Captain Cool needs a breakHis field placement on the 3rd day of 2nd test match was nothing above average. On a day when the English team was scoring so quickly, Dhoni did not do much to curb the run-rate. Agreed that the bowlers were not getting help from the wicket but that has been the case in instances where the Indian team has played at home. Remember how Dhoni used 8-1 field placements to bore out Hayden and the Aussie team in Nagpur? Or there could have been an attempt to ask the bowlers to bowl a negative line to restrict the free scoring. None of them were tried out. Similarly, in the first innings, Broad and Swann took the attack away from the Indians and added critical runs to the English total (an addition of 60-70 crucial runs).
His batting has been affected - it has been a long time since he has scored a substantial knock in test cricket (except for a fifty in the Windies test). His dismissal in the first innings of the second test triggered the collapse of the Indian batsmen (a deficit of minimum of 70-80 runs) - the attitude displayed by him during his stint at the crease was not befitting that of a No.7 batsmen, forget the captain of the Indian team.
If the chances were taken at the right time, the Indian team would have been sitting on a lead of 200 and not just 67. There in lies the tale of this test match. England has done well to come back thanks to sunlight as well as Bell/Pietersen/Morgan/Prior and may continue to make the score-line 2-0 but Dhoni cannot keep blaming the injuries to his bowlers alone as the excuse. In fact, he does not give any reasons and that is the best part.
His decision to revert the decision of Ian Bell in the same test was heralded by the media and the opposition team but it was not right to appeal in the first instance. That it was one of the junior member (Abhinav Mukund) who broke the stumps was pardonable but the appeal should have been rejected by Dhoni even before the 3rd umpire was called for. Anyway, all is well that ends well.
In trying to force him to play continuously, is the BCCI killing its golden goose - not just in terms of the attractiveness of the Indian team but also the longevity of a person like Dhoni. A fresh Dhoni who can revert back to his dynamic ways on the ground is what the Indian team needs. Will he get the break in the next test, thanks to the slowness of his bowlers?
4 comments:
Actually, I feel the Indian team itself needs a break. Harsha Bhogle last week has written an excellent article for ESPN-Cricinfo. He made an excellent analogy of the way BCCI is making mockery of the schedules for money. He compared Indian cricket team's schedule with college classes (periods) schedule in a day - 9.30 to 10.20 ->Physics, 10.20 to 11.10-> History.....
Even we viewers also need a break from this. These days cricket is becoming a routine and boring stuff for many including some of the game's ardent followers.
Only good thing in this series is that we got to see a rare good gesture from BCCI in allowing 4 test matches to be played in a series. But sadly, many players are too much bothered abt playing in IPL & quick bucks and taking test matches lightly by not being fully fit. If they were any serious abt the tests it is common sense that they have to rest themselves after world cup instead of rushing for IPL (read it money). Indian cricket is successful thusfar, not bcoz of BCCI but despite BCCI.
Sorry for the big post. Just thought of venting out my opinion on this.
Actually, I feel the Indian team itself needs a break. Harsha Bhogle last week has written an excellent article for ESPN-Cricinfo. He made an excellent analogy of the way BCCI is making mockery of the schedules for money. He compared Indian cricket team's schedule with college classes (periods) schedule in a day - 9.30 to 10.20 ->Physics, 10.20 to 11.10-> History.....
Even we viewers also need a break from this. These days cricket is becoming a routine and boring stuff for many including some of the game's ardent followers.
Only good thing in this series is that we got to see a rare good gesture from BCCI in allowing 4 test matches to be played in a series. But sadly, many players are too much bothered abt playing in IPL & quick bucks and taking test matches lightly by not being fully fit. If they were any serious abt the tests it is common sense that they have to rest themselves after world cup instead of rushing for IPL (read it money). Indian cricket is successful thusfar, not bcoz of BCCI but despite BCCI.
Sorry for the big post. Just thought of venting out my opinion on this.
Agree with you, Sunil.
But, have you wondered why the players don't miss IPL? It is not just for money alone. There is a diktat from the BCCI for every player to be part of IPL (not sure if the contract also binds them). They don't have a choice.
There was a Players Association formed some time back but now totally defunct - without such a forum, the players will not be able to talk back to BCCI any day. They will have to endure such rigorous schedules and hectic tours.
Yes sir. I agree with you on most of the points except the point - players need a forum to convey their issues. This pointis again would be true for lesser known players who are playing in domestic matches but not for Sachins, Gambhirs, Dhonis, Zaheers etc.,
Coming to BCCI's way of handling cricket.... I completely agree with you. In fact, I can stretch that my last statement in the earlier comment (i.e. Indian cricket is successful despite BCCI) and can dare to say (sometimes I feel like this) that.. BCCI is actually in the process of killing the gentleman's GAME of cricket in the world.
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