Dear Editor,
As team sports go, cricket is ancient. It is therefore understandable that much of it is traditional. The role of captaincy is one aspect of the game that deserves some examination.
International matches (except for the 20-20 variety) are played over periods ranging from 8 hours to 5 days, and are therefore ideally suited to strategic planning. Modern international teams (except for the West Indies with its special practices) have, at a minimum, a manager, a head coach, a batting coach, a bowling coach a fielding coach, a statistician (computer guru), a public relations officer, a sports psychologist, and a core of experienced players.
Why on earth, for example, would such a team give to one person, the captain, the responsibility for deciding whether to send in the opposition to bat first. It sounds absurd to me. Why doesn’t the coaching staff, with input from the captain, prepare a game plan, including a daily plan during Test matches, with mechanisms for transmitting messages on and off the field; have the captain immerse himself in the plan like a football quarterback prior to the game so that he could execute it properly, giving him some discretion for making on-field changes dictated by circumstances.
Speech-making can be left to the manager or someone designated by him, with the captain restricted to pro forma public relations small talk.
The selection of the team should be a management function; the captain should not be a member of the selection committee on the simple ground that a captain may have sentimental favourites, which may cloud his judgment.
In these circumstances the appointment of a captain will no longer be a big deal. He will be chosen from the best eleven selected and will usually be the most experienced or the one most likely to have the most influence on his team mates.
Management, including the coaching staff, will be hired for a specific period with a clear understanding that it will be judged by results.
Finally, it is not too late to make arrangements to add Bravo and Pollard to the World Cup squad. More difficult things have been achieved.
Yours faithfully,
Romain Pitt
