posted Jul 8, 2008

Any sane cricket lover would tell you only one name if you ask them who's the best captain in international cricket at the moment. Dhoni has all the rights to speak his mind than be a puppet in the hands of the BCCI.

The BCCI is traditionally known to be motivated by money and gives no regard to player burnout (Ask ICC match referee Javagal Srinath how a player's career can be split into two halves....) How on earth did Dhoni's side the Chennai super kings played the semi final and the final within 24 hours in a tournament that lasted more than a month?? It's inexplicable. There was no breathing space between 6 weeks of T20 cricket and the two 50 over tournaments he played in.

To say Dhoni is giving excuses for defeat is poor observation. He said something like "Obviously i have made some mistakes in this tournament, but you only learn from these mistakes" after the tri-series final defeat. Then after the Asia cup defeat, he said something like "We couldn't pick Mendis. It was a brilliant performance. he bowled in the right areas and we didn't have a clue" What more compliment can you give an opposition that that?

Dhoni's decision to rest and the final defeats have no connection. He was only expressing his disappointment at the schedules and the reasons for him to take the rest in such an important series against Sri Lanka.

He deserves this rest.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 8, 2008

Well, it is nice to see verbal sparring between Australian and Indian fans well ahead.

Somebody mentioning Aussies sweeping the series!! All I can say is - best wishes!

Of course I shall be expecting India to give a good account. We may not have many issues in the way as before.

And yes, the pitches could take spin, though I feel India has been preparing less spin friendly pitches in the last 5/6 years. I remember pitches in Chepauk in 1970s as rank turners from the second day. Imagine if the present Australian team had played then !!
Ricky Ponting would have been apopleptic.

And "Tricky" Ponting has to come in without his aluminium bat these days !!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 8, 2008

I was Deniss Lillie's zany idea to market Al bats in the 80s

the bat gave a gawdawful noise Brearley objected

Lillie had a tantrum hurled his Al bat and his captain Greg Chappell brought out a regular bat and took back the Al bat

Ponting tried a short lived experiment with grapite laden bats that were banned

As for Dhoni he has opted out of Tests in SL

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/slvind/content/current/story/360307.html

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 8, 2008

>>> yeah..playing who Pakistanis, Bagladeshi, UAE, and the Hong Kong teams???? #2 it is

An average of 50+ in last 12 months which include avg of 40 against Oz, 50+ against Pak and 95 against SL.

RS is only fooling himself

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 8, 2008

Glad MSD has taken some time off. Also good to see Yuvraj dropped, rested, whatever. Sadly hes not a test player yet.

Kartik is arguably a better keeper and is no mug with the bat, has opened in test cricket so not a bad deputy to have Id say...

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 8, 2008

Tired?

Because he played in the IPL?

And they said it wouldn't affect the Test game...

He took the money and now has better things to do than represent his country.

Reap. Sow. etc.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 8, 2008

RS
Dhoni has done a lot of good for India. Its his right to rest when he wants.He was in good form, making runs,so not a personal excuse to runout of the game and hide somewhere.I wonder if you really play cricket,but if you do, you'll understand the meaning of rest.
BCCI might be ignorant but Dhoni is not and he knows whats best for him.
I dont rate him along with Ponting solely as a batsman,but with captaincy,WK and batting,he's better as of today.
Hussey? who?

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 9, 2008

an interesting thing is in the past to get an incumbent to take rest or give way to a younger player required plastic expl

now with higher paying avenues like IPL available players can choose when to take time off and that gives an opportunity to someone else

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 9, 2008

if ,dhoni is really tired,then why he complained it before twenty 20 ipl...whenever he got time he is busy in making add film...

add comment | complain about this comment