British scribe heaps scorn on Dravid

By John Cheeran
A gentleman by the name of Simon Briggs has heaped scorn on Indian captain Rahul Dravid in Daily Telegraph, London, on the very day India played England in New Delhi in the first of a seven-match one-day international series.
And this is the same paper which has Geoff Boycott as columnist, who is a well-known apologist for Sourav Ganguly. No wonder that the paper decided to malign Dravid.
Briggs's argument is that Dravid can't handle the perils and pressures of captaincy.
Aha... In the vast country that is India, except the parochial Bengalis, none has doubted Dravid's ability to lead the Indian side. He has led the Test and one-day sides to wins in Pakistan and at home.
In fact he is the first Indian captain in Indian cricket history who has not suffered a loss of form by the burdens of leadership.
And that's quite an achievement when Sourav Ganguly used to hang on to the Indian side by virtue of his captaincy. If you needed any more evidence it came by Tuesday evening. Defending a below par total of 203, Dravid's astute handling of Harbhajan Singh and power play triggered the England collapse for an emphatic win by 39 runs.
But, then, if you are swayed by parochial but powerful lobby groups in Calcutta, any Briggs can lose his balance.
The Daily Telegrapher came to the conlusion that Dravid is losing his cool by a loss in Mumbai, a few weeks ago. He links Dravid's walkout during the Delhi pressconference to his uneasiness in handling the national team!
Briggs also has discovered that Dravid "seems out of place, like a civil servant trying on the Emperor's purple."
But Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided that Dravid is doing a fine job and only last week they coronated Dravid as the emperor of Indian cricket by announcing him as the captain till the end of the World Cup in 2007.
A reognition that was not bestowed even on Jagmohan Dalmiya's poodle in the past.
And you know who is that left-handed poodle!
But Briggs issued a warning on Tuesday!
Read this from Daily Telegraph. "If Dravid should slip up in this one-day series, as he did with his bizarre decision to bowl first at Mumbai, India's huge and fanatical crowds will turn on him faster than a Shane Warne leg-break. In contrast to his predecessor, Sourav Ganguly, he has never quite captured the popular vote. The players' nicknames are instructive here. Sachin Tendulkar is"the Master Blaster." Ganguly is "Dada," which translates as elder brother. Dravid is "the Wall" - a player admired for his discipline and patience, but hardly one to inflame the passions."
Oh my god!
What a great piece of analysis by the Englishman!
If only nicknames could win World Cups!
And more from Mr Briggs' brief for Ganguly.
" Neither of the two biggest names in Indian cricket are present for this one-dayseries. Tendulkar booked into a London hospital yesterday for an operation on his shoulder. Ganguly has dropped out of contention for the team, and now his only high-profile appearances are on an administrative committee charged with reforming Indian cricket. It is not just the absence of Ganguly and Tendulkar that gives it an unfamiliarlook - though they do happen to be the two leading century-makers in one-day international history. VVS Laxman has gone too, and neither Zaheer Khan nor AnilKumble can be found among the bowlers."
Now I must educate Mr Briggs, a poor understudy to Derek Pringle, on Indian cricket. For the last five years, Dravid's has been the hero No.1 in Indian cricket whether you like it or not. Ganguly has been a wreck at the crease, at his best. Ganguly is dead and buried as far as international cricket is concerned and Indian cricket is better off for getting rid of him.
So why bemoan the absence of Ganguly in the side?
Dravid's India goes by the dictum that if you are not fit, you should stay away from the team. So the absence of Tendulkar is not Dravid's fault (as the writer suggests ) and every kid in India knows that Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan does not figure in the one-day scheme of things.
Briggs is unhappy that he can't find Anil Kumble among bowlers! Why? And to remind Briggs, Dravid and Kumble are thick friends and they support each other and their unshakeable bond goes all the way back to Bangalore.
VVS Laxman does enjoy skipper Dravid's confidence and only a cretin would suggest that Hyderabadi will not regain his rightful place in the side.
Briggs has also discovered that Dravid is not capable of inspiring his side. Does he understand inspiration as feigning injury on the eve of the match after having a look at the grassy pitch and running away from his reponsibilities as Ganguly did in Nagpur against Australia?
In that case Briggs should quit journalism.
In the last decade India was inspired and well served by Dravid. After getting rid of Ganguly, Dravid has encouraged Irfan Pathan as a bowler and played a big part in the evolution of the pacer into a dependable allrounder.
Dravid has supported youngsters such as RP Singh, Sreesanth and gave the big break toMunaf Patel. Dravid has stood by Virender Sehwag and Mohammad Kaif and it is no wonder that team displays its resilience to bounce back from set backs.
Meanwhile, Briggs can travel to Kolkata for a free meal at Ganguly's home.