In a historic drubbing, New Zealand clinched a 3-0 Test series victory against India on Indian soil—a defeat the host nation has not witnessed in 91 years. The shameful loss has stirred introspection not only about India’s cricketing fundamentals but also about the priorities in Indian cricket. In a twist that would be laughable if it were not so disastrous, Indian batsmen now find themselves as vulnerable to spin on home soil as their foreign counterparts.
The irony is rich: India’s own players are strangers to the turning tracks that once gave them an edge, all because the domestic fixtures that once defined Indian cricket—Ranji, Duleep, and Irani trophies—are no longer seen as essential. With few players mandated to participate in these tournaments, India’s preparation has withered, while visitors like Australia and New Zealand arrive more practiced and ready for challenge.
Once upon a time, the cricket calendar allowed a rhythm that cultivated excellence. One season, Indian cricketers would tour the West Indies, England, or Australia; the next, they would defend their turf against incoming sides. Without the glitzy interruptions of today’s Indian Premier League (IPL), attention remained firmly on domestic cricket. The Ranji Trophy was a battleground for regional pride and an incubator of national talent. Players like Sunil Gavaskar, who took immense pride in representing Bombay, or Gundappa Vishwanath for Karnataka, sharpened their skills and developed a deep, enduring commitment to the game’s demands. These tournaments provided Indian players with rigorous practice against top-class spinners, who often happened to be their own compatriots like the great spin quartet of Bedi, B. Chandrashekhar, E. Prassana, and S. Venkataraghavan, offering a unique experience and preparation in tackling the visiting foreign team that is absent today.
Today, however, this foundation has been eroded. The lucrative IPL, now an immovable fixture, has diminished the importance of long-format domestic cricket, sidelining it as a secondary pursuit. What was once a pathway to technical mastery and grit has now become optional, and India’s Test team is paying the price.
In the age of glitzy T20 leagues, traditional domestic tournaments have been sidelined. Indian batsmen who once took pride in technical mastery are now drawn into the faster, commercial allure of the IPL. With the IPL monopolizing the cricket calendar, the emphasis now is on quick runs and big hits. In Tests, occupying the crease for long periods is essential, but in today’s game, Indian players lack this mindset. Most telling symptom is the silence of cricket’s opinion-makers. Unlike past eras when poor Test performances invited heavy criticism, today’s media coverage rarely dissects the underlying issues. India’s cricket fandom, too, has changed drastically. Fans once had high expectations from their players, with Test failures greeted by massive public outcry. Today, instead of censuring Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, they continue to be regarded as sporting demi-gods who keep getting lucrative advertisement offers.
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