The Great Indian Escape

It was the last hour of the third test. India, the recently crowned one-day cricket world champions, had five wickets in hand and only 86 runs to score. Any sane person would bet for India. It's just makes sense. A good 15 overs were in hand, sun was shining brightly. There was nothing stopping India from cruising to victory and win the already won cricket series. Yet Indian captain offered to call off the game to which West Indian captain happily obliged. And why wouldn't he? India had Laxman and Raina batting. Dhoni, Kohli and Harbhajan Singh were still waiting in the pavillion. To top it of, Ravi Rampaul who more than troubled Indian batsman through out the series was nursing wounds in the hospital.

Yet India decided to let go the game. Yes, they didn't loose. Yes, they won the series but if they did that in a shamefully defeated manner. It wasn't that they chose the draw over a win, it's that they didn't show intent to win that got me and scores of other riled up.

How can India call themselves the best test side in the world if they don't have enough balls to score 86 runs off 90 balls? Come on, you are telling me the pitch is slow? You just won the world cup for heavens sake! If you don't play to win then you should just go home and spare us the humiliation.

West Indies is ranked 7th out of 8 test playing nation. India is ranked 1st and yet India decided to opt for the draw. West Indian players are paid peanuts for playing while Class C contracted player in India makes more than Rs. 25 lakh. And that's just for being contracted. Players get paid for each test, one-day and 20-20. Add endorsement on top of that and each Indian player is a millionaire. And yet you play for a DRAW! You kidding me!

I am not saying Indian team plays bad. Of course not. They have been consistently winning for last ten years. They won easy games, they won hard games, they won some improbable games. They beat minnows, they beat good teams and few times they were just kick-ass. They deserve to be ranked number one.

But at the same time their rank is not secured. England and South Africa are within sniffing distance. If you want to hold on to your numero uno status then you need to win continuously. You need to play to win continuously. The aim should not just to be number one in the world but there shouldn't be any number one like you ever. That's what West Indian team of 1980's achieved. And that's the realm where Aussie of Shane Warne resided.

Indian team doesn't play for themselves. They play for India. And when you play for your country your only aim should be to win and nothing else. There's no draw, no cop-out clause. Dhoni, admittedly one of the greatest already, should be ashamed of his decision to shake hands when he should be busy whacking ball around.

Champions are champions are at the heart first and if you are thinking about draw then you ain't the one!