There is a lesson in it for us

Australia's current slump is a result of cricket's inherent cyclicity, says Dennis Lillee.

 

Remember, Australian cricket has already undergone this slump when Lillee, Thommo and the Chappells retired in a bunch. Having revived and grown to dictate the International cricket scene for a decade and more, one would have thought they would have been wary of another slump. Despite experience, it is surprising that the Australian administrators, legends and cricketers assumed their dominance is permanent and now lament their fall.

 

For Indian cricket, Cricket Australia's mismanagement is a lesson. They should not to let people linger on and identify and blood youngsters before they become stale in domestic cricket. There is also the danger of breeding complacency by sticking to the same set of probables.  They should widen their net and give others a chance.

 

Having said that, the track record of our cricketing administrators are equally uninspiring. They have let quiet a few stalwarts milk their reputation. One also sees the same faces replacing the other and selections based on reputation and record.

 

If Indian cricket is to sustain its growth then the mind-set of all those involved in it should change from complacency to that of high alert.