BCCI goes bold!
Boldness has never been a virtue associated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The time selectors have often been accused of choosing players from ‘their own region’ and have faced the ire of the paying public and pundits. Not anymore!
When the big bosses picked the Indian squad for the five-match ODI series against England, it was considered a intrepid move to have given the out-of-form Harbhajan Singh the stick. For over a decade now, Bhajji has been an integral member in the Indian line-up, and to have overlooked the offie was a signal that there was a shift in the way selectors viewed situation. Interestingly, the richest board in the world did not press the panic button after India’s poor outing in England. Instead, they banked themselves on a side that had untested players such as Ajinkya Rahane, Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav. While the trio impressed in patches during the ODI series against England, their show was good enough for them to find a place in the squad for the first Test against West Indies which starts in New Delhi from November 6.
The big guns — Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh are back in the ring, while Bhajji continued to be on the ignored list.
The selectors need to be commended for having chosen Ravichandran Ashwin in the 15-member squad along with left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, while leggie Amit Mishra missed out. The pacers pack will see the return of Ishant Sharma, who will lead the attack in Zaheer Khan’s absence.
The likes of Rahane, Virat Kohli were surprisingly preferred over the likes of Chennai lads — Murali Vijay and Abhinav Mukund — again, an important change that needs to be noted.
The faith in young brigade is good but the top-most agenda in BCCI’s radar should be to strike the elusive balance between too much cricket and too little of it. This would invariably require the board to maintain a close-watch on the number of matches played by every player in the national side. It is futile to lay the blame for too much cricket on tournaments such as the IPL or domestic commitments. The below-par attendance even during international fixtures should be taken up seriously by the men who matter.
Ultimately, it is a game which is played for the public who pay for it. If you keep dishing out matches and tournaments at the drop of the hat, the viewer is bound to lose interest. So what can a fan do? Simple, he will not watch you play. We all know what an effect it can cause to the player’s psyche and for board’s coffers.
Player management needs to be utmost priority by the board. Pacers need to be handled with care. The likes of Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav need to be nurtured. This Test series is a good testing ground for the young guns before they leave for the all-important tour Down Under. The likes of Virat Kohli and Rahane need to be given a longer run in Tests. The series against the West Indies is a good exam for them. Agreed, the Windies is not the strongest of oppositions, but they still can test the youngsters with regards to skill and temperament.
Is this the end of the road for Bhajji? Certainly not, he is a proven performer and will definitely make a comeback. By dropping Bhajji, BCCI has certainly sent a strong message that NO ONE can take his place for granted. The India cap is not a sole property of anyone and one needs to EARN it.
Squad for the first Test vs West Indies: M.SDhoni (capt & wk), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Virat Kohli, Varun Aaron, Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Sharma
