700 and still counting

M Muralitharan has become second Cricketer to have claimed 700 scalps in Test Cricket. Now he is just 9 wicket short of breaking Shane Warne’s world record of maximum test wickets. Murali has claimed maximum “wickets/test-match” amongst the bowlers who have taken 400+ test wickets and his wicket average is best. His bowling statistics are strikingly better than any other bowler. Though murali is 35 years old, but he looks very agile on the field and he has a atleast a couple of years of cricket left in him. At the speed at which Murali is taking his victims, he might easily reach 800+ Mark in test cricket. Hats off to Murali.

Is it a Send Off Signal?

Do you remember how Ganguly lost his place in Indian Cricket team? He was first banned for 2 matches by ICC because of slow over rate (and Dravid was appointed the captain in Interim). Then he missed a few more matches because of fitness issues. And finally he realized that he has no place in the team now.

Dravid has decided to take rest during a practise match (or might have been suggested, or might have been asked, or might have been forced) on the ongoing England tour. I am just wondering if we can see a repeat of (Ganguly) story again.

We all are aware of the rifts which Tendulkar and Dravid have developed during Greg’s regime. Tendulkar was too unhappy with coach and captain. Tendulkar also had some friction with Ganguly during Ganguly’s captaincy (When Ganguly made some indirect statements asking players to focus on team’s interest rather than personal interests). But, I think that Sachin’s friction with Dravid is many time more than with Ganguly:
(1) The rift started when Dravid supported Greg’s decision not to allow Sachin as an opener. Tendulker repeatedly informed the two about his desire to open but he was asked to bat lower down the order. If you remember, Sachin had expressed similar interest under Ganguly’s captaincy (when Sehwag and Ganguly had emerged as strong openers). Ganguly being a great leader (unlike Dravid) had decided to bat lower down the order and allow Sachin to contribute his best of the team.
(2) Sachin is supossed to a calm and composed person. He has never expressed his anguish to Media during Ganguly’s captaincy. The fact that Tendulkar expressed his unhappiness against Greg and Dravid (just after the world cup) shows how much hurt he is with Dravid.

Coming back to the probability of Dravid’s ouster from team, let us analyze a following facts:
(1) All of us are aware of the BCCI Support (thanks to Mr Pawar) which Sachin Tendulkar enjoys. This support, combined with his great past records, equally great current performances and a big fan club, makes him one of the most powerful players in Indian current Indian Cricket team.
(2) During his career (after he gave up the captaincy) Tendulkar has always repeated that he does not want to take up the pressure of captaincy and he wants to rather contribute as an ordinary member. But immediately after the world cup he expressed his desire to lead the team (may be he realized how difficult it is to play under a bad captain and how difficult it is for Ganguly to be the captain again). Yuvraj also made some statements to media metioning his (and other young player’s support) to Tendulkar as captain. All this definitely gives some indication that some thing is cooking with in the team against Dravid’ captaincy. It is also a big surity that Sachin will also enjoy support of Ganguly (after all Sachin was the only player to talk to him after Ganguly was thrown again out of test team despite his good performance). Though BCCI has decided to handover the capataincy to Dravid, but it is quite probably that soon Sachin will take over the responsibility. May be BCCI wanted to kill one bird at a time (and decide to kill Greg first).
(3) In the last practise match, both Ganguly and Sachin were rested. Now Ganguly and Sachin are back and Dravid has been rested. Is it another indication?

Time only will decide what happens next to the India Cricket team. But Dravid’s days seem to be numbered to me.