Firstly there's the team management, consisting of primarily the captain and coach, but also including the selectors and that rare BCCI official interested in the cricket the national team plays. The team management have embarked on a program that will develop a squad of players that can pitch up, play purposeful cricket, within the roles they are assigned, and give the team the best possible chance of succeeding.

This sounds like a lot of theory, something Greg Chappell might say at a press conference. But if you actually bothered to look at how this team is going about its work day by day, you will know this is true. In times gone by there was a group of eight or nine players who were pretty much certainties to play. Of this group there was an unhealthy dependence on a couple of batsmen and a couple of bowlers to do the bulk of the matchwinning. Sure everyone else would contribute, they were international cricketers after all, but the onus of taking the initiative, or wresting it back, or making something happen was on a few tried and tested performers.

That's fine as long as things are going well. Hell, when you're winning, everything is ok – except for members of that permanently disgruntled lot who want to know why X is not in the team or why Z is getting so many chances even when you're winning series 4-0. When things are not going well, however, the pressure on the individuals expected to deliver increases to levels that are difficult to understand when you have never played sport at a high level or spoken to people who have and do.

People think, stunningly wrongly, that Sehwag is not feeling the heat now. "Ah Viru, he doesn't think about all that, he just turns up and whacks the ball." Sit down with him, have a chai, then you'll know. He is doing all he can to score runs, working with arguably the best batting coach in the world, in a team that is succeeding and backing him up, and yet things just aren't working out. For you and I, if things aren't working out at work, we at least have the option of quitting, and plying our wares elsewhere. It's as though Sehwag can walk away from this and begin batting for Bangladesh tomorrow. Really, there's nowhere for him to go, and every day people ask the same questions about when he is going to make a big one, how he will turn things around … they're well meaning, but it's pointless for Sehwag to try and explain it.

Fortunately, since this team management, while doing its best about Sehwag, is thinking more about the team's success than anything else, the results have not been hit. This is because more people are doing more things, much better than they did in the past, simply because it is being asked, no, demanded, of them, not by an overbearing schoolmaster of a coach, but by the environment they're in. Star former cricketers write columns about how Irfan Pathan is struggling under the load of batting. If they spoke to Irfan they'd know better. Dhoni batting up and down the order is another source for great concern. That, to some people, implies a lack of stability. Whose stability? One batsman's fixed position in the order or the team's? Ask any cricketer and he will tell you nothing offers more stability than winning.

While we're on the subject of asking cricketers things, one of the few things they all agree on (barring the odd Shahid Afridi) is that Test cricket is the real thing, while ODIs are something that have to be played. Of course, we don't believe them. They're only interested in making money as is the cash-obsessed BCCI. Why then does someone like Sachin Tendulkar, who, I might presume has a bit in the bank for a rainy day, choose to postpone a shoulder surgery so he can play Tests against Pakistan and take off the moment the ODIs come around? Because players are obsessed with ODIs and don't care about the Tests? I don't think so.

The way we respond to the Indian team, its individuals, its successes and failures, is as much a reflection of ourselves as it is of the team. If at any stage you link your own self-worth with the performance of the team – and enough fans do that and feel worse when India loses or a player is dropped – then you don't stand a chance of being happy, for that's the point of sport in the first place – you can never say what is about to happen. When we see failure, we look for people to blame, for conspiracy theories, something to lash out at. And in success we look to pick holes, because throwing pebbles at heroes is a national pastime. What's more, it's much easier, and more fun for some, to rant rather than sit down and try and get to the truth, to look at the things people do and the reasons behind them. That's hard. As a public we have grown more demanding, more obsessed with instant success, more impatient, and when the team doesn't deliver, we can't take it. After all, we're the paying public.

But it's not merely about paying. It's one thing to pay the fees at a college you're enrolled in, another to learn anything. You might still walk away with a degree at the end of your term if you work the system well. But real learning, now that is something no-one else can do for you. There are people in the Indian team that have internalised this, and are reaping huge rewards. It won't be such a bad idea for some of us to do the same.

Right on. I am delighted that winning as a team is now a priority.As for the poor performance in Tests,empty stands at all venues convince me that the future is in ODI,s not Tests. It is a real wonder that 5 day Tests have survived so far in these times of instant gratificaton. Finally, a oft ignored factor in India's cricket revival is the creation of paths for rural boys to develop skills and move into the top echelons of Indian cricket.

A bit rambling and too abstract for me. Some nice points for sure, but lets keep it simple, can we!

Very good article Anand.

Somehow, I feel that bringing up the discussion "hot in ODIs, cold in tests" was largely pointless, but it is nice to see some deep and sensible thoughts from a few of you (Anand, Dileep and Prem) translated into articles. Thanks a lot.

I liked the comparison between a sportsman representing a nation and a guy going to work everyday.
As for Tests versus ODIs, Test matches even today are Bat against Ball. In ODIs, the bowlers can easily be replaced by machines!

I think Anand has hit the nail largely on the centre of the head, though as with most of Mohammed Kaif's recent (and elusive) scoring shots, there's an element of inside edge. Maybe 'we' are indeed the problem, but then the weight of expectation on this select bunch is justified given that it is 'we' as the paying spectatorate who line the pockets of the supremely gifted and the supremely mediocre alike. Just as shareholders in a business demand the best personnel to ensure the highest performance, similarly we as stakeholders in the lucrative BCCI-constructed 'business' of cricket are entitled to the same, to ask questions, demand answers and suggest changes when potential is unfulfilled. It is this very essential task, after all, that keeps Anand and his equally esteemed colleagues in employment.

Excellent, excellent article -- and continuing the high standard of quality writing from all the contributors.

I tell you, if I could read half as good writers for football here in the UK, I'd be over the moon.

Keep it up.

The best of the four articles so far. Some really good refutations. Nice!

Brilliant article, Anand. You may have given Amit the blushes for suggesting a decline in India's Test performance, but the broader point you make is invaluable - are we asking the right questions and thinking about issues the right way? What does it mean when we say a side is in decline or in the ascendancy, and is the answer different from the perspective of each of the stakeholders?

