Indian tour Down Under this summer ,mildly put, has been a disaster.
Just some time back, we were the World’s No1 test team and we are now quickly slipping down the ladder- as I write – we are 4th.Even this ranking seems to be quite over-rated.ICC needs to re-work its points system(apart from various issues on which it needs to work)
Now,the bigger issue in this blog for me , is – What is happening to Indian team?
To quickly analyse – our main batting stalwarts – Sachin,Dravid& Laxman , have done their chances no good by putting up batting displays that were far below the standards they have set for themselves and others to follow.
Our next-in-line batsmen – Virat,Rohit,Raina – have been touted as the next BIG three(I am excluding Pujara – poor fellow- has been injured – maybe that’s lucky for him)
These young guns have misfired in most of the occasions.We can spare a thought for Virat who was the only centurion in the whole tour so far(ODIs and tests included).
But does that mean we should not persist with the young guns??
So,where is the hope for Indian cricket?
Hope is in taking a hard look at our domestic set-up and also looking at IPL.It is a cash cow allright but what is more important? Survival of cricket or IPL?? BCCI has been bull dozing its way in all the ICC-related policies – be it the window for IPL or the referral system or the Sahara sponsorship fiasco…
Wish it could channelize some of its energies towards
1) Preparing better pitches that will suit fast bowling
2) Creating a strong bench-strength through ‘A” team touring various countries
3) Drafting and implementing a proper succession plan for the batsmen and bowlers
4) Not allowing IPL as the platform to select players for national duty
5) Reducing the IPL window thus providing more time for the cricketers to recuperate and condition themselves for the sterner TESTS.
Now, another important issue is, who will tell Sachin that it is time he hangs up his boots and say a dignified goodbye to International cricket?
Ricky Ponting got dropped due to poor form in the current CBS triangular series.Indians can’t imagine Sachin getting the same treatment!! We are tolerant towards average performance and are highly skewed towards past reputation.
This has to stop .Nobody denies Sachin’s contributions and his stellar performances but time has come to take a step sideways and give way to young budding cricketers.That’s how he got into the team in the first place.Mohinder Amarnath,Sandip Patil were the guys who gave their places to him.The same is true for Dravid and Laxman as well…
Now, who will bell these big CATs? I think there is no other way but for the CATs to realise and bell themselves!!!
