Cricket, India: A history (2017)
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Contents |
2016-17 season
Injuries, 2016-17 season
See graphic.
2016-17 season: The workload of bowlers
See graphic.
Australia: Test series, 2017
Controversies
Mar 29 2017: The Times of India
A `FIGHTING' SERIES The India-Oz Test series will also be remembered for all the controversies it generated.
ISHANT-SMITH CLASH:
On Day Two of the second Test in Bangalore, pacer Ishant Sharma had everyone in splits after making a monkey face to unsettle Australian captain Steve Smith, who wasn't amused.
CHEATGATE:
During the second innings of the second Test, Australian captain Steve Smith, after being declared out lbw, looked towards his partner Peter Handscomb and then towards the dressing room for help in seeking a DRS review. Smith later termed it as a `brainfade.' Kohli, however, virtually called the Aussies `cheats,'. A furious Australian team boycotted the BCCI awards which were held a day after the Test. The Indian Board lodged a complaint against Smith, but within 24 hours, withdrew it following a meeting between the CEOs of Cricket Australia (James Sutherland) and BCCI (Rahul Johri). While both the boards signed the truce, there was no peace between the teams as Smith and the others in the Aussie camp rubbished Kohli's allegations.Sutherland then provided a comical end to the truce by saying that Kohli doesn't know how to say sorry!
SMITH ABUSES VIJAY:
On Day 3 of the Dharamshala Test, cameras caught Smith abusing Indian opener Murali Vijay, calling him a “f*****g cheat“ after the latter claimed a catch even as replays showed that the ball had touched the ground.
WADE SLEDGES JADEJA:
On Day 3 at Dharamshala, Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Wade sledged Ravindra Jadeja while he was batting. “Gary (Nathan Lyon's nickname) you are the best in all conditions. You are not a one trick pony',“ Wade said. Jadeja complained to the umpire. Later, Smith expressed “disappointment“ with the BCCI for uploading a video of the altercation.
Coach Kumble: the controversy
Were Kumble's off-field interests the issue?
K ShriniwasRao, Kumble's off-field interests bone of contention?, June 3, 2017: The Times of India
Issues Between Captain And Coach Secondary, Says BCCI Official
In the middle of all the Virat Kohli-Anil Kumble face-off on matters strictly related to cricket, there lies a report prepared and submitted by the latter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that has simmered to a boil these last two weeks.
The presentation made by Kumble to the BCCI, primarily to the Committee of Administrators (CoA), which has been supervising the day-to-day functioning of the board, touches upon “abstract“ financial models based on which the former India legend suggested “superfluous pay hikes“ for cricketers across age groups, tournaments and formats a model that, in the view of a senior BCCI official “absolutely lacks science“.
“He and Virat have issues but tell me, which working relationship works without either or both parties not getting along at some point. That's the nature of a healthy working relationship. That's the beauty of ideas clashing,“ the senior official told TOI, adding that “it is Kumble's interests off-the-field that have become the bone of contention“.
“Virat is only maintaining his distance.He doesn't have a problem with who the coach is. Of course, he has his views but what he necessarily wants is a longer term for the coach and a vision going forward,“ the official says.
TOI accessed details of the presentation made by Kumble to the BCCI on payhikes, which in the words of this official “touches the holy grail“.
The ex-India cricketer's proposed paystructure would stand to cause BCCI an outflow of close to Rs 150 crore. “If you take the crux of what Kumble has presented, that's the kind of figure it churns out. And that figure cannot be compensated unless you include the Indian Premier League (IPL) revenue in the 26% of BCCI domestic revenue that is reserved for cricketers. “That cannot happen. The IPL is a separate business model and cricketers participating in the IPL are adequately reimbursed. Kumble's logic is not only flawed but dangerous,“ the official said.
The presentation highlights the top-line numbers in terms of revenues without going into the details of how those numbers were arrived at in the first place. Kumble's presentation demands 26% of those revenues. “If you take the net effect of those numbers, the amount is staggering and there's no science to it. There are certain things BCCI is fine with, like captain should get 25% more, which is okay, because the captain's responsibilities are also bigger.
“But what is not warranted is the demand for bonuses that the presentation highlights. If India is ranked number one, team should get more. There should be bonuses on winning a game or a series.There should be salary hike when playing against top-ranked teams. There should be hikes in graded contracts based on a redefined model. And those numbers are faulty,“ says the official. Sources in the know of things say Kohli distanced himself from the presentation that Kumble made to the CoA.
