Gary Kirsten blamed IPL for India’s early exit. DNA finds out merit in the points raised by Indian coach and the debilitating effect the league may have had on Dhoni & Co
Kirsten says...
We had a lot of players with niggles coming into this tournament. A lot of those niggles were picked up during the IPL. The one thing that did not play into our hands here is that we had a bunch of cricketers who were quite tired when they arrived in England.”
What he means...
You don’t need a Sherlock Holmes to find out who the Indian coach was hinting at. Virender Sehwag (right finger and right shoulder) and Zaheer Khan (left shoulder) suffered major injuries in South Africa. The Board said there was enough time for them to recover before the World T20. Neither recovered. Sehwag had to be replaced and God knows how fit Zaheer is.
Kirsten says...
We lost contact with our players during the IPL because they are connected to and responsible to their franchises. The players take a lot of pride in playing for their franchises, but the bottom line is the amount of cricket did not play into our hands.”
What he means...
There was no proper monitoring mechanism during the IPL. There was no BCCI watchdog to keep tab on the players bound for World Twenty20. The Board said Nitin Patel was coordinating with the physios of each franchisee but one is not sure how much he succeeded. With a lot of money involved, it is unlikely that any player would say no to an IPL match.
Kirsten says...
The next World Twenty20 is only something like nine months away and we are keen to start setting up our plans and strategies. We got it wrong in this tournament and we need to go forward from that. Maybe that is something to think of in the future.”
What he means...
The next World T20 will be, like this year, preceded by the IPL. The tournament is to start on April 10 in West Indies and the IPL managers are planning to complete its third edition in March. If checks are not put in place before that, there is every chance that the team will go to West Indies tired and exhausted. As ever, the team has a packed schedule during the next 10 months.
Kirsten says...
I’ve seen this happen in other sports. Pulling out players from IPL is something to think of in the future. Whether it is possible, we don’t know. IPL is a domestic competition. I sense there is a reasonably big gap between IPL level and international level.”
What he means...
All the hype notwithstanding, the standard of cricket was not too high in IPL. Its standard was much lower than the World Twenty20. The teams had a few international players supported by many club level players who don’t figure even in their State teams. Indian players should consider resting from the IPL before a strong international competition.
DNA View
Come clean on fitness issues
It isn’t clear who was monitoring the fitness of the players during the IPL. If it was Nitin Patel, the Indian team and Mumbai Indians physio, then he should have submitted a fitness report on each of the 15 players of the World Twenty20 squad before the team left for England. Indian players must be subjected to regular fitness tests and rated on various parameters including body mass index, endurance and aerobic capacity, strength, speed and agility. Those failing to make the cut must be sent to the National Cricket Academy so that their fitness levels and diet can be monitored regularly and those who are exhausted should be asked to take rest and recuperate. The BCCI should also fine players who fail these fitness tests.
Appoint permanent manager
It suits the BCCI officials and players if the team doesn’t have a permanent tour/team manager and a permanent media manager. Those in power in the BCCI have, over the years, preferred to dole out these posts to office bearers of state associations in order to nurture their vote bank. The players have a tendency to bend the rules, break curfew and avoid media commitments when they know that the tour manager/media manager is only a temporary stooge. The manager should be responsible and accountable for the ommissions and commissions of the the Indian team. The national’s team interest is paramount and he should ensure that at any cost. He should be acting as the virtual CEO of the national team.
Implement rotation policy
It is imperative that the best team represents India but selectors, keeping in mind the hectic schedule, will be well-advised to adopt a rotation policy. The players could be reluctant to rest themselves as there is too much at stake but the selectors must take charge and after assessing fitness and fatigue levels must decide on who should play and who should rest. Cricket Australia recently advised some of their players, including star all-rounder Shane Watson to give the IPL a skip, keeping in mind that the World Twenty20 and the Ashes were just around the corner. The rotation policy was advocated and followed under the Dilip Vengsarkar regime and needs to be continued if Indian players are to remain fresh in big tournaments.
Avoid clash of interests
BCCI secretary N Srinivasan is also the owner of the Chennai Super Kings, a team led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The chief selector Kris Srikkanth struts around as a brand ambassador of the Super Kings and refuses to entertain any uncomfortable questions. Kirsten wants his key players to rest during the next edition of the IPL, which once again is scheduled to be held just ahead of the World T20 in April next year. If Kirsten wants Dhoni to rest during the next IPL then Srinivasan will have to give the nod. While it wouldn’t be right to question the integrity of Srinivasan and Srikkanth when they seem above board but such clashes of interest simply degrade the office they hold.
Comments