"convince me that the future is in ODIs, not Tests. It is a real wonder that 5 day Tests have survived so far"

The comment from MK above is a reflection of the cretinous Indian masses' knowledge and understanding and indeed sympathy for the beautiful game. To hell with the subtlety and finesse that defines Test cricket. You lot just want your quick orgasms. And so you shall get them.

Digby

when was the last time india win a series outiside indian subcontinent? India always played good at home... It's too early to give credit to current Indian cricket team!!!

Couldn't disagree with Anand Vasu more! Yes, the expectations are high, but that's the way it should be. The Indian team enjoys the fame and riches that no other Cricket team in the world does, including Australia. BCCI is one of the richest organizations in all of sport, all due to the passion and enthusiasm of the Indian Cricket fans. As an established Indian Cricketer, I am speaking of Sehwag here, if you are going to reap the rewards of such adulation, you have to deal with the pressures of expectations. It goes with the territory. Personally, he is one of my favorite Indian Cricketers, but please don't expect the average fan to sympathize with him just because poor Sehwag who makes millions more than him due to the fact that he plays Cricket for India has no other avenue other than Cricket. If I can't do my job well because I suck at it, the first thing that crosses my mind is to improve my skills so that I can do it adequately well to keep my job, not "quit and ply my wares elsewhere". Its not like if he plays for Bangladesh he is not going to be bombarded with the short stuff from the likes of Harmison, Flintoff and Lee. There is nothing wrong with expectations. More often than not expectations have a direct correlation to success. With the riches of talent at their disposal, and only increasing every day with more and more youngsters pursuing Cricket, "we" should continue to demand the best product from BCCI. The ever popular New York Yankees and the Brazilian soccer teams face the same "problem", but there are few baseball players that wouldn't like to wear the Yankee pinstripes or few Brazilian soccer players that wouldn't like to represent their country. And don't tell me that high expectations don't have something to do with this.

Good Article..But we have to notice that the last 20 odd matches were played in the sub-continent and we have to wait and see how Team India fares in seaming pitches. As almost all our players are compulsive stroke players, I feel things wont be as easy as it looks. Anyway, Credits to India for they are in a wonderful streak.

There is lot of talk about the one day performing well over past few months. However, before talking about the test failure let us look at how Indian batsman performed against last four tems they played in the ODI's. I am talking about only batsman because our bowlers performed consistently and above expectation over the last four series. English and South African pace bowlers bowl very few lose bowls (this translates to over pitched deliveries on subcontinent pitches in terms of length) in comparison to the Sri Lankan and Pakistani pacers. Our batsmen kisked the crap out of Sri Lankans and Pakistani bowlers. However, the other two teams always challenged our batsmen (Don't cound the last game of this series, Flintoff didn't play for one).Almost everyone in the team is uncomfortable against rising fast deliveries and everyone knows this. Let us face this that the next game we are playing on a fast pitch the bowlers will not be tired of throwing this short stuff at the Indian batsmen and that will be the real test for the Indian ODI team.

This also explains the failure in test matched where there is no restriction on bowling or fielding. However, we have a young test team and it takes time to build a good test team unlike one days where one or two performing players can change teams fortune.

Nice Article. I thought I agree completely with Anand until I read the comment posted by "Romeo Must Die". He makes a fine point too.

What I just read was indeed a fantastic piece of literature. However, this article boasts a hint about people who know better because they get to 'talk to people' who play at the highest level. Sure Anand, we all know our cricketers, but then how much do we actually 'know'? Its people like you with the 'PRESS' tag dangling on upper torso, who really 'know' our players. Whatever an ordinary fan like me knows about a Tendulkar, or a Veeru, buds from those vivid character sketches drawn by people like you. So, at the end of it, I am tending to believe that the perspective of a Ram or Shyam on the street is the gestated product arising out of the media delivered perpective. So, if 'we' are the problem in expecting a big one from a certain player with poultry farm of ducks in last few innings, are we too far away from those saucy journos who feed us strong opium, err opinion, about certain players in well lit negative lights? It was not too long ago, when every pen-holder-writing-about-a-bat-holder that I know of, wrote tirelessly about a failing cricketer Z (try and pronounce it like Americans do) and wanted him out as he was not living upto the expectation of these pundits and thus also the crowd. So why take a shot at them now, when the same thing is being repeated by another player V? Anand, the word is Prejudice. We all have it. Very few of us accept it, and even fewer overcome it. I am glad, I find you in that elite tiny group. Yes the problem is with us, but then when you do it with passion, true warm passion, the mercury is bound to run-off. Yes, 'we're the paying public', but its not dollars I am talking about here. So, cool off and let us stay 'problematic'. Ofcourse, as long as we are winning.

Hats off to Anand Vasu. Once again, his article is on the ball as it exploits every possible sentiment that an average indian cricket fan feels. A very very well framed article that goes a bit beyond the everyday arguments. Thank you Mr.Vasu

Hi, Very good and relevant article by Vasu.We are yet to adapt to new ideas, and the experts change their tune like the the English weather. Keep it up Vasu.

Nice article by Anand. The problem with Shewag is more about confidence or the lack of it than bad technique. He was never great against the short stuff, but he used to cope with it by upper cutting over the slips etc. Now he is confused and wants to play the pull which is impossible for a ladden footed player like him. So instead of being so worried about not scoring he should take a break and get back his confidence by playing some english county cricket (Surely some county would want to pick him up if they get some sort of assurance that he will play X amount of games). Getting back to domestic cricket in India is OK but I think there is hardly anything going on now in the Indian summer.
Crticizing team India with the argument that India won all the ODI series recently ONLY in the dead sub continental pitches is dead wrong.
Firstly they can only win against the opposition that they are pitted against. Secondly the argument that India was great at home cant be any farther to the truth. Before winning the ODI series at home against SL we have to go back a few years (2000 series against cronje led SA) when India won an ODI series at home (albiet under suspect circumstances to say the least). So they deserve credit for playing and winning the way they are right now.
Besides it is this same set of batsman who have suspect technique agains short pitched bolwing that played in WC'03 in the hard pitches of SA and won against everyone other than the great Aussies. It is not like the fast bolwers of AUS, SA, Pak and Eng shud just trun up on a hard pitch and our bats will just fall over and play dead. So get a life and learn to appreciate and enjoy what team India is giving us when it lasts.

