World Cup 2007 - India Exit

Super 8 system was incidentally was brought into the World Cup because ICC wanted to give the Minnows a chance to play in the big tournament and also give the biggies a chance to have some warm-up practice during the tournament. Minnows were supposed to loose all their group matches and go home before the Biggies start playing in the Super8. But as it turns out, these Minnows are pain in... - you know where! In the last World Cup, Kenya went on to play in the Semifinals. This year too, Ireland and Bangala Desh will play nearly 6 more matches in the Super8 and give ample practice and help the biggies some chance to break all the previous records, that India made in their match against Bermuda, in an attempt to keep our chances alive.

Since we have done it (rather did nothing); i.e. get out of the World Cup competition even before it constructively started; some heads must roll and here is my list:

1. Get rid of Dravid as Captain, he is a good player but he is not a leader. Ganguly should be brought back into the team. Dravid simply does not have the aggression that Ganguly's got.
2. Get rid of the coach. Greg Chappel was hired to see us though the Word Cup. Well! he seemed to be in a hurry. He did all the experiments he wanted, like giving commando training from the Army. At that time I wondered why the commando training, but now I know. It was to help the players when they are back after disappointing the nation.
3. The Selection committee should be scrapped and a new one brought in. It was their duty to select the team that would bring the world cup home. Not to have a dramatic exit from it.

Let's accept it, we are not a sporting county anyway. The '83 cricket world cup was a fluke. It happened because the Indian team was a bunch of cricket crazy people who were passionate about the game and played for sake of the game. They had nothing to loose but they played to win. But unfortunately our current team do not play to win the games, they play so that others will loose. Our current team is buried under their great records, that they are scared to do anything wrong and take risks.

I am disappointed with the result, but having said that, I kind of anticipated India loosing with Sri Lanka anyway. Bygones are bygones lets hope for 2011.