To all social media cribbers who love a mediocre team and its mediocre victories:
12/17-2/18: India in SA. 3 tests over. 6 ODIs/3 T20s remain. Total: 12
3/18: India in Lanka. 7 T20s in Nidahas Trophy. Total: 7
(Assuming India reaches final, India will play 5 matches)
(Assuming India reaches final, India will play 5 matches)
4/18-5/18: India in India. IPL 60 T20. Total: 60
6/18-9/18: India in UK. 5 tests, 5 ODI, 1 T20. Total: 11
9/18: India in India. Asia Cup 10 ODIs and 1 final. Total: 11
(Assuming India reaches final, India will play 6 matches.)
(Assuming India reaches final, India will play 6 matches.)
10/18-11/18: India in India. Vs West Indies. 3 tests, 5 ODIs, 1 T20. Total: 9
11/18-1/19: India Australia. 4 Tests. Total: 4
Total matches in 2018: 107 matches in all formats
Check the schedule to see how much breathing space they get between each series.
It is zilch.
In May end, IPL ends after a grueling 50 days. Team India gets just a month to unwind and prepare for UK.
It leaves for UK in June end, plays first T20 on July 3.
India returns from UK in September first week. Asia Cup begins September 15.
Asia Cup ends on September 30, West Indies are in India in October, first match on October 1 or 3.
WI tour ends in November first or second week, India has to rush to Australia where first match may begin on Nov 20.
It is zilch.
In May end, IPL ends after a grueling 50 days. Team India gets just a month to unwind and prepare for UK.
It leaves for UK in June end, plays first T20 on July 3.
India returns from UK in September first week. Asia Cup begins September 15.
Asia Cup ends on September 30, West Indies are in India in October, first match on October 1 or 3.
WI tour ends in November first or second week, India has to rush to Australia where first match may begin on Nov 20.
If this is not enough, see how tight the 2019 calendar is:
2/19: The Australian tour ends in January end, India goes to New Zealand for 5 ODIs and 2 T20 matches in February.
(What is the point in this, nobody knows.) Total: 7
(What is the point in this, nobody knows.) Total: 7
3/19: Zimbabwe in India. 1 test, 3 ODI. Total: 4
4/19-5/19” IPL. Marches 60.
5/19-9/19: India in WI. 3 tests, 5 ODI, 1 t20. Total: 9
7/19-9/21: ICC test championship 2019-2021. YTD, in UK
10/19-12/19: SA in India. 3 test, 7 ODI, 2 T20. Total: 12
12/19: India vs Pakistan. In UAE. 2 tests, 5 ODI, 2 t20. Total: 9
Total matches 101. Give or take a few. Just as IPL ends after grueling 50 days, India leave for 4-month-long tour to WI.
Once they return, they will have to go to the UK for the ICC test championship, depending on dates.
The “revenge” series with SA is in October. India will not have more than a fortnight to plan for this tough series.
The toughest test for India comes just as the SA series ends – the series against Pakistan in UAE.
Once they return, they will have to go to the UK for the ICC test championship, depending on dates.
The “revenge” series with SA is in October. India will not have more than a fortnight to plan for this tough series.
The toughest test for India comes just as the SA series ends – the series against Pakistan in UAE.
What is Team India priority? Gain as many points for ICC rankings – by winning all or playing most than others? Or do they want to earn money – by winning all or playing more matches? Or do they want to be real champions with enduring and consistent performances? If, and I doubt this, the last one is the priority, then neither the players nor the coach (nut case) nor the BCCI are going about it the correct way. No question about it.
The players simply don’t get enough rest. They don’t get sufficient training time. They don’t get sufficient relaxation time. The schedules are uselessly long – like wasting four months in WI or wasting such a long trip to NZ only for ODIs.
Today we are happy without fast bowlers. Just imagine their plight after two IPL seasons. Let us all see them in 2020. They will be near-dead with fatigue. The top order batsmen? They are the biggest flops in SA. We have three openers -- Dhawan, Vijay and Rahul. (Then Rohit -- why is he in the team? Because he made 264 some years in a ODI?) Nearly 100 tests between them. Did they score even that many runs together in SA tests? The point is not that they are not scoring runs. The point is the stupid ways of their dismissals – points to lack of technique, lack of mental strength, lack of discipline. What happened in SA as a result. Number 3 and 4 got exposed early to the quickies. Even Virat could have one big score –153. He too was tentative in all three tests – even though he was very, very tough mentally. We then follow these weaknesses by messing up with the team. By ignoring Rahane, leaving Bhuvi from second test, trying to squeeze in Pandya or Ashwin. What could they do? Nothing. What is the coach doing? Nothing, other than making 8 crore rupees. Idiots.
Today we are happy without fast bowlers. Just imagine their plight after two IPL seasons. Let us all see them in 2020. They will be near-dead with fatigue. The top order batsmen? They are the biggest flops in SA. We have three openers -- Dhawan, Vijay and Rahul. (Then Rohit -- why is he in the team? Because he made 264 some years in a ODI?) Nearly 100 tests between them. Did they score even that many runs together in SA tests? The point is not that they are not scoring runs. The point is the stupid ways of their dismissals – points to lack of technique, lack of mental strength, lack of discipline. What happened in SA as a result. Number 3 and 4 got exposed early to the quickies. Even Virat could have one big score –153. He too was tentative in all three tests – even though he was very, very tough mentally. We then follow these weaknesses by messing up with the team. By ignoring Rahane, leaving Bhuvi from second test, trying to squeeze in Pandya or Ashwin. What could they do? Nothing. What is the coach doing? Nothing, other than making 8 crore rupees. Idiots.
I am not a ridiculous nationalist that I will praise Team India simply because they managed a consolation victory after losing a test series. They had no business to lose any of the tests in the first place. The same is true in tennis, badminton, name any sport, including chess. We as a nation are happy with mediocrity. That is why a Federer can never be born in India. He makes money. More than our fellas can ever dream of. But he is also the only one of his kind in the world. He can weep even after a victory, the 20th slam victory. That's commitment. What about our chaps? My lips are sealed.
We will, like mediocres, grovel over a vague victory abroad and series of victories at home and think we are at the top of the world. By doing so, we are doing a major disservice to our sports, sportspersons and the country. We are siding with cut-throat rascals like the sports organisations who are corrupt to the core and are bothered about money.
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