The ICC has just helped the Indian selectors. While the Indian selectors are simply not brave enough to drop any of the so called ICONIC players, the ICC has banned Dhoni from the Adelaide Test for slow over-rate. We as all Indian fans should thank them for this much needed favour. Dhoni is simply not skilled enough to bat in overseas conditions. Had he not been the captain of the team, he would not have found a place in the Test squad. Even as a skipper, the lack of fight his team has shown should bother him. He may be a legend of One day cricket, but may be it would serve the nation better if a wicket-keeper who is technically sound replaces him in the longer format of the game.
Unfortunately the problem does not end there. Sehwag has always played with a sense of freedom, and it did work for him all these years. However now that it is not, it does not seem to bother him and he continues in his same casual approach. He might leep his place in the team because he is a proven match winner, but if he does not turn his form around quickly, that tag could very well become the opposite for him. Gambhir on the other hand should be counting his days in Test cricket. It's been almost 2 years since he last scored a hundred, and his tentative batting is putting the middle order under constant pressure.
The turnaround in Dravid's form has been both remarkable and shocking. From being the highest run getter in England to letting straight deliveries seek through his defence, Dravid is in danger of surrendering his 'WALL' tag. The fact that he turned 39 on this tour and given is poor form, its time he considers quitting the game rather than embarrass himself and let go his famous reputation. Moving on the other great one, while Sachin has looked in sublime touch in most of his innings, the weight of the 100th 100 is clearly bogging him down. For somebody who has done it so often, this clearly was not expected. Now more for the sake of the team than for himself, he should try and get this milestone away. The 3rd person of this famous trio should immediately quit the game. VVS Laxman was never an athletic person, but now with old age, that has become a serious drawback for him. If not standing in slips, he is a big liability to the team. When he is at the crease, the only way his partner can score is through boundaries. Even if a 100m dash is organized among the 50 something cricket commentators and VVS is asked to compete with them, he would come last. It would be ridiculous if we find him on our next Test squad.
While the players should take most of the blame, the BCCI should not be spared either. Their scheduling of tours remains ridiculous as always. IPL seems to be the only thing that matters to them. We need good cricketing brains on that board, not people who fight over the Jan Lokpal in the Lok Sabha and then manage the BCCI as a hobby. People like Harsha Bhogle, Saurav Ganguly and Anil Kumble are few names who should occupy those places. Rajiv Shukla says, winning and losing is part and parcel of the game. But Sir, losing and losing is definitely not part of it.
It's time to take some hard decisions, look at the system(if there is any) and bring in the changes. I was once the ever optimist about Indian Cricket, but for the first time in my life, a sense of pessimism has drawn over me. A turn around has to happen, and it has to happen very soon.
Unfortunately the problem does not end there. Sehwag has always played with a sense of freedom, and it did work for him all these years. However now that it is not, it does not seem to bother him and he continues in his same casual approach. He might leep his place in the team because he is a proven match winner, but if he does not turn his form around quickly, that tag could very well become the opposite for him. Gambhir on the other hand should be counting his days in Test cricket. It's been almost 2 years since he last scored a hundred, and his tentative batting is putting the middle order under constant pressure.
The turnaround in Dravid's form has been both remarkable and shocking. From being the highest run getter in England to letting straight deliveries seek through his defence, Dravid is in danger of surrendering his 'WALL' tag. The fact that he turned 39 on this tour and given is poor form, its time he considers quitting the game rather than embarrass himself and let go his famous reputation. Moving on the other great one, while Sachin has looked in sublime touch in most of his innings, the weight of the 100th 100 is clearly bogging him down. For somebody who has done it so often, this clearly was not expected. Now more for the sake of the team than for himself, he should try and get this milestone away. The 3rd person of this famous trio should immediately quit the game. VVS Laxman was never an athletic person, but now with old age, that has become a serious drawback for him. If not standing in slips, he is a big liability to the team. When he is at the crease, the only way his partner can score is through boundaries. Even if a 100m dash is organized among the 50 something cricket commentators and VVS is asked to compete with them, he would come last. It would be ridiculous if we find him on our next Test squad.
While the players should take most of the blame, the BCCI should not be spared either. Their scheduling of tours remains ridiculous as always. IPL seems to be the only thing that matters to them. We need good cricketing brains on that board, not people who fight over the Jan Lokpal in the Lok Sabha and then manage the BCCI as a hobby. People like Harsha Bhogle, Saurav Ganguly and Anil Kumble are few names who should occupy those places. Rajiv Shukla says, winning and losing is part and parcel of the game. But Sir, losing and losing is definitely not part of it.
It's time to take some hard decisions, look at the system(if there is any) and bring in the changes. I was once the ever optimist about Indian Cricket, but for the first time in my life, a sense of pessimism has drawn over me. A turn around has to happen, and it has to happen very soon.
I agree to your views towards BCCI. For rest of the post Pessimism is all over.
ReplyDeleteTurnaround started happening in ODIs when selectors becaome bold and dropped VVS, dravid and saurav from ODI, its time to repeat it in Tests too
Deletevery nicely expressed.i dont know much abt the test matches to be able to comment on the players or the technicalities of the game but commendable command over the language.
ReplyDelete