Mediocrity at its best

During the Mike Denness controversy, one point was mooted as central in every argument - India is central to money pouring into the game the world over. A cricket world without India would find it difficult to survive.

While that may be argued endlessly what is certain is that Indian cricket, dealing purely with action on the field, is terribly insignificant when it comes to the contributions made to the overall game of cricket. A cricket world without Indian cricket would probably improve the overall quality of the game tremendously in terms of pride, passion and dignity; so much do we take away from the game through our spineless displays time and again.

Indian cricket could easily be defined as mediocre players playing mediocre cricket 85 percent of the times. The rest 15 per cent of the time is why Indian cricket even is considered worthwhile, sometimes even considered priceless. This 15 per cent includes a Tendulkar and a Harbhajan among others and it speaks volumes of the popularity of cricket in India that this 15 per cent regularly manages to overshadow the other 85 per cent.

India's batting on the fifth day of the second Test against England was so unimaginative, gutless and pathetically defensive it is a wonder the team members didn't hang their heads in shame when they came out for the presentation ceremony. Chasing a huge score against a spirited, if not hugely talented English bowling attack, the Indian batsmen most of whom have averages that would put the ordinary International cricketer to shame, went about their task as if the pitch were full of live bombs waiting to explode and Dawson, Giles and White were Warne, Saqlain and McGrath in disguise.

Far from attempting to give the target a good old try, they defended like their lives were at stake and for a lot of them their careers certainly should be at stake if Indian cricket is to rise from the mediocrity displayed today. A target that was difficult yet certainly attainable against this English attack was not even considered because everyone in the team wanted to stay in the team and knowledge of their own vulnerability under pressure made them keep self over nation. Who gives a fig for national pride anyway - it never existed in this cricket team. Smartly, most of them made sure they didn't do anything to get the sack - forget the nation.

When we look at sides like Australia that play with so much of pride and passion, it becomes understandable why India doesn't even matter in cricket when you stop considering money aspects. We still boast about India beating Australia in India but forget how terribly close the entire thing was.

When we went to Australia there was never a doubt from day 1 to day last that India would be thrashed out of sight and that is what happened. Finally in the record books, India won in India and Australia won in Australia but what a difference in the two - something the record books will never be able to reflect. How I wish we had some of those passionate, dedicated men in our team (foul mouthed men, no doubt but their commitment and obvious pride in representing their country makes up for it) instead of this bunch of selfish wimps.

We remain someone who has to shout to get attention otherwise no one would notice us, barring a Tendulkar innings or a Laxman 281.

Ganguly recently said in South Africa after the second Test ended in a draw - "If there had been no rain you never know what might have happened." Truth is that everyone, including Ganguly knows what would have happened - absolutely nothing different from the Indian side who would all have batted with one purpose in mind - to save their spots in the team; possibly a South African win forced by their gritty bowlers.

We have been carrying a man in our team who in the last one year has absolutely zero to show as his contribution. Yes, Ganguly contributed during the Australian series - he gave moral support to the younger players, backed them and raised team morale by taking on Steve Waugh and making him eat humble pie for all his big mouthed comments. However, that finishes the list of Ganguly's accomplishments over the past one-year. He has done nothing else that could give him a right to remain in this team but he continues to remain in it and lead it.

We have people like Dravid, who after five years in international cricket still cannot get the ball off the square when he want to but still has an average of 50 plus by accumulating runs that don't matter in mostly losing causes or against weak teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. People like Laxman who are considered indispensable for the 281 they might produce every 50 innings or so.

Really, it is enough to make one hang the head and wish - If only we had one Steve Waugh in our team for the combined package of Dravid, Laxman and Ganguly. If only our players showed one tenth the guts and the pride the Aussies display in their play. If only our team had just given it a shot at going after the target in the second Test like the Aussies did recently against New Zealand under similar circumstances. At least we could have a sense of pride in watching this team.

In record books this match might be recorded as a draw and victory in the third Test might make the series an Indian win by 2-0 but for me, this match showed what people mean when they say the Indian team is shameless, only bothered about their next pay check.

It makes me sad.

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Mail Sriram Ranganathan