What next? This poser is inevitable in the light of the debate over India’s humiliating one-day series against Bangladesh.
Theories are plenty, floating around like dust during a hailstorm. Every word spoken and every gesture made are interpreted to mean this or that. The media is never tired of exploiting such developments with added relish.
There is nothing unusual in the statements relating to dissensions within the team. Energetic efforts are being made to create the story of a rift between skipper M.S.Dhoni and the Test captain, Virat Kohli.
Whenever the national teams fumbles in any team for that matter the subject of dissensions raises its ugly head. Almost all the captains who led the national teams before have been subjected to such a scrutiny one time or the other.
“Not too happy with the way we have played. We have been sort of doubtful in our decision-making and that shows on the field,” was the comment by Kohli.
Almost immediately came the reaction from Suresh Raina and Ashwin Ravichandran supporting Dhoni. Interestingly all three are part of the Chennai Super Kings. The words “ doubtful in our decision making” by Kohli have been taken up for dissection as a veiled attack on the captain.
Trashing the theory of conspiracy or controversy on the issue of reverses against Bangladesh, former captain and advisor to BCCI, Saurav Ganguly said, “ You get to hear all these when a team loses and has not played to their potential. I believe there is no conflict within the team, all these things have been made up.” However Saurav was candid enough to admit, “ it is disappointing. But Bangladesh have played brilliant cricket credit should be given to them.”
A mixture of rhetoric, rumblings and raucous noises cannot be totally eliminated in a country where every defeat in cricket or hockey is looked upon as a disaster. So the polemics relating to Dhoni’s leadership will be hotly discussed on all forums.
It is pretty obvious that even a skipper like Dhoni, whose equanimity remains unparalleled in contemporary cricket, was hurt by the sentiments expressed in some quarters. He conceded that if were the reason for defeats he would step down. No one missed the strain of poignancy in the remark.
Targeting Dhoni for the disaster in Dhaka is unacceptable. Everyone can see it is the collective failure of the team in every department. Dhoni must be left to think for himself on what went wrong in Bangladesh.
To retire or not should rest only with Dhoni. Neither his colleagues nor the insensitive media is authorized to influence or pressure him to leave the scene.
S.Thyagarajan