Leadership Blues

As India’s next generation prepares to start the limited overs part of the Aussie tour, and hope for better returns than their Test counterparts, rumor mills and board meetings are abuzz in India deciding the future of Indian Cricket (and Cricketers). At the heart of the buzz are two things  - a vehement debate about the seniors and their roles in the near future, and second, the big question mark on Indian team’s leadership, MS Dhoni and Duncan Fletcher. Enough is being said and written about the former, and I feel that the latter needs a deeper look.

To start with Fletcher, his exact role with Team India seems to be a secret that is only known to Duncan, him and himself. After being on the assignment since May of last year, everyone seems to be at a complete loss about what to make of him. Gary Kirsten kept a low profile as well, but results spoke volumes of the significance of his contribution. Fletcher is turning out to be a coach with Gary’s low profile without Gary’s results, which is bad combination. So, what is Fletcher – the aggressive Coach known for making big changes and taking things by gruff of the neck – doing with a much more passive role on the Indian assignment? From face value, Fletcher hasn’t been in the press conferences owning up to the failures, or telling us what India is going to try and do differently – both things that one expects from the Coach. It remains to be seen how much of his placid role is of BCCI’s making – a fact that will vindicate some of the barbwire that he eventually gets, but it shouldn’t acquit him completely. Not by a long shot.

Yes, he has huge boots to fill, and yes, he is coaching a team full of demigods who are supposed to coach themselves, and finally, alas, he has very limited powers. However, if he cannot make personnel changes, can he not direct some changes within the batting order? If he is unable to coach the demigods, can he not do something about the general lack of energy on the field? Should he not be directing the research for opposition batsmen and setting up plans, so our bowlers aren’t trying to bounce out Ricky and bring him roaring back into form in the process? No matter what the Board-Coach relationship might be, tough questions should be asked of Fletcher and he deserves a short rope to prove that he is capable of helping India through a transition that is perhaps its toughest in 20 odd years.

As for Dhoni, he deserves some of the flak that he is getting, but that should all be to make him a better Test Captain, and not an attempt to oust him. Though he might decide to give it up anyway, I strongly feel that India needs him to continue with Test Captaincy.

Ships don't steer themselves to calmer waters. Indian Cricket is in a fix, and a much bigger predicament is up ahead with axing and/or retirements looming on the worshiped veterans. If we are in tatters now, we are heading for absolute dire straits.

Change of personnel, change of batting orders, change of guard and a change of attitude, all are likely and required. What India needs right now is a leader to hold it all together. India needs a leader to do two things mainly: one, galvanize the band of men towards a singular goal despite changes tearing things down around them, and two, enhance the dressing room atmosphere that instills confidence and not doubt. The Australian tour is the first time when India were accused of in-fighting since Dhoni took charge. True or not, these things only tend to surface when the going gets tough. At a time like this, fearless leadership that accepts the responsibility, and earns the respect to do the right thing is the need of the hour.

Dhoni has two things to address. First and foremost, he needs to find batting form in Test matches. Tougher nets or thorough technical coaching, he needs to do whatever it takes and be a contributor with the bat. It can come in terms of the time spent in the middle rather than handsome centuries, but he needs to be a better batsman even if it means redefining himself for Test innings. It’s not easy, but who said captaining an international side was a walk in the park? Nobody can have the confidence to lead men if their own performance is tanking. Period. 

And second, Dhoni needs to grow as a Test Captain. His shortcomings were really found in challenging conditions in England and Australia, where good positions were repeatedly squandered to go from a possible victory to a defeat, and sometimes utter humiliation. Attacking with bowlers is probably the biggest chunk of a Test Captain’s workload and that is where he has been found wanting. A change of mindset and game plan is required - Saving boundaries and hanging back to wait for opposition batters' mistakes, and backing up his own batsmen to scale any mountain, are the two things where he could start. The fact that he doesn't have to play oversees for close to two years provides the blessing in disguise to work on it.

At the bottom of it though is the question of intent. Dhoni looked resigned in Perth, on and off the field. Dynamic leadership and fearless decision making can only come from confidence, which in turn can only come from performance. India needs a confident Dhoni to carry Indian Cricket into the next era. Abandoning test captaincy at this juncture will only make things worse.

Yes, he has neither looked up to the task, nor shown the willingness to grind it out,

But if I had to pick a better man for the job, I'd look around and come up with zilch.