M S Dhoni scored a brilliant 100 to take India to a victory in second match of the ongoing series versus Australia. The media and the commentators went over the board to heap their praises on this knock. I have no complaint on this.
But I am feeling outraged at the opinion of a commentator who compared this knock of Dhoni to the 175 not out of Kapil Dev in the Prudential World Cup of 1983.Just look at the scenario. Kapil came to the wicket when the top 5 of the batsmen were back in the pavilion unable to cope with the bowling from the likes of Kevin Curran.Dhoni received great support from Gambhir and later from Suresh Raina. On the other hand, Kapil had the company of far less accomplished batsmen in the form of Kirmani, Madan Lal, Roger Binny and Balwinder Sandhu.This knock came against Zimbabwe but it paved the way for the ulimate win in the World Cup.
I do not for a moment wish to denigrate the knock of Dhoni but it is shameful to compare it with the great knock of victory.But the likes of Dhoni have a very long way to be put into the 'true' pantheon of greatness.
I sometimes feel that even the gods did not want the knock of Kapil to be recorded for posterity taking it into the realm of a legend.But we the ordinary mortals don't realise this and go on making highly odious comparisons.
But I am feeling outraged at the opinion of a commentator who compared this knock of Dhoni to the 175 not out of Kapil Dev in the Prudential World Cup of 1983.Just look at the scenario. Kapil came to the wicket when the top 5 of the batsmen were back in the pavilion unable to cope with the bowling from the likes of Kevin Curran.Dhoni received great support from Gambhir and later from Suresh Raina. On the other hand, Kapil had the company of far less accomplished batsmen in the form of Kirmani, Madan Lal, Roger Binny and Balwinder Sandhu.This knock came against Zimbabwe but it paved the way for the ulimate win in the World Cup.
I do not for a moment wish to denigrate the knock of Dhoni but it is shameful to compare it with the great knock of victory.But the likes of Dhoni have a very long way to be put into the 'true' pantheon of greatness.
I sometimes feel that even the gods did not want the knock of Kapil to be recorded for posterity taking it into the realm of a legend.But we the ordinary mortals don't realise this and go on making highly odious comparisons.
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