Exhausted
..is how I feel at the end of the second test. And I wasn’t even on the field for the day and a half Clarke batted.
Cheated could be another way I could describe how I feel. After a few years of watching my team not giving up without a fight even under the most dire situations, these sort of meek surrenders are hard to believe.
More than not losing the next 2 matches, what I seek is some sort of explanation of what’s going on here. Nothing airy-fairy like “Oh, the batting did not click”. Something more concrete
What is it? Is the captain stubborn, set in his ways, and not willing to think outside the box? Are the bowlers not motivated? Are the batsmen on vacation? Is the coach not getting through to the players or not attempting to? Are we not planning well? Is the composition of the team not correct? Is it the IPL? The BCCI? The Indian Government, or the ISI? Or have we been invaded by extraterrestrials?
Actually, forget it. I’m not even sure if I care that much right now.
IMHO, the main issue is the lack of killer instinct and drive to give 110%. You could see it in bowling, fielding, and batting. Most of the players are up their own arses and probably already thinking about the IPL.
You could see Pattinson, Siddle, and Hilfenhaus hunting in a pack. NO LOOSE DELIVERIES. Umesh Yadav bowled 2 half vollies in a row that were dispatched to the ropes and he just … smiled as if “oh well” !! McGrath would have been *furious* with himself had he done that, and that’s the main difference. The current players are just not hard enough on themselves.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 19:07
The question then is – why the lack of drive now? This wasn’t the case not too long ago. IPL existed even then. Is it bcoz we’ve won the WC? Nothing more left to achieve/prove?
[Reply]
Gaurav
8 Jan 12 at 21:25