Indian cricket suffers from lack of vision

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Anand Philar

One thing for sure - India's exit from the T20 World Cup has provided plenty (much needed?) fodder for the Media. Overnight, Dhoni has turned from a poster boy to a whipping boy judging by the amount of ''analysis'' churned out over the past few days and all invariably laying the blame squarely on the captain's shoulders.

Using statements out of context portray a different meaning and the skipper finds himself being pushed deeper into the hot waters. While Dhoni has to accept some responsibility, there are other issues that have contributed to the debacle in England. The bottom line is that since India won the T20 World Cup two years ago, others have evolved much faster while we are still busy celebrating!

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The South Africans, for instance, have been preparing for the World Cup for the past year. They might not yet win the trophy this time around, but certainly, they have been among the most developed side as regards the T20 format. So, while we are busy indulging in Dhoni-bashing, we tend to do injustice to the teams that beat India at the World Cup. Why not concede the fact that India's opponents worked harder and executed plans better?

The fatigue factor is another issue that coach Kirsten rightly touched upon. Dhoni might argue otherwise, but if body language is anything to go by, then a majority of the players picked for the nonsensical trip to the West Indies for a four-match ODI series this month deserve a break. Dhoni, in particular, definitely needs one. The purpose would have been better served had the selectors made Badrinath the captain while resting Dhoni. After all, Badri captained Tamil Nadu that won the National ODI championship earlier this year.

The BCCI has to evolve a rotation policy by picking about 40 players and reserve the best for tours and tournament that have some relevance and significance. Otherwise, the Indian team would become another Australia whose players are currently groaning under excessive cricket. Australia's performance at the World Cup is proof enough that the fatigue syndrome has caught up with their players.

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It is not as if the Indian players are a bunch of robots that can be switched on and off at one's whims. They are as much humans as you and I, and go through the same process of ups and downs, suffer from workloads, etc.,. There is only so much that a human mind and body can take. The current scenario begs for a relook at our cricket schedule that has more to do with commerce than the sport.

On their part, the Indian players have to show greater responsibility and commitment to their trade so long as they are active. At the end of the day, they are highly paid professionals, unlike those from say the Netherlands whose players have to go on loss of play just to take part in the World Cup or the qualifying rounds. Thus, the onus is on our stars to keep themselves fit and fresh during their break periods rather than become slaves of their agents who are just wolves in sheep's garb.

As regards the team to the West Indies, the selectors could have opted for a few more new faces like Manish Pandey or even persisted with Irfan Pathan and rested Ishant Sharma who deserves to be carefully nurtured. I think it matters little whether we beat the West Indies or lose the ODI series in the overall context of Indian cricket. At best, the series only provides players another chance to boost their career averages while filling the BCCI coffers.

At this point in time, the focus should be on next year's 50-50 World Cup and the series like the one in the Windies could have been utilized to try out and assess young talent instead of packing the team with jaded seniors. The selectors have yet again missed out on a golden opportunity.

T20 World Cup

It boils down to the fact that Indian cricket suffers not only from an overdose of the game, but also from the absence of vision and long-term planning. Our authorities live in the present with no thought to the future or insensitive to the mistakes they have committed. And so long as the BCCI walk down this route, it would only lead them to a bigger disaster.

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