Far be it for me to criticise Cricinfo, but I couldn’t help smile at my colleague’s piece today in which he offered an acute observation of the Indians’ net session. I remember when I was in India last year, staying with a friend, and one of his housemates reckoned he only had a passing interest in the game and that he knew bugger all about the game. He still knew more than Henry Blofeld, and cursed the heavy-handedness of the ICC, which rather sums up Indians’ attitude towards the sport (of sports in general, increasingly).
If, for some ridiculous reason, you have any lingering doubts that cricket in India is not followed closely – that it’s some vague fad that a few thousand people occasionally switch on the TV for – read this:
Rahul Dravid, on the other hand, looked to perfect his defence, testing his judgement of when to leave outside the off stump. Ishant Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar had a good little session, too, walking up to each other after almost every delivery and discussing what was right and what was wrong.
The bowlers got an intense workout as well: Ishant Sharma bowled for an hour and 10 minutes in two spells, Zaheer Khan bowled his two for an hour, and Munaf Patel bowled for an hour without a break. Besides the normal stumps, the bowlers had a fifth stump as a guide so that they could get used to bowling the just-outside-the-off-stump line.
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They even followed the Aussie net session with a stalker like closeness.
Its a bit worrying to be frank.
India have always been a bit worrying, to be frank. India always try to create a bit of hysteria around everything.
I notice they (Cricinfo) have been talking up the series for weeks, saying its now much bigger and more important than the Ashes. But that’s only to India. Or wishful thinking.
To us, the australia-england rivalry will always supersede any other contest, in any sport, except perhaps with the Kiwis. Blood is thicker than water.
If we don't understand, try explaining it to us.
“Fanaticism”, “hysteria” and “stalking”? All in reference to journalists covering India? Really?
On this page at least, there seem to be plenty of fans on the Aussie side too!
u ppl. will never understand so why u try , well it is a religion we mean it when we say it and frankly no one follows ny other sport except few ( we won 3 medals olympics hav afifa rank 152 to give an idea)
i said didn't i its a religion most ppl. turn on ports channel just to watch cricket i do admit media does go haywire sometimes
Shoot coming from an engerland journalist, Ah! the small mercies of the life!
Just coz some guy talked about the ICC's attitude with you that doesn't mean a thing.I've talked with guys who claim they're huge cricket buffs & 99.9% of them don't know the LBW law.outside leg stump,playing or not playing a shot,etc etc,nothing.Absolutely no info on LB's.No1's interested in the game,the glamour associated with the cricketers.I generally find english fans most knowledgeable.Next time you're in india ask the taxi guy if ganguly is right or left handed batsman.You'll get your answer.They are the most hyped sportpersons here.Now to these semi literate or fully illiterate fans,anything can be an article on cricket.Also most of the fanaticism is reserved for the batsmen.Mst indians identify with batsmen.The article u read was tolerable in many ways,like a tour diary.You should watch the glamour channels with their half hour programs with fashion designers discussing cricketers personal style.But hey,the 0.1% fan base in indian terms would amount to a lot of people too.Cricket isn't religion in india,cricketers are & that would mainly include batsmen.
Well criket isn't a religion in india,cricketers are.Just coz some guy talked about the ICC's attitude with you that doesn't mean a thing.I've talked with guys who claim they're huge cricket buffs & 99.9% of them don't know the LBW law.outside leg stump,playing or not playing a shot,etc etc,nothing.Absolutely no info on LB's.No1's interested in the game,the glamour associated with the cricketers.I generally find english fans most knowledgeable.Next time you're in india ask the taxi guy if ganguly is right or left handed batsman.You'll get your answer.They are the most hyped sportpersons here.Now to these semi literate or fully illiterate fans,anything can be an article on cricket.Also most of the fanaticism is reserved for the batsmen.Mst indians identify with batsmen.The article u read was tolerable in many ways,like a tour diary.You should watch the glamour channels with their half hour programs with fashion designers discussing cricketers personal style.But hey,the 0.1% fan base in indian terms would amount to a lot of people.
& wat in the union jacked hell have you done to your blog???I've got 2 points & none of my comments are on it.WTF???Somthing u had that cric info didn't was simplicity hence the fondness for the old 1.