A few decades ago, a tour of the West Indies was an essential rite of passage. It separated the men from the boys, gifted a halo to those who flourished, and left those who failed with broken bones and punctured egos.
Cut to the present, and a visit to the archipelago of island nations united by cricket is deemed an easy tour. Records can be etched and victories can be scripted, but for those caught up in the nostalgia of a team that once had swashbuckling batters and fearsome speedsters, there is only a soul-numbing sadness to cope with. Kraigg Brathwaite’s men, in Tests, need to salvage an ancient pride rippling beneath the Caribbean sands. The Windies tend to do relatively well in T20Is while wilting in Tests and ODIs. This slide has to be arrested.
In the latest tour of the Caribbean, featuring two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is, Rohit Sharma’s men, aware of their opponent’s anaemic state, would want to start on a winning note. After two successive World Test Championship cycles that gifted the bridesmaid tag to the Indians, Rohit’s lads are keen to get past the runner-up hurdle.
India, strong across formats, has, however, grappled with a title drought in ICC events since 2013. Transition is in the air as a core group, hovering in the mid-thirties is closer to the twilight. While time flies, the boys have become men with good numbers and weary limbs. The fallacy of consistent squads is that key players tend to last a long time and eventually leave together.
In transition: In a squad still leaning hard on the seniors, Shubman Gill represents the promise of the younger brigade. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and R. Ashwin, along with Rohit and Rahane, constitute the elder statesmen club, and it is a reality that in the immediate years ahead, these micro-units within the macro-team environment will dissipate. | Photo Credit: AP
Collective departures are a reality, and to soften the blow, selectors tend to stagger these exits so that newcomers can learn from the retreating veterans. Looks like in the latest cull by equated monthly instalments, Cheteshwar Pujara was picked as the first to be axed. Interestingly, Ajinkya Rahane has been rehabilitated and conferred with the vice captaincy in Tests. To be fair, Rahane did well in the WTC final against Australia.
In a squad still leaning hard on the seniors, Shubman Gill represents the promise of the younger brigade. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and R. Ashwin, along with Rohit and Rahane, constitute the elder statesmen club, and it is a reality that in the immediate years ahead, these micro-units within the macro-team environment will dissipate. It happened to Sachin Tendulkar and company, and their successors aren’t immune to destiny’s quirks. The selectors have pencilled in Ruturaj Gaikwad (facing page) and Yashasvi Jaiswal as probable torchbearers of Indian batting. Surprisingly, the same opportunity wasn’t bequeathed to Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan, despite his Bradmanesque run in the domestic circuit. An opportunity to try him at the highest level has been missed, but selectors aren’t data entry operators just looking at numbers; they also look at the overall ability and bank on their gut-feel.
Ideally, one of them needs to talk to the youngster and explain why he missed the bus. Dilip Vengsarkar preferred Kohli over S. Badrinath; similarly, the current selectors need that leeway, but being transparent won’t hurt.
Among the bowlers for the Tests, Umesh Yadav was dropped while Mohammed Shami was rested. Navdeep Saini and Mukesh Kumar step in from the younger crop, and in those distant lands of iconic fast bowlers, the duo will get a chance.
The sense of continuity and some adventure that marked the Test squad selection also ripples through the ODI squad. The core remains, and the selectors, with an eye on the World Cup later in India, did not want to rock the boat. In the months ahead, and hopefully with the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant, the team for the future could take shape. For now, since it is a West Indian tour, let us say it is largely old rum in a new bottle.
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