The War of the Words

All India-Pakistan series have always had a huge buildup due to obvious reasons, right from the first ever test series back in the fifties. So to expect this series to be any different is incorrect. However, the buildup to this series has been a lot different to that to the other series. For the first time, we are seeing the implementation of the Australian policy of 'mental disintegration' of the opponents using the press, which was popularised by Steve Waugh and John Buchanan. Remember how the aussies would predict that they would thrash the poms before every ashes. And also how their team strategy regarding the opposition would suddenly turn up in the New Zealand team's room during their tour of New Zealand, reminding them of their shortcomings. But now obviously the phenomenon has spread to the subcontinent as well. Therefore before this tour we heard all Pakistani cricketers picking on Ganguly, pretending to give him advice, picking out batsmen and bowlers from the opposition whom they'd choose to attack and other such things. Even MS Dhoni retaliated by challenging the Pakistani fast bowlers to pitch it in short.
All this does is to create an artificial hype around a series which is already much hyped. It is precisely these sort of comments that incite the crowds, causing security concerns. And even worse is the constant comparisons of this series with a war. I think that we should all calm down and let the cricketers get on with their job of playing cricket without putting any extra pressure on them. After all, it is just a game.