Experiment in Indian Cricket

It is heartening to see loads of experiments happening in Indian cricket under the able leadership of Greg Chappell and Rahul Dravid. Sometimes these experiments bring good results if not great results, often end up in crazy results.

History of experiments in one-day cricket

In one day cricket these experiments got noticed when Martin Crowe asked Deepak Patel to open the attack. Being an off spinner, Patel was able to create interesting impact and propelled New Zealand to Semi final only to loose against mighty Pakistanis under Imran Khan. (Well.. subcontinent players were licking their lips for these type of opening bowlers to murder them)

Later Arjuna Ranatunga brought his sensational opening pairs Jayasuria and Kulwirathna with explosive beginning that hit out all other teams and won the world cup in 1996.

So, experiment in Indian cricket is well expected, after Chappell’s appointment and of course Chappells are well known for their experiments in Australia as most of us can remember the Trevor Chappell’s under arm bowling.

Sensational beginning

Chappell decided start his experiment by asking his captain to vacate his test place and handover to other team member. I believe it is the first time? a coach asked his captain to get out of the team in midst of test series and that too in overseas. Please correct me if I am wrong. Ganguly decided his experiment by announcing the Chappell’s experiment in media at the end of his wonderful knock that fetch him a century against world best bowling attack of Zimbabwe? (Will Zimbabwe play again at international level?) Poor experiment… isn’t? But anyway it is an interesting experiment. BCCI subsequently decided to experiment by appointing ex players as arbitration team to correct the situation.

Chappell, the great beginner wouldn’t rest and send an e mail experiment to BCCI and selection committee and mentioned all dressing room whispers, moaning, shouting, some times gossips and hearsay against Ganguly. BCCI officials once again experimented this e mail by emptying their in box to a Bengal newspaper. Indian cricket world and media was enjoying these experiments by their own opinions, views and justifications and what are to come.

The arbitration panel experiments Chappell and Ganguly and advised them to forget for the sake of Indian Cricket and the whole issue became non-issue. Suddenly Ganguly experiments his tennis elbow and announced he has elbow problem and will not available for one-day series against Sri Lanka and that is the mother of all experiments. This opens the can experiments that we are going through at present. Selection Committee decided to experiment every players and arguably against Zaheer, Laxman, Ganguly, Kumble and Nehra. In between Harbhajan and Yuvraj were experimenting their opinions in media that is another sub-products of these on going experiments.

Selection Committee continued their experiments by selecting good number of new bowlers in one-day team, surprisingly Sreeshanth (he himself can’t believe till now. His last two wickets in Champions trophy final were awarded the opposition batsmen by hitting him for boundaries to score winning runs).

Chappell and Dravid have decided to unleash loads of experiments such as Irfan was sent to number three against Sri Lanka in first match. (Well, this experiment was credited to Sachin). Later Dhoni and Yadav and Rao and Raina and Dravid himself and later Yuvraj. Some of them failed and some of them responded tremendously. The flexibility theory brought a typical situation in which the players themselves don’t know what is their role and where they are going to play. Subsequently that landed the poor youngster Rao even out of the team. Possibly he might be experimenting his fate, when will he get back to the team or not. Suresh Raina and Yadav are silenced in these experiments and buried after Kaif’s return.

Opening pair experiments

Shewag & Sachin.. Than Sachin Gambir, than Shewag Gambir than Gambir Irfan are so far experimented as openers. But they shouldn’t stop the opening experiments at this situation. They should continue by sending Yuvraj Gambir (left hand pairs) or Yuvraj Irfan (left hand pairs) or Yuvraj RP Singh (again left hand pairs). Ooph.. loads of opening combinations we can develop by left and left or left and right or… even no hands..

How about Harbhajan Sachin… if not Sachin Agargar.. (the Sachin’s favourite bowler)..

Look at these possibilities! Lot of things can be experimented in different way and all is possible because of the removal of Ganguly. The hothead Ganguly would have been resisted to these types of experiments and thanks God… selectors have done wonderful job by removing him to listen the solo song of Chappell.

Hey… don’t go away. Selectors have recently experimented by taking Ganguly in the test team as batting all-rounder. Does anyone understand? Zaheer might be laughing at himself by remembering the two ducks of Ganguly against him in Duleep Trophy final?

Team India, still under experiment

This Team India is certainly doing well and high in morale when it will face mighty South Africans. South Africans cannot be rolled over as it happened to Sri Lankans. South Africans are known for hard fight and I believe this will be one of a crucial series for the youngsters in Team India. Each member of the team seems to be relishing his role and ready to do whatever the captain and coach wants? But are they immensely talented and ready for hard seasons at abroad? Especially the batsmen?

Even great Sachin in these days plays superbly in one match and become ordinary in remaining matches. Yuvarj and Kaif does well when the axe is on their neck, otherwise, the team happened to content with their athletic fielding only. Shewag become prisoner of his own mental conflict either to continue the assault or check the strokes especially when he is in 30 to 40. Batting in Indian pitches is more or less not so difficult and every Indian batsman knew that he could excel in any given chance.

The real battle is in abroad. More than the bowlers, batsmen are guilty in loosing the matches at abroad. As Dravid rightly said, ‘let us not complacent with what we play now’. There is a long road ahead of us to reach even finals in 2007 world cup.

In bowling side, Team India is really enjoying the available options and the cause of concern is Harbhajan only. His average wickets per match is reducing to 1.5 and often loosing his run-rate also alarmingly in international tours. Murali is still crawling and unable to cement his place as quality and consistent leg spinner. I would still suggest to groom Kumble for 2007 world cup as frontline bowler with the cover of Murali. Kumble has the ability to bounce and extract early wickets and reduce the run-rate.

Well.. is it justifiable for Ganguly to left in cold? Ganguly may be old and not quick in field, but he should be given a decent exit by the selectors and ask him to accept the reality of unfit one day player in future. As Arjuna Ranatunga said, we Indians often forget to respect our cricket heroes and throw them in dust without any mercy. Selectors should speak to those senior players and make them to accept the gracious exit as Australians did for Waugh brothers, Healy and Taylor as and when required.