Micromax Cup 2010: Some glaring mistakes!

The tri-series between India, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka is underway and though it is good to see the two sub-continental teams trying out some youngsters and allowing the spectators to watch new players who are willing to push themselves real heard, there are some issues that need to be introspected. For starters, both the Indian and Lankan teams have rested too many of their regular players. It should be remembered that the series is being played in Zimbabwe: a place that needs its regular dose of cricketing stars to engage more spectators.

Thus, allowing these two teams to rest as many as six and seven or so players is seriously disturbing and just doesn't help the cause of popularizing the game in the African continent. Further, the pitch is posing some questions. It seems that there aren't too many options in terms of choosing pitches on the main square. As a result, the matches are being played continuously on the same stretch and the pitch is getting slower with each progressing match. In all probability, by the time the finals arrive, the pitch wouldn't be worth more than 180 runs as a match-winning score. The big plus has come about in terms of Zimbabwe's win against India. Though this might hurt the Indian cricket fans back home, it helps the cause of uplifting the game in Zimbabwe to a large extent. 

MSD's Honesty eventually dithers!!

It was heartbreaking to see that one of the most honest and forthright captains in contemporary cricket, Mahender Singh Dhoni, was spilling-out excuses in the aftermath of being kicked out of the world cup T20. It was unusual to see MSD so hesitant and confused when asked to give reasons for the team's failure during teh post-match conference. Usually, Dhoni is a picture of being calm and is able to handle all queries with a degree of rustic honesty that had become his trademark. Some commentators even joked that he was so forthcoming in his views about defeat or victory that it was almost impossible for the journalists posing the questions to find the captain on the wrong foot. However, it seems that the recent spate of defeats and the fact that the Indian team has been kicked out of its third, straight world cup campaign proved too much for Dhoni. How else do you explain that the man who openly argued about the un-taxing nature of the IPL and its supposed 'zero effect' on the team's international performance suddenly realized that the late-night parties were eating into his players' energy levels. More than the defeat, it was the manner in which MSD handled the entire after-match period that will make most Indian cricket fans feel edgy about their team's future. To be brutally honest, besides MSD, there isn't a single guy in the team who looks responsible or fit enough to be burdened with Indian cricket captaincy. Every good thing comes to an end...I was hoping, Dhoni's charm would have stayed with us a bit longer..nothing else!