Celebrate and stand by this spirited team : Anil Kumble

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Why is this Indian team different from ones that preceded it? Simple. They have the wherewithal, or find it, to claw back from any position, says Anil Kumble. More... Celebrate and stand by this spirited team Anil Kumble Hindustan Times New Delhi, February 19, 2010 Why is this Indian team different from ones that preceded it? Simple. They have the wherewithal, or find it, to claw back from any position. Whenever these players have had their backs to the wall, they've responded really well, with courage and fighting spirit. Which is why I find the way they were treated after the loss in the Nagpur Test so annoying. We, as a people, tend to have over-the-top reactions to losses on the cricket field. We did that again for the first Test. It mattered not that this was a team that played with no Rahul, no Laxman, no Yuvraj; that there were inexperienced players in the middle who were just stepping into international games, or that they had just played against Bangaldesh. It mattered not that in a dozen or so Tests as captain till then, Dhoni had not suffered a loss. People just went ahead and ripped the team apart. Just like they ripped apart Harbhajan. People seem to conveniently forget that Harbhajan has been around for 10 years or more, and that he has 350 Test wickets. He was pretty upset with the adverse reactions and all I told him was to take this as another challenge, I'd been through it all too. The five-wicket hauls would come. I told him it wasn’t that he wasn't bowling well. He was perhaps trying too hard. But it’s very difficult, not letting it all get to you. Let me tell you how this works. When you’ve played so long and done so much in the journey that is your career, there are bound to be challenges. When you start it’s a different challenge, when you’re gaining ground, it’s a different challenge, from your late 20s and early 30s, when you've established your credentials, it’s different. You have to constantly come up with different ideas, think differently about field placements, use your experience to make judgement calls, take on pressure. In Kolkata, India depended on Zaheer and Harbhajan and once Zak was injured, the onus of making it happen was definitely on the senior bowler left --- Harbhajan. If the match itself, the best thing India did and SA did not, was score runs. If South Africa had tried to score, perhaps this game would have been over the previous day, but in hindsight, if they had pushed to go past the lead India had, things might have been different. I don't think Australia would have played a defensive cricket. But like I said, the Indian bowlers need credit. Take Amit Mishra. In the euphoria about the No. 1 status, people forget that Mishy picked up three crucial wickets, Kallis, Smith and de Villiers — calculated players of spin. Mishra supported Harbhajan very well and as he keeps playing, he’ll learn to start winning matches on his own. Sometimes Harbhajan will play second fiddle. Just a couple of final notes: I wish people wouldn't start talking about how Mishy has to fill my shoes. Don't put him under pressure. He has just started his international career and has all the variations, everything it takes. All the great bowlers talk of changing angles etc but this comes in due course, with experience. Like I said about Harbhajan, it's a constant learning process. Instead of pulling down our own players, we should celebrate them, stand by this team. They have shown, on the field, that they are special.

[thevortex]

Agree with Kumble about treating our cricketers with respect and dignity. But I wonder if Kumble was serious when he describes De Villiers as a calculated player of spin bowling. I think this is more of a spirited defense in the face of a ferocious onslaught by the less savoury media houses. We would be fooling ourselves if we hail Mishra as a special spin talent as he is right now and announce that Harbhajan has no issues with his bowling.

[Rajan]

Instead of pulling down our own players, we should celebrate them, stand by this team. They have shown, on the field, that they are special. Golden words; sad some retards dont understand the meaning!

[vvvslaxman]

I bet he is ICF member It is like saying to us :haha:

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Many lessons from Eden win : Sunil Gavaskar The win at Eden Gardens showed that India does not need a turning pitch to win Tests. More... Many lessons from Eden win Sunil Gavaskar Kolkata, February 21, 2010 The win at Eden Gardens showed that India does not need a turning pitch to win Tests. That phobia about hard, bouncy pitches should be done away with forever now that the Indian team has shown that they don’t need help from pitch to win matches. The win will also silence all those who would have been waiting to say that India squared the series by preparing a turner. Last time, when India had to win the final Test to level the series against South Africa they, got a dry pitch at Kanpur and at the *** end of the summer. It would be pretty much the same all over India and with the then coach screaming about the quality of the pitch, even before a ball had been bowled, the Proteas were demoralised and were out before the first ball was bowled. This time around despite the usual guessing game in the media about what the Eden Gardens pitch would be like, the Proteas management did not react at all and so they went in to the Test positively as could be seen by that double century partnership between Alviro Petersen and Hashim Amla. That they collapsed after that is a credit to the manner in which Harbhajan Singh bowled to snare the solid Jacques Kallis into playing a slog-sweep and then got the out of form left-handers Ashwell Prince and JP Duminy off successive deliveries. It had nothing to do with the pitch, but simply superb spin bowling by the much-maligned offie. He just does not get the credit he deserves despite taking over 350 Test wickets and that is a pity indeed. In any other country Bhajju would be hailed as an all-time great but in India he has many who just won’t recognise his deeds and achievements for his country. Yes, he is a bit hot under the collar at times, but that is because he is intensely competitive and wants to excel for his team. Yes, he could do with a bit of mellowing down, as is seen with Sreesanth, another competitive player. Who knows, it may happen sooner than is believed. Just like Sreesanth has not lost any of his swing and pace by just turning back on his heels and going to deliver the next ball instead of wasting his energies giving a lecture to the batsman, so also Harbhajan will not lose his guile by just focusing on his bowling and not worrying if the batsman has played a good shot or a lucky one. Yes sir, there was plenty that the Eden Gardens Test showed. India does not need a turning pitch to win. Its bowlers, especially spinners, can win on any surface and its batsmen do not need flat pitches to score. It also showed some of its fiery characters that patience indeed has its rewards and losing it only leads to loss of composure and confidence that only helps the opposition. It was a wonderful comeback by the No. 1 team and may they stay there for a long, long time to come.

[urbestfriend]

Excellent article from sunny

[Sooda]

Aameen. The reason people arent so happy with Bhajji was broken down quite clearly in that numbers peice on crcinfo a few days ago- his form over the last few years, compared to what it was at the start of his career.

[devla]

Interesting though that everyone (read Gavaskars column linked in another thread) is coming to Harbhajan's defense after the win. http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showthread.php?t=209114

[DomainK]

We, the Indian fans are never satisfied. We always find flaws and ask for more.