Gavaskar willing to sweat 365 days in a year
Guardin's Mike Selvey:
Gavaskar alarmed by the prospect of a players' strike hinted at by Tim May, president of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, has thrown in his rupee's worth. "I can't see the problem," he says. "These players are turning out for their countries. It's an honour to represent your country. I would be willing to sweat 365 days in a year for India. Those who can't stand the heat should stay out."
It cannot have totally escaped notice that having finished their demolition of England last Saturday, the Indians were in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and yesterday to play Pakistan, part of a series that in the next couple of years will see the two sides contest 25 games all in neutral venues - in the Netherlands, Canada, United States and England.
What Gavaskar fails or is unwilling to grasp is the idea that it is not the volume of cricket but rather the sheer intensity of it that creates the problems.
The contrast with England's forthcoming timetable beginning in three weeks with the first Test against Sri Lanka, or that of India, could not be more stark. With 24 Tests and 20 one-day internationals against them, Gavaskar is not unfamiliar with the responsibility and expectation of playing against Pakistan. However, anyone who has read Pundits from Pakistan, Rahul Bhattacharya's brilliant account of India's groundbreaking 2003-04 tour of that country, will see that the modern contest goes way beyond that. Dravid has played only 12 Tests against Pakistan, yet has gone beyond 50 one-dayers. It would do anyone's head in.
There is one proviso to this: India's players are immensely well rewarded, among the highest-paid sportsmen in the world. As yet, these players are not affiliated to FICA.
But this does not mean we should not listen to the rest of the world on this issue. When Brett Lee confesses that the petrol has run out and he is "bowling on fumes", it really does mean something. The home boards have a duty of care to state this in the strongest terms to the ICC.
Burn out or fade away? You won't find many cricketers agreeing with Neil Young's take on things.
Guardin's Mike Selvey:
Gavaskar alarmed by the prospect of a players' strike hinted at by Tim May, president of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, has thrown in his rupee's worth. "I can't see the problem," he says. "These players are turning out for their countries. It's an honour to represent your country. I would be willing to sweat 365 days in a year for India. Those who can't stand the heat should stay out."
It cannot have totally escaped notice that having finished their demolition of England last Saturday, the Indians were in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and yesterday to play Pakistan, part of a series that in the next couple of years will see the two sides contest 25 games all in neutral venues - in the Netherlands, Canada, United States and England.
What Gavaskar fails or is unwilling to grasp is the idea that it is not the volume of cricket but rather the sheer intensity of it that creates the problems.
The contrast with England's forthcoming timetable beginning in three weeks with the first Test against Sri Lanka, or that of India, could not be more stark. With 24 Tests and 20 one-day internationals against them, Gavaskar is not unfamiliar with the responsibility and expectation of playing against Pakistan. However, anyone who has read Pundits from Pakistan, Rahul Bhattacharya's brilliant account of India's groundbreaking 2003-04 tour of that country, will see that the modern contest goes way beyond that. Dravid has played only 12 Tests against Pakistan, yet has gone beyond 50 one-dayers. It would do anyone's head in.
There is one proviso to this: India's players are immensely well rewarded, among the highest-paid sportsmen in the world. As yet, these players are not affiliated to FICA.
But this does not mean we should not listen to the rest of the world on this issue. When Brett Lee confesses that the petrol has run out and he is "bowling on fumes", it really does mean something. The home boards have a duty of care to state this in the strongest terms to the ICC.
Burn out or fade away? You won't find many cricketers agreeing with Neil Young's take on things.