The Australians are at it again. Not long ago, every Australian media and a few of their players, including the current captain, Cummins criticised the ICC for allowing India to play all the games in the Champions Trophy in Dubai. Cummins especially, said that India gained unfair advantage. Everyone knows about the political tension between India and Pakistan and the wish of the Indians not to send any sports team to Pakistan. We do not want to do anything with them. We stand by our government’s decision not to send any team to Pakistan. This is going to stay. Every foreign media, journalists, cricketers were quite angry with India being allowed to play in Dubai only. The oft-repeated cliche is that sports and politics must never be mingled and that sports must be left all alone. Now, the Australian government wants Afghanistan kicked out. The Australian hypocrisy and Gambhir’s plan.
The Australian government has called on the ICC to dismiss Afghanistan out of the top tier of cricket owing to the treatment of women in that country. After the Taliban regained power in that country, Australia did call-off the bilateral series between the nations for the same reason. They have continuously refused to stage Afghanistan in Australia. “Cricket Australia has made its own decision about Australia’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy,” Watts said in a statement to this masthead.
“It was the first body to take a stand and refuse to play bilateral matches against Afghanistan. It should be applauded for that.” Said Tim Watts, Assistant Minister for foreign affairs.
My take on the comments
One may argue that this is the view of a minister and not that of Cricket Australia. However, has anyone from Cricket Australian condemned this statement? Has anyone from Cricket Australia said that politics and sports must be kept apart from eachother? Has any present or former Australian cricketer has said that the comment of the minister is completely wrong and that cricket must be left alone to decide for itself? Will Cummins have the nerve to ask his minister to shutup? Isn’t this blatant hypocrisy? How can the same circumstance, infact, India is in a for worse situation, can be treated differently? If Afghani women are not treated well, so are Indians who constantly face attacks from a foreign country. Will Cricket Australia call for Pakistan to be treated with the same brush?
Infact, Australia and England are the only nations not to have played Afghanistan in Test cricket. If they had an option of skipping Afghanistan games in multilateral tournaments, they would have done so. By the same yardstick, why are the Afghan players allowed to play in the BBL? I do not care whether Australia and England play Afghanistan but they will do well do keep their mouth shut when it comes to India.
Gambhir
Reports have emerged that Gambhir plans to go to England well in advance of the series between India and England. India and England will be engaged in a 5-Tests series from June 20. The IPL will end on the last week of May which leaves only about 3 weeks for the England bound players to get accustomed to the conditions and various other aspects. Indian team have shot themselves on the foot their but that does not matter because the BCCI never bothered about the nation or the image of the national cricket team.
India A will play three four day games against the local county sides. Gambhir will be travelling with the A team to England. This is an unprecedented move because the head coach of the main team never travels with A teams but in this case, Gambhir has chosen otherwise. Notwithstanding the Champions Trophy win, Gambhir is clearly feeling the heat, having lost to New Zealand and Australia. He and India are expected to perform much better in England which is easier said than done because England in their own country will be impossible to defeat.
Sidhu has appreciated Gambhir for his decision
“Toughest challenge for @GautamGambhir will be playing England in the first half of the English season in test matches – juicy damp pitches offer lateral movement of the pitch and swing due to resistance in the air,” Sidhu said.
“Wanting to go there with the India A is preventing and preparing rather than repenting and repairing – forethought wins , in life and Chess,” he added.
Gambhir’s plan to travel to England with the A team is much appreciated. It shows that he is not only keen to find ways to succeed in England but also assess some of the England regulars who may be part of the games. However, the first choice Indian Test cricketers will not be part of the Indian A team. Everyone of them will be busy in the IPL till the end of May. As such, by the time they are in England, they are all tired and without any motivation to go on and play Test cricket. Thanks to the BCCI. Now it is too late but another method would have been to make every Indian batsmen will are likely to travel to England, skip IPL and play in County Cricket. That would have given them the much needed exposure ahead of an important series.
Wrapping up the Australian hypocrisy and Gambhir’s plan
BCCI will not allow that because for them, it meant losing a huge chunk of revenue. Whenever BCCI has to make a decision, money or image of the national team, they have always chosen money. Anyway, Gambhir can try all he wants but it is the players who will have to perform on the field. Will the players have the energy after a gruelling 3 months of IPL?
