Forget the hype, go out and do your stuff

I am extremely annoyed with all the promoters and managers/agents of individual cricketers. They are making icons of every cricketer but, other than Sachin Tendulkar, there is no icon in Indian cricket.

Some of the team members have not even found their footing yet, leave alone a permanent place in the squad. They (promoters and agents) are showing themselves off as messiahs of the game, which they are not. In fact, they are doing more harm to the cricketers and the game than the players.

The cricketers should be very careful about these agents and not fall prey to them. These agents are not going to perform on the field. They only take a pound of flesh from these cricketers.

The players now have to lift their game. They have to prove to the world that they have the ability to do well and that they can, will and should do it.

The team should forget the past: their show in New Zealand or the matches against Zimbabwe in the last World Cup. Wednesday will be a new game. They have to go with an open mind to perform to their best, to do justice to their ability.

The players have to show a fair amount of strength of character and courage of conviction. I am not going to talk about either the composition of the team or the batting order. That should be left alone to the team management. What the team needs at the moment is to forget all else and concentrate only on the next game. There seem to be too many things bothering the players at the moment.

Think of India and the millions of your supporters. You’ll do justice to yourself and the team.