Nice article and I hope it hits hard on the players who should know that playing for Indian fans of 1 billion polulation is a honour they can't take it light....and of course for the critics and fans not to do it just for the heck of it....Throw flowers also when they win.....as they will remember that and do more to demand that everytime.....Instead we are good at finding holes as you said and bricks immediate when they lose is also childish....Maybe the media guys like you should bring that balance....than joining some passionate crowd....I am glad the mudslinging in Ganguly's issue didn't deter Greig and Dravid to proceed in their mission of taking this team to heights in 2007 World cup.....What is worng???So far I don't find anything wrong 17/22 wins is not a joke....Tell me how much our media jumps with joy in this.....Still people are waiting for a Karachi or Bombay to happen to start again the mud...Ganguly is the right man and he could have done better etc...etc....Media is part of that connspiracy......unfortunate. So I agree that we including media are the problem....

Somebody was alluding that the average fan's critique of Sehwag's performance is similar to a shareholder's critique of a corporation's performance.

I thought while we were on this topic, that it would be appropriate to point out a couple of things. One it has been widely accepted that there is a difference between shareholders and traders. Shareholders, as opposed to traders, are interested in the long term growth of a company.

Second, I thought it might be enlightening to quote Jack Welch, former CEO and Chairman of General Electric. He says "never beat a guy when he is down." He goes on to explain how when he was a 25 year old engineer, he blew up a plant, but a supervisor two layers above him patiently listened to his explanation and asked him what he had learnt from the experience.
Welch said that this was eye opening experience for him, for he realized that as the person who made the error, he was already down and was looking to make things better. So what was to be gained in beating him down further. He also had a policy where he embraced the top 20%, managed the middle 70% and counseled out the bottom 10%. The key difference between somebody who is temporarily down and a non-performer is attitude, the willingness to learn and put in the effort to make things better.

Sehwag's or Tendulkar's talent could not have suddenly disappeared. If they were good enough to make the cut through the intense competition for the India cap and played well at the top level for this long, then their slump has to be a temporary. So thinking long term, team management should and will support them through the tough phase as long as they continue to demonstrate the right work ethic and attitude.

The shorter version has, if anything, induced a carefree abandon when it come to strokeplay.Although on the brighter side this might have sparked up the test arena, it essentially compromises on the discipline that the batsman needs under tough conditions.The last such effort i can recall was when Jacques rudolph saved the first test on the final day keeping out shane warne.A magnificient effort

I think no-one would dispute India's rise in the ODI arena, but I doubt that a dispassionate examination of facts would support the contention that they are as good as ever in Tests. Recently the Test batting has looked very fragile, resulting in a loss to Pakistan, and a humiliating final Test defeat against a weakened England side. The bowling is not quite the force people claim, although Kumble remains a considerable performer. I would suggest that India are set for more indifferent Test performances, and that away from home they will look more like a number 4/5 Test team in the near future, after Australia, England, Pakistan and maybe New Zealand. This takes nothing away from an exciting one day team, but is closer to the facts than Anand's rather optimistic vision suggests.

Awesome article, havnt read anything like this in a long time, but I do have to say that Indian Batsmen at the moment are on a high that will be hard to get down from. Dravid has scored 50s at will just like Yuvraj Singh. Dhoni has had innings that cant be compared to anyone elses then his own. Raina is doing a great job in the middle order and Pathan is batting for fun and we can see it in his performances. All the comments above me keep reminding us of the fact that the last 4 series have been played on the subcontinent and we will be tested when we go elsewhere and aside from the next 2 odis India is going to be playing in West Indies which cant be too much of a problem for India, looking at the current condition of the WI team. After that India will get some well deserved rest for about 2 months and then we go back to SL for a tri series againt the hosts and South Africa and then it will be the Champions Trophy at honme then away at BDesh and then finally we will end the year in South Africa. India will be playing most of the matches of this year on the subcontinent. So for all those who are wondering how India will fare on forign pitches sorry to tell you but the real test will be at the world cup. This schedule couldnt have been better for India because from the looks of it India cant be beat in ODIs here on the subcontinent and the only away series is against the World Cup hosts to get us some practice before the world cup. Taking away the Injury factor the Indian team will most likely be the same as it is at the moment which has proven to be a great combination. When the youngsters fail the seniors like Dravid step it up and when the seniors fail Dhini, Raina and pathan step it up. India have a decnet core of bowlers to pick from. Pathan and Sree Santh are doing better then everyone expected and Harbhajan is back with these 3 full timw bowlers going on all cylinders all we need is another pace bowler for the WI pitches so Munaf Patel will probably get the spot along with Agarkar and Nehra making the squad and that will give dravid 5 good pace bowlers to choose from and yuvraj can always bowl a couple of overs here and there. India are my favorite at the moment to win the World Cup.

i would just like to comment on a point made by Romeo Must Die;yes it is indeed true that adulation and censure are closely related emotions. But i guess Anand's point precisely addresses this issue. After all we as indians have begun to react too extremely without any proper sense of moderation. Now Dhoni has become the next 'Master Blaster' or whatever epithet the media can conjure up. Sometime in the future, when he fails at some crucial juncture(i am of course not wishing for such but that is probably an inevitability) the very same "fans" would start baying for his blood. And it is this general extremity in our reaction, especially so in recent times, that is immature. And Anand's article is very pertinent in this regard.

All of you berating Sehwag for not improving his skills against the rising deliveries, where were you when Ganguly was tied into knots everytime he came out to bat against the short stuff? Oh, that's right Dada didn't have any problems.

Atleast Sehwag concedes he has a problem and is trying to solve that. Ganguly could never be bothered to see the reality.

This debate seems to have reached an illusory consensus...blame the fans. First of all, I would like to say that fans are a varied species. The type of people you're talking about include blokes who show up at grounds or watch the game on TV only to see sixes, fours and wickets...and when they don't see that, they whine. That hardly encompasses others who perfectly understand the pressures that an international cricketer goes through, and are therefore mindful of the fact that no player is Superman.

The fact is that, however much you may want to demean the first category of fans, they are the heart and soul of the game...specially in a country like India. It is because of them that cricketers are exalted to the level of film stars. It is because of them that there is so much at stake when one is playing the game. You can neither change the minds of those people nor hope to lose them without risking a loss in popularity of the game.

Unfortunately, there are sub-categories of fans in the this same bracket who, while also whining, throw spit-balls at a player just because he fails to hit a couple of boundaries or take a couple of wickets in order to appease them...like the crowd at Mumbai who booed Sachin recently.

It is those kind of people that need to be tackled. And this is where the BCCI has to act...it must infuse a sense of history, pride, glory and depth into Indian cricket, instead of just scheduling more matches. If you look at our Aussie or English counterparts, there are some examples...in the Brisbane Test where Ganguly made a 100, there were people who were willing to back a beleaguered Andy Bichel to the hilt: 'Come on Bicks, get him this over'. Australia and England have the advantage of this type of unwavering support because their cricket has a sense of history, of nostalgia. Their tour diaries, cricket books and memorabilia are prominent, unlike in India.

If the BCCI acts to educate instead of only indulging in mindless sensationalism, those unfortunate spit-ball throwing souls would finally understand that a player is no Superman, and when he doesn't perform, they shouldn't make him Lex Luthor.

The comments by Anand are being appreciated but at the same time he has overlooked the facts that inspite of repeated failures by Sewag and Kaif,Uttapa was in the playing 15 but was not given the opportunity.Had he been given opportunity in 6th ODI, we might not have lost the match and would have made the clean sweep.
Both of them r good players but need to practice under somebody's guidance and remove the faults.
This is undue favour, where as players like Gambhir do not get that many chances.In fact such players have less exposure hence should be given more opportunities,rather than Kaif or Sewag.

Good article...But India hasn't played a one day tournament outside the indian subcontinent since september 2004(excluding the zimbabwe tour)and a test series since November 2003.So, you cannot say India are playing well

Nice article.It is true that we are having a great run. As someone pointed that the last time we won a bilateral oneday series(under Ganguly) was way back in 2002.

We have momentum with us going. Let us back the team all the way and not prick the success whether it is on
Indian sub-continent or not.
Nothing suceeds like Success.

I think you are being a bit harsh on the masses. Being the largest cricket playing nation on earth, and the most earnest one, we naturally expect to win most times. What stands in the way of this achievement?

Until recently, that has never been granted. Given that sport is unpredictable, we would have settled to see them all giving their lives out there. Despite their best if they didn't win, it wouldn't be such a big deal.

Having said that, we want India to be the best. In tests, ODIs, whatever form of cricket they come up with. With the money the BCCI has available to invest in training and infrastructure, and the talent pool, we could field 3 different teams at the international level if we so chose. And until the one international level team that consists of the absolute cream of Indian cricket can beat Austrailia or any other team more than 50% of the time, there is no reason why the Indian fan should rest content with existing performances.

Oh yeah, "we" are the problem. We the people -> are some kinda monsters. Monsters of this game of cricket. :)

Why all this hype about ONLY Indian cricket. Many non Indian readers are fed up of reading about Indian crickets politics. Why cant we discuss about other cricketing nations as indepth as we get with Indian cricket. We dont want cricinfo becoming a sole Indian cricket web site !!!

I think it is high time we realized that Indian team consists largely of average players who are made to seem larger than life after a few successful outings on the placid batsmen friendly pitches of the subcontinent. India's so-called resurgence in one day cricket over the recent couple of years has been largely due to the fact that most of what India has won has been on home or home-like conditions. The only time, in recent memory, when Indian batsmen faced a fast pitch, as was the case in Karachi, the bubble called Indian batting burst and the result was there for all to see.

As far as test matches are concerned, Dravid, Laxman (not in the current team), and Tendulkar are the only batsmen today in the Indian team who have some bonafides at the international level. The rest are all sub-continent kings and princes. Sadly, Tendulkar can no longer be expected to carry the burden. Laxman has never been consistent. That leaves just Dravid. This utter weakness in batting shows when Indians bat on "alien" fast pitches. The Sehwags, Yuvraj's, and Dhonis of this world simply skittle away.

Coming to the bowling department, India still does not have an attack that can bowl a side out comprehensively in any form of the game. The spinners, be it Kumble or Harbhajan look toothless when bowling on straight pitches. Although there is some hope in the pace department, we are yet to have a genuinely fast bowler who can rip through batting orders on any sort of a pitch. One still recalls Chappell's pathetic ranting during the Pakistan tour - "India needs a genuine fast bowler".

Given these stark realities, it is only obvious that in test match cricket, where a team's true potential is tested, India has been withering away. Our batting has never been the same as it was in the seventies with the likes of Gavaskar, Vishwanath, Amarnath, and Vengsarkar, who were great players of both pace and spin.

Our bowling ineptness is no longer a matter of conjecture.

Bottomline - India is average not just in tests but also in one-dayers

Right.the fans are the problem?You're going to make us, the bread-butter of Indian cricket,go on a guilt trip about asking our cricketers to do a job they get paid millions to do?C'mon mate!!finally,we're getting an agressive attitude with cricket, and someone comes along talking about feelings/sentiments and other crap.Veeru is one of my Fav crickters,and he's a Delhi lad, as am I, but I feel he should have been told to take a break 10-15 matches ago.When the Indian public comes home, tired after the work/fight with boss/other stuff, from the day, the last thing they want is to sit down and understand some sentimental nonsense.We want entertainment and excitement!THATS WHAT WE WANT.If you can't cut it, adios amigo...and bring on the next batsman.Simple! We, the public, want THAT!

If anyone's looking for a particular "point" to this discussion, well, it should be clear by now that there isn't any. There are several points. Nice little juicy morsels they are too. Truly, some of the smartest writing I've come across on any sport. Here's to many more pointless discussions on cricinfo

What has the current team achieved in tests - a win against Sri Lanka, a loss against Pakistan and a draw against a less than half strength England. We have to wait a bit longer to pass judgement. The gloss of one-day victories cannot cover up patchy performance in the tests.

