Ganguly:I get the feeling that this team is not expressing, they all are acting acc to kohli

[Tibarn]

What a character, he had allegations of causing trouble in his own team's locker room, among other allegations against him, and he is now fermenting trouble in another captain's locker room with his lame attempts at psychoanalysis.

 

 

 

 

[ShankarShailendra]

2 hours ago, Tibarn said:

What a character, he had allegations of causing trouble in his own team's locker room, among other allegations against him, and he is now fermenting trouble in another captain's locker room with his lame attempts at psychoanalysis.

 

 

 

 

Ganguly is not a saint. But how pointing out Kohli's mistakes is fermenting trouble in his team locker? 

Even in 1st test, Nasser Hussain criticised Kohli for allowing Eng to come back after being 87/7 and after yesterday's show the skipper's role will definitely be under the scanner. 

[raki05]

On 8/11/2018 at 12:26 AM, SK_IH said:

Yes Ganguly was basically saying Kohli ki gundagardi ke aage sab chup hojate hain

That should have been the exact word. Even senior players are scared enough to open their mouth because of theses goons kohli and shastri. The sooner we get rid of these 2 from management the better we do.

[Tibarn]

16 hours ago, ShankarShailendra said:

Ganguly is not a saint. But how pointing out Kohli's mistakes is fermenting trouble in his team locker? 

Based on what the OP posted, he didn't point out Kohli's mistakes, 

 

This is what he said according to the OP

Quote

Ganguly said he felt pujara cudnt have said no to kohli even if he didnt wanted the run , coz everyone is forced to match kohli standard even if they cant. Every player has to take charge to take team forward in their own way. They cnt say no to captain , they are not expressing own their own jst waiting n watching what virat does 

Ganguly feels (not knows) that

 

1) Pujara couldn't have said no to Kohli during the run out.

Based off of what? Kohli was at fault in the runout, but what does Kohli expecting other players to live up to an elite level of fitness have to do with it? These are professional athletes, they should be fit. Just because Ganguly didn't take fitness seriously to the extent that MS and Kohli did/do as captains, doesn't mean he is correct here. Pujara has run himself out numerous times, in situations that didn't involve Kohli as his batting partner.  Runnouts happen.

 

Does Ganguly really think that Pujara had the time to process and think something along the lines of "If I don't accept this run with Virat bhai on the other side, he will be disappointed and then he will drop me from playing in any further tests. I better run this anyway, so I can maintain my place in the side." 

 

Nonsense. When players run between the wicket, they trust the call of the player who has the angle on the ball. There is a split second reaction time; there isn't time for Pujara to have an internal monologue. 

 

2) Other players can't say no to the captain.

Again, what is Ganguly basing this off of? Unless he reveals that one of players confided in him that Kohli is a tyrant and doesn't allow input, Ganguly is pulling things out of thin air. 

 

The team has had zero reports of locker room issues. Unless Ganguly can confirm some player told him so(he doesn't even have to reveal the player's name), he is just making up nonsense and causing trouble. 

 

3) Kohli doesn't allow other players freedom to take charge in their own way.

Again, this is nonsense. In the ODI team itself, Kohli allows Dhoni to set fields on occasion. From memory, Umesh Yadav stated that Kohli is far more approachable for him than Dhoni when he was captain. 

 

I want to see which player has come out openly to state Kohli is over-controlling and not letting them play as themselves.

 

If Kohli was really so domineering, why aren't more of the Indian batsmen following his example? Kohli is playing outside of his crease to counter the swing the English bowlers are getting and has clearly been working on playing with a more compact technique and soft hands required to counter swing in English conditions. Kohli is a tyrant and not letting players be themselves, yet most of the other batsmen are not following his example and playing out of the crease, with soft hands, or practiced playing closer to the body.  

 

 

Quote

Even in 1st test, Nasser Hussain criticised Kohli for allowing Eng to come back after being 87/7 and after yesterday's show the skipper's role will definitely be under the scanner. 

