What Ails Indian Cricket?
The Indians have received yet another dubbing at the hands of Australia in the Third cricket Test at Perth. Once again, they lost by a huge margin giving the Aussies a victory by an innings and more. The series score stands at a dismal 3-0 and the chances look bright that we may return after a 4-0 defeat, after the 4th and,thankfully,final Test at Adelaide.
I admit I was one of the many who stopped following the performances of the touring Indian cricket team in Australia. Well, I did some of the matches, some of the time but it was a far cry from the times when I never missed even a single ball, whether the match was being played in India or abroad.
I guess like the players, I too suffered from an overload of cricket. No sooner is one tournament over when another begins. The Board of Cricket Control in India, the all powerful BCCI seems to have a very short sighted vision. They announced the schedule for Season 5 of the Indian Premier League when we were losing the Sydney Test, as if to emphasize that it was T20 cricket that matters, above everything else.
In my view, the quick successes, especially the stupendous monetary rewards for playing T20 Club cricket, has been the single biggest factor for our team failing so miserably in the Test matches. We got whipped in England, losing 4-0 and now this drubbing in Australia. Let us assume the players are doing their best, though some have cast aspersions even on this factor because many of them have achieved all there is to achieve and are there only for more personal glory.
Our batsmen want to hit out at every ball as they would in a T20 game. The less said about their technique, especially when playing in England or Australia, the better.
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