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Wednesday, December 21, 2005
The Prince's last rites
Sourav Chandidas Ganguly: A year ago, the question in his mind was whether he would be leading India beyond the World Cup 2007. The next question was whether he would lift the cup dancing down the track to the bowlers like he almost did in South Africa. Then someone asked him who the next coach should be. Pop it came out of his mouth:Greg Stephen Chappell. Greg Chappell was largely seen as the factor behind India's surprisingly good performance in Australia. Ganguly had sought his advice before the test series there. They would have even won the test series if only Parthiv Patel had learnt how to stump rather than pose before cameras. Despite the tries n cries of many ppl 2 bring in a "Swadesi" coach,(here too..duh!) Chappell became the coach of the Indian Cricket Team. Scene then: Camel rider(Ganguly) inside the tent, Camel(Chappell) outside n the tent held firmly by its owner, Jagmohan Dalmiya(Club-standard wicketkeeper) and the rest, as they say is history. Camel kicked the rider out of the tent. The owner also got kicked out democratically(the election actually was observed by a former election commissioner...man how jobless these ppl are!!). The man in power, Mr. Pawar(whoz only cricket connection is his Father in law, a former leg spinner) is currently trying to kiss the well tanned Aussie's ass. Ever heard of an agricultural minister becoming the President of the richest sporting board in the nation??U should not be surprised since we already have ministers ruling almost all the sporting boards(tennis, football, shooting....the list is lengthy)
And how did Ganguly get kicked out??Chappell quietly told him that his rule is over. He patiently scores a century against a sub-standard bowling attack and revealed Chappell's intentions.He was unceremoniously sent off the one day team because of his poor performance. Kolkattans were infuriated to such an extent that they actually clapped when Dravid was bowled when he played there and the now obvious Eden Garden Fire lights(the dismissal deserved it tho!). Then they brought him back. They then kicked him out with such a force that I doubt whether he wud come bak again. I guess the act was so well planned that even if he had scored a 300+(oops..my imagination!!), he wud have been dropped. And his replacement,last seen, was warming the reserve bench when India played Lanka. Then Mr.Pawar read out his funeral address("Pawar n Ganguly had an amiable meeting") today expressing shock over his dismissal from the team. How good these politicians act!
Guess the last rites have been performed now. All we can do is now to look back with misty eyes over a career which had started so impressively (after a largely forgettable debut Down Under) that Geoffrey Boycott revered him as "Prince of Colcotta".The man would be remembered for his heroic leadership skills especially down under and also for resurrecting India cricket when it was hit by an earthquake called Match fixing, the after effects of which are felt even now. His exquisite timing and those regal shots offside largely compensated for the vacuum left by Azhar's termination from the game. For his "bare-chested act" after winning the Nat West series at Lords' in 2002 defying all traditions and decor of the English dressing room.A man who has been asked to drop his batting gloves just because they dint fit the President's hands. But he will always be remembered for one quote:"We know and they know that we can beat them." before that immortal series when Aussies were Laxmanised. Ask the English. All they would say is"He showed us that the Aussies are not invincibles."
PS:
I sincerely hope that he makes a comeback to the Indian cricket team and pooh pooh this obit:-)
And how did Ganguly get kicked out??Chappell quietly told him that his rule is over. He patiently scores a century against a sub-standard bowling attack and revealed Chappell's intentions.He was unceremoniously sent off the one day team because of his poor performance. Kolkattans were infuriated to such an extent that they actually clapped when Dravid was bowled when he played there and the now obvious Eden Garden Fire lights(the dismissal deserved it tho!). Then they brought him back. They then kicked him out with such a force that I doubt whether he wud come bak again. I guess the act was so well planned that even if he had scored a 300+(oops..my imagination!!), he wud have been dropped. And his replacement,last seen, was warming the reserve bench when India played Lanka. Then Mr.Pawar read out his funeral address("Pawar n Ganguly had an amiable meeting") today expressing shock over his dismissal from the team. How good these politicians act!Guess the last rites have been performed now. All we can do is now to look back with misty eyes over a career which had started so impressively (after a largely forgettable debut Down Under) that Geoffrey Boycott revered him as "Prince of Colcotta".The man would be remembered for his heroic leadership skills especially down under and also for resurrecting India cricket when it was hit by an earthquake called Match fixing, the after effects of which are felt even now. His exquisite timing and those regal shots offside largely compensated for the vacuum left by Azhar's termination from the game. For his "bare-chested act" after winning the Nat West series at Lords' in 2002 defying all traditions and decor of the English dressing room.A man who has been asked to drop his batting gloves just because they dint fit the President's hands. But he will always be remembered for one quote:"We know and they know that we can beat them." before that immortal series when Aussies were Laxmanised. Ask the English. All they would say is"He showed us that the Aussies are not invincibles."
