Well as I write this review, the One Day series between India and Pakistan is more or less finished. With the final match between these two asian power houses just a formality, India has proven all critics wrong by alrady taking the series 3-1. And going by the way Pakis are playing the series will most probably end with a 4 - 1 score line.
All the matches played baring the fourth were of high standards where both the teams fought out till the end. But this series will be remembered more for the controversy surrounding the dismissal of Inzamam Ul Haq in the first match than the standard of cricket that was exhibited in this series.
Now why I chose to write on an incident which the media has already scooped on so much??
Well just because I m amazed about the ability of the media personel to create a controversy out of nowhere. Many former cricketers too are to be blamed for giving this controversy (in which even the President of Pakistan had expressed his view) such a hype.
Everywhere u look u find people screaming at the top of their voices on sportsman spirit. Now where does sportsman spirit fit into all this. Many have even gone to the extent of giving examples of ex-cricketers like Gundappa Vishwanath calling back the batsman of the opposite team given out wrongly. Some even pointed out that had Dravid done the same thing he would have become a hero in people’s eyes.
Now this is just ridiculous. These people I guess are failing to understand one basic fact. Cricket has changed a lot and along with it has changed the definitions of sportsman spirit. In todays competetive world all that matters is winning. Thats why u see batsman holding their ground till the umpire’s verdict even if they know they are out.
Now is nt this against sportsman spirit???
Wat about Sledging??
Cricket is no longer the gentleman’s game it used to be. Gentlemen dont call people names if things r not going their way. This is a basic change that I guess our cricket veterans have nt been able to digest.
Now in this particular case, the rule book clearly states that a batsman will be declared out ’ obstructing the field ’ if he deliberately comes in the way of a fielder or tries to alter the path of the ball thrown to the stumps when he is short of his crease. Now that is exactly what Inzamam did and Indians do have every right to appeal for his dismissal as the rule goes. If their apealing is against the spirit of the game then how is the very rule that justifies their appealing still there. It is just one more mode of dismissal that unfortunately Inzamam had no idea about. And in todays competetive world of cricket that is criminal.
What more, he goes on to say that if he had nt hit the ball with his bat he would have been injured.
Now lets see this scenario..
Suppose a batsman is batting and a really fast bowler for example Shoaib is bowling. He bowls a toe crushing yorker and while trying to get his foot out of the way, he falls over and knocks down the stumps. Is he out hit wicket or not?? He is out because he is not supposed to fall on to the stumps while playing a ball even if he was just trying to avoid injury. At that stage will the captain considering sprotsman spirit call him back??? NO
So why this fuss about Inzamam being out?? Why should Dravid have called him back?? That too after the umpire had given him out. And when according to the rules of cricket Inzamam did something which he clearly should nt have in the first place.
And unfortunately there are 2 ways u get out my dear Inzi,
1) Not doing something u are supposed to do
or
2) Doing something u r not supposed to do.
In this case u were cought doing something u were not supposed to do and u were rightly given out.
So instead of fusing over the topic of sportsman spirit, we should just enjoy the cricket being played out there. And sports u should try to win at all costs of course within the rules of the game.
PS: In tennis when a player gets injured or aggravates any previous injury and cant continue, is nt the match given to the opponent?? Or do they hold a re match citing sportsman spirit??
Mordern day sport is played only in one spirit and that is competetive spirit.