Opinion Keeping it together
Being a wicketkeeper-batsman is hard enough. But a captain too? Thats why Sangakkara and Dhoni are special
By the time the World Cup concludes,there would have been countless firsts that this event would have witnessed. It will have been the first time that two nations from the Indian subcontinent take each other on in World Cup final; the first time in this millennium that a nation other than Australia is crowned champion. It will have seen the highest viewership ratings,the largest advertising revenues,and collateralisation that would at one time have seemed unattainable.
There are,and hopefully will be,many such firsts when the sun rises on April 3,but there is one first that makes,for cricket purists,a particularly compelling subplot. This will be the first Cup final where both the wicketkeepers will also be their respective teams captains.
A wicketkeeper is an all-rounder in the truest sense. And,as the international and professional calendar gets busier by the minute,his job is a thankless one. A wicketkeeper in todays sport is required to be at the top of his game and mentally on song for each ball of the entire innings when his team is fielding. He is the spark plug,the live wire,the cheering squad,the master sledging protagonist,and a game-changer be it due to his successful catches,stumpings and run-outs,or in some cases,like Kamran Akmals,due to his clunks and drops.
There was a time when the start of the tail began with the specialist wicketkeeper. Ian Healy,Dave Richardson,Kiran More,Jack Russell and others in that mould were useful batsmen,but hardly game-changers. From the 1990s onwards,however,there was a trend towards a wicketkeeper also needing to be more than just a handy bat. Alec Stewart,Mark Boucher and Moin Khan could all wield the willow with ample proficiency; but it took the greatness of Adam Gilchrist to truly set alight the world,and launch the keeper-batsman generation.
As an outstanding and explosive opening batsman in ODIs,Gilly was able to dictate terms to the opposition,and with an average hovering in the late 30s to early 40s for much of his career,he freed up the roster for one additional specialist batsman or bowler. What added to his aura was that he was also an outstanding keeper a specialist all-rounder in many ways. In an increasingly batsman-friendly environment,the Gilly era was one of necessity.
A wicketkeeper who is an outstanding batsman is a rarity in any case,due largely to the fact that its extremely difficult to focus on and excel in batting given that keeping wickets is a mentally and physically draining battle of attrition. This is why outstanding athletes and batsmen often forego their wicketkeeping duties in an effort to specialise in their batting A.B. de Villiers being one of them.
If keeping wickets and maintaining ones batting average is an arduous task by itself,imagine the toll that captaining a side while being a wicketkeeper and pivotal batsman would take on a mans psyche and performance levels. This is why the least talked about subplot in the subcontinent saga/finale,is also the one where the two sides progress to the final is best explained.
Kumara Sangakkara is without doubt one of the most fluent,fluid and yet gritty batsmen in the world. He is a specialist keeper (although in Tests he has relinquished the gloves to focus on his batting),and also half of the most formidable 3-4 combination in ODI cricket. Even given that his team has so many contrasting styles and personalities,and has featured legends like Jayasuriya,De Silva,Attapattu,Ranatunga,and Muralitharan,Sanga is one the true gems of the Emerald Isle,a quintessential middle-order batsman with a healthy strike rate and a healthier average. And,as an understated captain,he has led his team from the front and to the finals.
His counterpart from India has brought tranquility and calm to a team filled with enough stars to justify a galaxy being named after it. MSD is without a doubt the man in charge,cool,calm,composed,confident and already a champion captain across the other formats of the game. And yet he is a proficient keeper,and a batsman who has curbed his attacking instincts to the point where his trademark helicopter shot is unlikely to launch itself barring exceptional circumstances. His batting form may not have been the best in this Cup,but thats a mere blip in his resume. Whats amazing is that his biggest contribution to the team is his captaincy and decision-making. In a boiling cauldron of 1.2 billion people,each scrutinising his every move,he has handled himself with tact. He does this despite not having a minute to reflect on-field or off,given his role and responsibilities.
So,despite this being Sachins destiny,Muralitharans swansong,spare a moment for the team captains,whose responsibilities extend to wicketkeeping,batting,and managing the expectations of so many in what are arguably the hottest seats in the subcontinent. And above all,for keeping it together when their nation needs each of them the most.
The writer is a Delhi-based sports lawyer
Share
