Not only has India reversed the result of the Test series by beating England in the one-day series but it has taught its host a severe lesson in just what is possible in modern cricket.
For the third time in the last few years it has taken Ravi Shastri out of the TV commentary box and placed him in the dressing room. Has it been a success? “His positive attitude has been a big factor in our winning the series,” says one player.
It has also shown England — which has been humiliated, particularly by the easy victory this week at Edgbaston, one of the team’s favourite grounds because the crowd always prove their loyalty — that it is possible to use a television personality to guide the team.
One of the great weaknesses of England international and Test cricket in the last few years has been that none of the great players of yesteryear has been considered for a management or selector’s role.
Think of the men sitting in radio and television studios and ask if they would not have been better leaders than some of those who have had responsible jobs in the last 25 years.
Outstanding candidateThe outstanding candidate is Sir Ian Botham, an up-guard’s-and-at-’em leader with a tonne of positive attitude. Remember Nasser Hussain, a man so full of ideas as England captain, that he often changed his mind about who should bowl the next over a few seconds ahead of time. In several studios at the same game is Michael Vaughan, one of the great England captains while long term leader Mike Atherton earns half a millions pounds a year by talking all day and writing all evening.
I know the transfer fees might raise issues because no-one I have mentioned is paid at less than double the rate of an ECB coach or selector but these guys have so much to offer that the money ought to be forgotten. The result of their being media men — according to the conservatives inside Lord’s — means that ECB has had to search the lower ranks in order to find the right chairman of selectors and the right coach.
There was David Graveney who had never attended a Test until he went there as chairman of selectors. He did a fine job but surely Botham, Hussain or Bob Willis would have been better. Until this year Geoff Miller was in charge of selection but would not one of the star Test players have made a better option.
It was quite obvious on Tuesday afternoon that the sight of a Botham, a David Gower, a Hussain or a Vaughan sitting in the stand ready to speak his mind if he felt someone was not pulling his weight, or giving inspiration from the sheer size of his own achievements, might have made a huge difference.
Instead the best help an old cricketer can give England, is a quiet word in the ear, a hint in passing or, even, a broadcast sentence that he hopes will find its way to the dressing room.
Perhaps Sky or Channel Five or BBC who employ those I have mentioned could be persuaded to let their commentators go on loan at least for the duration of the World Cup.
They don’t have to wear darkened glasses like Shastri but they might just have the right ideas, the right attitude and the devotion to the cause to give England fans belief their heroes are putting in 100 per cent effort.
At the moment those fans could be excused for thinking that was far from the case.
