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March 8, 1999
ELECTIONS '98
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'Ever heard about two frogs who spent their lifetime in a bowl because they kept pulling each other down? Think of yourself as one of them!'
How readers reacted to Rajeev Srinivasan's earlier columns
Date Sent: Tue, 04 Jan 2000 09:24:27 -0700
Ever heard about two frogs who spent their lifetime in a bowl because they kept pulling each other down? Think of yourself as one of them! Do you really want people to believe that pulling cricket down will help other sports? Why not start pulling down the software industry in India so that the others industries do well? Or why not remove people like you from Rediff so that the others can write? Do you think this will work? Why don't you write about tennis where Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati have done our country proud and how the sport is catching on with the young generation? I do not understand why we Indians always end up getting jealous of others and don't get inspired instead! Mohit Bhargava
Date Sent: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 14:10:13 -0700 (MST)
This column is interesting to read and the theme is real good. But I don't agree with the way your argument goes: You say that we Indians are not good for team-work. I agree with you to some extent. But can't cricket be considered a way to ensure team spirit? You said India can beat any other country only in India and that we win at home because we manipulate the pitches at home. Don't you think the same is true with everyone? Did you read about the way Australian fans reacted during a one-day match recently? This kind of barbarian behaviour happens most often in countries that most Indian columnists deem decent. I don't understand why Indian journalists always write negatively about India and praise others. A white man is treated well in India when we Indians are neglected in our homeland. I feel terrible. This attitude needs to change and journalists must play a major role in this regard. Selvaa
Date Sent: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 16:49:17 -0500
I beg to differ with Rajeev Srinivasan's assessment of Indian cricket. He has contradicted himself on more than one occasion. He talks about a 'hot summer' in India coming to our rescue, but conveniently forgets to mention the biting cold that teams from the Indian sub-continent have to endure when they tour England and Australia. He says the Russians cannot be defeated on their soil because of General Winter, I wonder whether that does not hold good for cricket-playing countries that have predominantly cold weather throughout the year. What's good for the goose is good for the gander! What is all this about a moral victory and otherwise? In his own words, who cares when you come second. The results of the recent series between SA and West Indies, whether you like it or not is 5-0. I don't think anybody in the right frame of mind is going to claim it is 3-2. He also needs to do his homework before he ventures out on something like this. Thank god for small mercies, he admits he is not a connoisseur of cricket. That's tantamount to admitting he's a novice. One should remind Mr Srinivasan that the World Cup '83, Benson & Hedges in Australia, the Sahara Cup in Canada and the numerous championships in Sharjah were not won on locally doctored surfaces. And in the midst of cricket-bashing, he wants cricket to fund other games. That is stretching contradiction to its limit. Talking of individual performances, Prakash Padukone and Michael Ferreira had no corporate backers. And, anyway, who says cricket is always a team effort? A game of cricket is yet to be played where all 11 players have performed. Almost every game till date has been won or lost due to the performance or lack thereof, of three or four players at the most. By the way, forgive my ignorance, who is Noel Coward? Venkat Gopal
Date Sent: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 13:50:01 -0800
You said, "Given all this, I think India should stop obsessing with cricket and let a thousand other flowers bloom -- why not gymnastics, rowing, soccer or track and field? Why not encourage youngsters in these areas? Why not set up sports camps to identify children with potential, and then train them intensively, as all the Communist countries have done, like the E Germans, the Chinese, and the Soviets?" Are you serious? I cannot believe how naive one can get. If your suggestions, or those of the average thinking person, are followed, do tell me how the criminals will prosper? How will the thieves who rule us make their money if common sense was to win over the criminal? If you are under the assumption that the likes of Laloo Prasad Yadav will yield the headlines to progress and common sense, I'd think you're being childish. So the Indians are left with just one option -- to allow criminals to run the show, to build their financial empires and suck their people dry. Even a thought about outdoing the Russians, the Chinese and the Europeans is a thought wasted.
Date Sent: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 09:33:09 -0500
You are nothing but a loser.
