Exactly 35 years after India’s greatest moments at cricket’s hallowed ground, a bunch of spoiled, rich brats capitulated
The first test of the ongoing cricket series between India and England gave many Indian fans false hope, a singularly brilliant batting performance by Virat Kohli and a stunning performance by India’s bowlers had papered over the cracks in India’s much-vaunted batting line-up. That batting line-up failed spectacularly at lord’s and the players were busy making excuses for their non-performance. As much as India’s players might rail against the media for criticising them, they must be in la-la land if they feel that such a pathetic performance would not have led to the media and the cricket-loving public in India calling for widespread changes in the team. At the same time, maybe it is time for the Supreme Court to give up control of Indian cricket and return it to the administrators.
As fun as the Indian Premier league T20 tournament and white-ball cricket in general is, test cricket is still the highest form of the game. And while the first test was close, India managed to lose the second test in under two- and-a-half days, given that the first day was lost to rain. India’s batsmen played like amateurs and fell like ninepins to a 36-year old bowler. And even though James Anderson’s bowling performance was one for the ages and will be long remembered, India’s ‘bling-bling’ players always looking for the next advertising deal should take some inspiration from him, a player who has assiduously avoided tournament T20 cricket and has dedicated himself to his craft in test cricket. While Virat Kohli might escape blame for his performances in these losses, being the only batsman to stand, his captainship and team selection need to be analysed. There is, by all indications, an obvious culture of favoritism in the team, and certain players have benefited by being given chance after chance. Although, chopping and changing the team drastically in the middle of the tour might not do morale or performances any good. What needs to change is the attitude of the Indian cricket board when it comes to preparing pitches in India and training our batsmen better for foreign swinging conditions. The Board of Control for Cricket in India, currently managed by a bunch of court-appointed grandees with no practical experience, needs to realise that minus success on the field there will be no commercial success. If India capitulates in this series, it will set a worrying precedent for this winter’s tour of Australia even if that team is also rebuilding. Kapil Dev and his team’s success at lord’s in 1983 laid the foundation for India’s immense success at this sport but India’s defeat at the same ground 35 years later has to set the stage for the reconstruction of the team. Or else, like soggy old buildings in Mumbai in the monsoon, it might collapse under its own weight.