PS:
I sincerely hope that he makes a comeback to the Indian cricket team and pooh pooh this obit:-)
18 Comments:
MInisters ruling sporting boards..-i would rather say 'ministers ruining the sporting boards"
Reading ur post, I got the same feeling i got when i read the poem "The patriot" by Robert Browning
hey there....even i hope dada comes back into the team...he doesnt deserve wat he got....
vivek,
Cant say i empathise with dada's state.
He's a sucky player, sucky captain. And the team is doin very well witout him. For no one can ever break "The Wall". :)
hey this is the topic that i suggested for our class GD yesterday but alas it was not finalised as many were not ready for it..nice coincidence ..timely addition to your BLOG...keep it up!!
wat u said is exactly right "politicians do ruin every progress of our nation"...but is wat dada did against the coach nd diverting everyone's attention for the sole reason for him to stay correct?
@Divya.b
Well said Divya..n reg Browing..well...hmm.. am speechless :-)...thnx
@anonymous
even i am hoping for the same
@Trinity
Nice to have someone wit a different opinion..but don at all b surprised if the wall is also treated the same way
@Gangadhar
Thanks..hope Dada does make it bak 2 the team sometime
@sushmira
Hope tis post does help u if the topic gets chosen..
@me2rock
Ganguly deserves a place in the team not bcos of sympathy..he played well against murali & co..but u must also note that Chappell is turning things into a revenge game
hey vivek ....
what ever happened was not good and i hope that He comes back ....the camel and the rider together moving in tandum ...so that the team india gets its feirce captian back as a player .....
good style .....
Ash
hi vivek... this was more of an eulogy than an obit.. this blog just goes to drive home the point that u r from colcotta..indian cricket has already woken up to reality.. its better u did that too..
hi vivek...
thanks for ur candid views on Dada....he is and shall be the Prince of Indian Cricket and those grey haired men will have enough time to rue these days during their last days. Indian cricket will pay for this ....
i am with u vivek in ur desire that Ganguly should make a comeback...the bengal tiger will fight back...a wounded tiger is the most dangerous.....
if u have read till now...u are the no:1 dumb head.....everyone throughout inida...sorry world over(Sans kolkata and a remote room in NIT,Calicut) knows Ganguly place in Indian Cricket..(a water boy..))....and i hope u come to ur senses...bye da
Well ..it is not against an individual .Rather look at this way - "no player can be in the team only bcos of his past achievements . Now the players are expected to perform well if they want to be in the team ". dont u think this makes more sense ?
Hey Vivek ..
heard today's news ....
ganguly is in the team again ..athis time hopefully to stay ..
and between
merry chrismas .....
just dropped in convey the hot news ans wishes
tatat
take care mate
Ash
planned to say ganguly is back..but guess it's a late comment now..anyways..
Guess all our prayers have been answered!!! :-) Dada is bak...
@Ash
It was not rite...Happy Xmas 2 u too Ash..n thnx for dropping by n informing me..was travelling actually so learnt of it from ur comment :-)
@Gangadhar
Thnx yaar...as u wished, ganguly is bak in te team..:-)
@Dino
Ganguly has to do tat to stay in the team n lets all hope he does so..
@Sushmira
Better late than never..thnx for dropping by..
@V Hariharasudhan
First time.So welcome. Ganguly deservedly has got bak into the 'test' team.
@Jagan
Yeah it does make sense n the prince can stay only if he proves his mettle...btw it also applies for others..
@Anonymous
Think his position is clear now ;-)
hi vivek...
i am very late on this.. but one gud news man... ganguly is bak in the team. But u hav to think abt his selection. Wat if ganguly fails aginst Pakistan? The next thing he will be doing is .. be a part of te audience or become a gardener or the worst thing that can happen to him: become a commenator especially in DD along with the famous trio
but dont worry... god is with him... but i dont know whether the team is with him. atb for him.
@sreevatsa
Welcome bak vatsa :)..ganguly has a sword hanging above his head..one failure can lead to an exit from the team..nice 2 learn tat the Lord is with him..hope he succeeds n earns bak his rightful place in the team
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