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Q. Fortune favours the brave, said captain Rohit Sharma after winning the Men’s T20 World Cup. For you, what was the Big Takeaway from Team India’s Big Win?
A: Can’t agree more with Rohit Sharma. However, cliched the adage may sound, but the Indian team under Rohit had demonstrated on Saturday night how to maintain bravery and composure in the face of significant competitive challenge throughout the tournament.
My takeaway from Team India’s win are:
- In T20s, individual uniqueness and collective accountability can co-exist as part of a shared belief.
- Consistency (bordering on conservatism and boldness to experiment) might not always be bereft of virtue. Eg Indian team remained unchanged throughout the tournament inspite of a few lacklustre performance of a few players and a significant bench strength.
- Rohit perhaps ticked all the boxes of inspirational leadership, but the glorious uncertainty of cricket, especially in T20 format, needs dynamic and real-time experiment with decision like bowling change or batting order which even a coach can’t predict always. So, ability to take risk or make experiment might be a visceral instinct and is not an algorithm.
- Baggage of a past moment could be a liability. One has to see beyond the last ball or last stroke, as one is as good as the last one and a fresh approach to the next ball or the next catch ensures a perpetual focus on the next moment (future focus mentality).
- Finally, phlegmatism or equanimity to any situation and remaining positive are the hallmark of a winner, almost always. The Indian team demonstrated it amply in many crunch games including the last Saturday’s one.