Sarcasm-a-favourite-indian-pastime

[putrevus]

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/54668/sarcasm-a-favourite-indian-pastime We Indians are a peculiar people. For some reason we love being negative and cynical and love to underplay our own achievements. Sarcasm, unnecessary perhaps, has turned into a favourite Indian pastime. This has been beautifully borne out following our twin victories against the Australians at Chennai and Hyderabad. A study of the Indian media reports and the reactions in the social networking sites have thrown up one common chord- this is the worst ever Australian team to tour India. It is as if these victories were expected. In fact, if anything, the Indians are expected to wrap up the series 4-0 with consummate ease. It is important to state that such cynicism is frustrating. It is in fact grossly unfair. More because this is almost the same Australian side that crushed us in Australia in 2011-2012. The bowling line up comprising of James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon is the exact same one, which accounted for our 4-0 demolition down under 13 months earlier. And in batting the opening combination remains the same in Warner and Cowan. While Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey have moved on, one of the slots has gone to Shane Watson, the first choice for Australia before the Indian tour commenced in 2011-2012. It was only because Watson was injured that he had to sit out of the Australian final eleven. Make no mistake the Indians have played extremely well and the 2-0 lead is a product of their superb on field performance. To suggest that it has all been too easy is to unjustly take away the credit of Dhoni and his boys. More importantly, it can safe suggested that the 4-0 result, which is being deemed a mere formality, is still a distant pipe dream. It is more than likely that the Australians led by Michael Clarke will make a strong comeback in Mohali in conditions that should suit them. The wicket at Mohali isn't expected to turn that much and on a track that has offered true bounce in the past the Australian quicks will turn more than handy. I for one wouldn't be surprised if Mohali is a far closer test match than the first two and if the Indians are really tested for the first time in the series. It is time to emphasize that this cynicism isn't restricted to cricket. The Indian media takes pride in looking down upon doubles performances in tennis as well. I remember some scribes suggesting before the London 2012 games that the value of a tennis medal in doubles and mixed doubles can never be the same as a medal in singles. Doubles and mixed doubles, according to them, is baby play and the achievements of Mahesh Bhupathi or Leander Paes and Sania Mirza can hardly be given real importance in the echelons of world sport. These very same men will talk up the performances of the Bryan brothers and will revel in suggesting that John McEnroe was one of the best singles and doubles players of all time. Coming back to cricket, it can indeed be suggested that away victories are worth in gold these days. Most good teams are dominant in their own backyard and are tested away from home in alien conditions. The Indians too will be tested severely when they tour South Africa in November-December and face up to the number one Test team in the world. But that doesn't take away from the fact that the Indians led by Ashwin have bowled brilliantly in the current series and the batting except Sehwag has inspired confidence. Pujara, for example, is looking superb and is expected to serve the Indian batting well for many years to come. Unlike the Indians, the Australian media were delighted when we were being mauled down under and even likened the Australian triumph as evidence of them regaining the tag of the numero uno cricket team in the world. Clarke's reputation grew as a captain and rightly so. It is important we try and rectify this negative mindset at the earliest. Negativism helps to breed contempt and it isn't healthy for either the players or the media. Rather, it will further result in alienating the fans, already a much thinned constituency as far as Indian Test cricket is concerned. It is time then to celebrate the victories with the same rigor with which we criticise the boys when they fare badly. Well played MSD and team. Boria Majumdar has written this piece which hits right at home.

[Ultimate_Game]

The main reason people are cynical is coz they still remember the 0-8 drubbing to go along with the 1-2 loss at home to England. Essentially, what people are saying is that winning one series after losing 3 (and being white-washed 0-4 in 2 of those) does not make us world beaters. I guarantee you if we had performed creditably in those away tours and managed to win/draw or even had a narrow loss, the reaction would have been different. It's just that 0-8 and loss to Eng at home left a bitter taste in the mouth and will take some to go. It's good people are not getting carried away with this series when we had been cr@p for majority of the last 2 years and still remember those debacles unlike our cricket administrators.

[NareshK]

The main reason people are cynical is coz they still remember the 0-8 drubbing to go along with the 1-2 loss at home to England. Essentially, what people are saying is that winning one series after losing 3 (and being white-washed 0-4 in 2 of those) does not make us world beaters. I guarantee you if we had performed creditably in those away tours and managed to win/draw or even had a narrow loss, the reaction would have been different. It's just that 0-8 and loss to Eng at home left a bitter taste in the mouth and will take some to go. It's good people are not getting carried away with this series when we had been cr@p for majority of the last 2 years and still remember those debacles unlike our cricket administrators.

