It is never late to learn something good. Life needs to get better. If you lie, then there is no harm in changing that habit. If you don’t tell the truth to yourself that is also a lie. Lie is always a lie whether it is big or small. One lie that is popular in Asian cricket usually comes from the big names. And it is something like that I think I still have a few years of cricket in me, or I am still hungry about making runs at this level, or I will not call it off till I think I can do it. Another lie which is very common in Asian cricket about captaincy is that if they ask me to lead the side I will take the job, or it will be an honour for me to take this leadership role. We hear these kind of statements from our prestigious stars after convincing all and sundry through their performances try to suggest through their words that they have that hunger that needs to keep them going. If you closely observe that statements that are released to persuade public about their will to keep going, then you find that it is usually filled with torrents of “I”. I can do that, I will do that, I still have the gas in tank, I do not need to prove my commitment, I think they find a scapegoat in me and several more like these are routine in our cricketing structures.
Aussies also make it controversial to an extent that people start asking questions about their abilities. Mark Waugh took handful of time when he was asked to call it a day, the other Waugh followed the suit and even McGrath had few critics in last few days but thankfully he managed to do it gracefully. Pakistan and India are world leaders in prolonging their careers till they lose all hopes of making any comebacks. Javed Miandad made it troublesome for all when he was selected on public insistence wherever he lost all bolstering from selection panel. The lethal duo of Wasim and Waqar also left it too late for some drastic muckraking. Sachin is also trying hard to clutch at any straw to stay in both forms of the game these days.
What is this trend and what makes them clasping so tightly their places and names in World cricket? Life has to move on. No matter how big, powerful or influential you were at your pomp. It is natural that what begins come to an end sooner or later.
English players are much better when it comes to disappearing from the scene with grace. Nasser Hussain understood it fairly well at his time that tide of things has turned against him in favour of Michael Vaughan. It was the time when labours of Nasser with that team were on the brink of bearing fruits. But when he thought it was over, it was really over. No second thoughts at all. Similarly, Vaughan did the same last week. His interview to the Guardian in which he allegedly mentioned that the Fredalo incident was responsible for bringing down the World Cup campaign also left him stranded. Then his shoddy batting displays in his stint as one day batsman also forced this decision. It was heartening to see that there are still players who value the public opinion, opinion of opinion makers about their exhibitions and their self esteem. It is not the stage where you show your mental and physical grit to silence your critics. This is a cricket field not your backyard where you can show how powerful you are. It is a performance-oriented place not a training-oriented sanctuary.
Start working and get this “I” trend out of our system otherwise our cricket will keep suffering between the clashes of egos, identities, entities and personal whims and notions. Realization of the fact that it is time now to pack the bags is the key in staying afresh in the memories of your fans. Kindly, Stars get rid off this “I”.