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Ravi Bopara: What he said, really meant and definitely did not
What he said:
“Yeah, it’s dead right now in my car.”
Ravi Bopara has his life organized with an IPad—only it’s not charged. Bopara takes Jonathan Trott’s place in the third nPower Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
What he really meant:
“That I’m a mere cricketer does not mean I’m not tech savvy. Sure, it’s charged.”
What he definitely didn’t:
“My car batteries are dead too.”
Sunil Gavaskar: What he said, really meant and definitely did not
What he said:
“It looked like a contest between a professional team and a schoolboys team.”
Sunil Gavaskar is scathing in his criticism of the Indian team’s performance against a superior English side.
What he really meant:
“It’s no wonder warm-up games feature second string players (Northamptonshire).”
What he definitely didn’t:
“Isn’t this remark pithier than Boycott’s ‘India played like Bangladesh’?”
Kapil Dev: What he said, really meant and definitely did not
What he said:
“Why should they speak out against the board? Will a Congress leader speak against his party in Parliament?”
Kapil Dev makes his opinion known as to whether Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri can be unbiased with their statements in the press box while being simultaneously indentured to the BCCI and providing expert views for Sky Sports.
What he really meant:
“The BCCI functions like a (Indian) political party. Either you toe the party line or you’re out.”
What he definitely didn’t:
“Are there any vacant slots for me, in that box?”
Sunil Gavaskar: What he said, really meant and definitely did not
What he said:
“But they have got to remember that achievers, like them, also have two eyes, two hands—and a stomach (to feed)!”
Sunil Gavaskar is unconvinced that his contract with the BCCI as a paid commentator conflicts with his role as an expert for Sky Sports. Ravi Shastri is the other ex-cricketer hired by the Indian administrative body, each paid Rs. 3.6 crores annually. The master opener defends his position saying that there are conflicts in every sphere of life.
What he really meant:
“Hey, if the BCCI and Sky Sports don’t care, why should you? Lump it or leave it.”
What he definitely didn’t:
“I’m not paid by either party.”
Mahendra Singh Dhoni going the Kapil way?
Kapil Dev Nikhanj. Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Two charismatic skippers with winning ways.
The former led Team India to an epochal triumph in the 1983 World Cup, a victory which led to a radical power shift within the ICC. The Reliance World Cup followed in 1987. The circle was complete. The colonised were now king-makers.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was fortunate to be selected skipper for the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup. He thrust a young, inexperienced team to the pinnacle in a format ignored by the bigger guns—Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Saurav Ganguly.
Geoffrey Boycott: What he said, really meant and definitely did not
What he said:
“India looked like Bangladesh in disguise.”
Geoffrey Boycott is scathing in his criticism of the Indian cricket team. “Their ground fielding was atrocious, their bowling was wayward and lacking thought.” says the Yorkshire great.
What he really meant:
“I’m sure Bangladesh would have put up a better fight. England beat Sri Lanka 1-0 in three Tests, and yet the No.1 side are down 0-2 in two. Yeah, I forget, they won’t be No.1 after this series.”
What he definitely didn’t:
“Duncan, you can go home now. I’d like to coach this Indian side.”
Michael Vaughan: What he said, really meant and definitely did not
What he said:
"I reckon you might [have had to] bat No.8 in this Indian team."
Michael Vaughan is convinced that Phil Tufnell could bat as high as No.8 in the current Indian Test team. Tufnell has a Test average of 5.10 and a highest score of 22.
What he really meant:
“It doesn’t matter what order the Indian tailenders turn up in, the end result would be the same.It might be a better idea to reverse the batting line-up. The bottom five might just last 20 overs with the new ball.”
What he definitely didn’t:
“I wonder why Dhoni doesn’t do a Bedi and declare after the fall of the sixth wicket.”
MS Dhoni wins hearts: Team India fail second Test
Of the two sides fighting for the No.1 Test spot, only one stepped up to the plate; that side was not India.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni won hearts with his sporting act on the third day of the second nPower Test series.
His team’s performance, however, raised a lot more questions.
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Make Time For Sports. 