• This piece combines Cricket and the Indian economy. What Indians can learn from their cricketers? Evaluate performance in context for it to be meaningful.

The obvious answer to the question posed by the title is NO. Is there anything that defies the law of gravity and keeps going up?

Yet, a number of speakers complain of the stock markets being flat of the last two years. Does any market in the world keep going up? It is akin to saying that Tendulkar hit a six off every ball or scored 100 in every innings.

Prashant Jain, founder and CIO of 3P Investment Advisors, made a good point during a recent Moneycontrol.com talk when he said that this is not the first time that market is down or flat for two years. If one sees the Indian stock market for the last twenty-five years, after a every two year fall the markets have gone up in the next three years. To hear balanced views of P Jain and Riddham Desai (see at 14 minutes for this quote)

I last wrote about Indian cricket in 2011 after the Dhoni lead India Team won the World Cup, Management Lessons from Dhoni for UPA and in 2022 given India’s obsession with defeating Pakistan Winning the World Cup is important, defeating Pakistan is not

In India, many of us refuse to accept the pair of opposites. We expect everything to move up-heading northwards. Here is an excerpt from a 2011 article on Dhoni.

Any public figure will vouch that the public can garland you on one day and throw stones the next.

A TV reporter asked M S Dhoni about the scene outside his Ranchi house if India won the World Cup. He said there would be big celebrations; yet in the same tone told viewers (without any anguish) of the protests outside his house when India played badly a few years ago.

People take a lifetime to understand that life is full of opposites (joy and sorrow, winning and losing, pleasure and pain), but Dhoni understood this at 29.

Next when we talk of a batsman’s performance it must be seen in the context of the conditions in which a player comes out to bat. 

How to evaluate a Batsman performance?

When we evaluate a batsman’s performance we must keep in mind the average score on that specific pitch, quality of the bowling attack, weather/lighting conditions, contribution to the team’s chances of winning after being in a difficult position and strike rate amongst others.

Ravi Shastri scoring a century in the West Indies, 1983, against a pace bowling attack of Roberts, Marshall, Holding etc. has much more value than a century scored against Zimbabwe or today’s pace bowlers. Another example is Mohinder Amarnath’s centuries in Pakistan, think 1982-83 tour, when Imran Khan was at his peak.

Just as we saw the conditions faced by cricketers like Jimmy Amarnath, we must evaluate the performance of the Indian economy in the context of the evolving geo political situation i.e. largely outside our control.

How to look at the current state of the Indian economy?

When we evaluate performance of the Indian economy think of impact of two major international events - the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the 2025 U.S. Iran war.

The Russian Ukraine led to, “Surging costs for fuel, fertilizers, and edible oils - particularly sunflower oil imported from the Black Sea region.” Read  How the War impacted India

The U.S. Iran war has increased uncertainty globally.

It led to rising crude prices, made stock markets volatile, soaring bond yields and fertilisers are in short supply. Not to forget Trump’s threats and increase in tariffs. An adverse El Nino effect might add to price pressures. 

We tend to overlook these challenges and their impact on inflation, capital inflows, the rupee, FII inflows and markets.

Instead of addressing challenges, some suggest easy option of restoring long-term capital gains exemption to increase FII inflows. Instead, suggest taxing of IPL Profits to reduce Securities Transaction Tax rate or cut in fertiliser subsidy.  

If only, it were that simple. Ask Dhoni, how difficult it was to score runs after losing three wickets in a T20 game.  

There is a lot that Indians can learn from observing the performance of cricketers like Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Dhoni and Kohli.

It is for reason that EAM Dr S Jaishankar told the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently, “That to relate to India one needs to understand cricket.”  SO, 

What can Indians learn from their cricketers?

1. Coping with uncertainty

When a batsman walks in to bat esp. morning does not know what to expect from the pitch-factors outside his control. It could be a green top, there could be overnight moisture etc. If the bowler is Marshall, Mcgrath or Imran Khan the uncertainty increases. He/she has to read the pitch and play i.e. the skill.

The same way, Indians must accept global uncertainty and adjust their lifestyles/thinking accordingly. A simple example, when did you last hear of rains in Mumbai on October 31?

2. Look at the positives and an opportunity in every situation

Some examples of capitalising on emerging opportunities are export of diesel and petrol to Europe. Focus on export of defence products to new markets like the Middle East and Europe and make a renewed effort to spread Spirituality worldwide.  Yuvraj Singh and Ajay Jadeja done this so often.

Amidst global uncertainty the Government of India has done well to diversify crude oil supplies, maintain Russian oil imports, (reduces average purchase price of crude) ensure supply of fertilisers (highly subsidised), a GDP rate of over 7% and keep inflation under control (not double digit like in 2013). Read How Agile Policy kept the Economy Moving quotes Vandana Hari, Singapore based analyst Express gratitude whilst expecting better governance.

Imagine how Dhoni or Tendulkar dealt with a situation with three wickets down.

3. This is not say that India does not need to reform and improve. 

India’s resilience should not imply status-quo. Hence, wrote in mid 2026, How the Indian economy can do better

The Cricket Board has infused fresh blood from time, disturbing status-quo. Abhishek Sharma and V Suryavanshi are just recent examples.

India is a Consultant’s delight because there is so much to improve. If only, there was political will.

Crude Prices chart. Courtesy Hindustan Times. 

4. Think how the government shall fund increase in cost of crude whilst keeping consumer prices subsidised and their impact.

Inspite of crude price per barrel crossing $ 95, we want pump prices to remain unchanged. While agreeing that the pricing of petroleum products is not transparent and its products over-taxed, do we ask how is the government going to fund purchase of crude if it does not increase prices? Read   How increase in crude prices affect the Indian economy  

If crude prices continue to rise, be willing to share the pain. No pain, no gain.

It is good to be unhappy with the present and ambitious because it triggers action. However, given the present level of geo-political uncertainty a change in attitude might help.

5. Be content and ambitious, look within and see how to perform better and learn from the best in the world.

Let not failure in a couple of matches bother you, think medium to long-term, take the rough with the smooth. All leading cricketers went through a lean patch, only to reinvent themselves and bounce back.

6. Accept the Opposites in Life for e.g. pleasure and sorrow, hear and cold, etc.

7. Be patient and have a sense of Timing

Kohli/Tendulkar did not hit every ball to the fence. They waited patiently for a loose ball to despatch it to the boundary. It was all about Samah or time.

So also, Indians must be patient to wait for the geopolitical situation to return to normal. Although, at this point that seems difficult because the scope of war is expanding esp. in the Middle East.

8. India should aim to become a Sachin Tendulkar or M S Dhoni not a Prithvi Shaw, Vinod Kambli, Robin Uttapa, Ajay Sharma (no offence meant) meaning Realize Potential. Read  What is the Indian concept of Time 

Indians must learn to take the ups and downs in the economy in their stride just like Tendulkar did whilst playing. Simultaneously, pressurise the government to reform, become more productive and use resources wisely. 

Be CONTENT and AMBITIOUS.

Tendulkar rarely got ruffled, focused on the game and let his bat do the talking. 

However, the government of India has the added responsibility of communicating with its citizens continuously and explaining impact of the present situation.

Also read

1. India is Stable inspite of Wars

2. How Yoga helps deal with uncertainty

3. Should IPL profits be taxed  

4. What is the Indian concept of Time