Date Sent: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 09:33:00 -0500
I almost read all the match reports, and the national and international columns that come in Rediff. But I was deeply hurt after reading "Cricket considered harmful" by Rajeev Srinivasan. I would like to ask some questions: I understand that he has all the right to say that Indian cricket team is lousy since he is an Indian. This, despite the fact that he is hurts many feelings. But who is he to call the New Zealand team a joke? Does he know New Zealand lost no game in the last World Cup until the semi-finals? He claimed India wins at home because of the crowd, the heat wave and diarrhoea. Did he ever visit Pakistan or any cricket-playing country in Asia? Or in Australia? We Rediff readers will sponsor his Pakistan trip. Let him go over there and see what playing conditions they have there. Ask him not to comment about the conditions in India. All countries have their problems, As an Indian, ask him to work on the things to better conditions in India rather than cribbing about it. Being a Third World country, India is interested improving its economic position. Sports is not a priority. Yes, Mr Rajeev Srinivasan may claim that the US is good in all sports. But did he know all sportspeople who play for USA are either bought from other countries or trained in expensive settings? Even as children, they play basketball, football or baseball. From their first grade, the whole family goes to school to cheer him or her. I remember when I played cricket for my university my parents complained and told me if I didn't get a university rank, I'd be finished. I can understand their feelings since education is more important than sports. And that's why we don't succeed much in sports. If Mr Rajeev Srinivasan is interested in bringing up sports in India, let him start something to help other sportspeople. If he can't do that, ask him to shut his big mouth and not hurt people's feelings. I have been reading Rediff for a long time to learn about what's going on in India and India's view on international issues. But columns like this make me feel sick about Rediff. Please do not encourage people to write this kind of stuff.
Date Sent: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 03:31:40 -0500
This article, though written well, is full of blatant contradictions. I guess it is not worth the effort listing all of them, but here are a few of them: He says Indians lack teamsmanship. And then says that instead of pumping in money into cricket, there should be funding for hockey and soccer. To the best of my knowledge, 11 players are necessary for both hockey and football. And that makes them team games. Anyway, didn't those "well-oiled machines", South Africa and Australia, lose against India? He then says cricket should fund money into hockey and other sports. That's eating your cake and having it too. He claimed the Indian team is lousy and that people who come to India have to survive heat and diarrhoea. Didn't the Indians have to survive the "General Winter" he mentioned in NZ? Please don't tell me that it we can survive anywhere while others can't survive in India. Also, aren't the pitches in SA and Australia "locally doctored"? He spoke of Pakistan winning against India on a neutral ground. I may be mistaken, but I guess India won against Pakistan in Australia during the World Cup of 1992. If my memory cells are not dying away, then India drew a series in Pakistan in 1989. With no neutral umpires and a time that a spectator chased the Indian captain with a knife on a cricket ground. If the author is talking about Sharjah being a neutral ground, well, there's nothing to say to that. He says anything less than a thumping series victory for India in India is a moral victory for Pakistan. So, according to him, the small difference by which Pakistan won the first Test and huge one India won the second by makes no difference. The Indian climate is not suitable for cricket, he claims, quoting to affirm that only insane people would be out there in the sun. And then he says we should promote athletics. Will the athletes practise in the shade -- in the morning and evenings? I can't help wondering how much of cool summer shade (and the lassihe mentioned) is enjoyed by Kenyan and Ethiopian long-distance runners. I agree that it pains everyone -- cricket-lovers included -- that other sports-persons are not getting their due, especially stars like Rana and Devi. But let's not take away the glory that cricketers are getting. Remember, they take more criticism when they fail, more than Jaspal Rana did for not winning a gold.
