It's denial from top to bottom

[NeutralCat]

:cantstop::giggle::hysterical::haha::winky::--D:icflove::yay::two_thumbs_up::finger::((:nervous:

[bharat297]

I like where the OP is getting, but not the manner in which he is getting there. It's not denial, but a celebration of mediocrity whose next chapter will start in a couple of months. Do you really think the average Indian cricket viewer gives a damn about Dhnoi struggling to put bat to ball in an away test match when he can lead CSK to another IPL title? Do you really think the average Indian cricket viewer gives a damn about Tendulkar flopping in two consecutive away series measuring 16 innings when he turns up for the Mumbai "Indians"? Do you really think that these great cricketers like Tendulkar, Dravid, and Laxman have the good of the team at heart when they continue to potter from one innings to another?

I disagree a bit. I honestly don't think Tendulkar was thinking of himself and his records when he toured here. If he was just concerned with his 100th hundred then he would have played ODIs against West Indies and England throughout the year. The fact is Tendulkar wanted to win a series in Australia really badly but he will unfortunately never be able to do that. I do agree that its a celebration of mediocrity though. I don't think that these players don't care about the team. They have all been great servants of the Indian team over many years and even though many people forget, they have all won many matches for India over the years. Its a very difficult thing to do to step down from your career. However either they need to bite the bullet or the selectors need to be brave.

[bharat297]

Ofcourse England domestic competition is of the highest quality thatts why they scout in SA and still manage to lose pathetically in sub continent.

The difference between England and India is that England don't have the depth of natural and unique talent that India do, but do well enough because of a good system. If India had a system like England's or Australia's, we could and almost definitely would be the most dominant No.1 team of all time.

[bharat297]

The most ignorant comment I hear people make is that they think we will lose our home ground advantage if we start producing a variety of pitches at home for domestic matches. The truth is, we're not producing dustbowls either. So at the moment, they are just flat roads with absolutely nothing in it for the bowlers until about Day 4. Having a variety of pitches means that our batsmen and bowlers are prepared for any condition. The truth is our home pitches aren't really spin friendly and are not making us great players of spin either. We used to be brilliant but now are just reasonably good. We haven't won a series in Sri Lanka (spin-friendly conditions) since 1993. Meanwhile, teams like South Africa and New Zealand are becoming more and more competitive in Indian conditions. The truth is other teams are catching up to us in our home conditions and we are slipping away from other teams in away conditions. We have to address our weaknesses. It's short-term pain (yes we might lose 1 or 2 series at home now), for long-term gain of being a great side that can play in any conditions.

[BeautifulGame]

The difference between England and India is that England don't have the depth of natural and unique talent that India do, but do well enough because of a good system. If India had a system like England's or Australia's, we could and almost definitely would be the most dominant No.1 team of all time.

Thats because India is a developing country whereas Aus or England are developed countries. A country like Australia basically tries to use Sport as a medium to gain global recognition and hence u see them prioritizing sports as a career option.Whereas in India we have different priorities and rightly so. U cant exactly compare the natural depth available in India with Eng or Aus as most dont prioritize cricket as a career option and hence Cricket doesnt get first pick of most talented youngsters.

[rajmarie]

I disagree a bit. I honestly don't think Tendulkar was thinking of himself and his records when he toured here. If he was just concerned with his 100th hundred then he would have played ODIs against West Indies and England throughout the year. The fact is Tendulkar wanted to win a series in Australia really badly but he will unfortunately never be able to do that. I do agree that its a celebration of mediocrity though. I don't think that these players don't care about the team. They have all been great servants of the Indian team over many years and even though many people forget, they have all won many matches for India over the years. Its a very difficult thing to do to step down from your career. However either they need to bite the bullet or the selectors need to be brave.

& I disagree with you. IMO..Sachin skipped the Test series against WI in WI (rest was an excuse)...so that he can get that in Eng....then he tried again against WI at home in TEST...& then against Aus in Aus in TEST. Now that he had failed to get that 100th 100...he let the selectors add him in ODI team...so taht he can try to get there....& be done with it....otherwise I m sure..he was back to his resting period for IPL. I also believe that if the BCCI & selectors dont take corrective measures for fixing the Test team....then pretty soon we will lose at home also probably against NZ itself. Looks like BCCI, selectors & players wants to keep playing with fans emotition....& 1 day...some illiterate will break down their home notable to take any more their pathatic performance.

[Vikas Bhatt]

& I disagree with you. IMO..Sachin skipped the Test series against WI in WI (rest was an excuse)...so that he can get that in Eng....then he tried again against WI at home in TEST...& then against Aus in Aus in TEST. Now that he had failed to get that 100th 100...he let the selectors add him in ODI team...so taht he can try to get there....& be done with it....otherwise I m sure..he was back to his resting period for IPL. I also believe that if the BCCI & selectors dont take corrective measures for fixing the Test team....then pretty soon we will lose at home also probably against NZ itself. Looks like BCCI, selectors & players wants to keep playing with fans emotition....& 1 day...some illiterate will break down their home notable to take any more their pathatic performance.

SRT didn't miss IPL on injury but chose to skip national duty in WI. has to make you wonder where his priorities are. same way with Shitwag, Gauti, Zaheer and Yuvraj as well.

