Following India’s loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Indian coach Gautam Ghambhir publicly stated that the players needed to go back to playing domestic cricket in India.
His words were carefully chosen, as they needed to be, as like many sports across the world the players have far more say today than the coaches.
He stated that the Test players “still have the hunger to excel” but that they needed to show their “commitment” towards red-ball cricket
While some national cricket coaches have shied away from pushing Test players to return to domestic cricket, Ghambhir was quoted in the Indian press as saying, “I would always like everyone to play domestic cricket. That is how much importance domestic cricket needs to be given. Not only one game if they are available and they have the commitment to play red ball cricket, everyone should play domestic cricket.”
He went on to say “If you don’t give importance to domestic cricket you will never get the desired players that you want in Test cricket.” To many traditional followers of the game his words were a breath of fresh air.
They were words that also apply to many other sports where the top players are now “protected” from playing in domestic competitions, allegedly to keep them fresh for the rigours of international matches.
The big problem that this has caused, and not just in cricket is that the international teams have become their own exclusive club. Just like many of the gentlemen’s clubs of yesteryear these clubs have seen a sense of entitlement prevail. Humility is often left at the door.
The higher you go in any sport, or in fact any job, the greater the responsibility and expectation that you deliver.
There have been many players in recent times who have been criticised for not delivering. Questions are then asked as to how they continue to keep their place in the side. It is just like being a member of those gentlemen’s clubs, one has to do something really bad to have one’s membership from this special group withdrawn.
If you want proof look at Cameron Bancroft the man who was caught with the sandpaper in his hand. All his accomplices returned to the fold while he has become an outcast despite performing consistently. His membership has been revoked.
The average fan sees the money on offer to these privileged individuals, privileged to play for their country and privileged to be in a postion to be paid handsomely, and expect them to perform consistently. If they do not, why should they still receive those privileges? Like any worker if you do not perform you soon find yourself without that role.
The last time Rohit Sharma played in the Ranji Trophy was back in November 2015. A period of nine years! He scored 113 runs in that match against Uttar Pradesh.
His return to the Ranji Trophy this week was far from memorable. Rohit Sharma and his Test opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal were a huge disappointment as both were dismissed cheaply in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir. However, they did get their names in the record books as this was the first time a current Test match opening pair had opened the batting together in the Ranji Trophy.
They were not alone amongst their Test match team mates finding it tough to return to this level. Rohit, Yashavi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant combined to score 12 runs off just 45 balls for their respective teams.
Was this just what the coach wanted a lesson in humility?
The Indian players are not alone, as England and Australia’s international players are hardly ever seen gracing their county or state teams.
This is a great shame as there are plenty of families who have children who are fans of the game but to see their heroes live is often beyond their financial means, or they simply are unable to obtain tickets. Playing for their county, state or province gave these young players and their families an opportunity tio see them play. Many in society have now been priced out of watching live sport.
To be fair to the players the problem is not all of their making.
Rohit was quoted as saying at a press conference this week, “But the last six-seven years – I can at least tell about what has happened with me since I’ve started playing Test cricket regularly, which is from 2019 – you hardly have any time. When you play so much international cricket through the year, you need some time off as well as a cricketer just to refresh, get your mind right, just to be ready for the upcoming season.”
Rohit and Virat Kohli have played two World Cup finals in the last two years without playing any domestic cricket. There has been no time for either player to play domestic cricket due to the packed international calendar.
The only real option players have if they want to take a rest and still represent their country is to withdraw from the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL). That however is unlikely to happen, as that is where these players make the most money.
The BCCI that runs cricket in India has seen that changes need to happen, and this one feels is a move in the right direction for the long term good of the game. However, this is just one of ten recommendations that have been put forward.
As many are saying in India and across the world, the International Calendar needs closer attention. These international players need to return to the sides they came from if only to make others aware that reaching the highest level is attainable. Also, it gives players at that level the opportunity to gauge where they are at compared to the top players, and whether they deserve to be given an opportunity.
For almost two decades we have been told Test cricket is dying, but in that time have witnessed some incredible matches. What is closer to the truth behind this line is that the various countries are struggling to make test cricket profitable.
Their argument is to play more T20 cricket as that will pull in the crowds and the costs are less. It will help alleviate the losses they make from Test Cricket. However, T20 was never supposed to be taken seriously, and truthfully to many it isn’t.
One Day Internationals again, we have been told are now a thing of the past, yet they too have produced some wonderful encounters in recent times. One of the things hampering the ODI is it’s World Cup. The format is flawed, there are too many games! The format has been adapted to give the top nations a second chance of progressing should they misfire early on. This means that the tournament takes too long and people lose interest. The FIFA World Cup with 32 teams finishes quicker the the ODI World Cup taking just 28 days. The last Cricket World Cup with 10 teams took 45 days!
While the return to Domestic cricket makes perfect sense, unless the international calendar is revised and we revert to quality rather than quantity of games, as is the case in a few sports, cricket may face a situation very soon where the concerns about player workload become a real issue. As they are now a very important asset, don’t be surprised if a few say “stop, there is too much cricket.” We have already seen some opt for one format alone.
There is talk in football that players may well take legal action on the legality of FIFA unilaterally setting the international match calendar and to then setting up, and scheduling within that calendar and running the World Club Championship, a competition with no obvious place within the game. A competition that is asking the top players to play even more games. Money may be the only thing that stops such action.
No doubt the world’s top cricketers will be watching with interest.
Hopefully, as one of the powerbrokers in the game the BCCI will look further than just their test team and Domestic competition, and look at how the same issues they have recognised are not unique and exist in World cricket. They may well be able to help influence change and sit down and work out what is an acceptable calendar for international cricket in order to offer the best product. That will no doubt result in a culling of some matches that currently are being played, and will hopefully bring an immediate halt to teams playing a test series that consists of two matches.
This is a bold move. but one that should be applauded as much as the players do not like it, as it is a move that will surely benefit the game in the long term. Hopefully other countries follow this lead.