Nasser is completely justified in criticizing Kohli for letting the English back into the game after 87/7, but Nasser criticized Kohli on actual cricketing decisions(ie he didn't bowl Umesh Yadav until Curran was set and the English tail was wagging). Umesh proceeded to trouble Curran from essentially his first over bowling and picked up 2 quick wickets. That is a cricketing criticism, is constructive, and is based on actual facts. 

 

Ganguly is pulling stuff out of thin air and weaving conspiratorial theories. Nothing he said is productive unless he actually reveals that some of the team members have complained to him about the same. Until he does, it is just baseless and at best ferments trouble for the team.  

[Tibarn]

22 minutes ago, InziRules said:

Point 1 on Pujara thinking then taking a decision is a bit of a dim view from you. The point is that Pujara heard an order and went against his instincts to obey it, and thus got out. While Kohli may expect awesome athletic standards, that's what he should implement during selection and that's what Shastri should implement in coaching. What he can not do is expect sudden athletic standards while running that the other player doesn't even have.

Tell me how Pujara was supposed to suddenly have athletic standards to complete that run. Kohli is fit, and he should push others to be fit, but he can't do that by running them out.  That run out was all on Kohli.

Read carefully: that is exactly what I said. The players just reacted in the middle, based on the call. Anyone who played cricket at any competitive level knows that one trusts their partners call. When the partner makes a bad call, one gets screwed, like Kohli doomed Pujara. 

 

Everyone already knows that Kohli made a bad call and Pujara got screwed. That's where it ends.

 

It is Ganguly and you who are inserting some sinister angle based on no evidence that Pujara went "against his instincts" and that "Pujara couldn't have refused the single even if he wanted to", or "Kohli was expecting Pujara to suddenly become athletic."

 

These are Ganguly's own words, according to the OP

Quote

Ganguly said he felt pujara cudnt have said no to kohli even if he didnt wanted the run , coz everyone is forced to match kohli standard even if they cant

Pray tell me how exactly one can conclude that Pujara had time to process whether the run was good or not, but he also had time to override his better judgement for fear of Kohli being on the other end? 

 

That is just Ganguly pulling stuff out of thin air. 

 

If Kohli was really forcing unrealistic standards of fitness on the Indian team, then Ashwin, Shami, and Pujara himself wouldn't have even played the match, as they are all liabilities on the field.

 

Kohli made a bad call, Pujara got run out because Kohli made a bad call, end of story, there was nothing sinister as Ganguly implied. 

 

Edited August 12, 2018 by Tibarn

[jf1gp_1]

On 8/11/2018 at 12:38 AM, coffee_rules said:

Exactly, this was the same issue with Sachin as captain expecting others to play and commit like him. Hence, he failed as a captain. Unlike Sachin, Kohli has way more powers for others to not follow him. 

Was thinking the same. 

[zen]

Well it would appear as if Kohli is under the scanner. The seniors (ex-cricketers) will curtail Kohli if things get out of control .... There appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel 

 

One of the reasons for Ind's inconsistent performance could be insecurity. If you are playing and do not know if you would be in the next game, there is added pressure

[Moochad]

4 hours ago, Tibarn said:

Read carefully: that is exactly what I said. The players just reacted in the middle, based on the call. Anyone who played cricket at any competitive level knows that one trusts their partners call. When the partner makes a bad call, one gets screwed, like Kohli doomed Pujara. 

 

Everyone already knows that Kohli made a bad call and Pujara got screwed. That's where it ends.

 

It is Ganguly and you who are inserting some sinister angle based on no evidence that Pujara went "against his instincts" and that "Pujara couldn't have refused the single even if he wanted to", or "Kohli was expecting Pujara to suddenly become athletic."

 

These are Ganguly's own words, according to the OP

Pray tell me how exactly one can conclude that Pujara had time to process whether the run was good or not, but he also had time to override his better judgement for fear of Kohli being on the other end? 

