The Indian cricketers are having the worst imaginable start to the New Year. Down 2-0 against the ever powerful Australians, the players are under media fire and are facing ire from the cricket-loving masses of the populated nation.
The Indian media is truly unparalleled in its contrasting treatment of players. And others from all fields, for that matter. Should someone score a century or take a mugful of wickets one day, they are duly coronated and divinified - for the time being. Fail to replicate that the next time around and they have 'flattered to deceive' and 'failed to live up to expectations' (set by?).
I have not got too many opinions from the general Indian cricket-mad crowd, but I have got a sense from my classmates what they feel about India's ability and their series predictions. (This was after the first Test) One said India 2 Australia 1. Now that is a dream. The Australians subsequently proved this wrong. Another said 4-0, the number which is haunting the sports pages of the newspapers and occupying a good amount of television time, also the scoreline which seems most likely at the moment. A third said 5-0, which speaks volumes about Australia's prowess and her own knowledge of cricket.
At this juncture in the England-India series, the debate was whether it would be 4-0 or 2-2. No one considered a 3-1 or the possibility that one match or both remaining games would be drawn.
Also, the century- or half-century-makers have largely been old masters like Ponting, Dravid and Hussey. An exception has been in Clarke and his mammoth 329. Both teams are in a period of great change, where the aged soldiers of the past decade are moving on and youthful players are entering the fray. The young Australian bowlers are slowly beginning to look like they can replace the famed attack of McGrath, Warne and later Lee. The Indian batsmen are not yet making way for the younger generation, though at this rate they may give way and need to hang up their boots.
These are some thoughts on the much-awaited 'Agneepath' series. I join the other cricket fans in the country in wishing the Men in White (for now) the best of luck.
The Indian media is truly unparalleled in its contrasting treatment of players. And others from all fields, for that matter. Should someone score a century or take a mugful of wickets one day, they are duly coronated and divinified - for the time being. Fail to replicate that the next time around and they have 'flattered to deceive' and 'failed to live up to expectations' (set by?).
I have not got too many opinions from the general Indian cricket-mad crowd, but I have got a sense from my classmates what they feel about India's ability and their series predictions. (This was after the first Test) One said India 2 Australia 1. Now that is a dream. The Australians subsequently proved this wrong. Another said 4-0, the number which is haunting the sports pages of the newspapers and occupying a good amount of television time, also the scoreline which seems most likely at the moment. A third said 5-0, which speaks volumes about Australia's prowess and her own knowledge of cricket.
At this juncture in the England-India series, the debate was whether it would be 4-0 or 2-2. No one considered a 3-1 or the possibility that one match or both remaining games would be drawn.
Also, the century- or half-century-makers have largely been old masters like Ponting, Dravid and Hussey. An exception has been in Clarke and his mammoth 329. Both teams are in a period of great change, where the aged soldiers of the past decade are moving on and youthful players are entering the fray. The young Australian bowlers are slowly beginning to look like they can replace the famed attack of McGrath, Warne and later Lee. The Indian batsmen are not yet making way for the younger generation, though at this rate they may give way and need to hang up their boots.
These are some thoughts on the much-awaited 'Agneepath' series. I join the other cricket fans in the country in wishing the Men in White (for now) the best of luck.
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