End of an Era

2:30 am – Probably not a suitable time to write a blog. But it is only at the moment of the occurrence of an event that your feelings scream the loudest and breathe the hardest.

The nation is obsessed with negative thinkers in such large numbers that I am avoiding penning just another obituary for the Indian national cricket side, which has just exited cricket’s World Cup of 2007. Let’s analyse the events in a technical way. There are 3 reasons probably for the failure (yes, it is only a routine failure. It happens with every sports team in the world. Of course, we are bound to gawk at it as if it some national tragedy. But think a little more professionally) of India’s star-studded side:-
1) Tactical failure
There was a clear tactical failure on the part of Greg Chappell and the Indian think-tank. The failure to create a stable line-up exaggerated at the World Cup and we all saw the results with our naked/spectacled eyes.
2) Underestimation of opponents
The Indian side clearly under-estimated the talents in the Bangladeshi & the Sri Lankan teams and failed to, or probably the strategy created just didn’t work out.
3) The time has finally come to re-structure the team
This is probably a lesson from the failures of the team. It is high time that we call off the Ganguly-Dravid-Tendulkar era. That does not mean that they don’t play a part in the national team’s future. Of course, they can play. But, it is time to shift the focus. Rahul Dravid’s captaincy is certainly under scrutiny and he is unlikely to resume service. What we also need is an Indian coach, who has lived it all that cricket can offer. Mohinder Amarnath seems like a perfect replacement for the outgoing Chappell. The important thing missing is instilling a certain dose of patriotism into the players.

But the most crucial aspect of our failure is fan reaction. Maybe, we should take this unexpected failure on the chin and call it a tweak in the system. It happens with every team. There are cycles, which complete a full circle. The best things we can do are love and respect our heroes, despite the West Indian adventure-turned-nightmare. Stand up and salute them for whatever they have provided us with in the past, because even God fails. These are only mortals.....