Nobody has come out smelling of roses. And the most powerful men in Indian cricket, seemingly squabbling, have not quite been on the same page. By communicating contrastingly, Board of Control for Cricket in India President Sourav Ganguly and Test skipper Virat Kohli are appearing to pull in different directions, kicking up clouds of uncertainty and doubt.
Who would have believed that there would be so much turbulence in the corridors of Indian cricket at a time when the team was getting ready for one of its greatest challenges – a Test tour of South Africa? A week ago, who would have imagined Ganguly and Kohli in different corners of an unbecoming slugging contest?
While anyone can disagree with selectorial choices, nobody can really question the selectors’ prerogative to change captains and invest all white-ball cricket leadership in one man. Yet, the whole debate is about the manner in which Kohli’s removal from the ODI captaincy – stealing all attention from the Test squad that was chosen that day – was handled and communicated.
Something, possibly the uproar on social media, pricked the Board’s conscience. Its President, Ganguly, felt compelled to speak to a few journalists about the Board and the selectors’ ‘collective’ decision to displace Kohli. It is another matter that nobody asked him why the captain for the white-ball squads was announced with the Test squad if not to snub Kohli.
Ganguly was consistent with the few journalists who he spoke with about how the Board and the selectors did not want two captains in white-ball cricket. Yet, it was unusual and rare, if not unprecedented, for an incumbent President to offer an explanation for the captaincy change. In the process, he suggested the Board did not want Kohli to give up T20 International captaincy.
Typically, the task of communicating the reason for change has been that of the chairman of selectors. It could have been in the form of a media release or even a video release. But when the BCCI President did not stop at citing the reason for the change and shared that the Board had requested Kohli not to step down from T20 International captaincy.
As irony would have it, Kohli’s clear response to a question in Wednesday’s media conference left the already divided fans more muddled. At least one news anchor hosted an hour-long show nursing the idea that Kohli had called the media conference on his own, ignoring the BCCI logo on the footage of the Indian captain’s interaction before the departure to South Africa.
Yet, in seeking to set the record straight, Kohli seems to have taken on the might of a Board, which does not believe in clear communication. But he is someone who will have known what he was setting himself up for by speaking about ‘inaccurate’ communications about his decision to quit captaincy of the shortest format.
Surely, long before he was asked about the ODI captaincy in the media conference on Wednesday, he would have weighed the consequences of staying silent against the risk of any perceived breach of protocol. At a later stage, he may admit to feeling bad about how things have panned out but it is unlikely he would apologise for what he has said.
The doomsayers have already written the rest of his cricket career away. For, few captains have survived after getting into such a situation. And fewer Indian cricket skippers have enjoyed unstinted support of the mandarins to be able to do exactly as they wanted. Indian cricket history is replete with tales of captains dismissed after they fell out with the bosses.
These are not wonderful signposts. Not by any stretch of imagination. From Polly Umrigar to Ganguly, from Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi to Bishan Singh Bedi, from S Venkataraghavan to K Srikkanth, India’s Test captains have found the going tough after stepping on the toes of Board officials.
Therefore, the moot question now is: Can an emotional Kohli retrain focus on cricket and ensure that this off-pitch ‘battle’ will not impact his own or the team’s performance in South Africa, quite the last frontier for the Indian Test squad as it has never won a series there? Or, will the possibility of the Board striking back weigh him down?
On the personal front, Kohli has three Tests in which to regain his batting mojo – he has gone 23 Test innings without a century and with a top score of 74 – and settle whatever doubts have arisen in many a mind. And, from the team’s perspective, he has the series to show that his leadership skills or his attitude towards Test cricket have not diminished.
Come Boxing Day, Kohli will want be more than ready to enjoy the challenges that make Test cricket so alluring for him. He would do well to bring his mind to ignore the unseemly episode and the graceless manner in which the Board announced the change of captains, especially after he was told that he would not be ODI captain any more.
His strong sense of his self-worth and capabilities allowed him to present himself with self-assurance and voice views that may be unpopular. It can help him be decisive and make sound decisions despite the uncertainties and pressure. If he can ensure that this self-confidence surfaces during cricketing contests with South Africa, he will mark a strong presence.
Yes, it is time brush the off-field controversies aside and let the Test series begin. Change the discourse. Bring the Cricket on! Please.
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