Never treat your legends with such contempt

There has been too much cricket for our players; the seniors needed rest

By all gathered accounts, the World Cup is still on. Switch on your television sets and you will see how marauding and power-packed Australian performances are, and how England just managed to scrape through. And here, in India, we are behaving as if cricket is over and done with. As if with the exit of India there is nothing left. As if cricket in this country has reached a dead end.

I have no doubt, if the World Cup had been held in India, and the hosts were ousted, the stands would be almost empty (maybe a little better than in the Caribbean, though), and we would be in shock, and moping.

Quite understandable, I guess, from a cricket-crazy country. What I don’t understand, though, are these cruel comments, jokes in bad taste, and how cricket has degenerated.

How can you ridicule a cricketer of the calibre of Sachin Tendulkar, a living legend who has all the records in the world in all forms of cricket? Is it just because he is not in good nick right now, and because he did not get the opening slot in which he always excels? Take my word: Sachin still has two-three years of top class cricket left in him before he would even think of hanging up his boots.

In this context, let me tell Ian Chappell that comments about the Little Master were totally uncalled for. He should have thought twice what the import of his comment would be. I think Ian Chappell would do better thinking about his own countrymen, and advising them instead, and also maybe thinking about his own brother Greg instead.

Also, how can we go ahead and criticise somebody of the stature of Sourav Ganguly, the best captain India has ever produced?

And Rahul Dravid? He is rated as the best batsman in any condition against any attack, on any wicket.

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How can we deny them their genius? How can we talk so irresponsibly?

Do we really have to sacrifice these greats just because they are in their early thirties? If only a little attention was given to their fitness, by preserving their energy and not playing them in six-penny tournaments like the one in Malaysia or Timbuktu. Then you would have got a set of fit, nimble-footed, talented stars even now.

Consider the average age of the team. Except maybe Bangladesh or the West Indies, India are much better off.

Are the likes of Matthew Hayden, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Brian Lara, Stephen Fleming and Sanath Jayasuriya just out of their cots?

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You naturally conclude — and you don’t need any great power of analysis to arrive at that — that it has been just too much cricket for our players. Of course, the players too have to be blamed to an extent for taking part in all series. They looked so worn out, when they met the West Indies this time.

The Board should have played a bigger role here, and not treated the players like robots. A little bit of rest could have done them a world of good, the team too, physically and mentally. And this, in turn, would have allowed them to take part in domestic meets which would have yielded more talent for the future.

We need to talk about the Indian fielding. It looked atrocious, compared to all other teams in the Cup. The problem is that it has always been so. This very important aspect of the game has always been ignored. Gives you the feeling that the state associations aren’t utilising the huge funds available from the BCCI in the right manner. Grounds are devoid of grass, and full of potholes like our roads. And you expect a schoolboy to dive for the ball in such conditions?

Another thought comes to mind. In our times and before that, most cricketers of Test material were college educated. That level of education helps a player to think rationally. Mind you, cricket is not a game just for the tough and rough. It needs thinking, almost every ball, standing out there. It appears this rich source of talent, from universities has dried up forever.

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It has become essential to change the selection pattern. I have been harping about a three-man selection committee. Nobody listens, just because of the existing voting pattern. Have selectors from any zone but get people with a great deal of experience, integrity and passion. And then make then accountable for their jobs.

The Board constitution does not provide any nomination or representation in its main functioning body. You want to get in there, you go through dirty politics. Why can’t we get the constitution amended so that there will be some discussion on cricket at least with induction of some genuinely interested past cricketers of high standing?

As expected, the Board has formed a sub-committee of some of the greatest captains the country has produced so far.

Soon, they will scrutinise the reports of the captain and the coach of Team India. I hope they will also try to get some feedback from the players to find out what was going on within the four walls of the dressing room.

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I also hope that it’s not just an eyewash. Some names like Tiger Patuadi and Nari Contrator, the thinker, are missing.

In a way, the team had saved the Board a fortune as it was decided to take its 30 officials and some friends and kin on a jamboree trip to West Indies for the dinner with the President and the players on a cruise. Looks like the board is taking some valuable tips from the Indian Olympic Association, which is supposed to be well known in such gala gatherings abroad.