
It is now time for Pyjama Cricket and rethinking the future of Indian cricket

By: Yajurvindra Singh
Email: sunnybilkha@hotmail.com
January 24th 2025:
The advent of T20 cricket has brought about a sigh of relief for Indian cricket. India, the existing world champions in this format, are playing a 5 match T20 series against England. A convincing win in the very 1st match has given a new lease of life to the Indian side and especially for their coach Gautam Gambhir.
The Indian Test series debacle will soon become a forgotten chapter as India once again get their teeth into Pyjama cricket. The Champions Trophy is the next big event in the world of cricket and with the 3 match ODI series against England before this tournament, India should be well prepared to compete effectively in it.
Fortunately for India, the matches will be played in Dubai and the conditions there should be suitable for them. India had won the cup in 2013 and then lost to Pakistan in 2017 in the final. Since then the Covid outbreak was instrumental in giving a skip to the tournament in the ICC cricket calendar.
The One Day International (ODI) format is gradually losing its sheen. The middle 30 overs are becoming a drudge, as teams are consolidating their position for the final launch. The bowlers are restricted and with the spread out field, the batters are having a field day in milking the attack. They do not need to take much risk to keep the scoreboard ticking, however, this phase of the game has become tedious and boring for a spectator. One can visualize the gradual phasing out of the 50 over format especially due to the popularity of the T20 version and the revival of interest in Test cricket.
The next Test series for India is in June’25 in England and with Pyjama cricket taking center stage, the disappointment that the Indian followers felt after the Test series defeats would be well forgotten.
The cricket circus, as the IPL is popularly referred to, has revolutionized the game of cricket in India. The evening cricket entertainment during the IPL period and the phenomenal crowd at every venue is a testimony of its success. The league has been instrumental in churning out a host of talented cricketers, many from the smaller towns of India where one never imagined cricket existed.
The issue now that Indian cricket faces is to utilize talent to its maximum. There are now 3 formats of the game that needs to be addressed. The challenge for the wise men of Indian cricket will be to identify players for each one of them. The problem Indian cricket faces is not being able to foresee the expiry date of certain players. Past performance and status, quite understandably, are taking precedence over form. This has been the trend followed by Indian cricket in the past, however, with cricketers now mushrooming from every corner of India, a change in the approach needs to be brought about soon. This is the only way for Indian cricket to flourish going forward.
This brings into the limelight the importance of domestic cricket. The Ranji Trophy is a great platform to identify players for the longer format of the game. The domestic IPL, T20 and ODI tournaments are ideal platforms for identifying players for the shorter format. The problem that arises today is the preference given to players who have done well in the IPL who then go on to play for India directly. This diffuses the very essence and importance of domestic cricket.
One feels sorry for Karun Nair. A triple Test century against England was not enough for him to retain his place in the Indian Test side for the following Test match. He found himself in the doldrum when Karnataka, his home state, also deserted him. Playing for Vidarbha this year in the Vijay Merchant Trophy, he notched up 779 runs in 9 matches with a phenomenal average of 389.50 along with 5 centuries to boast of. This performance should have got him a place in the ODI side to play against England. Unfortunately, lady luck did not shine his way. This is a prime example of a domestic cricketers performance being ignored. One can understand the frustration and disappointment that Karun must be going through.
However, one does not envy the difficult position that Ajit Agarkar and his band of selectors are facing presently. The cupboard is full of talented Indian cricketers, the problem is choosing the right one. The easy way for them is to go with the tried and tested, however, one feels “ boldness in selection” is the only way out for India to perform well in the three upcoming important tournaments, the T 20 World Cup in 2026, the ODI World Cup in 2028 and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. The coming Champions trophy would be an ideal platform to make an emphatic change, if not one feels Indian cricket will remain stagnant.
(Yajurvindra Singh is a former India cricketer. The views expressed are personal.)