Dhoni's captaincy can't escape scrutiny all the time
Before every Test series abroad, we're given to understand that it's our bowling attack which is our weak link, that our batsmen will make life difficult for opponents and that it's our best chance to win abroad.
For the last nine months, before every crucial match, the newspaper headline invariably reads — "Will Tendulkar get his 100th 100 here?"
Grow up, guys! Let's begin this new year by initiating corrective action rather than by repeating those mistakes which have consistently been our failing.
One, you can't set a good total with a fledgling opening pair. Let's face it — something is seriously amiss with Gautam Gambhir. Post the World Cup last year, he has been a shadow of his former self. Sporadic injuries and health issues, it seems, have only added to the problem. But it's time to give him a break now, lest we must see him go the Yuvraj Singh way. Ajinkya Rahane is an enterprising brave batsman who deserves his chances before he runs out of steam waiting in the dressing room. Another option is to have Dravid open the batting (he is anyway on the crease in the first few overs) and have Rohit Sharma play in the middle. Either way, there ought to be a change at the top.
Dhoni has to prove his credentials as a good captain away from India. Getty Images
Two, for God's sake stop worrying about Tendulkar's 100th 100, unless you want it at the cost of our continued defeats. Let his 100th 100 arrive naturally than by a forced C-section. It's sad that Tendulkar should project himself to be unaffected by the hype, because the truth seems to be to the contrary. And given the side's dependence on Tendulkar (no matter how much we try to wish it away), his failure is invariably synonymous with the team's failure. It would thus have been better had Tendulkar played the ODIs against West Indies last month and got his ton, instead of letting the hype prolong ad nauseam.
Three, let's have a retirement plan in place for India's three 35 plus batsmen — Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman. As rude this may sound, let us remember that the situation can't get worse than all three of them bowing out simultaneously.
Besides, let us just remember that when the Indian batting is such great embarrassment with these three veterans around, imagine what it will be when they're gone. In fact, the National Cricket Academy should be entrusted with the specific responsibility of identifying 5-10 pure 'Test batting' talents. Over a period of time, these young talents should be shielded from the influence of T20 and nurtured specifically for the game's longer version. Ideally these youngsters should be allowed to play ODIs and T20s only after playing a certain number of Test matches, instead of it being the other way round.
Four, let's get a younger and more aggressive team coach. Dravid may praise Duncan Fletcher like he must have praised every other coach, but let's face it — Fletcher neither has age nor credibility on his side. Moreover, when your pressing need is to groom a side for the future, a younger coach is inevitable. My choice has and will always be Anil Kumble.
Five, Dhoni's captaincy can't escape scrutiny all the time. Two pathetic, successive overseas tours ought to put the focus on his captaincy. Has he lost some of his winning appetite post the World Cup? Well, honestly, Dhoni has been erratic lately. There are days when he still looks like the zealous captain chasing wins and then there are days when he looks plain disinterested, so much, so that the bowling changes are outright predictable.
Sure, Dhoni has achieved more than he'd have imagined but he needs to ask the serious question — is he satiated for life? Dhoni's recent comment expressing his uncertainty over playing the next World Cup was certainly an eye opener. He seems mellowed and content and has perhaps lost a couple of his street-smart tactics which made him the captain he was. A case in point is the way Ashwin seems under-utilised on this tour.
This new year the Indian side might have to battle hard to arrest its journey back to the dark ages when losing abroad was a foregone conclusion.