A former cricketer I met last week quipped that India would have lost even to France, leave aside Bangladesh, after their gruelling itinerary over the past year. This is an unflattering view of the superb performance put up by Bangladesh in winning the series 2-1, though not entirely bereft of some merit.It is no secret that India’s leading players were unwilling to go on the tour, but were compelled by the BCCI into acceptance. The BCCI, of course, had its own compulsions. Support from Bangladesh in the ICC is crucial, and a team of stand-bys is not the best way to please an ally.
At the macro level, the BCCI has responsibilities towards growing the sport. You can’t remain in the vanguard by not caring about how other countries are faring. One of the reasons why England lost its domination is because it became disdainful of “smaller” cricket-playing countries.But players have to be treated humanely too. The argument that they are professionals and are paid to do a job is specious. Sending out mentally and physically jaded players to do battle, as it were, is asking for trouble.
Between the tour of England last year and the IPL this year, India’s players have been on the road virtually every month. Their workload has been higher than players from any other country. That must take its toll. Let’s face it, the demand for Indian players everywhere is because of their star value as determined by the eyeballs they attract on television. But their participation alone is not a guarantee of success.
A division of the workload by rotating players prudently would enable the BCCI to fulfill their commitments – and I dare say, get desirable results as well. But for that, the Board and players need to be on the same page.For instance, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, after a couple of weeks of introspection, has signed a fresh one-year contract to play and lead the Black Caps. In the Indian situation, McCullum’s personal uncertainty about his future would have been seen as anti-national.
I am raising these arguments not as a defence of the Indian players, rather to put things in perspective. Who can deny that the team was also guilty of being cocky, underestimating the potential of the Bangladeshis till they were socked back into their senses after two defeats.Of the purported rift between Virat Kohli and M S Dhoni, I am chary of conspiracy theories. Team spirit is the most confounding of attributes I sport. When a team does well, this spirit is praised sky-high, when it fails, absence of spirit is touted as the primary reason!
In my opinion, team spirit is not a continuum, but has to be fostered every time, for every match, every session. No affair of the human species is bereft of politics, but this is not necessarily a negative attribute if tackled with nuanced understanding.With no real proof to suggest that there was something remiss in the dressing room I would rather focus on two aspects that are more relevant in the present situation.
One, votaries of Virat Kohli to become captain in all formats must bide their time.Remember, he got the Test captaincy unexpectedly, but his captaincy skills – beyond just making runs himself – are still untested.But I also believe the onus is greater on Dhoni to reorient himself to the changed circumstances. He took a bold decision to follow his heart and head and give up the Test captaincy. That necessarily changes equations in the dressing room.
