The elusive quest for excellence in world cricket

‘Expect the unexpected’ is something all of us have been told about, whenever one is about to embark on anything new. Sadly, none seemed to have reminded our Indian cricket team about this famous adage on the Super Sunday, the last day of the 13th World Cup finals. The 50-over ODI tournament, (which recently completed its Golden Jubilee of being alive as a format) was at its festive best, on November 19, with nearly one lakh spectators and billions of Indian fans awaiting the grand conquest of the indefatigable Australian cricket team.

It was nothing illogical or unattainable as the Men in Blue were having a dream run, winning 10 out of 10 matches played till then and buzzing with a hitherto unseen, unmatched efficiency around them. But here is where, none anticipated the twist to the plot, after the break! It was uncomfortable for sure, watching Glenn Maxwell let out a war-like cry after scoring the winning runs. Incidentally, he has an Indian connection with his wife being of Indian descent at his hometown in Melbourne! One saw a clinically merciless conquest of a cocky, ‘bossing at home’ team by the assured Aussies who were also enjoying the discomfort of the ‘silent’ audience at the stadium who were sure India had its name written on the Cup this time around. Of course, instead of the main trophy, the Indian cricket team, presently rated the top team in the world in the 50-over mode, was left holding all the crumbs and prizes which heralded the passionate love our cricketers have for individual records.

While the sports media resorted to the usual, convenient descriptions like ‘‘flattered to deceive’ and the new label ‘losing finalists’ to our team’s performance, it definitely was a devastating jolt to the fans who couldn’t see it coming. By the time the next world cup event would be held, it would be 2027, and it would be hosted by South Africa and Zimbabwe, with Namibia joining the club of cricket playing nations. The current greats may have called it a day in the Indian cricket team and a new generation of successors would be creating or undergoing the excruciating pressure of meeting the expectations of an unmatched bunch of cricket fans, qualitatively and quantitatively.

All things said and done, however one can describe the pitiful performance of our cricketers, one thing is sure. This kind of a build-up, the crescendo which was awaiting to crown the eleven players with a glory never to have achieved or imagined ever, all before an adoring, fanatically supportive home crowd is impossible to replicate again.

Having opened the gateway to success for the Men in Yellow, four decades ago, with their 1987 World Cup victory at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Indians will see them firmly grip the Cup for 24 years out of 40, till it becomes ready for contest in 2027.

For the present, should we be just content controlling the giant wheels of cash and commerce surrounding the game and let the real competition played out by other countries? After all, we control nearly three-fourths of the revenue being generated in the game! Does it not matter anymore that we have not won an ICC title for more than a decade now?

The ‘chokers’ tag has been reserved for the South Africa team. So are we the ‘jokers’ who preen around the big stage before the real hero comes and takes over? Of course, none would want to be described thus, but that is what Indian cricket has been sadly reduced to!