[bharat297]

Thats because India is a developing country whereas Aus or England are developed countries. A country like Australia basically tries to use Sport as a medium to gain global recognition and hence u see them prioritizing sports as a career option.Whereas in India we have different priorities and rightly so. U cant exactly compare the natural depth available in India with Eng or Aus as most dont prioritize cricket as a career option and hence Cricket doesnt get first pick of most talented youngsters.

India is not a developing country in cricket. We have the money and the talent ... The structure at domestic level is missing

[bharat297]

SRT didn't miss IPL on injury but chose to skip national duty in WI. has to make you wonder where his priorities are. same way with Shitwag' date=' Gauti, Zaheer and Yuvraj as well.[/quote'] I think its incredibly unfair to say he doesn't prioritise well ... He missed the champions league too. In any case I think he should retire after the hundredth hundred. But just because the media make it all about sachin doesn't mean he is a selfish player.

[bharat297]

I think its pretty clear he was saving himself for the big series'. Many senior players were rested from the West Indies tour because it was a deliberate chance to give the youngsters a go. Just like MS Dhoni rested himself from the ODIs. To go back in hindsight and say it was a selfish decision is a bit ignorant. Anyone can be an expert in hindsight. Similarly Tendulkar was injured in the England ODIs, and the injury carried on to the Champions League and the home ODI series. He used the West Indies test series as a warm up for the Australian tour, which he started well but has since struggled. We don't need to disrespect these legends (Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman), who have all won countless matches and been great servants for India in the past, to be honest in our assessment and say that now is a good time for them to step down and allow a new middle order to establish themselves. The truth is this was our best team going into the series, but it is not our best team anymore because as great as these players were, they are not as good anymore and its time for them to bow down.

[India-KXIP fan]

I think its pretty clear he was saving himself for the big series'. Many senior players were rested from the West Indies tour because it was a deliberate chance to give the youngsters a go. Just like MS Dhoni rested himself from the ODIs. To go back in hindsight and say it was a selfish decision is a bit ignorant. Anyone can be an expert in hindsight. Similarly Tendulkar was injured in the England ODIs, and the injury carried on to the Champions League and the home ODI series. He used the West Indies test series as a warm up for the Australian tour, which he started well but has since struggled. We don't need to disrespect these legends (Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman), who have all won countless matches and been great servants for India in the past, to be honest in our assessment and say that now is a good time for them to step down and allow a new middle order to establish themselves. The truth is this was our best team going into the series, but it is not our best team anymore because as great as these players were, they are not as good anymore and its time for them to bow down.

100% agreed.

[Manny_Pacquiao]

ppl on ICF are very much a minority of the cricket viewing audience. lots of ppl here value test cricket and their best memories of indian cricket are the test series victories. most indians arent like that. they dont give a damn about test cricket. and the BCCI knows it. they know that they can brush this under the carpet, because india plays so much cricket throughout the year that a few victories will immediately cover everything up and get everyone talking again. in any case, the lunatics are the ones running the asylum. you can blame the players, but the rot starts at the top. who is going to hold the administrators (i.e politicians) accountable? the structure of indian cricket will remain the same regardless. the motto will remain the same - to make big money via IPL, and tv rights. all this isn't changing. hence why we'll never have a review. there is nobody to conduct it.

[Mr Know All]

Are the sehwag dhoni problems true?

[bharat297]

ppl on ICF are very much a minority of the cricket viewing audience. lots of ppl here value test cricket and their best memories of indian cricket are the test series victories. most indians arent like that. they dont give a damn about test cricket. and the BCCI knows it. they know that they can brush this under the carpet, because india plays so much cricket throughout the year that a few victories will immediately cover everything up and get everyone talking again. in any case, the lunatics are the ones running the asylum. you can blame the players, but the rot starts at the top. who is going to hold the administrators (i.e politicians) accountable? the structure of indian cricket will remain the same regardless. the motto will remain the same - to make big money via IPL, and tv rights. all this isn't changing. hence why we'll never have a review. there is nobody to conduct it.

Thats true But the sad irony is that without Test cricket the IPL wouldn't be as successful. The reason the first few IPLs were so good was that we got to see Tendulkar, Warne, Gilchrist, Hayden, Sehwag, Kallis, Dravid, Kumble, etc. all playing in the one competition. These players all became stars due to Test cricket. Think about it, yes statistically someone like Cameron White is a better T20 cricketer than Ricky Ponting, but who do you think if playing would draw more revenue, crowds and ratings. I think Ian Chappell summed it up best when he said, you can't have one without the other. You need Test cricket to create the stars and limited-over cricket (incl. IPL) to bring in the money. You can't bite the hand that feeds you and ignore Test cricket.

[Manny_Pacquiao]

i dont think thats true. IPL has its own kind of crowd. the majority of IPL followers barely follow test cricket. cricketers like MS dhoni and yuvraj are mediocre at test level, yet they have the same name recognition as a sachin tendulkar. even a yusuf pathan is immensely popular because of his IPL exploits. a guy like david warner or albie morkel probably has bigger fan following in india than they do in their own country. IPL can easily exist without test cricket. its a completely different format and has no relation whatsoever with the 5 day game. it just so happens that today's big names happen to be from the pre-IPL era...once they retire, we'll be left with the rainas, yusuf pathans, valthathy, etc. as among the most popular cricketers in the country.