Back from their Caribbean trip, Team India may not have liked the reception at Indian airports. Surely, they must have expected it at the back of their minds, what with the disaster that the country has witnessed at the World Cup. Now it is a four-year wait and a start from scratch.

The flak has followed all that hype and hoopla, adulation from genuine lovers of the game.

One really can’t blame them. This seems to be the only game that could possibly bring back international laurels. Indians rank nowhere in other disciplines — be it hockey or football, basketball or just name it. Maybe only kabaddi! Mind you, I am not talking about individual games.

So it’s down to kabaddi.

Who could be held responsible for this catastrophe? The team was virtually considered the best ever, well balanced, great mix of experience and young blood and bubbling with confidence. Many declared Team India as sure-shot semi-finalists, if not finalists before landing in the West Indies.

Add to that the hype created by the electronic media and the corporates. In the middle, there was little knowledge of the fickleness of Indian cricket, its’ ‘glorious’ uncertainties, and the dubious and disastrous records overseas. They badly wanted some recognition abroad, just once in a blue moon perhaps. Ironically, the players always wear blue. These corporate head honchos have learnt their lessons the hard way, though at the cost of the public and their shareholders.

Post-mortem analyses are on. There will be committees and sub-committees appointed, and all these reports will find their way into some cold storage, away from reality. We are damn good at it. It is presumed that many heads will roll and scapegoats will be found.

... contd.