Perform or perish

I have been getting a few calls from my friends as to why I have all of a sudden stopped blogging. Well, I was in the process of changing jobs and just wanted to take my mind off computers and sport for some time. Now that I have had a decent break, I have joined a new work place where the challenges will be bigger.

Talk of challenges, I guess I cannot really say whether my challenge will be bigger or the challenge for Rahul Dravid and his men in England. I had thought before the first Test began at Lord’s, India would go in as overwhelming favourites against an almost toothless English attack. But the way the famed India batting line-up flopped against lesser-known left-arm seamers like Sidebottom (amusing name isn’t it), I think we were very lucky. Rain did prevent an Indian defeat and the Indians escaped without their pants being taken off!

Having said that, I really wonder what this hype is over the famed stars like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman coming a cropper against the Englishmen. My point is, if wicketkeepers – Dinesh Karthik and MSD – can bat and save us the embarrassment, what are we going to do with the stars who don’t perform. Are they going to perish for the second Test? I don’t see that happening, and if anyone is going to be made the sacrificial lamb again, I am sure VVS knows it by now!

There was a time in Indian cricket when even if the top order flopped, we had genuine all-rounders chipping in. But I guess after Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabahakar, we really do not have anyone to fill in. Guru Greg tried making Irfan Pathan more than an all-rounder and even pushed him to the opener’s slot. He scored there as well but lost his way with his bowling rhythm.

Right now, it seems like the famed Indian batting line-up needs to be woken up from slumber. Perform or perish should be the mantra for all..

And I believe in it strongly.