Defeat apart, will the Indians learn from the Lankan experience?

Anand Vasu

September 3, 2001

It is only the weak who bay for blood from the stands when the matador is on the floor and the bull is about to gore him.

A depleted Indian team was palpably demolished by an upbeat Sri Lankan side at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground where an innings and 77 run victory clinched for the home side not just the third Test, but also the series. So once more, the Indian team has given its detractors enough and more room to bring out the refrains, `we should have won that series', `the captain must go', `India does not know how to play under pressure', `we depend too much on Tendulkar...' The vocabulary of the cynic is better stocked than the cricket talent in this country, one must say.

The usual suspects will creep out of the woodwork, Raj Singh Dungarpur, Bishan Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna et al and go after the Indian team. A new series, a new venue, but the same damn tragicomedy playing over and over again.

But spare a thought for Sourav Ganguly.

After all, sacking himself is not an option he is considering. The youngsters in this series have failed to deliver, almost without exception. If one were to drop them all for the forthcoming away series against South Africa, who would replace them? To say that India are not in the same situation as Australia would win you a prize in a competition of understatements. A national selector said a fortnight ago that there were not more than twenty cricketers to choose from who were likely to deliver the goods at the highest level. With Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath and Ashish Nehra injured, India are, by his calculation, down to their final fifteen.

To be perfectly honest, that is not hard to believe at all.

The situation then is starkly clear, the problems well defined. The solution however, still eludes everybody. The coach of the Indian team, John Wright, was visibly frustrated after India's thumping loss. Speaking to pressmen soon after the match, Wright admitted, "We did the basics badly." Candid admission Wrighty, but one even a layman could have made. As coach of the most followed cricket team in the world more is expected of you. "We need batsmen who can bat consistently throughout the day, and bowlers who can bowl equally fast in the morning and evening," he continued.

There are two ways this can happen. Firstly, by hook or by crook lure the Glenn McGraths and Steve Waughs of this world away from their countries and get them to turn out for India. Since that is not happening, the only option is to make mightier cricketers of the present lot. Addressing specific issues individually might simplify matters.

The fast bowling department is certainly one that has shown promise in recent times. On his day Zaheer Khan is spunky enough to get the ball whistling past the ears of batsmen. On his day Venkatesh Prasad is capable of the most subtle deception despite his age. On his day Harbhajan Singh the `Turbanator' can take the pants off the best batsmen in the world without them noticing it... But, it's not enough if you can do it `on your day,' is it? While they wait for the inspiration, these cricketers must at least be professional.

About a month ago there was a rather unknown Sri Lankan fast bowler steaming in and bowling the ball all over the place at the nets at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai. Sure he was big and strong and could generate dangerous bounce. But that was only when he managed to land the ball in the general direction of the stumps, and that wasn't nearly often enough. Then Dennis Lillee happened to him. Arguably the greatest ever fast bowler the world has seen, and almost certainly the best fast bowling coach ever, Lillee straightened out this young man in the matter of a fortnight. In the very next series he played, Dilhara Fernando took the attack to the Indians.

If Wright is serious about getting this team in shape before they leave for South Africa, he must insist that India's pacemen arrive in Chennai on the 14th of September. Lillee will be conducting one of his regular camps and the team can only benefit if its senior professionals interact with him.

The second vital step that must happen lies with the physio, Andrew Leipus. Is it simply bad luck that in India a couple of new cricketers are added to the injury list every tournament? Sounds extremely unlikely. India need to take a long hard look at the base level of fitness that players have.

Will the think-tank do either? Disappointingly, one has to say that it is at best extremely unlikely. Rather than honestly try to fix the faults, the team will go back to their lives, wait for the tour of South Africa and the inevitable Indian performance abroad will ensue...

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India tour of Sri Lanka

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India