After playing
some of their worst cricket in recent times and trailing India 0-2 in the current Test Series hosted by India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2013 Australia seems
headed for more serious trouble. As the third cricket Test, a must win for
Australia, begins in Mohali from 14th of March four players of the
Australian team including two key playing ones Shane Watson and James Pattinson
were axed by Team Management. Earlier, dashing Indian opener Virender Sehwag
had been dropped from Team India
for the last two Tests and this piece of act had been generating a lot of
politicking over the past few days. However, in the Australian case it is not
politics, but protocol that means the four axed cricketers did not complete
their homework as desired under rules.
Why politics in
the Virender Sehwag case? He has been a non-performer for at least the last
five Tests and scored his last century two years ago. His steadier partner
Gautam Gambhir was dropped at the beginning of the India Vs Australia Test
Series. In the first two tests against Australia
that India
won convincingly Sehwag contributed just 27 runs in three innings. But…yes... there is
a ‘but’.
First, Sehwag
had been dropped for the ODI Series against England recently which in a way means he had been recalled for the first two Tests against Australia. If
you recall a former great you normally give him enough time for a glorious
comeback. Second, India
won the both the Tests so far and you normally do not disturb a winning combination.
Third, Harbhajan Singh had also been recalled and despite similar
non-performance he is still retained. This means Sehwag is the lone player to
be axed. Fourth, cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and skipper MS Dhoni himself
sailed through without being axed after consistent non-performance. And not the
least, Sehwag got dropped from the ODI team on earlier occasions too largely
due to his growing differences with Dhoni. When the whole team gets demoralized for all alleged reasons and fails totally you cannot pick and axe individual
players. Naturally then, politicking rages when you drop a veteran from a
winning team coming good at last.
For the
Australian players it is strictly ‘punishment’ and it is unprecedented in
Australian cricket. They did not comply with the team orders that asked all team members to make a
fact finding report on the team’s disastrous performance and suggestions for possible
improvement. There are more disturbing reports that Australian Vice-Captain
Shane Watson had already left for home after being axed which is of coursed
denied by Cricket Australia. With Kangaroo keeper Matthew Wade also injured the
Australian team practically gets reduced to 11 to choose 11 from. Brad Haddin is
reportedly being called in to replace Wade. The axed players will be allowed to
play in the last Test, but that could very well be after losing the Test
Series.
The contrasts of
politics and protocol make the Mohali prospect a markedly attractive one. As some
solace for the troubled Australians the ground staff of Mohali had reportedly
stated that the pitch there would retain its greenness promising a lot of pace
and bounce.
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