Convenience

It is with some amusement that I read this article by Sumit Chakraberty. Amusement – partly because of the self righteous indignation expressed by the author and partly because it dovetails nicely with the title of this post.

It is not altogether surprising that the issue of player fitness and player value is being raised– it is a question that begged to be asked – it is just the timing of these questions that raises an eyebrow.

“That cannot happen in a culture where a Tendulkar can walk in and out of the team after an injury break without having to prove his form and fitness in domestic competition. What moral right can anybody then have to insist on current form rather than past stats as the criterion for selection of other players? Besides, nothing can be more of a demotivator for young players than to see a senior player getting special treatment.”

writes Sumit.

Fair point and a worthy one too. But that begs the question – why wasn’t this question asked when Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan were drafted into the squad after an injury break.

Yuvraj Singh did not go the domestic season route to prove fitness. Irfan Pathan was in the World Cup squad despite being a no-show against Sri Lanka. None of the media worthies said then that this team had a hope in hell of even competing. No no – we were contenders then!

There is the other point of automatic selection based on name recognition. I had written, in a different context

· I am personally against Team India players picking and choosing what games they play or sit out in the domestic circuit. Too much cricket is the oft repeated complaint.. But then these very same people have no qualms in packing their bags and setting off to junkets in Abu Dhabi or Timbuktu or wherever to play inconsequential matches.

· How fair is the inclusion of Zaheer Khan and Sachin Tendulkar to the guys who have had to sit out ? Sachin and Zaheer were not around when Mumbai scripted what is probably the greatest turnaround in Indian domestic history. So why are they automatic selections for the Ranji Trophy finals?

Wasn’t this hailed as an example of Team India players participating in domestic cricket and Sachin Tendulkar's commitment? Nobody in the media complained then about how unfair this was to the rest of the Mumbai squad. There was not even a whisper of opposition in the print or electronic media on how this amounted to “names” waltzing in and out of the squad.

So why now?

Because it is convenient!!!

Would the story be the same if Sachin’s scorecard read 100,107 and 57 instead of 0,7 and 57 and India still lost?

No one would then be saying that Sachin is past his sell by date. Instead, we would then be lamenting on how Sachin never contributes to an Indian win..

I have yet to read any article question Sachin's appointment as vice captain. If he is old and past his sell by date, did anyone question the wisdom of making him vice captain?

No one questioned Sachins place in the team when he hit 141 against the West Indies. No one commented then on whether it was correct if Sachin could walk into the team without prior fitness tests. No one said then that one should take his place for granted in the team.

Why?

Convenience.