Finally, there comes a breakthrough, a wicket that a team so desperately needed. But the captain wonders, has the wicket come a little too late. Has the game already been lost ? Or is there still a time for comeback ? More often than not, there are no miracles in this game. And the moment you feel that a wicket has come a little too late, that is the correct feeling. Yes, more often than not, the game has already been lost! We live in an era plagued by match fixing. And this particular game was lost because of bowlers deliberately spoiling the party.
So much goes through a captains mind, both on and off the field. This match is gone. But what about the future games? Should the captain, aware of the players' wrong doing, act as the whistle blower? Or should he show a little more patience, give the players another chance and observe them for a few more games? Besides, a good captain just cannot speak his mind out. He has to keep things to himself. He has to pretend to be calm, even if he's not. He cannot vent out his angers and frustration. For whatever he says may potentially impact his whole side. It might destroy his team, it might ruin his career. He cannot just come up with allegations, every allegation requires concrete evidence. Even if he does come up with evidence, a game that has been lost cannot be won back again. Glory that has been lost cannot be restored back in a day.
Rebuilding a side plagued with wrong doing allegations takes years to do. It isn't an easy decision to bring to justice the players involved, particularly if the players have a lot of promise. However, one just gets the feeling that that's the right thing to do. The foul fruits have to be weeded out, the rotten mangoes can otherwise spoil the rest as well.
Success, however, is not just about doing the right things. Success is about doing the right things at the right time. The captain needs to wait, not just for this game, but for this series to get done. The best he can do for now is hope that his chaps had only been involved in this game, and would help pull the side through in the next game. Once done with the series, time will be just right to settle scores ..... by taking the bull by its horns.
