Indian skipper MS Dhoni, in a press conference prior to the start of the ODI series, stated that current coach Duncan Fletcher would be at the helm of things till the 2015 World Cup, and that the appointment of Ravi Shastri is just a temporary arrangement, who has been brought in to guide the team owing to his experience. Dhoni's statement however did not go down well with the BCCI. An official from the Indian cricket board openly rebuked the Indian skipper, going to the extent of asking, who is Dhoni is decide about India's coach for the 2015 World Cup? The two varying statements clearly prove that Dhoni and the BCCI are not on the same boat.
It is not important for the captain and the cricket board to be on the same boat. Sri Lanka has proved the same time and over in the past, and keep doing the same even now. However, it definitely helps if the team and the cricket board are in sync. This definitely isn't the case presently between Dhoni and the BCCI, who seem to be sailing in completely different directions. As it is, the Indian team is struggling on the field, and this latest fiasco will only make matters worse. When a board official comes out and hits out at its captain in the open, it is a clear sign that the all is not well.
There is complete lack of transparency in the functioning of the Indian team as of now. While Dhoni maintained that Fletcher is still the boss in spite of Ravi Shastri being brought in, the former India captain gave a completely different version a few days back. According to him, he is in charge, as per the instructions given by the BCCI and the entire team, including coach Fletcher, is reporting to him. Under the circumstances, one can only wonder how the team atmosphere would be in the dressing room. And, what about the co-ordination issues between Dhoni, Fletcher and Shastri? After all, each is unaware of their exact responsibility, and doesn't even know who is working under whom!
One wonders what the logic was behind changing the support staff midway through a series. It could have been done after India returned from England as well. After all, the way they have been performing in England, things cannot get much worse. As Dhoni, for a change, rightly said, the team would find it difficult to adjust to the new support staff, as they have got used to the older guys over the years. The sudden change is definitely difficult on the players. By the time they get to know a little bit about the new staff, and their style of guidance, the England tour will be pretty much over, and they will have to start all over again.
It is amply evident now that there are serious communication issues between the Indian captain and the BCCI. The recent gaffe should have been avoided at all costs, particularly in the aftermath of the Test debacle in England. But, now that the differences are out in the open, all that can be done is damage control. One of the ways to do the same is by ensuring that Dhoni sticks to talking about the team's performance and its players. The selection and support staff issues should be left for the BCCI to deal with. In other words, while there should be a two-way discussion on the same, the territories should be earmarked, and the camps must avoid transgressing into the same. At least off-field, India should display some sense of responsibility.
--By A Cricket Analyst
