Rash of Blood

Inertia can be a dangerous thing. Ever since India's ignominious early exit from a World Cup which itself was no less ignominious, the ink in my cricket-pen dried up never to show signs of life, until today, when in an unlikely venue, in distant Ireland, Sachin Tendulkar showed life, after a long, long time.

However, what has prompted me to be back from this self-imposed hiatus was not the beauty of Tendulkar's strokes, but the high stupidity quotient of his opening partner, Saurav Ganguly. Everything was hunky dory, till Saurav began to display his regular mid-inning impatience. It's been happening for quite some time now...Remember the Bangladesh match ? India may still go on to win today's match, but that's beyond the point. What should have been a cake-walk has been converted into yet another unnecessary struggle.

I can understand one getting out at any point of time to a good delivery. I can also accept the occasional rash of blood! But a regular bout of stupidity from an ex-captain is not acceptable. If you were watching the match today, you could have almost predicted that Ganguly's fall was round the corner.

It's too late in the day to explain to Ganguly the merits of patience. Sadly instead it's time to show India's finest ODI southpaw the exit door.