 

That is just Ganguly pulling stuff out of thin air. 

 

If Kohli was really forcing unrealistic standards of fitness on the Indian team, then Ashwin, Shami, and Pujara himself wouldn't have even played the match, as they are all liabilities on the field.

 

Kohli made a bad call, Pujara got run out because Kohli made a bad call, end of story, there was nothing sinister as Ganguly implied. 

 

yaar Ganguly thinks Kohli is Professor X 

 

doing mind control on innocent Chepu running him out 

[kosingh]

3 hours ago, zen said:

Well it would appear as if Kohli is under the scanner. The seniors (ex-cricketers) will curtail Kohli if things get out of control .... There appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel 

 

One of the reasons for Ind's inconsistent performance could be insecurity. If you are playing and do not know if you would be in the next game, there is added pressure

Which ex-cricketer will curtail Kohli? Scheduling now is done very smartly- so series like these are quickly forgotten.

Edited August 13, 2018 by kosingh

[Trichromatic]

3 hours ago, zen said:

Well it would appear as if Kohli is under the scanner. The seniors (ex-cricketers) will curtail Kohli if things get out of control .... There appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel 

 

One of the reasons for Ind's inconsistent performance could be insecurity. If you are playing and do not know if you would be in the next game, there is added pressure

Indians traditionally rely on security in their jobs. That's the time when good ones perform. Not when they are constantly under scanner.

 

It's easy to say that team should be aggressive. But can any batsman really be aggressive and try to force batsman to change their lines when they know that they are basically playing for their careers here.

 

Most of them play 1 format regularly and unsure of their places even in that format. So they have their cricketing career at risk in all matches.

 

1-2 greats can handle such pressure, but expecting whole team to handle it is unfair.

[R!TTER]

23 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

Indians traditionally rely on security in their jobs. That's the time when good ones perform. Not when they are constantly under scanner.

 

It's easy to say that team should be aggressive. But can any batsman really be aggressive and try to force batsman to change their lines when they know that they are basically playing for their careers here.

 

Most of them play 1 format regularly and unsure of their places even in that format. So they have their cricketing career at risk in all matches.

 

1-2 greats can handle such pressure, but expecting whole team to handle it is unfair.

So it is Kohli's fault, but who's fault is it that Kohli has a free reign on pretty much everything, selection to coaches and everything else? Shouldn't the selctors be picking the first 12, like they do in Aus IIRC? Why is Virat allowed to be Adolf Hitler and Shastri Benito Mussolini 

Edited August 13, 2018 by R!TTER

[nikred]

yaar Ganguly thinks Kohli is Professor X 
 
doing mind control on innocent Chepu running him out 

That's silly, Pujara was wearing the helmet.

Sent from my Redmi Note 4 using Tapatalk

[ShankarShailendra]

7 hours ago, Tibarn said:

Based on what the OP posted, he didn't point out Kohli's mistakes, 

 

This is what he said according to the OP

Ganguly feels (not knows) that

 

1) Pujara couldn't have said no to Kohli during the run out.

Based off of what? Kohli was at fault in the runout, but what does Kohli expecting other players to live up to an elite level of fitness have to do with it? These are professional athletes, they should be fit. Just because Ganguly didn't take fitness seriously to the extent that MS and Kohli did/do as captains, doesn't mean he is correct here. Pujara has run himself out numerous times, in situations that didn't involve Kohli as his batting partner.  Runnouts happen.

 

Does Ganguly really think that Pujara had the time to process and think something along the lines of "If I don't accept this run with Virat bhai on the other side, he will be disappointed and then he will drop me from playing in any further tests. I better run this anyway, so I can maintain my place in the side." 

 

Nonsense. When players run between the wicket, they trust the call of the player who has the angle on the ball. There is a split second reaction time; there isn't time for Pujara to have an internal monologue. 

 

2) Other players can't say no to the captain.

