Well after the 2-0 series win over Australia in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar trophy its all talks from most of the Indian cricket stalwarts about team India becoming the number 21 team in the ICC test rankings.But,to what extent is this statement really valid? Starting from Kris Shrikanth and up to Amarnath,all have hinted that India would go on from here onwards to become the number 1 test team in the world.Well how foolish a statement would that be? Some thinking by Gavaskar taking reality into consideration and dismissing such claims.No doubt that India has in it the potential to demolish any of the present bowling attacks and bowlers who can become nightmares to most of the batsman.
As Sunil Gavaskar was found saying, India still needs to improve its performance overseas.Like they lost the test series 2-1 to Sri Lanka in August.Even the victories in the recent past were not convincing either.A 1-0 win against Pakistan,a 1-1 against the Proteas, before a 2-1 series loss to Sri Lanka unlike the Australian team that whitewashed alomost each and every team that it came across one-sidedly.The three test series which India won against England last year 1-0 was owing to rains, which played a spoilsport,by drawing the first test at Lord's with England needing just one wicket to win when India were reeling at 282/9 chasing a target of 380,with four hours of day's play still to go.In the past one year or so, India has had as many as three captains for test matches,which is not desired for a team contending for a top spot in the test rankings.
My question is can India whitewash any team be it at home or outside,excluding Bangladesh?Does India have a perfect replacement for top players like V V S Laxman, Sachin and others in case of injury and still be able to outperform the opposition? Does India have the consistency to play such tough cricket similar to the way the world cricket powers like the West Indies of the 70s and the recent Oz team did?Does India have the guts ond courage to stand up against any odds like the way Steve Waugh and Clive lloyd did during their rule?
Well Australia could do all these for all the days they dominated world test cricket.A defeat to Australia was as good as a minnow team like Bangladesh winning a test match against a noted opposition.Their Ashes loss in 2005 raised millions of eye- brows all over the world in frustration.From then onwards,the Australian team maintained their winning streak until the Perth test which they eventually lost by 72 runs.They had were unbeaten 22 consecutive tests which included 16 straight victories.Are you Indian cricket buffs listening?
India has always relied on only a couple of players for a test victory,with the rest of them just filling the vacancies..Needless to say that India cannot even think of such things what-so-ever.A victory in the current series may end up in a crushing defeat in the next tour under schedule.
Only time will tell as to whether India can be in par with top teams like the Windies of the 70s or the Australian team until Ashes 2007.Until then, we have no other choice but to wait and watch team India's performances in test cricket.
1 comment:
It was the depleted Australian team that India faced which is a key factor in India's series victory.
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