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By Syed Ahsan Ali (Link to 3rd ODI Scorecard)


Most disappointments stem strongly from the roots of higher expectations. And same is the case with the Indian captain who is disappointed with the team’s fielding after such shocking exhibition in the last two ODIs against England. His words were just enlarging his feelings about fielding “England have been out-fielding us more than anything else at this stage", Dravid told reporters. "Your fielders can sometimes make your bowlers look better than they are and we are not doing that. We didn't field as well as we can, that was a disappointing part of our game, and they (England) fielded beautifully. It makes a big difference in a game where you lose by 40 or 50 runs, you give away 20 and they save 20, that's the game. It's an area we need to improve."

But the most baffling thing is the amount of hopes and dreams attached with the fielding of the Indian team. Do they worth that much frustration and exasperation? I think, they are taking it little over the top. Sometimes it makes me feel that they are talking about an Aussie or a Kiwi contingent. Before bombing Iraq, Americans checked it to the core that there were no existing flying resources in Iraqi army which could have challenged their heavy bombing through aerial ways. War experts all around the world did not expect too much from the air force of Iraq to give any kind of resistance to the American aviation power and results were quite according to the expectations. If Saddam Hussein had attached too many expectations with the air force of his, then his dreams could have crashed a lot harshly. It is the estimation of your ability that makes you disillusioned and despondent than anything else.

Indian fielding has never been of the highest standards except one or two acts of individual brilliance as of Yuvraj or Karthik otherwise they have to go a long way to create any kind of impression on the oppositions. Dravid has every right to sound dejected over his team’s performance but certainly with little bit more insightful knowledge of his team’s ability in particular departments than just endorsing what others think. Dravid needs to do what his boys can do than thinking about what they cannot do. His dejection is doing helluva of a difference to the mindset of the entire team. They are thinking very low of their ability after so much highlighting of the abilities which they have never possessed at all in the past. One simple instance which I noticed when Yuvraj was on the crease with Dhoni and Yuvi clearly refused a second run after gesturing with the shoulder that that particular fielder has a very good arm. It is good to see Yuvi’s quick analysis, but on the hindsight it also indicated the mind frame the Indian team is in at the moment. They are rating their opponents very highly which is against the rule of competition. You should esteem your opponent as much as you esteem yourself, otherwise you have every chance to provide an inch or two to your rival even before real contest begins.

The first thing which they should think about commissioning senior players on the boundary in the last few overs where young arms and athleticism can make a difference. It was shocking to see Ganguly patrolling the deep end right in the slog overs instead of having youngsters. The Skipper should know that these are not areas that can be protected by putting one of the slowest fielders in the unit. Instead of giving wrong signals to the opposition, Dravid should think about how to bat well and bowl well than thinking about transforming average fielders into Pontings or Collingwoods. If you want to do that, then you should consult Hrithik Roshan who did it in “Krrish” or else work on the basics which Team India is certainly not doing rightly.

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