Again, what is Ganguly basing this off of? Unless he reveals that one of players confided in him that Kohli is a tyrant and doesn't allow input, Ganguly is pulling things out of thin air. 

 

The team has had zero reports of locker room issues. Unless Ganguly can confirm some player told him so(he doesn't even have to reveal the player's name), he is just making up nonsense and causing trouble. 

 

3) Kohli doesn't allow other players freedom to take charge in their own way.

Again, this is nonsense. In the ODI team itself, Kohli allows Dhoni to set fields on occasion. From memory, Umesh Yadav stated that Kohli is far more approachable for him than Dhoni when he was captain. 

 

I want to see which player has come out openly to state Kohli is over-controlling and not letting them play as themselves.

 

If Kohli was really so domineering, why aren't more of the Indian batsmen following his example? Kohli is playing outside of his crease to counter the swing the English bowlers are getting and has clearly been working on playing with a more compact technique and soft hands required to counter swing in English conditions. Kohli is a tyrant and not letting players be themselves, yet most of the other batsmen are not following his example and playing out of the crease, with soft hands, or practiced playing closer to the body.  

 

 

Nasser is completely justified in criticizing Kohli for letting the English back into the game after 87/7, but Nasser criticized Kohli on actual cricketing decisions(ie he didn't bowl Umesh Yadav until Curran was set and the English tail was wagging). Umesh proceeded to trouble Curran from essentially his first over bowling and picked up 2 quick wickets. That is a cricketing criticism, is constructive, and is based on actual facts. 

 

Ganguly is pulling stuff out of thin air and weaving conspiratorial theories. Nothing he said is productive unless he actually reveals that some of the team members have complained to him about the same. Until he does, it is just baseless and at best ferments trouble for the team.  

A long reply from your side, I agree with point 1 which you've mentioned. It was a bad call and could have happened to any of the batsmen out there in the middle. 

On point 2- Yes players do fear Kohli. If you've seen the many times Jadhav and Kohli have batted in LOIs in India, when Jadhav refuses a run you should watch how Kohli reacts with both his hands aloft & expressing disbelief while returning back to the crease. This is just an example. He is often seen fuming, cursing too. Except Dhoni, no one has the audacity to displease him. Why Jadeja can't celebrate after taking the wicket of Kohli in the IPL, that too in his face? 

I admire Kohli's will power and hunger to win but his behavior sometimes is over the top. Regarding current players confiding to Ganguly, the duo of Kohli-Shastri has got way more power and the already **** scared players might lose their place forever in the name of leaking locker room info if they confide to someone else. Buddy gang is safe in LOIs and others who are already unsure of their place in the team won't take the risk at all. 

Point 3- Kohli can't do anything if his players perform like ****, he is a top class performer as an individual but as a captain he has to inspire them as well. I do not know what creative inputs are being given to other batsmen. Here, the coach has to come into picture to lift dampened spirits.

The reason other players do not follow his example is because they don't use their brains properly. They don't have the work ethic, positive mental attitude towards the game. Each player has a different technique and should do something which works for them. The batting coach Bangar need to sort it out, I don't know what he did regarding the preparation work before the first 2 tests.

But as a captain if he is responsible for successes, he should be prepared to be hounded for the losses too. 

Regarding Ganguly not providing constructive criticism, do you really think our commentators have been provided with a lot of freedom? Their hands are tied & he is subtlety giving the hints that all is not well if you read between the lines. Most of them have been telling about the wrong playing eleven since the start of SA tour but only after losing 2nd test so convincingly that Kohli admitted he made a mistake in fielding proper eleven (which was a good sign). 

 

Please answer my few questions too-

 

Don't you think Kohli-Shastri are running the team like their fiefdom? Haven't they created their own personal comfy space devoid of any criticism? 

 

Why constant chopping and changing been done by Kohli since the start of his captaincy? Hasn't it created a sense of fear and insecurity among most of the players?

