Indian Cricket : A Diagnosis!

The dust from the collective fall of the Indian Cricket Team is dissipating. The post-mortem of 2007 Cricket World Cup debacle is coming to an end.

Greg Chappel is offered the post of consultant for the Cricket Academy. That is Indian tradition. When a not so successful politician is to be side lined without much chance of a rebellion, he is made the governor of a state. Greg Chappel was not a success as a coach and instead of showing him the door the B.C.C.I. has shut his mouth for the time being, by offering him this job.

Imaginge what would have happened to an Indian coach, if his performance were to be at per with Greg Chappel? He would have been sacked and made the scapegoat. But Greg Chappel is a foreigner!

That is why I said in my earlier article, that we have a fixation for any foreigner. Like we have forgiven the British or the Invaders from Afghanistan, we forgive any body from outside.

But, if we can get away with it, we will punish anybody of our own blood.

Take the example of Sachin Tendulkar. They are trying to bring Sachin to their level so that the aura is dimmed and the God like stature of him is destroyed. Just because of two bad matches.

How short is our memory or how cruel we can be is, beyond belief.

All these pot bellied easy chair experts are coming out of their woodwork with guns blazing, because they know, Sachin will not hit back. Even though they have never played cricket, they can dictate terms to our cricketers. That is cruel.

Agreed, Cricket is a team game played by 11 individuals. There should be team work, hormony and comradarie. But when all the 11 players strive individually to excel and all are successful in their endevour, then only the team can suceed.

Take the example of Australia. Their individual brilliance is happening in a collective way and they are, I think, one of the best teams, the world of cricket has ever seen.

What makes them so monotonously, outrageously successful? The man management by their coach John Buchanan. Australian are a bunch of extremely talented and very very hard working cricketers. But they are arrogant and intolerant lot. Imagine how much diplomacy the coach should have to manage and coach the Australian team.

Now imagine Greg Chappel being the Australian coach. It would have been bloodbath. That is why the Australian board should be commended for getting them a coach of that pedigree.

B.C.C.I. just went by the reputation of Greg Chappel as a former player and hired him and the damage can be seen. They did not look at the history of his playing days, his coaching capabilities. And as one Indian cricketer said, “ Greg Chappel has taken Indian Cricket 4 years backwards.”

Is there a future for Indian Cricket?

Yes there is. The B.C.C.I. has done the right thing in appointing Ravi Shastri as the manager.

Make the cricketers feel at home. Bring back the feeling of one family among cricketers. Bring back the smiles and the unadulterated life-force the Team had when they won the Natwest Trophy in England.

After the Bangla tour, make Sourabh Ganguly the captain.

During the 2007 World Cup, our team was looking like the walking dead.

Any half-wit can find out the reason for this.

I am tired of repeating myself!