“Every skipper has his own way of doing things. Mahi bhai had his way and Virat has his own. The whole thing about he and Anil not getting along has been played up only from a cricketing perspective, but there's more to it,“ say sources in the Team India camp, not wanting to get into details ahead of what is an important game on Sunday .
As far as cricket is concerned, sources say, here is when the first crack appeared in the captain-coach relationship: In August 2016, when India were in the middle of winning a four-Test series in the West Indies 2-0, Virat made certain changes to the playing XI going into the third Test match that Anil his first series as coach wasn't in tune with. A batsman was included in the middle-order, at the insistence of the skipper, and the idea of retaining an opener, one that the coach insisted, was done away with.
“Ever since, that's been a bone of contention,“ says the source.
Guha's resignation over handling of coach Kumble
Guha flays `superstar culture' while exiting top cricket panel, June 3, 2017: The Times of India
Like a memorable cameo innings, historian Ra machandra Guha's stint with the committee of administrators (CoA) has proved to be short but impactful. Guha's resignation letter, which became public on Friday , is a scathing indictment of inaction over rampant conflicts of interest, a “superstar culture gone berserk“, callous treat Kohli may not get to ment of domestic players, and “extremely insensitive and unprofessional“ handling of Team India coach Anil Kumble, among other issues. Guha came down heavily on stalwarts of Indian cricket in his letter. “The superstar culture that afflicts BCCI means that the more famous the player, the more leeway he is allowed in violating norms and procedures,“ he wrote. In his resignation letter, Ra machandra Guha took on MS Dhoni's Grade-A status, ques tioned Sunil Gavaskar's direct conflict of interest and even in directly took a dig at Rahul Dravid's dual role in both the BCCI and IPL and Sourav Ganguly's role as a commentator while being the president of a state association. He also suggested that he be replaced on the CoA with a male cricketer with administrative experience, recommending former India pacer Javagal Srinath's name.
Asking to be relieved of his duties, Guha said he had submitted his resignation to the Supreme Court on Thursday . TOI had reported on Friday that Guha, who was one of the four members in the CoA, including Vikram Limaye and Diana Edulji, decided to quit over Kumble not being given an automatic extension.
“The Indian team's record this past season has been excellent; and even if the players garner the bulk of the credit, surely the head coach and his support staff also get some,“ wrote Guha, “In a system based on justice and merit, the head coach's term would have been extended. Instead, Kumble was left hanging, and then told the post would be re-advertised afresh. The issue has been handled in an extremely insensitive and unprofessional manner by the BCCI CEO and the BCCI officebearers, with the COA, by its silence and inaction, unfortunately being complicit in this regard.“
“If indeed the captain and the head coach were not getting along, why was coach were not getting along, why was this not attended to as soon as the Australia series was over in late March?
Why was it left until the last minute, when a major international tournament was imminent,“ wondered Guha.
Criticising Virat Kohl's influence in the Indian dressing room without naming the Indian skipper, Guha said: “Surely, giving senior players the impression that they may have a veto power over the coach is another example of the superstar culture gone berserk? Such a veto power is not permitted to any other top level professional team in any other sport in any other country .
“Already, in a dismaying departure from international norms, current Indian players enjoy a veto power on who can be the members of the commentary team. If it is to be coaches next, then perhaps the selectors and even office-bearers will follow?“ Guha added.
Guha said that the Indian cricket's superstar syndrome has also distorted the system of Indian team contracts.In reference to Dhoni's status, he wrote, “Awarding MS Dhoni an ` A' contract when he had explicitly ruled himself out from all Test matches was indefensible on cricketing grounds, and sends absolutely the wrong message“.
Guha also questioned the conflict of interest of former captains.Whereas he directly named Gavaskar -who gets around Rs 3.51 lakh per day from the board for 60 days in a year he took an indirect swipe at both Dravid and Ganguly .
“I have also repeatedly pointed to the anomaly whereby BCCI-contracted commentators simultaneously act as player agents,“ he wrote, continuing, “Sunil Gavaskar is head of a company which represents Indian cricketers while commenting on those crickters as part of the BCCI TV commentary panel. This is a clear conflict of interest. Either he must step downwithdraw himself from PMG completely or stop being a commentator for BCCI.“
Without naming Dravid, he wrote, “No person under contract with an India team, or with the NCA, should be allowed to moonlight for an IPL team too,“ he wrote. Dravid doubles up as coach of India ` A' and Under-19 teams and is the mentor of IPL franchise, Delhi Daredevils.