 

After the Kumble fiasco, which ex-player would like to associate with them? Dravid and Zaheer as consultants too faded away without any fuss in the media. 

 

Why we have to bear with the likes of Bangar, Sridhar, Arun when the richest board in the world can afford the best in the business?

 

Why so lacklustre attitude being shown by team for practice sessions & shortening of a single practice match? 

 

Why give an unnecessary 5-6 day holiday break before the start of such an important series? Isn't it the prerogative of captain and management to help the team not lose focus before the start of such an important series? 

[Malcolm Merlyn]

The moment Kohli got someone like Kumble sacked it was clear that he will get what he wants.Kumble has a huge stature as a player and headed one of the state associations.He was no pushover.On top of that he got the appointments of Dravid and Zakk cancelled. In this scenario who will take them head on in the dressing room? There are only a few individuals who have the power to take on Kohli and still keep their place in Indian cricket.Most of the,like Dhoni,Srini,SRT seem to be in their group.

 

The CoA and CEO already have enemies with BCCI brass so they too want to atleast keep the supestar happy.

 

On the otherside is someone like Dada who has openly taken on the KohTri(Read like Coterie) and if he becomes BCCI President Shastri can say his place goodbye.Kohli will be cut down to size.

[rkt.india]

On 8/13/2018 at 3:26 AM, Tibarn said:

Based on what the OP posted, he didn't point out Kohli's mistakes, 

 

This is what he said according to the OP

Ganguly feels (not knows) that

 

1) Pujara couldn't have said no to Kohli during the run out.

Based off of what? Kohli was at fault in the runout, but what does Kohli expecting other players to live up to an elite level of fitness have to do with it? These are professional athletes, they should be fit. Just because Ganguly didn't take fitness seriously to the extent that MS and Kohli did/do as captains, doesn't mean he is correct here. Pujara has run himself out numerous times, in situations that didn't involve Kohli as his batting partner.  Runnouts happen.

They are cricketing athletes, not sprinters.  You are fit does not mean, you can run fast.  Like every fast bowler cannot bowl fast, same way every batsman cannot run fast.  Moreover, it is not like Pujara got run out because he was slow.  He got run out because Kohli left him stranded in the middle of the pitch after calling him for the run.  

[Tibarn]

Long post warning(since 2 people seem to have pointed out my long posts in this thread)

 

On 8/14/2018 at 12:17 AM, rkt.india said:

They are cricketing athletes, not sprinters.  You are fit does not mean, you can run fast.  Like every fast bowler cannot bowl fast, same way every batsman cannot run fast. 

 

Spoiler

Sure, but where exactly was the memo Kohli sent out that only sprinter levels athletes were allowed in the Indian team? Shami, Ashwin, Pujara, Kuldeep, and even Bumrah are hardly held to the standard that they should be sprinters. In fact, 2 of our best athletes are on the bench in Jadeja and Umesh. 

 

Even the yo-yo test we have one of the lowest qualification scores, even Pakistan has a higher standard there. 

 

Nothing points to Kohli setting an unrealistic fitness standard on the team, which is part of what Ganguly was implying. 

 

On 8/14/2018 at 12:17 AM, rkt.india said:

Moreover, it is not like Pujara got run out because he was slow.  He got run out because Kohli left him stranded in the middle of the pitch after calling him for the run.  

Spoiler

Sure, but I didn't say otherwise. Of course it was Kohli's fault Pujara got run-out. I am only saying that Ganguly is inserting bizarre conspiracies and psychoanalysis into the run-out. 

 

On 8/12/2018 at 10:58 PM, Moochad said:

yaar Ganguly thinks Kohli is Professor X 

 

doing mind control on innocent Chepu running him out

Spoiler

No man, Prof. X is a hero, Kohli is clearly a mind-warping villain here. After all, Ganguly said it, and we all just take everything Ganguly says as matter of fact, even when he pulls stuff out of thin air. 

