The Dhoni-Bell Fiasco - nobody cares about the spirit of the game, why should we?

Ok, so all of you must be knowing of the Dhoni-Bell fiasco that happened on the 3rd day of 2nd test between India and England at Trent Bridge. For whose who don't, here is an account of what happened.

"It was the last ball before tea. Ian Bell ran the 3 runs , the umpire didn’t even signal the boundary, and Bell had started for the 4th run. The ball stopped just before the boundary, Praveen Kumar grabbed it and threw it back to Dhoni who took off the bails, and
applead to the umpire for run out. Bell was given out.

The drama began later when the post-tea session began. Ian Bell was back to batting like normal. Turns out, the English captain Andrew Strauss went to Indian dressing room during the tea break and requested the Indian team to take back the run out appeal, for they believed that Bell had thought that the ball was dead and was not actually taking the 4th run, but was walking back to the dressing room."

Now, as we know, Dhoni initally was against taking back the appeal and it was our very own GOD, Sachin who convinced him in taking the appeal back, in the spirit of the game.



It was later when I read my friend Chetan Bhawani's blog, I began thinking over it. He raises a very valid point.


When nobody cares about the "spirit of the game" while sledging on the field, why should we care about it when, in fact, Bell's dismissal was perfectly fine according to rule books??


That is my point too. I have been saying, Sachin said it "did not feel right"...when players sledge on the field, do they think of "feeling right" about doing it? No, they know they are doing it for their own good.


ok, put the "spirit of the game" aside...can't you think twice before taking such a decision? I am saying this to Sachin. Yes, I am questioning the person many of you consider God. 


But let's face it. In the end, Sachin Tendulkar is a normal human being, with some extraordinary talent. But he is prone to his own follies too. Yes, taking the appeal back was nothing but a FOLLY.


And the same question is for Dhoni too. Sure Sachin is a legend, but does that give him the right to take decisions for the team?? A captain is made a captain because he has a mind of his own..he can think beyond the point where players cannot...I mean WHAT WAS DHONI THINKING!! 


It was clear Bell was doing all the damage on the field...why can't you be authoritative enough on the field!! why do you have to be altruistic all the time?? Can't you be selfish for the sake of the team? or are you so scared of the media giving you a bad image that you would let the man wreck havoc on your already-tired bowling attack??


Yes. I am furious. I am furious because I can imagine what wonders it could have done for team, had the run out appeal NOT been withdrawn. Bell was batting superbly, had the appeal not been overturned, it could have opened up India's way to victory.


In short, I am blaming not our poor batting, not our shoddy fielding, but this withdrawal of appeal as our main reason for loss.


(Thanks Chetan, for igniting the spirit in me)