A Passage to India
Sitting in the departure lounge at Heathrow waiting for my Air India flight, I had two thoughts:
(1) Does the England team care that thousands of fans are spending their hard-earned cash to follow England where now the most hopeful and unlikely result is a drawn series?
(2) Does the England side know or care that Test Match cricket is in crisis. Notwithstanding their preeminent place as the leading Test nation, Indian cricket followers will be heavily outnumbered at Mumbai for the fourth test. The IPL is the draw.
Returning to the first issue, the Barmy Army, cricket tours and intrepid individuals will be making their way in their thousands to the sub-continent. I recall my first tour as a tourist just over 20 years ago to South Africa when Mike Atherton was captain and Ray Illingworth manager. At the end of yet another useless performance a South African boarded our coach to jeer at England and we had to suffer this. The hotel where I stayed was also occupied by the England team. One evening I got confused on the way back to my bedroom and found myself outside the team area and was confronted somewhat aggressively by a player asking what I was doing here. I retorted in no uncertain times that I have paid out good money to support England and have witnessed a feeble performance, unlike you who has been paid to enjoy all this. One liked to think that attitudes have changed but cricketers live in their own bubble and I still doubt whether there is much concern for the supporters.
As to the second issue, the MCC lost its moral authority over cricket to the sub-continent long ago and one of the consequences has been the rise of T20 and the decline of Test cricket. Famously Chris Gayle preferred to play in the Big Bash Australian T20 than represent the West Indies in the Test series there. The West Indies had to pull out during a Test series half way through at India. Even in this one the Indian cricket board have not, as is their duty and obligation, covered the costs and expenses of the England team. We will soon reach a situation similar to football when Test match cricketers retire early to enjoy the fruits of global T20 competition. For us oldies this would be sad. A more competitive series was required but England have been poor with the bat and naive in their selection. India did not prepare spinning wickets as they now have two speedsters so we did not need 3 spinners, at least one Gareth Batty being underemployed. A three-pronged pace attack would be more threatening backed by Stokes and Woakes.
Still I shall enjoy the company of Nancy B-T, Bob Tickler and Daffers who will also be supplying their views on this fascinating country.
