Tiredness & lack of focus reasons for India's capitulation in Sydney
By Qaiser Mohammad Ali in New Delhi
Before the second Test in Sydney began on January 3, 2012, the cumulative Test experienced of just three Indian players was more than the sum total of all 11 players of the Australian team. Sachin Tendulkar (185 Tests), Rahul Dravid (161) and VVS Laxman (131) had played a cumulative 477 Tests while the entire Australian team had played just 408 -- 69 less than the much hyped visitors.
In batting, and the Indians were miles ahead of the Australians. The combined run aggregate total of Tendulkar (15,288) and Dravid (13,172) – 28,460 – was more than the entire Australian XI (27,113).
The difference between the teams was most noticeable in bowling. Pace spearhead Zaheer Khan’s 280-wicket tally was more than the 236 wickets that all Australians had taken – and not one Australian had taken 100 wickets.
The difference between the two teams ended there. Period. The Michael Clarke-led Australians were more determined and hungry to perform; the Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side was causal. The Aussies showed more intent; the Indians went through their motions. The home side players were markedly more aggressive; the Indians, widely known as good hosts, proved they could be gullible guests too.
And, not to forget, the Australians were fresher than the tired Indians who have been on the road since time immemorial. Tiredness and lack of focus were the main reasons for their abject surrender. The Indian team is the most travelled of all the national sides. But arrogant mandarins of the world’s richest cricket body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), think players are machines that don’t need oiling or rest.
BCCI’s stated policy is that whoever wants rest can pull out of the national team. This clearly implies ‘we don’t give a damn to the results of the national team; our main aim is to fill BCCI’s coffers and bask in reflected glory’.
Only Dhoni – apart from the powerful Tendulkar – has so far mustered courage to take rest, in 2008 and after the recent home ODI series against England. Dhoni, who also plays for BCCI president N Srinivasan’s IPL team Super Kings, can afford to do it. Can any other player take rest with a guarantee that he would return to the team after he’s refreshed? NO.
In the absence of an association, players cannot afford to protest on the issue of ‘too much cricket’, and other issues, to a Board that can be very vindictive, as we have seen in the case of Ashish Nehra.
(This story first appeared in Mail Today)
