In an intriguing development somehow for the last 10 years, every time the Indian Cricket Team has arrived in the knock-out stages of a tournament, may it be the semis or the finals, there has been a recurrent theme of a humiliating meltdown and no one, absolutely no one has been able to stop it. Even in 2019, where India came the closest and it felt that MS Dhoni can pull off the miracle, he would eventually run himself out, thereby dashing India’s hopes.
Coming close to the World Test championship Mace twice in two consecutive finals, Indian Cricket Team gave up the opportunity of trumping over their opposition. Both the finals saw them slumping down faster than anticipated. First it was New Zealand to leave them with a bitter taste in their mouth followed by the reckoning Australians who would mortify them again.
The preceding year saw how the Indian Cricket Team gave up an opportunity to lift the T20 World Cup despite being a stage away from the grand finale as England toyed with the Indian bowlers and they couldn’t find that all-important breakthrough, allowing England to run away with what was another crushing victory. What exactly is wrong with the Indian Cricket Team and how do they change this? Well there is a major major reason why this team is somehow lacking behind despite so many incredible resources.
The answer is that it is just a group of individuals trying to do justice to their names. Somehow, the concept of turning the team into a family, feeling those raw emotions have completely changed. Back in the days, a defeat would be followed be severe criticism while the players would sit back and question themselves over and over again. There would be tears, heartbreak and most importantly the players would have a responsibility of turning it around.
Somehow, after the defeat in the WTC final, Rohit Sharma had the audacity of saying that they were well prepared and it should have been a three-match series. Back in 1983, Clive Lloyd was happy to accept the embarrassment. Back in 2011, Kumara Sangakkara was happy to accept that they weren’t up to the task of braving the Indian Cricket Team. Sadly, no one asked for a repeat telecast or another chance.
The fact that Rohit Sharma still believed that the Indian Cricket Team was well prepared, it left the entire nation in rage and splits. Prepared? How? By playing two months of IPL? Is that what Test preparation looks like? Getting starts and then throwing them away? Is that what Test cricket is all about?
And to be honest, no one, absolutely no one in the team took the blame. They were happy to play victims of the circumstances. Injuries proved to be the talking point but with the quartet of Rohit, Kohli, Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane, if there were still any questions about players missing out, that is just a façade.
It is high time now that players should understand that this is a family and not just any team of the world. A family that has the world’s biggest population behind it. A family that is worshipped in every singular household. A family that should take the blame, that should get up, dust themselves off and eventually move forward learning from their mistakes.
They should know that this is the Indian Cricket Team. We love the team and we would always do so as the fans. But they if that sense of accountability is missing, India will keep on trailing when the bigger games come. No stars will come to their aid. The individual stat-padding will continue and the team will keep on stumbling over and over again.
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