Whichever way you might wish to want to see it, the BCCI’s list of 10 commandments, the biggest talking point in cricketing circles currently, aimed at maintaining an egalitarian cricketing sub-society, ironically tells us a lot about the ‘superstar culture’ that has set in in Indian cricket in recent times.
One thing that needs to be made clear right off the bat is that a lot of these rules existed earlier too, under previous captains. There is no archive material available that suggests that the rules were officially changed. In other words, it looks like some players decided to do things their own way and were not stopped by anyone in charge. Clearly, these players thought that the rules didn’t apply to them, or, worse, that they were powerful enough to go against the system. That is a definite problem area. Former India cricketers like Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan have echoed similar sentiments. Harbhajan, in fact, went on record to say, “At least nine out of 10 points…are the same [from his time as an active cricketer].”
What The 10 Diktats Are
By now, everyone who tracks Indian cricket will be well aware of what the 10 commandments are. There are some that stand out because they are significant, like players making themselves available for domestic cricket, travelling with the team for matches, tours and practice sessions, complete availability for all scheduled practice sessions, and staying on with the team even if Test matches end before the scheduled end dates. These are rules that players should be following no matter what. Maintaining a certain team spirit is critical.
However, clearly, not everyone sees it that way perhaps. With the Indian team having gone through a nightmare time in Test cricket, especially of late, the powers that be have decided that the players need to be reminded in an official manner about a few rules that haven’t been followed down to the letter.
That’s turning out to be a bit of a tightrope to walk, even for the Board. After all, the superstar culture exists because the players have been elevated to the level of superstars. No one said anything about following these rules when the team was consistently doing well—at home and abroad in a country like Australia—where they won two back-to-back Test series before the last one.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar’s comment, “It’s not a school, it’s not punishment”, referring to the 10-point list, further highlights the conundrum the people in charge must be experiencing right now. Stressing on “discipline”, “team unity” and “cohesion” at a time when the team is going through a rough patch under a new coach might sound like a good plan to show to the world that the Board is cracking the whip and trying to get everybody in line (without ruffling any feathers), but there are two problems with that. One, does the Board really think that reiterating basic rules will lift performance on the field? And two, if they actually think that, then why was this strict reminder not sent out earlier? Were they waiting for a lean phase to set in before reminding some of the biggest superstars of the sport that cricket is a team game?
It’s quite a common occurrence. A kind of inertia sets in when things are going smoothly. As long as there is no emergency and results are sustained, the tendency is to let things continue the way they are, allowing people to do what they individually want to do. However, as soon as a dire need to change arises, one rushes to make sure all the rules are followed, down to the last detail. The question, though, that we have to ask here is, why aren’t rules followed, regardless of how smoothly things are going? Why must a team be reminded of some of the most basic rules of a team sport, like staying together as a group in the same team hotel, travelling on the same team bus, or not leaving for their homes if a match finishes early?
More To Domestic Cricket
Nonetheless, credit where credit is due. The Indian men’s senior cricket team needed a reminder that the ‘superstar culture’ had to be curbed. Kudos to the people who were part of the meeting where this 10-point list was drawn up again. The suggestion that players should make themselves available for domestic cricket whenever possible so as to stay eligible for national selection is critical. Not only does it help in ending the ‘superstar culture’, but it also gives a boost to domestic cricket’s structure. Imagine a Delhi vs Mumbai match with Virat and Pant squaring off against Rohit and Surya. Then, there’s the valuable game time that out-of-form cricketers can leverage out of this. Players who play all three formats not wanting to get into domestic cricket while on a break is still understandable, but why players who are struggling to find form would want to fight this is beyond this writer.
It’s good to see Virat Kohli making himself available for the Delhi team for the last round of Ranji Trophy group matches. This is the first time since 2012 that he will turn up for a domestic match. Other star players like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja have also made themselves available.
Pain Points
A few other rules, like participation in official BCCI engagements, players paying for any separate arrangement that needs to be made for their bags to be sent to the centre of excellence, and new excess baggage limits will not make anyone lose any sleep. But some others, like restrictions on personal staff, will need the players to get used to major logistical changes. A few reports have claimed that a certain player in the team has been known to travel with his personal chef, while another with bodyguards and a nanny for his children. The Board wants to end this. Clearly, BCCI officials feel that a return to the original protocol will allow players to focus on only the job at hand and help them see each other as a team and not just as individuals who come together on the field to play a team sport.
The biggest bone of contention though seems to be the diktat that on tours of 45 days or more, players’ partners and families can’t stay with them for more than two weeks and that they can’t accompany players at all during the first two weeks of the tour. On shorter tours, families can stay with the players for up to a week. Not surprisingly, media reports have suggested that the players are not very happy with this. In fact, Rohit Sharma was heard talking to Ajit Agarkar about it at the press conference where the squads for the ODI leg of the England home series and the upcoming Champions Trophy were announced. The Indian captain thought that the microphone was switched off and was heard telling the chief selector that he would have to have a meeting with the BCCI Secretary, Devajit Saikia, about the restrictions on families travelling with the team. He also mentioned how multiple players have talked to him about this, indicating that the players are not happy with the rule.
Interestingly, however, this is not a new rule and is, in fact, part of players’ contracts. According to reports, in 2018, the then captain, Virat Kohli, had requested that this rule be relaxed. The rule was eased off quite a bit during the Covid-19 pandemic, when players were given the choice to induct their families in the team bubble on mental health grounds. It would be interesting to hear what Gautam Gambhir’s views are on this.
This one is a tough rule to debate, after all. Different things work for different players. And yet, the rule has to be the same for everyone. Let’s just hope that the re-emphasis on and implementation of these diktats doesn’t deepen any rifts in the Indian team at a time when consolidation is key. A lot is at stake.
(The author is a former sports editor and primetime sports news anchor. He is currently a columnist, features writer and stage actor)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
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