These are strange and testing times for Indian cricket. The Supreme Court orders, the CoA anarchy, the betting that plagued IPL, the conflict of interest and Ramachandra Guha’s famous ‘open letter’ about the discrepancies in Indian cricket administration – things were piling up one after the other.
The Indian fans have stuck loyally to the team through it all, seeing as the actual cricket played by the team was top class – barring that one blip in the Champions Trophy Final. However, it is tremulous when the duo responsible for a reverberating season have called it quits – Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli breaking up, so to speak, thanks to difference in opinion.
While the jury is still out on whether Kohli behaved as a spoilt brat in that whole saga against a coach whose man-management skills he was not quite fond of, there is a new troubling development – Ravi Shastri throwing in his hat in the ring. Shastri as coach would be disastrous for Indian cricket. Here are five reasons why:
#1 They don’t complement, they mimic
At the helm of a good team, are a coach and a captain, who complement each other, not similar to each other. Shastri and Kohli are similar, fiery personalities, neither of them holding a punch back, or even capable of trying it. Shastri, who was calm and staid during his heyday as a batsman, is rarely so on the mike, often getting carried away with needless jingoism.
One wonders if instead of dressing room calm, Shastri would bring the kind of histrionics that barely augur well for the team. Shastri’s and Kohli’s hot-headed approach could make India the next Australia, but that may not necessarily be the best thing for an Indian team that is still growing, especially in Test cricket. The last thing one would want is for the Shastri-Kohli duo to turn into a power centre!
#2 An insult to the CAC
The Cricket Advisory Committee, that comprises of three legends, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, had clearly picked Anil Kumble over Ravi Shastri, who was rejected, in simple plain terms. Being pressurised by a young captain into sending that successful coach who they had picked to bring in someone they had rejected is a clear act of arm-twisting. Kumble’s meticulousness compared to Shastri’s reckless attempt at attending the interview without actually being present physically are a good dichotomy.
Indian cricket administration can do better than that. What is the point of having a CAC when it is clearly Virat Kohli, who calls the shots? True, that it is the captain who has to deal with the coach eventually and is blamed for the team’s fortunes. A bad coach could be a disaster, like everyone witnessed during the Greg Chappell’s days.
Extra cover: Fielding coach R Sridhar reveals how different Ravi Shastri is from Anil Kumble
However, the very idea of the CAC is to have three gentlemen of the game, and well-wishers of Indian cricket, to take politics and personal bias out of tricky decision-making. While they could be questioned for picking Kumble, without any experience, for a coach, probably out of bias for someone they actually knew personally and respected, they’ve been vindicated in the way Kumble delivered.
#3 The bad press during the South Africa tour of India
Under Kumble, Australia and England toured India and largely got well-balanced pitches, where India won and cleaned its reputation, showing how they can play on fair pitches, lose tosses and still win. Under Shastri, India had thrashed SA, but very few actually gave the Indian cricket team any points for that win, seeing how terrible and one-sided the pitches were.
Those rank turners were a disservice not just to Indian cricket but also to the talent of the Indian players, who were quite capable of winning against SA on fair Indian pitches. Despite all his show of strength and confidence in the talent of the Indian team, Shastri’s insistence on rank turners demonstrated his insecurity and lack of confidence when it came to dealing with South Africa at home.
God knows, Indian cricket can do without such negative publicity, when it is a genuinely good team, trying to be a consistent performer.
#4 Shastri’s annoying jingoism
At the helm as the Director, Shastri did one thing well – pep up his boys, time and again and enhancing their confidence. While the boys like it, Indian cricket will suffer. When it is time to face hard truths, like India’s performances away from home in Test cricket, we need someone who can own up to the mistakes and faults and try to rectify them.
Shastri’s jingoism is far removed from Kumble’s statesmanship, who with his clarity has managed to steer the Indians towards the right direction. A Shastri-Kohli combo genuinely presents the risk of Indian team turning into bullies at home and poor travellers.
Kumble’s straightforward and honest approach is desirable any day over Shastri’s jingoism. Not to mention, Kumble’s work ethic which involves the professionalism and due diligence with which he is known to make presentations.
#5 Does Shastri have enough tactical nous?
Kuldeep Yadav’s pick was responsible for India keeping Australia at bay in a very tight home series. Kumble had wanted to bring him in much before it actually happened. Umesh Yadav’s resurgence owes itself as much to the coach as to the captain. Indian team’s attitude was less emotional and more precision, something that has more to do with the coach’s mentality than their skipper’s.
Kumble, if rumours were to be believed, was also correct on the fact that India should bat if they win the toss, in the Final of the Champions Trophy. Kohli, probably defied it, though that news remains to be proven. Rest is history.
Shastri’s time at the helm barely witnessed the unexpected, much like his commentary. Indian team needs a coach who is capable of pulling a rabbit out of the hat, and in that context, even someone like Tom Moody would be a better pick for the job than Shastri.
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