Reality check for Indian cricket

The defeat against Pakistan and New Zealand in the T20 cricket World Cup has brought about a reality check for Indian cricket. The disappointment was more in the minds of the millions of Indian cricket followers, who had been made to think that Indian cricket was better than it’s ever been before. The superstars who adorn the Indian colours are professionals who are fitter and more skillful than the Indian cricketers of yore.
The Indian economy, a decade ago, went through the same euphoria of “India shining” and a feeling that intellectually we are the rising brains who will shortly control the world. A positive approach and attitude is great to get one to believe in themselves. However, to understand one’s ability and capability is what finally prevails in order to be successful.
Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Ravi Shastri, Dilip Vengsarkar, Mohinder Amarnath and loads of former cricketers were successful not because they could play all the shots in the book but because they knew when to do so. In cricket, the ability to apply ones game to the prevailing conditions and to play accordingly is half the battle won. The basis to do so is naturally for the team’s benefit and this is an area where, one feels, the present Indian cricketers are lacking.
A cricketer reaches the highest level by sheer cricketing common sense. Similarly, as in all the other professions, a cricketer acquires or is born with a natural cricketing instinct, based on their experiences and capabilities. The great Garry Sobers, Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, Vinoo Mankad may not have got a distinction as students in academics but on the cricket field they were masters in the way they thought and analysed the situation. Their “cricketing brains” was what made them match winners. One feels that the element of thinking for themselves seems to have disappeared in most of the present-day cricketers.
One can blame it on the progress made by technology, technical tools and professional, certified and accomplished coaches who draw up plans to implement the strategy. However, one feels that many cricketers are getting confused between their natural thought process and the roles that have been assigned to them.
The Indian cricketers seem to be prime examples of this. They have played some wonderful cricket in the last few years. However, they have succumbed to pressure when most required and especially in an ICC-organised World championship. The burden of responsibility of winning a major cup seems to weigh on the Indian cricketers to such an extent that their eagerness and anxiety is driving them to despair.