A view from the Gully (17 May 1999)
A disenchanted Indian supporter sneaked on to the ground at Hove and approached skipper Azharuddin and Dravid threateningly after India's defeat against South Africa
17-May-1999
17 May 1999
A view from the Gully
Tawfiq Aziz Khan
A disenchanted Indian supporter sneaked on to the ground at Hove and
approached skipper Azharuddin and Dravid threateningly after India's
defeat against South Africa. This is highly condemnable and one
wonders how could the ruffian get past the policemen on duty.
But much as I protest this incident, I seriously think of the future
of this Indian team when they return home at the end of the
tournament. The hype and the euphoria that have been created by
multi-nationals and big businesses across India, which is being
displayed on the television round-the-clock give a definite feeling
that the Cup belongs to India and the rest are there to provide
company.
Well, every participating nation has a right to boost interest of the
people in the competition in their own way. But the participation of
the players in the commercials has rocketed their images in the public
minds as demi gods that can not fail. In such a situation the players
are captive in their own cage and have to perform under tremendous
pressure unlike their opponents. They have not only modelled for
products but have acted also in an attempt to boost the sales as well
as lift their own images.
Azharuddin should have realised that India were facing an opponent who
had very few to boast about but everybody to be confident of. The
South Africans, billed as the favourites for winning the trophy
outwitted their opponents right from the start. The turning point came
early in the innings when Pollock passed through the defences of the
master batsman Tendulker. He shut himself up immediately and went
about his business slowly. Ganguly, who normally takes time to score,
was also slow. Between these too they accounted for a lot of dot
balls. Azhar should have showed some imagination when Dravid got
out. Instead of coming on himself Jadeja or Robin Singh should have
been preferred. The Indian total was the result of South Africa's
strategy of containment when they found that wickets were hard to get.
The early successes of Srinath and Kumble kindled hopes in the Indian
hearts and though wickets fell at regular intervals the Proteas were
always ahead of the Indian score and the required run rate never went
out of their grip. There were too many experiments with bowling as
Srinath lost his way after only four overs. Rhodes and Klusner were no
rabbits and relished the long hops of Agarkar. To ask him to bowl at
that stage of the game was to invite him to commit suicide. While
India could manage only 63 runs from their last ten overs the South
Africans hammered 26 runs from only nine deliveries. The fine efforts
of Ganguly and Kallis ended sadly as both tried for the runs which
were not there; but they had enough deliveries left to get those seven
runs between them.
Hansie Cronje may not be as experienced as his counterpart, but he is
more composed and intelligent and leads a team that has more players
than 'stars'.
Source :: The Daily Star