Tuesday, June 16, 2009

What is Gary Kirsten on About?

"Fatigue was definitely a factor, as were many other things"

Gary Kirsten, the India coach, has come out and blamed India's hectic international schedule and the IPL for India's early exit from the ICC World Twenty20.

As I type, I am listening to a Star News report on how India has been on the road for so long, and how the players have played so much cricket that it was bound to lead to fatigue and losses.

Anyhow, the less said about these TV channels the better, they hardly ever make sense.

Regarding Gary Kirsten's claim; I did some digging and this is what I found.

Australia has by far played more international games than any other country, but I don't hear them complaining about fatigue.

India has played plenty of matches in a year, but not that many more than Sri Lanka, New Zealand, South Africa, and England.

Plus, two of those teams are unbeaten thus far in the World T20.

Sure India's World T20 squad had more players in the IPL starting XIs, but that was supposed to be an advantage for the 20-20 world cup, was it not?

In fact, even South Africa has 11 players who played in almost all the games for their IPL teams; likewise for Sri Lanka with 7.

So what is Gary Kirsten on about? Just trying to save his behind is he?

There were many reasons for India's loss; fatigue was not one of them.

Make your pitch on this post...



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21 Pitched:

  1. Rayden said...
     

    I think India lost mainly because of the indifferent attitude of Dhoni and few other players in this tournament.

    Also Dhoni's blunders with strategy and run out chances missed against WI.

    IPL can only be blamed because both Sehwag and Zaheer picked up injuries during their games in the IPL.

    One thing though - I had read an article in a few newspapers BEFORE the world T20 tournament started which said Dhoni wanted to play as a batsman in this cup and wanted Dinesh Kartik as wicket keeper - reason being Dhoni's hands are completely bruised and he was tired as well. But BCCI refused and told Dhoni either he plays as wicket keeper or doesnt play at all. If this is true, then BCCI has to be blamed for putting in players when they know they are tired.

    Last reason we lost because of the unbelievably stupid Indian media who put pressure on the team for no reason at all (with rumours of Dhoni/Sehwag fight etc).

    Overall this Indian team didnt deserve to win the cup and hopefully they will be more careful in the future.

  2. Anonymous said...
     

    I disagree Q. India were a tired outfit. its a well known fact. Tired bodies and jaded minds cannot be expected to win. True this was not one of the major reasons as compared to some tactical errors, some of which were not expected from MS, but somewhere the fatigue was responsible.

    And i agree with Rayden that media was also one of the major reason for this debacle. when there was no fire, it showed us smoke.

    Some part of the blame has to be taken by BCCI for its mindless scheduling. and L Modi wanted 2 IPls every year.

    Gary is right. He has not said it was the biggest reason. he said its one of the reasons.

    lets be fair to him. its his first failure as Indian coach.

  3. Megha said...
     

    Q

    A personal request. Please don't EVER watch Star News again. They are a pathetic excuse for a news channel and an embarassment

  4. Gaurav Sethi said...
     

    Next time they should turn up in fatigues - put up more of a fight.

    oh wait, that's a cartoon idea!

  5. Gaurav Sethi said...
     

    Next time they should turn up in fatigues - put up more of a fight.

    oh wait, that's a cartoon idea!

  6. Krish said...
     

    To his credit, Kirsten had pointed this out before the tournament started. So I don't think this is an excuse. I suspect he already noticed some of the players not doing their best. So diplomatically, he used the word "fatigue" when perhaps the real word should have been "lack of motivation".

  7. Yenjie said...
     

    Your analysis ignores an important thing - games away from home. The Indian team has been on the road since NZ, including the IPL. The importance of downtime cannot be overstated, specially for correcting technical problems. Pre-match nets or nets during the series are typically different than offseason nets where players can focus on their own technique instead of their role in the team.

  8. Q said...
     

    Yenjie,

    Thanks for your comment.

    India went to New Zealand and played 3 tests, 5 ODIs, and 2 T20Is and then went to the IPL.

    In the same time Australia went to South Africa played 3 tests, 5 ODIs, and 2 T20Is, then went to the UAE and played 5 ODIs and a T20I and then back to SA for the IPL.

    Sure Aus also lost but did they complain abt being tired and fatigues?

    No.

    I don't buy this "we were too tired".. India plays and travels as much as the other top teams.. and they have played less than Australia.. in fact during Australia's decade of dominance, they played more cricket than any of the other nations.

    There are a lot of reasons for India's defeat.. fatigue not being one of them.

    If it was fatigue, how do u explain their performance against SA tonight?

  9. Q said...
     

    Rayden,

    I agree with most of ur points. But the media cannot be help responsible can they? I mean they are there to create controversies.. u can choose to ignore them and just play ur game.

  10. Q said...
     

    Superunknown,

    I disagree. Read my comments to Rayden and Yenjie..

    I don't think BCCI were behind any mindless scheduling. The other teams are playing just as much.

    Gary is wrong.

    And if India was tired and jaded, so were the other teams cos they have played just as much.

  11. Q said...
     

    Megha,

    Your request has been accepted.

  12. Q said...
     

    NC,

    I'm waiting for the cartoon!

