India’s seniors try and console the young players who are copping the flak for the team’s debacle

Dileep Premachandran at Centurion02-Dec-2006

Suresh Raina – A victim of unfair criticism? © AFP
India’s cricketers practised in the tranquil surroundings of the outdoornets at Centurion, and after a tour thus far characterised by dismalfailures, there was a spring in a few steps after the Pro20 victory.Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag were first into the nets,and most eyes were on Laxman as he settled down for the only practicehe’ll get before Sunday’s game.Ian Frazer was chucking them down to Tendulkar from 15 yards, trying toemulate the angle and the steepling bounce that Makhaya Ntini generatesfrom wide of the stumps. Tendulkar got hit once, but also crunched somepleasing drives as he discussed with Frazer how the South African pacebattery could be handled.Laxman eased into his drives straightaway, upright and elegant in hisfull-sleeved shirt. Along with the strokeplay, there were enough occasionswhen he let the ball dart past the off stump. On pitches of this kind,leaving the ball is as much an art as picking the right one to hit.It was also sobering to watch the body language and demeanour of thoseplayers who will be heading home on Monday. Dinesh Mongia looked fairlyrelaxed, perhaps a result of his near-matchwinning hand on Friday, butSuresh Raina and Mohammad Kaif looked a little lost. Raina bowled someinnocuous offspin in the nets, and Kaif was seen telling a reporter howlife is all about ups and downs, and how he just had to concentrate on theRanji games that will come around as soon as he lands back in India.Raina’s plight evoked a passionate response from one of his seniors.Clearly smarting from the criticism directed the team’s way, he said: “Ifind it astonishing that so much of the anger and ridicule is directed atthe junior players. It’s the big boys who win you games. And when they’renot performing, why pick on these boys?”He was right too. South Africa have been bailed out in successive games bythree of their one-day stalwarts – Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp andHerschelle Gibbs. Kemp may only have played around 50 games, but he’s beenaround the block long enough to know the score. And, unlike Raina, he’s not20 years old.”This is a boy who helped win you games in Pune [against Sri Lanka],Pakistan and on a very tricky pitch at Faridabad [against England],” hecontinued. “And now I hear that he’s completely useless. I guess youexpect it in India, where we tend to have very little perspective.”Those called up for the Tests have been imbued with the qualities thatonly messiahs possess, and this player could only laugh when asked about theclamour for change. “What are our options? Which players have been sooutstanding in domestic cricket to demand a place? Those returning havebeen tried before. It’s not like it’s their first chance.”When a player is out of the team, I hear of him having qualities that wewere never aware of before. It was the same with me and several otherswhen we were dropped. One minute, we’re the worst thing to happen toIndian cricket, and when we’re out of the side there’s a huge sympathywave to bring us back.”As for Raina, the battle is clearly lost for the moment. “Some of us havetried to keep his [Raina’s] confidence up,” the player said. “But it’s reached astage where we could destroy the kid if we played him any further. It’sjust a shame.”