After suffering a humiliating 3-1 loss to Australia in the Gavaskar-Border series down under, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) needs to review its own polices and take a view on the future of senior players as well as the Coach. The Indian side was completely outplayed by their rivals even though, Jasprit Bumrah’s eleven did score a remarkable victory in the first test. The selection policy and the match strategy of the Indians came in for a lot of criticism, thereby raising questions regarding both Coach Gautam Gambhir and Chief Selector, Ajit Agarkar. Gambhir was an outstanding player in his hey days but as a Coach, he has a lot to prove and it is a call that the BCCI has to take on whether he should be replaced by someone more experienced and effective. The stepping down by Skipper Rohit Sharma for the final test at Sydney was unprecedented as also was the sudden declaration of retirement from International Cricket by Spin legend R.Ashwin. It is obvious that Ashwin despite serving the country for such a long time was humiliated and had no option but to hang his boots.
He went unsung and without the appearance in the last test. Similar things have happened to other players in the past and till this day, fans wonder why Virendra Sehwag, one of the most swashbuckling openers, had also been given the wrong end of the stick and ignored in the final stages. Gautam Gambhir, Shikhar Dhawan and so many others have been unfairly treated and thus it is the time when fresh policies and guidelines need to be laid. World Cup winner Mohinder Amarnath, who had been shabbily dealt with, had once described the national selectors as a “bunch of jokers’’. He was perhaps right since over a period of time, there have been decisions that have been taken on team selection, which have foxed fans and cricket lovers round the world. Even during the latest tour, the final eleven were never selected on form but to perhaps maintain a regional balance in the side. It is well known that Indian Cricket has been dominated by West Zone, Bombay in particular, and the South Zone. In the process, many deserving players get overlooked.
The question should never be over zone representation since anyone who wears the Indian Cap, represents the country and is much above such narrow considerations. Only the best should always play even if they are from any zone and merit should be the only criteria. In the just concluded series, Jasprit Bumrah with 32 wickets emerged as the man of the series and rightly so. There is little doubt that at present, he is the best bowler in the world. However, instead of using him sparingly, he was made to bowl over 150 overs since there was no proper support from the other end. The point is that why were bowlers, who could prove effective not picked up and those who were retained, did not justify their presence. The issue is also about the future of star players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravinder Jadeja. With Ashwin gone, it is very clear that the end of the trio is not very far away, unless they do something extraordinary.
The speculation is that the selection for the England tour in summers could also throw up some surprises. These three gentlemen have to be reminded that living on past laurels was not enough and they have to either perform or perish. They have a huge fan following but they need to pay more attention to the game. Looking after families and shouldering personal responsibilities is all fine, but they are in the side to play the game and nothing should distract them from this objective if they have to keep their place.
There are many talented youngers waiting in the wings. Yashasvi Jaiswal has come right on top with his exceptional performances and one wonders why young Sarfaraz Khan never got a chance to wield the willow down under. He is also a very promising cricketer with a bright future. It is also evident that Gautam Gambhir has miles to go before he can recreate the dressing room atmosphere which was there under Rahul Dravid’s watch. Gambhir perhaps lacks the temperament but this is a call the BCCI needs to take. The worry at present is that Bumrah could be out of action for a prolonged time, if his injury which prevented him from bowling in the second innings persists. This has been virtually caused because of negligence on part of the cricket authorities, who should have been more familiar with the situation.
Sunil Gavaskar, arguably the best batsman India has produced, notwithstanding the claims made by fans of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli in their support, has cautioned the cricket administration of taking decisions in the best interest of the Indian Cricket. Some others have suggested that the senior players should look at their present form and think things through before offering their services to the team. The youngsters who are knocking on the doors of the selectors need a fair chance to prove their mettle and this is the only way that the Indian side can restore its lost glory. There were high hopes that India would feature once again in the Test championship but it is all over now. However, the preparations for the next round should begin from this moment itself.
