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From 'Chokers' to Chasers : A meteoric
transition |
Apr 8, 2006 (From the
Cricket Journal)
 Not
so long ago, the term 'choking' was as
synonymous with the Indian team as Sachin
Tendulkar. If I remember right, it came to
serious light when India last toured Zimbabwe
for the triangular series, and it was a case of
'yet-another-final, yet-another-failure'. One
did not have to be a nuclear scientist to
theorize India's inverse relation to pressure.
It seemed as though a phobia was wading through
the minds of the eleven men in blue. The rot had
to be stemmed to pursue greater success in the
ODIs. India's inability to cope with the larger
demands of chasing targets surely made its way
onto Greg Chappell's priority list. For once,
there was a transparent acknowledgement of the
problem by the coach and to change this
perception was going to be a daunting task.
Chasing, to say was never India's forte. They
had showed spells of brilliance off and on, but
consistency, while reacting to the scores set
was never there. There was a Natwest Series
final, where India did more than enough to chase
down 324, but in dark contrast there was the
Asia Cup, where India stooped their way in
pursuit of 230. Such was the inconsistency and a
larger vulnerability of Team India to targets.
The only problem that seemed to have engulfed
the Indians in the past was their inability to
finish matches. There were times when India
would put themselves in positions of superiority
during a chase, and due to reasons they best
know, lose the entire plot. If anything,
finishing games was one area where India have
been found wanting. It needed serious redressal,
simply because in situations like a World Cup
semi-final, they may have to chase, purely out
of compulsion.
 Here
we are, 20 games on and India seemed to have got
the better of their mindset by successfully and
consecutively chasing down 15 out of these
games, thereby setting a new record. For
starters, India has never been a part of a
streak or a spree, so to say but with this
sudden paradigm shift in thought and mindset has
surely made a strong statement in Indian
cricket. When Greg Chappell started off his
reign as India coach, he was hounded by media
and public pressure of India not being good
chasers. And to his credit, he acknowledged the
existence of this very problem and sought
immediate remedial measures to correct it. He
used the Sri Lankan home series to bring about,
what now seems like a transformed thought and as
a spectator it was a path-breaking move to
consciously understand the frailties of the team
and correct it by setting simulated situations.
From there-on, India have seemed to have
perfected this very art of chasing.
A large share of credit for this sudden reversal
has to be given to the youngsters in the team.
There is a greater acknowledgement of
responsibility and application within these boys
and that has surely worked to their credit. The
presence of a new steely resolve has only
strengthened the mindset of the team and the
victories are a tribute to that very change in
direction. Pressure, to this Indian team seems
to be an enzyme that only made them more
determined and more responsible and the results
are there to see. In the past, with India
reeling at 90 for 5, the common tendency was to
switch off the TV sets and conduct a post-mortem
about an Indian loss, but now a distinct sense
of belief has re-emerged both within the team
and the public mindset. And another point of
satisfaction and celebration is the fact that
each chase has its own heroes. be it Yuvraj
Singh in Pakistan, Mahendra Dhoni against Sri
Lanka or Suresh Raina in the ongoing series.
"Old habits die hard", they say
! But having seen India's transformation in the
recent past, such phrases will remain phrases.
For now, it seems as though India have visibly
done away with their unwanted habits of wilting
to pressure, but it will be equally important
for India to start looking at setting targets
and winning matches than only chasing them.
Chasophobia if I may call it, is surely a thing
of the past and has translated itself into a
red-hot chasomania. If anywhere India need to
inspire themselves, it the Test matches. They
may well have lost the game at critical moments,
but they only need to look within their dressing
room to find an inspiration to correct their
wrongs. The adage of "I don't care how they
come, as long as they come !" is the new
buzzword among the Indian cricket fans. Be it by
batting-first or by chasing, an Indian win
enthralls the masses. One hopes that this
massive streak of run-chases will surely take
Indian cricket to new heights in the near
future.
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