Slaughtered in South Africa
The expected debacle at Port Elizabeth confirmed the fact that the over-rated, over-hyped and over-done "process of experimentation" and favoured selection of "young boys" by the incompetent BCCI, a bunch of yes-men called national selectors, a bull-headed coach and a subservient, subdued captain has clearly boomeranged into a titanic embarrassment. For the first time in several years when we did a straw poll with our office colleagues, we found a unanimous opinion that India's defeat at St George's was seen not just as a distinct possibility but an underwritten....
Posted by Sanjay Jha at | 63 comments
Pay the players, sack Manohar
The national disgruntlement and collective dismay over India's miserable surrender at Durban, South Africa is understandable. Rahul Dravid and his Men in Blue have been justifiably criticised for a lackadaisical show, lacking in either game plan, smart skills, or a gutsy survivor attitude. Now with India's disastrous performance echoing in Parliament, out comes another BCCI Vice-President, Mr Shashank Manohar, who tells the billion people of India that BCCI has "absolutely no responsibility" whatsoever with India's cricketing performance. In that case, why Manohar and one Lalit Modi are....
Posted by Sanjay Jha at | 70 comments
Drubbing at Durban
As India were once again, in familiar fashion, collapsing like a brittle pack of cards, their celebrated coach Greg Chappell was busily immersed reading a book. Perhaps after giving himself an A+ rating in his self-appraisal to TV channels and media pals who love his "process(ing) skills", he was cockily chilling in self-congratulations. Clearly, the pitiable display on the pitch by the Men in Blue at Durban against South Africa did not disturb him. Sachin Tendulkar, after a brief entertaining stay at the wicket, had just....
Posted by Sanjay Jha at | 282 comments
No jacket required
The world’s richest cricket board ensured that it’s 15 member-golden geese went on the crucial foreign tour of South Africa without their clothes on (pun intended)! To accentuate matters, two key members of the touring party were conspicuous by their absence, but apparently no one had witnessed their disappearing act. Maybe it was an optical illusion witnessed by just a miraculous few! Honestly, such bizarre happenings can only occur on India’s own native soil. The BCCI must rank as a classic unbeatable joke, run as it is like a Baramati....
Posted by Sanjay Jha at | 18 comments
