Jayawardene, Afridi set to become most experienced players in World Cup

Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) today released the provisional squads of 12 teams for the next year‘s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

However co-hosts Australia and minnows Ireland have decided against releasing the names of the players in the provisional list although they have submitted the list of 30-members to the parent body within the stipulated deadline. Since its inception in 1975 with the Prudential Cup, it will be the first edition which won‘t feature either among Javed Miandad (‘75, ‘79, ‘83, ‘87, ‘92, ‘96) or Sachin Tendulkar (‘92, ‘96, ‘99, ‘03, ‘07, ‘11), who have played six editions each.

Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene and Pakistan‘s flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi are the two most experienced players going into the 2015 World Cup, which will be their fifth appearance in the global edition. Both Jayawardene and Afridi, first played in World Cup during the 1999 edition in England and since then have appeared in all editions. While Jayawardene featured in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and 2011, as well as the semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, Shahid Afridi was a member of the Pakistan side that played the final at Lord‘s in 1999.

He captained Pakistan at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 where Pakistan reached the semi-final. If the two players are named in the final line-ups, likely to be announced around 8 January 2015, then they will join the exclusive company of Wasim Akram, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Aravinda de Silva, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Sanath Jayasuriya, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Brian Lara, Muttiah Muralidaran, Thomas Odoyo, Ricky Ponting, Arjuna Ranatunga and Steve Tikolo, who have each played in five ICC Cricket World Cups to date. Pakistan‘s Javed Miandad and India‘s Sachin Tendulkar, with six ICC Cricket World Cups each, share the record for the most appearances at ICC‘s pinnacle event. Besides Jayawardene and Shahid Afridi, seven other players are in line to appear in their fourth World Cup: James Anderson, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Younis Khan, Robin Peterson, Kumar Sangakkara and Daniel Vettori.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is returning the ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time since 1996, has named the oldest and youngest players of the tournament in its 30-player provisional squad. Khurram Khan at 43 is the oldest players (born 21 June 1971) while Yodhin Punja, who turned 15 on 24 April 2014, is the youngest player.

Where there’s India versus Australia, there’s controversy

Every time team India travels to Australia, the heat down under takes a hard toll on them, be it the 2007-08 infamous ‘monkey-gate’ episode or the 2011-12 Virat Kohli episode, when he showed the crowd his middle finger. Controversies are sure to hover over the Indian cricket team when they play down under.
The ‘monkey-gate’ embroilment, during the Sydney Test, gained a lot of momentum, where Harbhajan Singh was charged for racially abusing Australia’s Andrew Symonds as a black monkey while Harbhajan refuted by saying he was just using ‘teri maa ki’ – which is an Indian slang phrase. Later, Matthew Hayden termed Harbhajan as an “obnoxious little weed” on a live radio interview.

Andrew Symonds (L) and Harbhajan Singh while playing the Sydney Test match in January, 2008. Photo: AFP

In 2011-12, team India travelled to Australia for a long, enervating tour. Losing the first Test, the team vowed to make amends in Sydney but the atrocious Sydney came to haunt them once again. After failing with the bat in the first innings, the Michael Clarke-tide swept away the Indians, causing some verbal jibes from the fans to which Virat Kohli replied with his middle finger.
Later, he clarified on Twitter that it was a payback gesture to unruly fans. Kohli was fined 50% of his match fee.
In the next Test at Perth, Indian pacer Ishant Sharma couldn’t control his hands. He also reacted to the taunts of some enraged fans by showing them the middle finger. While Virat did it on the ground, in front of television cameras and a million eyes, Ishant too could not take the fans’ tongue wagging and greeted them with his finger after the match.

Ishant Sharma (L) and Virat Kohli

Hark back your mind to 2005, when Greg Chappell was also involved in a similar finger-gate hurrah. The Indian crowd did not accept it and now the tag has been carried to Australia.
Kohli’s argument was that the fans abused his family. Ishant might tow a similar line but what they are forgetting is that some battles are best not fought. It is more of an immatureness that is being displayed by these sports ambassador of the country. Kohli and Sharma wanted to be like Bollywood actors, punishing guilty fans by themselves.
It might be just a finger gesture for them but actions speak louder than words. It landed them in hot water. Actions are a real measure of intelligence and, by flipping their fingers Kohli and Sharma have shown what they lack.
The young brigade is defined by youthful rebellion, with spiked, gelled hair, and tattooed arms. Their attitude is fine, perhaps aggressive too, but them losing their calm so easily is worrying. What such actions highlight is how flappable young Indian cricketers are. They have learnt the art of playing from their seniors but what they didn’t learn is the temperament and manners of the senior players. Look at Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, who have always conducted themselves with the utmost poise and presence, wherever they have been.

Sachin Tendulkar (L), Rahul Dravid (C) and V. V. S. Laxman (R)

Once again, team India has set its foot in Australia to play a long Test series, but it is unlikely that this time the build-up to the tour will be different. The tragic death of Australian cricketer, Phillip Hughes, has left the players and the nation in emotional apathy, however, this might prove to be more of a vulnerability during the series as emotions will rule the minds of the Aussies. Their captain, Michael Clarke, has already declared that he wants to win this one for his beloved Phillip Hughes, who was a brother to him.
So, expect plenty of drama, emotions and verbal jibes. It will be interesting to see how team India reacts to this approach, will they let it go by understanding the emotions of the grief stricken Aussies, or will they revert back with same force?
The battle of mind and emotions will be one to watch out for; the scorching summer in Australia has already begun and things will surely boil down under.