The most dangerous word in competitive sports isn't defeat; it's the fear of it. Indian cricket coach Gautam Gambhir’s insistence on playing on crumbling pitches is a glaring advertisement of India’s strategic diffidence.
After India’s ritualistic collapse in the final innings of the first Test against South Africa, Gambhir doubled down on his philosophy of preferring volatile, rank turners that start misbehaving from day one. We wanted the exact same pitch, he argued. His rationale: these snake-pit type pitches take the toss out of the equation.
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THE FLAW
Gambhir's aggro posits the philosophy as strategic genius. But bereft of the words, it is a profound act of strategic surrender.
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