The article starts off brightly. So I read it hoping that I'd get your point somewhere down the line. Umm but what's your point again?

any writer will tell you that though on the surface the writer and the critic seem irrevocably at odds, taken in the right spirit the critic is the writer's best friend. in truth, most writer's best friends are critics. i don't understand why there is this polarisation, why is it US vs.THEM? honestly, make room for the sceptics too, don't deride them, they're important. sensationalism shouldn't overtake a sensible journalistic perspective.

i think what this article largely lacked was a healthy dose of insight- and that happens when one decides to weigh in for or against a point in question. the same goes for most fans who have replied.

mate Abhishek Srinivasan Malapu Reddy i fully understand tht when come home tired and when india team loses or maybe these days they are not in ODI anywaz u want the next batsman or maybe u want sehwag to score 100 each time everytime i have small suggestion why dont u watch football then maybe tennis after all it takes lesser time too .. after all tht u will get recharged to go back to work get next day mate at the end sun will rise.... the next day you dont need to get tensed up... if u and ur mates stop watching sehwag and his buddies will become some joe not "sehwag" thts the essence of anand vasu article will u stop watching i dont think so... coz u like the product ths cricket either u like the product or u say damm i am not buying this crap thts being sold u buy it each time and every time and then crib is nonsense

It is pathetic to blame the fans for being objective in criticising team's weaknesses after a game (that was won or lost).
We want performers. We do not care how one is feeling after his failures. You deserve a place in an international team only if you can cope with the associated pressures and deliver. Otherwise there are many other deserving players who should be given a chance.
Problem with us is that we choose our so-called heroes and love to argue for their support or opposition. Let the show go on with the deserving performers. No one should take his place in the team as granted. You are chosen to perform in a team. If you are going through a difficult phase, sort it out and then come back. Do not have us suffer while you are struggling to find a way out. This applies to each player of the team. No favours to any one.

While one may sympathize with Sehwag, the bottom line is that he urgently needs to address the many flaws in his technique and improve his fitness. If he cannot, then he must make way for somebody better. We cannot afford to give him chances forever, in the hope that someday he will play a blinder of an innings and demoralize the opposition. How many failures should we be prepared to accept in anticipation of one good innings? While India's one day performance is certainly better than a year or two ago, the same cannot be said of tests. Why this anomaly? Perhaps because test cricket is far more exacting in terms of technique. The new bunch of Indian cricketers, though highly capable in the limited overs format, with all the fielding and bowling restrictions in place, simply lack the technical skills that is required at the level of test cricket. Sachin, Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman are perhaps the last of the 'genuine' batsmen that we have seen in the past decade and a half. And all of them, save Dravid, are over the hill. Regarding the issue of Indian fielding, though this is generally better than a year ago, we still see some off-days here and there, not only in terms of catching but also ground-fielding and throwing.

Anand is wasting reams of paper in fixing blame on the public when none exists.

I spend my time watching a cricket match and I have every right to criticize. After all we are living in a free country, aren't we??

OK. I spent a good hour reading this one and other related articles (from Amit V., Ashok M., Dileep P., and Prem P.). I am still looking for the main point of discussion.

1. Amit V. takes close to 1000 words to tell us that Indian team did good in ODIs than in tests.

(Duh me! Could not figure that out with 1-0 and 1-1 figures from tests Vs. Pak and Eng; and 4-1 & 5-1 figures in ODIs Vs. Pak & Eng.)

2. Ashok M. blames Chappel for Indian team not doing well in test cricket.

3. Dileep P. tells us that everything is fine with Indian team.

4. Prem P. - well, Prem as usual needs 2000 words to present a 'win/loss school-report card' on Indian team performance (and this time he does not mention he's (now) in New York - Yey!).

5. Anand V. - very truly admits that he's late in game to add anything new to this discussion (and one still goes on reading his pointless article and pointly so agrees..).

Gents - what is your point? Can one of you please tell the readers in less than 50 words?

I agree with Anand's assessment of current state of Team India. Here are my 2 cents on a few things.
Sehwag is having problem with height of English bowlers as they get steep bounce(Ask Aussies from last Ashes).
It may have worked if he was tried in the middle order for a game or two (like they did against SA).
Sachin is a vital cog on India's test success along with Dravid. He looks confused in test cricket as if he has something precious in his pocked which he is trying to save from being hit by the ball. At the same time in ODIs the man is pearless. Scoring a hundred immediately after the unsuccessful tests in PAK and then ending up with 250 runs in 4 games.
Of late India has developed a bad habit of relying too much on Sehwag firing and giving them a good and fast start in tests, which has not happened of late.
In all the team looks to be on the right path in both forms.

India is as good as thier last game

Let us see how the team progresses till WC2007, and the Tests in between. Too early to analyse the overall impact of the new regime

I sincerely believe to win the world cup you need only one thing i.e. PASSION. India's most passionate captain Kapil won the cup for India in '83 and 2nd most passionate captain Ganguly took us to the finals in 2003. Others, were and the present one is FAAAAAAR behind and anyone who dreams he can bring the WC for India is doing exactly that i.e. DREAMING

I agree with Muralidhar above, its passion that brings you wins, with the right amount of talent behind it. In addition, passion makes the game interesting to watch, I don't enjoy watching automatons on the field (although I did enjoy watching Ivan Lendl in his prime). The current coach and captain are reducing Team India to that level and when the pressure rises these 19-20 somethings are going to crumble faster than an Angel foodcake put in the oven for the wrong baking time. Thats when the passion kicks in and needs to take you through. The Aussies don't win on cold professionalism alone, they love playing for their country too and wear their heart out on their sleeves. The English had cold professionalism in the past but it never got them very far.

On a different note, I think Chappell keeps bringing in new blood on subcontinental pitches for another reason. The opposing bowlers have figured out the Sehwags and the Kaifs, now throw in a couple of new kids who no one has heard of and let them score those winning runs. Wait a few months, some hours of video footage and we'll see if the likes of Dhoni, Raina and Uthappa still stand up to the test. It took them quite a while to figure out Sehwag I must say, but the way Ntini sorted him out in the Calcutta test of late 2004 the writing was on the wall. The problem is there aren't that many good pace bowlers around to exploit these weaknesses which is why this Indian team continues to thrive. Only time will tell, but I feel that a lot of these results are just flashes in a pan that will steadily grow smaller. If not then the World Cup does beckon especially with the growing pool of fast bowlers that might come in handy in the Caribbean.

