Captain Untouchable

By Gaurang
April 23 2007

Given India's poor performances in the World Cup, other ODIs, and Tests, one would expect the Captain of the team to be either sacked or be very close to being sacked.

In the aftermath of India’s humiliating losses in ODIs stretching from the West Indies in 2006 where India lost 1-4 to the team ranked No. 8 in the ICC ODI table at the time, to its ignominious crash and burn in the Champions Trophy at home, to an abject white wash in South Africa, and its utter disaster of a campaign in the 2007 World Cup, one would expect the Captain of the team to be either sacked or be very close to being sacked.

However in the Indian scheme of things, Rahul Dravid, despite such an inglorious record, especially of late, and especially overseas, has not only escaped the sack, but has been rewarded with three more series as Captain.

This is quite astonishing, especially when Indian cricket history is replete with Captains who been stripped of the Captaincy for much less humiliating performances. What gives? Why is Rahul Dravid India’s Captain Untouchable?

The answer lies in a combination of factors. First of all there is the “there is no alternative” or TINA factor. The four serious senior contenders for the spot are all handicapped in one way or another. Sachin Tendulkar, with his recent poor performance in the World Cup, and his open rebuttal to vicious innuendo from ex-coach Greg Chappell, has ruffled the BCCI’s feathers enough that he has actually been dropped from the side while still fit and available. The euphemism of "rested" doesn't cut it, especially when the Captain does not publicly reiterate that view. Sourav Ganguly, despite posting a batting average of 63 with 6 half centuries in his last 10 matches, is not seen as a viable alternative, as he is not trusted by the BCCI mandarins to do their bidding. VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble, two other options similar to Dravid, are not certainties in the ODI side, with Kumble even announcing his retirement from ODIs, so the only option among the seniors remains Dravid.

Among the younger generation the only viable option is Yuvraj Singh, but he too has been tainted for speaking up for the team when the team’s unity was being besmirched by the ex-Coach and his media henchmen. The BCCI therefore knows that he is another player who will stand up for what is right, regardless of the consequences, and they wouldn't prefer to deal with such an individual.

During that whole unsavory episode when Chappell’s henchmen in the media raised the bogeyman of a “Senior’s mafia” Rahul Dravid remained quiet as a doormouse. He was duly rewarded for his docility.

This bring us to the second factor why Dravid is the BCCI’s choice. Throughout his playing career Dravid was the model player, giving his best to the team, never challenging the status quo. In his tenure as Captain he has continued in that vein. He is the ultimate professional on the field, but off the field he is not one to get involved in anything that is not directly related to playing the game on the field. Or at least that is the impression he likes to give to the public.

This has made him the ideal candidate for the BCCI who are desperately trying to reduce player power. It is a moment of great weakness for the Indian players as a whole. The Indian public is rightly disgusted with their performance in the World Cup. But the BCCI has conveniently channeled that anger solely against the players, while trying to shield itself and even the disgraced Coach from such anger. They were unable to shield the Coach, who crossed one line too many, with his behind-the-scenes media manipulation to besmirch the reputation of India’s greatest player of a generation, if not all time. The coach paid the price for this indiscretion and was removed, though with the fig leaf of having resigned from the position.

The BCCI however was livid at Sachin Tendulkar for finally, after a career or quietly accepting the status quo, speaking up in his and his team’s defense. This was a job the Captain should have done, but he was strangely quiet. The Captain even found time to go off holidaying while the nation was engulfed in the recriminations following the World Cup disaster. It was almost as if he knew nothing would happen to him.

In the end this proved to be true. Far from bearing true responsibility for the absolutely humiliating performance of the team, and being fired or publicly rebuked, or at least put on notice and a short leash, he has been quietly rewarded with a three-series extension to his Captaincy.

The message it sends to players is: don’t cross the BCCI. The BCCI is the boss, and you players had better not forget that.

A similar event occurred nearly two decades ago when the BCCI passed over Ravi Shastri to name Mohammand Azharuddin as the national Captain. Azharuddin was another player who didn’t believe in challenging the BCCI on most matters, including matters of player compensation. Ironically the BCCI’s ally this time around in keeping the players in check is none other than that same Ravi Shastri.

Regardless of what the future holds one thing is clear: Rahul Dravid, Teflon coated though he may be, is not likely to reach anywhere near the winning achievements as Captain that were set as benchmarks by his predecessor. But the real question for Indian cricket is, will his remaining tenure help India recover from the carnage of the short-lived but disastrous Greg Chappell interlude that saw a well-knit team torn asunder, or will it merely continue the chaos for a while longer?