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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.

Plastic Isn’t the Polluter. We Are

Writer: Dr. Sanjay Joshi
Dr. Sanjay Joshi
Dec 26, 2025
3 min read

Are you guilty of taking plastic bags for your regular grocery shopping, or do you do the right thing and carry your own?

Recently, I was addressing a group of young people at a seminar. Most of them were students. The topic of the session was “Beat the Plastic Pollution”. I began my speech with a deliberately provocative statement. “Plastic does not create any pollution,” I said. Then I paused and asked, “Do you all agree?”


The room instantly filled with confusion. The audience looked at one another, clearly perplexed. Whispers began to ripple across the hall. A few students seemed almost amused, while others appeared genuinely disturbed. “Sir, your topic for this lead lecture is Beat the Plastic Pollution,” someone murmured. “And you are saying that plastic does not create any pollution. How is that possible?”


I let the moment linger. Once again, I asked them, “Do you agree?” This time, a few hands went up. One student spoke confidently. “Sir, extensive research shows that plastic has become one of the worst pollutants. It is creating life-threatening conditions across the globe. In that case, how can you say plastic does not cause pollution?”


They were absolutely right. I had anticipated this response. That question was precisely what I wanted to provoke. I smiled and told them that before answering, I would describe a scene all of us have witnessed many times in our daily lives. Then I began narrating that familiar, everyday sight.


My wife and I had gone to buy vegetables and fruits from a local vendor near our home. As expected, the place was crowded. Many people were busy selecting produce and bargaining over prices. It was a familiar, everyday scene.


One thing, however, stood out clearly. Only a handful of customers—including us—were carrying a cotton thaila or a bag made of cloth. Most others had arrived empty-handed. They carried nothing except their wallets, ready to pay and walk away.


After we finished choosing our vegetables, the vendor acted almost instinctively. In a fraction of a second, he pulled out a brand-new plastic bag from a pile hidden beside him—despite the fact that plastic bags are banned. Before we could react, he had already started putting our purchases into it. His hands moved so swiftly that it felt like a reflex action, learnt and repeated countless times.


My wife reacted immediately. She stopped him mid-action and handed over the cloth bag we had brought from home. Seeing this, I spoke aloud so others nearby could hear. “Bhaiyya, plastic ki thaili mat diya karo kisiko bhi… ye galat hai.” (Brother, please don’t give plastic bags to anyone… it is wrong.)


The vendor looked at me helplessly and replied without hesitation. “Kya kare sirji, yadi main plastic bag nahi dunga, to log mujhse mera maal kharidenge nahi. Fir mera dhandha kaise chalega?” (What can I do, sir? If I don’t give plastic bags, people won’t buy from me. Then how will my business survive?)


I glanced around, hoping that people nearby would pause and reflect. I thought they might realise that what they were doing was part of the problem. But that hope quickly faded. Those who had not brought their own bags showed no interest in the conversation. They neither listened nor reacted. The vendor, meanwhile, continued obliging them, handing out plastic bags one after another.


Among the crowd were a few parents accompanied by their school-going children. I decided to speak to one such family. I gently asked why they had not carried bags from home.


The child answered candidly, almost casually. “Uncle, why should we take the trouble of carrying those clumsy-looking bags when these lightweight, see-through bags are so easily available?”


Then came a remark that stayed with me. The child added, “We can use these bags for storing our household garbage and then throw them into the dustbin or directly at the roadside garbage dump.”


That response, innocent as it sounded, revealed just how normal and unquestioned plastic use had become—even in young, educated minds.


I will pause my narration here. What happened next? You’ll have to wait until next Saturday to find out.


Until then, enjoy a wonderful last weekend of the year 2025.


(The author is an environmentalist. Views Personal.) 


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