Mr.Sandeep.I do believe your statement is as illogical, as it is ignorant.I love cricket, why the hell should I watch soccer or tennis?I love India,but how often does it play soccer on international level that I can support them? How pointless can you get mate? The excitement that cricket is providing is good enough.It's only articles like this which make me question whether cricket is actually ready to be a global sport? And as for Sehwag - 3 50's in the past 35 ODI's...his time has come and gone!I understand bad form, but to this extent on international level is ridiculous. Instant gratification is what its all about!And trust me when I say this, I AM THE AVERAGE INDIAN FAN!So my voice, is the voice of India.Either listen to it and adapt, or ignore the public opinion and deteriorate into the politics of cricket, just like football did in the early 60s!

Well written article but misleading.

India is doing great in ODIs but untill they succeed outside the subcontinent, I will reserve my judgement. In terms of results, Only the current England Series is a progress as they drew the last home ODI series against England. With South Africa, they took a step back as they always won against SA at home. With Pak, even though clinical, they did win in the last trip there as well.

Furthermore, they have taken a step back in test. Just compare the previous results. They won in Pak in the last visit, lost in the current one. Won the series against England in the last home series, drew the current one. They never lost against Srilanka at home, so that win is good but does not prove anything.

Well, i dont understand why we keep posting comments(ofcourse it includes me too) for these articles, it doesnt look like they are being read by DP or AV, it is not practically possible for them to read every comments but if they can read atleast 50% of it and give the viewers feedback of the people, it would encourage others to keep posting comments. But one thing is sure everyone including the authors keep writing "for" the situation. If India keeps winning they write good else bad. Five years back Ganguly was God for these people and now he is the "worst" cricketer india ever had. Today Dravid and Chappell are God because Indian team is winning and new methods/approaches are being put in place with success. I am dead sure 5 years down the line, Dravid might face the same music as his predecessor. Wonder if nature will be kind to good and selfless people like "Dravid". Even now i feel bad that Dravid hasnt voiced his support for ganguly; no one excepts ganguly to keep playing forever but he needs to have his chances when he was trying to improve for which Dravids support is very essential. Just think who's confidence was responsible for dravid now being well settled in ODI format; few years ago the same people like DP or AV commented that Dravid doesnt merit a place in ODI and now we all know whats happening. Again i would like to stress the point that opportunity was presented to Dravid and he being what he is made it all by his hardwork. What is required now is few opportunities to his predecessor.

If the directors of a company are paid an exhorbitant salary and the company's performance is mediocre would the shareholders keep quiet and not demand an explanation.Our cricketeers are paid a fortune-ok one day performances are improving but let them get the results outside the subcontinent.Test results are getting worse even in the subcontninent.

I know that crying about the decline of Indian Test cricket seems premature.But consider this:In the last few months-India has lost a series at home to Australia(1-2),drawn at home with England and lost to Pakistan away (0-1).The corresponding scores for the same one on ones in their previous versions were (2-1,1-0,2-1).India easily won these series in their previous versions.

The Indian team even when at its weakest has won against these teams easily for decades(at HOME).When the team cannot win a series against a English team which was decidedly half strength, when better English teams havent won a single test in the subcontinent for decades calls for some soulsearching.

The biggest problem is not acknowledging there is a problem.Chappell knows that significant Test reverses can be plastered over by good showings in the slam bam format for masses in Gawahati and Jamshedpur.

Chappell treating the Indian team as his personal fiefdom has cost us an excellent Test captain and the scuttling of the best Indian middle order possibly ever.(Now the middle order pretty much read Dravid.)

And as for all the "what people want" sentiments,most people also prefer Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider to Kurosawa and Kubrick.

Such pampering would just lead to an insular brand of cricket played just in commercialised India similar to The NFL.Just Indian clubs with all the glitz of a multi billion dollar event.Maybe that is a good day for some but not for everyone.

(Of course I would get comments about my pretentiousness :-) )

excellent article..but its time we changed the topic.

hey this is for all those who feel that one should not consider team india's success in the last few bilateral series played in the subcontinent........ now when was the last time we'd won a series even if it was at home? remember we'd even lost to the westindies before the last world cup?

Good Article Anand, Its refreshing to read such articles where you approach something with an open mind while building up a case to show your opnion. There is this certian Sanjay Jha who rambles on rather pathetically trying to force his views on others, It is in great thanks to him, that people dont visit his hosting website. Somewhere, the difference between your articles and his ranting is the difference between a journalist with writing skills, and a mad self obsessed man's rants (stuck up with believing he is always right, even though his arguments and opinions are pathetic)

well written article Anand...as for the comments by the people...we really need to ease it a little bit on the players...i like the comment made by Mr. Akshay Nanjangud bout the stakeholders...i agree wid him...and having a new crop of players like munaf patel and robin utthapa...have rejuvenated this indian ODI team but we still need to concentrate on the test team...i liked the way Wasim Jaffer played in the tests...but its all bout consistancy and if these young guns can play consistant cricket...we can put them into test situations as well...and i belive they can perform...As for Sehwag and Kaif...let me start wid kaif first...he is a exuberant player but u need to give him more chances, we never valued his talent bcuz his position was either taken by yuvraj or ganguly...now that ganguly is out of the way...kaif will need time to gain back his confidence...now for sehwag i think he is better fit at number 6 or 7...he is hard hitting batsmen and if he comes into the slog overs i think he will perform to his capability...we already have players like gambhir and now uthapa that should recive chances in the opening slot...in conclution i think we have a bright future to this team...if only they can remain consistant during the world cup 2007 and before the world cup...good luck indian team...we are proud of u

Hats off to Dileep, Prem & the polishing act by Anand. The current think tank of Greg & Dravid has ensured that TEAM INDIA winning is above everything else irrespective of who did what in 2001 or 2002. Also there is no room for favoritism or nepotism. The team is probably run like an MNC Organization & everyone is reponsible for their Key Result Areas. When they see their captain ready to bat where the situation demands irrespective of a test or an ODI they just put their hands up. All this talk of batting lineup being changed frequently doesnt hold much water especially when they are having the highest winning percentage in ODI's in the history of Indian cricket (25 matches or more). This percentage was not achieved even by the all conquering 1985 team. I agree that they need to sustain it in WI & SA but lets not scuttle the great beginning in the bud.

