Dubai: It’s time the Indian team players were remunerated based on their performances. With cricket being universally accepted as being more like a business than a sport, it would be appropriate if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) takes such a decision.
The present Indian team, which was hailed for its historic win over England in the second Test at Lord’s last month, is now the target of heavy criticism following their huge defeats in Southampton and Manchester.
Soon after India’s defeat, discussions focused a lot on the fact that Indian cricketers lack motivation due to the absence of financial rewards for their victories. Though it might be an observation arising out of hurt patriotic sentiments, a closer study reveals that there could be some substance in those comments.
Moreover, the Indian cricketers cannot be blamed if financial rewards determine whether they display a killer instinct because their own cricket board has set an example by ruling the game through their money power.
When a record six ducks were scored by the Indian team in the Manchester Test, it isn’t surprising that fans question whether their performance deserves six-figure salaries.
The cash-rich Indian Premier League has always been blamed for India’s poor performance in international matches, and it should be examined whether the league does affect the enthusiasm of the players to perform for the country.
Many believe that the keenness and effort the cricketers display in the IPL is not visible in international matches.
But before being sceptical about the Indian players’ determination and concluding that money could be a factor for the lack of fighting spirit, one should take a look at India’s performances abroad. India have won just one of their last 18 Tests on foreign soil.
The BCCI, by staging more matches at home to swell their coffers, is actually painting a wrong picture about the strength of their team.
A team is termed formidable only when it starts winning consistently in all conditions like the Australians did in the past. And for this to happen, India must create wickets at home that are similar to those in Australia and England.
If they fear that foreign players would exploit those conditions and win India’s home matches, then the Indian team will remain as Tigers only at home. It is important to exploit the team’s strengths in alien conditions too, or else their batsmen will continue to fall to spinners as they did against England’s Moeen Ali.
A performance-based salary for cricketers and BCCI’s willingness to modify Indian wickets seems to be the apt remedy for India’s inconsistency.
