'India have taken a huge step backward' - Sourav Ganguly

[velu]

New Delhi: Former captain Sourav Ganguly fears India may have lost the ability to win overseas as the team has struggled on its current tour of Australia, dropping its sixth straight Test away from home.
"It's not the loss but the manner in which they have been outplayed that will be of concern," Ganguly wrote in his column for a newspaper on Wednesday. "Indian cricket has taken a lot of pride in its performance overseas in the last 10 years, but the fear I have now is, have we taken a huge step backward?"


http://static.cricketnext.in.com/pix/sitepix/12_2011/souravcap_getty_630.jpg


India trails 2-0 in its four-Test series against Australia after losing the opening Test in Melbourne by 122 runs and then falling by an innings and 68 runs in Sydney.

India was also beaten 4-0 in a Test series in England last year, conceding the top world ranking to the opposition in the process.
The third Test against Australia starts on Friday in Perth. The final Test will be in Adelaide from Jan. 24-28.

Ganguly, who is credited with helping India shed its reputation as a poor away team after taking over as skipper in 2000, said the recent losses were due to poor batting and bowling performances, as well as a failure to seize key moments.

"Winning cricket matches is about seizing the moment and that did not happen. Indian batting has been rated very highly for the last 10 years, but somewhere in the last few Tests, they have found themselves in difficult positions," the 39-year-old Ganguly wrote.
He also said the opening pair of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir had failed to deliver in Tests overseas.

Ganguly's comments follow criticism by other cricket greats over the past week.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said the India team was not practicing enough on tour. "Have they gone there for sightseeing or (to) play cricket?" Gavaskar had said.
"The first Test ended on the fourth day and the next day was a free day," he added. "But did the Indian team practice? The attitude has to be there. You have to go out there and practice cricket."

Former Pakistan pace bowler Wasim Akram also wondered how the team could bounce back in the series.
"India are seriously looking out of sorts. There seems to be no planning in the team. Players are just looking like individuals and not gelling as a unit. This is surprising considering the fact that almost the same team were world No. 1 just a few months back," Akram was quoted as saying.

I am afraid Dada is right.

SRC (http://cricketnext.in.com/news/india-has-taken-a-huge-step-backward/62980-13.html)

[cricketworm]

You know how we used to struggle in 90's and then Enter Dravid, Lax and Gangs, we got stronger. May be we need to do the same at some point (in 2-3 years) something like that and we would be better test team, who can perform well away.

Mind you, we are still very hard to beat at home.

[AnotherIndian]

That is what happens when the batting greats in the team start to get old.

Our core group of Laxi, Dravid and Tendu are all closing on 40. Most retire at the age of 33 or 34.

India has to face the hard fact that these guys cannot perform at supreme level all the time. Time to blood in youngsters after this series.

Play Tendu and Dravid selectively against tougher opposition and against weaker teams, its time to start testing new guys.

I am sure this team can perform better. I am expecting a much better fight in Perth.

Contrary to what many people think, I believe India will win the Perth Test.

Sehwag and Dravid are due for a big hundred. Indian batting will have something to prove.

If the pitch is bowling friendly, I expect Ishant and Yadav to bowl much better.

Let the battle begin :afridi

[HLovesH]

Well everyone knows that India is nothing if their batsmen don't perform they have won because of their batsmen , these oldies retire and India will not even be a half of what it is now unless they get some really good bowlers

[freelance_cricketer]

I will have to agree with Brad Haddin's comment regarding this. Our team breaks apart when the opposition gets on top. It's clearly visible. They start of well most of the times being a genuinely talented squad. As long as they are on top or the match hangs in balance, every player is chirping, smiling , enjoying his day out in the sun.
Problems start occuring when the opposition team gets ahead. That's when the chirping stops, smile is lost and everyone's head hangs down. It's torturous to see our team playing when that happens. They have forgotten the true meaning of test Cricket. Look at the Aussies, they are always in for a fight. Their squad is no better than ours, it's just that they still know what test Cricket is all about.

What Rashid Latif said about Tendulkar should have been said about the whole squad. They need counselling. This is something for which Dhoni is to be held accountable, it's his job to keep the squad in fighting mood.
He's been called 'Captain Cool' , but if these lacklustre performances continue they will start calling him 'Captain Cold' i'm afraid.

