Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson demonstrate their childishness

Ponting was clearly frustrated at not being able to get bat on to ball as Aamer mesmerized, yet Ponting could learn a great deal from his vice-captain Michael Clarke, who clashed with Aamer in the 2nd Twenty20 but accepted Aamer’s apology with good grace. Whilst Ponting has built himself a certain reputation in cricket, there is a side to him that is not so immendiately obvious. Back in December 2009 when Chris Gayle and Shane Watson had their falling out, Ponting’s behaviour at the time was something that really surprised me coming from such a classy player. The clip below shows Watson dismissing Gayle and then behaving like a brat, but have a look at 15 seconds into the clip in the back ground at Pontings ‘celebration’ as he runs in from slip. Pathetic. Would you have seen Brian Lara or Sachin Tendulkar do such a thing?

We will wait to see if the match referre Chris Broard does somethig about it, but  knowing Broad, I wouldn’t hold my breath. A little bit of slap and tickle would suffice for the Aussies I’m sure. And consider the fact that asked a while back who his favourite cricketer was, Aamer replied Ricky Ponting. Shame on you Ponting.

There is no doubt that these comparisons with other cricketing greats would have been made as the record went but what is the need to bring one great down in the name of the other? Those that do, have to seriously reconsider their adherence to this sport. Certainly, even those with the burden of responsibility such as cricinfo.com, have erred when it comes to not adding fuel to the fire by describing the achievement as having “eclipsed” Saeed Anwar’s 194. They also happened to have ignored Charles Coventry’s 194* in this instance, demonstrating an undercurrent of an India/Pakistan clash of bragging rights.

The fact that so many are turning this into an Indo-Pak battle shows the mindset of many. You would wonder what these people would do if Saeed Anwar wasn’t Pakistani and Sachin Tendulkar wasn’t Indian. No doubt they’d find something to argue about.

Tendulkar’s critics maintained that his record was on a flat track and a small outfield, and Anwar’s was against the big rival Indian, in India. His supporters respond by saying Anwar needed a runner (he was unwell, so this makes it easier?), and that Tendulkar done it against a better bowling attack and remained not out.

Sachin Tendulkar gives thanks for his blessings

Had it been any other batsmen overtaking Anwar then there wouldn’t have been so much gloating, or from the other side, so much criticism. But this is what Sachin Tendulkar, India and Pakistan have to live with. Many of their fans and critics are not of the live and let live kind. At the time of Saeed Anwar’s 194, Tendulkar said himself that it was the best innings he had seen. Do his supporters ignore his opinion now?

I personally enjoyed watching Lara more than anyone because of his style, and if someone asked me to choose between Ponting and Tendulkar in my team for a must win game, I’d probably choose Ponting for his grittiness, even though I’m not the biggest fan of his conduct at times. In every other situation (that’s most of them!), I’d take Tendulkar. This is just a personal preference and doesn’t mean I dislike Lara, Ponting or Tendulkar as cricketers because how could you? All three would be in my greatest eleven.

This ‘who is the best’ argument is just about opinion and personal preference. Warne says Tendulkar’s the best, McGrath said it was Lara; is one right and the other wrong? We don’t have to always win an argument, we can agree to disagree. To praise Tendulkar, you don’t have to belittle Anwar, to praise Bradman, you don’t have to belittle Tendulkar. Anyhow, I don’t think anyone of the modern age can even have a real opinion of who was the best as they can’t have been around to see Bradman. His average of 99.94, whatever you may say about the cricket of the time, at the very least deserves that we do not give that ‘greatest’ accolade to anyone in his absence, even if we don’t give it to him.

So, let’s appreciate for a moment, Sachin Tendulkar’s achievement of staying in for 50 overs against a top bowling attack, scoring at more than a run a ball, and most importantly of all, not offering the opposition a chance. For all the extreme views, this was a great achievement and the record could not have gone from a nicer guy in Anwar, to a nicer guy in Tendulkar. A guy so nice in fact, that he’d probably disagree with some of the things his ‘supporters’ are saying on different sites, in his name. Grow up people, well done Sachin.

Meanwhile, Younis has devoured this challenge with an innings that could earn him the highest ever score by a Pakistani. It would be well deserved. The new captaincy, a selection row, criticism of his leadership in the field, a score of over six hundred, and the bowling combination of Murali and Mendis have all made this innings a test of Younis’ mental strength and character. He has passed with a flourish and an ever present smile.

His square drive to reach a century and reverse sweep to the triple hundred were typical Younis: classical yet innovative and fearless. The road to recovery for Pakistan cricket will be long and interrupted by failure. But Younis Khan has already shown that he is a man with the guts to lead Pakistan cricket out of the living hell of the past two years.

Published with the permission of Dr Kamran Abbasi. Also posted at cricinfo.com