Seeing our players performing well in the first Test match and recording a convincing win over the West Indies was good. Yashasvi Jaiswal at the young age of 21 broke a plethora of records as he scored 171 on debut. Ravi Ashwin’s wicket-taking ability also helped India’s cause. All this was nice to see.
But it was just nice. Not great. One must never forget that this West Indies team is not even a pale shadow of the great teams of the past. Today West Indies cricket lies in ruins like an old fortress. The powerful kings and their formidable soldiers have vanished. Gone are the days when the majestic Clive Lloyd led a platoon of the world’s most fearsome fast bowlers on a relentless hunt for wickets.
Now, where is the ferocity of Michael Holding? Where is the cunning speed of Andy Roberts, or the hammer blows of Joel Garner? Once the sunny islands used to produce the world’s best fast bowlers like Marshall, Ambrose, Walsh, and Patterson as well as the most exciting batsmen like Richards, Greenidge and Roy Fredericks to name just a few. Those days are just a fond memory now.
Tour is like a Caribbean holiday
There was a time when a tour of the West Indies was an extremely challenging proposition for any visiting outfit from another country. Now it is like an enjoyable Caribbean holiday. Both rum and runs are available in plenty.
Seniors must advise youngsters
So youngsters like Jaiswal should be advised by the seniors to view their feats in the right perspective. False confidence can cause a major setback to the progress of a young cricketer. So far Jaiswal has made a name in domestic cricket and IPL but now he is likely to be further hounded by television channels and sponsors. The young lad has come up the hard way and it would be a pity if a player of his outstanding merit gets carried away by the explosion of fame and glory.
Becoming an international celebrity has its own drawbacks and pitfalls. Image consultants and managers bring in profitable contracts. Modelling designer clothes, posing for cover pictures in magazines, and endorsing consumer products may seem attractive but a wise sportsman must know when to say: “That is enough. Now I have to practice.”
Whenever sportsmen allow themselves to be manipulated by commercial pressures and vested interests, it spells doom for their careers. And after ruining the career of a promising player, the entire circus moves away and catches another prey. For them, it makes no difference.
So the tour of the West Indies and all the successes achieved there, in the Tests, ODIs, and T20 matches, must be seen from the correct angle. This tour is merely a high-level practice session in different conditions. It will afford the players an opportunity to hone their technique on different pitches. The seniors know it in their hearts. But it is important that the newcomers also understand this and do not allow themselves to become overconfident after a series of good performances on this tour.
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