| It's a shame that in a nation so obsessed with cricket the
national team should let the country down so badly. It is only reasonable to expect our
team to play at a certain minimum at the level of the World Cup. Undoubtedly, there was
disappointment about India's loss to South Africa in the first match but there was no
feeling of shame. It was well played, hard fought, and the better team won. But the loss
against Zimbabwe was more than just a loss of a cricket match. It was a public display of
a country's character. And it was not a pretty sight. Here was a team which despite its
earlier blunders (51 extras) could have won the match if it was disciplined, level-headed
and thought of the larger good. But no. We had to have batsmen who wanted to be instant
heroes by scoring a winning boundary or six. The result, to reverse the metaphor, we
snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Isn't that typical of India? A country
perpetually poised for take-off, always a country which almost makes it. If that weren't bad enough, cricket highlighted our other great
national trait: over-dependence on individuals rather than a team. The unfortunate death
of Sachin Tendulkar's father robbed the Indian team of its miracle worker. His absence
showed how the team was crippled.
So it is with our politics, the subject of our cover story
this week. Sonia Gandhi's sudden resignation as Congress president has
created a panic. Many in the party cannot visualise a political future outside the
dynasty. It is the same in the BJP where Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee has a standing
larger than the party. There are few substantial issues involved, only emotive questions
of individual worth. It's sad this has become the sum total of politics.
When will we stop relying on individuals and grow up as a
nation?
(Aroon Purie) |
