ddb wrote:Asia Cup doesn't fit what bill? Maybe it fits Sachin's bill, it's away from home and next test series is in September. Playing Pakistan is fricking rare too.
My bill if you like. This one:
vindalf wrote:He's generally been picky about them, opting to play against the better teams, in meaningful games, or in tougher conditions. That means playing in the World Cup, in South Africa and in Australia.
Bangladesh is away from home in name but are the conditions tougher and are they that different from, say, Calcutta? I'm sure the Rainas and the Rohits or anyone else will do just fine on those tracks.
The Asia Cup, to me, lacks context. It isn't the World Cup and doesn't go along with an important test series. I can remember what happened when India last played a one day series in SA or West Indies or any other place when there was a Test series to add some context. The last Asia Cup is, however, a complete blank in my mind. I appreciate the fact that that could be just me and that for some people, the last edition of the Asia Cup might well be the stuff of fond memories. But to me, it will always remain a pointless series of one-day matches in a time when there are already too many of them.
Sachin is going against his own recent history by playing in this series. This is a series where the team doesn't desperately need the great man.


