Opinion | Ian Chappell >> A tale of two countries Indian cricket may be coming up roses, but across the border, Pakistan is staring down the barrel March 16, 2008 Plenty on his plate: PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf has the unenviable task of dealing with the knock-on effects of Australia's pullout from their tour © Getty Images This is not so much a tale of two cities, rather one of two countries - neighbours and yet poles apart in their current cricketing fortunes. On the one hand big brother India is currently forging ahead on the back of victories over Australia, both in a Test at the pace fortress in Perth and then a first ever triumph in the one-day tri-series. In achieving the latter success India relied heavily on youth and in the process unearthed some very talented players who proved they have the temperament as well as the skill for international competition. The playing future looks rosy for India despite the approaching retirement of a number of star batsmen. As if all that success wasn't heady enough, off the field the IPL auction was launched in a blaze of publicity and a flood of money. India is rolling in it: riches on and off the field. Just across the border the poor relation, Pakistan, is dealing with political unrest, and cricket is but one of the many things to suffer. A potential financial windfall from a tour by Australia has been dashed by the world champions' refusal to visit because of safety concerns. A major tour has now been replaced by the much less imposing one-day and Twenty20 visit from lowly Bangladesh. The postponement of the Australia tour also puts at risk the lucrative Champions Trophy tournament scheduled for September in Pakistan. The loss of the financial bonus that would have resulted from a visit by Australia places extra strain on the Pakistan board's already stretched finances. It also opens up the prospect of even more of their players showing interest in the affluent rebel ICL circuit. For a team struggling with inconsistency, which has recently lost a number of experienced players, the financial blow from Australia's pullout is only part of Pakistan's problem. The decision by Cricket Australia to postpone the tour is understandable in light of all the recent unrest in Pakistan. Nevertheless, following the comment by Pakistan coach and former player Geoff Lawson, "The outside world thinks that this Australian team is arrogant and not well behaved," this latest development won't be regarded as a boost to that tarnished image. Adding fuel to that argument is the fact that the Australian team continued the tour of England in 2005 despite a serious bomb attack in London. It also doesn't help that India, where the Australians will now be able to compete in the IPL tournament, is not immune to incidents of this sort. This will lead to criticism that the Australians are selective about where they play, depending on their perception of the country issuing the invite and the size of the financial carrot being dangled.     There will be criticism that the Australians are selective about where they play, depending on their perception of the country issuing the invite and the size of the financial carrot being dangled   Heaven forbid it happens, but if there is a bomb blast in India during the IPL tournament it'll be interesting to note the reaction of individual players - especially in the light of the refusal of their players' association to send a representative to Pakistan to review the security arrangements. Nevertheless, a spate of bomb attacks around the time the decision to tour was being taken made it virtually impossible for CA to come to any other conclusion, especially with the players' reluctance to travel to Pakistan. So where does this leave international cricket? Well, there are the have-lots and the have-nots. India, Australia and England are all financially strong. The first two also have decent playing strength. England's fortunes, seemingly on a steeply rising curve in 2005, now seem to be flatlining. The finances of the other five major nations range from parlous to passable and the next few years are crucial in ensuring that this doesn't have an adverse effect on the playing standards of West Indies and Pakistan. Australia's reluctance to tour Pakistan could also set a precedent, influencing the decisions of other countries due to tour there. Therefore, Pakistan badly needs India to show strong leadership and play in the Asia Cup next month. If that tournament goes off without a hitch, it will be hard for anyone to refuse to play in the Champions Trophy on the grounds of security fears. There's no doubt India is the financial strength of world cricket, but the next few months will determine where it ranks as a leader. The bulk of the major nations are banking on India to show strong guidance - none more so than their struggling neighbour. © Cricinfo

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Posted by Nampally on March 16 2008, 13:40 PM GMT

There is no comparison of the political stability between India and Pakistan. Pakistan had uncontrolled violence leading up to assassination of one their own beloved leader Benazir Bhutto. The risk of hostage taking of the players must also be considered seriously in addition to bomb threats. Hence Australia was prudent but correct in cancelling the tour rather than risk danger to its team. India might not participate in the Asian Cup either because of the same threat. Again if this is the case the decision of the BCCI must not be criticized. There is always a danger to players when the situation is politically unstable. India is politically stable. The security is also high. Furthermore, the public is more intent on the sport rather than on creating disturbance especially when they have paid heavily at the gate. Ian, I am afraid the "tale of 2 countries" does not apply here. I expect IPL to be played under relatively safe conditions although no country can guarantee this 100%.

