BCCI should handle youngsters with a lot of care: Anil Kumble

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The pressures can be overwhelming for a young man, more so perhaps, for a suddenly rich and famous young man coming to terms with his newfound status. So I think it’s equally important to prepare him to manage life during and beyond cricket. More... BCCI should handle youngsters with a lot of care Anil Kumble May 15, 2010 It’s been a long and crazy few days since India exited the World Cup. It’s very easy to join the over-the-top ‘reactivists’ and crucify the players, but that makes no sense to me. While we definitely do have to look at the cricketing issues involved — like the batsmen being unable to cope with bounce — the responsible thing to do would be to use the opportunity to address other major issues. Like the art of player management and making sure whatever available talent India has is harnessed properly and maximised. Far too many times for comfort, I’ve been where the current lot of Indian players today are — vilified by all and sundry, having every single thing they do torn apart and then some. Someone’s got to look at handling both them and the things that come with playing for India, responsibly. There’s the pressure of performance, the pressure of expectations, pressure from a very intrusive media including former players. These pressures can be overwhelming for a young man, more so perhaps, for a suddenly rich and famous young man coming to terms with his newfound status. So I think it’s equally important to prepare him to manage life during and beyond cricket. At the same time, without getting into which cricketer partied too much or drank too much or got into a brawl, or whether anyone did at all, there’s a need to educate young cricketers about their responsibilities. Not that they don’t know what these are but they need help on how to handle themselves with regard to these. It’s important for the BCCI to ensure that contracted players at least are given not just cricketing infrastructure but life infrastructure. Today’s players need management skills, communication skills, professional media skills — they are, after all, brand ambassadors for the country. Yet, it’s also critical to emphasise the team’s performance and stop either making individuals too important or making or breaking them at the drop of a hat. Look at Australia and their captain Michael Clarke, who’s led beautifully but had a poor world cup with the bat so far. No one’s questioning his place or hold on the captaincy. If India had not made it and some Mr. X had played the Mike Hussey kind of blinder but in vain, people would be calling for the skipper to be replaced by that Mr. X. Or, they would have castigated the India captain for not sending him up the order earlier. But Hussey has a specific role to play in the Australian set-up and he played that to perfection. That’s what has made Australia the team it is. In India’s case, even when we have the bench strength, we don’t have faith enough to use them and concentrate on the specifics of a role — England did this when they picked Twenty20 domestic performers for specific roles. I’m saying all this because I made these mistakes, as captain and otherwise, and am speaking from experience. That’s why I was exceptionally happy when this Indian team became no. 1 in Tests. Team performance is big and you need to start giving credit to someone who sacrifices for his team. Both Australia and England, the best teams on show in the World T20, have been doing it in the Caribbean, so it will be interesting to see who continues their polished performance in the final. England have no world cups to their name and that’s likely to put pressure on them, so I’d say the edge is with Australia. Yet, Kevin Pietersen could well be the difference between the teams.

[vvvslaxman]

India needs some unbiased and sensible people at the top. I would even try to have former successful players like Kumble have a sit with all these young players and teach them how not to get carried away by fame and money. We have had so many remarkable examples in this very era.

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Who’s going to speak for them? Over the weekend and Monday, the Indian cricket board brass reportedly made a few quiet calls to some of their India stars. They told them to avoid speaking to the media and lie low, writes Kadambari Murali. More... Who’s going to speak for them? Kadambari Murali Wade, Hindustan Times New Delhi, May 17, 2010 Over the weekend and Monday, the Indian cricket board brass reportedly made a few quiet calls to some of their India stars. They told them to avoid speaking to the media and lie low. “We’re not reprimanding you, so why should you bother defending yourself in a trial by the electronic media,” one was told. Meanwhile, on TV channels and websites, in blogposts and to a certain extent, in print; by smug ex-cricketers (the holier-than-thou expression of some former cricketers who smile smugly as they rip into current players really needs to be banned), hysterical anchors and the so-called ‘hurt cricket fan’ at large, India’s cricketers continue to be viciously vilified. And the BCCI has maintained a studious silence. So here’s my question of the hour, day, week or whatever. If they aren’t allowed to speak for themselves and there’s no official spokesperson for them, who’s going to speak for India’s cricketers? Ashish Nehra, who’s only folly really, seemed to be to react when young Ravindra Jadeja was being abused by American Indian fans in St. Lucia, was not allowed to enter his house and see his wife and baby on his return till he spoke to the media mob outside his house. Jadeja, reportedly, is thoroughly depressed. He had a really bad tournament yes, but the fact that he made the team ahead of others (including the 280-odd cricketers who played first-class cricket in India last year) also points to the fact that he’s had some really good days too. So spare him a thought: Despite his being an India cricketer, he’s barely 21 years old. Plus, there’s the fact that most cricketers have little formal education and next to no social skills because they spend all their time on cricket. Hence, they are ill-prepared to face a world that makes them demigods one day and devils the next. Incidentally, about the big deal being made about the players being at Tequila Joe’s, the local St. Lucia club for a drink — frankly, even if they did, so what? They were out of the tournament and leaving for India the next day. Why should they have been expected to sit and mope or hide away in their rooms and not act like regular young men who had a crappy day and just wanted some time out with friends? Why should all of India react like Bollywood of old, when any man who had a drink in a film was a villain while any woman who wore spaghetti straps was a tramp? Even if they’re young men who make truck-loads of money, they’re allowed their down-time. They messed up in the Caribbean and that needs to be seriously examined in cricketing terms, but more often than not, especially in the last two years, the Indian team has given us much joy and lots to be proud of. We need to remember that. Here’s what one India batsman said after the team got back from the Windies. “The World Cup’s seven months down the line and this has all (the over-the-top reaction) been quite scary. I’m going to send my family away during the Cup, because, God forbid we lose, someone might try and burn my house down.” And if that happens, Indian cricket will never be the same again.

