England – Pakistan Test Cricket Series – 2006.

The present controversy, in the 4th Test of this series, is appalling. Apart from, Inzamam-Ul-Haq & Darryl Hair, Billy Doctrove, Mike Proctor, Duncan Fletcher and Bob Woolmer, are equally responsible. We cannot, discount, the conspiracy, hatched by Proctor, Fletcher & Hair. Who ever conducts the inquiry, should not, come under ICC pressure, for any compromise solution. All the above gentlemen, apart from, Inzamam & Hair should be thoroughly inquired, for their role, in this fiasco. Forfeiture, of a game, in Cricket history, has never happened.

Secondly, a board should choose, as Captain, only level headed person, apart from cricketing abilities. Inzamam had shown his temper in one of the earlier matches, also, in Canada. It is always better and good for the game, only if, Captains of both the teams and the umpires and the referees are level headed, unemotional and unbiased. One should understand, no official or player is above the game or watching public. The whole episode, has not only, left a bad taste, but also, and deprived, the viewers, of their rightful entertainment.

Finally, whoever & however, shout from rooftops, the racism does exist, in whatever sublime form, it may be. The ICC, till now, has shown, its inability, to bravely address it, leave aside eliminating it. The way, this episode has been handled, by ICC, till now, one wonders, whether, we will get any fair decision.

DOWRY MENACE IN INDIA



Friends! I have one suggestion to combat this menace. Every marriage invitation card, from either side, should declare, DOWRY NOT RECEIVED or DOWRY NOT GIVEN, accordingly. In my opinion, this will initiate few probing questions. It will, atleast stop, the few, who speak something in public and do something else, in action. It can also check, those parents who take and give Dowry, without informing their own children. It can also initiate few questions, from close, friends & relatives, if some of them, act in contrary, to the declaration.
Those of you, who agree with me and plan to marry in the near future, can start implementing. You could be one of the few, in pioneering, an initiative eradicate DOWRY>

LEAVES & HOLIDAYS
We in India, enjoy 'very limited Leaves & Holidays'. To name a few, Leave, for the start, the New Year and one to close year. The Leave for, getting Independence and one for becoming a Republic. Soon, we will have, one for loosing the same. Next, Leave for "Father's" birthday and one we will need to have for his death. Similarly, for his "brother" Chacha, we have. Then, in line is, Leave for every other religious festival, which I fear, could develop, for caste-based festivals. These all may be regular occurrences but what happens, to the Leave for voting, not voting and booth capturing. These are serious things; for playing also, likes winning a game, which for us of course is rare, so just for watching! May be I have left a few like "Labour day" (pun intended) Teachers' day, Children's' day, Martyrs' day, etc. This has prompted me to suggest a few more very necessary holidays and change in nomenclature. Actually one must be furious as to why U.N took upon itself, a date for World Population Day, when it must be the sole prerogative of India i.e. Bharat. I propose, Mr.Laloo Prasad Yadav's birthday should be, the World Population Day. I think the name of Mahatma's death day should be Terrorist Day and Mrs.Gandhi's should be changed to Ethnic Cleansing Day.
Jayalalitha's Birthday should be Corruption Promotion Day and Vajpayee's birthday should be 'Challenged' Day (pun intended). 1st April should be Bureaucrats Day. Well, we can go on adding to it and give ourselves many more Leaves, but I am afraid, we have only 365 days, in an year. On second thought, why not create leaves for night workers, like Labour night, Children's night, etc. and leave for watching pyjama cricket. I think our leaders will give a thought to this and deliberate on this, all-important issue, which is next only to hiking, their own pay and perks.

PRIVATE MEDIA

Private Media, in India, is unfettered. Especially, TV Channels are going over-board. They’re commenting, on some of the topics, without any, expert’s view, that is obnoxious. Even, in the presence, of experts, they make outrageous statements, which, the subject experts, are not really capable of skillfully handling. They are ever ready to make are or mar, a person or an idea. As the Media should be, they are never neutral, even in, non-political matters. To give you, an example, please view the STAR NEWS channel, at 7.30 p.m.,
about Cricket. You have a very good expert in Sandeep Patel. Also, watch the anchor and his team, making outlandish statements, for long periods and then asking the expert to comment on it, in few words. If he tries to cover, all points, to counter them, they butt in cut him short. The way, sometime, the expert, squirms, is really pathetic. Even while interviewing, some persons, few interviewers do not allow him to put his views, but go on forcing, their own words and opinion.
TV media, in recent times, have come-up with many exposé’s, which is, really very good. But, it does not give license for them to pass judgement, on any matter what so ever. That is the domain of Public & Judiciary.
We are still, in the stage of believing, the Media, what ever, it says & shows. At out-set, we should, formulate some guidelines. Although, censorship is not advocated, the TV media themselves can, operate, under certain parameters, drawn by themselves, like Advertisement Council, Press Council, etc.

One Day Cricket, these days, I believe, has reached its crscendo. Recent scoring, of 872 Runs, by two teams, have shown bowlers in poor light. With the advent of 20-20, which is more Batsmen friendly, it will be, worthwhile, if feilding restrictions are removed. Also, the restrictions on, no. of overs, per bowler should be removed. This, can bring back, its possible decline.