Amsterdam Diary: Rumor Mills Active Again

Javed Akhtar, Arab News

The rumor-mongers and cynics are active again and typically at a time when the Indian cricket team is losing. They are out of the Videocon Cup after losing to Pakistan and already there is talk of dissension and groupism in the team. A lot of the talk is around star batsman Sachin Tendulkar who is out of the competition with a tennis elbow. “This is not the first time he has done it. Tennis elbow is not something you develop overnight. It takes weeks and it also takes weeks to get OK,” one cynic remarked. “He is doing this after the Multan declaration when he was on the verge of a double century,” remarked another. “Why do you think Sachin, Ajit Agarkar and Rohan Gavaskar always go out together and sit in the same car when the team is going out together. They don’t mix with the others,” said a third. All this talk is really sad but when there is so much hype and the players, especially the likes of Tendulkar, are under such microscopic scrutiny, tongues are bound to wag. Well, it will take only a couple of good wins for India and a good performance from Tendulkar to silence all the critics. Shoaib, Lee Hit It Off Well They may be fierce rivals on the field of play but fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan and Australia’s Brett Lee are good friends away from the ground. There was a time a few years ago when they were fighting for the title of the fastest bowler in the game and also who could break the 100-mile barrier first. Well, Shoaib did it ahead of Lee who has had a series of injury problems and has been in and out of the Australian team because of that. Shoaib has had his share of problems with the establishment. But all that is now behind him and the Rawalpindi Express seems to have turned over a new leaf. He was seen going alone for a run accompanied by two team officials. It showed that he is now very serious about his fitness and eventually about his career. A New Trend A new trend, and a happy one at that, is wives and families accompanying cricketers on the circuit. There was a time when a lot of fuss was made and only on long tours wives were allowed to join their husbands midway. But times have changed and how! Now not just wives but even children are allowed to go along with the cricketers. What has made it possible is the fact that earlier two players had to share a room. Now each player is given a separate room which he can share with the family. Australian captain Ricky Ponting, Brett Lee, Michael Kasparowicz and Darren Lehmann have their wives here. The Lehmanns have very cute twin daughters. Pakistan captain Inzamam ul-Haq’s wife, son and daughter are also here. So is Imran Farhat’s wife and their very very sweet chubby daughter barely a few months old. Among the Indians, captain Saurav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag and V.V.S. Laxman have their wives here. Dravid, Sehwag and Laxman are newly married and the wives are really lucky that they can accompany their husbands on the trip which is going to last over a month.