India's troubles are payment for the IPL’s cash
The recriminations over India’s 4-0 whitewash at the hands of England have had one common thread – the influence of the IPL
Tariq Engineer
25-Feb-2013
The recriminations over India’s 4-0 whitewash at the hands of England have had one common thread – the influence of the IPL. In Outlook, Rohit Mahajan lays out the damage caused by the money-spinning league on India’s ability to compete in Tests.
We’re the world ODI champions but, having lost the No. 1 ranking in Test cricket so spiritlessly, are we doomed to remain only one-day wonders? However much the fan may hate it, sooner rather than later Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman and Zaheer Khan are going to go. What happens after that? “I fear we’ll get thrashed in Test matches—as we were in England, and it will get worse when players like Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman are gone,” says Ramachandra Guha, historian and cricket writer.
India was world number one despite the BCCI’s awful domestic policy. Now that fairytale is over, writes Suresh Menon in Tehelka.
At the end of the Edgbaston Test, which saw India give up their top ranking, Mike Atherton asked Mahendra Singh Dhoni, “Did you cherish the No. 1 spot?” Dhoni did not give a direct answer. The truth is embarrassing: India did not cherish and, therefore, did not put much effort into protecting their ranking. Players had begun to believe in their own invincibility, and the cricket board had placed its trust in its ability to manipulate events.
Tariq Engineer is a former senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo