South Africa v India - Final
Friday, October 26, 2001

The Indians should be criticised, not so much for their defeat as for their approach to the final. South Africa were the pre-tournament favourites and eight times out of ten they would have beaten India.

What I find distressing is the Indian planning, which goes haywire at crucial junctures. It has now become an Indian virtue to be wise in retrospect.

Reetinder Singh Sodhi was played as an allrounder but was called upon to bowl a single over. He is not good enough to merit a place in the eleven as a pure batsman. No other good team in the world would commit such a folly.

I genuinely believe that the team's tendency to overreact is the bane of India's problems, which is sad because the side has copious ability and talent

What John Wright needs to do is to sit down with his captain and vice-captain to focus on the team's approach. The planning and approach have to be right. That it was not done was the biggest disappointment for me

I hope the powers that be do not mess around with the Indian coach, who is working in the right direction. I have been talking to the players trying to find his approach to coaching, and the feedback I have got is that he has put emphasis on winning and bonding as a team before everything else. Indian players have always tended to be too individualistic and Wright is taking the right remedial measures. One saw how aggressive the South African openers were today chasing a measly Indian target, but in a similar position the Indians would be looking forward to their own personal milestones of remaining unbeaten with a reasonable score.

Irrespective of the performance, a coach must be given a two-year term. And if the Board of Control for Cricket in India terminate Wright's contact, it would be a huge setback for the team.

What concerns me looking at the Tests ahead are a few niggles which could be a cause for real anxiety. The biggest of them is VVS Laxman, who has failed twice in two innings. Laxman is not going into the Tests in the best frame of mind and I hope India do not rue summoning him for the one-day series hastily and needlessly.

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India got it wrong from the start

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