What a pleasure it was to be at first of the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of the Wankhede Stadium. I really invited myself for the primary day, the place the MCA had been to felicitate the previous captains of each the lads’s groups in addition to the ladies’s groups. The MCA has invited all these from Mumbai who captained India for the final day of the celebrations, which shall be one thing really memorable. My justification for crashing the opening day felicitation was just because I used to be captain of Mumbai first earlier than captaining India, so I may attend the occasion too. As at all times, being within the firm of cricketers who performed with me and a few who got here a bit later too was an expertise to cherish. Over a luxurious lunch, which might educate the stadiums in Australia what good service is about, it was enjoyable to recount some outdated incidents and snicker at different tales that one had heard earlier than too.
Surprisingly, there was little or no chat about what had occurred in Australia, although there was some concern expressed as to the place the Indian group was heading. That can also be in all probability what most Indian cricket lovers shall be apprehensive about. With two back-to-back Take a look at collection losses, and dangerous ones too, there’s a uninteresting feeling about the remainder of the worldwide season. The thrill that’s normally there in anticipation of a brand new collection doesn’t appear to be there, and the listlessness that one noticed on the sphere appears to have been transmitted to the followers too.
Indian cricket wants a brand new problem, and with a few new directors on board, it is going to be fascinating to see how that problem is met.
The primary choice to soak up such a scenario is whether or not to have a look at the speedy future or take a long-term view of how you can get Indian cricket rocking once more. The following few months are all going to be about limited-overs cricket and the IPL. White-ball performances mustn’t blind us to the deficiencies in Take a look at cricket. These should be addressed too, as the brand new cycle for the World Take a look at Championship closing begins with the five-Take a look at match collection towards England from mid-June.
The errors that had been made in Australia shouldn’t be repeated. The group ought to arrive in England in a single group and never in 4 batches as was carried out in Australia. For the primary two days in Australia, the group was with out captain, vice-captain and coach. What sort of a message does it ship to the house group? That right here’s a group that has arrived with no management group and may be simply damaged with a couple of powerful performances. Certainly the BCCI won’t permit this to occur once more. Sure, the odd participant who’s recovering from harm can be part of the group later, however the leaders have to be the primary to reach to make an announcement that the group is prepared for battle.
Now that India hasn’t certified for the WTC closing, there’s a further week for the group to acclimatise by taking part in some apply video games. English situations imply that the ball will swing within the air and seam after pitching. Nonetheless a lot one practises within the nets, the information that even when a batter will get out a couple of occasions within the web, he can keep it up batting doesn’t make for good psychological preparation. By no means thoughts if the opposition for apply matches isn’t prime class; the runs scored and wickets taken in a match will enhance the arrogance significantly.
It was comprehensible to some extent to have a big squad of round 20 for Australia, as it isn’t a simple place to succeed in, and the physique clock does take a couple of days to regulate to the native time zone. This isn’t a lot of an issue in England, however the change in climate situations from the new Indian summer season to the cool winds in England may be tough at one of the best of occasions. Nonetheless, carrying greater than 16 gamers will point out the selectors are uncertain, and that’s by no means a superb signal. Simply because the BCCI can afford to ship a big social gathering doesn’t imply the India cap ought to be given identical to that. The same old downside abroad is an absence of apply bowlers, so by all means take a couple of bowlers over, and they are often given the coaching and clothes, however not the India cap.
There shall be some gaps between the Take a look at matches, and these should be utilised for apply video games. Journey in England is by highway virtually each time, and the India group will drive right down to the following Take a look at venue on the final night of the earlier Take a look at match. Since there gained’t be a journey day concerned, giving the following break day after the Take a look at is comprehensible, however the subsequent couple ought to be used for apply. This current custom of non-obligatory apply ought to be carried out away with, and solely the coach and captain ought to resolve who will get days off from apply, and this shouldn’t be left to the person participant to resolve.
Indian cricket has depth, or so we’re informed, and hopefully, that shall be seen in England, the place a brand new India can present they’re able to tackle the world.