UK Conservative Party’s 5 steps to political oblivion

Posted on July 6, 2024 by Sunil Rajguru

1. Why have a Brexit referendum when you don’t want Brexit in the first place? (June 2016)
David Cameron didn’t want Brexit. Most of the politicians in the UK didn’t want Brexit. Most of London didn’t want Brexit. So if you want to firmly stay in the EU, why have a Brexit referendum? David Cameron’s decision defies logic. All his reasoning was dubious at that time and even more so with hindsight. And if the country finally voted for Brexit, why resign and not implement their will? Initially Cameron talked of a 3-4 months transition. Why hang about when you don’t want to do your job?

2. Why replace a Remainer with a Remainer? (July 2016)
Luckily the replacement came in July. But what is the logic of replacing one Remainer (Cameron) with another Remainer (Theresa May). Only a Brexiteer PM would have sorted out the issue. But the Conservatives insisted on insulting a public mandate and making the whole issue fester.

3. After a needless referendum, why go in for a needless snap poll? (June 2017)
May proved to be a Cameron clone. Both were Remainers and both called for needless public polls to waste everyone’s time.

4. Boris Johnson coming late to the party (July 2019)
Love him or hate him, he was the only person who should have been PM in 2016 as a true Brexiteer. Instead Cameron quit and May proved ineffective in giving a good solution for the Brits. Johnson also couldn’t do much initially and had to foist yet another snap poll on the public (December 2019) to get his way, only to find himself out thanks to the Conservatives total inability to implement Brexit. We had a PM for under 2 months followed by Rishi Sunak.

5. Why have yet another snap poll? (July 2024)
The writing was on the wall. Labour was heading for a landslide. So any PM would have simply waited till December when the term ended hoping that either Labour started making mistakes or something happened in the next few months that would make the Conservatives better. But Sunak pulled the rug 5-6 months before the term expired.

Bottomline: From 2016-24, the Conservatives gave the public a referendum and three general elections. They desperately seemed to be wanting to end every term while every PM seemed itching to quit. Well they all finally got their wish with a Labour landslide in 2024.

India in the 7th heaven of delight

Posted on June 30, 2024 by Sunil Rajguru

India has now won 7 global level tournaments…

1. ODI World Cup–1983. (Captain: Kapil Dev)
2. Benson & Hedges World Series Championship–1985. (Sunil Gavaskar)
3. ICC Champions Trophy–2002. (Sourav Ganguly)
4. T20 World Cup–2007. (MS Dhoni)
5. ODI World Cup–2011. (MS Dhoni)
6. ICC Champions Trophy–2013. (MS Dhoni)
7. T20 World Cup–2024. (Rohit Sharma)

We have won these tournaments in Australia, South Africa, England, West Indies-USA, Sri Lanka and India. We are definitely not poor travelers or paper tigers abroad.

In first place is Australia with 10 ICC titles. 3rd is West Indies with 5 such titles. That’s followed by Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England (all 3 ICC titles). Then New Zealand with 2 and South Africa with 1.

Rohit is hot on the trail of Dhoni in terms of winning tournaments with many teams…

MS Dhoni
T20 World Cup–2007.
ODI World Cup–2011.
ICC Champions Trophy–2013.
2 Asia Cups–2010, 2016.
5 IPLs–2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023.
2 Champions League Twenty20–2010, 2014.
Total=12.

Rohit Sharma
T20 World Cup–2024.
2 Asia Cups–2018, 2023.
5 IPLs–2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020.
Champions League Twenty20–2013.
Total=9.

India’s knockout performance versus its cricketing rivals

Posted on June 29, 2024 by Sunil Rajguru

In large tournaments that have been called World Cups or mini World Cups, we have won the following knockout matches and finals against the following countries…

Australia (4)
1. 1998 ICC Knockout Quarter Final
2. 2000 ICC Knockout Quarter Final
3. 2007 T20 World Cup Semi Final
4. 2011 ODI World Cup Quarter Final

Pakistan (4)
1. 1985 Benson & Hedges World Series Final
2. 1996 ODI World Cup Quarter Final
3. 2007 T20 World Cup Final
4. 2011 ODI World Cup Semi Final

South Africa (4)
1. 2000 ICC Knockout Semi Final
2. 2002 Champions Trophy Semi Final
3. 2014 T20 World Cup Semi Final
4. 2024 T20 World Cup Final

England (3)
1. 1983 ODI World Cup Semi Final
2. 2013 Champions Trophy Final
3. 2024 T20 World Cup Semi Final

Sri Lanka (2)
1. 2011 ODI World Cup Final
2. 2013 Champions Trophy Semi Final

Bangladesh (2)
1. 2015 ODI World Cup Quarter Final
2. 2017 Champions Trophy Semi Final

West Indies (1)
1983 ODI World Cup Final

New Zealand (1)
2023 ODI World Cup Semi Final

Kenya (1)
2003 ODI World Cup Semi Final

Why Indian cricketers aren’t poor travellers and ace foreign tours

Posted on June 29, 2024 by Sunil Rajguru

England is yet to win a major multi-nation ODI tournament outside England. South Africa and New Zealand have not won a World Cup anywhere. Forget a Test series—Sri Lanka has never even won a single Test in India. Pakistan won their first Test series in West Indies quite late in 2017 as against India way back in 1971.

