AS AN immediate reaction to the disastrous tour Down Under where India surrendered the Border Gavaskar Trophy the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has come out with a new rule book seeking to instil military discipline in the team. The multi-point diktat seems a combined effort of two extremely proud gentlemen -- Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir -- who are seeking a new template for Indian cricket for the future. Yet, the curbs sought for the players hold potential of creating a rift between the seniors and the coach as Gambhir sets course to cancel the start culture in Indian dressing room.

 

The BCCI diktats, released after a meeting with Gambhir, Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma, now bars players from using private cars when rest of the team is on the bus, no extra baggage, no long stay with families, no personal security or staff, no returning home if games end early and many other restrictions. One good thing the new rules has done is making domestic games compulsory for all players when not on national duties. It should bring primacy back to domestic cricket which hardly sees top players appearing for their state teams. However, the other school-like restrictions can leave a sulking feeling among the senior players who are used to enjoy a special status in the dressing room. The culture of no prima donnas in the dressing room is difficult to practice in a set-up like Indian cricket where seniors earn their position of respect due to the hard yards in their early days. The juniors look at them as role models and it automatically creates an aura around them.

 

The coach or the BCCI needs to find out if the seniority is being misused by the top stars rather than bringing them at par with all. That coach Gambhir will have to implement the new curbs makes his job extra tough, especially after the heat he is facing for the series loss in Australia and reported rift with the senior players. The changes will be in place immediately in a few days’ time during the England One-Dayers before the team takes part in the Champions Trophy. It hardly gives time for Gambhir to prepare himself to do the hard job of handling the dressing room as per his wishes. It will be the real test of his man-management skills though he has spent a considerable time with the team members since taking over as coach in July last.

 

The changed atmosphere and questions over future of some senior players would impact the overall behaviour for which Gambhir will have to be at his accommodative best. He can easily draw from the Gary Kirsten template when the South African managed a star-studded Indian team with resounding success to lead India to World Cup victory in 2011. Gambhir was part of that group and worked closely with Kirsten. He saw how Kirsten took a relaxed approach to form a wonderful camaraderie with the seniors as well as the juniors. It should guide Gambhir in the future.