Technically, no one’s to blame. It was a simple case of miscommunication. Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan was injured while batting in the nets before day four of the Brisbane test. He got hit by a ball around the wrist and wasn’t comfortable taking to the field immediately.
Most likely, he was late in conveying this to the team management. Apparently, he came into the dressing room and didn’t say very much about his injury. Perhaps he was in pain, and took time coming to the conclusion he wasn’t fit to take the field immediately. By the time Dhawan took the call to stay back in the dressing room to recoup, things were already in motion.
Virat Kohli, who was next in the batting line-up, had to pad-up at short notice. Understandably, this hurriedly called batting order unsettled Kohli and he didn’t get enough time to focus, which a batsman of his stature would be in the practice of doing. Keep in mind the fact that this was no club game.
This was the run up to the Delhi star’s batting innings, and explains why Kohli showed no resemblance to the lad who scored two back-to-back centuries, in the previous Test match, in Adelaide. A cheap dismissal hasn’t gone down well with him. It were these developments that Dhoni must have been referring to when he spoke about “unrest in the dressing room” after India’s test defeat, the other day.
Finally, there’s been some normalcy in Team India’s situation, and preparations are on full swing for the Boxing Day Test match in Melbourne. But the question remains, can the team afford such a fracas at vital moments like the Brisbane Test instance? After all, this misunderstanding did cost India the Test match. This is a question even some of the Indian players must be asking themselves.
Here it’s important to note that both Dhawan and Kohli are champion cricketers. Both are proud that they represent India. Kohli, for instance, is the next big thing in Indian cricket after Dhoni. Probably, that’s why he was made the captain of the Adelaide Test match in the absence of Dhoni.
Given Kohli’s established stature, the experts feel that he should have been ready right after the management informed him that he is going to bat ‘next’. The logic is that at this level the moment, you enter the dressing room you have to be ready to face a challenge.
On the other hand, some might feel it’s slightly harsh on Indian cricketers that they have to be ready all the time. At this highest level, it’s also true that you need some bit of time to fix your mind before you take to the field. In general, before a batsman gets to the crease, he spends a little time looking at the field. In fact, at such times even tail-enders, who may be busy finishing a lengthy meal, are not permitted to talk and create a commotion in the dressing room.
By and large the only guys who have the moral authority to convey any kind of message to a batsman readying for the crease, are the coach and captain. While in the dressing room, the most astute batsmen like to create a mental situation where they picture themselves playing. So poor Kohli was deprived of this crucial exercise before he was set the task of batting for his side. Seeing things from his perspective, he may have a valid excuse for unrest.
From Dhawan side, there is no question of running away from his responsibility because he is a proven player. Dhawan may not be a permanent feature in the Indian Test side like Kohli, but he is a supreme talent. He looks casual at times, but remains a sharp cricketer with excellent reflexes.
Remember how he batted against the Australia team when he made his debut in Mohali? He is still an outstanding opener for India in all formats of the game. Now his predicament on that day may have been akin to a batsman who finds himself in two minds – whether to hit the ball or block the delivery. It’s indisputable that he should have told the management about the nature of his injury on time. That said, the delay wasn’t deliberate on Dhawan’s part.
It was one of those moments when his mind was saying one thing, but his heart something else. There’s a take-away for Dhawan from this episode and it’s to understand the importance of speaking one’s mind, well in time. And for Kolhli, it’s a warning that a great cricketer must always be ready one he’s steeped past the threshold of the dressing room.
