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Monday, October 29, 2007

Vengsarkar Plotted Dravid's Fall



Rahul Dravid, one of the better batsman in the world of cricket, is dropped from the Indian team to play Pakistan. Reason: Rahul is supposedly a one-dimensional player and adds no value to a one-day team. This is Mr. Vengsarkar for you. Imagine, a one dimensional player scores more than 18,000 runs in International cricket. 10,000 of those in one-day cricket. Lets reason out why Mr. Vengsarkar must be feeling that Rahul is unfit for One-day cricket.
1) Rahul scores his runs at an unhealthy average of 40+. Not many in the current Indian team can boast of such a rate in spite of being stuck to one position while batting. Mr. Dravid, foolishly plays to the teams need and bats wherever he is asked to even when he was the captain.
2) Rahul is physically not as fit as is required in today's cricket. Holds the record of highest number of catches by an Indian. Though, not as nimble as he used to be, Dravid still has very strong pair of legs and a very safe pair of hands.
3) Rahul has played all the cricket the Indian team has played in the last 10 years missing just one 1-day international itself speaks a lot about his commitment. On top of these, another gentleman, a south paw, who feigned injury on the morning of a test match looking at a green top wicket, continues to be picked up on performance.
4) Rahul, who was the Captain a season ago, quit on his own forsaking all the power and attention one gets being the leader and top of it the advantage if being picked up for playing.
5) Who gets picked up in the side? A multi-dimensional failure in spite of all the chances comes back in the team on the basis of his previous record. Mr. Vengsarkar conveniently forgets that Rahul has the best record against Pakistan.
6) While the debate is on, statistics is restricted to the last 10 games conveniently. If you consider the last two series and the 11 matches played, Rahul has scored two fifties, was the man of the match as well. In the England series, Rahul averaged a healthy 37 with a strike rate of 97 runs every 100 balls. So much for a one-dimensional player.

This is nothing but a farce of a selection. May glory be yours, Mr. Vengsarkar? He has never been a professional as a cricketer, can never be one as an administrator. Doesn't all this fall from Rahul's resignation episode which did not involve Mr. Vengsarkar?

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