What will be the abiding memory of Indian cricket fans as the year draws to a close? Will it be the uplifting feeling generated by India’s long and dominant winning run at the 50-over World Cup? Or will it be a feeling of unfulfillment at the two chances of ending the decade-long ICC trophy drought going uncapitalised?
Those who will lean towards the latter will be further disheartened by the shellacking received at Centurion, in the form of an innings defeat at the hands of a not-so-formidable South Africa inside three days. For a cricketing structure so full of talent and resources, India is often exposed miserably when the conditions are not what they are used to. They have players such as Virat Kohli, who are well capable of rising to every challenge, but the team as a whole is often found wanting. The youngsters, though full of skill, are short of experience and nous.
Indian cricket is a lot about the skill levels of its stars and the deep talent pool, but it’s also about hype, celebrity, and hero worship. The presence of ‘Kings’ and ‘Princes’, as well as players who are recognised as once-in-a-generation talents or even ‘freaks’ makes India favourites, or at least one among them, for every major tournament, but the whole often adds up to less than the sum of its parts.
Contrast it to the new, and it seems perennial, 50-over World Cup winners. A look at the personnel in the Australian team will not necessarily fill one with awe, a feeling generated by the legendary outfits of 2003 and 2007, but roughly the same group of players has been crowned world champion in all three formats over a two-year period – without having home advantage in any of the competitions. It shows what determination, attention to detail, playing for each other, and astute and inspirational leadership can achieve.
Leading from the front
Pat Cummins doesn’t come across as the embodiment of the typical Alpha male Australian cricketer, but the way he leads and supports his mates make them play for him. It was evident when he pushed for moving on from Justin Langer as head coach because he and his teammates weren’t comfortable with the former Test opener’s methods.
That attribute came to the fore again when Cummins stood behind Usman Khawaja, who tried to take a humanitarian stand over the Israel-Hamas conflict and found himself in the ICC’s crosshairs. Cummins has also not shied away from making his point over matters beyond the cricket field, such as climate change, when many would suggest he stick to the game.
Well, he does that anyway, and to great effect. It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that when he hangs up his boots, Cummins will be recognised as one of the greats of the game, whose influence isn’t limited to bat and ball.
Captaincy is not something that’s practised just inside the rope. It’s a 24-hour job. One has to understand his players to get the best out of them. The way Cummins is going about his job, he could have it for as long as he wants. He has already led Australia to Test and ODI silverware. The T20 World Cup is scheduled for the summer, and Australia haven’t named a full-time skipper for the format. Would it be too much on his broad shoulders?
Decision time
India also have to deal with a captaincy conundrum, but for a different reason. Rohit Sharma hasn’t played a T20 International since the 2022 World Cup and has recently been stood down as Mumbai Indians captaincy. Hardik Pandya was assumed to be his heir apparent, but his dodgy fitness record may count against him. Suryakumar Yadav is also out, at least till February, which is significant as India doesn’t have too many fixtures to finalise the World Cup squad and be in the best possible condition for a title tilt. The Indian Premier League will precede the World Cup, but may not give an accurate picture of a player’s or team’s preparation and prospects.
Apart from captaincy, the selectors and team management will need to take a call on whether to move on from the likes of Rohit, Kohli, and KL Rahul or give them another shot at World Cup redemption.
The most talented bunch of cricketers doesn’t always walk away with the honours – as the Australians have shown time and again. At the highest level, sport is mostly in the mind. A team can dominate a game for long periods and still end up at the wrong end of the result – something Pakistan discovered to their detriment in the recent Melbourne Test. India will need to keep this in mind if they want to ensure that the whole is at least equal to the sum of its parts – a prerequisite to success on the big stage.