It's not cricket
For cricket lovers in India, the ranks of whom have swollen to the country's entire population, the failure of the Indian team provides a moment for reflection on the rot that has set in. Cricket is now the nation's paramount passion, buoyed by sums of money at unprecedented levels and public support unmatched in fervour or numbers by any other activity across the globe. No doubt a sombre mood is prevailing in the West Indies as the game goes on, with a loss of exuberance, as the crime of Bob Woolmer's death remains unsolved. Allan Donald has gone to the extent of suggesting the World Cup should be called off, which perhaps would not be a bad idea, because this would catch the underworld, involved in betting and other rackets, by surprise. But any such move is unlikely to be contemplated by the ICC.
The dismal failure of the Indian team with the ignominious defeat at the hands of Bangladesh and tame surrender to Sri Lanka in the tournament lays bare the pathetic state of the game and its management in India, which could perhaps have been predicted by a perceptive analyst even six months ago. The so-called superstars of the team have been failing for a year or more now, often compounded by frequent injuries. Till the team was announced there were valid reasons for wild guesses on the final composition of the squad. There was doubt whether our bowlers would be able to pose any threat to the kind of opposition that we could meet with teams like Australia and South Africa, and our batsmen, with the exception of Rahul Dravid and more recently Saurav Ganguly, remained unpredictable. The case of Sachin Tendulkar is particularly curious, because while his strokeplay even today shows flashes of his past genius, his power of concentration has evidently weakened. A case in point is the manner in which he was bowled by Fernando in the match against Sri Lanka, when his bat came down too late. But more on the Indian scene later.
The murder of Bob Woolmer calls for drastic action in the entire world of cricket. It is of course wrong to speculate on the motives behind this crime. But the fact that such a heinous act can be committed confirms the view that cricket has sunk to a very low level. As a person Woolmer was an amiable and pleasant gentleman, who could not have made any enemies through his personal behaviour. Only someone with ill-intent who saw his honesty and professionalism as a hindrance or threat could possibly have committed this crime. I met Bob two years ago when he was in New Delhi, and we had a long chat about cricket. I was struck by his candour and engaging humility. One distinct impression I gained was that he saw in Younus Khan greater abilities as a captain than Inzamam, largely on the strength of the former's personality and extrovert nature. The global cricket fraternity will miss Bob Woolmer greatly.
The two major upsets that have taken place in the tournament this year are baffling but not inexplicable. Both subcontinental teams, Pakistan defeated by Ireland and India completely outplayed by Bangladesh, have become sad examples of very poor team spirit and lack of cohesiveness. In the case of India, several developments have dented the morale of the players, beginning with the Ganguly affair and the sending back of Irfan Pathan from a tour that he had been part of as one of the most promising stars. The changes in team composition and batting order were overdone. The inclusion of some non-performers in successive matches and dropping of brilliant youngsters like Kaif frequently did not help. As a unit, BCCI officials, coach captain and selectors were not functioning to a common strategy. It was also poor discipline on the part of Dilip Vengsarkar to suggest that the country had a lack of choices in talent and for him to say that Sehwag was there only because the captain wanted him.
The danger now is that some ad hoc decisions will be taken and knives will be unsheathed to make victims of some scapegoats. Greg Chappell's days seem numbered, and some may even want to make a scapegoat of Dravid. But that would be a major mistake. Not only has Dravid developed as a mature and committed captain, but unlike Tendulkar he has not allowed captaincy to come in the way of his performance as a batsman.
There is need for sober assessment of steps that should be taken that go to the root of the problem. What has the BCCI done in the past to create a variety of pitches that would condition our players to situations they would face in different countries? What training facilities and infrastructure have we established in the country to provide rigorous training to promising sixteen-year-olds? How are we coping with the problem of distraction for our superstars in cricket who earn advertising income in crores, which go into three figures in some years? Unlike tennis or golf, which require individual skills, cricket is a team sport, played largely on infrastructure provided by society. Some are asking whether there should not be some regulation of advertising income and time allocated for this purpose. One does not wish to reduce opportunities for legitimate rewards and benefits that talent can command, but when it is seen to conflict with cricket itself, this issue has to be debated.
The current crisis is not one of individuals and personalities alone, but of systemic weaknesses that must be repaired with commitment and honesty.