Underprepared team cracked under pressure

As much as our cricketers take pride in donning the country colours, they are bound to feel the heat of expectations of crores of fans under those very collars.

You don’t elevate a sport to the level of religion and not expect big things in return. Now that’s where the problem begins. And ends with the disastrous record of India not having won even one International Cricket Council tournament in almost a decade, the most recent one being the World Test Championship final they meekly surrendered to the Australian might a couple of days ago.

Surely, fan following of the gentleman’s game was not very different pre-1983. But the expectations were. Up until the year when Kapil’s Devils made the ICC One Day International World Cup their very own, very few Indians put their money on the national team.

Nobody wants to lose hard-earned money even as the price for patriotism. After the near-impossible feat of David beating Goliath (then West Indies team), yeh dil maangne lagaa more.

First to feel the pressure was the captain, who sooner or later sacrificed the position, saying the added responsibility was affecting his game. There have been exceptions.

There also have been those who grabbed the opportunity that came on the rebound and excelled. The expectations only increased. Having tasted blood, Indians fans wanted more of it.

Only, their team that had to deliver lacked the killer instinct. For a team that has stayed in the top five all through that period, to draw a blank since 2014 when it comes to ICC awards is difficult for its huge fan base to stomach.

More frustrating is the fact that their demigods are failing to live up to the ‘favourites’ tag – time and again. Agreed, when the team fares poorly, its many fans show their resentment by throwing things on the field, burning stands or even vandalising houses of cricketers.

When India lost the 1996 ODI World Cup semi-final to Sri Lanka, the otherwise sportive Kolkata spectators nearly burned down the Eden Gardens stadium. They were giving vent to their disappointment.

Why does such a talented team not perform, they couldn’t understand. Again, when India crashed out of the 2007 ODI World Cup, people burned effigies of even the muchloved Virendra Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

They also pelted stones at their homes. Disgusting, but not for the victory-hungry fan! That’s not the only pressure the players feel, though. Retaining their place in the side with options for the selectors ever increasing because of a growing talent pool is no less daunting.

That’s what kills the killer instinct. Taking risk brings dividends. To do that, one must shrug inhibitions and treat the duel like the game it is.

Remember, the probability of winning is at best 50 per cent. To make it go your way, give it your 100 per cent. The last ICC trophy India won was the 2013 Champions Trophy, a T20 affair.

Test cricket is a different ball game. Going into the WTC final in England straight from the gruelling Indian Premier League was a big blunder, more so for a team that has a pretty dismal overseas record. Choose between money and national pride, for you can’t have the cake and eat it too! A balancing act is bound to win you only mediocrity, not an ICC cup.