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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 7:24:18 pm

Domestic Cricket: The Road to Team India

India needs a clear selection policy that establishes consistent standards for newcomers and established stars alike. Indian cricket’s domestic circuit has often been described as the foundation on which the national team is built. Yet, there is a need to reinforce a fundamental principle: a place in Team India must be earned through performance, not protected by reputation. Domestic cricket must remain the most credible proving ground for aspiring players, established stars, dropped...

Domestic Cricket: The Road to Team India

India needs a clear selection policy that establishes consistent standards for newcomers and established stars alike. Indian cricket’s domestic circuit has often been described as the foundation on which the national team is built. Yet, there is a need to reinforce a fundamental principle: a place in Team India must be earned through performance, not protected by reputation. Domestic cricket must remain the most credible proving ground for aspiring players, established stars, dropped cricketers and those returning after a break. For an aspiring cricketer, scoring runs in the Ranji Trophy or taking wickets in the Duleep Trophy should carry considerable weight in the selection process. Talent may open the door, but sustained performance in competitive conditions should determine whether a player deserves to walk through it. Reputation and potential cannot become permanent substitutes for runs, wickets and match-winning contributions. The same principle must apply to established international players. India needs a transparent selection policy that clearly establishes when a player is expected to return to domestic cricket, what performance benchmarks will be considered and under what circumstances an exemption may be granted. Without such consistency, selection risks appearing subjective. Different standards could be applied to established stars and those waiting for their first international opportunity. When a Test cricketer is dropped for poor form, returning to domestic cricket should be the natural next step. A few net sessions cannot replicate the pressure of a four-day or five-day contest. A batter needs to spend hours at the crease and negotiate different bowling spells. The player must also convert starts into substantial scores. A bowler needs to demonstrate rhythm, control and stamina, as well as the ability to sustain pressure across long spells. Domestic cricket provides evidence of improvement rather than merely an assurance that a player has been working on his game. Selection should therefore be linked to demonstrated form and readiness, rather than an automatic recall based on past achievements. There is an equally strong case for regular Test players to represent their state teams whenever the international calendar permits. Those who are rested or have a break between two Test series should consider domestic matches an opportunity, not an inconvenience. Red-ball cricket demands a temperament different from that required in shorter formats. The ability to leave deliveries, bat through difficult sessions and negotiate reverse swing cannot be developed entirely in the nets. Players must also learn to maintain concentration over several hours. The selection policy must distinguish between a player who is rested for workload management and one who is dropped for poor performance. A rested player should follow an appropriate preparation and match-readiness plan, while a dropped player should have a clear route back through competitive cricket. Injury-related exemptions must be based on medical advice. International commitments should also be accommodated through sensible scheduling. Most importantly, exemptions should not become privileges reserved for marquee players. If a young cricketer must score consistently in domestic cricket to earn a place, an established international should not be assured selection merely because he has delivered in the past. Seniority deserves respect, but it cannot guarantee a place in the playing XI. The Board of Control for Cricket in India and the selectors should establish clear expectations for participation in domestic red-ball competitions. Workload management, injury rehabilitation and national duty should be recognised as legitimate grounds for exemption. Such a policy would improve accountability, strengthen the Ranji Trophy and give selectors a more reliable basis for assessing form. Domestic cricket also benefits from the participation of international players. It allows younger cricketers to test themselves against experienced opponents and learn the demands of elite competition. Ultimately, domestic cricket should be neither a punishment for failure nor a ceremonial obligation. It must be an integral part of a cricketer’s professional life. Team India selection must be a merit-based process, not a privilege earned through reputation. For newcomers, domestic cricket is the route to recognition; for dropped players, it is the path to redemption; and for established stars, it is an opportunity to demonstrate that they remain worthy of the national colours.

India's Balance Sheet and the Middle-Class Reality

Writer: Sayli Gadakh
Sayli Gadakh
Feb 17
3 min read

A strong national balance sheet ultimately strengthens household balance sheets.