Posted by usha on March 16 2008, 12:05 PM GMT

The ICC has to nuture the poorer nations to sustain growth of cricket across the globe. As an Indian I would like to say that we have suffered from this in the past and I be proud if the BCCI helps the ICC this quest. In that regard whether it the ICL or the IPL, they are giving money to struggling international cricketeers and that has to be good. I hope that it prevents good cricketeers seeking alterantive employment to get a good life. But I question the emergence of Ian Chappel's altruism. Over the last few decades, when India also belonged to the poorer countries, did Australia not show a reluctance to tour India (one team was Chappell's)? In fact, why did he not suggest to CA or the ECB to do something then? To go further, the BCCI has a strong say in the workings of the ICC only over the last decade. Before that for centuries England and their blood relatives Australia were the powerhouses and the MCC at Lords was pretty much the ICC. Where was the altruism then?

Posted by Revnq on March 16 2008, 07:41 AM GMT

I'd love to know how many commentators and writers who are questioning the Australian decision to postpone their tour of Pakistan have actually visited the country in the past few months or so. I have had the pleasure of visiting India and the displeasure of visiting Pakistan and the difference is astounding. India for me was merely a different culture but the atmosphere in Pakistan was incredibly oppressive, and should my employer ask me to visit again he'll have my resignation two seconds later. If an Australian businessman with a family doesn't wan't to go there, why should we force cricketers to go? You can spout on about the development of the game, but at the end of the day that is all it is - a game, nothing more.

Posted by KarachiKid on March 16 2008, 07:17 AM GMT

I am impressed at Ian Chappel's depth of analysis that deals more with politics and perceptions than technical stuff. Yes we need India to show some kind of leadership here, unlike Aussies, who have refused for the second time in 5 years, while in between, South Africans, Indians, Sri Lankans, English, Zembabwe, Bangladeshis have visited us. In fact India and South Africa have both toured Pakistan twice, including recent past. It is a pitty that Aussies behave the way they do !

Posted by farooqsyed on March 16 2008, 07:04 AM GMT

it is sad that the australian team didnt tour pakistan but there concerns are very understandable. however i must add that pakistan only looks a dangerous place to visit from the outside. when u are actually inside it is pretty safe and geoff lawson will pay testimony to this fact. the Pakistan cricket board should have been more flexible and a series could have been played in australia at this point in time. And later in 2009 when Pakistan werere slated to go down under the Australian could have come. It is sad the cricket frenzy Pakistani fans were deprived of this great contest. As it is Pakistan a very few international fixtures coming up in the next few years as compared to the other test playing nations.

Posted by Sidhu1919 on March 16 2008, 06:58 AM GMT

True, India may be on a rise after a great tour of Australia, IPL and the under-19 Worldcup victory, while Pakistan is lying low down after the postponement of its series with Australia which has been replaced with a serires against a lowly Bangladesh.But one must remember that Pakistan were the semifinalist in the recently concluded under-19 worldcup.Australia have played courageously in the recent past in England despite bomb attacks, but in the case of Pakistan, there have been emergencies, continuous bombings leading to the death of Benazir Bhutto.So I think, that the CA has made the right decision in postponing the tour.

Posted by mark777 on March 16 2008, 05:54 AM GMT

Well Ian despite being 7 time smaller country than india Population wise and even poorer infrastructur Pakistan has about twice a better win/loss ratio in test cricket than its arch rivals.Probably it will still take ages and ages of sustained brillience from India to have better overall record than Pakistan,maybe not possible in our life time! which just goes on to show almost non existent bowling talent india have produced throughout its whole history.Even in ODIs pakistan performed better than india for each year between 1999 to 2006! 8 successive years.Pakistan is struggling at the moment but one advantage of their inconsistancy is if they are never consistantly brillient they are never too bad for a longer period of time, so watch out for them in near future. Even now when India has probably best side in its history they failed to completely dominate pakistan in recently concluded series. India need to get less eccentric they can only bring you as much.

Posted by Naseer on March 16 2008, 04:44 AM GMT

I can tell you one thing, Cricket is a huge passion in Pakistan, whatever the circumstances are, cricket shall never fall instead will raise, political unrest is not a surprise for this country, it is always there, but the life goes on, specially the cricket. Situation in Pak has never been as good as in Australia, Newzealand, England etc, and in spite of not having proper and powerful cricket administration it still has a lot of cricketing achievements to be proud of, and has produced starling heroes and unbelievable records. It is up to the entire cricketing world to understand that cricket has remained, and shall remain totally safe and secure in the country. there is no problem with it, Australian players refusal to play in Pak gives a very bad impression, to be very frank, it just shows that cricket world is not one body, there is no cooperation and coordination, cricket is also part of normal life and in normal life it is a common saying: a friend in need is friend indeed

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