It is pretty evident that all’s not well in the world of cricket

Cricketers across the world are back to playing for their respective nations.

By Tejaswini Tirta

Finally, cricketers across the world are back to playing for their respective nations and playing some real cricket at that. The 50-over matches do seem a tad bit long and the Test matches seem never-ending. Still, this is cricket at its best.

So, all seems well. Duncan Fletcher’s getting along with the boys. Gary Kirsten is back on South African pitches, literally. Team England is reveling in its favorite genre of the game; Kumar Sangakkara is back to captaining Sri Lanka. It’s all good. Except…   

Prolonged ‘formlessness’ back to plague Team India

Unlike a few critics who are concentrating on the two games that India lost in the Caribbean, I’m just happy we won the series. It’s natural to get in and out of form for any cricketer. You can’t expect them to excel all throughout. At the same time, we can’t ignore their bad form for a long period. We did that for Yuvraj Singh all of 2010. Mostly because he had spent considerable time in the team and proved his ability. I’m also willing to give Suresh Raina a little leeway, despite his poor show in West Indies. My worry, however, are the likes of Yusuf Pathan and Subramaniam Badrinath. These guys should realize that Team India is running houseful. Ones who want in will get one or maximum two chances to show what they’ve got. Players like Yusuf don’t seem to even be trying to better their act. As a result, it’s a make-or-break situation. Next thing you know, some IPL team owner will be picking these guys as part of the auction fun for a measly amount. 

The UDRS has raised its ugly hood again

The English want it. The Indians don’t. Initially, a few other Boards and players didn’t want it but now they all do. But BCCI doesn’t. If the ICC had something like a majority vote system for introducing new things, like in the case of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the DRS issue would have been long put to rest.

I don’t want technology to intervene in regular games and tours either. Let’s keep it for a big event like the World Cup where there’s a lot riding on every decision. On other days, I’d prefer the players simply go out there and enjoy the game, minus the technical doubts and delays. Thankfully, we have some fairly competitive umpires, except a few questionable instances (or individuals like Steve Bucknor). Besides, DRS is in trial and error mode. It’s fine if the ICC promises to identify the “errors” and fixes them in due time. We know better. Well, BCCI-Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Co. will simply have to live with it and eventually master it, I guess. 

WICB, learn from PCB’s mistake

In one part of the cricket world, Pakistan, a clash of egos led to the ouster of a once-good cricketer, Shahid Afridi. Now, yet again, after a commendable show in the 2011 World Cup, Pakistan cricket is in shambles. In another part of the cricket world, unfortunately, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) doesn’t seem to have heard of the phrase: learning from others’ mistakes. A similar clash is simply refusing to let up and this may just put a shoddy end to another illustrious career, that of Chris Gayle.

From recent WICB reports, it’s clear that the conflict is not between Gayle and the Board, but Gayle and a member of the Board. We don’t know who that member is who has upset the IPL4 hero all over again. Though it’s evident neither is in the mood to say sorry. Methinks, Gayle should be looking ahead and at the big picture of pursuing his passion, than dragging this matter. He can do all the talking after he’s retired. That’s what autobiographies are for!

(Bangalore-based Tejaswini Tirtha spent the first eight years of her career in mainstream media, having worked with leading dailies like Times of India, The New Indian Express and Asian Age, tracking new trends in the film, fashion, theater and gaming industries. A couple of years ago, she was bitten by the corporate bug, but tried to keep the journalist in her alive by grabbing every writing opportunity that came her way. Her other interests include reading, music, watching movies, traveling, F1 racing and of course, cricket)