http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 – Time for sweeping changes in Indian cricket – Opinion – Part 1
The magnitude of the Indian team’s failure in Test cricket over the past 18 months is undeniable. If they managed to seek leverage for their own frailties overseas by embracing the idea that pitches away from home generally aid seamers, which they don’t
have in abundance, their capitulation at home was nothing but a sincere plea to the board - from not only the fans but the cricketing fraternity, that it is time for sweeping changes in Indian cricket.
BCCI is widely considered as cricket’s financial powerhouse, as they have the money, they have the star personnel, and moreover, they have the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Daniel-Harris-c1310 fan following to dictate terms. However, serious ethical concerns have been put forward due to their conflicting
goals. At the forefront is their independent IPL project which is simply in place to make profits.
Players love to perform, and more importantly, feel the need to perform as two or three productive seasons can indeed help them make serious money. For Indian cricketers, it’s a must feature in their cricketing calendar, and their presence attracts crowds,
and therefore, draws more money into the kitty.
However, their self-sufficiency has partially left them negligent, if not de-motivated, in their national duties.. So the time has come for them to set their priorities right first, before calling on the team to produce the goods on the field.
One cannot go in too much detail about the board’s preferences, as for them they have done all in their power to ensure that they have the best group of players to choose from. The rise of one http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 has been key to India’s success but to think
that the man can carry on playing all forms without getting distracted, or beingpicked for criticism, is indeed a big mistake.
Yes, he has done wonders for Indian cricket, but the horrendous streak the team has suffered in Test cricket is something that needs extra attention and devotion. Dhoni possibly cannot do that and much can be attributed to the fact that he hardly has time
to dwell over the defeats.
If the overseas beating put India on the brink, their surrender at home depicted that they have fallen behind the line which even their staunchest of fans would not have foreseen. It is therefore, high time for the BCCI and all involved to face the ground
reality.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772 have retired, it is time for the
selectors to re-think Tendulkar’s role; whether they need him to rub-off his own knowledge on the younger players - as he still has plenty of cricket left in him – or just use him purely as a Test specialist with the obvious appearance in the IPL.
They then carefully need to assess Dhoni’s future as the captain. He is indeed a match-winner, but seeing him in Adam Gilchrist’s mould for Test cricket might be wrong. He can still carry the weight of expectations, but that has only hindered his personal
progress.
He has calmly dealt with all off-field matters, where rifts with senior players have been easily put to rest. Moreover, he confidently faces criticism and tries to keep the younger players off the radar. But that cannot distract the observers from the inevitable,
that team India is at best, a solid limited-overs unit.
Continued in Part 2….
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