An Argumentum Ad Hominem

Those are sane words - heard normally from one of the game's mostly misinformed greats. Which is why it is surprising when one reads the byline accompanying these words. Even though I believe that the circumstances leading to this quote could have been avoided (from both sides), let me take you back in time to the year 1999 to demonstrate why this particular comment riles me up.

Exactly 7 years and one week ago in Chennai, on January 31, 1999, India lost the first Test of their two Test series against Pakistan. This particular Test match shall forever be known to every Indian cricket fan as a story whose positive end was so near and yet turned out to be so far. For some people in Chennai, that Test match shall be the one that sealed the reputation of the crowds at Chepauk for being the most sporting of live audiences ever. But to me, the Test, particularly the last day, will be a milestone dripping in infamy - the day when Sachin's back began asserting itself and when Mongia's wild hoick against Akram with so few remaining to be scored derailed India's fight-back. While these incidents are all that most people will remember about the Test, personally I will never forget one particular ball.

Now, most people talk only about Mongia and the subsequent failure of Sachin and the tail to score those precious 17 runs. But if you ask me, I think the deed was done much earlier. For, I am of the firm opinion that the vital balls/wickets that change the complexion of a game are always the ones that come at the start of a innings. So if you lost a game by one run, don't blame the late order batsmen, but blame the top half of the order for not scoring that vital run. Similarly don't blame the misfield at the fag end of the innings, but the reprieve earlier. Don't blame that run out that claimed the 9th wicket, but blame the umpiring error that caused the premature demise of number 3.

It all happened on the fourth (and what turned out to be the final) day. I did not see the match live. But I remember lying flat on my belly in my hostel room and listening to the radio commentary on AIR. Twenty three overs into the final day, India were with their backs against the wall. With Tendulkar looking rock solid at the other end, in walks Ganguly as India are down to the 5th wicket (and last remaining) pair of specialist batsmen, still requiring 191 runs to save the game. But Sachin is soon frustrated, with only 9 runs coming in the next 10 successive overs bowled in tandem by the Saqlain - Afridi pair. And then comes the shocker, the memory of which exposes Moin Khan as a man possessed by double standards like the worst of us. I will let Cricinfo's Travis (Basevi?) describe what transpired in his own words (as part of the ball by ball commentary).

Now, I saw the replays during the evening news and what I saw clearly corroborates Travis's version of what happened. Ganguly's defensive stroke off the front foot hit silly-point and one could see the ball bouncing on the ground before being pouched by ****. Guess who "****" is? It is the same man who has been quoted in the first para of this post. In fact, Moin needs to watch himself. For, upon reading what he has to say, if they did not know even as much of cricket as I do, someone might start to wonder if he was a Nobel Laureate.

So after questioning Dravid's integrity, he turns the heat on Chappel too, bringing up the old bogey from 1981. But he seems to have conveniently forgotten one more incident that happened later just a few weeks after that eventful day in Chennai.

Barely 20 days later, during the Asian Test Championship encounter between the same two teams, Tendulkar was given out by the third umpire when it was found that his bat was not grounded at the instant when Shoaib took the bails off, but what was overlooked was the fact that Sachin had already placed his bat inside the crease, but had lifted it while trying to avoid contact with Shoaib. It is arguable whether Shoaib Akhtar had intentionally stepped into Sachin's path when Sachin had his eyes on the fielder and the ball, but it was obvious that Sachin had taken evasive action. Still there was an appeal and Tendulkar was given out. If I remember right, there was an uproar in the stands and Sachin had come back out to calm the crowd down. I don't think you got a "statement" from Sachin about this, ever. So, using Moin's yardstick, would it not be far from the truth if I was to say that Pakistan cared only about the win, wanting it by hook or by crook. Because if we just assume it was a honest mistake from all concerned, no one ventured to rescind their appeals.

Yes, Moin, history might not forgive Dravid, if his captaincy was judged to be poor at the END of his career. Anyway we have certainly not forgotten about the Chappells, but neither have we forgotten you. And lest YOU forget, a lot of Indians and Englishmen (based on the Karachi Test of 2000) have forgotten neither your un-sporting attitude nor your chaffing demeanor on the cricket field.

Let me stop now. I think I have made my point. Moin, I hope you read this and I also hope to get a chance to remind of your on field shenanigans every time you conjure up something similar. Someone told me yesterday that my views constituted a classic case of argumentum ad hominem. I agree with that assessment. For, this messenger definitely deserves to be attacked.