Wednesday 14 November 2012

Be prepared for every TEST!

My Boss always says, "If you want to solve a chronic problem, attack on the root cause." He provides us with required training and with that enthusiasm, we take up a project for solving a problem. As the project progresses, we come to know that there are lot of constraints for it and our other work is getting halted by this project. As a temporary measure, we end up with some sort of patch-up action plan for resolving it. But that patch-up doesn’t work for a long and the issue remains as it is.

Similar kind of theory implies to the current situation of Indian cricket. Since we started playing cricket, facing fast bowling has always remained a psychological fear factor in our mind and that “chronic issue” is still haunting us. Every time we do analysis, we find these root causes - “We don’t have fast wickets”, “We don’t  have conditions suitable for fast bowling”, etc. Based on these causes, we suggest the implementation of action plan like prepare fast wickets, nurture the fast bowling talent, etc… Action takes place but lacks consistency and control. We are so afraid of losing the matches that after some time again we come to the starting point and prefer to have slow, lifeless wickets on which our bowlers would get advantage. We win the series and get the satisfaction of All-is-well, but while on a tour abroad, we succumb again to bowler-friendly wickets.
 

Nowadays, our batting line-up has become fragile in Tests. Playing through the line of the ball has become habit due to luxury of comfortable wickets. A small deviation or a little bounce makes it difficult to adjust. Our DTL unit (Dravid, Tendulkar, and Laxman) has taught us how to play on different wickets, but they have finished their work, and it is up to the new Spartans to carry the journey ahead. This new generation is fearless but need to be groomed on a fast wicket battlefield to survive, sustain, and perform on consistent basis. 

Cricket lovers like to watch the battle of interesting Test Cricket. That interest can be aroused if there is equal contest between the bat and the ball, the ball bouncing on the batsman, swinging deliveries from fast bowlers, play and a miss of the batsman, edges caught by slip fielders by diving, batsmen using their feet to spinners, spinners trying to deceive the batsmen. For the sake of maintaining high standard of Test cricket, I think bowler-friendly pitches are a must thing.
 

For the upcoming England series, we are continuing with the patch-up action plan again with Dhoni asking for spin-friendly wickets. Mr. Dhoni, the spi(nner)dermen would be able to do the job for you to spin the web around the Englishmen; but that won’t be a long-term strategy. To stay as a competitive team at higher level, Dhoni should focus on tapping the shortcomings and lacuna in the team, and be prepared for every "Test". Under current scenario, let's see how well D-company tests the Cook...



Ritesh R Kadam
rityakadam@rediffmail.com
090110020015