Explaining India's miserable Test cricket performance in 2011/2012

Today when I reminded a friend not to lose hope in Indian cricket (after recent whitewash in England and Australia), another friend commented, 

प्रसून जी , यह भारतीय क्रिकेट है ..यहाँ पर हर विक्टरी दुसरे दिन पुरानी हो जाती है ...You have to perform at your best ... After all they are getting unexpected money. They should deliver the goods as per citizens expectations...

My reply to my friend was, 

Agreed, they need to perform... And here's my explanation of our recent performance... After Aussie dominance ended a few years ago with Warne/Gilchrist/McGrath/others retiring, we've hit a period where most top Test teams are equal (Eng/Aus/SA/SL/Ind)... As a result, the #1 Test team in last 2-3 years has been the team that played most games at HOME. And I expect this trend to continue. Here's some proof: India became #1 by playing all strong team at home in 2008-10 period... So did England in 2010-11 and became #1... now look at what Pak is doing to Eng outside Eng (down by 2-0)... Aussies won at home 4-0 against us in 2011/12 but India beat Aus 2-0 not too long ago (at HOME)...

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Now, don't misunderstand me... I'm not saying India's terrible performance is okay. It is NOT. Indian fans deserve to be pissed. Recent performance is terrible. Several innings defeat. No one firing. Giving up so easily. Really bad. But I'm highlighting the fact that the current years will cause joy and heart break for fans depending on where their teams are playing (Home games will bring JOY and Away games will BREAK THEIR HEARTS). Cricket fans, let us prepare ourselves for this. Our team's Test cricket performance will more or less depend on where they're playing (checkout ICC's Future Tours Program). Test cricket ranking won't mean much! Wasim Akram feels the same way.


Here are some charts that explain my point of view... 

1) See how India played more tests at home between 2008 and 2010. In 2011/12, they've mostly AWAY games. Similarly, in 2011 England played mostly at HOME

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2) Notice how we see more RED (losses) than GREEN (wins) in the charts below, India and England's performance in AWAY games

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3) Notice how we see more GREEN (wins) than RED (losses) in the charts below, India and England's performance in HOME games

Leadership explained from the greatest cricketer

Rahul Dravid said this at the Bradman Oration. It stuck with me...

One of the things, Bradman said has stayed in my mind. That the finest of athletes had, along with skill, a few more essential qualities: to conduct their life with dignity, with integrity, with courage and modesty. All this he believed, were totally compatible with pride, ambition, determination and competitiveness. 

Indian cricket - highs and lows

Many of my friends and family members ask me how I continue to follow Indian cricket when we are doing so bad (whitewash in Test Cricket in England in late 2011 and now in Australia (well almost there))...


My answer is that there are ups and downs in sports and my love for the team and the sport isn't based on convenience, it isn't based on my team doing well all the time. Sometimes we do well (hey, we just won the World Cup 9 months ago and were #1 Test team just a few months ago) and sometimes we don't (pathetic test cricket performance recently).

I am a fan of Indian cricket. I don't give up. I won't give up my faith, my love for the team, my love for the sport, my RELIGION.

I just hope that we get through this phase without much pain and get back up and running... Go India!