After disastrous last season, everyone thought someone with power and responsibility in Indian cricket will stand up to revive the team but it seems now, no one is willing and worse, none seems to even give some thoughts about it.

When Australia whitewashed England at home in 2006-07 Ashes, England & Wales cricket board (ECB) commissioned for an independent review. The review group which included cricketers such as Nasser Hussian and Nick Knight, was headed by former director of European PGA tour Ken Schofield made 19 recommendations (read here), out of which 17 were approved by ECB and those went on to change the face of their cricket. Their cricket structure went for overhaul with creation of new positions like managing director of the team and team director, more accountability on position holders, national cricket center created to monitor emerging talents and to improve player performances, changes in first class cricket to improve cricket standards and etc.,

With Irresponsible board, reluctant selectors, vision-less captain and sleeping coach, Indian cricket team has no care takers. Time to babysit?

There is no denying the fact that Schofield review recommendations is the prime reason for England cricket team raise in rankings and performance now. Australian cricket board (ACB) did the same after Australia lost the 2011 Ashes series 5-0. And now, Argus team recommendations are doing wonders for them. The great thing about both the review are they were not led by former players and they accepted views from everyone (including the public via emails) before drafting the recommendations.

While those two boards conducted review and overhauled the structure for just one series whitewash, India had two, yet board of cricket control in India (BCCI) did nothing. Nearly 7 months now, after which India got whitewashed second time within a year, still there is no evidence of even a formal team report submission. BCCI were too busy in dealing with 2012 IPL issues and in the board meeting, it took the loud voice of Anil Kumble to make them listen.

The story after that is, “BCCI announced they will ask Duncan Fletcher to submit the report once his vacation is over”. Fletcher vacation ended, India already finished one series (their seasonal neighborhood tour to Sri Lanka) and started preparing for home test series now.  And report? Forgotten in the lands of “who cares”. But first question is, whether BCCI formally asked Fletcher to submit the report or not.

Promised much but delivered nothing. India needs change of heads at team level.

Less said about BCCI is best. Indian team selection stories are like today’s most movies – No logic in the script. Just pick and assemble something for sake of presentation. Coach Duncan Fletcher is like the prime minister Manmohan Singh. A great past record prompting all to hail him as great choice but after that, only can mourn due to dire state living. And finally our captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who looks objective but he isn’t and who called as leader but he isn’t. Like how he brands the win, “doesn’t matter how it comes“, it doesn’t matter for him the way India team goes.

With a cricket board being irresponsible, selectors are reluctant, captain don’t have any vision for team and the coach, who at best yawns in conversion, India has no care takers. All these power people snubbing their responsibilities. Betraying us to be honest. Although they all aspire to be the best team, there is no thought process happening for excellence. With aspiration alone, you can’t succeed right? We need visionary leadership coupled with robust system that forces timely decision makings. So that aspiration can transform into perspiration, and finally becomes into realization.

At worse, for next two years, we won’t be having a change of personality in terms of board president, team captain and coach. So, it leaves us with only choice, i.e. Indian cricket team selectors. With current crop of selectors (4 out of 5) going out, lets hope someone with guts, vision and fore-thinking arrives to lead Indian cricket team into territories that they have never marched but only dreamed off.

Tags: ACB, Anil Kumble, Argus team review, Australian Cricket Board, BCCI, Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket, Duncan Fletcher, ECB, England & Wales Cricket Board, ICC, India got whitewashed by Australia, India got whitewashed by England, India lost 0-8 in overseas series last year, Indian Cricket Team, Indian cricket team coach, Indian cricket team selectors and selections, Kon Schofield review report and recommendations, MS Dhoni, No report submitted by Fletcher for overseas debacle, Sachin Tendulkar