From: karnik@cs.umn.edu (Neeran Mohan Karnik)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket
Subject: Re: Prabhakar's behavior and his comments (Re: Reflections on the ...)
Date: 7 Apr 92 19:12:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.1992Apr7.191201.4045
Organization: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, CSci dept.

In <00958B81.693041A0@vms.csd.mu.edu> 9063iyerm@vms.csd.mu.edu (Murali Iyer) writes:

>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

	Perfectly true, the team sure needs fighters like Prabhakar - that was 
not the point, however. The question was whether such a temperamental player
should be the boss. Isn't he the kind who would be likely to try and influence
the selection of the team for non-cricketing reasons ? (This is simply my
impression of him, of course!).

>The only surprise --and possibly impartial-- statement which merits maximum
>attention is from Pataudi. But who knows how the wheels within wheels move?

	Just a reminder - Pataudi is a politician, man :-)

>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. 

	Sure has! I think it is indeed tragic that he has opted to retire at 
this time, when the Indian batting needs a stabilizing influence. I'm pretty
sure that he would have been chosen for the Test team for the next series, given
his performance in the domestic tournaments.

>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. :--)

	Come to think of it, that certainly rings true. Somewhere deep within,
I've had my doubts about having SVM as a captain (despite being a Bombayite :-)
since he does give the impression of being a loner. No doubts about his batting
talents though! I was lucky enough to be among the few hundred watching that
terrific destruction of the Hyderabad bowling (377 in the Ranji semis last year)
at the Wankhede stadium.

>-Murali.

-- 
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Neeran  Karnik - Dept. of Computer Science, University of Minnesota
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