All fall apart now

When things go bad for India after a hard day in the field, the following sort of emotional meltdown is depressingly inevitable:

To makes things worse the fielders weren't helped by their bowlers. With six men on the off side, Harbhajan bowled far too many deliveries on the pads. And kicking the ball, only to concede an overthrow, is unacceptable behaviour. Zaheer Khan did the same during a one-day match in England last summer after a catch had gone down off Matt Prior. At mid-off Kumble could only shake his head.

I've written this before on this blog, and I'll say it again. Kumble's constant on-field histrionics, his glaring and yelling at his fielders, sets a very bad example. I don't care how intense a cricketer you are, losing your cool every time someone misfields, or does something not up to your standards is a very bad way to lead a side. It gives the impression of disarray and disunity. And its contagious. Everybody gets it into their head that its OK to curse and glare at fielders, abuse each other on the ground and generally look like a bunch of excitable schoolchildren rather than professional sportsmen. To use a military analogy, an army that senses its general is losing his cool, tends to lose its cool as well. An Indian cricket team, when put under pressure by an opposing batsman, more than any other international side in the world, gives the impression of being psychologically frayed. Frankly speaking, if I was captain, and I saw someone doing what Bhajji and Zaheer are doing, I'd take them aside, and tell them that if they were interested in a career on the stage, that they apply to the National School of Drama for a scholarship. And realize that no one is perfect. What your teammates need is support, not undermining. Its not as if Harbhajan, Zaheer and Kumble are perfect fielders (in fact, all three make their share of gaffes). Its absolutely terrible for team morale to have the captain and senior players throwing tantrums on the ground. For all of Kumble's intensity, this is one area I wish he'd tone down. Watching him is painful; his behavior does not convey authority at all. It conveys a loss of control, a panic almost.

Get angry at yourself if you want, put on your worst scowl, seethe, curse a bit if you want. But don't take it out on your team-mates on television. And don't take it out on the cricket ball either. Mostly, get a backbone and grow up.