“One cannot have dual loyalties of this kind and do proper justice to both.National duty must take precedence over club affiliation,“ he added.
Guha took a dig at Ganguly too.“Conflict of interest is rampant in the state associations as well. One famous former cricketer is contracted by media houses to comment on active players while serving as president of his state association,“ he pointed out.
“Others have served as officebearers in one association and simultaneously as coaches or managers in another. The awarding of business contracts to friends and relatives by office-bearers is reported to be fairly widespread. Had we been more proactive in stopping conflict of interest within the BCCI (as per Lodha Committee recommendations, endorsed by the court), this would surely have had a ripple effect downwards, putting pressure on state associations to clean up their act as well.“
Guha also criticised BCCI officebearers who aren't ready to quit their posts. “I believe it was a mistake for the CoA to have stayed silent and inactive when the Supreme Court judgement was being so flagrantly violated by people clearly disqualified to serve as office-bearers of state and even BCCIrun cricket bodies. The disqualified men were openly attending BCCI meetings, claiming to represent their state association. Yet the CoA did not bring them to the notice of the court, and did not issue clear directions asking the offenders to desist either,“ he said.
Guha’s allusions interpreted
The Times of India, Jun 03 2017 1 CONFLICT OF INTEREST UNADDRESSED
BCCI has accorded preferential treatment to some national coaches, by giving them ten month contracts for national duty, thus allowing them to work as IPL coaches mentors for the remaining two months. This was done in an adhoc and arbitrary manner; the more famous the former player-turned-coach, the more likely was the BCCI to allow him to draft his own contract that left loopholes that he exploited to dodge the conflict of interest issue.
No person under contract with an India team, or with the NCA, should be allowed to moonlight for an IPL team too.
2 COMMENTATORS ACTING AS PLAYER AGENTS
Repeatedly pointed to the anomaly whereby BCCI-contracted commentators simultaneously act as player agents. Sunil Gavaskar is head of a company which represents Indian cricketers while commenting on those crickters as part of the BCCI TV commentary panel. Had we been more proactive in stopping conflict of interest within the BCCI (as per Lodha Committee recommendations, endorsed by the Court), this would surely have had a ripple effect downwards, putting pressure on State Associations to clean up their act as well.
3 SYSTEM OF CONTRACTS DISTORTED
A superstar syndrome has distorted the system of Indian team contracts. Awarding MS Dhoni an `A' contract when he had explicitly ruled himself out from all Test matches was indefensible on cricketing grounds.
4 HAM-HANDED TREATMENT OF KUMBLE'S CONTRACT
The handling of Anil Kumble, the current Head Coach of the senior team, contract has been poor. The team's record this past season has been excellent and in a system based on justice and merit, the coach's term would have been extended. Instead, Kumble was left hanging, and then told the post would be readvertised afresh. Giving senior players the impression that they may have a veto power over the coach is another example of superstar culture gone berserk.
5 CALLOUS TREATMENT OF DOMESTIC CRICKET
Cricketers who represent their state in the Ranji Trophy, the Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and other inter-state tournaments, are poorly paid. Ranji match fees have remained at a very low level (just Rs 30,000 odd for each day of play). Revenue generated from the IPL should be used to make domestic players more financially secure. Also, to have a consistently strong Test team, a robust inter-state competition is needed and therefore we must compensate domestic players better.
6 EX-BCCI MEMBERS REFUSING TO QUIT
It was a mistake for the COA to have stayed silent and inactive when the Supreme Court judgment was being so flagrantly violated by people clearly disqualified to serve as office bearers of state and even BCCI run cricket bodies.
7 MALE CRICKETER IN COA
The absence of a respected male cricketer in the COA has attracted a great deal of criticism, much of it from important stakeholders in Indian cricket. It must be addressed and remedied. Javagal Srinath would be an excellent choice.
The Yo-Yo endurance test
Yuvi, Raina out for failing `Yo-Yo' test?, August 17, 2017: The Times of India
The failure to clear the `Yo-Yo' endurance test at the National Cricket Academy was the primary reason why Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina were not considered for the Sri Lanka limited overs series.
The Indian team regularly undergoes a series of fitness tests with `Yo-Yo' endurance test being the most important of them. It is an advanced version of the `beep' test that was used by earlier Indian teams. The current team is considered to be the fittest by a distance.
