Those six extra members
Tahsin Subhan - 24 May 2002

When the Indian cricket team is on tour, it does not have 17 members; it actually has 23. I am not implying here that the Indians smuggle abroad six extra players. The six other members are: Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Geoffrey Boycott, Harsha Bhogle, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Alan Wilkins.

They are all very good commentators in their own right, and their understanding of the game is unquestionable. Geoffrey Boycott, in fact, is a personal favourite of mine. However, it must be said that the Indian team (especially on tour) comes in from heavy criticism from these gentlemen. Which is not to say that the barbs come only from the commentators, for the media back home is equally, and possible even more, critical. But the commentators are people the players know very well, and although it is only a guess, the cricketers may take their thoughts and opinions to heart.

In almost all of India's tours in the satellite television era, I have seen the Indian teams' mistakes being put consistently under an immense magnifying glass. Good performances are perfunctorily praised, but the poor ones are dissected threadbare. Why did the selectors pick this team? Why are the spinners impotent?

At one point during the 1999 World Cup, when the Indians were faring badly, I remember Sunil Gavaskar saying that maybe they (the team) were not hurting enough. If memory serves me right, it was after the loss at the hands of Zimbabwe; India were not even out of the tournament then. I cannot imagine that the players would be anything other than hurt and disappointed when they lose games at the World Cup, or that they would be anything other than hurt when a former great questions their integrity and commitment at the World Cup. All credit to them that they came back to win the next three matches and advance to the Super Six stage.

The Indian team plays badly abroad, which is different from playing bad cricket abroad. The latter, we know, has been overcome by the Indians, for they play very good cricket at home. So it is not just a matter of helpful and unhelpful pitches; India at home take the field in a positive frame of mind and play their best. As Ravi Shastri points out, that positive outlook is absent when they are abroad. When things do not go their way, India are far too quick to become defensive and negative. The fear of losing is a huge factor in this; they know that a loss will entail public murder, both by the media back home and by the six extra touring-party members.

With the possible exception of England, no other team comes under such scrutiny. Even the English do not so much criticise their team for losing as elevate the opponents. The commentary team and the media may thus need to take a step back and leave the team - the 17 actually involved in the matches - to their own devices.

I am not for one instant saying that this is the sole reason India lose abroad. The team has many other problems while touring overseas. In the West Indies, for example, it can be said that the opposition had a better wicket-keeper batsman and a better opening pair. But the Indian cricketers are grown men and must be expected to solve their problem on their own. I am looking forward to that on the tour of England, despite history telling me to expect little.

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.
© CricInfo

[Archive]