Awesome game guys
I would like to thank the entire team for playing their hearts out to win this first and very important game of the TCA league.
Although we won the game, we all realize it was a very narrow victory against one of the low ranked opposition in the league. The margin of victory tells me that playing in league format is no child's play and serious business.
We went into the game today with the best available 11 and won it. There is no room for emotion when it comes to team selection for the future games. I know our team is formed amongst a group friends who play cricket for recreation during the weekend. However, only the best performing, deserving players have to earn a place in the playing 11 for future league games for rest of this season. Although, I have a say in the team selection, I request for the formation of a separate team selection panel comprising of our own cheetahs players to review player performance after each game and also practice/warm ups on Sundays and provide their unbiased feedback to me prior to the team selection for upcoming games. I can do this myself, but would like to eliminate any possible bias by going for a panel based selection.
With the above mentioned approach, we can make sure the same player does not have to sit out each game and also make sure we have a good team of 11 players to compete at the highest level. A player who performs consistently bad for 3 games in succession does not merit a chance in the playing 11 at the expense of a more deserving 12th/13th man in our group. This includes every single individual in the team including the team captain myself. I hope we all agree on the rationale behind this approach and commit to delivering the best effort with a single-minded devotion to succeed by winning.
We have ventured in this league in a hurried fashion without proper consensus on an objective. Having set our foot in, there can be only one way going forward, perform to win or perish with humiliation.
I have a better picture about the league intensity after being run close by a low ranked team. It is only going to be tougher as we progress through the next few games and there is clearly no room for fun factor. There is nothing wrong in having fun by winning games. However, we cannot afford to look funny by getting trashed by other league teams.
When I saw the players in our dug out during the tense last over of the game, I could read only one thing in everyone of our eyes and minds, win the game!
We are all mature group of individuals who are professionals and good friends. This is the same group (a majority) that delivered an awesome stage show performance via SWARAM.
Why did we not ask each and everyone of our friends to go on the stage and sing a song, during the performance? We knew very well who could get the job done for us. On the same lines, we need to take pride in winning these league games, as a team. Whether we are part of the playing 11 or not. I personally take immense pride in watching our team win, even if I am not playing a particular game and watching from the sidelines. Thats because I want our near and dear friends who formed this team to be part of the winning team and not get beaten by a group some strangers. During todays game, we not only had the signed up players in the Cheetahs dug out, but we also had spouses of some players and other members of our group who have not signed up for the league, showing great enthusiasm by volunteering to perform scoring duties and cheering the team.
At the end of this league season, I would like to see only one thing. Cheetahs walk out proud with chest high and not bogged down being humiliated. In order for that to happen, we all need to understand our roles and responsibilities very clearly and contribute to the team's success.
Lets be clear. There should be clear demarcation between league cricket and our weekend cricket for recreation. We should all pledge to continue our recreation cricket in the right spirit along with the fun element, no matter what the events and outcome of the league are. If some of my dear friends/players drop out of playing cricket altogether because of some tough decisions on certain occasions, I will think of it as an unfortunate outcome of this league sign up. But it is we who asked for it.
PS: If any of you disagree with my viewpoints, do not hesitate to contact me via email. I don't mind talk to you over the phone to clarify my thought process behind this content.
Hello Guruji,
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to voice your thoughts. Personally, I agree with you on most points. However, I don’t think we have time to form a new selection panel to review performance and assist with team selection – that is something we should have done BEFORE we signed up for the league.
Now that we are in the league, I think team selection should be left to the captain (yourself), Vice captain (Ram) and the manager (Ben). Our only focus (especially all the players other than the three of you) should be to try and win each game by doing the best we can and by assisting in whatever manner we are asked to, by you.
We are assuming that ALL of us will be available for ALL the games. In reality, I don’t think this will happen after the first couple of weeks. Most of us can play for only one day a week, so this dilemma about team selection arises only in the rare event that all 15 are available every week for the next two months. (Unless we are thinking of bringing in outsiders to play for the cheetahs).
I would suggest that for this TCA season, the three of you pick the team for each game. Once you have decided the team, please email everyone so each of us will know if he is part of the playing eleven or not. We are all professionals and more importantly, good friends - I am sure all of us will accept your decision in the right spirit.
All of us are committed to winning the game when we are on the field, and we will give our 100% to win it all. From a personal standpoint, I will be happy to bat / bowl / field or cheer our team - the last thing I want is to lose to outsiders.
This is a new learning experience for all of us. When this TCA season ends in 2 months, we can talk about the season, and find out how to do things in a better manner.
Go Cheetahs!
Mahesh
Great post Guruji. Letz put this whole selection thing behind us and focus on winning the coming games. We have given the selection thingy more than it's fair share of energy and now there are bigger better things to worry about. Awesome captainship on all accounts and I am confident you can take our team through some good cricket in the coming months :)
ReplyDeleteGo Cheetahs!!
Thanks Mica and Suresh. Our main focus should be on winning the games rather than team selection. If team selection activity drains most of our energy, we will not have anything left for the game during the weekend :)
ReplyDelete