Cricket's new normal: Lions at home, pussy cats away

Team India is winning. And all is well with the world. There’s no need to remember those seasoned war horses — Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman or even Sachin Tendulkar. Indian batsmen have rediscovered the magic touch. The English bowlers who were fearsome lions hunting in a group just two months ago are a bunch of pussy cats now. And nobody is talking about the bowling cupboard being empty — fast bowlers being an extinct species and spinners being on the endangered list. The favourite monster we all love to hate — BCCI — still looms large but it’s a friendly presence around. All hatred and bad words against it stand suspended. Dhoni is winning handsomely against England and he says it’s no revenge. It easy to be nice when you are winning, some would say. The Indian skipper can afford that now. Indian cricket is back to normal. All is well with the world. Victory is a great balm. It heals all injuries — including hurt egos — fast. The disastrous England tour, by all indications, was an aberration. In a normal world, it should have been a great, engrossing contest between the number one side of the world and the emerging superpower — a battle of determination and of the cricket ball dancing menacingly in the air and skill of Indian batsmen at taming them. It did not work out that way. [caption id=“attachment_114770” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Victory is a great balm. It heals all injuries — including hurt egos — fast. AFP Photo”] [/caption] But the message was clear. England, the perennial bridesmaid in international cricket, had come of age. Their Ashes victory was no flash in the pan. It was no more an also-ran team, they were ’the force’. Cricket’s pecking order was changing. India’s defeat evoked shock and England’s win awe. Nobody grudged England for their victory. They were just damn brilliant on the field and outplayed their rivals in all departments. They deserved their victories and all the applause. Three One-Dayers in India on, doubts are creeping in. Is it the same side that made the world’s number one side look so ordinary? Where are the mesmerising swing of the ball and that stamp of authority in batting? Probably, their victory was an accident — at least not the normal we are used to. India is discovering the normal again. And, it’s not a good sign. Actually, cricket appears to be in a state of aberration. India winning only in India and England only in England leaves no one a real winner. Isn’t the real glory in any game about stepping out of the home turf and conquering? Or, as they say, bearding the lion in its den? Neither side cover themselves with glory by their recent ‘home’ victories. It makes the game so predictable and drab! No wonder, Dhoni is loathe to calling it the revenge series. Cricketing greatness — for individuals and teams too — is not achieved under favourable home conditions. Tendulkar would not be called ‘God’ had he scored all his runs in India. Rahul Dravid would not be toast of the cricketing world had he not been brilliant off Indian shores, nor for that matter would be Sunil Gavaskar or Gundappa Vishwanath. West Indies of the 70s and early 80s and Australia of the major part of the last two decades won’t be called great sides had they thrived and prospered on home conditions alone. Continues on the next page Away conditions are a test of character and of skills as well. Only the best come good. People and teams who dominate beyond their comfort zones are considered exceptional. That is why the World Cup victory of 1983 will always be a bigger achievement than the victory of 2011 for India. The trend also raises disturbing questions on skills of the present set of players. How can the ferocious pace attack turn so docile in Indian conditions? How can the fabled Indian batting line up come up with such a disastrous performance in English conditions? Something is amiss — it has to be about the basics. Players have a skill-set designed to be effective in specific conditions. Throw them into new conditions, it need not be hostile, they lose way. See how players so brilliant at T20 matches turn miserable in other formats, forget playing in venues outside the country. Admitted, new conditions call for quick adjustments and it is not easy always. But why only a few players succeed while others don’t? That is what separates the great players from the good. There might be good players in both the sides but they have not shown the flexibility in skill to be considered special. Clearly, all is not well. It does not matter whether India is winning.