ICC Champions Trophy: support Team India

With the last edition of the Champions Trophy about to begin, Team India must be in a relaxed state of mind and happy to be searching for warmth in colder conditions than feeling cold in the heat. The Dhoni we saw at the Mumbai airport and the Dhoni we saw at Birmingham tells a lot. Must be a much better feeling, far away from the unfortunate events.

The past few weeks/days had many events in store. Federer has been ousted from French open, Dhoni received the ODI shield, New Zealand amazed England, Jose Mourinho returns, Nico Rosberg wins a dramatic Monaco GP, David Beckham retired, Alex Ferguson retired and much more. But how many even know these happened except in countries where cricket is alien and except in England where IPL is an alien sport? What all knew was that there was yet another cricketing scandal that broke out and you-know-who’s of cricket bashing IPL along with a few ‘Didn’t I tell you already’ quotes. And what every cricketing fan did was to browse all TV channels and read all articles, forgetting the fact that it’s the same thing that’s getting rephrased and coming back.

Sometimes, one feels really harsh and sad when questioned about something just because he is related and never involved. There is no worse thing when it follows wherever you go. With the unwanted events happening in a domestic event with international flavor, it doesn’t mean it should be linked to major tournament to be conducted by ICC and keep questioning that person. The team has regrouped to represent the country. Let us limit ourselves to the context.

There were many memorable moments that happened during this IPL. How about Simon Taufel as commentator, that short chat between Harsha Bhogle and Sachin Tendulkar during the final, a crowning moment for Tendulkar as Mumbai Indians emerged champions, emergence of promising fast bowlers and a few more? But then, in between, we drift and think about why is that it should be a team captained by Rahul Dravid that has to face such an embarrassment. Why was Dravid’s team chosen by the bookies? Is it because none will doubt a team headed by such a gentleman?

Leaving behind all those off-field incidents, India are at the Champions Trophy accompanied by a media scrutinizer. But nothing should matter to Dhoni and his men on-field, except the fact that the team doesn’t have a proper opening combo, no immediate prospect in that area, an unreliable middle order who always have their captain as the back-up plan, lack of an all-rounder, lack of fast bowling options, unfavorable conditions. This list seems to be more exhaustive than the drama. Added to these are the new ODI rules which the team has not experimented yet. Dhoni has also tried batting first and bowling first in both the warm-up games and it has thrown new challenges in the younger crop’s capability to defend the team even though the team won.

This is the time when Team India needs our support and I hope Dhoni would love to answer his own silence, and silence the distraction with a victorious team effort. Let’s pray and hope for an Indian victory and let Dhoni add another missing feather to his crown, lift the trophy for the country and BCCI, and let the team get their share of joy. May the Champions Trophy, and along with it the darkness surrounding cricket, Rest In Peace… forever. Let the silence be answered.