Dhoni is a Joke

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-england-2012/content/story/597457.html

Apparently this series loss isn't even close to India's failing at the 2007 World Cup. If India have a Test Captain who values ODI cricket above Tests, then India will never get anywhere.

Dhoni's home was attacked after the 2007 WC.
It wasn't the best of reactions, but there is a context to it. India won the first test and drawn the last. Obviously a series lost, particularly a home one should hurt. But the hard reality is India have become a middling team now, good against sides like NZ and WI at home, but not so against top sides. England are back on track after a poor year, and India lost. Lets not jump the gun too much I'd say.

World Cup is a big deal to India. Much more than it is here.

Having said that I think India has changed even in five years. We don't seem to see the ephagy-burning and so on any more.

Its also worth noting that a world cup is just that, this wasnt even a battle for the test mace. Im sure the dicking they took in England hurt pretty bad.
England are big rivals for India, but theres not the same level of eminity as there is with Austrlia or the politics and rivalry that there is with pakistan.

This was no Ponting moment. I dont think its direspectufl to test cricket to say it didnt hurt as much.

Besides which hes getting quite used to losing now.

The ODI team that lost in that world cup was a good outfit in good form. But the test team has been changing and losing in recent times, the expectations were not that much.
But I can tell you, There are lots and lots of supporters who are hurting at the moment, but people are more willing to see it through, considering some of the big stars have gone or are about to go an a new generation needs to get to grip with things.

true, poor KP Fan is beside himslef and hasnt even been able to bring himself to register yet another account and pretend to be a Zimbawean or something this time.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:true, poor KP Fan is beside himslef and hasnt even been able to bring himself to register yet another account and pretend to be a Zimbawean or something this time.

He wont be back. Registered the day after the KP saga, posted the same thread about KP roughly 40 times to try and annoy England fans, then disappeared once India started getting tonked. Pathetic really!

VTR wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:true, poor KP Fan is beside himslef and hasnt even been able to bring himself to register yet another account and pretend to be a Zimbawean or something this time.

He wont be back. Registered the day after the KP saga, posted the same thread about KP roughly 40 times to try and annoy England fans, then disappeared once India started getting tonked. Pathetic really!

You realise hes been doing this under various guises since the days of V1 right?

Our good friend sonic boom, yep he's a tool alright. Conspicuous by his absence of late since India got tonked...

What about Demon Racer?

He was a different chap, but equally as obnoxious. Not seen him for a while.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

VTR wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:true, poor KP Fan is beside himslef and hasnt even been able to bring himself to register yet another account and pretend to be a Zimbawean or something this time.

He wont be back. Registered the day after the KP saga, posted the same thread about KP roughly 40 times to try and annoy England fans, then disappeared once India started getting tonked. Pathetic really!

You realise hes been doing this under various guises since the days of V1 right?

Yep - I meant under the current guise. Of course he/it will be back in some form. I like your idea of a Zimbabwean, endless threads about England stealing Andy Flower!

Think it is a tad harsh to call the guy a joke. If the leadership above him is not taking Test cricket as serious as ODI/T20 cricket, it is hard to just criticise just Dhoni and not the BCCI.

I was watching Gower, Hussain, Bumble, Knight and Botham all make valid points that Indian cricket is at a crossroads as to how they are to perform well in the future across all forms of the game. I mean christ there was a time when England were completely hopeless at ODI, but it doesn't mean it is because of a lack of positive attitude.

It is fair to say that Dhoni and Test cricket isn't the most perfect of fits, but hopefully India will address the problems they have and move forward in Test cricket.

Its also fair to say he stood up and took resposnsibility coming in at 6 and actually toughing out a decent score in the final test to give India a chance of the draw.

I disagree with the idea that India necessarily take Tests less seriously than ODIs and T20s. Give me one piece of evidence which indicates that.

There is an issue with the position of the IPL. With such a busy schedule it isn't ideal that all the Indian stars are practically forced to play the entire tournament. However, as it is an Indian event you have to be a bit understanding of that.

The biggest issue for me is that there doesn't seem to be a separation of powers between the board and the cricketing side of things. The BCCI control everything.

No-one is saying that they are not taking Test cricket seriously. It was merely an if and that Dhoni's personal view is not a whole respresentation of the team's view or even the BCCI.

India like many teams in the past and in the future are facing a transitional period. Players get old and they also experience loss of form. I would say almost like Australia a couple of years back that faced quite a large re-building task in blooding new talent for the future.

If anything they certainly need to get fitter and I hope Fletcher is given the time to turn things around. It isn't as simple as an overnight fix or paper over the cracks kind of job. I wasn't impressed with the images of one of the selectors speaking with Dhoni and Fletcher during a test match. That image was one of panic.