Few days back Sachin Tendulkar said that the team’s main objective in the coming times would be reclaim the Number One Test position which they lost to England after a 4-0 series whitewash. They followed it with one more disastrous tour Down Under where they met similar fate and were whitewashed again.
Well looking at India’s international schedule till next January, India would play two series at home against New Zealand and England. While the Men-In-Blue would play two Tests again New Zealand, they would play four Test match series against England.
While their journey to Number One Test position had been a terrific so as to say at least on papers, but then if a deep look is taken into as to how India rose to the number one position, one cannot help but ponder the fact that did they actually deserve to be called the Number One side in Tests.
MS Dhoni and Co. were at the top of table due to the ICC’s point system. Since October 2008 India played 11 Test series till they toured England and they won eight of them and drew three. Well that indeed a great record but then the facts remain that out of those eight victories five came at home and the three other overseas victories were against New Zealand, West Indies and Bangladesh, which certainly do not justify of a great record is not competition enough for the team.
They tried their hand in Sri Lanka and South Africa but could manage only draws, which shows their prowess against stronger teams outside India.
Now with Sachin commenting that they would want to take back the number one position, the question here arises are they actually a deserving team for that. India would play six Tests on home soils and if they win statistically they might go amongst the top but then that position means nothing if they fail to beat teams like Australia, England, South Africa and Sri Lanka outside their den. That will never qualify them to be the best even they accumulate points on the home soil to become paper tigers once again.
India definitely should not call themselves number one until and unless they beat teams like Australia, South Africa and now England outside India. Every country does enjoy their home conditions and exploit them but then the difference is that other teams do not falter so bad like how India did in their last two series.
They went to England as the number one Test side and lost the first Test by 319 runs, indeed a quality that is not attributed to a number one team. Well the defeat did not sound the warning bell and everyone were like they would jump back but that did not happen and they suffered humiliation and were whitewashed in two consecutive series. What it establishes is that India can dominate the way it wants in their background and can play as much as they want at home to regain the number one position, but they would face the reality only when they travel outside the sub-continent and play teams like Australia, England and South Africa.
No one can doubt their capability and quality but their overseas performance continuously brings one thing to the fore that they still do not possess the character of a champion.
India can earn lot of through winnings matches at home but that would deprive them of the respect that a Test champion deserves. And if India wants to starts winning in hostile conditions, these are some of the aspect they would have to work on.
Technique: Barring few players, they lack technique when it comes to playing on foreign soil and they would need to work on that. They would work on the technique and should prepare themselves mentally and technically to play well in any condition. It is a known fact that India always had problems on pitches that offered pace and bounce and India should come out with some techniques to counter this.
Change of guard: After two consecutive series loss, India should contemplate on change of captaincy. Dhoni’s captaincy showed that he is not as aggressive as a Test captain should be in a hostile land, which affected India’s performance a lot. Some one more aggressive in nature should be brought in place of Dhoni if they want to achieve the number one spot and stay there.
Team selection: Lot of Indian players does not qualify to play Test as yet but still make it to the Test side based on their ODI performance. They falter on most occasions and even they play some good innings here are there. It does not make a difference and the key is to perform consistently. The selectors should think twice before selecting a team and should choose players who have proven technique and not past glory.
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News