Safriz
BANNED
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2010
- Messages
- 20,845
- Reaction score
- -1
- Country
- Location
Sarcasm a favourite Indian pastime March 09 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.
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.