 

Kohli is more like a Sith Lord, using the Jedi mind trick to bend innocent Pujara's will. Or maybe he is Dracula, using hypnosis to lead fair maidens(Anushka) and noble monks(Pujara) astray, ultimately devouring them to satisfy his bloodlust  

 

Nosferatu ka baccha 

 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

On point 2- Yes players do fear Kohli. If you've seen the many times Jadhav and Kohli have batted in LOIs in India, when Jadhav refuses a run you should watch how Kohli reacts with both his hands aloft & expressing disbelief while returning back to the crease. This is just an example. He is often seen fuming, cursing too. Except Dhoni, no one has the audacity to displease him. Why Jadeja can't celebrate after taking the wicket of Kohli in the IPL, that too in his face? 

Spoiler

If Kohli is abusing Jadhav for a run that wasn't there, then he is clearly at fault, but if Jadhav is not paying attention or being lazy and costing the team a run that was there, then it's not so simple. Remember when even MSD abused Pandey for not paying attention and costing the team a run in a tight run-chase vs the Saffers in the recent ODI series. I personally don't ever remember Kohli having issues with running when his partner was another one of the better runners in the team, ie Dhoni, Rahane, Pandya. Even in this 3rd Test match Pandya refused a 2nd run which Kohli was calling for.  

 

Ideally one should never abuse teammates, but it happens. I remember Vijay abusing an injured Pujara for not running a second run when Vijay was approaching a milestone.

 

I also don't think IPL celebrations are a gauge of fear of Kohli. I hardly remember International level Indian players getting into verbal duels, the exceptions being Kohli, Dhoni, Gambhir, Nehra, Vijay. Some players just don't abuse, others like Kohli are a little psycho. There are some famous American athletes who were absolutely brutal toward teammates. It is definitely not something we are used to in India, but Kohli hasn't reached the level of abusiveness that the American athletes I alluded to did. If Kohli did some of these things: punching teammates, bullying them, cursing at them after every mistake, etc, then I think ICF would have a collective meltdown.   

 

I can cite examples of Umesh and Kuldeep who have praised Kohli for being approachable and for giving them freedom. Of course one can say those are coerced statements, but that just adds levels to the conspiracy. 

 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

I admire Kohli's will power and hunger to win but his behavior sometimes is over the top. Regarding current players confiding to Ganguly, the duo of Kohli-Shastri has got way more power and the already **** scared players might lose their place forever in the name of leaking locker room info if they confide to someone else. Buddy gang is safe in LOIs and others who are already unsure of their place in the team won't take the risk at all.

Spoiler

This is all conjecture IMO. 

 

I fail to see how Kohli has any more power than the previous India captain MSD. 

 

I also personally think this is the best way a locker-room should be;  all issues should be dealt with within the team and not in the media. I rather our team not end up how the padosis were historically.    

 

Furthermore, IMO there is no/little threat of expulsion if they anonymously quote to Ganguly. Here we have neither anonymous quotes nor quotes with actual names attached. We just have Ganguly saying something and the media running with it, not even vetting what he is saying. 

 

Captains select the players they think are best fit to win a match. Fans are free to agree or disagree. I have my own minor selection issue with Kohli during the SA Test series, but I can see  why he and I differ on the player(s) inclusion in the matches in question. 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

Point 3- Kohli can't do anything if his players perform like ****, he is a top class performer as an individual but as a captain he has to inspire them as well. I do not know what creative inputs are being given to other batsmen. Here, the coach has to come into picture to lift dampened spirits.

Spoiler

Sure, we should demand more from the coach, I myself wanted Tom Moody to be the coach of the team, but there are a few issues. Kohli didn't have the power to unilaterally hire Shastri as coach.  

 

IIRC, the SC appointed Lodha commission was in charge of the BCCI at the time. They selected the CAC (Ganguly, Laxman, Sachin) to select the coach. 