Date Sent: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 02:37:02 -0500
First of all let me congratulate you for having the guts to write against cricket. Apart from that, I don't see any substance in your arguments. Correct me if I am wrong but we are not in a Communist state where we start controlling people's likes and dislikes. And do we stop playing cricket just because you are not good at it? By that same argument, should we be playing any other game? Talking of India losing abroad and winning at home, have you ever given it a thought that when India loses abroad then the host team is playing at home, that the pitch and weather suits them? NZ defeated South Africa in their first one-day encounter and no marks for guessing where the match was being played. I am a great fan of your articles and I think you should stick to topics you know about. I think people wielding a pen have this suicidal streak in them. They like to challenge the established and shake people out of their reverie. But it works only if you have some substance in what you write. Hope to read better and more persuasive articles in future. Munish
Date Sent: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 00:38:13 -0600
Everybody wants their two minutes of fame. What else can be the aim of this disgusting article about cricket, the favourite game of Indians? I just wanted to remind the journalist that for Indians, trashing something or the other is a great way to make a name. Debasis
Date Sent: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 23:38:49 -0600
Cricket has not prevented any sport from attaining popularity in India. It is just the one game that has captured the people's imagination. Before it came up, no sport enjoyed mass support in India. It should be considered a way to develop the people's interest in sports in general and not as a detriment to the growth of other games. If people in other sports paid more attention to their game and less to politics, there is no reason why they too should not gain in popularity. Encouragement for other sports need not come at the cost of cricket, which is what Mr Srinivasan appears to seek. Karthick
Date Sent: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 23:19:08 -0500
I read the interesting article Cricket considered harmful. I could not figure out whether the author's intention was to highlight that no other sport flourishes in the sub-continent or if he was just spewing hate. Cricket is the only sport, to my knowledge, that has got India some recognition. It is true that other sports are not given due recognition, but one cannot accuse cricket for it. It is the political and educational set-up in the country. Awareness and training about other sports should start right at the school level. I have no doubts that India will emerge a world champion if the Board and its governing rules are changed. Selection has to be performance-based and no influence should come into the picture. As a matter of fact, this approach should apply for all sports. If funding is reduced for cricket, there is no guarantee that other sports will automatically flourish. Sudhakar Sumaithangi
Date Sent: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 16:55:55 +1300
My head agrees with the author, but my heart disagrees with what he said about hope. I expect India will click as a team and still have great individual performances to rely on. I hope it shows the rest of the world that talent combined with discipline and fitness makes the best team. Vinayak Nadgir
Date Sent: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 19:11:08 -0600
Please tell Mr Rajeev that he must first learn what cricket means to the people in India. It unites them. It is the sport for the rich and poor alike. I think his article is of bad quality, absolutely wrong and that he ought to stop writing columns, or at least about cricket. Making cricket less popular is not going to raise the standards of other sports in India. It is the government that has to come up with means and ways to promote other sports. Although it appears that Indian cricket relies more on individual brilliance rather than on teamwork, I don't think it affects the team's performance. It can only get better and I bet its performance is better right now than any other team -- at home or abroad. I can argue each of your points but I think it's useless to explain all this to a novice like you. There's no point! Divyang
Date Sent: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 16:17:29 PST
I Fully agree with Mr Srinivasan's view on cricket. This is a "white man's" game not suited for the Indian climate. The sooner they cease it from being played in India the better. But is it possible to actually stop the cricket craze? Bandy
Date Sent: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 16:54:21 PST
First, I would like to say that each and every article by this author is so interesting that I can't stop myself reading them twice. But I hope the opinions expressed by author are honest and thoughtful because he criticises so many different things -- be they in politics, films, sports, pilgrimage, whatever. It is very difficult to believe that one person can have a complete knowledge of what goes on in all these areas. But again, Rajeev's columns are very intense and I love to read them because they make me think. Thanks, Rediff, for publishing such articles.
