the captain at the time. The 72 at Perth is forgotten, and so are the innumerable fifties that he has scored to bail us out of trouble. The 178 with Sachin in 2003-04 and the 109 with Rahul Dravid in 2008 are amazing knocks in their own right. He's probably the most unluckiest player in the Indian team because each knock is forgotten right after the test (with 281 being the exception), and we hear calls to drop him for the matchwinner that is Yuvraj Singh. And to his dismay, he was dropped too. But, regardless, Laxman remains the only batsman in the world whom everyone would pay to watch. He has stood through all the obstacles in his career, and I wouldn't trade him for anyone else in the Indian team today. He plays unsurely when he is playing for his spot on the team, but when Laxman is freely flowing, there is not a better sight for cricket fans who enjoy batting. I think we've realized this too late, but I hope he plays with the same assurance as he did yesterday, with a peace of mind. Thank you, Laxman. Rahul Dravid has been nicknamed the wall of Indian cricket. The man's first reaction to this title was one of displeasure because he could anticipate headlines such as "The wall is cracking" or "The wall has been broken" , and how true has he been. If India's ascendancy over the past decade can be attributed to the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly, then Sourav Ganguly's success as a test captain has to be attributed to Rahul Dravid's terrific form in those years. Without Rahul Dravid, India will not have managed several victories they achieved between 2002-2006, with the West Indies knocks truly showing a marked difference between a great batsman and ones that were several notches below - the "good" batsmen. In the past 2 years, his form has been indifferent, and India has missed its best #3 batsman quite a few times in those 2 years. Dravid might not be the world's most natural batsman but he was definitely the best between 2002-2006, and that can only be attributed to this sincere work ethic, and unswerving loyalty to the team's cause. This tour has been the first tour since 2006 where he has been consistent throughout, and has shown the solidity that India expects from him. He has been humble when praises were showered, and showed willingness to prove himself when he was pushed against the wall. Though he has been shunned for his "boring" batting, I will admit that I have never been bored watching Dravid defend - because very few have the defensive technique as solid as Rahul Dravid's - one that has been solid through all conditions in the world. He has sacrificed personal flair for the team - very few can play the flick off the pads or the cover drive, as well as Rahul Dravid can but he has reigned in those strokes plenty of times when India needed him to drop anchor and play his innings. Perhaps some of us are only entertained with sixes and fours but I am entertained by a superb defense in the face of a 150kmph out swinger - and even today, an in form Dravid translates to a stronger India. Sachin Tendulkar has been possibly the biggest influence on world cricket (and Indian cricket) since the early 1990s. His extravagant innings against the world's best bowlers are numerous and has saved the face of the team an infinite amount of times, it seems like. That he has played 20 years, and still remains the best batsman of the team (and in the world, according to me) can be attributed to his absolute genius. He has had his fair share of ups and downs (though the latter are mostly fan-created). He has been accused of ball tampering by the officials only to be retracted; he has been accused of selfishness, lacking commitment to the team, and some of us have even gone to the extent to wish injury upon the man who has given heart and blood for his team - but he has stood through the storm, and has remained the young kid who showed maturity that was beyond his age. The ripping apart of Shane Warne will forever be etched in the mind. I cannot give Tendulkar the same type of tribute I have given to the others because I hold him too high in my heart and mind to even contemplate a rightful praise that he deserves. Often times when the Indian team is referred to, Laxman is the batsman who gets the phrase "I'd pay to watch him". It was baffling to me why Sachin never got that praise. But I have found the answer (or I think so, at least). You can't pay to watch genius - you can only pray to watch the genius. Thank you Sachin. You will forever remain the world's greatest batsman for me. I hope that the three guys who are reaching the twilight of their careers can go on without feeling the extra pressure that they have absorbed throughout their careers, and can give us a few more innings to remember. Whether it is a Dravid's defensive stroke, a Laxman's flick to the midwicket for an outside-the-off delivery, or a Sachin's backfoot drive, I am thankful for all these guys for providing the entertainment they have for the past 20 years. You deserve more praise and less pressure put on you - I hope that you get that peace of mind. Oh, and in b4, "oh they get paid. we should expect them to play with enormous pressure" or "Sachin's selfish".

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graphic23 Newbie

graphic23

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:two_thumbs_up: Although I do think dropping players is ok and actually beneficial sometimes' date=' regardless of their previous record. (but I also said Sehwag needed to perform against Himachal, so WTF do I know?)[/quote'] Probably, but I feel it was wrong to drop Anil Kumble from the team. That too when he wasn't even that old and wasn't a passenger in the team.
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satishg Newbie

satishg

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but the 167 against Australia at Sydney in 1999 is forgotten despite it being the only 100 by an Indian which wasn't scored by the captain at the time.
Sachin got a 100 at MCG, 114 to be precise, in that series..so is ur point in reference to the sydney match alone? my bad i got ur thoughts wrong...sorry
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