Eating humble pie

[DesiChap]

Eating humble pie By Harsha Bhogle Sometimes you have to do things and sometimes you have to be seen to be doing things. I suspect the BCCI has embarked on both and have tended to resemble a sledge hammer rather than a paint brush. But there are some big tests of intent ahead and the first is probably in the team that goes to Bangla Desh. It is very rare that the BCCI comes out with a directive to the selectors to pick a young team. Strictly speaking, there should be no pressure put on selectors but that is a bit like saying you shouldn?t use third degree to get a confession. Yes, you shouldn?t, but you do and it has always happened in Indian cricket. But hardly ever has it been put so bluntly. So then, should the administration interfere at all in selection? A unilateral ?no? would be a tempting answer but I think it would be na?ve and wrong. If a team has to be picked on form, on matters of skill, then the selectors should have a free hand and they should be strong enough to send the interference back where it belongs. But, if a decision has to be taken on a matter of principle, of policy, there has to be a clear vision and the selectors have little choice but to follow it. Clearly then the BCCI decision to ask for a younger team is a policy issue and that requires some serious explanation. If indeed, the senior players are left out then we need to know whether it was because their attitude was suspect or merely whether they are being rested. The second is irrelevant because they will have had much rest in the weeks before going to Bangla Desh. Is the BCCI then going to be brave enough to say that players are being dropped on attitude? I would be delighted if they do say so, if indeed that is the real reason. For in passing on a message to the players in question, they will actually be passing on a much sterner message to all those on the sidelines. Effectively they will be saying ?if senior players can go, you will too and so we will not allow groupism, we will not allow indiscipline?. It seems pretty clear from the outside, even allowing for the poor accuracy of news reports in recent times, that attitude is a major issue. When players stagnate it can mean that they have come to the end of their shelf life. But more likely, it means they are unwilling to stretch and discover new horizons. Unless a performer challenges himself all through his performing years, he will never reach the peaks he is destined to. Worse, if he begins to take things for granted and starts living in a comfort zone, he will go downhill very fast. That is true of every profession and it is true of our young cricketers. That, for example, is the difference between a Harbhajan Singh and an Anil Kumble, a Virender Sehwag and a Rahul Dravid. The latter cricketer in each case spent time understanding himself and sought new peaks all the time. Kumble and Dravid have an excellent work ethic and a basic honesty that allows them to see their shortcomings, or be willing to hear about them. Harbhajan and Sehwag are extraordinarily gifted cricketers who are making no progress at all which, in relative terms, means they are going backwards. Their talent will take them no further, their work ethic and their honesty will. Work ethic and commitment are two reasons why Australia continue to stay ahead of the rest of the world. I?d go so far as to say that where their profession is concerned, the Australians are the most humble cricketers in the world. They may be aggressive on field, they may tell a batsman what they think of him, and that is not always pretty, but they approach their cricket with honesty and are humble enough to accept, and iron out, deficiencies. Well in his mid-thirties Matthew Hayden is still looking ahead and has worked his backside off to make it back to the one-day team. There is humility in that intent because he accepted he wasn?t good enough and came back the old-fashioned way. It is not surprising that he has achieved much success. Are India?s cricketers willing to do that? More important, are they ready to listen if they are told that they need to get a move on and improve their work ethic? Will they sulk if they are left out of will they take it on the chin, which really should be the only way. Selection is a very important, probably the most important, tool in building good teams. That is why I am looking forward to seeing what the team for Bangla Desh will look like. But I am even more interested in seeing if the reasons behind the selection are honestly told. http://www.espnstar.com/studio/studio_coldetail_5403307.html

[gator]

Re: Eating humble pie

Work ethic and commitment are two reasons why Australia continue to stay ahead of the rest of the world. I?d go so far as to say that where their profession is concerned, the Australians are the most humble cricketers in the world. They may be aggressive on field, they may tell a batsman what they think of him, and that is not always pretty, but they approach their cricket with honesty and are humble enough to accept, and iron out, deficiencies. Well in his mid-thirties Matthew Hayden is still looking ahead and has worked his backside off to make it back to the one-day team. There is humility in that intent because he accepted he wasn?t good enough and came back the old-fashioned way. It is not surprising that he has achieved much success. Are India?s cricketers willing to do that? More important, are they ready to listen if they are told that they need to get a move on and improve their work ethic? Will they sulk if they are left out of will they take it on the chin, which really should be the only way.

amen to tht.... i like this guy's thought process... it is not often tht a guy who has never played cricket becomes a popular commentator and analyst...