Perform or perish

In corporate terms, the perform or perish policy has been in vogue for several years. Indian cricket, too, needs it. On Thursday, like a hailstorm whistling through the woods to leave behind its trail of destruction, Team India was blown away by England at the Adelaide Oval in the semi-finals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022.

Minutes after the destruction job had been completed by the professional English captain Jos Butler and his men, knives were out for the Indian team. Understandable that, as Butler's counterpart, Rohit Sharma was smiling, no doubt, but was a disaster as a batter and captain in this fast and furious campaign Down Under.

For all those who were licking their fingers in the hope of seeing an India versus Pakistan final at the MCG today, the benumbing loss to England by ten wickets was painful. Such was the hype over Men in Blue, and chants of bringing back the trophy reaching a crescendo, they had forgotten what it was like to play professional cricket in a big match.

On the big stage, the pressure is huge and one has to step up. Hearing the comments from Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid after the nightmarish loss to England, it was clear these two leaders of Indian cricket are not good.

One has to congratulate the two English openers — Alex Hales and Butler — for their batting which bordered on insanity. They collared the meek Indian bowling attack with clinical efficiency wherein each Indian bowler on view looked like club class, as if brought from gully cricket to play a big match.

It is very easy to be critical of the bowlers in the shortest format of the game, and in white ball cricket in general. A few pointers for the honchos of Indian cricket on the field and in the dressing room/dugout or whatever you call it. After such a painful loss, the captain does not go out and say the pressure was too much.

Hello, captain Rohit, you not only have forgotten the art of batting, you are a disaster with words. A captain stands up for the team. A captain sinks last when the ship goes down. One is not talking of the Titanic, which most of us would have seen in movies and relished, but this was skipper Rohit Sharma — the dubious leader who did not deliver.

There was fanfare and fan-following when Rohit was named skipper last year, in all formats. At the same time, Rahul Dravid was named coach. It is no secret that today these two guys are a disaster. They were supposed to be radiant and the fountain head of ideas. No, both Rohit and Rahul Dravid were like the proverbial sulks, just not in sync with reality.

Winning a few matches in the league phase has this rare ability to camouflage weaknesses. First things first. Most of India's problems began at the top of the order. These days, KL Rahul resembles an actor who has forgotten the lines on the stage. He came to form, in between, but overall, his lack of application and inability to last out the Power Play in tandem with his skipper was horrible. The averages of the openers say it all. One had an average of 21.33 (strike rate 120.74) and the other 19.33 (strike rate 106.42). In a nutshell, it tells you Team India floundered at the top and there can be no excuses for such brittle performances in a World Cup. They are singularly responsible for ensuring Team India never began well and how tough it was for the batters coming below to step up.

What Virat Kohli, who scored four half centuries in the World Cup, and Surya Kumar Yadav did, was worth its weight in gold. It's sad that the efforts from these two men and Hardik Pandya, a true lion, was not enough for the Indian team to advance further in the tournament. The flashes of brilliance and the moments they have left behind will keep us all engaged and engrossed for a very long time. The grammar of Kohli's batting was solid as granite and the versatility and virility of SKY's (Surya Kumar Yadav) batting resembled shades of AB de Villiers. Hardik has shown that he is a cricketer who not only delivered in the IPL but is a genuine all-rounder.

To be sure, the BCCI has made a big mistake by naming Rohit and Rahul as the captain and vice-captain for the Bangladesh tour. These two men should be sent on long leave and come back only if they can prove themselves again. For the tour to New Zealand, we have Shikhar Dhawan as captain in ODIs. Does it show he is getting younger or Indian cricket is starved of quality openers?

Rohit Sharma's captaincy has been a bit like flat and stale beer. He and his coach were brought in last year by the BCCI for two reasons. Sourav Ganguly wanted Kohli and Shastri out, and he achieved it. Dravid had to be cajoled into taking up the coach's job at a big, fat salary. Why, because egos in the BCCI had to be satiated. These two men — Rohit and Rahul Dravid — need to be assessed. The corporate philosophy has to be applied here, of perform or perish. The second reason why the BCCI brought in Dravid and Rohit was to win ICC trophies!

Yes, they have long contracts, at least till the end of the 2023 World Cup (ODI) to be held in India. If the BCCI calls itself a professional body, it must show professionalism in dealing with the coach and captain for non-performance. Shedding crocodile tears is not enough. These two guys — Dravid and Rohit — have made India cry and billions are weeping over dreams ruined.

The love affair between the Indian fan and cricket is pure and passionate. Billions of people who worship the cricketers like deities have been let down. Billions who pray for India's success look up to the cricketers as Gods who will answer prayers. Look at the way players from Pakistan invoke Allah. They have no qualms about it. It's the faith in their religion as well as the other religion called cricket.

The problem with Indian cricket leaders and those close to the field — Dravid and Rohit — is that they are arrogant and have agendas. From mismanaging Jasprit Bumrah's workload and injury to rendering Ravindra Jadeja becoming unfit for the ICC World T20, both these guys had a role to play. Rohit takes more leave than any other cricketer. For what? He comes back and fails. So, ask him what value he brings to the team.

Dravid has been like the pouting Prime Minister India once had! He would never open his mouth but run the government through a five-year period, least mindful of what others thought! As this column is not about politics, I am leaving out the name of the late Prime Minister, for sheer respect.

Dravid cannot be quiet or give an impression he will deal with cricketing matters while fans will be wiping their own tears. What was meant to be India versus Pakistan in the final at Melbourne has now come in for such harsh whiplash from across the border on social media and media; Dravid and Rohit are not going to help you go through this emotional crisis.

Sunil Gavaskar remarked heads will roll, after India lost. Well, that was a profound statement. Yes, you need to build the team for the next ICC T20 World Cup in 2024. Men in their mid 30s will be out or should be out. With due respect to Kohli, he should also say goodbye to T20 international cricket as he has nothing left to prove. Before that Rohit, Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, all on the wrong side of 30s, should pack up from T20 international cricket.

The Indian bowling was average. Bhuvi and Shami were club class. Their time is up. We need to find new bowlers, where, unfortunately, the Indian team management seems clueless. Arshdeep needs to be mentored and guided properly. We hope and pray Bumrah will be back. Yet, to break his back in all formats is not needed.

Last point, the way Rohit picked his bowlers was a nightmare. Axar Patel and Ashwin were flop shows. Why did he forget Yuzi Chahal? Why did Rohit hesitate in using more than five regular bowlers. England had no qualms about using seven bowlers, where someone like Moeen Ali was so under-bowled.

Captaincy is an art and a science. Rohit has come short and so has Dravid. These two guys need to be assessed just as you and I are in our respective jobs. Perform, or perish.

Today is the final in Melbourne, England versus Pakistan. Good luck guys, you have shown that cricket has to be played professionally and with passion. Let's see who wins. Sadly, for India, we have been left behind as cheerleaders! Blame it on Rohit and Dravid.

Views expressed are personal