Indian cricket fans must have been disappointed with the season opener of the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League. Chennai Super Kings led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni spun out Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore on a dustbowl at Chennai, the pitch resembling a wrestling ‘akhada’; rather than one conducive to playing cricket.
The popularity of the blue riband league that has garnered many lay fans thanks to the glitz, glamour and gossip that surrounds the tournament, will probably put the much awaited Indian assembly elections in the shade. Almost like a tamasha stealing a march over an important event in Indian history. Politics and sport aside, may the two never clash, this edition of the IPL comes before the most important world cricket tournament, the International Cricket Council World Cup, 2019.
One had flagged up the fact that the players who are in the running to play the ICCWC soon after the end of the IPL12 would need to manage their workload a few weeks prior to this article. At that point, the impression given to cricket followers was that the Board of Control for Cricket in India was in talks with the IPL franchises to see how they could work together to help lessen the load of India probables.
One assumes nothing came out of those parleys, to keep key players fit and fresh.
A few days ago, Kohli, who will lead India’s charge in the ICCWC, said that the Indian teams assets for the ICCWC will need to smartly manage their workload during the upcoming IPL since it will be their responsibility to stay fit and fresh for the tournament in the United Kingdom. Putting the responsibility of fitness on the players is terrible move on part of the team management and the BCCI.
“All the workload will be monitored and given a window, the guys can afford to rest. The World Cup comes every four years and we play IPL every year,” said Kohli.
One sincerely hopes the IPL franchisees will agree to reduce the players workload and allow them a few games off, in national interest, to enable them to remain fit for the ICCWC.
The last One Day International series against Australia has shown that India are far from ready for the ICCWC.
Though the management claims their nucleus is almost in place, the shortcomings of the team balance have been exposed. It is clear that the India team is riding on a few players, who have been in consistent form viz. Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and to a certain extent, Rohit Sharma while the form of most others can best be termed “iffy”.
Though we saw cameos from the Indian batsmen in the ODIs against Australia, there is a distinct lack of stability. Though Kohli had stated that IPL12 will have no impact on India’s squad for the ICCWC, considering the formats are different, it would be imperative for the selectors to watch the form of a few players, who were not in the last India ODI squad, but could make the cut to be picked in the fifteen.
While on selection, it is strange to keep hearing from the Indian skipper and not M.S.K. Prasad, the chairman of the selection committee, about policies and decisions.
Players like Ajinkya Rahane, Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Iyer have the ability to play in the batting slots that are hanging loose and their IPL showing could help them regain their positions in the ICCWC squad. While Rahane has the technique and ability to play a stable innings, much needed on typical English pitches, Agarwal and Iyer are blessed with skill of moving gears with ease. Shutting the door on them and a few others like the experienced Ishant Sharma would be unfair.
Form is an important element and we have seen how the English selectors picked Jos Buttler to play the ODIs and Test matches against India after an outstanding IPL season in 2018. The way the England and Wales Cricket Board have planned their teams for all three formats of the game is a lesson for others to learn. Their belief in ‘horses for courses’ is something the BCCI should look at with each team (Test, ODI and Twenty20) given very clear and precise briefs.
And while the IPL12 will continue for the next two months, hopefully on better pitches, giving Indian fans a ‘David Dhawan meets Sci-fi’ experience, one sincerely hopes for a happy ending. Of having fifteen fit and fresh gladiators who will board the flight to the UK in quest of the ICCWC 2019.