[Proud To Be A Pakistani]

well lets be honest , with batting GREATS , you can always hold a key to draw the games ... when you have been successful , the secert was nothing .. but the team were pilling up huge total .. then bowlers can put in place where you can claim to win a match .,. since the runs are drying up ... the bowling getting more exposed ... with all the legends playing at the same time ... thats the problem , they would never let any player grow around them .. they are great individuals ... who have great records .. but what about being a great team .. that doesn't seem to be in the place... well .. on bowling note .... you can only have good bowling form if you have combination of bowlers .. not the soul show ... else ... when u leak runs from one side ..... u r with only one bowler to attack .. others know it ... they play safe against that particular player .... well the key to india , they will never have die hard bowling attack , but they always have a huge batting battery , they need to get the house in order ... to remain at the top of the game .. its not about losing ... its the way u lose

[ecstatic_freak]

Now that they have realized that they took a step backward, lets see how they blood youngsters. Time for some seniors to go? It be not nice if they all call it a day together, trick is who they are going to let go and who they are going to keep as a mentor for youngsters.

[freelance_cricketer]

The seniors are not the problem. They are the top performers. Tendulkar/Dravid are still our top batsmen and Zaheer is still our top bowler. It's the youngsters who have been failing consistently away from home.

[ecstatic_freak]

The seniors are not the problem. They are the top performers. Tendulkar/Dravid are still our top batsmen and Zaheer is still our top bowler. It's the youngsters who have been failing consistently away from home.

So doesn't it mean that they should be given more chances along with some seniors lets say Dravid or Sachin for mentors? They probably have one more year left in them, what after that? Tell Juniors to do everything on their own? Look at what happened to Australia in 80s and then 00's. You need someone to be there who could take you to the next level, better late than never

[trogger]

Who were india beating away from home 10 years ago?

You would say the two hardest places for them to adapt to are australia and south africa and they have never won a series in either place.

Ganguly as skipper never won a series in australia south africa england west indies or new zealand, his only away series win outside of asia was against zimbabwe.

[mate1]

You know how we used to struggle in 90's and then Enter Dravid, Lax and Gangs, we got stronger. May be we need to do the same at some point (in 2-3 years) something like that and we would be better test team, who can perform well away.

Mind you, we are still very hard to beat at home.

Imran KHan! Take a bow, you beat these Indians in their backyard! and then AKram did the same!

[Lethalweapon]

Who were india beating away from home 10 years ago?

You would say the two hardest places for them to adapt to are australia and south africa and they have never won a series in either place.

Ganguly as skipper never won a series in australia south africa england west indies or new zealand, his only away series win outside of asia was against zimbabwe.

India completely dominated Aus in Aus in 1985, not finishing those matches. google the scorecards and people would see how their timid approach has stopped their progress. Later in 1986,they beat England 2-0 in England and nearly won the 3rd test.
In 1971 India beat WI and Eng away. in 1981 they drew 1-1 against a strong aussie team in aus, Pakistan lost 2-1 to the same team that same year. India were just above average in 70',80's NOT poor.
60's was India worst decade NOT 90's.
They were terrible in 90's away, but were competitive , Tendulkar was the biggest reason for that. Doesn't get credit for that. It took Dravid 5 years to mature (2001) , he never carried the team but is credited for the wins. Indian Bowlers deserve more credit for those wins as does Laxman and Ganguly.

[liaqat]

ganguly brough in passion and fight, thats priceless the result might not show that but 2day after his retirment we still credit ganguly for this indian team,,

that says it all,, fighting spirit is what make aussie and s/a win matches from no where,

indian greats retire and then india will have problems also at home

but replacing dravid, sachin, vvs, sehwag is mission impossible, simply becasue they delivered more often then not,
ganguly was apart of that super batting lineup, he might not have been brilliant but he was a fighter.

much respect for DADA

[deviously~fading~away]

Huge stepbackwards? How? What's so different in this team? For me it's down to the attitude of this Indian team. The talent is there. If BCCI can change the attitude, India will be on it's winning ways again. Right now most Indian players look high on "too much fame too quickly".

[leatherface58]

Ganguly really cares about the indian team which he nurtured like a baby. it must kill him inside just to see the team he loves lose so badly. that said, nice to see the old prince. rather than the pc ganguly heard on commentary.