Loss of a team may not always mean lacking of team spirit but loss of team spirit always mean a loss, a big loss for which probably no one of the team deserves to be forgiven.
Despite the big or I must say the worst recent losses of team India I along with many cricket followers thought they had failed as a team. Now it seems otherwise, as if they have actually failed to be a team. The world cup winning captain, Dhoni, and the dashing opener, Viru, have appeared as kids back in school with the way they have opened up the arguments in front of the world and that too away from home. Whatever, they have surely messed the already hell-like situation.
Win is always good but loss is the one which makes people go naked of their hearts. People call shots mostly when they lose not when they win. Calling shots, in an orderly manner kick starts the positive settlement of things. Doing the same thoughtlessly, further mixes up the already clutter. Loss of team India did disappoint me but the recent commentary of the skipper and the openers has done most of the damage to my interest. Now I feel I’m relived from watching the rest of the matches. Not that they would not win but that their win means nothing until they play as a team.
Dhoni must understand it now. He must have understood it earlier itself, having been known as the world’s best captain. The coolest captain of the world, I guess, has always wanted the remaining fourteen members of the team to be his juniors! So that they listen to him or whatever! After winning the T20 world cup he addressed the team as ‘my team’ and unpleasantly expressed his wish to have youngsters which would eventually ousted the seniors. Ex-players and their comments impacted him nicely and he again started being polite in his words to his seniors. Every time the team wins he praises the youngsters and on a loss he arrows the seniors. Somehow I find it odd, very odd. Forget how you and I find it, what about the seniors themselves would have thought about it?
Having been the crucial player of the team for almost two decades how come Sachin has over-the-series become a bad fielder? As much as I know Gambhir is always known as a good fielder. Even he has become bad along with his counter part, Sehwag! Of course I would agree the omission of Sehwag from the team but the reason should not have been quoted as low fielding standards! When Sachin got bat to his hands and dreamt of becoming a player for Indian team no one in India used to speak about fitness and fielding! How come can he be compared to the next and fitness-first generation youngsters?
Leave everything, where did the rotation go when Dhoni himself did not play well continuously for many matches? How the skipper did not show the responsibility in giving good wicket keeper to the team when he was not doing his job well in between? I think Dhoni is looking for a team which he can command. That’s highly impossible with the likes of Sachin and Sehwag, which is why he keeps on bringing new policies never known in Team India.
It has only been Sachin’s cup of tea for two decades to be able to cope up with the pressure and the unpredictable and almost unreachable Indian expectations. Now the topic of this great man’s retirement has become everyone’s cup of tea. People just say it like that! I don’t think they ever had taken important decisions about their own life over a cup of coffee or on lunch table. They just speak as if they have to. Who can tell them that no one ever need to or rather deserves to say it to the little master? He was asked to retire after 2007 world cup. He did come back and became once again the most wanted by the time of 2011 world cup which India proudly won. India is off the track now and its time for people once again to tell him that they only remember a player by his last innings, be it Sachin Tendulkar or anyone.
I would say Sachin has every right to decide on his retirement. At the same time the selection committee has every right to omit him. If the selection committee can not omit him that’s their problem, be it because of the respect it has for Sachin or be it for the lobbying trick. Whatever, he, as a player, is matured more than anyone on this earth to take decision about his very own career. Better encourage or be quiet. In the team game its never true that team has lost because of him.
The ex-players at times I feel as the big burden to have in the news papers and news channels. I’m not sure why they are given a mike every time after a loss. They say as if they are just right! They know the pain and still they make it tough for the players. I’m not sure why they tend to be like that.
Well, all in all, it’s a big shame once again over seas! But I seriously hope it would be gainful to the team and Indian cricket in the days to come. I hope BCCI comes in to action at least now and say shut up to the players who have been going for the mikes and media. Over and the above, enough surprisingly, the coach is out of the whole picture. If he is meant to be the same why he had been brought? To give away the otherwise saving bucks?
Hope things will come under control over the next couple of tournaments. I wish Yuvraj was healthy and around!
2 comments:
You have made an indepth analysis covering many issues.You have been forthright in expressing your views and have spared none.While I would agree with many, I have a different view point on on a couple of issues.
The captain has the right to speak to the followers of the game through the media.While care should be taken in the choice of language,he should not be denied his right to say how the team performed.Other captains do give a postmatch review.I feel Dhoni has not been indiscreet in this regard.
I do not think rotation policy would apply to captain.All other players should be rotated on need basis to get the best combination and not as a ritual.
Some senior players are not comfortable with Dhoni and their egos manifest in different forms that hurt the team's performance.There is no senior or junior as all are players to deliver what they are expected to.
While Sachin can decide when he wants to quit, you have rightly said the selectors have the right to drop him.They should summon the courage to do so if he is consistently failing.It is a call they will have to talk without fear or favour.
Let us concede Indian team lacks the passion to win like Aussies or Srilankans particularly in foreign soils.Unless a miracle happens, we are out of the series and rightly so judged by our inept performance,lack of team spirit and Himalayan sized egos.
The worrying question is whether we would learn as BCCI is never known to be interested in the game as in the money involved.
Pramoda,
It is a fact that agility and reflexes of any person do get affected by age. One can not do at mid 20s what one did as a teenager and similarly one can not do in mid 30s what one did in 20s. Sachin has done a lot for the nation but a time comes when one needs to step down to let youngsters take over and guide them also. There is no doubt that he is still very good with bat, low scores at times not withstanding. Games are not like SARKARI NAUKARI where one looks at seniority but it is performance oriented. As a matter of fact seniors should set an example by fostering team spirit and show due regard to the leader, in this case captain of the team. When a hard fought battle is won, the commander always says that HIS MEN did a wonderful job. It is HIS MEN irrespective of their age or anything else. And a leader also should motivate his men rather than criticize. If we wish to see our team winning, it is a must that each & everyone in the team has to bury EGO and play as a team as per guidance of captain. Captain too has to be fair and not prejudiced at all.
Take care
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