excellent piece of literature by anand and a positive nod to all the points mentioned in the above article...

but there is one problem with this (infact all of us ) our opinions keep on changing every full moon .i wonder the views will be same if in case(i dont wanna this to be true but still if...) india loses to paksitan 2-0 in abu dhabi ....lets wait and watch what lies next in the ever changing bag of fortunes and judgements of team india

Wow! A fantastic article. First instance, in my opinion, where the media (at least from cricinfo) have started to act as a bridge between the team and the spectators – rather than use their divide for some empty discussions or to make money. Another sign(?) of the maturing of the media. It’s timing can’t be more appropriate, as the Indian team and management has started maturing too – don’t just look at the results, but look at the way the team has been playing for the results, off late.

With all due respects, we passionate Indian and subcontinent fans could use some (a lot of) help in learning to follow cricket (sports in general) – rather than treat it just as a topic of debate. Let us realize that more than half of us have little experience in “playing” any sports. A few have the experience of playing competitive sports from their school or college days. Among these hardly a miniscule are taught (coached) to “play” sports. But one is seldom educated regarding the details of the sports, like to: scheme and plot to win; think as a team; analyze an opposition (team); prepare for a game; put loosing in perspective; expect failure; set personal goals; take positives from a game; excel rather than compete; analyze criticism; handle pressure; etc. Wherever this already exists, it is mostly instinctive and natural and seldom groomed. So it is not surprising that a very few of us are sufficiently equipped to rightly assimilate the course of events during a match, a series or a season. Never mind, we were neither taught, nor are we expected to!
.... continued in next post.

COntinued from previous post......

In this scenario, the onus is on organizations like the media, BCCI, government, etc. to take the initiative to take – not just the sports, but also – the fine points of the sports to the spectators and educate them. This education is necessary for everyone – players, management and the spectators – to be on the same page, and to produce (inspire) world-class talents. Only then there is place for growth.

BCCI has started unearthing “talented” youth from all over India now – which was a serious deficiency thus far. What are the next steps? For starters, I would say: 1, nurture tactics and attitude among talented youth; 2, groom smart coaches; 3, do the same with other sports; 4, educate the public on all aspects of all sports; and most importantly, 5, strive to make sports integral to life for the common man.

For all or some of these to happen, it has to begin somewhere! I am glad that Cricinfo seems to have taken the initiative. I hope this article is among the first conscious efforts in such deliberate direction and wish the cricinfo staff my best in succeeding in the same. Nobody else has a greater reach, than the media (cricinfo for cricket), to educate the spectators-in-need. Please let me know that I did not passionately misinterpret the article in my hasty wish for development.

In response to "Romeo must Die," bemoaning India's poor showing outside the Sub-Continent

When was the last time a team went to Australia and NOT LOSE?

Answer: India, 2003-04

Before that: West Indies, 1992-93

Which means that in the last FOURTEEN YEARS, only one team came back from OZ without getting beaten.

BCCI should have charted out more games against Australia, SA, and Pakistan leading into the World Cup 2007. Games against these would have given the team the right preperation going into the WC, and also "we" could have got a better understanding of exactly how good the Indian team's chances to win the WC.

Hello,
For all of you who say the Indian ODI team under RD and GC is not very good because they are currently winning only on subcontinental pitches, let me ask you this. What was the series win % in the subcontinent since Saurav became captain? Less than 50 % I think. and what about RD? Near perfect I'd say. Chew on that...

Hi,
Since all of us have so far done but theorized how about just trying to savour the sweet success of the Indian team?
Subcontinent or not, winning counts and sri lanka and pakistan are no pushovers.
also forget ganguly- dalmiya.
we are just encouraging further politics and regionalism , both of which we already have too much of in india.
if we still have to critique then atleast can we be more objective and rational?
Also Anand, Dileep are much more in touch with cricket than all of us who have probably touched cricket gear only for street play. Accusing them of racism is just plain painful.
So please try to be constructive and chill and enjoy our current success and not question our future losses if there will be any.....

What makes us mouth-frothing fanatics when we watch cricket, and insipid channel flippers on hockey, atheletics, and so many other sports?
SA has rugby, tennis, golf, soccer. England has rugby, atheletics, soccer, among others. Aussies are plain crazy over almost any sport activity. Why are our people just stuck on one sport?

It is probably a chicken and egg situation. It requires both a Bubkaesque performance from a sportsperson and showering of adulation and support from the fans for the sport to spread and thrive.

I'd rather not have these odd spikes of interest in a Sania, Rathod, or Anju. I'd be much happier if there were as deeper pools of talent in other sports as cricket, I'd have a choice of sport-events to follow on telly or live, rather than look forward to the single schedule of the Indian cricket team.

If I am an investor, I'd like to diversify and build a portfolio of investments rather than be a shareholder in a single company, however large it is.

Indeed a good, well written article! Indeed a point well made! But indeed a case of "Nothing succeeds like success". Dhoni is a hero till bowlers figure that he has so many chinks in armour that it will be an eternity before he coreects himself. Sehwag is a case in point. Driving through the line was easy till the bowlers started pitching short. Why cant Dravid and Chappel - arguably two technically better batsmen of their times read the writing on the wall. Ganguly was weak against short balls and Sehwag is too. Both tried and are still trying to counter it but are not able to. The basics need to be right. One day or test - only sustainable competitive advantage for a player - is strong technique. We are not finding enough cricketers with the basics. Dhoni, Sehwag and Kaif cannot be next Dravid or Tendulkar.
Coach and captain need to see the weakness before opponent bowlers see.

