From: 9063iyerm@vms.csd.mu.edu (Murali Iyer)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket
Subject: Re: Prabhakar's behavior and his comments (Re: Reflections on the ...)
Date: 7 Apr 92 05:25:46 GMT
Article-I.D.: vms.00958B81.693041A0
Reply-To: 9063iyerm@vms.csd.mu.edu
Organization: Marquette University - Computer Services

In article <9204070247.AA21101@sawwhet.owlnet.rice.edu>, pvr@rice.edu (Narasimha Pvr) writes:

>I often see people making that claim. Can you give me a few instances of
>Prabhakar "getting carried away and making statements" (apart from this one)?
>
>I agree that he is, as you say, a hot-head and a street-fighter. I don't
>defend him on that. But there is a difference between bad behavior on the spot
>(which is very often spontaneous) and making a comment to press.

I remember Gavaskar saying a few years ago that Prabhakar had the potential of
being a permanent member of the Indian team and the heart-throb of many young
female fans, thnks to his handsome looks. Ofcourse, even after that positive
comment from Gavaskar, Prabhakar was in and out of the Indian team. :--)
Anyway, that comment by Gavaskar has stuck in my mind, I don't know why.
Perhaps because I did not agree with him --on both counts-- at that time. :--)

Jesting apart, Prabhakar is an asset to the Indian team not _despite_ his
"hot-headed" approach to the game, but more _because_ of it. The team needs
fighters like that, but the captain must be strong enough to channelise these
emotions in the right direction. Much like Javed was used by Imran on many
occasions, especially on overseas tours. Sadanand Viswanath was another example
and Gavaskar handled him just the way he should have been, considering the way
most teams rely on gamesmanship these days. I am not condoning gamesmanship,
but it is a fact of life. In fact, Sadanand Viswanath made such a difference to
the Indian team in the B&H Cup that Kapil was not averse to asking the board to
sedn him in midway thru the tour down under. This created some bad blood
between Kapil and Kirmani, and also hastened Kirmani's departuere from the
scene. Anyway, I am digressing.


>Also, note that Prabhakar wasn't the only one to criticize Azhar. Bedi,
>Pataudi and Vengsarkar also did it after the tour (the last two in the same
>magazine). So, I don't see why everyone singles out Prabhakar atacking his
>behavior and thus dismissing his criticism.

The only surprise --and possibly impartial-- statement which merits maximum
attention is from Pataudi. But who knows how the wheels within wheels move?
There may be some motivation for Pataudi to make a statement which may break a
cricketer's --ex or current-- career as Captain or Manager. :--) Vengsarkar is
obviously embittered by the way he was treated by the board. There was no
reason to drop him for the Sharjah cup. If he was not good enough for Sharjah,
the selectors' decision did not do his confidence any good when he was called
up for the tour down under after being droped for the short tour to the desert. 
He could as well have been dropped once for all, for all the good it did to
him. Believe me, your captain's confidence in you can work wonders on a cricket
field. And that was what was lacking for Vengsarkar. Netters with memories of a
more recent Vengsarkar may find my support for him strange, but I remember the
wonderful contributions he has made to the Indian cause as a brilliant bat. 
>
>Don't sob :-). Be proud that your team gave the cricket fans in India some
>nice cricket in that match. It was a good match and I'll remember the match
>for a long time. It was too good for a Ranji match. Who won or who lost is not
>that important in such a match.
>

I know I am making one of the msot controversial statements by saying this, but
to me Manjrekar comes across as a whiner and a selfish cricketer. He definitely
does not seem to be a team man. Take for instance his comments refuting the
claims of his team-mates after Sharjah. He goes out and says all the LBW
decisions seemed straightforward to him. Who the hell cares what he thought? If
the captain has said something, it is not anybody's business to contradict him
in public. That too when another tour is just round the corner under the same
captain. The captain may be wrong, but that is not the way to make one's
sentiments known. If that were the case, then every player from every team in
the world has something to say against his captain.

And the next comment he makes is that he should have trusted "his own
judgement rather than his teammates'" when he was asked to comment about his
run of run-outs. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has written about the silly way he
has gone and got himself runout at crucial junctures. And he has the nerve to
claim that he was right and all others were wrong. What utter crap. No doubt
the guy is talented but what is it worth if he cannot give his all when the
team needs it most? I am almost sure that Azhar was referring to Manjrekar
among others when he said that younger players were playing more for themselves
than for the team. 

Anyway, now I shall wait for the bees from the Pandora's box I have opened to
sting me. :--) But before you guys say anything about me being a bombay-basher,
please read what I have said about Vengsarkar. :--) And my vote for the three
best batsmen in the Indian team are still for Azhar, Sachin and Manjrekar. :--)

-Murali.

                               Murali Iyer 
Office: (414) 288 6890                             Home  : (414) 288 8576
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