The creditable 2-2 series draw in England will certainly empower Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar to crack the whip and usher in a uniform team culture where certain individuals who would not be treated more than equals as it happened in recent years.
New Delhi: Gautam Gambhir has always been against the mega-star culture prevailing in Indian cricket but Mohammed Siraj’s Herculean effort throughout the English summer has definitely given the Indian head coach a real shot in the arm.
The creditable 2-2 series draw in England will certainly empower Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar to crack the whip and usher in a uniform team culture where certain individuals who would not be treated more than equals as it happened in recent years.
It is understood that the selection committee, Gambhir and the decision makers in the Indian cricket board are all on the same page with regards to putting an end to players picking and choosing games and series in the pretext of workload management.
“There have been discussions and the message will be sent across to the centrally contracted players, especially those who are all format regulars that this culture of picking and choosing games won’t be entertained in near future,” a senior BCCI official privy to current happenings said on conditions of anonymity.
“It doesn’t mean that workload management will be thrown out of the window but a more objective approach is expected in near future. Obviously, fast bowlers’ workload needs to be managed but it can’t be accepted that in the name of workload management, people will miss crucial matches.”
Siraj, who sent down 185.3 overs across five Tests, not to forget the hours of fielding and also overs bowled in the nets during the last six weeks is a shining example of what peak fitness looks like.
More importantly, the performance of Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep has proved that even the biggest of stars are dispensable and no one is bigger than the team.
Even England skipper Ben Stokes despite multiple issues bowled marathon spells till the end of the fourth Test raising debates whether workload has become an “overrated concept” used for convenience.
It can be said with some degree of certainty that Jasprit Bumrah not being able to take the workload of five Tests hasn’t gone down too well with the powers that be in the BCCI.
It has also raised questions about the competence of the Sports science team working at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
