India’s struggle to meet expectations

At first all seemed well for India’s men’s team on their recent five-Test series tour of Australia.

In early December the opening Test at Perth witnessed a handsome 295 runs victory for the tourists. This came on the back of a surprise home series defeat by New Zealand. By the end of the Perth Test, it was Australia who were in disarray, faced with accusations of being underprepared. If the team were stung by this opprobrium, they achieved a sharp turnaround in fortunes, drawing the second Test and winning the last three.

Ultimately, the Indian squad were in serious disarray. An early sign of this emerged with the unexpected, and surprisingly timed, decision of Ravichandra Ashwin to announce his retirement from international cricket. This occurred in a press conference after the third Test in Brisbane, for which he was not selected, when he sat alongside his captain, Rohit Sharma.

It was a very low-key manner in which to end an illustrious career. Ashwin played 106 Tests, becoming India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the format, with 537. Undoubtedly, this number would have been higher had he not been frequently overlooked for selection in overseas conditions. This pattern continued in Australia and it seems that Ashwin had reached the end of his tether.

Many observers were of the view that such a glittering career ought to have been marked by a farewell Test in front of appreciative supporters. This would have been a fitting tribute to his immense contribution to the game. A part of that was his intellectual approach, which facilitated his continual evolvement as a player.

As if to prove the point, he said that a farewell Test was not necessary, observing: “I’ve learned one thing: not everything goes the way you want it to.” He added that he still had plenty of cricket left in him but the place for that to happen was “obviously not in the Indian dressing room.”

Anyone who has played team sport, at any level, will be familiar with the fragile nature of team and dressing room culture. It takes much time, effort and psychology to nurture, and sometimes can be broken by a single incident. More often, in my experience, it is broken by steady, often imperceptible, erosion.

India’s team are in transition. Ashwin has gone, Sharma and Kohli appear to be near the end. Several others are on the brink. India’s current coach, Gautam Gambhir, has been in post for six months and inherited a team culture built largely by his predecessor, Ravi Shastri, and the aggressively driven Kohli.

Gambhir’s task is to effect a transition but the Indian cricketing fan base is impatient and demanding. Disappointment with the series result in Australia has been swiftly addressed by India’s selectors, but not in a way that was expected.

There has been no culling of the squad for the Champions Trophy, which will be played in one-day-international format. Instead, in an astonishing and extraordinary move, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has issued a “10-point diktat.” This specifies restrictions on what players can and cannot do and is designed to “promote discipline, unity and a positive environment” by reining in its errant troops.

These are no ordinary troops. They are exceedingly wealthy, have film star lives, are the center of attraction in India and are largely cocooned within a protective entourage. Something seems to have snapped within the BCCI’s hierarchy. One might ask how it came to this stage. It is guaranteed that the restrictions will irritate the players.

In particular, families can now only join players for a maximum of two weeks during tours exceeding 45 days. Also, players will now be required to travel with the team for matches and practice sessions. Apparently, this measure is a reaction to instances of several high-profile players travelling separately. This also seems to have been the case at scheduled practice sessions. Now they are required to stay for the entire duration of practice sessions and travel together to and from the venue.

Another measure is that personal staff, including managers, chefs, assistants, and security personnel will now be restricted from accompanying players on tours or series unless explicitly approved by the BCCI. It may seem incredulous to mere spectators that individual players have a traveling entourage as opposed to one for the whole team or one provided by the high-end hotels where they stay.

The BCCI has made it mandatory for players to participate in domestic matches, emphasizing the importance of staying connected to grassroots cricket. Exemptions from this mandate will require formal notification and approval from Ajit Agarkar, the chair of selectors. Sharma has already baulked at this, pointing out that there is so little opportunity within a crowded international calendar. He last played in a Ranji Trophy match in 2015, whilst Kohli’s last appearance was in 2012.

These measures could be interpreted as ones designed to challenge the resolve of those close to the end of their international careers. Ashwin has ended his and one of the 10 BCCI measures might be a nod in his direction. Now players must stay with the team even if matches or series conclude earlier than scheduled. Of course, this does not imply that mid-series retirements are disallowed, but it does suggest they are unwelcome.

It remains to be seen how the players will react to the 10 points. All national boards and teams have policies in place for expected behaviors. The BCCI appears to be attempting to reclaim lost territory. India now have a T20 and ODI series against England, followed by the Champions Trophy and a summer tour to England. After that, a much-altered team may emerge.

Apart from this domestic skirmish, the BCCI is true to form externally. It is a month before the start of the ICC Champions Trophy and reports suggest that India have objected to the host nation, Pakistan, being printed on their team jerseys. In addition, there is rumor that the BCCI does not want to send its captain to the opening ceremony.

This, for many, is petty behavior. India has riches of cricketing talent, an abundance of money and boundless ambition, but a failure, so far, to translate that into a clean sweep of trophies.