On budget mornings, millions of middle-class families across India do the same mental math: Will income tax fall? Will daily life become cheaper? Can we save more this year? The Union Budget is often reduced to these immediate questions. But if we step back and read Budget 2026 the way a chartered accountant reads a balance sheet, a deeper story emerges—one about the country’s financial strength, future earning capacity, and the sustainability of its growth.


National Financial Statement

A company’s balance sheet shows what it owns, what it owes, what it earns, and how it invests. The Union Budget does the same for the nation. Capital expenditure on infrastructure, digital public platforms, manufacturing, the energy transition, and logistics forms the asset side of India’s balance sheet. These are not routine expenses; they are long-term investments meant to generate jobs, improve productivity, and attract private investment.


When highways reduce travel time, freight corridors cut logistics costs, and digital systems make compliance seamless, the economic benefit eventually reaches the middle class — through better jobs, higher business efficiency, and a better quality of life.


Debt Is a Concern — But Also a Tool

The fiscal deficit and rising public debt often dominate headlines. But in finance, borrowing is not inherently negative. The real question is: is the money creating assets or merely funding consumption? Budget 2026 continues its emphasis on capital expenditure, signalling that debt is being used to build long-term economic capacity. It is the equivalent of taking a home loan to buy a house, not a personal loan to fund daily expenses.


This distinction is critical for India’s financial credibility and for keeping inflation and interest rates under control — two factors that directly shape EMIs, savings, and household budgets.


Structural Shift in Taxation

Another significant trend is the move toward widening the tax base instead of raising tax rates. Technology-driven compliance, data integration, and simplified systems are making taxation more transparent and efficient. For honest taxpayers, this is a long-term positive. A wider base means the burden is more evenly distributed and the system becomes fairer.


Spending: Consumption vs Wealth Creation

In personal finance, we are advised to spend less on consumption and more on asset creation. Governments face the same challenge. Budget 2026 walks this tightrope by continuing welfare support while keeping a strong push toward infrastructure and economic expansion. This balance is essential. Welfare sustains the present; capital expenditure builds the future.


What It Means for the Middle Class

The impact may not always be immediate, but it is deeply structural.


Likely Positives

* Better infrastructure leading to lower logistics and travel costs

* Increased formal job creation through manufacturing and services growth

* More digital and simplified financial compliance

* Greater long-term economic stability, supporting income growth


Areas Where Costs May Rise

* Consumption linked to luxury or non-essential goods

* Sectors where import dependence remains high

* Items affected by rationalisation of subsidies or duty restructuring


The Real Benefit: Stability and Opportunity

While headline tax relief may be limited, the larger gain for the middle class lies in macroeconomic stability. Controlled inflation, stable interest rates, higher capital formation, and sustained growth create an environment where salaries rise, businesses expand, and investments perform better.


In other words, a strong national balance sheet ultimately strengthens household balance sheets.


Credibility of the Numbers Matters

In accounting, projections are only as good as the assumptions behind them. GDP growth estimates, revenue targets, and disinvestment numbers must be realistic. Fiscal discipline enhances India’s global credibility, attracts investment, and keeps borrowing costs in check. This directly affects home loan rates, education loan affordability, and returns on savings.


Why This Budget Is About the Long Term

Budget 2026 does not appear designed for short-term applause. Instead, it reflects a strategy focused on capacity creation, formalisation of the economy, and sustained growth. That may not deliver instant gratification, but it strengthens the foundation on which future income and employment will grow.


The Final Balance

For a chartered accountant, the principle is simple: financial health is not judged by one year’s profit but by the strength of the balance sheet. The same applies to a nation.


Budget 2026 may not dramatically change monthly tax outflows for every salaried individual, but it aims to build an economy where incomes are more secure, opportunities are wider, and growth is sustainable.


In the long run, that is the kind of balance sheet every middle-class household benefits from — even if the impact is not visible the very next morning.


(The writer is a Chartered Accountant based in Thane. Views personal.)


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