As soon as India lost the final against Australia, the same old rhetoric like a broken record started resonating all over the place. “Just one bad day“, “bad luck“, “India is by far the best team in the world” adding to this is Congress’ #panauti. Irony is that this is not the first time India had lost the cup. It actually is the same case every ICC tournament, barring a few exceptions in India’s long and rich cricket legacy. Why is it that this type of bad day doesn’t affect Australia? This was Australia’s sixth world cup title. How is it that their luck is always shining in the world cup knockout matches?

The cracks and fissures on the Indian side were already visible by the time India had reached the final. The game against NZ had amplified them even more. Please have a look at Everything is not fine with team India; ICC cricket world cup 2023 where I have highlighted some issues. As an example, Mohammad Siraj was used as a fifth bowler in the game against Australia in the final. Why? Simply because he is not the kind of bowler who takes wickets, he lacks penetration. Australia is not Sri Lanka. That’s why Rohit Sharma started with Bumrah and Shami, then moved to Kuldeep Yadav and Jadeja, and only when there was no option left brought Siraj to attack. The fundamental question that arise here is “if Rohit Sharma did not have faith in him, why did he even keep him in playing eleven? Siraj could have been dropped“. Maybe backlash!!

India isn’t like Australia or England where Football and Rugby takes precedence over Cricket. Do you seriously think that the eleven players that played the final were the best eleven players that a country like India where Cricket is more like a religion can produce?

There are many other such questions that should have been asked and addressed after the lose. However, unfortunately, this isn’t the case. It is as always “even the best team can have a bad day“. Quiet easily done! Not working on the hard realities is the reason India keeps falling short of winning titles in major ICC tournaments; it will continue to fail till the time, India starts taking the bitter pill without trying to please anyone.

This is the exact same reason, why Indian National Congress is losing elections in India and will continue to lose elections.

“2014 was a black swan moment“, “EVMs are hacked“, “BJP won 2019 simply on its Hindutva and polarization politics“, “Modi fools the voter by seeking credit of work done by previous governments be in state or at center“, “BJP won 2019 by war mongering and hyper nationalism” and countless other meaningless reasons.

This is the same rhetoric that runs like a broken record as soon as BJP wins anything. Until and unless Congress and its supporters first accept and acknowledge the actual underlying reasons behind BJPs victory and later address them, Indian National Congress or any other political party will never be able to win against BJP.

Is Tejasvi Yadav a leader better than Lalu Prasad Yadav?
Is Akhilesh Yadav a leader better than Mulayam Singh Yadav?
Is Supriya Sule a leader better than Sharad Pawar?
Is Rahul Gandhi a leader better than Jawahar Lal Nehru or Indira Gandhi?

The answer without any doubt is ‘No’ for each one of them. If you think otherwise, please do let me know via the comments.

Compared to Lalu Prasad Yadav’s or Mulayam Singh Yadav’s or Sharad Pawar’s or Jawaharlal Nehru’s or Indira Gandhi’s era, Indian Politics is way more complex today. Internally, there is far more deadly competition. For example BJP was not even in proper shape at that time. The phenomenon of social media and fact checking was unheard off. Whatever Pt. Nehru wrote of whatever Mrs. Gandhi said was the gospel. Externally, highly globalized world, teleports far off concerns to door-steps in seconds adding unnecessary complexities with little or no time for the politicians to manage or respond to turn the tables in their favors. Both Indira Gandhi and Pt. Nehru struggled taking care of Indian interests in a largely bi-polar world created in the backdrop of cold war. Just imagine them trying to buy cheap Russian Oil during Russian-Ukraine Conflict or refusing Chinese Covid kits during Covid crisis in this multi-polar world.

Navigating through this highly complex political setup, it would have been extremely difficult for even Pt. Nehru or Indira Gandhi to come on top let alone Rahul Gandhi. The simple straight forward fact is Congress would need a leader sharper, cleverer than Pt. Nehru or Indira Gandhi and not one slower then them.

If you are enjoying reading the article please have a look at : The politics of India vs Pakistan Cricket and A standing ovation worthy theatrics of I.N.D.I.A

Instead of acknowledging the fact that promoting incompetent people to higher position as a result of nepotism is bad for the party, Congress along with some other political parties have been busy defending it tooth and nail. Congress and other similar parties might win this argument that nepotism is not confined to Congress or SP or RJD or NCP, it prevails in BJP as well, but they will never win elections against BJP, because these star kids in BJP don’t call the shots.

Modi and Amit Shah were not crowned to the top post as a result of nepotism. They worked their way from the very bottom to the very top. Rahul Gandhi should imagine of competing only when Jay Shah becomes the party president; which I don’t see happening.

Till the time Congress and these other parties accept and address this hard reality, expecting anything good from them is a complete waste of time and energy. Till that time they will have to settle for moral victories and their supporters’ sympathy.

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Also read:

• Congress’ Election Manifesto: 7 major reasons why you should never vote for INC ever again
• Rahul Gandhi’s election pitch is a broken record
• Remembering some of the iconic work by Akhilesh Yadav during his days
• Ram Mandir, Bhoomi Poojan, Secularism and the Darkest day; all explained here