MUMBAI: Hope differed maketh the heart sick. This stagy adage would appear out of place in any review on cricket, but recent reaction to failure, on either side of the border, provides enough provocation for its usage.
In Pakistan, cricket and government officials are still engaged in “getting to the bottom” of the team’s defeat to Australia and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy in South Africa.
Last Tuesday, the parliamentary committee on sports grilled skipper Yonus Khan, coach Inrikhab Alam and other team officials. Following this, Yonus Khan quit as captain. The PCB, however, rejected his resignation.
On the other hand, the Indian team, whose performance was even worse than Pakistan’s, is now faced with a new friction within the team. According to a high-placed BCCI official, some senior players had informed him from South Africa itself that the younger players in the squad were not perturbed by the team’s dismal performance and early exit from the Champions Trophy. Would this mean that there is an apparent divide in the Indian team, with the younger players earning the wrath of their seniors. Now, this issue is one for a grand debate. On one side is the general belief that both the forms of limited-overs cricket are more suitable for younger players. It was skipper Dhoni who had wanted it so and, given such a youthful team, he had achieved great success.
Who suddenly decided to change this highly successful outlook to once again bring back senior players. While Sachin Tendulkar, who picks and chooses the matches he wants to play, is persevered with in the 50-overs format of the game, Rahul Dravid, out of it for 18 months, has been recalled for reasons best known to the selectors.
This selection meant that the claims of proven youngsters like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were ignored. It was only due to an injury to Yuvraj Singh, that provided an opportunity to Kohli to get a look-in.
Why are the selectors ignoring the fitness, or rather the lack of it, in the case of Tendulkar and Dravid? Dravid’s movement between the wickets is so sluggish that he was run-out thrice in three innings. Tendulkar admitted that he has a shoulder problem that is why he could not bowl in the Champion Trophy. Finally a bout of food poisoning kept him out of the last match.
Having said this, would it be fair to blame the younger players’ attitude for the team’s poor performance? There is a truism in cricket and, for that matter, in all sports, that there is no place for an unfit or injured player in a team, however great he may be. There cannot be a more stark example of this than that of Yonus Khan. The Pakistani captain had decided to play despite a broken little finger on his right hand. He floored a simple but crucial catch that cost the team dearly.
What is the fuss about throwing away a match and inquiry et al now? If Khan had not played, Pakistan would have probably won the Champions Trophy. That is how the cookie crumbles.