The truth is that when you combine all three formats of the game, then only Australia and India are the best travellers. These two teams have won maximum multi-nation tournaments in maximum countries. It’s a myth that Indians are poor travellers in international cricket overall.

We have won in…

England.
1 ODI World Cup—1983.
1 ICC Champions Trophy—2013.
3 Test series—1971, 1986, 2007.
1 ODI Tri-series—2002.
4 ODI series—1986, 1990, 2014, 2022.
2 T20 series—2018, 2022.
Total = 12.

Australia.
1 Mini World Cup—Benson & Hedges World Series 1985.
2 Test series—2019, 2021.
1 ODI Tri-series—2008.
1 ODI series—2019.
2 T20 series—2016*, 2020.
Total = 7.
India retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Aus by tying the Test series in 2004.
*Australia’s only whitewash in any format on home soil ever since 1877.

South Africa.
1 T20 World Cup—2007.
2 ODI series—2018, 2023.
1 T20 series—2018.
Total = 4.

Sri Lanka.
1 ICC Champions Trophy—2002.
2 Asia Cups—2010, 2023.
3 Test series—1993, 2015, 2017.
3 ODI Tri-series—1998, 2009, 2018.
5 ODI series—2008, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2021.
Total = 14.

West Indies.
1 T20 World Cup, 2023. (Joint hosts US)
6 Test series—1971, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2023.
1 ODI Tri-series—2013.
7 ODI series—2002, 2009, 2011, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023.
2 T20 series—2019, 2022.
Total = 17.

Pakistan.
1 Test series—2004.
2 ODI series—2004, 2006.
Total = 3.

New Zealand.
2 Test series—1968, 2009.
2 ODI series—2009, 2019.
2 T20 series—2020, 2022.
Total = 6.

UAE.
7 multi-nation tournaments—1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 1998, 1998, 2018.

Bangladesh.
2 Asia Cups—1988, 2016.
5 Test series—2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2022.
1 ODI Tri-series—1998.
3 ODI series—2004, 2007, 2014.
Total = 11.

China.
1 Asian Games Gold Medal, 2023.

Canada.
2 ODI series—1997 (Pak), 1999 (WI).

Ireland.
1 ODI series—2007 (SA).
3 T20 series—2018, 2022, 2023. (Ire).
Total = 4.

Zimbabwe.
1 Test series—2005
5 ODI series—1998, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2022.
2 T20 series—2010, 2016.
Total = 8.

Grand Total = 96, that includes 6 World Cups/mini WCs, second only to Australia.

India has won at least one 5-nation plus tournament in Australia, South Africa, England, West Indies-USA, Sri Lanka, UAE, Bangladesh and India.

From 1932-67 we won exactly 0.
1968-71: 3.
1972-82: 0.
Our golden period began in 1983 when we won the World Cup and ODI series/tournaments started becoming common-place.
1983-Now = 93.

(This blog was first published on October 1, 2018. This is an updated version of the same)

In India you have to be single to rule…

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Sunil Rajguru

Jawaharlal Nehru was Prime Minister from 1947-64. He was a widower. Kamala Nehru died in 1936.

Indira Gandhi was PM from 1966-77 and 1980-84. She was a widow. Feroze Gandhi died in 1960.

PV Narasimha Rao was PM from 1991-96. He was a widower. His wife Satyamma died in 1970.

AB Vajpayee* was PM from 1996-96 and 1998-2004. He was a bachelor.

Sonia was Super PM from 2004-14. She is a widow. Rajiv Gandhi died in 1991.

Narendra Modi is a bachelor/single, depending on how you look at it because he was a victim of an illegal child marriage which did not go forward.

That covers about 65/77 years of India’s Independence.

*The run up to 2004 was interesting because Vajpayee was PM, bachelor APJ Abdul Kalam was President and Sonia was Leader of the Opposition.

Why do UK-France have a UN veto and not India?

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Sunil Rajguru

India is the most populous country in the world. Recently Forbes released a list of the most powerful military powers of 2023 and in it India came fourth. It’s the fifth largest economy in the world.

Population rank: 1
Military rank: 4
Economic rank: 5

So a simple question, why is it not one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council?

The US is way ahead.
Population rank: 3
Military rank: 1
Economic rank: 1

China comes second.
Population rank: 2
Military rank: 3
Economic rank: 2.

India would probably come third with this kind of ratings system.

Russia.
Population rank: 9
Military rank: 2
Economic rank: 11.

UK.
Population rank: 21
Military rank: 5
Economic rank: 6

France.
Population rank: 23
Military rank: 9
Economic rank: 7

A simple question: What are the UK and France doing in the Top 5 of the UN nations? Why aren’t they being kicked out?

Bottomline
Either these should be the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council:
America, China, Russia, EU and India.
Or this Top 5 concept should be done away altogether.

Sunil Rajguru's World

A little bit of everything under the sun.

Author Archives: Sunil Rajguru