First of all, I need to get this off my chest-
Some ex cricketers and journalists are waving the patriotism wand with Kohli leaving and I knew this disgraceful crap would happen if India lose. T Natarajan has not gone for the birth of his first child because it's his choice. Siraj didn't go for his father's funeral because it was his choice. Kohli is going for the birth of his first child because it is his choice. The people mentioning his fathers passing and saying his success has resulted in this are devoid of humanity and emotion. Kohli is not 18 anymore and he has lost enough in his life to not lose more. Whatever his captaincy and arrogance etc etc etc, he has done a lot for the tricolour. The least we can do is be respectful to someone that has done so much for us. Would we be having these debates if Shaw was going for the birth of his child? Kohli has nothing to prove in terms of his patriotism or passion for playing for the country or his batsmanship in Australia. At least not to me and some people you just can't please till you become a martyr on the border so that they can forget a week later and lead their lives as per normal.
These same ex-cricketers then give lectures and moral science lessons on how the management needs to "manage each individual differently." Pot calling the kettle black in my book. At least the people here are more civil and one plain about views. Hope our country grows up. The future for our kids looks so polarised it is absolutely scary!!!
Coming to the cricket, of course we could roll over 4-0 and it has happened in the past. But there are a bunch of hungry Indian cricketers with a lot of pride and self esteem with a lot to prove and they have more talent as a side than any current world XI put together. Rahane, Rahul, an angry and returning Rohit, a Jadeja who will feed off this negativity to make the headlines, someone like Ashwin who just needs newspapers to mock his team to do something historic and that Pujara fellow who is made of steel. I have a very strong feeling these guys will do something. We might not win, but there will be a fight!!
EDIT- If KL does something on this tour which I feel he will, I will BRAG about it and how. "I told you so."
Thank you for posting this here! I have been wanting to talk about it (about the whole discussion on the Kohli paternity here) but somehow other discussions sidetrack me and take me into talking about them.
It is absolutely ridiculous that people interfere/poke their nose so much into Kohli's personal decision to be with his wife at the time of his child birth. I have read things ranging from "national duty" (Oh my dear MS Dhoni - why in the damn world did you romanticize this notion of "playing cricket for India is equivalent to performing national duty"?) to "in India, dadi/nani can give birth to child and father does not need to be there" to "this is a woke trend where Kohli has been brainwashed by his company of A-List Bollywood druggies celebs" to "the media has overhyped the struggle of a woman that these men think they need to indulge in this senseless shit". MIND YOU, these are not my comments, just a sample of what I've read.
Coming to the Gavaskar-Natarajan topic - this so-called legend is shooting off garbage from his mouth without knowing the real thing. He doesn't even know if Natarajan applied for leave or asked for leave to the BCCI (when BCCI asked him to tour Australia as a net bowler). Natarajan is not a contracted player for the BCCI, and so the question of granting him leave does not arise. Even if the BCCI has some arrangement with him where they approve his leave, did he apply/ask? No one knows and no one will likely know. Siraj was offered by the BCCI to return back to India for his father's rites but he chose to stay back (Kohli was just reported to be supportive; Kohli didn't ask Siraj to stay back - these ppl twist reports). Also Natarajan's daughter was born during IPL, when Nattu was with SRH. Again we dont know if Nattu asked SRH to return home. Being a newcomer (and also from the background that he is), Nattu like any other upcoming player decided by himself to prioritize his dreams of representing India over his child birth. It is his choice.
If you ask me, I wish Siraj came back to India for his father rituals, I wish Natarajan came back to India for his child birth... I so damn wish Dhoni came back to India for Ziva's birth. Nothing would have happened. They are representing the BCCI and just playing a sport. They are **NOT** performing national duty. National duty is when there is a war situation between India and another country and a soldier is asked to fight in the war. This all ties to the perennial disease that India (possibly as an extension, even Pakistan) has about establishing patriotism and creating wrong tie ups about what constitutes patriotism. This won't change easily and will take a few generations possibly. But I am happy and proud that Virat Kohli has not backed down and has pressed ahead and has come back to India. As an Indian captain, his actions can have a bearing over his generation and the debate that he has lit fire to, can have a positive impact of atleast some parts of the youngsters that follow him.
