Leadership is a Contact Sport : Cricket’s Blueprint for Corporate Success

From Cricket Pitches to Boardrooms: Succession Planning Lessons from Team India

In India, cricket is more than a game — it is an emotion. It is strategy, grit, and leadership on full display. And as we gear up for the Asia Cup 2025 Final, where India takes on arch-rival Pakistan after eight straight victories (including two against them in this tournament), the excitement is electric. Yet, beyond the runs and wickets lies a story that resonates deeply with organizations: succession planning and leadership grooming.

The Courage of the New Breed

If there’s one player who has captured attention this season, it’s Abhishek Sharma. Courageous, fearless, and explosive — he’s fast emerging as the rightful successor to the “Hitman” Rohit Sharma in T20 cricket. His bold sixes against world-class bowlers like Shaheen Afridi have shown us a new brand of batting: one that is not reckless, but brave.

I once read that Abhishek’s father would put him against a bowling machine firing at 150 kmph when he was a teenager. His logic? “He has to face this someday, so why fear it now?” That early exposure explains Abhishek’s calmness in high-pressure moments. Fearlessness, like leadership, is built in the nets long before it shines in the stadium. The way he has been hitting with sweet timing is music to ears with no fear.

 Team Composition Across Formats

The brilliance of this Indian side lies in its depth and succession across all three formats:

1. Tests: Veterans like Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin anchor the team, while Gill and Jaiswal grow into the next torchbearers.
2. ODIs: Hardik Pandya’s flexibility and leadership ensure balance, while Shubman Gill steadies the innings with maturity beyond his years.
3. T20s: The future is already here — SKY (Suryakumar Yadav), Abhishek Sharma, and others bringing fearless, inventive cricket that feels fresh yet reliable.

This didn’t happen overnight. It was the result of a strategy designed years ago.

The Dravid Effect: Investing in the Future

One of the masterstrokes by the Indian cricket board was assigning Rahul Dravid the role of nurturing India A and U-19 talent. His approach wasn’t about chasing short-term wins. It was about building a feeder system for the national side.

Dravid often reminds us:

“We have to be patient with youngsters. They are very skilful, but they learn on the job.”

Names like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Prithvi Shaw didn’t just appear — they were backed, groomed, and mentored. Much like in business, the responsibility of preparing future leaders lies with today’s management.

 Leadership is a Contact Sport

MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, and Rohit Sharma are all captains remembered not just for their performances, but for backing youngsters relentlessly. Dhoni trusted players like Rohit in lean phases. Ganguly created legends by spotting raw diamonds. Rohit has given today’s fearless batters the space to fail and rise again.

This brings us to a corporate parallel. In many boardrooms, potential leaders are dismissed because they lack “board experience.” But isn’t it the organization’s job to give them that exposure? If cricketers never played “A tours,” how would they be ready for international cricket?

As leadership experts often say:

“Leadership is a contact sport.”

It requires involvement, feedback, and the courage to put people in the arena, not just on the sidelines.

Pressure, Composure & Collective Roles

As India heads into the Asia Cup Final 2025 against Pakistan, the real challenge isn’t skill — it’s managing off-field pressure. Five straight victories and the “favorites” tag can be a burden. The lesson here is timeless: no matter how brilliant individual players are, the team wins only when every role is played with commitment.

This is true in organizations too. A star CEO without a strong team behind them cannot win in today’s BANI world (Brittle, Ambiguous, Non-linear, Integrated). Everyone has a role, from seasoned leaders to fresh entrants. Success lies in orchestrating them like a symphony.

Lessons for the Corporate World

From cricket pitches to boardrooms, the playbook for succession is strikingly similar:

1. Spot talent early (just like Dravid’s feeder system).
2. Provide controlled opportunities (shadow boards, cross-functional projects).
3. Balance experience with youth (like Kohli with Gill, or Bumrah with emerging pacers).
4. Invest for the long term (mentorship, exposure, patience).
5. Back them through failures (as Dhoni and Rohit did).

Because in both cricket and business, succession is not an event — it’s a strategy.

Final Thought

As we wait for India and Pakistan to clash in the Asia Cup 2025 Final, one thing is clear: this Indian team isn’t just winning matches, it’s winning the future. Courageous, fearless, patient, and well-prepared — they reflect exactly what organizations must do if they want to thrive in uncertain times.

Cricket teaches us this truth beautifully: great teams are built not in the spotlight of finals, but in the quiet nets, with leaders who believe in tomorrow.

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