Another Test series and another series loss; stars, fortunes and luck quotient everything that supposedly once worked for MS Dhoni led Team India have started to go wrong. The stars on the field and off it have either retired or changed their direction. And the luck quotient; more often than not blesses those who try hard. Or as Gary Player, the golfer said, “The harder I practice, the luckier I get.”

Dhoni holds the view that the exit from 2007 World Cup was more alarming. But what transpired post the 2007 World Cup exit shall interest Dhoni more. Back in 2007, India went to England for a Test series and won that 1-0. Although India lost the one day series that followed, there were not many doubts about how hard India tried. To put it differently, Team India showed intent to do well. And it is something that seems to be missing from Team India since a year.

Everyone is aware of the fact that fall is mandatory; no matter what field one applies his or her trade in. Be it a lowly period in business, be it a poor patch in a career of an actor or be it a loss of form in team sport. It is given that there will come a period when outcomes won’t paint a rosy picture. So, the problem is not so much with the losses or the fall from the top; but with the inability to display intent to rise and fight hard.

Although said and discussed a million times before, BCCI ought to flex their muscles to bring in structural changes. Fortunately, they have the finances to alter or overhaul the way cricket is run in India. Selectors meanwhile have to make sure that they focus on building team India for the future. It is not that there is a shortage of quality batsmen around. However, the current group of selectors should not be making the mistakes the committees before them made. Keeping Rohit Sharma away from Test XI when he was fit during 2010-11 Australia’s tour of India and during the latest tour to Australia can result in a potential loss of a batting talent. It is advisable that the new selection committee does not make such mistakes. Although it is a tad too early to say, but the on-going Ranji season has been throwing up few young pace bowlers who are raking wickets on comparatively flatter tracks. Sandeep Sharma, (Indian star in U-19 World Cup win), Rishi Dhawan and Shami Ahmed are some of the leading names.

By no means, the current state of Team India’s on-field performance is upto the mark. But as steep as it is, I feel every fall has a limit beyond which it just fails to proceed. There was a period when sports manufacturer Puma hit its all-time low; there was a time when nothing seemed to work for Amitabh Bachchan. And now Indian cricket seems to be going in an awry direction. The field may vary but ironically fall seems to be a constant variable. But so is the rise. It happened with Mr. Bachchan, it happened with Puma and so it shall with Team India. Like before, Indian fans will invest their faith in Team India. So, is Team India ready to show intent? If yes, then vindication of that faith is incidental.