Indian cricket needs a revamp
Team India has been rolled over twice already and within four playing days each time in Melbourne and Sydney. Dhoni’s men are in free-fall, their descent from the dizzy heights of being the world’s top-rated Test cricket team as rapid as the ascent was slow. A sixth straight Test defeat on foreign soil is a clear sign the team is back to the old days when it was a champion at home and a hapless loser abroad.
A beleaguered captain has been blaming all sections of his team even if it is apparent that the much-vaunted batsmen are the main culprits, their much-vaunted combination distinctly lacking a backbone when it comes to fighting their way past difficult batting conditions as are known to exist when the pitches have some early life in them.
The big disappointment is this was one series in which the Indian pace trio seemed capable of not only generating pace but also delivering wickets. The Sydney leather hunt, featuring Michael Clarke’s triple century and two senior pros — Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey who were under pressure for their places — finding success again, might seem to defeat the argument. However, fantastic batting conditions were given away simply because Indian batsmen did not show sufficient spirit to negotiate the tough early phase.
Fortunes on the cricket field are known to be cyclical but what is worrying is all the distracting hyperbole about personal glory seems to have robbed the team of its competitive spirit. Dwelling on Sachin Tendulkar’s century of centuries has not helped the team’s cause although the batsman, who was the leading run scorer in the two Tests for the visiting team, is performing exceptionally for his age.
What was thought to be Team India’s finest chance to win a maiden Test series Down Under has already been frittered away. Age is not the primary reason as the 30-plus men have at least delivered one half century in four innings. The real cause is that our flashy batsmen are fair weather performers who relish particular conditions of low bounce, as on Asian pitches.
It’s difficult to envisage the team digging itself out of this hole. The way forward can only lie in a complete revamp. The problems of a young batsman like Virat Kohli, who was given sustained opportunities in the middle order but has not delivered yet, is symptomatic of a younger generation bred on instant cricket. Rebuilding a team that is soon to go into a major transition is not going to be easy. If need be, there may have to be a change at the top in Tests with India also adopting the principle of dual captaincy.
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