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This is an archive article published on January 20, 2012
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Opinion It’s 3-0 again

But it’s foolish to go for sweeping changes when the talent cupboard is bare

Sandeep Dwivedi

January 20, 2012 03:03 AM IST First published on: Jan 20, 2012 at 03:03 AM IST

Seven straight away losses — what’s wrong with the Indian Test team? There are a number of easy,though not always well-though-out,answers to that burning question. When ageing superstars are off the boil,the seemingly disillusioned captain’s halo is fading and a popular deputy has his own coterie within the ranks,it is too tempting to take blind leaps to simplistic,but fallacious,conclusions.

There happens to be a predictable pattern to the criticism that Indian cricketers on away tours face at every stage during a whitewash. Every coat of defeat is followed by an expected inference. 1-0 is the time to condemn unimaginative itinerary and the team’s inability to adjust to alien conditions. 2-0 transfers the focus to the cracks in the team,factions and,sometimes,leadership battles. 3-0 is when the time is ripe to have a go at the 30-plus and to also give up on the team. While suggesting overall changes,critics don’t stop at merely asking the seniors to clear their desk but they also moan the long-delayed transition,dragging even the selectors to the firing squad.

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As was the case during India’s 4-0 series loss in England last year,the fault-finding template during the ongoing free fall in Australia has remained the same. It’s 3-0 again,the violins are being played in the wings,the curtains are being drawn,even as a few dazed seniors on the stage are refusing to take a bow. Goodbyes are never easy but here they are getting embarrassing.

Facts,figures,public opinion and expert evaluation suggest that it is over for V.V.S. Laxman. Thanking him profusely while walking him to the door graciously was the least that could be done for the man who was at the wheel when Indian cricket took a difficult U-turn about a decade back at Eden Gardens. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.

In these times of overriding pessimism,both the illogical rabid fans and the usually sane cricket voices agree that India has delayed the phasing out of the golden generation of cricketers. That’s a subtle way of saying that Laxman,and even Rahul Dravid,if you dare Sachin Tendulkar too,have been given a long rope. Harping on a problem without the burden of suggesting a solution is a perk bestowed only on those sprawled on couch with a television remote in hand and a ready abuse on lips. No such luxuries for those who chair selection committee meetings.

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There is enough evidence to suggest that in case teams were picked by referendums,Indian cricket would have missed several of its most cherished highs. It was the August of 2008 and a dispirited Indian team stood at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium,Colombo. Their minds were muddled by Ajantha Mendis’s mystery balls and their hearts housed fears about the possible repercussions of the 3-0 series loss. As India’s five 30-plus stars,Anil Kumble,Sourav Ganguly,Tendulkar,Dravid and Laxman,dragged their feet to the dressing room,a few former Sri Lankan greats at the venue and past Indian cricketers at home couldn’t resist taking a dig at India’s Dad’s Army. “It’s time to give a farewell to the seniors” was the concluding remark of most discussions.

The following series,Australia at home,saw Ganguly and Kumble retiring but the other three hit a second wind. Starting with the home win against Australia,Tendulkar,Dravid and Laxman went on to play a big role in India gaining the No 1 Test ranking and recording significant away wins in New Zealand,South Africa,West Indies and Sri Lanka.

As for the youngsters who were tipped to fill the black holes of Indian middle order,they got lost in the abyss themselves. Rohit Sharma was part of the 2008 squad that toured Sri Lanka,but he lost two good years in the IPL haze. Virat Kohli too got temporarily distracted after his 2008 international debut. Suresh Raina perfected the T20-staple slog sweep,but couldn’t handle the short ball in Tests. Test opener Murali Vijay was a breath of fresh air but that was before he faced Dale Steyn first at Nagpur and later at Durban. Abhinav Mukund too looked the part at Lord’s but only for a fleeting moment. Yuvraj Singh and C. Pujara were busy nursing injuries when middle-order slots were up for grabs. There have been several pretenders but no real contender.

Forget Laxman,Dravid and Tendulkar. Three years after Ganguly retired,India still hasn’t found a worthy late-order batsman. With the talent cupboard virtually bare,picking Laxman for Australia was a safe bet. Kohli has been a bright spot in this series,but during his last away Test in the West Indies he was far from being a finished product.

What has complicated things is the inconsistency of the in-betweeners. The not-so-young-not-so-old group of Gambhir,Sehwag,Dhoni too don’t quite give a sense of solidity in away Tests.

So when the team is shaky and the talent pool not quite spilling over,it is foolhardy to talk about sweeping changes. Generational shift is a complex,painful process that requires patience. The Windies went about it in a mad fit and now finds itself in a mess. Pressure can trigger bold steps and false bravado but that can see things going from bad to worse. Before calling the men,who once made the Fab Four,the Flab Four,if not respect,then some caution is recommended.

sandeep.dwivedi@expressindia.com