 

Ganguly himself was a member of the committee who selected Shastri as coach, over a far more deserving and experienced candidate like Tom Moody. Why didn't he show his "Dadagiri" then? Instead of putting his foot down when he actually had the power to positively influence the Indian team then, he didn't do anything. Now, after India lost a pair of Test matches (and he has no accountability to his name in the public consciousness) he just decided to play to the gallery and egg-on the passionate Indian fans vs Kohli. 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

The reason other players do not follow his example is because they don't use their brains properly. They don't have the work ethic, positive mental attitude towards the game. Each player has a different technique and should do something which works for them. The batting coach Bangar need to sort it out, I don't know what he did regarding the preparation work before the first 2 tests.

Spoiler

I agree with this mostly. However, Kohli himself became this beast batsman under two coaches fans on ICF regularly abuse: Flethcher and Shastri. Even if we agree that both those coaches were useless, we can also agree that Kohli's drive, passion, and work-ethic helped him transcend his coaches' incompetence. 

 

If players like Rahane, Vijay, Rahul, Dhawan, Pujara don't hold themselves accountable at this level of cricket, and they don't show the level of dedication Kohli does, it is ultimately on them. The coaches may not help you, but there is nothing stopping one having the drive oneself to make themselves better. 

 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

But as a captain if he is responsible for successes, he should be prepared to be hounded for the losses too. 

Spoiler

Absolutely, please hound Kohli after every loss. That comes with the territory of being India captain, and it is only fair. 

 

My issue is I prefer criticism to be based on cricketing matters. I don't find what Ganguly said according to the OP as constructive criticism. I think Nasser Hussain had far better, tangible criticism of Kohli in the first two tests. 

 

 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

Regarding Ganguly not providing constructive criticism, do you really think our commentators have been provided with a lot of freedom? Their hands are tied & he is subtlety giving the hints that all is not well if you read between the lines. Most of them have been telling about the wrong playing eleven since the start of SA tour but only after losing 2nd test so convincingly that Kohli admitted he made a mistake in fielding proper eleven (which was a good sign). 

Spoiler

Some of these commentators criticized Kohli-Shastri during the SA series most notably regarding the Rahane-Rohit controversy. That was an actual cricketing related criticism. 

 

Neither is Ganguly some innocent, helpless lamb here. He is neither dependent on BCCI or commentary money for his livelihood. that applies for some of the other former players as well. 

 

This idea that the Indian cricket captain and coach have some Orwellian control over the Indian media is far-fetched in my eyes. These guys can deny access or voice their displeasure, but commentators have written+signed contracts with either the BCCI or broadcasting companies, etc which are enforceable by law. If Kohli said he doesn't like commentator xyz, it doesn't mean that that commentator will be disappeared to a Siberian gulag by the BCCI. 

 

This whole media angle comes from the Harsha Bhogle controvery, which is a story with 2 sides. Among other things, Bhogle was accused of abusing VCA officials at the stadium because he was forced to climb up and down stairs/ladders while switching from Hindi and English commentary. If one accepts accusations on Kohli/Dhoni as true, then one should also accept accusations on Bhogle. He is hardly a saint(and he is an annoying commentator IMO). Regardless, Bhogle's contact wasn't renewed, the contract with him wasn't broken. The BCCI is free to take inputs and renew/decline to renew any contracts. 

 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

Don't you think Kohli-Shastri are running the team like their fiefdom? Haven't they created their own personal comfy space devoid of any criticism? 

Spoiler

We already have seen them get criticism during the SA tour and during the current England tour. 

 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

Why constant chopping and changing been done by Kohli since the start of his captaincy? Hasn't it created a sense of fear and insecurity among most of the players?

Spoiler

This is the opposite criticism of what Dhoni was accused of: playing the same XI every match.

 

IMO it is only partially correct: bowlers should be freely swapped out based on a horses-for-courses policy. Batsmen should not, and they should have a defined position and role in the team, otherwise they cannot develop properly. 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

After the Kumble fiasco, which ex-player would like to associate with them? Dravid and Zaheer as consultants too faded away without any fuss in the media. 

