No one died

Take a deep breath, and think without any “Hoo Ha India”, did India have the quality required to give a fair go at the World Cup? The hype created around the down right mediocre team created mostly by corporate India for the opportunity of advertising, has shown it's true colors. No body can cover the Saturday night disaster better then Greatbong though.

What is very disheartening to note is, India (like Pakistan) has an uncanny knack of having very short-lived selective memory. At Ranchi people damaged the house that was being built on 4,000 square feet of land gifted to the player by former Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda. This come after the player was out scoring zero in a match. However he is has an average of 46.61, giving him the ninth highest average in the history of ODI cricket. Among contemporaries, only Mike Hussey and Kevin Pietersen average more. Star News has reported cricket fans immersing cricket star posters in Upper Lake of Bhopal. Let me tell you a story from the World Cup at England. After a ridiculous run-out with Allan Donald spelt finish to South Africa’s World Cup campaign in the second semi-final in Edgbaston against Australia, everybody - media, players, fans - went for Klusener with a relish that has now become familiar. “What did you do, ‘Zulu’? Didn’t you talk to Alan? We needed only one run to win. There were still three balls to go. Where was the hurry? How does it feel to drown an entire nation’s hopes and dreams like this? Et cetera.”. Klusener, later adjudged the tournament’s Most Valued Player (MVP), was a farmer from Natal. His deadpan reply is something which only a farmer could have uttered: “So what? No one died.”

In contrast, take the case of Rajbahadur Soni, a Sepoy at Chhatisgarh Task Force, who was killed during the Naxalite attack at Bijapur, Chhatisgarh. His body was brought to Bhopal by road, as his family is a resident of Bhopal. What is interesting is his cremation had to wait for more than two hours at the cremation ground, for the Guard Of Honor to be conducted. After repeated telephone calls, the Sepoys who arrived about two hours late reportedly “did not even know how to hold the guns properly”. They had to be trained by a senior police official present, and only then a Guard Of Honor was accorded. The bungling that actually led to the killings, I am confident, would continue with the family.

Another interesting thought, courtesy Gaurav, is will Saurav take back the captainship, which is sure to be offered to him, once Rahul loses the post of captain due to miserable failure at World Cup. I hope Gaurav is right, and vote for Saurav denying the offer.

Update: Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, did die. Is the game really worth it?