The Rahul Dravid of the year

December 31st is the Rahul Dravid of the year - everyone is waiting eagerly for the next guy to come in, about whom everyone is exceptionally hopeful about, irrespective of how great Dec 31st was. (Eventually they'll blame that guy for practically everything in their life that year, instead of realising that the days are different, but they remained the same).

December 31st is always overshadowed by the promise of the next wicket.

(Previous December 31st commiserations. Have a super 2012, but have an even better Dec 31, 2011!)

Thanks Sourav and Rahul - take a rest

Thanks Sourav and Rahul - take a rest

I agree with Harish: "even I" don't understand the brouhaha. This is one of those rare occasions when a decision seems to have been taken after some analysis and giving a captain the team he wants.

Idiots like Sidhu, who challenged Vengsarkar to an open debate and promised to get off NDTV if he (Sidhu) couldn't be convinced, have naturally been blowing hot air everywhere. I wish the Colonel would do so and help us get rid of the man with a mouth the size of Bournemouth - though convincing Sidhu of anything is as difficult as balancing a cycle stand on your bum (others can do "it" too, O' sherry-punjab). However, friends like Aniket have lamented the omission of Ganguly (who are these Dravid fans who went on a rampage - I'm impressed steady ol' Rahul evokes such emotions!), so would like to draw their attention to the following fact. In the recently concluded Test, Sourav Ganguly was clearly the weakest Indian fielder on the ground, and his spate of illnesses have not helped at all. The "fielding" issue is an extremely valid one on these large Australian grounds, and if the ODI captain does not feel he could use these two batsmen, then there is no point in including them.

In fact, the day Tendulkar's strong arm gives way, I'll call for his omission too. Right now, he still remains an order above the other veterans in terms of ability and intent when it comes to fielding in the deep and scampering between the wickets.

Meanwhile, the whole issue has spurred Harish to humour - this is the kind of effect this landmark tour is having on people!

Druid's out of potion

Ok, first of all, relax. Despite what the shrill news channels will have you believe, royalty has not decided to abdicate in favour of the sloth bears. So there's no need to "deconstruct the mind of Dravid", for the reasons are quite obvious.

As any clear-headed observer can tell, captaining India involves a lot more than playing cricket. Dravid is astute enough to see that two years in the saddle have been enough, and he seems of a nature sensitive enough to not have forgotten the inflammatory recriminations not-so long ago. As Siddhartha V. writes: "somewhere along the line, especially after Chappell's departure, Dravid probably realised he couldn't achieve what he set out to." Also, a diminishing output and a series where his captaincy was at times very lacklustre would have surely had him sealing the envelope on the resignation. It was best to relinquish and go back unfettered, to his primary skills as batsman and outstanding slip-catcher.

However, is this a "selfish decision", as some have called it? Not really - why have a captain who doesn't want to do it?

This brings the curtain down on a "cerebral" phase of Indian captaincy, which followed a much more extroverted "passion" phase. The spot, however, is likely to go to the third and (and despite being the youngest) oldest of the generation of 1974. I think he's going to take the job.

Since the next generation hasn't really thrown its hand up and claimed the moral right to lead, Sachin Tendulkar is necessarily going to be a stop-gap captain. No one can kid themselves that he will lead them into a new and glittering era. He can however help decide once and for all, the questions that have dogged the second half of his career. If the Class that was assembled in 1996 can safely and unitedly deliver Indian cricket to the future, they'd be remembered even more fondly.

As for Rahul Dravid, he's just a couple of years away from becoming India's best TV commentator. I have been awaiting this since the 1999 World Cup final.

Also read Rohit Brijnath's article on the topic.