Date Sent: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 18:35:38 -0500
This is the best article I have read about Indian cricket though I am a great fan of the game. Congratulations! I totally agree with you when you say Indian team is lousy. They have demonstrated this time and again over the last 16 years, after winning the World Cup in 1983. Cricket made that win famous in India. I now believe winning the World Cup was a curse on our country. Our cricket team loses abroad but also needs to win the toss in India to hope to win the match. This, on pitches doctored for Indians. Cricket is a vice that has had a bad effect on our country's productivity since people seek news of the game on radio, television and the Internet almost 365 days a year. Things are so bad that we don't know how much revenue it costs our country. Our competitors are making it even worse by sponsoring the game. We should work for our own betterment if not that of the country. We should have pride in what we do by ourselves. And, come on, hasn't enough attention been given to this lousy team all these years? Let's learn from what the great Bernard Shaw said, "Cricket is a game played by 11 people and watched by 11,000 fools." I challenge you not to be fools. Sandeep
Date Sent: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 16:11:14 -0600
I have two objections to this piece by Rajeev: One needn't lose interest in something because one hasn't been successful. Yes, it should be a matter of pride or otherwise for people involved in the game -- administrators, managers or players -- have to quit if they cannot win games. Even in the example of classical music Rajeev cited, Indians have not really been very original. But that does not mean we get interested in some other art form just because Indians do well in them. It is another matter if one feels responsible and tries to promote other games. In fact, it would be a very interesting thing to see if a competent professional study is conducted to see to why cricket has such a huge following in the subcontinent. The second point Rajeev has was about India's performance against Pakistan. Rajeev states that India mostly loses to Pakistan on neutral venues. This is not true. Compared to what happens on the Indian sub-continent and Sharjah, Indians actually play better with Pakistan in countries like Australia and England. C S R Jawahar
Date Sent: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 16:57:22 -0500
Who is this joker? Every country has a popular sport. For India, it is cricket, whether it is imported or native. People in India love watching this game more than any other. People watch what they like, sponsors put their money where there are people, and that makes the sport popular. Sponsors are not saints; they don't give money for charity. It is a pity that other sports do not get enough recognition but that is reality. The entire world is full of inequalities. Cricket is a game. We cannot win all the time even though we wish we could. India has won enough tests and ODI's, including the World Cup in 1983 (note, not in India) and the Benson & Hedges cup in 1985 (also not in India). There are teams that have won no World Cup, including England. India has produced world-class players like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin, just to name a few. We have held and still hold some of the important records, both in Tests and ODIs. Why we can't we win outside India? It is very simple. We are not as comfortable against pace as we are against spin. We can't say that all our players cannot play pace, after having seen players like Sunil Gavaskar in action. Incidentally, Gavaskar scored the maximum runs against the West Indies. These days, teams tailor the pitch according to their strength and defeat the opponent. Teams like South Africa and Australia prepare fast pitches since they have good fast bowlers. Teams like India and Pakistan prepare spinning tracks since they have good spinners. I don't understand why we always think and believe that fast bowling is superior to spin bowling. They are just two types of bowling. His idea of using funds from cricket to help other sports is insane. People watch and support what they like and that is their right. It is their business. Vijay
Date Sent: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 13:03:21 PST
I agree with Rajeev Srinivasan that cricket is blown out of proportion. In India, cricketers and actors are treated as superhumans. I like cricket too. But that does not mean I don't like other sports. My heart beats for hockey and other sports too. I would suggest that we professionalise sports in India -- as the NBA, NFL, NHL etc had done in the US. Of course we lack money to do all this. But can't we set up an NRI fund for this? I like the way Sabeer Bhatia helped Indian hockey. I am willing to send money and collect money for this kind of endeavour and I'd like to contact Rajeev Srinivasan via e-mail. Satish Sandadi
Date Sent: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 15:31:42 -0500
I don't know why Rediff wasted space by publishing this rubbish. Rajeev Srinivasan contradicts himself when he says that we should sponsor other sports like soccer, rowing etc which are also team sports. That, after claiming Indians are bad at team games. And does he think that individual events don't involve team work -- there are coaches, trainers, nutritionists etc involved. Abolishing or taxing cricket is not going to solve anything. By the way, Mr Srinivasan, how come you are attacking cricket if you are a believer in the free market system? After all, it is the market that has made cricket popular. I did enjoy your article on Sabarimala. Why not stick to what you know best? Ven Hari |
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