Let’s be the world beaters in Cricket

The golden cup of enigma, known as the world cup, should have its foothold for ages. Millions of fans pray for this, thousand of youngsters are dedicated to it and hundreds of player craves to touch it. It is a dream of every Indian cricket fan to see their team as a world beater, not just once, but again and again like recurring days and nights. If not for ages, then at least like the dominant Aussies. Indian cricket fans were on their feet, when Kapil dev and team weaved their magic at the lords, when Dada led India in 2003 world cup to the final. But in 2003 India scummed to then the strongest team, Australia. Then in 2007 world cup what happened was a nightmare for Indian fans. That unforgettable spark was again a matter of anonymity. Indian fans were so close in 2003 when Australia decimated them in final. That buried tease was still alive and when in 2011 the world cup tournament came home, it was near impossible to ignore India as a contender. Then came world cup 2011 in the Indian soil and the fans got what they want. The tigers pounced on their prey and in their own den they ended the drought of 28 years with the gold. That sheer excitement and phantom cheers at the Wankhede when Sachin Tendulkar- The God, lifted the world cup was an unforgettable moment. Then in 2015 when the world cup tournament travelled to Australia, people were skeptical about Indian team. Indian team defeated Ireland, UAE, Bangladesh, West Indies, Pakistan and South Africa but were again crushed by Australia. This time there was no Sachin, Sehwag, Gambhir, Dravid, Ganguly, Yuvraj, Zaheer, Nehra  and more.

People and few cricketing greats started shielding India by arguing that they have at least touched Semi-Final, as they defeated Bangladesh in quarterfinals. Dhoni consistently said that we have a new bunch of boys and they need experience at this level.

The best brain in India, by the media, is M.S.Dhoni. When senior players were bidding adieu, Dhoni was still the captain of Indian Cricket team and could foresee the future of Indian team. There had to be some master plans for the next big tournament like the world cup. Let us see the team performance, in terms of series win or loss, after the inclusion of new player’s, I,e, after 2011 world cup win.  

If we look at their performance outside the subcontinent or for the matter of fact outside India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies and Bangladesh, the result would be like this:

One Day International Series outside	Played	Won	Lost
After 2011 world cup	10	4	6

Table 1Stats taken from ESPNCric Info*

Won against
Zim	2
England	1
Champions Trophy (England)	1

Table 2 Stats taken from ESPNCric Info*

So if we take Zimbabwe out of the equation then the problem seems to be enormous. If we calculate the winning percentage then it will come out as somewhat ok as 40%. If we take Zimbabwe out, then it will be 25%, which is shocking, a clear dismal performance. One excuse might come as this –‘Our players are new, so they need time’. Yes, very true, this is a valid point. Let’s see now the performance in India.

One Day International Series  in India	Played	Won	Lost
After 2011 world cup	14	10	4

  Table 3Stats taken from ESPNCric Info*

Lost to
Asia cup  in Bangladesh	1
Pakistan	1
Asia cup  in Bangladesh	1
Bangladesh	1

 Table 4Stats taken from ESPNCric Info*

10 out of 14 means 71.4% and by any standard it’s not bad, it’s really amazing. This percentage, includes matches against teams like Australia and England, but in India.

So, if we examine both results, from 2011 to 2015, during 4 years, then it means we played numerable matches with wins and losses, that bring experience to our table. In between we also had test matches and IPL’s and more T-20 matches. Aren’t we prepared for so many matches? If not, then when we will start planning for the future? When we will prepare a system? If Indian cricket fans are asking for a better team than they are expecting too much?

We hear a lot about the word ‘Professionalism’ and even in a recent press conference, after losing to Bangladesh, MS Dhoni said to a reporter ‘It is my responsibility to pick up a team’. This is the only thing we supporter thought as of now and that’s why when India won the world cup in 2011, we were so satisfied looking at a master mind in command of team India. When he said ‘Players were tired’, did he mean that India have not enough players to play in international matches, but he himself said that most of his players were new then why not he groomed other players. CSK had played 8 IPL’s and Dhoni along with Indian selectors has not yet able to find young players than can be groomed timely to avoid such stress problems? Is there a distance between Dhoni and the selectors? If there are not, then who will create such players? The irony is that, MS Dhoni was the captain during inaugural T-20 world cup victory and also World Cup – 2011 victory. So having such a sharp mind, how can India reach to such a low, how can he or anyone who was responsible for grooming players even after such big victories are not able to groom players after 2011 world cup.

The very first point that might answer this is that, the players on whom shoulders India rests their hopes for 2007 inaugural T-20 World cup were, Viru, Gauti, Yuvi and Irfan Pathan. Dhoni also played a good role in that tournament. And when 2011 world cup arrived again we had Sachin, Yuvraj, Gauti, Viru, Nehra, Zaheer and Bhajji. After this world cup everything changed in India. Doesn’t it show that we were only dependent on these 8 to 10 players and when these 5-6 players were off, we were out.

Secondly, many supporters still have no idea about few players omissions from the international team. Players like Yuvraj and Gautam Gambhir were playing good even after being dropped by the Indian think tank. As an Indian supporter, I don’t mind playing all new 11 players, but when they don’t perform then who will be responsible? They alone? But when India won the world cup who took the credit? Still, there are no clear answers to these questions, but these things have hurt the fans and the teams result badly. It is quite surprising that a master mind like MS Dhoni wasn’t able to foresee such a shocking future. A team is always a blend of experience and youth, which we saw during the 2011 world cup. Surprisingly, with 8 IPL’s gone, the Indian think tank hadn’t figured out the players capable of playing at the international level consistently.

And last but not the least, this has proved one thing for sure that India lacks a system of grooming the players and the performance outside India is the biggest proof for that. A player that scores double centuries in India is not able to apply himself outside India is a strange fact. In current scenario, every single thing is available through technology, coaches and equipments then what is stopping India of becoming the world beaters. Even the amount of money spent on the game is enormous.

Indian Cricket fans are not asking for something impossible because a team is already doing this. A team that has won 5 world cups (with three in a row) and that team had actually won their first world cup after India. We as fans only asking to match some if not exceed them. At least from the support point of view and money point of view, we are equivalent to them and I am sure as compared to the talent we possess, we stand equal. Then what is stopping us? Why are we craving so long for the consistency? Is this the bug of politics? This question needs an answer. After the announcement about Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman and Sachin, there is a ray of hope about the young cricketers and Indian cricket bright future. The only question is- Will they be able to change the existing system to help the Indian cricket team? Can they make India the World Beaters for long duration and not just in a tournament or two?