"Athleticism has never been associated with Indian cricket, nor with Indians in general, and that has been a chip on the shoulder of Indian manhood." Somini Sengupta, If It's Hip, Fast and Furious, Is It Cricket?, 2007
"Through the same passes from time immemorial warlike races had swept down on the sun-steeped plains of the Five Rivers
and rich alluvial tracts of the Ganges and Jumna to conquer the effete dwellers therein and subdue them to their will. In India history repeats itself with monotonous sameness. In its enervating plains, far removed from the invigorating sea-breeze and the bracing cold of the mountain ranges, the keen eye, undaunted heart, and relentless arm of the successive hardy northern immigrants slowly but surely tend to change to the placid look, folded hands and brooding mind of the Eastern Sage, who, content to dream his dream of life, wearily turns from the conflict and dire struggle for existence, time after time introduced by the more warlike northern conquerors ever coming and going like the monsoon storms." W. D. Frazer, British India, 1896.
So I guess they're saying the same objectionable thing, but the second one is pure poetry.
That article was an exercise in stretching contrasts to make a point - she made it sound like one-day cricket had never intervened between the leisurely test format and 20-20. As for athleticism, the Indian team, like all cricketers, got much more serious about fitness several years ago, before 20-20 was even a gleam in some promoter's eye. This is what happens when some American journo parachutes into a cricket tournament and uses stereotypes to make up for research, sorry to say.
Ah med, let's remember it's by Somini Sen something, and what can be more immitative than a bong working for the New York Times. As they say, Bengalis have the right to go wrong -- that's their birthright. Just look at what they've done to the world's most beautiful city and you'll know that it only required a Bengali working for the Umricans to write such crappy stuff. Who needs Sat-Isabgold for conspitation, you have Somini at the New York Times!!!
A friend wrote to the reporter telling her that 'The batsman S. Sreesanth',(from "it was said, defied cricket manners by being unusually aggressive") is primarily a bowler. He also wondered what she meant by the headline... suggesting that cricket can only now be included in conversation, being totally uncool before T20. this is Somini's reply "We've got a correction in the works on Sreesanth. Thanks for your careful reading. As for the headline, that's for the headline writer, not the reporter. Bests- Somini" I've kinda gotten used to seeing Ivy league kids write with pretend insight when they visit countries of their origin.