Related Links : India in Pakistan 05/06 : 1st Test Scorecard
“Whatever may be the real reason, the fact of the matter is that Shoaib Akhtar literally exposed Sachin’s present-day ability against quality fast bowling during a spell that will certainly be remembered for long.”
My first reaction to this statement : Utter Crap.
Analysis : Remember Moin Khan ?? The chap who Sachin got on the third day of the Multan test with a googly he’d remember all his life ?? Yes folks, he is the same beleaguered wicketkeeper from Pakistan who now knows what it feels like to be dumped. And who is he talking about ? Another character from Pakistan who presents himself as a case of mood swings (let alone reverse swings). I do not know how much this spell of Shoaib Akhtar will be remembered for him grabbing Sachin’s wicket. Shoaib’s spell in the Indian first innings would only be regarded by many for bringing some life into a rather dead contest – Nothing else. Period. But, rather than the wicket, what this article has done is exposed Moin Khan’s naked analytical skills, filled with a sense of prejudice and bias – totally uncalled for as a writer.
This beginning-of-the-end theory has been posed by many in the recent past, and seems to conveniently pop up, as soon as Sachin fails ! Give him a break guys. After all he’s the proud custodian of many a record, few would come close to shatter. Yes, he is indeed beginning to age, and it is showing in his performances, but that does not signal or hint towards any decline. The hunger, the humility and the desire to score runs is still within him, and a hundred sooner than later should be good enough to bay these looneys off. This lame article by Moin has brought the walking debate into question again. Gilchrist found a way out to clear his conscience by walking, and it was not something new. Greats like Sachin and Lara have always carried themselves with the highest integrity and pointing fingers at someone who upholds it, itself is a baseless venture. Although personally, I am not in agreement with players walking by themselves, what it brings about is an honest assessment of one’s own integrity. As they say, if the player is sheepish enough to grin after he survives the umpire’s call, another decision comes soon enough to haunt him. India still won’t forgive Steve Bucknor for the call he made against the Little Master at Kolkata, when he was going all guns blazing. Where was Moin then? Searching for the tunnel path towards the Pakistani team? Sachin is as good a player of fast bowling as he was way back in 1989, and someone who himself was a joke against pacers has no right to comment over the issue. Such comments are to be respected no doubt, but with the same sense of judgment, only to be rubbished.
The second character involved in this printed drama is Shoaib Akhtar ! Oh Moin, what has he done for Pakistan over the years, so much so that this spell of his will be remembered for a long time ? He has played 30 odd test matches in about 7 years, an appalling record by itself and all we see is an injury sidelining him for at least a test in every series, except England (2005) and Bangladesh (2003). I still cant notice the change in Shoaib, that the whole of Pakistan is raving about. It’s just that the English batting was too brittle to withstand his pace on flat-beds and now, see his performance against a better batting side – virtually anything to show. I think every cricket fan – Indian or Pakistani will rather choose to remember the three fours hit by Dhoni off Shoaib than the wicket of Sachin. It had the birth of an emerging star in International Cricket written all over it. Three brutal strikes, and the bowler gave in. Those 18 runs off Shoaib were more precious to India than the 14 by Sachin. Shoaib needs to prove and pass the litmus test. Apart from 4-5 Test Matches, I cant remember any being won single-handedly by Shoaib. So, its time for his “supporters” to zip their mouths and let the boy doing what he is good at.
And Moin bhai, a piece of advice for you ! Please be objective in your analysis of any player, not emotional. The time has come, when we need some genuine cricket experts like Wasim Akram to run the show and not emotional fools, if I may say, like Moin Khan.