Yes Anand, we the fans probably "care" too much about the team's ups and downs, and sometimes forget it's all just a jolly old game. On the other hand, if we were a little more sane maybe some of us wouldn't be spending hundreds of dollars a year and almost as many hours of sleep trying to catch a game being played 9 time zones away. The point that India is doing fine in ODIs is well-taken. The point (if that is indeed your point-kinda hard to make out) that we are doing fine in tests too is fairly ridiculous. 2 years back we were doing better, for a no. of reasons that may or may not include the captain and coach, now we have slipped back. If someone is blase now about our terrific achievement of winning a test series at Pakistan, or winning in Adelaid, just look back and think of the thrill you felt then - and compare that with what you felt after Karachi and Mumbai. I don't see what's wrong with admitting that we have a Test match problem. And talking about coaches-look at a certain gentleman across the border and see what he has done with a once-disjointed team with inflated egos and misdirected talent. Woolmer didn't let his ego stand in the way of people like Shoaib, Afridi, or Youhana (whose attitude has always been questioned in Pakistan). Instead he harnessed their talent, believed in Inzi, gave responsibility to a then non-performing Younis Khan, and pulled Pakistan up to a level where they are undoubtedly a better test team than us. As for ODIs, they haven't too badly either, and may actually have the last laugh over other teams in WC07 -just my view though. And Woolmer has done it all without creating a circus, generating controversy, playing to the media or cozying up to the incorrigible Kiran More counterparts in Pakistan. Rather he has stuck to what he's done before with some success (unlike Greg, he has some coaching successes to show for a certain Safrican team that was world no. 2 for a long long time): stay in the background, develop strategy and harness the talent at hand. In Pakistan, and I speak as someone who has been there often, Woolmer is respected with a capital R. He is not a travelling circus, rather he is the calming influence for a nation whose volatile passion for cricket probably surpasses ours. The point I am trying to make is: yes Vasu, we fans are also responsible. But if we had a less polarizing figure at the helm who actually bothered to treat the most successful skipper of Indian cricket ever with some respect and didn't gang up against him with a selection committee who collectively haven't done 1/1000th for Indian cricket as this man has done, we would perhaps be more patient. And then, if the team hadn't capitulated on two horrid days in Karachi and Mumbai, we may have been more patient also. And finally, if the scapegoat for one of those capitulations did not include one of the 2 batsmen who actually looked like batsmen that day, we would have felt even better. Even some honesty would have helped - like "binary scores are fine only if they are scored by Kaif". Incidentally, since Greg has been so successful in defining roles and getting the best out of people, do we assume that the best of Kaif is 113 runs in the last 15 matches at 10.27, or is it 37 runs in the last 10 matches at 4.62 or 24 in the last 5 at 4.8? Or perhaps the best of Gambhir is 193 in the last 10 matches before he was dropped at 19.3. Gosh these 2 must have been saving lots of runs in the field to be persisted with in Greg's "tough" system. Oh well, why should we argue when the team is winning? That is precisely the problem - one needs to identify the issues when the team is winning, and realize they are winning IN SPITE of those rather than because of those, rather than wait for the day they lose to start whining so that one can get some cheap brownie points with emotional fans on that day. The problem with this coach and captain's "philosophy": different standards for different people, which would mean that India will go to the WC with a team that is collecting of Greg's favs, not one with the best players in the country. Teams don't win with that - Ozzies are not a collection of Buchanan's favs, or Pakistan one of Woolmer's. Ganguly may be past his time, Laxman may be on the downswing. But are they better bets than Venugopal Rao, Gautam Gambhir and Kaif on current form? I sure would like to find out, and if Greg and Kiran More had the team's best interests at heart, they would also. And I would especially like to find out since I know that if they come good, they are world beaters. They would give me cover for Sehwag, Kaif or Tendulkar, and the youngsters will have to out-perform them to stay in team, not because they are young. Most importantly, I'd like to choose the 7-8 best batsmen in my squad - and one would only need to take a look at the Pak test tour to see that a Lax or a Gangs deserve a chance to at least take a shot at that. And I'd also take a certain Kumble over some of the current bowlers, if only as competition for Powar and Harbhajan.

India is winning in ODI because some of the players play multiple roles for team instead of depending on few players like Ganguly, Sachin, Dravid to score hundred always. This is the first time, a player is judged by his technique and performance in situation rather than history (think about Uthappa). And it took a while before this strategy was implemented in ODI. The same thing is true for test. Again, test cricket in more mental game than one day which require more mental stiffness and experience to perform consistently for 5 days. Don’t forget this team is still young and is in learning process. I am sure they will do well in future. It will not change overnight. In stead of speculating whether this team will succeed in future or not, let’s encourage the team as a whole rather than pointing finger to specific players. That’s why Anand comments..
“may be we are the problem…”

I know this post is irrelevent here.
Cricinfo says
"Younis stars in hard-fought win" and BBC says "Pakistan ease to win over India". If i'm right both are talking about the same match. But I personally think that this win was not a hard fought one. Just because it was finished only in 48.3 overs it doesn't mean that its a hard fought victory. Also as a regular follower of cricinfo i feel that some of those article by some authors are biased especially by Indian authors. Not just me but many feel so that some authors support some players which at this level seems pretty immature. Hope cricinfo takes care of these things.

There is a point you may have to consider, "Winning combinations". Doesn't mean always winning, but it mean "Never Giveup". India as a team have to reach and stay firm on "Never Giveup" attitude. Trying to reach that stage is a feel good factor. Team should have the mix of more wins and few losses. Thus, players and spectators enjoy the sports in its authentic senses. Always win is boring, as you see in Australians case. When cricket matches yield a sportive result, it exhibit a good show, else it will be another show being exhibited.

Dileep, Prem and now Anand ! I thought after reading each article, "well, sure some journalists have got brain, but i should not start expecting more from them.." and each article by these people led me to develop more respect for them. One thing which i feel ashamed about is that every time a journalist sees Chappell, they shout "Ganguly, is he coming into the team or not" !! We could more or less have had thrown stones at him for that matter ! Even when they know that the answer is going to be the same one, but they keep churning out the matter . Shame on those kind of cricket columnists and journalists, and kudos to Dileep, Prem and Anand. Perhaps they should write a thank you letter on behalf of Indian people to Greg, and also aplogize for the hardships that he undoubtedly have been facing. Perhaps little things like these might help him to go to sleep more peacefully, and help out churn a team that can win World Cup.