Great win for Harmanpreet’s team, and some lessons for the men
This commentary contrasts the success of the Indian women's cricket team in England with the struggles of the men's team. It suggests that the men's team suffered from poor planning, selection issues, and an over-reliance on IPL-style tactics.
Why it matters
The piece highlights the importance of strategic preparation and team management in international sports, contrasting different approaches within the same national cricket program.
What the Indian women had and the men lacked in England was better planning, more time to acclimatise (players have been there since May for the World Cup and the T20I series), sensible selection, superior captain-coach co-ordination, better fielding (that catch by Richa Ghosh at silly mid-off was one of the finest ever), and keener awareness of the game situation, all of which added up to a resounding Test win. The men’s 0-4 loss in the T20 series following the 0-2 loss to Ireland shone a light on issues that have been long glossed over.
Admittedly, the men were without Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah (rested), and skipper Surya Kumar Yadav (sacked) from the World Cup-winning side. Player-of-the tournament Sanju Samson was handled poorly, his increasing insecurity (with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waiting in the wings) used as a weapon against him.
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