Bedi backs Dravid, Laxman and slams critics

[1983-2011]

New Delhi: Livid with "hindsight critics" who are calling for Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman's head after India's 0-4 Test hammering in Australia, former skipper Bishen Singh Bedi on Saturday said the "once-in-a-generation players" deserved to be respected. "Please show some respect to the players who have served the country for so long. They have represented the country on merit and not on recommendation. Dravid and Laxman are not the products of our cricket system but rare talents that emerged despite the system. They don't need our suggestions as to when they should retire," Bedi said. Laxman and Dravid, and to some extent even the iconic Sachin Tendulkar, are under scrutiny after failing to notch up even a single hundred in the series that concluded on Saturday in Adelaide. Bedi feels that the difference between India and Australia has been "greater commitment and better preparation" by the hosts. "The Australian team had done their homework and were well prepared for the series. The Indian team, on the other hand, lacked the level of commitment required to perform well in such a series. The Indians were no match for Australia," Bedi said. Asked about Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy which many termed as passive, Bedi said, "I was never ever enamoured by Dhoni's cricket thinking. But then India is filled with 'hindsight critics'. "Ten months back, Dhoni could do no wrong and now he can't get any decision right. It's just that decisions taken by team management didn't click." For Bedi, in a cricket crazy country like India, getting a replacement won't be a problem but the void that will be left by the senior players would be difficult to fill. "In India, there would be players who would take their places eventually. But we would probably never be able to find replacements for these once-in-a-generation players. "That's why I get furious when people who don't have the qualification to tie their (Laxman, Dravid) shoelaces start dissecting their performance," Bedi said. http://cricketnext.in.com/news/bedi-backs-dravid-laxman-and-slams-critics/63425-13.html

[Sir john]

well said paaji. :peter:

[The Outsider]

This should be a signal to Tendulkar, Dravid, and Laxman - when Bedi is supporting you something is horribly wrong.

[NeutralCat]

Bedi in denial as well, wonder how much the BCCI is paying all these people to talk crap.

[Needforspeed]

Bedi always says the opposite of whatever the majority says. It helps him to get a lot of airtime on TV channels. Whats the fun for them (channels) if everyone is saying the same thing?

[saneindian]

Thats some change in the opinion of the man who once said Indian players should be thrown into the nearby sea when we lost a series in NZ in 1990, a team included greats like Vengsarkar, Azhar and Kapil!

[NeutralCat]

$$$ speaks all languages my friends.

[achilles]

He always swims against the tide. If he sees everyone is praising someone, he will diss the guy. When the guy is being dissed, he will stand up for him.

[amiret]

Bedi is right . It is too soon for Dravid , Laxman & Sachin to retire. They are legends of the game , they deserve to decide when to call it quits.

[ZodiaC]

This should be a signal to Tendulkar' date=' Dravid, and Laxman - when Bedi is supporting you something is horribly wrong.[/quote'] +1. :giggle: Seems like to me that the guy is an attention *****.

[yoda]

It is nice to see Bedi show respect to anyone, which is quite rare. That said, while it may be up to the players to decide when to retire, it doesn't mean the selectors have to keep picking them.