[Akshat]

Finally a sensible article after a long long time!

[saneindian]

These stupid news channels would do anything for TRPs. Have nothing to sell,so will get some willing former cricketers on the show and abuse the team and players as much as they can. In fact most of the effigy burning and slogan shouting against the team is also stage managed by these bunch of buffoons. Take some 5-6 hoodlums in a locality, give them the bacis stuff they need to create some tamasha on the road and shoot it to prepare a 30 minute long masala program. Seriously disgusting.

[f.b.m]

These stupid news channels would do anything for TRPs.

There's got to be some legal consequences for media making up bullcrap surely? Anyone here knows any sort of legal background on when a company can be sued?

[someone]

There's got to be some legal consequences for media making up bullcrap surely? Anyone here knows any sort of legal background on when a company can be sued?

nothing you can do in India, after the media is the most powerful medium in our country and I think everyone is influenced by it. And if you stop one, there will tons of new news/reporters with their daily masala

[asterix]

The more cricketers try to become ROCKSTARS, do more advertisements, reality shows, walk on fashion ramps, and do all sorts of activities to cash in on their hype and make comments that they have responsibilities to perform their IPL frnachisees and atleast take their IPL teams to semis..they are bound to make themselves vulnerable to these attacks.. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. Let your performance and professionalism speak for you and hype you and not the chewtiya mobile phone adverts.. No need to play victim cards...Stop thinking that the Indian public is stupid..

[saneindian]

The more cricketers try to become ROCKSTARS, do more advertisements, reality shows, walk on fashion ramps, and do all sorts of activities to cash in on their hype and make comments that they have responsibilities to perform their IPL frnachisees and atleast take their IPL teams to semis..they are bound to make themselves vulnerable to these attacks.. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. Let your performance and professionalism speak for you and hype you and not the chewtiya mobile phone adverts.. No need to play victim cards...Stop thinking that the Indian public is stupid..[/QUOTE] Aah and so it means the public and media can talk any crap about any player, but the poor guy should keep his mouth shut and should have no chance to defend himself!! Why, because he earned some money, walked on ramps, did some shoots? Doesn't sound right. Criticising is one thing and am sure the players will be fine with that, but when you start dragging their family in it (which most of the media do) or if i reaches the level of abuse (which is what you get to hear from the players and media when we lose), thats where the problem starts.

[Precambrian]

Aah and so it means the public and media can talk any crap about any player, but the poor guy should keep his mouth shut and should have no chance to defend himself!! Why, because he earned some money, walked on ramps, did some shoots? Doesn't sound right. Criticising is one thing and am sure the players will be fine with that, but when you start dragging their family in it (which most of the media do) or if i reaches the level of abuse (which is what you get to hear from the players and media when we lose), thats where the problem starts.

If they play well nobody is going to care a **** about what they do. If they don't play well, which is why there are there in the first place, expect to cop some barrages. Would they have got such heft ad contracts had they been in another sport? Vishy Anand is Chess Champion, yet how many ads he feature in? So when you use your popularity to reap yourself benefits, expect there is a downside to that also.

[saneindian]

If they play well nobody is going to care a **** about what they do. If they don't play well, which is why there are there in the first place, expect to cop some barrages. Would they have got such heft ad contracts had they been in another sport? Vishy Anand is Chess Champion, yet how many ads he feature in? So when you use your popularity to reap yourself benefits, expect there is a downside to that also.