Sub continent teams have NEVER done particularly well in SA, Aus, Eng in history. Indian team under Dravid, Sachin, Laxman, Ganguly, Kumble, Sehwag have actually done way better than previous teams and hence the over expectations from fans. This is actually a combination of exceptional talent and experience gained from playing in those countries for many years. When they started, they got whitewashed in Australia and SA too. Even when the above players were at the top of their game, we never won a series in Aus and SA. India drew 1-1 against Aus in 03, drew 1-1 against SA in 10, won 1-0 against Eng in 07. So when they got out of form and got close to retirement, 4-0 in Eng and Aus was par for the course actually. Some fans are behaving as though we have always been winning overseas. :hysterical: Mind you, this is the same for Eng and Aus teams in India as well. Aus has only won 1 series in 40 odd years IIRC and Eng has won a series last year after 28 years.

[Number]

Sub continent teams have NEVER done particularly well in SA' date= Aus, Eng in history. Indian team under Dravid, Sachin, Laxman, Ganguly, Kumble, Sehwag have actually done way better than previous teams and hence the over expectations from fans. This is actually a combination of exceptional talent and experience gained from playing in those countries for many years. When they started, they got whitewashed in Australia and SA too. Even when the above players were at the top of their game, we never won a series in Aus and SA. India drew 1-1 against Aus in 03, drew 1-1 against SA in 10, won 1-0 against Eng in 07. So when they got out of form and got close to retirement, 4-0 in Eng and Aus was par for the course actually. Some fans are behaving as though we have always been winning overseas. :hysterical: Mind you, this is the same for Eng and Aus teams in India as well. Aus has only won 1 series in 40 odd years IIRC and Eng has won a series last year after 28 years.

Pakistan were undefeated in England for 20 (86-2006) years. Won 3 series in a row and drawn 1.

[Crookbond]

Sub continent teams have NEVER done particularly well in SA, Aus, Eng in history. Indian team under Dravid, Sachin, Laxman, Ganguly, Kumble, Sehwag have actually done way better than previous teams and hence the over expectations from fans. This is actually a combination of exceptional talent and experience gained from playing in those countries for many years. When they started, they got whitewashed in Australia and SA too. Even when the above players were at the top of their game, we never won a series in Aus and SA. India drew 1-1 against Aus in 03, drew 1-1 against SA in 10, won 1-0 against Eng in 07. So when they got out of form and got close to retirement, 4-0 in Eng and Aus was par for the course actually. Some fans are behaving as though we have always been winning overseas. :hysterical: Mind you, this is the same for Eng and Aus teams in India as well. Aus has only won 1 series in 40 odd years IIRC and Eng has won a series last year after 28 years.

Two series in 45 years and still counting.

[NareshK]

Pakistan were undefeated in England for 20 (86-2006) years. Won 3 series in a row and drawn 1.

Mostly because of Wasim and Waqar. Their record before and after they retired is terrible.

[moniker]

So when they got out of form and got close to retirement, 4-0 in Eng and Aus was par for the course actually. Some fans are behaving as though we have always been winning overseas. :hysterical:

It's not just about winning series overseas, we have always managed to draw a few tests here and there and win an odd away test. A complete whitewash is what comes across as utter humiliation, and the 8-0 has probably made most Indian fans numb and indifferent to the ongoing series against the Aussies. Even if we win 4-0, which I believe will surpass the expectations of the most optimistic of cricket fans, we'll always be wary of the thrashing awaiting us when we tour next.

[saneindian]

Cynicism is genuine because no one believes the direction in which we are moving will see much changing when we play abroad.

[vvvslaxman]

I would rather be cynical than delusional.

[carnish]

Two series in 45 years and still counting.

Ok, then why not make it 4 in 56 years and counting. He said 1 in 40-odd years and thats true, why increase the numbers by going even back. O thy Pain.

[Crookbond]

Ok' date=' then why not make it 4 in 56 years and counting. He said 1 in 40-odd years and thats true, why increase the numbers by going even back. O thy Pain.[/quote'] Just being fair to the Australians from an old fashioned cricket fan!