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Indian cricketers may be superstars, but how professional are they?

Never mind fatigue, Indian players should understand that a nation of fans earning a pittance are desperate to see them play well. Sachin Tendulkar has the right idea in asking to be rested and recharge the batteries instead of complaining about the schedule.

by rohit sakunia on 02 July 2008

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MS Dhoni: Needs a rest? (gettyimages.com)

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MS Dhoni has been making a lot of news of late for the "F" factor. Don’t get me wrong, I'm not talking about the "F" most people would have assumed, rather the "Fatigue" factor. The best part of all this is that it has given my friends in sports journalism something to talk about after the flurry of victories we have had in the recent couple of months on the cricket field. At the end of the day good news is no news after so many victories.

But getting back to Dhoni, I can’t understand how he can talk about fatigue. How can somebody have an ultra beautiful girlfriend and then dictate terms about when to date and when not to, at a time when there are loads of suitors around?

At the age of 25 how can somebody complain about 200 days' work in an international calendar? Most middle class Indians work for 250 days for a pittance compared to what these players earn. Ask any of these what they would do to earn a salary a close to what top-class cricketers get and they would be happy to work all 365 days of the year.

The BCCI needs to receive accolades for the way it dealt with issue in the first place. There are a lot of people waiting in the wings to play cricket for India. You can’t complain in the middle of the tournament that there is too much cricket. If you are feeling the pinch then take a rest but this won’t be done by these players because they are scared that their cash will be taken by somebody else. There is a lot of professionalism at stake here and that’s where I salute the master blaster Sachin Tendulkar for the way he asked to be rested.

There are a lot of players in the side who are faking injuries. Irfan Pathan says he is fit but has not played a single game which says a lot about his fitness and professionalism. These players need to take a leaf out of the master’s book but they are scared and insecure which says a lot about their self confidence. They need to learn from a Shane Watson and how he made a comeback.

Dhoni has led the team by example, when the Indian team was looking down a barrel he instigated the turnaround. But he can’t take things for granted. He needs to instill confidence in his side and players need to realise that taking a rest can prolong players' careers rather than risking injury.

I would sign off by saying that with the BCCI's support this team can do a lot better than complaining in the middle of the tour.

Comments (3)

by tony antony on July 02, 2008

trilling

by Jaideep Ghosh on July 02, 2008

For starters, if Dhoni, or anyone else, had a beautiful girlfriend, he won't be the one dictating the frequency of the dates, she would. Secondly, where did the comparison between the middle-class Indian and a cricketer come in? Our average Indian can take a week off from work, and no one could care less. A cricketer vanishes, and the media, and more of the same middle-class, would be screaming "Why!!!" Being 25-year-old is not reason enough to be tired?? AND, if I recall correctly, we are the same middle-class who holler about too much cricket all the time. Its OK if we say it, right?

by K on July 03, 2008

d "sports journalists." When he was asked, by those very same "journalists," about his team's less than stellar performance, he gave what he thought was the appropriate reason. I see no fault in that. And I also feel that if his coach is also agreeing to his sentiments (just as publicly), then there is something to it. As for the BCCI ... I think it's funny the BCCI are NOW right. These journalists crib and complain about how BCCI has become too strong, etc. yet, here they're being given support for a statement that can be interpreted as a veiled threat? Interesting. And yes, these men are earning great sums of money and of course people would die to have these opportunities, but just because they have these opportunities does not make them any less sensitive to common ailments such as fatigue and injuries. In fact, instead of the BCCI issuing silly, belittling statements in the press that don't support a team that has fought to bring pride to our nation after so long, they should have the selectors take the idea of a rotation policy into effect (which Sehwag had recommended during a press conference some time ago and was reprimanded by the very same fools who are now claiming to have other players on board). And further, seeing as how discussions of the future tour programmes are going to be brought up during the meetings with the ICC, maybe they could create a schedule that is more conducive to their players and their fitnesses instead of what brings in a greater revenue for them. I understand that changing the tours now is obviously not an option, but perhaps seeing as how their players are suffering now, they may do their players some justice four years from now. And just to conclude (finally!), I think it is completely ridiculous to have play 36 hours of a support in such stressful conditions (especially because India avoided engagements in the subcontinent during these hot, summer months). Pakistan's captain collapsed this morning during fitness tests and Dhoni looked near collapse himself. I don't think money is what should be the focus of whether these players have the right to complain, it should be whether they are playing the sport with their hearts (which they clearly are trying to do). And with statements such as the one released by the BCCI, a player may be left to feel that their position in the team is unstable and would rather risk injury than to lose their hard-earned spot.