  13. Q said...
     

    Krish,

    Are u serious abt lack of motivation? Why would that be? I mean what more do the players want for motivation besides a world tournament?

  14. Anonymous said...
     

    i can accept your argument for Australia, South Africa. Not for Sri lanka, not for Pakistan, not for New Zealand.

    one mistake in your reply to Yenjie. Most of the Aussies didnt play IPL except Hussey,Symmo and Binga. But then we knew what happened to him. so no member from Australian team xcept Lee played IPL. so they cannot be said to have played in IPL.

    Ponting, Johnson, Mike Hussey, Pups, Cameron White didnt play in IPL.

  15. Q said...
     

    Superunknown,

    I didn't even take Pakistan's name - they have hardly played.

    The table is there for u to see whose played how many games in the last year since the IPL.

    I take ur point abt Australia and the IPL.

  16. Akash said...
     

    That this chart chronicles India's schedule post IPL 08, is what makes it erroneous/misleading. Proceeding from the World T20 in 07 until IPL 08, India played 7 ODI's v Australia; 50DI's+3 Tests v Pak;4 tests + 10ODI's v Aus/SL and 3 tests v Safrica. A total of 22 ODI's and 10 test matches, in six months of cricket.
    Also, the IPL ensures that the fifteen Indian squad members are certainties for all their league/knockout games. Not so for the Saffers. #analysisfail

  17. Unknown said...
     

    Ok, so let me get this straight. The Indians are complaining about being tired after playing in a competition that the BCCI had organized? How is it any one else's fault other than the BCCI?

    One might argue that the ICC might have forced their hand with regards to the scheduling of IPL, but seriously, can ICC really force the BCCI to do anything these days?

    The BCCI prioritizes money over the fitness of its team, which is why they held the IPL so close to the world cup. The players prioritize money over their team's success, which is why they opted to play in the IPL instead of resting, like Ponting did.

    The Indians got found out technically, they were over-confident and they underestimated their opposition. That is the bitter truth, the Indians would be wise to acknowledge that instead of making excuses.

  18. Q said...
     

    Akash,

    Welcome to Well Pitched.

    Firstly, I'll come to the IPL.

    Sure all 15 of India's World T20 squad members played all the matches in the IPL for their teams, barring Sehwag and Zaheer who sat out a few cos of injury.

    As many as 11 of the South African squad members, and 7 Sri Lanka squad members, and 5 of the NZ squad members were firts choice players in their IPL XIs.

    I don't see much of a difference between 13 Indians and 11 South Africans who played all the games in the IPL.

    Also, before the cup everyone was talking abt how the IPL benefitted everyone and how it will be great for the players in the World T20.. all of a sudden it is now an excuse for the exit of the Indian team?

    Secondly, u talk about the time between 2007 World T20 and the 2008 IPL and say that India played all those ODIs and test during that time.

    Well its always good to see what the others are doing before saying that u r doing more of it.

    During the period u mentioned, India played 19 ODIs and 10 test matches.

    South Africa during the same time played 16 ODIs and 12 tests.

    Australia 16 ODIs and 6 tests.

    So u see what I am getting at is that sure India is playing a lot of cricket, but the other teams are as well.

    Pick out any period in a season or calendar year and u will not find India playing drastically more cricket than other teams.

    India from here goes to WI for 5 ODIs and 2 tests...

    Well the Ashes 5 tests series also starts..

    And Pak goes to SL for 3 tests and 5 ODIs.

    So why is it that only India is complaining of too much cricket?

  19. Q said...
     

    "The Indians got found out technically, they were over-confident and they underestimated their opposition. That is the bitter truth, the Indians would be wise to acknowledge that instead of making excuses."

    You're right Hani.

    And the truth is that Dhoni is saying exactly that.

    It is Kirsten who is talking abt the scheduling and the IPL and so on.. probably to save his ass and pass the buck...

    I don't agree with it.

  20. Akash said...
     

    Admittedly, Dhoni's strategies confounded. Raina's back foot ineptitude too. These are significant, but not overriding when you consider that this performance was devoid of energy. Paraphrasing Dhoni's statement,
    if a team performs at 80% potential, it can win games; this time we were at 50%. To Kirsten's credit, his mention of fatigue was not in hindsight. He suggested it in May. And he needn't worry about his contract. India's trophy cabinet is looking all right, having beaten nearly everyone since he was instated in 07.

    The more enlightening IPL stat is that 14 of India's T20WC squad members were regulars for their franchise, having played more than ten games. South Africa had 6.

  21. Q said...
     

    Akash,

    Graeme Smith, Boucher, AB, JP, Gibbs, Kallis, Albie Morkel, and Van Der Merwe all played more than 10 games for their teams - thats 10 of them.

    Botha played the last 5... Yusuf Abdullah the first 9... the other Morkel and Steyn didn't play much..

    So its not much difference.

    Anyhow.. I know Kirsten had spoken abt it in May as well, even then I did not agree with him.

    I refuse the believe that the Indians are playing more cricket than other countries..

    Most of the top nations - India, Aus, SA are playing an equal amount of cricket.. Eng are not far behind either..

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