That sounds silly to me. Just because I praise someone for doing well, doesn't mean that I have the right to abuse the guy when he fails. Criticise yes, but abuses that too at a personal level should be strict no no. It's that mentality which results in players houses being attacked by some looneys

[asterix]

That sounds silly to me. Just because I praise someone for doing well, doesn't mean that I have the right to abuse the guy when he fails. Criticise yes, but abuses that too at a personal level should be strict no no. It's that mentality which results in players houses being attacked by some looneys

How are you very sure that only fans abused and the players didn't abused back? How are you so sure that the players didn't said, "Pancho This, Pancho That?" You think super kool players like UV, Zaheer, Nehra, Bhajji (who are "gentlemen" both on & off the field and they never even abused their fellow players fielding in the outfield making mistakes, they have never been seen on live TV abusing fellow players making misfields), sat calmly while having dinner and ignoring the comments passed by frustrated NRI fans who had been following their beach frolicking, beach volleyball, dancing in the pubs, drinking and merry making? The same fans might have seen the Srilankan team spending time practicing while the Indian team playing beach volleyball and having a great time on the beach.. The BCCI has got the report from the Manager Biswal and has issued Show Cause Notice to 6 players. Players are bound by BCCI rules to not make public comments till BCCI looks into the matter.

[Precambrian]

That sounds silly to me. Just because I praise someone for doing well, doesn't mean that I have the right to abuse the guy when he fails. Criticise yes, but abuses that too at a personal level should be strict no no. It's that mentality which results in players houses being attacked by some looneys

Well that's the "ideal" case. But when do you have people who "deify" their players, call them gods, it's not hard to expect the opposite also. If you're going to a pub after being comprehensively defeated, and yet appear to enjoy yourself, and if you expect drunk fans (idiots) to come upto you and say, "I am sorry for your loss mate, good luck next time", then you're deluding yourselves. It doesn't require that many braincells but a dose of common sense to avoid public interaction, particularly after a loss, in "not-so-ideal-forums" like pubs.

[Jadoo]

Well that's the "ideal" case. But when do you have people who "deify" their players, call them gods, it's not hard to expect the opposite also. If you're going to a pub after being comprehensively defeated, and yet appear to enjoy yourself, and if you expect drunk fans (idiots) to come upto you and say, "I am sorry for your loss mate, good luck next time", then you're deluding yourselves. It doesn't require that many braincells but a dose of common sense to avoid public interaction, particularly after a loss, in "not-so-ideal-forums" like pubs.

I agree with that, having a drink/fun in a public place in front of potentially drunk Indian supporters is not very clever, but than again these lot are not exactly known for their intelligence.

[saneindian]

Well that's the "ideal" case. But when do you have people who "deify" their players, call them gods, it's not hard to expect the opposite also. If you're going to a pub after being comprehensively defeated, and yet appear to enjoy yourself, and if you expect drunk fans (idiots) to come upto you and say, "I am sorry for your loss mate, good luck next time", then you're deluding yourselves. It doesn't require that many braincells but a dose of common sense to avoid public interaction, particularly after a loss, in "not-so-ideal-forums" like pubs.

I can understand this happening in India. But for god's sake, the players were in Windies where going to a pub after losing or not doing well is perfectly fine. Now if a looney decided to walk up to the players and starts talking nicely about their mums and sisters, then as I said before, that buffoon does deserve a punch in his face.

[The Realist]

Cry me a river. You reap what you sow. If you wish to engage in extra-curricular activities beyond cricket which almost seem to rank above the day job, then don't be surprised when people come down hard on you for showing complete ineptitude for the national team, yet again, in an international tournament. This is nothing compared to what say the Brazil, Italy etc. have to face in football when they fail to live up to expectations. Tomatoes and eggs are routinely thrown and life made much more uncomfortable than India's deluded and pampered cricketers. It’s not the current generation in "the Indian team has given us much joy and lots to be proud of" but the veterans. Take out the 2007 T20 WC win and the record in international tournaments is embarrassing in recent years, always getting knocked and generally crumbling under any pressure. The less said about the bowling and fielding the better. People don't mind sports team failing but it's when they do with a complete lack of intelligence, passion and displaying general laziness, that is when the public loses its rag. 100% effort is the minimum that should be expected of any sports team and if individuals are unable to even do that then they deserve every criticism that comes their way.

