Seeing isn't believing

          Pictures are photoshopped. Audio tapes are doctored. Live pop performances are lip-synced. And, for the past few decades, sport just cannot be believed.
          I say this in the wake of Lance Armstrong's unsurprising revelation and Europol's investigation. Cycling and football, two high-profile sports are what we are talking about, not croquet or kabaddi. Not to say they should be fixed.
          How can an athlete spend his life believing winning and money are more important than hundreds of thousands of sport fans and their trust? Than the spirit of all sport and fair play? People have said this for centuries, but I'll say it again. Sport is about competing and fun, not winning. One person or team will eventually win, but that's not what it's about. The World Cup/Tour de France/Champions League/Test championship are all about enjoying good sport and having a good time. It's not about seeing injection-powered people race away to rob honest people of victory. It's not about seeing people make money by ensuring they see what they bet on.
          People don't land up in bars around the world to see what a money-minded ringleader in Singapore planned. They don't line the streets of France to cheer on people running on a strength other than their own.
           If I were placed second behind a drug-boosted athlete, I'd hate to see him get the media attention, adulation, interviews, gold medal and all that then be awarded first a decade later. In fact, I don't know how those people deal with it.
           It's probably the tip of the iceberg. But still, I hope for a future where conscience creeps back into people's mind.

Master blaster musters his ouster

          We may never know if Sachin chose to retire from ODI cricket of his own accord, or was given a nudge by the selectors who would rather not unceremoniously drop him. I am inclined to think the latter, knowing our selectors. It will probably remain a mystery. Never, however, rule out Mohinder Amarnath squealing ten years later. It will provide Arnab Goswami and Rajdeep Sardesai a field day.
          You can, however be sure of the reactions of the mango people of India. Most are too worried about the agitation in Delhi and its causes, many have switched sides from 'when is he retiring' to 'why is he retiring', some are heartbroken and a few are relieved. Nostalgia is in the air, with most recalling his exploits in the blue shirt between 1998 and 2003. At the time, I was still learning to walk and talk, which means I cannot comment. Sachin has, however, given me many reasons to smile. He has also, in the past year and a half, given me as many reasons to curse.
           As I write, he is playing for Mumbai in the Ranji trophy, giving those not interested in Indo-Pak rivalry something to watch. These may be back to the days when India team players used to face each other in the Ranji trophy, these could also be the days when domestic cricket is the only refuge when you have been kicked out by the national selectors.
           About two-thirds of his ODI centuries have come in winning causes. This should not be surprising. His centuries became a kind of 'unlucky-charm' in the last few years, making a friend of mine wish he never reached 100 of them.
           With the old order of Ganguly, Laxman, Dravid and Sachin having flowed out of ODIs, it is time to find replacements. Rahane is not a bad choice, Kohli has cemented his place, Mukund and Pujara are flying in and out of the team, Robin Bist has been pretty consistent in the Ranji. Our team is rebuilding itself like the Australian team. I wish them all the best. Till then, let Pakistan get some thrills out of hammering our team.