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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.

When Women Claim the Driver’s Seat

Writer: Asha Tripathi
Asha Tripathi
Apr 20
3 min read

From young girls in cars to grandmothers in electric autos, women are quietly reclaiming the road—and with it, a deeper sense of freedom.

There is a profound, poetic justice in the sight of a woman behind the wheel. For generations, the "driver’s seat" was the ultimate symbol of masculine autonomy—the one place where a man was the undisputed captain of his journey. But in 2026, that seat is being reclaimed by those who have always known how to navigate the most complex journeys of all.


The shift we see today—from the young girl in a sleek four-wheeler to the grandmother steering an electric auto-rickshaw—is more than a change in transport logistics. It is a quiet revolution of the spirit.


Why Women Excel

There is a tired old trope that women are "too delicate" for the road. It is a logic that collapses the moment you look at the reality of womanhood.


Built to Endure: A woman’s body is the original vessel of creation. If she can sustain, prepare for, and deliver new life—a process that demands immense physical endurance, rhythmic precision, and split-second crisis management—then mastering a gearbox is, by comparison, a simple task.


The Multi-Tasking Mind: Driving isn't just about speed; it's about awareness. Women have been socialised for centuries to manage a dozen variables at once—the safety of a child, the heat of a stove, the timing of a schedule. On the road, this translates to a driver who is more observant, more cautious, and fundamentally more invested in the safety of everyone sharing the pavement.


Road "Intimidation"

When a man feels "intimidated" by a woman in a traditionally male space—like a "Flying Jatt" seeing a woman pilot or a veteran driver seeing a lady "auto-pilot"—he isn't reacting to her lack of skill. He is reacting to her competence.


A woman driving an auto-rickshaw isn't just seeking a fare; she is claiming her right to the city. She is saying that the road is not a male corridor, but a public resource. Every time a woman merges into traffic or navigates a difficult turn, she is chipping away at the invisible walls that once kept her "at home."


Generational Shift

We see this change across every age sector:


The Young Trailblazers: Girls who grow up seeing women drive don't view it as a "feat". To them, it is as natural as breathing. They drive with a confidence that isn't loud or aggressive—it is simply sedate.


The Mid-Life Entrepreneurs: For women entering the workforce later in life, the "wheels" represent a literal vehicle for economic freedom. Driving an auto or a delivery van allows them to support their families on their own terms, bypassing the rigid hierarchies of office life.


The Pioneers: The older generation of women drivers are the ones breaking the hardest ground. They face the stares and the unsolicited "advice" from male drivers with a grace that comes from knowing their own worth.


When a woman takes the wheel, she isn't just moving a machine. She is moving her family, her community, and her own destiny forward. The road ahead is long, but for the first time in history, women aren't just passengers on the journey—they are the ones choosing the direction.


My Turn

At 52 I have started driving now, and my encouragement came from my 17-year-old daughter. Although I was reluctant and uninterested initially, I enjoy being on the wheel now, steering in hand, and feel extremely happy and grateful and feel like an upscale me.


We all, as women, should learn new skills and prove to ourselves that we are capable of everything.


Every new skill lifts us. Every mile builds confidence. And every woman who takes the wheel becomes, in her own way, an achiever.


(The writer is a tutor based in Thane.)


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