This sure as heck is amusing, and deserving of a seperate thread.
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Should Shoaib Akhtar join Ganguly’s men? **
It’s not enough to be the world’s fastest bowler. Nor is it enough to be ranked among all-time greats, from Wes Hall to Glen McGrath. This, then, is the predicament of Shoaib Akhtar, the jewel in the Pakistani Crown.
When Shoaib looks back, he will wonder what went wrong during the India-Pakistan series. After all, it was supposed to be a contest between two cricketing greats: Shoaib and Sachin. Instead, cricket created its own heroes: Gul, Sehwag and Dravid.
Now, Shoaib finds himself in a unique situation. And much of it has nothing to do with cricket. Because, whatever he accomplishes in cricket, Shoaib will always be Shoaib: a rebel. His talent and ambition will not permit him to be anything else.
That’s nothing new in Pakistani cricket which has produced mavericks by the day. And each one of them has left his stamp on sub-continental cricket. In fact, they made cricket richer. Today defeat seeks a scapegoat in a nation that is terribly despaired. How could a team that boasts of Inzy, Youhana, Shoaib, Sami be demolished without a fight?
Before the Blame Shoaib game hots up, why not invite Shoaib to India? Why not make him part of Team India? It would be a great gesture. Not only would it reward talent, it could make Team India the strongest team in the world. But why Shoaib?
There’s nothing like sheer pace.
With Shoaib in the team, you can create a superb bowling attack. You add a B-2 to your arsenal. Just imagine the ripple effect it will have in India. If Shoaib clicks, pace could be a big draw. Bats will disappear as cherries are launched like missiles at Shivaji Park. After having a surfeit of batsmen as pin-ups, GenNext requires a muscular, fiery, ferocious pacer with killer instinct. It desperately needs Shoaib.
There’s enough room for a maverick.
There’s lots of space for mavericks in Team India. There are a whole bunch of individuals out there in the middle, but everyone plays to a team rhythm. Even Sachin plays to Tune India even though the country always expects him to excel as an individual. And, if you are talking about Ganguly, haven’t we seen loads of attitude from him as well? To be sure, Shoaib will be a perfect fit in a diverse talent pool called Ganguly & Co.
You can easily beat Australia
With Shoaib in the team, Australia will panic. India is definitely a better batting side, but the Aussies have an edge in bowling. With Shoaib around, you can bowl them out for half the scores they have been notching up against a resurgent India.
Importantly, Shoaib will be driven by a passion for excellence. You can’t drop him, because you can’t replace him. That certainty can drive Shoaib to be the greatest bowler of all times, cricket’s biggest wicket-taker. Neighbour’s envy, India’s pride.