Super Conspiracy II: Appeasement

The super test just finished. The result was inevitable owing to the defective and flashy team-selection. What's going on, Mr. Gavaskar? You are a respectable man in cricket. Be a man to reflect it in your work! Experts are criticizing World XI for lack of team spirit and intensity, but that's all nonsense. They always come up with theories and manipulate them as per "the wind's direction". It's a sacrilege to expect good results when some players get into the World XI by moaning and throwing tantrums.

The team selection in the Super Series is based more on popularity and less on logic. There are some in-form players who haven't performed well in the super series; hence, it's unfair to criticize the selectors for that. However, there are a few questionable selections in the World XI. They could have been a more potent team. They could have easily picked five regular bowlers in their team for they have a genuine all-rounder Flintoff: perhaps Pollock/Shoaib, Harmison, Flintoff, Murali, and Vettori. I am not a blind supporter of the five-bowler bandwagon, but it depends on team to team. Flintoff works best when he's not overloaded. England's key to the Ashes was their 'fatal five' bowling attack. World XI couldn't afford to play five bowlers because they had to accommodate a few star batsmen.

Pleasing individuals has become more important than the team. There's a madam curie in the World XI, named Inzamam ul-Haq, who sulked, moaned, cried like a sissy after not being initially selected in the team. Pakistan Cricket Board held an emergency meeting with the ICC, and later on they squeezed him in the place of injured Tendulkar. It's a simple case of appeasement where an individual is given prominence at the cost of the team. He virtually cried his way into the team like an obstinate kid crying for a candy or a ride in the Disneyland. I don't deny Inzamam's credibility, but this is World XI, and it's only possible to pick eleven players in a team. There are several world-class players who could have sulked at their exclusion form the World test XI. Some of them probably deserved to be there more than Inzamam or even Lara. Players like Sangakkara, Jayasuriya,Yusuf Youhanna, Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, Andrew Strauss, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Taibu, and above all, Laxman — who has a wonderful record against Australia and even Gilchrist expressed surprise over his absence — were all worthy of finding a place in the World XI, but none of them whined like sissies. What would have ICC done had all the above players grunted and whinged over their exclusion?

After the series, Inzamam whined that he couldn't motivate himself. His commitment wasn't the same. Hahaha. Look at his double standards. First he forced himself into the team to earn million dollars — only to score one run in two innings; and later he gave excuses and trashed the series. Loser!

Inzamam is a disruptive influence in his own national team. His own teammates aren't fond of him. When the World XI team was in the huddle, he just didn't look a part of the team. This guy has a history of brawls and verbal spats with his teammates.

Pakistani cricketers Younis Khan (L) and Inzamam-ul Haq (2nd R) are separated by Saeed Anwar (2ndL) and Shahid Afridi during a dispute while playing football during a practice session at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

The above picture is from the 2003 World Cup when he actually brawled with his teammate Younis Khan, who is now the vice-captain of the team. He has had tussles with Shoaib Akhtar, Yusuf, Aamir Sohail, Wasim Akram and many more players.

There's Brian Lara who hasn't played any international cricket for last 6-7 months and he finds himself a place in the World XI. They will continue to struggle until the team is more balanced and the selection is unbiased without any elements of appeasement.