Selections: Need for transparency and communication

“By rewarding domestic performances and still focussing on freshness, what message are you sending out to the Gangulys and the Laxmans, the Zaheers and the Nehras?” That was the question posed by R Kaushik to Greg Chappell in an interview for the Bangalore newspaper Deccan Herald.

Greg Chappell responded: “The message is that performances are important when the opportunities come up. These are all players who have had a lot of experience and been successful at different times. But the message is loud and clear – that attitude and performance are critical.” He goes on further to add “The fact is that the selectors are rewarding good behaviour – and that is not suggesting that anyone who is not in the team is guilty of bad behaviour”.

Honest Ganguly fans will have to accept that going to the press with details of team discussions was certainly not good behaviour, but some points are worth pondering over in the context of good performances and attitude, and good behaviour.

There is no denying that the selectors and the Coach/Captain of the Indian side have done the right things after the Zimbabwe tour, and this has been validated by the resounding results of the ODI games against Sri Lanka. Not only have the Indians won, but they have demolished the opposition in no uncertain terms. The fielding is a big clincher, the batting has been solid and the bowling, which was the major concern before the series, has delivered very effectively.

Greg Chappell was what precisely Indian cricket needed. A man with the right cricketing credentials, a man of stature who wouldn’t have let personalities interfere in his plans or influence his actions. A man with the cricketing knowledge, an astute leader in his own times, and a thinker of the game. This is where Chappell, perhaps, scores over Tom Moody. More than coaching abilities and just working with what resources were made available, as was the case with John Wright, Indian cricket needed someone to stand up and also speak of what type of resources were needed. Chappell seems to have been successful in doing that.

Why then raise any debate when the national side is doing exceptionally well, and the radical changes have worked wonderfully in favour?

As per the selectors, Ganguly was not chosen at the start of the SL series as he had to prove his fitness. The man is now fit and has got a hundred, a couple of ducks as well and is bowling more than he normally did. Laxman performs consistently in domestic games, and as Captain of the India B side had a 100 to his name; Zaheer has match winning performances for West Zone in the recent games with no less than a 10 wicket haul in the last game he played. Should Zaheer have been chosen in place of VRV Singh for the last three ODI’s? Would an in-form Ganguly be a better choice compared to Raina or Gambhir or Venu? Ganguly has a tremendous record, and Laxman has been a match winner with the bat for India in the past. Their experience and ability and records are far superior than those in the side now, but they definitely don’t have age or athleticism in their favour. Is the argument that these players are younger, fitter and more athletic and therefore merit selection over Ganguly or Laxman?

The point here is that there is need for communication and more transparency. The performing players who feel they are in contention for a place in the squad should be told which departments they are found wanting in. Be it attitude, athleticism or whatever, they need to be told where they are found lacking and where they need to improve. Or, whether they are now considered over the hill? Indian cricket should be about the team and not the individuals. The norms for selection should be spelt out and the yardsticks, the criteria for selection should be enumerated. This would help not only the cricketers concerned but also the public, the stake holders of the game, understand what it takes to be part of the Indian side in the present times.

The selection of the side for the tests would be interesting. The likes of Ganguly, Laxman, Zaheer, and Kumble would be in the reckoning, and will probably make the grade. If their performances and attitude and behaviour is good enough to warrant selection to the test side, what comes in the way of their selection in the shorter version of the game? Is below par fielding acceptable for test matches?

Merely stating that the doors are not shut on anyone doesn’t help anything when domestic performances continue to be good.