Indian Cricket - In Search of..

I will be extremely busy in the coming weeks so i have to convince myself to clearly state that i am not available to join the team should they require my services for the coming tests.  With most of the touring gentleman-in-whites injured/likely to be injured, i had this fear of being invited and hence a heads-up to the team's selection committee (sincererly hope they are not injured)

Dhoni rightly said that for some of them it is like a 7 test series - basically that is preparing us for a 6-1 drubbing against? Could well be. He has often been found to be a visionary.

Some of the English cricketers who recently retired must be ruing their ill timed decision. This series could have given them a berth for a few more seasons. Bad luck guys.

Have been trying to give shape to my technical request to the International Cricket Council on these lines: 

• Dear Sirs, When we are ill-destined to watch a bad movie on our tapes or video players, we get the option of fast-forwarding such portion that we dont like to watch. Same applies to audio tapes - we fast forward to avoid the pain of listening to disturbing music. On these lines, can we fast forward and move on to the one-day series. Or can we revoke the original plan of playing 4 tests and make it a 2 test series. Doesn't matter if Sachin is not able to score his 100th FC century - we can always invite Bangladesh for a full 5 test series back  home and complete such formalities
• Dear Sirs, India is now an economic superpower - atleast it boasts of  1.2 odd billion mouths and 2.4 odd billion hands  that are capable and strong and in these times of global slowdown and low consumerism, India can come in handy to avert another grand recession - so please consider such strengths as part of every decision that is subject to DRS.
• Dear Sirs, We can beat this England side for sure. With an extra bit of luck, talent, better batting and bowling, a captain who can think - we can beat this side. And quickly regain our position in world ranking. Please do not be in any hurry to change the order of supremacy

I am not in search of newer excuses. The caption for this piece is conceived to bristle with esoterism. Coming to Indian Cricket, but for that accidental era (1985-2005), we are used to defeats. I remember the times when the team strategy before toss those days was how to draw the match. From the first ball, we would play a match like those mandatory overs.  Our faith in rain gods and luck has stood us in good stead for nearly a century.

They say success spoils and corrupts some. I am indeed part of that spoilt generation that has taken the 1983 and 2011 world cup wins as real.

Finally, a prayer to all the Gods in the heavens: Please endow in every indian the wisdom of not asking Sachin to score a century in every test he plays. He is a human being too. Atleast, until this series ends, we should ban tweeting and group-smsing. Better if TV coverage rights are also withdrawn and only BBC is allowed to broadcast running commentary. Even AIR is ok - atleast they have the genius of popping up advertisements at every important juncture of the game.

I have resolutely decided never to question Dhoni on his batting or wicket-keeping. Am happy with his appearances on TV commercials.