A CHAPTER OF BETRAYAL

I have always been proud to acknowledge my love for Saurav Ganguly.Right from the West Indies tour of 1996, I started to follow his cricket keenly.I sat down after every match and wrote down the summary of his performance.(May be my father is right when he calls me selfish.Cricket is a team game and sometimes i wanted to see only saurav play!)Through these years I also watched how he was seen by the public.It is unquestioned that his record is one of he most respectable ones in world cricket; but for once , leave it all aside ,and let us get a bit emotional!

Saurav Ganguly is not your regular cup of tea.He 'deserves ' that special treatment- ask a Bengali.Those who were stranded in the buses during the strike in bengal when the team for the third test was announced ,was interviewed by the local media , and nobody was reported to be complaining.The Hindu quoted an elderly man "This is needed ".I have never seen an uproar anything like this-masses supporting an individual with such passion.And the issue is going to be addressed in the Parliament on coming monday! But as a fan,I know that it is not the time to play the grandson standing impressed by the number of mourners at the funeral of an illustrious ancestor.

I am put off every time a friend expresses his support to Saurav Ganguly quoting his past record.Is it the only way of assessing someone? Is this how you measure merit? Anyway ,if we go by that line also, we see that at the time of his career when he had played about 180 matches , he STATISTICALLY seemed the worlds best ever one day batsman.( You can refer statsguru.cricinfo.com for any statistical info.)He partnered with Sachin in the most feared of opening pair in the history of oneday cricket, surpassing the Haynes-Greenidge pair.He scored over thousand runs consecutively in the years 97,98,99-and those were not a workhorse's output too-there had been quite a few shows of the highest class-the ones which are reseved for the blue-blooded-few , by an anti-communist god almighty.

He was the Indian prince in the international sports arena. But at this point of time he projects the image of the prodigal son of the holy bible- the international crickets version of a spoilt child.His career graph starts to resemble a low pass filter profile (Oh,this engineering creeps into your mind!).

I have seen the extremes of emotion running for and against Saurav. In one of those early days of his international career young Saurav was captured generating mexican waves in the gallery by hand signalling after the fall of a wicket.(and this was used for a beautiful ad - I think it was kingfisher).People used to gather in front of his Behala mansion regularly. Accolades kept flowing thick for the new found Gem. But the same people made him make this statement out of pain -" I am the most hated captain"He was insecure like a child sometimes.(This caused the Press release which triggered the Chappel-Saurav spat) .But ,even with all his shortcomings, I have never found a more adorable star in my sky.

'Gaurav' was the hallmark of prince Saurav.(I am a bit confused why I should use the past tense in sentences like this!)-the same spirit upheld by the Nawab of Pataudi.Infact cricket is not quiet a professional game.In the English tradition,professionals were considered inferior to the gentlemen amateurs in their cricket teams.It is no more to be seen these days,but when someone like Saurav is around, the special feeling comes up.The sight of him leading the team back to the pavilion after a good show with their heads held high is a terrific one to behold.Cricket in India got a facelift under Ganguly's captaincy.

Before 1997-98 ,Indian cricket team was the biggest let down for the average Indian.The cricket fan was insulted promptly every other weekend , with shameful defeats.Cricketers made funny caricatures of the uncompetitive Indian middle class.It all changed after the entry of Dravid and Ganguly, and the trio of Sachin, Dravid and Saurav formed a strong basis for the team.The best thing that happened to Indian cricket after the 1983 world cup win was the resurgence engineered by the newly appointed captain Saurav and the coach John Wright.India became a force in world cricket and at the big stage of the world cup'03,India showed their strength to one and all.To have lost to Australia was not a sign to worry about at all .That team can well be called Saurav's -He created it from ruins.Those were the best days.TODAY THERE IS NO SAURAV.They no longer need Saurav.'He does'nt fit into the scheme of things!'.But one should clearly understand that there would not have been this great team , if it was not for Saurav Ganguly.The insults which filthy cricketers ,much inferior to him, who are given the honorary posts for selectors ,mete out to the man will haunt the soul of Indian cricket if it goes on like this.A few years back ,Kapil Dev wept because of the very sport in which he served the country so wonderfully -it was an unpardonable mistake , a shame for our generation to have insulted him. We should not let it happen in Saurav's case.

