- The Indian cricket fans would be aghast to watch time and again how their favorite team keeps faltering when it matters most. Even though Indian cricket is well served insofar as resources – read finances – are concerned. The commensurate power to overwhelm other teams in the circuit is still elusive. Remember, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not only the richest cricketing powerhouse in the world but also ensures the International Cricket Council’s coffers never run out dry as well. Mind you, the Indian diaspora spread around the universe ensures the cash registers keep ringing whenever/wherever Team India participates. It could be bilateral or multilateral events, but the mere presence of Team India ensures people flock to the stadiums.
PC: SUSHANT SINGH
- Look not far from how the extremely cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) generates mindboggling revenues through its media and digital rights alone. This could happen simply because of the patronage extended by Indian cricket crazy fans around the world. No wonder, cricket is treated as a religion in the country. With such humongous resources at our disposal, Team India representing different formats should have lorded over other countries. Remember the way West Indies and Australian teams of yore used to overwhelm the opposition through brutal decimation by showcasing emulation-worthy skill sets in all departments of the game? Nothing of that sort has happened yet insofar as Indian cricket teams are concerned.
- Post the 2011 50-over World Cup triumph, Team India has consistently struggled to cross the finishing line as expected of a world-beating entity. Of course, the hype surrounding the team leading up to the event is surreal but below-par performances have become quite a regular affair though. The cricketing talent available is aplenty would be an understatement. Nonetheless, the world beaters tab still eludes Team India is evident. The recently concluded Test series against Bangladesh starkly exposes the chinks in Team India’s armoury. Yes, Team India did win the two-match Test series 2-0 but had to struggle at times to establish the supremacy expected of a more accomplished entity. The chinks in the batting have been a real concern.
PC: Ujwal Singh
- The top order failed miserably to professionally go about achieving a simple target of 147 in the second innings of the concluding Test mirrors what has become symptomatic by now. That the bowling all-rounder Ravi Ashwin had to chip in with a useful contribution with the bat explains the abject batting failures. Stand-in captain KL Rahul was poor with the bat. Shubhman Gill was okay. Cheteshwar Pujara too was okay. However, batting maestro Virat Kohli was a disaster failing to come out with decent enough scores. If Team India nurtures ambitions to emulate the history of world beaters, consistency should be the defining factor. For that to happen, choosing the right players in all formats of the game assumes paramount importance. Let’s wait for it to happen.
