“Rahul & Sachin were not match winners.”
“All great Pakistani bowlers used to tamper the bowl. I also did it.”
These three statements were given by the speed-star Shoaib Akhtar during the launch of his book. These are also part of his ‘controversial’ book. We only took two statements for the controversy and poor Rajeev Shukla asked Shoaib to say sorry to Sachin. Rajeev Shukla should better focus on his own job.
Every fast bowler takes pride of his bowling, especially when he bowls at 150km/hr. When you bowl at that speed, your body, heart beats, body language, all get used to it. It’s always pumping! And that attitude gets developed as time gets ahead. Ask it to Dennis Lilly, Ambrose, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, the great Micheal Holding, Imran Khan, or the bodyline bowler Larwood. Aggression is every fast bowler’s inherent asset. That’s what makes him faster and deadlier.
Cricket has always been a batsmen’s game and it will remain so. Bowlers get very few chances to cherish or celebrate. Even during the close calls, batsmen get the favour. When Shoaib was in full flow during the years 1999 to 2003, his spells were really deadlier. It was that era when Shoaib troubled Sachin with his bowling. Remember the fast reverse swing with which he bowled Sachin through his defence in 1999 Kolkata Test. He also took Sachin’s wicket in 2003 World Cup with a quick delivery which bounced from short of a good length though he got the hammering before it. Now if he thinks and writes in his autobiography that he troubled Sachin with his bowling, then why are we erupting so much, keep aside the commercial intention behind. Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar & Abdul Razaq - these fast bowlers had upper hand on Sachin Tendulkar, as compared to other bowlers. Not saying that Sachin was ‘afraid’ to face these bowlers; but definitely these bowlers bowled well to him.
Secondly, Rahul & Sachin were not match winners or finishers in that very sense. Every player’s ability in Test cricket is tested in the fourth innings - be it winning the match or salvaging a draw. In the initial phase of his career, Sachin was really lacking the finishing touch. It is the last three years that he has honed the skill of finishing act. If we consider all the cricketers from the world, then this fact would get clear. In this category, Brian Lara, Steve Waugh, Javed Miadad, Micheal Hussy, Atherton, Ricky Ponting, VVS Laxman, Sunil Gavaskar, Hansie Cronje, Jack Kuallis were (are) the better. No one will deny the greatness of players like Sachin and Rahul. Sachin is a great player all round. With his shots, technique, timing, power, dedication - one of the all time best. I love Sachin’s batting like all other people do. But we get so carried away and used with the praise & the greatness of the individual, by the media & the surroundings, that we forget about the other factors & fair judgment. (Remember the match against South Africa last year, when Sachin, after getting his fiftieth century, didn’t try to manoeuvre the things which he could have done? We didn’t notice it because of his personal milestone!)
Everybody comes in India, showers relentless praise on our players, and achieves the commercial campaign for what they get paid. One thing we need to remember that Shoaib could have easily done the same in India, and would have given the remarks on Sachin & Dravid in other countries, to achieve the necessary target readership. We didn’t notice his other remarks like Ganguly’s aggressive captainship and praise for his efforts to give team India a new look.
“All Pakistani bowlers tamper the ball I also did it.”
Mates, no one is perfect here. There is a flaw in every player and if someone has surfaced it out, accept it. That’s why Shoaib has named his book - “Controversially Yours…!”
Ritesh R Kadam
ritesh05kadam@gmail.com
rityakadam@rediffmail.com
09011020015
As Kapil Dev says, "Fast bowlers are workers of the team. Batsmen are officers."
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