India's chairman of selectors Kris Srikkanth, never dared to put any of the senior members, including V.V.S Laxman, under any sort of pressure related to performance. Srikkanth was of the belief that a player of his caliber must be given the authority to decided when to call it a day. At least, that was how he portrayed his intentions about selection in front of the media. The thought may sound extremely noble and it is one that gives an immense amount of respect to a senior pro, but it also has a dangerous side effect.
The job of a selection committee is to have at least two things ready, a short term selection plan and a long term objective. Srikkanth's selection committee would have been aware of the fact that India's Test squad had a few ageing players. Hence, they should have obviously felt the need to draft out a plan, that would aim at phasing these players out slowly, to maintain the stability of the Test side. Despite the obviousness of the situation, it looks as though the selection committee decided to play the waiting game and instead of making some tough decisions, it simply sat still until the inevitable happened. There was a need to control the outcome, and by the looks of it, that need has not been fulfilled.
First, India lost Rahul Dravid as the side's best number three batsman dished out a surprise retirement statement. That seemed to show a slight lapse in planning from the selection committee, but it could still be ignored as an exception in a plan that might have existed. Laxman's retirement now, certainly shows that there might not actually be any plan in place at all. Surely, the plan can't be to sit and wait till India's finest bail out on their side at their own free will.
If India continues to go forward without any apparent plan that focusses on its future progress as a Test playing nation, then they could surely fade away for a years. When Australia lost Shane Warne, Glen McGrath and Justin Langer at the same time, they certainly felt the heat. At the rate at which India seems to be losing its players over the past few months, they might see themselves go along the same path. The real risk for India now is the fact that two of its senior members have stepped down without grooming the next brand of cricketers, and what's worse is the fact that soon a third might hang his boots. Sachin Tendulkar is 39 years old and he too could decide to put his bat away in the cabinet after a while, and when that happens India might struggle to find its feet, unless they plan for it.
There still is a way forward and a way to get past the hurdles that appear to have sprung up from nowhere. India's selectors now have to draft a roadmap for the way ahead and plan on how to phase out the remaining experience and bring in the upcoming talent, without disturbing the equilibrium. The likes of Virender Sehwag, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan and Sachin are still there in the side to guide the younger talent that comes in. What needs to be determined is the time frame within which each of these names must be asked to step down. When that is adequately planned out, India might be able to field a side that has a bunch of youngsters who already know how to take their team forward in the longest format of the game.
For the moment, India seems to have failed in determining exactly when its senior players must make the walk back home. As a result, two of its finest middle order batsmen have left their side in disarray. India could have done with the services of Laxman for a little longer, especially after losing Dravid. Laxman would have been the perfect calming influence in the dressing room and would surely have been able to mentor the younger cricketers. Sadly though, as it stands, for positions three and five, India will have to take the leap of faith and go in with the inexperience that they have. India had the option of letting this be a matter of choice, but that time has gone by and now this has simply become a matter of chance.
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