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Loading ...partisanship is same as in england, nothing better nothing worse. i have been following the english newspapers online and england would have won or squared the test series if harmison, hoggard and flintoff were there, if it had not rained at lords, if india were not lucky with the toss, if the umpires had given sreesanth out lbw…
and if you are in the nilgiris, stay overnight on traditional boats called the “kettuvallam” at allepey, its worthwhile!!!
Excusing India’s defeat
By Will last year, at the end of August Leave a comment on this post
I’m in India, hence the total lack of any posts here (bar Ian’s - thanks), but while I was wolfing my breakfast this morning I read a curious sub-header in today’s Hindu. I don’t have it in front of me now, so forgive me if it’s not entirely accurate, but it said of Dravid’s decision to field first: “Probably due to extensive cloud cover”. The partisanship here is like no other country. Face it; England outplayed you.
The channel I watched it on contained commentators who shared a mixture of English and Hindu. But when Sachin was scratching around, as is his modern wont, any drive which pinged off his bat was met with “What a shot! What a shot there from Sachin Tendulkar…and it’s fielded in the covers preventing the single”.
Anyway, it’s a topic for another day. Here’s the brilliant contraption in which I was pushed up 46kms of India’s “Blue Mountains,” the Nilgiris. It really is spectacular here.
Tags: england, hindu, india, india-in-england, newspapers, nilgiri-express, nilgiris, one-day-cricket, ooty, photos, rahul-dravid, steam-train, train |
10 Responses to “Excusing India’s defeat”
August 22nd, 2007 at 6.30 am
August 22nd, 2007 at 12.59 pm
Well i knew India’s luck would run out someday or the other especially without a coach…Tendulkar should seriously retire or take a break.
Btw nice pic of the Nilgiris
-Ally
August 22nd, 2007 at 2.36 pm
Ah, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway - I have a great affection for that, even though it drove my great-great grandfather out of business in 1899 (he used to run a Tonga service from Mettupalayam to Ooty). Make sure you drop into the branch of Higginbothams near St Stephen’s Church, and give my regards to Mr Krishnamurthy, the manager.
As for the cricket - I agree with Alex above. Partisanship is pretty strong in British sports journalism as well, less so in cricket than in football, and less so in broadsheets than in tabloids, but there all the same. I suppose the difference is that the Indian players inspire a crazed level of devotion (and opprobrium when things go badly) which is rarely approached in England
August 22nd, 2007 at 6.18 pm
And English newspapers aren’t? Come on, Will.
August 22nd, 2007 at 7.39 pm
I’m English and have been living in India for almost two years now. I’ve found the media here are just as quick to lay into the home team after a poor result as they are back in England. It was savage during the world cup campaign! I’ve got Wednesday’s Times of India which only reports the England innings. The article headline is ‘Part-time bowlers spanked’. The article goes on to criticise the Indian habit of loading up the team with batsmen, and assuming they can chase any target even if the bowling attack is poor.
The TV coverage I watched - Star Cricket - was in Hindi, and I heard plenty cries of ‘bahut acha shot!’ when England were batting. I think they’re pretty fair over here. My workmates certainly weren’t making excuses: terrible, awful, useless, rubbish, … were common words when we had a chat about the previous day’s game at lunch.
BTW nice train. I haven’t been on that one, but I did have a trip on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway earlier this year. http://web.mac.com/weatherley/iWeb/Site/Toy%20Train.html
August 23rd, 2007 at 2.34 am
I have to agree with Will. I read quite a few cricket blogs, but only occasionally post, and one thing that you always notice is that if a blog says anything remotely critical about an Indian player, the journalist or whoever wrote the comment gets crucified.
August 23rd, 2007 at 4.31 am
Well there will be some crucifixions in the Times of India offices today now that Thursday’s paper has published the result:
‘England outplay India in first ODI’
‘Outbatted & Outbowled’
‘India lost wickets faster than a bucket without a bottom’
‘Couldn’t bat, couldn’t bowl, couldn’t field, couldn’t run between the wickets’
‘India were clueless’
‘[bowlers' figures] look worse than a mother of eight children’
I do agree that India’s more vocal and enthusiastic supporters can be a bit sensitive in online discussions. The BBC’s cricket discussions in particular seem to attract fans with some very rose tinted glasses.
August 24th, 2007 at 4.47 am
Will,
Name a country that doesn’t idolise their sports stars, no matter the magnitude of their achievement. The difference may be in the level of idolisation, but that comment re Tendulkar was a little rich.
While you’re there, I’m sure you’ll see both sides of the passion - the overzealous and the ugly. You’ve only just landed, you’ve got a lot to learn ol’ chap. :>
PS. The newspaper is called The Hindu, but the language is called Hindi - a typo, undoubtedly.
August 24th, 2007 at 6.10 am
Not very different from the England we know…not the Nilgiris, I meant the commentary.
Isn’t that the way world over?…Haysman commentating for South Africa, the Australian brigade, Atherton, Gower etc…even the venerable Richie Benaud can no longer resist the modern demands of a pinch of partisanship. Most listeners just let this aspect of commentary out of their other ear and simply watch cricket.
Hope you are having a fine time in India. Cheers!
Oh, by the way, what would one do without Cricinfo? Can’t imagine a cricket watcher’s life without it!
April 17th, 2008 at 5.38 pm
Like the English press isn’t, Will. Sorry to burst your bubble, mate, but there’s parochialism aplenty in English sport coverage as well. You might want to look into that, rather than come off as high-handed as you have in this post.
And the language spoken in India is Hindi, Will.
And great posts there, JamesW and Ayush T.
