India’s meek capitulation to Bangladesh has the blogsphere hopping mad.
First, Amit wonders if Bangladesh and Ireland are really ”minnows or sharks’‘?
I was particularly impressed by Bangladesh. All their past upsets have been caused by the side opposite them getting a bit complacent, and the wins have seemed like flukes, a judgement backed up by how rare those wins have been. But today they outplayed India in every department of the game: their bowling was exceptional, their fielding was the sharpest of the subcontinental teams, and their batting was positive and purposeful. They didn’t look like a weaker team playing out of their skins, but like one that belonged at this level.
Second, Greatbong rants and rants well.
In conclusion, forgive me for being bitter and please keep the “it’s just a game� comments at bay. What hurts is not that India lost but the fact that they played like amateurs in the biggest cricketing carnival without passion or cohesion, a fact brought into sharper focus by their opponents who had ample amounts of everything that the Men in Blue so grievously lacked.
Third, Vivek explains how India can still make it to the next round.
India’s best hope would be for Sri Lanka to beat Bangladesh by a big margin (while losing to India by a big margin as well) so that India and Sri Lanka move to Super Eight (as ICC intended while drawing up the groups). This way, India gets to carry 2 points to the next stage while Sri Lanka carries nothing. In a way, it is good that India managed to stretch Bangladesh to the 49th over while chasing 191. When it comes to getting through on the basis of NRR, every run and every ball matters.
Fourth, Mohit argues that firing the Indian team isn’t quite enough,
 We need to get them all home and lock them in an army barrack (alongwith the coach, manager, all selectors, the Board of BCCI, and anyone who’s hopeful of getting a place in the team in the next 5 years). Then put them on a practice regimen which would go thus. Wake up at 4 am, go for a 10-mile cross country run, have a shower, then a 10 minute breakfast of boiled rice, chickpeas, moong daal & cornflakes, then practice catches for the next 2 hours, a break of 10 minutes followed by a cup of tea. After which they practice throwing for an hour, and diving for another hour (concrete pitches required for the latter).
Fifth, Patrix comments on the day of minnows,
The consequences of these results are far-reaching. There isn’t going to be a India-Pakistan match for the public (and advertisers) to get excited about. And in the likely scenario of India not making it, interest in the World Cup on the subcontinent will nosedive. Poor broadcasters who have spent millions for telecast rights and apparel/drinks/any-conceivable-product-used-by-players sponsors must be sweating hard now. They might just be tempted to fix the remaining matches for India to ensure that at least they make it to the next round. Frankly, I cannot imagine a World Cup without either India or Pakistan in the semis. I guess by the way these teams are playing, we better get used to it, eh?
Comments
2 comments. Leave your comment »
Rezwan
Mar 18th, 2007 at 2:36 pm | #
Bangladesh have arrived, but what went wrong for India?
I present you three instances how India perceived Bangladesh cricket team before the match.
1) SET Max channel airs a promo of their “Extraaa Innings” program starring panelists Mandira Bedi and Charu Sharma. They show 9 teams including the number ten in ODI ranking Zimbabwe but leaves out the number 9 Bangladesh.
2) DD National channel airs “the Fourth Umpire”, a cricket analysis program. Their episode during the India-Bangladesh match contained Indian cricket legends like Chetan Sharma and Kris Srikanth among the panel. They were discussing how India will win this World Cup and which players will contribute to what extent. Then there was the public opinion section via telephone. An young Indian was asked “In last match Gibbs has hit six sixes an over. So what India will do today?” He said ” Dhoni will strike 7 sixes an over today.” How? “Bangladesh will produce a no ball which will be dispatched over the rope again.” Then the panelists were laughing at Bangladesh being a minnow and Srikkanth’s view seemed like they deserved the 7 sixes an over.
Srikkanth dismissed any chance of Bangladesh causing an upset against this Bangladesh. Another panelist Anjum mentioned Bangladesh had beaten New Zealand in an warm up match. Srikkanth remarked all these are rubbish. There is a vast difference between India and Bangladesh so Bangladesh cannot win. India has come to win the world cup. If they loose today they should take the next flight home. Everybody was laughing. Chetan Sharma commented India should not take Bangladesh seriously. If India should respect Bangladesh then they should not have come to this World Cup.
During the match break Srikkanth was upset with India’s paltry total of 191. After some discussions he commented that it was the Indian batsmen who gifted their wicket , the Bangladeshi bowlers had really did nothing special. Chetan Sharma thought that Bangladesh batting is not that strong. Srikkanth still thought that India should take the next flight home if they loose.
After the end of the game as India lost to Bangladesh Chetan and Srikkanth were not there to comment. People were wondering whether they went to the travel agent to confirm the Indian team’s return ticket. Anjum, the another presenter thought that Bangladesh may cause another upset to beat Sri Lanka to provide a chance for India in the World Cup. Wow! what a complete turn around of assessment about Bangladesh.
3) Bangladesh has toured every Test cricket nation except India. Because cricket is a business to them and having Bangladesh is commercially unprofitable. A tour with a said minnow is commercially unattractive for the media and advertisers. India last toured Bangladesh in 2004 December. Bangladesh has beaten India for the first time then. After that India cancelled their next scheduled tour to Bangladesh twice and did not play them in last couple of years. The reasons suspected was again commerce. So India chose to deffer it till May 2007. I am not sure whether they will come to Bangladesh or invite back Bangladesh as there will always be excuses available.
So what can you say about the above instances? Simple arrogance and looking down on others has caused India this disgrace. As a saying goes “none are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves”. India has took their eyes off Bangladesh who progressed a lot in 2006. Their techniques got better and they are getting used to winning albeit most of the opponents were not from the super eight of Cricket.
This simple arrogance also sieged the Indian cricket team who came to the field without in form Sreesanth and Kumble and decided to bat first probably with a score like 350 in mind. And the pressure on the players were immense as they found Bangladesh bowlers using the conditions and maintaining line and length. When Bangladesh was batting they just had no clue why these eighteen year olds were not respecting the paper tiger bowlers. While Bangladesh had a game plan they just had no plan “B” to tackle the surprise.
Anand Vasu says in Cricinfo that:
Bangladesh have slowly, steadily, doggedly worked at their cricket to the best of their ability for years now, and the fruit of that is this win. The point is that they have been around for a while now, it’s just that not too many have taken note.
The Bangladeshi Newspaper Prothom Alo said this win is a reply to the Indian’s disrespect about Bangladesh. Bangladesh proved India that what is commerce to them is merely a game for them. The article concludes with the hope that India is put down on their feet with this shock. If they still cannot revise their opinion about Bangladesh they will be reminded in the coming tour.
Now India will go nowhere with blaming players and the coach for this loss. Cricket is religion, passion and everything to Indians. Actually millions of Indian cricket fans deserves better from the Indian team. And this will happen when all the extra pressure of high expectations and influence of commerce in cricket are reduced. Let the Indian team play for themselves, not for the cup, but for the sheer pleasure of the game. India has enough good players to become a champion but now it may be too late for this World Cup.