Indians were guilty of complacency
Erapalli Prasanna - 10 July 2001
I was totally convinced that India would fire in the One Day
Internationals in Zimbabwe after the Test disappointment. It was
evident that the Indian team enjoys the shorter version of the game
more than the longer one. The Indian team's body language in the one-
dayers was totally different as they cruised through the first four
games of the round-robin league. Perhaps the realisation that they had
to bowl only 50 overs had something to do with it. Indeed some of the
bowlers looked like having run out of ideas by the time their ten over
spells came to an end.
I was wonderstruck at the type of cricket India played in the final.
Ganguly's captaincy was below par and I didn't really understand the
team selection either. Complacency is the worst mental frame one can
have. It's been repeatedly borne out that the Indian batting revolves
around Tendulkar and the way our top five batsmen played once he
departed was ample proof of that. It was really pleasing however to
see West Indies apply themselves and play to a gameplan.
On the contrary, the Indians looked cock-a-hoop and overconfident and
every member of the team needs to introspect on the causes for the
debacle in the final. Or else they will be guilty of resting on their
past laurels. It's about time that the coach John Wright does some
plain talking with a player like VVS Laxman who seems to be still
living in the memory of his epic innings against Australia. Everyone
has been praising our fielding for looking acrobatic and spectacular,
yet the opposition scored 290 runs. What is most important is not how
showy you are but how effective and that is sorely lacking.
I for one thought this tour would be without controversy. But the
stumping incident involving Ridley Jacobs seems to have disturbed a
bee hive, with little justification. Instead of Jacobs, the umpire who
gave the decision should have been penalised in my opinion. By the
same logic, isn't a fielder claiming a catch on the half volley also
cheating? In fact Indian skipper Ganguly did exactly that when Darren
Ganga swept Harbhajan Singh to square leg where he was fielding, but
the third umpire flashed the green lights. Unless sportsmanship is
restored in what used to be called a gentleman's game, cricket will
become a robotic, mechanical sport in the years to come and
administrators will rule the roost.
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