It’s time Team India focused on cricket

While other nations were busy announcing their squads for the Champions Trophy, the Indian cricket board was busy plotting on how to grab more moolah for themselves. That was one month ago when the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) were threatening to withhold the participation of the Indian team in the Champions Trophy as ransom in the revenue-sharing tussle with the International Cricket Council (ICC).  Then grudgingly, under pressure from the Committee of Administrators (COA), BCCI finally backed out of a threat to boycott the 50-over tournament. India are the defending champions for the event which starts today and it would have been embarrassing if politics had trumped over cricket in this tussle.  The BCCI named a squad two weeks after the original deadline had passed but Virat Kohli & Co will be eager to put all of that behind them and showcase their cricketing might on the field. The Indian captain has been constantly telling the media that his team has the hunger to win this prestigious tournament.  They have made all the right noises in the two practice games so far. They defeated New Zealand in a rain-interrupted affair and then hit Bangladesh out of the park in their next game. In both those matches, it was the form of the Indian pacers that will please the team and the fans alike.  But it has to be asked whether the cloud of uncertainty going into the tournament will have affected the mindset of the players.  It wouldn’t be comforting to know that the administrators of the game in India were using the players as pawns.  Former players and experts have voiced their concern over this unwanted pressure on the players. Going into the tournament, the entire focus was on the administrative matters, rather than the game itself. The BCCI on its part are defending their actions, claiming that it will lose $277mn in revenue over the next eight years and that that can’t be taken lightly. The officials insist that it’s all about trying to get the board its rightful share. And that the interest of the players was paramount. But at one point, BCCI was mulling accepting a ban from ICC for not participating in the Champions Trophy. And their plan, as reported, was to hold two Indian Premier League tournaments in one year. The players’ interests don’t seem to feature quite highly in that plan. All of that is in the past now and India are, thankfully for the fans and players, taking part in the tournament. But just when everyone was breathing easy, is when the news about the apparent rift between the players and coach Anil Kumble has surfaced. Rumours are rife about discontent in the Indian dressing room with Kohli and a few senior players not happy with Kumble’s style of functioning. The Indian coach is said to be a taskmaster and that is not going down well with the senior players. BCCI has chosen not to automatically extend Kumble’s tenure and have asked for applications. Just when one thought that cricket was going to be the focus, the Indian team finds itself in disarray again.