History offers lessons, and none more than the country they are about to tour now: Australia.
Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli finished with an average of 15 runs in India’s humiliating 3-0 series loss against New Zealand. Never before have India suffered a whitewash in a home Test series. The two old guards looked helpless as the fortress fell. Within days they face the next big challenge. If the batting stalwarts fail to dramatically turn their form around for the five-Test series in Australia starting this month, India wouldn’t make it to the World Test Championship (WTC) final. So if the two 35-plus cricketers don’t find a second wind, will the BCCI be ready to take tough calls? The spotlight will be on the top BCCI officials, selectors and coach. In the past, head coach Gautam Gambhir has spoken more than anybody in the Indian cricketing fraternity about the need to end the star culture. It’s up to him now to walk that talk, with the help of selectors like Ajit Agarkar, and the BCCI. Of course, the decision isn’t as straight-forward as it seems.
The seniors like Rohit, Virat, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja didn’t perform, but even the young brigade comprising Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant couldn’t get the team over the line despite playing some eye-catching knocks. Getting rid of all the seniors at one go may leave the team devoid of leadership and without adequate experience. India’s bright new 20-somethings are part of the generation that has burst through to international cricket without much first-class experience. They have been in leadership roles in IPL teams. Most of them haven’t gone through the grind of the five-day game. They are alien to concepts like a consistent work-ethic, the rigours of maintaining high intensity levels and sustaining energy through a long campaign.
History offers lessons, and none more than the country they are about to tour now: Australia. In the ‘80s, stung by the retirements of Dennis Lillee, Greg Chappell, Rod Marsh, and the failures of next rung seniors like Kim Hughes and Co, Australia threw their lot behind the senior Allan Border and his carefully chosen band of young talent like Steve Waugh, David Boon, Dean Jones. A talented young pack of men chosen as much for their temperament as talent, marshalled by a hard old-school leader in Border. India might well have to go that way at the end of this Australian tour. The broadcasters and others in the business of selling might not agree, but Indian cricket needs to take the leap of faith.