It has been learnt that for the current Indian team, the acceptable `Yo-Yo' score is 19.5 and upwards. Captain Virat Kohli, easily the fittest Indian cricketer, scores around 21 in the test. However both Yuvraj and Raina have scored well below the permissible level of 19.5 with Yuvraj barely managing to touch 16, which was the biggest reason for his ouster.
“The current team thinktank, coach Ravi Shastri, skipper Virat Kohli and chairman of selectors MSK Prasad have made it clear that fitness standards are non-negotiable. “On an average, the Australian cricketers score 21 in a Yo-Yo test.Here Virat, Ravindra Jadeja, Manish Pandey regularly hit that score while others are either touching 19.5 or higher,“ a BCCI official said.
“In the 1990s, when the beep test was in vogue, the players like Azharuddin would have scored around 16 to 16.5,“ he added.
The test
Cones are placed to mark out two lines 20 metres apart. A player starts with his foot behind one of the lines, and begins running when instructed.
The player continues running between the two lines, turning only after being signalled by the beeps.
After each minute, the pace gets quicker. If the line is not reached in time, the player must run to the line, turn and try to catch up with the pace within two more `beeps'. The test is stopped if the player fails to catch up with the pace within the two ends. The entire process is software-based ands the results are recorded.
2017
March: India no.1 test team
See graphic.
Sri Lanka series: India dominated
Archiman Bhaduri, India savour unprecedented whitewash, September 8, 2017: The Times of India
Sri Lanka Coach Pothas Likens Virat's Bunch To Rugby's All Blacks
As the Indian squad lined up to click pictures after completing a rare tour sweep, dejected Sri Lankan players slipped out of the field with their heads down, almost unnoticed. The mood summed up India's six-week tour of Sri Lanka that concluded at the R Premadasa Stadium here on Wednesday . For India it was as good as it gets, having won every match on the tour. Skipper Virat Kohli was obviously ecstatic over his team's show. “It (the whitewash across all three for mats) hadn' t been achieved before,“ he said.
India completely dominated Sri Lanka during the entire tour. But more than the trophies that the team will take back home, Kohli will cherish the newfound confidence that should help Team India scale new heights. Besides, the team management will be pleased that the experimentations it carried out in the course of the ODI series largely proved to be successful.
“Credit to the boys. Our bench strength is good. We tried a few things and the results have been amazing,“ Kohli said.
Team India's dominance also drew praise from the rival camp with Sri Lanka's coach Nic Pothas comparing Kohli's brigade with New Zealand's famous All Blacks rugby team. “They (India) are very All Blacks-like,“ Pothas said.“They are ruthless in the way they go about their work. Their work ethic is immense,“ he stated.
India's work ethic was on view in every game. In spite of not being up against the strongest oppositions, the Indian players never lacked intensity on the field. There were odd occasions when Sri Lanka had the upper hand, but Indian players showed tremendous character and skill to pull the team out of trouble. Kohli not only emerged as the highest run-getter in the ODI series but his leadership too was inspirational.
“He leads from the front with the bat and even while fielding.Wherever he is fielding, he gives it his all. So it is a motivation for youngsters like me to see him on the field and training hard in the nets,“ chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav said.
Apart from the youngsters, it was a series to remember for Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He once again silenced the critics by proving his worth, both behind the stumps and with the bat. The wicketkeeperbatsman, who remained unbeaten in the ODIs as well as the lone T20I, was instrumental in rescuing his team in at least three matches -pairing up with Bhuvneshwar Kumar to snatch victory from jaws of defeat in the second ODI besides sharing match-winning partnerships with Rohit Sharma (3rd ODI) and Manish Pandey (4th ODI).
The only player to miss out of the run feast in this series was KL Rahul. The Karnataka batsman managed just 28 runs in four matches with 17 being his highest score here. More importantly , he was dismissed thrice by Sri Lanka's mystery spinner Akila Dananjaya.
But for a fine 63 in the fifth ODI, Kedar Jadhav too struggled with the bat even though he was handy with the ball. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who struggled to get early breakthroughs, redeemed himself with a maiden five-wicket haul in the fifth ODI besides notching up his maiden half-century in the second ODI to see India home in Dhoni's company .
Ajinkya Rahane failed to grab the lone opportunity he got in fifth and final ODI, but Manish Pandey chipped in with useful contributions in the three matches he played, including the lone T20I 50
