Indian cricket captaincy for tour posing problems

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33965, 4 October 1975, Page 4

Indian cricket captaincy for tour posing problems

(By I

P. N. SUNDARESAN.

;. former cricket correspondent

Who will lead India on its tours of West Indies and New Zealand in early 1976? This question is agitating Indian cricket enthusiasts as another season opens. The decision by Mansur Ali Khan of Pataudi to quit test cricket has opened the flood gates of speculation as to his successor. The choice is wide open and is subjected to various pulls that are inherent in a vast country like India. The Indian selection committee would have liked Pataudi not to have taken this big step. His availability would have provided them a way out, as they could justifiably have chosen him again to lead India because of his remarkable achievement against the West Indies last season in the home series. Pataudi had so well played himself into the good books of everybody here that when Ajit Wadekar decided to quit firstclass cricket after his disastrous trip to England in 1974, when India was severely mauled by the home team in the three test series, he became the unanimous choice as captain. In spite of his poor batting form, and an injury that kept him away from the second test at Delhi, Pataudi revealed an excellent grip of the situation to win the third and fourth tests at Calcutta and Madras, to halt the triumphant march of the West Indies and draw level at 2-2. Not only did this resuscitate the series, but it also gave a big face-lift to Indian cricket, even though West Indies came back to win the final test at Bombay, and the series. Now that he is out of reckoning, the names that crop up for discussion and debate are S. Venkataraghavan, S. M. Gavaskar, E. A. S. Prasanna and Bishen Singh Bedi. Venkat should be familiar to New Zealand cricketers as it was against John Reid’s team here in 1965 that he made his debut and ended up as the best Indian bowler of the series. His rise in test cricket, based on his off-spin bowling and brilliant fielding in close positions, was rapid and firm and when he was chosen as vice-captain to Wadekar for the West Indies and England tours of 1971, it was generally understood that Venkat was being groomed for the captaincy of India after Wadekar. But this did not happen as Venkat was ,not even deputy to Wadekar in the following home series against England in 1972-73; he was also dropped for three tests of the series to

make room for Prasanna. Again he went to England in 1974 as vice-captain and had once more the mortification of being dropped for three of the five tests against West Indies last season; and only when Gavaskar, chosen initially to lead in the second test at Delhi in place of the injured Pataudi, also had to stand down for a similar reason, did Venkat lead the side. But that was the last match of the series he layed. The selectors, however, could not be accused of playing ducks and drakes with Venkat. At home they were faced with a real problem of choosing between Venkat and Prasanna as rhe side’s off spinner and had to plump for the latter because of his superior skills. When the same wise men sent a team abroad, this problem was that of the tour selection committee and they could nonchalantly nominated Venkat as the vicecaptain.

After the series against West Indies last season, Venkat was chosen to lead India in the Prudential tournament in England. Whether this revealed the selectors’ mind about the future captain of India or whether it was a mere gesture to appease Venkat’s feelings, is yet to be seen. In case Venkat is named captain, one cannot be too sure that Prasanna will be willing to be in the team. There is no doubt that without him the spin attack will be considerably weakened, especially because both Bedi and Chandrasekhar pair with Prasanna, more effectively then with Venkat. My sympathies are certainly with the selectors. If Venkat is not chosen, Prasanna also might not be considered, in spite of his reputation of being a clever captain, earned in leading Karnataka in the Ranji trophy championship. By avoiding him the selectors will give the appear.ance of being fair to Venkat.

If there are doubts about whether to play Venkat or Prasanna there are none about Bedi. Of all the spinners, only he is an automatic choice. Bedi has also proved himself an astute leader as captain of Delhi in the Ranji trophy cham-

of "The Hindu" and editor of "Indian Cricket. )

pionship and of North Zone in the Dueleep trophy championship; besides, he is a team man and popular with his players. But Bedi’s frank and forthright views have created embarrassments among officialdom, which are bound to influence his chances for captaincy. The selectors are likely to avoid all these problems and embarrassments by plumping for Sunil Gavaskar, on the well-known maxim that it is wiser to choose a batsman than a bowler as captain. If Ga-

vaskar had been fortunate when he captained India in the second test against West Indies last season, he could well have shaped himself as successor to Pataudi, and would have even led India in the Prudential cup. For it is the general feeling among critics of the game here that Gavaskar, with his standing in the

side and his knowledge of the game, will make a success of the captaincy job. But that opportunity was lost and he has now to fight for the coveted place. Nothing has happened since then to put Gavaskar out of the selectors’ favour; and if Bombay and West Zone are wise enough to choose him as . the captain instead of ’ Ashok Mankad. Gavaskar might win the honour. His shoice would be a popular one. My own choice would be G. R. Visvanath. who is the bulwark of India’s batting. Shy and retiring, Visvanath has not the charm •

of Venkat or the glamour of Gavaskar, but he is the most popular member of the Indian team, and respected highly for the quality of his batting. My argument is that a plaver ' with fine instincts like Visvanath may also reveal similar instincts as captain if the job is given to him. Not all the good and successful captains in cricket history have been glamorous playboys. The short tour by Sri Lanka, starting here in November, will afford the selectors the opportunity to try out the probables for captaincy before making a final choice.