All that Glitters..

The current direction in which the Indian cricket is heading is in a way indicative of the countries collective psyche.We are inclined towards individuals or phenomenons which dazzle,rather than the substance. We celebrate talent but fail to recognize qualities like gut,determination and hard work.

Invariably our news makers are prodigies like Yuvraj Singhs,Sania Mirzas or Vinod Kamblis. No doubt these are tremendous talents. But somehow lack the application or adaptability to sustain at the highest level. A Sania Mirza marriage gets 10 days of extensive media coverage. Where as Vishwantahan Anands world championship victory will just be a footnote. Part of the reason could be the game of Chess itself,which requires some intellect to follow. But for the larger part it is to do with the individual,Vishy. He is not media savvy like a Tendulkar or a Dhoni.Nor he is a page 3 regular known for his nocturnal activities.

Watching current crop of cricketers playing in the World T20 it was hard not to notice lack of commitment and preparation. Its even harder to fathom the skills that they lacked in facing a short ball. For they knew it was coming ,well in advance. Dropping catches and missed stops was a norm. This was supposed to be the much hyped Youngistan with fielding coaches and drills. Some senior cricketers were chastised and abandoned for the apparent lack of skills in fielding and running between the wickets. And these youngsters fell woefully short in both the areas.

Even a movie like 3 Idiots brazenly attempts to put the natural talent aspect ahead of hard work.In a nutshell it claims that you have to be born gifted to achieve something.We embraced the genius of Rancho,the protagonist who tops the class without putting a hard yard. The concept suited us so well that the qualities like commitment,determination seemed to be almost outlandish.

Einstein said "Genius is 10% Inspiration and 90% Perspiration.". But looks like the Indian thought process is in exact opposite direction. The rationale behind putting talent ahead of other qualities could be because it presents a very convenient defense against failure. And that will be fatal.