Booting em out

I guess everyone is getting cut backs now as the non sports world has plenty of layoffs going on, so are the replacements in the sports land. Is no place safe? Rajasthan Royals axe Kaif, seven others from IPL 2 squad

I don't think it's quite the same thing in cricket. kaif was axed because he not shown himself to be an asset to the squad with last year's lackluster performance. He barely made it to 176 runs, after all.

I kind of thing its the same in any sport of job. If you are not pulling your weight then you are replaceable. How many times do good things go bad (companies, teams and the like) when so many slack off to the point its destructive for those who remain.

The difference in sports and the corporate world is that they can't replace you with a machine or have someone else take on your work along with their own. They must have a certain number of players. It's always been a fact that each team only wants the best players.

The off part to that is that not every team can have the best players, otherwise there is no competition. I could imagine the games all get a little harder if say you could only have 2 top players...

On that same note, have you noticed in say the last 15-20yrs that less and less are going into sports jobs and trying their hand at something else? I remember reading about this not too long ago.

I think fewer are going into sports related jobs because they are realizing that there is no type of security there (not that there is any security anywhere right now).

Cricket fans want to see the best of the best when they go to a match. Sponsors want fans to be happy so they will buy their products. Teams want sponsors to help foot the bill. It's the circle of sports life.

Everyone wants, but how many need? I get what you are saying with this and I will fully despise having to be the one to answer to everyone. Maybe thats why we see random outbursts from those who play the game??

That circle is never ending when you think about it and when there is even a slight change in who does what when and where, then everyone ends up suffering. Lets hope things get back and organized soon enough.

I too think it was more about who deserves to be in the team more than recession. It wasn't a case that they weren't good enough because then they wouldn't be there in the first place. Kaif is past his prime and unlike a Ganguly or Dravid, he was never capable of hitting big shots when the situation demanded it. He was always the accumulator of runs and unfortunately that doesn't work in T20. Ganguly and Dravid can still hit the ball over the ropes as they have clearly shown and so I believe that Kaif was sent back because of that. It cannot be for replacement either because no one replaced them in the end.

The more I am reading up on this the more I am thinking its just another scare tactic that someone thought would do good. I know for some other sports doing this it did the opposite and more fans stayed home than went to see live games.

I am always surprised when it comes to those who we think are "too old for it" and they do a little better than the younger folk. With age comes wisdom right, and experience.

Decisions like this do not come easily for coaching staff and team owners. This is how they make their living. If the team fails, they fail. Choosing who stays and who goes is always a big gamble.

I would imagine that is a possibility that is always looming over their heads. But, I can also see where some players act like they are invincible and irreplaceable.

I think it is probably a little of both. No one can afford to keep players who won't keep their weight. It is a very expensive sport, much money is required to pay the players and so much more. The players get payed very well for their expertise and if they can't follow through on their commitment, they need to get out of the way and let someone else give it a try.

I totally agree with Atlas. Players need to understand that they have to perform. Of course, no one will bring the likes of Flintoff and Peiterson to the chopping blocks because they are the costly foreign players. The axe will fall upon those lesser players who are not performing.

I agree!!! There are some international players who are untouchables. No one dare send back VVS Laxman despite his performances. That would raise eyebrows. Kaif is a nobody now, even though he was sensational before. Today, he isn't good enough. And this has nothing to do with age.