Does being arrogant and obnoxious make anyone invincible? Does undergoing gruelling workouts and physical training in the jungles and outbacks, with their home media (print and electronic) following/recording and publishing/beaming the He-Men chronicles to the world shroud anyone with an aura of invincibility?
Does all this bestow the right on anyone to bad-mouth and hurl taunts at opponents? Don't be misled. Talk here is not about going to war with an imaginary enemy. Talk here is of the "Invincibles" as the Australian media has dubbed the Australian Cricket team.
The happenings on 18th October '06 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai should be enough for John Howard, the honourable Australian Prime Minister (himself a cricket aficionado) to ask Ricky Ponting and his merry, jungle-trained cricket-warriors to catch the first available flight out of Mumbai to the nearest Australian Army outpost to be drafted in to assist them.
And while considering this proposal, the erstwhile Howard may ask Ponting, atleast till such time his and his men's reservations are made, to tone down their rhetoric and bad-mouthing.
While waiting, Howard may think it proper to ask the Chairman of Cricket Australia to seek and hire the services of an 'English' Governess to coach Ponting and his men the art of being graceful when and if (sic) at the losing end.
In his post-match interview, Ponting did not deem it up to his mental standard (blame in on the jungle-training and the gladiator-mindset) to praise the West Indian team for playing magnificently.
Even if Australia does manage to win the ICC Championship from here-on, their psycho-crafted balloon of invincibility has been punctured. And all the while we were told cricket is or was known as a gentlemen's game.