Since the last two days I have read zillions of articles lauding Dhoni and trying to explain with figures, mainly though not exclusively, his sudden decision to quit Test cricket. There is a tendency in our country to completely and strongly oppose any shred of questioning of our Gods even the cricketing variety - perhaps even more for this special species of deities. Thus we refuse to listen to anything slightly less than laudatory against SRT or MSD and, at least in West Bengal against Saurav Ganguly. Unfortunately, this fawning tends to obfuscate the issues completely. - No one in their senses is denying Dhonis contribution to Indian cricket. - No one is also trying to run down his stellar performance as the captain of the Indian cricket team nor his amazing personal contribution as a player during his days as captain. - No one can also deny his right to leave the game at a time of his choosing . . . In fact, he would normally be correctly lauded to leave before the questions are raised about his utility as a player which is what has happened to many other super stars before. No. No one disagrees with all that the Dhoni trumpeters are saying. The problem is that they are missing the basic pont, the reason for the incredulous reaction and jaw dropping at his decision . . . And since you dont get it, or pretend that you dont let me repeat it . . . Why not ten days later after completing the job at hand ? All the articles that are being written glorifying MSDs stay as a Test player and captain could surely have been written ten days later after he had finished the job at hand. Why leave with a Test to go? Why have a detailed press conference without a hint of retirement and then 15 minutes later have press releases sent out to journalists making the announcements? This is the part that beggars questions not Dhonis obvious merits as an awesome cricketer who did much more for Indian cricket than his statistics show . . . But why like this . . .
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 04:49:57 +0000