Heavy loss

Sir — Losing seven Test matches in a row in England and Australia is embarrassing, to say the least (“Pulverised in Perth”, Jan 15). After this dismal performance, how can India claim to be a good Test side? Cricket lovers are aware that winning or losing is part of the game. But what is pathetic to see is the lack of professionalism among India’s batsmen, who, the media say, are some of the best in the world. The modern game has been transformed into a form of entertainment that runs on money power. Naturally, Test cricket has been sacrificed, and the focus has shifted to one day internationals and Twenty20 cricket. Consequently, the skills required to perform in the longer version of the game are also on the wane.

India were expected to win the series against Australia. Instead, the team has suffered humiliating defeats in all the three Tests played so far. This is the right time for veterans like Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman and even Sachin Tendulkar to be replaced by the younger generation. Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and M.S. Dhoni should also be benched till they learn to shoulder their responsibilities as Test cricketers. To save Indian cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India must take some drastic measures. Performers should be retained while those who tour overseas for the sake of money and other pleasures must be dropped.

Yours faithfully,
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad

Sir — India’s miserable loss to Australia in the third Test at Perth did not come as a shock. The contest was a mismatch, given India’s recent performances overseas. But the humiliation of these defeats in the Test matches will soon be forgotten as cricket-crazy Indians get caught up in the fun and frolic of ODIs and the Indian Premier League. Perhaps the lucrative IPL season is already on the minds of the Indian players — young and old — even as they continue to struggle in Australia. Some ageing, non-performing players should bow out of the Test side.

But where are the players to replace them? On the one hand, India is spoilt for choice when it comes to selection for the shorter versions of the game. On the other, we are unable to find 11 players who can form a winning combination in the longer version of the game.

Playing for money in tournaments like the IPL has clearly taken precedence over playing and winning for the nation. India will have to infuse young blood into the team for the sake of a better future in Test cricket.

Yours faithfully,
Zulfikhar Akram, Bangalore

Sir — I think the Indian cricket team was sent to Australia to make sure that Sachin Tendulkar gets his hundredth hundred. Playing for a record, rather than for winning matches, has brought about this disastrous result. Such a poor show is inexcusable. We must get rid of the older players and also bring about a change in attitude towards the game. Losing a game or a series is plausible, but to lose without a semblance of a fight is a disgrace.

Yours faithfully,
Asit Kumar Bhattacharya, Calcutta

Sir — The Indian cricket team suffers heavy losses on foreign tours but gets back to its winning ways once it returns home. India suffered a ‘whitewash’ in England. But it won the games against the West Indies in India. It seems that all is now lost for M.S. Dhoni. He must call it a day as the Indian captain. His ineptness should make selectors ponder ways of rectifying the problems in the team. Cricketers have become money-minded and have lost their sense of dedication. Many cases of match-fixing have been revealed in the past. Patriotism is no longer to be found in Indian cricket. Even if the Indian team performs in a dismal manner, the players know that there will be no difference in their pay packets.

Many questions have cropped up in the minds of the Indian cricket fan. For instance, why should players continue to receive exorbitant payments even when they fail to perform? One gets paid according to one’s quality of work. How can players then receive handsome salaries after a disastrous series such as this? Moreover, why is the BCCI run by politicians, and not by former cricketers?

One also wonders why Indian cricket fans expect their team to win each and every Test and ODI match. One must enjoy the game, and also applaud the opponent team when it does well. The time has come for Indian fans to change their ‘character’, and the players must do so too.

Yours faithfully,
Rakesh Verma, Doha, Qatar