Nov 6, 2007

I'm planning to retire too

I'm planning to retire too

8 comments:

Abhishek said...

IIRC, it's FORD RANGER Cup now. Sad. ;(

Anonymous said...

My sentiments exactly.

However, there is a slight difference. I think the great man is overstaying his welcome.

Sandeep Limaye said...

Well said, Ramamand, echoes my feelings too.

I just don't seem to attach emotions and involvement to every single match that India plays any more - I used to do that when I was little - esp. in the nineties (even though we used to fare really poorly abroad in those times).

One more thought that keeps crossing my mind - are we steadily losing the flair, charm and grace that the earlier generation of cricketers had? Is cricket heading the tennis way (barring the greatest exception of course - King Federer) - force and power taking over from elegance and sheer talent?

J Ramanand said...

Sandeep: I really do not know, but empirically, it seems that hardly anyone can inspire any kind of excitement w.r.t their skills. I don't find the skills of Yuvraj or Dhoni to be anywhere in the league of the generation of cricketers before them.

Your point about tennis is very resonant. I was going to write in this in my post: "This echoes my fall from tennis as well, when Becker and Goran and Rafter went. But then, Federer has rescued me. Perhaps cricket's saviour is in a Swiss village somewhere, playing with cowbells and snowmen."

I hope this helps in regaining some optimism :-)

Harish Kumar said...

Sachin era from start to finish - On the evidence of the two 90's, the word finish seems like a typo!!!

Harish Kumar said...

Dhoni's batting might be agricultural but one cannot say that about Yuvraj Singh's batting. The 'class' batsmen left in the game include - SRT, KP, Yuvraj, Kallis (class, but I hate his dull dour game),Mahela Jayawardane, Michael Clarke, Gilchist,Ponting, Jayasurya. By class I mean these are the ones who would make me watch cricket instead of a re-run of a United-Arsenal game. If you look at the 'new/next' gen - then it is just KP, Yuvraj and Clarke.

J Ramanand said...

Fair enough. Have always been a little critical of Yuvraj, I think. Anyway, now he's also playing back of off these days, so things have changed a little. Clarke is the only main hope left - good to see his Twinkle Toes to the spinners.

Unknown said...

Well you were almost as nutty about as I was. Yes - 'was', but I have seen more crazier.

Talking about flair - as you have said hardly any.

May be Yuvraj in India, Clarke in Australia, Marlon Samuels in WI, AB DeVilliers and Gibbs in SA, sadly they have kicked Razzak out from Pakistan, NIL from Srilanka and England.