From the publishers of THE HINDU Vol. 25 :: No. 02 :: Jan. 12, - 18, 2002	Home Contents
	OPENING SALVO -- Navjot Singh Sidhu Column A relentless force AUSTRALIA'S relentless march continues and once again establishes the team as the number one combination in international cricket. By winning the series against South Africa, the Australians have confirmed their top status and it is a position I am sure few would contest. The Australians deserve to be placed as the number one team of the year that passed by. There is so much to learn from the Australians. The consistency that they have brought about and the quality that they produce in all grades of cricket is sure to generate envy. And why not. They are a complete team if you ask me. The Australians have carried the game to great heights and the standards that Steve Waugh's team has set would be hard to match. I will not buy the argument that the Australians are only winning at home. They have won battles overseas too and in any case no one can accuse the Australians of doctoring the pitches to suit their interests. What is it that sets the Australians apart? I think the most important feature of their cricket is their collective assault. They don't look towards an individual to show the way. The Indians depend on Sachin Tendulkar. The West Indians bank on Brian Lara. The Zimbabweans expect Andy Flower to pull them out most of the time; to some extent Sri Lanka relies on Sanath Jayasuriya. Australia have no such problems. In fact, it is an embarrassment of riches for them because it is difficult to break into the Australian team. An Aussie cricketer values his place in the side a lot because he knows the difficulty in earning it. An Aussie cap is a matter of pride and an individual knows the importance of it. So, it is hardly surprising when they make a collective charge at the opposition. There is a lot of meaning to the manner in which the Australians groom their youngsters. From what I have gathered of the system, a youngster is in safe hands once the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) takes notice of his talent. The grooming process is monitored by a team of coaches and this produces tough cricketers at the international level. Quite similar to the Aussies are the Sri Lankans, who have emerged a strong cricketing nation in the last few years. I am very impressed by the immense potential of the Sri Lankans in both forms of the game. They have identified their strengths and are making the best of the available talent. One reason why Sri Lanka has looked so good in recent years is that they have players who strongly believe that they can win. This self-belief is a very important aspect of a team's preparation and here I feel the Sri Lankans are in the same league as the Australians. Both play to win. I am not suggesting that the South Africans lag behind. It is a tribute to their resilience that they survived the shocks of matchfixing to come back so strongly and make a spot for themselves in the top half of international cricket. The South Africans form a very effective combination which aims to play positive and aggressive cricket. The series between Australia and South Africa was preceded by tremendous hype and much was expected from this battle. But the sparks were missing mainly because the Australians dominated the series from the beginning and the South Africans lost form in key areas. The South Africans certainly disappointed and I can well understand how the fans must have felt at the one-sided finish in the first two Tests. Going back to this desire to win, no team enters the field with a defeatist mindset, but a defensive attitude can make things difficult. There are times when a team needs to take risks and bring in innovations to create a surprise element but the Indians sorely lack this aspect. And it is also the one important reason why the team has not been able to achieve its potential. I know the Board officials have been talking of accountability of the players and the officials attached to the team but this alone will not bring in the changes we have been talking about. The changes will have to be made at the grassroot level and that is why I feel this desire to win has to be inculcated at the domestic level. Why cannot the administrators reward the teams for victories achieved in domestic cricket? There has to be some incentive for those who play positive cricket and a step can be taken in this direction by introducing attractive rewards for teams which win more matches in domestic cricket. Winning is a habit and has to be developed and it can be done only if a player thinks on these lines from his formative years. It may be tough for the Indians to adopt the Aussie style or the South African methods, but there is no harm in trying to imbibe some of the positive points of their cricket. Playing to win must be the motto and the strong areas must be identified straightaway. The Indian selectors have found a few promising youngsters and they can be blended with the experienced seniors to achieve results. The series against England may have failed to raise the level of the game, but it did give the selectors some insight into the talent available. It is now up to them to groom them and rotate the players so that they remain fresh for the bigger battles. I know too much cricket is being played, but then we can't just sit back and complain. The policy of rotation must be introduced immediately and the right men identified in time for next year's World Cup in South Africa. India has a few tough assignments this year. The visit to the West Indies could be a pointer to the form of the players who will be severely tested in England even though the Indian visit is in the second half of the summer. There is need to plan better because this Indian team has the potential to be the best in the world. I know my thinking could raise many an eyebrow, but believe me, with proper backing, this Indian team could this year develop into a force to reckon with, along with Australia and South Africa. Contents • Daily Sports • The Hindu • Business Line • Frontline • Home Copyright © 2002 The Sportstar Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Sportstar.