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News & Views
A Cricketer retires
In reality it rarely happens that a cricketer in India retires. Most probably
the selectors merely ignore a player at the time of team selection. Several such
instances later, the player realizes that he is not being dropped from the side
but is not being considered even as a probable.
Obviously it is difficult for a player to decide when to retire. In recent years
cricket is being played throughout the year. The publicity and the hype
surrounding the game, has increased the pressure on the players. This
psychological pressure is taking a great toll. A cricketer of earlier era had
the luxury of an off-season. He could try and regain his form, possibly have a
re-look at his technique. The present-day player is denied this chance. Hence,
the retirement dilemma.
The sorry state of affairs regarding Sourav Ganguly is an example. Questions
have been raised in some quarters regarding Sachin Tendulkar in this regard. The
two test series’ against Sri Lanka and Pakistan have yielded only one century
from his bat. There were hardly any other innings of substance. In contrast
several other Indian batsmen plundered runs and notched up high scores.
Tendulkar did well in the one-day series. Does it mean that the fielding
restrictions of one-day matches, enables him to get away with some weaknesses,
which are exposed in the five-day Test matches? Only, Tendulkar can answer that
question. Considering the number of Tests that he has played, it seems that time
has come for him to think of his retirement. The right time for retirement is
very elusive, but he could take his cue from Sunil Gavaskar, who apparently
timed his retirement to perfection.
Imperial visit?
India has been visited by foreign Heads of States quite often. In fact every
Republic Day some or the other Head of a Foreign State has witnessed the parade
of the Armed Forces and the following cultural events.
The recent spate of such visits is unique because the French President Jacques
Chirac has been followed by the US President George Bush’s visit. Later the
Australian Premier is to visit India. The security and hype surrounding Mr.
Bush’s visit is unprecedented. The terror threat is obviously weighing very
heavily on the minds of the administrations of both the countries.
The pomp and pageantry linked to such visits has always attracted the media’s
attention. Clearly the US President was impressed by the grandeur of the
ceremonies. It prompted him to remark that though he had been received by
various foreign countries, he had not been received with such grace and
grandeur, as in India.
Much has been made of the fact that the Indian Prime Minister, throwing protocol
aside, received the US President at Delhi Airport. Some newspaper editorials
have gone to the extent of calling it as the behaviour of a vassal state.
Perhaps a more broad-minded view needs to be taken. The Indian Prime Minister
could be given the credit of having taken an extra step forward for the benefit
of the country at large.
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