It is OK if the selectors are forced to drop a player,his past records notwithstanding. In November last the selectors seemed right and just.Ganguly had problems,he needed to be dropped.But now it is a painful picture.Let us spare Chappel from this until we are sure if he tried to sideline the captain maverick. Even the people who supported his dethroning last month is convinced that they are wrong this time.Just check the net and see whats the trend , even though it doesnt represent the majority who doesnt infact browse!(We are living in India).No.There is more to it than 'just a tough decision for his fans'.

Saurav Ganguly was recalled into the test team on the codition that if he performs,he can come back.He performed ,the coach reconciled with him,and the captain acknowledged his effort.AND THEN HE WAS SACKED .Is this how you show gratitude to such a wonderful servant Of Indian cricket that he has been?

The former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga , as usual,expressed his support this time also-"He gave his cent percent in both innings.He showed great hunger for a comeback.Such hunger is to be welcomed , not scorned at."

The picture before the test was in fact ,very heartening.Greg Chappel expressed his satisfaction about Saurav -" He has fit in well".If someone like Saurav Ganguly returns to the team shedding his ego and willing to make a start from humble zero , nothing would be more beneficial for the team.And at that time Greg Chappel- Saurav Ganguly spat seemed a blessing in disguise.It was certain that Saurav cannot go on like this. He had problems and it required someone like Chappel to make that seemingly impossible ouster.There was no one to discipline him.Ganguly a.k.a DADA a.k.a MAHARAJ was all powerful especially with Dalmiys's support. Now a tough coach has arrived .And it seemed we will get our old Saurav the batsman back.But all the high drama appeared a third rate deal now. Where are the hopes...?..Their promises were nothing but lies.

One thing is certain, they cannot sideline Mr. Saurav Ganguly even if they want to.Because , listen you selectors (and detractors!) because Ganguly fans are no ordinary fans...we go by heart more than our brains ..You may sweep one Vinod Kambli aside , you may force a retirement off Vijay Merchant, and you may go on insulting the Ananthapadmanabhans....but it wont be easy with Saurav Ganguly. In the worst case it might take a parochial turn as well.Then the issue will go out of control , and , I fear , someone shall be targetted.



(Look out for more extremist messages if the fooling around continues and justice is delayed.The third test team announcement inspired the dead as stone me into writing a long article as you read.It doesnt take a full sniper and a professional killer to wipe off an arrogant prick,whoever it is, If more acute fans are hurt)


Doni James

Now I Want to direct ...!

I am writing this just after seeing the movie "Kathavaseshan." I am a bit fired up, ok , ..and anyway i want something new in my (newly started) blog page!


........In my opinion (about this film kathaavaseshan) it was the most fantastic yards of film ever shooted in cinema ...The following part of the film seemed the most striking to me : Gopinathamenons friend losing his little daughter and the incidents which follow..,meanwhile, the film maintains a brisk pace too .... the director has achieved near pefection in the illustration of the triviality of life ..it influenced me so much,that my eyes were wet by the time they were carrying the coffin through the taxi driVers place.. The death was also pictured in unbelievable power .. just like sometimes we people have struggled through our school exams ,she wrote her last exam , with high fever...(just another exam...?)and in the evening , DIED...I couldnt stand the helpless expression of that unsung actor who played the girl's father.and the shots of the truck carrying the coffin, their journey by train with the coffin.. when an ambedkar statue stands expression less, when the father and his friend struggles to transport her body....a thousand meanings .. it is really deep ...REALLY DISTURBING.

i have seen the helpless faces of life before also , but the power with which the medium called cinema expresses those feelings , as i experienced today , was surprising. This is what cinema should strive for.

in general the remaining parts are also above average and when nitya das' character lies, i am struck with the shocking narrowmindedness of an average girl.


i think that cinema is the most powerful medium- means,i too have got some strange pictures burned into my grey cells, but in no way can express it.if i was a cinema director, i could have...! please give it a thought , wont you?

I am confused at the start, forgive me!

i said it in the title..whats my blog address , and name and wats the title , where does it come..this is a test blog , to study these.c u in better blogs.