Taking off from where the discussion was left in Pampered and Spoilt: When Cricketers Start Acting like Politicians and Celebrities Part One
Pakistan
Another man who is finding his time running out is Mohammad Asif. Keeping aside, the inconsistencies he claims with his urine samples and the quantity of nandrolone in them being questionable, there are far too many discrepancies in his own career that make him another player whose star status has come at a price. No need to say this and yet it will be said, Pakistan failed to reign in the bigger stars in the team and not many are sorry for the state of affairs it finds itself in on the field. Asif, like Shoaib, now claims his image is being deliberately sullied. Pray, whose hands are clean enough to dig the truth out of this muck?
IPL
Perhaps the frustration is getting to Shahid Afridi as well. His outbursts against Laxman may be in part valid. But people in glass houses should not throw stones at others, could not have been more apt than in his case. After all, Afridi has been one amongst the senior members of the Pakistan squad who have been playing their high and mighty status at the cost of creating discord within their own team. A man who cannot put country before self, will he be judged fairly on his comments on a club performance where he himself has been in many ways, money blown away, without a single outstanding performance in all the matches he played in the IPL. That Adam Gilchrist would be a better captain would perhaps have been true though the results of the Hyderabad Deccan Chargers suggest otherwise. Afridi had better watch his step. Gilchrist being a swashbuckling batsman himself, may as skipper, decide one is enough especially when the other is more of an unpredictable streak of fortune!
England
For once, Indians can officially say “shut up” the next time another Englishman claims that England lost a series in India to an upset stomach. Marcus Trescothick unfortunately became a liability in his own team with his bouts with depression and for too long, towed the line that Indian conditions gave him a virus. Apparently it went straight to his head to the neurons that were transmitting information that it was the Indian food. This legendary excuse is getting too weary and rather ironical as Her Majesty the Queen (no offence intended) is licking her fingers after a sumptuous meal of chicken tikka masala.
With money flowing through endorsements, clubs, Twenty20 games giving bar dancers feeling hard done by, it is no wonder that players are now coached in the art of diplomacy though their political careers will have to wait a while. So, treacherous statements like Murray mints making Australians go weak are allowed to clear Trescothick’s conscious while it does not bother him on how his revelation will affect the victory that his team worked for or of how stupid England look when they play spoilsport and brand Asian teams cheats over ball tampering allegations. Politics makes strange bed fellows and stranger team mates on the field, it would appear.
South Africa
Ironically it took a former South Africa to break open the chinks in the South African armoury. South Africa are dealing not with depression but depletion. While all hail King Pietersen, few have forgotten how quickly he changed alliances, lip smacking the badge and England crest as if to show South Africa where it is they belong. The anger with Pietersen has now changed to submission, even desperation. The migration of players under the Kolpak agreement meant one too many South African players wore the green cap for one game and suddenly found themselves rollicking in the grass in England. South Africa wants to pull them back. But like movie stars and celebrities who demand a hefty fee for appearances, it is any wonder that South Africa must now do more than fill coffers; they need to provide lead roles.
Maybe these players will perhaps form members of the next edition of the Bigg Boss (or Big Brother). It would certainly be an improvement over the current season in India and perhaps provide the much needed drama leaking through the dressing room a stage to show its true garb under the arc lights. Somebody, please put out the floodlights!
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