Are We The Best???

DHEERAJ KUMAR

( Writer is IIMC alumnus and Senior Associate Producer in CNBC-Awaaz)

We are the best test team in the world (at least we claim it and ICC test ranking says it so as well), but we couldn't win either of the two test matches played so far against the number 8 test team in the world. So either we have become complacent or have lost our aggression. I would like to point out some facts here : the best scorer of the current test series is Harbhajan Singh with two continuous centuries and it indicates the status of our batting in the series. Even on a flat wicket like Hyderabad, where in the second innings, New Zealand not only surpassed the first innings lead by India but also set a target which culminated to a boring draw.

Blue brigade not doing enough to win 

In the current series, only two batsmen have been playing with their potential- Sehwag and Laxman and these players have been shown the consistency in performance as well. But rest of the team is lacking energy or enthusiasm to play cricket for 5 days. Note the number of dropped catches in the second inning of the second test match vs NZ. If you see the composition of our test team, we play with 7 batsmen and 4 bowlers which shows that we are defensive in our attitude as well as lacks confidence in our batting line up. Why can't we play with 5 bowlers in order to add aggression to our team. We must remember that matches are won not only by piling runs but by making the opponents all out. If you can't take 20 wickets, it shows your weakness and in consecutive two tests our number 1 team couldn't all out the number 8 team.

Bhajji has lots or reasons to smile

So are we really worthy of claiming the number one position or are we taking the things too lightly? See the batting average of our captain MS Dhoni, the (once upon a time) wall Dravid, the future of test team Suresh Raina and the very serious Gautam Gambhir. It seems that these players have forgot to play cricket straight and are struggling to keep them alive on the field. Is it fatigue, boredom, inefficiency or complacency? Whatever it is, it must be go away with. Here I would like to add that It has been saying time and again that there is too much cricket happening and the players need rest but our board isn't in the mood to listen to it. Doesn't the lacklusture performance of our team show that most of the players are tired and are not in the position to give their best shots? If cricket is religion then we must protect our deities as well, mustn't we?

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