Team India: Stop upsetting the fans!
“Here, I’m not speaking in favour of MS Dhoni neither I want to escape him for wrong decisions. Rather, I want him to bring back this Indian team on the right track. And to regain the winning mantra once again. Criticism must be there for the sake of betterment. In between the line of a win or defeat, I don’t know how much it affect a player, a captain, a coach or any other individual…but as a fan, it really hurts the way India performing in the current scenario. Those down shoulders, tired mind-sets, pathetic run-outs, unfortunate catches and crucial innings, indeed, shattered heart of an Indian fan.” Writes Monika Arora
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| Virat Kohli, clean bowled. |
If you believe a team is as good as its captain then you have to admit a captain, too, is as good as his team. It’s not about who is scoring how much and at which number for the side. What matters is how much you contribute to keep your team in the game.
Back to cricket, like every team game, collective effort is what counts. Yes, an individual’s score matters and following the same trend doesn’t mean next 10 boys aren’t worthy enough. Team management could separate individuals in a specific role but it's captain’s responsibility to bring the best of his men.
Speaking about the state of Indian cricket from last year’ English summer, things are getting worse on every note. People may debate endlessly on the team combination, field placements and even the role of seniors or the balance inside. In the end, what matters most is the result – either a win or lose.
One side, a win not only brings back faith amongst the fans but also the belief in their heroes. Whereas, a defeat exposed all weakness and, somehow, overshadowed some quality performances – be it from a senior or a debutant or whoever.
But no one speaks about the actual issue – the commitment and composure. The pride to represent your nation. The role of support staff. The mentorship of the head coach. The attitude in the dressing room. The seriousness lies between team atmosphere both on the ground and off the ground. And the moderation tactics applied by a captain.
In today’s competitive cricket where commercialization of sports not only adds viewership and money inflow but also decide the fate of an individual – be it Sachin Tendulkar or MS Dhoni or today’s demanding stars Virat Kohli. The more you shine on the ground, the more you endorsed off the ground. The reason behind the mammoth success of IPL is no more an exception. It not only brings domestic players at bigger platform but also fetches public attention.
In such cases, the role of the skipper becomes crucial. His leadership has to control individual’s commitment and mind-set. He has to set the flow of the team’s performance graph. His footsteps are not only modifying team’ morale but ensures his mates – someone is there to lean on as a backing force. After all words, the captain is only questioned and criticized for each fault. A captain can inspire, lead from the front or even ease one’s losing nerves. But he can’t replace a bowler. He can’t bat twice. He can’t run behind every catch. He has to be one and self-driven.
Yes, I want my team to start winning – not only at home but also on tours. But sacking seniors, infusing young guns or demoting skipper is not the solution. Surely, major reforms needed in current Indian Cricket. But it takes time to build a team. Our senior players have to be more responsible. Rather focusing on individual records, they should set examples in front of youngsters. And Dhoni needs to play a sheet anchor’ role.
It is not that our bench strength is meager or we don’t have talent for the futuristic Indian team. We lack with discipline. We lack with the right mindset. We are lacking in with the perfect mentor.
And we lack with answer of these questions:
And we lack with answer of these questions:
Are our players tired of playing cricket? Or, indeed some rifts reside in the team regarding the captaincy issue? Are we giving over-indulgence to individual records rather than the collective efforts to win? Where has the winning spirit gone away? Or, our players have become insensitive? Is our obsession shifted to IPL from Tests or ODIs? Or, are selectors don’t have proper strategy? Does BCCI care to make strong decisions rather limiting its employee’s freedom to make statements in the media?
Here, I’m not speaking in favour of MS Dhoni neither I want to escape him for wrong decisions. Rather, I want him to bring back this Indian team on the right track. And to regain the winning mantra once again. Criticism must be there for the sake of betterment.
In between the line of a win or defeat, I don’t know how much it affects a player, a captain, a coach or any other individual…but as a fan, it really hurts the way India performing at present. Those down shoulders, tired mind-sets, pathetic run-outs, unfortunate catches and crucial innings, indeed, shattered the heart of an Indian fan.
In between the line of a win or defeat, I don’t know how much it affects a player, a captain, a coach or any other individual…but as a fan, it really hurts the way India performing at present. Those down shoulders, tired mind-sets, pathetic run-outs, unfortunate catches and crucial innings, indeed, shattered the heart of an Indian fan.
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This article first published on cricketsoccer.com !