[asterix]

Cry me a river. You reap what you sow. If you wish to engage in extra-curricular activities beyond cricket which almost seem to rank above the day job, then don't be surprised when people come down hard on you for showing complete ineptitude for the national team, yet again, in an international tournament. This is nothing compared to what say the Brazil, Italy etc. have to face in football when they fail to live up to expectations. Tomatoes and eggs are routinely thrown and life made much more uncomfortable than India's deluded and pampered cricketers. It’s not the current generation in "the Indian team has given us much joy and lots to be proud of" but the veterans. Take out the 2007 T20 WC win and the record in international tournaments is embarrassing in recent years, always getting knocked and generally crumbling under any pressure. The less said about the bowling and fielding the better. People don't mind sports team failing but it's when they do with a complete lack of intelligence, passion and displaying general laziness, that is when the public loses its rag. 100% effort is the minimum that should be expected of any sports team and if individuals are unable to even do that then they deserve every criticism that comes their way.

Excellent post..

[Three'sACrowd]

Cry me a river. You reap what you sow. If you wish to engage in extra-curricular activities beyond cricket which almost seem to rank above the day job, then don't be surprised when people come down hard on you for showing complete ineptitude for the national team, yet again, in an international tournament. This is nothing compared to what say the Brazil, Italy etc. have to face in football when they fail to live up to expectations. Tomatoes and eggs are routinely thrown and life made much more uncomfortable than India's deluded and pampered cricketers. It’s not the current generation in "the Indian team has given us much joy and lots to be proud of" but the veterans. Take out the 2007 T20 WC win and the record in international tournaments is embarrassing in recent years, always getting knocked and generally crumbling under any pressure. The less said about the bowling and fielding the better. People don't mind sports team failing but it's when they do with a complete lack of intelligence, passion and displaying general laziness, that is when the public loses its rag. 100% effort is the minimum that should be expected of any sports team and if individuals are unable to even do that then they deserve every criticism that comes their way.

That they're going wrong is all too obvious. I am as angry at their performance as the next guy, but to say that they "deserve every criticism that comes their way" is OTT. What they deserve is constructive criticism. Not the swarming hordes of the third rate media that India now seems to have, that seems to drip in unctuousness and seems to be powered by third rate dramatics. Where does that get us? Constructive criticism would be the BCCI evaluating Team India's performance and coming out with a game plan improve it. Constructive criticism would be finding out why so many players seemed unfit and making sure they pay the price for it. Constructive criticism would be the BCCI hosting an open debate on the loss. Instead, the BCCI seems to have asked the players not to comment. I am old enough to be cynical about this - it seems to me (and I could be wrong) that the only reason they've done it is that they want to make sure that the players keep getting the blame. This breast beating and wailing in public, would be fine if something came out of it except fans venting their frustrations. We have all witnessed these scenes before. Did anything happen? Nope. A few weeks and the players went about their business as before. This desire that "players should get it" is akin to the unnecessary emotions that we invest in them as fans. The cycle will continue, and the same games will be played out as before, until we focus on the problem without the melodramatics.

[ZodiaC]

People don't mind sports team failing but it's when they do with a complete lack of intelligence, passion and displaying general laziness, that is when the public loses its rag. 100% effort is the minimum that should be expected of any sports team and if individuals are unable to even do that then they deserve every criticism that comes their way.

Well said bro..!!

[Precambrian]

That they're going wrong is all too obvious. I am as angry at their performance as the next guy, but to say that they "deserve every criticism that comes their way" is OTT. What they deserve is constructive criticism. Not the swarming hordes of the third rate media that India now seems to have, that seems to drip in unctuousness and seems to be powered by third rate dramatics. Where does that get us? Constructive criticism would be the BCCI evaluating Team India's performance and coming out with a game plan improve it. Constructive criticism would be finding out why so many players seemed unfit and making sure they pay the price for it. Constructive criticism would be the BCCI hosting an open debate on the loss. Instead, the BCCI seems to have asked the players not to comment. I am old enough to be cynical about this - it seems to me (and I could be wrong) that the only reason they've done it is that they want to make sure that the players keep getting the blame. This breast beating and wailing in public, would be fine if something came out of it except fans venting their frustrations. We have all witnessed these scenes before. Did anything happen? Nope. A few weeks and the players went about their business as before. This desire that "players should get it" is akin to the unnecessary emotions that we invest in them as fans. The cycle will continue, and the same games will be played out as before, until we focus on the problem without the melodramatics.

When somebody is constantly trolling, will u go on responding to his post after post (sigh : I am doing tbh with another poster in another thread), or will u just ignore them? BCCI has asked players to do the latter. Further players are paid to play, not to write columns or give speeches in press. They aren't trained for that. One wrongly worded sentence could end careers. You want Indian team to be another Pakistan? With every Tom Dick and Yousuf going public with his comments every day? Every job in the corporate world comes with that. If you want to get something published or want to participate in a conference, when you are employed full time by a Company, you are supposed to take it's consent as to that you will not be disclosing anything privy or of importance to the Company first.