Team India's fall: Blame it on ads

Advertisement contracts distract players from practice, says Vijay Dutt.

Suggestions started pouring in just after Rahul Dravid ran himself out and Yuvraj Singh followed his Captain to the pavilion in such haste. One felt they had pre-arranged a meeting that could not be delayed even if it meant a debacle for India.

The fans here had to get up at 4.30 in the morning to watch the one-dayer. All of them hoped that the Indian team would equal the series with a win at Ferozeshah Kotla. But the 'ability' shown by our cricketing heroes for inept, shoddy and irresponsible, uncaring batting angered the fans. They have been hopping mad, especially because of their cutting short on their sleep.

An irate lady from Leicester suggested that Sachin Tendulkar should be dropped immediately. It would not only help him regain his touch, but it would also have a salutary effect on others, who have been batting in a cavalier style.

"Those were the days, when it was Sachin or nothing. Those days are gone, possibly forever, as a report suggested that his masterly days are over", said the lady.

Another college student mentioned the Wisden assessment about Sachin that he was now batting to stay longer at the crease rather than trying to score.

Possibly we are all being harsh on him. No one would like to go forever, especially some one described as one of the greatest batsmen ever, without some flicker of his old self. Or are we being too optimistic?