World of India!

Fact is that team leadership and management was an utter failure, as evident from the first round exit in the World Cup. But how can we accept that the high and mighty have failed. So it’s time to play spin doctor. Let’s try to create false causes to hide the real reasons for failure – by highlighting rifts among seniors, trying to single out individuals like Tendulkar and Ganguly and so on. The first question anyone should ask is – why was there a rift in the team? Isn’t it the leadership’s failure if there is a rift? It’s the leadership’s responsibility to foster team spirit so that it doesn’t affect performance. Rift or not, you got to win some matches.

Another thing that’s being heard on and off is Ganguly’s performance. This kind of a farce probably can only happen in India, when a performing player is questioned in order to cover up the mess of the stakeholders trying to protect their rattling positions. A number of naïve fans are trying to blame his strike rate for the loss. These arguments have absolutely no basis. Without Ganguly, the losses would have been more embarrassing. The loss to Bangladesh wasn’t because of his run rate. India was reeling at 50 with 4 down. You don’t expect a player to hit at that time in a seaming wicket. One can similarly argue that India lost because Dravid failed to score against BD. He should have played a captains knock when much needed. If he could contribute would have posted a bigger total and have a much better chance of victory. That crucial loss to Bangladesh was what cost the berth to Super 8. Such reasoning however is as illogical as questioning Ganguly’s strike rate. Cricket is a team sport. Trying to single out individuals is a sign of foolishness, and doesn’t deserve any attention. Individuals sure carry their teams but at the end of the day, it’s teamwork that matters. And teamwork doesn’t happen in just one match or because of the performance of one player on a particular day. It’s something that gels over time, out of the team’s character, out of capable leadership. Rahul Dravid is a top class cricketer but an inept captain. And this is in no offense to the great player. But a captain needs to be a better man manager. If you can’t bond your team together you’re not fit to lead. And what does BCCI do? Reward a failed captain with another term. And besides, did we ever acknowledge that BD played superbly that day and thoroughly deserved to win?

Chappell should have been released right away, instead of giving him an opportunity to resign, which the wily old fox was clever enough to do anyway. Not only is he a bad mentor, he’s also an incompetent coach, trying to save his skin after the debacle. Now Chappell’s worthless post mortem is being glorified like a gift from above. Not only that, BCCI is sucking up to him to be some kind of counselor to India’s cricket. Who wants a losers’ opinion? You had your chance. You failed. Just leave. We don’t want excuses or reasons.

Then — the great Senior/Junior nonsense: This is another BS being cooked up to cover up the real causes for failure. What senior/junior? You perform – you play. Just as you inspire — you lead. You win as a team and also lose sometimes. When we win, no one says that we won because seniors played well. It’s just as stupid as it sounds. And all that hoopla about bringing in fresh blood is a pack of rubbish as well. Just take a look at the other seniors in the World Cup – Ponting, Jayasuria, Muralitharan and so on. Perhaps their boards don’t care about such political classifications as much.

And now BCCI is treating cricketers like school kids. Cutting down on endorsements, questioning players about talking to the media, deducting match fees for farting aloud in Chappell’s presence (okay, I made that up). Does anyone think that it will boost their morale and help them play better? If anyone’s questionable, it’s the captain and the coach.

BCCI needs to address the real causes in order to improve performance. The team is fine. There’s already great talent and potential. What’s missing is the teamwork to bring it forth. And what’s needed is a change in leadership. Not shifting the blame on scapegoats. I, for one, am looking forward to the breakaway league being proposed by Zee TV boss Subhash Chandra – if that forces the corrupt bureaucrats of BCCI out of their high and mighty horses.

Labels: Rufee's Muse

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 10:50 PM.

Links to this post:

You can skip to the end and leave a response.