English Summer, What Next?

S o we had a lack luster series in England and got our butt kicked to wake us up. I think that kick came at the right time because it provides us time to think and plan for the future. That calls for some honest and brutal thinking on the part of BCCI and some actions that will help the game.

Let us start with the attitude first. I think, although everyone is vehemently denying it, the IPL has had a negative effect on the attitude of the youngsters. When you can get a big contract by bowling 4 good overs in a game or by scoring a quick 30-40-50 in a game, what is the motivation for the youngsters to graft an innings? Then you have the advertising contracts if you have reasonable success in IPL. With all this money being available quickly and by playing a few games, why should one toil over five days? So BCCI therefore needs to check the IPL program for its impact on the talent. They should look at diverting some money into a formal academy for a handful of individuals with sponsorships.

The same attitude is also reflected in the amount of preparation time and practice time that the players put in. Recently during the Fourth Test, the Indian bowling coach Eric Simmons was being interviewed on telly and he said that Praveen Kumar must be tired. Wasim Akram, who was in the commentary team, was fuming. He said that Praveen is just 23 and has just made his debut for India. He should be raring to go and not complaining of workload. He also mentioned that these days the bowlers bowl 3-4 overs at the nets and takes a break; there is never a long sustained spell. So the ability to work hard and give your 100 per cent is missing.

Third, the players need to be honest and transparent about their injuries. On this tour alone we have had numerous examples of players carrying injuries and hoping to recover in time. That is not a fair process because it robs an aspiring player of a berth on the touring team and secondly you are putting your own team at risk by playing with less than 100% fitness. The players should spend the right time on recovery and then get match ready.

Finally, the BCCI needs to take a longer term view. They need to identify the next generation of players and invest in their training, coaching and build a solid foundation for the future. We need to be in a position to defend the world cup and also dominate the game once we overcome this fall.