| India has a huge pool of people playing competitive | | | | for itself and clearly, there is a lot left to be desired |
| cricket. Given this fact, it must not be too difficult to | | | | in this area. |
| produce a world-class team. However, this is where | | | | The one point solution is simple: Eliminate selectors. |
| India has failed consistently over the last 75 years. | | | | Replace them with robust statistical and analysis |
| Fixing this is not at all a complex task. This article | | | | models. After all, India boasts of smart IT people and |
| provides an overview of a simple mechanism to pick | | | | smart mathematicians - why not use them build an |
| the right people to build a world-class team and the | | | | automated model to pick the right people to |
| role numbers and analysis can play to achieve this | | | | represent the country? |
| goal. | | | | A few basic things to build this model: |
| Cricket is a game rich in numbers. But a straight | | | | 1. An objective framework for assigning the difficulty |
| forward approach of just picking the people who | | | | levels of the external factors, the opposition and the |
| have the highest batting and bowling averages will | | | | "pressure" factor to be developed. |
| not necessarily result in the best team. At least, this | | | | 2. The simple batting and bowling average must be |
| is what we are led to believe and thus, the role of | | | | weighted with this "difficulty" factor. |
| selectors is hailed as being important. While this is not | | | | 3. This common system of measurement must be |
| completely true, there might be some wisdom in this. | | | | used to grade the performance of all the players |
| A deeper analysis of what the selectors are | | | | playing in age-group and domestic cricket |
| supposed to do illustrates this well. | | | | competitions in the country. |
| 1. Selectors look at obvious displays of talent. A | | | | 4. Only the top performers from each category |
| Sachin Tendulkar could not have been picked at such | | | | should be allowed to move to the next level. |
| a young age if the selectors did not have an eye for | | | | 5. This assessment must be repeated periodically |
| talent. Waiting to see his performance in domestic | | | | (say every 6 months) and laggards must be purged. |
| competition might have been just a waste of a | | | | A valid objection to this whole system could be that |
| couple of years when it was obvious that he was | | | | prodigies like Sachin Tendulkar might get delayed |
| good enough to take on the world at the age of 16 | | | | before entering the national team as it takes time to |
| itself. | | | | build data about performances that will merit a |
| 2. Selectors look at the external conditions in which a | | | | national call-up in this scenario. This might well be the |
| player performs. A hundred scored on a bouncy pitch | | | | case (although a good model can even take into |
| might be given more weight than a double hundred | | | | consideration some prodigious talent and give it |
| on a flat batting beauty. | | | | special weight) but this need not necessarily be a bad |
| 3. Selectors look at the quality of the opposition and | | | | thing. Overall, this model will ensure a great team and |
| thus, give more weight to runs or wickets against | | | | therefore, a delayed entry of a prodigy by a couple |
| stronger oppositions. Good performances against | | | | of years should not impact the team's performance, |
| touring test teams are a sure-shot way to catch the | | | | which is the main measure of success for a cricket |
| selectors' eyes, which is why we see so many | | | | team. |
| people being picked purely on the strength of one | | | | Conclusion |
| great performance against a strong touring team. | | | | The role of statistics and IT is vital if India is to build |
| A few pertinent questions at this point in time are | | | | a world beating team. Companies with capabilities in |
| whether we really need selectors to do this job, | | | | this area, such as Metrixline, must not only look to |
| does this method of picking players breed | | | | work for corporates but must extend their capability |
| consistency and excellence in performance of the | | | | to organizations like BCCI to build a better Indian |
| team and are the selectors absolutely objective in | | | | cricket team. |
| their assessment. The team's performance speaks | | | | |