Ganguly?s India had set the template for how to become a successful team. Those who are in charge now must take a leaf out of that manual
Indian cricket was in a bigger crisis at the turn of the century. A hammering Down Under, followed by a thrashing in the home Test series against South Africa saw the team hit the nadir. Then, there was the excuse of the match-fixing controversy, which had threatened many a player?s credibility in the set-up. A group of young men then took over and the process that began then culminated in India reaching the top of the world Test rankings and winning the 50-overs World Cup almost a decade later.
Sourav Ganguly was given the job to lead in Indian cricket?s darkest hours. He had Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath and coach John Wright by his side. VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra grew in stature under their watch. The changes didn?t happen overnight. For the first two seasons, the team had made slow progress. They even had to suffer the ignominy of getting bundled out for 54 against Sri Lanka in Sharjah. The real turnaround was, of course, the one against Australia in Kolkata in March 2001. Laxman?s epic 281 to tame the all-conquering Aussies was a defining moment. Then there was the victory in the NatWest Trophy final, with Ganguly imitating Freddie Flintoff’ in the Lord?s balcony. India started to win Tests abroad, reached the 2003 World Cup finals and eventually became the number one Test side in the world.
When Mahendra Singh Dhoni took charge of all the three formats, he carried forward what Ganguly, Dravid and then Kumble had set in motion. He was at the helm of a side which had match winners with both bat and ball. In April 2011, Dhoni reached the top of the world on that heady night at the Wankhede Stadium. If that was one of India?s finest moments on the cricket field, in just two years, things have changed drastically. Every team has a shelf life. It was true for ?Bradman?s invincibles? and also for Clive Lloyd?s West Indies and Ricky Ponting?s Australia. Likewise, with Team India. After that India lost eight consecutive overseas Test matches, lost a home Test series?against England?after eight years, and now have been defeated in a home ODI series after more than three years. When he won, he was at the centre of media attention. And now when India is losing, it is his head on the chopping block.
But is he the only one to blame? A captain is after all only as good as his team. The Indian Test team is in transition after the retirement of Dravid and Laxman. Tendulkar is at the fag end of his career. Time and maybe fitness have caught up with Zaheer and Sehwag. Harbhajan is struggling for form and Gautam Gambhir for consistency. Even the limited-overs team that looked so settled after the World Cup win, is going through changes. Tendulkar has retired, top seamers, who used to lead the attack, are gone. The new team needs time.
In fact, the whole team needs time to get back to rhythm. As cricket has become a million-dollar business, patience is in short supply these days. But we have to wait. West Indies haven?t been able to rise again after their legends called it quits en masse about two decades ago. Australia, too, have lost their aura and are in the process to rebuild their squad. In cricket everything needs to go through a certain process, however time-consuming it might be. Of course, talent is required and India don?t have a shortage of it. Yes, Ganguly?s Team India were a lot more talented. But Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman, and Sehwag, for that matter, are one-in-a-generation players and it would be grave injustice to compare the Pujaras and the Kohlis with them. Both Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, however, are top talents and along with fast bowler Umesh Yadav, are India?s biggest hopes.
It?s important to create the right atmosphere for them to flourish. It?s important for seniors like Sehwag to create such atmosphere in the dressing room. Sehwag is not the captain, but one doesn?t have to be a captain to be a leader. A good team usually has many leaders, marshalling the troops towards a common goal. Maybe the Delhi opener is a bit down at the moment because he is not scoring runs. But more than his runs, his experience is needed, especially after Tendulkar?s departure. He should always be by his captain?s side, offering help and advice. It has also become imperative to single out those who are trying to spoil the dressing room unity. Everyone aspires to become Team India?s captain. But if someone?s personal ambition negatively affects the team?s interests, then that individual (or individuals) ought to be shown the door.
When a football team fares badly, the manager gets the sack. In cricket, it is the captain. Dhoni, too, might have to go, but will that change anything? Ganguly?s India had set the template for how to become a successful team. Those who are in charge now must take a leaf out of that manual. India needs to look back to look forward.