Ind Vs Eng: Seniors' Guidance Missing, Says Kapil

Former captain Kapil Dev has lashed out at the Indian players for lacking team spirit in the ongoing Test series against England and also criticised senior cricketers, including captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar, for not motivating the youngsters in the team.

The former all-rounder, who led India to their maiden World Cup title in 1983, slammed Dhoni's men for going through the motions during the ongoing four-Test series which England have already pocketed 3- 0 with one match left.

"Indian players did not play as a team. I am not trying to blame anybody but I think they played too much cricket. Within four days of winning the World Cup you play the IPL. They then travel to West Indies for a tour and then from there (go) to England. I think our players were going through the motions more than their love for the game," Kapil said.

Asked whether there were any other reason for the humiliating defeat against England that has dislodged India from the number one position, Kapil said the seniors have not played a role in guiding the youngsters during the tour.

"No cricketer walked up to young bowlers to advise them on what line to bowl. Dhoni could go up to Ishant (Sharma) and tell this. Media termed him as 'Captain Cool'. He says everybody should know their job," he said.

"In Indian sports, we have not reached that level where all the players know what they should do. We still look up to captain and senior players. We need somebody with aggression. All the senior players have become so senior that they do not want to be aggressive." Asked for his take on Dhoni and the team spirit, Kapil said seniors players like Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman are not sharing their experience with bowlers.

"If you ask Sehwag who is your guru, he will say Sachin. If you ask Yuvraj, he will say Sachin.

But I've never seen Sehwag or Sachin or Laxman, with their bundle of experience in batting, walking up to the bowlers to advise them the correct line to bowl," he said.

"I do not know whether I am making sense or not. But in my opinion, the new theory in Indian cricket is that bowlers have to work themselves and batsmen need to do everything by themselves.

"The required guidance is not there. Maybe, I cannot see that what they talk about. I was not on the ground or in the dressing room. My observations are totally based on what I see (during matches) on television."

Kapil said tiredness couldn't be cited as an excuse. "No. Not tiredness. When you play well there is nothing like you are tired. When you don't play well then all those negative thinking sets in your mind," he said.

"England played very good cricket, perhaps it is after 15 or 20 years that England looks like an English team in every sense.

The difference between England and India is that England has great allrounders who can bat and bowl well. They are the trump cards in their team and they are the strength. Unfortunately our team looked totally lost because we do not have a single all- rounder."

Posted in: Breaking News