A question of professionalism
Abhilash G Mudaliar - 22 May 2002

The Indian cricket team is often accused of a myriad of charges that would fall under the general vice of a lack of professionalism. Examples include the inability to dive in the field, a disinclination for quick, cheeky singles, and the lack of desperation to run hard for twos instead of settling for easy ones.

I bring to attention one particular unprofessional act that, in my opinion, made India’s task of winning the fifth and final Test of the current series just that much more difficult. Towards the end of the last day of fourth Test, when it was certain that the match was petering out to a draw, the Indian team decided to give the likes of Wasim Jaffer, VVS Laxman, Shiv Sunder Das and even ‘keeper Ajay Ratra a bowl.

Nothing wrong with this in most circumstances. There was no chance of a result, so there was also no reason against a little experimentation and having some fun along the way. However, in the process, the Indians made the fatal mistake of letting the West Indian lower order regain its confidence. Ridley Jacobs smashed 118 and Merv Dillon 43.

Even though the Indian attack has struggled against some of the West Indian top order, the one thing they had managed to do on this tour was to wrap up the last five West Indian wickets in rapid fashion. Time after time, after the fall of either Carl Hooper or Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the rest of the West Indian batting crumbled meekly.

In the third Test, the last five West Indian wickets contributed seven runs; in the second, they contributed nine and 28; in the first Test, just 16 runs. Needless to say, they were psychologically rattled and by the fourth Test had little belief in their ability to put runs on the board.

The Indians had them mentally overpowered, but instead of tightening the noose, they let slip their grasp. A professional side like Australia or South Africa would have driven home the psychological advantage. When they have a certain member of the opposition down, they throw everything they have in their arsenal to ensure they keep them down. At various times, Daryl Cullinan, Sourav Ganguly and Michael Atherton have fallen victim to this ruthless strategy. Thus, for India to allow Ridley Jacobs – a batsman desperately low in self-belief – to hammer 16 boundaries in a quick-fire century was tactically amiss, to say the least.

So, during the first innings of the final Test, when the fifth West Indian wicket fell at a score of 292, India should have dismissed the Windies for at most 320. However, instead of an unsure and uneasy Jacobs, out strode a self-assured batsman ready to plunder the bowling. And consequently the sixth-wicket partnership yielded 109 runs even as Jacobs stroked his way to a half-century.

India’s chances of winning the final Test are now all but gone. Even to draw the match the tourists will need great modicums of luck. Yet just imagine the mood in the changing rooms had the opposing team been dismissed for 320 after being put into bat and not 422. It is a question of professionalism really.

The views expressed above are solely those of the guest contributor and are carried as written, with only minor editing for grammar, to preserve the original voice. These contributed columns are solely personal opinion pieces and reflect only the feelings of the guest contributor. Their being published on CricInfo.com does not amount to an endorsement by CricInfo's editorial staff of the opinions expressed.
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