Kolkata: The band of cricketers Rohit Sharma represents are as ruthless as the mighty Windies in the 80s or the indomitable Aussies after that. To prove the experts right, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul went all guns blazing in the last cricket World Cup at home. From the beginning of the marquee tournament, India were primed favourites from the very word go. But then, it was unthinkable to have a 10-match winning streak till the juggernaut was stopped by the marauding Aussies in the grand finale.
Despite the loss, experts still believe that there couldn't have been a better white-ball team than this bunch led by Rohit Sharma. How did it happen? Has it happened overnight? No, it translated from the efforts that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took at the stroke of the 21st century — by setting up the National Cricket Academy and its high-performance centre at the heart of southern metropolis Bengaluru, well complemented by the national selectors thus far. Nothing succeeds like success. A process that made a strong foundation for Indian cricket has been carried forward, come what may.
The plan
Cut to the present, the job of keeping the tempo going also rests on the Bengaluru-based centre. Of course, the five wise men (BCCI senior selection committee) are part of the know-how. The roadmap for the calendars ahead has been prepared and things look to have been falling in places.
"The plan is to prepare a good bench comprising 30-33 players. India Seniors, India A, and another team should always be at disposal whenever the selectors pick a side for any tournament or bilateral series," a top source in the BCCI told ETV Bharat.
If the official is to be believed, the selectors in consultation with the NCA mandarins have been picking horses for courses. "It is the NCA that suggests, who is fit and available and also, who should be pursued in which format given the three versions Tests, ODIs, and T20s," the official said.
Pandya injury, an eye-opener
It may be recalled that India lost the services of crucial all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who suffered an ankle injury during the World Cup, while bowling against Bangladesh on October 18. But, that seemed to have virtually no effect on the side even after losing a vital cog in the team composition.
In came Mohammed Shami, and immediately had a telling effect. The speedster went on to claim 24 wickets and finish as the highest wicket-taker of the tournament playing four fewer matches than some of his colleagues. That's what planning does. "We now have a reserve bench as good as the first XI... there are a plethora of choices, if someone gets injured or walks into a bad patch, we have a replacement ready," the source said.
