Well-deserved champions, but

All praise for India – for winning the ICC Champions Trophy for a record third time. Unbeaten in a competition of eight top rankers, the Men in Blue have stamped their supremacy in the cut-throat world of cricket. Little doubt that Team India – a bunch of talented players suiting the demands of modern-day cricket – can beat any opponent on any venue under any conditions! Thus the Dubai-only arrangement – widely deemed as an advantage for Indian team – has kind of taken the sheen off India's triumph, and has rather done a disservice to an unbeatable unit.

That the ICC deserves flak for caving in to BCCI pressure on a range of issues – depriving Pakistan of its sole hosting right, finalising the itinerary and scheduling all India matches on a single venue – goes without saying. It's rather a case of collusion between the ICC and the BCCI given that the former is led by India itself – well, precisely by Jay Shah, the son of Amit Shah, India's interior minister. India has in fact attempted to use – and with success – what should have been an unbiased, apolitical ICC platform to score political points over Pakistan. There is thus little denying that under India, the ICC integrity is at stake.

While the Champions Trophy story carries lessons for our politicians too, right now let's just focus on lessons for our cricket framework. The kind of hybrid nursery of cricket – featuring domestic and league cricket – that India has raised continues to produce world beaters without fail. On the contrary, PCB has over the years failed to decide on what should constitute the domestic cricket structure in the country – regional cricket or departmental cricket. It goes without saying that there is need to focus on the grass roots while involving both local and foreign experts for coaching and training. Luring sponsors into the game so as to improve the training and playing facilities is an immediate must too. Rebuilding should start forthwith.