A common fan (just like a common man) will be very
frustrated with the players with the way the results have gone down in the 2
ODIs played in South Africa. We are happy to label them as lions of home. Our
batsmen are unable to cope with the swing, bounce and pace of the bowlers. Our
bowlers are incapable to extract swing and bounce from the same wicket. This is
highly incompetent team. We are now staring at another tour whitewash. But is
that as simple as that? Just blame the players? Then throw some out of the team
and they may never make a comeback?
There are still more. This is not entirely players fault.
Instead of getting angry on them, I feel pity for those who play there for
being made to look like lambs given for slaughter. The problem is even deeper.
The biggest contributor to this shame is the BCCI. Its their
greed to gain more money from Sachin’s 200th test has left us with a
shortened tour and in turn no time for the players to prepare. How on earth you
expect a sub-continent team, who had plenty of home matches, to land in South
Africa and play an ODI the 3rd day? Given that their bowling and
batting are next to none, isn’t this a non sense plan? Pakistan had an
immediate home and away series with them recently, with home matches first so
that they will be able to know the opposition well thus leaving them with the
task to win only the conditions (can say Pakistani bowling is better compared
to India but that can made better with practice matches)
Last time our team went 15 days earlier to get used to the
conditions. Result: we drew the test series 1-1 and narrowly lost the ODI
series 3-2. Lack of preparation time is the root cause for the poor performance
this time.
One more reason is the board’s decision to stick to flat
tracks and turner tracks throughout the country. Its worth to argue that we
need to play to our strengths, but we need at least one or two pitches where
there is green top. This will help our bowlers to adjust their length easily
and the batsmen will be able to adapt better. This need not be used in
international matches but can be used in Ranji and few practice matches before
a tough foreign assignment. There are lots of former players with the knowledge
of the pitch in different countries who can help to set this up. It can be told
that sub-continent conditions will not suit those pitches but there is one at
Dharmasala which will help in this approach.
Rome was not built in a day. This will take time but it will
eliminate our shame. No player would want to look dumb in the ground. The board
needs to stop counting its money and plan to restore our pride. We need to have
invincible team one day. The 100 crore fans are always behind this team.
