3 Mistakes by Dhoni

The Australian Summer is getting hotter for Team India. Wins are scarce and feuds galore. The worst part of this fall from grace story is-all this drama is unfolding every day in front of the media. The Four month long Summer Down Under will be remembered for Dhoni’s third mistakes that could raise serious question marks over Captain Cool losing his Midas touch off the field.

Captain Cool showed the first state of disconcert when in the middle of an important series Down Under, the Test captain decided to announce his retirement from Test cricket in 2013. The decision was taken to prolong his one day career was making hari-kari of the importance of test cricket. Team India was down 2 nil in the four match series and instead of focusing on any plan B the team had to bounce back in the test series, Dhoni stress on his future plans was baffling. There is no harm in looking at your future but in the middle of a series when the chips are down is a mistake but when it comes from the leader of the team it turns into a sin unpardonable.

Secondly, Dhoni’s unnecessary take on the umpires failing to keep track of the ball count in the 30th over in the game tied against Sri Lanka in the tri-series was uncalled for. The Lankans did not think it important to raise the issue in the post match press-conference as the match was tied and honours were shared. Laisth Malinga bowled the 30th over, and an extra ball in the over could have changed the fortunes of the Indian team with a wicket from the ball. The Asian neighbours did not consider it important to dwell on things gone by and focused on what needed to be done in the series. What was the need to raise a question mark on the umpires when the matter was over and out. The damage done by the mistake was not reversal able and pondering over such mistakes in the media glare was no business of the team who managed to snatch two points from the jaws of defeat in Adelaide.

Dhoni's final nail in his mistake book was doing the unthinkable in Indian cricket. His take on the team’s decision to rotate the three senior players in the Indian team. Sachin, Sehwag and Gautam the troika failed to play together in the 6 games with one of the big name making way for juniors. Dhoni then one step ahead in front of the press stating that playing all three would cost 20 runs in the field.

Sehwag’s counter in the only game he led the side in the media glare clearly showed that the Indian dressing room is divided.

Is captain Dhoni paying the price for being candid? Has Captain Cool touched a chord in Indian cricket that should have been left to closed door discussion. Should he have given his take on the Umpires mistakes or his career plan for the future in front of the media. What was the need to use the media to air to grievances?

Such things happen when BCCI the Dhiritasthra of Indian cricket refuses to open its eyes and is blindfolded, enjoying its play as a mute spectator with his band of problems. The five wise men Selectors have been shuttling in and out of Australia and oversees tours with no advise to offer to bail out Team India. There seems to be a total breakdown in the Communication flow as no change in the batting order has been seen in the 8 straight oversees losses in test cricket.

The honeymoon that stared with the world cup triumph in 2011 has now turned into a house divided.

The seniors versus juniors backlash continues as the Board which is the mother board for running cricket is in hibernate mood.

The Sponsorship saga is over and it is time that the board sits down with the players and arrives at a conclusion to help India get back to winning ways in the remaining two matches. The next two perform or perish games will help team India extend their summer stay down Under into the fourth month in Australia.

If the damage control is not done now, it will never be addressed. The team will return and there will be no post mortem for the reasons in all three forms of the game. Indian players will dispurse to play for their franchisees in IPL Season 5. The problem of a divided house will haunt the men in Blue when it heads to the Lankan Islands to reclaim the T20 world championship crown in September this year.