We are an ungrateful nation. How else to describe the barks of those baying for the blood of India's captain Sourav Ganguly?
This is the man who has transformed India into a cricket-playing country that is now expected to win every match it plays - the five-day or the one-day variety. When was the last time that all of you ganging up against Ganguly could look forward to a victory before a game had begun?
Wasn't it just the other day that Indian cricket fans only complained about the lack of commitment in our cricketers - with the exception, of course, of Sachin Tendulkar - which made them chase personal goals and riches rather than victory for their side?
Nobody - not the master Tendulkar, nor the artist Azharuddin (whose motives, of course, also proved to be suspect eventually) - had managed to convert India into a world-class team before Ganguly came along. Do you know that, with five more Test victories abroad, Ganguly will have won more matches for India on foreign soil than all of India's captains collectively had in the 68 years before he took over? With 19 Test victories, he is already India's most successful captain ever.
But, of course, we are a nation of one billion cricket selectors. So, learned comments are flying around about how Ganguly's recent run of poor scores means he should lose his place in the side. It is true - as the Don pointed out - that the captain's place in the side should be assured on the strength of his performance with bat or ball alone. But imagine what would have happened had the same treatment that our experts want for Ganguly been meted out to Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, among others.
As captain, Ganguly had persisted with them through their poor patches, never allowing their confidence to be zapped or insecurity to creep in. And just look at the results today. But no, that's not good enough for us Indians. Obviously, the man is finished as a batter. Obviously, it's time to drop him.
I don't want to take away from the fans the right to criticise, pan, maul the performance of the team. The passionate man on the street is entitled to speak from a position of emotional involvement. But what of our myriad experts, who so cavalierly dismiss the credentials of a batter who has a Test average of 41, and 22 one-day centuries?
Have any of them ever paused to think how Ganguly leads a team of such super-achievers as Tendulkar, Dravid, Kumble, Harbhajan and Sehwag without a wrong beat ever being sounded? Without the stigma of politicking ever being attached to the team? Mr Nice Guy he may not be, but Ganguly has never been accused of being partisan or parochial - shortcomings that many of his predecessors were guilty of.
Let's face the truth. It's Ganguly - and the outgoing coach John Wright - who have built India into a team that can be considered a challenge to Australia, the undisputed supremos. To think of dropping the captain is patently ridiculous, not to mention shameful.
As fans, what have we learnt from the Australians? Have we learnt to support the captain of the team no matter how the team fares? Did Australians bay for Ricky Ponting's blood when he failed to win the ICC Champions' Trophy? Did the country start badmouthing the team when Pakistan beat it a couple of times during the triangular series?
But Ganguly - or for that matter even a majestic batter like Laxman, or even Tendulkar himself - have to listen to verbal turds dished out at them the moment they fail once, twice or thrice. A so-called ‘expert’ said recently on national television that Tendulkar had better take his bowling seriously, since his batting is finished. How stupid are you willing to sound, Mr Expert, just because you're on TV and have the ears of millions?
Why, it wasn't too long ago that everyone - from learned commentators to the man on the road - was disdainful of Rahul Dravid's ability to score runs, of Anil Kumble's ability to take wickets. Do they have the guts to raise their voice today and own up to the cannonballs they fired against the Bangalore brothers who lead India to victory in Kolkata?
Or are they going to demand that the duo be ousted for their failure at Bangalore?
So pipe down, all you experts, and back Team India. And its captain.
PS: Recognise this? 1, 33, 12, 35, 6, 9, 14, 29, 0, 22, 37, 17, 18, 28. These are Rahul Dravid's scores in 14 successive innings in 1999/2000 and 2000/01. He should have been dropped, right? His next 9 scores? 41 not out, 200 not out, 70 not out, 162, 9, 39, 25, 180, 81. Point made?
Some Ganguly bashers when he is out of form :-) (Smile and let go, for the tiger will roar soon)
Shoiab Akhtar admits Ganguly is faster and quicker than him. "I haven't seen any one get out so fast. Man, I envy his speed. I am quick but he is quicker.", he says. "I think I should now cut my run up short when I bowl to him. Or else, he might be gone when I am half way thru my run up."
- Narain Karthikeyan to get some tips on Speed from Ganguly. His sponsorers have asked him to talk to the Prince of Kolkata. They are also planning to endorse Ganguly.
- Dinesh Karthick confesses that his skills in getting ready and padded have improved a lot. As soon as Ganguly goes to bat, I know there is very little time in getting ready. "I must have broken world records a few times in this series" , says the Indian dimunitive wicketkeeper.
- Q: Any Guesses which is Ganguly's favorite movie?
A: Gone in 60 seconds.
- Railways keen on Ganguly: Atleast we'll be having someone who comes (back) before time. This will help them improve the image with the Indian public.
- Q: Which was the hottest place in B'lore Chinnaswami Stadium for the pastfew days?
A: The seat Ganguly was sitting in while in the Pavillion.
- Ganguly to donate all his bats to charity.
"I don't require a bat nowadays", said the Indian southpaw.
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