Spoiler

Dravid and Zaheer both aren't willing to commit to the time requirements needed to be national coaches, from what I understand. Virender Sehwag himself applied for the coaching vacancy(and was one of the finalists) but Ganguly and co selected Shastri.  Sehwag is as big a stature player in modern Indian cricket as any who would be up for a coaching gig. 

 

"Kumble fiasco" is an overstatement IMO. The whole Kumble vs Kohli controversy shows people's own biases, like the Bhogle controversy.

 

Kumble got portrayed as some innocent lamb, but if you dig up the ICF threads from that time period, there was plenty reported dirt on Kumble. Ironically enough, one of the biggest criticisms of Kumble was that he himself was a "tyrant." This is exactly what some people are now accusing Kohli of being(despite no evidence being provided of the same), but many of these same people refused to accept actual leaked statements from players which described Kumble as such. 

 

Baseless accusations on Kohli are accepted, while more legitimate accusations on Kumble are dismissed. 

 

Ironically enough, a second criticism of Kumble was that he was holding players to unrealistic fitness standards. He was accused of over-training the players and "running them into the ground"  so to speak(the notable injury during that period was of Shami). 

 

Kumble got accused of what Kohli is getting accused of now, but the accusations on Kumble at least had some base to them. The current accusations on Kohli are being pulled out of thin air by Ganguly. 

 

Neither did Kumble prove himself to be some great coach. There is no coach in recent memory who gets so much hype for winning a bunch of home test series, most of which we also won under the universally panned Flethcher. Like we don't already how dominant Jadeja/Ashwin/Pujara/Vijay/Dhawan are at home on our pitches. He didn't even survive long enough for an overseas tour, but we are supposed to think if he was coach our performances thus far would have been different?

 

Sorry, I'm not buying it. Part of a coaches job is managing egos/personalities of professional athletes/superstars. Kumble was definitely no Kirsten. 

    

 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

Why we have to bear with the likes of Bangar, Sridhar, Arun when the richest board in the world can afford the best in the business?

Spoiler

We had a chance to get the best coach on the market, Tom Moody, but Ganguly, Sachin, and Laxman didn't see him enough to be coach. We also had an Indian legend like Sehwag applying to be coach. Ganguly and co selected Shastri. 

 

 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

Why so lacklustre attitude being shown by team for practice sessions & shortening of a single practice match? 

Spoiler

I don't agree with the shortening of practice matches. 

 

However, IIRC, it was said that our tour to England was flipped(ie T20s first, Tests last), so that the LOI leg would serve as a  practice matches, in a sense, before the Test series.

 

I don't agree with it, but that was apparently the logic...

 

I think we are forgetting that we haven't had very many practice matches on away Test tours for a while now. Even when we were number 1 under Dhoni-Kirsten, our team was known as slow starters. We generally don't schedule many practice matches at all, and we haven't for a while. 

 

Neither are practice matches some panacea for our woes. In the 2011-12 tour of Australia, where we were whitewashed 4-0, we had 2 practice matches where some of the players performed well, but when the real matches started, it was a bloodbath.

 

On 8/13/2018 at 2:47 AM, ShankarShailendra said:

Why give an unnecessary 5-6 day holiday break before the start of such an important series? Isn't it the prerogative of captain and management to help the team not lose focus before the start of such an important series?

Spoiler

Again, we have done this for a while (although I don't necessarily agree with it). 

 

During the aforementioned 4-0 Australia tour, we had a break, I think mid series, and our lads went go-cart racing. We proceeded to continue to being whitewashed afterwards. 

 

Some would argue that players need a mental and physical break from cricket, time-to-time, especially on long tours. 

 

However I do agree that they shouldn't have lost focus this current tour. 

 

Edited August 22, 2018 by Tibarn