Mahendra Singh Dhoni seems to have learnt all the wrong things from Greg Chappell.
Guru Greg, when he was ‘coach’ of Team India was completely clear that with him around, there could be no other centre of power in the team, including the Captain whose role was to be little more than implementing the mind of the coach. Sourav Ganguli was simply not the kind who would allow anybody to dominate him while he was the Captain. So Ganguli was not only relieved of captaincy but also his place in the team so that Chappell could have an unfettered run with a meek individual, a good follower like Dravid as the Captain. Tendulkar was next in the firing line but the God of Indian cricket could not be discarded so easily. His motivation to keep playing was nevertheless questioned and it was only a question of time before he too would have been dumped, had Chappell stayed on.
After getting rid of Ganguli, Chappell systematically started filling up the team with youngsters who would, naturally, be loyal to him personally for the favour done. Every devious trick in the book was deployed keep Ganguli out, even as the performance of the team went one way – downhill. The most consistently used ‘excuse’ was that they were choosing youth over experience because they were building a team for the ‘future’, that they were finding the right balance for winning the World Cup! When disaster struck the team in the World Cup, as it had to, with politicking superseding playing, Chappell ran for cover. But the damage had been done. A little later, Dravid too stepped down form that perch which was never meant for him.
Amidst all this drama, Sourav Ganguli made a spectacular comeback to Team
In the middle of the Test series of the ongoing tour of
As reported in the press, Dilip Vengsarkar, the Chairman of the Selectors said that he was was forced to drop Sourav Ganguli at the insistence of Captain Dhoni and the other two selectors.
The One Day Triangular Series is with the best team in the world in their home ground and another very competitive team,
Look at what happened in the first match which was abandoned due to rain. The batsmen just collapsed. The bowlers evened out things a bit before the rain did the match in, but the lack of experience against the mighty Aussies showed. And, Dhoni even chose the completely raw Tiwari over Karthik and Raina “on instinct", as he put it. Yes we all know that he had similarly got back the very experienced, now dropped, Murali Karthik in
What does Dhoni have to say about the choosing of inexperienced youngsters over the in form great players whom the Aussies respect? Do I need to repeat what Chappell had said? Dhoni too says he is building the team for the 2011 Word Cup! Like Chappell, he too wants to build his own personal team. He also clearly thinks that he is going to captain that team!
It may be a little too early, but the ‘Tendulkar effect’ is already beginning to show on Dhoni. His batting performance in the Test series was forgettable. But what was more disturbing was the fact that he was simply unable to play freely and fearlessly as he used to earlier. The pressures of captaincy and expectation have begun to take their toll. And that is a really dangerous sign for him, but he cannot see it; perhaps will not till it is too late.
We all have different mental load bearing capabilities. When the load goes beyond the tolerance level, our responses begin to suffer and our performance is adversely affected. Sachin Tendulkar is the best player
Time and again, we have been fooled into gazing into the future and ignoring the present. Team
Dhoni, to my mind, is slipping rapidly, both as a player and as a captain. He is turning out to be another Chappell who is bent on pettily picking his own team rather than
Dhoni's cocky confidence is already beginning to look and sound like obdurate arrogance topped by an ego which exceeds his ability by far. I will not be surprised if Dhoni loses not only the captaincy but also his place in the team sooner than one might imagine. Fortunately, Karthik and Parthiv Patel, both experienced and talented wicketkeeper-batsmen, are readily available to take his place. On thing is for sure. Whenever Dhoni is dropped, as he surely will be, he will not be missed.
2 comments:
Agree with your one point(that Dhoni's moves seem unwarranted), disagree with another (that the potential of the player should not be a criterion).
The problem with the current team is that it is low on potential as well as experience. I would not mind giving a player with a potential a chance over a more experienced player, but the team balance has to remain intact.
Look at the present team. What potential does Dhoni have?? Harbhajan appear a better batsman than him whenever they bat together. Karthik is a better wkt-keeper than him. Has he ever scored more than a couple of dozen runs against a world class opposition and a quality attack.
Speaking of Yuvraj, we are quite aware of his potential. Can neither score against spin nor against seam. A few lofty hits in oatches does not entitle him to an automatic place.
It seems that only concern for Dhoni is to cement his and Yuvraj's place in the team. The order for rest of the players is shuffled as he deem fit to achieve this purpose.
Players like Ishant Sharma have potential and it is not difficult t o figure out watching them play. But the politics in our team make sure that players with potential never get a chance, particularly when they happen to be batsman. I wouldnt mind leaving out Ganguly for a hi-potential player but leaving out Ganguly, Dravid, and Laxman for Yuvraj, and Dhoni, Give me a brak.
I totally agree with you. Leaving out Ganguly for a hi-potential player can be justified, I agree, but is there anyone like that in your sight?
Dhoni is just doing a Chappell,and the disastrous effects are already visible. I am not sure whether this so-called youthful team has been picked on merit or is it only because of petty politics that demanded the dropping of your best players against the best team in the world.
In any case, Dhoni has doen himself incalculable harm...that does not concern me. He can do whatever he wants to himself; the fact that he is screwing Team India in the procees is something which should agitate all apolitical followers and administrators of the game.
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